Written Answers of 11 July 1989

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police (Initiation Rites)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has of initiation rites in police forces; and what procedures there are for ensuring that young recruits are able to complain to an independent person.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have no evidence that this kind of conduct is widespread but, where it occurred, it would be likely to constitute a disciplinary offence. A police officer who was the victim of such an offence would be expected to bring the matter to the attention of a supervising officer or his Police Federation representative. In addition, every police officer has the right to ask for an interview with HM inspector of constabulary, during the annual inspection of the force, to discuss any grievance over his treatment.

  Wandsworth Prison (Staffing)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present position of staffing levels at Wandsworth prison; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are 445 officers, including principal and senior officers, at Wandsworth compared with 437 at 1 April 1989. The total full and part-time staff at the prison now stands at 584.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department expects to reply to the current year's report by the board of visitors of Wandsworth prison; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I shall be writing shortly to the chairman to thank him for the 1988 report of the board of visitors. The recommendations of the board are receiving detailed consideration.

  West Midlands (Chief Constable)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the chief constable of the West Midlands; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend last met the chief constable on 16 September 1988 in the course of a visit to the West Midlands police force. A range of topics was discussed as is usual in such occasions.

  Passport Applications
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passport applications by United Kingdom citizens now remain uncleared.

  Mr. Renton
  The latest available figures are for the week ended 2 July, when about 500,000 applications remained 422
  outstanding, a reduction of over 36,000 from the previous week. Following the settlement of the recent industrial dispute at the passport offices, efforts are being made to reduce the backlog of applications as quickly as possible, and a number of special measures are being taken to ease the difficulties facing the travelling public. These were described in the reply given by my right hon. Friend to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 4 July, at columns 99–100.

  Nazi War Crimes
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the report he has now received regarding allegations of Nazi war crimes committed by those now resident in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. John Patten
  I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Mr. Wheeler) on 27 June 1989 at column 399.

  Section 11 Money
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much section 11 money has been made available to(a) local education authorities and (b) other bodies; and for what purposes in the past year, five, 10 and 15 years ago, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The amount of grant paid under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for 1987–88, the most recent year for which actual expenditure figures are available, and for five, 10 and 15 years previously was as follows:

  Year

  Total grunt £

  Education £

  Other £

  1972–73

  7,787,873

  5,904,346

  1,883,527

  1977–78

  24,745,627

  20,777,102

  3,973,525

  1982–83

  65,817,318

  51,342,459

  14,474,859

  1987–88

  72,851,394

  55,052,417

  17,798,977

  The majority of section 11 funded posts involve educational expenditure and are mainly concerned with the teaching of English as a second language. Grant is also paid for posts concerned with bilingual classroom assistance, adult education, youth work, education welfare and home-school liaison.

  Other principal users for section 11 apart from education span the range of local authority responsibilities including social services, business development, housing and environmental health, translation and interpretation services. The Government are presently considering the results of the scrutiny report into section 11 funding and will announce its conclusions in due course.

  Summer Time
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the times of sunrise and sunset on the first day of each month in 1992 in(a) Dumfries, (b) Edinburgh. (c) Dundee, (d) Aberdeen, (e) Inverness, (f) Thurso and (g) Lerwick, respectively, under (i) the status quo and (ii) single-double summer time as described in his Department's Green Paper on summer time.
  423
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information is not immediately available. I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

  Drinking (Public Places)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the safer cities initiative and the ban on drinking in public places.

  Mr. John Patten
  The experimental byelaw in Stockton-on-Tees, which makes it an offence to drink alcohol in designated public places, came into force on 5 April. The byelaw is in force in five other local authority areas—Bath, Coventry, Restormel (Cornwall), Rushmoor (Hampshire) and Scarborough—and will be in force in Chester shortly. The experiment is due to run for two years and will be closely monitored by participating local authorities, the police and the Home Office. Preliminary results are encouraging. The byelaw has been shown to be popular in most places and public drinking on the streets has largely stopped: the relatively few number of police requests to desist have almost always been heeded. There have been just six prosecutions, three in Bath and three in Coventry. A Home Office crime prevention unit paper containing the results of a survey, of Coventry city centre users, on the byelaw has recently been published. The survey shows that nine out of 10 users of the city centre who were questioned welcomed the introduction of the ban.

  The safer cities programme is making good progress. Three projects are fully operational, at Bradford, Nottingham and Wolverhampton. They have already started crime prevention work there, most of it improving physical security but some directed to lessening the fear of crime and to preventing offending by young people. Projects at Lewisham and Birmingham begin this month. Five further projects are due to begin operating by the end of September, and six more by the start of the new year.

  Community Radio
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the names of the people and of the stations that have been granted a community radio licence.

  Mr. Renton
  The incremental local radio scheme is administered by the IBA. To date they have offered franchises to the following:

  Name of applicant

  Proposed station name

  Coverage area

  Clement Mclarty

  FTP

  Bristol

  Ravinder Jain

  West London Radio

  Hounslow/Ealing/ Southall

  Mike Shaft

  Sunset Radio

  Manchester

  Daniel Macleod

  Stirling Community Radio

  Stirling

  Ashok Joshi

  Radio Harmony

  Coventry

  Dr. Zannetos Tofallis

  London Greek Radio in association with WNK Radio

  Haringey

  Stephen Oates

  Isle of Wight Radio

  Isle of Wight

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  Name of applicant

  Proposed station name

  Coverage area

  Alan Fry

  Sunderland Community Radio

  Sunderland

  John Simpson

  Belfast Community Radio

  Belfast

  Pervez Akhtar

  Bradford City Radio

  Bradford

  Lester Cowling

  KNBC Radio

  Kettering

  Charles Turner

  KFM Radio

  Stockport

  Des Shepherd

  North East Essex Community Radio

  Tendring

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing(a) how many cable franchises have been granted, (b) which communities they serve, (c) how many cable franchises are switched on, (d) which communities they serve, (e) the estimated subscribers in each case and (f) whether interactive services are provided.

  Mr. Renton
  I understand from the cable authority that a total of 41 cable franchises have been granted, of which 16 have been licensed by the cable authority, and 11 of which are operational. A further 30 franchises have been advertised by the authority. The granting of a cable franchise has no standing in law. It is simply an indication that the cable authority intends to award a licence under the Cable and Broadcasting Act 1984 to the franchise holder provided it meets certain conditions.

  Franchises granted but licence not yet awarded

  Andover (IVS Enterprises)

  Barking, Dagenham, Bexley, Redbridge (East London Telecoms Ltd.)

  Barnet, Brent, Hammersmith and Fulham (City Centre Comms Ltd.)

  Birmingham and Solihull (Birmingham Cable Ltd.)

  Bolton (Bolton Telecable Ltd.)

  Bristol, Bath, Weston Super Mare etc. (West Country Cable Ltd.)

  Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket etc. (Cambridge Cable Ltd.)

  Cardiff and Penarth (British Cable Services Ltd.)

  Chatham, Gravesend, Maidstone etc. (South Estuary Cable Ltd.)

  Cheltenham and Gloucester (Cotswold Cable Ltd.)

  Crawley, Horley and Gatwick Airport (Mid Downs Cable Ltd.)

  Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, Airdale and Coatbridge (Cable North Ltd.)

  Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven (Cable North Ltd.)

  East Lancashire (East Lancashire Cablevision)

  Edinburgh (Cablevision Scotland plc)

  Greenwich and Lewisham (South East London Cable Co. Ltd.)

  Kingston and Richmond (United Cable Television (London South) plc)

  Lambeth and Southwark (Lambeth and Southwark Cable Ltd.)

  Merton and Sutton (United Cable Television (London South) plc)

  Motherwell, Hamilton, East Kilbride etc. (Cable North Ltd.)

  Northampton (Cable Television Ltd.)

  Preston, Chorley and Leyland (Lancashire Cable Ltd.)

  Reading, Basingstoke, Bracknell etc. (Cable Thames Valley Ltd.)

  Southend, Brentwood, Chelmsford etc. (North Estuary Cable Ltd.)

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  Wandsworth (Wandsworth Cable Ltd.)

  Licensed Cable Franchises

  *Aberdeen (Aberdeen Cable Services Ltd.)

  Belfast (Ulster Cablevision)

  *Camden (Cable Camden Ltd.) (pilot scheme only)

  *Coventry (Coventry Cable Ltd.)

  *Croydon (United Cable Television (London South) plc)

  *Ealing (Cabletel Communications Ltd.)

  *Glasgow (Clyde Cablevision Ltd.)

  *Guildford, West Surrey and East Hants (British Cable Services Ltd.)

  Kingston and Chelsea (City Centre Communications)

  Luton and South Bedfordshire (Cablevision Bedfordshire Ltd.)

  *Newham and Tower Hamlets (East London Telecommunications Ltd.)

  *Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead etc. (Windsor Television Ltd.)

  Southampton and Eastleigh (Southampton Cable Ltd.)

  South Liverpool (Merseyside Cablevision Ltd.)

  *Swindon (Swindon Cable Ltd.)

  *Westminster (Westminster Cable Co.)

  *Operational system

  I understand that about 66,000 households are connected to broadband cable systems. The figures for individual cable systems are commercially confidential.

  Interactive Services

  Windsor Television, Cable Camden and East London

  Name

  Dates of service with the Serious Crimes Squad

  Detective Chief Inspector (later Detective Superintendent) Moore

  1 April 1974 to 9 February 1975

  25 December 1979 to 21 November 1982

  Detective Superintendent Kelly

  13 May 1974 to 9 January 1977

  Detective Superintendent Watson

  14 October 1974 to 9 January 1977

  Detective Sergeant Hornby

  14 August 1973 to date

  Sergeant Langford

  no service with the Squad

  Detective Chief Inspector Ball

  1 February 1977 to 22 January 1978

  Detective Constable French

  10 June 1974 to 5 February 1978

  Detective Constable Brand

  13 May 1974 to 7 May 1984

  Detective Sergeant (now Chief Inspector) Bunn

  no service with the Squad

  Detective Sergeant (now DCI Bennett)

  1968 – 1976

  1988 to date

  Detective Constable Buxton

  no service with the Squad

  Detective Sergeant (now Superintendent) Millichamp

  8 September 1970 to 31 October 1971

  Detective Constable Sutcliffe

  6 January 1969 to 28 October 1979

  Detective Constable Woodwiss

  no service with the Squad

  Detective Sergeant (now DCI) Morris

  no service with the Squad

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the west midlands as to whether Detective Sergeant Brian Morton was in Queen's road police station when the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings were being interviewed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of the West Midlands police that general records that would show the whereabouts of officers are destroyed after seven years. The information requested is therefore not available.
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  Telecommunication offer an alternative telephone service.

  Westminster Cable offers areas to Prestel and also, for some subscribers, remote access to a videodisc library.

  West Midlands Police
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the west midlands as to during which years the following officers served in the west midlands serious crimes squad: Detective Chief Inspector John Moore (retired), Detective Superintendent James Kelly, Detective Superintendent Alan Watson, Detective Sergeant Michael Hornby, Detective Constable Rex Langford, Detective Chief Inspector Roger Ball (retired), former Detective Sergeant Michael French, former Detective Constable John Brand, former Detective Sergeant Roy Bunn, former Detective Sergeant Ray Bennett, former Detective Constable Alan Buxton (retired), former Detective Sergeant David Millichamp, former Detective Constable Thomas Sutcliffe, former Detective Constable Terence Woodwiss and former Detective Sergeant Colin Morris.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of the West Midlands police that the information is as follows:

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his answer of 5 July, if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the west midlands as to which officer involved in the Ronnie Boldon case was also involved in the questioning of those later convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings;

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 5 July, if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the west midlands police force as to which two officers involved in the Derek Gordon case were also involved in the questioning of those convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.
  427
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No, in the absence of any evidence to suggest that there was anything untoward in their involvement in the matters referred to.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 5 July, if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the west midlands as to how many complaints have been received against Detective Sergeant Michael Hornby since 1974; what action was taken in 1980 on the one occasion he was disciplined; and what was the nature of the complaint against him.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of the West Midlands police that the recorded information relating to the earlier years covered by the hon. Member's question is not fully comprehensive and it is not therefore possible to establish the exact number of complaints made against Detective Sergeant Hornby. As discipline records are destroyed after seven years, the other information requested is not available.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 5 July, if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands police for a report as to what reason Police Cadet Adrian Dart gave for his resignation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of the West Midlands police that Mr. Dart was a probationary constable who resigned from the force in March 1984 and that he is now pursuing a claim for wrongful dismissal. In these circumstances, it would not be right to comment on the circumstances of his resignation.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 5 July, if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands police on the nature of the offences for which Detective Superintendent Kelly was reprimanded.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It would not be right to give details of the offences. I understand from the chief constable of the West Midlands police that they have no bearing on the current allegations of malpractice within the serious crime squad, and that Mr. Kelly was not a member of the squad at the time.

  Parole Decisions
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners whose parole eligibility date has passed are awaiting decisions by the parole board on recommendations by the local review committee; and what is the current average time lapse between that date and the decision being made.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Statistics are not readily available in the form requested. For further information, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for St. Helens, South (Mr. Bermingham) on 4 July 1989 at column 95.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of keeping prisoners after their parole eligibility date whilst awaiting decisions by the parole board on recommendations by the local review committee.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is not possible to distinguish the cost of keeping prisoners eligible for parole from that of 428
  other prisoners. The average weekly cost of keeping a prisoner in a penal establishment in 1987–88, the latest period for which information is available, was £275.

  National Stud
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to privatise the National Stud; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  No.

  Experiments on Animals
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the second annual report of the Animal Procedures Committee; and when he intends to lay copies of the report before Parliament.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have laid before Parliament copies of the report, which is published today by HMSO as HC458.

  This report reflects the continuing contribution which the Animal Procedures Committee is making towards the effective operation of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, the protection of animals used in scientific procedures and the debate over how animal procedures should be regulated.

  I welcome the report's conclusion that
  "this country has an up-to-date and sound legislative framework for regulating and controlling all scientific procedures involving living animals"
  and I am grateful to the committee for its work.

THE ARTS

  Museum of the Moving Image
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether the museum of the moving image has achieved the targets set out for it at its inception.

  Mr. Luce
  The Museum of the Moving Image had a target of 435,000 visitors in its first year and this target is expected to be reached by the end of July, two months ahead of schedule. Over 53,000 schoolchildren have visited the museum emphasising its educational appeal.

  Libraries
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will state the names of persons and their occupational posts who are to serve on the Library and Information Services Council for England working party on public library objectives, and the terms of reference of this working party.

  Mr. Luce
  The Library and Information Services Council (England) has appointed the following to serve on its working party on public library objectives:

  Mr. Royston Brown, Management Consultant (Chairman)

  Mr. A. R. Blick, Co-ordinator of Information Services, Beecham Group plc

  Mr. R. Bowden, Deputy Chief Executive, the Library Association

  Mr. W. A. Butler, Assistant to the Chief Inspector of Audit, The Audit Commission

  Mr. P. F. Cox, City Librarian, Westminster City Council

  Mr. A. Howson, Director of Libraries and Museums, Falkirk District Council (nominated by the Library and Information Services Council (Scotland))

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  Mr. D. Leabeater, Senior Research and Development Officer, National Consumer Council

  Mr. D. Lindley, Head of Library Services, Books for Students

  Dr. R. A. McKee, Chief Librarian and Arts Officer, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

  Mr. D. Welch, Chief Librarian, South Eastern Education and Library Board, County Down (nominated by the Library and Information Services Council (Northern Ireland))

  Mr. W. G. Williams, County Library and Museums Officer, Clwyd County Council (nominated by the Library and Information Services Council (Wales))

  The terms of reference are: to examine the present nature of current public library objectives (including unpublished material), and to develop a model set of objectives from which any library authority might select those appropriate to its own circumstances, and which could provide a starting point for the development of exclusive local objectives. The model set of objectives should preferably be in the form of a manual for publication, and the objectives should be capable of performance measurement.

  To suggest ways of testing/developing/promoting the model set of objectives.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Civil Service Dispersal
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to disperse Civil Service manpower to the South Western region.

  Mr. Brooke
  As I announced to the House on 9 February 1989, at columns 751–52, individual departments are reviewing the location of their work with a view to finding locations offering easier labour markets and better value for money, and departmental Ministers will be announcing their decisions.

  Exchange Rate (Canada)
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rate of exchange between the United Kingdom and Canada at present; and what it was one year ago.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 5 July 1989]: At close of business on 5 July the exchange rate was C$2.0570/£ against C$1.9252/£ a year ago.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  LINK Schemes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all LINK schemes so far approved with the expenditure on each and the location of sites at which the research is carried out.

  Mr. Forth
  To date, 17 LINK programmes have been approved, with total expected expenditure of nearly £245 million. The list gives approved expenditure for each programme.

  Project selection under these announced programmes is still at an early stage, but already agreement has been reached with 60 collaborators from industry and the universities; these are also listed.
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  Participants in Link Projects

  Industry

  AB Electronic Components

  Allied Breweries

  Amersham International

  Bass

  Beaconsfield Instruments Ltd.

  Beechams

  British Petroleum

  British Biotechnology

  Campden Food & Drink RA

  Chell Instruments

  Courtaulds

  Cray Instruments & Control

  Dalgety-Spillers

  Enzymatix

  Express Foods

  Flour Milling & Breadmaking RA

  Foxboro Ford Motors

  Glaxo

  Guinness

  Heinz

  IFTEL Automation

  Imperial Chemical Industries

  International Biosynthetics

  Lyons Bakeries

  Lyons-Tetley

  Pedigree Petfoods

  Pfizer

  Phillips

  Queensgate Instruments

  Quest International

  Rank Taylor Hobson

  SBP

  Schlumberger

  Shell

  SIFAM

  Smiths Industries

  Spillers

  STC

  Tealgate

  Thorn-EMI

  Whitbread

  Science Base

  Universities of:

  Kent

  Warwick

  Exeter

  Leicester

  Surrey

  Leeds

  Manchester

  Hull

  Southampton

  Strathclyde

  Liverpool

  Oxford

  Nottingham

  Bradford

  Durham

  University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology. AFRC (Institute of Grassland & Animal Products).

  Food Research Institute.

  Link programmes

  Government funding £

  Private sector £

  Molecular Electronics

  10·0

  10·0

  Advanced Semiconductor materials

  12·0

  12·0

  Industrial Measurement Systems

  10·8

  10·8

  Eukaryotic Genetic Engineering

  2·3

  2·4

  Nanotechnology

  7·5

  7·5

  Biotransformations

  2·0

  2·0

  Personal Communications

  6·4

  6·4

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  Government funding £

  Private sector £

  Selective Drug Delivery and Targeting

  1·5

  1·5

  Construction, Maintenance and Refurbishment

  1·5

  1·5

  Food Processing Sciences

  7·0

  7·0

  Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

  1·5

  1·5

  Optoelectronics

  15·0

  15·0

  Design of High Speed Machinery

  10·0

  10·0

  Structural Composites

  20·0

  20·0

  Biochemical Engineering

  7·5

  7·5

  Protein Engineering

  4·8

  4·8

  New Catalysts and Catalytic processes

  2·5

  2·5

  122·3

  122·4

  EEC Telecommunications Initiative
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what is the value of the EEC telecommunications initiative programme; and how much he expects to be spent in Britain;

  (2) which regions of the United Kingdom are participating in the EEC telecommunication initiative; and if he will list the projects, with their programme spend value, in each region.

  Mr. Atkins
  The policy towards telecommunications in Europe adopted by the Council of Ministers is of significant value to the United Kingdom as a major influence on the liberalisation of European telecommunications markets.

  If the hon. Member has in mind direct financial receipts, the only EEC telecommunications initiative to provide funding on a regional basis is the Special Telecommunications Action for Regional Development (STAR). Northern Ireland, alone in the United Kingdom, qualifies for support under this programme, and has been allocated 25 mecu—about £16·9 million—of the 780 mecu —about £527 million—total programme funding.

  The only other exclusively telecommunications EEC initiative involving the provision of financial assistance is the Research and Development in Advanced Communications Technologies in Europe (RACE) programme of collaborative R and D projects. Total expenditure authorised by the Council of Ministers on the definition and main phases is 571 mecu—about £386 million. Of the 541 mecu allocated so far United Kingdom companies and other bodies may be expected to receive 161 mecu—about £105 million.

  Imports
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of the following items sold in Britain in 1988 were imported(a) colour television sets, (b) electric toasters, (c) micro wave cookers, (d) goods vehicles, (e) cameras, (f) personal computers, (g) ball point pens, (h) pocket combs, (i) tooth brushes, (j) crockery, (k) cutlery and (l) saucepans.

  Mr. Atkins
  The available information is shown in the table.
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  Imports as a percentage of the United Kingdom market1

  Percentage

  Colour television sets

  39

  Micro wave cookers

  58

  Goods vehicles2

  40

  Ceramic table and kitchenware

  20

  Cutlery

  56

  Saucepans

  21

  1 For all except goods vehicles, the percentage is calculated as 100* imports/United Kingdom market with the United Kingdom market defined as

  United Kingdom Market = Manufacturers' sales plus Imports less Exports

  All figures are expressed in current price terms.

  2 Based on United Kingdom registration.

  Sources: DTI, SMMT.

  Task Force Scheme
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many jobs have been created in each task force area; how many were not funded by temporary employment programmes, including the employment training schemes; how many led to full-time and permanent, longer than one year, employment; how many were in effect self-employment; and how many went to black and ethnic minority groups.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 10 July 19891]: The information sought about the breakdown of jobs created by task forces is not available in the form requested, nor could it be practically obtained by the task forces. However, the table gives estimates of total anticipated jobs and training places created, and businesses helped directly by projects in each task force since inception.

  Jobs created

  Training places created

  Businesses assisted

  Bristol

  307

  1,034

  572

  Coventry

  379

  1,784

  83

  Doncaster

  536

  2,424

  1,372

  East Birmingham

  127

  1,319

  77

  Handsworth, Birmingham

  849

  1,069

  361

  Hartlepool

  301

  2,130

  590

  Chapeltown/Harehills, Leeds

  111

  822

  93

  Leicester

  606

  1,148

  260

  Middlesbrough

  432

  2,080

  60

  Moss Side, Manchester

  247

  3,229

  120

  North Kensington

  820

  2,500

  85

  North Peckham

  500

  3,600

  1,463

  Nottingham

  308

  1,855

  269

  Preston

  655

  1,315

  483

  Rochdale

  72

  890

  810

  Spitalfields

  232·5

  2,140

  324

  Wolverhampton

  408

  600

  115

  TOTAL

  6,890.5

  29,939

  7,137

  Separate records on ethnic minority jobs are not kept. However, the evaluation report on the Handsworth task force, prepared by PA Cambridge Economic Consultants—available in the House Library—noted that 69 per cent. of the jobs created by the task force, at the time of writing the report, were taken up by members of ethnic communities (paragraph 7.2.3).

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what criteria have been used to select inner city areas for task force status.
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  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: A range of criteria are used including the levels of local long-term unemployment, other indicators of deprivation and the ethnic minority proportion of the population. Task forces must also be located within the 57 urban priority areas.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the total expenditure on inner city task forces in each year since their inception; how much of that expenditure has been provided from private sources; and how much has gone to national organisations and how much to local community organisations.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: Over £100 million has been committed to task force areas since their inception. The table shows total committed spend on task force projects by calendar year—the figures for 1986 are included in the 1987 total as they were not separately collected. Besides the financial contribution shown in the table, the private sector also provides other assistance such as secondees, advice, loan of premises/equipment etc.

  (£'000)

  1986–7

  1988

  11989

  Total

  Total spend committed

  35,254

  53,347

  14,103

  102,704

  Task Force contribution

  12,701

  20,207

  5,632

  38,540

  Private sector contribution

  4,591

  9,215

  2,336

  16,142

  Public sector contribution

  17,962

  23,925

  6,135

  48,022

  1 To 31 March 1989.

  Committed expenditure is counted for the year in which the project has received approval to go ahead, although not all the money may be spent in the same year. We do not keep separate information on how much money has gone to national or local organisations.

  Enterprise Initiative
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the total cost of the advertising campaign for the enterprise initiative; and what has been the average cost per take-up.

  Mr. Forth
  Expenditure on advertising the enterprise initiative since January 1988 has been about £19 million. The enterprise initiative covers a number of schemes and services for firms and there is no single measure of take-up which would justify the calculation of an average cost.

WALES

  Radioactive Substances
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sites in Wales are authorised to discharge radioactive liquid waste to the public sewer.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  There are currently 55 authorisations under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to dispose of liquid radioactive waste. The authorisations prescribe discharge into drainage systems which could include public sewers.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those
  434
  premises in Wales registered under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 being monitored by a commercial company on behalf of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The following sites are subject to monitoring by a contractor as part of the national environment monitoring programme conducted by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  1. Trawsfynydd nuclear power station, Gwynedd.

  2. Wylfa nuclear power station, Gwynedd.

  3. Amersham International plc, South Glamorgan.

  4. Cilgwyn quarry waste disposal site, Gwynedd.

  None of the above sites is subject to registration under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, although the first three are subject to authorisation under the Act.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the number of premises in Wales registered under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960; and if he will separately distinguish how many are sited in each parliamentary constituency.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  There are 640 registrations covering Wales under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. Details are not maintained by parliamentary constituency. A list of registrations by county is provided in the DOE/ Welsh Office/Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution publication "List of Registrations in England and Wales issued under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 for the keeping and use of radioactive materials and mobile apparatus", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Environmental Audit
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a list of any premises in Wales currently subjected to an environmental audit by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  There are no premises in Wales currently subjected to an environmental audit by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Training Grants Scheme
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will detail all the submissions from each local education authority for funding of national priority areas under the training grants scheme and the amount of funding allocated for each submission.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The total expenditure to be supported under the local education authority training grants scheme is determined each year by my right hon. Friend. Expenditure under the scheme is divided between national priorities, as specified by my right hon. Friend, and local priorities which are determined by the authorities themselves. Eligible expenditure on training in Wales in 1989–90 will total £13·18 million, of which £5·58 million is expenditure on national priorities and £7·6 million on local priorities. Authorities are free to spend more on in-service teacher training than the amounts specified as eligible for specific grant under the scheme. Allocations are in the main calculated pro rata to the authorities' student population. The allocation of expenditure to each authority for 1989–90 is as follows:
  435

  Expenditure to be supported under the Training Grant Scheme in 1989–90 National priorities: £5·58 million—Local priorities: £7·60 million

  National priority areas

  Clwyd

  Dyfed

  Gwent

  Gwynedd

  Mid Glamorgan

  Powys

  South Glamorgan

  West Glamorgan

  Total

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  (a) School teachers

  1 Management

  82,060

  69,270

  90,210

  47,720

  119,890

  23,280

  78,570

  71,000

  582,000

  2 National curriculum

  164,260

  138,630

  180,580

  95,530

  239,990

  46,600

  157,280

  142,130

  1,165,000

  Assistants and Management

  3 National curriculum content

  226,300

  191,000

  248,780

  131,610

  330,630

  64,200

  216,670

  195,810

  1,605,000

  4 Religious education

  8,800

  7,420

  9,670

  5,150

  12,890

  5,000

  8,450

  7,620

  65,000

  5 Under fives

  10,150

  11,720

  12,750

  6,210

  23,200

  5,000

  9,520

  9,450

  88,000

  6 Special Needs Hearing

  33,000

  6,000

  9,000

  —

  34,000

  —

  12,000

  13,000

  107,000

  7 Special Needs Sight

  5,000

  6,000

  5,000

  2,000

  20,000

  14,000

  3,000

  15,000

  70,000

  8 Special Needs SLD

  6,000

  —

  41,000

  5,000

  13,000

  14,000

  15,000

  —

  94,000

  9 Special Needs Des Teaching

  11,450

  9,650

  12,570

  6,700

  16,750

  5,000

  10,980

  9,900

  83,000

  10 New Technology

  41,450

  34,990

  45,570

  24,110

  60,560

  11,760

  39,690

  35,870

  294,000

  11 Welsh

  26,670

  38,920

  19,600

  56,330

  30,120

  12,750

  20,150

  18,640

  223,000

  0(b) Further education teachers

  12 AFE

  52,430

  12,740

  73,500

  19,110

  162,680

  —

  107,800

  61,740

  490,000

  13 Management

  22,790

  15,290

  24,400

  8,970

  25,430

  6,910

  17,930

  25,280

  147,000

  14 Updating etc.

  30,070

  20,180

  32,200

  11,830

  33,560

  9,120

  23,670

  33,370

  194,000

  15 Special educational needs

  5,580

  3,740

  5,980

  2,200

  6,230

  1,690

  4,390

  6,190

  36,000

  (c) Other

  16 Drugs misuse

  13,950

  11,450

  15,320

  7,920

  20,550

  5,000

  13,440

  12,370

  100,000

  17 Youth and community

  9,690

  7,950

  10,640

  5,500

  14,280

  5,000

  9,340

  8,600

  71,000

  18 Education psychology

  7,000

  —

  —

  —

  16,000

  —

  —

  65,000

  88,000

  Local priority

  1,071,600

  881,600

  1,178,000

  608,000

  1,580,000

  296,400

  1,033,600

  950,000

  7,600,000

  Nature Conservation
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any proposals relating to the future organisation of the statutory agencies responsible for nature conservation and the countryside in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has today announced our intention to reorganise the agencies responsible for nature conservation and countryside matters in Great Britain.

  Legislation will be brought before the House at the earliest opportunity to give effect to the proposed changes. Responsibilities for nature conservation and countryside matters in Wales are currently undertaken by the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission. These agencies are funded by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. My right hon. Friend and I are agreed that the present functions of those two agencies in Wales should in the future be exercised by a single separate Welsh body appointed by and directly responsible to the Secretary of State for Wales. This new body will incorporate the functional responsibilities of the present offices in Wales of the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission with full executive authority for its work in Wales, compared with the current advisory role of the two committees for Wales. This will give continuity to much of the work now carried out by the existing organisations and will provide valuable expertise for the new body. It also means that decisions affecting Wales will in future be taken in Wales. A single body attuned to the needs of the Principality will be of undoubted benefit to Wales.

  The proposals represent a significant change in arrangements and should result in improvements in the efficiency, accountability, and above all the sensitivity of
  436
  administration for conserving and managing the unique natural assets of Wales. The arrangements should also ensure that full regard is given to the protection of the environment without damage to our natural resources.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  El Salvador
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government support the United States Congress proposal to link aid to E1 Salvador to respect for human rights.

  Mr. Eggar
  Respect for human rights is one of several factors that we take into account when determining the level and nature of our bilateral aid to individual countries.

  Prime Minister of Pakistan (Visit)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Ministers of Her Majesty's Government intend to ask Pakistan to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and to discuss the status of nuclear programme development in the sub-continent.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised non-proliferation matters with Ms. Bhutto during her visit.

  Karel and Jindriska Korinek
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Czech Government about the detention of Karel and Jindriska Korinek, in a psychiatric hospital; and if he will make a statement.
  437
  Mr. Eggar
  We have been in touch with the Czechoslovak authorities for some time about the Korineks, most recently on 6 July. We will continue to follow the case.

  Indonesia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make inquiries of the Government of Indonesia about reports of killings, arrests and reported disappearances in Bacou, East Timor which began on 5 May.

  Mr. Eggar
  We are aware of these reports. Her Majesty's embassy has not been able to substantiate them.

SCOTLAND

  Nature Reserves
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those nature reserves assisted by grant from the Nature Conservancy Council where it has been made a condition of grant that the shooting of birds or other creatures will continue.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment on 4 July 1989.

  Scottish Office Activities
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with the brief, "The Scottish Office and its Activities," issued in June 1988; and whether he still intends to appoint consultants in terms of that brief to raise the profile of the Scottish Office.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on Tuesday 7 March 1989, at column 483.

  Sheriff Courts
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there are any plans to increase the maximum claim in the small claims procedure in the sheriff court; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The small claims procedure came into operation on 30 November 1988 and I understand that my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has no plans at present to increase the upper financial limit of £750. The operation of the new procedure is being monitored by the central research unit of the Scottish Office and by a research team from the law schools of the universities of Strathclyde and Dundee.

  Pearl Fishing
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he has any proposals to issue licences for traditional pearl fishing in Scotland; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he has considered proposals to place the freshwater mussel, margaritisera margaritisera, on the schedule of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as a protected species; and if he will make a statement.
  438
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am currently considering with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment whether increased protection should be afforded to the freshwater pearl mussel.

  Nature Conservation
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the present organisation of the statutory agencies responsible for nature conservation and countryside in Scotland.

  Mr. Rifkind
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has today announced our intention to reorganise the agencies responsible for nature conservation and countryside matters in Great Britain.

  With the growing interest and concern in all aspects of our environment, I am clear that we need a more integrated approach to nature conservation and countryside matters in Scotland. Our scenery, habitats and wildlife—indeed our natural resources as a whole—are priceless assets and they have characteristics which are distinctive to Scotland. We must ensure that we protect and manage them wisely. To achieve this the machinery of Government should be organised effectively and be on a basis that can best take account of Scottish conditions. I consider that the establishment of a single body with responsibility for the natural heritage in Scotland is the right approach. A single agency could take a more comprehensive view of the many issues presently facing us and help to secure our natural heritage, resources and countryside for the benefit of future generations. The experience and expertise of the existing agencies will complement each other in this task, giving an integrated approach to conservation and countryside matters in Scotland.

  I propose to create such an agency in two stages. First, as my right hon. Friend has announced, legislation will he brought before the House at the earliest opportunity to establish a separate Nature Conservancy Council in Scotland. The Government will ensure that the new Scottish body is fully equipped to continue to carry out its present duties towards nature conservation. I would then bring forward a Scottish Bill to merge the proposed Scottish Nature Conservancy Council with the Countryside Commission for Scotland to create a single natural heritage body. I would appoint its members and it would report directly to me. The new body will have full executive responsibility for its work in Scotland and be sponsored by my Department. Our proposals represent a significant change from present arrangements. They will result in substantial improvements in the effectiveness, accountability and, most important of all, in the sensitivity of administration in the vital task of conserving and managing Scotland's natural heritage.

  I am publishing a consultation paper inviting views on the principles of these proposals. Copies are being placed in the Library. I hope that there will be a large and positive response.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that(a) merchant seamen and (b) Royal Navy seamen, who are away from shore for more than six months in a year, are treated equally in respect of liability for the poll tax.
  439
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave him on 2 May 1989, Official Report, columns 17–18. Anyone who is dissatisfied with the decision of the registration officer has a right of appeal, first to the registration officer and then to the sheriff.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Student Loans
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many banks and building societies have indicated that they are willing to administer the student loans scheme.

  Mr. Jackson
  It is for the individual banks and other financial institutions to reach their own decisions in the light of the detailed negotiations now under way, but it is clear from the discussions that have already taken place that there is substantial interest in participating in the top-up loans scheme.

  Planning Courses
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current number of places on planning courses in universities and polytechnics; and what was the number in each of the previous three years.

  Mr. Jackson
  The numbers of higher education students on planning courses were as follows:

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Universities (GB)1: full-time and sandwich students

  1,316

  979

  1,002

  1,124

  Polytechnics (England)1: full-time and sandwich students

  2,180

  2,090

  2,075

  2,158

  part-time (including evening only) students

  951

  958

  924

  1,145

  1 The subject classification for universities was changed between 1984 and 1985.

  The figures for universities for 1984 are not therefore directly comparable with those for the later years. The subject classification for polytechnics differs from that for universities. There is therefore incomplete comparability between university and polytechnic figures.

  School Premises
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what sanctions the Government intend to use against local authorities and governing bodies which fail to bring their school premises up to the standard required by 1991 in accordance with the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981;

  (2) whether the Government intend to implement fully the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 by insisting that school premises are up to the minimum standard by 1991 as determined by those regulations.

  Mr. Butcher
  The duty of ensuring that school premises conform to the standards prescribed by the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 rests with local education authorities and governors. Local authorities have been aware since 1981 of the requirements of the regulations.

  Immunisation
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to amend the law relating to the statutory school starting age in order to make starting school dependent on certification of completion of a basic child immunisation programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to him today.

  Secondary Education
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimates he has made of the numbers of young people who will be in secondary education in 1990–91 beyond their 18th birthday; what are his estimates of the relevant numbers in(a) 1991–92 and (b) 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Department projects that there will be some 19,600 pupils in English secondary schools in 1990–91 aged 18 or over at the start of the academic year. The corresponding numbers in 1991–92 and 1992–93 are projected to be 18,600 and 17,700 respectively.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Severe Disablement Allowance
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in the City of Durham constituency receive severe disablement allowance.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I regret that the information is not available in the precise form requested.

  The City of Durham constituency is served by the Department's local office in Durham but their boundaries are not conterminous. The numbers of people receiving severe disablement allowance at the Durham local office as at 31 May 1989, the latest date for which the information is available, were 449.

  Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action. The figure quoted may include a small number of cases not actually in receipt of benefit. Data are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Family Credit (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what number of families are now in receipt of family credit and living in the area covered by Durham department of social security.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At the end of June 1989 the number of families receiving family credit who, at the time their awards were made, were living in the area covered by the Durham local office was 705.

  Computerisation
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what safeguards, under the Data Protection Act, will exist to ensure that information will be confidential to Department of Social Security staff only when local Department of Social Security offices are computerised.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Department keeps the security of its computer systems under constant review to ensure that
  441
  the confidentiality requirements of the Data Protection Act are met. For the computer system now being introduced into local offices, we have strict measures in place to limit access to records to authorised users. It would not be prudent to publish details of those security measures.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what facilities are to be provided for non-English speakers and for those who are unable to communicate by telephone because of physical disability when local Department of Social Security offices are computerised.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Computerisation of the benefit system, and the relocation of work from some London offices, will not affect the way that people communicate with the Department. Interpretation facilities will be available for telephone calls routed to remote sites.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what safeguards will ensure an adequate service to the public should there be serious problems with the operation of new technology in local Department of Social Security offices.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Improving service to the public is a key objective in providing new technology for local offices. Safeguards have been built into the development of the computer systems to ensure that an adequate service to the public is maintained.

  The computer programmes have undergone rigorous test programmes which include simulated operations in a model office followed by pilot running in 23 local offices. Resilience has been built into the system to reduce the effects of equipment breakdown and contracts have been established with suppliers to ensure rapid response should breakdowns occur.

  In the event of a loss of computerisated support by natural disaster or other unavoidable incident, emergency plans are in place to maintain an adequate service to the public using clerical procedures.

  Estimated number of recipients by tenure and proportion of dwellings A. Supplementary Benefit (1985 data not available)

  Council Tenants

  Private Tenants

  Owned Outright

  With Mortgage

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent.

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent.

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent.

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent.

  1980

  1,513

  23

  460

  17

  330

  3

  134

  1

  1981

  1,764

  27

  535

  21

  348

  3

  196

  2

  1982

  1,980

  31

  574

  23

  388

  3

  237

  2

  1983

  1,952

  32

  548

  22

  424

  3

  243

  2

  1984

  2,053

  34

  589

  25

  442

  3

  278

  2

  1986

  2,206

  37

  625

  27

  437

  3

  357

  3

  1987

  2,247

  39

  664

  30

  418

  3

  336

  2

  B. Income support (1988–89 only)

  Council tenants

  Private tenants

  Owner occupier

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent

  1988

  1,850

  33

  540

  25

  655

  4

  C. Housing benefit (from 1983–84 only)

  Council tenants

  Private tenants

  Owner occupier

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent

  1983

  3,735

  61

  1,015

  41

  2,581

  20

  1984

  3,745

  62

  1,080

  45

  2,540

  19

  1985

  3,710

  62

  1,150

  49

  2,403

  18

  One-parent Families
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what form, and when, the ministerial review of policy on one-parent families will be available; and what relation this review bears to the research carried out by his Department.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of lone-parent families has increased from 840,000 in 1979 to just over 1 million in 1986, but their dependence on benefit has increased at an even faster rate. In 1979, 40 per cent. of lone-parent families were dependent on supplementary benefit, but by 1986 the proportion had increased to 60 per cent. No maintenance at all is paid for 77 per cent. of lone parents on income support. In these circumstances the Government must be concerned and examine their own arrangements to see what further can be done to ensure that these fathers meet their responsibilities and to help those lone parents who wish to work to do so.

  We have commissioned an independent study of the motivations and perceptions of lone parents on benefit and the results will he fully and carefully considered.

  Benefits
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate for each year since 1980 the numbers and proportions of(a) council tenants, (b) private tenants, (c) outright owner occupiers arid (d) owner occupiers with mortgages in receipt of supplementary benefit, income support or housing benefit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information available is in the table. Detailed information for owner-occupiers is available only for supplementary benefit. Housing benefit did not begin until 1983–84.

  Council tenants

  Private tenants

  Owner occupier

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent

  Numbers(000)

  Per cent

  1986

  3,720

  63

  1,180

  52

  2,368

  17

  1987

  3,665

  64

  1,195

  54

  2,336

  16

  1988

  3,100

  55

  925

  43

  1,260

  9

  Notes:

  1. From April 1983 most supplementary benefit recipients, and from April 1988 most income support recipients, received assistance with rent and rates through housing benefit. The figures in (c) above therefore include those in (a) and (b) who qualified for housing benefit.

  2. The information in (a) above is on the basis of receipt of supplementary benefit irrespective of assistance through housing

  443
  benefit. From April 1988 information about the tenure type of Income Support recipients is on the basis of those who also receive housing benefit.

  Immunisation
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to link the receipt of child benefit and other family-related benefits to certification of completion of a basic child immunisation programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's reply to him today.

  Social Fund
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many occasions the maximum loan of £1,000 issued from the social fund was to a claimant in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde, (c) Scotland and (d) England and Wales in the financial year 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I regret that the information is not available in the form requested.

  Child Benefit
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing the effects on the net income of families receiving family credit of an increase in child benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Child benefit is ignored when assessing family credit in individual cases. Instead, the level of child benefit is taken into account when setting the rates of child credits in family credit. So in April 1989, when child benefit remains unchanged, the new family credit rates included an additional 45p to reflect what would have been the increase in child benefit had it been uprated. This was on top of the increase to restore the value of the child credits and the further 50p added to all the children's rates in the income-related benefits. Increasing child benefit would not therefore have added to the total value of the child credit and child benefit.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to arrange for child benefit to be paid in respect of those young people who are aged over 18 years in secondary education who will be required to pay poll tax from April 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. Child benefit will continue in payment for young people under 19 who are in full-time non-advanced education (ie, up to A-level or equivalent standards) regardless of whether or not they are required to pay the community charge.

  Mr. Tracey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will announce the social fund allocation for the new office in New Malden and also the revised allocation for Kingston following the closure of Surbiton local office on 29 June.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [pursuant to his reply, 5 July 1989, column 195]: I regret that the reply does not announce the revised annual allocation for Kingston. The information requested is as follows:
  444

  Loans £

  Grants £

  Period

  New Malden

  62,213

  29,006

  29 June 1989 to 31 March 1990

  Kingston

  138,146

  62,251

  1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990

  Incomes
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the source of the data on real income by decile group referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead on 3 July,Official Report, columns 5–6; and when he expects to make this data available.

  Mr. Moore
  The methods and assumptions used can be found in "Households below Average Income: A Statistical Analysis 1981–85", a copy of which is in the Library. Full details were provided in my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) on 15 November 1988 at columns 629–30. Details are as follows:

  Improvements in living standards

  Individuals in households

  Great Britain 1979–85

  Decile

  Percentage

  Lowest

  6

  2nd

  5

  3rd

  4

  4th

  4

  5th

  4

  6th

  6

  7th

  6

  8th

  9

  9th

  10

  Highest

  18

  Total

  9

  Notes:

  1. Income is defined as income from all sources less tax and national insurance contributions.

  2. The incomes of all individuals within households have been adjusted for the size and composition of those households.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list the money and percentage gains in real income of ech decile group for each year since 1979;

  (2) when he expects to provide a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for Birkenhead on changes in real income by decile group to which he gave a holding answer on 30 June.

  Mr. Moore
  [holding answer 30 June 1989]: The available information, which is adjusted for household size and composition, is as follows. Percentage changes in real equivalised household incomes by deciles of all individuals are set out in table I. It is not meaningful to produce results by decile of the whole population without allowing for the size of composition of households. For further discussion of this point the hon. Gentleman should see Cm 523 "The Measurement of Living Standards For Households Below Average Income". What the figures in table I mean in terms of changes in real income for a single person household is set out in table II.
  445

  Deciles of Individuals In Households GB

  Table I

  Percentage Changes In Living Standards (Real Equivalised Household Incomes)

  Percentage

  Decile

  1979–81

  1981–83

  1983–85

  Lowest

  -2·2

  0·5

  7·7

  2nd

  -0·4

  1·9

  3·5

  3rd

  -1·3

  1·6

  3·2

  4th

  -1·4

  0·9

  4·0

  5th

  -1·1

  0·4

  5·0

  6th

  -0·7

  0·5

  5·8

  7th

  -0·7

  0·6

  6·3

  8th

  0·7

  0·1

  7·9

  9th

  2·7

  0·5

  7·0

  Highest

  11·5

  -1·3

  7·4

  Total

  2·2

  0·2

  6·2

  Table II

  Money Change In Real Household Incomes For A Single Person Household—1985 Prices By Deciles of the Whole Population £ per week

  Decile

  1979–81

  1981–83

  1983–85

  Lowest

  -0·70

  0·20

  2·60

  2nd

  -0·20

  0·80

  1·60

  3rd

  -0·70

  0·90

  1·70

  4th

  -0·80

  0·60

  2·40

  5th

  -0·70

  0·30

  3·40

  6th

  -0·50

  0·40

  4·40

  7th

  -0·60

  0·50

  5·40

  8th

  0·60

  0·10

  7·60

  9th

  3·00

  0·50

  8·10

  Highest

  18·00

  -2·30

  12·90

  Total

  1·70

  0·20

  5·00

  Notes:

  1. Income is defined as income from all sources less income tax and national insurance contributions.

  2. The incomes of all individuals within households have been adjusted for the size and composition of those households.

  3. The equivalence scales used to adjust for household size and composition use as their basis the income for a single person household. In other words, a single person household has been attributed an equivalence scale of one so that the income of these households is the same both with and without equivalisation.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Speech Therapists (Grading)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the grades of speech therapists in Northern Ireland following the regrading under HSS(TC7)3/88 broken down by area board and showing the percentage in each grade before regrading and the percentage after.

  Mr. Needham
  The percentage of speech therapists in each grade at 31 March 1988 broken down by area board is as follows:

  Grade

  Eastern Board

  Northern Board

  Southern Board

  Western Board

  Area Senior Chief

  1·39

  —

  —

  —

  Area Chief I

  —

  2·39

  —

  —

  Area Chief II

  —

  —

  5·21

  4·54

  Chief III

  16·73

  8·79

  15·63

  9·09

  Chief IV

  2·79

  4·54

  5·21

  4·54

  Senior I

  52·07

  58·90

  41·69

  68·18

  Senior II

  22·83

  24·84

  27·04

  13·64

  Diploma Entrant

  2·79

  —

  5·21

  —

  Graduate Entrant

  1·39

  —

  —

  —

  446
  Information on grades following regrading is available only for the Eastern health and social services board as the other three boards are still consulting staff interests and have not yet implemented their proposals. The grading percentages for the Eastern board are as follows:

  Grade

  Per cent.

  E

  1·31

  D

  0·00

  C

  27·62

  B

  60·53

  A

  10·53

  Communications
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial support has been granted to British Telecom, NI, STC and any other agencies, companies or bodies to provide advanced communications and information infrastructure.

  Mr. Viggers
  During the financial years 1987–88 and 1988–89 £10,689,473.

  Young Mature Entry Index
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he hopes to provide information regarding the young mature entry index for Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 6 July 1989]: This index cannot be calculated from existing sources hut the possibility of doing so in the future is under review.

  Labour Statistics
  Ms. Joyce Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list in respect of Northern Ireland(a) the average rate of unemployment and the European Community average in the last three years and (b) the percentage of industrial employment in total employment and the European Community average.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 7 July 1989]: The information requested is as follows:

  (a) Annual Average Unemployment1 Rates

  Northern Ireland2

  European Community3

  1986

  17·6

  10·8

  1987

  17·6

  10·4

  1988

  16·4

  10·0

  1. The Northern Ireland and European Community rates are not directly comparable because they are based on different definitions of unemployment.

  2 The Northern Ireland figures are based on the seasonally adjusted unemployment series.

  3 Produced by Eurostat.

  (b) For 1987 (the latest year for which figures for the EC are available) industrial employment is estimated to have constituted 26·4 per cent. of total employment in Northern Ireland and 32·8 per cent. of total employment in the European Community.

PRIME MINISTER

  European Economic Community
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will publish a White Paper setting out the views of Her Majesty's Government on their future policy with regard to the European Economic Community in the light of the decisions made at the Madrid meeting of the European Council.

  The Prime Minister
  No. I refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 27 April at column 614 to my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Mr. Soames), and to my statement to the House of 29 June.

  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding economic and monetary union in the European Economic Community.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a number of representations on this subject.

  Gwent
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next intends to make an official visit to Caerleon, Gwent.

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

  Rain Forests
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding the tropical rain forests in Brazil.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a number of letters and other representations about the tropical rain forests of Brazil. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has returned from Brazil where he visited the Amazon region and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Brazilian Government. It provides for greater co-operation on environmental problems, including the rain forests. We shall now work to agree the details of the projects where we can assist.

  Intensive Farming
  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding intensive farming methods.

  The Prime Minister
  Intensive farming methods are among the subjects on which I receive correspondence from the public.

  Low Flying
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding the use of low-flying aircraft by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in West Germany.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Water Privatisation
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received on water privatisation.
  448
  The Prime Minister
  I receive many representations about water privatisation, which represents the quickest and most cost-effective way of achieving even higher standards of water quality.

  Litter
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding litter in Britain.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a large number of letters from people concerned about litter. They demonstrate wide support for tougher measures to control litter. The Government intend soon to announce a range of proposals for improving legislation in this area.

  Forestry
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations on forestry policy.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a number of such representations.

  Aid Programme
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Prime Minister when she expects to meet OXFAM to discuss Britain's aid programme as a percentage of gross national product.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so. The Government maintain close contact with non-governmental organisations such as OXFAM. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development met OXFAM as recently as 8 June and discussed a variety of aid issues. United Kingdom aid as a proportion of gross national product stood at 0·32 per cent. in 1988—14 per cent. up on the figure for 1987.

  Japan
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding relations with Japan.

  The Prime Minister
  A few. Japanese investment continues to grow. Over 100 manufacturing firms have now invested or are committed to invest a total of £3 billion to £4 billion in the United Kingdom.

  Chancellor Kohl
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her recent meeting with Chancellor Kohl in Madrid.

  The Prime Minister
  I did not have a separate bilateral meeting with Chancellor Kohl in Madrid. I reported the outcome of the European Council in my statement to the House on 29 June.

  EC (Competition Policy)
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding competition policy in the European Economic Community.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have received several recent representations on EC competition policy issues. Most concern the draft EC merger control regulation.

  Social Charter
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding the proposal of the European Commission in relation to a social charter.

  The Prime Minister
  I am aware of the views of both British and European employers on the Commission's proposal. They share the Government's concerns that the current proposal will do nothing to create jobs and reduce unemployment; that it will restrict flexibility in industrial relations; and that there must be clear distinctions drawn between action which is appropriate for the Community, for national Governments and for collective agreements. This last point was made strongly in the agreed conclusions of the European Council in Madrid.

  Better Made in Britain
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding the Better Made in Britain campaign.

  The Prime Minister
  Yes. I support efforts to stimulate the competitiveness of British goods and identify opportunities to compete in the market place.

  NATO
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received about the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

  The Prime Minister
  None. Last month's summit reaffirmed the vital importance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in preserving peace and security, as it has done for the last 40 years.

  China
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions took place at the European Economic Community meeting on recent events in China; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to my statement in the House on 29 June.

  Health Service
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding the Health Service.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government receive large numbers of representations on the National Health Service from members of the public, the professions and various interest groups. Many share the Government's desire for a Health Service that give patients more choice and rights as consumers, that is more responsible to the needs of local communities, and that builds on its existing successes and efficiency to give better value for money.

  Legislative Programme
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to review Her Majesty's Government's legislative programme in the light of recent election results.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  EC (Financial Services)
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding financial services in the European Economic Community.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a number of such representations about financial services in the Community. As I made clear at the recent European Council in Madrid, the United Kingdom leads in liberalising financial markets and services. We want other member states to liberalise as we have done.

  Scientists (NHS)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Prime Minister what were the pay scales of(a) scientific civil servants and (b) medical scientists employed in the National Health Service as at 1 March, both gross and net of the effects of contributory pensions.

  The Prime Minister
  The information is as follows. All rates are those that apply outside London.

  Civil service scientists salary scale as at 1 March 1989

  Gross (£)

  Net of pension contribution1 (£)

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  Age 16

  4,254

  4,190

  17

  4,835

  4,762

  18

  5,500

  5,418

  19

  6,261

  6,167

  7,131

  7,024

  8,090

  7,969

  8,574

  8,445

  9,057

  8,921

  Scientific Officer

  8,574

  8,445

  9,057

  8,921

  9,542

  9,399

  10,026

  9,876

  10,509

  10,351

  10,994

  10,829

  Higher Scientific Officer

  10,026

  9,876

  10,509

  10,351

  10,994

  10,829

  11,477

  11,305

  11,961

  11,782

  12,445

  12,258

  12,943

  12,749

  13,460

  13,258

  Senior Scientific Officer

  12,445

  12,258

  12,943

  12,749

  13,460

  13,258

  13,999

  13,789

  14,558

  14,340

  15,141

  14,914

  15,746

  15,510

  16,377

  16,131

  17,032

  16,777

  Above this level Civil Service Scientists are assigned, according to responsibility, to the unified grading structure.

  1 The civil service pension scheme is non contributory but 1·5 per cent. is deducted towards dependants' pensions.

  451

  NHS scientists salary scale as at 1 March 1989

  Gross £

  Net of contributory pension1£

  Probationer lower qualification

  7,378

  6,935

  7,949

  7,472

  8,255

  7,760

  8,548

  8,035

  8,866

  8,334

  9,158

  8,609

  9,452

  8,885

  9,770

  9,184

  Probationer higher qualification

  8,255

  7,760

  8,548

  8,035

  8,866

  8,334

  9,158

  8,609

  9,452

  8,885

  9,770

  9,184

  10,063

  9,459

  10,369

  9,747

  Basic

  8,548

  8,035

  8,866

  8,334

  9,158

  8,609

  9,452

  8,885

  9,770

  9,184

  10,063

  9,459

  10,568

  9,934

  11,073

  10,409

  Senior

  11,778

  11,071

  12,163

  11,433

  12,814

  12,045

  13,440

  12,634

  14,091

  13,246

  14,742

  13,857

  15,394

  14,470

  Principal

  15,180

  14,269

  15,899

  14,945

  16,630

  15,632

  17,347

  16,306

  18,078

  16,993

  18,810

  17,681

  19,527

  18,355

  20,258

  19,043

  20,989

  19,730

  Top grade

  21,136

  19,868

  21,893

  20,579

  23,090

  21,705

  24,193

  22,741

  25,297

  23,779

  Top grade with greater responsibility

  23,914

  22,479

  24,672

  23,192

  25,869

  24,317

  26,971

  25,353

  28,088

  26,403

  1 Six per cent. under NHS superannuation scheme.

  Immunisation
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to encourage the pre-school immunisation programme by making starting statutory school or receipt of child benefit dependent upon child immunisation.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have no plans to introduce either requirement. Take-up rates for the last year available (1987–88) were 87 per cent. for diphtheria, tetanus and polio, while measles and whooping cough at 452
  76 per cent. and 73 per cent. respectively showed marked improvement on the previous year. We believe that the successful launch of the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine from October 1988, and the proposed introduction of immunisation targets for general practitioners, will enable us to reach the World Health Organisation's objective of 90 per cent. for all these immunisations, without need for compulsion.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) in which ways the United Kingdom now proposes to help to progress the United Nations sponsored talks between the two Cypriot communities following her most recent meeting with President Vassiliou; and whether she will make a statement.

  (2) what further steps she plans to take over the next three months to encourage Turkey, Greece, the United States of America and the European Community to promote a successful outcome of the talks between the two Cypriot communities being held under United Nations sponsorship;

  (3) what recent contacts she has had with President Bush on ways of assisting a successful outcome of the United Nations-sponsored talks between the two Cypriot communities;

  (4) whether she will convene a meeting of the Turkish and Greek Prime Ministers to assist the United Nations-sponsored inter-communal talks between the two Cypriot communities before their leaders meet again in New York in September.

  The Prime Minister
  By continuous diplomatic contacts with all the parties concerned, including our fellow guarantor powers, Turkey and Greece, our other EC partners, the United States of America and other allies, the United Kingdom is working to promote agreement on a draft outline settlement of the Cyprus problem before the next meeting in September between the United Nations Secretary General and the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus. I had a further discussion on progress towards this goal with President Vassiliou of Cyprus on 10 July. I have not discussed Cyprus with President Bush for some time, but my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the United States Secretary of State, Mr. Baker, agreed on the need for our two Governments to follow developments closely when they met in Washington on 17 April. Meanwhile I do not believe that a meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey would serve any useful purpose at this stage.

  Madrid Talks
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the discussions in Madrid with Sir Leon Brittan.

  The Prime Minister
  Sir Leon Brittan did not attend the Madrid European Council.

  Engagements
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 11 July.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 11 July.
  453
  Mr. French
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 11 July.

  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, including one with the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Mulroney.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Cereal Fields
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many reports he has received of the flattening of circular areas in cereal fields in the south-west and other areas of England respectively: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The flattening of circular areas in cereal fields is a phenomenon known to occur from time to time. It is confined to winter cereal crops and is more prevalent in dry seasons, but we have no arrangements for recording such occurrences and therefore cannot comment on their frequency.

  Bottled Water
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements are made to ensure that bottled water offered for sale is tested as being safe and acceptable for public consumption.

  Regions1

  21979–80

  21980–81

  21981–82

  21982–83

  21983–84

  21984–85

  31985–86

  31986–87

  31987–88

  1988–89

  41989–90

  Yorkshire (Yorkshire, North West Northumbria)

  4·69

  5·19

  6·50

  5·45

  6·55

  7·66

  10·02

  11·30

  12·64

  13·66

  16·34

  Midlands (Severn–Trent)

  4·42

  4·37

  4·90

  4·18

  4·36

  4·92

  3·52

  3·82

  3·81

  4·90

  2·85

  East Anglian

  6·95

  7·37

  10·04

  9·06

  11·32

  10·90

  9·92

  14·28

  14·82

  23·66

  24·08

  Southern (including Thames)

  7·02

  5·86

  6·00

  6·26

  9·13

  7·43

  14·61

  15·27

  16·44

  17·92

  19·29

  South West (including Wessex)

  4·19

  4·08

  4·45

  6·60

  8·24

  5·72

  7·07

  6·53

  6·12

  11·94

  13·58

  Total

  536·68

  49·31

  55·17

  58·44

  66·37

  65·01

  62·47

  68·88

  69·23

  72·08

  76·14

  1 Using Water Authority boundaries.

  2 Details of expenditure by local authorities (including maritime district councils) and Internal Drainage Boards not available by region. Overall expenditure in England included in total.

  3 Includes expenditure by maritime district councils by region. Overall expenditure by other local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards included in total.

  4 Estimate.

  5 Details of expenditure by maritime district councils on coast protection works not available.

  Intervention Board
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many employees were employed by the intervention board for agriculture in each of the last four quarters ending 30 June; at which locations they were employed; and, in each case, how many were temporary staff.

  Location

  30 September 1988

  31 December 1988

  31 March 1989

  30 June 1987

  Permanent

  Temporary

  Permanent

  Temporary

  Permanent

  Temporary

  Permanent

  Temporary

  Reading

  731·5

  61

  725·0

  75

  739·5

  54

  746·5

  82·0

  Guildford

  33·0

  6

  34·0

  7

  34·0

  6

  31·0

  9·5

  Newcastle

  0·0

  0

  7·0

  45

  9·0

  60

  15·0

  111·0

  Bristol

  6·0

  0

  6·0

  0

  6·0

  0

  6·0

  0

  Wolverhampton

  5·5

  0

  5·5

  0

  5·5

  0

  5·5

  0

  Cambridge

  4·5

  0

  4·5

  0

  4·5

  0

  4·5

  0

  Harrogate

  4·0

  0

  3·0

  0

  3·0

  0

  3·0

  0

  454
  Mr. Ryder
  Natural mineral waters, sold as such, must meet certain quality standards. The recognition of such waters and checking thereafter is the responsibility of local authorities who enforce the Natural Mineral Waters Regulations 1985. I am considering the need for other bottled waters to be covered by specific regulations. At present, local authorities may request analytical information from producers and take and analyse samples to check they they comply with the standards prescribed in EC directive 80/778/EEC relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption.

  River and Coastal Protection
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total expenditure on river and sea walls, coastal protection and defences in each standard region in each year since 1979, including an estimate for the current year.

  Mr. Ryder
  Details of expenditure on flood and coastal defence maintenance works and non-grant-aided capital works are not available. The total expenditure on capital flood and coastal defence works including river and sea walls, in receipt of Government grant in each English region since 1979 is as follows:

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The Department's headquarters operation is based in Reading and Guildford. A temporary headquarters outstation has been opened in Newcastle. It also has a small regional network. The permanent and temporary staff in each location at each of the last quarters are as follows:

  United Kingdom Fishing Fleet
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the size of the United Kingdom fleet of fishing vessels in each of the past 10 years.

  United Kingdom fishing fleet 1979–88 by length group1 as at 31 December of each year

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  19882

  Under 40 ft

  4,878

  4,512

  4,970

  4,485

  5,023

  5,433

  5,868

  6,305

  6,251

  6,260

  40–79·9 ft

  2,092

  2,132

  2,136

  2,073

  1,976

  1,934

  1,852

  1,642

  1,700

  1,731

  80–109·9 ft

  111

  114

  119

  120

  124

  128

  126

  131

  149

  159

  110–139·9 ft

  103

  86

  88

  86

  78

  76

  60

  71

  81

  86

  140 ft+

  58

  51

  38

  33

  29

  13

  14

  17

  23

  28

  Total

  7,242

  6,895

  7,351

  6,797

  7,230

  7,584

  7,920

  8,166

  8,204

  8,264

  1 Changes in the number of under 40 ft vessels are due partly to changes in the definitions used for this sector of the fleet.

  2 Provisional.

  The figures relate to active commercial fishing vessels.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the extent of the required reduction of the United Kingdom's fishing fleet in percentage terms and actual number of vessels under the multi-annual guidance programme over the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The required reductions during each calendar year in terms of tonnage and engine power are as follows:

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Gross registered tons

  15,575

  9

  10,895

  7

  8,716

  6

  Engine power (Kw)

  52,353

  6

  46,368

  6

  37,095

  5

  Radioactive Foodstuffs
  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the current levels of radioactivity in bq/kg or bq/1 for various foodstuffs that apply after a nuclear accident and the changes proposed to those levels in the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  In the event of a nuclear emergency, the current limiting values for radioactivity in all foodstuffs placed on EC markets would be those laid down under Council regulation (EURATOM) 3954/87. This regulation was adopted on 22 December 1987. The levels so far annexed to that regulation are as follows (Bq/kg or Bq/1):

  Dairy Produce

  Other food-stuffs except minor foodstuffs

  Isotopes of strontium, notably Sr-90

  125

  750

  Isotopes of iodine, notably I-131

  500

  2,000

  Alpha-emitting isotopes of plutonium and trans-plutonium elements, notably Pu-239, Am-241

  20

  80

  All other nuclides of half-life greater than 10 days, notably Cs-134, Cs-1387

  1,000

  1,250

  456
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information requested is as follows:

  Minor foodstuffs listed in the annex to Commission regulation (EURATOM) 944/89 will be subject to maximum permitted levels 10 times those applicable to "other foodstuffs except minor foodstuffs". Separate levels will in due course be set for liquid foodstuffs, babyfood and animal feedingstuffs. No changes to the present levels are currently under discussion within the EC.

  Aquagard
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the evidence which his veterinary products committee considered prior to giving approval to give a product licence to Nuvan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Extensive data regarding safety, quality and efficacy were provided by the manufacturer of Aquagard in accordance with the requirements of article 5 of directive 81/851/EEC and directive 81/852/EEC governing product licence applications. In addition, since Aquagard is necessarily released into the marine environment the VPC considered all available data relating to the dispersion of dichlorvos and its effects on marine life.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what factors he took into account in granting a product licence for Aquaguard sea lice treatment; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he took account of the red list status of the active ingredient dichlorvos when granting a product licence for Aquaguard sea lice treatment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The factors to be taken into account before granting a product licence are set out in the Medicines Act 1968. The recommendation that I received from the veterinary products committee about Aquaguard took into account the reasons underlying the inclusion of dichlorvos in the Department of the Environment's provisional red list and the need for appropriate safeguards on use and disposal.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has imposed conditions and restrictions on the use of Aquaguard sea lice treatment in granting a product licence; and whether he will place a copy of the product data sheet in the Library.
  457
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I will be arranging to deposit a copy in the Library of the House when available.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish the data supplied in support of the product licence application for Aquaguard sea lice treatment by his Department, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and Ciba-Geigy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland intends to publish later this year the results of studies into the toxicity of dichlorvos to fish and lobster larvae which were undertaken in concert with my Department and Ciba-Geigy and considered by the VPC along with other data when assessing the product licence application for Aquaguard.

  Beef
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what tissues and organs of a cow can be labelled as beef; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  In common with all foodstuffs, butchers' cuts of meat and meat products are subject to the general labelling provisions of the Food Labelling Regulations 1984, which require the name of food products to be sufficiently precise to inform a purchaser of the true nature of the food and to enable the food to be distinguished from products with which it could be confused.

  Under the Meat Products and Spreadable Fish Products Regulations 1984, "meat" is defined for the purposes of those regulations as "flesh including fat, and the skin, rind, gristle and sinew in amounts naturally associated with the flesh used" and may include diaphragm, head meat, heart, kidney, liver, pancreas, tail meat, thymus, and tongue. These tissues and organs may be described as beef, if appropriate, in the statutory minimum meat content declaration.

  Salmon Farming
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he has made provisions for the salmon farming industry to investigate an alternative, less environmentally damaging solution to the sea lice problem than the use of Aquaguard sea lice treatment; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he is conducting research into alternative and environmentally benign solutions to control sea lice on salmon farms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Marine scientists in my Department and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland are in close touch with the Scottish Salmon Growers Association which has commissioned such research from the Institute of Aquaculture at the university of Stirling and from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland.

  Boxworth Experimental Husbandry Farm
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to publish the results of his study into environmentally friendly agriculture carried out at Boxworth experimental husbandry farm; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.
  458
  Mr. Ryder
  The final report of this study is currently in preparation for publication by HMSO in 1990. Annual reorts are available for the years 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and articles on the research have been published.

  Abbatoirs
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the recent inspection of abattoirs was completed; when he expects to receive a report on the condition of abattoirs in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  EC Commission veterinary inspectors visited a sample of export-approved premises in Great Britain between 6 and 16 March. In Northern Ireland they visited premises between 3 and 6 July and will visit again between 17 and 20 July.

  The confidential technical reports on the individual premises visited in Great Britain have been received from Brussels and passed to the managements of those premises and the appropriate local authorities. A formal EC Commission report on the visit as a whole is still awaited.

  Fishing Licences
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the implications for rod and line fishing licences in(a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland of the establishment of the National Rivers Authority as proposed in the Water Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  In England and Wales the requirement to hold appropriate fishing licences will remain under the National Rivers Authority. The procedures with regard to changing fishing licence duties will be slightly modified by the Water Act. The NRA will be required to publish the full scale of any new licence duties that it proposes. Where there are objections the changes may not take effect without the approval of the relevant Minister. We have removed an outmoded provision which prevented new licence duties from taking effect before the start of the next calendar year. We are, however, retaining the principle that not more than one increase in licence duties will be permitted in any 12-month period.

  Fishing licences are not required in Scotland, and this remains unchanged by the Water Act.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  HMSO Publications
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the published price totals of Her Majesty's Stationery Office publications ordered by hon. Members for the latest available period, tabulated per Member.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested is not available as individual issues ordered by right hon. and hon. Members are not recorded.

  Council of Europe (Visit of President Gorbachev)
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make arrangements to make the statement of President Gorbachev to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 6 July available to hon. and right hon. Members.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Copies are available in the Library.

TRANSPORT

  Merchant Shipping
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the total tonnage of merchant shipping which could be requisitioned for supplying reinforcements during a war.

  Mr. Portillo
  At the end of April 1989, 71 British flag dry cargo vessels, totalling 1·8 million deadweight tonnes, were earmarked for carrying transatlantic reinforcement equipment and supplies to Europe. All this tonnage could be requisitioned.

  Traffic Speeds
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average speed of traffic in(a) central London and (b) central Liverpool.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The average speed of traffic in central London is about 11 miles per hour throughout the working day. Comparable information is not available for central Liverpool.

  Road Standards
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines his Department issues to local authorities as to(a) road surface condition and (b) standards of road repair; and how these are enforced.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Local highway authorities determine standards for their roads. Advice on standards for local roads is contained in the local authority associations' code of good practice for highway maintenance. We understand that a revised edition of that code will be published later this year. The standing committee on highway maintenance is planning to monitor the introduction of the code, and the application of certain key standards relating to road surface condition.

  For trunk roads, where local highway authorities act as the Department's agents for maintenance, authorities receive instructions on the standards to be applied. The Department works closely with local highway authorities in developing these standards, many of which are helpful to local authorities in setting standards for their own roads.

  Fishing Vessels
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals to introduce regulations covering the carriage of immersion suits on United Kingdom registered fishing vessels over 10 metres in overall length as part of their life-saving equipment; and if he will make a statement.
  460
  Mr. Portillo
  The carriage of life-saving appliances, including immersion suits, on fishing vessels is under examination by the Department in consultation with the fishing industry as part of the review of the Fishing Vessel (Safety Provisions) Rules 1975.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the names, number of fatalities and port of registration of United Kingdom registered fishing vessels which have been lost in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Portillo
  The names of United Kingdom registered fishing vessels which have been lost in the past five years are listed together with fatalities.

  It is not possible in all cases to give the port of registry for vessels for the years 1984–86 as this information is not readily available.

  Name of Vessel

  Port of Registry

  Deaths

  1984

  Navena

  Fleetwood

  —

  Cato

  Brixham

  —

  Big John

  Brixham

  —

  Idavale

  Fraserburgh

  —

  Vertrouwen

  —

  Ocean Herald II

  Buckie

  —

  Cawsand Bay

  Peterhead

  —

  Tribute

  Newry

  —

  Sundari

  Peterhead

  1

  Wavell

  Grimsby

  —

  Sunrise

  —

  Star of Promise

  Peterhead

  —

  Searcher

  —

  Margarita

  Tarbert

  —

  Fertile

  Peterhead

  —

  Sanoy Bay

  Stornoway

  —

  Whyalla

  Inverness

  —

  Dalch Mad

  Llanelli—Wales

  —

  May queen II

  Leith

  —

  Leon Jeannine

  Brixham

  —

  Concord

  Montrose

  —

  Brussina

  —

  Shearwater

  3

  Michelle

  Poole

  2

  Sea Falcon

  —

  Carol Sandra

  4

  North Wind III

  3

  South Stack

  Beaumaris

  3

  Dominator

  —

  Orion

  Stornoway

  —

  Dawn Marie

  —

  Juniper 2

  Poole

  —

  Janie B

  Rye

  —

  Helen R

  Oban

  —

  Rampager

  —

  Sea Gypsy

  Fleetwood

  —

  Heather Valley

  Newry

  —

  Intrepid

  —

  Cordoba

  Montrose

  —

  Channel Avenger

  Weymouth

  —

  Rolyn

  —

  1985

  Pescoso 2

  —

  Ship Burton

  Hull

  —

  Boston Stirling

  Fleetwood

  —

  Meva

  Shoreham

  —

  Golden Strand

  Oban

  —

  Our Catherine

  Scarborough

  —

  Mhari—L

  Hull

  5

  Clarion

  Fraserburgh

  —

  Ocean Dawn

  —

  Thalassa

  Brixham

  —

  Ardgour II

  Kirkcaldy

  —

  Lady Dahra

  —

  Fearnot

  Stornoway

  —

  461

  Name of Vessel

  Port of Registry

  Deaths

  Kelly M

  Scarborough

  —

  Waldrian

  Grimsby

  1

  Ocean Harvest

  Banff

  4

  Sea Hunter

  Fraserburgh

  —

  Aurora

  Peterhead

  —

  Lisa Olesen

  Grimsby

  —

  Kingfisher

  Fleetwood

  —

  Bon Ami

  Banff

  6

  Rolyn

  —

  Newcomen

  —

  Dorothy E

  —

  My Emma

  2

  Provide Us

  —

  Supreme

  Peterhead

  —

  Rachel

  —

  Redemption

  Whitby

  —

  Minerva

  Fraserburgh

  —

  Northern Star

  —

  Valhalla

  Lerwick

  —

  Kate Violet

  —

  Pearl

  —

  Fisherman 1

  —

  Tiercel

  Broad ford

  1

  Colleen

  Bideford

  —

  Lorna Ann

  Barrow

  —

  Lady Kingswood

  —

  Tina Ann

  1

  1986

  Contessa Viv

  Lowestoft

  5

  Pride of Redcar

  Hartlepool

  —

  La Morlaye

  Leith

  —

  Foxglove

  Wick

  —

  Amoria

  Fraserburgh

  —

  Pescado

  Teignmouth

  3

  LBP

  Salcombe

  —

  Avondale

  Leith

  —

  Sonia Jane

  Grimsby

  —

  Connaught

  Fraserburgh

  —

  Happy Hooker

  —

  Danny Boy

  Rye

  —

  Sea Cat

  —

  A Salmon Cobble

  —

  Jake II

  Campbeltown

  —

  My Boy

  Berwick on Tweed

  —

  End of the World

  —

  Sir Percival

  Weymouth

  —

  Rosnuala

  Campbeltown

  —

  1987

  Loch Kildovan

  Peterhead

  —

  Freemantle

  Peterhead

  —

  Guide Onwards

  Inverness

  —

  Constant Star

  Peterhead

  —

  Stella Marie

  Peterhead

  —

  Dayspring

  Scarborough

  —

  Anmara

  Hull

  3

  Grateful

  Fowey

  —

  Angela

  Peterhead

  1

  Onward Fisher

  Fleetwood

  —

  Galilean

  Penzance

  —

  KMB

  Dartmouth

  —

  Ptarmigan

  Buckie

  —

  Girl Maureen

  Portsmouth

  —

  1988

  Laura Jane

  Padstow

  2

  Gillian Claire

  Penzance

  3

  Southern Enterprise

  Southampton

  3

  Ocean Gain

  Stornoway

  —

  Albert II

  Broadford

  2

  Frey I

  Campbeltown

  —

  Couldn't Help It

  Cowes I.O.W.

  —

  Emma Jane

  Poole

  —

  Budding Rose

  Peterhead

  —

  Choice

  Buckie

  —

  Inspire

  Cardigan

  3

  Guldborg

  Hull

  —

  462

  Name of Vessel

  Port of Registry

  Deaths

  Our Tracey Jane

  Hartlepool

  —

  Jeremy Gordon

  Scarborough

  2

  Tarka

  Ramsgate

  1

  Mayford

  Lowestoft

  2

  Utopia

  Fraserburgh

  —

  Kingfisher

  Stornoway

  —

  Silver Crest

  Lowestoft

  —

  Internos

  Campbeltown

  —

  Fortitude

  Banff

  —

  Orange Badge Scheme
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to increase the penalty for abuse of the orange badge scheme for severely disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Misuse of an orange badge already carries a maximum fine of £400. The level of penalty is kept under review. Badges can be withdrawn by local authorities in cases of persistent misuse.

  We must make it easier for the police and traffic wardens to spot abuse of the scheme. We have proposed that the orange badge should be redesigned in the form of a more robust personal passport-type of document. There would be space for a photograph of the holder. We shall be looking at ways in which the badge could be displayed which would avoid fixing it permanently to the windscreen, thereby making it difficult to remove. This approach has been widely welcomed by people with disabilities and their representative organisations and by other groups.

  Driving Tests (Durham)
  Mr Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average waiting time for a driving test in Durham.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Twelve weeks.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what constraints his Department sets on financial investment in new infrastructure by British Rail, with particular reference to the required rate of return from investment: if these constraints apply to the British Rail proposals to build a Channel tunnel rail link through Kent and south east London; what is the present projected cost of the Channel tunnel rail link project; at what rate of return the line will operate under the present plans; and at what projected date the CTRL line is expected to make a return on the investment.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Government's required rate of return for commercial public sector programme is 8 per cent. If the Channel tunnel rail link were to be financed by British Rail, it would be appraised using a discount rate reflecting this rate of return. British Rail is currently discussing its proposals with the private sector with a view to securing private investment in the scheme.

  The cost of the high-speed link is estimated at about £1·7 billion. Appraisal of the scheme to estimate a rate of return is not yet complete.

  Motoring Offences
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many persons in London have been reported for offences of(a) having no current excise licence, (b) no insurance, (c) no Ministry of Transport certificate, (d) having vehicle in unroadworthy condition and (e) driving whilst disqualified since 16 May.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I understand that the information sought could not be assembled except at disproportionate cost.

  Road-side Checks (Tax Discs)
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many(a) police officers and (b) Department of Transport officials have been engaged in the campaign to identify motorists without tax discs announced for Greater London on 3 May;

  (2) how many motorists have so far been stopped in the road-side checks announced on 3 May for Greater London;

  (3) what has been the cost to public funds so far of the campaign in London to identify tax disc dodgers announced by his Department on 3 May;

  (4) what results have been obtained so far in the campaign against motor tax dodgers in London announced on 3 May.

  Total

  Children Killed

  Pedestrians

  Child Pedestrians

  Rear seat strapped

  Rear seat unstrapped/unknown

  Road deaths in Merseyside: 1983–87

  1983

  95

  20

  56

  16

  0

  8

  1984

  128

  25

  80

  21

  0

  4

  1985

  109

  11

  62

  8

  0

  6

  1986

  102

  10

  59

  9

  1

  5

  1987

  105

  9

  61

  7

  0

  3

  Road deaths in St. Helens: 1983–87

  1983

  14

  4

  7

  2

  0

  1

  1984

  15

  1

  8

  0

  0

  1

  1985

  12

  0

  4

  0

  0

  2

  1986

  12

  0

  7

  0

  0

  0

  1987

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  The use of seat belts saves lives. We should continue to take every opportunity to get that message across.

  In April this year we published a major package of measures aimed at improving pedestrian safety, which we intend to implement as quickly as possible.

EMPLOYMENT

  Benefit Disqualifications
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what are the results of his monitoring of the disqualification periods imposed on people deemed to have left work without good cause, since the increase in maximum disqualification period from 13 to 26 weeks;

  (2) in how many cases, where a claimant for unemployment benefit has been disqualified on the ground of leaving employment without good cause, the disqualification period has been 26 weeks.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have been asked to reply. An analysis of a sample of adjudication officers' decisions
  464
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  As part of their continuing enforcement duties, the Department's officials spent 1,600 man hours during the recent campaign in London in detecting vehicle excise evaders. The estimated manpower cost was £7,000. I understand that the Metropolitan and City police devoted a similar effort to the task.

  Only vehicles whose tax discs were not clearly visible or appeared to be out of date were stopped. Of these, 3,800 are being investigated with a view to prosecution where an excise offence has been committed. The Department's publicity costs totalled £145,000.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were killed on roads in(a) Merseyside and (b) St. Helens for each of the last five years; how many of those killed were children or pedestrians or both; how many were sitting in the rear seats of motor vehicles and unstrapped; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: The following table show the number of deaths in road accidents for each of the last five years for which complete information is available, broken down as requested, for (a) Merseyside and (b) St. Helens.

  taken during the first three months of this year indicates that disqualification for unemployment benefit in circumstances generally known as "voluntary unemployment" was imposed for the full 26-week period in' less than two-thirds of the cases. The sample included those disqualified for leaving employment without just cause. The full information obtained from the monitoring exercises is currently being analysed and the results will be published shortly.

  Children (Employment)
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to bring into force the Employment of Children Act 1973.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government have no plans to implement the Employment of Children Act 1973. All local authorities (except Isles of Scilly) have byelaws which regulate the hours and conditions of children's employment. The

  465
  majority of byelaws follow departmental guidance of 1976 which is based on the proposed content of regulations under the 1973 Act.

  Strikes
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days were lost through strikes in 1988–89; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In the 12 months ending March 1989, 2,858,000 working days were lost through stoppages of work due to industrial disputes. This figure is about one quarter of the average for the previous 10 years.

  Low Pay
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to deal with the problem of low pay.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd) on Tuesday 16 May at column 164.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of employment in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lee
  In December 1988 the work force in employment in the United Kingdom stood at 26,510,000, the highest level on record. This represents an increase of 2,948,000 or 12·5 per cent. since March 1983. The rising trend has now continued for more than five years. The figures have been adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations. The work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed, Her Majesty's forces and participants on work-related Government training programmes.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed for 12 months or more in the City of Durham constituency.

  Mr. Lee
  The information is available from the Library. In April 1989, the latest available date, the number of unemployed claimants in the City of Durham parliamentary constituency who had been unemployed for over 12 months was 1,109.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish an analysis of known job vacancies in Durham by skill category required.

  Mr. Lee
  There is no analysis available by skill category. However, vacancies are analysed by occupation and industry.

  Industrial Accidents
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to monitor the accident rates for trainees on the employment training scheme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Yes. Accident statistics will be collected and monitored on the employment training scheme along lines already operating in YTS.

  Tourism
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has further to encourage the growth of tourism and tourist-related jobs in East Anglia currently and after 1992.

  Mr. Lee
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave on 6 July at column 287 to a question from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Mr. Bevan). The changes to the operation of both the British Tourist Authority (BTA) and the English tourist board (ETB) set out in that statement are intended to result in even more effective support by these boards and by the East Anglia tourist board for the growth of tourism in East Anglia now and after 1992.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent representations he has received on the proposals of section 4 grants for tourism development; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received representations expressing a variety of views about the section 4 scheme. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend on 6 July to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Mr. Bevan) concerning the future of the scheme.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has had recently from operators of the touring caravan sites section of the tourist industry; and what advice his Department will he giving them further to develop their job-creating potential.

  Mr. Lee
  The caravan sector is an important part of the tourism industry, providing a large number of jobs, both in caravan manufacture, and in servicing caravan sites. The quality of both has improved substantially in recent years, and I am keen to see the caravan industry continue to develop its potential. I welcome the industry's initiative in marketing itself through a national promotional campaign, in introducing a grading scheme for parks, and in bringing the industry's potential to the notice of planning officials to encourage positive attitudes towards planning applications. I also welcome the substantial capital investment that is currently taking place in this sector.

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list information available to him on the top 10 national visitor-paying tourist attractions by(a) number of visitors, (b) revenue received and (c) where appropriate, profit made during 1988, and the top 10 in the East Midlands tourist board area according to the same criteria.

  Mr. Lee
  The financial information requested could be made available only at disproportionate cost. The national tourist boards' annual surveys of numbers of visits to paying attractions give the following figures for Britain and for the East Midlands tourist board area:

  Number of visits

  Thousands

  Britain

  Madame Tussaud's, London

  2,705

  Alton Towers, Staffordshire

  2,510

  467

  Number of visits

  Thousands

  Tower of London

  2,182

  Blackpool Tower

  1,478

  Natural History Museum

  1,367

  London Zoo

  1,326

  Kew Gardens

  1,181

  Chessington World of Adventures

  1,151

  Magnum Leisure Centre, Irvine

  1,080

  Thorpe Park, Surrey

  1,028

  East Midlands

  The American Adventure

  660

  Twycross Zoo

  470

  Sundown Pets Garden, Rampton

  230

  Heights of Abraham, Matlock

  206

  Riber Castle Wildlife Centre

  170

  Lincoln Castle

  165

  Battlefield of Bosworth

  150

  National Tramway Museum

  150

  Belvoir Castle, Grantham

  117

  Poole's Cavern, Buxton

  100

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total value of tourism in Leicestershire at current prices in each of the years from 1979 to 1989.

  Mr. Lee
  The available information for Leicestershire is shown in table 1 and relates to expenditure by overseas visitors to the United Kingdom who made a trip of at least one night to Leicestershire. Information about spending by domestic residents is available only for the whole of the East Midlands tourist board region, and is shown in table 2 together with the equivalent information for overseas visitors. Figures for tourist expenditure by United Kingdom residents on day trips to Leicestershire or the east midlands are not available.

  Table 1

  Estimated spending in Leicestershire by overseas residents1

  £ million

  1979

  9

  1980

  12

  1981

  11

  1982

  13

  1983

  14

  1984

  17

  1985

  20

  1986

  17

  1987

  17

  1988

  25

  1 Source: International Passenger Survey.

  Table 2

  Estimated spending in east midlands3

  £ million

  By overseas residents1

  By British residents2

  Total

  1979

  37

  132

  169

  1980

  43

  154

  197

  1981

  21

  170

  191

  1982

  53

  175

  228

  1983

  62

  196

  258

  1984

  79

  4230

  309

  1985

  85

  234

  319

  1986

  80

  305

  385

  1987

  89

  290

  379

  1988

  94

  365

  459

  1 Source: International Passenger Survey.

  2 Source: British Tourist Authority.

  468

  3 East Midlands Regional Tourist Board comprising: Leicestershire together with Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire.

  4 From 1984 an improved method of estimating expenditure was introduced for domestic spending. Figures for 1984 and later years are, therefore not, strictly comparable with those for earlier years.

  EC Blue Flag Award
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps his Department has taken to congratulate those responsible and to promote the winners of this year's European Community blue flag award for beaches and bathing waters.

  Mr. Lee
  Today I took part in flag-raising ceremonies at two of the 1989 award-winning beaches, namely Bournemouth and Poole, as part of national Blue Flag Day. I would like to congratulate this year's 22 winners, including Lowestoft South beach in my hon. Friend's constituency, and the Tidy Britain Group, the Water Authorities Association, and the English Tourist Board, who support the awards in this country.

  Employment Training
  Mrs. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total amount to date expended on the employment training scheme; and what is the amount of money expended per trainee.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Some £566 million had been spent on employment training up to the end of May 1989. The estimated cost per trainee is £2,300.

ENERGY

  Hinkley Point C Inquiry
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply of 26 June,Official Report, column 350, on the extent of the cost to public funds of the Hinkley Point C inquiry, if he will state (a) the best estimate given to him to date by the Central Electricity Generating Board of the costs of the inquiry borne or to be borne by it and (b) his assessment of the costs so far incurred by local authorities.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The costs incurred by the CEGB are a matter for them. I have asked the chairman of the board to write to my hon. Friend.

  Harwell
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the facilities currently subject to either Euratom or the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards at Harwell.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  All civil nuclear material at Harwell is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the UK/IAEA/Euratom safeguards agreement. The IAEA has not chosen to designate facilities at Harwell for inspection.

  Energy Technology Support Unit
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the current and past contribution of the energy technology support unit to the United Kingdom energy programme.
  469
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Since 1974, the energy technology support unit has provided, and continues to provide, project management services for the Department's renewables and energy efficiency research, development, and demonstration programmes. Through the chief scientist's group, it also provides technical and analytical support for the Department.

  Sizewell C
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has had recently on the case for a public inquiry into the Central Electricity Generating Board proposal to build Sizewell C in Suffolk; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend has directed the CEGB to advertise its application for his consent to construct a second PWR nuclear power station at Sizewell and has allowed a period up to 30 September in which objections can be made to him.

  Until he has seen all such objections and has received the views of the relevant local planning authorities, it is too early to say whether a public inquiry will be necessary.

  To date, my Department has registered some 700 objections to the application.

  New Headquarters (Cost)
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the cost per occupant of the construction and equipment of his Department's new headquarters offices.

  Mr. Parkinson
  My Department's headquarters is being fitted out to normal Government standards, including those covering fire and security, set by the Property Services Agency and the Treasury. The cost is borne on the PSA's vote. My Department will be paying a rent to the PSA reflecting the full opportunity cost of the building.

  Wylfa
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will extend the time for submitting objections and making representations to the inquiry into the Central Electricity Generating Board's application for a pressurised water reactor at Wylfa to 31 October 1989.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No. I believe that the period of three months that my right hon. Friend has allowed for objections is ample time for anyone wishing to object to the CEGB's application to do so.

  The requirements for publicity to be given to power station applications are set out in the Electricity (Publication of Applications) Regulations 1957. These regulations state that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State must give a period of not less than 21 days in which objections can be made to him. The period of three months that my right hon. Friend has allowed is simply for objections to be registered pursuant to section 34 of the Electricity Act of 1957. If he calls for an inquiry to be held, all registered objectors will be sent details of the inquiry including the procedures to be followed if the objector wishes to give evidence.

HEALTH

  Nurses and Midwives
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by district health authority(a) the current nursing staff establishment, (b) the number in post at the latest available date and (c) the number who have left the National Health Service in the preceding year.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 4 July at column 152, regarding the number of nursing staff in post.

  We do not collect information on nursing staff establishments centrally. We expect to have some information on the number leaving the NHS later this year.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether decisions have been made on proposals made by health authorities under the pilot scheme for flexible pay supplements for nursing and midwifery staff in 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Yes. Regional health authorities are being notified today of the decisions which have been taken on their bids and of their additional financial allocations. Copies of the notifications will be placed in the Library.

  District health authorities were invited to bid, through their region, against the sum—not exceeding £5 million—which the Government have made available in 1989–90 for a pilot scheme on flexible pay supplements for nursing and midwifery staff. I received a very positive response. Many authorities welcomed the opportunity to use this scheme to meet particular recruitment and retention difficulties for such staff. In total, I received 157 bids from 10 regions, covering 7,792 posts.

  Decisions on the bids were taken by Ministers, following detailed analysis by a small panel of departmental and NHS officials. The main criteria used in assessing the bids were vacancy rates; turnover rates; degree of use of agency/bank staff and of overtime; the impact of these factors on service delivery; non-pay initiatives taken by authorities; and local labour market issues.

  Altogether, 116 bids (covering 5,804 posts) were accepted as they stood; 19 bids (1,235 posts) were accepted but reduced in coverage to 963 posts; 9 bids (281 posts) accepted but extended in coverage to 397 posts; and 13 bids (472 posts) were rejected.

  The supplements which cover all grades in the clinical structure and which range from £200 to £1,000, are payable from 1 July 1989.

  Our evidence to the nurses' pay review body on the future of the scheme will take account of our experience of this first round of bids and of the close monitoring of the effects of the supplements that we are undertaking.

  A summary of the bids approved, and their cost, is set out in the table.

  Region

  Number of posts covered

  Total cost (including on-costs)

  £

  Yorkshire

  190

  146,926

  Trent

  333

  267,374

  East Anglia

  998

  651,077

  471

  Region

  Number of posts covered

  Total cost (including on-costs)

  £

  North West Thames

  1,621

  1,091,058

  North East Thames

  62

  38,530

  South East Thames

  1,219

  959,239

  South West Thames

  2,067

  1,077,027

  Oxford

  272

  213,873

  West Midlands

  324

  188,994

  North Western

  78

  64,935

  TOTAL

  7,164

  4,699,033

  Mersey Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases were on the inpatient waiting list in the Mersey regional health authority at the latest available date.

  Mr. Mellor
  On 30 September 1988, there were 32,121 such cases.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what services have been contracted out within the Mersey regional health authority to date; and what savings have been made or are expected from such contracting-out.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not collected centrally in the form requested. As a result of the Government's 1983 competitive tendering initiative for domestic, catering and laundry services annual savings of almost £6 million have been generated in the Mersey region with around £1½ million resulting from contracts awarded to outside contractors. This tendering process is being extended within the region, to varying degrees, to portering services, grounds and gardens, building, engineering and equipment maintenance, energy management, waste disposal and computer information services, with outside contractors winning some contracts or otherwise stimulating improvements in in-house services. For more detailed information my hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairman of the regional health authority.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many capital schemes of over £1 million(a) have been completed and (b) are under construction in the National Health Service Mersey region since 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information held centrally shows that 22 schemes over £1 million have been completed in the National Health Service Mersey region since 1 January 1979, for a total expenditure, including fees and equipment of approximately £140 million, and one is under construction.

  Perinatal1 and neonatal2 mortality rates, European Economic Community countries 1982–88

  Country

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Perinatal

  Belgium

  12·6

  12·2

  11·3

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Denmark

  8·7

  9·0

  8·4

  8·1

  8·4

  n/a

  n/a

  France

  12·1

  11·4

  11·1

  10·7

  10·4

  n/a

  n/a

  Greece

  16·8

  16·5

  16·6

  15·7

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Ireland

  13·5

  13·7

  13·6

  12·3

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Italy

  16·0

  15·2

  314· 5

  313·2

  312·8

  n/a

  n/a

  Luxembourg

  12·0

  10·7

  8·8

  7·8

  7·2

  n/a

  n/a

  Netherlands

  10·0

  10·1

  10·0

  9·8

  9·7

  n/a

  n/a

  Portugal

  23·8

  21·4

  21·0

  21·6

  19·9

  n/a

  n/a

  Spain

  12·9

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  472
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage bed occupancy was in(a) the Mersey regional health authority and (b) England in the latest available year.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is given in the table. The health services information steering group (chaired by Mrs. E. Korner) recommended in its first report that bed occupancy statistics no longer be used as an indicator of efficient bed use.

  Average daily available beds and occupied beds, 1987–88

  Available beds

  Occupied beds

  Percentage occupancy

  England

  297,342

  240,0001

  81

  Mersey regional health authority

  16,653

  13,820

  83

  1 Estimate

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of health expenditure in the Mersey region, expressed per household in(a) 1978–79 and (b) the latest available year in (i) cash terms and (ii) terms adjusted for inflation.

  Mr. Freeman
  Expenditure by household for individual regional health authorities is not available centrally. My hon. Friend may therefore wish to write to the chairman of Mersey regional health authority who may be able to provide information.

  My hon. Friend may however find the following centrally available information of help. Per capita expenditure by Mersey regional health authority on hospital and community health services in 1978–79 = £91·34 million.

  The comparable figure for 1987–88 (latest year available) = £229·77 million in cash terms and (ii) £112·47 million expressed by 1978–79 values (a real terms increase of 23 per cent.).

  These figures exclude expenditure on the family practitioner services in the Mersey region.

  Neonatal and Perinatal Mortality
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the neonatal and perinatal mortality rates are for each of the last five years for which figures are available in the United Kingdom; and what are the comparable figures for the other individual member states of the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Freeman
  The tables give the latest available data from the Statistical Office of the European Community's "Eurostat" volume 1988 and the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' "Population Trends No. 56."
  473

  Country

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  West Germany

  9·6

  9·3

  8·6

  7·9

  7·6

  n/a

  n/a

  United Kingdom

  11·4

  10·5

  10·2

  9·9

  9·6

  9·0

  n/a

  Neonatal

  Belgium

  6·7

  6·5

  5·9

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Denmark

  4·8

  4·6

  4·7

  4·7

  5·1

  n/a

  n/a

  France

  5·3

  5·0

  4·7

  4·6

  4·3

  n/a

  n/a

  Greece

  11·5

  10·9

  10·8

  10·6

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Ireland

  6·6

  6·1

  6·0

  5·3

  4·8

  n/a

  n/a

  Italy

  10·3

  9·6

  39·1

  38·1

  37·7

  n/a

  n/a

  Luxembourg

  6·3

  6·5

  6·0

  2·9

  4·2

  n/a

  n/a

  Netherlands

  5·1

  5·3

  5·1

  5·0

  4·8

  n/a

  n/a

  Portugal

  13·8

  11·5

  11·3

  12·2

  10·8

  n/a

  n/a

  Spain

  7·9

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  West Germany

  6·3

  5·9

  5·5

  5·0

  4·8

  n/a

  n/a

  United Kingdom

  6·4

  5·9

  5·7

  5·4

  5·3

  5·0

  4·9

  1 Deaths in the first week of life and stillbirths per thousand live and stillbirths.

  2 Deaths in the first 28 days of life (27 completed days) per thousand live births.

  3 Provisional data.

  Nursing Teachers (Salaries)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to inform nursing teachers of the salary to be awarded to the grades they have recently been allotted; and whether he will publish the grades and salaries attached in the Official Report.

  Mr. Mellor
  The review body has submitted its report to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. Decisions on the implementation of the review body's recommendations will be taken in the normal way.

  Private Health Screening Clinics
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to the code of practice recently published by the Independent Hospitals Association for the conduct of private health screening clinics; and what assessment has been made of the medical qualifications required of the staff.

  Mr. Mellor
  We welcome the Independent Hospitals Association's initiative to improve the quality of services in the private sector. We are considering the association's proposals in the light of the White Paper "Working for Patients" and our objectives for improved levels of care and wider patient choice.

  Water Contamination (North Cornwall)
  Mr. Neale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the South West regional health authority in conjunction with the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly health authority are continuing to interview patients in the Camelford area of north Cornwall; and if he will make a statement on the progress of these investigations.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly health authority has arranged for a consultant to see those people from the Camelford area who wish to have a medical check following exposure to the water contaminated with aluminium sulphate. These medical checks are carried out every Saturday morning at the East Cornwall hospital. The necessary support facilities are available should the consultant wish to refer anyone for further medical examination.

  These sessions will continue for as long as is needed. They are additional to the normal health service provision,
  474
  available at the time of the pollution incident and since, whereby anyone can consult a general practitioner for both diagnosis and treatment and can be referred to a hospital consultant by the general practitioner.

  Medical Services (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the current average waiting times for women in Durham district health authority waiting for results of cervical smear.

  Mr. Mellor
  All results are made available to the patient's GP within two weeks.

  Anthony Porter
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Anthony Porter after an incident at North Tees hospital in December 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am considering my hon. Friend's letter of 23 June on this subject, to which a reply will be sent shortly.

  Hospital Facilities
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in the Official Report for each of the past five years, those hospital facilities in England that fell short of acceptable standards referred to in paragraph 16 of the first annual report of Her Majesty's inspector of pollution.

  Mr. Freeman
  I assume that the inquiry relates to the paragraph 16 on page 26 of the report which refers to the inspections of hospitals under the Medicines (Administration of Radioactive Substances) Regulations.

  Following these inspections, Her Majesty's inspector of pollution reports to the Department on various requirements for certification under these regulations. These reports may include general comments about the facilities available to clinicians administering radioactive substances. If the Department feels that there is cause for concern, the matter is pursued with the health authority. Should the Department consider, following investigation, that the facilities no longer reach an acceptable standard,

  475
  certificate(s) of the clinician(s) using those facilities would be suspended or revoked. No certificates have been so suspended or revoked during the last five years.

  Scientists
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the percentage contribution from employers to the pension scheme of scientists in medicine employed by the National Health Service over the last five years.
  476
  Mr. Mellor
  Over the last five years, the contribution from NHS employers to the NHS superannuation scheme for all NHS employees was 7·5 per cent. of superannuable pay up to and including 31 March 1989 and 4 per cent. from 1 April 1989.

  Rotherham Hospital
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has received the recent letter from the Rotherham Hospital Medical Staff committee expressing grave concern about the maintenance of services; and if additional resources will be provided for the Rotherham health authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has received a letter from the Rotherham Hospital Medical Staff committee. Allocation of resources to individual health authorities is a matter for the relevant regional health authority; in Rotherham's case, this is Trent.

  Immunisation
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend basic child immunisation for the 0 to 5 years age group.

  Mr. Freeman
  The joint committee on vaccination and immunisation, which advises the health departments on all aspects of immunisation, has set up a group to consider and make recommendations on the present

  Number of cases of principal types of food poisoning detected or reported January-June 1989

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  Clostridium Botulinum

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  27

  Salmonella Enteritidis

  733

  826

  742

  671

  779

  n.a.

  Salmonella Typhimurium

  318

  254

  227

  200

  329

  n.a.

  Other Salmonellas

  367

  235

  244

  235

  256

  n.a.

  Clostridium Perfringens

  16

  46

  228

  8

  2

  44

  Staphylococcus Aureus

  4

  7

  10

  —

  50

  —

  Bacillus SP

  —

  3

  5

  3

  3

  —

  n.a. = Not yet available.

  Number of laboratory reports for Campylobacter infection, four-weekly to 16 June 1989

  Weeks

  Number

  01–04

  1,480

  05–08

  1,915

  09–12

  1,944

  13–16

  1,625

  17–20

  2,225

  21–24

  4,175

  Source: PHLS

  Note: All figures are provisional

ENVIRONMENT

  Sewage Outfall, Royal Portbury Dock
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will instruct Wessex Water to extend the proposed 900 m sewage outfall being built adjacent to Royal Portbury dock to the full 2 km length; and if he will make a statement on what length outfall is appropriate in coastal waters such as the Bristol channel.

  Mr. Howard
  Before granting a discharge consent for any new sea outfall scheme, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution must be satisfied that the scheme will enable bathing waters in the vicinity to meet the standards of the EEC bathing water directive. The length of the outfall required to achieve this objective will depend on local 478
  childhood immunisation schedule and on future developments. We shall consider the JCVI's views when they are available.

  Alcohol Problems
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to recognise new centres for the management of alcohol problems as designated places; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health is at present considering the designation of one new centre for the management of alcohol problems in Southampton.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of(a) botulism, (b) salmonella enteridais, (c) salmonella typhimurium and (d) other types of food poisoning had been detected or reported for each month since Janaury.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 3 July 1989]: The information requested is given in the tables. Laboratory reports of campylobacter infections are collated weekly, and four-weekly totals to 16 June are given, but it is not known how many of these infections are food-borne.

  factors such as tides, currents, depth of water and prevailing winds. The average length of long sea outfalls is around 2 km. However, local conditions may mean that they can be longer or shorter than this. Relevant studies of the hydrographical conditions near the Royal Portbury dock indicated that a 900 m outfall would be the most appropriate length. Accordingly, a discharge consent for such an outfall was granted by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in July 1987.

  Air Conditioning
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department has undertaken into air conditioning of office buildings.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Building Research Establishment has carried out research into the design and performance of air conditioning of office buildings over a number of years. Working with the Property Services Agency and the industry, the establishment has provided a major contribution to industry standards, such as the design guides, application manuals and building energy codes of the Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers. The topics covered have included air infiltration, calculation of summertime overheating, plant capacity, thermal comfort conditions and operating costs. More recently, work has been focused on the "sick building syndrome", the emerging problems of CFCs, and means of improving
  479
  energy efficiency. A copy of the published research programme of the Building Research Establishment is in the Library of the House.

  Rent Arrears
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the in the Official Report the 30 local authorities in England with the largest amounts of rent arrears, with the amounts outstanding and the number of people owing in each case.

  Mr. Trippier
  The information, for the end of March 1988, is listed as follows:

  Rent arrears1 £000s

  Number of current and former tenants in arrears2

  1. Southwark

  19,019

  ֵ

  2. Lambeth

  12,554

  ֵ

  3. Liverpool

  11,220

  ֵ

  4. Islington

  9,764

  ֵ

  5. Hackney

  8,418

  ֵ

  6. Brent

  38,100

  20,140

  7. Manchester

  8,085

  55,368

  8. Sheffield

  5,449

  ֵ

  9. Birmingham

  5,263

  46,950

  10. Greenwich

  4,785

  ֵ

  11. Lewisham

  4,700

  ֵ

  12. Camden

  4,660

  25,230

  13. Haringey

  4,119

  ֵ

  14. Walsall

  4,016

  21,946

  15. Newham

  3,626

  ֵ

  16. Wolverhampton

  3,329

  ֵ

  17. Waltham Forest

  3,141

  ֵ

  18. Wandsworth

  2,409

  16,081

  19. Newcastle upon Tyne

  2,321

  26,774

  20. Knowsley

  2,282

  16,898

  21. Tower Hamlets

  2,218

  23,068

  22. Ealing

  2,196

  11,727

  23. Leicester

  2,188

  21,444

  24. Hammersmith and Fulham

  2,153

  16,511

  25. Leeds

  2,136

  32,721

  26. Sandwell

  2,101

  21,985

  27. Bradford

  2,002

  21,588

  28. Salford

  1,867

  18,616

  29. Westminster

  1,779

  12,577

  30. Kirklees

  1,627

  14,344

  1 Cumulative rent arrears are reported to the Department on local authorities' Housing Subsidy Claim forms, but these do not give the number of tenants in arrears.

  2 Local authority tenants owing rent, rates and other charges as reported to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and published in "Housing Rents Statistics at April 1988" are given where available (ֵ indicates not available).

  3 Department of the Environment estimate of rent arrears based on reported total tenants' arrears (including rates etc.) of £16·7 million.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals for a code of conduct for the offer by local authorities of council housing to ex-service personnel.

  Mr. Trippier
  Advice to local authorities is already available in my Department's circular 54/75, which requests that local authorities consider sympathetically applications from men and women leaving Her Majesty's forces.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he or Ministers or officials of his Department have recently met the head of the United Nations environment programme's industry and environment office to discuss matters pertinent to the United Kingdom or European Community environmental protection.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government fully support the work of the United Nations environment programme's industry and environment office. Officials in the Department of the Environment are in regular contact with the industry and environment office and have recently been discussing the creation of an international network to promote the exchange of information on clean technology.

  Environment and Development
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what initiatives he has taken to implement recommendations made by the Brundtland committee on world environment and development.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The United Kingdom is one of a very small number of countries to have published a formal response to the report of the world commission on environment and development. The London "Saving the Ozone Layer" conference in March, attended by 123 countries, gave strong support to the report's concept of sustainable development. In September the United Kingdom is to host a workshop on awareness raising and public participation as part of the preparations for next year's ministerial conference in Bergen which will examine the implementation of the report in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is Her Majesty's Government policy towards proposals by the United Nations to hold a conference on environment and development in 1992.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government fully support the proposal for a United Nations conference on environment and development in 1992. The United Kingdom will be taking an active part in the preparations and will aim to ensure that the conference reaches agreement on the actions needed to tackle global environmental problems.

  Planning Applications (Harrogate)
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of appeals carried out into planning applications in the Harrogate borough council area during each of the last three years.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is as follows.

  Year

  Planning appeals

  Received

  Decided

  Allowed

  Withdrawn

  1986–87

  92

  64

  21

  11

  1987–88

  104

  87

  30

  17

  1988–89

  121

  96

  28

  15

  Ivory
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under what powers he has imposed a unilateral ban on ivory imports.
  481
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The ban on ivory imports is based on article 10 1(b) of EC regulation 3626/82. We consider that the decline in African elephant populations is so serious that the conditions set out in that article for the issue of import permits cannot be met.

  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications of the unilateral ban on ivory imports for the terms of the CITES convention which regulates and controls the legitimate trade in ivory.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Article XIV of the convention indicates that the provisions of the convention shall not affect the right of parties to adopt stricter domestic measures. The action that we have taken is entirely compatible with the provisions of the convention.

  Housing Waiting Lists
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households were housed from the waiting list and by which category in each local authority in England and Wales in 1988.

  Mr. Trippier
  Local authorities report the number of dwellings let on secure tenancies to households under normal waiting list allocation procedures on their annual housing investment programme returns. The figures for 1987–88 appear in column E9c of the "198 HIP1 All Items Print", a copy of which is in the Library. Information on categories is not held centrally.

  For corresponding information about Welsh authorities I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Housing (Voluntary Agencies)
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce the continuation of funding to voluntary agencies in the housing field under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985.

  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment hopes to make an announcement soon.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the funding of voluntary organisations by the statutory sector in the field of housing.

  Mr. Trippier
  Our policy is that voluntary organisations in the shape of housing associations have a major role to play in the future, as providers of housing, and should be supported by Government and local authorities, with important contributions from private funding.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the role that voluntary housing organisations should play in relation to statutory housing services.

  Mr. Trippier
  Housing associations should in future be the major providers of social rented housing, supported by public and private funds, and co-operating fully with local housing authorities.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the service provided by 482
  those organisations in receipt of funding under section 16 of the Housing and Planning Act 1986 and under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985; and what are his concerns in each case with which he is not satisfied.

  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has been reviewing the section 73 grant regime; we hope to announce conclusions soon. A review of section 16 grants in relation to housing management training is now under way and we shall be consulting interested bodies.

  Sewage Discharges
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the establishments that have applied for consent to discharge sewage in excess of the levels set in the Control of Pollution Act 1974 following the privatisation of water authorities.

  Mr. Howard
  Consents for discharges from sewage treatment works by water authorities are issued by the Secretary of State under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. The Act itself does not set permissible levels of discharge. Lists of sewage treatment works for which applications have been made for time-limited discharge consents, pending completion of capital improvement schemes, have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Harwell Incinerator (Closure)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the closure of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Harwell laboratory incinerator has posed any disposal problems for slightly radioactive organic solvents used in scintillation counting.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The closure of the Harwell incinerator has not posed any disposal problems. Slightly radioactive solvents are now disposed of in other incinerators authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

  Environmental Monitoring
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution intends to publish reports on the results obtained from monitoring private water supplies for radioactivity;

  (2) when he expects Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to publish its first annual report on the national programme of environmental monitoring in the vicinity of selected premises controlled under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The inspectorate intends to publish the reports by the end of this year.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all sites of special scientific interest presently renotified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in England and Wales on a county by county basis.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Nature Conservancy Council is currently preparing an up-to-date list of SSSIs in England and Wales. I will write to the hon. Member
  483
  with this information as soon as it is available, and will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Sizewell C
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had recently on the case for a public inquiry into the Central Electricity Generating Board proposal to build Sizewell C in Suffolk; and whether he now intends to order such an inquiry.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend has received one letter from a member of the public which was forwarded to the Department of Energy for a reply. As far as a public inquiry is concerned, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of his Department's community charge practice notes were designed to assist registration officers in the compilation of the registration form; and on what dates each was dispatched to local authorities.

  Mr. Gummer
  The following five practice notes have been issued to local authorities about various aspects of the task of compiling their community charges register:

  Date of issue

  Title

  26 August 1988

  Practice Note No. 3: The Community Charges Register

  26 August 1988

  Practice Note No. 4: Data Protection and the Community Charge (Volumn 1)

  14 October 1988

  Practice Note No. 6: Omission of Names from the Public Extract of the Register

  11 November 1988

  Practice Note No. 8: The Community Charge Canvass

  1 February 1989

  Practice Note No. 10: Data Protection and the Community Charge (Volume 2)

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to exempt from poll tax young people who are required to remain in secondary education beyond their 18th birthday; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Young people who remain at school after their 18th birthday are exempt from the community charge for as long as their parents are entitled to claim child benefit on their behalf.

  Building Regulations
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the review of the building regulations.

  Mr. Trippier
  The first part of the review of the building regulations has been completed and my right hon. Friend has today laid regulations amending the Building Regulations 1985. The main changes concern parts F (Ventilation), G (Hygiene), H (Drainage and Waste Disposal), J (Heat Producing Appliances) and L (Conservation of Fuel and Power). It is intended that the new regulations should come into force on 1 April 1990, to allow time for users to familiarise themselves with the new 484
  requirements. Revised approved documents, which provide practical guidance on meeting the requirements, will be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office later this month, together with a publication produced by the Building Research Establishment on good practice for securing effective thermal insulation in buildings. Proof copies of these documents have been placed in the Library, together with a summary of the changes that have been made. My right hon. Friend has decided not to proceed at present with amendments to the mandatory rules for means of escape in case of fire which were the subject of consultation in December 1988 and the need for these amendments will now be considered as part of the review of part B (Fire). Further consultation papers on this and other outstanding parts of the review will be issued later this year.

  Nature Conservancy Council/Countryside Commission
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to review the current organisation of the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  The Government are concerned to improve the way we handle the conservation of wild fauna and flora and the countryside. There are great differences between the circumstances and needs of England, Scotland and Wales in this respect. The present organisational arrangements do not match these differing requirements. The Nature Conservancy Council is responsible for nature conservation throughout the whole of Great Britain. The Countryside Commission is responsible for conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the countryside in England and Wales, while there is a separate Countryside Commission for Scotland. There are increasing feelings that these arrangements are inefficient, insensitive and mean that conservation issues in both Scotland and Wales are determined with too little regard for the particular requirements in these countries.

  We have therefore concluded that the functions which the Nature Conservancy Council at present exercises throughout Great Britain and the functions which the Countryside Commission exercises in England and Wales should be exercised in future by separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have decided that the nature conservation and countryside functions should be the responsibility of a single body in each country. They are making parallel statements about their detailed plans today. The Government believe that combining these responsibilities in one body for Scotland and one for Wales will allow a more comprehensive approach to pursuing the special inheritances of wildlife and natural beauty in these two countries.

  We have also considered what would be best for England. In view of the much greater density of population and consequent pressure upon the land, we believe that it would be right to maintain the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission as separate bodies in England.

  I shall continue to be responsible for representing the United Kingdom's interests on nature conservation matters within the European Community and under

  485
  international conventions. Arrangements will be made for all the necessary advice to continue to be available to me for that purpose.

  These changes require legislation, which we shall bring forward at the earliest opportunity, and which will be confined to organisational matters.

  I should like to pay a warm tribute to the manifest achievements of the chairmen, members and staff of the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission. We have the most comprehensive administrative arrangements for dealing with wildlife and countryside issues anywhere in the European Community, and perhaps the world. It has become clear that these arrangements will be even more effective if they can take more account of differences in local conditions between different parts of Great Britain. These proposals will achieve that.

  "Releasing Enterprise"
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to issue further policy guidance about planning agreements, as envisaged in the White Paper "Releasing Enterprise."

  Mr. Howard
  My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Wales have today issued a consultation paper seeking views on proposals to amend section 52 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 and on draft guidance to local authorities about the proper limits of their statutory development control powers.

  The three proposed legislative changes are: to enable a developer to give a unilateral undertaking to carry out certain works or to do whatever the undertaking specifies; to make provision for a planning agreement or unilateral undertaking to be discharged when its planning purpose has ceased; to enable the Crown to enter into section 52 agreements.

  The proposed draft guidance substantially reaffirms, with some amendments, the guidance given in this Department's circular 22/83. (Welsh Office Circular 46/83.)

  Barkby Thorpe Road, Leicester
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received opposing the development of the landfill site on Barkby Thorpe road, Leicester.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 11 July 1989]: Leicester city council has given outline planning permission for the site, subject to a number of conditions. Several representations have been received, including those from the hon. Member for Leicester, East.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions over the past 10 years judicial reviews have been sought to change a decision on a town and country planning appeal determination; and in how many of these cases the review has led to a change in determination.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer, 10 July 1989]: The chief planning inspector's annual reports, copies of which are in
  486
  the Library, include tables for England and for Wales showing the number of High Court challenges from 1981 to 1987–88 to different kinds of appeal decision and their outcome. In relation to appeals under sections 36 or 37 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, in 1986–87 the original decision was reversed in 14 out of 27 inspectors' cases redetermined; in 1987–88 eight out of 18 such decisions were reversed. Similar information is not available for the outcome of the redetermination of appeals decided by my right hon. Friend, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Plastic Waste
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of the Environment whether he is satisfied that adequate advice is available to the general public on the preferable means of disposal of the various types of plastic waste other than by burning; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 7 July 1989]: The Government are concerned to ensure the highest possible standards in the management of waste. Our proposed new environmental legislation will have the effect of further improving these standards. All producers and holders of waste, except private households, will be placed under a statutory duty to take reasonable steps to ensure the legal disposal or reclamation of their waste. A code of practice will be issued together with technical advice on how to meet this duty. Most domestic plastic waste is put out for collection with other domestic waste. Its safe disposal is the responsibility of the disposal authority. The Government support a number of experimental schemes, for example in Sheffield, designed to evaluate the feasibility of recycling domestic plastic waste. We hope that these will demonstrate ways of overcoming the problems associated with recycling this material. Appropriate advice is offered to those concerned. The Government also support Waste Watch, which provides advice to industry and voluntary organisations on all aspects of recycling. These initiatives have resulted in industry recycling an increasing proportion of its own plastic waste.

  Light Bulbs
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to commission the building research establishment to evaluate the energy savings that could be achieved in installing energy efficient light bulbs in differing sectors of the economy.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 6 July 1989]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has instituted programmes at the Building Research Establishment to promote all aspects of energy efficiency in buildings, including energy-efficient light bulbs, in differing sectors of the economy.

  The work will draw on research on the performance of lighting systems carried out by the establishment on behalf of the Property Services Agency and the construction industry directorate. Cost-effective applications will also be promoted, to ensure widespread take-up, through the energy efficiency demonstration scheme and through the best practice programme of the Energy Efficiency Office of the Department of Energy.
  487
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has recently received from Cleveland on toxic waste incinerators.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Secretary of State for the Environment has received several individual letters and a number of pre-printed letters from members of the public residing in Cleveland. Twelve letters have also been received from several hon. Members on behalf of constituents about the proposed siting of industrial and special waste incinerators.

DEFENCE

  Universities (Defence Research)
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate the current amount of research work his Department is financing at British universities(a) in total and (b) into the development of nuclear weapons; and what percentage increase that represents over the last five years.

  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate the current amount of research work his Department is financing at British universities(a) in total and (b) into the development of nuclear weapons; and what percentage increase that represents over the past five years.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate the current amount of research work his Department is financing at British universities(a) in total and (b) into the development of nuclear weapons; and what percentage increase that represents over the last five years.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department currently has 690 research agreements and contracts with United Kingdom universities and other institutions of higher education, with a total value of some £55 million, of which the Atomic Weapons Establishment has 40 with a total value of some £2 million. In real terms, from 1985–86 to 1989–90, total annual spending on these arrangements has increased by 6 per cent. and the Atomic Weapons Establishment's element by 9 per cent.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the minimum height for NATO warplanes overflying the south-west on exercise; whether he will reduce the number of these flights overflying from outside the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on his policy on low-level flying over centres of population.

  Mr. Neubert
  NATO aircraft authorised to conduct low flying training in the United Kingdom are required to follow United Kingdom low-flying regulations which stipulate a normal minimum separation distance of 250 ft. Low flying by non-RAF aircraft based outside the United Kingdom accounts for under 2 per cent. of total low flying activity in the United Kingdom and will continue to be kept under close review. Military pilots are instructed to avoid overflying the centres of major conurbations and built-up areas at low level. It is not possible to avoid overflying the outskirts of major towns or every small community, but pilots will make every effort to avoid populated areas wherever possible.
  488
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list exercises involving low-flying aircraft between July and October 1989.

  Mr. Neubert
  Low flying exercise activity in 1989 is expected to be similar to that in previous years. I will, as is usual, seek to notify members whose constituencies are likely to be affected, prior to individual exercises taking place and as soon as detailed planning permits.

  Maritime Strategy
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about maritime strategy.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about maritime strategy.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about maritime strategy.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend regularly holds discussions with the United States Secretary of Defence on a wide range of matters of mutual interest. However, it is not our general practice to disclose the details of such discussions.

  Nuclear Depth Bombs
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent consideration he has given to providing the Royal Navy with a new generation of nuclear depth bombs.

  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent consideration he has given to providing the Royal Navy with a new generation of nuclear depth bombs.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent consideration he has given to providing the Royal Navy with a new generation of nuclear depth bombs.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent consideration he has given to providing the Royal Navy with a new generation of nuclear depth bombs.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As part of the studies related to modernising the United Kingdom's theatre nuclear weapons capability, consideration is being given to the replacement of the full spectrum of United Kingdom tactical nuclear weapons, including sea-based systems. However, no decisions have yet been taken.

  F111 Aircraft
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about the deployment of F111 is in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about the deployment of F111s in the United Kingdom.
  489
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about the deployment of F111s in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend is currently on an official visit to the United States of America, where he will meet Mr. Cheney and discuss a range of issues of mutual interest.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the safety records of the F111E and the F111A aircraft based at RAF Upper Heyford.

  Mr. Neubert
  [pursuant to his reply, 5 July 1989, c. 155]: In addition to the accident in 1984, there were two other accidents in the 1980s involving FIVE aircraft from RAF Upper Heyford. The details of these are as follows. In April 1980 there was an accident to an F111E near Wimborne in Dorset while en route to France, and in March 1981 an F111E was involved in an aborted take-off at RAF Fairford. The latter was an airfield accident to an aircraft which had diverted from Upper Heyford. Although there was considerable damage to the aircraft, there was no danger to the general public.

  Hospitals
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about the under-utilisation of armed services hospitals.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about the under-utilisation of armed services hospitals.

  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about the under-utilisation of armed services hospitals.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about the under-utilisation of armed services hospitals.

  Mr. Neubert
  The utilisation of service hospitals was considered by the Public Accounts Committee in its 9th report of the 1987–88 Session. The Government replied in a Treasury Minute in February 1989. The Committee's 21st report of the 1988–89 Session, which also deals with service hospitals, was published on 22 June. It contains further observations which are now being considered and will be answered by Treasury Minute.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has as to the current size of the Soviet Union stockpile of chemical weapons; and what proportion of such weapons he estimated are stationed in eastern Europe.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friend to page 9 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989 (Cm 675-I). We believe the size of the Soviet stockpile of chemical weapons to be several times higher than the 50,000 tonnes that the Soviets have claimed. We also have good grounds for believing that the Soviet Union has stationed chemical weapons in eastern Europe, but I am unable to say what proportion of the total Soviet stockpile these might currently comprise.

  Gurkhas
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement about the future role of the Gurkhas.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence said in the House on 22 May, it is expected that the future Gurkha force will have roles that lie within the mainstream of the Army's defence commitments.

  Reserve Forces
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the number of men and women recruited for the reserve forces during the past year.

  Mr. Neubert
  During the training year 1988–89 a total of 19,345 men and 3,108 women were recruited into the volunteer reserve forces.

  Demography
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further steps he will take to deal with the effects upon the armed forces of the demographic reduction in youth in the 1990s.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further steps he will take to deal with the effects upon the armed forces of the demographic reduction in youth of the 1990s.

  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further steps he will take to deal with the effects upon the armed forces of the demographic reduction in youth in the 1990s.

  Mr. Neubert
  I have nothing to add to the information contained in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989 (Cmnd 675-I).

  Salisbury Plain
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about his policy on conservation and archaeology in the Salisbury plain training area.

  Mr. Neubert
  I refer my hon. Friend to recent Statements on the Defence Estimates, which confirm the considerable importance that we attach to conservation and archaeology. This applies on Salisbury plain., as elsewhere on the defence estate.

  Royal Ordnance Factories
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that, following the closure of royal ordnance factories, he will take steps to ensure that defence materials formerly produced by them continue to be produced from within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In considering alternative sources of production, we take into account the needs of an efficient defence industry and the value of continuing production within the United Kingdom, but we purchase from overseas when the advantages of cost, performance and timescale outweigh the benefits of procuring a British alternative.
  491
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his most recent calculation of the difference between the sale price and current market value of the sale of royal ordnance factories, land and patent rights.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his most recent calculation of the difference between the sale price and current market value of the sale of royal ordnance factories, land and patent rights.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his most recent calculation of the difference between the sale price and current market value of the sale of royal ordnance factories, land and patent rights.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his most recent calculation of the difference between the sale price and current market value of the sale of royal ordnance factories, land and patent rights.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department has had no reason to attempt to calculate the current market value of the assets of Royal Ordnance plc since the company was sold in April 1987. Royal Ordnance plc was sold as an entity, with all its liabilities as well as its assets for £190 million to the highest bidder in keen and open competition. There was therefore no sale price for any of the assets of the company.

  The National Audit Office, for its recent report on the sale of Royal Ordnance plc, commissioned surveyors to carry out an alternative use valuation of the three company sites (Enfield, Waltham Abbey and Patricroft) for which there have been highly speculative and exaggerated estimates of development value. The assessment of the current market value of the three sites prepared for the NAO was between £26 million and £38£5 million.

  Army Manpower
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about Army manpower levels.

  Mr. Neubert
  On 30 April 1989 the Army was about 3,500 below strength. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces made a statement to the House on 8 June, column 388, about the measures that the Army was taking to improve recruitment and retention.

  Air-to-Surface Missiles
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about the provision of a tactical air-to-surface missile.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about the provision of a tactical air-to-surface missile.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about the provision of a tactical air-to-surface missile.
  492
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about the provision of a tactical air-to-surface missile.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend is currently on an official visit to the United States of America, where he will meet Mr. Cheney and discuss a range of issues of mutual interest.

  Army Trucks
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce which company has won the order for new military trucks for the Army; and if he will make statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Sir H. Miller) on 29 June 1989 at columns 531–32.

  Force Reductions
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the defence implications of reductions in(a) conventional forces and (b) short-range nuclear forces.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the defence implications of reductions in(a) conventional forces and (b) short-range nuclear forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Mr. Galbraith).

  Warsaw Pact
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received any recent evidence to suggest that the Warsaw pact forces are adopting a defensive rather than an offensive strategy.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The military reductions and restructuring of forces along defensive lines recently announced by Warsaw pact states have, of course, only just begun to be implemented. They are due to be completed by the end of 1990. Although they will to some extent reduce Warsaw pact offensive capability, we will not be able to judge their full impact until then. However, in terms of fielded capability, the Warsaw pact would still possess a significant advantage over NATO in all the systems needed to conduct conventional operations deep into an enemy's territory.

  Defence Exports Services Organisation
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate the annual salary of the head of the defence exports services organisation and the extent of the bonuses for which he could be eligible.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate the annual salary of the head of the defence exports services organisation and the extent of the bonuses for which he could be eligible.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 6 July 1989, col.260–61.

  Armed Forces (Recruitment)
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits were taken into the armed forces over the last three years for which figures are available; and what are the projections for the next three years.

  Mr. Neubert
  The number of men and women recruited into the armed forces from civilian life in each of the last three financial years was:

  Number

  1986–87

  34,049

  1987–88

  33,826

  1988–89

  33,863

  While the services do project recruiting achievement for planning purposes, the figures are necessarily very tentative and it would not be appropriate to make them public.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were recruited into the armed services and how many left the armed services during 1988.

  Mr. Neubert
  During the financial year 1988–89, 33,863 men and women entered the armed forces from civilian life and 39,278 service men and women left the armed forces.

  Northern Ireland
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to introduce changes in the terms and conditions upon which members of the armed services serve in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Neubert
  SDE 89 explained that it is the Government's aim to ensure that terms and conditions of service remain relevant to modern conditions. Against this objective, terms and conditions of service, including those relevant to Northern Ireland, are kept under review. However, I am able to offer an assurance that there are no plans to remove the existing waivers of food and accommodation charges which apply in Northern Ireland.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his assessment of the implications for British defence policy of the current extent of countries accepting the principle and practice of nuclear non-proliferation.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his assessment of the implications for British defence policy of the current extent of countries accepting the principle and practice of non-proliferation.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his assessment of the implications for British defence policy of the current extent of countries accepting the principle and practice of nuclear non-proliferation.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heffer).

  Sea Systems Control Staff
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what study has been made of staff savings due to the colocation of sea systems controllerate staff; and what notional saving in staff has been used to justify the costs of relocating over 1,000 Ministry of Defence personnel.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The organisation of the sea systems controllerate has been subject to several recent major studies, including by the Ministry of Defence's manpower auditors, which concluded that significant economies in working efficiency could be achieved by a reorganisation on abovewater and underwater ship systems lines coupled with colocation of the dispersed project staffs. Colocation would lead to efficiency savings from fundamental changes in working practices. These savings are expected to amount to at least 10 per cent. of the manpower requirement of the sea systems controllerate. In the initial investment appraisal of colocation carried out last year, the consequent saving of 460 posts was valued at £8·1 million per annum.

  Air Safety
  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the comparability of air safety for United Kingdom forces and those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the comparability of air safety for United Kingdom forces and those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the comparability of air safety for United Kingdom forces and those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies.

  Mr. Neubert
  The air safety record of United Kingdom forces is broadly comparable with those of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces operating similar equipment.

  Nuclear Tests (Compensation)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet been able to assess the implications for his policy on compensation arrangements to United Kingdom ex-service men and their families who were nuclear test victims of the recent decision in the Australian courts.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No. The court in Australia has yet to make available the judgment, and consequently we cannot say at present what implications, if any, there might be for British participants in the United Kingdom nuclear test programme.

  Surplus Property
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on the disposal of Ministry of Defence quarters which are found to be surplus to requirements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  It is our policy not to retain quarters for which we have no long-term requirement. Wherever
  495
  possible surplus properties will be offered for sale, either to service personnel through the services' own discount scheme or on the open market at full market price, if the quarters are not suitable for individual sale through this scheme. Quarters which cannot be sold, for example because of their location, may be reappropriated for other defence purposes or demolished.

  Nuclear Free-fall Bombs
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about progress on the replacement of the WE177 nuclear bomb.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on his policy towards the replacement of the nuclear free-fall bombs.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are still studying a number of procurement options for possible replacement of the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb, but no decisions have yet been taken.

  Nuclear Test Bans
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what would be the implications for United Kingdom nuclear forces of a(a) partial and (b) total nuclear test ban.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what would be the implications for United Kingdom nuclear forces of a(a) partial and (b) total nuclear test ban.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what would be the implications for United Kingdom nuclear forces of a(a) partial and (b) total nuclear test ban.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what would be the implications for United Kingdom nuclear forces of a(a) partial and (b) total nuclear test ban.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Since 1963, the United Kingdom has been a party to the partial test ban treaty, which prohibits nuclear tests in all environments except underground. As was made clear in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989 (Cm. 675-I, paragraph 217), a comprehensive test ban remains a long-term goal. For the foreseeable future, however, our security will depend on deterrence, based on nuclear weapons. We must, therefore, continue to test our nuclear weapons to ensure that they remain effective and up-to-date.

  NATO
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects to meet the Supreme Allied Commander Europe to discuss the defence requirements of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in Europe.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend will meet SACEUR at the meeting of NATO's Nuclear Planning Group in the autumn.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects to meet the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
  496
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Frend will meet Dr. Woerner at the Royal Tournament on 20 July.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will next have meetings with Defence Ministers of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend will have a number of opportunities for discussion with NATO colleagues over the coming months. The next NATO ministerial meeting will be at the Nuclear Planning Group in the autumn, when Ministers will discuss a range of issues of mutual interest.

  Chemical and Biological Weapons
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the United States stockpile of chemical and biological weapons(a) currently and (b) over the next five years.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the United States stockpile of chemical and biological weapons(a) currently and (b) over the next five years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Hackney, North and Stoke Newington (Ms. Abbott).

  Cancer Clusters
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations his Department has had about cancer clusters around nuclear installations for which he is responsible.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations his Department has had about cancer clusters around nuclear installations for which he is responsible.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations his Department has had about cancer clusters around nuclear installations for which he is responsible.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations his Department has had about cancer clusters around nuclear installations for which he is responsible.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I am not aware of any recent representation to my Department on this matter.

  Out-of-area Commitments
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the United Kingdom's defence budget is currently spent on out-of-area commitments.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The estimated cost in 1989–90 of maintaining our overseas commitments in Belize, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands and Hong Kong is £243 million, which represents 1·2 per cent. of the defence budget. This figure includes directly attributable expenditure on capital works and equipment and on running costs for material and manpower. It is not possible to provide directly attributable costs for the Armilla patrol since financial provision is made for the operation of the fleet as a whole.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animal experiments for warfare testing purposes his Department has been directly responsible for in the last full year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animal experiments for warfare testing purposes his Department has been directly responsible for in the last full year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animal experiments for warfare testing purposes his Department has been directly responsible for in the last full year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animal experiments for warfare testing purposes his Department has been directly responsible for in the last full year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Ministry of Defence does not conduct experiments for warfare testing purposes with live animals. Live animals are not used in the development or testing of weapons, but only to develop protective measures against attack and to improve the treatment of injuries. The Ministry of Defence complies fully with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, and the figure recorded under the Act by the Home Office for 1987, the last full year for which figures are available, was 9,200. This represents less than one half of 1 per cent. of all animal experiments conducted in the United Kingdom.

  AWACS Offset Agreement
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by his Department in monitoring the number of jobs involved in contracts placed under the AWACS offset agreement.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by his Department in monitoring the number of jobs involved in contracts placed under the AWACS offset agreement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Mr. Lofthouse).

  Dog Training
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made with his consideration of the report of the consultants into the future of dog training at the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Melton Mowbray; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Peat Marwick McLintock study into future arrangements for canine and equine-related training in the services has recommended that the Ministry of Defence should vacate and sell the land at Melton Mowbray currently occupied by the RAVC and set up a service animal centre at RAF Syerston, encompassing canine and equine-related training, and allied functions, and using RAF Newton for administrative/domestic support. I am minded to accept the recommendation that a service animal centre should be formed embracing the existing separate service establishments.
  498
  The choice of site may, however, be affected by a current study into the future of the whole RAF estate including RAF Newton and RAF Syerston. In any event, as a result of the Peat Marwick McLintock study, some land at Melton Mowbray has been identified for disposal, whether or not the service animal centre is established there. We shall be exploring the possibility of the development of the site with the local planning authority. An announcement on the long-term location of the service animal centre will be made as soon as possible.

  Meanwhile, we are implementing other recommendations made by the consultants concerning the common adoption of best practices, in preparation for the formation of the joint centre. This is expected to save at least £4 million in running costs over the next 10 years. The proposals for the formation of the joint centre are consistent with Government policies on the optimum utilisation of the defence estate, and the introduction of more efficient practices in those areas working in support of the operational capabilities of the armed forces.

  Bullying
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with each of the initiatives intended to reduce bullying in the armed forces.

  Mr. Neubert
  I refer the right hon. Member to the statement I made on 28 June, column 1075. A copy of my letter of 23 June to the hon. Member for Clacknaannan (Mr. O'Neill), setting out the progress made in implementing the measures, has been placed in the Library.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in respect of the radar system for the European fighter aircraft.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) and for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett).

  Force Verification
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about the defence implications of inspection and verification of United Kingdom forces, and those of other nations in the event of an early agreement to reduce conventional and nuclear forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend regularly discusses arms control matters, including the defence implications of inspection and verification regimes, with Mr. Cheney and will do so during the course of his current visit to the USA.

  Helicopters
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what low-flying restrictions are imposed on service helicopters.

  Mr. Neubert
  The general regulations governing the use of the United Kingdom low flying system by fixed-wing aircraft apply also to rotary wing aircraft but with appropriate modifications to take account of their different capabilities.

  Railgun
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will report on the progress of the Railgun project.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer to the replies that I gave to the hon. Member for Clackmannan (Mr. O'Neil) on 28 June, at column 456.

  Independent European Programme Group
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made through the Independent European Programme Group in achieving a more open defence market among North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Significant progress is being made by the Independent European Programme Group towards the creation of an open European defence equipment market, based on measures set out in the action plan approved by Ministers at the Luxembourg meeting in November 1988. At their subsequent meeting in Lisbon on 28 June this year, Ministers reviewed the steps being taken to achieve the key objectives. The central feature of the open market is the dissemination to potential suppliers of information about bidding opportunities. To this end, Governments have now nominated one or more focal points to which companies in other Independent European Programme Group countries can register interest in bidding for defence contracts. Countries have also agreed to publish contracts bulletins by the turn of the year. The bulletins will be similar to those already issued by the United Kingdom and France. This more open market will bring benefits to all participating states. It will also be of considerable value to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as a whole by enhancing efficient procurement and thereby strengthening the European contribution to the Alliance. With this in mind the Independent European Programme Group will continue to discourage any protectionist tendencies on either side of the Atlantic. Another important initiative which complements the open market is the creation of a European technology plan—to be known as Euclid—which will foster co-operation in research among Independent European Programme Group nations. During its current chairmanship of the Independent European Programme Group, the United Kingdom's aim will be to ensure that the work of the group is taken forward effectively in the best interests of all the allies.

  Toxic Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn),Official Report, 19 June, column 60, on toxic waste at Ministry of Defence premises, he will give the reason why it is not the practice to release details of such materials; and if he will consider revising his policy towards publication in line with the practice adopted by United States military facilities.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the basis for his policy not to disclose details of radioactive and toxic waste stored or disposed of at Ministry of Defence premises.
  500
  Mr. Sainsbury
  Disclosure of such information could indicate the scale and nature of operations in certain programmes on which detailed revelation would not be in the national interest.

  Fuel Containers (Devon)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which two 10ft x 2ft fuel containers were dropped at Stowford Cross in North Devon on Thursday 29 June; and what steps he is taking to prevent this happening in the future.

  Mr. Neubert
  The fuel containers in question were jettisoned by a Royal Navy Sea Harrier operating from the Royal Naval air station at Yeovilton, while the aircraft was on an air combat training exercise. The aircraft unintentionally went into a spin and the pilot, following the correct procedures, released the fuel tanks as part of his spin recovery action. The fuel tanks were empty at the time. A local investigation has established that the pilot was not in breach of any regulations.

  To minimise the risk to the public, air combat training is carried out over the least populated areas available and always well away from towns and cities. It is also very rare for a Sea Harrier to enter into a spin in this way. The risk therefore of a repetition of this incident or of any consequent injury to persons on the ground is considered to be remote.

  Cereal Fields
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the inquiries initiated by Army helicopters based in the south-west in investigating the origin of flattened circular areas of wheat; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Ministry of Defence is not conducting any inquiries into the origins of flattened circular areas of crops. However, we are satisfied that they are not caused by service helicopter activity.

  Service Children Education Authority
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many children currently attend schools run by the service children education authority in(a) north-west Europe, (b) Gibraltar, (c) Hong Kong, (d) Cyprus and (e) elsewhere.

  Mr. Neubert
  Figures at summer term 1989:

  Number

  North West Europe

  23,880

  Gibraltar

  679

  Hong Kong

  1,610

  Cyprus

  1,655

  Elsewhere

  163

  TOTAL

  27,987

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many teachers are employed in schools run by the service children education authority.

  Mr. Neubert
  Figures are for summer term 1989:
  501

  Number

  North West Europe

  1,319

  Gibraltar

  38

  Hong Kong

  108

  Cyprus

  122

  Elsewhere

  11

  TOTAL

  1,598

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the members of the service children education authority.

  Mr. Neubert
  Controller of the service children education authority (SCEA) is a tri-service rotational appointment currently filled by a Royal Air Force group captain of the administrative branch (education specialisation). There are three deputy controller appointments, currently filled by a Commander RN, a lieutenant colonel RAEC, and a civil servant, senior executive officer. The three deputy controllers are between them responsible for SCEA sections each headed by a major (or service-civilian equivalent), and staffed mainly by civil servants. The total complement of SCEA headquarters is currently 30 personnel.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the relationship between the service children education authority and Hampshire county council.

  Mr. Neubert
  Hampshire local education authority is one of a number of authorities represented on the standing committee for the education of service children (UK), chaired by controller SCEA. SCEA purchases from Hampshire local education authority, among other sources, a range of advisory support services for service children's schools (SCS) overseas. This includes careers guidance, which is provided by local education authority careers officers visiting overseas schools. In addition SCEA buys in Hampshire local education authority advisory time for both primary and secondary schools.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether schools run overseas by the service children education authority are subject to inspection by Her Majesty's inspectors operating from the Department of Education and Science; and whether the inspectors' reports are published.

  Mr. Neubert
  Yes.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether work experience programmes are available to children in north-west Europe attending schools run by the service children education authority.

  Mr. Neubert
  Yes. Work experience in north-west Europe is normally organised for 4th-year children (age 14 to 15) in two-week blocks usually during the summer term. Fifteen to 16-year-old children who are following CPVE (Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education) also have a short period of work experience.

  IUKADGE Command and Control System
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to publish his assessment of the independent audit of the IUKADGE command and control system.
  502
  Mr. Sainsbury
  No. Both the independent audit of the IUKADGE command and control system and the Ministry of Defence's subsequent assessment of its report will contain information that is both classified and commercially sensitive.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date were all of the elements of the IUKADGE command and control system originally intended to be in service use, and when the system was first ordered.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not our practice, nor has it been the practice of previous Governments, to release planned in-service dates of defence equipment.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the differences between the operational capabilities of the IUKADGE command and control system that is currently on order and the system that it is due to replace.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  When the IUKADGE is fully functioning, the CCS will be the focus of the management of all air defence resources, including early warning and reaction systems. Information on its specific operational capabilities is, however, classified.

  Single Software Language
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the current rules of NATO international competitive bidding now allow the specification of a single software language.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  ADA is now NATO's single preferred language standard for real-time defence computer applications. According to the present rules for NATO international competitive bidding, the use of ADA for such applications is strongly recommended although not mandatory.

  Berthing Facilities (East Coast)
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many east coast ports adopt a policy of refusing berthing and bunkering facilities to Royal Navy ships.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Royal Navy has not encountered any ports which adopt such a policy.

  RAF Upper Heyford
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all accidents or potentially hazardous incidents involving aircraft flying from RAF Upper Heyford while the base has been under the operational control of the United States Air Force.

  Mr. Neubert
  [holding answer 7 July 1989]: Since 1970, the period for which records are readily available, there have been 14 accidents to aircraft from the 20th tactical fighter wing based at RAF Upper Heyford. These accidents all took place during training exercises well away from the base. The dates and locations of the accidents are as listed:

  Date

  Aircraft

  Area

  28 May 1970

  F-100

  The Wash

  18 January 1972

  F-111E

  Leuchars, Scotland

  11 January 1973

  F-111E

  West of Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire

  503

  Date

  Aircraft

  Area

  15 May 1973

  F-111E

  Kintyre, Scotland

  5 March 1975

  F-111E

  Cumbrian Mountains

  5 November 1975

  F-111E

  Wainfleet range, Lincolnshire

  31 October 1977

  F-111E

  4 miles North West of Llangadfan

  24 July 1979

  F-111E

  North Sea near Wethersea

  30 October 1979

  F-111E

  Harlton, Cambridgeshire

  504

  Date

  Aircraft

  Area

  12 December 1979

  F-111E

  Wainfleet range, Lincolnshire

  12 December 1979

  F-111E

  Newton Stewart, Scotland

  29 April 1980

  F-111E

  Wimborne, Dorset

  13 March 1981

  F-111E

  RAF Fairford

  9 August 1984

  F-111E

  Tain range, Scotland

  It is not the practice of the United States Air Force to classify incidents as "potentially hazardous".

  RYE AND WINCHELSEA: BYPASS PROJECTS
  RYE AND WINCHELSEA: BYPASS PROJECTS
  ROCKALL: TERRITORIAL SEA LIMIT
  ROCKALL: TERRITORIAL SEA LIMIT
  HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEY: DOT FUNDING
  HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEY: DOT FUNDING
  SALMON: GENE BANK PROPOSAL
  SALMON: GENE BANK PROPOSAL