Written Answers of 5 December 1989

ENERGY

  Offshore Workers (Safety)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what provision his Department is making for safety and survival courses for offshore workers.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  It is for an employer to ensure that his employees are adequately qualified and trained for the duties they are required to undertake. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 places a duty on an employer to provide the necessary instruction, training and supervision to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of his employees.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of Statement for Energy (1) what encouragement he is giving to commercial organisations wishing to set up wind electricity generators on Welsh farms;

  (2) what assistance has been given by the Government to commercial organisations in Wales to install wind energy generating capacity which can be sold to the grid.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Department has not given any assistance to commercial organisations in Wales to install wind energy generators for the purpose of subsequent sale of electricity to the grid. Such installations will however be eligible for consideration under the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  We have collaborated with a number of organisations in the design and construction of experimental wind turbine generators at the CEGB's test site at Carmarthen bay, and we are also collaborating with the CEGB in a project to construct an experimental wind farm at Capel Cynon.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much money has been spent in Wales on sources of renewable energy over the past three years.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The table includes expenditure by the Department of Energy over the past three years on projects based in Wales such as the 160 kW vertical axis wind turbine at Carmarthen bay, and work undertaken by Welsh contractors, for example, university of Cardiff.

  Year

  £

  1986–87

  656,935

  1987–88

  854,459

  1988–89

  833,020

  Information is not available to say precisely how much of this expenditure was in Wales.

  Mining Statistics
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will state the numbers of men employed underground in privately owned mines on 3 April 1989 as recorded in the registers which are required to be maintained under the terms of section 2(1) of the 1908 Act.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Daily tallies for the number of men working underground in licensed mines are not collected centrally. British Coal does, however, give a total figure for the end of each financial year in its annual report and accounts, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average number of hours worked below ground by mineworkers and deputies in 1978 and in 1988.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for British Coal. I have asked the chairman of British Coal to write to the hon. Member.

ENVIRONMENT

  Council Housing
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities which have sold fewer than 10 per cent. of their council house stock.

  Mr. Chope
  Of those authorities which have provided a complete record of their sales from April 1979 to March 1989, only two authorities, Oldham and Blackburn, report sales of less than 10 per cent. of their stock. Six authorities —Arun, Bracknell Forest, Bromley, Crawley, Fenland and Havant—report sales of more than 35 per cent. of their stock.

  There are 12 authorities where an incomplete total of sales between April 1979 and March 1989 shows that less than 10 per cent. of their stock has been sold, but who may have exceeded the 10 per cent. threshold if unreported sales were to be included.

  I have today laid a table in the Library giving available information up to March 1989. It shows year by year information for each authority since 1984–85, together with cumulative figures since April 1979.

  Over 1 million local authority dwellings (about a fifth of the England 1979 stock) had been sold by the end of March 1989, the majority to sitting tenants, and sales are continuing at a high level. Information on total year by year sales of local authority houses and flats in England is listed in the following table. The number of flats sold in 1988–89 was greater than in any previous financial year and the number of houses sold was the largest since 1982–83.

  Sales of local authority dwellings England1

  Year

  Houses

  Flats

  1979–80

  52,386

  1,162

  1980–81

  66,946

  1,282

  1981–82

  125,200

  2,967

  1982–83

  175,334

  5,902

  1983–84

  113,613

  8,430

  1984–85

  85,487

  5,885

  1985–86

  76,088

  6,230

  1986–87

  77,677

  8,454

  21987–88

  90,852

  16,728

  1988–89

  116,933

  26,895

  117

  Year

  Houses

  Flats

  980,516

  83,935

  1 Includes some small transfers to housing associations.

  2 Excludes the sale of 5,480 dwellings by the London Residuary Body to Thamesmead Town Ltd.

  Methane
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to reduce methane being released into the atmosphere.

  Mr. Trippier
  The sources of methane emissions to the atmosphere are diverse. Some are natural, some man-made. Our understanding of the contribution from different sources and the way methane behaves in the atmosphere require further research, which is now under way. The Department of Energy has a programme to promote the use of landfill methane as an energy source.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the relative impact of(a) methane and (b) chlorofluorocarbon gases on global warming.

  Mr. Trippier
  The relative importance of all the major greenhouse gases for global warming in the past, at present and in the future is discussed in detail in the booklet "Global Climate Change", published by the Department in association with the Meteorological Office in October. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the factors in the 1989–90 scheme to determine community charge support which are different from or additional to factors used in earlier years to calculate local government support.

  Mr. Chope
  There are two main differences. First, the rate support grant system aims to equalise resources between authorities measured in terms of rateable values, whereas the new revenue support grant system equalises resources measured in terms of numbers of community charge payers in an area. Secondly, there has been a major review of the method of distributing grant between authorities and as a result the following additional factors will now be taken into account: the numbers of residents aged 11 or over, aged 65 to 74, aged 75 to 84 and aged 85 or over; the proportion of children aged under 16 years living in private households in rented accommodation; the number of residents aged 65 or over in independent registered residential homes whose primary function is reported as the care of elderly people, elderly people who are mentally infirm and elderly and other people who are handicapped; the number of fire false alarm calls; current expenditure on coast protection.

  The full extent of the differences can be identified from a comparison of the GRE indicators given in appendix 2 to annex J of the Rate Support Grant Report (England) 1989–90 with those given in annex A to the draft Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England) issued on 6 November by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
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  Mr. Wall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what help will be available under the poll tax transitional relief scheme to students presently living in a hall of residence.

  Mr. Chope
  Full-time students will be liable to pay only one fifth of the community charge of the area where they live during term time. Students will be entitled to receive transitional relief, whatever type of accommodation they occupy, provided a comparison between rates and either one or two assumed community charges (depending on the number of community chargepayers in the property) shows an increase of more than £156 a year. Any student entitled to relief will receive it at the rate of one fifth of the normal rate to match the reduced community charge liability.

  Football Membership Scheme
  Mr. John Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress there has been on the preparation of the national membership scheme for football specators.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My right hon. Friend and I had a helpful meeting with the president of the Football League and the chairman of the Football Association on 14 November. They made it clear that it was still their wish that the football authorities should have first refusal to form the company that will be appointed as the Football Membership Authority. We confirmed that it was our hope and expectation that they would do so on the basis which had been agreed—that the Secretary of State would approve the composition of the authority; that the body appointed was willing and able to produce a scheme which he could approve and which satisfied the requirements of the legislation and that he was satisfied about the implementation timetable.

  We propose to hold further discussions shortly with the football authorities about the membership of the FMA. The FMA will be appointed following parliamentary approval of the commencement order bringing section 3 of the Football Spectators Act 1989 into operation. We intend that the commencement order should be laid and debated in the new year, after the publication of Lord Justice Taylor's final report on the Hillsborough inquiry.

  I welcome the progress which the working party set up by the football authorities has made in its preparations for the national membership scheme. I understand that it has now issued an invitation to tender to the seven companies and consortia which are bidding for the contract to operate the scheme.

  I share the hope of the football authorities that it will be possible, from a wide range of financial options, to meet the requirements of the national membership scheme, on a self-financing basis, at no direct cost to football clubs. If the clubs adopt a positive approach to promoting the scheme among their supporters, there is every prospect that this approach will be pursued successfully. The Government have provided a share of the costs incurred on the preparation of the scheme in advance of Royal Assent to the Football Spectators Act. The full funding of its implementation will be football's responsibility.

  It will be for the Football Membership Authority, in conjunction with the chosen supplier, to come forward with an acceptable timetable for the implementation of the scheme. The Government want the scheme to be in place

  119
  as soon as practicable. We will approve its introduction when we are satisfied that it will be effective, workable and safe. Before that can happen, both the Football Membership Authority and the Football Licensing Authority will need to be confident, among other considerations: that the technology has been tested properly; that the flow of spectators through the turnstiles will proceed smoothly; that the implications for the stewarding and policing of designated football matches have been fully assessed including the methodology for handling invalid cards, and that any structural alterations which may be needed at individual grounds have been made. The Football Licensing Authority will not license a ground to hold a designated match unless the requirements of the national membership scheme have been complied with and they are fully satisfied on safety requirements.

  I look forward to continuing co-operation between the Government and the football authorities in preparing for the implementation of the scheme and to the major contribution which the scheme will make to break the link between football and hooliganism.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning appeals have been made in each of the last three years; if he will express these figures in terms of percentage increase; how many planning appeal inspectors have been in post in each of the last three years; and what percentage of appeals within the last 12 months have been heard within the time limit prescribed by the relevant legislation.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The information requested is as follows:

  Planning Appeals

  Year

  Planning appeals received

  Percentage increase over previous year

  Per cent.

  1986–87

  19,856

  11·3

  1987–88

  22,482

  13·2

  1988–89

  28,659

  27·4

  Salaried inspectors in post as at 31 December

  Number

  1987

  166

  1988

  173

  11989

  190

  1 As at 30 November 1989.

  A total of 1,424 planning appeals have so far been processed under the Town and Country Planning (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 1988 and the Town and Country Planning (Determination by Inspectors) (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 1988. In 724 cases (50·8 per cent. of the total) the inquiry was held within the timetable set out in the rules.

  Tourism
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that local authority districts in which a large part of the income comes from tourism are not penalised for this in the revenue support grant calculations for 1990–91.
  120
  Mr. Chope
  In the proposals for revenue support grant for 1990–91, no account is taken of income from tourism in calculating individual authorities' standard spending assessments.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to exempt from the community charge elderly people who are being looked after in private homes and who would otherwise require residential or nursing care at public expense.

  Mr. Chope
  No. Any elderly person being looked after in the community will be eligible for community charge benefit in their own right if they meet the income and capital requirements of the benefit scheme. Benefit can cover up to 80 per cent. of the community charge bill, and any elderly person receiving income support will have included in it an amount reflecting the fact that they have to pay the other 20 per cent. Thus, there should be no financial incentive for people caring for elderly relatives to seek to place them in residential or nursing care. We have recently announced changes in the regulations to ensure that people being cared for in the community will receive the same relief from the standard community charge as those in residential care homes.

  Satellite Dishes
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which planning rules apply to the erection of satellite television dishes on blocks of flats; whether he ha .s any intention to change these rules; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Part 25 of the General Developmen.t Order 1988 gives permission for up to two satellite antennae up to 90 cm in diameter on blocks of flats over 15 m high, provided the antennae are sited to minimise their visual effect. That permission does not apply in conservation areas, national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty or the Broads. My right hon. Friend hopes to issue a consultation paper on planning controls over satellite antennas and other telecommunications development within the next 2 months.

  Noise Control
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he intends to give to local authorities on the control of noise pollution; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  My Department is currently consulting local authorities about the adequacy of their powers to control noise nuisance under the Control Pollution Act 1974, with particular reference to acid house and similar parties. We have already received helpful responses from the Association of District Councils, the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and the London Boroughs Association. Together with other Government Departments, we shall take whatever action is necessary to strengthen the law in relation to noise nuisance generally. We will also give clear guidance to local authorities about exercising their powers.

  College Green
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has authorised the erection of the double-decker media hut on the green opposite the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had, concerning the erection of temporary huts on College green; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Permission was given to ITV and Channel 4 to put up the hut for broadcasting purposes associated with the state opening of Parliament and the experimental televising of the House of Commons. Further permission was given for the hut to remain in place until after the election for the leadership of the Conservative party. It will be dismantled and removed on Thursday 7 December. It is usual to allow the media to put temporary facilities on Abingdon street gardens to cover important events.

  European Environment Agency
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the United Kingdom will participate in the proposed European Environment Agency; whether United Kingdom statistics on environmental damage would be made available to East European countries through such an agency and vice versa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Unanimous political agreement was reached at the Environment Council which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State attended in Brussels on 28 November. There is a firm commitment that the United Kingdom will participate in the agency's work.

  The EC regulation, endorsed at the Environment Council, makes specific reference to participation of non-EC countries, such as EFTA and the eastern bloc, in the work of the agency. Participation will be based on agreements drawn up between individual third countries and the agency, requiring unanimous agreement by the Council. Such agreements should allow for United Kingdom statistics on environment damage to be made available to east European countries through the agency and vice versa.

  Forestry Industry Committee
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the chairman of the Forestry Industry Committee of Great Britain; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend has not held any meetings with the committee, but I have received a copy of its report on "Options for British forestry 1989–1990"; and the recommendations in this are being considered by the Forestry Commission and other relevant Departments.

  Mersey Tunnel
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to reply to the Mersey tunnel's case for Government assistance which has recently been sent to him.
  122
  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: I have been asked to reply.

  We are considering Merseytravel's request for Government financial assistance. A decision on the case it has presented will be made as soon as we have considered it fully.

THE ARTS

  Arts Council and Crafts Council (Merger)
  Dr. Glyn
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received about the merger of the Arts Council and the Crafts Council; and if he will take steps to ensure that the balance of funds available to the Arts Council and the Crafts Council will remain the same.

  Mr. Luce
  I have received many representations on this issue. No decision will be taken until the new year, but I have already given indicative figures of the level of support for the crafts for the next three years, in my grant announcement of 15 November.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  VAT
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when serious misdeclaration penalty and default interest for value added tax will be introduced; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  Customs and Excise has been publicising, and traders have been preparing for, the introduction of the final phase of the Keith civil penalty regime from 1 January 1990. In the light of the recent consultation exercise of the VAT (Accounting and Records) Regulations, and of the technical arrangements for introducing the new regime, I have been giving further careful consideration to the timing.

  The regulations, incorporating important changes beneficial to business, have been laid before the House today and will come into force as planned on 1 January 1990. As part of the procedures, traders will have the opportunity to make separate voluntary disclosure of their larger errors to Customs, thereby avoiding penalty, rather than, as at present, including them on their VAT returns or adjusting their VAT accounts. In order that all traders may become familiar with the new regime, I have decided that serious misdeclaration penalty and default interest will not be introduced until 1 April 1990.

  Employee Share Ownership
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the provisions for encouraging employee share ownership in the United Kingdom and in other member states of the European Community.

  Mr. Lilley
  Major legislation providing tax reliefs to encourage the spread of employee share ownership in the United Kingdom was introduced in the Finance Acts of 1978, 1980, 1984 and 1989. These provisions have been improved or extended in most of the intervening years. By March 1988, they had resulted in more than 1·75 million employees receiving shares or interests in shares with an initial market value of £4 billion. The available
  123
  information in other European Community countries is limited, but we are aware that Belgium, Denmark, France, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands also provide fiscal incentives to promote employee share ownership.

  Civil Service (Southend)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons are employed in Civil Service duties in Southend-on-Sea; and what was the comparable figure 10 years ago.

  Mr. Ryder
  At 1 April 1989, there were 3,875 non-industrial civil servants (full-time equivalents) serving in Southend-on-Sea. This compares with a total of 4,924 at 1 April 1979.

  Taxation
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total tax burden (including value added tax and indirect taxes) on the average family at the present time; and what was the burden in 1979.

  Mr. Lilley
  The total tax burden (excluding rates) on a married man with two children on average male earnings is estimated to be about 33 per cent. of gross earnings in 1989–90, compared with around 32 per cent. in 1978–79. The corresponding figures for a married man with no children on average male earnings are about 38½ and 39½ per cent. respectively. If real earnings had remained at their 1978–79 levels, both family types would now be paying a considerably lower proportion of their earnings in tax than in 1978–79: down to 29½ per cent. for the married man with two children, and down to 36½ per cent. for the married man with no children.

  Pensions
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have to review inequalities in occupational pension levels among retired public servants of the same grade or rank who retired in different years.

  Mr. Ryder
  None.

  Interest and Exchange Rates
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect he estimates that the increase in interest rates and the exchange rate will have on incomes in the banking sector and in industries wholly or mainly engaged in producing importable and exportable goods.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have no sectoral estimates of the type requested.

  Married Couples (Taxation)
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provisions he has made in the married couple's allowance to be introduced in April 1990 for those couples who choose to maintain independent financial affairs in marriage.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: Under independent taxation, husbands and wives will be treated as individual taxpayers, and their incomes and gains will be taxed independently. The arrangements for giving the married couple's allowance enable couples to maintain independent financial affairs.

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all the European Community countries which do not include(a) mortgage interest rates and (b) house rent payments in the calculations for their retail prices indices.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: Of European Community countries, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Greece do not include mortgage interest payments in their calculation of the retail prices index. Only Portugal does not include house rent payments.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what items have been(a) taken out and (b) incorporated into the calculations in the retail prices index, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: Only minor changes have been made to the coverage of the retail prices index since 1979 the most important of which took place at the beginning of 1987 when, following recommendations of the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee, the index was restructured to incorporate a number of items on which expenditure was relatively small and which had previously been excluded. The items in question were:
  fees paid by households for educational and recreational courses;
  subscriptions to trade unions and professional associations;
  non-food expenditure on pets;
  fees for medical, dental and optical treatment and the provision of spectacles;
  premiums for house contents insurance;
  expenditure on hobbies not covered by any other section of the index.

  In addition housing subsidies, which used to be partly included in the calculation of the retail prices index, were excluded from 1987. At the begining of 1989, the coverage of fees was extended to take account of new charges for eye tests and dental checks, and in April 1989 community charge payments were brought into the retail prices index in respect of Scotland in place of domestic rates.

  The methods by which the retail prices index has been compiled have remained essentially unchanged. Price changes are obtained for a selection of goods and services and this selection is continually updated in order to maintain the index as a reliable and representative measure of the change in prices across all the goods and services commonly bought by consumers.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the extent of United Kingdom manufacturing companies' investment in research and development; and how this has changed since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: Figures for United Kingdom manufacturing companies' investment in research and development from 1978 to 1987 are included in the relevant aggregates of intramural expenditure on research and development carried out in United Kingdom industry which were published in British Business on 3 February 1989, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Figures for 1979 are not available. 1987 is the latest year for which figures are published.

  Wealth Tax
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution is made by the annual wealth tax on housing in West Germany and by domestic rates in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available; and what would be the yield of a wealth tax in(a) housing and (b) other assets in the United Kingdom at the rate charged in West Germany.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: The latest figures for receipts from the annual taxes on immovable property and on net wealth in West Germany are available in "Revenue Statistics of OECD Member Countries 1965–1988". The net payments of domestic rates in the United Kingdom were £7,553 million in 1987–88.

  An estimate of the yield of a wealth tax applied to assets in the United Kingdom using the West German tax rate and system of allowances, exemptions, reliefs and valuation rules could only be provided at disproportionate costs.

  Duty-free Allowances
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he is making to the European Economic Community on the future of duty-free allowances for travellers within the European Economic Community; what studies have been carried out by his Department of the costs of benefits of(a) increase and (b) abolition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: The Commission recently proposed transitional increases in the travellers' allowances for goods obtained duty and tax-paid in another EC country. Between 1990 and 1992 limits would rise in three stages from 300 to 600 cigarettes, 1·5 to 3 litres of spirits and from £250 to about £1,000 for goods subject only to VAT.

  The Government welcome these proposals and would indeed prefer to see a single early increase rather than three stages; but decisions have not yet been taken by the Council. An immediate increase to the levels proposed would cost about £17 million a year.

  The Commission has made no proposals affecting allowances for passengers arriving from outside the EC, where the Government would also like to see higher limits. Nor have proposals been made affecting goods obtained duty—and tax-free within the EC, but the Commission's assumption is that duty-free shopping for intra-EC travel will cease after 1992.

  Official Secrets Act (Correspondence)
  Mr. Richard Shepherd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why two letters, dated 30 August and 23 October, from the American Privacy Foundation in Washington DC to the Campaign for Freedom of Information in London, on the subject of the Official Secrets Act and the interception of communications, have been opened for inspection by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 1 December 1989]: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise have powers to require the opening by the Post Office of any postal packet or letter arriving in the United Kingdom. These powers are used only in the pursuit of contraband and especially drugs
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  which are frequently discovered in the mail. Drugs such as heroin, cocaine and LSD are often concealed in flat, apparently innocent, letters and packages.

  Detection in these circumstances is extremely difficult and is made no easier by the possibility that packets containing certain drugs may contaminate other mail. Innocent letters and packages may be opened for internal examination, but will be resealed immediately if it is apparent that no contraband is present.

  The size of the drug threat in the mail may be judged from the fact that 2,000 seizures of drugs have been made in a single year at one postal depot alone. Attempts to evade customs controls have led drug smugglers to use ingenious and sophisticated methods. They have been known to address a letter or package to a famous or highly respected person or organisation in the hope that it will not be examined, arrangements having been made for it to be extracted from the mail before delivery.

  No letters are opened for examination at Customs' request for any other reasons than to discover goods prohibited by law.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what gain in revenue arises by virtue of the termination under the poll tax rules of the right of self-employed people to claim their rates liability income tax; and what is the estimated average loss to the self-employed.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 1 December 1989]: The introduction of the community charge will not affect the income tax treatment of business rates payable on non-domestic property. These rates will continue to be deductible in computing profits for tax purposes. No deduction will, however, be available in respect of the personal community charge payable by persons who use their homes partly for business purposes, because the charge is not a business expense but is personal to the individual concerned. Information is not available centrally upon which to base an estimate of the additional income tax which may be payable in consequence.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Family Credit
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland are currently in receipt of family credit; and, of these, how many were advised in writing to return their books to central benefits branch because of the new regulations issued in October.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The number of families receiving family credit at 23 November 1989 was 14,131.

  No family credit recipients were asked to return their order books because of the Family Credit, Housing Benefit and Income Support (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989 which came into force on 1 October 1989 or because of the guidance from the chief adjudication officer issued recently on the interpretation of provisions in the main regulations on the treatment of expenses incurred in self-employed cases.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the new regulations in
  127
  respect of family credit applications which came into effect from 1 October, with reference to self-employed persons; and if he will make a copy available in the Library.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Family Credit, Housing Benefit and Income Support (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989 which came into force on 1 October 1989 have been published and a copy is available in the Library. The regulations, which provide for payments of allowances to adopters under approved schemes to be disregarded in the calculation of income, cover but do not specifically refer to self-employed persons. Recent guidance for adjudication officers on the interpretation of provisions in the main regulations which deal specifically with self-employed cases has also been published and a copy is available in the Library.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the new regulations formulated in respect of family credit; and, of those whose books were requested for adjustment, how many received(a) an increase and (b) a decrease in allowance.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Family Credit, Housing Benefit and Income Support (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989, which came into operation on 1 October 1989, provide for payments of

  Persons detained under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974, 1976, 1984 and 1989

  19741

  1975

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  19892

  Number of persons detained

  0

  8

  908

  938

  1,309

  1,459

  1,717

  843

  Held for under 48 hours

  0

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  868

  1,077

  1,248

  624

  Held for over 48 hours and under 5 days

  0

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  350

  295

  394

  197

  Held over 5 days

  0

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  91

  87

  75

  22

  Charged under 48 hours3

  0

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  215

  205

  192

  61

  Charged over 48 hours and under 5 days3

  0

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  108

  97

  138

  73

  Charged over 5 days3

  0

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  35

  41

  43

  13

  Notes:

  n.a.—Not available.

  1 The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974 came into force on 29 November 1974.

  2 Information up to 30 June 1989.

  3 Persons charged—not necessarily with scheduled offences.

  Comprehensive figures on the operation of the emergency provisions Acts are not available before 1975. Between 1984 and 31 March 1989, 3,589 individuals were arrested by the police using powers under section 11 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978 and detained for a maximum of 72 hours; 18 individuals were arrested by the police under section 13 of the Act; and 638 people were arrested by members of Her Majesty's forces under section 14 of the Act and held for a maximum of four hours (a number of whom were subsequently re-arrested under the PTA). In total, 655 individuals were charged with scheduled offences during the period as a result of these arrests. The powers under section 11 of the EPA were repealed in 1987.

  Police and Criminal Evidence Order
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to lay before Parliament the draft codes of practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989.

  Mr. Cope
  Draft codes of practice under article 65 of the PACE (NI) Order 1989 dealing with the exercise of police powers, and the detention, treatment, questioning and identification of persons in custody, were laid before both Houses of Parliament today.
  128
  allowances to adopters under approved schemes to be disregarded in the calculation of income for the purposes of family credit. In addition, the chief adjudication officer recently issued guidance on the interpretation of the Family Credit (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987, as amended, which provide for the calculation of the net profit of self-employed earners. Only expenses which are wholly and exclusively incurred for the purposes of the self-employment may be allowed in calculating the net profit. No order books have been requested for adjustment as a result of either the new regulations or the guidance.

  Detainees
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been held under the Emergency Provisions Act and the Prevention of Terrorism Act, respectively, in Northern Ireland(a) between 1970 and 1975 and (b) between 1984 and 1989 for periods of less than 48 hours, for periods of between 48 hours and five days and for periods in excess of five days; and of those persons held, how many were subsequently charged with scheduled offences permitting trial before a non-jury court.

  Mr. Cope
  Readily available information is as follows:

  An order bringing the codes into operation on 1 January 1990 will be laid shortly.

  It had been the Government's intention to lay at the same time a draft of the code of practice on the tape-recording of police interviews with suspects; but this code will not now be laid in draft until the steering committee set up to implement and monitor the procedures has had an opportunity to evaluate the tape-recording pilot schemes which will get under way in the new year and to assess and consider the arrangements which would be appropriate for Northern Ireland.

  When this has been completed the draft code of practice 'on tape-recording will be laid before Parliament and thereafter an appropriate order will be made placing (subject to parliamentary approval) the Royal Ulster Constabulary under a duty to tape-record interviews with suspects in accordance with the code.

  Footpaths (Accidents)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list the number of cases(a) of applications made and (b) in which compensation was paid to persons who tripped on a footpath in each of the last three years in each council district, or if more convenient each housing executive district;
  129
  (2) what sums have been paid out in compensation by public bodies in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years to persons who alleged they had tripped and hurt themselves on footpaths.

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Organisation

  (i)

  (ii)

  (iii)

  (i)

  (ii)

  (iii)

  (i)

  (ii)

  (iii)

  £000's

  £000's

  £000's

  Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) Roads Service Divisions

  Ballymena

  306

  20

  118

  314

  26

  65

  264

  47

  209

  Belfast

  2,628

  938

  1,885

  2,570

  883

  1,612

  1,959

  1,015

  1,956

  Coleraine

  870

  216

  243

  742

  188

  282

  461

  128

  221

  Craigavon

  586

  186

  283

  626

  214

  373

  513

  186

  388

  Downpatrick

  654

  176

  325

  748

  176

  313

  649

  177

  449

  Omagh

  239

  127

  231

  271

  65

  193

  234

  130

  365

  SUB TOTAL

  5,283

  1,663

  3,085

  5,271

  1,552

  2,843

  4,080

  1,683

  3,588

  Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) Water Service Divisions

  Eastern

  297

  114

  210

  238

  132

  205

  322

  122

  363

  Northern

  42

  21

  42

  44

  16

  27

  27

  17

  18

  Southern

  58

  29

  49

  77

  30

  64

  45

  25

  35

  Western

  94

  42

  55

  83

  31

  56

  64

  12

  15

  SUB TOTAL

  491

  206

  356

  442

  209

  352

  458

  176

  431

  Northern Ireland Housing Executive Regions

  Belfast

  1,165

  1,055

  1,351

  1,078

  732

  1,290

  984

  393

  638

  South East

  275

  301

  274

  South North East

  263

  245

  257

  North East

  229

  232

  180

  North West

  542

  460

  299

  West

  96

  89

  87

  SUB TOTAL

  2,570

  1,055

  1,351

  2,405

  732

  1,290

  1,981

  393

  638

  Northern Ireland Electricity

  198

  68

  72

  189

  48

  94

  173

  19

  25

  TOTAL

  8,542

  2,992

  4,864

  8,307

  2,541

  4,579

  6,692

  2,271

  4,682

  (i) Number of personal injury claims received.

  (ii) Number of claims in which compensation was paid.

  (iii) Amount of compensation paid.

  Patrols
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will state the number of(a) Royal Ulster Constabulary patrols, (b) Regular Army patrols, (c) Ulster Defence Regiment patrols as a percentage of the total number of patrols carried out by the security forces, for each month since November 1985 and (d) Ulster Defence Regiment patrols which were accompanied by the Royal Ulster Constabulary, as a percentage of the total number of patrols conducted by the regiment, for each month since November 1985 and the dates by which he intends to ensure that (i) 70 per cent., (ii) 80 per cent., (iii) 90 per cent., (iv) 100 per cent. of Ulster Defence Regiment patrols will be accompanied by the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: As I told the hon. Member on 23 October at column 305, information is not regularly collected in the form
  130
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answers 28 November 1989]: Information is not available in the precise form requested. The following table sets out the number of claims made for personal injury and compensation paid out in each of the three years requested.

  requested and cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. The Government are committed to increasing the present level of RUC accompaniment of military patrols, especially those which are likely to come into direct contact with members of the community. But the question whether or not a particular patrol should be accompanied by the RUC is an operational matter, and it would not therefore be appropriate for the Secretary of State to lay down firm timetables of the kind envisaged in the hon. Member's question.

  Traffic Flows
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will show for the latest available date, the number of vehicles passing along(a) the Ballyrobin road, (b) the Killead road and (c) the Oldstone road per 24 hour period; and if he will indicate the maximum and minimum hourly traffic flows.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Latest traffic survey figures are:
  131

  Road/Location of survey

  Date of survey

  Peak daily flow vehicle per day

  Peak hourly vehicles per hour

  Minimum daily flow vehicles per hour

  A

  Ballyrobin road/Templepatrick side of traffic lights

  August 1989

  8,636

  913

  10

  Ballyrobin road/Airport side of traffic lights

  August 1989

  13,903

  1,125

  16

  B

  Killead road/Killead Village

  August 1986

  13,099

  1,279

  7

  C

  Oldstone road/North of traffic lights

  June 1987

  8,225

  715

  5

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Breath Testing
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Attorney-General what criteria the Crown prosecution service applies when undertaking the independent legal review of charges brought by police for alleged excess alcohol offences arising from breath tests administered to motorists stopped at random.

  The Attorney-General
  The CPS applies the criteria set out in the code for crown prosecutors. Accordingly, crown prosecutors must be satisfied that there is admissible evidence sufficient to allow a realistic prospect of a conviction before authorising continuance of the criminal proceedings. For this purpose the matters which it will take into account include the following:

  (i) It is lawful for a police officer in uniform acting in the execution of his duty to require the driver of any vehicle on a road to stop.

  (ii) A police officer who stops a vehicle on a road with the purpose of investigating whether its driver has alcohol in his body is acting in the execution of his duty.

  (iii) It is accordingly lawful for a police officer in uniform to stop vehicles at random with that purpose, provided there is no malpractice such as oppression or capricious conduct on the part of the officer.

  (iv) It is lawful for a police officer in uniform to require a driver who has been stopped in such circumstances to provde a specimen of breath for a breath test, provided that the officer has reasonable cause to suspect that the driver has alcohol in his body.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) at what stage pupils with special educational needs will be tested;

  (2) whether special educational needs will be tested at seven, 11 and 16 years regardless of the level or attainment target they are working on at the time.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The national curriculum and its assessment arrangements will apply equally to all but the very small minority of pupils in respect of whom a statement provides otherwise or a statutory exception has been made.

  The attainment targets, programmes of study and assessment arrangements are being designed to bring out positive achievement at all levels.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if(a) special schools will be
  132
  expected to publish results and (b) schools will be expected to publish results of pupils with special educational needs.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Regulations under section 22 of the Education Reform Act concerning the publication of information about aggregate pupils' achievements under the national curriculum will be made in due course. My right hon. Friend will consider nearer the time whether special provision is appropriate for pupils with special educational needs.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will allow more time to be given for preparation of individual programmes for pupils with special educational needs within the national curriculum framework;

  (2) if he will consider giving extra time for the disapplication procedures for special educational needs children;

  (3) what consideration he has given to the problems of those SEN pupils who require developmental curriculums as opposed to academic ones.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The national curriculum requirements will not apply to pupils with statements of special educational needs until August 1990, one year later than for other pupils. This will allow time for statements to modify or disapply national curriculum requirements and for individual programmes to be prepared. We have no plans to extend the year's delay beyond August 1990.

  Under section 18 of the Education Reform Act, a statement may modify or disapply any or all of the requirements of the national curriculum. My right hon. Friend expects statements containing modifications or disapplications to set out the alternative provision to be made. However, where exceptions have been made, maintained schools are still under a duty to ensure that the curricula they offer pupils are balanced and broadly based, in accordance with the requirements of section 1 of the ERA.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider a dispensation from the national curriculum for special educational needs children with severe learning difficulties and speech problems from taking a foreign language.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Section 18 of the Education Reform Act already makes provision for the national curriculum requirements to be lifted or modified for pupils with statements of special educational needs. This could include exemption from the modern foreign language requirements; but my right hon. Friend expects the benefits of learning a modern foreign language to be made available to as many children as possible.
  133
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what extra resources he is prepared to give to schools to help in teaching the national curriculum to pupils with special educational needs;

  (2) what plans he has to allocate extra resources to mainstream schools to enable special needs children to have maximum access to the national curriculum;

  (3) what plans he has to allocate extra resources to special schools in order to equip them to offer a broad, balanced curriculum to all children.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The cost of implementing the national curriculum will be met largely from the redirection of existing resources. However, we are giving local education authorities specific grant support for the introduction of the national curriculum. This financial year there will be support for over £100 million expenditure. It is for authorities to decide how much to spend to enable pupils with special educational needs, whether in mainstream or special schools, to have maximum access to the national curriculum and a broad, balanced curriculum.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he intends to take to ensure that when local education authority centrally retained funds are reduced from 10 to 7 per cent. the services provided by the local education authority to special needs children will not be adversely affected.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Under LMS, LEAs will retain the statutory duty to ensure that the requirements of statements of special educational need are fulfilled for those children who have such statements. A number of LEAs believe that the needs of statemented pupils can best be met by delegating resources to schools and have made appropriate proposals in their submitted LMS schemes. Others have indicated that they wish to retain central control of such resources. As LEAs move towards the target of reducing the proportion of funds retained centrally, it will remain for individual LEAs to judge whether the needs of pupils can best be met by delegating or retaining central control over resources and services for those with special needs.

  Learning Difficulties
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if national priority training money will be made available to provide national curriculum training for all teachers to enable the most effective response to be made to the needs of children with significant learning difficulties.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Substantial support for training teachers to implement the national curriculum is available through the LEA training grants scheme. This support includes training in respect of national curriculum requirements as they relate to pupils with special educational needs.

  Educational Psychologists
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent he proposes to make additional resources available to meet the extra demands made on educational psychologists in advising on modifications of the national curriculum for some children.
  134
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Modification to and disapplications of the national curriculum for children with statements of special educational needs are expected to occur only in exceptional cases. Advice in this area should not place any significant extra demands upon the schools psychological service.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he intends to take to ensure that the demands of statutory work on educational psychologists do not reduce the amount of time available to deal with the psychological interests of children who have the specific learning difficulties in dyslexia.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Local education authorities are responsible for the employment of educational psychologists in the maintained sector of education, and it is for them to ensure that adequate numbers are employed to meet local needs.

  Psychological Services
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science under local management of schools what action he will be taking to ensure that psychological services continue to be available to all children and their families.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Under LMS, LEAs may choose whether to continue to manage centrally the provision of educational psychology services or to delegate the responsibility and resources for such provision to schools. LEAs will continue to have the statutory duty to secure the advice of educational psychologists when assessing children for the purposes of statements of special educational needs.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the setting up of a committee of inquiry into teachers' pay and conditions; and what has been his response.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Professional Association of Teachers has recently suggested to my right hon. Friend that a committee of inquiry into teachers' pay and conditions should be established. My right hon. Friend, in reply, has made it clear that in his view this would not be appropriate.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many salary allowances to teachers have been awarded to teachers for good classroom practice without the acceptance of additional responsibilities since 1986.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government have stressed from their introduction in 1987 the importance they attach to incentive allowances being used to reward teachers who demonstrate outstanding ability in the classroom. There is some evidence in the 1988 secondary school staffing survey that, in the first year of operation, a significant number of allowances were awarded to teachers for reasons other than the taking on of extra responsibilities.

  PhD Students
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his Department's policy towards the recruitment of PhD students into research; and how the proposed changes in the funding of research departments will support this policy.

  Mr. Jackson
  The main objective of the Department's expenditure on the support of postgraduate research students is to secure an adequate supply of very highly qualified manpower for research in industry and academic institutions. This expenditure is administered by the research councils and the British Academy, which are best placed, in consultation with academic institutions and employers, to assess national needs for PhDs and to maintain the quality of postgraduate education and training.

  The new funding arrangements to be introduced through the Universities Funding Council will help to improve management of resources for both teaching and research in universities. This will benefit all students, including PhD students.

  Primary Schools (Statistics)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to remove the requirement under the Education Reform Act for every primary school to compile comprehensive statistics and replace it with a sampling method.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The recent HMI report "The Implementation of the National Curriculum in Primary Schools" pointed to the need for primary schools to pay more attention to the overall planning of time. The annual curriculum return (schedule 1 to the Education (School Curriculum and Related Information) Regulations 1989) will serve as a useful framework for schools in planning their curriculum provision and will also provide information about schools' use of time for local and national monitoring.

  Magnet Schools (Bradford)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many visits his officials have made to Bradford during the past year, to date, to discuss magnet schools; and if he will list the names and designation of officials and the dates on which visits were made and the names of Bradford council elected members and officials they met.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  None.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the names of Ministers, Bradford council members, Bradford council officers and officials of his Department who met on 28 September to discuss Bradford's proposal for development support funding for magnet schools; where the meeting took place; what documents were passed to Ministers by Bradford council members; and if he will place copies of all such documents in the Library.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I met Councillor Eric Pickles and Councillor Mike Gaunt at the Department's headquarters in London. It is not accepted practice to name officials of 136
  the Department, three of whom were also present. A copy of the document "Magnet Schools: Promoting Quality and Diversity in Bradford" was passed to me, and has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response he has made to the proposal for development support funding for magnet schools in Bradford outlined in documents passed to his Minister of State by members of Bradford council on 28 September; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  At my meeting on 28 September, I noted with interest the plans being developed by Bradford council for a magnet schools initiative. The council subsequently submitted bids for specific grant and capital funding to support the initiative. The Government's response to these bids is set out in the reply that I have given today to a separate question from the hon. Member on the same subject.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what supplementary bid for local authority training grants scheme support in connection with magnet schools he has received for Bradford council; what is the total amount of this bid; when he expects to reach his decision on this bid; what other bids under other programes, linked to magnet schools, he has received from Bradford council; what is the total amount of all such bids; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A supplementary bid amounting to £204,000 in 1990–91 has been received from Bradford for funds to enable the local education authority to carry out further training of its staff in preparation for the introduction of a magnet schools programme. The maxima of expenditure by local education authorities that will be supported by grant under the LEA training grants scheme in 1990–91 will be announced shortly. Bradford has already been informed that there was no prospect of the supplementary funds it was seeking being made available as this could only be done at the expense of another authority.

  Bids under the education support grant programme for 1990–91 totalling about £1·25 million have also been received from Bradford in respect of the magnet schools programme. These are currently being considered: my right hon. Friend expects to announce ESG allocations for 1990–91 around the end of this year. In addition, Bradford's capital expenditure plans for 1990–91 include £1.5 million for school improvements related to a magnet schools programme. The annual capital guidelines for 1990–91 will be announced shortly.

  Earth Sciences Departments
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many jobs are likely to be lost as a result of the rationalisation of earth sciences, departments; where these are expected to occur; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Nationally, the rationalisation exercise will result in the creation of some 45 new posts. Implementation is a matter for the Universities Funding Council, in collaboration with the institutions concerned.

HEALTH

  Child Care
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the brief provided to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys for the study of child care needs; and how long he anticipates the research to take before it is completed.

  Mr. Freeman
  The survey being carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is designed to obtain a detailed picture of the arrangements parents make for the care of children under eight. The pattern of attendance at day nurseries, nursery schools and classes, primary schools and playgroups will be covered as will the use of child minders, relatives and friends to look after the children, inside and outside the home. Parents will be asked to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the arrangements and to say whether the arrangements represent their first choice. The survey will also collect information about the stability of arrangements. Questions will also be asked about attendance at clubs, etc. a fter school and arrangements made during school holidays.

  The pilot survey work was carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in October; the main fieldwork stage is planned for October-December 1990, in order to obtain accurate and recent data about the summer holidays. The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys expects to have completed the main part of the analysis about a year after the main fieldwork stage.

  I would be happy to give the hon. Member further details, if she considers that would be helpful.

  Food (Radiation)
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what checks or monitoring his Department carries out on radiation levels in food imported from eastern European countries, either direct or via other European Community countries, following the accident at Chernobyl; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Port health authorities are continuing to monitor radiation levels in food imports from countries outside the European Community in accordance with the latest European Council regulation (EC 3955/87 of 22 December 1987).

  Opting Out (South Yorkshire)
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the names of the hospitals in south Yorkshire which have shown an interest in opting out.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 29 November at columns 297–300. There is, of course, no question of any hospital "opting-out" of the NHS.

  BSE
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on links between bovine spongiform encephalopathy and meningitis.
  138
  Mr. Freeman
  There are no known links between bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle and meningitis in humans.

  District Health Authorities (Cuts)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of district health authorities that will be cutting beds and operation lists before the end of the financial year.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of district health authorities that will be cutting beds and operation lists before the end of the financial year.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of district health authorities that will be cutting beds and operating lists before the end of the financial year.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We do not hold the information requested centrally. The provision of local health services is the responsibility of local health authorities subject to local needs and priorities.

  Catheters
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will add catheters to the list of items exempt from prescription charges.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The present exemptions from prescription charges are for particular groups of people. They do not include exemptions for individual drugs or appliances, other than for contraceptive substances and listed contraceptive appliances. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

  Child Abuse
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were removed from the child abuse register in London in 1987–88.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information from the survey of child protection registers in the year ending 31 March 1988 is published in "Survey of Children and Young Persons on Child Protection Registers Year ended 31 March 1988". Copies are available in the Library.

  The number of recorded deregistrations in Greater London in 1987–88 (excluding Greenwich and Westminster) was 2,905.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if each area covered by a social services department maintains a central register of children in the area who have been abused or are at risk from abuse.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Yes.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will break down the £7 million which is used for training of social services staff on child abuse.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The £7 million provided for the training of local authority staff working with children has been allocated as follows: £100,000—to fund the central training group on child sexual abuse, national workshops and other development and review work;
  139
  £2,140,000—flat rate allocation of £20,000 to all local authorities in England, except the City of London and Isles of Scilly, for improvements in their training infrastructure; £4,760,000—allocations to all local authorities in England based on the number of staff working with children. Details of allocations to individual local authorities have been placed in the Library.

  Training programmes submitted by local authorities indicate that £4·6 million will be spent on general training and £2·3 million on training in child protection work including child sexual abuse.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce special assessment teams, composed of local authority health authority and police officials, to deal with the problem of child abuse.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is for the local authority, health authority and local police force jointly to consider the introduction of specialist assessment teams. The Department's guidance document "Working Together" (1988), copies of which are available in the Library, commends agencies to consider carefully the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the inquiry on child abuse in Cleveland 1987 on this issue.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet voluntary organisations concerned with children to discuss the setting up of a national register list of aid for children.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department regularly meets voluntary organisations with responsibilities in the child care field. I refer the hon. Member to my previous response to her of 15 November at column 338.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what services are available to a child or family removed from the child abuse register.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Children removed from the child protection register and their families are eligible for the full range of services provided by local authority social services departments and health authorities. Paragraph 5.29 of the Department's guidance document, "Working Together" (1988), copies of which are available in the Library, states:"removal of a child's name from the register should not lead to an automatic withdrawal or reduction in services. The risk of child abuse may have been eliminated or reduced but a variety of services may still be needed by the child and family, and in some cases the child will he in the care of the local authority either on a voluntary or compulsory basis".

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment is being made of the results of the Open university training package for training in recognition of child abuse.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  As the training pack has only been on the market since the end of March, it is too early to provide a full assessment of its impact. Sales of the training pack have been very encouraging; from the end of March 1989 to September 1989, 2,319 student packs and 620 tutor packs were sold. The training pack included an assessment module, and 1,000 students have so far registered to take part in the assessment exercise. Early results indicate that students' knowledge of child abuse is increased substantially after having completed the course.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of local 140
  authorities providing day nurseries, play groups, child minding, family aides, family centres and other facilities which can support and advise and aid in the prevention of child abuse within families.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Statistical information is collected annually from each local authority about day nurseries, play groups and child minders provided by the local authority. Information is sought about the number of premises/persons, the number of places and, for day nurseries and playgroups, the numbers on the register. Information is also sought about the number of children in voluntary or private play groups or day nurseries or with child minders who are placed and paid for by the local authority. This information is published, together with some details of private and voluntary provision. The most recent publication is "Children's Day Care Facilities at 31 March 1988; England" a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Details of expenditure are also collected for each authority; these details cover expenditure on family centres as well as day nurseries, playgroups and child minders.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many area child protection committees investigating child abuse there were in 1988.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In July 1988, the Department published a guidance document, "Working Together" and an accompanying circular (LAC(88)10/HC(88)38), copies of which are available in the Library, which called for the redesignation of area review committees as area child protection committees covering one local authority area. The process of redesignation continued into 1989, and involved the reorganisation of some larger area review committees into area child protection committees which were conterminous with local authority boundaries. There are currently 108 area child protection committees.

  Bradford DHA
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he next intends to visit Bradford to meet the chairman of the district health authority.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has no plans at present to visit Bradford to meet the chairman of the health authority. I hope to visit Bradford in the new year.

  NHS Costs
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the rate of increase of costs in the National Health Service in 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Freeman
  Costs in the National Health Service increased by an estimated 7·9 per cent. in 1987–88 and by 10·1 per cent. in 1988–89. An estimate of increased costs in 1989–90 will not be available until after the current financial year has ended.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that before the implementation of section 42 of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill, there will have been the full
  141
  implementation of sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Disabled Persons (Consultation, Representation and Services) Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have always made it clear that further implementation of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 could take place only if the necessary resources were available without jeopardising high priority social services. We are currently considering action to identify the resources which would be required to implement sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Act.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set up a statutory committee of voluntary organisations involved in the provision of care services to disabled people, of which disabled people themselves would be members.

  Mr. Freeman
  Although we have no plans to set up such a statutory committee, we will continue to consult the relevant voluntary organisations as and when appropriate.

  Ambulance Dispute
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has visited any ambulance station to talk to ambulance personnel since the beginning of the dispute(a) at West Bridgford ambulance station, (b) in Nottingham and (c) nationally.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Neither I nor my colleagues have visited any ambulant t stations since the beginning of the dispute. I have talked with staff from West Bridgford ambulance station at my constituency office.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the representations on the White Paper from patients and doctors by the Nottingham health authority.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We cannot identify separately from the information we hold the number of representations received from people living within each individual authority area.

  Commercial Activities
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give an estimate for the income generated by each district health authority from commercial activities following the provisions of section 4 of the Health and Medicines Act.

  Mr. Freeman
  Section 7 of the Health and Medicines Act 1988 gives health authorities the power to generate additional income.

  In the current year, we expect £28 million to be generated by the NHS in England. The average amount generated by each district will be about £140,000.

  Aging
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often meetings are held between Ministers and officials from different Government Departments to co-ordinate Government policy on aging and related issues.
  142
  Mr. Freeman
  Meetings are not held regularly but as and when necessary and in order to consider issues which arise.

  Devon (Inward Migration)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what information the latest statistical forecast of high inward migration to Devon was based.

  Mr. Freeman
  Estimates of population for local and health authorities in England have been extrapolated forward from 1988 to 1989 and 1990. It has been assumed that recent average changes in each area arising from births, deaths, and migration will be maintained, subject to constraints set by the latest (1988-based) national population projections for England made by the Government Actuary's department. Past estimates of migration have been derived from re-registrations on the National Health Service central register as people move from a doctor's list in one family practitioner committee area to a list in another such area (migration within the United Kingdom), and from results of the international passenger survey (international migration). The net inwards migration levels assumed for 1988–89 and 1989–90 on this basis are less than the levels estimated for each of the previous four years.

  Milk
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has received for changing the basis on which welfare milk is paid for; and whether he will make it his policy to ensure that any change does not reduce the incomes of self-employed milkmen.

  Mr. Freeman
  As part of the Government's initiative to secure value for money in all their purchases, negotiations have been held with representatives of all sectors of the dairy trade about the price paid by the Department for the supply of liquid welfare milk. The results are being closely studied and the interests of all the parties involved will be carefully considered before any decisions are made.

  Mental Health Act 1983
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to lay before Parliament the code of practice required under section 118 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have today laid the code of practice, and copies have been placed in the Library.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  South Africa
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meeting has been held since September with representatives of the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the United Kingdom on the arrangements for South Africa to join the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; what other non-proliferation treaty depository states have been involved in such discussions; and what future plans there are for further meetings with South Africa on the non-proliferation treaty.
  143
  Mr. Maude
  There has not been any such meeting since September. However, representatives of the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union (which are the depositary states of the non-proliferation treaty) are to meet South African representatives in Vienna on 11 and 12 December to discuss the question of South African accession to the treaty.

  South Korea
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of South Korea to have removed the concrete wall which borders the demilitarised zone.

  Mr. Maude
  North and South Korea are still technically at war. The choice of defensive measures on their side of the demilitarized zone is a matter for the Government of the Republic of Korea.

  Radar Equipment (China)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why permits were issued for the sale of radar equipment in Chinese fighter aircraft in September; whether such permits were excluded by the Madrid European Community summit declaration; and whether Export Credit Guarantees Department help was given to the Chinese Government for the purchase of such equipment.

  Mr. Maude
  In accordance with the Madrid declaration we have banned exports to China of weapons, together with any equipment which could be used for the purposes of internal repression, and postponed the examination of new requests for credit insurance. The avionics equipment to be supplied by GEC Marconi falls outside the embargo. It is subject to ECGD export credit cover, but as this was finalised prior to the events of June, it is not covered by the Madrid declaration.

  Consular Fees
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money has been levied in consular fees as a result of misfortunes happening to British citizens abroad who have had to seek help from embassy staff outside working hours.

  Mr. Maude
  The information requested is not readily available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

PRIME MINISTER

  Eastern and Central Europe
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Prime Minister what consultations she has had with European allies concerning the security implications of recent political developments in eastern and central Europe.

  The Prime Minister
  I discussed recent developments in eastern Europe with my EC colleagues in Paris on 18 November, and will have the opportunity to do so again in Strasbourg on 8–9 December. I was also able to discuss these issues with European and other NATO colleagues at the briefing which President Bush gave yesterday in Brussels on his meetings with President Gorbachev.

  Environment
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on the proposals in the Gracious Speech relating to the environment.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on the proposals in the Gracious Speech relating to the environment.

  The Prime Minister
  Our Environmental Protection Bill is further proof of the Government's firm commitment to protecting and enhancing the domestic and international environment. It will encompass a range of innovative and widely welcomed measures to tackle pollution at source. New and more effective controls will be introduced to regulate pollution and waste disposal. Other provisions include strong measures to crack down on litter and improvements to the structure of our conservation agencies.

  Education Reforms
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on implementation by local authorities of the Government's education reforms.

  The Prime Minister
  Local authorities are making satisfactory progress with implementing the Government's education reforms which will increase parental choice in the schooling for their children and increase the say of parents in the way the schools are run. In England and Wales, preparations for local management of schools and colleges are on target and the implementation of the national curriculum is going well. In Scotland, establishment of school boards for education authority schools is proceeding well, and authorities are participating in all aspects of our initiatives on curriculum and assessment for five to 14-year-olds.

  Berlin
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to visit Berlin.

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

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the proposals made by Her Majesty's Government to the European Community calling for increased aid and investment in eastern European countries seeking to introduce democracy and a freer market economy; and what progress is being made in that regard.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government are committed to supporting economic and political reform in eastern Europe, and have played a leading role in encouraging the very positive response of the EC and its member states to the emerging democracies. Nationally, the United Kingdom was first in the field with a know-how fund for Poland, now valued at £50 million. On 29 November, we announced that we would be contributing £15 million to an agriculture project in Poland and that we would make a contribution of $100 million to the stabilisation fund for Poland. For Hungary, a know-how fund, valued at £25 million, will come into operation early next year.
  145
  Within the Community we have contributed to a comprehensive assistance package for Poland and Hungary comprising:
  some £210 million for aid projects for both Poland and Hungary in 1990;
  GSP status, bringing reductions in tariffs and levies on industrial and certain agricultural products;
  suspension or abolition of quantitative trade restrictions; eligibility for EIB lending.

  In addition, the Community has provided £70 million-worth of free food for Poland. We expect to announce soon a further contribution.

  Moreover, the EC is establishing a pattern of agreements with the countries of eastern Europe which will encourage trade and investment.

  Her Majesty's Government will continue their strong support of the EC's policy of differentiation in favour of those countries which introduce reforms leading to democracy and a free-market economy.

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

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

  Inner Cities
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on proposals on the Queen's gracious speech relating to the inner cities.

  The Prime Minister
  Excellent progress is being made in the regeneration of our inner cities under the Government's action for cities programmes. In developing our policies for the future we will seek to develop a genuine partnership between all those involved in the regeneration of their areas. The Government are working with business, local government, the voluntary sector and local people to build on the progress already made and to ensure that the pace of inner-city regeneration is maintained.

  European Free Trade Association
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the proposal by President Mitterrand and others to permit the United Kingdom to rejoin the European Free Trade Association.

  The Prime Minister
  There is no such proposal. The United Kingdom is and will remain an active, committed and influential member of the European Community.

  Engagements
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.
  146
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 December.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening, I hope to have my regular audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

  South Korea
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she raised the question of human rights in South Korea at her recent meeting with the president;

  (2) what representations she has made concerning human rights in South Korea; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  During my talks with President Roh on 28 November, I encouraged him to continue to make progress with domestic political reform.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she made any representations to the President of South Korea during his recent visit regarding the alleged ill-treatment of dogs and cats prior to their killing for human consumption; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  President Roh is well aware of the strong views of the people of Britain on this issue.

WALES

  Schools
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps are being taken to provide quality supply cover in schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The responsibility of the Government is to ensure that there are sufficient qualified teachers from whom LEAs can recruit. This year, total recruitment to the public sector initial teacher training institutions in Wales exceeded recruitment targets by over 17 per cent.

  Our education support grant programme to assist teacher recruitment urges LEAs to encourage flexible

  147
  working practices, including part-time working. This should stimulate the employment of supply teachers. However, the employment and deployment of teachers is a matter for LEAs and schools. It is for them to decide how many supply teachers to appoint. They also have discretion to pay teachers on short-notice contracts at rates they consider appropriate in order to recruit and retain the teachers they need.

  Schools
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate the date on which he plans to publish rules for implementation of local management schemes for schools in each of the Welsh county councils.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Sections 33 and 34 of the Education Reform Act 1988 require local education authorities to

  Expenditure on books and equipment1

  Expenditure per pupil on books and equipment1

  Nursery/Primary2

  Secondary

  Nursery/Primary2

  Secondary

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Clwyd

  708,931

  1,275,590

  19·8

  44·5

  Dyfed

  728,939

  1,658,103

  24·0

  69·3

  Gwent

  962,194

  1,842,706

  24·1

  60·4

  Gwynedd

  457,647

  1,121,762

  23·6

  65·0

  Mid Glamorgan

  1,212,483

  2,291,762

  22·8

  58·1

  Powys

  298,725

  482,177

  30·1

  58·7

  South Glamorgan

  811,907

  1,445,203

  23·6

  53·0

  West Glamorgan

  950,516

  1,475,811

  28·7

  61·5

  WALES

  6,131,342

  11,593,114

  23·9

  58·2

  1 Expenditure on books only is not available·

  2 Data in respect of primary schools cannot be separately identified.

  Doctors
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many doctors have resigned from the National Health Service in Wales since 1 January 1980.

  Mr. Grist
  Between 2 October 1979 and 1 October 1987, 188 general medical practitioners left the general medical service for reasons other than death, retirement or to enter hospital service. During the same period, 97 practitioners were readmitted to the service.

  Information on the resignations of consultants and senior registrars in the hospital service will take some time to extract; I will reply to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Water
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many water supplies in Wales have aluminium in excess of the terms of the European drinking water directive; and how much investment is currently made to water treatment facilities in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has accepted undertakings under section 20(5)(b) of the Water Act 1989 and granted relaxations under regulations 4(1)(c) and 4(2) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 in respect of aluminium standards at 89 of Dwr Cymru's treatment works. The Prospectus on the Water Share offers, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, shows Dwr Cymru's current estimates of the expenditure required by the K investment programme in
  148
  prepare and submit to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, for his approval schemes for financing county and voluntary schools maintained by them. Advice on the introduction and implementation of the schemes is contained in Welsh Office circular 36/88, a copy of which is in the library.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state for the latest available financial year for(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools (i) expenditure on books in Wales in total and by local education authority and (ii) average expenditure per pupil on books in Wales and by education authority.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The amounts spent by LEAs in respect of books, equipment and materials for 1987–88 are shown in the following table:

  the period to 31 March 2000. The estimated expenditure on water treatment (at November 1989 prices) is £265 million.

  Kidney Patients
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many lithotripter machines for kidney patients are installed in Welsh hospitals; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many Welsh patients needing lithotripter machine treatment travel to English centres; if he will list those centres; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what plans there are to install lithotripter machines in hospitals in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  There are at present no lithotripter machines in National Health Service hospitals in Wales. Information on the number of Welsh patients referred to centres in England for lithotripter treatment is not held centrally. South Glamorgan health authority has been invited by the Welsh Office to prepare, in association with other health authorities in Wales, a detailed statement of need, appraisal of location options and specification for a lithotripter.

  Gower
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has visited Gower since his appointment to his present post.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 28 November 1989]: I have undertaken two engagements in Gower, and a further 13 engagements in the Swansea area.

DEFENCE

  War Widows' Pensions
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the actuarial basis on which war widows' pensions are calculated; whether they are in any way contributory; and whether they represent a percentage of the husband/service man's salary.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  War widows' pensions are not paid by the Ministry of Defence. Provided, however, that they are eligible, service widows may receive special rates of pension under the terms of the armed forces pension scheme if their husband's death is attributable to his service. The special rates are on scales related to the rank held by the husband at the date his service ended. They approximate to 90 per cent. of the pension which he would have earned had he completed the maximum period of reckonable service required for a full career pension, less an adjustment to reflect the difference between the standard rate of war widow's pension and the normal rate of national insurance widow's pension. No direct contributions are paid to secure the benefits of the armed forces scheme, but an adjustment is made by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, taking into account the value of those benefits as part of the total remuneration package, in determining recommended rates of pay for the armed forces.

  Ambulance Dispute
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will call for a report on the suspension and returning to barracks of the staff sergeant acting on 23 November, as Army liaison officer in the control room of the ambulance headquarters at Welwyn Garden City following a fatal road traffic accident on the A505 between Letchworth and Royston; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The individual concerned has not been suspended. He was required in Colchester to brief other medical personnel before returning for a further period of duty in Hertfordshire.

  Gibraltar Garrison
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on restructuring the Gibraltar garrison; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As indicated by my right hon. Friend the Member for Ayr (Mr. Younger) in his statement on 30 January, we have considered the matter in detail and have decided not to retain a resident infantry battalion in Gibraltar after March 1991, when the current tour of the 3rd battalion Royal Green Jackets ends. Some of the tasks currently undertaken by the resident battalion, including ceremonial duties, will in future be performed by the Gibraltar Regiment, the permanent cadre of which will be more than doubled. The establishment of a part-time company and home service force company will allow the regiment to reorganise into an all-infantry force of three rifle companies with the appropriate command and support elements. The Artillery Battery and Air Defence Troop will no longer be required, although the personnel in these units will be given the opportunity to remain in the restructured regiment. The Gibraltar Regiment Corps of 150
  Drums will be retained, and in addition a military band will be provided for certain important occasions. Separately, we are also reviewing the arrangements in Gibraltar for logistics support, and for command and control with a view to establishing a joint force headquarters.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION

  Austin Rover
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission what was the total sum paid by the National Audit Office to outside auditors involved in producing the report on the sale of Austin Rover.

  Sir Peter Hordern
  Under the National Audit Act 1983 the operations of the National Audit Office are entirely a matter for the C. and A. G. The Commission does not have any powers in this respect. However I understand that, for the purposes of its examination of the Rover Group sale, the National Audit Office did not use outside auditors. As indicated in paragraph 1.12 of the C. and A. G.'s report, it obtained specialist advice on taxation matters from chartered accountants (Touche Ross) and on the value of surplus sites from chartered surveyors (G. L. Hearn and Partners). It also sought comments on the draft report from an expert on the motor industry (Professor Garel Rhys of the University of Wales).

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Payroll Giving
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many Members take advantage of the payroll giving scheme, either in whole or in part.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  There are currently 49 Members who have authorised deductions from their parliamentary salaries under the charity payroll giving scheme.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  West Germany
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects British manufacturing trade to be in balance with(a) West Germany and (b) the rest of the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Government are committed to free trade as being in the best interests of the United Kingdom. We cannot expect this to produce a trade balance with every partner; nevertheless, the Government recognise the importance of continuing to encourage and support exports through, inter alia, the activities of the British Overseas Trade Board and ECGD.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the manufacturing trade deficit with West Germany.

  Mr. Redwood
  In the first nine months of 1989 imports of manufactures into the United Kingdom consigned from the Federal Republic of Germany exceeded United Kingdom exports to that country by £7·4 billion.
  151
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in imports in manufacturing goods from West Germany since 1979.

  Mr. Redwood
  Imports of manufactured goods from West Germany have risen, at current prices, from £5·3 billion in 1979 to £16·6 billion in 1988, an increase of £11·3 billion.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the countries in the European Community with which the United Kingdom has a trade deficit, giving the amounts in each case.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is given in the table.

  West Germany

  Japan

  United States of America

  Manufactured goods

  Total risible trade

  Manufactured goods

  Total risible trade

  Manufactured goods

  Total visible trade

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  1979

  -2,523

  -1,560

  -960

  -882

  -541

  -881

  1980

  -2,002

  -587

  -1,185

  -1,110

  -1,422

  -1,465

  1981

  -2,152

  -425

  -1,657

  -1,586

  -1,107

  210

  1982

  -3,314

  -1,994

  -2,045

  -1,978

  -1,262

  210

  1983

  -4,926

  -3,597

  -2,653

  -2,556

  -950

  989

  1984

  -5,070

  -3,604

  -2,913

  -2,845

  -1,214

  791

  1985

  -5,833

  -3,689

  -3,205

  -3,103

  -310

  1,593

  1986

  -6,713

  -5,589

  -3,918

  -3,743

  1,024

  1,899

  1987

  -7,455

  -6,379

  -4,165

  -3,969

  928

  1,878

  1988

  -8,671

  -8,145

  -5,373

  -4,766

  -518

  -224

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the figures for exports and imports for each of the last five years between the United Kingdom and(a) Poland, (b) East Germany, (c) Czechoslovakia and (d) Hungary.

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Export

  Import

  Export

  Import

  Export

  Import

  Export

  Import

  Export

  Import

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Poland

  170

  267

  184

  322

  167

  309

  181

  304

  176

  328

  East Germany

  92

  198

  64

  204

  82

  195

  81

  180

  113

  153

  Czechoslovakia

  78

  117

  100

  120

  109

  126

  114

  141

  130

  148

  Hungary

  101

  76

  107

  84

  102

  78

  101

  83

  131

  98

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

  Textile and Clothing Imports
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what detailed surveys of the level of imported textile and clothing goods on sale in major high street stores in the United Kingdom he is planning to undertake;

  (2) what is his estimate of the level of imported textile and clothing goods on sale in major high street stores in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Redwood
  The overall level of imports of textiles and clothing is shown in the trade statistics. I have no plans to survey the level of imported goods in particular stores.
  152

  Manufacturing trade: January to September 1989

  Crude balance

  £ million

  France

  -933

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  -621

  Netherlands

  -1,705

  Federal Republic of Germany

  -7,411

  Italy

  -1,595

  Denmark

  -153

  Portugal

  -53

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the deficit or surplus in(a) manufacturing and trade and (b) invisibles in each of the last 10 years with (i) West Germany, (ii) Japan and (iii) the United States of America.

  Mr. Redwood
  The crude balance of visible trade in manufactured goods and total visible trade for the identified countries is given in the following table. Information on invisible trade is not available.

  Mr. Redwood
  Visible trade between the United Kingdom and the countries concerned is given in the following table:

  Hosiery and Knitwear Industry
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the hosiery and knitwear industry in the east midlands regarding the current state of trade; what reply he has sent; and what action he intends to take in this matter.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Department takes a close interest in matters of concern to the knitwear industry and has taken into consideration the many letters and representations received over the past year.

  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Trade met the Knitting Industries Federation on 11 September and more recently the Apparel, Knitting and Textiles Alliance on 4 October to discuss current issues.
  153
  The Government will continue to act to defend the knitwear and hosiery industry on trade issues where it is in the United Kingdom's overall economic interest and within the constraints of our EC and GATT obligations.

  Internal Market Council
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will report on the Internal Market Council held on 23 November.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Council reached agreement on the abolition of the Community transit advice note (TAN), on the reduction of frontier controls for transport (subject to a United Kingdom parliamentary scrutiny reserve) on a "new approach" directive on standards for certain weighing machines, and on the third motor liability insurance directive.

  Important progress was also made on the proposed EC merger regulation. The main outstanding issue is a German proposal to allow certain cases to pass to national competition authorities. The Council will discuss the regulation further at the Internal Market Council on 21 December. I refer the hon. Member to the previous answers that I gave on this subject on 24 November 1989 at columns 41–42 and on 29 November at column 291.

  The Council discussed proposed directives on public procurement (excluded sectors), rights of residence, gas appliances and life insurance services and made useful progress. All will be discussed again at the December Internal Market Council. The question of tax exemption for temporarily imported vehicles was also discussed, but was not agreed, following concerns expressed by a number of member states.

  The Commission reported that it would bring forward specific recommendations based on its analysis of barriers to takeovers in member states by the end of March 1990.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what accountancy firm advised his Department on the sale of(a) Rover and (b) Royal Ordnance plc.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: My Department took professional advice on the sale of its shareholdings in the Rover Group from Baring Brothers and Slaughter and May. The privatisation of Royal Ordnance plc is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

  European Patent Office
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied that the European Patent Office is in a fully competitive position with the United States of America and other parts of the world.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: The European Patent Office is not in competition with the United States patent and trade mark office and patent offices in other parts of the world. In order to obtain a patent in a state which is a member of the European Patent Organisation (13 European states including the United Kingdom), an application must be made either to the EPO or to the national patent office of the state concerned.
  154
  The EPO is very successful and last year attracted more than 50,000 applications—far more than predicted when the office was established in 1977.

  Korea (Cruelty)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to use trade sanctions in respect of trade in animal products to bring pressure on the Government of Korea to end the inhumane treatment of dogs and cats intended for human consumption in that country.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: I condemn the inhumane treatment of animals wherever it occurs, and I view with concern reports that dogs and cats are being treated inhumanely in Korea. I do not believe, however, that trade sanctions are the proper response.

  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary drew the attention of the Korean Foreign Minister to the strong concern which many people in this country feel about this matter during the recent visit to Britain of the president of the Republic of Korea.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Private Nursing Homes
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, by region, the maximum level of fees for private nursing home care, funded by his Department; and if he will indicate which specific regions have the largest and smallest budgets for such care.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret that information in the form requested is not available.

  Children
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of bringing up a child to the age of 18 years in Britain at the present time.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There are no agreed criteria on which such an estimate could be based.

  Pensions
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will present the data in the answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 15 November,Official Report, columns 313–15, for single pensioner households and two person pensioner households.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Because the equivalence scale does not distinguish between pensioners and other adults, the information requested is the same as that provided in tables 2 and 3 (for one adult and married couple households respectively) of the answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead on 15 November, columns 313–15. Tables 2 to 6 of that answer illustrate the value that the equivalised average would represent for different households at each level of the income distribution and therefore contain the same information, as fixed multiples of each other, in accordance with the different values assigned to different household sizes by the Department's

  155
  equivalence scale. They do not, of course, contain information about actual income changes for the household types shown.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether ME sufferers are entitled to be awarded attendance allowance by his Department under the terms of page 61 of his Department's handbook to delegated practitioners.

  Mr. Scott
  As the Attendance Allowance Board's "Handbook for Delegated Medical Practitioners" makes clear, entitlement to an attendance allowance depends entirely on the need for frequent attention, continual supervision or watching over arising from severe disability. Anyone whose attendance needs satisfy these criteria will qualify for an allowance, irrespective of the precise nature of their illness or disabling condition.

  Young People (Benefits)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to the oral reply to the hon. Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy) of 27 November,Official Report, column 420, if he will indicate the nature and scale of the difficulties faced by 16 and 17-year-olds in claiming benefit and give the numbers of those affected and refused.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Our monitoring has confirmed that our policy operates without difficulty for the vast majority of 16 and 17-year-olds. Such isolated difficulties as have arisen range from a possible misunderstanding of procedures by local office staff to lack of knowledge of the benefit provisions on the part of some young people. To overcome these, we have introduced the administrative changes which I announced on 27 November.

  Benefit Records
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social security offices have had their benefit records transferred to Glasgow; what is his estimate of the cost/benefit of the transfer; and how mistakes discovered in the records will be rectified.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Two London offices, Ealing and Southall, have so far transferred their income support benefit records to the social security centre in Glasgow. Relocation of the income support work of Acton office commenced on 4 December.

  Overall the current estimate gives a cost benefit of some £16 million over 20 years for the three social security centres. The fundamental reason for relocation, however, is to improve service to the public.

  Benefit records are rigorously examined for accuracy when they are received at the social security centre in preparation for loading onto the income support computer system. Where errors in payment have been made, they will be rectified and arrears due will be paid promptly.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the money advice training budget for social fund officers in the years 1988–89 and 1989–90.
  156
  Mr. Scott
  Guidance on money advice forms an integral part of the internal training provided for social fund officers, and there is no separate budget allocated to that part of the training programme.

  Money advice training occupies two days in the total training period of three weeks and comprises: the role of the social fund officer in helping clients with financial problems; identification of priority debts; giving advice on budgeting and financial expenditure; interviewing skills relevant to money advice interviews.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total value of retirement pensions being paid during the current year, or the most recent year for which figures are available, to people resident overseas who emigrated from the United Kingdom and stopped paying national insurance contributions in the United Kingdom before 1960; and what is the total value of the national insurance contributions which were paid by those people.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret that this information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of paying fully uprated state retirement pensions to all British pensioners overseas who are currently not covered by a reciprocal social security agreement to this effect.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 29 November 1989 at column 253.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will increase the cold weather payments for the coming winter in line with the cost of living.

  Mr. Scott
  No. We believe that £5 is a reasonable amount to pay towards the extra expenses for heating incurred in each week of very cold weather.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each social security office the budget surplus or deficit at the end of the winter 1988–89 for cold weather payment provision.

  Mr. Scott
  Local offices do not have budgets for cold weather payments. Such payments are regulated and consequently are not subject to local budgetary constraints.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, for the winter of 1988–89, by Department of Social Security office, the amount of cold weather payments that were made.

  Mr. Scott
  In the winter of 1988–89, a total of 502 cold weather payments totalling £2,510 were paid by the Department's local office at Galashiels. No other awards were made, because the weather last winter was so mild.

  Dietary Requirements
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research is undertaken by his Department into dietary requirements of people in receipt of benefit.
  157
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  None. There is no reason to believe that dietary requirements of people in receipt of social security benefits are any different from those of corresponding groups not on benefit.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to reply to the letter from Colin Barlow, a war disabled veteran, which was forwarded to his Department by the hon. Member for South Hams on 26 October.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  My noble Friend Lord Henley replied to my hon. Friend's letter on 30 November.

  Care Expenditure
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the sum to be transferred to Scottish local authorities in repect of his Department's care expenditure in the years 1991–92 to 2001–2.

  Mr. Scott
  The Government will transfer to local authorities the resources which we would have otherwise provided to finance care through social security payments to people in residential and nursing homes. Final decisions will be taken in next year's public expenditure survey following discussions with the local authority associations. Chapter 8 of the recently published White Paper on community care (Cm. 849), a copy of which is in the Library, gives details of the factors that will be taken into account in the calculation of the sums to be transferred.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will provide a breakdown of board and lodging expenditure for residential care accommodation for Scotland, England and Wales by Department of Social Security region in the years from 1982;

  (2) if he will provide a breakdown of board and lodging expenditure for residential care accommodation in Scotland by Department of Social Security local offices during the last financial year;

  (3) if he will provide figures for board and lodging expenditure on nursing homes in Scotland, England and Wales by Department of Social Security region in the years from 1982.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that reliable estimates for regions and local offices are not available.

  Disability
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide estimated figures of disabled people for Scotland by Office of Population Censuses and Surveys disability categories for the years since 1978.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that the information is not available. Only the OPCS disability surveys themselves provide information at the level of detail requested, based on data collected between 1985 and 1988.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he is able to give a firm date for the publication of proposals to alter social security benefits for disabled people.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 14 November at column 167.
  158
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to include social security provision for informal carers in his proposals to change the benefits for disabled people.

  Mr. Scott
  We have already confirmed our policy to provide extra help for informal carers in the range of measures announced by my right hon. Friend on 25 October. The measures include the introduction of a £10 carers premium in income support and housing benefit for people receiving invalid care allowance; an increase in the earnings rule for invalid care allowance; and the extension of invalid care allowance to those caring for people who will qualify for attendance allowance for the first time as a result of the other measures announced.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a complete list of all the research commissioned by his Department in connection with the proposals to change benefits for disabled people.

  Mr. Nicholas Scott
  The information is as follows:

  1. Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) surveys of disability in Great Britain—six reports published between September 1988 and July 1989.

  2. Department of Social Security study, based on the family expenditure survey, to compare the financial circumstances of households with and without a disabled person.

  3. Social policy research unit (SPRU), university of York study of 12 to 20-year olds' transition to adulthood.

  4. IFF Research Limited market research report on occupational sick pay schemes published in June 1988.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what form his proposals for changes to social security benefits for disabled people will be presented to Parliament.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 28 November at column 217.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions have taken place in connection with proposals to alter social security benefits for disabled people with voluntary organisations of disabled people and their families.

  Mr. Scott
  Discussions have taken place with a number of organisations representing disabled people including the Disability Benefits Consortium which represents over 250 disability organisations. We will be meeting the Consortium again shortly. We have also received a large number of comments from individuals and organisations as a result of the OPCS surveys of disability.

  Interpreters
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he plans to expand the scheme employing interpreters in his Department's local offices in Leeds and Bradford to other offices of his Department serving areas with large non-English speaking populations.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have no plans at present to extend the Leeds and Bradford service to other similar areas. In the meantime, of the Department's local offices where 10 per cent. or more of callers have little or no English, over three quarters maintain lists of staff who are willing and able to act as interpreters for ethnic minority customers.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest available figures for the number of families in receipt of family credit in Wales; and what percentage this constitutes of the total number eligible for family credit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest information is for September 1989, when the number of families receiving family credit who were living in Wales at the time their award was made was 22,000.

  Information about the total number of families eligible for family credit can be obtained only for Great Britain, and only retrospectively, from family expenditure survey data.

  Income Support
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest available figure of the number of persons in receipt of income support in Wales and the percentage this constitutes of the total number eligible for income support.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available estimates are that 246,000 claimants were in receipt of income support in Wales at May 1989. Information about the total number of people eligible for income support can be obtained only for Great Britain, and only retrospectively, from family expenditure survey data.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people who have been in receipt of attendance allowance at (i) the higher rate and (ii) the lower rate have had their attendance allowance reduced in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 27 November 1989]: I regret that not all the requested information is available. The available information is in the table.

  Attendance allowance: number of awards reduced and terminated 1984–89

  Year

  Awards1

  Awards2 terminated

  1984

  2,572

  21,774

  1985

  2,705

  22,985

  1986

  2,886

  23,701

  1987

  2,671

  22,717

  1988

  3,107

  25,141

  31989

  2,602

  20,563

  1 Reduced from higher-rate to lower-rate.

  2 Includes higher-rate and lower-rate awards which were terminated other than on expiry of the award or on death of the recipient.

  3 To 30 September 1989.

SCOTLAND

  Chernobyl
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what checks or monitoring his Department does for radiation level in food imports from eastern European countries since the accident at Chernobyl; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Responsibility for checking food imports rests under the Imported Food 160
  (Scotland) Regulations 1985 with district and islands councils. EC regulation 3955/87 currently sets down the maximum permissible levels of radioactivity in imported foods. My Department has received no reports of these levels being exceeded.

  Boarding Schools
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many boarding schools in Scotland have school boards.

  Mr. Lang
  The only wholly residential schools under education authority management are six special schools. One of these has a school board following the first round of elections.

  Civil Servants
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants have been attached to his Department in each year since 1970.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Information in respect of the staff in post in the Scottish Office, Scottish prison service and state hospital at 1 April each year is set out in the table. Part-time staff are counted as half units and casual staff are excluded.

  The figures take account of the following transfers of staff arising from machinery of Government changes:

  Date

  Number

  July 1975

  155

  Staff from Department of Trade and Industry

  April 1978

  501

  Staff from Property Services Agency

  April 1980

  107

  Staff from Property Services Agency

  March 1984

  448·5

  Staff to state hospital

  November 1984

  96

  Staff from Department of Trade and Industry

  April 1985

  51

  Staff from the then Department of Health and Social Security

  October 1985

  162

  Staff to Royal museums of Scotland

  March 1986

  169·5

  staff to Royal botanic garden

  July 1987

  52

  Staff to Scottish legal aid board

  April 1988

  61

  Staff to Crofter's Commission/Red Deer Commission

  Total

  + 17

  staff (net)

  Scottish office

  Prisons

  State hospital

  Grand total

  1 April 1970

  7,029

  1,849

  276

  9,154

  1 April 1971

  7,121

  1,903

  292

  9,316

  1 April 1972

  6,993

  2,130

  312

  9,435

  1 April 1973

  7,132·5

  2,164·5

  301·5

  9,598·5

  1 April 1974

  7,306·5

  2,080·5

  317

  9,704

  1 April 1975

  7,526

  2,174

  339·5

  10,039·5

  1 April 1976

  8,014·5

  2,376

  356·5

  10,747

  1 April 1977

  7,670·5

  2,489·5

  352·5

  10,512·5

  1 April 1978

  7,993·5

  2,558

  348·5

  10,900

  1 April 1979

  8,233

  2,582

  359·5

  11,174

  1 April 1980

  7,941·5

  2,692·5

  369

  11,003

  1 April 1981

  7,659·5

  2,748·5

  393·5

  10,801·5

  1 April 1982

  7,406

  2,728

  407·5

  10,541·5

  1 April 1983

  7,126

  2,721

  438

  10,285

  1 April 1984

  7,035·5

  2,738·5

  1—

  9,774

  1 April 1985

  7,031

  2,880·5

  1—

  9,911·5

  1 April 1986

  6,793·5

  3,204

  1—

  9,817·5

  1 April 1987

  6,683·5

  3,184·5

  1—

  9,832

  1 April 1988

  6,445

  3,392

  1—

  9,837

  1 April 1989

  6,273

  3,803·5

  1—

  10,076·5

  1 With effect from 31 March 1984, staff employed by the state hospital management committee.

  Alcohol
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider instigating a Government-funded campaign to publicise the danger to health of excessive drinking in the light of evidence of increased incidence of alcohol abuse.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government attach high priority to tackling the problem of alcohol misuse and public education on this topic forms one of the Scottish health education group's major programmes. The next stage of the alcohol education media campaign developed by the group will be launched early in 1990.

  The Government also provided financial support for the Scottish Council on Alcohol's "Drinkwise" campaign in February 1989.

  Prisoners
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1974(a) the number of prisoners in Scottish penal institutions for fine default, (b) the total number of convicted prisoners and (c) (a) as a percentage of (b).

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is set out in the table.

  Persons with a charge proved for crimes of violence1 in Scotland

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Murder

  52

  41

  35

  26

  27

  42

  37

  37

  26

  29

  26

  Attempted murder

  53

  42

  49

  35

  35

  44

  27

  29

  26

  46

  39

  Culpable homicide (common law)

  30

  30

  30

  38

  43

  36

  45

  31

  50

  27

  46

  Culpable homicide (statutory)2

  44

  44

  30

  34

  25

  27

  26

  20

  29

  26

  28

  Rape

  35

  29

  34

  30

  40

  31

  30

  20

  39

  29

  34

  Other crimes of violence

  2,266

  2,733

  2,429

  2,824

  2,643

  3,865

  4,002

  3,208

  3,188

  3,239

  3,380

  Total

  2,480

  2,919

  2,607

  2,987

  2,813

  4,045

  4,167

  3,345

  3,358

  3,396

  3,553

  1 Comprises group 1 (non-sexual crimes of violence) and the sexual assault category from group 2 (crimes of indecency) of the Scottish Home and Health Department's classification of crimes and offences.

  2 Statutory culpable homicide is the crime of causing death by dangerous or reckless driving.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost of supporting the spouses and families of men and women in prison in Scottish penal institutions.

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested is not held centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  Hypothermia
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of deaths in Scotland where hypothermia is mentioned as the cause of death; and what is his estimate of the total number of deaths where hypothermia is a proximate cause of death.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of deaths in Scotland since 1984 mentioning hypothermia or showing hypothermia as the underlying cause are shown in the table:
  162

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Year

  Average daily population of fine defaulters

  Average daily population of convicted prisoners

  (a) as a percentage of (b)

  1974

  269

  4,212

  6

  1975

  329

  4,405

  7

  1976

  322

  4,324

  7

  1977

  286

  4,367

  7

  1978

  309

  4,507

  7

  1979

  293

  4,016

  7

  1980

  386

  4,303

  9

  1981

  231

  3,951

  6

  1982

  233

  4,237

  5

  1983

  226

  4,406

  5

  1984

  256

  3,983

  6

  1985

  308

  4,349

  7

  1986

  329

  4,791

  7

  1987

  287

  4,692

  6

  11988

  275

  4,538

  6

  1 Provisional.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of convictions in Scotland for murder, attempted murder, culpable homicide, rape and crimes of violence, respectively, in each year from 1977.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Deaths from hypothermia (any mention), Scotland, 1984 to 1989

  Year

  Total all mentions

  Underlying cause

  1984

  176

  52

  1985

  232

  60

  1986

  209

  64

  1987

  153

  34

  1988

  138

  40

  11989

  80

  19

  1 Provisional figures for January to September.

  Care Expenditure
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will produce figures for local authority expenditure on residential care in Scotland from 1979–80 to 1988–89, broken down by social work authority;

  (2) if he will provide figures for local authority expenditure on domiciliary care in Scotland between 1979–80 and 1988–89, broken down by social work authority.
  163
  Mr. Lang
  The information for 1988–89 is not yet available. Figures for the other years are set out in the

  Table 1

  Net expenditure by local authorities on residential care services

  (£000)

  Regions

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Borders

  1,437

  1,625

  1,863

  2,063

  1,948

  2,063

  2,006

  2,094

  1,960

  Central

  2,406

  2,827

  3,263

  3,483

  4,104

  4,021

  4,080

  4,396

  4,499

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,361

  1,522

  1,857

  1,938

  2,377

  2,045

  2,175

  2,303

  2,273

  Fife

  4,282

  5,111

  5,636

  6,465

  7,695

  7,502

  7,428

  6,725

  7.151

  Grampian

  5,137

  6,467

  6,881

  7,527

  8,534

  8,098

  8,174

  8,584

  9,810

  Highland

  2,237

  2,649

  3,121

  3,502

  3,606

  3,459

  3,842

  3,680

  3,674

  Lothian

  11,900

  15,079

  16,281

  16,491

  19,925

  16,999

  16,959

  16,976

  18,106

  Strathclyde

  39,782

  47,251

  50,217

  54,368

  57,002

  59,123

  57,044

  57,477

  59,111

  Tayside

  6,158

  7,531

  7,627

  8,940

  9,960

  9,500

  8,871

  9,011

  9,915

  Orkney

  331

  425

  486

  418

  380

  436

  458

  388

  688

  Shetland

  259

  587

  671

  632

  703

  801

  844

  816

  883

  Western Isles

  679

  698

  878

  1,011

  1,035

  1.065

  1,005

  1,032

  990

  Scotland

  75,969

  91,772

  98,781

  106,838

  117,269

  115,112

  112,886

  113,482

  118,970

  Notes:

  1. The figures up to 1984–85 include unidentified levels of expenditure on wardens in sheltered housing. 1985–86 this is included in Table 2.

  2. Unlike for other years, the 1986–87 figure for Okney does not include residential care for mentally handicapped and physically handicapped Persons.

  Table 2

  Net expenditure by local authorities on Domiciliary Care Services

  £(000)

  Regions

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Borders

  349

  403

  407

  420

  549

  603

  750

  788

  1,003

  Central

  1,681

  1,916

  2,102

  2,323

  2,641

  2,929

  3,631

  3,710

  4,362

  Dumfries and Galloway

  767

  853

  929

  853

  1,062

  1,144

  1,352

  1,500

  1,563

  Fife

  2,185

  2,375

  2,689

  2,894

  3,374

  4,004

  5,051

  6,201

  7,567

  Grampian

  1,909

  2,325

  2,542

  2,934

  3,401

  3,759

  4,617

  5,183

  6,718

  Highland

  697

  872

  1,029

  1,180

  1,536

  1,733

  1,612

  1,816

  2,16

  Lothian

  6,069

  7,126

  6,819

  6,690

  7,796

  7,187

  9,238

  10,374

  12,572

  Strathclyde

  16,263

  18,417

  20,533

  21,740

  24,277

  25,894

  32,661

  34,573

  40,114

  Tayside

  1,856

  2,173

  2,297

  2,538

  3,227

  3,643

  4,618

  5,189

  6,352

  Orkney

  227

  248

  257

  287

  355

  371

  473

  461

  485

  Shetland

  257

  336

  410

  518

  529

  469

  504

  555

  665

  Western Isles

  561

  616

  637

  742

  961

  827

  1,021

  1,049

  1,145

  Scotland

  32,821

  37,660

  40,651

  43,119

  49,708

  52,563

  65,528

  71,399

  84,712

  Note: The figures for 1979–80 to 1981–82 include only expenditure on home helps and meals on wheels; from 1982–83 onwards aids to daily living and home adaptations are added; from 1985–86 onwards expenditure on wardens in sheltered housing is added.

  Drink-Driving
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria procurators fiscal apply when considering reports from the police for alleged drink-drive offences following breath tests administered to motorists stopped at random.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I am advised by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate that there is no code of practice in this area, but procurators fiscal will take into account the following matters:

  (i) It is lawful for a police officer in uniform acting in the execution of his duty to require the driver of any vehicle on a road to stop.

  (ii) A police officer who stops a vehicle on a road with the purpose of investigating whether its driver has alcohol in his body is acting in the execution of his duty.

  (iii) It is accordingly lawful for a police officer in uniform to stop vehicles at random for that purpose, provided there is no malpractice such as oppression or capricious conduct on the part of the officer.

  (iv) It is lawful for a police officer in uniform to require a driver who has been stopped in such circumstances to provide a specimen of breath for a breath test, provided that the officer has reasonable cause to suspect that the driver has alcohol in his body.

  164
  tables. A number of changes in accounting practice over the period result in the annual figures not being strictly comparable.

  Procurators fiscal must be satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to merit prosecution in the public interest before instituting proceedings.

  Judicial Appointments
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to make any proposals relating to judicial appointments in the supreme courts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have already announced that, in the light of responses to my consultation paper, "The Legal Profession in Scotland", I propose to extend the conditions for appointment to the office of senator to include solicitors who have exercised full rights of audience in the Supreme Courts or who have served as sheriffs principal or sheriffs, in each case for a minimum period of five years. Following the report of the review body chaired by the hon. Lord Maxwell on the use of judicial time in the supreme courts in Scotland I have decided to introduce new provisions relating to the appointment of temporary judges. Following consultation with the Lord President, I propose that the new eligibility criteria for appointment to the office of senator shall apply equally to the office of
  165
  temporary judge: that vacancies in the inner house of the court of session shall be filled by the appointment of a Lord Ordinary nominated by the Lord President and the Lord Justice Clerk: that when under existing statute the Lord President directs any three judges of the court to sit as an extra division of the inner house, the Lord President shall direct which of them is to preside: and that the appointment of a Lord Ordinary to act as Lord Ordinary in exchequer causes shall be made by the Lord President without the need for it to be recorded in delegated legislation.

  Water Supplies
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates his Department has of the costs(a) to local authorities and (b) to central Government of bringing Scottish water supplies up to European Community standards; what equipment or capital plant is involved; and what sources of funds are available to complete this work.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: Latest estimates from water authorities put the cost of bringing Scottish water supplies fully up to EC standards at approximately £100 million a year on average over a period of up to 15 years. However, authorities will shortly be required to prepare more detailed costed programmes of necessary works. The programmes will involve the construction of new improved water treatement works and the replacement and renovation of much of the distribution system.

  It is largely for authorities to determine the sources of funds used within the capital expenditure rules set by Government. Grants for the improvement of rural water supplies are available to water authorities under the rural water supplies and sewerage Acts 1944–70.

  Scottish Homes
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if Scottish Homes has any plans to sell off vacant houses to private landlords or other housing agencies and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: One of Scottish Homes objectives is to increase housing choice in Scotland, and more specifically to encourage owner occupation. In pursuing this objective Scottish Homes will consider the opportunities provided by vacant houses in their stock including sale to its own tenants under its portable discount scheme, in the light of local needs and circumstances.

  Under the terms of Section 2(3A) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 as introduced by Section 179 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 Scottish Homes power to dispose of land may be exercised only with the consent of the Secretary of State.

  Woodlands
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to ensure that the bulldozing of woodland for agricultural purposes is avoided.
  166
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Forestry Commission operates a presumption against the conversion of woodland to agriculture and will not normally grant felling permission for this purpose.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Food Safety
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the estimated capital and revenue costs of establishing and running the food safety directorate.

  Mr. Maclean
  It is not possible to identify separately all the costs of the new Food Safety Directorate in 1989–90 because some parts of the organisation are not subject to decentralised budgetary control. From 1990–91 the directorate's budget will be fully decentralised and the allocation, which is now being finalised, will be published in the Supply Estimates.

  Toxic Farm Chemicals
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to arrange for the collection of out-of-date toxic farm chemicals at no cost to the farmer.

  Mr. Maclean
  No. Purchasers of toxic chemicals are responsible for the safe disposal of surpluses and should think about disposal before they buy. Disposal costs can be reduced by co-ordinating collection. In the case of pesticides manufacturers and distributors have provided low-cost disposal arrangements when it has been necessary for Ministers to withdraw statutory approval for use. And I am pleased to note that the National Farmers Union is taking the initiative in making arrangements for the safe disposal of products not covered by industry schemes.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the amount of out-of-date toxic farm chemicals held on farms for which no safe disposal site is available.

  Mr. Maclean
  Safe disposal, off-farm, is available for any toxic chemical which cannot be used. There is no reliable information on the quantity or location of such waste, but the HSE's agricultural inspectorate does from time to time find unapproved pesticides in store. Anyone still holding unapproved pesticides should without delay ensure that it is stored in a safe condition and clearly labelled as not for use and make arrangements for a reputable specialist waste disposal contractor to collect the material for safe disposal.

  Food Safety Bill
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what basis he has calculated that the additional costs for local authorities arising from the Food Safety Bill will be £30 million; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Officials in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Health have held consultations with interested parties in order to assess the resources local authorities will need in order to enforce
  167
  the Food Safety Bill. The estimate that the additional cost for local authorities is likely to be of the order of £30 million was based on the information supplied.

  Food Committees
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to increase representation from(a) consumer groups (b) enforcement agencies on food committees or working parties.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Food Advisory Committee has two members drawn from enforcement backgrounds and three members who have experience in consumer activities. All members of the committee are, however, appointed for their personal expertise and do not represent any particular interest. The new consumer panel will have nine ordinary consumer members nominated by various consumer organisations. I keep the membership of both committees under review and can where appropriate adjust the emphasis of the membership.

  Meetings
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) on what dates within the last 12 months he met representatives of Trusthouse Forte; what matters were discussed; and if he plans any future meetings;

  (2) on what dates within the last 12 months he met representatives of Sainsburys; what matters were discussed; if he plans any future meetings; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) on what dates within the last 12 months he met representatives of Tesco; what matters were discussed; and what future meetings are planned;

  (4) on what dates within the last 12 months he met representatives of Safeway; what matters were discussed; and what future meetings are planned;

  (5) on what dates within the last 12 months he met representatives of Marks and Spencer; what matters were discussed; and what future meetings are planned.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on Tuesday, 28 November 1989 at column 192.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met a representative for Eli Lilly; what was discussed; and if has plans for any future meetings.

  Mr. Maclean
  So far as I am aware, no incumbent Minister has had such a meeting. However, in February 1988 my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State met company representatives to discuss matters relating to the licensing of veterinary medicines. There are no plans for further meetings.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met a representative from Monsanto; what matters were discussed; if he plans any further meetings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  So far as I am aware, neither my right hon. Friend nor his predecessors have had such a meeting. However, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary met company representatives on 15 November to discuss matters relating to the licensing of veterinary medicines. There are no plans for further meetings.

  Microwave Cooking
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the risk to consumers of using microwave for primary heating of food products if the manufacturer's instructions are followed.

  Mr. Maclean
  My Department's primary concern has been with the performance of microwave ovens in reheating already cooked food. As far as cooking from raw is concerned, the Ministry has not undertaken an assessment of oven performance compared with manufacturers' instructions but users can apply exactly the same tests to ensure that food is fully cooked as they do when using other means of cooking.

  EC Surpluses
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current situation concerning distribution of European Community surpluses to the elderly.

  Mr. Curry
  I assume that the question refers to the European Community's surplus food scheme. This requires member states to distribute surplus stocks of certain foods to the most needy in the community (defined in the United Kingdom as those on income support or family credit or people living in welfare hostels or of no fixed abode), not simply to the elderly.

  The United Kingdom has some 3,000 tonnes of butter and 3,000 tonnes of beef available for distribution under the scheme, and all of this produce has been released from intervention stores. Distributions to eligible recipients have been taking place for some time now and I expect that most of the produce will have been distributed before the end of 1989, but the timing of distribution is a matter for the designated organisations to decide according to local needs and their own capacity.

  Veterinary Laboratories
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the names and locations of all Government veterinary laboratories closed in the last 10 years, together with their date of closure.

  Mr. Curry
  The information requested is as follows:

  Location

  Date of closure

  Weybridge

  31 December 19801

  Cardiff

  4 April 1986

  Chester

  4 April 1986

  Gloucester

  30 June 19861

  Leeds

  30 June 1986

  Northants

  30 June 1986

  1 Veterinary investigation centre only.

  The laboratories at Lasswade and Liverpool transferred to Roslin and Barton Hall in April 1986 and October 1986 respectively.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of expenditure in 1988–89 and 1989–90 by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce and the Agriculture Departments on market regulation under the common agricultural policy.
  169
  Mr. Gummer
  Details are given in the table of the outturn for 1988–89 and the latest forecast of outturn for 1989–90.

  £ million

  1988–89 (Actual Outturn)

  1989–90 (Forecast Outturn)

  (i) Expenditure by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce

  Cereals

  210·1

  87·9

  Oilseeds

  177·8

  193·8

  Sugar

  118·8

  96·7

  Beef and Veal

  149·5

  59·2

  Sheepmeat

  133·2

  98·1

  Pigmeat

  0·3

  1·4

  Milk products

  48·9

  81·0

  Processed goods

  45·6

  38·1

  Others

  27·2

  49·1

  Total

  911·4

  705·3

  (ii) Expenditure by the Agriculture Departments

  Repayment of cereals levies

  2·2

  46·5

  Suckler cow premium scheme

  37·7

  55·2

  Annual premium on ewes

  130·7

  117·0

  Payments to producers giving up some milk production

  74·1

  64·2

  Beef special premium scheme (Northern Ireland)

  —

  10·1

  Total

  244·6

  292·8

  Grand Total

  1,156·0

  998·1

  Some of the expenditure shown benefits consumers and trade interests rather than United Kingdom producers.

  The figures for the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce are net of various receipts treated as negative expenditure. Receipts from levies on the production and storage of sugar and isoglucose and on third country exports, which are regarded as Community own resources, are excluded.

  Of the estimated outturn for 1989–90, £1,292·8 million is expected to be financed from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund (EAGGF); in 1988–89, £1,506·0 million was thus financed. However, because the United Kingdom is a net contributor to the European Community budget, the whole of this expenditure is attributable to the Exchequer. Receipts from the European Community do not always relate to expenditure in the period.

  The individual figures may not add up to the totals due to roundings.

  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of expenditure in 1988–89 and 1989–90 by the Agriculture Department on agricultural grants and subsidies excluding market regulation under the common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Gummer
  Details are given in the table of the outturn for 1988–89 and the latest forecast of outturn for 1989–90.

  £ million

  1988–89 (Actual out turn)

  1989–90 (Forecast outturn)

  PRICE GUARANTEES

  Potatoes

  —

  —

  Wool

  0·1

  2·0

  170

  1988–89 (Actual outturn)

  1989–90 (Forecast outturn)

  Assistance to the egg industry

  2·9

  —

  Total

  3·1

  2·0

  SUPPORT FOR CAPITAL AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS

  Farm and conservation grant scheme (EC)

  —

  3·0

  Agriculture improvement scheme (EC)

  25·9

  22·8

  Agriculture and horticulture development scheme

  21·6

  15·6

  Farm structures

  0·4

  0·3

  Agriculture and horticulture grant scheme

  1·0

  0·4

  Agriculture improvement scheme (national)

  7·1

  3·6

  Northern Ireland agricultural development programme

  1·1

  3·7

  Farm woodland scheme

  —

  0·6

  Farm and conservation grant scheme (national)

  —

  15·2

  Guidance premiums

  1·0

  0·3

  Farm accounts

  0·4

  0·3

  Environmentally sensitive areas

  6·8

  9·9

  Others

  0·2

  0·3

  Total

  65·6

  75·8

  SUPPORT FOR AGRICULTURE IN SPECIAL AREAS

  Hill livestock compensatory allowances

  112·6

  121·4

  Additional benefit under AHDS, NIADP, AHGS, AIS (EC), AIS (national), FCGS (EC) and FCGS (national)

  19·6

  19·4

  Others

  4·9

  10·2

  Total

  137·1

  151·0

  OTHER PAYMENTS

  Set-aside scheme

  —

  10·7

  Milk outgoers scheme

  11·4

  6·4

  Crofting building grants and loans (net)

  3·1

  3·2

  Sheep compensation scheme 1986

  0·9

  0·9

  Storm damage recovery scheme 1987

  0·2

  1·0

  Co-operation grants

  1·2

  1·5

  Farm diversification: Capital grants

  0·5

  3·4

  Marketing and feasibility grants

  —

  0·6

  Others

  0·8

  1·0

  Total

  18·2

  28·5

  Grand total

  224·0

  257·4

  Some of this expenditure attracts contributions from the European Community. These are mainly received in the following year. In 1989–90, £66·3 million is expected to be received from the Fund compared with £44·9 million in 1988–89.

  The individual figures may not add up to the totals shown due to roundings.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners (Mental Illness)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers of inmates of British gaols who were transferred to psychiatric units or mental hospitals in each of the past five years.
  171
  Mr. John Patten
  Sentenced and unsentenced prisoners in England and Wales may be transferred to psychiatric hospitals for treatment under sections 47 and 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983 respectively. The numbers transferred to hospital under those provisions between 1984 and 1988 were as follows:

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  s. 47

  108

  100

  107

  130

  120

  s. 48

  47

  41

  53

  77

  85

  Total

  155

  141

  160

  207

  205

  Acid House Parties
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes should be taken to deal with the problems caused by illegal acid house parties.

  Mr. Waddington
  The law needs to be strengthened to punish more effectively the organisers of such events. It is already an offence to provide music and dancing as a public entertainment or, if the relevant statutory provision has been adopted by the local authority, at a private entertainment promoted for private gain without a licence obtained in advance from the local authority, or in breach of any terms, conditions or restrictions to which such a licence is subject. But the penalties for these offences are so light in comparison to the profits to be made from acid house parties that the organisers can afford to ignore the law.

  I have therefore concluded that magistrates should in future be empowered to impose fines of up to £20,000 or imprisonment for up to six months, or both, on people convicted of these offences. This will require changes to the London Government Act 1963, the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 and the Private Places of Entertainment (Licensing) Act 1967. In addition, my right hon. Friend intends to give magistrates power to order the confiscation of profits made by those convicted of organising illegal parties or allowing their land or premises to be used for them.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is today announcing the forthcoming provision of guidance to local authorities to tackle effectively the problem of noise nuisance at such events.

  Skeleton Car Keys
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the sale of skeleton car key sets; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have received a large number of representations from members of the public and Members of Parliament, including the hon. Member, about a "skeleton car key set" being offered for sale by Westway Locksmiths, formerly MB Locksmiths. As the hon. Member is aware, criminal proceedings against MB Locksmiths are in progress and, in the circumstances, it would not be appropriate to comment further.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received any representations from Scottish broadcasting or community organisations about quality measurements of television franchise bidders arising from his most recent proposals for reform of broadcasting.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received any representations from Scottish broadcasting and community organisations about quality measurement of television franchise bidders arising from his most recent proposals for reform of broadcasting.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received any representations from Scottish broadcasting and community organisations about quality measurement of television franchise bidders arising from his most recent proposals for reform of broadcasting.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received any representations from Scottish broadcasting and community organisations about quality measurement of television franchise bidders arising from his most recent proposals for reform of broadcasting.

  Mr. Mellor
  A number of the responses to the broadcasting White Paper made by the Scottish ITV companies and by Scottish local and regional authorities have commented on the safeguards for quality contained in our proposals for allocating Channel 3 licences.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure the continuation of a regional framework for Independent Television; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  As the Broadcasting White Paper made clear, the Government are committed to maintaining a regionally-structured Channel 3 (or ITV). We are proposing that there should be statutory requirements on regional Channel 3 licensees to provide regional programmes, some of which must be produced within the region, and regional news. The precise geographical structure of the Channel 3 regions will be a matter for the Independent Television Commission to determine, but the Government have noted the statement of the chairman designate of the ITC that he would see advantages in retaining the existing regions.

  Ex-prisoners
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were discharged from prison without permanent accommodation in which to live during the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  This information is not collected centrally. The prison and probation services promote various initiatives to provide accommodation for homeless discharged prisoners. The Home Office allocates £5 million a year to provide 4,500 bedspaces in some 350 accommodation schemes.

  Pub Bombings
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met Lord Denning to discuss the case of the Birmingham Six.
  173
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met Lord Denning to discuss the case of the Birmingham Six.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have not met Lord Denning to discuss this case.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers of the West Midlands serious crime squad who were recently transferred to non-operation duties were involved in the Birmingham pub bombing investigation.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 26 October in response to a question from the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) replied that one member of the serious crime squad, which was disbanded in the summer, was involved in the investigation. I regret that this was incorrect. Further inquiry has established that a total of four officers who were members of the serious crime squad when it was disbanded had been involved in interviewing those convicted of the Birmingham pub bombing.

  Police Manpower
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the proportion of police to public in Essex; and what is the comparable figure for other counties.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on population per police officer is as follows:

  Force

  Population per police officer1

  Avon and Somerset

  460

  Bedfordshire

  508

  Cambridgeshire

  544

  Cheshire

  512

  Cleveland

  371

  Cumbria

  423

  Derbyshire

  515

  Devon and Cornwall

  521

  Dorset

  522

  Durham

  434

  Dyfed-Powys

  495

  Essex

  521

  Gloucestershire

  453

  Greater Manchester

  369

  Gwent

  442

  Hampshire

  531

  Hertfordshire

  508

  Humberside

  427

  Kent

  512

  Lancashire

  436

  Leicestershire

  503

  Lincolnshire

  493

  Merseyside

  308

  Norfolk

  546

  Northamptonshire

  508

  Northumbria

  408

  North Wales

  486

  North Yorkshire

  516

  Nottinghamshire

  435

  South Wales

  415

  South Yorkshire

  434

  Staffordshire

  472

  Suffolk

  539

  Surrey

  452

  Sussex

  482

  Thames Valley

  540

  Warwickshire

  489

  West Mercia

  538

  West Midlands

  383

  174

  Force

  Population per police officer1

  West Yorkshire

  391

  Wiltshire

  513

  Average provincial forces (excluding the City of London)

  452

  City of London

  5

  Metropolitan

  253

  Average England and Wales

  404

  1 The figures are calculated on the basis of mid-1988 population figures and authorised establishments of forces at 1 April 1989.

  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on manpower levels in the South Yorkshire police; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 31 October there were 2,944 officers on the strength of the South Yorkshire police. This is 384 more than when the Government took office 10 years ago. My right hon. and learned Friend has approved a further 20 police posts for the force establishment, raising it from 2,978 to 2,998, subject to the police authority's confirmation that it is prepared to meet its share of the costs.

  Betting
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had recently with the Horse Race Betting Levy Board on allocation of income.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is not the practice for us routinely to discuss with the levy board the allocation of its income in pursuance of its statutory duties. The purposes for any additional levy income featured in the submissions on the 28th levy scheme which my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) discussed with representatives of the Board and the Bookmakers' Committee on 14 February. My right hon. and learned Friend plans to meet the chairman of the board on 6 December, when the general question of the financing of racing is likely to be discussed.

  Litter
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were fined under the Litter Act 1983 in 1988; and what proportion of these received the maximum sentence of £400.

  Mr. John Patten
  The number of persons fined under the Litter Act 1983 in 1988 was 1,551. Of these 0·1 per cent. (two defendants) received the maximum sentence of £400.

  Violence
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to curb the increase in crimes of violence and sexual attacks.

  Mr. John Patten
  Measures to prevent these offences include tougher maximum penalties for violent offences (carrying firearms and knives); increases in police manpower; targeting of high crime areas by police; measures to deal with alcohol-related disorder; education, research and crime prevention. Further action, including
  175
  new measures to tackle domestic violence, are being taken forward by the ministerial groups on crime prevention and on women's issues. Some of the recorded increase in violent crime and sexual offences is due to increased reporting by the public and recording by the police.

  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of violent offences against the person consists of incidents of domestic violence.

  Mr. John Patten
  The results of a recent ad hoc survey of offences of violence recorded by the police indicated that one in eight offences of violence against the person involved domestic violence. Some results from this study are published in Home Office Research Bulletin No. 27, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Drugs
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures police forces are taking in conjunction with local education authorities to warn pupils of the dangers of drug taking.

  Mr. Mellor
  Drugs education in schools is the responsibility of local education authorities and of the schools. We encourage police forces to develop a wide programme of police/schools liaison in consultation with the local education authorities and with individual schools. This may include contributing to education about drugs as part of personal and social education in schools.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the full costs of the drugs raid on Broadwater Farm, including the full time costs of the officers employed, the processing costs of dealing with the prisoners, the opportunity costs and the administrative on-costs.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As I stated in answer to the hon. Member on 6 November 1989 at column 429, the additional overtime costs were about £42,500. Full costs are not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seizures of illicit drugs have been made by police and customs in 1989 to date; and what is the estimated value of drugs seized.

  Mr. Mellor
  In the period 1 January to 6 November 1989 Customs report a provisional total of 6,830 seizures of controlled drugs. It is estimated that these would have had an equivalent street value of some £230 million. Comprehensive figures are not yet available for police seizures in 1989; the latest information is for 1988 when police made 32,947 seizures and customs 5,288 seizures of controlled drugs.

  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on plans for the next phase of the national drug misuse prevention campaign.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Health Department's final plans for the next phase of the national drug prevention publicity campaign will be considered at the next meeting of the ministerial group on the misuse of drugs. The campaign is 176
  planned to start early in the new year. In addition my right hon. and learned Friend has announced the setting up of drug prevention teams from April 1990, initially in nine local areas, to stimulate and harness community involvement in the prevention of drug misuse.

  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug searches in Her Majesty's prisons have resulted in finds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Information is not available in the form requested by my hon. Friend. But up to 14 November, some 3,000 finds of substances believed to be drugs had been reported by prison establishments in England and Wales during 1989. Some 92 per cent. of these involved cannabis.

  Safer Cities Initiative
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cities in the north west of England are covered by his Department's safer cities initiative; and what plans he has to extend the programme.

  Mr. John Patten
  Of the 16 projects established in the first two years of the safer cities programme, three are located in the north-west of England—at Rochdale, Salford and Wirral. We plan to set up four more projects in the financial year 1990–91, but the areas have not yet been selected.

  Probation Officers
  Mr. A. MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards the call of the Association of Chief Officers of Probation for a review of social security provisions to ensure that benefits policy supports criminal justice aims.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Government continue to monitor the effects of the recent changes in social security provision. As part of this monitoring the Home Office maintains close liaison with the Department of Social Security. We are also considering carefully the findings of the recent research carried out for the Association of Chief Officers of Probation by the university of Lancaster.

  As a result of the monitoring arrangements my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Social Security recently announced (27 November 1989 at columns 420–21) a number of procedural improvements which are designed to ensure that claims for income support from young people, including young offenders, are dealt with more effectively and sympathetically. These changes demonstrate the Government's willingness to act when areas of genuine difficulty are identified.

  The Home Office has already issued guidance to the probation service on the effects of the Social Security Acts 1988 and 1989. Further guidance is being prepared to explain what benefits are available to offenders and ex-offenders.

  Firearms
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implementation of new controls on gun clubs.
  177
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Consideration is being given by my right hon. and learned Friend to the implementation of the new tighter controls on gun clubs in the light of advice received from the firearms consultative committee.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further steps are proposed, in the light of recent incidents in Greater Manchester and elsewhere, to impose tighter controls on gun clubs.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary announced recently, he is minded that in future his approval will not be granted to any club operating a "day membership" scheme or offering any form of temporary membership facility. Visiting membership for full members of other approved clubs will be permitted. An applicant for probationary membership will have to be sponsored by two full members of the club, both of whom are themselves firearm certificate holders. Probationary members must be constantly supervised when in possession of a firearm or ammunition, either by the range master or by a full member of the club who personally holds a firearm certificate. Probationary members must be given a course of instruction in the safe and proper use of firearms. The number of probationary members of an approved club must not exceed the number of full members. The police will be able to use their powers under section 15(5) of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 to enter and inspect club premises to ensure that clubs are complying with the provisions of the Secretary of State's approval. We will continue to make clear to clubs that the exemption under section 15 of the 1988 Act from the requirement to hold a firearm certificate covers only target practice and does not extend to competition. Consideration is being given by my right hon. and learned Friend, to the implementation of these proposals in the light of advice received from the Firearms Consultative Committee.

  Charities
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had about the level of Government support to charities.

  Mr. John Patten
  Ministers and officials have frequent discussions with a range of individuals and groups about Government support to charities and other matters affecting the voluntary sector. On 17 October my right hon. and noble Friend the Earl Ferrers, my noble Friend the Paymaster General and I met members of the Council for Charitable Support to discuss a number of issues relating to charity.

  Adoption
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been allowed into the United Kingdom, for adoption by United Kingdom citizens, from each of the countries which do not have the same laws and procedures on adoption as exist in the United Kingdom, during each of the past five years; and what is the average length of time it takes for inquiries to be carried out into prospective adoptive children from such countries.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information is not available in the form requested, as the statistics collected on passenger 178
  admissions do not separately identify children who come to the United Kingdom for adoption. However, the available information is shown in the table. Corresponding information for 1984 and 1985 could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Adoption orders made by the courts in certain designated countries are recognised as valid for the purposes of United Kingdom law. Some 63 countries are designated for this purpose under the Adoption (Designation of Overseas Adoptions) Order 1973. There is no provision in the immigration rules for the admission of children adopted in non-designated countries. However the Secretary of State may exceptionally exercise discretion to allow a child to come here for adoption if he is satisfied that this is appropriate in the particular case.

  Information on the average length of time required for inquiries to be carried out into prospective adoption cases is not available; the time varies according to the circumstances of the particular case.

  Acceptances for settlement in the United Kingdom on grounds of adoption, after initial admission for a limited period, of children from countries not designated in the Adoption (Designation of Overseas Adoptions) Order 19731

  Number of children of each nationality

  Nationality

  1986

  19872

  1988

  India

  7

  7

  8

  Pakistan

  5

  7

  8

  Brazil

  7

  1

  0

  E1 Salvador

  4

  1

  3

  Colombia

  5

  1

  1

  Philippines

  4

  2

  1

  Thailand

  3

  2

  1

  Peru

  2

  1

  1

  Korea

  1

  2

  0

  Poland

  0

  1

  2

  Bolivia

  1

  1

  1

  Sierra Leone

  0

  0

  2

  Sudan

  0

  2

  0

  Burma, Hungary3

  0

  0

  1

  Chile, Egypt, Morocco, Paraguay, Venezuela3

  0

  1

  0

  Ecuador

  1

  0

  1

  Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Panama, Yemen Arab Republic3

  1

  0

  0

  Total

  46

  33

  37

  1 This order designates those countries whose adoption orders are recognised as valid for the purposes of United Kingdom law.

  2 1987 figures may not be entirely complete.

  3 Number from each country in these year(s)

  East Germany
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, since the opening of the borders of East Germany, any East German citizens have applied for entry to the United Kingdom as residents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Citizens of the German Democratic Republic require visas to enter the United Kingdom and neither of the British posts in Berlin has received any applications for visas for settlement in this country since the opening of the border between east and west Berlin on 9 November. There have been no reports from any other quarter of any East German citizens seeking entry to reside in the United Kingdom.

  Police Operations (Ethnic Minorities)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of civilian employees from the ethnic minority community in the employ of the Greater Manchester police authority.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the police authority that there are 31 civilian staff, including traffic wardens, from the ethnic minorities employed by the Greater Manchester police authority.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of police officers recruited from the ethnic minority community in the Greater Manchester police force; what has been the number of applications from ethnic minorites during each of the past five years; and how many ethnic minority police officers have left the force during the same periods of time.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 27 November 1989, 102 members of the ethnic minorities were serving as police officers in the Greater Manchester police. The other information requested is given in the following table:

  Applications for appointment

  Left the force

  1985

  128

  4

  1986

  90

  4

  1987

  142

  2

  1988

  90

  6

  11989

  100

  8

  1 To date.

  Police Operations (Media Presence)
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to meet the Association of Chief Police Officers to discuss the presence of media personnel on police operations.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to meet the Association of Chief Police Officers to discuss this matter.

  Political Refugees
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason an identity card was removed by United Kingdom immigration authorities when Navaratnasingham Vathanan was ordered back to Sri Lanka, having applied for entry to the United Kingdom as a political refugee.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that Mr. Vathanan's identity card was taken in order to obtain a travel document for him from the Sri Lanka High Commission. I regret the fact that it was lost. Pages had been removed from the passport on which he had arrived.

  Parole
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners are currently beyond parole eligibility date awaiting a decision; and what has been the number in each of the last 12 months;

  (2) what has been the average delay beyond parole eligibility date for each of the four prison department regions in each of the last six months.
  180
  Mr. Mellor
  Information is not available in the form requested. About three quarters of cases are decided on the basis of local review committee recommendations alone. There are now no general delays in these cases, compared with the position in the summer of this year when one quarter of them were delayed by an average of about one month beyond PED. The delay in parole board cases, which exceeded three months in the summer, has now been reduced to about two-and-a-half months beyond PED. There is no evidence of any significant regional variation in the delays.

  Further and more rapid improvements should follow the administrative changes my right hon. and learned Friend announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence) on 30 November at column 396. The aim is to eliminate completely the present delays by March next year.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the longest period beyond parole eligibility date that a prisoner is currently waiting.

  Mr. Mellor
  Information in this form is not readily available from central records.

  West Midlands Police
  Mr. Wall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the chief constable of the West Midlands; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the chief constable of the West Midlands; and what was discussed.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last discussed the pub bombings case with the chief constable of the West Midlands.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have had no meetings with the chief constable of the West Midlands since I took office as Home Secretary.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on how many occasions in 1989 a member of the Home Office inspectorate has visited the dog toxicology unit at Huntingdon research centre; or how many occasions the conditions in which animals were housed and cared for were found to be satisfactory and in line with the Home Office code of practice for the housing and care of animals used in scientific procedures;

  (2) on how many occasions in 1989 a member of the Home Office inspectorate has visited Huntingdon research centre;

  (3) on how many occasions in 1989 a member of the Home Office inspectorate has visited the rodent toxicology unit at Huntingdon research centre; and on how many occasions the conditions in which the animals were housed and cared for were found to be satisfactory and in line with the Home Office code of practice for the housing and care of animals used in scientific procedures.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is not our practice to disclose this information in relation to individual establishments. For 1988, the last year for which figures are available, inspectors paid 7,354, mainly unannounced, visits to departments within the 375 places designated under the
  181
  Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The Home Office code of practice for the housing and care of animals used in scientific procedures (1989; HC 107) was published in February this year. Establishments which were not already complying with it in every detail are expected to do so within a realistic time scale.

  Young Recidivists
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases young recidivists have re-offended in the years 1986–87 to 1988–89.

  Mr. John Patten
  Statistics are not readily available in the form requested. Information on the sentencing of young offenders reconvicted within two years of discharge from prison service establishments in England and Wales is published annually in Prison Statistics (tables 9.7 and 9.10 of the latest volume, for 1988, Cm. 825), copies of which are available in the Library. Of an estimated 28,800 young persons discharged from prison service establishments in 1985, 18,300 were reconvicted within two years of discharge, of whom 10,600 were recommitted to custody.

  Chief Constables (Talks)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what issues were discussed at his Department's last meeting with representatives of chief constables.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: My right hon. and learned Friend last met representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers on 10 November. They discussed a number of matters including police appointments and the organisation of the police service.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who instructed the immigration and nationality department to resolve applications for political asylum from those believed to be members of, or to have links with, the Pakistan People's party, without interview; when the instruction was issued; how many applicants, to date, have had their applications resolved without interview; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 28 November 1989]: In April my right hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) approved special case-working arrangements for resolving a backlog of about 900 asylum applications from Pakistani nationals. The great majority of the asylum claims were based on links with the Pakistan People's party. Following the death of President Zia in August 1988 the democratic process was reinstated in Pakistan; the Pakistan People's party participated freely in party politics at national and provincial level, and, following the elections in November 1988, became the governing party nationally. In all the circumstances it was decided that applications based solely on Pakistan People's party connections could be refused without interview. Applicants raising other matters continue to be dealt with in the normal way and would be interviewed before a refusal decision was taken. All those who are
  182
  refused without interview have a right of appeal, exercisable in this country, against refusal of leave or deportation.

  Our statistical records do not distinguish between refusals with and without interview. It is known, however, that some 483 asylum applications from Pakistani nationals have been refused so far in 1989.

  Pornography
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to ban all pornographic material dealing specifically with sexual violence towards women and children.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 27 November 1989]: Among other measures, the Obscene Publications Act 1959, the Indecent Displays (Control) Act 1981, the Video Recordings Act 1984 and the duties of the broadcasting regulatory bodies (which will be re-affirmed in our Broadcasting Bill) provide controls over pornographic material in its various forms. We have made it plain that we should favour a stronger test of obscenity to replace that in the 1959 Act. We have no other proposals at present.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will convene a meeting between representatives of groups objecting to the sale of pornography and retailers to discuss current retailing practice.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 27 November 1989]: No. We have drawn the strength of feeling represented to us about the availability of certan publications to the attention of major newsagents, and it is open to those who object to the sale of what they regard as pornography to protest directly to the retailers.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies his Department conducted, has commissioned or is aware of concerning the link between pornographic material and sexual violence towards women and children; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 27 November 1989]: We have not conducted or commissioned specific studies into any possible link between pornography and sexual violence towards women and children, but we are aware of numerous studies on the impact of pornography. These have not, to our knowledge, shown definitely either that there is or that there is not such a link. We are planning a review of the available evidence.

TRANSPORT

  Ports
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of progress which has been made in British ports since the abolition of the dock labour scheme towards increased competitiveness and the attraction of new business; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The former scheme ports have responded with impressive enthusiasm and energy to the new opportunities opened up by the possibility of
  183
  eliminating overmanning and restrictive practices. Business inquiries are at a high level. The way is now open for new industrial developments in dock areas and for the larger of these ports to win back some of the deep-sea trade that is routed through ports on the continent.

  Leaded Petrol
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the number of cars that have converted back to leaded fuel in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have been asked to reply.

  We have no statistics on the number of cars converted back to leaded petrol.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of heavy goods vehicle journeys were checked for excessive weights in each of the past six years; and what percentage of(a) British and (b) foreign vehicles were found to be over the weight limits.

  Mr. Atkins
  It is estimated that in 1984–85 about 0·04 per cent. and 1987–88 about 0·05 per cent. of HGV journeys were checked for excessive weight. Figures for other years are not available.

  The percentages of British and foreign vehicles from those checked found to be over the weight limits were as follows:

  Year

  British Per cent.

  Foreign Per cent.

  1984–85

  23·4

  27·6

  1985–86

  25·8

  25·1

  1986–87

  24·2

  27·6

  1987–88

  22·0

  25·0

  1988–89

  18·5

  24·9

  The statistics relate to those vehicles weighed by Department of Transport and local authority trading standards enforcement staff. The police also weigh vehicles but no information on the numbers weighed is available.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has passed to the chairman of British Rail the representations from hon. and right hon. Members to consider all alternative proposals for the high speed rail link to the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Portillo
  Yes. However, as I said in my answer to the hon. Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) on Monday 4 December, 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.

  Cyclists
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to remove the potential danger to road users of the use by cyclists of personal stereos; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  There is no clear evidence that personal stereos are causing accidents. However, all road users—184
  and vulnerable ones in particular—should make sure that they are able to concentrate fully on driving or riding. They should avoid unnecessary sources of distraction. The highway code for young road users, produced by the County Road Safety Officers Association and sponsored by General Accident, advises cyclists not to wear a personal stereo and we are considering adding similar advice to the highway code.

  Vehicle Emissions
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further steps he is taking to reduce vehicle emissions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Draft amendments to the construction and use regulations were published on 1 December.

  The new regulations will mean that virtually all new cars from 1992 onwards will be fitted with catalysts. They set for the first time in the United Kingdom, specific requirements for the user of a vehicle to keep the engine in tune and any emission control equipment in working order.

  Cars and lorries need to be designed to meet much tighter emission limits. It is equally important for drivers to recognise their responsibility to keep vehicles properly tuned to keep emissions down. These new regulations will make this responsibility clear.

  Road Lighting
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of motorway there were in 1988, 1978 and 1968; and what proportion of each were lit.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is as follows:

  Miles

  Percentage lit

  1968

  493

  5

  1978

  1,261

  20

  1988

  1,577

  27

  These figures relate to motorways in England for which the Secretary of State is the highway authority. The figure for the percentage lit in 1988 is an estimate based on latest available data.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will specify the research known to his Department to have been conducted into driver reaction times in changing from lit to unlit conditions; and if he will place copies of the research in the Library.

  Mr. Atkins
  The research in question is detailed in "The Effect on Vision of Terminations of Isolated Lengths of Fixed Lighting", published by the Australian Road Research Board in 1973. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he uses to determine whether or not a stretch of motorway or trunk road should be lit.

  Mr. Atkins
  The criteria are published in "Appraisal of New and Replacement Lighting on Trunk Roads and Trunk Road Motorways", the Department's highways and traffic advice note TA 49/86. A copy is in the Library.
  185
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has that lighting on motorways can reduce night-time accidents by 30 per cent., and if he will place copies of that evidence in the Library.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department's current assessment that the provision of lighting on motorways can lead to a 30 per cent. reduction in night-time accidents is based on international research. That research has been studied by the transport and road research laboratory. It confirmed the Department's assessment. Details of this study are given in "Light on Motorway Accident Rates", an article published by the Institution of Highways and Transportation in 1987. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  A20
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a decision on the route of the eastern section of the A20 extension into Dover.

  Mr. Atkins
  Following public inquiries last year into draft proposals for the Court Wood to Dover section of the A20, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment are announcing their joint decisions tomorrow. I have arranged for my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) to receive a copy of the decision which is being sent today to all those who submitted objections and representations to the draft proposals and to those who attended or were represented at the inquiries.

  Freight Railway Lines
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many freight railway lines have been opened to passenger traffic under the Transport Act 1962 (Amendment) Act 1981; and if he will list these with mileages of track, dates of opening and whether they remain open to passenger traffic.

  Mr. Portillo
  Fifteen stretches of freight line have been opened or re-opened by British Rail to passenger traffic under the Transport Act 1962 (Amendment) Act 1981. The details are as folows:

  Line

  Year

  Approximate mileage

  Penistone-Barnsley

  1983

  7·5

  Newbridge Junction-Bathgate

  1986

  10·2

  Kettering-Corby

  1987

  5·5

  Dore Curve (Derbyshire)

  1987

  0·25

  Morecambe-Heysham Harbour

  1987

  4·0

  Oxford-Bicester

  1987

  10·0

  Coventry-Nuneaton

  1987

  10·0

  Coatbridge Central-Motherwell

  1987

  5·0

  Cardiff City

  1987

  4·15

  Abercynon-Aberdare

  1988

  5·75

  Lichfield City-Lichfield Trent Valley

  1988

  1·25

  Bishop Auckland-Stanhope

  1988

  9·6

  Walsall-Hednesford

  1989

  9·75

  Thornton West Junction-Thornton South Junction (Fife)

  1989

  0·25

  Altrincham-Stockport

  1989

  8·0

  Note:

  All these lines remain open to passenger traffic.

EMPLOYMENT

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to improve health protection and safety conditions in the workplace.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to improve health protection and safety conditions in the workplace.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Commission's "Plan of Work for 1989–90 and Beyond" published in May 1989 set out the Commission's priorities for improving health and safety at work. As my right hon. Friend announced, the Health and Safety Commissions' request for additional funding has been met in full for the third year running. This will allow for a real growth in activity.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how he plans to extend health and safety protection at work.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Durham, North-West (Ms. Armstrong) earlier today.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the change in unemployment levels during the last year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fowler
  In the 12 months to October 1989 seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom has fallen by about 484,000 or 22·4 per cent. The percentage fall in unemployment has been larger, nationally and in the majority of regions, in the past year than in either of the previous two years.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current number of people in employment in the United Kingdom, and in other Overseas Economic Community Development countries.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In June 1989 the United Kingdom civilian workforce in employment stood at 26,035,000—12 per cent. higher than in June 1983. The following table shows civilian employment in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, where the information is available, over the same period.

  Civilian Employment in O.E.C.D. Countries

  Thousands

  Country

  1983 Q2

  1989 Q2

  Absolute change

  Percentage change

  Belgium

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Denmark

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Germany

  24,795

  27,075

  2,280

  9·2

  Greece

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Spain

  11,020

  12,208

  1,188

  10·8

  France

  121,229

  121,264

  35

  0·2

  Ireland

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Italy

  20,390

  20,674

  284

  1·4

  Luxembourg

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Netherlands

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Portugal

  4,142

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  United States of America

  99,945

  117,290

  17,345

  17·4

  187

  Country

  1983 Q2

  1989 Q2

  Absolute change

  Percentage change

  Canada

  10,699

  12,445

  1,746

  16·3

  Japan

  57,290

  61,181

  3,891

  6·8

  Australia

  6,254

  7,696

  1,442

  23·1

  Austria

  23,146

  23,335

  189

  6·0

  New Zealand

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Finland

  2,368

  2,475

  107

  4·5

  Iceland

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Norway

  1,907

  2,018

  111

  5·8

  Sweden

  4,242

  4,463

  221

  5·2

  Switzerland

  3,149

  3,559

  410

  13·0

  Turkey

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  United Kingdom

  23,291

  26,035

  2,744

  11·8

  Employees and self-employed—Great Britain mates Spring estimates

  Thousands

  1979

  1988

  Employees

  Self-employed

  Employees

  Self-employed

  All Of which:

  22,432

  1,778

  21,422

  3,143

  1. Employed in manual occupations1

  11,934

  747

  9,599

  1,403

  Employed in non-manual occupations1

  10,498

  1,031

  11,824

  1,740

  2. Males

  13,302

  1,442

  11,728

  2,358

  Females

  9,130

  337

  9,694

  785

  3. Aged 16 and 17

  785

  3—

  683

  11

  Aged 18 or over

  21,647

  1,776

  20,739

  3,132

  4. In full-time employment2

  18,409

  n/a

  16,536

  2,627

  In part-time employment2

  4,022

  n/a

  4,886

  516

  1 Using broad occupational groupings based on OPCS Classification of Occupations,1980.

  2 Based on respondent's own assessment, not on the number of hours usually worked. In 1979, the self-employed were not asked if they worked full or part-time.

  3 Sample size too small to provide a reliable estimate.

  n/a=Not available.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the 10 travel-to-work areas where unemployment is lowest.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the 10 travel-to-work areas where unemployment is lowest.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the 10 travel-to-work areas where unemployment is lowest.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the 10 travel-to-work areas where unemployment is lowest.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table shows the 10 travel-to-work areas in which the numbers of unemployed claimants expressed as a percentage of the work force plus the unemployed were the lowest in October 1989.

  Travel-to-work area

  Unemployed claimants Per cent.

  Crawley

  1·1

  Winchester and Eastleigh

  1·3

  Windermere

  1·3

  Tunbridge Wells

  1·4

  Newbury

  1·4

  Bicester

  1·5

  Aylesbury and Wycombe

  1·6

  188

  1 Figures refer to 1982 Q4 and 1988 Q4 as Q2 figures not available.

  2Figures refer to 1983 Ql and 1989 Ql as Q2 figures not available.

  Source: "Quarterly Labour Force Statistics 4/1988 and 3/1989" (OECD) except United Kingdom (ED).

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the years 1968, 1978 and 1988 the number of employee and self-employed workers divided into manual and non-manual, male and female, adult and juvenile, and full-time and part-time.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Data for each of the groups requested is only available on a comparable basis from the labour force survey (LFS). Estimates from the 1988 and 1979 LFS (the earliest year for which comparable estimates are available) are shown in the table.

  Travel-to-work area

  Unemployed claimants Per cent.

  Guildford and Aldershot

  1·6

  Cirencester

  1·6

  Blandford

  1·6

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of employed and self-employed people in Britain.

  Mr. Eggar
  In June 1989, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 21,932,000 employees in employment in Great Britain and 3,050,000 self-employed.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of registered unemployment in Bexley and what was the figure for 1988 and 1987.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In October 1989, the number of unemployed claimants in the local authority area of Bexley was 3,661 compared with 4,866 in October 1988 and 6,603 in October 1987. These figures are slightly affected by the change in benefit regulations affecting under-18-year-olds in September 1988.

  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment.
  189
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the unemployment change since June 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In October 1989, the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom was 1,674,000, compared with 3,130,200 in June 1986, a fall of 46·5 per cent. Unemployment has now fallen for 39 months running, and is now at its lowest for nine years.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many travel-to-work areas, on the most recent date for which figures are available, in south-east England, have an unemployment rate(a) over 10 per cent., (b) between five per cent. and 10 per cent. and (c) below five per cent.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Of the 39 travel-to-work areas in the south-east, 33 had an unemployment rate of less than 5 per cent. in October 1989 and the remainder had rates of between 5 and 10 per cent.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current unemployment rate in the United Kingdom and in other European Community countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current unemployment rate in the United Kingdom and the average in the European Community.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In September 1989, the latest comparable date, unemployment in the United Kingdom was 6·3 per cent. compared to an EEC average of 9·1 per cent. The following table shows a full comparison. Over the past two years the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom has fallen faster than in any other major European country.

  Unemployment rates for comparison between EEC countries Seasonally adjusted September 1989

  Rate

  Luxembourg

  2·0

  West Germany

  5·6

  Portugal

  5·7

  United Kingdom

  6·3

  Denmark

  7·4

  Greece

  17·4

  Belgium

  9·6

  Netherlands

  10·0

  France

  10·1

  Italy

  11·0

  Spain

  16·4

  Ireland

  17·0

  EEC average

  9·1

  1 April 1987.

  Mr. Neale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in the United Kingdom in May 1983 and October 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available for the months requested. The work force in employment in the United Kingdom was 23,613,000 in June 1983. It increased by 2,730,000 to stand at 26,343,000, the highest level ever, in June 1989.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of male unemployment in the Bassetlaw constituency.
  190
  Mr. Nicholls
  In October 1989 the number of male unemployed claimants in the Bassetlaw parliamentary constituency was 2,283.

  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of employment in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In June 1989 the work force in employment in the United Kingdom stood at 26,343,000, the highest level on record. This represents an increase of 479,000 or 1·9 per cent. since June 1988. The rising trend has now continued for six years.

  Mr. Brando-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were unemployed in the United Kingdom in May 1983, September 1983, March 1986 and October 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table shows the levels of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom for May 1983, September 1983, March 1986, and October 1989. The level of unemployment in October 1989 is the lowest for nine years.

  United Kingdom unemployment, seasonally adjusted

  Number of unemployed claimants

  Rate1per cent

  May 1983

  2,785,300

  10·5

  September 1983

  2,815,700

  10·6

  March 1986

  3,126,600

  11·2

  October 1989

  1,674,000

  5·9

  1 Number of unemployed as a percentage of the estimated total workforce·

  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were unemployed in June 1987 and October 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In October 1989 the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom was 1,674,000 compared with 2,857,200 in June 1987, a fall of 41·4 per cent. Unemployment is now at its lowest level for nine years.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the current level of unemployment in the north-west region.

  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the reduction of unemployment in the north-west since June 1986.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In October 1989 the level of unemployment seasonally adjusted, in the north-west was 245,500 compared with 427,400 in June 1986, a fall of 181,900 or 42·6 per cent.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom and in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In August 1989, the latest comparable date, the rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom measured on the agreed international basis was lower than in Canada, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain,
  191
  Denmark, Greece and Ireland. Over the past two years the United Kingdom unemployment rate has fallen faster than the rate in any other major industrialised country.

  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the seasonally adjusted unemployment figures last showed an increase in the number of people out of work: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The seasonally adjusted unemployment figures last showed an increase in July 1986. Since that date unemployment has fallen by about 1½ million or 47 per cent. This is the longest and largest sustained fall on record, and unemployment is now at its lowest level for nine years.

  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the number of people in employment in the United Kingdom and in the other member countries of the European Community.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In 1987, the latest year for which comparable information is available for all European Community countries, there were 24·8 million people in civilian employment in the United Kingdom. This represents a growth of over 6 per cent. since 1983; more than three times greater than the growth rate in the rest of the EC countries combined.

  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide the latest unemployment figures for Sheffield expressed as a percentage; and what is the national average.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In October 1989, in the Sheffield travel-to-work area the number of unemployed claimants expressed as a percentage of the total workforce was 8·6 per cent. This compares to a rate of 5·8 per cent. in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently unemployed in the Liverpool travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In October 1989, in the Liverpool travel-to-work area there were 64,235 unemployed claimants.

  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list the towns in England and Wales which now have 3 per cent. or less unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table shows the travel-to-work areas in England and Wales where the number of unemployed claimants expressed as a percentage of the work force was three per cent. or less in October 1989. In the last three years the rate of unemployment has nearly halved in the United Kingdom and this improvement is seen at local level throughout the country.

  Unemployed claimants

  Travel-to-work area

  per cent.

  Crawley

  1·1

  Winchester and Eastleigh

  1·3

  Windermere

  1·3

  Tunbridge Wells

  1·4

  Newbury

  1·4

  Bicester

  1·5

  Aylesbury and Wycombe

  1·6

  192

  Travel-to-work area

  per cent.

  Guildford and Aldershot

  1·6

  Cirencester

  1·6

  Blandford

  1·6

  Basingstoke and Alton

  1·7

  Chichester

  1·7

  Reading

  1·7

  Andover

  1·7

  Cambridge

  1·7

  Bury St. Edmunds

  1·7

  Kendal

  1·8

  Evesham

  1·9

  Oxford

  1·9

  Woodbridge and Leiston

  2·0

  Slough

  2·1

  Clitheroe

  2·1

  Worthing

  2·1

  Penrith

  2·2

  Chelmsford and Braintree

  2·2

  Kettering and Market Harborough

  2·3

  Settle

  2·3

  Malton

  2·3

  Harrogate

  2·4

  Devizes

  2·4

  Bedford

  2·4

  Leek

  2·4

  Skipton

  2·4

  Milton Keynes

  2·4

  Haverhill

  2·4

  Hertford and Harlow

  2·4

  Diss

  2·4

  Northampton

  2·5

  Watford and Luton

  2·5

  Eastbourne

  2·5

  Hitchin and Letchworth

  2·5

  Newtown

  2·5

  Heathrow

  2·5

  Wareham and Swanage

  2·5

  Ripon

  2·5

  Warwick

  2·6

  Swindon

  2·6

  Northallerton

  2·6

  Welshpool

  2·6

  Newmarket

  2·6

  Shaftesbury

  2·6

  Wellingborough and Rushden

  2·6

  Chippenham

  2·6

  Poole

  2·7

  Chard

  2·7

  Huntingdon and St. Neots

  2·7

  Ipswich

  2·7

  Salisbury

  2·7

  Cheltenham

  2·7

  Pickering and Helmsley

  2·7

  Honiton and Axminster

  2·8

  Banbury

  2·8

  Brecon

  2·9

  Spalding and Holbeach

  2·9

  Bridport

  2·9

  Ludlow

  2·9

  Stafford

  2·9

  Macclesfield

  2·9

  Yeovil

  2·9

  Uttoxeter and Ashbourne

  2·9

  South Molton

  2·9

  Beccles and Halesworth

  3·0

  Colchester

  3·0

  Trowbridge and Frome

  3·0

  Melton Mowbray

  3·0

  Stamford

  3·0

  Fakenham

  3·0

  Stroud

  3·0

  Rugby and Daventry

  3·0

  Job Opportunities
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has received on the job opportunities provided through employment training to trainees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  A recent pilot survey of employment training (ET) leavers shows that over half of the people (53 per cent.) who completed their training went into jobs or self-employment. These encouraging early results provide further evidence of the programme's continuing success in helping large numbers of unemployed people back into work.

  Older Workers
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the population aged 55 years and over is expected to remain economically active during the course of the next 10 years; and what plans he has to combat discrimination on the grounds of age by employers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department's latest projections which are largely based on past trends, show the proportion of people aged 55 and over who are economically active remaining in the range of 22 per cent. to 24 per cent. over the next 10 years.

  We are constantly emphasising to employers that age discrimination is not in their interests, particularly as numbers of young people decline.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have received funding in the east midlands and eastern region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend approved applications for development funding from five employer groups in the east midlands and eastern region.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have received development funding in the north-west region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend has approved applications for development funding from eight employer groups in the north-west.

  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have received funding in the Yorkshire and Humberside region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend has approved applications for development funding from four employer groups in Yorkshire and Humberside.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current progress on setting up training and enterprise councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been very encouraged by the excellent response from employers throughout the country to our invitation to form training and enterprise councils (TECs).
  194
  Over 50 groups of senior employers in England and Wales have applied for development funding; the table lists the areas from which we have had applications and indicate their status.

  List of training and enterprise councils that have applied for development funding

  Status

  South East

  Milton Keynes

  Approved

  Hertfordshire

  Approved

  Essex

  Approved

  Hampshire

  Approved

  Isle of Wight

  Approved

  Thames Valley

  Approved

  Oxfordshire

  Approved

  Kent

  Under Consideration

  London

  Kingston/Merton

  Approved

  London East

  Under Consideration

  South London

  Under Consideration

  South West

  Devon/Cornwall

  Approved

  Dorset

  Approved

  Somerset

  Approved

  Avon

  Under Consideration

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  Approved

  Walsall

  Approved

  Staffordshire

  Approved

  Coventry/Warwickshire

  Under Consideration

  Dudley

  Approved

  Wolverhampton

  Approved

  East Midlands and Eastern

  North Nottinghamshire

  Approved

  Norfolk/Waveney

  Approved

  Suffolk

  Approved

  Greater Peterborough

  Approved

  Bedfordshire

  Under Consideration

  Central and South Cambridgeshire

  Under Consideration

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Sheffield

  Approved

  Calderdale/Kirklees

  Approved

  North Yorkshire

  Approved

  Rotherham

  Approved

  Leeds

  Under Consideration

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  Under Consideration

  North West

  Cumbria

  Approved

  East Lancashire

  Approved

  Rochdale

  Approved

  Oldham

  Approved

  South and East Cheshire

  Approved

  Wigan

  Approved

  Manchester

  Under Consideration

  Stockport/High Peak

  Approved

  Bolton/Bury

  Under Consideration

  St. Helens

  Under Consideration

  Northern

  Teesside

  Approved

  Tyneside

  Approved

  Wearside

  Approved

  County Durham

  Approved

  Northumberland

  Approved

  Wales

  Mid Glamorgan

  Approved

  North East Wales

  Approved

  West Wales

  Approved

  North West Wales

  Approved

  South Glamorgan

  Approved

  Gwent

  Under Consideration

  195
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have received development funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils he expects will have been established by the end of 1989.

  Mr. Eggar
  At present over 40 training and enterprise councils have had development funding approved.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have received funding in the south-east; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend has approved applications for TEC development funding from seven groups of employers in the south-east.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have received development funding in the south-west; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend has approved applications for development funding from four employer groups in the south-west.

  Child Care
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to encourage the provision of child care facilities in the workplace.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government believe that child care is a matter for parental choice and that it is best. left to employers and employees to decide which arrangements for combining work and family responsibilities best suit their individual needs and resources. Workplace child care is not always the most practicable solution.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the youth training scheme.

  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to promote improved training for young people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fowler
  Since the introduction of the youth training scheme in 1983 well over 2 million young people have benefited from the programme. Over 85 per cent. of young people who complete their training programme now go into jobs, further education or training, and 64 per cent. gain a vocational qualification.

  YTS has been a great success, but we now need to build on that success to meet the higher level skills that the economy will need in the 1990s and to enable training and enterprise councils to make the maximum impact in developing arrangments for youth training which will lift the skills and qualifications of young people in their areas.

  I have therefore decided to introduce new arrangements to promote training for young people to be known as youth training.

  The central aims of the new arrangements will be to move to a situation where all young people are either in
  196
  full time education or a job with training and have the opportunity to develop their potential, qualifications, and skill to the full.

  All young people on YT will be offered training and vocational education leading to qualifications equivalent to, at a minimum, level 2 in the framework established by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications. Targets will be set annually for major and progressive increases in the skills to be reached, both generally and at craft and technician levels.

  The Government's guarantee will continue. All young people up to the age of 18 who are in the labour market but without a job will be offered a training place on youth training.

  There will continue to be a strong emphasis on health and safety and on equal opportunities for young people. There will be appropriate arrangements for identifying and providing for young people who are disabled or who have special training needs.

  Disabled Persons
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what additional measures he will introduce to enable disabled persons to participate fully in the workforce.

  Mr. Eggar
  The adequacy of current measures to enable people with disabilities to participate fully in the workforce is being considered in the review of services for people with disabilities which my Department has been undertaking. A consultative document covering the conclusions reached in the review will be published as soon as possible.

  Age Discrimination
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps his Department is taking to help reduce age discrimination in employment practices by employers in the public and private sectors.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government believe that older workers are a valuable resource. Unfair age discrimination both hurts individuals and damages businesses. We are putting across that message to employers through various media, particularly in the context of publicity about demographic change. In addition, jobcentre staff have been instructed to query all upper age limits on notified vacancies. I am encouraged that a growing number of public and private employers are adopting positive policies on recruitment and retention of older workers.

  YTS
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest information available to him on the percentage of YTS leavers in the Dacorum borough council area going on to(a) full-time employment, (b) part-time employment and (c) full-time education.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The latest available figures show that 76 per cent. of YTS leavers entered full-time employment, 2·3 per cent. entered part-time employment and 2·6 per cent. entered full-time education in the Dacoram borough council area.
  197
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of YTS trainees secure jobs within six months of completing their training course; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A total of 84 per cent. of young people were in employment shortly after completing their YTS training.

  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people have participated in YTS since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Over 21/2 million young people have participated in YTS since its inception in 1983.

  Tourism
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans his Department have to encourage regional tourism for European tourism year in 1990.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The British Tourist Authority is co-ordinating and orchestrating the United Kingdom's plans for European Tourism Year, a major theme of which is to encourage tourists to visit different regions. The plans embrace events throughout the country including the Gateshead garden festival.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action is taken by his Department, in conjunction with local authorities, to ensure that tourist development is not permitted to spoil existing environmental amenity; and what specific action in that regard he is taking relating to the county of Rutland.

  Mr. Nicholls
  One of the aims of the English tourist board (ETB), which receives funding from my Department, is to ensure that tourism activities do not work to the detriment of the environment. In September 1988, the ETB launched in conjunction with the Rural Development Commission a publication "Visitors in the Countryside". This sets out how tourism developments can be undertaken whilst preserving or enhancing the environment in rural areas. The publication emphasises the key role played by local authorities in encouraging the development of tourism projects in keeping with this aim. My Department has not singled out the county of Rutland for any specific action in this regard.

  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the level of investment in tourism projects in the south-west following the suspension of section 4 grant aid.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The most up-to-date figures published by the English tourist board show that the value of tourism projects (worth £0·5 million or more) which were completed during the period January to June 1989 in the region covered by the West Country tourist board was £33 million. Further projects to a value of £155 million were still under construction on 30 June.

  Collective Agreements
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to encourage the conclusion of collective agreements for those at work.
  198
  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has no such proposals.

  Women Workers
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to encourage the participation of women in full time employment.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government are taking a number of steps to facilitate the re-entry of women to the labour market—through training and through drawing employers' attention to the need to adopt flexible working practices. Childcare initiatives by the ministerial group on women's issues which are aimed at the voluntary and private sectors will also assist, but whether a woman chooses to work full-time or part-time or to stay at home to look after her family must be entirely a matter for her.

  Parental Leave
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to introduce statutory parental leave, available equally for mothers and fathers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average working week in manufacturing industry in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is estimated from the 1988 labour force survey (LFS) that in spring 1988, the average number of hours usually worked (including paid and unpaid overtime but excluding meal-breaks) by persons in employment in the manufacturing industries in Great Britain, was 42·3 hours per week.

  Bradford
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he next intends to visit Bradford.

  Mr. Fowler
  I have no immediate plans to visit Bradford.

  Social Charter
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has been able to secure any changes to the draft European Community social charter.

  Mr. Eggar
  Following discussions with all member states, the French Presidency of the Community has submitted a revised version of the European Commission's proposal for a decision on adoption at the European Council in Strasbourg.

  Training
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those people who leave the employment training scheme find jobs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of employment training participants secure jobs after completing their training; and if he will make a statement.
  199
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the pilot survey of the employment training scheme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A recent preliminary survey of employment training leavers shows that 53 per cent. of the people who completed their training went into jobs or self-employment. Of those who did not even complete their training as many as 46 per cent. got jobs or went into self-employment. These encouraging early results provide further evidence of ET's continuing success in helping large numbers of unemployed people back into work.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people for each year since 1975 were on(a) the training opportunities programme, (b) the wider opportunities programme, (c) the job training programme in its original and revised forms and (d) employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table shows the numbers of people who started on each scheme from 1974–1975 to 1988–89. The figures include those who started for a second or subsequent time.

  Thousands

  Year

  Training Opportunities Programme

  Wider Opportunities Training Programme

  Job Training

  Scheme

  Employment Training1

  Old

  New

  1974–75

  45

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1975–76

  61

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1976–77

  90

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1977–78

  99

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1978–79

  70

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1979–80

  91

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1980–81

  83

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1981–82

  71

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1982–83

  73

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1983–84

  80

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1984–85

  88

  3

  —

  —

  —

  1985–86

  —

  55

  55

  —

  —

  1986–87

  —

  92

  69

  2

  —

  1987–88

  —

  88

  49

  99

  —

  1988–89

  —

  44

  24

  51

  239

  1 Employment training started in September 1988. The figure shown is cumulative starts for the period September 1988 to March 1989.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current size of the client group for employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is not possible to estimate the total number of people in the employment training client group. However, in October 1989 some 812,000 claimants aged 18 to 60 had been unemployed for more than six months.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he intends to take in response to the Confederation of British Industry's proposal for giving every 16-year-old a £1,600 cash credit a year towards training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are many issues to be considered before any decision is reached on the recommendation in CBI's task force report in favour of training credits. The Government are examining the report's recommendations with interest.
  200
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the provision of training places by employers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Employers are making a vital contribution to the succcess of both the youth training scheme and employment training through their provision of training places. Employer placements give trainees an opportunity to develop and demonstrate skills in a realistic work environment; ensure that there is a relevant and realistic occupational focus to their training and offer them the best chance of securing a permanent job or self-employment opportunity.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently participating in the employment training programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The latest figures show that over 210,000 people are on employment training.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Employment how many people are currently enrolled in employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The latest figures show that over 210,000 people are on employment training.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are participating in employment training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The latest figures show that over 210,000 people are on employment training. This clearly reflects the programme's outstanding success in attracting unemployed people to take advantage of the help it offers them to get jobs and skills.

  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of employment training in Cumbria.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Employment training in Cumbria, as nationally, continues to make excellent progress. It is currently helping nearly 1,500 unemployed people to obtain the skills and experience they need to get jobs.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will revise the level of supplementary grant payable for employment training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are no plans to revise the level of supplementary grants payable for employment training (ET).

  The Government believe that the level and number of supplementary grants currently payable is sufficient to provide training of good quality.

  In future training and enterprise councils will be able to vary both the structure and level of payments to ET training managers.

  Training Credits
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will introduce a pilot scheme to provide young people with training credits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are many issues to be considered before any decision is reached on the recommendation in
  201
  CBI's task force report in favour of training credits. The Government are examining the report's recommendations with interest.

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have now participated in the enterprise allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Carttiss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have participated in the enterprise allowance scheme since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been created by the enterprise allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Since its inception in 1982, over 480,000 people have started up in business through the enterprise allowance scheme. Survey evidence shows that in addition to those receiving the allowance, for every 100 businesses still operating at the three-year stage 114 additional jobs have been generated.

  Machine Tool Manufacture
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are employed in machine tool manufacture; what was the figure five years and 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is as follows:

  Employees in employment

  Unadjusted, Great Britain

  Metal-working machine tools and engineers tools (Group 322)1

  Number

  September 1979

  110,764

  September 1984

  76,299

  September 1989

  74,796

  1 Standard Industrial Classification 1980

  Youth Unemployment
  Mr. Bevan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current youth unemployment rate(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in other European Community Countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In September 1989, the latest comparable date, the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom amongst under 25-year-olds was under half that of the EEC average. The following table shows a full comparison.

  Unemployment rates for comparison between EEC countries Seasonally adjusted

  Under 25 years—September 1989

  Rates

  Luxembourg

  4·1

  West Germany

  5·0

  United Kingdom

  8·2

  Denmark

  10·7

  Portugal

  10·8

  Netherlands

  15·8

  Belgium

  17·7

  202

  Rates

  France

  20·8

  Ireland

  23·5

  Greece

  124·4

  Spain·

  32·5

  Italy

  33·3

  EEC average

  17·4

  1 April 1987

  EC Institutions
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the implications of the social charter with regard to the extension of the power of European Community institutions to initiate and carry through legislation.

  Mr. Eggar
  The social charter would not itself extend the powers of the European Community institutions to initiate and carry through legislation. It might however be seen by those institutions, including the European Court of Justice, as a commitment to the principles embodied in it.

  Minimum Wages
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to increase minimum wage levels.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he is undertaking to increase minimum wage levels.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he is undertaking to increase minimum wage levels.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Pay generally is a matter for employers and their employees to decide for themselves in the light of all the relevant circumstances. A national minimum wage would destroy jobs.

  Benefit Fraud (Construction Sites)
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will report on progress in tackling benefit fraud on construction sites; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Construction sites are regularly included in benefit fraud investigations by this Department. Exercises on these sites often prove successful in identifying fraudulent claimants. For example, a recent exercise in the Kent area investigated 592 construction site workers, resulting in 177 claims to benefit being withdrawn with a net benefit saving of £167,000. We will continue to investigate benefit fraud within the industry.

  Private Employment Agencies
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any proposals for laying down basic standards for private employment agencies.

  Mr. Eggar
  Basic standards are already laid down in the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the Associated Conduct Regulations (S.I. 1976, No. 715).

  Maternity Rights
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans his Department has to improve maternity rights.
  204
  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has no such plans. The Employment protection legislation already gives substantial rights in respect of maternity.

  Employment Rights
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how he intends to extend employment rights to all those in work.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has no current plans to extend the employment protection legislation.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the effective liaison and subsequent achievements of his Department, in helping small businesses over the last 12 months.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department has close ties with the small business sector and since I was appointed Minister for Small Firms last July, I have made it my business to meet a wide range of organisations representing and providing services to small firms.

  To assist with small firms development, my Department operates a number of programmes which includes the small firms service which provides a comprehensive information and advice service, as well as particular measures to help ease access to finance. An indication of how these measures have fared over the past 12 months is as follows:

  In 1988–89, the small firms service answered over 281,000 inquiries (an increase of 6 per cent. on 1987–88), handled over 30,000 new counselling cases (an increase of 12 per cent. on 1987–88), and conducted over 43,000 counselling sessions (an increase of 10 per cent. on 1987–88);

  This year, the number of small businesses to benefit from the loan guarantee scheme which underwrites unsecured loans for small businesses, was 2,292, an increase of 1,058 over the previous year;

  In addition, the number of entrants to the Training Agency's enterprise programmes, the business enterprise programme and the enterprise training element of employment training, increased by 22 per cent. from 43,489 in 1987–88 to 53,003 in 1988–89, The number of entrants to the graduate enterprise programme, which helps graduates take the first steps to setting up businesses on their own, rose from 155 in 1987–88 to 1,150 in 1988–89;

  My Department also provides financial assistance through the enterprise allowance scheme, and makes substantial grants to Business in the Community, local enterprise agencies and the Prince's Youth Business trust, amongst others.

  Self-employed Statistics
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently self-employed in each region of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number of self-employed in the United Kingdom is estimated to be higher than ever before. The following table shows self-employment in each region for June 1989:
  206

  Self-employed in the United Kingdom

  Unadjusted

  June 1989

  Thousands

  South East (including London)

  1,106

  East Anglia

  142

  South West

  307

  West Midlands

  254

  East Midlands

  209

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  242

  North West

  298

  North

  117

  Wales

  151

  Scotland

  224

  Northern Ireland

  60

  UNITED KINGDOM

  3,110

  Industry Training Boards
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether the successor bodies to the industry training boards will be eligible for funds from the European social fund; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State told the House during the debate on the Employment Bill on 8 November, we are discussing this matter with the European Commission with a view to allowing the successor bodies to industry training boards the same access to the European social fund as the existing boards. I shall keep the hon. Member informed of the outcome of these discussions.

  Employment Service Staff(Assaults)
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of notified incidents of assault on members of employment service staff during 1989.

  Mr. Eggar
  Between 1 January and 17 November 1989 there were 126 notified incidents of actual physical assault on members of staff in the employment service. In the same period there were 821 reported cases of threatening behaviour and verbal abuse.

  Construction Industry Training Board
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he next plans to meet the chairman of the construction industry training board.

  Mr. Nicholls
  On 9 November I wrote to the chairman of CITB informing him of our plans for future training arrangements for the construction industry and detailing the priorities for the new board. I have no current plans to meet the chairman at this time, but Training Agency officials have already met CITB officials to discuss how priority work can be taken forward.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to make the payment of the construction industry training board levy voluntary for small builders and construction firms.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government have asked the board to devise new levy-grant arrangements which exclude more small firms from the levy and have the effect of extinguishing the levy liability of the better training employers.

  Employment Training Agencies (Abuse)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about abuses by employment training agencies in the west of Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The operations of training agents and training managers in the west of Scotland, as in the country overall, are regularly monitored. I have no evidence of abuse and robust control is exercised to ensure contractual obligations are met.

  Vocational Training
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to encourage those in work to have an opportunity to continue vocational training throughout their working lives.

  Mr. Nicholls
  This must be primarily the responsibility of individuals and their employers. The training and enterprise councils will help employers to undertake investment in people. They will be closely involved in an action programme on investing in people that I have asked the national training task force to join with the CBI and other business and training organisations in developing.

  Industrial Relations
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to improve industrial relations in 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department's aims include promoting a positive environment for work, in which industrial relations continue to improve. We shall continue to promote good practices, such as those connected with employee involvement described in the recently published booklet "People and Companies", and to review and reform industrial relations and trade union legislation as necessary to establish a fair balance under the law. We shall also continue to support the independent Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, which is charged with the general duty of promoting the improvement of industrial relations.

  Business Growth Training Scheme
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the response to the business growth training scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Business growth training was launched in April, to help small businesses improve their competitiveness and profits through training. So far the response to business growth training has been encouraging with over 30,000 firms taking advantage of the options available under the initiative.

  Trade Unions
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to encourage workers to join trade unions.

  Mr. Nicholls
  None. As stated in our White Paper "Employment for the 1990's" (Cm 540), the Government believe that people should be free to choose for themselves whether or not they belong to a trade union.

  Annual Leave
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to introduce annual leave for working people as a statutory right.

  Mr. Nicholls
  None. Terms and conditions of employment are a matter for employers and employees to determine.

  Part-time Workers
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to extend the protection of part-time workers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how his Department intends to encourage equal opportunities in the workplace.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Employment Department Ministers take every opportunity to emphasise to employers the importance of equal opportunities in the workplace and the need to treat people on their merits regardless of their race, colour, sex, age, disability, etc.

  My Department's jobcentres and the Training Agency make equal opportunities a priority. Jobcentres have an important role both in advising people who feel they have suffered discrimination of their right to complain to an industrial tribunal and in challenging employers who notify potentially discriminatory vacancies to jobcentres.

  The Training Agency's recent publication "Defusing the Demographic Time Bomb" which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State launched on 24 October will help to promote the need to develop all the work force.

  The Training Agency also provides special training for ethnic minorities and for women to encourage them to enter industries and occupations in which they are under-represented, and part-time and flexible training courses which can be particularly helpful to women returning to work after time at home looking after their families, lone parents and disabled people.

  My Department's race relations employment advisory service provides a free advisory, consultancy and training service to help employers implement effective equal opportunity policies within a multi-racial work force. Priority is advising on the CRE 1984 code of practice's recommendations to employers on the implementation of equal opportunity policies and promoting the use of the positive action provisions of the Race Relations Act.

  Low Pay
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to tackle the problem of low pay in the east midlands.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Pay in the east midlands, as elsewhere, is generally a matter for employers and employees to decide for themselves in the light of all the relevant circumstances. Any unnecessary intervention by Government could only be harmful to business and to prospects for jobs.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what response he has received from the business community about the establishment of training and enterprise councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been very encouraged by the excellent response from employers throughout the country to our invitation to form training and enterprise councils (TECs).

  More than 50 groups of senior employers in England and Wales have applied for development funding; the table lists the areas from which we have had applications and indicates their status.

  List of training and enterprise councils that have applied for development funding

  South East

  Milton Keynes

  Approved

  Hertfordshire

  Approved

  Essex

  Approved

  Hampshire

  Approved

  Isle of Wight

  Approved

  Thames Valley

  Approved

  Oxfordshire

  Approved

  Kent

  Under consideration

  London

  Kingston/Merton

  Approved

  London East

  Under consideration

  South London

  Under consideration

  South West

  Devon/Cornwall

  Approved

  Dorset

  Approved

  Somerset

  Approved

  Avon

  Under consideration

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  Approved

  Walsall

  Approved

  Staffordshire

  Approved

  Coventry/Warwickshire

  Under consideration

  Dudley

  Approved

  Wolverhampton

  Approved

  East Midlands and Eastern

  North Nottinghamshire

  Approved

  Norfolk/Waveney

  Approved

  Suffolk

  Approved

  Greater Peterborough

  Approved

  Bedfordshire

  Under consideration

  Central and South Cambridgeshire

  Under consideration

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Sheffield

  Approved

  Calderdale/Kirklees

  Approved

  North Yorkshire

  Approved

  Rotherham

  Approved

  Leeds

  Under consideration

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  Under consideration

  210

  List of training and enterprise councils that have applied for development funding

  North West

  Cumbria

  Approved

  East Lancashire

  Approved

  Rochdale

  Approved

  Oldham

  Approved

  South and East Cheshire

  Approved

  Wigan

  Approved

  Manchester

  Under consideration

  Stockport/High Peak

  Approved

  Bolton/Bury

  Under consideration

  St. Helens

  Under consideration

  Northern

  Teesside

  Approved

  Tyneside

  Approved

  Wearside

  Approved

  County Durham

  Approved

  Northumberland

  Approved

  Wales

  Mid Glamorgan

  Approved

  North East Wales

  Approved

  West Wales

  Approved

  North West Wales

  Approved

  South Glamorgan

  Approved

  Gwent

  Under consideration

  Claimants
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average length of the permitted period given to unemployed claimants making a fresh claim for unemployment related benefits; and how many claimants are not given a permitted period, by region.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Job Interview Guarantee Scheme
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which areas of Newcastle have been targeted for the job interview guarantee scheme; how many agreements with employers have been made; and how many unemployed people have been assisted.

  Mr. Eggar
  The job interview guarantee pilot in Newcastle is being targeted on long term unemployed residents of the Cruddas Park and Loadman Street estates. Employers who participate can be drawn from any area within reach of jobseekers from these estates. The pilot was formally launched at the start of November. No agreements with employers have yet been signed, although many employers have already indicated their interest in participating.

  NORTHERN IRELAND STATUTORY RULES
  NORTHERN IRELAND STATUTORY RULES
  COMMONHOLD
  COMMONHOLD
  SPECTACLE SALES: MMC REFERENCE PROPOSAL
  SPECTACLE SALES: MMC REFERENCE PROPOSAL
  PRESBYOPIA
  PRESBYOPIA
  VAT: CIVIL PENALTY REGIME
  VAT: CIVIL PENALTY REGIME
  ACID HOUSE PARTIES: PENALTIES
  ACID HOUSE PARTIES: PENALTIES
  SPEED LIMITS: ENFORCEMENT
  SPEED LIMITS: ENFORCEMENT
  SECOND MURDERS
  SECOND MURDERS
  KOREA: DOG AND CAT WELFARE
  KOREA: DOG AND CAT WELFARE
  SILKWORM AND JERICHO MISSILES: CONTROL
  SILKWORM AND JERICHO MISSILES: CONTROL
  BOPHUTHATSWANA
  BOPHUTHATSWANA
  LIVE BIRTHS AND SURVIVAL AT LOW GESTATIONAL AGE, SCOTLAND
  LIVE BIRTHS AND SURVIVAL AT LOW GESTATIONAL AGE, SCOTLAND
  ANNEX H LIVE BIRTHS AND SURVIVAL AT LOW GESTATIONAL AGE
  ANNEX H LIVE BIRTHS AND SURVIVAL AT LOW GESTATIONAL AGE
  MINERAL FIBRE PRODUCTS: USE FOR INSULATION
  MINERAL FIBRE PRODUCTS: USE FOR INSULATION
  NOISE POLLUTION: CONTROL
  NOISE POLLUTION: CONTROL