Written Answers of 31 January 1989

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Assets (Seizure)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what stage has been reached with regard to a bilateral treaty with the United States of America for receiving the moneys payable where United Kingdom police have assisted United States' police in serious crimes and assets have been seized by the courts; and what is the timetable for the conclusion of the treaty.

  Mr. John Patten
  We are still seeking clarification of the exact requirements of United States law and how they might be met. It is not yet certain whether either the agreement on drug trafficking which we concluded with the United States last year or any future agreement of wider scope would in itself provide a sufficient legal basis for the transfer of money.

  Prisons
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what areas in the county of Avon are currently under consideration by Her Majesty's prison board for the construction of new prison provision.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Department has been looking at a number of possible sites in Avon as part of a general site search exercise covering the whole of England and Wales. Preliminary inquiries into these sites are continuing and it would be wrong at this stage to make specific reference to particular locations in advance of the outcome of those inquiries.

  Broadcasting Standards Council
  Mr Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff the Broadcasting Standards Council will have; and what its total annual budget will be.

  Mr. Tim Renton
  The Broadcasting Standards Council will employ fewer than 20 staff and the annual budget is likely to be just over £1 million.

  Departmental Staff (Child Care)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school age children of the 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. Douglas Hogg
  At present, the Home Office provides no facilities for the pre-school age children of its 92
  staff, but it is examining the feasibility of setting up a nursery in Croydon. A play-scheme for older children already operates there during the school holidays. Children of Home Office staff are also eligible to attend holiday play-schemes in Bootle and Westminster, and the Department has agreed to contribute to the initial funding of these schemes. Further proposals for child care, and their funding, are likely to be considered over the next five years.

  Black Detainees
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by year for the last 10 years and by place of detention the number of black detainees held in custody at police stations in the Metropolitan police area who have died whilst in custody; what the figures are for areas outside the metropolis; arid if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is not available. Information on the total number of deaths in police custody, including the force area, place where death occurred and the cause of death, is published annually in the report of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the report of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are(a) the average earnings of prisoners and (b) the range of prisoners' earnings.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The average weekly pay of inmates in prison service establishments in England and Wales is estimated to be about £2·38. It ranges between £1·55 for those for whom no work is available and £5.36 for those on maximum pay under various incentive schemes.

  Israeli Ambassador (Letter Bomb)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is yet able to make a statement about the origins of the letter bomb recently sent to the Israeli ambassador.

  Mr. Hurd
  A postal bomb addressed to the Israeli ambassador was successfully defused by a Metropolitan police explosives officer at the embassy on 16 January. The package was posted in north London on 13 January, but it is not known who was responsible for sending the device. Police inquiries are continuing.

  Prison Medical Services
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further progress has been made with respect to the recommendations of the Social Services Select Committee report on prison medical services.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government welcomed the Select Committee's report and accepted in whole or in part the majority of the 58 recommendations it contained.

  The accepted recommendations cover a wide range of subjects. Where it has been possible to deal with them quickly that has been done. Some by their very nature are susceptible of implementation only in the long-term. Advance on others is determined by the results of

  93
  negotiations with the central Departments or in discussion with, or after deliberation by, appropriate professional bodies. In this last category I include the important subject of the training of prison medical officers, which will be reviewed in the light of a report being prepared by a working group under the chairmanship of the president of the Royal College of Physicians. Subject to those provisos, progress is being maintained.

  Illegal Parking
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is issued to the Metropolitan police as to the circumstances in which it is appropriate(a) to tow away illegally parked vehicles, (b) to clamp illegally parked vehicles and (c) to issue a fixed penalty notice for an illegally parked vehicle.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner that all police officers and traffic wardens are trained in the enforcement of parking restrictions. Those police officers deployed on wheel-clamping and vehicle removal duties receive further training specifically related to those tasks, and operate under written instructions from senior officers.

  Ministerial Advisers (Salaries)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total expenditure on salaries of ministerial advisers in his Department for each completed year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have nothing to add to the information which I gave to the hon. Member in my reply of 16 January 1989 at columns 5–6.

  Guardian Angels
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any entrants to the United Kingdom belonging to the group known as the Guardian Angels, currently visiting the United Kingdom, visited the United Kingdom previously; whether any of these persons overstayed previously; and who is sponsoring these persons during their visit to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Renton
  At least one member of the group has been here before. I am not aware that any have overstayed. I understand that the costs of the visit are being met in part by the group themselves, and in part by friends here.

  Football
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many exclusion orders were issued in England and Wales during the 1987–88 football season; and how many of these arose from incidents connected with Football League matches.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The exclusion order provisions of the Public Order Act 1986 came into force on 1 August 1987. For the 12 months ending 31 July 1988, a total of 925 orders had been recorded by the Football Association. The information readily available does not distinguish which of these were related to incidents connected specifically with Football League matches.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by(a) type of offence, (b)
  94
  gender and (c) over or under 21 years of age, those charged with football-related offences in the course of the 1987–88 season.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information on charges brought for football related offences is not available.

  Breath Tests
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Gardiner) on 18 January,Official Report, columns 202–3, he will express the number of breath tests given and the number positive as a percentage of (a) resident population of the police area, (b) per mile of road in the police area and (c) per registered motor vehicle in the police area.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by local authorities in fulfilling their civil defence obligations during the first two years of the planned programme for implementation of the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) 1983.

  Mr. Hurd
  Copies of a report on implementation of the 1983 regulations by 1 October 1988 have been placed in the Library. The report discusses local authorities' progress in meeting their civil defence obligations since the last such report, which covered progress up to March 1986.

  On 22 July 1986 my hon. Friend the then Minister of State announced the Government's proposals for a planned programme for implementation (PPI) of the 1983 regulations. The PPI is a rolling three-year programme, setting priorities and a timetable for systematic monitoring by the Home Office. Provision exists for the payment of grants towards expenses incurred by local authorities in connection with the discharge of their civil defence functions. The PPI provides a framework enabling the Government to establish whether those functions are being efficiently performed so that grant can properly be paid. Detailed discussions with individual county councils and fire and civil defence authorities focus on schemes of work in the context of their estimates of grant-aided expenditure, and enable the progress each authority has made to be fully assessed.

  Since the introduction of the PPI with effect from 1 October 1986, the number of grant-aided emergency planning staff in local authorities has risen by about 30 per cent. About half of these staff resources have been committed to the preparation of the plans required under schedule 2 to the 1983 regulations. In March 1986 many of those plans were found to be incomplete and in a number of cases they amounted to little more than statements of intent. Under the PPI all county-level authorities are required to submit copies of plans for monitoring in accordance with the timetable. All have responded to this requirement and analysis of the material indicates a significant overall improvement in the quality of operational plans. Nevertheless, the position still varies from authority to authority and even the best plans require further work. There is also a continuing need to test, review and revise plans once they have been made, and this need will be directly addressed in the next stage.
  95
  Local authorities are required to make arrangements for the training and exercising of volunteers and their own staff. There have been encouraging increases in the volume of such training. The number of volunteers stood at around 25,000 last year; this year they are expected to total about 27,000. Time spent by volunteers on training and exercises this year is expected to exceed the time spent last year by about 15 per cent., while the figure for staff training this year is expected to exceed last year's by about 70 per cent.

  Progress has been less satisfactory in meeting the requirement to establish emergency centres in which to control and co-ordinate civil defence actions. A total of 513 such centres should be provided in England and Wales, but only 195 were reported to be operational by 1 October 1988. In a further 139, work was reported in progress or identified as needed, while in the remaining 179 no suitable site had been identified. Local authorities which are not fulfilling their statutory obligations in this respect will be asked for specific proposals to remedy the position.

  In 1985–86 the total grant-aided civil defence expenditure by local authorities stood at £15·25 million. The provisional figure for 1987–88 is £21·25 million and in 1988–89 it is expected to rise to about £23 million. This expansion has been well above levels of inflation and reflects the Government's commitment to civil defence planning. It is our intention that current levels of expenditure will be maintained for the next few years.

  The Government believe that the PPI has brought about significant improvements in local authorities' states of civil defence preparedness. Results have been achieved and the concept has been widely supported in the local authority community. But a great deal remains to be done to consolidate and extend the advances which have been made, by continuing the programme well into the 1990s. A circular is today being issued to local authorities, setting out the Government's intentions for the PPI for a further two years which will cover the period from October 1989 to October 1991. A similar circular is being issued by the Scottish Home and Health Department. Each county council and fire and civil defence authority will be asked to set specific targets for that period, with the highest priority being given to continuing the planning process and to training key staff. The Government will continue to monitor local authority activity and the value for money in the grant paid by calling for annual progress reports and costed programmes of work which will be the subject of individual discussion.

  Firearms
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the prohibition under section 1 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 came into effect; and if he will give details of the Government buy-in scheme.

  Mr. Hurd
  As I stated in my reply of 20 December at column 184, to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, South (Mr. Bright) on this matter, the new categories of prohibited weapons, including self-loading and pump action rifles, come into effect on 1 February. The buy-in scheme will run for a period of three months until 30 April. Leaflets providing full details of the scheme and incorporating a claim form are available from police stations and rifle and pistol clubs.
  96
  Owners of newly prohibited weapons are eligible to make a claim under the scheme if they legitimately acquired or entered into a contract to purchase their weapons before 23 September 1987 or have already sold their weapon since that date for less than the amount available under the scheme.

  Owners of weapons affected by the prohibition who are ineligible to apply or who do not wish to take advantage of the buy-in scheme must arrange to dispose of their weapons by not later than 30 April. They must do so either by sale to a registered firearms dealer or by transferring the weapon to such a dealer for deactivation; or by surrender to the police.

  The penalty for possession of a prohibited weapon without the appropriate authority is up to five years' imprisonment or a fine of up to £2,000 or both.

  Women Prisoners
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of females currently serving a prison sentence in England and Wales; what is the proportion and number of such females who have committed an offence involving robbery or violence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 24 January 1989]Information for 30 June 1988 is given in the table.

  Population of sentenced females1 in Prison Service establisments in England and Wales: by offence group 30 June 1988

  Offence group

  Number2

  Violence against the person

  240

  Sexual offences

  15

  Robbery

  75

  Other offences

  850

  Not recorded

  80

  All offences

  1,260

  1 Provisional figures, including fine defaulters.

  2 Rounded estimates.

WALES

  Benzodiazepines
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of people in Wales addicted to benzodiazepines.

  Mr. Grist
  There are no official figures on the level of benzodiazepine dependence in Wales. However, an estimate given in a report published in 1986 suggested that perhaps half a million people in the United Kingdom as a whole were dependent on benzodiazepines.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many prescriptions for benzodiazepines and what total quantity of benzodiazepines were dispensed by(a) community and (b) hospital pharmacists in each year from 1979 to 1987 in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The number of prescriptions for benzodiazepines dispensed by community pharmacists in 1979 was approximately 1,999,100 and in 1987 was 1,894,300. Information for the years 1980 to 1986 could only be obtained at disproportionate cost and information on the total quantity of benzodiazepines and the number of prescriptions dispensed by hospital pharmacists is not available centrally.
  97
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what funds are currently available to assist people in Wales to withdraw from benzodiazepines; and whether these funds will be increased in the future.

  Mr. Grist
  Information on services specifically targeted on benzodiazepine dependency and provided by local statutory bodies or voluntary agencies is not available centrally.

  In recent years, the Department has made available additional funds for the development of services—on a local and multi-authority basis—to combat drug misuse generally. Since April 1985, over £2·8 million has been provided in response to bids submitted by drug advisory committees and the voluntary sector. While such bids do not normally apply to specific substances, many of the proposals provide a service for people who need assistance over benzodiazepine dependence. We are currently considering bids for additional support in 1989–90.

  Mr. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many working days are being currently lost in Wales each year as a result of people withdrawing from benzodiazepines.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of people currently withdrawing from benzodiazepines in National Health Service hospitals in Wales and in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is not available centrally.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many special units, with how many places, have been set up in psychiatric hospitals in Wales to assist people to withdraw from benzodiazepines.

  Mr. Grist
  None as such, but there are two units in Wales (one in the north and one in the south) which specialise in services for those having problems associated with substance misuse or dependency. More generally, however, assistance and support is available through a range of services including GPs, primary care services, general psychiatric services and many voluntary groups and organisations.

  Planned provision within the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales

  (£ million)

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Agriculture, fisheries and food

  78

  93

  81

  77

  82

  85

  Industry, energy, trade and employment

  79

  78

  148

  157

  138

  194

  Other services

  Tourism

  6

  6

  7

  8

  8

  9

  Roads and transport

  299

  287

  286

  300

  319

  322

  Housing

  143

  118

  126

  140

  166

  166

  Other environmental services

  294

  284

  272

  293

  323

  333

  Education

  682

  665

  694

  730

  846

  922

  Arts and libraries

  28

  30

  31

  38

  38

  Health and personal social services

  915

  968

  1,035

  1,115

  1,220

  1,330

  Other public services

  31

  32

  32

  37

  38

  42

  Total other services

  2,370

  2,388

  2,482

  2,655

  2,958

  3,162

  Nationalised industries' EFL

  Aerial Monitoring
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will explain the operation of CADW's programme of aerial monitoring.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  An aerial monitoring programme was established for Wales in 1985–86 following the success of a pilot study initiated in 1983–84. The programme concentrates primarily on earthworks and field monuments with the aims of monitoring the condition of these scheduled monuments and recording the extent of the remains at each site. It is administered by CADW who provide grant-aid to the four Welsh archaeological trusts to undertake the work. It is expected that the whole of Wales will have been covered by the end of 1989 and consideration is being given as to how the programme should proceed after this date. Copies of all photographs are held in CADW and in the national monuments record held by the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales.

  National Monument Record (Staffing and Funding)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make a statement on the staffing and funding of the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monument's national monument record; how many posts are unfilled through lack of finance; and what steps he intends to take to remedy this.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales is responsible for the administration, staffing and funding of the national monuments record from within its allocated resources. I understand that at present 5½ staff are engaged on this work and that there are no posts on complement unfilled.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish an analysis of expenditure shown in table 17.1 of the Government's expenditure plans 1989–90 to 1991–92, chapter 17—Wales, Cm 617, on a similar basis to the tables published in his reply of 25 January 1988,Official Report, columns 107–20.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information is set out in the tables. In all the tables the totals have been derived from unrounded figures and the components may not therefore always add to the totals shown.
  99

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  National Bus Company

  26

  27

  —

  —

  —

  Welsh Water Authority

  16

  13

  11

  Total nationalised industries external financing

  26

  27

  16

  13

  11

  Total expenditure within the Secretary of State's responsibility

  2,528

  2,585

  2,737

  2,904

  3,192

  3,451

  Programme 16.1: Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  £ million

  1983–84 Outturn

  1984–85 Outturn

  1985–86 Outturn

  1986–87 Outturn

  1987–88 Outturn

  1988–89 Estimated Outturn

  1989–90 Plans

  1990–91 Plans

  1991–92 Plans

  Intervention board for agricultural produce and other expenditure:

  Market support1

  20

  25

  27

  41

  25

  64

  36

  —

  —

  Total IBAP and Other EC expenditure

  20

  25

  27

  41

  25

  64

  36

  —

  —

  Domestic agriculture, fisheries and food:

  Structural Measures for Agriculture

  59

  53

  57

  52

  45

  44

  45

  —

  —

  Animal health

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other Agriculture and Food Services

  —

  1

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Support for the Fishing Industry2

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Total domestic agriculture, fisheries and food

  59

  55

  60

  55

  47

  46

  46

  —

  —

  Total agriculture, fisheries and food

  79

  80

  87

  96

  72

  110

  82

  80

  80

  1 Includes national supplement to EC market support.

  2 Includes projects assisted by EC.

  Programme 16.2 and 16.3: Industry and Employment

  £ million

  1983–84 Outturn

  1984–85 Outturn

  1985–86 Outturn

  1986–87 Outturn

  1987–88 Outturn

  1988–89 Estimated Outturn

  1989–90 Plans

  1990–91 Plans

  1991–92 Plans

  Industry:

  Regional and general industrial support

  85

  93

  108

  120

  85

  112

  121

  —

  —

  Other Public Corporations (WDA and DBRW):

  i. Voted in estimates

  46

  44

  39

  42

  64

  72

  81

  —

  —

  ii. Other

  8

  6

  5

  4

  2

  5

  4

  —

  —

  iii. Total Other Public Corporations

  53

  51

  44

  45

  66

  77

  85

  —

  —

  Total industry

  138

  144

  152

  165

  151

  189

  206

  —

  —

  Employment:

  Tourism

  5

  6

  8

  8

  9

  9

  10

  —

  —

  Careers Service—local authorities

  (i) Relevant current expenditure

  3

  3

  3

  4

  4

  4

  6

  —

  —

  (ii) Non-relevant current expenditure

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  0

  —

  —

  (iii) Total careers service

  4

  4

  4

  5

  5

  6

  6

  —

  —

  Total employment

  9

  10

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  —

  —

  Total industry and employment

  147

  154

  164

  178

  165

  204

  222

  220

  210

  Programme 16·4 Roads and Transport

  £ million

  1983–84 outturn

  1984–85 outturn

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 estimated outturn

  1989–90 plans

  1990–91 plans

  1991–92 plans

  CENTRAL GOVERNMENT:

  National roads system:

  Current

  12

  12

  14

  15

  14

  14

  14

  —

  —

  Capital

  136

  93

  85

  97

  116

  1117

  138

  —

  —

  Access road grants

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  0

  0

  —

  —

  Rural bus grants2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  0

  0

  —

  —

  Freight facilities and Other grants

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  —

  —

  100

  101

  1983–84 outturn

  1984–85 outturn

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 estimated outturn

  1989–90 plans

  1990–91 plans

  1991–92 plans

  Other (including research and development, road safety, etc.)

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  All Central Government expenditure

  149

  105

  100

  112

  130

  133

  154

  —

  —

  LOCAL AUTHORITIES:

  Relevant current spending:

  Roads3

  88

  89

  90

  98

  110

  116

  118

  —

  —

  Other transport:

  Car parks (net of receipts)

  -1

  -1

  -2

  -2

  -2

  -2

  -2

  —

  —

  Revenue support for public transport4

  4

  4

  4

  9

  8

  8

  10

  —

  —

  Concessionary fares

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  7

  7

  —

  —

  Total relevant current spending

  97

  98

  99

  111

  122

  129

  132

  —

  —

  Local authority capital:

  Road5

  61

  57

  65

  68

  83

  66

  69

  —

  —

  Public transport

  3

  2

  4

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Total local authority capital

  64

  59

  69

  70

  84

  67

  70

  —

  —

  Total local authorities

  161

  158

  168

  181

  207

  196

  203

  —

  —

  PUBLIC CORPORATIONS:

  Nationalised industries EFL's:

  National Bus Company, EFL's

  7

  7

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other public corporations:

  New Towns

  1

  3

  1

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grand total roads and transport

  317

  272

  275

  295

  340

  329

  356

  380

  400

  1 This figure does not take into account the cash limit increase announced by the Secretary of State on 25 January 1989.

  2 Scores as capital and current expenditure.

  3 Includes "Road safety" and "Professional and technical services" related to roads.

  4 Includes "Public transport" part of "Professional and technical services".

  5 Includes "car parks".

  Programme 16.5 ( Housing)

  £ million

  1983–84 outturn

  1984–85 outturn

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 estimated outturn

  1989–90 plans

  1990–91 plans

  1991–92 plans

  Gross capital expenditure Central government Housing Corporation Support to private sector Provision for rent by Housing Associations (including low cost home ownership)

  49

  43

  44

  51

  64

  69

  72

  —

  —

  Local authorities

  Public sector provision

  Renovation

  48

  44

  52

  78

  89

  89

  70

  —

  —

  Provision for rent

  47

  34

  26

  29

  37

  33

  21

  —

  —

  Support for private sector

  Renovation and clearance

  112

  86

  59

  75

  83

  88

  103

  —

  —

  Home Ownership

  9

  7

  4

  5

  6

  7

  3

  —

  —

  Public corporations

  New Towns

  Public sector provision

  Renovation

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  —

  Provision for rent

  3

  4

  3

  1

  0

  0

  0

  —

  —

  Total public sector provision

  99

  82

  80

  107

  126

  122

  91

  —

  —

  Total support to private sector

  169

  136

  107

  132

  154

  164

  178

  —

  —

  Total renovation

  161

  130

  111

  153

  172

  177

  173

  —

  —

  102

  103

  1983–84 outturn

  1984–85 outturn

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 estimated outturn

  1989–90 plans

  1990–91 plans

  1991–92 plans

  Total provision for rent (including support for home ownership)

  108

  88

  76

  86

  108

  109

  96

  —

  —

  Total Housing Corporation

  49

  43

  44

  51

  64

  69

  72

  —

  —

  Total local authorities

  216

  171

  141

  187

  216

  217

  197

  —

  —

  Total New Towns

  4

  4

  3

  1

  0

  0

  0

  —

  —

  Total gross capital expenditure

  269

  219

  187

  239

  280

  286

  269

  —

  —

  Capital receipts

  Housing Corporation

  -8

  -4

  -4

  -5

  -7

  -7

  -7

  —

  —

  Local authorities

  -79

  -91

  -71

  -82

  -84

  -112

  -143

  —

  —

  New Towns

  -5

  -7

  -5

  -2

  -6

  0

  0

  —

  —

  Total capital receipts

  -92

  -102

  -79

  -89

  -97

  -119

  -150

  —

  —

  Net capital expenditure

  Housing Corporation

  41

  39

  40

  46

  57

  62

  65

  —

  —

  Local authorities

  137

  80

  70

  105

  132

  105

  54

  —

  —

  New Towns

  -2

  -3

  -2

  -1

  -6

  0

  0

  —

  —

  Total net capital expenditure

  176

  117

  108

  150

  184

  166

  119

  —

  —

  Current Expenditure

  Central government Subsidies to:

  Housing Associations

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Local authorities

  2

  6

  7

  12

  10

  11

  11

  —

  —

  Housing Corporation and central government: current

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  2

  4

  —

  —

  Local authorities

  Subsidies to revenue deficits onlocal authority housing for rent

  8

  5

  2

  2

  3

  3

  2

  —

  —

  Other current

  7

  7

  7

  8

  7

  8

  9

  —

  —

  Public corporations Subsidies to New Towns

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  —

  Total current expenditure

  19

  20

  20

  24

  23

  25

  26

  —

  —

  Total housing

  196

  137

  128

  174

  206

  192

  145

  180

  190

  Programme 16.6: Other environmental services

  £ million

  1983–84 outturn

  1984–85 outturn

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 1outturn

  1989–90 plans

  1990–91 plans

  1991–92 plans

  Urban Group

  Cardiff Bay U.D.C.

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12

  16

  22

  —

  —

  Urban programme (including urban regeneration grant)

  15

  19

  25

  27

  25

  32

  34

  —

  —

  Urban regeneration grant

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  3

  —

  —

  Derelict land reclaimation

  11

  9

  10

  13

  13

  13

  12

  —

  —

  New Towns

  Gross expenditure

  2

  2

  3

  4

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Receipts

  —

  1

  14

  3

  16

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Net expenditure

  2

  1

  -11

  1

  -14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Environment

  Recreation and environmental bodies (including research)

  4

  4

  4

  5

  5

  5

  7

  —

  —

  Heritage (C.A.D.W.)

  Historic buildings and ancient monuments

  2

  3

  4

  4

  6

  5

  6

  —

  —

  Local environmental services2

  Capital:

  Gross expenditure

  61

  64

  69

  90

  99

  108

  83

  —

  —

  Receipts

  14

  18

  10

  16

  25

  34

  28

  —

  —

  Net expenditure

  47

  47

  58

  74

  73

  74

  56

  —

  —

  Current expenditure

  167

  174

  178

  187

  200

  215

  222

  —

  —

  104

  105

  1983–84 outturn

  1984–85 outturn

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 1outturn

  1989–90 plans

  1990–91 plans

  1991–92 plans

  Other Local Authority Current Expenditure

  Local authority rate collection

  7

  8

  8

  8

  9

  10

  17

  —

  —

  Records and registrations of births, deaths and marriages

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Water

  Welsh Water Authority E.F.L.

  19

  24

  21

  17

  17

  9

  12

  —

  —

  Civil defence

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Other water services

  1

  1

  1

  2

  9

  5

  12

  —

  —

  Total other environmental services3

  276

  290

  300

  340

  356

  387

  404

  370

  380

  1 Estimated.

  2 "Local environmental services" in Wales include land drainage, flood prevention and coast protection, which in England, is included in Agriculture.

  3 Includes Welsh Water Authority E.F.L.

  Programme 16.7 Education

  £ million

  1983–84 outturn

  1984–85 outturn

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 Estimate

  1989–90 plans

  1990–91 plans

  1991–92 plans

  Central Government

  Schools

  Primary Secondary and other

  Capital

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  3

  —

  —

  Current

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  1

  —

  —

  Higher and Further Education

  Voluntary

  Current

  1

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  3

  —

  —

  Capital

  Adult Education (incl. Awards)

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  —

  —

  Misc. education services & research Youth Services

  1

  I

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Other Educational Services

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  2

  3

  Support for the Welsh Language

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  2

  3

  —

  —

  Total Central Government

  7

  8

  9

  10

  12

  13

  16

  —

  —

  Local Authorities

  Relevant current spending

  Schools

  Under 5s

  3

  3

  3

  3

  4

  4

  4

  —

  —

  Primary

  190

  191

  204

  226

  252

  278

  279

  —

  —

  Secondary

  231

  238

  238

  272

  296

  318

  335

  —

  —

  Special Schools

  20

  22

  23

  23

  30

  32

  29

  —

  —

  Other (including supporting services)

  Child Guidance

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  3

  —

  —

  Pupil Support

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  5

  5

  —

  —

  Transport

  23

  23

  23

  24

  22

  24

  29

  —

  —

  Meals and Milk

  28

  30

  28

  30

  30

  30

  31

  —

  —

  Further Education

  AFE

  29

  31

  33

  35

  37

  41

  40

  —

  —

  NAFE

  55

  56

  56

  61

  66

  72

  76

  —

  —

  Adult Education

  1

  3

  3

  3

  4

  4

  4

  —

  —

  Awards to Students

  8

  9

  9

  9

  8

  9

  12

  —

  —

  Miscellaneous education services

  Youth Services

  6

  6

  6

  7

  6

  7

  9

  —

  —

  Other Education Services

  6

  5

  7

  9

  14

  17

  20

  —

  —

  Administration

  31

  32

  33

  33

  31

  34

  41

  —

  —

  Total Relevant Current spending

  636

  655

  672

  740

  806

  877

  916

  —

  —

  Local Authority Capital

  35

  34

  29

  40

  50

  49

  51

  —

  —

  Total Local Authorities

  672

  689

  701

  780

  856

  925

  968

  —

  —

  Total Education

  679

  697

  710

  790

  868

  939

  984

  1,010

  1,040

  106 107

  Programme 16.8 Arts and Libraries

  £ million

  1983–84 outturn

  1984–85 outturn

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 Estimate

  1989–90 plans

  1990–91 plans

  1991–92 plans

  Central Government

  National Library of Wales

  Current

  2

  2

  2

  2

  3

  3

  3

  —

  —

  Capital

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  National Museum of Wales

  Current

  5

  6

  7

  7

  7

  8

  9

  —

  —

  Capital

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  4

  8

  —

  —

  Total Central Government

  9

  10

  11

  11

  13

  15

  21

  —

  —

  Local Authorities

  Relevant current spending

  Libraries

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  21

  22

  —

  —

  Museums and Galleries

  2

  1

  2

  2

  3

  3

  3

  —

  —

  Total relevant current spending

  17

  17

  18

  20

  22

  24

  25

  —

  —

  Local Authority capital

  Libraries

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  2

  1

  —

  —

  Museums and Galleries

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Total Local Authority Capital

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  —

  —

  Total Local Authorities

  19

  19

  21

  23

  24

  27

  26

  —

  —

  Total Libraries, Museums and Arts

  28

  29

  32

  34

  37

  42

  47

  50

  50

  Programme 16.9 Health and Personal Social Services

  £ million

  1983–84 outturn

  1984–85 outturn

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 Estimated outturn

  1989–90 plans

  1990–91 plans

  1991–92 plans

  HEALTH SERVICES:

  Hospital and community health services:

  Current expenditure:

  Gross

  558

  595

  641

  683

  762

  851

  900

  —

  —

  Charges and receipts

  11

  7

  13

  14

  15

  15

  18

  —

  —

  Net

  547

  588

  627

  669

  747

  836

  881

  —

  —

  Capital expenditure:

  Gross

  50

  53

  55

  61

  61

  67

  78

  —

  —

  Receipts

  1

  2

  2

  3

  2

  10

  4

  —

  —

  Net

  49

  52

  53

  58

  59

  58

  73

  —

  —

  Family practitioner services:

  Current expenditure:

  Gross

  202

  221

  234

  253

  280

  314

  342

  —

  —

  Charges and receipts

  17

  18

  18

  19

  21

  25

  30

  —

  —

  Net

  185

  203

  216

  233

  259

  289

  312

  —

  —

  Capital expenditure (net)

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central health and miscellaneous services:

  Current expenditure:

  Gross

  15

  19

  22

  27

  33

  40

  48

  —

  —

  Charges and receipts

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Net

  15

  18

  22

  27

  32

  40

  47

  —

  —

  Capital expenditure (net)

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total National Health services:

  Current expenditure:

  Gross

  776

  835

  897

  963

  1,075

  1,205

  1,289

  —

  —

  Net

  747

  809

  865

  930

  1,038

  1,165

  1,240

  —

  —

  Capital expenditure:

  Gross

  50

  54

  56

  62

  62

  68

  78

  —

  —

  Net

  49

  52

  55

  59

  60

  58

  74

  —

  —

  PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICE:

  Central government services:

  Current expenditure

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Local authority services

  Current expenditure:

  Gross

  137

  140

  150

  161

  177

  192

  205

  —

  —

  Charges

  24

  23

  25

  27

  29

  32

  34

  —

  —

  Net

  113

  117

  126

  134

  148

  161

  171

  —

  —

  Capital expenditure:

  Gross

  6

  7

  5

  8

  11

  10

  9

  —

  —

  Receipts

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Net

  5

  6

  5

  8

  10

  10

  8

  —

  —

  108

  109

  1983–84 outturn

  1984–85 outturn

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 Estimated outturn

  1989–90 plans

  1990–91 plans

  1991–92 plans

  Total personal social services:

  Current expenditure:

  Gross

  138

  141

  151

  162

  178

  193

  206

  —

  —

  Net

  114

  118

  126

  135

  149

  162

  173

  —

  —

  Capital expenditure:

  Gross

  6

  7

  5

  8

  11

  10

  9

  —

  —

  Net

  5

  6

  5

  8

  10

  10

  8

  —

  —

  Total health and personal social services:

  Current expenditure:

  Gross

  914

  977

  1,048

  1,125

  1,253

  1,398

  1,495

  —

  —

  Charges and receipts

  53

  48

  56

  60

  66

  72

  83

  —

  —

  Net

  861

  928

  992

  1,065

  1,187

  1,327

  1,413

  —

  —

  Capital expenditure:

  Gross

  56

  60

  62

  70

  72

  77

  87

  —

  —

  Receipts

  2

  2

  2

  3

  2

  10

  5

  —

  —

  Net

  54

  59

  60

  67

  70

  68

  82

  —

  —

  Total health and personal social services current and capital (net)

  915

  986

  1,051

  1,131

  1,256

  1,394

  1,495

  1,560

  1,610

  Departmental Spending
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of gross and net public sector capital spending by his Department by both central government and local authorities for 1988–89 and for each of the next three years, at current prices and at constant 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 25 January 1989]:
  Information about public sector capital spending by the Department from 1983–84 to 1991–92 was given in table 21.1.11 of the 1989 public expenditure White Paper "Supplementary Analyses and Index", Cm. 621.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General when copies of leaflets, which call for an end to immigration to the United Kingdom and are headed, "Civil War in Bradford," were passed to the Crown Prosecution Service; what organisation and address is shown on the leaflets distributed in Bradford recently; and when he expects the Crown Prosecution Service to reach any decision about prosecuting those responsible for the production and distribution of such leaflets.

  The Attorney-General
  A copy of a leaflet headed "Civil War in Bradford" was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service in West Yorkshire on 25 January 1989. The leaflet contains the address of the Monday Club, 4 Orlando Road, London SW4. On 27 January 1989, the Crown Prosecution Service concluded that the production and distribution of the leaflet did not contravene the criminal law.

  Criminal Justice Act 1988
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Attorney-General how he envisages exercising the power to refer unduly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal under section 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, after it comes into force on 1 February.
  110
  The Attorney-General
  I shall exercise this important power conscientiously and with discrimination. I do not envisage that the cases will be numerous in which it will be appropriate to use it. It applies to sentencing for offences triable only on indictment. These are the more harmful offences, tending to give rise to the greatest public concern. Reference is available only for a sentence that is characterised by undue leniency, not for one that is no more than arguably on the lenient side.

  A strict time limit is imposed for a reference. Application to the court must be made by me within 28 days of the sentence being passed, and it is accordingly important that steps are taken to put the necessary machinery in action as soon as possible. I therefore hope that those who wish to make representations will do so, in the first instance, to the authority responsible for conducting the relevant prosecution. In the majority of cases the prosecution will have been conducted by the Crown Prosecution Service and in those cases representations should accordingly be made to the Director of Public Prosecution.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  South African (Prisons)
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the South African Government about the detention and torture of children in South African prisons.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have made frequent representations to the South African Government, both bilaterally and with our European partners, to express our concern about human rights abuses including reports of maltreatment of both children and adults. We have made clear our view that the South African Government should release all those detained without charge.

  Minority Languages
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there is any provision for a new commissioner of the European Community to take the oath in Welsh or in Gaelic.
  111
  Mrs. Chalker
  The treaty does not specify the language to be used when giving the solemn undertaking. Commissioner MacSharry gave it in Irish.

  Palestinian Refugees
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the response by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to recommendation 1090 [1988] on the situation of the Palestine refugees.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Committee of Ministers decided to bring recommendation 1090 (1988) to the attention of the Governments of member states.

  Eastern Europe (Religion)
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the response by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to recommendation 1086 [1988] on the situation of the Church and freedom of religion in Eastern Europe.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Committee of Ministers decided to bring recommendation 1086 (1988) to the attention of the Governments of member states and intend to submit it for discussion by national experts on the CSCE.

  Incomes
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the most recent annual average income per head for(a) the seven Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, (b) the Warsaw Pact countries including Russia and (c) China.

  Mrs. Chalker
  GDP per head (in United States dollars) in the major seven OECD countries in 1987 was as follows:

  At current prices and current exchange rates

  At current prices and purchasing power parity

  USA

  18,338

  18,338

  Japan

  19,465

  13,182

  West Germany

  18,280

  13,323

  France

  15,818

  12,803

  United Kingdom

  11,765

  12,340

  Italy

  13,224

  12,254

  Canada

  16,019

  17,211

  Source: OECD, Department of Economics and Statistics: National Accounts 1960–1987.

  Because the currencies of the Warsaw pact countries are not fully convertible, conversion of local currency output estimates to dollars is not straightforward. Different procedures can produce very different results. The first column of figures below shows estimates of GNP per head calculated by the IBRD for the three members of the Warsaw pact who are also members of the IMF/IBRD. The second column shows estimates for all members of the Warsaw pact published by a United States Government agency:
  112

  GNP per head at current prices and 3-year moving average exchange rates1 1987 $

  GNP per head at current prices2 1987 $

  Hungary

  2,240

  8,264

  Poland

  1,920

  6,883

  Romania

  1,500–3,000

  6,376

  Bulgaria

  n/a

  7,200

  Czechoslovakia

  n/a

  9,705

  GDR

  n/a

  11,873

  USSR

  n/a

  8,363

  1 Source: World Bank Atlas, 1988.

  2 Source: Economic Handbook, 1985—an unclassified publication of the CIA Directorate of Intelligence.

  The People's Republic of China's GNP per head (at current prices and three-year moving average exchange rates) is estimated by the IBRD at $300 in 1987. Figures for Warsaw pact countries and for China should be treated with caution.

  Weapons Technology
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he intends to use Britain's presidency of the Western European Union to further discussions on the harmonisation of weapons technology research for the 21st century.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  NATO and, for its European members, the independent European programme group, are the operational fora in which allies examine how they can harmonise research in this area. The Western European Union gave political support in this work in the platform on European security interests adopted in The Hague on 27 October 1987.

  Namibia
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs say what contribution in terms of cost and personnel Her Majesty's Government proposes to make to the United Nations force to supervise the elections and independence of Namibia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) on 21 December 1988 at column 274.

  Baby Seal Skins
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had any discussion with members of the European Commission regarding the apparent breaking of European Community directive 85/444/EC, amending 84/129/EC, through the import into the European Community of baby seal skins referred to by Mr. Clinton Davies on 14 April 1988.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No.

  Unita
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for Her Majesty's Government's policies
  113
  Of President Bush's letter to Mr. Savimbi indicating that his Government would continue appropriate and effective assistance to Unita.

  Mrs. Chalker
  It remains our policy not to provide assistance to Unita although we maintain contact form time to time at official level.

  European Community (Spanish Presidency)
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the objectives which the Spanish have identified for achievment during their presidency of the European Communities.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Spanish objectives for achievement during their presidency were identified in the programme speech given by the Spanish Foreign Minister to the European Parliament on 17 January. They included further progress to complete the single market, social area, monetary co-operation, research and development, the environment, and the Community's external relations.

  European Community (Council of Ministers)
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 13 February. The Commission is expected to present proposals for harmonising the taxation of savings. The Council may also consider a further extension of the new community instrument (NIC V), and may need to consider two own resources implementing regulations.

  The Agriculture Council will meet on 13 and 14 February to discuss 1989 CAP price-fixing proposals, aid for the production of grain legumes and extensification. It may also consider beef balance sheets, controls in the wine sector, and veterinary and phytosanitary harmonisation measures.

  The Foreign Affairs Council, meeting on 20 and 21 February, will review progress on resolving the dispute between the EC and the United States over hormone-treated beef, discuss the EC's position for the San Jose V meeting with central American states in San Pedro de Sula, Honduras 27 and 28 February; and adopt a position for the EC/Tunisia co-operation council, to be held in the margins of the Foreign Affairs Counil. It may also discuss: the outcome of the EC/ACP ministerial meeting in Brazzaville on 16 and 17 February, where negotiations on a successor to the present Lome convention will continue; preparations for the EC/EFTA informal ministerial meeting to be held alongside the Foreign Affairs Council in March; draft mandates for negotiations on trade and co-operation agreements with Poland and Bulgaria and EC/Israel purchase tax discrimination.

  The Fisheries Council will meet on 23 February to discuss autonomous tariff quotas and possibly the EC/USSR fish agreement.

  The Internal Market Council on 27 February will discuss a number of measures relevant to the completion of the single market.
  114

THE ARTS

  Benjamin Banks
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will visit Salisbury in April to visit the exhibition in the museum celebrating the life and work of the eighteenth century violinist Benjamin Banks.

  Mr. Luce
  I will be in touch with my hon. Friend to see whether it will be possible for me to visit Salisbury in April.

  Opera North
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he next plans to undertake a visit to Opera North.

  Mr. Luce
  I was sorry not to have been able to visit Opera North as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations in 1988, but I hope to attend a performance in the future.

  Public Library Services
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will give the number of responses so far received by his Department to the Green Paper on financing our public library services; and if he will give the number of those responses in favour of the proposals and the number of those opposed.

  Mr. Luce
  I shall shortly be making a statement on the consultation exercise. I shall then be in a position to give a more detailed answer to this question.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  EC Appointments
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total cost of any European Economic Community appointments either in the United Kingdom or the rest of the European Economic Community paid for by the Treasury.

  Mr. Brooke
  Under the detached national experts scheme, Government employees from member states may be temporarily seconded to the European Commission. In such cases the member states continue to pay the basic salaries of the officials concerned.

  Comprehensive information about the total cost of United Kingdom-paid salaries under this scheme is not available.

  Private Medical Insurance
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government have any plans to introduce income tax relief on premiums for private medical insurance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lawson
  In the White Paper "Working for Patients" (Cm 555) the Government today announced a new income tax relief on premiums for private medical insurance for those aged 60 and over. The relief will be given at the basic rate by deduction at source (in a similar way to the MIRAS arrangement for mortgagees). It will be available either where an individual aged 60 or over pays his or her own premiums on an eligible policy, or where
  115
  someone else, such as a relative, pays on their behalf. Where higher rate relief is due, the additional amount will be given by the tax office, for example by adjustment to the PAYE code or in an assessment.

  Legislation to introduce the relief will be contained in the next Finance Bill, and will take effect from 6 April 1990. I have authorised the Inland Revenue to consult the medical insurance industry urgently about the details of the relief.

EMPLOYMENT

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to collect information on persons whose entitlement to unemployment benefit is disallowed because they are not available for work.

  Mr. Lee
  Figures are compiled quarterly of the number of persons whose entitlement to unemployment benefit is disallowed because they are considered not to be available for work. They are included in the analysis of all decisions made by adjudication officers published each half-year by the Department of Social Security.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much has been spent advertising employment training; and how much this is per filled place.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A total of approximately £7 million has been spent on advertising employment training in the period July to December 1988. A total of £4·2 million of this was spent in July and August to raise employers' awareness of the importance of training, in readiness for the launch of the programme in September. Following the launch, a further £2·8 million was spent on advertising to potential trainees. So far, there have been 141,000 people training on the programme.

  Construction Workers
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many construction workers are unemployed.

  Mr. Lee
  Information from the labour force survey indicates that in spring 1987 there were an estimated 107,000 people in Great Britain aged 16 or over who were currently unemployed and whose last employment (within the previous three years) was as a construction worker. An occupational analysis of the Department's monthly claimant unemployment count is not available.

  Disabled People
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered disabled people were in employment on 1 January; and how many were in employment five years ago.

  Mr. Lee
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of employers does not 116
  operate the 3 per cent. quota for employing disabled people; and how this differs from the percentage five years ago.

  Mr. Lee
  In 1988 a total of 76 per cent. of employers within scope of the quota scheme employed less than 3 per cent. of people registered as disabled compared with 69 per cent. in 1983. The quota scheme is being considered as part of my Department's internal review of services to the disabled.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in the last five years in achieving the employment of disabled people.

  Mr. Lee
  A total of 93,500 people with disabilities, including some with severe disabilities, were placed in employment through jobcentres in 1987–88 compared with 63,200 in 1983–84. Over the same period, the number of people with severe disabilities supported in the sheltered employment programme rose from 14,936 to 18,413.

  Support for employment and training programmes specifically for people with disabilities has generally been maintained between 1983–84 and 1987–88. At the same time, increasing attention has been given to improving access to the Department's general employment and training programmes. It is estimated that in 1987–88 some 51,000 people with disabilities were accepted on to these programmes.

  The Department has also given close attention to promoting the adoption by employers of positive policies towards the employment of people with disabilities—in particular through the establishment of the disablement advisory service and the publication and distribution of the code of good practice on the employment of disabled people.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing employment in manufacturing industry by county using the data from the last three censuses of employment; and if he will also state the intercensal change for each county in an index form with the earliest of the three censuses of employment as the base.

  Mr. Lee
  The available information from censuses of employment taken in June 1978, September 1981 and September 1984 is given in the table. Because of changes in the standard industrial classification, and in the compilation of the county data, the June 1978 figures are not strictly comparable with the figures for later years. Indices using June 1978 as base cannot therefore be meaningfully calculated.

  Employees in employment in manufacturing industries

  Counties

  June1 1978

  September2 1981

  September2 1984

  South East

  Bedfordshire

  88·1

  71·5

  67·8

  Berkshire

  89·1

  85·4

  76·5

  Buckinghamshire

  65·3

  65·7

  66·8

  East Sussex

  37·5

  36·4

  32·7

  Essex

  156·7

  140·4

  119·5

  Greater London

  768·8

  684·6

  569·0

  Hampshire

  166·6

  153·3

  146·7

  Hertfordshire

  151·5

  132·4

  118·1

  Isle of Wight

  10·4

  9·0

  8·8

  Kent

  137·7

  118·3

  103·5

  117

  Counties

  June1 1978

  September2 1981

  September2 1984

  Oxfordshire

  54·2

  47·6

  43·8

  Surrey

  81·3

  77·4

  74·5

  West Sussex

  60·9

  61·1

  58·3

  East Anglia

  Cambridgeshire

  61·5

  60·7

  68·2

  Norfolk

  71·3

  63·3

  63·2

  Suffolk

  67·0

  61·9

  58·3

  South West

  Avon

  110·4

  94·9

  89·2

  Cornwall

  21·3

  23·6

  22·3

  Devon

  67·0

  68·9

  69·1

  Dorset

  47·6

  44·3

  41·2

  Gloucestershire

  71·1

  65·2

  57·6

  Somerset

  48·2

  46·0

  45·6

  Wiltshire

  62·8

  52·6

  51·2

  West Midlands

  Hereford and Worcester

  76·5

  67·9

  64·3

  Shropshire

  39·2

  32·0

  33·0

  Staffordshire

  163·8

  144·3

  141·9

  Warwickshire

  55·5

  61·6

  56·3

  West Midlands

  651·0

  494·8

  413·7

  East Midlands

  Derbyshire

  161·6

  133·2

  122·2

  Leicestershire

  160·5

  150·5

  140·9

  Lincolnshire

  50·7

  44·3

  40·7

  Northamptonshire

  88·6

  73·7

  69·5

  Nottinghamshire

  136·9

  131·5

  115·1

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Humberside

  110·5

  92·1

  81·9

  North Yorkshire

  56·1

  53·5

  49·7

  South Yorkshire

  206·3

  158·6

  122·4

  West Yorkshire

  336·2

  274·6

  230·8

  North West

  Cheshire

  140·5

  116·7

  105·9

  Greater Manchester

  443·2

  345·8

  291·3

  Lancashire

  210·9

  182·5

  153·6

  Merseyside

  203·1

  154·7

  119·8

  118

  Counties

  June1 1978

  September2 1981

  September2 1984

  North

  Cumbria

  69·8

  56·9

  49·6

  Cleveland

  93·7

  74·9

  53·3

  Durham

  74·6

  62·1

  54·7

  Northumberland

  23·0

  19·5

  19·3

  Tyne and Wear

  162·4

  126·0

  99·0

  Wales

  Clwyd

  43·9

  33·7

  35·2

  Dyfed

  23·6

  17·1

  15·9

  Gwent

  65·8

  52·8

  46·1

  Gwynedd

  11·8

  11·5

  9·3

  Mid Glamorgan

  70·8

  52·5

  44·7

  Powys

  5·8

  7·0

  6·9

  South Glamorgan

  300

  26·6

  25·2

  West Glamorgan

  57·9

  36·9

  28·8

  Scotland (Region and Islands areas)

  Borders

  14·2

  12·9

  12·6

  Central

  38·2

  31·1

  22·8

  Dumfries and Galloway

  11·7

  12·2

  11·3

  Fife

  42·8

  40·0

  35·8

  Grampian

  36·9

  36·8

  35·2

  Highlands

  12·6

  12·4

  10·2

  Lothians

  67·2

  66·2

  55·3

  Strathclyde

  331·3

  249·8

  215·4

  Tayside

  45·5

  37·1

  32·1

  Orkney Islands

  0·5

  0·7

  0·5

  Shetland Islands

  1·1

  1·1

  1·2

  Western Isles

  0·9

  1·5

  1·2

  1 Jobcentre based information: 1968 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Orders III-XIX.

  2 Ward based information (ward boundaries as at September 1981): 1980 SIC Divisions 2–4.

  Note:

  Jobcentre and ward based aggregates are not strictly comparable. The former are based on an amalgamation of jobcentre areas which may not be coterminous with the county boundary and, unlike the ward based aggregates, they include no allowance for non response and undetected duplication in census returns.
  119

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the unadjusted figures for December 1985 and June 1988, for each region and nationally, giving data for men and women separately and in total, of (a) the number of unemployed for each date and the percentage change between the dates, and (b) the number of employed for each date and the percentage difference between the dates in total and broken down by employees in employment, self-employment, Her Majesty's Forces and work-related government training programmes.

  Mr. Lee
  Table A shows the number of unemployed claimants for each region and the United Kingdom at December 1985 and June 1988, together with the percentage changes over the period. These unadjusted figures are affected by the change in the compilation of the count in March 1986 to reduce over-recording and also by seasonal influences.

  Table B shows the available information for the civilian workforce in employment. Figures for Her Majesty's forces are not available below national level. Comparisons of data for December 1985 and June 1988 are affected by seasonal variations.

  Table A

  Unemployment, unadjusted

  December 1985

  June 1988

  Percentage change December 1985 to June 1988

  Males

  South East

  524,118

  342,614

  -34·6

  East Anglia

  54,346

  32,777

  -39·7

  London

  277,856

  205,019

  -26·2

  South West

  135,139

  84,350

  -37·6

  West Midlands

  239,596

  162,554

  -32·2

  Table B

  Civilian workforce in employment, unadjusted for the effects of seasonal variations

  Thousands

  Region

  December 1985

  June 1988

  Percentage change December 1985 to June 1988

  Males

  South East

  Employees in employment

  4,054

  4,052

  -·0

  Self-employed1

  677

  813

  20·1

  Work-related government training programmes

  22

  30

  37·8

  Civilian workforce in employment

  4,753

  4,895

  3·0

  East Anglia

  Employees in employment

  436

  483

  10·9

  Self-employed1

  84

  91

  8·3

  Work-related government training programmes

  4

  6

  51·6

  Civilian workforce in employment

  524

  581

  10·8

  South West

  Employees in employment

  863

  864

  ·2

  Self-employed1

  190

  210

  10·5

  Work-related government training programmes

  10

  15

  49·2

  Civilian workforce in employment

  1,063

  1,089

  2·5

  West Midlands

  Employees in employment

  1,154

  1,172

  1·6

  120

  December 1985

  June 1988

  Percentage change December 1985 to June 1988

  East Midlands

  136,372

  100,898

  -26·0

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  217,137

  164,859

  -24·1

  North West

  315,505

  233,497

  -26·0

  Northern

  169,556

  130,611

  -23·0

  Wales

  128,324

  91,101

  -29·0

  Scotland

  245,250

  204,432

  - 16·6

  Northern Ireland

  88,605

  84,348

  -4·8

  United Kingdom

  2,253,948

  1,632,041

  -27·6

  Females

  South East

  255,650

  158,970

  -37·8

  East Anglia

  28,886

  18,139

  -37·2

  London

  124,027

  85,754

  -30·9

  South West

  75,193

  46,523

  - 38·1

  West Midlands

  106,044

  74,893

  -29·4

  East Midlands

  64,822

  45,346

  -30·1

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  92,986

  68,996

  -25·8

  North West

  133,492

  95,949

  -28·1

  Northern

  68,032

  48,264

  -2·1

  Wales

  53,172

  36,016

  -32·3

  Scotland

  107,999

  84,360

  -21·9

  Northern Ireland

  32,865

  31,292

  -4·8

  United Kingdom

  1,019,141

  708,748

  -30·5

  Totals

  South East

  779,768

  501,584

  -35·7

  East Anglia

  83,232

  50,916

  -38·8

  London

  401,883

  290,773

  -27·7

  South West

  210,332

  130,873

  -37·8

  West Midlands

  345,640

  237,447

  -31·3

  East Midlands

  201,194

  146,244

  -27·3

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  310,123

  233,855

  -24·6

  North West

  448,997

  329,446

  -26·6

  Northern

  237,588

  178,875

  -24·7

  Wales

  181,496

  127,117

  -30·0

  Scotland

  353,249

  288,792

  - 18·3

  Northern Ireland

  121,470

  115,640

  -4·8

  United Kingdom

  3,273,089

  2,340,789

  -28·5

  121

  Region

  December 1985

  June 1988

  Percentage change December 1985 to June 1988

  Self-employed1

  145

  169

  16·6

  Work-related government training programmes

  13

  24

  83·6

  Civilian workforce in employment

  1,311

  1,365

  4·1

  East Midlands

  Employees in employment

  843

  863

  2·4

  Self-employed1

  126

  149

  18·3

  Work-related government training programmes

  11

  15

  33·9

  Civilian workforce in employment

  980

  1,027

  4·8

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Employees in employment

  1,002

  986

  -1·6

  Self-employed1

  163

  184

  12·9

  Work-related government training programmes

  13

  24

  93·1

  Civilian workforce in employment

  1,178

  1,194

  1·4

  North West

  Employees in employment

  1,234

  1,185

  -4·0

  Self-employed1

  195

  216

  10·8

  Work-related government training programmes

  15

  29

  100·0

  Civilian workforce in employment

  1,444

  1,430

  -1·0

  North

  Employees in employment

  604

  605

  ·3

  Self-employed1

  79

  80

  1·3

  Work-related government training programmes

  9

  18

  112·7

  Civilian workforce in employment

  691

  704

  1·8

  Wales

  Employees in employment

  491

  477

  -2·8

  Self-employed1

  116

  108

  -6·9

  Work-related government training programmes

  7

  13

  90·2

  Civilian workforce in employment

  614

  598

  -2·5

  Scotland

  Employees in employment

  1,031

  996

  -3·5

  Self-employed1

  158

  157

  -·6

  Work-related government training programmes

  12

  25

  111·9

  Civilian workforce in employment

  1,201

  1,177

  -2·0

  Northern Ireland

  Employees in employment

  269

  262

  -2·5

  Self-employed1

  53

  53

  -·2

  Work-related government training programmes

  6

  5

  -11·4

  Civilian workforce in employment

  327

  320

  -2·3

  United Kingdom

  Employees in employment

  1,980

  11,945

  -·3

  Self-employed1

  1,982

  2,228

  12·4

  HM forces

  307

  300

  -2·5

  Work-related government training programmes

  120

  205

  70·2

  Workforce in employment

  14,390

  14,678

  2·0

  Females

  South East

  Employees in employment

  3,311

  3,516

  6·2

  Self-employed1

  227

  274

  20·7

  Work-related government training programmes

  16

  21

  26·1

  Civilian workforce in employment

  3,554

  3,811

  7·2

  East Anglia

  Employees in employment

  314

  351

  11·6

  Self-employed1

  26

  43

  65·4

  Work-related government training programmes

  3

  4

  23·9

  Civilian workforce in employment

  343

  398

  15·8

  122

  123

  Region

  December 1985

  June 1988

  Percentage change December 1985 to June 1988

  South West

  Employees in employment

  685

  735

  7·2

  Self-employed1

  64

  77

  20·3

  Work-related government training programme

  8

  10

  28·7

  Civilian workforce in employment

  757

  822

  8·6

  West Midlands

  Employees in employment

  871

  924

  6·1

  Self-employed1

  41

  47

  14·6

  Work-related government training programmes

  11

  18

  62·5

  Civilian workforce in employment

  923

  989

  7·1

  East Midlands

  Employees in employment

  660

  696

  5·6

  Self-employed1

  36

  48

  33·3

  Work-related government training programmes

  9

  10

  14·7

  Civilian workforce in employment

  705

  755

  7·1

  Yorkshire & Humberside

  Employees in employment

  792

  833

  5·2

  Self-employed1

  56

  64

  14·3

  Work-related government training programmes

  11

  16

  50·9

  Civilian workforce in employment

  859

  913

  6·3

  North West

  Employees in employment

  1,062

  1,079

  1·6

  Self-employed1

  72

  73

  1·4

  Work-related government training programmes

  13

  20

  53·3

  Civilian workforce in employment

  1,147

  1,172

  2·2

  North

  Employees in employment

  476

  500

  4·9

  Self-employed1

  26

  32

  231

  Work-related government training programmes

  8

  12

  52·8

  Civilian workforce in employment

  510

  544

  6·6

  Wales

  Employees in employment

  381

  396

  3·9

  Self-employed1

  34

  46

  35·3

  Work-related government training programmes

  6

  8

  36·2

  Civilian workforce in employment

  421

  450

  69

  Scotland

  Employees in employment

  866

  892

  3·1

  Self-employed1

  45

  45

  0·0

  Work-related government training programmes

  9

  17

  85·3

  Civilian workforce in employment

  920

  954

  3·7

  Northern Ireland

  Employees in employment

  233

  235

  0·8

  Self-employed1

  7

  7

  -1·8

  Work-related government training programmes

  3

  3

  -16·7

  Civilian workforce in employment

  244

  245

  0·4

  United Kingdom

  Employees in employment

  9,653

  10,158

  5·2

  Self-employed1

  636

  757

  18·9

  HM Forces

  16

  16

  -0·6

  Work-related government training programmes

  97

  138

  42·4

  Workforce in employment

  10,402

  11,069

  6·4

  Total South East

  Employees in employment

  7,365

  7,568

  2·8

  Self-employed1

  904

  1,087

  20·2

  124

  125

  Region

  December 1985

  June 1988

  Percentage change December 1985 to June 1988

  Work-related government training programmes

  38

  50

  32·8

  Civilian workforce in employment

  8,307

  8,705

  4·8

  East Anglia

  Employees in employment

  750

  834

  11·2

  Self-employed1

  110

  134

  21·8

  Work-related government training programmes

  7

  10

  39·7

  Civilian workforce in employment

  867

  978

  12·8

  South West

  Employees in employment

  1,548

  1,599

  3·3

  Self-employed1

  254

  287

  13·0

  Work-related government training programmes

  18

  25

  40·2

  Civilian workforce in employment

  1,819

  1,911

  5·0

  West Midlands

  Employees in employment

  2,025

  2,096

  3·5

  Self-employed1

  186

  216

  16·1

  Work-related government training programmes

  24

  41

  74·0

  Civilian workforce in employment

  2,235

  2,354

  5·3

  East Midlands

  Employees in employment

  1,502

  1,559

  3·8

  Self-employed1

  162

  197

  21·6

  Work-related government training programmes

  21

  26

  25·4

  Civilian workforce in employment

  1,685

  1,782

  5·7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Employees in employment

  1,795

  1,819

  1·4

  Self-employed1

  219

  248

  13·2

  Work-related government training programmes

  23

  40

  73·8

  Civilian workforce in employment

  2,037

  2,108

  3·5

  North West

  Employees in employment

  2,297

  2,264

  -1·4

  Self-employed1

  267

  289

  8·2

  Work-related government training programmes

  28

  49

  77·9

  Civilian workforce in employment

  2,591

  2,603

  0·4

  North

  Employees in employment

  1,080

  1,105

  2·3

  Self-employed1

  105

  112

  6·7

  Work-related government training programmes

  17

  30

  84·0

  Civilian workforce in employment

  1,202

  1,248

  3·8

  Wales

  Employees in employment

  872

  874

  0·2

  Self-employed1

  150

  154

  2·7

  Work-related government training programmes

  12

  21

  65·8

  Civilian workforce in employment

  1,035

  1,048

  1·3

  Scotland

  Employees in employment

  1,897

  1,888

  -0·5

  Self-employed1

  203

  202

  -0·5

  Work-related government training programmes

  21

  41

  100·2

  Civilian workforce in employment

  2,121

  2,131

  0·5

  Northern Ireland

  Employees in employment

  502

  497

  -1·0

  Self-employed1

  60

  60

  -0·4

  Work-related government training programmes

  9

  8

  -13·4

  Civilian workforce in employment

  571

  565

  -1·1

  United Kingdom

  Employees in employment

  21,632

  22,103

  2·2

  126

  127

  Region

  December 1985

  June 1988

  Percentage change December 1985 to June 1988

  Self-employed1

  2,619

  2,985

  14·0

  Her Majesty's Forces

  323

  316

  -2·4

  Work-related government training programmes

  217

  343

  57·8

  Workforce in employment

  24,792

  25,746

  3·9

  1 Self-employed figures for June 1988 are projections.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will indicate for each year since 1979 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
  [pursuant to his reply, 26 January 1989, c. 742]: I regret that my reply of 26 January 1989 contained an error in referring to the data for Northern Ireland. Estimates of full and part-time employment for Northern Ireland are made, but only at census of employment dates and the data for female employees in employment are set out in the table:

  September 1981

  September 1984

  All

  224

  229

  Of which full-time

  147

  147

  Part-time

  78

  81

  Part-time employees as percentage of all employees

  34·8

  35·6

  Employment Training (Child Care Allowance)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now make the child care allowance, previously confined to single parents on employment training, available to all trainees with children.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: My right hon. Friend is considering the implications of the recent industrial tribunal decision about the arrangements for making child care payments in employment training.

  Women With Children
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what help is available to women with children, who wish to undertake a course of training, who are not registered as unemployed and who cannot afford a child minder; what training courses are available; and what support is available to enable such women to undertake training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 20 January 1989]: Women aged 18 to 59 in the circumstances described are eligible for the full range of training opportunities under employment training if they are:

  (a) returning to the labour market after an absence of two years or more for domestic reasons;

  (b) the partner of someone who is claiming benefit for them as a dependant and satisfies the eligibility rules for Employment Training;

  (c) eeking training in enterprise, or for skill shortage occupations or require help with English as a Second Language or have a disability; or

  (d) a lone parent on an Income Support Order Book for at least 6 months and whose youngest child is of school age.

  128
  All trainees on employment training receive a weekly allowance equivalent to any state benefit entitlement before starting the programme plus at least £10 and help with travel costs over £5 per week. All lone parents on the programme are entitled to child care assistance of up to £50 per week per child. Women trainees may also be able to attend part-time where they have continuing domestic commitments which prevent full-time participation.

  The full range of YTS opportunities is also available to women in a similar position and who are under the age of 18 and who satisfy the normal eligibility rules. YTS trainees are entitled to an alowance of £29·50 per week rising to £35 per week in the second year.

SCOTLAND

  European Reprocessing Plant
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will make an announcement on the planning application for the European demonstration reprocessing plant.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend is still considering the report of the public local inquiry into the proposed development and he is not yet in a position to predict a date for the announcement of his decision.

  Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the sites and hectarages of sites for which compensation payments are made under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to prevent damage to areas of special conservation interest and the sums of compensation paid in each case.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Compensation payments under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 are made by the NCC, which is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for the Environment. Details of individual sites and payments are confidential, but data on the numbers and costs of such payments are published in the council's annual report, copies of which are in the Library.

  Greater Glasgow Health Board
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what methods are used by him to gauge public opinion on the competence of the board and general manager of Greater Glasgow health board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have recently commissioned a market research study of the National Health Service in Scotland. The sample size will enable some analysis of opinion at board level to be undertaken.
  129
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the non-hospital properties currently owned by the Greater Glasgow health board; and what is the board's assessment of their total value.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Greater Glasgow health board currently administers over 400 non-hospital properties of which it estimates the total value to be about £14·5 million.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many empty dwelling houses are owned by Greater Glasgow health board.

  Hospital medical and dental consultants in Greater Glasgow Health Board; by hospital, specialty and type of contract Number at 30 September 1987

  Location and specialty

  Whole time

  Maximum part time

  part time

  Honorary

  Total all

  Health Board HQ

  Occupational health

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Clinics East District

  Orthodon and paeditric dentistry

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  STD

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Forensic psychiatry

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  3

  1

  0

  0

  4

  Belvidere Hospital

  Orthopaedic surgery

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Dermatology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Respiratory medicine

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Radiotherapy

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Haematology

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  5

  0

  0

  1

  6

  Canniesburn Hospital

  Ophthalmology

  0

  2

  0

  0

  2

  Plastic surgery

  0

  4

  0

  0

  4

  Oral surgery and medicine

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Pathology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  2

  7

  0

  0

  9

  Duke Street Hospital

  Psychiatry-mentally ill

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Psychotherapy

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  3

  1

  0

  0

  4

  Gartloch Hospital

  Psychiatry-mentally Ill

  4

  1

  0

  0

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  4

  1

  0

  0

  5

  Glasgow Dental Hospital

  Orthodon and Paediatric Dentistry

  2

  0

  0

  4

  6

  Oral Surgery and Medicine

  4

  0

  0

  9

  13

  Restorative Dentistry

  3

  0

  0

  9

  12

  Pathology

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  9

  0

  0

  23

  32

  Glasgow Royal Infirmary

  General Surgery

  7

  1

  0

  4

  12

  Orthopaedic Surgery

  2

  2

  0

  0

  4

  Ent Surgery

  1

  2

  0

  1

  4

  Urology

  2

  1

  0

  0

  3

  Cardiothoracic Surgery

  1

  0

  0

  2

  3

  General Medicine

  5

  0

  0

  7

  12

  Cardiology

  1

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Endocrin and Diabetes

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Neurology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Dermatology

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Nephrology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Rheumatology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  130
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The board is responsible for 71 such properties, of which 47 are in process of being sold.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many consultants are employed by Greater Glasgow health board; if he will give a breakdown by hospital and specialty; and if he will show how many of the consultants by specialty are employed on a full-time or part-time basis.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest available information is shown in the table below.
  131

  Location and specialty

  Whole time

  Maximum part time

  Part time

  Honorary

  Total all

  Respiratory Medicine

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  STD

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Radiodiagnosis

  4

  1

  0

  0

  5

  Radiotherapy

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Medical Oncology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Anaesthetics

  14

  4

  0

  4

  22

  Obstetrics and Gynaecology

  4

  0

  0

  1

  5

  Accident and Emergency

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Haematology

  4

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Pathology

  3

  0

  0

  3

  6

  Clinical Chemistry

  2

  0

  1

  2

  5

  Microbiology

  3

  0

  0

  2

  5

  Immunology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Virology

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Total

  66

  12

  1

  28

  107

  Glasgow Royal Maternity

  Medical Paediatrics

  2

  1

  0

  0

  3

  Obstetrics and Gynaecology

  2

  0

  0

  1

  3

  Pathology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  5

  1

  0

  1

  7

  Lightburn Hospital

  Geriatric Medicine

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Lennox Castle Hospital

  Psychiatry-Mentally Ill

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Ruchill Hospital

  General Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Respiratory Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Communicable Disease

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Pathology

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Microbiology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Virology

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  6

  0

  0

  2

  8

  Stobhill Hospital

  General Surgery

  4

  2

  0

  0

  6

  Orthopaedic Surgery

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Ent-Surgery

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Ophthalmology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Urology

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  General Medicine

  4

  0

  0

  4

  8

  Cardiology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Clin Pharm and Therap

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Dermatology

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Nephrology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Respiratory Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Radiodiagnosis

  3

  1

  0

  0

  4

  Medical Oncology

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Paediatric Surgery

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Medical Paediatrics

  2

  1

  0

  0

  3

  Anaesthetics

  8

  2

  0

  0

  10

  Obstetrics and Gynaecology

  4

  2

  0

  0

  6

  Geriatric Medicine

  5

  0

  0

  1

  6

  Psychiatry-Mentally Ill

  4

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Haematology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Pathology

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Clinical Chemistry

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Microbiology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  54

  12

  0

  7

  73

  Woodilee Hospital

  Psychiatry-Mentally Ill

  6

  0

  3

  0

  9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  6

  0

  3

  0

  9

  Leverndale Hospital

  132

  133

  Location and specialty

  Whole time

  Maximum part time

  Part time

  Honorary

  Total all

  Psychiatry-Mentally Ill

  6

  0

  1

  0

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  6

  0

  1

  0

  7

  Mearnskirk General Hospital

  Psychiatry-Mentally Ill

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Philipshill Hospital

  General Medicine

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Royal Samaritan Hospital

  Neurology

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Obstetrics and Gynaecology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Total

  2

  1

  0

  0

  3

  Victoria Infirmary

  General Surgery

  4

  2

  0

  0

  6

  Orthopaedic Surgery

  1

  4

  0

  0

  5

  ENT Surgery

  1

  3

  0

  0

  4

  Urology

  0

  2

  0

  0

  2

  General Medicine

  3

  2

  0

  0

  5

  Endocrin and Diabetes

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Dermatology

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Respiratory Medicine

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Radiodiagnosis

  4

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Anaesthetics

  10

  2

  0

  0

  12

  Obstetrics and Gynaecology

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Accident and Emergency

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Haematology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Pathology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Clinical Chemistry

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Microbiology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Total

  33

  17

  0

  0

  50

  Victoria Infirmary Geriatric Unit

  Geriatric Medicine

  3

  1

  0

  0

  4

  Psychiatry-Mentally Ill

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Haematology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  5

  1

  0

  0

  6

  Rutherglen Maternity Hospital

  Medical Paediatrics

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Obstetrics and Gynaecology

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  2

  1

  0

  0

  3

  Clinics: South West District

  Forensic Psychiatry

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Southern General Hospital

  General Surgery

  2

  2

  0

  0

  4

  Orthopaedic Surgery

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Ophtahlmology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Urology

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Neurosurgery

  4

  0

  0

  2

  6

  General Medicine

  5

  2

  0

  0

  7

  Cardiology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Neurology

  2

  0

  0

  1

  3

  Respiratory Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  STD

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Radiodiagnosis

  5

  1

  0

  1

  7

  Medical Paediatrics

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Anaesthetics

  11

  2

  2

  0

  15

  Obstetrics and Gynae

  3

  2

  0

  0

  5

  Geriatric Medicine

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Psychiatry-Mentally Ill

  4

  1

  0

  2

  7

  Psychotherapy

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Forensic Psychiatry

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  134

  135

  Location and specially

  Whole time

  Maximum part time

  Part time

  Honorary

  Total all

  Haematology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Pathology

  1

  0

  0

  2

  3

  Microbiology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  54

  11

  2

  8

  75

  Clinics; Western District

  Forensic Psychiatry

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Gartnavel General Hospital

  General Surgery

  5

  1

  0

  0

  6

  E.N.T.

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Ophthalmology

  2

  1

  0

  0

  3

  Radioadiagnosis

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Medical Oncology

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Geriatric Medicine

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Psychiatry-Mentally Ill

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Psychotherapy

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Child Psychiatry

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Microbiology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  15

  3

  0

  2

  20

  Gartnavel Royal Hospital

  Geriatric Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Psychiatry-Mentally Ill

  4

  1

  0

  0

  5

  Psychotherapy

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  6

  1

  0

  0

  7

  Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital

  Homeopathy

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Knightswood Hospital

  General Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Respiratory Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Geriatric Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Total

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  RHSC Drumchapel

  Medical Daediatrics

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Clinical Chemistry

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Royal Hospital for Sick Children

  Orthopaedic Surgery

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Cardiothoracic Surgery

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Dermatology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Radiodiagnosis

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Paediatric Surgery

  4

  0

  0

  1

  5

  Medical Paediatrics

  7

  0

  0

  3

  10

  Anaesthetics

  4

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Child Psychiatry

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Psychiatry-Mentally Handicapped

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Haematology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Pathology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Clinical Genetics

  1

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Microbiology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  31

  0

  0

  6

  37

  Queen Mother's Hospital

  Radiodiagnosis

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Medical Paediatrics

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Obstetrics and Gynaecology

  3

  2

  0

  0

  5

  Clinical Genetics

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  5

  2

  0

  1

  8

  Glasgow Western Infirmary

  General Surgery

  1

  0

  0

  5

  6

  136

  137

  Location and specialty

  Whole time

  Maximum part time

  Part time

  Honorary

  Total all

  Orthopaedic Surgery

  3

  2

  0

  2

  7

  ENT Surgery

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Ophthalmology

  3

  1

  0

  3

  7

  Urology

  0

  2

  o

  0

  2

  Cardiothoracic Surgery

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Plastic Surgery

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  General Medicine

  6

  1

  0

  11

  18

  Cardiology

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Neurology

  2

  0

  0

  1

  3

  Dermatology

  1

  1

  0

  2

  4

  Nephrology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Rheumatology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Respiratory Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Radiodiagnosis

  3

  3

  0

  0

  6

  Radiotherapy

  6

  0

  0

  2

  8

  Medical Oncology

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Medical Paediatrics

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Anaesthetics

  17

  1

  0

  1

  19

  Obstetrics and Gynaecology

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Haematology

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Pathology

  2

  0

  0

  11

  13

  Clinical Chemistry

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Microbiology

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Immunology

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Virology

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  58

  11

  1

  47

  117

  Beatson Oncology Centre

  Radiotherapy

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Glasgow Eye Infirmary

  Ophthalmology

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  TOTAL

  397

  85

  8

  127

  617

  Note: The data collection system used to provide these data records the main location of each consultant. (S)he may work in different subsidiary locations. This table does not reflect the distribution of consultant sessions by subsidiary locations.

  Mr. Siliars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria have been employed by Greater Glasgow health board in the conduct of the review of accident and emergency services in the city of Glasgow.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Greater Glasgow health board is applying a wide range of criteria including the location of services, the different procedures followed at these locations, the staffing levels, and the usage. The review which is still in progress is intended to ensure that these services are delivered effectively.

  Southern general hospital
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many non-medical staff are employed at the Southern general hospital; and if he will give a breakdown by department or category; and if he will give comparable figures for the past three years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  'The non-medical staff whose main work location is the Southern general hospital are shown in the table.
  138

  Non-Medical staff located at the Southern general hospital Glasgow: at 30 September

  1985 Whole-time equivalent

  1986 Whole-time equivalent

  1987 Whole-time equivalent

  Nursing and Midwifery

  1,075·4

  1,045·5

  1,072·3

  Trainee Nurses

  208·0

  173·0

  165·0

  Scientific

  3·0

  4·0

  4·0

  Paramedical

  103·6

  104·2

  109·4

  Technical

  62·2

  59·6

  43·2

  Works

  5·0

  6·0

  6·0

  Administration and Clerical

  236·4

  231·2

  223·3

  Ancillary

  512·3

  493·8

  494·4

  Tradesmen

  78·0

  77·0

  75·0

  Pharmacists

  14·0

  15·0

  15·0

  TOTAL

  2,297·9

  2,209·3

  2,207·6

  Only learner nurses' time spent in giving service contribution to the hospital is included.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases have been treated at the Southern general accident and emergency unit in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is set out in the table.
  139

  Patients treated as accident and emergency at the Southern general hospital

  Year ending 31 March

  Inpatient discharges1

  Day cases

  Outpatient attendances

  1984

  706

  98

  40,378

  1985

  616

  105

  41,727

  1986

  658

  23

  41,313

  1987

  662

  99

  42,598

  1988

  760

  84

  42,639

  1 Including deaths and transfers out.

  Health Boards (Property Disposals)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether health boards have discretion to take into account factors other than the highest offer when deciding on disposal of heritable property.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Where surplus Health Service land is offered for sale, the sellers are not bound to accept the highest, or any, offer. All offers received are considered in their entirety, taking into account not only their monetary value but any conditions and any other relevant information. The decision on which offer is the best is made in the light of expert professional advice from the district valuer and the selling agent.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average gross domestic product per head in Scotland.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The provisional estimate of Scottish gross domestic product at factor cost for 1987 is £5,725 per head of population.

  Average Wages
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average weekly wage for(a) full-time and (b) part-time (i) male and (ii) female workers in Scotland.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The information requested is given in the table. It has been derived from the new earnings survey, which is conducted by the Department of Employment in April each year, and covers a 1 per cent. sample of employees who are members of PAYE schemes.

  Average gross weekly earnings of employees on adult rates1

  Scotland, April 1988

  £/week2

  Male full-time

  Male part-time

  Female full-time

  Female part-time

  233·3

  57·8

  152·2

  62·4

  1 Excluding those whose pay for the survey pay-period was affected by absence

  2 All figures are subject to sampling errors.

  Table 1B

  GDFCF in certain industries1 as a percentage of GDP in equivalent industries3

  GDFCF in certain industries1 and dwellings as a percentage of total GDP4 at factor cost

  Old basis

  New basis

  Old basis

  New basis

  1971

  20·1

  —

  14·7

  —

  1972

  19·3

  —

  13·7

  —

  1973

  19·4

  —

  14·0

  —

  1974

  22·8

  —

  16·9

  —

  1975

  26·6

  —

  17·8

  —

  1976

  25·0

  —

  17·2

  —

  1977

  23·6

  —

  16·0

  —

  1978

  24·4

  —

  16·1

  —

  1979

  24·1

  —

  16·1

  —

  1980

  26·5

  26·9

  16·1

  16·0

  Industry Act
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest figures for the amount of special assistance granted under the Industry Act in Scotland.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The figures are contained in the annual report of the "Industrial Development Act 1982". The most recent report for the year ended 31 March 1988 was presented to the House on 28 July 1988.

  Gross Domestic Fixed Capital
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are the present levels of gross domestic fixed capital formation in Scotland; and what is the percentage change over(a) the last year and (b) 1978–79, in cash and real terms;

  (2) what is the gross domestic fixed capital formation in Scotland as a percentage of gross domestic product (E) for each year since 1959.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Estimates of gross domestic fixed capital formation (GDFCF) for Scotland, prepared by the Central Statistical Office, are available only for agriculture, forestry and fishing, energy and water supply, manufacturing, transport and communications (excluding shipping and air transport), together with dwellings. In 1986 these sectors accounted for 57 per cent. of United Kingdom GDFCF (excluding the continental shelf region).

  Changes between 1978 and 1986 and between 1985 and 1986, are set out in Table 1A. Owing to methodological and classification changes, there is slight discontinuity in the series in 1980.

  Table 1B gives GDFCF in Scotland for those industries for which it is available as a percentage of Scottish gross domestic product (GDP) at factor cost for a broadly equivalent group of industries. In addition, alternative estimates including investment in dwellings are given as a percentage of total GDP. The GDP estimates are based on income GDP(I) at factor cost; there are no expenditure-based estimates (GDP(E)) for Scotland.

  Table 1A

  GDFCF in certain industries1 and dwellings

  1978–1986 percentage change

  1985–1986 percentage change

  Current prices

  +49

  -1

  Consant 1985 Prices2

  -22

  -6

  141

  GDFCF in certain industries1 as a percentage of GDP in equivalent industries3

  GDFCF in certain industries1 and dwellings as a percentage of total GDP4 at factor cost

  Old basis

  New basis

  Old basis

  New basis

  1981

  —

  23·3

  —

  14·1

  1982

  —

  20·6

  —

  13·0

  1983

  —

  18·9

  —

  12·0

  1984

  —

  20·2

  —

  12·6

  1985

  —

  20·9

  —

  12·6

  1986

  —

  18·3

  —

  11·4

  1 Agriculture, forestry and fishing; energy and water supply; manufacturing; transport and communication (excluding shipping and air transport)

  2 Using United Kingdom deflators for the relevant sectors and dwellings—such deflators are likely to be particularly unreliable for dwellings.

  3 GDP(l) for the industries listed at footnote 1 and also including shipping and air transport. The difference in the basis of comparison leads to a likely slight understatement of the GDFCF share of about 0·3 percentage points.

  4 GDP for the whole economy, including industries for which no GDFCF estimates are available.

  National Health Service (Expenditure)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total Health Service expenditure per head of population in Scotland for each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Total gross expenditure on the National Health Service in Scotland per head of population in 1986–87 was £418 and in 1987–88 £457. The corresponding figure for 1988–89 is expected to be £504.

  As my right hon. and learned Friend announced on 13 December we plan to spend some £2,683 million on the National Health Service in Scotland next year. This will result in an increase in real terms of about 32 per cent. over the level of expenditure in 1979–80. These figures clearly demonstrate the Government's commitment to the continued development and improvement of health services in Scotland.

  National Health Service Beds
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of staffed National Health Service beds in Scotland per 1,000 people.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  10·7.

  Colleges of Education (Staff)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teaching staff vacancies in Scottish colleges of education have been filled by permanent appointment in the academic session 1987–88 and in session 1988–89 to date.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of teaching staff vacancies in the colleges filled by temporary secondments is as follows:

  (a) from primary schools

  (b) from secondary schools

  Academic session 1987–88

  12

  14

  Academic session 1988–89 (to date)

  13

  15

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teaching staff vacancies in Scottish colleges of education have been filled by temporary secondments from(a) primary, and (b) secondary schools in the academic session 1987–88 and in session 1988–89 to date.
  142
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Among teaching staff for teacher training courses, nine vacancies in session 1987–88 and so far 13 vacancies in session 1988–89 have been filled by permanent appointment.

  Home Condition Survey
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to order a house condition survey in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have, as yet, nothing further to add to the answers which I gave to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 2 November 1987, column 431, and again on 13 May 1988 at column 279 and the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) on 8 March 1988 at column 85.

  Housing Repairs
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest information regarding housing in need of major structural repairs in(a) Scotland, (b) Greater Glasgow, (c) Edinburgh, (d) Dundee and (e) Aberdeen.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Skye (Road Bridge)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to his answer of 25 January to the hon. Member for Ross, Cromarty and Skye, he will indicate(a) the likely time-scale involved in considering the range of options and the financial implications currently before him in respect of the possibility of building a bridge to Skye and (b) whether he proposes any public consultation over the use and level of tolls associated with such a project; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is not possible at this stage to indicate any precise time scale for the consideration of options or what procedures will be involved.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pensioners there are in Scotland; and what proportion this is of the total population.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The registrar general's population estimates for 30 June 1987 give the total number of women over 60 and men over 65 as 893,629 which is 17·5 per cent. of the population of Scotland on that date.

  Pensioners (New Towns)
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pensioners, expressed as a percentage of the total population, are resident in each of the new towns; and what is the projected figure for each of the next five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 20 January 1989]I regret that the information requested is not available.

  The registrar general prepares population estimates and projections by age for local government districts but only estimates of total population for new towns. The most recent census information relates to 1981. There are likely to have been significant changes in the new towns since then.

  Hospital Waiting Lists (Gynaecology Patients)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to reduce the hospital treatment waiting lists for gynaecology patients.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]The gynaecology in-patient waiting list is estimated to have failed by 10 per cent. in the year to March 1988. Of the £3 million which I have allocated to health boards to reduce waiting lists in 1988–89, a total of £218,000 has been allocated to projects to reduce gynaecology waiting lists. Boards have set targets to see or treat 3,510 extra out-patients, 614 extra in-patients and 690 extra day cases in this specialty. The £7 million which has been allocated for action to reduce waiting lists in 1989–90 will further improve the situation substantially.

  Radioactivity Monitoring
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now consider funding and authorising the Clyde River Purification Board to undertake direct radioactivity monitoring in the river areas for which they have responsibility.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]We have no plans for this. But if the hon. Member has a particular objective in mind which such monitoring might achieve he may like to let me know.

TRANSPORT

  Parking Facilities (Greater London)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he is having with the Metropolitan police and borough councils to improve parking facilities in Greater London.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have advised London boroughs to develop coherent policies on parking, waiting and loading as part of their approach to traffic management.

  In his statement on transport in London issued last week to all London borough councils and to the Metropolitan police, my right hon. Friend noted his support for more effective parking controls; the need for users of off-street public car parks to pay the full commercial price; his support to local authorities' policies of limiting private non-residential off-street parking in new
  144
  developments; and the contribution of park-and-ride facilities in outer areas to relieve congestion on radial routes.

  Officials are in regular contact with the Metropolitan police and London borough councils on a wide range of parking topics.

  Departmental Staff (Child Care)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, 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.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The driver and behicle licensing centre at Swansea runs an annual summer holiday play scheme for children of school age which is being extended to the Easter holidays this year for the first time.

  Child care for 5 to 12-year-olds is again being provided for two weeks in August at the Cardington residential training centre.

  The Department is considering what scope there is for further provision without continuing subsidy.

  King's Cross (Traffic and Roads)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies he has commissioned into traffic and roads in the King's Cross area; when they are due to he completed; and who are carrying them out.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The east London assessment study area has been extended to include King's Cross. Ove Arup and Partners have been asked to consider the impact on transport of proposed developments in the King's Cross area as part of their commission.

  The consultants' report on the assessment study is expected this summer. They will provide advice as necessary on issues arising from development proposals in the meantime.

  Road Transport
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will be seeking in the context of the single European market to bring road transport cabotage into line with continental countries, whether heavy goods vehicles will be forbidden to travel on Sundays and restricted to specific roads; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 12 January at column 122 about the need for compliance by all vehicles with Community law and the national laws of the countries they visit. It is for highway authorities to decide whether to restrict the movement of heavy goods vehicles on the roads for which they are responsible.

  Harbour Authorities (Shipping Services)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many competent harbour authorities are charging firms which maintain scheduled services between United Kingdom offshore islands and the United Kindom mainland, under the Pilotage Act; and if he will list them.
  145
  Mr. Portillo
  I understand that the following competent harbour authorities make charges under the Pilotage Act 1987 to firms operating such services:

  Aberdeen Harbour Board

  Clyde Port Authority

  Cowes Harbour Commissioners

  Lerwick Harbour Trust

  Penwith District Council

  City of Portsmouth

  I further understand that Associated British Ports, as competent harbour authority for the port of Southampton, intends shortly to introduce such charges on firms operating services of this kind.

  Ferry Services
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints about charges on scheduled United Kingdom territorial ferry services he has received; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend has received complaints from my hon. Friend about charges made under the Pilotage Act 1987 by the city of Portsmouth to Solent Cruises and Wight Line Cruises and by the Cowes harbour commissioners to the Red Funnel Group; and from another hon. Member about such charges made by the city of Portsmouth to Gosport Ferry Limited. I understand that following discussions between the city of Portsmouth and Solent and Wight Line Cruises an acceptable arrangement has been reached in those cases.

  My right hon. Friend has received no objection under section 10 of the Pilotage Act 1987 about charges made on ferry services operating entirely within United Kingdom territorial waters or between the mainland and United Kingdom offshore islands.

  Ministerial Advisers (Salaries)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total expenditure on salaries of ministerial advisers in his Department for each completed year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have nothing to add to the information which I gave to the hon. Member in my reply of 16 January at column 98.

  Personal Injury Accidents
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Pembroke on 24 January,Official Report, column 513–14, he will express the personal injury accidents given in the reply as a percentage of (a) resident population in the police area, (b) per mile of road in the police area and (c) per registered motor vehicle in the police area.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Population, road length and vehicle stock figures are not readily available by police force area. Figures are available for counties. I will write to my hon. Friend when the official road accident statistics for 1988 are available.

  BAA Airports (Security)
  Mr. Dicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has yet received from Sir Norman Payne the report on improvements in security at BAA airports that he requested on 13 January.
  146
  Mr. Channon
  Yes, I received Sir Norman Payne's report on Thursday 19 January.

  The report is thorough and detailed. It identifies well over 100 points on which security improvements have recently been made at BAA's seven airports, are now being made, or are under urgent review.

  These improvements cover the following areas in particular:

  (a) conditions for the issue of airside passes;

  (b) the searching of staff and of any articles they carry when entering airside;

  (c) the searching of vehicles when entering airside.

  (d) reducing existing landside/airside control posts to release staff for improving security elsewhere; and

  (e) increasing patrolling of restricted areas.

  In identifying these improvements BAA have been guided by the following principles:

  (i) All staff in possession of unescorted airside passes must have been satisfactorily checked to ensure their integrity. Subsequent to the issue of their passes appropriate positive monitoring must be implemented on an ongoing basis.

  (ii) Procedures must be in operation which satisfactorily monitor the articles carried airside by staff.

  (iii) Procedures must be in operation which either ensure that goods on delivery are escorted to the offload point or minimise the risk of prohibited goods entering airside.

  (iv) Better security is achieved by the minimum number of airside/landside control points.

  (v) Monitoring of restricted areas by patrolling must be at a level consistent with the risks.

  I do not propose to have BAA's report as a whole published. It would not be in the interests of good security to release detailed material on airport security measures in force or under consideration.

  I have replied to Sir Norman Payne accepting his report. My officials will keep in touch with BAA about its implementation. I have asked Sir Norman for an account of progress on outstanding matters in three months.

  Invalid Carriages
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when regulations allowing for a new class of invalid carriage that can travel at 8 mph will be introduced.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Use of Invalid Carriages on Highways Regulations 1988 (SI 1988/2268) came into force yesterday. These regulations allow for the introduction of the type of vehicle my hon. Friend describes, that is, an "invalid carriage" (powered outdoor vehicle for a disabled person) able to travel at a speed of up to 8 mph on the carriageway with the restriction remaining at 4 mph on the footway.

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the individuals and organisations that have registered their objections to the proposed increase in tolls on the Severn bridge and which intend to give evidence at the inquiry which starts on 21 February.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  At the pre-inquiry meeting held in Thornbury on 17 January, the following signified their intention of giving evidence at the inquiry:

  The Standing Conference on Regional Policy in South Wales

  Avon County Council

  The Automobile Association

  The Royal Automobile Club

  The Freight Transport Association

  147

  The Road Haulage Association

  Mr. John Jackson of the Railway Development Society Severnside

  Mr. Steve Hoselitz, Editor of the South Wales Argus

  All registered objectors have been asked to say by 7 February whether they wish to give evidence.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what interest charges were incurred in the building of the Severn bridge;

  (2) what was the basic cost of building the Severn bridge.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: The total cost of building the Severn crossing, comprising the Severn bridge, the Wye bridge and viaduct, and the approach roads, with all ancillary equipment, was £14,362,334. This includes £1,710,143 in respect of interest capitalised during construction.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost of the current repair work on the Severn bridge at the latest available date; and what is the total amount expected to be on completion.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 30 January 1989] To date £38·9 million has been spent on strengthening and repair work to the Severn crossing. The current estimate for the whole of the works including maintenance is £70 million.

PRIME MINISTER

  Israel (Prime Minister)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to seek to meet the Prime Minister of Israel.

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

  Social Reform (EEC Proposals)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister is she will make a statement on her policy on the EEC's proposals on social reform, with particular reference to the draft directives on sex discrimination, parental leave and the
  rights of part-time employees.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government support the conclusion of the European Council that the single market offers the best prospect for promoting employment and increasing the general prosperity of the Community for the benefit of all our people, women and men. We therefore encourage those measures that help the achievement of the single market, and bring down unemployment. But we must resist unnecessary directives which would be an obstacle to growth. We believe that such matters as parental leave and terms and conditions for part-time workers are best dealt with not by inflexible directives but by negotiation between employers and employees.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Prime Minister how many letters she has received objecting to the proposed high-speed rail link from London to the Channel tunnel; and what replies she has sent.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received several hundred letters, including some from hon. Members.

  Ministerial Advisers (Salaries)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the total expenditure on salaries on ministerial advisers in her office for each completed year since 1979; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Following is the information:

  Year

  £

  1981

  35,762·50

  1982

  75,569·25

  11983

  167,126·97

  1984

  145,022·52

  1985

  188,654·82

  1986

  210,746·87

  1987

  239,459·46

  1988

  215,379·85

  1 In 1983 the CPRS was abolished and some members became Ministerial advisers.

  Engagements
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether she will publish tables listing all the arts: ( a) companies, (b) projects and (c) events that she has visited or attended in her official capacity in each of the past 10 years;
  (2) whether she will publish a table showing the total number of official engagements she has undertaken in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years.

  The Prime Minister
  I undertake a substantial number of official engagements each year and visit a wide variety of organisations.

  Press Statements
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether she will publish tables listing all the(a) dates and (b) titles of all press releases on the arts that her office has released in each of the last 10 years;

  (2) whether she will publish a table showing the total number of press statements released by her office in each of the past 10 years.

  The Prime Minister
  This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Speeches
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether she will list the(a) dates, (b) locations and (c) titles of all tlhe speeches she has made on the arts in each of the last 10 years;

  (2) whether she will publish a table showing the total number of speeches she has delivered in her official capacity in the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years.

  The Prime Minister
  This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Insurance
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the total cost to each Government Department which carries its own risks and has its own insurance
  149
  arrangements in each year since 1974 of paying damages and associated administrative costs; and what estimate she has as to the cost for each Department in each year of subscribing to normal third party cover afforded by insurance companies in respect of (a) employees, (b) properties and (c) vehicles.

  The Prime Minister
  I regret that this information cannot be provided without a disproportionate expenditure of time and resources.

  Non-ministerial Appointments (Salaries)
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list those non-ministerial appointments for which she is responsible, to which a salary is attached.

  The Prime Minister
  The information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Engagements
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.

  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.

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

  Overseas Aid1: Plans and outturn 1984–85 to 1987–88

  £ million

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Originally planned provision

  1,125

  1,157

  1,1214

  1,263

  Estimated Outturn

  1,124

  1,160

  1,224

  1,277

  Final Outturn

  1,120

  1,151

  1,209

  1,224

  1 Overseas aid includes aid administration and amounts attributed to overseas aid for European Community budgetary spending on aid.

DEFENCE

  Emergency Response Team
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual budget for the counter improvised

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new steps he proposes in overseas aid to seek to prevent future large-scale deforestation in areas of tropical rain forest.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We shall continue to encourage the wise and sustainable use of forest resources including support for alternative activities which deter deforestation. Countries receiving British aid will be asked to devote more of our aid resources to forestry.

  We will make more aid funds available for international collaborative forestry research. We will encourage British charities to put forward more forestry projects for support from the aid programme. We will continue to help strengthen the institutional capacity of developing countries to deal with forestry issues by, for example, funding overseas trainees on forestry courses in the United Kingdom.

  We shall continue to collaborate with other donors in the tropical forestry action plan which is now active in more than 50 countries. We remain strong supporters of the International Tropical Timber Organisation.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing for each of the last complete financial years(a) the public expenditure planned on overseas development administration in the public expenditure White Paper published immediately prior to each financial year and (b) the outturn public expenditure for each year, including any mid-year additions to the overseas aid programme.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The table, derived from relevant public expenditure White Papers, shows for each of the last four financial years the originally planned provision, estimated outturn (including adjustments to planned provision announced during the year) and final outturn for overseas aid. Since 1984–85, with Treasury agreement, aid programme underspends have been added to provision for the next year rather than, as previously, the year after next. An increase in the planned provision for overseas aid in 1988–89, taking account of the underspend in 1987–88, was announced on 14 November 1988, at column 371.

  nuclear device emergency response team; what liaison it has with the nuclear emergency search team in the United States of America; and with which other national counter-nuclear terrorist squads the United Kingdom team liaises.
  151
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Sir Michael McNair-Wilson) on 13 January at column 784.

  North Korea (Weapons Capacity)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the possession by North Korea of chemical or biological weapons capacity.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not our normal practice to comment in detail on the information available to the Government on such matters.

  Nuclear Materials (Storage)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specific licensing arrangements exist with the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution covering the storage of nuclear materials at(a) Devonport, Rosyth and Faslane shipyards and (b) the Atomic Weapons Research establishment Aldermaston, Atomic Weapon Research Establishment Burghfield and the Royal Ordnance plant at Caerwent.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Since their privatisation, the Devonport and Rosyth Dockyard Companies' nuclear facilities have been licensed, via the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate, under the terms of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (NIA). The disposals of waste radioactive substances from these facilities are now made under authorisations issued, under the terms of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 (RSA), by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in the Department of the Environment (HMIP/DOE) for Devonport and by Her Majesty's Industrial pollution inspectorate of the Scottish Development Department (HMIPI/SDD) for Rosyth.

  Crown and Government Departments including Her Majesty's forces nuclear and radioactive facilities are not subject to licensing under the NIA. These MOD facilities are, however, subject to appropriate regulation, inspection and enforcement by Her Majesty's inspectors of HSE (HMI/HSE) under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA). Although the terms of the RSA are not applicable to such facilities, disposals of waste radioactive substances are subject to "agreements",made with the relevant environmental Departments, approved by the Secretaries of State for those relevant Departments.

  Although safety enactments and statutes are not applicable to defence facilities, it is Her Majesty's Government policy that the standards of the health and safety requirements set by Secretary of State for Defence are, and shall be, at least as stringent as those set by enactments and other legislation for similar civil (non-defence) installations.

  The following are the current positions:

  (a) The Naval Base at Faslane is not licensed under the NIA. Waste disposals are under an agreement with HMIPI/SDD.

  (b) None of the Stations of the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) based on Aldermaston, Burghfield and Cardiff (the former ROF Cardiff) is licensed under the NIA. Radioactive waste disposals are made in accordance with Agreements with the relevant Environmental Departments; viz: HMIP/DOE and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for AWE (Aldermaston); HMIP/DOE for AWE (Burghfield); and the Welsh Office, in consultation with HMIP/DOE, for AWE (Cardiff).

  Anti-submarine Atomic Depth Charges
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Admiralty research establishment at Portsmouth conducts any development or defence preparedness research on anti-submarine atomic depth charges.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not our policy to disclose details of any research work of this nature.

  Radioactive Contamination
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantities of(a) beryllium and (b) depleted uranium are stored at the Royal Ordnance factory Caerweni at Llanishen, Cardiff; and what safety measures are implemented to stop radioactive contamination of surrounding land areas and water supplies.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not the policy of the Ministry of Defence to reveal the amounts of nuclear, radioactive and other associated materials held at defence establishments including the atomic weapons establishment at Cardif (AWE (Cardiff)) (formerly the Royal Ordnance factory, Cardiff).

  All work involving radioactive and toxic materials is undertaken in facilities which are designed and built to ensure a safe working environment and to protect other workers, the general public and the environment against any potential hazard. Residual radioactive and beryllium wastes are treated before discharge. The airborne discharges are continuously monitored; liquids are collected and each batch monitored prior to discharge. The total amounts discharged are very small. Monitoring outside the buildings involved does not indicate any significant level of dispersed materials. The radiation doses from these discharges are assessed to be negligible, less than one thousandth of the annual United Kingdom dose limit for members of the public.

  We are therefore confident that the storage of quantities of both beryllium and depleted uraniaum held at AWE (Cardiff) does not pose any danger to the work force or the public.

  Fissile Material Stockpile
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has recently received any reports from(a) the director of atomic weapon research establishment, Aldermaston and (b) the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces on the preparedness of the United Kingdom fissile material stockpile to meet defence requirements into the 1990s.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Future requirements for fissile material are kept under regular review as part of the overall process of planning the defence programme. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to reveal details.

  Chemical Weapons
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received any report on the chemical weapons capability of(a) Libya, (b) Israel, (c) Iraq, (d) the Soviet Union, (e) France, (f) South Africa and (g) the United States of America.
  153
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Reports are received from time to time on the military capabilities of many countries. However, it is not our normal practice to comment in detail on individual reports.

  Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what places, over what time period and using what methods United Kingdom stocks of chemical and biological warfare agents were destroyed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 25 January at column 653.

  Fighter Pilots
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pilots qualified for flying jet fighter planes during 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  A total of 83 pilots graduated to fly fast jet in 1988, which represents a slight increase on 1987 figures.

  Chemical Warfare
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any stocks of chemical or biological warfare agents are kept at Porton Down or other Ministry of Defence research establishments for the purpose of experimental research on protective measures for civilians and military personnel against chemical warfare attack.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 25 January at column 653.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any tests have been undertaken at Porton Down on any soil samples from the Kurdish areas of Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The CDE Porton Down has carried out a scientific analysis of soil samples provided by Mr. Gwynne Roberts, a Channel 4 reporter. The analysis, which was given to Mr. Roberts on 11 January, shows that the samples contained traces of sulphur mustard and related compounds together with traces of the explosive Tetryl. We cannot confirm the circumstances in which these samples were collected, but have no reason to doubt Mr. Roberts' account that these were collected in northern Iraq. The Government believe that this, following previous indications, amounts to convincing evidence that chemical weapons have been used by Iraq against their Kurdish population.

  Military Construction Projects
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list military construction projects in the United Kingdom that are used in support of(a) British forces and (b) United States forces that are to be funded in whole or in part by NATO infrastructure funds from NATO slices 41 and 42.

  Mr. Neubert
  The composition of NATO infrastructure slices 41 and 42 will not be agreed until December 1989 and December 1990 respectively.

  Military Exercises (Noise and Damage)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken since 1986 to lessen the effects of the firing of guns on the Castlemartin range, Pembrokeshire on the range's neighbour; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  A number of measures have been adopted in an effort to reduce the effects of firing at Castlemartin range on the local community. When weather conditions are likely to attenuate firing, noise limitations are placed on the types of ammunition which may be fired and firing on certain areas of the range is prohibited. Night firing is restricted to two hours only between 1830 hours and 2359 hours according to the season and may take place on only two non-consecutive nights per week and not on Fridays, weekends or public holidays; only the quieter ammunition may be fired.

  Castlemartin is an extremely important training facility for tank units of the British and Federal German armies. Live firing is an indispensible part of troop training and Castlemartin is one of the few places where this can be done.

  Nevertheless, the range authorities maintain close liaison with the local community and seek to do all that is possible, given training needs, to lessen the burden on those living close to the range.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any compensation is paid by his Department in respect of damage caused to civilian properties as a result of vibration from British or West German military guns or aircraft in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Ministry of Defence deals with, and, where appropriate, settles, third party claims for compensation for loss of or damage to property in this country arising from the on-duty activities of the United Kingdom's armed forces. The Ministry also deals, under the terms of article VIII of the NATO status of forces agreement (Cmnd. 9363), with claims arising from on-duty activities of the armed forces of other NATO member nations training in this country.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail the types of British and West German tank together with their gun calibre used on the Castlemartin range, Pembrokeshire, since 1959, with the dates when new types of tank were introduced.

  Mr. Neubert
  The following types of tank have been used on the Castlemartin range since 1959.

  British

  Date

  Centurion

  20 pounder gun

  1959–64

  Centurion

  105 mm gun

  1965–72

  Centurion

  120 mm gun

  1970–date

  Note Some minor trials were conducted with Chieftain 120 mm during 1966–67.

  German

  Date

  M48

  90 mm gun

  1961–67

  Leopard 1

  105 mm gun

  1968–69

  M48

  90 mm gun

  1970–73

  Leopard 1

  105 mm gun

  1974–75

  M48

  90 mm gun

  1976–79

  155

  German

  Date

  Leopard 1

  105 mm gun

  1980–85

  Leopard 2

  120 mm gun

  1986–date

  Note The Federal Republic of Germany first made use of the facilities at Castlemartin in 1961.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any arrangements exist for the provision of finance or other assistance for sound insulation of civilian properties adjacent to military ranges in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Ministry of Defence has no arrangements for the provision of finance or other assistance for the sound insulation of civilian properties adjacent to military ranges in the United Kingdom. As with all military activities, however, where a reasonable connection can be made between an activity and specific damage or loss, the Ministry of Defence would be prepared to consider individual claims.

ENERGY

  Ministerial Advisers (Salaries)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total expenditure on salaries of ministerial advisers in his Department for each completed year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The ministerial advisers appointed in my Department since 1979 are as follows:

  1979 Mr. M. Portillo

  1983 Ms. L. Rouse

  1987 Mr. J. Derrick

  1989 Mr. N. D. Martin

  It is not the practice to reveal the salaries of advisers as they are individually negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings and are therefore confidential. The length of appointment for each adviser varied.

  Nuclear Reactors
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy for how long the Didcot Pluto reactors at Harwell have been in use; if any United Kingdom reactor has been in use longer; what(a) primary containment or (b) secondary shutdown system exists in these reactors; what assessment he has made of the safety of these reactors and of the possibility of a melt-down accident; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The UKAEA's reactors Dido and Pluto were commissioned in 1956 and 1957 respectively, contemporary with the first United Kingdom commercial power reactors. On the matters raised by the hon. Member relating to the design of the reactors, I have asked the chairman of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to write to him.

  The Health and Safety Executive carried out a safety audit of Dido and Pluto in late 1987. This audit considered all aspects of the safety of the reactors and concluded that the two reactors were safe for current operation, but the HSE made a number of recommendations with which the authority would have to comply to provide justification for operation beyond 1989. The AEA have accepted all the recommendations, the timely implementation of which the HSE will continue to monitor closely.
  156
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make available to the public the full report of inspections carried out by the nuclear installations inspectorate towards the end of 1987 on the Didcot Pluto reactors at Harwell.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The technical commentaries on plant operation and arrangements which the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate produced in the course of its review were not prepared with a view to future publication. They include information of a commercially sensitive nature which it would not be appropriate to publish. The conclusions and recommendations arising from the audit were published by the HSE in a press notice dated 21 June 1988 a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.

  Offshore Installations (Safety)
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made regarding proposals for the application off shore of regulations dealing with safety representatives and safety committees.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  A consultative document containing our proposals for a set of regulations to deal with the election of safety representatives and for the formation of safety committees on offshore installations has been issued today. Copies of these proposals are available in the Libraries of the House.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Private Bill Procedure
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received other than from hon. and right hon. Members urging an early debate of the report of the Joint Committee on Private Bill' Procedure.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have received no such representations.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the private bills laid before the House since 1979 and indicate which have been enacted.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested is as follows:

  Bills presented after 27 November 1979

  Alexandra Park and Palace [Lords]

  *Bangor Market [Lords]

  *British Olivetti Limited [Lords]

  *British Railways

  *British Railways (Castlefield)

  *British Transport Docks

  *Clifton Suspension Bridge

  *County of Kent [Lords]

  *Derbyshire [Lords]

  *Eagle & Globe Steel Limited [Lords]

  *Eastbourne Harbour [Lords]

  *East Sussex [Lords]

  *Edward Berry and Doris Eilleen Ward (Marriage
  Enabling) [Lords]

  *Falmouth Container Terminal

  *Felixstowe Dock and Railway (No. 2) (Late Bill)

  *Friends Meeting House (Reigate) [Lords]

  *Greater London Council (General Powers) (No. 2)

  *Greater London Council (Money) (No. 2)

  *Humberside [Lords]

  *London Transport (No. 2)

  Portsmouth City Council

  157

  *Salvation Army [Lords]

  *Scottish Widows' Fund and Life Assurance Society

  *Southern Water Authority [Lords]

  *Standard Life Assurance Company

  Stevenage Development Authority

  *United Reformed Church Lion Walk Colchester (changed from United Reformed Church (Lion Walk Colchester))

  *Wesley's Chapel, City Road

  Bills presented after 27 November 1980

  *Allied Irish Banks

  *Barnsley Borough Council

  *British Railways (No. 2)

  *British Railways (Pension Schemes)

  *British Railways (Victoria) [Lords]

  *British Transport Docks

  *Charterhouse Japhet

  *County of Avon [Lords]

  *Cumbria [Lords]

  *Greater London Council (General Powers)

  *Greater London Council (Money)

  *Great Yarmouth Borough Council [Lords]

  *Lloyd's

  *Lloyd's Bank

  *London Transport

  *Milford Docks [Lords]

  *Northumbrian Water Authority

  *Peterborough Development Corporation [Lords]

  *Preston Borough Council [Lords]

  *Sion College [Lords]

  *South Yorkshire (Late Bill)

  *United Reformed Church [Lords]

  United Reformed Church (Slough) [Lords]

  *Wallerawang Collieries, Limited [Lords]

  *Whitehaven Harbour

  Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) Pier

  Bills presented after 27 November 1981

  Alexandra Park and Palace

  *British Railways

  *British Railways (Liverpool Street Station)

  *British Transport Docks

  *British Waterways [Lords]

  *Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited (Merger) [Lords] (Late Bill)

  *Cornwall County Council [Lords]

  *County of Lancashire [Lords]

  *Derwent Valley Railway [Lords]

  *East Lindsey District Council [Lords]

  *Epsom and Walton Downs Regulation [Lords]

  *Feltham Station Area Redevelopment (Longford River)

  *Greater London Council (General Powers) (No. 2)

  *Grater London Council (Money)

  *Hampshire [Lords]

  *Hertsmere Borough Council (Rowley Lane)

  *Hong Kong and China Gas Company plc Bill [Lords]

  (changed from Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited Bill [Lords]

  *Hugh Small and Norma Small (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  *John Francis Dare and Gillian Loder Dare (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  *London Transport (General Powers)

  *London Transport (Liverpool Street) Norwich City Council [Lords]

  *Nottingham County Council [Lords]

  *Port of London

  *Saint Thomas' Burial Ground (Southwark)

  *Severn-Trent Water Authority

  *Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council [Lords]

  *Southern Water Authority Swindford Bridge [Lords]

  *Tees and Harlepool Port Authority

  *Thomas Brown and Sons, Limited [Lords]

  *West Yorkshire (Parking and Transport)

  Bills presented after 27 November 1982

  *Ashridge (Bonar Law Memorial) Trust

  158

  *British Railways

  *Commons Registration (Glamorgan)

  *Dartford Tunnel [Lords]

  Ginns and Gutteridge, Leicester (Crematorium)

  Greater London Council (General Powers)

  *Greater London Council (Money)

  *King's College London [Lords]

  *Kingston upon Hull [Lords]

  *Lloyds Bowmaker [Lords]

  *London Docklands Railway

  *Milford Haven Conservancy

  *Parkeston Quay [Lords]

  *Pwllheli Harbour [Lords]

  *Staffordshire [Lords]

  *Standard Chartered Merchant Bank (late Bill)

  Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority

  *Tor Bay Harbour (Torquay Marina &c.) changedfrom Tor Bay Harbour (Torquay Marina etc.)

  Bills presented after 27 November 1983

  *Alexandra Park and Palace

  *Anglian Water Authority (King's Lynn Tidal Defences)

  *Associated British Ports (No. 2)

  *Aylesbury Vale District Council [Lords]

  *Barclays Bank

  *Bournemouth Borough Council [Lords]

  *British Railways (No. 2)

  *Cardiff City Council

  *Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School
  [Lords]

  *Dartmoor Commons

  *Derwent Valley Railway [Lords]

  *Greater London Council (General Powers)

  *Greater London Council (Money) (No. 2)

  *Hereford City Council [Lords]

  *Leicestershire [Lords]

  *London Docklands Railway (No. 2)

  *London Transport

  *London Transport (Tower Hill) [Lords]

  *Merseyside Development Corporation

  *Metals Society [Lords]

  *Norwich City Council [Lords]

  *Oxfordshire [Lords]

  Piece Hall, Halifax

  Piece Hall, Halifax (No. 2) (late Bill)

  *Portsea Harbour Company

  *Selby Bridge

  Southend-on-Sea Borough Council [Lords]

  *Standard Chartered Bank

  *Surrey [Lords]

  *Swavesey Bye-Ways [Lords]

  *Warwick District Council [Lords]

  *Worcester City Council [Lords]

  Bills presented after 27 November 1984

  *Associated British Ports (Hull Fish Docks) [Lords]

  *Bath City Council [Lords]

  *Berkshire [Lords]

  *Birmingham City Council

  *British Railways

  *British Railways (Trowse Bridge) [Lords]

  *Cambridge City Council

  *Clwyd County Council [Lords]

  *C-Poultry Company Limited

  *Durham City Council [Lords]

  *Essex [Lords]

  *Felixstowe Dock and Railway

  *Gosport Borough Council

  *Greater London Council (General Powers)

  *Greater London Council (Money)

  *Greater Manchester [Lords]

  *Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System) [Lords]

  *Harrogate Stray

  *Hastings Pier

  King's College London [Lords]

  *Lincoln City Council

  *Lloyds Bank (Merger)

  *Luton Borough Council [Lords]

  159

  *National Bank of New Zealand Limited

  *Nottinghamshire County Council (Superannuation) [Lords]

  *Plymouth Marine Events Base

  *Poole Borough Council [Lords]

  *Royal Bank of Scotland

  *Royal Holloway and Bedford New College [Lords]

  *Scarborough Borough Council

  *South Yorkshire Passenger Transport

  *Streatham Park Cemetery

  *Swansea City Council (Tawe Barrage) [Lords]

  *Valerie Mary Hill and Alan Monk (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  *West Glamorgan [Lords]

  *Yorkshire Water Authority

  Bills presented after 27 November 1985

  *Aberystwyth Harbour

  *Alcoholics Anonymous (Dispositions) [Lords]

  Bexley London Borough Council

  Blyth Harbour [Lords]

  *Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry [Lords]

  *Brighton Marine Palace and Pier [Lords]

  *British Railways (No.2)

  *British Railways (Stansted)

  *Bromborough Dock [Lords]

  *City of London (Various Powers)

  *Clifton Suspension Bridge [Lords] [Late Bill]

  *County of Cleveland [Lords]

  *County of South Glamorgan (Taff Crossing)

  *Dyfed [Lords]

  *Exeter City Council [Lords]

  *Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour

  *Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System) (No. 2) [Lords]

  *Gull Island Protection [Lords]

  *Harrogate Borough Council [Lords] (changed from Harrogate Bogs Field etc. [Lords])

  *Harwich Parkeston Quay

  *Ipswich Port Authority

  *Isle of Wight

  Lloyds Bank (Merger) (Amendent)

  *London Docklands Railway (City Extension)

  *London Underground (Goodge Street) [Lords]

  *Mersey Docks and Harbour [Lords]

  *Mid Glamorgan County Council [Lords]

  *Milford Haven Port Authority

  *Plymouth City Council [Lords]

  *Pontypridd Markets Fairs and Town Hall

  *Port of Fosdyke [Lords]

  *River Humber (Burcom Outfall) [Lords]

  Shoreham Port Authorityt

  *South Yorkshire Light Rail Transit

  Teignmouth Quay Company

  York City Council [Lords]

  Bills presented after 27 November 1986

  *Associated British Ports

  *Bexley London Borough Council

  *Brighton Marine Palace and Pier (Finance, &c.)

  *British Railways

  *British Railways (London) [Lords]

  *British Waterways

  *City of Westminster

  *Corn Exchange [Lords]

  *George Donald Evans and Deborah Jane Evans (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  Hampshire (Lyndhurst Bypass) [Lords]

  *Hastings Borough Council

  *John Ernest Rolfe and Florence Iveen Rolfe (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  *Keble College Oxford [Lords]

  *Liverpool Exchange [Lords]

  London Docklands Railway (Beckton)

  London Regional Transport

  London Regional Transport (Penalty Fares) [Lords]

  *Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys

  *National Provident Institution [Lords]

  *Newcastle upon Tyne Town Moor [Lords]

  160

  *Selwyn College Cambridge [Lords]

  Swanage Yacht Haven [Lords]

  Teignmouth Quay Company

  *University College London [Lords]

  *Whitchurch Bridge

  Bills presented after 27 November 1987

  *Associated British Ports (Barrow) [Lords]

  Associated British Ports (No. 2)

  Avon Light Rail Transit [Lords]

  *Birmingham City Council

  *Brighton and Preston Cemetery

  British Railways (No. 2)

  British Railways (Penalty Fares) [Lords]

  *British Waterways (No. 2) [Lords]

  Cardiff Bay Barrage

  City of London (Spitalfields Market)

  *Dartmouth-Kingswear Floating Bridge

  *Eastbourne Harbour [Lords]

  Falmouh Container Terminal

  Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit Systern) (No. 3) [Lords]

  Hampstead Radio Station [Lords]

  *Harwich Harbour [Lords]

  *Imperial College [Lords]

  International Management Centre from Buckingham

  London Local Authorities [Lords]

  London Regional Transport (No. 2)

  *Northampton [Lords]

  North Killingholme Cargo Terminal

  Port of Tyne [Lords]

  River Humber (Burcom Outfall) [Lords]

  *Saint Bennet Fink Burial Ground (City of London) [Lords]

  St. George's Hill, Weybridge, Estate

  *Southern Water Authority

  *Tor Bay Harbour (Oxen Cove and Coastal Footpath, Brixham)

  *University of Wales, College of Cardiff [Lords] (Changed from University of Wales, Cardiff [Lords])

  Bills presented after 27 November 1988

  Associated British Ports (Hull)

  Birmingham City Council (No. 2)

  British Film Institute Southbank

  British Railways

  Bromley London Borough Council (Crystal Palace)

  City of London (Various Powers)

  Hythe, Kent, Marina

  Hythe Marina Village (Southampton) Wavescreen

  International Westminster Bank

  Isle of Wight

  King's Cross Railways

  London Underground (Victoria)

  Midland Metro

  New Southgate Cemetery and Crematorium Limited

  Penzance Albert Pier Extension

  Redbridge London Borough Council

  Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport

  Wentworth Estate

  Wesleyan Assurance Society

  Note: Bills which have been enacted are indicated by '*'.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Rural Schools
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the standards of primary and secondary schools in rural areas.

  Mr. Butcher
  Responsibility for educational provision in maintained primary and secondary schools in rural as well as in other areas rests with local education authorities. My right hon. Friend is supporting through education support grant some £1·5 million of expenditure per annum
  161
  on pilot projects in 14 LEAs with a view to improving the quality and range of the curriculum in rural primary schools.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many under-fives have been placed in nursery education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Figures to be published shortly by my right hon. Friend show that, in January 1988, 285,000 children were in nursery schools or classes in England. Another 248,000 under-fives were in infant classes. The combined figure has increased by nearly 25 per cent. in eight years.

  Nursery Places
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he proposes to take to encourage West Sussex education authority to provide more nursery places; and if he will make a statement.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he proposes to take to encourage Hereford and Worcester education authority to provide more nursery places; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he proposes to take to encourage West Sussex local education authority to provide more nursery places; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he proposes to take to encourage Kent education authority to provide more nursery places; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he proposes to take to encourage Oxfordshire education authority to provide more nursery places; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he proposes to take to encourage Wiltshire education authority to provide more nursery places; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he proposes to take to encourage Essex education authority to provide more nursery places; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he proposes to take to encourage Kent education authority to provide more nursery places; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Education is not compulsory below the age of five. The scope and form of provision for under-fives are wholly within local authorities' discretion. My right hon. Friend sees no cause to change that.

  Higher Education (Fees)
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any proposals for introducing changes in the administration of fees in higher education.
  162
  Mr. Jackson
  We are considering the possibility of increasing the impact of student enrolments through some shift in the public funding of higher education from the grant to be disbursed by the Universities Funding Council and the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council towards students' fees met under the mandatory awards arrangements. When we have a clear proposal, we shall consult the various interests before taking a decision.

  Science Teachers
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the recruitment of science teachers.

  Mr. Butcher
  Recruitment to secondary science teacher training courses has increased by 9 per cent. since the launch in 1986 of our action programme on teacher supply. We shall continue and reinforce our action programme to ensure that we have the science teachers we need in the 1990s.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to increase the number of science teachers in primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  We project no particular problems with the supply of primary teachers. Most teaching in primary schools is carried out by the class teacher. The Government are already supporting in-service training for primary teachers through the LEA training grants scheme, and the provision of advisory staff through education support grants. Both of these schemes are providing primary teachers with extra subject expertise and support in science.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to increase the number of science teachers in secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  We have had in place for over two years an action programme to increase the number of science teachers in secondary schools. This includes a £1,300 bursary for those undertaking initial teacher training in physics, an energetic teacher teacher recruitment publicity campaign spearheaded by the teaching as a career unit and new courses of initial teacher training. My right hon. Friend has just announced that the bursary will be extended to chemistry in September.

  Universities (Sciences)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what part he expects teaching and research in physics and chemistry to play in universities in the future; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The University Grants Committee has recently published for consultation reports on the principles which might inform subsequent proposals for the rationalisation of physics and chemistry in universities. As in other subject reviews, the objective is to strengthen national provision in both teaching and research.

  Schools (Staffordshire)
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much was spent per pupil in
  163
  secondary schools in Staffordshire in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the comparable figure in 1978–79, at constant prices.

  Mr. Butcher
  Staffordshire spent an average of £1,040 per secondary pupil in 1978–79 and £1,255 per secondary pupil in 1986–87. The figure for the earlier year has been repriced to 1986–87 prices using the gross domestic product (market prices) deflator.

  Teachers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any proposals to increase the supply of teachers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mr. Griffiths).

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take further steps to support better recruitment and retention of school teachers in geographical areas of shortage or high turnover; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Department's action programme to combat teacher shortages is designed to help relieve pressure on regions with recruitment difficulties. The teaching as a career unit continues to hold discussions with local authorities on how best to improve teacher recruitment and retention.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the number of schools who have indicated their intention to seek grant-maintained status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools have now approached his Department with a view to seeking grant-maintained status.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools have used the Education Reform Act 1988 to opt for grant-maintained status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the number of schools which so far have made application for grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Butcher
  Eight schools have now published proposals for grant-maintained status, which my right hon. Friend will determine on their merits in due course. Parents have voted for publication of such proposals at 10 other schools, and further ballots are in preparation. The Department continues to receive numerous inquiries from parents and governors about grant-maintained status and the application procedures.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the results of the recently held ballots of parents to determine whether they wish to seek grant-maintained status for their children's schools.
  164
  Mr. Butcher
  Parents at 21 schools have voted on whether to apply to my right hon. Friend for grant-maintained status. They voted in favour at 18 schools, nearly all by a very large majority. I am pleased to note that the average turnout in the ballots so far has been 72 per cent.

  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements he has made for the handling of applications by schools for grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Butcher
  Where parents vote in favour of seeking grant-maintained status for a school, section 62(2) of the Education Reform Act 1988 requires the governing body to publish proposals accordingly. My right hon. Friend will consider such proposals on their merits after taking account of any objections received.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future level of funding for research into air pollution.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Natural Environment Research Council plans to undertake research relevant to air pollution in the financial year 1989–90 at a level of some £1·1 million. This includes research on acid rain, fluorine and radionuclides. The NERC is helping organise the Glasgow international conference on acid deposition in 1990. Longer-term funding levels will be influenced by the trend of income from research commissioned by other Government Departments.

  Spelling
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to ensure that teachers have reached an acceptable standard of spelling.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Since 1 September 1984, all entrants to initial teacher training courses in England and Wales and all new entrants to teaching in the maintained sector by the non-standard routes have had to have attained the standard required for grade C in the GCE at O-level or the equivalent in English.

  Scottish Universities
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next expects to meet the principals of Scottish universities; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Jackson
  We have no present plans to meet the principals of the Scottish universities.

  School Meals
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will establish an inquiry into the price-sensitivity of demand for school meals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. Friend has no such intentions at present.

  GCSE
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has completed a review of the first year's GCSE examinations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have placed in the Libraries of both Houses copies of a report from the School Examinations and Assessment Council on the first GCSE courses and examinations, and the reply I have sent today. The report confirms that the GCSE is off to a good start, and identifies a number of areas where improvement is required. I look to the council to play a central role in effecting these improvements so that we can realise the full benefits of the GCSE.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on general certificate of secondary education examinations from parents over the past nine months.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend and I have received about 700 letters on GCSE since June 1987, from parents and other interested parties. The vast majority have been supportive of the principles behind the new examination.

  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has inquired into the reasons for the delays by some boards in announcing general certificate of secondary education results; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The issuing of GCSE results is the responsibility of the independent GCSE examining groups. My right hon. Friend has made it clear to them that late results cannot be tolerated. The examining groups regret the delays that affected a small percentage of results in 1988, and have undertaken to review administrative arrangements and to take corrective measures to ensure that the problems do not recur.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received concerning his proposals for student loans.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received since the publication of the White Paper entitled "Top-up Loans for Students".

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from students in Wales, and their representatives, concerning his proposals for student loans; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning his proposals over changes to the method of student financing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Since the publication on 9 November 1988 of the White Paper on top-up loans for students, some 3,912 representations have been received. Representations from Wales are not separately recorded.
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  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met representatives of banks and financial institutions to discuss proposals to introduce a loan scheme for maintenance of students in higher education.

  Mr. Jackson
  In November. Discussions are continuing between the Department and representatives of financial institutions.

  University Lecturers
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding a pay settlement for university lecturers.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the Association of University Teachers are discussing university lecturers' pay with each other: since last April, my right hon. Friend has received just over 200 letters on the topic.

  School Transport
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the rules relating to school transport.

  Mr. Butcher
  The law governing home-to-school transport is laid down by section 55 of the Education Act 1944, as amended by section 53 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986.

  Anti-racist Policies
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities currently implement anti-racist policies in their schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  Information about how many local education authorities currently implement anti-racist policies in their schools is not collected centrally. It is Government policy that ethnic minority pupils should have the same opportunity as all others to profit from what schools can offer them and that schools should preserve and transmit our national values in a way which accepts Britain's ethnic diversity and promotes tolerance and racial harmony. It is for individual local education authorities and schools to determine, in the light of their own needs and circumstances, how to give effect to this policy.

  Education Reform
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on what progress has been made in the implementation of the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Implementation of the Act is proceeding on schedule. The following steps have been taken:The Government plan to implement section 5, which is concerned with the approval of qualifications and syllabuses for pupils of compulsory school age, with effect from 1 August 1989. The proposed arrangements are set out in a draft circular which was issued for consultation before Christmas.
  We are on course to start the phased implementation of the national curriculum from this autumn: development work has begun on the attainment tests in readiness for the first run in 1991.

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  Local education authorities have been required to submit, in most cases, by September 1989 schemes for the local management of schools, for introduction the following April. Local education authorities and governors of secondary schools must also be prepared from August 1990 to admit eligible pupils up to the assessed capacity of the school building. Preparations for the transfer of education responsibilities from ILEA to the inner London boroughs in April 1990 are well in hand.
  The Act gives schools the opportunity to opt out of local authority control and become grant-maintained. Parental ballots have now been held at 19 schools on whether to seek grant-maintained status.
  There has been excellent progress in the establishment of city technology colleges. Sponsorship has already been announced for 10 CTCs, and further announcements -will be made soon.
  The Department's circulars 8/88 and 9/88 were issued in September 1988 requiring local education authorities to reform the governing bodies of their further education colleges and to draw up schemes of planning and delegation for those colleges.
  Sections 214-216, on bogus degrees, came into force on 30 November 1988; orders made under section 216 came into effect on the same date.
  The Act's new arrangements for higher education will be in full operation from 1 April 1989. We have established the higher education corporations to take over the running of polytechnics and major colleges of higher education as independent institutions, as well as the Universities Funding Council and the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council.
  We have also established the Education Assets Board to oversee the transfer of assets and liabilities from local education authorities to relevant institutions in the PCFC sector and to grant-maintained schools.
  With respect to the provisions on academic tenure, the university commissioners and their staff have been appointed and they have begun their work of reviewing statutes for modification.

  Gifted Children
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what resources are made available(a) nationally and (b) in north Yorkshire for the education of gifted children; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  This information is not held centrally at present. However, the Department is sponsoring a survey of current local education authority provision for the most able pupils to be carried out by the National Association for Gifted Children. The association intends to invite all LEAs in England and Wales to participate and hopes to complete the survey by the summer.

  Languages
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he intends to take to encourage more pupils to learn to speak foreign languages.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government's policy on modern foreign languages in the school curriculum was set out in the January 1988 policy statement, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend. The national curriculum will include a modern foreign language as a foundation subject at secondary level to be studied by each pupil between the ages of 11 and 16. Within this framework, my right hon. Friend is encouraging a greater diversity of languages offered in the school curriculum.

  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secrertary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department is 168
  taking to encourage a growth in, and the take-up of, places available in foreign language courses at further and higher education levels.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Government are concerned to increase the number of pupils continuing to study a foreign language until age 16 and beyond. Our proposals for a national curriculum include a modern foreign language as a foundation subject at secondary level to be studied by all pupils between the ages of 11 and 16. We hope that the greater numbers studying a language to that age will result in an increase in those continuing with further language learning not only in the sixth form but also in further and higher education, so stimulating demand.

  The Government are working to make the whole of the education system, including the provision for foreign languages in further and higher education, more responsive to demand.

  In addition, the network of language export centres, funded by the Department's professional, industrial and commercial updating programme (PICKUP) and the Training Agency, brings together universities, polytechnics and colleges to help firms meet their language training needs.

  Truancy
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will hold a national inquiry into truancy among school children; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. Friend does not intend to hold such an inquiry. Under the Education Acts, the responsibility for taking action on truancy rests with local education authorities. They should ensure that attendance levels in their schools are monitored and that action is taken to keep them under control.

  Environmental Research
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to support and develop fundamental research into factors affecting the environment and to encourage the work of the Natural Environment Research Council.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to promote fundamental research into the greenhouse effect and other global environmental issues and to fund the research programmes of the Natural Environment Research Council.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Government are committed to support for fundamental research, in particular in the environmental field. It is for the Natural Environment Research Council and other Research Councils to plan scientific priorities within the overall funds available. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will announce the 1989–90 allocations to research councils as soon as possible.

  Pupil-Teacher Ratios
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he expects the pupil-teacher ratio on average for Inner London boroughs to be higher or
  169
  lower than the indicated ratio for the Inner London education authority of 16:1 for nursery, 17:1 for primary, 13:1 for secondary and 5:7 for special.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  All teaching and non-teaching staff in ILEA schools will on 1 April 1990 transfer to the employment of the council by which their school is to be maintained. Thereafter, staffing policy will be the responsibility of the inner London councils and, with the implementation of schemes of local management, the governors of the schools.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current pupil-teacher ratio for secondary schools in Greater London.

  Mr. Butcher
  In January 1988, the pupil-teacher ratio within maintained secondary schools in Greater London was 14:1.

  School Improvements
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to encourage developers to make financial contributions towards school improvements in areas where significant numbers of children of school age have been added to school rolls.

  Mr. Butcher
  Local education authorities are responsible for ensuring that sufficient school places are available in their areas. My right hon. Friend welcomes, in principle, any agreement between an LEA and developer that leads to the private sector investing in improvements in schools.

  School Inspectors
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that Her Majesty's inspectors are sufficiently diligent in detecting below average standards of teaching and achievement of pupils.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Her Majesty's Inspector's central concern has always been with standards of teaching and learning, and it reports regularly to me on those and other such matters. The senior chief inspector is directly responsible for the performance of the inspectorate, but I study carefully the reports that are submitted to me, which are also open to public scrutiny. I am satisfied that HMI already carries out its functions effectively and diligently.

  School Activities (Charges)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response he has received from education authorities to departmental circular 2/89 entitled, "Education Reform Act 1988, Charges for School Activities".

  Mr. Butcher
  None.

  Capital Allocations
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received following the announcement of the 1989–90 capital allocations to local education authorities.

  Mr. Butcher
  A total of 26 representations have been received from hon. Members, local authorities and school 170
  governors. Fourteen of these relate to the prescribed capital allocations to local education authorities and 12 to the allocations for voluntary aided and special agreement schools.

  Durham University
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received from the university of Durham; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The university has recently made representations about the cost of repairs to Durham castle, on which my right hon. Friend has seen no case for the supplementation of help available through existing channels. It has also notified us of an outline proposal to establish a college on Teesside which, depending on the outcome of local consultations, may lead to the need for decisions at national level.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many city technology colleges are now envisaged.

  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many city technology colleges he has planned to open during the present year.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many city technology colleges he expects to commence in 1989.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many city technology colleges have so far been announced.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The city technology colleges programme continues to make excellent progress. Kingshurst CTC opened last year and two more, at Teesside and Nottingham, will open in September this year. CTCs in Bradford and Gateshead are planned to open in September 1990. In addition, sponsors have announced their intention to establish five other CTCs. Further announcements will be made soon.

  Teachers (Pay and Conditions)
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any proposals to restore negotiating machinery for teachers' pay and conditions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key).

  School Curriculum
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to make regulations under section 22 of the Education Act 1988 governing the supply and publication of information concerning the school curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has today issued for statutory consultations a draft of the first regulations
  171
  he proposes to make under section 22. These are intended to take effect from the 1989–90 school year. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Graduates
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many graduates entered industry during the latest year that figures are available; and what proportion this was of the total number of students graduating.

  Mr. Jackson
  In 1987, 16,600 first degree graduates in Great Britain entered industry. This accounted for 17 per cent. of the total first degree graduates of known destination in Great Britain. The destination of graduates from part-time courses in polytechnics and colleges is not obtained.

  Science Budget
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the advice he has received from the Advisory Board for the Research Councils on the allocation of the science budget for 1989–90.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend expects to make an announcement shortly.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is planning to introduce any proposals for teacher training in 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In the near future, my right hon. Friend will be announcing his decision on the outcome of the consultation on the proposals for the reform of on-standard routes into teaching; the aggregate intake numbers for initial teacher training for 1990, together with the split between sectors, undergraduate and postgraduate courses, phases and secondary phase subjects—and later the proposed distribution between institutions in the PCFC sector; his proposals for the approval of courses of initial teacher training when the term of office of the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education expires at the end of 1989; his proposals for the national priority areas in the LEA training grant scheme for 1990–91. In addition, the Government keep under constant review the scope for encouraging innovatory developments in teacher training designed to enhance the quality of the teaching force and help to meet the demand for teachers.

  Literacy and Numeracy
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are estimated to leave Britain's primary schools and secondary schools with inadequate literacy and numeracy.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information is not available in the form requested. Attainment targets for English and mathematics in the national curriculum will establish what pupils should be able to achieve at ages seven, 11, 14 and 16. The introduction of assessment at those ages will mean that any pupils having difficulty will be identified at an early stage and can he given help.

  Classics
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on the teaching of classics in schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend attaches importance to the study of classics in schools. Its potential was illustrated in Her Majesty's inspectorate's recent publication "Classics from 5 to 16". Schools will still be able to offer classics outside the national curriculum in the early secondary years, as an option to fourth and fifth year pupils, and in the sixth form. We hope that parental and public demand will encourage such provision. In addition my right hon. Friend has asked the national curriculum working groups on English and history to consider t
  contribution of classical studies, as a cross-curricular theme, to the attainment targets and programmes of study for these subjects.

  Degrees
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what studies have been undertaken by his Department as to the effect on education of the single European market, with special regard to the common recognition of degrees and the outlawing of bogus degrees.

  Mr. Jackson
  The implications of the single European market for education are kept under continuous review. In further and higher education, many courses already address employers' single market training needs; further demand can be expected to develop in a wide range of fields. The Education Reform Act 1988, in providing for increased involvement of employers in the government of all education institutions, will facilitate a direct response to that demand. The United Kingdom is participating fully under the European Community's ERASMUS programme in the development of a European credit transfer scheme designed to contribute to the recognition for academic purposes of higher education qualifications obtained and periods of study spent in different member states. The Government gave full support during negotiations in Brussels to the principle of the directive on a general system for the recognition of higher education diplomas for professional purposes which was adopted unanimously by the Council of Ministers on 21 December 1988. Finally, although not as part of any European Community initiative, the Government brought into effect on 30 November 1988 sections 214 to 216 of the Education Reform Act 1988 under which it is now a criminal offence to award, or to offer to award, an unrecognised United Kingdom degree.

  At school level, the work of the National Curriculum Council and the School Examinations and Assessment Council will have regard to the resolution of the Council of Ministers on the European dimension in education.

  New Schools
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy for capital expenditure for new schools in areas of rapidly increasing population.

  Mr. Butcher
  Local education authorities are responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient school places for
  173
  every child in their areas. To enable local authorities to meet their statutory obligations my right hon. Friend gives priority, when making capital allocations to those authorities who submit capital plans to provide additional school places to meet a rise in the local school population.

  Schools-industry Links
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with industrialists about links between school and industry.

  Mr. Butcher
  My Department is keen to encourage the development of links between school and industry in many ways. To this end, my colleagues and I have regular meetings with industrialists to discuss ways in which they can take advantage of the opportunities offered by recent legislation to become involved with schools.

  Computer Software
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next plans to review the types of computer software available to schools.

  Mr. Butcher
  A statistical survey undertaken by the Department in February 1988 obtained information about the software packages used most regularly in schools. The result of this survey will be published shortly.

  Association of University Teachers
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met representatives of the Association of University Teachers; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has not recently met the AUT, but we are in touch with it from time to time in the same way as we are in touch with a wide variety of bodies in order to keep abreast of developments.

  Project

  Principal investigator

  Award

  Genetic engineering of listeria monocytogenes designed to enable the development of rapid bioluminescent phage detection.

  Dr. G. S. A. B. Stewart, Department of Applied Biochemistry and Food Science, University of Nottingham.

  £31,800 for 2 years from 1 October 1988.

  Improvements in methods of detection and enumeration of sub-lethally injured bacteria.

  Dr. G. S. A. B. Stewart, Department of Applied Biochemistry and Food Science, University of Nottingham.

  £47,300 for 3 years from 1 January 1989.

  Application of specific antibodies to enzymic methods for sensitive and routine detection of botulinum neurotoxins in foods.

  Dr. J. O. Dolly, Department of Biochemistry, Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London.

  £59,000 for 3 years from 1 April 1986.

  Note: In addition, universities carry out research from general university funds which may be of relevance to food poisoning.

  School Inspections
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Bradford, South of 22 December 1988,Official Report, column 388, when he expects a full inspection to be made of the Small School at Red House, Norwich; and if the reports by the inspector following his visit in November 1988 will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Butcher
  There are no immediate plans to undertake a full inspection of the Small School at Red House, nor was the visit paid to the school by HMI in

  University Students (Science Courses)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of first time university students entered full-time courses in science for each year since 1975.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information is as follows:

  Full-time undergraduates new entrants to universities in Great Britain

  Academic year beginning in

  Percentage science

  1975

  49

  1976

  50

  1977

  50

  1978

  50

  1979

  50

  1980

  51

  1981

  55

  1982

  52

  1983

  52

  1984

  51

  1985

  50

  1986

  49

  1987

  49

  In 1985 a new subject classification was introduced, and figures are not therefore comparable with previous years' data.

  Food Poisoning (Research)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what university research departments in the United Kingdom are carrying out projects on food poisoning funded by his Department.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Agricultural and Food Research Council, which receives a grant-in-aid from this Department, is supporting the following projects at universities:

  November 1988 a full inspection. Only full inspection reports are placed in the Library. HMI notes of visit are internal working documents and it is not appropriate to make their contents public. I am writing to the hon. Member.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the impact upon the educational abilities of children in Nottingham of the closure of hospitals in the Nottingham area; and if he will make a statement.
  175
  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. Friend understands that the Nottingham health authority is considering the closure of St. Anne's hospital, to which a special school is attached, and I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 16 January at column 17. Under the Education Act 1981, it is for the local education authority to consider how it provides for children in its area with special educational needs.

  Local Education Authorities (Expenditure)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, pursuant to his reply of 19 January,Official Report, column 265, to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey, he will publish a list of those local education authorities which, in respect of claims for 1987–88 (a) have claimed significantly less than the maximum allocated amount for 1987–88 or (b) have not yet made final claims for all quarters of 1987–88, showing for each of (a) and (b) the amount underspent or apparently unclaimed.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  (a) The following LEAs underspent by 5 per cent. or more in 1987–88:

  Local Education Authority

  Total Amount Unclaimed £

  Underspend as a percentage of total maxima

  Avon

  712,654

  19·4

  Bamsley

  195,989

  14·0

  Berkshire

  1280,415

  10·5

  Bexley

  154,897

  7·1

  Bradford

  330,257

  9·4

  Brent

  72,748

  7·1

  Haringey

  184,014

  8·1

  Hertfordshire

  310,978

  7·3

  Isles of Scilly

  1,800

  18·0

  Leeds

  1385,346

  9·8

  Lincolnshire

  357,926

  16·9

  Liverpool

  221,760

  8·7

  Merton

  188,986

  17·0

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  136,449

  7·2

  North Yorkshire

  137,589

  5·4

  Redbridge

  169,790

  10·1

  Sandwell

  192,058

  6·9

  Sefton

  116,427

  8·9

  Solihull

  112,310

  12·9

  Sutton

  1109,920

  21·8

  Warwickshire

  1104,025

  5·3

  1 Based on provisional end of year claims only.

  (b) Waltham Forest has not yet submitted a final claim for all quarters of 1987–88:

  Total Maxima £

  Total amount yet to be claimed £

  915,000

  355,420

  North Molton Primary School
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make additional funds available to Devon county council to include North Molton primary school replacement in the 1989–90 programme.

  Mr. Butcher
  It is for the Devon local education authority to decide what priority for funding to accord to particular projects, including North Molton, and to decide which of them to fund in 1989–90. For the 1989–90 176
  financial year, the authority was allocated £14.177 million in respect of prescribed expenditure on county and voluntary controlled schools and FHE, representing a 68 per cent. increase on its allocation for 1988–89.

  Class Sizes
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report figures showing the percentage of pupils in primary and secondary schools in classes of 30 and over for each local education authority in England in rank order.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: The percentage of pupils in classes of 30 and over in maintained primary and secondary schools in each local education authority in England in January 1988 ranked in order was as follows. The analyses relate to classes taught by one teacher during a selected period on the day of the schools census and do not necessarily represent the pattern of classes over the academic year as a whole.

  Percentage of pupils in primary and secondary schools in classes of 30 and over in rank order—January 1988

  Per cent.

  Primary

  Isles of Scilly

  0·0

  Barking

  7·7

  Haringey

  8·4

  North Tyneside

  9·1

  Inner London

  10·2

  South Tyneside

  11·0

  Sheffield

  13·5

  Gateshead

  14·3

  Newham

  14·7

  Rotherham

  14·9

  Barnsley

  15·4

  Brent

  17·5

  Salford

  17·6

  Wolverhampton

  17·9

  Ealing

  18·1

  Wirral

  18·5

  Nottinghamshire

  18·9

  Doncaster

  19·7

  Knowsley

  20·1

  Suffolk

  21·3

  Waltham Forest

  21·3

  Walsall

  22·2

  Hillingdon

  22·7

  Bradford

  23·0

  Sunderland

  23·4

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  24·2

  Cleveland

  24·2

  Barnet

  24·3

  Liverpool

  24·9

  Cumbria

  25·5

  Shropshire

  25·6

  Humberside

  27·0

  Surrey

  27·0

  Richmond upon Thames

  27·1

  Croydon

  27·6

  Wiltshire

  28·0

  Manchester

  28·7

  Hounslow

  29·0

  Coventry

  29·3

  North Yorkshire

  29·5

  Durham

  29·6

  Leicestershire

  29·9

  Norfolk

  29·9

  Wakefield

  30·5

  Staffordshire

  31·1

  Havering

  31·4

  Isle of Wight

  31·4

  Hertfordshire

  31·5

  Bedfordshire

  31·7

  Kirklees

  32·1

  177

  Per cent.

  Oxfordshire

  32·3

  St. Helens

  32·4

  Bexley

  32·6

  Calderdale

  33·4

  Enfield

  33·4

  Bromley

  33·6

  Leeds

  34·5

  Northamptonshire

  34·7

  Sandwell

  35·2

  Derbyshire

  35·2

  Warwickshire

  35·5

  West Sussex

  35·8

  Sefton

  36·0

  Berkshire

  36·3

  Essex

  36·6

  Dudley

  36·4

  Bury

  37·0

  Stockport

  37·3

  Wigan

  37·6

  Devon

  38·0

  Sutton

  38·1

  Hereford and Worcester

  38·7

  Cambridgeshire

  39·0

  Hampshire

  39·6

  Rochdale

  39·8

  Tameside

  40·0

  Gloucestershire

  40·1

  Merton

  40·1

  Lincolnshire

  41·6

  Kingston upon Thames

  42·2

  East Sussex

  42·7

  Trafford

  43·4

  Cornwall

  43·5

  Solihull

  43·6

  Somerset

  43·9

  Harrow

  44·7

  Buckinghamshire

  45·2

  Lancashire

  45·4

  Bolton

  45·7

  Kent

  46·2

  Dorset

  46·9

  Northumberland

  48·5

  Oldham

  48·6

  Birmingham

  49·3

  Avon

  49·8

  Cheshire

  50·3

  Redbridge

  56·4

  England

  32·9

  Secondary

  Haringey

  0·0

  Isles of Stilly

  0·0

  Brent

  2·7

  Salford

  3·8

  Trafford

  4·5

  Inner London

  5·0

  North Tyneside

  5·2

  Wigan

  5·4

  Waltham Forest

  5·6

  Wolverhampton

  6·2

  Barking

  6·5

  Newham

  6·6

  Leicestershire

  6·7

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  7·0

  Dudley

  7·0

  Cleveland

  l·1

  Knowsley

  7·2

  Ealing

  7·6

  Rochdale

  7·6

  Norfolk

  8·4

  Sheffield

  8·4

  Shropshire

  8·6

  Nottinghamshire

  8·7

  Sandwell

  9·0

  South Tyneside

  9·3

  Suffolk

  9·8

  Wakefield

  9·8

  178

  Percent.

  Barnsley

  10·1

  Walsall

  10·1

  Kirklees

  10·3

  Manchester

  10·3

  Doncaster

  10·8

  Richmond upon Thames

  10·9

  Cumbria

  10·9

  Northamptonshire

  11·8

  Harrow

  11·9

  St. Helens

  12·4

  Hampshire

  12·4

  Humberside

  12·6

  Wiltshire

  12·7

  Derbyshire

  13·1

  Bolton

  13·1

  Leeds

  13·1

  Bradford

  13·3

  Buckinghamshire

  13·4

  Rotherham

  13·6

  Northumberland

  13·8

  Stockport

  13·8

  Warwickshire

  13·8

  Wirral

  13·9

  Surrey

  14·3

  Bedfordshire

  14·3

  Hounslow

  14·4

  Merton

  14·4

  Kent

  14·4

  Somerset

  14·8

  Cambridgeshire

  15·0

  Hertfordshire

  15·0

  Lincolnshire

  15·2

  Isle of Wight

  15·2

  Coventry

  15·4

  North Yorkshire

  15·4

  East Sussex

  15·5

  Oxfordshire

  15·7

  Hillingdon

  15·7

  Berkshire

  16·0

  Calderdale

  16·0

  Kingston upon Thames

  16·1

  Lancashire

  16·8

  Staffordshire

  16·8

  Solihull

  16·8

  Tameside

  16·9

  Bury

  17·0

  Croydon

  17·1

  Redbridge

  17·2

  Essex

  17·2

  Durham

  17·3

  Oldham

  17·3

  Barnet

  17·4

  Cheshire

  17·8

  Avon

  18·1

  Havering

  18·1

  Liverpool

  18·2

  Dorset

  18·2

  Sunderland

  18·3

  Devon

  18·4

  Sutton

  18·5

  Bromley

  18·6

  Cornwall

  18·9

  West Sussex

  19·1

  Sefton

  19·6

  Gloucestershire

  19·6

  Hereford and Worcester

  19·7

  Birmingham

  20·7

  Gateshead

  21·3

  Bexley

  22·2

  Enfield

  24·5

  ENGLAND

  13·7

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official

  179
  Report figures showing the percentage of pupils in primary and secondary schools in classes of 35 and over for each local education authority in England in rank order.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: The percentage of pupils in classes of 35 and over in maintained primary and secondary schools in each local education authority in England in January 1988 ranked in order was as follows. The analyses relate to classes taught by one teacher during a selected period on the day of the schools census and do not necessarily represent the pattern of classes over the academic year as a whole.

  Percentage of pupils in primary and secondary schools in classes of 35 and over in rank order January 1988

  Per cent.

  Primary

  Isles of Scilly

  0·0

  Inner London

  0·2

  North Tyneside

  0·3

  Newham

  0·3

  Havering

  0·4

  Bradford

  0·5

  Ealing

  0·5

  Bromley

  0·6

  Suffolk

  0·6

  Haringey

  0·6

  Essex

  0·8

  Calderdale

  0·9

  Waltham Forest

  0·9

  Rotherham

  0·9

  Barking

  0·9

  Gateshead

  0·9

  Barent

  1·0

  Wiltshire

  1·0

  Barnsley

  1·1

  South Tyneside

  1·2

  Wirral

  1·4

  Sunderland

  1·5

  Brent

  1·7

  Richmond upon Thames

  1·7

  Walsall

  2·0

  Enfield

  2·0

  Sheffield

  2·0

  Norfolk

  2·0

  Gloucestershire

  2·1

  Croydon

  2·2

  Newcastle· upon·Tyne

  2·2

  Bexley

  2·3

  Shropshire

  2·3

  Leicestershire

  2·4

  Isle of Wight

  2·4

  Liverpool

  2·4

  Hertfordshire

  2·4

  Tameside

  2·5

  Northamptonshire

  2·6

  Cumbria

  2·6

  Wolverhampton

  2·7

  Surrey

  2·8

  Oxfordshire

  2·8

  North Yorkshire

  2·8

  Doncaster

  2·9

  Hampshire

  2·9

  Coventry

  3·0

  Knowsley

  3·0

  Salford

  3·0

  Durham

  3·2

  Cambridgeshire

  3·2

  Dudley

  3·2

  Kent

  3·2

  Hereford and Worcester

  3·3

  West Sussex

  3·3

  Warwickshire

  3·4

  Berkshire

  3·5

  Nottinghamshire

  3·6

  Hillingdon

  3·6

  Humberside

  3·7

  Kirklees

  3·8

  180

  Per cent.

  Merton

  4·0

  Sandwell

  4·0

  Derbyshire

  4·5

  Cleveland

  4·6

  Manchester

  4·6

  Somerset

  4·6

  East Sussex

  4·8

  Wakefield

  5·0

  Staffordshire

  5·1

  Hounslow

  5·2

  Bedfordshire

  5·2

  Sefton

  5·3

  Birmingham

  5·4

  St. Helens

  5·5

  Stockport

  5·6

  Bury

  5·9

  Buckinghamshire

  5·9

  Avon

  6·1

  Leeds

  6·2

  Solihull

  6·7

  Cornwall

  6·8

  Devon

  7·0

  Sutton

  7·1

  Rochdale

  7·1

  Northumberland

  7·1

  Harrow

  7·3

  Kingston upon Thames

  8·2

  Wigan

  9·3

  Oldham

  9·3

  Lincolnshire

  9·5

  Dorset

  9·8

  Lancashire

  10·0

  Cheshire

  10·8

  Trafford

  11·3

  Redbridge

  11·8

  Bolton

  12·3

  England

  3·9

  Secondary

  Barnet

  0·0

  Bamsley

  0·0

  Bexley

  0·0

  Brent

  0·0

  Croydon

  0·0

  Cumbria

  0·0

  Doncaster

  0·0

  Dudley

  0·0

  Ealing

  0·0

  Gateshead

  0·0

  Haringey

  0·0

  Harrow

  0·0

  Hillingdon

  0·0

  Isles of Scilly

  0·0

  Merton

  0·0

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  0·0

  Newham

  0·0

  North Tyneside

  0·0

  Redbridge

  0·0

  Richmond upon Thames

  0·0

  Rochdale

  0·0

  Salford

  0·0

  Sheffield

  0·0

  South Tyneside

  0·0

  St. Helens

  0·0

  Suffolk

  0·0

  Sunderland

  0·0

  Sutton

  0·0

  Trafford

  0·0

  Walsall

  0·0

  Wigan

  0·0

  Wolverhampton

  0·0

  Kent

  0·1

  Inner London

  0·1

  Cleveland

  0·1

  Hertfordshire

  0·1

  Leicestershire

  0·1

  Gloucestershire

  0·1

  181

  Per cent.

  Wakefield

  0·2

  Sandwell

  0·2

  Cambridgeshire

  0·2

  Havering

  0·2

  Bromley

  0·2

  Nottinghamshire

  0·2

  Durham

  0·2

  Somerset

  0·3

  Northamptonshire

  0·3

  Oldham

  0·3

  Shropshire

  0·3

  Kirklees

  0·3

  Warwickshire

  0·3

  Tameside

  0·3

  Norfolk

  0·3

  North Yorkshire

  0·3

  Northumberland

  0·3

  Lincolnshire

  0·3

  Hounslow

  0·3

  Coventry

  0·3

  Manchester

  0·3

  Buckinghamshire

  0·3

  Essex

  0·4

  Bury

  0·4

  Knowsley

  0·4

  Sefton

  0·4

  Hampshire

  0·4

  Birmingham

  0·4

  Isle of Wight

  0·4

  Waltham Forest

  0·4

  Humberside

  0·4

  Bolton

  0·4

  Oxfordshire

  0·4

  Barking

  0·5

  Enfield

  0·5

  Wirral

  0·5

  Devon

  0·5

  East Sussex

  0·6

  Berkshire

  0·6

  Kingston upon Thames

  0·6

  Surrey

  0·6

  Calderdale

  0·6

  Rotherham

  0·6

  Derbyshire

  0·6

  Lancashire

  0·7

  Bedfordshire

  0·7

  Bradford

  0·7

  Solihull

  0·8

  Cheshire

  0·8

  Staffordshire

  0·9

  Stockport

  1·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  1·0

  Dorset

  1·0

  Liverpool

  1·2

  Avon

  1·2

  West Sussex

  1·2

  Leeds

  1·4

  Cornwall

  1·4

  Wiltshire

  1·4

  England

  0·4

  Single European Market
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy on educating European national school age children in British schools when their circumstances bring them to Britain for a period of time; and if he expects to change that policy in the light of 1992.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: Under the Education Act 1944, local education authorities already have a duty to provide suitable and efficient primary and secondary education free of charge for all
  182
  children in their areas. This duty applies equally to British children and to school-age children accompanying EC nationals and is not affected by the move to a single European market in 1992.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Food (Storage)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the estimated food types and quantities which were in storage in the United Kingdom under European Economic Community agreements on 3 January.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Food types and quantities in storage under EC regulationary provisions on 31 December 1988, (the nearest available date) were as follows:

  Tonnes

  Intervention stocks

  Private storage

  Beef

  25,000

  2,497

  Butter

  24,179

  448

  Grain1

  1,162,000

  0

  Pigmeat

  0

  62

  Sugar

  0

  2967,878

  1 Including grain for animal feed.

  2 Stocks held under community storage refund scheme plus regional minimum stock held by cane sugar refiner.

  Pig Farmers
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the information he has on the number of pig farmers that have gone into liquidation in Derbyshire in the past 12 months.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Meat Production (Hormones)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has that the use of hormones in United States of America meat production poses hazards to human health; and if he will make a statement on the ban imposed on the import of such meat.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have no evidence that the use of growth-promoting hormone products under appropriate conditions poses any hazard to human health. This Government have therefore consistently opposed the EC hormones ban and are continuing to work for a solution to the trade difficulties with the United States it has caused.

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total number of slaughterhouses in England and Wales; and what is the total number approved for exporting to the European Economic Community, for each year since 1983.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information requested is as follows:
  183

  Slaughterhouses in England and Wales

  December

  Total

  EC-approved

  1983

  942

  59

  1984

  931

  61

  1985

  916

  64

  1986

  867

  67

  1987

  853

  60

  1988

  1—

  57

  1 Not yet available.

  Plasticisers (Clingfilm)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the implications for the health of consumers of the use of plasticisers in clingfilm, used to wrap food products.

  Mr. Ryder
  This matter has been the subject of detailed investigation, the results of which have been assessed by an independent expert committee. The committee's advice was that it was very unlikely that there were any adverse health effects from the current or past use of plasticisers in clingfilm.

  Nevertheless, as a matter of prudence, action has been taken to secure the reformulation of clingfilm so as to reduce dietary intakes of the major plasticiser, and further survey work is in hand within the Government's comprehensive food surveillance arrangements.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure consumer awareness of the health implications of the use of plasticisers in clingfilm and of the existence of products without plasticisers.

  Mr. Ryder
  My Department has agreed with the industry the wording to be used on clingfilm packaging which gives advice to consumers on the use of the product. This advice applies to all clingfilms, whether or not they contain plasticisers. In a press statement on 22 December 1986 my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary drew the attention of the public to the need to follow the guidance provided.

  Beef
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give in tabular form the proportion of the beef production of each member state of the European Community which will not benefit from the recently agreed special beef premiums.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Precise information of the kind requested is not available. The Community special premium for beef will apply to the first 90 male animals per holding. An indication of the effect of the limitation of the premium to male animals only is provided by the table which shows the proportion of slaughterings of male and female cattle in each member state. The limitation to 90 head will also have an effect on uptake. This will depend on farm structure, decisions by farmers on how they manage their enterprises and market cattle and on the methods used to administer the premium.
  184

  Proportion of male cattle (steers and bulls) and female cattle (cows and heifers) slaughtered in each EC member state (1987)

  Male animals (per cent.)

  Female animals (per cent.)

  Belgium

  40·4

  59·6

  Denmark

  48·5

  51·5

  Germany

  49·0

  51·0

  Greece

  71·6

  28·4

  Spain

  50·4

  49·6

  France

  33·7

  66·3

  Ireland

  55·0

  45·0

  Italy

  70·4

  29·6

  Luxembourg

  34·3

  65·7

  Netherlands

  27·0

  73·0

  Portugal

  50·1

  49·9

  United Kingdom

  48·3

  51·7

  EC12

  48·3

  51·7

  Source: EUROSTAT.

  Ministerial Advisers (Salaries)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total expenditure on salaries of ministerial advisers in his Department for each completed year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have nothing to add to the information that I gave the hon. Member in my reply of 16 January at column 55.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what evidence or advice he has received from his veterinary products committee on the safety of the Monsanto experimental farm trials with bovine somatotropin in cows;

  (2) what advice he has received from the veterinary products committee on the safety of BST, including that based on the evidence received from Townsend.

  Mr. Ryder
  No field trials of veterinary products, including BST, are authorised until the veterinary products committee, following a rigorous evaluation of all pertinent data, advises that they are safe.

  Butter
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Pembroke on 26 January 1989, he will give the figure:. for each year since 1973 for the percentage of the United Kingdom packet butter market, retailed to the non-industrial consumer accounted for by(a) the United Kingdom, (b) the Republic of Ireland, (c) France, (d) New Zealand, (e) Denmark, (f) the Netherlands and (g) Belgium and Luxembourg.

  Mr. Ryder
  The information requested is not available except in the form given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary in his reply of 26 January at columns 697–98.

  Salmonella
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has as to whether salmonella is transmitted from rats to poultry; and if he will make a statement.
  185
  Mr. Ryder
  I have no specific evidence that salmonella is transmitted from rats to poultry although it is recognised that animals such as rats are susceptible to salmonella. As part of the further measures to combat salmonella, I propose to strengthen the statutory controls for the control of rodents on poultry farms.

  Radiation (Sheep)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under what powers he served his direction on the owner of the flock of sheep in North Yorkshire where radioactivity readings were found to be above 1,000 bq/kg.

  Mr. Ryder
  The direction was served under section 2(3) of part I of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.

  EC Structural Funds
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria were used by the Government in selecting the United Kingdom agricultural areas to benefit under section 5(b) of the European Economic Community's proposed new rules for the reform of European Economic Community structural funds.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.

  Objective 5(b) is
  "promoting the development of rural areas".

  The European Commission is to determine which areas are eligible; it has already assured us that they will include the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, rural Wales, and the assisted areas of Devon and Cornwall. The criteria for the selection are in article 4 of Council regulation (EEC) No. 4253/88.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the net cost to the United Kingdom for each of the last three years of the common agricultural policy.

  Mecu1

  Belgium

  Denmark

  Germany

  Greece

  Spain

  France

  Ireland

  Italy

  Luxembourg

  Netherlands

  Portugal

  United Kingdom

  Cereals

  Storage/financing costs

  1·7

  10·9

  134·9

  9·0

  23·3

  55·1

  1·3

  48·7

  2..

  0·2

  —

  33·7

  Losses on sale

  12·0

  60·8

  744·0

  -20·9

  99·9

  235·6

  8·7

  336·5

  0·1

  1·3

  —

  225·2

  Sugar

  Private storage

  23·5

  12·6

  102·7

  2·5

  18·1

  133·5

  5·8

  62·9

  —

  40·0

  0·9

  27·1

  Public storage

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Olive oil

  Storage costs

  —

  —

  —

  —

  43·6

  —

  —

  24·3

  —

  —

  1·2

  —

  Losses on sale

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2·0

  —

  —

  15·9

  —

  —

  -1·0

  —

  Oilseeds

  Storage costs

  —

  —

  2..

  —

  1·8

  0·9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -0·1

  —0·2

  Wine and grape must

  Private storage

  —

  —

  0·5

  4·3

  15·5

  30·1

  —

  35·1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wine/alcohol

  Intervention costs

  —

  —

  —

  0·1

  85·5

  175·1

  —

  185·6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Depreciation of stocks

  —

  —

  —

  —

  46·9

  33·7

  —

  65·1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  186
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: Public expenditure in the United Kingdom under the Common Agricultural Policy in the last three years has been as follows:—

  Year

  £ million

  1986–87

  1,400

  1987–88

  1,610

  1988–89

  11,470

  1 Forecast.

  These figures include all expenditure under Community market support and structural aid schemes for agriculture, but exclude related expenditure such as national aid schemes, disease prevention, advice, research and development and administration.

  This expenditure is funded entirely by the United Kingdom, either directly or indirectly through the Community budget. In addition, the Exchequer supports spending under the CAP elsewhere in the Community through our net contribution to the EC budget, which in the same three years is estimated at £1,079 million, £1,164 million and £950 million. Over that period CAP spending has made up over two thirds of the EC budget.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about the cost of common agricultural policy intervention buying and storage during 1988 in each of the European Economic Community member states and for each commodity for which an intervention regime exists.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: Provisional figures for 1988 Community expenditure on private storage (sugar, wine and grape must, butter, beef, sheepmeat and pigmeat) and on public intervention (cereals, sugar, olive oil, oilseeds, wine alcohol, tobacco, skimmed milk powder, butter and beef, are given in the table.

  The purchase of stock into public intervention is funded by the member states, which are reimbursed by the Community for storage in addition, for the first time in 1988, there was significant expenditure on depreciation of newly-farmed stocks (cereals, alcohol, tobacco, butter and beef) under arrangements agreed by the European Council in February 1988.
  187

  Belgium

  Denmark

  Germany

  Greece

  Spain

  France

  Ireland

  Italy

  Luxembourg

  Netherlands

  Portugal

  United Kingdom

  Tobacco

  Storage/financing costs

  —

  —

  —

  8·3

  —

  0·2

  —

  2·9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Losses on sale/depreciation of stocks

  —

  —

  —

  11·2

  —

  0·1

  —

  5·0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Skimmed milk powder

  Storage/financing costs

  2..

  0·1

  45·6

  0·3

  1·6

  —

  2..

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·2

  Losses on sale

  2..

  -0·3

  -54·5

  1-·5

  -0·7

  —

  -0·4

  2

  —

  —

  —

  -0·8

  Butter

  Private storage

  8·9

  0·2

  11 ·3

  —

  —

  12·5

  5·4

  0·5

  0·1

  12·5

  —

  2·1

  Storage/financing costs

  5·8

  2·2

  89·3

  —

  6·6

  39·5

  48·3

  4·7

  0·1

  68·8

  —

  64·4

  Losses on sale/depreciation of stocks

  8·9

  19·2

  243·4

  —

  29·2

  171·7

  34·1

  ·45·5

  —

  86·0

  —

  84·1

  Beef

  Private storage

  0·8

  0·9

  15·4

  —

  —

  2·7

  31·0

  5·7

  —

  1·5

  —

  2·2

  Storage/financing costs

  3·0

  11·2

  66·9

  —

  6·6

  76·0

  46·9

  34·0

  —

  14·8

  —

  19·6

  Losses on sale/depreciation of stocks

  8·4

  43·9

  262·6

  2..

  14·4

  298·6

  206·0

  108·4

  2..

  61·1

  —

  89·5

  Sheep/goals

  Private storage

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Pigmeat

  Private storage

  6·8

  8·9

  7·0

  —

  2·6

  2·6

  0·1

  7·7

  —

  7·1

  —

  0·4

  1 1 mecu is approximately £670,000.

  2.. less than 0·05.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. George Foulkes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the latest figures for principal discharges of liquid radioactive waste from United Kingdom nuclear establishments for 1987 and 1988 in the form of table 1 of the report on "Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles", published by the directorate of fisheries research.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: The 1987 figures for principal discharges of liquid radioactive waste from United Kingdom nuclear establishments were published in the form requested by my Ministry last October in a report entitled "Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles, 1987". A copy of the report was placed in the Library of the House at that time. Figures for 1988 will be published later this year.

  Region

  Linear Accelerators

  Cobalt Units

  Orthovoltage Units

  Afterloading Units

  Total

  East Anglian

  5

  3

  5

  4

  17

  Mersey

  5

  0

  3

  2

  10

  North East Thames

  10

  9

  14

  4

  37

  Northern

  5

  3

  4

  5

  17

  North-Western

  6

  1

  1

  3

  11

  North-West Thames

  7

  10

  13

  3

  33

  Oxford

  3

  4

  7

  0

  14

  South-East Thames

  4

  11

  17

  6

  38

  South-West Thames

  1

  3

  3

  not known

  7

  South-Western

  9

  6

  13

  5

  33

  Trent

  9

  4

  11

  4

  28

  West Midlands

  8

  7

  10

  3

  28

  Wessex

  8

  1

  8

  2

  19

  Yorkshire

  5

  3

  3

  3

  14

  Special Health Authorities

  9

  5

  6

  3

  23

  94

  70

  118

  47

  329

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is available to him on the costs of
  188

HEALTH

  Mental Illness
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if there are plans to introduce ethnic monitoring of admissions under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have no plans, although the subject is kept under review by the Department.

  Radiotherapy
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many radiation machines were within the National Health Service; and at what locations in(a) 1983 and (b)

  Mr. Freeman
  Information in respect of 1983 is not readily available centrally, but at the end of 1988 the number of items of specified radiotherapy machines in major NHS centres in England by region were as follows:
  189
  purchasing and maintaining radiation machines within the National Health Service either by district, region or generally for each year since 1983.

  Mr. Freeman
  The costs of purchase and maintenance of equipment are matters for regional and district health authorities within their overall allocation of resources. Limited information on the cost of X-ray equipment and chemicals purchased and of maintenance contracts for X-ray equipment are set out in the published annual accounts of health authorities, as available in the Library.

  Cook-chill Catering
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the district health authorities and hospitals which are currently operating cook-chill catering.

  Mr. Freeman
  I regret that health authorities are not required to submit, on a regular basis, details of the catering systems being used in their hospitals.

  Neomycin
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many claims have been made against health authorities because of deafness alleged to be due to the use of neomycin spray; and how many have been successful.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally.

  Project 2000
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how the bursaries allocated to student nurses under Project 2000 will be administered; and whether they will be administered regionally or centrally;

  (2) what is the anticipated amount of the bursary for a student nurse enrolling when the Project 2000 reform of nurse education is introduced;

  (3) how many bursaries he intends to make available by region under the Project 2000 nursing education reforms; and if he will list them;

  (4) whether, where student nurses are enrolled under Project 2000 with 80 per cent. supernumerary status and a 20 per cent. service contribution, the bursary will cover 100 per cent. of costs.

  Mr. Mellor
  No decisions have yet been made on the level of bursary to be offered to students undertaking project 2000-style training but we hope to make a statement shortly. In deciding the level of bursary we will need to have regard to the level of current student nurse salaries and the existing rules for mandatory student awards.

  Initially, bursaries will be administered by those district health authorities selected to introduce project 2000 courses later this year. Arrangements for the longer term have yet to be determined.

  Funding for project 2000 courses will be provided against carefully costed plans, and the examination of these plans will seek to identify all the necessary additional costs arising as a result of project 2000. It is not our intention in meeting these costs to allocate specific numbers of bursaries or a region by region basis on separately to identify particular aspects of the funding. The number of student nurses will continue to depend on health authorities' future demand for staff and the ability to recruit.

  Ministerial Advisers
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on salaries of ministerial advisers in his Department for each completed year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth oClarke
  I have nothing to add to the information that I gave to the hon. Member in my reply of 16 January at column 35.

  Hospital Services, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of Health (1) if he will make a statement on the future of geriatric services at Sefton general hospital, Liverpool;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the future of Olive Mount hospital, Liverpool.

  Mr. Mellor
  The planning and development of hospital services in Liverpool is a matter for the Liverpool health authority. The hon. Member may therefore wish to contact the district chairman for the information he requires.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of beds in the intensive care unit at Liverpool royal hospital.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Mersey regional health authority and Liverpool health authority are presently giving consideration to relocating and expanding the intensive care unit within the Royal Liverpool hospital.

  Down's Syndrome
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many A-V canal defect operations were carried out on children with Down's syndrome in each of the past five years; and in which hospitals these operations took place.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not identifiable from data collected centrally. Returns of the United Kingdom cardiac surgery register show that 137 A-V canal operations were performed in 1985. We do not have information on the proportion of these operations which involved children with Down's syndrome, or the hospitals in which such operations took place.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children suffering from A-V canal defect died in each of the past five years; and how many of these also had Down's syndrome.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information is not available in exactly the form requested. Table 1 shows the number of deaths of children aged 0–14 registered in England and Wales in 1983–87 to which endocardial cushion defects (International Classification of Diseases 9th revision 745.6), which includes A-V canal defect, was assigned as the underlying cause of death.

  For 1985 and 1986 all causes of death were coded, and information on the number of certificates mentioning endocardial cushion defects is consequently available. Table 2 shows, for those deaths registered in 1985 and 1986, how many death certificates for 0–14 year olds contained a mention of ICD 745.6 (irrespective of whether or not it was assigned as the underlying cause of death), and how many of those also contained a mention of Down's syndrome (ICD 758.0). Similar information is not available for the other data years.
  191

  Table 1

  Number of death registrations with endocardial cushion defect1 assigned as underlying cause of death, ages 0–14 years England and Wales, 1983–87

  Year

  Deaths

  1983

  54

  1984

  43

  1985

  50

  21986

  47

  21987

  32

  21988

  318

  1 International Classification of Diseases (ICD) ninth revision code 745·6.

  2 Deaths at ages 28 days and over. No underlying cause of death has been assigned to deaths under 28 days since 1 January 1986.

  3 Provisional, January to September registrations only.

  Table 2

  Number of death registrations containing a mention of endocardial cushion defects (ICD code 745·6) and the number of these also mentioning Down's syndrome (ICD code 758·0) ages 0–14 years, England and Wales 1985–86

  Year

  Total mentions of ICD 745.6

  Number also mentioning ICD 758.0

  1985

  65

  29

  1986

  56

  24

  1 Deaths at ages 28 days and over.

  Mental Health Review Tribunals
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mental health review tribunals were held (i) in the five years preceding the enactment of the Mental Health Act 1983 and (ii) in all subsequent years for which he has information(a) in special hospitals and (b) in other mental hospitals and units.

  Mr. Freeman
  [pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1989, c. 413]: The information is not available in the form requested prior to 1983. However the table provides the information for the years 1983–88 and, for the earlier years, shows the total number of tribunals heard in all hospitals.

  Mental health review tribunals. Cases heard

  Year

  Special hospitals

  Other hospitals

  Total

  1978

  n/k

  n/k

  696

  1979

  n/k

  n/k

  780

  1980

  n/k

  n/k

  692

  1981

  n/k

  n/k

  697

  1982

  n/k

  n/k

  876

  1983

  628

  1,313

  1,941

  1984

  625

  1,508

  2,133

  198S

  647

  1,756

  2,403

  1986

  668

  2,161

  2,829

  1987

  691

  2,237

  2,928

  1988

  769

  2,399

  3,168

  Homoeopathy
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is made for homoeopathic services within the Liverpool health authority area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Homoeopathic services for both in-patients and out-patients are provided at Mossley Hill hospital, where 10 in-patient beds are available.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much benefit fraud has cost his Department in each of the years since 1979; and how many prosecutions have resulted(a) in the United Kingdom as a whole and (b) in his Department's area covering Nottingham for these purposes.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No reliable estimate is available of the cost of social security benefit fraud. The numbers of prosecutions undertaken by the Department for fraudulent claims to social security in(a) Great Britain for each year since 1979–80 and (b) the area covered by the Department's four local offices in Nottingham since 1981–82 are as follows. Figures for Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and those for Nottingham prior to 1981–82 are not available.

  (a) Great Britain

  (b) Nottingham

  1979–80

  16,635

  —

  1980–81

  18,801

  —

  1981–82

  14,206

  73

  1982–83

  11,334

  166

  1983–84

  5,997

  127

  1984–85

  6,702

  97

  1985–86

  6,679

  140

  1986–87

  6,603

  132

  1987–88

  7,231

  169

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what involvement his Department has had in the Broxtowe child sex abuse case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In this case the Department disclosed to the police, in confidence, details held about named individuals. This is in accordance with its policy that disclosure may be made to the police in any case which involves serious crime. Also, the Department provided information, including a written statement, to the police in connection with alleged associated offences in which the Department has an interest.

  Mr. Viraj Mendis
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the cost of social security payments during the period that Viraj Mendis was resident in the United Kingdom.

  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 521.

  Departmental Staff (Child Care)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school-age children of employees; what child care provision for school holidays or after-school care is provided for employees' children aged five years and over; what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years; and how these are to be funded.
  193
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At present no provision for the child care of the pre-school age children of staff is made in this Department, although preliminary discussions on such facilities have taken place.

  The Department's central office at Newcastle operates a scheme of finding day care parents for employees's children. It also runs holiday play schemes for them in the Easter and summer holidays. A holiday play scheme has been organised for the forthcoming Easter holidays for the children of staff working in HQ buildings in central London. Additionally staff working in the Whitehall area can make use of the centrally organised holiday play schemes.

  Child care provision is one of the areas being examined in a review of opportunities available to women employees in the Department. We hope to base any further holiday play schemes on the experience we are gaining.

  The schemes are intended to be self-supporting, but the Department has provided funding to prime them.

  Departmental Offices (Closure)
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his Department's proposals to close its offices in London.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no such proposals.

  Pensions
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take urgent steps to ensure that pensions increase in real terms at the same rate as inflation.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have fully honoured our pledge to protect the value of the state retirement pension against price increases and shall continue to do so.

  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the net cost, after taking into account savings in existing benefits, of paying a non-contributory old age pension of £41·15 to each man and woman aged 65 years or over.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I regret that the information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Benefits
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received to date either in favour of, or broadly opposed to, his consultative document proposing the replacement of board and lodging payments and personal allowances with housing benefit and income support; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 23 January at columns 417-18.

  Office

  Principal

  SEO

  HEO

  LOI

  LOII

  AA

  Typing manager

  Typist

  Telephonist

  Security officer

  Messenger

  Total

  Present Staffing

  Doncaster (East) ILO

  1

  1

  7

  40

  78.5

  22.0

  0

  3.0

  1

  1

  1

  155.5

  Doncaster (West) ILO

  1

  1

  9

  50

  94.0

  24.5

  1

  2.5

  0

  2

  1

  186.0

  Mexborough NIO

  0

  0

  1

  4

  10.5

  2.0

  0

  1.0

  0

  0

  0

  18.5

  Staffing in 1984

  Doncaster (East) ILO

  1

  0

  6

  35

  70

  16

  0

  3

  1

  1

  1

  134

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend the payment of mobility allowance to parents with children over two years of age, in line with attendance allowance payments; and if he will estimate the number of children who would be eligible for mobility allowance, if the regulations were changed to allow such payments.

  Mr. Scott
  We shall consider whether mobility allowance should be extended to children below the age of five when we are examining the findings of the surveys undertaken by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. We estimate that the reduction of the lower limit to two years of age would enable about 5,000 children to become eligible for the allowance.

  Disabled People (Benefits)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will consider an extra costs allowance, for payment to disabled persons who incur extra costs as a result of their efforts to overcome their disability, in line with recommendations made in the Social Security advisory committee's report entitled "Benefits for Disabled Persons: a Strategy for Change."

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Williams) on 19 December 1988 at columns 114–15.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will abandon the six months qualifying period for attendance allowance in respect of persons who are terminally ill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  We shall look at this feature of the attendance allowance scheme when we consider the future of disability benefits in the light of the results of the OPCS disability surveys.

  Benefit Offices (Staff)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the present staffing by grades at the benefit offices in Doncaster and Mexborough; what was the staffing five years ago; and if he will make a statement about the projected operational strategy of these three offices for the future and its effect on the various staff grades.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is as follows:
  195

  office

  Principal

  SEO

  HEO

  LOI

  LOII

  AA

  Typing manager

  Typist

  Telephonist

  Security officer

  Messenger

  Total

  Doncaster (West) ILO

  1

  1

  7

  43

  90

  27

  1

  4

  0

  2

  1

  177

  Mexborough NIO

  0

  0

  1

  4

  15

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  23

  The regionally calculated estimates of staff savings due to operational strategy in the year April 1990 to March 1991 are as follows. At this stage they are subject to change and as yet we cannot give the grades involved:

  Number

  Doncaster East ILO

  23·520

  Doncaster West ILO

  29·170

  Mexborough NIO

  00·674

  Abbreviations:

  ILO = Integrated Local Office.

  NIO = National Insurance Office.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve the position of disabled people facing a higher cost of living as a consequence of their disability.

  Mr. Scott
  In the period up to July 1989 the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is publishing a series of reports on the findings of the surveys of disability in Great Britain carried out between 1985 and 1988. Two reports have already been published covering the prevalence of disability amongs adults and the financial circumstances of disabled adults in private households. Four more reports will follow. Taken together, the six reports will bring together the most comprehensive and detailed information ever collected about disabled people in this country.

  I have explained that we will wait until all the results of these surveys are available before reaching any conclusion as to whether there are better ways of providing help for disabled people.

  Departmental Correspondence
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if will list in the Official Report the number of his Department's letters (Form No. CH (A) 1702 REV) sent in each region of the United Kingdom; what is his Department's existing budget for this mailing campaign; how many such messages are planned to be sent in future; which benefits other than child benefit will receive the same attention in this way; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Forms CH(A) 1702 REV are issued centrally to recipients of child benefit. Information is not available of numbers sent by region, but a total of some 3·6 million have been issued. No specific budget is allocated to promoting automated credit transfer and the costs are met from the social security publicity budget of £12·77 million for 1988–89. The issue of similar letters to all retirement pensioners who were not already paid by automated credit transfer has been completed and the child benefit exercise is due to finish in April 1989. We have no current plans to extend the issue of these letters to other beneficiaries.

  Ministerial Advisers (Salaries)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total expenditure on salaries of ministerial advisers in his Department for each completed year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moore
  I have nothing to add to the information which I gave to the hon. Member in my reply on 16 January at column 45.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what income is taken into account in assessing a person's right to a rebate of poll tax.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A person who expects to be liable for a personal community charge or for collective community charge contributions in Scotland may claim housing benefit in the form of community charge rebate from the appropriate authority. In assessing his entitlement to rebate, the authority will calculate his income in accordance with the provisions of the Housing Benefit (Community Charge Rebates) (Scotland) Regulations 1988. All earned and unearned income is taken into account, except where the regulations provide for all or part of it to be disregarded. The rules for the calculation of income are carried forward unchanged from the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  East Midlands
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment his Department has made of the advantages and disadvantages for trade and industry in the east midlands arising from(a) the establishment or failure to establish a rail freight interchange in the east
  midlands and (b) the advent of 1992 and the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Atkins
  My officials have extensive contact with industry and commerce in the east midlands on all matters affecting the region's economic development, including those related to transport infrastructure, which are discussed regularly with the Department of Transport.

  Supermarket Profits
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will refer supermarket profit levels to(a) the Office of Fair Trading or (b) the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Maude
  No. It falls to the Director General of Fair Trading to monitor commercial activities under the competition legislation for which he is responsible. He published a review of developments in competition in retailing in June 1985, and continues to keep the matter under close review. If the hon. Member has evidence to suggest that supermarket profit levels indicate that
  197
  competition in that particular market is being restricted or distorted, he should bring it to the attention of the director general.

  Special Steels (Spain)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the inter-industry agreement on special steels from Spain, referred to in his answer of 27 April 1988,Official Report, column 171, has now ended.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I am informed that, following completion of the transitional arrangements for steel on Spain's accession to the European Community, the inter-industry agreement on special steels has ended.

  "Releasing Enterprise"
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the rolling programme of deregulation reviews referred to in the White Paper, "Releasing Enterprise", has been determined.

  Mr. Maude
  I am announcing today details of the first rolling programme of deregulation reviews to be carried out by Government Departments. This carries forward commitments undertaken in the Government's recent White Paper "Releasing Enterprise" (Cm 512) which was published in November 1988.

  We regard this programme of reviews as essential to keep a check on existing requirements or regulations which, although they may have seemed reasonable at the time, have become outdated, over-burdensome or simply unnecessary.

  Together with the existing mechanisms we have in place for new legislation, we hope to be able to free enterprise from unnecessary Government interference.

  Each year, Departments will review at least one area of their work, with an emphasis on consultation, particularly with business, at all stages. Where possible, business expertise will be brought in to assist.

  The results of this programme will be reported to Parliament once it has been completed.

  The first programme of deregulation is as follows:

  Enterprise and Deregulation Unit

  (i) Business Licensing
  Review of the administration of business licences.

  (ii) Fire and building review
  Review of overlap of building control and fire regulations, the way the legislation is implemented and the requirements for consistent enforcement.

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  (i) Compulsory dipping of sheep against sheep scab This will consider the burden to farmers and possible alternatives to compulsory dipping while maintaining adequate control over the disease.

  (ii) Enforcement of fruit and vegetable marketing standards
  Review of the EC regulations laying down marketing standards for fruit and vegetables and their impact on United Kingdom traders.

  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise

  (i) VAT second-hand schemes
  VAT is paid on the margin between the selling and purchase price with second-hand schemes. The review will examine ways of reducing the record-keeping requirements.

  198

  (ii) Export data capture
  The review is to examine increasing direct trader input of export data in customs computers to bring it into line with import systems.

  Department of Employment and the Home Office

  (i) Work permit scheme
  To ensure that the rules and operation of the scheme enable business to hire overseas non-EC staff with the minimum regulation required to safeguard the employment of resident labour and for immigration control.

  Health and Safety Executive

  (i) Factories Act section 139
  To review the need for employers to post copies of health and safety regulations or notices at workplaces, with a view to amendment or repeal of section 139 of the Factories Act 1961.

  Department of the Environment

  (i) Use Classes Order part II
  To review the Special Industrial Use Classes which are five groups of industries, eg chemicals, smelting and other metal treatment and animal by-products. Because of the processes involved these create particular environmental problems and the review will be done with a view to rationalisation of the Use Classes Order.

  Department of Health

  (i) NHS standard conditions of contract
  To overhaul Health Authority procedures for tendering and contracting, with particular reference to extending competition and best procurement practices.

  (ii) NHS supplies
  To streamline the NHS approved supplier/ contractor system under which at present each regional NHS Authority conducts its own separate vetting and appraisal.

  Home Office

  (i) Data Protection Act
  Review of implementation of the Data Protection Act 1984, with particular regard to the impact on data users of the registration requirements.

  (ii) Business licences
  Review of the administration of the business licences for which the Home Office is responsible.

  Inland Revenue

  (i) Pay as you earn communications with employers Full scrutiny-style review of all communications between the Inland Revenue and business about PAYE.

  Office of the Minister for the Civil Service

  (i) Forms
  To identify the means of reducing the burden of Government forms on business and make recommendations.

  Department of Social Security

  (i) Inquiries of business
  To simplify the way in which social security information is obtained from employers, and drop outdated requirements.

  Department of Transport

  (i) HGV and PSV operator licensing
  To consider the scope for reducing the burden imposed by operator licensing on goods and passenger vehicle operators.

  Department of Trade and Industry

  (i) Steel scrap export licensing

  (a) Ferrous Scrap: to review the need for export licences for all grades of steel and non-alloy scrap.

  199

  (b) Control of Stainless Steel and High Alloy Scrap Exports: to review the continuing need for an early 1980s agreement between DTI and the steel industry giving BSC first refusal on all supplies.

  (ii) Regional selective assistance
  To consider the possibility of a shortened and simplified offer letter for smaller cases and the extent to which payment and monitoring procedures can be simplified.

  (iii) Insurance
  To review the data collection requirements of this area with a view to eliminating those which are unnecessary while making the essential compliance, collection and use of data as cost effective as possible.

  (iv) Copper scrap quotas
  To prepare the case for the removal of the annual quota imposed by the EC on copper exports.

  (v) Export procedures review implementation (with Customs and Excise and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)

  To implement the recommendations of the enterprise and deregulation unit's export procedures review.

  EC Structural Funds
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the areas of Yorkshire which he has submitted for consideration to the European Commission under its review of the European Economic Community's structural funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: I have recommended the Commission to select for the new objective 2 of the funds the whole of South Yorkshire; the parts of Middlesbrough and Darlington travel-to-work areas that are in north Yorkshire; and the Bradford city, Kirklees borough, Leeds city and Wakefield city metropolitan districts in West Yorkshire.

  I should have liked to recommend the Whitby TTWA in North Yorkshire, but the terms of article 9 of the Council regulation (EEC) No. 2025/88 do not qualify for consideration.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Parole
  Mr. McCusker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Loyalist and Republican prisoners in Northern Ireland received compassionate parole during the last three years; and what was the average length of parole for each category.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  During the last three years compassionate home leave was granted on 340 occasions to both determinate and indeterminate sentence prisoners. Based on their believed paramilitary affiliation, 69 were Loyalist prisoners for an average period of 11·5 hours, 136 Republican prisoners for an averge period of 12·2 hours, and 135 prisoners with no believed paramilitary affiliation for an average period of 14·6 hours. The length of a period of compassionate home leave in any individual case depends upon a number of factors, including the distance a prisoner has to travel and the mode of travel.

  DNA Testing
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his reply to the hon.
  200
  Member for Kingston upon Hull, North on 10 January, Official Report, column 502, whether mouth samples taken for the purposes of DNA testing by a swab between the lip and the gum yielded sufficient material to carry out valid DNA profiles in all cases.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 18 January 1989]: Research work undertaken at the Northern Ireland forensic science laboratory has proved that a mouth swab taken from the area between the lip and gum can yield sufficient DNA material for profiling purposes. However, none of the mouth samples taken for DNA profiling has been analysed so far.

  Anthony O'Doherty
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to allegations made at the trial of Sergeant Charles McCormick that Anthony O'Doherty had been supplied with weapons by the security forces; what inquiries have been carried out; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 19 December 1988]: The allegations made at the trial of Sergeant Charles McCormick that Anthony O'Doherty had been supplied with weapons by the security forces were fully investigated by the police and their findings reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions who directed that there should be no prosecution.

  I regret the delay in obtaining this information for the hon. Member.

  Tourism
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many tourists visited Northern Ireland in each of the years 1983 to 1988(a) from European countries, and (b) from North America.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 25 January 1989]: The information requested for each of the years 1983 to 1987 is given in the table. Tourist numbers for 1988 are not yet available.

  Tourist numbers

  Thousands

  European Countries

  Year

  Including1

  Excluding1

  North America

  1983

  796

  29

  52

  1984

  847

  30

  43

  1985

  778

  28

  63

  1986

  750

  35

  47

  1987

  860

  33

  57

  1 Tourists from Great Britain and Republic of Ireland.

  Meat Imports
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the annual total of meat imports into Northern Ireland via the overland route from the Republic.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 26 January 1989]: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise statistics sources show that in 1987 imports of meat from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland totalled 108,200 tonnes.

  House Searches
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many houses were searched in Northern Ireland by the Army, police or the Ulster Defence Regiment under(a) the Emergency Provisions Act and (b) the Prevention of Terrorism Act during 1988; and in how many house searches a warrant was sought or obtained.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 27 January 1989]: Statistics are not available in respect of searches under sections 11, 13, 14 and 17 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978, or under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984. During the first nine months of 1988 a total of 2,899 premises in Northern Ireland were searched by the police and 2,712 by the Army under section 15 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978. These figures include both occupied and unoccupied premises. Warrants are not required for such searches.

ENVIRONMENT

  Southwark Urban Development Area
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has of the number of firms active in the Southwark urban development area in 1980, the number of people they employed and whether the employees lived in(a) Southwark and (b) the other dockland boroughs; and if he has comparable information for the latest available date.

  Mr. Trippier
  The numbers of employing establishments and employees in the Southwark part of the UDA in 1981 and 1987 were as follows:

  1981

  1987

  Employing Establishments

  285

  358

  Employers

  5,824

  8,732

  LDDC has no data for 1980; and no place of residence information for 1981. Data for 1987 will be available shortly and I will write to the hon. Member at that time.

  Tobacco Dock
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will direct the London Docklands Development Corporation to take steps to ensure that the shops to open in the spring at Tobacco dock employ local labour.

  Mr. Trippier
  No, but I understand that the operators have recruited locally and are actively encouraging shop tenants to do so.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total amount of grant given by his Department to housing associations to encourage the building of disabled persons' housing units.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information is not held by the Department. The Housing Corporation is responsible for the allocation of its capital programme to housing 202
  associations and types of scheme, within the broad framework agreed annually by Ministers. I have therefore asked the Chairman of the Housing Corporation to respond to the hon. Member direct.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment pursuant to the reply of 10 November 1988, to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe,Official Report, column 273, if he will make a statement on the outcome so far of his Department's consideration of the Prince of Wales advisory group on disability entitled "Living Options Lottery" and, in particular, about the action he will be taking in regard to its findings.

  Mr. Trippier
  The report is a useful contribution to current thinking and planning on disability issues. We continue to encourage housing providers to look at ways in which they can respond more effectively to the needs and wishes of people with disabilities.

  Agricultural Dwellings
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce rules to allow local authorities to tie planning permission for erection of an agricultural dwelling to a specific farm and area of land.

  Mr. Chope
  We are reviewing our planning guidance on agricultural dwellings and occupancy conditions in the light of our policies for diversification of the rural economy.

  Gipsy Sites
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have been granted exemption for provision of a gipsy site under the Caravan Sites Act 1968; and for what reasons.

  Mr. Trippier
  None. Section 6(2) of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 which provided for exemption was repealed by section 173 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980.

  Swimming Pools (Safety)
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance his Department issues to the owners or operators of swimming pools concerning the safety of water slides, water chutes and similar apparatus.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Health and Safety Commission and the Sports Council published a joint guidance booklet for owners and operators of swimming pools entitled "Safety in Swimming Pools" in 1988. My Department was consulted when the guidance was being drafted and fully endorses its contents.

  Alzheimer's Disease
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 47 water treatment plants in the United Kingdom producing drinking water whose aluminium content is above European Economic Community limits; by how much each treatment plant is in excess of these limits; and if he will make a statement in respect of excess aluminium sulphate in drinking water and any connection with the brain disorder, Alzheimer's disease.
  203
  Mr. Moynihan
  The 43 areas where the Department has granted derogations under article 9 of the EC drinking water directive or has applied to the European Commission under article 20 for a further period of time in order to comply with the aluminium standard are as follows:

  Severn-Trent Water Authority

  Parts of North Warwickshire, Coventry and Nuneaton

  Parts of Charnwood, Hinckley and Bosworth

  Parts of Stroud District Council area

  Part of Montgomery

  South West Water Authority

  Parishes of Seaton and Beer

  Areas supplied from Tottiford treatment works

  Areas supplied from Prewley treatment works

  Bideford

  College supply zone—Falmouth and Penrhyn

  Watercombe supply zone

  Higher parts of Penzance

  Launceston and Callington areas

  Bodmin and Wadebridge areas

  Princetown

  Chagford Crediton hamlets

  North West Water Authority

  Parts of Sefton MB

  Parts of Stockport MB

  Parts of Bolton MB

  Parts of Tameside MB

  Parts of Oldham MB

  Parts of Carlisle District

  Parts of Eden District

  Parts of Lancaster Borough

  Parts of Ribble Valley District

  Yorkshire Water Authority

  South East Sheffield

  Central Sheffield

  Parts of West Barnsley (2 supplies)

  South West Sheffield

  Thornton supply area (West Bradford)

  Area east of Thirsk

  Addingham

  Parts of Dewsbury, Mirfield and Huddersfield

  Part of north Bradford

  Huddersfield, Holmbridge and Holmstyles area

  Parts of Huddersfield

  Rural area of Keighley

  Reva supply area, Rombalds

  Parts of Huddersfield

  Rural areas west and south of Halifax (2 supplies)

  Northern area of Halifax

  Otley

  Programmes of improvement are in hand to ensure that all supplies will comply with the aluminium standard in the directive as soon as possible.

  Information as to how much each treatment plant exceeds the aluminium standard in the EC directive is not held centrally. However, in accordance with the terms of the directive the Department granted derogations (exemptions) where the aluminium is naturally occurring and applied to the Commission for delays where it is used in the treatment process up to limits which have been agreed with medical advisers.

  The Department of Health's committee on medical aspects of the contamination of air, soil and water has concluded that it has not been established that a reduction in the aluminium intake of the general population would be likely to reduce the incidence of Alzheimer's disease. It considered that the associations between Alzheimer's disease and aluminium concentrations in drinking water, suggested by recent studies in Norway and the United Kingdom, were too tentative to justify changes in the use
  204
  of aluminum sulphate in water treatment. Further research is important, particularly on the bioavailability of aluminium from all sources.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give his latest estimate of the level of community charge in each London borough on 1 April 1990 in relation to the current average burden of rates per adult in each London borough, assuming no significant changes in levels of expenditure between the current time and 1 April 1990.

  Mr. Glimmer
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermonsdey (Mr. Hughes) on 15 December 1988 Official Report, column 726, regarding future community charge levels.

  Conservation
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley on 1 December 1988,Official Report, column 365, if he will make a statement on the aspects of his Department's programmes for conserving the environment which go wider than what can be achieved through further legislation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Many of the initiatives that we are taking in the environmental field do not require further legislation. They include steps to combat air pollution by cleaning up emissions from power station; and motor vehicles; implementing the programme of action arising from the second North sea conference; investing in research into greenhouse gases and their effects; and pressing both nationally and internationally for a reduction in the use of chlorofluorocarbons in order to protect the ozone layer.

  Heritage Conservation
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has received from English Heritage or the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments on the effects of the new agricultural policies being adopted by the Government in response to recent European Community directives, in relation to the future of archaeology in the upland and lowland regions of the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State receives advice from English Heritage regularly on matters affecting ancient monuments and archaeology. English Heritage themselves maintain contact with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on all such matters. We are aware of the opportunities under EC directives to take agricultural land out of production and that these can sometimes help indirectly to safeguard archaeological sites on agricultural land. Alternative land use as such is however only one approach. There is a growing awareness of the importance of archaeology in the countryside and English Heritage are closely in touch with countryside interests. A tangible result of their efforts are the positive management agreements into which English Heritage enter with land owners for the safeguarding of archaeological sites.
  205
  We are also aware of the report published by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England and the Council for British Archaeology on the Archaeology of the Uplands in 1987. English Heritage recently published a similar document which explains some of the ways in which monuments in the countryside (including upland and lowland areas) can be preserved and maintained.

  Ministerial Advisers (Salaries)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total expenditure on salaries of ministerial advisers in his Department for each completed year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  The following special advisers have been employed in my Department since 1979:T. Baron—Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for the Environment on housing issues. 1 October 1979 to 31 March 1980. Seconded from another employer.
  Sir Robert Cooke—Special Adviser to the Secretary of State on the Palace of Westminster, the Parliamentary Estate and other Government Buildings. 1 December 1979 to 6 January 1987. Paid directly.
  E. Berman—Special Adviser to the Secretary of State on inner city matters. 4 October 1982 to 4 July 1983. Paid directly.
  C. G. Mockler—Special (political) Adviser to the Secretary of State for the Environment. 18 July 1983 to 30 April 1985. Paid directly.
  A. Tyrie—Special (political) Adviser to the Secretary of State for the Environment. 29 April 1985 to 3 September 1985. Paid directly.
  P. R. C. Davis—Special (political) Adviser to the Minister for Local Government. 1 October 1984 to 3 September 1985. Special (political) Adviser to the Secretary of State for the Environment. 4 September 1985 to 31 January 1986. Paid directly.
  A. R. Kerpel—Special (political) Adviser to the Secretary of State for the Environment. 3 February 1986 to 21 May 1986. Paid directly.
  D. A. Coleman—Special (political) Adviser to the Hon. William Waldegrave and Mr. John Patten. 16 September 1985 to 12 June 1987. Paid directly.
  P. J. Rock—Special (political) Adviser to Mr. M. Howard and the Hon. William Waldegrave from 13 July 1987 to 25 July 1988. Special (political) Adviser to Mr. M. Howard and the Right Hon. J. Selwyn Gummer. 26 July 1988 to date. Paid directly.
  Mrs. K. C. Ramsay—Special (political) Adviser to the Secretary of State for the Environment. 22 May 1986 to 17 May 1987. 15 June 1987 to date. Paid directly.
  It is not the practice to give information which would reveal the salaries of special advisers as they are individually negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings and are therefore confidential.

  Sporting Events (Tickets)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the sale of black market tickets at major sporting events.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I understand the hon. Member's concern about the sale of black market tickets. In particular, I am concerned about the damage that such ticket sales for major football matches can do to the efforts of the police and clubs to segregate rival fans effectively. However, it is not yet clear that a practicable and enforceable legal answer to this problem can be found. It way well be that what is needed is tighter control by the organisers of sporting events over the distribution of tickets and the imposition of sanctions against those found abusing those controls. Following a report from the chief 206
  trading standards officer of Liverpool, difficulties over the allocation of tickets for last year's FA cup final have been referred to the Football Association by the Office of Fair Trading. I understand the OFT are awaiting a detailed response from the FA.

  Ex-GLC Housing (Somerset)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will inquire of the Housing Corporation the reasons why it recommended that ownerships of the former Greater London Council seaside and country homes in Taunton should pass from the North British housing association to the Knightstone housing association of Weston-super-Mare sites, then to the Redland housing association of Bristol.

  Mr. Trippier
  Any proposal by NBHA to dispose of any of the seaside and country homes would require the Housing Corporation's consent.

  House Conditions (Liverpool)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homes in Liverpool are without basic amenities; and what percentage(a) of the total housing stock, and (b) the private rented sector fall into this category.

  Mr. Trippier
  Local authorities report estimates of the number of dwellings lacking one or more basic amenities in their annual housing investment programme returns. These do not distinguish between rented and owner-occupied dwellings in the private sector. A copy of Liverpool's 1988 return (HIP1) is in the Library.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many house improvement grants were issued in Liverpool over the past year.

  Mr. Trippier
  Numbers of renovation grants paid to private owners and tenants by local authority area, for the first half of 1988, appear in table 4 of "Local Housing Statistics" No. 87. A copy is available in the Library. A total of 323 grants were reported paid in the September quarter of 1988.

  Local Authority Finance
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any representations from Leicester city council indicating dissatisfaction as to the amount of central Government grants to the council.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I am not aware of any recent representations relating to grants for which DOE is responsible.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he now proposes to reduce the amount of chlorofluorocarbons in aerosol propellants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The British aerosol industry expects to phase out the non-essential use of chlorofluorocarbons as propellants on a voluntary basis by the end of 1989.

  Property Services Agency (Funding)
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to make any changes to the cash limit on the Property Services Agency's civil vote and also to the running cost limit for 1988–89.

  Mr. Ridley
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for class XX, vote 19, will be increased by £71·152 million from £2,000 to £71·154 million. The increases are needed to finance the acquisition of freehold office accommodation and the internal restructuring of the agency ahead of fully commercial operation in 1993. The increase will be charged to the Reserve and therefore will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  In addition, PSA's civil running cost limit is being increased by a net £3·599 million to £143·678 million to cover expenditure on internal restructuring. This increase includes an offsetting reduction of £1,000 to meet corresponding increase in the running cost limit of the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service (class XX, vote 1) for the transfer of costs for recruitment under the direct entry grade 7 competition 1988.

  Departmental Staff (Child Care)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Ridley
  The experimental child care scheme first held at the Cardington residential training centre in August 1987 is being repeated this year. The Department is considering what scope there is for further provision without continuing subsidy.

  New Towns
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a copy of the recent 7(1) submissions from Warrington and Runcorn development corporation affecting Appleton Cross and Grappenhall Heys available to the hon. Member for Warrington, South.
  208
  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: I have not yet received section 7(1) submissions under the New Towns Act 1981 from Warrington and Runcorn development corporation relating to the areas to which the hon. Member refers.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to reject all 7(1) submissions from new towns in the last nine months of their existence.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: No. The Government's objectives for the remaining new town development corporations require section 7(1) powers under the New Towns Act 1981 to be exercised until the corporations' proposed wind-up dates.

  Aluminium
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research is being financed by his Department into aluminium in water and in man-made milk products; and whether any guidance on safe limits has been issued.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: My Department has not funded research specifically into aluminium in water although the water industry is carrying out research into the use of aluminium as a coagulant.

  Guidance on safe limits has not been issued. However., the EC drinking water directive sets a standard of 200 micrograms of aluminium per litre in drinking water. Responsibility for research into aluminium in milk products lies with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Water
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Southern water authority is fully meeting its obligations under European Community directives; what expenditure is required to remedy any deficiencies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 30 January 1989]: In general, Southern water authority meets its obligations under the EC directives relating to water quality.

  Not all the identified bathing waters comply at present with the bathing water directive and we are discussing with the authority its investment plans to bring the remainder up to the required standard.

  BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY
  BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY
  SALMONELLA
  SALMONELLA
  PRISONERS' LETTERS
  PRISONERS' LETTERS
  FIREARMS PROHIBITION: ENTRY INTO FORCE
  FIREARMS PROHIBITION: ENTRY INTO FORCE
  CIVIL DEFENCE REGULATIONS: IMPLEMENTATION
  CIVIL DEFENCE REGULATIONS: IMPLEMENTATION
  CERVICAL SMEAR TESTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND
  CERVICAL SMEAR TESTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND
  BREAST CANCER SCREENING IN NORTHERN IRELAND
  BREAST CANCER SCREENING IN NORTHERN IRELAND
  A.l NORMAN CROSS IMPROVEMENT SCHEME
  A.l NORMAN CROSS IMPROVEMENT SCHEME