Written Answers of 15 December 1989

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Standing Committees
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many seats are reserved for staff and advisers for(a) the Government and (b) Opposition parties on the floor of Standing Committees.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  Five places are made available for Government staff and advisers in Standing Committees; no such arrangement exists at present for Opposition parties.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  MacBride Principles
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the adoption by companies in Northern Ireland of the MacBride principles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 7 December 1989]: I am not aware that any company operating in Northern Ireland has adopted the MacBride principles.

  Companies in Northern Ireland have to obey Northern Ireland law. They do not have to make available information beyond that which is statutorily required.

  We are in favour of jobs and of justice and we have therefore consistently opposed the campaign based on the MacBride principles because it could adversely affect existing jobs, cut new investment and hit at the creating of the new jobs and extra employment opportunities that are needed in Northern Ireland.

  Equality of opportunity in employment is best achieved through Northern Ireland law and effective action.

ENERGY

  North Sea (Pipelines)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what pipelines have been agreed to serve oil flow from developments in the North sea over the next four years; and if he will provide an estimate of the length of each pipeline and its tonnage of steel.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The following pipelines have been authorised to serve oil flow from developments in the North sea over the next four years. These pipelines have been laid but are not yet in operation.

  Field and pipeline

  Approximate length kilometers

  Approximate weight tones

  Kittiwake

  1 × 8 in flowline

  2·0

  144

  826

  Field and pipeline

  Approximate length kilometers

  Approximate weight tones

  Arbroath

  1 × 10 in flowline

  8·3

  596

  1 × 10 in water injection

  8·3

  952

  1 × 8 in gas lift

  8·3

  408

  Linnhe

  1 × 6 in flowline

  7·0

  418

  1 × 6 in gas lift

  7·0

  418

  1 × 6 in water injection

  7·0

  418

  In addition pipelines totalling 189 km in length and total approximate weight 39,700 tonnes have been approved in principle, although not yet authorised.

PRIME MINISTER

  South Korea
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Prime Minister how many representations she has received regarding the methods by which cats and dogs are slaughtered for human consumption in South Korea.

  The Prime Minister: I have received approximately 950 representations on the subject of human consumption of cats and dogs in South Korea.

  Footwear Imports
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister whether any decision was taken at the Strasbourg summit concerning the alteration of the voluntary restraint arrangements in respect of leather footwear imports from eastern Europe.

  The Prime Minister
  No. The Strasbourg summit discussions on European Community relations with eastern and central Europe did not cover such specific issues.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much food aid has been given to Ethiopia in the current year by Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  This year under the United Kingdom food aid programme Her Majesty's Government are providing over 27,000 tonnes of food aid to Ethiopia with a value of £6·6 million. In addition, our share of the cost of the 74,000 tonnes of food aid allocated by the European Community to Ethiopia is some £3 million.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received since 1 August concerning food aid to Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Since 1 August there have been a number of appeals to the donor community to supply food aid for the hungry in Ethiopia. Since that time Her Majesty's Government have agreed to provide 21,700 tonnes of food aid with a value of £4·7 million in response to appeals that they have received from British voluntary agencies.
  827
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any proposals to increase food aid to Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Within the last two weeks I have approved a further 5,000 tonnes of food aid for the hungry in Ethiopia. This brings our total food aid to Ethiopia to over 27,000 tonnes this year. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Violence
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to widen the types of crime covered by the categories(a) violent crime and (b) assault; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have no present plans to do so, but we are always ready to consider proposals if the hon. Lady has any particular suggestions to make the law more effective.

  Entry Clearance
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases over the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available applications for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom by Pakistani citizens have been(a) granted, (b) refused, (c) followed by an application to enter the United Kingdom as a visitor to be present at the birth of the applicant's child, and (d) that application has been refused on the ground that an application had been made for settlement which had been refused.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The only information available is that in the 12 months ending 30 September 1989, 5,450 applications in Pakistan for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom were granted and 2,010 were refused initially. A total of 9,190 applications for a visit entry clearance were refused in the same period because the applicant did not meet the requirements of immigration rules.

  Prison Rules
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure British prisons comply with recommendation 12(873) of European prison rules and in particular with regard to(a) part II, 10, 2, regarding preparation of reports on every prisoner, (b) part II, 14, 1, on individual cells, (c) part II, 14, 2, on night supervision, (d) part 11, 11,1, on allocation of prisoners with regard to their age, status and medical needs, (e) part II, 11, 4, on detention of young prisoners under conditions which protect them from harmful influences, (f) part III, 52, on training of prison staff, (g) part III, 57, on inclusion of specialist staff, such as psychiatrists and (h) part IV, 100, 2 and 3, on availability of specialised institutions under medical management; and how many British prisons fulfil these conditions.

  Mr. Mellor
  The recommendation adopted by the Committee of Ministers in respect of the European prison rules states that 828
  "the governments of member states should be guided in their internal legislation and practice by the principles set out in the text of the European Prison Rules … with a view to their progressive implementation".

  The Government comply with this recommendation.

  Every establishment in Her Majety's prison service in England and Wales meets in full all the rules referred to specifically in the question, apart from those aspects of rule 14 which relate to the sharing of accommodation. On the latest available figures for the use of cellular accommodation designed for fewer prisoners than it currently holds over 70 prisons in England and Wales met its requirements. The current building programme provides for progressive reduction of overcrowding. Responsibility for prisons in Scotland rests with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure British prisons comply with article 10 of the international covenant on civil and political rights.

  Mr. Mellor
  The United Kingdom ratified the International covenant on civil and political rights on 20 May 1976, subject to the reservation that where there is a lack of suitable facilities or where the mixing of adults and juveniles is deemed to be mutually beneficial the Government reserved the right not to apply article 10·2(b) and 10.3 so far as those provisions required juveniles who are detained to be accommodated separately from adults.

  In England and Wales the statutory rules, and supplementary guidance issued from time to time in the form of standing orders and circular instructions (copies of which are available in the Library), comply with the principles of article 10 subject to that reservation. They are also reflected in the prison service's statement of purpose issued in November 1988.

  Governors of all prison service establishments have been asked to ensure that a copy of the international convenant is freely available to prisoners and staff in prison libraries.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure British prisons comply with resolution (73) 5 standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners adopted on 19 January 1973, and in particular with the stipulation regarding the medical examination of sick prisoners; and which British prisons fulfil this stipulation.

  Mr. Waddington
  The European standard minimum rules have been superseded by European prison rules adopted by the Council of Europe on 12 February 1987. The rules are not legally binding on member countries, but the prison service in England and Wales aims to reflect them in its policies and practice. Copies of the rules were sent to governors in 1988. There is no reasons to believe that any prison is failing to conform with the principles of prison rule 30(1) as regards the care of prisoners who fall sick.

  Gallup Media Survey
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the Gallup media survey conducted among right hon. and hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  None.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received recent representations from the British Polio Fellowship calling for changes pursuant to the White Paper "Broadcasting in the 1990s", to benefit the disabled; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have received representations from a number of members of the British Polio Fellowship about programme quality and diversity in relation to commercial television. The provisions in the Broadcasting Bill relating to Channels 3, 4 and 5 give the Independent Television Commission the necessary powers to ensure the maintenance of proper standards in these areas.

  Visas
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Mrs. Saeeda Begum, date of birth 15 May 1968 ref. Imm/95359, the wife of Mr. Mohammed Jehangir, of Bradford, will be told by the post in Islamabad whether she is to be issued with a visa to join her husband.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have been asked to reply.

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

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Microwaves
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to assess the risk to consumers of using microwaves for primary heating of food products.

  Mr. Maclean
  The research results which we announced on 4 December have already led to improvements in instructions given by microwave oven manufacturers. These will lead in turn to improved evenness of cooking, irrespective of whether the oven is used for re-heating cook-chill foods or for cooking from raw. The potential risks of cooking from raw are less because the longer cooking time (including standing time) allows for greater conduction of heat through the food. When cooking from raw, consumers will in any case apply the tests normal in any kind of cooking to see whether food is cooked.

  Porcine Somatotropin
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly, of 6 December,Official Report, column 248, on what grounds the veterinary products committee recommended refusal of porcine somatotropin.

  Mr. Maclean
  The veterinary products committee recommendation was based on its consideration of the data available at the time and submitted by the company. These did not show that the porcine somatotropin product concerned met the criteria for the issue of an animal test certificate.
  830
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 6 December,Official Report, column 248, whether he accepted the recommendations of the veterinary products committee in respect of porcine somatotropin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Yes. In the event, the applicant company chose not to pursue the matter and withdrew its application.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the proportion of(a) turkeys and (b) chickens sold this Christmas that will have been contaminated by salmonella.

  Mr. Maclean
  The results of a survey carried out by the Public Health Laboratory in 1987 were that salmonella was isolated from 65 out of 101 samples (64·4 per cent.) of frozen whole chickens. No later figures are available.

  The advice given to local authorities on the identification and rejection of carcases showing signs of salmonella enteritidis infection and the 19 measures which I announced to combat salmonella earlier this year should reduce the incidence of infection in poultrymeat. Thorough cooking and proper handling of poultrymeat should remove any risk.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Teacher Shortages
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement regarding the most recent Government figures for teacher shortages.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The most recent Government figures are those for January 1989 which I gave in my reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 24 October 1989 at column 394. The Department's September survey, which provided a broad indication of the start of term staffing situation, indicated that the position had not worsened since January. The Government will continue to take measures to attract teachers and reduce shortages.

  Education Council
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the outcome of the meeting of the European Community Education Ministers in Brussels on 14 December; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I represented the United Kingdom at the Education Council in Brussels on 14 December.

  The Council agreed the extension of the European community action scheme for the mobility of university students—the ERASMUS programme—for a further five years from 1990–94, at an estimated cost of 192 million ecu (about £140 million) for the first three years of the new phase.

  Education Ministers also discussed co-operation with the countries of eastern Europe, and, in particular, with Poland and Hungary. We had the benefit of a prior discussion with the Education Ministers from Poland and

  831
  Hungary. We recognised the importance of assistance in the field of education and training and agreed urgently to pursue proposals for the establishment of a European training foundation and the development of exchange and other programmes in these areas.

  The Council also discussed technical and vocational education. We agreed conclusions inviting the Commission to review existing Community programmes in this area and to prepare proposals for further measures that might be desirable at Community level having regard to the principle of subsidiarity and the need to secure value for money.

  Contracts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many contracts over £92,500 have been let by his Department in the 1988–89 financial year and in the current financial year to date; how many of these were(a) automatically renewed and (b) open to competition through advertisement throughout the European Community.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The number of contracts awarded by the Department and covered by the provisions of the EC supplies directive, for which the current threshold is £92,000, was three in the 1988–89 financial year and one in the current financial year to date. Of these, two were awarded following advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Communities and two were considered to be exempt from advertising and may have been awarded to the previous supplier.

  Part-time Teachers
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department is taking to encourage the recruitment of part-time teachers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The employment and deployment of teachers is the responsibility of local education authorities and schools. It is for them to decide whether to employ part-time staff. Our proposed education support grant programme for 1990–91 includes support for expenditure of over £2 million on local recruitment measures to attract back more former teachers and to recruit mature entrants. The invitation to bid suggested that LEA recruitment models might include the establishment of supporting and flexible working practices such as part-time work and job share.

  Grant-maintained Status
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools have now approached his Department seeking advice on the possibility of obtaining grant-maintained status.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  To date 79 schools have embarked on the process of applying for grant-maintained status and parents at 51 of them have voted in favour of proceeding with an application. My right hon. Friend has approved 32 and rejected nine applications for grant-maintained status. Decisions on the remaining applications will be taken on their merits in due course.

  Teacher-Pupil Ratio (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the teacher-to-pupil ratio in the Durham area in each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The overall pupil-teacher ration in maintained schools in Durham local education authority area each year between 1979 and 1989 was as follows:

  January each year

  Ration

  1979

  18·7

  1980

  18·7

  1981

  18·5

  1982

  18·3

  1983

  18·6

  1984

  18·5

  1985

  18·5

  1986

  18·6

  1987

  18·7

  1988

  18·3

  1989

  18·3

  Durham University
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on consultations held between Durham university and Teesside polytechnic about the formation of a joint board to supervise medical studies at the new college of Durham university on Teesside.

  Mr. Jackson
  We are aware of the local discussions about the University of Durham's proposal to develop a new college of the University of Durham on Teesside, including most recently the development of an institute of health studies. However, no formal proposal has yet been made.

  Zidovudine
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the Medical Research Council/INSERM trial of zidovudine; and what information he has as to progress on the similar trial undertaken in the United States of America.

  Mr. Jackson
  The latest available information is contained in the Medical Research Council's press notice of 20 October, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will update the figures of participants in the Medical Research Council/INSERM trial of zidovudine given in reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on 6 June,Official Report, column 21.

  Mr. Jackson
  The number of participants enrolled in the MRC/INSERM trial of zidovudine up to 13 December 1989 was 659 in the United Kingdom and 618 in France.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretry of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the extent to which students whose parents are classified as semi-skilled would be unlikely to undertake higher education following the introduction of the Government's student loan scheme; and if he will make a statement.
  833
  Mr. Jackson
  The Government's proposals have been designed to apply to students in a variety of circumstances. Top-up loans mean more money for students. The Government are confident that the increase in resources will make higher education more attractive to students from all backgounds.

  Grammar Schools
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretry of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to set up an educational trust to promote the formation of grammar schools.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Government's policy is not to impose any particular pattern of secondary school provision on LEAs. It would therefore not be appropriate to set up a trust to promote the formation of grammar schools. Any statutory proposals put forward by local education authorities for the formation of grammar schools would be considered on their merits.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Company Taxation
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total tax benefit due to offsetting capital losses against capital gains tax(a) for industry as a whole and (b) for privatised industry, for each of the last 10 years at constant prices.

  Mr. Lilley
  I regret that the information requested is not available centrally.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total tax benefit due to unclaimed capital allowances(a) for industry as a whole and (b) for privatised industries, for each of the last 10 years at constant prices.

  Mr. Lilley
  I regret that data at this level of detail are not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Overseas Entertainers (Taxation)
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of withholding tax deducted from overseas entertainers for each of the years 1987–88, 1988–89 and estimated for 1989–90, for(a) the music industry, (b) the film industry, (c) sport and (d) other; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The special scheme for deducting tax at source from payments to non-resident entertainers and sportsmen yielded £6·9 million net (after repayments) in the period 1 May 1987 (when it took effect) to 31 March 1988, £12·4 million net in 1988–89 and £8·7 million net for the eight months to 30 November 1989. A breakdown of these figures into the categories specified could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Advertising
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to eliminate inefficiency in Government advertising campaigns; and if he will make a statement.
  834
  Mr. Ryder
  The National Audit Office reported to Parliament on 5 December on publicity services for Government Departments and the Select Committee on Public Accounts examined witnesses on 11 December. I await the report from the Select Committee and in the meantime officials are examining the recommendations of the National Audit Office.

  Valuation Services
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have for valuation services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Major
  In the light of studies carried out by an interdepartmental group of officials, the Government have taken the following decisions affecting the Government's valuation services and the management of Government property.

  First, a project team under Treasury leadership will investigate how best to set up consistent and compatible databases for each of the Government's main property estates, to be used both for purposes of capital asset management and for assessment of Government contributions in lieu of rates. The team will begin work shortly.

  Secondly, Departments will by April 1991 be "untied" for valuation work which does not need to be undertaken in-house. Such work will be considered for market testing and contracting-out. Valuations for the purposes of assessing liability to business rates and other taxes will continue to be done in-house.

  Thirdly, in general valuation services provided by Government valuers, whether to Government Departments or to other bodies, should be charged for. The aim is to introduce charging from April 1991.

  Finally, the deployment of Government valuers will continue broadly as now, except that the Inland Revenue will take over from April 1991 responsibilities for valuation of the Government's estates for rating purposes from the Treasury's rating of Government property department, which will cease to exist from that date. Consideration will be given to establishing parts of the Government's valuation services as executive agencies.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Family Courts
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will consider bringing forward an amendment to the Courts and Legal Services Bill[Lords] to establish a family courts system.

  The Attorney-General
  No, the Government hope to make further progress on family matters in the Courts and Legal Services Bill, but improvements in the procedure and jurisdictional arrangements for family proceedings can be achieved only in step with reform of the substantive law. It would not be feasible to set up a family court until the substantive law has been unified. The Children Act marked the first step in an ordered programme of reform.

  Legal Aid (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will indicate for each of the last three years the numbers of persons who have received legal aid in Northern Ireland.
  835
  The Attorney-General
  The number of persons who have received legal aid certificates in each of the last three financial years is as follows:

  Financial year

  Legal aid certificates civil proceedings

  Legal aid certificates criminal proceedings

  Total

  1986–87

  13,108

  27,685

  40,793

  1987–88

  15,283

  25,802

  41,085

  1988–89

  14,099

  22,520

  36,619

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show by reference to each council area in Northern Ireland, or similar geographical area the number of persons who received legal aid in each of the last three years.

  The Attorney-General
  Information regarding persons in receipt of legal aid is held on a Northern Ireland basis and cannot be provided in any other format.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show for each of the last three years the sums paid in legal aid to (a) solicitors and (b) barristers by each council area in Northern Ireland.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 28 November at column 179. All information concerning sums paid out in legal aid fees to solicitors and barristers is held on a Northern Ireland basis and cannot be provided in any other format.

  Water Pollution (Camelford)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of 1 December,Official Report, column 451, what delay is anticipated as a result of the Director of Public Prosecutions taking over the Camelford water pollution case; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The proceedings for public nuisance instituted by the Director of Public Prosecutions are returnable at Bodmin magistrates court on 9 January 1990 and on that date the proceedings instituted on behalf of the Bodmin Angling Association will also be before the court. Decisions about subsequent adjournments and the length thereof comprise part of the judicial functions of the magistrates and it would be inappropriate for me to speculate.

  Barristers
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General what posts in Government and the senior Civil Service are reserved to barristers.

  The Attorney-General
  The duties of the Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General require that they be members of the Bar.

  The only post in the Civil Service at present reserves to barristers is that of Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery. However the Courts and Legal Services Bill introduced in the House of Lords on 6 December would also enable solicitors and members of the Lord Chancellor's Department of the prescribed standing to be appointed to that post.

WALES

  Influenza
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the availability of influenza vaccine in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  In the advice issued to all family practitioner committees and district health authorities in September, general vaccination to control the spread of influenza was not recommended. However, it was advised that persons at special risk (for example, those with chronic pulmonary, heart or renal disease) should be considered for vaccination.

  There are at present adequate supplies of the vaccine already in Wales, or available from the stocks held centrally by the manufacturers, to ensure that all individuals in the special risk category are vaccinated if they wish.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the current levels of influenza attacks in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  An increase in influenza reports from general practitioners was noted in the second week of November. The first practices to report large numbers of cases were in East Dyfed, Mid Glamorgan and West Glamorgan. Practices in Clwyd, Gwent, Gwynedd and South Glamorgan began to report increased numbers of cases by the beginning of December.

  The pattern of reporting has been firstly an increase in cases in children followed within two weeks by an increase in adult cases. The rates in children in practices in Mid Glamorgan and West Glamorgan declined in the past week but the incidence in adults has yet to show a reduction.

  If the current outbreak behaves as did the smaller outbreak which affected south Wales in 1988–89 it would be expected that the incidence in children will substantially decline by the end of December. In adults, however, the outbreak is developing more slowly and its course is therefore difficult to predict.

  Data supplied from the public health laboratories at Cardiff, Swansea and Rhyl indicate the main virus responsible for this outbreak is influenza A, although there are other viruses circulating among young children. Many adults would be expected to have a degree of immunity to the strain.

  Veterinary Officers
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the district veterinary officers for every district in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  Mr. D. R. Williams is the regional veterinary officer (RVO) for Wales and Mr. D. Summers is the deputy regional veterinary officer (DRVO). The Welsh Office Agriculture Department is divided into five agricultural divisions. The following is a list of divisional veterinary officers (DV0s) in Wales:

  Mr. M. E. T. Watts DVO

  WOAD Animal Health Division

  Llanishen

  Cardiff CF4 5ZB

  837

  Mr. G. B. Rees DVO

  WOAD Animal Health Division

  Bolero Camp

  Park Road

  Ruthin

  Clwyd LL15 1NP

  Mr. E. M. Davies DVO

  WOAD Animal Health Division

  Picton Terrace

  Carmarthen

  Dyfed SA31 3BT

  Mr. H. T. Morris DVO

  WOAD Animal Health Division

  Crown Buildings

  Penrhallt

  Caernarfon

  Gwynedd LL55 1EP

  Mr. D. L. Pugh Acting DVO

  WOAD Animal Health Division

  Government Office

  Spa Road East

  Llandrindod Wells

  Powys LD1 5HA

  Earnings
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report tables showing the proportion of all part-time employees who are (a) manual and (b) non-manual earning less than (i) £4·16, (ii) £4·32, (iii) £3·12 and (iv) £2·80 per hour for (1) men, (2) women and (3) all part-time employees, excluding overtime shift and payment-by-results premia, for Wales and in each county in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

  Development Board for Rural Wales
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the proposals of the Development Board for Rural Wales to spend £12 million on developing new factories and business skills.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Development Board for Rural Wales' outline plans for 1990–91 will be announced in the public expenditure White Paper next January. Detailed final figures will be published in the Supply Estimates when they are presented to Parliament in March.

  The allocation of provision between individual activities is largely a matter for the board.

  Rural Schools
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assistance is given to rural country authorites in the allocation of central Government grant to take account of the increased cost of providing schools in sparsely populated areas.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Rate support grant is distributed to county and district councils in accordance with formulae which are agreed with the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance. Account is taken of the additional costs associated with the provision of services in sparsely populated areas by rural local authorities. Revenue support grant will be distributed taking account of similar considerations.

  School Transport
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning additional support from central Government for rural local education authorities in the provision of school transport; and if he will make a statement about present levels of support.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  None. As with other services provided by county councils, expenditure is supported through the revenue support grant mechanism.

  Accidents at School
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide statistics showing the number of(a) fatalities and (b) other accidents involving serious injury in schools in Wales in each of the years 1979 to date; if he has any proposals to require teachers to attend first aid courses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 4 December]: The data requested are not available for years before 1981.

  The Health and Safety Executive has since then received reports under statutory regulations which indicate that in the period covered there have been four fatal incidents—one to an employee in 1984 and three to pupils, one in each of 1981, 1984 and in 1986–87. Changes in the regulations in 1985 resulted in data becoming available in respect of major incidents not involving death and they indicate that in 1986–87 and 1987–88 some 31 and 59 employees and 195 and 318 pupils in those years respectively were involved in reportable incidents. The increase resulted from declarations following the issue of guidance on uniform reporting standards issued to all local education authorities by the education services advisory committee.

  The guidance note "Arrangements for First Aid Provision in Schools and Colleges" prepared by the Department of Education and Science and the Welsh Office in consultation with interested bodies was issued to chief education officers in England and Wales in September 1987. This gave guidance to establish information reporting standards.

  First aid facilities are looked at by Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools as part of its normal process of inspection of schools, and I know that it will have regard to the findings of a recent report on this matter.

  All LEAs offer first aid training. The great majority of teachers have some basic knowledge of first aid. Specialist teachers of all practical subjects will have received first aid training and physical education teachers in particular will have received substantial training.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Free Elections, Warsaw Pact
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the information he has on the dates of free general elections currently agreed or expected in the Warsaw pact countries.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Democratic elections are expected in the German Democratic Republic on 6 May 1990 and in Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria by June 1990. The
  839
  Soviet Union held multi-candidate elections in March 1989. In Poland semi-democratic elections were held in June 1989. The round table agreements provide for full democratic elections in four years' time.

  European Proliferation Information Centre
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to the recent application to his Department by the European proliferation information centre for financial support.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Department has recently written to the European proliferation information centre (EPIC) agreeing to a meeting to discuss financial support and suggesting that EPIC prepare a detailed funding application.

  Non-proliferation Treaty
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to encourage additional countries to join the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; and what information he has concerning attempts by the United States of America and the Soviet Union to convince additional states to join the treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We regularly raise the question of accession to the treaty with non-parties at various levels. The three depositary powers of the treaty, (the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union) attach importance to the wisest possible adherence to the treaty, and frequently discuss with each other their efforts towards this end.

  Comecon (High-Technology Exports)
  Mr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has formed any policy in response to the call by the parliamentary assembly of the Western European Union on 7 December to reduce restrictions on high-technology exports to Comecon countries.

  Mr. Maude
  COCOM's role is the protection of the strategic interests of the members of the broader Western alliance. It is not an economic embargo. With our COCOM partners, Her Majesty's Government will continue to base export licensing decisions on strategic assessments which take account of geo-political and technological realities. This means assessing whether a potential export could make a significant contribution to the military capability of the proscribed destinations and their production of modern armaments.

  We will also fully contribute to the continuous review of the COCOM export control lists to ensure that items of genuine relevance to Western security are controlled (not necessarily prevented from export) and those that are not are amended or deleted from the lists.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to assist in resolving the ongoing military conflict in Ethiopia between the Addis Ababa regime and its opposition; and if he will make a statement.
  840
  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have been in contact with the parties to the conflict to urge them to negotiate a peaceful settlement. We have also taken diplomatic action with our EC partners, the USA and the USSR.

  China
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what diplomatic representations Her Majesty's Government are making to the Chinese Government about granting fair trials to those jailed for their political ideology; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  At the Madrid European Council we and our EC partners called on the Chinese authorities to admit independent observers to attend the trials of those arrested for their part in the democracy movement. The Presidency, on behalf of the Twelve, has made subsequent representations to the Chinese authorities.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the release of political prisoners in China; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Since the events of June, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has received 19 letters from hon. Members and 69 letters from the public about the release of political prisoners in China. Of these, 12 letters from hon. Members and 50 letters from the public were related to a specific detainee in Tibet.

  Vietnamese Boat People
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is(a) the cost to date to the Revenue of the forced removal of the Vietnamese boat people from Hong Kong and (b) the estimated cost of removal of all the boat people.

  Mr. Maude
  There has been no forced removal of any boat people from Hong Kong. The cost to Her Majesty's Government of the first repatriation operation was approximately £30,000. It is impossible at this stage to estimate the cost of removing from Hong Kong all boat people screened out as non-refugees.

  European Monetary Union
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the terms of any motion of the House, together with its date and context, which contained words giving specific assent to the principle of economic and monetary union within the European Community.

  Mr. Maude
  The terms of all motions of this House are printed in the Official Report.

HEALTH

  Breast Milk (Chernobyl)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has undertaken, funded or is aware of any research to discover if human breast milk has been effected by radioactive contamination in the United Kingdom following the Chernobyl accident.
  841
  Mr. Freeman
  The continuing precautionary measures taken by the Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food following the Chernobyl reactor accident are designed to ensure that radioactively contaminated food does not enter the food chain. In additiona, a programme of whole-body monitoring tests commissioned by Government has shown that the levels of radioactivity taken up by people in the areas most affected by fallout from Chernobyl were very low and of minimal radiological significance.

  North Middlesex Hospital
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) at what stage there will be consultation with(a) staff, (b) users and (c) the wider community regarding his decision to allow the North Middlesex hospital to opt out of the National Health Service;

  (2) if he will take steps to ensure that residents of Tottenham will continue to get a service from the North Middlesex hospital after it has opted out;

  (3) what estimate he has made of the knock-on effect when the North Middlesex hospital opts out of the National Health Service on the resources to be allocated to St. Ann's hospital;

  (4) what information he has as to the policy of Haringey health authority on self-governing status for its hospitals;

  (5) what is his policy with regard to the entertaining of applications for self-governing status from hospitals within district health authorities which have voted against the promotion of such applications;

  (6) whether he has received any indications of interest in self-governing status for the North Middlesex hospital.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  One hundred and eighty-eight units, including North Middlesex hospital, have expressed interest in National Health Service trust status. There is no question of any hospital "opting out" of the National Health Service. Haringey health authority will be responsible for planning and securing a comprehensive range of services to meet the health care needs of its resident population. In doing this it will contract with a range of service providers, including National Health Service trusts. The revenue funding of individual hospitals such as North Middlesex and St. Ann's will be determined in the main by the service contracts they secure with health authorities.

  The decision on whether to submit a formal application for National Health Service trust status, when Parliament has approved the necessary legislation, is a matter for the sponsors of the expression of interest in the unit concerned. We have had no representations from Haringey health authority. When formal applications are prepared, regional health authorities will ensure that they are given local publicity and will seek the views of all those with an interest, including health authorities, staff, patients, general practitioners, community health councils and the local community. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State will consider these views alongside the application, before deciding whether to approve it.

  Midwives
  Mr. Cohn Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many midwives are currently practising in the National Health Service;
  842
  (2) how many midwives are currently practising who are qualified at grade level E and at level G as sisters;

  (3) how many midwives first qualified in each of the last five years;

  (4) how may vacant posts for midwives there are in each of the regions.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At 30 September 1988 there were 19,600 wholetime equivalent qualified midwives employed in the National Health Service in England. Information for September 1989 is not yet available, therefore it is not possible to give the number of midwives in post paid on grade E and G. The numbers of newlyqualified midwives in England added to the register held by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting in each of the last five years are:

  Year ended 31 March

  Number

  1985

  2,106

  1986

  2,599

  1987

  3,820

  1988

  2,523

  1989

  2,432

  The figure for 1987 includes some midwives who registered their midwifery qualification for the first time in 1987 although they obtained it in a previous year. The figure is not therefore comparable with those for the other years.

  Information on vacancy levels is not collected centrally.

  Doctors
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give for each year since 1980 the total number of doctors employed by the National Health Service and express this as a percentage of the 1980 figure.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information is given in the table:

  Total Doctors

  Expressed as a percentage of base year: 1980

  1980

  63,130

  —

  1981

  64,612

  102·3

  1982

  65,591

  103·9

  1983

  66,910

  106·0

  1984

  67,282

  106·6

  1985

  68,194

  108·0

  1986

  68,839

  109·0

  1987

  69,532

  110·10

  1988

  70,866

  112·3

  Notes: Includes permanent paid and honorary staff; excludes locum staff, hospital practitioners and clinical assistants in the hospital and community health services. Includes general medical practitioners.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners were practising on the Isle of Wight in 1979 and 1989; and what was the ratio of patients to doctors in 1979 and 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of unrestricted principals practising on the Isle of Wight at 1 October 1979 was 56, compared with 69 at 1 October 1988 (the latest
  843
  date for which information is available). The respective ratios of patients to doctors were 2,134:1 in 1979 and 1,889:1 in 1988.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the resident population of a health district is assessed; and whether the student population, where substantial, is included in the resident population.

  Mr. Freeman
  The estimated population of a health district includes all those usually resident there, whatever their nationality; students are taken to be resident at their term-time address and members of Her Majesty's and non-United Kingdom armed forces in England and Wales are included at their station. The current series of estimates is derived from the 1981 census of population and then updated annually to allow for subsequent births, deaths, and migration (including students). In addition, annual adjustments are also made for changes in the numbers of stationed armed forces and their dependents, and boarding school children.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in the Official Report the scales of pay for ambulance staff in the categories (a) ambulanceman/ woman, (b) qualified ambulanceman/woman, (c) leading ambulanceman/woman under (i) the current rates of pay and (ii) those now offered by the management side on 5 December and effective from 1 April.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information is given in the table:

  Current rate

  New rates from 1 April 1989

  Basic

  Extended trained3

  £

  £

  £

  1. Outside London

  Leading ambulanceman/woman

  10,888

  11,868

  12,368

  Qualified ambulanceman/woman

  10,093

  11,001

  11,501

  Ambulanceman/woman

  7,340

  8,001

  —

  2. London Ambulance Service

  Leading ambulanceman/woman

  10,888

  + 981 LW1

  213,305

  213,805

  Qualified ambulanceman/woman

  10,093

  + 981 LW1

  212,384

  212,884

  Ambulanceman/woman

  7,340

  + 981 LW1

  29,232

  —

  1 London weighting (LW) is currently paid separately and does not count for overtime purposes.

  2 New all-inclusive London salary to count in its entirety for all purposes including the calculation of payments for overtime worked.

  3 Extended trained (to National Health Service training authority standard).

  Hospital Services
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the annual savings made across the National Health Service in England and Wales since competitive tendering was introduced for catering, cleaning and laundry services; and if he will express this as a percentage of the total cost of these services.

  Mr. Freeman
  Overall annual saving arising from the competitive tendering initiative for National Health 844
  Service catering, cleaning and laundry services in England amount to some £110 million—around 17 per cent. of previous costs.

  Information about Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Nuts
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has analysed dry nuts imported from Greece and Turkey to check them for radioactivity at levels above those advised by the European Commission as tolerable for consumption.

  Mr. Freeman
  In the interests of the consumer, port health authorities are continuing to monitor certain imported food (including dry nuts) for radioactive contamination caused by the Chernobyl nuclear accident. United Kingdom monitoring has not detected excess contamination levels in dry nuts over the last year.

  Aminoacid Isomerisation
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions are being taken by his Department to evaluate the reports by G. Lubec, C. H. R. Wolf and B. Bartosch, of the paediatrics department of the university of Vienna, concerning aminoacid insomerisation and microwave exposure as reported in The Lancet of 9 December, a copy of which has been sent to him: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food gave to the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 13 December at column 698. The views expressed are held jointly by the Ministry and this Department.

  Self-governing Hospital, Bassetlaw
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the expenditure incurred by Bassetlaw health authority in the last 12 months on newspaper advertising for public relations purposes and other official publications primarily to promote the idea of a self-governing trust for the health authority and Bassetlaw hospital.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This is a matter for the local health authority and the hon. Member may like to write to the chairman of Bassetlaw health authority for the information.

  Mr. James Butler
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of the legal advice sought by Bassetlaw health authority following its refusal to pay Mr. James Butler an early pension following his redundancy; and what advice was given.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This is a matter for the local health authority and the hon. Member may like to write to the chairman of Bassetlaw health authority about it.

  NHS (Inflation)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what allowances are being granted to hospitals throughout the country to compensate for the difference
  845
  between the Government forecast of and the actual inflation rate in the National Health Service: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Health authorities operate under the cash planning system and are expected to meet all pay and price increases and develop services within the total resources available to them. Additional funds are not normally provided to take account of higher than expected inflation or other unforeseen demands. This year alone we have provided an additional £1 billion for hospital and community services (HCHS) compared with 1980–89. They have also benefited from the effect of reduced superannuation contributions and new cost improvemens. Next year the total resources available to the HCHS will increase by over £1£3 billion.

  Charity Donations
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the amount of charity donations used by health authorities towards Health Service funding.

  Mr. Freeman
  NHS trust funds may be used for any purpose relating to the Health Service subject to the specific terms of individual trusts. The 1988–89 summarised account of trust funds held by regional and district health authorities and special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals and special trustees record total expenditure of £122·6 million excluding transfers to reserve (subject to audit). This sum includes some expenditure which would not have been appropriate for Exchequer funding.

  Great Ormond Street
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to finance the Great Ormond Street children's hospital.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Hospitals for Sick Children special health authority, of which Great Ormond Street children's hospital is part, received an initial revenue cash limit for 1989–90 of some £44·0 million. Subsequent additions to this have included £0·4 million to help meet the costs of the review body awards for doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and the professions allied to medicine, and £0·1 million towards the costs of implementing the NHS review. The overall revenue allocation for the London postgraduate special health authorities for 1990–91 will increase by 2·27 per cent. in real terms. Detailed initial revenue cash limits for individual special health authorities will be issued in the new year.

  Charity Donations
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations cover the use by health authorities of charity donations for Health Service funding.

  Mr. Freeman
  The management and use of NHS trust funds is a matter for the appointed trustees in accordance with general trust and charity law. Health authorities have powers under sections 90 to 96 of the National Health Service Act 1977 (as amended) to accept, hold and administer any property on trust for all or any purposes relating to the Health Service and to engage in fund-raising activities for providing or improving any services.
  846
  Guidance to health authorities on the extent and use of fundraising powers and the management and accounting for trust funds is set out in health circulars HC (80)11 and HC (85)6.

  Alternative Medicine
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will itemise the draft European Community directives currently under consideration relating to alternative and complementary medicine; what representations he is making in Brussels to ensure their acceptability; and what consultations are taking place and with which representatives of United Kingdom bodies likely to be affected by such directives.

  Mr. Freeman
  The services of the commission have under consideration proposals relating to the harmonisation of requirements for the marketing of homeopathic products. These have been the subject of preliminary discussion with member states. United Kingdom interests will have the opportunity to comment on any proposals for draft directives following their formal publication by the commission.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will itemise the expenditure on research funding and other financial support allocated to alternative and complementary medicine; and what percentage this represents of total funding by his Department on the medical research budget.

  Mr. Freeman
  As far as research is concerned I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) on 27 November at column 102. The Department has given a grant of £60,000 over two years to the Research Council for Complementary Medicine towards the council's central adminstrative expenses.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what increased role he anticipates for alternative and complementary medicine resulting from the pending structural reforms in the National Health Service;

  (2) what is his assessment of the impact of his proposed reforms in the National Health Service on a wider availability of alternative and complementary therapies, for patients within the National Health Service.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have no proposals to make alternative and complementary therapies more widely available within the NHS.

  Medical treatment provided under the NHS must by law be prescribed by a medical practitioner. Such practitioners can offer to use alternative or complementary therapies in their treatment of patients, but the wider use of such methods within the NHS depends upon those who use them persuading more of their fellow practitioners of the benefits and effectiveness of such treatment.

  Hospices
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contribution he is prepared to make to the costs of voluntary hospices.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There will be a substantial increase in funds to health authorities next year, so that they can contribute more to the voluntary hospice
  847
  movement. We are allocating £8 million to health authorities in 1990–91, specifically earmarked for terminal care provided by voluntary organisations. This will bring the total contribution from public funds up to nearly £20 million a 70 per cent. increase over the 1988–89 figure. Health authorities will use this money to increase the contribution they already make to voluntary hospices and similar organisations which provide palliative care and support for patients with terminal illnesses and their families.

  These extra funds are a clear mark of the Government's strong support for the hospice movement. They are also an important step towards creating a closer partnership between the NHS and the movement. The Government's objective is to work towards a position in which the contribution from public funds available to voluntary hospices and similar organisations matches that of voluntary giving. This will provide a clear basis on which to plan ahead.

  We are deeply appreciative of the high standard of continuing care that has been developed and provided by the independent hospice movement and welcome its growing partnership with the National Health Service in caring for people who are terminally ill and their families.

  HIV
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the conclusions drawn from the expert symposium jointly organised by the health departments and the Health Education Authority on 24 November.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Health Departments and the Health Education Authority organised an expert symposium on 24 November to assess the current and future spread of HIV and AIDS in the United Kingdom. The proceedings will be published early in the new year. The clear conclusion of the symposium was that AIDS is a major threat throughout the world. There are three major modes of HIV transmission, all of which are now well-established in the United Kingdom. These are:sexual intercourse, between men and between a man and woman.
  sharing of infected needles and syringes during injecting drug misuse.
  transmission from mother to unborn child.

  Complacency must be avoided in our efforts to combat HIV and AIDS. There is still much to discover, but the long incubation period when a person is infectious with no obvious sign of illness, together with the usually fatal outcome of the disease, mean that it would be foolhardy to depart from a precautionary approach. We must establish the facts, we must plan, and we must educate.

  In the light of this the Government remain committed to providing a framework for response which encourages effective and responsible action among statutory and voluntary bodies, and individuals. The five main aims of our strategy are:
  To stem the spread of HIV infection through public awareness campaigns, community-based prevention initiatives, and improved infection control procedures;
  To improve understanding of the epidemiology of HIV infection, how it is transmitted, the natural history of the disease, and how HIV-related illness can be prevented and treated;
  To provide appropriate diagnostic, treatment, care and support services for those affected by HIV:
  848
  Through a range of measures to foster a climate of understanding and compassion, to discourage discrimination, and to safeguard confidentiality, within the wider context of public health requirements;
  To foster and encourage the full and continuing exchange of information between countries, and to encourage countries not to adopt coercive and discriminatory measures.

  Yellow Card System
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated proportion of adverse reactions that are reported through the yellow card system.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: Doctors are asked to report all suspected adverse reactions to new drugs but only serious reactions to established drugs. Exact reporting rates are not known but a number of studies and questionnaires have indicated that they rarely exceed 10 to 15 per cent.

  Peto Institute
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about United Kingdom support for the international Peto institute.

  Mr. Scott
  I have been asked to reply.

  We continue to value conductive education as practised at the Peto institute in Budapest and welcome the Hungarian Government's plans to build a new international institute in response to increasing demand from a number of countries as well as the United Kingdom.

  We recognise that there is a wide and effective range of services for disabled children in this country and we believe that increased availability of conductive education would be a valuable addition to those services.

  Conductive education is an educational system based on a whole person approach, which aims to develop children with a motor disability to enable them to participate fully in mainstream education. The professional input comes from one individual, the conductor, who takes the child through the whole range of processes connected with development. The conductor's role integrates some of the knowledge and skills of a number of separate professional groups, for example, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, teachers and nurses. Close and active parental involvement is an important feature of the system.

  We have concluded that the best way forward is to enter into an agreement with the Hungarian Government that in return for a financial contribution towards the capital costs of the new institute the United Kingdom would have guaranteed access to a proportion commensurate with our contribution of the available places both for children to receive conductive education and for trainees to be trained as conductors. In this way we would secure the continuing availability of conductive education for United Kingdom children in Budapest while building up a nucleus of trained conductors to provide this service in the United Kingdom.

  We have therefore agreed to provide a total of £5 million from Government funds over the next four financial years towards the capital costs of the new institute subject to conclusion of a satisfactory agreement covering access for the children and trainee conductors, and to satisfactory progress with construction. In addition, we will be seeking to stimulate interest in the private and voluntary sectors with a view to supplementing the Government contribution by a similar amount raised

  849
  from these sources. Officials will be taking forward the detailed negotiations with the Hungarian authorities early in the new year.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) applications were made, (b) allowances were granted, (c) reviews undertaken and (d) allowances were reviewed and then withdrawn with respect to the attendance allowance in each of the years 1985 to 1989.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is in the table.

  Attendance allowance: Number of new claims, awards reviews and allowances withdrawn 1985 to 1989

  Year

  New claims

  Awards

  Reviews

  Allowances withdrawn

  1985

  277,017

  184,599

  41,995

  22,985

  1986

  286,889

  174,064

  42,648

  23,701

  1987

  319,667

  208,693

  58,273

  22,717

  1988

  361,720

  207,863

  56,087

  25,141

  11989

  276,981

  176,346

  51,731

  20,563

  1 To 30 September 1989.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what new guidance has been issued in the last two years regarding eligibility for attendance allowance;

  1 April 1979

  1 April 1980

  1 April 1981

  1 April 1982

  1 April 1983

  1 April 1984

  1 April 1985

  1 April 1986

  1 April 1987

  1 April 1988

  1. Unemployment Benefit—Standard personal benefit rate1

  £15·75

  £18·50

  £20·65

  £22·50

  £25·00

  £27·05

  £28·45

  £30·45

  £30·80

  £31·45

  2. Value of 1. in real terms taking 100 as the base for 1 April 1979

  100·0

  96·5

  96·1

  95·7

  102·2

  105·2

  103·5

  107·5

  104·3

  102·5

  3. Supplementary Benefit—single non-householder aged over 18; ordinary scale rate plus the standard non-householder rent addition

  £13·90

  £16·35

  £19·20

  £21·2015

  £23·65

  £24·55

  £25·75

  £27·50

  2£23·85

  2£24·35

  4. Value of 3. in real terms, taking 100 as the base for 1 April 19794

  100·0

  96·6

  101·3

  101·9

  109·6

  108·7

  108·3

  112·7

  94·6

  93·1

  5. Supplementary Benefit—single householder Ordinary scale rate3

  £15·55

  £18·30

  £21·30

  £23·25

  £25·70

  £26·80

  £28·05

  £29·50

  £29·80

  £30·40

  6. Value of 5. in real terms, taking 100 as the base for 1 April 19794

  100·0

  96·7

  100·4

  100·2

  106·5

  106·0

  105·5

  108·1

  105·7

  103·9

  1 Excludes any earnings-related supplement. This was phased out in June 1982.

  2 The non-householder rent addition was no longer applicable to claimants under aged 25.

  3 Excludes housing costs. Actual housing costs were added into the benefit calculation until 1982–83 after which they were met via housing

  850
  (2) what new guidance has been issued in the last two years regarding the review of attendance allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  Guidance about the eligibility criteria for attendance allowance and about the review of decisions is issued by the independent attendance allowance board in its "Handbook for Delegated Medical Practitioners". Copies of the handbook published in July 1988, and copies of a revised version issued to delegated medical practitioners in October 1989, are in the Library. The published edition took account of the changes introduced by the Social Security Act 1988 for people whose disabilities pose a risk of substantial danger at night, and the 1989 version incorporates new or revised guidance about thalassaemia in children, cystic fibrosis, the assessment of substantial danger, claimants who are at risk of falling and those who refuse to undergo medical examination.

  Benefits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much a single man aged 22 years(a) living with parents and (b) living in a council flat received in unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit with or without income support if he was unemployed on 1 April in each year between 1979 and the current year; and if he will express these payments in real terms taking 100 as the base for 1 April 1979.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is in the table.
  851

  benefit.

  4The figures for 1 April 1979 to 1 April 1983 inclusive have been adjusted to take account of the fact that benefit was uprated by the retail price index less housing costs from November 1983.

  1 April 1989

  £

  1. Unemployment Benefit-Standard personal benefit rate

  32·75

  2. Value of 1 in real terms, taking 100 as the base for 1 April 1979

  98·8

  3. Income Support personal allowance for person aged 18–24

  26·05

  4. Value of 3 in real terms, taking 100 as the base for 1 April 1979

  94·6

  5. Income Support personal allowance for person aged 18–24

  26·05

  6. Value of 5 in real terms, taking 100 as the base for 1 April 1979

  84·6

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  DSS total expenditure:(£ million)

  Cash

  16,437

  19,416

  23,483

  28,582

  32,451

  35,159

  38,119

  41,487

  44,424

  46,263

  47,162

  50,200

  In 1978–79 prices

  16,437

  16,625

  16,990

  18,835

  19,944

  20,645

  21,324

  22,025

  22,815

  22,564

  21,446

  21,334

  Expenditure per 100,000 population: (£ million)

  Cash

  30·1

  35·5

  42·9

  52·1

  59·3

  64·2

  69·4

  75·3

  80·5

  83·6

  85·0

  90·3

  In 1978–79 prices

  30·1

  30·4

  31·0

  34·4

  36·4

  37·7

  38·8

  40·0

  41·3

  40·8

  38·6

  38·4

  Percentage of GDP

  9·5

  9·4

  9·9

  11·0

  11·4

  11·4

  11·5

  11·5

  11·5

  10·8

  9·9

  9·7

  Benefit Offices
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list each of his Department's benefit offices based in(a) each local authority and (b) each constituency indicating which are (i) national insurance offices, (ii) income support area offices, (iii) integrated local officers and (iv) caller offices.

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

  Local Office Evaluation
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the eight local offices participating in "Delivery of Service in the 90s".

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The offices are:—

  Blackpool South

  Cowdenbeath

  Ealing

  East Kilbride

  Glasgow (Maryhill)

  Glasgow (Rutherglen)

  St. Helens

  Southampton

  Computerisation
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish his latest estimate of the savings, in cash and staff terms, from the computerisation programme for each year to and including 1995.

  Mr. Scott
  The latest estimate of cumulative staff savings resulting from the computerisation of social security benefits is shown below. The figures (at 1988–89) prices are for both this Department and the Department of Employment.

  Gross Expenditure
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give gross spending for his Department(a) in cash terms and (b) in real terms using April 1979 as 100 both (i) as a percentage of gross domestic product and (ii) per 100,000 of the population for each year from 1978 to 1989, inclusive.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  £ million

  Posts

  1989–90

  42

  4,000

  1990–91

  80

  7,500

  1991–92

  160

  15,000

  1992–93

  195

  18,000

  1993–94

  220

  20,000

  1994–95

  220

  20,000

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to what extent his Department's(a) budget and (b) staffing level has been cut for the year 1990–91 in the light of savings achieved through computerisation.

  Mr. Scott
  The Department's administration budget for 1990–91 was settled during the recent public expenditure survey. Details will be published early in the new year in the public expenditure White Paper.

  The provision for 1990–91 reflects the wide range of the Department's activities, including our major computerisation programme.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what(a) manually held and (b) computer-held information on individual claimants his Department's officers and officials are (a) required and (b) permitted to pass to a third party; and to whom it is passed.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information passed to third named in legislation is limited to that which is necessary for carrying out statutory functions such as the collection of contributions, payment of benefit, operation of the occupational pension scheme, registration and payment of, and awarding benefit in respect of, the community charge and operation of the housing benefit rebate scheme.

  In other circumstances, where there is no statutory function, requests for information from social security records made by other Government Departments are considered only if the information would prevent the duplication of public funds, would help the prosecution of a serious crime, would meet the welfare needs of the individual concerned or would be in the public interest.
  853
  Information may be required under the terms of an order of a court of law and the information required under the terms of that order is provided to the court.

  Information may also be disclosed in confidence to the police in cases which involve serious crime.

  Where the individual concerned provides written consent to information being provided to a third party, the request will normally be met.

  Internal Market
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans his Department has(a) nationally, (b) regionally and (c) at local office level to adjust the benefit service to respond to completion of the internal market in 1992.

  Mr. Scott
  I do not expect that the completion of the internal market in 1992 will require any changes to the benefit service provided by the Department.

  Project title

  Contractor

  Completion date

  Survey of incomes in and out of work

  Social and Community Planning Research

  March 1990

  Econometric analysis of the Survey of incomes in and out of work

  Universities of Warwick and Oxford

  Late 1991

  National Child Development Survey1

  City University

  Late 1992

  The dynamics of lone parent families

  York and Bath Universities

  August 1990

  Operation of the Social Fund

  Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) York University

  March 1991

  Housing Benefit Review Boards

  SPRU

  October 1990

  Consumer Consultative Committees

  University College of North Wales and the Welsh Consumer Council

  October 1990

  Monitoring the Lewisham Direct Access Hostel

  Campbell and Devore Associates

  February 1990

  Placement of long-term Resettlement Unit Residents

  Newcastle University

  February 1990

  Perceptions of Family Credit

  SPRU

  February 1990

  Note:

  1 This project is co-founded by several government departments, and the Economic and Social Research Council.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security why he has reduced his estimate of the number of families eligible for family credit to 500,000.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The figure of 500,000 was announced on 17 March 1989 in a reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham), at column 391–92, as the estimate of the eligible population during 1988, and was obtained from a special examination of family expenditure survey returns for April to December 1988. It relates to employees only. A technical note setting out the basis of the estimates was placed in the Library on 24 April 1989.

  Estimates of the number of eligible families for any period since 1988 will be possible only when information from the 1989 family expenditure survey becomes available.

  Research Projects
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research projects, are currently being carried out under total or partial sponsorship of his Department; whom they are being carried out by; and when they will be completed and published.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The table details the research projects currently being carried out under total or partial sponsorship by the Department; by whom they are being carried out and the latest information on completion dates.

  Most research studies are expected to result in publication. Within this general expectation, no decisions have yet been made with the researchers about the content and timing of publication of many of the studies currently in progress. However, two studies on the income and expenditure of disabled people and the living standards of unemployed families are due to be published early in 1990 by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

  War Widows' Pensions
  Mr. Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what he expects his Department's maximum possible expenditure, at 1979 prices, to be on war widows' pensions in the year 1989–90.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest estimate is that 1989–90 expenditure on war widows' pensions will be £193,729,000 (£82,331,204 at 1979 prices). This does not, of course, include any payments made by the Ministry of Defence or the recently announced special payments.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will place in the Library each week the temperature information he receives from the Meteorological Office for the purposes of regulation 2 of the Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (General) Regulations 1988.
  855
  Mr. Scott
  Yes.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether officers of his Department are authorised to pass information about individual claimants or members of their households to local authorities for the purpose of poll tax registration.

  Mr. Scott
  Yes, under the terms of the Community Charge (Information Concerning Social Security) Regulations 1989 and the Community Charges (Information Concerning Social Security) (Scotland) Regulations 1988.

  Family Incomes
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing child benefit expenditure broken down into(a) gross income bands, (b) gross equivalent income bands and (c) net equivalent income bands, showing the number of children falling into each band.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 24 November 1989]: Information about the income of families receiving child benefit is not routinely collected. The following figures relating to the distribution of gross and net income are made on the basis of sample survey data which are subject to normal sampling and response variations. The equivalised income bands shown in the tables do not necessarily reflect the actual incomes of couples with children; they represent their incomes equivalised to the incomes of couples without children. Tables (b) and (c) do not therefore show the number of children falling within actual income bands for couples with children since their actual incomes will generally be higher than the equivalised amounts shown. Thus, for a married couple with two children aged nine and 11, the actual income is likely to be 150 per cent. of the equivalised amount and for a married couple with three children aged nine, 11 and 13, 175 per cent. of the equivalised amount.

  (a) Gross Income

  Income bands £

  Number of children (000s)

  Child benefit expenditure (£ million)

  Under 5,000

  490

  185

  5–10,000

  3,340

  1,260

  10–15,000

  2,625

  990

  15–20,000

  2,520

  950

  20,000 and above

  3,035

  1,145

  Total

  12,005

  4,525

  (b) Equivalised gross income

  Income bands £

  Number of children (000s)

  Child benefit expenditure (£ million)

  Under 5,000

  1,845

  695

  5–10,000

  4,325

  1,630

  10–15,000

  3,195

  1,205

  15–20,000

  1,505

  565

  20,000 and above

  1,130

  425

  Total

  12,005

  4,525

  856

  (c) Equivalised net income

  Income bands £

  Number of children (000s)

  Child benefit expenditure (£ million)

  Under 5,000

  2,145

  810

  5–10,000

  5,950

  2,245

  10–15,000

  2,600

  980

  15–20,000

  860

  325

  20,000 and above

  450

  165

  Total

  12,005

  4,525

  Notes:

  1. Estimates do not sum due to rounding.

  2. Estimates are based on the 1985 and 1986 FES uprated to 1989–90 earnings and benefit levels.

  3. Gross income is the family's total income from all sources including benefits.

  4. Equivalence scales are calculated giving a married couple a value of 1·00.

  Electricity and Gas Payments
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households, from data taken for the Annual Statistical Enquiry in 1987, 1988 amd 1989, are having weekly deductions made from their supplementary benefit or income support, as appropriate, for electricity and how many for gas(a) under £2 per week and (b) in each £1 band above £2 per week up to £30 per week.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 4 December 1989]: The information is in the table.

  Amount of deductions1

  Gas

  Electricity

  1987

  21988

  1987

  21988

  0·01– 2·00

  2,500

  2,000

  4,500

  4,500

  2·01– 3·00

  2,000

  4,000

  7,000

  5,500

  3·01– 4·00

  6,500

  7,500

  10,000

  9,000

  4·01– 5·00

  7,500

  9,000

  13,500

  12,500

  5·01– 6·00

  13,000

  12,500

  14,000

  13,500

  6·01– 7·00

  15,000

  16,000

  16,500

  15,500

  7·01– 8·00

  15,500

  16,500

  17,000

  13,500

  8·01– 9·00

  17,000

  19,500

  14,000

  11,500

  9·01–10·00

  17,500

  18,000

  11,500

  11,500

  10·01–11·00

  12,000

  13,500

  10,000

  9,500

  11·01–12·00

  10,000

  12,500

  9,000

  8,500

  12·01–13·00

  7,000

  6,000

  7,000

  6,500

  13·01–14·00

  5,000

  6,500

  7,000

  7,000

  14·01–15·00

  2,500

  2,500

  4,000

  4,500

  15·01–16·00

  2,500

  2,000

  5,500

  3,500

  16·01–17·00

  1,000

  500

  2,500

  3,000

  17·01–18·00

  500

  1,000

  2,500

  3,500

  18·01–19·00

  500

  500

  1,500

  1,500

  19·01–20·00

  500

  500

  2,000

  1,500

  20·01–24·0033

  500

  1,000

  3,000

  4,000

  24·01–30·00

  500

  Nil

  1,000

  1,000

  30·01 & over

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  500

  TOTAL

  138,000

  152,000

  163,000

  4152,000

  1 Deductions cover the cost of current consumption and, where necessary, a specific amount to clear an outstanding bill. Numbers of cases have been rounded to the nearest 500.

  2 Data for 1989 are not yet available.

  3 For figures over £20 per week the bands have been amalgamated as shown, since in single pound bands most would contain no cases or less than 500. The method by which these estimates are obtained does not imply a high level of precision for such numbers.

  4 Columns may not total to sum due to rounding.

  Source:

  Annual Statistical Enquiries May 1987, May 1988.

EMPLOYMENT

  Social Fund
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the United Kingdom share of European social fund allocation for each year from 1979 to 1990 by percentage and total.

  Mr. Eggar
  The European social fund allocation to the United Kingdom for each year from 1979 to 1989 (the latest year available) is listed in the table by total and percentage.

  European social fund Allocations to the United Kingdom (figures have been rounded)

  Year

  Amount £

  per cent. of fund

  1979

  105

  25·4

  1980

  135

  23·3

  1981

  141

  24·8

  1982

  257

  29

  1983

  321

  29·5

  1984

  353

  31·6

  1985

  308

  23·7

  1986

  280·5

  16·4

  1987

  435·5

  18·8

  1988

  405·3

  19·1

  1989

  418

  18·1

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether any transitional period has been allowed for running down European social fund training schemes experiencing a reduction of grant as a result of the introduction of new criteria in 1990.

  Mr. Eggar
  Historically all schemes have had to make fresh applications each year for European social fund support with no guarantee of subsequent funding. This remains the situation for at least the first year of the new European social fund arrangements. As yet, the amounts for the United Kingdom in future years is not known and, therefore, the effect on individual schemes cannot be gauged.

  Contracts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many contracts over £92,500 have been let by his Department in the 1988–89 financial year and in the current financial year to date; and how many of these were(a) automatically renewed and (b) open to competition through advertisement throughout the European Community.

  Mr. Eggar
  The number of contracts awarded by the Department of Employment group and covered by the provisions of the European Economic Community supplies directive, for which the current threshold is £92,00, was 12 in the 1988–89 financial year and 14 in the current financial year to date. Of these, seven were awarded following advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Communities and 19 were considered to be exempt from advertising and may have been awarded to the previous supplier.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many outside accountancy firms are employed by his Department; whether such employment is 858
  subject to any guidelines; and whether he takes steps before employing an accountancy firm to discover whether that firm has been censured by Department of Trade and Industry inspectors in their inquiries under the Companies Act.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Training Agency has two accountancy firms under contract at present; no other accountancy firms are currently employed by my Department. Accountancy firms are invited to tender for the provision of advisory services to Departments on the basis of their suitability to provide the relevant advice. In making such appointments consultations are carried out as necessary, and where appropriate in the light of advice given by Treasury on consultancy appointments.

  Durham Jobcentre
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the highest and lowest rates of pay for jobs advertised at the Durham jobcentre.

  Mr. Eggar
  On 12 December the highest rate of pay for a job advertised at the Durham jobcentre was £175 per week and the lowest £86 per week.

  Benefit Offices
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list each of his Department's benefit offices based in(a) each local authority and (b) each constituency.

  Mr. Eggar
  This information is available only at disproportionate cost.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress his Department has made towards establishing executive agencies; and what is the timetable for completion.

  Mr. Eggar
  On 1 December the Secretary of State announced his intention that the employment service should become a next steps agency from 2 April 1990. The ES is the largest and most important area of Government work to be created as an agency so far, employing over 35,000 staff and with a budget approaching £1 billion.

  In line with all other Government Departments, the Employment Department is committed to a rolling review of other areas of work to identify possible agency candidates.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide a revised and updated table providing the information published in the Official Report on 28 February, columns 171–176.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The tables show the work force in employment, male and female, full-time and part-time, for each quarter since 1980 with actual and percentage changes by quarter and year.
  859

  Table 1 workforce in employment in Great Britain Seasonally adjusted

  Thousands

  Males

  Females

  Full time

  Part time1

  All

  Full time

  Part time

  All

  December 1979

  ֵ

  ֵ

  15,006

  5,997

  3,883

  9,880

  March 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  14,958

  5,959

  3,907

  9,866

  June 1980

  14,030

  856

  14,886

  5,906

  3,913

  9,819

  September 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  14,731

  5,871

  3,868

  9,738

  December 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  14,558

  5,809

  3,837

  9,647

  March 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  14,387

  5,765

  3,814

  9,579

  June 1981

  13,389

  843

  14,232

  5,726

  3,796

  9,521

  September 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  14,118

  5,706

  3,806

  9,512

  December 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  14,012

  5,676

  3,802

  9,478

  March 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  13,957

  5,702

  3,776

  9,478

  June 1982

  13,016

  869

  13,885

  5,676

  3,768

  9,443

  September 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  13,810

  5,628

  3,764

  9,392

  December 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  13,721

  5,628

  3,713

  9,341

  March 1983

  12,796

  868

  13,664

  5,358

  3,977

  9,335

  June 1983

  12,740

  895

  13,635

  5,379

  4,032

  9,411

  September 1983

  12,761

  982

  13,743

  5,416

  4,143

  9,559

  December 1983

  12,762

  1,039

  13,801

  5,458

  4,214

  9,672

  March 1984

  12,802

  1,030

  13,832

  5,496

  4,240

  9,736

  June 1984

  12,831

  1,045

  13,875

  5,524

  4,261

  9,785

  September 1984

  12,880

  1,048

  13,928

  5,556

  4,297

  9,853

  December 1984

  12,895

  1,077

  13,972

  5,573

  4,335

  9,908

  March 1985

  12,910

  1,062

  13,972

  5,609

  4,342

  9,951

  June 1985

  12,878

  1,085

  13,963

  5,628

  4,363

  9,990

  September 1985

  12,868

  1,096

  13,963

  5,640

  4,419

  10,059

  December 1985

  12,826

  1,112

  13,938

  5,650

  4,413

  10,064

  March 1986

  12,786

  1,086

  13,872

  5,658

  4,429

  10,087

  June 1986

  12,707

  1,137

  13,845

  5,658

  4,479

  10,137

  September 1986

  12,709

  1,167

  13,876

  5,683

  4,543

  10,225

  December 1986

  12,667

  1,198

  13,865

  5,720

  4,573

  10,293

  March 1987

  12,676

  1,200

  13,876

  5,740

  4,604

  10,344

  June 1987

  12,744

  1,262

  14,006

  5,833

  4,652

  10,486

  September 1987

  12,853

  1,297

  14,150

  5,916

  4,690

  10,606

  December 1987

  12,929

  1,330

  14,259

  6,015

  4,711

  10,726

  March 1988

  13,043

  1,308

  14,351

  6,109

  4,699

  10,809

  June 1988

  13,089

  1,317

  14,406

  6,166

  4,710

  10,877

  September 1988

  13,157

  1,305

  14,462

  6,223

  4,754

  10,977

  December 1988

  13,128

  1,355

  14,483

  6,250

  4,781

  11,032

  March 1989

  13,160

  1,389

  14,549

  6,286

  4,842

  11,129

  June 1989

  13,143

  1,427

  14,570

  6,319

  4,868

  11,187

  1 Prior to September 1984 figures for part-time male employees are only available from the Census of Employment. For dates prior to 1984 census, the approximate estimates have been derived by the interpolation of the proportion of male employees who were part-time on the census dates. The estimates have only been made for June of each year from June 1979 to June 1982, but are quarterly from March 1983 to June 1984.

  ֵ= Not Available.

  Note:

  Male part-time figures are not seasonally adjusted.

  Table 2 workforce in employment Great Britain Seasonally adjusted

  Change over previous quarter

  Thousands

  Males

  Females

  Full time

  Part time1

  All

  Full time

  Part time

  All

  December 1979

  ֵ

  ֵ

  0

  19

  22

  42

  March 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -47

  -38

  24

  -14

  June 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -72

  -53

  7

  -46

  September 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -155

  -35

  -46

  -81

  December 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -173

  -62

  -30

  -92

  March 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -172

  -44

  -23

  -67

  June 198

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -154

  -39

  -19

  -58

  September 1981

  -89

  -26

  -114

  -20

  10

  -9

  December 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -106

  -30

  -4

  -35

  March 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -55

  26

  -26

  0

  June 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -72

  -26

  -8

  -34

  September 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -75

  -48

  -4

  -51

  December 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -90

  0

  -51

  -51

  March 1983

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -57

  -270

  264

  -5

  June 1983

  -56

  27

  -29

  21

  55

  76

  September 1983

  21

  87

  108

  37

  111

  148

  December 1983

  1

  57

  58

  42

  71

  113

  March 1984

  40

  -9

  31

  38

  26

  64

  June 1984

  29

  15

  43

  28

  21

  49

  September 1984

  49

  4

  53

  32

  36

  68

  December 1984

  15

  29

  44

  17

  38

  56

  860 861

  Males

  Females

  Full time

  Part time1

  All

  Full time

  Part time

  All

  March 1985

  15

  -16

  -1

  36

  7

  43

  June 1985

  -32

  24

  -8

  19

  21

  39

  September 1985

  -11

  10

  0

  12

  56

  69

  December 1985

  -41

  16

  -25

  11

  -6

  5

  March 1986

  -40

  -26

  -66

  7

  16

  23

  June 1986

  -79

  52

  -27

  1

  50

  50

  September 1986

  2

  29

  31

  24

  64

  88

  December 1986

  -43

  31

  -12

  37

  31

  68

  March 1987

  9

  2

  11

  20

  30

  51

  June 1987

  68

  63

  131

  94

  48

  142

  September 1987

  109

  35

  144

  83

  38

  120

  December 1987

  76

  33

  108

  98

  22

  120

  March 1988

  114

  -22

  92

  95

  -12

  83

  June 1988

  47

  9

  56

  57

  11

  68

  September 1988

  67

  -12

  55

  57

  43

  100

  December 1988

  -29

  50

  21

  27

  27

  55

  March 1989

  32

  34

  66

  36

  61

  97

  June 1989

  -17

  38

  21

  32

  26

  59

  1 Prior to September 1984 figures for part-time male employees are only available from the Census of Employment. For dates prior to 1984 census, the approximate estimates have been derived by the interpolation of the proportion of male employees who were part-time on the census dates. The estimates have only been made for June of each year from June 1979 to June 1982, but are quarterly from March 1983 to June 1984.

  ֵ=Not available.

  Note:

  Male part-time figures are not seasonally adjusted.

  Table 3 workforce in employment in Great Britain Seasonally adjusted

  Percentage charge over previous year

  Thousands

  Males

  Females

  Full time

  Part time1

  All

  Full time

  Part time

  All

  December 1979

  ֵ

  ֵ

  ·0

  ·3

  ·6

  ·4

  March 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -·3

  -·6

  ·6

  -·1

  June 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -·5

  -·9

  ·2

  -·5

  September 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -1·0

  -·6

  -1·2

  -·8

  December 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -1·2

  -1·0

  -·8

  -·9

  March 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -1·2

  -·8

  -·6

  -·7

  June 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -1·1

  -·7

  -·5

  -·6

  September 1981

  -·7

  -3·0

  -·8

  -·3

  ·3

  -·1

  December 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -·8

  -·5

  -·1

  -·4

  March 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -·4

  ·5

  -·7

  ·0

  June 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -·5

  -·5

  -·2

  -·4

  September 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -·5

  -·8

  -·1

  -·5

  December 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -·6

  ·0

  -1·4

  -·5

  March 1983

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -·4

  -4-8

  7·1

  -·1

  June 1983

  -·4

  3·2

  -·2

  ·4

  1-4

  ·8

  September 1983

  ·2

  9·7

  ·8

  ·7

  2·7

  1·6

  December 1983

  ·0

  5·8

  ·4

  ·8

  1·7

  1·2

  March 1984

  ·3

  -·9

  ·2

  ·7

  ·6

  ·7

  June 1984

  ·2

  1·4

  ·3

  ·5

  ·5

  ·5

  September 1984

  ·4

  ·4

  ·4

  ·6

  ·8

  ·7

  December 1984

  ·1

  2·7

  ·3

  ·3

  ·9

  ·6

  March 1985

  ·1

  -1·4

  ·0

  ·6

  ·2

  ·4

  June 1985

  -·2

  2·2

  -·1

  ·3

  ·5

  ·4

  September 1985

  -·1

  ·9

  ·0

  ·2

  1·3

  ·7

  December 1985

  -·3

  1·5

  -·2

  ·2

  -·1

  ·0

  March 1986

  -·3

  -2·3

  -·5

  ·1

  ·4

  ·2

  June 1986

  -·6

  4·8

  -·2

  ·0

  1·1

  ·5

  September 1986

  ·0

  2·6

  ·2

  ·4

  1·4

  ·9

  December 1986

  -·3

  2·7

  -·1

  ·7

  ·7

  ·7

  March 1987

  ·1

  ·1

  ·1

  ·4

  ·7

  ·5

  June 1987

  ·5

  5·2

  ·9

  1·6

  1·1

  1·4

  September 1987

  ·9

  2·8

  1·0

  1·4

  ·8

  1·1

  December 1987

  ·6

  2·5

  ·8

  1·7

  ·5

  1·1

  March 1988

  ·9

  -1·7

  ·6

  1·6

  -·3

  ·8

  June 1988

  ·4

  ·7

  ·4

  ·9

  ·2

  ·6

  September 1988

  ·5

  -·9

  ·4

  ·9

  ·9

  ·9

  December 1988

  -·2

  3·8

  ·1

  ·4

  ·6

  ·5

  March 1989

  ·2

  2·5

  ·5

  ·6

  1·3

  ·9

  June 1989

  -·1

  2·7

  ·1

  -5

  ·5

  ·5

  1 Prior to September 1984 figures for part-time male employees are only available from the Census of Employment. For dates prior to 1984 census, the approximate estimates have been derived by the intepolation of the proportion of male employees who were part-time on the census dates. The estimates have only been made for June of each year from June 1979 to June 1982, but are quarterly from March 1983 to June 1984.

  862 863
  ֵ= Not Available.

  Note:

  Male part-time figures are not seasonally adjusted.

  Table 4 workforce in employment in Great Britain Seasonally adjusted

  Change over previous year

  Thousands

  Males

  Females

  Full time

  Part time1

  All

  Full time

  Part time

  All

  December 1979

  ֵ

  ֵ

  47

  68

  114

  181

  March 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -3

  40

  88

  128

  June 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -83

  -54

  76

  22

  September 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -274

  -107

  7

  -100

  December 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -447

  -188

  -45

  -233

  March 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -572

  -194

  -93

  -286

  June 1981

  -641

  -13

  -654

  -180

  -118

  -298

  September 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -613

  -165

  -61

  -226

  December 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -547

  -133

  -36

  -169

  March 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -430

  -63

  -39

  -102

  June 1982

  -373

  26

  -347

  -50

  -28

  -78

  September 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -308

  -78

  -42

  -120

  December 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -291

  -48

  -89

  -137

  March 1983

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -293

  -344

  202

  -142

  June 1983

  -276

  26

  -250

  -297

  265

  -32

  September 1983

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -67

  -212

  379

  167

  December 1983

  ֵ

  ֵ

  80

  -170

  501

  331

  March 1984

  6

  162

  168

  138

  262

  401

  June 1984

  91

  149

  240

  145

  228

  374

  September 1984

  119

  66

  185

  140

  154

  294

  December 1984

  133

  38

  172

  115

  122

  237

  March 1985

  108

  32

  140

  113

  103

  215

  June 1985

  47

  41

  88

  103

  102

  205

  September 1985

  -12

  47

  35

  84

  122

  206

  December 1985

  -69

  35

  -34

  77

  78

  155

  March 1986

  -124

  24

  -100

  49

  87

  136

  June 1986

  -171

  52

  -119

  31

  116

  147

  September 1986

  -158

  71

  -87

  43

  123

  166

  December 1986

  -160

  86

  -74

  69

  160

  229

  March 1987

  -110

  114

  4

  82

  175

  257

  June 1987

  37

  125

  162

  175

  174

  348

  September 1987

  144

  130

  274

  234

  147

  381

  December 1987

  262

  132

  394

  295

  138

  433

  March 1988

  367

  108

  475

  369

  95

  465

  June 1988

  345

  55

  400

  333

  58

  391

  September 1988

  304

  8

  312

  307

  64

  371

  December 1988

  199

  25

  224

  236

  70

  306

  March 1989

  117

  81

  198

  177

  143

  320

  June 1989

  54

  110

  163

  153

  158

  311

  1 Prior to September 1984 figures for part-time male employees are only available from the Census of Employment. For dates prior to 1984 census, the approximate estimates have been derived by the interpolation of the proportion of male employees who were part-time on the census dates. The estimates have only been made for June of each year from June 1979 to June 1982, but are quarterly from March 1983 to June 1984.

  ֵ=Not Available.

  Note:

  Male part-time figures are not seasonally adjusted.

  Table 5 workforce in employment in Great Britain Seasonally adjusted

  Percentage charge over previous year

  Thousands

  Males

  Females

  Full time

  Part time1

  All

  Full time

  Part time

  All

  December 1979

  ֵ

  ֵ

  0·3

  1·1

  3·0

  1·9

  March 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  0·0

  0·7

  2·3

  1·3

  June 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -0·6

  -0·9

  2·0

  0·2

  September 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -1·8

  -1·8

  0·2

  -1·0

  December 1980

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -3·0

  -3·1

  -1·2

  -2·4

  March 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -3·8

  -3·3

  -2·4

  -2·9

  June 1981

  -4·6

  -1·5

  -4·4

  -3·1

  -3·0

  -3·0

  September 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -4·2

  -2·8

  -1·6

  -2·3

  December 1981

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -3·8

  -2·3

  -0·9

  -1·8

  March 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -3·0

  -1·1

  -1·0

  -1·1

  June 1982

  -2·8

  3·1

  -2·4

  -0·9

  -0·7

  -0·8

  September 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -2·2

  -1·4

  -1·1

  -1·3

  December 1982

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -2·1

  -0·8

  -2·3

  -1·4

  March 1983

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -2·1

  -6·0

  5·3

  -1·5

  June 1983

  -2·1

  3·0

  -1·8

  -5·2

  7·0

  -0·3

  September 1983

  ֵ

  ֵ

  -0·5

  -3·8

  10·1

  1·8

  December 1983

  ֵ

  ֵ

  0·6

  -3·0

  13·5

  3·5

  March 1984

  0·0

  18·7

  1·2

  2·6

  6·6

  4·3

  864 865

  Males

  Females

  Full time

  Males Part time1

  All

  Full time

  Females Part time

  All

  June 1984

  0·7

  16·7

  1·8

  2·7

  5·7

  4·0

  September 1984

  0·9

  6·7

  1·3

  2·6

  3·7

  3·1

  December 1984

  1·0

  3·7

  1·2

  2·1

  2·9

  2·4

  March 1985

  0·8

  3·1

  1·0

  2·0

  2·4

  2·2

  June 1985

  0·4

  3·9

  0·6

  1·9

  2·4

  2·1

  September 1985

  -0·1

  4·5

  0·3

  1·5

  2·9

  2·1

  December 1985

  -0·5

  3·2

  -0·2

  1·4

  1·8

  1·6

  March 1986

  -1·0

  2·3

  -0·7

  0·9

  2·0

  1·4

  June 1986

  -1·3

  4·8

  -0·9

  0·6

  2·7

  1·5

  September 1986

  -1·2

  6·5

  -0·6

  0·8

  2·8

  1·7

  December 1986

  -1·2

  7·8

  -0·5

  1·2

  3·6

  2·3

  March 1987

  -0·9

  10·5

  0·0

  1·5

  3·9

  2·5

  June 1987

  0·3

  11·0

  1·2

  3·1

  3·9

  3·4

  September 1987

  1·1

  11·2

  2·0

  4·1

  3·2

  3·7

  December1987

  2·1

  11·0

  2·8

  5·2

  3·0

  4·2

  March 1988

  2·9

  9·0

  3·4

  6·4

  2·1

  4·5

  June 1988

  2·7

  4·3

  2·9

  5·7

  1·2

  3·7

  September 1988

  2·4

  0·6

  2·2

  5·2

  1·4

  3·5

  December 1988

  1·5

  1·9

  1·6

  3·9

  1·5

  2·8

  March 1989

  0·9

  6·2

  1·4

  2·9

  3·0

  3·0

  June 1989

  0·4

  8·3

  1·1

  2·5

  3·4

  2·9

  1 Prior to September 1984 figures for part-time male employees are only available from the Census of Employment. For dates prior to 1984 census, the approximate estimates have been derived by the intepolation of the proportion of male employees who were part-time on the census dates. The estimates have only been made for June of each year from June 1979 to June 1982, but are quarterly from March 1983 to June 1984.

  ֵ = Not Available.

  Note:

  Male part-time figures are not seasonally adjusted.

  Mr Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, if he will publish in the Official Report tables showing the proportion of all part-time employees who are (a) manual and (b) non-manual earning less than (I) £416, (ii) £4–32, (iii) £312 and (iv)) £2–80 per hour for (1) men, (2) women and (39 all part-time employees, excluding overtime, shift and payment by results premiums, for Great Britain and in each county and standard economic region in England, and in each London borough.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

  Great Britain

  Numbers employed millions

  Numbers on adult rates millions

  Average Gross earnings of those on adult rates £ per week

  Numbers not on adult rates millions

  Average Gross earnings of those not on adult rates £ per week

  1989

  Males

  Full-time employees

  10·8

  10·4

  269·5

  0·3

  109·5

  Part-time employees

  0·9

  0·8

  81·1

  0·1

  —

  Self-employed

  2·3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Full-time

  2·1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Part-time

  0·2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Females

  Full-time employees

  5·9

  5·7

  182·3

  0·2

  95·9

  Part-time employees

  4·3

  4·2

  69·2

  0·1

  29·7

  Self-employed

  0·8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Full-time

  0·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Part-time

  0·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Apart from the numbers employed, which relate to June 1989, the figures relate to April 1989.

  2 Denotes data either not available or no reliable estimate possible.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the proportion of wages council employees throughout the wages council sectors, broken down by(a) collective agreement and (b) industry, earning below (i) £4·16, (ii) £4·32, (iii) £3·12 and (iv)) £2·80 per hour excluding overtime, payment by results and shift premiums.
  866
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will update the table published in the Official Report on 20 July, columns 321–326, showing the number of male and female full-time and part-time workers on adult rates and the estimated average earnings in each case, and the number of full-time and part-time workers who were temporarily employed in each case; and what estimate he is able to make of similar data for the self-employed and for workers on non-adult rates.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Such estimates as are possible for 1989 are provided in the following table:

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

  Earnings
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of(a) part-time and (b) full-time employees earning below (i)

  867
  the PAYE threshold and (ii) the national insurance contributions lower earnings limit in 1989 and for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I shall write to the hon. Member.

  Action for Jobs
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the Action for Jobs campaign began and ended.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Action for Jobs campaign was launched on April 8, 1986. The campaign ended on July 16, 1988, with the conclusion of the Action for Jobs south-west regional campaign.

  Year

  Fatal6

  Rate per 100,000 manshifts7

  Major injury6

  Rate per 100,000 manshifts7

  1979

  46

  0·09

  473

  1·03

  1980

  42

  0·08

  512

  0·09

  1981

  35

  0·07

  1815

  1·75

  1982

  38

  0·08

  865

  1·96

  1983

  30

  0·07

  824

  2·01

  1984–853

  22

  n·a.

  378

  n·a.

  1985–865

  28

  0·08

  715

  2·23

  1986–875

  15

  0·05

  2952

  3·50

  1987–885

  9

  0·04

  729

  3·28

  1988–894 5

  18

  0·08

  684

  3·35

  1 Introduction of NADO Regulations 1980 on 1 January 1981 widened the accident categories.

  2 Introduction of RIDDOR Regulations 1985 on 1 April 1986 further widened the accident categories.

  3 Figures for 1984–85 cover a 15-month period which included a period of industrial dispute and as such are not comparable with any other year.

  4 Provisional figures.

  5 Excludes licensed coal mines.

  6 Figures include accidents both to British Coal employees and to contractors.

  7 Manshifts counted are only for British Coal employees and do not include manshifts worked by contractors. The rate per 100,000 manshifts is, therefore, higher than the true rate.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Petrol Supply
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received concerning the Monopolies and Mergers Commission inquiry into the supply of petrol by wholesale; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Monopolies and Mergers Commission has been investigating the supply of petrol and is due to report by 20 December. While that inquiry is in progress it would not be appropriate for Ministers to take account of any representations. Representations should be made to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission direct and this advice is given to anyone who approaches the Department.

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many qualified scientists and engineers are employed on the staff of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Redwood
  Five staff of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission are qualified scientists or engineers.

  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many qualified scientists and engineers are members of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Deaths and Injuries (Coal Industry)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of miners employed by British Coal or by contractors engaged by British Coal who were killed or seriously injured in accidents in the mine in each of the last 10 years; and what is the number of such accidents per 100,000 shifts worked in each of those years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information for the 10-year period 1979 to 1988–89 is provided in the table.

  Mr. Redwood
  Two regular members of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission are qualified engineers. In addition, one member of the telecommunications panel has both scientific and engineering qualifications.

  Portugal
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further steps Her Majesty's Government have taken, or proposes to take, following the removal of excise tax discrimination in the spirits sector in Portugal, to press for the removal of the remaining value added tax discrimination.

  Mr. Redwood
  Following representations by the Government, the European Commission examined the compatibility of Portugal's VAT structure with EC law. The Commission has not found the system to be discriminatory, but it remains a matter of concern to the United Kingdom and my Department is preparing further observations on Portuguese VAT for the Commission to consider.

  Development Assistance
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what sources of grants from public funds are available for the development of safe harbours, fishing quay facilities, tourist development and rural infrastructure in the south-west;

  (2) what sources exist for grant aid from the European Community for the development of safe harbours, fishing

  869
  quay facilities, tourist development and rural infrastructure; and whether north Devon would be eligible for such grants.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The following sources of grants from national public funds and from the European Comumunity are available for the named sectors:

  (i) Developments are eligible for support from the European regional development fund if they are located in an area designated for objective 1, 2 or 5(b) of the Community structural funds, provided the Community support framework for the area so provides. The assisted areas of Devon and Cornwall are designated for objective 5(b), the development of rural areas. The North Devon constituency is, however, not in the assisted areas.

  (ii) The European social fund (ESF) provides grants throughout the Community for employment and training measures for the long-term unemployed, and those aged under 25 who have left full-time education (objectives 3 and 4 of the funds). If measures connected with the sectors listed are aimed at people within these groups, they are eligible for ESF support subject to the European Commission's decision on funding priorities.

  (iii) The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food gives grants to farmers in all areas of England for the development of tourist accommodation and other on-farm tourist developments. Grant of up to 50 per cent. is available under section 2 of the Fisheries Act, 1955 for the development of fishing facilities by non-profit making organisations. Support for certain fishing quay facilities is available from the European Commission throughout the Community under regulations 355/77 and 2321/88; the Commission pays up to 25 per cent. and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food up to 8 per cent. of the total cost.

  (iv) Consultancy grant under the DTI Enterprise Initiative is available to eligible businesses which meet the appropriate scheme criteria in respect of the development of safe harbours, fishing quay facilities and tourist development in the south-west. In addition regional selective assistance is available for such developments in the assisted areas of Devon and Cornwall and regional enterprise grant in the development areas of Cornwall.

  (v) The Rural Development Commission offers grants and loans to economic and tourism projects and grants to environmental improvement schemes in rural development areas. Urban programme funding is available for suitable tourism projects of benefit to inner areas in the two urban programme authorities of Plymouth and Bristol. Derelict land grant is available for the reclamation of derelict land to provide sites for development and infrastructure.

  (vi) Transport supplementary grant is available to all local highway authorities to assist with capital expenditure on roads and traffic management projects. In assisted areas, grants under the Industrial Development Act 1982 are available to both private developers and local highway authorities for new roads to developments which will lead to a real increase in employment.

  Textiles and Clothing
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the countries in which Britain was in deficit as regards textiles and clothing and the value of the deficit in pounds sterling for 1988, 1987, 1986 and 1985.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A list of countries and deficits for 1987 and 1988 is given in the attached table. Extraction and provision of data for 1986 and 1985 could he undertaken only at disproportionate cost.

  Overseas trade in textiles and clothing1

  1987

  Country

  Deficit2 £ million

  Afghanistan

  1·5

  Argentina

  0·2

  Austria

  62·2

  Bangladesh

  13·9

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  286·5

  Belize

  0·3

  Botswana

  0·7

  Brazil

  14·0

  Bulgaria

  0·6

  China

  100·7

  Colombia

  2·0

  Costa Rica

  0·3

  Cuba

  0·1

  Cyprus

  13·6

  Czechoslovakia

  8·3

  Egypt

  8·6

  El Salvador

  0·2

  Federal Republic of Germany

  294·9

  France

  31·3

  German Democratic Republic

  0·3

  Greece

  73·6

  Hong Kong

  583·6

  Hungary

  5·6

  India

  213·4

  Indonesia

  25·3

  Iran

  13·6

  Israel

  90·1

  Italy

  499·8

  Kampuchea

  0·1

  Lesotho

  0·2

  Macao

  29·9

  Madagascar

  2·6

  Malawi

  3·9

  Malaysia

  22·5

  Malta

  3·6

  Mauritius

  26·1

  Mexico

  9·2

  Nepal

  7·3

  Netherlands

  125·0

  Niue and Tokelau

  0·1

  North Korea

  0·1

  Pakistan

  108·5

  Peru

  2·3

  Philippines

  32·5

  Pitcairn

  0·1

  Poland

  15·0

  Portugal

  291·6

  Puerto Rico

  3·6

  Romania

  15·8

  Sao Tome and Principe

  0·1

  Singapore

  24·4

  South Africa

  5·0

  South Korea

  238·3

  Spain

  22·2

  Sri Lanka

  17·8

  Swaziland

  0·6

  Switzerland

  64·0

  Taiwan

  104·3

  Tanzania

  1·9

  Thailand

  57·6

  Tunisia

  0·1

  Turkey

  120·3

  871

  Country

  Deficit2 £ million

  Uruguay

  4·1

  Yugoslavia

  15·9

  Zimbabwe

  6·8

  1988

  Country

  2Deficit £million

  Afghanistan

  1·8

  Argentina

  0·4

  Austria

  78·2

  Bangladesh

  23·6

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  327·5

  Belize

  1·0

  Botswana

  0·2

  Brazil

  13·4

  Burkina

  0·1

  Cameroon

  0·6

  China

  98·0

  Colombia

  2·6

  Costa Rica

  0·4

  Cyprus

  18·5

  Czechoslovakia

  8·2

  Denmark

  13·4

  Egypt

  6·7

  El Salvador

  1·5

  Federal Republic of Germany

  393·3

  France

  40·5

  German Democratic Republic

  1·7

  Greece

  66·6

  Hong Kong

  659·3

  Hungary

  6·8

  India

  214·2

  Indonesia

  44·6

  Iran

  4·8

  Israel

  95·3

  Italy

  523·7

  Lesotho

  0·2

  Macao

  29·3

  Madagascar

  2·7

  Malawi

  3·2

  Malaysia

  29·9

  Maldives

  0·1

  Malta

  2·6

  Mauritius

  33·4

  Mexico

  11·9

  Mongolia

  0·1

  Nepal

  8·8

  Netherlands

  107·7

  Pakistan

  110·4

  Peru

  2·7

  Philippines

  31·1

  Poland

  19·9

  Portugal

  303·2

  Puerto Rico

  3·5

  Romania

  18·3

  Singapore

  31·4

  South Korea

  260·5

  Spain

  10·6

  Sri Lanka

  21·1

  Surinam

  0·1

  Swaziland

  0·4

  Switzerland

  60·8

  Taiwan

  100·5

  Tanzania

  1·7

  Thailand

  70·6

  Turkey

  161·0

  Uruguay

  1·8

  Yugoslavia

  14·8

  Zimbabwe

  8·2

  1 Divisions 65 and 84 of the Standard International Trade Classification.

  2 Excludes deficits of less than £50,000.

  Footwear
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the countries with which Britain was in deficit as regards footwear and the value of the deficit in pound sterling for 1988, 1987, 1986 and 1985.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A list of countries and deficits for 1987 and 1988 is given in the attached table. Extraction and provision of data for 1986 and 1985 could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.

  Overseas trade in footwear1

  Country

  2Deficit £ million

  1987

  Austria

  3·7

  Brazil

  39·2

  Bulgaria

  0·6

  China

  3·7

  Cyprus

  0·6

  Czechoslovakia

  8·9

  Denmark

  4·8

  Federal Republic of Germany

  9·7

  France

  22·7

  Greece

  2·6

  Hong Kong

  27·5

  Hungary

  2·4

  India

  6·7

  Indonesia

  7·4

  Israel

  1·3

  Italy

  261·8

  Macao

  2·2

  Malaysia

  0·2

  Mexico

  0·4

  Pakistan

  2·2

  Philippines

  5·2

  Poland

  16·2

  Portugal

  65·1

  Romania

  0·9

  South Africa

  0·4

  South Korea

  50·9

  Spain

  72·0

  Sri Lanka

  0·2

  Switzerland

  3·7

  Taiwan

  69·5

  Thailand

  9·4

  Yugoslavia

  2·4

  1988

  Argentina

  0·2

  Austria

  2·3

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  1·1

  Brazil

  54·7

  Bulgaria

  0·5

  China

  3·5

  Cyprus

  0·5

  Czechoslovakia

  7·9

  Denmark

  4·1

  Federal Republic of Germany

  14·7

  France

  22·3

  Greece

  1·3

  Hong Kong

  25·9

  Hungary

  2·0

  India

  19·7

  Indonesia

  14·3

  Israel

  0·8

  Italy

  244·1

  Lesotho

  0·1

  Macao

  2·9

  Malaysia

  0·6

  Mexico

  0·6

  Morocco

  0·7

  Netherlands

  0·1

  Pakistan

  3·5

  Philippines

  4·3

  Poland

  16·6

  Portugal

  76·1

  873

  Country

  2Deficit £ million

  Romania

  0·4

  South Africa

  0·5

  South Korea

  75·9

  Spain

  87·5

  Sri Lanka

  0·1

  Switzerland

  4·0

  Taiwan

  73·5

  Thailand

  18·0

  Tunisia

  0·1

  Turkey

  0·2

  Uruguay

  0·1

  Yugoslavia

  3·5

  1 Division 85 of the Standard International Trade Classification.

  2 Excludes deficits of less than £50,000.

  Research and Development
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his evaluation of the European Commission proposed framework programme in research and technological development—1990 to 1994 [Com(89) 397 Final]; and what benefits will accrue to the United Kingdom from this programme in the fields of(a) information and communication technologies, (b) industrial and materials technologies, (c) environmental sciences, (d) life sciences and technologies, (e) energy and (f) human capital and mobility.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has asked me to reply as I represent Her Majesty's Government on matters of science and technology policy in Europe. I refer the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy to the recent statement I made to the House in opening the debate on Europe Community research and development.(Hansard, volume 163, No. 16, Monday 11 December 1989—column 814.)

  Bananas
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the annual tonnage of dollar banana import quotas allocated to United Kingdom independent companies in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: The following tonnages of dollar banana import quotas have been allocated to United Kingdom independent companies during the past five years:

  Tonnes

  1989

  30,000

  1988

  25,000

  1987

  27,299

  1986

  21,075

  11985

  24,475

  1 The quota period was from 1 October 1984 to 31 December 1985.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the dollar banana import quota has been allocated to Scottish-based importers in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: Allocations are based on past trade, not on geographical location.
  874
  During 1988 and 1989, Scottish-based importers were allocated 6·5 per cent, of the independents' dollar banana quota.

  Figures for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  General Dynamics
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support or assistance his Department has given to the American company General Dynamics in connection with its current tour of Britain.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: In co-operation with the Ministry of Defence, Defence Export Sales Organisation and the Defence Manufacturers Association, my Department assisted General Dynamics Corporation in organising a seminar in London on 5 December 1989.

  The objective of the seminar, which was well attended by more than 100 representatives of British companies, was to advise on the best methods of securing business from all General Dynamics' operating divisions, and exploiting the "offset banking" (industrial participation) agreement negotiated by the Ministry of Defence with the company.

  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met representatives of the American company General Dynamics; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: Neither the Secretary of State nor I have met representatives of General Dynamics since we were appointed to the DTI.

  RECHAR
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if contributions to mining areas from the European Community RECHAR plan will be to cover further proposed job losses in mining areas; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he has information on the distribution of funds by the European Community under the RECHAR scheme; whether areas other than those who qualify for regional aid will receive assistance; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if the European Community RECHAR plan will help to improve environmental problems in the derelict mining areas; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what assistance the European Community RECHAR fund will provide to help attract new investment into the area of Molefield district council; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) what information he has about the special European Community plan called RECHAR which is designed to help rundown coal mining areas; how it will apply to the Normanton constituency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: The European Commission announced on 2 August 1989 its decision in favour of RECHAR, an initiative for Community structural fund grants for areas affected by job losses in coalmining. The Government have welcomed this decision.

  The Commission has subsequently decided on an indicative financial allocation for RECHAR of 300 million

  875
  ecu for the five years 1990 to 1994. Details of which areas will be eligible for RECHAR, the measures eligible for grant and the criteria for financial allocations, have not yet been settled. A further Commission decision is expected soon.

  The hon. Member's interests will be borne in mind in my Department's discussions with the Commission about its forthcoming decision.

SCOTLAND

  Health Service Expenditure
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for Scotland for each year since 1974–75 (i) total National Health Service expenditure, (ii) current expenditure on the hospital and community health services, (iii) capital expenditure on the hospital and community health services, (iv) expenditure on the family practitioner services, (v) expenditure on centrally funded National Health Service services, and (vi) expenditure on personal social services, giving each in(a) cash terms, (b) adjusted using the relevant pay and prices index and (c) adjusted using the gross domestic product deflator; and if he will place in the Library details of the methods used to make these adjustments.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The information in the format requested is not fully available. As I indicated to the hon. Member in my letter of 30 March 1988, there is no index which relates to the movement of pay and prices within the Health Service in Scotland. The Department of Health maintains indices for pay and price movements in England, but the composition of expenditure on hospital and community health services in Scotland—particularly the proportions accounted for by the various categories of staff costs— differs from that in England. Details of gross expenditure, broken down by service, in both cash terms and adjusted by the gross domestic product deflator, are given in the tables.

  (i) Total National Health Service Expenditure

  At 1988–89 prices

  £ million cash

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  1974–75

  458

  1,809

  1975–76

  603

  1,894

  1976–77

  685

  1,898

  1977–78

  777

  1,891

  1978–79

  893

  1,964

  1979–80

  1,064

  2,003

  1980–81

  1,343

  2,137

  1981–82

  1,531

  2,219

  1982–83

  1,660

  2,244

  1983–84

  1,773

  2,289

  1984–85

  1,901

  2,339

  1985–86

  2,015

  2,352

  1986–87

  2,144

  2,421

  1987–88

  2,328

  2,497

  1988–89

  2,591

  2,591

  (ii) Hospitals and community health services: current expenditure

  At 1988–89 prices

  £ million cash

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  1974–75

  323

  1,276

  1975–76

  421

  1,322

  1976–77

  479

  1,327

  1977–78

  549

  1,336

  876

  £ million cash

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  1978–79

  627

  1,379

  1979–80

  749

  1,410

  1980–81

  964

  1,534

  1981–82

  1,081

  1,567

  1982–83

  1,154

  1,658

  1983–84

  1,227

  1,584

  1984–85

  1,307

  1,608

  1985–86

  1,380

  1,611

  1986–87

  1,474

  1,665

  1987–88

  1,605

  1,721

  1988–89

  1,783

  1,783

  (iii) Hospitals and community health services: capital expenditure

  At 1988–89 prices

  £ million cash

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  1974–75

  30

  118

  1975–76

  39

  122

  1976–77

  37

  103

  1977–78

  38

  93

  1978–79

  51

  112

  1979–80

  58

  109

  1980–81

  59

  94

  1981–82

  84

  122

  1982–83

  92

  124

  1983–84

  99

  128

  1984–85

  107

  130

  1985–86

  119

  139

  1986–87

  104

  117

  1987–88

  107

  115

  1988–89

  117

  117

  (iv) Family practitioner services

  At 1988–89 prices

  £ million cash

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  1974–75

  80

  316

  1975–76

  109

  342

  1976–77

  129

  357

  1977–78

  145

  352

  1978–79

  167

  367

  1979–80

  197

  370

  1980–81

  246

  391

  1981–82

  281

  407

  1982–83

  322

  435

  1983–84

  347

  448

  1984–85

  382

  470

  1985–86

  402

  469

  1986–87

  440

  496

  1987–88

  485

  520

  1988–89

  545

  545

  (v) Centrally Financed Services

  At 1988–89 prices

  £ million cash

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  1974–75

  25

  99

  1975–76

  34

  107

  1976–77

  40

  111

  1977–78

  45

  110

  1978–79

  47

  103

  1979–80

  61

  115

  1980–81

  74

  118

  1981–82

  85

  123

  1982–83

  92

  124

  1983–84

  100

  129

  1984–85

  106

  130

  1985–86

  114

  133

  1986–87

  125

  141

  1987–88

  130

  139

  1988–89

  146

  146

  877

  (vi) Social Work Services At 1988–89 prices

  £ million cash

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  1974–75

  77

  304

  1975–76

  93

  292

  1976–77

  118

  327

  1977–78

  123

  299

  1978–79

  149

  328

  1979–80

  189

  356

  1980–81

  239

  380

  1981–82

  263

  381

  1982–83

  285

  385

  1983–84

  302

  390

  1984–85

  323

  397

  1985–86

  348

  406

  1986–87

  356

  402

  1987–88

  417

  447

  1988–891

  466

  466

  1 provisional outturn

  NHS Patients
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients were treated in the Scottish Health Service in 1978–79; and how many were treated last year.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In 1978–79 6,024,165 patients were treated and in 1988–89 6,873,112—an increase of 848,947.

  Contracts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many contracts over £92,500 have been let by his Department in the 1988–89 financial year and in the current financial year to date; and how many of these were(a) automatically renewed and (b) open to competition through advertisement throughout the European Community.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of contracts awarded by Scottish Office and covered by the provisions of the EC supplies directive, for which the current threshold is £92,500, was one in the 1988–89 financial year and three in the current financial year to date. Of these, two were awarded following advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Communities and two were considered to be exempt from advertising. One of the exempt contracts was awarded to the previous supplier and one to a new supplier.

  Agricultural Colleges
  Mr. Buchanan-Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has now given consideration to the conclusions and recommendations of the report by the Williams committee into the future of the Scottish agricultural colleges; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Following receipt of the report of the Williams committee, I have listened carefully to the views of interested persons and organisations on it, and have given consideration to the report's conclusions and recommendations.

  I welcome the report, and am very grateful to Sir Alwyn Williams and his colleagues on the committee for producing such a very carefully considered document to a tight timetable.

  I agree with the central recommendations of the report that the three Scottish agricultural colleges and SAC Ltd
  878
  should be merged into one corporate body comprising a single national college, which would retain the functions of education, R and D and advisory services, under the management of a single board of directors and an executive director. I would at the same time confirm the Government's long-term commitment to the retention of the existing college centres across Scotland at Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Auchencruive.

  I believe that detailed questions of management structure and location of facilities should be for the new board of directors to consider in the first instance, including the question of the most appropriate location for the headquarters. But I believe that the name should be the Scottish agricultural college. I also consider it important that there should be some form of local body, deriving its authority from the new board, based on each campus and responsible for maintaining links with the local community. I wish to see the role of executive director separated from that of campus principal.

  I agree that the new national Scottish agricultural college should continue to occupy the middle tier of agricultural education in Scotland, but that there should be a shift in the nature of the provision towards higher education. With the exception of certain specialist courses, non-advanced further education provision should be phased out over a period of time yet to be determined. Advanced-level education should continue to be provided.

  As for schools of agriculture, I am not minded to accept the Williams recommendation that these should cease to exist. While some restructuring of the relationship between the present colleges and their neighbouring universities will be an inevitable consequence of the establishment of a single national college, I attach the greatest importance to allowing the strong academic links and the productive sharing of resources established between colleges and universities to continue both now and in the long term. I would therefore in particular wish to see the concept and title "School of Agriculture" carry on at both Aberdeen and Edinburgh provided that the school was in future headed jointly by its respective campus principal and by a professor at the university. I expect the Scottish committee of the UFC to offer me advice on the balance of provision in agricultural education between the college and the universities, recognising that the universities' main strength lies in the sciences and that of the college in technological and vocational subjects.

  I agree that the Government should continue to support research and development in the new college, alongside applied and near-market work funded by industry and other bodies. This support will include funding of policy-related work and some strategic research. I attach considerable importance to the new college improving the management of its research programmes through central direction.

  I agree that the new college should continue to provide advisory services, and that there should be a clear statement by my Department of the work to be funded by Government. I particularly welcome the recommendation that the new college should be encouraged to expand the range of services that it can offer to facilitate rural prosperity, although it should not seek to offer a fully comprehensive service to the whole of rural society: it will be essential for other agencies and bodies to continue to provide services appropriate to their remits. I accept that the new college should offer a "gateway" service, so that through the development and maintenance of close

  879
  contact with other agencies, the knowledge acquired can be used to guide farmers and other interests to the appropriate organisation for advice, grant aid and other services. Further detailed consideration of how such a service could be provided will require discussion with my Department and other interests.

  I have noted the recommendations related to the veterinary investigation service. These will require further consideration and I will return to them at a later date.

  I believe it is important, in the interests of the staff, students, and users of services, that my Department, the board of SAC Ltd. and the governing bodies of the three colleges should move rapidly towards early implementation of the main recommendations. I know that the present board shares my view that I should make an early announcement of a part-time chairman for the new board. I will be looking thereafter to the early appointment of the directors of the board and the executive director. Arrangements for future appointments will be discussed with the new board.

  I wish to record my very considerable appreciation to the chairman of SAC Ltd., Mr. Watson Peat, the chairmen of the college governing bodies, Mr. Barbour, Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Lennox, the members of the governing bodies, the senior management of SAC Ltd. and the colleges, as well as all their staff for the way they have responded so positively to the changes initiated by Government policies over the last five years. I believe that the changes which I have announced today will provide a stable structure for improving on that record of achievement into the next century.

  Homelessness
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is going to take to deal with the problem of homelessness in Scotland following the publication of Shelter's annual survey on homelessness.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend has already taken action to deal with the problems of homelessness and will continue to do so.

  I should point out that the Shelter survey fails to provide a reasonable basis on which to assess Government policies. The extent of homelessness alleged by the Shelter survey is greater than that indicated by the statistics published by the Scottish Development Department. These statistics, which are compiled from returns made by local authorities, record that in 1988–89 about 25,000 households applied to local authorities under the homelessness provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987; about 9,500 were assessed by local authorities as homeless and a further 7,500 as potentially homeless. Moreover, these figures are very similar to those for 1986–87 and 1987–88.

  The Government are committted to maintaining an effective statutory framework for dealing with homelessness and will continue to ensure that local authorities and other bodies involved are properly resourced to meet the challenge of homelessness. The capital resources allocated to local authorities take full account of homelessness. I announced earlier this month an increase of £64 million in the provisional net allocations to local authorities for capital expenditure on the HRA block in 1990–91, compared with the equivalent figure for this year. In addition, the measures the Government have taken to expand the housing association movement and to revive
  880
  the private rented sector will be of particular benefit to the homeless. We are continuing to provide financial assistance to organisations in the voluntary sector which are concerned with homelessness.

  I am also encouraging local authorities to make use of their powers in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 to provide cash incentives to persuade tenants to move into the private sector, thus releasing housing for homeless families. Experience of such schemes in England has shown that they are a worth while and cost-effective means of helping the homeless.

  The Government will continue to monitor homelessness closely and will take all necessary action to ensure that housing provision in Scotland matches housing needs more closely.

  Earnings
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report tables showing the proportion of all part-time employees who are (a) manual and (b) non-manual earning less than (i) £4·16, (ii) £4·32, (iii) £3·12 and (iv) £2·80 per hour for (1) men, (2) women and (3) all full-time employees, excluding overtime, shift and payment-by-results premia, for Scotland and in each regional authority and borough.

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

  Goats
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will revise the set-aside scheme so as to accommodate fibre-producing animals such as cashmere and angora goats.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend the Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment in Scotland gave to the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) on 7 November 1989, at column 488.

  Training Schemes
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Training Agency has referred any cases of the misappropriation of funds on employment training schemes to the police or procurator fiscal judicial.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: No cases of misappropriation of funds have arisen to date on employment training. Where such cases occur they would be considered in accordance with Training Agency guidelines and where appropriate referred to the police. Thereafter it is for the procurator fiscal to decide whether a criminal prosecution is appropriate in any particular case.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any information about the qualifications for employment obtained by those on employment training schemes.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: This information is not currently available, but the Training Agency has initiated a 100 per cent. follow-up survey of employment training leavers which should eventually provide information about vocational qualifications obtained by trainees.
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  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what checks are made to ensure that the trainers on employment training schemes are properly qualified.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 14 December 19891: All supervisory staff of employment training providers are required to be competent to undertake such work and in addition these training providers are expected to have plans to develop and update the skills of their staff. Compliance with these requirements is examined during the ongoing programme monitoring carried out by Training Agency staff and is a prerequisite for attainment of approved training organisation status.

  Lung Cancer
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the deaths of males and females in Scotland from lung cancer in every year since 1979 to the nearest available date giving the respective ages and the parliamentary constituencies they resided in.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 11 December 1989]: Information in the form requested—listing individual deaths—could be supplied only at disproportionate cost. I have, however, arranged to provide the number of deaths from cancer of the trachea, bronchus and lung from 1979 to 1988, classified by parliamentary constituency, age and sex. There are some 4,000 such deaths a year in Scotland, so the detailed information is lengthy and I shall therefore have it placed in the Library.

DEFENCE

  Disturbance Allowance
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of disturbance allowance is currently payable to members of the Armed Forces moving home.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The current rates of disturbance allowance payable to members of the armed forces on moving home are as follows:

  Officers (£)

  Soldiers (£)

  1. Married Personnel

  Higher rate1

  1,200

  900

  Lower rate2

  689

  517

  Special rate3

  310

  232

  Child element4

  95

  95

  2. Single Personnel

  Higher rate1

  900

  675

  Lower rate2

  517

  388

  Private rented accommodation rate5

  297

  223

  1 The higher rate is payable to homeowners, who move to a new home on posting to a new duty station. Single homeowners must be aged over 30 years, except for the Navy, where the limit is aged over 25 years. There are no age restrictions for married personnel.

  2 The lower rate is payable:

  (1) To married personnel—when, as a result of a posting, the family is moved to: a residence at a new duty station which is a public married quarter; their own home, which they are reoccupying; their first ever purchase of a private home; or private rented accommodation, where they previously occupied either a public married quarter or private rented accommodation at the old duty station.

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  (2) To single personnel—when they re-occupy their own home; on first ever occupation of their own home; or, where public accommodation is not available and they are required to move into private rented accommodation and no other accommodation allowance is paid.

  3 The special rate is payable for second or subsequent moves from accommodation, which has been occupied by the family, while remaining at the same duty station, for example, to enable major repairs or renovation of a married quarter to take place.

  4 The child element is payable in adition to disturbance allowance in respect of each child changing school as a result of a house move.

  5 The private rented rate is payable, where an individual chooses to occupy private rented accommodation for personal reasons.

  Note:

  Rates of disturbance allowance are currently under review with new rates due to come into effect on 1 January 1990.

  EEC (Expenditure)
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what each member state of the EEC spends on defence per head of its population.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to Cm. 675-I (Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988) page 39, where the information requested is given for each NATO country. My Department does not hold such information on the Republic of Ireland.

  Wind Chill
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations in the United Kingdom for which the Meteorological Office can readily supply information regarding average daily temperatures allowing for a wind chill factor; and if he will make a statment.

  Mr. Neubert
  Wind chill factors which essentially relate to humans or animals in outdoor conditions can be calculated in a number of ways. The simplest involves temperature and wind speed. Such data are received hourly by the Meteorological Office every day of the year from 97 stations in the United Kingdom.

  I will write to the hon. Member listing the name and location of each of these stations.

  Operational Matters (Comment)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria the Government apply when deciding whether to comment on operational matters; and if he will make a statement on the means by which parliamentary scrutiny is provided over operational matters.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Ministers are accountable to Parliament for all matters related to the armed forces. The extent to which it is possible to comment on the detail of operational matters will depend on security considerations.

  Battle Tanks
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has commissioned a survey of hon. Members' opinions on the procurement of battle tanks to replace Chieftain tanks currently in service.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No.

  Nuclear Tests
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those nuclear tests since May 1979 of which he has knowledge, their location and kilotonnage and the countries that performed them.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 December 1989]: The Government do not hold such information in an unclassified form. The details of all British nuclear tests are included in the US Department of Energy publication "Announced United States Nuclear Tests", copies of which have been placed in the House of Commons Library. Other organisations, such as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, provide their own estimates of the numbers of nuclear tests.

ENVIRONMENT

  Waste Recycling
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce initiatives to encourage waste minimisation and recycling schemes.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We intend to bring forward measures to encourage waste minimisation and recycling by ensuring the proper costing of waste disposal and requiring waste collection and disposal authorities to pay particular attention to recycling as part of their waste management programmes. In addition, we will continue to support projects such as the recycling city in Sheffield which are developing innovative ways of collecting and processing household recyclables.

  Seals
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are being taken to tighten up monitoring of killing of seals by fishermen in British waters in defiance of international protection agreements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The United Kingdom fulfills its obligations under international conventions in respect of seals by means of the current measures under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970.

  Additional measures were taken in December 1988 to extend the close season for common and grey seals in England and Wales and common seals in Scotland. These measures remain in force.

  In addition, we are currently considering possible ways of securing voluntary reporting about seals shot under the defensive provisions or outside the close season of the 1970 Act.

  City Heliport
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has been consulted with respect to the proposed development of a heliport adjacent to the Cannon Street railway bridge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My Department has been informed of the proposed development and has received a copy of the planning application submitted to the corporation of the City of London only this week.
  884
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the noise impact upon the Palace of Westminster arising from the construction of the proposed City of London heliport.

  Mr. Moynihan
  None.

  Noise
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to update Department of Environment circular 10/73 on planning and noise and the noise insulation regulations 1975.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: We are considering the need to update Department of the Environment circular 10/73 on planning and noise as part of the review of noise legislation announced on 5 December by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The Noise Insulation Regulations 1975 are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in relation to his forthcoming campaign on community charge benefit and transitional relief, what considerations led him to conclude that it is necessary to have a publicity proposal going beyond what could be achieved by way of parliamentary announcement and ministerial speech; what is the precise goal and precise target audience of his campaign; what considerations led him to choose the balance of publicity between various media in order to achieve this goal and target; what is that balance; how much is planned to be spent on the campaign; and how the results of the campaign are to be measured, distinguishing between publicity effects and non-publicity effects.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: Levels of awareness of the community charge benefit system, especially among groups most likely to include potential claimants, indicated that a wider dissemination of information was required than would have been achieved by a parliamentary announcement and speech.

  The campaign will be spread between television, the press and radio, with a preponderance in the first two media, to reach the main target audiences effectively. Research is planned both before and after the campaign to measure its effectiveness and impact. The cost has to remain commercial in confidence for the time being, but we will provide costs in due course. For other parts of the question, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 7 December, Official Report, volume 163, column 322.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce final details of the community charge transitional relief scheme.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [pursuant to his reply, 22 November 1989, c. 4]: I have decided, in the light of representations from the individual local authorities, that the profile of revenue support grant (RSG) payments next year should be advanced. Authorities will receive 25 per cent. of their entitlement to RSG in the first two months of the financial year. This is equivalent to an additional £400 million in April and £390 million in May compared with what they

  885
  would have received if the profile of RSG grant had reflected a pattern of uniform income and expenditure throughout the year. I hope that local authorities will endeavour to issue community charge bills next April which reflect entitlement to both community charge benefit and to transitional relief. However, if authorities experience any delay in issuing community charge bills as a consequence of the community charge transitional relief scheme, these advance payments of about £800 million will be sufficient to ensure that their cash flow is not disadvantaged by the introduction of the scheme.

  PSA
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when a proper valuation of the Property Services Agency will be carried out; and at what cost.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: It is too early to say.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who is to vet staff at royal palaces when the Property Services Agency is dissolved.
  886
  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: When PSA is privatised the responsibility for any aspects of this activity in which PSA is currently involved will remain within Government.

  Urban Development
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a breakdown of urban development grant, urban renewal grant and city grants approval in the 57 urban programme areas and elsewhere in the United Kingdom to the end of November; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: Three hundred and eighty-five urban development, urban regeneration and city grants totalling £247·2 million have been approved for projects within the 57 priority areas.

  A further 21 grants totalling £6·2 million have been approved elsewhere, including projects in former priority areas.