Written Answers of 13 April 1989

CIVIL SERVICE

  Civil Service Commission
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what plans he has for further changes in the role of the Civil Service Commission.

  Mr. Luce
  In 1982, the Civil Service Order in Council was changed so as to divide responsibility for recruitment between the Civil Service Commissioners on the one hand and Ministers on the other. The commissioners retained responsibility for the selection of middle and senior level staff—about 15 per cent. of the Civil Service. Departments assumed full responsibility for the majority of recruitment —85 per cent.—subject to certain rules laid down by the Minister for the Civil Service.

  In the light of current developments in Civil Service management, including the recent Next Steps initiative, it is now proposed to extend the area of recruitment which is the responsibility of Departments. It is proposed that from 1 April 1991, Departments and agencies should be free to carry out their own recruitment to grades and posts below grade 7, except for fast stream entrants. The Civil Service Commissioners would remain responsible for the recruitment and certification of staff at grade 7 and above —the more senior grades—and of their fast stream feeder entries. Departments and agencies, which will then be responsible for over 95 per cent. of recruitment, will act under rules laid down by the Minister for the Civil Service, which will reflect the principle of selection on merit by fair and open competition. The Civil Service Commissioners will advise the Minister on these rules, and will also be required to monitor, independently, their application by Departments, and to report accordingly. The commissioners will be free to publish their advice and reports.

  The commission will continue to make arrangements for recruitment to posts which remain the responsibility of the commissioners, and will support their new advisory and monitoring responsibilities. In addition, the Commission will be prepared to undertake, on repayment, recruitment of other grades on behalf of Departments, agencies and other bodies. A new executive agency will be created within the commission to carry out recruitment functions. Departments and agencies, however, will be free to make alternative arrangements for recruiting staff to the grades for which they are responsible, provided they observe the rules that will be promulgated.

  A considerable amount of detailed work remains to prepare for the transfer of responsibilities, to establish the executive agency on a repayment basis, and to make the necessary financial and legislative adjustments. In carrying this forward in the period up to 1991 and beyond, the objective will be to secure a smooth transition. There will be full discussion and consultation as appropriate with all concerned, including the staff of the Commission and their trades union representatives.
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  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is considering the application of the proposed changes to the diplomatic service.

  In due course it will be necessary to replace or amend the Civil Service Order in Council and the associated general regulations, to give effect to these proposals.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Taxes and Benefits
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report up-to-date figures on the same basis as those provided to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) in the Official Report, 10 January, columns 633–56.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I have arranged for tables giving the information requested to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Pay and File
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when it is planned to implement the new system of pay and file for companies, introduced in the Finance (No. 2) Act 1987, and the new interest rules for employers' PAYE deductions, introduced in the Finance Act 1988.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The implementation of pay and file for companies, and the general interest charge on employers' PAYE deductions delayed beyond the end of the tax year, have to be fitted in with the other major changes in direct taxation which are in hand. When the enabling legislation for these measures was before the House in 1987 and 1988 respectively, Ministers said that on present plans they would not be implemented until 1992 at the earliest. The detailed timetable has been revised since then to take account of new initiatives such as independent taxation.

  Under this revised timetable, the starting dates for these two measures will not be until 1993 at the earliest. I cannot be more precise at this stage. Firm starting dates will be announced in due course, and the likely starting date for pay and file will be announced in sufficient time to allow companies and their advisers to complete their preparations for the change. Companies which would, at present, have difficulty in meeting the time limits under pay and file for estimating their tax liability and filing their return, will be able to bring themselves up to date gradually over the period from now up to 1993.

  European Economic Interest Groupings
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the tax rules for European economic interest groupings.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Under the terms of European Council regulation EEC No. 2137/85, European economic interest groupings may be set up. The regulation is directly applicable under Community law throughout the European Community and has effect from 1 July 1989. However, certain articles are not completely self-executing, and in order to make the regulation fully effective in the United Kingdom, domestic legislation will be required. For taxation purposes, EEIGs will be fiscally transparent; profits will be taxable and losses allowable only at the level
  621
  of their members. After consultations with interested parties, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer intends to bring forward proposals covering the tax position of EEIGs in the 1990 Finance Bill. However, these will be effective from 1 July 1989.

  Other rules, for example on the method of registering EEIGs, which will be needed to make the regulation fully effective in Great Britain will be contained in regulations which my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry intends to lay before the Houses of Parliament on 19 April 1989.

  Income Tax
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether unmarried couples who are living together and are treated for Department of Social Security purposes like married couples will be able to claim married couple's income tax allowance after April 1990.

  Mr. Lawson
  [holding answer 11 April 1989]: No. The married couple's allowance will be given only if the couple are both married and living together. As at present, however, an unmarried couple looking after one or more children will be able to claim an additional personal allowance between them. The additional personal allowance will be equal in amount to the married couple's allowance.

  Incomes
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update to 1989–90 the figures given in reply to the right hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham,Official Report, 1 December 1988, column 361, showing net incomes in 1979–80 and 1988–89 at (a) two-thirds average earnings, (b) average earnings, (c) twice average earnings and (d) three times average earnings, of single-wage married couples with two children, as percentages of the net incomes at the same earnings level of (i) single people and (ii) two-wage married couples, where the combined wage comes to the specified total and the husband earns two thirds and the wife one third.

  Mr. Lawson
  [holding answer 11 April 1989]: The information is in the table.

  Net income of one earner married couple with 2 children as a percentage of net income of (a) single person and (b) 2 earner married couple with no children on same level of earnings

  (a) As percentage of net income of single person

  Multiples of average earnings1

  Two thirds

  One

  Two

  Three

  1979–80

  121·9

  115·3

  108·0

  106·7

  1988–89

  117·4

  112·0

  107·4

  105·4

  21989–90

  116·2

  111·3

  107·0

  104·9

  (b) As percentage of net income of married couple with 2 earners and no children

  Multiples of average earnings1

  Two thirds

  One

  Two

  Three

  1979–80

  101·9

  100·7

  103·4

  399·3

  1988·89

  99·8

  100·1

  102·6

  399·7

  21989–90

  98·8

  99·1

  101·6

  99·0

  The amounts of income (£ per week) are as follows:
  622

  Net income after income tax, national insurance contributions and child benefit (£ per week)

  Multiples of average earnings

  1

  Two-thirds

  One

  Two

  Three

  Married couple with one earner and 2 children

  1979–80

  65·46

  88·60

  163·44

  226·55

  1988–89

  145·99

  201·89

  379·14

  531·60

  21989·90

  158·71

  218·79

  409·35

  573·21

  Single

  1979–80

  53·71

  76·85

  151·30

  212·29

  1988–89

  124·33

  180·23

  353·18

  505·64

  21989–90

  136·56

  196·64

  382·61

  546·47

  Married couple with 2 earners and no children

  1979–80

  64·24

  88·02

  158·14

  3228·15

  1988–89

  146·27

  201·62

  369·43

  533·41

  21989·90

  160·62

  220·69

  402·89

  579·26

  1 Average earnings are those for full time males working a full week at adult rates in all occupations. They are £109·30 per week in 1979–80 and assumed to be £254·10 in 1988–89, an increase of 8¾ per cent. on average earnings in 1987–88 and £273·10 in 1989–90, and increase of 7½ per cent on 1988–89 (the increases used by the Government Actuary in assessing the level of the National Insurance Fund as described in paragraph 3·02 of the Autumn Statement 1988).

  2 Income tax rates and allowances used for 1989–90 are those proposed in the 1989 Budget. The calculations also assume post-October NIC rates; before October people earning more than £115 per week will pay an additional £3·01 per week.

  3 Corrected from the reply of 1 December 1988.

  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the net incomes in 1989–90, after taking into account income tax, national insurance contributions, child benefit and basic state retirement pensions, of a pensioner couple aged 65 to 74 years, a pensioner couple aged over 75 years and a single-earner couple with two children, assuming weekly gross incomes, excluding basic state retirement pension where appropriate, of £100, £150, £200, £250 and £300.

  Mr. Lawson
  [holding answer 11 April 1989]: Information is given in the tables. The income tax rates and allowances used for 1989–90 are those proposed in the Budget.

  Net income after income tax, national insurance contributions and child benefit, 1989–90

  Gross income1 £ per week

  Pensioner couples aged 65–74

  Pensioner couples aged 75 or over

  169·80

  153·24

  154·10

  219·80

  190·67

  191·53

  269·80

  223·38

  223·38

  319·80

  260·88

  260·88

  369·80

  298·38

  298·38

  1 Including basic state retirement pension of £69·80 per week paid to the husband.

  Gross income £ per week

  One earner married couple with two children1

  100

  104·54

  150

  137·54

  200

  170·54

  250

  203·54

  300

  236·54

  1 Assuming post-October rates of NIC, and child benefit of £7·25 per week (per child).

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Sudan
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will detail the United Kingdom aid provided to the Sudan in 1988–89, under the following headings(a) food, (b) medical supplies, (c) transport and (d) water supplies-equipment; and if he will give the amounts provided by the United Kingdom for the provinces of Equatoria, Bahr Ghazal and Upper Nile.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Final expenditure figures for 1988–89 are not yet available. Provisional figures for Britain's emergency and relief aid to Sudan include the following:

  (a) Food: £6·908 million (including the United Kingdom share of European Community food aid).

  (b) Medical supplies: £0·173 million.

  (c) Transport: £0·169 million.

  (d) Water supplies-equipment: £0·040 million.

  Of these, about £4·5 million was for the southern provinces of Equatoria, Bahr el Ghazal and upper Nile. Figures for the individual provinces are not available.

  United Kingdom

  Share of multilateral aid to SADCC countries 1980–1986

  £ thousands

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Angola

  330

  610

  520

  720

  1,900

  1,700

  1,780

  Botswana

  840

  860

  420

  460

  1,660

  910

  1,410

  Lesotho

  960

  1,410

  1,860

  1,850

  2,170

  1,990

  1,370

  Malawi

  3,410

  3,010

  3,680

  4,010

  8,320

  3,770

  5,460

  Mozambique

  1,160

  1,510

  1,310

  2,880

  4,650

  5,390

  6,020

  Swaziland

  1,050

  450

  560

  940

  1,290

  510

  670

  Tanzania

  5,080

  9,690

  11,640

  10,590

  10,770

  7,620

  9,090

  Zambia

  2,560

  3,350

  5,390

  2,390

  5,730

  8,600

  5,740

  Zimbabwe

  2,770

  2,220

  1,810

  2,120

  5,420

  1,260

  1,540

  TOTAL

  18,160

  23,110

  27,190

  25,960

  41,910

  31,750

  33,080

  United Kingdom

  Share of multilateral aid to SADCC countries at 1988 prices

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Angola

  536

  889

  704

  928

  2,337

  1,981

  2,002

  Botswana

  1,365

  1,254

  569

  593

  2,042

  1,060

  1,586

  Lesotho

  1,560

  2,056

  2,520

  2,384

  2,670

  2,318

  1,514

  Malawi

  5,541

  4,389

  4,985

  5,168

  10,235

  4,392

  6,140

  Mozambique

  1,885

  2,202

  1,775

  3,720

  5,720

  6,279

  6,770

  Swaziland

  1,706

  656

  759

  1,211

  1,587

  594

  753

  Tanzania

  8,254

  14,129

  15,768

  13,648

  13,249

  8,877

  10,222

  Zambia

  4,160

  4,885

  7,302

  3,080

  7,049

  10,019

  6,455

  Zimbabwe

  4,501

  3,237

  2,452

  2,732

  6,668

  1,468

  1,732

  TOTAL

  29,507

  33,696

  36,833

  33,455

  51,558

  36,989

  37,199

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list British contributions to the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference for each year since its foundation.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Since the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference was founded, the United Kingdom has committed the following amounts:

  £10 million in 1980–81

  £2 million in 1982–83

  £13 million in 1985–86

  £10 million in 1986·87

  £10 million in 1987·88

  £15 million in 1988·89

  Expenditure is recorded within the figures for the country where individual projects are based.
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  In addition to emergency and relief aid, our programme of long-term development assistance and programme aid included:

  (a) Food production: £1·2 million.

  (b) Medical supplies: £2·3 million.

  (c) Transport: £2·7 million.

  (d) Water supplies-equipment: £2·0 million.

  Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list United Kingdom contributions to each of the member states of the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference through multilateral agencies, in each year from 1979 onwards(a) in cash and (b) in 1988 prices.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information is as follows. Figures for 1987 are not yet available from all multilateral agencies.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the level of British bilateral aid to each of the member states of the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference for each year from 1979 to 1987;

  (2) if he will list the level of British bilateral aid to each of the member states of the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference for each year from 1979 to 1987 inclusive, at 1987 prices.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I refer the hon. Lady to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, gave her on 13 May 1988 at column 250.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Teachers
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Crosby of 21 March,Official Report, column 495, he will publish a similar table of information about re-entrant teachers for the year ended 31 March 1984;

  (2) if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Crosby of 21 March, Official Report, column 496, he will publish a similar table of qualified teachers returning to employment in maintained secondary schools in the years ended 31 March 1984 and 1985; to what extent in each of 1984, 1985 and 1986 the numbers of teachers identified reflect a return to (a) full-time and (b) part-time and (c) supply teaching; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) further to his reply to the hon. Member for Crosby of 21 March, Official Report, column 495, if he will now publish an analysis by age and sex of the numbers of re-entrant teachers to maintained secondary schools, in each of the years 1984, 1985 and 1986; what further information is available to his Department in relation to the length of time such re-entrant teachers had spent out of service; what further information is available to his Department in relation to re-entry to (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) supply teaching, where this can be differentiated by age, sex or length of time out of service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  Figures for the years ending March 1984, 1985 and 1986 of re-entrants to teaching in maintained schools in England are as follows:

  Year ending

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Re-entrants to maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools by sector

  Re-entrants to nursery and primary schools

  number

  6,470

  6,890

  7,670

  as a percentage of all entrants to these schools

  65

  65

  63

  Re-entrants to secondary schools number

  6,380

  6,210

  6,480

  as a percentage of all entrants to these schools

  41

  45

  47

  Re-entrants to nursery, primary and secondary schools number

  12,860

  13,100

  14,150

  as a percentage of all entrants to these schools

  50

  53

  55

  Re-entrants to maintained secondary schools by graduate status and degree subject

  Graduate re-entrants

  3,250

  3,130

  3,420

  Of which, number whose degree subject is:

  Mathematics

  230

  200

  240

  Physics

  90

  110

  110

  Other sciences

  500

  450

  530

  Geography

  210

  190

  210

  Economics and other social sciences

  250

  250

  270

  English

  530

  480

  510

  History

  240

  230

  280

  Modern languages

  360

  400

  420

  Other subjects

  840

  810

  850

  Non-graduate re-entrants

  3,140

  3,080

  3,070

  Re-entrants to maintained secondary schools by sex and age

  Men re-entrants

  1,440

  1,280

  1,280

  Of which, number aged:

  626

  Year ending

  1984

  1985

  1986

  less than 30

  350

  270

  230

  30–34

  390

  330

  310

  35–39

  310

  290

  290

  40–44

  160

  160

  180

  45–49

  100

  110

  130

  50 and over

  130

  110

  140

  Women re-entrants

  4,950

  4,930

  5,210

  Of which, number aged:

  less than 30

  780

  610

  600

  30–34

  1,210

  1,150

  1,150

  35–39

  1,470

  1,590

  1,780

  40–4

  860

  890

  980

  45–49

  410

  450

  410

  50 and over

  220

  240

  290

  These figures relate to qualified teachers re-entering full-time service. Comprehensive information on re-entry to supply teaching is not held centrally. Information on re-entry to part-time teaching, and on the length of time out of service of those re-entering full-time service, could only be extracted at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) further to his reply to the hon. Member for Crosby of 21 March,Official Report, column 496, in relation to qualified teachers returning to employment in maintained secondary schools, how many (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) supply teachers (i) return to and (ii) leave such employment, in circumstances where they leave for reasons other than retirement; what trends are discernible in the net position between such leavers and all returners in each year; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) further to his reply to the hon. Member for Crosby of 21 March, Official Report, column 496, in relation to qualified teachers returning to employment in maintained secondary schools, what comparable information is available to his Department from the database of teacher records, or any other source, in relation to the numbers and degree subjects of teachers leaving employment in maintained secondary schools, in circumstances where they leave for reasons other than retirement; if he will make it his policy to publish comparable analyses of such leavers and all returners in each recent year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  Figures from the Department's database of teacher records, of full-time teachers in maintained secondary schools in England leaving full-time service in the maintained sector before normal retirement age (60) are given in the table. Also shown are the numbers of re-entrants to full-time service in these schools.

  Year ending in March:

  1984

  1985

  1986

  All leavers below normal retirement age

  13,350

  14,620

  15,150

  Graduate leavers

  7,900

  8,880

  9,130

  Of which, number whose degree subject is:

  Mathematics

  620

  650

  750

  Physics

  250

  280

  320

  Other sciences

  1,240

  1,420

  1,520

  Geography

  470

  570

  540

  Economics and other social sciences

  660

  750

  770

  English

  1,130

  1,230

  1,210

  History

  590

  670

  690

  Modern languages

  1,030

  1,140

  1,160

  Other subjects

  1,910

  2,180

  2,340

  627

  Year ending in March:

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Non graduate leavers

  5,450

  5,740

  5,840

  Re-entrants

  6,380

  6,210

  6,480

  The figures for leavers below normal retirement age includes teachers retiring early, as well as those leaving for
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  reasons other than retirement. The precise numbers and characteristics of those retiring early can not be readily identified, but their overall number is of the order of 4,000 per year.

  All figures relate to qualified teachers leaving or re-entering full-time service. Comprehensive information on departures from and re-entry to supply teaching is not held centrally, while information relating to part-time teaching could only be extracted at disproportionate cost.
  629
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science over each of the 10 years from 1978 to 1988 how many(a) male and (b) female head-teachers of schools in England have left for the following reasons: (a) normal retirement, (b) early retirement, specifying the various reasons for this, (c) death in service, and (d)

  Table providing numbers of head teacher retirements/deaths in respect of English primary schools, between 1978 and 1988

  Early retirements:

  Normal retirements

  Infirmity

  Premature

  Deaths in service

  Deaths within 5 years of retirement

  1978–79

  Male

  406

  46

  28

  41

  100

  Female

  112

  38

  25

  1

  5

  1979–80

  Male

  348

  46

  134

  43

  84

  Female

  143

  41

  99

  0

  9

  1980–81

  Male

  343

  37

  256

  35

  95

  Female

  194

  25

  209

  0

  5

  1981–82

  Male

  346

  37

  426

  37

  84

  Female

  259

  48

  301

  11

  37

  1982–83

  Male

  284

  50

  436

  31

  64

  Female

  223

  44

  296

  10

  29

  1983–84

  Male

  264

  50

  458

  31

  50

  Female

  194

  56

  364

  11

  17

  1984–85

  Male

  239

  46

  416

  16

  32

  Female

  140

  59

  338

  6

  12

  1985–86

  Male

  188

  69

  344

  26

  14

  Female

  150

  73

  323

  10

  15

  1986–87

  Male

  155

  69

  284

  21

  10

  Female

  115

  84

  269

  15

  9

  1987–88

  Male

  144

  59

  193

  19

  8

  Female

  108

  82

  253

  7

  2

  TOTALS

  Male

  2,717

  509

  2,975

  300

  541

  Female

  1,638

  550

  2,477

  71

  140

  Table providing numbers of head teacher retirements/deaths in respect of English secondary schools, between 1978 and 1988

  Early retirements:

  Normal retirements

  Infirity

  Premature

  Deaths in service

  Deaths within 5 years of retirement

  1978–79

  Male

  143

  12

  18

  16

  38

  Female

  18

  4

  4

  0

  1

  1979–80

  Male

  127

  15

  51

  10

  30

  Female

  21

  3

  12

  0

  2

  1980–81

  Male

  99

  11

  104

  10

  24

  Female

  13

  4

  18

  0

  0

  1981–82

  Male

  91

  18

  132

  9

  25

  630
  death within five years of retirement; and how many in each category were from (i) primary schools, (ii) secondary schools, (iii) special schools and (iv) other schools.

  Mr. Butcher
  The information requested is provided in the following tables.
  631

  Early retirements:

  Normal retirements

  Infirity

  Premature

  Deaths in service

  Deaths within 5 years of retirement

  Female

  24

  4

  43

  2

  4

  1982–83

  Male

  78

  14

  164

  9

  18

  Female

  19

  8

  38

  1

  1

  1983–84

  Male

  62

  18

  167

  14

  12

  Female

  14

  8

  44

  2

  3

  1984–85

  Male

  62

  20

  171

  8

  13

  Female

  18

  4

  30

  0

  2

  1985–86

  Male

  64

  28

  191

  6

  4

  Female

  17

  6

  45

  0

  1

  1986–87

  Male

  40

  18

  142

  5

  2

  Female

  10

  5

  37

  0

  1

  1987–88

  Male

  47

  26

  126

  9

  2

  Female

  17

  4

  23

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  Male

  813

  180

  1,264

  96

  168

  Female

  171

  52

  291

  5

  15

  Table providing numbers of head teacher retirements/deaths in respect of English Special schools, between 1978 and 1988.

  Early retirements:

  Normal Retirements

  Infirmity

  Premature

  Deaths in Service

  Deaths within five years of Retirement

  1978–79

  Male

  23

  5

  0

  2

  6

  Female

  3

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1979–80

  Male

  28

  4

  16

  5

  8

  Female

  10

  7

  14

  0

  0

  1980–81

  Male

  19

  4

  18

  6

  6

  Female

  8

  3

  13

  0

  0

  1981–82

  Male

  29

  7

  45

  2

  19

  Female

  18

  4

  30

  0

  2

  1982–83

  Male

  19

  2

  37

  4

  2

  Female

  10

  2

  21

  1

  0

  1983–84

  Male

  18

  9

  32

  1

  4

  Female

  14

  5

  22

  2

  1

  1984–85

  Male

  17

  0

  39

  3

  4

  Female

  9

  3

  29

  1

  2

  1985–86

  Male

  17

  10

  34

  2

  3

  Female

  10

  3

  28

  0

  0

  1986–87

  Male

  10

  12

  28

  5

  2

  Female

  10

  5

  22

  1

  0

  632 633

  Early retirements:

  Normal Retirements

  Infirmity

  Premature

  Deaths in Service

  Deaths within five years of Retirement

  1987–88

  Male

  12

  6

  23

  2

  1

  Female

  8

  3

  16

  1

  0

  TOTALS

  Male

  192

  59

  272

  32

  55

  Female

  100

  35

  197

  6

  5

  Table providing numbers of head teacher retirements/deaths in respect of English other schools, between 1978 and 1988

  Early retirements:

  Normal retirements

  Infirmity

  Premature

  Deaths in service

  Deaths within 5 years of retirement

  1978–79

  Male

  41

  6

  15

  2

  13

  Female

  20

  8

  10

  1

  2

  1979–80

  Male

  45

  5

  20

  5

  11

  Female

  23

  5

  12

  0

  0

  1980–81

  Male

  34

  11

  40

  9

  5

  Female

  24

  0

  34

  0

  1

  1981–82

  Male

  40

  7

  57

  6

  13

  Female

  24

  7

  49

  2

  7

  1982–83

  Male

  35

  3

  47

  5

  5

  Female

  26

  6

  30

  0

  4

  1983–84

  Male

  26

  8

  49

  5

  8

  Female

  16

  9

  42

  0

  3

  1984–85

  Male

  31

  4

  41

  2

  4

  Female

  11

  6

  39

  1

  3

  1985–86

  Male

  35

  7

  65

  6

  3

  Female

  19

  7

  28

  2

  2

  1986–87

  Male

  33

  9

  50

  3

  1

  Female

  17

  8

  29

  1

  1

  1987–88

  Male

  19

  3

  48

  4

  3

  Female

  19

  8

  32

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  Male

  339

  63

  432

  47

  66

  Female

  199

  64

  305

  7

  23

  Tulse Hill School
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how quickly he will come to a conclusion on the application under section 12 of the Education Act for the closure of Tulse Hill school and the amalgamation with William Penn boys school in Red Post hill, London SE24.

  Mr. Butcher
  The proposals concerning Tulse Hill and William Penn schools are under consideration by my right hon. Friend. On 6 February, the Department wrote to the Inner London education authority and the boroughs of 634
  Lambeth and Southwark to consult them on a possible modification to the proposals. The responses to that letter are being considered and a decision is expected shortly.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how he proposes that 1990's student grant will reflect the community charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Government will take into account all factors affecting students' financial circumstances in setting
  635
  the level of the student grant for 1990–91. The community charge will not necessarily lead to an increase in outgoings: students will no longer have to pay domestic rates.

  Research Grants
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much research money has been granted by the Government to non-United Kingdom universities in each of the last 10 years; and what was the nature of the research for which money was granted in each instance.

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

  Vice-Chancellors
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the annual increase in the average salary of university vice-chancellors in each of the last 10 years, expressed(a) in cash terms (b) real terms and (c) as a percentage of the average rise in non-manual earnings.

  Mr. Jackson
  This information is not collected.

  Tuition Fees
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average cost of tuition fees per student for (i) medical courses, (ii) science courses and (iii) arts courses for each of the last 10 years in(a) cash terms and (b) real terms, with 1979 = 100, for (1) undergraduates and (2) postgraduates.

  Mr. Jackson
  Tuition fees for full-time home and EC students are not differentiated by subject area. The standard maximum tuition fees eligible for reimbursement under the student awards arrangements have been:

  Undergraduates

  Postgraduates

  £

  1Index

  £

  1Index

  1979–80

  595

  100

  890

  100

  1980–81

  740

  105

  1,105

  105

  1981–82

  900

  116

  1,320

  113

  1982–83

  480

  58

  1,413

  114

  1983–84

  480

  55

  1,494

  115

  1984–85

  500

  55

  1,569

  115

  1985–86

  520

  54

  1,632

  114

  1986–87

  536

  54

  1,680

  113

  1987–88

  556

  53

  1,730

  111

  1988–89

  578

  52

  1,800

  108

  1 Measured in real terms using the GDP deflator.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total local authority spending on university tuition fee in each of the last 10 years in(a) cash terms and (b) real terms, with 1979 = 100, for (i) undergraduates and (ii) postgraduates.

  Mr. Jackson
  The available data are listed below. The figures represent the total amount local education authorities pay in fees for students in receipt of a mandatory or discretionary award. The indexed figure is based on real terms 1978–79 prices.
  636

  LEA expenditure on postgraduate and undergraduate fees1 1978–79 to 1986–87—England and Wales

  £ million

  Year

  Undergraduate

  Postgraduate

  Cash terms

  3Real terms

  Cash terms

  3Real terms

  1978–79

  121·1

  100

  3·0

  100

  1979–80

  136·1

  96

  3·3

  95

  1980–81

  175·4

  105

  4·4

  106

  1981–82

  201·0

  109

  5·3

  116

  21982–83

  121·6

  62

  2·7

  56

  1983–84

  122·2

  59

  2·7

  53

  1984–85

  124·3

  58

  2·8

  52

  1985–86

  130·0

  57

  2·8

  50

  1986–87

  133·5

  57

  3·0

  51

  1 Excludes sandwich students in placement year.

  2 In 1982–83 the rate of fees set for first degree and diploma courses were reduced from £900 to £480 with compensating increases in direct funds to institutions.

  3 Indexed 1978–79 = 100.

  Grant-Maintained Schools Trust
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his reply of 4 April,Official Report, column 121, what steps his Department took on learning that the literature of the grant-maintained schools trust had incorrectly described it as a registered charity.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  None. The grant-maintained schools trust is an independent body and it was for it to decide what steps to take. The trust was not described as a charity in any document issued by my Department.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central, 4 April,Official Report, column 121, when the discussions with the chairman and director of the grant-maintained schools trust were held; and what matters were discussed.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend and I met the chairman and director of the trust in October last year and in February this year. Matters discussed included the number of schools making inquiries to the trust about grant-maintained status and a possible future role for the trust in helping any schools approved for grant-maintained status prepare for their new role.

  HM Inspectors
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what was the total establishment of Her Majesty's inspectors of education; and how many were in post, in the years 1979, 1983 and 1988;

  (2) how many (a) full individual school inspections, (b) other individual inspections and (c) whole authority inspections were carried out by Her Majesty's inspectors in each of the years 1983 to 1988; and what proportion of the total number of (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools were so inspected by category in each year;

  (3) if he will publish a table for each local education authority in England showing the number of inspectors and advisers employed by each authority, and the ratio of that number to the number of the pupils in that authority's area, with national totals and the ratio for England as a whole.
  637
  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The total complement of Her Majesty's inspectorate, and the numbers of staff in post (including inspectors of further and higher education), were as follows, on 1 January in the year in question:

  1979

  1983

  1988

  Complement

  430

  440

  485

  Staff in post

  404

  386

  477

  Inspections which resulted in published reports on individual institutions and whole authorities in the calendar years 1983 to 1987 are listed in the following table. The proportion of schools inspected relative to the total number of schools in England in those years is shown in brackets. Figures for 1988 cannot be provided as a number of reports arising from inspections begun in that year have yet to issue.

  Primary

  Secondary

  Whole authority

  Number

  per cent.

  Number

  per cent.

  1983

  95

  (0·5)

  88

  (2·0)

  3

  1984

  74

  (0·4)

  76

  (1·7)

  5

  1985

  99

  (0·5)

  83

  (1·9)

  1

  1986

  102

  (0·5)

  68

  (1·6)

  1

  1987

  90

  (0·5)

  59

  (1·4)

  1

  These figures exclude inspections of schools relating to some 300 district and national survey reports which issued over the period in question, and all inspections of youth and community work and further and higher education institutions.

  Her Majesty's inspectorate does not undertake "other individual inspections", but makes thousands of visits to schools in the course of its day-to-day business. Estimated figures for the academic years requested are provided in the following table. The proportion of schools visited relative to the total number of schools in England in those years is shown in brackets.

  Primary

  Secondary

  Number

  per cent.

  Number

  per cent.

  1983–84

  3,600

  (18)

  3,400

  (77)

  1984–85

  3,000

  (15)

  2,200

  (50)

  1985–86

  3,000

  (15)

  2,100

  (49)

  1986–87

  3,200

  (16)

  2,300

  (54)

  1987–88

  3,300

  (17)

  2,400

  (58)

  Thus, on average, each secondary school is visited about every two years and each primary school about every five years.

  I regret that information in the form requested relating to local authority advisers and inspectors is not collected centrally.

  School Governors
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many school governors in the last two years have(a) been dismissed, (b) resigned and (c) had their nomination withdrawn by an appropriate nominating body; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what rights of appeal he provides 638
  for school governors (a) against dismissal and (b) against their nomination being withdrawn; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  It is for local authorities to decide whom to appoint to the places on school governing bodies reserved for them. It also falls to them to decide whether a governor appointed by them should be removed from office. But they must exercise their powers reasonably, and we would consider very carefully any complaint that an authority had not done so in a particular instance.

  Appointing bodies other than local authorities have similar powers. A complaint that such a body has exercised its powers unreasonably may be pursued through the courts. There is no provision for the dismissal of elected or co-opted governors.

  Collective Worship
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department will issue guidance to local education authorities setting out a definition of a collective act of worship under the terms of the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department's circular 3/89, issued in January this year, contains guidance on the new requirements for religious education and collective worship in schools. It also explains that one of the functions of local standing advisory councils on RE may be to advise LEAs on matters connected with religious worship in schools. Copies of the circular were sent to all local education authorities and schools in England and to other bodies, and a copy has been placed in the Library. The Department does not intend to issue further guidance in this area.

  Ethnically Based Statistics
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the result of consultation on the draft circular on the collection of ethnically based statistics on school teachers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My Department and the Welsh Office issued a draft circular on the collection of ethnically based statistics on school teachers as a basis for consultation in October 1987. Comments were received from 58 bodies and individuals. The great majority were sympathetic to the principle of such collection. Issues of concern included the classification scheme to be adopted; monitoring of applicants for teaching posts; and timing. In the light of these responses my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today issued a revised circular. Copies will be placed in the Library. Complete data from all authorities will be required in January 1990. The collection of this data is essential to measure the success of our efforts to secure an increase in the number of school teachers from ethnic minority backgrounds.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Research and Development (Yorkshire)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the latest figures on distribution for his Department's budget for research and development in Yorkshire.
  639
  Mr. Atkins
  In 1988–89 my Department's spending on eligible research and development projects in the Yorkshire and Humberside region amounted to £3·75 million. This figure does not include some elements of expenditure which it was not possible to break down on the basis required.

  Furniture and Furnishings (Safety)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions in applying Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 to baby products he or his officials have had with the Baby Products Association; and what steps he has taken to ensure these regulations will be compatible with the need for baby fabrics to allow air to pass through them to ensure a child's breathing is not restricted when the fabric comes into contact with a baby's face, particularly if it gets wet.

  Mr. Forth
  Officials in my Department discussed the application of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations with the Baby Products Association and the British Association of Nursery and Pram Retailers on 22 February.

  The only padded nursery products where air permeability appears to be a significant factor are pillows and baby nests. The regulations apply to the fillings of pillows but not to their covers. Baby nests are outside the scope of the regulations. There would thus appear to be no conflict between these regulations and the need for permeability in nursery products.

  However, I am considering whether babies may be harmed by exposure to fire retardant chemicals likely to be used on the cover fabrics of some nursery products in order to make them match resistant and thereby meet the requirements in the regulations. If the medical advice I am seeking suggests that there may be such a danger, I shall consider amending the regulations in order to provide a limited exemption.

  Manufacturing Productivity
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about productivity levels in British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Atkins
  In the three months to January 1989, manufacturing productivity, as measured by output per person employed, was at a record level, 6 per cent. higher than a year earlier and 49 per cent. higher than the 1979 average level. During the 1980s, manufacturing productivity in the United Kingdom has grown faster than in all other major industrialised countries.

  Internal Market
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has for the east midlands area to benefit from the operation of the European internal market from 1992.

  Mr. Atkins
  The completion of the single market means greater freedom for trade, and many studies have demonstrated the benefits of that. The single market will bring opportunities for business in all parts of the country. DTI is seeking to ensure that business in the east midlands, as in other regions, takes the necessary action to respond 640
  effecitively to the opportunities and challenges ahead, and the "Europe open for business" campaign has stimulated great interest throughout the country.

  Spirits
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received a copy of the representations of the European Community Commission by the European Community Spirits Producers Association to seek the early elimination of the remaining customs duties and frontier taxes levied on European Community spirits in certain EFTA markets; what action his Department has taken to support the United Kingdom spirits industry in achieving the removal of these duties and taxes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My Department has received a copy of the representations to the European Commission by the European Community Spirits Producers Association. The Government strongly support the opening up of the EFTA markets to Community producers, and we shall press the Commission to react positively to the proposals in the association's paper.

  Import Quotas
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how quotas imposed on goods imported into the United Kingdom are achieved in circumstances where more than one company wishes to import and their desired total imports would exceed the quota.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Except when arrangements are made for the country of origin to administer a quota by dividing it amongst its exporters, quota shares are normally allocated to applicants on the basis of their past trade in the product concerned.

  Estate Agents
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received proposals for the regulation of estate agencies from the National Association of Estate Agents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I have received proposals from the National Association of Estate Agents and others on the regulation of estate agents.

  I am currently considering whether it might be appropriate to supplement the existing consumer protection provisions of the Estate Agents Act 1979, perhaps with an effective self-regulatory system incorporating a code of practice. I hope to be in a position to announce the conclusion of my review fairly soon.

  Timeshare
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received about timeshare mail shots; if he has any plans to seek to make them illegal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I receive a number of complaints about the use of prize-draw mail shots by certain timeshare companies and the Department's leaflet—"Your Place in the Sun"—warns consumers to be particularly wary of such offers.

  I have no plans to legislate. The Timeshare Developers Association lays down standards for the kind of

  641
  promotions undertaken by its members in its code of ethics. The Advertising Standards Authority considers complaints about promotional material which does not comply with the British Code of Sales Promotion Practice and the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988, administered by the Director General of Fair Trading, apply to misleading advertising.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received any representations concerning the introduction of a cooling-off period for timeshare buyers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I do receive complaints about some timeshare companies not providing a cooling-off period. It is an important safeguard for consumers, and an increasing number of timeshare companies recognise this. The Timeshare Developers Association's code of ethics requires its members to provide a minimum cooling-off period of five days. The Department's leaflet—"Your Place in the Sun"—advises those interested in timeshare not to sign anything unless a cooling-off period is allowed.

  House of Fraser
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what dates since 1979 he or any of his Ministers have met Mr. Harry Landy to discuss the case for an inquiry into the affairs of the El Fayeds or House of Fraser holdings.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 12 April 1989]: None.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Public Defender Schemes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Attorney-General what inquiry has been made by the Government into the effectiveness of public defender schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Government have not initiated any inquiry into the effectiveness of public defender schemes and have no immediate plans to do so.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sapphire Investigations Bureau
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contracts his Department has placed over the past 10 years with the Sapphire Investigations Bureau.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have no record of any such contract.

  Freedom of Information (Conference)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for. Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the British delegation to attend the Helsinki process conference on freedom of information; who drew up the delegation list; and how the list was compiled.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Lord Rees-Mogg has accepted my invitation to lead the British delegation to the London Information Forum. Following are the names of the personalities who have accepted his invitation to join the delegation.
  642
  They will be supported by Sir Anthony Williams, formerly Her Majesty's ambassador to the Madrid CSCE review conference, and by a small number of officials.

  Bruce Anderson—Sunday Telegraph

  Neal Ascherson—The Observer

  Jonathan Eyal—Royal United Services Institute

  John Grant—EFTPU

  John Harper—Consultant in telecommunications/IT

  Geoffrey Hosking—Professor of Russian History, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University of London

  Paul Johnson—Author

  Austen Kark—formerly Managing Director, BBC External Broadcasting

  Mrs. Helen Liddell—Maxwell Publications, Scotland

  Edwina Moreton—The Economist

  Dr. Janet Morgan—Director, Cable and Wireless

  David Nicholas—Chairman, ITN

  David Puttnam—Enigma Productions

  Malcolm Rutherford—Assistant Editor, Financial Times

  Adam Scott—Director, International Affairs, British Telecom

  John Vincent—Professor of Modern History, University of Bristol

  George Wedell—Professor of Communication Policy, University of Manchester, and Director, European Institute for the Media

  Andreas Whittam-Smith, The Independent

  Diplomatic Service (Women)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many women currently hold the position of ambassador, high commissioner or chargé d'affaires within Her Majesty's diplomatic service.

  Mr. Eggar
  Six: five ambassadors and one chargée d'affaires.

  Fishing Conference (South American States)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances he sent out invitations to south American states to participate on 16 March in a conference on fishing; how many acceptances he received; and what were the reasons given by those who declined.

  Mr. Eggar
  Diplomatic missions from countries with vessels licensed in the Falklands fishery, together with others with a regional or general interest in conservation and fishery matters in the south-west Atlantic, were invited to a technical presentation in the FCO on conservation and management aspects of the Falklands fishery on 16 March. The presentation explained and expanded on the Falkland Islands Government's report, published on 9 March, a copy of which is being placed in the Library. Twenty two missions attended; 11 regretted that they were unable to send representatives.

  SAAD-16 Contract
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will approach the BBC to obtain a copy of the SAAD-16 contract relating to the export of rocket laboratories to Egypt, Iraq and Argentina.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Yes.

  Condor Project
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what basis the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) asserted that the Condor 2 missile could start a new arms race.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The introduction of missile systems such as Condor 2 into areas of tension and instability risks encouraging other states to obtain similar weapons.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will seek to discuss with the Israeli Government, the involvement of MBB in the Condor project.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the Argentina/Egypt Condor contract.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Since the early 1980s, Argentina has been developing a rocket known as Condor 2. Egypt has been linked to the project by Argentine military spokesman and by the press. Officially, however, Egypt denies any involvement.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governments of Germany, Italy and France on the involvement of their citizens and scientists in the development of Condor 2 missile in Argentina.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The possible involvememt of both companies and individuals in various ballistic missile programmes which fall within the parameters of the missile technology control regime is regularly discussed among members of the regime.

  Chile
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Chile as to civil rights in that country; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have discussed these matters in previous meetings with the Chilean Foreign Minister, and Her Majesty's ambassador in Santiago frequently does so with the Chilean Government. During his visit to Chile in January 1989, and FCO Assistant Under-Secretary of State held talks with Chilean Ministers and senior Government officials, which included the issues of human and civil rights.

TRANSPORT

  A6 Bypass
  Mr. John Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will consider the provision of a footbridge over the A6 bypass at Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Provision cannot be justified on the basis of known pedestrian/cyclist movements and expected traffic flows.
  644
  The situation will be reviewed following completion of the bypass.

  Channel Tunnel Link
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail on the appropriateness of private Bill procedures for British Rail's proposals for a Channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Portillo
  The private Bill procedure is the only procedure available for the promotion of new railway works. Objectors have the opportunity to petition against the Bill to Select Committees of both Houses of Parliament, who have the power to amend the Bill in response to the petitions received. This provides an appropriate mechanism for objections to British Rail's proposals to be considered if they have not been resolved in consultations prior to the Bill's introduction.

  M4 Improvements (Berkshire)
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his officials have had with the highways department of Berkshire county council about improving and modernising the road system in the county and about improvements to the London end of the M4; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Officials of the Department and Berkshire county council have discussed the 1989–90 transport supplementary grant and transport capital allocations.

  The county council is aware that the national trunk road programme includes schemes for widening the M4 to dual four-lane standard between the M25 interchange and junction 8/9 (Maidenhead) and for improving junction 8/9. We expect to appoint design agents very shortly. The county council will be consulted during the preparation of these schemes.

  Rail Link (Channel Tunnel)
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial criteria he instructed the British Railways Board to employ when evaluating a high speed rail link from the Channel tunnel to London; and how these criteria differ from those applied to tunnel-linked road schemes in Kent.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Government's criteria for approving investment by British Rail were discussed in the Government's observations on the third report of the House of Commons Transport Committee, Session. 1986–87, which were published in the first special report of the Committee for the 1987–88 Session (HC420). These observations also addressed the question of comparability with the investment criteria used for new road schemes, and whether the difference in the methods used results in any significant distortion between the modes. Rail and road investments in connection with the Channel tunnel will be appraised using the normal criteria employed for rail and road investments.

  Public Transport (Safety)
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve safety of the citizens on public transport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  In general, safety standards on public transport are already high; but they must be kept under regular review and steps taken to rectify problems revealed by the investigations into recent accidents. I am taking steps to strengthen the role of the railway inspectorate.

  British Transport Police (Report)
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive and publish the report on the British Transport police from Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary.

  Mr. Portillo
  The report on the inspection by Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary will be made to the British Transport police committee which is responsible for the administration of the force. I understand that HMIC expects to report to the committee later this spring.

  Pedestrian Crossings (Auditory Signals)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what co-operation exists between European countries concerning compatibility of auditory signals at pedestrian crossings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In 1984, a survey of the audible signals being used in Europe was undertaken for the European conference of Ministers of Transport. A wide variation in the types of audible signals in use was noted. No standard system was proposed.

  The United Kingdom leads a working group of the ECMT on transport and disability. We keep in close touch on a wide range of policy and technical issues in this field.

  Three-car Trains (Replacement)
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why, in British Rail's provincial sector, many life-expired three-car trains are being replaced by two-car units.

  Mr. Portillo
  Investment in modern two-car units offering an improved level of service has been approved as the most cost-effective way of replacing old diesel multiple units. Earlier this year I approved a further 194 express vehicles for provincial services.

  Traffic Noise
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent tests have been carried out to test the noise level and frequency of traffic passing on(a) brushed concrete and (b) blacktop; and what has been the result.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Transport and Road Research Laboratory, in its report 896 in 1979 and supplementary report 696 in 1981, published work on the noise and frictional properties of various types of road surface. Peak noise levels from vehicles varied with the texture, depth and type of surface material. Surfaces of equivalent skidding resistance produced similar noise 646
  levels. These results were further confirmed in 1987, following further comparisons between brushed concrete and black top surfaces.

  M20 (Hollingbourne-Ashford)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what will be the peak hour capacity of the Hollingbourne-Ashford stretch of the M20 when it is completed;

  (2) when he estimates peak hour capacity on the Hollingbourne-Ashford stretch of the M20 will be reached.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Motorways are designed for the average daily traffic predicted 15 years after opening. Peak hour flows are just one of the factors taken into account when designing the appropriate carriageway standard.

  Average flows of 80,000 to 100,000 vehicles a day are not uncommon on dual three-lane motorways and can be accommodated comfortably. The current forecasts for the Hollingbourne-Ashford section of the M20 in the design year 2005 are 35,000 to 40,000 vehicles a day.

  Elderly People (Drivers' Licences)
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to require the volunteer drivers of vehicles used by charities to convey elderly and frail people to hospitals and day centres to obtain public service vehicle licences; what is the current position with regard to proposals from the European Community; and what estimate he has made of(a) the cost of training such drivers to meet public service vehicle licence standards and (b) the numbers likely to withdraw from such voluntary activities rather than undertake the necessary training courses.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have no such plans. We consider there is no reason on road safety grounds for doing so. We are pressing the European Commission at every level to avoid placing unnecessary restrictions on volunteer drivers.

  We believe that its proposals would have significant social and cost consequences for non-commercial voluntary transport operations, not least because of their deterrent effect on volunteer drivers.

  We aim to protect our present arrangements in the negotiations in the Council of Ministers.

  Practical driver training for minibus drivers by local authorities and voluntary groups is already widespread. We fully support that.

  Settle-Carlisle Railway
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has held with local authorities regarding any proposals to permit privately operated services over the Settle-Carlisle section of British Rail; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  None. Such consultations are British Rail's responsibility.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the organisations, other than British Rail, with whom he has had discussions about providing railway services on the Settle-Carlisle section of British Rail, during the last eight weeks; and if he will make a statement.
  647
  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend and I have had no such discussions.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his proposal to support a company 51 per cent. owned by British Rail, 49 per cent. owned by Cumbrian Railways Ltd., to operate the Settle-Carlisle section of British Rail.

  Mr. Portillo
  Negotiations with any private organisations interested in the Settle-Carlisle railway are British Rail's responsibility. However, such negotiations must now be reviewed in the light of my right hon. Friend's answer to the hon. Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry) on 11 April at columns 411–12.

  Motorways (Diversions)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times traffic has been diverted off motorways for each of the last three years in England and Wales.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  This information is not available. The police take decisions on day to day traffic control including when to divert traffic in the event of accidents or other incidents obstructing traffic flow.

ENERGY

  Sapphire Investigations Bureau
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what contracts his Department has placed over the past 10 years with the Sapphire investigations bureau.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  We have no record of any such contract.

  Electricity (Privatised)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the price of shares in the flotation of the various companies which are to be involved in electricity generation and supply; and at what date he expects publicity campaigns in support of these flotations to commence.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No decisions on the pricing of the offers for sale will be announced until just before the time of the sales. Similarly, there will be no expenditure on publicity incurred by the Government in support of the flotations until much nearer the time of the sales.

DEFENCE

  Challenger FV Tanks
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of Challenger FV tanks purchased for service with British forces; and what is the total cost of these tanks.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 22 March 1989 at column 616; the number of Challenger tanks purchased for service with the British forces remains classified.

  Helicopters
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of Westland-Augusta EH101 helicopters currently in service with British forces; and what is the number on order and the expected total cost of the order.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  There are no Anglo-Italian EH101 helicopters currently in service with the British armed forces. The EH101 project is still in its development phase, and production orders are yet to be placed.

  Exercise Mallet Blow
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any aircraft taking part in Exercise Mallet Blow was authorised to cause a sonic boom over inhabited areas of Northumberland on Tuesday, 4 April; whether any aircraft did so; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  I shall write to the hon. Member.

  Pilots (Discipline)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military pilots have been subject to disciplinary proceedings for breaches of the regulations concerning the height and speed of flights over the United Kingdom during the past two years.

  Mr. Neubert
  One military pilot has been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings for breach of the regulations concerning the height of flights during the past two years. This was a Royal Air Force pilot who was charged with unlawful low flying. Less severe infringements of low flying regulations, which have provisions covering both the height and speed of low level flights, are dealt with by informal procedures.

  Nuclear Material (Imports)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the 1958 Anglo-American mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters was last amended; when nuclear material was last imported from the United States under this agreement; in what quality; and in what quantity.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The United Kingdom/United States bilateral agreement for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes was last amended in 1984. Details of times of delivery, quantity and quality of materials are classified and, in the national interest, must remain so.

  Sapphire Investigation Bureau
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department has placed over the past 10 years with the Sapphire investigation bureau.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We have no record of any headquarters contract having been placed with a company of this name during the past 10 years.

  Sea Mammals
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent his Department has used or is using or training sea mammals for any purposes.
  649
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Sea mammals are not used or trained for any purpose, and there is no record of their use in the recent past.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many accidents(a) at sea or (b) in dock, involving Royal Navy nuclear powered submarines, involved (i) the death of submariners, (ii) the deaths of Royal Naval port workers, or (iii) the release of radioactivity.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Since 1980, one accident involving a Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine has resulted in the death (by drowning at sea) of a naval rating. There were no such accidents involving deaths of workers in Royal dockyards. Details of any accidents before 1980 could not be provided without disproportionate effort and cost. No Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine has ever been involved in an accident involving a radiological hazard to service men, base personnel or members of the public.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance from the Royal Navy or other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces has been offered to the Soviet Union in the rescue or recovery of the nuclear powered submarine lost off the north Norwegian coast on 7 April.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No request for assistance from Her Majesty's forces has been made. In response to any such request, we would lend whatever support we could. Any discussions between the Soviet Union and other NATO countries are a matter for those countries. I understand, however, that an offer of assistance from Norway was declined.

  Greenham Common
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has discussed the future of Royal Air Force, Greenham Common with representatives of the United States Air Force; and whether there have been any talks with any official organisation with responsibilities for civil aviation about possible uses for the base, after the cruise missiles are withdrawn.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  RAF Greenham Common has been designated as a stand-by operating base for many years and we envisage that this role will continue after the cruise missiles have been withdrawn. No decisions have yet been taken on possible additional roles thereafter, but we envisage that the base will remain available to the United States authorities for military use. There have been no discussions with any official organisation with responsibilities for civil aviation about possible future uses of the base.

  Condor Missile
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the threat posed to the Falkland Islands by development of the Condor missile.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are concerned about the potential destabilising effect which Condor could have in any area of the world where it might eventually be deployed. As far as the threat to the Falkland Islands is 650
  concerned, we keep this constantly under review. At its present stage of development, Condor appears to lack the accuracy to pose a realistic military threat, and it would be politically counter-productive for Argentina to threaten to use it against the Falklands. If she were ill-advised enough to do so, we are confident that it would not prevent reinforcement of the islands.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of(a) chemical and (b) high explosive warheads for the Condor 2 missile.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In principle, both high explosive and chemical warheads could be developed for a missile of this type. Any step in the direction of developing a chemical warhead would of course be a serious further enhancement of Condor's destabilising potential.

PRIME MINISTER

  Mountain Ash
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to visit Mountain Ash.

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

  Crime
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding the fight against crime.

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding the fight against crime.

  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding the fight against crime.

  The Prime Minister
  I receive a range of representations about crime and the Government's action to combat it.

  Environment
  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding improvements to the environment.

  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding improvements to the environment.

  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding improvements to the environment.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a number of representations, many of which echo this Government's concern to maintain and improve environmental standards.

  Free Trade
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding the importance of free trade.

  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding the importance of free trade.
  651
  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received regarding the importance of free trade.

  The Prime Minister
  I am pleased to note an increasing body of opinion supporting liberal trade policies, to which the Government are committed, both in relation to the European single market and to the GATT Uruguay round. It is encouraging that a firm basis has now been laid for the completion of the GATT Uruguay round negotiations.

  Tropical Hardwoods
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Prime Minister what action she is taking to control the importing of tropical hardwoods.

  The Prime Minister
  My hon. Friend the Minister for Trade has had useful and constructive discussion with Dr. Freezailah, executive director of the International Tropical Timber Organisation, in which he has strongly emphasised the importance we attach to ensuring that trade in these products is conducted in a manner consistent with the needs of conservation.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will take the initiative in organising an international conference on the dangers to the world of climatological flip resulting in another ice age, as a consequence of destruction of rain forest, along the lines of the conference on the ozone layer; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The whole question of climate change, including the impact of rain forest destruction, is being reviewed by the inter-governmental panel on climate change set up under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organisation and the United Nations Environment Programme and is fully supported by the Government. They will assess the scientific information available, and likely impacts of climate change, and possible policy responses and will report to the second world climate conference in 1990. I do not propose to organise an international ministerial conference at this stage.

  Bilton, Rugby
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Bilton near Rugby.

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

  Consultants and Special Advisers
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the amount spent by her office on outside consultants and special advisers attached to, or working for, No. 10 Downing street in 1988–89.

  The Prime Minister
  There has been no expenditure by my office on fees on outside consultants in 1988–89. The latest estimate of the amount spent by my office on advisers in 1988–89 is £261,600.

  10 Downing Street and Chequers (Costs)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will provide the final figure for 1988–89 for(a) the cost of
  652
  maintaining and running 10 Downing street and additional cost at Chequers, (b) the grant in aid to the Chequers Trust and (c) the costs on a consistent basis and expressed at constant 1984–85 prices.

  The Prime Minister
  Final figures for 1988–89 are not available. The latest estimates of the figures requested are:

  £

  (a) cost of maintaining and running 10 Downing street and additional costs at Cheques 1 2 3

  6,262,672

  (b) grant-in-aid to Cheques Trust

  238,000

  (c) figures at (a) and (b) in 1984–85 price terms

  (a) 5,099,888

  (b) 193,810

  1The figures include costs at both 10 Downing street and Chequers; the information is not available by location.

  2 Salaries and wages, notional pension liability, administration costs, the costs of office services and the grant-in-aid to the Chequers Trust are included. The salary of the Prime Minister is excluded.

  3 This total is calculated on a consistent basis with the total for 1986–87 in sub-paragraph (a) of the reply to the hon. Member on 23 October 1987 at column 846. If office services costs are excluded (to produce a figure consistent with those at sub-paragraph (c) of that reply) the total for 1988–89 is £5,756,942. (£4,688,056 at 1984–85 prices).

  Disabled Staff
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the staff complement of No. 10 Downing street in 1988–89; and how many staff were registered disabled.

  The Prime Minister
  The total staff complement of 10 Downing street in 1988–89 was 67. None was registered disabled.

  Official Entertainment
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the total cost of official entertainment associated with the office of Prime Minister in 1988–89.

  The Prime Minister
  Final figures for 1988–89 are not yet available. The latest estimate of the total cost is £21,979.

  Costs
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the total cost to public funds of all her offices, duties, accommodation and expenses in the year 1988–89.

  The Prime Minister
  Final figures for 1988–89 are not yet available. The latest estimate of the total cost of all my offices in 1988–89 is £6,297,151.(Note. Salaries and wages, notional pension liability, administration costs, and the grant in aid to the Chequers Trust are included. My salary as a Cabinet Minister is also included. My pay and allowances as a Member of this House are excluded.)

  Overseas Visits (Media Representatives)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister how much is currently outstanding from media organisations for charges arising from their representatives who accompanied her on official transport on overseas visits; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 10 January 1989 at column 495.
  653
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister how many journalists accompanied her on her recent visit to various African countries using official transport; and what was the charge per capita.

  The Prime Minister
  Twenty-three representatives of the media travelled with me. The per capita charge was £1,700.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will give the names and the organisations of those media representatives who accompanied her on official transport during her recent visit to various African countries.

  The Prime Minister
  A wide range of media representatives accompanied me on my visit.

  Appointments (Women)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister how many women she has appointed to public bodies since 1979: and what percentage this represents of total appointments for which she is responsible.

  The Prime Minister
  I have appointed or reappointed 65 women to public bodies since 1979. This represents 14 per cent. of such appointments since that date for which I have been responsible.

  African Visit
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will provide a breakdown by category of the cost to public funds of her recent visit to various countries in Africa.

  The Prime Minister
  The estimate of the cost of this visit, which I gave the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 7 April 1989, can be broken down as follows: travel costs £41,000; other costs £25,000.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister what functions were carried out by each of the 11 accompanying officials on her recent visit to Africa; what was her method of travel; and who was the carrier.

  The Prime Minister
  I travelled to Africa in an RAF VC10. As regards the functions carried out by those accompanying me, I have nothing to add to the answers I gave the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 7 April at column 303.

  Official Gifts
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister how much was expended from public funds for the provision of official gifts by her office in 1988–89.

  The Prime Minister
  Final figures for 1988–89 are not yet available. The latest estimate of expenditure by my office on official gifts in 1988–89 is £13,653.

  Travel (Costs)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the total cost to public funds of travel by her and accompanying officials in 1988–89.

  The Prime Minister
  Final figures for 1988–89 are not yet available and cannot be provided in the precise form requested. The latest estimate of the total cost of my travel and that of my staff in 1988–89 is £902,952.

  Civil Service Relocation (Clwyd)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will meet Alyn and Deeside district council at its Hawarden headquarters to discuss the relocation of civil service departments in the county of Clwyd and specifically at(a) St. David's business park, Ewloe, on the A55 and A483 and (b) Warren Hall business park, Broughton, near Chester, on the A55;

  (2) if she will visit the Warren Hall and St. David's business parks to see construction work in progress and to assess the suitability of these landscaped sites for the relocation of Whitehall Civil Service departments; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so. Under the policy announced by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General on 31 March 1988 at columns 610–11, it is for individual Departments to review the location of their work in accordance with clear guidelines with a view to finding locations which offer advantages in terms of recruitment and retention of staff, value for money and increased operational efficiency; and to make their own inquiries about the most suitable sites. When Departments decide to relocate some of their work they will include among the locations they consider areas, such as the hon. Member's constituency, which are the focus of the Government's regional and urban policies. Departmental Ministers will announce their own decisions on significant relocations, including their chosen venues.

  Torness power station
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Torness power station.

  The Prime Minister
  I hope to visit Torness power station in the course of the year.

  Secretary of State for Wales (Speech)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister if the speech made on 10 April by the Secretary of State for Wales on the economy was totally in accordance with the Government's policy; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The policies being pursued in Wales by the present Secretary of State, as with his distinguished predecessor, are those of the Government as a whole.

  Non-oil Balance of Payments
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister what policy proposals she has to tackle the adverse non-oil balance of payments.

  The Prime Minister
  The rise in the non-oil current account deficit has primarily reflected the strength of domestic demand. The Government have responded appropriately by tightening monetary policy and the effects of this are already apparent—for example in recent figures for MO, retail sales and the housing market.

  Wales TUC
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will meet the Wales Trades Union Congress in Cardiff to discuss the needs of Wales's industrial infrastructure;
  655
  (2) if she will meet the Wales Trade Union Congress in Cardiff to discuss Her Majesty's Government's industrial and regional policy; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Under this Government, the economy of Wales has been revitalised: economic performance continues to improve; output is growing; and unemployment if falling.

  Since 1987, Wales has attracted inward investment of nearly £1,450 million; grants for regional industrial assistance total some £255 million, with an associated forecast of 68,000 new jobs. Seasonally adjusted unemployment has fallen for 34 consecutive months and by some 52,000 in the last two years. The Welsh Development Agency continues to maintain a high level of factory lettings with 2·3 million sq ft in 1988, the best year yet. Since 1979–80, over £1 billion has been spent on roads in Wales. Future plans are described in "Roads in Wales 1989" published on April 10 1989.

  I see no need to meet the Wales TUC.

  Engagements
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 April.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 April.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 April.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 April.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 April.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 April.

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

ENVIRONMENT

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has had from(a) the Confederation of British Industry and (b) the Small Businesses Association to his criticisms of their submissions on the poll tax and business rate to hon. Members.

  Mr. Gummer
  None.

  Air Pollution
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to reduce air pollution from airliners flying into Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted; and what powers are available to him to improve limits on the amount of aviation fuel airliners are enabled to jettison over land.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.
  656
  The Government introduced regulations in May 1986 to limit smoke emissions from aircraft. Regulations to limit the emission of unburned hydrocarbons came into effect in January 1989. These cover all airlines using United Kingdom airports. The United Kingdom is playing a full part in international discussions as to what further steps may be required.

  The Air Navigation Order 1985, made under the Civil Aviation Act 1982, prohibits the jettisoning of fuel by aircraft over the United Kingdom, except in an emergency. In such an event air traffic controllers will recommend that the fuel be dumped over the sea if at all possible, or in excess of 10,000 ft above ground level, when the fuel would vaporise in the slipstream.

  Personal Data
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will amend the next edition of the booklet, "You and the Community Charge", to inform community charge payers that(a) the Secretary of State for Social Security can breach a duty of confidentiality in disclosing information to community charge officers and (b) the electoral registrar can take a copy of the community charge register and subsequently sell their names and addresses without their knowledge or consent.

  Mr. Gummer
  No, since neither is true. Regulations will specifically empower my right hon. Friend to pass information to registration officers without breaching any duty of confidentiality. Electoral registration officers may inspect community charges registers, but they have no power to copy and sell them.

  Water Authorities (Advertising)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for each of the 10 national water authorities, how much has been spent to date on advertising purposes in respect of the water industry and its image; what is the expected planned total expenditure for each water authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  This is a matter for the water authorities.

  Radon Gas
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by year for the last 10 years the allocation of resources for programmes of radiological protection(a) from nuclear reprocessing plants and (b) from indoor exposure to radon; what additional research and resources are being planned to reduce exposure from indoor radon gas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information in the form requested is not readily available. Expenditure figures for the Department over the past two years and planned expenditure for this financial year are as follows:

  £ thousand

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Radiation monitoring

  programmes and associated research in respect of the Sellafield plant

  480

  532

  340

  Radon research and surveys

  210

  250

  300

  657
  In addition, the Department will contribute to local authority costs in providing home improvement grants for radon remedial work.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations to date he has received from residents living in or near Doncaster metropolitan borough concerning the proposed toxic waste site application by Leigh Environmental at Kirk Sandell; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend has received 16 such representations. It would not be proper for me to comment on this proposal as the application could come before the Secretary of State for decision.

  Sports Clubs (Rate Relief)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to provide rate relief for sports clubs similar to that provided in Scotland.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. We propose to ensure that authorities are accountable for their decisions to grant discretionary relief to non-profit-making sports clubs by requiring their community charge payers to bear a proportion of the cost.

  Housing Act 1988
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many organisations have applied to the Housing Corporation to become approved landlords under the provisions of the Housing Act 1988 in the categories of(a) private landlords, (b) housing associations, (c) registered housing co-operatives, (d) trusts and (e) other categories; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Trippier
  I have asked the corporation to reply to the hon. Member.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress made in reviving the private rented sector of housing since the Housing Act 1988 came into force.

  Mr. Trippier
  The measures contained in part I of the Housing Act 1988 have been in force for less than three months, and it is therefore too soon to draw any firm conclusions as to their impact. Nevertheless, the initial response is encouraging. Recent research suggests that many owners of empty property regard the freedom to charge a market rent as a powerful incentive to let, and that a number of existing landlords are already expanding their rented property portfolios. It is further estimated tht over £300 million has so far been raised under the business expansion scheme which provides generous tax relief for those investing in property to be let on assured tenancies. We shall carry out detailed evaluations of their impact in due course.

  Loughborough and Angell Town Estates
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the combined total cost of moneys paid to consultants and the cost to his Department in relation to proposed housing action trusts for the Loughborough and Angell Town estates.
  658
  Mr. Trippier
  We expect that the costs in relation to the proposed Lambeth housing action trust will amount to less than £185,000. including VAT, when all bills have been paid. This figure covers consultants' fees and the costs of producing reports and leaflets about the proposals.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has received of the cost of the rehabilitation of Angell Town and Loughborough estates from his consultants on housing action trusts.

  Mr. Trippier
  The consultants produced an illustrative scheme for costing purposes which estimated the costs of improving the housing action trust area at between £54 million and £93 million approximately for Loughborough estate, and £39 million for Angell Town. Local residents will now be consulted about the proposals for their estates.

  Right-to-Buy Legislation
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects council tenants to be able to benefit from the proposed increase in the maximum discount under the right-to-buy legislation.

  Mr. Trippier
  The maximum discount allowable in right-to-buy sales was increased to £50,000 by the Housing (Right to Buy) (Maximum Discount) Order 1989 which came into effect on 11 April. The increased limit applies to all right-to-buy sales in England and Wales completed from that date.

  Housing (EC)
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals have been made by the EEC Commission about housing rents and housing costs.

  Mr. Trippier
  I am not aware of any such proposals.

  Insulation
  Sir Michael McNair Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 4 April to the hon. Member for Newbury, what are his reasons for not making inspection of loft roof, cavity wall and under floor insulation statutory requirements.

  Mr. Trippier
  The building regulations already require reasonable precautions to be taken to prevent toxic fumes from cavity insulation materials from permeating into the building. It is the statutory function of the relevant local authority to enforce this requirement. There are no similar requirements about how loft roof and under floor insulation work is carried out, because these operations are not thought to pose potential risks to the health and safety of subsequent users of the building. There are however requirements in the regulations relating to the thermal insulation of the exposed fabric of the building, and the enforcement of these requirements may involve the building control officer in the inspection of loft roof and underfloor insulation work.

  Housing and Business Development (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he is giving to the London boroughs on the fringes of central London as to the priority they should give to housing and business development; and if he will make a statement.
  659
  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend's guidance proposes that the boroughs surrounding the City of London should make every effort to accommodate business development within the broader planning objectives for their areas. Boroughs may adopt policies to retain sites and buildings in residential use, but in so doing they should demonstrate that they have made reasonable provision to accommodate demand for business development within their area.

  New Dwellings (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to ensure the provision of an extra 260,000 dwellings in London between 1987 and 2001.

  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend accepted the figure of 260,000 extra dwellings on the advice of the London Planning Advisory Committee, with the agreement of the boroughs. It is for the boroughs to make provision in their unitary development plans.

  Shop Floorspace
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what analysis he has carried out to estimate the need for additional shopping floorspace in London up to 2001; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The Department has not made such estimates. It is not the Government's policy to attempt to regulate volume changes in supply and demand for retail services. Guidance on how boroughs should take account of the implications of retail forecasts in their UDPs is given in PPG 6.

  Retail Services (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for the future of retailing services in central London.

  Mr. Trippier
  None.

  London Docklands
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure compliance of the London Docklands Development Corporation with his draft planning guidance.

  Mr. Chope
  The London boroughs will produce unitary development plans in line with the Secretary of State's guidance. LDDC will be required to have regard to these plans in exercising its planning powers.

  Public Expenditure Estimates
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what figures have been used in the relevant public expenditure estimates for the utilisation of non-prescribed capital receipts by local authorities in their housing capital expenditure in the years 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90 tabulated separately for district councils and metropolitan authorities, excluding London boroughs, inner London boroughs, and outer London boroughs.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The estimates of local authority non-prescribed capital expenditure used in 660
  public expenditure plans are made on a national basis and are not broken down by source of finance, by service, or by class of authority. The estimates of non-prescribed expenditure used in determining the total of capital allocations for England consistent with public expenditure plans for 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90 are given:

  £ million

  1987–88

  430

  1988–89

  725

  1989–90

  850

  Housing Stock
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what average percentage of the total housing stock of(a) councils, (b) housing associations and (c) private landlords was vacant at the last recorded date.

  Mr. Chope
  The information as reported by English local authorities in their housing investment programme returns for 1988 is as follows:

  Vacant dwellings as a percentage of stock

  Local authorities1

  2·4

  Housing associations

  2·5

  Private2

  4·1

  1 Includes dwellings which are closed or have been acquired for demolition and dwellings on overspill estates.

  2 Includes owner-occupied as well as private rented dwellings.

  Rents
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the average percentage of the net rent roll uncollected by(a) councils and (b) housing associations for the last recorded period.

  Mr. Trippier
  English local authorities reported cumulative rent arrears (including arrears of former tenants) of £226 million at 1 April 1988: equivalent to 5·7 per cent. of rents collectable for 1987–88.

  Information on rent arrears in respect of housing associations is available in chapter 5 of a report by the centre for housing research, university of Glasgow titled "The Nature and Effectiveness of Housing Management in England", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Housing Repairs
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the comparative costs of the repairs service for tenants of(a) housing associations and (b) councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Information on the repairs services provided by housing associations and local authorities, including data on comparative costs, is contained in section 6 of "The Nature and Effectiveness of Housing Management in England", by the centre for housing research, university of Glasgow. Copies of the report, which was published earlier this year, are available in the Library.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the Housing Corporation assesses the management performance of housing associations.

  Mr. Trippier
  Under part I of the Housing Associations Act 1985, the securing of proper management in the affairs of registered housing associations is the responsibility of the Housing Corporation. I am therefore arranging for the corporation to write to the hon. Member.

  Development Plans
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what levels of new business floorspace and new industrial floorspace he is advising each borough should plan for in their unitary development plans for the year 2001.

  Mr. Chope
  It is for each borough to draw up its unitary development plan having regard to strategic guidance. The extent of new business and industrial floorspace is primarily an issue for individual boroughs.

  Planning Guidance (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of public and private resources required to fulfill the policies and proposals within his planning guidance for London.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend has taken account of the resource implications of the policies proposed in the draft guidance. The guidance will set the framework for the preparation of unitary development plans. In preparing these, the boroughs are required to have regard to the resources likely to be available to ensure that their policies are realistic.

  Population
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what population level for Greater London in 2001 will result from the policies and proposals in his strategic guidance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  It is not possible at this stage to predict what the population of London will be in 2001.

  King's Head Meadow Pipeline
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to inform Chelmsford borough council of his decision on the King's Head Meadow pipeline scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department wrote to Chelmsford borough council on 21 February 1989 inviting a fresh application under the in-and-out scheme because the information contained in the original application had been made invalid by my right hon. Friend's decision on the associated compulsory purchase order. A revised application with up-to-date details was received by the Department on 10 April. A decision on this application will be made as soon as possible.

  Defective Homes
  Mr. Jack Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the formula that was used to allocate to individual authorities the £15 million package for repairs to defective homes.

  Mr. Trippier
  As in previous years, the £15 million set aside for 1989–90 to help authorities meet their housing defects obligations was first divided between regions in proportion to the number of owners still eligible for assistance as at 1 April 1988. We then looked at the circumstances of individual authorities, and the proposals that they put forward.

  Drinking Water
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what methods are being considered by water authorities to monitor drinking water supply for the presence of waterborne parasitic protozoa such as cryptosporidium; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  The Department's standing committee of analysts initiated work during 1988 on the development of methods for isolating, identifying and quantifying cryptosporidium in water supplies. These methods which have now been tested and other methods for similar waterborne parasitic protozoa are well advanced. When finalised they will be published by HMSO. The need for and form of monitoring by water undertakers for cryptosporidium in water supplies will be considered by the expert group being chaired by Sir John Badenoch which was announced in my reply of 2 March at column 286.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals exist for joint research projects with water authorities to examine risks posed by cryptosporidium in public water supplies.

  Mr. Howard
  The need for research projects is being examined by the group of experts established by the Government under the chairmanship of Sir John Badenoch to advise on cryptosporidia in water supplies. I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 2 March 1989 to my hon. Friend the Member for Delyn (Mr. Raffan) at column 286.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make a decision on the application for a research grant by Thames Water and the Robens Institute in relation to work on the parasitic protozoa cryptosporidium in the water supply; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  Neither Thames Water Authority nor the Robens Institute has applied to the Department for a research grant in relation to work on cryptosporidia in water supplies.

  Sports Council (Chairmanship)
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an announcement about the chairmanship of the Sports Council.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have today written to Peter Yarranton appointing him to the chairmanship of the Sports Council
  663
  for a three-year period commencing from 20 May 1989. I am delighted that Mr. Yarranton has accepted my invitation to become chairman and am sure that his many years of experience in the sporting world eminently qualify him for the task. I should like to thank John Smith, the outgoing chairman, for the valuable contribution that he has made to the work of the council over the past nine years. I know that this has been greatly appreciated by both members and staff of the council and by everyone involved in sport.

  Sebastian Coe, who has been a member of the council since November 1983 and a vice-chairman since July 1986, has decided to resign from the council at the end of April to concentrate on a career in broadcasting. His international standing in the world of sport has been particularly valuable to the council and I am very grateful to him for the commitment he has shown throughout his appointment.

  I have also written today to Trevor Brooking to appoint him as a member of the Sports Council with effect from 20 May 1989. Mr. Brooking will bring to the council experience not only from his footballing career but also from his chairmanship of the Eastern Regional Council for Sport and Recreation and his more recent business career.

  Amazonia
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the statement made on 13 March,Official Report, column 168, to which general circulation models on climate the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar) was referring, pertaining to Amazonia, which do not allow us to predict regional change with certainty; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 10 April 1989]: The statement made by my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar) is true of all the general circulation models currently in use in the major climate change research centres of the world, including the Meteorological Office and various institutions in the United States. Developing the ability to make regional climate change prediction within reasonable limits of confidence is a principal research objective of general circulation modelling. The current status of research on this, and the possibilities for progress, are among the topics being reviewed by working group I of the UNEP/WMO intergovernmental panel on climate change, chaired by Dr. John Houghton of the Meteorological Office.

  Forestry Commission (Yorkshire)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of the Forestry Commission's planting operations in 1987–88 for the three counties of Yorkshire, in terms of(a) direct costs of the planting in the year and (b) supervisory costs and overheads related to that planting.

  Primary

  Secondary

  Special

  Others(Nursery)

  Total

  1987

  Age retirements

  Male

  1

  3

  —

  —

  4

  Female

  4

  —

  —

  —

  4

  Early retirements Redundancy

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  664
  Mr. Ryder
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information is as follows:

  £ thousands

  New planting

  Restocking

  Direct (forest) costs

  40

  217

  Supervisory costs and Overheads

  16

  89

  Total costs

  56

  306

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what areas of land the Forestry Commission proposed to newly plant in the year 1988–89 in the three counties of Yorkshire; and if he will list, by Forestry Commission conservancies, the total area to be planted and the names and locations of the blocks over 100 hectares.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Forestry Commission's North England Conservancy carried out a total of 31 hectares of new planting in Yorkshire in the year ended 31 March 1989.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  "Harmony"
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry. East of 21 March,Official Report, column 517, he will publish in the Official Report a breakdown of all the costs borne by the Department of Education (Northern Ireland) of the recording of the song "Harmony" at the Giant's Causeway on Friday 10 March.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A breakdown should be available shortly and I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Head Teachers
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland over each of the 10 years from 1978 to 1988 how many(a) male and (b) female head teachers of schools in Northern Ireland have left for the following reasons (a) normal retirement, (b) early retirement, specifying the various reasons for this, (c) death in service, and (d) death within five years of retirement; and how many in each category were from (i) primary schools, (ii) secondary schools, (iii) special schools and (iv) other schools.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on deaths within five years of retirement for the 10-year period, and on retirements for the years before 1987, is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Available information for 1987 and 1988 is set out in the table.
  665

  Primary

  Secondary

  Special

  Other (Nursery)

  Total

  Female

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Efficient discharge

  Male

  2

  1

  —

  —

  3

  Female

  —

  2

  —

  —

  2

  Ill health

  Male

  3

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Female

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Death in service

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Female

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1988

  Age retirements

  Male

  17

  7

  —

  —

  24

  Female

  11

  2

  —

  1

  14

  Early retirements Redundancy

  Male

  4

  5

  —

  —

  9

  Female

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  Efficient discharge

  Male

  9

  5

  —

  —

  14

  Female

  3

  —

  —

  2

  5

  Ill health

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Female

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Death in service

  Male

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Female

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the present obstetrics and gynaecological facilities available in the Eastern health board area carried out in accordance with other than Roman Catholic teachings; and what are his future proposals for these services in the Eastern health and social services board area.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 4 April 1989]: The information requested is as follows.

  Available beds for obstetrics and gynaecology in the Eastern health and social services board are:

  Gynaecology

  Obstetrics

  Ulster hospital

  37

  45

  Mater hospital

  15

  24

  Royal Victoria hospital

  32

  —

  Royal Maternity hospital

  —

  95

  Belfast City hospital

  38

  68

  Downe/Down Maternity

  14

  24

  Lagan Valley hospital

  29

  45

  Bangor hospital

  16

  —

  Ards hospital

  26

  26

  Under the terms of the lease by which the Mater hospital is leased by the trustees to the Department of Health and Social Services the teaching and practice of medicine, the provision of specialist services and nursing are to be carried out in accordance with Roman Catholic moral and ethical principles.

  The Eastern board is currently considering recommendations relating to the provision of obstetric and gynaecological services in the Belfast area, which arose from the recent complementarity study. When the board reaches conclusions, I shall wish to discuss their implications with the chairman of the board before any final decisions are taken.

WALES

  Deeside Waterfront Scheme
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the Deeside waterfront scheme; if he will visit and meet Alyn and Deeside district council to discuss the waterfront project; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I shall reply to the hon. gentleman as soon as possible.

  Civil Service Relocation (Clwyd)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit the St. David's business park, Ewloe, and Warren Hall business park, Broughton, to observe construction work and landscaping; if he will meet Alyn and Deeside district council at its Hawarden headquarters to discuss the suitability of the two business parks for the relocation of Whitehall Departments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have regular discussions with the hon. Gentleman and met representatives of Alyn and Deeside district council as recently as 20 March. In addition, I have made numerous visits to north-east Wales. I therefore know the constituency well—and its attractions— and he can be assured that the council would be contacted immediately if any Government Department expressed a particular interest in relocating to Alyn and Deeside. Under the relocation guidelines, it is for individual departmental Ministers to decide whether to proceed with relocation and, if so, to where.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to provide additional services in Wales for the benefit of the elderly.

  Mr. Grist
  The provision of services for the elderly is for local and health authorities to decide in the light of their own local circumstances.
  667
  Nonetheless in recognition of the rise in the elderly population and changes in the pattern of services for the elderly the local authority capital allocation for social services in 1989–90 has been increased by 15 per cent. over that for the previous year.

  In addition central funding continues under the elderly initiative, urban programme and health/local authority joint finance.

  Roads
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to invest further sums in the roads systems of Wales additional to that outlined in his White Paper, "Roads in Wales"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  "Roads in Wales 1989" sets out the intentions for road improvements for the future.

  Provision for implementing the programme has been set out in the Welsh commentary on the public expenditure White Paper.

  Public Transport
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to direct investment to public transport systems in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Investment in public transport systems is a matter for public transport operators, in association where appropriate with local authorities.

  Industrial Investment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to improve investment in the industrial infrastructure of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Over the last two years I have secured a substantial increase of over 50 per cent. in new resources for my industry programme, and planned net spending in this sector over the next two financial years will contribute a further £410 million to the industrial regeneration of Wales. This figures rises to over £530 million when account is taken of the gross spend planned for the development agencies in Cm 617. My industry resources are complemented directly by the £152 million to be invested this year alone on the key motorway and trunk road network as described in "Roads in Wales 1989". Future years' provision for all my programmes will be reviewed periodically in the normal way.

  Railway Electrification
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss any proposals for the electrification of the Crewe-Holyhead, Swansea-Paddington railway; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Regular meetings are held with the Chairman to discuss a range of issues; the electrification of these lines is a matter for British Rail.

  Health Service
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to allocate additional cash to improve the Health Service in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I announced on the 21 December 1988 that, subject to parliamentary approval I proposed to allocate £1,315 million in 1989–90 to central Government health and personal social services in Wales. On the 27 January 1989 I announced the current and capital allocations to health authorities in Wales, and gave details of allocations for centrally funded developments. Further details of proposed expenditure were given in the 1989–90 supply estimates, presented to Parliament by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 14 March 1989 (HC 231-XVII).

  In addition to these record allocations, I propose to make a special allocation of £10 million in 1989–90 to the health service in Wales, towards the costs of the review body awards which were announced on 16 February 1989.

  We are now spending £36 per week per household on the Health Service compared with £11 per week per household in 1978–79, when the hon. Gentleman was a Minister in the Welsh Office.

  Schools
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to provide extra money for the schools service in Wales so as to improve the educational service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Public expenditure White Papers show that provision for the education service in Wales has increased since this Government came to office. The increase in provision for current expenditure is particularly significant because in this period pupil numbers have fallen by over 13 per cent. The increase in capital provision in recent years has provided local education authorities with the opportunity to rationalise their schools provision to obtain the financial and educational benefits offered by falling schools rolls.

  Credit Boom
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the consequences for the Welsh economy of the credit boom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Welsh economy is sound and confidence in its capacity to develop further remains high.

  Wales has experienced double the increase in the growth in output for the United Kingdom overall. United Kingdom production and construction grew by 4·2 per cent. between the third quarters of 1987 and 1988; the comparable figure for Wales was 8·4 per cent.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to make the implementation of regional policy in Wales more effective; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have at my disposal a wide range of policy mechanisms to stimulate and sustain economic
  669
  activity in Wales, principally regional industrial assistance, the activities of the Welsh Development Agency and Mid Wales Development and support for urban aid. The fact that seasonally adjusted unemployment has fallen for 34 consecutive months, factory lettings are at record levels and that Wales continues to attract significant inward investment testifies to the success of the commitment which the Government have to economic regeneration in the Principality.

  Head Teachers
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales over each of the 10 years from 1978 to 1988 how many(a)

  Table providing numbers of head teacher retirements/deaths in respect of Welsh primary schools, between 1978 and 1988

  Normal retirements

  Early retirements:

  Deaths in service

  Deaths within 5 years of retirement

  Infirmity

  Premature

  1978–79

  Male

  46

  5

  4

  5

  13

  Female

  11

  1

  2

  0

  1

  1979–80

  Male

  38

  3

  23

  2

  13

  Female

  12

  3

  14

  0

  0

  1980–81

  Male

  39

  6

  34

  5

  16

  Female

  17

  1

  20

  0

  1

  1981–82

  Male

  33

  2

  66

  3

  12

  Female

  20

  3

  36

  0

  3

  1982–83

  Male

  21

  8

  69

  4

  6

  Female

  10

  5

  45

  0

  2

  1983–84

  Male

  25

  5

  58

  1

  8

  Female

  11

  9

  38

  2

  1

  1984–85

  Male

  21

  5

  73

  2

  2

  Female

  9

  4

  40

  1

  2

  1985–86

  Male

  15

  6

  51

  1

  0

  Female

  7

  6

  33

  2

  2

  1986–87

  Male

  10

  11

  34

  3

  1

  Female

  6

  5

  23

  0

  1

  1987–88

  Male

  17

  7

  21

  1

  0

  Female

  5

  4

  31

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  Male

  265

  58

  433

  27

  71

  Female

  108

  41

  282

  5

  13

  Table providing numbers of head teacher retirements/deaths in respect of Welsh secondary schools, between 1978 and 1988.

  Normal retirements

  Early retirements:

  Deaths in ser-vice

  Deaths within 5 years of retirement

  Infirmity

  Premature

  1978–79

  Male

  14

  0

  1

  3

  4

  Female

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1979–80

  Male

  8

  1

  5

  1

  4

  Female

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1980–81

  670
  male and (b) female head teachers of schools in Wales have left for the following reasons (a) normal retirement, (b) early retirement, specifying the various reasons for this, (c) death in service, and (d) death within five years of retirement; and how many in each category were from (i) primary schools, (ii) secondary schools, (iii) special schools and (iv) other schools.

  Mr. Butcher
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested is provided in the following tables.
  671

  Normal retirements

  Early retirements:

  Deaths in service

  Deaths within 5 years of retirement

  Infirmity

  Premature

  Male

  3

  0

  9

  2

  2

  Female

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1981–82

  Male

  10

  0

  5

  0

  3

  Female

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1982–83

  Male

  2

  0

  11

  0

  2

  Female

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  1983–84

  Male

  1

  0

  14

  1

  2

  Female

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1984–85

  Male

  5

  0

  6

  3

  0

  Female

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1985–86

  Male

  0

  0

  17

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1986–87

  Male

  1

  2

  4

  1

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1987–88

  Male

  0

  1

  8

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  Male

  44

  4

  80

  11

  17

  Female

  1

  0

  8

  0

  0

  Table providing numbers of head teacher retirements/deaths in respect of Welsh special schools, between 1978 and 1988

  Normal retirements

  Early retirements:

  Deaths in service

  Deaths within 5 years of retirement

  Infirmity

  Premature

  1978–79

  Male

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Female

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1979–80

  Male

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1980–81

  Male

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Female

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1981–82

  Male

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Female

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1982–83

  Male

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  Female

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1983–84

  Male

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1984–85

  Male

  1

  0

  2

  0

  0

  Female

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1985–86

  Male

  1

  0

  3

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1986–87

  Male

  1

  0

  4

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  672 673

  Normal retirements

  Early retirements:

  Deaths in service

  Deaths within 5 years of retirement

  Infirmity

  Premature

  1987–88

  Male

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  Male

  10

  2

  13

  0

  0

  Female

  5

  1

  8

  0

  0

  Table providing numbers of head teacher retirements/deaths in respect of Welsh other schools, between 1978 and 1988

  Normal retirements

  Early retirements:

  Deaths in service

  Deaths within 5 years of retirement

  Infirmity

  Premature

  1978–79

  Male

  5

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1979–80

  Male

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  Female

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1980–81

  Male

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1981–82

  Male

  0

  0

  2

  1

  0

  Female

  1

  0

  5

  0

  0

  1982–83

  Male

  1

  0

  3

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  3

  1

  0

  1983–84

  Male

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Female

  0

  1

  4

  0

  0

  1984–85

  Male

  4

  0

  3

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1985–86

  Male

  5

  2

  7

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1986–87

  Male

  1

  0

  2

  0

  0

  Female

  1

  0

  7

  0

  0

  1987–88

  Male

  3

  0

  3

  0

  0

  Female

  0

  3

  1

  0

  0

  TOTALS

  Male

  22

  2

  23

  3

  1

  Female

  2

  5

  26

  1

  0

  Valleys Initiative
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional allocations he made to the Housing Corporation in Wales to implement the objectives of the valleys initiative; and whether he instructed them to allocate this sum specifically to valley housing association initiatives.

  Mr. Grist
  An additional £4·5 million was allocated to the Housing Corporation in Wales in 1988–89 and £8·6 million to Housing for Wales (Tai Cymru) for 1989–90 for the provision of housing under the programme for the valleys. The sums are being targeted specifically on the programme area.
  674
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what requests he has received to address a conference of the 15 valleys initiative local authorities in south Wales on the subject of regional policy and investment in the infrastructure; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have received no request to address this specific conference. Welsh Office officials are of course in regular touch with valleys local authorities on many aspects of the valleys programme.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newport,
  675
  West on 21 March, Official Report, column 502, he will define the areas included in his calculations and the percentage of the population covered by the valleys programme that is included in the total.

  District

  Wards

  District

  Wards

  Blaenau Gwent

  Nos. 1–18

  Ogwr

  Nos. 3–11, 17

  Torfaen

  Nos. 1,7–11

  Lliw Valley

  Nos. 1, 4–8

  Islwyn

  Nos. 1–10, 12

  Neath

  Nos. 4, 5, 7–16

  Rhymney Valley

  Nos. 3–20

  Port Talbot

  Nos. 5, 9–11

  Merthyr Tydfil

  Nos. 1–9

  Brecknock

  Nos. 29–33

  Cynon Valley

  Nos. 1–12, 14

  Llanelli

  Nos. 7, 8, 11

  Rhondda

  All wards

  Dinefwr

  Nos. 2–6, 9, 14, 15

  Taff Ely

  Nos. 1–7, 10–13

  The latest available total resident population covered by the valleys programme area on the above basis is 696,720 according to the 1981 census of population. Official estimates of population for more recent years are not available at a Ward level.

  The figure of 35,675 unemployed in May 1988 quoted in the previous answer if 5·1 per cent. of that number, but the two figures are obviously not on a comparable basis either in terms of the period or population covered.

SCOTLAND

  Employee Share Ownership
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions have taken place as to the feasibily of introducing an employee share ownership scheme in any future privatisation that his Department may sponsor.

  Mr. Lang
  In relation to the flotation of the successor companies to the Scottish electricity boards, we shall be discussing with the boards measures to encourage the participation of employees in the share offer. Proposals already submitted by the trade unions will be taken into account in these discussions.

  The Scottish Bus Group is to be sold in a number of units and it will be for prospective purchasers to determine the share ownership structure of their bids. My right hon. and learned Friend has, however, indicated that bids involving a high level of employee participation will be given preference.

  Agricultural Income
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest available estimate of the income per agriculture holding in Scotland(a) including non-agricultural income and (b) excluding such income.

  Information about non-agricultural income is available only from a 1 per cent. sample of the tax records of individuals registered as having a self-employment income from agriculture and horticulture. For the 1985–86 assessment year, the latest available, the average total income per farmer was £11,845, and the average agricultural and horticultural income was £6,368.
  676
  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 11 April 1989]: The area used to calculate the unemployment figures for the hon. Gentleman's question of 21 March 1989 is shown in the following tables:

  Holiday Cottages
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the secretary of state for Scotland if he will make a statement about the effect on any local authority finances of choosing to levy the poll tax on holiday cottages at a multiplier of one instead of two.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The effect would be to halve that authority's potential income from dwellings which are subject to the standard charge. A lower multiplier might still, for some authorities, yield as much income from such properties as did domestic rates. Each local authority is free to take such a decision in the light of its assessment of all the circumstances.

  Schizophrenia
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of those imprisoned in Scotland in 1988 have been admitted to National Health Service mental illness hospitals and units with a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is riot readily available in the form requested. In 1987, the latest year for which figures are available, 62 inmates in Scottish penal establishments were treated for psychoses.

  Licensing Law
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he expects to complete his current review of licensing law in Scotland;

  (2) what consultations he proposes to undertake after the review of licensing law in Scotland is completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The review of the licensing law in Scotland has revealed a large measure of support for a number of the reforms canvassed in the consultation paper issued in 1986. I hope soon to announce the Government's intentions, once we have reached conclusions on these matters.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he expects to publish the evidence as well as conclusions submitted to the current review of licensing law in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  No. The comments received in response to the consultation document on the review of the licensing law have, except where respondents have requested confidentiality, been placed on public file which is open to inspection by appointment at St. Andrew's house.

  "Nuclear Accidents and the Fanner"
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will distribute copies of the Ministry of Agriculture leaflet "Nuclear Accidents and the Farmer", together with its technical supplement to all farmers within a 25-mile radius of all nuclear installations in Scotland; and if he will make a statement on the availability of these documents.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  These documents are at present being recast slightly to reflect Scottish circumstances. They will be distributed as soon as possible to all farms in Scotland in the vicinity of major nuclear installations, as was done in England.

  Rating Reform
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that any private landlord who collects the poll tax from his tenants keeps an accurate record of payments made by each tenant; and how the money will be recovered if any such landlord fails to pay in these sums in full by the date of enforcement action for recovery taking place.

  Mr. Lang
  Payment of the personal community charge is, as its name implies, a personal responsibility and individuals are not required to make payments to private landlords but directly to the levying authority. Contributions to the collective community charge may, however, be collected by private landlords from people who at any time have their sole of main residence in premises, which have been designated by a community charge registration officer as subject to the collective community charge. Under sections 11(13) and (14) of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987, as amended, landlords are required to issue receipts in respect of any such contributions made to them, showing the amounts paid and the days to which the contributions relate. They are also required to keep a record of all persons who have been solely or mainly resident in the premises, the period during which they were so resident and the amounts paid in contributions. The landlords themselves are liable to pay to the local authority the collective community charge determined in respect of their premises. Any shortfall in the amount due may be recovered by the levying authority by diligence as provided for in the 1987 Act.

  Animal Disease
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each of the last three years the number of confirmed cases of animal disease the incidence of which is notifiable.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is as follows:

  Disease

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Anthrax

  2

  2

  Nil

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

  Nil

  Nil

  49

  Paramyxovirus in Pigeons

  8

  67

  10

  Sheep Scab

  Nil

  1

  1

  National Health Service (Consumer Attitudes)
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the full report of the survey of consumer attitudes to the National Health Service in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Yes. The report of survey findings is published today, and copies are available in the House of Commons Library. This report, by Research Surveys of Great Britain Ltd., contains more comprehensive and detailed results than were published in the summary report on 7 March 1989.

  The report shows that the Health Service is generally highly regarded by its patients and by the public at large and that patients have a particularly high regard for the medical and nursing care which they receive.

  The report identifies a number of areas where improvements were wanted and of these the most frequently mentioned were reduced waiting time—for admission and treatment, hospital food, transport arrangements, reluctance of doctors to make home visits and information from health personnel about the patient's condition.

  Two interesting consumer views were (a) that many of the services which required attendance at hospital out-patients departments could be more conveniently provided at local health clinics and (b) that three in 10 hospital in-patients would be willing to travel to a hospital further away (one in six over 50 miles) if this would reduce the waiting time for admission.

  By obtaining the views of recent patients and other members of the public the Government is seeking to take full account of consumer views when considering future Health Service priorities. The report of the survey will be sent to all health board general managers and the main messages contained in it will be discussed with them in order to secure action in response to the expressed views of consumers.

  Bathing Waters
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce the results for 1988 of monitoring Scottish bathing waters in accordance with the European Council bathing waters directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My Department's assessment of the results of the monitoring undertaken by the river purification boards in 1988 is set out in the table following, based on the standards for coliforms.

  The results are disappointing compared with those in 1987, the first year in which waters were identified in terms of the EC directive. However, the monitoring in 1988 was more intensive, the minimum number of samples analysed for each water having been increased from 12 in 1987 to 20 in 1988. This is in consequence of the European Commission's strict interpretation of the directive: that unless at least 20 samples are taken in the season, a member state cannot establish the 95 per cent. necessary to discount a single failure.

  The Government is aware of public concern about the quality of bathing waters and is determined that they should comply with the directive's standards as quickly as possible. To this end, my right hon. and learned Friend announced last November an additional allocation of £5·5
  679
  million for water and sewerage in the last financial year and has increased the allocation for this year by some 14 per cent. over planned expenditure. This should allow the sewerage authorities to make faster progress towards compliance with the directive. I have also had discussions with Fife, Lothian and Strathclyde regional councils and some district councils about the quality of waters in their areas.

  I have placed in the Library a paper which summarises the 1988 results and sets out the plans to improve the quality of those waters which do not comply with the directive. We shall also be sending the results to the European Commission.

  Result

  Nairn (East Beach)

  Fail

  Cullen

  Pass

  Fraserburgh

  Fail

  Aberdeen

  Pass

  Montrose

  Pass

  Arbroath

  Fail

  Carnoustie

  Pass

  St. Andrew's (West Sands)

  Pass

  Kinghorn (Pettycur)

  Pass

  Aberdour (Silversands)

  Pass

  Gullane

  Pass

  North Berwick (Milsey Bay)

  Fail

  Yellowcraigs

  Pass

  Dunbar (Belhaven)

  Pass

  Pease Bay

  Pass

  Sandyhills

  Pass

  Girvan

  Fail

  Turnberry

  Fail

  Ayr (South Beach)

  Fail

  Prestwick

  Fail

  Troon (South Beach)

  Fail

  Irvine-Gailes (New Town)

  Fail

  Salcoats/Ardrossan (South Beach)

  Fail

EMPLOYMENT

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of work places inspected by the health and safety inspectorate in the Greater London area during the year 1988.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

  Training Managers
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the private sector firms who are acting as employment training training managers, naming the number of places they have each been allocated, how many filled placed each has and what percentage the latter is of the former.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Due to the unusual length of the reply, I am sending the hon. Member the available information, which has also been placed in the Library. Employment training is a locally planned and delivered programme. Information on contracted and filled places for particular training managers is not therefore held centrally, and may only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled people have been placed in employment through the sheltered placement scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  As at 28 February 1989, 4,821 people with severe disabilities were being supported in employment through the sheltered placement scheme. I am pleased to say that the number of jobs supported in this way is set to rise to 6,900 by the end of March 1990. Since the scheme was introduced in April 1985, it is estimated that around 5,870 people with severe disabilities have been placed in sheltered placements. The scheme succeeded the sheltered industrial groups scheme which was already supporting 1,049 jobs.

  YTS
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the obligations of companies within the YTS scheme to provide holiday pay for YTS trainees.

  Mr. Cope
  YTS managing agents must ensure that non-employed YTS trainees are granted paid holidays at a minimum rate of one and a half days per completed month of training. Such trainees are also entitled to bank and public holidays or days off in lieu with due payment of training allowance. Employed trainees receive holiday pa. y in accordance with their contract of employment.

  Television and Film Making (Report)
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on labour practices in television and film making is to be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fowler
  The MMC report, made under section 79 of the Fair Trading Act 1973, is published today and has been laid before the House. Copies are available in the Vote Office. The Government welcome the evidence of changes for the better in employment and working practices that have occurred in the industry during the course of the commission's investigations. These are attributed to increased competition, advances in technology and changes in employment law. The commission expects further change to continue as a result of current or intended negotiations, or management decisions, though they record their concern about whether change will be sufficiently radical or rapid. The Government will be examining ways of monitoring the necessary further progress in consultation with the major parties concerned in the industry. We note and agree with the commission's concern about the problem of repeat fees and performers' rights regarding consent to repeats of original performances. We are considering the possibility of further study of these issues. We also note the commission's findings and conclusions regarding the union membership agreements with Equity and the Musicians Union. These do not conflict with the Government's case, set out in the Green Paper "Removing Barriers to Employment", for giving individuals the right to complain that they have been refused a job because they are not union members.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Community Care (Grants and Loans)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will indicate the number of cases in the year ended 31 March for the Walthamstow, Leytonstone and Woodgrange park offices of his Department in which loans were not allowed because(a) the claimant's inability to repay was considered a factor and (b) other reasons, and in which a grant was also not provided to the claimant.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information is not collected in a format which identifies applications where both a loan and a community care grant are refused for the same item or service.

  A reason for decision is used once on each application, but more than one reason for decision can be given in a particular application. Because a record is kept of the total number of times each reason is used, the count of the total number of reasons does not equate to the total of applications to which they were applied.

  The table contains the available information:

  Office

  Inability to repay considered a factor in loan refusal

  Other reasons considered

  Walthamstow

  45

  773

  Leytonstone

  27

  450

  Woodgrange Park

  23

  599

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department is taking to publicise the extension until 30 June of the deadline for claiming housing benefit transitional payments; and what steps his Department is taking to encourage take-up of housing benefit transitional payment.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The extension of the closing date for housing benefit transitional payments to 30 June was announced in the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe) on 3 March at column 365 and publicised in a press release issued on the same day. A guidance circular was issued to each local authority and local social security office on 6 March, and this has also been sent to the major advice agencies. Leaflets (RR4 Housing Benefit—New Rules), which contain an application form, for anyone still wishing to apply for transitional protection are available from a wide variety of outlets, for example local council offices, local social security offices, from the freephone and freepost service at the transitional payments unit and advice agencies.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the average waiting time between a claim for housing benefit transitional payment and its subsequent payment to the claimant;

  (2) how many outstanding claims for housing benefit transitional payments are still awaiting process at the Glasgow transitional payments office;

  (3) what steps are being taken to expedite the processing of claims for housing benefit transitional payment.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Up to 10 April, 467,419 applications for housing benefit transitional payments had been received, of which 422,029 have been assessed. Of the 682
  45,390 applications outstanding, 41,153 are cases where an inquiry form is still awaited from the local authority. The clearance time for applications varies considerably from case to case and depends on how long local authorities take to return inquiry forms and whether further inquiries have to be made from the transitional payments unit (TPU). For straightforward cases, it takes two days from receiving an application in the TPU to sending the inquiry form to the local authority, 30 days for the local authority to return the inquiry form to the TPU, a further five days from receiving that inquiry form at the TPU to deciding whether a payment can be made, and depending upon the point in the payment cycle the first payment will be made within two to four weeks and at four weekly intervals thereafter. The TPU has contacted all those local authorities who have had inquiry forms outstanding for more than eight weeks requesting an urgent response.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate the number of single parent families on family credit who suffered a net loss in income as a result of the housing benefit changes in 1988;

  (2) if he will estimate the average weekly amount lost by a single-parent family as a result of family credit being included in the calculations in order to determine elegibility to housing benefit; and what savings have accrued to his Department's annual budget as a result.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The estimated effects on claimants of the April 1988 changes were set out in the "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income-Related Benefits" published in October 1987. Further information is not available.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to increase financial assistance to single-parent families who have suffered increased housing costs as a result of changes in the housing benefit rules.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no plans to do so. An enhanced premium was included within the housing benefit applicable amounts for all lone parents last April in recognition of their special needs and transitional protection was offered to all those who had lost more than £2·50 per week as a result of the changes in the rules. Since then there have been no changes in the housing benefit rules for single parent families which would have resulted in increased housing costs.

  Unemployed Couples (Earnings Disregard)
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to increase the £15 earnings disregard for unemployed couples annually in line with the rise in earnings of those in full-time work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. Earnings disregards have never been increased in line with the rise in earnings. However, we are monitoring the earnings rules and we will consider whether any change is necessary.

  Transitional Protection
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received regarding the financial impact suffered by claimants whose annual uprating has been nullified by loss of transitional protection.
  683
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Various representations have been received on this subject.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the numbers of claimants in each benefit category expected to receive no cash increase after the payment of their annual benefit uprating in the current year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We estimated that some 3,840,000 income support claimants will receive an increase at this year's uprating. The estimated number of claimants receiving no increase, by client group, is as follows:

  Number

  Pensioners 80 +

  40,000

  Pensioners 60–79

  180,000

  All pensioners

  220,000

  Sick or disabled

  20,000

  Lone parents

  40,000

  Couples with children

  10,000

  Others

  300,000

  Total

  1590,000

  1 Figures do not sum due to rounding.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings will accrue to public funds by clawing back benefit uprating by withdrawal of transitional protection.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Precise information is not available. Had income support transitional additions not been reduced by increases at uprating, the estimated additional cost in the year 1989–90 would have been around £100 million.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research his Department has undertaken to investigate the effect of the loss of transitional protection on claimants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We are monitoring all aspects of the reformed social security system. Information about transitional protection will be available from our usual stastistical returns.

  Disabled Children (Attendance Allowance)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases his Department has issued demands for repayment of attendance allowance to the parents of disabled children who have had to spend periods in hospital; what is the average amount involved and highest amount in any particular case; if he intends to insist on the repayments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The requested information is not available. The question of whether an overpayment of benefit is recoverable is a matter for the independent statutory authorities to decide. Our policy is to seek repayment of recoverable overpayments where possible, but repayment may be waived depending on the circumstances of the individual case.

  Benefits
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for the Doncaster and Mexborough areas of South Yorkshire to date what percentage of the 684
  total number of applications made to date for (a) budgeting loans were (i) full or part awards and (ii) nil awards and (b) community care grants were (1) full or part awards and (2) nil awards.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The monthly figures to date of the numbers of applications for budgeting loans and community care grants processed are available in the Library. There is no information available on part awards.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will now reply to the invitation of the hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, North to visit young people under 25 years old from Stoke on Trent, North, highlighted in Channel 4's "Dispatches" programme, who have been adversely affected by changes in benefit payments which came into force on 10 April.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I wrote to the hon. Member today.

  Child Fostering Allowance
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the income available to a family by means of a permanent child fostering allowance is taken into account in assessing the family's entitlement to community charge rebate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Paragraph 24 of schedule 3 of the Housing Benefit (Community Charge Rebates) (Scotland) Regulations 1988 requires such income to be disregarded in full.

  Disabled People and Deaf People
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the amount of money given under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to(a) all organisations working with and for disabled people and (b) all organisations working with and for deaf people, for each year from 1980 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  I shall let the hon. Member have such information a s can be obtained as soon as possible.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Grain (Price)
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the tonnage and average price of grain exported from the United Kingdom(a) generally and (b) separately for each country to which grain was exported in 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Ryder
  The total quantity and average price of grain exported from the United Kingdom in the calendar years 1986 to 1988 were as follows:

  Quantity (tonnes)1

  Average price (£/tonne)2

  1986

  8,148,941

  108·18

  1987

  7,238,589

  72·41

  1988

  4,750,249

  74·51

  Wheat and barley represented over 95 per cent. of total United Kingdom grain exports in each of the calendar years 1986 to 1988. The quantity and price of these two grains exported to individual countries were as follows:

  685

  Quantity (tonnes)1

  Average Price (£/tonne)2

  Commodity and Country

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Wheat3

  France

  57,826

  78,999

  —

  114·08

  121·37

  —

  Belgium-Luxembourg

  184,010

  110,620

  250,059

  115·00

  118·04

  110·86

  Netherlands

  366,078

  128,109

  87,250

  114·13

  117·31

  110·11

  Federal Republic of Germany

  737,604

  343,122

  210,285

  114·70

  114·77

  112·27

  Italy

  802,896

  503,159

  323,742

  114·95

  115·04

  115·80

  Irish Republic

  132,666

  135,983

  128,884

  139·79

  135·20

  120·33

  Denmark

  107,508

  48,970

  —

  122·78

  115·60

  —

  Spain

  643,319

  161,600

  78,779

  111·07

  111·14

  110·36

  Greece

  —

  83,502

  —

  —

  120·57

  —

  Soviet Union

  508,389

  1,091,333

  94,713

  113·50

  48·45

  52·77

  Poland

  50,012

  424,036

  —

  105·57

  59·15

  —

  Morocco

  62,999

  —

  —

  103·33

  —

  —

  Ethiopia

  30,921

  —

  —

  122·31

  —

  —

  Lebanon

  79,779

  —

  —

  115·04

  —

  —

  South Korea

  158,758

  241,934

  283,906

  99·57

  64·59

  41·11

  Bangladesh

  —

  245,027

  176,536

  —

  40·10

  47·58

  German Democratic Republic

  —

  141,225

  —

  —

  44·23

  —

  Other

  64,416

  383,787

  290,416

  72·09

  40·73

  53·17

  Quantity (tonnes)1

  Average price (£ tonne)2

  Commodity and country

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Barley4

  France

  36,428

  —

  —

  134·84

  —

  —

  Belgium-Luxembourg

  697,807

  280,363

  223,277

  117·57

  123·48

  129·96

  Netherlands

  120,873

  93,614

  —

  118·84

  113·02

  —

  Federal Republic of Germany

  138,994

  146,439

  117,729

  118·01

  111·62

  109·29

  Italy

  414,356

  410,200

  275,007

  111·96

  113·33

  119·30

  Portugal

  59,741

  —

  —

  99·60

  —

  —

  Spain

  720,373

  —

  79,327

  107·52

  —

  111·03

  Soviet Union

  583,983

  1,062,843

  919,265

  90·26

  41·42

  47·82

  Romania

  85,597

  —

  —

  100·33

  —

  —

  Bulgaria

  150,431

  —

  —

  77·60

  —

  —

  Tunisia

  43,999

  —

  —

  121·16

  —

  —

  Libya

  162,493

  158,199

  —

  100·43

  41·68

  —

  Cyprus

  86,478

  —

  —

  88·80

  —

  —

  Israel

  110,158

  —

  —

  64·76

  —

  —

  Saudi Arabia

  645,156

  626,343

  391,914

  93·95

  41·97

  41·95

  German Democratic Republic

  —

  —

  506,404

  —

  —

  53·00

  Other

  89,800

  309,827

  297,510

  100·91

  71·55

  59·37

  1 Quantities rounded to nearest whole tonne.

  2 Average prices have been calculated from export values on a free on board basis.

  3 Customs heading 041.2: Unmilled wheat (including spelt) and meslin, excluding durum wheat.

  4 Customs heading 043: Unmilled barley.

  Source:

  United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.(A"—" signifies that exports to a country were not separately identified in the published Overseas Trade Statistics for the year in question and are included under "Other" for that year).

  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total tonnage and average price of imported grain from each country which exported grain to the United Kingdom in each of the years 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Quantity (tonnes)1

  Average price (£/tonne)2

  Commodity and country

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1986

  1987

  1988

  wheat3

  France

  680,700

  622,676

  596,551

  136·22

  134·44

  142·07

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  27,084

  44,201

  75,475

  199·31

  120·65

  140·92

  Federal Republic of Germany

  97,900

  69,348

  191,215

  157·22

  149·62

  153·05

  Irish Republic

  99,408

  88,640

  53,635

  135·23

  137·33

  119·53

  Denmark

  —

  40,212

  97,421

  —

  133·49

  138·82

  Spain

  —

  323,674

  52,936

  —

  157·32

  155·57

  Australia

  219,129

  —

  —

  138·02

  —

  —

  Canada

  468,890

  461,980

  491,572

  130·75

  98·89

  11·307

  Others

  83,199

  25,883

  28,004

  139·91

  119·54

  113·56

  Barley4

  France

  29,748

  14,709

  16,549

  150·97

  116·87

  130·40

  Irish Republic

  129,821

  180,951

  173,757

  132·32

  129·55

  119·39

  686
  Mr. Ryder
  Wheat, barley and maize together represented over 95 per cent. of total United Kingdom grain imports in each of the calendar years 1986 to 1988. The quantity and price of these three grains imported from individual countries were as follows:
  687

  Quantity (tonnes)1

  Average price (£/tonne)2

  Commodity and country

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1986

  1957

  1988

  Denmark

  92,121

  33,949

  100,654

  143·95

  158·71

  145·61

  Others

  27,437

  6,957

  26,410

  100·74

  168·75

  124·84

  Maize5

  France

  943,486

  970,581

  834,731

  146·97

  150·62

  138·67

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  107,372

  62,425

  —

  143·22

  164·26

  —

  Italy

  47,158

  —

  —

  159·89

  —

  —

  Greece

  136,746

  76,723

  139,226

  162·83

  164·21

  147·76

  Spain

  27,303

  68,190

  135,305

  173·35

  160·83

  155·20

  United States of America

  76,092

  84,489

  —

  134·60

  77·34

  —

  Argentina

  70,804

  134,046

  163,814

  132·72

  60·46

  69·05

  Others

  63,804

  114,038

  73,087

  133·49

  91·52

  117·44

  1 Quantities rounded to the nearest whole tonne.

  2 Average prices have been calculated from import values on a cost, insurance freight basis.

  3 Customs heading 041.2: unmilled wheat (including spelt) and meslin, excluding durum wheat.

  4 Customs heading 043: unmilled barley.

  5 Customs heading 044 for 1986 and 1987, and 044.9 for 1988: unmilled maize (1988 heading excludes sweetcorn).

  Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics(a"—" signifies that imports from a country were not separately indentified in the Published Overseas Trade Statisics for the year in question and are included under "Other" for that year).

  Sheep and Single Ewe Premiums
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he now expects to announce the end of the variable sheep premium and the choice of base year for calculation of the replacement single ewe premium.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Proposals to phase out the sheep variable premium scheme and replace it with a single ewe premium form part of a package of proposals by the EC Commission for a review of the sheepmeat regime. Discussion on these proposals have made little headway.

  Cow Subsidy
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will consider raising the cow subsidy from £34 to £46 per head as the permitted maximum within the European Community.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The Government are currently considering what rate of Buckler cow premium should apply in the United Kingdom and an announcement will be made before the start of the 1989 scheme year on 15 June.

  EC (Abattoirs)
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects European Community Ministers to achieve common standards for abattoirs throughout the Community.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I expect the Council of Ministers to apply a single set of rules to slaughterhouses throughout the European Communiity by 31 December 1992.

  Beef Regime
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will monitor the new beef regime, starting in April and in particular the effect of the £28 headage payment on male cattle to establish the effect on the quality of beef thus being produced.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  We shall be monitoring closely the number of animals on which beef special premium is 688
  paid and comparing this data with data on slaughterings of male animals to monitor the effects of the headage limit. There are no quality standards attaching to this premium, but the Meat and Livestock Commission will continue to report deadweight prices on a sample basis. These reports classify the carcases reported on according to the EC carcase classification grid and will thus give us some indication of whether overall standards are rising or falling. I am confident, however, that in the absence of a national quality specification set by the beef variable premium scheme, the market will in fact pay a premium for the quality of beef which it wants and that producers will respond to the signals given by the market place.

  Game
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has had with his European Economic Community counterparts on the draft game meat regulations directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  None. I understand that the European Commission are working on a text but no proposal has yet been made to the Council of Ministers.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the European Economic Community Commission's proposals for new regulations on the welfare of animals in transit.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I understand that the Commission expects to present its proposals to the Council shortly.

  Badgers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which institutions are currently researching the development of a tuberculosis test for live badgers; what such work his Department is funding; and when he expects field trials for such a test to commence.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Ministry funded work on the development of a live test for tuberculosis in badgers,
  689
  which is suitable for field use, is being carried out at the central veterinary laboratory. It is too early to predict when field trials might commence.

  Porcine Somatotropin
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions field trials have been authorised for porcine somatotropin.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  On one occasion; the ATC issued has since expired.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a product licence application in respect to bovine somatotropin was submitted to the European Economic Community committee on veterinary medicinal products; and whether it has made any recommendations.

  Tonnes

  Belgium

  Germany

  Greece

  France

  Ireland

  Italy

  Netherlands

  United Kingdom

  Spain

  Cauliflowers

  258

  4,824

  —

  58,910

  —

  45,274

  —

  19,669

  —

  Tomatoes

  20

  —

  80,305

  23,520

  194

  513,127

  —

  —

  —

  Aubergines

  —

  —

  —

  452

  —

  92

  —

  —

  —

  Peaches

  —

  —

  165,194

  18,751

  —

  99,078

  —

  —

  —

  Apricots

  —

  —

  12

  420

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Lemons

  —

  —

  23,769

  —

  —

  422,724

  —

  —

  19,841

  Pears

  527

  —

  956

  861

  —

  34

  —

  32

  —

  Apples

  3,681

  —

  80,949

  15,247

  86

  331

  —

  4,535

  —

  Mandarins

  —

  —

  9,596

  —

  —

  189,625

  —

  —

  —

  Oranges

  —

  —

  243,099

  998

  —

  395,330

  —

  —

  —

  Figures for the various ends to which fish withdrawn from the market is put in each member state are not available, but the majority is used for animal feed.

  Ammonia Gas
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is investigating methods of reducing and controlling emissions of ammonia gas from agricultural systems; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  Yes. Ammonia is released from animal urine and faeces. Research is being done to understand the mechanisms of ammonia release and to devise systems of farm waste treatment and application to land that will minimise volatilisation and losses.

  Vaccination
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what discussions he has had with Hoechst about the use of vaccines to control clostridia and pasteurella and the potential link with the deaths of sheep and lambs; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make a statement about the results of his investigations into the use of vaccines to control clostridia and pasteurella and the potential link with the deaths of sheep and lambs.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My officials have met Hoechst representatives and discussed the nature of the data required for a thorough investigation of suspected adverse reactions in sheep to vaccines against clostridia and
  690
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Two applications for product licences for BST products have been referred to the Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products, in September and November 1987. The committee has not yet adopted an opinion on either.

  Food Destruction
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton, 16 March,Official Report, column 352, if he will list each food item, and the quantity of it, destroyed during 1988 under the European Community arrangements in all the Community countries.

  Mr. Ryder
  The latest figures relating to fruit and vegetables withdrawn from the market are for the 1986–87 season and are set out in EC Commission working documents. From these it is possible to derive the following figures for produce which became unfit for consumption before reaching its destination:

  pasteurella My Department is still receiving reports, all of which will need to be investigated in detail before reliable conclusions can be reached on this matter. These vaccines have been very widely used in the national flock for many years and the reports so far received concern a small percentage of ewes vaccinated. We shall be looking particularly carefully at the nutritional levels in ewes, following the mild winter, and at the incidence of other diseases in the flocks affected.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information his Department possesses about the effectiveness of vaccination schemes against foot and mouth disease and clinical swine fever.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The role of vaccines has been carefully assessed at frequent intervals. Vaccination can be an effective means of controlling foot and mouth disease and classical swine fever where there are significant disease problems. When the number of cases has been reduced eradication by a slaughter policy is a better and ultimately cheaper option than routine vaccination.

  Cattle (Slaughter)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the total number of(a), dairy cattle and (b) all cattle slaughtered for human consumption in Britain during 1988; and how many of these were slaughtered at European Economic Community export-approved slaughterhouses.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  It is provisionally estimated that 3·4 million cattle and calves were slaughtered in the
  691
  United Kingdom in 1988, 1·8 million of which were in EC export-approved slaughterhouses. Dairy cattle slaughtered are not separately distinguished.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will introduce a scheme of compulsory veterinary ante-mortem inspection of all bovines submitted for slaughter to European Economic Community export approved and non-export approved slaughterhouses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The carcases of all animals slaughtered for human consumption are inspected post mortem. In EC export-approved slaughterhouses, an inspection of animals prior to slaughter is also required. I plan to introduce ante mortem inspection of animals in non-EC export-approved slaughterhouses by 1 January 1991.

  Veterinary Product Licencer
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is currently reviewing existing veterinary product licences approved for the United Kingdom; what action he is taking to ensure products imported from the European Economic Community will continue to meet British standards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  All veterinary product licences are being reviewed to ensure that they conform to up-to-date standards of safety, quality and efficacy. Imports from both EC and other countries, except under emergency provisions, are permitted only in accordance with a product licence issued on the criteria mentioned and following a satisfactory inspection of the manufacturing premises overseas.

  Animal Diseases
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those animal diseases which are currently notifiable and indicate the number of confirmed cases of each disease in England and Wales for each of the last three years.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The number of confirmed cases of notifiable diseases over the last three years in England and Wales is as follows:

  Number of cases

  Disease

  1986

  1987

  1988

  African horse sickness

  —

  —

  —

  African swine fever

  —

  —

  —

  Anthrax

  9

  4

  3

  Aujeszky's disease

  6

  6

  5

  Bovine spongiform encephalopathy1

  —

  —

  2,136

  Brucella melitensis in cattle

  —

  —

  —

  Cattle plague in ruminants and swine

  —

  —

  —

  Classical swine fever

  10

  1

  —

  Contagious equine metritis2

  —

  —

  —

  Dourine in horses, asses, mules and zebras

  —

  —

  —

  Enzootic bovine leukosis

  1

  1

  1

  Epizootic lymphangitis in horses, asses and mules

  —

  —

  —

  Equine encephalomyelitis

  —

  —

  —

  Equine infectious anaemia

  —

  —

  —

  Foot and mouth disease in ruminants and swine

  —

  —

  —

  Fowl pest (fowl plague, Newcastle disease and paramyxovirus) poultry of all kinds

  —

  —

  —

  692

  Number of cases

  Disease

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Glanders and farcy in horses, asses and mules

  —

  —

  —

  Paramyxovirus in pigeons

  276

  251

  205

  Pleuro-pneumonia in cattle

  —

  —

  —

  Rabies

  —

  —

  —

  Sheep pox

  —

  —

  —

  Sheep scab

  55

  37

  35

  Swine vesicular disease

  —

  —

  —

  Warble fly

  34

  8

  4

  Teschen disease of pigs

  —

  —

  —

  Tuberculosis in cattle (certain forms)

  —

  —

  —

  1 Notifiable since 21 June 1988.

  2 Notifiable since 20 May 1987.

  Foot and Mouth Disease
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which member states of the European Economic Community operate schemes of compulsory vaccination of livestock against foot and mouth disease; and if it is his policy to retain quarantine periods in respect of live animals imported from these countries.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to him on 11 April at column 439.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will introduce restrictions on the movement of offspring of animals which have been confirmed as suffering from bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have no plans to introduce such measures.

  Veterinary Checks
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his response to the European Commission proposal to replace veterinary checks on animal health and animal products at national frontiers by checks in the country of origin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer the hon. Member to the explanatory memorandum concerning draft instrument 8062/88 which was deposited in the Library on 7 November 1988.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has had with the National Farmers Union on the recent increase in interest rates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have had no recent discussions with the National Farmers Union on interest rates. Policy on interest rates is, of course, the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who ha. s made it clear that interest rates are set at an appropriate level to maintain downward pressure on inflation.

  Sheepmeat
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he
  693
  has received concerning the sheepmeat stabiliser system for the 1988 marketing year, and in particular the base line used for the calculation of the final stabiliser figure for each European Community country; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 10 April 1989]: When the Commission fixed the sheepmeat stabiliser for 1988 it had census figures indicating that, for the Community excluding Great Britain, the reduction in the support level resulting from the stabiliser should be 7 per cent. They chose to adjust this figure downwards to 4 per cent., the same level of reduction as applied to Great Britain. They justified this on the basis that there were anomalies in certain countries' statistics.

  We have received a number of representations concerning the application of the stabiliser for 1988. We made clear our objections to the Commission's course of action, particulary in a situation where the Commission has itself been pressing the need for measures to control the rapidly rising cost of the sheep regime.

HEALTH

  National Health Service (Staff Training)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide an estimate of the annual expenditure of the National Health Service in England on training of staff, differentiating between medical and non-medical staff.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not have centrally comprehensive information on the total expenditure incurred. However, in 1987–88 relevant revenue expenditure amounted to at least £360 million, which includes the total Revenue expenditure of the National Health Service training authority (£5·5 million) and the English national board for nursing, midwifery and health visiting (£90·5 million). Most of the remainder was incurred by regional and district health authorities. While the expenditure of the English national board for nursing, midwifery and health visiting can be attributed to nurse education and training and the summarised accounts of regional and district health authorities identify some £10 million for postgraduate medical and dental education, in general the information available does not differentiate between expenditure incurred on training medical and non-medical staff.

  The National Health Service training authority is piloting a set of training activity indicators in a number of health authorities which, among other measures, are designed to identify more precisely expenditure on training on different staff groups.

  Overseas Patients
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he is giving to the number of overseas patients that can be treated in the self-managing hospitals proposed in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We are considering how treatment of overseas patients in National Health Service hospitals, including self-governing hospitals, might best be administered in the context of the White Paper and associated working papers.

  Clinical Grading
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff from each of the old grades have been assimiliated to each of the new grades in the recent clinical grading structure for each of the specialty branches of nursing, midwifery and health visiting.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested cannot be derived from the data which are held centrally. The information which is available has already been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require health authorities to provide figures on the number of nurse regrading appeals currently outstanding in district health authorities within the Yorkshire region, and the stage in the appeal processes in each district health authority.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. The processing of appeals under the national agreement is a matter for individual health authorities.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements have been made to process nurse re-grading appeals in each of the district health authorities within the Yorkshire region.

  Mr. Mellor
  Appeals are being dealt with under a long-standing agreement between the management and trades union sides of the General Whitley Council on procedures for settling differences over NHS employees' conditions of service. Detailed arrangements for operating this agreement are for local decision, and we collect no information centrally.

  Toxic Waste (Doncaster)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations to date he has received from residents living in or near Doncaster metropolitan borough council concerning the proposed toxic waste site at Kirk Sandell by Leigh Environmental and the environmental implications for this populated area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  One representation has been received to date. Responsibility for the licensing of toxic waste disposal sites lies with the local authority, under powers granted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. Sites must be registered with Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, which is responsible for subsequent monitoring and advice on discharges from the site. The Department of Health will advise the Department of the Environment on possible health effects of discharged chemicals if they are asked to do so.

  Male Circumcision
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the National Health Service of male circumcision operations in the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what was the cost of comparable operations in the private sector.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not collect this information centrally.

  GOS Forms
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what quantity of form GOS 2 (R), National Health Service repair and replacement of spectacles voucher application, was printed with(a) words indicating or implying that full-time students under 19 years would be eligible for free repairs without family practitioner committee approval and (b) prescription details requiring left eye before right; and if he will make a statement outlining what advice he has given to opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners regarding these errors;

  (2) what quantity of form GOS (V), National Health Service spectacle voucher applications, has been printed requiring left eye to be entered before right; and what advice he has given to opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners as to how to deal with this error;

  (3) what quantity of form GOS (P), patient's prescription/statement, was printed showing left eye first, right eye second, if he will make a statement as to what advice he has given to opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners as to how to deal with this error; and how the advice has been conveyed;

  (4) what was the cost of the new forms relating to eye examinations which were printed with errors, GOS(P), GOS2(R) and GOS(V); and who will bear the cost of any mistakes or confusion which arise as a consequence of these printing errors;

  (5) on what date family practitioner committees received the forms which were needed by opticians for use on 1 April;

  (6) whether he intends to continue to use forms GOS(ST)A and GOS(P) in their present design which makes it impossible to use carbon paper for information required to be duplicated on each form.

  Mr. Mellor
  The revised GOS forms were delivered to family practitioner committees on Monday 19 March.

  A total of 150,000 copies of forms GOS(P), GOS(V) and GOS2(R) were printed transposing left and right eye prescription details. FPCs were advised of this on 31 March in a letter which asked them to inform contractors to amend the forms manually until reprinted versions were available. Two million forms GOS2(R) were printed stating that students could have repairs made without reference to the FPC. A health circular and family practitioner notice has been issued advising health authorities and FPCs of this error.

  The design of forms GOS(ST) A and GOS(P) will be revised as soon as possible.

  Information on the cost of printing forms GOS(P), GOS2(R) and GOS(V) is not currently available. The cost of reprinting will be met by the Department.

  Optometrists
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has had as a result of his two week consultation on his proposed exemption of optometrists from the requirement to examine for disease as well as refraction; and which bodies supported his proposal and which opposed it.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Department has received comments to date from 17 bodies and individuals. The great majority are opposed to the proposal.

  Air Ionisers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how his Department studied the health effects of domestic air ionisers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department's expert independent advisory committee on the medical aspects of contamination of air and soil reviewed the research into the effects of air ionisers. This includes a presentation to the committee by researchers. The committee advised the Department that the evidence presented did not satisfy them that the use of domestic air ionisers had demonstrable health effects. Results of studies on the health effects of ionised air published subsequently in the scientific literature supports that opinion.

  Schizophrenia
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on research into schizophrenia in each of the last two years; and what proportion each figure was of expenditure on the National Health Service research programme.

  Mr. Freeman
  In 1988–89, £1,307,900 was made available from the Department of Health and Social Security for directly commissioned health, personal social services and social security research programmes for research into mental illness, much of which will be relevant to sufferers from schizophrenia. In 1987–88 the comparable sum was £1,267,000. Expressed as a percentage of the health, personal social services and social security research budget the figures are 8–2 per cent. and 9–3 per cent. respectively.

  In 1986 a specific research initiative on schizophrenia was started consisting of seven new research studies. It is hoped that the results of these projects will provide valuable information on the pattern of care of schizophrenia patients.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the current annual cost per patient to the National Health Service in the Mersey health region of the care and treatment of patients with a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses;

  (2) how much was spent in the Mersey health region in the last year on the care and treatment of patients suffering from schizophrenia psychoses; and what percentage that figure represented of total expenditure on (a) mental and (b) all health services.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information relating specifically to the cost of treating patients suffering from schizophrenia psychoses in the Mersey region is not collected centrally.

  Anti-psychotic Drugs
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions were written for anti-psychotic drugs in each year since 1985; and how many were written for(a) prochlorperazine, (b) thioridazine, (c) chlorpromazine hydrochloride and (d) trifluoperazine.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have no information centrally about the number of prescriptions written by doctors. Official statistics are based on the prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists. The information about the drugs requested is therefore as follows:
  697

  (,000)

  England

  1985

  1986

  1987

  All anti-psychotic drugs

  4,430

  4,436

  4,409

  Prochlorperazine

  2,288

  2,214

  2,147

  Thioridazine

  597

  623

  657

  Chlorpromazine HC1

  542

  532

  513

  Trifluoperazine

  486

  471

  479

  Tardive Dyskinesia
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to provide the public with information on the causes and dangers of tardive dyskinesia.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. It is for doctors to provide information to their patients about possible adverse reactions associated with prescribed medicines.

  Paddington Chest Clinic
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the present ownership of property known as the Paddington chest clinic, Newton road, London, W2; when the property was sold and to whom; and whether the property was placed on the open market for sale by tender upon the advice of a professional valuer.

  Mr. Freeman
  The sale of property in the Paddington area is the responsibility of Parkside health authority.

  Midwives
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by country the percentage of home delivery training that is given to trainee midwives in the European Economic Community member states: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold information centrally on the percentage of home delivery training given to student midwives either in this country or in the European Community. The aim of midwifery education in England is to encompass antenatal, perinatal and postnatal care, as well as delivery, in both hospital and community setting in an integrated fashion.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last had consultations with the Association of Radical Midwives; what subjects were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have had no consultations with the Association of Radical Midwives. Our usual contacts with the midwifery profession are with the Royal College of Midwives and the statutory bodies for nursing, midwifery and health visiting.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has estimates for the extra revenue that would be generated through the extension of prescription charges to those reaching retirement age throughout the current year while exempting those on income support; and if he has further estimates for the additional revenue that would be generated if such a policy was projected over the next five years.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information needed to make these estimates is not available.
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  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what would be the extra annual revenue generated by the extension of prescription charges to all those over retirement age, exempting only those in receipt of income support.

  Mr. Mellor
  I estimate that the additional annual revenue would be in excess of £200 million.

  Hospital Formularies
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what incentives are contained within the existing hospital formularies system for the development in the United Kingdom of new and improved drugs.

  Mr. Mellor
  The existence of hospital formularies is, in itself, an incentive for the development of safer and more effective medicines. Hospital formularies are subject to ongoing review. Drug companies, bearing this in mind, will therefore work towards the production of medicines which meet criteria for hospital use and demonstrate advantages over existing products, to warrant their inclusion in the formularies.

  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make funds available for the compilation of local drug formularies.

  Mr. Mellor
  Extra funds have been made available to FPCs from 1989–90 to enable them to carry out their increased responsibilities, as announced in the White Paper "Promoting Better Health". These responsibilities include encouraging the development of local drug formularies.

  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the effect of European Community directives will be upon the prospects for the introduction of a national United Kingdom formularly for drugs.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have no plans to introduce a national formulary. We do however wish to see the continued development of voluntary, local formularies as part of the effort by doctors to achieve more effective and economic prescribing. Such formularies will not be affected by the European Community directives.

  Modern Drugs
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department last carried out cost/benefit studies on the potential savings to be made through the greater use of modern drugs instead of expensive hospital care; and what conclusions he has drawn from those studies.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Department has not itself commissioned any such research, but we are aware of some useful studies on this topic.

  Generic Medicines
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he intends to make to increase the information available to general practitioners through improvements to the labelling of generic medicines.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information put on medicine labels is that essential to tell patients how to use their medicines.
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  Since most GPs never see labels, they are not generally a practicable way to provide doctors with information about drugs.

  Kidney Donor Cards
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his current advice concerning the advisability of people in HIV high risk groups carrying kidney donor cards; and if he will list any medical conditions which render carrying such cards inadvisable.

  Mr. Mellor
  On 2 March 1987 the Department's chief medical officer wrote to all doctors to remind them of the precautions needed to prevent the transmission of HIV through the transplant of infected tissue or organs. He made it clear that it was essential that blood from the donor is tested and found negative for HIV antibodies before the organ or tissue is transplanted and that inquiries should also be made to exclude donors most likely to have been exposed to the AIDS virus. I do not propose at present to issue a list of contra-indications to organ donation because assessment of the medical suitability of a potential donor is a matter for the doctors concerned, and is undertaken at the time of donation.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to respond to the National Association of Health Authorities' report entitled "Action Not Words: a Strategy to Improve Health Services for Black and Minority Ethnic Groups;" if he plans to take any action to encourage implementation of its proposals and guiding principles and objectives by health authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng) and for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short) on 9 February 1989 at columns 800–1.

  Hospitals (Site Value)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the most recently calculated site value for each of the hospitals with over 250 beds.

  Mr. Freeman
  The valuation of the NHS estate does not provide site values in terms of bed numbers and to obtain the information by a special exercise would incur disproportionate cost.

  Hormone Replacement Therapy
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has received on the use of hormone replacement therapy for the prevention of stroke and fractures of the femur in elderly women National Health Service patients.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am advised that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prevents bone loss in post-menopausal women and therefore reduces the risk of fractures. There is also evidence that HRT may provide additional protection against heart disease and strokes. Since there may be risks as well as benefits of such treatment for some people, the individual patient's suitability for HRT should be a matter for the clinical judgment of their doctor. The Medical Research Council has set up a specialist group to look at the further research required into HRT.

  Glaucoma
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has received from his Department's consultant adviser on ophthalmology on screening programmes for the early detection of glaucoma in National Health Service patients.

  Mr. Freeman
  Any advice given to the consultant adviser to the chief medical officer is confidential.

  Cancer Screening
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he proposes to introduce to encourage family doctors to screen National Health Service patients for cervical and breast cancers.

  Mr. Freeman
  Guidance to health authorities on cervical cancer screening was contained in HC(88)1 of January 1988. Breast cancer screening was covered by draft circular DA(87)14 of March 1987 and the letter EL(88)P/48 of April 1988. Copies of these are in the Library.

  The cervical cancer screening service is provided largely through GPs, whereas breast cancer screening is available through static centres and mobile units provided by health authorities. In both programmes GPs are involved in the issuing of invitations to eligible women.

  To encourage GPs to achieve higher levels of cover, the item of service payment for cervical cancer screening is to be replaced by target payments. Such payments will be made for achieving or helping to achieve (for example with the family planning clinic) cover of 80 per cent. of the relevant practice population. By this means we believe that a significant increase will be achieved in the numbers of women screened and therefore in the numbers of cases of early detection and successful treatment of conditions which otherwise might have developed into cervical cancer.

  In the case of breast cancer screening we would expect GPs to be involved in discussions on arrangements for the follow-up and treatment of any of their patients who have screen-detected abnormalities. Resource material for primary care teams, including a practical guide for GPs, has been developed by the Cancer Research Campaign. These information packs are being distributed free of charge to every GP practice in the country three months prior to eligible women in the practice being invited for screening.

  Health Screening
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures his Department proposes as a follow-up to the "Look After Your Heart!" campaign; and if he proposes to ask all family doctors to undertake screening programmes among National Health Service patients to detect and treat risk factors for coronary artery disease;

  (2) what measures his Department is planning to encourage family doctors to undertake screening programmes to detect patients requiring treatment for mild to moderate hypertension.

  Mr. Mellor
  The "Look After Your Heart!" campaign is a continuing one with two main aims. First, to raise awareness of the risk factors associated with coronary
  701
  heart disease. Secondly, to help people make the necessary lifestyle changes in key areas such as nutrition, smoking, alcohol consumption and exercise. Work continues on both fronts. Under changes to general practitioners' terms of service proposed in the document "A New Contract" which was sent to all GPs on 23 February, it will be a requirement that GPs offer patients regular check-ups. These check-ups will include measurement of blood pressure. We believe that this important development will provide an opportunity for GPs to advise patients, particularly those at risk, of measures to avoid developing high blood pressure. Whenever hypertension is identified they will be able at an early stage to take whatever action is appropriate to control the situation. We have also asked the standing medical advisory committee to advise on the cost-effectiveness of wider cholesterol testing in the prevention and treatment of heart disease.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department proposes to encourage special screening and treatment programmes to detect and treat National Health Service patients suffering from diabetes mellitus.

  Mr. Freeman
  Provisions of screening and treatment programmes for National Health Service patients suffering from diabetes mellitus is a matter for individual health authorities. Under changes to general practitioner terms of service proposed in the document "A New Contract", which was sent to all general practitioners on 23 February, it will be a requirement that general practitioners offer patients regular check ups. These check ups will include a urine test which, amongst other things, will provide an indication of whether further investigations are necessary to determine whether or not a patient is suffering from diabetes mellitus. The early identification of disease is an essential part of the package of changes to general practice set out in the White Paper "Promoting Better Health".

  Cook-chill Food
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1), pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield on 7 April,Official Report, columns 303–4, if he will give the reference for the press reports on cook-chill food which he refers to as biased and inaccurate;

  (2) if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield on 7 April, Official Report, columns 303–4, he will seek a report from the Wakefield district health authority as to when it received representations from the hon. Member for Wakefield and which representations did not relate to cook-chill food at Clayton hospital.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  It is for the district health authority to follow up local complaints. But my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health is writing to the hon. Member about his request for cook-chill to be suspended, and he will enclose with that letter a copy of the article referred to and a copy of the unit general manager's subsequent letter to the editor of the newspaper concerned setting out the true position.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on the installation of electronic monitoring equipment in residential homes for the elderly.
  702
  Mr. Mellor
  The installation of such equipment is a matter for the local authority concerned together with the proprietors of independent sector homes. We would hope that any equipment installed would be consistent with the human dignity of residents, a homely atmosphere and the necessary human contact betwen residents and staff.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his intention to introduce a system of care tests to ensure that elderly persons do not enter residential care unnecessarily.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are considering the case for introducing a system for assessment of need for residential care as part of our wider examination of community care following Sir Roy Griffiths' report. We hope to be able to bring forward our proposals on community care in the near future.

  Foster Parents
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to local authorities and voluntary organisations regarding insurance procedures for foster parents.

  Mr. Mellor
  Regulation 3 of the Boarding Out of Children (Foster Placement) Regulations requires local authorities and voluntary organisations to include with notices of approval to foster parents information on the agency's arrangements for meeting any legal liabilities of a foster parent arising by reason of the placement. The regulations come into force on 1 June 1989. The accompanying handbook of guidance suggests a number of different arrangements for meeting claims by or against foster parents in respect of damage, loss or injury or legal defence costs.

  Apnoea
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the condition known as apnoea is categorised.

  Mr. Freeman
  Apnoea simply means without breath. It can be normal, as with deglutition apnoea which occurs in swallowing, or abnormal, as a result of a number of medical conditions. It may occur on a temporary basis as a consequence of treatment, for example during the administration of an anaesthetic.

  Birmingham Family Practitioner Committee
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he received a request from the Birmingham family practitioner committee to approve an out-of-time investigation into allegations involving one or more doctors in Birmingham, following an article in The Sunday Times on 22 November 1987; how many doctors are the subject of this request; and what reply has been sent to the Birmingham family practitioner committee.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 10 April 1989]: An application relating to one doctor was received on 3 March 1989. A reply will be issued shortly.

  Artificial Limbs and Appliances
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to review the provision to
  703
  Parliament of sufficient information to monitor the development of the artificial limb and appliance services, in view of his refusal to provide substantive replies to parliamentary questions relating to services provided by the Disablement Services Authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 12 April 1989]: Questions relating to services provided by the Disabled Services Authority (DSA) should be addressed to the Disablement Services Authority. The Secretary of State has referred most parliamentary questions relating to the artificial limb and appliance service accordingly. Hon. and right hon. Members who have been so referred have received full and detailed information of the progress made by the DSA in implementing its statutory functions. The authority also publishes an annual report which is available in the Library of the House. The Secretary of State has no plans for reviewing these arrangements.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what date he expects to transfer the responsibility for the artificial limb and appliance services from the Disablement Services Authority to health authorities; what wil be his policy on providing information concerning the services in reply to parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answe 12 April 1989]: The Disablement Services Authority will transfer responsibility for the artificial limb and appliance service (ALAS) to NHS health authorities on 1 April 1991. Until then, the Secretary of State will continue to refer questions relating to the ALAS to the Disablement Services Authority which he is confident will continue to provide, direct to hon. and right hon. Members, full and detailed information concerning developments in the services it administers.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Free TV Licences
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he now has any proposals to introduce free television licences for pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  We have no plans to do so.

  Plastic Bullets
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to approve the provision of the new Arwen Ace plastic bullet gun to police forces in England and Wales.

  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to approve the provision of the new Arwen Ace plastic bullet gun to police forces in England and Wales.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to announce his decision on the provision of the new Arwen Ace plastic bullet gun to police forces in England and Wales.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to approve the provision of the new Arwen Ace plastic bullet gun to police forces in England and Wales.
  704
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to approve the provision of the new Arwen Ace plastic bullet gun to police forces in England and Wales.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Equipment for use in situations of serious public disorder is kept under review. No decision has been taken to replace the currently authorised baton round equipment but a number of baton round dischargers, including the Arwen Ace, are being considered as possible replacements.

  Drug Traffickers
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in securing closer international co-operation on confiscation of drug traffickers' assets.

  Mr. Hurd
  We have signed bilateral agreements with the United States of America, Canada, the Bahamas, Australia and Switzerland, and have completed substantive negotiations with Spain and Sweden. Other bilateral discussions are in progress, and, in the forthcoming meeting of Ministers of the Council of Europe's Pompidou Group, we shall be discussing how to strengthen co-operation in this area.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reciprocal agreements he has now secured with other countries with regard to the tracing and seizure of drug traffickers and the freezing or confiscation of their illegally derived assets.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have signed bilateral agreements with five Governments and completed substantive negotiations with two others. We have played an active part in the adoption of a new United Nations convention against drug trafficking, and in work towards a new Council of European convention on the confiscation of criminal proceeds.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to seek to improve the prevailing level of co-operation between European countries, including the United Kingdom, on drug trafficking prevention, detection and the concomitant prosecution of offenders.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A suitable framework for such co-operation exists in the United Nations convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, adopted in December in Vienna. We take every opportunity to encourage our European partners to sign and ratify the convention at the earliest date possible and meanwhile to implement its provisions to the fullest extent permitted by existing legislation. In all our contacts we lay particular stress on the value of international co-operation in tracing, freezing and confiscating drug traffickers' assets.

  Police Fingerprint Service
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what improvements have been achieved in the efficiency of the police fingerprint service since the publication of the Audit Commission report on the subject in October 1988.
  705
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve the efficiency of the police fingerprinting service.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In February 1988, the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers set up a group of police officers, forensic scientists and fingerprint experts to undertake a general review of the work of the scientific support services in police forces, including fingerprint services.

  The group has made a number of recommendations on the reorganisation of fingerprint departments and improved training for fingerprint experts. These recommendations, which take into account the findings of the Audit Commission, are currently being considered by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

  Remand Centres
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to meet the union representatives from remand centres to discuss his proposals for the future of remand centres.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have immediate plans for such a meeting, but prison service management meets trade union representatives regularly to discuss developments in the service. Changes affecting individual establishments are also the subject of local consultation.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department will provide the training for staff employed in private remand centres.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It remains to be decided how the training of staff for any private remand centres would be provided, but whatever the arrangements, we would have to be satisfied that adequate training was given.

  Right to Silence
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received requesting the abolition of a suspect's right to silence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have received a number of suggestions that the right to silence should be modified. My right hon. Friend set up last year a working group to consider what changes in the law were necessary. We are now awaiting its report.

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes previously established in London are now defunct or disbanded.

  Mr. John Patten
  The figures collected by the Metropolitan police do not distinguish between those schemes which have failed and those which have temporarily disbanded. Between January 1987 and the end of December 1988 487 schemes are recorded as having failed. During the same period some 2,400 new schemes were set up.

  AIDS
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to help counter the spread of AIDS in prisons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  High priority is given to measures to prevent the transmission of HIV infection in prison. The main plank of the prevention strategy is education. Our latest initiative is a new package of education materials, including a video film, entitled "AIDS Inside and Out." Other measures include medical inquiry and examination at the reception stage, counselling of individual prisoners, and limited regime restrictions for prisoners identified as HIV antibody positive.

  Robbery
  21. Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the latest figures for robbery in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The provisional figure for the number of robberies recorded by the police in England and Wales in 1988 is 31,437, a decrease of 3·7 per cent. on the figure for 1987. The clear-up rate increased from 21 per cent. to 23 per cent. over the same period.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest national figures available for robbery; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is published in table 1 of Home Office statistical bulletin 7/89, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Junior Crime Prevention Panels
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many junior crime prevention panels have now been established in England and Wales.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of junior crime prevention panels in operation.

  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of junior crime prevention panels in operation.

  Mr. John Patten
  At the end of March 1989 there were 165 junior crime prevention panels in England and Wales and others are being set up.

  Safer Cities Programme
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in the safer cities programme.

  Mr. John Patten
  Good progress has been made in establishing the first nine of the 20 crime prevention projects which will comprise the safer cities programme. Bradford and Wolverhampton projects are already fully operational and Nottingham staff will be taking up post this month. Grant application in support of local schemes have been received and approved for Bradford and Nottingham projects. Five additional areas have recently been invited to join in the programme (Bristol, Hull, Salford, Sunderland and Wirral) of which four have already agreed to participate.
  707
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase funding available for the safe city programme.

  Mr. John Patten
  Financial planning for the safer cities initiative already takes account of the scheduled growth of the programme. Nine projects were set up in 1988–89, a further seven will be established in 1989–90 and four more in 1990–91. A sum of 4–2 million is available for the current financial year. A decision as to whether further expenditure on the programe is called for will be taken in the light of the success of projects now under way.

  DNA Testing
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the introduction of DNA testing for the purposes of the immigration rules; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the introduction of DNA testing for the purposes of the immigration rules; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave earlier today to a similar question from the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden).

  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now consider, following the advice tendered by the United Kingdom immigrants advisory service, that those applicants who pass DNA tests should be allowed entry into Britain on the grounds that, although now over the age of 18 years, their original applications were made, and refused, when they were under age.

  Mr. Renton
  A person who makes a fresh application for entry clearance when he is 18 years of age or older is normally expected to meet the requirements set out at paragraphs 51 and 52 of the immigration rules. However, my right hon. Friend is considering whether, and in what circumstances, it might be appropriate to exercise discretion in favour of over-age reapplicants who do not qualify for admission under the rules. We hope to be in a position to announce our conclusions before long.

  Violent Crime
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take to tackle the current levels of violent crime.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the levels of violent crime in the inner-city areas.

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take to ensure greater safety of women from violent crime.

  Mr. John Patten
  By strengthening the police, and by fostering the safer cities programme in some urban high crime areas, we hope to increase the safety of all citizens. Simple precautions that members of the public can take to reduce the risk of attack are given in the Home Office crime prevention handbook "Practical Ways to Crack Crime."

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence were recorded in(a) 1979 and (b)
  708
  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested for 1979–87 is published in Table 2·1 of "Criminal statistics, England and Wales, 1987", Cm. 498; and for 1988 in table 1 of the Home Office statistical bulletin 7/89. Copies of these publications are in the Library.

  Latchmere House (Detainees)
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to transfer detainees from Latchmere house to Haslar in Gosport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to questions from the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 13 March at col. 9 and the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) on 5 April at col.220.

  Broadcasting Transmission Systems
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in full the consultants' report on broadcasting transmission systems.

  Mr. Renton
  We have yet to decide how the results of the study should be made public. Parts of it will be commercially confidential.

  Magistrates Clerks
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the recruitment of magistrates clerks.

  Mr. John Patten
  We shall shortly be discussing with representatives of magistrates courts committees what steps relating to pay and other matters they can take as employers of courts staff to improve the present shortage of court clerks. We have already approved the establishment of 25 additional trainee posts this year. We plan to authorise more, and to make provision for training accordingly. We also plan to issue by the summer new recruitment publicity material for the magistrates courts service.

  Community Volunteers
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which areas he proposes to run private schemes for community volunteers; and over what period.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding for the proposed community volunteer schemes will come from existing police authority budgets; and what additional funds will be made specifically available.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has received for the creation of community volunteers.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) earlier today.

  Miscarriages of Justice
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review procedures for re-referral of possible miscarriages of justice to the Court of Appeal.
  709
  Mr. John Patten
  We see no present need to review the procedure.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in North Yorkshire for 1988.

  Mr. Bevan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest crime figures for the West Midlands.

  Mr. Ashby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest crime figures for Leicestershire.

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest crime figures for Lincolnshire.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in Cambridgeshire for 1988.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest crime figures for Nottinghamshire.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest crime figures for Greater Manchester.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in Surrey for 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information is published in table 7 of Home Office statistical bulletin 7/89, a copy of which is in the Library. My right hon. Friend has also sent some further details of the figures for their local police force area to all right hon. and hon. Members for constituencies in England and Wales and placed copies of those further details in the Library.

  Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange to meet the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to discuss the problems caused to his force by working in London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Commissioner and my right hon. Friend meet regularly to discuss policing issues including the particular problems caused by working in London, especially the recruitment and retention of officers and civil staff. My right hon. Friend supports the commissioner's efforts to overcome them.

  Broadcasting White Paper
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to meet the general advisory committee of the Independent Broadcasting Authority to discuss the White Paper on Broadcasting.

  Mr. Renton
  Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have immediate plans to do so, but we have had several meetings with the IBA and have now received the IBA's response to the White Paper.

  Private Security Industry
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to impose controls on the private security industry.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to questions from the hon. Members for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) and for Walsall, South (Mr. George) on 15 December 1988 at column 716.

  Caldy Island, Pembrokeshire
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress being made to restore the franchise in respect of European and parliamentary elections to the residents of Caldy Island, Pembrokeshire.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that residents of Caldey Island are included in the register of electors for south Pembrokeshire published and effective from 16 February 1989. Ballot papers should, therefore, be available to the residents for all elections held this year, as in previous years. Nevertheless, I recognise that legislative action needs to be taken to regularise the position of Caldey Island. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is considering the available options as a matter of urgency.

  Prison Suicides
  Mr. Hincliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the number of suicides in Her Majesty's prisons.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the adequacy of the prison service suicide prevention procedures.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The prison service's strategy for the prevention of inmate suicides has two main elements: to identify inmates who may be at risk of suicide, by means of constant staff vigilance, particularly when the inmate is first received into custody; and to prevent such inmates from actually killing themselves, both by reducing the physical opportunities for suicide in prison and by offering medical and social support to the suicidal inmate. Initiatives such as enhanced staff training in suicide prevention awareness, better cell design, and work on the development of CCTV for the monitoring of suicidal inmates, all contribute to this strategy. While we do not expect to alter the main thrust of our strategy, we are considering in the light of recent experience whether any modifications to our procedures may be helpful.

  Police Cars (High-speed Chases)
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with chief constables about the use of police cars in high-speed chases of those believed to have committed criminal offences.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend met the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on 20 March to discuss a range of London policing matters, including police car chases.

  Fear of Crime
  Mr. James Lamond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report of the working party on the fear of crime chaired by Mr. Michael Grade.

  Mr. John Patten
  I hope that the working group will present its report to the Home Office standing conference on crime prevention on 11 December.

  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list the members of his working party on crime chaired by Mr. Michael Grade.

  Mr. John Patten
  The appointment of members to the independent working group on the fear of crime is a matter for Mr. Grade, and has yet to be completed.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what budget has been allocated to the working party on the fear of crime chaired by Mr. Michael Grade.

  Mr. John Patten
  The sum of £3,000 has been allocated in this financial year to support crime prevention working groups, including that chaired by Mr. Grade. The Home Office will also provide administrative and secretarial support for Mr. Grade's working group and will meet the cost of publishing the working group's report.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent surveys he has made of fear of crime among women.

  Mr. John Patten
  Questions about fear of crime were included in the British crime survey, in a recent international survey conducted by telephone, and in local surveys on housing estates. In each survey care was taken to provide a representative sample of both men and women.

  Public Interest Defence
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received on the need for a public interest defence to be incorporated in Official Secrets legislation.

  Mr. Hurd
  From the publication of our White Paper on the reform of secion 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 on 29 June 1988 up to 4 April 1989 I have received representations in support of a public interest defence from 30 organisations, including 11 from the branches of two national organisations, and from 113 individuals.

  Women Prisoners
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to reduce the numbers of women with infants imprisoned for non-violent offences.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Court of Appeal has made it clear that custody should be used only when a court considers it absolutely necessary. Last July, the Government published proposals for punishing in the community more offenders convicted of less serious and non-violent offences; we are considering how to take matters forward in the light of the responses to those proposals.
  712
  Meanwhile, the national standards for community service orders, which came into effect on 1 April, asked probation areas to ensure that community service placements are available for women offenders, including those who are pregnant, and offenders with young children. We are also revising the handbook "The Sentence of the Court" which reflects the Court of Appeal's guidance on the use of custody, and the new edition will refer specifically to women offenders with family responsibilities.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons allow women prisoners the right to seek pregnancy advice and counselling independent of the prison.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Prison medical officers have statutory responsibility for all aspects of the health care of prisoners. In the exercise of that responsibility they make extensive use of the specialist consultancy, treatment and counselling services of the National Health Service and other outside agencies. Whether such help is called upon in a particular case is a matter for the clinical judgment of the medical officer concerned.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pregnant women were released from prison before their confinement in each year from 1979 to 1988.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The number of pregnant women released by the exercise of the royal prerogative, between 1979 and 1988 is provided in the table. Information on pregnant women released on completion of their sentences is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Pregnant inmates released by royal prerogative

  Number

  1979

  3

  1980

  5

  1981

  3

  1982

  1

  1983

  6

  1984

  8

  1985

  8

  1986

  6

  1987

  15

  1988

  9

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the carrying out of a full social inquiry report on pregnant women arid mothers of dependent children before sentencing.

  Mr. John Patten
  Home Office policy on social inquiry reports is set out in Home Office circular 92/1986. This states that a social inquiry report should inter alia contain information about the defendant's personality and character including the family situation. I would expect social inquiry reports written on pregnant women and mothers of dependent children to draw attention to those facts without fail and to make recommendations that take account of them in order to help the courts decide on a suitable disposal.

  Drink-Related Crime
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the percentage of crimes by under-21-year-olds which are drink-related.
  713
  Mr. John Patten
  Of the people under 21 convicted in 1987, the latest year for which full figures are available. 8 per cent. were convicted of drunkenness or drink-driving offences. No reliable estimate can be made of the extent to which the offences of which the remaining 92 per cent. convicted were alcohol related.

  Special Constables (Metropolitan Area)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of special constables in the Metropolitan police are(a) from ethnic minorities, and (b) women.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the commissioner that, of the 1,419 members of the Metropolitan special constabulary of 14 March 1989, 9 per cent. (134) were from ethnic minorities and 32 per cent. (460) were women.

  Transfrontier Broadcasting
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he is making in negotiations to establish a new European convention on standards of taste and decency in transfrontier broadcasting.

  Mr. Renton
  Agreement on the final text of the Council of Europe convention on transfrontier television was reached on 15 March. We hope that a decision to open the convention for signature will be taken shortly.

  Co-operation Against Crime
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department is doing to promote greater European co-operation against crime.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to questions from my hon. Friends the Members for Dover (Mr. Shaw) and for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 2 February, column 384.

  Passports
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average times taken to process non-urgent passport applications at major passport offices; and what were the comparable times one year ago.

  Mr. Renton
  The current processing times for straightforward non-urgent postal applications at the six United Kingdom passport offices are shown in the table below, together with those of a year ago. Urgent applications are given priority, and are not normally subject to delay.

  Average time between receipt of application and issue of passport (working days)

  Passport office

  9 April 1989 21

  10 April 1988

  London

  21

  55

  Glasgow

  33

  28

  Peterborough

  26

  27

  Newport

  33

  17

  Liverpool

  42

  13

  Belfast

  4

  3

  Metropolitan Police (Efficiency)
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps is he taking to promote greater efficiency in the Metropolitan police.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 2 February at column 386.

  Burglary
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest national figures for burglary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is published in table 1 of Home Office statistical bulletin 7/89, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Association of Chief Police Officers
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Association of Chief Police Officers; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend has regular discussions with chief officers of police in the course of meetings, visits and conferences. He has not had any recent formal meetings with representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers, but will be attending the ACOP drugs conference on 20 and 21 April.

  Firearms Consultative Committee
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the names of the chairman and members of the firearms consultative committee.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are not yet able to announce appointments but we regard it as important to have the committee in place as soon as possible.

  Local Authorities (Crime Prevention)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking more fully to involve elected local authorities in creating safer environments for their citizens.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have welcomed the support local authorities have given the safer cities programme and encouraged their direct involvement in those areas where projects have already been established. We shall continue to seek local authority involvement in the programme as further projects are set up. We have also involved seven local authorities in the two year experiment to test byelaws which prohibit alcohol consumption in particular public places.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the imposition of a duty on all local authorities to undertake crime prevention work.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have no plans to impose a duty on local authorities to undertake crime prevention work and we have received no representations on this matter.

  Charities
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he hopes to complete his review of the law on charities.

  Mr. John Patten
  We hope shortly to publish a White Paper setting out our proposals for legislation in the light of Sir Philip Woodfield's efficiency scrutiny of the supervision of charities.

  Police Establishments (Civilians)
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of civilians currently employed in police establishments.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 31 December 1988 there were 39,201 full-time and 6,297 part-time civilian staff employed by the police service in England and Wales.

  Armley Prison (Leeds)
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he expects the publication of the full report by the deputy director general of prisons on Armley prison, Leeds.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) on 10 April at column 325.

  Dog Registration Scheme
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animal's proposals for a dog registration scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  The RSPCA sent to the Department its proposals for a dog registration scheme on 3 December 1987. We have no plans to introduce such a scheme.

  Sapphire Investigations Bureau
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contracts his Department has placed over the past 10 years with the Sapphire Investigations Bureau.

  Mr. Hurd
  Records are readily available only from April 1984. They include no contracts placed with, nor payments made to Sapphire Investigations Bureau by or on behalf of my Department during that period.

  Horse Racing
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the feasibility study into the privatisation of the Horserace Totalisator Board; and when he intends to make a statement on the inquiry into the long-term funding of British racing.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand that Lloyds merchant bank has completed its work on the feasibility study on the privatisation, and my right hon. Friend expects to receive it soon. As my right hon. Friend explained in reply on 22 March to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for 716
  Langbaurgh (Mr. Holt) at columns 600–1 he will announce his conclusion on the possibility of an inquiry into the long-term funding of racing when he has considered that advice.

  Pompidou Group
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when next the Pompidou Group of Ministers is planning to meet; and what he will be discussing with them.

  Mr. Hurd
  The next ministerial meeting will take place in London on 18 and 19 May. I hope it will give a powerful encouragement to efforts throughout Europe to pass legislation on the confiscation of drugs traffickers' assets and to establish a network of reciprocal agreements. We shall also be discussing AIDS and drug misuse, which is a major problem in a number of European countries, and the growing threat to Europe posed by cocaine.

  Wapping Dispute
  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 the number of police officers deployed on public order duties outside the News International plant at Wapping on 24 January 1987; and what were the ranks from commander downwards of those employed, the length of the tours of duty of police officers on that date, and the number of divisions within the Metropolitan district from which officers were drawn.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that 1,018 officers were deployed. Their ranks were as follows:

  Number

  Superintendent

  1

  Chief Inspector

  2

  Inspector

  42

  Sergeant

  102

  Constable

  871

  A commander and a chief superintendent were initially in charge of police operations; a deputy assistant commissioner subsequently took charge. The average tour of duty was 8·8 hours. No central record was kept of the number of divisions from which officers were drawn.

  Prisons (Child Care)
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what agencies are allowed to enter prisons to inspect and monitor the arrangements for child care provision.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Health visitors from the local area health authority regularly visit the three mother and baby units and provide child care advice to inmate mothers. Arrangements for a Department of Health team to inspect the units and report periodically on matters such as child care practice are being considered.

  Imprisonment (Dependent Children)
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research is currently being carried
  717
  out into the effects of the imprisonment of a parent who has care of a child on the long-term development of the child.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None. Research commissioned by the Home Office into the physical and psychological development of babies in prison, compared with those not subjected to this experience, has recently been published by the university of Sussex. We are not aware of any current research into the long-term effects of imprisonment on prisoners' families.

  War Crimes Inquiry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the war crimes inquiry to submit its report to him on the presence of alleged Nazi war criminals in the United Kingdom

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand that the inquiry hopes to submit its report to my right hon. Friend in May.

  Crimes Against the Person
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest figures for the clearing-up of serious crimes against the person; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  The provisional clear-up rate for offences of violence against the person and sexual offences recorded by the police in England and Wales in 1988 was 75 per cent. This is the same figure as that for 1987. The police rightly give high priority to detecting these types of crime.

  "Broadcasting in the '90s"
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the White Paper, "Broadcasting in the '90s," whether he will take steps to protect the rights of charities to continue to have air time allocated for the purpose of making appeals.

  Mr. Renton
  There is at present no requirement on the broadcasters to allocate air time to charities for the purpose of making appeals. We shall be considering the general question of positive programme requirements in the light of the responses to the White Paper.

  Pub Bombings (Demonstration)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) why relatives of the six persons convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings were not permitted to display a banner saying, in English and Russian, "Justice for the Birmingham Six," near the Guildhall during the visit of President Gorbachev;

  (2) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of the City of London police as to the basis on which a demonstration by relatives and friends of the persons convicted of the Guildford and Woolwich bombings near the Guildhall during the visit by President Gorbachev was broken up;

  (3) if he will call for a report from the commissioner of the City of London police as to how many persons were arrested or detained during a demonstration by relatives and friends of the persons convicted of the Guildford and Woolwich pub bombings near the Guildhall, during the visit of President Gorbachev; and why.
  718
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police for the City of London that a crowd of several hundred were present to see the arrival of President Gorbachev at the Guildhall. A group was chanting and produced a number of banners which obstructed the view of others. The reaction of the rest of the crowd, and the ensuing arguments and jostling, led the police to direct the demonstrators to move on. They did so but resumed their disruptive behaviour nearby. Further police requests to desist were met with abuse and nine arrests were made in order to prevent a breach of the peace. Those concerned were subsequently released without charge.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why relatives of the six persons convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings were not permitted to display in Whitehall a banner saying, in English and Russian, "Justice for the Birmingham Six," during the visit of President Gorbachev to Downing Street.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that to prevent the occasion of the visit turning into a demonstration, which might infringe sessional orders or lead to a breach of the peace, the police did not allow the display of any banners which required two or more people to hold them aloft.

  "Women, Children and Custody"
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the National Association of Probation Officers' report entitled "Women, Children and Custody", dated March 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have received the report. Policies on the treatment of offenders are kept under review.

  Mrs. Riffat Iqbal
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Mrs. Riffat Iqbal, ref: IMP A421556 and KA55157, applied to the post in Karachi to enter the United Kingdom; when the application was referred to him; and when he expects a decision will be taken on this application.

  Mr. Renton
  Riffat Iqbal applied for entry clearance as a fiancee at the British Consulate-General, Karachi on 10 December 1987. The entry clearance officer was informed on 2 February 1988 that she had married the sponsor on 10 January 1988 in Pakistan. Mrs. Iqbal was interviewed by the entry clearance officer on 3 July 1988; following further inquiries, the application was referred to the Home Office for a decision on 8 March 1989. The decision to refuse Mrs. Iqbal's application is to be sent to the entry clearance officer in Karachi today; Mrs. Iqbal will be informed of this decision and of her right of appeal to the independent appellate authorities once the papers are received there.

  Pet Animals (Protection)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government will now sign the European convention for the protection of pet animals; and if he will make a statement.
  719
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to questions from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 1 December at column 1.

  Naturalisation
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the procedures for the revocation of the granting of naturalisation if evidence becomes available that recommendations given in support of the application are unfounded.

  Mr. Renton
  In circumstances prescribed in section 40 of the British Nationality Act 1981, the Home Secretary may deprive a person of British citizenship obtained by naturalisation or registration if citizenship was obtained by fraud, false representations or the concealment of material fact, provided he is satisfied that it is not conducive to the public good that that person should continue to be a British citizen.

  Hosni E Farhat
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration was given to the case of Hosni E. Farhat in reaching the decision to ban the operations of Libyan Arab Airlines from the United Kingdom in October 1986.

  Mr. Hurd
  None. The case of Farhat, who was sentenced in 1981, was not relevant to the decision, taken in 1986, to terminate flights to the United Kingdom by Libyan Arab Airlines.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement regarding the recommended minimum length of sentence to be served in the case of Hosni E. Farhat;

  (2) whether the decision regarding the recommended minimum length of sentence to he served, in the case of Hosni E. Farhat, was made by the Home Secretary.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The date of the first formal review by the local review committee of a life sentence prisoner's case is determined by the Secretary of State in the light of advice by the trial judge and the Lord Chief Justice on the period of detention necessary to satisfy the requirements of retribution and deterrence in his case, and is normally set three years before the expiry date of that period. Following the judgment of the Divisional Court on 2 March 1987 in R. v. Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Handscomb and others, the date of the first review in cases where a life sentence is imposed at the discretion of the court rather than as the mandatory penalty for murder is fixed strictly in accordance with the judiciary's advice. The date of the first review in Mr. Farhat's case, which had then already been set, was reviewed following the judgment but there was no reason to change it. His case is due to be reviewed in accordance with these arrangements in 1998, when he will have been detained for 17 years.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Members' Letter Board
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council on whose authority the limit of six letters allowed to be placed by any hon. Member on the Members' letter board at any one time was established; what are the reasons behind this limitation; and if he will review this limitation with a view to its abolition.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The limit of six letters which right hon. and hon. Members may place on the letter board each day is approved by the Services Committee. Should any greater number be permitted, the handling of urgent mail would be significantly delayed.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, if he will estimate the cost incurred by the House of hon. Members having to use franked envelopes to communicate with colleagues where they have reached their limit of six unfranked letters on the Members' letter board; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  It is not possible to estimate this cost.

  Members' Secretaries
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the procedure for hon. Members' private secretaries to claim redundancy payments in the event of the death of the hon. Member by whom they are employed; if he has any plans to change the present arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  On learning of the death of a Member, the Fees Office, having first established that an employee of a late Member is entitled to a statutory redundancy payment under the Employment Protection Consolidation Act 1978, prepare the appropriate documentation in draft which is then forwarded to the peronal representative of the deceased Member (who is legally liable for any redundancy payments due) for factual certification and signature. On receipt of the completed certificates, payment is made by the Fees Office to the employees direct.

  I am not aware of any unnecessary administrative delay in settling outstanding redundancy payment claims, or of an alternative method whereby payments might be expedited.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will arrange for the terms and conditions of employment of hon. Members' private secretaries to be reviewed by the Top Salaries Review Body with a view to them being employed by the House and paid a salary specified by the hon. Member for whom they work.

  Mr. Wakeham
  No. The Top Salaries Review Board last reviewed the office costs allowance, which is payable to Members in respect of certain expenses incurred in carrying out their parliamentary duties including secretarial assistance, in 1987. I see no need for a further review at this stage.

  TIBET
  TIBET
  TUBERCULOSIS: RISK TO LIVESTOCK
  TUBERCULOSIS: RISK TO LIVESTOCK
  SALMON POACHING
  SALMON POACHING