Written Answers of 17 February 1989

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Taxes and Benefits
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the number of(a) working heads and (b) dependants facing marginal tax and benefit withdrawal rates in excess of 50 per cent. in the manner of his answer on 25 March 1988, Official Report, column 244.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Precise details can be provided only in overall terms. On the basis of the earlier reply the figures for families with children are as follows. Before taking account of the effect of the March 1988 Budget, an estimated 510,000 workings heads with 1·4 million adult and child dependants had marginal deduction rates of over 50 per cent. Post-Budget, 480,000 working heads with 1·3 million dependants were in this category. The underlying assumptions are those used in "Impact of the reformed structure of income related benefits" October 1987, copies of which are in the Library. Similar figures for working heads without children are not available.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will break down the numbers of prosecutions for 1987–88 in his answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 192, by type of offence, type of offenders and sex of offenders.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I regret that the information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. RFD
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stretford concerning Mr. RFD, 3 February,Official Report, column 441, if he will give details of the undertaking received by officers of his Department about the non-eviction of RFD; if he was aware that RFD was threatened with eviction prior to his Department being informed by the hon. Member for Stretford; and what advice was subsequently given.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A verbal undertaking was given by the acting hotel manager that, pending the hotel owner's release from custody, no evictions would take place. The Department was aware that Mr. RFD feared eviction prior to the notification by the hon. Member; Mr. RFD was advised about the undertaking and his solicitors were informed about the inquiries which were in progress. If the hon. Member requires further information perhaps he would write to me.

  Pensions
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he has any plans to restore the link with earnings when the annual adjustment to pensions takes place;

  (2) if he has any plans to raise the basic level for the retirement pension to half of average earnings for a couple and a third of average earnings for a single pensioner.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government are pledged to maintain the value of the state retirement pension as a result of our policies, pensioners' average total net incomes rose by 23 per cent. in real terms in the seven years from 1979. This compares with only 3 per cent. between 1974 and 1979, when pensions were uprated by the higher of prices or earnings increases.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to replace the 25p pension increase in the weekly payment to(a) those aged 80 plus years and (b) those aged 75 plus years and over by a substantial increase.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. Pensioners over 80 on low incomes receive higher pensioner premiums under income support. From next October the higher pensioner premiums will be increased over and above the increase due from next April, and in addition there will be new premiums for pensioners aged 75 and over. The October increase will mean an extra £2·50 per week for single pensioners and £3·50 for couples. The 25p age addition is paid to pensioners from age 80.

  Winter Heating Premium
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans for a non means-tested winter heating premium for pensioners during the winter months.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. Such a premium would not he an effective way of using available resources. Income support provides benefit for less well-off pensioners. The rates are intended to cover basic living costs including heating. Extra help is targeted through the premiums which will be enhanced for older and disabled pensioners from October 1989. These provisions are reinforced by the social fund cold weather payments scheme which this winter was extended to include income support recipients aged 60–64 as well as those aged 65 and over.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will publish in the Official Report the social fund expenditure of each local office in the north-east region for loans and grants, respectively, and the same figures expressed as percentages of monthly profiles (a) for the latest month available and (b) for the total period covered by the social fund, on the same basis as the information given in the answer of 31 October 1988 to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) Official Report, columns 497–500.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 15 February 1989]: The information available is given in the table.
  391

  Social Fund Expenditure on grants and loans for December 1988

  Grants

  Loans

  North eastern region social security offices

  Expenditure

  As percentage of profile

  Expenditure

  As percentage of profile

  Ashington

  1,406·89

  18

  21,995·84

  123

  Barnsley East

  24,930·11

  109

  60,538·14

  118

  Barnsley West

  1,380·64

  10

  24,674·50

  82

  Berwick upon Tweed

  928·10

  93

  2,989·84

  141

  Bishop Auckland

  10,731·03

  74

  44,157·47

  137

  Blyth

  5,407·54

  70

  16,239·26

  94

  Bradford East

  21,753·39

  134

  46,364·38

  128

  Bradford South

  14,077·60

  96

  37,550·64

  114

  Bradford West

  14,092·09

  85

  39,439·95

  107

  Bridlington

  2,570·58

  63

  8,586·89

  96

  Castleford

  5,212·30

  75

  11,882·76

  77

  Chester le Street

  7,346·94

  99

  15,202·18

  91

  Darlington

  5,032·22

  30

  37,720·67

  99

  Dewsbury

  8,808·94

  84

  20,189·03

  87

  Doncaster East

  5,230·42

  42

  25,965·99

  92

  Doncaster West

  9,200·61

  46

  50,222·19

  112

  Durham

  2,050·21

  36

  19,510·21

  153

  Eston

  3,515·34

  35

  22,385·64

  99

  Gateshead

  12,076·25

  56

  60,996·60

  129

  Goole

  3,439·65

  82

  7,000·76

  75

  Grimsby

  7,358·42

  38

  48,119·56

  111

  Halifax

  22,923·39

  136

  51,175·43

  137

  Harrogate

  1,132·38

  20

  8,608·82

  69

  Hartlepool

  5,496·02

  46

  33,554·50

  125

  Hemsworth

  2,568·85

  46

  9,163·66

  73

  Hexham

  676·87

  36

  3,330·29

  82

  Houghton le Spring

  2,109·00

  36

  14,683·75

  112

  Huddersfield

  17,350·79

  131

  48,172·62

  163

  Hull East

  22,622·51

  92

  78,813·79

  144

  Hull West

  10,828·57

  54

  58,573·51

  131

  Jarrow

  8,793·29

  71

  26,817·29

  97

  Keighley

  7,768·45

  109

  13,690·43

  88

  Leeds East

  24,255·27

  112

  62,191·52

  129

  Leeds North

  29,981·24

  113

  58,178·31

  98

  Leeds North West

  12,530·31

  97

  27,699·37

  96

  Leeds South

  8,613·75

  96

  31,117·41

  157

  Leeds West

  4,384·43

  36

  30,455·82

  112

  Middlesbrough

  32,698·64

  102

  87,604·59

  121

  Newcastle St. James

  11,366·52

  63

  51,778·01

  128

  Newcastle East

  9,927·42

  64

  41,731·95

  121

  Newcastle West

  10,841·65

  72

  45,157·34

  134

  Northallerton

  766·68

  26

  6,429·58

  96

  North Shields

  7,646·35

  61

  30,057·97

  108

  Peterlee

  7,097·74

  99

  24,166·91

  150

  Pontefract

  4,030·28

  59

  13,177·84

  86

  Redcar

  11,682·30

  110

  33,919·81

  142

  Rotherham North

  4,439·30

  73

  14,556·21

  107

  Rotherham South

  20,737·96

  106

  66,332·81

  151

  Scarborough

  2,519·65

  43

  14,511·32

  113

  Scunthorpe

  4,546·03

  34

  34,265·32

  113

  Seaham

  5,810·41

  211

  6,374·48

  104

  Sheffield North East

  34,682·61

  94

  98,402·06

  119

  Sheffield North West

  20,115·26

  74

  71,072·57

  116

  Sheffield South East

  24,900·94

  142

  35,298·08

  91

  Sheffield South West

  21,444·55

  90

  50,766·64

  95

  Skipton

  1,618·00

  135

  2,871·72

  112

  South Shields

  10,805·46

  68

  35,119·85

  99

  Stanley

  8,317·15

  75

  32,429·63

  130

  Stockton

  34,374·75

  148

  61,187·17

  117

  Sunderland North

  13,058·05

  42

  82,332·23

  118

  Sunderland South

  16,815·50

  88

  45,251·44

  106

  Wakefield

  14,118·12

  118

  23,538·96

  88

  Wallsend

  9,900·98

  98

  41,864·47

  187

  Wath on Dearne

  5,054·07

  41

  25,454·13

  91

  York

  5,518·40

  52

  21,907·40

  92

  392 393

  Social Fund Expenditure on grants and loans April to December 1988 inclusive

  Grants

  Loans

  North Eastern Region Social Security Offices

  Expenditure

  As per cent. of Profile

  Expenditure

  As per cent. of Profile

  Ashington

  35,588·53

  53

  155,677·77

  98

  Barnsley East

  93,066·00

  48

  410,850·52

  90

  Barnsley West

  29,965·75

  26

  211,954·70

  79

  Berwick upon Tweed

  5,413·27

  64

  16,126·85

  86

  Bishop Auckland

  32,513·46

  27

  215,250·85

  75

  Blyth

  34,879·33

  53

  141,577·61

  92

  Bradford East

  119,101·34

  87

  294,357·90

  91

  Bradford South

  51,120·28

  41

  242,869·54

  83

  Bradford West

  78,106·56

  56

  299,570·99

  91

  Bridlington

  30,920·95

  90

  63,642·44

  80

  Castleford

  25,280·40

  43

  130,493·52

  95

  Chester le Street

  33,626·12

  54

  134,257·24

  91

  Darlington

  44,568·23

  31

  228,921·15

  68

  Dewsbury

  58,259·26

  66

  186,096·78

  90

  Doncaster East

  36,543·01

  34

  226,859·29

  90

  Doncaster West

  85,697·09

  51

  334,633·77

  84

  Durham

  15,670·59

  32

  107,937·57

  95

  Eston

  25,363·58

  30

  184,195·66

  91

  Gateshead

  78,888·75

  44

  419,662·48

  100

  Goole

  45,623·23

  128

  62,619·63

  75

  Grimsby

  43,149·80

  26

  342,642·43

  89

  Halifax

  114,779·53

  80

  337,606·27

  102

  Harrogate

  9,465·15

  20

  49,643·88

  45

  Hartlepool

  25,019·19

  25

  217,002·25

  91

  Hemsworth

  30,479·51

  65

  90,952·78

  82

  Hexham

  4,216·21

  27

  26,199·60

  73

  Houghton le Spring

  18,632·47

  38

  113,292·90

  97

  Huddersfleld

  64,403·76

  57

  215,479·83

  82

  Hull East

  147,276·04

  71

  390,430·58

  80

  Hull West

  123,828·67

  73

  327,306·78

  82

  Jarrow

  44,761·75

  43

  193,667·33

  79

  Keighley

  41,525·64

  69

  125,746·05

  91

  Leeds, East

  120,104·24

  66

  395,590·91

  92

  Leeds, North

  171,511·44

  77

  402,744·19

  77

  Leeds, North West

  90,830·56

  83

  213,350·01

  83

  Leeds South

  52,315·16

  69

  157,847·93

  90

  Leeds West

  48,804·32

  47

  202,915·15

  84

  Middlesbrough

  125.726·79

  46

  553,889·86

  86

  Newcastle St. James

  72,970·59

  48

  325,669·94

  91

  Newcastle East

  60,716·33

  46

  294,468·91

  96

  Newcastle West

  60,787·48

  48

  282,168·13

  94

  Northallerton

  10,103·74

  40

  44,028·54

  74

  North Shields

  52,118·13

  49

  219,030·09

  88

  Peterlee

  43,818·48

  72

  123,709·48

  87

  Pontefract

  36,557·80

  63

  122,411·35

  89

  Redcar

  73,867·19

  82

  193,692·25

  91

  Rotherham North

  35,874·91

  70

  116,564·78

  96

  Rotherham South

  129,407·89

  78

  358,792·21

  92

  Scarborough

  14,435·77

  29

  95,934·66

  84

  Scunthorpe

  43,831·89

  38

  242,375·26

  90

  Seaham

  21,691·39

  93

  51,787·17

  95

  Sheffield North East

  183,532·77

  59

  587,895·85

  80

  Sheffield North West

  128,558·20

  56

  494,260·31

  91

  Sheffield South East

  94,880·84

  64

  324,684·34

  94'

  Sheffield South West

  139,250·17

  69

  348,334·79

  73

  Skipton

  5,698·79

  56

  17,057·77

  75

  South Shields

  83,878·58

  62

  282,894·47

  90

  Stanley

  45,101·33

  48

  209,429·39

  94

  Stockton

  139,515·75

  71

  399,243·12

  86

  Sunderland North

  77,670·51

  30

  518,806·98

  84

  Sunderland South

  54,986·89

  34

  325,645·87

  86

  Wakefield

  88,930·99

  88

  235,121·50

  99

  Wallsend

  40,732·51

  48

  195,918·52

  98

  Wath on Dearne

  27,756·40

  26

  219,723·40

  88

  York

  64,502·76

  72

  193,222·40

  92

  Note—The percentage figures quoted are based on the profile set in April 1988.
  394

ENERGY

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to initiate a study on the Health and Safety Commission's report on the "Tolerability of Risk from Nuclear Power Stations".

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Following publication of the Health and Safety Executive's document in February 1988, a number of individuals and organisations made comments on the report. These were published on 9 January.

  West Stadrill Rig (Defects)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the discovery of a defective gas detection system, defective fire alarm, and one fire pump out of action on the West Stadrill rig; what estimates he makes of the likelihood of such defects on other rigs; and what additional action is being taken by the inspectorate over and above the normal schedule of inspections, to uncover and prevent such defects in safety systems on rigs.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My safety directorate undertook an inspection of the mobile drilling rig West Stadrill on 31 January and 1 February 1989. The inspector found major safety deficiencies and ordered the immediate cessation of well-drilling activities.

  Prime responsibility for safety rests with the owner and operator of an installation. However, my inspectors will continue to be vigilant in this vital area of safety and to rigorously enforce the strict safety regulations which apply offshore.

  British Coal
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal; and what matters were discussed.

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

  Gas Standing Charges
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he plans to have any discussions with the Director General of Gas Supply about relieving pensioners from standing charges for gas.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  No.

  Electricity Standing Charges
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to relieve pensioners from standing charges for electricity.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No. Standing charges are the fairest means of recovering the industry's fixed costs in providing a supply of electricity. If pensioners were relieved of paying standing charges the unit rate of electricity for domestic consumers would need to rise by about 3·5 per cent. to recoup the lost revenue.

  Nuclear Energy Futures
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will arrange a copy of the transcript of the BBC Radio 4 "Analysis" programme broadcast on 9 February on nuclear energy futures to be placed in his Departmental library.

  Mr. Parkinson
  No.

  CEGB
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen), 3 February,Official Report, column 424, if he will set out the criteria he uses to decide between questions for which he has responsibility in regard to the Central Electricity Generating Board, and questions which are the responsibility of the chairman of the board.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Questions which relate specifically to matters within the management competence of the Central Electricity Generating Board are referred to the chairman of the board.

  Petroleum Production
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the Government's latest forecasts of levels of United Kingdom petroleum production.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The latest forecasts for United Kingdom petroleum production in the years 1989 to 1993 are as follows:

  million tonnes

  1989

  95–115

  1990

  100–120

  1991

  90–120

  1992

  85–115

  1993

  80–120

  As in previous years, the forecasts are presented in the form of a range of outcomes for each year. These take into account the many uncertainties involved. The figures comprise stabilised crude oil, natural gas liguids (NGLs) and condensates. NGL and condensate production is expected to contribute between 6 and 12 million tonnes annually to the figures.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Credit Cards
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ascertain the percentage of bank credit card holders who have repaid in full each month for each year since 1984.

  Mr. Lilley
  Details of repayments by credit card holders are primarily a matter for the institutions concerned.

  Building Societies
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans any further extension of the powers of building societies; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The series of orders extending building societies' powers, made last June, were designed to set the
  397
  future framework for building societies within which they could make sensible plans about their development. However, I indicated then that it would be necessary from time to time to make minor changes by order to suit particular circumstances, within that broad policy framework.

  I announced last June that the Building Societies Commission would consult societies and other interested bodies about one such order, namely one to permit societies to own, or to take an equity stake in, companies involved in the acquisition of mortgages from other lenders. Following those consultations, the order was made by the Commission yesterday and will be laid before Parliament shortly. Recently, the attention of the Treasury and Building Societies Commission has been drawn to the two minor respects in which the intention of the June 1988 measures is not being fulfilled as expected.

  The first is that some societies have been frustrated in developing money transmission services by the fact that although they could offer such services to companies, they cannot offer them incidental overdraft facilities. I accordingly intend to table a draft order for approval by Parliament to be made under section 19 of the Building Societies Act 1986, to create a new type of class 3 asset. It would empower societies to offer temporary or occasional overdraft facilities, incidental to the provision of money transmission business. But it would not allow continuing unsecured lending to a company in the form of a permanent overdraft.

  The second limitation is that a society can provide a wide range of financial services to companies, but they can neither provide companies with unsecured loans themselves, nor introduce the borrower to another lender. I adhere to the view that for at least the next stage of their development, societies should continue to be limited in making unsecured loans on their own balance sheet only to individuals. But I have agreed to a proposal from the Building Societies Commission that it should make an order which would enable societies to introduce, or otherwise arrange, unsecured loans and leases for companies as agents of another financial institution.

  The Building Societies Commission is initiating consultations on two new draft orders, so that the draft money transmission order may be laid before Parliament shortly. Many societies have their annual general meetings during March and April, and they may wish to adopt the revised powers at this time.

  EC (Economic and Finance Council)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

  Mr. Lilley
  The ECOFIN Council met in Brussels on 13 February. I represented the United Kingdom.

  The council heard proposals from the Commission for two new directives. The first would introduce a common minimum withholding tax on interest income. The second would amend directive 799/77 concerning co-operation between national tax administrations in the field of direct taxation and VAT. The proposed directives will be discussed by officials of the member states before being considered further at the April meeting of the ECOFIN Council.

  National Income
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the growth in(a) non-oil national income and (b) national income including oil per head since 1979.

  Mr. Major
  The only measure which is compiled including and excluding oil is the output-based measure of the gross domestic product (GDP). Expressed in per capita terms, this grew 14·8 per cent. between 1979 and 1987. Excluding the contribution of the extraction of mineral oil and natural gas, the growth over the same period was 12·3 per cent.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what benefits would accrue to the United Kingdom from joining the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system; and if there are any comparable disadvantages.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 16 February 1989]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Holland with Boston (Sir R. Body) on 20 January 1989 at column 358 and the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) on 1 February 1989 at column 226 and to my right hon. Friend's reply to a question from the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) at column 1162 on 26 January 1989.

THE ARTS

  Dance Companies
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what was the subsidy per seat via the Arts Council and local authorities to the leading touring dance companies in the latest available year.

  Mr. Luce
  The information requested is as follows:

  Dance company

  Subsidy1 per seat £

  Royal Ballet

  20·25

  Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet

  16·55

  Rambcrt Dance Company

  12·25

  London Festival Ballet

  11·00

  London Contemporary Dance Trust

  9·50

  Northern Ballet Theatre

  4·60

  1 1987–88, including Arts Council and local authority subsidy.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Discretionary Pay
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about the discretionary pay scheme for grades 2 and 3 staff in the home Civil Service.

  Mr. Luce
  In the second round of awards made under the arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister on 23 April 1987, awards have been made to 11 grade 2s and 41 grade 3s. The total number of staff currently in receipt of awards following the first and second rounds of the scheme is 34 grade 2s and 108 grade 3s, respectively 25 per cent. and 22 per cent. of all those in each grade.
  399
  The full year cost of these awards is £322,000 or about 1·25 per cent. of the annual pay bill for the grades concerned.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Union of Soviet Socialist Republics counterpart about the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the Wakhan corridor in Afghanistan; what response he has received; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have repeatedly called upon the Soviet Union to withdraw all its forces from Afghanistan. A Soviet Government statement published in Pravda on 16 February announced that withdrawal had been completed. We have no reason to believe that there are now any Soviet troops in Afghanistan's Wakhan corridor.

PRIME MINISTER

  Select Committees
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister how many Select Committee recommendations the Government have accepted since the last general election and in which Departments.

  The Prime Minister
  This information is not held centrally.

  London Docklands
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Prime Minister how many Government Departments have a locus in training in London Docklands.

  The Prime Minister
  The Department of Employment (which includes the Training Agency), the Department of the Environment, and the Department of Education and Science each have a locus in the provision of training in London Docklands.

  Unpasteurised Milk Cheese
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on co-ordination between the Scottish Office, the Department of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on action concerning unpasteurised milk cheese.

  The Prime Minister
  Regulations controlling the composition, advertising and labelling of all cheese offered for sale for human consumption in England and Wales are made jointly under the Food Act by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Health. Regulations also exist in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.

  Newspaper Proprietors (Entertainment)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will give the cost of entertaining proprietors of United Kingdom-based newspapers over the last year; and if she will break the cost down by proprietor.
  400
  The Prime Minister
  No. Information in the form requested is not available.

  Pensioners Groups
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans for pensioners groups to be represented on policy making bodies including the areas of(a) broadcasting and television, (b) the health service, (c) social services, (d) housing authorities and (e) local government.

  The Prime Minister
  Ministers are in regular contact with pensioner groups and the major voluntary organisations representing pensioner interests. Pensioners' interests are therefore already taken into account in the Government's decision-making process.

SCOTLAND

  Golf Courses
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the role of (i) the Scottish tourist board, (ii) the Scottish Development Agency, (iii) the Locate in Scotland office and (iv) any other public body in attracting large-scale luxury golf courses and associated developments to Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  Where such developments further the various objectives of bodies like the Scottish Development Agency and Locate in Scotland, then advice or assistance may be offered to the schemes' promoters.

  In 1987, the Scottish tourist board commissioned a report from consultants on the marketing and provision of golfing facilities. The board assesses that golf has the potential to attract more visitors to Scotland but that major investment will be required if Scotland is to compete with rival destinations.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice is available from his Department to local authorities concerning the development of large-scale luxury golf courses and associated developments.

  Mr. Lang
  No specific advice has been given to local authorities on the planning issues arising from such developments. Local authorities are expected to have regard to our general advice on development in the countryside.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has about the number of applications for the development of large-scale luxury golf courses and associated developments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  I understand that a number of proposals to develop golf courses and associated hotel facilities in locations throughout Scotland have been announced recently. Information on the number of these developments for which planning permission has been or is being sought is not held centrally.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department has any plans to carry out an impact assessment of the development of large-scale luxury golf courses and associated developments on the economies of the areas in which they are situated and on the Scottish economy as a whole.
  401
  Mr. Lang
  No.

  A consultant's report on golfing facilities commissioned by the Scottish tourist board (STB) in 1987 indicated that there could be a considerable and growing market for Scottish golf both at home and abroad. It is already an important asset to Scottish tourism. Information available to STB suggests that visiting golfers contribute at least £6·5 million to Scottish golf courses with golfers participating in organised tours adding a further £5 million.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what public funds have been spent by his Department and public bodies for which he is responsible, in attracting large-scale luxury golf courses and associated developments to Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  The Scottish tourist board has made a number of small grants to golf clubs towards the improvement of courses and clubhouse facilities.

  The Scottish Development Agency and the Cumbernauld development corporation are assisting the development of a hotel and leisure complex, which will be associated with golfing facilities, at Westerwood, Cumbernauld.

  Tourist Developments
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies have been carried out by(a) his Department and (b) the Scottish tourist board on the impact on the relative tourist industry in Scotland of large-scale luxury developments, and small-scale indigenous developments.

  Mr. Lang
  The Industry Department for Scotland has undertaken a study of the net impact of a sample of projects assisted by the Scottish tourist board. This work was undertaken as a contribution to an evaluation of the cost effectiveness of the National tourist boards' scheme of financial assistance to tourist projects.

  The Scottish tourist board conducts feasibility, research and planning studies, details of which are contained in the board's annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library. The board also undertakes ongoing monitoring of projects which they assist.

  NHS Video
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) on whose authority a register of attendance is being taken of hospital staff attending the video presentation of "Working for Patients";

  (2) if he will give the purpose of maintaining a register of attendance of hospital staff at the video presentation of "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I hope that all who work in the Scottish Health Service will have the opportunity to see the video presentation, which explains the Government's proposals in "Working for Patients". Arrangements for providing such an opportunity are a matter for the health boards, as part of their day-to-day management function. My right hon. and learned Friend has issued no specific instructions on such local arrangements.

  Winter Herding Act 1686
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to review the level of penalty applicable under the Winter Herding Act 1686 for trespass from its current level of half a merk per beast.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Winter Herding Act 1686 was repealed by the Animals (Scotland) Act 1987.

  Law Society of Scotland
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions in each of the past 10 years recommendations contained in memoranda of observations of committees of the Law Society of Scotland have been adopted by the departments to which such recommendations were addressed; and if he will list the recommendations in each case.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not centrally collated.

DEFENCE

  Aircraft Spares
  Mr. Jim Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft, and of what type, have been used for spares in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Neubert
  The information is not readily available in the form required, and could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

  AWRE Aldermaston
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work is currently being carried out on the reactor equipment at atomic weapons research establishment, Aldermaston; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  AWE Aldermaston's HERALD research reactor was closed down in September last year after 30 years of operation. The reactor fuel elements have been removed and safely stored. The reactor building is now being put on a care and maintenance basis.

  Nuclear Reactors
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if his Department has made any study of the feasibility of using a linear proton accelerator to produce tritium on the closure of British Nuclear Fuels pic's Chapelcross plant;

  (2) if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours), 7 February, Official Report, column 786, he will make a statement on the long-term effectiveness of British Nuclear Fuels plc's present nuclear reactors to provide military nuclear materials for the United Kingdom defence programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The reactors at Chapelcross are expected to be effective for the production of any military nuclear materials which may be required, until the late 1990s. Any longer-term defence requirements and options for the replacement of reactors will be kept under review as appropriate.

  Military Aircraft
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Cartwright),Official Report, 25 January, column 651, about military aircraft destroyed or severely damaged in accidents during the last 10 years, he will set out the total costs for these losses in pounds sterling at present day values.

  Mr. Neubert
  It is not our practice to publish unit production costs of equipment. For information on the costs of major equipment projects I refer the hon. Member to table 3.2 of volume 2 of the statement of Defence Estimates 1988 (Cm. 344–11).

  Nuclear Missiles
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the number of nuclear missiles removed from the European theatre by the Soviet Union; and what is the source of this information.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Soviet Union has publicly announced that it will be withdrawing about 24 short range missile systems from the forward area as part of the unilateral withdrawals that they intend to make before 1991. This will be in addition to the complete removal of INF systems under the terms of the INF treaty.

  Soviet Union (Nuclear Systems)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wealden (Sir G. Johnson Smith),Official Report, 7 February, column 795, if he will set out the source of his information that the Soviet Union has modernised all its shorter-range nuclear systems in the last few years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not our practice to discuss in detail the sources of our information on such matters.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has recently discussed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty with his counterparts in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No, but nuclear proliferation and the non-proliferation treaty are kept under continual scrutiny by Ministers and officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Child Care Workers
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. Needham
  The information requested is not available in the form requested, since the financial records of the Department of Health and Social Services do not distinguish between grants allocated for the training of child care workers and for other purposes.
  404
  Health and social services boards meet their own training costs out of their annual revenue allocations from the Department. In May 1988,I announced that an extra £50,000 a year was being made available to boards for at least three years to provide additional training in tackling child abuse. £25,000 has been allocated to date, and the annual sum will be increased to £100,000 in 1989–90. In addition, the Department is contributing to the cost of developing the University of Bath's computer software programme, CHIAC, to assist social workers handling child abuse cases. Development costs for the Northern Ireland programme will amount to £28,000 and £48,000 has been allocated to boards towards the acquisition of computers to enable them to make full use of CHIAC.

  The Department funds directly the training of the staff of voluntary social services organisations and offers bursaries and studentships to individual social work students. The Department's expenditure on these items in 1987–88 was £673,700.

  Social Security Payments
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the numbers of dependants of those claiming income support or supplementary benefit in each social security office in the past four years.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 13 February 1989]: The available information, which is based on a 5 per cent, sample, is as follows:

  1986

  1987

  Dependants of people on supplementary benefit

  183,700

  185,800

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the number of punishment cases involving paramilitaries in Northern Ireland for which criminal injuries compensation has been paid and the amounts in each of the years 1979, 1984 and 1987.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information that is readily available relates only to criminal injury claims for punishment shootings in the form of kneecapping and is as follows. The annual figure represents those cases settled within that calendar period and not those initiated during the year. I understand that five cases were initiated in 1987 of which four have recently been resolved and the other is currently under appeal.

  Kneecapping cases

  Year

  Cases awarded compensation

  Compensation paid £

  1979

  7

  16,200

  1984

  3

  85,500

WALES

  Water Supplies (EEC Standards)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all those water supplies in Wales which
  405
  currently fail to meet the standards set out in the EEC directives on the quality of drinking water and whether or not these are subject to derogations; how and when it is proposed for each of those water supplies to meet the standards laid down; and what is the estimated cost of complying with the standards in each case.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  For the supplies covered by derogations I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given on 3 February to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms. Quin).

  The following table lists those supplies for which application has been made to the Commission under article 20 for a longer period in which to comply fully with the directive. For these supplies improvement programmes have been submitted which should mean that most of those sources will comply with the directive by 1992.

  Source

  Nantybwch

  Preseli

  Capel Dewi

  Strata Florida

  Bontgoch

  Georgetown

  Alwen

  Cynwyd

  Meifod

  Carno

  Talybont

  Portis

  Pontsticill

  Eaton Bishop

  Llandeilo Graban

  Llanwrtyd Wells

  Cross Way

  Byford

  Bolton Hill

  Small Source (serving less than 1,000 population)

  Ffynnon Rhys

  Llanfynydd

  Bcttws-y-Coed

  Maenllwyd

  Talwaenydd

  Byton

  Barmouth

  Health Promotion Authority
  Sir Raymond Gower
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what allocation of resources is to be made to the Health Promotion Authority for Wales for the financial year 1989–90.

  Mr. Grist
  Subject to parliamentary approval £2·057 million will be made available for allocation to the Health Promotion Authority for Wales in 1989–90. The allocation will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of annual performance review. It represents a further and substantial additional commitment of resources to HPAW over the £1·792 million allocated in 1988–89.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has received a report from the Government researchers based at Warren Springs on lead in the air in Cardiff; what significance he places on the latest available figures for Cardiff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 16 February 1989]My right hon. Friend has received a report including figures for Cardiff up to 1987. The Cardiff figures are well below the limit value required by the EC directive on lead in air.

(Overseas Development)

  Net Flows
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the level of net flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries in each year from 1979 to 1987 at 1979 prices; and what is his definition of net flows.

  Mr. Eggar
  Total net flows comprise those official and private flows set out in table 3 of "British Aid Statistics 1983–87" which is available in the Library of the House. The information requested is as follows:

  Net flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries at 1979 prices (£ million)

  Official

  Private

  Total

  1979

  1,083

  5,277

  6,360

  1980

  607

  3,782

  4,388

  1981

  948

  3,446

  4,394

  1982

  778

  1,716

  2,494

  1983

  795

  1,864

  2,659

  1984

  901

  1,389

  2,290

  1985

  886

  253

  1,139

  1986

  812

  1,755

  2,567

  1987

  699

  77

  776

  Aid Programme
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances it is his practice to tie British overseas aid grants or loans under either the multilateral or the bilateral aid programme to the purchase of British goods or services.

  Mr. Eggar
  Goods and services funded by bilateral aid are generally British and provided by British firms. In the poorer countries generous provision is made within project aid to help meet the local costs of projects incurred within the recipient country. Part of our contribution to the World Bank's special programme for Africa, project loans and investments by the Commonwealth Development Corporation, budgetary aid, food aid, debt relief and disaster relief are untied. European Community aid is lied to member states and recipient countries. Other multilateral aid is effectively untied.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sum of money in total is made available to the Criminal Injuries Compensation board; and by what formula payments are made.

  Mr. John Patten
  In 1988–89, £70 million has been provided for compensation and £7.4 million for administration. This expenditure falls on the votes of the Home Office and the Scottish Home and Health Department and is paid as grant-in-aid monthly in advance to meet forecast expenditure. Details about the administration and scope of the criminal injuries compensation scheme and the basis on which compensation is paid are set out in the board's latest annual report (Cm. 265), copies of which are in the Library.

  Horserace Betting
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to initiate the inquiry into horserace betting recommended by the Royal Commission on Gambling in 1978.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Royal Commission recommended a study of bookmaking finances, possibly through the Office of Fair Trading and the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. Beginning in 1986, the Office of Fair Trading undertook extensive inquiries into the off-course bookmaking industry, to see if it should be the subject of a complex monopoly reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. In January 1988, the Director-General of that Office announced that he had decided that there were no grounds for such a reference.

  We are considering a recommendation from the chairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board that, following my right hon. Friend's forthcoming determination of the 28th horserace betting levy scheme, there should be an inquiry into the long term financing of racing.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish his estimates of television advertising revenue and the increase in total advertising necessary to support a viable fifth television channel, satellite television, cable television and channels 3 and 4 plus three new national radio channels and new local radio stations as envisaged in his Broadcasting White Paper; and what consultations he has had with the advertising industry about its own projections of revenue.

  Mr. Renton
  My right hon. Friend does not think it appropriate for him to publish forecasts of the revenue that will arise under the new broadcasting arrangements. I am, however, aware of a number of academic studies undertaken in this area and of a variety of forecasts by the advertising industry. In July 1988, we held a seminar on television advertising expenditure to explore the implications of such studies and forecasts for broadcasting policy. Regular contact is maintained with representatives of the advertising industry.

  Justices' Clerks
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department where a salary is paid in excess of the JNC for the justices' clerks national salary arrangements to a clerk to the justices, what proportion of the excess is contributed by his department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Home Office meets 80 per cent. of the cost of justices' clerks salaries under the provisions of the Justices of the Peace Act 1979. The Secretary of State may, however, impose conditions on the payment of grant.

  Needles (Prisons)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to seek to eliminate the use of needles and halt the market in illegal drugs, needles and syringes in prisons by the introduction of treatment facilities to replace injectable illegal drugs; and if he will make a statement.
  408
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The possibility of a history of drugs misuse is one of the factors that medical officers inquire into during the course of their examination of inmates being received into prison custody. Staff are particularly watchful for signs that illicit drugs have been injected. The nature and extent of medical help offered is determined by the medical officer's clinical assessment of the individual case. Counter-measures have been taken to tackle the smuggling and misuse of illicit drugs and implements, and further steps are under consideration.

  Registration and Naturalisation
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long applications now being considered for(a) registration and (b) naturalisation, are taking on average, to complete; and what reduction in time taken to complete consideration of such applications he anticipates by the end of 1989.

  Mr. Renton
  The average time takent to complete applications for registration and naturalisation in January 1989 was 14 months and 21 months respectively.

  In view of the enormous number of applications received towards the end of 1987, no improvement in the average processing times is anticipated during 1989 but a considerable improvement is expected during the course of 1990–91.

  Prison (Facilities)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking in respect of recommendations by the Chief Inspector of Prisons that all prison cells should have in-cell toilet facilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [pursuant to his reply, 9 February, c. 760]Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons report on prison sanitation will now be published on 20 February.

TRANSPORT

  Elderly Persons (Transport Facilities)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to increase public transport facilities for the elderly.

  Mr. Portillo
  Local authorities already have powers under the Transport Act 1985 to make provision for special transport facilities for the elderly and disabled. They can also make grants to improve transport facilities and equipment for the disabled and such improvements often benefit the elderly too.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to extend the existing schemes of free of charge public transport for pensioners throughout the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Portillo
  Local authorities already have discretionary powers under section 93 of the Transport Act 1985 to establish cheap or free travel schemes for pensioners. In addition, private operators such as British Rail and National Express provide travel concessions for the elderly on a commercial basis.

  Merseyrail Facilities (Safety)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce a decision of Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority's application for section 56 funding for safety improvements to Merseyrail facilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I expect to announce a decision very shortly.

  A361 (Taunton-Barnstaple)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities he informed of his proposal, following the detrunking of the A361 between Taunton and Barnstaple, to declassify it and renumber it the B3227; and when this was done.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  All the local authorities and parish councils through which the A361 runs were notified of the proposal to reclassify it as a classified road when the draft detrunking order was published in September 1984, and again when the order was made in August 1986.

  The number B3227 was agreed for the Taunton to South Molton section in 1982 with Somerset and Devon county councils.

  Oil Pollution (Court Cases)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make it his policy to review the remedies available to the courts when sentencing, after a finding of guilt, in respect of a case of oil pollution in British waters in order to ensure the equal treatment of British and foreign owners.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have no reason to believe that the courts treat British and foreign owners differently either in oil pollution cases or in any others. Where it is not possible to bring a foreign owner before a British court the Department notifies the relevant flag Administration and invites them to consider prosecution.

  Road Tunnels (Ventilation)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department's design standards for ventilation in road tunnels are intended to deal with lead in vehicle emissions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Yes. Road tunnel design standards control the dominant pollutants in vehicle emissions and set fresh air requirements for conditions when tunnel traffic is fully congested and emissions are at their worst.

  The ventilation standards are for carbon monoxide and diesel smoke and can safely disperse the small quantities of lead to be found in some tunnel atmospheres. Even the unlikely event of a lengthy traffic delay would not cause tunnel users to remain in a tunnel long enough appreciably to increase their overall exposure to lead.

  The issue of lead and health was considered by a Department of Health and Social Security working party on lead in the environment. After considering all sources of lead and the variability of short-term average exposures, it recommended that the annual mean concentration at places where people might be exposed to lead in air
  410
  continuously and for long periods should not exceed 2 mg per cubic metre. The same limit was subsequently adopted in EEC directive No. 82/884—Council directive on a limit value for lead in air. The working party did not recommend, and the directive does not impose, any limits for short term exposures for lead in air, but the Health and Safety Executive sets occupational health limits in its guidance note EH 40/88 "Occupational Exposure Limits 1988". These are based on average exposures ever eight-hour periods and would be relevant to tunnel maintenance workers, in particular those allowed to work in tunnels which remain fully or partially open to traffic. In such cases it is standard practice for tunnel ventilation systems to remain in operation.

  There is no evidence to suggest that lead arising from vehicle emissions in tunnels increases health risks significantly for tunnel users, maintenance workers or nearby residents. In longer tunnels the environment is continuously regulated and in all cases tunnel exhaust shafts and portals are sited to minimise the impact of tunnel pollution on the immediate vicinity. The steps now taken to protect those working in or living close to tunnels from any adverse effects from tunnel pollution will be reinforced by the reduction of levels of lead in petrol, the increasing availability of unleaded fuel and the implementation of the requirement that from next year all new cars should be capable of running on unleaded petrol.

  Pedestrian Crossings
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the malfunction of pedestrian crossings with an audible facility was detected, and on what dates subsequent action was taken by his Department.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]: On 26 September 1988. On 27 September 1988, 24 November 1988, 21 December 1988, 3 January 1989 and 1 February 1989.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Advisory Panel on Deregulation
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current membership of the advisory panel on deregulation; and when he will be appointing new members.

  Mr. Maude
  A new member has been appointed and will join the panel on 1 March 1989. He is Mr. Neil McArthur, chairman of Thurnall Engineering Ltd., Northbank industrial estate, Cadishead, Manchester. A further four appointments will be made in April.

  The advisory panel makes an important contribution to the enterprise and deregulation unit's work by advising it on the impact of regulatory requirements on business and enterprise development.

  The new appointment will help to ensure the panel's continuing effectiveness as a source of valuable advice.

  The existing membership of the advisory panel on deregulation is as follows:

  Sir Nigel Mobbs, DL (Chairman)—Chairman and Chief Executive, Slough Estates plc, Slough.

  Mr. Colin Dauris—Chairman and Managing Director, James Dauris & Co. Ltd., London.

  Mr. Mike Fisher—Managing. Director, Whale Tankers Ltd., Solihull, West Midlands.

  411

  Mrs. Teresa Graham—Senior Manager, Price Waterhouse, Newcastle.

  Mr. George Gray—Chairman and Managing Director, Valley Capital Ltd., Carnforth, Lancashire, and Deputy Chairman, Development Commission.

  Mr. Damon de Laszlo—Chairman, Harwin Ltd., Portsmouth.

  Mr. Stephen Moss—Managing Director, BCP Parking, and Director, Drakes Restaurant, London.

  Mr. Tom O'Connor—Chairman and Managing Director, Elta Plastics, Stockton-on-Tees.

  Mrs. Jenifer Rosenberg, OBE—Managing Director, J & J Fashions Ltd., London.

  Mrs. Celia Urquhart—Managing Director, CU Data Ltd., Glasgow.

  Ratio of Exports to Imports, Per cent.

  Year

  United Kingdom

  Federal Republic of Germany

  Italy

  Spain

  Sweden

  Finland

  Manufactures1

  1979

  104

  165

  166

  124

  119

  123

  1980

  112

  161

  138

  119

  115

  113

  1981

  108

  169

  160

  124

  126

  129

  1982

  101

  179

  165

  119

  122

  132

  1983

  89

  167

  178

  126

  127

  124

  1984

  88

  167

  161

  143

  129

  134

  1985

  90

  172

  158

  134

  125

  130

  1986

  87

  170

  150

  95

  129

  122

  1987

  86

  166

  136

  78

  116

  112

  1988

  79

  2. .

  2. .

  2. .

  2. .

  2. .

  Goods and Services

  1979

  101

  102

  104

  102

  97

  105

  1980

  109

  98

  89

  87

  94

  98

  1981

  112

  103

  92

  90

  100

  104

  1982

  108

  109

  96

  91

  98

  103

  1983

  104

  107

  103

  97

  107

  102

  1984

  100

  108

  99

  111

  112

  109

  1985

  104

  113

  98

  110

  107

  103

  1986

  97

  121

  108

  112

  112

  106

  1987

  96

  121

  104

  101

  107

  102

  1 SITC Sections 5 to 8; exports fob, imports cif.

  2 2. .=Not readily available.

  Source: OECD, Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Student Unions
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on the progress of his Department's review of student unions.

  Mr. Jackson
  My Department is nearing completion of its analysis of the responses submitted to its questionnaire. In the light of its findings, the Government will in due course consider what action might best be taken and will then consult all those concerned.

  City Technology Colleges Trust
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will specify the dates and amounts of any moneys paid or payable to the city technology colleges trust by way of(a) grants and (b) loans.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Grant payments have been made to the CTC trust as follows:

  £

  In respect of the 1987–88 financial year:

  6 April 1988

  12,630

  25 May 1988

  7,510

  412
  Mr. Phillip White—Chairman and Chief Executive, WYKO Group plc, Dudley, West Midlands.

  Exports-Imports Ratio
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the ratio of exports to imports for(a) manufactured goods and (b) all goods and services for each year since 1979 for the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Finland.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The available information is in the table.

  £

  In respect of the 1988–89 financial year:

  28 September 1988

  17,936

  16 November 1988

  18,000

  20 January 1989

  1,946

  The total amount payable under the grant agreement during the four years 1987–88 to 1990–91 is two thirds of actual expenditure up to a maximum of £200,000.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what amounts of grant Grant-Maintained Schools Ltd. has sought to meet expenditure incurred or to be incurred by it(a) for the purposes of or in connection with, the provision or proposed provision, of educational services in grant-maintained schools or proposed grant-maintained schools and (b) for any other purposes; and if he will specify those purposes;

  (2) how much loan or grant to Grant-Maintained Schools Ltd. he has approved, or expects to approve.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  When the Education (Grants) (Grant-Maintained Schools Ltd.) Regulations 1989 come into force grant may be paid to Grant-Maintained Schools
  413
  Ltd. for the purpose of or in connection with, the provision or proposed provision, of educational services in grant-maintained schools or proposed grant-maintained schools. Grant-Maintained Schools Ltd. has submitted an application for a grant of £25,000 in the current financial year and £150,000 in the next financial year. Grant support is sought to enable it to provide advice on financial, managerial and educational matters, and related training, to schools which have been approved for grant-maintained status. No decision has been made about this application and it will be considered on its merits.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the maximum amount of grant, for any purpose, which could be made payable to Grant-Maintained Schools Ltd.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My Department pays grant to many organisations. We do not set a maximum amount of grant. Similarly, when they come into force my powers to pay grant under the Education (Grants) (Grant-Maintained Schools Ltd.) Regulations 1989 will not lay down any maximum. All applications for grant are considered on their merits.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what financial provision or plans have been made, and in respect of what years, to enable grant to be payable to Grant-Maintained Schools Ltd.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  No specific provision has been made, since no decision to pay grant has yet been taken. If the application for the grant of the Grant-Maintained Schools Ltd. is agreed, funds will be found from within provision made for grants to persons other than local educational authorities for or in connection with education services.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the nature of the educational services in respect of which Grant-Maintained Schools Ltd. may be paid a grant under the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have powers under section 100(1 )(b) of the Education Act 1944 as amended by section 213(3) of the Education Reform Act to make provision by regulations to pay grant to persons other than local education authorities in respect of expenditure incurred or to be incurred by them for the purposes of, or in connection with, the provision—or proposed provision—of educational services.

  Brain Drain
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has on the alleged academic brain drain.

  Mr. Jackson
  Recent movements of full-time wholly unversity financed non-clinical academic staff between universities in Great Britain and employment or study abroad have been as follows:

  Inflow

  Outflow

  Net inflow

  1980

  276

  249

  27

  1981

  183

  203

  -20

  1982

  118

  214

  -96

  1983

  220

  153

  67

  1984

  318

  138

  180

  414

  Inflow

  Outflow

  Net inflow

  1985

  292

  154

  138

  1986

  260

  204

  56

  1987

  199

  191

  8

HEALTH

  Mental Illness Hospitals
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the staffed beds in mental illness hospitals and units in England in 1988 were unoccupied; and what information he has on the average mental illness hospital bed occupancy rates recommended by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

  Mr. Freeman
  At the end of 1986, the latest year for which occupancy figures are currently available, about 15 per cent, of the available beds in National Health Service mental illness hospitals and units in England were unoccupied. The Department is aware of the Royal College's observations on bed occupancy rates but considers that with the wide variation in service requirements, it would not be appropriate to set general targets for occupancy rates.

  Grading
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will list for each regional health authority the number of mental handicap nurses from each of the old grades who have been assimilated to each of the new grades.

  Mr. Freeman
  We do not hold this information centrally.

  Dioxins
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement concerning the levels of dioxin traces that he considers both acceptable and safe in sanitary products, tissue, and food products, including packaging.

  Mr. Freeman
  Research has shown that levels present in these products are extremely low and are likely to present a negligible risk to health. However, the Department's committee on toxicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment has been asked to advise on the possible health effects from dioxins.

  Huddersfield Royal Infirmary
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the waiting list figures for Huddersfield Royal infirmary for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since the introduction of the Korner information system in April 1987, we no longer collect waiting statistics centrally for individual hospitals. It would not be practical to collect the more detailed Korner information centrally below district level.

  Therefore, of the last five years, figures for 1987 and 1988 cannot be provided centrally; for these my hon. Friend may wish to write to the general manager of Huddersfield district health authority.
  415
  The figures for the earlier years to which my hon. Friend refers are:

  Year

  Numbers waiting

  1984

  2,924

  1985

  2,963

  1986

  2,277

  "Working for Patients"
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his timetable for altering the composition of health authorities, as proposed in "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  As soon as possible after the necessary legislation has received Royal Assent.

  Cyclotron
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, pursuant to his reply of 19 January,Official Report, column 302, there are to be other costs incurred by his Department associated with the cyclotron at St. Thomas' hospital.

  Mr. Freeman
  In addition to the £6 million grant we are making to the Cyclotron trust, we shall meet up to 60 per cent. of the direct running costs of the cyclotron insofar as they are not met from other sources.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply 19 January,Official Report, column 302, what research documentation and other sources of information were used by his Department before he approved the grant of £6 million to the Cyclotron trust to reach the understanding that neutron therapy that the Cyclotron can provide, can give relief for the effects of certain cancers.

  Mr. Freeman
  We gave careful consideration to the case presented by the Cyclotron trust, and to a wide range of published material, of which the following are illustrative examples:Catterall, M.: The treatment of malignant salivary gland tumours with fast neutrons. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 7 (1981), 1737–1738;
  Caterall, M., Blake, P. R. and Rampling, R. P.: Fast neutron treatment as an alternative to radical surgery for malignant tumours of the facial area. British Medical Journal, 289 (1984), 1653–55;
  Cohen, L., Hendrickson F., Kurup, P. D., et al; Clinical evaluation of neutron therapy: current results and prospects 1983. Cancer, 55 (1985), 10–17;
  Medical Research Council neutron therapy working group: A comprehensive review of the Hammersmith (1971–75) and Edinburgh (1977–82) neutron therapy trials of certain cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, largnx and hypoharynx. Britis Journal of Radiology,59; 701 (1986), 429–440.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he has any plans to extend community care facilities for the elderly;

  (2) if he has any plans to ensure that there are a sufficient number of day centres for the elderly to meet current and future need;

  (3) if he has any plans to introduce a charter of rights defining the services and standards of care to which elderly people should be entitled.
  416
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The provision of services to elderly people, as to other groups, including daycare is a matter for the statutory authorities locally. They are responsible for deciding the level and extent of services in the light of local needs and the overall level of resources available.

  Although centrally we issue guidance to authorities on the discharge of these functions I do not think that it would be helpful if we prescribed in detail the services and standards of care to be provided.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to ensure that a greater amount of health services resources are directed to the health care of the elderly.

  Mr. Freeman
  Health authorities are responsible for planning levels of expenditure and services which take into account both local needs and Ministers' aims and objectives, including those for services for elderly people. The Department issues guidance, and must approve plans submitted by regional and special health authorities, but essentially these plans reflect local decisions. Elderly people do, of course, make use of many NHS services, not just those which are dedicated solely to their needs.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to introduce an independent national inspectorate to oversee all forms of health, social and care services for the elderly.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. We already receive regular advice and assistance from the health advisory service and the social services inspectorate of the Department.

  Community Care
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will publish statistics indicating the increase in resources devoted to care in the community in each year since 1983;

  (2) if he will make a further statement on the resources available for care in the community, in particular with regard to schizophrenia sufferers and support for their families.

  Mr. Freeman
  Resources for care in the community are made available from the main programme expenditure of health authorities and local authorities. The way in which HAs and LAs deploy these resources is a matter for them to decide in the light of local needs and circumstances. Within HA budgets a specific allocation of joint finance is identified for community schemes jointly agreed between HAs, LAs, family practitioner committees and voluntary organisations.

  Gross current expenditure figures for personal social services and hospital and community health services, for each financial year since 1983, in cash terms are as follows:

  PSS £ million

  HCHS £ million

  1983–84

  2,486

  8,882

  1984–85

  2,638

  9,386

  1985–86

  2,794

  9,886

  1986–87

  3,090

  10,623

  1987–88

  3,477

  11,730

  Data breaking down expenditure figures by type of spend are available from a number of sources, but because

  417
  of inconsistencies in definition, these data do not allow us to identify separately expenditure on community care although we are giving consideration as to whether it may be possible to do so in future.

  Of the PSS totals given it is estimated that some 70 per cent. is spent on community care (that is on the cost of community services for all client groups except children). Of the HCHS totals it is estimated that some 10 per cent. in 1986–87, was spent on community health services.

  A detailed breakdown of health and local authorities' expenditure for 1987–88 is not yet available. In 1986–87 local authorities spent (at then current prices) an estimated £44 million on residential care and day centre facilities for mentally ill people, including sufferers from schizophrenia. Other items within overall personal social services expenditure included elements of community care for mentally ill people which are not readily identifiable. In addition, health service expenditure in the same year included £151 million on out-patient and day-patient facilities for mentally ill people.

  The Department of Health makes a direct contribution under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 by grant-aiding the central administrative costs of a range of voluntary organisations, among which the National Schizophrenia Fellowship, the Northern Schizohprenia Fellowship and the North West Fellowship are particularly concerned with the needs of schizophrenia sufferers and their families.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of notified cases of people infected by(a) salmonella and (b) listeria in each year since 1978.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Laboratory reports of cases of salmonellosis submitted to the public health laboratory service for the years 1978 to 1987 are given in the table. The number of cases for 1988 is not yet available.

  Cases of salmonellosis

  1978

  9,042

  1979

  10,380

  1980

  9,502

  1981

  9,532

  1982

  11,041

  1983

  13,250

  1984

  13,093

  1985

  11,172

  1986

  14,177

  1987

  16,991

  The number of cases of human listeriosis reported to the public health laboratory service for these years are as follows:

  Cases of listeriosis

  1978

  87

  1979

  70

  1980

  75

  1981

  86

  1982

  77

  1983

  115

  1984

  115

  1985

  149

  1986

  137

  418

  Cases of listeriosis

  1987

  259

  1988

  291

  Reports of cases for 1978 to 1982 were submitted by laboratories only; those for 1983 to 1988 were from laboratories and the public health laboratory service's extended surveillance system.

  Foster Parents
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on mandatory training for foster parents.

  Mr. Freeman
  We believe that preparation and training is necessary for all foster parents. The recently issued handbook of guidance on the Boarding-out of Children (Foster Placement) Regulations 1988 stresses that local authorities and voluntary organisations should provide intitial preparation and training, specialised training as appropriate and continuing training for foster parents.

  Brucellosis and Tuberculosis
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information his Department has concerning the infection of humans with brucellosis, or tuberculosis through the consumption of green top milk;

  (2) what information his Department has concerning the incidence of brucellosis in humans.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  During the ten year period 1978 to 1987, 244 cases of brucellosis in humans were reported by laboratories in England and Wales to the public health laboratory service communicable disease surveillance centre. A total of 146 of these were presumed to have contracted their infection in the United Kingdom and the number of these indigenous cases over the decade declined from 34 in 1978 to eight in 1987.

  Of the 146 presumed indigenous cases of brucellosis referred to, seven were known to have consumed raw milk, and the most recent of these was in 1982.

  We have no information available on cases of bovine tuberculosis possibly connected with the consumption of unpasteurised milk.

  Medicines Control Agency
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the proportion of unfilled posts of recruitment grade of professional pharmaceutical posts within the Medicines Control Agency; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what are the likely effects on the works of the Medicines Control Agency of relaxation of the experience requirement on new recruits to the agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Around half of the recruitment grade of professional pharmaceutical posts are unfilled at present.

  Medicines division, which will become the Medicines Control Agency from 1 April 1989, has recently advertised for candidates to fill vacancies in the agency concerned with the assessment of the quality of product licence applications. To widen the field, qualifications in both

  419
  pharmacy and sciences related to pharmacy have been asked for. This does not mean there will be any relaxation in the standards of ability and experience that successful candidates will be required to possess. After the necessary training has been given, the overall effect of filling the vacancies will be to shorten the time needed by the licensing authority to assess the quality of product licence applications.

  Pharmaceutical Products
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average length of delay in the issue of approvals for pharmaceutical products on application; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The mean average time to grant product licences for established drug substances for the 12 months ending 31 December 1988, the latest date for which statistics are available, was 15 months. The corresponding time for new active substances was 21 months. These periods include the time taken by applicants to respond to inquiries from Medicines Act section 4 committees of the licensing authority.

  Listeria
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, in order to reduce the risk of listeria, he will take steps to introduce legislation to ensure that the permitted length of refrigeration of cooked food is limited to the shortest possible time.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 13 February 1989]: The length of time for which cooked products may be kept depends on a number of things such as the type of cooking process, packaging, preservatives etc. It is not possible to lay down one single period of shelf life which would be appropriate for all these products.

  Ambulance and Blood Transfusion Services
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria he proposes to lay down for regional health authorities to decide whether(a) blood transfusion and (b) ambulance services should be contracted out to the private sector.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]: We have no plans to contract out the blood transfusion service. With regard to the ambulance service, we published a scrutiny report on the non-emergency sector of the ambulance service in April 1984 when we said that it was open to district health authorities to buy-in part of the ambulance service from the private sector if that is more cost effective and provided the quality of service was maintained. Many NHS ambulance authorities already use private contractors, the hospital car service and voluntary aid societies to transport appropriate NHS patients. This has been the case for many years and helps to ensure that skilled ambulance crews and specialist vehicles are used for those who need the special care and attention which they can provide.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement about the future of the blood transfusion service under the proposals in the Government's White Paper on the National Health Service.
  420
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]: The blood transfusion service will continue to be an integral part of the National Health Service. Its organisation at national and supra-regional level will remain essentially as now, save that operational responsibility will rest with the NHS management executive in succession to the NHS management board. Services below this level are mostly organised on a region-wide basis. Regional health authorities will be asked, in line with paragraph 2.8 of the White Paper, to review these services and to ensure that they are in future managed in the most cost-effective manner and consistent with the wider management changes that are being introduced in the National Health Service.

  Lead Pollution
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has received a report from the Government researchers based at Warren Springs on lead in the air in Cardiff; what significance he places on the latest available figures for Cardiff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roger Freeman
  [holding answer 16 February 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

ENVIRONMENT

  World Climate Conference
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for(a) departmental input and (b) consultancy input to the world climate conference in June 1990.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The principal United Kingdom input to the world climate conference will be through the Meteorological Office although representatives from the Department are also likely to attend. The Department is commissioning scientific work in this area through its air pollution research programme and if relevant the scientists responsible will be encouraged to submit papers.

  Football
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next plans to meet representatives of football supporters clubs; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I met representatives of the National Federation of Football Supporters Clubs and the Football Supporters Association on 6 December and offered to meet them again to discuss the Football Spectators Bill as it progresses through Parliament.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which Football league grounds he expects to visit in an official capacity in the near future.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I intend to make a number of visits to football grounds over the next few months. Details of these visits will be finalised shortly.

  Halon
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy with regard to changing
  421
  the Montreal protocol to restrict the production of halon 1301 and encourage the use of halon 1211 to combat air pollution.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government's policy is set out in paragraph 8·10(iii) of their reply to the first report from the Environment Committee, session 1987–88, HC 270–1 "Air Pollution" published in December 1988 (Cm. 552).

  Greenhouse Effect
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent he has implemented the Environment Committee's recommendations with regard to chlorofluorocarbons, the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect; and what further measures he intends to take.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government's reply to the committee's recommendations was published in December 1988 (Cm. 552).

  Planning Inquiries
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of public inquiries held into planning proposals in the last year and their cost.

  Mr. Chope
  In 1988, 1,799 public inquiries into planning proposals were held. Financial information is not held in a form from which the cost to the Department of holding these inquiries can be extracted.

  Planning Law
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to introduce legislation to amend the planning law.

  Mr. Chope
  Legislation to implement the proposals in the paper on the future of development plans will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time permits.

  Tin Cans
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he gives to domestic consumers who wish to save tin cans for them to be recycled.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Consumers are advised to contact their local authority to ascertain what facilities are available locally. In some areas, tin-plated steel cans are extracted magnetically from waste during its processing; in others, facilities are provided for the public to deposit cans.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many recycling banks there are for tin cans in England and Wales; and what comparable information he has for other European countries.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I am informed that Save-a-Can operates 189 skips in England and Wales which receive tin-plated steel and aluminium cans. No directly comparable information for other European countries is available as market conditions vary considerably but the greater use of incineration for domestic waste disposal in some countries permits the magnetic extraction of steel from the waste stream.

  Bottle Banks
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources are available to achieve the target of one bottle bank per 10,000 people by 1991.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  DOE circular 13/88 drew attention to the fact that recycling helps reduce waste disposal costs and invited all waste disposal authorities to follow the example of those which gave a rebate to collection authorities who arrange for recycling. It is for collection authorities to provide facilities to enable people to separate glass from their other waste. The glass manufacturing industry has agreed to accept all the glass that is collected.

  A consultation paper published on 24 January (Official Report 25 January col. 504) proposed that collection authorities would become directly responsible for arranging for the disposal of their waste; it would thus he possible for them to seek savings directly by encouraging recycling.

  Drought
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contingency plans he is making for the supply of water in the event of there being in the current year a drought situation similar to 1976; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  Responsibility for taking measures to maintain essential water supplies in the event of drought rests with the water undertakers. However, we are keeping a close watch on the situation by arrangements with the water industry associations. Total rainfall over England and Wales during the last three months amounted to only half the long-term average and it has been the driest such period for over 80 years, particularly in southern areas. Reservoir and groundwater levels are generally at satisfactory levels except in parts of the south-east. Much depends upon the weather during the next two months, but overall there is no cause for concern yet.

  Recycling
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he makes available to people who wish to learn more about recycling facilities available to them.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Those who wish to learn more about recycling activities are invited to contact Waste Watch at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. Waste Watch, which is supported by a grant from the Department, is developing a national list of post-consumer recycling activities and is able to answer specific inquiries about their locality.

  Water
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now invite water authorities in England and Wales to provide him with a forecast of the adequacy of water supplies in their areas for the coming nine months, together with an indication of their plans to limit abstraction from any rivers into which there have, within the past two years, been discharges of effluent which have consistently breached discharge consent standards.
  423
  Mr. Howard
  We do not consider it necessary to take the action suggested. Suitable arrangements to monitor the effects of low winter rainfall have been agreed with the water industry associations.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what attempts are being made to ensure that pensioners' groups have a forum in local councils.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is for each local authority to decide in what way they wish to consult pensioners.

  Elderly (Housing)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to increase the amount of sheltered housing and specialised units available for the elderly.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) on 14 December at column 618.

  Political Restrictions
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria he will use to appoint a person to consider applications for exemption from the proposed political restrictions on local government employees.

  Mr. Gummer
  The person to be appointed to adjudicate on applications for exemption will need to have a sound knowledge of local government, and to be able to apply an independent judgment to the questions which will arise.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has reviewed the implications of the proposed restrictions on the political activity of local government officers with regard to the European Court of Human Rights judgments.

  Mr. Gummer
  Yes.

  Council Committees
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the proposed new rules on party balance on council committees will be drawn up in order to ensure the effective working arrangements of councils are guaranteed.

  Mr. Gummer
  The proposed new rules on party balance on local authority committees are set out in clauses 13 to 15 of, and schedule 1 to, the Local Government and Housing Bills. In so far as regulations are required to implement these provisions, they will be drafted after consultation with representatives of local government.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he intends to proceed with the establishment of housing action trusts under part III of the Housing Act 1988; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether the consultancy work on housing action trusts was put out to tender; whether the consultants were asked to report by a certain date; and when he expects the reports to be published;
  424
  (3) what consultants' fees were paid for the studies of the proposed housing action trust estates; and if he will provide a breakdown by estate.

  Mr. Trippier
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 17 October 1988 about the consultancy studies, which we commissioned following competitive tendering, to advise on the proposed housing action trust areas. The latest position on the reports is set out in the answer I gave on 15 February to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley) at column 280.

  Housing
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will direct the London residuary body to recover monies from Thamesmead town which can be distributed to London boroughs as capital receipts to be used for the purposes of housing.

  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend directed the LRB on 17 July 1987 to dispose of Thamesmead on payment of a capital sum and supplementary sums in respect of receipts from sales of dwellings by Thamesmead town up to 31 March 1999. The Local Government Reorganisation (Capital Money) (Greater London) Order, 1988 (SI No. 359) provides for the distribution of capital receipts received by the LRB to the London rating authorities.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any representations about the London borough of Redbridge's proposals to dispose of a portion of its housing stock; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department has received no such representations.

  Tenants' Choice
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what publicity his Department will be producing on part IV of the Housing Act 1988; and what sums of money have been set aside for this.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Housing Corporation is already providing advice, information and assistance to council tenants and prospective new landlords about "Tenants' Choice". The Government have currently set aside approximately £700,000 to inform tenants of their rights and opportunities under the scheme. The precise form that this information will take is under consideration.

  Rents
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to use the powers in part VI of the Local Government and Housing Bill to assume different rent levels for individual local authorities.

  Mr. Trippier
  The calculation of entitlement to housing subsidy under the 1985 Housing Act already provides for different rent levels to be assumed for individual local authorities. My right hon. Friend intends that this feature should be carried forward into the system proposed in part VI of the Local Government and Housing Bill.

  Political Advisers
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the paid political advisers in his private office, their salaries and the procedure for their appointment.

  Mr. Ridley
  Mrs. K. C. Ramsey is my special (political) adviser and Mr. P. R. J. Rock is special (political) adviser to the Minister for Local Government and the Minister for Water and Planning.

  It is not our practice to reveal the salaries of individual advisers as they are individually negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings and are therefore confidential.

  Special advisers are appointed personally by the Minister or Ministers they advise. Appointments are approved by the Prime Minister and an appropriate salary is negotiated between the adviser and the employing department with the approval of the Treasury.

  County Hall
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much each London borough will gain from the disposal of County hall.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This will not be known until after completion.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the nature of the pecuniary interest held by Mr. Michael Roberts, a member of the London residuary body, in the contract for the sale of County hall; when he was informed of this interest; and what involvement Mr. Roberts had in the London residuary body's discussion and decision making on the contract for the sale of County hall.

  Mr. Trippier
  Mr. Michael Roberts, on his appointment as a member of the board of the London residuary body, was and has continued to be a partner in the firm of Deloitte, Haskins and Sells. That firm are auditors and advisers on VAT to the County hall development group, the purchasers of County hall. Mr. Roberts declared to the board that the effect in financial terms of his indirect pecuniary interest was very small indeed. The board resolved that he could take part in the consideration and discussion of relevant matters but not so as to permit him to vote on any question with respect to it. My Department became aware of Mr. Robert's interest last December.

  London Residuary Body
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why the London residuary body has maintained separate board accommodation in Orange street over the past three years; and what has been the cost in each year.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The continuing location and costs to the London residuary body (LRB) of its accommodation at St. Vincent house, Orange street are a matter for the LRB.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to make additional appointments to the London residuary body; and if he will make a statement.
  426
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend will be considering the need to make additional appointments to the London residuary body in the light of its new responsibilities under the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the salaries, allowances and expenses paid to each member of the London residuary body in the current financial year; when the salaries were last increased; and when is the next review.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The current salaries of the chairman and board members of the LRB are as follows:

  £ per annum1

  Chairman (full-time appointment):

  Sir Godfrey Taylor

  57,080

  Members (part-time appointments):

  Mr. Alan Blakemore, CBE

  13,792

  Mr. Jack Esling

  Mr. Jack Wolking CBE

  Mr. Wallace Mackenzie, OBE

  17,240

  Mr. Michael Roberts

  20,688

  Cllr. Sir Peter Bowness, CBE

  6,896

  1 From 1 October 1988.

  Remuneration is subject to abatement, if applicable, in respect of public sector pension received.

  The expenses and allowances paid to the chairman and board members is a matter for the residuary body.

  Information on the total expenses paid to the chairman and board members during 1987–88 is contained in the residuary body's annual report and accounts for that financial year, which were laid before Parliament on 31 October 1988.

  The next review of salaries is expected to take place in the context of the 1989 review of remuneration of members of public bodies.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes to make to the London residuary body when its prime duties and responsibilities will be the winding up of Inner London education authority matters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Education and Science will be considering this.

  EC Directives
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all environmental directives from the European Commission since 1973 not entered fully into force in the United Kingdom, the dates of the directives and the reasons they have not been implemented.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is believed that the United Kingdom has implemented all European Community environmental directives, save those where the date of entry into force has not yet been reached. Detailed questions about the precise limits of required implementation of individual directives are regularly discussed with the EC Commission and other interested bodies.

  Metropolitan Authorities
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list(a) the metropolitan authorities that have been abolished, (b) the non-departmental public bodies set up to take over the functions of the metropolitan authorities and (c) the number of people directly employed by each of these bodies.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The authorities which were abolished as a consequence of the Local Government Act 1985 were the metropolitan county councils of Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, West Midlands and West Yorkshire.

  The non-departmental public bodies established to take over those functions of the abolished authorities which were not directly transferred at abolition to successor authorities were:

  Greater Manchester Residuary Body

  Merseyside Residuary Body

  South Yorkshire Residuary Body

  Tyne and Wear Residuary Body

  West Midlands Residuary Body

  West Yorkshire Residuary Body

  Greater Manchester Museum of Science and Industry

  National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside

  Details of the number of staff directly employed by each of the residuary bodies is provided in their annual reports and accounts for 1987–88, copies of which were laid before Parliament on 31 October 1988. The number of staff employed by the Greater Manchester museum of science and industry, and the National museums and galleries on Merseyside is detailed in the publication "Public Bodies 1988", copies of which are held in the Library.

  Sewage Works
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to relax sewage works consent standards and to advertise such relaxations.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 15 February 19891: My hon. Friend the Minister for Water announced on 7 December 1988 at column 199, that applications for temporary variations in discharge consent conditions will be considered for those sewage works where capital improvements are programmed for completion by March 1992.

  Section 36 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 provides that an application need not be advertised where the discharges in question have no appreciable effect on receiving waters.

  Decisions on whether to advertise applications for consent variations will be taken on a case-by-case basis.

  Hazardous Waste
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest progress in negotiations

  Table 1

  Employment training—starts and leavers monthly totals: September to December 1988

  September

  October

  November

  December

  Region

  ET Starts

  ET Leavers1

  ET Starts

  ET Leavers1

  ET Starts

  ET Leavers1

  ET Starts

  ET Leavers1

  South East

  1,533

  —

  2,050

  —

  1,987

  —

  1,707

  —

  London

  2,503

  —

  3,057

  —

  3,110

  —

  2,405

  —

  South West

  1,075

  —

  1,724

  —

  2,023

  —

  1,742

  —

  West Midands

  2,470

  —

  3,733

  —

  3,829

  —

  3,303

  —

  428
  towards the treaty to govern international trade in hazardous industrial waste; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 15 February 1989]: Detailed provisions of the proposed global convention are under active consideration in the UNEP negotiations. There is still much to be agreed but I hope the convention will be ready for signature next month.

  Environmental Health Officers
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the present numbers of environmental health officers to provide a sufficient level of inspection of water cooling systems with respect to the presence of legionella.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 13 February 1989]: I have been asked to reply.

  The staffing of environmental health departments is a matter for local authorities who take into account their statutory responsibilities for the enforcement of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

  Water Privatisation
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Norris) of 14 February, whether the European Commissioner included in his statement on 7 February a view on the Government's proposal to reverse or prevent mergers in the water industry after privatisation which reduce the number of water companies in independent ownership.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 16 February 1989]: The statement said that the Commission had found nothing in the Government's water privatisation proposals that would raise problems in the competition field.

EMPLOYMENT

  Employment Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the recruitment statistics for each month of employment training, specifying by region and for Great Britain as a whole, the number of(a) employment training starters, (b) employment training leavers, (c) trainees on community programme wages and (d) the cumulative total of trainees who are on benefit plus training allowances.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested for(a) (b) and (c) is given in the following tables. The number of employment training leavers is not available by region. The information for (d) is provided as the number in training each month and not as a cumulative total.
  429

  Region

  September

  October

  November

  December

  ET Starts

  ET Leavers1

  ET Starts

  ET Leavers1

  ET Starts

  ET Leavers1

  ET Starts

  ET Leavers1

  East Midlands and Eastern

  1,771

  —

  2,728

  —

  2,860

  —

  2,202

  —

  Yorks and Humber

  2,974

  —

  4,523

  —

  5,509

  —

  4,402

  —

  North West

  3,029

  —

  4,962

  —

  5,544

  —

  4,145

  —

  Northern

  2,395

  —

  3,219

  —

  3,646

  —

  2,895

  —

  Wales

  1,381

  —

  1,967

  —

  2,649

  —

  2,172

  —

  Scotland

  2,331

  —

  3,120

  —

  4,045

  —

  3,894

  —

  Great Britain

  21,462

  1,000

  31,083

  5,000

  35,202

  7,000

  28,867

  7,000

  1 The leavers figures are estimated and relate to trainees who were not transferred from previous programmes.

  Table 2

  Employment training; trainees on CP wages and ET allowances Monthly totals: September to December 1988

  September

  October

  November

  December

  Region

  CP wages

  ET allowances

  CP wages

  ET allowances

  CP wages

  ET allowances

  CP wages

  ET allowances

  South east

  4,353

  3,799

  3,367

  5,164

  2,614

  6,253

  1,924

  7,049

  London

  6,691

  4,602

  5,402

  6,325

  4,174

  9,220

  3,295

  10,510

  South west

  6,,414

  2,987

  5,031

  4,266

  3,670

  5,742

  2,859

  6,847

  West midlands

  15,104

  5,221

  11,992

  7,678

  9,109

  10,114

  6,706

  12,066

  East midlands

  9,628

  3,898

  7,646

  5,704

  5,971

  7,569

  4,639

  8,943

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  13,260

  9,764

  12,355

  10,182

  9,454

  14,464

  7,062

  15,999

  North west

  20,339

  6,668

  16,523

  9,878

  12,668

  13,413

  9,778

  15,484

  Northern

  19,863

  4,425

  16,212

  7,069

  12,839

  9,667

  9,676

  11,845

  Wales

  11,770

  2,360

  9,020

  4,437

  7,134

  5,996

  5,400

  7,394

  Scotland

  13,996

  4,361

  12,763

  6,608

  10,439

  9,095

  8,621

  11,660

  Great Britain

  121,418

  48,085

  100,311

  67,311

  78,072

  91,533

  59,960

  107,797

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give up-to-date statistics showing how many unemployed people have been referred to employment training agents since the start of the scheme; how many have had action plans completed; and how

  Employment training: Referrals, action plans and training manager starts Monthly totals 1988

  Referrals to training agents

  Agreed action plans

  Starts with training managers

  Region

  September

  October

  November

  December

  September

  October

  November

  December

  September

  October

  November

  December

  South East London

  20,725

  17,914

  16,816

  14,103

  3,196

  3,147

  3,585

  3,334

  1,533

  2,050

  1,987

  1,707

  3,172

  4,166

  4,660

  4,388

  2,503

  3,057

  3,110

  2,405

  South West

  5,131

  4,380

  3,873

  3,475

  1,706

  2,257

  2,389

  1,796

  1,075

  1,724

  2,023

  1,742

  West Midlands

  10,347

  8,652

  9,111

  8,159

  4,345

  4,363

  4,950

  4,563

  2,470

  3,733

  3,829

  3,303

  East Midlands and Eastern

  7,533

  6,687

  6,278

  4,642

  3,085

  3,618

  3,639

  2,632

  1,771

  2,728

  2,860

  2,202

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  10,120

  9,080

  8,940

  7,552

  4,176

  5,132

  5,660

  4,452

  2,974

  4,523

  5,509

  4,402

  North West

  12,732

  11,402

  11,132

  9,150

  4,119

  5,830

  6,417

  5,151

  3,029

  4,962

  5,544

  4,145

  Northern

  12,453

  7,690

  6,434

  5,661

  4,389

  4,351

  4,467

  3,597

  2,395

  3,219

  3,646

  2,895

  Wales

  5,225

  5,383

  5,697

  5,092

  1,948

  2,500

  3,076

  2,433

  1,381

  1,967

  2,649

  2,172

  Scotland

  12,259

  11,678

  12,126

  10,472

  4,146

  4,959

  6,580

  5,485

  2,331

  3,120

  4,045

  3,894

  Great Britain

  96,525

  82,866

  80,407

  68,306

  34,282

  40,323

  45,423

  37,831

  21,462

  31,083

  35,202

  28,867

  Notes:

  1. The September figures include some referrals made in the two weeks prior to the official launch date.

  2. The figures for referrals to training agents are provided by the employment service. However, the regional boundaries are not always co-terminus with those of the training agency.

  3. Some of those people for whom an action plan was not agreed, may have been referred to alternative opportunities.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employment training places are contracted for each employment office area; and of those places how many are from the new job training scheme and how many from the community programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. The following table gives the number of contracted employment training places by
  430
  many have started training and how many have not, giving the results for each month by region and for Great Britain as a whole.

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

  Training Agency area. Information on how many of those places moved forward from the new job training scheme, the community programme or are new places, is not available.
  431

  Employment training—contracted places

  Area office

  Contracted places

  South East Region

  Berkshire and Oxfordshire

  1,833

  Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire

  2,553

  Essex

  3,595

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  3,221

  Kent

  3,791

  Surrey

  1,155

  Sussex

  3,020

  London Region

  Inner London North

  7,316

  Inner London South

  4,745

  London East

  2,890

  London North

  4,141

  London South

  1,729

  London West

  1,467

  South West Region

  Avon

  3,873

  Devon and Cornwall

  7,090

  Dorset and Somerset

  2,983

  Gloucester and Wiltshire

  2,927

  West Midlands Region

  Birmingham and Solihull

  10,797

  Coventry and Warwickshire

  4,653

  Dudley and Sandwell

  4,936

  Staffordshire

  4,939

  The Marches, Hereford/Worcester

  4,195

  Wolverhampton and Walsall

  5,410

  East Midlands and Eastern Region

  Bedfordshire and Cambrideshire

  2,055

  Derbyshire

  4,401

  Leicestershire and Northamptonshire

  4.408

  Lincolnshire

  2,032

  Norfolk and Suffolk

  4,125

  Nottinghamshire

  5,453

  Yorkshire and Humberside Region

  Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees

  6,300

  Humberside

  5,787

  North Yorkshire and Leeds

  6,655

  Sheffield and Rotherham

  8,118

  Wakefield, Doncaster and Barnsley

  6,882

  North West Region

  Cheshire

  5,048

  Cumbria

  2,170

  Lancashire

  7,179

  Central Manchester

  9,257

  Greater Manchester North

  6,480

  Greater Manchester East

  3,901

  Merseyside

  16,551

  Northern Region

  Cleveland

  9,583

  County Durham

  7,120

  Northumberland, North Tyneside and Newcastle

  7,511

  Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead

  9,856

  Wales

  Dyfed and West Glamorgan

  6,329

  Gwent

  3,902

  Gwynned, Clwyd and Powys

  5,426

  Mid and South Glamorgan

  8,202

  Scotland

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  4,664

  Central and Fife

  4,856

  Glasgow City

  9,854

  Grampian and Tayside

  4,397

  Highlands and Islands

  1,700

  Lanarkshire

  4,730

  Lothian and Borders

  5,258

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  6,014

  Accident Statistics
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) fatal and (b) serious injury accidents have occurred in each of the last five years amongst (i) the largest 20 manufacturing companies and (ii) the largest 10 construction companies.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 16 February 1989]: The Health and Safety Executive's records of fatal and major injuries relate to individual premises or sites. The information could be supplied in the form requested only at disproportionate cost.

  Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will implement section 131 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978.

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

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to update the rules under which industrial tribunals operate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The current Employment Bill proposes extending my right hon. Friend's powers to make regulations as to industrial tribunal procedure. They will be implemented once the Bill has obtained Royal Assent.

  YTS
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to ensure that YTS courses contain sufficient recognised skill training content to be seen by employers as a step towards apprenticeships or equivalent recognised qualifications: and what is his estimate of the proportion of YTS places that currently fall into this category.

  Mr. Cope
  Every YTS training programme must offer trainees the opportunity of achieving a vocational qualification, or of gaining credit towards one. Increasing numbers of vocational qualifications have been made a specific requirement in YTS. These are approved by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications and reflect broad standards of occupational competence defined by industry and commerce. Already such qualifications are available for 75 per cent. of YTS programmes. Managing agents are required to introduce those specified qualifications within a defined timescale.

  Employment Discrimination (Conventions)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those international conventions on discrimination in employment on grounds of political beliefs which Her Majesty's Government(a) have and (b) have not ratified; whether he plans to give further effect to any provisions of those listed under (b); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The relevant international instruments are:
  433
  the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions Nos. 111 (Discrimination: Employment and Occupation), 122 (Employment Policy) and 158 (Termination of Employment); the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, article 6; the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, article 23; the European Social Charter, article 1 and the European Convention on Human Rights.

  The United Kingdom has ratified or accepted these
  instruments with the exception of ILO conventions Nos. 111 and 158. The Government have no plans to ratify ILO convention No. 111, for reasons already explained to the hon. Member on 10 February at column 720. Regarding convention No. 158, the Government believe that existing United Kingdom legislation, in conjunction with statutory codes of practice, gives employees sufficient protection against unfair dismissal and to be consulted on proposed redundancies, and the Government have no plans for ratification.

  Young People (Work Restrictions)
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs he estimates will be created(a) in shops and (b) as a whole, by the removal of restrictions on hours of work of young people under 18 years of age.

  Mr. Cope
  No such estimates can be made.

  Working Hours
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research he has commissioned on the effect of long hours, shift work, or night work on(a) adults and (b) young workers under the age of 18 years; and if he will give details of the research projects.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has not directly commissioned such research but the Health and Safety Executive has been reviewing the scientific literature on this subject and finds that it supports the conclusions of Professor Harrington in his review "Shift Work and Health", published by HSE in 1978.

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will publish all papers examining the inclusion of the poll tax in the retail price index;

  (2) if he will publish a calculation for the retail price index with poll tax payments replacing rates;

  (3) what is his policy on including the poll tax in the retail price index;

  (4) when he expects the report of the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee.

  Mr. Lee
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the Retail Prices Index advisory committee to consider the effect of the abolition of domestic rates on the construction of the index. The report is expected shortly and an announcement will be made in due course.

  Incomes
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate for the most recent available date of the proportion of households in Wales and Scotland and in each of the standard regions of England, respectively, whose annual household income is below £4,000 per annum.
  434
  Mr. Lee
  The information for 1986, which is the latest year available, as set out as follows, comes from the family expenditure survey and relates to average gross household income in Wales, Scotland and the standard regions of England. The results are subject to sampling errors and should be treated with caution; percentages are subject to errors of about plus or minus 3 per cent.

  Households with gross income below £4,000 per annum (1986)

  Region

  Number in sample

  Percentage of all households

  Total number of households

  1,363

  19·3

  North

  102

  23·7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  165

  24·8

  North West

  173

  20·8

  East Midlands

  104

  21·2

  West Midlands

  124

  19·1

  East Anglia

  39

  15·0

  South East—total

  327

  15·5

  Greater London

  146

  18·3

  Rest of South East

  181

  13·7

  South West

  85

  15·1

  Wales

  72

  18·5

  Scotland

  172

  26·4

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  ESA Scheme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated cost to his Department of the administration of the ESA scheme for each year of its operation; and whether these costs have been additional or absorbed within his Department's Estimate.

  Mr. Ryder
  In the two years which ESAs have operated we estimate the full administrative cost of the scheme to have been £0·44 million in 1987–88 and £0·71 million in 1988–89. These figures are included in my Departments published estimates.

  Aluminium
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library copies of the(a) guidance offered to the infant and dietetic food industry about levels of aluminium in infant and dietetic foods, and (b) regulations which exist with regard to infant and dietetic foods; and who is responsible for the enforcement of such guidance and regulations.

  Mr. Ryder
  The recently completed survey on aluminium levels in infant formulae is to be discussed with the trade shortly. The results will be published as soon as possible.

  There are currently no specific regulations on infant and diatetic foods. However, these foodstuffs, like all others, are covered by the general provisions of the Food Act 1984 and the food labelling regulations which include specific provisions controlling claims for infant and diatetic foods. The proposed EC directive on foods for particular nutritional uses would provide for specific directives which may control the description, composition, labelling, advertising and presentation of cerain categories of foods, including infant and diatetic foods. Enforcement of food law is carried out by those local authorities which are food and drugs authorities.

  Crops
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the potential of crops or parts of crops for use in industries such as paper making, paint, plastics and phamaceuticals; and what investment his Department is making to enable the full potential to be realised.

  Mr. MacGregor
  My Department has considered the potential of crops for use in industry in reports issued on the disposal and utilisation of straw (1984) and on agraforestry (1986). A review of alternative crops and livestock enterprises for United Kingdom agriculture was carried out by the centre of agricultural strategy, under MAFF sponsorship in 1985. A further review, by the MAFF novel crops and livestock enterprises review group, is due to be released this year. Where appropriate, these reviews include recommendations on industrial potential.

  My Department is supporting work on the development of dual purpose flax for fibre and for oil production, and is involved in the European Community's ECLAIR programme on agricultural production for industrial use.

  It should also be noted that under the common agricultural policy arrangements already exist to encourage the industrial use of starch derived from cereals and potatoes and of sugar. Starch used in the manufacture of specified industrial products, including paper, plastics and pharmaceuticals, and certain sugar products used in the chemical industry, are eligible for a production aid.

  Potato Marketing
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received on the consultation paper, "Potato Market Policy" in Great Britain after 30 June 1990; when he expects to make a decision on future policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Ninety three representations on the consultation document were received by the deadline of 31 December 1988. I am now considering these. I am not yet able to say when this process will be considered, but a decision will not be unduly delayed.

  Soil Erosion
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent studies the soil survey and land research centre has carried out of soil erosion in England and Wales; and if he will publish such reports.

  Mr. Ryder
  The soil survey and land research centre is currently writing up the results of a five year collaborative study undertaken with my Department's agricultural and development and advisory service. This study, which covered 17 sites in lowland England and Wales, is to be continued in 1989–90 in a modified form. Selected high risk areas will be the subject of a detailed analysis of the factors influencing erosion. Other work for 1989–90 includes the production of maps of areas at risk in England and Wales. Future plans include consideration of erosion in upland areas using existing and fresh aerial photographic data. Reports of these studies will be published in the relevant scientific journals.

  Whales
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what protests have been made to the Japanese Government concerning the slaughter of minke whales in the Antarctic.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Recently we have expressed our serious concerns to the Japanese Government about their current feasibility programme of whaling for scientific purposes both directly and through the relevant forum of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). In December the United Kingdom commissioner of the IWC expressed our views to the chairman of the IWC in a letter circulated to all member Governments including Japan. This made clear our firm view that Japan should not implement her plans until the major concerns about these identified by the scientific committee to the IWC had been addressed and resolved. The letter was passed personally by the United Kingdom commissioner to the Japanese embassy in London with a clear explanation of the United Kingdom Government's concern.

  Further, once the period for consideration of the scientific committee's views by commissioners was complete and learning that the programme was to go ahead I authorised our commission to propose a resolution for consideration by the IWC. This was seconded by Australia and New Zealand. If adopted it will put on a formal and international basis the call to Japan to cease its current programme.

  Our embassy in Tokyo is also in close touch with the Japanese Government. Also, similar concerns expressed by the Falkland Islands Executive Council have been passed to the Japanese embassy.

  BST
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the number of people drinking milk supplied from cows injected with BST.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The data necessary for such an estimate are not available.

  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has received advice from the Veterinary Products Committee that BST should be given a product licence.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) provides advice in confidence at any stage of an application, if appropriate. The VPC will not make a final recommendation on an application until it has received all pertinent information, including data generated in field trials.

  Eggs
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many eggs have been destroyed at his Department's expense since 1 December 1988.

  Mr. Ryder
  About 63 million. Eggs were also destroyed by the Agriculture Departments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In the United Kingdom as a whole about 90 million eggs were destroyed. The destruction of eggs has now ceased.

  BSE
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list those EEC countries in which BSE is a notifiable disease;

  (2) what information he has concerning the incidence of BSE in EEC countries;

  (3) what information he has concerning the incidence of BSE in the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  BSE is a notifiable disease in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. A single case has recently been confirmed in the Republic of Ireland, where the Minister of Agriculture and Food has announced that the disease will shortly become notifiable. BSE has not yet been reported in any other member state.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action his Department takes to ensure the testing of culled dairy cows for BSE infection.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  All cattle suspected of having BSE are compulsorily slaughtered and the brains subjected to laboratory examination to confirm whether or not the animals were affected by the disease.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that beef imports from the Republic of Ireland do not come from BSE infected cattle.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Following the recent confirmation of the first case of BSE in the Republic of Ireland, legislation is shortly to be introduced which will require the compulsory slaughter and destruction of all animals affected by the disease. Although there is no evidence of a risk to humans similar measures were introduced in Great Britain last August, purely as a precautionary measure.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what evidence his Department has that the current level of compensation for BSE infected cattle is encouraging owners to submit suspect cattle to slaughter prior to the result of clinical signs of BSE;

  (2) if he will introduce a new compensation scheme in respect of BSE based on payments of 100 per cent. of the value of infected animals.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I believe that 50 per cent. compensation is reasonable, given that the animals are suffering from a terminal illness but are valued as if free from BSE. There is no evidence to suggest that owners are deliberately evading their legal obligation to notify the Ministry of cattle suspected of having BSE. Indeed, the number of cases being reported suggests a high level of co-operation from farmers in tackling this new disease problem.

  Scrapie
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action his Department takes to ensure the early diagnosis of sheep suffering from scrapie.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  There is no diagnostic testing in live animals. Advice is available to farmers from ADAS on the control of the disease and flock owners may also participate in a monitoring scheme under the Ministry's sheep and goat health scheme.
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  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the incidence of scrapie in sheep during 1988.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Scrapie is not a disease which is notifiable under the Animal Health Act 1981. However, the provisional figures for last year show that veterinary investigation centres diagnosed about 190 cases from samples of sheep brain tissue submitted for laboratory analysis.

  Animal Health Standards
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the proposal of the Directorate-General for Agriculture of the European Commission that rabies, Aujeszky's disease and certain other diseases of animals, poultry and fish should be treated as third category diseases subject only to discretionary controls and voluntary eradication procedures; and what steps will be taken to protect animal health standards in relation to rabies and other diseases following the implementation of the single European Market in 1992.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 16 February 1989]: The European Commission has yet to make proposals to the Council of Ministers in relation to the Community animal health regime to apply after the completion of the internal market. They have, however, outlined a suggested strategy which would categorise diseases, and the rules which would apply, in relation to the relative seriousness of individual diseases and the prospects of eradicating or controling them.

  In its strategy, the Commission envisage that category 1 would include serious diseases such as classical swine fever and foot and mouth disease with controls on movements from affected zones or areas; category 2 would control movements on the basis of herd freedom from diseases such as tuberculosis and brucellosis; category 3 would include Aujeszky's disease and rabies and these would be subject to voluntary health scheme controls.

  The Commission has recently said that rabies would now be considered as a special category and we await further proposals. As far as Aujeszky's disease is concerned, we have said that the proposed voluntary health scheme approach (category3) would not provide the necessary safeguards against disease spread and would therefore put Great Britain's hard won achievements at risk. Other member states share our concerns.

  In considering the animal health aspects of the single European market, the Government will continue to press for effective veterinary controls, including quarantine where justified, as long as these remain necessary to prevent the introduction of disease.

  Farmers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report the proportions of British farmers that fell into the annual income categories (a) below £8,000, (b) £8,000 to £10,000, (c) £10,000 to £12,000, (d) £12,000 to £14,000 and (e) above £14,000 for each of the last five years, at 1983 prices.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 15 February 1989: I regret that the information is not available in the

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  form requested. The farm business survey does, however, allow estimates to be made of the proportional breakdown of farm businesses according to broad income band at nominal prices. Information relating to the five latest years for which data are available, is set out in the table.

  Percentage distribution of farm businesses according to net farm income in Great Britain: 1983–84 to 1987–88 All types of farm

  Level of net farm income (£)

  Years ending on average in February

  Less than 0

  0 to less than 10,000

  10,000 to less than 20,000

  20,000 and over

  1983–84

  20

  46

  18

  16

  1984–85

  18

  41

  20

  20

  1985–86

  28

  41

  17

  12

  1986–87

  23

  39

  21

  18

  1987–88

  20

  38

  20

  20

  Notes:

  (a) Figures are derived from data collected in Farm Business Surveys by universities and agricultural colleges in Great Britain.

  (b) Net farm income represents the return to the farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on tenant type capital in livestock, crops, machinery etc. but excluding land and buildings. It is calculated before the deduction of interest on any farming loans. All farms are treated as rented
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  in the derivation of net farm income and an imputed rental value for owner-occupied land is charged as an expense in the accounts.

  Family Farms
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of family farms in the United Kingdom during 1960, 1970 and 1980, together with his estimate for 1990 and 2000.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 16 February 1989]: Statistics on family farms are not collected as there is no statistical definition of such farms. However, the following information from a special European Community sample survey of farm work is relevant. Forecasts for future members are not made.

  United Kingdom

  1985

  Farm holdings1

  258·5 thousand

  Farmed by a person2

  240·5 thousand

  As a percentage of holdings

  93 per cent.

  Estimated proportion of holdings with one or more family workers in addition to the farmer

  62 per cent.

  1 These are main holdings in the annual census of agriculture. They exclude minor holdings below a defined threshold of size.

  2 ie Not farmed by a firm or institution.