Written Answers of 15 February 1989

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Warning and Monitoring Services
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley of 7 December 1988,Official Report, column 205, whether he will place a copy of the scientific research and development branch's technical review of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation in the Library.

  Mr. John Patten
  No. The report is a classified document.

  Missing Persons
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will meet the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to discuss the adequacy of the computer system in the missing persons bureau in New Scotland Yard for the tracing of missing persons; and whether he will place in the Library a copy of the report by the police working party referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Leicester, West of 19 December 1988,Official Report, column 142;

  (2) whether he will discuss with chief officers of police the steps to be taken to seek EEC funding in order to comply with the Council of Europe recommendation R(79)6.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. We expect to receive a copy of the report commissioned by the Association of Chief Police Officers to review police procedures for dealing with inquiries relating to missing persons shortly. We will be happy to consider any recommendations which the police may put to us.

  Publication of the report is a matter for the Association of Chief Police Officers.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish the names, age and last known whereabouts of all persons missing in the Metropolitan area for more than three months and where such names have already been published by the Metropolitan police.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. I understand that the decision to publish details of a missing person would normally be taken by the division concerned and such cases are not separately identifiable from records held centrally by the Metropolitan police.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken during each of the years since 1979 to ensure compliance with the Council of Europe recommendation R(79)6.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to him on 19 December 1988 at column 143.
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  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to require all police authorities to inform the police national computer bureau of every unidentified body found within their jurisdictions.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to him on 19 December 1988 at columns 142–43.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are remand prisoners.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 31 December 1988 there were about 8,850 untried and 1,490 convicted unsentenced prisoners in prison service establishments in England and Wales. A further 87 prisoners, most of whom were on remand, were held in police cells.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of prisoners.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 10 February 1989, 48,925 prisoners were held in prison service establishments in England and Wales. A further 209 prisoners were held in police cells.

  Football (Arrests)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests were made inside the football grounds of(a) Newcastle United, (b) Sunderland, (c) Hartlepool, (d) Middlesbrough and (e) Darlington football clubs during 1988.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information relates to all games played at home by the first teams of the football clubs concerned during 1988:

  Club

  Arrests

  Newcastle United

  149

  Sunderland

  39

  Middlesbrough

  85

  Darlington

  2

  Information is not available in the same form for Hartlepool where there were 21 arrests at league matches during the 1987–88 season. The figures do not distinguish between arrests made inside the ground and arrests directly connected with those matches made outside the ground. The total of 21 arrests corrects the figure of 12 previously understated in a return from the police to the Association of Chief Police Officers and given on 19 December in a reply to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) at columns 55–60.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, further to his answer of 7 February, financial resources for the programme of research into child sexual abuse will be backdated to the beginning of the financial year.

  Mr. John Patten
  Financial resources for the Home Office research and planning unit's programme of research, including those projects concerning child sexual
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  abuse, for the financial year 1989–90 are available from 1 April 1989. The allocation of funds for individual projects is dependent on the starting dates of the projects and cannot be backdated.

  Strip Searches
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many strip searches were made of female arrestees in police custody during each month of 1988, giving the number of persons involved; what items of evidential value used in subsequent proceedings, class A drugs, weapons or things which could have been used to cause physical injury, were discovered in any search; in how many cases arrestees declined to be strip searched, and with what outcome; and what were the reasons for each search.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  This information is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Youth at Risk Programme
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the potential for combating juvenile delinquency and application in the United Kingdom of the youth at risk programme, details of which have been submitted to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have seen a summary of the objectives and content of the youth at risk programme which operates in the United States and Home Office officials have seen a video film. The programme offers a distinctive way of dealing with young offenders and other young delinquents. Intensive intermediate treatment schemes which offer no less constructive and demanding programmes for juvenile offenders are available throughout England and Wales.

  Parking Schemes
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by the working party considering parking problems in outer London and elsewhere; and when he expects to be able to make a statement of the Government's policy towards the introduction of controlled parking schemes and the employment of traffic wardens by local authorities.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  While I understand that the parking enforcement working party has not yet completed its report, I hope that it will be able to do so shortly.

WALES

  Exchequer Grant
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the aggregate Exchequer grant paid to all local authorities in Wales in each financial year since 1978–79(a) in cash terms and (b) at 1988–89 prices.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is given in the following table for all years from 1981–82 to 1988–89. It is not possible to provide figures on a comparable basis for years prior to the introduction of block grant in 1981–82.
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  Aggregate exchequer grant (£ million)

  in cash terms

  at 1988–89 prices1

  1981–82

  873·1

  1,251·9

  1982–83

  926·6

  1,239·9

  1983–84

  962·9

  1,232·5

  1984–85

  992·5

  1,209·1

  1985–86

  1,022·7

  1,182·2

  1986–87

  1,085·7

  1,214·4

  1987–88

  1,167·2

  1,240·2

  1988–89

  1,250·7

  1,250·7

  1 Expressed in real terms using the GDP (market prices) deflator.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Laos
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to whether the former king and the former crown prince of Laos are still alive or held in captivity; what representations he has received regarding their fate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have no independent or reliable knowledge as to the fate of the former King and the former Crown Prince of Laos. There have been persistent but unconfirmed reports of their deaths. The Lao Government claim that they are alive and "in retirement".

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding the continued occupation of Laos by Vietnamese troops; whether he will raise the matter with the Soviet and the Vietnamese governments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We received one letter from a member of the public in 1988 on this issue. According to the Vietnamese Foreign Minister, all Vietnamese troops were to be withdrawn from Laos by the end of 1988. We have no independent means of verifying this claim.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding allegations that Soviet military officers removed certain national treasures from Laos to the Soviet Union in 1975; and what response he is able to make.

  Mr. Eggar
  We received one letter from a member of the public in 1988 alleging that a statue was removed from the palace in Luang Prabang by Soviet military officers. According to a Lao official the statue is still on display in the palace museum.

  Petty Officer John Black
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether Her Majesty's ambassador in Madrid has conveyed to the Spanish Government the report of the Metropolitan police regarding the death of Petty Officer John Black, RN; whether he has asked the Spanish Government to investigate the circumstances in which the allegedly defective water heater was removed from the apartment in which Mr. Black was found dead; and what response he has received;
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  (2) whether he will instruct Her Majesty's ambassador in Madrid to ask the Spanish Government to show the Metropolitan police report on the death of Petty Officer John Black to the two Spanish pathologists who gave evidence to the inquest in Portsmouth in May 1985; and whether the ambassador will request guidance from the Government of Spain on the conflict of evidence between the pathologists and the Metropolitan police officers.

  Mr. Eggar
  The report prepared by British police officers into the death of Petty Officer Black remains the property of and confidential to the Metropolitan police. It has not therefore been conveyed to the Spanish authorities.

  Israel
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the use by Israeli armed forces of bullets consisting of a large steel ball bearing coated with rubber; how many fatalities have been caused by such bullets; and if he will raise the matter with the Israeli Government and the United Nations.

  Mr. Eggar
  We do not know how many fatalities have been caused by these bullets. The Israeli authorities are well aware of our concern at their use of excessive force against Palestinians in the occupied territories.

DEFENCE

  Defence Exports
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now make it his practice to publish figures on individual companies' defence exports.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to permit United Kingdom NIREX Ltd. to release its report on the radioactive inventory of nuclear waste produced in Ministry of Defence activities.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No.

  Petty Officer John Black
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further action he intends to take in the case of the late Petty Officer John Black, RN following the verdict of the inquest jury that he was unlawfully killed in Spain, and the Metropolitan police report that he died accidentally; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  Although my Department initiated an investigation into the death of Petty Officer J. A. Black, which was carried out by officers of the Metropolitan police, it has no further standing in the matter.

  Defence Export Services Organisation
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any personnel from the Defence Export Services Organisation visited Turkey, Chile or South Africa during 1988.
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  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 9 February 1989]Representatives of DESO travel extensively and visited numerous countries during 1988. Because of the confidentiality of many of the matters involved it is not the practice to list individual countries which have been visited.

  Army Equipment Exhibition
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the British Army equipment exhibition was held in 1988; and whether it will be held in 1989.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 9 February 1989]The British Army equipment exhibition was held at Aldershot during the week 26 June to 1 July 1988. It is a biennial exhibition and will not therefore be held this year.

  International Organisations
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those international organisations on which his Department is represented and the total cost of those commitments.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 February 1989]The Ministry of Defence is represented at numerous committees meetings under the auspicies of NATO, the independent European programme group. the Eurogroup and the Western European Union. In 1987–88 the MOD paid a contribution of £57,301,000 to the NATO military budget, and a net contribution of £113,640,000 to the NATO infrastructure budget.

  Other international organisations to which the MOD pays subscriptions or grants are:

  European Network of Ocean Stations

  FINABEL Secretariat, Brussels

  European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites

  International Hydrographic Organisation

  World Meteorological Organisation

  European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts

  North Atlantic Ocean Stations Agreement

  World Weather Watch Stations Overseas

  International Institute for Scientific Studies

  Commonwealth Advisory Aeronautical Research Council

  International Institute for Strategic Studies

  Ergonomics Society

  British Commonwealth Ex-Servicemen's League

  Inter Allied Confederation of Reserve Officers

  In 1987–88 the cost of subscriptions and grants to these organisations was approximately £10,057,000.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Petty Officer John Black
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Attorney-General whether, pursuant to recent reports of the Metropolitan police which have been submitted to Ministers, he intends to initiate action under the Coroners Act 1988 to recall an inquest, in the light of the verdict of the coroner's jury in Portsmouth on 23 May 1985 that Petty Officer John Black, RN, was unlawfully killed; and whether he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  To date, interested parties have neither made any representations to me about the inquest held on 23 May 1985 nor requested my authority under section 13(1) of the Coroners Act 1988 for them to apply
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  to the High Court for an order quashing the inquest and requiring a new inquest to be held. I shall give careful consideration to any representations or requests which may be made to me.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  European Directives
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list all Bills and Statutory Instruments approved by Parliament over the last five years which implement European directives.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I am arranging for a list of the 149 statutory instruments made under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 between 1 January 1984 and 20 November 1988 to be placed in the Library of the House. No list of statutes implementing a Community obligation or of statutory instruments implementing such an obligation but made under enabling powers other than section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 exists. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  EC Documents
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many European Economic Community documents from the Commission were deposited in Parliament in 1988 or the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; of these, how many were draft or final regulations, how many draft or final directives and how many draft or final decisions; and how many of these were debated on the Floor of the House and how many in Committees upstairs.

  Mr. Wakeham
  In 1988, 770 European Community documents from the Commission and other sources were deposited in Parliament. Of these approximately 45 per cent. were proposals for Council regulations, 15 per cent. proposals for Council directives and 15 per cent. proposals for Council decisions. In the same year, following recommendations from the Commons Select Committee on European Legislation, 31 debates covering 92 documents—some of which would have been deposited before 1988—were held on the Floor of the House and eight debates covering 17 documents were held in Standing Committee.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Manufacturing Productivity
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount productivity has increased among manufacturing firms in the north-west over the last two years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Major
  Figures for productivity growth in the north-west are not available. Manufacturing industry throughout the regions has achieved significant improvements in productivity. In the three months up to November 1988, manufacturing productivity in the United Kingdom as a whole was 14½ per cent. higher than in the corresponding period two years earlier.

  Productivity
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the trends in productivity in British industry.

  Mr. Major
  Manufacturing industry has made great efficiency gains in the 1980s. Productivity in the three months up to November 1988 was 58 per cent. higher than its average level in 1980. This is equivalent to an annual average growth rate of 5·6 per cent. significantly higher than the rate of 1·6 per cent. achieved in the 1970s and 3·1 per cent. in the 1960s. Since 1980 United Kingdom manufacturing productivity growth has been higher than in any other major industrialised country.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the balance of payments in 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Major
  The Autumn Statement provided forecasts of the current account for 1988 and 1989 only. This year the current account deficit was forecast to be £11 billion. As usual a new forecast will be published on Budget day.

  Information Gathering
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans to seek improvements in the information gathered by his Department on the economy.

  Mr. Major
  The Treasury is directly responsible only for statistics on official reserves, though it is also responsible jointly with CSO for the public sector debt repayment figures. It is always looking to improve its information gathering.

  Group of Seven
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his last meeting with his counterparts in the Group of Seven.

  Mr. Lilley
  This was a useful meeting at which my right hon. Friend and his colleagues discussed developments in the world economy and the international debt situation.

  Cheque Cashing (Controls)
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to seek to extend to building societies the controls on cheque cashing which currently apply to banks.

  Mr. Lilley
  Statutory limitations on banking services also apply to building societies carrying on banking services.

  Car Tax
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total revenue from tax on new cars in 1987–88; and what is the estimated revenue for 1988–89.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer, 14 February 1989]The total revenue from tax (VAT and car tax) on new cars in 1987–88 is estimated to have been £3.4 billion. The VAT
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  element in this figure has been estimated from consumers' expenditure and businesses' purchases of cars, on which tax is not deductible.

  Car tax revenue for 1988–89 is estimated at £1·3 billion. An estimate of VAT on new vehicles for 1988–89 is not available.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total revenue from value added tax on fuel in 1987–88; and what is the estimated revenue for 1988–89.

  Mr. Lille
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]The total VAT revenue on road fuel for 1987–88 is estimated from consumers' expenditure statistics to have been £1 billion. An estimate for 1988–89 is not available.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the eventual annual cost to industry of the higher electricity prices arising from the requirement to develop nuclear power.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the eventual annual cost to industry of the higher electricity prices arising from the requirement to develop nuclear power.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the eventual annual cost to industry of the higher electricity prices arising from the requirement to develop nuclear power.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Nuclear power makes an invaluable contribution to the secure supplies of electricity which are vital to keep industry running. The costs of nuclear power are already in the price of electricity; this will not change after privatisation.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has for the continuance of research and development in nuclear power following privatisation; what is to be the future role of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Research and development into nuclear power will continue to be needed by the privatised electricity supply industry. The UKAEA will continue to carry out contract research and development for the privatised esi as well as for its many other customers, as required.

  Electricity (Advertising)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals exist within the Electricity Council for mounting a pre-flotation corporate advertising campaign; what is its current corporate advertising budget; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Corporate advertising is a commercial matter for the electricity industry. I have asked the chairman of the Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member.

  Severn Barrage
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the current propects for the Severn barrage scheme in view of latest calculations on generation costs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The studies on the Severn barrage are nearing completion, and a report is expected in a few months. The report will not include financing and related issues, which will be addressed in the timescale of electricity privatisation. Prospects for a barrage scheme will be a matter for commercial judgment under the terms of the Electricity Bill before the House. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment at this stage.

  Pipeline and Storage System
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made concerning the transfer of the Government pipeline and storage system to the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  An Order in Council transferring to the Secretary of State for Defence all property, rights and liabilities relating to the Government oil and pipeline storage system has today been laid before Parliament. The order is due to come into force on I April 1989 on which day my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence will assume responsibility for the system.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Watercourses
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Taper Length river at Mill lane, Ballycarry, county Antrim, became a designated watercourse; for how long maintenance work thereon has been the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture (drainage division) Northern Ireland; what maintenance has been carried out during each of the last four years to this watercourse; if he plans to de-designate this watercourse; and what further maintenance-remedial work is planned for the Taper Length watercourse.

  Mr. Viggers
  The Redhall burn and Redhall branch drain (part of which is known historically as the Taper Length) were designated as minor watercourses by the Northern Ireland Drainage Council on 15 April 1969 and from that date the Department of Agriculture was responsible for deciding on the need for maintenance work.

  No maintenance work has been carried out in the last 4 years.

  The Drainage Council de-designated the watercourses on 7 November 1988 and from that date maintenance became the responsibility of the riparian landowners. The Department can therefore have no plans for further maintenance.

  Land Registry
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average length of time required by the Land Registry in Northern Ireland to process a transaction.
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  Mr. Needham
  The completion times for dealings vary a great deal depending on the type of dealing, its complexity, the form in which it was submitted and its dependence on other related dealings.

  Statistics on processing times are not maintained but, on the basis of a random sample of cases, the average times are as follows:

  Working days

  Cases not queried

  Cases queried

  Dealings of whole

  34

  86

  Transfers of part

  81

  143

  Leases

  94

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  Housing
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his reply of 11 January,Official Report, columns 697–98, if he will seek a report from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive as to why the lowest tender from a contractor, having been selected by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive as one of the 10 contractors suitable to tender for the scheme at Lower crescent, Comber, was not accepted.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. The chief executive has advised me that the lowest tender was not accepted as the tendered had recently been awarded another Housing Executive contract which, together with the Lower crescent, Comber contract would have exceeded the financial capacity
  available to the tenderer.

  Gipsy Caravans
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his reply of 24 January,Official Report, columns 489–90, what was the extent of support given towards the replacement of the two caravans which were burnt at the site at the junction of Middletown/Rookford roads, Armagh.

  Mr. Needham
  None.

  Education and Library Boards
  Mr. McCusker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of the youth training programme financial allocations to the education and library boards in Northern Ireland for 1989–90.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Details should be available next month, and I shall then write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. McCusker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dairy cows are being injected with bovine somatotropin in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Viggers
  None.

  Dogs
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the estimated costs of administration, per dog licensed, of the dog registration scheme currently operating in Northern Ireland.
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  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Social Security Payments
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the number or total value of single payments made to single parents in the past four years.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 13 February 1989]The available information is as follows:

  Single Payments1

  Number

  Value £

  May 1985 to May 1986

  56,500

  6,961,000

  May 1986 to May 1987

  58,900

  6,146,000

  1 Estimates based on a 5 per cent. sample.

  I regret that corresponding figures are not available for 1987–88.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Race Relations and Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will describe his Department's principal achievements in respect of race relations and equal opportunity since May 1979.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  To enable women to maintain their careers the Department has developed arrangements for part-time working, job sharing, and working from home, and has a well-established scheme for the reinstatement of staff in all grades who resign for domestic or associated health reasons and wish to return to work within five years. The Department monitors the recruitment of ethnic minority staff.

  To increase the awareness of staff, a majority of the training courses run by the Department now include sessions on equal opportunities. There are also a number of courses aimed specifically at women, including management training for women.

  The Government have pursued a range of measures to improve the response of the education service to ethnic diversity. These include action on initial and in-service training to prepare teachers for teaching in a multi-ethnic society; measures to increase the supply of ethnic minority teachers; an Education support grant activity which has supported some 120 projects, many designed specifically to promote good race relations; measures to promote good practice in teaching English to pupils for whom it is not the mother tongue; GCSE criteria which require that syllabuses should be free of bias and should take account of ethnic and cultural diversity; and remits to the National Curriculum Council and the Schools Examination and Assessment Council which require them to take account of the ethnic and cultural diversity of British society and of the importance of promoting equal opportunities for all pupils regardless of ethnic origin and gender.

  The Department is committed to equal opportunities for boys and girls in education and its policies for education are designed to reinforce them. Our White Paper "Better Schools" issued in 1985 made it clear that there is no place for discrimination in the curriculum on

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  the ground of sex. Our policy statement "Science 5–16," also issued in 1985, emphasised that career opportunities should be kept open for both boys and girls. The national curriculum will ensure that all pupils experience a coherent education, and prevent premature specialisation by either girls or boys.

  Astronomy
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take as a result of resolution A2 on the adverse environmental impacts on astronomy passed at the XXth general assembly of the International Astronomical Union.

  Mr. Jackson
  Resolution A2 was sponsored by the Commission on the Protection of Observatories, of which the United Kingdom is a member. Britain has extensive experience of taking special measures to protect radio telescopes from harmful interference, under the oversight of a committee including representatives of the radioastronomy community. All the major British optical and infra-red telescopes are located abroad and special measures have been taken by the host states to minimise the level of background illumination. The United Kingdom, with its partners in the European Space Agency, is currently considering a report of a working group set up to consider the problems resulting from debris in space.

  Crops Potential
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research his Department is sponsoring on the potential of crops to replace the use of wood or fossil fuels in producing materials such as paint, plastics and paper; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Over recent years the Department has provided funds to the Agricultural and Food Research Council, through the science budget, to carry out research in molecular biology. This has led to the development of genetic engineering techniques for plants, and, in particular, gene insertion. This biotechnology can now be used to develop crops for specific industrial uses. My right hon. Friend's recent allocation of increased science budget funds to the AFRC will further support the research base in genetic engineering for such purposes. Some of this funding will be used to establish a Government-funded LINK programme of co-ordinated research on crops for industrial use involving AFRC, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, the Department of Trade and industry, the Science and Engineering Research Council and several universities and industrial companies. Depending on the companies involved, the programme will be concerned with fibre production for paper pulp and construction materials, oil production for paints, plastics and lubricants and with the production of high value pharmaceuticals.

  Top-up Loans
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many responses he has now received to the "Top-up Loans for Students" White Paper; how many of these were supportive and how many opposed; and if he will place the responses in the Library.
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  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has received some 140 formal responses to the White Paper, expressing a variety of views. It is for the persons and bodies who have responded to decide whether they wish to make their views available to the House. The responses have given us no reason to believe that our plans are not well-judged. We have had helpful views and suggestions on matters on which we particularly sought comment. We shall take these into account as we proceed in our discussions with financial institutions and other bodies to develop a top-up loans scheme for introduction in the autumn of 1990.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has had from Manchester Education Committee in regard to his White Paper "Top-up Loans for Students"; what reply he is sending; if there is any action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has received a letter from the chairman of Manchester Education Committee, which he is considering with all the other responses to the White Paper.

  Olympus Satellite
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what direct funding has been made for provision of the Olympus satellite education channel to institutions and other bodies in this country; how much indirect funding has been made through such sources as training boards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Department provides no direct funding for the Olympus satellite educational channel. The determination of any indirect funding would involve disproportionate cost. The satellite is due to be launched next summer. Free transmission time is being made available for nine hours per day to educational and training bodies for a period of two years.

  Alpha Projects
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the extra money allocated over the next three years to research councils to fund individual projects is designed to increase the proportion of high quality alpha projects which may be funded, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The extra money allocated by my right hon. Friend is intended to increase the number and value of high quality alpha projects funded by the research councils. Whether it will increase the proportion of alpha-rated projects which can be funded will depend on the total number of applications graded alpha and research council decisions concerning the sums to be allocated to research grants.

  COMETT Program
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action the Government propose to take in the light of the European Council's decision by majority vote to adopt a second phase of the COMETT program on the basis of article 128 of the European Community Treaty alone.

  Mr. Jackson
  As reported by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Employment in his statement to the
  207
  House on 22 December 1988 at columns 468–79, the second phase of the community action programme in education and training for technology was agreed by a majority vote at the Labour and Social Affairs Council on 16 December 1988, with a budget of £130 million over the five years 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1994.

  COMETT is a potentially useful programme, but the Government consider that the legal base on which the second phase was adopted to be inadequate. The original COMETT programme was adopted on the basis of article 128 and article 235 of the Treaty of Rome. Article 235 requires unanimity for the adoption of a decision while article 128 requires a simple majority only. COMETT II was brought forward for decision on the basis of article 128 alone. In the Government's view, and that of a number of other member states, article 128 alone cannot properly be used as a basis for a decision including detailed implementing measures for spending programmes over several years. The United Kingdom was unable to secure a more appropriate legal base and therefore had to vote against the proposal. It is now preparing to institute formal proceedings against the Council in the European Court of Justice to have the decision annulled. The United Kingdom will, however, stand ready to discuss the adoption of a second phase of the COMETT programme on an appropriate legal base.

  Preparation for the implementation of the decision will continue while the case is before the court. Pending the decision of the court, the United Kingdom will co-operate fully with the Commission in the implementation of the programme.

TRANSPORT

  Missing Persons
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make vehicle licensing bureau records available to the Salvation Army free of charge for the forwarding of communications of missing persons on behalf of their families.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Information about keepers of vehicles is released free only to the police, local authorities investigating offences and the keepers themselves. Other enquirers must be law show reasonable cause for their inquiry and pay a £3·50 fee. Data protection principles require all inquiries to be treated on their individual merits.

  I am writing to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wansdyke of 2 February,Official Report, columns 367–68, whether his projection of the extinguishment of all debt on the Severn bridge by the year 2006 takes account of the diversion of a proportion of traffic from the existing Severn bridge to the new planed Severn bridge.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  No.

  Roads (Expenditure)
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the budget for local authority 208
  current expenditure on technical and supervisory services was combined with the budget for roads in table 8·1 of the public expenditure White Paper.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The separate subhead for professional and technical services has been abolished and the expenditure charged out to roads and public transport expenditure to bring its treatment into line with that on local transport capital expenditure and with most other services. The change was agreed with the local authority associations.

  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the reasons for the underspend on local authority capital expenditure on roads and parking for 1987–88 being revised from £145 million to £65 million in chart 8.23 of the public expenditure White Paper in 1988.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The estimated underspend given in Cm. 288–11 was based on recorded expenditure for the first quarter of 1987–88 only.

  In its evidence to the Transport Select Committee the Department (footnote to table 3, page 14 of the Committee's report, HC 442) drew attention to the uncertainty attached to these estimates.

  The revised figure shown in chart 8.23 of Cm. 621 is based on spending returns for the four quarters of 1987–8.

  The consolidated outturn figures for 1987–88 are not expected before mid-1989. They will be published in next year's public expenditure White Paper.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what amount he plans to spend on road improvement schemes in association with the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We plan to spend more than £220 million on a large programme of major trunk road improvements in Kent, some of which will help improve access to the tunnel. These schemes, some of which were brought forward for the tunnel, include major improvements to the M20, the main route between London and the tunnel.

  In addition, based on current estimates, we expect to pay Kent county council approximately £38 million in the form of transport supplementary grant towards Channel tunnel-related schemes in its programme.

  The impact of the Channel tunnel is one of many factors taken into account in the design of motorway and trunk road schemes.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if there is a standard definition of heavy goods vehicles, for statistical and administrative purposes in each of the 12 EEC countries.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There is no standard definition of heavy goods vehicle for administrative purposes in the 12 EEC countries. Each country has its own definition, mostly based on gross vehicle weight—for example, 2·8 tonnes in West Germany, 3·0 tonnes in France and 3·5 tonnes in the United Kingdom. For driver licensing purposes, most countries require a special licence only for
  209
  vehicles in excess of 7·5 tonnes gvw. The only statistical definition is that all goods vehicles over 6 tonnes gvw must be heavy goods vehicles. Again most countries adopt the same limit, which they use for administrative purposes.

  OECD has proposed a standard definition in the road safety area that uses the 3·5 tonnes limit which is used in the United Kingdom.

  A1 (Improvements)
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a statement following the public inquiry into improvements to the A1 between Wetherby and Dishforth in North Yorkshire.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A decision will be announced when the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment have completed their consideration of the inspector's report.

  Free Transport
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to which member states of the European Economic Community provide free transport for(a) pensioners, (b) disabled people and (c) unemployed people on (i) buses and (ii) trains.

  Mr. Portillo
  The authorities of member states of the European Community run a variety of concessionary travel schemes for pensioners and the disabled. I do not, however, have up-to-date detailed information on these schemes or on whether there are any schemes for the unemployed. There are also some commercially operated schemes. These include a scheme for reduced fares for the elderly operated by 18 European railways including British Rail which is open to the elderly of all the countries concerned.

  Roads (Lane Rental Contracts)
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the value to road users since 1984–85 of the use of lane rental contracts in road renewal programmes.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Lane rental contracts for major maintenance schemes on trunk roads, including motorways, are estimated to have saved about 2,000 days of lane closures worth about £35 million in reduced delay costs to road users.

  M1 (Closure)
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why two lanes of the northbound carriageway of the M1 motorway were closed to vehicular traffic on 20 January in the vicinity of junction 2.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The closures were necessary, for safety reasons, to replace worn cats eyes. The work was over by 3 pm before the evening peak.

  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, due to the large volume of traffic attempting to leave London and travel north on Fridays, he will consider restricting maintenance work on the northbound carriageway of the M 1 motorway to emergency workings only on such days.
  210
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Wherever possible to already avoid peak period working. It is not practical to remove traffic management controls, such as contraflows, on Fridays when major maintenance works are in progress.

  Further major maintenance work on the M1 is planned later this year in Bedfordshire.

  Railways (State Assistance)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the level of state assistance per head of population in pound sterling for each of the European Economic Community countries towards the publicly owned railway system in each country.

  Mr. Portillo
  The most recent information available to my Department on the public subsidy levels of European Community railway systems is contained in the ninth Commission report on the transposed annual accounts of railway undertakings for 1985, [COM (88)739 final], a copy of which is in the Library of the House. There are substantial variations between countries in accounting systems including the writing off of debt and in the arrangements for financial support, and the figures contained in the report provide only a broad comparison. Other things being equal, the railway which is the most efficient will need the least grant.

  London Area Model
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will outline the reasons for discontinuance of use of the London area model at the Transport and Road Research Laboratory; what are his responses to the report on sensitivity tests on the model; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department commissioned an audit by consultants. The results were received last spring.

  These identified deficiencies with the London area model (LAM) including its representation of road and rail capacity levels, inadequate representation of peak demands, and an inability to reproduce travel patterns experienced in recent years—particularly the growth in travel demand which has taken place since travelcards were introduced.

  It was decided to withdraw the model from further use. I will be placing a copy of the consultant's audit report in the Library.

  The transport and road research laboratory's experimental London area model (LAM) was designed to assist in the analysis of strategic policy options. The London Planning Advisory Committee (LPAC) commissioned consultants to test four transport options using the model.

  The base scenario portrayed in the report by LPAC's consultants did not represent current Government policies. The conclusions drawn were not a realistic assessment of the likely outcome. The base against which other policies are compared is ill-founded. The options described in the LPAC scenarios have included the impact of selective road improvements, stricter parking controls, selective radial rail improvements and new RER style railways. None was suitable for testing using LAM.

  The sensitivity testing work was commissioned by LPAC. The Department received a copy of the report in late January. It is for LPAC to publish the results if they so wish.

  London Underground (Crime)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action is being taken to increase the effectiveness of the British Transport police and staff of London Underground Limited in preventing crime on London Underground.

  Mr. Portillo
  New area police stations will be opened at Finsbury Park, Wembley Park and Hammersmith by April. The increasing practice of allocating officers to area police stations allows much quicker response times. The complement of the Underground division of the British Transport Police in 1985 was 280. This was increased to 350 following the publication of my Department's report on crime on the Underground and I announced a further increase in December to 400. About 80 officers of the Metropolitan and City police forces are carrying out duties on the Underground while the division is being brought up to strength.

  Under the "customer care initiative", staff of London Underground Limited are being trained to become more aware of customers needs and more available to the public. Courses for new recruits and refresher courses will now include specific training in passenger security. London Underground Limited has also recruited 28 additional staff to help carry out anti-crime measures being tested at 13 Underground stations. These schemes are examples of the measures being taken by London Underground to combat crime.

  M1-A1 Link
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he proposes to make any changes to the route of the proposed M1-A1 link road at Naseby; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  It remains my right hon. Friend's intention to build the link road on the line authorised as a trunk road by the relevant orders. This will take the road north of Naseby. We are pressing on with the remaining statutory procedures for this section of the road. We expect to start site works in the spring for the section of road from east of Kettering to Thrapston.

  Recent press reports stem from a judgement by the Court of Appeal which confirmed the validity of the decision by my right hon. Friend the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport to adopt the published route. They took this decision after considering all the evidence including the report of the inspector who conducted a long and searching public inquiry into the matter in 1984–85.

  Alternative routings at Naseby, and the importance of the battlefield, were discussed at length. The hard choice was between preserving the whole battlefield area and protecting the environment elsewhere.

  My right hon. Friends were satisfied that even the effects on the battlefield and its historic claims did not outweigh environmental and other arguments.

  The roads will cross the southern edge of the battlefield at low level in a natural valley. We do not propose to reopen the debate now.

  We intend to complete construction of the whole link road as soon as possible.

  Clapham Junction (Accident)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when and where the public inquiry into the Clapham junction railway accident will be held.

  Mr. Portillo
  The formal investigation into the Clapham junction railway accident will be held before Mr. Anthony Hidden QC and will begin on Monday 20 February 1989 at 10.30 am in Westminster Central Hall, Storey's Gate, London SW1.

  The investigation will be held in public. Advertisements are being placed in the press.

  Transport Supplementary Grant (West Sussex)
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the amount of transport supplementary grant paid to West Sussex county council for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 13 February 1989]The information is as follows:

  Year

  Grant (£ million)

  1989–90

  1·526

  1988–89

  2·730

  1987–88

  3·089

  1986–87

  3·622

  1985–86

  3·241

  Most major schemes in the county's TSG-supported programme are now complete or nearly complete. Expenditure has therefore tailed off. Expenditure on new schemes has not yet compensated for this reduction. The A259 Rustington bypass has been newly accepted for support in 1989–90.

  Military Airports (Scotland)
  Mr. Allen Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many military airports there are in Scotland.

  Mr. Neubert
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are four permanent Royal Air Force airfields in Scotland and one operated by the Procurement Executive of the Ministry of Defence. RAF Stornoway, which is normally operated as a civil airport by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, is also activated as a military airfield for up to six weeks a year. In addition there are service units located at a number of other civil airfields from which regular military flying takes place.

SCOTLAND

  Single European Market
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to prepare industry in Scotland for the advent of the single European market in 1992.

  Mr. Lang
  In addition to the Government's "Europe Open for Business" campaign which covers the whole of the United Kingdom, my Department is working closely with the Scottish Development Agency, enterprise trusts,
  213
  chambers of commerce, and other organisations in Scotland, and both Ministers and officials are taking part in an extensive series of seminars and business meetings throughout Scotland. My right hon. and learned Friend has also established the single market committee of the Scottish Economic Council to examine the impact of the Single Market on the economy of Scotland and to submit proposals to encourage those concerned to prepare for it. Our aim is to ensure that every sector of industry and commerce in Scotland is fully prepared for the challenges and opportunities which the single market will present.

  Academic Tenure
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to end academic tenure in the central institutions.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is at only three central institutions where the contractual conditions of service appear to contain restrictive grounds for dismissal of academic staff ("academic tenure"). The 1987 agreement on salaries and conditions in the grant-aided colleges contained a statement of intent by both management and staff sides to agree a common set of conditions of service applying to all academic staff in the sector. We look to the management side to deal with anomalies such as "academic tenure" in the context of that exercise.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of unemployed young males and females in the Glasgow, Shettleston constituency and of the number of jobs, excluding YTS, available to them.

  Mr. Lang
  On 13 October 1988 (the latest date for which information is available) there were 1,248 male and 500 female unemployed claimants under the age of 25 in the Glasgow, Shettleston parliamentary constituency. Vacancy statistics are not available on a parliamentary constituency or age basis. However, the total numbers of vacancies notified and remaining unfilled on 7 October 1988 at the Glasgow, Central and Parkhead jobcentres, which inter alia serve residents of the Glasgow, Shettleston parliamentary constituency, were 1,379 and 445 respectively. It is estimated that only around one third of all vacancies nationally are notified to jobcentres.

  This information is available in the Library.

  Woodland Grants
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost to public funds of the repeat consultation which the Forestry Commission is conducting, in respect of those schemes approved under the forestry grant scheme which have been transferred to the woodland grant scheme.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  These further consultations are normally very straightforward and consultees usually have little to add to their previous comments. Detailed records of the costs to public funds of these consultations are not kept separately, but they are marginal in relation to the total cost of operating the consultation procedures.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to the number of 214
  trees that will be lost from planting in 1988–89, in consequence of the repeat consultation required in respect of those schemes approved under the forestry grant scheme which have been transferred to the woodland grant scheme.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Plans of operations approved by the Forestry Commission under its grant schemes cover a five-year period and do not specify planting by individual years. It is not therefore possible to say how many trees which might have been planted in 1988–89 under the forestry grant scheme will not now be planted in that year because the applicants have decided to transfer to the woodland grant scheme.

  Water Charges
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions have been held with representatives of(a) textile, (b) fish processing and (c) food processing industries about the implications of metered water charges to be levied from 1 April 1989 subsequent to the implementation of part V, section 25 and schedule 5 to the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Metered water charges are set by the water authorities, the regional and islands councils, who are free to consult industries in their areas. The extent of discussions between the authorities and the particular industries mentioned is not known.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to seek to amend part V, section 25 and schedule 5 to the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987; and if he will make a statement on the effect of proposed metered water charges on(a) existing industries and (b) inward investment to Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  There are no plans to amend part V, section 25 of and schedule 5 to the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987.

  The new arrangements require water authorities to adopt an even-handed approach which will be fair to all classes of consumer. This will not increase the total operating cost of supplying water but the cost to each class of consumer may vary. Metered charges have risen but for businesses and industries with low water consumption and high rateable values there could be reductions in costs., resulting from the abolition of the public water rate. Also, many who pay the non-domestic water rate, typically commercial and small business ratepayers, can expect to benefit.

  Scotland remains an attractive location for companies seeking a European base. I would not envisage that the increased metered water charges would have a significant effect on the ability to attract new industries.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the metered water charges to be levied per cubic metre in each Scottish regional authority area after 1 April 1989 subsequent to the implementation of part V, paragraph 25 and schedule 5 to the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987; and if he will show the percentage increase or decrease in each case from charges in the financial year 1988–89.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The new charges set by the regional councils and the percentage increases are:
  215

  Metered water charge from 1 April 1989 pence per cubic metre

  Increase over the charge in 1988–89 per cent.

  Borders

  28·00

  27

  Central

  21·00

  24

  Dumfries and Galloway

  28·20

  64

  Fife

  26·00

  18

  Grampian

  43·00

  110

  Highland

  33·50

  72

  Lothian

  28·70

  53

  Strathclyde

  27·84

  69

  Tayside

  32·00

  39

  In Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Grampian, Highland and Strathclyde, the abolition of the public water rate will provide some offsetting savings in charges. For some consumers, these savings will more than compensate for the increase in metered charges.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the number and source of representations he has received: (a)
  216
  supporting, and (b) opposing proposed metered water charges to be levied after 1 April 1989, subsequent to the implementation of part V, paragraph 25 and schedules to the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Representations ex-pressing concern about the planned meter water charges have been received on behalf of nine trade and business associations and six companies.

  Water Supply (Aluminium Levels)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research his Department has commissioned into the effect upon humans of water supplies containing levels of aluminium in excess of the level stated in EEC directives.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Departments take note of research carried out by the water industry and other bodies and obtain the advice of a specialist medical committee on health aspects. Research into the effects of aluminium in drinking water has not been commissioned directly by the Scottish Office.

  Local Authority Finance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each district council area in Scotland(a) the value of the grant safety net payable in 1989–90, (b) the estimate of population which was used when calculating the community charge which would be levied in 1988–89, (c) the needs assessments on which the projections of 1988–89 community charge levels were based and (d) the average rate bill per adult in 1988–89.

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested is set out in the table. The figures in column 1 represent a transitional supplement to grant paid both to regional and district councils in respect of the population of the district area. This will be phased out within three to five years. The projections of community charge levels for 1988–89 were calculated on the basis of projected budgeted expenditure not client group assessments.

  Column 1 Value of safety net at taxpayer level£

  Column 2 Adult Population

  Column 3 Average rate bill per adult 1988–89£

  Berwickshire

  0

  14,424

  214

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  0

  25,710

  205

  Roxburgh

  0

  27,319

  209

  Tweeddale

  0

  11,391

  224

  Clackmannan

  0

  35,137

  237

  Falkirk

  0

  108,102

  226

  Stirling

  0

  61,958

  297

  Annandale and Eskdale

  0

  27,604

  210

  Nithsdale

  0

  43,882

  210

  Stewartry

  0

  17,929

  235

  Wigtown

  0

  23,002

  199

  Dunfermline

  0

  96,081

  244

  Kirkcaldy

  0

  111,497

  254

  North East Fife

  0

  52,114

  292

  Aberdeen City

  0

  170,657

  231

  Banff and Buchan

  0

  61,455

  192

  Gordon

  0

  50,767

  221

  Kincardine and Deeside

  0

  35,266

  224

  Moray

  0

  63,301

  182

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  0

  8,100

  243

  Caithness

  0

  20,138

  174

  Inverness

  0

  45,662

  230

  Lochaber

  0

  14,154

  213

  Nairn

  0

  7,604

  234

  Ross and Cromarty

  0

  34,405

  213

  Skye and Lochalsh

  0

  8,648

  165

  Sutherland

  0

  10,207

  164

  East Lothian

  0

  63,731

  317

  Edinburgh City

  0

  351,866

  333

  Midlothian

  182,570

  60,695

  275

  West Lothian

  0

  101,686

  271

  Argyll and Bute

  1,235,658

  49,474

  277

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  0

  30,453

  423

  Clydebank

  664,843

  37,381

  241

  Clydesdale

  417,660

  43,447

  257

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  752,861

  44,521

  271

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  635,754

  32,545

  221

  Cunninghame

  3,143,844

  100,964

  283

  Dumbarton

  1,356,316

  58,450

  309

  East Kilbride

  375,107

  61,879

  280

  Eastwood

  0

  42,311

  399

  Glasgow City

  29,151,857

  561,698

  274

  Hamilton

  367,478

  78,449

  280

  218

  Column 1 Value of safety net at taxpayer level£

  Column 2 Adult Population

  Column 3 Average rate bill per adult 1988–89£

  Inverclyde

  0

  73,531

  263

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  1,214,346

  60,702

  259

  Kyle and Carrick

  0

  87,133

  303

  Monklands

  510,925

  77,834

  255

  Motherwell

  0

  109,686

  251

  Renfrew

  1,882,902

  153,443

  284

  Strathkelvin

  151,070

  65,976

  280

  Angus

  0

  69,926

  242

  Dundee City

  0

  136,383

  278

  Perth and Kinross

  0

  95,464

  255

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the aggregate Exchequer grant paid to all local authorities in Scotland for each financial year since 1978–79(a) in cash terms and (b) at 1988–89 prices.

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  £ million

  Cash terms

  1988–89 prices

  1978–79

  1,125

  2,453

  1979–80

  1,300

  2,425

  1980–81

  1,577

  2,484

  1981–82

  1,693

  2,427

  1982–83

  1,799

  2,408

  1983–84

  1,920

  2,457

  1984–85

  1,888

  2,300

  1985–86

  1,937

  2,239

  1986–87

  1,904

  2,129

  1987–88

  2,092

  2,222

  1988–89

  2,371

  2,371

  Notes:

  1. The figures for 1986–87 to 1988–89 will be varied following the next rate support grant order. The figures reflect selective and general abatement of grant, except that for 1988–89 no adjustment has been made for grant penalties since they will be restored for authorities which bring their expenditure down to guidelines on outturn.

  2. The GDP deflator has been used to convert RSG to 1988–39 prices.

  Forestry
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what plans he has for the sale of Forestry Commission forests after 31 March when the present programme of rationalisation comes to an end; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what are the current criteria which define the conditions under which Forestry Commission forests ma .y and may not be sold; and whether it is his intention to apply those criteria in respect of any proposed Forestry Commission disposals after 31 March.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Forestry Commission's land disposals programme is at present being reviewed. My right hon. and learned Friend will make a statement to the House when the review has been completed.

  The main considerations that the Forestry Commissioners are currently required to take into account in selecting areas for sale have been set out in the form a ministerial guidelines. These are reproduced in appendix V to the commission's 1981–82 annual report, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Flood Damage
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is yet in a position to estimate the total cost of the damage and for reparation to those areas of banking which were breached as a result of the recent flooding at the river Conon. Rosshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My noble Friend the Minister of State has called for detailed reports of floodbank and other damage on the river Conon and elsewhere. He will wish to give these reports careful consideration before he is in a position to make any statement.

  Universities
  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has yet responded to the invitation from the chairman of the Standing Committee of the Scottish Universities to end the requirement that the courts of the four ancient Scottish universities should be chaired by the rector.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I replied yesterday to Principal McNicol's request by confirming that a provision is included in the Self-Governing Schools Etc. (Scotland) Bill, introduced today, to end the automatic right of the rector to chair the court of the universities of St. Andrews, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Given the role of the court, I agree that it would be more appropriate that the court as a whole should be able to choose its own chairman from among those members who are neither staff nor students at the university.

  Rating Reform
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many police officers in tied housing by district in Scotland will have to pay the personal community charge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding reply 14 February 1989]: All police officers, whether or not they occupy accommodation provided by the police authority, will have a statutory liability to pay the personal community charge. On 31 December the total number of officers occupying accommodation provided by police authorities in Scotland was 2,169; the information held centrally does not provide a breakdown by district.

EMPLOYMENT

  Engineers and Scientists
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development countries have a greater number of engineers and scientists per 100,000 of the employed work force than the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development countries have a greater number of engineers and scientists per 100,000 of the employed work force than the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Cope
  International comparisons of numbers of engineers and scientists on a common definition are not available.

  "Employment for the 1990s"
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many representations he has received so far following the publication of the White Paper, "Employment for the 1990s"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  To date, over 600 organisations and individuals have made representations about the White Paper "Employment for the 1990s". The overwhelming majority have expressed interest in and support for the establishment of the new training and enterprise councils.

  Youth Employment
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his proposals to remove the barriers to the employment of 16 to 18-year-olds.

  Mr. Cope
  Clause 8 of the Employment Bill will repeal the mass of archaic legislation restricting the hours young persons over minimum school-leaving age but under 18 can work. It will also remove other unnecessary restrictions on their employment and related administrative burdens on employers. This will increase the employment opportunities available to young persons and remove barriers to flexibility in business. Necessary health and safety protections for young persons will not be affected.

  Working Women
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the differential between the number of full-time working women in Cornwall earning less than £100 per week and the figure for the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Lee
  Estimates from the new earnings survey in April 1988 indicate that some 31 per cent. of full-time female employees in Cornwall on adult rates, whose gross earnings were not affected by absence, earned less than £100 per week. The equivalent figure for the United Kingdom as a whole is 16 per cent. Differences in the mix of occupations and industries between Cornwall and the United Kingdom as a whole contribute to regional differences in the distribution of earnings.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to revise the current operations of the employment training scheme, with specific regard to the position of those going into the scheme who are in receipt of income support or unemployment benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of filled places on the employment training programme(a) nationally and (b) in north Staffordshire.

  Mr. Nicholls
  At 3 February 1989 there were 137,100 people on employment training in Great Britain. Figures
  221
  are not separately available for north Staffordshire, but there were about 2,600 people training in Staffordshire as a whole on the same date.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the employment training programme's filled places are(a) project-based and (b) employment-based (i) nationally and (ii) in north Staffordshire.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. It is not possible to give information based only on the number on employment training and the estimates provided in the following table include those people on community programme conditions who are training with employment training managers. Figures are not separately available for north Staffordshire and have been provided for Staffordshire and a whole.

  Employment Training: Estimated Division of Filled Places at 3 February 1989

  National

  Staffordshire

  Project-ased

  98,133

  2,183

  Employment-based

  37,839

  615

  Other

  33,839

  276

  Total

  169,195

  2,074

  Disabled People
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the employment and training opportunities for disabled people.

  Mr. Lee
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Kent (Mr. Rowe) on 6 December 1988 at column 141.

  Industrial Relations Training
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it is his policy to make industrial relations training available to local authorities.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to
  make special provision for local authorities.

  Restart
  Mrs. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many restart interviews were conducted for each employment service region, between May 1988 and January 1989.

  Mr. Lee
  The number of restart interviews conducted in each employment service region between May 1988 and January 1989 is shown in the table.

  Region

  Number of interviews

  Northern

  110,000

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  150,000

  East Midlands and Eastern

  132,000

  London and South East

  330,000

  South West

  70,000

  Wales

  89,000

  West Midlands

  161,000

  North West

  242,000

  Scotland

  182,000

  222

  Region

  Number of interviews

  GREAT BRITAIN

  1,466,000

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in the most recent 12 month period, how many claimants called for restart interview have failed to attend their interview; how many of those failing to attend are believed to have found work; how many of those failing to attend have not found work; how many failing to attend have had their benefit stopped; how many of these have successfully appealed against the benefit decision; and how many failing to attend have subsequently re-registered as unemployed.

  Mr. Lee
  Between January and December 1988, a total of 2,970,000 people were called for a restart interview, of which 339,000 were referred to unemployment benefit offices for failing to attend that interview; 24,000 (7 per cent.) of these had their benefit or credits disallowed.

  The other information requested is not available.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what safeguards he has taken to ensure the confidentiality of personal information given to his staff by claimants during the course of restart interviews; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  It is the employment service's policy that information given to it by its clients, whether written or oral, is always treated in confidence. This policy covers the information given as a result of the restart process.

  YTS (Accidents)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of accidents on YTS, fatal, major and minor, for the period October to December 1988.

  Mr. Cope
  The table provides YTS accident figures for fatal, major and minor injuries for the period 1 October 10 31 December 1988:

  YTS Accidents 1 October—31 December 1988

  Period

  1 Accidents

  Fatalities

  2 Major injuries

  Minor injuries

  1 October 1988 to 31 December 1988

  33

  164

  803

  1 Training Agency figures have been compiled on a similar basis to those prepared by the Health and Safety Executive on employed persons. However, the Training Agency's figures will include a number of accidents to trainees in educational establishments and road traffic accidents which may not have been reportable to the Health and Safety Executive had the individuals been employed.

  2 Major injuries are classified according to the severity criteria laid down in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.

  3 This figure includes two road traffic accidents.

  Bridging Allowance
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 and 17-year-olds by region, were in receipt of bridging allowance at the end of November 1988, December 1988 and January.
  223
  Mr. Cope
  Figures for the number of young people in receipt of bridging allowance by region are available only for the middle of each month and are provided in the table.

  Bridging Allowance

  November ( 10 November 1988)

  December (8 December 1988)

  January (12 January 1989)

  East Midlands

  1,354

  1,164

  1,292

  West Midlands

  1,371

  1,074

  1,249

  Wales

  845

  642

  767

  London and South-East

  1,703

  1,422

  1,515

  South West

  680

  540

  623

  Northern

  1,028

  742

  930

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1,836

  1,392

  1,571

  Scotland

  2,158

  1,793

  1,813

  North West

  2,183

  2,015

  2,234

  TOTAL

  13,158

  10,784

  11,994

  YTS
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many YTS trainees were in receipt of board and lodging allowance to undertake training away from their home at the end of November 1988, December 1988 and January.

  Mr. Cope
  I regret that the information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment at the end of November 1988, December 1988 and January 1989, how many people of YTS eligible age, registered with jobcentres or the careers service were awaiting an offer of a YTS place; and, of them, how many were receiving bridging allowance or extended child benefit or income support.

  Mr. Cope
  I am satisfied that the Training Agency has more than sufficient YTS places available in all areas of the country for all those who apply for one.

  Information on numbers receiving bridging allowance (which is available only for the middle of each month) or for those whose parents were receiving extended child benefit is provided in the table. Information on the number of young people receiving income support is not available.

  Numbers receiving Bridging Allowance

  Number whose parents receiving Extended Child Benefit

  November 1988

  13,158

  16,444

  December 1988

  10,784

  15,641

  January 1989

  11,994

  1,451

  Unemployment Benefit
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) for each employment service region, how

  Six months ended 30 June 1988

  Allowed

  Disallowed

  Referred Direct to Local Tribunal

  Review Cases Revised in favour of claimant

  Revised adversely to claimant

  Not Reviewed/Revised

  Employed to full normal extent

  32,656

  11,826

  48

  150

  233

  74

  Engaged in employment

  2,315

  12,699

  11

  150

  4,501

  161

  Availability

  37,166

  38,141

  69

  1,199

  971

  713

  Restricted availability

  33,992

  10,149

  22

  416

  333

  435

  Leaving voluntarily

  86,078

  140,368

  189

  2,407

  481

  1,279

  For misconduct

  52,800

  45,769

  353

  621

  137

  426

  Neglecting to avail for employment

  2,958

  1,733

  6

  47

  10

  18

  224
  many claimants each month have been referred to the unemployment benefit service due to doubts over non-availability or doubts about their restricted availability since May 1988;

  (2) if he will show, for the 12-month period to end of December 1988, the decisions of adjudication officers on doubtful fresh claims, renewal claims and reviewed claims for unemployment benefit showing the numbers allowed, disallowed, referred to a local tribunal, revised in favour of claimants, revised adversely to claimants and not revised in the following categories of questions (a) employed to full normal extent, (b) engaged in employment, (c) availability, (d) restricted availability, (e) leaving voluntarily, (f) for misconduct, (g) neglecting to avail of employment, (h) refusal of employment, (i) refusal or premature termination of training, (j) refusal to carry out written recommendations and (k) restart.

  Mr. Lee
  Information is not available in the precise form requested. The relevant statistics have been compiled by the Department of Social Security on a six-monthly basis since January 1988, and no figures are yet available for the period ending December 1988. Statistics relating to individual regions of the employment service are not readily available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities and no statistics are kept as to the manner in which the entitlement doubt arose.

  Figures on the numbers disallowed for failure to attend a restart interview are not compiled separately.

  Subject to these qualifications, the table sets out the available information requested.
  225

  Allowed

  Disallowed

  Referred Direct to Local Tribunal

  Review Cases Revised in favour of claimant

  Revised adversely to claimant

  Not Reviewed/Revised

  Refusal of employment

  2,724

  1,205

  10

  38

  6

  7

  Refusal or premature termination of training

  1,657

  2,822

  10

  123

  55

  52

  Refusal to carry out written recommendations

  14

  28

  —

  2

  1

  —

  Labour Statistics
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will show, from the 1988 labour force survey, by region, including Greater London, and by male and female, the numbers of people who were(a) without jobs and who looked for work in the four weeks before their labour force survey interview and were available to start work within two weeks, who wanted full time jobs, the number who wanted part time jobs and the number who had no preference, (b) unemployed according to the standard labour force survey definition who were looking for full time jobs and the number looking for part time jobs and the number who had no preference, (c) in part time jobs who were looking for a different job with longer hours or looking for an additional job, (d) looking for a different job with shorter hours, (e) claimants not unemployed by the definition using broad International Labour Organisation guidelines on the grounds that they were employed and (f) claimants not unemployed by the conventional labour force survey definition on the grounds that they were employed;

  (2) if he will show, from the 1988 labour force survey by region including Greater London, and by male and female, the number of people not counted as unemployed by the definition using broad International Labour Organisation guidelines on the grounds that they had not looked for a job in the four weeks prior to interview, but

  Table A

  Self-employed in Great Britain

  Thousand

  June

  South East

  Greater London1

  East Anglia

  South West

  West Midlands

  East Midlands

  Yorkshire & Humberside

  North West

  North

  Wales

  Scotland

  1979

  Male

  544

  n/a

  64

  111

  124

  99

  107

  161

  61

  98

  128

  Female

  107

  n/a

  15

  35

  17

  17

  27

  53

  16

  26

  32

  All

  651

  n/a

  79

  146

  141

  116

  134

  214

  77

  124

  160

  1983

  Male

  567

  220

  72

  161

  137

  127

  130

  163

  64

  94

  137

  Female

  163

  59

  22

  52

  40

  30

  39

  61

  27

  32

  42

  All

  730

  279

  94

  213

  177

  157

  169

  224

  91

  126

  179

  1984

  Male

  647

  256

  83

  171

  151

  129

  159

  183

  73

  108

  145

  Female

  211

  74

  26

  62

  36

  37

  44

  75

  19

  36

  40

  All

  858

  330

  109

  233

  187

  166

  203

  258

  92

  144

  185

  1985

  Male

  686

  280

  86

  186

  145

  124

  162

  193

  79

  111

  151

  Female

  217

  80

  28

  65

  40

  33

  60

  74

  25

  35

  49

  All

  903

  360

  114

  251

  185

  157

  222

  267

  104

  146

  200

  1986

  Male

  667

  260

  81

  193

  144

  127

  163

  196

  79

  120

  165

  Female

  237

  86

  24

  63

  43

  40

  53

  71

  26

  34

  40

  All

  904

  346

  105

  256

  187

  167

  216

  267

  105

  154

  205

  226
  who stated that they would like a job if one was available, and (a) were available to start work within two weeks and (b) were not available to start work within two weeks;

  (3) if he will, from the 1988 labour force survey, publish a table for each Great Britain region and Greater London, by male and female, and claimant status, the numbers of people without work who had looked for a job in the four week reference period, and were available to start work within two weeks.

  Mr. Lee
  Results from the 1988 labour force survey are not yet available.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show by region, including Greater London, and by male and female, the number of self-employed people in June 1979, June 1983, June 1984, June 1985, June 1986, June 1987 and June 1988, and show by region, including Greater London, and by male and female the number of people in the working population in June 1979, June 1983, June 1984, June 1985, June 1986, June 1987 and June 1988.

  Mr. Lee
  Table A shows the estimated numbers of self-employed people for the areas and dates specified. Table B gives the available information for the civilian work force, which is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed, participants in work-related Government training programmes and claimant unemployed.
  227

  June

  South East

  Greater London1

  East Anglia

  South West

  West Midlands

  East Midlands

  Yorkshire & Humberside

  North West

  North

  Wales

  Scotland

  1987

  Male

  778

  303

  88

  206

  164

  144

  176

  209

  78

  105

  152

  Female

  254

  95

  39

  72

  45

  45

  60

  70

  30

  43

  42

  All

  1,032

  399

  127

  278

  209

  189

  236

  279

  108

  148

  194

  1988

  Male

  813

  317

  91

  210

  169

  149

  184

  216

  80

  108

  157

  Female

  274

  103

  43

  77

  47

  48

  64

  73

  32

  46

  45

  All

  1,087

  419

  134

  287

  216

  197

  248

  289

  112

  154

  202

  1 Included in South East.

  n/a= Not available.

  Table B

  Civilian workforce in Great Britain

  Thousands

  June

  South East

  Greater London1

  East Anglia

  South West

  West Midlands

  East Midlands

  Yorkshire & Humberside

  North West

  North

  Wales

  Scotland

  1979

  Male

  5,019

  n/a

  502

  1,093

  1,542

  1,063

  1,380

  1,831

  882

  769

  1,445

  Female

  3,345

  n/a

  308

  734

  951

  676

  873

  1,241

  554

  461

  984

  All

  8,364

  n/a

  810

  1,828

  2,493

  1,740

  2,253

  3,072

  1,436

  1,230

  2,429

  1983

  Male

  5,058

  2,452

  526

  1,138

  1,518

  1,076

  1,349

  1,747

  829

  722

  1,422

  Female

  3,444

  1,630

  330

  764

  949

  689

  870

  1,203

  537

  454

  981

  All

  8,503

  4,081

  856

  1,902

  2,467

  1,766

  2,219

  2,950

  1,366

  1,177

  2,403

  1984

  Male

  5,161

  2,487

  542

  1,161

  1,529

  1,086

  1,366

  1,753

  834

  733

  1,426

  Female

  3,629

  1,680

  348

  806

  977

  727

  903

  1,243

  552

  470

  1,008

  All

  8,790

  4,168

  890

  1,967

  2,506

  1,813

  2,269

  2,996

  1,387

  1,203

  2,433

  1985

  Male

  5,249

  2,521

  566

  1,189

  1,535

  1,128

  1,374

  1,755

  849

  736

  1,442

  Female

  3,733

  1,703

  368

  830

  1,008

  753

  942

  1,262

  563

  470

  1,029

  All

  8,981

  4,225

  934

  2,019

  2,543

  1,881

  2,316

  3,017

  1,412

  1,206

  2,470

  1986

  Male

  5,231

  2,502

  579

  1,190

  1,542

  1,126

  1,384

  1,731

  852

  734

  1,442

  Female

  3,834

  1,730

  377

  845

  1,033

  774

  952

  1,273

  582

  468

  1,026

  All

  9,065

  4,232

  956

  2,035

  2,575

  1,900

  2,336

  3,004

  1,434

  1,202

  2,468

  1987

  Male

  5,287

  2,501

  598

  1,196

  1,554

  1,134

  1,383

  1,708

  847

  703

  1,416

  Female

  3,909

  1,747

  406

  870

  1,052

  790

  973

  1,278

  588

  478

  1,037

  All

  9,196

  4,248

  1,005

  2,066

  2,605

  1,924

  2,356

  2,986

  1,435

  1,181

  2,454

  1988

  Male

  5,238

  2,468

  614

  1,173

  1,528

  1,128

  1,359

  1,663

  835

  689

  1,381

  Female

  3,970

  1,755

  416

  869

  1,064

  800

  982

  1,268

  592

  486

  1,038

  All

  9,207

  4,224

  1,029

  2,042

  2,591

  1,928

  2,342

  2,932

  1,427

  1,175

  2,420

  1 Included in South East.

  n/a =Not available.

  Tourism
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will announce the date for the publication of the review of the English tourist authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The tourism review report is still under consideration. A response will be made in due course.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the review on the section 4 aid scheme to the English tourist board will be completed; if he has any proposals for interim funding whilst aid is suspended; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The tourism review report is under consideration. There are no plans for interim funding.
  228
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what grants were made out of the section 4 aid scheme to the North-West tourist board for the last year that figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  During the financial year 1987–88 the English tourist board made offers of assistance under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 totalling £2·062 million to 73 projects in the North-West tourist board area.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report those

  229
  respondents to the wages councils consultative document who supported total abolition of the system and, separately, those who responded otherwise.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is not the Government's practice to disclose the positions of respondents to consultation documents except where the individuals or organisations concerned have themselves publicised their views.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the respondents to the wages councils consultative document supported total abolition of the system; and how many responded otherwise.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Nearly 400 responses have been received. Not all express a clear preference for abolition or retention. An analysis cannot be published until all the responses have been properly categorised.

  Workplace and Environment
  Mr. Oakes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors he estimates will be necessary to enforce the European workplace and environmental directives.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Until current draft directives emerge in their final shape from negotiations, it is not possible to state what, if any, implications they might have for requirements for factory inspectors. Resources for the Health and Safety Executive are reviewed annually.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Oakes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors there were to enforce the Health and Safety at Work Regulations in each of the years 1986, 1987, 1988 and at the present time, respectively.

  Mr. Nicholls
  On 1 April in each year the total number of factory inspectors responsible for enforcing health and safety at work regulations, who are employed in the Health and Safety Executive's area offices, were:

  Number

  1986

  540

  1987

  538·5

  1988

  514·5

  19891

  533

  1 1 February 1989.

  In addition to those employed in area offices, at 1 February 1989, a total of 77 factory inspectors were working elsewhere in HSE, in management work in factory inspectorate headquarters, or contributing to policy and standards development. Recruitment to the factory inspectorate is currently under way.

  Cumulative totals period ending

  London North

  London South

  Midlands

  North East

  North West

  Wales and South West

  Scotland

  Greet Britain

  25 November 1988

  Aplications received

  138

  104

  188

  279

  214

  159

  378

  1,460

  Directions given

  101

  75

  143

  184

  137

  104

  236

  980

  30 December 1988

  Applications received

  209

  153

  291

  467

  368

  221

  691

  2,400

  Directions given

  143

  107

  212

  319

  242

  150

  454

  1,627

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensioners
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of pensioners, and the percentage of all pensioners, claiming one or more means-tested benefits run by his Department.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 18 January at columns 241–42. There is no current way of identifying those pensioners who are in receipt of family credit, but the number is likely to be very small.

  Members' Correspondence
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average time taken to reply to hon. Members' letters in each of the last six months for which figures can be calculated.

  Mr. Moore
  From August 1988 to January 1989 a total of 7,852 letters were received for ministerial reply. The average time taken to reply over this period is as follows, with DHSS figures for a year earlier shown in brackets.

  (Calendar days)

  Month

  Average time

  Previous year

  August 1988

  28

  (31)

  September 1988

  31

  (34)

  October 1988

  28

  (35)

  November 1988

  29

  (33)

  December 1988

  30

  (39)

  January 19891

  44

  (53)

  1 January figures reflect the reduction in activity over the Christmas and new year holiday period. For replies issued in the first 10 days of February 1989, the average time was 33 days.

  Income Support
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many 16 and 17-year-olds, by region, had made applications for income support on grounds of extreme harship; how many had been granted at the end of November 1988, December 1988 and January; and how many at the same dates had been granted income support on grounds of being within exempted categories, shown by category.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The numbers of 16 and 17-year-olds granted income support because they fell within one of the groups defined in regulations ceased to be collected after October 1988 and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The number of applications from 16 and 17-year-olds on grounds of ''severe hardship", and the number of directions given to enable benefit to be paid at each of the dates specified are in the table:
  231

  Cumulative totals period ending

  London North

  London South

  Midlands

  North East

  North West

  Wales and South West

  Scotland

  Great Britain

  27 January 1989

  Applications received

  281

  213

  382

  705

  516

  328

  1,067

  3,492

  Directions given

  181

  143

  279

  482

  320

  209

  718

  2,332

  Notes:

  1. Based on 100 per cent. count of applications received.

  2. Information relates to the number of applications received rather than to the number of individual young people involved. Some individuals may have received more than one direction.

  3. Figures are cumulative to the last Friday in each month.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are receiving income support by way of the Department of Social Security offices in Greenock and Port Glasgow; and what were the comparable figures for those in receipt of supplementary benefit in(a) 1979 and (b)

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 26 January 1989 at columns 708–10.

  Benefits (Disqualification)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, further to his reply of 25 January, to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood,Official Report, columns 613–14, he will provide the information on referrals and disallowances with reference to non-availability for work separately for men and women.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  These statistics are not kept separately for men and women.

  Fraudulent Claims
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, in order to prevent fraudulent claims, he will consider requiring all claimants for social security benefit to attend to collect it in person at least once a month, or to provide a doctor's note stating why such attendance is not possible.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. This is not considered to be an effective or efficient means of preventing fraudulent claims.

  Overseas Visitors
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what instructions he has given to social security staff on dealing with a claimant who is a visitor to Britain and who alleges benefit is necessary because his or her sponsor has withdrawn sponsorship;

  (2) if he will take steps to withdraw eligibility for benefit from visitors from abroad whose sponsors have withdrawn sponsorship.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are no provisions for a sponsor to withdraw sponsorship. A sponsored person enters Britain as an immigrant and is typically an elderly parent of the sponsor, who undertakes to provide him with full support including housing. Sponsorship creates a permanent legal liability for a sponsor to maintain the person he has sponsored and this liability is enforced wherever necessary. When, exceptionally, a sponsored immigrant claims income support, social security staff have instructions to contact the sponsor to ensure that he continues to fulfil his undertaking where he has the means. The Department can take proceedings to recover benefit 232
  from him if he withdraws support without good cause. These arrangements provide a good safeguard against abuse of the social security system and we have no proposals to change them.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures for public expenditure in 1987–88 prices on standard housing benefit between the years 1982–83 and 1990–91 in the manner of his answer to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North,Official Report, 31 October 1988, column 494.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is in the table. The figures are consistent with those given in my earlier reply. Standard housing benefit was introduced in 1983–84. Prior to this, assistance with housing costs was through the rent rebate and allowance scheme run by the Department of Environment.

  £ Million 1987–88 prices Great Britain

  Standard Housing Benefit

  Housing Benefit to people not on Income Support

  1983–84

  1,030

  —

  1984–85

  1,100

  —

  1985–86

  1,110

  —

  1986–87

  1,160

  —

  1987–88

  1,200

  —

  1988–89

  —

  1,130

  1989–90

  —

  1,100

  1990–91

  —

  1,100

  The relevant information for 1982–83 is contained under the headings "rent rebate" and "rent allowance" in the table given in my earlier reply.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the percentage of the annual social fund budget allocated for each month of 1988–89 for grants and loans in those offices covering the Nottingham, North constituency; what other social fund claims and payments have been made to date broken down into (i) the number for social fund claims issued and returned for each of grants, budget loans and for crisis loans, (ii) the number of awards, partial awards and refunds for other grants and loans, (iii) the average payment and (iv) the number of awards successful on review; and if he will give the loans for claimant groups E, A and pensioners.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The local offices of the Department which serve the Nottingham, North constituency are Nottingham David lane and Nottingham Shakespeare street but their boundaries are not conterminous.
  233
  Details of the numbers of applications for social fund loans and grants processed and awarded, listed by local office, including information Oil budget allocations and expenditure, is available from the information held in the Library. Local offices do not have monthly budgets. To assist local office management there is a national profile of anticipated monthly expenditure which may be adjusted to reflect local demands. Details of the national profile were given in my predecessors reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 11 July 1988 at column 61.

  No statistics are maintained on the number of claim and application forms issued to potential social fund claimants and applicants and their representatives. Details of claimants and applicants are not recorded in the format of claimant groups E, A and pensioners.

  B. Loans awarded to social fund clients group

  Client group

  01

  02

  03

  04

  05

  Loans awarded

  16

  16

  140

  16

  219

  Amount awarded

  £2,805·86

  £3,266·22

  £16,937·95

  £3,529·33

  £33,561·14

  Client group

  06

  07

  08

  09

  10

  Loans awarded

  85

  1,697

  32

  60

  838

  Amount awarded

  £11,961·09

  £252,542·95

  £5,611·92

  £5,887·10

  £134,602·04

  Client group

  11

  12

  13

  15

  Loans awarded

  1,367

  43

  288

  119

  Amount awarded

  £114,902·94

  £7,517·46

  £22,855·56

  £6,712·27

  C. List of social fund Client group codes

  Code

  Client group

  01

  Aged over 80 with higher pensioner premium

  02

  Aged 60–79 disabled with higher pensioner premium

  03

  Aged 60–79 with ordinary pensioner premium or over 60 without pensioner premium

  Applicant and partner aged under 60

  04

  Lone parent with disability premium

  05

  Family with disability premium

  06

  Other with disability premium

  07

  Lone parent without disability premium

  08

  Unemployed with family premium—signing quarterly

  09

  Unemployed without family premium—signing quarterly

  10

  Unemployed or with training allowance—with family premium

  11

  Unemployed or with training allowance—without family premium

  12

  Others with family premium

  13

  Others without family premium

  15

  Applicants not receiving Income Support

  B. Loans awarded to social fund clients group

  Client group

  01

  02

  03

  04

  05

  Loans awarded

  18

  21

  266

  25

  219

  Amount awarded

  £3,082·01

  £3,825·86

  £33,201·21

  £5,489·58

  £62,547·72

  Client group

  06

  07

  08

  09

  10

  234
  An analysis of loans awarded by client groups, and details of the number of applications successful on review for each social fund client group in the offices requested for the period to the end of December 1988 are shown in the tables.

  A. The number of social fund applications successful on review

  Local office

  Number

  Amount awarded

  David lane

  53

  £13,404·61

  Shakespeare street

  50

  £9,679·57

  Total

  103

  £23,084·18

  Social Fund
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish for all the social security offices in the Bradford and Keighley area the information on loans awarded by client group and awards successful on review under the social fund provided in his answer of 30 January,Official Report, columns 67–68.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Details of the numbers of social fund loans awarded, and the number of awards successful on review for the offices in the Bradford and Keighley area for the period 11 April 1988 to 31 January 1989 are shown in the tables.

  A. The number of social fund awards successful on review

  Local office

  Number

  Amount awarded £

  Bradford East

  37

  £8,810·53

  Bradford South

  55

  £10,095·46

  Bradford West

  41

  £8,797·53

  Keighley

  48

  £7,058·54

  Total

  181

  £34,762·06

  235

  Client group

  01

  02

  03

  04

  05

  Loans awarded

  193

  2,982

  72

  257

  1,229

  Amount awarded

  £26,830·62

  £411,456·78

  £13,224·95

  £30,230·54

  £182,152·08

  Client group

  11

  12

  13

  15

  Loans awarded

  2,395

  110

  730

  458

  Amount awarded

  £221,709·59

  £14,037·81

  £56,304

  £21,737·14

  C. List of social fund client group codes

  Code

  Client group

  01

  Aged over 80 with higher pensioner premium

  02

  Aged 60–79 disabled with higher pensioner premium

  03

  Aged 60–79 with ordinary pensioner premium or over 60 without pensioner premium

  Applicant and partner aged under 60

  04

  Lone parent with disability premium

  05

  Family with disability premium

  06

  Other with disability premium

  07

  Lone parent without disability premium

  08

  Unemployed with family premium—signing quarterly

  09

  Unemployed without family premium—signing quarterly

  10

  Unemployed or with training allowance—with family premium

  11

  Unemployed or with training allowance—without family premium

  Supplementary benefit

  1 July 1987 to 28 July 1987

  29 July 1987 to 25 August 1987

  26 August 1987 to 22 September 1987

  23 September 1987 to 20 October 1987

  21 October 1987 to 17 November 1987

  Single payments awards 000s

  182

  188

  180

  206

  233

  Expenditure £ million

  14·700

  15·300

  14·300

  16·000

  17·800

  Urgent needs payments single payments decisions

  1,056

  1,076

  1,027

  1,140

  1,337

  Expenditure £ million

  0·980

  0·102

  0·106

  0·107

  0·140

  Supplementary benefit

  18 November 1987 to 15 December 1987

  16 December 1987 to 12 January 1988

  13 January 1988 to 9 February 1988

  10 February 1988 to 8 March 1988

  9 March 1988 to 8 April 1988

  Single payments awards 000s

  236

  145

  263

  298

  311

  Expenditure £ million

  17·900

  11·400

  19·700

  22·200

  23·800

  Urgent needs payments single payments decisions

  1,313

  933

  1,375

  1,440

  1,501

  Expenditure £ million

  0·136

  0·970

  0·132

  0·155

  0·142

  Flooding (Highlands)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, following the recent flooding damage in the Scottish Highlands he will(a) now introduce emergency regulations to widen the criteria for eligibility to grants or loans under the current social fund allocation at Inverness Department of Social Security and (b) increase the size of the Inverness Department of Social Security's current social fund allocation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Social fund crisis loans are available to help people meet costs arising from an emergency or disaster where no other help is immediately available. It is not a requirement that the applicant has to be on income support. Budgeting loans and community care grants may also be available in certain circumstances. The manager of the Department's Inverness office has been in touch with
  236

  Code

  Client group

  12

  Others with family premium

  13

  Others without family premium

  15

  Applicants not receiving Income Support

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the information on loans for special needs under the social fund and comparable figures for single and urgent needs payments contained in his reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell),Official Report,18 July 1988, columns 484–86.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information on single and urgent needs payments for the period 1 July 1987 to 8 April 1988 is given in the table. Information on social fund loans for the period from 1 July 1988 may be obtained from the information in the Library.

  the local authority and local police throughout the emergency and has arranged local radio and press publicity about the help available from the social fund. As at 13 February one application for a crisis loan had been made as a result of the flooding. A loan was offered, but the applicant subsequently refused to take it up. There have also been three applications for community care grants, one of which has been awarded, and the other two are under consideration. There is no indication that the office's social fund budget allocation for the current year will be insufficient and we have at present no plans to increase it nor to extend the eligibility criteria.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has completed his review of national insurance contribution rates for 1989–90.
  237
  Mr. Scott
  We have reviewed the national insurance contribution rates paid by serving members of Her Majesty's forces, by share fishermen and by volunteer development workers. Following a review by the Government Actuary, the special rates of national insurance contributions paid by members of Her Majesty's forces will be changed. The rate of abatement will be reduced by 0·15 per cent. for both employees and employers to 0·65 per cent. and 0·70 per cent. respectively with effect from 6 April 1989. The special class 2 rate of contributions paid by share fishermen will be reduced from £6·55 a week to £5·80 a week for the 1989–90 tax year.

  The special rate of contributions paid by volunteer development workers will be set at the combined class 1 national insurance contribution payable by an employee and his employer at the lower earnings limit for each tax year. The rate payable in the 1989–90 tax year will be £4·30 a week.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Business Seals
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will outline steps he plans to take to improve markets for companies involved in the manufacture of business seals.

  Mr. Maude
  None.

  British Shipbuilders
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the chairman of British Shipbuilders; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Newton
  I last met the chairman of British Shipbuilders on 12 January. We discussed matters of current interest to the corporation.

  Inner Cities
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's inner cities initiatives.

  Mr. Newton
  The inner city task forces have made good progress in meeting their objectives of securing more jobs and training for local people and encouraging local enterprise. Since the task forces began their work in 1986 they have committed about £33 million in support of nearly 1,100 projects. These will generate, or safeguard, nearly 4,000 jobs, facilitate over 23,500 training places and provide support for over 2,600 businesses. Over 450 private sector companies have supported task force projects.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many projects have been supported by his Department's inner city task forces.

  Mr. Forth
  The inner city task forces have made good progress in meeting their objectives of securing more jobs and training for local people and encouraging local enterprise. Since the task forces began their work in 1986 they have committed about £33 million to supporting nearly 1,100 projects. These will generate, or safeguard, nearly 4,000 jobs, facilitate over 23,500 training places and 238
  provide support for over 2,600 businesses. Over 450 private sector companies have supported task force projects.

  Mr. Curry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what contact he has had with voluntary organisations regarding their work in inner city regeneration.

  Mr. Newton
  I am in regular contact with voluntary organisations and am well aware of their important contribution to urban regeneration. Since taking up my post as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster I have had meetings with the National Council of Voluntary Organisations, and Outset, and I have spoken at Save the Children and Community Projects Foundation functions.

  Companies (Decision-making)
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to increase the power of shareholders in company decision-making.

  Mr. Maude
  No, but the Government intend to bring forward amendments to the Companies Bill which will enable shareholders of private companies to decide whether certain internal procedures should apply in their company. Similarly the Government intend to bring forward amendments to widen the scope of section 459 of the Act so that a shareholder may apply to the court for an order on the ground that the company's affairs are being, or have been, conducted in a manner which is unfairly prejudicial to the members of the company in general.

  Companies (Political Donations)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to bring forward legislation further regulating grants from companies to political parties.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to bring forward legislation further regulating grants from companies to political parties.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer that I gave today to the hon. Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. Hughes).

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to bring forward legislation further regulating grants from companies to political parties.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 9 February 1989]No.

  Consumer Credit
  Mr. John Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the increase in personal consumer credit in the last year.

  Mr. Maude
  About £5·9 billion.

  EC (Competition Policy)
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to meet the new European Community Commissioner responsible for competition policy.
  239
  Mr. Maude
  I expect to see Sir Leon Brittan later this month.

  Sir David Price
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what advice he is offering the European Commission on developing its policies for dealing with monopoly and restraint of trade.

  Mr. Maude
  My Department is in regular contact with the European Commission on a range of matters concerning the development and implementation of EC competition policy. In common with other member states, the United Kingdom also has a formal role in advising the Commission on individual cases and policy proposals through the advisory committee on restrictive practices and dominant positions.

  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has discussed the harmonisation of monopolies and mergers legislation with the responsible European Commissioner; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State discussed competition policy issues with Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan on 30 January.

  Electronics and Telecommunications
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will rank the major American, Japanese and European companies in the electronics and telecommunications markets by total group sales.

  Mr. Forth
  According to the 1988–89 edition of "The Times 1000" publication, the international ranking by group sales or turnover of the top 10 major electronics and telecommunications companies, excluding postal and telephone systems operators, is as follows:

  Group sales £ billion

  1. IBM (United States of America)

  31·7

  2. General Electric (United States of America)

  22·9

  3. Hitachi (Japan)

  21·8

  4. Matsushita (Japan)

  18·0

  5. Siemens (Germany)

  16·5

  6. Philips (Netherlands)

  15·0

  7. Toshiba (Japan)

  14·5

  8. CGE (France)

  12·1

  9. NEC (Japan)

  10·7

  10. Mitsubishi Electric (Japan)

  9·2

  Multi-fibre Arrangement
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the result of recent European Economic Community negotiations with China on the multi-fibre arrangement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The negotiations between China and the European Community for a new bilateral textile agreement under the multi-fibre arrangement were concluded in December 1988. The text of the agreement reached is set out in the annex to Council decision 88/656/EEC which is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, dated 31 December 1988, reference OJL 380, which is available in the Library of the House.
  240
  Full details of the application of the agreement in each member state, in the form of an EEC implementing regulation, are still awaited from the Commission. The agreement has been provisionally applied by the Council of Ministers from 1 January 1989. The agreement will be submitted to Council for final approval in due course.

  Manufactured Trade
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest estimate of the deficit in manufactured trade for 1988–89.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The balance of trade in manufactured goods in 1988 is provisionally estimated to have been in deficit by £14·3 billion.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest estimate of the deficit in manufactured trade for 1988–89.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The balance of trade in manufactured goods in 1988 is provisionally estimated to have been in deficit by £14·3 billion.

  "Action for Cities"
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many offers of assistance have resulted from the "Action for Cities" presentations.

  Mr. Newton
  More than 400 of the firms represented at the seven "Action for Cities" working breakfasts held during 1988 expressed an interest in supporting the Government's inner city initiatives.

  Chatlines
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had with Oftel regarding the provision of chatline services.

  Mr. Atkins
  Both my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I meet the Director of Telecommunications from time to time. At those meetings many significant telecommunications topics, including chatline services, have been covered.

  Companies Bill
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received on the terms of the Companies Bill[Lords].

  Mr. Maude
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 9 February at column 754.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent representations he has received on the terms of the Companies Bill[Lords].

  Mr. Maude
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 9 February at column 754.

  Securities and Investments Board
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board; and what matters were discussed.
  241
  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. and noble Friend and I will be meeting the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board today. A range of topics concerning the regulation of financial services will be discussed.

  Mergers
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has of spending on mergers by companies in 1989.

  Mr. Ted Garret
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has of spending on mergers by companies in 1989.

  Mr. Maude
  Information for 1989 is not yet available. Statistics of acquisitions and mergers by industrial and commercial companies within the United Kingdom in 1988 were published in British Business on Friday 10 February.

  Public Purchasing
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will seek to ensure that public purchasing from abroad should be on terms which do not unfairly or illegally disadvantage home producers.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Yes, indeed.

  EC Trade Mark Office
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the progress in London's bids to host the European Economic Community trade mark office.

  Mr. Newton
  Ten states originally submitted bids to host the Community trade mark office. London was included in a shortlist of four drawn up by the European Commission in 1987. The final choice, which requires unanimity, will be made by the Council of Ministers. It is not possible to predict when it is likely to reach a decision.

  Personal Communications
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what response he has had to his Department's consultation paper entitled "Personal Communications in the 1990s".

  Mr. Atkins
  The publication of this document on 26 January has stimulated much interest. More than 700 copies have been distributed on request. Recipients have until 28 April in which to return comments.

  Overseas Companies
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many overseas companies set up operations in Britain in 1988.

  Mr. Atkins
  According to the latest figures known to the Invest in Britain Bureau, during the first three quarters of 1988, 263 inward investment decisions were made to locate in the United Kingdom. These include the establishment of a new business, expansion or acquisition of an existing business and involvement in joint venture.

  New Businesses
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many new businesses started in 242
  the past year employed (a) up to 10 people, (b) up to 100 people and (c) more than 100 people; what are the comparable figures for the year up to 3 May 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  In 1987, the latest year for which estimates were published, the number of new businesses registering for VAT in the United Kingdom was 205,000. In 1980, the earliest available year, the comparable figure is 158,000. Although information on the numbers of people employed is not recorded at registration, the estimates of turnover suggest that most employed less than 100.

  Chambers of Commerce
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met representatives of the chambers of commerce; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Newton
  I met representatives of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce on 25 January. A wide range of matters were discussed.

  Companies (Performance)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what measures he proposes to take to enable investors to make fair comparisons of company performance.

  Mr. Maude
  The Companies Bill contains provisions that will make it easier for investors to compare the performance of different companies. The Bill will implement the European Community's 7th directive on company law, thereby harmonising disclosure requirements for consolidated accounts, helping to tackle the problem of off-balance sheet financing, and improving the presentation of the effects of mergers and acquisitions in some company accounts. The Government will also continue to support the efforts of the accountancy profession to make it easier to compare financial statements by the development of accounting standard.

  Trade Deficit
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries are running a larger trade deficit as a percentage of gross domestic product than the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  In 1987 Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Spain, Austria and the United States had larger visible trade deficits than the United Kingdom in relation to their gross domestic product.

  The OECD figures for 1988 are not yet complete, but we already know that at least four countries will have deficits larger than the United Kingdom when measured on this basis.

  Motor Industry
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the chairman of the Ford Motor Company (UK) to discuss the state of the motor industry.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have not met the chairman of the Ford Motor Company Ltd. since taking up office, but my Department is in regular contact with the company.

  Export Promotion
  Mr. Bevan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on progress on recent initiatives on export promotion.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We have completed the export services review foreshadowed in the White Paper "dti—the department for Enterprise". Its constituent parts are detailed in the written reply given on 17 January by myself to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Knapman) at columns 106–8.

  Recycled Paper
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimates have been made of the cost savings that could be made if his Department used recycled paper.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department uses paper having recycled content where this is consistent with operational efficiency and offers good value for money. Recycled paper can be more expensive than other types of paper of comparable quality, but I am reviewing the scope for making increased use of recycled material in the light of recent market developments.

  Liquidators
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to control and regulate the activities of liquidators.

  Mr. Maude
  The Insolvency Act 1986, which came into operation on 29 December 1986, requires all persons to be suitably qualified and authorised before acting as insolvency practitioners. This includes being appointed to the office of liquidator.

  There are no plans to regulate further their activities.

  Industry-School Links
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps his Department has taken to improve links between industry and schools.

  Mr. Forth
  My Department has a keen interest in promoting partnership between business and schools. Last year we launched the enterprise and education initiative, which is an ambitious programme that will extend the benefits of partnership activity to all schools. Working with organisations already active in the partnership area, DTI's 145 local advisers on enterprise and education will approach employers to ensure that there are places for all pupils to have at least two weeks work experience before leaving school. In addition, we are setting up a programme under which 10 per cent. of teachers will each year be given the opportunity to gain first hand experience of the world of business. My Department also supports much other partnership activity, including initial teacher training, both on a national basis and through our regional office network.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the cost to industry of the rise in base rates since April 1988.
  244
  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave today to the hon. Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall).

  Mr. Leadbitter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has had from industry on the effect of interest rate policy on the trade deficit.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Contacts which my Department has with industry often involve discussions concerning interest rate policy.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether any review of regional policy will take place in the run-up to 1992.

  Mr. Atkins
  Regional policy is under constant review.

  Trade Barriers
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action the Government are taking to ensure that the European Community does not erect protectionist trade barriers.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Community's common commercial policy is determined by the Council of Ministers on the basis of proposals from the Commission. The United Kingdom plays a full and vigorous part in this process in the light of our experience of the beneficial economic effects of competition and deregulation. The Community is negotiating in the Uruguay round of GATT negotiations for a substantial liberalisation of trade worldwide.

  Japanese Companies
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people are employed in the United Kingdom by subsidiaries of Japanese companies.

  Mr. Atkins
  According to the census of production for 1986 there were 7,800 people employed by Japanese-controlled manufacturing enterprises in the United Kingdom.

  Rural Post Offices
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on what directions he has given to the Post Office on the future level of provision of post offices in rural areas.

  Mr. Forth
  None; decisions on the appropriate level of service provision in particular areas are an operational matter for the Post Office chairman and board. As far as the general extent of the network is concerned, we have made it clear on a number of occasions that the Government remain committed to a network of offices adequate to enable the Post Office to fulfil its statutory duty to have regard to economy and efficiency and to the social, industrial and commercial needs of the United Kingdom.

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Organisation for Economic
  245
  Co-operation and Development countries have shown a greater increase in manufacturing output since 1979 than the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  Between 1979 and 1987 (latest available), the following OECD countries are recorded as showing a greater increase in manufacturing output than the United Kingdom:Canada, USA, Japan, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the latest figures he has for the levels of output of the manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Atkins
  Manufacturing output in the fourth quarter of 1988 was at a level of 117·0, based on 1985 equal to 100. This was the highest ever quarterly level, over 10½ per cent. above its 1979 average level and nearly 6 per cent. above the previous all-time peak of 1973.

  Internal Market
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many standards set under the development of the internal market are based on British standards; and how many are based on(a)German standards, (b)French standards and (c) those of other European Community countries.

  Mr. Maude
  The European standards bodies, CEN and CENELEC, adopt, wherever appropriate, agreed international (ISO and IEC) standards. Very few European standards are based on an existing standard of any one Community country.

  Single European Market
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what is the latest evidence he has of awareness in the business community about the opportunities presented by the completion of the single European market in 1992.

  Mr. Maude
  DTI's survey of business response to the single market show that over 90 per cent. of firms throughout the country are aware of the single market challenge.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current percentage of United Kingdom businesses exporting to European Economic Community countries; and what effect he expects the 1992 European single market campaign to have on that figure.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]It is not possible directly to answer the hon. Member's question in percentage terms. In 1988 European Community countries accounted for 50 per cent. of total United Kingdom exports. The effects of the 1992 single European market campaign on that figure depend on the extent to which United Kingdom businesses take full advantage of the opportunities opening up to them.

  Industrial Regeneration (Sunderland)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made on the package of measures he announced in December to assist industrial regeneration in Sunderland.
  246
  Mr. Newton
  I am pleased to say that good progress is being made on the package of measures that I announced to the House on 7 December last.

  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, is at present consulting in the European Commission on the proposals for an enterprise zone. In the meantime discussions are taking place with local bodies in Sunderland on boundaries.

  English Estates North has drawn up plans for building the first phase of a new business park on the Hylton riverside site in conjunction with the Tyne and Wear development corporation. Work will start in early summer and be completed by the end of the year.

  A new company has been formed to undertake counselling, placement and training of employees affected by the NESL closure. A total of £5 million has been set aside for this. To date, over 1,000 people have received counselling and out of those more than 200 have been successfully placed. A further £5 million of the fund is to be administered via a recently launched initiative led by the private sector, with the participation of the Sunderland borough council and Tyne and Wear development corporation. This body, the Wearside Opportunity, will concentrate on local initiatives to help regenerate industry by encouraging local enterprise through project support and business leadership. An experienced official from my Department has been seconded to the Wearside Opportunity to provide administrative back-up. Progress is being made in identifying projects requiring support.

  In addition to these measures, I have made available, via the city action team, a further £1·5 million during the current financial year for 13 enterprise and training projects in Sunderland.

  Funeral Costs
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action he is taking in response to the report published by the Office of Fair Trading on funeral costs.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 1 February at columns 263–64.

  Imperial Weights and Measures
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what responses he has received in favour of the continued availability of imperial weights and measures.

  Mr. Maude
  Some 700 trade, industry, local authority and consumer organisations were consulted last autumn on proposals to phase out the remaining imperial units of measurement for most trade purposes by the end of 1994 subject to certain exemptions, including the pint for sales of draught beer and cider and milk in returnable bottles; the troy ounce for bullion dealing; and the mile for speed and distance measurement. Only two organisations responded opposing the general principle of further metrication. However, 22 requests were received to continue the use of imperial units for certain other specific purposes.

  Knitwear and Hosiery (Leicester)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the current state of the knitwear and hosiery industries in Leicester.
  247
  Mr. Atkins
  While I recognise the difficulties facing many firms in this sector, the hosiery and knitwear industries have made a major contribution to Leicester's economic and industrial development. I am confident that they will continue to adapt to technological and other changes to the further benefit of the local and national economies.

  Cellular Radio
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps his Department has taken to relieve congestion in the cellular radio network.

  Mr. Atkins
  As I announced on 26 January we are extending the availability to the cellular radio operators of 400 radio channels, until now reserved for MOD use except in the area of central London, out to the area embraced by the M25 and five miles beyond. The use of these channels will be on a pre-emptible basis.

  Enterprise Initiative
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many applications have been received for consultancy projects through the enterprise initiative.

  Mr. Newton
  Since the launch of the scheme in January 1988 over 18,000 applications for assisted consultancy had been received up to the end of January 1989.

  Civil Research and Development
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development countries spend a greater proportion of gross domestic product on civil research and development than the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Forth
  The available information is for 1985 and relates to gross expenditure on research and development (R&D), excluding R&D for defence purposes funded by national defence ministries as a percentage of gross domestic product. This showed that the following countries spent a greater proportion than the United Kingdom in 1985.

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Japan

  Netherlands

  Sweden

  Switzerland

  United States

  Thirteen other OECD member countries spent a smaller proportion than the United Kingdom.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Wall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is now his estimate for the deficit on the balance of payments for 1988.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The deficit on the current account of the balance of payments for 1988 is provisionally estimated to be £14·3 billion.

  Takeover Bids
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many takeover bids were considered by the Office of Fair Trading in 1988.
  248
  Mr. Maude
  In 1988 the Office of Fair Trading considered 306 merger situations qualifying under the terms of the Fair Trading Act 1973 for reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many takeover bids were recommended for referral to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1988.

  Mr. Maude
  Ten qualifying merger situations were recommended for reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1988.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many takeover bids were referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1988.

  Mr. Maude
  Ten qualifying merger situations were referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1988.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many letters he received from hon. Members on takeover bids in 1988.

  Mr. Maude
  During 1988 hon. Members sent in a considerable number of letters on this subject, but a precise count is not feasible.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many parliamentary questions he answered on takeover bids in 1988.

  Mr. Maude
  In 1988 more than 50 parliamentary questions were answered on mergers and related issues.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list in order of priority the factors he takes into account in reaching decisions to refer takeover bids to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Maude
  In making his decision on whether or not to refer a merger situation to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State takes account of all aspects of a merger which might have a bearing on the public interest.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many letters were sent by hon. Members to the Director General of Fair Trading on takeover bids in 1988.

  Mr. Maude
  The Director General of Fair Trading received a considerable number of letters from hon. Members in 1988 about takeover bids. A precise count is not feasible.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many deputations of hon. Members the Director General of Fair Trading saw on takeover bids in 1988.

  Mr. Maude
  The Director General received three deputations of hon. Members on takeover bids and also met other hon. Members during 1988.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consideration he gives to early-day motions on takeover bids.

  Mr. Maude
  I give due consideration to all such early-day motions.

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will publish in the Official Report data for regional preferential assistance in 1987–88 on the

  Government expenditure on regional preferential assistance to industry1 1987–88

  Great Britain

  North

  York and Humberside

  East Midlands

  South West

  West Midlands

  North West

  England

  Wales

  Scotland

  Regional development grants

  118·7

  29·0

  6·4

  0·7

  2·4

  —

  22·6

  61·1

  22·8

  34·8

  Old special development area

  78·9

  22·8

  —

  —

  0·4

  —

  16·7

  39–9

  13·0

  26·1

  Old development areas

  39·8

  6·2

  6·4

  0·7

  2·0

  —

  5·9

  21·2

  9·8

  8·7

  Old intermediate areas

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  New regional development grants

  151·9

  32·7

  11·4

  6·4

  4·6

  —

  23·1

  78·2

  30·6

  43·2

  New development areas

  151·9

  32·7

  11·4

  6·4

  4·6

  —

  23·1

  78·2

  30·6

  43·2

  New intermediate areas

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Selective financial assistance2

  148·5

  24·4

  14·1

  2·2

  4·3

  18·3

  19·4

  82·7

  28·1

  37·6

  Old special development area

  27·2

  6·7

  —

  —

  0·4

  —

  2·4

  9·5

  3·5

  14·2

  Old development areas

  23·3

  0·4

  3·8

  0·9

  1·0

  —

  0·3

  6·4

  13·3

  3·6

  Old intermediate areas

  3·6

  —

  0·7

  0·0

  0·2

  —

  1·2

  2·1

  0·4

  1·1

  New development areas

  49·2

  15·2

  1·8

  0·7

  0·5

  —

  9·7

  27·9

  5·2

  16·2

  New intermediate areas

  45·2

  2·1

  7·8

  0·6

  2·2

  18·3

  5·8

  36·8

  5·7

  2·7

  Expenditure by English estates on land and building

  46·7

  22·6

  6·7

  —

  3·4

  0·5

  13·5

  46·7

  —

  —

  New development areas

  38·1

  21·1

  3·4

  —

  2·4

  —

  11·3

  38·1

  —

  —

  New intermediate areas

  8·5

  1·5

  3·3

  —

  1·0

  0·5

  2·2

  8·5

  —

  —

  Expenditure by Scottish and Welsh development agencies' on land and factories

  64·3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  44·2

  20·1

  Development board for rural Wales

  6·5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6·5

  —

  Highlands and Islands development board

  16·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  16·4

  Total

  552·9

  108·7

  38·6

  9·3

  14·7

  18·8

  78·6

  268·7

  132·2

  152·1

  1 All figures are gross and include payments to nationalised industries. Data are presented in terms of the old definitions of Assisted Areas for those payments resulting from applications made up to 28 November 1984, and in terms of the new definitions for the payments resulting from applications after 28 November 1984.

  2 Under Section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982.

  3 It has not been possible to provide a split by Assisted Area status for expenditure by the WDA. The comparable expenditure figures of £20·1 million for the SDA comprised £16·9 million in new development areas and £2·5 million in new intermediate areas·

  Government expenditure on regional preferential assistance to industry at current prices1

  £ million

  Region

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Northern

  158·9

  147·8

  145·4

  175·1

  158·5

  124·7

  122·2

  94·4

  137·1

  108·7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  37·4

  32·1

  52·2

  61·6

  52·9

  35·5

  41·9

  34·3

  41·4

  38·6

  East Midlands3

  3·4

  4·1

  4·6

  8·6

  13·7

  17·6

  10·1

  8·3

  10·5

  9·3

  South West

  9·6

  10·7

  11·5

  14·8

  16·4

  11·9

  13·7

  11·8

  22·2

  14·7

  West Midlands4

  0·4

  0·1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5·5

  10·0

  18·8

  North West

  6114·0

  686·7

  6130·2

  6174·8

  6123 ·8

  6104·2

  6101·6

  85·9

  128·5

  78·6

  England

  323·7

  281·5

  343·9

  434·9

  365·3

  293·9

  289·5

  240·2

  349·8

  268·7

  Wales

  132·1

  100·2

  171·3

  198·1

  182·2

  116·8

  146·0

  137·7

  150·4

  132·2

  Scotland

  153·6

  130·5

  192·8

  231·9

  369·4

  227·8

  179·2

  204·7

  241·6

  1521

  Great Britain2

  609·4

  512·2

  708·0

  864·9

  917·0

  638·5

  614·6

  582·6

  741·8

  552·9

  Government expenditure on regional preferential assistance to industry at 1987–88 prices1 5

  £ million

  Region

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Northern

  325·5

  259·3

  215·3

  236·3

  199·5

  150·2

  140·0

  102·7

  144·3

  108·7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  76·6

  56·3

  77·3

  83·1

  66·6

  42·8

  48·0

  37·3

  43·6

  38·6

  East Midlands3

  7·0

  7·2

  6·8

  11·6

  17·2

  21·2

  11·6

  9·0

  11·1

  9·3

  South West

  19·7

  18·8

  17·0

  20·0

  20·6

  14·3

  15·7

  12·8

  23·4

  14·7

  West Midlands4

  0·8

  0·2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6·0

  10·5

  18·8

  North West

  6233· 5

  6152·1

  6192· 8

  6235·9

  6155· 8

  6125·5

  116·4

  93·5

  135·3

  78·6

  England

  663·1

  493·9

  509·1

  587·0

  459·8

  354·1

  331·7

  261·3

  368·2

  268·7

  Wales

  270·6

  175·8

  253·6

  267·4

  229·3

  140·7

  167·3

  149·8

  158·3

  132·2

  250
  same basis as in table 12.9 in "Regional Trends 1988"; and whether he will also state the total assistance to each standard region since 1978–79 at both current and 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is as follows:
  251

  Region

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Scotland

  314·6

  228·9

  285·4

  313·0

  464·9

  274·5

  205·3

  222·7

  254·3

  152·1

  Great Britain2

  1,248·3

  898·6

  1,048·2

  1,167·3

  1,154·1

  769·3

  704·2

  633·9

  780·8

  552·9

  1 All figures are gross and include payments to nationalised industries.

  2 The Great Britain total does not always equal the sum of the component parts due to the inclusion of expenditure which cannot be allocated to regions and because of rounding.

  3 Includes some minor expenditure in west midlands in respect of Oswestry TTWA which ceased to be an assisted area in 1982–83.

  4 Certain TTWAs in the west midlands were designated as Assisted Areas on 29 November 1984.

  5 Expenditure on a 1987·88 price basis for each year is calculated by applying the appropriate deflator to expenditure at current prices.

  6 Includes expenditure in Cumbria, otherwise shown within the totals for the northern region.

  The items included in the expenditure are regional development grants and regional selective assistance, expenditure on land and factories by the English Industrial Estates Corporation, the Scottish and Welsh Development Agencies, the Development Board for Rural Wales, and the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of inward investment to the United Kingdom has come from Japan in 1979, 1983 and 1988.

  Mr. Atkins
  The available information relates to direct investment. Net direct investment by Japanese companies in the United Kingdom was £51 million in 1979, £170 million in 1983 and £15 million in 1986, the latest year for which figures are available. Japanese direct investment accounted for 3 per cent., 8 per cent. and ½ per cent. respectively, of total net inward direct investment in those years.

  Industrial Investment
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries have shown a greater increase in industrial investment since 1979 than the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  Comparable statistics for industrial investment are available only up to 1986 and do not cover all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Of the countries for which comparisons are available, the following have shown a greater increase between 1979 and 1986 than the United Kingdom:

  United States of America

  Denmark

  Finland

  Iceland

  Netherlands

  Norway

  Sweden

  Franchising Companies
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many franchising companies he estimates there are in the United Kingdom retail sales and service sector; how many of these have been the subject of any investigation by his Department; and if he will make a statement upon the growth of the franchisor and franchisee business in the past 10 years.

  Mr. Forth
  There are no official statistics. Private studies estimate that there are some 230 business format franchisors with some 16,000 franchisees. Separate records 252
  are not kept of the number of franchise businesses investigated by the Department. A properly constructed franchise business operation can encourage enterprise.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish tables showing the percentage of gross domestic product accounted for by(a)Government expenditure and (b) all expenditure on civil research and development for each Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development country, for the years 1974, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]The available information relates to gross expenditure on research and development (R and D) in the fields of science, technology, social science and humanities and Government financing of it, as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). It is given in the following tables:

  Gross expenditure on R & D as a percentage of GDP

  1974

  1979

  1983

  1986

  Australia

  ..

  ..

  ..

  2 51·2

  Austria

  ..

  ..

  21·3

  21·3

  Belgium

  ..

  ..

  21·5

  1·6

  Canada

  1·1

  1·1

  1·3

  1·4

  Denmark

  1·0

  1·0

  1·2

  1·3

  Finland

  ..

  1·1

  1·3

  21·6

  France

  1·8

  1·8

  2·1

  2·3

  Germany

  2·1

  12·4

  2·5

  ..

  Greece

  ..

  0·

  1 20·3

  0·3

  Iceland

  ..

  0·7

  0·7

  20·7

  Ireland

  0·8

  10·7

  0·7

  0·9

  Italy

  0·7

  0·7

  1·0

  1·1

  Japan4

  2·0

  2·1

  2·6

  2·8

  Luxembourg

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Netherlands

  2·0

  1·9

  2·0

  2·2

  New Zealand

  0·9

  0·9

  20·9

  ..

  Norway

  1·3

  1·3

  1·4

  21·8

  Portugal

  ..

  ..

  ..

  50·5

  Spain

  0·3

  0·4

  0·5

  50·6

  Sweden3

  ..

  1·9

  2·5

  ..

  Switzerland

  2·3

  2·4

  12·3

  12·9

  Turke

  ..

  ..

  0·8

  0·6

  United Kingdom

  ..

  ..

  2·3

  2·4

  United States

  2·3

  2·3

  2·6

  2·7

  Yugoslavia

  ..

  0·9

  0·9

  0·9

  Source:OECD.

  .. not available.

  1 break in the series.

  2 national estimate adjusted to meet OECD norms.

  3 excludes R & D in social sciences and humanities.

  4 based on overestimated data.

  5 provisional.

  253

  Gross expenditure on R and D, financed by Government as percentage of GDP

  1983

  1979

  1983

  1986

  Australia

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Austria2

  ..

  ..

  0·6

  0·6

  Belgium

  ..

  0·4

  ..

  0·5

  Canada

  0·7

  0·6

  0·7

  0·7

  Denmark

  0·6

  0·5

  0·6

  ..

  Finland

  ..

  0·5

  0·6

  ..

  France

  1·0

  0·9

  1·1

  1·2

  Germany

  1·1

  11·0

  1·0

  ..

  Greece

  ..

  0·2

  20·2

  0·2

  Iceland

  ..

  0·5

  0·5

  ..

  Ireland

  0·5

  10·4

  0·4

  0·4

  Italy

  0·3

  0·3

  0·5

  0·6

  Japan4

  0·6

  0·6

  0·6

  0·6

  Luxembourg

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Netherlands

  0·8

  0·9

  1·0

  ..

  New Zealand

  0·7

  20·8

  0·8

  ..

  Norway

  0·8

  0·8

  0·7

  20·8

  Portugal

  ..

  ..

  ..

  50·3

  Spain

  0·1

  0·2

  0·2

  50·3

  Sweden3

  ..

  0·7

  0·9

  ..

  Switzerland

  0·4

  0·6

  10·5

  10·6

  Turkey

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  United Kingdom

  ..

  ..

  1·2

  1·0

  United States

  1·3

  1·2

  1·3

  1·4

  Yugoslavia

  ..

  0·3

  0·4

  0·4

  Source: OECD.

  .. Not available.

  1 Break in the series.

  2 National estimate adjusted to meet OECD norms.

  3 Excludes R and D in social science and humanities.

  4 Based on overestimated data.

  5 Provisional.

HEALTH

  Hospitals (Northern Region)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the hospitals in the Northern regional health authority he expects to become self-governing under the proposals in the White Paper, "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  It is too early even to estimate numbers. Over time, I expect that as many hospitals as are willing and able to do so will become self-governing.

  Child Care Workers
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of his Department's appropriate grant aid budget has been allocated to the training of child care workers over the last five years to date.

  Mr. Freeman
  Training for child care workers is primarily the responsibility of local authorities, and information on the proportion of rate support grant used for such purposes is not held centrally. The Department introduced in 1986 a central training initiative on child abuse to fund a range of projects aimed at developing training for workers from a number of disciplines and professions concerned with child abuse. Expenditure on that initiative was ?10,000 in 1986–87, £205,000 in 1987–88 and is expected to be £375,000 in 1988–89; and that programme is continuing.

  In addition, my right hon. Friend, the then Minister for Health announced on 6 July 1988 at column 1062 the introduction of additional grants of £7 million in support of expenditure of £10 million for social services child care staff in 1989–90.

  Hip Operations (Stockport)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the scale of hip operations by Stockport district health authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  Stockport health authority's record on the waiting list for hip replacement operations is one of the best in the country. Any income it obtains from the sale of hip replacement operations will be used to further improve services for National Health Service patients locally.

  Out-patients
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many out-patients were treated by the National Health Service in 1987–88; and what was the figure in 1978–79.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is given in the table.

  New out-patient attendances, NHS hospitals, England. 1987–88 and 1978.

  Number

  11987–88

  8,529,759

  21978

  7,711,912

  Source: SH3: 1978, KI-109 and KH 18: 1987–88.

  1 Patients not seen by a doctor are no longer counted.

  The figure for 1987–88 is for the financial year.

  2 The figure for 1978 is for the calendar year.

  Doctors
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of doctors in the National Health Service in 1979 and in the latest available year.

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

  Table: Doctors in the NHS hospital and community health services1 and family practitioner services: England, number.

  1979

  1987

  Hospital2

  32,607

  36,212

  Community Health Services3

  5,095

  5,542

  Family Practitioner Services4

  23,062

  27,023

  Total

  60,764

  68,777

  1 Includes permanent paid and honorary staff as at 30 September each year

  2 Excludes hospital practitioners and those employed under para 94 of the Terms and Conditions of Service ("clinical assistants") to avoid double counting of staff who are also family practitioners.

  3 Excludes Community Medicine and all occasional sessional staff.

  4 As at 1 October each year.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether, in the light of paragraph 3·12 of the White Paper, "Working for Patients", Cm 555, it is his intention to extend local settlements of pay and conditions to those employed in the general dental service;

  (2) whether he envisages setting up an audit system for general dental practitioners similar to that proposed for general medical practitioners, with a role for dental practice advisers.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Government's policy for the General Dental Service was set out in chapter 4 of the White Paper on primary care (Cm 249) "Promoting Better Health". This included proposals to introduce part time
  255
  practice advisers in a number of FPC areas as a means of improving quality control procedures and to begin discussions with the profession on changes to the dental practitioners' contract including new arrangements to assist dentists with the costs of setting up practices in area where there are too few dentists.

  Doctors' and Dentists' Pay
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether, in the light of the proposed local settlement of pay and conditions as outlined in paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, "Working for Patients", it is his intention to terminate the operation of the doctors and dentists review board machinery.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No.

  Cockroaches
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make a statement about the role of cockroaches in the spread of human disease.

  Mr. Freeman
  In the terminology of communicable disease, a "carrier" is a person or animal that harbours a specific infectious agent in the absence of discernable clinical disease and serves as a potential source of infection. Cockroaches may become carriers and can be deleterious to human health by mechanically transmitting infection. For example, a cockroach that has been in contact with infected material and then comes into contact with food can contaminate food. The Department is sponsoring research into the effectiveness of hydromethylnon in eradicating cockroaches and the development of juvenile hormone analogue which would aim to prevent the development of cockroaches to the adult stage. The results of this work are expected by the end of 1989.

  Increase adjusted for inflation4 percentage

  Region

  1988–89 main provision1

  Notional distribution of 1989–90 main provision2 in line with 1988–89 allocations

  Difference percentage column 1 and 2

  Actual 1989–90 main provision3

  Percentage cash increase over 1988–89

  Column 3

  Column 5

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  (4)

  (5)

  (6)

  (7)

  Northern

  735·3

  832·6

  13·2

  832·4

  7·7

  7·8

  2·5

  Yorkshire

  829·7

  939·5

  13·2

  937·4

  7·7

  7·8

  2·5

  Trent

  1,010·1

  1,143·9

  13·2

  1,147·2

  8·0

  7·8

  2·9

  East Anglian

  437·7

  495·6

  13·2

  497·1

  8·3

  7·8

  3·1

  North West Thames

  811·1

  918·5

  13·2

  912·9

  7·7

  7·8

  2·5

  North East Thames

  1,013·1

  1,147·3

  13·2

  1,137·0

  7·7

  7·8

  2·5

  South East Thames

  899·9

  1,019·1

  13·2

  1,018·3

  7·7

  7·8

  2·5

  South Western Thames

  747·1

  846·0

  13·2

  843·7

  7·7

  7·8

  2·5

  Wessex

  614·6

  695·9

  13·2

  699·1

  7·7

  7·8

  2·5

  Oxford

  482·4

  546·3

  13·2

  557·6

  9·0

  7·8

  3·8

  South Western

  731·6

  828·4

  13·2

  832·4

  7·7

  7·8

  2·5

  West Midlands

  1,185·6

  1,342·5

  13·2

  1,340·1

  7·7

  7·8

  2·6

  Mersey

  586·3

  663·9

  13·2

  663·8

  7·7

  7·8

  2·5

  North Western

  1,006·4

  1,139·6

  13·2

  1,140·1

  7·7

  7·8

  2·5

  Total

  11,090·7

  12,5591

  13·2

  12,559·1

  7·8

  7·8

  2·7

  1 1988–89 initial cash limit main provision. Excludes earmarked sums but includes special fund of £15 million allocated to regions which received lowest increases under RAWP. Excludes additional funding for 1988 review body pay awards.

  2 Excludes sums earmarked eg supra·regional services, AIDS, breast cancer screening.

  3 Includes savings resulting from reduction in employers' superannuation costs.

  Central Health Monitoring Unit
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply of 16 January,Official Report, column 34, if he will list the numbers, grades and hours of staff working in the unit set up to monitor the health of the nation; and if any additional resources are planned to collect new forms of morbidity data.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The central health monitoring unit is in the process of being established. A full-time director has been appointed at senior medical officer level but the final staffing arrangements have not yet been completed. The need for the collection of new forms of morbidity data is one of the issues the unit will address during the course of its work. The question of resources for any new data collection will be dealt with as issues arise.

  NHS Funding
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central on 6 February,Official Report, column 495, if he will publish a table showing (a) the actual allocations made to regional health authorities in 1988–89, (b) the notional allocation to regional health authorities if the 1988–89 distribution had applied to the 1989–90 total, (c) the notional percentage cash increase to each region, (d) the actual allocation to each region made for 1989–90, (e) the actual percentage cash increase to each region and (f) a table showing the percentage cash increases in (c) and (e) adjusted for the effects of inflation between 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is given in the table.
  257
  4 Gross domestic product deflator.

  Note:

  Figures may not sum due to roundings.

  Hip Fractures
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of people aged 65 years or more admitted to hospital suffering from hip fractures in 1988 in each regional health authority area in England who were operated on within(a) 24 hours of admittance, (b) 25 to 48 hours of admittance, (c) 49 to 72 hours of admittance, and (d) over 72 hours of admittance.

  Mr. Freeman
  We do not currently hold this information centrally. From 1990, information supplied by regional health authorities will include duration of stay in hospital both on a pre and post-operation basis.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of people aged 65 years or more admitted to hospital suffering from hip fractures in 1988 in each regional health authority area in England.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested for 1985 (the latest year for which data is available centrally) is given in the table:

  Estimated number of in-patients aged 65 and over with main diagnosis as shown discharged from NHS non-psychiatric hospitals, by region of treatment, England 1985

  County

  Fracture of femur

  Fracture of other parts of femur

  ICD Code1 (3 Digit)

  820

  821

  Northern

  2,390

  380

  Yorkshire

  3,390

  380

  Trent

  3,720

  390

  East Anglia

  1,730

  130

  North West Thames

  1,970

  260

  North East Thames

  3,030

  280

  South East Thames

  3,350

  550

  South West Thames

  2,510

  230

  Wessex

  2,340

  430

  Oxford

  1,270

  200

  South Western

  3,270

  290

  West Midlands

  4,560

  630

  Mersey

  1,960

  390

  North Western

  3,320

  370

  SHA's

  (20)

  0

  England

  38,840

  4,890

  1 ICD—International Classification of Diseases; 9th revision.

  Figures in brackets should be treated with caution as they are based on small sample numbers.

  The England total may not equal to the sum of the regions due to roundings.

  Mental Handicap Services
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific measures he proposes to encourage general practitioners to act as gatekeepers to social services, social security and housing for their patients with mental handicaps.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  It is the Government's aim that all the statutory authorities concerned with the provision of services for mentally handicapped people should co-operate in providing access to a comprehensive and integrated range of services to meet the individual needs of mentally handicapped people and their families. I am sure general practitioners will continue to help to achieve this aim.
  258
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to provide earmarked additional funding for the development of mental handicap services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. The development of mental handicap services is already one of the priorities for the statutory authorities responsible for their provision. The statistical bulletin "Personal Social Services: Provision for Mentally Handicapped People in England 1976–86" a copy of which is in the Library and which was issued last year, describes the progress that has been made in increasing residential and day provision in the community.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a paper setting out the short and long term implications of "Working for Patients" for (i) the National Health Service contribution to mental handicap services, (ii) the National Health Service partnership with other statutory services, and (iii) voluntary sector mental handicap services.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We are examining the future organisation and management of services for mentally handicapped people as part of our wider consideration of community care policy, following Sir Roy Griffiths' report and taking into account the implications of "Working for Patients". We are also looking at ways of strengthening collaboration between the NHS and other statutory and voluntary agencies in the provision of those services.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will invite the Audit Commission to work closely with the national development team in monitoring the quality and quantity of health and local authority mental handicap services.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Audit Commission remains a wholly independent body but does, of course, have access to the published reports of the national development team as part of the body of knowledge to be taken into account when approaching value for money exercises on mental handicap services. The two bodies already have informal links.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether mental handicap hospitals will be eligible to form themselves into National Heath Service hospital trusts; if such trusts would have responsibility for community mental handicap services; and whether they would be authorised to charge for non-hospital residential care.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Any hospital which meets the criteria in chapter 3 of the White Paper "Working for Patients" would be eligible to become an NHS hospital trust, and trusts will be able to run community services, where this is sensible. NHS hospital trusts will be subject to the provisions on charging for residential care which apply to the NHS generally.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the National Health Service White Paper proposals for greater flexibility across health authority boundaries, and their effects on the Department's policy for comprehensive and integrated local services for people with mental handicap.
  259
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  It remains my Department's policy to encourage the development of comprehensive and integrated local services for people with a mental handicap. The greater flexibility and other proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients" will further assist the implementation of this policy.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, as a result of "Working for Patients", there will be any substantial extension of the role of the private health sector in catering for the general or special needs of people with mental handicap.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The private and voluntary sectors in collaboration with the statutory services play an essential role in provision for mentally handicapped people, and I hope this will continue to expand when its is for the benefit of mentally handicapped people and their families.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the revised funding arrangements proposed in "Working for Patients" will take account of the transitional and long-term costs of funding higher quality mental handicap services.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The White Paper proposals will fund health authorities for the populations they serve rather than for particular services they provide. By providing greater choice and flexibility the new arrangements will promote access to better standards of service.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue up-to-date guidance to health authorities on the positive use, for the individual's own benefit, of accumulated funds held by health authorities on behalf of patients in mental handicap hospitals.

  Mr. Freeman
  We know that many hospitals are devising imaginative schemes within the existing guidelines to use patients' own money for their personal benefit and to enhance their quality of life. There are no plans to issue new national guidelines.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will extend the requirement for peer group review and professional audit to those parts of the mental handicap service which are led by psychologists, nurses or social workers.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Not at present, although I would expect all professional staff providing services to mentally handicapped people to keep the quality and effectiveness of those services under continuous review.

  "Working for Patients"
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he proposes to improve liaison between health authorities and local authorities, following changes in the composition of health authorities and the abolition of some district health authorities, as proposed in "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Health authorities and local authorities are statutorily obliged to collaborate in the development of services, and mechanisms exist for encouraging liaison between them. Ways in which those 260
  mechanisms can be made to work more effectively are being examined as part of our consideration of the Sir Roy Griffiths report "Community Care: Agenda for Action", and we shall be taking account of "Working for Patients" in those deliberations.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what instructions he has issued to determine when the charges for a doctor's prescription are to be at a single or multiple rate.

  Mr. Freeman
  Part XVI of the drug tariff sets out the circumstances where more than one prescription charge is payable. The drug tariff is issued monthly to all National Health Service general medical practitioners and pharmacy and appliance contractors.

  Pharmaceutical Prices
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any proposals to review the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The revised pharmaceutical price regulation scheme, which began in October 1986, was scheduled to operate for six years, although provision is made for an interim review at the request of either party (Government or industry) after not less than three years. That stage has not yet been reached.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he intends to make publication of specific budget targets in respect of prescription pricing policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Prescription Pricing Authority, in common with other health authorities, is set a cash limit each year and this is published in the supply estimates. The next estimates will be published in March.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if there are any proposals to improve international comparisons on pharmaceutical products pricing policy to the standard of the United Kingdom PACT in the light of 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The European Commission intends to compile a data bank containing prices of medicines in different member states. On that, I have nothing to add to the reply by my hon. and learned Friend of 26 January to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, East (Mr. Sayeed) at column 712. The purpose of the PACT system is to provide NHS general medical practitioners with detailed information about their prescribing patterns and costs.

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of abortions at 18 weeks, 19 weeks and 20 weeks gestation were performed during 1987 because the child was likely to be born handicapped.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is shown in the table.

  Notifications of abortions which took place with a gestation period of 18, 19 and 20 weeks, showing the number with a mention of ground 4 of the 1967 Abortion Act, which states

  261
  "there is a substantial risk that if the child was born it would suffer such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped"
  for England and Wales—1987.

  A

  B

  Weeks

  All grounds total

  Ground 4 total

  Percentage B of A

  18

  2,800

  195

  7·0

  19

  1,725

  121

  7·0

  20

  1,363

  126

  9·2

  Total

  5,888

  442

  7·5

  Accident and Emergency Services
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (I) whether, under the health review, Calderdale district health authority will have to provide an accident and emergency operational facility in Calderdale;

  (2) whether Calderdale district health authority will be able to direct its accident and emergency patients to Bradford and pay the Bradford authority for their treatment.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 13 February 1989] : It will continue to be the responsibility of Calderdale district health authority to decide how best to meet the need for a locally available accident and emergency service for people resident within the district. The White Paper proposals do not alter this responsibility.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1), pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Halifax, 7 February,Official Report, column 799, if district health authorities and the self-governing hospitals will have to provide an operational base for accident and emergency within their locality;

  (2) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Halifax, 7 February, Official Report, column 799, whether district health authorities will be able to pay a neighbouring authority to treat patients in the operational accident and emergency facilities of the neighbouring authority.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 13 February 1989] : District health authorities will be required to ensure that accident and emergency services, which are core services, are available locally. They may, if they choose, arrange for these services to be provided in their own authority area or in a neighbouring authority area depending on what is more convenient for patients. Self-governing hospitals which provide accident and emergency services will continue to provide them unless the district agrees to their relocation.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility his Department has for ensuring that foodstuffs are safe for human consumption and carry no risk of food poisoning; in what way this responsibility is carried out; how many and what type of staff are required; what is the annual cost to his Department; and what has been the change in the number of staff and the annual cost to his Department in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 15 December 1988] : My Department has joint responsibility with the
  262
  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for ensuring that foodstuffs are wholesome and fit for human consumption. We exercise this responsibility through legislation and the issue of guidance. Under the Food Act 1984, the food trade and industry has primary responsibility for ensuring that its products are safe.

  Local authorities are primarily responsible for enforcing this legislation. Food safety issues which have more than a local impact will usually involve my Department in liaison with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the food industry, the public health laboratory service and other relevant interests. My Department also acts as the point of contact with the European Community on food safety issues related to food imported into or exported from the United Kingdom.

  In addition, my Department provides medical and other professional advice directly or through providing support to various expert committees in areas such as microbiology, toxicity and nutrition. Further detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Foodstuffs
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the effects on employment, turnover and investment in the food retailing and manufacturing industry of the plans to complete the internal market in foodstuffs.

  Mr. Ryder
  The completion of the internal market will undoubtedly bring changes in the climate under which the food retailing and manufacturing industries operate. However, it is the individual companies themselves which are best placed to determine precisely what the impact will be on their own business and to invest accordingly. Government's role is in providing the information which companies need to do this, by promoting awareness of the changes in prospect and of the challenges and opportunities these changes present.

  Broiler Birds (Excreta)
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has any estimate of the proportion of excreta from broiler birds which is blown out of the broiler house as airborne dust and vapour.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Less than 1 per cent.

  Deer
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether farmed deer are tested for tuberculosis or any other disease as a routine.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Farmed deer are not required to be routinely tested for any disease, but the industry has been asked to consider a voluntary deer health scheme based on tuberculosis attestation to which could be added monitoring for other diseases.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table in the Official

  263
  Report showing for each of the last five years how many deer and of what species were imported into the United Kingdom; how many were imported for the purpose of deer farming or the improvement of stocks of British deer; from what countries they came; what procedures were

  Country of origin

  Year

  Species

  Austria

  Denmark

  West Germany

  Hungary

  Norway

  Poland

  Sweden

  Yugoslavia

  Yearly total

  1984

  Red

  21

  —

  157

  44

  —

  —

  29

  —

  270

  Reindeer

  —

  —

  —

  —

  19

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  Red

  6

  20

  217

  141

  —

  —

  106

  9

  551

  Fallow

  —

  —

  3

  12

  —

  —

  37

  —

  1986

  Red

  14

  32

  75

  200

  —

  —

  —

  35

  356

  1987

  Red

  50

  —

  13

  —

  —

  —

  —

  32

  95

  1988

  Red

  —

  6

  77

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  123

  Mesopotamian

  —

  —

  9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fallow

  —

  —

  —

  28

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Country totals

  91

  58

  551

  425

  19

  3

  172

  76

  1,395

  These deer were required to undergo a period of at least 60 days on-farm isolation on their premises of origin and, depending on the disease situation in the country of origin, a further period of not less than 14 days in officially supervised pre-export quarantine. Each consignment had to be accompanied by a health certificate signed by an official veterinary officer of the exporting country confirming that these requirements had been met and, depending on the disease status of the country of origin, that the deer concerned had been tested, with negative results, for the following diseases: avian and bovine tuberculosis, brucella abortus, foot and mouth disease, blue tongue, epizootic haemorrhagic diseast and leptospirosis. There are no tuberculosis strains which are specific to deer.

  Milk
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what grounds he intends to stop the supply of unpasteurised milk direct from farm to consumer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My proposal reflects the fact that consumption of untreated milk poses a health threat since, even in the best run herds, clinical infections can be present in the milk even though no symptoms are shown by the cows. Effective heat treatment is the only way to minimise the risk of transmitting milk-borne diseases such as salmonellosis and cympylobacter infections to the consumer.

  Frozen Foods
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies have been done by or on behalf of his Department, and what regulations exist, to set standards for the handling, and transport, of frozen foods.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Ministry has funded many studies on all aspects of frozen foods. In particular, one large study
  264
  carried out to determine if they were free from disease; whether any tests were carried out for tuberculosis and whether any strains of tuberculosis are specific to deer.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The table provides the number and species of deer imported into the United Kingdom and the countries of origin in the last five years. The purpose of these imports is not available.

  examined the temperatures and quality of frozen food encountered in different commercial cold stores and retail outlets. A further project is in progress examining temperature distribution in retail display cabinets.

  The Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970 and the Food Hygiene (Market Stalls and Delivery Vehicles) Regulations 1966 lay down the handling and transport hygiene requirements for most foods, including frozen food. These regulations are currently being reviewed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. International trade in frozen food is subject to the provisions of the agreement on the international carriage of perishable foodstuffs. In addition, regulations are being made to implement the EC directive on quick frozen foods, adopted on 21 December 1988 which lays down provisions controlling aspects of labelling, manufacturing, processing and storage of quick frozen food. Apart from their specific regulations the general provisions of the Food Act 1984 apply, which, inter alia, prohibit the sale of food which is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser.

  Radiation (Cumbria)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he has taken to protect farmers and other users of the river Esk in Cumbria, where findings recently of radiation doses three to four times above the generalised derived limits set by the National Radiological Protection Board have been discovered; and if he will make a statement regarding grazing cattle and sheep eating this contaminated vegetation and soil entering the human food chain with its subsequent dangers to health.

  Mr. Ryder
  As my hon. Friend the Member for Calder Valley (Mr. Thompson) made clear in his reply to the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) on 9 February,Hansard, column 780, substantial monitoring in this area

  265
  has made clear that doses of radiation, even to those receiving the highest external exposure, are well within the internationally recommended limits.

  Potatoes
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will direct the Potato Marketing Board to reconsider its refusal to increase the quota allowed to organic growers in those cases where they can show they are unable to meet demand.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Responsibility for managing the potato quota system rests with the Potato Marketing Board and it would not be appropriate for me to intervene.

  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make it his policy to study the Dutch system of potato marketing and its success in exporting to different countries before reaching a decision upon the future of the Potato Marketing Board.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I am already aware of the Dutch arrangements.

  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tonnes of potatoes the potato processing industry has used for each of the last five years; and how many tonnes have been imported from the Netherlands for processing for the same years.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The following tonnages were used by the United Kingdom potato processing industry.

  Crop year

  Thousand tonnes

  (July-June)

  1983–84

  1,252

  1984–85

  1,404

  1985–86

  1,417

  1986–87

  1,466

  1987–88

  1,442

  The import figures do not distinguish between imports for processing and other imports.

  Animal Feedstuffs
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had on the system of a statutory declaration of ingredients in animal feedingstuffs since 1 December 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  My Department consulted widely on the European Commission's proposal made in June last year to make compulsory some form of ingredient listing on the labels of animal feedingstuffs to supplement the detailed information already required. Representations from the National Farmers Union and the United Kingdom Agricultural Supply Trade Association have been received among those of many other organisations, and consultation is continuing as the discussions in Brussels progress.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ban the use of farm excrement in compound feeds.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]: The Diseases of Animals (Protein Processing)
  266
  Order 1981 requires all protein material of animal origin for animal feedingstuffs to be manufactured free from salmonella. I have at present no plans to do so. However, discussions are under way between my officials and representatives of the animal feedingstuffs industry to consider the application of the present controls and any further measures which may be needed to reduce salmonella contamination in feedingstuffs.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will update the figures on the common agricultural policy given in his predecessor's answer to the then hon. Member for Billericay On 17 February 1983,Official Report, column 459.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Following the European Council agreement in February 1988, the rate of growth of agricultural market support spending is legally restricted to 74 per cent. of the rate of growth of Community gross national product and its proportion of the EC budget is forecast to fall to about 59 per cent. by 1992.

  Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Standards
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to have completed his review of the enforcement of fruit and vegetable marketing standards.

  Mr. MacGregor
  It is expected that the review, which will be concerned with the impact of EC regulations on business, will be completed towards the end of the year.

  Efficiency
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the benefits that consumers have derived from increases in the efficiency of the British agricultural industry in recent years.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Food prices are now 17 per cent. lower in real terms than in 1979 and consumers have a wider choice of foodstuffs at all price ranges than ever before.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council in Brussels on 13 and 14 February; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I attended this meeting, together with my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary.

  The Council discussed the Commission's proposals on farm support prices and related measues for 1989–90. The discussion was limited to an initial exchange of views, and the Council will return to these questions at its March meetings.

  During the discussion, I took the opportunity to urge the need to combat the fraudulent use of funds under the common agricultral policy, to which the Commission had referred in bringing forward its proposals on farm prices. I pressed the Commission to make specific proposals in this area, on which member states could then take action; and I called for systematic follow-up to reports from the European Court of Auditors.
  267
  The Council agreed, subject to the opinion of the European Parliament, an amendment to its measure, adopted last year, for payments to farmers who extensify their production. The amendment, for which I had pressed on practical grounds, will enable member states to operate these arrangements on a pilot basis until the end of 1990.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to compensate those egg-producers banned from selling raw eggs due to infection of their flocks with salmonella; for how long such bans will be operational; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 8 February 1989] : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. MacGregor) gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) on 10 February 1989 at column 831.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the frequency with which hens infected with salmonella lay infected eggs; and if he has instituted any survey on that subject.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 February 1989] : Any hen infected with an invasive strain of salmonella such as salmonella enteritidis is considered capable of producing a salmonella-contaminated egg, but information is not available on the frequency with which this actually occurs.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the distribution of salmonella infection in chicken flocks; and if he has instituted any survey of such infection.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 February 1989] : Since salmonella enteritidis does not cause overt clinical disease in adult poultry it is not possible to determine the extent of the infection without extensive testing which, in the absence of a simple, rapid and sensitive test for salmonella enteritidis, is not possible.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement concerning the action that would be necessary to achieve a long-term solution to the problems associated with salmonellae in poultry and eggs.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, Central (Mr. Lord) on 18 January (Hansard columns 214–15), and 1 February (Hansard column 247), to my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 27 January (Hansard column 806) and my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) on 10 February (Hansard column 831).

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the incidence of transmission of salmonella into eggs by trans-shell and transovarian routes respectively; and if he has instituted any research into this question.
  268
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer lit February 1989] : On transovarian infection of eggs, I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) on 22 December 1988 (Hansard column 440).

  It is clear from research which has already been conducted that, though the frequency of contamination by either route is not known precisely, transmission through the shell from faecal contamination is more common than transovarial transmission.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the number of salmonellae in eggs produced or marketed in England, and on any survey he has instituted in order to compile such information.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 February' 1989] : No extensive testing has been undertaken specifically on the number of eggs infected with salmonella in England.

  From the 15,411 eggs from 500 flocks which have been examined for various purposes, however, in only one instance was salmonella enteritidis detected.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the incidence of salmonella infected hens in chicken flocks; and if he has instituted a survey of such incidence.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 February 1989] : Since salmonella enteritidis does not cause overt clinical disease in adult poultry it is not possible to give precise figures of the extent of the infection without extensive testing, which in the absence of a simple, rapid and sensitive test for salmonella enteritidis, is not possible. However, the Zoonoses Order 1975 requires isolations of salmonella to be reported. Provisional figures indicate that 370 isolations of salmonella enteritidis in 1988 were reported.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to give statutory backing to the code of practice for the control of salmonellae in commercial laying flocks prepared by his Ministry jointly with the British Poultry Federation.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 February 1989] : As I announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, Central (Mr. Lord) on 18 January Hansard columns 214–15 I propose to introduce a requirement on operators to carry out regular bacteriological monitoring, together with strenghthened statutory requirements about the control of rodents, with provision for compulsory cleansing and disinfection and requirements for the hygienic handling of eggs.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a salmonella enteritidis eradication scheme for the poultry industry based on a slaughter policy with compensation.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 14 February 1989] : Salmonella organisms are widespread in the environment and their total elimination is virtually impossible. However, as one of the measures to deal with the problem of salmonella enteritidis, as I announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr.

  269
  Shepherd) on 10 February Hansard column 831, I shall shortly be making an order to provide where necessary for the compulsory slaughter of laying flocks in which salmonella has been confirmed. Compensation will be paid as required by the Animal Health Act 1981.

  Dioxins
  Dr. David Clarke
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the research projects he is funding to investigate the potential hazards of dioxins in food; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he is investigating the presence of and potential hazard of dioxins in food arising through contact with packaging from bleached paper products; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]: I am currently funding three research projects on dioxins in food:

  (i) an investigation into the possible occurrence of dioxins in food arising from the use of paper-based packaging materials;

  (ii) a survey of dioxin levels in retail fatty foods;

  (iii) a pilot study on dioxin levels in encompassing the major food groups in the United Kingdom diet.

  Religious Slaughter
  Mr. Crowther
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes have taken place in Halal and Shechita slaughter since the publication of the Farm Animal Welfare Council report on the welfare of livestock when slaughtered by religious methods (1985).

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding reply 14 February 1989]: There have been no changes to the statutory provisions governing the religious slaughter of animals. I have been considering representations on the Government's response of 29 October 1987 to the Farm Animal Welfare Council's report on religious slaughter. I expect to issue proposals for new regulations on the welfare of all animals at slaughter shortly.

ENVIRONMENT

  Public Works Contracts
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many small firms have gained contracts as a result of major public works contracts in the south of England in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information is not held centrally.

  Race Relations and Equal Opportunity
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will describe his Department's principal achievements in respect of race relations and equal opportunity since May 1979.

  Mr. Ridley
  Apart from the internal management of the Department itself, my Department's main involvement in equal opportunities is in housing and inner cities policy.

  In 1986, we commissioned research by Brunel university into local authorities' policies and practices in combatting racial harassment in housing and expect
  270
  shortly to be publishing a good practice guide as a result. The Department co-funds the local authorities race relations information exchange and funds schemes aimed at encouraging the recruitment and training of ethnic minority staff in local authority housing departments and housing associations. The Housing Act 1988 extended section 71 of the Race Relations Act 1976 to cover the Housing Corporation and HATS, and gave the Commission for Racial Equality power to issue codes of practice on rented housing, which would be admissible in court proceedings. This power would be extended to all housing under a provision in the current Local Government and Housing Bill.

  The urban programme enables my Department to support projects benefiting ethnic minorities and women in the inner cities. We give priority to projects designed to benefit disadvantaged minorities. Since 1980–81, around £220 million has been directed towards projects of specific benefit to ethnic minorities. In 1988–89, such projects account for approximately 11 per cent. of UP expenditure, supporting more than 1,100 projects at a cost of £29 million. Projects targeted on ethnic minorities cover a wide range of activities with expenditure being concentrated on economic development, training and health and welfare. The particular problems of women are recognised as priority issues in many local authority urban programme strategies, as is reflected in projects aimed at training and child care.

  In the internal management of the Department, we have published policy statements on race relations and on equal opportunities for women; we have asked staff to participate in a survey of their ethnic origins as a basis for checking that our practices in recruitment, posting and promotion are fair; and we have taken a number of steps to help women combine a career with domestic responsibilities, including the provision of child care facilities, in cooperation with the trade unions concerned, on some residential training courses in the summer of 1987. This is to be repeated in the summer of 1989.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what volumes of(a) low-level radioactive waste and (b) intermediate-level radioactive waste, arising from reprocessing of imported spent nuclear fuel al: Sellafield, will be deposited in NIREX repository by the year 2030; and what proportion of the total waste in each category is this expected to constitute.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Since 1976, BNFL's contracts for the reprocessing of overseas spent fuel have contained options for the return of wastes. The Government intend that reprocessing contracts with overseas customers should continue to contain such options, that the options should be exercised and that the wastes should be returned.

  The total volumes of waste which are likely to arise from BNFL's pre 1976 contracts are 3,000m for intermediate level wastes and 20,000m for low level wastes representing respectively approximately 1 per cent. of the total operational wastes arising in the United Kingdom by the year 2030.

  Aerial Surveys (Yorkshire)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the three counties of Yorkshire make use of aerial surveys to monitor mineral workings; if he will list all encroachments that have occurred during the last five years: what action has been taken by his Department where infringement has taken place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Day to day planning for mineral working, including the taking of measures to deal with unauthorised extraction, is the responsibility of the appropriate planning authority.

  In North Yorkshire, the county council is the mineral planning authority. In the former metropolitan counties of South and West Yorkshire, this function is the duty of the respective metropolitan district councils.

  My Department does not collect information or keep records on the use made by local authorities of aerial surveys to monitor mineral working or the number of encroachments. Unauthorised working is not reported to my Department as a matter of course, but cases may come before the Secretary of State if there is an appeal against an enforcement notice or stop notice issued by a mineral planning authority.

  Radiation (Cumbria)
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what data his Department has on radioactive contamination of the River Esk near Ravenglass, Cumbria, including by isotopes of americium and caesium; how and by whom the monitoring is carried out; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  Data on levels of environmental radioactivity, including caesium and americium in the river Esk, Ravenglass estuary is provided by British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) to my Department as a statutory requirement of their certificate of authorisation to discharge radioactive wastes. The most recent data supplied by BNFL is summarised on page 26 (table 7) of their annual report entitled "Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment 1987". The most recent data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods's extensive environmental monitoring programmes is summarised on page 26 (table 10) of their aquatic environment monitoring report No. 19 for 1987. Both reports are published and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  As part of the national environmental monitoring programme sponsored by my Department, mud from the Ravenglass estuary including the river Esk has been sampled for radiological analysis. This programme was started in 1988 and the results have not yet been published. When they are, a copy of the report will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Radioactive Substances (Slough)
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what sites in the borough of Slough are licensed under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information is as follows: Thirty-three premises in the Slough area are registered under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to keep and use radioactive materials. These are as follows:272

  3M United Kingdom Limited, Photogard Laboratories, Unit 8, Building No. I, Banbury Avenue, Slough.

  Acton Plastics, Poyle Trading Estate, Colnbrook.

  Asda Stores Limited, Telford Drive, Slough.

  Auriema Limited, 442 Bath Road, Slough.

  1Celltech Diagnostics Limited, 240–244 Bath Road, Slough.

  Cecil H. Greville Limited, 60 Chalvey Road East, Slough.

  1Catech Limited, 216–222 Bath Road, Slough.

  Combined Optical Industries Limited, 200 Bath Road, Slough.

  Crane Packing Limited, 222 Berwick Avenue, Trading Estate, Slough.

  Crane Packing Limited, 210–214 Bath Road, Slough.

  CRC Information Systems Limited, 750–751 Deal Avenue, Slough Trading Estate, Slough.

  Great Mills DIY Superstore, 217A Bath Road, Slough.

  Guardian Royal Exchange Properties Limited, High Tech Industries Development, 185–187 Bath Road, Slough.

  ITW Limited, 470–474 Bath Road, Chippenham, Slough.

  Johnson & Johnson Limited, 6298/630 Ajax Avenue, Slough.

  Kodak Limited, Colour Snaps, 144 High Street, Slough.

  Mars Limited, Dundee Road Trading Estate, Slough.

  Master Models (1983) Limited, 5 David Road, Poyle Trading Estate, Colnbrook, Slough.

  McDonalds, 179 High Street, Slough.

  McMichael Limited, Wexham Road, Slough.

  Nevin Electric Limited, Arkwright Road, Colnbrook.

  Nicholas Laboratories Limited, 225 Bath Road, Slough.

  Non-Destructive Testers Limited, 514 Ipswich Road, Slough.

  Satchwell Control Systems Limited, Farnham Road, Slough.1

  Slough College of Technology, Wellington Street, Slough.

  Slough Enamellers Limited, 128 Edinburgh Avenue Trading Estate, Slough.

  Thames Water Authority, Wood Lane, Slough.

  Vita-Tex Limited, 73 Buckingham Avenue Trading Estate, Slough. 1

  Wexham Park Hospital, Slough.

  W. H. Smith Do It All Ltd., Farnham Road, Slough.

  Wormald International Electronics, Station Estate off Mill Street, Slough.

  Wykeham Farrance Engineering Limited, Weston Road Trading Estate, Slough.

  Xenova Ltd., 545 Ipswich Road, Slough.

  1 Premises also authorised for the disposal of radioactive waste.

  A list of all premises in England and Wales authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to dispose of

  273
  radioactive waste was published by the Department in April 1988 and a copy was placed in the Library of the House.

  Caravan Sites
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if statistics are held centrally, on the number of caravan sites not licensed by local authorities operated under the auspices of voluntary organisations in England.

  Mr. Trippier
  Precise figures are not available. However, recreational organisations holding an appropriate certificate of exemption from the Department of the Environment have currently approved approximately 5,000 sites in England for no more than five caravans for use by their members. In addition they occupy about 145 sites in England on a permanent or seasonal basis for any number of touring caravans, for which they have obtained the informal approval of the local authority. Further sites are used on a temporary basis for holiday meetings and rallies for club members of up to five days, but no central records are kept of these temporary uses.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of caravan sites licensed under the Caravan Sites (Control of Development) Act 1960 by local authorities in England.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Housing Stock
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress made in improving the housing stock since 1981.

  Mr. Trippier
  The results of the 1986 English house condition survey, published in November last year, showed that, overall, the conditions of the stock had improved since the last survey in 1981. Less than 3 per cent. of the stock lacked basic amenities compared with 5 per cent. in 1981. The proportion of the stock classified as unfit had been reduced from 6·3 per cent. to 5·6 per cent. The proportion in serious disrepair had remained broadly the same at about 6 per cent.

  A copy of the report of the survey is available in the Library.

  Liverpool Urban Development Corporation
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution the urban development corporation in Liverpool has made to fighting urban decay.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Merseyside Development Corporation has made a significant contribution to fighting urban decay. The corporation was set up in 1981 to regenerate 865 acres of mostly derelict and disused docklands in the urban development area. To that end it has spent £186 million since its inception; 387 acres of land have been reclaimed; 2·3 million sq ft of buildings have been refurbished, including the Albert Dock, the largest collection of grade 1 listed buildings in the country; 259 business units have been provided, including the Brunswick business park in the South Docks where 0·5 million sq ft have been let; 2,500 jobs have been created,274
  1,100 safeguarded and on average 1,000 jobs every year have been generated by construction and related projects; 340 dwellings have been completed including the first phases of 240 residential flats provided by refurbishment and conversion schemes in partnership with the private sector at Albert Dock and Wapping Warehouse; £50 million of private sector investment has been secured so far and this is expected to double within the next year.

  In November last year the designation order extending MDC's area came into effect. This will enable another 1,500 acres in Liverpool and Wirral to benefit from MDC's direct and determined approach.

  More details of the Merseyside Development Corporation's activities are contained in its annual reports, copies of which are laid before Parliament

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the potential to reduce the cost of local government services by means of competitive tendering.

  Mr. Gummer
  Experience of voluntary competitive tendering indicates that savings of 20–30 per cent. of previous costs may be achieved. With expenditure on the services covered by the Act approaching £3 billion, it is clear that major savings are available.

  Employment Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines he has issued concerning the joint funding of projects by both the urban programme and employment training, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department has issued a set of ministerial guidelines to partnership and programme authorities to help them in the preparation of their inner area programmes. These stress that that the urban programme should not generally be used to fund projects which are eligible for assistance under other programmes but that it may be used to complement expenditure, for example, under the employment training scheme.

  Dog Wardens
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many district councils provide a dog warden or similar scheme for the control of strays; and how many do not.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected by the Department. 1 understand that the Joint Advisory Committee on Pets in Society estimates that some 200 of the 401 local authorities at district level in England and Wales provide dog warden services.

  St. Martin's Estate
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will respond to the current application for inner area programme funding for the St. Martin's estate community project B9/207.

  Mr. Trippier
  I understand that Lambeth is currently reviewing a revised bid for the St. Martin's estate community project. If formally submitted to the Department, this will now need to be considered along
  275
  with many other bids being proposed for inclusion in the 1989–90 Lambeth IAP, on which decisions are expected by April.

  Housing (Waiting Lists)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households were registered on local authority housing waiting lists on 1 April 1988 in(a) Greater London, (b) the south east outside London, (c) East Anglia, (d) the east midlands, (e) the west midlands, (f) the south west, (g) the north west, (h) the north, (i) Yorkshire and Humberside and (j) England as a whole.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information is reported by local authorities in their annual Housing Investment

  New secure tenants

  of which homeless households

  New non secure tenants

  of which homeless households

  National mobility scheme

  of which homeless households

  Nominations to Housing Associalions2

  of which homeless households

  (i) Greater London

  28,300

  17,300

  4,400

  3,400

  3,800

  900

  3,300

  1,100

  (ii) Metropolitan Outside London

  90,700

  20,900

  1,700

  600

  1,800

  1

  8,100

  800

  (iii) Non Met areas in South East

  27,700

  8,000

  3,500

  2,800

  1,200

  1

  1,700

  200

  (iv) All non Metropolitan

  110,100

  26,700

  6,800

  5,000

  3,800

  1

  7,700

  500

  (v) England

  229,000

  64,900

  12,900

  9,000

  9,400

  1,000

  19,100

  2,400

  1 Nil or negligible

  2 Nominations to new town dwellings were not counted in 1987–88

  Total households accepted as homeless

  of which in priority need

  Dwellings vacant and available for letting on 1 April 1987

  Dwellings management newly built

  Coming into which were acquisition etc.

  Other

  Total dwellings available for letting 1 April 1987 to 31 March 1989 ( thousand)

  (i) Greater London

  31,100

  30,300

  4,800

  1,400

  2,900

  57,000

  66,100

  (ii) Metropolitan Outside London

  36,400

  28,800

  10,700

  2,200

  4,900

  162,100

  179,800

  (iii) Non Metropolitan areas in South East

  17,800

  16,700

  3,700

  5,700

  1,900

  58,300

  69,700

  (iv) All non Metropolitan

  50,400

  47,400

  12,100

  12,600

  5,900

  201,000

  231,700

  (v) England

  117,900

  106,500

  27,600

  16,200

  13,700

  420,200

  477,600

  Public Sector Housing
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many applications have been made to date to the Housing Corporation for approval under part IV of the Housing Act 1988 to seek to acquire public authority housing, from(a) registered housing associations, (b) unregistered housing associations, (c) housing co-operatives, (d) commercial companies, (e) private individuals and (f) other bodies; how many approvals have been granted by the Housing Corporation; and to which local authority areas these applications and approvals have related;

  (2) how many approaches have been received to date by the Housing Corporation from council tenants in England (a) asking to be put in touch with another landlord who might take over their homes and (b) asking the Housing Corporation not to approve another landlord to take over their homes; and if he will list the local authority areas from which any such approaches have been made.
  276
  Programme return (HIP I). It is shown at column B51 of the "Grossed Estimates for Standard Regions—1988 HIP 1", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Local Authority Dwellings
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide the number of local authority dwellings(a) let to new secure tenants and (b) let to new secure tenants who were homeless households, between 1 April 1987 and 31 March 1988, in (1) Greater London, (2) metropolitan areas outside London, (3) non-metropolitan areas in the south east, (4) all non-metropolitan areas and (5) England as a whole.

  Mr. Trippier
  Following are estimates derived from local authorities' annual housing investment programme returns (HIP 1):

  Mr. Trippier
  I have asked the Housing Corporation to reply to the hon. Member.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he received the reports from the consultants appointed to investigate the proposed designations of housing action trusts in(a) Lambeth, (b) Southwark, (c) Tower Hamlets, (d) Sunderland, (e) Leeds and (f) Sandwell; what was the cost of each of these reports; and when he intends to publish these reports and make a statement on the Government's intentions in respect of housing action trusts.

  Mr. Trippier
  We have yet to receive all the consultants' final reports but expect to do so shortly. When we have completed our consideration of the reports, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State intends to publish them and announce his conclusions.

  For reasons of commercial confidentiality, fees for individual consultancies are not normally disclosed.

  Seal Products (EC Ban)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what negotiations have taken place within the European Economic Community with regard to a renewal of the ban on the importing of white coat pups of harp and hooded seals, except those from traditional hunting by the Inuit people, under European Community directive 83/129/EEC; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make a statement on his policy towards the European Community directive 83/129/EEC, and towards its extension beyond 1 October 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government fully supported EC directive 83/129/EEC, and the subsequent extension of the ban on the import of harp and hooded seal pup skins and products, on conservation grounds. I understand that the European Commission is considering the future of the ban. We have not yet been formally consulted. We shall give careful consideration to any proposals for a further extension of the ban.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made to date in achieving the objectives of the urban programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Each of the local authorities who receive urban programme grant produce an annual report on achievements in their areas. Annual reports on the programme as a whole have been published each year since 1985–86 setting out details of the operation and achievements of the urban programme. The most recent "DoE Inner City Programmes 1987–88", reporting on the whole range of DoE inner city policies and programmes, was published in December 1988. The Department has also published a number of research reports on the effectiveness of the urban programme; details are set out in an annual publications list. I am forwarding a copy of this, and of the 1987–88 annual report to my hon. Friend.

  Housing Act 1988
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment at what dates the remaining provisions of the Housing Act 1988 will be fully implemented.

  Mr. Trippier
  I expect the remaining provisions of the Housing Act 1988 to be brought into force by late spring this year.

  Wildlife Habitats
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has given the Nature Conservancy Council concerning the curtailing or encouragement of field sports on land which is the subject of applications for grants in respect of wildlife habitats.

  Mr. Nicholas Ridley
  The council's policy—which I support—is that traditional country pursuits should not be interfered with wherever they are not in conflict with the conservation of species or habitats. Where NCC propose to give grants for the acquisition of land for conservation purposes, they normally expect the new owner to allow traditional rights and uses of the land to continue, and to 278
  alter the level or practice of these activities only when it is required for the management of the site for nature conservation.

  Water Directives
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many 169 letters have been received by his Department from the European Commission since the beginning of January with respect to the drinking water directive and bathing water directive; and for which specific breaches of those directives.

  Mr. Ridley
  None.

  Rate Capping
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further progress there has been, since his reply to the hon. Member for Banbury on 2 February,Official Report, column 356, in the finalising of rate limits for rate-capped authorities in 1989–90.

  Mr. Ridley
  I announced on 2 February that Tower Hamlets had accepted the proposed rate limit that I announced in December and that I was seeking the agreement of Hackney and Southwark to limits—113p and 97p respectively—which were higher than those I proposed in December. Southwark accepted the limit I proposed; and I have now agreed a rate limit of 122p with Hackney. In the four cases where I was not minded to agree an increase over the rate limits I proposed in December, I looked very carefully at all the relevant information and representations I had received. I was not persuaded, however, that I should take a different view from that which I announced on 2 February. I therefore yesterday laid an order before the House in draft. I have also now considered some later information I received from Camden, but remain unpersuaded that an increase in their limit would be appropriate. I shall therefore be seeking the approval of the House to the rate limits specified in the draft order.

  Hospital Waste (Rixton)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department was notified by Cheshire council waste authority of the dumping of yellow incinerator-only hospital waste bags at Rixton, Cheshire; and what advice it gave.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [Holding answer 13 February 1989]Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution was telephoned in April 1988 by Cheshire county council, which was seeking advice on the action to be taken over a substantial quantity of clinical waste that had been landfilled. As the clinical waste had been covered by other wastes the inspectorate advised that it should be left undisturbed. The inspectorate also confirmed that the landfilling of clinical waste had ceased at that time.

  Environmental Health Officers
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the World Health Organisation guidelines on which the ratio of environmental health officers to population is based.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 13 February 1989]Decisions on the number of environmental health
  279
  officers to be appointed are a matter for local environmental health authorities. They are able to take into account the publication of the World Health Office regional office for Europe No. 18 "Development of Environmental Health Manpower" to which I assume that the hon. Member refers.

  Green Belt
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the effect of his latest planning circular on Her Majesty's Government's green belt policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]The Government remain fully committed to their green belt policy set out in planning policy guidance notes published in January 1988. No subsequent Departmental publication has affected that policy. PPG2 reaffirms earlier advice and provides a clear basis for planning decisions to uphold the green belt principles which have been an essential element of planning policy for over 30 years.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received asking to introduce legislation to oblige housing associations to establish local management committees and for tenants to have the right to elect representatives to those management committees.

  Mr. Trippier
  [Holding answer 14 February 1989]None.

  Local Authorities (Funding)
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish, for each local authority in England, its capital allocation, in total for 1989–90, showing the percentage change from (a) 1988–89, and (b) 1981–82;
  280
  (2) if he will publish, by region and in total for England, capital allocations to local authorities for 1989–90, showing the percentage change from: (a) 1988–89, and (b) 1981–82.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]The information requested for 1989–90 is not yet available by region and individual local authority. Table 1 gives the total of capital allocations in 1989–90 for England and the percentage changes over 1981–82 and 1988–89. Local authorities can spend a proportion of their capital receipts in addition to their allocations. Therefore, table 1 also includes information about spending power.

  Table 1

  Percentage change over

  1989–90 £ million

  1981–82

  1988–89

  Total allocations

  2,762

  -21

  -10

  Spending power

  7,674

  +28

  -1

  Information on capital allocations issued which is available by region for 1981–82 and 1988–89 is as follows:

  Table 2

  Region

  1981–82 £ million

  1988–89 £ million

  change Percentage

  South East

  1,531

  1,109

  -28

  South West

  217

  208

  -4

  East Anglia

  98

  83

  -15

  West Midlands

  314

  265

  -16

  East Midlands

  240

  178

  -26

  North West

  489

  386

  -21

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  331

  271

  -18

  Northern Region

  274

  176

  -36

  A significant proportion of the total allocations in 1988–89 (£386 million) has not been issued.

  Table 3 giving information on capital allocations issued for 1981–82 and 1988–89 by local authority has been placed in the Library of the House.

  HUMBER BRIDGE AND MERSEY TUNNEL: AID
  HUMBER BRIDGE AND MERSEY TUNNEL: AID
  PORT SUBSIDIES IN THE; EC
  PORT SUBSIDIES IN THE; EC
  VACCINE DAMAGE PAYMENTS
  VACCINE DAMAGE PAYMENTS
  NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION RATE CHANGES
  NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION RATE CHANGES
  EUROPEAN COMMUNITY TRADE MARK OFFICE
  EUROPEAN COMMUNITY TRADE MARK OFFICE
  LOCKERBIE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION: ISRAELI PRESENCE
  LOCKERBIE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION: ISRAELI PRESENCE
  RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
  RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT