Written Answers of 6 December 1989

ENVIRONMENT

  Regional Directors
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the frequency with which regional directors of the Department of the Environment have met together on a formal basis since 1984; what is the frequency with which full or partial meetings of the regional emergency committees are held; and if he will place minutes of the meetings in the Library.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  In addition to any ad hoc meetings that may be required, the regional directors meet regularly, about once a month, to discuss departmental business. The regional emergency committees meet as required, at the discretion of the chairmen.

  It would not be appropriate to make available the minutes of either type of meeting.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the annual weight and volume of the waste sent to Drigg for each of the years 1980 to 1988 inclusive; and what are his estimates for the years 1989 to 2000.

  Mr. Trippier
  This is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc.

  Water Distribution, London
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the leakage levels from the London water distribution system.

  Mr. Howard
  This is a matter for Thames Water. It is referred to in the first paragraph of page 415 of the prospectus for the water share offers, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Water Leakage Control
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects to publish the next leakage control policy and practice report;

  (2) if he will place a copy of the appendix to the 1985 leakage control policy and practice report in the Library.

  Mr. Howard
  A copy of this report, together with its appendices, has been placed in the Library. There are no plans to publish a further edition.

  Tendering
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment he has made of the cost of tendering for public sector contract work under the Local Government Act 1988, in terms of time and resources; and if he will make a statement;
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  (2) what is the proportion of local authority contracts won by (a) the private sector and (b) direct labour organisations in (i) catering, (ii) refuse collection, (iii) vehicle maintenance, (iv) street cleaning, (v) grounds maintenance, and (vi) building cleaning.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No figures are available at present. An in-depth research project is currently being carried out on behalf of the Department to assess the impact of competition policy and this will examine costs incurred as well as savings made. We expect the first phase of the project to be completed next May. Local authorities have been asked to complete a questionnaire which will provide information on the number of contracts awarded to DSOs and private contractors. I hope that the results will be available early next year.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he gives to local authorities on the practice of using the schedule of rates in seeking competitive tenders from private contractors.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Advice issued by my Department in its circulars 10/81, 6/82 and 19/83 has encouraged the use of schedules of rates by local authorities. The Department has not issued guidance about the use of schedules but has, in those circulars, referred local authorities to guidance and practical advice produced by bodies such as the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the National Federation of Building Trades Employers (now the Building Employers Confederation), the Society of Chief Quantity Surveyors in Local Government, the Institution of Municipal Engineers and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

  Mr Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the Audit Commission's estimate of the savings to be made through compulsory competitive tendering.

  Mr Heathcoat-Amory
  The Audit Commission's occasional paper "Preparing for Compulsory Competition" published in January indicated that local authorities can obtain savings of 20 per cent. or more in contract price irrespective of whether work has been won by the private sector or by authorities' own work forces.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to provide sufficient information to enable private firms to tender competitively for contract work.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Under the competition pro visions of the Local Government Act 1988, authorities are required to prepare and make available a detailed specification of the work for which tenders are being, invited. Any failure to include adequate information might be regarded as anti-competitive and lead to the exercise of the Secretary of State's sanction powers.

  House Prices
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what has been the average annual percentage rise in house prices in(a) England and (b) Wales since 1968; and what information he has on the annual average building society interest rate for depositors since 1968;
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  (2) what has been the average annual percentage rise in house prices in Scotland since 1968; and what information he has on the annual average building society interest rate for depositors since 1968.

  Year to year percentage change in Building Society mix-adjusted Price index1

  Building Society average net (UK) share rate2

  Year

  England Percentage

  Wales Percentage

  Scotland Percentage

  Percentage

  1968

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  4·37

  19693

  5

  5

  7

  4·82

  1970

  8

  7

  7

  4·94

  1971

  14

  13

  7

  4·95

  1972

  31

  24

  19

  4·88

  1973

  38

  38

  37

  6·51

  1974

  7

  10

  15

  7·53

  1975

  6

  9

  13

  7·21

  1976

  6

  9

  18

  7·02

  1977

  9

  5

  10

  6·98

  1978

  16

  18

  14

  6·46

  1979

  30

  26

  18

  8·45

  1980

  21

  20

  15

  10·34

  1981

  6

  8

  9

  9·19

  1982

  3

  5

  7

  8·80

  1983

  11

  10

  13

  7·27

  1984

  11

  4

  7

  7·74

  1985

  9

  8

  5

  8·69

  1986

  15

  8

  6

  7·75

  1987

  17

  9

  7

  7·42

  1988

  27

  20

  8

  6·87

  19894

  24

  41

  17

  59·08

  1 Based on 5 per cent· building society mortgage survey which began in the second quarter of 1968· Figures for the fourth quarter of 1989 are not available·

  2 Net share rates from Council of Mortgage Lenders/Building Societies Association·

  3 Percentage change in index between last three quarters of 1968 and same period for 1969·

  4 Percentage change in index between first three quarters of 1988 and same period for 1989·

  5 Average rate paid at the end of June 1989 by largest 20 societies·

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location to transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred;

  (2) what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are curently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affected.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Approximately 60 posts in the Crown Suppliers were moved from central London to Bootle in 1982. The Department's Eastern Regional Office, comprising some 70 posts, was moved from London to Bedford in 1988. This year, the newly established Historic Royal Palaces Agency, with 20 posts, was transferred from central London to Hampton Court palace. The Department's rent charges unit, with 11 posts, has recently been moved from central London to the Department's north-west regional office in Manchester.

  In April this year, the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission, for which the Department is responsible, moved its office dealing with properties in care in the northern region, with 20 posts, from central London to Newcastle upon Tyne.

  Around 38 per cent. of the Department's staff of approximately 6,000 (excluding the Property Services Agency) are already located outside London, 24 per cent. outside the south-east. All other posts have been assessed for relocation potential, and some 1,350 posts have been identified for detailed investigation. Studies covering 320 posts are complete, leading to proposals to move some 90
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  Mr. Chope
  The information is as follows:

  posts out of London. These proposals—which include the relocation of the Historic Royal Palaces Agency and rent charges unit—are now being implemented. Studies covering the other posts will be carried out over the next two years or so, as operational requirements allow.

  Seventy per cent. of the PSA's staff of 22,400 (including the Crown Suppliers) are already located outside London, 45 per cent. outside the south-east. The agency is being restructured in preparation for commercialisation. The scope for further relocation is being examined through the business planning process.

  Methane
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to ensure that, wherever possible, methane from landfill sites and oil fields will be collected or flared efficiently.

  Mr. Trippier
  All those involved in landfill management have been urged to consider appropriate systems of monitoring and control for landfill gas in accordance with the technical memorandum in waste management paper No. 27. The Department of Energy is responsible for the control of gas from oilfields.

  Global Warming
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government are taking measures to ensure that international exchange of data on global warming is not impeded by commercial considerations in the United Kingdom.
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  Mr. Trippier
  The House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology has similarly suggested the need for unimpeded exchange of data relevant to global climate change in the sixth report. The Government will respond to this and other conclusions of the Committee in due course. Much data generated by global monitoring programmes will be available on the same basis as is currently the case for world meteorological data. Arrangements are in hand to provide data from the ERS1 satellite to suitably equipped and qualified universities and institutes groups. Discussions under way on data dissemination in the longer term will take into account the recommendations of the Select Committee.

  Greenhouse Effect
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what consideration he has given to the conclusion contained in the Select Committee on Science and Technology report on the greenhouse effect about the Government's abandonment of research into fast reactor technology; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what consideration he has given to the conclusion contained in the Select Committee on Science and Technology report on the greenhouse effect about the United Kingdom's commitment to the proposal for a successor satellite to ERS1 (ERS2); and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what consideration he has given to the conclusion contained in the Select Committee on Science and Technology report on the greenhouse effect about the Government's commitment to the ocean drilling programme beyond 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government will be responding in due course when full consideration has been given to all the conclusions and recommendations of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology's sixth report.

  Research and Development
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what funds the Government intend to allocate in 1990 and 1991 to finance research and development into the field of fuel use and emissions control in road transport.

  Mr. Trippier
  Projected Government expenditure (by financial year) on research and development into fuel use and emissions control covering the period in question is as follows:

  Financial year 1990–91: £2·015 million

  Financial year 1991–92: £1·150 million

  Climate Modelling
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to develop better facilities for climate modelling at the Meteorological Office and if he will offer generous access to those facilities to relevant university research departments.

  Mr. Trippier
  As the Prime Minister announced in her speech to the United Nations General Assembly on 8 November, the Government intend to establish a new centre for climate prediction. It will build on the existing expertise at the Meteorological Office, which is of the 216
  highest international repute. An important function of the centre will be to identify research work including that done in universities, of relevance to climate prediction and to encourage and facilitate its incorporation into improved predictive modelling. International collaboration with other centres of expertise will be a fundamental aspect of the centre's work.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much grant his Department will make available in the next financial year to fund the United Kingdom centre for the prediction of climate change.

  Mr. Trippier
  Establishing a centre for climate prediction is expected to cost over £5·5 million in 1990–91.

  Hazardous Waste (Imports)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many tonnes of(a) special waste, (b) toxic waste and (c) radioactive waste have been imported through Newhaven for each of the last three years.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department's records do not differentiate between toxic waste and special waste which is also classified as toxic waste. In 1986–87 23 tonnes were imported through Newhaven, and in 1987–88 48 tonnes. We have no record of any imports in 1988–89. Radioactive waste is not imported into the country.

  Landfill Sites
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals to increase the frequency of visits by inspectors of Her Majesty's inspectors of pollution to landfill sites; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  No. A primary role of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is assessing the performance of the waste disposal authorities. This involves visiting a selection of landfills to assess standards and performance. Sufficient landfills are inspected for the inspectorate to reach a balanced view on how well the waste disposal authority discharges its statutory duties.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the homelessness situation in Britain.

  Mr. Chope
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, on 15 November, on the conclusions of the Government's review of the homelessness legislation. A copy of the full report is in the House Library.

  Litter
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to enable local authorities to take more severe action against those responsible for dropping litter.

  Mr. Trippier
  We propose to empower all district and borough councils to operate fixed penalty schemes for
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  littering, similar to that currently operated by Westminster city council. In addition, we propose to increase the maximum fine for littering in England and Wales under the Litter Act 1983 from £400 to £1,000.

  Radioactive Substances Act 1960
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what responses he has received to the consultation document on the proposed amendments to the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 and for a cost recovery charging scheme.

  Mr. Trippier
  Organisations responded to the consultation document issued jointly by myself with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland, and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. A list of these has been placed in the Library of the House: copies of individual responses may be obtained through the Library. Respondents gave a broad welcome to the proposals put forward in the paper.

  In particular, there was enthusiastic support for the proposal to establish practicable de minimis levels of radioactive material and waste. Many comments were received on the section regarding the disclosure of information concerning possibly contaminated land and our proposals have been amended to clarify this section taking into account the suggestions made.

  The proposal to introduce a cost recovery charging scheme attracted many comments with only a small minority objecting to the principles of charging. In developing the scheme we will take into account the helpful suggestions and comments received as a result of the current consultation exercise.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response his Department received to the questionnaire sent to local authorities on 3 May about their progress in implementing the new community charge arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  A total of 267 out of 366 local authorities in England responded to this questionnaire. The picture which emerged was generally reassuring. All authorities which responded were implementing the new arrangements and all confirmed they would meet the requirement to send community charge register entries to their residents by 1 December 1989. A report on the results of the questionnaire has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the organisations which have(a) supported him and (b) criticised in writing to him his proposals for changes in the Nature Conservancy Council; and what representations he has had from Mr. Derek Ratcliffe on the future of science in the Nature Conservancy Council.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: My Department has received a large number of representations about the proposals to reorganise the Nature Conservancy Council. It is not possible to allocate these in a meaningful way to the categories requested. A number of
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  representations contained elements both of support and of criticism. A letter from the former chief scientist of the NCC, Mr. Ratcliffe, made a thoughtful contribution on the need for cohesive operational strategies, the maintenance of high standards in conservation science, evaluation and practice and on maximising the use of scarce resources. We took account of all the points made in the representations received in formulating the Government's proposals (announced on 23 November) to establish a statutory joint committee of the new country agencies to maintain scientific standards and take responsibility for the scientific aspects of nature conservation issues which have a Great Britain or international dimension.

  Pollution
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the planned level of inspection of factory discharges into rivers by National Rivers Authority officials over the next 12 months; and what percentage of factory discharges this is estimated to represent.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: I understand that the National Rivers Authority is currently reviewing its monitoring programmes, including the level of inspection of discharges by factories to rivers and other controlled waters.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons who inspect factory discharges are employed by the National Rivers Authority.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding reply Monday 4 December 1989]: I understand that approximately 430 officers are engaged in pollution control duties in the field. They are involved in inspecting all forms of discharge, including those from factories.

TRANSPORT

  M11 Extension Inquiry
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all those who have been excluded from the proceedings of the M11 extension inquiry; and if he will give the reason for exclusion in each case.

  Mr. Atkins
  The exclusion and readmission of individuals at the current inquiry into the Al2 Hackney to M11 link road are matters for the independent inspector.

  Several people have been excluded to prevent further disruption of proceedings. Their names are not known to the Department.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the proceedings of the M11 extension inquiry to be concluded; and what assurances he has received that all points of view will be properly aired and fully considered during the inquiry.

  Mr. Atkins
  The inquiry will conclude when the independent inspector is satisfied that he has heard all statutory objectors and those others with material points who, at his discretion, he chooses to hear. The inspector has already announced that this will mean the continuation of the inquiry in the new year.
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  It is for the inspector to decide whether representations made to him are appropriate to the specific purposes of this inquiry.

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.

  Mr. Atkins
  Following is the information requested by the hon. Member:

  Unit

  Location of origin

  Location of transfer

  Number of staff

  Air Accidents Investigation Branch1

  London

  Bramshott2

  40

  HM Coastguard Training Centre1

  Brixham

  Christchurch

  8

  London Marine Office

  London

  Orpington

  30

  1 Then part of the Department of Trade and Industry.

  2 Bramshott (1982), and then to Farnborough (1984).

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are currently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affected.

  Mr. Atkins
  It is planned to relocate the headquarters of the Driving Standards Agency from London to Nottingham in mid-1990. About 100 posts are involved. The location of certain other London headquarters directorates is being reviewed: up to a further 430 posts are involved.

  Traffic Accidents (Children)
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many children of school age have been injured in traffic accidents in the last 12-months'; and how many have been killed.

  Mr. Atkins
  In 1988, 47,429 children aged between five and 16 were injured in road traffic accidents and 440 were killed.

  This is the most recent 12-months-period for which full data are available.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many children of school age have been injured in traffic accidents involving designated school buses in the last 12 months; and how many have been killed.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is not available.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people in the last 12 months have been injured in traffic accidents; and how many have been killed.

  Mr. Atkins
  In 1988, 317,253 people of all road users were injured in road traffic accidents and 5,052 were killed. This is the most recent 12-months period for which full data are available.

  Provisional estimates for the 12 months up to June 1989 show 320,576 injured and 5,082 killed.

  School Buses
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of statutory regulations for operators of designated school buses which require standards of safety to be met(a) in the other member states of the European Community and (b) elsewhere; and what assessment he has made of their comparable figures for accidents involving children of school age and designated school buses.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have considered what we can learn from the statutory regulations applicable to school buses, so far as we are aware of them, in other European countries and elsewhere.

  Some European countries require a special sign showing two children in silhouette on a yellow background to be displayed on school buses. We think that this simple, cautionary sign has much to commend it and as I told the House on 14 November, we shall shortly circulate for comment proposals along these lines.

  In Japan all minibuses, buses and coaches, except those providing a local bus service, are required to be fitted with seat belts on every seat. I have received many representations requesting similar legislation in the United Kingdom. At present we are prevented from enforcing legislation while the European Community seat belt directive specifies that no seat belts need be fitted to minibuses and coaches. We shall continue to press for change, but the view of most of the other member states is that coaches and minibuses are so safe that seat belts would not be worth while except on the front seats. This we have already required. We believe that seats themselves can give a measure of protection in a frontal accident, but seat belts generally prevent ejection and can thus reduce death and injury in a roll-over accident.

  We have no figures for accidents involving children of school age using buses either in the United Kingdom or in other countries. Our own figures show that in 1988 409 children were killed and 7,923 were seriously injured on the roads in all.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of traffic accidents involving designated school buses where children of school age have been injured or killed; and what consideration he has given to(a) the state of the road, (b) the type of vehicles involved and (c) the time of year as contributory factors.

  Mr. Atkins
  It is our established practice to make a detailed investigation covering every possible contributory factor leading to a spectacular and major crash. This applies equally to crashes involving buses carrying children of school age as to other vehicles.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the need for an additional adult to be carried on designated school buses to ensure proper safety procedures are followed.

  Mr. Atkins
  Supervision is a matter for education authorities and schools. We encourage them to ensure that adequate arrangements exist.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations exist to ensure that drivers of designated school buses are trained in first aid.
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  Mr. Atkins
  There is no regulation requiring any driver to be trained in first aid.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what safety requirements exist for transport operators of school project trips; and if he will ensure that any new safety standards imposed on designated school buses must also be met on school project trips.

  Mr. Atkins
  The public service vehicle regulations apply equally to all bus operators. We will indeed propose that any new safety requirements for buses used to carry children between home and school shall also apply to school project trips.

  Civil Aviation Authority
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why he decided to allow the Civil Aviation Authority to delay by one year its response to his predecessor's request for advice on airports policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend acknowledged, when he sought advice on the adequacy of United Kingdom airport capacity through to 2005, that he had given the authority a testing undertaking. We recognise the need to carry forward airports strategy, but it is important that this is based on fully researched and considered advice. We respect the authority's judgment that it needs to carry out further work before responding.

  Airports (Slot Allocation)
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list those sections of the relevant United Kingdom and EEC statutes which relate to the precedence of allocation of slots between charter and scheduled services at United Kingdom airports; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what examination of the validity under EEC law of his powers to make airport traffic rules has been undertaken; what are his powers to give preference in slot allocation to scheduled carriers over competing charter carriers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Section 31 of the Airports Act 1986 empowers my right hon. Friend to make traffic distribution rules which may, inter alia, specify classes or descriptions of air traffic that are permitted under the rules to use any of the airports concerned, and impose prohibitions or restrictions in relation to the use of any of those airports by air traffic of any class or description specified in the rules.

  Section 33 of the 1986 Act empowers my right hon. Friend to require the Civil Aviation Authority to prepare for his approval a slot allocation scheme for airports at which a limit on movements has been set under section 32, or at which he judges that demand exceeds capacity, or is likely in the near future to do so. No such schemes have been made, and slot allocation at United Kingdom airports is carried out either by the airport operator or by the airport scheduling committee. Such committees are composed of representatives of airlines operating at the airport, and work in accordance with guidelines established by the International Air Transport Association.

  The relevant EC legislation is Commission regulation (EEC) No. 2671/88. Article 1 exempts from article 85(1) of
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  the treaty of Rome agreements between undertakings in the air transport sector, decisions by associations of such undertakings and concerted practices between such undertakings which have as their purpose slot allocation and airport scheduling in so far as they concern scheduled international air services between airports in the Community. Article 5 states that this exemption applies only if any rules of priority established are neither directly nor indirectly related to carrier identity or nationality or category of service and take into account constraints or air traffic distribution rules laid down by competent national or international authorities.

  Car Insurance (Disabled People)
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold an inquiry into the cost of car insurance charged to disabled people; and if he will take steps to ensure that disabled drivers are not prevented from driving their cars by high insurance.

  Mr. Atkins
  No. It is for insurance companies to set premiums in the light of their own underwriting experience. I welcome the initiative the Association of British Insurers have taken to make available a dossier of insurance advice for disabled drivers and their offer to look into any individual difficulties.

  British Rail
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last discussed(a) possible expansion of the network; (b) possible closure of passenger lines and (c) possible passenger fare increases with the chairman of British Rail.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend discusses a wide range of railway issues at his regular meetings with the chairman of British Rail. He has recently discussed with the chairman the objectives he proposes to set for the next three years. He hopes to publish them shortly.

  British Rail (Chairman)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce the appointment of the next chairman of British Rail.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Bob Reid to take over the chairmanship of British Rail next year. His distinguished career as a senior manager in private industry will bring valuable experience to bear on the challenges and opportunities which British Rail will face in the next decade.

  At the same time, I pay warm tribute to Sir Robert Reid's achievements as chairman over the last six years. He has led British Rail to a new, more commercial approach, with a massive investment programme and more customer-orientated structure. The Government, and the travelling public, owe him a large debt of gratitude.

  Mr. Reid's appointment will be for a five-year term, at a salary of £200,000 a year. Mr. Reid will join the board from 1 January as chairman-designate and for a period from 1 April until his responsibilities at Shell come to an end in October, he will be non-executive part-time chairman.

  I am also pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Derek Fowler as deputy chairman for a six-month period

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  next year, and am grateful to him for agreeing to take on this important role. Mr. Fowler, at present vice-chairman and finance member, will become deputy chairman in April to provide continuity and to support Mr. Reid as non-executive chairman. Mr. Fowler has made a valuable contribution throughout his long service on the board, and this extension will make a fitting final stage in his career, to the benefit of British Rail.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Market Research
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many market research and sample surveys were carried out by or for his Department in the last 12 months; what was the cost of each; what was the total cost; how many were carried out in-house; how many were carried out for his Department by outside organisations; and what percentage of the total expenditure was paid to outside organisations.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A total of nine individual ad hoc surveys were carried out by outside organisations at a cost respectively of £114,110, £10,626, £10,243, £230,630, £25,650, £33,732, £4,550, £4,300 and £100,000 making a total of £533,841 in the 12 months ending 30 November 1989. All these surveys were funded by the Department.

  In addition, the Department has carried out three in-house sample surveys at an estimated total cost of £45,000. The percentage of total expenditure paid to outside organisations, therefore, was 92 per cent.

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department transferred 30 posts from London to its Darlington office in 1988. Only two of the staff transferred with the work.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are currently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affected.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department is proposing to relocate a further 50 posts from London to its Darlington office during 1990. In addition, a senior official of the Department is about to undertake a study of the long-term location requirements of the Department in the light of the Government's policy on relocation. The study will consider various possibilities, including the handling of some functions regionally. It is not at present possible to say how staff will be affected.

  PhD Students
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken by the Government to encourage PhD students into university research departments.

  Mr. Jackson
  Approximately 60 per cent. of full-time PhD students are supported from Government sources,224
  primarily through grant in aid from the Department of Education and Science to the research councils and the British Academy. Three thousand nine hundred and ninety six new research studentships were awarded by these bodies in 1989, an increase of 134 over 1988. The postgraduate award-making bodies are better placed than Government to assess national needs for PhDs and to determine the optimum distribution of these studentships between different departments and subjects.

  Energy Conference
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what departmental representation there was at the fourth international energy conference of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, on 4 and 5 December.

  Mr. Jackson
  I understand that attendance at the conference was by invitation. I am not aware that the Department of Education and Science received an invitation, and therefore the Department was not represented at this conference.

  Disabled Children
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many disabled children are currently in special schools within the South Yorkshire area; and what steps he has taken to ensure that for each child, the local education authority is issuing a statement of needs in accordance with the law.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The number of children in special schools within the southern Yorkshire area in January 1989 was 2,807. LEAs have a duty under the 1981 Education Act to identify special education needs and issue a statement when appropriate. It is for each authority to decide on their own local policy.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimates he has of the true cost of supporting disabled children in main stream education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Department does not collect data on spending on children with statements of special educational needs in ordinary schools.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the extent of in-service teacher training on disability awareness; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  No information is collected centrally on the extent of awareness training on disability. The Government provide substantial support, through the local education authority training grants scheme, for training to meet special educational needs, which include certain disabilities. Five categories of training in respect of special educational needs are currently designated as national priorities, eligible for support at the higher rate of grant under the scheme. In the current financial year, grant is available to support expenditure of £6·6 million in these areas. In addition, authorities are free to draw on the grant available to them under the scheme at the lower rate, in support of further expenditure at their discretion on training on aspects of disability.

  Greenhouse Effect
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much money is currently allocated by the Government for the funding of the study at universities of the behaviour of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; and how much it plans to allocate for this purpose in 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Jackson
  I understand that in 1989–90 the NERC has allocated £155,000 to higher education institutions for research into the chemistry and physics of greenhouse gases. This basic work is included in the £890,000 that the NERC is providing overall in 1989–90 for research in higher education institutions related to climate change and its impacts. It will be for the research councils to decide their future priorities for specific research areas, within the overall totals allocated. My right hon. Friend will shortly receive the ABRC's advice on the allocation of the science budget for 1990–91, and his decisions after receiving that advice will be announced in due course.

  Climate Change
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what funds the Government intend to allocate for the United Kingdom's participation in the WCRP's global energy and water cycles experiment to place a lidar on one of the polar platform satellites in the late 1990's.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has requested the ABRC's advice on what further allocation is appropriate for earth observation instruments, particularly on polar platforms, in addition to the minimum £6 million recently announced for an instrument associated with the proposed earth remote sensing satellite (ERS2). His decisions after receving that advice will be announced in due course. It will be for the research councils to decide, within the overall totals allocated, their priorities for specific research areas.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what funds the Government are making available in 1990–91 to ensure the maintenance in the United Kingdom of an independent national research programme into global climate changes.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has requested the ABRC's advice on the allocation of the science budget for 1990–91. His decisions after receiving that advice will be announced in due course. It will be for the research councils to decide, within the overall totals allocated, their priorities for specific research areas. Global climate change is necessarily a problem on an international scale, and the strength of United Kingdom research enables our scientists to make key contributions to important international collaborative programmes.

  Local Authority Bids
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy on the treatment of local authority supplementary bids for(a) education capital expenditure in 1990, 1991 and 1992, (b) education support grant in 1990–91 in respect of training for school governors, (c) education support grant in 1990–91 and (d) local authority training grants scheme support in 1990–91
  226
  where such bids are being made to support the development of magnet schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend is willing to consider any bids for grants within his responsibility which are submitted by local education authorities as being consistent with the objectives of the grant and the arrangements for its allocation, and are designed to support worthwhile developments. He is currently considering the bids submitted by LEAs for education support grant funding, including those for school governor training, and for LEA training grant scheme funding in 1990–91; the allocations for all LEAs will be announced around the turn of the year.

  Annual capital guidelines are assessed in accordance with well-established criteria which are familiar to local education authorities. My right hon. Friend expects to make an announcement about annual capital guidelines for LEAs in 1990–91 shortly before Christmas.

  Magnet Schools (Bradford)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the minute of the meeting between his Minister of State and members of Bradford council on 28 September records as the statement of the policy which his Department would operate in relation to a supplementary bid for local authority training grants scheme support in 1990–91 in relation to magnet schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The statement of policy given at my meeting on 28 September was as set out in the reply that I have given today to a separate question from the hon. Member on the same subject.

  Training Grants (Bradford)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what view was expressed in the letter from J. W. Whitaker of his Department, to Mr. Nils Purser, assistant director 13-plus, Bradford education directorate, dated 19 October, following a meeting between the Minister of State and elected members at Bradford council, about the availability of resources under the local authority training grants scheme support in 1990–91.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The letter said that the Department could not offer any prospect of making available the significant additional funds the authority was seeking for 1990–91 from within the LEA training grant scheme, since the grant is allocated to LEAs on a formula basis and it was likely that resources would be fully committed on the lines indicated by the indicative allocations, which had been set out in DES circular 20/89. The letter went on to say that LEAs' expenditure is monitored at the end of each calendar year and spare resources resulting from projected underspending are reallocated for use in the final quarter of the financial year.

  Medical Research Council
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received the annual report of the Medical Research Council for 1988–89; and if he will make a statement.
  227
  Mr. MacGregor
  The annual report of the Medical Research Council for 1988–89 has been submitted to me under the requirements of the Science and Technology Act 1965. A copy has been laid before the House, and the report is being published today. I was most interested to study the report and, in an eventful year for the Council, I was particularly encouraged to note:

  (i) Exciting fundamental research in such fields as neurobiology and molecular, cell and developmental biology offering the prospect of practical advances in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and of commercially important developments. Examples include the work on protein function and design, on antibody engineering, on pre-implantation diagnosis of genetic disease, and on the role of neurotransmitters in the brain.

  (ii) The establishment of the Council's human genome mapping project.

  (iii) Promising research on the factors that influence susceptibility to coronary heart disease, and the trial of anti-coagulants in reducing the risk of thrombosis following myocardial infarction.

  (iv) The continued build-up of the Council's broad programme of research on AIDS which includes work on vaccines and drugs, epidemiological studies, and a new joint Anglo-French clinical trail of zidovudine for patients who are infected with HIV but have not yet become ill.

  (v) A major programme of breast cancer screening trials to determine: the optimum frequency of screening; the proportion of deaths which could be prevented by mammographic screening of women under 50; and the best way of detecting cancers by mammography. This is being funded jointly by the Medical Research Council, the Department of Health and the Cancer Research Campaign.

  (vi) A wide range of work of direct relevance to the health services, particularly studies: of vision screening in infancy; of the care of asthma patients; of determinants of re-attendance at accident and emergency departments; of procedures for identifying elderly people at risk of hip fracture; of cervical screening procedures; and of the care of terminally ill cancer patients.

  Economic and Social Research Council
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received the annual report of the Economic and Social Research Council for 1988–89; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Macgregor
  The annual report of the Economic and Social Research Council has been submitted to me under the requirements of the Science and Technology Act 1965, and a copy is being laid before the House today.

  I was most interested to read about the council's achievements in a challenging year in which its headquarters moved to Swindon. I was particularly interested to note:

  (a) the continued good progress in improving the communication of its research to a wider audience;

  (b) the establishment of interdisciplinary research centres in micro social change at the university of Essex and in human communication at the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow; and

  (c) the priority given by the council to improved training in research methods.

  I congratulate the council on these and its many other achievements and anticipate reading of further progress in next year's report.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  House of Fraser
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General if the serious fraud squad has now completed its investigations into the implications of the House of Fraser report.

  The Attorney-General
  No. I frequently discuss the investigation with both the Director of Public Prosecutions and the director of the Serious Fraud Office. It is our joint intention that it should continue to be pressed forward with all dispatch and speedily concluded. The remaining inquiries, which are current, relate to matters outside the United Kingdom's jurisdiction.

  Westway Locksmiths Ltd.
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Attorney-General whether criminal proceedings are to be brought against Westway Locksmiths Limited relating to the sale and fraudulent advertising for sale of skeleton car keys; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown prosecution service has received no reports from the police concerning Westway Locksmiths. However, I understand that criminal proceedings brought by Tameside trading standards department are pending before Manchester Crown court. In the circumstances, it would not be appropriate to comment further.

  Land Registry, Plymouth
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Attorney-General what was the average delay in replying to inquiries to the Land Registry in Plymouth in(a) November 1989 and (b) November 1988.

  The Attorney-General
  The great majority of urgent pre-contract and pre-completion applications are now completed within four days. The percentages of such applications taking longer than that are set out in the table.

  (a) November 1989 Percentage

  (b) November 1989 Percentage

  Searches of the whole of a registered title

  0

  1

  Searches of part of a registered title

  1

  8

  Searches of the index map

  6

  16

  Office copies (register and filed plan only)

  3

  12

  Note: Overall averages for the time taken to deal with such applications are not available.

THE ARTS

  Community-based Arts
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has any plans to give financial assistance to community-based arts organisations.

  Mr. Luce
  I fund the arts at arm's length. It is a matter for the Arts Council and the regional arts association to decide on the funding of such organisations.

  Performing Arts (East Anglia)
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the performance arts in East Anglia for the financial years 1987 to 1990.

  Mr. Luce
  During this period, the performing arts in East Anglia have expanded as in the country as a whole. Audience attendance figures and levels of self-generated income have generally increased. Particular successes have included the Cambridge festival, Wingfield arts and music, and the Norfolk and Norwich triennial festival. For more detailed information, the hon. Member may care to write to David Cargill, the Chairman of Eastern Arts, which is the regional arts association with responsibility for East Anglia. The RAA's address is: Eastern Arts, Cherry Hinton Hall, Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge, CB1 4DW.

SCOTLAND

  Babies (Special Care)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1981 the number of babies born weighing under 1,500 grams.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The total number of babies born weighing less than 1,500 grams in Scotland in the years 1981–87 is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1981

  649

  1982

  622

  1983

  650

  1984

  719

  1985

  664

  1986

  705

  1987

  684

  British Medical Association
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet representatives of the British Medical Association (Scotland).

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend and I are regularly in contact with representatives of the British Medical Association in Scotland about a wide range of matters.

  Sheriff Courts
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish the research funded by his Department and carried out by Dr. Carol Jones of the centre for criminology and the social and philosophical study of law at Edinburgh university, which was undertaken in 1987 into the study of the sheriff courts in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Dr. Carol Jones's report on contested cases in the Scottish sheriff courts has not yet been submitted in final form. The question of publication will be considered after it has been received.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro),Official Report, 28 November,
  230
  columns 188–89, how many of the 179 respondents expressed (a) an unconditional welcome for the proposed NCC-CCS merger and (b) the need for a strong science base or co-ordination of standards, research and matters of British or international significance, and (c) the need for sufficient resources.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Development Department's consultation paper invited comments on the Government's proposals to bring forward legislation to merge the Countryside Commission for Scotland and the proposed Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland to form a natural heritage agency for Scotland. Of the 179 respondents, 159 expressed a view on his proposal and, of these, 98 in principle supported it. Almost all respondents commented on a range of issues including science and resources, or sought assurances that the Government would address particular issues before finalising their proposals. As a result, the responses are not capable of analysis in terms of the questions posed.

  In connection with co-ordination on science issues, I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 23 November, at columns 16–17.

  A file containing a copy of all the responses, except the few which were submitted in confidence, is available for inspection in the House of Commons Library.

  Playground Supervision
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received in response to consultation on draft regulations on playground supervision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Sixty-four representations have been received from education authorities, teachers' associations and a wide range of other organisations and individuals representing parental and other educational interests.

  There has been widespread support for the proposals in the draft regulations which would (a) put a statutory duty on education authorities to take reasonable care for the safety of pupils under their charge; and (b) introduce a specific statutory duty to provide adult supervision of primary school playgrounds in breaktimes.

  Respondents also made a number of specific suggestions for improvement of the regulations, and the Government will be taking account of these in bringing revised regulations before Parliament. The revised regulations will require that the duty to provide playground supervision should extend to special schools as well as to primary schools. We will also provide for primary schools with fewer than 50 pupils to be exempt from the duty to have an adult supervisor in the playground except where circumstances require it. And we will require a clear definition to be made locally of what area is covered by the term "playground".

  We regret that education authorities felt unable to meet the proposed timetable for implementation in January 1990. In the interests of smooth introduction of the new arrangements we now intend that the regulations should come into force in April 1990, although I will be encouraging local authorities to provide playground supervision before then if possible.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Disabled People
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the projects concerning the rehabilitation of people with disabilities which his Department is currently funding in developing countries; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what action he takes to consult organisations of people with disabilities in the countries concerned before making grants for projects concerning rehabilitation of people with disabilities in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The following projects concerning the rehabilitation of people with disabilities are being funded from ODA's bilateral programmes in 1989/90:

  Country and Project
  Bangladesh—Rehabilitation Institute and Hospital for the Disabled: Orthopaedic Surgeons.
  Fiji—Disabled Children in the Community Speech Therapist, Bailey Clinic.
  India—Assistance to Spastic Societies in Bombay, Calcutta and Delhi.
  Consultancies to Formulate Projects to Assist Various Disabled Groups.
  Sri Lanka—Cleft Lips and Palates.

  Zimbabwe: provision of orthopaedic technicians, equipment and training for a hospital in Harare (recently completed). These Government-to-Government programmes result from official requests received by Her Majesty's Government; consultation with local groups is usually a matter for the recipient countries' authorities though in some cases officials, including specialist health advisers in ODA will have direct contact with beneficiary groups at an early stage.

  Under the joint funding scheme, ODA also provides grants to United Kingdom non-governmental organisations operating in developing projects for the partial funding of their countries. JFS projects are normally executed by local organisations working with the United Kingdom NGOs. ODA is currently financing the following JFS projects:

  Agency/Country and Project

  Action on Disability and Development

  Africa

  Employment of Development Officer

  India

  Development and Training Group of People with Disability

  Orthopaedic Workshop, Bangalore

  Training Course and Extended Orthopaedic Workshop

  Sudan

  Orthopaedic Workshop, Nyala Society for Disabled

  Tanzania

  Development Programme for Disabled People

  Uganda

  Regionalise Management/Support, National Union Disabled People

  Zimbabwe

  Income Generation for Disabled People

  British Red Cross Society

  Papua New Guinea

  Special Education Centre

  Uganda

  Mulago Hospital Orthopaedic Project

  Help the Aged

  India

  Rehabilitation of Handicapped in Rural Areas

  Kenya

  Refracting Service

  232
  Impact Foundation

  India

  Leprosy Disability Prevention and Limitation

  Leonard Cheshire Foundation

  Ethiopia

  Medical Education and Rehabilitation Centre

  Malaysia

  Far East Region Training Programme

  Video Training

  Richmond Fellowship

  India

  Bangalore Pilot Project, Mental Health Rehabilitation

  Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind

  Bangladesh

  Community Based Rehabilitation

  Manpower Development Programme and Primary Eye Care

  Malawi

  Ophthalmic Assistants Training

  Solomon Islands

  Eye Care Services in the Pacific

  Further assistance for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities is provided through the heads of mission gift scheme, the heads of mission small projects scheme and the British volunteer programme; a list of these is not readily available.

  The overseas aid programme will continue to respond positively to requests to provide assistance for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities. It will also continue to support programmes aimed at combating tropical diseases which result in disabling conditions.

  Sri Lanka (Aid)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his reply of 29 November to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth, what is his forecast for aid for Sri Lanka for 1990–91; what type of projects in Sri Lanka are likely to attract British overseas aid; and what additional aid will be made available to Sri Lanka following the damage and injury caused by civil disturbance.

  Mr. Maude
  Britain supports a wide range of projects in Sri Lanka in the education, power, roads and natural resources sectors. Last year a grant of £20 million was signed for reconstruction aid, including the provision of vehicles, railway track, hospital and educational equipment, and support for NGO programmes. The grant has not yet been fully allocated to specific uses, and projects under consideration with the Sri Lankan Government include road rehabilitation and forestry. Britain is also considering providing balance of payments support as part of an economic reform programme which the Sri Lankan authorities are discussing with the IMF and IBRD. Aid expenditure in 1990–91 is uncertain at this stage, and will depend upon a number of factors, including any delays caused by civil disturbances.

  Market Research
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many market research and sample surveys were carried out by or for his Department in the last 12 months; what was the cost of each; what was the total cost; how many were carried out
  233
  in house; how many were carried out for his Department by outside organisations; and what percentage of the total expenditure was paid to outside organisations.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No market research or sample surveys have been undertaken in house in the past 12 months. In this period, one sample survey was carried out by an outside organisation at a cost of £10,470·75.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many persons above the age of(a) 60, (b) 65 and (c) 70 years he has appointed to public bodies in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The information is not immediately available, and I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Immigration Service Union
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why his Department decided not to recognise the Immigration Service Union or to deduct membership contributions for its members seconded from the Home Office to his Department.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Immigration service officers serving in Foreign and Commonwealth Office posts overseas remain members of the Home Civil Service. Any negotiations on pay and conditions of service of Immigration Service Union members overseas are conducted by the Immigration Service Union with the Home Office and/or Treasury as appropriate. The question of formal Foreign and Commonwealth Office recognition therefore does not arise.

  South Africa
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of South Africa about the need to treat all British citizens equally with regard to visa requirements.

  Mr. Maude
  We would of course be concerned if evidence was presented of discrimination against a British citizen on grounds of colour by any country in the operation of their visa regime.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set up an inquiry into the working of the United Kingdom's visa treaty with South Africa.

  Mr. Maude
  The United Kingdom has no visa treaty with South Africa.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding the South African Government's guidelines for British citizens who travel to that country of(a) European and (b) not pure European descent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has received no such representations.

  Poland and Hungary
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the amount and types of economic assistance currently being given to Poland and Hungary; and what is the planned future level and types of such assistance.

  Mr. Maude
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, gave my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-East (Mr. Kirkhope) on 29 November, at column 318. With regard to future amounts and types of assistance, the know-how funds for Poland and Hungary are expected to continue for five years: it is not possible at this stage to say whether additional assistance will be made available in the future.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many orphans there are at present in the camps in Hong Kong; how they are to be repatriated; and what measures he will entake to ensure a satisfactory result.

  Mr. Maude
  [pursuant to the reply, 4 December 1989, c. 26]: No figures are available for the number of orphans in the camps in Hong Kong, but there are estimated to be about 1,000 unaccompanied minors. The Hong Kong Government are discussing with the UNHCR the establishment of special procedures under the comprehensive plan of action for dealing with unaccompanied minors, with the aim of identifying the most humane and appropriate course in each individual case. This might mean repatriation where the child's parents or closest relatives are in Vietnam, or resettlement where the nearest family ties are overseas.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Personal Debt
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the estimate of the current level of personal debt in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Cunliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the estimate of the current level of personal debt in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. George Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the estimate of the current level of personal debt in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Ryder
  Figures for personal sector debt are given in "Financial Statistics" table 14·4. The amount outstanding at end June 1989, as shown in the November issue, was about £378 billion. An analysis of the greater part of this debt using an alternative instrument classification and showing the amount regarded as consumer credit is given in "Financial Statistics" table 9.3.

  Exporters
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect upon exporters of current Government policies on interest rates and the pound sterling exchange rate.
  235
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department has assessed the effect upon exporters of current Government policies on interest rates and the pound sterling exchange rate.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect upon exporters of current Government policies on interest rates and the pound sterling exchange rate.

  Mr. Ryder
  A forecast of exports for 1990 is given in the Autumn Statement.

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount investment by manufacturing industry in the north-west increased during 1988.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Regional information for 1988 is not yet available. Net capital expenditure by manufacturing industries in the north-west in 1987 was £1,204 million, compared with £1,000 million in 1986. The corresponding figures for the United Kingdom as a whole are £9,754 million and £8,705 million. These figures are expressed in current prices. Constant price estimates are not made, because regional price indices are not compiled.

  House Purchase
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate at 1989–90 income levels the cost to the Exchequer of(a) raising the ceiling on mortgage interest relief from £30,000 to £50,000 and (b) raising the ceiling for exemption from stamp duty on land and buildings from £30,000 to £60,000.

  Mr. Lilley
  (a) The direct revenue cost at 1989–90 income levels of raising the ceiling on mortgage interest relief from £30,000 to £50,000 is estimated to be about £900 million. This estimate makes no allowance for any consequential change to the distribution of outstanding mortgages. It is based on a projection of the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes, and is therefore provisional.

  (b) An increase in the stamp duty threshold for land and buildings from £30,000 to £60,000 is estimated to cost about £210 million at forecast 1989–90 levels.

  Third World Debt
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate what general guidance is given to banking institutions in the United Kingdom about the total proportion of Third world debt which would be appropriate for them to consider as irrecoverable for taxation purposes, as defined in his answer of 15 November,Official Report, column 330, when writing off amounts of such debt in any one year.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Inland Revenue issued a statement of practice on 25 January 1983, a copy of which is in the Library, setting out the general principles which it regarded as applying in law to the tax treatment of sovereign and commercial debt. As to the amount, the Bank of England has issued a matrix to the banks to assist them in the process of setting provisions for supervisory purposes; the Inland Revenue has indicated that this should provide relevant material for considering the extent to which specific provisions are properly deductible for tax purposes.

  Market Research
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many market research and sample surveys were carried out by or for the Central Office of Information in the last 12 months; what was the cost of each; what was the total cost; how many were carried out in-house; how many were carried out for the Central Office of Information by outside organisations; and what percentage of the total expenditure was paid to outside organisations.

  Mr. Ryder
  One hundred and forty-four separate research projects were undertaken by COI on behalf of various Government Departments in 1988–89. The total cost of these, including VAT, was £2·3 million. Interviewing, data analysis and the majority of report preparation was undertaken for COI by specialist commercial organisations, usually appointed on tender: some 70 per cent. of the above cost was paid to those outside organisations. The details of each project is a matter for the Department which commissioned the research.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what research has been conducted into the effect of the ending of all personal income tax allowances and in particular the effects on the poverty trap; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  All options for reforming the tax system are kept under review.

  VAT
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total repayment of value added tax to local authorities for the last complete period.

  Mr. Ryder
  Total value added tax repaid to local authorities in the last financial year, 1988–89, was £1,479 million and in the current financial year, up to the end of October, was £1,030 million.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the repayments of value added tax to local authorities.

  Mr. Ryder
  There are no plans at present for a review of the provisions of section 20 of the VAT Act 1983.

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.

  Mr. Ryder
  No relocations of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Department's staff have taken place since May 1979.

  Married Couples (Taxation)
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the married couple's allowance, which is to be introduced in April 1990, will be worth as a proportion of the current available personal allowances.
  237
  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: The value of the married couple's allowance in 1989–90 terms is £1,590, equivalent to the different between the present single person's and married man's allowances. My right hon. Friend will announce the level of allowances for 1990–91 in the usual way, in next year's Budget.

  Mortgage Interest Relief
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate at 1989–90 income levels the level to which the ceiling on mortgage interest relief could be raised if the annual cost to the Exchequer were limited to(a) £0·25 billion, (b) £0·5 billion, (c) £1 billion and (d) £2 billion.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: Provisional estimates of the costs of increasing the ceiling for mortgage relief above £30,000 are given in the table. All estimates exclude behavioural effects which, for the higher ceilings quoted, would be substantial.

  Direct revenue cost at 1989–90 income levels

  £million

  Ceiling (£)

  250

  34,000

  500

  38,000

  1,000

  54,000

  2,000

  no limit

  Retail Price Index
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what items are included in the calculations for the retail price index of(a) Japan, (b) West Germany, (c) France, (d) the Netherlands, (e) Denmark, (f) Sweden, (g) Canada, (h) the United States of America and (i) the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: Each national survey office includes a great number of items in its retail price index, details of which are published in national statistical sources. Copies of the relevant material have been placed in the House of Commons Library. The information requested for the United Kingdom was published by the Department of Employment in the Employment Gazette for April 1989.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the change in manufacturing output in(a) 1964 to 1970, (b) 1970 to 1974, (c) 1974 to 1979 and (d) 1979 to the latest date available; and what was the change in manufacturing output for (i) West Germany, (ii) Japan, (iii) USA, (iv) France, (v) Italy, (vi) Benelux countries and (vii) Spain during the same periods.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: Following is the information requested.

  (annual average percentage change)

  1964–70

  1970–74

  1974–79

  1979–88

  United Kingdom

  2·8

  2·2

  -0·6

  0·8

  United States

  4·4

  4·7

  3·8

  3·9

  Japan

  13·7

  5·1

  3·3

  3·9

  Germany

  5·5

  2·0

  1·9

  1·1

  France

  5·1

  5·9

  1·4

  0·4

  Italy

  6·9

  4·5

  2·2

  1·5

  Spain

  12·1

  11·1

  0·3

  1·5

  238

  1964–70

  1970–74

  1974–79

  1979–88

  Belgium

  5·0

  5·2

  0·9

  1·3

  Luxembourg

  2·9

  5·0

  -2·3

  2·9

  Netherlands

  6·9

  4·7

  1·6

  1·7

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Soft Loan Facility
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future of the aid and trade provision soft loan facility.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In 1986, a soft loan facility within the aid and trade provision of the overseas aid programme was established for an initial period of five years, ending March 1991. It has enabled ATP grant funds to support long-term loans to developing countries, at concessional rates of interest, provided by private banks and guaranteed by ECGD, for agreed sound development projects. This complemented the existing mixed credit instrument by which ATP grants are provided normally in association with export credits to help finance the capital costs of sound development projects.

  A review of the soft loan facility has now been completed. It has been agreed that the facility should be extended beyond March 1991. The method of ATP support will, however, be changed so that ATP funds used to reduce the rate of interest to the borrower, will be provided over the construction period of the project and during the drawdown period of the loan, rather than as at present over the full life of the loan.

  The proposed new method of funding will enable us to dispense with the need for separate allocations of ATP funds for mixed credits and soft loans. This will enable us to respond more flexibly to individual circumstances using whichever financing mechanism is the more cost effective. The level of the overall ATP allocation within the aid programme is a matter for Ministers to review annually, but no significant future changes are seen at present from current levels of ATP project support.

WALES

  Sheep
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many lowland sheep farmers in each of the Welsh counties have 500 breeding ewes or over; and what were the corresponding figures for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The number of holdings outside the less favourable areas with 500 breeding ewes or over is shown in the following table:

  At June:

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Powys

  13

  13

  4

  Gwynedd

  40

  40

  41

  Dyfed

  22

  27

  28

  Clwyd

  35

  34

  33

  South Glamorgan

  7

  6

  9

  Mid Glamorgan

  3

  4

  5

  West Glamorgan

  3

  4

  3

  Gwent

  15

  17

  17

  239

  1 Where fewer than 3 holdings are involved the precise number has been withheld in order to protect individual farmers' confidentiality.

  Corresponding figures for earlier years are not available.

  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on(a) the average size of sheep flocks in Wales and (b) comparable sheep flocks in the rest of the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  (a) At June 1988 the average size of a sheep flock in Wales was 587 (head).

  (b) the latest comparable information available is in respect of 1985 and is shown in the following table:

  Average size of sheep flock

  Country

  Number

  Wales

  540

  United Kingdom

  404

  Belgium

  18

  Denmark

  16

  Federal Republic of Germany

  27

  Greece

  38

  France

  69

  Ireland

  91

  Italy

  46

  Luxembourg

  18

  Netherlands

  41

  Europe (10)

  94

  Nursery Factories (Ceredigion)
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action has been taken in the current year to build nursery factories in Ceredigion; and what further action is proposed.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Development Board for Rural Wales's factory construction programme for 1989–90 does not contain any proposals to build nursery factories in Ceredigion. I am currently considering the board's proposed factory construction programme for 1990–91 and expect to make an announcement in the new year.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what actions were taken by his Department to establish the causes of food poisoning in Wales between the publication of the annual notification rate for 1985 and April 1989;

  (2) what steps were taken by his Department between the publication of the 1985 returns for notification of reported cases of food poisoning in Wales and April 1989 to establish whether rises in the number of cases were linked to changes in food handling in the home;

  (3) what steps were taken by his Department between the publication of the 1985 returns for notification of reported cases of food poisoning in Wales and April 1989 to establish whether rises in the number of cases were linked to changes in food production;

  (4) what steps were taken by his Department between the publication of the 1985 returns for notification of reported cases of food poisoning in Wales and April 1989 to establish whether rises in the number of cases were linked to changes in agriculture;

  (5) what steps were taken by his Department between the publication of the 1985 returns for notification of
  240
  reported cases of food poisoning in Wales and April 1989 to establish whether rises in the number of cases were linked to changes in food technology;

  (6) what steps were taken by his Department between the publication of the 1985 returns for notification of reported cases of food poisoning in Wales and April 1989 to establish whether rises in the number of cases were linked to changes in food distribution;

  (7) what steps were taken by his Department between the publication of the 1985 returns for notification of reported cases of food poisoning in Wales and April 1989 to establish whether rises in the number of cases were linked to changes in retailing practices;

  (8) what steps were taken by his Department between the publication of the 1985 returns for notification of reported cases of food poisoning in Wales and April 1989 to establish whether rises in the number of cases were linked to changes in catering.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 30 November at column 342. The notifications to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and the analyses by the communicable disease surveillance centre will not necessarily indicate the point in the food chain where contamination might have occurred.

  The purpose of the Food Safety Bill is to strengthen food law and improve controls across the whole of the food chain in order to minimise the incidence of food poisoning.

  Area Health Authorities
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) chairpersons and (b) members of area health authorities in Wales he has appointed since June 1987, by reference to each authority area.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is shown in the following table:

  Authority

  Chairmen1

  Members

  All reappointments

  New appointments2

  Reappointments

  Clwyd

  2

  4

  2

  Dyfed

  1

  2

  4

  Gwent

  —

  4

  —

  Gwynedd

  —

  6

  —

  Mid Glamorgan

  1

  4

  4

  Pembrokeshire

  —

  1

  4

  Powys

  —

  1

  4

  South Glamorgan

  1

  5

  3

  West Glamorgan

  —

  6

  1

  5

  33

  22

  1 The Chairman in Clwyd has been reappointed twice during the period in question.

  2 Three people were appointed and later reappointed during the period in question and appear in both columns.

  Community Psychiatric Nurses
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many community psychiatric nurses are employed in each area health authority in Wales; and how many vacancies currently exist for such nurses.

  Mr. Grist
  Information on community psychiatric nurses in post is shown in the following table. Information on vacancies is not available centrally:
  241

  Community psychiatric nurses in post as at 30 September 1989 (whole-time equivalents)

  Mental illness

  Mental handicap

  Clwyd

  49·1

  13·0

  East Dyfed

  21·1

  4·4

  Gwent

  31·5

  16·2

  Gwynedd

  27·0

  23·0

  Mid Glamorgan

  31·9

  13·9

  Pembrokeshire

  5·0

  —

  Powys

  19·0

  6·5

  South Glamorgan

  43·7

  12·0

  West Glamorgan

  25·0

  11·4

  "Working For Patients"
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received on the White Paper, "Working for Patients"; how many were in favour of the proposals; and how many were against.

  Mr. Grist
  The Department has received several hundred representations on this White Paper from MPs, MEPs, professionals and other representative bodies, trade unions, health authorities and the general public. A detailed analysis could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.

  Therapists
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students are attending colleges and universities in Wales which will lead to qualifications entitling them to practise as(a) speech therapists, (b) occupational therapists, (c) physiotherapists and (d) sign language interpreters.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The number of students undergoing training in Wales is shown as follows:

  Number

  Speech therapists

  54

  Occupational therapists

  76

  Physiotherapists

  95

  Speech therapy training is provided at the South Glamorgan institute of higher education. The occupational therapist and physiotherapist students are receiving their training at the combined training institute in Cardiff. A further 43 people are attending an in-service occupational therapy course administered by the Mid Glamorgan district health authority on behalf of the Health Service in Wales.

  No information is held centrally about students training as sign language interpreters.

  Community Care
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to provide training for social workers and other local authority staff who may be responsible for the community care programme.

  Mr. Grist
  The primary responsibility for training local authority staff in community care rests with local authorities. The Department has provided additional help through its service initiatives for particular client groups and is, for example, spending £436,000 this year on training within the all-Wales mental handicap strategy. Further steps to enhance training in the community care 242
  field, in particular in relation to management and to services for elderly people, are currently under consideration.

  GP Budgets
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has received any notification from any doctor's practice in Wales to apply for its own budget pursuant to the proposal contained in the White Paper, "Working for Patients."

  Mr. Grist
  No.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has received any notification from any hospital in Wales that it would seek to apply for a national health hospital trust.

  Mr. Grist
  No.

EMPLOYMENT

  Textiles and Clothing Industries
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on job losses in the United Kingdom textile and clothing industries.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on job losses in the United Kingdom textile and clothing industries.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statment on job losses in the United Kingdom textile and clothing industries.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Estimates of employees in employment in the textile and clothing industries in Great Britain from June 1984 to June 1989 are set out in the table which follows. Estimates for the United Kingdom are not available.

  Employees in employment in textile and clothing industries (SIC 80) Great Britain

  (Thousands)

  Textiles

  Clothing including fur goods

  SIC 43

  SIC 453

  June 1984

  233·5

  212·2

  June 1985

  234·5

  213·0

  June 1986

  238·2

  210·7

  June 1987

  229·0

  205·0

  June 1988

  231·0

  204·3

  June 1989

  217·8

  192·8

  Changes

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  June 1984 to June 1989

  -15·8

  -19·4

  (-6·7)

  (-9·1)

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been lost in the textile and clothing industries in the United Kingdom over the last five years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 5 December 1989]: Estimates of employees in employment in the textile and

  243
  clothing industries in Great Britain from June 1984 to June 1989 are set out in the table which follows. Estimates for the United Kingdom are not available.

  Employees in employment in textile and clothing industries (SIC 80) Great Britain

  (Thousands)

  Textiles SIC 43

  Clothing (including fur goods) SIC 453

  June 1984

  233·5

  212·2

  June 1985

  234·5

  213·0

  June 1986

  238·2

  210·7

  June 1987

  229·0

  205·0

  June 1988

  231·0

  204·3

  June 1989

  217·8

  192·8

  Changes

  June 1984—June 1989

  -15·8

  -19·4

  (-6·7 per cent·)

  (-9·1 per cent·)

  Training Credits
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the proposals for training credits for young people.

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

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils in Wales have received development funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend has approved applications for development funding from five groups of employers in Wales.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which London boroughs participate in employment training; and how many places each of them has.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The London boroughs which are employment training training managers and the number of places each has contracted for are given in the following table. Boroughs may also participate through providing practical training placements or directed training (at their colleges) to other training managers. Information is not kept centrally on such involvement.

  Employment Training London boroughs: contracted places September 1989

  Borough

  Places

  Enfield

  300

  Brent

  250

  Harrow

  150

  Kingston upon Thames

  150

  Hounslow

  400

  Hillingdon

  100

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons in the Barnsley, East constituency are currently registered on the employment training scheme.
  244
  Mr. Nicholls
  Information on the numbers on employment training is not available for the Barnsley, East constituency. On 24 November 1989, the latest date for which information is available, there were 1,752 trainees on employment training in Barnsley, which includes the Barnsley, East constituency.

  British Coal (Disabled Employees)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to what percentage of the work force employed by British Coal are registered as disabled.

  Mr. Eggar
  As at 1 June 1988, 0·4 per cent. of the work force of British Coal were registered disabled, as published in the Employment Gazette in May 1989. Figures for 1989 will be published early in the new year.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to designate employment training as an approved training scheme in 1990–91.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department has no plans to designate employment training as an approved training scheme.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to make refusal of a place on employment training evidence that a claimant is not actively seeking work.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend has no such plans. Employment training offers a valuable route back into work which all long-term unemployed people would do well to consider. Well over 500,000 people have already benefited from training on the programme.

  Restart
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to make restart courses compulsory.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are no such plans, but conditions attached to restart courses are kept continuously under review.

  Football Grounds (Safety)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what dates(a) Rochdale football club, (b) Manchester United football club, (c) Manchester City football club, (d) Stockport County football club, (e) Oldham Athletic football club, (f) Bury football club and (g) Bolton Wanderers football club were last inspected by the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Club

  Date of last inspection

  (a) Rochdale Football Club

  14 February 1977

  (b) Manchester United Football Club

  9 May 1984

  (c) Manchester City Football Club

  No inspection visits made

  (d) Stockport County Football Club

  No inspection visits made

  (e) Oldham Athletic Football Club

  23 November 1977

  245

  Club

  Date of last inspection

  (f) Bury Football Club

  No inspection visits made

  (g) Bolton Wanderers Football Club

  8 June 1988

  Inspections of football clubs by the Health and Safety Executive are restricted to the health, safety and welfare of employees. Enforcement of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975, which covers spectator safety, is the responsibility of local authorities.

  Relocation
  Mr. Jim Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.

  Mr. Eggar
  On 2 August 1989, my right hon. Friend announced that 1,100 jobs from my Department's headquarters in London, Watford and Reading will be moved to Runcorn (800) and Sheffield (300) over the next two to three years.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are currently being considered; and what are the number of staff affected.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 6 November 1989 at columns 471–72 to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood).

  Table 1—Applications registered

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  581

  582

  581

  582

  581

  582

  581

  582

  Applications registered

  822

  15

  4,760

  12

  421

  6

  334

  3

  Table 2—Outcome of applications to industrial tribunals

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  581

  582

  581

  582

  581

  582

  581

  582

  ACAS—Settlement

  1291

  6

  2907

  3

  33,776

  3

  88

  2

  Other—Withdrawal

  150

  4

  151

  4

  186

  2

  143

  2

  Successful

  56

  7

  51

  2

  35

  —

  15

  2

  Dismissed—Out of scope

  115

  1

  31

  1

  48

  —

  12

  —

  Dismissed—Other reasons

  110

  6

  145

  3

  72

  2

  73

  1

  Disposed of—Otherwise

  8

  138

  —

  42

  —

  5

  —

  Total

  730

  24

  1,423

  13

  4,159

  7

  336

  7

  1 Including multiple application of c. 125.

  2 Including multiple application of c. 780.

  3 Including multiple application of c. 3400.

  Notes on tables:

  581 = Complaints under Section 58 (1)(a) and (b).

  582 = Complaints under Section 58 (1)(c).

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of applications to industrial tribunals under section 27 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 recorded in the period 1979–88 and indicate of those(a) the number of Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service conciliated

  BAT Factory (Liverpool)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the overall effect on unemployment in Liverpool of the proposed closure of the British American Tobacco factory.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is not possible to estimate the overall effect that the proposed closure will have on unemployment in Liverpool. The company has announced that 476 jobs will be lost at the Liverpool site.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department was informed of the proposed closure of the British American Tobacco factory in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The company sent my right hon. Friend an advance copy of the press release which it issued on 24 November.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of applications to industrial tribunals under section 58 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 in the period of 1984 to 1988 and indicate how many were complaints under section 58(1)(a) and (b) compared with the number under section 58(1)(c); and if he will give the outcome of these cases under the two separate categories and indicate(a) the number of Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service conciliated settlements, (b) withdrawal, not via Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, (c) successful at tribunal hearing, (d) dismissed at tribunal out of scope, (e) dismissed at tribunal hearing, other reasons and (f) disposed of otherwise.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information, which is available in the form requested only from 1985 onwards, is set out in the tables:

  settlements, (b) withdrawal not via the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, (c) successful at tribunal hearing, (d) dismissed at tribunal out of scope, (e) dismissed at tribunal hearing, other reasons and (f) disposed of otherwise, respectively.
  247
  Mr. Nicholls
  Most of the information is not available in the form requested, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Such information as is available is set out in the tables:

  Table 1—Applications registered:1

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Applications registered

  60

  149

  1 The figures in this table refer to applications under sections 27, 28, 29, 31 and 31A of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978. Separate figures for applications under section 27 are not available.

  Table 2—Outcomes of cases falling under section 27:

  1987–88

  1988–89

  ACAS—settlement

  2

  2

  Other—withdrawal

  14

  147

  Successful

  2

  2

  Dismissed—out of scope

  3

  —

  Dismissed—other reasons

  4

  3

  Disposed of otherwise

  —

  —

  Total

  25

  54

  1 Includes multiple application of 28.

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

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: There are many issues to be considered before any decision is reached on the recommendation in the CBI's task force report in favour of training credits. The Government are examining the report's recommendations with interest.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Cholecystokinin
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the veterinary products committee has considered an application for an animal test certificate in respect of cholecystokinin.

  Mr. Maclean
  No.

  Spanish Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number of Spanish fishing vessels registered as British in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 and the latest available month of 1989, the number of such vessels prosecuted for fishing offences in each year and the present location of Spanish vessels whose British registration was withdrawn under the Merchant Shipping Act.

  Mr. Curry
  Definitive annual figures are not available, but our current estimate is that the number of fishing vessels on the British register which were beneficially owned abroad (mostly in Spain) rose from about 43 in 1985 to about 140 at the time the new registration provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act came into effect on 1 April 1989. At present no vessel can be registered as 248
  a British fishing vessel unless its owners are resident and domiciled in the United Kingdom and the vessel's operations are directed and controlled from this country. The information on prosecutions of vessels believed to be beneficially owned in Spain is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1985

  2

  1986

  0

  1987

  14

  1988

  7

  1989 (to end March)

  26

  No comprehensive information is available on the location of vessels which ceased to be registered as British fishing vessels on 1 April. A number are laid up in this country; others are understood to be in Spain.

  Liriomyza Trifollii
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will ban the importation of plants from Holland in order to control the spread of Liriomyza trifollii among plants;

  (2) what compensation is proposed for those growers compelled to destroy crops inflicted with Liriomyza trifollii;

  (3) what has been the incidence of Liriomyza trifollii in plants over the last 10 years: and what steps are being taken by his Department to counter this problem.

  Mr. Curry
  Between 1979 and 1988 there were about 350 confirmed Ministry findings of the North American leafminer, Liriomyza trifollii, on plants. The Ministry has maintained a policy of eradication of this pest and has so far succeeded in ensuring that it has not become established in this country. No compensation is given by the Government to growers who are compelled to destroy crops infested with the pest. However, we are operating eradication measures which are designed to limit the loss suffered by producers to the minimum necessary to secure eradication and in practice this often now means the destruction of plants can be avoided. We have recently reached agreement with the Dutch authorities on a wide range of measures necessary to combat the threat from the South American leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis. We are watching the situation very carefully and will not hesitate to take further action if necessary.

  Porcine Somatotropin
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions the veterinary products committee has considered the issue of porcine somatotropin; and whether they have reached any conclusion.

  Mr. Maclean
  The VPC twice considered an application for an animal test certificate for porcine somatotropin product in 1987 and recommended that it should not be granted.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any current animal test certificates exists in respect of porcine somatotropin.

  Mr. Maclean
  No.

  Sulphadimidine
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the clearance given to sulphadimidine; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Licensed veterinary medicines containing the active ingredient sulphadimidine are in the process of being reviewed as part of a general exercise to ensure that licensed products meet current standards of safety, quality and efficacy. Decisions on the granting or revocation of licences are being taken on a product-by-product basis.

  Intervention Stocks
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish details of all those commodities for which an intervention regime exists, held in store, giving in respect of each, by volume and value, the current stocks and the level at the appropriate time in 1988.

  Mr. Curry
  Stocks levels in 1988 and 1989 of commodities for which an intervention regime exists are held in the Library of the House. Valuation figures may vary according to the age of the stock and are shown in the table for the United Kingdom (comparable figures for the European Community are not available).

  Commodity

  1988 (£/tonne)

  1989 (£/tonne)

  Reference/month (end of)

  Butter

  1,536·95

  1,422·35

  September

  SMP

  1,046·69

  1—

  September

  Beef

  1,807·64

  1,309·63

  August

  Feed Wheat

  63·86

  35·77

  October

  Bread Wheat

  68·83

  1—

  October

  Barley

  61·50

  35·77

  October

  Rye

  57·96

  1—

  October

  1 = No Stocks

  Date

  Work Unit

  Number of posts

  Location of origin

  Location of transfer

  1981

  Finance (travel claims section)

  32

  Inner London

  Alnwick

  Office Services (publications section)

  20

  Pinner

  Alnwick

  1987

  Office Services (stationery section)

  4

  Pinner and Inner London

  Alnwick

  April 1988

  Statistics (census and prices)

  20

  Inner London

  Guildford

  April 1988

  Information Technology Directorate

  5

  Inner London

  Guildford

  August 1988

  ADAS Cartographic Unit

  11

  Inner London

  Gloucester

  May-October 1989

  Establishments (General) (Superannuation Section)

  28

  Inner London

  Exeter

  Food Science Laboratory

  20

  Inner London

  Norwich

  About 70 per cent. of the Ministry's staff are currently located outside London.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are currently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affectted.

  Mr. Curry
  Officials of my Ministry are currently considering the potential for further relocation of headquarters' work away from the south-east, and a relocation concerning work of the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce is also under consideration. It is too early to say what numbers of posts may be affected. A decision has already been taken to relocate the Ministry's central science laboratory, involving about 400 posts, to a site in the midlands. A decision has also been taken to

  Sheep Dips
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department is conducting into alternatives to organophosphorous sheep dips; and if he plans to alter the regulations relating to such chemicals.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department is currently funding research at Bristol university into fly control on sheep, with preference given to the use of non-organaphosphorous compounds. I have no plans to change the controls which apply to sheep dips under the Medicines Act.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the use of organophosphorous sheep dips.

  Mr. Maclean
  Sheep must be dipped to an approved standard under the terms of the Sheep Scab Order 1976, and the sheep dips authorised for this purpose under the Medicines Act have all been subject to a stringent review of their safety, quality and efficacy. Instructions and conditions of use are required to be specified on the product labels.

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.

  Mr. Curry
  Full details of all office relocations over the period in question are not readily available. The following blocks of work have been or are being relocated away from the London area since May 1979:

  relocate the Ministry's records review work, currently being undertaken at Chessington, to Alnwick during the first half of next year. This work will replace that now being done by staff at Alnwick, but its transfer will not result in any redundancies in either location.

  Aplastic Anaemia
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has of the link between the development of aplastic anaemia and lindane and pentachlorophenol.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Health and Safety Executive is currently reviewing lindane and is looking at the available evidence for a link between lindane and the development of aplastic anaemia. The Advisory Committee on
  251
  Pesticides will be advising Ministers of the results of this review. I know of no evidence of a link between aplastic anaemia and pentachlorophenol.

  Genetically Engineered Organisms
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any proposals for the regulation of the use of genetically engineered organisms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  I have been asked to reply.

  Yes. As envisaged in the Queen's Speech, my Department intends to introduce an environmental protection Bill this parliamentary Session, which will include appropriate provisions. These will augment existing legislative controls over the use of genetically engineered or modified organisms to provide additional protection against any risks to the environment arising from the import, containment or release to the environment of such organisms.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Transport
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to ensure that subsection (6)(a) of the Road Traffic, Transport and

  Numbers of eligible non-recipients for income related benefits

  Thousands

  Supplementary benefit 1985

  Housing benefit 1985 (1)(2)

  Family income supplement 1985–86 (2)(3)

  Pensioners

  380

  760

  1(4)

  Sick and disabled

  50

  2—

  1(4)

  Unemployed

  330

  2—

  1(4)

  One-parent families

  20

  2—

  2(5)

  Others

  60

  2—

  2(5)

  Total

  840

  1,610

  190(6)

  1 — not applicable.

  2 — not available.

  Notes:

  1. Figures refer to those eligible for standard FIB only as non recipients of certificated Housing benefit will already be included as non recipients of supplementary benefit. In total, approximately 1·8 million households are eligible and not receiving standard or certificated HB.

  2. Figures exclude families where the head or spouse is in full-time self-employment.

  3. Based on pooled FES data for reasons of sample size.

  4. FIS was paid to working families with children whose gross weekly income was less than a 'prescribed amount' determined by the number of children.

  5. Although two years' survey data are pooled the number of sample cases are still small and insufficient to provide reliable estimates of these figures.

  6. This figure will include some families who are also shown in column two as non recipients of HB.

  7. Estimates are based on the Family Expenditure Survey.

  Source: Technical notes on take-up of benefits. Copies are available in the House of Commons Library or on request from DSS.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the working of the family credit regulations to ensure that low-income self-employed families do not lose their entitlement to assistance because of the interpretation of the authorities that they must abide by cash movement rules, rather than normal accountancy treatment of overhead costs and stock fluctuations.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We believe that a trading profit arrived at by normal accountancy practices is not an appropriate basis for arriving at the income to be taken into account in calculating family credit. The cash-flow basis was introduced when family credit replaced family
  252
  Roads (N.I.) Order has been fully complied with when making the Road and Railway Transport 1989 Statutory Rule No. 400 in respect of the Level Crossing (Coleraine Bushmills Road) Revocation Order (Northern Ireland) 1989.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The provisions of that subsection did not apply to the making of the order.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits Take-up
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number of(a) elderly people, (b) sick and disabled people, (c) unemployed people, (d) one-parent families, (e) others and (f) total who are not claiming benefit to which they are entitled, giving the date to which his estimates apply.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Our latest estimates show that 90 per cent. of income-related benefit to which people are entitled is claimed.

  The detailed information requested is as follows:

  income supplement in 1988 as being more appropriate for this purpose, and we have no plans to 'review it at this stage.

  Income Support
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to reform the income support transitional provisions as they relate to families with children in care who return on home leave; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We intend, shortly, to bring forward amending regulations so that transitional
  253
  additions are not reduced when children in local authority care return home temporarily on leave. Until they are in place, extra-statutory payments will be available.

  Child Support
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update to April 1990 the information provided in the reply of 28 November 1988 to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett),Official Report, columns 93–94, relating to child support, giving figures in columns (g) and (h) in September 1989 prices.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Although upratings of benefit are calculated by reference to the movement in the index of retail prices to September, comparisons in the value of benefits are more meaningful if made at general uprating dates. The figures requested as at April 1989 were given in the reply of 6 November 1989 to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Clay) at columns 459–60.

  Community Care Grant
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply of 27 November,Official Report, column 154, who is responsible for setting his priority of community care grant clients' needs.

  Mr. Scott
  The Secretary of State's general guidance on priorities and priority groups is in the social fund manual, a copy of which is in the Library. As I explained in my previous reply, local office managers give social fund officers further guidance on priorities taking account of local circumstances. Guidance is not binding on social fund officers. Each case must be considered on its merits. A social fund officer may decide, for example, that an item normally classed as of low priority should, in the light of the applicant's circumstances, be treated as high priority.

  Dietary Requirements
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance is issued to social fund officers about the dietary requirements of(a) adult men, (b) adult women, (c) children and (d) those persons aged 16 and 17 years when considering a claim for a crisis loan or income support under severe hardship rules.

  Mr. Scott
  Social fund officers are not provided with guidance on the dietary requirements of different categories of people. We expect social fund officers to use their experience and judgment in deciding how much an applicant needs in a crisis to avoid serious risk to the health and safety of the individual or his family. This will depend on the circumstances of each case including any particular health problems.

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many British nuclear test veterans are in receipt of(a) attendance allowance, (b) mobility allowance and (c) invalidity allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret that the information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are currently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affected.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 14 November 1989 that 150 posts from the office of the chief adjudication officer in Southampton, and 650 London-based posts are to be relocated to Leeds starting in late 1991. The latter posts include those required for the headquarters of the forthcoming benefits agency, the chief medical adviser's divisions and some other administrative functions, such as liaison with agencies, pay and records, staff training and estate management.

  I should emphasise that these movements are of posts rather than of staff as such. All London-based staff will be asked whether they are prepared to move whether their particular post is affected or not. The Department hopes that sufficient staff will move voluntarily to avoid the need for any compulsory transfers.

  Vibration White Finger
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of applications made by applicants claiming to suffer from vibration white finger, under regulation 13 of the Social Security (Industrial Injuries and Diseases) Miscellaneous Provisions Regulations 1986, at local offices of his Department in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Glasgow, (c) Dundee, (d) Sunderland, (e) Newcastle and (f) Liverpool in each of the the past two years and in the current year up to the most recent date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many additional families would qualify for family credit if the £6,000 capital limit were increased to £8,000 or abolished; and what would be the cost of each of these changes.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The estimates are as follows:

  Increase in FC caseload

  Full year cost at current rate

  Capital limit increased to £8,000

  Less than 500

  Less than £100,000

  Capital limit abolished

  Approx.1,500

  Around £1 million

  Pensions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will publish a table showing, for men and women aged 16, 20, 30, and 40 years in April 1988, the
  255
  ages at which it would pay the person concerned to cease contributing to a personal pension or other money purchase scheme, assuming rates of return of 0·5 per cent. and 2·5 per cent. above the annual increase in average earnings and, in other respects, making the same assumptions as were made in calculating the similar figures given in the letter dated 10 October from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett).

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The table provides the first age at which the projected pension from the invested rebate is less than the corresponding GMP. These estimates are critically dependent on a number of illustrative assumptions which should not be taken as predictions of what future policy might be. These are:

  (i) the contracted-out rebate for illustrative purposes only is assumed to be 5·8 per cent. of earnings between the lower and upper limits for NI contributions, declining to 3·75 per cent. by 2018;

  (ii) the lower and upper earnings limits are assumed to increase in future in line with prices;

  (iii) the contracted-out rebate is boosted by a 2 per cent. incentive addition for personal pensions and newly contracted-out occupational schemes up to 1992–93;

  (iv) men are assumed to take their pension at 65, women at 60.

  First age at which the projected pension from the invested rebate is less than the corresponding GMP

  Personal pension rate of return1

  Money purchase rate of return1

  Age at April 1988

  ½ per cent.

  2½ per cent.

  ½ per cent.

  2½ per cent.

  Male

  16

  31

  49

  36

  54

  20

  34

  50

  36

  54

  30

  35

  50

  40

  53

  40

  45

  48

  45

  50

  Female

  16

  21

  38

  24

  42

  20

  25

  40

  25

  43

  30

  35

  41

  35

  45

  40

  40

  45

  40

  45

  1 Rates of return are in excess of increase in earnings.

  Source: Government Actuary's Department.

  BAT Factory (Liverpool)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated additional cost in benefit payments for the people who will lose their jobs in the British American Tobacco factory, Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  No such estimate has been made.

  Benefit Payments (Liverpool and Merseyside)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost of benefit payments to his Department for the unemployed in(a) Liverpool and (b) Merseyside for the latest available date.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  No such estimate can be made.

  Attendance and Mobility Allowances
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to unify the application procedure, medical examination and appeals system for attendance allowance and mobility allowance for claimants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  We will announce our proposals to improve the balance and structure of disability benefits within the next few months. Any changes in benefit administration will need to be considered in the light of those proposals.

  Benefits (Residence Conditions)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what changes will be made to the residence conditions for social security benefits in respect of periods spent in other member states of the European Community following the completion of the internal market in 1992; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what changes will be made to the residence conditions for social security benefits in respect of citizens of other member states of the European Community following the completion of the internal market in 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Community citizens who are employed or self-employed may be able to take advantage of the co-ordination arrangements which already cover social security for migrant workers throughout the Community. In the case of those social security benefits where residence conditions apply, there are at present no plans to make any changes as a result of the completion of the internal market in 1992.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons above the age of(a) 60, (b) 65 and (c) 70 years he has appointed to public bodies in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Waddington
  This information is not collected and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Magistrates Courts Clerks
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve magistrates courts clerk shortages; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  In the course of 1989, we have authorised the creation of 82 additional court clerk trainee posts; and we have made provision in public expenditure for a further increase next financial year. I have also approved for grant purposes the pay agreement from 1 July 1989 reached in the joint negotiating committee for magistrates courts staff which recognises the recruitment and retention requirements for court clerks. We are additionally seeking to raise the recruitment profile of the service by publishing two new careers booklets and by funding stands at two major careers fairs in collaboration with the Association of Magistrates Courts, whose work in co-ordinating the efforts of magistrates courts committees to recruit court clerks we fully endorse.

  Abortion Clinics (Picketing)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested in the last six months as a result of picketing outside abortion clinics; and how many people have been charged with an offence as a result of these arrests.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is not available.

  Drugs
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to set up a fund to counter the use and supply of illicit drugs.

  Mr. Mellor
  Subject to detailed scrutiny of estimates and parliamentary approval, we are to set up a new central fund of £1 million in 1990–91 to enable the Government to meet some of the additional costs of international drugs efforts, including investigations by the police and rewards to major informants.

  Mr. Mans
  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
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice) On 5 December.

  Racing
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will place in the Library the findings of the Lloyds merchant bank inquiry into the feasibility of privatising the Tote;

  (2) if he will publish the findings of the Lloyds merchant bank inquiry in to the feasibility of privatising the Tote.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The advice in the report by Lloyds merchant bank on the feasibility of privatising the Tote will not be made public because it was given in confidence to my right hon. and learned Friend, and contains commercially and managerially sensitive information.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make a statement on the independent inquiry into the feasibility of privatising the Tote.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The advice from Lloyds merchant bank on the feasibility of privatising the Tote is at present still under consideration, and the Government's conclusions will be made known in due course.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the initiation of an inquiry into the financing of horse and greyhound racing.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend is considering whether or not to establish such an inquiry.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the 258
  Grand Metropolitan/William Hill merger, published by it on 23 August; and whether the Director of Fair Trading is continuing to keep concerns mentioned in the report under review;

  (2) what steps he has taken in relation to the explicit concerns highlighted within the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report of 23 August into the merger of the Grand Metropolitan and William Hill organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 23 August that he had accepted the recommendations of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report on the acquistion by Grand Metropolitan plc of William Hill. Action is being taken to implement those recommendations, including action by the Director General of Fair Trading. The Director General will also continue to monitor developments in the betting industry under those parts of the competition legislation for which he is responsible.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on(a) the current position of Satellite Information Service and (b) the future powers of horse and dog racecourses and stadia to enter into commercial deals.

  Mr. Forth
  I have been asked to reply.

  I understand that the Director General of Fair Trading is continuing to monitor developments in the betting and racing industries in accordance with the provisions of United Kingdom competition legislation. In general we take the view that commercial deals are matters for the parties concerned, subject to the provisions of the competition legislation (the Fair Trading Act 1973, the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976, and the Competition Act 1980).

  Probation Service
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the current extent of delays in the probation service in worst and best cases in dealing with(a) conciliation cases and (b) child welfare reports, both in divorce cases.

  Mr. John Patten
  The figures on which such an estimate would have to be based are not collected locally or centrally.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for the work of the probation service in conciliation and child welfare reports in civil divorce cases; what studies he has commissioned on this work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  There are no proposals at present to alter the arrangements under which this work is done. Her Majesty's inspectorate of probation, as part of their continuing programme of inquiries into specific themes of probation service work, will shortly be starting on an investigation of the civil work of the probation service.

  Passports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to withdraw passports issued to British subjects or restrict their use; and how many have been withdrawn or restricted in each of the last five years and 1989 to date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Withdrawal of a passport would be considered on the same basis as would refusal of an application, that is in the case of:

  (a) a minor whose journey was known to be contrary to a court order, to the wishes of a parent or other person or authority to whom a court had awarded custody, care and control or to the provisions of section 25(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, as amended, or section 56 of the Adoption Act 1976;

  (b) a person for whose arrest a warrant had been issued in the United Kingdom or who was wanted by the police on suspicion of a serious crime;

  (c) in very rare cases, a person whose past or proposed activities were so demonstrably undesirable that the grant or continued enjoyment of passport facilities would be contrary to the public interest;

  (d) a person repatriated at public expense until the debt has been repaid.

  Records of withdrawals are maintained only for category (c). These are extremely rare and there were none in the period specified.

  United Kingdom passports are valid for travel to all countries in the world, and there are no plans to restrict their use.

  Prison Management (Complaints)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what changes he has made in the application of the prior ventilation rule in respect of writing to a solicitor complaining about a member of prison management; when each change was made; and by what means each change was announced;

  (2) whether the prior ventilation rule in respect of writing to a solicitor complaining about a member of prison management has been abolished.

  Mr. Mellor
  The prior ventilation rule, under which all complaints by prisoners had to be pursued through internal channels before a prisoner could take his complaint outside, was replaced in 1981 by the simultaneous ventilation rule, which required complaints to be raised internally at the same time as they were raised with an outside body. Notice of this change was given to prison establishments in circular instruction 34/1981, which took effect in December 1981.

  In December 1983, the Divisional court ruled in the case of Anderson that the simultaneous ventilation rule should not apply to a complaint made by a prisoner to his legal adviser. The implications of this judgment were explained in a letter from the prison department to all establishments on 22 December 1983. Circular instruction 48/1984 formally confirmed that correspondence with legal advisers which referred to unventilated complaints or allegations against staff should no longer be stopped unless it was clear from the content that the inmate was writing for some purpose other than obtaining legal advice about possible proceedings.

  On 24 January 1989, my hon. Friend the Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg), announced in a written reply at
  260
  column 516 that it had been decided to abolish the simultaneous ventilation rule in respect of all correspondence. Details of the change, and of accompanying amendments to the prison rules governing adjudications, were set out in circular instruction 9/1989, which took effect on 1 April 1989.

  Commission for Racial Equality
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much public money was spent by the Commission for Racial Equality in each year since its conception.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information is provided in the following table:

  Financial year

  Expenditure (£)

  1977–78

  3,672,701

  1978–79

  4,903,175

  1979–80

  5,939,083

  1980–81

  6,931,731

  1981–82

  7,526,822

  1982–83

  8,306,586

  1983–84

  8,718,454

  1984–85

  9,280,549

  1985–86

  9,444,957

  1986–87

  10,530,039

  1987–88

  10,946,831

  1988–89

  11,273,825

  Visas
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals for charging fees for(a) indefinite leave to remain, (b) extension of visitors' visas, (c) extension of student visas or (d) extension of business persons' visas.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Section 9 of the Immigration Act 1988 makes provision for the charging of fees in connection with applications for, or the grant of, indefinite leave to remain. The Government are considering how and when that provision might be implemented and an announcement will be made at the apropriate time. There are no plans for the introduction of fees in connection with any category of limited leave to remain.

  Police Conduct
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of police officers as agents provocateur.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Guidance has been issued to all chief police officers which states that no member of a police force should counsel, incite or procure the commission of a crime. Furthermore, all police forces are aware of the need for care to avoid plain clothes officers placing themselves in situations where accusations could be made that they have acted as agents provocateur. I understand that briefing is normally given to all police officers taking part in such operations to ensure they avoid behaviour which could be so construed.

  Cabinet (Police Protection)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to the Exchequer of police protection for members of the Cabinet for the years 1970 to 1989 inclusive.

  Mr. Waddington
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Safer Cities Campaign
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the objectives of the safer cities campaign; what were the results in 1988; and whether the programme will be continued.

  Mr. John Patten
  The objectives of the safer cities programme are to reduce crime, lessen the fear of crime, and to create safer cities within which economic enterprise and community life can flourish. In 1988, the programme was announced, nine areas agreed to take part and project development began in all of them. Twelve projects are now operational, with four more due to become so shortly. We plan to establish four further projects during 1990.

  Charities
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to review the law on charities.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Government's proposals for the reform of the law on charities are set out in the White Paper, "Charities: A Framework for the Future" (Cm 694) which was published in May.

  Prisoners (Visits)
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the arrangements for relatives to visit people held in custody.

  Mr. Mellor
  Convicted adult prisoners and convicted young offenders are entitled to a minimum of one half-hour visit every 28 days and 14 days respectively. More, and longer, visits are allowed wherever practicable.

  Unconvicted prisoners are normally allowed a 5-minute vsit every day excluding Sunday (in some establishments), Christmas day, Boxing day and Good Friday. Longer visits are allowed wherever possible. In the event of particular difficulties at an establishment the regional director may authorise a reduction in the frequency of visits as long as the aggregated entitlement of one and a half hours per week is maintained.

  Relatives on income support or on low incomes are able to claim travelling expenses for one prison visit every 28 days.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has made to the latest request from Nottingham county council on the provision of more police in Nottingham.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 23 November at column 12 that he had approved an increase of 26 police posts for the Nottinghamshire constabulary with effect from 1 April 1990.
  262
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probationary policemen are currently operating in the Metropolitan police force; what percentage of the force they represent; what the situation is in other parts of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on police forces in England and Wales, for which my right hon. and learned Friend has responsibility, is as follows:

  Probationer constables

  Percentage of strength

  Metropolitan Police1

  3,582

  12·7

  Provincial forces2

  9,249

  9·7

  1 As at 27 November 1989.

  2 As at 31 December 1988.

  Shops Act 1950
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to seek to amend the Shops Act 1950 in the light of the recent conclusion of the European Court; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Government have made it clear that they favour reform of the law but that legislation depends on agreement being reached on proposals that would command widespread support. This is not the case at present.

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of neighbourhood watch schemes in the Easington constituency in the years 1986, 1987 and 1988; and what steps he is taking to promote and extend the scheme.

  Mr. John Patten
  There were seven neighbourhood watch schemes in Easington in 1986, 17 schemes in 1987 and 30 schemes in 1988.

  The national crime prevention organisation Crime Concern was set up in 1988, to stimulate local crime prevention activity, including neighbourhood watch: its recent work has included a conference on the management of neighbourhood watch schemes held on 30 November and attended by over 70 representatives of police forces. The launch in October of phase 3 of the Home Office's crime prevention publicity campaign saw the publication of the third edition of the handbook "Practical Ways to Crack Crime", which contains a wealth of advice on neighbourhood watch.

  Street Lighting
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received regarding inadequate street lighting from(a) women and (b) pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have received six representations in the last 18 months from women and pensioners, including one from the hon. Member for Hackney, North and Stoke Newington (Ms. Abbot) and one from the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody). We have also received representations from members of the Parliament lighting group. We recognise that there is
  263
  considerable public concern about the possible link between street lighting and crime. This is why we are undertaking research, most notably in the London borough of Wandsworth, to examine that link. Interim results from this research should be available during the first half of next year.

  Lighting is only one factor to be considered in preventing crime and reducing the fear of crime. The Government have made available advice on the personal safety of women and the elderly in the publication "Practical Ways to Crack Crime", of which nearly 3 million copies have been distributed.

  Birmingham Six
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his reasons for advising against the decision of the European Parliament to launch an investigation into circumstances surrounding the conviction of the Birmingham Six.

  Mr. John Patten
  As my right hon. and learned Friend said in reply to another question from my hon. Friend on 29 November, we believe that it would be wholly inappropriate for the European Parliament to inquire into the convictions of the Birmingham Six, which are within national competence.

  Life Sentences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates at present in prisons in England and Wales and serving a life sentence have been in prison for more than(a) 15 years, (b) 20 years, (c) 25 years and (d) 30 years.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information is published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (table 8.3 of the latest issue, for 1988, Cm 825). The latest available information is given in the table.

  Life sentence prisoners held under their original sentence1 in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 30 September 1989: by time spent under sentence in such establishments

  Years spent under sentence2

  Number of prisoners3

  Up to 15 years

  2,463

  Over 15 up to 20 years

  154

  Over 20 up to 25 years

  45

  Over 25 up to 30 years

  7

  Over 30 years

  4

  Total

  2,673

  1 Excluding 104 prisoners recalled following an earlier release on licence.

  2 Excluding any time spent on remand in custody or in Non-Prison Service establishments.

  3 The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate: detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost.

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.

  Mr. Waddington
  Since 1979, four main units of the Home Office have been relocated in part or in whole. The 264
  computing and pay services division (301 posts) was relocated from London to Bootle in 1982–83; the prison service south-east regional office (74 posts) from Tolworth to Woking in 1987; 88 posts were transferred from the London passport office to Glasgow in 1988–89; and 108 posts in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board from London to Glasgow in 1989.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are currently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affected.

  Mr. Waddington
  As I said in my reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) on 10 November 1989 at column 802, I am considering the possible relocation from the London area of a number of. Home Office functions. No firm indication can be given at present as to the number of staff who would be affected.

  Law of Evidence (Confessions)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will propose legislation to reform the criminal law of England so that evidence as to a confession by an accused person cannot, of itself, be sufficient to found a finding of guilt.

  Mr. John Patten
  We shall consider what changes in law or practice may be needed as regards confession evidence and other matters in the light of the findings of the judicial inquiry which is being conducted by Sir John May into the convictions of the Guildford Four and the Maguire family.

  Prison Meals
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prison meals are served on a daily basis; and what percentage are special diet meals;

  (2) what consultation takes place where prisons provide special meals for ethnic minorities, vegetarians and vegans to ensure that such foodstuffs are palatable, nutritious, balanced and that menus are not repetitive and unsustaining;

  (3) what percentage of prisons accommodate special diets for ethnic minorities; and how many meals are served on a daily basis;

  (4) what percentage of prisons provide meals for vegans; and how many such meals are prepared daily;

  (5) what percentage of prisons provide meals for vegetarians; and how many such meals are prepared daily.

  Mr. Mellor
  Details of inmates in minority groups and their location are not recorded centrally. In total about 146,000 meals are served daily to inmates in prison service establishments in England and Wales, of which about 26,000 (18 per cent.) are estimated to be variations from the normal dietary.

  All meals are prepared according to centrally determined dietary scales designed to meet published nutritional standards which accommodate recognised food preferences.

  Each establishment prepares special meals to meet the needs of its current population, and also varies its standard menus to take into account known preferences. The number of meals served to certain minority groups is estimated as follows:

  265

  8,500 for a variety of ethnic minorities.

  1,200 for vegans.

  15,000 for vegetarians.

  1,500 for inmates requiring a modified diet under prescription from a medical officer.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to reduce the incidence of the LD50 test on animals in research laboratories; and if he will make it his policy that no further licences be issued.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We welcome the initiative by British scientists in the European Community and the OECD to reduce the need for this test for the classification of substances. We have no plans to refuse licences where my right hon. and learned Friend is satisfied that the work is justified under section 5 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  Victim Support Schemes
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many victim support schemes now operate in England and Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  Three hundred and fifty four.

  Byelaws
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many personnel are assigned to work relating to byelaws; and at what cost.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The equivalent of 5·25 full-time staff work on applications for byelaws. The cost (salaries, accommodation and office services) is £115,000 a year.

  Departmental Archives
  Mr. James Lamond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the documents and archives confiscated by the Home Office following raids on the printers Kommunistischer Arbeiter Bildungverein in 1917 or 1918 at their premises in Charlotte street, London W1, and on the International Socialist Club, 28 City road, London EC1 in 1920, are still in the possession of his Department.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have set inquiries in hand to locate any papers relating to these incidents and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

DEFENCE

  Red Arrows
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the figures for 1988–89 for(a) recruits attracted and (b) the cost of the programme (i) per machine or pilot and (ii) per show after displays by the Red Arrows display team.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I regret that the information on recruits is not available. The operating costs of the Red Arrows' flying programme are approximately £13·5 million per annum at 1988–89 prices.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each of the last 15 years the venues at which the 266
  Red Arrows have displayed their skills; and if he will make a statement regarding the preliminary list for consideration in December of next year's programme.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I regret that the list of venues could be provided only at disproportionate cost and effort. However, the Red Arrows have given some 1,600 displays since 1975. As regards the 1990 programme, I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 3 November at column 379.

  UK-US Liaison
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will identify and date the United States-United Kingdom bilateral agreements made within the framework of United Kingdom-United States wartime host nation support lines of communication arrangement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United States-United Kingdom lines of communication arrangement has been in existence since 1973 and permits the United States to establish, operate and maintain lines of communication and ancililary facilties in the United Kingdom for use under emergency conditions as part of their NATO obligations. Joint contingency plans in support of this arrangement have been drawn up. The arrangement and the details of the plans are classified.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will identify the posts, ranks and responsibilities of United Kingdom military personnel designated to liaise with the United States European command logistics co-ordinator in the United Kingdom(a) in peacetime, (b) in crisis and (c) in war.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Liaison with the United States European command logistics co-ordination centre is co-ordinated through the Ministry of Defence central staffs. Regular contacts are maintained at Major/Colonel level involving those sections within the central staffs with responsibility for wartime contingency planning.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will identify the United Kingdom civil agencies and Government Departments which liaise with the headquarters United States European command logistics co-ordinator in the United Kingdom(a) in peacetime, (b) in crisis and (c) in war;

  (2) if he will identify the United Kingdom military and civilian bodies and agencies designated to develop and maintain the United States-United Kingdom wartime host nation support/lines of communication programme (a) in peacetime, (b) in crisis and (c) in war;

  (3) if he will identify the United Kingdom military and Government Departments represented on the United States-United Kingdom lines of communication joint planning group.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government Departments which would be involved in the provision of host nation support to United States forces and from civil resources in time of crisis are as follows:

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise

  Ministry of Defence

  Department of Employment

  Department of Energy

  Department of the Environment

  267

  Department of Health

  Home Office

  Department of Transport

  Scottish Office

  Welsh Office

  Each of these Departments is represented on the United States-United Kingdom lines of communication joint planning group or its sub-committees. They also liaise direct with the headquarters, United States European command logistics co-ordination centre in the United Kingdom as necessary, although co-ordination is maintained by the Ministry of Defence central staffs.

  A number of civil agencies are also consulted, as necessary, in drawing up the joint contingency plans. This is invariably managed through, or on their behalf by, the relevant Government Department.

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will order a medical study of all surviving British nuclear test veterans to compare results with the statistical mortality study carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As the hon. Member is aware, the Government rely on the independent and expert advice of the National Radiological Protection Board on matters concerning the overall health of the British nuclear test participant group with respect to their involvement in the British nuclear test programme. It is not for the Government to dictate the methodology or conduct of the NRPB studies, but I am advised by the NRPB that it is not practicable to carry out a health study of living test veterans to produce meaningful, unbiased results.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department had discussions with the Australian Government prior to the announcement by their Minister for Primary Industry that compensation for Australian nuclear test veterans was warranted following a recent British Government decision to compensate its veterans.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There were no discussions with the Australian Federal Government prior to their announcement. The reference to a recent British Government decision to compensate its veterans is not understood. However, the Government would be ready to pay appropriate compensation wherever the Crown's legal liability was established and where there was firm evidence to show that, on a balance of probabilities, ex-service men had suffered ill health as a result of exposure to radiation during the course of their duties as members of the armed forces.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking to investigate the extent to which British nuclear test veterans, who suffered extensive violent skin rashes immediately following nuclear tests, are today suffering from damage to their immune systems associated with radiation contamination.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The procedures and very stringent precautions adopted during the test programme were such that no significant level of surface radioactivity arose, and the consequential radiation doses to surface tissues were negligible. There were no reported, observed 268
  or treated superficial tissue disorders related to radioactivity or radiation exposures at the time of the tests or subsequently.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to compensate Pacific islanders, in line with United States proposals, for conditions arising after British nuclear tests there.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel were present on Christmas Island during the detonation of nuclear materials, at the exact time of each test.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A total of some 11,000 members of Her Majesty's forces were present during one or more of the British nuclear tests carried out at Malden and Christmas islands in the period 1957 to 1962, and the total resource provided by these members amounts to 16,000 man-trials. Details of the numbers present at the exact time of each test can be obtained from service records only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will undertake a survey of the tropical diseases from which British nuclear test veterans may still be suffering.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are no grounds for carrying out a special survey of the tropical diseases being suffered by participants in the British nuclear test programme.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why it was decided that the Medical Research Council should not continue to monitor British nuclear test veterans after their tour of duty associated with nuclear testing.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government remain confident that the precautions taken during the British nuclear test programme were adequate to ensure that participants suffered no harm as a result of their participation. When the United Kingdom undertook the programme, the Medical Research Council did not advise that comprehensive monitoring of United Kingdom test participants should be carried out either during or after the tests, and from the evidence accumulated since there are no grounds for changing that policy.

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.

  Mr. Neuhert
  It is not possible to provide the detail requested without disproportionate effort and cost. However, the following table sets out some of the larger moves either completed or approved:

  Original location

  Number of posts

  Destination

  London/South East

  1,400

  Glasgow

  London

  54

  Yeovilton

  London

  164

  Bath

  269

  Original location

  Number of posts

  Destination

  London

  50

  Harrogate

  Portsmouth

  60

  Cheadle Hulme

  London

  156

  Bath (1990–91)

  London/Devizes

  240

  Swindon (1990–91)

  Woolwich/Donnington/Portsmouth

  250

  Llangennech (1989–91)

  New Unit

  250

  Sutton Coldfield (1989–91)

  Woolwich/Bromley

  1,500

  Teesside (1993–95)

  Total

  4,124

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what relocations of his Department's staff or agencies relating thereto are currently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affected.

  Mr. Neubert
  The most significant element of MOD relocation planning involves major groups within the Procurement Executive. The land and air systems controllerates (3,800 posts in London) are evaluating various site options. The sea systems controllerate (3,500 posts in Bath, Portland and Portsdown) are examining the collocation of its organisation. In addition, there are a number of studies in train which may yield further relocation possibilities, provided that the economic and operational aspects of a move are positive.

  Manpower
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the manpower estimates for Her Majesty's armed forces for the years from 1990 to 1992; and what will be the effect of the recent announcement that more categories will be open to women.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Manpower estimates for the armed forces as at 1 April 1990 were published in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989". The manpower estimates for 1 April 1991 will be published in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990" in due course. It is not our practice to publish manpower estimates for future years as these are produced for our own management purposes only.

  Following recent announcements by the Army and the RAF on the wider employment of women, female recruiting targets have been increased. A recent study offers the prospects of up to 6,000 posts in the Regular Army being made available to women. The RAF's female recruiting targets have been increased by 400 ground air women per annum between 1 April 1989 and 1 April 1994 and by 35 female pilots and navigators per annum from 1989–90.

ENERGY

  Gas Imports
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much gas was imported during the last year for which he has figures.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  In 1988 the United Kingdom imported 15·5 million tonnes coal-equivalent of natural gas.

  Source: Customs and Excise, overseas trade statistics as published in the Department of Energy, Digest of Energy Statistics.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, by year for the last 10 years, the tonnages of opencast coal that have been mined.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The information requested, which includes production from licensed mines, is as follows:

  Million tonnes

  1979

  12·9

  1980

  15·8

  1981

  14·8

  1982

  15·3

  1983

  14·7

  1984

  14·3

  1985

  15·6

  1986

  14·3

  1987

  15·8

  1988

  17·9

  Source: Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, Table 14.

  Low-energy Light Bulbs
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to reduce the cost of low-energy light bulbs to the general public; and what plans he has to make the public more aware of them.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The high cost of low-energy lamps reflects their considerably greater complexity and consequent difficulty of manufacture compared with ordinary tungsten filament lamps. However, their extra initial cost is more than offset by their much longer lifetimes and lower electricity consumption. My energy efficiency office will continue to promote energy efficient lighting along with other energy efficiency measures.

  Mr. Walter Patterson
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if his Department has sought the views of the author Mr. Walter Patterson on energy policies and conservation.

  Mr. John Wakeham
  On various occasions members of my Department have met Mr. Walter Patterson. On no occasion were his views on energy policies and conservation sought.

  Uranium
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he collects on the price of internationally traded uranium and on internationally traded reactor fuel grade low-enriched uranium.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My Department collects no such information but is aware of studies produced by a number of organisations.

  Colliery Costs, North-East
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list, colliery by colliery, costs borne by British Coal north-east area to the North East electricity board for power consumed at Munton, Easington, Vane Tempest, Dawdon, Ellington, Westo and Wearmouth collieries in the years 1986, 1987 and 1988;

  (2) if he will list, colliery by colliery, the costs borne by British Coal north-east area of mining machinery supplies

  271
  to Munton, Easington, Vane Tempest, Dawdon, Ellington, Westo and Wearmouth collieries in the years 1986, 1987 and 1988;

  (3) if he will list, colliery by colliery, the various costings borne by British Coal north-east (a) to British Rail for the transportation of minerals from Munton, Easington, Vane Tempest, Dawdon, Ellington, Westo and Wearmouth collieries in the years 1986, 1987 and 1988 and (b) to road haulage contractors for the transportation of minerals from the same collieries over the same period.

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

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what percentage of the weight, and what percentage of the volume of waste sent to Drigg, for each of the years 1980–88 inclusive, originated from(a) British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., (b) the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, (c) the Central Electricity Generating Board and (d) the South of Scotland Electricity Board; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) what was the weight and volume of waste sent to Drigg for each of the years from 1980 to 1988 inclusive; and what are his estimates for 1989 to 1999 inclusive;

  (3) what is the cost of disposal of waste at Drigg per cubic metre; what plans there are for upgrading the disposal practice of low-level waste at Drigg; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of the borehole drilling programme at(a) Sellafield and (b) Dounreay.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Drilling of the first borehole at Sellafield finished on 8 November. Acting on behalf of Nirex, British Nuclear Fuels has now made an application to the local planning authority for permission to drill a second borehole. Also acting on behalf of Nirex, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority submitted an application for permission to drill two boreholes at Dounreay, which was rejected by the local planning authority in July. The authority's appeal against this decision was submitted on 24 August, and is currently with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the expected tonnage which will be deposited in the Nirex deep repository for(a) intermediate waste and (b) low-level waste.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Nirex expects to handle about 1 million cu m of low-level waste and one third of a million cu m of intermediate level waste by 2030.

  Reprocessing
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the future of spent fuel reprocessing within the United Kingdom.
  272
  Mr Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 26 June 1989 at column 356.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of the research into the extraction of plutonium from intermediate level waste.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I am advised that the nuclear industry has concluded a programme of research on this topic which indicates that while it is technically possible to remove a proportion of the plutonium from plutonium contaminated material, it is not economic to do so, taking account of dose rates to operatives and the effects of such reductions in terms of storage costs and long-term risks from disposal. The nuclear industry is not proposing further work in this area at present.

  Power Station Costs
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the latest estimates for the cost per unit per kilowatt hour for generation from the following sources stating maximum and minimum estimates(a) coal-fired power stations, (b) nuclear Magnox stations, (c) nuclear advanced gas-cooled reactor stations, (d) Sizewell B, (e) tidal power, (f) onshore wind generation, (g) offshore wind generation, (h) geothermal power and (i) wave power.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Parts(a) to (d) are a matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board. I shall ask the chairman of the CEGB to write to the hon. Member.

  On parts (e) to (i) I refer the hon. Member to Energy Paper 55 "Renewable Energy in the United Kingdom: The Way Forward" a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Decommissioning
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate the latest estimates for the decommissioning costs of(a) Magnox reactors, (b) advanced gas-cooled reactors and (c) Sizewell B.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Decommissioning costs are a matter for the CEGB. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  British Coal
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to require British Coal to offer outside interests the opportunity to take over the running of pits which British Coal has decided to cease operating.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  It is for British Coal to determine in each case whether to license the recovery of remnant coal at collieries which it has decided to cease operating. The increase in the statutory limit on underground manpower at licensed mines proposed in the current Coal Industry Bill give British Coal the opportunity to license such operations on a larger scale than at present.

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred;

  (2) what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are currently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affected.

  Mr. Wakeham
  No sections of my Department have been relocated since May 1979. As I told the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 6 November 1989 at column 418, the position will be reviewed in early 1991 when the Department will have had some 18 months' experience of working in its new headquarters building.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he plans to review the level of research and development programmes devoted to nuclear power and sponsored by his Department.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My Department keeps its nuclear research and development programmes under regular review.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will increase substantially the research and development budget devoted to renewable energy sources; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Department has published its strategy for research and development of renewable energy sources in energy paper 55. In line with that strategy, expenditure is set to increase steadily over the next three financial years. It remains our policy to ensure that all economic and environmentally acceptable energy sources should be exploited fully.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of his Department's research and development budget is devoted to(a) gas-fired generation, (b) renewable energy sources and (c) energy conservation and efficiency in 1979 and each succeeding year.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Technological development in the field of gas-fired power generation has been taken forward by the power generation industry and equipment manufacturers without a need for Government intervention. Hence, in this field my Department has no separate budget for R and D. The other information requested is as follows:

  Percentage of Department's R and D expenditure

  Year

  Renewables

  Energy efficiency

  1979–80

  5·5

  10·6

  1980–81

  6·5

  10·9

  1981–82

  6·4

  1·0

  1982–83

  5·2

  1·8

  1983–84

  5·0

  2·9

  1984–85

  6·4

  2·7

  1985–86

  6·1

  1·5

  1986–87

  7·0

  2·0

  1987–88

  9·1

  2·3

  1988–89

  8·9

  1·7

  274
  Source: Annual Review of Government funded R and D. except 1 where breakdown not shown in source, and Departmental figures used. Figures used for total Departmental expenditure include throughout the period nuclear expenditure by the UKAEA in support of the Department's programmes.

  Coal
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has discussed, or will discuss, with the chairman of British Coal the implementation of measures to protect the reserves of low-sulphur coal in this country; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  It is for British Coal to assess the market demand for particular qualities of coal, including low-sulphur coal, that it can profitably supply. This assessment forms part of its business plan which we review regularly with the chairman of British Coal.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will raise the closure of Betteshanger colliery with the chairman of British Coal as a matter of urgency.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Colliery closures are the responsibility of British Coal. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the tonnage of workable reserves of low-sulphur coal in the United Kingdom for(a) 1979, (b) 1983 and (c)

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  United Kingdom coal resources are vested in the British Coal Corporation. The amount of those resources which constitute workable reserves can be determined by the corporation only in the light of local mining conditions and market opportunities.

HEALTH

  Child Migrants Trust
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Child Migrants Trust in response to its request for funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have been in correspondence with members of the Child Migrants Trust concerning individuals' efforts to trace their roots and the possibility of Government support for the trust. My officials have met and are in contact with representatives of the Child Migrants Trust to discuss how my Department might assist them. However, I am unable to make a decision about the trust's grant application until it provides the extra information we have requested.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the research projects he is funding, including the location and amount spent on each project, into the effects of pesticides on human health.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department is not funding any research on this subject but I understand some proposals relating to improved monitoring and investigation of alleged pesticide poisoning are under consideration at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Under the
  275
  Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986, applicants seeking approval of pesticide products are required to submit a full breakdown package in support of their application for the approval of pesticides. They are also required to undertake extensive research into, among other things, the potential toxicological effects of pesticides on operators and consumers. This research can often take several years to complete to the satisfaction of the regulatory authorities and is carried out at considerable cost to the companies. It makes an important contribution towards increasing knowledge of pesticides and raising contemporary scientific standards.

  Ambulance Dispute
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding the ambulancemen's dispute; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Representations have been received by the Department from trade unions on the staff side of the ambulance Whitley Councils and from the Association of Professional Ambulance Personnel which claims to have within its membership over 20 per cent. of all ambulance personnel but is not represented on the staff side of the Whitley Councils. Representations have come also from members of the public writing direct or through their Members of Parliament.

  Liquid Crystal Thermography
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which locations within the National Health Service liquid crystal thermography is available; and what advice his Department has given to health authorities on the use of this screening procedure.

  Mr. Freeman
  We do not keep records of the locations at which liquid crystal thermography is available and have not advised health authorities on its use. I understand that very few hospitals use this technique as a diagnostic tool.

  Evidence has emerged from a long-term trial carried out by the Department at Bath to measure skin temperature patterns that liquid crystal thermography is not suitable for screening, although it may be of use as an adjunct to other diagnostic routines.

  Child Abuse
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the amount of funding allocated by his Department towards the Great Ormond Street project.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  £56,347 in 1987–88, £62,110 in 1988–89 and £56,223 in 1989–90 has been allocated by the Department of Health for the postgraduate training programme in child sexual abuse. The level of funding for the forthcoming financial year has not yet been decided.

  Ambulance Service
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to put out to competitive tender the management and operation of non-emergency ambulance services.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Warrington, North (Mr. Hoyle) on 30 November at column 411.

  Royal College of Nursing
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the main issue discussed at his first meeting with the new General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has had one formal meetitng with the recently appointed general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing. It was in June, shortly before she took up her new duties. The establishment and membership of the NHS policy board was the main issue discussed.

  Community Care
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the participation of disabled people in the planning of their own community care services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Our White Paper "Caring for People" (Cmnd. 849) sets out our detailed proposals for the future organisation of community care, including arrangements designed to widen room for choice by those who require such care and provide more appropriate services closer to their wishes and needs. In particular our proposals for multidisciplinary assessment of need, whether for residential care or support at home (paragraph 3.2) lay particular stress on the need to take account of the wishes of the individual and his or her carer, and as far as possible to include their active participation in the assessment.

  Helicopter Emergency Ambulance Services
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the review being conducted by the regional ambulance officers working party into helicopter emergency ambulance services will be complete; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The review is well advanced but has had to be suspended during the industrial action taking place within the ambulance service.

  Lancashire Ambulance Service
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding the quota system operated by Lancashire ambulance service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received no recent representation regarding the system of quotas introduced in 1986 by the Lancashire health authority for non-urgent patient journeys.

  Contraception
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure has been undertaken by his Department to encourage safe and effective contraception in the Nottingham area, in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Regional health authorities are responsible for allocating funds to individual districts who are in turn responsible for determining the need for and level of local services and providing them in the most efficient way. Family planning services are no exception to this.

  Mental Health Act
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his intention to review the operation of the guardianship provisions of the Mental Health Act; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have no present plans for such a review, but will of course reconsider the need in the light of evidence to suggest that either the provisions, or the way they are put into operation, are inadequate.

  National Assistance Act
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to ensure that the provisions of section 47 of the National Assistance Act 1948 are fully understood by practitioners within the medical and social work professions.

  Mr. Freeman
  At present we have no plans to take action, but we are keeping the situation under review.

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department of Health was formed in 1988. Between 1979 and 1988 a number of posts in the former DHSS were relocated, but the available information does not distinguish between health and social security posts. We have recently announced that the work of the National Health Service management executive, involving some 1,000 posts, is to be relocated from London to Leeds.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are currently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affected.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has announced that the work of the whole of the National Health Service management executive, involving some 1,000 posts, is to be relocated from London to Leeds.

  Hospices
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to give financial support to hospices.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Arrangements for financial support for hospices in England have been under careful consideration for some time. We hope to announce proposals shortly.

  Babies (Intensive Care)
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of intensive care baby cots available in the Yorkshire regional health authority; and what is the number in each district health authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is given in the table.
  278

  Neonatal cots, Yorkshire Regional Health Authority, 1988–89

  District Health Authority

  Number of cots

  Hull

  24

  East Yorkshire

  10

  Grimsby

  19

  Scunthorpe

  10

  Northallerton

  24

  York

  10

  Scarborough

  10

  Harrogate

  14

  Bradford

  32

  Airedale

  14

  Calderdale

  18

  Huddersfield

  18

  Dewsbury

  17

  Leeds Western

  36

  Leeds Eastern

  31

  Wakefield

  14

  Pontefract

  15

  Regional total

  316

  1 Average daily available cots not in maternity units.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the number of intensive care baby cots available in the Yorkshire regional health authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  Responsibility for the local provision of services is a matter for the health authority concerned. The hon. Member may like to approach the chairman of the Yorkshire regional health authority, Sir Bryan Askew.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of community dental clinics operating in Britain for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of operational community dental clinics, both fixed and mobile, in England in each of the years since 1979 is as follows:

  Caldendar/Financial year1

  Number of clinics2

  1979

  1,861

  1980

  1,865

  1981

  1,864

  1982

  1,876

  1983

  1,909

  1984

  1,881

  1985

  1,907

  1986–87

  1,838

  1987–88

  1,810

  1988–89

  1,747

  1 Figures up to 1985 relate to calendar years. Information thereafter is based on financial years.

  2 These figures relate to the total number of clinics available, though some may not have been in use for part or all of the year in question.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the dental attendance figures for the Wakefield district health authority for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not available centrally for the period before 1982. From 1982 the figures for Wakefield DHA are shown in the table. The information relates to the community dental service.
  279

  Last day of caldendar/Financial year

  Number of attendances2

  1982

  12,456

  1983

  13,167

  1984

  12,652

  1985

  11,265

  1986–87

  9,881

  1987–88

  10,720

  1988–89

  8,730

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is his policy with regard to the future of the community dental service; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what plans there are to improve the dental care of those children whose parents fail to arrange regular dental checks.

  Mr. Freeman
  Following proposals made in their White Paper "Promoting Better Health", the Government took powers in the Health and Medicines Act 1988 to enable changes to be made to the responsibilities of the community dental service.

  In the Government's view, general dental practitioners should normally provide dental care to schoolchildren.

  Vaccination and immunisation—South Yorkshire—1988–89

  Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)—number immunised by age

  Districts

  Age under 1

  Age 1

  Age 2

  Age 3

  Age 4

  Age 5

  Age 6–7

  Age 8–15

  Age 16–19

  20 or over

  Total all ages

  Barnsley

  5

  1,396

  292

  251

  994

  133

  25

  3

  0

  0

  3,099

  Doncaster

  0

  2,097

  586

  435

  1,392

  724

  546

  250

  0

  0

  6,030

  Rotherham

  10

  1,784

  289

  263

  1,216

  145

  111

  19

  0

  0

  3,837

  Sheffield

  18

  2,406

  593

  357

  1,268

  719

  562

  257

  29

  0

  6,209

  Total ages

  33

  7,683

  1,760

  1,306

  4,870

  1,721

  1,244

  529

  29

  0

  19,175

  Source: Form KC50A.

  Nurses
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the number of NHS staff, by grade, who have retired within the last five years under the female nurse provisions of the NHS superannuation regulations, indicating the ages of the staff concerned in year bands.

  Mr. Freeman
  The specific information requested is not available. The NHS superannuation scheme does not maintain either records by grade or statistics relating to retirements under the special class provisions. An attempt to extract even some of the required information from manual and computer records would be a very time-consuming exercise, which would incur disproportionate expense.

  Basingstoke and North Hampshire Health Authority
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the level of funding of the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  From 1 April 1990 allocations to regions will be based upon a basis of weighted capitation of residents. Regions will in turn begin the process of allocating to districts next year on the same basis but taking into account additional local factors. This basis will provide a fairer basis of revenue funding to all districts. The details are set out more fully in "Working for Patients".
  280
  Switching the emphasis of the community dental service away from children will enable it to commit a significant proportion of its resources to health education, to the treatment of priority groups such as handicapped adults and the elderly, to identify the dental needs of the population, and generally to act as a safety net for treatment for those whose needs cannot be met by general dental practitioners.

  The community dental service continues to carry out dental screening of schoolchildren, and a patient who is identified as being in need of dental treatment is advised to seek it from a general dental practitioner. The changes will of course be monitored.

  Vaccination
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will itemise the take-up of the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccination for children in South Yorkshire.

  Mr. Freeman
  The estimated number of children receiving the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccination in South Yorkshire in 1988–89, broken down by age and district health authority are shown in the table. Accurate information about take-up rates is not available.

  General Practitioners (Contract)
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received on the provision in the general practitioner's contract for annual contact with pensioner patients by general practitioners.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received a number of representations on the GPs' new contract which have made some reference to the requirement to offer an annual check-up to patients aged 75 and over. Due to the general nature of the majority of such representations, it is not possible to give a precise figure.

  Waiting List Fund
  Sir Neil Macfarlane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money will be made available to the National Health Service through the waiting list fund in 1990–91; and what are the allocations to regional health authorities.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The National Health Service is treating more patients than ever before, but waiting times in some places and for some specialties are still too long. Next year the waiting list fund will be £33 million. Of this, £20 million will be allocated direct to regional and special health authorities. The allocations to authorities are as follows:
  281

  Region

  Allocation (£ million)

  Northern

  1·45

  Yorkshire

  1·65

  Trent

  2·00

  East Anglian

  0·45

  North West Thames

  1·45

  North East Thames

  1·60

  South East Thames

  1·50

  South West Thames

  0·70

  Wessex

  1·10

  Oxford

  0·60

  South Western

  1·10

  West Midlands

  2·85

  Mersey

  1·45

  North Western

  1·90

  Special Health Authorities for the London Postgraduate Teaching Hospitals

  0·20

  Total

  20·00

  The remainder of the fund is being earmarked for a special targeted attack on the 100 longest specialty waiting lists in the country. Key data for these lists will be examined by inter-authority comparisons and consultancy, a team of management consultants who are currently investigating the causes of long waiting lists in 22 districts. They will advise whether waiting list fund money should be allocated to regions to help districts tackle these 100 long lists, and will visit selected districts to investigate the problems at first hand.

  This £33 million brings the Government's investment in the drive to tackle waiting times to £119 million over four years. In the first three years, the fund has enabled well over 300,000 in-patients and day cases, and over 200,000 out-patients, to be treated.

  Consultants
  Sir Neil Macfarlane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will be in a position to make an announcement on the proposed allocation of public funds and on management training for consultants.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have today announced the allocation of £1 million to the successful regions. The programmes of training are due to commence in April 1990. Residential training courses will be brief (about four weeks) and will teach basic principles of management for consultants who wish to play a part in the management of the NHS.

  There was an extremely enthusiastic response to the invitation to put forward bids for this scheme and the general quality of submissions received was most impressive. Seven regions, in all, will benefit from central funding. A national evaluation process will be an important part of this initiative.

  Health Authority Members
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he estimates the annual remuneration of non-officer members of health authorities and family practitioner services authorities under the National Health Service and Community Care Bill will be.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This is still under consideration.

  Community Health Councils
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the annual budget allocation for community health councils.

  Mr. Freeman
  The expenses of community health councils are met by and form part of the total expenditure of the health authorities concerned. It is for health authorities to decide on the level of funding that they provide to community health councils. The summarised accounts of regional and district health authorities for 1988–89 record revenue expenditure on community health councils totalling £8,004,257. This is a provisional figure, subject to audit.

  Abortion
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will update the following tables of statistics printed in the special report and report of the Select Committee on the Infant Life (Preservation) Bill, H.L. Paper 153 of 1986–87 and H.L. Paper 50 of 1987–88, to cover 1987, 1988 and 1989(a) the number of notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967, gestation by completed weeks by statutory grounds and category of premises, residents and non-residents, England and Wales, in the special report on pages 22 to 26 and the report on pages 72 to 73; and (b) the number of notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967, gestation by completed weeks by statutory grounds and mother's age, England and Wales as in the special report on pages 28 to 37 and in the report on pages 74 to 77.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 24 November 1989]: The information requested has been placed in the Library, and I have sent my hon. Friend a copy.

  AIDS
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will outline the reasons for the closure of the Health Education Authority's AIDS unit;

  (2) what discussions he had with the director of the Health Education Authority about the future of the AIDS unit prior to that unit's closure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: The planned internal reorganisation of the Health Education Authority is entirely a matter for the authority, and we played no part in the HEA's decisions on this issue. The HEA's chairman made it clear at the expert symposium on HIV and AIDS organised jointly by the Department and the HEA on 24 November that part of the reorganisation of the HEA's business will involve the management of its AIDS work with that of its six other major health topic programmes. The authority considers that this will increase effectiveness and reflect the AIDS programme's close links with many other aspects of the authority's work. These changes will involve no dilution of the HEA's HIV prevention effort.

  Drug Overdoses
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents have been recorded in each of the past 10 years of(a) suicide, (b) parasuicide and (c) accidental death as a result of overdoses of drugs containing paracetemol.
  283
  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: The information is not available in the exact form requested. The available information is shown in the table.

  Number of deaths from poisoning by drugs containing paracetamol which were (a) suicides, (b) undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted, and (c) accidenal, in England and Wales, 1977–87

  Deaths

  Year

  (a) Suicide

  (b) Undetermined

  (c) Accident

  1977

  92

  41

  32

  1978

  127

  45

  36

  1979

  126

  33

  30

  1980

  109

  37

  26

  1 1981

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1982

  105

  40

  33

  1983

  117

  40

  27

  1984

  118

  55

  25

  1985

  138

  54

  32

  1986

  138

  68

  31

  1987

  116

  87

  35

  1 Not available due to industrial action by registration officers.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents have been recorded in each of the past 10 years of(a) suicide, (b) parasuicide and (c) accidental death as a result of overdoses of drugs available (i) on prescription and (ii) over the counter to the general public.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: The information is not available in the exact form requested. The available information is shown in the tables.

  Deaths from drug1 poisoning: suicidal, accidental and undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted, England and Wales, 1979–88.

  Table (a) E9502: Suicide and self-inflicted injury by solid or liquid substances.

  Year

  Deaths

  1979

  1,525

  1980

  1,479

  1981

  1,416

  1982

  1,286

  1983

  1,219

  1984

  1,099

  1985

  1,031

  1986

  1,011

  1987

  902

  1988

  913

  E950.0 Analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics

  E950.1 Barbiturates

  E950.2 Other sedatives and hypnotics

  E950.3 Tranquillizers and other psychotropic agents

  E950.4 Other specified drugs and medicaments

  E950.5 Other drug or medicament

  Table (b) E850—E8581: Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biologicals

  Year

  Deaths

  1979

  436

  1980

  427

  1981

  423

  1982

  445

  1983

  376

  1984

  375

  1985

  309

  1986

  319

  1987

  342

  1988

  327

  E850 Accidental poisoning by analgesics, antipyretics, antirheumatics
  284
  E851 Accidental poisoning by barbiturates

  E850 Accidental poisoning by other sedatives and hypnotics

  E853 Accidental poisoning by tranquillizers

  E854 Accidental poisoning by other psychotropic agents

  E855 Accidental poisoning by other drugs acting on central and autonomic nervous systems

  E856 Accidental poisoning by antibiotics

  E858 Accidental poisoning by other drugs

  Table (c) Poisoning by solid or liquid substances, undertermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted E9802

  Year

  Deaths

  1979

  566

  1980

  507

  1981

  435

  1982

  465

  1983

  418

  1984

  441

  1985

  444

  1986

  555

  1987

  564

  1988

  602

  E980.0 Analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics.

  E980.1 Barbiturates.

  E980.2 Other sedatives and hypnotics.

  E980.3 Tranquillizers and other pyschotropic agents.

  E980.4 Other specified drugs and medicaments.

  E980.5 Unspecified drug or medicament.

  1 International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision.

  2 All categories (except that relating to barbiturates) include some drugs available only on prescription and others available over the counter to the general public.

  Project 2000
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect the proposals in "Top Up Loans for Students", Cm. 520, with regard to benefit entitlement will have on students pursuing Project 2000 courses of nursing education.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: The Government accepted the proposals of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting that Project 2000 students should have student, rather than employee, status and receive bursaries rather than salaries. The Government remain committed to removing entitlement to income support, unemployment benefit and housing benefit from students with the exception of single parents and disabled people.

  The basic level of bursary for Project 2000 students under 26 is currently £4,700 per annum in London, and £4,000 per annum elsewhere. These amounts will not be means-tested. Project 2000 students, like other students in full-time education, will pay only 20 per cent. of the community charge.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission
  Mr. Litherland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether there has been any change in the role of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in recent years.

  Mr. Ridley
  The principal role of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission has not changed, but its role has been extended over recent years by certain provisions in the Telecommunications Act, the Airports Act, the Gas Act, the Water Act and the Electricity Act.
  285
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the current referrals before the Monopolies and Mergers Commission with expected dates for receipt and publication of each report.

  Type of reference

  Subject Matter

  Referral

  Due (in date order)

  Extended to

  Monopoly

  Wholesale Petrol Supply

  9 November 1988

  8 November 1989

  20 December 1989

  Merger

  Atlas Copco/Desoutter Brothers

  20 September 1989

  19 December 1989

  Merger

  Colne Valley/Lee Valley/Rickmansworth Water

  7 September 1989

  12 January 1990

  Merger

  Michelin/National Tyre Services

  31 October 1989

  30 January 1990

  Monopoly

  Electrical Contracting at London exhibition halls

  10 May 1989

  9 February 1990

  Merger

  BUPA/HCA

  21 November 1989

  28 February 1990

  Monopoly

  Cinema Advertising

  28 June 1989

  27 March 1990

  Monopoly

  Plasterboard

  28 November 1989

  31 July 1990

  The publication schedule for each report is decided when a report is submitted to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The date of publication remains confidential for reasons of market sensitivity. In all cases we aim to publish a report as soon after it has been submitted as is practicable.

  Data Processing Equipment
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the percentage of the home market for electronic computers supplied by imports.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the percentage of the home market of electronic computers supplied by imports.

  Mr. Mc William
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the percentage of the home market of electronic computers supplied by imports.

  Mr. Forth
  The information sought is not readily available, since imports include imports for re-export while exports include those for re-import. Such entrepot trade is an important feature of international trade in electronic data processing (EDP) equipment. However, information published by the Central Statistics Office in "Business Monitor PQ 3302 Electronic Data processing equipment" (HMSO) shows that in 1988 total imports of EDP equipment were at a level equivalent to 90 per cent. of the United Kingdom's home market, while total exports were at a level equivalent to 76 per cent. of the United Kingdom's home market.

  Mr. Leadbitter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with European Community countries.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with European Community countries.

  Electronic Data Processing Equipment

  Year

  Sales

  Exports

  Imports

  Home Market

  Export Sales ratio

  Imports/Home Market ratio

  Exports share of manufactures

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  percent.

  percent.

  percent.

  1979

  980

  834

  1,024

  1,170

  85

  88

  2·7

  1984

  2,519

  2,599

  3,561

  3,481

  103

  102

  5·6

  1985

  3,459

  3,314

  3,919

  4,064

  96

  96

  6·3

  1986

  2,954

  3,094

  3,916

  3,776

  105

  104

  5·7

  1987

  4,282

  3,900

  4,774

  5,156

  91

  93

  6·4

  286
  Mr. Redwood
  The references currently before the Monopolies and Mergers Commission are as follows:

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with European Community countries.

  Mr. Forth
  Based on data compiled and published by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, in 1988 the United Kingdom had an estimated net surplus of £785 million, not a deficit, with the European Community countries in respect of electronic data processing equipment.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with West Germany.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with West Germany.

  Mr. Forth
  Based on data compiled by and available from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, in 1988 the United Kingdom had an estimated net surplus of £299 million, not a deficit, with West Germany in respect of electronic data processing equipment.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1979 and for each year since 1984 and the current year to date (i) estimated sales of United Kingdom manufactured computers in SITC 752 plus parts in SITC 759.97, together with imports and exports, (ii) the ratio of exports to sales and (iii) the ratio of imports to home demand; and if he will provide an estimate of the import content of industry sales, together with the percentage share of exports to total exports of manufactures to one place of decimals.

  Mr. Forth
  The latest available information is given in the following table. There are no official estimates of the import content of industry sales.
  287

  Year

  Sales

  Exports

  Imports

  Home Market

  Export Sales ratio

  Imports/Home Market ratio

  Exports share of manufactures

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  percent.

  percent.

  percent.

  19881

  5,175

  4,592

  5,473

  6,056

  89

  90

  7·0

  January-June 19891

  2,565

  2,382

  3,191

  3,374

  93

  95

  6·5

  1 = Provisional.

  Notes:

  1. Electronic Data Processing Equipment is defined as 752 plus 759.97 of SITC (Rev. 3). The corresponding classification for sales data is Activity Heading 3302 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980). 1979 sales data have been adjusted to correspond to current definitions.

  2. Home Market = Sales less Exports plus Imports.

  3. Imports include imports for re-export while exports incude exports for re-import. Where such entrepot trade is significant import: home market ratios and exports: sales ratios, as normally defined, can approach and even exceed 100 per cent.

  4. Manufactures is defined as Sections 5 to 8 of the SITC.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1979 and for each year since 1984 and the current year to date sales of United Kingdom manufactured computers in SITC 752.3, plus imports and exports, together with (i) the ratio of exports to manufactured sales, (ii) the ratio of imports to home demand and (iii) his estimate of the value of imports for (a) re-export, (b) direct sales to the United Kingdom market and (c) the import content of United Kingdom manufactured exports;

  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the value, volume and average value of imports and exports of computers in SITC 752.3; what assessment he has made of the proportion of exports manufactured outside the United Kingdom and the change in United Kingdom content of those manufactured in the United Kingdom since 1986; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the levels of average value and volume in 1988.

  Mr. Forth
  The classification system used for the collection of sales statistics is different from that used for international trade. Consequently data on sales of computers corresponding to SITC 752.3 are not available. The ratio of exports to manufactured sales and the ratio of imports to home demand cannot, therefore, be calculated. Imports are not broken down into those for re-export or direct sale to the United Kingdom market. There are no official estimates of the import content of United Kingdom-manufactured exports of computers.

  The table gives the available information on imports and exports relating to SITC 752.3. The introduction of a new classification system at the start of 1988 and changes in the reporting of some exports during that year may have affected the consistency and the quality of the detailed figures for computers. Therefore average values, which are in fact unit values for 1988 should be treated with caution.

  United Kingdom Imports and Exports: SITC 752.3

  Imports

  Value £ million

  Volume thousands

  Unit value £ thousands

  1979

  81

  10

  8·4

  1984

  717

  984

  0·7

  1985

  795

  941

  0·8

  1986

  749

  325

  2·3

  1987

  934

  363

  2·6

  1988

  891

  564

  1·6

  1 1989

  829

  816

  1·0

  1 January-September (provisional).

  288

  Exports

  Value £ million

  Volume thousands

  Unit value £ thousands

  1979

  22

  5

  4·4

  1984

  597

  1,702

  0·4

  1985

  600

  1,191

  0·5

  1986

  584

  242

  2·4

  1987

  693

  205

  3·4

  1988

  1,641

  (2,772)

  (0·6)

  1 1989

  1,577

  680

  2·3

  1 January-September (provisional).

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, HMSO.

  Trade Deficit (West Germany)
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the manufacturing trade deficit with West Germany.

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

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  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.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State far Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in the manufacturing trade deficit with West Germany since 1979.

  Mr. Ridley
  The crude deficit with the Federal Republic of Germany in manufactured goods was £4·0 billion in 1979 and £8·7 billion in 1988, at 1988 constant prices.

  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in the: manufacturing trade deficit with West Germany since 1979.

  Mr. Redwood
  The crude deficit with the Federal Republic of Germany in manufactured goods was £2·5 billion in 1979 and £8·7 billion in 1988 at current prices, an increase of £6·2 billion.

  EC Consumer Council
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent European Economic Community consumer council meeting.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent EEC Consumer Council meeting.

  Mr. Forth
  A resolution identifying priorities for the relaunch of consumer policy was agreed. The draft directives on package travel and product safety were discussed without substantive conclusions and both dossiers were remitted to COREPER. The Commission outlined its plans for improved representation of consumers at Community level and indicated that new Commission proposals for the European home and leisure accident surveillance system would be forwarded to the Council soon.

  Girobank
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of Girobank.

  Mr. Forth
  As I said in answer to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) on 27 November, the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced on 20 April that the Post Office Board had accepted a conditional offer from the Alliance and Leicester Building Society for Girobank. The Post Office and the Alliance and Leicester are engaged in detailed negotiations with a view to completing the sale as soon as practicable.

  The regulatory authorities will need to be satisfied and my consent will be required before the sale can take place.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Girobank.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of Girobank.

  Mr. Heffer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of Girobank.

  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Girobank.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Girobank.

  Mr. Forth
  I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) on 27 November.

  Financial Services
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the regulation of financial services.

  Mr. Ridley
  I receive a considerable number of representations on a variety of topics relating to the 290
  regulation of financial services. We consider very carefully those which relate to the scope of the framework of the regulatory system, or the powers under the Financial Services Act which the Government retain. Those which relate to matters which are the responsibility of the SIB or another regulatory authority are passed to the appropriate body.

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

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

  Mr. Ridley
  I am satisfied that the Financial Services Act is operating in accordance with its central aim, which is to protect investors.

  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the operation of legislation affecting the regulation of insurance brokers and other independent financial advisers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Insurance brokers are regulated under the Insurance Brokers Registration Act 1977 (IBRA) and in addition, in respect of their business activities, under the Financial Services Act 1986 (FSA). I have no plans to review the operation of the IBRA. A number of changes to the FSA are included in the new Companies Act which may affect the regulation of independent financial advisers, including insurance brokers in respect of their investment business activities. I have no plans to review further the operation of the FSA.

  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the regulation of financial services.

  Mr. Redwood
  I receive a considerable number of representations on a variety of topics relating to the regulation of financial services. We consider very carefully those which relate to the scope of the framework of the regulatory system, or the powers under the Financial Services Act which the Government retain. Those which relate to matters which are the responsibility of the SIB or another regulatory authority are passed to the appropriate body.

  Trade Barriers
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to ensure that the European Economic Community does not erect protectionist trade barriers.

  Mr. Ridley
  I am against protectionism. I will certainly ensure that all proposals for protectionist trade policy action are rigorously opposed by the United Kingdom.

  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the measures designed to remove barriers to trade in connection with the creation of a single European market have now been adopted, agreed in principle or had common positions agreed.
  291
  Mr. Redwood
  Of the measures in the European Commission's White Paper, "Completing the Internal Market", 152 have now been adopted, agreed in principle or had common positions agreed.

  Car Production
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cars were built in the United Kingdom in(a) 1978 and (b)

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In 1978 1,222,949 cars were built in the United Kingdom as compared with 1,226,835 in 1988, making last year the best year for car production since 1977.

  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement concerning the future of the production of cars and allied products in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement concerning the future of the production of cars and allied products in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Car output has increased in recent years and, with the additional investments now being made by a number of companies, looks set to expand significantly in the 1990s.

  Manufacturing Trade Balance
  Mr. McCartney
  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. Douglas Hogg
  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 exports through the activities of the British Overseas Trade Board.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  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.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  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 being in the best interests of the United Kingdom. The Government recognise the importance of continuing to encourage exports through the activities of the British Overseas Trade Board, including the recent successful 292
  Focus Germany Campaign. It is also pressing to open the financial services markets throughout the European Community which should help the British financial service sector and increase our invisible exports.

  Manufacturing Trade Deficit
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the manufacturing trade deficit with European Community countries.

  Mr. Redwood
  In the first nine months of 1989, the United Kingdom had a deficit in trade in manufactures with other European Community countries of £11·5 billion.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in the manufacturing trade deficit with the European Community countries since 1979.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in manufacturing trade deficit with European Community countries since 1979.

  Mr. Lambie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in the manufacturing trade deficit with the European Community countries since 1979.

  Mr. Redwood
  The deficit with the European Community in trade in manufactured goods at current prices has risen from £3·1 billion in 1979 to 13·4 billion in 1988, an increase of 10·3 billion.

  EC Industry Council
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent European Economic Community Council meeting.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Council of Industry Ministers, at which the Minister for Industry and Enterprise represented the United Kingdom, concentrated on discussion of steel issues. It agreed to an Italian request to extend agreed closure deadlines of certain Italian steel plants in exchange for delays in the payment of aid to the Italian steel industry.

  Discussions also took place on textiles, footwear, shipbuilding and high definition television.

  Product Safety
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he plans to meet his counterparts in the European Community to discuss product safety.

  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he plans to meet his counterparts in the European Community to discuss product safety.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he plans to meet his counterparts in the European Community to discuss product safety.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he plans to meet his counterparts in the European Community to discuss product safety.
  293
  Mr. Forth
  I meet my counterparts in other member states regularly. In the past few weeks I have had a number of discussions with them on product safety, including a wide-ranging discussion on the proposed EC general product safety directive at the Consumer Council on 9 November. More recently I have had discussions on product safety with Ministers in Ireland prior to the Irish Presidency in the new year.

  Japanese Companies
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Japanese manufacturing companies are now operating in the United Kingdom; and what information he has on the figure for other member states of the European Community.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is as follows:

  European Community Member State

  Number of Japanese manufacturers

  United Kingdom

  1114

  France

  85

  West Germany

  67

  Netherlands

  27

  Belgium

  15

  Luxembourg

  8

  Ireland

  219

  Spain

  41

  Italy

  24

  Denmark

  2

  Portugal

  7

  Greece

  4

  1 as at 31 October 1989.

  2 as at 31 January 1989.

  1 For the United Kingdom these figures refer to individual Japanese manufacturing companies with one or more operating plants. For the rest of the European Community the figures refer to the number of plants known to be either currently operating in EC member states or having announced a formal intention to operate.

  2 Figures for EC investment other than United Kingdom obtained from Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) figures given are the latest available.

  Toys
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to monitor the safety of children's toys.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to monitor the safety of children's toys.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to monitor the safety of children's toys.

  Mr. Forth
  Local authority trading standards departments have a statutory duty to enforce the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the toy safety regulations made thereunder. The Act provides the necessary powers for the discharge of this responsibility.

  The new Toys (Safety) Regulations 1989, which implement the EC directive on the safety of toys with effect from 1 January, will provide more comprehensive safety measures to ensure that only safe toys are placed on the market. They will also require enforcement authorities to notify my Department of enforcement action taken under these regulations.

  Trade Deficit (EC)
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the European Community countries with which the United Kingdom has a manufacturing trade deficit.

  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the European Community countries with which the United Kingdom has a manufacturing trade deficit.

  Mr. Redwood
  In the first nine months of 1989 the United Kingdom had a manufacturing trade deficit with the following countries:France, Belgium-Luxembourg, Netherlands, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Denmark and Portugal.

  Internal Market
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what additional help is being given to businesses to help them to take advantage of the internal market in 1992.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what additional help is being given to businesses to help them to take advantage of the internal market in 1992.

  Mr. Redwood
  We provide a comprehensive single market information service through our European Open for Business campaign, which is regularly updated and expanded. The practical assistance available through our Enterprise Initiative is also particularly relevant to firms preparing for the single market.

  In the private sector there is an increasing level of information and advice being provided to help business adapt to the liberalised European trading conditions.

  Imports
  Mr. James Lamond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in imports in manufactured goods from European Community countries since 1979.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in imports in manufactured goods from European Community countries since 1979.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the growth in imports in manufactured goods from European Community countries since 1979.

  Mr. Redwood
  Imports of manufactured goods from the European Community have risen, at current prices, from £16·0 billion in 1979 to £45·7 billion in 1988, an increase of £29·7 billion.

  Mr. Winnick
  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. Worthington
  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. Robert Hughes
  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.
  295
  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.

  Mr. Orme
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the increase in import penetration of manufactured goods from 1979 until the first quarter of the current year.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the increase in import penetration of manufactured goods from 1979 until the first quarter of the current year.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the increase in import penetration of manufactured goods from 1979 until the first quarter of the current year.

  Mr. Redwood
  Import penetration in manufacturing industry rose from 27 per cent. in 1979 to 36 per cent. in the year ending March 1989.

  Competition Policy
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to review his policy on competition.

  Mr. Redwood
  We are in the process of implementing the conclusions of our review of competition policy, which were published last year and have no plans for a further review.

  EC Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to meet his European Economic Community counterparts; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to meet his European Economic Community counterparts; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Redwood
  I intend to maintain close contact with all my EC counterparts, and a whole range of matters will be discussed.

  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to meet his European Economic Community counterparts; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Ridley
  I continue to maintain close contact with all my EC counterparts, to discuss a whole range of matters.

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

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

  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next plans to meet representatives of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the prospects for British business.
  296
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next expects to meet the president of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next plans to meet representatives of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the prospcts for British business.

  Mr. Ridley
  I maintain regular and frequent contacts with the Confederation of British Industry on a wide range of business matters.

  Labelling
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to change the labelling requirements for consumer goods.

  Mr. Forth
  Additional labelling requirements will come into force over the next year for toys and all-terrain vehicles. The Government have made clear their support for the early introduction of a Community-wide voluntary eco-labelling scheme.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the European Commissioner, Sir Leon Brittan; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Ridley
  I last met Sir Leon Brittan on 23 November at the Internal Market Council. A number of issues were discussed, in particular the draft merger control regulation.

  Subsidies
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much direct subsidy was paid by his Department to British industry in(a) 1979 and (b)

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Department does not distinguish in its accounts between direct subsidies and other expenditure. However, the total expenditure of the Department, including support for nationalised industries, was £2·257 million in 1979–80 and £1·304 million in 1988–89.

  Consumer Protection
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to introduce new legislation or regulations on consumer protection.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to introduce new legislation or regulations on consumer protection.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to introduce new legislation or regulations on consumer protection.

  Mr. Forth
  We intend to improve the protection given to consumers in a number of ways including the introduction of an order under the Prices Act 1974, as amended, on price indications and unit pricing about which we are currently engaging in public consultation, and changes to other legislation affecting consumers' interests.

  Washing Machines
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the level of imports of washing machines, and give this as a percentage of total United Kingdom sales.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is as follows:

  Washing machines

  January to June

  1989

  1989

  Imports (£ million)

  157·9

  65·1

  United Kingdom sales (£ million)

  275·5

  122·2

  Imports (Percentage of United Kingdom sales)

  57

  53

  Notes and definitions:

  1. Figures relate to domestic-type electric washing machines only.

  2. United Kingdom sales figures relate to sales by United Kingdom manufacturers with a minimum employment of 100. The possibly incomplete coverage of these figures implies that the percentage figures shown may be overstated.

  Source: Business Monitor PQ3460.

  British Shipbuilders
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the chairman of British Shipbuilders; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I met the chairman of British Shipbuilders on 21 November 1989. A number of matters of current interest were discussed, including the disposal of the assets of North East Shipbuilders Ltd.

  Electronic Consumer Goods
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the balance of payments deficit in electronic consumer goods.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the balance of payments deficit in electronic consumer goods.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the balance of payments deficit in electronic consumer goods.

  Mr. Forth
  The deficit, estimated as a crude trade balance on the overseas trade statistics basis, was £950 million in 1988. Corresponding figures available so far for 1989 indicate that the deficit was £700 million in the period January to September.

  Textiles
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to reduce imported textiles into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Redwood
  Imports of a wide range of textiles and clothing products from major low-cost exporting countries have for some time been restricted under bilateral agreements concluded by the Community within the framework of the multi-fibre arrangements and associated agreements. Where a surge in imports of a particular product not currently restricted is causing serious injury to domestic industry I am prepared to consider whether there is a case for action to put to the Community under the 298
  terms of the appropriate agreement. Each case has to be considered on its merits and in the light of the implications for the United Kingdom economy as a whole. It is not as a general rule in our interest to increase barriers to trade; indeed the Community is committed in the Uruguay round to negotiate about phasing out the MFA on acceptable terms.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the current balance of payments deficit can be attributed to the importation of textile and clothing goods from outside the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 5 December 1989]: Information on the balance of trade in textiles and clothing is not available on the same basis as the current account of the balance of payments. The following table shows the relationship between these balances and that for total visible trade which is available on both bases.

  United Kingdom Trade, 12 months ending October 1989

  £ billion

  Overseas Trade Statistics basis1

  Balance of Payment basis2

  Balance of trade in:

  Textiles and clothing goods3

  -3·6

  n.a.

  Total visible trade

  -28·9

  -24·2

  Current account balance4

  n.a.

  -20·1

  1 Exports valued free on board (fob); imports valued inclusive of insurance and freight (cif)

  2 Exports and imports both valued exclusive of insurance and freight charges

  3 Standard International Trade Classification, divisions 65 and 84

  4 Includes services, transfers and other invisible transactions n.a. not available

  Sources: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom

  United Kingdom Balances of Payments

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received regarding the multi-fibre arrangement from the textile industry.

  Mr. Redwood
  We have received comments on Professor Silberston's recent report on the future of the multi-fibre arrangement from the Apparel, Knitting and Textiles Alliance as well as from particular sectors of the textile and clothing industry. These comments are being taken into account in our consideration of the United Kingdom and EC position as negotiations on the future of the multi-fibre arrangement continue in the GATT Uruguay round.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Silberston report on the multi-fibre arrangement for the textile industry.

  Mr. Redwood
  I announced publication of Professor Silberston's report on the future of the multi-fibre arrangement in my reply to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 19 October at column 176. Comments on the report have been received from a variety of sources, including the United Kingdom textile and clothing industry, the Trades Union Congress and organisations representing consumers and retailers. The report and these responses will be of help to the Government as the Community prepares its position for the final stages of the GATT Uruguay round negotiations on textile trade policy next year.

  British Investment Bank
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to create a British investment bank to invest in British industry.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. The Government's firm view is that British industry will itself make better investment decisions than a state institution using taxpayers' money.

  Citizens Advice Bureaux
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the citizens advice bureaux on the funding requirements in 1990–91 of their comprehensive advice service.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the citizens advice bureaux on the funding requirements in 1990–91 of their comprehensive advice service.

  Mr. Forth
  The funding of individual citizens advice bureaux is a matter for local decision, and my Department is not involved in those discussions. I have however met representatives of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and of Citizens Advice Scotland in recent months and among the topics discussed was their funding requirements.

  Transport Policy (CBI)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received a copy of the Confederation of British Industry's policy document on transport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have seen a copy of the CBI's report, "Trade Routes to the Future", which my right hon. Friend and I are studying. The report will serve to increase our understanding of businesses' transport needs.

  Golden Shares
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies presently have golden shares held by the Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  I hold special shares in six companies. Other colleagues hold special shares also.

  Civil Research and Development
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money was provided for the support of civil research and development by his Department in 1989–90 in the 1989 public expenditure review; and how much he now estimates will be spent.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The 1989 Public Expenditure White Paper (Cm 605) indicated that £243 million would be available through the DTI for civil industrial research and development support during 1989–90. Our latest estimates indicate that the take-up of this funding will be approximately £231 million.

  Note: these figures apply to DTI support for industrial R and D under the innovation, civil aircraft and aeroengine, and space budgets.

  Postal Services
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the quality of the postal services.

  Mr. Forth
  In the last year we have received some 150 representations from right hon. and hon. Members and others about the quality of the postal service, mainly the first-class service. Quality of the postal service is an operational matter for the Post Office: it has set itself a target of an average 3 per cent. improvement this year.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the average volume of mail sent by first-class post on a working day during the past year; how many letters, in number and percentage, arrived within the target time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The Post Office tells me that the current average number of first-class letters sent each day is 25 million. Statistics on the proportion of letters delivered within the target time are now kept on a district rather than national basis, but I understand that between three quarters and four fifths of first-class letters are delivered on the working day after posting.

  Renaval Programme
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the operation of the European Economic Community's Renaval programme in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the operation of the European Economic Community's Renaval programme in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government have submitted applications for programmes of measures for Plymouth and Gibraltar and put cases for eligibility for Strathclyde and Fife. We are considering what further applications might be made. The European Commission has so far approved only the eligibility of Plymouth.

  Nationalised Industries (European Community)
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the level of subsidies to other European Community countries' nationalised industries.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  From time to time we receive representations from industry about unfair competition from subsidised nationalised industries in other member states. Substantive complaints are pursued vigorously with the European Commission who are responsible for ensuring the proper application of the state aid rules of the European Economic Community treaty. We are concerned about the opportunities which other member states have to provide subsidies to their nationalised industries which may distort competition in the European Community.

  Barlow Clowes
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress towards reimbursement of investors who lost money in the Barlow Clowes collapse and the help given by his Department in the process.

  Mr. Ridley
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs on 1 November at column 257. The latest information available to me on the progress of the liquidation of Barlow Clowes International Ltd is in my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary's letter of 27 November to all members, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received about Barlow Clowes.

  Mr. Ridley
  I have received many representations from right hon. and hon. Members on behalf of their constituents, from the Barlow Clowes Investors Group and from investors themselves. My right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs' letter of 27 November to all members, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, gives the latest information available on the matters about which most interest has been expressed.

  Finishing Mills
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with British Steel about finishing mill capacity and location; and if his discussions included the effect of Government guarantees to plant in Scotland.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no such discussions.

  Machine Tools
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of investment in machine tools over the last three years has been on imported equipment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Recent United Kingdom investment in the import of machine tools has been estimated as:

  Year

  United Kingdom demand

  Imports

  £ million

  £ million

  Percentage

  1986

  1,011

  500

  49·5

  1987

  875

  425

  48·6

  1988

  1,155

  557

  48·2

  No information is available about the re-export of imported machine tools. The above figures take no account of re-exports. I do not propose to make a statement.

  Companies
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies were registered at Companies house for each of the last five years.
  302
  Mr. Redwood
  Ninety-eight thousand companies were incorporated in Great Britain in 1984. The number of registrations rose to 105,000 in 1985, 117,000 in 1986, 128,000 in 1987 and 129,000 in 1988. Further details can be found in the publication "Companies in 1988–89", a copy of which is in the Library.

  North East Shipbuilders
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are his latest intentions concerning the future of North-East Shipbuilders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  British Shipbuilders are currently in discussion with a number of parties interested in purchasing the assets of North East Shipbuilders Ltd. I hope these discussions will prove fruitful.

  Bookmakers (Shareholders)
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to monitor the shareholders of major bookmakers in Satellite Information Services.

  Mr. Forth
  For the purposes of the Telecommunications Act 1984, the licence for the provision of satellite telecommunication services granted to Satellite Information Services Ltd. on 16 October 1989 requires it to notify the Secretary of State when shares representing more than 20 per cent. of the voting rights in the company are acquired by any person, and subsequently should further acquisitions bring this holding to more than 30 per cent. and more than 50 per cent. No such justification has been received.

  The company is also required to provide information under the Companies Act 1985 in the usual manner.

  Fata Babour
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants for research, development and investment in equipment were made to Fata Babour or related companies from 1984 to date.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My Department has not been able to trace any record of this company, nor of any related companies.

  Fibre-optics (Trial)
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to evaluate the results of his decision to grant a special licence to British Telecom to convey integrated voice telephony and entertainment television over a trial optical fibre network at Bishops Stortford, announced on 14 November; and what plans he has to transfer the technology to other parts of the economy.

  Mr. Forth
  It is primarily for British Telecom and the companies involved in the trial to evaluate the results. Similarly, the transfer of technology is a matter for the companies themselves.

  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the decision to grant a special licence to British Telecom to convey integrated voice telephony
  303
  and entertainment television over a trial optical fibre network at Bishops Stortford, announced on 14 November, will involve any public expenditure.

  Mr. Forth
  No public expenditure will be involved.

  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the decision to grant a special licence to British Telecom to convey integrated voice telephony and entertain television over a trial optical fibre network at Bishop Stortford, announced on 14 November, reflects any change of policy on the creation of a national broadband network based on fibreoptic cable since the publication of the White Paper, "Information Technology," Cm 646.

  Mr. Forth
  No. The trial is consistent with the policy announced in the White Paper on information technology.

  Private Hospitals
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the terms of reference of the proposed Monopolies and Mergers Commission inquiry into private hospitals and private health insurance; if he will place the text of the Director General of Fair Trading's recommendations to him in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I have arranged for a copy of the reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission of the acquisition by British United Provident Association Limited of HCA United Kingdom Limited to be placed in the Library. It is not our practice to publish the Director-General of Fair Trading's advice to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. In this case my right hon. Friend's decision to refer the acquisition to the Commission was in accordance with the Director-General's advice.

  Relocation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all office relocations of his Department's staff since May 1979, stating in each case the location of origin and the location of transfer, together with the numbers of staff transferred.

  Mr. Forth
  Since 1979 we have relocated the following activities:

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory
  50 post moved in 1987 from Chapter street London SW1 to the National Physical Laboratory site at Teddington.

  Personnel
  30 post in the Pay Unit were transferred to Cardiff in 1986.

  Laboratory of the Government Chemist
  336 post moved in 1988 from Waterloo to the National Physical Laboratory site at Teddington.

  DTI South-East
  One hundred and fourteen posts in the regional office serving London and the South East have been transferred from Victoria to Cambridge, Reading, Reigate and other parts of the region. Ninety posts were transferred in 1988 and a further 24 in 1989.

  Insolvency Service
  One hundred and thirty four headquarter and other London based posts transferred in 1988–89 to Birmingham and a further 34 posts are planned for relocation to Birmingham and Edinburgh.

  Patent Office
  The relocation of 850 posts to south Wales began in 1988 and will finally be completed in 1991 when the new premises being built to house the office are ready for occupation.
  304
  We have recently announced that the Import Licensing Branch with 53 posts would be transferred to Billingham during 1990.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what relocations of his Department's staff, or agencies relating thereto, are currently being considered; and what are the numbers of staff affected.

  Mr. Forth
  The location of functions currently based in London and the south-east is being considered in a rolling programme of reviews covering altogether the work of approximately 4,000 staff. Reviews currently in hand affect about half this total.

  The location review programme aims to identify those activities which could be relocated without significant loss of operational effectiveness and which would offer a positive cost benefit.

  South Korea (Imports)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the Official Report the total value of imports into the United Kingdom from South Korea, the main categories represented by these imports and the total deficit in United Kingdom trade with South Korea, for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: Total values of United Kingdom imports from the Republic of Korea and of the United Kingdom's trade deficit with the Republic of Korea, from 1986 to 1989 and for the first nine months of 1989, are set out in the table. The main categories represented by these imports are articles of apparel and clothing accessories (20 per cent. of 1988 total); office machinery and automatic data processing equipment (13 per cent.); telecommunications, sound recording and reproducing equipment (13 per cent.); and electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances (12 per cent.).

  £million

  United Kingdom imports from Republic of Korea

  United Kingdom trade deficit with Republic of Korea

  1986

  662

  374

  1987

  936

  509

  1988

  1,135

  684

  19891

  892

  550

  1 January to September.

  Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Mortgages
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider introducing legislation to render it compulsory for all financial advisors to disclose to prospective clients, whether as part of quotations or otherwise, the total sum received as commission for arrangement of mortgages linked to policies of endowment assurance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 5 December 1989]: An endowment policy, whether offered in conjunction with a mortgage or not, is a form of investment, and under the Financial Services Act 1986 it is the responsibility of the Securities and Investments Board and recognised

  305
  self-regulating organisations and professional bodies to make rules on the disclosure of commissions on investments.

  Regulations made under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 require credit brokers who charge a fee to prospective borrowers for arranging mortgages to show the amount in advertisements and quotations; it must also be included in the calculation of the charge for credit. There are no plans under the Consumer Credit Act to require the disclosure to prospective borrowers of commission received by credit brokers or lenders.

  Footwear
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking through the European Community to prevent the French Government from enforcing their own footwear labelling regulations.
  306
  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 30 November 1989]: The British Footwear Manufacturers Federation has raised with the DTI its concern about French Government decree 89–292 which introduces new labelling requirements for footwear. My officials are considering with the federation what action should be taken by the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on his policy regarding the European Community Commission's report on imports of footwear from Taiwan and Korea.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 5 December 1989]: We will need to be satisfied what restrictions if any are justified. The matter is at present under discussion in Brussels and I will wish to consider the views expressed by the industry and other member states before making a final decision.

  SPECTACLE SALES: TRADE DESCRITIONS ACT
  SPECTACLE SALES: TRADE DESCRITIONS ACT
  PROPERTY LAW: DIAMOND REPORT
  PROPERTY LAW: DIAMOND REPORT
  ELECTRICITY: SOURCE, COST AND PRICING DATA
  ELECTRICITY: SOURCE, COST AND PRICING DATA
  SIZEWELL B POWER STATION: CONTINUED CONSTRUCTION
  SIZEWELL B POWER STATION: CONTINUED CONSTRUCTION
  SIZEWELL B POWER STATION: ELECTRICITY PRICE
  SIZEWELL B POWER STATION: ELECTRICITY PRICE
  NUCLEAR POWER: RETENTION IN PUBLIC SECTOR
  NUCLEAR POWER: RETENTION IN PUBLIC SECTOR
  NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS: SAFETY
  NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS: SAFETY
  NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMME: 1994 REVIEW
  NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMME: 1994 REVIEW
  MAGNOX POWER STATIONS: LIFE EXTENSION
  MAGNOX POWER STATIONS: LIFE EXTENSION
  MAGNOX POWER STATIONS: DECOMMISSIONING COSTS
  MAGNOX POWER STATIONS: DECOMMISSIONING COSTS
  MUCH WOOLTON RC PRIMARY SCHOOL
  MUCH WOOLTON RC PRIMARY SCHOOL
  ANIMAL MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS: LEAD IN FEEDINGSTUFFS
  ANIMAL MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS: LEAD IN FEEDINGSTUFFS
  AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE: MARKET REGULATION EXPENDITURE
  AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE: MARKET REGULATION EXPENDITURE
  AGRICULTURAL GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES
  AGRICULTURAL GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES
  OPTICIANS ACT 1989: CONSUMER PROTECTION
  OPTICIANS ACT 1989: CONSUMER PROTECTION
  OPTICIANS' EARNINGS
  OPTICIANS' EARNINGS
  CHILDREN: ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT
  CHILDREN: ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT
  ABORTION STATISTICS 1987–89
  ABORTION STATISTICS 1987–89