Written Answers of 12 July 1989

DEFENCE

  Battle Tanks
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards dismantling and storing battle tanks as part of conventional force reductions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As regards dismantling, I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 17 of the declaration of the heads of state and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels, 29 to 30 May 1989, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. This proposes that all equipment withdrawn under a CFE agreement should be destroyed. In addition, the Alliance proposals make provision for certain assets to be held in store. Detailed provisions on how both these aspects should be carried out have yet to be tabled.

  Independent European Programme Group
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the Independent European Programme Group: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Taylor) on 11 July.

  Fighting Ships
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his Department has carried out into the use of front wheel drive propulsion for fighting ships; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Department keeps under review a variety of warship propulsion techniques, including forward facing propulsors and bow mounted propellers; the latter, however, appear to have a number of disadvantages over conventional arrangements.

  HMS Southampton
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce the award of a contract for the repair and refit of HMS Southampton.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  A firm price contract has been placed today with Swan Hunter Shipbuilders. I would wish to pay tribute to the quality of the tenders we have received, which fully justifies our decision to seek competition. Together with parallel contracts for replacement equipment, and other costs, the full cost of the repair and refit will be some £45 million.

  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to reach a decision on the 506
  allocation of work to the FMRO Portsmouth following the removal of HMS Southampton from the FMRO programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have agreed a package of additional work to cover the remainder of this financial year. Details are being made known locally. Any further changes will depend on the outcome of the longer term studies into the future of the FMRO which I hope to announce shortly.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the effect on the contribution income of the national insurance fund for 1989–90 if average earnings rose between 1988–89 and 1989–90 by 10 per cent. instead of the 71/4 per cent. in the Government Actuary's report on the 1988 Uprating Order (Cm. 537).

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government Actuary's report on the 1988 Uprating Order estimated that contribution income to the National Insurance Fund in 1989–90 would be £28·1 billion. If it had then been assumed that earnings would increase in 1989–90 by 10 per cent. then the national insurance fund's estimated income from contributions would have been £28·7 billion.

  This report was prepared before the changes to national insurance contributions announced in the Budget. Taking these changes into account the national insurance fund's estimated income would have been £28·5 billion in 1989–90 assuming a 10 per cent. increase in earnings. The increased take-up of personal pensions will reduce this estimated income by about £2 billion.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when income support applicable amounts are increased in October 1989 how many(a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples on income support will receive an increase in weekly benefit of the same or less than the transitional addition awarded to them in April 1988.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The estimates are:

  (a) 100,000

  (b) 20,000

  The increases for income support recipients in October will be paid on top of any transitional additions.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples will become newly entitled to income support when the applicable amounts are raised in October.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We estimate that 40,000 single pensioners and 20,000 pensioner couples will become new recipients of income support in October.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioner couples in receipt of income support will receive an increase in benefit of £3.50 a week when the applicable amount is increased in October.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  An estimated 140,000.
  507
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many single pensioners in receipt of income support will receive an increase in benefit of £2.50 a week when the applicable amount is increased in October.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  An estimated 730,000.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what basis the applicable amounts for single pensioners and pensioner couples were uprated to £2·50 and £3·50, respectively, with effect from October; and what factors were taken into consideration in making this uprating.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 24 November at columns 241–51.

  Income Support
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases income support or housing benefit was reduced in the year April 1988 to April 1989 on the grounds that the claimant had spent more than six weeks in hospital.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Nursing Homes
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to change the basis on which social security benefits are paid to residents of residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moore
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health has today announced that the Government are to make local authorities responsible for meeting the costs of care for residents in residential care and nursing homes who are unable to finance it from their own resources. This is to be implemented in April 1991. From that date I will therefore be making changes to the way the benefit system provides support.

  At present income support can be available to help with the fees charged by residential care and nursing homes, subject to specified limits which I review annually. I propose that from April 1991 residents of homes will be given access to help from the normal income support system and from housing benefit on a similar basis to the help they would receive in their own home. The special income support system for those in homes will be ended and local authorities will be responsible for providing any further help required towards the cost of residential care in the cases where they decide that that form of care would be best.

  The present system will remain in place until April 1991 for all those who need it. Claimants who are receiving income support in a home at the date of change will continue to receive the full level of help available via income support under current rules for as long as they need it and the system will continue after April 1991 for these cases. The limits will continue to be subject to annual review. The Government have also decided that other residents of registered residential care and nursing homes in April 1991 will also be eligible for help through the continuation of the existing income support system, should they need to turn to the state for support.
  508
  The Government have decided that community care grants should continue to be available from the social fund after April 1991, broadly as they are now. We will keep this under review.

  We are not proposing to make any changes to the benefit rules for residents of local authority homes.

  Full details of the new system will be published in the White Paper later this year, which will also include the Government's proposals for the calculation of housing benefit in residential care and nursing homes.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Horticultural Research Stations
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of his plans to close horticultural research stations.

  Mr. Ryder
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 10 July to my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) at columns 350–51.

  Farming (Employment)
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of how many people now employed in farming may move out of the agricultural industry in the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement on the National Economic Development Office's report "Work in the Countryside", a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  In view of the crucial assumptions that have to be made in estimating the number of people currently employed in agriculture who are likely to leave the industry in the next 10 years, I have not considered it appropriate to make my own forecast. However, the report of the National Economic Development Council, "Work in the Countryside", provides an interesting insight into the corporate view of a group made up of a wide range of different interests. I am not in a position to judge whether what they term their least and most optimistic assumptions will prove accurate but, in broad terms, their forecast represents a continuation of past trends.

  It is an interesting report which, among other things, highlights some of the alternative business opportunities for farmers. I welcome the contribution that the report makes in stimulating debate on the development of new job opportunities in the land base sector. My Department is already pursuing some of the action points mentioned in the report.

  Chimpanzees
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has of the infectivity of BSE to chimpanzees.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  No research has been carried out or is planned on the transmission of BSE to chimpanzees.

  Baby Food
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many brands of baby milk and weaning food contain concentrates of aluminium above 200 microgrammes per litre.

  Mr. Ryder
  All the brands tested in the recent Ministry programme had levels of aluminium well below the intake maximum recommended by the World Health Organisation. The figure of 200 microgrammes per litre quoted has no significance from the point of view of health.

  Food Irradiation
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the development of a diagnostic test to determine whether food has been irradiated; and what are the implications of such a test for his proposals to permit the irradiation of food.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have nothing to add to my replies of 25 May to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) at column 1109.

  Intervention Board for Agriculture
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many employees of the Intervention Board for Agriculture were employed at Kenton Bar, Newcastle at the end of each of the last 12 months up to 30 June; and, in each case, how many of these were temporary staff.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The board employed the following permanent and temporary staff at Kenton Bar, Newcastle during the last 12 months up to 30 June 1989.

  Permanent

  Temporary

  Total

  1988

  31 July

  0

  0

  0

  31 August

  0

  0

  0

  30 September

  0

  0

  0

  31 October

  0

  0

  0

  30 November

  7

  45

  52

  31 December

  7

  45

  52

  1989

  31 January

  8

  55

  63

  28 February

  8

  59

  67

  31 March

  9

  60

  69

  30 April

  11

  64

  75

  31 May

  16

  116

  132

  30 June

  15

  111

  126

ENVIRONMENT

  Beaches
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has made to(a) Wessex Water or (b) South West Water over sewage contamination of beaches; and what steps he is taking to monitor the work of these authorities.

  Mr. Howard
  My right hon. Friend is currently discussing with the water authorities an accelerated capital programme for identified bathing waters with the aim of bringing them up to the standards of the EC bathing water directive by the mid-1990s.
  510
  The National Rivers Authority will be responsible for monitoring and enforcing bathing water quality standards in accordance with the requirements of the directive.

  Housing (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the numbers of local authority housing stock in the area of Durham district council as at April 1979 and at the latest date.

  Mr. Trippier
  The information for April 1979 and April 1988 was reported by local authorities in their annual housing investment programme returns (HIP 1 ) and appears in columns B11 and All of "HIP1 All Items Print" for 1979 and 1988 respectively.

  Copies of both documents are in the Library.

  Married Couples
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest figure he has for the number of married couples who are living in a household headed by another person nationally and in Durham City constituency.

  Mr. Trippier
  The most reliable estimates of the number of married couples living in a household headed by another person in local areas are provided by the census of population. The 1981 census identified 140 such families in Durham City. The corresponding figure for England in 1981 is 145,000.

  Ivory
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what official announcement was made, and when, regarding the United Kingdom's unilateral ban on ivory imports into the United Kingdom; and what notice was given to the United Kingdom ivory trade.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My noble Friend the Minister for Environment, Housing and Countryside announced on 23 May our intention to call for a complete ban on trade in new ivory at the Environment Council meeting on 8–9 June, and our decision to impose a unilateral ban on ivory imports was announced by my noble Friend at that meeting. A written statement giving further details was issued on 9 June.

  Cemeteries
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to amend the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 (S.1., 1977, No. 204), as amended, to require local authorities to give details of the number of burial places available in each grave sold by the authority.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  None. There is no evidence of a widespread need for such a requirement.

  Water Privatisation
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how much has been set aside by his Department for the water flotation marketing campaign; how much has been allocated for the institutional lunches and dinners; and how much has been allocated for the national and regional roadshows;
  511
  (2) what was the cost to his Department of the paper of 9 May on the offer structure for the sale of the water industry, prepared by J. Henry Schroder Wagg & Co. Limited.

  Mr. Ridley
  It is not our practice to publish details of individual contracts. The cost of the water flotation will be reported to Parliament in due course in the usual way.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the specific prospectuses being prepared for potential foreign investors in the water industry.

  Mr. Ridley
  As announced in November 1988, the Government and the Water Authorities Association have appointed banking advisers to consider the feasibility and desirability of offering shares in the forthcoming privatisation in Japan, the United States of America, Canada and continental Europe. Firm decisions will not be made until later in the year on whether shares will be offered in any or all of the markets but preparations for such offers are being undertaken on a contingent basis.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to reply to the written question by the hon. Member for Norwich, South of 3 February,Official Report, column 431, concerning the sites of special scientific interest in the ownership of the Anglian water authority.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer, 12 April 1989]: I wrote to the hon. Member for Norwich, South on 28 June 1989 about this matter.

  Quangos
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the appointments he has made since June 1987 to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations together with the salary payable in each case.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: The appointments to public bodies for which I am responsible are shown in the annual HMSO publication "Public Bodies" which gives informaton on the number of these posts and the levels of remuneration. The appointments are made under a variety of arrangements, and my involvement varies.

  In addition, I make appointments to the following other bodies:

  Architectural Heritage Fund:
  Five members—unpaid

  National House Building Council:
  Chairman unpaid

  National Park Planning Board and Committees:
  One third of the members—unpaid

  Sutton Housing Trust:
  Four Trustees—Honorarium

  Dartmoor Steering Group:
  Chairman (appointed jointly with Secretary of State for Defence)—unpaid

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission
  One member—unpaid

  The Chequers Trust
  One Trustee—unpaid

  A full list of the particular appointments made since June 1987 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Sea Pollution
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the temporary licences in place earlier in the current year relating to waste discharge, including glycol and anti-corrosion substances from the North sea gas terminal at Bacton in north Norfolk, have been extended; what reassurances have been received from the operators, Shell, Amoco and Phillips, that the discharges constitute no hazard to the environment in general, and sea birds in particular; what action he has taken to test these reassurances; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: My right hon. Friend is currently considering requests received under section 36(6)(b) of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 to direct the Anglian water authority to transmit to him for his own determination applications for discharge consent made by Amoco (UK) Exploration Co. Ltd. and Phillips Petroleum Co. UK Ltd. These involve discharges of surface water and glycol regenerator condensate to the sea from the gas terminal at Bacton. No temporary consents have been granted to either company; nor have they applied for consent to discharge anti-corrosion substances.

  A consent to discharge these substances was issued to Shell UK by the Anglian water authority earlier this year. Regular monitoring by the authority indicates that there is no evidence to suggest that the discharge has had an effect on either the water environment or sea birds.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice has been sought by, or given to, Solihull district council's community charge registration officer as to the range and scope of the questions on his registration form; what additional funds could be made available for a re-issue of the form following complaints about the questions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: All registration officers in England were given the same advice on registration together with a model form. I have no plans to allocate additional funds to any authority that chose not to comply and which may be required to amend its procedures.

  Landfills
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those local authorities in England and Wales that did not respond to the 18 December 1987 letter from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on the licensing and control of landfills evolving gas.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 11 July 1989]: All waste disposal authorities in England and Wales have responded to the letter sent to them on 18 December 1987 by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals on environmental protection have been made by the United Kingdom ambassador to the United Nations during its 43rd session.
  513
  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack), and the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 6 June, volume 154, column 33.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Single European Market
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress was made during the Spanish presidency of the Community towards completion of the single European market.

  Mr. Maude
  Very considerable progress was made under the Spanish presidency. Over 60 individual single market agreements were reached, which is a record for any one presidency. These included common positions in the Council of Ministers on very important directives to liberalise banking services in the EC and to ensure more effective compliance with EC rules on procedures for the award of public contracts. The presidency also saw the final adoption of several key measures to break down technical barriers to trade, for example in the areas of food law and machine safety.

  Debt
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps to alert people in Scotland to unscrupulous practices used by some finance companies whereby they entrap people into debt and sell the debt off to debt-collecting agencies.

  Mr. Maude
  I have been asked to reply.

  This is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading. If the hon. Gentleman has any evidence of unfair business practices in the marketing of consumer credit, I hope that he will make it available to the director general.

  Finance Companies (Interest Rates)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the range of interest rates set by licensed finance companies in Scotland.

  Mr. Maude
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government do not keep information on the ranges of interest rates available from licensed finance companies. Regulations ensure that a prospective borrower under a consumer credit agreement receives clear information on the interest rate being offered and that the information is on a basis which facilitates comparison with other sources of consumer credit.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if a company established to administer the Government's student top-up loan scheme has been registered at Companies house.

  Mr. Maude
  The Registrar of Companies is not aware that any company has been incorporated for the purposes of administering the proposed scheme.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the latest balance of trade in manufactured goods; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  In the three months to May 1989, trade in manufactures, on a seasonally adjusted balance of payments basis, was in deficit by £3·8 billion compared with a deficit of £4·3 billion in the previous three months.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total deficit in all trade with the rest of the European Economic Community over the past 12 months; and what was the comparable deficit five arid 10 years previously.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is in the following table:

  United Kingdom visible trade balance1 with EC2

  12 months ending

  £ billion

  May 1989

  -16·1

  May 1984

  -4·3

  May 1979

  -3·1

  1 Imports cif (ie including insurance and freight costs). Exports fob (ie excluding insurance and freight costs).

  2 Present membership throughout.

  Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the changes in recent months in United Kingdom statistics of overall trade with other European Community member states; and when he next expects to discuss such matters with the Council of Trade Ministers.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  In the six months to May, compared with the same period last year, United Kingdom exports to the other EC countries increased by 12 per cent. while those to the rest of the world rose by 9 per cent. Imports from the EC countries increased by about the same amount as those from the rest of the world, 15 per cent.

  I have no plans to discuss these figures in the Council of Ministers.

  Petrol (Monopolies and Mergers Commission Report)
  Mr. Andrew McKay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to receive the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on petrol retailing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The commission is due to submit its report on the wholesale supply of petrol to my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State by 8 November.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the Kemp report on the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The report on the future status of ECGD was submitted to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in May 1989. Ministers asked that the report should be published immediately to facilitate consultation with interested parties. This has been done. An inter-departmental working party of officials has been
  515
  convened under the chairmanship of the ECGD's chief executive to examine the recommendations in the report and to give advice to Ministers. No decisions have yet been taken on any of the options identified in the report.

  Hotol Project
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what initiatives his Department has taken in the last 12 months to promote international participation in the Hotol project.

  Mr. Atkins
  We have been able to facilitate contacts with the relevant United States authorities. Contacts have also taken place with European industry. This is an industry-led project and it will be for the companies themselves to provide any further information.

  Post Office Services
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in view of the deterioration in the quality of postal services recently documented by the Post Office Users National Council, if the Government will introduce more competition into the postal services.

  Mr. Forth
  Postal service quality is a matter for the Post Office board. However, I understand that, disregarding last September and Christmas, there has been no significant change in performance over the last year.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what studies have been made of the benefits of disposing of the Post Office Counters to the private sector.

  Mr. Forth
  I am not aware of any detailed studies on this subject.

  Estate Agents
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he intends that the code of practice for estate agents should cover commercial as well as residential estate agents.

  Mr. Forth
  As I announced on 21 June, the code is to be drawn up by the Director General of Fair Trading and discussed with the industry. It will be for the director general in drawing up a draft code for discussion with the industry to decide whether it should cover commercial as well as residential estate agents. I will ask the director general to write to my hon. Friend on this matter.

  Milford Haven Dock Company
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, in the light of the appointment of inspectors to investigate and report on the affairs of the Milford Haven Dock Company under section 432 of the Companies Act 1985, he will make a statement on the proposed acquisition of the company by the Milford Haven port authority.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: No. Any such proposed acquisition is a matter for the parties concerned.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Family Courts
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stockton, South of 3 July, whether he will give the total number of representations on the subject of family courts received in the last six months, what was the number in favour of the idea, and the number against; and if he will summarise the arguments presented in representations against.

  The Attorney-General
  As I indicated in my answer to the hon. Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin) of 3 July, precise information about representations to my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is not readily available as much of the correspondence refers to family courts as one of a number of issues or as an ancillary matter to the main focus of the correspondence. While it is true to say that correspondents generally favour a family court, there are none the less divergences of opinion on the many specific issues comprehended by the concept. Moreover, correspondents often fail to explain what they mean by the phrase in any meaningful detail so that it is not possible to identify what it is that they are in favour of and why.

  Conciliation Service
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stockton, South on 3 July,Official Report, column 1, whether the Lord Chancellor's Department has accepted the costings and staffing levels proposed by the conciliation project unit based at the university of Newcastle upon Tyne; what further consideration is being given to these matters and by whom; to whom copies of the report had been passed for comment; and what response has been made.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has said that proposals relating to conciliation, including the report of the conciliation project unit at the university of Newcastle, will be considered as part of a rolling programme to review family law and procedures. That review will consider any costing and staffing levels estimated or proposed by the project unit. The Government are considering how that programme should be carried forward and hope to be in a position to make a statement later this year. Although formal comments on the report have not been sought ahead of the review the Lord Chancellor's Department has received comments from Relate, the Inner London probation service, the National Family Conciliation Council and from two individuals engaged in running conciliation schemes.

TRANSPORT

  Fast London River Crossing
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he proposes to reopen the public inquiry into the east London river crossing to enable it to consider the revised design of the bridge over the Thames.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce a decision about the re-design of the new bridge for the east London river crossing; and why the review which he announced on 28 July 1988 has taken longer than the expected six months.
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  Mr. Channon
  I expect to make an announcement very shortly about the design of the bridge and the next steps. Consultation with the relevant authorities indicated further possibilities which the consultants have been exploring. Their report has therefore taken longer than expected to complete.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of people in prison at the latest available date; and what it was 12 months ago.

  Mr. Hurd
  On Friday 30 June, 48,638 prisoners were held in prison service establishments in England and Wales. A further 230 prisoners were held in police cells. The total of 48,868 is 1,434 less than the total of 50,302 12 months ago. This is welcome news.

  Prevention of Terrorism Act
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of people detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in Liverpool for each year from 1975 to 1989.

  Mr. Hurd
  The available information relates to detentions by Merseyside police and is published quarterly in Home Office statistical bulletins which are placed in the Library. The latest, issue 17/89, gives in table 3 information from 1979 up to the first quarter of 1989; it is planned to publish the bulletin for the second quarter at the end of this month. Corresponding information for individual years before 1979 is not available but the total detained between 1974 and 1978 is published in issue 11/87.

  Disturbances, Bradford and Dewsbury
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Yorkshire as to the estimated costs of the police operations during the recent disturbances in Bradford and Dewsbury; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of West Yorkshire that the estimated additional costs of policing the disturbances are £194,250. This covers police officer and civilian overtime, subsistence for police officers, transport and aid from other forces provided under section 14 of the Police Act 1964.

  Custody (Compensation)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state for each of the last five years(a) the number of people awarded ex gratia compensation for periods in custody and (b) the total amount paid in ex gratia compensation.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested, based on the date upon which the final payment of compensation was made, is as follows:
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  Year

  Number awarded compensation

  Total amount paid £

  1984

  12

  14,450

  1985

  17

  216,163

  1986

  13

  154,890

  1987

  14

  153,806

  1988

  8

  56,925

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the proposal to establish an international fund to compensate developing countries for the cost of phasing out production of chlorofluorocarbons.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  We have already made it clear that we are willing to help developing countries to find ways of avoiding the use of CFCs. An international fund has been suggested as one means by which such help could be given. The various possible means are to be considered by a working group, established by the parties to the Montreal protocol at their meeting in May, which is to start work next month.

  Nicaragua
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the grounds for rejection of Oxfam's application under the Overseas Development Administration joint funding scheme for aid with the following Nicaraguan projects:(a) the Atlantic coast livestock loan scheme, (b) the Fanor Urroz co-operative farm and (c) CISAS; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  All three project applications were rejected after the usual consultations. Oxfam has asked us to reconsider projects(a) and (b) and we have agreed to do so.

  EC Budget
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for each of the years 1979 to 1987(a) the total amount of expenditure under line 941 of the Community budget, (b) the amount granted to United Kingdom non-governmental organisations under line 941 of the Community budget, and (c) the percentage that (b) represents of (a).

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Figures in the precise form requested are not readily available. Figures for 1986, 1987 and for the period 1976 to 1987 are as follows:

  Total commitments

  To United Kingdom NGOs

  Percentage share United Kingdom NGOs

  £ million

  £ million

  Per cent

  1986

  31·418

  6·120

  19·5

  1987

  43·906

  8·086

  18·4

  1976–87

  205·805

  38·9

  18·9

  Note: All calculations assume a rate of £1 = 1·42 ecu.

ENERGY

  South Africa (Oil Embargo)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the international oil embargo of South Africa; and if he proposes measures to improve its effectiveness.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 19 October 1988, at columns 859–60. The Government's export guidelines rule out the sales of crude oil from the United Kingdom continental shelf to South Africa; I have no plans to make any changes to that policy.

  Off-shore Work Permits
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he intends to revise work permit procedures for off-shore installations.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Department has today made available for comment a paper setting out proposals for strengthening the statutory requirements for permit procedures on off-shore installations. Copies of the document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  European Council
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what alternative proposals to the Delors report Her Majesty's Government will submit in time for the next meeting of the European Council.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement to the House on 29 June on the outcome of the European Council in Madrid on 26 and 27 June.

  Directors' Pay
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Beverley (Mr. Cran) of 4 May,Official Report, column 352, what further advice he has given or intends to give on the effects on industrial competitiveness of excessive pay rises for directors of large companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Major
  Pay is for the parties involved to agree and not for the Government to intervene. But clearly pay rises for directors, workers or anyone else must not be above what can be afforded.

  Warstock
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to announce when the Government will redeem the 31/2 If per cent. war stock issued in the 1939–45 war.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 6 July 1989]: There are no plans to redeem 31/2 per cent. war stock.

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect of a 1 per cent. change in United Kingdom interest rates and a 1 per cent. change in import prices, respectively, on the retail prices index.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 6 July 1989]: The effect of an increase in interest rates is to encourage saving, reduce spending and thus, over time, to bear down on inflation. However, because of the inclusion of mortgage interest payments in the RPI, a one percentage point increase in all United Kingdom interest rates would initially increase the retail prices index by about 0·4 per cent. No disaggregation is available for the imported component of the goods and services in the retail prices index. Whether, and to what extent, an increase in import prices will affect the RPI depends on the stance of monetary policy. The present Government is not prepared to accommodate inflation.

  VAT
  Sir Anthony Meyer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Clwyd, North-West may expect a reply to the letter which he sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 3 April about the imposition of value added tax on caravan pitch rentals and services.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply sent on 5 July.

  Premium Bonds
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many purchases of premium bonds in each of the last three years for which figures are available were made in(a) amounts of over £100 and (b) amounts of £100 or less.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: The number of premium bonds sold in each of the last three years in amounts of over £100 and amounts of £100 or less are as follows:

  Financial year

  Number

  £100 or more Value £

  Number

  Under £100 Value £

  1986–87

  380,000

  182,621,000

  1,718,000

  331,821,000

  1987–88

  443,000

  260,601,000

  1,730,000

  34,533,000

  1988–89

  457,000

  273,171,000

  1,742,000

  36,122,000

PRIME MINISTER

  European Monetary System
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will give the list of conditions she has established for United Kingdom adherence to the European monetary system exchange rate mechanism of the European Community, in accordance with her reference to such conditions in the Official Report, 29 June, column 1109.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding reply 11 July 1989]: The decision when to join the exchange rate mechanism will have to be judged against progress in a number of areas. In particular, when the level of United Kingdom inflation is significantly lower, there is capital liberalisation in the

  521
  Community and real progress has been made towards the completion of the single market, freedom of financial services and strengthened competition policy.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Bristol Research Centre
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the Bristol research centre dealing with food safety will he closed; and whether the Agriculture and Food Research Council took account of representations from the retail food trade in making its decision.

  Mr. Jackson
  The AFRC has decided to consolidate the work of the Institute of Food Research (1FR) on its two sites at Norwich and Reading to further enhance its science base. A consequence of this restructuring is that the laboratory at Langford, Bristol, will cease to be part of the IFR by the end of 1990 when AFRC institute funding will have been withdrawn. In planning the future scientific strategy of the Institute, advice was sought from a wide range of opinion including representatives from the food manufacturing industry, the retail food trade, academia and the Consumers Association.

  Communication Handicaps
  Mr. Alfred Moris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in the light of the High Court ruling against Lancashire county council on 16 March, he has any plans to assist local education authorities in their duty to provide speech therapy for children with speech and language impairments.

  Mr. Butcher
  Responsibility for the provision of speech therapy services has rested with health authorities since the reorganisation of the National Health Service in 1974. The recent High Court case involving Lancashire county council, which ruled that speech therapy could be considered as either educational or non-educational provision, does not affect health authorities general responsibilities in this area.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science in the light of the implementation of the Education Act 1988, what plans he has to ensure that the a million children suffering from specific communication impairments have access to that curriculum by increasing the numbers of(a) trained teachers and (b) speech therapists.

  Mr. Butcher
  Children with special educational needs, including those with specific communication impairments, should benefit from the substantial resources that the Government are making available generally to local education authorities to support the introduction of the national curriculum. Within the 100 million available this year to LEAs through specific grants, it will be for authorities to decide how much to spend within this total to ensure maximum access to the national curriculum for children with special educational needs, where appropriate, including those with specific communication impairments.

  The training and supply of speech therapists is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health.
  522
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the findings of the working party examining the funding of communication aids for those with communication handicaps will be available.

  Mr. Butcher
  I understand that the working party on the assessment of children with communication handicap will report to my right hon. Friend and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health within the next few months.

  University Libraries
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to have the results of the special monitoring exercise on universities' library spending for 1987–88, and 1988–89; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 3 July at column 9.

  Education Reform Act
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the position of four-year high schools with a transfer age of 10 years in relation to the certain categories of schools qualifying for particular weightings under section 107 of DES circular 7/88 published on 6 September 1988 under section 34(2) of the Education Reform Act;

  (2) if he will define the phrase "certain categories of schools" in relation to section 107 DES circular 7/88 published on 6 September 1988 under section 34(2) of the Education Reform Act;

  (3) in what circumstances local education authorities have discretion over allocation of the aggregated school budget, with reference to section 107 of DES circular 7/88 published on 6 September 1988 under section 34(2) of the Education Reform Act.

  Mr. Butcher
  Under schemes of local management, at least 75 per cent. of the aggregated schools budget must be allocated with reference to the numbers and ages of pupils in schools. All pupils of the same age will carry with them the same resources, irrespective of which type of school they attend. However, LEAs will have the discretion to allocate up to 25 per cent. of the aggregated schools budget by means of others factors which take account of objective need and are applied by means of a consistent set of rules.

  Paragraphs 107 to 128 of DES circular 7/88 give some examples of such additional factors, such as a small school curriculum protection factor. Where such factors are used it may be appropriate within them to use different weightings for categories of schools serving different age ranges. For example, a lump sum in a small school curriculum protection factor might take a different value for primary schools than for secondary schools, and different value for primary schools than for secondary schools, and different again in middle schools. Four-year high schools with a transfer age of 10 could form such a category.

  Student Numbers
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the actual, and percentage increase in(a) university first degree full-time students,

  523
  (b) polytechnic and other higher education first degree full-time students, (c) part-time university students, (d) part-time polytechnic and other higher education students, and (e) full-time post graduate students since May 1986, with (c) and (d) expressed in actual numbers and full-time equivalents.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The information requested is shown in the following table.

  Students in higher education in Great Britain

  Academic year beginning in

  1985 to 1987

  1985

  1987

  Actual increase

  Per cent, increase

  Full-time

  Postgraduate

  65,859

  69,869

  4,010

  6

  University First Degree

  238,329

  245,577

  7,248

  3

  Polys and Colleges First Degree

  181,026

  195,348

  14,322

  8

  Part-time

  Open University

  78,723

  85,828

  7,105

  9

  Other Universities

  37,097

  40,706

  3,609

  10

  Polys and Colleges

  209,956

  232,744

  22,788

  11

  Full-time Equivalent of Part-time (FTE)

  Open University

  27,553

  30,040

  2,487

  9

  Other Universities

  12,984

  14,247

  1,263

  10

  Polys and Colleges

  73,485

  81,460

  7,976

  11

  Note: Part-time students have been counted as 0·35 FIE.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to secure a wider distribution of assisted places throughout England.

  Mr. Butcher
  This Department is contacting certain independent schools in four regions of the country with a view to widening the geographical availability of assisted places. The regions concerned are the North-East, the east midlands, South Yorkshire and the black country. We are approaching certain existing APS member schools in these regions to ascertain whether they would like more assisted places. We are also inviting certain schools which are not at present in the scheme, to apply to join. The target of 35,000 assisted places by the mid-1990s remains.

  Headteachers (Resignations)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of headteachers in primary schools who resigned in each of the last five years; and what information he has on the reasons for resignation.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 6 July 1989]: The numbers of headteachers leaving full-time service in maintained nursery and primary schools in England in the last five years for which figures are available were as follows:

  Year ending March

  Number

  1983

  1,550

  1984

  1,670

  1985

  1,520

  1986

  1,460

  1987

  1,320

  524
  Information on the nature of these departures (available only for the last two years) is as follows:

  Year ending March

  1986

  1987

  Transfers to full-time service elsewhere in the maintained sector in England and Wales

  80

  80

  Transfers to part-time service in the maintained sector

  10

  10

  Teaching employment outside the maintained sector

  10

  20

  Retirements

  at age 60 or over

  520

  430

  at ages under 60

  630

  550

  Deaths

  50

  40

  Others

  160

  190

  Total

  1,460

  1,320

EMPLOYMENT

  Additional Child Care Allowance
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to introduce a £50 a week additional child care allowance for young mothers on YTS, equivalent to that which is paid under employment training.

  Mr. Cope
  No. My right hon. Friend does not consider such a provision to be in the best interests of the client group served by YTS.

  Industrial Relations
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of public opinion regarding the Goverment's step-by-step reform of industrial relations legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  At each stage of the step-by-step reform of industrial relations and trade union legislation which the Government has pursued since 1979 we have submited our proposals for public consultation, and we have been able to frame legislation in the knowledge that the measures will be welcomed by employers, employees and the public generally. Our election manifestos, which contained many of our proposals in this area, have also clearly gained widespread public support.

  Statutory Minimum Wage
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to how many countries in the EEC have a statutory minimum wage.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Five countries—France, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg—have a statutory national minimum wage. In Ireland, as in the United Kingdom, a statutory minimum wage applies only in certain industries. Two countries—Belgium and Greece —have a general minimum wage laid down in national level collective agreements which are binding in law. Three countries—West Germany, Italy and Denmark—set minimum rates of pay by industry level, collective agreements applying in all sectors and binding in law.

  Remploy Factory, Rutherglen (Closure)
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ask the Remploy board to withdraw its proposal to close the Rutherglen factory.

  Mr. Lee
  No. I understand that discusions about the implications of the decision to close the Rutherglen factory are continuing between the company and the employees concerned.

  Disabled Workers
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what guidelines are issued to Department of Employment staff regarding the distribution of quota exemption permits to employers failing to ensure that 3 per cent. of their work force are registered as disabled.

  Mr. Lee
  Instructions to disablement resettlement officers require them to consider the availability of suitable registered disabled people, and the degree of commitment shown by employers towards meeting their obligations under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much his Department will be contributing to the Economic and Social Research Council's programme of research into small businesses, announced on 30 June, over the next four years.

  Mr. Cope
  My Department has agreed to pay ESRC a maximum of £120,000 towards the total cost of the programme. Payment will be made over a period of four years, at £30,000 per year, beginning in 1989–90.

  Industrial Accidents
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends taking to reduce occupational accident rates to the 1981 levels.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Against a background of a substantial decline in fatal injury rates since 1981 and a more recent reversal in the rising trend of reported major injuries, the Government have reaffirmed their commitment to better health and safety at work by making financial provision allowing for real growth in HSE's activities over the next three years.

  Tourism
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has had any representations about possible distortions to the United Kingdom's local economies resulting from the abolition of section 4 grants for tourist investment in England and their retention in Scotland and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  I have received a number of representations about the future of the section 4 scheme, some of which refer to the possible effects of retaining the scheme in Scotland and Wales. However, after considering the wide variety of views expressed, I am convinced that the continued prosperity and growth of tourism in England is no longer dependent on this form of support.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure available for the number of people who have found jobs through using the service of job clubs in Durham City jobcentre.

  Mr. Lee
  The job club based in Durham jobcentre was the first job club to open in Britain, in November 1984. Since that time, 579 people have attended the job club. Of these 395 (68 per cent.) actually left for jobs with an employer. This result represents a considerable achievement in helping long-term unemployed people.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the last 12 months for which figures are available have been through(a) job clubs and (b) Restart; and how many have (i) secured full-time employment or (ii) further retraining or educational opportunities.

  Mr. Lee
  During the period 30 May 1988 to 26 May 1989, 2,220,611 Restart interviews were carried out. Of these, 1,949,570 resulted in an offer of positive help being made and 1,611,606 resulted in such an offer being accepted.

  We do not know how many people ultimately end up in a job or other opportunity as a result of their Restart interview. However, many will be referred to job clubs.

  During the 12 months from 1 June 1988 to 31 May 1989, 131,249 people went through the job club programme; 91,665 (or 70 per cent.) left for a positive outcome; 71,016 went into jobs and a further 20,649 went into training, education or a place on the enterprise allowance scheme.

  Taken together, these two programmes represent a considerable achievement in helping long-term unemployed people.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the level of unemployment in the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow.

  Mr. Lee
  In May 1989 the number of unemployed claimants in Greenock and Port Glasgow parliamentary constituency was 5,798 compared with 7,581 in May 1988, a fall of 1,783 or 23·5 per cent.

  Dock Workers (Pensions)
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will arrange for a survey of the pensions advice available to former registered dock workers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to survey the pensions advice available to former registered dock workers.

  Employers are required to inform employees of main terms and conditions of employment, including the terms of any occupational pensions scheme which they offer. Employees may decide to make their own arrangements. Registered dock workers had their own occupational pensions scheme and this remains in existence following the abolition of the dock labour scheme.

SCOTLAND

  Rent Arrears
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to introduce into Scotland arrangements similar to those announced recently for England and Wales whereby local authorities will be obliged to charge accumulated arrears of rent to other rent payers, through increasing their rents to cover the deficit in housing revenue accounts.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Local authorities in Scotland are required by paragraph 3(e) of schedule 15 to the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 to debit to their housing revenue accounts for each year the arrears of rent which have been written off in that year as irrecoverable. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to change this or other aspects of the financial management of local authority rent arrears.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the accumulated rent arrears owed to Scottish public housing authorities in March; and what was the figure in March of each of the five previous years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on the accumulated rent arrears owed to Scottish public housing authorities is collected annually on the basis of arrears outstanding at 30 September. The amounts of arrears outstanding for each year from 1983 to 1988 are shown below:

  £million

  1983

  118·0

  1984

  118·9

  1985

  119·9

  1986

  1 224·3

  1987

  126·7

  1988

  1 332·9

  1 Includes rates arrears of two local authorities.

  2 Includes unprocessed housing benefit awards for one authority.

  3 Excludes arrears of two local authorities.

  Prisoners (Vocational Training)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) adult and (b) young offender women prisoners received accredited vocational training during 1987 and 1988.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The question cannot be answered in precisely the terms stated. The position in relation to individuals receiving accredited vocational training during the past two years was:

  1987

  Nil

  1988

  Adults—Seven

  Young offender women prisoners—Nil

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the vocational courses of the industrial training boards, currently available to(a) adult and (b) young offender male prisoners, are also available to the same categories of women prisoners.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  At present there is a catering accredited vocational training course available for women prisoners. Skill training is also provided in sewing,528
  garment making, cookery and horticulture. A properly accredited course in hairdressing will be introduced later this year.

  Remand Times
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) women and (b) men were put in prison while waiting for trial and subsequently freed during 1987 and 1988.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I regret that the information is not available.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest figure for the average time spent on remand for(a) men and (b) women.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The estimated average periods spent in custody on remand in 1988 were as follows:

  Days

  Men

  20·7

  Women

  17·7

  Hostels
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places for(a) men and (b) women are offered by hostels grant-aided under section 9 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980.

  Mr. Lang
  Hostels grant-aided by my right hon. and learned Friend under section 79 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 presently offer a total of 95 places. Seventeen of these were specifically designated for women originally but the accommodation is now being allocated more flexibly in the light of demand.

  Cornton Vale
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many body and strip searches in Cornton Vale in 1988 where carried out on prisoners who were pregnant.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not available, since no distinction is made in the records between inmates who are not pregnant and those who are.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women prisoners who gave birth while imprisoned in Cornton Vale in 1988(a) kept their babies with them following the births and (b) did not keep their babies following birth; and what was the length of service served by each such mother following the birth.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  One inmate, serving a three-month sentence, gave birth in Cornton Vale and kept her baby with her.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if any baby has remained with his or her mother in Cornton Vale prison beyond the age of 12 months during 1988.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average number of days of in-service training provided to staff at Cornton Vale prison in 1987 and 1988.
  529
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is not immediately available but I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions the electronics link between the central office and each room in Cornton Vale women's prison malfunctioned in 1988; and what was the average time taken for repairs to be carried out.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The system malfunctioned on 22 occasions in 1988. Each fault is recorded and rectified the same day or the next working day. When the period of malfunction was prolonged the inmate was moved temporarily to another cell. The average time required to complete repair work was one and a half hours.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) female and (b) male staff at Cornton Vale prison in 1987 were on sick leave for (i) less than one week, (ii) between one week and up to one month, (iii) between one month and up to six months, and (iv) for six months or more.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information sought by the hon. Member is as follows:

  1987

  Female staff Per cent.

  Male Staff Per cent.

  Nil absence

  19

  32

  Less than one week

  30·5

  23

  Between one week and up to one month

  32

  27

  Between one month and up to six months

  18

  18

  For six months or more

  0·5

  0

  Total staff involved

  157

  22

  Prisons (Physical Training and Recreation)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the types of physical training and recreation activities available to(a) male and (b) female prisoners.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The types of physical training and recreation activities available to(a) male and (b) female prisoners are listed below. Not all are available in every prison. Usage by individual inmates is influenced by considerations of security and control as well as the needs of prisoners.

  Male prisoners

  1. Aerobic Fitness

  2. Badminton

  3. Basketball

  4. Board Games

  5. Craft Hobbies

  6. Darts

  7. Hillwalking

  8. Pool

  9. Running

  10. Snooker

  11. Soccer

  12. Swimming

  13. Table Tennis

  14. Volleyball

  15. Weight Training

  Female prisoners

  1. Badminton

  2. Board Games

  530

  3. Craft Hobbies

  4. Exercise to Music

  5. Modified Keep Fit

  6. Netball

  7. Relaxation Classes

  8. Running

  9. Swimming

  10. Volleyball

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the vocational courses of the industrial training boards presently available to(a) adult and (b) young offender male prisoners.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The vocational courses of the industrial training boards presently available to(a) adult and (b) young offender male prisoners are listed. The full range of courses listed is not available at every establishment.

  Vocational courses available to adult male prisoners

  1. Bricklaying

  2. Carpentry and Joinery

  3. Catering

  4. Domestic Appliance Repairs and Servicing

  5. Electronic Wiring and Computer Appreciation

  6. Hairdressing

  7. Horticulture

  8. Motor Vehicle Mechanics

  9. Painting and Decorating

  10. Upholstery

  11. Welding/Fabrication

  Vocational courses available to young offender male prisoners

  1. Bricklaying

  2. Carpentry and Joinery

  3. Catering

  4. Computer Appreciation

  5. Domestic Appliance Repairs and Servicing

  6. Horticulture

  7. Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

  8. Motor Vehicle Mechanics

  9. Painting and Decorating

  10. Vehicle Body Repair/Paint Spraying

  11. Welding/Fabrication

  Prisoners (Meat Allowance)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current meat allowance for prisoners.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The current allowance of meat for prisoners, based on properly balanced dietary scales, averages 94p per inmate per week.

  Women Prisoners (Qualifications)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) adult and (b) young offender women prisoners have acquired qualifications during 1987 and 1988; and if he will list those qualifications.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The question cannot be answered in precisely the terms stated. The position in relation to individual educational qualifications gained during the past two years was:

  Grades

  Number

  (a) Adults:

  1987

  O grades

  13

  gained by seven candidates

  Highers

  1

  1988

  O grades

  8

  gained by seven candidates

  Highers

  2

  531

  Grades

  Number

  (b) Young Offenders:

  1987

  O grades

  4

  gained by two candidates

  Highers

  Nil

  1988

  O grades

  1

  gained by one candidate

  Highers

  Nil

  Local Authority Care
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) girls and (b) boys between the ages of 10 and 16 years, held in care at 31 March 1988, had committed no crimes.

  Mr. Lang
  It is estimated that at 31 March 1988, 86.9 per cent. of girls and 50.6 per cent. of boys in local authority care between the ages of 10 and 16 years were there for reasons not related to the commission of crimes or offences.

  Prisoners (Outside Employment)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) male and (b) female prisoners were employed outside their prisons in 1987 and 1988.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information is not available in the form requested. Approximately 57 inmates in 1987 and 64 in 1988 went to outside employment (including community placements) from a prison training for freedom hostel as part of their formal pre-release programme. Some establishments made similar arrangements for other inmates selected as suitable. But the number of inmates allowed outwith prison unescorted for whatever reason remains small.

  Prison Statistics
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what percentage of(a) men and (b) women convicted of crimes of violence were sent to prison in 1988;

  (2) what percentage of convicted (a) men and (b) women were sent to prison in 1988;

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not yet available. Figures for 1987 are given in the table:

  Percentage of men and women aged over 21 with a charge proved against them who were given a sentence of imprisonment

  Men

  Women

  All crimes and offences

  8·0

  3·5

  Crimes of violence1

  40·0

  9·6

  1 Includes homicide, serious assault, carrying offensive weapons, robbery, cruelty to children etc.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) men and (b) women with no previous convictions were sent to prison in 1988.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on men or women first offenders who received a prison sentence as a percentage of those convicted of a first offence is not collected.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of women prisoners in 1987 and 1988(a) had previously been in prison and (b) had previous convictions and non-custodial sentences.
  532
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The only statistical information held centrally on the previous sentences and convictions of inmates is obtained from the inmates on reception into the penal establishment and may not be completely reliable. The figures from this source are as follows:

  Women received under sentence into prisons in Scotland

  Percentage admitting:

  1987

  1988

  Previous direct prison sentence

  69·0

  69·5

  Other direct custodial sentence (but not direct prison sentence)

  4·7

  4·2

  Other previous sentence only (non-custodial or custodial sentence in default of fine/compensation order)

  7·6

  11·7

  No previous sentence

  18·7

  14·6

  Women Prisoners (Psychiatric Treatment)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of women prisoners in 1986, 1987 and 1988 have received psychiatric treatment while in custody; and what percentage of these women were mothers.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held in the form requested, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Prisoners (Child Care)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will conduct an inquiry into child care arrangements, particularly concerning the numbers of children taken into care, whose parents are currently inmates of Scottish prisons.

  Mr. Lang
  No.

  AIDS
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many positive HIV antibody test results there were until(a) 31 March 1988 and (b) 31 March 1989 in each health board area in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  By 31 March 1989 1,621 HIV antibody test results had been reported to the Communicable Diseases (Scotland) Unit. A breakdown of this total by health board area is given as follows:

  Health Board

  Number of positive results

  Argyll and Clyde

  13

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1—

  Borders

  1—

  Dumfries and Galloway

  13

  Fife

  24

  Forth Valley

  59

  Grampian

  37

  Greater Glasgow

  253

  Highland

  11

  Lanarkshire

  22

  Lothian

  962

  Orkney

  Nil

  Shetland

  1—

  Tayside

  218

  Western Isles

  Nil

  1 Under 10 results: in accordance with established practice, exact numbers not given as publication may jeopardise medical confidentiality.

  533
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest number of positive HIV antibody test results, and the cumulative total of people diagnosed with AIDS in each health board area.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of positive HIV antibody test results in Scotland which were reported to the Communicable Diseases (Scotland) Unit until 30 June 1989 is 1,668. A breakdown of this total by health board area is given in the following table. The cumulative total of people diagnosed with AIDS who were reported to the unit area until that date is 102. Of that number, Greater Glasgow and Lothian health boards accounted for 33 and 48 cases, respectively. Argyll and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran, Fife, Forth Valley, Grampian, Highland, Lanarkshire and Tayside health boards accounted for the remainder. Where the number of cases in each board area for each category was under 10, the total in accordance with established practice is not published so as not to jeopardise medical confidentiality.

  Health Board

  Number of positive results

  Argyll and Clyde

  13

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1—

  Borders

  1—

  Dumfries and Galloway

  13

  Fife

  25

  Forth Valley

  59

  Grampian

  37

  Greater Glasgow

  259

  Highland

  11

  Lanarkshire

  23

  Lothian

  993

  Orkney

  Nil

  Shetland

  1—

  Tayside

  224

  Western Isles

  Nil

  1 Under 10.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cumulative total of people diagnosed with AIDS until 31 March; and how many of these had been diagnosed within the previous 12 months in each health board area in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The cumulative total of people diagnosed with AIDS who were reported to the Communicable Diseases (Scotland) Unit until 31 March 1989 is 85. The number of these who were reported to the unit within the previous 12 months is 33. Of that number, Greater Glasgow and Lothian health boards accounted for 10 and 15 cases, respectively. Argyll and Clyde, Grampian and Tayside health boards accounted for the remainder. The number of cases in each board area was under 10, but in accordance with established practice the totals are not published so as not to jeopardise medical confidentiality. Figures relating to the previous 12 months may require to be adjusted when all relevant information is available to take account of cases reported within, but diagnosed before, the 12-month period in question.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cumulative total of people diagnosed with AIDS until 31 March 1988; and how many of these had been diagnosed in the 12 months prior to that date, in each health board area.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The cumulative total of people diagnosed with AIDS who were reported to the 534
  Communicable Diseases (Scotland) Unit until 31 March 1988 is 52. The number of these who had been diagnosed within the previous 12 months is 34. Of that number, Greater Glasgow and Lothian health boards accounted for 15 and 14 cases, respectively. Fife, Grampian, Lanarkshire and Tayside health boards accounted for the remainder. The number of cases in each board area was under 10, but in accordance with established practice the total are not published so as not to jeopardise medical confidentiality.

  Waterways (Discharges)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for consent to discharge unsatisfactory effluent into rivers have been granted by river purification boards so far in the present year.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am aware of none. River purification boards, in granting consent to discharge sewage and trade effluents, attach conditions which ensure that, in the circumstances appropriate to each case, the quality of the receiving waters is not adversely affected.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sites in Scotland are authorised to discharge radioactive liquid waste to waterways.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are 112 sites in Scotland authorised to dispose of liquid radioactive waste, either to coastal waters or, in the majority of cases, to the sewerage system.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the estimated tonnage of sewage disposed of on an annual basis into the rivers(a) in Strathclyde and (b) in Scotland as a whole.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not available in the form sought. Treated effluent from around 1 million people is discharged to non-tidal rivers in Strathclyde from the council's sewage treatment works; in Scotland as a whole the corresponding figure is some 1,600,000.

  Labour Statistics
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what percentage of claimants in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow and (b) Strathclyde were classified as long-term unemployed in April; and what plans he has to reduce that number.

  Mr. Ian Lang
  The number of claimants unemployed for over one year in the Greenock and Port Glasgow parliamentary constituency and Strathclyde region in April 1989, and the percentage of total claimants that represented, is shown in the table below.

  April 1989

  Claimants unemployed for over one year

  As a percentage of total claimants

  Greenock and Port Glasgow parliamentary constituency

  2,865

  47·1

  Strathclyde region

  59,239

  43·5

  The number of claimants unemployed for over a year has fallen by around 30 per cent. in both the constituency

  535
  and the region over-the past two years. We aim to reduce unemployment even further by continuing with our successful economic policies.

  "Care in the Community"
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what conclusions he has reached about the recommendations in the Griffiths report on "Care in the Community"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The report by Sir Roy Griffiths on "Care in the Community" made far-reaching recommendations about the funding and delivery of community care services for the elderly, people with mental and physical disabilities and people with mental health problems. The report did not formally apply to Scotland, but I have been fully involved in the Government's detailed consideration of the report.

  Our objectives for the development of community care in Scotland are the same as those set out in the statement made today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health. We wish to enable people to live as full and independent a life as is possible for them in the community for as long as they wish to do so.

  I have given detailed consideration to the policy implications for Scotland and have had regard to the many comments and representations that I received about Sir Roy Griffith's report. My proposals are as follows.

  I have decided that local authorities in Scotland should be responsible for meeting the contribution from public funds towards the cost of the care of people in private and voluntary residential care and in nursing homes. They will, in collaboration with health boards, assess the care needs of individuals applying for such support and will reach a view on whether residential care is required or whether, in view of the primary objective of sustaining people in their own homes, a better outcome is possible by devising suitable individual packages of care. In future, therefore, the special income support system for those in homes will be ended, and local authorities will be responsible for providing any help required towards the costs of residential care in the cases where they decide that a residential home would be appropriate.

  Local authorities will continue to meet the full cost of accommodating people in local authorities' own homes subject to their existing powers to make charges according to residents' ability to pay. These new arrangements will apply from April 1991 to all new claimants for income support. Existing residents of registered residential care or nursing homes at this date will remain eligible for income support under the present rules.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security is today announcing further details of these new arrangements.

  Local authorities must have adequate resources for their new responsibilities. This will mean transferring to them an appropriate share of what the Government would otherwise have provided to support social security payments to people in residential and nursing home care. I shall be discussing the detailed financial implications with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the necessary decisions will be taken in the public expenditure survey next year.

  The new role of local authorities cannot be fully discharged without renewed emphasis on the importance of joint planning between local authorities and health
  536
  boards, with the full involvement of the private and voluntary sectors. The health and social needs of individuals with mental and physical disabilities are inseparable and the assessment procedures which local authorities will establish must reflect this fact. Joint planning is already an established feature of health and social work policy in Scotland and we look to local authorities, working with health boards and other agencies, to ensure that it is effective. The community health services will continue to play an essential part in meeting the medical and nursing needs of people outside hospital.

  Local authorities have traditionally been the biggest single provider of residential and community services in Scotland. More recently there has been growth in both the private and voluntary sectors and local authorities will want to make full use of these facilities in the interests of widening consumer choice. Local authorities should increasingly see themselves not just as providers but as enablers making full use of the range of provision available in the private and voluntary sector.

  Because of the importance of the new responsibility placed on local authorities I will be giving careful consideration to suitable planning and monitoring arrangements to allow the implementation of the new policy in Scotland to be evaluated. It will be important that local authorities should have clear plans for the development of community care services, worked out in collaboration with health boards and the independent sector. I will expect authorities to have such plans and propose to take powers to call for reports on community care services. The arrangements already in operation through the joint consultative group comprising representatives of the social work services group and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities will continue to have an important part to play.

  I have decided to make no change to the existing statutory functions of local authority and health boards for the registration and inspection of residential care and nursing homes.

  I am considering carefully the question of improving liaison between general practitioners and social work departments to ensure that the latter are aware of patients' needs for social care. This could be achieved by informal day-to-day contact as well as more formal procedures. I will be discussing with local authorities, the representative medical bodies and health boards how this could be best achieved.

  Finally, I propose to maintain the current arrangements which have generally worked well for sharing responsibility for services to the mentally ill between health and social work authorities, while improving further the arrangements for co-operation and co-ordination.

  A White Paper will be published in the near future about the Government's overall proposals in response to the Griffiths report, including implications for community care in Scotland. It will contain more detail about legislative requirements, planning and monitoring systems and the basis of the new funding arrangements.

  Warrant Sales
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that warrant sales will not be initiated against persons who have been duped by unscrupulous finance companies in Scotland.
  537
  Mr. Maude
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government have no plans to restrict the use of warrant sales to enforce court orders in respect of consumer credit. The existing law, in particular the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and regulations under it, provides appropriate protection for the consumer. The Act lays down requirements for the proper execution of regulated consumer credit agreements. Improperly executed agreements are enforceable only at the discretion of the court.

  Dolphin Bathrooms (Finance Agreements)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the company, Dolphin Bathrooms, Drumage road, Worcester, England, and the signing of uncompleted finance agreement by pensioners in Clydesdale; and what action he proposes to take.

  Mr. Maude
  I have been asked to reply.

  Neither my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry not my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has received such representations.

  Under the Consumer Credit Act a regulated agreement is not properly executed unless the document presented for signature embodies all the terms of the agreement, other than the implied terms. Improperly executed agreements are enforceable only at the discretion of the court.

  Action on individual cases of alleged abuse in relation to consumer credit is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading and for the local authorities who both have relevant functions under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. If the hon. Gentleman has evidence of such abuse, I hope that he will give it to the Director General or to the trading standards department of the local authority concerned.

  Cairngorm Ski-Lift Company
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what regular monitoring is carried out on the environmental management of the ski area managed by the Cairngorm Ski-Lift Company.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 12 June 1989]: Regular environmental monitoring of the area is carried out by the Highlands and Islands Development Board in line with the Cairngorm Estate management plan, a copy of which is lodged in the House of Commons Library.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Colonies (Pensions)
  Mr. Michael Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how may ex-colonies now block the payment of pensions to United Kingdom citizens who worked in those colonies prior to independence; and if he will place in the Library a list of the countries concerned and the estimated pension arrears in each case.

  Mrs. Chalker
  There are no centralised comprehensive records of all those British nationals who are facing difficulty in obtaining their pensions from former colonies, or of the total sums involved. But we are aware of difficulties, of various sorts, in 10 former colonies. I shall place a list in the Library of the House.

  Cambodia
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met a representative of the Cambodian Government based in Phnom Penh.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have no dealings with the so-called People's Republic of Kampuchea.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent to which the influence of Pol Pot and his associates can be eradicated from the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.

  Mr. Eggar
  It is generally accepted that Pol Pot and his associates are totally unacceptable to the international community. Whether there are responsible Khmer Rouge elements who could be included in a quadripartite interim administration in Cambodia is primarily a matter for the Cambodian factions to decide.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes he proposes in the United Kingdom's policy on the representation of Cambodia at the United Nations in the light of the anticipated Vietnamese withdrawal.

  Mr. Eggar
  Cambodia's representation at the United Nations is one of many issues to be reviewed in the context of a comprehensive political settlement. At this stage, we see no reason to change our present policy.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's involvement in peace talks in Cambodia.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 27 June.

  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on relations with Cambodia.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have relations neither with the current regime in Phnom Penh nor with the coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea. We look forward to an early comprehensive settlement leading to a representative Government in Cambodia and will continue to work actively to this end.

  Madrid Summit
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his best estimate of the time within which each of the conclusions reached at the Madrid summit will be implemented.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The conclusions of the Madrid European Council were placed in the Library of the House on 29 June. I have arranged for a list of those items where a timetable is indicated to be published in the Official Report.

  Following is the information:
  European Council, Madrid-26–27 June 1989 Conclusions: list of items where timetable indicated

  Internal market
  Commission invited to submit remaining proposals for completion of the market at the earliest opportunity
  539
  Fraud
  Council of Ministers invited to decide as soon as possible on Commission proposals for regulations.

  Taxation
  Council of Ministers asked to agree the broad lines of a solution on indirect tax by the end of 1989 and to reach agreement on taxation of savings before 1 July 1990.

  Audio-visual (Broadcasting)
  Council of Ministers invited to continue work on transfrontier broadcasting directive with a view to adopting it within cooperation procedure time limit (ie August-September).

  Social dimension
  Social Affairs Council to state position on work necessary to achieve social dimension of single market before Strasbourg European Council on 8–9 December.

  Environment
  Environment Council called on to examine proposal for a European Government Agency at the earliest opportunity.
  Commission asked to submit programme to protect environment in regions of Community affected by desertification, erosion and deforestation.

  Research and development
  Commission to submit new framework programme for 1990–94.

  Economic and monetary co-operation
  ECOFIN and General Affairs Councils, Commission, Central Bank Governors and Monetary Committee to adopt provisions necessary to begin stage 1 on 1 July 1990 and to prepare inter-governmental conference on subsequent stages, to be held after stage 1 begun.

  External
  Report on progress on EC-EFTA relations at December European Council; call for EC-ACP negotiations to be concluded by the end of the year.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the outcome of the Madrid summit.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Prime Minister's statement on 29 June was widely welcomed, in the House and in the country.

  West Africa
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he will do to assist in the economic development of Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia and Sierra Leone in the next three years.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We expect to maintain substantial programmes of technical co-operation for Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia and Sierra Leone in the next three years. We also aim to continue with project aid in Ghana and The Gambia. In addition, we expect to provide balance of payments support for all four countries, on condition that economic adjustment programmes, supported by the IMF and IBRD are in place.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present status of relations with Ghana.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Our relations with Ghana are close and friendly. The British Government play a significant role in support of Ghana's programme of economic re-structuring through our bilateral aid programme and the multilateral institutions. I visited Ghana from 28 to 30 June, accompanied by a group of British business men. During my visit I had discussions on a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues with the Head of State, Flt. Lt. J. J. Rawlings, and other members of the Ghanaian Government.
  540
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on current British-Nigerian relations.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We enjoy close and warm relations with Nigeria. Following the state visit to the United Kingdom by President Babangida in May, I led a large party of United Kingdom business men to Nigeria on 25 and 26 June. I held talks with President Babangida and other members of the Nigerian Government, and opened a hydrocarbons seminar sponsored jointly by the DTI and the Energy Industries Council. Both my visit and the seminar seem to have been highly successful.

  Semtex
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what statements have been issued by the Czechoslovakian Government regarding Semtex and the addition of a smelling agent.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The most recent public statement by the Czechoslovak Government on this subject was the joint United Kingdom-Czech letter addressed to the United Nations Secretary-General on 15 June which urged support for work on a Convention to mark all plastic and sheet explosives for detection. This followed our successful sponsorship of a Security Council resolution (No. 635) on 14 June. I am arranging for a copy of this letter and of SCR 635 to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what international negotiations he has had about the marking of Semtex and other high explosives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mates
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what international negotiations he has had in respect of the marking of Semtex and other high explosives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what international discussions he has had about the marking of Semtex and other high explosives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We held preliminary talks with Czechoslovakia earlier this year on the marking of plastic explosives for the purposes of detection. Further negotiations in the United Nations Security Council in New York (initiated during the British presidency of the council in May) led to the unanimous adoption on 14 June of Security Council resolution No. 635, calling for the drafting of an international convention on the marking of plastic and sheet explosives. Work on this is already under way in the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

  Australia
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the outcome of the visit of the Australian Prime Minister to Britain in June.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  Mr Hawke's visit last month was a great success. It was an indication of the desire of both Governments to give a new impetus to our bilateral
  541
  relations. The visit set the seal on the dynamic relationship with Australia which has developed in the past year or two.

  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are being undertaken to strengthen United Kingdom-Australian relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  Following the recent successful visit to Britain by the Prime Minister of Australia, we will be seeking to ensure that a regular momentum of ministerial and official exchanges is maintained. Visits to Australia in the past twelve months by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Defence, for Trade and Industry, and for Education and Science have meant a thorough review of our relationship with Australia in these and other fields. We want to see the already strong co-operation in these areas maintained and, wherever possible, expanded.

  Lebanon
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has had discussions with his European Economic Community counterparts or members of the United Nations Security Council on seeking the early withdrawal of Syria from Lebanon.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Yes. We and our European partners have consistently sought the withdrawal from Lebanon of all non-Lebanese troops other than UNIFIL. We fully support the efforts of the Arab League to bring this about.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Arab League's initiative towards the Lebanon.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We and our European partners fully support the Arab League's efforts to find a solution to the crisis in Lebanon.

  Single Market
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had on the removal of barriers by 1992 with other European Economic Community Foreign Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has reported to the House on the European Council at Madrid on 26–27 June, which reviewed progress on reducing technical and physical barriers within the Community.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to ensure that the 1992 programme does not soak up staff resources in the European Commission in areas of shortage of expertise, including the development directorate.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We shall continue to press for the most effective and efficient use of Commission staff, including flexible deployment and improved career planning, to ensure that staffing levels correspond to the needs arising from the Commission's tasks.
  542
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the increase in the number of Green party representatives in the European Parliament on progress towards completion of the internal market.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Green party is opposed to the single market programme. Its policies, if adopted, would sabotage the increasing prosperity which the single market will bring.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the resettlement of the citizens of Hong Kong.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have received many representations on this subject. During his visit to Hong Kong from 2 to 4 July my right hon. and learned Friend was able to discuss this with the Governor and his advisers, with members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, and with representatives of a wide range of opinion within the Hong Kong community.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have taken place with other Commonwealth countries concerning the future of Hong Kong.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the future of Hong Kong with the Australian Prime Minister during his recent visit. We have also been in touch with our Australian and Canadian counterparts who will attend this week's economic summit in Paris. We shall raise the matter there and at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in the autumn.

  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further action the Government intend to take to solve the problem of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Eggar
  We are playing an active role in meetings of the Steering Committee set up by the international conference on Indo-Chinese refugees in Geneva on 13–14 June to maintain progress on the comprehensive plan of action adopted by the conference. We will seek to ensure, through bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, that agreements reached at the Conference are implemented as swiftly as possible and in a balanced way. As part of our contribution, we have agreed to resettle 2,000 Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong over the next three years.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to visit Hong Kong.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Governor of Hong Kong; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited Hong Kong from 2 to 4 July and made a statement to the House on 5 July.

  International Debt
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to meet other Foreign Ministers to discuss the problems of international debt; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend has met Foreign Ministers of other countries recently at the OECD Ministerial meeting in June, at a meeting between representatives of EC and eight Latin American countries on 15 April in Grenada, at the European Council meetings in Madrid on 26–27 June and at a number of bilateral meetings. Debt was just one important issue discussed at these meetings. The next occasion may be at the economic summit in Paris on 14 to 16 July.

  Human Rights
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conference on security and co-operation in European human rights conference in Paris.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Paris meeting of the CSCE conference on the human dimension saw the thorough examination of implementation by CSCE participating states of their human rights commitments and the tabling of some 36 new proposals. These will be considered at the next meeting of the conference on the human dimension in Copenhagen in June 1990.

  El Salvador
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he supports the United States Congress proposal to link aid to El Salvador to respect for human rights.

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

  Poland
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet the Polish Foreign Minister to discuss Anglo-Polish relations.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs certainly hopes to meet the Polish Foreign Minister again, and expects to do so in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September.

  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Anglo-Polish relations.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer my right hon. Friend to the replies that I gave on 6 April and 14 June.

  Middle East
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on recent developments in the middle east peace process.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  In a major statement in Madrid last month the European Council appealed to the parties to 544
  seize the present opportunity to achieve peace. The Twelve made it clear that the election proposals put forward by Mr. Shamir could contribute to the peace process but that the PLO must participate in negotiations. We fear that the Likud decisions last week, if translated into Israeli Government policy, will make progress much more difficult.

  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the middle east peace process.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further action will be taken within the foreseeable future either by the United Kingdom or the Community in pursuance of a settlement of the Palestinian question.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The European Council last month appealed to the parties to seize the present opportunity to make progress towards peace and set out the views of the Twelve on how this might be achieved.

  Argentina
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made towards restoring diplomatic relations with Argentina.

  Mr. Eggar
  It is premature to think of restoring diplomatic relations with Argentina; progress must first be made on removing practical barriers and increasing confidence.

  But we have noted remarks made by President Menem and Foreign Minister Cavallo during and after the inauguration. We have consistently stressed our readiness to work for more normal relations with Argentina by making progress on practical matters while excluding sovereignty. If the Argentines are now moving towards that position, then a prospect for progress may be opening up.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government have made to the offer of President Carlos Menem of Argentina in relation to talks on the resumption of bilateral relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have as yet received no formal proposal from President Menem but we have noted reports that he would be willing to move towards a resumption of diplomatic relations.

  We have consistently expressed our readiness to work for more normal relations with Argentina by making progress on practical issues, while excluding sovereignty. If the Argentines are now moving towards that position, then a prospect for progress may be opening up.

  It is premature to be talking of a resumption of diplomatic relations; progress must first be made on removing practical barriers to trade and communications and on rebuilding confidence.

  China
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is considering trade sanctions against the Government of China.
  545
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is considering trade sanctions against the Government of China.

  Mr. Eggar
  No, for the reasons given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 June.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with EEC ministers on events now taking place in China; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The events in China were discussed by Foreign Ministers of the Twelve on 12 June, when it was agreed that the Presidency should carry out a demarche stressing the Twelve's grave concern at the continuing repression in China. The subject was discussed again at the European Council in Madrid, resulting in the declaration on China of 27 June.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the ambassador of the People's Republic of China; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch (Mr. Adley) on 16 June.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further representations he has made to the Chinese authorities appealing for commutation of recent death sentences on humanitarian grounds.

  Mr. Eggar
  On 17 June the EC Twelve made a demarche to the Chinese authorities appealing for clemency for the first persons sentenced to death in connection with the demonstrations. On 21 June the Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a statement deeply deploring the first executions and renewing our appeal to the Chinese authorities not to persecute those who had campaigned for their democratic rights. On 27 June the European Council also expressed its dismay and urged that the executions be stopped.

  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions are currently taking place aimed at achieving a united international stance towards recent developments in the People's Republic of China.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have kept in close contact with our friends and partners over reactions to events in China. The European Council issued a declaration on China on 27 June. China will also be discussed at the forthcoming economic summit in Paris.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has been making to the Government of China on the subject of human rights.

  Mr. Eggar
  We and our EC partners have firmly condemned the brutal actions of the Chinese Government. I made this plain to the Chinese charge d'affaires on 5 June. On 27 June the European Council adopted a declaration on China which reiterated our condemnation and called on the Chinese authorities to respect human 546
  rights. In accordance with this declaration, ambassadors representing the Twelve have been instructed to seek the admission of independent observers to attend trials and visit prisons.

  South Africa
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current policy of Her Majesty's Government on meeting the African National Congress, the United Democratic Front and the South African Government.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Our policy is to maintain contact with all shades of opinion in South Africa.

  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what continued pressure the Government is exercising to secure the release of Mr. Nelson Mandela and the lifting of restrictions on the African National Congress.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We continue to urge the South African Government to release, immediately and unconditionally, Mr. Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners and to unban the African National Congress and other political parties.

  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his meeting with F. W. de Klerk of South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I held talks with Mr. F. W. de Klerk which were friendly and businesslike. They covered a range of issues, notably progress towards Namibian independence and the process of constitutional reform in South Africa. We naturally took the opportunity to express concern for the unconditional release of Mr. Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners, the lifting of the state of emergency and many other issues.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have recently been made to the South African Government with a view to ending apartheid in that country.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We take every opportunity to encourage change in South Africa leading to the peaceful replacement of apartheid by a non-racial, representative system of government acceptable to all South Africans.

  Israel
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with Israel.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Anglo-Israeli relations.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Relations with Israel are good and we are in close touch with the Israeli Government on Arab-Israel and other issues.

  Mr. Richard Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit the Israeli occupied territories and the Gaza Strip.
  547
  Mr. Waldegrave
  None at present.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek an undertaking from the Israeli Government to renounce unlawful violence against the population of areas under Israeli military occupation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Israeli authorities are well aware of our concern at their use of excessive force in the occupied territories.

  Eastern Europe
  Sir George Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British relations with eastern Europe.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British relations with the countries of eastern Europe.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  British relations with eastern Europe vary from country to country. We have closest relations with countries such as Hungary and Poland which are making substantial steps forward towards freedom and democracy.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs had talks with Prime Minister Bhutto on 6 July in London and with the Pakistan Foreign Minister on 7 July. They discussed a wide range of issues including United Kingdom-Pakistan relations, Afghanistan and other regional developments. My right hon. and learned Friend also made it clear we are looking forward to seeing Pakistan rejoin the Commonwealth.

  Angola
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to assist in the peace process in Angola; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We warmly welcome the progress made towards internal reconciliation in Angola, notably the meeting between President dos Santos and Dr. Savimbi on 22 June and the agreement to implement a ceasefire from 24 June. We are urging both sides to respect the ceasefire and to continue to show flexibility in the difficult negotiations that lie ahead.

  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his latest assessment of the prospects for internal reconciliation in Angola.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We warmly welcome the progress made towards internal reconciliation in Angola, notably the meeting between President dos Santos and Dr. Savimbi on 548
  22 June and the agreement to implement a ceasefire from 24 June. We are urging both sides to respect the ceasefire and to continue to show flexibility in the difficult negotiations that lie ahead.

  Hungary
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Hungarian Government; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Anglo-Hungarian relations.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. and learned Friend met Hungarian State Minister, Imre Pozsgay, on 25 April. I have just returned from a three-day visit to Hungary where I met Prime Minister Nemeth, Mr. Pozsgay and a wide range of Government party and Opposition leaders. I also laid a wreath at the grave of Imre Nagy and placed flowers at the memorial to Raoul Wallenberg. I expressed the strong support of the Government—and, I believe, of the House—for the process of reform taking place in Hungary.

  Drugs
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are being taken to assist the governments of drug producing countries in the destruction of drugs.

  Mr. Eggar
  The United Kingdom has contributed some £10·7 million since 1982 to the United Nations fund for drug abuse control, which is the main multilateral channel for providing assistance to developing countries in combating drug production. The United Kingdom also spent around £3 million in 1988–89 on bilateral projects. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary recently announced a series of further measures to combat drug production, trafficking and consumption, including an international conference to be held in the United Kingdom in 1990.

  Central America
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on progress towards the establishment of the central American Parliament.

  Mr. Eggar
  There has been no progress since my reply to the hon. Member's question of 27 October 1988. The Costa Rican Parliament has yet to ratify the treaty establishing the central American Parliament.

  Nicaragua
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have any plans to send an official group of observers to the Nicaraguan elections.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have told the Nicaraguan Government that we would be ready to appoint an official observer if an invitation is received. We await their response.
  549
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the progress towards democracy being made by Nicaragua.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. When my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister saw President Ortega on 8 May, she made clear her concern that recent legislative reforms fall far short of the democratisation promised and were potentially restrictive. Recent events have tended to confirm our fears. We are also concerned at Nicaraguan attempts to impose unacceptable restrictions on diplomats' ability to report on the election campaign. We hope that steps will be taken by the Nicaraguan Government to rectify this situation.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will visit Nicaragua in the near future to discuss democracy in that country.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans at present to visit Nicaragua.

  Refuseniks
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the USSR about the difficulties of refuseniks.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We press the Soviet authorities regularly on individual refusenik cases and of the wider need for institutionalised reform. Over the last year at least 68 long-term refuseniks about whom we have made representations have been allowed to leave the Soviet Union.

  Lebanon
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received since 1 January on the plight of British hostages believed to he held in the Lebanon.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have received a number of representations from hon. Members, members of the public and interested organisations on the plight of the British hostages detained in Lebanon.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to stress the importance of closer co-operation in the defeat of international terrorism at the next appropriate international gathering.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  It is a central strand of our policy to promote international co-operation to combat terrorism. We have taken, and will continue to take, a leading role to this effect in international organisations. The economic summit Seven group, which meets this weekend, will provide another opportunity to press for closer co-operation.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made in discussions with the Prime Minister of Australia concerning the convention on Antarctica.
  550
  Mr. Eggar
  In discussion with the Australian Prime Minister and his colleagues, we said that we still believed the convention offered the best means of protecting the Antarctic environment. We made it clear that we intended to ratify the convention and that we were prepared to consider further measures for the protection of the Antarctic environment, but not at the expense of the convention. For their part, the Australian Ministers explained their view of the Antarctic minerals convention and their decision not to sign it.

  Slavery
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in achieving international co-ordination to tackle the problem of child slavery.

  Mr. Eggar
  Over 85 countries are parties to the Slavery Convention of 1926 (as amended by the Protocol of 1953), and 102 countries to the supplementary convention on the abolition of slavery, the slave trade and institutions and practices similar to slavery.

  Since 1974, a United Nations working group on slavery has met annually to review the problems of slavery, including child slavery, and has recommended remedial action.

  We hope that the draft United Nations convention on the rights of the child will shortly be adopted and will further strengthen international efforts to combat child slavery in all its forms.

  Soviet Union (Train Disaster)
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what medical assistance was made available by Her Majesty's Government to the Soviet Union after the recent train disaster there.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We supplied air beds, artificial ventilators and other urgently needed equipment and pharmaceuticals to a value of £68,000. We also helped with arrangements for two teams of specialists from Bristol, Leeds, London, Manchester and South Grampian to travel to Chelyabinsk to help treat the victims. (One of the teams was organised by the World Association for Emergency and Disaster Medicine). We also offered to arrange treatment in the United Kingdom.

  Brazil
  Sir Anthony Meyer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Brazilian Government on environmental matters.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Lord President to the hon. Member for Barnsley West and Penistone (Mr. McKay) on 27 June. During his visit my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development signed a memorandum of understanding on environmental co-operation with the Brazilian Government. In addition, we have had a number of detailed discussions at ministerial and official level with the Brazilian authorities on these matters in recent months.

  European Parliament
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the consequences for European Community policies of the new political composition of the European Parliament.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We hope that the European Parliament will continue to make its full contribution to the Community legislative process and to effective interinstitutional co-operation in the Community.

  Iraq (Kurdish Minority)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what effect the Iraqi treatment of its Kurdish minority has had on British relations with Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have repeatedly expressed to the Iraqi Government our concern for the treatment of the Kurdish community in Iraq and the need to respect their human rights. We firmly believe that the only way of infiuenceing Iraq's attitude to these problems is by maintaining an effective working relationship.

  World Economic Summit
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will raise the issue of international debt at the world economic summit.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We expect international debt to be one of the important subjects covered at the economic summit.

  Guatemala
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent information he has about disappearances of political activists in Guatemala.

  Mr. Eggar
  Our information is that disappearances in Guatemala are occurring at a rate of about 25 a month. A number of these are attributable to criminal activity but there is little doubt that many are politically motivated. Although the numbers are greatly reduced compared with the early 80s, the situation is a cause of continuing concern. Like the UN special adviser on human rights in Guatemala, we do not, however, believe that the present civilian Government either condone or carry out abductions.

  Namibia
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the current state of implementation of the Namibian peace accords.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We welcome recent progress on the implementation of the UN plan for Namibian independence.

  Immigration
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current delays in preparing explanatory statements for refusal of entry clearance in(a) Bombay and (b) Islamabad.
  552
  Mr. Eggar
  On average, explanatory statements are prepared and forwarded to the appellate authorities within three months of receipt of an appeal in Bombay and within four to six weeks in Islamabad.

  Individual cases may take longer, depending on what further inquiries the entry clearance officer needs to make in the light of the grounds for appeal.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subjects were discussed when he last met the Foreign Minister of Vietnam.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last met the Foreign Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on 28 June. They discussed how to follow up the agreements reached in Geneva for resolving the problem of Vietnamese boat people and the prospects for a comprehensive political settlement in Cambodia.

  Cuba
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of United Kingdom-Cuban relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  We maintain normal diplomatic relations with Cuba. The Cuban First Vice Foreign Minister, Dr. Jose Viera Linarea, is visiting the United Kingdom from 9 to 15 July.

  EC Social Charter
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, when he next meets West German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, the European Community social charter will be discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will next see Herr Genscher and other EC colleagues at the economic summit in Paris on 14 to 16 July. The social charter will not be on the agenda.

  Rain Forests
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice Her Majesty's embassy and consulates in Brazil have given United Kingdom companies seeking to carry on economic enterprises within areas of rain forest.

  Mr. Eggar
  Our officials are in regular contact with companies involved in the rain forest. As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development pointed out during his recent visit to Brazil, it is for the Brazilian authorities to decide what action they should take to enforce their laws. However, all companies should be concerned not only to comply with the laws of the country in which they operate but also to ensure that their operations are environmentally friendly.

  Bulgaria
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Bulgaria about its
  553
  expulsion of large numbers of the Turkish ethnic minority in that country; and what consultations he has had with other European Economic Community Governments regarding assistance to Turkey to meet the costs of resettlement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Dame Jill Knight) on 10 July.

  We have discussed the political aspects of this issue with our EC partners, who, like us, are particularly concerned about developments in the region. As yet, no decision has been taken about EC aid for the resettlement of refugees from Bulgaria.

  UNESCO
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans for renewing the United Kingdom's membership of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We are following developments at UNESCO closely and hope that the director general and member states will be able to bring about the changes that are needed. Before we can consider reviewing our position on membership, we will need to be convinced that fundamental reforms are being implemented both in UNESCO's administration and in its programmes. This will certainly not be possible until after UNESCO's general conference in November, which will adopt, and approve funding for, the organisation's new medium-term plan for 1990–95 and its programme and budget for 1990–91.

  Second World War (Records)
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now authorise the release through the Public Records Office of the special operations executive records from the second world war; and why none of these records has been made public to date.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. Established criteria provide for certain records to be retained or closed for periods longer than 30 years under appropriate sections of the Public Records Act 1958 as amended.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Large Loaves
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will investigate the effects of the linkage between Stewarts and Crazy Prices in Northern Ireland and Associated British Foods-Allied Bakeries on the price of large loaves in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Maude
  I have been asked to reply.

  Under United Kingdom competition legislation, it falls to the Director-General of Fair Trading to keep commercial activities in the United Kingdom under review. The director general's office has considered the competitive situation in the retail sale of bread in Northern Ireland including the operating relationship between Associated British Foods-Allied Bakers and Stewarts and
  554
  Crazy Prices, and has taken into account the report of the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, published on 29 June, on the price of a large loaf in Northern Ireland. The director general does not consider that formal action under the competition legislation is warranted. If the hon. Member has any evidence of monopoly abuse, anti-competitive or restrictive trade practices he should draw it to the attention of the Director General of Fair Trading.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure genuine competition in the retail sale of large loaves in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Maude
  I have been asked to reply.

  Under United Kingdom competition legislation it falls to the Director General of Fair Trading to keep commercial activities in the United Kingdom under review. The director general's office has considered the competitive situation in the retail sale of bread in Northern Ireland, and has taken into account the report of the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, published on 29 June, on the price of a large loaf in Northern Ireland but does not consider that formal action under the competition legislation is warranted. If the hon. Member has any evidence of monopoly abuse, anticompetitive or restrictive trade practices he should draw it to the attention of the Director General of Fair Trading.

WALES

  Housing
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (I) what was the area of other land (hectares) disposed of to private developers, including housing associations, for housing purposes by each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1981–82, I hi) 1982–83, (iv) 1983–84, (v) 1984–85, (vi) 1985–86, (vii) 1986–87, (viii) 1987–88 and (ix) 1988–89;

  (2) what was the number of (a) denial and (b) admission response notices issued for shared ownership by each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1981–82, (iii) 1982–83, (iv) 1983–84, (v) 1984–85, (vi) 1985–86, (vii) 1986–87. (viii) 1987–88 and (ix) 1988–89;

  (3) what was the number of completed (a) right-t o-buy full ownership sales and (b) other sales of (1) houses and (2) flats by each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1981–82, (iii) 1982–83, (iv) 1983–84, (v) 1984–85, (vi) 1985–86, (vii) 1986–87, (viii) 1987–88 and (ix) 1988–89;

  (4) what was the number of completed disposals of council dwellings (a) built for sale, (b) improved for sale, (c) sold unimproved for improvement by purchaser, (d) sold to sitting tenants and (e) other sales for (i) full ownership and (ii) shared ownership by each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (1) 1980–81, (2) 1981–82, (3) 1982–83, (4) 1983–84, (5) 1984–85, (6) 1985–86, (7) 1986–87, (8) 1987–88 and (9) 1988–89;

  (5) what was the number of completed right-to-buy sales where the authority does not own the freehold for (a) houses and (b) flats by each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1981–82, (iii) 1982–83, (iv) 1983–84, (v) 1984–85, (vi) 1985–86, (vii) 1986–87, (viii) 1987–88 and (ix) 1988–89;
  555
  (6) what was the number of completed right-to-buy sales with part 5 or section 32 mortgages for (a) flats and (b) houses by each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1981–82, (iii) 1982–83, (iv) 1983–84, (v) 1984–85, (vi) 1985–86, (vii) 1986–87, (viii) 1987–88 and (ix) 1988–89 for (1) right-to-buy sales and (2) other sales;

  (7) what was the number of denial response notices issued on the right to full ownership by each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (a) 1980–81, (b) 1981–82, (c) 1982–83, (d) 1983–84, (e) 1984–85, (f) 1985–86, (g) 1986–87, (h) 1987–88 and (i) 1988–89;

  (8) what was the number of dwellings where right-to-buy claims were denied under paragraph 11 of schedule 5 to the Housing Act 1985, as amended, included at section Al by each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (a) 1980–81, (b) 1981–82, (c) 1982–83, (d) 1983–84, (e) 1984–85, (f) 1985–86, (g) 1986–87, (h) 1987–88 and (i) 1988–89;

  (9) what was the number of right-to-buy full ownership claims for (a) houses and (b) flats received by each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1981–82, (iii) 1982–83, (iv) 1983–84, (v) 1984–85, (vi) 1985–86, (vii) 1986–87, (viii) 1987–88 and (ix) 1988–89;

  (10) what was the number of right-to-buy shared ownership leases granted for (a) houses and (b) flats by each local authority in Wales arid for Wales as a whole during (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1981–82, (iii) 1982–83, (iv) 1983–84, (v) 1984–85, (vi) 1985–86, (vii) 1986–87, (viii) 1987–88 and (ix) 1988–89;

  (11) what was the number of right to shared ownership leases granted for (a) houses and (b) flats with a part V or section 32 mortgage in each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1981–82, (iii) 1982–83, (iv) 1983–84, (v) 1984–85, (vi) 1985–86, (vii) 1986–87, (viii) 1987–88 and (ix) 1988–89;

  (12) what was the selling price, net of discount, of completed disposals of council dwellings (a) built for sale, (b) improved for sale, (c) sold unimproved for improvement by purchaser, (d) sold to sitting tenants, (e) other sales and (f) the total for (1) full ownership and (2) shared ownership by each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1981–82, (iii) 1982–83, (iv) 1983–84, (v) 1984–85, (vi) 1985–86, (vii) 1986–87, (viii) 1987–88 and (ix) 1988–89;

  (13) what was the total value of right-to-buy discount for each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole during (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1981–82, (iii) 1982–83, (iv) 1983–84, (v) 1984–85, (vi) 1985–86, (vii) 1986–87, (viii) 1987–88 and (ix) 1988–89;

  Mr. Peter Walker
  A limited amount of the information is already published in "Local Housing Statistics". The rest can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of accepted right-to-buy applications being dealt with but not yet completed at end of quarter for each local authority in Wales and for Wales as a whole.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested is given in the following table.
  556

  Accepted right to buy applications being dealt with but not yet completed at end of March 1989.

  Welsh District

  Number

  Aberconwy

  219

  Alyn and Deeside

  516

  Arfon

  343

  Blaenau Gwent

  544

  Brecknock

  219

  Cardiff

  2,466

  Carmarthen

  27

  Ceredigion

  344

  Colwyn

  —

  Cynon Valley

  407

  Delyn

  188

  Dinefwr

  32

  Dwyfor

  44

  Glyndwr

  186

  Islwyn

  412

  Llanelli

  683

  Lliw Valley

  347

  Meirionnydd

  120

  Merthyr Tydfil

  384

  Monmouth

  572

  Montgomeryshire

  262

  Neath

  414

  Newport

  1,206

  Ogwr

  808

  Port Talbot

  397

  Preseli

  107

  Radnorshire

  39

  Rhondda

  136

  Rhuddlan

  224

  Rhymney Valley

  499

  South Pembrokeshire

  177

  Swansea

  1,265

  Taff-Ely

  1,021

  Torfaen

  1,515

  Vale of Glamorgan

  844

  Wrexham Maelor

  1,393

  Ynys Mon

  616

  WALES

  18,976

  Planning Inquiries
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of planning inquiries held by his Department in the last year, the average for each of the past five years, the numbers of those appeals that were allowed and the numbers of those allowed appeals when the relevant local council's planning officer had recommended that the application be allowed.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  In 1988, 178 planning inquiries were heard and 67 appeals were allowed following inquiries. Over the years 1983–87 inclusive an annual average of 179 inquiries was heard, and an average of 78 appeals was allowed following inquiries. Information about the numbers of appeals allowed when the relevant local council's planning officer had recommended that the application be allowed is not recorded centrally.

  Housing Land
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department uses the same method of calculating the adequacy of housing land at planning inquiries as the methodology specified for local councils to use by Welsh Office circular 47/84, "Land for Housing in Wales."

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The methodology suggested for calculating the adequacy of housing land supply in Wales
  557
  remains as set down in Welsh Office circular 47/84. The advice on methodology in circular 47/84 applies equally to decisions made by myself and my inspectors.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the adequacy of housing land in(a) Cardiff and (b) Wales under the latest calculations using the methodology laid down in Welsh Office circular 47/84, "Land for Housing in Wales."

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Up-to-date figures on housing land supply in Cardiff are not available centrally but a joint land availability study for the county of South Glamorgan is expected to be published soon.

  Studies for most other counties have been published in recent years but it is not possible to calculate a single figure for Wales as a whole.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales why the Land Authority for Wales uses a method of calculating the adequacy of housing land different from that laid down in Welsh Office circular 47/84, "Land for Housing in Wales"; and how he ensures that no confusion or distortion is achieved by the use of the different methods of calculation.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Joint land availability studies published by the Land Authority for Wales in co-operation with house builders' representatives and local authorities normally use the method suggested in Welsh Office circular 47/84. However, in certain circumstances, especially where the structure plan is out of date, the group may agree to present an alternative methodology if they believe this is appropriate. The reasoning is fully explained in the published report and any differences of view among group members recorded.

  Water Undertakings
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on the disclosure of information by(a) Welsh Water and (b) other water public limited companies operating wholly or partly in Wales in the event of the privatisation of the existing water authorities; and what changes are proposed to the information water authorities currently have to make available to the public.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The underlying policy on the disclosure of information by privatised water and sewerage undertakers will be that applicable to registered limited companies rather than that appropriate to public corporations. In addition the Water Act 1989, earlier water legislation, and the conditions of appointment of water and sewerage undertakers under the 1989 Act, contain a wide range of requirements for making information available to the public, either direct or through myself, the National Rivers Authority, or the director general. For example, water undertakers will be required for the first time to publish information about the quality of water supplied for domestic purposes, both regularly and in response to individual requests for information. The National Rivers Authority will be required to maintain a public register including matters such as details of analyses of samples of effluent discharged by sewerage undertakers into controlled waters. The director general's register, which will also be a public document, will contain all key matters concerning appointments, and including information such as 558
  undertakings given under section 20(5)(b) relating to compliance programmes. Under section 34, I may arrange for the publication of information connected with the carrying out of water and sewerage functions as may appear to be in the public interest. And the director general's annual report, which must be laid before Parliament, will contain a general survey of developments within the scope of his functions.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what obligations he imposes on statutory water companies operating partly or wholly in Wales to disclose information about their structure, finances and activities; and what are the comparable obligations of private limited companies.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The requirements for disclosure of information about the structure, finances and activities of the statutory water companies and private limited companies are set out in company legislation.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy that full information should be accessible to the public in respect of statutory water companies operating partly or wholly in Wales to at least the same extent as any ordinary public limited company.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Government regard the statutory water company model as an outdated method of running a business. I hope that statutory water companies will take early advantage of the opportunity offered by the Water Act 1989 to become registered companies under a simplified conversion procedure, which will bring them within the scope of the full range of modern company legislation.

  NHS Beds
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many National Health Service beds(a) in Wales and (b) by health authority are provided in accommodation built (i) before 1914, (ii) before 1939, (iii) between 1939 and 1979 and (iv) since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  This information is not available centrally.

  Schools
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools currently in use in Wales, and by local education authority, were built(a) before 1914, (b) before 1939, (c) between 1939 and 1979, and (d) since 1979 showing for each category the numbers of primary, secondary or special schools, and the total number of pupils.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Details of the ages of school buildings are not held centrally.

  Sewage Treatment Works (Rhymney Valley)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the Official Report the applications he has received for the lowering of discharge consents of sewage works in the Rhymney valley.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have received two applications for time-limited variations of consent conditions as follows:
  559

  Draethen STW

  Rudry STW

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those sewage treatment works in the Rhymney valley which have failed to meet their discharge consents during the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  All sewage treatment works in the Rhymney valley met their consent conditions during 1988 (the latest period for which figures are available).

  Community Care
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about future arrangements for promoting effective community care.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Government have laid the foundations in Wales over recent years for the effective development of community care for those who are not cared for appropriately in hospitals or residential care.

  In the past, services for people with mental illness and mental handicaps have been imbalanced and poorly distributed across Wales. People have had to travel too far to receive care and the choice has too often been between care in isolated institutions, or of little or no support in people's own homes and communities.

  The all-Wales mental handicap strategy has, over the past six years, made possible an unprecedented expansion of community services. For example, the number of people receiving support in their own homes has risen from just 41 in 1982–83 to 1,898 in 1987–88; the number of places in ordinary housing for adults from 66 to 614; the number of places in short-term care in domestic settings from 34 to 404; and the number of people receiving new community-based day-care services from 37 to 809. This has made possible a substantial reduction in the number inappropriately cared for in institutions, with a drop between 1983 and 1987 of almost 20 per cent. in the number of mental handicap hospital in-patients, and a fall of nearly 60 per cent. in the number of children in such hospitals. To build on this success, I have allocated £18,658 million towards the development of the new pattern of services in 1989–90, an increase of nearly £5 million over expenditure in 1988–89.

  In June this year I published, following a highly successful public consultation, the all-Wales strategy for the development of mental illness services. This builds on the significant expansion of new patterns of services which has come about in recent years and which has been assisted by the recurrent additional investment of £13 million which the Welsh Office has made available. The strategy lays special emphasis on fully effective care and support for the most vulnerable, including those who require support in their own homes and communities after periods of care as hospital in-patients. I look forward to the joint plans from health and social services authorities and other agencies which the strategy calls for, and which will be the basis for development and investment by all concerned, including additional support from the Welsh Office, to secure the development throughout Wales of quality local services.

  The greatest challenge in health and social care facing us in Wales, as elsewhere in the western world, is providing adequately for increasing numbers of very elderly people. Our massive investment in health care, including
  560
  community health services, with an increase in expenditure in real terms of almost 45 per cent. since 1978–79, has led to record levels of patient care from which the elderly in particular have benefited. There have also been significant developments in personal social services based on an increase in net expenditure in real terms since 1978–79 of 40 per cent. This has made possible, for example, a 65 per cent. increase in the provision of aids to people of 65 and over, and a 40 per cent. increase in the number of home helps. In addition, there has been an unprecedented expansion of sheltered housing; since 1984–85 more than 4,000 additional units have been provided by housing associations and local authorities.

  To help health and social service authorities and other agencies to develop services further, in 1987 my Department launched an initiative on the care of the elderly. This aims to stimulate new developments by grant-aiding demonstration and innovative projects delivering services in a more flexible, co-ordinated and cost-effective way. Some 30 projects are now being funded for up to five years at a total cost of £6,261,000. We are appraising continuously the progress of the initiative and, in considering projects submitted next year, we will be placing more emphasis on encouraging the development of domiciliary care. My Department is undertaking surveys of services for disabled people provided by district health authorities, local authorities and voluntary organisations in Wales. Their needs will also be examined in the next round of health authorities' strategic planning. The results of those exercises will be available next year, but preliminary guidance for planning purposes will be issued shortly.

  Last year I introduced a new grant scheme to support training for local authority staff and others who deal with child abuse. I have expanded the programme this year to provide grants totalling £483,000. I have also approved a new initiative to improve services to families with children under five. Under this, grant totalling up to £400,000 will be available to the voluntary sector over three years. I am considering carefully what might be done more generally to promote better child care and support for families.

  These distinctive strategies and initiatives for Wales have been developed by taking advantage of my responsibility for a wide range of health and social services, housing and related programmes and the direct relationship between my Department and the key agencies. Nonetheless, those who need help with social care, over and above that which their families and friends provide, have had to look primarily to two separate sources: to the social services authorities for home care, day care and some residential care services, but to social security offices for payments towards the cost of places in private and voluntary residential care and nursing homes. In Wales, as elsewhere in the United Kingdom, this has led to a significant and unplanned expansion of residential and nursing home care which has not been subject to any assessment of individuals' need for such provision. This has not enabled the public agencies to secure the best packages of care for all individuals, although many have undoubtedly benefited from residential and nursing home care, and has worked against the generally accepted objective of securing, wherever appropriate, that people are supported in their own homes and communities.

  The Government have been reviewing these arrangements following Sir Roy Griffiths's report "Community Care: Agenda for Action" which was published in March

  561
  1988. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security have today announced the Government's conclusions. The main conclusions apply equally to Wales. In particular, I propose that in future there shall be a single budget for those seeking help from public funds for the cost of social care, whether in their own homes or in a residential or nursing home, which will enable decisions to be taken about the right package of care to meet an individual's particular needs at any point in time. The proposals will remove any perverse incentive for people to go into residential or nursing home care regardless of their needs.

  The delivery of effective community care depends on close co-operation at all levels between personal social services and health authorities, family practitioner services, housing authorities and associations, and the voluntary and private sectors, and on all concerned having close regard to the views of those who benefit from services, including any informal carers. The experience of the existing strategies and initiatives in Wales shows that the right place for leadership in respect of the public funding of social care rests with the social services authorities. I propose, therefore, that they should have the responsibility and the budget for such care and other costs not met by the social security system. Community health and family practitioner services will continue to have responsibility and the budgets to ensure the provision of essential health care for those who need it.

  In addition to the joint plans already required under the all-Wales mental illness and mental handicap strategies, I propose that social care plans for all groups should be produced by the social services authorities, in collaboration with other relevant agencies and interests. Detailed guidance on the arrangements for these plans will be issued in due course.

  Local authorities are increasingly seeing the value of securing effective social care from whatever source can best provide it, rather than automatically providing it
  562
  directly themselves. There are good examples in Wales of the use of voluntary and private sector providers in this way. I shall expect local authorities to build on this experience. In this spirit, it is proposed that the local authorities should continue to meet the costs of people in their own residential homes, subject to their existing power to make charges according to residents' ability to pay. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security is not proposing any change to the benefit rules for the residents of such homes.

  As in the rest of Great Britain, those already in registered residential and nursing home care before the new arrangements come into effect will remain eligible for financial help under the existing benefit arrangements.

  With resources transferred from the social security programme, I shall make available additional resources to the local authorities commensurate with their new responsibilities. There will be detailed discussions with representatives of the local authorities and other key interests about the financial and wider implications of these proposals to ensure the successful introduction of the new arrangements, which I propose should take effect from April 1991.

  The action which has already been taken in Wales to promote more effective community care has been widely commended. It has shown that it is possible for the Welsh Office, working in close co-operation with health and social services authorities and other agencies, to provide a favourable context for the provision of quality services which meet individual's needs in a sensitive way and which help and support, rather than undermine, informal networks of care provided by families and friends, which for most people will always constitute by far the greater part of the social care. The arrangements I have described in this statement will build on these achievements and enable all concerned to ensure that the people of Wales have every opportunity to preserve their independence for as long as possible as valued members of their communities.

HEALTH

  Immunisation
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report the uptake figures for measles, mumps and rubella immunisation in each health authority in England for each of the last 10 years and at the latest available date.

  Mr. Freeman
  The available information is not precisely in the form requested. Information on mumps has been collected only from 1 October 1988 with the introduction of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. This data will be available later in the year. Two-year uptake rates for measles are available only from 1984, by district health authority, as these authorities were formed only in 1982 as a result of the NHS restructuring. Rubella uptake rates are available only nationally. The available information is given in the table.

  1978 to 1987–88

  Rubella, uptake rate—schoolgirls aged 14 years Percentage of population immunised in England

  Per cent.

  1978

  74

  1979

  78

  1980

  84

  1981

  84

  1982

  83

  1983

  84

  1984

  86

  1985

  86

  1986

  87

  1987–88

  86

  Vaccination and immunization—measles

  Completed primary courses—two year uptake rate by DHA

  11984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  Northern RHA

  268

  272

  275

  277

  Hartlepool

  253

  253

  258

  260

  North Tees

  61

  65

  71

  76

  South Tees

  254

  255

  65

  68

  East Cumbria

  75

  77

  78

  82

  South Cumbria

  77

  81

  82

  73

  West Cumbria

  35

  89

  89

  92

  Darlington

  75

  74

  78

  83

  Durham

  273

  78

  83

  87

  North West Durham

  80

  83

  89

  89

  South West Durham

  74

  79

  82

  85

  Northumberland

  67

  74

  78

  87

  Gateshead

  70

  75

  73

  78

  Newcastle

  70

  74

  75

  79

  North Tyneside

  68

  73

  72

  79

  South Tyneside

  62

  73

  76

  78

  Sunderland

  64

  70

  74

  79

  Yorkshire RHA

  268

  273

  275

  276

  Hull

  65

  68

  69

  73

  East Yorkshire

  85

  88

  89

  88

  Grimsby

  254

  267

  272

  75

  Scunthorpe

  278

  83

  82

  86

  Northallerton

  76

  79

  85

  86

  York

  71

  75

  77

  77

  Scarborough

  76

  79

  81

  81

  Harrogate

  73

  78

  77

  85

  Bradford

  66

  72

  77

  78

  Airedale

  70

  71

  75

  80

  Calderdale

  72

  75

  76

  76

  Huddersfield

  73

  76

  78

  82

  Dewsbury

  69

  57

  71

  74

  Leeds Western

  268

  79

  84

  87

  Leeds Eastern

  —

  73

  77

  81

  Wakefield

  67

  71

  74

  84

  564

  11984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  Pontefract

  66

  68

  69

  73

  Trent RHA

  265

  272

  276

  279

  North Derbyshire

  259

  272

  82

  85

  Southern Derbyshire

  77

  82

  82

  282

  Leicestershire

  68

  76

  80

  84

  North Lincolnshire

  67

  75

  73

  73

  South Lincolnshire

  62

  67

  72

  78

  Bassetlaw

  67

  71

  74

  74

  Central Nottinghamshire

  261

  75

  78

  80

  Nottingham

  68

  75

  80

  77

  Barnsley

  61

  69

  74

  77

  Doncaster

  62

  69

  73

  85

  Rotherham

  58

  66

  70

  89

  Sheffield

  264

  270

  270

  279

  East Anglia RHA

  273

  277

  279

  280

  Cambridge

  78

  82

  82

  84

  Peterborough

  67

  71

  71

  76

  West Suffolk

  78

  84

  282

  85

  East Suffolk

  84

  82

  85

  87

  Norwich

  76

  82

  83

  84

  Great Yarmouth and Waveney

  75

  80

  81

  83

  West Norfolk and Wisbech

  73

  77

  78

  79

  Huntingdon

  69

  70

  71

  86

  North West Thames RHA

  264

  266

  271

  274

  North Bedfordshire

  77

  81

  85

  87

  South Bedfordshire

  69

  73

  74

  73

  North Hertfordshire

  268

  75

  77

  81

  East Hertfordshire

  274

  78

  79

  84

  North West Hertfordshire

  275

  80

  83

  86

  South West Hertfordshire

  270

  77

  80

  80

  Barnet

  68

  70

  71

  75

  Harrow

  61

  51

  70

  77

  Hillingdon

  61

  65

  69

  75

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  59

  62

  79

  73

  Ealing

  57

  257

  63

  67

  Brent

  262

  261

  262

  256

  Paddington and North Kensington

  62

  61

  58

  58

  Riverside

  —

  62

  63

  64

  North East Thames RHA

  252

  258

  262

  270

  Basildon and Thurrock

  49

  63

  67

  77

  Mid Essex

  275

  81

  83

  84

  North East Essex

  251

  274

  275

  81

  West Essex

  251

  58

  258

  266

  Southend

  53

  68

  69

  78

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  68

  67

  67

  71

  Hampstead

  43

  51

  48

  53

  Bloomsbury

  244

  243

  245

  251

  Islington

  233

  250

  261

  265

  City and Hackney

  53

  57

  60

  65

  Newham

  46

  54

  45

  51

  Tower Hamlet

  49

  61

  66

  72

  Enfield

  69

  67

  72

  71

  Haringey

  65

  64

  61

  64

  Redbridge

  51

  57

  56

  51

  Waltham Forest

  257

  62

  69

  73

  South East Thames RHA

  260

  266

  266

  270

  Brighton

  62

  73

  81

  74

  Eastbourne

  70

  80

  84

  84

  Hastings

  273

  69

  77

  79

  South East Kent

  262

  272

  75

  83

  Canterbury and Thanet

  67

  70

  73

  281

  Dartford and Gravesham

  73

  72

  74

  77

  Maidstone

  76

  77

  82

  281

  Medway

  63

  66

  72

  84

  Tunbridge Wells

  268

  77

  78

  82

  Bexley

  45

  57

  44

  36

  Greenwich

  40

  51

  50

  68

  Bromley

  68

  71

  74

  84

  West Lambeth

  256

  254

  252

  56

  565

  11984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  Camberwell

  58

  52

  49

  58

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  38

  59

  63

  67

  South West Thames RHA

  266

  270

  272

  277

  North West Surrey

  63

  64

  63

  73

  West Surrey and North East Hants

  75

  88

  86

  84

  South West Surrey

  64

  68

  63

  59

  Mid Surrey

  292

  274

  67

  77

  East Surrey

  50

  71

  67

  59

  Chichester

  84

  84

  84

  90

  Mid Downs

  85

  87

  89

  289

  Worthing

  84

  85

  86

  89

  Croydon

  60

  72

  71

  277

  Kingston and Esher

  255

  60

  67

  270

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  252

  257

  55

  55

  Wandsworth

  51

  56

  62

  74

  Merton and Sutton

  60

  62

  64

  63

  Wessex RHA

  275

  279

  281

  282

  East Dorset

  77

  80

  81

  86

  West Dorset

  274

  279

  80

  82

  Portsmouth and South East Hants

  73

  72

  76

  78

  Southampton and South West Hants

  84

  87

  87

  90

  Winchester

  82

  86

  86

  89

  Basingstoke and North Hants

  79

  83

  82

  81

  Salisbury

  270

  71

  72

  285

  Swindon

  268

  73

  78

  82

  Bath

  273

  76

  77

  284

  Isle of Wight

  58

  69

  73

  82

  Oxford RHA

  274

  278

  278

  282

  East Berkshire

  267

  265

  76

  West Berkshire

  270

  56

  70

  76

  Aylesbury Vale

  82

  84

  87

  87

  Wycombe

  285

  290

  88

  90

  Milton Keynes

  272

  73

  72

  67

  Kettering

  79

  80

  83

  Northampton

  268

  75

  75

  79

  Oxfordshire

  78

  83

  88

  290

  South Western RHA

  271

  276

  278

  285

  Bristol and Weston

  76

  80

  81

  80

  Frenchay

  73

  80

  79

  84

  Southmead

  80

  85

  85

  84

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  53

  60

  64

  69

  Exeter

  80

  86

  87

  90

  North Devon

  81

  85

  88

  90

  Plymouth

  72

  79

  79

  85

  Torbay

  74

  79

  82

  86

  Cheltenham and District

  71

  73

  79

  81

  Gloucester

  56

  59

  71

  80

  Somerset

  87

  89

  91

  92

  West Midlands RHA

  259

  264

  267

  275

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  77

  71

  72

  76

  Herefordshire

  74

  73

  76

  80

  Kidderminster and District

  79

  76

  79

  82

  Worcester and District

  81

  79

  82

  83

  Shropshire

  72

  76

  79

  83

  Mid Staffordshire

  46

  62

  80

  85

  North Staffordshire

  38

  71

  77

  80

  South East Staffordshire

  52

  64

  66

  89

  Rugby

  74

  72

  74

  81

  North Warwickshire

  73

  69

  73

  78

  South Warwickshire

  77

  80

  83

  285

  Central Birmingham

  251

  254

  262

  265

  East Birmingham

  238

  44

  62

  52

  North Birmingham

  254

  255

  262

  270

  South Birmingham

  252

  262

  246

  261

  West Birmingham

  68

  77

  58

  64

  Coventry

  58

  62

  68

  73

  Dudley

  68

  73

  75

  78

  Sandwell

  59

  63

  66

  71

  Solihull

  54

  56

  63

  72

  566

  11984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  Walsall

  55

  61

  66

  75

  Wolverhampton

  54

  58

  66

  70

  Mersey RHA

  257

  262

  166

  172

  Chester

  85

  89

  89

  84

  Crewe

  81

  85

  87

  85

  Halton

  81

  86

  90

  84

  Macclesfied

  88

  91

  93

  88

  Warrington

  67

  70

  74

  82

  Liverpool

  47

  49

  53

  64

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  41

  54

  56

  65

  Southport and Formby

  58

  67

  67

  80

  South Sefton

  37

  41

  47

  57

  Wirral

  81

  88

  88

  82

  North Western RHA

  253

  259

  166

  171

  Lancaster

  51

  75

  77

  85

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  41

  50

  59

  62

  Preston

  43

  54

  53

  73

  Blackburn, Hyndburn and

  Ribble Valley

  51

  53

  55

  64

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  47

  52

  60

  68

  West Lancashire

  41

  43

  69

  77

  Chorley and South Ribble

  37

  47

  61

  63

  Bolton

  70

  73

  77

  83

  Bury

  69

  77

  78

  80

  North Manchester

  54

  60

  63

  68

  Central Manchester

  52

  60

  64

  73

  South Manchester

  47

  48

  54

  57

  Oldham

  52

  61

  66

  72

  Rochdale

  48

  59

  71

  76

  Salford

  46

  44

  60

  64

  Stockport

  67

  70

  74

  80

  Tameside and Glossop

  64

  71

  74

  80

  Trafford

  66

  70

  79

  81

  Wigan

  67

  72

  76

  79

  1 In 1984 figures include combined uptake rates for the following DHAs:

  Leeds Western and Leeds Eastern:

  East Berkshire and West Berkshire;

  Kettering and Northampton.

  2 Uptake rates are those supplied DHA calculated rates have been used.

  Mental Handicap
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of long-stay patients discharged from each mental handicap hospital in England and Wales since 1981.

  Mr. Freeman
  Provision of the information for each hospital would involve disproportionate cost. The table shows, for each district health authority, the number of discharges, excluding transfers and deaths, of mentally handicapped patients after a stay of one year or more in an NHS mental handicap hospital or unit in England. The figures in the table may not exactly equate to numbers of people, because some may have been discharged several times during the period. The information for 1981 could not be provided without disproportionate cost due to boundary changes to the district health authorities' areas. The information for Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  NHS Mental Handicap Hospitals and Units in England 1986 Number of long stay patients discharged by Hospitals in districts

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Northern RHA

  59

  66

  104

  80

  112

  Hartlepool

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Tees

  0

  1

  3

  0

  1

  567

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  South Tees

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Cumbria

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Cumbria

  0

  0

  0

  5

  15

  West Cumbria

  15

  14

  14

  22

  2

  Darlington

  12

  11

  35

  12

  18

  Durham

  7

  11

  17

  12

  16

  North West Durham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South West Durham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Northumberland

  25

  27

  33

  29

  59

  Gateshead

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Newcastle

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Tyneside

  0

  2

  2

  0

  1

  Sunderland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special Hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Yorkshire RHA

  104

  67

  95

  192

  203

  Hull

  40

  9

  11

  5

  14

  East Yorkshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Grimsby

  0

  0

  0

  6

  7

  Scunthorpe

  0

  1

  2

  7

  3

  Northallerton

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  York

  26

  3

  6

  41

  23

  Scarborough

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Harrogate

  0

  4

  4

  18

  44

  Bradford

  8

  13

  24

  12

  34

  Airedale

  4

  4

  4

  15

  7

  Calderdale

  12

  16

  17

  9

  19

  Huddersfield

  0

  0

  2

  18

  3

  Dewsbury

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Leeds Western

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Leeds Eastern

  11

  g

  17

  12

  22

  Wakefield

  3

  9

  8

  48

  27

  Pontefract

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special Hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Trent RHA

  149

  125

  191

  210

  415

  North Derbyshire

  4

  9

  2

  10

  27

  Southern Derbyshire

  29

  15

  22

  33

  31

  Leicestershire

  16

  15

  10

  28

  26

  North Lincolnshire

  7

  13

  39

  18

  65

  South Lincolnshire

  3

  0

  12

  22

  76

  Bassetlaw

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Central Nottinghamshire

  16

  14

  23

  18

  87

  Nottingham

  9

  2

  3

  32

  33

  Barnsley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Doncaster

  0

  18

  13

  10

  7

  Rotherham

  9

  11

  35

  9

  11

  Sheffield

  56

  28

  32

  30

  50

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special Hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  East Anglia RHA

  37

  96

  85

  88

  79

  Cambridge

  2

  15

  8

  15

  4

  Peterborough

  2

  2

  1

  6

  0

  568

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  West Suffolk

  2

  22

  1

  5

  26

  East Suffolk

  5

  6

  20

  22

  18

  Norwich

  16

  47

  39

  24

  29

  Great Yarmouth and Waveney

  5

  2

  8

  9

  2

  West Norfolk and Wisbech

  5

  2

  8

  7

  0

  Huntingdon

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special Hospitals.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  North West Thames RHA

  72

  77

  84

  83

  70

  North Bedfordshire

  5

  8

  10

  15

  18

  South Bedfordshire

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  North Hertfordshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Hertfordshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North West Hertfordshire

  40

  27

  39

  32

  38

  South West Hertfordshire

  23

  19

  18

  30

  11

  Barnet

  2

  15

  9

  0

  0

  Harrow

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Hillingdon

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Eating

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Brent

  2

  7

  7

  6

  2

  Paddington and North Kensington

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Riverside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special Hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  North East Thames

  RHA

  47

  42

  90

  111

  71

  Basildon and Thurrock

  16

  20

  26

  23

  29

  Mid Essex

  2

  1

  3

  3

  2

  North East Essex

  17

  2

  32

  32

  29

  West Essex

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Southend

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  0

  3

  23

  43

  5

  Hampstead

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bloomsbury

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Islington

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  City and Hackney

  0

  2

  2

  4

  0

  Newham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Tower Hamlets

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Enfield

  0

  3

  1

  0

  3

  Haringey

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Redbridge

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Waltham Forest

  11

  10

  3

  6

  1

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special Hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.
  569

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  South East Thames RHA

  110

  136

  203

  258

  354

  Brighton

  3

  5

  5

  21

  26

  Eastbourne

  8

  6

  15

  3

  14

  Hastings

  11

  7

  18

  16

  6

  South East Kent

  0

  3

  8

  6

  5

  Canterbury and Thanet

  15

  35

  28

  33

  33

  Dartford and Gravesham

  45

  28

  44

  73

  156

  Maidstone

  0

  0

  2

  27

  13

  Medway

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Tunbridge Wells

  20

  30

  64

  62

  81

  Bexley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Greenwich

  2

  0

  2

  7

  9

  Bromley

  4

  15

  1

  2

  1

  West Lambeth

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Camberwell

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  2

  7

  16

  8

  10

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special Hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  South West Thames RHA

  74

  120

  144

  189

  297

  North West Surrey

  1

  6

  32

  20

  27

  West Surrey and North East Hants

  0

  2

  1

  3

  3

  South West Surrey

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  Mid Surrey

  19

  39

  0

  12

  24

  East Surrey

  7

  20

  29

  14

  33

  Chichester

  1

  2

  1

  0

  0

  Mid Downs

  1

  5

  4

  10

  4

  Worthing

  0

  4

  1

  1

  0

  Croydon

  15

  12

  18

  76

  157

  Kingston and Esher

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  2

  5

  3

  2

  13

  Wandsworth

  1

  1

  2

  0

  0

  Merton and Sutton

  27

  24

  51

  51

  36

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special Hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Wessex RHA

  84

  139

  126

  119

  206

  East Dorset

  0

  0

  1

  10

  2

  West Dorset

  0

  16

  4

  9

  27

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  28

  61

  42

  30

  22

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  18

  24

  28

  32

  58

  Winchester

  0

  0

  1

  11

  40

  Basingstoke and North Hampshire

  0

  7

  21

  2

  11

  Salisbury

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  Swindon

  17

  5

  21

  8

  10

  Bath District

  12

  13

  4

  7

  5

  Isle of Wight

  9

  13

  3

  8

  31

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals or Special Hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.
  570

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Oxford RHA

  44

  62

  65

  92

  104

  East Berkshire

  5

  10

  5

  5

  1

  West Berkshire

  12

  22

  17

  18

  24

  Aylesbury Vale

  8

  6

  5

  18

  7

  Wycombe

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Milton Keynes

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kettering

  1

  2

  1

  0

  0

  Northampton

  5

  6

  6

  8

  16

  Oxfordshire

  13

  16

  31

  43

  56

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special Hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  South Western RHA

  123

  168

  410

  251

  193

  Bristol and Weston

  2

  16

  36

  9

  8

  Frenchay

  5

  29

  75

  32

  33

  Southmead

  12

  33

  80

  42

  22

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  22

  11

  34

  37

  16

  Exeter

  40

  57

  123

  59

  56

  North Devon

  1

  0

  4

  1

  0

  Plymouth

  4

  4

  2

  5

  1

  Torbay

  3

  2

  19

  31

  10

  Cheltenham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Gloucester

  10

  5

  13

  3

  12

  Somerset

  23

  11

  24

  32

  35

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special Hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  West Midlands RHA

  138

  156

  107

  137

  151

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  0

  0

  0

  0

  8

  Herefordshire

  3

  0

  1

  0

  2

  Kidderminster and District

  41

  41

  25

  50

  36

  Worcester and District

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Shropshire

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Mid Staffordshire

  3

  0

  1

  0

  3

  North Staffordshire

  13

  14

  6

  13

  8

  South East Staffordshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rugby

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Warwickshire

  30

  35

  21

  29

  37

  South Warwickshire

  1

  10

  5

  14

  6

  Central Birmingham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Birmingham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Birmingham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Birmingham

  5

  20

  26

  10

  9

  West Birmingham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Coventry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dudley

  8

  5

  3

  7

  14

  Sandwell

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Solihull

  3

  3

  5

  3

  4

  Walsall

  31

  25

  14

  10

  24

  Wolverhampton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and Special hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Mersey RHA

  83

  102

  119

  98

  132

  Chester

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Crewe

  18

  19

  15

  21

  17

  571

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Halton

  0

  2

  2

  5

  2

  Macclesfield

  5

  5

  13

  10

  30

  Warrington

  4

  17

  57

  35

  27

  Liverpool

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Southport and Forsby

  50

  31

  15

  12

  23

  South Sefton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wirral

  0

  14

  3

  4

  14

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and special hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  District of treatment

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  North Western RHA

  105

  101

  96

  144

  141

  Lancaster

  36

  26

  26

  42

  33

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Preston

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

  31

  46

  24

  52

  34

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  29

  22

  40

  43

  45

  West Lancashire

  2

  4

  4

  0

  9

  Chorley and South Ribble

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bolton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bury

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Manchester

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Central Manchester

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Manchester

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Oldham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rochdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Salford

  2

  1

  2

  0

  0

  Stockport

  5

  2

  0

  7

  16

  Tameside and Glossop

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Trafford

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wigan

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Notes:

  (1) Excludes deaths and transfers to other hospitals and special hospitals.

  (2) Long stay are those patients discharged after a stay of one year or more.

  Abortion
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions have been performed on girls under the age of 16 years at Kettering general hospital in each year since 1968 in actual and in percentage terms: and what are the national percentage figures.

  Mr. Freeman
  The figures for England and Wales and the readily available data for usual residents of Kettering district health authority are shown in the tables.

  Number of abortions performed in England and Wales, to those under 16 years, 27 April 1968 to 31 December 1987

  Year

  Total A

  Under 16 B

  Percent. B of A

  1968

  23,641

  553

  2·3

  1969

  54,819

  1,231

  2·2

  1970

  86,565

  1,822

  2·1

  1971

  126,777

  2,618

  2·1

  1972

  159,884

  3,320

  2·1

  1973

  167,149

  3,660

  2·2

  1974

  162,940

  3,948

  2·4

  1975

  139,702

  4,006

  2·9

  1976

  129,673

  3,835

  3·0

  1977

  133,004

  4,067

  3·1

  572

  Year

  Total A

  Under 16 B

  Percent. B of A

  1978

  141,558

  3,724

  2·6

  1979

  149,746

  3,856

  2·6

  1980

  160,903

  4,143

  2·6

  1981

  162,480

  3,949

  2·4

  1982

  163,045

  4,343

  2·7

  1983

  162,161

  4,566

  2·8

  1984

  169,993

  4,609

  2·7

  1985

  171,873

  4,427

  2·6

  1986

  172,286

  4,240

  2·5

  1987

  174,276

  4,075

  2·3

  Total

  2,812,475

  70,992

  2·5

  Number of abortions to usual residents of Kettering District Health Authority, under 16 years, 1983–87

  1983

  500

  28

  5·6

  1984

  526

  31

  5·9

  1985

  557

  27

  4·8

  1986

  550

  23

  4·2

  1987

  604

  19

  3·1

  Warrington Drug Dependency Clinic
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of people treated within Warrington drug dependency clinic in the latest available year.

  Mr. Freeman
  Responsibility for local services rests with the local statutory authorities. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Warrington health authority since the information he has requested is not held centrally.

  Medical Services (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement concerning the future of the chiropody service within the district of Durham.

  Mr. Freeman
  The provision of chiropody services in Durham is the responsibility of Durham district health authority. The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of Durham DHA for the information he requires.

  "Drug Tariff"
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the monthly issue by the Department of Health of the publication "Drug Tariff" costs; and what consideration he has given to circulating this information more cheaply.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information on the cost of production of the "Drug Tariff- is commercially confidential, but I can assure my hon. Friend that the work has been put out to competitive tender by HMSO and awarded to the cheapest tenderer.

  Whitley Councils
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will lay before the House the Government's responses to the third report of the Social Services Committee of 1988–89 on Whitley councils.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. and learned Friend has done so today.

  Census Test
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the analysis of the proportion of householders in each census test area who returned a completed form is now available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Full evaluation of the test will take some time, but the analysis referred to is now available. Of those households recorded as present on census test night, 60 per cent. returned a completed form. The response rates for each area in the test were as follows.
  574

  Test area in:

  Response (per cent.)

  Wandsworth and Merton

  54

  Birmingham

  42

  Scarborough

  73

  Berwickshire

  94

  East Lothian

  89

  Edinburgh

  75

  In general, response rates were in line with expectations based on the results of previous voluntary census tests. The test areas were chosen to cover a variety of circumstances and the variation in response rates reflects differences in such factors as the difficulty of contacting householders and of recruiting enumerators.

  NATURE CONSERVANCY COUNCIL AND COUNTRYSIDE COMMISSION: REORGANISATION
  NATURE CONSERVANCY COUNCIL AND COUNTRYSIDE COMMISSION: REORGANISATION
  ABINGDON STREET GARDENS, WESTMINSTER
  ABINGDON STREET GARDENS, WESTMINSTER
  WESSEX WATER AUTHORITY: RIVER FROME DISCHARGE PROPOSAL
  WESSEX WATER AUTHORITY: RIVER FROME DISCHARGE PROPOSAL
  REGENT'S PARK: LONDON ZOO EXPANSION
  REGENT'S PARK: LONDON ZOO EXPANSION
  LONDON ZOO: CAR PARK
  LONDON ZOO: CAR PARK
  LONDON ZOO: REGENT'S CANAL
  LONDON ZOO: REGENT'S CANAL
  HEVENINGHAM HALL
  HEVENINGHAM HALL
  MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAY
  MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAY
  FIREARMS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE: MEMBERSHIP
  FIREARMS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE: MEMBERSHIP
  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK SUBVENTION
  NORTHERN IRELAND: UK SUBVENTION
  NORTHERN IRELAND VOLUNTARY BODIES' GRANTS
  NORTHERN IRELAND VOLUNTARY BODIES' GRANTS