Written Answers of 14 April 1989

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Tanzania
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other aid Ministers to seek to reschedule overseas debts in Tanzania.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  In 1979 Britain wrote off all aid debts owed by Tanzania, amounting to some —3·4 million. We have continued to urge others to follow this example for Tanzania and other low-income African countries undertaking programmes of structural adjustment. Tanzania has also benefited from concessional rescheduling of its official debt in the Paris Club, following the agreement reached last summer at the Toronto summit on the basis of the initiative launched by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the present aid projects funded by his Department in Sri Lanka.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Our grant aid is largely concentrated on transport, power, natural resources and education. In Colombo we are funding two major projects, to rebuild two main roads and to improve the power distribution network. We are preparing a forestry project. Under our training programme more than 200 Sri Lankans were in Britain last year. From our —20 million relief and reconstruction grant, which is mainly for the north and east, we are providing railway track, double-decker buses, lorries and trucks and finance for the rehabilitation programmes of the Save the Children Fund and Oxfam. Under the aid and trade provision, we are helping to finance the Samanalawewa hydro-electric project, the supply of potable water to three districts and the provision of 600 bus bodies.

  1979–80 £ million

  1980–81 £ million

  1981–82 £ million

  1982–83 £ million

  1983–84 £ million

  1984–85 £ million

  1985–86 £ million

  1986–87 £ million

  1987–88 £ million

  (a) Central Government

  (i) Cash terms

  100

  150

  170

  187

  181

  161

  173

  177

  166

  (ii) Real terms

  100

  127

  131

  134

  124

  105

  107

  106

  95

  (b) Local Government

  (i) Cash terms

  100

  107

  107

  132

  161

  145

  138

  173

  195

  (ii) Real terms

  100

  90

  82

  95

  110

  95

  85

  104

  111

  The real terms figures have been derived by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the gross domestic product deflators at market prices.

  For consistency with later years, the figures for central Government expenditure up to 1984–85 have been

  Privatisation
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which officials of the Overseas Development Administration have met during the course of 1988 with researchers at the Adam Smith institute, to discuss the possibility of Britain supplying aid and assistance for the privatisation of industries in the developing world; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) from whom he has sought advice on matters relating to the possibility of offering British privatisation expertise to Third world nations.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  There was a range of contacts between officials and outside bodies, including the Adam Smith Institute, concerned with the development of the private sector overseas, including privatisation.

WALES

  M4
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when work was last commenced on a new section of the M4 motorway; what has been the increase in traffic on the Baglan-Lonlas area since that time; and if he will reconsider his start dates for this new section of the M4, in particular the new bridge and the connecting road to Baglan.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Work on the most recent section of the M4, the Bridgend northern bypass, started in 1978 and was completed in 1981. Traffic volumes on the A48 between Baglan and Lonlas have increased by some 50 per cent. since 1978 but are still within the design capacity of the road.

  The programme set out in "Roads in Wales 1989" for completing the Baglan-Lonlas section by mid 1994 is the most practical one. The Earlswood to Lonlas scheme is planned to start in the current financial year.

  Capital Expenditure
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total(a) central Government and (b) local government capital expenditures in each year from 1979–80 to 1987–88, expressed in cash and in real terms, taking 1979–80 as 100.

  Mr. Grist
  Gross central Government and local authority capital expenditure within my responsibility for the years 1979–80 to 1987–88, taking 1979–80 as 100, is estimated to have been as follows:

  adjusted to include regional development grant expenditure in Wales. Prior to November 1984, this expenditure was the responsipility of the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the average cost of council houses sold in Wales regardless of discount, for each year since 1979 to date, and the average monthly cost over each year of the same period of repayment per —1,000 borrowed of mortgages provided by local authorities.

  Mr. Grist
  The average market price of local authority dwellings sold is given in the following table:

  £

  11980

  11,012

  1981

  13,868

  1982

  13,521

  1983

  14,562

  1984

  15,272

  1985

  16,348

  1986

  17,448

  1987

  18,746

  1988

  20,115

  1 Based on sales from April to December 1980.

  The average monthly cost of repayment per —1,000 borrowed of mortgages provided by local authorities is not centrally available.

  "Roads in Wales 1989"
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to publish, "Roads in Wales 1989", by the end of April.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  "Roads in Wales 1989" was published on 10 April. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  River Dee Crossing
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the start of the new crossing of the river Dee north of Queensferry, as referred to in "Roads in Wales 1989", and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  This is a matter for Clwyd county council.

  Council Housing Sales
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, at the latest available date, what was the average selling price after discount of a local authority unit of accommodation; and what is the average cost of building a new local authority unit of accommodation.

  Mr. Grist
  The average selling price after discount of local authority dwellings sold during 1988 was —9,883. The average cost of building a new local authority unit of accommodation during the same period is estimated to have been —35,450.

  Planning Appeal (Clydach)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Inspector has now decided the outcome of the appeal by I. G. Hale, application number 2/2/89/0082/03, relating to the forecourt walls adjoining Ramsay road, and Sunnybank, in the village of Clydach.
  724
  Mr. Ian Grist
  This application has not come before my right hon. Friend on appeal. I understand that it was approved by Lliw Valley borough council on 16 March 1989.

  NFU-FUW (Merger)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a report on the progress he has achieved in his initiative to bring about the merger of the National Farmers Union and the Farmers Union of Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  As I have previously observed to the hon. Gentleman, the future relationship of the FUW and the NFU in Wales is a matter for those unions and progress towards any merger can be measured only by them.

  Farmers Union of Wales
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the dates during 1988 when he met representatives of the Farmers Union of Wales; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  During 1988 I met representatives of the Farmers Union of Wales on four occasions. Dates and details of subjects discussed are as follows:

  10 February 1988—To discuss a wide range of agricultural subjects including extensification, stabilisers and milk quotas.

  10 May 1988—Speech to the FUW annual general meeting about sheepmeat regime and general matters of interest to the agriculture industry.

  19 July 1988—At the Royal Welsh show to discuss general subjects of current interest to the agriculture sector.

  20 October 1988—To discuss hill livestock compensatory review.

  National Farmers Union
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the dates during 1988 when he met representatives of the National Farmers Union; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  During 1988 I met representatives of the National Farmers Union (Wales) on five occasions. Dates and details of subjects discussed are as follows:

  30 March 1988—To discuss a range of agricultural issues.

  19 July 1988—At the Royal Welsh show to discuss general subjects of current interest to the agriculture sector.

  27 October 1988—To discuss hill livestock compensatory allowances review with the NFU (Wales).

  27 October 1988—To discuss the HLCA review.

  8 December 1988—To discuss a range of agricultural issues.

  School Meals
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each education authority and for Wales as a whole the 1988 figures for the percentage of schoolchildren(a) taking purchased school meals, (b) taking free school meals and (c) taking school meals in total.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The information in respect of 1988 is in the following table:
  725

  Percentage of schoolchildren present: Taking school meals

  Purchased

  Free

  Total

  Clwyd

  35·6

  10·7

  46·3

  Dyfed

  51·3

  12·5

  63·8

  Gwent

  39·0

  16·3

  55·3

  Gwynedd

  43·0

  13·8

  58·8

  Mid Glamorgan

  34·4

  17·5

  51·9

  Powys

  50·8

  5·4

  56·2

  South Glamorgan

  25·6

  16·5

  42·1

  West Glamorgan

  33·6

  156

  49·2

  Wales

  37·4

  14·6

  52·0

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for September 1988 for each health district and for Wales in total the waiting list figures for(a) urgent in-patients, (b) non-urgent in-patients, (c) urgent in-patients waiting a month or more, (d) non-urgent in-patients waiting a year of more, (e) out-patients and (f) out-patients waiting three months or more.

  Mr. Grist
  Comprehensive information about waiting lists at 30 September 1988 will be published in Welsh Hospital Waiting List Bulletin 1989, No. 1, during the week beginning 15 May 1989.

  Local Development Projects
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what local development projects have been undertaken in Wales; and what are their costs.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 11 April 1989]: The following list gives details of local development projects since the initiative began in Wales in November 1986:

  Contractor

  Description

  Cost£ ('000)

  1.

  British Coal Enterprise, Cardiff

  Small Firms' Training Needs

  18

  2.

  Cambrian Manpower Development Unit, Aberystwyth

  Environmental Training Needs in Industry in Wales

  5

  3.

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation

  Training Study of South Glamorgan Labour Market

  18·775

  4.

  Cardiff Chamber of Commerce

  Cardiff Training Development Project

  25

  5.

  Carmarthen College of Technology and Art

  Organic Farming

  46·7

  6.

  Nature Conservancy Council

  Environmental Manpower Project

  12

  7.

  People and Work Unit, Newport

  Small Businesses

  30

  8.

  Swansea College of Further Education

  Learning Skills for Adults

  20

  9.

  Swansea College of Further Education

  Learning Skills for the Unemployed

  25·224

  10.

  Welsh Joint Education Committee

  Tourism

  20

  11.

  Gwent Local Employer Network

  Consultancy Survey

  7·9

  12.

  Cardiff Chamber of Commerce II

  Dissemination of Good Practices from 1st LDP

  13·9

  13.

  People and Work Unit Newport

  Training Needs of Business for Community Benefit

  28·2

  14.

  Cardiff Media City

  Identification of Training Needs in Media

  10

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  School Meals
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give from the 1988 census the latest figures for uptake of school meals, giving for each education authority the percentage of children taking(a) purchased meals, (b) free meals and (c) meals in total.

  Mr. Butcher
  The figures are given in the table. They relate to maintained primary, secondary and special schools and are based on the numbers of pupils present in schools on the day in October 1988 on which the survey was carried out.

  The full results of the survey are contained in the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy publication "School Meals Statistics at October 1988" which will shortly be available in the Library.

  Number of pupils

  Percentage

  Local education authority

  Taking paid meals

  Taking free meals

  Taking meals in total

  ILEA

  39·3

  28·6

  68·0

  Barking and Dagenham

  28·9

  10·2

  39·1

  Barnet

  51·0

  8·0

  59·0

  Bexley

  25·6

  5·9

  31·5

  Brent

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Bromley

  33·2

  5·7

  38·9

  Croydon

  36·9

  8·4

  45·3

  Ealing

  32·3

  12·7

  45·1

  Enfield

  32·0

  8·2

  40·2

  Haringey

  33·6

  19·5

  53·1

  Harrow

  44·9

  4·7

  49·5

  Havering

  29·7

  4·6

  34·3

  Hillingdon

  37·0

  6·4

  43·5

  Hounslow

  51·0

  10·3

  61·3

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  39·4

  4·9

  44·3

  Merton

  24·6

  6·7

  31·3

  Newham

  22·7

  17·1

  39·8

  Redbridge

  38·6

  5·9

  44·5

  Richmond upon Thames

  24·9

  5·8

  30·7

  Sutton

  46·8

  4·6

  51·3

  Waltham Forest

  33·4

  16·2

  49·7

  Bolton

  38·0

  15·3

  53·4

  Bury

  35·9

  11·3

  47·2

  Manchester

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Oldham

  34·1

  19·1

  53·2

  Rochdale

  36·5

  18·7

  55·2

  Salford

  36·9

  24·1

  61·0

  Stockport

  33·1

  10·0

  43·1

  Tameside

  38·6

  15·1

  53·7

  Trafford

  37·6

  13·0

  50·6

  Wigan

  33·9

  13·4

  47·3

  Knowsley

  13·7

  38·8

  52·4

  Liverpool

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  St. Helens

  40·7

  16·6

  57·3

  Sefton

  29·0

  17·4

  46·4

  Wirral

  31·3

  21·4

  52·7

  Barnsley

  47·7

  16·2

  63·8

  Doncaster

  50·5

  18·2

  68·7

  Rotherham

  34·2

  16·8

  50·9

  Sheffield

  34·4

  19·4

  53·8

  Gateshead

  36·5

  20·4

  56·9

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  30·3

  30·4

  60·7

  North Tyneside

  44·9

  17·8

  62·7

  South Tyneside

  35·5

  21·6

  57·0

  Sunderland

  34·9

  22·6

  57·5

  Birmingham

  27·8

  26·3

  54·2

  727

  Local education authority

  Taking paid meals

  Taking free meals

  Taking meals in total

  Coventry

  23·3

  19·9

  43·2

  Dudley

  26·7

  12·6

  39·3

  Sandwell

  29·3

  19·1

  48·5

  Solihull

  34·4

  9·7

  44·0

  Walsall

  38·2

  18·3

  56·5

  Wolverhampton

  16·9

  18·1

  35·0

  Bradford

  34·7

  21·0

  55·7

  Calderdale

  40·9

  12·9

  53·9

  Kirklees

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Leeds

  40·6

  14·7

  55·4

  Wakefield

  48·5

  13·8

  62·3

  Avon

  29·5

  10·6

  40·1

  Bedfordshire

  38·7

  9·4

  48·1

  Berkshire

  36·0

  4·9

  40·9

  Buckinghamshire

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Cambridgeshire

  26·6

  6·4

  33·0

  Cheshire

  37·0

  11·1

  48·1

  Cleveland

  42·5

  24·9

  67·5

  Cornwall

  41·3

  9·2

  50·4

  Cumbria

  48·7

  9·4

  58·1

  Derbyshire

  62·5

  10·5

  73·0

  Devon

  40·8

  11·0

  51·8

  Dorset

  17·3

  4·4

  21·8

  Durham

  45·9

  16·2

  62·1

  East Sussex

  34·1

  8·0

  42·1

  Essex

  29·6

  6·5

  36·1

  Gloucestershire

  23·0

  6·9

  29·9

  Hampshire

  24·4

  6·6

  31·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  19·4

  6·6

  26·0

  Hertfordshire

  44·8

  5·1

  49·8

  Humberside

  35·9

  14·4

  50·3

  Isle of Wight

  35·0

  10·4

  45·5

  Kent

  35·1

  7·0

  42·1

  Lancashire

  36·7

  13·9

  50·6

  Leicestershire

  31·7

  8·9

  40·6

  Lincolnshire

  17·1

  6·0

  23·1

  Norfolk

  26·7

  9·4

  36·1

  Northamptonshire

  26·6

  7·2

  33·8

  Northumberland

  44·7

  9·7

  54·4

  North Yorkshire

  43·7

  6·3

  50·0

  Nottinghamshire

  34·0

  14·0

  48·0

  Oxfordshire

  37·7

  4·8

  42·6

  Shropshire

  41·3

  10·5

  51·8

  Somerset

  34·3

  5·7

  40·0

  Staffordshire

  30·9

  9·8

  40·6

  Suffolk

  39·9

  6·7

  46·7

  Surrey

  41·2

  3·7

  44·9

  Warwickshire

  28·5

  7·3

  35·8

  West Sussex

  40·6

  4·1

  44·8

  Wiltshire

  31·7

  5·5

  37·1

  Isles of Scilly

  5·5

  0·9

  6·4

  n/a = Not available.

NORTHERN IRELAND

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

  Mr. Viggers
  On 22 March 1989, heads of agreement were approved for the sale of Harland and Wolff plc to a management-employee buy-out team backed by Mr. Olsen. Employees of Harland and Wolff plc will have an opportunity to acquire shares in the new company. The Government have to date had no discussions on the 728
  feasibility of introducing an employee share ownership scheme in the context of the privatisations of Short Brothers plc and Northern Ireland Electricity.

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show how many privately held (a) shotguns, (b) ·22 rifles, (c) rifles of larger calibre, (d) hand-guns, (e) air and gas-operated weapons and (f) antique firearms, have been lost or stolen each year from 1976 to the latest available date; how many of each such category were subsequently recovered; and how many in each category are known to have been used in criminal, including terrorist, activity or as much of such information as is available to him.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 23 March 1989]: Information is not readily available in the form requested. However, such information as is available is contained in the following tables.

  Table 1

  Firearms stolen from civilians

  Year

  Shotguns

  Rifles1

  Pistols/ revolvers

  Antiques

  Air weapons

  1976

  128

  23

  8

  1

  18

  1977

  53

  8

  8

  —

  7

  1978

  35

  3

  3

  —

  3

  1979

  34

  3

  2

  —

  7

  1980

  38

  7

  —

  2

  8

  1981

  69

  7

  8

  2

  13

  1982

  60

  9

  13

  2

  5

  1983

  64

  4

  13

  4

  8

  1984

  78

  4

  11

  1

  9

  1985

  79

  11

  8

  —

  9

  1986

  96

  9

  4

  —

  20

  1987

  91

  17

  17

  —

  13

  1988

  59

  6

  10

  —

  9

  21989

  7

  4

  2

  —

  —

  1 Including ·22 calibre.

  2 To 21 March.

  Table 2

  Firearms stolen from civilians and recovered between 1976 and 1989 (to 21 March)

  Shotguns

  Rifles

  Pistols/revolvers

  Antiques

  Air weapons

  365

  30

  41

  —

  31

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Government have to introduce a poll tax in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 10 April 1989]: The Green Paper of January 1986 "Paying for Local Government", which formed the basis for the Great Britain reforms, made it clear that the proposals did not apply to Northern Ireland. This reflected the fact that local government arrangements in Northern Ireland are significantly different from those in the rest of the United Kingdom and we have no present plans to replace the existing system.

PRIME MINISTER EMPLOYMENT

  Council of Europe (Delegation)
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will announce the composition of the United Kingdom delegation for the 41st session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

  The Prime Minister
  The 41st Session Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will be opened in Strasbourg on 8 May 1989. The delegation from the United Kingdom for the session will consist of 11 Members of the Conservative party, six Members of the Labour party and one Member of the Social and Liberal Democrats party. I have also appointed a number of substitute delegates.

  The appointments of representatives and substitutes have been made on the basis of nominations by the leaders of those parties concerned.

  The same delegation will be representing the United Kingdom Parliament at the assembly of the Western European Union, which next meets in Paris on 5 June.

  Representatives from the Government Benches will be:

  My hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Sir Geoffrey Finsberg—who will act as leader of both delegations

  The hon. Members for:

  Warwick and Leamington (Sir Dudley Smith) Southampton, Test (Mr. Hill) (Government Whip)

  Twickenham (Mr. Jessel)

  Northampton, South (Mr. Morris)

  Halesowen and Stourbridge (Sir John Stokes) Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Wilkinson)

  Ashford (Mr. Speed)

  Streatham (Sir William Shelton)

  Medway (Dame Peggy Fenner)

  and the Earl of Kinnoull

  Representatives from the Labour party will be:

  The hon. Members for:

  Neath (Mr. Coleman)

  Wallsend (Mr. Garrett)

  Wentworth (Mr. Hardy)

  Tooting (Mr. Cox)

  Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry)

  Falkirk, East (Mr. Ewing)

  Representatives from the Social and Liberal Democrats party will be:

  The hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber (Sir Russell Johnston)

  The following substitutes have been appointed to act as necessary on behalf of the delegates

  From the Government Benches:

  The hon. Members for:

  Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson)

  Eastwood (Mr. Stewart)

  Norfolk North (Mr. Howell)

  Thanet, North (Mr. Gale)

  Lewes (Mr. Rathbone)

  Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden)

  Suffolk Central (Mr. Lord)

  Ravcnsbourne (Mr. Hunt)

  Lord Newall

  and Lord Rodney

  From the Labour party:

  The hon. Members for:

  Wansbeck (Mr. Thompson)

  Manchester, Central (Mr. Litherland)

  Don Valley (Mr. Redmond)

  Warley, East (Mr. Faulds)

  Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks)

  Cunninghame, South (Mr. Lambie)

  and Lord Kirkhill

  From the Social and Liberal Democrats party:

  The Lord Mackie of Benshie

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statics
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the fall in unemployment during the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In March 1989 the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom was 1,918,100 compared with 2,453,900 in March 1988—a fall of 535,800 or 21·8 per cent. on a consistent basis.

  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which areas he now considers to have a labour shortage.

  Mr. Cope
  Thanks to the very strong growth in employment, unemployment rates have been falling since July 1986. By March 1989 there were 48 travel-to-work area with unemployment rates below 4 per cent. and 16 travel-to-work areas below 3 per cent.

  As unemployment has fallen, some shortages of labour have appeared. Occupations most in demand are in higher level skills such as professional engineers, computer specialists and managers and in craft skills.

  Construction Industry Training Board
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide a breakdown of the —55 million surplus of the construction industry training board; what information he has as to what this sum will be spent on; why the board has —74 million invested in financial institutions; on what authority the board makes such investments; and when this authority was last reviewed.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The latest available accounts are for the financial year ending 31 March 1988. Detailed information is included in the 1987–88 annual report, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Section 17(5) of the Industrial Training Act 1982 permits a board to invest any money in a manner approved by the Training Commission. The latest advice was given to all industry training boards in October 1986 when certain categories of investment were given general approval by the commission.

  The board will need to draw substantially upon its accumulated fund in order to finance training commitments already entered into and its planned increase in training effort to meet skill shortages which prevail in the industry.

  European Social Fund (Cornwall)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what technical queries he received from the European Commission regarding the European social fund applications for 1989 by Cornwall county council;. what steps were taken to answer those technical queries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  My Department was advised by the European Commission that Cornwall county council's 1989 European social fund applications, in common with over 150 other UK applications, were being rejected
  731
  because the Commission considered that the expenditure costs quoted were too high and not sufficiently justified for the type of training being given.

  Officials from my Department made representations to the Commission on behalf of all the applicants so affected, but have not so far been successful in changing the Commission's decision.

  Because of the difficulties that the rejection to these applications is causing Cornwall county council, my Department has written again to the European Commission with a request that the social fund applications be reviewed.

  Training Managers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the largest 100 companies which have contracted directly as training managers under the employment training scheme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 12 April 1989]: This information is not available in the form requested. Organisations are contracted as training managers by their capability to provide and meet employment training standards, and not by their size. I am sending the hon. Member a list of all private sector firms acting as training managers as at 20 February 1989 and am also arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  Visual Display Units
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in view of the steadily increasing use of visual displays units, when he expects to recommend standards to be introduced, especially with regard to the adoption of the ALARA principle of keeping radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 12 April 1989]: The introduction of such standards for VDUs is unnecessary as these machines do not pose a radiation risk. I hope that national and international standards on some ergonomic aspects of VDUs will be published within a year.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Glasgow Passport Office
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current average waiting time at Glasgow passport office between the receipt of(a) an application for a passport and (b) an application for renewal of an existing passport and the issue of the new passport.

  Mr. Renton
  Straightforward non-urgent postal applications of all types are being processed at the Glasgow passport office in an average of 33 working days. Urgent applications are given priority and are processed in accordance with travellers' requirements.

  Newchurch Hospital
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the survey into the possible use of Newchurch hospital, as a prison, took place; and what conclusions were reached.
  732
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Newchurch hospital is not being considered as a possible site for a prison establishment and no such survey has been made.

  Horse Racing
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, following the deaths of four horses and injury to others at Aintree racecourse on 8 April, he will consider instituting proceedings against the racecourse authorities under the provisions of the Protection of Animals Act 1911.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. The prosecution of offences is not the responsibility of my right hon. Friend. If the hon. Member believes he has evidence that an offence has been committed, he should communicate it to the chief officer of police concerned.

  Prison Officers
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether new applicants are being accepted for work as prison officers in the north-west of England.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. For the time being, the prison service in England and Wales is recruiting only for posts in London and the south-east. All applicants are therefore invited to confirm that they are willing and able to work at any establishment in that area.

  Satellite Information Services
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the increased percentage stake in Satellite Information Services which has been recently announced for the Horserace Totalisator Board; and on what terms it will be allocated.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand that the board may increase its shareholding in Satellite Information Services from 5 to 6 per cent. and will be entitled to purchase these additional shares at the same price per share as that achieved for those shares in the company which are to be made available in a private placing.

  Firearms Consultative Committee
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the membership of the Firearms consultative committee.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) yesterday.

  Lindholme Prison (Use of Body Belts)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of a body belt on an inmate at Lindholme prison in 1987.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A governor may order an inmate in a prison service establishment to be put under restraint in a body belt where this is necessary to prevent the inmate from injuring himself or others, damaging property or creating a disturbance. The prison medical officer must be informed whenever a governor orders an inmate to be put under restraint.
  733
  On the one occasion in 1987 when a body belt was used at Lindholme prison, the inmate had attempted to commit suicide. His behaviour was aggressive and unpredictable and he was placed in a body belt for his own protection, with the full knowledge and agreement of the medical officer. The body belt was removed after 2 hours 20 minutes prior to his transfer to Leeds prison hospital for observation.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions body belts have been used on inmates of Lindholme prison since 1987; what category of prisoner was involved in each case; and for how long the device was applied on each occasion.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Body belts were used to restrain prisoners at Lindholme prison on one occasion in 1987 and twice in 1988. The prisoners were all in category C and were kept in body belts for an average of 1 hour 45 minutes.

  Prostitution
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many men have been convicted at South West London magistrates court for kerb-crawling activities in the Bedford Hill area of Wandsworth during the last three years;

  (2) how many people have been convicted at South West London magistrates court in each of the last three years for living off the immoral earnings of prostitutes;

  (3) how many convictions there have been at South West London magistrates court of women convicted of soliciting for prostitution in the Bedford hill district of Wandsworth during the last three years.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information held centrally, which may be incomplete, is given in the table. It is not possible to identify separately those offences which occurred in the Bedford hill area of Wandsworth. Information for 1985 and 1986 was provided in a reply given to a question from the hon. Member on 12 November 1987 at column 206.

  Persons found guilty of offences relating to prostitution at South Western magistrates court

  Offence

  1987

  Kerb-crawling

  —

  Soliciting for prostitution

  399

  Living on earnings of prostitution

  —

  Immigration
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a list, broken down by port of entry, of the number of occasions since the latest immigration guidelines were introduced that hon. Members have made representations to immigration officials to change their decision to refuse entry and the number of times the immigration officials have agreed to do so.

  Mr. Renton
  The information is not available in the form requested. The available information about requests to immigration officers to defer removal following refusal of leave to enter was contained in my reply to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 15 March at column 231.

  Rates (Non-payment)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the area including Nottingham(a) were imprisoned, (b) had attachments to earnings, and (c) had distraint warrants issued for non-payments of rates in each of the years from 1979.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Estimates of numbers of rate defaulters committed to custody by courts in Nottinghamshire are given in the table below; provision of information for other years would involve disproportionate cost. Information on attachment of earnings orders and distraint warrants is not recorded centrally.

  Committals to custody for non-payment of rates by courts in Nottinghamshire

  Estimated number

  1979

  20

  1983

  20

  1987

  10

  1988

  5

  Tamil Refugees
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number of applications at his Department from Tamils from Sri Lanka seeking to be granted refugee status in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  No distinction is made in statistical records between Tamils and other Sri Lankans. For the latest available information, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 11 January 1989 at column 683.

  Attempted Murder
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average recommended minimum length of sentence to be served, in cases of attempted murder in each year since 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information is not collected centrally.

  Disabled Persons (Voting)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he is having with election returning officers in the United Kingdom to ensure that access is possible for disabled people at all polling stations in their areas.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None at this time. Section 18 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, as amended by the Representation of the People Act 1985, places a particular obligation on district and London borough councils to designate as polling places, so far as is reasonable and practicable, only places which are accessible to disabled voters. This requirement is supplemented by Home Office guidance to returning officers, which states that the long-term objective should be to have polling stations which are all capable of easy access by disabled people, and that the Treasury will provide grants towards the cost of portable ramps so that wheelchairs can enter polling stations easily.

  Children (Employment)
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to the answer of 16 February,Official Report, columns 327–38, he will place in the Library anonymised summaries of the convictions for officers in connection with the employment of children in (a) non-industrial, (b) industrial and (c) agricultural undertakings for the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make it his policy to make such summaries available in future years.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 10 April 1989]: The available information relates to prosecutions in 1987 under sections 18, 19, 20 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 notified to the Home Office. There were eight such prosecutions and eight convictions, all leading to fines and no other disposals. Equivalent figures for 1988 will become available later in the year and can be made available on request.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Late Night Sittings (Costs)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what estimate he has made of the costs of keeping the House open for sittings which go beyond 10 pm.

  Mr. Wakeham
  When a sitting of the House goes beyond 10 pm a wide diversity of costs are incurred.

  1988–891

  1989–902

  Excise duties £ billion

  VAT £ billion

  Total receipts £ billion

  Excise duties £ billion

  VAT £ billion

  Total receipts £ billion

  Spirits

  1·6

  0·6

  2·2

  1·7

  0·7

  2·3

  Beer

  2·1

  1·3

  3·4

  2·1

  1·4

  3·5

  Wine

  0·7

  0·5

  1·2

  0·8

  0·5

  1·3

  Made wine

  0·1

  3—

  0·1

  0·1

  3—

  0·1

  Cider and perry

  0·1

  0·1

  0·1

  0·1

  0·1

  0·1

  TOTALS

  4·5

  2·4

  7·0

  4·7

  2·6

  7·3

  1 Latest estimates.

  2 Forecasts.

  3 Below £50 million.

  Note: Separate figures are not available for low duty alcohol products. Individual items may not add up to totals due to rounding.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Libya
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom citizens are(a) currently serving sentences and (b) awaiting sentencing in Libyan prisons.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are no British nationals known to be currently detained in Libya.

  USSR (Cultural Co-operation)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he is having with the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with a view to a greater exchange of cultural co-operation between Great Britain and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
  736
  Information on these costs is either not held centrally or not separately identifiable. The information requested, therefore, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  European Monetary System
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions there have been major currency realignments within the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system; and if he will give the relevant dates and adjustments.

  Mr. Lilley
  There have been 11 realignments of the currencies in the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system since its inception in 1979. Details are set out in the Commission booklet, "The EMS: Ten Years of Progress in European Monetary Co-operation", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Alcohol
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest estimated receipts in 1988–89 and 1989–90 from excise duties and value added tax on spirits, beer, wine, made-wine, cider, perry and low-duty alcohol products, respectively.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 13 April 1989]: The information is as follows:

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Anglo-Soviet cultural exchanges have developed considerably in recent years. During Mr. Gorbachev's recent visit we agreed to start negotiations on a new, more wide-ranging cultural agreement, which we hope to sign next year. The agreement will set out the basic principles of our co-operation and will in due course lead to the establishment of cultural centres in London and Moscow, with guaranteed free and unimpeded public access.

  Tourism (Eastern Europe)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department has as to what agreements exist for tourism between Britain and countries in eastern Europe; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  There are no agreements at Government level on tourism between Britain and
  737
  countries in eastern Europe. The Vienna concluding document, which those countries have accepted, calls for improvement of the infrastructure of tourism, removal of restrictive measures that hinder its development, and the encouragement of individual travel. Her Majesty's Government attach importance to the fulfilment of these provisions.

  Human Rights (Tibet)
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of China about the abuse of human rights in Tibet.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 22 March to the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel) at column 621.

  Immigration
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will arrange for the British post in Bombay to issue a visit visa to Mrs. Sakina Najmuddin Badruddin so that she can join her family in paying respects to her father who died in the United Kingdom last December;

  (2) when Mr. Latifa Begum, who was born on 7 March 1955, and her four children, applied to the British post in New Delhi for entry clearance to enter the United Kingdom; and when they will be interviewed;

  (3) why Mrs. Zaffar Iqbal Raja, ref. V 431489, was refused a visa by the British post in Islamabad to visit the United Kingdom; what is Mr. Raja's occupation and family circumstances; and if he will reconsider Mr. Raja's application.

  Mr. Eggar
  In accordance with the recent guidelines on the handling of representations by Members of Parliament in immigration cases, issued to Members on 14 December 1988, I have referred the question to the correspondence unit of migration and visa department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The hon. Member will receive a reply from the unit in due course.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Old Age Expenditure Programmes
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in the Official Report a list showing expenditure on programmes for old age as a proportion of gross domestic product at market prices, for European Community member states, for each year since 1983.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The most recent information is as follows:

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Belgium

  7·8

  7·8

  —

  Denmark

  10·2

  10·2

  10·1

  Federal Republic of Germany

  8·0

  7·8

  —

  Greece

  —

  —

  —

  Spain

  —

  —

  —

  France

  9·1

  —

  —

  Ireland

  5·7

  5·6

  5·5

  738

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Italy

  7·7

  7·7

  7·6

  Luxembourg

  6·7

  —

  —

  Netherlands

  8·8

  —

  —

  Portugal

  —

  —

  —

  United Kingdom

  9·5

  9·6

  —

  Source: Eurostat.

  Note: Social protection expenditure for old age comprises state pension, occupational pensions, income related benefits and public expenditure on residential care.

  Social Security Act 1988
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in percentage terms the number of applications to him under the hardship clause of the Social Security Act 1988(a) submitted through each Department of Social Security local office and (b) submitted on a Department of Social Security regional basis, which are successful in their intent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Family Credit
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the television-based advertising campaign for family credit will be launched; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The family credit television campaign started yesterday and will run throughout Great Britain for eight weeks until 7 June. This phase of the campaign will cost 2·3 million. In addition, an outdoor campaign on posters and bus sides will commence throughout Great Britain on 1 May for two months until the end of June. The total cost of this aspect of the campaign will be £1·3 million. A further £;1 million has been allocated for other promotional activities during the remainder of this financial year. These will include providing adequate supplies of leaflets and posters in sub-post offices, community and health centres and other places used frequently by mothers with children.

  The campaign emphasises working families' eligibility for family credit, including those with take-home pay levels as high as £175 per week in some cases. It sets out to dispel misconceptions about ineligibility for family credit because of home ownership, self-employment and lone parent status, and points out that it is a weekly tax-free payment and not a loan.

  We have already arranged for a copy of the advertising research on which the campaign is based to be placed in the Library.

  Young Persons (Benefits)
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what period 16 and 17-year-olds estranged from their parents will be able to claim income support; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Regulations have yet to be made, but we intend that 16 and 17-year-olds who are estranged from their parents will be eligible to receive income support during the same period as the child benefit extension period—that is, until the end of the calendar year for
  739
  summer school leavers and for 12 weeks in the case of those leaving at Christmas or Easter. During that time the guarantee of an offer of a YTS place will be met. Once eligibility for income support on this basis runs out, the "severe hardship" provision will be available where necessary. Those not required to be available for work or training will continue to be eligible for income support at all times.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how he proposes that the housing benefit will reflect the community charge in 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  From April 1990, help for people on low income in paying the community charge will be provided through a community charge benefit scheme. This will be separate from the housing benefit scheme, though the rules of the two schemes will be aligned as closely as is possible. The local authority associations and the Social Security Advisory Committee are now being consulted on draft Community Charge Benefits (General) Regulations.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of the memorandum from his Department to which reference is made in the Evening Times article of 10 April, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The document referred to was only interim advice. Full instructions to local offices will be issued in the near future and I will arrange for a copy of these to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether under S.I. No. 507 (S.59) any deduction for poll tax payments from persons on income support can be made by his Department without its first having received a specific request, naming an individual or couple, from the levying authority.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The levying authority must first have obtained a summary warrant in respect of the debt.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy on imposing deductions of poll tax payments from persons on income support before appeals have been dealt with by a tribunal.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  If an appeal is made, deductions will continue pending the tribunal's decision.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the spokeswoman referred to in the article printed in the Evening Times, a copy of which has been sent to him, had his authority to state that a person on income support could be left with 10p of an income due to deductions arising from non-payment of the poll tax; and if he will provide an example of how this can happen.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The provision for 10p to remain in payment is in regulation 2 of the Community Charges (Deductions from Income Support) (Scotland) Regulations (SI 1989 No. 507) and derives from the 740
  provision in paragraph 2 of schedule 9 to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 (SI 1987 No. 1968) dealing with other deductions from income support for debts to third parties. Its purpose is to avoid extinguishment of entitlement. For example, the deduction for a single person will be £1·75p a week. If the person's income support is less than £1·85p per week because of other income, the deduction for community charge arrears could not be made.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the maximum weekly deduction for non-payment of the poll tax from(a) a single person aged 18 years, (b) a single person aged 25 years, and (c) a married couple, all receiving full income support and without savings, and assuming they have no other deductions for housing and fuel.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is as follows:(a) and (b) £1·75p a week; (c) £2·75p a week if both partners are debtors to the levying authority.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the powers of his Department to deduct sums from income support where the recipient has failed to pay his or her poll tax are subject to a time to pay direction under the Debtor (Scotland) Act 1987.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. In terms of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 (as amended by the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987) section 1(5)(ee), the court cannot make a time direction in an action by or on behalf of a levying authority for the payment of any community charge.

DEFENCE

  RAF (Front-line Aircraft)
  Mr. Allan Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the Royal Air Force's front-line aircraft is not fully operational.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It has been the policy of successive Governments not to provide detailed information about the operational readiness of elements of the armed forces. All Royal Air Force aircraft assigned to operational duties are fully manned and equipped and thus able to undertake their designated missions.

  US Competitive Strategies Doctrine
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his(a) Belgian, (b) Canadian, (c) Danish, (d) French, (e) Greek, (f) Norwegian, (g) Spanish and (h) West German counterparts regarding the United States' new competitive strategies doctrine.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Near Miss (Somerset)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received of an alleged near miss by two low-flying military aircraft over Cannington, Somerset, on Friday 7 April; and if he will make a statement.
  741
  Mr. Neubert
  There has been no report of an alleged airmiss involving military aircraft over Cannington, Somerset, on Friday 7 April.

TRANSPORT

  M40 (Southern Extension)
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement as to the tender process and timings he intents to adopt for the southern section of the M40 extension.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We plan to invite competitive tenders later this month and to expedite our normal arrangements for their submission and evaluation. Subject to the outcome and to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures this should enable construction to start this summer.

  The contract will include provision for a bonus for early completion and a charge for late completion in relation to the contractor's own tendered period. This should ensure completion of the M40 as soon as practicable.

  Roads (Investment)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the amount of road investment in the United Kingdom, France and West Germany for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information readily available is as follows:

  Capital expenditure on road infrastructure National currency—millions

  United Kingdom

  Federal Republic of Germany

  France

  1983

  1,425

  13,550

  26,900

  1984

  1,570

  13,450

  28,800

  1985

  1,678

  13,250

  35,700

  1986

  1,801

  14,500

  37,800

  1987

  1,871

  —

  —

  Exchange rates taken from CSO "Economic Trends"

  DM

  FF

  1983

  3·870

  11·5471

  1984

  3·791

  11·6349

  1985

  3·784

  11·5494

  1986

  3·193

  10·1569

  1987

  —

  —

  Sterling—millions

  United Kingdom

  Federal Republic of Germany

  France

  1983

  1,425

  3,501

  2,330

  1984

  1,570

  3,548

  2,475

  1985

  1,678

  3,502

  3,091

  742

  United Kingdom

  Federal Republic of Germany

  France

  1986

  1,801

  4,555

  3,722

  1987

  1,871

  —

  —

  The information for the United Kingdom and West Germany comes from the latest ECMT publication "Statistical Trends in Transport". That for France was obtained from the statistical office of the French Transport Ministry in November 1988. ECMT is currently collecting the relevant information for 1987—it should be available in the autumn.

  Railway Stations (Staff and Information)
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations has he received from commuters about lack of staff and information at British Rail stations; whether he has any plans to alter the quality of service objectives set for British Rail to take account of these representations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 13 April 1989]: We regularly receive representations on all aspects of the quality of service of British Rail. There are already quality of service objectives covering train enquiry bureaux and queuing times at ticket offices. Staffing matters generally are the responsibility of the British Railways Board and we have no plans to introduce objectives to cover staffing levels at stations.

  Trains (Overcrowding)
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to change British Rail's quality of service objectives to seek a reduction in overcrowding on trains; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 13 April 1989]: We are discussing with BR new quality of service objectives for the provincial sector. We shall be reviewing BR's other quality of service standards in setting new objectives for the period from 1990 to 1993.

  The Government have approved increasing levels of investment to reduce overcrowding and to meet the agreed quality of service objectives on all passenger sectors.

  British Rail (Service Objectives)
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the extent to which British Rail is meeting the quality of service objectives set by him with regard to train punctuality and cancellations.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 13 Apri11989]: The results available to the Department for the first three quarters of the financial year 1988–89 are as follows:
  743

  Percentage

  Punctuality

  Reliability

  Objective

  Within in minutes of timetable

  Attainment

  Objective (services to run)

  Attainment

  Inter City

  90·0

  10

  87·3

  99·5

  99·0

  Network SouthEast

  90·0

  5

  91·3

  99·0

  98·7

  Provincial

  85·0 to 97·0

  5

  190·0

  98·5

  99·0

  1 On average.

  Trains (Cleaning)
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to change British Rail's quality of service objectives to take account of the need for improved standards of cleaning on British Rail trains; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 13 April 1989]: We have no plans to change British Rail's carriage cleaning objectives. BR is making every effort to achieve the standards that have already been agreed.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Edible Dormice
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the estimated cost to his Department of administering his scheme to control the numbers of edible dormice.

  Mr. Ryder
  Licences to trap edible dormice are issued as a small part of my Department's general licensing responsibilities under the Widlife and Countryside Act 1981. There is no specific scheme of control. The administrative cost of issuing licences in 1989 is estimated at £80.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his assessment of the damage inflicted to the commercial timber industry by the six edible dormice, the destruction of which he authorised in 1988.

  Mr. Ryder
  Damage to commercial woodland by edible dormice is assessed by local Ministry biologists. The dormice strip off bark, mainly from larch trees. Such damage occurs in very localised areas but can considerably reduce the long-term value of the stands of trees affected. The success of control varies markedly from year to year but actual trapping occurs only when damage becomes apparent and local Ministry staff have been notified.

  European Monetary System
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has made any assessment of the impact on British agriculture of Britain becoming a member of the European monetary system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The United Kingdom is already a member of the European monetary system (EMS). Were we to join the exchange rate mechanism (ERM) of the EMS, within what is known as narrow-band divergence limits, there would be implications for the monetary compensatory amounts (MCAs) applied to trade in agricultural products.
  744
  Currently MCAs applied in the United Kingdom can vary weekly if sterling's market exchange rate varies. If we joined the ERM, our MCAs would become fixed, changing only at EMS realignments or following changes in the "green rates" which apply to the conversion of ECU prices into sterling. The green rates themselves would not be directly affected by membership of the ERM, and changes to them would continue to be subject to decisions by the Council. Joining the ERM would not, in itself, affect our CAP support level, expressed in sterling, either way.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) on how many occasions during 1988 cattle submitted for slaughter at European Economic Community export approved slaughterhouses were identified by ante-mortem veterinary inspections as bovine spongiform encephalopathy suspect; and in how many of these cases bovine spongiform encephalopathy subsequently was confirmed by post-mortem inspection.

  (2) how many cattle entered for slaughter at non-EEC export approved slaughterhouses during 1988 were found, on inspection, to be infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy;

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 13 April 1989]: We consider this monitoring very important indeed. It is essential that no animals slip through. There has been no evidence of negligence. Thorough inspection has resulted in 63 suspect cases of BSE, 40 of which were subsequently confirmed, being reported from markets and slaughterhouse from 21 June 1988, when the disease was made notifiable, to the end of the year. During this period a total of 2,186 cases were confirmed.

  Sheep Dipping
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his proposals for compulsory sheep dipping in 1989.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 7 April 1989]: The Government have examined the arrangements for controlling sheep scab with a view to securing effective regulation while avoiding unnecessary burdens on the industry.

  It has been decided that there will be a single compulsory national dip in the autumn of 1989 and a further dip in the autumn of 1990. A system of movement controls will be introduced following this autumn's dip and arrangements for 1991 onwards will be decided in the light of the effectiveness of the new measures. The dates of the compulsory dip will be announced after consultation with the industry.

HEALTH

  Meningitis
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by year for the last 10 years and to date for 1989, the number of cases of meningitis treated in the Trent regional health authority, the years in which there were clusters, the number of fatal cases and the number of cases involving children under five years and of school age.

  Table A

  Number of cases of (a) all forms of meningitis (b) meningococcal meningitis notified in Trent Regional Health Authority, 1979–891 all ages and selected age-groups.

  Notifications

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  11989

  Acute Meningitis All forms

  All ages

  84

  74

  93

  104

  91

  103

  135

  170

  186

  309

  71

  0–4

  30

  28

  30

  42

  47

  48

  56

  88

  79

  117

  41

  5–14

  25

  12

  25

  19

  16

  15

  21

  26

  37

  39

  5

  Acute Meningococcal Meningitis

  All ages

  58

  76

  27

  26

  41

  33

  44

  69

  72

  111

  33

  0–4

  28

  39

  14

  11

  22

  15

  23

  34

  43

  61

  17

  5–14

  15

  25

  6

  7

  7

  2

  9

  9

  9

  15

  3

  1 1 January–31 March (1988 and 1989 provisional).

  Table B

  Number of deaths with meningococcal infection1 as underlying cause of death, usual residents of Trent Regional Health Authority, all ages and selected age-groups, 1979–1987.

  Deaths

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Meningococcal Infection

  All ages

  11

  11

  6

  4

  14

  6

  11

  10

  15

  0–4

  6

  4

  4

  2

  7

  1

  7

  8

  7

  5–14

  1

  2

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1 International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9th Revision 036·0

  Table C2

  Numbers (10 per cent. sample) of hospital inpatient cases recorded with meningococcal infection1 as principal diagnosis, Trent Regional Health Authority, 1979–85.

  Trent RHA—Region of treatment

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Numbers

  11

  8

  6

  8

  14

  4

  6

  1 ICD 9th Revision 036·0

  2 These data are taken from the Hospital in-patient inquiry, a 10 per cent. sample of NHS non-psychiatric in-patient records. The last data year for this study was 1985.

  Mental Health
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information his Department collects on the movement of people after discharge from mental illness hospitals;

  (2) what information is collected by his Department about people who have been discharged from mental illness hospitals.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the mental health history of the boarders in each local authority area in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  Since 1 April 1987, annual figures are collected about the intended destination of patients on completion of a
  746
  Mr. Freeman
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. In particular, data on clustering of cases within a local authority area are not available, since addresses are not noted on the infectious disease notification reports sent by regional health authorities to the OPCS.

  The tables show the nearest equivalent readily available data.

  duration of stay within National Health Service hospitals and units in a district health authority in England. The destinations recorded are:

  1. Usual place of residence, other than those institutions noted below (including patients with no fixed abode);

  2. Temporary place of residence, when usually resident elsewhere (eg hotels, residential educational institutions);

  3. Penal establishment, court or police station;

  4. Special hospitals;

  5. National Health Service hospital outside district—general ward/younger physically disabled;

  6. National Health Service hospital outside district—maternity/neonates ward;

  7. National Health Service hospital outside district—mentally ill/handicapped ward;

  8. Local authority residential accommodation (including foster care);

  9. Deaths;

  747

  10. Other, including non-National Health Service hospital or nursing home.

  The annual figures are not linked to individual patients and will include data on the same patient when admitted more than once during the year.

  Certain statistics are collected about those for whom residential provision is made in the community. Those mentally ill people whose accommodation costs are met in whole or in part by local authority social services departments are counted at 31 March each year by sex, broad age band, and by whether they are in local authority homes, registered care homes or other accommodation. These statistics do not distinguish those who have at any time been resident patients in mental illness hospitals.

  In March 1987 and March 1988, all local authority staffed homes and registered care homes catering for mentally ill people were asked to provide details of individual residents admitted during the previous year, including whether their most recent previous accommodation had been in a hospital or other NHS establishment.

  The adequacy of current statistics about mentally ill people will be reviewed during the coming year as part of the Department's information systems strategy.

  Statistics about local authority and other provision in Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychosis were discharged from mental illness hospitals in each of the last three years; and how many of them were taken into local authority residential care in the same year.

  Mr. Freeman
  The table shows the number of discharges, excluding deaths and transfers, with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia from National Health Service mental illness hospitals and units in England for the latest three years for which information is available. The figures are for discharges, and not individual patients, since the same patient may be discharged more than once during the year.

  Discharges1 from mental illness hospitals and units, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia2, England 1984–86

  Year

  Numbers

  1984

  23,879

  1985

  24,091

  1986

  23,975

  1Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals.

  29th Revision, International Classification of Diseases, 295·0–295·9.

  Information is not collected by diagnosis on the numbers of people entering into care, or taking up accommodation, provided by the local authorities.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people discharged from hospital following a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychosis and subsequently taken by the police under section to hospital have been refused admission in each health region in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not centrally available.
  748
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department collects about admission under section and refusals of admissions under section to mental illness hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  From 1987 information has been collected centrally about the number of patients detained, within each district health authority, under each of the following sections of the Mental Health Act, 1983: section 2, 3, 4, 35, 36, 37/41, 37, 37(4), 38, 44, 46, 47/49, 47, 48/49, 48, 135 and 136. This information is available correlated to the mental category and sex of patient. Comparable information is available for earlier years and is contained in the Department's statistical note 1/88, a copy of which is in the Library. No information is centrally available on the refusal of hospitals to admit patients under sections of the Act.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people discharged from mental illness hospitals after a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychosis having been proved vulnerable boarders subsequently became voluntary boarders in each of the last two years in each health region.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential places in the community are currently available for those discharged from mental hospitals in each health region; what is the current rate of occupancy; and what are the projected figures for the next two years.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information on residential places specifically for people discharged from mental hospitals is not available. The estimated numbers of places in local authority, voluntary and private homes and hostels for mentally ill people in each health region in England, in the latest year for which figures are available, are given in the table. Neither occupancy rates nor projected figures for subsequent years are available centrally.

  Numbers of places in local authority, voluntary and private homes in health regions in England—Places available at 31 March 1987

  Health region

  Number

  Northern

  482

  Yorkshire

  778

  Trent

  821

  East Anglian

  382

  North West Thames

  770

  North East Thames

  678

  South East Thames

  1,160

  South West Thames

  627

  Wessex

  473

  Oxford

  394

  South Western

  495

  West Midlands

  982

  Mersey

  464

  North Western

  662

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mental illness beds there were in each health region in each of the last five years; what was the rate of occupancy; and what is the planned number of beds in each health region in the current year.

  Mr. Freeman
  The table shows the number of staffed beds in mental illness hospitals and units, and their
  749
  occupancy rate, for 1982–1986. Since 1987–88, the first year of Korner data, information has been collected on "daily available beds", and is available in the booklet "Summary of KHO3 pt 2 Wards open overnight". A copy has been placed in the Library. The figures for occupied bed days

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Region

  Beds

  Percentage occupied

  Beds

  Percentage occupied

  Beds

  Percentage occupied

  Beds

  Percentage occupied

  Beds

  Percentage occupied

  Northern

  5,879

  87

  5,739

  88

  5,652

  87

  5,606

  88

  5,375

  87

  Yorkshire

  7,001

  83

  6,561

  84

  6,455

  81

  6,070

  82

  5,660

  84

  Trent

  7,263

  88

  7,104

  86

  6,910

  86

  6,679

  86

  6,520

  84

  East Anglian

  2,940

  83

  3,039

  81

  2,855

  78

  2,756

  79

  2,655

  81

  North West Thames

  7,389

  87

  7,193

  86

  6,657

  88

  6,433

  88

  5,968

  89

  North East Thames

  6,681

  86

  6,556

  87

  6,147

  90

  5,887

  90

  5,771

  89

  South East Thames

  6,581

  81

  6,268

  83

  6,103

  82

  5,774

  83

  5,417

  81

  South West Thames

  6,645

  89

  6,425

  90

  6,270

  89

  6,061

  89

  5,528

  91

  Wessex

  4,034

  86

  4,005

  85

  3,850

  84

  3,626

  85

  3,411

  84

  Oxford

  2,349

  80

  2,316

  82

  2,244

  85

  2,290

  83

  2,195

  82

  South Western

  5,283

  84

  5,058

  83

  4,586

  85

  4,454

  84

  4,226

  79

  West Midlands

  7,962

  83

  7,664

  84

  7,352

  83

  6,964

  84

  6,764

  81

  Mersey

  6,201

  85

  5,913

  85

  5,596

  85

  5,421

  86

  5,062

  88

  North Western

  6,781

  85

  6,734

  84

  6,594

  85

  6,359

  85

  6,199

  84

  Special H.A.

  508

  69

  457

  78

  459

  81

  457

  81

  464

  69

  England

  83,500

  85

  81,032

  85

  77,730

  85

  74,837

  85

  71,215

  77

  Ambulance Calls (Kidsgrove)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will direct extra resources to be made available to the North Staffordshire district health authority to enable the response to ambulance calls from Kidsgrove to meet the Occon standard.

  Mr. Freeman
  The allocation of resources to the Staffordshire ambulance service is the responsibility of the West Midlands regional health authority which has this year increased its allocation to the service by £403,000 to £6,229,000. I understand that the Staffordshire ambulance service has commissioned a full review of its services to identify areas for improvement.

  Kreutzfeldt-Jakob Dementia
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he now has any plans to introduce reporting procedures in respect of Kreutzfeldt-Jakob dementia.

  Mr. Freeman
  The chief medical officer is discussing with the Medical Research Council and the medical profession the most effective way of monitoring the incidence of Kreutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

  Mental Health Act 1983
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health since the introduction of the Mental Health Act 1983, how many people have been removed from the United Kingdom under section 86; and if he has any plans to review the operation of this section of the Act.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have been asked to reply.

  Two patients detained under the Act have been removed under this provision. There are no plans to review its operation.
  750
  for 1987–88 are not yet available and so a rate of occupancy cannot be calculated. The information about planned number of beds for 1988–89 is still being processed.

SCOTLAND

  Highland Health Board (Meeting)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who attended the meeting between his Department and the chairman and general manager of Highland health board; what was the purpose of that meeting; and if he will place a copy of any minutes taken of the meeting in the Library.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  An informal meeting between the chairman and general manager of Highland health board and myself was held on 24 February to discuss matters of common interest. An official of the Scottish Home and Health Department was in attendance. No formal record of the meeting was made.

  Ambulance Drivers (Overtime Ban)
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has received any recent representations from the trades union movement about the overtime ban by Edinburgh's ambulance drivers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No representations have been received from the trades union movement. The unofficial overtime ban ended on 27 March 1989 following a ballot of the membership.

  Animal Diseases Research Association
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received any recent representations from the Animal Diseases Research Association about a reduction in research funding at its Edinburgh base; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The president of the association wrote to my right hon. and learned Friend on 28 February drawing attention to the alleged effects on work at the Moredun Research Institute of reductions in Government funding of near-market research.
  751
  The position is that a programme of Government-funded research for 1989–90 amounting to £2·558 million has been agreed with the institute's director, based on his recommendations on scientific priorities taking account of the Government's policy to phase out public support of near-market R and D. Additional resources will be directed towards molecular biological and immunological work, which offers the best opportunities for faster progress in animal disease control and prevention. Other work of lower scientific priority will be terminated or reduced. The allocation of recurrent expenditure for 1989–90 compares with the allocation of £2·596 million in 1988–89. In addition, the institute received £0·166 million from the DAFS increased flexibility scheme, and will be eligible to enter further bids in 1989–90.

  Community Psychiatric Nurses
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many community psychiatric nurses there have been in Scotland in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Arrangements have been made to collect this information for the first time this year. Data will relate to 31 March 1989 and should be available by early summer.

  Schizophrenia
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the figures for research into mental disorders funded by the Scottish Home and Health Department in 1988–89 and 1989–90; and, of these amounts, how much are for projects specifically related to schizophrenia.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Outturn figures for the financial year 1988–89 are not yet available. Estimated expenditure is £105,615, of which –25,245 is for projects related to schizophrenia. Estimated expenditure in the financial year 1989–90 is £106,911 and £51,121 respectively.

  Mental Health
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what information he has about the mental health history of homeless people in Scotland; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what information he has about the mental health history of the homeless people in Scotland in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information about the mental health history of homeless people in Scotland is not collected. It is the policy of my right hon. and learned Friend that people should not be discharged from mental illness hospitals unless proper support facilities are available for them in the community.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information is collected by his Department about people who have been discharged from mental illness hospitals in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information is collected under the following headings:

  Occupational condition on discharge (fitness for employment etc.)

  Disposal on discharge (eg to home, hostel etc.)

  Arrangements for after-care.

  752
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many mental illness beds there were in Scotland in each of the last five years; what was the rate of occupancy; and what is the planned number for the current year.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information available is as follows:

  Average available staffed beds and percentage occupancy for mental illness1

  Year

  Average available staffed beds

  Occupancy per cent.

  1984

  13,054

  85·2

  1985

  12,551

  83·5

  1986

  12,191

  83·2

  1987

  11,683

  83·9

  1988

  10,155

  82·6

  1 Excluding the specialties psychogeriatrics, child psychiatry, adolescent psychiatry.

  Forward information for the current year is not available centrally.

  New Towns Document (SDA Response)
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why the Scottish Development Agency asked for its response to the consultation document "The Scottish New Towns—Maintaining the Momentum" to be treated in confidence.

  Mr. Lang
  Many communications between the agency and Ministers must of necessity be in confidence. After consultation with the agency, however, I am pleased to make the agency's views available on the same open basis as the other responses to the consultation document.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to introduce imprisonment as a penalty for non-payment of the poll tax.

  Mr. Lang
  No. The existing procedures which apply in Scotland are adequate to ensure collection of the community charges.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department had any hand in providing information to the Evening Times for its article published on 10 April, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Lang
  No. The Scottish Office was not approached in connection with the article.

  Mrs.Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what directions he has issued to poll tax registrars on when to choose freezing of bank accounts as a method of enforcing either fines for non-registration or for non-payment of the poll tax.

  Mr. Lang
  Individual levying authorities are responsible for deciding when to take steps to recover civil penalties due for offences relating to community charges registration and arrears of community charges, and the means by which they do so. My right hon. and learned Friend has issued no instructions on these matters.

  Health Boards (Membership)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he gives to district representation in the appointment of members of a health board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Members are not appointed to represent particular areas or interest, but the Secretary of State tries to ensure a suitable range of experience, expertise and background in the membership of any board. In doing this he takes the area of residence into account as one relevant factor.

  Animal Pests and Diseases
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the annual loss to the British forestry industry from damage from animal pests and diseases, respectively, and also the annual costs in(a) preventive measures and (b) remedial measures.

  Health Board

  Nominating body (where appropriate)

  ARGYLL AND CLYDE

  Appointment ended

  Mrs. E. M. Cockburn

  Russell Fairgrieve Esq.

  Dr. R. Erskine

  British Medical Association

  J. H. Gillougley

  Paisley Chamber of Commerce

  Rev. J. Young

  Renfrew Local Health Council

  Appointed

  N. M. Faccenda

  Scottish Conservative Party

  AYRSHIRE AND ARRAN

  Appointment ended

  Mrs. A. M. Campbell

  Scottish Society for the Mentally Handicapped

  T. Dickie JP

  Health Board

  Mrs. M. W. Gallie

  Mr. John Corrie

  Dr. J. Morrow

  British Medical Association

  Mrs. A. B. Wilson

  Appointed

  Mrs. A. Bates

  J. D. Sharp

  Confederation of British Industry

  BORDERS

  Appointment ended

  Dr. W. B. Aitken

  British Medical Association

  P. S. Elliot

  Scottish Trade Union Congress

  R. W. Jack

  Roxburgh District Council

  A. C. Purves

  Confederation of British Industry; British Medical Association

  Appointed

  Dr. D. W. Cameron

  British Medical Association

  J. P. Metcalfe

  Mr. A. C. Purves

  W. Thyne

  DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY

  Appointment ended

  W. D. Beck OBE

  Co-op Union Ltd.

  Mrs. M. D. Dick-Smith

  Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council

  Mrs. A. R. Murdoch

  Stewartry District Council

  G. Willacy JP

  Annandale and Eskdale District Council

  Appointed

  Mrs. M. J. S. Cambell, the Countess of Dalkeith

  Health Board

  Mrs. V. Jardine-Paterson

  Sir Hector Munro MP

  FIFE

  Appointment ended

  J. S. Edmiston JP

  Health Board

  H. C. Forwell

  Scottish Association of Master Bakers; Kirkcaldy Chamber of Commerce

  Dr. J. B. Gallacher

  St. Andrews Ambulance Association; West Fife Local Health Council

  J. Marshall

  British Medical Association; Royal College of General Practitioners

  Mrs. M. M. Pullar

  Royal College of Midwives

  G. Reid

  Harry Ewing MP

  754
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is not possible to provide an accurate assessment of the financial loss from damage from animal pests and diseases as much of this is of a long-term nature. Records of expenditure on the protection of Forestry Commission woodlands are available, but no information is held on the expenditure in privately owned woodlands.

  Health Boards (Membership)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those members of health boards whose appointment terminates on 31 March and those whose appointment arises on that date giving for each the nominating body.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 23 March 1989]: The information requested is as follows.
  755

  Health Board

  Nominating body (where appropriate)

  Appointed

  Mrs. W. R. Addison

  Royal College of Nursing

  Dr. A. C. A. Alexander

  Dr. J. B. Gallacher

  K. W. Fraser

  Scottish Division, Institute of Directors

  J. Murray

  Health Board

  FORTH VALLEY

  Appointment ended

  J. Cross

  British Medical Association

  A. B. Cruickshank

  Clackmannan District Council

  Prof. P. McEwen

  University of Stirling

  Mrs. W. J. A. MacFarlane

  Scottish Trade Union Congress

  A. D. McNeill

  British Medical Association

  Appointed

  G. M. Dougall

  Health Board

  P. A. Joynson

  Dr. J. D. Stewart

  British Medical Association

  Dr. H. B. Tavadia

  Royal College of Pathologists; British Medical Association; Forth Valley Area Committee for Hospital Medical Services

  GRAMPIAN

  Appointment ended

  P. Cook

  Grampian Regional Council

  Captain C. A. Farquharson

  Gordon Local Health Council

  Dr. J. G. Henderson

  British Medical Association; Royal College of Psychiatrists; Grampian Area Committee for Hospital Medical Services

  G. S. Peterkin JP

  Scottish Trade Union Congress

  Miss E. A. Sheldon MBE

  Aberdeen Association for Mental Health; Society for the Mentally Handicapped; Muscular Dystrophy Society; Robert Gordons Institute of Technology

  Mrs. V. A. Stevenson

  Area Dental Committee; British Dental Association

  Appointed:

  A. Broomfield

  Health Board

  N. Thornton-Kemsley CBE

  GREATER GLASGOW

  Appointment ended

  J. Jackson

  Scottish Trade Union Congress

  Prof. A. C. Kennedy

  Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons; University of Glasgow

  Rev. J. T. Lang

  Church of Scotland

  Dr. J. Mackay OBE

  British Medical Association; Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons; British Dental Association; Royal College of Surgeons

  L. M. Turpie

  C. Williams

  British Medical Association; British Association of Social Workers

  Appointed

  Rev. R. D. M. Campbell

  Dr. K. W. Davidson CBE

  British Medical Association

  C. MacKay

  Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons

  N. M. Naftalin

  Health Board

  HlGHLAND

  Appointment ended

  R. J. B. Bryson MBE

  Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine; Chartered

  Society of Physiotherapy

  Miss M. T. Hadden

  Royal College of Midwives; Royal College of Nursing; Scottish

  Health Visitors; Association of Nurse Administrators

  The Rt. Hon. Lord Macdonald

  Skye and Lochalsh District Council

  A. I. MacDonald

  Health Board; Caithness District Council

  Dr. W. D. Murray

  Royal College of Physicians; Royal College of Surgeons; Hospital Medical Staff Association.

  Appointed

  J. Forbes JP

  J. G. Ligertwood

  Health Board

  Mrs. S. G. H. Stone

  Ross and Cromarty District Council

  Miss I. Urquhart

  Health Board

  LANARKSHIRE

  Appointment ended

  Mrs D. C. McGirr

  Royal College of Physicians; Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons

  G. Mclntosh

  Confederation of British Industry

  Dr A. M. Matthewson

  British Medical Association

  Appointed

  Dr W. Criggie

  Health Board

  I. L. Livingstone

  Health Board

  756 757

  Health Board

  Nominating body (where appropriate)

  LOTHIAN

  Appointment ended

  Mrs. P. Bell

  Conservative and Unionist Party

  A. T. Clark CBE

  Edinburgh District Council

  Mrs. W. E. Donaldson

  Lothian Regional Council; British Medical Association

  W. B. Herald

  Scottish Trade Union Congress

  Dr. A. R. Milne

  Health Board; Royal College of General Practitioners

  Professor J. Williamson CBE

  Edinburgh University

  J. F. Wilson

  Bank of Scotland

  Appointed

  Mrs. H. G. Birrell

  West Lothian Local Health Council

  Mrs. S. J. Cunningham

  Health Board

  J. W. Stephenson

  Lothian Region Conservative Group

  Orkney

  Appointment ended

  B. M. Clark

  Health Board

  F. J. Groundwater

  Scottish Trade Union Congress; British Medical Association

  Mrs. J. Marwick

  Orkney Local Health Council; Health Board; Orkney Islands Council

  M. E. Porteous

  Health Board

  Appointed

  Captain M. Gunn

  Confederation of British Industry

  D. L. Kemp

  Health Board

  Shetland

  Appointment ended

  R. Leask

  Confederation of Health Service Employees

  W. A. Smith

  Shetland Islands Council

  G. A. Walterson

  Mrs. M. Williamson

  Health Board

  Appointed

  L. G. Groat

  Shetland Islands Council

  Mrs. A. I. Manson

  Shetland Islands Council

  Mrs. E. M. W. Poplar

  Royal College of Midwives

  TAYSIDE

  Appointment ended

  E. W. Cameron OBE JP

  J. Campbell-Smith

  Perth and Kinross District Council

  J. W. Duncan OBE JP

  Co-op Union Ltd; Dundee District Council

  E. C. Lowson MBE

  Association of Scottish Chamber of Commerce

  Prof. D. G. McDevitt

  University of Dundee

  I W. Stevenson

  Tayside Regional Council

  Appointed

  D. W. M. Davidson JP

  Royal Pharmaceutical Society

  Mrs. S. H. Fallon

  The Most Rev. L. E. Luscombe

  D. J. T. McKenzie

  Bill Walker MP

  WESTERN ISLES

  Appointment ended

  J. MacIntyre

  Western Isles Islands Council

  Appointed

  A. W. Hay

  Confederation of British Industry

  Rev. J. A. Macdonald

  Health Board

  Dr. J. W. Robertson

  Health Board

ENVIRONMENT

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many severely mentally impaired adults he estimates will qualify to be exempt from the poll tax(a) in Nottingham and (b) in England and Wales.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax. We estimate that around 55,000 adults in England will qualify for exemption from the community charge on grounds of severe mental impairment. Figures are not available on a local basis.
  758
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the poll tax bill for each person in Nottingham; when this estimate was made; and when he expects to update it.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax. I have made no estimates of future community charge levels. Illustrative figures were placed in the Library on 23 June 1988 showing community charges based on 1988–89 local authority budgets. Figures based on the 1989–90 rate support grant settlement were placed in the Library on 1 March. Illustrative 1989–90 figures based on expenditure returns will be provided in due course.
  759
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had since 1 April with poll tax levying authorities.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax. Both Ministers and officials at this Department have frequent discussions with charging authorities. For example, since 1 April I have visited Wolverhampton and Dudley district councils and the London borough of Islington.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those European Economic Community member countries that have a community charge tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list information available to him on any countries which finance their local government from a poll tax, also expressing this as a percentage of world nations.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Members to annex K of the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cm.9714) which comments on international comparisons, and to the updated version of figure K3, which was published in the Official Report on 24 June 1988 at column 744.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of single pensioners will be adversely affected by the introduction of the community charge; and what percentage of pensioners will be adversely affected by the community charge(a) in Nottingham and (b) in England and Wales.

  Mr. Gummer
  Tables showing the impact of the community charge on pensioners in England were placed in the Library on 28 February 1988.

  These figures based on an analysis of family expenditure survey data show that 75 per cent. of single pensioners, and 83 per cent. of single pensioner households, will pay less when the community charge is fully in place. Overall, 69 per cent. of pensioner households are expected to pay less.

  I have no separate estimates for Nottingham.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of staff now working in local authority units specifically to register people for poll tax(a) in Nottingham and (b) in England and Wales; and what is the total wage bill for each category.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax. As far as the community charge is concerned, the information sought by the hon. Member is not available centrally. A summary of the available information on community charge implementation, including staffing levels, was placed in the Library on 10 April.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide an estimate of the amount of additional paper which will be required to provide for forms connected with the collection of the community charge, as compared with the old rating system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 12 April 1989]: No reliable estimates are available of the quantities of paper
  760
  required to service the collection of domestic rates or of community charges. Since there will be twice the number of chargepayers as ratepayers, it would not be surprising if the volume increased.

  I should imagine that the volume would be very much higher if we were to replace rates with the complexity of a local income tax, and higher still if that were combined with capital value rating, which I understand to be the Opposition's proposal for rates reform.

  Babbington Pit
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to preserve the former Babbington pit headstocks, Nottingham, in their present form on the current or a nearby site.

  Mrs.Virginia Bottomley
  I have asked our statutory advisers in English Heritage to assess whether there is a case for listing the headstocks as a building of special architectural or historic interest. I will write to the hon. Member when I have received their advice.

  Olympic Games
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he was consulted by the President of the European Economic Community Commission before the announcement on 4 April by the president of his proposals that the United Kingdom team at the Olympic Games in 1992 should bear European Economic Community insignia and substitute an European Economic Community tune in place of the United Kingdom national anthem; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The President of the Commission of the European Communities did not consult my Department about his announcement on 4 April about the 1992 Olympic Games. His proposals are for the British Olympic Association to consider. I understand that it is opposed to them.

  Loughborough and Angell Town Estates
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is willing favourably to consider estate action schemes for the Angell Town and Loughborough estates in Lambeth.

  Mr. Trippier
  Lambeth's application under the estate action initiative in support of the first phase of improvement works to the Angell Town estate was received too late to be considered for resources this year. Applications for future phases will be treated on their merits. No application has been made in respect of the Loughborough estate.

  Leasehold Contracts
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce legislation to ensure that leasehold contracts include full details of the leaseholder's commitment to insurance and maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  No. These are matters for negotiation between the individual freeholder and leaseholder when a contract is drawn up or assigned. The Landlord and Tenant Acts 1985 and 1987 give significant rights to residential leaseholders in relation to both insurance and maintenance arrangements.

  Drought (Contingency Plans)
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department received reports from the water authorities concerning levels of winter rainfall; whether he expects the shortage to continue into the summer as a drought; and whether his Department has made contingency plans for a drought this summer.

  Mr. Howard
  We have been receiving regular reports from the water industry on regional rainfall and the state of water resources. Heavier than average rainfall over the last two months has greatly improved the situation; areas of potential shortage of water supply this summer are now relatively small and confined to parts of the south east. Responsibility for taking action in the event of drought rests with the water undertakers.

  Council Housing (Allocation)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what information he has on the proportion of(a) councils and (b) housing associations which publish their criteria for allocation of property; and whether any guidance has been issued to them on this point;

  (2) what information he has on the proportion of (a) councils and (b) housing associations which have clear allocation policies according to need; and whether he has issued any guidance to them on this point.

  Mr. Trippier
  The information is not held centrally, but section 106 of the Housing Act 1985 requires local housing authorities and housing associations to publish their allocation rules. There has been no recent guidance to councils on this subject, but the tenants' guarantee, issued in January this year by the Housing Corporation, provides advice to registered housing associations on policies and procedures for allocation of their accommodation.

  Strategic Planning (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements for consultation he has made in respect of his draft strategic planning guidance for

  £ million

  Housing capital allocations1

  Prescribed proportion of housing capital receipts

  Excess of cash backed housing receipts over prescribed proportion of housing receipts

  1987–88

  Shire districts

  592

  1,400

  3,130

  Metropolitan districts

  377

  300

  270

  Inner London boroughs

  264

  230

  170

  Outer London boroughs

  146

  320

  580

  1988–89

  Shire districts

  500

  n/a

  n/a

  Metropolitan districts

  350

  n/a

  n/a

  Inner London boroughs

  265

  n/a

  n/a

  Outer London boroughs

  149

  n/a

  n/a

  1989–90

  Shire districts

  361

  n/a

  n/a

  Metropolitan districts

  249

  n/a

  n/a

  Inner London boroughs

  184

  n/a

  n/a

  Outer London boroughs

  106

  n/a

  n/a

  1 Provisional. For 1989–90 £208 million housing allocations have not yet been issued.

  762
  London with (a) the general public, (b) London borough councils, (c) voluntary and community groups, (d) the business community and (e) other public and private bodies.

  Mr. Chope
  Copies of the draft guidance were sent to London Members, the London borough councils and some 180 organisations with an interest in London wide planning matters. The Department has publicised the consultation and to date has sent more than 350 copies of the draft guidance to members of the public, voluntary and community groups, businesses and others on request. A list of those commenting on the guidance will be placed in the House of Commons Library when consultation is completed.

  Local Authority Housing (Capital Programme)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates have been made by his Department for the availability of resources for local authorities' housing capital programmes including non-prescribed capital receipts under both the current and the proposed capital finance regime proposed by the Local Government and Housing Bill 1989 in the years 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90, tabulated by non-metropolitan authorities, metropolitan authorities, inner London boroughs and outer London boroughs.

  Mrs.Virginia Bottomley
  The table shows housing capital allocations for the years requested. It also shows the prescribed proportion of housing capital receipts and the amount, for each class of authority, by which cash-backed housing capital receipts in aggregate exceed the prescribed proportion of housing capital receips for 1987–88. Information on the availability of capital receipts by class of authority for 1988–89 and 1989–90 is not available.

  The capital finance regime proposed in the Local Government and Housing Bill will apply to 1990–91 and subsequent financial years. Provision for housing capital expenditure in 1990–91 and 1991–92 was made in table 9.1 of the "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1989–90 to 1991–92 Chapters 9 and 10" (Cm. 609).
  763
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the utilisation of non-prescribed capital receipts currently used by local authorities to fund part of their housing capital programme will be taken into account when assessing the level of Exchequer subsidy to housing revenue accounts for 1990–91 and in subsequent years.

  Mr. Trippier
  An allowance will be made in the calculation of housing revenue account subsidy for local authorities' revenue expenditure on maintenance. We believe that, under the present system, some authorities also use some of their capital receipts on what would normally count as items of revenue spending, and we shall be consulting the local authority associations on whether to reflect this in the subsidy calculation under the new system, and if so, to what extent.

  LRB (Portraits)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his reply of 7 April,Official Report, columns 299–300, he will give details of the portraits transferred from the London residuary body to the City of London.

  Mrs.Virginia Bottomley
  The entire collection of portraits of London county council and Greater London council chairmen, and portraits of prominent members of those councils and of the Metropolitan Board of Works are the subject of the transfer.

  Middlesex Guildhall Collection
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what criteria Harrow was chosen as the potential recipient of items from the Middlesex Guildhall collection currently in the possession of the London residuary body; which other London boroughs showed an interest; and if other boroughs were notified of the possible availability of the collection.

  Mrs.Virginia Bottomley
  The London borough of Harrow was chosen because of the strength of its connection with the former Middlesex county council. No other borough was made aware of the availability of the Middlesex Guildhall collection for transfer, or showed an interest in acquiring it.

  Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has accepted any land in lieu of tax in the last financial year.

  Mr. Ridley
  An offer of 18·91 acres at Oxey Mead, Yarnton, Oxfordshire was accepted in lieu of capital transfer tax. The amount of tax satisfied was £15,640. The land, part of a site of special scientific interest, has been allocated to the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Naturalists Trust.

  Parent Registers
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the 764
  availability to community charge registration officers of the parent registers presently being compiled by local education authorities.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 12 April 1989]: There is no requirement on local education authorities to compile parent registers. Registers containing the names of everyone known to be a parent of a registered pupil are required to be kept by schools, and access to them by officers of local education authorities is limited by regulations. Regulations on the community charge require local authorities to supply information about individuals to community charges registration officers only where it is within their possession or control. That information must be limited to names, addresses, and periods of residence.

  Housing Stock
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the average percentage of the housing stock of(a) councils, (b) housing associations and (c) private landlords vacant for more than three months at the last recorded date.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 13 April 1989]: The available information is provided by local authorities in their housing investment programme return (HIP 1). It is recorded in the "Housing Needs Appraisal: HIP 1 for 1988, Grossed for England", a copy of which is in the Library.

  The return shows the number of local authority dwellings which had been empty for more than six months at 1 April but it does not provide any further breakdown of those empty for six months or less; nor does it show the length of vacancy for dwellings in other sectors.

  Planning Guidance (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what policies and proposals is his planning guidance for London are designed to meet the special problems and needs of (i) women and (ii) ethnic communities.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 13 April 1989]: Ethnicity and gender are not relevant to land use planning.

  House of Commons (Health and Safety)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for how many more weeks the stairway leading to the Official Reporters' gallery will be in breach of health and safety regulations, were they to apply; and if he will now replace the two out-of-order light bulbs.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 13 April 1989]: Redecoration work on the Lady Members' staircase was restricted to weekends in order to maintain normal access. This inevitably prolonged the work, but it has now been completed and the area cleared. The light bulbs have been checked and are now in full working order.