Written Answers of 28 April 1989

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Offences Against the Person
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General if any instructions have been given to the Crown Prosecution Service on the prosecution of persons formally charged under section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act.

  The Attorney-General
  No specific instructions concerning the prosecution of offences under section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 have been issued to the Crown Prosecution Service as a whole. However, some chief Crown prosecutors have issued guidance to Crown prosecutors in their area.

  As with all cases prosecuted by the service, in accordance with the code for Crown prosecutors, Crown prosecutors are required to satisfy themselves that there is sufficient evidence to afford a realistic prospect of conviction, and, if there is, whether the public interest requires a prosecution, before continuing criminal proceedings for such offences.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  School Attendance Rates
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give for the latest year for which figures are available the school attendance rate for(a) the years one to five secondary school, (b) fourth year secondary pupils, (c) fifth year secondary pupils and (d) primary schools for each local education authority.

  Mr. Butcher
  This information is not collected centrally. The monitoring of school attendance and decisions on whether to publish figures on attendance are matters for local education authorities and schools.

  British School, Armenia
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when work will be started on the British school in Armenia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The Government set aside £5 million for Armenian relief and reconstruction shortly after last December's earthquake. Two million pounds of this has been allocated to a project to build, furnish and equip a school in Leninaken. Aid Armenia and a number of major British firms are also contributing to the project. Work will start shortly and my Department is planning to complete the school before the beginning of the 1990–91 school year. Parliamentary approval to provision for this school will he sought in the 1989–90 Supply Estimate for the schools, research and miscellaneous services Vote. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £1·5 million will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

  Teachers Pay and Conditions
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has now considered the views expressed by the local authority employees, teachers unions and others on his proposals following the second report of the Interim Advisory Committee on Schoolteachers Pay and Conditions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the pursuant reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 27 April 1989.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many places he is making available for intakes to initial teacher training in 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have decided to make available 23,172 places for intakes to initial teacher training courses in England and Wales in the academic year 1990–91, an increase of over 9 per cent. over the 1989 target of 21,157.

  Four hundred and fifty of these additional places will be set aside for the development of innovative forms of secondary phase training in chemistry, music and modern languages. Initial teacher training institutions in the university and English PCFC sectors will be invited to bid for these places shortly.

  I have also decided on the provisional allocations of intake numbers to individual courses at institutions in the English public sector. The Secretary of State for Wales will be seeking advice from the Wales advisory body on the allocation of places to the public sector initial teacher training institutions in Wales. I am writing today to the chairman of the Universities Funding Council to invite the council to consider the allocation of places in the university sector in England and Wales.

  I am placing details of my proposals in the Library.

DEFENCE

  Support Grades
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with respect to the support grades in his Department(a) what is the number of staff employed, (b) how many vacancies there are and how many of these have existed for over one month and over three months, (c) how many temporary and casual appointments there are and (d) how much overtime was worked by them in London and elsewhere.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As at 24 April 1989 a total of 2,963 office support grades (messengers, paperkeepers, office keepers, security guards, reprographic grades and Government telephonists) were employed within the Ministry of Defence.

  During the period 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989, the number of temporary and casual appointees was 51 and the amount of overtime worked by these temporary and casual appointees was:

  (a) London—304·5 hours.

  (b) Elsewhere—1,019·5 hours.

  The office support grades are employed in Ministry of Defence establishments throughout the United Kingdom

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  and are recruited locally under delegated authority. Therefore, information about vacancies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Arms Exports (Jobs)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many jobs were directly and indirectly supported by arms exports in(a) 1986, (b) 1987 and (c)

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988 (Cm. 344–11, vol. 2, table 618).

  Lunch-time Supervision
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects teachers employed by the Service Children's Education Authority to be paid the back money due to them in respect of lunch-time supervision duties.

  Mr. Neubert
  Further to my reply of 20 February, at column 445, those teachers involved in lunch-time supervisory duties prior to 1 December 1988 have now completed claims for the hours worked and the individual calculations of moneys due have been completed. Payment is imminent.

  Recruitment and Retention
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the summary of proposed steps for improving recruitment and retention in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  My hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces said in reply to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner) on 24 February, at column 847, that we were considering the report on manning and recruiting in the Army in the nineties (MARILYN) and that in due course we should be in a position to publish a summary of the steps we would be taking to improve recruitment and retention. That remains our intention and naturally such a document would be made available to the House.

  Safety-related Software
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation he has had to ensure the requirements of Def Stan 00–55 do not conflict with the impending international standard.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My officials have been, and will continue to be, in consultation with the United Kingdom's representatives on the International Electrotechnical Commission's working group which is developing the international standard for software for computers in the application of industrial safety-related systems. The consultation is aimed at maximising the commonality between this standard and Def Stan 00–55.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why his Department is developing its own standard of safety-related software independent of moves to introduce an international standard for civilian industry.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is Ministry of Defency policy to use existing international standards, where applicable, in 684
  preference to European, national and defence standards. However, the lack of an adequate existing standard for safety-related software in defence equipment meant that it was essential for us to commence development of Def Stan 00–55. We are, though, taking account of the work, begun subsequently, of the International Electrotechnical Commission on an international standard for safety-related software for civilian industry.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his intention that industry shall be bound by both(a) the impending standard on safety-related software coming from the International Electrotechnical Commission and (b) defence standard 00–55.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The draft defence standard 00–55 covering the use of software in safety critical applications in defence equipment has yet to be issued for consultation. The extent to which that standard, and other related standards, will be applied in defence contracts will be resolved as part of the consultation process.

  Type 23 Frigates
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to invite tenders for further type 23 frigates.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Competitive tenders are being sought today for up to four Duke class type 23 frigates from the four United Kingdom shipbuilders with the appropriate capabilities—Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd., Swan Hunter Shipbuilders Ltd., Vosper Thornycroft (UK) Ltd. and the VSEL/Cammell Laird group.

  Tenderers will be required to submit fixed-price bids for varying combinations of up to four ships based on a phased build programme. Decisions will be taken on the precise timing and number to be ordered after the tenders have been received, evaluated and fully analysed.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iraq (Executions)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation Her Majesty's Government are making to the Iraqi Government about the unknown number of executions of young people under the age of 18, in the light of the minimum age limit of 18 for a death sentence to be imposed under international law.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have repeatedly made clear to the Iraqi authorities our concern at the abuses of human rights in Iraq. Both the United Kingdom and Iraq have ratified the international covenant on civil and political rights which prohibits the use of the death penalty against minors. The Iraqis know that we expect them to abide by their international obligations.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long are current waiting periods experienced by new asylum seekers from Vietnam between arrival in Hong Kong and screening by immigration officers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Asylum seekers arriving in Hong Kong from Vietnam since 16 June 1988 have been subject to
  685
  screening in accordance with UNHCR criteria. The Hong Kong immigration department is currently screening those who arrived during July 1988. The screening and appeals process started off slowly because the procedures were new and complex, but we expect it to speed up as it becomes more established. Given the size of the problem and the increased rate of new arrivals, the Hong Kong immigration department, in consultation with UNHCR, has been reviewing its screening and appeals procedures with a view to shortening the waiting period.

  Saudi Arabia
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list what is involved in the offset programme in relation to the Tornado deal with Saudi Arabia.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 24 April 19891: I have been asked to reply.

  The Al Yamamah economic offset programme arises from and is associated with project Al Yamamah, the sale of Tornado and other equipment to the Government of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, the offset programme is aimed at encouraging and assisting the creation of viable and profitable joint and other commercial ventures in any sector between United Kingdom and Saudi Arabian companies. It is a broadly based and flexible programme designed to provide the maximum benefit to the economies of both countries, and is open to all United Kingdom companies, not just defence contractors. Detailed arrangements for the programme were finalised between the Government and the Saudi Government at the end of last year. and the programme was formally launched to United Kingdom industry at a British seminar held in London on 31 January 1989.

  The British offset office established within my Department has responsibility in the United Kingdom for implementing and managing this programme and it is working closely both with other Government Departments and with the many companies who have expressed interest in developing project ideas under the initiative. It is hoped that the first venture proposals will be ready for discussion with the Saudi Government offset committee very shortly. Because of the commercial confidentiality of the market opportunities under consideration, and respecting companies' wishes in this matter, we cannot at this stage give details of the business proposals under consideration.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement about the level of aid to Zimbabwe.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  We have provided over £200 million in development assistance for Zimbabwe since independence and we intend to maintain a substantial programme. On her recent visit my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister pledged a further £10 million in capital aid for Zimbabwe, in addition to the £15 million that she offered to President Mugabe last October.

ENVIRONMENT

  Waste Reduction
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research is currently under way into waste reduction technology.

  Mr. Forth
  I have been asked to reply.

  Research is under way at Warren Spring laboratory to process domestic refuse mechanically to recover materials, energy and compost and thus reduce the volume of wate for disposal in landfill sites. Warren Spring laboratory is also studying the preprocessing of refuse prior to incineration.

  Numerous methods, both end of pipe and clean technologies, have been developed by industry in the United Kingdom for removal of heavy metals and the destruction of toxic components from process waste streams. However, the Department does not hold centrally details of all research and development projects currently being undertaken in the public and private sectors.

  Water and Sewerage Companies
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what work is being undertaken by or on behalf of his Department to consider the implications of a proportion of water and sewerage companies remaining in Government ownership.

  Mr. Ridley
  None.

  Hillsborough Disaster
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the Government contribution to the Hillsborough disaster fund will be financed.

  Mr. Moynihan
  A supplementary estimate on the central environmental services Vote (class X vote 2) will be presented in due course to cover the urgent expenditure on this new service. Pending parliamentary approval of this supplementary estimate, the Government's contribution of £500,000 to the Hillsborough disaster appeal will be met by a repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund. Subject to parliamentary approval of the supplementary estimate, the cash limit for the Vote will be increased by £500,000 from £279,923,000 to £280,423,000. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Beaches (Pollution)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library, the detailed coliform and E. coli results of all samples collected in the summer of 1988 for each of the 380 beaches summarised in deposited document NS 4754.

  Mr. Howard
  Such detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Details of all samples are recorded on the public register maintained by each water authority.

  Bradford (Development)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether grant application has been made by
  687
  the Yorkshire water authority for the rebuilding of Bradford Beck and a comprehensive flood alleviation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  Bradford city council and the Yorkshire water authority have submitted a draft joint application for European regional development fund grant for the combined Bradford Beck flood alleviation scheme and phase la of the Bradford Beck sewage strategy. The works are included in the Bradford integrated development operation (IDO).

  Once a full application has been received it will be considered by the IDO co-ordinating committee who will assess the scheme's compatibility with the strategy and objectives of the programme.

  River Mersey (Pollution)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans his Department has to stop excessive discharges of pollution into the River Mersey.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 20 April 1989]: Under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, dischargers must apply to the appropriate regulatory authority—currently regional water authorities or Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution—before discharging into controlled waters. Consents are usually subject to specified conditions, the purpose of which is to protect the environmental quality objectives of the receiving waters.

  My hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Water and Planning announced on 7 December 1988, at column 199, an accelerated programme of about £1,000 million for all water authorities to bring sub-standard sewage treatment works into compliance with their discharge consents by March 1992.

  In addition, the Mersey basin campaign involves the construction of new sewage treatment and disposal facilities and the provision of major new interceptor sewers to take industrial trade and sewage effluents which are currently discharged directly into the river. The programme, which will cost around £2·5 billion over 25 years, will bring the Mersey up to class 2 (fair quality) throughout its length.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will cease to exempt Unilever on the Mersey from the provisions of the Control of Pollution Act;

  (2) whether he will now require Granox to comply with the Control of Pollution Act; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 20 April 1989]: The provisions of part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 apply to all companies.

EMPLOYMENT

  Disabled Workers (British Coal)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to what percentage of the work force employed by British Coal are registered disabled.
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  Mr. Lee
  As at 1 June 1987, 0·6 per cent. of the work force of British Coal were registered as disabled, as published in the Employment Gazette in February 1988. Figures for 1988 will be published shortly.

  Workers (Rights)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what reviews he is undertaking to implement the European Economic Community directive giving part-time workers the same legal rights as full-time workers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  This draft directive has not yet been approved by the Council of Ministers. At its meeting in June 1985 the Council agreed to defer further discussion. I understand that little progress has been made since then.

TRANSPORT

  Air Fares
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's policy on European air fares after the decision of the European Court in the case of Ahmed Saeed Flugreisen and Another v. Zentrale Zur Bekampfung Unlauteren Wettbewerbs E.V.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Our policy objective is to ensure that air travellers are charged fair prices; this conforms with the judgment of the European Court. We are reviewing the arrangements by which this objective is achieved to ensure that they are in accordance with the court decision.

  Fawley Power Station
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the application by the Central Electricity Generating Board to build a coal jetty and related works at Fawley.

  Mr. Portillo
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy informed my hon. Friend on 27 October 1988, at column 320, in view of the board's decision not to pursue for the time being its application for consent to build a generating station at Fawley the Government decided that the board's associated application for an order empowering the building of a jetty and other harbour works should not proceed further. There is therefore no extant application under the Harbours Act. The board recently announced the withdrawal of its application for the generating station.

  Travel (London)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many people travelling into central London by car receive(a) a free parking space and (b) a subsidised parking space from their employers;

  (2) what is the total cash assistance provided by employers to employees in central London for travelling by (a) car and (b) public transport;

  (3) how many people travel each day into central London by cars which are (a) owned by their employers or (b) subsidised by their employers.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We do not have that information.
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  The Department has commissioned research to examine the nature and scale of company assistance with travel costs to employees in the London area.

  Underground Railways (Safety)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what correspondence or consultation has taken place between his railway inspectorate and British Railways Board concerning proposals to withdraw guards on trains running in single line tunnels between Finsbury Park and Moorgate; and if he will place copies of such correspondence in the Library.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: There has been a thorough consultation between British Rail and the railway inspectorate about the possible introduction of driver-only operation on this line, though I understand that British Rail has no immediate plans to withdraw guards. The inspectorate has assured me that it is satisfied with operational arrangements. I see no need to place copies of its correspondence with British Rail in the Library.

  West Sussex (Investment)
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for future investment on roads and rail in west Sussex.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: It is for British Rail to come forward with investment proposals based on its own assessment of priorities. I am always happy to approve worthwhile investment and I would consider carefully any plans to improve rail services in west Sussex.

  As regards investment in roads. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to him on 13 February 1989.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Support Grade Staff
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, with respect to the support grades in his Department(a) what is the number of staff employed, (b)how many vacancies there are and how many of these have existed for over one month and over three months, (c) how many temporary and casual appointments there are and (d) how much overtime was worked by them in London and elsewhere.

  Mr. Forth
  In this answer, the term "support grades" has been interpreted as the grades support manager 1 to 3 and support grades band 1 to 2:

  (a) On 1 April 1989 there were 936 staff in post excluding casual staff (part-time staff are counted as half).

  (b) On 1 April 1989 there were 57·5 vacant posts compared with 62 vacant posts on 1 March 1989 and 40 vacant posts on 1 January 1989. These figures reflect the difference between staff in post (including casuals) and authorised posts at each date.

  Information on the duration of individual vacancies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  (c) On 1 April 1989 there were 31 casual staff in post (part-time staff being counted as half).

  (d) In 1988–89 approximately 76,850 hours overtime were worked in the DTI by support grades. The
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  Department does not keep its overtime records in a form which makes it possible to split overtime worked in London from overtime worked outside London.

  Computers
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he proposes to make a response to the Law Commission's working paper No. 110 on computer misuse; whether he will make it public; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I have no plans to make a formal response.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what non-formal representations he has received on his response to the Select Committee on Trade and Industry's report into information technology.

  Mr. Forth
  I have received no non-formal representations on this response.

  Companies (South African Subsidiaries)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the names of United Kingdom registered companies which have broken the EEC code of conduct in respect of their South African subsidiaries; and if he will forward such a list to the European Commission.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My Department's analysis and summary of company reports submitted in accordance with the EC code of conduct was placed in the Library of each House last month. It has also been made available to officials in Europe.

  Guarantees
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received any complaints concerning the guarantees provided by companies with their products; what steps he has taken to assess whether it is possible for consumers to distinguish between a good guarantee and a worthless one; if he proposes to bring foward proposals to require any changes to the guarantees provided by companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Only a small proportion of the consumer problems raised with my Department are concerned with guarantees. The National Consumer Council recently published a consultative document on some aspects of the use of guarantees; any recommendations resulting from the NCC consultation will be carefully considered. The subject of guarantees generally has been examined, and remains under review, by the Office of Fair Trading. The Director General of Fair Trading's report entitled "Consumer Guarantees", published in June 1986 makes recommendations aimed at industry and offers good advice to consumers. The Government have no present plans to legislate.

  Girobank
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the future of Girobank's corporate lending and leasing business in the event of its being sold to a building society.
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  Mr. Forth
  Under the Building Societies Act 1986, as amended, building societies are not permitted to undertake leasing business or make unsecured loans to corporate bodies. Arrangements would therefore need to be made for Girobank's leasing and corporate lending business to be removed from its balance sheet before it could be purchased by a buidling society. Such arrangements would be a matter for negotiation between the Post Office and the building society concerned in the first instance. The arrangements would need to satisfy the regulatory authorities.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what weight he gave to the net asset value of Girobank and to the current year's retained earnings in considering the Alliance and Leicester's £130 million bid for Girobank.

  Mr. Forth
  As the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced on 20 April, at column 260, we are satisfied that the Post Office Board's decision to accept the conditional offer made by Alliance and Leicester Building Society to purchase Girobank takes full account of the factors, of which price was one, which we announced would be taken into account in evaluating bids.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Fax Charges
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received from hon. Members seeking a reduction in the charge made by the Post Office in the Palace of Westminster of £5·80 to hon. Members for transmitting one page of A4 by fax to a London address.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have received no representations about the cost of the service provided by the Post Office since the matter was last considered by the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee in May 1988. The charge made by the Post Office in the Palace of Westminster for its facsimile (Intelpost) transmission service reflects the tariff in use throughout the country. For parliamentary business, right hon. and hon. Members may purchase fascimile machines for their personal use from their office costs allowance.

WALES

  ESA Payments
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received about the extension of the ESA payment eligibility to farms within national parks in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Six representations have been received on behalf of farmers in the national parks in Wales for the extension of the ESA scheme to their land.

  I shall give careful consideration to these requests if and when further ESA designations are in prospect.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has as to the likely change in the level of rural general practitioner's remuneration as a result of the introduction of the new contract for general practitioners.
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  Mr. Grist
  The Government's proposals for linking family doctors' pay more closely to the range and quality of their resources to patients are set out in the report "General Practice in the National Health Service—A New Contract", and appendix F provides illustrative assessments of the effects on different types of practice. The implications for rural practice are fully considered in that report, copies of which were sent to all GMPs. The proposals include a rural areas supplement to the basic practice allowance which is designed to recognise the particular nature of practice in sparsely populated rural areas and to ensure that GMPs practising in such areas are not unduly disadvantaged by the nature of the area in which they work.

  Hospital Operations
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the costs of the 10 most common operations in each Welsh hospital.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Post-16 Education
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for the latest available year the post-16 staying on rate for each Welsh local education authority.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The percentage of 16 and 17-year-olds staying on in full-time education at schools, tertiary and colleges of further education for the academic year 1987–88 is shown in the following table:

  116-year-olds

  217-year-olds

  Clwyd

  47

  31

  Dyfed

  54

  40

  Gwent

  47

  31

  Gwynedd

  52

  37

  Mid Glamorgan

  47

  31

  Powys

  55

  36

  South Glamorgan

  51

  33

  West Glamorgan

  52

  34

  Wales

  50

  33

  1 As a percentage of 15-year-old pupils in schools in the academic year 1986–87.

  2 As a percentage of 15-year-old pupils in schools in the academic year 1985–86.

  School Attendance Rates
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for the latest year for which figures are available the school attendance rate for(a) the years one to five secondary school, (b) fourth-year secondary pupils, (c) fifth-year secondary pupils and (d) primary schools for each Welsh local education authority.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Information in the form requested is not collected centrally. However, data in respect of primary and secondary school attendance as a whole on a census day in September 1988 are as follows:

  Percentage of pupils on role in attendance

  Secondary

  Primary

  Clwyd

  91

  88

  Dyfed

  90

  90

  Gwent

  90

  89

  Gwynedd

  90

  92

  693

  Secondary

  Primary

  Mid Glamorgan

  85

  89

  Powys

  92

  94

  South Glamorgan

  88

  88

  West Glamorgan

  86

  84

  General Practitioners (Remuneration)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average remuneration per general practitioner in(a) each family practitioner committee area, (b) urban areas, (c) rural areas and (d) Wales as a whole.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is not readily available centrally. The review body on doctors and dentists' remuneration recommends the level of general medical practitioners' income. In 1989–90 the average gross income of GMPs in the United Kingdom is intended to be £60,000. This figure reflects the review body's recommendation in respect of GM Ps' net income and indirectly reimbursed expenses which the Government have accepted in full, plus estimated directly reimbursed expenses. The recommended average net income is £31,105.

  Try-butyl-tin
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what tests have been conducted in the Milford Haven and the river Cleddau to ascertain pollution caused by Try-butyl-tin (TBT); and what were the results.

  Mr. Grist
  This is a matter for the Welsh water authority and the information is not held by the Welsh Office.

HEALTH

  NHS (Reform)
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many permanent consultant posts, inclusive of the addition of 100 in the White Paper proposals, he estimates will be in place by the late 1990s; what is the estimated cost of this programme; how the cost of additional consultants is shown in forward National Health Service spending plans; and if he will make a statement.

  Change in population between 1990 and 2000

  Thousands

  Total

  (1)

  (2)

  North

  75 and over

  28·4

  25·0

  3·4

  85 and over

  15·5

  14·8

  0·7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  75 and over

  26·1

  29·7

  -3·6

  85 and over

  23·7

  24·8

  -1·1

  East Midlands

  75 and over

  39·0

  35·0

  4·0

  85 and over

  23·1

  22·1

  0·9

  East Anglia

  75 and over

  28·3

  16·6

  11·6

  85 and over

  17·5

  14·3

  3·2

  South East

  75 and over

  97·5

  123·0

  -25·6

  85 and over

  93·5

  100·7

  -7·1

  Greater London

  75 and over

  -14·2

  37·1

  -51·3

  85 and over

  24·6

  39·5

  -14·9

  Rest of South East

  75 and over

  111·7

  85·9

  25·7

  85 and over

  69·0

  61·2

  7·8

  South West

  75 and over

  46·7

  26·6

  20·1

  85 and over

  38·6

  32·5

  6·1

  West Midlands

  75 and over

  49·6

  54·9

  -5·3

  85 and over

  26·6

  28·1

  -1·5

  North West

  75 and over

  21·5

  26·7

  -5·2

  694
  Mr. Mellor
  The projections prepared for "Hospital Medical Staffing—Achieving a Balance—Plan for Action" published in October 1987 suggested that the number of consultants in England and Wales in 1998 would be 19,473. The 100 new consultants announced in "Working for Patients" are not included in this figure.

  Expenditure on consultants is not separately identified in NHS spending plans.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health with respect to the support grades in his Department(a) what is the number of staff employed, (b) how many vacancies there are and how many of these have existed for over one month and over three months, (c) how many temporary and casual appointments there are and (d) how much overtime was worked by them in London and elsewhere.

  Mr. Mellor
  The figures are:

  Figures

  (a) The number of staff employed

  325

  (b) The number of vacancies:

  i. currently

  9

  ii. that have existed for over one month

  8

  iii. that have existed for over three months

  3

  (c) The number of casual appointments at present

  28

  The number of limited period appointments currently

  8

  (d) The amount of overtime worked by them during March 1989, all within the London pay area

  2,518·5 hours

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caernarfon of 18 April,Official Report, column 122, if he will analyse the total population growth by standard region between 1990 and 2000 for people (a) over 75 years of age and (b) over 85 years of age, as between (i) the growth caused by projections of existing population and (ii) the change caused by net movements of population.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is in the table.
  695

  Total

  (1)

  (2)

  85 and over

  27·6

  29·0

  -1·4

  Wales

  75 and over

  29·5

  30·4

  -0·9

  85 and over

  16·0

  16·1

  -0·1

  Figures may not add due to rounding.

  (1) The change caused by projections of existing population.

  (2) The change caused by net movement of population.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what current channels of communication he uses to keep in touch with opinion among practising dentists in the general dental service in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Mellor
  Apart from the Department's standing dental advisory committee, the Department's chief dental officer, who is a member of the General Dental Council keeps, in close touch with the academic and professional leaders of the dental profession. Officials maintain close relations with the officers and senior officials of the British Dental Association and negotiate with the general dental services committee which represents all general dental practitioners.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Handicapped People (Claims)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what information his Department makes available to people who are mentally handicapped and their families about any benefits that they may be entitled to;

  (2) if he intends to make any special efforts to ensure that people who are mentally handicapped receive all the benefits that they are entitled to;

  (3) if mentally handicapped persons who claim severe disablement allowance are automatically advised of the possibility that they may be entitled to claim income support.

  Mr. Scott
  People who are mentally handicapped qualify for benefits under the same criteria as people suffering from other disabilities so the same steps are taken to help them, and those who are acting for them, to claim the benefits to which they may be entitled. Information about these benefits is available in a range of leaflets from Social Security offices, and the freeline telephone inquiry service.

  The leaflet about severe disablement allowance, which includes the claim form, draws attention to the possibility of claiming income support. Additionally, all young people, under age 18, who claim the allowance are issued with a leaflet about income support, and an explanation of how to claim it, unless it is clear that they have already done so.

  Transitional Payments
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in receipt of benefit were entitled to transitional payments in 1988; and how many in the current year in(a) Huddersfield and (b) Dewsbury.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 6 March at column 445.

  Disabled People (Charity Advertising)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will draw up a code of practice to regulate charity advertising about disabled people.

  Mr. Scott
  There are no present plans to draw up such a code of practice.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Road Drainage (Claim)
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claims regarding road drainage have been made against(a) Belfast divisional roads service and (b) Ballymena divisional roads service during the last three financial years; and how many of these claims were (i) decided by the courts and (ii) settled out of court.

  Mr. Needham
  Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Sheep
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of maedi-visna disease in sheep have been recorded by the Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland, in each of the years from 1980 to 1988, in each of the parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  There have been no clinical cases of maedi-visna disease in sheep recorded in each of the years from 1980 to 1988 in any of the Parliamentary constituencies of Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are being taken to ensure that all sheep imported into Northern Ireland are tested for maedi-visna disease.

  Mr. Viggers
  Sheep may be imported into Northern Ireland only if they meet stringent licensing conditions. These conditions require resting for maedi-visna disease in pre-import and post-import isolation, except where the sheep come from fully accredited maedi-visna-free flocks in the country of origin.

  There are no maedi-visna testing requirements for sheep from the Republic of Ireland which, like Northern Ireland, is regarded as maedi-visna free.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of sheep imported into Northern Ireland in each of the years since 1980; and what were the individual breeds.

  Mr. Viggers
  The information is as follows:
  697

  Number

  1980

  88,014

  1981

  105,314

  1982

  42,863

  1983

  41,403

  1984

  58,971

  1985

  67,274

  1986

  57,249

  1987

  77,175

  1988

  55.535

  The records available do not indicate the individual breeds.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sheep were quarantined in Northern Ireland in each of the years since 1980.

  Mr. Viggers
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  1980

  531

  1981

  440

  1983

  500

  1984

  400

  1985

  341

  Year

  Antrim

  Armagh

  Down

  Fermanagh

  Londonderry

  Tyrone

  Total

  1980

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1981

  —

  —

  13,173

  2,241

  7,226

  1,466

  24,106

  1982

  20,553

  23,743

  38,656

  101,771

  46,968

  151,280

  382,971

  1983

  134,863

  196,344

  197,546

  386,516

  198,696

  333,162

  1,447,127

  1984

  261,115

  366,192

  203,254

  782,518

  327,484

  838,121

  2,778,684

  1985

  356,332

  677,989

  353,037

  1,076,299

  488,054

  1,433,728

  4,385,439

  1986

  1,010,000

  1,386,458

  707,924

  1,882,423

  863,477

  3,335,010

  9,185,292

  1987

  1,220,903

  2,158,513

  459,335

  2,105,015

  963,866

  3,782,671

  10,690,303

  11988

  420,719

  1,344,994

  270,874

  1,263,507

  501,118

  2,132,351

  5,933,563

  1 Three quarters only.

  Agricultural Development Programme
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount, in grants, paid out by the Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland, under

  Northern Ireland ADP expenditure 1982–83 to 1988–89

  £ million

  Counties

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Total

  Antrim

  4·978

  3·241

  3·088

  1·926

  1·390

  0·585

  0·242

  15·45

  Armagh

  1·063

  1·110

  1·585

  1·304

  0·817

  0·961

  0·357

  7·197

  Down

  0·272

  0·441

  0·481

  0·484

  0·417

  0·362

  0·071

  2·528

  Fermanagh

  12·040

  10·107

  12·215

  5·760

  3·299

  1·475

  0·226

  45·122

  Londonderry

  3·614

  2·077

  2·292

  1·210

  0·794

  0·543

  0·190

  10·72

  Tyrone

  6·536

  4·658

  7·074

  2·952

  2·391

  0·980

  0·465

  25·056

  28·503

  21·634

  26·735

  13·636

  9·108

  4·906

  1·551

  106·073

  Diversification Grant Scheme
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount, in grants, paid out by the Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland, under the farm diversification grant scheme in each of the years since 1980 to applicants from each of the parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  The farm diversification grant scheme was introduced on 1 January 1988. In 1988 there was one payment which amounted to £5,391·52 in county Antrim.
  698

  Number

  1986

  66

  1987

  170

  1988

  196

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many flocks of sheep in Northern Ireland have been maedi-visna tested.

  Mr. Viggers
  A total of 418 flocks of sheep in Northern Ireland have been maedi-visna tested. These are flocks which joined the voluntary Northern Ireland maedi-visna register of accredited flocks.

  Agriculture and Horticulture Development Scheme
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount, in grants, paid out by the Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland, under the agriculture and horticulture development scheme in each of the years since 1980, to applicants from each of the parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  The information requested is not available by parliamentary constituency. It has been given, however, by county.

  the Northern Ireland agricultural development programme, in each of the years since 1982, to applicants from each of the parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  The information requested is not available by parliamentary constituency. It has been given by county.

  Grassland Scheme
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount, in grants, paid out by the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland, under the grassland scheme (N.I.) in each of the years since 1987 to applicants from each of the parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  The information requested is not available by parliamentary constituency. It has been given by county.
  699

  Counties

  Grant 1987–88

  Grant 1988–89

  Antrim

  130,714

  11,480

  Armagh

  89,249

  8,716

  Down

  117,247

  25,718

  Fermanagh

  70,927

  1,106

  Londonderry

  135,925

  7,132

  Tyrone

  284,272

  12,347

  Total

  828,334

  66,499

  Bridging Allowance
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people completed their eight-week eligibility period for bridging allowance during March 1989.

  Mr. Viggers
  Information concerning bridging allowance recipients is not held in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people exhausted their eight-week bridging allowance payment during October 1988, November 1988, December 1988, January 1989, February 1989 and March 1989.

  Mr. Viggers
  Information concerning bridging allowance recipients is not held in the form requested and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  YTS
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many YTS places remained unfilled at the end of September 1988, October 1988, November 1988, December 1988, January 1989, February 1989 and March 1989.

  Mr. Viggers
  The Northern Ireland equivalent of YTS is the youth training programme (YTP). The number of training places unfilled in each month is as follows:

  Number

  September 1988

  1,024

  October 1988

  796

  November 1988

  887

  December 1988

  912

  January 1989

  1,201

  February 1989

  1,436

  March 1989

  2,078

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were on YTS schemes at the end of September 1988, October 1988, November 1988, December 1988, January 1989, February 1989 and March 1989.

  Mr. Viggers
  The number of participants in the youth training programme in each month is as follows:

  Number

  September 1988

  14,596

  October 1988

  14,562

  November 1988

  14,306

  December 1988

  13,255

  January 1989

  12,585

  February 1989

  11,995

  March 1989

  11,418

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Notifiable Offences (Mansfield)
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish current figures for notifiable offences recorded by the police in the Mansfield area, by offence, showing the percentage change over the most convenient period.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information readily available to the Home Office is for recorded crime in the Nottinghamshire police force area in 1988 and was published in Home Office statistical bulletin 7/89 on 16 March 1989 (Table 8 shows changes over 1987 by offence group for each police force area.) More detailed information, for areas within Nottinghamshire such as Mansfield, will be published later in the year in the report of the chief constable for Nottinghamshire. Copies of these publications will be available in the Library.

  Hillsborough Disaster
  Mr. Beaumont-Dark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will meet the costs accruing to the West Midlands police authority of the participation of West Midlands police officers in the investigation of the Hillsborough disaster, and of arranging policing cover in the West Midlands as a result of these duties.

  Mr. Hurd
  As I said in a letter which I sent to my hon. Friend yesterday, no additional costs will be borne by the West Midlands police authority. "Additional costs" include the cost of overtime worked by the west midlands police officers in their own force area to cover duties which would otherwise have been undertaken by officers seconded to the Hillsborough inquiry. The means of reimbursing the West Midlands police authority will be for further consideration.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last three years on charges arising from the misuse of alphachloralose.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  This information is not available centrally.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the officers of his Department in each grade from 1 to 7 are(a) women and (b) members of ethnic minorities; and what proportion each such figure represents of the total numbers of officers at that grade.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  According to the latest available figures, in the unified grades 1 to 7 there are two women at grade 3, 15 at grade 5, three at grade 6 and 73 at grade 7. The proportions in each grade were provided in my earlier reply of 20 April. There are in addition 33 women in grades equivalent to grades 1 to 7.

  In the unified grades nine members of staff in grades 6 and 7 described themselves as of ethnic minority origin. This represents 2 per cent. of respondents to staff surveys in these grades. Twenty-seven senior medical offices and

  701
  medical officers who are in grades equivalent to grades 5 and 6 described themselves as of ethnic minority origin. This represents 30 per cent. of respondents in these grades.

  Personal Identity Numbers
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to bring forward proposals whereby all individuals would have a personal identity number; and what representations he has received on the matter.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have no such plan and have received no such representations.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Government Debt
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if all repayments of debt arising from his recent Budget decisions have now been made.

  Mr. Lilley
  No.

  Trade Deficit
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the balance of trade deficit in the current year.

  Mr. Major
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 19 April at column 168.

  Investment Capital (Annual Return)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the estimated annual return on investment capital for each year since 1970.

  Mr. Major
  The information requested is as follows:

  Net real rate of return1 for non-North sea industrial and commercial companies

  (per cent.)

  1970

  8·9

  1971

  9·2

  1972

  9·5

  1973

  8·9

  1974

  5·3

  1975

  4·2

  1976

  4·3

  1977

  6·7

  1978

  7·1

  1979

  5·6

  1980

  3·8

  1981

  2·8

  1982

  4·0

  1983

  4·9

  1984

  5·6

  1985

  7·2

  1986

  8·9

  1987

  10·2

  1Net operating surplus on United Kingdom operations as a percentage of net capital stock of fixed assets before investment and tax at current replacement cost.

  Source: Department of Trade and Industry: published in "British Business" on 30 September 1988.

  Computers
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on all recorded cases of unauthorised access to the computer files of(a) the Treasury and (b) the Inland Revenue.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: It is not the policy of the Treasury or the Inland Revenue to make public details and circumstances of computer security incidents, their perpetrators and their success or failure, since such information might be of assistance to potential attackers.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give details of his Department's policy on review of the security of Treasury and Inland Revenue computer files;

  (2) if he can quantify the risk of damage by hackers to sensitive computerised files in the Treasury and Inland Revenue;

  (3) what measures (a) the Tresury and (b) the Inland Revenue have taken to protect data in transit by electronic means.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: The Treasury and the Inland Revenue take advice from the appropriate Government authorities on security matters. In the case of unclassified but sensitive data this includes the CCTA IT security and privacy group (part of Her Majesty's Treasury) which is the central Government advisory authority in this area. It would not be sensible to publish details of actual counter-measures, reviews and risks.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether staff of the Treasury and Inland Revenue, respectively, are briefed about computer hacking and computer viruses; whether there are contingency plans to deal with computer downtime caused by unauthorised penetration; and whether plans exist to deal with penetration of particularly sensitive systems.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: The Treasury and Inland Revenue have contingency plans and staff eduction programmes as part of their wider information systems strategy, but their effectiveness would he reduced if details were made public.

  Petrol Prices
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the additional revenue yield from the recent rises in petrol prices; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 24 April 19891: I regret that it is not possible to make a reliable estimate of the change in the revenue yield from recent petrol price rises.

  EC Finance Ministers
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met Finance Ministers of the other European Economic Community member states; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich (Mr. Bowden) on 21 April 1989.

  EC (Economic and Monetary Union)
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards economic and monetary union within the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich (Mr. Bowden) on 21 April at column 327 and to the exchange between my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House and my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Butler) on 18 April at column 181.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received seeking the removal of value added tax zero rating on goods and clothes sold in charity shops.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 27 April 1989]; None.

  Government Departments (Dispersal)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about moving Government Departments to the north-west; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 27 April 1989]: I have received a number of letters supporting the relocation of Government Departments to the north-west, including two from my hon. Friend. With regard to a statement, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Beverley (Mr. Cran) on 9 February 1989 at columns 751–52.

SCOTLAND

  EC Assistance
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the total amounts of European regional development fund moneys allocated to Scotland in(a) 1988 and (b) 1983 to 1988, inclusive.

  Mr. Lang
  Awards of £94·9 million were secured in 1988. For the six years 1983 to 1988 total awards of £527·6 million were made.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the geographical areas or functions in Scotland which are currently eligible for moneys from(a) the European regional development fund and (b) the European social fund.

  Mr. Lang
  The following areas have been designated under objective 2 (industrial regions) of the reformed structural funds and are therefore eligible for European regional development fund support:the travel-to-work areas of Dumbarton, Greenock, Irvine, Glasgow, Kilmarnock, Lanarkshire, Cumnock and Sanquhar, Ayr, Girvan, Dundee, Arbroath, Falkirk, Alloa, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy and Bathgate; the wards of Argyll, Cornton, Gowanhill, Ballangeich, Kings Park, Torbrex, Borestone, Ladywell, Polmaise, Sauchenford, Whins and Logie in the travel-to-work area of Stirling.

  In addition, the Government have submitted cases in favour of objective 5(b) (rural areas) designation for the
  704
  Highlands and Islands, the intermediate areas of Dumfries and Galloway, the Borders, the eastern part of Dumfries and Galloway, and the rural parts of Grampian, Tayside and Central. The European Commission is expected soon to announce its decision on rural areas' eligibility.

  Under the reform of the European social fund, which takes full effect in 1990, operations under objective 3 (combating long-term unemployment) and objective 4 (facilitating the occupational integration of young people) apply throughout the Community. Employment and vocational training measures located in objective 2 and 5(b) areas, which meet certain criteria, are also eligible for assistance. For 1989 applications are being dealt with under the previous fund guidelines.

  Fishing Methods
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has completed his review of the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of Fishing and Fishing Methods) (Scotland) Order 1985; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  We have carried out detailed consultations with the fishing industry during the past year on possible changes to the fishing regime in Scottish inshore waters. Having considered all the arguments, we have today issued a consultation paper, which will receive wide circulation, setting out our proposals for change. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library. Comments on the proposals from interested parties have been requested by 2 June. Once these have been considered we expect to lay before the House a new order under the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984.

  Tourism
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether in the light of the review of the English tourist board and the British tourist authority, he has any plans to withdraw assistance from tourism projects in Scotland.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have no such plans.

ENERGY

  Petrol
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will(a) halt petrol imports and (b) put a price freeze on petrol sales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  No.

  British Nuclear Fuels plc
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to reassess the level of accountability of British Nuclear Fuels plc to Parliament in light of the National Audit Office report "Department of Energy: Monitoring and Control of British Nuclear Fuels plc," dated 5 April.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government are awaiting the report of the Public Accounts Committee on this matter and will respond in due course.
  705

  Fawley Power Station
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on the application by the Central Electricity Generating Board to build a coal-fired power station at Fawley B.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Central Electricity Generating Board formally withdrew the application on 30 March.

  Radioactive Material
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if Her Majesty's Government will give permission to the European Commission to disclose details of safeguarded uranium at United Kingdom-based military-civil mixed facilities.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, if he will set out the current plans to repatriate the low and intermediate level radioactive waste to Japan from reprocessing contracts signed for THORP since 1976.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  BNFL's post-1976 reprocessing contracts provide for the return of wastes after they have been put into a form suitable for safe transportation and storage.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on the volumes of reprocessed plutonium and uranium likely to arise from British Nuclear Fuels plc's pre-1976 contracts; and what plans there are for(a) the length of time, (b) the conditions and (c) the security conditions under which this will be stored.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Approximately 2,900 tonnes of recovered uranium and 9 tonnes of recovered plutonium (fissile) have arisen, or are likely to arise, from overseas reprocessing contracts entered into before 1976 by British Nuclear Fuels plc. These materials are stored under secure conditions until required by the owners and are subject to appropriate IAEA and Euratom safeguards procedures.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many parliamentary answers he has given on plutonium in the periods(a) 1979 to 1984 and (b) 1985 to 1989, respectively.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Between May 1979 and December 1984, Ministers at the Department of Energy gave 75 answers to hon. Members in reply to questions relating to plutonium. From January 1985 onwards the total is 228.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Pesticides
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information his Department has on the incidence of poisoning of domestic pets by substances containing alphachloralose.

  Mr. Ryder
  In the last five years the number of cases in which the death or illness of domestic pets has been attributed to alphachloralose are as follows:

  Incidents

  1984

  3

  1985

  6

  1986

  6

  706

  Incidents

  1987

  6

  1988

  4

  In all of these cases the domestic pet involved has been either a cat or a dog.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what controls exist on the stockpiling and sale of substances containing alphachloralose;

  (2) what criteria have to be met by individuals wishing to obtain permission for the purchase of alphachloralose compounds for pest control.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 require that any substance containing alphachloralose stored or sold as a pesticide must first be approved by Ministers and supplied to users in approved containers and under approved labels.

  All those selling, supplying or storing a pesticide must take all reasonable precautions to protect human health, animals and plants and must be competent in the duties they perform. In addition, employers must ensure that employees have been adequately trained.

  Additional requirements apply under the poisons law, restricting sale of alphachloralose with some exceptions to retail pharmacies or sellers listed by the local authority. A record must be kept of sales from retail pharmacies and for most exempted sales and the purchaser must be a person to whom it may properly be sold. Storage requirements to prevent unauthorised access and contamination of foodstuffs apply to retail shops and associated premises.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has any information relating to human fatalities resulting from alphachloralose poisoning from agricultural and related uses.

  Mr. Ryder
  This question falls more to the Department of Employment than to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. However, the latest figures available to me show that there have been no human fatalities resulting from alphachloralose poisoning from agricultural or related use.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether alphachloralose has any agricultural uses.

  Mr. Ryder
  Some alphachloralose-containing products are approved for use as stupefying bait for the taking of feral pigeons and house sparrows for the purposes of preventing agricultural damage or preserving public health. This use is controlled by licensing under Section 16(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

  Other alphachloralose-containing products are approved for use as rodenticides.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his Department's guidance on the use of alphachloralose-based pesticides.

  Mr. Ryder
  In the case of alphachloralose being used as stupefying bait, my Department issues detailed guidelines which are contained in the form LP46 which is distributed to those taking part in operations. There are also
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  conditions of use set out on the actual licence. Further guidance is available from MAFF's wildlife and storage biology discipline at the relevant MAFF regional office.

  In the case of alphachloralose being used as a rodenticide, statutory conditions of use are imposed on alphachloralose pesticide products approved under the Control of Pesticide Regulations 1986. The approved label and/or leaflet will include such information as field of use, maximum individual dose, operator and environmental protection measures and first aid advice.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions during each of the last three years he has initiated action following illegal use of alphachloralose-based pesticides.

  Mr. Ryder
  All cases of illegal use of alphachloralosebased pesticides are investigated under the Ministry's wildlife incident investigation scheme. In the last three years the number of cases involving alphachloralose investigated under this scheme are as follows:

  Incidents

  1986

  17

  1987

  22

  1988

  18

  Irradiated Food
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce legislation to permit irradiated food to be sold in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Ryder
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 21 February at column 600.

PRIME MINISTER

  Arms Control
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what response she has made to President Gorbachev on the decision he announced in London on 7 April to end Soviet production of highly enriched uranium and weapons grade plutonium for military purposes.

  The Prime Minister
  None. The decisions announced by President Gorbachev do not affect the Soviet Union's weapons capability, because they hold stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and weapons-grade plutonium. Neither of these materials decays significantly. In addition, not all the reactors which can produce military plutonium are being shut down.

  Policy Failures
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the policy failures of Her Majesty's Government since May 1979; and if she will give the reasons identified for the failure in each case.

  The Prime Minister
  This Government's policies have been successful.