Written Answers of 26 January 1989

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Chemical Weapons
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make it his policy to offer to(a) the United States of America and (b) the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom expertise in the destruction or disablement of their chemical biological or toxic warfare agent stockpiles;

  (2) if he has any plans to offer to (a) Libya, (b) Iraq and (c) Israel, United Kingdom technical expertise and technology to destroy or disable chemical or biological warfare agents held by each respective country.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Information on the destruction of chemical weapon stockpiles is widely available. A number of countries have tabled papers on the subject at the negotiations in Geneva aimed at achieving a global ban on chemical weapons. In particular, Britain has tabled two papers in 1979 and 1988 on the destruction of the pilot nerve agent production plant at Nancekuke, Cornwall.

  We would, of course, consider approaches from any country for technical advice on the disposal of such weapons. We have no particular expertise in the destruction of biological weapons.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to request the incoming United States Secretaries of Defence and State that the United States of America implement a moratorium on its new binary chemical weapons development programme.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No. The unilateral United States moratorium on chemical weapons production from 1969 to 1987 was not matched by the Soviet Union, which has the world's largest and most sophisticated chemical weapons capability. In the face of this, the continuing disparity between our assessment of, and Soviet claims about, the size of their stockpile, and in the absence of a comprehensive convention banning these weapons, we support the United States modernisation programme as a means to maintain a limited but credible deterrent capability.

  The eventual United States binary stockpile will, in fact, be smaller than their limited and aging unitary stockpile, which is already being destroyed.

  Gulf States (Visit)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his recent visit to the Gulf states he raised with any of the heads of state or Government ministers whom he met the possibility of sales of United Kingdom nuclear reactor and fuel service technology to their country.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No.
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  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his recent meeting with Saudi Government ministers during his Gull state tour he took the opportunity to welcome the recent accession of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty by Saudi Arabia.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Yes.

  Departmental Library
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will arrange for copies of videos and transcripts of the Central television 12-part series on the nuclear age to be put in his Departmental library.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office library does not normally stock audiovisual material or transcripts of television programmes.

  Public Records
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he made any application under the Public Records Act of 1958 in accordance with paragraphs 26 and 27 of the White Paper on Modern Public Records, Cmnd. 8531, to withhold beyond 30 years papers concerning the background to the signing with the United States Government of the Anglo-American mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters in July 1958.

  Mr. Eggar
  Records may be retained or closed for longer periods than 30 years under appropriate sections of the Public Records Act 1958 and in accordance with established criteria. It has been the practice of successive administrations not to disclose the content of records which are so withheld from public release.

  Soviet Tanks
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his arms control and disarmament research unit has examined the potential benefits to future Soviet tank division readiness and efficiency from the redeployment of Soviet tank technicians from obsolete tanks to be withdrawn under the commitment made by president Gorbachev in his speech to the United Nations in December; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are examining the effect which the cuts in Soviet forces announced by Mr. Gorbachev on 7 December, on which he and Mr. Shevardnadze elaborated on 18 and 19 January, might have on Soviet military capabilities. We welcome the statement that 5,300 of the 10,000 Soviet tanks to be withdrawn will be modern, although it is disappointing that only 5,000 of the 10,000 will be destroyed. A number of detailed questions remain to be answerd about how the cuts will be implemented, including the question of how residual forces might be redeployed.

  Japanese Prisoners of War
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received any representations on the level of compensation paid to former Japanese prisoners of war; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Eggar
  Yes. The question of compensation was dealt with in the 1951 treaty of peace with Japan. The total sum made available to the United Kingdom for compensation was £4,816,473, including £174,871 contributed by the Thai Government for work done on the Burma-Siam railway.

  Emperor Hirohito
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received regarding his decision to attend Emperor Hirohito's funeral.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has received 57 letters regarding his decision to attend the late Emperor of Japan's funeral, including 25 letters from hon. Members.

ODA

  Zambia
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have yet determined the conditions under which they would be prepared to write off their development loans to Zambia.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) on 14 November 1988 at column 366.

  Debt
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the debt owed by each of the 17 most indebted countries is owed to(a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) British banks.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  As at 31 March 1988 amounts outstanding to the Overseas Development Administration from the 17 countries classified by the World Bank as highly indebted were as follows:

  £

  Argentina

  —

  Bolivia

  270,856·48

  Brazil

  3,416,096·55

  Chile

  —

  Colombia

  2,847,924·56

  Costa Rica

  3,214,041·25

  Cote D'Ivoire

  1,814,770·77

  Ecuador

  7,557,273·24

  Jamaica

  49,180,720·59

  Mexico

  —

  Morocco

  —

  Nigeria

  5,175,084·04

  Peru

  4,194,608·65

  Philippines

  5,481,634·67

  Uruguay

  —

  Venezuela

  —

  Yugoslavia

  —

  The latest available figures on amounts at risk to ECGD were published in its "Summary of audited trading results 1986/87". Claims by United Kingdom commercial banks on developing countries are listed in table 15 of the Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin.
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  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the net financial transfer of resources to the 17 most indebted countries during 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Figures for net resource transfers in 1988 are not yet available.

  Commonwealth Distance Learning Project
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what contribution he is making towards the implementation of the decisions taken at the Commonwealth Ministers' meeting at Vancouver to establish a Commonwealth distance learning project; and whether he will make a statement;

  (2) what action he has taken to implement the decisions taken by Commonwealth Ministers at Vancouver about a Commonwealth distance learning project; and whether he is yet in a position to make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The United Kingdom is playing a major part in the new Commonwealth of learning, a distance learning network to help students in one country take advantage of educational facilities in another. An important requirement for the network will be a comprehensive information unit and credit transfer register. Her Majesty's Government have agreed to finance these developments by building on existing facilities at the British Open university.

  Discussions have already taken place and a meeting of representatives of user institutions is being held at the Open university in February. A proposal will then be placed before the board of governors of the Commonwealth of learning, on which the United Kingdom is represented, at its second meeting in March.

  The cost of these developments will be between £1 million and £2 million over five years and is additional to the support which Her Majesty's Government will continue to give to distance education under its bilateral aid programme.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Ministerial Staff
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the number of staff in the Crown Prosecution Service, by grade, in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south-east economic planning region; what are the different amounts paid to staff, by grade; whether this figure varies due to location; what qualifying period of scale-related criteria is used; and whether this varies by location.

  The Attorney-General
  Local pay additions are not paid to members of the Crown Prosecution Service employed outside London and the south-east economic planning region.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the number of staff in the Lord Chancellor's Department, by grade, in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south-east economic planning region; what are the different amounts paid to staff by grade; whether this figure varies due to location; what qualifying period of scale-related criteria is used; and whether this varies by location.
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  The Attorney-General
  The number of staff in the Lord Chancellor's Department by grade in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south east economic planning region is as follows:

  Number

  EO

  6

  AO

  13

  Typist

  5

  All are paid at the same rate of £300 per annum on completion of six months service.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the number of staff in Her Majesty's Land Registry, by grade, in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south-east economic planning region; what are the different amounts paid to staff by grade; whether this figure varies due to location; what qualifying period of scale-related criteria is used; and whether this varies by location.

  The Attorney-General
  There are no Land Registry staff, outside London and the south east economic planning region, in receipt of local pay additions.

  Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Attorney-General what criteria were used by the Lord Chancellor in determining the reasons for the witholding of papers from release at the Public Record Office for 1958 concerning the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

  The Attorney-General
  The Public Records Act 1958 makes provision for records to be retained or closed from access for periods longer than 30 years. Records are retained or closed from access in accordance with established criteria, which were set out in paragraphs 24–31 of the White Paper "Modern Public Records", Cmnd. 8531, March 1982.

  Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions his Department has been informed by the prosecuting authorities of the Republic of Ireland that witnesses have refused to travel to the Republic to give evidence in cases involving the Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act 1976.

  The Attorney-General
  I am not aware of any occasion when information of such refusal has been communicated by the prosecuting authorities of the Republic of Ireland to my Department.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Attorney-General whether any changes will be made to the Lord Chancellor's Department's cash limit and running costs limit for 1988–89.

  The Attorney-General
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for the Lord Chancellor's Department, class XI vote 5 will be increased by £9,999,000 from £207,384,000 to £217,383,000. This increase reflects an increase of 664
  £8,000,000 to take account of a projected shortfall in receipts from civil court business fees; an increase of £2,000,000 to maintain progress on the court building programme; and a reduction of £1,000 to £213,803,000 in the running cost limit. The running costs limit decrease will be offset by a corresponding increase in the running costs limit for the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service (class XX, vote I) and reflects the transfer of costs for recruitment under the direct entry grade 7 competition 1988.

  The cash limit increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

WALES

  "Our Changing Schools"
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he intends to issue a Welsh Office version of the Department of Eduction and Science handbook "Our Changing Schools."

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  We have no plans at present to do so. The Welsh Consumer Council published in 1988 a guide for parents with children starting school.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many oral parliamentary questions he has answered by written reply because the question was not reached at Question Time, for the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  A total of 240 oral questions were tabled to the Secretary of State for Wales between 1 January and 31 December 1988; of these oral questions 100 were answered by written reply because they were riot reached.

  The figure does not include oral questions which were subsequently withdrawn, unstarred or transferred to other Departments.

  Cardigan Bypass
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to build the Cardigan bypass within the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Yes. Details of the timing will be given in the forthcoming edition of "Roads in Wales"

  Royal Welsh Agricultural Society
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to give financial aid or a loan to the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society during the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society has recently made an application to my Department which is under consideration.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state for each of the districts within
  665
  mid-Glamorgan the number of jobs (a) lost and (b) created for the 12 months ended (i) December 1987 and (ii) December 1988.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Comprehensive information on jobs lost and created is not available.

  Gresford-Pulford Bypass
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the saving achieved in building the Gresford to Pulford bypass as a result of the prior singling of the Wrexham to Chester railway line.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  About £300,000.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is able to announce his decisions on local authority higher education provision in 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Having consulted the Welsh joint education committee and the Welsh counties committee I have decide that the higher education quantum for 1989–90, formerly known as the advanced further education quantum, ahould be set at £39.4 million. This represents a 7.7 per cent. increase between 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  I have received advice from the Wales advisory body for local authority higher education on the planned disposition of academic provision, the number of student places on higher education courses in local authority colleges in Wales and the distribution of the higher education quantum. The WAB proposals provide a growth of 2.9 per cent. between the target of 13,589 full-time equivalent students in 1988–89 and the target student numbers of 13,986 for 1989–90. They provide for continued emphasis to be given to courses in science, engineering and other vocational disciplines and for sub-degree and part-time provision to be protected. The proposals for distributing the quantum relate to the proposals for target student numbers by institution, mode of attendance and subject, and allow additional funding for degree and postgraduate courses. WAB has considered bids from institutions against the £400,000 set aside for selective initiatives and has proposed that this money be used to fund the following initiatives:
  Continued support for the manufacturing systems engineering degree course at the Polytechnic of Wales.
  Continued support for the engineering access course at the Polytechnic of Wales.
  Continued support for professional, industrial and commercial updating (PICKUP) courses at six institutions.
  Continued support for research activities at the Polytechnic of Wales, together with new support for research at the South Glamorgan and West Glamorgan Institutes of Higher Education.
  Support for the development of an all-Wales access consortium.
  Support for the development of a training course for management education teachers.

  I have decided to accept the WA B's advice on academic provision and student numbers, on the methodology for distributing the quantum and on the distribution of the £400,000 for selective initiatives. The local education authorities have been informed of these decisions and of their individual allocations.
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  Copies of a note explaining the methodology by which the AFE quantum for 1988–89 is being distributed have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if there are any proposals to change the 1988–89 cash limit for the office of the Minister for the Civil Service.

  Mr. Luce
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service (class XX, vote 1) will be increased by £2,889,000 from £30,994,000 to £33,883,000. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The increase is required to cover the cost of physical security improvements to the Downing street complex and other buildings; refurbishment and maintenance in 10 Downing street and uprating of the telecommunications system (this charge is partially offset by appropriations in aid); charges by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the provision of conference officers for visits overseas by the Prime Minister (previously provided as an allied service); additional costs associated with the running of a competition for recruitment of direct entry grade 7 staff (this charge is offset by a corresponding decrease of £92,000 in the votes for the various Departments who are participating in the scheme). The increase also reflects the decision to disburse to charities and benevolent associations the savings to the Exchequer arising from the underpayment of public service pensioners as a result of the miscalculation of RPI increases.

  The above increases have a consequent effect on the Department's running costs limit which will increase by £831,000 from £28,773,000 to £29,604,000.

THE ARTS

  British Library
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the progress of the construction of the British Library.

  Mr. Luce
  Satisfactory progress on stage 1A of the new British Library, currently under construction at St. Pancras, is being maintained. Stage 1A is on target to be completed in 1993 within the cash target of £300 million which I announced last November. The current position is that, measured in expenditure terms, stage 1A is 24 per cent. complete.

  The completion phase is now at the outline sketch design stage and progressing satisfactorily. This final phase of the building is being planned so that the whole new British Library will be complete and fully operational in 1996.

  Departmental Staff (Child Care)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what child care provision the Office of Arts and Libraries provides for pre-school age children of employees; what child care provision, for school holiday or after-school
  667
  care, is provided for employees' children aged five and over; what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years; and how these are to be funded.

  Mr. Luce
  The Office of Arts and Libraries does not at present provide child care facilities for its employees. The Cabinet Office, with which the Office would be associated in this matter, is considering the need to do so.

  Items in Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if there have been any items accepted in lieu of tax or allocated since he last made an announcement on the subject to the House.

  Mr. Luce
  Since my announcement on 19 December at column 2, I am pleased to announce that three items have been accepted in lieu of tax; a drawing by Rubens, a sculpture by Naum Gabo, and "The Artist's Studio" by Peter Tillemans. The tax liability satisfied was £50,000, £286,610 and £52,270 respectively. The Tillemans painting will go to the Castle museum, Norwich but a decision over the allocation of the other two items has not yet been taken.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will give details of any proposed changes to the cash limits of his Department's votes in 1988–89.

  Mr. Luce
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the cash limits of the following votes will be increased as indicated:

  Class and Vote

  Current Cash Limit £

  Change £

  Revised Cash Limit £

  XIII, 1

  153,576,000

  +500,000

  154,076,000

  XIII, 2

  174,362,000

  +5,200,000

  179,562,000

  Additional provision of £500,000 is being sought in a spring Supplementary Estimate on class XIII, vote 1. The grant-in-aid to the Tate gallery is to be increased by £800,000 to meet completion costs of building projects which exceed previous estimates. That increase will be partly met from savings of £300,000 elsewhere on the vote.

  Additional provision of £5·2 million is being sought on class XIII, vote 2. The main Estimate provision for assets accepted in lieu of tax is to be augmented by £5·7 million but this additional provision is partially offset by savings of £500,000 elsewhere on the vote.

  The increase of £5,700,000 on these two votes has been charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Malaysia and Singapore Air Carriers
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Rolls-Royce engines have been sold to(a) Malaysia and (b) Singapore air carriers in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Atkins
  Rolls-Royce plc has provided my Department with the following details of engines supplied for civil purposes to Malaysia and Singapore:668

  Number

  Malaysia

  1980

  1 Dart

  1982

  10 RB211-524

  1986

  1 RB211-524

  1987

  I RB211-524

  Singapore

  1979

  2 Dart

  1980

  1 Dart

  1987

  2 Spey

  European Single Market
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide funds for those non-Confederation of British Industry member firms unable to afford the £1,725 fee for attendance at the Confederation of British Industry's Initiative 1992 seminars.

  Mr. Maude
  The DTI does not subsidise attendance at private sector conferences on the single European market. Our "Europe Open for Business" campaign provides a comprehensive service free of charge to help firms prepare for the single market challenge. This includes access to a database listing hundreds of conferences and seminars throughout the country.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster excluding media advertising(a) how much has been spent on preparing British industry for the creation of the European single market in 1992 and (b) how this money has been spent.

  Mr. Maude
  Excluding advertising, some £3.65 million has been spent on DTI's campaign to encourage firms to prepare for the single European market. The expenditure includes detailed and comprehensive literature on the single market programme; a major series of business conferences; a national telephone inquiry service (01–200 1992) and mailing operation; the 1992 'Spearhead' computer database; video materials; and research into business preparations.

  Peckham (Ministerial Visits)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give details of Ministers' visits to the Peckham area in connection with the north Peckham task force, including the name of the Minister, the date of the visit, and the purpose of the visit.

  Mr. Forth
  The information is as follows and relates to visits since the launch of the task force in May 1986:

  Date

  1 July 1986

  Kenneth Clarke, Paymaster General and Sir George Young, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at DoE, to look at projects in development.

  4 March 1987

  Kenneth Clarke, Paymaster General opened the south east adult training project and looked at other task force funded projects.

  22 September 1987

  Kenneth Clarke, inaugurated the task force and Lloyds business development fund.

  20 January 1988

  Robert Atkins, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at DTI—familiarisation visit.

  1 February 1988

  John Patten, Minister of State at the Home Office inaugurated the task force/Brook Street project.

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  Date

  9 June 1988

  Tim Renton, Minister of State at Home Office opened the Vietnamese refugee community's employment and training project.

  13 July 1988

  John Patten, Minister of State at Home Office launched the Peckham enterprise centre.

  26 July 1988

  Norman Fowler, Secretary of State for Employment, to talk about task force funded projects, with special reference to ET providers.

  12 December 1988

  Lord Young, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry inaugurated the Walworth school world of work scheme.

  Disposable Products
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to encourage manufacturers to produce dioxin-free disposable nappies and disposable paper products; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 28 November, at column 96. I understand that the quantities of dioxin which may occur in these products are very small. I will consider the matter further when the expert advice from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the committee on toxicity at the Department of Health is available.

  Overseas Companies
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many overseas companies have set up operations in Britain over the past year.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [pursuant to his answer 18 January 1989, c. 231.]Toyota has for some time been considering setting up a car manufacturing plant in the European Community and has engaged consultants to help them assess the options. The Government believe that at this stage the United Kingdom is the lead candidate as a location for the project. Feasibility studies are in hand based on a plant producing up to 200,000 cars a year, with a local (EC) content level rising after a transitional period to 80 per cent. The project would create up to 3,000 direct jobs.

  My right hon. and learned Friend has made it clear to Toyota that it would receive a warm welcome from the Government if it were to decide to locate the project in the United Kingdom, and he has invited the company to work closely with the Department of Trade and Industry in pursuing its feasibility studies.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prostitutes (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to make it a criminal offence for a prostitute knowingly to infect a person with HIV or hepatitis B.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have considered most carefully whether it should be an offence for one person knowingly 670
  to pass HIV on to another, but have concluded, for the present, that this would not be justified, principally because:

  (a) there is little evidence that reckless infection is a problem or that people who are HIV antibody-positive are deliberately infecting others;

  (b) any such offence would be difficult to prove and probably unworkable in practice;

  (c) it is doubtful whether an offence would deter; and

  (d) the introduction of an offence might well be counter-productive, discouraging those at risk from being tested and, arguably, thereby contributing to the spread of the disease.

  Similar considerations apply in relation to hepatitis.

  Local Pay Additions
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what, in respect of the payment of local pay additions in the Metropolitan police, are the different amounts paid to staff, by grade; whether this sum varies due to location; what qualifying period of scale-related criteria is used; and whether this varies by location.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner that the information is as follows:

  Grade

  Location

  £ per annum

  Executive Officer(excluding those in ADP field)

  Jubilee House

  600

  Administrative Officer(excluding those in receipt of specialist allowances)

  All

  600

  Administrative Assistants(excluding those in receipt of specialist allowances)

  All

  300

  Senior Personal Secretary

  Inner London

  700

  Personal Secretary

  Elsewhere

  600

  Typing Manager

  Inner London

  700

  Typist

  Elsewhere

  600

  Trainee Typist

  Knowledge of London Examiner (Grades I and II)

  All

  600

  Area Traffic Warden Controller

  All

  450

  Senior Traffic Warden Controller

  All

  450

  Traffic Warden Controller

  All

  450

  Traffic Warden Supervisor

  All

  450

  Traffic Warden

  All

  375

  No qualifying periods are required except for traffic wardens who receive local pay additions after one year's service. This does not vary by location.

  Fire-fighting Equipment
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the fire tenders known as Green Goddesses and equipment to be used in an emergency are maintained at a high state of readiness for immediate use.

  Mr. John Patten
  Yes.

  Police Raid (Leyton)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, further to his answer of 12 January,Official Report, columns 487–8, to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) about the explosives find in Battersea, he will make a further statement about the subsequent police raid on 21 December on premises in Leyton.

  Mr. Hurd
  Following the discovery of the cache at Staplehurst court, Battersea and in an effort to trace possible witnesses, police made inquiries at a number of addresses including one in Leyton. They were satisfied that the occupants of the Leyton address were not connected with any terrorist organisation.

  Football (Policing)
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the cost of policing matches involving Football League clubs in each of the last five football seasons;

  Club

  1983–84 £

  1984–85 £

  1985–86 £

  1986–87 £

  1987–88 £

  Arsenal

  108,076·00

  110,024·92

  141,636·43

  160,581·23

  161,875·96

  Brentford

  23,388·43

  39,254·80

  33,351·45

  31,095·05

  34,078·68

  Charlton

  11,387·11

  21,512·63

  41,572·66

  74,500·35

  49,273·65

  Chelsea

  107,811·24

  177,138·67

  167,815·67

  142,615·45

  168,257·86

  Crystal Palace

  22,144·55

  52,710·05

  39,918·13

  44,755·58

  37,173·59

  Fulham

  40,745·69

  34,171·18

  42,351·03

  34,814·48

  26,526·79

  Leyton Orient

  9,547·73

  13,777·59

  14,947·57

  14,225·96

  17,509·17

  Millwall

  18,300·89

  39,280·96

  50,093·27

  43,658·14

  57,693·28

  Queen's Park Rangers

  49,685·61

  65,986·81

  96,304·41

  95,717·26

  129,564·28

  Tottenham Hotspur

  200,864·02

  156,247·01

  195,159·92

  171,440·49

  153,785·36

  West Ham United

  104,530·17

  102,908·85

  119,049·89

  146,478·51

  176,303·08

  Wimbledon

  19,556·66

  24,951·89

  22,718·80

  57,469·45

  81,354·26

  Total

  716,038·10

  837,965·36

  964,919·23

  1,017,351·95

  1,093,395·96

  There is no central record of the costs of policing matches or of contributions made by clubs outside London. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Television Licences
  Sir Dennis Walters
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to review the possibility of extending the present rules governing refunding of television licences.

  Mr. Renton
  We have no plans to do so.

  Fly Posting
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful prosecutions there have been in each of the last three years for unauthorised fly posting; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information collected centrally does not distinguish illegal bill posting from other offences against the Town and Country Planning Acts 1968–71.

  Child Abuse (Research)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the research on child sexual abuse undertaken by his Department(a) since 1979, (b)
  672
  (2) what was the contribution made by Football League clubs towards the cost of policing football matches involving Football League teams in each of the last five football seasons;

  (3) what was the total cost for policing football matches at the grounds of (a) Chelsea football club, (b) Leeds United football club, (c) Huddersfield Town football club, (d) Newcastle United football club, (e) Liverpool football club, (f) Oxford United football club, (g) Luton Town football club in each of the last five seasons; and what proportion of these costs was paid for by each club itself.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner that the payments made by football League clubs in London over the past five years are as follows:

  currently underway, and (c) planned for the future together with the amount of money allocated in each instance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Home Office has conducted no major research studies specifically focusing on child sexual abuse. It has, however, published two short articles in the Home Office research and planning unit's research bulletin
  —copies of which are in the Library—which deal with various aspects of child abuse. These are:Child Homicide and Child Physical and Sexual Abuse 1986, Research Bulletin No. 20.
  Child Molestation. A Research Note 1987, Research Bulletin No. 23.

  The Home Office is funding a research project on the experiences of "Children as Victims of Crime". This study will shed light on experiences of sexual abuse as well as other types of crime. The grant made in respect of this project is £98,000. Moreover, a contract has recently been let to examine the effectiveness of live TV links for child witnesses in the Crown courts, including cases of child sexual abuse. The cost of this research is £45,000.

  Planning of our programme of research for the financial year 1989–90 is under way. We are considering research needs in respect of child sexual abuse and discussions are being held with the Department of Health on this important topic.

  Court Attendance (Parents)
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider introducing an
  673
  experimental scheme making the attendance at court mandatory for parents of children under the age of 17 years who are on trial.

  Mr. John Patten
  Where juveniles are charged with criminal offences, it is normally right for their parents to attend court with them. The law already imposes a duty on the court, where it considers the parents' attendance desirable, to require them to attend unless it would be unreasonable to do so.

  Bulk Loads
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been under paragraph 100(2) of the Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations for failing to secure a loose bulk load, in the most recent period for which figures are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information collected centrally on court proceedings does not separately distinguish contravention of regulation 100(2) of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. The available information relates to offences of causing danger by reason of the number of passengers carried, by insecure load, by weight or distribution, and is published annually in "Offences relating to motor vehicles England and Wales, Supplementary tables" (table 5 of the issue for 1987, the latest available). Probably of the order of 90 per cent. of these offences will have related to the load carried. This publication also gives, table 20, the available information on the issue of fixed penalty notices, which may be issued as an alternative to prosecution for certain loading offences, including the one in question.

  Association of Chief Police Officers
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Hurd
  I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 15 December at column 708.

  Peremptory Challenge
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to ensure that the abolition of a defendant's rights of peremptory challenge in jury trials will not in any way weaken the fairness of the jury system.

  Mr. John Patten
  We believe that abolition of peremptory challenge will increase the fairness of the jury system. We have no present plans for further changes, but we will of course keep the working of the system under review.

  Radio
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to widen choice for radio listeners.

  Mr. Renton
  We have endorsed IBA proposals to award 20 contracts for incremental radio stations. The first five 674
  will be announced in the spring. We have also agreed that a separate contract should be advertised for a station covering Heathrow and Gatwick airports. In addition we have authorised BBC and independent local radio stations to provide separate programmes if they wish on each of their current frequencies. The White Paper "Broadcasting in the '90s" makes further proposals to allow the expansion of radio in due course, in particular the establishment of independent national radio stations and up to several hundred local and community radio stations.

  Association of Chief Police Officers
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last had a meeting with the Association of Chief Police Officers; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 15 December at column 708.

  Mr. Viraj Mendis
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make an up-to-date statement on the case of Viraj Mendis.

  Mr. Renton
  Further to the reply given to a question from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Sparkbrook (Mr. Hattersley), on 18 January, Mr. Mendis applied for judicial review of my right hon. Friend's refusal to reverse the decisions to refuse refugee status and to make a deportation order against him. The Divisional court and the Court of Appeal rejected this application on 19 January.

  No satisfactory assurance was received about Mr. Mendis' admissibility to a third country, and he was removed to Sri Lanka on the 12.15 pm Air Lanka flight from Gatwick airport on 20 January.

  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the total cost to public funds in respect of Mr. Viraj Mendis including legal costs, transport costs and supplementary benefit payments since the time at which his overstay in the United Kingdom commenced.

  Mr. Renton
  It is not practicable to quantify the staffing and other resources spent by the Home Office in connection with Mr. Mendis' case, but these were considerable. Costs incurred by other Departments are a matter for my right hon. and hon. Friends the Ministers concerned.

  Disclosure of Information
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has reviewed all the statutory provisions bearing upon the disclosure of official information, other than the Official Secrets Act, to ensure that they are consistent with the principles and provisions concerning liability to criminal prosecution for disclosure of official information contained in the Official Secrets Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  The purpose of the Official Secrets Bill is to replace section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 in
  675
  accordance with the principles set out in the White Paper published in June 1988 (Cm 408). The Government are aware of other legislation containing specific offences relating to the disclosure of particular information provided under statutory requirements and it referred to these in its White Paper at paragraph 35. Any consideration of such offences needs to be made in the context of the specific provisions to which they relate.

  Immigration
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the date on which the papers relating to the family of KMA (Ref. No. K362905/3) were received by his Department; and when he expects to have processed this case and advised the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of his conclusions.

  Mr. Renton
  I regret that when I wrote to the hon. Member on 13 January I was not aware that the referral papers had been received in the Home Office on 5 December but were not linked with the file. The entry clearance officer in Bombay was instructed on 25 January to issue suitable entry clearance.

  Football Clubs (Membership Scheme)
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is anticipated that companies running the proposed football identity card scheme should have access to the police national computer.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No.

  Drugs
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent level of arrests for narcotics-related offences.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Figures for the number of people arrested for drug-related offences are not collected centrally. Figures available for people dealt with at court or cautioned are published regularly and 1987 figures can be found in chapters 5 and 7 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1987". Also, figures for people whose offences are settled by compounding or who are given informal warnings can be found in the Home Office statistical bulletin "Statistics on the Misuse of Drugs 1987".

  Women Prisoners
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is(a) the total number of females who served all or part of a prison sentence during 1987 accompanied by a dependent child or baby in England and Wales, and (b) the proportion and number of such females who had committed an offence involving robbery or violence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 24 January 1989]During 1987, 129 females served all or part of a prison sentence accompanied by their babies. Of these, 20–16 per cent.—had committed an offence involving robbery or violence.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Belfast City Airport
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State far Northern Ireland what arrangements he is proposing to make for the future of Belfast city airport in the context of the sale of Short Brothers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  The future of Belfast harbour airport will depend largely on the outcome of the process to privatise Short Brothers plc. An information memorandum on Shorts was recently issued to a selected number of prospective purchasers inviting them to submit preliminary proposals for the company. This memorandum was issued to only those parties interested in purchasing the company as a whole. In the detailed negotiations which will follow the proposals of possible purchasers, the future of the harbour airport will be covered, but meanwhile there will be no change in its operation.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North,Official Report, 20 January, columns 335–36, if he will identify those recommendations contained in paragraphs 15.5 to 15.123 of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights' "Report on Fair Employment" (Cm. 237) which have been incorporated (a) in full and (b) in part in the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Bill 1988, indicating in which clauses of the Bill they can be found.

  Mr. Viggers
  An analysis of the kind requested would be inappropriate given the complexity of the issues involved. The Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Bill reflects those recommendations of the SACHR report which relate to the meaning of discrimination and equality of opportunity, the scope of new legislation, the encouragement of equality of opportunity in practice, new institutional arrangements, the conduct of strategic investigations and new duties on employers to monitor the religious composition of their work force. In addition, the Government fully endorses the SACHR's general principles on the provision of equality of opportunity. The Bill's provisions dealing with the registration and certification of employers, the enforcement powers of the fair employment tribunal and the disqualification of employers from public sector grants and contracts reflect concerns expressed by SACHR, but address the issues by means different from those recommended in the report.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will publish the proposed code of practice refered to in the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) bill 1988 two clear sitting days before the Second Reading of the Bill.

  Mr. Viggers
  No. The code will be drawn up by the Fair Employment Commission, and will therefore be available until the commission has been established. However, I intend to make available before Committee stage a preliminary draft of the revised "Guide to Effective Practice", which will serve as the first code once the Bill receives Royal Assent.
  677
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to publish the drafts of seven sets of regulations referred to in the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Bill 1988.

  Mr. Viggers
  It is not normal practice to publish drafts of subordinate legislation of this kind. However, I expect to be able to inform the House during Committee stage of the likely content of the main regulations referred to in the Bill.

  Fair Employment Act
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, pursuant to his reply of 13 January to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North, he will list in the Official Report the employers in respect of whom section 42 certificates under the Fair Employment Act were issued.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 18 January 1989]It is not the policy of the Fair Employment Agency to release the names of parties in individual complaint cases. Of the 18 section 43 certificates referred to in my reply of 13 January, five involved either the Northern Ireland Office or Northern Ireland Departments whilst the remaining 13 concerned public bodies in Northern Ireland.

  Toxocariasis
  Mr. Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is is his estimate of the number of cases of toxocariasis which occur each year in Northern Ireland; what is the distribution of such cases, over the last few years; and whether there is any evidence as to whether the incidence of the condition has been affected by the dog licensing scheme operating in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 January 1989]Information about cases of toxocariasis is not available. It is not possible, therefore, to say if the incidence of the disease has been affected by the current dog licensing scheme.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Inflation
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rate of inflation(a) now and (b) last January.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rate of inflation(a) now and (b) last January.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rate of inflation(a) now and (b) last January.

  Mr. Brooke
  6·8 and 3·3 per cent. respectively.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what forecast he has made of the rate of inflation in six months' time.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Autumn Statement contains the latest published forecast for retail prices index inflation in 1989.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his latest forecast for the rate of inflation in 1989.
  678
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the rate of inflation in 1989.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Autumn Statement contains the latest published forecast for retail prices index inflation in 1989.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the number of countries in the European Community which have a lower rate of inflation than the current rate in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) on 20 January at column 358.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government expect to achieve the objective of zero per cent. inflation.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government expect to achieve the objective of zero per cent. inflation.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government expect to achieve the objective of zero per cent. inflation.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government's resolve against inflation remains firm, as shown by recent policy actions in raising interest rates to keep downward pressure on inflation. The ultimate objective remains stable prices.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if there are any plans to change the system of collation of national income statistics.

  Mr. Major
  The CSO are always looking for ways to improve the accuracy and completeness of the national accounts. The Government established last summer a review to make recommendations for cost-effective improvements. It has now been completed and a comprehensive report will be published in due course.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet his counterparts in the other major industrial countries.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet his counterparts in the other major industrial countries.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet his counterparts in the other major industrial countries.

  Mr. Lawson
  The G7 Finance Ministers will be meeting in Washington next week.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which regions adult unemployment has fallen over the past year.

  Mr. Brooke
  Adult unemployment has fallen sharply in every region of the United Kingdom over the last year, but fastest in the west midlands, the north west and Wales.
  679
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which regions adult unemployment has fallen over the past year.

  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which regions adult unemployment has fallen over the past year.

  Mr. Major
  Adult unemployment has fallen sharply in every region of the United Kingdom over the last year, but fastest in the west midlands, the north west and Wales.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in the number of long-term unemployed aged 18 to 24 years since October 1986.

  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in the number of long-term unemployed aged 18 to 24 years since October 1986.

  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in the number of long-term unemployed aged 18 to 24 years since October 1986.

  Mr. Major
  The latest available figures, for October 1988, show that the number of long-term unemployed aged between 18 and 24 has fallen by one half since October 1986.

  Exchange Rate
  Mr. Flyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the latest exchange rate policy.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on exchange rate policy.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government's policy is unchanged. The need to reduce inflation is paramount and a firm exchange rate is essential to achieve this objective.

  World Bank and IMF
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet the managing director of the International Monetary Fund and the President of the World Bank; and what matters they propose to discuss.

  Mr. Lawson
  I expect to see the managing director of the IMF at the G7 meeting in Washington next week.

  VAT
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from charities concerning the European Court of Justice ruling on value added tax on new buildings.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend and I have received a large number of representations from charitable bodies about the impact of the recent European court judgement on VAT zero rates, and I and customs officials have also held meetings with representative groups. The points made are being carefully considered and I will make an announcement soon.
  680
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much a person on average earnings spends as a proportion of his total income on value added tax now; and what is the comparable figure for 1978–79.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much a person on average earnings spends as a proportion of his total income in value added tax now; and what is the comparable figure for 1978–79.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much a person on average earnings spends as a proportion of his total income on value added tax now; and what is the comparable figure for 1978–79.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Estimates of VAT payments as a proportion of total income (ie including unearned income) are not available. Estimates of VAT payments as a proportion of gross earnings were given as part of an answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 10 January 1989 at columns 634–56.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received regarding the future policy on taxation of those items at present exempt from value added tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has received a number of representations about the future policy on taxation of items at present exempt from value added tax.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the imposition of value added tax on books, periodicals and newspapers.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has received a number of representations in favour of maintaining VAT zero rating for books, periodicals and newspapers.

  Investment
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the growth of manufacturing investment.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the growth of manufacturing investment.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the growth of manufacturing investment.

  Mr. Major
  In the first three quarters of 1988., manufacturing investment was 11 per cent. higher than in the same period a year earlier.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of total fixed investment in the United Kingdom since 1981.

  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of total fixed investment in the United Kingdom since 1981.

  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of total fixed investment in the United Kingdom since 1981.
  681
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of total fixed investment in the United Kingdom since 1981.

  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of total fixed investment in the United Kingdom since 1981.

  Mr. Major
  In the first three quarters of 1988 total fixed investment was 43 per cent. higher in real terms than in 1981.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the ratio between the growth of investment and the growth of consumption over the past five years.

  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the ratio between the growth of investment and the growth of consumption over the past five years.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the ratio between the growth of investment and the growth of consumption over the past five years.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the ratio between the growth of investment and the growth of consumption over the past five years.

  Mr. Major
  Investment has grown over one and a half times faster than consumption over the past five years up to the third quarter of 1988.

  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the growth in total investment in 1988.

  Mr. Whitney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the growth in total investment in 1988.

  Mr. Major
  Total investment was forecast in the Autumn Statement to increase in real terms by 12 per cent. in 1988.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on current foreign investment and capital flows into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on current foreign investment and capital flows into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Major
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mr. Griffiths) on 23 January at column 374.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide the latest available data on net flows of(a) direct investment, (b) portfolio investment and (c) banking flows into the United Kingdom in 1988.

  Mr. Major
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths).

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the growth in total investment in 1988.
  682
  Mr. Major
  Total investment was forecast in the Autumn Statement to increase in real terms by 12 per cent. in 1988.

  Labour Costs
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest information on the growth of unit labour costs in manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest information on the growth of unit labour costs in manufacturing industry.

  Sir Hal Miller
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest information on the growth of unit labour costs in manufacturing industry.

  Sir David Price
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest information on the growth of unit labour costs in manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Major
  In the three months to November, manufacturing unit wage costs increased by 0·5 per cent. on the same period a year earlier.

  Public Sector Surplus
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the level of public sector surplus in 1988–89.

  Mr. Major
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Bridlington (Mr. Townend).

  Employment
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of(a) self-employment and (b) part-time employment in the United Kingdom since 1979.

  Mr. Major
  Between June 1979 and September 1988 the number of self-employed people in Great Britain rose by 60 per cent. to nearly 3 million. Over the same period, the part-time work force in employment rose by 30 per cent. to more than 6 million.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions has he had with the institute for fiscal studies regarding reform of the national insurance contributions system.

  Mr. Major
  None, but I have noted their proposals.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to reduce bank interest rates and the mortgage interest rates.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Tooting (Mr. Cox).

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his Department's estimate of the future level of interest rates and mortgage rates in the next three months.
  683
  Mr. Lilley
  Interest rates will remain as high as they need be, for as long as necessary, to bring inflationary pressures hack under control. Mortgage rates are a matter for lenders to decide.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the current level of interest rates.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of interest rates.

  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of interest rates.

  Mr. Lilley
  Bank base rates are 13 per cent.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the impact of current levels of interest rates on the economy.

  Mr. Lilley
  Higher interest rates will take some time to have their full effect, but there are already some clear signs that economic growth is moderating to sustainable rates. Higher interest rates encourage saving and discourage borrowing.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions during the past 12 months he has increased interest rates; what is the total increase; and what is his assessment of the total resultant increase in annual interest payments within the United Kingdom economy.

  Mr. Lilley
  Bank base rates were moved 13 times in the last year, both up and down, and increased by 4 per cent. in total. The impact on total interest payments within the United Kingdom economy will be less than proportionate as long-term interest rates have moved much less than short-term rates.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the extra borrowing costs to industry incurred by a rise of 1 per cent. in interest rates.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the extra borrowing costs to industry incurred by a rise of 1 per cent. in interest rates.

  Mr. Major
  The cost to industrial and commercial companies of a one percentage point rise in United Kingdom short-term interest rates maintained for a full year is estimated to be about £400 million.

  Government Expenditure
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outlook for general Government expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outlook for general Government expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic profit.

  Mr. Major
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement to the House on 1684
  November 1988 set out the Government's plans for public spending. It noted that general government expenditure (excluding privatisation proceeds) in 1988–89 is expected to be below 40 per cent. of GDP for the first time in over 20 years; and that over the next three years it is expected to fall further.

  Bank of England (Governor)
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next intends to meet the Governor of the Bank of England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend meets the governor from time to time to discuss a variety of topics.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Governor of the Bank of England; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend meets the governor from time to time to discuss a variety of topics.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the current balance of payments as a proportion of gross domestic product.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current balance of payments as a proportion of gross domestic product.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the current balance of payments as a proportion of gross domestic profit.

  Mr. Major
  In the latest 12 months for which figures are available the current account deficit as a proportion of gross domestic product was 2½ per cent.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his policies which are aimed at reducing the balance of payments deficit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Major
  The rise in the current account deficit has primarily reflected the strength of domestic demand. The Government responded appropriately by tightening monetary policy and the effects of this are already beginning to bite, particularly in the housing market and in the retail sector. However, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor has made clear, the current account deficit is likely to be one of the last indicators to respond.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his latest forecast for the United Kingdom's balance of payments.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his latest forecast for the United Kingdom's balance of payments.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his latest forecast for the United Kingdom's balance of payments.

  Mr. Major
  The Autumn Statement forecast a current account deficit this year of £ 11 billion. There will be a new forecast published on Budget day in the usual way.

  Exports
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide his latest forecast for growth in the United Kingdom's visible exports in 1989.

  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide his latest forecast for growth in the United Kingdom's visible exports in 1989.

  Mr. Major
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Buckley).

  Overseas Assets
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the stock of United Kingdom net overseas assets.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the stock of United Kingdom net overseas assets.

  Mr. Beaumont-Dark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the stock of United Kingdom net overseas assets.

  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the stock of United Kingdom net overseas assets.

  Mr. Major
  At the end of 1987, the United Kingdom net stock of overseas assets was worth £89½ billion, about one fifth of GDP. These assets generated earnings of £5½ billion in 1987. The United Kingdom net stock of assets was the second highest in the world behind Japan. Figures for 1988 are not yet available.

  National Debt
  Sir John Stokes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the additional revenue which will be available in 10 years as a result of the current level of national debt repayment.

  Mr. Lilley
  Were annual debt repayments for each of the next ten years to be at the current forecast level of £10 billion the stock of net debt will be virtually halved. However, the amount of debt interest saved will depend upon interest rates over the next ten years and the mix of debt repaid, and hence it could only be quantified with a large degree of uncertainty. There would clearly be a substantial saving on the current level of net interest payments of £11½ billion.

  Pound Sterling
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current value of the 1979 pound sterling after taking inflation into account; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The real effective sterling exchange rate (based on relative normalised unit labour cost, as published by the IMF on the United Kingdom country page of "International Financial Statistics") averaged 83·6 in 1979 and 106·1 in October 1988.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer of a reduction in the rate of income tax of 1p.
  686
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The direct revenue cost, at 1989–90 income levels, of reducing the basic rate of income tax by one penny is estimated to be £1·4 billion in 1989–90 and £1·7 billion in 1990–91.

  Budget Surplus
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the budget surplus at present.

  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the level of public sector surplus in 1988–89.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the level of public sector surplus in 1988–89.

  Mr. Major
  I refer the hon. Gentleman and my hon. Friends to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Bridlington (Mr. Townend).

  Economy (North-West)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the long-term future of the economy of north-west England.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the long-term future of the economy of the north-west.

  Mr. Major
  The Government do not publish long-term forecasts of the regional economies, but my assessment is that the prospects for north-west England are good, deriving from a more broadly based and flexible economy. For example, the region has one of the most rapidly falling unemployment rates in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the economic growth rate in the north-west of England for the last two years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Major
  The growth of GDP at factor cost in current prices in the north-west region is estimated to have been 10·1 per cent. between 1985 and 1986, and 7·4 per cent. between 1986 and 1987. These estimates are subject to revision, particularly the provisional 1987 figure.

  Cider
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield from excise duty on cider and allied products for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lilley
  The information is as follows:

  Cider and perry duty receipts

  £ million

  1985–86

  49·7

  1986–87

  53·2

  1987–88

  50·7

  Trade Deficit
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest forecast for the United Kingdom trade deficit.
  687
  Mr. Major
  The latest forecast was published in the Autumn Statement.

  Economic Growth
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the current level of economic growth.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the current level of economic growth.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the current level of economic growth.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the current level of economic growth.

  Mr. Major
  Gross domestic product is likely to have grown by around 4½ per cent. in 1988. This would be the fourth consecutive year of growth in excess of 3 per cent.—a performance unmatched since the war.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the composition of growth in the United Kingdom as between consumer expenditure, exports and investment over the period 1981 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the composition of growth in the United Kingdom as between consumer expenditure, exports and investment over the period 1981 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the composition of growth in the United Kingdom as between consumer expenditure, exports and investment over the period 1981 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the composition of growth in the United Kingdom as between consumer expenditure, exports and investment over the period 1981 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Major
  Since 1981 consumers expenditure in real terms has grown on average by 3½ per cent. per year, compared with 5 per cent. for investment and 4 per cent. for exports.

  Grants
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost to the Exchequer of all grants in aid to trade, industry and commerce in the financial year 1987–88.

  Mr. Major
  The table below shows the 1987–88 estimated outturn for grants and subsidies included under the trade and industry part of the trade, industry, energy and employment section of table 2·7 (Functional analysis of United Kingdom public expenditure) of volume I of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91" (Cm 288). The figures cover grants and subsidies to both public corporations and the private sector. Revised 688
  outturn data for public expenditure in 1987–88 will be given in the 1989 public expenditure White Paper which is due to be published in the next few days. I shall write to my hon. Friend to update the figures given below shortly.

  Expenditure1 on certain grants and subsidies to trade, industry and commerce2

  £ million

  Grants

  Subsidies

  Total

  Regional and general industrial support

  455·0

  242·2

  697·1

  Scientific and technological assistance

  3·2

  0·4

  3·6

  Support for aerospace, shipbuilding, coal, steel and vehicle manufacture

  316·2

  46·9

  363·1

  Trade

  9·0

  151·2

  160·2

  783·3

  440·7

  1,223·9

  1 Estimated outturn figures.

  2 Covers the trade and industry part of the trade, industry, energy and employment section of Table 2.7 of Volume I of Cm 288.

  European Monetary System
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of whether the circumstances are appropriate for the pound sterling to join the exhange rate mechanism of the European monetary system.

  Mr. Peter Lilley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to the Member for Holland with Boston (Sir Richard Body) on 20 January at column 358.

  Employment
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of(a) self-employment and (b) part-time employment in the United Kingdom since 1979.

  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of(a) self-employment and (b) part-time employment in the United Kingdom since 1979.

  Mr. Major
  Between June 1979 and September 1988 the number of self-employed people in Great Britain rose by 60 per cent. to nearly 3 million. Over the same period, the part-time work force in employment rose by 30 per cent. to over 6 million.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of taxation on small businesses.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Companies with profits below £100,000 are subject to corporation tax at 25 per cent. Those with profits of between £100,000 and £500,000 are taxed at the main rate of 35 per cent. but receive a marginal relief. The total corporation tax liability arising for small companies in 1986–87, the latest year for which revenue figures are available and when the rates were 29 per cent. and 35 per cent. (with relief) respectively, is estimated at £1½ billion, of which about £¾ billion arose in each band. Businesses are not required to register for VAT purposes until turnover reaches £22,100, the highest threshold allowed by European Community law.
  689
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the effect of interest rates on small businesses.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the effect of interest rates on small businesses.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the effect of interest rates on small businesses.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of such representations.

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest information on the investment intentions of manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest information on the investment intentions of manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Major
  I refer my hon. Friends to the reply that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key).

  Disabled Staff
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he intends to take any steps to increase the number of registered disabled people in his Department.

  Mr. Lawson
  My Department is not planning any specific measures to increase the number of disabled staff it employs. It will continue to seek to attract potential recruits under equal opportunity guidelines.

  New Businesses
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average weekly rate of business start-ups in net terms in 1988.

  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average weekly rate of business start-ups in net terms in 1988.

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average weekly rate of business start-ups in net terms in 1988.

  Mr. Major
  In 1987, the latest year for which figures have been published by the Department of Employment, the net increase in the number of businesses registered for VAT was 45,000, an average of approaching 900 a week. Indications are that the rate of increase in 1988 is even faster. The number of VAT registrations and de-registrations processed by Customs and Excise during 1988 indicate a net increase of over 1,200 a week. Department of Employment figures for 1988 will be available in the summer.

  Economic Prospects
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the economic prospects for the United Kingdom for 1989.
  690
  Mr. Major
  A revised economic forecast for 1989 will be published at Budget time.

  House Purchase (Stamp Duty)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total revenue from stamp duty on house purchase conveyances for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The yield from stamp duty on residential property in 1988 is estimated at £1,140 million.

  Shareholders
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of private shareholders in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of private shareholders in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of private shareholders in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The joint Treasury and stock exchange survey carried out in January and February 1988 estimated that approximately 9 million people own shares—20 per cent. of the adult population. This represents a threefold increase since 1979.

  Mortgage Interest
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to how many households have their mortgage interest payments adjusted annually.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to how many households have their mortgage interest payments adjusted annually.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mr. Grocott) on 19 January at column 259.

  Budget Objectives
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the extent to which the 1988 Budget is achieving its objectives.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The effects of particular Budgets should not be looked at in isolation but as part of a general process of tax reform and other measures which have, inter alia, improved the performance of the economy by boosting incentives and enterprise. The 1988 Budget was a further major step in that process. We examine the extent to which specific measures have achieved their objectives as part of the annual Budget process.

  Personal Savings
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to stimulate personal savings.

  Mr. Lilley
  The increases in interest rates which have already taken place make savings more attractive. The
  691
  National Savings capital bond launched earlier this month provides a new and attractive option for personal long-term saving.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in the output measure of gross domestic product for the latest 12-month period.

  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in the output measure of gross domestic product for the latest 12-month period.

  Mr. Major
  The output measure of gross domestic product is estimated to have grown by 4½ per cent. in the year to the third quarter of 1988.

  Taxes
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the figures showing the total taxes paid by average earners in each financial year from 1978–79 to the present day.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 10 January at columns 633–56.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much a person on half average earnings pays as a proportion of his total income in all direct and indirect taxes including value added tax and national insurance.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much a person on half average earnings pays as a proportion of his total income in all direct and indirect taxes including value added tax and national insurance.

  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Chancellor how much a person on half average earnings pays as a proportion of his total income in all direct and indirect taxes including value added tax and national insurance.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Reliable estimates of indirect tax payments are not available for this level of income.

  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much a person on average earnings pays as a proportion of his total income in all direct and indirect taxes including value added tax and national insurance.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much a person on average earnings pays as a proportion of his total income in all direct and indirect taxes including value added tax and national insurance.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 20 January at column 357.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue from composite rate tax on investment income the Treasury received in the last financial year(a) in total, (b) from people with tax liabilities and (c) from people without tax liabilities.
  692
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Total receipts of composite rate tax from savings institutions in 1987–88 were £3·1 billion after the set-off of about £0·4 billion of tax already paid on income received by them under deduction of income tax. Of the £3·5 billion composite rate tax accounted for by the savings institutions, about £450 million was due in respect of interest that would not have been liable to tax in the hands of its recipients in the absence of a composite rate system.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue the Treasury would receive if composite rate tax was levied on national savings, taking the last financial year as an example(a) in total and (b) as a proportion of total composite rate tax revenue.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  National Savings are excluded from the composite rate scheme in order to provide a convenient means for non-taxpayers to receive interest without deduction of non-reclaimable tax. The rate would tend to reduce if there was an extension of its scope to investments favoured by non-taxpayers, but the size of the reduction following such an extension is uncertain. However, net interest paid in 1987–88 on which savings institutions accounted for tax at composite rate totalled about £10·7 billion; interest on National Savings was about £1·4 billion payable gross and subject to tax if the recipient is a taxpayer, and about £1·7 billion not subject to tax.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of total tax revenue to the Treasury is accounted for by composite rate tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  About 2·8 per cent. in 1987–88.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has of the revenue cost of reducing capital gains tax to a flat rate of 25 per cent. and of raising the capital gains tax exemptions limit from £5,000 to £10,000 in 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 23 January 1989]: The reduction in liability to capital gains tax arising from gains realised by individuals and trusts in 1989–90 is estimated to be about £450 million. The estimate allows for an increase in disposals in response to the reduction in effective rate of tax but does not allow for any short term effects such as might arise between the announcement of the proposed change and its coming into effect.

  Northern Ireland (Revenue Contribution)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the contribution from Northern Ireland to United Kingdom exchequer revenue; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Major
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to Northern Ireland's attributed share of taxation. The attributed share in 1985–86 (the last year for which there are full figures) was £1,873 million.

  Customs and Excise (Confiscations)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people had goods confiscated by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise when returning to the United Kingdom from abroad during 1988; and if he will make a statement.
  693
  Mr. Lilley
  Customs seized about 50,000 items in the year ended 25 December 1988. It is not possible to identify from the records of seizures the number of persons concerned.

  Business Start-ups
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average weekly rate of business start-ups in net terms in 1988.

  Mr. Major
  In 1987, the latest year for which figures have been published by the Department of Employment, the net increase in the number of businesses registered for VAT was 45,000—an average of approaching 900 a week. Indications are that the rate of increase in 1988 is even faster. The number of VAT registrations and de-registrations processed by Customs and Excise during 1988 indicate a net increase of more than 1,200 a week. Department of Employment figures for 1988 will be available in the summer.

  Credit
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will meet representatives of the banking industry to discuss the establishment of a code of practice for the marketing of credit to the young.

  Mr. Lilley
  The establishment of any code of practice in this field is a matter for the banks.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now introduce controls over inducements offered by credit card companies to encourage credit purchase.

  Mr. Lilley
  No.

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to impose special taxes on carbon dioxide emissions in order to encourage energy conservation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement, but I note the suggestion.

  Financial Accounting and Reporting
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in producing a statement of the Government's financial accounting and reporting framework following the recommendation made by the Comptroller and Auditor General in paragraphs 4·22 to 4·25 of his report on financial reporting to Parliament in 1986.

  Mr. Brooke
  A draft consultative document was produced by the Treasury and issued to accountancy institutes and other interested parties for comment in July 1987. A number of useful suggestions were received and many of these have been incorporated into a revised document which is being published today and of which copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Inland Revenue
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if there are any proposals to change the 1988–89 cash limit and running costs limit for the Inland Revenue.
  694
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Both the cash limit and the running costs limit for the Inland Revenue (class XIX, vote 7) have been reduced by £147,000. There are two components to this change. The first is a transfer of £143,000 to the Department of Social Security as payment for work they will be undertaking for Inland Revenue; the second is a transfer of £4,000 to the Cabinet Office to reflect the transfer of costs for recruitment under the direct entry grade 7 competition 1988.

  There is no overall increase in either cash limits or running costs limits as a result of these changes, which will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost of running the Inland Revenue share valuation division.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 24 January 1989]: The estimated running cost of the Inland Revenue shares valuation division is currently under £3 million per year.

  Treasury Running Costs
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there will be any changes to the Treasury's running costs limit for 1988–89.

  Mr. Brooke
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Treasury's running costs limit will be increased by a net £33,000 from £71,154,000 to £71,187,000.

  This net increase reflects a transfer of costs for recruitment under the direct entry grade 7 competition 1988 (£5,000); and increased provision of setting up costs at Chessington computer centre, prior to the take on of payroll work in respect of the Department of the Environment/Department of Transport from 1 April 1989 (£38,000).

  These changes will be offset by a corresponding increase in the running costs limit of the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service Vote (class XX, vote 1), and by a corresponding decrease in the running costs limit on the administration and transport services vote (class VIII, vote 2) respectively and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  As a further consequence of the transfer of costs for recruitment the cash limit for Her Majesty's Treasury administration vote (class XIC, vote 11) will be decreased by £5,000 to £54,041,000.

ENERGY

  Coal Imports
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) from which countries Britain has imported coal in the last 12 months; how many tonnes have been imported from each respective country; and what information he has on the price per tonne from each country listed at the latest available date;

  (2) if he will list information available to him on the price per tonne of coal for each country from which Britain has imported coal in 1985, 1986, 1987, and at the latest available date.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Information is available for the period January to November 1988 as shown in the table.
  695
  For the data on price per tonne of coal in 1985, 1986 and 1987 I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 29 June 1988 at column 251.

  January to November 1988

  Country (of origin)

  Quantity (thousand tonnes)

  Average value per tonne (£)

  United States of America

  3,881

  35·30

  Australia

  3,242

  31·03

  Poland

  1,224

  34·56

  Colombia

  434

  35·07

  Canada

  426

  30·29

  USSR

  325

  26·61

  China

  281

  50·41

  Netherlands

  249

  39·33

  South Africa

  241

  42·42

  Federal Republic of Germany

  157

  97·59

  Belgium

  111

  47·28

  Venezuela

  69

  30·49

  Others

  114

  52·06

  TOTAL

  110,755

  35·29

  1 Rounded total.

  Note: Average value of imports are on a cost, insurance and freight basis.

  Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  Energy Saving Targets
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are Her Majesty's Government's national energy saving targets for the years 1990 and 1995.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The Government support the European Community objective of achieving a 20 per cent. improvement in the efficiency of final energy demand by 1995.

  Surplus Electricity
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received calling for greater publicity to be given to the green policy of allowing electricity producers to sell surplus capacity via the national grid.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Electricity Bill places a statutory duty on the National Grid Company to facilitate competition in the supply and generation of electricity. Under the draft licence to be issued to the National Grid Company, authorised generators will be able to use the grid to convey their electricity. My Department is not aware of any representations of the kind described by my hon. Friend.

  Severn Barrage
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the results of the current studies into the proposed Severn barrage.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The current and third phase of the Severn barrage studies are nearing completion and I hope to make a report available to Parliament in a few months' time.

  Wind Energy
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what measures he intends to take in 1989 to promote the use of wind energy.
  696
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  It is our intention that the electricity privatisation legislation currently before the House will place an obligation on the electricity supply companies to contract for a specified minimum amount of non-fossil-fuelled generating capacity and this will help to encourage the full exploitation of wind energy.

  In addition, we will continue our substantial programme of research into wind energy which encompasses work on all the important technical questions and includes the construction and testing of a number of large wind turbines. During 1989 it is expected that construction of the 1 MW wind turbine at Richborough will be completed and that wind measurements will commence on the site of the first of three proposed experimental wind farms to be built by ourselves and the CEGB in collaboration.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many oral parliamentary questions he has answered by written reply because the question was not reached at Question Time, for the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Of 432 oral questions tabled in 1988, a total of 293 were answered with a written reply. These figures do not include oral questions which were withdrawn, unstarred or transferred to other Departments prior to Question Time.

  Conservation
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent assessment his Department has made of the environmental benefits of conserving energy.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Barron) on 28 November, at columns 125–26, which referred to a study to assess the impact of energy efficiency on emission of CO2 and other pollutants. The study is now under way.

  Plutonium
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on plutonium, 9 December 1988,Official Report, column 373, by whom the plutonium content is calculated, to what accuracy, and under what safeguards requirements.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The operators make the calculations. The accuracy of the estimates depends on the accuracy of estimating the heat output of the reactors and the accuracy of the isotopic data used. The calculated plutonium content of all fuel despatched from the stations is reported to the safeguards authorities.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy. pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newport. West (Mr. Flynn) on 8 December 1988,Official Report, column 329, on the physical verification of plutonium by the European Atomic Energy Authority at Sellafield. if he will make a statement on the number of occasions when the European Atomic Energy Authority has carried out the inspections to which he refers in the reply of 4 June 1988, Official Report, columns 594–95 in 1986, 1987 and 1988.
  697
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Civil nuclear material is under the continuous inspection regime of Euratom.

  Magnox
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether the British Nuclear Fuels plc Magnox reprocessing facility has been used for the concurrent processing of safeguardable and non-safeguarded Magnox spent fuel to yield fissile plutonium for the atomic weapons programme.

  (2) what proportion of Magnox spent nuclear fuel from Hunterston was co-processed with spent fuel from the military reactors at Calder hall and Chapelcross prior to 31 December 1986.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Walker) to my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) on 4 June 1986 at columns 594–95.

  Lascar Safeguards Review Group
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many departmental staff have been allocated to the (large-scale commercial reprocessing plant) safeguards review group meetings; what was the cost of departmental representations at the Lascar review meeting in Tokyo on 17–21 October 1988; what issues were discussed at the Tokyo meeting; and if he will place in the Library copies of all documentation presented to the meeting by his departmental delegation.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  It is expected that two members of the safeguards office will devote time to Lascar-related work. One of these attended the Tokyo meeting at an approximate cost of £2,900.

  The aims of Lascar are to exchange safeguards related information and techniques on future large plutonium handling facilities. This exchange of information took place on the understanding that it would remain confidential to the parties involved.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those non-departmental public bodies responsible to his Department for which funding and staffing(a) have been reduced in 1988 and (b) are planned for reductions in 1989; and, for each case, if he will list the change in funding and staffing levels.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The reductions are as follows:

  Reduction in staff numbers

  Financing (£ million)

  1987–88

  1988–891

  1987–88

  1988–891

  Oil and Pipelines Agency

  2

  20

  —

  1·3

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  263

  1,100

  12·0

  —

  1 Estimated.

  Notes:

  1. Figures are available for financial years only.

  2. Staff reductions are based on staff employed at April 1987, April 1988 and an estimate of staff levels at April 1989.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will seek permission from the BBC for a transcript of the interviews on the privatisation of the electricity supply industry by the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South (Mr. Spicer) and the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) on the "Today" programme on Radio Four, broadcast on 17 January; and if he will place copies in the departmental and House of Commons Libraries.

  Mr. Parkinson
  No. I understand that the Library of the House does obtain transcripts from the broadcasters on behalf of hon. Members.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about arrangements for allocation of shares in the electrical industry on privatisation.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Decisions on the arrangements for the allocation of shares will be taken much nearer the time of the offers for sale.

  Alternative Energy Sources
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what amount has been spent by his Department in each of the last five years on research on alternative energy sources.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The table gives my Department's programme expenditure on alternative energy sources for the financial years 1983–84 to 1987–88.

  Constant prices (£ million)

  Constant prices (1988; £ million)

  1983–84

  11·7

  14·9

  1984–85

  14·9

  18·1

  1985–86

  13·2

  15·1

  1986–87

  12·0

  13·4

  1987–88

  15·1

  16·0

  Provision for 1988–89 is £16·2 million.

  Energy Saving Schemes
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much has been spent by his Department in each of the last five years on the development and encouragement of energy saving schemes in the public and private sector.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 8 December 1988 at column 327.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Privy Council Office (Finance)
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he proposes to make any changes to the Privy Council Office's cash limit and running costs limit in the current year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit on
  699
  class XX, vote 11 is being increased by £30,000 from £1,187,000 to £1,217,000 to meet the higher costs of parliamentary publications.

  The increase will be charged to the Reserve and will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  In addition, the running costs limit is being increased by £30,000 from £1,207,000 to £1,237,000.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Packet Butter Market
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list, for each year since 1973, the percentage of the United Kingdom packet

  United Kingdom

  Ireland

  France

  New Zealand

  Denmark

  Netherlands

  Belgium and Luxembourg

  1973

  18·9

  9·3

  0·9

  31·6

  17·8

  14·8

  1·0

  1974

  10·5

  7·1

  6·3

  25·7

  18·4

  19·9

  2·6

  1975

  8·9

  10·1

  7·1

  23·0

  15·5

  20·9

  2·2

  1976

  16·6

  10·3

  4·2

  25·7

  14·9

  18·0

  1·0

  1977

  27·7

  7·0

  3·2

  27·6

  14·0

  13·0

  0·9

  1978

  29·9

  11·9

  1·4

  29·0

  14·2

  9·3

  1·0

  1979

  31·8

  8·6

  0·5

  28·3

  11·2

  3·7

  0·7

  1980

  43·0

  8·7

  0·5

  28·6

  11·3

  3·7

  0·7

  1981

  44·8

  8·1

  0·3

  26·6

  11·3

  5·7

  0·5

  1982

  53·0

  7·5

  0·3

  23·8

  10·1

  2·9

  0·7

  1983

  43·2

  6·5

  0·3

  28·5

  12·3

  7·8

  1·0

  1984

  46·3

  7·6

  0·4

  29·3

  11·6

  4·2

  0·3

  1985

  44·4

  5·5

  0·5

  30·8

  12·6

  5·4

  0·4

  1986

  47·9

  7·5

  0·4

  28·6

  11·0

  3·3

  1·2

  1987

  46·2

  5·6

  0·5

  32·3

  12·2

  1·9

  1·2

  19881

  52·7

  5·0

  0·4

  27·5

  11·3

  2·0

  1·0

  1 January to October.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. French
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many oral parliamentary questions he has answered by written reply because the question was not reached at Question Time, for the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  In 1988, 515 oral questions were answered by written reply.

  Farms (Nottingham)
  Mr. Graham Allen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in which parliamentary constituency(a) Chilwell Dam farm, Nottingham and (b) the farm at the junction of Apollo drive and Nottingham road, Nottingham are located.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The areas referred to have some land falling within the Nottingham, north constituency but form a small part of holdings which are registered in other constituencies.

  Sheepmeat
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he did not consult organisations representing consumers about EEC proposals for altering the trade arrangements between the EEC and New Zealand for sheepmeat; and if he will do so before approving future EEC proposals which affect the interests of United Kingdom consumers.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I take account of the interests of consumers, along with those of others, including 700
  butter market accounted for by the following countries (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the Republic of Ireland, (c) France, (d) New Zealand, (e) Denmark, (f) Netherlands and (g) Belgium.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The available information is set out in the following table, which shows the percentage share of total new butter supplies in the United Kingdom by country of origin since 1973. The United Kingdom line is based on total production less intervention purchases, and those of other countries represent total imports into the United Kingdom.

  producers and taxpayers, when considering EC proposals. My officials have had a number of consultations with representatives of consumers' interests on the Commission's proposals for sheepmeat, detailed consideration of which has yet to get under way in the Council.

  Departmental Staff (Child Care)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school age children of his Department's employees; what child care provision, for school holiday or after school care, is provided for employees' children aged five years and over; and what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years; and how these are to be funded.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  A successful holiday play scheme was held at one location last summer and is planned to be repeated for a longer period this summer. The success of the play scheme was notified to all staff in the Department and locations interested in arranging similar or other types of child care arrangements were offered help, advice and encouragement to do so. The Department is also participating in a holiday play scheme in the Westminster area of London which is intended to operate during half-term and end of term holidays throughout 1989. Pump-priming funds have been made available and continue to be available for child care schemes.

  Contaminated Meat
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which import agents were responsible for the import of meat of Irish origin which in September and October of 1988 were cancelled as unfit for human consumption by Carrick district council.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Information supplied to the Ministry by Carrick district council does not include the names of import agents.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the occasions during the current year when his Department issued warnings to port health authorities of the possible danger of contaminated meat supplies originating in the Republic of Ireland;

  (2) if he will list the occasions during the current year when his Department issued guidelines on warnings relating to the import of contaminated meat supplies to (a) local authorities, (b) port health authorities, (c) the Institution of Environmental Health Authorities and (d) the Association of Sea and Air Port Health Authorities; and on how many occasions during each of the last three years such warnings were issued;

  (3) whether any notification was given to port health authorities warning of the possibility of contaminated imports of beef supplies following the identification on such imports by Carrick district council;

  (4) if he will list the dates during 1988 when his Department notified the Association of Sea and Air Port Health Authorities of the possible import of contaminated meat supplies from the Republic of Ireland, in the light of the condemnation of such supplies by Carrick district council.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  On 21 December 1988 and 13 January 1989, the Ministry passed information received from Carrick district council to the Association of Port Health Authorities, requesting the association to advise port health authorities to pay special attention to consignments of meat from the Republic of Ireland. These were the only occassions during the past three years when such action has been necessary. The association and the Institution of Environmental Health Officers have their own very effective arrangements for disseminating information about any problems which are found by their members. These arrangements were also used to inform their members in the case of the unfit Irish meat found by Carrick district council.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions during each of the last three years his Department has been notified by Carrick district council of the condemnation of(a) beef and (b) other meat imports originating in the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My Department received two reports from Carrick district council in 1986 and two in 1988. All related to beef originating in the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions during the last three years his Department has been officially notified of contaminated meat originating from each of the EEC countries by environmental health departments in the United Kingdom.
  702
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  In the past three years my Department has received from environmental health officers 14 reports on contaminated fresh meat originating in the Republic of Ireland, two on meat from the Netherlands, one on meat from France and one on meat from Spain.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the total volume of meat condemned by the environmental health service in Carrick district council for each of the last three years;

  (2) what volume of imported meat supplies was condemned as unfit for human consumption for each of the last four years, stating in all cases the country of origin.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  No records are collected of the quantities of meat condemned by enforcement authorities in the exercise of their responsibilities for ensuring that meat intended for sale for human consumption is fit for that purpose.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to impose a legal requirement upon local authorities to inspect all imported meat arriving in their area which has not been inspected by area health authorities at the port of arrival.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  No.

  Irish Meat
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any estimate of the volume of meat imports landed in Great Britain having been shipped from Northern Ireland; and what percentage of such imports originated in the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Figures are not available, since customs data is not collected on movement of goods within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the volume of beef landed at Stranraer which orginated in the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Stranraer is an internal port receiving only consignments from Northern Ireland and customs data is not collected on movement of goods within the United Kingdom. Goods imported from the Republic of Ireland via the Larne-Stranraer route would have been recorded as imports into the United Kingdom when they entered Northern Ireland.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many successful applicants for compensation from the recent poultry compensation scheme have been identified as having salmonella enteritidis infected flocks; and what were(a) the total number of eggs produced from flocks, (b) the total number of hens slaughtered from such flocks and (c) the total compensation paid.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  It was not a condition of the slaughter of hens scheme that culled birds should be tested for evidence of salmonella enteriditis. With the agreement of some flock owners, examinations have been carried out on some slaughtered birds and none of the flocks examined to date has shown evidence of infection.
  703
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what arrangements were made for the disposal of hens believed to be contaminated with salmonella enteritidis, slaughtered under the recent compensation scheme;

  (2) what arrangements were made for the disposal of hens slaughtered under the recent compensation scheme.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The agriculture departments are arranging for the disposal of all carcases of birds slaughtered under the scheme by burial or incineration.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements his Department made for the supervision of hens believed to be salmonella-infected slaughtered during the last three months outwith his recent compensation scheme.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  None. The slaughter and disposal of hens outside the scheme is the responsibility of the owner and is subject to the relevant statutory provisions such as those governing welfare and hygiene.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any inspection by his staff during 1988 revealed the presence of salmonella in poultry farms.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 23 January 1989]Poultry farms are not routinely inspected for the presence of salmonella. Under the Zoonoses Order 1975, which requires the reporting of isolations of salmonella, 870 reports (provisional) of salmonella of all serotypes in poultry in 1988 were received.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Teachers (Training)
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will issue guidance to local education authorities on the practice of allowing teachers to take their training days at home.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Under the terms of the school teachers' pay and conditions document 1988 a teacher is required to be available for work for 195 days in any year, of which 190 days are to be days on which he or she may be required to teach pupils. The intention is that the remaining five days should be used primarily for in-service training. The form that such training should take is at the discretion of local education authorities.

  National Curriculum (Northumberland)
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion in(a) cash terms and (b) as a percentage of the extra resources being made available for the implementation of the national curriculum will be provided to Northumberland.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Targeted support for expenditure by local education authorities on activities relating to the introduction of the national curriculum is channelled through education support grants and LEA training grants. My right hon. Friend has approved expenditure on such activities by Northumberland in 1989–90 of £437,700 under the education support grants programme and 704
  £328,000 under the LEA training grants scheme. These figures represent respectively 0·8 per cent, and 0·7 per cent, of the total amounts being made available for such activities in that year. It is for Leas to determine what additional support to devote to the implementation of the education reforms from block grant or from their own resources.

PRIME MINISTER

  Israel
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she will pay an official visit to Israel.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Libya (Chemical Weapons Plant)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the participation of European firms in the manufacture of the chemical weapons plant in Libya; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The European Council will next meet on 26–27 June and it is too early to speculate on what will be discussed. The issue is, however, a matter of great concern to us, particularly given Libyan links with terrorism, and we are already co-ordinating closely with EC partners and others about it. All EC states are members of the informal "Australia group" of Western countries which holds consultations on export controls on chemical weapon precursors and other related measures.

  North-west Kent
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit north-west Kent.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Cabotage
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Prime Minister what progress she has made in the Council of Ministers of the European Community in persuading other member Governments to accord equal rights of cabotage to each others coastal shipping, and if she will name the non-complying Governments.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is continuing to press hard for agreement on cabotage liberalisation in the Transport Council.

  The six member states who have laws restricting cabotage trades to ships of their national flag are the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. We have an agreement with the Federal Republic which ensures that British operators offering a competitive service have no bureaucratic difficulties in participating in German cabotage trades.

  Sir Leon Brittan
  Mr. Tarn Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister why she will not make a statement on her communications with Sir Leon Brittan, KBE, since his appointment as a Vice-President of the European Commission on 1 January.
  705
  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member on 10 January 1989 at column 493.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) which Government Departments have been involved in the Broxtowe child sex abuse case; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) further to her reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of 19 January about the Broxtowe estate, whether she has any progress to report.

  The Prime Minister
  The offences were investigated by the Nottinghamshire constabulary and the successful prosecutions were conducted by the Crown Prosecution Service.

  The Nottinghamshire social services department received appropriate support and guidance from the regional office of the Department of Health's social services inspectorate. Otherwise no Government Departments were directly involved in the case.

  The Department has in hand an active programme of research into child care, including child abuse and child sexual abuse.

  Departmental Staff (Child Care)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Prime Minister what child care provision is provided by the Cabinet Office for the pre-school-age children of employees; what child care provision, for school holiday or after-school care, is provided for employees' children aged five and over; what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years; and how these are to be funded.

  The Prime Minister
  At present the Cabinet Office does not provide child care facilities. It is considering the need to do so.

  Engagements
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.
  706
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 January.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

  Soviet Union
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions permission for emigration to or travel within the Soviet Union or other Comecon Eastern bloc countries has been denied to applicants formerly employed at (i) Ministry of Defence, (ii) atomic weapons research establishments, (iii) MI5 and (iv) Government Communications Headquarters at Cheltenham, since May 1979.

  The Prime Minister
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Retirement Age
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the financial implications for the Government of implementing a universal retirement age of 63 years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett) on 24 January at column 522.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual yield from employers' national insurance surcharge contributions.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There has been no national insurance surcharge since the end of the 1984–85 financial year.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will summarise to what each social fund configuration for computerisation purposes relates.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Each local office has been allocated one of three microcomputer configurations depending on its predicted workload. The three types of configuration provide different levels of microcomputer capacity but perform identical functions.

  Administrative Costs
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of administering the social security system in 1978–79 and 1987–88, in 1978–79 prices.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The administration costs are as follows:

  £ million

  1978–79

  761

  1987–88

  1996

  1 At 1978–79 prices.

  707
  The main reasons for the additional costs in 1987–88 were the salary and other costs of extra staff in the local offices of both the Department of Social Security and the Department of Employment, together with the greater use of computers and consultants.

  Mentally Ill People (Sheltered Homes)
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under which category sheltered homes for the mentally ill will be denned in his forthcoming changes in board-and-lodgings allowance.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Sheltered accommodation can take a variety of forms ranging from registered homes to warden-controlled flats. Some types of sheltered accommodation, usually shared housing where meals may be supplied by the landlord, are classed as lodgings or hostels for benefit purposes. From April 1989 people in lodgings will no longer rely on special payments of income support to meet their accommodation costs. Instead they will be able to receive normal income support payments and housing benefit in the same way as the majority of other claimants.

  We have consulted widely on proposals to make similar changes to payments for people in hostels. We have deferred any change until after April 1989 to allow us time to examine more fully the effects on hostels' finances. An announcement will be made once final decisions have been reached.

  Young People (Entitlement)
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the entitlement to social security including housing benefit for young people on leaving local authority care.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Young people aged 16 or.17 who leave care and register for a job or a YTS course are entitled to income support for a period after they leave school if they are not living with their parents nor any person acting in place of their parents. During this period they are guaranteed an offer of a YTS place. Some 16 and 17-year-olds may receive income support both during and after that period because, for example, they are incapable of work or a YTS course by reason of disablement, or they are responsible for a child.

  Young people living in board and lodgings or hostels, including those on YTS, may receive help with their accommodation costs from income support as well as their other needs. Other young people who are responsible for paying housing costs are entitled to claim housing benefit; those on income support or with net incomes at or below that level get a maximum 100 per cent, of rent and 80 per cent, of rates. From April, young people in lodgings will also be entitled to housing benefit in the same way as other tenants. We are reviewing the arrangements for people in hostels.

  Further help may be sought from the social fund. In particular those who qualify for income support may be eligible for community care grants to help them set up home.

  Pensions
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the average growth in incomes 708
  in each of the last 10 years of (a) households in the second decile group and (b) pensioner households in the second decile group of pensioner households;

  (2) what was the average growth in incomes in each of the last 10 years of (a) households in the second decile group and (b) pensioner households in the third decile group of pensioner households.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 23 January at column 414.

  Benefits (Disqualification)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance he has issued to his local offices; to ensure that when claimants have their benefit stopped, for reasons such as non-availability for work, the decision is explained clearly and their right to appeal is pointed out; and if he will make a statement on how current arrangements are operating.

  Mr. Scott
  Local office staff have been given guidance to the effect that once a decision to withdraw benefit has been confirmed they should issue a letter or explanatory notice. This notification sets out the reason for the withdrawal, the means whereby the claimant can obtain a full explanation, their right of appeal and how to exercise it, and a reference to the citizens advice bureau or local law centre from which they can obtain free advice.

  We are satisfied with the way these arrangements are operating. As always, they are under constant review.

  Appeals
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) social security, and (b) medical appeals there were in each of the last three years in (i) Wales (ii) England, and (iii) Scotland.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest national administrative statistics available in the form required are for the year ending 31 December 1987. The information provided in the attached table is for the years ending 31 December 1985, 1986 and 1987.

  I regret that equivalent information is not available for medical appeal tribunals.

  Estimated number of appeals lodged

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Wales

  12,640

  16,032

  18,248

  England

  194,806

  224,190

  250,114

  Scotland

  39,948

  54,519

  60,646

  Total

  247,394

  294,741

  329,008

  The information given is considered an estimate because the figures include a small proportion of referrals to social security appeal tribunals by adjudication officers.

  Departmental Offices
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what load of current cases the Greenock and Port Glasgow offices of his Department have carried in the past nine months;

  (2) what was the average number of new claims and cases since 11 April 1988 awaiting review at the local offices of his Department of Greenock and Port Glasgow

  709
  which were recorded as outstanding each month; and how many were concerned with: (a) supplementary benefit claims and (b) single payment claims.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information available is set out in the tables.

  Month ending

  30 April 1988

  31 May 1988

  50 June 1988

  31 July 1988

  31 August 1988

  30 September 1988

  31 October 1988

  30 November 1988

  31 December 1988

  GREENOCK

  Income Support

  Live Load

  —

  11,344

  —

  —

  11,577

  —

  —

  11,423

  —

  Claims outstanding

  28

  31

  56

  44

  36

  85

  45

  78

  128

  Assessment Reviews outstanding

  250

  122

  69

  83

  58

  112

  119

  147

  237

  Supplementary Benefit Work outstanding

  Claims

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Single payments

  2,930

  1,057

  270

  17

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  PORT GLASGOW

  Income Support

  Live Load

  —

  4,847

  —

  —

  4,783

  —

  —

  4,659

  —

  Claims outstanding

  26

  23

  37

  23

  40

  55

  31

  60

  50

  Assessment Reviews outstanding

  448

  262

  104

  196

  208

  137

  134

  70

  141

  Supplementary Benefit Work outstanding

  Claims

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Single payments

  2,552

  971

  24

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give for the Greenock and Port Glasgow offices of his Department, the current staffing complement, broken down by staffing grades of(a) how many permanent staff are currently in post, (b) how many temporary staff are currently in post, (c) how many members of staff are currently being trained and (d) the annual turnover of permanent staff.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is as follows:

  Greenock integrated local office

  Port Glasgow integrated local office

  Permanent staff

  Grade 7

  1·0

  0·0

  SEO

  1·0

  1·0

  HEO

  6·0

  3·5

  LO1

  33·5

  20·5

  LO2

  76·0

  34·0

  AA

  22·0

  7·5

  Typing manager

  0·0

  0·0

  Typist

  3·0

  1·0

  Security guard

  0·0

  0·0

  Messenger

  2·0

  1·0

  Telephones

  0·0

  0·0

  144·5

  68·5

  Temporary staff

  12·0

  214·0

  219·0

  Total staff

  165·5

  82·5

  per cent.

  per cent.

  Annual turnover

  311·90

  39·09

  46·85

  415·71

  215·79

  211·11

  1 AO grade.

  2 AA grade.

  3 LO1 grade.

  4 LO11 grade.

  710
  The source of the live load figures is the 100 per cent, count of cases in action and is available only on a quarterly basis. The figures given include a small number of cases not actually in receipt of benefit.

  There are no staff under tutelage in either office.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund applications were made each month since 11 April 1988 at the Greenock and Port Glasgow offices of his Department for(a) budget loans, (b) crisis loans and (c) community care grants; and how many of these applications in each of these categories were successful each month.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Such information is available in the Library.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many new claims for income support were made each month since 11 April 1988 at the local offices of his Department in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole; and how many of these claims were determined each month;

  (2) how many people are in receipt of income support in (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole; and what are the corresponding figures for those in receipt of supplementary benefit for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Strathclyde region is served by the following local offices of the Department, although their boundaries are not coterminous:

  Airdrie

  Clydebank

  East Kenbridge

  Hamilton

  Mother well

  Ayr

  Coat bridge

  Glasgow (13 offices)

  Irvine

  Oman

  Bell shill

  Cumber auld

  Johnston

  Paisley

  711

  Campbeltown

  Dumbarton

  Greenock

  Income support claims made (a) and determined (b):

  Greenock

  Port Glasgow

  Strathclyde

  Scotland

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  April 1988

  354

  326

  208

  182

  10,543

  7,764

  21,182

  14,946

  May 1988

  663

  660

  291

  294

  16,960

  17,037

  34,182

  34,484

  June 1988

  1,010

  985

  434

  420

  25,383

  23,975

  47,862

  45,779

  July 1988

  865

  877

  361

  375

  23,739

  24,494

  48,169

  48,734

  August 1988

  805

  813

  370

  353

  21,669

  22,117

  42,222

  43,653

  September 1988

  1,070

  1,021

  518

  503

  22,080

  21,220

  42,835

  41,643

  October 1988

  700

  740

  239

  263

  20,114

  21,032

  39,229

  40,234

  November 1988

  804

  771

  312

  283

  18,421

  18,608

  36,997

  37,358

  December 1988

  664

  614

  283

  293

  14,525

  14,090

  29,592

  28,620

  (Where the numbers processed exceed the intake, this indicates clearance of claims from earlier periods.)

  Income support/supplementary benefit live load:

  Greenock

  Port Glasgow

  Strathclyde

  Scotland

  1979

  6,317

  2,814

  166,426

  294,116

  1980

  6,794

  3,069

  183,629

  320,260

  1981

  7,999

  3,704

  221,403

  385,238

  1982

  9,812

  4,156

  252,679

  439,419

  1983

  9,720

  4,128

  265,180

  461,461

  1984

  10,381

  4,541

  283,600

  492,775

  1985

  10,705

  4,990

  295,392

  508,970

  1986

  12,195

  5,285

  309,578

  543,025

  1987

  12,338

  5,369

  315,735

  548,272

  1988

  11,423

  4,659

  284,381

  499,890

  All information has been collated from internal management statistics and that for April 1988 and later is provisional and subject to amendment.

  Single Payments
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was(a) the total of all single payments paid by local offices in London, (b) the equivalent figure for only those single payments encompassing items now covered by the social fund, for 1986–87 and 1987–88, (c) the total number of budgeting loans, crisis loans, community care grants paid out in the same catchment area so far for the year 1988–89 and (d) the expenditure represented by (a) to (c).

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Details of the total number and amount of all single payments paid by local offices in the London postal area for the periods 1986–87 and 1987–88 by office are in the Library.

  All items for which a single payment could be made are available under the social fund, subject to budgetary constraints.

  Information on the numbers of applications for social fund loans and grants processed and awarded, listed by local office, including information on budget allocations and expenditure, is also in the Library.

  Social Security Programme
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide an analysis of the growth of the social security programme between 1978–79 and 1988–89.

  Mr. Scott
  Since 1978–79, social security expenditure has increased by 33 per cent, in real terms, from £35·8 billion to £47·6 billion in 1988–89 prices. Just over half of this real growth can be explained by increases in the numbers of beneficiaries for which the social security
  712

  Kilmarnock

  Port Glasgow

  The information available is set out in the tables.

  system now provides and one third by increases in the average amounts of benefit paid. The Government's commitment to meeting genuine needs has seen social security spending rise from 25·6 per cent, of public spending in 1978–79 to 31 per cent, in 1988–89.

  The main groups benefiting from the growth of the programme have been:
  —pensioners: expenditure on the elderly has increased by about £4·1 billion in real terms. This substantial rise in social security spending has taken place at the same time as the rapid growth of occupational and personal pensions and the higher income from savings which many pensioners now enjoy. The result is that pensioners' incomes from all sources have increased by 23 per cent, in real terms between 1979 and 1986.
  —long term sick and disabled: expenditure has grown by 90 per cent, (almost £3·5 billion) in real terms. About half a million more people now receive invalidity benefit than in 1978–79 and there has been a similar increase in the numbers receiving attendance allowance. The numbers receiving mobility allowance have increased fivefold from less than one hundred thousand to more than half a million over the period.
  —the family: total benefit support for the family has increased by 25 per cent, in real terms over the period. Spending on family credit in 1988–89 is expected to be on target at over £400 million. This is more than double the spending on family income supplement which it replaced.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the main changes to national insurance benefits and the savings or expenditure which accrued from each change since 1979 in(a) cash prices and (b) 1988 prices.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 22 December 1988]Since 1978–79, expenditure on national insurance benefits has grown by almost £15 billion in cash terms and by over £2 billion in real terms. For a fuller analysis of the growth in
  713
  expenditure across the whole of the social security programme, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for York (Mr. Gregory) today.

  Changes to national insurance benefits: estimated expenditure effects

  Great Britain, £ million

  Financial year

  Cash effect1

  Cash effect in 1988 prices

  Uprating of long-term benefits by prices

  1981–82

  -280

  -400

  5 per cent, abatement in uprating of invalidity benefit, unemployment benefit, sickness benefit and maternity allowance

  1981–82

  -160

  -230

  Abolition of earnings-related supplements to short-term benefits

  1982–83

  -390

  -520

  Introduction of statutory sick pay2

  1983–84

  -10

  -10

  Restoration of 5 per cent, abatement of UB

  1984–85

  80

  100

  Offsetting of invalidity benefit age addition by additional pension

  1986–87

  -140

  -160

  Restoration of 5 per cent, abatement of IVB

  1986–87

  120

  130

  Extension of statutory sick pay2

  1986–87

  -80

  -90

  Introduction of statutory maternity pay2

  1987–88

  40

  40

  1 The figures shown represent the initial estimates of the effect of the changes on national insurance benefit expenditure only in the first year following implementation in which the cost/savings of the change exceeded £50 million. No account is taken of the impact of the changes on administration costs, income tax and national insurance contribution revenues and expenditure on income related benefits, other than shown in footnote 2.

  2 The amounts shown represent the net effect on NI benefit expenditure after employers' recoveries from contributions to the NI Fund in respect of payments of statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay to their employees.

HEALTH

  Salmonella
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the most recent research in relation to salmonella.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  A considerable amount of research is taking place into many aspects of salmonellosis including methods by which the disease is produced in humans and animals and also the manner in which it is spread among food-producing animals and humans.

  Pre-cooked Chilled Food
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice has been given to local councils and environmental health officers concerning the regular inspection of pre-cooked chilled foods with regard to outbreaks of food poisoning.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The regular inspection of food is a matter for local authorities. We have advised chief environmental health officers that end product testing is not an effective means of ensuring the microbiological safety of batches of food. The microbiological control of pre-cooked chilled food is best achieved by good manufacturing and retail practice and the inspection of foods should concentrate on those aspects rather than undertaking extra routine final product testing.

  Human Organs (Sale)
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to regulate the sale of human organs, including from live donors.

  Mr. Freeman
  We are totally opposed to the commercialisation of human organs. Recent allegations are being investigated urgently. A report is expected shortly. The Registered Homes Act 1984 provides powers to cancel the registration of private hospitals where
  714
  The costs and savings which have accrued from the main policy changes to national insurance benefits since 1979 are set out in the table.

  conduct is in any way improper or undesirable. We are currently consulting Health Service management and the medical profession with a view to implementing a register of organ transplant operations in England. Such a register would help in the investigation of any future allegations.

  Crèche Facilities
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district health authorities have crèche facilities for their staff; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not collect this information centrally.

  Medicines (EC)
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when, pursuant to his answer, 10 January,Official Report, column 614, the data bank containing the prices of medicines in each of the member states of the European Community will be completed; and if he will use it to obtain more competitive prices for drugs supplied to the National Health Service.

  Mr. Mellor
  The timing of the work on the data bank will be for the European Commission to decide. I understand that the Commission is considering to what extent they can make use of existing information held by Governments and other bodies, but it will inevitably take some years to cover all medicines available in the Community. Some comparative information may be available earlier. The extent to which any information can be used to influence negotiations on prices of medicines supplied to the NHS will be for consideration at the time.

  Emergencies (Private Hospitals)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will institute a code of conduct for private hospitals to ensure that particularly in the case of emergencies they have adequate equipment and supplies available to treat their patients;
  715
  (2) what provision his Department makes for the monitoring of private hospitals and their provision of emergency treatment in the case of patients, particularly in regard to the minimum provision of blood supplies.

  Mr. Mellor
  District health authorities are required to inspect each private hospital at least twice a year. Private hospitals have a statutory duty to provide and maintain adequate medical, surgical and nursing equipment and adequate treatment facilities. Blood is supplied to them as necessary by the national blood transfusion service on payment of a handling charge. In 1985, model guidelines were issued to all health authorities under the auspices of the National Association of Health Authorities. These were endorsed by the Department.

  Radiation
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, following the release of new information on 1 January on an accident involving the release of substantial quantities of radioactive strontium 90 from the Windscale reprocessing plant at Sellafield in the spring of 1957, he will make it his policy to request the chairperson of the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Radiation into the Environment (COMARE) to re-open his study of the population of west Cumbria and the possible radiation effects.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. COMARE's report in 1986 already took into account evidence concerning estimated radiation doses to the public over the period 1951 to 1982 including the effects of 1957 releases from Windscale.

  Grading
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what analysis his Department has undertaken of the 1988 grading review; and when he will institute a further review to implement those findings.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Department has carefully examined the grading returns from regions and districts. We have no plans for a further review of the nurses' grading structure.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many appeals against regrading are outstanding(a) in the Nottingham district health authority and (b) in the Trent region; and when all appeals are expected to have been dealt with.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold the information requested centrally.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those types of nursing staff categorised by their qualifications who have appealed against their regrading levels, and which have not appealed(a) in the Nottingham district health authority (b) in the Trent region.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold the information requested centrally.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current status of the regrading exercise being undertaken(a) in the Nottingham district health authority and (b) the Trent region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  All nurses and midwives have been told their new grades and have received arrears of pay at the 716
  new salary scales from 1 April 1988. Appeals from staff who remain dissatisfied with their grading are being dealt with under a general Whitley council agreement, agreed between management and the trades unions.

  Listeria
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of listeria monocytogenes bacteria which need to be consumed to cause illness in vulnerable people.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  According to a recent WHO working group, virtually nothing is known about the infectious dose of listeria monocytogenes in man. It is likely that the infectious dose may be related to host susceptibility. The detailed follow-up by the public health laboratory service of cases of listeriosis in the United Kingdom may shed some light on this.

  Appointments Panels
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield,Official Report, 23 January, if he will specify who is responsible for the nomination of the second independent professional assessor; and what criteria are used when deciding who will sit on a particular appointments panel.

  Mr. Mellor
  The district health authority itself normally nominates one of the two independent assessors; the other, as I indicated in my reply of 23 January at column 411 is nominated by the regional health authority. Apart from the requirement for assessors, the constitution of appointments panels is a matter for district health authorities to decide for themselves. The Department does not lay down criteria, and I would expect practice (for example with regard to the size of panels) to vary between authorities.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who were the two independent professional assessors on the most recent appointment board for the post of district general manager in the Wakefield health authority.

  Mr. Mellor
  This is a local matter. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the health authority for the information he is seeking.

  AIDS
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is available to him on the effectiveness of anti-viral drugs in preventing or delaying the development of AIDS in people who are HIV positive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 25 January 1989]No anti-viral drug to prevent or delay the development of AIDS in people who are HIV positive has yet reached a stage at which it is licensed for general use. The most advanced is Zidovudine which is currently undergoing clinical trials to assess its efficacy for this purpose.

  Aplastic Anaemia
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is taking place into the cause of aplastic anaemia.
  717
  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 16 January 1989]The Department of Health is not funding research into the causes of aplastic anaemia.

  The main agency through which the Government supports medical and related biological research is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science. I understand that the MRC is always willing to consider soundly-based research proposals for funding, in competition with other applications.

SCOTLAND

  Infants (Temperature Monitor)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department is providing financial or other forms of assistance to any private company in the research or development of an early-warning temperature monitor for human infants.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Scottish Home and Health Department has given no assistance, financial or otherwise, to private companies involved in such research.

  Jackton Bridge
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date the contract for the improvement of the Jackton bridge was approved; when work commenced on site; when he expects the work to be completed; what is the latest estimate of the cost of the work and what was the original estimate; what are the reasons for any delay or cost increase; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  As this improvement concerns a local road, the hon. Member should consult Strathclyde regional council, the local roads authority, about it.

  Eaglesham Moor Road
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who is responsible for removing rubble and rubbish following road improvement work; who is responsible for ensuring such removal is undertaken; what is the position on the work undertaken on the Eaglesham Moor road over the past year; what contractors were involved; what action he proposes to take to ensure the rubble is removed; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  So far as trunk roads are concerned, it would normally be a condition of the contract that the contractor reinstates the site to its former state. However, the road in question is a local road and I would suggest that the hon. Member consults Strathclyde regional council about the contract for the works.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will introduce legislation to seek to amend the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act to specify that the date of birth need only to be collected when there are two or more people living at the same address with the same name and initials.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so.
  718

  Nuclear Power Stations (Safety)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any debris from the Pan Am disaster fell on or near to Chapelcross or Calder Hall nuclear power stations; what safety arrangements there are to protect those power stations from airborne material; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  I am advised by the Dumfries and Galloway constabulary that the nearest debris was found about three miles from Chapelcross and 45 miles from Calder Hall power stations. The debris was located on the perimeter of the wreckage trail and was of a light and wind-borne nature.

  For all licensed nuclear sites the operator is required to show that the probability of a damaging impact from airborne debris resulting from aircraft crashes or mid-air disintegration is sufficiently low to support the judgment that no further specific features need to be incorporated into the design of the station to take account of such impacts.

  Nuclear power stations are of robust construction. The concrete and steel structures and built-in reactor protection systems give an inherent strength against a number of hazards.

  As a further measure the Air Navigation Order Regulations restrict aircraft movement within specified distances of nuclear installations and the Ministry of Defence operates a similar prohibition in the case of military aircraft.

  Eggs
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to complete consideration being given to enhancing the status of the two voluntary codes of practice and the set of guidelines issued to the egg production industry in relation to the risks of salmonella infection in eggs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, Central (Mr. Lord) on 18 January at columns 214–15. The measures proposed coupled with the voluntary codes of practice underline the Government's commitment to tackling the problem of salmonella.

  Health Board Chairmen
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give any elected local government positions held at any time in the past by persons who will be health board chairmen as from 1 April, including their political affiliations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:—

  Chairmen of health boards and elected local government positions held

  Mr. J. D. Ryan CBE—Argyll and Clyde. Member of Renfrew County Council 1968–70; Greenock Corporation 1972–75; and Inverclyde District Council 1974–77 (Labour)

  Mr. W. S. Fyfe OBE—Ayrshire and Arran. Member of Prestwick Town Council 1967–73; and Ayr County County 1970–72 (Conservative).

  Dr. D. H. Pringle CBE—Borders. None.

  Mr. J. A. McIntyre JP—Dumfries and Galloway. None.

  Mrs. A. H. Ferguson—Fife. None.

  719
  Mrs. J. I. D. Isbister—Forth Valley. Member of Stirling District Council 1980–84 (Conservative).

  Mr. J. Kyle—Grampian. None.

  Dr. T. J. Thomson CBE—Greater Glasgow. None.

  Mr. J. McWilliam OBE—Highland. None.

  Mrs. B. M. Gunn OBE JP—Lanarkshire. Member of Lanark County Council 1970–74; and Strathclyde Regional Council 1974–82 (Conservative).

  Mr. R. B. Weatherstone TD—Lothian. None.

  Mr. J. D. M. Robertson OBE—Orkney. None.

  Mrs. F. B. Grains JP—Shetland. Member of Shetland Islands Council 1978–82 and 1986 to present (Independent).

  Mr. D. B. Grant TD—Tayside. None.

  Mrs. M. A. Macmillan—Western Isles. Member of Stornoway Town Council; Ross and Cromarty County Council; and Western Isles Islands Council 1978–86 (Independent Conservative).

  Poultry
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now make compliance with the code of practice for poultry breeders and hatcheries a condition of the State Veterinary Service's poultry health scheme; and if he will make a statement on the enforcement costs and other resource implications for the industry of any such changes.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  As from 1 April 1988, membership of the poultry health scheme will be conditional upon compliance with the code of practice for poultry breeders and hatcheries issued in December 1988. Compliance costs will vary according to the extent to which the current practices of companies on such aspects as hygiene and bacteriological monitoring are compatible with those laid down in the code.

  Greater Glasgow Health Board
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff are employed by Greater Glasgow health hoard to monitor the performance of private contractors; what is their salary range; and what is their cost in a full financial year.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not available centrally.

  Southern General Hospital
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what services at the Southern general hospital have been privatised; what services are currently under consideration for privatisation; and how many staff would be affected.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None.

  NHS (Property and Land)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the total proceeds from the disposal of National Health Service property and land in(a) Strathclyde region and (b) Scotland as a whole since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  £10·704 million and £29·231 million respectively.

  Hampden Park, Glasgow
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is(a) the number of association football matches played at Hampden park, Glasgow, during the 1987–88
  720
  season, (b) the total attendance during the season, (c) the total arrests in association with these matches. (d) the average attendance per match, (e) the average number of arrests per match and (f) the arrests as a proportion of the attendance.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Queens Park football club and Strathclyde police have provided the information on which the table is based:

  Association football matches at Hampden Park, Glasgow during season 1987–88

  Number

  a. Matches played

  29

  b. Total attendance

  314,202

  c. Total associated arrests

  152

  d. Average attendance per match

  10,834

  e. Average number of arrests per match

  5

  f. Arrests as proportion of attendance

  1:2,067

  Football Matches
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the football matches the Scottish Office Minister with responsibility for sport has attended in an official capacity since June 1987.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have attended the following:

  Hampden Park—Celtic FC v Dundee United FC on 14 May 1988

  Hampden Park—Scotland v Yugoslavia on 19 October 1988

  Nuvan 500 EC
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he has any plans to standardise the use of Nuvan 500 EC on marine fish farms; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he has any proposals to assess and review the use of Nuvan 500 EC on marine fish farms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  An application for a product licence for Nuvan 500 EC is currently being considered by the veterinary products committee. As with any other medicine, the proposed conditions of use will be scrutinised as part of the assessment.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to commission research programmes into the evaluation of alternative pesticides to Nuvan 500 EC for use on marine fish farms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Scottish Salmon Growers Association has commissioned the Institute of Aquaculture at the university of Stirling to investigate alternative methods to control sea lice infestation of farmed salmon. Scientists from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland's marine laboratory are co-operating in this work and will be undertaking other studies of the problem of sea lice infestation.

  Salmonella (Poultry Farms)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any inspections by his staff during 1987 and 1988 revealed the presence of salmonella on poultry farms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Twelve cases of salmonella in poultry units in Scotland were reported under the
  721
  Zoonoses Order 1975 in 1987 and 21 in 1988. In each of these cases officers from the state veterinary service carried out a follow-up inspection.

  Egg Producers (Compensation)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the recent statement on compensation for egg producers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have received three representations on this subject. The schemes which were announced on 19 December, together with the Government's advertising campaign, have, I believe, made a significant contribution to the restoration of stability in the egg market in Scotland.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the hospitals in Scotland with 250 beds or more.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest available information is for the year ending 31 March 1988 and is as follows:

  Ayrshire and Arran Health Board

  Ayrshire Central and Maternity Hospital

  Crosshouse Hospital

  Ailsa Hospital

  Ballochmyle Hospital

  Borders Health Board

  Dingleton Hospital

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board

  Argyll and Bute Hospital

  Vale of Leven DGH

  Ravenscraig Hospital

  lnverclyde Royal Hospital

  Dykebar Hospital

  Merchiston Hospital

  Royal Alexandra Hospital

  Fife Health Board

  Cameron Hospital

  Victoria Hospital

  Stratheden Hospital

  Lynebank Hospital

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

  Belvidere Hospital

  Canniesburn Hospital

  Gartloch Hospital

  Glasgow Royal Infirmary

  Lennox Castle Hospital

  Stobhill Hospital

  Woodilee Hospital

  Leverndale Hospital

  Mearnskirk General Hospital

  Victoria Infirmary

  Southern General Hospital

  Gartnavel General Hospital

  Gartnavel Royal Hospital

  Glasgow RHSC

  Glasgow Western Infirmary

  Highland Health Board

  Raigmore Hospital

  Craig Dunain Hospital

  Lanarkshire Health Board

  Monklands DGH

  Birkwood Hospital

  Hartwood Hospital

  Law Hospital

  Hairmyres Hospital

  Stonehouse Hospital

  Grampian Health Board

  Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

  722

  Woodend General Hospital

  Kingseat Hospital

  Royal Cornhill Hospital

  Ladysbridge Hospital

  Lothian Health Board

  Eastern General Hospital

  Royal Victoria Hospital

  Western General Hospital

  Astley Ainslie Hospital

  City Hospital

  Gogarburn Hospital

  PMRO Hospital

  Rosslynlee Hospital

  Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

  Royal Edinburgh Hospital

  Bangour General Hospital

  Bangour Village Hospital

  Tayside Health Board:

  Ninewells Hospital

  Dundee Royal Infirmary

  Royal Dundee Liff Hospital

  Strathmartine Hospital

  Perth Royal Infirmary

  Murray Royal Hospital

  Sunnyside Royal Hospital

  Stracathro Hospital

  Forth Valley Health Board

  Royal Scottish National Hospital

  Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary

  Bellsdyke Hospital

  Stirling Royal Infirmary

  Dumfries and Galloway Health Board

  Crichton Royal Infirmary

  Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary

  Rent Arrears
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing levels of rent arrears for public sector housing in Scotland as a whole and in each district and islands area on 30 September 1988, expressed as an average figure for each house in each district.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information available is shown in the table.

  Information on the rent arrears for 10 local authorities has yet to be received centrally. Information on the rent arrears for the Scottish Special Housing Association by distruct and islands area is not held centrally. The average rent arrears per dwelling has been calculated as the rent arrears divided by the total number of dwellings owned by the authority concerned.

  Public sector rent arrears as at 30 September 1988

  Total arrears £

  Arrears per dwelling £

  SCOTLAND1

  20,018,624

  28·05

  Local authority1

  17,021,809

  28·65

  Berwickshire

  254,638

  22·26

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  40,664

  10·14

  Roxburgh1

  Tweeddale1

  Clackmannan

  800,903

  93·48

  Falkirk

  667,830

  22·71

  Stirling

  635,700

  53·76

  Annandale and Eskdale

  121,708

  25·25

  Nithsdale

  322,710

  43·85

  Stewartry

  31,137

  13·49

  Wigtown1

  Dunfermline

  669,523

  34·98

  Kirkcaldy1

  North East Fife

  117,675

  18·17

  Aberdeen

  1,144,379

  31·04

  723

  Total arrears

  Arrears per dwelling

  £

  £

  Banff and Buchan

  277,064

  24·21

  Gordon

  76,225

  14·00

  Kincardine and Deeside

  48,878

  13·83

  Moray

  105,555

  10·52

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  17,900

  17·11

  Caithness1

  Inverness

  3

  —

  Lochaber1

  Nairn

  3

  —

  Ross and Cromarty

  268,364

  44·15

  Skye and Lochalsh1

  Sutherland

  29,279

  17·20

  East Lothian

  416,583

  29·93

  Edinburgh

  1,709,041

  34·71

  Midlothian

  279,632

  25·73

  West Lothian

  239,049

  11·96

  Argyll and Bute

  167,810

  21·37

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  126,374

  73·69

  Clydebank1

  Clydesdale

  191,031

  20·73

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  446,934

  110·76

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  391,219

  41·42

  Cunninghame

  304,415

  14·27

  Dumbarton

  2445,232

  37·68

  East Kilbride

  40,059

  31·25

  Eastwood

  38,237

  22·09

  Glasgow1

  Hamilton

  487,120

  22·59

  Inverclyde

  318,000

  17·72

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  214,026

  13·22

  Kyle and Carrick

  333,026

  20·80

  Monklands

  958,767

  35·18

  Motherwelll

  1,063,807

  28·66

  Renfrew

  1,226,984

  33·78

  Strathkelvin

  459,718

  48·77

  Angus

  117,843

  9·32

  Public sector rent arrears as at 30 September each year

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Scotland

  4,943,914

  5,619,382

  8,488,067

  12,896,778

  17,999,570

  18,858,844

  19,943,204

  24,292,244

  26,658,649

  20,018,624

  Local authority

  4,375,020

  4,682,104

  7,017,812

  9,919,681

  15,971,913

  16,686,283

  17,698,066

  21,966,354

  24,441,926

  17,021,809

  Berwickshire

  24,293

  22,961

  234,247

  2 55,879

  244,605

  245,155

  243,397

  243,122

  240,908

  2 54,638

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  12,890

  10,906

  13,523

  14,014

  21,459

  19,995

  28,780

  29,262

  29,501

  40,664

  Roxburgh

  38,598

  49,821

  67,614

  ..

  ..

  174,046

  162,267

  173,475

  158,920

  3—

  Tweeddale

  2,717

  2,101

  3,248

  8,473

  12,110

  14,402

  19,568

  12,658

  9,950

  3—

  Clackmannan

  62,920

  60,264

  92,383

  157,867

  147,174

  173,128

  169,583

  368,792

  501,064

  800,903

  Falkirk

  281,022

  338,343

  421,078

  640,725

  421,024

  674,110

  604,830

  491,071

  477,299

  667,830

  Stirling

  89,824

  96,658

  153,093

  402,377

  443,475

  227,983

  362,592

  418,550

  466,600

  635,700

  Annandale and Eskdale

  17,103

  19,995

  ..

  69,716

  52,249

  61,142

  89,947

  101,650

  99,888

  121,708

  Nithsdale

  28,553

  33,280

  61,379

  89,040

  96,713

  152,370

  138,123

  129,156

  126,891

  322,710

  Stewartry

  5,818

  8,706

  18,809

  24,723

  16,567

  16,835

  16,908

  17,985

  27,523

  31,137

  Wigtown

  5,369

  7,279

  8,557

  15,511

  23,990

  34,417

  67,272

  65,421

  99,446

  1—

  Dunfermline

  106,133

  126,795

  281,336

  389,444

  433,504

  500,260

  466,974

  456,911

  460,340

  669,523

  Kirkcaldy

  70,689

  102,946

  192,646

  388,602

  444,831

  345,345

  381,896

  419,969

  462,442

  1—

  North East Fife

  13,243

  21,035

  36,143

  43,036

  41,662

  40,806

  63,600

  92,419

  67,633

  117,675

  Aberdeen

  174,718

  232,148

  329,117

  424,941

  402,889

  349,788

  568,992

  646,109

  802,565

  1,144,379

  Banff and Buchan

  52,340

  48,153

  81,875

  199,277

  184,417

  249,430

  194,557

  274,032

  253,788

  277,064

  Gordon

  20,789

  26,467

  36,242

  41,405

  39,293

  37,882

  38,498

  47,485

  64,638

  76,225

  Kincardine and Deeside

  13,136

  10,457

  18,671

  23,819

  18,934

  23,939

  25,599

  31,892

  38,669

  48,878

  Moray

  21,409

  34,408

  52,675

  54,649

  22,872

  66,867

  41,825

  49,232

  48,770

  105,555

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  5,107

  4,142

  9,343

  11,543

  6,726

  13,380

  11,981

  6,300

  12,838

  17,900

  Caithness

  4,497

  8,637

  24,352

  27,121

  23,402

  38,013

  26,307

  36,932

  37,836

  1—

  Inverness

  73,339

  105,008

  141,133

  122,953

  187,956

  118,166

  137,154

  115,401

  143,103

  3—

  Lochaber

  20,315

  22,133

  63,095

  61,733

  95,406

  80,679

  87,700

  63,778

  43,327

  1—

  Nairn

  704

  644

  988

  5,499

  6,873

  8,152

  5,170

  6,090

  7,385

  3—

  Ross and Cromarty

  43,818

  6,196

  43,618

  47,452

  160,649

  172,515

  214,453

  150,633

  170,923

  268,364

  Skye and Lochalsh

  4,600

  6,433

  13,613

  6,020

  9,764

  26,771

  24,687

  36,315

  38,418

  1—

  Sutherland

  11,157

  7,565

  15,055

  22,482

  16,173

  20,052

  14,254

  17,155

  17,429

  29,279

  East Lothian

  57,358

  62,040

  96,900

  141,596

  159,527

  222,861

  213,935

  206,100

  231,065

  416,583

  Edinburgh

  544,806

  591,718

  731,832

  1,003,598

  708,035

  870,160

  993,270

  1,039,067

  1,147,598

  1,709,041

  Midlothian

  85,050

  122,307

  166,607

  218,276

  159,700

  240,090

  244,054

  246,430

  247,049

  279,632

  West Lothian

  59,414

  79,167

  194,169

  182,969

  225,515

  142,937

  150,568

  158,751

  163,544

  239,049

  Argyll and Bute

  48,953

  50,983

  141,173

  140,237

  107,823

  67,632

  65,299

  109,379

  73,676

  167,810

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  13,300

  7,946

  14,295

  22,131

  25,830

  26,507

  30,484

  36,884

  42,126

  126,374

  724

  Total arrears £

  Arrears per dwelling £

  Dundee

  1,019,368

  26·94

  Perth and Kinross

  188,615

  13·14

  Orkney Islands1

  Shetland Islands

  111,934

  43·42

  Western Isles

  296,853

  123·12

  New Towns

  1,202,975

  29·28

  Cumbernauld

  201,464

  27·45

  East Kilbride

  230,889

  17·49

  Glenrothes

  2422,405

  60·45

  Irvine

  115,910

  26·57

  Livingston

  232,307

  25·25

  SSHA

  1,793,840

  22·86

  1 Return outstanding.

  2 Includes rate arrears.

  3 Information not available.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing levels of rent arrears for public sector housing in Scotland as a whole and in each district and islands area on 30 September for each year since 1979.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is shown in the table. Information on the rent arrears at 30 September 1988 for 10 local authorities has yet to be received centrally. Information on the rent arrears for the Scottish Speicial Housing Association by district and islands area is not held centrally. Because of changes in the way in which rent arrears are measured, the information for 1984 to the present is not strictly comparable with that for the years before 1984.
  725

  1979 £

  1980 £

  1981 £

  1982 £

  1983 £

  1984 £

  1985 £

  1986 £

  1987 £

  1988 £

  Clydebank

  72,610

  112,739

  214,211

  296,105

  536,768

  493,906

  516,541

  482,332

  455,683

  1—

  Clydesdale

  30,000

  38,000

  60,000

  78,864

  81,720

  82,432

  73,984

  95,067

  117,243

  191,031

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  28,501

  39,778

  76,965

  126,902

  155,271

  184,060

  394,358

  468,279

  537,420

  446,934

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  21,576

  34,000

  72,871

  182,418

  120,354

  179,872

  269,013

  256,228

  311,903

  391,219

  Cunninghame

  121,445

  150,000

  220,000

  300,000

  250,000

  240,000

  170,000

  190,000

  256,818

  304,415

  Dumbarton

  126,004

  135,056

  282,197

  441,016

  373,451

  274,636

  2486,617

  2541,136

  2421,723

  2445,232

  East Kilbride

  15,540

  11,758

  19,605

  28,996

  35,152

  36,219

  35,536

  34,093

  32,312

  40,059

  Eastwood

  4,839

  11,850

  20,785

  22,580

  19,827

  12,269

  25,392

  29,737

  35,173

  38,237

  Glasgow

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  5,676,000

  5,588,000

  5,814,000

  8,486,000

  9,550,000

  1—

  Hamilton

  96,155

  165,412

  129,112

  228,830

  263,416

  259,883

  537,661

  362,352

  428,508

  487,120

  Inverclyde

  127,265

  102,812

  194,371

  264,180

  220,455

  189,380

  254,159

  349,931

  264,764

  318,000

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  58,942

  64,971

  84,675

  115,900

  99,776

  89,120

  113,144

  270,924

  190,345

  214,026

  Kyle and Carrick

  62,170

  69,122

  101,086

  116,376

  157,530

  160,209

  189,839

  186,576

  220,143

  333,026

  Monklands

  514,410

  282,545

  350,990

  580,595

  483,120

  700,399

  594,509

  732,748

  671,501

  958,767

  Motherwell

  417,852

  325,683

  533,719

  600,000

  600,000

  958,178

  743,287

  589,200

  935,361

  1,063,807

  Renfrew

  199,671

  243,608

  422,132

  533,010

  403,755

  377,534

  463,214

  606,478

  766,543

  1,226,984

  Strathkelvin

  97,534

  187,293

  110,981

  317,678

  321,649

  306,909

  468,721

  369,178

  723,992

  459,718

  Angus

  30,964

  33,616

  65,569

  87,396

  78,758

  83,988

  94,055

  110,693

  99,175

  117,843

  Dundee

  299,663

  194,693

  254,179

  348,166

  673,877

  687,826

  488,398

  920,579

  1,113,017

  1,019,368

  Perth and Kinross

  3—

  48,153

  99,542

  104,896

  160,431

  124,072

  132,890

  107,807

  111,454

  188,615

  Orkney Islands

  20,805

  18,742

  27,099

  36,269

  26,020

  26,859

  34,091

  39,833

  50,878

  1—

  Shetland Islands

  15,092

  19,250

  28,397

  52,396

  82,436

  89,496

  94,614

  121,296

  92,685

  111,934

  Western Isles

  3—

  65,381

  90,517

  3—

  391,000

  285,221

  4—

  5517,000

  441,133

  296,853

  New Towns

  287,599

  349,572

  558,046

  829,057

  789,014

  874,722

  874,153

  832,412

  922,372

  1,202,975

  Cumbernauld

  75,973

  78,611

  88,717

  108,535

  127,152

  138,861

  108,053

  131,246

  143,184

  201,464

  East Kilbride

  4114,157

  4132,525

  4240,853

  4383,331

  292,270

  316,631

  174,644

  161,093

  167,179

  230,889

  Glenrothes

  42,117

  51,777

  117,877

  175,822

  220,045

  260,786

  271,953

  266,367

  313,304

  2422,405

  Irvine

  20,944

  39,996

  22,555

  57,877

  55,293

  37,924

  56,595

  78,196

  101,116

  115,910

  Livingston

  34,408

  46,663

  88,044

  103,492

  94,254

  120,520

  262,908

  195,510

  197,589

  232,307

  SSHA

  281,295

  587,706

  912,209

  2,148,040

  1,238,643

  1,297,839

  1,370,985

  1,493,478

  1,294,351

  1,793,840

  1 Return outstanding.

  2 Includes Rate Arrears.

  3 Information not available.

  4 Figures for 1979–82 include Stonehouse New Town.

  5 Includes unprocessed housing benefit awards.

  Local Enterprise Boards
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to make any provision for the representation of rural interests in the proposed new local enterprise boards.

  Mr. Lang
  Our proposals for Scottish Enterprise, which are currently the subject of consultation, envisage that those bidding to form the board of management for the local agency in each area will decide on their own membership. One of the criteria for assessing the bids received will of course be the extent to which the fullest possible range of local interests are involved.

  Cash Limits
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to make any further changes to the cash limits for 1988–89 within his responsibility.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Yes. I intend to make changes to seven of the cash limits within my responsibility.

  As a result of expected savings on a number of services, the cash limit for Class XVI vote 2, has been decreased by £1,500,000 from £78,042,000 to £76,542,000. This reduction will partly offset an increase to Class XVI vote 7, local transport, water sewerage and environmental services, Scotland which is non-cash limited, and which will be used to meet the costs arising from the Lockerbie air disaster. In addition the cash limit for Class XVI vote 3, regional and general industrial support, Scotland will be decreased by £1 million from £134,954,000 to £133,954,000, also partly to offset the increase to Class
  726
  XVI vote 7. The cash limit for Class XVI vote 10 will also be reduced by £1 million from £4 million to £3 million to offset the increase to Class XVI vote 7.

  The cash limit for Class XVI vote 11 will be reduced by £150,000 from £27,775,000 to £27,625,000. This is due to later than anticipated occupation of two courthouses following completion of new building and restoration work and will partially offset increased expenditure of £1,675,000 on Class XVI, vote 13 which is non-cash limited.

  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, there will be an increase of £90,000 in the cash limit for Class XVI Vote 14, prisons, hospitals and community health services etc, Scotland from £1,889,706,000 to £1,889,796,000 to fund the Scottish Health Education Group's winter warmth campaign. This increase will be offset by a reduction of £90,000 in the cash limit for Class XVI Vote 15, education, arts, libraries and social work, Scotland from £198,589,000 to £198,499,000.

  The cash limit for the Scottish Office administration Vote, Class XVI Vote 21 is being reduced by £4,000 from £120,198,000 to £120,194,000 as a result of a transfer of costs for recruitment under the direct entry grade 7 competition 1988 offset by a corresponding increase in the Office of the Minister of the Civil Service, Class XX Vote 1.

  As a result of these changes there will be no addition to the planned total of public expenditure.

  In addition, the running costs limits for the Scottish Office will be reduced by £96,000 from £195,044,000 to £194,948,000 and for the Scottish Courts Administration by £150,000 from £22,986,000 to £22,836,000.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table listing those local authorities who have failed to serve offers on tenants, to sell houses to tenants within two months of the application to purchase, the number of houses affected in each area, and the average time taken by each local authority to submit offers to sell to tenants.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 January 1989]Such information as is kept centrally is set out for the latest available period in the table:

  Number of applications with formal offer overdue at 30 September 1988

  Scotland

  5,673

  Berwickshire

  6

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  —

  Roxburgh

  4

  Tweeddale

  48

  Clackmannan

  166

  Falkirk

  —

  Stirling

  1

  Annandale and Eskdale

  99

  Nithsdale

  IS

  Stewartry

  —

  Wigtown

  —

  Dunfermline

  223

  Kirkcaldy

  252

  North East Fife1

  18

  Aberdeen

  600

  Banff and Buchan

  154

  Bordon

  2

  Kincardine and Deeside

  1

  Moray

  10

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  —

  Caithness1

  18

  Inverness

  84

  Lochaber

  3

  Nairn

  —

  Rossi and Cromarty

  1

  Skye and Lochalsh

  —

  Sutherland

  —

  East Lothian

  —

  Edinburgh

  n.a.

  Midlothian

  239

  West Lothian

  298

  Argyll and Bute

  12

  Bearsdcn and Milngavie

  72

  Clydebank

  51

  Clydesdale

  —

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  52

  Cumnock and Doon Valley1

  2

  Cunningharae

  95

  Dumbarton

  367

  East Kilbride

  1

  Eastwood

  1

  Glasgow

  1,010

  Hamilton

  150

  Inverclyde

  152

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  108

  Kyle and Carrick

  894

  Monklands1

  4

  Motherwell1

  —

  Renfrew

  102

  Strathkelvin

  58

  Angus

  —

  Dundee

  108

  Perth and Kinross

  167

  Orkney Islands1

  2

  Shetland Islands

  15

  Western Isles

  5

  1 Returns outstanding. Most recent available information is shown.

  Source: SDD return 85.

ENVIRONMENT

  Water
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether all water supplied by water authorities and water companies complies with annex I of European Community Council directive 80/778/EEC; what steps his Department has taken to ensure that it does so comply; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Most water supplied by water authorities and water companies complies with the standards set in annex 1 of EC directive 80/778. The Department requires water undertakers to prepare action programmes for its approval where a supply does not comply and where a derogation under the terms of the directive is not available. Over the last few years a substantial number of supplies have been improved under these programmes and good progress continues to be made towards full compliance with the directive.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, when new valuation work of water authority land and buildings is undertaken in connection with the preparation of prospectuses, he will make it his policy to ensure that such valuation takes account of the possibility of planning permission for development being granted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The valuation work will be carried out against the background of guidance notes issued by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on the valuation of assets, which provide that valuers should take account of the prospects for planning permission in relevant circumstances.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer of 14 December,Official Report, column 626, he will make it his policy to publish for each water authority figures of net asset value based on the net current replacement costs figures shown in their published accounts; whether the amounts of net current replacement cost for each water authority have been calculated on a consistent accounting basis with each other; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have no plans to publish additional information on the value of assets in the ownership of water authorities to that which is given in the published annual accounts. Water authorities' accounts are drawn up in accordance with standard guidelines for the industry which it is the responsibility of each authority to apply, subject to the scrutiny of its external auditors.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he plans to bring forward further proposals to guarantee effective competition within each water authority area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The water merger proposals announced by my right hon. Friend on 11 January at column 841 are designed to ensure that the Director General of Water Services can make performance comparison between independently owned water and sewerage undertakers throughout England and Wales.

  PSA (Staff)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of staff in the Property Services Agency, by grade, in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south-east economic planning region; what are the different amounts paid to staff by grade; whether this figure varies due to location; what qualifying period of scale-related criteria is used; and whether this varies by location.

  Mr. Ridley
  Seventeen, all of whom are administrative assistants in Cambridge with a local pay addition of £300. There is no qualifying period or scale-related criterion.

  Departmental Staff (Pay)
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of staff in his Department, by grade, in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south-east economic planning region; what are the different amounts paid to staff by grade; whether this figure varies due to location; what qualifying period of scale-related criteria is used; and whether this varies by location.

  Mr. Ridley
  Apart from the Property Services Agency, my Department is not at present paying local pay additions to any staff outside London and the south-east economic planning region.

  Chelsea Football Ground
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his decision on the inspectors' report in the public inquiry on the proposed redevelopment of Chelsea football ground.

  Mr. Chope
  The inspector's report is being considered. The decision will be issued as soon as possible.

  Fees Ofice (Floor Covering)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to provide carpet and decent floor covering in the Fees Office, Dean's yard; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  All the carpet and floor coverings in No. 3 Dean's yard will be replaced during the next summer recess.

  London Docklands
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance the London docklands development corporation has given to the new training centre set up in the royal docks by Mowlems.

  Mr. Trippier
  The corporation was involved in the preparation of this scheme, and fully supports it. No financial assistance was required.

  Ozone Layer (Conference)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which university research departments will be invited to the forthcoming United Kingdom sponsored conference in ozone layer depletion and CFC dangers.
  730
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Participation in the "Saving the Ozone Layer" London conference is for Governments only, and we have invited over 150 countries to send a Ministerial delegation. A small number of leading scientists and industrialists from all over the world will speak on specialist subjects. The scientists will also be involved in informal panel sessions and an exhibition, where they will be supported by the stratospheric ozone review group, including the chairman, Dr. Pyle, of Cambridge university.

  Public Bodies (Funding)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those non-departmental public bodies responsible to his Department for which funding and staffing(a) have been reduced in 1988 and (b) are planned for reductions in 1989; and, for each case, if he will list the change in funding and staffing levels.

  Mr. Ridley
  Tables a to c give information on my Department's NDPBs which (a) received less funding by way of grants and/or net borrowing from the Department in 1988–89 compared with 1987–88; (b) are planned to receive less funding by way of grants and/or net borrowing from the Department in 1989–90 compared with 1988–89; and (c) reduced their staffing levels between the start of 1987–88 and the start of 1988–89;

  The reduction in funding for the National Heritage Memorial Fund between 1987–88 and 1988–89 largely reflects the payment of a £20 million endowment to the fund in 1987–88. The reduction in grant in aid for the Countryside Commission is partly due to the separate provision of core-funding for the groundwork foundation and trusts from 1 April 1988. 1987–88 figures are also inflated by the emergency provision for tree replanting following the 1987 great storm.

  The higher level of funding for the London Docklands development corporation in 1988–89 compared with planned provision in 1989–90 reflects £38 million supplementary provision during 1988–89.

  Reductions in staffing levels of the new town development corporations, which are funded mainly from revenue and by receipts from the disposal of their property, reflect the rundown of their programmes and some privatisation of functions. Aycliffe and Peterlee development corporation and Washington development corporation were wound up at the end of the 1987–88 financial year. Peterborough development corporation was wound up in September 1988.

  The residuary body staffing is reducing because they are limited life bodies which are being wound up as soon as practicable. Tyne and Wear residuary body was wound up in October 1988. The residuary bodies are not funded by the Department.

  During 1988–89, which is subsequent to the period covered by table c, the staff complement of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission has been reduced from 1562·5 to 1560·5. Reductions in the staffing of the new town development corporations and the residuary bodies have continued during 1988–89 and further reductions are expected during 1989–90. These apart there are no specific proposals for reducing staff numbers in 1989–90 in the bodies sponsored by the Department although it remains my Department's policy that NDPBs should be staffed at the minimum necessary to carry out their responsibilities efficiently and effectively.
  731

  Table A

  £ thousand

  1987–88

  1988–89

  outturn

  provision

  Countryside Commission

  22,750

  21,118

  National Heritage Memorial Fund

  21,546

  1,500

  New Towns Staff Commission

  3

  2

  Table B

  £ thousand

  1988–89

  1989–90

  provision

  provision

  London Docklands Development Corporation

  116,415

  86,000

  Table C

  Staffing March-April 1987

  Staffing March-April 1988

  Countryside Commission

  125

  115

  Letchworth Garden City Corporation

  108

  93

  New Town Development Corporations

  Aycliffe and Peterlee

  29

  0

  Milton Keynes

  816

  540

  Peterborough

  339

  249

  Telford

  702

  469

  Warrington and Runcorn

  555

  380

  Washington

  126

  0

  Commission for the New Towns

  1,107

  1,085

  Residuary Bodies:

  Greater Manchester

  267

  112

  London

  3,094

  2,148

  Merseyside

  334

  213

  South Yorkshire

  109

  17

  Tyne and Wear

  46

  14

  West Midlands

  52

  21

  West Yorkshire

  116

  57

  Fish
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if coarse fish, and eels in particular, are able to meet the quality standards set out in European Community directives 82/176 and 84/156.

  Mr. Moynihan
  These directives set out a range of quality objectives from which member states are required to select those most appropriate to the intended use of the waters. For the purposes of implementing these directives in inland waters, water authorities have elected to apply the quality standard for mercury concentrations in water, rather than that for fish flesh. They have not therefore monitored compliance with the latter standard, which in any case applies to a representative sample of fish flesh, and not to any individual species. Concentrations of substances in fish flesh generally are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive has for disposing of nuclear waste in Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expects to receive Nirex's proposals for 732
  a radioactive waste disposal facility shortly. Until these have been received and a decision is made, no part of the country can be ruled out.

  British Waterways Board
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will appoint a member from Wales to the British Waterways Board; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have no plans at present to appoint a member for Wales. Future appointments will continue to be made in accordance with the statutory criteria in section 1(6) of the Transport Act 1962 and in the light of the board's particular needs at the time.

  Football
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) of 19 December 1988,Official Report, columns 55–60, if he will break down the information for the number of matches played in the FA cup, the Littlewoods cup, the Simod cup, and the Sherpa Van trophy.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The information given in my answer to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 19 December 1988 relates only to matches played in the Football League. Information on arrests made at matches played in the FA cup, Littlewoods cup, Simod cup and Sherpa Van trophy competitions is not held centrally.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent by his Department in each of the last five years on the development and encouragement of environmentally sensitive processes in industry both public and private.

  Mr. Ridley
  In general, it is for industry to develop new processes to meet environmental requirements imposed by Government. My Department has, however, recently launched the environmental protection technology scheme to assist development to proof of concept stage of new technologies which would enable standards to be improved. A number of promising applications are being considered, but no grants have yet been made. In addition in 1988–89 my Department is providing support of £25,000 for the better environment awards for industry.

  Tree Preservation
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he proposes to carry out the review of tree preservation.

  Mr. Ridley
  I have appointed James Batho, formerly director of the eastern region of my Department and the Department of Transport, to carry out this review. He has been asked to review the present policy and legislation on tree preservation and consider whether they remain appropriate in present conditions in both urban and rural areas. I have agreed with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales that this review will also cover the position in Scotland and Wales.

  Unified Business Rate
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish(a) the estimated increase in the level of rates that businesses in each of the district council areas of Devon will face when unified business rate is introduced and how that increase will be phased in and (b) the results of the recent rates revaluation on businesses in Exeter and Devon.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 25 January 1989]A business (national non-domestic) rate set at the 1988–89 average level would have been set at 239·5p in the pound. This compares with the present poundages in the district council areas of Devon as follows:

  Pence in the Pound

  Percentage difference

  East Devon

  228·7

  5

  Exeter

  225·7

  6

  North Devon

  236·7

  1

  Plymouth

  231·3

  4

  South Hams

  235·3

  2

  Teignbridge

  236·5

  1

  Mid-Devon

  234·8

  2

  Torbay

  244·3

  -2

  Torridge

  237·0

  1

  West Devon

  235·2

  2

  The revaluation of non-domestic properties will be carried out by the valuation office of the Inland Revenue by the end of this year. I hope to be able to announce shortly the Government's proposals for phasing in rate changes, based on sample information about the likely effects of the revaluation.

  Rates
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the average rates payable per household for each year since 1978–79 for(a) the United Kingdom, (b) Great Britain, (c) Greater London and (d) the south-east excluding Greater London, showing in each case the annual and cumulative percentage increase.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 25 January 1989]The unrebated figures are as follows:

  Average domestic rate bill (£)

  (£)

  Annual percentage increase

  Cumulative percentage increase

  Greater London

  1978–79

  169

  —

  —

  1979–80

  200

  18·7

  18·7

  1980–81

  264

  32·0

  56·8

  1981–82

  358

  35·3

  112·2

  1982–83

  400

  11·9

  137·7

  1983–84

  449

  12·2

  166·3

  1984–85

  478

  6·5

  183·7

  1985–86

  505

  5·6

  199·5

  1986–87

  485

  -3·9

  18·80

  1987–88

  517

  6·5

  206·9

  1988–89

  530

  2·4

  214·2

  South East excluding London

  1978–79

  157

  —

  —

  1979–80

  186

  18·4

  18·4

  1980–81

  230

  24·9

  46·8

  1981–82

  259

  12·6

  65·3

  1982–83

  298

  14·9

  90·0

  1983–84

  315

  5·7

  100·0

  734

  (£)

  Annual percentage increase

  Cumulative percentage increase

  1984–85

  334

  5·9

  112·6

  1985–86

  361

  8·1

  129·8

  1986–87

  426

  18·3

  171·8

  1987–88

  465

  9·0

  196·2

  1988–89

  526

  13·1

  234·9

  Great Britain

  1978–79

  127

  —

  —

  1979–80

  151

  18·3

  18·3

  1980–81

  194

  28·7

  52·3

  1981–82

  240

  24·0

  88·9

  1982–83

  277

  15·2

  117·6

  1983–84

  295

  6·5

  131·8

  1984–85

  315

  6·8

  147·5

  1985–86

  346

  9·8

  171·9

  1986–87

  392

  13·2

  207·7

  1987–88

  422

  7·9

  231·8

  1988–89

  460

  8·8

  261·0

  United Kingdom

  1978–79

  126

  —

  —

  1979–80

  n/a

  —

  —

  1980–81

  n/a

  —

  —

  1981–82

  n/a

  —

  —

  1982–83

  274

  —

  116·9

  1983–84

  290

  6·5

  131·1

  1984–85

  312

  6·8

  146·9

  1985–86

  342

  9·8

  171·1

  1986–87

  387

  13·1

  206·7

  1987–88

  418

  7·8

  230·7

  1988–89

  454

  8·8

  259·8

  Note Figures for the United Kingdom between 1979–80 and 1981–82 are not available. However the cumulative percentage increase runs from 1978–79.

TRANSPORT

  Greater London (Traffic Flow)
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvements to traffic flow were achieved in Greater London during 1988 on(a) the A10, (b) the A 11, (c) the A 12 and (d) the A 13;

  (2) what improvements to traffic flow are expected to be achieved in the Greater London area on (a) the A10, (b) the A11, (c) the Al2 and (d) the A13 during the current year.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In 1988 three trunk road schemes were completed on A10 and A 13 to improve traffic flow.

  These were:

  A10—Bullsmoor lane junction improvement

  A13—Roding bridge

  A13—Becton flyover tidal flow scheme.

  The tidal flow scheme was particularly successful in improving traffic flow.

  The Department's national trunk road programme includes 12 major improvement schemes for the four routes. A further number of smaller improvement schemes are planned for 1989–90 These include:

  A12/A127—Gallows corner roundabout: installation of traffic control signals; and other small-scale junction improvements on A12.

  A13—Tollgate road junction; and eight other schemes to improve traffic flow on A13, some as interim measures in advance of major schemes.

  Computerised control of traffic signals by the MOVA (Modernised optimised vehicle actuation) system will be introduced this year to aid traffic flow at four junctions:

  A10—Great Cambridge road/Carterhatch lane.
  735
  A12—Eastern avenue/Whalebone lane.

  A12—Colchester road/Goosehayes drive/Gubbins lane.

  A14—junction with A117 under Becton flyover.

  Railway Line Closures
  Mr. Edward Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state which railway lines are proposed to be closed in the current year, giving the reasons for any such closures.

  Mr. Portillo
  British Rail's railway closure proposals currently outstanding are listed. In addition, British Rail has announced that it intends formally to propose the withdrawal of passenger services between Gainsborough and Barnetby. British Rail has taken the view that it can no longer justify maintaining these rail services. My right hon. Friend will decide each case on its merits.

  Settle to Carlisle and Blackburn to Hellifield

  Henley-in-Arden to Bearley junction

  Ashburys West junction to Phillips Park No. 1 junction

  Wortley curve (Leeds)

  Melton Halt (Humberside)

  Methley junction to Altofts junction

  Vale of Rheidol railway

  Mexborough East junction to Aldwarke junction

  North Pole junction to Old Oak Common East junction

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will(a) list the railway lines closed in each year from 1984 to 1988 and (b) state the reasons for any such closures.

  Mr. Portillo
  The railway lines and stations closed during each year from 1984 to 1988 are listed. The particular reasons given by my right hon. Friend and his predecessors for consenting to these closures were set out in formal decision letters. But, generally speaking, consent is given where it is considered that hardship and other social and economic effects are not sufficient to outweigh the financial and operational advantages of closure.

  1984 Upton by Chester station

  South Bank station

  1985 Eltham Park station

  New Hadley station

  Tottenham Hale to Stratford (including Lea Bridge station)

  Birchenden junction to Grove (including Tunbridge Wells West and Groombridge stations)

  Gogarth and Abertafol halts

  Errol station

  1986 Tiverton Junction station

  Broad Street station to Dalston Junction station (inclusive)

  Cefn-Onn station

  Balloch Central to Balloch Pier (including Balloch Pier station)

  1987 Royton station

  Brindle Heath junction to Agecroft junction

  Meadowbank station

  Goose hill junction to Wath Road junction and Oakenshaw junction to Oakenshaw South junction Dryclough junction to Greetland junction; Milner Royd junction to Health Lodge junction; Bradley Wood junction to Bradley junction; Horbury Station junction to Crigglestone junction and Wakefield Kirkgate West junction to Hare Park junction.

  1988 Burton Lane junction to Rowntree Halt (including Rowntree Halt) Rotherham Masborough station.

  Kent Rail Link
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last discussed railway services between 736
  London and Dover with the chairman of British Rail; and what plans have been proposed or approved by his Department to improve the service.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend and I frequently meet the chairman of British Rail, and we discuss a wide range of issues. I have no proposals currently before me which relate to the Dover service.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial effect the proposed new rail link in Kent will have on revenue and capital expenditures and the external financing limits of British Rail in each year between 1990 and 2000.

  Mr. Portillo
  It is too early to say. The likely cost and timing of any new rail link have still to be determined.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements are currently envisaged as the basis for British Rail to pay the operating company for using the new Kent rail link; and what amounts are expected to be paid in each of the 20 years following completion.

  Mr. Portillo
  British Rail has invited private sector companies to show that they are competent to bid to become involved in a new high-speed Channel tunnel rail link. The invitation does not expire until the end of this month. It is too soon to foretell what precise financial arrangements may emerge.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies were carried out by his Department and British Rail into the feasibility and financial viability of upgrading and extending to Ashford and Folkstone (Cheriton) the existing Dover—Canterbury—London rail link as an alternative to the proposed new Kent rail link; and if he will publish those studies.

  Mr. Portillo
  The precedure by which British. Rail identified its possible route corridors for a new rail link to the Channel tunnel was explained in the report which it published in July 1988. Copies were sent to hon. Members and placed in the Library of the House. My Department has not carried out any studies of possible routes; that is British Rail's responsibility. On the face of it, improvements to the route via Canterbury and Dover would appear to be a rather circuitous way of improving access to Ashford and Folkestone.

  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statutory provision British Rail has to finance the whole or part of the cost of a high speed rail link to carry international passengers between London and the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Portillo
  The financing of a high-speed rail link between London and the Channel tunnel would come within British Rail's general powers to provide railway services and to make appropriate financial arrangements in connection with the provision of railway services. British Rail will, however, require specific parliamentary authorisation for construction and operation of any new rail link.

  Road Repairs
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to implement the proposals of the Horne committee on road repairs; and if he will make a statement.
  737
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet (Mr. Batiste) on 19 January at column 292.

  Local Pay Additions
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of staff in his Department, by grade, in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south east economic planning region; what are the different amounts paid to staff by grade; whether this figure varies due to location; what qualifying period of scale-related criteria is used; and whether this varies by location.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department is not at present paying local pay additions to any staff outside London and the south east economic planning region.

  London Transport (Resignation Agreement)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Dr. Ridley, former chairman of London Transport, has complied with the terms of the resignation agreement as placed in the Library.

  Mr. Portillo
  Dr. Ridley ceased to hold office as a member of London Regional Transport under his terms of appointment (as placed in the Library) on 10 November 1988, the date on which my right hon. Friend accepted his resignation.

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has now received any proposals from British Rail to electrify the London-Midland railway line.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have not.

  Hazardous Substances (Carriage by Air)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in the light of the Pan Am jumbo jet crash in Scotland, he will initiate a full review of the present safety standards for the carriage of(a) commercial nuclear materials and (b) non radioactive hazardous substances by aircraft operating from United Kingdom airports.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The regulations governing the transport of radioactive materials are kept under continuous review by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agency is currently reviewing the safety requirements for transporting plutonium by air.

  The United Kingdom regulations for the movement by air of non-radioactive dangerous goods are kept under review by the Civil Aviation Authority.

  Construction Work (VAT)
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessments he has made with the BAA, the British Railways Board and other bodies within his Department's responsibility about the effect of the imposition of value added tax on non-domestic construction work following the decision of the European Court on 21 June 1988, in particular on partnership schemes in the private sector involving urban regeneration where the schemes were commercially committed prior to the relevant date but not protected by the transitional arrangements proposed by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.
  738
  Mr. Portillo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 25 January by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury. I have no reason to believe that different considerations would apply to construction schemes involving transport bodies from the generality of such schemes.

  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the BAA, the British Railways Board and other bodies within his Department's responsibility about the effect of value added tax on non-domestic construction work following the decision of the European Court on 21 June 1988, in particular on partnership schemes with the private sector.

  Mr. Portillo
  The chairman of British Rail has written to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State pointing out the possible effect on a number of British Rail development schemes of the imposition of value added tax in non-domestic construction work. My right hon. Friend has received no other representations from bodies sponsored by his Department.

  Licence Applications (Manchester-United States)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now make a further statement on the progress of the talks with the United States Government on the licence applications for new Manchester routes by United States airlines.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Mr. Favell) on 16 January at column 97.

  British Rail (Investment)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received any proposals from British Rail concerning investment in the London South Wales mainline and the Crewe-Holyhead line; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have received no such proposals.

  King's Cross Station (Fire Calls)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the London fire brigade has been called out to King's Cross station since 18 November 1987.

  Mr. Portillo
  I understand from London Underground Ltd. that the London fire brigade has been called out to King's Cross station on 53 occasions since 18 November 1987. In eight cases the fire brigade dealt with a fire or smoke incident, 28 incidents were dealt with by London Underground staff before the fire brigade arrived and in the remainder the fire brigade found no trace of fire or smoke.

  Capital Allocations (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the capital allocations for transport and the accepted expenditure for TSG purposes in each case excluding any allowance for the traffic control systems unit, for each London borough for the years 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90.
  739
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The accepted expenditure figures for TSG purposes and the initial transport capital

  TSG and capital allocation for the London boroughs (excluding allocations for TCSU)

  (£000's)

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Borough

  TSG

  CAP

  TSG

  CAP

  TSG

  CAP

  TSG

  CAP

  Barking

  109

  1,111

  1,505

  2,459

  5,590

  5,991

  4,480

  4,441

  Barnet

  151

  1,523

  760

  1,028

  631

  815

  355

  504

  Bexley

  3,292

  4,870

  763

  1,328

  2,076

  2,587

  2,373

  2,573

  Brent

  861

  1,749

  460

  895

  730

  102

  710

  950

  Bromley

  335

  1,423

  668

  1,448

  7,601

  8,600

  7,445

  8,301

  Camden

  0

  1,894

  101

  904

  162

  225

  35

  87

  Croydon

  0

  1,010

  201

  899

  291

  594

  350

  809

  Ealing

  3,059

  4,629

  3,918

  4,815

  4,352

  6,142

  6,220

  7,172

  Enfield

  7,120

  7,744

  14,659

  14,868

  22,363

  22,654

  23,718

  23,960

  Greenwich

  1,435

  2,971

  280

  1,214

  2,111

  3,229

  1,434

  2,386

  Hackney

  349

  2,189

  3,822

  4,969

  750

  1,562

  681

  1,375

  Hammersmith

  231

  711

  140

  227

  46

  169

  172

  269

  Haringey

  2,000

  3,682

  2,828

  3,223

  7,915

  8,175

  11,678

  11,696

  Harrow

  2,365

  2,881

  3,590

  3,953

  7,344

  9,441

  7,600

  8,791

  Havering

  3,524

  4,658

  2,415

  3,299

  507

  1,204

  237

  737

  Hillingdon

  10,059

  11,663

  6,494

  7,046

  8,335

  10,288

  15,087

  10,122

  Hounslow

  939

  1,683

  1,120

  1,786

  1,408

  1,606

  1,433

  1,447

  Islington

  0

  302

  101

  655

  51

  286

  171

  372

  Kensington

  700

  1,118

  434

  589

  712

  1,018

  1,464

  1,441

  Kingston

  7,065

  9,021

  9,389

  9,652

  5,338

  5,531

  3,922

  3,744

  Lambeth

  115

  855

  421

  925

  358

  599

  182

  380

  Lewisham

  0

  1,562

  450

  1,536

  1,811

  2,238

  10,455

  10,812

  Merton

  2,245

  3,803

  5,334

  7,636

  4,967

  6,628

  9,287

  9,245

  Newham

  2,400

  4,176

  2,195

  3,246

  1,972

  2,498

  1,891

  2,227

  Redbridge

  400

  766

  1,951

  2,600

  679

  1,742

  508

  686

  Richmond

  353

  1,105

  308

  778

  282

  580

  205

  457

  Southwark

  2,700

  3,772

  2,330

  2,780

  3,474

  4,090

  5,193

  5,407

  Sutton

  900

  1,900

  1,578

  2,030

  1,462

  2,455

  1,788

  2,171

  Tower Hamlets

  0

  914

  246

  722

  51

  447

  26

  276

  Waltham Forest

  1,600

  2,672

  2,045

  2,381

  1,268

  1,510

  941

  1,047

  Wandsworth

  4,465

  6,047

  5,220

  6,605

  1,165

  2,230

  1,624

  2,448

  Westminster

  908

  4,092

  650

  2,200

  972

  1,360

  1,669

  1,855

  City

  847

  2,497

  955

  1,316

  180

  646

  385

  625

  Note:

  The 1986–87 settlement did not specify a separate capital allocation for TCSU apart for that which went with the TCSU element of the TSG minor works accepted expenditure.

  I am sending the hon. Member a simple guide to TSG, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Lockerbie Disaster
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider including in the inquiry into the Lockerbie disaster the question of the delay between the identification of the body of a victim and the passing of this information on to the next of kin.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The purpose of the investigation being carried out by my air accidents investigation branch is to determine the circumstances and causes of the accident. The question raised by the hon. Member falls outside the scope of this investigation.

  I understand from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that he has been assured by the chief constable of Dumfries and Galloway that, when a body was reliably identified, every effort was made to notify the next of kin, whether in this country or abroad, as soon as possible. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and will notifiy my right hon. and learned Friend, he will gladly make further inquiries.

  London Regional Transport (Rate Precept)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the likely level of the rate
  740
  allocations excluding any allowance for the traffic control systems unit for each London borough for 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90 are as follows:

  precept for London Regional Transport for the forthcoming year; what percentage increase this represents over the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to m y hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) on 19 December at column 12. The proposed levy for 1989–90 would represent an increase of 50 per cent. over the 1988–89 levy.

  Transport (London)
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve transport in London.

  Mr. Channon
  I am today publishing a booklet entitled "Transport in London" setting out the Government's policy aims for transport in London and the steps being taken to achieve them. This is supported by a fuller, more technical statement on transport in London which I am sending to the London local authorities and other interested bodies.

  Much is already being done and planned to improve the quality of London's transport systems and to increase their capacity. Earlier this week I announced the east London rail study which is examining the best options for improving rail access from central London to docklands

  741
  and east Thames-side. Today I am publishing the report of the central London rail study jointly with the chairman of London Regional Transport and British Rail.

  I welcome the central London rail study report as a major contribution to the debate on how best to improve services and provide for forecast demand on the rail networks serving central London.

  The number of passengers using the rail networks serving central London is currently at record levels. The study concludes that peak demand may grow by up to a further 20 per cent. by the end of the century. To meet this demand and improve the quality of services a twofold strategy is proposed:

  (i) A major upgrading programme costing some £1·5 billion to make the best use of the existing infrastructure. This programme would allow more and higher capacity trains to be run; increase the capacity of Underground stations; and include service restructuring and other measures to ease bottlenecks and secure better operating performance. It would provide an early response to some of the mst pressing problems but would not by itself be enough to cater for the forecast increases in demand and provide acceptable standards of, service. Provision has already been made for some of this programme in present plans.

  (ii) A package of new line construction. The study proposes alternative packages each consisting of two new lines in tunnels under London.

  Some work is required before decisions can be taken. This will be carried out in parallel with the east London rail study and will include work on how such investments might be financed. The Government believe that if there is to be new investment of benefit to passengers, it is they who should pay for it, rather than taxpayers from other parts of the country. Contributions should be forthcoming from property owners and developers where they also stand to benefit. Where these two sources of finance are not enough to make a project commercially viable, grants can be available provided that economic benefits, for example in the relief of road congestion, justify them.

  I am now inviting interested parties to give their views on the proposals. In the light of these and the further work that remains to be done, I hope to be in a position to take decisions on the way ahead later this year.

  I am placing copies of "Transport in London", the technical document supporting it, and the report of the central London rail study in the Library.

EMPLOYMENT

  London Docklands
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give an update of the activity and individual projects being carried out by the docklands liaison group set up by the employment service and the Training Agency.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Since its inception in June 1987 the docklands liaison group has continued to work towards improving the extent and co-ordination of the Department's programmes provided by the employment service and the Training Agency.

  Specific projects which have been initiated or progressed include the development of construction training under Employment Training in each docklands borough; training projects to help English as a second language (ESL) students gain access to construction
  742
  training; a new enterprise package which includes low-cost business rents, advice on business start-up, finance and training; the development of two office and commercial training centres; and the development of a mobile jobcentre service.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which are the employer-led groups referred to in "Employment for the 1990s" invited to set up TECs in the London borough of Newham.

  Mr. Cope
  We will publish a prospectus shortly. This will invite employer-led groups thoughout England and Wales to offer to form TECs.

  Departmental Staff (Child Care)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school age children of employees; what child care provision, for school holiday or after-school care, is provided for employees' children aged five and over; what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years; and how these are to be funded.

  Mr. Cope
  I refer to the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 20 April 1988 at column 475.

  I addition to the child care provision mentioned in that reply, the Employment Department group now operates a further care parent scheme for staff with children under five years old in the employment service and Training Agency headquarters in Sheffield.

  The group has also contributed to the initial funding of the Westminster holiday playscheme which is being co-ordinated by the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service for staff working in central London. We are considering other facilities both departmentally and jointly with the office of the Minister for the Civil Service.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for Scotland, Wales, England and Great Britain as a whole(a) the number of employees employed in (i) manufacturing and (ii) service industries in (1) 1979 and (2) 1988 and (b) the changes in the numbers employed in percentage terms.

  Mr. Lee
  The information is as follows:

  Employees in employment in Great Britain

  Employees in employment

  Net change between September 1979 and September 1988 Per cent.

  September 1979

  September1 1988

  Scotland

  Manufacturing

  602

  387

  -36

  Service industries

  1,228

  1,287

  5

  Wales

  Manufacturing

  317

  218

  -31

  Service industries

  572

  566

  -1

  England

  Manufacturing

  6,204

  4,421

  -29

  Service industries

  11,493

  13,064

  14

  743

  Employees in employment

  Net change between September 1979 and September 1988 Per cent.

  September 1979

  September1 1988

  Great Britain

  Manufacturing

  7,123

  5,025

  -29

  Service industries

  13,293

  14,918

  12

  1 The latest date for which information is available.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will indicate for each year since 1979

  Table A

  All female employees in employment

  Thousands

  September:

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  19881

  South East

  3,187

  3,192

  3,122

  3,075

  3,108

  3,187

  3,269

  3,329

  3,436

  3,529

  East Anglia

  289

  288

  281

  285

  289

  302

  314

  325

  341

  356

  South West

  677

  666

  660

  659

  665

  683

  692

  705

  720

  742

  West Midlands

  906

  880

  843

  819

  820

  840

  862

  882

  903

  929

  East Midlands

  645

  633

  613

  605

  617

  628

  645

  660

  680

  700

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  813

  794

  765

  753

  755

  769

  784

  797

  814

  833

  North West

  1,137

  1,111

  1,072

  1,038

  1,030

  1,040

  1,051

  1,060

  1,073

  1,084

  North

  506

  490

  466

  456

  457

  464

  471

  482

  492

  507

  England

  8,160

  8,053

  7,823

  7,691

  7,741

  7,914

  8,088

  8,239

  8,458

  8,679

  Scotland

  902

  890

  832

  848

  840

  851

  868

  866

  878

  892

  Wales

  414

  401

  390

  377

  378

  383

  382

  380

  391

  396

  Northern Ireland

  231

  230

  225

  225

  228

  229

  231

  230

  233

  236

  1 The latest date for which figures are available.

  Table B

  Female employees in full-time employment

  Thousands

  September:

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  19881

  South East

  1,936

  1,920

  1,871

  1,845

  1,865

  1,924

  1,971

  1,992

  2,054

  2,112

  East Anglia

  168

  164

  159

  156

  164

  171

  172

  175

  183

  193

  South West

  385

  370

  354

  350

  354

  370

  375

  387

  398

  412

  West Midlands

  537

  516

  492

  481

  476

  491

  494

  496

  504

  517

  East Midlands

  379

  369

  356

  350

  353

  359

  366

  367

  382

  386

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  457

  441

  418

  404

  403

  408

  411

  410

  420

  433

  North West

  673

  645

  620

  596

  587

  587

  583

  579

  577

  581

  North

  298

  285

  267

  261

  256

  255

  257

  257

  258

  265

  England

  4,834

  4,710

  4,538

  4,444

  4,458

  4,565

  4,630

  4,663

  4,775

  4,899

  Scotland

  572

  559

  534

  508

  504

  505

  505

  500

  494

  503

  Wales

  250

  241

  231

  222

  219

  219

  213

  204

  210

  208

  Northern Ireland

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  1 The latest date for which figures are available.

  2 Unavailable.

  Table C

  Female employees in part-time employment

  Thousands

  September:

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  19881

  South East

  1,251

  1,272

  1,251

  1,229

  1,244

  1,264

  1,298

  1,337

  1,383

  1,416

  East Anglia

  121

  124

  122

  129

  125

  131

  142

  150

  158

  163

  South West

  292

  296

  306

  309

  311

  312

  317

  317

  322

  331

  West Midlands

  369

  363

  351

  338

  344

  349

  368

  385

  399

  412

  East Midlands

  266

  264

  256

  255

  264

  269

  280

  293

  298

  314

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  356

  353

  347

  349

  352

  361

  373

  387

  394

  401

  North West

  464

  466

  452

  442

  444

  453

  467

  481

  496

  503

  North

  207

  205

  200

  195

  200

  209

  214

  225

  233

  241

  England

  3,326

  3,343

  3,285

  3,247

  3,283

  3,349

  3,458

  3,576

  3,682

  3,780

  Scotland

  331

  332

  338

  340

  337

  346

  363

  367

  383

  389

  Wales

  164

  160

  158

  156

  159

  163

  169

  176

  181

  187

  Northern Ireland

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  744
  and for each country and region of the United Kingdom (a) the number of female employees in employment, (b) the number of females in full-time employment, (c) the number of females in part-time employment; and if he will express (c) as a percentage of (a).

  Mr. Lee
  Table A shows all female employees in employment for each region and country of the United Kingdom. Tables B and C show female full-time and female part-time employees in employment for each region and country of the United Kingdom except Northern full Ireland. Estimates of full and part-time employment are not collected for Northern Ireland. Table D shows female part-time employees in employment as a percentage of all female employees in employment.
  745
  1 The latest date for which figures are available.

  2 Unavailable.

  Table D

  Female employees in part-time employment as a percentage of all female employees in employment

  Per cent.

  September:

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  19881

  South East

  39·3

  39·8

  40·1

  40·0

  40·0

  39·7

  39·7

  40·2

  40·2

  40·1

  East Anglia

  41·8

  43·1

  43·3

  45·2

  43·3

  43·4

  45·1

  46·2

  46·3

  45·8

  South West

  43·1

  44·4

  46·3

  46·8

  46·7

  45·8

  45·9

  45·0

  44·7

  44·5

  West Midlands

  40·7

  41·3

  41·6

  41·3

  41·9

  41·6

  42·6

  43·7

  44·2

  44·3

  East Midlands

  41·3

  41·7

  41·8

  42·2

  42·7

  42·8

  43·3

  44·4

  43·9

  44·8

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  43·8

  44·5

  45·4

  46·4

  46·6

  47·0

  47·6

  48·5

  48·4

  48·1

  North West

  40·8

  41·9

  42·1

  42·5

  43·1

  43·5

  44·5

  45·4

  46·3

  46·4

  North

  41·0

  41·8

  42·8

  42·8

  43·9

  45·0

  45·4

  46·7

  47·5

  47·6

  England

  40·8

  41·5

  42·0

  42·2

  42·4

  42·3

  42·8

  43·4

  43·5

  43·6

  Scotland

  36·7

  37·2

  38·7

  40·1

  40·1

  40·7

  41·8

  42·3

  43·7

  43·6

  Wales

  39·6

  39·9

  40·7

  41·2

  42·1

  42·6

  44·3

  46·3

  46·2

  47·3

  Northern Ireland

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  1 The latest date for which figures are available.

  2 Unavailable.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each country and region of the United Kingdom the numbers of:(a) employees in employment and (b) self-employed people and (c) the change in the number of unemployed persons, for each year since 1979 and for each month in 1987 and 1988.

  Table A

  Employees in employment

  thousands

  South East

  East Anglia

  South West

  West Midlands

  East Midlands

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North West

  North

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  December 1979

  7,549

  708

  1,589

  2,257

  1,564

  2,010

  2,677

  1,244

  19,597

  2,094

  1,033

  537

  December 1980

  7,389

  691

  1,552

  2,121

  1,595

  1,918

  2,561

  1,169

  18,906

  2,037

  966

  520

  December 1981

  7,204

  676

  1,516

  2,015

  1,460

  1,829

  2,424

  1,107

  18,231

  1,958

  919

  508

  December 1982

  7,095

  675

  1,488

  1,953

  1,433

  1,793

  2,338

  1,076

  17,851

  1,303

  890

  498

  December 1983

  7,172

  688

  1,514

  1,970

  1,444

  1,785

  2,310

  1,063

  17,946

  1,891

  884

  500

  December 1984

  7,277

  718

  1,545

  1,995

  1,470

  1,793

  2,305

  1,069

  18,172

  1,902

  889

  503

  December 1985

  7,365

  750

  1,548

  2,025

  1,502

  1,795

  2,297

  1,080

  18,361

  1,897

  872

  502

  December 1986

  7,404

  784

  1,568

  2,050

  1,519

  1,795

  2,283

  1,086

  18,488

  1,874

  862

  494

  March 1987

  7,377

  780

  1,555

  2,040

  1,505

  1,778

  2,259

  1,077

  18,371

  1,862

  852

  491

  June 1987

  7,440

  795

  1,594

  2,052

  1,528

  1,803

  2,263

  1,090

  18,576

  1,886

  864

  491

  September 1987

  7,496

  810

  1,593

  2,065

  1,540

  1,810

  2,269

  1,093

  18,677

  1,879

  873

  493

  December 1987

  7,553

  820

  1,588

  2,094

  1,552

  1,819

  2,288

  1,100

  18,814

  1,877

  871

  496

  March 1988

  7,547

  820

  1,573

  2,084

  1,530

  1,813

  2,265

  1,097

  18,727

  1,868

  866

  495

  June 1988

  7,568

  834

  1,599

  2,096

  1,559

  1,819

  2,264

  1,105

  18,845

  1,888

  874

  497

  September 19881

  7,611

  845

  1,617

  2,104

  1,564

  1,826

  2,263

  1,116

  18,946

  1,884

  876

  498

  1 The latest date for which figures are available.

  Table B

  Self Employed

  thousands

  South East

  East Anglia

  South West

  West Midlands

  East Midlands

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North West

  North

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  December 1979

  663

  81

  166

  148

  123

  142

  215

  79

  1,617

  157

  122

  64

  December 1980

  688

  85

  207

  163

  137

  157

  216

  82

  1,735

  152

  117

  63

  December 1981

  708

  89

  224

  172

  147

  165

  219

  86

  1,810

  157

  118

  61

  December 1982

  723

  92

  217

  175

  154

  168

  222

  89

  1,840

  172

  123

  61

  December 1983

  794

  102

  223

  182

  162

  186

  241

  92

  1,982

  182

  135

  61

  December 1984

  881

  112

  242

  186

  162

  213

  263

  98

  2,157

  193

  145

  61

  December 1985

  904

  110

  254

  186

  162

  219

  267

  105

  2,207

  203

  150

  60

  December 1986

  968

  116

  267

  198

  178

  226

  273

  107

  2,333

  200

  151

  60

  March 1987

  1,080

  122

  273

  204

  184

  231

  276

  107

  2,397

  197

  150

  60

  June 1987

  1,032

  127

  278

  209

  189

  236

  279

  108

  2,458

  194

  148

  60

  September 1987

  1,046

  129

  280

  211

  191

  239

  282

  109

  2,487

  196

  149

  60

  December 1987

  1,060

  130

  282

  212

  193

  242

  284

  no

  2,513

  198

  151

  60

  March 1988

  1,074

  132

  284

  214

  195

  245

  287

  111

  2,542

  200

  152

  60

  June 1988

  1,087

  134

  287

  216

  197

  248

  289

  112

  2,570

  202

  154

  60

  September 1988'

  1,101

  135

  289

  217

  198

  251

  292

  113

  2,596

  203

  155

  60

  1 The latest date for which figures are available.

  746
  Mr. Lee
  Table A shows estimates of the numbers of employees in employment by region and country; these figures are not adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations.

  Table B shows estimates of the numbers of self-employed people by region and country.

  Table C shows levels of seasonally adjusted unemployment consistent with the current coverage for each region and country of the United Kingdom at each December from 1979 and each quarter month in 1987 and 1988, together with the changes over the relevant period.
  747

  Table C

  Seasonally adjusted unemployment (000's)

  South East

  East Anglia

  December

  Level

  Change over year

  Level

  Change over year

  1979

  203·2

  -28·6

  24·3

  -2·5

  1980

  365·4

  162·2

  43·7

  19·4

  1981

  534·2

  168·8

  57·0

  13·3

  1982

  616·1

  81·9

  68·3

  11·3

  1983

  667·9

  51·8

  70·0

  1·7

  1984

  715·5

  47·6

  72·6

  2·6

  1985

  737·1

  21·6

  77·7

  5·1

  1986

  731·7

  -5·4

  77·5

  -0·2

  1987

  582·0

  -149·7

  60·0

  -17·5

  1988

  421·7

  -160·3

  41·2

  -18·8

  South East

  East Anglia

  Level

  Change over quarter

  Level

  Change over quarter

  March 1987

  701·9

  -29·8

  75·0

  -2·5

  June 1987

  666·0

  -35·9

  70·8

  -4·2

  September 1987

  627·4

  -38·6

  66·1

  -4·7

  December 1987

  582·0

  -45·4

  60·0

  -6·1

  March 1988

  547·0

  -35·0

  55·7

  -4·3

  June 1988

  505·8

  -41·2

  51·4

  -4·3

  September 1988

  461·9

  -43·9

  47·1

  -4·3

  December 1988

  421·7

  -40·2

  41·2

  -5·9

  South West

  West Midlands

  December

  Level

  Change over year

  Level

  Change over year

  1979

  69·5

  -8·2

  101·2

  2·8

  1980

  110·5

  32·9

  282·8

  84·6

  1981

  143·4

  41·0

  198·2

  97·0

  1982

  161·5

  18·1

  313·1

  30·3

  1983

  172·3

  10·8

  319·6

  6·5

  1984

  186·0

  13·7

  326·3

  6·7

  1985

  193·5

  7·5

  326·8

  0·5

  1986

  190·8

  -2·7

  320·5

  -6·3

  1987

  153·9

  -36·9

  263·9

  -56·6

  1988

  113·1

  -40·8

  198·3

  -65·6

  South West

  West Midlands

  Level

  Change over quarter

  Level

  Change over quarter

  March 1987

  183·8

  -7·0

  310·0

  -10·5

  June 1987

  174·4

  -9·4

  296·2

  -13·8

  September 1987

  164·0

  -10·4

  279·3

  -16·9

  December 1987

  153·9

  -10·1

  263·9

  -15·4

  March 1988

  145·3

  -8·6

  249·3

  -14·6

  June 1988

  137·1

  -8·2

  233·7

  -15·6

  September 1988

  126·1

  -11·0

  218·3

  -15·4

  December 1988

  113·1

  -13·0

  198·3

  -20·0

  East Midlands

  Yorks & Humberside

  December

  Level

  Change over year

  Level

  Change over year

  1979

  57·6

  -3·0

  90·0

  -4·2

  1980

  109·8

  52·2

  165·6

  75·6

  1981

  143·8

  34·0

  220·3

  54·7

  748

  East Midlands

  Yorks & Humberside

  December

  Level

  Change over year

  Level

  Change over year

  1982

  161·6

  17·8

  250·4

  30·1

  1983

  173·3

  11·7

  259·6

  9·2

  1984

  185·8

  12·5

  275·8

  16·2

  1985

  190·0

  4·2

  288·8

  13·0

  1986

  188·9

  -1·1

  290·8

  1·8

  1987

  159·8

  -29·1

  248·1

  -42·5

  1988

  126·6

  -33·2

  203·0

  -45·1

  East Midlands

  Yorks & Humberside

  Level

  Change over quarter

  Level

  Change over quarter

  March 1987

  185·6

  -3·3

  283·3

  -7·3

  June 1987

  178·4

  -7·2

  274·7

  -8·6

  September 1987

  169·5

  -8·9

  261·3

  -13·4

  December 1987

  159·8

  -9·7

  248·1

  -13·2

  March 1988

  152·7

  -7·1

  238·7

  -9·4

  June 1988

  145·3

  -7·4

  229·5

  -9·2

  September 1988

  137·1

  -8·2

  218·1

  -11·4

  December 1988

  126·6

  -10·5

  203·0

  -15·1

  North West

  Northern

  December

  Level

  Change over year

  Level

  Change over year

  1979

  161·5

  1·2

  90·0

  0·6

  1980

  266·9

  105·3

  137·0

  47·0

  1981

  349·4

  82·5

  172·0

  35·0

  1982

  390·2

  40·8

  191·4

  19·4

  1983

  412·7

  22·5

  201·0

  9·6

  1984

  423·9

  11·2

  214·6

  13·6

  1985

  428·3

  4·4

  217·3

  2·7

  1986

  419·9

  -8·4

  211·6

  -5·7

  1987

  358·4

  -61·5

  185·1

  -26·5

  1988

  292·8

  -65·6

  160·1

  -25·0

  North West

  Northern

  Level

  Change over quarter

  Level

  Change over quarter

  March 1987

  410·1

  -9·8

  207·0

  -4·6

  June 1987

  394·8

  -15·3

  201·8

  -5·2

  September 1987

  376·2

  -18·6

  194·0

  -7·8

  December 1987

  358·4

  -17·8

  185·1

  -8·9

  March 1988

  344·6

  -13·8

  179·4

  -5·7

  June 1988

  328·0

  -16·6

  172·2

  -7·2

  September 1988

  312·7

  -15·3

  165·9

  -6·3

  December 1988

  292·8

  -19·9

  160·1

  -5·8

  England

  Wales

  December

  Level

  Change over year

  Level

  Change over year

  1979

  796·0

  -41·9

  64·0

  -4·1

  1980

  1,397·1

  601·1

  109·6

  45·6

  1981

  1,902·9

  505·8

  136·;6

  27·0

  1982

  2,152·6

  249·7

  151·9

  15·3

  1983

  2,276·4

  123·8

  155·1

  3·2

  1984

  2,400·5

  124·1

  166·7

  11·6

  1985

  2,459·5

  59·0

  168·8

  2·1

  749

  England

  Wales

  December

  Level

  Change over year

  Level

  Change over year

  1986

  2,431·5

  -28·0

  163·3

  -5·5

  1987

  2,011·2

  -420·3

  137·9

  -25·4

  1988

  1,556·8

  -454·4

  113·1

  -24·8

  England

  Wales

  Level

  Change over quarter

  Level

  Change over quarter

  March 1987

  2,357·2

  -74·3

  156·6

  -6·7

  June 1987

  2,257·1

  -100·1

  150·8

  -5·8

  September 1987

  2,137·8

  -119·3

  145·5

  -5·3

  December 1987

  2,011·2

  -126·6

  137·9

  -7·6

  March 1988

  1,912·7

  -98·5

  133·3

  -4·6

  June 1988

  1,803·0

  -109·;7

  127·7

  -5·6

  September 1988

  1,687·2

  -115·8

  120·6

  -7·1

  December 1988

  1,556·8

  -130·4

  113·1

  -7·5

  Scotland

  Northern Ireland

  December

  Level

  Change over year

  Level

  Change over year

  1979

  141·7

  4·2

  53·6

  1·6

  1980

  209·8

  68·1

  77·5

  23·9

  1981

  265·6

  55·8

  90·1

  12·6

  1982

  291·7

  26·1

  103·2

  13·1

  1983

  302·6

  10·9

  109·1

  5·9

  1984

  314·0

  11·4

  110·2

  1·1

  1985

  325·7

  11·7

  116·1

  5·9

  1986

  339·4

  13·7

  1250

  8·9

  1987

  302·3

  -37·1

  117·6

  -7·4

  1988

  260·3

  -42·0

  108·9

  -8·7

  Scotland

  Northern Ireland

  Level

  Change over quarter

  Level

  Change over quarter

  March 1987

  336·0

  -3·4

  123·3

  -1·7

  June 1987

  326·6

  -9·4

  123·0

  -0·3

  September 1987

  313·6

  -13·0

  121·2

  -1·8

  December 1987

  302·3

  -11·3

  117·6

  -3·6

  March 1988

  293·3

  -9·0

  114·7

  -2·9

  June 1988

  279·7

  -13·6

  114·0

  -0·7

  September 1988

  272·3

  -7·4

  111·6

  -2·4

  December 1988

  260·3

  -12·0

  108·9

  -2·7

  Benefit Office (Closures)
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what are the estimated annual savings incurred by the closure of the employment benefit offices at(a) Lanchester, County Durham and (b) Willington, County Durham;

  (2) what are the staffing implications arising from the decision to close the employment benefit offices at (a) Lanchester, County Durham and (b) Willington, County Durham.

  Mr. Lee
  The estimated annual savings incurred by the closure of Lanchester and Willington part-time unemployment benefit outhouses will be approximately £1,100 per annum and £900 per annum respectively. Closure of these offices will allow existing staff resources to be used more productively on linked work in the full-time unemployment benefit offices.
  750
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements will be made to cover the transport costs of claimants affected by the proposed closure of the employment benefit offices at(a) Lanchester, County Durham and (b) Willington, County Durham.

  Mr. Lee
  Claimants who live six miles or more from their nearest local office and disabled persons or those with significant travel difficulties will no longer be required to attend for their fortnightly claims but will be able to make these by post.

  In most cases, claimants who currently attend the Lanchester and Willington part-time offices should be able to attend the nearest local offices at Stanley or Crook respectively. These offices have bus services from Lanchester and Willington and the fares are reasonable for claimants to meet from their own resources.

  Unemployment Registration
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people register as unemployed at the Willington, County Durham office(a) weekly and (b) monthly.

  Mr. Lee
  There are 300 people registered as unemployed at Willington unemployment benefit outhouse, all of whom attend fortnightly.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people register as unemployed at the Lanchester, County Durham office(a) weekly and (b) monthly.

  Mr. Lee
  There are 161 people registered as unemployed at Lanchester unemployment benefit outhouse, of whom 133 attend fortnightly and 28 attend quarterly.

  Industrial Tribunals (Costs)
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions in each of the last three years for which records are available warnings as to costs were issued by industrial tribunals; and in how many such cases costs ultimately were awarded.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The details are as follows:

  Costs warnings issued

  Costs awarded following warning

  12 months ended 31 March 1986

  672

  46

  12 months ended 31 March 1987

  517

  30

  12 months ended 31 March 1988

  344

  16

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions in each of the last three years for which records are available costs were awarded by industrial tribunals in cases where no warning had previously been made.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The details are as follows:

  Number

  12 months ended 31 March 1986

  9

  12 months ended 31 March 1987

  1

  12 months ended 31 March 1988

  8

  Tourism (South Africa)
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether in the light of Her Majesty's Government's policy on the promotion of tourism to South Africa, he will seek to dissuade the Association of British Travel Agents from holding its convention in South Africa.

  Mr. Lee
  It is understood that the Association of British Travel Agents has no plans to hold its convention in South Africa.

  Factories Act 1961
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in setting up a non-statutory scheme to replace section 119A of the Factories Act 1961.

  Mr. Cope
  A consultation paper containing proposals for a new scheme to ensure that young people with disabilities are not placed in unsuitable employment or training has been circulated for comment to a wide range of interested organisations. Copies of the paper are available in the Library. A final decision on the details of

  Numbers of under 18-year-olds claiming unemployment-related benefits by standard region—June to December 1988

  1988

  1 June

  July

  1 August

  1 September

  October

  November

  December

  South East

  13,117

  11,907

  10,976

  9,846

  1,728

  1,074

  880

  East Anglia

  1,921

  1,553

  1,431

  1,285

  188

  155

  114

  South West

  4,207

  3,579

  3,299

  2,955

  508

  348

  291

  West Midlands

  7,718

  8,820

  7,974

  7,010

  708

  483

  387

  East Midlands

  5,587

  5,033

  4,617

  4,004

  540

  431

  341

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  11,045

  9,808

  8,866

  7,878

  858

  645

  575

  North West

  13,493

  12,200

  11,207

  9,928

  1,112

  808

  708

  Northern

  7,001

  6,232

  5,630

  4,874

  590

  438

  359

  Wales

  5,345

  4,766

  4,349

  3,743

  454

  328

  290

  Scotland

  15,598

  14,485

  13,137

  11,225

  1,061

  836

  747

  Northern Ireland

  3,382

  3,154

  2,963

  2,410

  398

  280

  236

  United Kingdom

  90,414

  81,437

  74,450

  65,158

  8,145

  5,826

  4,928

  1 Estimated.

  YTS
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the most recent details of the average weekly take-home pay for YTS leavers, by standard economic region.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 25 January 1989]: Estimates from the youth cohort study for England and Wales, covering those young people who reached minimum school leaving age in the academic year 1984–85 and were surveyed in spring 1988 show that the average weekly take-home pay for those in a job who said they had had YTS experience within the previous three years, is as follows:

  Region

  Average weekly take home pay (£)

  North

  76·97

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  71·27

  North West

  73·83

  East Midlands

  74·57

  West Midlands

  77·67

  East Anglia

  79·54

  Greater London

  99·20

  South East

  87·13

  South West

  73·06

  Wales

  73·61

  752
  the scheme will be taken in the light of comments received, and the new arrangements will be implemented as soon as possible.

  Benefits and Income Support
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide details of the numbers of those aged under 18 years in receipt of benefit/income support by standard economic region, by month, for the period June to December 1988, inclusive.

  Mr. Lee
  [holding answer 25 January 1989]: The table shows the available analysis of under 18-year-olds claiming unemployment-related benefits, that is unemployment benefit, income support or national insurance credits.

  The recent extension of the guaranteed offer of a YTS place to all those aged under 18 not in full-time education or employment means there is now no need for these young people to be unemployed. Consequently, only a few now remain entitled to unemployment-related benefits following the associated change from September 1988 in the benefit regulations for under 18-year-olds.

  Region

  Average weekly take home pay (£)

  National Average

  78·21

DEFENCE

  Scottish Regiments
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of maintaining each Scottish regiment of the Army in 1987.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The costs of maintaining individual regiments are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the majority of Scottish regiments are infantry and the average operating cost in 1987 of a infantry battalion based in the United Kingdom was some £11 million. This figure includes personnel costs, spares, fuel and administrative support services, but excludes capital equipment costs.

  Minesweepers and Frigates (Costs)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average cost of maintaining(a) a minesweeper and (b) a frigate, per annum.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The average annual operating costs of a minesweeper and a frigate are some £2 million and £4·2 million respectively. These costs include personnel costs, fuel, spares and so on, and administrative support services, but excludes capital equipment costs and refit-repair expenditure.

  Scottish RAF Bases
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of maintaining the Royal Air Force forces based in Scotland in 1987.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The defence budget is not accounted for on a regional basis in the United Kingdom and the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mutual Defence Agreement
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he made any applications under the Public Records Act of 1958 in accordance with paragraphs 26 and 27 of the White Paper on modern public records, Cmnd. 8531, to withhold beyond 30 years papers concerning the background to the signing with the United States Government of the Anglo-American mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters in July 1958.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Atomic records are retained in the Department under section 3(4) of the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967 with the approval of the Lord Chancellor.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what agreement was made with the United States Department of Energy in November 1988 for the further enrichment of enriched uranium at Oakridge, Tennessee, under the 1958–59 United States-United Kingdom mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Arrangements have been made for the further enrichment by the United States Department of Energy of a quantity of low enriched uranium produced in this country, in accordance with the statement by my right hon. Friend, the then Secretary of State for Defence, on 23 June 1982 at column 128.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what forms of transport have been used for the export and import of nuclear materials bartered or bought by the United Kingdom under the 1958, as amended in 1959, Anglo-American mutual defence agreement;

  (2) what form of transport was used for the carriage of highly enriched uranium from Oakridge, Tennessee, to the United Kingdom under the arrangement actuated in November 1988, under the provisions of the 1959 amendment to the 1958 Anglo-American mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not the MOD practice to give such information on the transport of nuclear materials.

  Inertial Confinement Fusion Technology
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department(a) currently funds or (b) has any future plans to fund inertial confinement fusion technology.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The reply to both questions is yes. To provide further details would be against the national interest.

  Parliamentary Answers
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what were the reasons for the delay in providing a substantive answer to the question from the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, to which a holding answer was given on 22 February 1988, and a substantive answer on 21 June 1988,Official Report, column 497;

  (2) if he will state the reasons for the delay in providing a substantive answer to the question from the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, tabled for answer on 4 December 1987, to which a substantive answer was given on 21 March 1988, Official Report, column 9.

  Mr. Neubert
  The delay resulted from the requirement to assemble the detailed data asked for by the hon. Member.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the questions from the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy on 4 December 1987,Official Report, column 736, originally to be answered by a letter from the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) were subsequently answered by replies published in the Official Report, 31 March 1988, columns 623–26; and what criteria he uses to decide whether a parliamentary question should be answered in the Official Report or by a ministerial letter.

  Mr. Neubert
  I aim, as did my predecessor in this Department my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman), to provide information requested by right hon. and hon. Members as speedily and in as helpful and appropriate a manner as possible. In the particular case raised by the hon. Member, it was not possible to provide him with the detailed answers to the questions he had posed immediately. My hon. Friend the then Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces therefore, and in the light of the impending parliamentary recess, said that he would write to the hon. Member. In the event, the researches required took longer than had been expected and it was therefore most appropriate to answer the questions by means of written answers.

  Low Flying
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the special rules zone around Bristol airport has not been designated as a low-flying avoidance area.

  Mr. Neubert
  There is no need specifically to designate the area around Bristol airport as a low flying avoidance area as aircraft are not allowed to enter regulated airspace without approval from the controlling authority.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the approximate current land area covered by low-flying area 7(T); and if he will list any changes made to the boundaries of this area since 1979;
  755
  (2) if he will make a statement on progress in talks with the Government of Morocco on the use of facilities in Morocco for low-level training by the Royal Air Force;

  (3) over what proportion of the United Kingdom land surface military low-flying is permitted;

  (4) at what height military aircraft are permitted to fly over urban areas which are not located within one of the avoidance areas or transit areas marked on the Civil Aviation Authority chart of United Kingdom areas of intense aerial activity, aerial tactics areas and military low-flying system;

  (5) if he will make a statement on the criteria and methods used by the Royal Air Force police when surveying potential new areas for low-flying.

  Mr. Neubert
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 January 1989 at columns 555–56.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in(a) 1987 and (b) 1988 the military low-flying management group met to consider proposals for changes to the United Kingdom low-flying system.

  Mr. Neubert
  The military low-flying management group met on three occasions in 1987 and on four occasions in 1988 to consider and discuss a variety of matters concerning the United Kingdom low-flying system including proposals for minor changes to the system.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many civilian personnel from the national air traffic services serve on the military low-flying management group;

  (2) if he will list those aircraft types for which central records are kept of low-flying sorties over the United Kingdom;

  (3) if he will make a statement on the roles, responsibilities and staffing levels of the tactical booking cell, Royal Air Force West Drayton.

  Mr Neubert
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 January 1989.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total number of low-flying movements in low-flying area 1A in each year since 1979, differentiating between(a) movements by fixed-wing aircraft and (b) movements by helicopters.

  Mr. Neubert
  It is not our practice to publish detailed information relating to specific low-flying training areas.

  Military Jets (Noise)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been undertaken by his Department of the noise levels generated on the ground by military jet aircraft overflying at 100 ft and at up to 550 knots.

  Mr. Neubert
  Although there has been no recent research specifically into the noise from low-flying aircraft, it is possible for MOD scientists, using the noise database collected during an exercise known as Bedlam, to calculate the maximum noise levels on the ground which would be generated by a military aircraft flying at 100 ft and at speeds up to 550 knots. A copy of the report of the results from exercise Bedlam was placed in the Library of the House in November 1987.

  Jet Aircraft (Low-level Sorties)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the basis of calculation of the figure for the average duration of a fast jet low-level sortie over the United Kingdom;

  (2) what is the basis of calculation of the figure of 42 minutes for the average duration of a fast jet low-level sortie over the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Neubert
  The basis of the figure is statistical data compiled by headquarters military air traffic operations on the usage of the United Kingdom low-flying system.

  Missiles
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the studies undertaken by research centres responsible to his Department on the feasibility of use of the Seawolf anti-air and anti-missile weapon and the Star Streak laser-guided missile for a limited anti-ballistic missile defence for British nuclear-capable bases.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government have no plans to develop a ballistic missile defence system for deployment in the United Kingdom or more widely in Europe. Research carried out as part of the United States funded European architecture study has indicated that missile systems such as those referred to in the hon. Member's question would require substantial further development before they could be used in a ballistic missile defence system.

  Nuclear Materials (Safety)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, in the light of the Pan Am 103 jumbo jet disaster in Scotland, he has any plans to review the safety standards for the airfreight of military nuclear materials.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Our safety standards for the movement of nuclear materials are stringent and are kept continuously under review.

  Dartmoor National Park
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the advertised live firing times were actually used by his Ministry in the Dartmoor national park in the calendar year 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  For the three live firing ranges on Dartmoor, the figures for 1988 are as follows:

  Percentage of advertised live firing times actually used

  Range

  per cent.

  Okehampton

  65·4

  Merrivale

  68·4

  Willsworthy

  64·5

  We have an agreement—made in recognition of the importance of the national park—to restrict live firing to a certain number of days each year on these ranges and we have been conscientious in our observance of these restrictions. Firing has to be planned well in advance. and, because we cannot plan to fire on a greater number of days

  757
  than those agreed, there is inevitably some degree of underutilisation. Firing programmes are affected by two main factors, weather and urgent changes in military commitments (such as short-notice deployments and military aid to the civil community tasks).

  As my hon. Friend explained on 3 Feburary 1988 at columns 1138–42, Dartmoor continues to meet essential military requirements for live and dry training. Its importance has grown in recent years because of the increased training requirements of the larger numbers of regular and TA forces now based in this county and because of the increased demands of modern weapons.

  While the Government will continue to be alert to any opportunities which may arise to reduce the demands of military training or to promote increased public access to the training areas, it remains the Government's policy to ensure that the facilities necessary for efficient and effective training are available to meet defence requirements. There is no foreseeable prospect of any significant reduction in those requirements but the Government remain fully committed meanwhile to seeking the best possible reconciliation between military and national park interests.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much compensation he has paid to farmers with animals grazing in the Dartmoor national park which have been killed, maimed or injured in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Neubert
  A total of some £2,400 has been paid in compensation to farmers in the Dartmoor national park area for animals which have been killed as a result of Army training and manoeuvres. This figure can be broken down as follows:

  £

  1984

  20

  1985

  60

  1986

  130

  1987

  990

  1988

  1,200

  There are a few claims still outstanding.
  758
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animals have been killed or injured by live firing in the Dartmoor national park in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Neubert
  The figures for the period 1984–88 are as follows:

  Animals killed

  Year

  1 Sheep

  1984

  1 Pony

  198S

  3 Sheep

  1986

  1 Sheep, 2 Cattle

  1987

  3 Sheep, 2 Cattle1

  1988

  1 One of the two cattle killed in 1988 was the result of a road traffic accident.

  The available military statistics do not indicate the number of animals injured.

  Expenditure (OECD)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a table of the information he has on defence expenditure in each Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development member state(a) as a percentage of gross domestic product and (b) on a per capita basis.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Department does not hold information on the defence expenditure of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member states which are not members of NATO. For NATO nations, the information requested is given in figure 14 of volume one of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988" (Cm. 344-I).

  Private Horses
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take action to ensure that private horses are not supervised, groomed, exercised or looked after in Army time by military personnel.

  Mr. Neubert
  The arrangements for the regular management audit of posts, supplemented by written instructions, are designed to ensure that the rules concerning the proper employment of Army personnel are followed.

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