Written Answers of 18 December 1989

PRIME MINISTER

  Public Libraries
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received on public libraries.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Official Travel (Rail)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister when she last travelled on official business on a public transport train in(a) London and (b) Singapore.

  The Prime Minister
  I regret that for reasons of practicality and security it is difficult for me to travel by rail on official business. I do so when a suitable opportunity arises. I last travelled by train from King's Cross, London to an official function on 31 August 1989. I last made a journey on the mass rapid transport system in Singapore on 31 July 1988.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Disabled People
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what percentage of staff employed within the Civil Service on 1 November were then registered as disabled persons.

  Mr. Luce
  The latest figure available is 1·3 per cent.

TRANSPORT

  A1 (Roadworks)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, pursuant to his reply of Monday 4 December,Official Report, column 93, to the hon. Member for Stockton, South, he will make a statement on the extensive roadworks being undertaken on the A1 in Yorkshire.

  Mr. Atkins
  The roadworks now being carried out on the A1 in Yorkshire are essential maintenance works to protect the structural integrity of the road and at the same time keep it in a safe condition. The present scheme at Scotch Corner is for major resurfacing, whereas the other schemes in progress are short-term minor works. In accordance with the Department's policy, the works are phased and spaced out as much as possible to keep traffic disruption to a minimum.

  Travel Concessions
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to make an order under section 93(7)(f) of the Transport Act 1985 to enable men between the ages of 60 and 64 years to receive the same travel concessions as are currently available to women.
  2
  Mr. Portillo
  I have no plans to change the present arrangements which link eligibility for travel concession for the elderly to state pensionable age.

  Air Services
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what restrictions he sets down on the number of hours that crews of British airlines may fly; and what information he has on the restrictions that apply to foreign registered and operated air services.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  It is the Civil Aviation Authority that is responsible for the regulation of the working hours of crews of British airlines, in accordance with the Air Navigation Order 1989. The order requires that no member of the flight crew may fly for more than 100 hours in any consecutive 28-day periods or more than 900 hours during the period of 12 months expiring at the end of the previous month.

  Furthermore, the order requires operators to establish a scheme for the regulation of crew duty times and the scheme must be approved by the Civil Aviation Authority. The Civil Aviation Authority provides guidelines, CAP 371, to assist operators to develop acceptable schemes. The guidelines cover such matters as rest periods, standby duty, days off, extended range operations by two pilots, delayed reporting times, acclimatisation to local time, the records that must be kept and the reports that must be made.

  Guidelines are also issued by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. I understand that other states' regulations are in general comparable with the Civil Aviation Authority's requirements.

  A40, Acton
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the work of cutting down shrubs on the central reservation of the A40 Western avenue at Acton was scheduled for the current time of year; what assessment he has made of the effect of the work on the journey time from Uxbridge to London; and if he will give intructions for this work to be postponed until the new year.

  Mr. Atkins
  This work is part of a rolling programme to provide central reservation safety fencing and guard railing on trunk roads. The work along the A40 Western avenue is being co-ordinated by the Department's agent, the London borough of Ealing, and is being carried out in the interests of safety. Some disruption is inevitable, but efforts will continue to be made to minimise any inconvenience to the public.

  Work will be suspended over the Christmas and new year holiday and should then be completed in mid-January.

  A40, Ealing
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how long the present work on the central reservation of the A40 in the London borough of Ealing has taken; what it is costing; when it is expected to end; and if he will make a statement.
  3
  Mr. Atkins
  These works are part of a rolling programme to provide central reserve safety fencing and pedestrian guard railing on the A40 Western avenue in the London borough of Ealing.

  The current phase of these works began in mid-September and is expected to be completed by mid-January 1990. The total cost of these works is approximately £960,000.

  Further works will be required in the coming months. I will write to my hon. Friend when the contractual arrangements have been finalised.

  Near-Miss, London-Belfast Route
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will ask the accident investigation branch to investigate the near-miss involving a civilian aircraft travelling from London to Belfast on the evening of 11 November and then publish the results of the inquiry.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No near-miss, or airmiss, was reported for the date and time referred to. However, a mandatory occurrence report was filed with the Civil Aviation Authority by the captain of a British Midland aircraft en route from London to Belfast.

  It is for the chief inspector of air accidents to determine whether an investigation into an incident or accident shall be carried out. I understand that the chief inspector has found no reason for instituting an investigation in this case. It is thought possible that there may be a meteorological explanation to the phenomenon observed.

  Driving Licences
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorists have had their licences withdrawn as a result of medical advice given to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre regarding lack of fitness to drive a motor vehicle; and if he will make a statement on the procedure for advising the licensing authorities on such matters.

  Mr. Atkins
  The figures available are given in the table:

  Year

  1984–85

  5,821

  1985–86

  8,216

  1986–87

  9,318

  1987–88

  10,442

  1988–89

  10,891

  Advice about the obligation to notify the onset or worsening of medical conditions which might affect ability to drive safely is printed on all driving licences. Further information is available in the leaflet "What you need to know about driver licensing", Form D100, which is available from most Post Offices.

  I will write to my hon. Friend to give fuller details about the statutory powers available to the Secretary of State in this area of driver licensing and how the driver licensing centre carries out its medical investigation of drivers.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorists over the age of 75 years hold current driving licences; and what proportion of these has been declared medically fit to operate a moter vehicle.

  Mr. Atkins
  No details are available of the number of drivers over the age of 75 years.
  4
  There are 1,656,818 current licence holders over the age of 70, all of whom have been considered to be medically fit to hold a driving licence; 117,586 of these drivers are recorded as having a medical condition. All drivers are obliged by law to notify DVLC of the onset or worsening of medical condition which could affect their ability to drive safely.

  American Airlines
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what attempts are being made by the Government to persuade American airlines to adopt a more flexible attitude towards new routes and services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The United Kingdom pressed the US Government during talks held between 29 November and 1 December to join the United Kingdom in addressing the broad question of liberalising the air services arrangements between our two countries. We also suggested an exchange of opportunities to meet the shorter-term ambitions of the airlines of both sides. Arrangements are in hand to resume these talks shortly.

  Foulridge Bypass
  Mr. Lee
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest assessment of the level of overcrowding in the Foulridge bypass; if he will bring about an early start to the construction of the Foulridge bypass; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  These are matters of Lancashire county council as the highway authority for the A56 north of Burnley. I understand that the council hopes to start construction of a Colne-Foulridge bypass in late 1991. I shall write to my hon. Friend.

  London Assessment Studies
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what budget he has set aside for information to the public on the London assessment studies after publication of the next stage of the London assessment studies.

  Mr. Atkins
  The cost of providing information is included in the overall budget for the studies.

  Free copies of the reports have been provided to local authorities throughout the study areas with a request that they should be put on display to the public in main libraries and suitable locations. They will also be sent to representative organisations in the study areas. Summaries of the consultants' work and leaflets giving the Department's initial views and request for comments are also available at those locations, or free of charge direct from the consultants. A short summary in Bengali of the options for consultations in east London will be available from Ove Arup.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many residential properties his Department has acquired along the line of the east London river crossing; how many have been offered to housing authorities; how many have been refused; and how many are currently unoccupied.
  5
  Mr. Atkins
  The Department owns 111 residential properties along the line of the east London river crossing; 54 are let to the London borough of Greenwich and three to the London borough of Bexley; 35 are let to various housing associations; 13 are let directly to individual tenants; and six are currently unoccupied.

  There is no readily available record of refusals.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to introduce a national corporate orange badge scheme to enable essential medical staff to park to visit disabled people in city centre areas.

  Mr. Atkins
  Arrangements already exist whereby police and traffic wardens exercise discretion in respect of parking controls where doctors or nursing staff on urgent visits display the authorised British Medical Association badge. We are not aware of any reasons to extend these arrangements.

  By contrast, the orange badge scheme conveys specific parking concessions to enable severely disabled people themselves to get close to their destinations.

  M3
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has had negotiations with the main contractor on the Compton to Bassett section of the M3 to widen all bridges and gantries to enable his Department to construct a fourth lane at some time in the future; and if he will make a statement as to his policy for a fourth dual lane on the M3 at Winchester.

  Mr. Atkins
  The section of the Compton to Bassett section of the M3 motorway north of Leigh road, Eastleigh, is being constructed with dual three-lane carriageways. However, as a prudent measure my Department has negotiated with the contractor a small modification in the design of one bridge to allow for any possible future widening that may be required.

  As my hon. Friend is aware, proposals for the remaining section of the proposed M3 motorway round Winchester were considered at the 1985 public inquiry and the re-opened inquiry in 1987–88. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport are considering the reports of the independent inspectors who conducted the inquiries and they will announce their joint decisions as soon as possible. I am sure my hon. Friend will understand that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further until that decision is announced.

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an early statement concerning resurfacing work on the Severn bridge and associated problems and the consequent hold-ups on the M4 motorway.

  Mr. Atkins
  From Tuesday 12 December eastbound traffic on Severn bridge was restricted to a single lane in the interests of road safety due to unexpected difficulties with skid resistance on the new road surface. This caused 6
  extensive delays. Two-lane working was restored on Friday 15 December. The underlying cause of the problem is being investigated.

  SCOOT Programme
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many countries have bought the SCOOT programme for traffic signals developed by his Department.

  Mr. Atkins
  Six.

  Jubilee Line
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the cost of constructing the Jubilee line extension will be paid for by(a) developers, (b) fare payers, and (c) the Treasury.

  Mr. Portillo
  In my right hon. Friend's written answer of 16 November to the hon. Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall)Official Report column 398, he said:
  "The Jubilee extension will cost about £l billion in today's prices to which developers will over time be making a cash contribution of over £400 million."
  We do not yet know the full total of developer contribution as negotiations with some are still continuing. London Regional Transport's present fare revenue is not earmarked to particular projects; and the fare revenue that will be generated by the Jubilee line extension itself will depend upon decisions on fare structures and levels that will not be determined by London Regional Transport until much nearer the opening of the line. In the meantime the Government will meet that proportion of the costs of the line not covered by developer contributions.

  Panamanian Registered Ships
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what calculation he has made of the likely impact on British owned Panamanian registered ships which will arise when the United States Administration bans Panamanian flag carriers from United States ports;

  (2) what information he has on British owned Panamanian registered ships re-flagging as a result of the impending ban on Panamanian flag carriers from United States ports;

  (3) what representations he has received from British shipowners following the decision of the United States Administration to ban Panamanian registered ships from United States ports.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The General Council of British Shipping has objected to the ban on principle. It has told us of one United Kingdom shipowner who may re-register a Panamanian flagged vessel that operates in the United States trades.

  Traffic Pollution
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has of the likely atmospheric pollution caused by the increase in traffic as forecast by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department's traffic forecasts are of demand up to 2025. But it is not possible to foresee the
  7
  extent to which it will be possible or desirable to meet forecast levels of demand for such a long period ahead. Another cause of uncertainty is that the total level of vehicle emissions will depend upon the progress of current initiatives to reduce emissions by individual vehicles.

  Port of London Authority
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the rank and function of Mr. P. Graham Hewett within his Department; if he will indicate on how many occasions Mr. Hewett had meetings with(a) officials of the Port of London Authority and (b) the authority itself in the period 1 January to 31 July; and if he will indicate the purpose of such meetings and the subject matters discussed.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Mr. Hewett is an assistant secretary currently employed in the European and general division of the Department. Between January and November this year he was seconded to the Port of London Authority at its request in connection with the financial reconstruction of the authority. The terms of his secondment and his work there were entirely for the PLA; Mr. Hewett, during his endorsement, did not report to my Department.

  Congestion, London
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to reduce congestion in London; and when he expects to see the first results.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made to the House on 14 December (Official Report, columns 1184–86) by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

  Coastguard Service
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 12 December,Official Report, column 538, what was the cause of the technical fault on the Swansea coastguard line, timed at 15.25; how it was detected; and how it was made good before the 999 call to Swansea timed at 15.35 on 16 August.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information can be obtained only from British Telecom.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 27 November,Official Report, column 81–82, what was the origin of the VHF radio call timed at 15.22.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The radio call, from Milford Haven coastguard to Swansea coastguard, passed information received as a result of a re-routed 999 call, concerning an incident at Ilfracombe. The logged time of 15.25 at Milford Haven reflects completion of both the telephone call and the relaying of the information to Swansea, while the logged time of 15·22 at Swansea reflects the initial radio call from Milford Haven indicating distress information.

  Roads (Funding)
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much local authority expenditure he intends to accept for transport supplementary grant in 8
  1990–91; what supplementary credit approvals and what level of annual capital guidelines he will be issuing for local roads expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I have decided to accept £466 million of local authority highway expenditure for transport supplementary grant in 1990–91. Grant will be paid on this expenditure at a flate rate of 50 per cent. The total of £233 million TSG is nearly 15 per cent. higher than for 1989–90.

  I have also decided to issue supplementary credit approvals of £50 million and total annual capital guidelines of £352 million, bringing coverage for local roads and parking for 1990–91 to £635 million. The capital allocation for 1989–90 is £513 million.

  Seventy new major (over £1 million) schemes will be supported through TSG for the first time. Among these are the Birmingham Heartlands spine road; a major new link road from the M57 to the A562 in Merseyside; the Littlehampton bypass; further stages of both the Avon ring road and the Leeds inner ring road; as well as the Thornaby bypass and the Beddington-Mitcham relief road other important improvements in both urban and rural areas. Twenty-two of these schemes will directly assist inner cities.

  Some 270 other major schemes will continue to receive TSG support, including 90 in inner-city areas. Most of these are already under construction or are due to start in the current financial year.

  Local authorities have reported completion of 59 TSG-supported schemes costing £245 million in 1988–89 and a start of works on 65 such schemes costing £401 million. During 1989–90, they plan to complete a further 62 schemes costing £290 million and start 76 costing £538 million.

  In deciding the distribution of transport supplementary grant for 1990–91, I have considered carefully the transport policies and programme document submitted by each local highway authority, and have looked at the extent to which authorities' programmes relate to roads of more than local importance. Many local authority roads—such as major urban roads and roads on the primary route network—carry significant amounts of through traffic, and thus complement the trunk road network. Improvements to such roads are important locally because they save lives, reduce congestion and relieve communities from the effects of through traffic. They are also of national benefit by aiding the efficient flow of goods, people and services. TSG reflects the national taxpayer's interest in helping local authorities to improve these roads.

  I have also given special priority this year to schemes which will assist in the regeneration of our inner cities. New and improved roads are often crucial in unlocking inner-city potential, either by removing through traffic from inner-city streets, thereby relieving congestion, increasing safety and improving the environment, or by providing high-quality access to the motorway network for inner-city industry and commerce.

  Many smaller schemes on heavily trafficked roads produce very significant accident savings and other benefits. My right hon. Friend has therefore also taken into account £38 million of expenditure on minor (under £1 million) schemes for grant in 1990–91.

  Annual capital guidelines, together with supplementary credit approvals, will provide local highway authorities with the necessary resources to meet the balance of their

  9
  TSG-accepted expenditure and to undertake a further wide range of improvements and expenditure to which TSG support does not extend.

  The amount of expenditure accepted for TSG, the amount of grant, the annual capital guideline, and the

  Local authority capital expenditure on roads 1990–91

  Authority

  Net expenditure accepted for TSG

  Transport supplementary grant

  Supplementary credit approvals

  Annual capital guideline

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Metropolitan districts

  Bolton

  2·684

  1·342

  0·000

  1·945

  Bury

  1·698

  0·849

  0·000

  1·315

  Manchester

  9·632

  4·816

  0·187

  8·198

  Oldham

  1·228

  0·614

  0·000

  2·443

  Rochdale

  0·378

  0·189

  0·000

  1·036

  Salford

  5·096

  2·548

  0·000

  3·882

  Stockport

  0·916

  0·458

  0·000

  0·959

  Tameside

  0·806

  0·403

  0·000

  1·438

  Trafford

  0·778

  0·389

  0·000

  1·566

  Wigan

  1·744

  0·872

  0·000

  2·065

  Knowsley

  1·792

  0·896

  0·000

  1·397

  Liverpool

  1·500

  0·750

  0·000

  1·397

  St. Helens

  5·882

  2·941

  0·340

  3·007

  Sefton

  0·738

  0·369

  0·282

  0·689

  Wirral

  0·900

  0·450

  0·220

  1·299

  Barnsley

  3·148

  1·574

  0·132

  2·142

  Doncaster

  1·414

  0·707

  0·000

  1·897

  Rotherham

  2·486

  1·243

  0·000

  1·908

  Sheffield

  11·092

  5·546

  0·270

  6·191

  Gateshead

  1·944

  0·972

  0·000

  1·991

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  0·124

  0·062

  0·000

  2·920

  North Tyneside

  0·306

  0·153

  0·000

  0·542

  South Tyneside

  1·400

  0·700

  0·000

  1·242

  Sunderland

  1·694

  0·847

  0·000

  3·033

  Birmingham

  15·790

  7·895

  0·744

  9·811

  Coventry

  2·948

  1·474

  0·825

  1·537

  Dudley

  1·150

  0·575

  0·000

  2·272

  Sandwell

  1·504

  0·752

  0·000

  2·672

  Solihull

  0·856

  0·428

  0·000

  1·325

  Walsall

  5·502

  2·751

  2·693

  0·490

  Wolverhampton

  5·684

  2·842

  2·111

  1·748

  Bradford

  4·934

  2·467

  0·127

  4·115

  Calderdale

  0·192

  0·096

  0·000

  1·428

  Kirklees

  0·120

  0·060

  0·000

  0·735

  Leeds

  5·264

  2·632

  0·088

  3·876

  waKefield

  0·314

  0·157

  0·000

  2·457

  Shire Counties

  Avon

  13·428

  6·714

  0·491

  7·230

  Bedfordshire

  5·182

  2·591

  0·132

  3·659

  Berkshire

  3·764

  1·882

  0·239

  5·723

  Buckinghamshire

  2·306

  1·153

  0·000

  2·087

  Cambridgeshire

  3·864

  1·932

  0·000

  4·316

  Cheshire

  8·308

  4·154

  0·000

  6·174

  Cleveland

  10·884

  5·442

  0·000

  6·174

  Cornwall

  5·594

  2·797

  0·000

  4·670

  Cumbria

  4·652

  2·326

  0·000

  3·326

  Derbyshire

  1·164

  0·582

  0·000

  4·353

  Devon

  6·788

  3·394

  0·407

  7·622

  Dorset

  5·732

  2·866

  0·000

  4·544

  Durham

  4·820

  2·410

  0·000

  2·932

  East Sussex

  6·142

  3·071

  0·660

  5·082

  Essex

  13·372

  6·686

  0·373

  11·533

  Gloucestershire

  3·866

  1·933

  0 000

  3·215

  Hampshire

  15·278

  7·639

  5·910

  4·274

  Herefordshire and Worcester

  2·676

  1·338

  0·000

  2·585

  Hertfordshire

  6·050

  3·025

  0·000

  4·700

  Humberside

  10·624

  5·312

  0·000

  7·677

  Isle of Wight

  0·828

  ;0·414

  0·000

  1·202

  Kent

  25·100

  12·550

  9·853

  8·869

  Lancashire

  25·746

  12·873

  0·000

  16·496

  Leicestershire

  6·094

  3 047

  0·000

  4·477

  Lincolnshire

  3·148

  1·574

  0·000

  2·481

  Norfolk

  11·346

  5·673

  2·889

  4·428

  Northamptonshire

  5·698

  2·849

  0·000

  5·115

  Northumberland

  2·962

  1·481

  0·000

  2·265

  10
  supplementary credit approvals which the Government intend to issue for highway expenditure for each local highway authority are set out in the table. Councils are being informed individually today of their own figures.
  11

  Authority

  Net expenditure accepted for TSG

  Transport supplementary grant

  Supplementary credit approvals

  Annual capital guideline

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  North Yorkshire

  6·888

  3·444

  0·000

  4·909

  Nottinghamshire

  3·828

  1·914

  0·000

  3·986

  Oxfordshire

  4·924

  2·462

  0·000

  5·352

  Shropshire

  3·132

  1-566

  0·000

  3·540

  Somerset

  6·312

  3·156

  0·000

  4·486

  Staffordshire

  5·826

  2·913

  0·000

  4·390

  Suffolk

  6·374

  3·187

  0·000

  5·782

  Surrey

  12·660

  6·330

  2·746

  6·359

  Warwickshire

  0·984

  0·492

  0·328

  2·112

  West Sussex

  9·064

  4·532

  0·000

  6·045

  Wiltshire

  5·970

  2·985

  0·000

  4·714

  London Boroughs

  City of London

  0·202

  0·101

  0·000

  0·461

  Barking and Dagenham

  3·496

  1·748

  0·000

  3·622

  Barnet

  0·322

  0·161

  0·000

  0·571

  Bexley

  4·268

  2·134

  0·000

  2·869

  Brent

  0·014

  0·007

  0·000

  0·736

  Bromley

  7·668

  3·834

  0·000

  4·328

  Camden

  0·378

  0·189

  0·000

  1·095

  Croydon

  1·776

  0·888

  0·000

  1·890

  Ealing

  4·858

  2·429

  1·710

  3·592

  Enfield

  9·762

  4·881

  6·480

  0·429

  Greenwich

  0·038

  0·019

  0·000

  1·149

  Hackney

  0·372

  0·186

  0·000

  0·791

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  0·296

  0·148

  0·000

  1·303

  Haringey

  5·442

  2·721

  2·780

  0·661

  Harrow

  6·428

  3·214

  0·000

  5·668

  Havering

  0·430

  0·215

  0·000

  0·568

  Hillingdon

  5·484

  2·742

  4·917

  2·297

  Hounslow

  0·558

  0·279

  0·279

  0·540

  Islington

  0·336

  0·168

  0·000

  0·549

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0·570

  0·285

  0·000

  0·694

  Kingston upon Thames

  1·132

  0·566

  0·000

  1·881

  Lambeth

  0·308

  0·154

  0·000

  0·280

  Lewisham

  3·974

  1·987

  0·000

  3·081

  Merton

  14·200

  7·100

  1·150

  7·282

  Newham

  3·582

  1·791

  0·000

  2·869

  Redbridge

  0·268

  0·134

  0·000

  0·598

  Richmond upon Thames

  0·344

  0·172

  0·000

  0·633

  Southwark

  0·498

  0·249

  0·000

  1·701

  Sutton

  1·180

  0·590

  0·000

  3·168

  Tower Hamlets

  0·182

  0·091

  0·000

  1·007

  Waltham Forest

  0·112

  0·056

  0·000

  0·726

  Wandsworth

  2·022

  1·011

  0·000

  3·429

  Westminster

  0·734

  0·367

  0·000

  4·589

  Western Environmental Improvement Route
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response he received to the public consultation on the western environmental improvement route which took place in the spring.

  Mr. Atkins
  Some 7,000 responses in one form or another were received to the consultation exercise. These, together with any further comments made in the context of the London assessment studies, will be taken fully into account in reaching a decision on the future of the Western environmental improvement route.

  Speed Limits
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 4 December,Official Report, column 84, how many representations he has received in favour of a speed limit (a) higher and (b) lower than 70 miles an hour; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 15 December 1989]: This year I have received 95 letters concerning the 70 mph
  12
  maximum speed limit. Of these 13 were in favour of a higher limit; 29 asked for a lower limit and 53 for the rigorous enforcement of the existing limit.

  The maximum speed limit on motorways was fully reviewed in 1984 and 1985. I am satisfied that the existing limit allows for safe and sensible maximum speeds in normal driving conditions and gives a correct balance between the need for fast, convenient travel and safety.

  Car Pollution
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has conducted a comparative study of the pollutant gases and particulate matter released from(a) cars run on leaded petrol, (b) cars run on unleaded petrol, (c) cars fitted with catalytic converters run on unleaded patrol and (d) diesel engined cars, each in terms of weight carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide per mile.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 15 December 1989]: The Department has not conducted a comparative study of the type suggested, but the following points may be of

  13
  assistance. There should be no difference in emissions, other than of lead, between non-catalyst vehicles running on leaded or unleaded petrol. Sulphur emissions are directly related to the sulphur content of fuel, which is regulated in the United Kingdom to 0·3 per cent. by weight for diesel and 0·2 per cent. by weight for petrol. Particulate emissions from petrol engines, provided they are not worn out and burning lubricating oil, are negligible compared with particulate emissions from diesel engines.

  Co (g/mile)

  HC + NOx (g/mile)

  Particulate (g/miles)

  EC Directive 83/351 (the current non catalyst standard)

  23–24

  7·6–11·1

  No standard until October 1990

  EC Directive 89/458 (the future standard to be applied from 1992)

  7·6

  2·0

  0·44 (diesels only)

  The standards set by directive 89/458 will be revised when the emission directives are consolidated in the near future. The consolidation will include a revision of the drive cycle used in the test. At present it is 2·58 miles long and simulates urban driving. The revised cycle will he 6·8 miles long and include some high-speed driving. It is likely that a reduction of about 27 per cent. in the particulate limit will also be included in the consolidation.

  Health Services
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has had to date from organisations treating and providing services for the elderly and chronically sick about the effect of the current National Health Service plans, and how many of these representations are in favour of the proposed changes.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  We have received a large number of representations from a wide variety of sources. Many ask questions, many support some or all of our proposals, some refer only to specific aspects. It is not possible to distinguish individual representations in the way the hon. Member requests.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Violence to Women
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that women are made less vulnerable to crimes of violence through a review of the present framework of legislation and its application in order to sustain a more appropriate relationship between the damage done to victims and the penalties awarded to convicted criminals.

  Mr. Cope
  The criminal law is reviewed on a continuous basis, but the application of the legislation concerned is a matter for the courts to determine, taking into account all the circumstances of each individual case. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that the maximum penalty in Northern Ireland for attempted rape has recently been

  1989

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  Number of searches

  Total number of searches carried out

  19

  56

  40

  53

  32

  Total number of inmates searched

  15

  31

  24

  25

  22

  Number of prisoners searched once

  11

  17

  15

  15

  16

  Number of prisoners searched twice

  4

  12

  8

  7

  5

  14
  In general, the same gaseous emission standards are achieved by both petrol and diesel engines. The emission standards on the current urban cycle type approval tests are expressed in grammes per test (g/test). These standards, recalculated in grammes per mile (g/mile), are as follows:

  increased to life imprisonment, and that any sentence regarded by the Attorney-General as too lenient can now be the subject of a reference to the Court of Appeal.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what function is served by the Northern Ireland negotiating body on teachers' salaries.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  To negotiate the remuneration and terms and conditions of service of teachers in recognised schools in Northern Ireland. It is also the vehicle for consultation by the Department of Education on matters relating to teachers' superannuation.

  Prison Searches
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many strip searches were made on female prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Maghaberry monthly since July, giving the number of persons involved and the number of times each person was searched; if any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while the search was being conducted; and what were the reasons for the search;

  (2) how many strip searches were made on female prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Maghaberry, monthly since July; giving the number of persons involved and the number of times each person was searched; if any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; on how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while the search was being conducted; and what were the reasons for the search.

  Mr. Cope
  Details of the numbers of and reasons for strip-searches made of female prisoners in Her Majesty's prison Maghaberry from March 1989 to June 1989 have already been provided—Official Report, 28 July 1989. Details from July 1989 to November 1989 are as follows:
  15

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  Number of prisoners searched more than twice

  —

  2

  1

  3

  1

  Reasons for search

  First admission on remand/awaiting trial

  4

  9

  9

  17

  11

  First admission on sentence/final discharge

  9

  24

  19

  12

  9

  Attending remand court

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Attending trial

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Inter-prison visits

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  Pre-release home leave

  5

  20

  9

  6

  3

  Compassionate home leave

  —

  —

  —

  4

  2

  Visits to outside hospital

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Returning from bail application

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Attendance at court for bail

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  Fines paid

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Working out scheme

  —

  2

  2

  12

  4

  No prohibited article was found during these searches and no prisoner refused to be searched.

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the dates of the five meetings of the Anglo-Irish intergovernmental conference between 1 January and 31 July 1990.

  Mr. Brooke
  No dates have yet been fixed.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners (Meal Requirements)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will include in the relevant code of practice a requirement for the provision of drinks to prisoners on remand or in custody, additional to the existing statutory right to have three meals in any 24-hour period.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The term "meals" in the code of practice is always interpreted as including drinks, and the custody officer will respond to reasonable requests for drinks between meals. This will be clarified in the revised code which we are now preparing.

  Vehicle Security
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what percentage of all reported crimes are listed as thefts of, or thefts from, motor vehicles;

  (2) what percentage of offenders involved in theft of, or thefts from, motor vehicles are apprehended; what percentage are convicted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available published information can be found in the annual Command Paper, "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales": the latest issue, for 1988, is Cm. 847, and a copy is available in the Library. In 1988 about one quarter of all notifiable crimes recorded by the police were thefts of, or from, motor vehicles, and about a quarter of these offences were cleared up. The number of persons prosecuted and found guilty of thefts of or from motor vehicles in 1988 is given in the following table:
  16

  Persons proceeded against and found guilty of thefts of and from motor vehicles—England and Wales 1988

  Total proceeded against

  Total found guilty

  Percentage found guilty

  Theft of motor vehicles

  6.111

  4,080

  67

  Theft from motor vehicles

  10,796

  8,316

  77

  British Summer Time
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received concerning the implementation of British summer time throughout the year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Following the publication in June of the Green Paper "Summer Time—A Consultation Document" (Cm. 722) a total of 30,797 representations have been received to date. We hope to have completed an assessment of them in the near future.

  Prison Searches
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the number of body searches, cell searches and cell changes and strip searches carried out on each of the category A prisoners being held at Her Majesty's Prison, Durham monthly, since July, if any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while the search was being conducted; and what were the reasons for the search.

  Mr. Mellor
  Records are not kept of the occasions when rub down searching or "frisking" is carried out in prisons and it is not the practice to disclose detailed information about security arrangements such as that requested about the frequency of cell searches and cell changes.

  Establishments are not required to record all strip searches and comprehensive records are available only in respect of category A women prisoners, of whom there were four in Durham prison between 1 July and 30 November. The number of occasions on which each was strip searched in each month during this period is shown in the following table:
  17

  Prisoner

  A

  B

  C

  D

  July

  —

  —

  2

  —

  August

  1

  1

  —

  1

  September

  1

  3

  1

  4

  October

  —

  4

  4

  3

  November

  2

  2

  2

  2

  No unauthorised article was found. On no occasion did the prisoners refuse to be strip-searched.

  Strip-searching is a routine security measure to which all inmates— male and female—are subject, both for its deterrent effect and as a means of discovering unauthorised articles.

  Falmouth Police Station
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet made a decision on Falmouth's new police station; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  I will write to my hon. Friend about a new police station at Falmouth, when decisions on the major building programme for 1992–93 have been made early next year.

  Chilean Residents
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Chilean nationals resident in the United Kingdom have(a) permanent residence, (b) student visas (c) occupational leave and (d) refugee status.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information is not directly available in the form requested. Annual figures of the number of Chileans accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom, and of the number admitted to the United Kingdom as students, are published each year in "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom" (most recently in tables 22 and I, respectively, of the 1988 volume, Cm. 726). Annual figures of the number of Chileans granted refugee status in the United Kingdom, or exceptional leave, are published in the Home Office statistical bulletin "Refugee Statistics, United Kingdom" (most recently in tables 7 and 8 of the 1988 volume, Issue 25/89). Copies of both these publications are in the Library.

  Jamaican Nationals
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Jamaican nationals have(a) been interviewed and (b) refused entry to the United Kingdom for each month since January 1989; and what are the annual figures for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information is given in the table. All Jamaican citizens are interviewed on admission. Figures for those subjected to further examination are not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Jamaican citizens admitted to, and refused leave to enter and removed from, the United Kingdom

  Year/month

  Total admitted1

  Total refused leave to enter and removed

  1979

  35,000

  48

  1980

  31,000

  82

  1981

  31,000

  54

  18

  Year/month

  Total admitted1

  Total refused leave to enter and removed

  1982

  30,000

  63

  1983

  30,200

  60

  1984

  28,600

  44

  1985

  29,700

  69

  1986

  30,500

  131

  1987

  31,600

  269

  1988

  30,600

  424

  1989

  January

  2,600

  75

  February

  1,700

  79

  March

  2,000

  82

  April

  2,200

  71

  May

  2,300

  59

  June

  3,800

  65

  July

  4,500

  75

  August

  3,900

  55

  September

  3,300

  72

  October

  n.y.a.

  58

  1 The 1989 figures are provisional.

  n.y.a. Not yet available.

  Pub Bombings
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers of the west midlands serious crime squad have been suspended; how many of these were involved in the preparation of evidence that led to the prosecution of the Birmingham Six; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the chief constable of the West Midlands that five officers who have previously been members of the serious crime squad are currently suspended from duty, and that none of these was involved in interviewing those convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times, and under what powers, officers of the Metropolitan police have interviewed either Paul Hill or Gerard Conlon since their acquittal on charges arising from the Guildford and Woolwich public house bombings.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that Metropolitan police officers have stopped Paul Hill once since his acquittal. The examination was part of routine checks at Heathrow airport under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to reduce the level of support currently available to civil defence community volunteers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Government maintain their commitment to community volunteers and support such activity through civil defence grant aid, but expenditure incurred by local authorities on volunteer arrangements must be balanced against that on other statutory civil defence functions. It is the aim of a current review of community volunteer schemes to ensure that effective and realistic arrangements are in place.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will name the county councils and
  19
  district councils in England and Wales which do not conform to regulations in respect of emergency control centres in accordance with the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983.

  Mr. John Patten
  Statistics in connection with the provision of local authority emergency centres were given in "A report on implementation of the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983 in England and Wales at October 1988" which was published in January 1989 and a copy of which is in the Library. Advances on the position shown in that report are now being considered in the light of more recent information provided by local authorities.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the need to ensure that deaf people have access to parliamentary programmes.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received representations from right hon. and hon. Members and others on behalf of viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, requesting subtitling or use of sign language in news, current affairs and parliamentary programmes. The Broadcasting Bill contains provisions to encourage more subtitling in programmes generally.

  Police Videos
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the reasons behind the decision to have police video cameras present at Thames magistrates court on 12 September; and as to what use will be made of the video produced.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner that there was considered to have been a significant possibility that a demonstration outside the court on that day would result in disorder. It was decided to video the demonstration to provide contemporaneous evidence to support any prosecutions which might have ensued. In the event the demonstration passed off quietly and it was not necessary to retain the video tape for evidental or any other purposes.

  Mr. Leroy Russell
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the action being taken by the Metropolitan police at Forest Gate, London E7, to return the £960 belonging to Mr. Leroy Russell of 90 Gwendoline avenue, London E13.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner that this money was seized from Mr. Russell's home by officers of the Metropolitan police following his arrest there on 25 July 1988. The police will retain the money for as long as the matter remains sub-judice.

  Police
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will produce a table showing the average age of police constables by police authority area.
  20
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 7 December 1989]: The information requested is set out in the table.

  Police Authority Area

  Average age, Constable rank as at 31 December 19881

  Avon and Somerset

  33

  Bedfordshire

  32

  Cambridgeshire

  33

  Cheshire

  33

  Cleveland

  33

  Cumbria

  32

  Derbyshire

  33

  Devon and Cornwall

  34

  Dorset

  34

  Durham

  32

  Dyfed Powys

  33

  Essex

  33

  Gloucestershire

  34

  Greater Manchester

  32

  Gwent

  32

  Hampshire

  Hertfordshire

  32

  Humberside

  33

  Kent

  33

  Lancashire

  34

  Leicestershire

  32

  Lincolnshire

  34

  London, City of

  33

  Merseyside

  33

  Metropolitan Police

  31

  Norfolk

  35

  Northamptonshire

  32

  Northumbria

  34

  North Wales

  33

  North Yorkshire

  33

  Nottinghamshire

  31

  South Wales

  33

  South Yorkshire

  32

  Staffordshire

  32

  Suffolk

  33

  Surrey

  33

  Sussex

  34

  Thames Valley

  32

  Warwickshire

  35

  West Mercia

  33

  West Midlands

  32

  West Yorkshire

  32

  Wiltshire

  33

  1 This is the latest date for which analysis of age and rank is available. An analysis of England and Wales for all ranks can be found in Appendix 12 of HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary's Annual Report 1988, a copy of which can be found in the Library.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Mining Engineering
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance his Department gives to Britain's mining engineering industry in its efforts to improve its export performance.

  Mr. Redwood
  The DTI and FCO provide a wide range of information, advice and services to firms involved in exporting from the United Kingdom and these are available to the mining engineering industry where appropriate. The DTI's projects and export policy division provides particular support for British companies bidding for major overseas projects.

  Nationalised Industries
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total net cost or contribution of the nationalised industries within his responsibility in the period of 1974 to 1979; and what was the net contribution of these industries in the period 1979 to the latest available year, taking account of both corporation tax and receipts from privatisation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The way in which the expenditure plans and financing requirements of the nationalised industries was recorded changed in 1976–77 when the concept of an external financing requirement was introduced. Before that published figures concentrated on the capital requirements of the industries, whether or not they could be financed from internal resources or required Government or market funding. Figures for the two periods 1974–75 to 1978–79 and 1979–80 to 1987–88 are therefore not available on a comparable basis.

  The following figures show, for the nationalised industries for which the Secretary of State had responsibility in these periods, outturn capital expenditure for 1974–75 and for later years the net effect on the public expenditure totals, taking account of net privatisation receipts. Corporation tax payments do not affect the public expenditure total. Information on tax paid is available in the published report and accounts of the relevant nationalised industries and has not been included in the following totals.

  For 1974–75 and 1975–76 outturn capital expenditure was £2,925 million.
  For 1976–77 to 1978–79 the net effect was an addition of £2,616 million to the public expenditure total.
  For 1979–80 to 1987–88, the last year for which outturn figures are available, the net effect was an addition of £591 million.

  The industries covered by this answer are British Aerospace, British Shipbuilders, British Steel Corporation, Post Office (including Telecommunications and National Girobank until separation), British Telecom and Girobank, the receipts from the sale of shares in British Aerospace and British Telecom are included in the figures, but the sale of shares in British Steel took place after 1987–88.

  Sources: White Papers for the Government's public expenditure plans for the period 1975 to 1988, Command numbers 6721–II, 7439, 7841, 8175, 8494, 1 and II, 8789 II, 9143 II, 9428 II, 9702 II, Cm. 56 II, Cm. 288 I, Cm. 605, Cm. 621.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the net cost or contribution of the nationalised industries within his responsibility in 1978–79.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The outturn financing requirements of all nationalised industries in 1978–79 were published in the "Government's Expenditure Plans 1980–81 to 1983–84", Cm. 7841, in March 1980. The net effect on the public expenditure totals of the requirements for British Shipbuilders, British Aerospace, British Steel Corporation, and the Post Office (including figures for Telecommunications and Girobank) was an addition of £845 million.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the net cost or contribution of those industries within his responsibility which are still nationalised or companies which were state owned in 1988, or the last available year.
  22
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The latest available outturn figures for contributions to the public expenditure total for nationalised industries and wholly Government-owned companies within the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry were published in January 1989 in chapters 5 and 21 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1989–90 to 1991–92" Cm. 605 and 621. The net effect in 1987–88 of British Shipbuilders, British Steel Corporation, Post Office and Girobank taken together was a reduction of £271 million.

  European Patent Office
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what efforts he is making to ensure that patent protection obtainable from the European patent office by smaller firms and academic institutions in England and Wales is as comprehensive and effective as that available to other applicants in other parts of the world and particularly the United States of America.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We believe that all applicants, including small firms and academic institutions, can obtain patent protection from the European patent office which is already as comprehensive and effective as that available in other parts of the world including the United States of America. Differences do however exist between the national patent laws of different countries and we are actively involved in international negotations to minimise them.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contracts, including those relating to privatisations, the Government have awarded since June 1979 to accountancy firms held to be lacking the necessary professional conduct, efficiency and competence by the disciplinary committees of the accountancy profession.

  Mr. Redwood
  Information on Government contracts with accountancy firms is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the firms criticised by the joint disciplinary scheme run by the accountancy bodies; and whether any firms or their successors criticised by the joint disciplinary scheme have subsequently supplied personnel for the joint disciplinary scheme committees hearing allegations of unprofessional conduct by other firms.

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the annual reports of the joint disciplinary scheme, copies of which are in the Library. Membership of the scheme's committees is a matter for its executive committee.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many seats on the auditing practices committee have been held by individuals from accountancy firms sued by the Government for negligence, criticised by his Department's inspectors in their reports and criticised by the joint disciplinary scheme;

  (2) whether any accountancy firms reprimanded by the joint disciplinary scheme have subsequently been allowed to have representatives on the accounting standards committee, the auditing practices committee or any of the working parties.
  23
  Mr. Redwood
  As I explained in the replies I gave on 27 November at column 92–93 and 13 December at column 702 to questions by the hon. Member, membership of the auditing practices committee and the accounting standards committee is a matter for the consultative committee of Accountancy Bodies. Members of working parties are appointed by the relevant committees.

  ECGD
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is yet in a position to make a statement on the future of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Mr. Ridley
  Based on the findings of the Kemp review of future status options for ECGD businesses, that the Cardiff-based insurance services (covering exports on short-term credit) and the London-based project group (handling exports of projects for capital goods on medium-term credit) should be split and run as separate organisations, the Government's intention is that insurance services be converted into a company and that private capital should be introduced quickly thereafter. These changes are being made to enable ECGD to take advantage of the opportunities offered by 1992 and to meet the increased competition which will arise. They will also ensure that its intra-Community business is maintained. Equalising the legal and economic framework for credit insurance in Europe, with private sector capital, is a necessary condition for fostering United Kingdom trade within the Community.

  The company will follow the normal practice of credit insurance companies operating in the commercial market in the use of reinsurance. The Government's aim is that this should be obtained from the private market. However, I recognise that in relation to certain of the political risks currently covered by insurance services there is at present insufficient private market capacity.

  Thus, in order to maintain facilities for exporters, the Government are prepared to see a transitional period of up to three years from the date of the introduction of private capital during which a reinsurance arrangement will be in place between Her Majesty's Government and the company. During this period the company will work to complete adequate reinsurance arrangements with the private market with the aim of phasing out residual Government reinsurance.

  When the new company is formed the intention is that staff who transfer to the company should do so on broadly comparable terms to those which they presently enjoy as Crown servants. ECGD staff will be asked whether they wish to remain within the Civil Service, or to transfer to the new company. ECGD will use its best endeavours to meet their wishes where these are consistent with the business needs of ECGD and the company.

  These changes will require legisation at the earliest opportunity. It is the intention that the new company be established on 1 April 1991. Advisors will be appointed shortly to assist ECGD in carrying out necessary preparatory work.

  Over the last three years, ECGD's insurance services have introduced major improvements to the range and quality of its services. It has developed a unique underwriting system and rapid credit limit service designed to meet the needs of its customers in the 1990s, particularly in the single European market. The changes I have
  24
  outlined for the insurance services group are vital to enable it to meet the challenges which will be thrown up by the single European market and so ensure that we develop further what is a significant national asset for our exporters. I am confident that the changes I am proposing are the best way to secure jobs for the future.

  In relation to ECGD's project group, the Government have decided that export credit and financing support should continue to be provided.

  The ECGD's project support activities will remain within the Government, but the precise form of ECGD's organisation—whether it should remain a Department or acquire agency status—will be decided as soon as possible.

  The Government are anxious to reduce the costs which have been associated with ECGD support for project exports in recent years. It will, therefore, continue to press hard internationally, for multilateral agreement aimed at eliminating subsidies which distort export credit and aid. In addition, to reduce the risk of losses in the future, radical new methods for managing ECGD's political risk portfolio will be introduced. Substantial premium increases for project business will be necessary, especially for business in the higher risk markets to ensure that ECGD premiums are better matched to risk. I believe that exporters will accept the need for this and will regard it as preferable to the withdrawal of facilities.

  The changes I have outlined are essential if ECGD is to be able to maintain and improve the quality of support it currently provides to United Kingdom exporters. The overwhelming majority of the representations which have been made by interested outside parties have fully supported these changes. I commend them to the House.

  National Engineering Laboratory
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are his current projections on the expected job losses at the National Engineering Laboratory and the date by which those reductions in staffing will be achieved.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The business plan for NEL and the resources it will need, is being prepared. Current projections are that the laboratory will require about 400 staff in total and the necessary staff reductions will take place during 1990.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he has received and appraised the projected business plan for the National Engineering Laboratory, East Kilbride; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he proposes to announce his intentions arising from the projected business plan on the future of the National Engineering Laboratory.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have not yet seen the business plan for the National Engineering Laboratory, but I will see it in due course. The contents of the plan will be commercially confidential and I do not intend to make an announcement about it.

  Alcohol Duty
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much(a) excise duty and (b) import duty is levied on a one litre bottle of whisky containing 40 per cent. alcohol imported into the United Kingdom from Japan.
  25
  Mr. Redwood
  The excise duty levied on a one litre bottle of whisky containing 40 per cent. alcohol imported into the United Kingdom from Japan is £6·31. The import duty is 14p.

  Women's Employment Schemes
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what submissions he has made to the European Commission, whether via normal interdepartmental channels or directly to the European Commission, to seek continuation of the present level of funding plus allowance for inflation for women's employment and workshop schemes; and what response has been received.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have nothing to add to the reply given to the same question by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Civil Service Dispersal
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further plans he has for decentralising the Civil Service establishment from London to the regions of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ryder
  As announced by right hon. Friend, the then Paymaster General, on 31 March 1988 (column 610–11), the Government's policy for relocating Civil Service work does not involve targets set by the centre. Departments review the location of their work in accordance with central guidelines, and their Ministers announce their decisions. Since the beginning of 1988, plans to locate or relocate over 14,000 posts away from London and the south-east have been announced, and further announcements are expected in due course.

  Civil Service (Privatisation)
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that in any future privatisation of parts of the Civil Service, staff will be given the option of transferring and remaining within the Civil Service.

  £ billion

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  Cash figures

  0.5

  0.6

  0.7

  0.9

  1.1

  1.0

  Real terms figures (1988–89 prices)

  1.0

  1.1

  1.2

  1.3

  1.4

  1.3

  Corresponding figures for earlier years are not readily available.

  Workplace Nurseries
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on the taxation of benefits to employees accruing from the provision of workplace nurseries and creches.

  Mr. Major
  Employees pay income tax on their earnings whether received in cash or in kind. A subsidised place in a workplace nursery or creche is a benefit in kind and any subsidy is a proper subject for tax. The costs to the employer of subsidising workplace nurseries—or otherwise financing childcare for employees—is allowable against corporation tax.
  26
  Mr. Ryder
  No. Cases differ, and need to be judged on their particular merits.

  Incomes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report an estimate of the increase in real disposable incomes as a result of the separate taxation of husbands and wives at current rates of income, taxation and inflation; and what proportion of the total is expected to accrue to those in the upper and lower quarters and tenths.

  Mr. Lilley
  The decrease in income tax liabilities in 1990–91 due to the introduction of independent taxation is provisionally estimated to be about £950 million. That would lead to an increase in real disposable income of less than half a per cent. Estimates of its distribution are not available in the form requested, but about a third of the benefit would be to individuals with incomes of less than £5,000 a year.

  Those estimates make no allowance for possible behavioural effects. The effect of independent taxation on the composite rate of tax on bank and building society interest will be taken into account in the rate set for the year 1991–92.

  Department of Transport (Expenditure)
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out general Government expenditure by the Department of Transport for the years 1974–75 to 1983–84, in cash and real terms, consistent with the figures for 1984–85 to 1992–93 that are set out in tables 3 and 4 of the 1989 Autumn Statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Tables 3 and 4 of the 1989 Autumn Statement public expenditure press notice set out figures for central Government's own expenditure, by Department. Figures for central Government's own expenditure by the Department of Transport in the years 1978–79 to 1983–84 consistent with those given in the 1989 Autumn Statement are as follows:

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now review the policies of taxation in relation to benefits to employees from the provision of workplace nurseries and other child care facilities by employers.

  Mr. Major
  I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply that my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) on 3 November at column 361.

  Exchange Rate Mechanism
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the components of the trade weighted index for pound sterling's exchange value; and what precentage of the weighting is accounted for by currencies linked to the exchange rate mechanism.
  27
  Mr. Ryder
  I refer the hon. Member to the "Economic Progress Report" for December 1988, published by her Majesty's Treasury, copies of which have been placed in the Library. Of those countries represented in the index, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Spain and Denmark participate in the exchange rate mechanism.

  Civil Service
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are in post at the current time; what the figure was 10 years ago; what was the average pay of a civil servant in 1979 and what it is at the present time; what are the figures in real terms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  There were 567,073 civil servants in post on 1 July 1989 compared with 732,275 on 1 April 1979. The average pay of a civil servant, taken as the pay of an administrative officer—the grade with by far the largest number of staff in post—at the top of the scale was £3,627 in April 1979 and £8,305 in October 1989; that represents an increase of 129 per cent. or, after adjusting for inflation, a real increase of 14 per cent.

  Capital Account
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the financing of the capital account is made up of(a) the sale of United Kingdom businesses to organisations based abroad and (b) other categories, for the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The value of acquisitions by overseas companies in 1988 financed from overseas shown in "British Business" (19 September 1989, page 20, table 5), is a substantial part of the figures of direct investment by overseas residents within the total capital transactions account shown in table 8.1 of the "UK Balance of Payments", 1989 edition (the CSO Pink Book). Copies of those publications are in the Library.

  Medical Insurance
  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to hasten the implementation of the provision of the Finance Act to introduce a tax allowance to help elderly subscribers to medical insurance; and what representations he has received from insurance companies expressing concern about their ability to meet customers' demands for tax relief to take effect from 6 April 1990.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Inland Revenue has been consulting the private medical insurers on draft regulations to ensure a smooth introduction of the relief. I understand that all the major insurers are planning to offer contracts by 6 April 1990 that will meet the requirements for the relief.

  Departmental Funding
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to limit(a) the total sum or (b) the proportion of the sums originally voted which may be carried forward by a Deaprtment from one financial year to another as a result of (i) capital or (ii) running costs underspends; and if he will make a statement.
  28
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The end-year flexibility scheme for central Government capital expenditure enables Departments to carry forward underspends of up to 5 per cent. of their eligible provision plus any carryover entitlement from the previous year not taken up in a Supplementary Estimate, or £2 million—whichever is the greater. The end-year flexibility scheme for running costs enables qualifying Departments to carry forward underspends of up to ·5 per cent. of their eligible running costs provision or £50,000—whichever is the greater.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are taking to acquire additional information technology skills from the private sector.

  Mr. Ryder
  Following a procurement exercise involving 12 potential suppliers and a very thorough evaluation of proposals, HM Customs and Excise has, with the assistance of the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, selected Logica Communications and Electronic Systems Limited, to provide staff to assist with the maintenance and enhancement of existing IT systems and the development of new projects, and BIS Applied Systems Limited, to assist in the area of project management and control.

  The first project to benefit from those arrangements will be VAT II, which has been set up to develop a replacement for the existing VAT system initially implemented in 1973.

  Exchange Rate
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the non-publication of forecasts of overseas sector capital flows has on the process of making projections, in the Autumn Statement or elsewhere, of the future exchange rate.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 12 December 1989]: Although forecasts of overseas capital flows are not published, the Treasury does look carefully at the capital account as part of the detailed figuring underlying the published forecast.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the implications for the enforcement of regulations concerning the wildlife trade and the implementation of CITES of the effect on specialist skills, including intelligence gathering and criminal identification, resulting from the proposed move of the Customs and Excise endangered species branch from London to Southend.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: There is no reason to suppose that the proposed relocation from London to Southend of the small group of Customs and Excise headquarters staff dealing with import and export controls on endangered species will have any significant effect on the level of enforcement.

  British Aerospace
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the exchange of letters with British Aerospace was made available by the Inland Revenue to Touche Ross when it acted for the National Audit Office.
  29
  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: The National Audit Office did not ask the Inland Revenue to make available any papers.

  Ivory
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to destroy publicly all ivory stocks seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: No. I do not think that it would be sensible to commit Customs to a policy of invariably destroying, whether in public or not, all ivory seized by it as illegally imported. I shall, however, ensure that it continues to dispose of all such goods in a manner acceptable to me and to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, who has overall responsibility for endangered species policy in the United Kingdom. Certainly, none will be disposed of in a way that offends current conservation principles.

  Nationalised Industries
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will name each of the chairmen of the nationalised industries; and if he will give details of salaries and other remunerations applicable to each.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [pursuant to his reply 7 December 1989, columns 311–12]: I regret that there were errors in the table of my earlier reply. The correct information requested is set out in the following table.

  Chairman

  Nationalised Industry

  Salary1 £

  Sir Robert Haslam

  British Coal

  160,000

  Sir Robert Reid

  British Railways Board

  90,950

  Mr. C. Campbell

  British Shipbuilders

  21,675

  Mr. D. Ingman

  British Waterways Board

  33,700

  Mr. C. Tugendhat

  Civil Aviation Authority

  60,000

  Sir Philip Jones

  Electricity Council

  94,380

  Lord Marshall

  Central Electricity Generating Board

  111,000

  Mr. J. C. Smith

  Eastern Electricity Board

  57,390

  Mr. J. F. Harris

  East Midlands Electricity Board

  57,390

  Mr. J. J. Wilson

  London Electricity Board

  57,390

  Mr. B. H. Weston

  Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board

  57,390

  Mr. B. S. Townsend

  Midlands Electricity Board

  57,390

  Mr. D. Morris

  North Eastern Electricity Board

  80,000

  Mr. K. Harvey

  North Western Electricity Board

  49,005

  Mr. G. A. Squair

  South Eastern Electricity Board

  57,390

  Mr. D. A. Ross

  Southern Electricity Board

  57,390

  Mr. J. W. Evans

  South Wales Electricity Board

  57,390

  Mr. A. W. Nicol

  South Western Electricity Board

  57,390

  Mr. J. Porteous

  Yorkshire Electricity Board

  57,390

  Mr. W. Newton

  London Regional Transport

  80,000

  Mr. M. Joughin

  North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board

  39,750

  Sir Bryan Nicholson

  Post Office

  102,000

  Mr. I. S. Irwin

  Scottish Transport Group

  59,825

  Mr. D. J. Miller

  South of Scotland Electricity Board

  66,900

  Mr. B. Henderson

  Anglian Water Plc2

  43,860

  Sir Michael Straker

  Northumbrian Water Group Plc2

  30,638

  Mr. W. Grove

  North West Water Group Plc2

  61,275

  Mr. J. Bellak

  Severn Trent Plc2

  49,020

  Mr. W. Courtney

  Southern Water Plc2

  43,860

  Mr. K. Court

  South West Water Plc2

  51,063

  Mr. R. Watts

  Thames Water Plc2

  49,020

  Mr. J. Jones

  Welsh Water Plc2

  43,860

  Mr. W. Hood

  Wessex Water Plc2

  40,850

  Mr. G. Jones

  Yorkshire Water Plc2

  54,825

  30

  1 Actual salaries. Some Chairmen are part-time.

  2 The 10 Water Authorities were vested as Companies Act companies owned by Government on 1 September, and privatised on 12 December.

  Chairmen are also eligible for performance bonus schemes with a maximum limit of 25 per cent. of salary.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Microwave Ovens
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to encourage retailers to provide an inquiry and advisory service to purchasers of microwave ovens in the light of his Department's recent report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  We have encouraged the Retail Consortium to ensure that its members stock the updated instructions for the safe use of domestic microwave ovens issued by oven manufacturers.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has recorded any incidence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle born since animal proteins were withdrawn from cattle rations.

  Mr. Maclean
  No.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle his Ministry is currently monitoring to assess the possible vertical transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy; what the parameters are of this research; and if he will make a statement on progress of the research to date.

  Mr. Maclean
  Three hundred and thirty progeny of BSE-affected dams and the same number of control animals are being monitored on three of the Ministry's experimental husbandry farms. The study is designed to determine whether maternal transmission occurs either in utero and/or in the immediate period after birth and, if so, at what incidence. The animals will be maintained on experimental husbandry farms until seven years of age unless death or the need to cull intervenes. The brains of all animals will be examined histopathologically and all carcases will be destroyed. Because of the long incubation period for this disease, results will not be forthcoming for some time.

  Casualty Animals
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to encourage the development of on-farm slaughter facilities for casualty animals.

  Mr. Maclean
  The legislation already permits on-farm slaughter of casualty animals. It is an offence to transport casualties if by reason of their unfitness it will cause them unnecessary suffering.

  Dairy Herd
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to reduce the incidence of campylobacter and leptospira infection in the national dairy herd.
  31
  Mr. Maclean
  There are no statutory or voluntary measures relating to campylobacter in cattle. However, the veterinary investigation service will, on request, provide assistance in diagnosis.

  A chargeable voluntary component in the cattle health scheme provides herds infected with leptospira hardjo with a programme to control or eliminate infection.

  Antibiotics
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the use of quinolone antibiotics as prophylactics.

  Mr. Maclean
  Products containing quinolone are not licensed in the United Kingdom for prophylactic purposes.

  Animals and Birds (Imports)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what checks on the import of live animals and birds will be available after 1992.

  Mr. Maclean
  It is intended that those from non-EC countries will be imported only via approved frontier inspection posts, for both animal health and welfare purposes. The European Commission has yet to make any proposals to the Council for animal health controls on intra-Community trade in live animals and birds after 1992. The Commission has submitted proposals on the protection of animals during transport but negotiations on these has yet to begin.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what figures are easily available regarding the importation of both pet birds and captive birds for 1988; and how many birds in each category(a) were dead on arrival and (b) died in quarantine.

  Mr. Maclean
  Figures have been compiled for the numbers of commercially imported birds arriving at approved quarantine premises during 1988. These will be available very shortly and will include mortalities both on arrival and during the statutory quarantine period.

  Voluntary Organisations
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which voluntary organisations received grants from his Department for each year since 1986; and for what purposes these were given.

  Mr. Gummer
  Since 1986 the following voluntary organisations have received grants from my Department for the purposes shown:

  (i) National Proficiency Tests Council—to enable the Council to devise, promote and maintain standards of proficiency tests in agriculture and horticulture in England and Wales.

  (ii) The National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs—to help towards the cost of the Federation's activities in agricultural education.

  (iii) Farming and Wildlife Trust—to make provision for the conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty of the countryside.

  (iv) Society for the Responsible Use of Resources in Agriculture and on the Land (RURAL)—to promote exchanges of views through the organisation of conferences in all aspects of rural land use and the use of resources in agriculture.

  (v) The Countryside Commission for "Operation Silvanus"—to promote the better management of existing woodlands on farms.

  32

  (vi) British Trout Association—to promote exports of United Kingdom farmed trout products to targeted third countries.

  Lead-contaminated Feed
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to assist livestock producers whose cattle have been cleared following tests for lead-contaminated feed but are unable to obtain slaughtering facilities for their fat cattle; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  In all our discussions with the industry on this incident, we have repeatedly assured all concerned that meat derived from animals cleared for slaughter conforms to the rigorous standards laid down by the Department of Health and is perfectly fit for human consumption.

  We are urgently carrying out scientific work to see whether the restrictions currently attaching to the slaughter of such animals can be eased without risk to public health. I shall ease the restrictions just as soon as it is shown to be safe to do so.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will amend the statutory environmental monitoring programme of the Sellafield reprocessing plant as a condition of its authorisation, to require British Nuclear Fuels Limited to take and analyse samples and carry out external exposure rate measurements on the four-mile intertidal stretch of the River Esk in Cumbria and publish the results; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  BNFL's statutory environmental monitoring programme already includes gamma dose rate measurements at Hall Waberthwaite in the intertidal stretch of the Esk. It also includes ground level river bank monitoring in the area. The results are submitted to the Ministry and to the Department of the Environment and BNFL publishes an annual report. The Ministry is not aware of any factors which would justify amendment of the programme in this area. However, the programe is continually under review.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he has assessed the public radiation exposure of people who live close to the four-mile intertidal stretch of the River Esk in Cumbria; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he will undertake a detailed radiological assessment of public exposure to radioactivity in the four-mile intertidal stretch of the River Esk in Cumbria, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The River Esk has been monitored closely for more than 20 years. The Ministry carefully studies the time spent by people close to the Esk and we have found that the length of time people spend regularly there is very small. We have recently completed a new survey and the report on that work is being prepared for publication.

  Our routine monitoring includes a number of locations where regular measurements of external dose rates are carried out. These are locations which are representative of the highest levels of external exposure which are likely to result from public occupancy of intertidal areas. Our

  33
  report for 1988 records measurements at 11 locations in the Ravenglass estuary (which includes the Esk) and most locations were monitored monthly. For the Esk six locations were monitored. Detailed statistics of this monitoring including estimates of public radiation exposures at these locations are published annually.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the dates when his Ministry has reassessed habit surveys of members of the public around the Sellafield reprocessing plant in the past 10 years.

  Mr. Curry
  Habit surveys in respect of discharges from Sellafield have been carried out in each of the last 10 years except for 1980.

  Agricultural Training
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the review of agricultural training announced by his predecessor on 20 March is now complete; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  When my predecessor and his fellow Agriculture Ministers appointed Mr. John E. Smith as chairman of the agricultural training board in March this year and at the same time asked him to undertake a review of agricultural training, the scale and complexity of his task was widely realised. That Mr. Smith has completed this review within the very tight time scale allowed is a real reflection of the commitment with which he has approached the job.

  On behalf of my fellow Agriculture Ministers, I should like to pay tribute to Mr. Smith for the expeditious and thorough way in which he has conducted his review, for the breadth of the consultations that he has undertaken in such a short space of time and, above all, for the clarity and incisiveness of his report and of his recommendations. I am arranging for the report to he published straight away and for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

  In his terms of reference Mr. Smith was called on to report to Agriculture Ministers and, on their behalf, I have informed Mr. Smith that he can go ahead with the relocation of the board's headquarters from West Wickham in Kent to the national agricultural centre at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire and put in hand the new countrywide structures based on 14 local agricultural training boards in England and Scottish and Welsh training boards. Through this restructuring the Government will be looking for a greater contribution from the industry to the board's costs and I therefore welcome Mr. Smith's own recognition of the industry's responsibilities in this respect.

  As other recommendations in the report touch on interests of other colleagues and have longer-term implications, the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland and I will, in conjunction with the Secretaries of State for Education and Science, for Employment and for the Environment, and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, be giving detailed consideration to those proposals.

  Plant Breeding Institute
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in the past 10 years, he or his predecessors, either by direction or informally, secured changes in the accounting conventions followed by the Plant Breeding Institute; and if he will make a statement.
  34
  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Plant Breeding Institute was a registered charity and a grant-aided institute of the Agricultural and Food Research Council (AFRC). In 1987 its plant breeding assets were sold, and the remainder of the institute then became part of the AFRC Institute of Plant Science Research (IPSR), also a registered charity. The council's accounting convention follows Treasury rules for Government accounting, revised from time to time, which are in the public domain. The IPSR charity now finances its activities from the proceeds of the 1987 sale of assets. Although it no longer receives grant-in-aid from the AFRC, its activities are managed in line with AFRC's financial plans by virture of a memorandum of understanding established between the AFRC and the IPSR.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  School Repairs
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the amount of money that is needed to fully repair all the schools in England and Wales.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Judgments about what constitutes "full repair" vary. The 1987 report of the DES survey of school buildings estimated that the cost of implementing the main structural requirements related to the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 and the other physical requirements in primary and secondary schools in England was about £1·1 billion (although this estimate is subject to sampling error). Since then substantial sums, both capital and current, have been, and continue to be, devoted to improving school premises. The repair of schools in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Vocational Degrees
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made towards increasing vocational degree places at universities and polytechnics.

  Mr. Jackson
  There is no standard definition of the term "vocational" as applied to degree courses. Many courses have at least some vocational element. Between 1979 and 1987 (the latest year for which figures are available) the number of degrees awarded annually by universities and the Council for National Academic Awards increased by about a quarter, from 101,600 to 127,100. I expect the proportion with a vocational element to have followed broadly the same trend.

  Student Unions
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the Government grant allocations to student unions for universities and polytechnics by polytechnic and university; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  It is for universities and polytechnics to determine the level of their grants to their student unions. The Government do not make specific allocations for this purpose.

  Hyperkinesis
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information and guidelines his Department provides to local education authorities to ensure that head teachers are fully aware of the hyperkinesis condition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  No guidance has been issued to local education authorities about hyperkinesis.

  Further Education (Salaries)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give figures for the average salaries of further education college lecturers for each of the last 10 years, expressing each annual increase in percentage terms(a) in relation to the rise in the retail price index and (b) in relation to the rise in average non-manual earnings; and how many further education college lecturers have resigned in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Jackson
  The average salaries of further education college lecturers on 31 March of each of the last 10 years are given in the table, together with the annual increases in each year relative to the retail prices index and average non-manual earnings.

  Average salaries of full-lime lecturers1 in colleges of further education (excluding PCFC institutions), England and Wales

  Average Salary

  Annual Percentage Increase

  Relative to the RPI

  Relative to average non-manual earnings

  Year ending 31 March

  £

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  1979

  6,207

  —

  —

  1980

  7,461

  9·2

  7·6

  1981

  9,366

  3·1

  0·2

  1982

  10,111

  -3·6

  -6·6

  1983

  10,681

  -3·4

  -3·2

  1984

  11,229

  1·1

  -3·7

  1985

  1,856

  0·4

  -2·4

  1986

  12,744

  0·5

  0·3

  1987

  13,572

  3·3

  -2·1

  1 Includes all academic staff on grades up to and including Principal.

  Actual average salaries for 31 March 1988 and 1989 are not yet available. Lecturers' pay was increased on a staged basis over the period April 1987 to April 1989. The percentage increases in each of the two years relative to the RPI and average non-manual earnings are as follows:

  Year ending 31 March

  Actual

  Relative to the RPI

  Relative to average non-manual earnings

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  1987–88

  10·3

  6·1

  1·9

  1988–89

  6·.0

  0·0

  -4·3

  The level of salary increase to be awarded to lecturers in 1989–90 has not yet been settled.

  The Department does not collect information specifically on resignations. The table sets out the numbers, in percentage terms, of lecturers leaving full-time service in each of the last ten years.
  36

  Annual percentage of lecturers in colleges of further education (excluding PCFC institutions) leaving full-time service in the maintained further or higher education sector in England and Wales

  Year ending 31 March

  Further education colleges excluding PCFC institutions

  Per cent.

  1979

  6·0

  1980

  5·8

  1981

  5·6

  1982

  5·4

  1983

  5·5

  1984

  6·0

  1985

  6·8

  1986

  6·5

  1987

  7·0

  Note: The figures for 1979–85 include lecturers at non polytechnic institutions in the PCFC sector.

  These figures include retirements and movement from full-time to part-time service. In a survey by the employers' organisation, LACSAB, of turnover and wastage in further education in the academic year 1987–88, losses to employment outside the sector amounted to 2·4 per cent. of employment.

  Grants
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide estimates of the costs and savings, as per annex E of the White Paper, in respect of(a) net change in grant, (b) net change in benefits, (c) gross loan outlay, (d) loan repayments and (e) public sector borrowing requirement effect for each of the years from 1990 to 2027, as in annex E of Cmd. 520, on the basis that a 30 per cent. age participation rate is attained by 2015, showing the effects of (i) 80 per cent. take-up, (ii) 90 per cent. take-up and (iii) 100 per cent. take-up.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Department does not currently project student numbers in higher education beyond the turn of the century.

  The following tables show annex E revised to take account of the increase in student numbers since Cm. 520 was published. The tables show the effect of take-up rates of 80 and 100 per cent., and of inflation at 3, 5 and 8 per cent.

  Table (i)

  Top-up loans costings

  Revised student number projections

  Costs and saving—3 per cent. inflation—80 per cent. take-up

  United Kingdom

  (£ million, 1990 prices)

  Year

  Change in grant

  Change in benefits

  Loan outlay

  Loan repayments

  PSBR effect

  1990

  0

  -68

  178

  0

  110

  1991

  -24

  -69

  214

  2

  118

  1992

  -46

  -70

  243

  10

  118

  1993

  -66

  -69

  269

  23

  110

  1994

  -86

  -69

  294

  43

  96

  1995

  -105

  -69

  318

  68

  77

  1996

  -126

  -69

  347

  93

  59

  1997

  -149

  -72

  384

  115

  48

  1998

  -174

  -75

  426

  134

  42

  1999

  -199

  -77

  464

  150

  39

  2000

  -221

  -78

  497

  163

  35

  2001

  -240

  -78

  522

  181

  22

  37

  Year

  Change in grant

  Change in benefits

  Loan outlay

  Loan repayments

  PSBR effect

  2002

  -258

  -78

  545

  206

  3

  2003

  -275

  -78

  568

  225

  -11

  2004

  -292

  -78

  591

  240

  -19

  2005

  -309

  -78

  613

  251

  -26

  2006

  -325

  -78

  634

  260

  -29

  2007

  -340

  -78

  654

  264

  -29

  2008

  -358

  -78

  669

  278

  -45

  2009

  -358

  -78

  669

  303

  -70

  2010

  -358

  -78

  669

  333

  -100

  2011

  -358

  -78

  669

  358

  -125

  2012

  -358

  -78

  669

  379

  -146

  2013

  -358

  -78

  669

  401

  -168

  2014

  -358

  -78

  669

  420

  -187

  2015

  -358

  -78

  669

  436

  -203

  2016

  -358

  -78

  669

  449

  -216

  2017

  -358

  -78

  669

  461

  -227

  2018

  -358

  -78

  669

  470

  -237

  2019

  -358

  -78

  669

  477

  -244

  2020

  -358

  -78

  669

  484

  -251

  2021

  -358

  -78

  669

  492

  -258

  2022

  -358

  -78

  669

  499

  -266

  2023

  -358

  -78

  669

  503

  -270

  2024

  -358

  -78

  669

  505

  -272

  2025

  -358

  -78

  669

  507

  -274

  2026

  -358

  -78

  669

  509

  -275

  2027

  -358

  -78

  669

  510

  -276

  Table (ii)

  Top-up loans costings

  Revised student number projections

  Costs and saving 3 per cent. inflation 100 per cent. take-up

  United Kingdom

  (£ million, 1990 prices)

  Year

  Change in grant

  Change in benefits

  Loan outlay

  Loan repayments

  PSBR effect

  1990

  0

  -68

  222

  0

  155

  1991

  -24

  -69

  267

  3

  170

  1992

  -46

  -70

  304

  12

  176

  1993

  -66

  -69

  336

  29

  172

  1994

  -86

  -69

  367

  53

  159

  1995

  -105

  -69

  398

  85

  139

  1996

  -126

  -69

  434

  116

  123

  1997

  -149

  -72

  480

  144

  115

  1998

  -174

  -75

  532

  168

  115

  1999

  -199

  -77

  581

  187

  117

  2000

  -221

  -78

  621

  204

  118

  2001

  -240

  -78

  652

  226

  108

  2002

  -258

  -78

  682

  257

  88

  2003

  -275

  -78

  711

  282

  75

  2004

  -292

  -78

  739

  299

  68

  2005

  -309

  -78

  766

  314

  65

  2006

  -325

  -78

  792

  325

  64

  2007

  -340

  -78

  818

  331

  69

  2008

  -358

  -78

  836

  347

  53

  2009

  -358

  -78

  836

  379

  21

  2010

  -358

  -78

  836

  416

  -16

  2011

  -358

  -78

  836

  448

  -48

  2012

  -358

  -78

  836

  474

  -73

  2013

  -358

  -78

  836

  501

  -101

  2014

  -358

  -78

  836

  525

  -124

  2015

  -358

  -78

  836

  545

  -144

  2016

  -358

  -78

  836

  561

  -161

  2017

  -358

  -78

  836

  576

  -175

  2018

  -358

  -78

  836

  588

  -187

  2019

  -358

  -78

  836

  596

  -196

  2020

  -358

  -78

  836

  605

  -205

  2021

  -358

  -78

  836

  615

  -214

  2022

  -358

  -78

  836

  623

  -223

  2023

  -358

  -78

  836

  629

  -229

  2024

  -358

  -78

  836

  632

  -231

  2025

  -358

  -78

  836

  634

  -233

  2026

  -358

  -78

  836

  636

  -235

  2027

  -358

  -78

  836

  637

  -237

  38

  Table (iii)

  Top-up loans costings

  Revised student number projections

  Costs and saving 5 per cent. inflation 80 per cent. take-up

  United Kingdom

  (£ million, 1990 prices)

  Year

  Change in grant

  Change in benefits

  Loan outlay

  Loan repayments

  PSBR effect

  1990

  0

  -68

  178

  0

  110

  1991

  -24

  -69

  214

  2

  118

  1992

  -60

  -70

  261

  10

  122

  1993

  -93

  -69

  304

  23

  119

  1994

  -124

  -69

  343

  44

  107

  1995

  -153

  -69

  381

  71

  89

  1996

  -184

  -69

  424

  99

  72

  1997

  -218

  -72

  475

  125

  61

  1998

  -256

  -75

  533

  149

  54

  1999

  -291

  -77

  586

  170

  48

  2000

  -323

  -78

  631

  189

  41

  2001

  -348

  -78

  664

  214

  25

  2002

  -359

  -78

  669

  246

  -14

  2003

  -359

  -78

  669

  273

  -41

  2004

  -359

  -78

  669

  293

  -61

  2005

  -359

  -78

  669

  308

  -76

  2006

  -359

  -78

  669

  318

  -86

  2007

  -359

  -78

  669

  322

  -90

  2008

  -359

  -78

  669

  334

  -102

  2009

  -359

  -78

  669

  360

  -128

  2010

  -359

  -78

  669

  390

  -158

  2011

  -359

  -78

  669

  413

  -181

  2012

  -359

  -78

  669

  429

  -197

  2013

  -359

  -78

  669

  446

  -214

  2014

  -359

  -78

  669

  459

  -227

  2015

  -359

  -78

  669

  469

  -237

  2016

  -359

  -78

  669

  476

  -244

  2017

  -359

  -78

  669

  483

  -251

  2018

  -359

  -78

  669

  488

  -256

  2019

  -359

  -78

  669

  491

  -259

  2020

  -359

  -78

  669

  496

  -264

  2021

  -359

  -78

  669

  502

  -270

  2022

  -359

  -78

  669

  508

  -276

  2023

  -359

  -78

  669

  511

  -279

  2024

  -359

  -78

  669

  512

  -280

  2025

  -359

  -78

  669

  512

  -280

  2026

  -359

  -78

  669

  512

  -280

  2027

  -359

  -78

  669

  512

  -280

  Table (iv)

  Top-up loans costings

  Revised student number projections

  Costs and saving 5 per cent. inflation 100 per cent. take-up

  United Kingdom

  (£ million, 1990 prices)

  Year

  Change in grant

  Change in benefits

  Loan outlay

  Loan repayments

  PSBR effect

  1990

  0

  -66

  222

  0

  155

  1991

  -24

  -69

  267

  3

  170

  1992

  -60

  -70

  327

  12

  185

  1993

  -93

  -69

  379

  29

  189

  1994

  -124

  -69

  429

  55

  182

  1995

  -153

  -69

  477

  89

  167

  1996

  -184

  -69

  530

  124

  153

  1997

  -218

  -72

  594

  156

  148

  1998

  -256

  -75

  666

  186

  150

  1999

  -291

  -77

  733

  212

  152

  2000

  -323

  -78

  783

  236

  152

  2001

  -348

  -78

  831

  267

  137

  2002

  -359

  -78

  836

  308

  91

  2003

  -359

  -78

  836

  341

  58

  2004

  -359

  -78

  836

  366

  33

  2005

  -359

  -78

  836

  385

  14

  2006

  -359

  -78

  836

  399

  1

  2007

  -359

  -78

  836

  402

  -3

  2008

  -359

  -78

  836

  419

  -19

  2009

  -359

  -78

  836

  450

  -51

  2010

  -359

  -78

  836

  487

  -88

  2011

  -359

  -78

  836

  516

  -117

  39

  Year

  Change in grant

  Change in benefits

  Loan outlay

  Loan repayments

  PSBR effect

  2012

  -359

  -78

  836

  537

  -137

  2013

  -359

  -78

  836

  558

  -159

  2014

  -359

  -78

  836

  574

  -175

  2015

  -359

  -78

  836

  586

  -187

  2016

  -359

  -78

  836

  595

  -196

  2017

  -359

  -78

  836

  604

  -205

  2018

  -359

  -78

  836

  610

  -211

  2019

  -359

  -78

  836

  614

  -215

  2020

  -359

  -78

  836

  619

  -220

  2021

  -359

  -78

  836

  627

  -228

  2022

  -359

  -78

  836

  635

  -235

  2023

  -359

  -78

  836

  639

  -240

  2024

  -359

  -78

  836

  639

  -240

  2025

  -359

  -78

  836

  640

  -241

  2026

  -359

  -78

  836

  640

  -241

  2027

  -359

  -78

  836

  640

  -241

  Table (v)

  Top-up loans costings

  Revised student number projections

  Costs and saving 8 per cent. inflation 80 per cent. take-up

  United Kingdom

  (£ million, 1990 prices)

  Year

  Change in grant

  Change in benefits

  Loan outlay

  Loan repayments

  PSBR effect

  1990

  0

  -68

  178

  0

  110

  1991

  -24

  -69

  214

  2

  118

  1992

  -79

  -70

  287

  10

  129

  1993

  -129

  -69

  352

  23

  130

  1994

  -175

  -69

  411

  45

  122

  1995

  -217

  -69

  466

  75

  105

  1996

  -260

  -69

  525

  107

  88

  1997

  -306

  -72

  592

  139

  75

  1998

  -343

  -75

  639

  169

  53

  1999

  -353

  -77

  659

  196

  32

  2000

  -359

  -78

  669

  222

  10

  2001

  -359

  -78

  669

  252

  -20

  2002

  -359

  -78

  669

  291

  -88

  2003

  -359

  -78

  669

  320

  -88

  2004

  -359

  -78

  669

  339

  -107

  2005

  -359

  -78

  669

  350

  -119

  2006

  -359

  -78

  669

  355

  -123

  2007

  -359

  -78

  669

  351

  -119

  2008

  -359

  -78

  669

  357

  -125

  2009

  -359

  -78

  669

  379

  -148

  2010

  -359

  -78

  669

  406

  -175

  2011

  -359

  -78

  669

  426

  -195

  2012

  -359

  -78

  669

  439

  -208

  2013

  -359

  -78

  669

  454

  -223

  2014

  -359

  -78

  669

  466

  -234

  2015

  -359

  -78

  669

  474

  -243

  2016

  -359

  -78

  669

  481

  -249

  2017

  -359

  -78

  669

  487

  -255

  2018

  -359

  -78

  669

  491

  -259

  2019

  -359

  -78

  669

  493

  -261

  2020

  -359

  -78

  669

  497

  -265

  2021

  -359

  -78

  669

  503

  -271

  2022

  -359

  -78

  669

  509

  -277

  2023

  -359

  -78

  669

  512

  -280

  2024

  -359

  -78

  669

  512

  -280

  2025

  -359

  -78

  669

  512

  -280

  2026

  -359

  -78

  669

  512

  -280

  2027

  -359

  -78

  669

  512

  -280

  40

  Table (vi)

  Top-up loans costings

  Revised student number projections

  Costs and saving 8 per cent. inflation 100 per cent. take-up

  United Kingdom

  (£ million, 1990 prices)

  Year

  Change in grant

  Change in benefits

  Loan outlay

  Loan repayments

  PSBR effect

  1990

  0

  -68

  222

  0

  155

  1991

  -24

  -69

  267

  3

  170

  1992

  -79

  -70

  359

  12

  198

  1993

  -129

  -69

  440

  29

  212

  1994

  -175

  -69

  513

  57

  213

  1995

  -217

  -69

  582

  94

  203

  1996

  -260

  -69

  656

  134

  192

  1997

  -306

  -72

  740

  173

  189

  1998

  -343

  -75

  798

  211

  170

  1999

  -353

  -77

  823

  245

  147

  2000

  -359

  -78

  836

  277

  122

  2001

  -359

  -78

  836

  315

  84

  2002

  -359

  -78

  836

  363

  36

  2003

  -359

  -78

  836

  400

  -1

  2004

  -359

  -78

  836

  423

  -24

  2005

  -359

  -78

  836

  438

  -39

  2006

  -359

  -78

  836

  443

  -44

  2007

  -359

  -78

  836

  438

  -39

  2008

  -359

  -78

  836

  447

  -47

  2009

  -359

  -78

  836

  474

  -75

  2010

  -359

  -78

  836

  508

  -109

  2011

  -359

  -78

  836

  533

  -134

  2012

  -359

  -78

  836

  549

  -150

  2013

  -359

  -78

  836

  568

  -169

  2014

  -359

  -78

  836

  582

  -183

  2015

  -359

  -78

  836

  593

  -194

  2016

  -359

  -78

  836

  601

  -202

  2017

  -359

  -78

  836

  608

  -209

  2018

  -359

  -78

  836

  613

  -214

  2019

  -359

  -78

  836

  616

  -217

  2020

  -359

  -78

  836

  621

  -222

  2021

  -359

  -78

  836

  629

  -229

  2022

  -359

  -78

  836

  636

  -237

  2023

  -359

  -78

  836

  640

  -241

  2024

  -359

  -78

  836

  640

  -241

  2025

  -359

  -78

  836

  640

  -241

  2026

  -359

  -78

  836

  640

  -241

  2027

  -359

  -78

  836

  640

  -241

  Student Maintenance Award
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what level of net student maintenance award was paid to mature students aged 50 years and over in each year since 1979–80; and what is to be the estimated level for each year up to 2007–08, at 1988–89 prices.

  Mr. Jackson
  Mandatory award-holders aged 50 years or over qualify for the main rates of grant appropriate to the location in which they study and may also be eligible for supplementary allowances paid to older students and students with dependants. Data on average net awards paid to this category of student are not collected separately. Nor are the projections for grant levels following the introduction of the top-up loan scheme disaggregated for this category.

  Higher Education (Student Numbers)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the numbers of students in higher education for each year from 1990 to 2017 if steady progress to the attainment of 30 per cent. age participation were maintained between 1990 and 2015.
  41
  Mr. Jackson
  Our latest projection indicates full-time equivalent student numbers rising from about 760,000 in 1988 to about 820,000 in 1992. Numbers are then expected to level off until 1995 as a result of the substantial decline in the relevant age group before rising again to about 890,000 by the end of the century. These totals projected are formed in part by age participation indices for young home initial entrants to higher education of 15, 19 and 23 per cent. for 1988, 1992 and 2000 respectively. Student numbers in higher education have not been projected beyond the turn of the century.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements for repayment of loans under the proposed student loan scheme are to apply in the case of graduates no longer resident in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jackson
  Graduates living overseas will enjoy the same terms as those resident in the United Kingdom. Arrangements will be made for the recovery of outstanding payments from such students. It will be in the interests of all borrowers to repay their loans.

  Disabled Students
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will consult disability organisations on the review of discretionary payments to disabled students.

  Mr. Jackson
  Yes. In addition to my meetings with the all-party disablement group on 28 November and with a group of Members of this House on 9 November, meetings have been arranged between officials of the Department of Education and Science and representative groups.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department monitors the administration of the disabled students allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The administration of the disabled students allowance, within the terms of the mandatory awards regulations, is a matter for local education authorities in pursuance of their duty to make awards. In monitoring authorities' spending on mandatory awards, the Department collects annually figures for the total assessments for the allowance made by each authority and the number of students for whom these are made. In its monitoring of the operation of the proposed student loan system the Government will pay particular attention to the position of disabled students.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether students with disabilities and terminal illnesses will be guaranteed a loan under his proposals for top-up loans for students.

  Mr. Jackson
  Yes. All students on a relevant course who meet the ordinary residence requirements will have access to the additional resources without regard to other personal circumstances.

  Harrow Clinical Research Centre
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he intends to take regarding the proposed closure of the Harrow clinical 42
  research centre; what discussions his Department has had with the Medical Research Council concerning the proposed closure; what representations he has had concerning the proposed closure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  In September my right hon. Friend received advice from the Advisory Board for the Research Councils on the Medical Research Council's clinical research initiative. The board recommended that the resources now invested in the clinical research centre should be redeployed with phased developments at a number of other centres. This proposal requires more detailed study and my right hon. Friend is expecting to receive further advice from the advisory board in the spring. The Department and the Health Department are to be kept informed of the progress of this work, particularly as regards capital costs, the redeployment of resources and the implications for NHS provision.

  School Buildings
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many temporary classrooms there are in schools in(a) Somerset, (b) Devon, (c) Dorset and (d) Wiltshire;

  (2) what proportion of all primary and secondary schools were built before 1903 in (a) Somerset, (b) Devon, (c) Dorset and (d) Wiltshire; and what is the average in England.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information requested is not collected by the Department.

  Governing Bodies
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has agreed revised instruments of government for further education and higher education colleges under local education authority control, where the proposed size of the governing body in each college meets the maximum permitted by section 152 (1) of the Education Reform Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  To date, my right hon. Friend has approved 228 instruments of government proposed by local education authorities under section 151 of the Education Reform Act. The governing bodies provided for by these instruments range in size up to 23 members.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those further education and higher education colleges, together with their local education authorities, which originally and initially submitted revised instruments of government in accord with the Education Reform Act 1988 and where the proposed size of the governing body of each college was in excess of 20; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  This information can be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Brighton City Technology College
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will detail the annual revenue allocations to the Brighton city technology college between 1989–90 and 1995–96 and itemise the headings under which expenditure can and will be made;
  43
  (2) if he will give the details of the annual allocation for books and equipment for Brighton city technology college.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Recurrent grant will be paid from the date of opening of the Brighton city technology college and will be comparable to spending on maintained schools in similar areas. Recurrent grant will cover all the school's normal running costs, including books and equipment.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of the teacher-pupil ratio established for Brighton city technology college.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The teacher-pupil ratio in city technology colleges will be comparable to the ratio in maintained schools in similar areas. As yet, no firm teacher-pupil ratio has been determined for the Brighton city technology college.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the proposed uses of the £2·5 million capital sum allocated to Brighton city technology college for 1989–90 and 1990–91; and if he will itemise future capital allocation to the school until 1995–96.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  To date the only capital payments for the establishment of the Brighton city technology college have been incurred on the purchase of the Woodingdean site. A detailed feasibility study is currently being undertaken which will give a clearer idea as to the capital requirements of the college.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide details of the anticipated regime of inspections, auditor assessment and value for money scrutinies to verify the proper expenditure of public funds on Brighton's city technology college.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The accounts of the Brighton City Technology College Trust will be fully audited as a condition of the funding agreement which my right hon. Friend intends to sign with the sponsors of the college. The agreement will define the terms under which grant will be made.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide details of the likely annual expenditure by Brighton city technology college on new buildings, building repairs and building maintenance between 1989 and 1995–96.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A detailed feasibility study is currently being carried out on the establishment of the Brighton city technology college. The study will give a clearer idea on expenditure needs and cashflow requirements.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what criteria expenditure of public funds on Brighton city technology college was assessed as a higher priority than an increase to East Sussex county council education allocation for capital spending on new buildings, classroom replacement, repairs and maintenance and new equipment.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The CTC programme dos not compete for funds with LEA capital allocations. It is funded from resources that would not otherwise be available to 44
  education. It is an investment we are prepared to make because the best practice developed at CTCs will permeate the whole education service. The programme has also generated an unprecedented response from industry; already over £43 million has been given.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps have been taken by his Department to ensure that(a) Greenleaf Planters Ltd., (b) South Weald Properties Ltd. and (c) other private sector investors in the Brighton city technology college will be able to meet the percentage of the private sector investment that the Government currently expect them to find.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  As a prelude to the funding agreement I intend to sign with all principal sponsors of city technology colleges, there has been an exchange of letters with the sponsors of the Brighton CTC setting out their commitments and the conditions under which their sponsorship has been accepted.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the dates and locations of meetings between his departmental officials, representatives of the Michael Faraday Trust, Brighton Steiner school and East Sussex county council officials.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  There has been no single meeting including all the parties listed by the hon. Member. However, the chairman of the CTC Trust and representatives of the sponsors for the Brighton CTC met elected members and officials of East Sussex county council in July in London. In addition officials of my Department have had a number of routine meetings with representatives of the sponsors and the Michael Faraday Trust, in London and Brighton.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when officials from his Department first made contact with the Michael Faraday Trust and representatives of the Brighton Steiner school to discuss locating a city technology college in Woodingdean, Brighton.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The first meeting of officials and sponsors wishing to establish a city technology college in Brighton was held on 19 May. Since then, the sponsors have set up the Michael Faraday Trust.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when sanction was first given and by whom for the authorisation of public expenditure commitments for the setting up of the Brighton city technology college.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Education and Science authorised negotiations to begin on the setting up of the Brighton CTC in May this year.

  Craft and Design
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if it is his intention to bring craft and design education into the curriculum for Scottish schools; and whether he will draw up plans to ensure that design and technical subjects are part of the curriculum by 1992.

  Mr. Lang
  I have been asked to reply.
  45
  Craft and design technical subjects already feature in the curriculum of Scottish schools. Courses are available leading to awards at the ordinary, standard and higher grades of the Scottish Certificate of Education. A review of the primary and early secondary curriculum is currently under way to identify and give guidance on good practice. Craft and design and technical subjects will be covered in this review.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Vietnam
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about non-Government organisations which are providing development assistance to Vietnam, and the amounts of assistance in each case.

  Mrs. Chalker
  A number of British NGOs are active in Vietnam. They are independent agencies and receive no Government funding for their programmes there. Consequently, the Government do not maintain records of their activities in Vietnam. The agencies would no doubt be willing to make this information available to the hon. Member.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further plans he has to facilitate transportation of food supplies to famine-striken areas of Ethiopia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The £2 million tranche of emergency aid for Ethiopia, which I announced on 27 November is being channelled through British voluntary agencies largely for the purchase of trucks for food transport.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he has considered the use of Royal Air Force helicopters to drop food supplies to famine-stricken areas of Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he will consider repeating the successful Operation Bushell undertaken in 1984, using Royal Air Force Hercules aircraft, to air drop supplies to famine-stricken areas of Ethiopia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Within Government-held areas supplies are at present being delivered by road. As for areas in northern Ethiopia not held by the Government, there are at present no agreed arrangements for delivery, either by road or by air, of food supplies from the Government side. If such access were agreed road transport would be by far the most effective means of moving supplies in the volumes required. The UN operated an extremely effective airlift into Tigray in 1984–85 and again in 1987–88. If airlift operations proved necessary, the UN has funds to hand, some of which we contributed, for this purpose.

  India
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Westland helicopters have been supplied to India in the British Government's aid package; and if he will make a statement as to the effectiveness of this package.
  46
  Mrs. Chalker
  The British aid programme grant funded the supply of 21 Westland WH30 helicopters, together with spares, at a cost of £65 million. The helicopters were delivered on schedule at the agreed cost. They are operating mainly in the Indian oil and natural gas industry.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Anglo-Australian Understanding
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will support the proposed exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall in the week commencing 15 January on the theme of Anglo-Australian understanding.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We understand that, under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for this exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall for a week from 15 January 1990.

  Falkland Islands
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to the development of windpower farms, oil exploration and the possibility of radioactive waste disposal on the Falkland Islands.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  There have been no proposals to use the islands for the disposal of radioactive waste.

  Wind power generation was examined in Lord Shackleton's reports of 1976 and 1982 but considered to be inadequate for the islands' needs. Experiments on the islands have not yet shown that wind power generation will be an economical proposition. However, the Falkland Islands development corporation is recommending soon that a proper study of the wind regime in the islands be undertaken.

  No decisions have yet been taken on a possible regime to control exploration and development of mineral resources.

  Tamil Community
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have been held by Her Majesty's high commission in Sri Lanka with representatives of the Tamil community.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The high commission is regularly in contact with members of all communities in Sri Lanka.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have been held with environmental organisations since the Paris convention in October concerning the future of Antarctica; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  FCO officials frequently meet representatives of wildlife link to discuss Antarctica matters. The last meeting was in September. No request for a further meeting has been received since then.

  Diego Garcia
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have been held with representatives of the people of Diego Garcia; if there are plans to allow full resettlement of the island; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The commissioner for the British Indian ocean territory, who was in Mauritius for other purposes, saw a delegation of former plantation workers from the Chagos Islands at their request on 20 September. Those concerned are increasingly integrated into the Mauritian community. There are no plans for resettlement of the islands.

  Television Films
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sums his Department has paid to the Fox network and the Discovery channel in the United States for(a) the production and (b) the screening of a series of television films on Britain.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  "Focus on Britain" is a series of programmes for American television produced by the British consulate general in Los Angeles in association with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The series is designed to help promote British interests—principally exports and services—in the United States. Seventy-five per cent. of production and other costs are met by sponsorship from British companies and organisations. Twenty-five per cent. is paid for by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  Queue lengths for settlement applications

  October

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Post

  Queue

  Actual

  Estimated

  Actual

  Estimated

  Actual

  Estimated

  Actual

  Estimated

  New Delhi

  1

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  4

  4

  3

  3

  4

  3

  4

  3

  3

  8

  8

  8

  7

  6

  5

  6

  5

  4

  12

  11

  10

  10

  11

  9

  9

  8

  Bombay

  1

  3

  3

  3

  2

  2

  2

  1

  1

  2

  6

  7

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  3

  9

  10

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  4

  10

  12

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  Dhaka

  1

  3

  3

  3

  3

  3

  3

  3

  3

  2

  8

  8

  7

  7

  7

  7

  3

  3

  3

  8

  8

  7

  7

  7

  7

  3

  3

  4

  22

  20

  21

  21

  23

  23

  11

  9

  Islamabad

  1

  3

  3

  3

  3

  4

  3

  3

  2

  2

  7

  9

  8

  9

  11

  12

  4

  5

  3

  13

  14

  17

  16

  20

  18

  14

  9

  4

  15

  16

  18

  26

  20

  29

  23

  13

  Karachi

  1

  3

  3

  2

  2

  2

  1

  1

  1

  2

  6

  6

  5

  5

  5

  3

  2

  2

  3

  11

  11

  10

  10

  10

  7

  2

  2

  4

  13

  13

  13

  13

  13

  13

  4

  4

  Settlement queues are organised as follows:

  Q1 Persons with a claim to the right of abode, dependent relatives over 70 years, special compassionate cases.

  Q2 All spouses, and all children under 18 years.

  Q3 Fiancé(e)s and other applying for the first time for settlement.

  Q4 Re-applicants.

  The estimated waiting time is the time given to an applicant as an indication of the time he or she must wait
  48
  No money has been paid to either Fox Television or the Discovery Channel for production costs. Fox Television was paid a total of $252,525 for airtime in 1988 and $121,175 in 1987. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 25 per cent. share of these amounts was $92,425.

  The Discovery Channel (a cable network seen in over 40 million United States homes) paid to show "Focus" programmes in 1989 and payment has also been received for in-flight showings from Virgin Atlantic Airlines.

  Indian Immigrants
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long people are waiting on average for(a) interviews and (b) second interviews in queues 1, 2, 3 and 4 at each British post on the Indian sub-continent; what were the comparable figures for 1988, 1987 and 1986; and what are the projected waiting times in 1990.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Waiting times to first interview for settlement applications in the month of October in the four years 1986 to 1989, which are given in the table, show a reduction in waiting times.

  Few applicants in the queues require a further interview. The waiting times between first and second interviews vary considerably depending upon how quickly the applicant returns with the additional documentation requested.

  I cannot, at this stage, anticipate what waiting times will be in 1990.

  before their interview. Actual waiting time is the time an applicant will have waited since lodging his or her application.
  49
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to improve the arrangements at the British High Commission in Dhaka for interviewing those applying for settlement in the United Kingdom; and if he will arrange for security glass to be removed from interviewing booths.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The arrangement for interviewing settlement applicants in Bangladesh are satisfactory and we have no plans to change them. Glass screens are provided for the security of interviewers and interpreters. They are no different from those in many public and commercial offices in this country and will not be removed.

  DNA Testing
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements he is making for blood samples, needed for DNA testing purposes to be collected in Sylhet.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We have no plans to make arrangements for blood samples to be taken in Sylhet.

  Contras Demobilisation
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what co-operation Her Majesty's Government will give to the United Nations in order to make the agreed process of demobilisation of the Contras effective.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The United Nations has not sought our assistance in this matter.

SCOTLAND

  Fisheries
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to eliminate the illegal use of monofilament gill nets in Scottish waters.

  Mr. Lang
  Orders prohibiting(a) the use of all gill nets for fishing for salmon and sea trout within half a mile of the shore and (b) the carriage of monofilament gill nets in British fishing boats within six miles of the Scottish coast came into force in 1986.

  This and earlier legislation is enforced by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland by means of boardings and inspection of vessels and surveillance both at sea and from the air. In addition any such nets found unattended are confiscated.

  Poultry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of premises requiring inspection under the provisions of the Testing of Poultry Flocks Orders in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is estimated that as at June 1989 there were 4,623 flocks in Scotland falling within the various categories described in the poultry flock orders.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many outside accountancy firms are employed by his Department; whether such employment is 50
  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. Rifkind
  In 1989, my Department has employed five firms for the provision of accountancy-related services. In commissioning such work, steps are taken in accordance with departmental guidelines and account is taken of the best evidence available about the competence of firms, both at the time of invitation to tender and of appointment.

  Health Service
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the estimated increases in(a) personnel and (b) finance to implement the proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients," for the years 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  An additional £3·95 million has been allocated to the NHS in Scotland for 1989–90 to assist in the early stages of implementing the White Paper proposals. For 1990–91, my right hon. and learned Friend announced on 6 December that the provision for spending on health in Scotland is planned to increase by £220 million over the current year. This will bring the provision to over £3 billion (£3,041 million) for the first time. By 1992–93, total health expenditure will be fully £500 million higher than in the current year. In accordance with normal practice, allocations to health boards for 1990–91—including recognition of White Paper initiatives—will be determined and notified to boards in the early part of next year. It will be for boards to decide on their personnel requirements in the light of local circumstances. We fully expect that the initial extra costs will be outweighed in the longer term by improvements in the operation of services and the better management of resources.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the key aspects of health authorities' environmental policy and practices which he monitors.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In Scotland the lead responsibility for environmental matters rests with the departments of environmental health of district and islands councils.

  Health boards are responsible for monitoring their own environmental health policies and practices and for issuing medical advice as necessary. There are regular meetings between representatives of local authorities, health boards and the Scottish Office to discuss environmental health issues.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many students will be enrolled at colleges under his budgetary control in the years 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93;

  (2) what are the projected student numbers for all the Scottish central institutions in the years 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Lang
  The projected student numbers at the colleges in receipt of grant-in-aid will be set out in the Scottish commentary on public expenditure to 1992–93, which will he published in the new year.
  51
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the existing and projected academic staff numbers for all the Scottish central institutions in the years 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Lang
  The results of the 1989 census of academic staff in colleges of further and higher education in Scotland are not yet available. Projections of academic staff numbers are not made centrally.

  New Towns
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to allow new town district councils to purchase vacant houses from their respective development corporation at any point in the period prior to the dissolution of the development corporation.

  Mr. Lang
  The potential role which district councils play in the ultimate disposal of development corporation housing stock will be considered by the Government during the consultations with the development corporations, district councils and representative tenant groups in the course of winding up each corporation, as set out in paragraph 5.10 of the White Paper "The Scottish New Towns: The Way Ahead" (Cmnd. 711).

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the current market value of the housing stock owned by each of the Scottish new towns and the number of houses owned by each of the new towns.

  Mr. Lang
  It is not possible to calculate an absolute market value for the housing stock of the new town development corporations, and the Government have no plans to put it on the market. The number of houses owned by each of the Scottish new town development corporations, as at 30 November 1989, was:

  houses

  East Kilbride

  11,415

  Livingston

  8,475

  Cumbernauld

  7,159

  Glenrothes

  6,388

  Irvine

  4,003

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he gives to development corporations as to whether to consult sitting tenants prior to any changes in the management of the new town housing stock.

  Mr. Lang
  None.

  Civil Defence
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the county councils and district councils in Scotland which do not conform to regulations in respect of emergency control centres in accordance with the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No. The progressive establishment of local authority emergency control centres features in regular discussions between the Scottish Home and Health Department and local authorities. Almost all Scottish authorities have designated emergency control premises, some of which are fully operational. Others require further work to meet the minimum standards set in departmental guidance.

  Fire Service
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the time of firemen is reckoned to be devoted to emergency call-outs.

  Mr. Rifkind
  This information is not available.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number currently employed by(a) central Government and (b) local government, who have been directly related to the collection of (i) domestic rates and (ii) the poll tax in 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The collection of domestic rates was the responsibility of regional and islands councils as is the collection of the community charge. Figures for the numbers of local government staff involved in these functions are not held centrally. Central Government staff are not involved in the collection of the community charge any more than they were involved in the collection of domestic rates. The numbers of such staff primarily involved in policy issues affecting these matters has fluctuated within the period, generally within the range of eight to 10.

  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of poll tax payers by region, in Scotland at the latest date; what is the number who are(a) one instalment behind, (b) two instalments behind, (c) three instalments behind, and (d) the account is statutorily in arrears.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of people included on the community charges registers as liable to pay the community charge as at September 1989 was as follows:

  Regional/Islands Council

  Number liable (to nearest 100)

  Borders

  78,000

  Central

  206,400

  Dumfries and Galloway

  111,400

  Fife

  269,000

  Grampian

  378,000

  Highland

  147,800

  Lothian

  604,700

  Strathclyde

  1,762,200

  Tayside

  295,600

  Orkney

  14,300

  Shetland

  16,000

  Western Isles

  22,300

  The other information requested is not held centrally.

  Sand Eels
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has taken to limit sand eel fishing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  The sand eel fishery off Shetland has been closed since 1 July 1989. A licensing scheme has been introduced in the Minch to prevent fishing pressure on those sand eel stocks becoming excessive.

  Officials will be discussing the latest scientific evidence on the state of sand eel stocks with the fishing industry next month. Decisions on the 1990 fishing season will then be taken.

  Postgraduate Students
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the courses which applied for acceptance under the postgraduate students allowances scheme in 1989–90, indicating which were successful.

  Mr. Lang
  The details the hon. Member requires will take some time to assemble and I shall write to him as soon as possible.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of students on post-graduate courses at Scottish universities and central institutions have been(a) Scottish, (b) from the the rest of the United Kingdom and (c) from overseas, in every year since 1979.

  Mr. Lang
  The percentages are given in the table.

  Place of domicile

  Session

  Scotland

  Rest of United Kingdom

  Overseas

  1979–80

  47

  18

  35

  1980–81

  52

  17

  31

  1981–82

  53

  16

  30

  1982–83

  51

  18

  31

  1983–84

  51

  18

  31

  1984–85

  50

  19

  32

  1985–86

  48

  19

  33

  1986–87

  45

  19

  36

  1987–88

  46

  18

  36

  1988–89

  44

  19

  36

  Notes:

  1. The figures relate to full-time courses.

  2. In 1979–80 only university courses are covered.

  3. The percentages may not add to 100 because of rounding.

  Natural Heritage
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro) of 28 November,Official Report, column 188–89, if he will indicate how he has responded to requests for assurances concerning the independence, duties, funding, staffing and location of the proposed Natural Heritage Agency for Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend has stated publicly that the proposed Scottish natural heritage agency will have the same independent status as the present Nature Conservancy Council and Countryside Commission for Scotland, will have resources commensurate with the needs of conservation in Scotland, and will have similar duties to NCC and CCS. Staff in NCC and CCS have been assured by Government of an offer of employment on terms and conditions not less favourable taken as a whole than they have at present. It is too early to decide on the location of the proposed new body.

  More detailed proposals on these and other issues will be included in the further consultation.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action his Department is taking to(a) prevent further damage to water, wildlife and trees in particular caused by pollutants such as acid rain, (b) sponsor further research on this matter and (c) help in restoring water, wildlife and trees to their original healthy state.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Agriculture (Research and Development)
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has decided a future strategy for agricultural research and development in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland has today published a paper entitled "Strategy for Agricultural Research and Development". It reports on the successful implementation of the proposals in the strategy paper published by the Department in December 1985, reviews the developments which underlie the formulation of a revised strategy for the future, sets out the objectives of the Department in funding agricultural and related research and development, and explains how these objectives will be met in the years ahead.

  Copies of the paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Microwave Ovens
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what steps he has taken to ensure that strict health and safety standards are observed in respect of all microwave ovens located in the Palace of Westminster.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  All microwave ovens provided in the House for approved purposes are supplied with full operating instructions and are checked annually. Those under the control of the Refreshment Department are operated by staff who are aware of the correct procedures. In the light of current concern I shall, however, refer this matter to the relevant House authorities for further consideration.

THE ARTS

  Arts (Leicester)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he next proposes to visit the city of Leicester to inspect arts facilities.

  Mr. Luce
  I have no plans at present to visit Leicester, which I last visited in September 1988.

  Museums and Galleries
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what proportion of the Office of Arts and Libraries' budget has been allocated to museums and galleries for 1990–91.

  Mr. Luce
  One hundred and eighty two million pounds or 37 per cent. of my Office's budget for 1990–91 has been allocated to museums and galleries.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps he is taking to deal with the repair and refurbishment of museums and galleries.

  Mr. Luce
  I announced on 16 November that the provision for the building and maintenance programmes at the national museums and galleries which I sponsor will
  55
  increase by 34 per cent. to some £64 million in 1992–93. This will bring the total provision for building and maintenance over the next three years to over £180 million.

  New Libraries
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many new libraries have been established in the last three years.

  Mr. Luce
  This information is not kept centrally, but I understand that recent research suggests that between January 1987 and December 1989, over 75 new library buildings or substantial extensions to buildings were completed. Capital expenditure on libraries by local authorities in England, which includes spending on new buildings, has increased from £23 million to over £41 million in the three years to 1988–89.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps he is taking to improve access to arts venues by the disabled.

  Mr. Luce
  As I announced last December, I have given £150,000 to the Carnegie Trust ADAPT fund to improve the accessibility of arts venues to the disabled. I am pleased to report that the question of accessibility is receiving much attention from arts orgsnisations. Additionally, I am aware that the Arts Council and the Museums and Galleries Commission both have disability officers to ensure that the needs of the disabled are fully considered.

  Arts Funding
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations on arts funding he has received following the Autumn Statement.

  Mr. Luce
  I am pleased to say that I have received a number of letters of appreciation from chairmen and directors of institutions which have benefited from the revised allocations I was able to announce on 16 November.

  Arts Funding
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the breakdown between the public and private sector of funding of the arts in the last financial year of which records are available and 1978–79.

  Mr. Luce
  Central Government expenditure on the arts has increased from £129 million in 1978–79 to £439 million in 1989–90 (a growth of 240 per cent.). There are no comprehensive figures for private funding of Arts activities but I welcome the evidence that it has been expanding, particularly in the areas of sponsorship and of sales.

  Arts Council
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he will next meet the chairman of the Arts Council; and what matters he proposes to discuss.

  Mr. Luce
  I meet the chairman frequently to discuss matters of mutual interest.

  Museum Staff
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will estimate the number of staff in post at museums now; and what was the figure 10 years ago; what has been the average real increase in rates of pay since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  The most recent available figures for museum employment in the United Kingdom are for 1984 when the census of employment showed some 28,000 people employed in museums and galleries. Numbers of staff in post at the national museums and galleries which I sponsor are currently 5,413, compared with some 4,200 in 1979, at which time the national museums and galleries on Merseyside were not include in the figures.

  Estimates of average real pay increases for museum staff are not available. However, for all non-industrial grades in the Civil Service, with which staff in the national museums and galleries are analogous for pay and grading purposes, real salaries have increased by around 20 per cent. since 1979.

  Live Music
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is his policy on the encouragement of live music.

  Mr. Luce
  Through the funding of the Arts Council, it remains the Government's policy to ensure that as many people as possible have access to performances of live music, of a high standard of quality.

  Creative Activity
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on levels of support for schemes to involve children and young people in creative activity.

  Mr. Luce
  The Secretary of State for Education and Science and I are jointly funding a booklet about ways in which the arts can stimulate a child's imagination and widen the boundaries of classroom learning. It will be circulated free to all supported schools in England, Scotland and Wales in the new year. In addition, within my area of my responsibility, the Arts Council, the regional arts associations and the national museums and galleries fund a range of schemes aimed at introducing children and young people to the arts.

  Kent Opera Company
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received regarding the withdrawal of grant funding to the Kent Opera Company.

  Mr. Luce
  I have received a number of representations about the future of Kent Opera. This is, however, a matter for the Arts Council.

  Young Musicians
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what support he is giving to schemes, events and opportunities for young musicians.

  Mr. Luce
  Both the Arts Council and the regional arts associations fund a range of schemes designed to encourage and promote young musicians.

  Wilding Proposals
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many jobs he estimates will be affected in the east midlands if the Wilding proposals are implemented.

  Mr. Luce
  I have not yet taken any decisions about Mr. Wilding's recommendations.

  Arts Council
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what has been the effect of inflation upon the grant to the Arts Council over the last three years.

  Mr. Luce
  Over the three years 1987–88 to 1989–90, the Arts Council's grant will have increased by 14·5 per cent. During the same period, inflation, as measured by the GDP deflator, will have increased by an estimated 20·8 per cent. I have taken these figures into account in deciding the Arts Council's grant for the next three years when it will increase by a further 22 per cent.

  Fund Raising (Tax Incentives)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what consideration he has given to the survey conducted by Touche Ross management consultants on the impact of tax incentives on arts and museum fund raising; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  A variety of suggestions have been put to me on taxation incentives for the arts and the Touche Ross report has been an informative contribution. The introduction of new taxation incentives is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Women's Arts and Crafts
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to women's arts and crafts to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Luce
  Yes. I am glad to sponsor the "Great American Embroidery Exhibition" in the Upper Waiting Hall and I have written to the hon. Lady confirming my intention.

WALES

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

  Mr. Peter Walker
  None.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many outside accountancy firms are employed by his Department; whether such employment is subject to any guidelines; and whether he takes steps before employing an accountancy firm to discover whether that firm has been censured by the Department of Trade and Industry in their inquiries under the Companies Acts.
  58
  Mr. Peter Walker
  At the present time six accountancy firms are employed either solely or jointly by my Department. Firms are invited to tender for the provision of advisory services on the basis of their suitability to provide the relevant advice. In making appointments, consultations and enquiries are undertaken as necessary and where appropriate in the light of advice given by Treasury on consultancy appointments. The figures do not include accountancy firms that I have appointed to act as auditors to non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department.

  Quangos (Appointments)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy, on making appointments to the chairmanship of quangos in Wales, to ensure that such appointments are not used as stepping stones for potential parliamentary candidates.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I appoint chairmen of non-departmental public bodies on the basis of their personal qualities and experience.

  Poultry Testing
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly on 11 December, what is his estimate of the additional cost falling on county councils in Wales in respect of their enforcement of the new Testing of Poultry Flocks Order.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Information is not available on the resources that county councils in Wales are allocating to work in connection with the two new orders requiring registration and testing of poultry flocks.

  Cancer Treatment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussion he has had with north Wales health authorities concerning the payment to Mersey regional health authority of money for cancer treatment for north Wales patients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  None. The funding of English health authorities, including Mersey region, to provide treatment to patients from Wales under the arrangements introduced in the White Paper "Working for Patients" is presently the subject of discussions between officials of the Welsh Office and the Department of Health.

  Hypothermia
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of deaths where hypothermia was mentioned as a cause; and what is his estimate of the total number of deaths where hypothermia was the underlying cause of death in Wales in each year from 1978 to 1988.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The numbers of registered deaths of residents of Wales caused by hypothermia or where hypothermia was mentioned on the death certificate are shown in the table:
  59

  Deaths where hypothermia was:

  Year

  mentioned on the death certificate

  recorded as the underlying cause of death

  1978

  46

  n/a

  1979

  73

  31

  1980

  41

  16

  1981

  57

  n/a

  1982

  53

  25

  1983

  29

  12

  1984

  37

  17

  1985

  60

  33

  1986

  49

  24

  1987

  41

  19

  1988

  36

  12

  Note:

  For 1979 onward based on 9th Revision ICD Codes 991.6 and 778.3.

  Baby Cots
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) pursuant to his answer of 29 November,Official Report, column 259, whether he will provide comparable figures on intensive care baby cots for 1983–84 and 1979–80;

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 7 December, Official Report, column 358, whether he will provide comparable figures on intensive care baby cots for 1979–80 and for the latest available year.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The answer of 29 November,Official Report column 259, was based on information derived from a one-off enquiry undertaken to inform the advisory group on perinatal intensive care services in Wales. As a consequence comparable figures for earlier years are not available. The more general quarterly bed-use inquiry provides comparable statistics relating to special care baby cots for the years requested, and these are shown in the table:

  Special Care Baby Unit Cots (average daily available)

  1979–80

  1983–84

  1988–89

  Clwyd

  HM Stanley

  19·0

  19·0

  15·0

  Ysbyty Maelor

  24·0

  24·0

  22·0

  East Dyfed

  Bronglais

  2·0

  2·0

  2·0

  West Wales General

  8·18

  8·0

  11·0

  Gwent

  Nevill Hall

  15·0

  15·0

  15·0

  Royal Gwent

  25·0

  25·0

  20·0

  County

  18·0

  —

  —

  Gwynedd

  St. Davids

  21·0

  21·0

  21·0

  Mid Glamorgan

  Bridgend General

  15·0

  15·0

  —

  Princess of Wales

  —

  —

  15·0

  East Glamorgan

  10·04

  10·0

  10·0

  St. Tydfils

  8·0

  —

  —

  Merthyr General

  —

  8·0

  8·0

  South Glamorgan

  UHW

  25·0

  24·38

  24·84

  St. Davids

  16·0

  16·05

  16·0

  West Glamorgan

  Morriston

  16·0

  14·67

  15·97

  60

  1979–80

  1983–84

  1988–89

  Neath General

  15·0

  15·0

  10·0

  Pembrokeshire

  Withybush

  —

  13·0

  13·0

  Full-time Education
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the staying-on rate in full-time education in each of the counties of Wales in 1987–88 and 1983–84 of those aged(a) 16 years, (b)17 years, (c) 18 years and (d) all ages.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The percentage of 16, 17 and 18-year-olds and all ages staying on in full-time education at schools, tertiary and further education colleges, and universities for the academic years 1987–88 and 1983–84 are shown in the table:

  16

  17

  18

  16–18

  1987–881

  Clwyd

  49

  32

  21

  34

  Dyfed

  54

  40

  25

  40

  Gwent

  49

  33

  18

  33

  Gwynedd

  52

  37

  23

  38

  Mid Glamorgan

  47

  31

  16

  31

  Powys

  57

  39

  21

  39

  South Glamorgan

  53

  35

  22

  36

  West Glamorgan

  52

  35

  22

  36

  1983–841

  Clwyd

  52

  34

  19

  35

  Dyfed

  53

  39

  23

  38

  Gwent

  49

  31

  17

  32

  Gwynedd

  51

  34

  22

  35

  Mid Glamorgan

  49

  26

  14

  29

  Powys

  55

  41

  19

  38

  South Glamorgan

  46

  31

  18

  32

  West Glamorgan

  51

  33

  18

  34

  1 Pupils aged 16, 17 and 18 as a percentage of 15 year old pupils one, two and three years earlier.

  Radiation
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether he has assessed the public radiation exposure of people who live close to the area immediately around the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he will conduct an aerial radioactivity survey of the whole of north Wales; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) whether he will undertake a detailed radiological assessment of public exposure to radioactivity in the area immediately around Trawsfynydd nuclear power station; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Earlier this year, as part of a research project for the Welsh Office, whole body monitoring of volunteers from north Wales (including some from the vicinity of Trawsfynydd) took place at Ysbyty Gwynedd. This was a follow up to an exercise which took place in October 1987.

  The preliminary results of this monitoring have shown the levels of radioactivity present in the body to be low and in fact, to have fallen significantly in comparison with the earlier measurements. As such they present no cause for concern. The individuals who took part in this survey have been made aware of the results of the tests.
  61
  Additionally, the aquatic environment monitoring report No. 21 prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, showed that in 1988 the most highly exposed group around the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station received only 7 per cent. of the internationally recommended dose limit of 1 millisievert per year.

  Consideration has been given to a detailed aerial survey of the areas of north Wales where restrictions on the movement of sheep remain in force. It is felt unlikely that such a survey would add significantly to the data already held on levels of radioactivity in sheep, soil and vegetation in those areas.

  Bed and Breakfast Accommodation
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many children he estimates spent the Christmas holiday in bed and breakfast accommodation in Wales other than as tourists during each of the years 1983 to 1988;

  (2) how many families he estimates spent the Christmas holiday in bed and breakfast accommodation in Wales in each of the years 1983 to 1988 inclusive, other than as tourists;

  (3) how many families in Wales he estimates will spend the 1989 Christmas holiday period in bed and breakfast accommodation other than as tourists;

  (4) how many individuals he estimates will be in bed and breakfast accommodation in Wales other than as tourists during the Christmas 1989 holiday period;

  (5) how many people he estimates spent the Christmas holiday in bed and breakfast accommodation in Wales for each of the years 1983 to 1988 inclusive, other than as tourists.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Information on the number of household accommodation temporarily under part III of the Housing Act 1983 in bed and breakfast accommodation is collected only with respect to the last day of each quarter. Information is not available on type of household or of the number of children within household. Available information for the 31 December of each year is shown in the table. Estimates for the 31 December 1989 will not be available until April 1990.

  Households accommodated in Bed and Breakfast accommodation1

  Number

  1983

  17

  1984

  31

  1985

  20

  1986

  35

  1987

  45

  1988

  41

  1 Under part III of the Housing Act 1985.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what factors he has identified within the process of food production as making a significant contribution to the increased number of food poisoning cases reported in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 6 December.

  South Glamorgan Women's Workshop
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what submissions he has made, to the European Commission, whether via normal interdepartmental channels or directly to the European Commission, to seek continuation of the present level of funding plus allowances for inflation for the South Glamorgan women's workshop; and what response has been received.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  European social fund support for the South Glamorgan women's workshop in 1989 is a matter for the Department of Employment. However my Department has submitted an indicative funding proposal to the European Commission in respect of European social fund support for the workshop in the years 1990, 1991 and 1992 in the context of the proposed integrated development operation for industrial south Wales. This integrated development operation programme has still to be approved by the Commission.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he asked the Welsh Language Board to draw up a strategy for the Welsh language; on what date he received such a strategy; whether he has accepted the strategy so prepared by the Welsh Language Board; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I established the Welsh Language Board in June 1988 with a remit to consider all matters relating to the Welsh language. The board sent its strategy document to me on 23 May 1989. The board has subsequently published further, more detailed proposals, the practical implications of which are currently being considered.

  Cleddau Bridge
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of central Government assistance in each year since 1970 to the former Pembrokeshire county council and Dyfed county council towards the cost of the construction and maintenance of the Cleddau bridge, Pembrokeshire.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  No central Government assistance has been specifically directed towards Cleddau bridge. Dyfed and Pembrokeshire county councils have received unhypothecated capital and revenue resources from central Government in support of their expenditure including that associated with Cleddau bridge.

  Hospice Movement
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he has any plans to alter the funding of the hospice movement in Wales on lines similar to those recently announced for the funding for Scotland;

  (2) whether, in any new funding plans for the hospice movement in Wales, he will make it his policy to include help for both units that provide a bedded service and those that provide day care only.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I am considering plans to offer financial assistance for terminal care in Wales and will be making a statement in due course.

  Redundant Mineworkers Payments Scheme
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the numbers and percentages of the unemployed totals removed from all Welsh unemployed registers as a result of changes that took effect in August in the redundant mineworkers payments scheme.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Latest estimates suggest that in Wales about 500 miners have decided to take advantage of the change in the redundant mineworkers payment scheme. It is of course entirely optional for the redundant mineworkers to decide whether or not to register as unemployed.

  Travel-to-work Areas
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the travel-to-work areas in Wales which had(a) over 10 per cent. unemployment and (b) between 5 and 10 per cent. unemployment in October 1989, are (i) development areas and (ii) intermediate areas.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Two development areas had over 10 per cent. unemployment and nine had rates between 5 and 10 per cent. in October 1989. All 11 intermediate areas were in the latter category.

  Baglan-Lonlas Motorway
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when it is now proposed that a start will be made on the Baglan-Lonlas motorway section; and if he will give further consideration to the need to divide the work into two parts and build a bridge to relieve the existing conditions.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Tenders for the Earlswood-Lonlas section were received on 15 December and provided they are of satisfactory construction should start before the end of this financial year. Combining the remaining contracts would not achieve an earlier completion of the motorway. An improvement scheme at Baglan roundabout is currently under way, and others at Briton Ferry and Earlswood roundabouts are expected to start early in 1990. All are designed to improve traffic flows on the A48 trunk road.

  Neath and Port Talbot Hospital
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when it is now proposed that a start will be made on the new Neath and Port Talbot district hospital.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  It is for the West Glamorgan health authority to decide when it wishes to start work on this proposed hospital, subject to the necessary departmental approvals. The authority is currently considering the Department's response to its draft submission for approval in principle.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish information on the achievements of the urban programme and urban development grant for 1987–88.

  Mr. Grist
  I am pleased to announce the publication of the urban programme and urban development grant 64
  annual report for 1987–88. The report details the contribution both grant mechanisms are making towards easing the problems of economic and social deprivation in Wales. Copies of the report have been placed in the Vote Office and House Library.

EMPLOYMENT

  British American Tobacco (Liverpool)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps his Department is taking to respond to the effects of the recent BAT factory closure in Liverpool.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The services of the local jobcentre will be available to those who lose their jobs at the BAT factory in Liverpool. My Department, through its employment service and Training Agency, operates a wide range of employment, enterprise and training measures to help those made redundant find new jobs, retrain or set up businesses of their own.

  I understand that this closure has not yet taken place.

  Unemployed Claimants
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether unemployed claimants are assessed as showing good cause for rejecting the offer of an otherwise suitable vacancy from the employment service if they can show that their mortgage repayments were such that they would represent an unreasonably high proportion of the wages they would derive from the employment; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether unemployed claimants are assessed as showing good cause for rejecting the offer of an otherwise suitable vacancy from the employment service if they can show that the necessary child care costs they would incur were such that they would represent an unreasonably high proportion of the wages they would derive from the employment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Is is for the adjudicating authorities to decide whether a person can show good cause for refusing to apply for or accept a particular vacancy. The Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Amendment No. 2 Regulations 1989 require them to take into account the expenses that would necessarily and exclusively be incurred by the claimant for the purposes of the employment, if they would represent an unreasonably high proportion of the expected remuneration from the employment. However, mortgage repayments and child care costs are general financial commitments and not expenses for the purposes of the employment.

  A claimant does not have good cause for refusing any employment if the reasons relate to their income or outgoings, or those of any other member of their household.

  Enterprise Allowance and TVEI
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide estimates showing for each financial year from 1987–88 to 1990–91 the amount of actual or planned expenditure on(a) the enterprise allowance scheme, (b) the technical and vocational education initiative and (c) work-related further education.
  65
  Mr. Eggar
  Records are kept on the basis of the standard financial year for accounting for Government expenditure which runs from 1 April to 31 March.

  The figures provided for 1987–88 and 1988–89 are based on actual amounts spent by the Department of Employment Training Agency (Ex MSC, Ex Training Commission) and are taken from published accounts.

  The figures for 1989–90 are based on the cash limit in the estimate.

  The figures for 1990–91 are based on PES 88.

  £ million at cash prices

  Enterprise allowance scheme1

  Technical and Vocational education initiative

  work-related further education

  1987–88

  195·8

  57·8

  112·0

  1988–89

  196·7

  92·1

  111·4

  1989–90

  187·0

  117·3

  101·5

  1990–91

  185·9

  139·1

  103·4

  1 Note for EAS

  (a) The scheme transferred to the Employment Service 26 October 1987. The figure shown for 1987–88, however, is for the full year.

  (b) The scheme was transferred back to the Training Agency in April 1989.

  Earnings
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the highest and what is the lowest rates of pay for jobs currently advertised at Burnley job centre; and what are the national average figures.

  Mr. Eggar
  On 14 December 1989, the highest rate of pay for jobs advertised at Burnley jobcentre was up to £240 per week and the lowest rate £66·40 per week.

  National average figures for vacancies advertised at jobcentres are not kept and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many inspectors there were in the Health and Safety Executive on 1 December 1979, 1 January 1980 and 1 December 1989, in the agriculture, general factory, specialist factory, explosives, industrial air pollution, mines and quarries, and nuclear inspectorates; and what was the total number of Health and Safety Executive inspectors on each of these dates.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The total number of inspectors in(a) the Health and Safety Executive's inspectorates; and (b) the total number of inspectors in HSE on 1 December 1979, 1 January 1980 and 1 December 1989 were as follows:

  1 December 1979

  1 January 1980

  1 December 1989

  (a) Total inspectors in Inspectorates

  Agricultural

  188

  188

  162

  Factory

  709·5

  703·5

  582

  Specialist1

  211

  210

  184·5

  Explosives1

  13

  13

  11

  Industrial Air Pollution2

  48

  48

  —

  Mines and Quarries3

  115

  114

  —

  Mines

  —

  —

  13

  Quarries

  —

  —

  47

  Nuclear Installations

  93

  92

  150

  (b) Total inspectors in HSE1

  1,449·5

  1,442·5

  1,221·5

  66

  1 Specialist inspectors (including Explosives inspectors) are currently in HSE's Technology Division. Prior to 1 July 1985 specialists formed part of HSE's Factory Inspectorate.

  2 Industrial Air Pollution Inspectorate transferred to the Department of the Environment on 1 April 1987.

  3 On 1 October 1989 the Mines and Quarries Inspectorates were separated.

  4 Include those working outside their Inspectorates on eg line management duties, contributing to policy or technical standards work.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money was received by the Health and Safety Executive for each financial year since 1979; and how much was asked for by the Health and Safety Executive in each of those years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Gross financial provision to the Health and Safety Commission for each financial year since 1979, expressed at 1989–90 price levels, is as follows:

  £(000)s

  1979–80

  108,363

  1980–81

  121,934

  1981–82

  122,363

  1982–83

  118,265

  1983–84

  122,426

  1984–85

  119,576

  1985–86

  119,000

  1986–87

  116,315

  1987–88

  117,718

  1988–89

  117,086

  1989–90

  118,290

  Figures have been adjusted for purposes of comparison, to remove provision during 1981–82 to 1984–85 for HSE's dispersal to Bootle and provision for the industrial air pollutant inspectorate until it was transferred to the Department of the Environment in 1987.

  Discussions regarding funding for the Health and Safety Commission are confidential and take place in the context of the annual public expenditure survey.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of staff employed by the Health and Safety Executive on 1 December 1979., 1 January 1980 and 1 December 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The total number of staff, including casuals, employed by the Health and Safety Executive on 1 December 1979, 1 January 1980 and 1 December 1989 was as follows:

  1 December 1979

  1 January 1980

  1 December 1989

  4,226

  4,206·5

  3,682

  Women's Employment
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what submissions he has made to the European Commission, whether via normal interdepartmental channels or directly to the European Commission, to seek continuation of the present level of funding plus allowance for inflation for women's employment and workshop schemes; and what response has been received.

  Mr. Eggar
  The level of funding for these programmes will depend on the Commission's European social fund allocation to the United Kingdom and the priorities of its
  67
  Community support framework for objectives 3 and 4 of the funds. The Commission has announced annual allocations for the United Kingdom for 1990–1992 some 19 per cent. lower than in 1989, and has yet to agree its Community support framework. When it does my Department will seek equitable allocations for all United Kingdom programmes according to the needs of our labour market.

  Technical and Vocational Education Initiative
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the responsibility of the training and enterprise councils for the continued development of the technical and vocational education initiative.

  Mr. Eggar
  All training and enterprise councils will be working closely with their local education authorities to help develop and implement the technical and vocational education initiative. The LEA is contracted to deliver TVEI by the Training Agency.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the relationship between the local careers service and the local training and enterprise councils.

  Mr. Eggar
  In drawing up its business plan every TEC will want to consult the careers service to ensure that the training needs of young people in the local area will be met.

  Tourism
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish a table showing the sums of money paid out in section 4 grants to the tourist industry in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The total section 4 assistance paid out by the English Tourist Board to tourism projects in England was:

  Financial year

  £ million

  1984–85

  8·44

  1985–86

  7·81

  1986–87

  9·50

  1987–88

  11·86

  1988–89

  13·19

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Breath Testing
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Attorney-General if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham), on 5 December,Official Report, column 131, he will set out the grounds on which a police officer may stop a motor vehicle.

  The Attorney-General
  For the purposes of my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East on 5 December, I had in mind the power contained in section 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The divisional court has ruled that the police, in the exercise of powers under 68
  section 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, are not prohibited from the random stopping of cars provided that the officer does not behave oppressively or capriciously.

  Trials (Delays)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the longest period in recent years between offence and trial; and if he will give details of the case.

  The Attorney-General
  Statistics relating to the period of the time between the date of an offence and the date of a trial are not collected. Accordingly, the information which is sought is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Nursing Homes
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he takes to ensure that private and voluntary residential and nursing homes charge fees at a reasonable level.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The levels of fees charged are a matter between proprietors and residents or their relatives.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Ronnie Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a breakdown of board and lodging expenditure for residential care accommodation in Northumberland in the last financial year.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information in the form requested is not available.

  Transitional Payments
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many transitional payments have been lost as a result of a new claim being made; and what is the saving in benefit payments.

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

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many outside accountancy firms are employed by his Department; whether such employment is 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.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Six outside accountancy firms have been employed by the Department since April 1989 on work which is normally undertaken by their management consultancy divisions. Employment is subject to central guidance and guidelines prepared by the Department. The integrity and status of firms is taken fully into account during the competitive selection process.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to determine the number of elderly persons who are(a) residents of

  69
  independent sector residential nursing homes and (b) in receipt of benefit and unable to meet the full costs of that accommodation and are being subsidised by relatives to the extent of (i) up to £10 weekly, (ii) £10 to £20 weekly and (iii) above £20 weekly.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The fees residents contract to pay for the services they receive in independent homes are a matter between the resident (or his or her relatives) and the home. In those cases where the agreed fees exceed the level of help available through income support, payments can be made from other sources towards the shortfall and these are ignored in calculating benefit entitlement.

  Youth Training Scheme
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many 16 and 17-year-olds are currently denied benefit for not taking up YTS places at the Durham office.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information is not collected because refusal to take up the offer of a place on a youth training scheme need not, of itself, deny benefit to 16 and 17-year-olds.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the percentage rate of refusals for(a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans, (c) crisis loans and (d) total, for each month of the operation of the social fund since April 1988; and what he estimates the future percentage rate of refusals to be between now and April 1990.

  Mr. Scott
  Details of the refusal rates for the three types of payment are in the Library. The total refusal rate for the three types of payment can be derived from the numbers of applications decided and awards made which are also available in the Library. Estimates of future refusal rates are not available.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give for each year since 1978 the grants for simple insulation measures made available under single payments and the social fund.

  Mr. Scott
  The information that is available is shown in the table.

  Single payments for draughtproofing

  Total amount paid £

  Number of payments

  December 1981

  14,526

  584

  December 1982

  55,940

  2,586

  December 1983

  181,337

  8,921

  December 1984

  608,317

  23,544

  February 1986

  1,827,932

  63,503

  May 1987

  4,488,535

  128,255

  Source: Annual Statistical Inquiry.

  1. Single payments commenced in November 1980 and the first data were collected in December 1981.

  2. The data relate to all payments made during the 12 months prior to the inquiry. However, they exclude payments made to claimants who ceased to receive supplementary benefit prior to the date of the inquiry, therefore the figures quoted may be an undercount of the actual payments made.

  3. Breakdown of single payments for 1987–88 is not available.
  70
  4. Since April 1988, provision for draughtproofing has been made mainly through Community Insulation Projects funded by the Training Commission, now the Training Agency. Payments for simple measures may also be available from the social fund.

  Halliburton Limited
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether, pursuant to the undertaking in the Under-Secretary of State's reply to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton on 25 July,Official Report, column 641, and her letter dated 6 September, reference POS (3)2487/51, he will now instruct his overseas branch to approach the liaison officer in Italy in order to establish (a) whether Halliburton Manufacturing and Services Limited or any of its related companies paid the correct tax and social security contributions in Italy in respect of Mr. A., and (b) whether any prosecution against the company in question has been undertaken by the Italian authorities.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The overseas branch of the Department has no jurisdiction over any action that may be taken by the Italian authorities. However, inquiries have been made with the authorities in that country and they have advised that they are pursuing the question of payment of contributions with the company. They are not, as yet, in a position to give any more information.

  Income Support
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support claimants will be removed from transitional protection in April 1990 but will not benefit fully from the uprating announced on 25 October because their weekly income will not increase by the full amount of the uprating.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Based on the May 1988 annual statistical it is estimated that there will be 280,000 such claimants.

  Community Charge Benefit
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate what proportion of individuals have taken up their entitlement to community charge benefit in Scotland and in each region in Scotland.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Up-to-date figures for those receiving community charge rebates will be available shortly and I will write to the hon. Member. Estimates of those entitled to community charge rebates can be obtained only when data from the relevant family expenditure survey become available.

  Pensions
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioner households have been dependent on state pensions and benefits for at least 75 per cent. of their income in each of the last 10 years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 7 December 1989]: The latest information available in the form requested is taken from the 1986 family expenditure survey. Information up to that date is as follows:

  Year

  Per cent

  1979

  62

  1980

  61

  1981

  61

  71

  Year

  Per cent

  1982

  61

  1983

  59

  1984

  60

  1985

  58

  1986

  58

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey.

  Note: A pensioner tax unit is a single pensioner or a married couple where the man is over pension age.

DEFENCE

  Contracts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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 by advertisement throughout the European Community.

  Mr. Neubert
  The number of contracts awarded by the Ministry of Defence and covered by the provisions of the EC Supplies Directive, for which the current threshold is £142,000 (or £92,000 if the requirement is also covered by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade), was 503 in calendar year 1988. Of these, 396 were awarded following advertisement in the EC Official Journal and 107 were considered to be exempt from advertising and may have been awarded to the previous suppliers. The figures for calendar year 1989 will not be available until early 1990. Figures could only be provided on a financial year basis at disproportionate cost; The EC statistics for which MOD figures are kept being collected on a calendar year basis.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many outside accountancy firms are employed by his Department; whether such employment is 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;

  (2) how many outside accountancy firms are employed by his Department; whether such employment is 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. Neubert
  Two outside acountancy firms are currently employed by the Ministry of Defence on accountancy type tasks. Their employment accords fully with current guidelines. The firms themselves were subject to a full and rigorous scrutiny before being contracted by the Department to carry out the tasks in question.

  Nuclear Tests
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he can give of the number of nuclear tests carried out by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the Soviet Union, France, China and other countries in each year since 1985 inclusive.
  72
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on Friday 15 December at column 883.

  Tucano
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Tucano aircraft have been delivered to the Royal Air Force; and what is the percentage performance status of the contract.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Thirty-one aircraft had been delivered to the RAF by 30 November 1989. The percentage performance status of the contract is 39 per cent.

  Mentor Interactive Training
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts have been placed with Mentor Interactive Training.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Mentor Interactive Training has a number of contracts to provide computer based and interactive video training facilities to several MOD training establishments.

  BL755 Cluster Bomb
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to place contracts for a replacement of the BL755 cluster bomb.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Proposals for the replacement of the BL755 are currently under consideration.

  First World War (Executions)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he is giving to the possible exoneration of some 300 British soldiers, executed by firing squad for alleged military indiscipline in world war I; if he will procure a copy of the book "Shot at Dawn" by Julian Putkowski and Julian Sykes for his Department's library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The events covered in the book "Shot at Dawn" by Julian Putkowski and Julian Sykes must be seen in their historical context. The use of the death penalty in world war I was governed by a penal code which reflected the attitudes of the time. Those attitudes have changed but it would be wrong to judge the historical events of 75 years ago against current attitudes and perceptions. There are no plans to re-open the cases of those men executed. Two copies of the book are held in the Ministry of Defence library.

  Operations (Western Europe)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the total numbers of British forces, planes and tanks deployed, by country, in western Europe, and the equivalent figures for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The numbers of United Kingdom regular forces deployed, by country, in western Europe as at 1 April 1989 are as follows:
  73

  Deployment of United Kingdom regular forces, by country, in Western Europe, as at 1 April 1989

  Country

  Total

  German Federal Republic (excluding West Berlin)

  64,294

  West Berlin

  3,754

  Belgium

  906

  Greece

  1

  Denmark

  26

  France

  22

  Italy (including Sardinia)

  350

  Netherlands

  629

  Norway

  811

  Portugal

  67

  Spain

  229

  Turkey

  16

  Unspecified

  29

  Total

  71,134

  The equivalent figures for each year since 1979 until 1988 are not held in the same detail and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I am able, however, to offer figures of United Kingdom forces deployed, broken down between the Federal Republic of Germany and elsewhere in western Europe. They are as follows:

  Deployment of United Kingdom regular forces in the Federal Republic of Germany and elsewhere in Western Europe 1979–88

  Year

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Elsewhere in Western Europe

  Total

  19791

  64,618

  5,580

  70,298

  1980

  64,713

  5,847

  70,560

  1981

  69,109

  6,051

  75,160

  1982

  70,493

  6,237

  76,730

  1983

  67,424

  6,031

  73,455

  1984

  65,605

  6,550

  72,155

  1985

  66,586

  6,343

  72,929

  1986

  66,918

  5,982

  72,900

  1987

  66,836

  6,328

  73,164

  1988

  66,750

  6,450

  73,200

  1 1 July.

  The figures cover all United Kingdom regular forces, male and female. Army personnel from BAOR on emergency tours in Northern Ireland are added back to the Federal Republic of Germany numbers but personnel recorded as on short tours elsewhere are not included.

  All United Kingdom regular army armoured and armoured reconnaissance regiments within western Europe are based in BAOR. The figures for numbers of regiments deployments in BAOR since 1979 are shown in the next table. It is not our policy to give more detailed information on numbers of tanks deployed in particular locations.

  Numbers of United Kingdom regular army armoured and armoured reconnaissance regiments deployed in BAOR 1979 to 1989

  Year

  Number of Armoured Regiments

  Number of Armoured Reconnaissance Regiments

  Total

  1979

  8

  5

  13

  1980

  8

  5

  13

  1981

  9

  4

  13

  1982

  9

  4

  13

  1983

  9

  4

  13

  1984

  10

  3

  13

  1985

  11

  2

  13

  1986

  11

  2

  13

  1987

  11

  2

  13

  74

  Year

  Number of Armoured Regiments

  Number of Armoured Reconnaissance Regiments

  Total

  1988

  12

  2

  14

  1989

  12

  2

  14

  RAF front line units within western Europe are based in the Federal Republic of Germany. There were 12 squadrons of aircraft deployed in RAF Germany between 1979 and 1982, 13 from 1983 to 1985, 14 in 1986 and 15 from 1987 to the present day. It is not our policy to give more detailed information on numbers of aircraft deployed in particular locations.

  Military Advisers
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the total numbers, by country, of British service personnel stationed in non-North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries as advisers; what is the period for which they are stationed; and what are the equivalent figures for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Some 550 service personnel are on loan or seconded to the Governments of 33 countries outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Details about specific countries are generally in confidence between Her Majesty's Government and the Governments of the countries concerned.

  Greenham Common
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to return the land at Greenham common to public use; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Sir M. McNair-Wilson) on 13 April 1989 at column 653.

  Earnings
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out(a) the percentage in real-term increases and (b) the actual percentage increase in the pay of the following in each year since 1964 (i) Army private, (ii) Army sergeant, (iii) Army W011, (iv) second lieutenant, (v) captain and (vii) lieutenant-colonel.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I regret that the available records do not enable the question to be answered for years prior to 1970.

  Since the introduction of the military salary in April 1970, the average increases in armed forces' pay for all ranks compared with the retail price index have been:

  Pay revew in

  Equivalent percentage increase for full year

  Retail price index

  1971

  1—

  9·4

  1972

  10·0

  7·1

  1973

  6·5

  9·1

  1974

  13·0

  16·0

  1975

  29·5

  24·2

  1976

  9·6

  16·5

  1977

  5·0

  15·9

  75

  Pay revew in

  Equivalent percentage increase for full year

  Retail price index

  1978

  13·0

  8·2

  1979

  32·5

  13·5

  1980

  16·8

  18·0

  1981

  10·3

  11·9

  1982

  6·1

  8·6

  1983

  7·2

  4·8

  1984

  24·9

  5·0

  1985

  7·1

  6·1

  1986

  35·6

  3·4

  1987

  4·9

  4·1

  1988

  6·4

  4·9

  1989

  6·8

  n/a

  1 There was no formal review in 1971 but an interim award of 7 per cent. was made in August 1971.

  2 A staged increase, the full amount awarded was 7·6 per cent.

  3 A 7·5 per cent. increase deterred until 1 July 1986.

  n/a Not yet available.

  It would not be possible to break the figures down to show percentage increases in pay for each of the ranks requested without disproportionate cost.

  Belize
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total cost in the latest year for which figures are available of the British garrison in Belize, including assistance in the Belize defence force.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The estimated cost of maintaining a garrison in Belize in 1989–90 is £29 million. It is not our practice to disclose the total cost in military assistance to individual countries.

  Air Miss (Tranent)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to send a copy of the report of the joint air miss working group on the incident involving a military aircraft and a civil passenger flight over Tranent on the evening of 2 August to the hon. Member for East Lothian as soon as that report becomes available.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will send a copy of the report as soon as it is available.

  Colonel Richard Lea
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which occasions Colonel Richard Lea has been suspended from duty since June 1984; and what were the reasons for suspension.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not the practice to comment on cases which involve disciplinary action taken against individuals who are no longer serving.

  Tornado
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current cost of training a Tornado pilot.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The current cost of training a Tornado pilot to the point where he joins an operational squadron is approximately £4·4 million.

  Royal Ordnance
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether in the last 10 years he or his predecessors, either by direction or informally, secured changes in the accounting conventions followed by Royal Ordnance or Royal Naval dockyards, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  After 13 years of operation as a trading fund the Royal Ordnance was privatised from 1 April 1987. The Royal Naval dockyards were vote funded until April 1987 when they were transferred to commercial management. During these periods the broad accounting conventions followed were those required by legislation and consequential regulations appropriate to their status.

  WE177
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 30 November,Official Report, column 357, what amounts of money have been paid to (a) British Aerospace and (b) Hunting Engineering in connection with the study of possible procurement options for the replacement of the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information requested is commercially confidential.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 30 November,Official Report, column 357, what is the nature of the arrangements that have been concluded with the United States Government enabling an exchange of information on the subject of the study of possible replacement options for the WE177 nuclear bomb.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The arrangements are in the form of a memorandum of understanding concerning co-operation on a tactical air-to-surface missile feasibility study.

  Thailand
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 30 November,Official Report, column 358, what was the annual number of visits made by British service personnel to Thailand for each year over the last four years; and what was the purpose of each of these visits.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Cambodia
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 30 November,Official Report, column 357, whether any assessment has been made of the ability of the Khmer People's National Liberation Front and the National Sihanoukist Army to control in an appropriate manner classified information that they receive.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) on 7 November at column 543.

  Staff (Length of Service)
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average length of service of(a) industrial and (b) non-industrial staff employed by his Department.
  77
  Mr. Neubert
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Civilian Staff (Overtime)
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total amount of overtime that has been paid out to all his Departments' civilian staff for each year for the last 10 years.

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

  Chieftain Tank
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what importance he attaches to cost-effectiveness in the choice of a replacement for the Chieftain tank.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Cost-effectiveness is one of the principal factors under consideration in the choice of the next generation main battle tank.

HEALTH

  Ambulance Service
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost of running each ambulance service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information requested, derived from the 1988–89 annual accounts of the regional health authorities (RHAs) and district health authorities in England which manage and account for these services, is shown in the table.

  Total revenue expenditure on patient transport (i.e. ambulance) services—1988–89

  Regional/district health authorities

  £

  Northern Regional Health Authority

  9,652,274

  South Tees

  4,063,738

  East Cumbria

  4,198,245

  Durham

  4,292,461

  Yorkshire Regional Health Authority

  13,811,675

  Hull

  6,813,348

  York

  4,062,366

  Trent Regional Health Authority

  7,496,560

  South Derbyshire

  5,938,750

  Leicestershire

  5,349,592

  North Lincolnshire

  4,645,797

  Nottingham

  6,577,756

  Cambridge

  3,618,856

  East Suffolk

  3,396,348

  Norwich

  6,057,536

  North Bedfordshire

  2,942,325

  East Hertfordshire

  5,753,787

  Mid Essex

  9,148,786

  Eastbourne

  5,485,420

  Medway

  9,766,199

  South West Thames Regional Health Authority

  46,029,885

  East Surrey

  7,398,616

  Chichester

  1,157,371

  Mid Downs

  1,612,104

  Worthing

  1,423,770

  East Dorset

  4,502,789

  Winchester

  7,696,549

  Swindon

  3,836,516

  Isle of Wight

  939,210

  West Berkshire

  3,814,271

  Aylesbury

  3,246,717

  Northampton

  3,208,202

  Oxfordshire

  3,192,442

  Bristol and Weston

  5,356,017

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  3,740,707

  Exeter

  3,325,197

  78

  Regional/district health authorities

  £

  North Devon

  1,273,991

  Plymouth

  1,839,102

  Torbay

  1,875,101

  Gloucester

  3,710,954

  Somerset

  3,028,723

  West Midlands Regional Health Authority

  14,485,006

  Worcester

  4,544,593

  Shropshire

  2,815,530

  Mid Staffordshire

  6,184,806

  South Warwickshire

  2,855,550

  Chester

  5,613,353

  South Sefton

  9,065,193

  North Western Regional Health Authority

  16,408,654

  Preston

  9,029,976

  Total—England

  306,282,714

  Notes:

  1. The figures are provisional (as yet subject to audit).

  2. The South West Thames Regional Health Authority accounts for all the expenditure relevant to the London Ambulance Service. Generally the other Regional Health Authorities shown manage and account for the service provided to particular conurbations within their respective regions.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department's evaluation of the Cornwall air ambulance service includes the possible consequences for the service of the granting of self-governing status to hospitals from the jurisdiction of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly health authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There is no reason to suppose tht the possible NHS trust status of the hospitals served by the Cornwall air ambulance will affect either its need or effectiveness.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the criteria for assessing the skills of emergency ambulance staff required to use paramedical skills gained from extended training to National Health Service training authority standard; what comparison has been made with payments made to other National Health Service staff using paramedical skills; and in offering an additional £500 to emergency ambulance staff, what accounrt has been taken of the amount of overtime they are obliged to work.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Selected, qualified ambulance staff who volunteer for extended training, are trained and certified as fit to practice in the skills of extended ambulance aid by NHS consultants. They must requalify annually. The objective of this training is to save life and reduce morbidity, and mortality. A clinical audit carried out in 1988 indicated that of 28,000 patients who received some form of ambulance aid, some 95 per cent. were still alive on arrival at hospital. There are no comparable payments made to other NHS staff. The additional £500 to be paid to fully qualified staff will be part of the annual salary and will count in full when calculating overtime and other benefits.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table, using the PACT database, showing the expenditure on prescriptions for each family practitioner committee area, together with the totals for each National Health Service region for the 1988–89 financial year; and if he will express that expenditure as a figure per head of population for each area and region.
  79
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information requested cannot be derived from PACT but is available to the Department as set out in the table.

  Total cost of prescriptions dispensed by chemists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors

  April 1988-March 1989

  Total cost (£ thousands)

  Total cost per head (£)

  Cleveland

  28,092

  50·79

  Cumbria

  24,043

  49·15

  Durham

  30,680

  51·41

  Northumberland

  14.950

  49·60

  Gateshead

  10,075

  48·85

  Newcastle

  13,732

  49·11

  North Tyne

  11,282

  58·49

  South Tyne

  7,873

  50·56

  Sunderland

  16,187

  54·67

  Northern RHA

  156,913

  51·09

  Humberside

  43,177

  50·77

  North Yorks

  33,452

  46·91

  Bradford

  22,626

  48·75

  Calderdale

  9,755

  49·78

  Kirklees

  16,707

  44·51

  Leeds

  35,071

  49·42

  Wakefield

  16,183

  51·94

  Yorkshire RHA

  176,971

  48·88

  Derbyshire

  41,294

  44·68

  Leicester

  38,876

  43·90

  Lincoln

  31,465

  54·01

  Nottinghamshire

  43,023

  42·70

  Barnsley

  12,256

  55·48

  Doncaster

  15,069

  51·67

  Rotherham

  11,379

  45·19

  Sheffield

  24,837

  47·01

  Trent RHA

  218,199

  46·50

  Cambridgeshire

  27,433

  42·10

  Norfolk

  36,831

  49·48

  Suffolk

  28,874

  45·22

  East Anglia RHA

  93,139

  45·78

  Bedford

  22,807

  42·97

  Hertfordshire

  41,008

  41·59

  Barnet

  12,713

  42·17

  Brent and Harrow

  20,442

  44·99

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  28,080

  44·03

  Hillingdon

  10,167

  43·84

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  15,484

  52·43

  North West Thames RHA

  150,701

  43·84

  Essex

  68,037

  44·48

  Barking and Havering

  16,285

  42·51

  Camden and Islington

  15,483

  44·02

  City and East London

  26,517

  47·17

  Enfield and Harringey

  18,451

  40·71

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  20,533

  46·24

  North East Thames RHA

  165,307

  44·39

  East Sussex

  35,896

  50·36

  Kent

  69,585

  45·77

  Bexley and Greenwich

  17,862

  41·08

  Bromley

  12,009

  40·27

  Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark

  29,858

  43·56

  South East Thames RHA

  165,210

  45·24

  80

  April 1988-March 1989

  Total cost (£ thousands)

  Total cost per head (£)

  Surrey

  41,926

  41·94

  West Sussex

  35,115

  49·92

  Croydon

  12,737

  40·16

  Kingston and Richmond

  13,242

  44·84

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  25,272

  42·88

  South West Thames RHA

  128,291

  44·16

  Dorsetshire

  34,655

  52·85

  Hampshire

  67,109

  43·49

  Wiltshire

  23,357

  41·93

  Isle of Wight

  6,837

  52·68

  Wessex RHA

  131,957

  45·73

  Berkshire

  30,869

  41·32

  Buckinghamshire

  25,087

  39·99

  Northamptonshire

  24,396

  42·78

  Oxfordshire

  23,279

  40·21

  Oxford RHA

  103,630

  41·06

  Avon

  40,246

  42·17

  Cornwall

  24,587

  53·38

  Devon

  49,330

  48·31

  Gloucester

  22,021

  41·75

  Somerset

  21,633

  47·27

  South Western RHA

  157,817

  46·13

  Hereford and Worcester

  28,835

  42·98

  Salop

  18,186

  45·38

  Staffordshire

  46,578

  45·10

  Warwickshire

  22,812

  47·07

  Birmingham

  51,029

  51·35

  Coventry

  14,879

  48·59

  Dudley

  12,884

  42·34

  Sandwell

  15,640

  52·79

  Solihull

  9,313

  45·42

  Walsall

  13,739

  52·38

  Wolverhampton

  12,774

  51·22

  West Midlands RHA

  246,669

  47·38

  Cheshire

  45,845

  47·97

  Liverpool

  26,515

  56·46

  St. Helens with Knowsley

  17,544

  50·70

  Sefton

  15,047

  50·56

  Wirral

  18,170

  54·27

  Mersey RHA

  123,121

  51·22

  Lancashire

  75,826

  54·87

  Bolton

  12,216

  46·34

  Bury

  9,470

  54·12

  Manchester

  23,340

  52·34

  Oldham

  10,480

  47·74

  Rochdale

  10,891

  52·65

  Salford

  13,916

  59·06

  Stockport

  14,546

  50·00

  Tameside

  10,835

  49·97

  Trafford

  11,847

  54·91

  Wigan

  16,258

  52·85

  North Western RHA

  209,625

  52·94

  The figures include prescriptions dispensed by retail chemists, applicance contractors and dispensing doctors.

  Total cost includes the basic price of the drug less discount plus dispensing costs and fees.

  Figures are based on OPCS estimates of resident populations for mid year 1988.

  Health Spending
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is(a) the average and (b) the range of expenditure per patient between general practitioner practices in each family practitioner committee area of the Northern health region in the year 1988–89, using the PACT database.

  Northern Regional Health Authority

  Range of basic prices/patients

  Average basic price/patient

  Lowest

  Highest

  Quarter Ending

  £

  £

  £

  Cleveland FPC

  11·46

  6·64

  42·80

  July 1989

  Cumbria FPC

  10·95

  2·53

  19·21

  August 1989

  Durham FPC

  11·87

  6·90

  20·21

  August 1989

  Gateshead FPC

  10·56

  7·80

  14·85

  June 1989

  Newcastle FPC

  10·15

  2·94

  14·71

  July 1989

  Northumberland FPC

  10·85

  7·41

  16·13

  June 1989

  North Tyneside FPC

  12·54

  6·42

  21·45

  June 1989

  South Tyneside

  11·00

  8·35

  13·60

  June 1989

  Sunderland FPC

  12·05

  7·45

  17·66

  August 1989

  Notes:

  1. The figures are based on patient list sizes of 500 or more of prescribing doctors within the FPC. Lists of less than 500 and of dispensing doctors are not included.

  2. The figures are net ingredient cost (basic price) of prescriptions dispensed in response to prescriptions written by practices within the FPC. They take no account of discount, dispensing costs or fees and therefore do not represent actual expenditure.

  3. The FPCs are divided into three streams for reporting purposes. Each stream has a different quarterly cycle. Aggregated annual data is not available.

  Hypothermia
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many old age pensioners have died as a result of hypothermia in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is as follows:

  Number of deaths with mention of hypothermia on the death certificate for males aged 65 and over, and females aged 60 and over, in England and Wales from 1979 to 1988.

  Year

  Number of Deaths

  Males

  Females

  1979

  238

  477

  1980

  165

  341

  1981

  175

  411

  1982

  204

  345

  1983

  149

  314

  1984

  165

  312

  1985

  238

  485

  1986

  254

  513

  1987

  156

  338

  1988

  162

  249

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of deaths where hypothermia was mentioned as a cause; and what is his estimate of the total number of deaths where hypothermia was the underlying cause of death in England in each year from 1978 to 1988.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is as follows:

  Number of deaths from hypothermia as a mention on the death certificate; and also as an underlying cause1 of death in England from 1978 to 1988.

  Year

  Mentioned

  1Underlying cause

  1978

  646

  n/a

  1979

  789

  404

  1980

  555

  245

  1981

  628

  n/a

  1982

  611

  300

  1983

  508

  209

  1984

  516

  249

  82
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information about the average and range of prescribing costs can only be made available without disproportionate expense for the last quarter. This is set out in the table. This information cannot be directly derived from PACT which is not a database.

  Year

  Mentioned

  1Underlying cause

  1985

  762

  407

  1986

  785

  411

  1987

  517

  249

  1988

  404

  181

  1 Assigned to the 9th revision (1979) International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes 778.3 and 991.6.

  1981: Not available due to industrial action by registration officers.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private residential homes have been registered in the Durham area in each year since 1984.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information is not available in the form requested. The table gives the total number of privately run residential care homes registered with Durham social services authority under the Registered Homes Act 1984 as at 31 March of each year.

  Year

  Number of homes

  1985

  14

  1986

  123

  1987

  134

  1988

  44

  1 Provisional.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private residential homes have been registered in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale district health authority area since 1984.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information is not available in the form requested. The table gives the total number of privately run residential care homes registered with Lancashire social services authority under the Registered Homes Act 1984 as at 31 March of each year.
  83

  Year

  Number of homes

  1985

  334

  1986

  402

  1987

  1482

  1988

  1538

  1 Provisional.

  Pharmaceutical Products
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to bring an end to the differential pricing of pharmaceutical products within the member countries of the European Community with a view to ending the current practice of parallel importing of such products from Europe.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Differential pricing of pharmaceutical products between EC member states results from a variety of factors. The issue is being addressed by the Community through the implementation of directive 89/105/EEC, which is concerned with transparency of pharmaceutical pricing arrangements. Parallel importing, which reflects different price levels in different countries, results from the establishment of a single European market with free movement of goods between member states, which the Government fully support. Parallel imports of medicines which satisfy United Kingdom standards as to their safety, quality and efficacy can be expected to continue so long as there are significant pricing disparities.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will seek to introduce legislation to extend the patent life of pharmaceutical products by a period which would further encourage innovation and better enable research based pharmaceutical companies to recoup their research and development costs on new inventions before they are exploited by non-innovative companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have been asked to reply.

  I fully appreciate that the pharmaceutical industry invests substantially in research and development in this country and that effective patent protection is important to enable that investment to be recouped and to encourage further innovation. I am also aware of preliminary proposals for legislation under consideration within the EC Commission which would have the effect of extending the term of patents for pharmaceutical products. We are carefully considering these proposals in terms of their likely impact not only on the pharmaceutical industry, research-based and generic, but also on the price and availability of pharmaceuticals in this country.

  Environmental Policies
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the key aspects of health authorities' environmental policies and practices which he monitors.

  Mr. Freeman
  Health authorities are responsible for monitoring their environmental policies and practices. The Department monitors as the need arises for all or individual authorities.

  Radiation
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 12 December (1) what numbers of claims for excessive dosage of radiation have been settled; what ranges of payments have been made; and how many cases remain to be settled;

  (2) in respect of patients damaged by excessive radiation treatment at the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital, if he will list how many settlements have been made, how many settlements remain to be made and what is the highest and the lowest settlement made to date;

  (3) if he will list the number of payments and the total of payments made to staff who were removed from their posts following these overdoses.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  These are all matters for the Exeter health authority and, as far as they affect patients, for their representatives. Two physicists, who were dismissed following the incidents, received severance payments, the details of which are confidential to the two parties involved.

  Schoolchildren (Diet)
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health why he has decided not to accompany the publication of his report on "The Diets of British Schoolchildren" by a press conference; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is not the usual practice of the Department to hold press conferences or press briefings on every occasion that a report is published. Publication of reports is accompanied by a press release relayed to all national newspapers and other media together with an extensive mailing to a range of magazines. Such a press release accompanied publication of this report in June 1989.

  Sugars
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) why it was decided that the publication of his Department's report on sugars and health would not be accompanied by a press conference; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether the publication of the COMA report on sugar and health was accompanied by a press conference.

  Mr. Freeman
  A press briefing, open to all journalists, was held on Tuesday 12 December on publication of the report of the panel on dietary sugars.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what weight he gave to Professor Don Naismith's participation in a sugar industry deputation against the British Medical Association's view on sugar consumption when considering his appointment to the COMA panel on sugars and health; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what weight he gave to Professor Harry Keen's speeches on sugar industry platforms and his research funding from the sugar industry when considering his appointment to the COMA panel on sugars and health; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what weight he gave to Professor John Durnin's speeches on sugar industry platforms and his participation in a sugar industry deputation against the British Medical Association's view on sugar consumption, when considering his appointment to the COMA panel on sugars and health; and if he will make a statement.
  85
  Mr. Freeman
  The Government's chief medical officer takes great care when choosing members for the committee on medical aspects of food policy (COMA) and its panels to ensure that advice is comprehensive, balanced and objective. The panel on dietary sugars, consisting of 12 members, was chosen to take account of the whole spectrum of scientific opinion regarding sugars and health. The report produced by the panel was agreed by all panel members.

  I understand that Professor Naismith was not a member of the deputation to which the hon. Member refers.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by London health authority, the current number of beds taken out of use for budgetary purposes and the equivalent numbers for each year since 1983.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent on publicising and implementing the Government's plans for the National Health Service prior to the Second Reading of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill: and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The estimated cost of informing the public about the Government's plans to improve the Health Service is £450,000. A further £2,110,000 is estimated to have been spent on informing people working for the NHS. £85 million has been allocated to assist the implementation of the proposals in the financial year 1989–90. It is not possible to distinguish expenditure made before the Second Reading of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill.

  Bed and Breakfast
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many(a) families and (b) individuals he estimates will spend the 1989 Christmas holiday period in bed and breakfast accommodation in England and Wales other than as tourists;

  (2) how many (a) families and (b) people he estimates spent the Christmas holiday in bed and breakfast accommodation in England and Wales in each of the years 1983 to 1988 inclusive, other than as tourists;

  (3) how many children he estimates spent the Christmas holiday period in bed and breakfast accommodation in England other than as tourists during each of the years 1983 to 1988.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  These are questions for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors he has identified within the process of food production as making a significant contribution to the increased number of food poisoning cases reported in each of the last four years: and if he will make a statement.
  86
  Mr. Freeman
  Food poisoning organisms can enter the food production chain at any point during processing, distribution, sale and consumption. The food industry has a legal responsibility to ensure that food produced and sold is fit for human consumption.

  The increase in the number of reported cases may reflect in part both heightened public awareness of food poisoning and recent changes in the system for recording and collating data operated by the public health laboratory service.

  We have sought advice from the committee on the microbiological safety of food on the increasing incidence of foodborne illness.

  Influenza Vaccine
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure that in case of influenza vaccine shortage, groups seen to be medically at risk receive priority;

  (2) what priorities for vaccination he has accorded to hospital nurses and doctors and hospital patients.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department's memorandum "Immunisation Against Infectious Disease" carries advice on those individuals where protection by influenza immunisation should be considered because of special risk. These include health service staff, those suffering from certain illnesses, and the elderly and children over four years of age living in residential homes and long-stay hospitals, where use of the vaccine is not contraindicated. This advice was confirmed in the chief medical officer's letter issued on 19 September. Both documents were sent to all doctors.

  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he took to ensure sufficient influenza vaccine prior to the present outbreak.

  Mr. Freeman
  The joint committee on vaccination and immunisation met on 23 March 1989 to discuss the requirements for influenza vaccine for the 1989–90 season. Manufacturers were contacted during April 1989 to obtain details of the estimated number of doses of vaccine which would be made available for the United Kingdom market, and to ensure that a buffer stock would be available to the Department of Health for allocation to users if necessary. Negotiations with the manufacturers were completed by the middle of June 1989. Advice to general practitioners giving details on the use of the vaccine, and categories considered to be "at risk" was issued on 19 September 1989, prior to the commencement of the normal vaccination programme in October 1989. When during the last few days the recorded incidence of influenza cases showed a considerable increase over the corresponding figures recorded during 1988, manufacturers were contacted immediately to negotiate further supplies of the vaccine.

  Hospital Funding
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what special funding is provided by his Department to assist hospitals in the proximity of airports; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. It is for health authorities to determine how the resources available should be
  87
  distributed to their hospitals in line with national policy guidelines and their assessment of local needs and priorities.

  Cornwall Air Ambulance Service
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources his Department are providing to evaluate the Cornwall air ambulance service; and when he expects the evaluation to be finalised.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department will be evaluating the Cornwall service as part of a larger evaluation of helicopter ambulances. The evaluation, which will be undertaken by one of the Department's funded units will be adequately resourced and will begin in spring 1990 and run on to early 1994.

  Ophthalmology Consultants
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of consultants in ophthalmology in each district health authority in England.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally.

  Cataracts
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of people currently awaiting cataract operations in each district health authority in England.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Doctors and Dentists (Pay)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he has any plans to revise the evidence relating to deprivation payments given to the Doctors and Dentists Pay Review Body by his Department; whether he intends submitting new evidence; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he intends to remove deprivation payments from the remit of the Doctors and Dentists Pay Review Body.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There is a long standing agreement between the parties concerned that the contents of the evidence to the Doctors and Dentists Pay Review Body are not made public before the Government have announced their decisions on the recommendations made by the review body.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he is expecting the Doctors and Dentists Pay Review Body to report; and when he will be announcing his decisions on their recommendations.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Doctors and Dentists Pay Review Body has been asked to report to my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, in time for decisions to be announced before the start of the next financial year.

  GP Contract (Kent)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will reconsider the general practitioner contract negotiated locally in Kent.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The GPs' new contract is a national contract applying to all GPs in Great Britain.

ENVIRONMENT

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to ensure that all public inquiries established by Her Majesty's Government publish as high a proportion as possible of their documents on recycled paper; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Government Departments already use recycled paper for a range of document production, including some publications such as public inquiry reports.

  There are a number of technical constraints which currently prevent a wider application of recycled paper. To overcome these constraints, working groups representing Government Departments and individual suppliers have been established to draw up specification standards for recycled papers, particularly in high volume areas.

  Monofilament Nets
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will raise the question of nylon monofilament nets and their effects on the populations of dolphins, porpoises and other cetaceans with other European Environment ministers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Measures to enable better protection of cetacean populations are among the topics being discussed in preparation for the third north sea conference in March 1990. Better information on interaction between fishing activity and cetaceans is one of the research needs identified, but I understand that there is no evidence at present to suggest that the use of monofilament fishing nets is posing a significant problem for cetacean populations in United Kingdom waters. The European Community is already pursuing a co-ordinated approach to the subject of pelagic drift netting on the high seas which has given rise to great concern.

  Groundwork Foundation (Nottingham)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to establish a groundwork foundation and trust in Nottingham; how it will be financed; what is its purpose; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Groundwork Foundation is currently discussing with the local authorities in Nottingham the possibility of establishing a groundwork trust in the city. The proposal is still in its early stages and the area to be covered by the trust has not yet been decided. The core costs of groundwork trusts are funded by my Department, local authorities and the private sector. The Groundwork Foundation has allocated £40,000 in 190–91 to the proposed Nottingham groundwork trust from funds provided by the Department. I understand that the level of financial support from the local authorities and the private sector is still to be determined. The role of the trust will be to bring together the public, private and voluntary sectors in Nottingham to tackle the area's environmental problems for the long term benefit of the local community.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make information available about levels of air pollution in urban areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Following the incident of elevated ozone levels in the summer, the Government decided to make available the data collected on the Warren Spring laboratory ozone measurement network on a daily basis during incidents. We have now decided following recent adverse winter conditions that levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) collected in the same way will similarly be made available. A daily summary will be issued when any one of the WHO guidelines is exceeded.

  These are:

  SO2: 122 parts per billion (ppb)

  CO: 25 parts per million (ppm)

  NO2: 210 ppb.

  This is a further example of our determination to improve public access to environmental information. Levels of these pollutants reached in the United Kingdom fortunately do not pose significant threats to human health and we do not, of course, want to alarm people unnecessarily. Nevertheless we believe that people should have the facts and judge for themselves.

  We already have major action in hand to reduce these pollutants. Action on car exhaust emissions agreed in the European Council last June will drastically reduce emissions of CO and oxide of nitrogen from all new cars after the end of 1992 and will ensure a downward trend in the levels of these pollutants in towns and cities. The new standards will cost the motorist some 1·5 billion per year compared with current ones. We are pressing the Commission to bring forward new standards to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from heavy diesel vehicles. We also have major commitments to reduce emissions of SO2 and oxides of nitrogen from power stations and are encouraging a few remaining local authorities who have not yet introduced smoke control programmes in affected areas to do so to ensure compliance, by April 1993 at the latest, with European directive limits on smoke and sulphur dioxide.

  Air quality standards and criteria for monitoring them are set by European Community directives for smoke and SO2, for NO2, and for lead in air. Only one breach (outside derogation areas) has occurred this year. It is of the NO, directive, for which the criterion is that a level half that of the WHO guideline must not be exceeded for more than 175 hours in a year. This breach occurred because an indoor source of NO2 interfered with the monitor in question. No other breach is anticipated.

  Council of Environment Ministers
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy at the next Council of European Environment Ministers to propose that the European Commission produce an annual report on the state of the environment in the European Community, to be published in January each year, to be widely publicised and circulated.

  Mr. Trippier
  Under the proposal to establish a European environment agency, it is stipulated that a report on the state of the environment in the European
  91
  Community should be published by an agency every three years. Unanimous agreement on the three-year cycle for publishing such a report was reached at the last Council of European EnvironmentMinisters in November.

  Recycling
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation requiring planning consents for retail stores to include practicable provision for the collection of re-usable materials.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We do not at present propose to introduce such legislation but planning authorities should bear in mind the benefits to the local community in arranging for such facilities to be considered where practicable at an early stage in the planning of retail facilities.

  Pollution
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to give effect to the undertaking given by the hon. Member for Surrey, South-West (Mrs. Bottomley) concerning the laying of regulations under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We are committed to the implementation of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 and as soon as practicable we will undertake consultation on the regulations necessary to bring the Act into force.

  Christmas Novelty Sprays
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has any plans to ban the use of chlorofluorocarbons as propellants in Christmas novelty sprays; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what information he has on the use of chlorofluorocarbons in novelty Christmas sprays; and if he will advise consumers not to purchase such products.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The Government are actively seeking international agreement to the phase out of all CFCs by the year 2000. I understand that the aerosol industry intends 90 per cent. of all its products to be CFC free by the end of the year. In the case of these Christmas novelties, I also understand that the alternative propellants available this Christmas are flammable. Because of the way these products are often used, safety factors prohibit the use of flammable material. It is proposed that one of the new generation propellants will be used in these products next year. British consumers have already shown that they can decide for themselves whether they wish to buy products which damage the ozone layer.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to require local planning authorities to consider design energy consumption of buildings when reaching planning decisions.

  Mr. Howard
  No. Such steps would be unnecessary. The energy consumption aspect of building design is covered by part L of the Building Regulations 1985.

  Home Improvement Grants
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make home improvement grants claimable by private sector tenants without a repairing lease.

  Mr. Howard
  No. Where a tenant is not required by the terms of his lease to undertake works of repair or improvement the responsibility will rest with the landlord. It is therefore appropriate for the landlord to apply for grant and for any payment to be based on an assessment of his resources.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his reply of 11 December,Official Report, column 493, to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, concerning a complaint by Mr. R. Gorman of 14 Welby street, Manchester in which he states that a reply to a letter to him dated 31 July was sent on 14 October, he will investigate why this reply has never reached the right hon. Member; and if he will now ensure that a reply does reach the right hon. Member.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Investigations within my Department have shown that the letter was dispatched on 14 October. I apologise for any inconvenience and I am now sending the right hon. Member a copy of my letter.

  Toxic Waste (Wath upon Dearne)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will immediately notify the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States of America of the necessity for the toxic waste sent to the United Kingdom by or the behalf of the FMC Company of the United States of America to be returned from Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham, to that company; and whether this action would be in accordance with the current and binding international agreement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Environmental Protection Agency is already aware of our view that the waste at Wath upon Dearne should be returned to the United States of America and are currently considering the scope for action under American legislation. There is no binding international agreement. Although the Basel convention could cover the particular circumstances of this case, it is not yet in force.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether at any time his Department or any public agency has considered the possibility of the disposal in the United Kingdom of the toxic waste bulk at Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  As part of its contingency planning Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has considered possible treatment facilities for the material at Wath upon Dearne. It however remains our policy that this material should be returned to the United States of America.

  Animals and Birds (Imports)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many licences for the purposes of importing birds under the CITES regulations were granted in 1986, 1987 and 1988.
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  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Details of all United Kingdom trade in CITES species, including but not separately identifying birds, are submitted annually to the European Commission and are included in the Commission's annual report on trade in endangered species. I have arranged for copies of the 1986 and 1987 reports to be placed in the Library of the House. The United Kingdom figures for 1988 have been submitted to the Commission, but have not yet been published by it.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria are applied by him in granting import licences under CITES; and whether he takes into account the character of the applicant, as demonstrated by relevant criminal convictions concerning importation without a licence or the breaking of previous licences.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Applications for import licences are considered on their merits, in the light of advice from our scientific advisers and in accordance with the EC regulations which implement CITES within the European Community. Failure on the part of an applicant to comply with the conditions of a previous licence, or a conviction for offences under import or other relevant legislation, would be regarded as a relevant factor to be considered if further applications for import licences were submitted.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conveniently available figures he has as to how often identification experts were called out in 1988 to pass judgment on mammals, birds, reptiles and fish in relation to the implementation of the Endangered Species Act.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  At the request of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, my Department arrange for identification experts to be called out on four occasions in 1988 to inspect animals covered by the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976. However, in implementing the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, HM Customs and Excise may also seek assistance in identifying species direct from private consultants. Details of the number of such cases are not readily available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Nature Conservancy
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new measures he intends to introduce, following the proposal to break up the Nature Conservancy Council, to enable the United Kingdom Government to meet their obligations under the Berne convention on the conservation of european wildlife and natural habitats.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None. The Government fully meets their obligations under the Berne convention and intend to continue to do so.

  Accounting Conventions
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether in the last 10 years he or his predecessors, either by direction or informally, secured changes in the accounting conventions followed by water authorities, the Property Services Agency and the Crown Suppliers, respectively; and if lie will make a statement.
  94
  Mr. Chris Patten
  Since 1982–83 water authorities' historical cost accounts have been supplemented by Accounts prepared under the current cost convention. There have been no changes in the last 10 years in the accounting conventions followed by the Property Services Agency or the Crown Suppliers.

  Somerset House Vaults
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning the sale of the Somerset house vaults to the Quill Group;

  (2) on what basis the Property Services Agency offered to rent vaults under Somerset house for £200 per annum or to buy them for £50,000;

  (3) what guidance the London residuary body received from his Department concerning its future requirements for storage within the vaults below Somerset house;

  (4) when he intends to reply to letters concerning the sale of the Somerset house vaults from the hon. Member for Dagenham, the Quill Group and Mr. Ian Walmsley;

  (5) whether the London residuary body made any efforts to sell the vaults below Somerset house before offering them at auction;

  (6) which officials of the Property Services Agency represented the Agency at the two auctions involving vaults beneath Somerset house;

  (7) why his Department withdrew access to vaults below Somerset house from representatives of the Quill Group;

  (8) why officials of the Inland Revenue's accommodation department reversed an earlier assurance that they had no objections to the Quill Group obtaining access to vaults below Somerset House.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 7 December 1989]: I understand that the Quill Group were the successful bidders at an auction in September, but failed to complete the contract with the London residuary body. No guidance was issued by my Department in connection with this sale.

  In accordance with their normal practice for the disposal of surplus property the London residuary body entered into discussions with the occupying tenant. The Government have held a lease of these vaults for over 80 years. The Property Services Agency acts on my behalf as tenants. The lease is governed by the Landlord and Tenant Acts and the rent, fixed in 1907, is £185 a year.

  In earlier negotiations with the London residuary body a PSA offer of £50,000 for the freehold interest was unsuccessful and both parties agreed that it would be in the best interests of both taxpayers and the London ratepayers, if the vaults were exposed for sale at public auction.

  Following their successful purchase at auction in September the Quill Group instructed agents to open negotiations with the PSA for a new lease, the 1907 lease now having expired, seeking a rent of £90,000 per annum.

  On being advised by the auctioneers that the vaults were to be auctioned again on 4 December, the PSA's professional decision as prudent managers of the Government Estate was to take this further opportunity to purchase and, on this occasion, it was successful.

  Both auctions were attended by the professional head of the estates services branch of the PSA's London region estates division, accompanied by a principal grade estate surveyor.
  95
  I am writing to the hon. Member explaining these complex matters more fully and I shall also send him a copy of the letter which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Chope) sent to Mr. Harris of the Quill Group on 30 November.

  Home Insulation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses and flats have been subjected to insulation measures under the home insulation scheme for each year since the home insulation scheme started and for each region and the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 12 December 1989]: The number of grants paid under the homes insulation scheme for 1986, 1987, 1988 and the first two quarters of 1989 appear in table 2.21(d)of "Housing and Construction Statistics Part 2", No. 38; figures for earlier years are in table 7.9 of "Housing and Construction Statistics 1978–1988". Copies of these publications are in the Library.

  Pollution Inspectorate
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many inspectors have left Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution(a) since its formation, (b) since 1 January 1988 and (c) since 1 January 1989.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: Seven inspectors have left Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in total since its formation including six since 1 January 1989.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many inspectors were employed by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution(a) at its formation, (b) on 1 January 1988, (c) on 1 January 1989 and (d) at the latest available date; and what should be its establishment.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution employed 75 professional staff at its formation; 90 on 1 January 1988; 100 on 1 January 1989 and 105 at present. The inspectorate's complement is 135 professional posts.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the inspectors at Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution have been employed by the inspectorate since its formation.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: A total of 35 inspectors have been recruited into Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution since its formation.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the inspectors now employed by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution are based in London; and at what centres the other inspectors are based.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution employs 104 professional staff; 46 professional staff are currently based in London but over half of these will be posted to the new
  96
  regional offices when they become operational next year. Other staff are based in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Chester, Darlington, East Grinstead, Lancaster, Leeds, Lincoln, Luton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Preston and Sheffield.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many prosecutions have been instigated by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in 1987, 1988 and 1989 for(a) air pollution and (b) toxic waste disposal.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution undertook three successful prosecutions for air pollution in 1987–88 and two in 1988–89 (records are kept for financial years). HMIP has no regulatory powers under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 in relation to toxic waste disposal. Enforcement responsibility lies with waste disposal authorities.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the report drafted by the late director of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, Mr. Brian Ponsford.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: The report on Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution prepared for the Department's management information system (MINIS 10) was placed in the Library on 15 November.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about staff morale within Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: Staff in Her Majesty's Inspectorate are responding in positive and constructive ways to the demands placed on them at a time of fundamental organisational change. This was evident at the inspectors' conference held in late November, and is exemplified by a letter written by inspectors to a national newspaper on 11 December. I appreciate such efforts by staff to dissociate themselves from remarks attributed to unnamed inspectors in recent press reports. The committed professionalism of the staff in the inspectorate plays a vital role in maintaining and improving environmental standards.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's annual report 1988–89 to be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on Wednesday 13 December to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mr. Taylor) at column 734.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to increase the establishment of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 13 December 1989]: The staff complement of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution was increased from 219 to 240 with effect from 2 October 1989. An additional 10 posts have already been approved for 1990–91 and the objectives of HMIP and the resources it needs to fulfil them effectively are being kept under close review.
  97
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effects of the recent reorganisation within Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on his plans to introduce integrated pollution control.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: The reorganisation of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution was intended to facilitate the integration of the four regulatory functions which were combined when it was formed. It provides the organisational structure appropriate for the effective implementation of integrated pollution control. I am pleased that such good progress has been made to date.

  Community Charge Video
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress being made in the production of a video on the poll tax in British sign language for deaf people.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: The Department has corresponded with four bodies—the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, the British Deaf Association, the British Association of the Hard of Hearing and the Royal Association in Aid of Deaf People—on the potential demand for a video in BSL on the community charge and the most effective way of making it. We await one substantive response.

  Community Charge Leaflet
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that deaf-blind people have access to the information in the poll tax leaflet.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: Proposals for making information on the community charge available to the blind through braille and moon, which are currently being pursued with the Royal National Institute for the Blind, should assist some of the deaf-blind. We are considering other means of informing deaf-blind people, such as the production of a video specifically for the deaf.

  In addition, carers—including those who care for deaf-blind individuals—are one of the groups we intend to address before the new system comes into effect with information on the community charge benefit scheme and transitional relief.

  Environmental Audit
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to conduct an annual environmental audit within his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 14 December 1989]: It is already my policy to take environmental concerns into account in the activities of my Department. I am considering whether procedures to achieve this should be strengthened.

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received recent representations from trade unions opposing privatisation of the Property Services Agency; and if he will make a statement.
  98
  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 15 December 1989]: My right hon. Friend met the PSA trade unions on 26 September. No other direct representations from trade unions have been received.

  Sewage Sludge
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the figures for sewage sludge dumped in British coastal waters for each of the last three years.

  Mr. Curry
  I have been asked to reply.

  Disposals to sea of sewage sludge from the United Kingdom under licences issued under part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 were as follows:

  '000 tonnes (wet weight)

  1986

  9,735

  1987

  9,016

  1988

  9,856

  About 95 per cent. of the content is water.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessments his Department has made as to the environmental impact of dumping sewage sludge in British coastal waters.

  Mr. Curry
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for monitoring disposals to sea from England and Wales. An extensive field assessment programme is conducted at each of the designated disposal sites; each site is visited at least biennially although some sites are studied more frequently. In addition, licensees are required to carry out an approved programme of dumpsite monitoring as a condition of their licences. Detailed monitoring reports have been published for a number of sites and copies of these are in the Library. The results of these investigations have shown that the disposal of sewage sludge has caused no detrimental environmental impact at any of the designated sites.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what controls his Department imposes on the heavy metal content of sewage sludge dumped at sea.

  Mr. Curry
  I have been asked to reply.

  Licences to deposit sewage sludge at sea provide for annual limits on the quantity of individual metals in the waste. A requirement is placed on licensees to monitor the composition of sludge as dumped and to report levels to the licensing authority. The composition of sludge is checked directly by sampling by the licensing authority.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce legislation to provide a financial incentive to commercial and industrial firms for the recycling and re-use of materials; and if he has investigated the feasibility of, and problems associated with, the kerbside collection of materials from domestic and commercial refuse for recycling.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We do not intend to introduce such legislation; although proposed legislation on pollution control and waste disposal will provide a market incentive for recycling. We are however contributing, with
  99
  the Department of Trade and Industry and the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment, to the evaluation of the UK2000 recycling city project in Sheffield which includes a kerbside collection scheme for recyclable domestic refuse.

ENERGY

  Coal Mining (Productivity)
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the increase in labour productivity in the coal mining industry since 1983–84.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  British Coal's productivity has increased by over 75 per cent. from pre-strike levels.

  Greenhouse Effect
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on the report of the Energy Select Committee on the greenhouse effect.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The Government's response to the select Committee's report was submitted on 8 November and has since been published by the Committee. We continue to monitor carefully this matter and take decisions accordingly.

  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment has been made by his Department of the implications for energy policy of global warming caused by the greenhouse effect.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Department has produced a report entitled "An Evaluation of Energy Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Measures to Ameliorate Them', as a contribution to the work of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. A copy of the report is available in the Library of the House.

  Offshore Oil and Gas
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the trade unions involved in the offshore oil and gas industry; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State an I met members of the AEU parliamentary group and the AEU executive on 28 November for a discussion on offshore safety.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on progress towards his announced timetable for the privatisation of the electricity industry.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of plans for the electricity privatisation share issue and related matters.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Government remain on target to complete the privatisation of the industry within this Parliament.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what provisions he has made to ensure a level playing field 100
  between fossil fuel industries, including coal, and nuclear fuel supplies to electricity generation subsequent to vesting day.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Coal will continue to be the major fuel for electricity generation for many years to come. The non-fossil fuel obligation will ensure that nuclear power continues to play a strategic role in ensuring security of supply and that renewable sources of energy will be able to fulfil their potential as soon as practicable.

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the total cumulative cost to his departmental public expenditure so far of consultancy, advertising and advice relating to privatisation of the electricity supply industry

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The total cumulative cost to my Department (as at 30 November this year) is £12·4 million.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what provisions he has made to ensure a proper valuation of the electricity supply industry's land and property assets before vesting day.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Valuers have been appointed to value the land and property of each of the electricity supply industry bodies.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on the likely cost implications for major industrial users of the privatisation of electricity.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Major industrial users will be able to negotiate with the supplier or generator of their choice. The introduction of competition should enable such customers to obtain competitive contracts. There will thus be a downward pressure on costs and prices.

  Coal Imports
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the latest figures for coal imports(a) by countries and (b) by quantity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  During the period January to October 1989, 9·5 million tonnes of coal have been imported into this country. The table gives a breakdown by country of origin.

  January to October 1989

  Country of origin

  Quantity (thousand tonnes)

  United States of America

  3,879

  Australia

  1,822

  Poland

  830

  Colombia

  682

  Canada

  622

  China

  405

  South Africa

  323

  Federal Republic of Germany

  225

  Netherlands

  169

  USSR

  163

  Panama

  106

  Venezuela

  86

  Belgium

  62

  Others

  175

  Total

  9,549

  Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.
  101
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the volume of coal imports into the United Kingdom for the current year; and if he will meet the chairman of British Coal to discuss levels of coal imports.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government do not produce estimates of coal imports for the current year. In the period January to October 1989 coal imports were 9·5 million tonnes.

  My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of British Coal regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of the coal burned in the United Kingdom in 1988 was imported.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  A total of 11 per cent, of coal burned in the United Kingdom in 1988 was imported.

  Electricity Council
  Mr. Cunliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairman of the Electricity Council and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of the Electricity Council regularly to discuss various matters of mutual interest.

  Mr. Michael Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the Electricity Council; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leigh (Mr. Cunliffe) today.

  Coal Industry (Pollution)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps are being taken to assist the coal industry in reducing environmental pollution and using energy more efficiently.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps are being taken to assist the coal industry in reducing environmental pollution and using energy more efficiently.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government will provide up to £8 million towards the cost of British Coal's work on the topping cycle at Grimethorpe. This offers a 20 per cent, reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared with coal fired stations which should make a significant contribution to combating the "greenhouse effect".

  Sizewell B
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the cost of completion of Sizewell B and the average operating cost per kilowatt hour.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for the CEGB. I will ask the chairman to write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how frequently he intends to review the ongoing construction costs of Sizewell B.
  102
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The CEGB is providing my Department with six-monthly progress reports on Sizewell B, including construction costs. Nuclear Electric will continue this arrangement and has made clear that it is committed to completing the station to time and present cost estimates.

  British Coal
  Mr. Steve Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much the Government have invested in British Coal since 1979.

  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much the Government have invested in British Coal since 1979.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Since 1979 the Government have financed over £6·5 billion of new investment in the coal industry and continue to invest at a rate of over £2 million every working day.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions in the past 10 years the auditors of British Coal or the National Coal Board have drawn his attention to inadequacies in their accounts.

  Mr. Wakeham
  In each of the years 1979–80 to 1988–89 there has been a qualification of the accounts of British Coal by their auditors.

  British Coal's accounts have been qualified by its Auditors from 1983–84 to 1988–89 owing to the uncertainty over the recoverability out of future earnings of the total net book amount of the corporation's tangible fixed assets. British Coal's accounts were also qualified from 1983–84 to 1986–87 owing to the uncertainty over the amount of liability arising from future claims for surface damage; and from 1979–80 to 1983–84 over provision for liabilities under the mineworkers' pension scheme and the voluntary early retirement scheme.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I meet the chairman of the British Coal Corporation regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the manpower employed by British Coal over the next three years.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  It is not possible to predict manpower requirements over future years since this will depend on the performance of individual collieries and the success British Coal has in meeting the requirements of its customers. Manpower requirements are however, a matter for British Coal and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairman of British Coal; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal; and what matters were discussed.
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  Mr. Wakeham
  I meet the chairman of British Coal regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

  Alternative Energy Projects (Cornwall)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the funding of alternative energy projects in Cornwall.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Department is funding an extensive renewable energy R and D programme on projects in Cornwall and elsewhere. The major projects in Cornwall include:The Cornwall Energy Project by Cornwall County Council; The Geothermal Hot Dry Rock Project by the Camborne School of Mines;
  The Proposed Wind Farm at Cold Northcott by the Central Electricity Generating Board.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what improvements have been made in energy efficiency in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what improvements have been made in energy efficiency in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what improvements have been made in energy efficiency in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The nation has substantially improved its energy efficiency over the last 10 years. Our energy ratio —the amount of primary energy used to produce each £1,000 of gross domestic product—has improved from 1·24 tonnes of coal equivalent in 1979 to 1·01 tonnes of coal equivalent in 1988; and average reduction in energy intensity of 2 per cent. per year.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress is being made with the promotion of energy efficiency in Government Departments.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress is being made with the promotion of energy efficiency in Government Departments.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave to my hon. Friends for Fylde (Mr. Jack) and for Maidstone (Miss Widdecombe) on 13 November 1989 at column 95. The next meeting will take place on 31 January 1990.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give for each year since 1978 the collective estimated expenditure on energy efficiency measures in the domestic sector consistent with the figure of £73 million given for 1987–88 in paragraph 3·7 of the National Audit Office's "National Energy Efficiency", breaking the figure for each year down into assistance for(a) owner-occupiers, (b) private sector tenants and (c) council tenants.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The main components of £73 million for 1987–88 quoted by the National Audit Office consisted of direct expenditure on domestic energy efficiency measures through the homes insulation scheme and the community insulation programme (the latter also supports 104
  training objectives and so cannot be attributed entirely to energy efficiency measures). Expenditure under these schemes is given below for each financial year from 1981–82. A breakdown of the figures in the form requested is not available.

  Homes insulation scheme (£ million)

  Community insulation programme (£ million)

  1981–82

  24·3

  n/a

  1982–83

  30·0

  n/a

  1983–84

  25·5

  5·5

  1984–85

  25·3

  8·6

  1985–86

  28·0

  19·4

  1986–87

  26·5

  36·6

  1987–88

  24·8

  45·2

  1988–89

  9·9

  n/a

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the progress since June 1987 of the building research energy conservation support unit in(a) concentrating on the elderly and disadvantaged and (b) private sector housing research and development activities.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Since June 1987 the building research energy conservation unit, working for the Energy Efficiency Office:

  1. Has completed 12 demonstration projects to promote more efficient energy use in sheltered accommodation and the refurbishment of older housing.

  2. Is currently preparing a number of good practice guides and case studies for low income housing under the best practice programme.

  3. Has developed a strategy under the best practice programme designed to achieve large scale improvements in energy efficiency in private sector housing. The results of the first of these initiatives is Wimpey's new "Superspec" home which my right hon. Friend opened earlier this month and which is built to standards considerably beyond those required to meet the 1990 building regulations for energy efficiency.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the relationship between the provision of information on energy efficiency by the privatised electricity distribution boards and the role of the Energy Efficiency Office.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Officials of the Energy Efficiency Office (EEO) have already had discussions with officials of the Office Of Electricity Regulation (OFFER) whose role is to supervise the obligations of licensees to promote energy efficiency under the terms of the Electricity Act 1989.

  I have no doubt that the present constructive co-operation between regional energy efficiency offices and electricity boards will continue. For instance REEOs are members of judging panels of competitions on energy efficiency organised by electricity distribution boards. Electricity boards and the EEO frequently co-operate in the sponsorship of seminars and exhibitions on energy efficiency.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether the new scheme of grants towards basic insulation measures announced on 22 November will extend to(a) cavity wall insulation and (b) double glazing;
  105
  (2) whether the new system of grants for house insulation announced on 22 November will involve contributions to the cost by the recipients of grants.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Details of the new scheme of grants will be announced in due course.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what conclusions the Energy Efficiency Office has reached about questions of productivity of neighbourhood energy action projects under employment training; and if he will place a copy of its conclusions in the Library.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The most recently available information on productivity was included in the Neighbourhood Energy Action publication "Energy Efficiency and Employment Training—One Year On". I have asked Neighbourhood Energy Action, from whom the report is publicly available, to send a copy to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps the Energy Efficiency Office has taken to persuade the cavity wall trade associations to develop and provide to consumers a common protection package backed by insurance guarantees; and if he will introduce legislation to achieve this objective.

  Mr. Wakeham
  With the encouragement of the Energy Efficiency Office, the Office of Fair Trading and the National Cavity Insulation Association are discussing the production of a revised code of professional practice; it is expected that this will give a wide range of consumer safeguards additional to current arrangements. I am hopeful that agreement can be reached on a satisfactory code without legislation.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in the Official Report the latest international energy efficiency league table.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The following table lists IEA member countries in order of energy ratio in 1987, the latest year for which figures are available, measured in tonnes of oil equivalent per $1,000 GDP at 1985 prices.

  Energy ratio

  Japan

  0·26

  Switzerland

  0·28

  Italy

  0·33

  Denmark

  0·34

  West Germany

  0·42

  United Kingdom

  0·43

  Spain

  0·43

  Austria

  0·44·

  United States of America

  0·44

  Norway

  0·46

  Australia

  0·48

  Ireland

  0·50

  Netherlands

  0·51

  Sweden

  0·54

  Belgium

  0·55

  Greece

  0·57

  Portugal

  0·62

  New Zealand

  0·63

  Canada

  0·64

  Turkey

  0·80

  Luxembourg

  0·85

  Sources: Energy Balances of OECD Countries; OECD Main Economic Indicators.

  These energy ratios are determined by many factors, including climate and industrial structure.
  106
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any further proposals to promote the more efficient use of energy.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The Energy Efficiency Office will continue to promote regularly the adoption of energy efficiency measures through all its programmes.

  Neighbourhood Energy Action
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the director of Neighbourhood Energy Action; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the director of Neighbourhood Energy Action; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My right hon. Friend met: the director of Neighbourhood Energy Action on 14 November to hear first hand about NEA's work and again on 22 November when he saw first hand, one of the community insulation projects which they help to co-ordinate. He expects to meet the director again shortly, but a date has yet to be arranged.

  Electricity Supply
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to review the 15 and 25 per cent. limits on the generators' direct sales to electricity supply customers.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend and I have no plans to do so.

  Nuclear Energy
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has for future research and development of nuclear energy.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Government, in conjunction with the nuclear industry, will need to assess future nuclear R and D requirements in the light of the prospects for nuclear power, both nationally and internationally from the mid-1990s.

  High-voltage Cables
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the health implications of high-voltage cables.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Research into the problem of possible effects on human health of electric and magnetic fields from electricity power lines has failed to demonstrate a clinical effect upon human health from fields at electricity power frequencies.

  A considerable worldwide research effort is continuing on the subject. The CEGB has been funding a programme of work over many years, much of it at independent laboratories, and research will continue when the electricity supply industry is privatised.

  Officials at the Department of Energy, the Department of Health, and the National Radiological Protection Board are keeping a watch on the research which is under way. We are by no means complacent, but at present we do not see evidence for serious concern.

  South of Scotland Electricity Board
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the South of Scotland electricity board; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Clydesdale (Mr. Hood) on 13 November 1989 at column 14.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairman of the South of Scotland electricity board; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have no plans at present to meet Mr. Miller.

  National Power
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chief executive designate of National Power: and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chief executive designate of National Power; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I regularly meet the chief executive of National Power to discuss matters of common interest.

  CEGB
  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I regularly meet the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to discuss matters of common interest.

  European Fast Reactor
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what contribution the United Kingdom will be making to the European fast reactor over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The fast reactor programme carried out by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority contributes to R and D work in support of the European fast reactor conceptual design. The United Kingdom is also contributing towards the cost of this conceptual design work.

  British Nuclear Fuels plc
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Nuclear Fuels plc; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend last met Mr. Harding on 16 November when they discussed a range of matters concerning British Nuclear Fuels plc.

  British Gas (Disconnections)
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps have been taken by British Gas to ensure that the number of disconnections for debt are kept to a minimum.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The number of British Gas customers disconnected for debt is now lower than at any time since records were first kept in 1977. This reflects the agreement which British Gas reached earlier this year with the Director General of Gas Supply on new methods of debt collection with a view to reducing the number of disconnections. I am sure that Ofgas and the Gas Consumers Council will continue to work with British Gas to ensure that this excellent result continues.

  Nuclear Electric plc
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairman-designate of the new Nuclear Electric plc; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I intend to meet the chairman-designate of Nuclear Electric whenever necessary to discuss matters of concern to Nuclear Electric.

  Severn Barrage
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has reviewed the projected completion date for the Severn barrage in the light of his recent discussions regarding nuclear energy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Further work on the Severn barrage is continuing. This includes some site specific environmental work and a study of the organisation and financing issues for a barrage. Only when this work is complete will it be possible to review projected completion dates.

  Home Insulation
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what action is being taken to assist low-income households with home insulation.

  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what action is being taken to assist low-income households with home insulation.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  1 refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn) earlier today.

  Piper Alpha
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he anticipates that the inquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster will be concluded.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  This is a matter for Lord Cullen.

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last discussed nuclear power with his French counterpart.
  109
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  There have been no meetings since that described in the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister of State gave on 10 April at column 328.

  Electricity Boards
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairmen of the 12 area boards; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairmen of the 12 area boards; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I meet the area board chairmen regularly to discuss matters of mutual interest.

  Association for the Conservation of Energy
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met a representative for the Association for the Conservation of Energy; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My right hon. Friend met Mr. Norman Adsetts OBE, chairman of the Association for the Conservation of Energy, on 29 November. They reviewed the work which ACE and energy efficiency office have jointly undertaken to promote energy efficiency, such as the current series of joint seminars for industrialists and buildings professionals, and discussed the need to ensure that this constructive co-operation continues.

  PWR Stations
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many representations he has had to date from local authorities in areas of proposed pressurised water reactor stations regarding requests for compensation for preparing of their submissions on the issue.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The only such representation which my right hon. Friend has received is in relation to the Central Electricity Generating Board (Combwich) Compulsory Purchase Order 1988, into which a public local inquiry commenced on 13 June 1989. Following the CEGB's decision to withdraw the compulsory purchase order a number of parties involved, including the consortium of opposing local authorities, has applied for my right hon. Friend to make an order requiring the CEGB to meet their costs arising from the public local inquiry.

  We are awaiting any recommendation the inspector may make to the Secretary of State on the award of costs before proceeding with consideration of these requests. We have writen to all those requesting costs to advise them of this course of action.

  UKOOA
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the representatives of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I meet the representatives of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators' Association (UKOOA) regularly to discuss matters of mutual interest.

  Director General of Electricity Supply
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the Director General of Electricity Supply; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the Director General of Electricity Supply; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I meet the Director General of Electricity Supply regularly to discuss various matters of mutual interest.

  Eastern Europe (Energy Needs)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what advice and assistance is being offered by his Department to the countries of eastern Europe on how they might control and manage their energy needs more effectively.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 8 December at column 444.

  In addition the Government have financed a reconnaissance mission led by the consulting arm of CEGB, through the know-how fund to look at the requirements of the electricity supply industry in Poland. It is expected that further assistance will be made available when the recommendations of the report have been considered. We would expect to help other countries with the modernisation of their power industries in accordance with their needs and when funds become available. A know-how fund for Hungary—£25 million over five years —begins operating in April 1990.

  Flue Gas Desulphurisation
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on Government support for flue gas desulphurisation equipment.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government are committed to ensuring that the sulphur dioxide reduction requirements of the EC large combustion plants directive are met. The retrofitting of power stations with flue gas desulphurisation equipment will assist in achieving this. The choice of equipment to be used is a matter for the industry itself.

  Alternative Energy Sources
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what measures he is taking to promote the use of alternative energy sources.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  We are supporting a major research and development programme aimed at developing commercially viable and environmentally acceptable renewable technologies to contribute to future energy supply. Over £50 million is earmarked for expenditure over the next three years. Our plans to provide a special place in future for non-fossil fuel energy in the context of a privatised electricity supply industry should give a significant boost to renewable sources of energy. Around 600MW of capacity is being set aside exclusively for renewables during the 1990s as part of the non-fossil fuel obligation. There are clear signs that the obligation has already provided considerable encouragement to the development of renewables.
  111
  Technology transfer plans have been developed for each technology classed as economically attractive such as passive solar design of buildings and landfill gas. A wide range of promotional material has been produced to aid commercial deployment and raise awareness about the potential of renewable technologies. This includes our "Review" journal, information bulletins, project profiles and summaries of the results of research programme, technical reports, technical workshops and videos.

  Gas Industry
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations have been received about opening up competition in the gas industry.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Beverley (Mr. Cran) earlier today.

  Fabrication Sector
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the value of business opportunities for the United Kingdom fabrication sector within the single European market post-1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  We expect new orders in goods and services on the UKCS in the early 1990s to be between £2·5 billion to £3 billion per annum, of which fabrication represents around 20 per cent. The UKCS will continue to represent some 70 per cent. of the offshore market in the Community.

  Electricity Standing Charges
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much was raised in electricity standing charges in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for the Electricity Council. I shall ask the chairman of the council to write to the hon. Member.

  Hinkley Point C
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of Hinkley Point C.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Hinkley Point C public inquiry closed on Friday 1 December. It is now for the inspector to prepare his report and submit it to my right hon. Friend.

  Low-sulphur Coal
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the level of reserves of low-sulphur coal in Britain.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Coal reserves in England generally have medium to high levels of sulphur—on average about 1·6 per cent. Reserves in parts of Wales and Scotland have a relatively lower sulphur content. Their recoverability is for the British Coal Corporation to assess.

  Marchwood Engineering Laboratories
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will reconsider the future of Marchwood engineering laboratories, following his decision not to privatise nuclear power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Marchwood site has been allocated to Power-Gen. The Government do not intend to reopen the existing split of assets between National Power and PowerGen.

  Wind and Wave Power
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the future of research into wind and wave power.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Energy paper No. 55 "Renewable Energy in the UK: The Way Forward" was published in 1988 and gives our view on the development strategy for the renewable energy technologies to the year 2000, including wind and wave. It remains our intention to carry out the research programme as outlined in the energy paper.

  British Gas
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many directives have been issued to British Gas since privatisation of gas on energy efficiency.

  Mr. Wakeham
  None. However condition 14 of British Gas's authorisation as a public gas supplier requires it to provide guidance to customers on the efficient use of gas. My Department promotes the efficient use of gas and other fuels through the activities of the Energy Efficiency Office, and my officials have regular discussions with British Gas on energy efficiency matters.

  Nuclear Power Stations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with British Nuclear Fuels Limited about feasibility studies of replacement for the Chapelcross and Calder Hall power stations.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I meet the Chairman of British Nuclear Fuels plc regularly and discuss a range of matters concerning the company. The feasibility study was one of the matters touched upon at my last meeting on 16 November.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to lift the requirement for his consent to be given before any nuclear power station is built in any county in Britain.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I shall bring into force in due course section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 under which my consent will be necessary before any power station, nuclear or otherwise, of a capacity greater than 50MW, can be constructed in England and Wales. Smaller stations will be subject to the requirements of the Town and Country Planning Acts.

  In addition, a licence to install and operate a nuclear reactor must be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965.

  The construction of power stations in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
  113
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will direct British Nuclear Fuels Limited to publish details of the feasibility studies it is conducting into replacements for the Chapelcross and Calder Hall power stations.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The feasibility study is a commercial document and publication will be a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc.

  Energy Labelling
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will introduce legislation to bring in compulsory energy labelling.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 13 November 1989 at column 95.

  Coal Reserves
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his Department's current estimate of the total coal reserves in Britain.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The British Coal Corporation is responsible for estimating coal reserves. Its estimate of coal in place in the United Kingdom (that is, in seams over 60 cm thick and less than 1,200 m deep, minus coal which has already been worked) is 190 billion tonnes. Strictly recoverable reserves (that is, coal in known coalfields which could be extracted with existing technology) are estimated by the corporation at 45 billion tonnes. The amount of these reserves that would actually be workable would of course depend on economic circumstances at the time. Recoverable reserves from existing mines and certain new mine projects, including the extractable and saleable coal which is sufficiently proved, of adequate thickness and quality, and in a suitable mining environment, are currently assessed at between 3 billion and 5 billion tonnes.

  Accounting Conventions
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether in the last 10 years he or his predecessors, either by direction or informally, secured changes in the accounting conventions followed by British Coal, British Gas, any electricity board, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., Nirex, Amersham International, British National Oil Corporation, Britoil or Enterprise Oil, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The accounts of British Coal, British Nuclear Fuels, British National Oil Corporation, Britoil, Enterprise Oil, Nirex and Amersham International have been prepared under the historic cost convention throughout the period in question.

  Boards in the electricity industry began producing accounts under the current cost convention from 1980–81, as did the Atomic Energy Authority from 1980–81 and British Gas from 1981–82. Previously accounts for these organisations had been prepared under the historic cost convention. The decision to prepare accounts under the current cost convention was taken by the organisations concerned, in the light of best accounting practice at the time.

  Halliburton Ltd.
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether, following the correspondence and discussions between the Minister of State and the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton, he will now issue instructions that no tenders will be considered by his Department from any subsidiary company of Halliburton Manufacturing and Services Ltd., until(a) its company secretary replies to the further letter sent to him by the hon. Member on 9 October about his constituent Mr. A and (b) the company offers appropriate compensation to Mr. A for all expenses and financial loss suffered by Mr. A since his road accident in Italy in December 1983.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  No.

  POLICE STATIONS: DUTY SOLICITORS
  POLICE STATIONS: DUTY SOLICITORS
  MAGISTRATES: SENTENCING GUIDANCE
  MAGISTRATES: SENTENCING GUIDANCE
  BREATH TESTING
  BREATH TESTING
  REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT SCHEMES
  REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT SCHEMES
  PILKINGTON INSULATION LTD.
  PILKINGTON INSULATION LTD.
  ECGD: FUTURE
  ECGD: FUTURE
  AGRICULTURAL TRAINING REVIEW
  AGRICULTURAL TRAINING REVIEW
  CUSTOMS AND EXCISE: IT SYSTEMS
  CUSTOMS AND EXCISE: IT SYSTEMS
  JUBILEE HALL, WEYMOUTH
  JUBILEE HALL, WEYMOUTH
  DRINKING WATER QUALITY: IMPROVEMENT COSTS
  DRINKING WATER QUALITY: IMPROVEMENT COSTS
  PETO INSTITUTE: FINANCIAL SUPPORT
  PETO INSTITUTE: FINANCIAL SUPPORT
  RAILWAY VANDALISM
  RAILWAY VANDALISM
  TRAIN DRIVERS AND GUARDS: COMMUNICATION LINKS
  TRAIN DRIVERS AND GUARDS: COMMUNICATION LINKS
  LONDON EAST-WEST CROSSRAIL PROPOSAL
  LONDON EAST-WEST CROSSRAIL PROPOSAL
  ROADS EXPENDITURE
  ROADS EXPENDITURE