Written Answers of 4 December 1989

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Golden Shares
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will outline Government policy concerning golden shares held by his Department.

  Mr. Redwood
  Policy in respect of each special share is a matter for the Secretary of State holding that share, consulting colleagues as necessary.

  In the case of the special shares held by my right hon. Friend, decisions on the rights attached to these shares will depend on the particular circumstances of each company.

  Financial Services Act
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to ensure that the Financial Services Act is being operated to the benefit of the investor.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to ensure that the Financial Services Act is being operated to the benefit of the investor.

  Mr. Redwood
  I believe that the Financial Services Act has already brought benefits for investors, not least the SIB compensation scheme. However, investors also benefit financially when regulation of the firms with which they deal is least burdensome, and the amendments introduced in the new Companies Act should make the system of investor protection more flexible and cost-effective.

  Regional Infrastructure Investment
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about regional infrastructure investment.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend and I are well aware of the concern in the regions about the quality of regional infrastructure, particularly in relation to transport links with the single market and the Channel tunnel. These are matters on which we make our views known to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport, and colleagues at the Department of Transport.

  CBI
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next plans to meet representatives of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the prospects for British business.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My Department maintains regular and frequent contacts with the Confederation of British Industry at all levels on a wide range of business matters.

  Cheshire Business and Innovation Centre
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the funding of the Cheshire business and innovation centre; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have received representations from my hon. Friend and others who have asked far money from the European regional development fund to be made available for the Cheshire business and innovation centre.

  The eligibility of Cheshire business and innovation centre for support from the European regional development fund will be decided in the light of a Community support framework which will determine the level of overall funding for an area and the priorities for support. Discussions on this are currently taking place.

  Uranium
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what quantity of uranium has been imported to Britain from Africa since 1979; and what were the national sources of these materials.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is confidential and cannot be published.

  Coffins
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will ask the Director-General of Fair Trading to investigate the price of coffins.

  Mr. Redwood
  If the hon. Member has any evidence of monopoly abuse or anti-competitive or restrictive trade practices which may be affecting the price of such goods he should draw it to the attention of the Director-General of Fair Trading direct.

  Footwear Industry
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement regarding the present state of the British footwear industry.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My Department is fully aware of the difficulties facing United Kingdom footwear manufacturers and of their continuing concern over low-cost imports, particularly from the Far East. The findings and recommendations of the Commission's Community-wide investigation into imports of footwear from Taiwan and South Korea have been circulated to member states. Those recommendations are now being urgently examined and we will reach a decision on appropriate action for the United Kingdom as soon as possible.

  Industrial Assistance
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the aid given by his Department to firms in Tameside and Stockport.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Aid to firms in Tameside and Stockport, available from the Department of Trade and Industry under the Enterprise Initiative, is as follows:

  The Consultancy Initiative
  Encourages small and medium sized firms to develop their key management activities by making use of private sector

  3
  consultancy. In Stockport (a non-assisted area) and Tameside (an assisted area), the DTI will pay half and two thirds, respectively, of the costs of consultancy;

  The Regional Initiative
  Provides selective assistance for investment projects undertaken by firms located in assisted areas, such as Tameside. The regional initiative does not apply in Stockport or other non-assisted areas;

  The Export Initiative
  Offers a comprehensive range of support and advisory services to help firms and businesses develop their markets overseas;

  The Research and Technology Initiative
  Seeks to support and encourage collaborative research partnerships between business and centres of academic excellence. Additionally, through the annual small firms merit award for research and technology provides financial help to assist with the costs of developing new and novel business ideas.

  The Enterprise and Education Initiative
  Aims to strengthen and develop at the local level the interface between business employers and schools.
  Additionally, firms in Tameside and Stockport can benefit from a broad range of support and technical services available from the DTI either to complement action taken under the Enterprise Initiative, or separately.

  House of Fraser
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy on publishing the House of Fraser report(a) once legal proceedings arising out of it are completed and (b) after the serious fraud squad indicates that no prosecutions are appropriate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has made it clear that it is his intention to publish the report at the earliest possible moment consistent with the even-handed administration of justice.

  Hi-tech Industries
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives he plans for the improvement of hi-tech British industries.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government's major initiative for helping United Kingdom hi-tech companies is LINK which supports collaborative projects of strategic research involving companies and science base institutions. There are now 21 LINK programmes in various fields with a total value of almost £300 million, of which Government will contribute 50 per cent. Within these programmes, over 500 projects are in the pipeline. Further programmes will be announced in due course.

  Companies Act Investigations
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, for each investigation by his Department since May 1979 into United Kingdom companies, he will list(a) the name of the company investigated, (b) the date inspectors were appointed, (c) the date the inspectors reported to his Department, (d) whether prosecution was recommended, (e) the amount of fraud involved, (f) whether and when prosecution followed, (g) the outcome of the prosecution, (h) the date the inspectors' report was made public, (i) whether it was published in full or only in part, (j) the costs of the investigation and (k) the costs of the prosecution.
  4
  Mr. Redwood
  This information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Information about Companies Act investigations is contained in the annual report prepared in accordance with the provisions of section 729 of the Companies Act 1985. Copies of the report are placed in the Library. Further information will be available in my Department's memorandum on DTI investigations provided to the Trade and Industry Select Committee which will be published by the Committee in due course. There have been 56 inspections under sections 432 and 442 since 1979.

  Output Statistics
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the increases in real total output, as expressed in index numbers, for the following sectors between the latest available figures and the same period or periods in 1973: steel, heavy and light, bricks, cement, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, construction, textiles and engineering.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Percentage changes in output for the sectors concerned (or, in some cases, the nearest approximation for which figures are available) are given in the following table. The periods of comparison, unless otherwise stated, are the first three quarters of 1973 and 1989 respectively.

  Percentage change

  Crude steel

  1-27

  Bricks

  -31

  Cement

  -15

  Motor vehicles and parts

  -36

  Construction

  2+3

  Textiles

  -35

  Mechanical engineering

  -10

  Electrical, electronic and instrument engineering

  +69

  1 1989 quarter 1 and 2 compared with 1973 quarter 1 and 2.

  2 1988 compared with 1973.

  Enterprise Initiative
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish(a) tables showing the number of projects and total expenditure in each standard region under the enterprise initiative in each case expressed also as a percentage of the national total of expenditure and projects approved and (b) similar tables for each programme within the enterprise initiative.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: The Enterprise Initiative is a comprehensive package of DTI services, including the consultancy initiatives, regional selective assistance (RSA), regional enterprise grants (REG), collaborative research programmes, the small firms merit award for research and technology (SMART), the enterprise and education initiative, the managing into the '90s programme and the export initiative.

  The information requested for project based programmes is as follows:

  5

  Number of Consultancy Initiative Projects Approved and Total Actual Expenditure from 13 January 1988 to 31 October 1989

  DTI Region/Country

  Approved Projects

  Per cent.

  Actual expenditure (£'000)

  Per cent.

  Total

  26,453

  57,887

  NE

  1,370

  5·2

  2,891

  5·0

  NW

  4,126

  15·6

  10,859

  18·8

  YH

  2,506

  9·5

  5,974

  10·3

  WM

  2,741

  10·4

  6,803

  11·8

  EM

  1,693

  6·4

  3,511

  6·1

  SW

  2,153

  8·1

  4,074

  7·0

  SE

  8,326

  31·5

  14,642

  25·3

  SDA

  2,115

  8·0

  5,680

  9·8

  WDA

  1,423

  5·4

  3,453

  6·0

  Notes:

  1. A similar breakdown is not applicable to the Enterprise and Education Initiative, the Managing into the '90s programme or the Export Initiative, as these programmes do not offer individual project assistance to firms.

  2. Information is provided by DTI Region and for Scotland and Wales as it is not available by standard economic region.

  Number of regional selective assistance projects approved and total actual expenditure from 13 January 1988 to 31 October 1989

  DTI Region/Country

  Approved Projects

  Per cent.

  Actual expenditure (£'000)

  Per cent.

  Total

  2,836

  36,467

  North East

  382

  13·5

  6,177

  16·9

  North West

  551

  19·4

  5,092

  14·0

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  251

  8·9

  3,436

  9·4

  West Midlands

  799

  28·2

  6,037

  16·6

  East Midlands

  38

  1·3

  211

  0·6

  South West

  104

  3·7

  1,107

  3·0

  South East

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Scottish Development Agency

  386

  13·6

  8,045

  22·1

  Welsh Development Agency

  325

  11·5

  6,362

  17·4

  Number of regional enterprise grants projects approved and total actual expenditure from 1 April 1988 to 31 October 1989

  DTI Region/Country

  Approved Projects

  Per cent.

  Actual expenditure (£'000)

  Per cent.

  Total

  2,713

  5,264

  North East

  738

  27·2

  1,286

  24·4

  North West

  528

  19·5

  1,108

  21·0

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  344

  12·7

  788

  15·0

  West Midlands1

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  East Midlands

  59

  2·2

  145

  2·8

  South West

  212

  7·8

  272

  5·2

  South East

  0

  0·0

  0

  0·0

  Scottish Development Agency

  476

  17·5

  1,036

  19·7

  Welsh Development Agency

  356

  13·1

  629

  11·9

  1No assisted areas in the West Midlands.

  Number of Small Firms Merit Awards for research and technology projects approved and total actual expenditure from 13 January 1988 to 31 October 1989

  DTI Region/Country

  Approved Projects

  Per cent.

  Actual expenditure (£'000)

  Per cent.

  Total

  347

  —

  13,502

  —

  North East

  27

  7·8

  1,024

  7·6

  North West

  34

  9·8

  1,335

  9·9

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  23

  6·6

  896

  6·6

  West Midlands

  37

  10·7

  1,471

  10·9

  East Midlands

  30

  8·6

  1,164

  8·6

  South West

  38

  11·0

  1,453

  10·8

  South East

  96

  27·7

  3,773

  27·9

  Scottish Development Association

  27

  7·8

  1,024

  7·6

  Welsh Development Association

  35

  10·1

  1,362

  10·1

  67

  Number of Collaborative Research Projects approved and total actual expenditure from 13 January 1988 to 31 October 1989

  DTI Region/Country

  Approved Projects

  Per cent.

  Actual expenditure (£'000)

  Per cent.

  Total

  396

  —

  97,416

  —

  North East

  3

  0·8

  683

  0·7

  North West

  34

  8·6

  9,476

  9·7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  21

  5·3

  3,977

  4·1

  West Midlands

  55

  13·9

  13,250

  13·6

  East Midlands

  45

  11·4

  4,700

  4·8

  South West

  18

  4·5

  5,526

  5·7

  Eastern

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South East

  212

  53·5

  59,127

  60·7

  Scottish Development Association

  8

  2·0

  677

  0·7

  Welsh Development Association

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Research and Development
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the size of the research and development budget for each year since 1979 and the proportion of this budget spent in developing defence technology.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 30 November 1989] : Department of Trade and Industry spend on science and technology since 1979 is as follows:

  £ million

  1979–80

  245

  1980–81

  252

  1981–82

  286

  1982–83

  283

  1983–84

  400

  1984–85

  436

  1985–86

  458

  1986–87

  462

  1987–88

  418

  11988–89

  407

  1 Estimated.

  Notes

  (1) Before June 1983 figures relate to Department of Industry.

  (2) Source of figures: Cabinet Office annual review of Government funded research and development.

  There is no proportion of the budget spent in developing defence technology. Some limited support of research at Ministry of Defence establishments is carried out to promote civil applications of defence technology.

  Telecommunications
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration his Department has given to the future deregulation of telecommunications; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: The regulatory framework for telecommunications is established by the Telecommunications Act 1984 and certain policy statements made at that time. I have no current plans to make significant changes to this framework. I shall, however, continue to look for further opportunities within the framework for increasing competition.

  Footwear
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to investigate the dumping and subsidisation of imports of ladies footwear from various far eastern countries.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: No. Under the Community's anti-dumping and anti-subsidy legislation it is the European Commission that carries out investigations in response to complaints from the Community industries affected. The Commission has recently completed an investigation into safeguard action against certain footwear imports from Taiwan and South Korea and has invited the views of member states.

  Korea (Treatment of Animals)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will raise with the President of Korea during his visit to the United Kingdom for trade talks his country's treatment of dogs and cats intended for human consumption and the need to end such practices before stronger trade links are developed.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 1 December 1989]: While I share the hon. Member's concern about cruelty to animals, wherever it may occur, it is not an appropriate subject for trade talks. I am sure that the President of Korea will have noted the strong and justified views of the British public which were publicised extensively during his visit.

  Information Engineering Technology Programme
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement as to the reason for the delays in the allocation of funds to projects in the information engineering advanced technology programme.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 1 December 1989]: About 80 per cent. of the offers under the first round of this programme have now been made. I am very conscious of the need to get the outstanding projects under way as soon as possible.

  A major reason why offers have been delayed is that many companies have been slow to provide supporting information to explain the basis of their costs or to demonstrate their viability. Furthermore, many research consortia have needed reorganisation, following decisions by individual partners not to pursue the project as

  9
  originally proposed. The Department tries to be helpful in such cases and allow a reasonable time for a revised proposal to be submitted.

  Liability Insurance
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to require all building surveyors to show proof of adequate liability insurance prior to any property surveying work being undertaken for members of the public.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I have been asked to reply. This proposal, which reflects a recommendation in the Government's recent report on professional liability, will be examined as legislative opportunities become available.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. John L. Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current level of British aid to Zimbabwe.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In 1988 British gross bilateral aid to Zimbabwe amounted to more than £24 million, including assistance by the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

  Ethiopia
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in the light of reports of famine in rebel-held areas of Ethiopia, how Her Majesty's Government will ensure that food supplies they provide will get through to those who need them.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The food that we have supplied to rebel-held areas has been channelled through British non-governmental organisations with proven capacity to deliver it to those in need. We propose to continue using these channels.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further steps he intends to take to alleviate the famine in Ethiopia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) on 4 December.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what food aid is provided by Britain to the Tigre area of Ethiopia; and what steps are being taken to make sure supplies reach their destination.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on emergency food supplies provided from British Government funds to Tigre and the surrounding area.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The food that we have supplied to rebel-held areas has been channelled through British non-governmental organisations with proven capacity to deliver it to those in need. We propose to continue using these channels. It is not the practice to reveal more precise details of such operations.

  Amazonian Rain Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made an assessment of the results of the visit to Brazil of the right hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Patten) to discuss Amazonian rain-forest issues with the Brazilian Government.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Its main purpose was to sign a memorandum of understanding on technical co-operation on environmental matters, which provides the framework for our proposed assistance programme with Brazil in this area. I wrote to the hon. Member on 3 November giving details of progress on the first projects.

  Poland
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what economic aid is currently given to Poland.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced a know-how fund for Poland during General Jaruzelski's visit in June; and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 29 November that it would be doubled. The fund, in effect a technical co-operation programme, will total £50 million over five years. We expect to spend £3 million in the current financial year. My right hon. Friend also announced a contribution of $100 million to a stabilisation fund for Poland, and finance for an agricultural project costing some £15 million.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have any plans to restore overseas aid to Vietnam.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last reviewed Her Majesty's Government's aid and development embargo on Vietnam.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government's policy on Vietnam is kept under constant review. The announced withdrawal of Vietnamese troops from Cambodia is one consideration in resuming an aid programme to Vietnam. In his speech on 31 July to the international conference on Cambodia in Paris the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Major) said that Britain also expected the Vietnamese Government to fulfil their responsibilities towards their own people and to their neighbours before we would be prepared to consider contributing to a programme of assistance for Vietnam.

  Non-governmental Organisations
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about increases planned in the Overseas Development Agency joint funding scheme and other schemes benefiting United Kingdom non-governmental organisations operating in developing countries.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to
  11
  channel further aid funds through United Kingdom non-governmental organisations for projects in developing countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have recently decided to increase our joint funding scheme, under which we support non-governmental organisations' agreed long-term development projects by 25 per cent. next year to £20 million. I am also increasing support for the United Kingdom volunteer recruiting agencies—most notably VSO—by 10 per cent. to £14·3 million. We will, of course, also consider sympathetically requests for assistance from non-governmental organisations for disaster and emergency relief measures if the need arises.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the principal categories of Overseas Development Administration grants to non-governmental organisations in 1988–89 under the heading "Others" in his reply to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling on 16 November,Official Report, columns 467–70; and what sum was paid to each non-governmental organisation within each of these categories of grant.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Grants to non-governmental organisations under the heading of "Others" as contained in my reply on 16 November encompass a wide range of activity which cannot readily be categorised. The principal elements are the volunteer programme and certain development projects implemented by non-governmental organisations but financed from bilateral country programmes. The volunteer programme accounts for 52 per cent. of the "Others" figure and consists of:

  Grant 1980 to 1989

  £

  British Executive Service Overseas

  300,006

  Catholic Institute for International Relations

  945,000

  International Voluntary Service

  760,000

  United Nation Association International Service

  490,000

  Voluntary Service Overseas

  8,681,533

  TOTAL

  11,176,539

  Cambodia
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is being given to the people of Cambodia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) on 23 November at column 17.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will name the diplomat and the Overseas Development Administration official who will be visiting Phnom Penh shortly; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have nothing to add to the statement that I made in answer to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) on 23 November at column 17. It is not the practice to name officials in these circumstances.

  Namibia
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to assist in infrastructure development in Namibia.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid Her Majesty's Government propose to make available as a priority to Namibia.

  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much and what type of economic and development aid Her Majesty's Government gave in 1988, and are proposing to give in the current year, to Namibia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  British aid for Namibians in 1988 was just over £2 million. It focused on the development of English language teaching skills and scholarships for Namibians both inside and outside the country. This programme has continued in 1989. In addition we have contributed £1·15 million towards the refugee repatriation programme.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 26 October at col. 1046 that we would provide assistance to Namibia after independence. The priorities for a future programme will be agreed with the new Government.

  The Caribbean
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on overseas aid to the Caribbean.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Our bilateral aid programme to the Commonwealth Caribbean has been running at over £30 million a year for some time. Last year (1988–89) it reached £51 million, mainly because of a substantial increase in investment by the Commonwealth Development Corporation. This year expenditure is expected to remain at a high level.

  A new feature is the capital aid programme for Guyana (plus increased technical co-operation) to support that country's economic recovery programme; we expect to spend some £12 million in loans, grants and technical co-operation in Guyana this financial year.

  Hurricane damage has required an exceptional response. Last year we gave Jamaica a grant of £3 million after Hurricane Gilbert struck. This year, in the wake of Hurricane Hugo, we have assisted Antigua, St. Kitts and the British Virgin Islands and particularly Montserrat, where we have already spent or committed around £4·5 million in relief and reconstruction aid.

  Horn of Africa
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will hold discussions with other Governments and non-governmental organisations on the situation in the Horn of Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  At the European Community Development Council on 21 November I drew attention to the serious threat of famine in northern Ethiopia and
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  urged that all possible diplomatic channels be used to exert pressure on the parties to the conflict to secure free access for food supplies. We are also liaising closely with other donor Governments and international agencies. Similar co-ordination takes place on the situation in Sudan. I meet regularly with the British non-governmental organisations working in the Horn of Africa.

  Tropical Hardwood Forests
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the United Kingdom is making to the European Community's effort to select the most practical and internationally economically viable options to conserve the tropical hardwood forests.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Kingdom is playing a full part in the Community's discussion of these issues, which were raised both at the Council of Development Ministers on 21 November and at the Council of Environment Ministers on 28 November. We have provided the only expert on tropical forestry in the development directorate of the Commission.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Local Education Authority Inspectors
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he received a copy of the Audit Commission report on the role of local education authority inspectors and advisers; and what response he will be making.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend received a copy of the report on 3 October. My right hon. Friend and I agree with much of the analysis and believe that local authorities will find the report thought-provoking and helpful. We shall be discussing with them how best to follow it up.

  School Numbers
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are his estimates of the numbers of(a) primary school children and teachers and (b) secondary school children and teachers for each year of the 1990s.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The projected numbers of pupils in maintained primary and secondary schools in England and of teachers overall are given in the table. The numbers of teachers in future years will depend upon many factors. The projection is based on an illustrative assumption that the current overall pupil teacher ratio of 17:1 will be maintained in future years. Further assumptions would be needed to disaggregate the overall figure between the nursery, primary and secondary sectors, and no attempt has been made to do this in the figures shown.

  Thousands

  At January of each year

  Primary schools

  Secondary schools

  Teachers overall

  1990

  3,967

  2,851

  397

  1991

  4,011

  2,818

  396

  1992

  4,046

  2,833

  399

  1993

  4,093

  2,866

  404

  1994

  4,164

  2,912

  410

  14

  At January of each year

  Primary schools

  Secondary schools

  Teachers overall

  1995

  4,236

  2,967

  418

  1996

  4,316

  2,999

  424

  1997

  4,385

  3,031

  430

  1998

  4,452

  3,063

  436

  1999

  4,512

  3,106

  442

  Notes:

  1. Pupils in maintained nursery and special schools are excluded, as are those in independent schools.

  2. The projections take account of the mid-1988 population projection provided by the Government Actuary's Department.

  3. Pupils of all ages are included. For primary schools, part-time pupils under the age of five are each counted as one.

  4. The overall number of teachers employed for service in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England is given. Teachers in nursery schools are included, to be consistent with the usual coverage of the overall aggregate employed for public expenditure planning. All full-time equivalent teachers are counted, including student teachers, instructors, occasional teachers and secondments.

  International Student Conference, Buenos Aires
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if there was any United Kingdom representative present at the third international student conference on youth building the future in Buenos Aires on 11 to 18 August; and whether he has received any report on decisions taken at the forum.

  Mr. Jackson
  So far as I have been able to establish, the United Kingdom was not represented. I have received no report of this conference.

  Records of Achievement
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that all school children have an individual record of achievement; what resources he is putting into securing this specific objective; and what advice he is offering to local education authorities on the need for records of achievement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Draft regulations and an accompanying circular on information to parents on their child's achievements are to be issued for consultation shortly. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library as soon as they are available.

  Teacher Appraisal
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements have been made by his Department for the report on the evaluation of the school teacher appraisal pilot study, undertaken by the Cambridge Institute of Education, to be made available to those interested bodies who have been invited by his Department to comment on the report of the national steering group; what priority he attaches to such evaluation of school teacher appraisal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Cambridge Institute of Education report on the evaluation of the school teacher appraisal pilot study was presented to the national steering group (NSG) responsible for overseeing the study in July this year, and was taken into account in the report to the Secretary of State by that group. My right hon. Friend did
  15
  not send copies of the evaluation report, in addition to the reports of the NSG and Her Majesty's inspectors, to all those consulted on the NSG's recommendations, because he wished to limit the amount of reading required of them. Copies were, however, sent to the local authority and teacher associations and to all local education authorities and grant maintained schools.

  My right hon. Friend attaches considerable priority to the evaluation of pilot projects such as those in school teacher appraisal. The Cambridge Institute of Education as evaluators of the pilot projects made an important contribution to the work of the national steering group.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the amount of his Department's expenditure on the evaluation of teacher appraisal pilot projects, including expenditure for work undertaken by the Cambridge Institute of Education; and if he will make a statement on the main findings of this evaluation.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A total of £248,843 was spent on external evaluation of the school teacher appraisal pilot study by the Cambridge Institute of Education. The findings of this evaluation are set out in a report by the Cambridge institute, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Child Care Courses
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will introduce legislation to make practical child care courses part of the school curriculum.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Guidance on the place and content of health education in the curriculum as a whole is to be issued to all schools in England in 1990 by the National Curriculum Council. This is likely to include guidance on education about child care.

  Barnstaple Schools
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the present and the forecast figure for pupils at the primary schools in Barnstaple Roundswell, Barnstaple Whiddon Valley and Barnstaple Landkey; and what additional funding he will provide for new schools in this area.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  According to Devon local education authority, the figures are as follows:

  1989

  1993

  Barnstaple, Roundswell

  371

  501

  Barnstaple, Whiddon Valley

  887

  1,140

  Barnstaple, Landkey

  205

  218

  No proposals for new schools are currently before my right hon. Friend for decision. Priority is given in the distribution of annual capital guidelines for new school places needed as a result of population growth.

  New School Buildings
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the guidance his Department gives to local education 16
  authorities on planning space and facilities to cater for first aid and sickness of pupils and staff in new school buildings.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Local education authorities are under a duty to provide medical accomodation in both new and existing schools in accordance with the requirements of regulation 12 of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981.

  The Department has not published any separate guidance on planning space and facilities in school buildings for these purposes. Its professional staff are, however, available to offer advice on aspects of the design and planning of school buildings where this is required.

  CBI Skills Report
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the Confederation of British Industry report "Towards a Skills Revolution—A Youth Charter"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has discussed the work of the Confederation of British Industry's task force on vocational education and training with its chairman, Sir Bryan Nicholson, and with the confederation's director general, Mr. John Banham. The Government have welcomed the final report "Towards a Skills Revolution" and are giving serious consideration to its proposals.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking and on what timetable to give greater independence to local authority maintained further education colleges; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Under the Education Reform Act all local education authorities are required to draw up schemes for the planning and funding of their further education colleges, and to delegate substantial authority to reformed college governing bodies. LEAs outside inner London were required to submit proposed schemes, together with articles of government for their colleges, by September 1989 for implementation from April 1990. Those proposed schemes and articles are currently under consideration.

  Inner London boroughs will be required to submit proposed schemes and articles of government by September 1991 for implementation from April 1992.

  London Museums Education Initiative
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to encourage London education authorities to work with the London museums education unit's new initiative for education in the capital.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The London Museums Service has had discussions with the Office of Arts and Libraries about the establishment of the unit and its programme of work. I welcome the steps the unit has taken to establish contact with individual boroughs and local authority associations.

  Vocational Education and Training
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to encourage the involvement of employers with further education colleges in the development of vocational education and training.
  17
  Mr. Jackson
  The reconstitution of college governing bodies required by the Education Reform Act will ensure that governors representing employment interests have no fewer than half of the available places on each new governing body. The Government have taken a number of steps to encourage employers to take up this opportunity to become involved in the development of vocational education and training. The then Secretary of State's speech to the 1988 CBI conference encouraged people from business to get involved and a leaflet "College Governors from the Business Community" was distributed. Earlier this year, an information pack "New Governors for Further Education" was produced by Industry Matters and also a promotional video. Employers can become involved in the work of colleges in many other ways. Through its Pickup initiative the Department has been encouraging colleges to work with employers to develop tailor-made training and updating provision. The changes required by the Education Reform Act will give employers greater oportunity to participate in the planning of such work.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what targets he is setting for vocational education and training among young people.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend recognises the need for considerable improvement in both the number and the level of vocational qualifications gained by young people. He believes that:Every young person should either be in full-time education or in a job with time off for good quality training.
  Every young person should achieve a recognised vocational qualification or its equivalent, with greater numbers achieving higher levels of qualification.

  Bradford and Wiley (Colleges)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many times since 1979 Her Majesty's inspectors of education have visited Bradford and Ilkley community college; how many times their reports have drawn attention to inadequate accommodation; and what action has been taken;

  (2) what location for new accommodation for Bradford college is identified in the bid submitted by Bradford local education authority to replace accommodation lost to Bradford college by vacating the Alexandra hotel building; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what representations he has received from students and others about inadequate accommodation at Bradford college.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Bradford and Ilkley community college has been visited by HMI on many occasions since it was created in 1982 but most of those visits will not have resulted in a report. There have, however, been four inspections of parts of the college's provision since HMI reports were published in 1983. As is usual all include an assessment of the adequacy and sufficiency of the teaching and other accommodation. Copies of the reports are sent to the authority for its consideration.

  The bid from Bradford LEA for a major building project to start in 1990–91 proposes to replace the Alexandra hotel building by converting the Westbrook building on the same site. The bid will be considered on its merits along with those from other education authorities, and allocations will be announced later this month.
  18
  The hon. Member recently wrote to my right hon. Friend enclosing a press release and representations from students in respect of accommodation at Bradford and Ilkley community college. My right hon. Friend has not received any other representations this year on this matter.

  Scientific Research
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the Government's policy on maintaining and improving the standards of British scientific research.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the speech at the first plenary meeting of the Academia Europaea on 26 June by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Student Loans
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science in what way the proposed student loan scheme will apply to students from other European Economic Community countries attending centres of education in the United Kingdom; what arrangements will be made to recover the loans from such students after they have returned to their home countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The rules governing the eligibility of students from the European Community will follow the provisions of the Mandatory Awards Regulations. Students from other member states will be eligible for top-up loans if they are attending relevant courses and satisfy the requirements for ordinary residence within the British Islands. Loans will also be available to students who are British citizens and who do not satisfy the ordinary residence requirements, if their absence resulted from employment, or their parents' employment, elsewhere in the European Community. European Community nationals not meeting the residence requirements will also be eligible if they, or their parents or spouses, can establish worker status under the relevant provisions in EC law. Arrangements will be made for the recovery of outstanding repayments from graduates living overseas. It will be in the interests of all borrowers to repay their loans.

  Local Management of Schools
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement of progress to date on approving local education authorities' schemes of local management of schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  LEAs were required to submit their schemes by the end of September, and all did so. It is a great tribute to LEAs that they have got their schemes in on time. I have been impressed by the quality of what I have seen and the hard work that has been put into schemes by authorities, head teachers and governors.

  We have now announced our approval decisions on 24 schemes. In each case we have proposed minor modifications, all designed to ensure that our three key objectives of local management are met. These are: the maximum delegation of resources to schools; the funding of schools through a clear, open and objective formula; and the minimum constraints on governors' use of their new powers.
  19
  The first 24 LEAs whose schemes we have announced our intention to approve from next April are;

  Barking and Dagenham

  Bedfordshire

  Calderdale

  Cambridgeshire

  Cheshire

  Cumbria

  Essex

  Harrow

  Havering

  Kent

  Lincolnshire

  Newcastle

  Norfolk

  Northamptonshire

  Oxfordshire

  Rotherham

  Sandwell

  Solihull

  Suffolk

  Sunderland

  Surrey

  West Sussex

  Westminster

  Wiltshire

  Survey of Parental Awareness
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to publish the survey of parental awareness of school education commissioned by his Department.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Copies of the interpretative report of the survey of parental awareness of school education are being sent to each chief education officer and to various national education bodies today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Investment
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the investment figure for United Kingdom business for the last year for which figures are available; if he will express the figure as a percentage of gross domestic product; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The level of business investment in 1988 is estimated to have been £58 billion. This was 14·7 per cent. of GDP at factor cost. Total business investment was forecast in the Autumn Statement to increase in real terms by 9¼ per cent. in 1989. As a share of GDP this year it is likely to be the highest ever.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution the increase in investment in manufacturing industry made to the increase in the trade deficit in 1988 and in 1989 to date.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  It is not possible to make a precise estimate of the contribution of the increase in manufacturing investment to the increase in the trade deficit. However, with the Autumn Statement forecast of a 9¼ per cent. rise in 1989, business investment will have increased by over 40 per cent. in the three years to 1989—the largest increase over a three-year period since the war.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the inward and outward investment 20
  flows for each of the last five years between the United Kingdom and (a) the United States of America, (b) Japan, (c) West Germany and (d) France.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The available information relates to net outward and net inward direct investment flows and is published in tables 1·4 and 2·4 of Business Monitor MA4 1987—"Overseas Transactions". Information on portfolio investment, by country, is not available.

  Manufactured Goods
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing (i) in terms of volume and of value at 1985 prices United Kingdom sales in 1973, 1979 and 1988 of the industries wholly or mainly engaged in manufacturing importable and exportable goods, (ii) imports and exports of such goods and (iii) the annual rate of increase in United Kingdom output in the 15 years prior to 1973 and in the period since.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Most manufactured goods can be imported and exported and therefore the question can be considered only in terms of manufacturing as a whole.

  (i) United Kingdom sales data are not collected in volume terms, nor at 1985 prices, but the "Report of the Census of Production" summary volume contains current price data for sales and work done. However, a preferred indicator is gross output—that is, sales and work done adjusted for work in progress and goods on hand for sale. No figures are available yet for 1988.

  (ii)—Data at 1985 prices are not published for imports and exports, but current price data and volume indices are contained in the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics".

  (iii) Index numbers of output for manufacturing industries at 1985 prices are available in "Economic Trends" and its associated annual supplement.

  The above publications are available from the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing in terms of 1985 prices the balance of trade in manufacturing less erratics on a BOP basis in each year from 1970 to 1973, in 1977, and from 1985 to 1988 and this year to date at an annual rate together with the annual increase/decrease in terms of 1985 prices in (i) gross and net investment in manufacturing industry, (ii) savings, (iii) consumer expenditure, (iv) United Kingdom output of capital and consumer goods, (v) imports of consumer and capital goods and (vi) exports of consumer and capital goods; and if he will publish corrective co-efficients with the trade deficit in each case.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Information at constant prices, as is available, from which the balance of trade and percentage changes may be derived, can be found in Government statistical service publications, available from the Library of the House, or on the Central Statistical Office databank, which may be accessed through the Library.

  It is not clear what the hon. Member means by "corrective coefficients".

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in the trade deficit in manufactures less erratics on a BOP basis in 1988 and this year to date; and what is his estimate of the contribution
  21
  made in each case by the increase in investment in manufacturing industry and the fall in personal saving, respectively.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The figures requested can be found on the CSO's computer databank, which can be accessed in the House of Commons Library. It is not possible to make precise estimates of the contribution to the manufacturing trade deficit of the rise in investment and fall in personal saving.

  Employment
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth in employment over the last five years.

  Mr. Lamont
  Total employment increased by 2,117,000 in the five years to June 1989.

  Government Expenditure
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the value to the Government's spending plans arising from lower interest costs on the national debt.

  Mr. Lamont
  General Government gross debt interest as a percentage of GDP has fallen from 5 per cent. in 1981–82 to an estimated 31/2 per cent. this year and is projected to fall to 21/4 per cent. in 1992–93. The fall in the burden of debt interest costs makes room within the medium-term plans for higher spending on priority programmes.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has commissioned any research into the Swedish method of taxation for unmarried couples.

  Mr. Lilley
  No.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to enable co-habitants to be taxed on the same basis as married couples where the couples are:(a) male/female, (b) male/male, and (c) female/female.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government have no plans to allow unmarried couples to be taxed on the same basis as married couples. An unmarried couple who have a child living with them may qualify for an additional personal allowance, which will bring their total tax allowances to the same level as those available to a married couple.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the delay to the introduction of independent taxation which a revised policy allowing married couples to share the marriage allowance equally would entail.

  Mr. Lilley
  A change in the rules for giving the married couple's allowance, so that couples could share the allowance equally between them, would delay the introduction of independent taxation for up to two years.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any surplus from a husband's marriage allowance will be automatically transferred to his wife in the new arrangements for married couple's allowance which are to be introduced in April 1990.
  22
  Mr. Lilley
  Transfer of surplus married couple's allowance to the wife will normally require her husband to give notice to the tax office. Without such a notice, the tax office will not necessarily know that the husband has, or may have, any surplus allowance.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the United Kingdom's deficit on trade in invisibles with the European Economic Community and its surplus with the rest of the world.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The deficit on invisibles transactions with European Community countries and institutions reflects deficits on services, including foreign travel, and transfers. Surpluses on interest profits arid dividends and on financial and other services make important contributions to the non-European Community invisibles surplus.

  Exchange Rates
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the increase since January 1987 in both the nominal and real exchange rates against the D-mark has had on manufacturing capacity and on the future rate of growth in terms of the balance of payments constraint; and whether this has led him to revise the Treasury model of the economy.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The level of manufacturing investment (including leased assets) in 1989 quarter 3 is provisionally estimated to be about 38 per cent. higher than in 1987 quarter 1; and its cumulative growth over this period has added substantially to manufacturing capacity. The Treasury model is updated when necessary in the light of latest data.

  Investment and Consumption
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what projections of net United Kingdom transactions in external liabilities for (i) direct investment, (ii) portfolio investment and (iii) total transactions, underlie the economic prospects for 1990 in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Treasury does not publish forecasts of overseas sector capital flows.

  Payroll Giving
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in England and Wales now participate in payroll giving schemes.

  Mr. Lilley
  At 5 October 1989, the latest date for which figures are available, the total number of employees throughout the United Kingdom participating in payroll giving schemes was 162,526. Separate figures are not available for England and Wales.

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Wall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of British exports is attributable to services, as opposed to manufactures, for the years 1979, 1984, 1988 and 1989; and what was total investment during the same years in these two sectors of the economy.
  23
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The most recent estimates of exports of services and manufactured goods in 1979, 1984 and 1988 are contained in the 1989 edition of CSO's "United Kingdom Balance of Payments". The available estimates for investment in these years are contained in the 1989 edition for CSO's "United Kingdom National Accounts". Copies of both publications are available in the Library. They are also on the CSO Databank, which is accessible through the Library. Estimates of exports and manufacturing investment for the first half of 1989 are available from the Library in various CSO publications and from the databank.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the principal differences between the definitions of consumer intermediate and capital goods, for United Kingdom production and for imports, in the national statistics.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: The principal difference is that the import classification applies only to finished manufactures (defined as Sections 7 and 8 of the Standard Industrial Classification, excluding ships, North Sea oil installations and aircraft), whereas the production classification applies to all industrial output. Further information may be obtained from "Industry Statistics: Occasional Paper No. 22" published by the Central Statistical Office in April 1989 and "Classification by broad economic categories" published by the United Nations in 1986, both of which may be found in the House of Commons Library.

  Statistics (Social Science)
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the report, "Accessibility and other problems relating to statistics used by social scientists", prepared by Professor Benjamin for the Economic and Social Research Council.

  Mr. Lilley
  I understand that the Economic and Social Research Council has placed a copy of the report in the Library. Officials have prepared a detailed response, which has been sent to the commissioning bodies. This concludes that many of Professor Benjamin's criticisms are unfounded and based on factual inaccuracies and have been made without knowledge of the full range of publications and outputs. A copy of the full response has been placed in the Library.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  High Technology Trading
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of his discussions concerning trade in high technology with eastern Europe with his European Community counterparts at the Paris summit.

  Mr. Maude
  No such discussions took place.

  Nepal
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Nepalese Government concerning abuses of human rights.
  24
  Mr. Maude
  Her Majesty's embassy in Kathmandu has on a number of occasions, most recently on 12 November this year, made known to the Nepalese Government the concern felt in this country at the treatment of Christians in Nepal.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he intends to make to the Nepalese Government concerning article 18 of the United Nations convention on human rights; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  We have made and will continue to make known to the Nepalese Government our concern for the proper respect of religious liberties.

  Bir Zeit University
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations have been made to the Israeli Government concerning the continued closure of Bir Zeit university; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have called regularly on the Israeli authorities, most recently in the EC statement on 6 October, to allow the schools and universities in the Occupied Territories to function normally.

  Romania
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government are making to the Romanian Government in respect of the demolition of agricultural villages; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We will continue to protest strongly to the Romanian Government on every appropriate occasion about abuses of human rights in Romania, including those involved in President Ceausescu's policy of "systematisation".

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Turkish Government; whether the question of Cyprus was raised; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  I met Mr. Ozceri, under-secretary at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in London on 17 October. We discussed the Cyprus dispute and agreed on the need for early progress.

  Israel
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to pay a visit to the territories occupied by Israel.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has at present no plans to do so.

  Korea
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is planned to be discussed when the President of Korea visits the United Kingdom in
  25
  the coming week; whether he will ensure that the issue of that country's animal welfare record is included on the agenda; and what representations he has received concerning possible trade sanctions related to this issue.

  Mr. Maude
  President Roh's visit provided the opportunity for a review of Anglo-Korean relations and current international issues. The Koreans are well aware of the strength of feeling in Britain about cruelty to animals. Trade sanctions, as advocated by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, would do nothing to help the situation.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding trade union rights in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  We share the concern expressed by many hon. Members about abuses of human rights in Sri Lanka, but trade unions continue to operate normally there.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to afford citizenship rights in the United Kingdom to the Indian population now resident in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is considering with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary a package of measures to maintain confidence in Hong Kong and hopes to make an announcement around the turn of the year.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any steps have been taken to enable the Indian population now living in Hong Kong to become Chinese citizens after 1997.

  Mr. Maude
  Chinese nationality is a matter for the Chinese Government. However it is our understanding that under Chinese nationality law aliens lawfully resident in China are eligible to apply for Chinese nationality. Those members of the Indian population who have resided in Hong Kong for at least seven years and who have taken Hong Kong as their place of permanent residence will continue to enjoy permanent resident status in the Hong Kong special administrative region after 1997, in line with the Sino-British joint declaration on the question of Hong Kong of 1984.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will test the acceptability of the basic law in Hong Kong by a referendum of all citizens.

  Mr. Maude
  The Basic Law will be a Chinese law to be promulgated by the National People's Congress. It is being drafted by the Chinese authorities in consultation with Hong Kong people. A referendum would be neither appropriate nor useful.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many orphans there are at present in the camps in Hong Kong; how they are to be repatriated, and what measures he will take to ensure a satisfactory result.
  26
  Mr. Maude
  We are seeking information from Hong Kong. I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  EC Council of Ministers
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Maude
  At the Transport Council on 4 and 5 December, Ministers will further consider the Commission's proposals on stage II of the EC common shipping policy and a report on the present state of discussions with certain west and central African states concerning their cargo allocation policies. A number of road transport items will be discussed including a proposal for a Council regulation on road haulage cabotage; training for drivers of dangerous goods by road; vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road; negotiations between the EC and third countries on transit routes; road safety and a note from the presidency on social regulations concerning road transport. It is expected that the Transport Commissioner will make an oral presentation on Commission proposals on railways policy in the Community. A number of matters concerning the development of civil aviation in the Community are to be considered including proposals for Council regulations on fares for scheduled air services and access for air-carriers to scheduled intra-Community air service routes and the sharing of passenger capacity on scheduled services between member states. Ministers will discuss a presidency note on problems relating to the capacity of air traffic systems and aspects of Community transport infrastructure.

  The Telecommunications Council will meet on 7 December. Ministers will discuss the opening up to competition of the Community's telecommunications services markets by a Commission directive, and a related proposal for a Council directive on open network provision (ONP) to define the conditions on which telecommunications operators make available monopoly services. A common position on the proposed Council measure is unlikely to be achieved on 7 December. A proposed Council declaration on the establishment of a Commission working group to consider research and development in the field of broad-band technology will also be discussed.

  The European Council will meet in Strasbourg on 8 and 9 December. Heads of Government will discuss developments in eastern Europe and the EC response to them, and will discuss economic and monetary union. They will consider a proposal for a charter of fundamental social rights and a number of issues relevant to the completion of the single market. There will also be discussions on audiovisual matters and the free movement of people.

  The Agriculture Council will meet on 11 and 12 December to discuss veterinary checks, compound feedingstuffs, pesticide residues, pig semen, monitoring of export refunds and the scrutiny of EACFF accounts. Ministers will be asked to agree on the Commission submission to GATT on long term agricultural reform. The Council may also discuss the sluice gate price for pigmeat.
  27
  At the Education Council on 14 December Ministers will be invited to agree the terms of a mixed resolution on measures to combat failure at school, mixed conclusions on technical and vocational education and initial training and on European Schools, and a decision amending the ERASMUS programme. There may also be discussion on the possibility of opening up Community programmes in the education and training fields to eastern European countries.

  At the Research Council on 15 December there will be further discussion of a new framework programme of Community activities in research and technological development. The agenda also anticipates the adoption of a common position on a two year programme on human genome analysis.

  The Economic and Financial Council will meet on 15 December to consider the economic situation in the Community, including the Commission's annual economic report. The revised financial regulation will be taken at the Council with the aim of reaching agreement by the end of the year. The discussion on taxation of savings will concentrate on mutual assistance. Common position was reached at ECOFIN on 13 November on the proposed revised Council decisions which will replace the 1964 decision on co-ordination between central banks and the 1974 decision on encouraging the convergence of economic policies and performance. Subject to the opinions of the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee it is hoped that the decisions will be adopted at the forthcoming meeting. The Solvency Ratio Directive and Second Banking Co-ordination Directive have received second reading opinions by the European Parliament and now also return to the Council for final adoption. ECOFIN is expected to discuss progress on the Commission's indirect tax proposals and a progress report on key issues of Takeover Directive negotiations in the Council working party.

  The Fisheries Council will meet on 18 December to discuss 1990 TACS and quotas, EC/Greenland, EC/ Norway, EC/Sweden, EC/Norway/Sweden, EC/Faroes, NAFO, 1990 opportunities in Spanish, Portuguese and member states' waters (Accession Treaties) and 1990 fisheries opportunities in waters off French Guyana. It may also discuss tariff quotas and EC/USSR, EC/GDR, EC/Poland and EC/Latin America.

  At the Foreign Affairs Council on 19 December Ministers will be asked to agree to the terms of the EC-USSR agreement. Ministers will consider developments in Eastern Europe and EC-EFTA co-operation. A Ministerial meeting on EC-EFTA matters is expected to take place in the margins of the FAC. The Council will consider the Commission's draft negotiating mandate for a second stage EC-GCC agreement and Ministers will be asked to agree on the Commission's submission to GATT on long term agricultural reform. The FAC is expected to discuss proposals from the Commission on European Community policy on Japanese car imports, including the issue of import restraints. Ministers will also need to discuss the implications of the finding of the GATT panel on the dispute between EC and United States over the EC oilseeds regime. They may also reach agreement on POSEIDOM (special programme for French overseas departments).

  The Internal Market Council on 21 and 22 December will discuss a number of measures relevant to the completion of the single market.

  Partial Test Ban Treaty
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many preparatory committee meetings are planned by the depository states for the partial test ban treaty amendment conference; and what decisions have been taken by the first committee of the United Nations on the amendment conference;

  (2) if he will make a statement on current progress in arrangements for the planned amendment conference for the 1963 partial test ban treaty; how the amendment conference will be funded; what states have been invited, and by whom, to the conference; and what administrative facilities will be provided by the United Nations in support of the amendment conference.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  On 2 November the depositary Governments of the partial test ban treaty announced that they had arranged to convene the amendment conference on 8 January 1991 for a period of up to two weeks. They subsequently issued invitations to all states parties to the treaty. Although not a United Nations conference, the amendment conference is expected to be held on United Nations premises, and using United Nations facilities. No decisions have yet been reached by the participating states parties on funding the conference. On 17 November the first committee of the United Nations General Assembly adopted by majority vote a resolution recommending a preparatory commitee in May 1990 followed by a session of the amendment conference, with a second substantive session in January 1991.

  Missile Technology Control Regime
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has had any discussions with representatives of the United States Government regarding tightening of the missile technology control regime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Western Isles (Mr. Macdonald) on 6 November. The United Kingdom will act as host for a meeting of the partners in the missile technology control regime in London on 5–6 December.

  Gibraltar
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received any representations from the Gibraltar Government regarding the colony's direct participation in elections for the European Parliament.

  Mr. Maude
  None.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 28 November, whether the Gibraltar Government assumed responsibility for the maintenance of the Governor's residence gardens by agreement with the United Kingdom Government.

  Mr. Maude
  Yes.

  St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the last elections to be held on St. Helena and list the number of contested seats, the number of votes cast and the percentage turn-out in each case.

  Mr. Maude
  The most recent general election in St. Helena was held on 10 May 1989. Twelve councillors were elected from eight constituencies. The number of votes cast in each constituency was as follows:

  Number

  Jamestown

  823

  St. Paul's

  669

  Longwood

  447

  Half Tree Hollow

  431

  Blue Hill

  123

  Levelwood

  76

  Alarm Forest

  157

  Sandy Bay1

  —

  1 Candidate elected unopposed.

  The overall percentage turn-out was 72 per cent.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the gross national product per capita for St. Helena for the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Maude
  It is not possible to enumerate these statistics because no system of national accounting as yet exists in St. Helena. However, such a system is now being developed.

  Airport Agreement
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will seek to re-negotiate the 1987 airport agreement for Gibraltar with Spain in order to take account of the views of the Gibraltar Government.

  Mr. Maude
  We believe that the agreement set out in the 2 December 1987 joint declaration represents a good deal for Gibraltar. We do not see that any useful purpose would be served by attempting to re-open negotiations on the text of that joint declaration.

  Islamabad High Commission
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct the migration and visa correspondence unit to supply to the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland the Islamabad High Commission reference number requested by the hon. Member by telephone on Monday 27 November.

  Mr. Maude
  The information requested was supplied to the hon. Member's office by telephone on 30 November 1989.

  E1 Salvador
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how may officers of the armed forces of E1 Salvador have been trained at United Kingdom military academies and training establishments in each of the past five years.
  30
  Mr. Maude
  One cadet attended RMA Sandhurst from May 1986 to August 1987.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much military aid Britain provides to the Government of E1 Salvador.

  Mr. Maude
  None.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will discuss with his European Community counterparts a ban on all military aid and advice to the Government of President Cristiani, in El Salvador until death squad activity has ceased.

  Mr. Maude
  No.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the plea of Prince Norodom Sihanouk, head of the Khmer Coalition Government o r Kampuchea, that the country be placed under United Nations trusteeship.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We welcome all constructive proposals for restoring peace and stability to Cambodia, including the Australian proposal, now supported by Prince Sihanouk, for an interim authority under United Nations control.

ENERGY

  Wind Energy
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will be presenting a paper to the European Community wind energy conference in Madrid before the deadline in January 1990.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Department, in association with its energy technology support unit, will be submitting a paper and subsequently presenting it to the Madrid wind energy conference.

  Electricity Industry
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the contract between NORWEB and Lakeland Power.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The terms of the electricity purchase contract between NORWEB and Lakeland Power are a commercial matter for the parties concerned.

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the current level of sales of energy conservation equipment and the comparable figures for 1988; and what is his policy on the stimulation of the market for energy efficiency goods and services.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: An important task of the energy efficiency office is to bring together in a variety of ways the energy efficiency industry and its potential customers.
  31
  Our regional energy efficiency officers sponsor seminars and meetings, and co-operate with trade association such as the Energy Systems Trade Association and the Association for the Conservation of Energy to promote the use of energy efficient equipment. Our technology support units similarly promote particular energy efficient techniques and equipment, under the best practice programme. I myself regularly speak at conferences, as indeed I did at national energy managers exhibition at Birmingham on November 21, to stimulate and challenge the market for energy efficiency.

  On Wednesday 29 November, I similarly spoke in Cambridge at a conference entitled "The Greenhouse Effect and Energy Conservation". On 1 November I spoke on the occasion of Northern Electric's PEP and BETA awards, on 11 October at MANWEB's PEP and BETA awards and on 26 September at South Eastern Electricity's BETA awards; on each occasion taking particular pains to challenge managers to purchase and use more energy efficient equipment.

  On sales figures, I understand that sales of building energy management systems have increased by about 10 per cent. on 1988 figures to an estimated £89 million in 1989. Information on other types of energy efficiency equipment such as Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant is not readily available, although the CHP industry has claimed "greatly increased interest and sales" in 1989. The Building Energy Efficiency Confederation inform me that in line with the general market for domestic goods, sales of different types of domestic insulation and heating control equipment are down by 6 per cent. and 20 per cent. in 1989 compared with 1988.

THE ARTS

  Museums
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received about the London museums education unit's new initiative for education in the capital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  My Office has received details of the London Museums Education Unit's initiative for education in the capital. Officials have met members of the unit to discuss the proposals and are currently considering further information which has been received.

PRIME MINISTER

  French President
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to meet the French President.

  The Prime Minister
  My next meeting with President Mitterrand will be at the NATO Heads of Government meeting in Brussels on 4 December.

  Salary
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what is(a) her official salary entitlement as Prime Minister and (b) the official salary she draws as Prime Minister; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  My salary entitlement, as Prime Minister, payable under the Ministerial and other Salaries 32
  Order 1988, is £46,109. However, I choose to accept the same salary as a Cabinet Minister in the House of Commons, namely £34,479.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Bills
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what considerations underlie a decision on which House of Parliament a Government Bill is to be introduced into; and how these considerations were applied in the case of the Food Bill.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  [holding answer 28 November 1989]: Various considerations may underlie the decision, including the need to balance the weight of business before the two Houses. I do not propose to go into the detailed factors in a particular case.

ENVIRONMENT

  Public Sector Pay
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what pay awards in the public sector he has approved in the current year.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The pay of chairmen and board members of non-departmental public bodies and nationalised industries sponsored by my Department and of the staff of such controlled non-departmental public bodies requires my approval.

  I have approved pay increases for the chairmen and board members of non-departmental public bodies in line with the Government's decisions on the 28th report of the Top Salaries Review Body. I have also approved pay increases for the chairman and board members of the British Waterways Board and for the chairmen and the board members sponsored by my Department of the former English regional water authorities.

  In practice the pay of most of the staff of sponsored NDPBs is linked to public sector pay negotiated nationally. The application of national settlements to staff of the bodies in the following lists has been approved as they arose during the year. In addition I have approved pay increases for the junior staff of new town development corporations (negotiated in the Whitley Council for new town staff in line with the local authority 'white collar' settlement), for the wardens and deerstalker of the Nature Conservancy Council and a new package of pay and terms and conditions of service for the industrial staff of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission, constrained by the overall increase in the pay bill for similar staff in the Civil Service.

  Civil Service Pay Links

  British Board of Agrement

  Countryside Commission

  Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (English Heritage)—(non-industrial staff)

  Housing Corporation (Senior Staff)

  National Heritage Memorial Fund

  Nature Conservancy Council (except as noted above)

  New Town Development Corporations (Senior Staff)

  Rent Officers

  Royal Armouries

  Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England)

  Royal Fine Art Commission

  Rural Development Commission

  33

  Sports Council (non-industrial staff)

  Local Government Pay Links

  Merseyside Development Corporation

  Sports Council (industrial staff)

  New Town Development Corporations (manual and craft workers)

  Valuation & Community Charge Tribunals

  New Town Pay Links

  Housing Corporation (junior staff)

  As regards the urban development corporations, other than the Merseyside Development Corporation, and the National Rivers Authority, I have approved the pay levels of senior staff and the overall increases in the pay bill for the rest of the staff by reference to the levels of public sector settlements generally.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what provision he has made to protect tenants from landlords who do not remove the rate element from their rent following the introduction of the community charge; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what guidelines his Department issued to landlords on adjusting rents following the introduction of the community charge.

  Mr. Chope
  Where a fair rent is registered a landlord will not, after 1 April 1990, be able to recover an amount for rates in addition to that fair rent. Where no fair rent is registered landlords will not be able to demand from tenants any sum specifically included in rents as payable towards the domestic rates of the landlord. Since this is already the legal position further special provision is not necessary, nor would it be workable. The Department will shortly be issuing a leaflet for both landlords and tenants explaining the position.

  Housing Capital Investment
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list at 1988–89 prices local authorities housing capital investment on(a) new building, (b) renovation of local authority dwellings, (c) renovation grants, (d) lending to housing associations and (e) other housing capital programmes, in (1) inner London, (2) outer London, (3) metropolitan areas, (4) the south-east outside London, (5) other non-metropolitan areas and (6) England as a whole for (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1982–83, (iii) 1984–85, (iv) 1986–87 and (v) 1988–89.

  Mr. Chope
  I have today placed tables giving the relevant information in the Library. 1988–89 data have not yet been fully analysed.

  Energy Savings (Palace of Westminster)
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what potential energy savings at the Palace of Westminster were indicated in the feasibility study commissioned by his Department; what was the recommended required investment; what was the indicated payback period; when he proposes to undertake the investment; and if he will release the study to the Library.
  34
  Mr. Chope
  An energy audit of the Palace of Westminster was commissioned by the Parliamentary Works Office in 1988 as part of the normal process of ensuring that its planned programme for the care and maintenance of the Palace takes proper account of needs and priorities.

  The report contain 130 recommendations. It identified the scope for savings of £217,000 pa. In the nine months since the report was received work has been completed which will achieve savings of over £70,000 pa. Further work is dependent on other developments, particularly the upgrading of the power supply. £0·6 million has been spent on this work in the current year and further major work will be carried out next year.

  In other cases major design work and or capital expenditure would be required to implement the recommendations. The saving from these, in aggregate, would be less than £50,000 pa for an investment of over £300,000 with pay-back periods mainly greater than four years. The timing of these schemes will be considered with the appropriate House Committees against other demands for the capital works programme.

  Tenants Rights
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider amending the current legislation to provide statutory protection of the tenant's right to renewal of a lease after application has been made to the court in order to avoid the present need to register an application on a land charge.

  Mr. Chope
  No. Legislation already exists covering this area. No changes are necessary.

  Community Charge (Prisoners)
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether guidance will be issued to local authorities on the amount of community charge to be levied on prisoners who lived alone before entering prison.

  Mr. Chope
  Charging authorities have discretion to specify classes of property for the purposes of the standard charge. In doing so they may have regard to a number of factors, including the circumstances of the person subject to the charge. If they wish, they may therefore specify a class of property to include property unoccupied because the owner is in prison. Guidance explaining this has been sent to charging authorities, but it is for individual authorities to decide whether to specify such a class, and, if they do, what rate of standard charge to levy.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much in cash terms has been paid to(a) Langbaurgh, (b) Stockton and (c) Middlesbrough councils by way of central Government grants to support rates income in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is as follows:
  35

  Central Government grants1

  £ million

  Langbaurgh

  Stockton

  Middlesbrough

  1984–85

  6·4

  6·9

  14·0

  1985–86

  6·9

  6·0

  14·7

  1986–87

  7·9

  6·7

  16·3

  1987–88

  6·1

  6·9

  16·3

  1988–89

  5·8

  6·5

  19·0

  1 Rate Support Grant and specific grants paid to authorities' Rate Fund Revenue Accounts.

  Cleveland County Council
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to regulate the spending of Cleveland county council.

  Mr. Chope
  Decisions about spending are for each local authority but if any authority insists on excessive spending plans we shall consider using our powers to cap.

  Common Land
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to introduce legislation for the protection of common land; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 November 1989 to my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough (Sir J. Farr) at column 89.

  World Student Games
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what support the Government are giving to the next World Student Games to be held in Sheffield.

  Mr. Moynihan
  £9·5 million has been provided for games-related projects in the form of urban programme funding, derelict land grant and city grant. In addition the Sports Council has set aside £3 million in its spending programme over the next three years to go towards the revenue costs of the games.

  Greenham Common
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether those people encamped outside the air base of Greenham common will be liable for the community charge.

  Mr. Chope
  All adults unless exempt are liable to pay the personal community charge to the local council in whose area they are mainly resident. Persons may be exempt if they have no fixed abode. It is for the community charges registration officer of Newbury district council to determine whether some residents near Greenham common are permanently there, have another main residence elsewhere, or are genuinely of no fixed abode.

  House Prices
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the increase in house prices in France, West Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom since 1979 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Chope
  Based on the building societies quarterly mix-adjusted index house prices in the United Kingdom increased by 247 per cent. between the third quarter of 1979 and the third quarter of 1989.
  36
  My Department does not have comparable information for the other countries listed.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the sum of £250 million, recently allocated by his Department to tackle homelessness, will be distributed to provide accommodation for the households accepted as homeless by local authorities.

  Mr. Chope
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 15 November, over the next two years we are making an extra £177 million available to local authorities, and an extra £73 million to the Housing Corporation (for distribution to housing associations), for homelessness projects in the "pressure areas" of London and the south-east. The aim is to secure extra lettings for homeless families currently in bed and breakfast accommodation. We have invited bids from local authorities in London and the south-east. Similarly, the Housing Corporation has invited bids from housing associations.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on his plans to reduce homelessness.

  Mr. Howard
  On 15 November my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced a substantial package of measures to relieve and reduce homelessness, following our thorough review of the legislation. Since then, I have invited bids from local authorities in the pressure areas of London and the south-east for projects under the £250 million of extra resources available (and the Housing Corporation has invited bids from housing associations). I have announced that councils will be able to continue existing leasing schemes for a further period of three years, without affecting their capital allocations, to ensure that homeless families are not returned to bed and breakfast accommodations; and I have visited various voluntary organisations to discuss the enhanced role we would like them to play, with increased Government funding.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to make housing benefit a landlord function for private tenants in the same manner as responsibility of local authorities for their tenants.

  Mr. Chope
  No.

  Environmental Policy
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to delay any decision to merge the Nature Conservancy Council with
  37
  the Countryside Commission until he has presented the Government's white paper on environmental policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government have no plans to delay the reorganisation of the conservation agencies announced in July. Postponement would increase uncertainty among the staff of the existing agencies, and would not be in the interests of conservation.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Nature Conservancy Council staff will be available per site of special scientific interest, to monitor, control and protect these sites in England, Scotland and Wales and how many personnel are employed in the field per hectare of existing site of special scientific interest.

  Mr. Trippier
  The NCC has estimated that the equivalent of the following numbers of staff (both permanent and non-permanent) are currently available per SSSI to monitor, control and protect such sites:

  Equivalent persons

  England

  0·045

  Scotland

  0·069

  Wales

  0·043

  The equivalent of 0.0003 persons (including permanent and non-permanent staff) per hectare of existing SSSI are currently employed in the field by NCC's three country directorates.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has any information on further plans affecting Selby common site of special scientific interest;

  (2) if he has received representations about the damage caused by agricultural operations to Sherburn Willows site of special scientific interest, near Selby; and what action he proposes to take to assist the restoration of this site;

  (3) what action he will take to preserve remaining habitat of importance to rare aquatic flora at Hatfield Chase, near Doncaster;

  (4) what action he is taking to safeguard Hollywell wood, near Castleford;

  (5) if he will take steps to prevent felling of ancient woodland at Bog wood, Thorp Underwood, north Yorkshire and of the resulting loss of a heronry in this location; and what action he will take to prevent such habitat loss in the future;

  (6) what action he is taking to preserve habitat at Cawood meadows:

  (7) what action he is taking to protect the Wressel-Breighton hedgerow within the Derwent Ings site of special scientific interest, SPA and Ramsar site;

  (8) what action he will take to protect North Ferriby Ings, Humberside, from further destruction; and if he will ensure that surviving species and habitat are properly managed and protected;

  (9) what action he will take to safeguard Snaith and Cowick moors, near Goole in Humberside from peat digging;
  38
  (10)what representations he has received regarding the effect of the infilling at Great Heck quarry, near Selby., on an albino form of the rosebay willowherb;

  (11) what representations he received following operations at Shepherds wood, Allerton Mauleverer, north Yorkshire, concerning loss of habitat to the herb Paris;

  (12) what steps he will take to monitor pollution threats and the laying of electricity cables at Maltby Low Common site of special scientific interest;

  (13) what urgent action he will take to preserve the Hatfield Moors site, near Doncaster.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the Nature Conservancy Council has assembled the information requested.

  Wildlife Sites
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake an immediate national audit of remaining prime sites for wildlife.

  Mr. Trippier
  My Department is considering the scope and methodology of a national survey aimed at improving our knowledge of the natural heritage. The Government's scientific advisors, the NCC, is planning a complementary exercise on a census of wildlife. The Government hope that these works will contribute to the White Paper on the Environment which we intend to publish in 1990.

  Habitat Census
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what action has been taken to implement phase 2 of the Nature Conservancy Council, field by field habitat census/survey;

  (2) what is the annual budget allocated to (a) phase 1 and (b) phase 2 of the Nature Conservancy Council field by field habitat census/survey, from 1979 to the last year in which figures are available;

  (3) what is the percentage area of each individual county within England, Scotland, and Wales which has been covered by phase 2 of the Nature Conservancy Council field by field habitat census/survey;

  (4) what is the percentage area of each individual county within England, Scotland and Wales which has been covered by phase 1 of the Nature Conservancy Council field by field habitat census/survey;

  (5) what is the proportion of (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland covered by phase 1 of the Nature Conservancy Council field by field habitat census/survey;

  (6) what is the proportion of (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland, covered by phase 2 of the Nature Conservancy Council field by field habitat census/survey;

  (7) what progress has been made with the Nature Conservancy Council phase 1, field by field survey.

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

  Environmental Consultation
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation took place with voluntary environmental agencies, prior to the decision to merge the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission in Scotland and Wales.

  Mr. Trippier
  Proposals to reorganise the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission
  39
  were announced in July following a thorough internal review by the Government. These have since been the subject of detailed discussions both with the existing conservation agencies and with voluntary bodies and individuals. The Government will be taking account of these discussions in framing legislation, which will then be debated and decided in Parliament.

  Footpaths
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much the Government have spent in footpath renovation and upkeep during the past five years; and what future action he intends to take to tackle this problem.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The maintenance of highways, including footpaths and bridleways, is the responsibility of the highway authority. The allocation of resources between their various statutory responsibilities is a matter for the authorities themselves to determine. However, the Countryside Commission has been seeking, with some success, to raise the profile of rights of way work, and to encourage the better management of these recreational assets. The Government have strongly supported its initiative.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has met representatives of the Countryside Commission to discuss the quality of footpaths.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met Sir Derek Barber, Chairman of the Countryside Commission on 26 September when a number of issues were discussed. My hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside visited the Commission's offices on 4 October for a presentation on various aspects of its work.

  National Parks
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to introduce legislation to offer extra protection to the landscapes of national parks.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We see no need for further legislation about this subject at present.

  Capital Receipts
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in detail what the new rules governing councils' expenditure from capital receipts will be from 1 April 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Section 59 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 provides that any capital receipt realised by a local authority on or after 1 April 1990, other than a receipt received by them as trustee of a charitable fund, must be divided into a reserved part, which must be set aside as provision for credit liabilities, and a usable balance which the authority may apply to expenditure for capital purposes or as voluntary provision for credit liabilities. The usable balance of capital receipts may be applied in the financial year in which they are received or later, at the authority's discretion. Expenditure for capital purposes is defined in section 40 of the 1989 Act. The reserved part is calculated by reference to the amount of 40
  the receipt reduced by the amounts (if any) which out of the receipt are paid to the Exchequer by way of clawback of Exchequer grant or assistance or (in the case of certain receipts from housing disposals) are applied to meet the administrative costs of disposal. Except insofar as is otherwise provided by regulations made by the Secretary of State or, in cases where receipts arise from disposals which required his consent, by directions given by him, the amount of the reserved part is a percentage of the amount of the receipt thus reduced. The percentage specified in the Act is 75 per cent. in the case of disposals of dwelling-houses held for the purposes of Part II of the Housing Act 1985 and 50 per cent. in other cases. It has already been announced that it is the intention to make regulations which would provide for a percentage of 75 per cent. for receipts from the disposal of share and loan capital (other than certain holdings in public transport and airport companies) and from disposals of property held in connection with the police, probation, magistrates courts, and civil defence services. My Department is currently consulting the local authority associations on proposals for regulations which would (a) specify percentages other than 50 per cent. for certain other categories of receipts, (b) provide that in certain cases the reserved part would be calculated by references to the authority's net receipt rather than the gross amount realised, and (c) specify a percentage of 0 per cent. for most receipts realised by authorities who had paid off all their captial borrowings and had made full provision for their other credit liabilities.

  A credit received by a local authority as trustee of a charitable trust fund must be applied in accordance with any directions given by the Charity Commissioners or, in the absence of such directions, for the purposes of the charity concerned.

  Tin Compounds
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment at what date tributyltin and organotin compounds were added to his Department's red list; and from what external sources advice or evidence was received on this decision.

  Mr. Trippier
  Tributyltin and tryphenyltin compounds were included on the initial red list of priority substances liable to pose a threat to the aquatic environment, which was announced on 10 April 1989 following the issue of a consultation paper. There were, in total, 80 responses to the consultation exercise, of which seven specially commented on the inclusion of these substances on the list. Copies of these responses were placed in the Library of the House on 10 April, with the exception of one respondent who asked for their comments to be treated in confidence.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been completed or is in process on the toxicity of tributyltin and organotin compounds.

  Mr. Trippier
  Much of the research which led to the existing controls on triorganotins is referred to in DOE pollution paper 25 (Organotin in anti-fouling paints: environmental considerations). This was published in 1986 and a copy has already been placed in the Library of the House. Twenty seven scientific papers and reports produced subsequently under DOE funding are listed in the DOE report on research and development 1986–1988.
  41
  Current research funded by the Department of the Environment at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Burnham laboratory and at the Plymouth marine laboratory is mainly concerned with monitoring recovery since the ban imposed in 1987 and assessing the implications of tributyltin use on vessels over 25 metres.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to commission an environment impact statement on the use of tributyltin or organotin compounds in anti-fouling paints and on alternative anti-fouling systems.

  Mr. Trippier
  No. All antifouling preparations have to be notified under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. Approvals are granted or withheld following an assessment of possible impact on human health and the environment. Tributyltin compounds have not been approved for use on small boats or in fish farming; other uses are being kept under review by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

  Tenants Incentive Scheme
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the introduction of the tenants incentive scheme for the tenants of charitable housing associations.

  Mr. Chope
  The tenants incentive scheme will be introduced by the Housing Corporation in 1990–91. It will enable registered housing associations, including charitable housing associations, to give cash grants to help their tenants buy homes of their own.

  In addition to the major increase in resources being made available for the Housing Corporation's main programme, the Government are making available through the corporation an extra £73 million over the next two years to help housing associations provide more homes for homeless people by various means including securing vacancies by giving additional grants under the tenants incentive scheme. These extra resources will be targeted on London and the south-east where homelessness pressures are greatest.

  Shire counties' spending compared to grant related expenditure assessments

  1987–88 Overspend

  1987–88 Percentage overspend

  1988–89 Overspend

  1988–89 Percentage overspend

  £ million

  £ million

  Avon

  27·7

  7·6

  34·4

  8·7

  Bedfordshire

  17·6

  8·2

  15·7

  6·7

  Buckinghamshire

  11·8

  4·6

  11·3

  4·0

  Cambridgeshire

  -14·9

  -5·9

  5·4

  2·0

  Cheshire

  31·0

  7·7

  31·6

  7·2

  Cleveland

  25·5

  9·3

  27·1

  9·2

  Cumbria

  21·3

  10·5

  21·8

  10·0

  Derbyshire

  33·3

  8·7

  36·1

  8·7

  Durham

  6·5

  2·6

  7·8

  2·9

  Essex

  -1·5

  -0·3

  20·3

  3·1

  Gloucestershire

  0·1

  0·1

  3·5

  1·5

  Hertfordshire

  -19·3

  -5·0

  91·8

  22·3

  Humberside

  21·7

  5·6

  25·3

  6·1

  Isle of Wight

  2·7

  5·6

  2·6

  4·8

  Lancashire

  0·3

  0·1

  17·8

  2·7

  Leicestershire

  5·2

  1·4

  10·9

  2·6

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will increase resources to allow the designation of special sites to be undertaken more speedily and effectively;

  (2) if he will make resources available to identify species decline in the British Isles; and if he will strengthen legislation protecting endangered species habitat.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government's grant-in-aid to the Nature Conservancy Council in the financial year 1990–91 will be £44·069 million, an increase over this year of almost £4 million. The council has indicated that this amount will allow it to carry forward its statutory work and to deliver additional benefits for nature conservation. Within the framework of the corporate plan, it is for the council to decide the priorities of the calls on its resources, and site safeguard is regarded as being of the highest priority. The Government have no plans to amend the legislative provisions for protecting the habitats of endangered species.

  Countryside Work Force
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he will take to create a countryside work force, to monitor, identify, protect and manage environmentally important sites; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  A large number of organisations are active in various aspects of the environmental protection and enhancement work to which the hon. Member refers, including particularly the Government's statutory agencies, the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission, the Groundwork Trusts and numerous voluntary conservation bodies, many of which receive financial assistance from public funds.

  Overspent Targets (Shires)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those shire counties in England which overspent the targets or other assessments set by Government in each of the last two years for which figures are available, with the amount of overspending and the proportion this formed of the total spending in each case.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is as follows:
  43

  1987–88 Overspend

  1987–88 Percentage overspend

  1988–89 Overspend

  1988–89 Percentage overspend

  £ million

  £ million

  Northamptonshire

  0·5

  0·2

  4·9

  1·9

  Northumberland

  6·3

  5·2

  10·3

  7·9

  Nottinghamshire

  25·0

  5·9

  47·9

  10·5

  Oxfordshire

  3·5

  1·8

  11·8

  5·5

  Somerset

  1·4

  0·8

  4·3

  2·2

  Warwickshire

  -2·5

  -1·3

  7·6

  3·6

  West Sussex

  17·7

  6·9

  -15·9

  -5·7

  Wiltshire

  -2·6

  -1·2

  7·1

  3·0

  Habitats Directive
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will support a European Community habitats directive, providing protection for special features of value to wildlife.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, South (Mr. Bright) on 30 November at column 370.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement following the Council of Environmental Ministers on 28 and 29 November concerning discussions held on the proposed European Community habitats directive; and if he will indicate what funding will be made available to enable the effective implementation of the directive in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, South (Mr. Bright) on 30 November at column 370.

  Registered Funding Co-operatives
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give urgent consideration to exempting registered funding co-operatives from the requirements set out in his Department's circular 31/88; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Housing Corporation circular HC31/88 sets out the financial viability tests the corporation applies where registered housing associations seek consent for private loans. The criteria in the circular are of a general nature and the corporation is prepared to relax them in appropriate circumstances.

  Water Shares
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that service personnel who own, but are unable to be resident at a United Kingdom home, are in no way disadvantaged in obtaining access to special terms offered by water authorities for the purchase of shares by their customers.

  Mr. Howard
  It was open to absent servicemen qualifying as customers under the terms of the water share offers to make arrangements to be registered with the Water Share Information Office by the last date for registration of 15 November, and to make arrangements for their personalised customer application forms to be completed and returned by representatives in the United 44
  Kingdom before the closing date and time which is 10 am on 6 December. No applications may, however, be made which are in breach of the local securities laws of the country in which they are serving.

  Litter
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what legislative proposals he intends to introduce to reduce litter.

  Mr. Trippier
  The proposals we intend to introduce in the forthcoming environment Bill, to improve the appearance and standards of cleanliness of public places were published in a consultation paper 'Action on Litter', a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  These proposals include a new duty on local authorities, statutory undertakers and owners of some other land to keep their land clear of litter. In carrying out this duty, these bodies will have to have regard to a code of practice issued by my right hon. Friend. If they fail to carry out the duty, an aggrieved person will be able to apply to the magistrates court for a litter abatement order compelling them to do so. We will also bring in tougher penalties for litterers: we intend to raise the maximum fine for littering from £400 to £1,000; and give local authorities powers to introduce a fixed penalty scheme for litter offences, similar to that already operating in Westminster.

  Dust Emission Limits
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to place individual SO2 and dust emission limits on large industrial plants.

  Mr. Trippier
  Large industrial plants which have the potential for significant emissions of SO2 and dust are subject to control by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution. Operators of these plants are required to fit such equipment and to operate in such a way as to minimise air pollution and its effects. The specification of the requirements may include emission limits. Under proposed changes to air pollution legislation to be introduced this Session, control requirements, including any relevant emission limits, will be set in legally binding authorisations which will be open to public inspection. I have written to my hon. Friend about the control of dust and SO2 emissions from the Fiddlers Ferry power station, which is among the plants covered by proposals in the Department's recent consultation paper on implementation of the EC large combustion plants directive.

  Poll Tax Publicity
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of his planned poll tax publicity campaign showing(a) the cost of television advertising, (b) the cost of newspaper advertising, (c) the cost of radio advertising and (d) the planned start and end dates of the campaign; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  We are not planning a poll tax publicity campaign. We are, however, preparing an

  General rates—Highest annual increases since 1983–84

  Year of increase

  Percentage of increase

  Poundages in pence

  from

  to

  1. Ealing

  1987–88

  57·4

  160·5

  252·5

  2. Waltham Forest

  1987–88

  56·6

  205·0

  321·0

  3. Haringey

  1989–90

  55·7

  245·3

  381·9

  4. Hammersmith and Fulham

  1987–88

  44·1

  165·5

  238·4

  5. Calderdale

  1986–87

  37·3

  208·2

  286·0

  6. Eden

  1986–87

  35·0

  194·3

  262·2

  7. Leicester

  1986–87

  34·7

  174·7

  235·3

  8. Allerdale

  1986–87

  34·1

  198·5

  266·1

  9. Barrow-in-Furness

  1986–87

  33·7

  202·0

  270·0

  10. South Lakeland

  1986–87

  33·2

  192·9

  256·8

  Docklands
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total projected cost of transport, environmental and infrastructure improvements financed by the Exchequer and designed to serve London Docklands between 1985 and 1995; and if he will itemise all such improvements.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: Past expenditure, current commitments and proposals by the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) and the Department of Transport (DTp) on transport, environmental and infrastructure improvements to serve docklands exceed £2 billion. A full list of all such schemes is not available, but transport projects by DTp and LDDC are summarised in DTp's publication "Transport in Docklands" (June 1989), copies of which are in the Library.

  Water Companies
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer of 27 November to the hon. Member for Copeland,Official Report, column 86, he will list the individuals serving on each water holding company trust scheme.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer Thursday 30 November 1989]: The Companies Act 1985 requires the filing of names and addresses of directors at Companies House and for these to be made available to the public on request.

  Child Care Facilities
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will be introducing any new measures to assist or encourage local authorities to provide additional child care facilities in order to enable more women with pre-school age children to seek employment.
  46
  information campaign to ensure that those eligible are aware of entitlement to community charge benefit and transitional relief.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 10 highest annual rate increases reported among English local authorities since 1983, giving the year of increase, the amount and the appropriate local authority.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 29 November 1989]: The information requested is as follows:

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  It is for local authorities to decide what priority they give to provision of services for pre-school children. We would expect local authority provision to be targeted on children from families with particular health or social difficulties rather than specifically designed to enable mothers to seek employment. Under the Children Act local authorities will be expected to review the availability of services and to publish information not only about what they provide themselves but also the provision of others and in particular voluntary organisations who make a valuable contribution in this area. The Department of Education and Science wrote in October to encourage local education authorities to allow the use of school premises for child care provision out of school hours.

WALES

  A487 (Tourist Signposting)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department received a letter from Inigo Jones and Co. Ltd., Groeslon, Caernarfon, dated 17 August, concerning information signposting for tourists on the A487 trunk road; on what date a reply was sent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The letter from Inigo Jones and Co. Ltd., dated 17 August and addressed to the county surveyor of Gwynedd was received in the Welsh Office on 18 September. A full reply was sent to the company on 30 November. This set out the criteria used in considering the signing of tourist attractions from trunk roads in Wales.

  Rates
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each charging authority area, attributing business rate income received by precepting authorities under the current system to each area in proportion to the
  47
  aggregate of rateable values in that area (a) the estimated revenue from non-domestic rates in 1989–90, (b) the estimated amount which would have been raised in revenue by the national non-domestic rate in 1989–90 after the end of transitional arrangements and assuming rateable values at current levels, (c) the amount which would have been paid from the national non-domestic

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  (e)

  (f)

  Charging authority

  Revenue from non-domestic rates

  Amount to each district/area from national non-domestic rate

  Amount from national non-domestic rating pool1

  Difference (a)-(b)

  Difference (b)-(c)

  Difference (a)-(c)

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Alyn and Deeside

  12·787

  12·198

  10·420

  0·589

  1·778

  2·366

  Colwyn

  5·828

  5·611

  8·215

  0·218

  -2·604

  -2·386

  Delyn

  6·847

  6·546

  9·413

  0·301

  -2·866

  -2·565

  Glyndwr

  4·480

  4·255

  6·123

  0·226

  -1·868

  -1·643

  Rhuddlan

  7·977

  7·899

  8·424

  0·078

  -0·525

  -0·446

  Wrexham Maelor

  18·120

  16·613

  16·829

  1·507

  -0·215

  1·292

  Carmarthen

  5·744

  5·717

  8·291

  0·026

  -2·574

  -2·547

  Ceredigion

  6·454

  6·576

  9·926

  -0·122

  -3·350

  -3·472

  Dinefwr

  2·847

  2·873

  5·781

  -0·026

  -2·908

  -2·933

  Llanelli

  8·761

  8·275

  11·048

  0·486

  -2·773

  -2·287

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  9·988

  10·601

  10·268

  -0·613

  0·332

  -0·280

  South Pembrokeshire

  14·325

  14·344

  6·104

  -0·019

  8·240

  8·221

  Blaenau Gwent

  7·575

  7·881

  11·314

  -0·306

  -3·433

  -3·740

  Islwyn

  5·278

  5·377

  9·679

  -0·099

  -4·302

  -4·401

  Monmouth

  10·175

  10·097

  11·923

  0·079

  -1·826

  -1·747

  Newport

  30·605

  31·261

  18·483

  -0·656

  12·778

  12·122

  Torfaen

  12·903

  12·787

  13·349

  0·116

  -0·562

  -0·445

  Aberconwy

  6·888

  6·950

  8·158

  -0·062

  -1·207

  -1·269

  Arfon

  11·604

  11·821

  7·967

  -0·217

  3·854

  3·637

  Dwyfor

  3·284

  3·315

  4·069

  -0·031

  -0·754

  -0·785

  Meirionnydd

  6·341

  6·523

  4·754

  -0·182

  1-769

  1·587

  Ynys Mon

  10·938

  11·076

  10·154

  -0·138

  0·922

  0·784

  Cynon Valley

  6·432

  6·317

  9·375

  0·114

  -3·057

  -2·943

  Merthyr Tydfil

  7·447

  7·056

  8·424

  0·392

  -1·368

  -0·976

  Ogwr

  14·872

  14·026

  19·985

  0·846

  -5·959

  -5·113

  Rhondda

  5·202

  4·924

  11·143

  0·278

  -6·219

  -5·942

  Rhymney Valley

  10·147

  9·477

  14·775

  0·669

  -5·298

  -4·628

  Taff Ely

  15·287

  14·099

  13·596

  1·188

  0·503

  1·691

  Brecknock

  4·440

  4·788

  6·104

  -0·348

  -1·316

  -1·664

  Montgomeryshire

  5·659

  6·290

  7·568

  -0·631

  -1·278

  -1·909

  Radnorshire

  3·078

  3·496

  3·366

  -0·418

  0·130

  -0·288

  Cardiff

  51·673

  59·038

  41·054

  -7·365

  17·984

  10·619

  Vale of Glamorgan

  17·756

  20·535

  17·285

  -2·780

  3·250

  0·471

  Port Talbot

  17·119

  16·751

  7·226

  0·368

  9·525

  9·893

  Lliw Valley

  6·392

  5·842

  9·108

  0·550

  -3·266

  -2·716

  Neath

  9·631

  9·050

  9·546

  0·581

  -0·496

  0·085

  Swansea

  31·762

  26·361

  27·401

  5·401

  -1·040

  4·361

  All Welsh charging authorities

  416·647

  416·647

  416·647

  0

  0

  0

  1 Distributed using the Registrar General's mid year estimates (1988) of population aged 18 and over.

  Craft Industry
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish the full cost of the review of the Welsh craft industry that took place in February 1988;

  (2) if he will publish the full costs of the design and development fees for the "Wales—Land of Quality" promotion and logo;

  (3) what information he has on the current position of the finances and on the number of jobs created by the craft incentive of the Welsh Arts Council which began on 1 April 1988;
  48
  rating pool to each area in 1989–90, (d) the difference between (a) and (b), (e) the difference between (b) and (c), and (f) the difference between (a) and (c), showing aggregates for each figure for each class of charging authority.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The estimates requested are shown in the following table:

  (4) what information he has on the figures on the current expenditure on and value of sales achieved by the Welsh Craft Council's (a) Buyers' Guide 1988–89, (b) Wales fair, October 1988 and (c) direct sales events;

  (5) what information he has on the full expenditure on, and income received from, the Welsh Development Agency's (a) publication of the Buyers' Guide 1989 and the South Wales Business Adviser, (b) research and promotion of retail sales, (c) craft shops in museums and (d) grant to Wales Craft Council.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the numbers of hospital beds available in Ceredigion for geriatric cases; how many patients there are on the waiting list; and what steps he is taking to increase the number of beds in the area.

  Mr. Grist
  106 NHS hospital beds are currently designated for geriatric medicine in Ceredigion. At 31 March 1989 there was one person on the in-patient waiting list for admission to those beds.

  The planning of bed numbers for particular specialties is an operational matter for the relevant district health authority in the first instance.

  Trunk Roads (Traffic Flow)
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total traffic flow on the Cardigan to Machynlleth trunk road and the A44 Aberystwyth to Ponterwyd road; and what proportion of this traffic is heavy goods vehicles.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  In 1988, the annual average daily traffic flows on the A487 between Cardigan and Machynlleth ranged from about 3,000 vehicles per day on stretches between Cardigan and the outskirts of Aberystwyth to up to 11,000 vehicles per day through Aberystwyth itself. The heavy goods vehicle content ranged between about 2 per cent. and 8 per cent.

  Annual average daily traffic flows on the A44 between Aberystwyth and Ponterwyd, in 1988 ranged from 2,500 vehicles per day between Ponterwyd and the A4159 junction to almost 8,000 vehicles per day at Llanbadarn with a heavy goods vehicle content of between 7 per cent. and 10 per cent.

  Welsh Language Teaching
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average number of hours spent teaching Welsh in schools in Wales in(a) primary and (b) secondary sectors; and if he will give a county by county breakdown.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The latest information about the time spent on teaching Welsh is derived from the primary school staffing survey 1987. The information is shown in the following table:

  Percentage of class time spent learning Welsh

  Percentage

  Clwyd

  9

  Dyfed

  14

  Gwent

  1

  Gwynedd

  19

  Mid Glamorgan

  n/a

  Powys

  9

  South Glamorgan

  3

  West Glamorgan

  5

  Wales

  28

  1 Less than 1.

  2 Includes an estimate for Mid Glamorgan.

  No comparable information is currently available for secondary schools. The results of the recent secondary schools staffing survey will be published during 1990.

  East Glamorgan Hospital
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether funds have been allocated to the Mid Glamorgan health authority sufficient to ensure an immediate start to the repair programme to the fabric of East Glamorgan general hospital.

  Mr. Grist
  Mid Glamorgan health authority has received revenue allocation of £149 million and a capital allocation of over £7 million in the current financial year. These allocations represent cash increases by comparison with 1988–89 provision of 7 per cent. and 27 per cent. respectively. It is for the authority to determine how these resources should be deployed.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether funds have been allocated to the Mid Glamorgan health authority sufficient to ensure a speedy start to the construction of a replacement district general hospital for the existing East Glamorgan general hospital.

  Mr. Grist
  It is for Mid Glamorgan health authority o decide how best to deploy the capital and revenue resources allocated to it. We are, however, currently considering a number of bids under the programme for the valleys for health schemes starting in 1990–91, including a bid from Mid Glamorgan health authority in respect of preliminary works associated with the proposed new district general hospital. We shall announce decisions on the programme early in the new year.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many reservoirs and lakes in Wales have been affected by poisonous algal blooms during 1989; how much dredging has taken place to get rid of such blooms; and what action he will take to ensure that algal blooms are effectively eliminated in future.

  Mr. Grist
  Monitoring carried out during 1989 revealed no significant algal blooms in Welsh reservoirs and therefore no dredging has been carried out. It is for the National Rivers Authority, in conjunction with Dwr Cymru, to consider what future action may be necessary in areas potentially affected by algal blooms.

  Deprivation Survey
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends publishing his Department's survey of 100 towns facing deprivation in Wales; and if he will include information on how the survey was conducted and the action he is taking in reaction to the survey's findings.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I assume the hon. Gentleman is referring to some work undertaken by my Department to devise a mechanism for the distribution of one of the new allowances payable to general medical practitioners under the new GP contract to take effect on 1 April 1990. The work was undertaken for this specific purpose and is not considered to have any wider application. Discussions continue with representatives of GPs.

  Wrexham Maelor Hospital
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has yet received a new submission from the Clwyd health authority for the funding of renal services at Wrexham Maelor hospital.
  51
  Mr. Grist
  We understand that the health authority is presently preparing its submission in respect of a regional subsidiary renal unit in the context of its response to consultation on the report of the evaluation of renal services in Wales.

  Cancer
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what investigations he will institute to consider the rates for cancer in North Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what measures he will take to investigate(a) the rate of stomach cancer in North Wales, (b) breast cancer rates in Merioneth, Aberconway, Rhondda and Colwyn, (c) rates of cancer of the cervix in Clwyd and Anglesey and (d) incidences of leukaemia in women in Colwyn, Merioneth and Wales generally; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  It has been known for some time that there was a slight elevation of cancer incidence rates for north Wales in comparison with the average for Wales as a whole. In order to establish if any particular factor could be held responsible it was announced in 1987 that Professor Hubert Campbell, Emeritus Professor of Medical Statistics of the University of Wales. College of Medicine had been appointed to consider the available data relating to the incidence of cancers in north Wales since 1974.

  Professor Campbell's report was published in July 1988. In introducing his findings Professor Campbell emphasised there was nothing new in the elevation of cancer incidence rates in north Wales; records demonstrate this situation has existed for at least 70 years and it would not be possible to identify any aetiological agent as being responsible. It was however suggested that some further investigation might be undertaken into the question of whether some genetic factor might play a contributory role in the excess of leukemia registration identified in the report and also into the possible reasons for an excess in thyroid cancer registration in women over the age of 25 between 1974 amd 1978.

  The feasibility and potential value of such further investigation is being considered in conjunction with the small areas health statistics unit.

  The Wales Cancer Registry records incidence rates for all types of cancer and detailed summaries are published periodically. The third report "Cancer Registration Wales 1974–84" was published in May 1988.

  It must be appreciated in considering such reports that at district level or below the number of annual registrations for certain types of malignancy can be very small. As such, considerable care must be exercised in the interpretation of the derived incidence rates.

  Domestic Rates Bills
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many households in the area of the Merthyr borough council are paying an annual rates bill of less than £350;

  (2) how many households in the communities of Rhymney, Brithdir, Tydfil and New Tredegar are at present paying an annual rates bill of less than £350.
  52
  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Sheltered Accommodation
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the number of sheltered schemes for the elderly, units in those sheltered schemes and other purpose-built dwellings for the elderly operated by (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: In April 1989 there were 16,219 Local Authority sheltered dwellings and 23,111 other local authority dwellings designed for the elderly. Housing association data held centrally do not distinguish between sheltered and other purpose-built dwellings, and are not yet available for April 1989. However, in April 1988 there were 4,313 Housing Association dwellings designed for the elderly.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Trespass
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans the Government have to review the application of the law of trespass.

  The Attorney-General
  The Government have no plans to review the application of the law of trespass.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Attorney-General when he last discussed the Birmingham pub bombings case with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

  The Attorney-General
  It was mentioned briefly last Thursday when considering today's questions with him.

  Bradford Law Centre
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will visit Bradford law centre.

  The Attorney-General
  I do not have any plans to visit Bradford law centre.

  Nazi War Criminals
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Attorney-General how many representations he has received in the last year urging him to introduce legislation to try Nazi war criminals from eastern Europe in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Any representations addressed to me on this topic would have been transferred immediately to my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary, and I have no records of their number.

  Confessions
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will arrange for statistics to be placed in the Library showing the number of convictions in England and Wales founded upon uncorroborated confessions obtained by the police for each of the years 1980 to date.
  53
  The Attorney-General
  No. The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Such evidence is considered by the Crown prosecution service in the course of its review of each such case in accordance with the code for Crown prosecutors.

  Trials
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Attorney-General how many cases are awaiting trial in the east midlands; and what is the average length of waiting time in each category for which figures are available.

  The Attorney-General
  As at end October, there were 1,031 committals for trial awaiting disposal in the group of Crown court centres comprising Derby, Grimsby, Leicester, Lincoln and Nottingham.

  The average waiting times for the group for the period April to October 1989 are 8·4 weeks for those defendants in custody and 9·7 weeks for those on bail.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he is satisfied with the working of the Crown prosecution service; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Yes. A record of the substantial achievements and progress of the Crown prosecution service for the year ending in July, upon which the service deserves congratulations is contained in the Director of Public Prosecutions' annual report, a copy of Which is in the Library. I commend it to hon. Members. I welcome this opportunity to record my full confidence in the Crown prosecution service and my support for its continuing progress.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General when he last met the Director of Public Prosecutions to discuss the operation of the Crown prosecution service.

  The Attorney-General
  On 30 November 1989.

  Planning Covenants
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will ask the Law Reform Committee to consider the effectiveness of planning covenants; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  There are no plans to refer any aspect of planning law to the Law Reform Committee.

  Legal Profession
  Mr. Stanbrook
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will propose the ending of the monopoly whereby only members of the legal profession are allowed to represent defendants before courts.

  The Attorney-General
  The Government's proposals for widening choice in the provision of advocacy services were set out in the White Paper published on 19 July 1989.

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Attorney-General when he last met the director of the serious fraud office.

  The Attorney-General
  I frequently meet the director of the serious fraud office to discuss matters of departmental interest.

  Haemophiliacs
  Mr. Aitken
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received on the current litigation brought by haemophilia patients against health authorities and other Government agencies.

  The Attorney-General
  Apart from those made by the hon. Member, no representations have been made to Inc on the current litigation.

  Duty Solicitors
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General how many duty solicitors' schemes have been established in England and Wales for each year over the last 10 years; how many have ceased to exist; how many are still in operation; and if he will list the areas concerned.

  The Attorney-General
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Legal aid legislation has provided for duty solicitors at magistrates' courts since 1983 and at police stations since 1986. Cover has been established at 488 magistrates' courts and 1,780 police stations. Where cover ceases the Legal Aid Board seeks to restore it as soon as possible. Duty solicitor cover has ceased, but has not yet been restored, at four police stations: Hatfield, St. Albans, Welwyn Garden City and Sevenoaks.

  Consolidation Measure
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will give consideration to introducing a consolidation measure to incorporate the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, part 2, and the Law of Property Act 1969.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  No, given that these Acts are generally working well as they stand.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Gaelic Football (Loughry College)
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether students at Loughry college, who may be part-time members of the security forces, will be permitted to play Gaelic games under the auspices of the Gaelic Club at Loughry; and whether the Irish Republic's tricolour will be permitted to be flown at Gaelic games being played at Loughry.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Loughry college strongly encourages all students to organise and participate in those sports or recreational activities in which they are interested. Gaelic football is a popular choice among students.

  The college expects each club or society to be student-led and to manage its own affairs. This may include affiliation with the governing body for a particular sport such as the Gaelic Athletic Association or the Irish Rugby Football Association (Ulster Branch).

  I congratulate the college club on its success in the all-Ireland agricultural colleges competitions.

  We are unaware of any student being refused permission to play Gaelic games because he or she is a part-time member of the security forces.
  55
  The flag which may be flown at Loughry college is the Union flag. It is flown from the official flag pole on appointed days.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Medical Board Hearings
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the reasons for the delay in the hearing by the medical board of the claim by Mrs. D. Lowe; and when he now expects the hearing to take place.

  Mr. Scott
  The medical board, which took place on 19 October, was arranged as soon as it was practicable following receipt of all the evidence which the board required.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much housing benefit spending has been reduced in the past year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Housing benefit expenditure has not been reduced over the past year; in fact, estimated spending in 1989–90 (including community charge rebates) is 17 per cent. higher than in 1988–89.

  Food Vouchers
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number and value of food vouchers issued by the Newcastle (Saxon house) and Newcastle (Bentinck road) offices of his Department during the period April to October.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The number of food vouchers issued by the Newcastle (Saxon house) office between 1 April and 31 October 1989 is four at a value of .£100·30. The Newcastle (Bentinck road) office issued no vouchers in that period.

  Young Offenders
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment his Department has made of the special needs of young offenders on probation and at risk of custody, particularly with reference to any delay in processing a claim.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Government continue to monitor the effects of the recent changes in social security provision. As part of this monitoring the Department of Social Security maintains close liaison with the Home Office's probation services. We are also looking carefully at the findings of the recent research carried out for the Association of Chief Officers of Probation by the University of Lancaster, which indicates that offenders and their families have problems in getting the social security benefits to which they are entitled.

  Income support claims are dealt with on average within five days, with urgent claims being processed well within that period. Moreover, as a result of our monitoring I announced on 27 November a number of procedural improvements designed to ensure that claims from young people, including those from young offenders, are dealt with as effectively and sympathetically as possible. These changes demonstrate the Government's willingness to act when areas of genuine difficulty are identified.

  Disability
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for consultation with disabled people and their families following the publication of the changes in social security benefits for disabled people.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) and the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 23 October at columns 341–42.

DEFENCE

  Married Quarters
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total amount of money gained from the sale of surplus married quarters since 1981.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The amount of money gained from the sale of surplus married quarters before 1 April 1987 is not identifiable without disproportionate effort. Receipts since then are as follows:

  Financial year

  Receipts

  £ million

  11989–90

  15·721

  1988–89

  55·627

  1987–88

  27·010

  1 To 30 September 1989.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the maintenance backlog at 1 April for each year since 1979 for(a) unavoidable and essential repairs, and (b) urgent repairs for married quarters.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The backlog of unavoidable repairs at 1 April 1989 was estimated at £323 million, although it cannot be guaranteed that this is precisely accurate in every respect, given that assessments of this kind are a matter of professional judgment. Figures for previous years were either not collated at all or, where they were, not in such a way as to permit comparison between one year and another, as the definition and interpretation of what constitutes backlog has been progressively revised from year to year. At no time has the backlog of maintenance of married quarters been separately identified. Consequently the information requested could not be obtained at all or without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any surplus married quarters have been sold or leased to housing associations since 1981.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Yes. There have been several occasions since 1981 when surplus married quarters have been sold to housing associations. However, records are not kept in a way which makes specific purchasers readily identifiable, and to give details of all such transactions would entail disproportionate effort. Properties which were temporarily surplus to MOD requirements have been leased to a housing association in recent years but there are no such leases at present.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any surplus married quarters have been sold or leased to local authorities since 1981.
  57
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Yes. There have been several occasions since 1981 when surplus married quarters have been sold to local authorities. However, records are not kept in a way which makes specific purchasers readily identifiable and to give details of all such transactions would entail disproportionate effort. Properties which are temporarily surplus to MOD requirements may be offered for leasing to local authorities when circumstances permit. There are currently over 500 such properties leased to local authorities throughout the United Kingdom.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arms and equipment supplied to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation are manufactured in Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I am not able to supply this information on behalf of our NATO partners. The amount of such equipment procured by the United Kingdom is extremely small.

  Harrier Public House
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what heights Harrier aircraft overflew the Harrier public house at Bowerhill, Wiltshire and surrounding area on 9 November.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Harrier aircraft flew at a height of between 250 and 500 ft above ground level.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many hours' flight time was used by the Royal Air Force Harrier aircraft to travel between their base and the Harrier public house on 9 November.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Harrier aircraft flew a routine training mission of 50 minutes' duration. The overflight of the public house required no additional flying time.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the total cost of the overflight of the Harrier public house at Bowerhill, Melksham, Wiltshire on Thursday 9 November;

  (2) whether any of the costs to the Royal Air Force of the overflight of the Harrier public house by Royal Air Force Harrier aircraft on 9 November were reimbursed by the brewery or the licensee.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The overflight of the Harrier public house was undertaken as part of a routine training sortie. It is not our practice to give information on the costs of individual sorties. However, no additional costs were incurred as a result of the overflight, and there was therefore no requirement for reimbursement.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether those Royal Air Force personnel present at the Harrier public house, Bowerhill, Wiltshire on 9 November were on official duty; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Royal Air Force personnel attended the Harrier public house on 9 November in a private capacity and were off duty at the time.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who instigated the overflight of the Harrier public house by Royal Air Force Harrier aircraft on 9 November; and whether ministerial approval was given before the flypast.
  58
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The overflight took place in response to a request from the publican of the Harrier public house at Bowerhill, Melksham. It was approved by a senior RAF commander as part of a routine training sortie, at no extra cost to public funds.

  Sea Harriers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what heights Sea Harrier aircraft overflew the Thames and surrounding area on 11 November.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The flypast over the Thames was at approximately 1,000ft.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many hours' flight time were used by the Sea Harrier aircraft to travel between their base and the Thames on 11 November.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The aircraft took off from Yeovilton at 13.24 and landed there again at 14.21.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of the overflight of the Thames by Royal Navy Sea Harrier aircraft on 11 November.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not our practice to give information on the costs of individual flights.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any of the costs to the Royal Navy of the overflight of the Thames by Sea Harrier aircraft on 11 November were reimbursed by the organisers of the Lord Mayor's show.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No. The flight was regarded as having training value.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who instigated the overflight of the Thames by Royal Navy Sea Harrier aircraft on 11 November; and whether ministerial approval was given before the flypast.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The flypast was at the request of the pageantmaster of the Lord Mayor's show, and was approved at the appropriate level within the Ministry of Defence.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (i) Ministry of Defence sites not used by United States forces and (ii) Ministry of Defence sites used by United States forces are currently being guarded by private security firms.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Private security firms are currently used at 45 Ministry of Defence establishments, including one which is made available to United States forces.

  Aldermaston
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many new posts will be required for the Ministry of Defence police under the proposed scheme to upgrade the perimeter fence at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston; and what is the cost, as estimated by his Department, of the provision of these posts;
  59
  (2) if he has recently reviewed security at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston;

  (3) if he will make a statement regarding the proposed upgrading of the perimeter fence at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston, including the expected total cost of the scheme;

  (4) what is the cost, as estimated by his Department, of building a new 7·5 km weld mesh fence around the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston;

  (5) what is the cost, as estimated by his Department, of laying a patrol track between the present outer and proposed inner fences under the proposed scheme to upgrade the perimeter fence at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston; and what is the proposed surface material for this track;

  (6) what is the cost, as estimated by his Department, of realigning the existing perimeter fence at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston to accommodate proposed improvements;

  (7) what is the cost, as estimated by his Department, of the proposed new perimeter lighting system at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston;

  (8) what is the cost, as estimated by his Department, of the proposed remote controlled closed circuit television system and its associated control room to be installed at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston;

  (9) what is the cost, as estimated by his Department, of the proposed intruder detection system to be mounted on the inner fence at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston;

  Mr. Neubert
  Security at AWE is subject to regular review and it is not our policy to give details of operational security measures.

  We have decided to upgrade the perimeter fence system at Aldermaston and are seeking proposals from industry for the following elements:

  1. Realignment of the existing chain link fence where necessary.

  2. A new inner fence around the 7·5km perimeter of weldmesh construction.

  3. An intruder detection system mounted on the inner fence.

  4. A new perimeter lighting system.

  5. A CCTV surveillance system with remote control and monitoring room.

  6. All associated services.

  7. Steam main alterations and diversions.

  8. Roadwork extensions and alterations.

  9. A patrol track between the inner and outer fences.

  10. Entrance gate modifications.

  11. Modification of existing and provision of new MDP posts.

  12. Undergrounding of SEB overhead 33KV line and diversion of 11KV underground cable.

  It is not appropriate to disclose our cost estimates while tenders are being sought and any subsequently agreed price will, of course, be commercially confidential.

  Public Houses
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many openings of public houses, or similar establishments, Royal Air Force aircraft or aircrew have attended in an official capacity in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We have no records of official RAF participation in, or attendance at, such events.

  Perimeter Fences
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many other bases or facilities owned, operated or under the contol of his Department have had new perimeter fences of weld mesh construction provided for them in the last 10 years; and what was the total cost of construction for each of these weld mesh fences.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  S10 Respirators
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many S10 respirator facepieces have been purchased by his Department in the three years to the end of the financial year 1989–90; how many are to be purchased over the next three financial years; and what is his Department's total requirement of these items.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I regret that, in the interests of national security, the Department's total requirement for this item cannot be revealed. I can confirm that the current requirement is under contract and the bulk of it should be delivered by the end of the financial year 1989–90. Future requirements remain subject to review.

  Air Electronics Operators
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the proposed wage reductions for Royal Air Force air electronics operators; whether he will reconsider this decision; and if he will ensure that no serving operator has any reduction in his pay.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  From 1 October 1989 air electronics operators in the ranks of master aircrew and flight sergeant have been placed in a lower pay band in accordance with the job evaluation results for their trade. This decision was taken after three full evaluations, and is currently the subject of internal appeal procedures. Existing regulations ensure that none of the personnel affected will suffer any reduction in pay.

  Project Brinton
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding Project Brinton.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Project Brinton provides secure fixed communications in Northern Ireland. For security reasons I am unable to give details.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the awarding of compensation to Mr. Paul Adorian of Kirklinton for the death of a llama caused by low-flying fast jet aircraft.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Mr. Adorian submitted a claim for compensation to the Ministry of Defence for the death of one of his llamas as a result of military low-flying aircraft activity. Following a thorough investigation of the circumstances, this claim was accepted and an appropriate award of compensation for the loss was made.

  Triaminotrinitrobenzene
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the procurement of triaminotrinitrobenzene by the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Aldermaston; and for what purpose this material is procured.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  A notice has been placed in the MOD contracts bulletin of a tender for the procurement of quantities of triaminotrinitrobenzene. For security reasons I am not prepared to identify the applications for which this material is procured.

  War Widows
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the present level of pension paid to war widows of service men who died before 31 March 1973 with a view to bringing them into line with pensions paid to war widows of service men who died on or after 31 March 1973.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Under the rules of the armed forces pension scheme the level of pensions paid to the widows of service men depends upon the terms and conditions in force at the date on which their husbands completed their service, or died in service. Changes in the rules, which became operative on 31 March 1973, applied only to personnel giving service on or after that date. In accordance with normal principles and practice for occupational pension schemes, the revised rules did not apply retrospectively, and there are no plans to change that position.

  EH 101 Helicopter
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will describe any current problems involved in developing the utility EH 101 helicopter project; what is the latest estimate of any cost over-runs; and if he will make a statement on the progress of this programme item.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The RAF utility EH 101 helicopter programme is currently in the project definition phase, the first stage of which will be completed by April 1990. This involves a detailed examination of the RAF's foreseen requirement against a range of options, and establishing the costs and risks associated with each. The results of this work will provide the basis for decisions on the next stage of the programme.

  NATO
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has had any discussions with other members of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation regarding possible British troop reductions in the Federal Republic of Germany, following an agreement on the reduction of conventional forces in Europe.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has frequent discussions with his NATO counterparts on a wide range of arms control issues. The NATO proposals on manpower at the negotiations on conventional forces in Europe are limited to forces stationed by the United States and the Soviet Union in Europe.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he has had any discussions with 62
  representatives of the Netherlands Government regarding the creation of a multinational North Atlantic Treaty Organisation maritime patrol airforce in the north Atlantic; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is his policy towards the creation of a multinational North Atlantic Treaty Organisation maritime patrol airforce in the north Atlantic: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No. I am not aware of any proposals to create such a force.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards co-operation with other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries regarding the use of flight simulators; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is our policy to co-operate with other NATO countries in making most cost-effective use of available flight simulators. For example, the RAF is currently hiring time on equipment owned by the United States and Spanish air forces, which simulates the Harrier GR5, while German forces are trained on simulators belonging to the Royal Navy.

  Submarines
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions are given to submarine commanders regarding their conduct when their submarines become entangled in fishing nets.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The guidance given to a submarine commander in the event of his vessel becoming entangled with the nets of a trawler is designed to ensure that the safety of human life is given paramount consideration.

  The instructions require:

  (a) the submarine to come to periscope depth to check visually for any vessels in distress and establish communications where circumstances permit:

  (b) the naval authorities to be immediately informed of the incident and, if appropriate, the coastguard contacted;

  (c) that, if fishing nets are still attached to the submarine, every effort is to be made to recover them—if this is not possible a note of the position in which the gear was lost is to be taken; and

  (d) the submarine not to leave the area until it has been established beyond all reasonable doubt that no danger to human life exists as a result of the incident.

  Sram-T Missiles
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the possiblle deployment of Sram-T missiles on United States F1–11E aircraft based in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As part of NATO's force restructuring and modernisation measures, designed to sustain its strategy of flexible response in the post-INF era, a number of options are under consideration. However, no decisions have yet been taken.

  Butt of Lewis Incident
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to publish the resuls of the inquiry into the incident involving a Royal Navy submarine and the fishing vessel Scotia on 14 November off the Butt of Lewis; and if he will make a statement.
  63
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A preliminary on-board investigation has already been conducted into the incident, which took place on the 13 November. The conclusions of this will not be fully known until the submarine returns to port. A decision will then be made whether there are sufficient grounds for convening a full board of inquiry. For operational reasons it is not our practice to release details of the findings of inquiries of this nature.

  Fijian Training
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Fijian military personnel are being given training by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  At present, three Fijian military officers are attending military training courses in the United Kingdom. In addition, a Royal Navy officer is serving on loan to the Fiji hydrographic unit.

  Battle of Britain Stamps
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will meet the chairman of the Post Office to discuss the issue of commemorative stamps to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are discussing this matter with the Post Office.

  Death Compensation
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what considerations underlie the decision on the amount of compensation payable(a) in respect of the death of a llama, attributable to a low flying incident, and (b) to the family of a single soldier murdered by the IRA; and if he will take immediate steps to introduce a scheme to provide minimum compensation equivalent to at least one year's salary in the case of services personnel killed in the course of their duty;

  (2) what has been the average compensation paid by Her Majesty's Government to the families of single service personnel murdered in the course of their duty by the Irish Republican Army in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The amount of compensation paid by my Department recently in respect of the death of a llama was based on substantial evidence provided by the claimant and verified by professional advisers in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. I cannot answer for claims arising from the death of single soldiers killed by the IRA in the United Kingdom, since these are considered under the criminal injury compensation schemes for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. My Department operates a corresponding scheme for service men overseas, although we have not received any claims arising from the death of single service personnel as a result of IRA attacks under this scheme. The amount of criminal injuries compensation payable to the family of a single soldier murdered by the IRA is assessed in the same way as claims for damages under common law and reflect the degree of financial dependency. I see no requirement for any additional scheme along the lines proposed.

HEALTH

  Flexible Working
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice and encouragement he has given to the National Health Service as an employer to provide more flexible working arrangements and child care facilities for National Health Service staff with children; and if any new advice is to be issued with regard to the reduced number of young people available for midwifery and nursing in the 1990s.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We fully recognise that staff with domestic responsibilities have a major contribution to make to the staffing of the National Health Service, especially in view of forecast reductions in the numbers of suitably qualified school leavers available for employment in the 1990s. This year we have commended to health authorities the NHS training authority's resource package on implementing an equal opportunities strategy and the report of the national steering group on equal opportunities for women in the NHS which include advice on the organisation of work-break schemes, flexible working arrangements and child care facilities. The NHS training authority is now looking at the training implications of "return and retain" schemes for staff wishing to take career breaks.

  In March this year, the Department wrote to all health authorities commending to them a joint collaborative scheme agreed with the Midland bank for the sharing of workplace nursing facilities between NHS and bank staff. The first nursery under the joint scheme is due to open early in the new year at the royal Berkshire hospital. I understand that similar plans at the royal Infirmary in Derby are well advanced, while a number of others in different parts of the country are under discussion. Some health authorities are entering into sharing arrangements with other local employers.

  While decisions about the implementation of work-break schemes, including flexible working and the provision of child care facilities must remain a matter for the individual employing authorities, we will continue to emphasise that there must be improvements in working practices and recruitment and retention policies so that authorities may be in a sound position to attract and retain the services of all staff who wish to combine employment in the NHS with domestic responsibilities.

  North Western Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful claims for compensation have been made against the North Western regional health authority during each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand from North Western regional health authority that the number of claims for alleged medical negligence made against health authorities in that region were as follows:

  Year ended

  Claims

  March 1987

  822

  March 1988

  774

  March 1989

  758

  65
  Information on successful or unsuccessful claims is not readily available, and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.

  Infertility
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many men and women have received medical help for infertility in the last year for which figures are available;

  (2) what is the average time between requesting help with fertility problems and receiving treatment in the National Health Service;

  (3) which district health authorities provide (a) ovarian scanning, (b) radio-immune assay service, (c) artificial insemination by donor or husband, (d) in vitro fertilisation and (e) counselling for infertile people; and whether any charge for the services.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally. The provision of infertility services is a matter for individual health authorities to decide in the light of local needs and priorities.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research the Government are currently funding into the causes of human infertility; and when the results of this research are expected to be available.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 30 October at columns 11–13.

  Results arising from this extensive and continuing programme of research are published as they become available, in appropriate medical and scientific journals.

  IUD
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on what proportion of pelvic inflammatory disease has been associated with the intra-uterine contraceptive device in the last five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally.

  Haemophiliacs (AIDS)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the recent award to haemophiliacs to be paid to individuals.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give an assurance that the ex-gratia payments of £20,000 to people with haemophilia who have been infected with the AIDS virus in the course of National Health Service treatment will be made to them before Christmas.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are urgently considering with the Macfarlane Trust the best method of implementing these payments and we intend that they should be made as soon as possible.

  Haemophiliacs (HIV)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received subsequent to the recent statement on additional aid to haemophiliac 66
  sufferers who have contacted the HIV virus arising from blood transfusions; of these how many have pressed for a more substantial settlement for such sufferers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: We have received three representations to date seeking additional financial help. As my right hon. and Learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced on 23 November, our objectives are to give £20,000 lump sum payments to those affected, on an ex-gratia basis, and to enable the Macfarlane Trust to continue on a more generous scale their help to families in particular need. However, compensation is a matter for the courts.

  Health Service Reform
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings he has had with representatives of the medical profession to discuss his plans for reforming the NHS.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Since the White Paper "Working for Patients" was published in January this year my colleagues, senior officials and I have met representative bodies, other groups and leaders of the medical profession on some 100 separate occasions. These have included for instance, meetings with the presidents of the Royal Colleges, the Joint Consultants Committee, the British Medical Association, the General Medical Council, the General Medical Services Committee and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association.

  We have been able to listen carefully to the views of the profession and have taken their points into account in developing the Government's proposals. I and my colleagues are always willing to enter into further constructive dialogue with the profession about how best to implement our plans.

  Schools Health Service
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on preventive health education measures in terms of the schools health visitor service.

  Mr. Freeman
  Health education will be a cross-curricula theme in the national curriculum and the responsibility for its teaching in any school lies ultimately with the head teacher and governors. School nurses however can make a very useful contribution to the development of teaching programmes and also, in the course of their regular duties, they use their contacts with individual pupils to promote health education and encourage healthy life styles.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of the schools health service once local management of schools is in place as(a) medical support to staff and pupils and (b) health education support to staff.

  Mr. Freeman
  Legislation has been amended so that district health authorities will have a responsibility to continue to provide a school health service for pupils al both schools maintained by local education authorities and at grant maintained schools. The range and organisation of services will still be determined by individual health authorities in consultation with local education authorities.
  67
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of the schools health visitor service in all age schools.

  Mr. Freeman
  School health services make a very useful contribution to preventive medicine through child health surveillance and health promotion among school children. We have recently carried out a brief fact finding survey of a sample of school health services and will be considering if further guidance on the management of the service is appropriate.

  Homeless People
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is his estimate of the numbers and proportion of homeless people currently not registered with any general practitioner;

  (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that homeless people are accepted on to general practitioners' lists under the terms of the new general practitioner's contract.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is not possible to make reliable estimates of the numbers involved. Everyone entitled to NHS treatment has the right to be registered with a doctor in their locality. In cases where people, such as the homeless, are unable to find a doctor to accept them, the local family practitioner committee has power to assign them to a particular doctor's list. In addition two pilot projects have been undertaken in London to improve access by homeless people to primary health care services. We are establishing permanent arrangements in these areas and considering ways to extend them to other inner city FPCs.

  Hospital Services (Tendering)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will give details of all contracts awarded in the first and second round of National Health Service competitive tendering by each district health authority, by hospital, for(a) cleaning, (b) catering, (c) laundry, (d) portering, (e) other ancillary services and (f) other National Health Service services;

  (2) if he will give the latest figures as a percentage of services put out to tender by each district health authority for (a) cleaning, (b) catering, (c) laundry, (d) portering, (e) other ancillary services and (f) other National Health Service services; and if he will give estimated annual savings.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information collected centrally in the form requested relates to the national initiative on domestic, catering and laundry services and for the first round only. A table giving information on tender exercises in this round in the period October 1988 to 30 September 1989 has been placed in the Library to update earlier published information. We do not propose to collect similar information centrally for these services in the next round of tendering, or for other services, ancillary or otherwise on the basis that the choice of new services to be tendered is a matter for local determination based on value for money and local circumstances. Many health authorities, as a matter of routine, and of their own accord, are looking to combine ancillary services in various packages before tendering and also extending the 68
  process to other services. We encourage such developments and to maximise flexibility will only collect aggregate information on progress as part of the cost improvement programme.

  Savings to date achieved by health authorities in England for the three services covered by the national initiative are £110 million. For 1989–90 authorities plan new additional cost improvement savings through competitive tendering for services, of almost £10 million.

  Physiotherapy
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the impact that the Health Service Bill is likely to have on the provision of physiotherapy services in hospitals and in the community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received a number of written representations about the impact of physiotherapy services of the proposals in "Working for Patients" now included in the National Health Service and Community Care Bill. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy also made representations at a meeting to my predecessor on 25 September. The proposals in the Bill are intended to improve the provision of physiotherapy services in hospitals and in the community.

  Embryo Research
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representation he has had from Sir George Porter PRS on behalf of the scientific community about(a) the effect on the pursuit of knowledge of any ban on pre-14 day embryo research, (b) the effect on British industry of any ban on pre-14 day embryo research and (c) the effect on those suffering from degenerative disease and infertility of any restriction on pre-14 day embryo research.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department has received representations from Sir George Porter PRS on the possible impact of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill on the scientific community. He pointed out the benefits which the Royal Society anticipates from research on embryos up to 14 days old for those suffering from genetic disorders and infertility, and the pursuit of knowledge generally. I understand he is also concerned about the effect which any ban on embryo research might have on British industry through a possible emigration of United Kingdom researchers.

  Project 2000
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanism he proposes to employ for determining the future levels of bursaries to students pursuing Project 2000 courses of nursing education.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In determining bursary levels for Project 2000 students, the Government's objective was to reflect the need to recruit sufficient candidates to nurse training, having regard to the current earning power of existing nurse students. Bursary levels will be kept under review in the light of that objective.

  Leicestershire Health Authority
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many in-patients were treated in Leicestershire health authority area in(a) 1978 and (b) 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In the calendar year 1978, there were 73,521 in-patient cases in Leicestershire health authority. In the financial year 1988–89 the figure was 102,964.

  Christie Hospital, Manchester
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure access for patients from Denton and Reddish to Christie hospital, Manchester, if it goes ahead with plans to opt out.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  NHS trusts will not opt out, but will remain firmly part of the NHS. It will be for district health authorities to determine, in the light of local circumstances, what services are required to meet the health care needs of their resident population and to secure provision of those services through contracts. As part of this process, health authorities will identify those services which must be provided locally. Where a unit which applies for NHS trust status is the only sensible option for providing such services, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State will approve arrangements for their continued provision on establishment of the NHS trust. Any later changes will be subject to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State's further approval if they cannot be agreed locally.

  Disability
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the National Health Service and Community Care Bill and services for disabled patients.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The purpose of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill is to make the changes in the law needed to implement the proposals set out in our White Papers "Working for Patients' (Cmnd 555) and "Caring for People" (Cmnd 849). Under the proposals for NHS services, district health authorities will be responsible for seeing that the needs of all their resident population, including people with disabilities, are met and that patients have access to a comprehensive range of high quality value for money services. The new arrangements for community care will improve opportunities for independent living for people with disabilities by improving coordination between agencies providing care, providing for multi-disciplinary assessment of need, whether for residential care or support at home, involving the individual more closely in decisions affecting him, and taking more account of the needs of carers.

  Pulse Oximeters
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will call for a report on the supply to medical staff at Killingbeck hospital, Leeds, of pulse oximeters;

  (2) if he will take immediate steps to ensure that medical staff at Killingbeck hospital, Leeds, are equipped with pulse oximeters.
  70
  Mr. Freeman
  The supply of medical equipment is a local matter for the management of the health authority concerned. The hon. Member may therefore wish to contact the chairman of Leeds Eastern health authority, Mrs. Solk.

  Eye Examinations
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the figures for the number of eye examinations before and after the introduction of charges.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of sight tests under the general ophthalmic services over the past five years is given in the table. Information is currently not available as to number of general ophthalmic services sight tests carried out since April 1989.

  Sight tests for England and Wales

  Financial year

  Total sight tests

  1984–85

  10,453,014

  1985–86

  10,846,497

  1986–87

  11,241,789

  1987–88

  12,392,076

  1988–89

  13,226,297

  Natural Medicines
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many experts in natural medicine he proposes to appoint to the Medicines Commission and the section 4 committees in his current review of nominations; and if any such appointment will come from the nominations proposed to him by the medicines advisory research committee of the Natural Medicines Society.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 24 November 1989]: Appointments and re-appointments to the Medicines Commission have been made by United Kingdom health and agriculture Ministers and by United Kingdom health Ministers to the Committees on Safety of Medicines, on Review of Medicines and on Dental and Surgical Materials. Details have been placed in the Library.

  A member of the Medicines Commission has a special interest in holistic medicine. His term of office continues until December 1991. We understand the Natural Medicines Society to be interested in herbal and homoeopathic medicine. No practitioners in these fields have been added to the advisory bodies either on the instance of the society or of any other organisation consulted.

  We are aware of public expectations of access to such remedies with, of course, adequate assurances as to their safety and quality and as to the basis of any curative claims. Their safety and quality can be determined in the normal way. Criteria for assessing the efficacy of herbal preparations are set out in the published 1985 information sheet which was accepted by the herbal industry. There is therefore no general need for herbalists on the advisory bodies. Homoeopathic products are not currently subject to European Community pharmaceutical directives. A directive is, however, expected to be submitted to the Council of Ministers early in the new year. It would have been inappropriate to have anticipated this directive in decisions about United Kingdom statutory bodies.

  71
  However, officials are in touch with the Natural Medicines Group and similar organisations to prepare for the directive.

EMPLOYMENT

  European Social Fund
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking to improve the flow of information from his Department to those local authorities preparing operational programmes for European social fund-supported projects.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department has published two guides on the new regulations and procedures for the European social fund. These were distributed to all interested applicants on 11 April 1989 and 21 June 1989 respectively in good time for the submission of operational programmes to the European Commission by its deadline of 31 August. My Department will continue to update applicants through European social fund working group meetings, arranged in accordance with the partnership requirements of the fund regulations, and through bulletins.

  Unemployment (Forecasts)
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now make it his policy to issue forecasts of unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No. Macro-economic forecasts are the responsibility of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. However, it has not been the practice of this or previous Governments to publish forecasts of unemployment.

  Footwear and Textiles
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of jobs in the(a) footwear industry and (b) textile industry for each year since 1979; and how many have been lost in each industry so far in 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number and change in employees in employment in the footwear and textile industries is shown in the following table:

  Employees in the Footwear and Textile Industries (SIC 80)

  Great Britain

  (Thousands)

  Footwear SIC Group 451

  Textiles SIC Class 43

  June 1979

  68·8

  371·4

  June 1980

  65·3

  324·8

  June 1981

  58·8

  273·0

  June 1982

  53·5

  256·2

  June 1983

  51·4

  238·8

  June 1984

  52·8

  233·5

  June 1985

  51·1

  234·5

  June 1986

  51·9

  238·2

  June 1987

  50·8

  229·0

  June 1988

  49·5

  231·0

  September 1988

  49·3

  229·4

  December 1988

  48·9

  225·9

  March 1989

  47·7

  218·6

  June 1989

  45·6

  217·8

  September 1989

  45·3

  218·1

  72

  Footwear SIC Group 451

  Textiles SIC Class 43

  Changes:

  September 1988—September 1989

  -40

  -11·3

  (-8·1%)

  (-4·9%)

  December 1988—September 1989

  -3·6

  -7·7

  (-7·4%)

  (-3·4%)

  Professional And Executive Register
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the names of the companies which bid for the purchase of the professional and executive register before it was privatised; and if he will give the dates on which the applications to acquire this service were first received, the criteria upon which the decision was made and the date upon which the choice of purchaser was reached.

  Mr. Eggar
  On the recommendation of our financial advisers, Lloyds Merchant bank, Professional and Executive Recruitment was sold by private tender. This form of sale meant that companies were invited to bid on the understanding that their interest would remain confidential. I am accordingly unable to give the names of the companies which bid for PER.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the sale of PER for £6,000,000 to Pergamon Professional and Financial Services PLC on 8 September 1988 after considering the bids and presentations of interested parties on 5 September 1988. Legal completion took place on 6 September 1988.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how training and enterprise councils will be monitored for performance and quality.

  Mr. Eggar
  Training and enterprise councils (TECs) will operate under a contract with my Department. The contract will cover a TEC's business plan which will set out a strategy for ensuring and improving quality. Performance will be monitored against specific targets agreed annually as part of a TEC's business plan.

  Wages Council
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future of the Wages Council.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The future of the councils remains under consideration.

  Excessive Wage Claims
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what criteria are used to determine what is an excessive wage claim.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Businesses themselves must judge what is or is not "excessive" in the light of all the relevant circumstances. Excessive wage claims are irresponsible and, if conceded, would erode competitiveness and destroy jobs.

  VDUs (Radiation)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will launch a survey into the possible emission of low levels of radiation from visual display units and whether pregnant women are affected by working on visual display units.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Radiation from visual display units (VDUs) is very low and is not considered to be in any way hazardous. Surveys in other countries have not shown any risks to pregnancy attributable to VDUs. The Health and Safety Executive has commissioned an epidemiological study of possible reproductive effects from VDUs in order to obtain additional reliable data based on British VDU operators.

  Disability
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what priority is given within the employment service to work with disabled people.

  Mr. Eggar
  People with disabilities are one of the main priority groups for assistance from the Employment Department. A comprehensive network of services is available to help people with disabilities find and retain jobs through advice, assessment, rehabilitation and training; and in the case of people with severe disabilities, support in the form of sheltered employment.

  My Department is currently reviewing the full range of services for people with disabilities, and a consultative document covering the conclusions of the review will be published as soon as possible.

  Employment Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action his Department takes, if, for whatever reason, an unemployed claimant finishes employment training and continues to be unemployed but fails to inform the unemployment benefit office or sign on and continues to receive their full training allowance.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Entitlement to training allowance ceases when an individual leaves ET and training managers are expected to inform the UBO accordingly. At the same time they should tell the individual concerned that allowances will cease to be paid and advise them, should they be unemployed, to return to the UBO to claim benefits.

  Where, for whatever reason, the situation described in the question does arise, the question would be referred to the training agency and trainees could be asked to make a repayment.

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Prosecutions for sale of tobacco to persons under 16

  45

  28

  17

  18

  29

  Prosecutions for sale of alcohol to persons under 18

  314

  274

  296

  333

  673

  The enforcement of the law is a matter for chief officers of police, who decide what action to take against particular types of crime in the light of other priorities. However, last year several measures were agreed with the police to make the law on the sale of alcohol more effective; this is reflected in the increased number of prosecutions for 1988. The Government are currently considering what additional steps might be taken to improve the enforcement of the law regarding the illegal sale of tobacco to children.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Young Offenders
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation his Department has had to ensure that young offenders on probation and at risk of custody have their individual needs assessed without any delay.

  Mr. John Patten
  In the Green Paper "Punishment, Custody and the Community" and in "Tackling Offending: An Action Plan" the Home Office emphasised the need for individual assessment of offenders at risk of custody. The action plan suggests that social inquiry reports should include comprehensive individualised programmes for young adult offenders. The action plan also asks the probation service to improve co-ordination and co-operation with other agencies, to help provide coherent and effective programmes of supervision under probation orders. Every probation area was asked to draw up a local action plan for putting these ideas into effect. The Home Office is currently consulting the probation service on further guidelines for promoting inter-agency work under the action plan.

  Immigration (Carriers' Liability)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the number of passengers who were the subject of a notice of liability under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987 and (b) the countries at which they had embarked.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  From the introduction of the Act until 31 October 1989, 16,091 notices of liability had been served on carriers. Information on the countries from which the passengers embarked is not readily available.

  Tobacco and Alcohol (Sales to Children)
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have taken place in respect of illegal sales to children of(a) tobacco and (b) alcohol in each of the past five years for which figures are available; and what steps he proposes to improve enforcement of the law.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The figures are as follows:

  Guildford Pub Bombings
  Mr. Dicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Surrey police have reopened their inquiries into the Guildford pub bombings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The reopening of the investigation is an operational decision for the chief constable of the Surrey police. I understand that he proposes to review the
  75
  facts of the case and to give careful consideration to whether any further inquiries can usefully be made. Such action will, however, have to await the conclusion of the criminal investigation being conducted by the Avon and Somerset police and the return of the papers on the original investigation, currently held by that force.

  Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many countries he has instituted proceedings against under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987; and what is the value of these claims.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Any such action under the Act would be civil proceedings against the carrier concerned, but none has yet been instituted.

  Prisoners (Visits)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what entitlement a prisoner has to receive a discretionary visit from persons not on their approved list of visitors.

  Mr. Mellor
  The approved visitors scheme applies only to category A prisoners. Discretionary visits may be authorised by the governor to enable close relatives to visit such prisoners during the period before the vetting process is completed. Such visits may also be granted for relatives and close friends who live abroad and whose stay in the United Kingdom is short.

  Separate arrangements apply to legal advisers visiting in a professional capacity, Members of Parliament and peers, bishops of the diocese, justices of the peace, public officials visiting in the course of their duties, children of the prisoner (or of a visitor) and other persons with specific Home Office approval.

SCOTLAND

  Birds
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what investigations he has conducted into the illegal poisoning of birds on Islay; and if he will take steps to draw the attention of estate owners where poisoning has occured to the requirements of the law.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Scottish Office officials have engaged in scientific analysis and field investigations of poisoning incidents and co-operate with the police in their inquiries with a view to possible prosecution if sufficient evidence can be obtained.

  It is the policy of the Scottish Office that estate owners and others with an interest in the land should in every case be made aware of incidents which have occurred on their property and of the requirements of the law.

  Sporting Rights
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Government intend to receive the rating of sporting rights in Scotland; whether he intends to reform the rating of shooting rights in Scotland; what representations he has received regarding this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  We have received representations from the Scottish Landowners Federation 76
  and from individuals about the differences which exist in the rating of sporting rights in Scotland and in England and Wales. It will not be possible to remove all these differences for the 1990 revaluation, which takes effect from April next year, but it is the Government's intention to move towards a common approach to the rating of sporting rights throughout Great Britain thereafter.

  Greater Glasgow Health Board
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members appointed to the Greater Glasgow health board reside in the area of the city covered by the Eastern district local health council; and if he will make it his policy to appoint east end residents to the board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None. No one is appointed to a health board as a representative of a particular area or interest and that will continue to be our policy.

  Roads
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the future of the A1 road in response to his Department's consultation paper on routes south of Edinburgh.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am very pleased with the level of interest that has been shown in this study which has resulted in around 200 responses to date. It is, of course, too early to have a detailed analysis of these but I estimate that between half and two thirds of the respondents have commented on our proposals for the Al. Almost all of these support our proposed upgrading of the route although many have suggested that the proposals be extended. I intend to make a statement on the findings of the whole consultation in due course.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many posts will be transferred from the Nature Conservancy Council headquarters in Peterborough to Scotland as a result of merger.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Decisions will be taken after discussions involving the Scottish Development Department, Department of the Environment, Welsh Office and the NCC. Any relocation of posts will be determined when the NCC is reorganised. This reorganisation will take place in advance of the proposed merger of the new NCC for Scotland with the existing Countryside Commission for Scotland.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if any staff currently employed by either the Nature Conservancy Council in Scotland or the CCS will lose their jobs as a result of merger.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  All staff in both bodies have been given assurances about job security. They will be offered employment on terms and conditions not less favourable than they have at present.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the Nature Conservancy Council's budget is spent in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  For the current financial year, £6·5 million has been allocated by the
  77
  council for direct spend in Scotland. The proportion of the council's total budget spent in Scotland is not readily available and I will write to the hon. Member.

  Water Supplies
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make available sufficient funds to enable drinking water quality throughout Strathclyde to meet European standards by 1996 at the latest.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The quality of drinking water supply is the responsibility of regional and islands councils. The needs of Strathclyde, and other authorities, will be taken into account in setting capital expenditure allocations for 1990–91 and subsequent years.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the water supplies in Scotland which have derogations for aluminium under article 20 of the drinking water directive which will expire in each of the years: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995–96.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The water supplies concerned, which were the subject of delay applications under article 20 of the drinking water directive, are as follows and the delays expire in the years indicated:

  1990

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Killylour

  New Abbey

  Winterhope

  Grampian

  Herricks

  Rochomie

  Strathclyde

  Port Charlotte

  1991

  Borders

  Alemoor

  Wanton Walls

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Areeming

  Strathclyde

  Carradale

  Tighnabruaich

  1992

  Central

  Longhill

  Sauchie

  Residents in homes for the elderly by district/region at 31 March 1988

  Local authority homes

  Voluntary homes

  Private homes

  Berwickshire

  51

  —

  18

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  103

  29

  20

  Roxburgh

  105

  36

  42

  Tweeddale

  74

  —

  34

  Borders region

  333

  65

  114

  Clackmannan

  40

  37

  —

  Falkirk

  200

  17

  23

  Stirling

  189

  121

  52

  Central region

  429

  175

  75

  Annandale and Eskdale

  43

  56

  80

  Nithsdale

  99

  30

  20

  Stewartry

  92

  —

  20

  Wigtown

  87

  27

  5

  Dumfries and Galloway

  321

  113

  125

  78

  Woodburn

  Highland

  Wick

  Strathclyde

  Afton

  Dhu Loch

  Inveraray

  Muasdale

  Muirdykes

  Pundeavon

  Tarbert

  1993

  Strathclyde

  Bradan

  Clachan

  Crosbie

  Furnace

  Spallander

  Tobermory

  Torra

  Whinhill

  1994

  Strathclyde

  Penwhapple

  Staneley

  1995–96

  Strathclyde

  Amlaird

  Ardrishaig

  Dougliehill

  Garshake

  Greenhead

  Kelly

  Larkfield

  Maukinhill

  Overton

  Prospecthill

  Skelmorlie

  South Moorhouse

  Old People's Homes
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by(a) region and (b) district the number of old people in homes in Scotland (i) in the private sector, (ii) in the voluntary sector and (iii) run by local authorities.

  Mr. Lang
  Information for 1988, the latest year available, is set out in the following table:
  79

  Local authority homes

  Voluntary homes

  Private homes

  Dunfermline

  235

  —

  102

  Kirkcaldy

  300

  60

  91

  North East Fife

  92

  129

  28

  Fife region

  627

  189

  221

  Aberdeen city

  400

  400

  49

  Banff and Buchan

  170

  —

  77

  Gordon

  97

  71

  —

  Kincardine and Deeside

  80

  77

  67

  Moray

  180

  69

  54

  Grampian region

  927

  617

  247

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  24

  —

  13

  Caithness

  85

  25

  —

  Inverness

  83

  26

  47

  Lochaber

  58

  —

  24

  Nairn

  33

  33

  18

  Ross and Cromarty

  117

  34

  72

  Skye and Lochalsh

  —

  36

  4

  Sutherland

  33

  19

  —

  Highland region

  433

  173

  178

  East Lothian

  202

  97

  42

  Edinburgh

  630

  589

  214

  Midlothian

  156

  80

  30

  West Lothian

  202

  —

  —

  Lothian region

  1,190

  766

  286

  Argyll and Bute

  175

  106

  194

  Dumbarton

  169

  55

  105

  Glasgow

  1,486

  494

  134

  Clydebank

  103

  —

  —

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  —

  40

  —

  Strathkelvin

  78

  27

  —

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  59

  —

  —

  Monklands

  182

  —

  40

  Motherwell

  192

  —

  44

  Hamilton

  243

  39

  —

  East Kilbride

  68

  5

  —

  Eastwood

  42

  100

  —

  Clydesdale

  58

  —

  —

  Renfrew

  348

  83

  8

  Inverclyde

  79

  148

  53

  Cunninghame

  128

  91

  139

  Kilmarnock and Louden

  155

  91

  42

  Kyle and Carrick

  164

  55

  74

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  26

  —

  —

  Strathclyde region

  3,755

  1,334

  833

  Angus

  247

  44

  213

  Dundee city

  510

  234

  154

  Perth and Kinross

  229

  316

  258

  Tayside region

  986

  594

  625

  Orkney Islands

  69

  —

  17

  Shetland Islands

  68

  16

  —

  Western Isles

  186

  —

  10

  Islands councils

  323

  16

  27

  SCOTLAND

  9,324

  2,731

  4,042

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by(a) region and (b) district the number of old people's homes in private ownership in Scotland in (i) 1980, (ii) 1985, (iii) 1987 and (iv) 1989.
  80
  Mr. Lang
  Information in the form requested is not held for 1980 and no information after 1988 is available yet. Figures for that year and for 1985 and 1987 are given in the following table:
  81

  Number of Private Homes for the Elderly by District/ Region

  1985

  1987

  1988

  Berwickshire

  —

  —

  1

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  1

  1

  2

  Roxburgh

  —

  1

  3

  Tweeddale

  1

  1

  1

  Borders Region

  2

  3

  7

  Clackmannan

  —

  —

  —

  Falkirk

  2

  2

  2

  Stirling

  3

  3

  4

  Central Region

  5

  5

  6

  Annandale and Eskdale

  1

  4

  6

  Nithsdale

  1

  —

  2

  Stewartry

  1

  1

  2

  Wigtown

  —

  1

  1

  Dumfries and Galloway

  3

  6

  11

  Dunfermline

  3

  4

  6

  Kirkcaldy

  2

  6

  6

  North East Fife

  3

  4

  4

  Fife Region

  8

  14

  16

  Aberdeen City

  1

  1

  2

  Banff and Buchan

  —

  2

  4

  Gordon

  —

  —

  —

  Kincardine and Deeside

  2

  4

  5

  Moray

  2

  3

  4

  Grampian Region

  5

  10

  15

  Badenoch and/Strathspey

  1

  1

  1

  Caithness

  —

  —

  —

  Inverness

  1

  2

  3

  Lochaber

  —

  1

  2

  Nairn

  —

  —

  2

  Ross and Cromarty

  —

  2

  5

  Skye and Lochalsh

  —

  —

  1

  Sutherland

  —

  —

  —

  Highland Region

  2

  6

  14

  East Lothian

  1

  3

  4

  Edinburgh

  8

  13

  14

  Midlothian

  —

  2

  2

  West Lothian

  —

  —

  —

  Lothian Region

  9

  18

  20

  Argyll and Bute

  3

  7

  14

  Dumbarton

  2

  6

  7

  Glasgow

  2

  6

  8

  Clydebank

  —

  —

  —

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  —

  —

  —

  Strathkelvin

  —

  —

  —

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  —

  —

  —

  Monklands

  —

  —

  4

  Motherwell

  —

  3

  3

  Hamilton

  1

  3

  —

  East Kilbride

  —

  —

  —

  Eastwood

  —

  —

  —

  Clydesdale

  —

  —

  —

  Renfrew

  —

  —

  2

  Inverclyde

  —

  —

  3

  Cunninghame

  5

  7

  10

  Kilmarnock and Louden

  —

  1

  3

  Kyle and Carrick

  1

  3

  5

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  —

  —

  —

  Strathclyde

  14

  37

  59

  Angus

  4

  13

  16

  Dundee City

  —

  5

  7

  Perth and Kinross

  8

  14

  17

  82

  1985

  1987

  1988

  Tayside Region

  12

  32

  40

  Orkney Islands

  —

  2

  3

  Shetland Islands

  —

  —

  —

  Western Isles

  —

  1

  1

  Islands Councils

  —

  3

  4

  Scotland

  60

  134

  192

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the charities currently subsidising old people in private sector homes in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  No information is collected on this, which is a wholly private matter for the residents themselves.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimate of the investment made by international companies in old people's homes in Scotland; and what were the comparable figures in(a) 1985 and (b)

  Mr. Lang
  No information on this subject is held centrally. Financial arrangements for private developments of this kind are a matter of the proprietors themselves.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the weekly average cost for (i) a single room and (ii) shared accommodation in old people's homes in the private sector in Scotland in(a) 1980, (b) 1985, (c) 1986, (d) 1987, (e) 1988 and (f)

  Mr. Lang
  Information in the form requested is not held centrally. The weekly average charge for residents in private homes was £149 in 1987 and £158 in 1988.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding old people's homes in private ownership in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  I have received 12 representations in the last three years. They covered specific issues, such as standards and charges, as well as more general issues. Responsibility for the registration and inspection of residential homes rests with regional and islands councils.

  Airports
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has submitted evidence to the review of Scottish lowland airports policy.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No. However, before any decision is taken on the future shape of Government policy for Scottish lowland airports my right hon. and learned Friend will be fully involved in considering all the written comments submitted in response to the Department of Transport consultation document.

  Wildlife and Countryside Act
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to repeal or amend the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 insofar as it relates to Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No substantive amendments are planned for the Wildlife and Countryside Act
  83
  1981 so far as it affects Scotland, though some technical and consequential amendments will be needed for the creation of a separate Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland.

  Scottish Arts
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of the fundings of Scottish Arts in 1990–91 is for(a) provisions for maintenance, repair and refurbishment of galleries and museums and (b) an increase in real terms of provision for activities of art groups and institutions.

  Mr. Lang
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Natural Heritage Agency
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he estimates that a single natural heritage agency will be established in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Environmental Protection Bill which will shortly come before Parliament provides inter alia for the establishment of a Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland. It is our intention to establish the proposed natural heritage agency by subsequent legislation.

  Health Service (Information Requirements)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to support information and information technology requirements arising out of the proposals in "Working for Patients" and "Promoting Better Health".

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Advice to health boards on priorities will be issued as appropriate. In addition to their normal financial allocations health boards will be able to bid for centrally held resources.

  Adoption
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many babies were adopted in Scotland, for any convenient periods in the period of 1980 to 1989.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 27 November 1989]: The numbers of children under 12 months old adopted in Scotland in the years 1980 to 1988 are as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1980

  379

  1981

  321

  1982

  326

  1983

  291

  1984

  229

  1985

  199

  1986

  160

  1987

  156

  1988

  132

  Corresponding figures for 1989 (to date) are not yet available.

  School Boards
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many parents have to take part in by-elections for school boards in(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.
  84
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: All parents in schools where by-elections take place are entitled to take part. There is no compulsion to do so.

TRANSPORT

  Toll Roads
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is with regard to the use of tolls on the road infrastructure network; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Tolls have been levied to finance certain costly estuarial crossings which provide exceptional benefits for users. In addition, tolls will be a means of paying for privately-financed roads.

  Channel Tunnel (Freight Terminal)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from British Rail concerning a freight terminal for Channel tunnel trade in the north-west of England.

  Mr. Parkinson
  British Rail is required by law to publish a plan setting out its proposals for passenger and freight services from the Channel tunnel to each region of the country. I have no doubt that this plan will have something concrete to say about a freight terminal in the north-west.

  Wheel Clamping
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if there has been any reduction in illegal parking on double yellow lines following the introduction of wheel clamping as a method of parking enforcement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The level of illegal parking on double yellow lines is not separately recorded. Studies since 1983 in central London have shown that illegal parking on yellow lines generally has halved since the introduction of wheel clamping.

  Speed Limit
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the 70 mph speed limit.

  Mr. Atkins
  The representations I get are divided between setting lower speed limits and setting higher ones. I see no reason to change the present 70 mph on motorways and high speed roads.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to alter the maximum speed limit on motorways and other non-residential roads.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have no such plans. The representations I get are divided between setting lower speed limits and setting higher ones. I see no reason to change the present limits on motorways and other non-residential roads.

  Second Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to encourage the building of a second Channel tunnel.
  85
  Mr. Parkinson
  Eurotunnel is required by the concession agreement to put forward by the year 2000 plans for a drive-through link to be constructed when technical and economic conditions permit.

  Border Routes
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the further provision of dual carriageway cross-border routes in the north-east as they connect with the Scottish road networks south of Edinburgh.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to make the A1 a dual carriageway up to the Scottish border.

  Mr. Atkins
  An improvement scheme for dualling a section of the A1 at Cawledge, south of Alnwick, was recently completed and opened to traffic.

  Other dual carriageway proposals in the road programme for the A1 north of Morpeth are the Brownieside improvement and Marshall Meadows to the Scottish border improvement. On current planning the start of works on these schemes is scheduled for the spring of 1991.

  One-man Bridge Operation
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with the Department's one-man bridge operation at night project; and if he will make a statement about the origin of the funding for this scheme.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The first phase of the project has been completed and a second phase is being considered. It has been funded from the Department's marine directorate research budget.

  Lockerbie Air Disaster
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to announce a public inquiry into the Lockerbie air disaster and related events; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  My right hon., noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has stated that there can be no question of an inquiry in public while the police investigation continues, as a public inquiry would interfere with that investigation and perhaps prejudice its outcome. I explained this to the representatives of the victims' families when I met them in September, and I believe they understood the position.

  "Road Users and the Law"
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with the Government's White Paper, "Road Users and the Law"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  As I told the hon. Member for Kingswood (Mr. Hayward) on 23 November, preparation of the legislative changes is well advanced. We have issued consultation papers on driver re-testing, vehicle prohibition and the use of technology for enforcement. This legislation will be brought forward as soon as time is available.
  86
  We have already taken powers to extend the high risk offenders scheme and are consulting the police and other interested organisations on improvements to the operation of the road traffic legal system which do not require changes to the law.

  Road Speed Law
  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will launch a national campaign for the strict observation of road speed law.

  Mr. Atkins
  Speed limits are set for the protection of all road users. Every driver should observe them responsibly without special campaigns: sensible drivers go at lower speeds when it is foggy, dark or raining and adopt a safe driving distance from other vehicles. In residential areas, we welcome and encourage the engineering measures that local authorities are taking to slow vehicles to safe speeds.

  Traffic-calming Measures
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he intends to take on the introduction of traffic-calming measures.

  Mr. Atkins
  We have done much to develop approaches to traffic calming in recent years. We encourage local highway authorities to consider the opportunities for traffic calming measures in their general planning of highways investment. We are looking into the possibility of earmarking funds for the implementation of local road safety schemes, some of which can include traffic calming.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he is discussing to provide rail links from the Channel tunnel to ports in the south and west of Great Britain.

  Mr. Parkinson
  There are already rail links between the site of the Channel tunnel entrance and most ports in the south and west. British rail will be setting out its current proposals for passenger and freight services in the plan which it will shortly be publishing, in compliance with section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the high-speed railway line to the Channel tunnel.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the high-speed railway line to the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Parkinson
  It is now for British Rail and its chosen partner, Eurorail, to take this project forward.

  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail over the provision of through passenger and freight services from the north of the country to Europe through the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with British Rail about plans to link the Channel tunnel with routes north of London.
  87
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what rail facilities will be provided in Liverpool in preparation for the opening of the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Parkinson
  It is British Rail's responsibility to set out its proposals in the plan which it will shortly be publishing, in compliance with section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987. I await with interest the publication of the board's proposals.

  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Government will now give financial support to British Rail to assist with the environmental costs of the strategic Channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Portillo
  It is for the joint venturers to provide in the project for the high standard on environmental protection which they think will satisfy Parliament.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received seeking regional passenger and freight rail links to the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Portillo
  We receive a number of representations from time to time from hon. Members and others.

  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the construction of the Channel tunnel high-speed rail link.

  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on British Rail, Eurorail and developments in the Channel tunnel high speed link.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend made an announcement on Friday 3 November.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve the road and rail links between the Channel tunnel and Yorkshire.

  Mr. Portillo
  There are a number of major schemes in the road programme which will improve access between Yorkshire and the Channel tunnel. British Rail is about to publish its plan setting out its proposals for international services to regions outside the south east.

  Mr. Aitken
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the co-chairmen of Eurotunnel plc; if the financial viability of the project was discussed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend last met the United Kingdom co-chairman of Eurotunnel at the ceremony to mark the breakthrough of the landward service tunnel on 9 November. Eurotunnel has announced that increasing costs will require additional funding. I understand that it is discussing the figures with its contractors and bankers.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make it his policy to consider alternative routes for the Channel tunnel rail link to London in addition to proposals put forward by British Rail;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to study the viability of developing Stratford as the main London transit point of the Channel tunnel rail link in comparison with the existing British Rail proposals.
  88
  Mr. Portillo
  British Rail is statutorily responsible for providing rail services in Great Britain and planning new ones. It also holds the rights to through train paths in the Channel tunnel on which it has contractual agreements with Eurotunnel and French Railways. A Channel tunnel rail link will require the participation of British Rail. Anyone is free to suggest alternatives to British Rail's proposals. However, I accept that now that BR and Eurorail have announced their preferred route through Kent and terminal in London it will not be practicable for them to devote great efforts to examining other proposals. It will be for Parliament to decide whether the route can be accepted.

  Bus Industry
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new jobs have been created in the private sector bus industry since de-regulation.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Between 1985–86 and the end of 1988–89, there was a net increase of 3,900 in the total staff employed by private bus operators, including former subsidiaries of the National Bus Company.

  Network SouthEast
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requests he has received from British Rail to approve additional expenditure for(a) Network SouthEast and (b) the line from Liverpool street to Southend (Victoria).

  Mr. Parkinson
  This year I have approved five major investment schemes for Network SouthEast worth nearly £450 million. This included approval for the construction of 124 class 321 vehicles at cost of £45 million to meet the forecast growth in demand for services north of the Thames, including the Liverpool street-Southend (Victoria) line.

  British Rail (Safety)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Government money is allocated to improving safety on British Rail.

  Mr. Parkinson
  British Rail's corporate plan includes some £125 million for additional safety expenditure over the next three years, which has been reflected in public expenditure provision. This expenditure will be supported by PSO grant where it falls to the subsidised sectors, Network SouthEast and provincial. British Rail is assessing the need for further expenditure following Sir Anthony Hidden's report on the Clapham junction accident.

  British Rail
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss his successor and the future of the railways under privatisation.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Rail; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Rail; and what matters he expects to discuss.
  89
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Rail; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I have already discussed with Sir Robert Reid the objectives we propose to set for British Rail over the next three years. We expect to publish them shortly.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of plans for the denationalisation of British Rail.

  Mr. Portillo
  Work is continuing.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will direct British Rail to review its policy on unstaffed railway stations.

  Mr. Portillo
  The staffing of railway stations is a matter for British Rail or where appropriate the local passenger transport executive.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail concerning the electrification of the rail network; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  It is for British Rail to bring forward any worthwhile proposals for electrification. Since 1979 British Rail have spent £691 million in today's prices on electrification, an average of £63 million a year.

  International comparisons of road deaths: number, and rates for different road users: by selected countries: 1987

  Number of road deaths1

  Motor vehicles per 1,000 population

  Road deaths per100,000 population

  Road deaths per100,000 motor vehicles

  Car user deaths per 100 million car kilometers

  Pedestrian deaths per 100,000 population

  England

  4,349

  411

  9·2

  2·2

  ..

  3·0

  Wales

  220

  386

  7·8

  2·0

  ..

  2·4

  Scotland

  556

  311

  10·9

  3·5

  ..

  3·8

  Great Britain

  5,125

  400

  9·3

  2·3

  0·9

  3·1

  Northern Ireland

  214

  308

  13·6

  4·4

  ..

  4·6

  United Kingdom

  5,339

  398

  9·4

  2·4

  ..

  3·1

  Belgium

  1,922

  443

  19·5

  4·4

  2·8

  3·3

  Denmark

  698

  400

  13·6

  3·4

  51·2

  2·7

  Federal Republic of Germany

  7,967

  531

  13·0

  2·5

  1·2

  2·8

  France

  10,742

  542

  19·4

  3·6

  52·2

  2·9

  Greece

  1,682

  230

  16·9

  7·3

  ..

  4·1

  Irish Republic

  461

  253

  13·0

  5·2

  ..

  4·0

  Italy

  7,108

  3525

  12·4

  32·5

  3 51·7

  32·2

  Luxembourg

  68

  511

  18·4

  3·6

  ..

  1·9

  Netherlands

  1,485

  429

  10·1

  2·4

  1·1

  1·2

  Portugal

  3,100

  271

  31·5

  11·2

  53·0

  8·5

  Spain

  7,615

  383

  19·6

  5·1

  6·4

  3·6

  Austria

  1,469

  522

  19·4

  3·6

  52·8

  3·3

  Czechoslovakia

  1,393

  4219

  8·9

  44·1

  ..

  3·1

  Finland

  581

  427

  11·8

  2·8

  71·

  2·8

  German Democratic Republic

  1,531

  313

  9·2

  2·9

  ..

  2·9

  Hungary

  1,571

  214

  14·8

  6·9

  ..

  5·2

  Norway

  398

  499

  9·5

  1·9

  51·0

  1·9

  Poland

  4,625

  176

  12·2

  7·0

  2 85·5

  5·5

  Sweden

  787

  461

  9·4

  2·0

  1·0

  1·7

  Switzerland

  904

  581

  13·8

  2·5

  1·2

  3·1

  Yugoslavia

  4,526

  169

  19·3

  11·4

  7·5

  5·9

  Australia

  2,771

  577

  17·1

  3·0

  ..

  3·2

  Canada

  4,280

  590

  16·6

  2·8

  ..

  2·5

  90
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the staffing of British Rail stations.

  Mr. Portillo
  We have received a number but staffing policy is a management matter for British Rail.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the appointment of the chairman of British Rail.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given earlier today to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker).

  Road Safety Statistics
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the road safety figures for the last year for which figures are available for the United Kingdom and the other EC countries.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The United Kingdom has an excellent record for road safety compared with our foreign neighbours. The rate of road deaths at 9·4 per 100,000 head of population was the lowest of all the European Community countries in 1987. In 1988, the United Kingdom has achieved a further 1 per cent. reduction in fatalities, and a 1·5 per cent. reduction in serious injuries, although international comparisons for that year are not yet available. The detailed information is contained in the following table:
  91

  Number of road deaths1

  Motor vehicles per 1,000 population

  Road deaths per 100,000 population

  Road deaths per 100,000 motor vehicles

  Car user deaths per 100 million car kilometers

  Pedestrian deaths per 100,000 population

  Japan

  12,151

  563

  9·9

  1·8

  1·4

  3·0

  New Zealand

  3767

  3632

  323·1

  33·7

  ..

  33·4

  United States of America

  46,386

  784

  19·5

  2·5

  91·0

  3·4

  1 In accordance with the commonly agreed international definition, most countries define a fatality as being due to a road accident if death occurs within 30 days of the accident. The official road accident statistics of some countries however, limit the fatalities to those occurring within shorter periods after the accident. Numbers of deaths and death rates in the above table have been adjusted according to the factors used by the Economic Commission for Europe and the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, to represent standardised 30-day deaths: France (6 days) +9 per cent.; Italy (7 days) +7 per cent.; Greece, Austria (3 days) +12 per cent.; Spain, Japan (24 hours) +30 per cent.; Canada, Switzerland (1 year) -5 per cent.; Portugal (at the scene) +35 per cent.

  2 1985.

  3 1986.

  4 Excluding lorries.

  5 Nationals' vehicles only.

  6 Traffic on state roads only.

  7 Including traffic on private roads.

  8 Including nationals' cars abroad.

  9 Intercity transport.

  Underground Railways
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning future plans for new underground railways serving south-east London.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Jubilee line extension to docklands will improve accessibility to Southwark and Bermondsey. London Regional Transport are also considering further the case for extensions of the East London line and the docklands light railway to parts of south-east London.

  Commuter Services, London
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by how much investment in London commuter services will increase over the next three years.

  Mr. Portillo
  London Regional Transport and BR's Network SouthEast plan to invest about £3·4 billion over the next three years (including £0·5 billion for the Jubilee line extension). That is £1·6 billion more than in the three years to April 1990, an increase of nearly 70 per cent. in real terms. Most of that investment will benefit services used by commuters.

  Bus Substitution
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will direct British Rail to cease providing services by bus substitution.

  Mr. Portillo
  No. If these services stopped the passengers who used them would be inconvenienced.

  Women Travellers
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to improve the safety of women travelling on their own.

  Mr. Portillo
  Public transport operators are implementing a number of measures which will improve the security of all passengers.

  British Rail: The British transport police are maintaining a higher visibility throughout the British Rail network and particularly in the Network SouthEast area. Other measures at NSE stations include better lighting and
  92
  closed circuit television (CCTV). The remaining closed compartment carriages still in use on NSE services will be replaced as soon as new rolling stock comes on stream.

  London Underground: The Government have provided £15 million for a programme of passenger security measures including passenger alarms, CCTV, mirrors and improved lighting in passageways. The number of police on the Underground has increased and their effectiveness has been improved by a new radio system and new area police stations.

  Buses: The installation of radios and video cameras will help to deter crime. Women may particularly welcome the growing use of midi-buses where passengers travel close to the driver.

  My Department has issued advice to motorists on what to do should they break down on the motorway or in remote places.

  Concessionary Fares
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the future operation of the concessionary fares scheme in London.

  Mr. Portillo
  Many such representations have been received following speculation that the present concessionary travel scheme in London might be withdrawn or curtailed. I wrote to London Members on 4 September explaining that the details of the scheme are agreed each year by the London boroughs and the City of London. If they fail to reach agreement, the reserve free travel scheme will be implemented.

  Thames Collision
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement regarding the inquiry into the collision involving the Marchioness and Bow Belle dredger on the river Thames.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The inquiry into the collision involving the Marchioness and the Bow Belle is not yet completed. It is our intention to publish the report of the chief inspector of marine accidents at the earliest practicable date.

  Air Traffic Control Centre
  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by how much the Civil Aviation Authority's new en route air traffic control centre will increase airspace capacity.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The new en route centre is expected to increase capacity in the en route sectors over England and Wales by at least 40 per cent. when operational in 1996.

  Stockton-on-Tees
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an official visit by car to Stockton-on-Tees; and if he will notify his route in advance.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have no plans to visit Stockton-on-Tees in the near future.

  Orange Badge Scheme
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with the proposals to modify the qualifying conditions for an orange badge and to tighten the monitoring of abuse; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  We are currently drawing up detailed proposals for redefining the eligibility criteria for the orange badge scheme in the light of the plans we published earlier this year. We are also examining ways of extending the benefits of the scheme to people with severe upper limb disabilities. We shall consult widely on our proposals as soon as possible.

  Revised eligibility criteria are needed so that badges are issued only to those who genuinely need them. Our proposals for a new design of badge with space for a photograph of the holder will aid enforcement. The operation of the revised scheme will be kept under close review and discussions held with chief police officers as necessary.

  Underground Railway, London
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what methods he intends to adopt to assess the relative merits of proposals for new underground railway routes in central London.

  Mr. Portillo
  The costs and benefits of the various options will be assessed with the assistance of the London transportation survey model. Account will also need to be taken of any wider benefits not included in the model.

  M1, Bedfordshire
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current repairs to the M1 in Bedfordshire.

  Mr. Atkins
  The major maintenance works between junctions 12 and 13 were substantially completed on 19 November, four weeks earlier than expected. Some further minor remedial works involving closure of the northbound hardshoulder and overnight works on the outside lane are expected to be completed soon.

  Motorways, North-East
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expected road life of existing motorways in the north-east of England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Since the Department's standards for highway design were revised in 1985, motorways have been built to last, with appropriate maintenance, for 40 years before having to be reconstructed. Before that time bituminous roads were generally built to last on average 20 years and concrete roads 40 years. The actual life of particular motorways or sections of motorways depends upon a number of factors, notably the volume and weight of traffic using them, and may vary significantly. The condition of motorways is routinely monitored to identify deterioration and the need for major maintenance. An announcement about the 1990–91 programme of major maintenance will be made as usual around the end of March.

  Roads (Spending)
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by how much spending on national roads will be increased over the next three years.

  Mr. Atkins
  Spending on national roads over the next three years will total £5·7 billion, compared with £3·3 billion in the three years ending March 1990. This is art increase of 70 per cent. in cash terms.

  Of the £5·7 billion, £4 billion will be made available for new construction and improvement. This represents an increase of 50 per cent. in real terms, on original expenditure plans for the years 1987–88 and 1989–90, and reflects the Government's commitment to the proposals set out in the White Paper "Roads for Prosperity" for reducing congestion.

  In addition £1·7 billion will be spent on road, bridge and current maintenance. This will mean an increae of over 40 per cent., in real terms, in spending on capital maintenance compared with the three years to March 1990.

  Dalston Kingsland Station
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to visit Dalston Kingsland BR station.

  Mr. Portillo
  No, but I visited stations on the north London line on 7 October this year.

  Leeds-Bradford Airport
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received for the further extension of operating hours at the Leeds-Bradford airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport announced on 14 August 1989 their decision on planning application by Leeds-Bradford airport for extended opening hours.

  Since the announcement, my right hon. Friend has received 12 representations favouring longer opening hours than the 11/2 hour extension granted.

  A30, Cornwall
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvements are planned for the A30 in Cornwall.

  Mr. Atkins
  The following schemes are in the trunk road programme:

  Launceston-Plusha

  Plusha-Bolventor

  Shallowater Hill Improvement

  Temple-Higher Carblake Improvement

  Bodmin-Indian Queens Improvement

  Indian Queens Bypass

  Penhale-Carland Cross

  Zelah Bypass

  Zelah-Chiverton Improvement

  St. Erth-Newtown Improvement

  I shall be opening the Launceston-Plusha scheme on 7 December. Work is expected to start on Plusha-Bolventor and Penhale-Carland Cross in spring 1990 and on Zelah bypass in summer 1990. The remaining schemes are at an earlier stage of preparation.

  A38
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he hopes to announce his Department's preferred route for the A38 trunk road improvement Liskeard-Bodmin section and consulting engineers to undertake investigations for the proposed A38 Saltash-Trerulefoot section.

  Mr. Atkins
  I hope to announce a preferred route for the Liskeard-Bodmin section early in 1991 and the appointment of consulting engineers for the Saltash-Trerulefoot section very shortly.

  Civil Aviation Authority (Computers)
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Civil Aviation Authority's new computers will be installed.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I understand that the replacement mainframe computers for the London air traffic control centre have now been installed. After further testing they will become operational early next summer.

  Roads and Street Lighting
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the City of Newcastle upon Tyne about the maintenance of roads, and the provision of streetlighting in residential areas.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have received the city council's document entitled "Residential Roads: The Problem—The Cure". All matters and priorities relating to local roads are, of course, the responsibility of the local highways authority.

  London Underground
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Government money is allocated to improving safety standards on the London Underground.

  Mr. Portillo
  London Underground estimates that by the year 2000 it will have spent more than £1 billion on improving safety. Although Government grant is not 96
  attributed to specific projects or activities, I am satisfied that the increases recently announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be more than sufficient to allow London Underground to secure its planned improvements in safety standards.

  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to reduce overcrowding on the London Underground.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms. Ruddock), earlier today.

  Rural Transport
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on rural transport provision.

  Mr. Portillo
  The provisions of rural transport is chiefly a matter for local transport operators and for local authorities. Under the Transport Act 1985 the operators can provide services wherever they see a commercial opportunity to do so. Local authorities may make provision for additional socially necessary services, under subsidy, after going out to competitive tender. In addition, the rural transport development fund, administered by the Rural Development Commission, receives £1 million a year from the Department of Transport to assist the provision of innovative rural transport services in England. In Wales and Scotland, the Welsh and Scottish Offices administer similar rural transport innovation grant schemes.

  London Road Assessment Studies
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his Department's plans for public consultation on the London road assessment studies once these proposals have been published.

  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in his consideration of the west London assessment study; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will make a decision on the options raised by the London road assessment studies.

  Mr. Atkins
  Arrangements have been made for the consultants' reports to be printed and I expect them to be published later this month. An announcement will be made at that time about the arrangements for consultation and decision.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, when his statement is made in early December on the London road assessment studies, he will ensure that at the same time a free copy of a summary of these studies will be made available to the general public; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Summary leaflets of the consultants' reports on each of the four London assessment studies will be available free of charge from the consultants and at libraries and other venues throughout the relevant study areas.

  Manchester Airport
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on negotiations concerning trans-Atlantic flights to Manchester airport.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Negotiations on air services between the United Kingdom and the United States were held between 29 November and 1 December. The United Kingdom's objectives include agreeing a balanced expansion of opportunities for the airlines on both sides which will allow for additional transatlantic services to be introduced to serve Manchester airport.

  Bus Deregulation
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the vehicle mileage increase on private sector bus routes since deregulation.

  Mr. Portillo
  Between 1985–86 and 1988–89, there was an increase from 168 million to 1,241 million in the vehicle kilometres run by private operators on local services outside London.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress his Department has made towards the deregulation of buses in London.

  Mr. Portillo
  We have already moved some way towards deregulation by splitting London Buses Ltd. into smaller operating subsidiaries, by promoting the extension of competitive tendering on London Regional Transport bus routes and by enhancing the opportunities for private operators to introduce their own routes under the London local service licensing system. The timetable for full deregulation has yet to be set.

  Regional Airports
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to support regional airports.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government encourage the maximum use of regional airports, both to meet local demand and to relieve pressure on the London airports. Over the past decade more than £300 million of capital expenditure has been facilitated through special borrowing approvals for local authority airports. I hope to announce shortly the special borrowing approvals for 1990–91. We also very much welcome the contribution to the development of local authority airports which the private sector makes through the direct investment and joint venture schemes.

  We are continuing to pursue liberalisation policies, both in the European Community and in bilateral negotiations, which increase further the scope for services from our regional airports.

  London Regional Transport
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of London Regional Transport; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend and I frequently meet the chairman of London Regional Transport to discuss a wide range of issues.

  European Aviation Package
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the second stage of the European aviation liberalisation package will be agreed.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Council is committed to agreement on a second stage of aviation liberalisation by June 1990. The Government have welcomed the proposals which the Commission has recently put forward, and are fighting hard to prevent them being watered down.

  A41 Bypass
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the decision on the A41 bypass inquiry will be announced.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision on the A41 Hemel Hempstead and Bourne End bypass.

  Mr. Atkins
  I expect the announcement to be made by the end of the year.

  Trunk Roads, Selby
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for expediting the flow of traffic along the A19 and A63 trunk roads through the town of Selby.

  Mr. Atkins
  Detailed proposals, in the form of draft orders under the Highways Act 1980, have just been published for a bypass of Selby by my Department. The scheme is designed to aid the flow of traffic on the A19 and A63, and bring considerable relief to the town centre.

  Light Rail Projects
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many light rail projects are planned around the country.

  Mr. Portillo
  We are in touch with the promoters of light rail projects in Greater Manchester, south Yorkshire, Avon, the west midlands, Cleveland and Nottingham. We are also aware of about 30 other schemes, many at an early stage of consideration.

  A3
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when present improvements to the A3 London to Portsmouth road in the Godalming and Guildford area will be complete.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Compton-Shackleford improvement is programmed for completion by the end of January 1990 but we may be able to complete the major part of it in December. The improvement at Deerbarn bridge should be completed early in December.

  Disabled People
  Mr. David Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to improve the mobility of the disabled.

  Mr. Atkins
  Our active and constantly evolving programme of initiatives to promote mobility for people with disabilities is set out in our document "Transport and Disability—a statement of Aims and Priorities".
  99
  One major priority is to improve the accessibility of public transport including the development of wheelchair-accessible coaches and buses. We shall be working with vehicle designers and manufacturers to influence car design and control modifications, to increase opportunities for personal mobility for even the most severely disabled people.

  We are also developing guidelines on design for pedestrian areas to help elderly and disabled people.

  M3
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the plans to complete the M3.

  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement of progress on the southern extension of the M3.

  Mr. Atkins
  Work to widen and upgrade the A33 between Compton, south of Winchester, and the M27, to form the southernmost section of the M3 started in August. It is scheduled for completion in late summer 1991.

  Revised proposals for the remaining section between Bar End and Compton, around Winchester, were the subject of a public inquiry in 1985 which was re-opened in 1987–88 to consider further evidence. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport are considering the reports of the independent inspectors who conducted the inquiries. They will announce their decisions as soon as they are able. Construction dates will depend on the nature of those decisions.

  "New Roads by New Means"
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to involve the private sector in road building and road repair programmes in light of the responses received to his consultation paper, entitled "New Roads by New Means."

  Mr. Atkins
  The private sector is already closely involved in the planning, design, supervision and construction of new trunk roads and in the maintenance of existing trunk roads. The response to the consultation paper "New Roads by New Means" was encouraging, and several new schemes are being taken forward actively, in England and in Scotland.

  Road Safety
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to improve road safety.

  Mr. Atkins
  Improving road safety is one of our top priorities. That is why we have developed a comprehensive strategy to attain our target of cutting casualties by one third by the year 2000. I welcome the commitment and enthusiasm of local authorities who are now drawing up plans and targets for their own areas.

  We are working with them, the police and all others concerned to tackle the key problems: safer vehicle design, low cost local road engineering measures, concentration on making roads safer for the most vulnerable groups and above all, encouraging a sensible and responsible attitude among all road users.

  East Coast Railway Line
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had on the electrification of the east coast railway line between Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

  Mr. Portillo
  It would be for British Rail to bring forward any proposals if it believes they would be worthwhile. Since 1979 BR has spent £691 million in today's prices on electrification, an average of £63 million a year.

  World Student Games
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to make available a special grant to Sheffield to expand railway facilities and station alterations for the world student games in Sheffield.

  Mr. Portillo
  I understand that British Rail is intending to undertake extensive improvement works to Sheffield station in time for the world student games. My Department has taken full account of the funding requirements of the Sheffield transport interchange in allocating resources to the South Yorkshire passenger transport authority. In addition, I am discussing with the authority whether any resources might be made available for part of the proposed Supertram route serving the games sites.

  Submarines
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action his Department is taking to test systems which alert submarines to the presence of fishing vessels above them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Two proposals for acoustic devices have been received which have been sent to the Admiralty research establishment to assess their suitability as a warning to submarines of the presence of fishing vessels and their nets.

  Inner Cities (Access)
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to improve access to inner-city areas.

  Mr. Atkins
  Assisting local authority road schemes through transport supplementary grant; constructing trunk roads where appropriate; providing grant under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968 for public transport investment which shows good benefits; and consolidating the regeneration of London docklands with the approval of the Jubilee line extension from Green Park via Waterloo and the Isle of Dogs to Stratford.

  Freight
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has undertaken to find out the environmental cost of transporting freight by road as compared to transport by rail.

  Mr. Portillo
  The environmental cost of transporting goods by road and rail will vary from case to case, and so no general conclusions from studies of the type suggested can be drawn.
  101
  In those cases where the transfer of goods from road to rail is shown to provide clear and worthwhile environmental benefits, section 8 of the 1974 Railways Act provides for grants to be paid.

  Traffic Lights, SE1
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department is responsible for, or was consulted about, the new traffic lights at the junction of Gaden way and St. Georges road, London SE1; what was the cost of the installation; what representations he has received about its effect on traffic flows from both directions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The traffic lighting scheme in question, costing £18,600, is the responsibility of the London borough of Southwark, as the local highway authority, and was devised in association with the traffic control systems unit.

  The Department was consulted about the proposal as St. George's road is a designated road. The Department has not received any representations about the scheme.

  Relative use of public transport by women and men Journeys and mileage per person per week

  Journeys

  Mileage

  Women

  Men

  Ratio

  Women

  Men

  Ratio

  Bus

  2·00

  1·24

  1·61

  7·0

  5·0

  1·40

  Rail

  0·34

  0·45

  0·76

  61

  9·4

  0·65

  Bus and rail

  2·34

  1·69

  1·38

  13·1

  14·4

  0·91

  Source: National Travel Survey 1985–86.

  Pilotage
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which competent harbour authorities are charging vessels under the command of a master with a pilotage exemption certificate; and if he will list the highest and lowest charges.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department does not have this information. The Pilotage Act 1987 however provides for objections to be made to the Secretary of State by, amongst others, port users against the levels of charges levied by competent harbour authorities for the issue or use of pilotage exemption certificates.

  Vehicles (Fire Hazards)
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce measures to improve the design or location of petrol tanks in motor vehicles to prevent fires in collisions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  In high speed collisions it is virtually impossible to protect tanks totally. Regulations already require them to be in a position where they are reasonably secure from damage. For the future we are pressing the European Commission to adopt more stringent requirements for fuel tanks. We shall be seeking support of other Community members.

  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has commissioned or undertaken into the causes of fires in vehicles involved in collisions and into methods of reducing them.

  Drink Driving
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends to alter the permitted level of alcohol that a driver can consume before an offence is committed.

  Mr. Atkins
  The present limit is the level at which for most drivers the chances of being involved in an accident start to rise sharply. With some half of drink drive offenders convicted at around twice the limit, our priority is to achieve greater compliance with the law as it stands.

  Public Transport
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the ratio of women to men who use public transport.

  Mr. Portillo
  According to the 1985–86 national travel survey, women aged 16 and over made on average 38 per cent. more public transport journeys than men in that age group. They accounted for about 60 per cent. more bus journeys but 25 per cent. fewer rail journeys. In terms of passenger mileage, women generated 10 per cent. less public transport mileage per head than men, but were responsible for relatively more bus usage and less rail usage.

  Mr. Atkins
  Though relatively few people die from this cause, such cases inevitably arouse particular horror. Over the years our research and action programmes to improve vehicle safety have included work on the features most likely to cause fires. Fuel cut offs are important and we have discussed this with manufacturers. We have also just sent them an analysis of electrical causes of fire and plan further work to protect against fuel leakage following rear impacts. We have made clear to vehicle manufacturers that we expect them to pay close attention to designs that reduce fire hazards.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department expects to reach a decision on the case of Mr. P. Robinson, of 7 Southland road, SE18, about whom his predecessor wrote to the hon. Member for Woolwich on 28 June.

  Mr. Atkins
  Shortly. We shall write to the hon. Member when a decision has been made.

  Thames Riverbus
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the future of the Thames Riverbus service.

  Mr. Portillo
  The consortium responsible for the management of Riverbus is currently reviewing the experience of the first eight months of operations.

  A46 (Accidents)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the number of accidents which have taken place on the A46 trunk road at the Thrussington-Seagrave crossing north of Syston, Leicestershire, over the last two years; what action he intends to take to improve safety there; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  There have been six personal injury accidents at this junction in the last two years. Sadly, four of these involved fatalities.

  The Department instructed its agents, Leicestershire county council, in October this year to place improved warning signs on all approaches to the crossroads. These should be in place by Christmas. A scheme to light the crossroads will be implemented as soon as practicable. Urgent consideration is being given to the need for further modifications.

  A303/A30 (Improvements)
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvements have been made to the A303/A30 route west of Amesbury since 10 March 1987.

  Mr. Atkins
  Between Amesbury and Exeter bypasses of Ilminster and Sparkford have been completed in the past two years.

  Cars (Child Restraints)
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence is available to him on the level of public support for the legislation requiring that children seated in the rear of cars are restrained where appropriate restraints exist.

  Mr. Atkins
  This valuable legislation, introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Cheadle (Mr. Day) has been widely supported at all stages. It is generally recognised as making an important contribution to the reduction of unnecessary death and injury among children.

  The new law came into force on 1 September. Next spring we shall review whether further publicity about its requirements and its benefits is needed in the light of a survey of seat belt wearing being carried out by the transport and road research laboratory.

  Irish Lights
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 29 November, how many commissioners there are in Irish Lights; who appoints the members of Irish Lights from Northern Ireland; and for what period of time they serve as commissioners.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Commissioners of Irish Lights consist of 17 members (including those from Northern Ireland) who are appointed by the Irish Lights board for unlimited terms; and four ex-officio members, who are the Lord Mayor of Dublin and three nominees of Dublin city council and who hold office for the period of their nomination.

  Central London (Traffic Management)
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review traffic management schemes in central London to determine their effect on traffic flows and his power to change such schemes in the public interest.

  Mr. Atkins
  We are considering a number of proposals and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

  Sprinter Trains
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requests he has received for investment in replacements for 155 series Sprinter trains intended for operation out of Cardiff.

  Mr. Portillo
  None.

  East London Assessment Study
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date in December he plans to publish the results of the East London Assessment Study.

  Mr. Atkins
  The consultants will publish their report as soon as possible.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  North Sea
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) by what date he intends to phase out the dumping of industrial wastes into the North sea; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he intends to allow the practice of dumping liquid industrial waste at sea after 31 December; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The United Kingdom is fully meeting international agreements reached unanimously by the North sea countries.

  Indeed the United Kingdom is amongst the European leaders in demanding higher standards for the North sea. We are very conscious of the need to prevent pollution of our offshore waters. Eighty per cent. of riverborne pollution entering the North sea comes from rivers of Germany, Holland and Belgium.

  Ministers at the second North sea conference agreed that disposal at sea of industrial wastes should not be prohibited if there were no practical alternative means of disposal on land and if it could be shown to the Oslo Commission that the materials caused no harm in the marine environment. The Oslo Commission in 1989 agreed the procedure by which a country would show that a waste met these criteria. The Government have initiated this procedure in respect of three wastes which have been licensed for sea disposal for some years.

  The nature of these wastes and the problems faced in identifying environmentally acceptable alternative disposal options have been discussed at length in the Oslo Commission. At no stage has evidence been produced that any of these wastes cause harm in the marine environment. Detailed scientific work in the United Kingdom has shown that no harm is caused by sea disposal. Indeed, the presence of the wastes in the sea cannot be detected by the most sensitive means of analysis a few minutes after disposal.
  105
  No deadline has been set internationally for termination of sea disposal. However, the Government are seeking to end sea disposal of these wastes at the earliest possible time. Of the 20 licences issued in 1987 for disposal of liquid industrial waste at sea, more than half will not be renewed next year. The remainder will be terminated as soon as alternative means of disposal have been identified and implemented. The companies concerned are urgently working to develop land-based methods. The Oslo Commission agreed earlier this year that even when an alternative disposal option is identified a transitional period will be needed before sea disposal can end, to give time for introduction of the alternative arrangements. At this stage the final termination date for liquid industrial waste licences cannot be precisely identified, though it is expected that most will be terminated within about two years.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) when he received an application to dump 3,000 tonnes of a curing agent in epoxy powder in the North sea; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he received an application from Sterling Organics to dump 42,000 tonnes of paracetamol waste in the North sea; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) when he received an application from Fisons Ltd. to dump in the North sea 4,000 tonnes of waste from the making of asthma medicines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  All three companies have for some years had sea disposal licences for these wastes which arise from production of medicines—which help asthma sufferers and relieve pain—and soap. These have been subject to annual renewal. Pending the completion of development and implementation of alternative means of disposal the companies have sought continued licensing as some of their products provide relief—sometimes life-saving relief

  Material

  Tonnage

  January to June

  Fisons PLC

  Wash waters from the synthesis of Intal, a treatment for asthma and allergies

  6,000

  Imperial Chemicals Industries PLC

  Waste from pharmaceutical manufacture

  6,090

  Tate & Lyle

  Filtration sludge from sugar refining

  33,000

  Sterling Organics Ltd.

  Aqueous residues from preparation of paracetamol

  42,000

  Orsynetics Ltd.

  Salt solution from the manufacture of O-tolyl biguanide, exported for use in paint and soap manufacture

  3,000

  Fisons PLC1

  Distillation waste from pharmaceutical manufacture

  1,000

  Formica Ltd.

  Phenol washings from laminate manufacture

  800

  Fine Organics Ltd.

  Effluent from pharmaceutical production

  8,000

  A. H. Marks Ltd.1

  Neutralised acetone/water mixture from formulation of organic chemicals

  999

  BP Petroleum Development1

  Used saline drilling mud

  1,000

  British Coal

  MineStOne

  150,000

  British Coal

  Minestone

  150,000

  CEGB

  Pulverised fuel ash

  36,000 (part year)

  CEGB,

  Pulverised fuel ash

  290,000 (part year)

  2—

  Solid waste from boric acid production

  200,000

  106
  —to asthma sufferers and pain relief to others. The procedures agreed for such cases by the Oslo Commission were therefore initiated for the Sterling Organics and Fisons wastes on 19 September and for the third waste on 5 October.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications he has made to the Oslo Commission for licences to dump industrial waste in the North sea in 1990; if he will list in each case the substances, quantities and companies involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Oslo Commission procedure, which is required in advance of the issue of national licences under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1935, has been initiated for three wastes, as follows:

  Material

  Tonnage

  Fisons

  Wash waters from synthesis of Intal—a treatment for asthma and allergies

  6,000

  Sterling Organics

  Aqueous residues from preparation of paracetamol

  42,000

  Orsynetics

  Salt solution from manufacture of O-tolyl-biguanide, exported for use in paint and soap manufacture

  3,000

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the licence applications he has received for dumping industrial waste in the North sea in 1989(a) from January to June and (b) from June onwards; if he will list the substances, quantities and companies involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information is as follows:
  107

  Material

  Tonnage

  July to November

  Chorley Bleaching Co. Ltd.1

  Waste from bleaching cotton

  100

  ICI Chemicals & Polymers Ltd.

  Acid ammonium sulphate effluent from acrylics production

  165,000

  AUied Colloids Ltd.

  Acid ammonium sulphate effluent from acrylics production.

  15,000

  Woolcombers Ltd.

  Waste from washing wool

  999

  Chlor Chem Ltd.

  Acidic effluent from production of water treatment chemicals

  1,000

  Robinson Bros1

  Caustic liquor from manufacture of pharmaceutical intermediates

  70

  British Coal

  Minestone

  1,250,000

  British Coal

  Minestone

  525,000

  British Coal

  Minestone

  525,000

  CEGB

  Pulverised fuel ash

  50,000

  CEGB

  Pulverised fuel ash

  500,000

  Jackson's Fuel Co. Ltd.

  Washed sand

  7,500

  1 Licences to expire by end of 1989.

  2 Application not approved. Information on the applicant was received in confidence.

  Lindane and Pentachlorophenol
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if any new scientific or medical evidence is under consideration by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides on the link between the development of aplastic anaemia and Lindane and Pentachlorophenol.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Health and Safety Executive is evaluating available data on aplastic anaemia and Lindane. The matter is expected to come before the Advisory Committee on Pesticides in 1990–91.

  Hens
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regulations control the disposal of laying hens slaughtered under the salmonella control regulations.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Animal Health Act 1981 as applied by the Zoonoses Order 1989 provides that where an animal, including a bird, has been slaughtered under the Act at the Ministers discretion, the carcase of the animal shall belong to him and shall be buried, or sold, or otherwise disposed of by him, or as he directs, as the conditions of the animal or carcase and the other circumstances may require or admit.

  Food Safety Directorate
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the cost to industry and the consumer of the work of the food safety directorate.

  Mr. Maclean
  The food safety directorate will strengthen my Department's organisation for dealing with food safety issues. This reorganisation of work does not involve costs to industry or the consumer.
  108
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the interested parties he consulted before establishing the food safety directorate.

  Mr. Maclean
  I did not consult any interested parties before setting up the food safety directorate, but I did take into account the views put to me by a number of individuals and organisations that the large amount of food safety and similar regulatory work undertaken by my Department should be more clearly identified and brought together.

  High-density Baling
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies he has made of the use of refuse in high-density baling for coastal defence work and land reclamation.

  Mr. Curry
  My Department has not carried out any studies on the use of high-density baled refuse for these purposes. We support adoption of new techniques that offer improved protection, lower costs or both. However, at first sight there seems to be some question as to the suitability of such material for coastal defence work. For example, there is a possibility of microbiological activity within the bale which could lead to voids being created and a reduction in the density of the bale, which in turn would put in question the structural integrity of the defence. Further, possible leaching of harmful substances from such bales could cause pollution in a marine environment.

  Bread Prices
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on(a) the increases in bread prices in each of the last three years and (b) the price of wheat, in real, actual and percentage terms for each of the last three years.
  109
  Mr. Curry
  The information requested is set out in the following table. The 1989 figures are based on information for the first 10 months and are not strictly comparable with those of earlier years.

  Actual price of standard white wrapped and sliced loaf (800 g)

  Weighted average price of United Kingdom wheat at point of sale1

  Actual prices

  Constant 1988 price2

  Actual prices

  Constant 1988 price2

  Pence per loaf

  Percentage change

  Pence per loaf

  Percentage change

  £ per tonne

  Percentage change

  £ per tonne

  Percentage change

  1986

  43·0

  + 7·0

  48·1

  + 3·4

  118·18

  -1·0

  124·30

  -4·3

  1987

  43·7

  + 1·6

  46·6

  -3·1

  111·00

  -0·2

  118·33

  -4·8

  1988

  46·3

  + 5·9

  46·3

  -0·6

  105·14

  -5·3

  105·14

  -11·1

  31989

  48·8

  + 5·6

  45·8

  -1·3

  104·08

  -1·0

  97·59

  -7·2

  Source: Bread prices: Employment Gazette.

  Wheat prices: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  1 The wheat prices quoted are net of co-responsibility levies.

  2 Using the GDP deflator (at market prices).

  3 Simple averages, January to October. Percentage change is compa of the GDP deflator for the first three-quarters of 1989.

  Artificial Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what information he has concerning the incidence of mastitis in dairy cows subject to artificial bovine somatotropin treatment;

  (2) what information he has concerning the effect of bovine somatotropin treatment on the fecundity of trial animals.

  Mr. Maclean
  In addition to the published material on these subjects my Department receives data provided by companies in support of their product licence applications.

  Fishing Industry
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is yet in a position to make a statement on a decommissioning scheme for the fishing industry.

  Mr. Curry
  Not yet. I shall make an announcement as soon as possible.

  Pesticide Ban
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will issue a ban on Alar, Tecnazene. Maneb, Mancozeb and Zineb.

  Mr. Maclean
  No. These substances are under review by the advisory committee on pesticide whose recommendations to Ministers are based on scientific evidence. The evidence to date does not indicate that approval for these substances should be withdrawn.

  Food Standards
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will launch a survey on the standard of potatoes, lettuces, blackcurrants, tomatoes, apples and pears.

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

  Parents for Safe Food
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food when he last met representatives from Parents for Safe Food.
  110
  Mr. Maclean
  I have not met representatives from Parents for Safe Food but officials from my Department specialising in pesticides met a representative from PSF on 18 October 1989.

  Habitat Sites
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture:, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made with incentives to farmers and woodland managers to maintain and enhance important habitat sites of wildlife value.

  Mr. Curry
  My Department has introduced a number of grant schemes that provide incentives for the protection of existing, or creation of new, wildlife habitats.

  The introduction of the environmentally sensitive area schemes in 1987 was designed to conserve and enhance landscape and wildlife interests in areas vulnerable to changes in farming practices. The farm woodland scheme, introduced last year, has as one of its objectives the enhancement of the landscape and the creation of new wildlife habitats. The farm and conservation grant scheme (introduced in February this year) places particular emphasis on conservation and the needs of the environment. As far as woodlands are concerned, it is a requirement of the Forestry Commission's woodland grant scheme that proper account should be taken of the needs of nature conservation. In this connection, the commission will shortly be publishing comprehensive guidelines on the nature conservation aspects of woodland management.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps were taken when the: drainage system at Shirley Pool/Rushy Moor site of special scientific interest near Doncaster was installed to avoid damage to the site and habitat; and if he will make: a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Proposals were submitted to my Department by the Dun drainage commissioners in 1981 to improve the land drainage within the catchments of the Thistle Goit and Haywood pumping stations. These included works to deepen the drains running through the Shirley Pool/Rushy Moor SSSI. In order to retain the marshland and wet woodland habitats within the site, the proposals were revised by agreement with the Nature Conservancy Council and my Department, to divert the
  111
  main flow to deepened channels outside the SSSI. Drainage work within the Shirley Pool SSSI was thereby avoided.

  Lead Contamination
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many farms in England and Wales placed under restriction following the recent contamination by lead of foodstuffs were subsequently shown not to have contaminated milk or meat products; if he will estimate the financial loss involved to producers; whether he intends introducing a compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is his estimate of the total financial loss so far incurred by milk producers subject to restrictions, following suspected use of lead-contaminated imported feedstuffs.

  Mr. Maclean
  A total of 2,069 farms in England and Wales have at some time been subject to restrictions. Of these, 367 were able to be released in the light of further information from feed suppliers. As at 29.11.89, 1,052 dairy farms have been released from milk restrictions as a result of the milk testing programme and arrangements are now in hand to allow the orderly release of animals from slaughter and movement restrictions subject to a number of further checks, including blood testing of some animals. Reliable information on the costs to the industry are not available and there is no provision under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 for the payment of compensation.

  Food Advisory Committees
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the legislation and relevant sections under which he has power to set up advisory committees on food.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is none. Successive Governments have maintained advisory committees on food matters without the need for legislation.

  East Anglia
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from East Anglian farmers since 1 August on the state of agriculture in East Anglia.

  Mr. Gummer
  I frequently meet East Anglian farmers, both in my constituency and elsewhere, and receive numerous representations from them on agricultural matters. I have also discussed in detail these problems with hon. Members concerned—particularly with my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice).

  Global Warming
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken to assess the impact of global warming on British agriculture; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  My Department is aiming to fund research to identify the sensitivity of key sectors of British agriculture to variations in climate so that when regional 112
  climate change forecasts become available, an assessment of the impact can be made. In addition my Department is involved in research to monitor sea level trends and last year about half of the budget for river and coastal engineering research was spent on projects designed to provide a better understanding of the coastal environment and add to the knowledge needed for improving coastal defences.

  Isle of Man
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what fishing limits around the Isle of Man have been agreed for the period commencing 1 January 1990.

  Mr. Curry
  The present three-mile limit around the Isle of Man will apply on 1 January 1990. Consideration, including in relation to fishing, on how the provisions for a 12 mile territorial sea around the Isle of Man contained in the Territorial Sea Act 1987 might be implemented is in hand.

  Animal Exports
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a system of licensing for carriers of live animals intended for export; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I do not intend to introduce licensing since this would add little to existing controls related to unnecessary suffering. Such a system would almost certainly contravene the Treaty of Rome.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under what provision he launched his recent investigation into the death of beagles being exported for research purposes in the pharmaceutical industry; if he has yet concluded his investigation; what action he proposes to take; and what powers he has to regulate such trade.

  Mr. Maclean
  The investigation has now concluded. Charges are being considered under the Transit of Animals (General) Order 1973, as amended in 1988, and the Protection of Animals Act 1911. Under section 39 of the Animal Health Act 1981 Ministers may by order provide for regulating the export of animals from Great Britain in the interests of animal welfare.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the numbers and species of live animals being exported from the United Kingdom for use in research projects; and, in respect of both species and numbers, what is the importing country.

  Mr. Maclean
  The numbers of animals exported for research purposes are not collected centrally.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the number of slaughter animals exported live by species, to each of the member states of the European Economic Community during 1988 and the current year to date.

  Mr. Maclean
  Animals inspected and certified as fit for transportation prior to export from Great Britain were as follows:
  113

  1. During 1988

  For immediate slaughter

  For further fattening

  Destination

  Cattle

  Sheep

  Cattle

  Calves

  Sheep

  Pigs

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  99

  7,193

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Holland

  —

  —

  —

  108,880

  —

  —

  Italy

  —

  12,441

  —

  4,460

  —

  —

  France

  14

  238,798

  24

  120,848

  184,120

  —

  West Germany

  23

  4,215

  299

  463

  —

  —

  TOTAL EEC

  136

  262,647

  323

  234,651

  184,120

  —

  2. During the period 1 January to 30 September 1989

  For immediate slaughter

  For further fattening

  Destination

  Cattle

  Sheep

  Cattle

  Calves

  Sheep

  Pigs

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  48

  13,460

  —

  50

  —

  —

  Holland

  —

  145

  10

  77,156

  —

  —

  Italy

  35

  8,713

  199

  —

  —

  —

  France

  173

  93,237

  956

  114,563

  132,474

  24

  West Germany

  18

  10,188

  280

  28

  —

  —

  TOTAL EEC

  274

  125,743

  1,445

  191,797

  132,474

  24

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the number of slaughter animals, exported live, by species, to each non European Economic Community country during 1988 and the current year to date.

  Mr. Maclean
  Farm livestock for slaughter are not licensed for export to countries outside the EEC.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the total number of animals of each species exported from the United Kingdom in 1988 and 1989 to date for the purposes of(a) slaughter, (b) fattening, and (c) breeding.

  Mr. Maclean
  Statistics for the United Kingdom do not distinguish between animals for fattening and those for immediate slaughter. The information is as follows:114

  Breeding

  Other

  Total

  1. During 1988

  Cattle

  7,690

  259,101

  266,791

  Sheep

  11,310

  497,603

  508,913

  Pigs

  11,311

  47,692

  59,003

  2. January-September 1989

  Cattle

  4,906

  198,824

  203,730

  Sheep

  8,752

  318,820

  327,572

  Pigs

  11,946

  66,775

  78,721

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what powers he has to regulate the export of live puppies; and what information he has concerning the numbers and destination of such exports by country of import during 1988 and 1989 to date.

  Mr. Maclean
  Powers exist in the Animal Health Act 1981 to regulate by order the export of animals from Great Britain in the interests of animal welfare. I have no information on the numbers of exported puppies.