Written Answers of 13 July 1989

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Selective Investment Brokers Ltd.
  Sir Charles Morrison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what negotiations or discussions his Department had with third parties about the affairs of Selective Investment Brokers Ltd., between January 1985 and June 1986.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 5 July 1989]: None. The company was mentioned in the context of investigations into Wessex Trust conducted by the Wiltshire police at the request of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the course of which assistance was provided by my Department.

  Industrial Location
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what action he has taken to persuade European companies to locate in the United Kingdom in the light of the opening of the Channel tunnel and the advent of the single market in 1992;

  (2) what advice he has given to European companies on the advantages of the Channel tunnel in attracting investment in the United Kingdom from Europe.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 11 July 1989]: The DTI's Invest in Britain Bureau organises a number of commercially sponsored seminars in Europe each year aimed at attracting investment into the United Kingdom generally and highlighting the benefits of the assisted areas.

  In promoting the United Kingdom as the "Preferred Location" it draws on a wide range of selling points which include its competitive wage rates, low social on-costs, low corporate taxation, skilled work force, membership of the Community, the impending completion of the single European market, the already good connections to the mainland, particularly from the east coast ports and the enhanced physical communications that will be brought about by the completion of the Channel tunnel.

  Opium Derivatives
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the supply of opium derivatives is to be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  [pursuant to his reply, 20 April 1989, c. 254–260]: As recommended by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, we shall work towards the creation of a single EC market in opium derivatives. We envisage the development of reciprocal arrangements among EC countries for both promoting and supervising trade between them in these and other narcotic drugs, taking account of production within the Community and imports from elsewhere.

  Shipyards
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement outlining the powers of the European Economic Commission in relation to investment proposals for shipyards, with particular reference to proposals to re-open shipyards.

  Mr. Newton
  If shipbuilding were to resume at North East Shipbuilders Ltd. without their agreement, the Commission would be in a position to take infraction proceedings against the United Kingdom under article 85 of the treaty of Rome. The Commission could also open a procedure under article 93(2) of the treaty of Rome into all matters notified last December. As a result of such a procedure the Commission could require state aid that they decided was outwith the terms of the sixth directive on aid to shipbuilding to be repaid.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government concerning companies seeking to re-open shipyards owned by British Shipbuilders without intervention assistance, being required to submit proposals.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer my hon. Friend to my statement today.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has consulted the European Economic Community Commission on proposals ro reopen shipyards when the purchasers were not seeking any intervention assistance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  In December 1988 the Government notified their intention to close North East Shipbuilders Limited as part of a package covering all aspects of support for the corporation under the sixth directive on aid to shipbuilding with the exception of the terms for the disposal of Govan which had already been cleared. The Commission took the closure into account in deciding not to raise objection to the extensive assistance that British Shipbuilders had required and to the manner in which the Government proposed to deal with this. Any proposal for a return to shipbuilding at North East Shipbuilders Limited would give the Commission grounds for re-opening all the matters cleared last December. In these circumstances we could only proceed sensibly on the basis of consulting the Commission about possible proposals.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Plain English
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service whether there has been any progress made in efforts in the Civil Service to produce documents in plain English and to reduce redundancy of forms and their contents.

  Mr. Luce
  Since the Government's forms initiative began in 1982, Departments have made good progress in producing forms and leaflets which are easier to understand and simpler to complete. A review of the forms that the Government send to business has recently been carried out by my office. This makes recommendations to reduce the numbers of forms sent out, and to make those
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  that remain clearer and easier to complete. Copies of the review report have been placed in the Libraries of the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made on achieving equality of opportunity within the Civil Service for women and those from the ethnic minorities.

  Mr. Luce
  We are making good progress in this area. My Department will, next week, publish a report on progress achieved in implementing the programme of action to increase equality of opportunity for women in the Civil Service. This shows that opportunities for combining a family and a career are improving, and that we are seeing more women in middle and top management jobs. As I told the House on 22 May, a similar programme of action to increase equality of opportunity for ethnic minority staff and applicants is currently being drawn up in consultation with departments.

  Agency Status
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many branches of the Civil Service now have agency status; and in which Departments.

  Mr. Richard Luce
  [holding answer 11 July 1989]: A total of eight Government activities have been set up as executive agencies. These are:

  Agency

  Department

  Vehicle inspectorate

  Department of Transport

  Companies House

  Department of Trade and Industry

  HMSO

  National weights and measures laboratory

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Warren Spring laboratory

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Resettlement agency

  Department of Social Security

  Civil Service College

  Office of the Minister for the Civil Service

  QEII conference centre

  Property Services Agency

  I shall be making a full progress report to the House shortly.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Bank of England (Privatisation)
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to privatise the Bank of England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government have no plans to privatise the Bank of England.

  Civil Service Pensions
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether changes are planned in the occupational pension arrangements for part-time staff working in the Civil Service.

  Mr. Brooke
  New, more flexible pension arrangements for part-time staff, most of whom are women, are to be introduced from 1 January 1990. They will provide greater opportunity for part-time staff to earn pension benefits. The new arrangements complement the alternative working patterns initiative, and will help the Civil Service to tap into sources of skilled and experienced staff who may hitherto have been deterred by the traditional working pattern. The changes will also enable useful simplification of administrative procedures to be made.

  Civil Servants (Transfers)
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the arrangements for making advances of salary available to civil servants who have to move their homes as a result of being transferred in the public interest to a new place of work.

  Mr. Brooke
  A civil servant who has to move home on transfer in the public interest to a new place of work may be eligible for an advance of salary. Under the current arrangements an advance may be made if the net proceeds of the sale of the existing property, if any, and the maximum mortgage available from commercial sources are not sufficient to cover the cost of a suitable property at the new station. The current maximum advance payable within upper and lower limits is six months' pay. The limits were last revised in 1981. The upper limit is £9,500 with a further £1,000 for transfers into London.

  The arrangements have recently been reviewed in the light of changes in the property market and in salaries since 1981. The intention is to allow departments more flexibility in making advances on transfer. It will no longer be an essential requirement, for example, that the individual should first obtain the maximum commercial mortgage. It is also proposed that the maximum advance should be six months' pay, as previously, but that the limits expressed in cash terms should be abolished.

  Rationalisation Schemes
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recommendations have been made by the inter-departmental committee set up to consider whether Departments should enjoy a share of benefits accruing from rationalisation schemes and disposals of property declared surplus.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  At present, receipts from the disposal of Government civil property are in general accounted for by the PSA and accrue to the Exchequer. From 1 April 1990, responsibility for the existing civil estate will be divided between individual Departments and the PSA, as announced in the statement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 25 May 1988, Official Report, column 339. From that date, individual Departments will account for receipts in respect of disposals from their departmental estates and will seek permission from the Treasury to reapply all or part of proceeds to other parts of their programme offering good

  579
  value for money. The same arrangements apply to the PSA which will have responsibility for the common user element of the civil estate and could involve assistance to Departments that have had to move in order to create worthwhile rationalisation opportunities. This issue is among the matters kept under review by the official level interdepartmental committee which deals with accommodation matters generally on the Government's civil estate.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Serious Fraud Squad
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General what reasons have been given to the serious fraud squad by the Egyptian authorities for their refusal to provide papers relating to Mr. Fayed; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Investigations into allegations that criminal offences have been committed by Mr. Fayed are continuing. It would not be appropriate for me to provide more specific information.

  Civilian Employment (figures in thousands)

  1982

  1987

  Change

  Percentage Change

  United Kingdom1

  23,584

  25,060

  +1,476

  +6·3

  Rest of EC

  97,569

  98,920

  +1,351

  +1·4

  1 Over the five-year period 1983 to 1988 the rise was 111 per cent, for the United Kingdom.

  Source: United Kingdom(DE) Rest of EC(Eurostat)

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage reduction in employment in the manufacturing industry sector in the north-west from 1979 to 1988.

  Mr. Lee
  Between June 1979 and June 1988 the number of employees in employment in the manufacturing industry sector in the North West region fell by 36 per cent.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed for 12 months or more in the constituencies of(a) Burnley, (b) Pendle, (c) Hyndburn, (d) Rossendale and (e) Darwen.

  Mr. Lee
  The information is available from the Library. The following table shows for each parliamentary constituency requested, the number of unemployed claimants who had been unemployed for 12 months or more in April 1989, the latest available date.

  Long-Term Unemployed Claimants—April 1989

  Parliamentary constituency

  Unemployed over 12 months

  Burnley

  1,188

  Pendle

  714

  Hyndburn

  650

  Rossendale and Darwen

  532

  Industrial Action (Public Services)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he has given to amending industrial relations law to deal with unofficial industrial action taken by those providing vital public services.

  Malicious Communications Act 1988
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General, how many prosecutions there have been under the Malicious Communications Act 1988; and what was their outcome.

  The Attorney-General
  I regret that such information is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Bevan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been created in the last five years in the United Kingdom and in the European Community as a whole.

  Mr. Cope
  Employment estimates are not yet available for many EC countries after 1987. The table shows the data requested for the five-year period from 1982 to 1987.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Recent industrial action in certain public sector services has been irresponsible and unnecessary. The Government are considering what needs to be done to protect the public interest, and we shall not hesitate to come forward with appropriate proposals for legislation if that proves necessary.

  Social Charter
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what advice he has received from the EEC Commission about the numbers and scope of directives which it intends to propose under the social charter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The European Commission have put forward a preliminary draft proposal for a Community charter of fundamental social rights, which they suggest should be adopted by a solemn declaration of all 12 heads of state and Government. The Commission's preliminary draft of the proposal includes an invitation to the Commission to draw up a programme of work by June 1990. No details of such a programme have been received from the Commission.

  Trade Union Safety Representatives
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current estimated number of trade union safety representatives as defined by the 1977 Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations under the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act; and what was the number in 1978.
  581
  Mr. Nicholls
  The health and Safety Executive does not keep records of the number of trade union safety representatives, but the Trades Union Congress currently estimates the numbers to be between 90,000 and 100,000.

  My right hon Friend has no reason to believe that this number has changed significantly since 1978.

  Industrial Accidents
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps is he taking to deal with the increase in accidents in construction, agriculture and forestry.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Commission's plan of work for 1989–90 and beyond approved in April by my right hon. Friend contains a number of extra measures designed to stimulate improvements in the health and safety performance of the construction, agricultural and associated industries. For construction these include reaching a target of 100 inspectors engaged on inspection in 1990, targeting inspections on the more hazardous activities and on the quality of site management, preparing new regulations to improve the management of health and safety on construction sites. Similarly for agriculture these include allocating additional resources to the agricultural inspectorate to be targeted primarily on high risk premises, certification of agricultural pesticide users under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986, and new guidance on obligations under these and related regulations.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any further plans to tackle the problems of under-reporting of accidents to the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Nicholls
  One and a half million copies of HSE's leaflet "Report that accident" have been distributed since 1987. The recent construction blitz campaign reminded small contractors of their reporting obligations. Also, in May and June 1988 an advertising campaign was directed specifically at under-reporting in the footwear and clothing industries and the timber and wooded furniture industries.

  Tourism
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment following his announcement about the future of tourism, which bodies will deal with strategic marketing and marketing policy.

  Mr. Lee
  The British Tourist Authority, the national and English regional tourist boards will carry out these functions.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how his announcement of his tourism review will affect the distribution of marketing functions between the British Tourist Authority and the national tourist boards.

  Mr. Lee
  There will be no change in the distribution of marketing functions.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now place in the Library a full copy of the tourism review carried out by his officials and PA Consulting Group.
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  Mr. Lee
  No. The report was an internal document which provided a basis for the decisions which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced last week.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which of the operations of the British Tourist Authority he envisages as being suitable for movement into the private sector.

  Mr. Lee
  A range of activities will be considered.

  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the top 20 tourist attractions in the South-West in numbers visiting or attending; and if he will indicate the numbers, in each instance, for the previous comparable year.

  Mr. Lee
  The English tourist board's annual survey of visits to attractions gives the following figures for the West Country regional tourist board area in 1987 and 1988.

  Number of visits

  1987

  1988

  Roman baths and pump room, Bath

  873,414

  954,142

  English Riviera centre, Torquay

  275,000

  645,000

  Stonehenge

  617,295

  640,416

  Buckfast abbey

  n.a.

  574,389

  Bristol zoo

  575,000

  571,679

  Dartington cider press centre

  480,000

  561,000

  Babbacombe model village

  490,000

  495,000

  Paignton pier

  n.a.

  465,000

  Cheddar caves

  n.a.

  400,000

  Wells cathedral

  400,000

  360,000

  Paignton zoo

  343,229

  351,398

  Exeter cathedral

  300,000

  347,484

  Wookey Hole caves

  304,690

  332,824

  Clovelly village

  312,000

  327,000

  Cricket St. Thomas wildlife park

  308,990

  303,826

  Bristol City museum and art gallery

  252,504

  280,850

  Arnolfini gallery, Bristol

  400,000

  280,590

  National shire horse centre

  250,000

  275,000

  Devonshire's centre

  200,000

  264,500

  Sea life centre, Weymouth

  n.a.

  250,000

  Truro cathedral

  250,000

  250,000

  European Social Fund
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what allocation the United Kingdom has been awarded by the European social fund for 1989; and how much had been allocated to each region.

  Mr. Cope
  The Commission of the European Communities has confirmed that for 1989 the United Kingdom has been allocated £418 million towards employment and training schemes from the European social fund. This represents 18–14 per cent. of the fund's budget and means that the United Kingdom is once again receiving more than any other Community member state.

  The regional breakdown is as follows:

  £

  The North

  22,125,684

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  20,755,226

  East midlands

  6,599,478

  West midlands

  21,444,259

  East Anglia

  418,785

  South East

  18,083,103

  South West

  2,535,074

  North West

  33,362,018

  Scotland

  31,083,672

  Wales

  18,929,242

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  £

  Northern Ireland

  44,920,275

  Schemes operating in more than one region1

  197,744,854

  Total

  418,001,670

  1 Including Government, industrial training boards and nation-alised industry programmes.

  Co-operative Development Agency
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what decisions have been reached on the future of the Co-operative Development Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The ceiling of financial provision available to support the CDA under current legislation will be reached in 1990–91, and we have been considering whether there is a case for any further support.

  The CDA itself considered the issue and proposed that it should become a body mainly devoted to the promotion of employee share ownership, particularly employee share ownership plans. It proposed that its existing role in providing a central forum for co-operative development should be drawn from and financed by those using it, and that much of its work to promote co-operative development could now be carried out by other organisations.

  The Government are firmly in favour of measures to extend the financial participation of employees in their employing organisations but we see no need for public support for another body to promote ESOPs, when there are a number of private organisations interested and active in this field. The Government did, however, agree with the CDA's view that its original remit could now be carried out by other organisations. We therefore consulted relevant organisations in the co-operative movement seeking their comments on a proposal to wind up the CDA by the time its current grant ceiling is reached.

  Fourteen organisations commented. A number were opposed to closure, largely on the grounds that the CDA should continue to provide a central focus for co-operative development; others pointed to the overlap between the CDA's work and their own. Careful consideration of all the comments made has confirmed our view that the work of the CDA has now reached the stage where it can be carried on by the well-established network of local agencies and other business support bodies, including the new training and enterprise councils which will include co-operatives as well as other forms of business in their plans for enterprise support. We do not consider that co-operative organisations need a Government-sponsored body to co-ordinate or represent them or to take on new functions.

  Our decision is therefore that the agency's life should not be extended when current funding runs out. We

  Col 1

  Col. 2

  Col. 3

  Annual percentage. Increase in Hospital and Community Health Services pay and prices (England)

  Welsh DHA Revenue Allocations: Inflation Assumptions2

  Annual percentage. Increase in GDP (Wales)3

  1978–79

  9·6

  9·04

  12·1

  1979–80

  20·5

  7·94

  14·8

  1980–81

  28·0

  24·84

  13·2

  584
  propose to wind up the agency by order, under the affirmative resolution procedure, during the next parliamentary session. The Government will continue to take a keen interest in co-operatives, which we see as one expression of the fast developing enterprise culture in Britain.

  I would like to express my appreciation to the chairman, director, board and staff of the CDA for the enthusiasm and commitment that they have shown. They have achieved a good deal over the past II years and deserve credit for a job well done.

  Unofficial Strikes
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to introduce legislation to curb unofficial strikes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Recent industrial action in certain public sector services has been irresponsible and unnecessary. The Government is considering what needs to be done to protect the public interest, and will not hesitate to come forward with appropriate proposals for legislation if that proves necessary.

WALES

  Welsh Health Authority
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what inflation assumptions were built into Welsh health authority budget allocations for the fiscal year 1989–90 and plans for fiscal year 1990–91 and 1991–92;

  (2) what was (a) the hospital and community health services' pay and price deflator for Wales, for each fiscal year since 1979, (b) the inflation assumption used in National Health Service budget plans in each year from 1978–79 to 191–92 and (c) the gross domestic product deflator for Wales for each year from 1978–79.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested cannot be provided exactly in the form asked for. The table shows in column 1 the percentage increase in hospital and community health services pay and prices; the figures are based on English data as no information is collected in Wales. The second column shows the provision for inflation made in district health authorities' initial revenue allocations each year. Because the figures relate to allocations made at the beginning of each year, they do not take account of any supplementary funding made available in year to meet the excess costs of pay awards (mainly for review bodies staff) over and above the initial inflation allowance. They are not therefore comparable with the figures in column 1. Each health authority makes its own plans for inflation in setting its budget for the year ahead; however, these details are not held centrally.
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  Col. 1

  Col. 2

  Col. 3

  Annual percentage. Increase in Hospital R and Community Health Services pay and prices (England)

  Welsh DHA Revenue Allocations: Inflation Assumptions2

  Annual percentage. Increase in GDP (Wales)3

  1981–82

  8·2

  7·24

  10·7

  1982–83

  6·5

  4 per cent, pay

  11·5

  9 per cent, prices

  1983–84

  5·1

  6·0

  9·7

  1984–85

  5·8

  3 per cent, pay

  2·3

  5 per cent, prices

  1985–86

  5·2

  3 per cent, pay

  14·9

  4 per cent, prices

  1986–87

  6·9

  4·5

  6·7

  1987–88

  8·5

  3·75

  7·7

  1988–89

  10·5

  4·5

  1—

  1989–90

  1—

  5·0

  1—

  1990–91

  1—

  4·05

  1—

  1991–92

  1—

  3·05

  1—

  1 Projected figures are not available.

  2 Inflation assumptions as contained in the initial recurrent revenue allocations to DHAs.

  3 The information provided relates to calendar years. The figure for 1987–88 is provisional and projections for subsequent years are not available.

  4 Prior to the introduction of cash planning in 1982–83 the inflation allowances made available to health authorities in each financial year reflected the full year effect on spending of forecast increases in pay and prices in the previous November to March and the full and part year effect of further increases forecast to occur during the course of the financial year.

  5 Based on Her Majesty's Treasury forecast of the increase in the gross domestic product deflator

  Tourist Board
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consequences are envisaged for the Wales Tourist Board as the result of the announcements contained in the reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley, (Mr. Bevan) by the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield, (Mr. Fowler) on 6 July,Official Report, column 278; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  No direct consequences are envisaged for the Wales tourist board. The more effective arrangements for promoting Britain overseas will provide the board, working with the industry, with the opportunity to increase visitor numbers to Wales in collaboration with the British Tourist Authority.

  Mountain Lane School
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will allocate extra funds to Clwyd local education authority to enable the authority to supply an extra mobile classroom at Mountain Lane school; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  No. Clwyd local education authority must decide their priorities for the use of the capital resources available to them. Capital provision for education in Wales was increased by 11 per cent. in 1989–90.

  House Repair Grant
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales why there was a delay of a month in notification to Welsh local authorities of changes in the amount of mandatory repairs grant from 75 per cent. to 20 per cent. for landlords under sections 130 and 131 of the Housing Act 1988.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  My officials wrote to Welsh Local authorities notifying them of the statutory instrument and 586
  that an explanatory circular was in preparation as soon as was practicable after the House approved the draft order. The letter issued on 10 January and the order came into effect on 19 January.

  Beach Pollution
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will pay an official visit to the beaches along the Welsh side of the Bristol channel to observe the degree of pollution apparent both on the beach and in the sea.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Monitoring of bathing waters is the responsibility of the appropriate water authority.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Cambodia
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations he is making to restore Government-to-Government aid in Cambodia in the light of the anticipated Vietnamese withdrawal.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  We keep our policy on aid to Cambodia under regular review. Decisions cannot be taken before Vietnam ends it illegal occupation and an acceptable political settlement is in place.

  Overseas Aid and Development
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next meet his ministerial colleagues of the European Community to discuss overseas development policy and the level of overseas assistance.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  At the next Development Council of Ministers in November, when I expect to discuss a wide range of Community development policy questions.

  Yemen
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the extra aid given to the People's Democratic Republic of the Yemen as a result of the floods earlier in 1989.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  We gave relief assistance totalling £179,000 in response to this emergency. This aid took the form of tents, blankets, foodstuffs, water purification tablets and vehicles.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Departmental Costs
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the running cost limit for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Department.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The running cost limit for 1989–90 for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments is being set at £543·03 million. Further details of provision for individual Departments are set out in the appropriate Estimates volumes.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Statutory Instruments
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the numbers of statutory instruments issued by each Government Department in each of the last five years indicating how many were subject to affirmative procedure and how many to negative procedure.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information is not held centrally in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Cambodia
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings his Department's representatives has had with(a) the Government of Kampuchea, (b) the Government of Vietnam, (c) the Khmer Rouge and (d) Prince Sihanouk.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have no dealings with the so-called Government of Kampuchea or with the Khmer Rouge. We have regular contact with the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam through our respective embassies. My noble Friend the Minister of State, Lord Glenarthur, paid the first ever visit by a British Minister to the SRV. from 9 to 14 April 1989. Most recently, the Vietnamese Foreign Minister called on my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State and my noble Friend the Minister of State on 28 June 1989. We have regular meetings with Prince Sihanouk and his representatives. The Prince saw my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. and learned Friend he Secretary of State during his visit to London in October 1988.
  588
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will be the United Kingdom's representatives at the Paris conference on the future of Cambodia.

  Mr. Eggar
  The composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the international conference on Cambodia in Paris, to which formal invitations have yet to be issued, has not yet been decided. But we expect to be invited and to play an active part.

  Nuclear Weapons (Testing)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government's plan to respond to the proposal made by the Soviet Union on 24 June that a global moratorium be implemented on the testing of nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No. The Soviet proposal is not a new one. A moratorium would not be compatible with our policy on the testing of nuclear weapons which was set out by the then Minister of State, my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor), in answer to a question on 27 June 1988.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the number of times Ministers have had discussions about the Cyprus problem with President Vassiliou and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Mr. Raul Denktash, respectively, since the last presidential elections in Cyprus.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has discussed the Cyprus problem with President Vassiliou on five occasions since his election in February 1988. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs was present at two of those meetings and has also met Mr. Vassiliou separately on three other occasions. I attended one of those meetings and have also met the President twice separately. For reasons that are well known to the House, Mr. Denktash has not been received by Ministers during that period.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans exist to ensure the safe disposal of both chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant material and chlorofluorocarbon II in the foam in refrigeration and air-cooling equipment under the control of his Department.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today by the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, South-West (Mrs. Bottomley).

  Vietnamese Boat People
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what finance has been made available to the Hong Kong authorities for the care and settlement of Vietnamese boat people over each of the last five years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The following funds have been made available to the Hong Kong Government for the care of
  589
  the Vietnamese boat people from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR)'s general programme:

  US$ million

  1985

  4·3

  1986

  4·8

  1987

  4·5

  1988

  9·2

  1989 (to date)

  7·0

  In addition to our regular contributions to the UNHCR's general programme, we have also contributed the following funds to UNHCR for specific Hong Kong purposes:

  £ million

  1988

  1·1

  1989

  7·1

  We have also pledged this year £4.5 million directly to the Hong Kong Government for emergency accommodation, and £5 million towards the cost of a planned refugee processing centre in the Philippines which would accommodate Vietnamese refugees now in Hong Kong.

  Falkland Islands
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present permanent population of the Falkland Islands; and what were the figures for the last five years.

  Mr. Eggar
  At the last census held on 16 November 1986, the population of the Falkland Islands was 1,916. At the 1980 census, the population was 1,813. No other figures are available.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people formerly resident in Hong Kong and all associated territories and holding British passports have been accepted for permanent settlement into the United Kingdom in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Renton
  I have been asked to reply:

  The numbers of British dependent territory citizens from Hong Kong accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in the years 1979–88 are published in table 22 of the 1987 and 1988 editions of the annual Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom" (Cm. 415 and Cm. 726), copies of which are in the Library.

DEFENCE

  Toxic Waste
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last had a meeting with the chief inspector of Her Majesty's pollution inspectorate to discuss the future programme for the existing radioactive and toxic wastes arising from the defence programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend has had no recent meeting with the director of Her Majesty's inspectorate of 590
  pollution or his chief inspectors, but officials are in frequent contact with staff of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, in addition to their attendance at periodic inter departmental official meetings chaired by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any Ministry of Defence site has ever violated environmental regulations agreed with Her Majesty's pollution inspectorate, the Department of Health and Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Welsh and Scottish Offices, or the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, in regard to the storage, transport or disposal of radioactive and toxic wastes.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Although the Ministry of Defence as a Crown Department has immunity from certain regulations, it seeks to observe standards which are no less stringent than those required of civil operators. Unfortunately, accidents occur from time to time and may for example lead to minor dispersals of toxic or radioactive materials in contravention of the "agreements" reached with regulatory Departments. All such incidents are reported to the regulatory authorities, fully investigated and measures taken to avoid their recurrence.

  Venture Glider
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has reached a decision on the type of motor glider selected to replace the Venture at volunteer gliding schools.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No. A decision is expected very shortly.

  Explosive Devices (Coastal Waters)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, by geographical area, the number of second world war explosive devices which have been discovered in British coastal waters in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Precise records of the number of such finds in each of the past ten years are not maintained. Each year, however, some 30 or 40 mines and 100 torpedoes, bombs or large calibre shells of world war I or world war II origin are found in British coastal waters.

  Tornado Crash (RAF Akrotiri)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the crash of a Tornado aircraft at RAF Akrotiri on 4 July.

  Mr. Neubert
  On 4 July a Tornado F3 aircraft (tail number ZE 834) of No. 23 squadron, RAF Leeming, on detachment to RAF Akrotiri, suffered a collapsed nosewheel on landing after a routine training mission. Both crew members ejected successfully sustaining only minor injuries. The aircraft came to rest just off the runway. The extent of the damage sustained in this accident has not yet been established.

  Environmental Pollution
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to conduct a full environmental pollution audit of the military nuclear fuel cycle, including
  591
  data from countries where the uranium used in the United Kingdom programme was mined and milled; and if he will publish the results at the earliest possible date.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No. The environmental impact of the processing of nuclear materials in the defence nuclear programme for which this department is responsible has been evaluated and conforms fully with United Kingdom legislative requirements. As regards standards in overseas countries, I have nothing to add to the reply I gave on 9 February at column 766 to the hon. Member for Meirionydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas).

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if radioactive wastes arising from the deployment of United Kingdom's nuclear forces abroad on land or at sea is(a) disposed of in foreign countries or (b) returned to the United Kingdom for disposal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 25 January 1989 at column 653. Contingency arrangements exist for the handling of radioactive wastes arising, either on a routine or emergency basis, from United Kingdom military operations overseas. The decision between disposal abroad under locally approved arrangements and return to the United Kingdom depends on circumstances; it would not be in the national interest to elaborate.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to deploy regularly a Skyguard fire control radar system to monitor the heights of low flying aircraft in areas of urban concentration such as Swansea; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  No.

  Near-Miss (West Germany)
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the recent incident involving an RAF Phantom based at Wildenrath in West Germany having to take evasive action to avoid collision with a Canberra aircraft.

  Mr. Neubert
  On 6 July, during a routine training sortie, a RAF Phantom based at RAF Wildenrath in West Germany took evasive action to avoid a RAF Canberra aircraft operating in the same area. The Phantom navigator, believing the aircraft to be in danger, ejected successfully, suffering minor injuries. Neither aircraft was damaged. The Phantom returned to land safely at RAF Wildenrath. A unit inquiry into the incident has been convened.

  RAF Upper Heyford
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) on 13 June,Official Report, column 689 he will give details of the assessment made following design work carried out at Royal Air Force Upper Heyford.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 18 April 1989 at column 111. No decisions have
  592
  been taken to proceed with these projects but preliminary design work commissioned from the PSA in August 1988 indicates that the estimated costs of modifying the facilities at RAF Upper Heyford would be as follows:

  £million

  Additions to the flight simulator facility

  1·0

  Additions to the engine shop

  1·2

  Additions to the avionics maintenance shop

  1·7

  Birkbeck College
  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why inaccurate information about Birkbeck college was given to the Sunday Times and the Mail on Sunday on Saturday 1 July by officials of his Department; what action is being taken against those responsible; what arrangements are being made to help repair the potential damage done to Birkbeck's reputation; and what changes are being made in the personnel and organisation of his Department's press office.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  On the evening of Friday 30 June officials were asked to check the facts concerning any Ministry of Defence contracts with Birkbeck college. In an effort to be helpful, and in the limited time available, they did their best to do so. Nothing that was said confirmed the assertions made in the subsequent press reports. Changes in the MOD press office are neither called for nor planned.

  My noble Friend Lord Trefgarne wrote to the noble Baroness, Lady Blackstone, Master of Birkbeck College, on 6 July explaining that the MOD was entirely satisfied with the work that the college was doing and that no papers had been recalled on security grounds.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans exist to ensure the safe disposal of both chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant materials and chlorofluorocarbon II in the foam in refrigeration and air-cooling equipment under the control of his Department.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Headquarter Contracts
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report the total amounts paid by his Department in respect of headquarter contracts to United Kingdom-based contractors in each of the six years up to 31 March.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 6 July 1989]: Total payments made in respect of headquarters contracts to United Kingdom-based contractors in each of the six years to 31 March 1989 were as follows:

  £million

  1983–84

  6,212

  1984–85

  6,879

  1985–86

  7,260

  593

  £ million

  1986–87

  7,501

  1987–88

  8,316

  1988–89

  8,041

PRIME MINISTER

  Local Government
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding local government.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received representations about a number of matters relating to local government.

  Nuclear Energy
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received any recent representations regarding nuclear energy.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received a number of letters from members of the public about various aspects of nuclear energy.

  National Heritage
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding the national heritage.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister receives representations frequently. The national heritage is vital to the quality of life. Since 1979 Government expenditure on the national heritage has increased by more than 75 per cent. in real terms.

  Legal Reform
  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding the new proposals for reform of the legal profession.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received a number of representations on the Government's consultation papers, which were published with a view to seeing that the public has the best possible access to legal services of sound quality.

  NHS Reform
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has had on the National Health Service White Paper.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  I understand that my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health has received some 8,500 representations on the White Paper; many correspondents give strong support for its objectives and endorse its proposals.

  Part-time Work
  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding part-time work.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister receives representations about part-time working from time to time.

  I know that the Select Committee on Employment is currently undertaking an inquiry into part-time working and I look forward to its report when it becomes available.

  Human Rights (USSR)
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding human rights in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  We receive many representations which reflect the deep concern in this country about human rights in the Soviet Union. We are continuing to press the Soviet authorities over a range of individual cases, and over the wider need for institutionalised reform. These efforts do bear fruit. In the past year, 68 refusenik cases which we have raised have been resolved satisfactorily.

  Human Rights (China)
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding human rights in China.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister received a delegation of Chinese students on 28 June. My right hon. Friend has also received a number of representations expressing shock and outrage at recent events in China. These are, of course, sentiments that the British Government share.

  Rural Housing
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding rural housing policy.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister receives representations on rural housing policy from time to time.

  Water Privatisation
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has had on water privatisation.

  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has had on water privatisation.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister receives many representations about water privatisation, which provides the best framework and conditions for achieving even higher standards of water quality.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Cyril Townsend
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding the Channel tunnel.
  595
  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister frequently receives representations about various aspects of the Channel tunnel.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government expect to publish a plain person's guide to the Disabled Persons (Services, Representation and Consultation) Act 1986.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  We have no plans to do so. Local authorities have a statutory duty to publish information about the welfare services they provide and, as a matter of good practice, we would expect them to produce this in a form which is readily understandable.

  World Trade
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received in connection with world trade.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received a number of representations about world trade. The Government will continue to combat protectionism and to work for open world markets which are of benefit to our exporters and the world economy as a whole.

  Privatisation
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has had on privatisation.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister receives a number of representations from time to time regarding the privatisation programme.

  Railway Strikes
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the recent train strikes.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received a number of representations on this matter. The rail strikes are pointless and damaging and have shown no regard to the interests of passengers.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding reform of the common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government frequently receive representations about reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP). The measures agreed at the February 1988 European Council, particularly those providing for budgetary discipline and for the stabilisation of agricultural production and expenditure, represent the most significant reforms to date. The benefits of reform are already apparent and farmers can look to the future with
  596
  increasing confidence. The Government's policy is to build on those major reforms in EC negotiations and to work with our GATT partners to fulfil the commitment to achieve progressive and substantial reductions in agricultural support and protection.

  Madrid Summit
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received any recent representations regarding the Madrid summit.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  The statement my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made in this House on 29 June has been widely welcomed.

  Private Currencies
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will urge her fellow Heads of Government at the world economic summit to allow private stock banks in their countries to issue their own notes and coins.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so.

  Legal Tender Laws
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will urge her fellow Heads of Government at the world's economic summit to abolish their legal tender laws and allow competing currencies in their economies.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so.

  Central Banks
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will urge her fellow Heads of Government to privatise their central banks.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so.

  European Economic and Social Committee
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list in the Official Report the names and current qualifications of the British members of the European Economic and Social Committee.

  The Prime Minister
  The information requested is as follows:

  Group I (Employers)
  Mr. Ian Campbell, CVO—Former Vice Chairman British Railways Board, part-time member BR Board, responsible for research.
  Miss Gina Dodd—Chartered Engineer (rtd).
  Mr. Ken Gardner—Consultant in food and food law technology.
  Mr. Colin Hancock—Management consultant; adviser to the Enterprise and Deregulation Unit of the Department of Employment; counsellor within the Small Firms Service, Department of Employment.
  Mr. John de Normann—Former head of ICI Building Group; Director, Executive Committee of the National Council of Building Material Producers; Member, Board of British Standards Institution.
  Mr. Bill Poeton—President of the Union of Independent Companies; chairman of the Poeton Group of Electroplating companies.

  597
  Mr. Keith Tamlin—Director, Mail Order Traders' Association; member of Post Office Users' National Council; Member, Council of the Retail Consortium.
  Mr. John Whitworth—Former Director, International Shipping Federation; Chairman, Pension Fund.

  Group II (Employees)
  Mr. Jack Boddy, MBE—Former Agricultural Trade Group Secretary, TGWU.
  Mr. Campbell Christie—General Secretary, Scottish TUC; Chairman, Office Technology, Economic Development Committee, NEDC.
  Mr. Eric Hammond, OBE—General Secretary, Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union (EETPU).
  Mr. Tom Jenkins—Assistant Secretary, TUC, International Department.
  Miss Ada Maddocks—National Organising Officer, NALGO.
  Mr. Alec Smith—General Secretary, National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers (NUTGW).
  Mr. Larry Smith, OBE—Former Executive Officer Press and Information, TGWU.

  Group III (Various interests)
  Mr. Wilfred Aspinall—Executive Director, Managerial, Professional and Staff Liaison Group (MPG).
  Professor Bill Black—Former Professor of Economics, Queen's University, Belfast; Economic Adviser, Department of Economic Development, Northern Ireland.
  Mrs. Shreela Flather, JP—Councillor and former Mayor of Windsor and Maidenhead; Member Social Security Advisory Committee; Barrister; past Member, Commission for Racial Equality.
  Mr. Robert Moreland—Former MEP; Member, Council for Business Graduate Association.
  Dr. Ann Robinson—Head of Policy Unit, Institute of Directors; former lecturer in Politics, University College Cardiff.
  Mr. Graham Speirs—Former Secretary, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities; Vice Chairman, Age Concern Scotland.
  Dr. Peter Storie-Pugh, CBE—Former President, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
  Mr. Michael Strauss—Co-ordinating Director—Policy, NFU.
  Mrs. Alma Williams, MBE—President, National Federation of Consumer Groups; Vice President, Consumers' Association (UK); Permanent Representative to UNESCO of the International Organisation of Consumers.

  Gifts
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Prime Minister why, pursuant to her answer of 10 July, she will not list all those gifts she has received in her official capacity over the past 12 months while on overseas visits.

  The Prime Minister
  It is not my practice to do so.

  Engagements
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 July.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 July.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 July.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 July.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 July.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is attending the economic summit in Paris.

TRANSPORT

  New Road Schemes
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the COBA criteria for construction of new roads being studied in his London transport assessment studies will apply with, or without modification, to any selected road schemes.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Any road scheme arising from the London assessment studies will be appraised using the Department's normal scheme appraisal methodology. This includes a full economic and environmental assessment.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what significance is attached to saving in journey time in current COBA assessments of new road schemes; and what weighting is given therein to design speeds of new roads.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  User benefits on COBA are derived from savings in journey times on links and at junctions, accidents and vehicle operating costs. In a representative scheme 90 per cent. of the benefits could be attributable to time savings. Design speeds are consistent with the anticipated vehicle speeds on the road and are contained in Department of Transport departmental standard TD9/81, "Road Layout and Geometry: Highway Link Design."

  A43
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he hopes to announce the preferred route for the A43 Silverstone bypass.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are giving careful consideration to route options to the east or west of the village. The choice is difficult. We hope to announce the preferred route soon.

  Crash Barriers
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents in the last five years have involved a vehicle crashing through a crash barrier on the central reservation of a motorway or a dual carriageway road.
  599
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The table shows the number of accidents on motorways or dual carriageway roads in which at least one vehicle left the carriageway offside on to the central reservation. The number of accidents is broken down by whether the vehicle entering the central reservation hit the central crash barrier, and whether it crossed the central reserve.

  Accidents involving a vehicle leaving the carriageway onto central reservation: Great Britain, 1983–1987

  Number of accidents where at least one vehicle left the carriageway offside onto the central reservation

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Percentage change 1987–83

  Vehicle hit central barrier

  Stayed on reservation or rebounded

  579

  767

  752

  844

  918

  59

  Crossed central reservation

  94

  87

  90

  115

  118

  26

  Total

  669

  852

  834

  953

  1,031

  54

  Vehicle did not hit central barrier

  Stayed on reservation or rebounded

  1,414

  1,509

  1,572

  1,585

  1,545

  9

  Crossed central reservation

  600

  755

  710

  754

  720

  20

  Total

  1,990

  2,231

  2,254

  2,299

  2,236

  12

  All accidents

  Stayed on reservation or rebounded

  1,993

  2,276

  2,324

  2,429

  2,463

  24

  Crossed central reservation

  694

  842

  800

  869

  838

  21

  Total

  2,659

  3,083

  3,088

  3,252

  3,267

  23

  Note.—Because some accidents will have involved more than one vehicle, the totals are less than the sum of their constituent parts.

  The following table shows the number of accidents involving vehicles on motorways or dual carriageway

  Number of accidents

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Accidents where a vehicle crossed the central reservation

  694

  842

  800

  869

  838

  Accidents where a vehicle hit the central crash barrier and crossed the central reservation

  94

  87

  90

  115

  118

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will review the specification for crash barriers on motorways and dual carriageways.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The specification for safety fences is kept under continual review and changes are introduced whenever justified. A recent example is the introduction, subject to approval under European law, of a design of wire rope safety fence that I announced on 22 December 1988,Official Report, cols. 415–16.

  A range of higher containment fences and barriers has been developed. By definition, they are considerably less forgiving than existing safety fences. The Department is therefore undertaking a careful assessment of the costs and benefits of their possible deployment. Some further impact testing is required before this assessment can be fully completed. Research currently being carried out in some other European countries will be relevant. It will be some time before a decision can be made.

  Drink-Driving (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide details of the number of road transport drink-related accidents in Durham, giving the most recent figures and annual figures for the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The table below shows the total number of accidents in Durham in each of the years 1983
  600
  The number of accidents in which a vehicle crossed the central reserve after hitting the central crash barrier increased from 94 in 1983 to 118 in 1987, and increase of 26 per cent. This is partly due to the installation of more crash barriers, as reflected in an increase of 54 per cent. in the number of accidents where a vehicle hit the central barrier, but only 12 per cent. where no central barrier was involved.

  roads, from 1983 to 1987, where the vehicle either crossed the central reservation or the vehicle hit the central crash barrier and crossed the central reservation.

  to 1987, and the number of accidents in which at least one driver or rider failed a breath test. This is the most common measure of drink-related accidents. These figures will be affected by the proportion of drivers who are tested after an injury crash. It is not possible to produce precise statistics of drink-related accidents because some drivers will have been too severely injured to be breath-tested. The blood alcohol level of drivers who die within 12 hours of an accident are provided from coroner's reports. These are not always complete and exclude those drivers who die after this period but within the 30-day rule for a toad accident fatality.

  Road accidents in Durham in which the driver failied the breath test: 1983–87

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Accidents involving breath test failures

  103

  136

  143

  113

  127

  All road accidents

  1,709

  1,771

  1,789

  1,835

  1,789

  Road Works (South Yorkshire)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why road works are currently taking place on the A1 , the M1 and the M62 in South Yorkshire; and how long he expects this situation to continue.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The road works currently being carried out on these roads are essential major maintenance
  601
  operations. They form part of our phased programme of works, much of which has to be undertaken in the summer months.

  The works consist of a series of schemes covering both carriageway strengthening and bridge maintenance works. We expect completion of these on the Al(M) and M62 by November and on the MI by next February.

  Motorway Signs
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department carries out any inspection on the maintenance of motorway signs.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Detailed inspection and maintenance of motorway signs is carried out by the Department's agents in accordance with the frequencies set out in the Department's code of practice for routine maintenance, a copy of which is in the Library. In addition, agents' staff who travel the motorways in the couse of their duties look out for damage or other defects which require prompt attention.

  Plutonium (Jumbo Jets)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has made an assessment of the implication of a cargo jumbo jet carrying plutonium packages(a) crashing on take-off or landing, or (b) blowing-up in mid-air, in terms of environmental contamination.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The transport of plutonium by air has been studied by the Advisory Committee on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials (ACTRAM). Its conclusions are published in a report entitled "The Transport of Civil Plutonium by Air". A copy has been placed in the Library.

  The report concluded that the risks of a breach of the packaging during a severe accident were negligible.

  A copy of the report has been passed to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is currently studying the transport of radioactive materials by air.

  Hazardous Wastes
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the increased import of hazardous, toxic and radioactive wastes that will be transported by road and rail in the United Kingdom following the border deregulation in 1992.

  Mr. Portillo
  We have no reason to suppose that there will be an increase in the volume of such materials with the abolition of border controls.

  Private Cars
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to discourage the increased use of private cars in the period up to the year 2000.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) (column 406) on 10 July.

  I also refer the hon. Lady to "Transport in London" issued in January.

  Road Improvements
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the present programme for proposed road improvements to the A27 and A259 roads subject to the necessary funds being available and statutory procedures being approved.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  "Policy for Roads in England: 1987" (Cm. 125) lists the following national trunk road programme schemes for the A27/A259/A261 route:

  (a) Planned start of construction April 1989 to March 1991

  A27 Westhampnett bypass

  A27 Polegate bypass

  A259 Winchelsea bypass

  (b) Planned start of construction from April 1991 onwards

  A27 Arundel bypass

  A27 Patching junction improvement

  A259 Bexhill and Hastings Western bypass

  A259 Hastings Eastern bypass

  A259 Rye improvement

  A259 New Romney bypass

  A259 St. Mary's Bay and Dymchurch bypass

  A261 M20-A259 Hythe improvement

  In addition work is under way on the A27 Pevensey bypass and will start shortly on the first contract for the A27 Brighton bypass. Two further contracts for the Brighton bypass are expected to be let next year; timing of the fourth contract is subject to outstanding statutory procedures.

  The recent White Paper "Roads for Prosperity" (Cm. 693) proposes the following further national trunk road programme schemes, for which timing has still to be determined:

  A27 Worthing to Lancing improvement

  A27 Lewes to Polegate improvement

  A259 Pevensey to Bexhill improvement

  A259 Corridor improvements—

  Guestling Thorn diversion

  Icklesham diversion

  Walland Marsh improvement

  Brookland diversion

  There is also a number of small schemes, particularly junction improvements and accident prevention measures, at various stages of preparation within the Department's south-east regional programme.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what comments he has received from the Royal Fine Arts Commission about the redesign of the east London river crossing bridge.

  Mr. Channon
  The views of the RFAC will be included in the report on the review of the bridge design. A,copy will be placed in the Library of the House when a decision on the bridge is announced.

HEALTH

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the change in the proportion of in patient waiting list cases waiting for more than one year for treatment in the Warrington district health authority between March 1986 and the latest available date.
  603
  Mr. Mellor
  The percentage of cases on Warrington district health authority's inpatient waiting list waiting a year or more dropped from 42 per cent. to 20 per cent., between 31 March 1986 and 30 September 1988.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce hospital waiting lists in Durham district health authority area.

  Mr. Mellor
  As part of our drive to reduce long waiting lists and times, £166,431 has been allocated from the waiting list fund to Durham district health authority. By March 1990 this will have enabled an additional 371 in-patients and day cases and an extra 1,135 outpatients to be treated.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give details of the progress of the waiting list initiative in Warrington health authority and in Halton health authority.

  Mr. Mellor
  As part of our drive to reduce long waiting lists and times, £468,000 has been allocated from the waiting list fund to Warrington district health authority and £491,000 to Halton district health authority. By March 1990 this will have enabled an additional 3,157 inpatients and day cases and an extra 375 outpatients to be treated in Warrington and 4,682 additional inpatients and day cases in Halton. At September 1988 no one waited longer than one year in Halton. In Warrington the number waiting over a year stood at one third of the 1979 figure.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health programmes for elderly people which currently have the support of his Department.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department, in partnership with leading voluntary groups, organises and funds the "Keep Warm Keep Well" campaign, offering advice on how to keep warm in winter. Among the voluntary groups awarded grant aid under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, those offering health promotion activities or advice include EXTEND (on exercise and fitness), the National Osteoporosis Society, Age Exchange Theatre Company (programmes of mental stimulation) and the Newcastle Council for the Disabled and the Disabled Living Services in Manchester (both for projects on incontinence). We have also welcomed the work of the "Age Well" campaign, organised jointly by Age Concern England and the Health Education Authority, and that of the Centre for Health and Retirement Education, organised through the Health Education Authority and the university of London. The "Age Well" campaign has been allocated a grant this year as part of the disbursement of the moneys arising from the effect of the retail prices index calculation error on social security benefits.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has given to the Health Education Authority regarding the future development of the health in old age programme.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Health Education Authority is currently preparing its strategic plan for the next five years. The planning guidelines issued to the Health Education 604
  Authority ask it to take account of the elderly in its forward planning process. The strategic plan is due to be submitted to the Department of Health by October.

  Blood Transfusion Service
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many donations of blood were collected by the Blood Transfusion Service in each of the past 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information available relates to the number of donors bled by the National Blood Transfusion Service and is given in the table.

  Calendar Year

  England and Wales

  1978

  2,123,607

  1979

  2,144,484

  1980

  2,220,036

  1981

  2,255,731

  1982

  2,058,994

  1983

  2,135,840

  1984

  2,158,626

  1985

  2,119,060

  1986

  2,128,450

  1987

  2,094,316

  1988

  '2,140,810

  1 Provisional

  Note: For the years 1978 to 1981 the figures include a small number of people who reported to the NBTS but from whom it was inappropriate to take blood on that occasion.

  Pertussis Vaccine
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ban the use of the pertussis vaccine on children suffering from a serious neurological illness or convulsions.

  Mr. Freeman
  The memorandum "Immunisation Against Infectious Disease" (Published by HMSO) which was prepared by the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation for the Health Department, and was issued last year to all doctors and health visitors, contains clear advice on contra-indications to the pertussis vaccine. They include children with a documented history of cerebral damage in the neonatal period, and children with a personal history of convulsions.

  Traumatic Brain Injury
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the number of patients recovering from traumatic brain injury who require inpatient rehabilitation; and how many places for such treatment are currently provided within the National Health Service.

  Mr. Mellor
  No national estimate is available of the number of patients recovering from traumatic brain injury who require inpatient rehabilitation. Information about the incidence of traumatic brain injury is contained in the reports of the Royal College of Physicians on "Physical Disability in 1986 and Beyond" and the Medical Disability Society on "The Management of Traumatic Brain Injury", and we have drawn these reports to the attention of health authorities. It is for individual regional and district health authorities to assess how many of the traumatically brain-injured patients in their area require inpatient rehabilitation.
  605
  Information on the number of NHS places for the inpatient rehabilitation of traumatically brain-injured patients is not available centrally.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage regional health authorities to provide inpatient rehabilitation facilities for patients recovering from the effects of traumatic brain injury.

  Mr. Mellor
  In November last year, we issued guidance to health authorities on the development of services for people with physical or sensory disabilities (Health Notice (88)26, a copy of which is in the Library). This included advice to give particular attention to the rehabilitation of patients with brain injury when planning services for physically and sensorily disabled people.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the names of hospitals referred to him by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution whose facilities fell short of acceptable standards under the Medicines (Administration of Radioactive Substances) Regulations and under sections 6 and 7 (Disposal and Accumulation of Waste) of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell) on 11 July, concerning inspections carried out under the Medicines (Administrations of Radioactive Substances) Regulations.

  Reports of inspections carried out by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) under sections 6 and 7 of the Radioactive Substances Act are not referred to this Department for action, as it is for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to enforce those regulations.

  Exhaust Fumes
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the overall cost to the Health Service and economy of lung and other diseases attributed to motor vehicle exhaust fumes.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not available.

  Medical Defence Subscriptions
  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has given to managers of regional health authorities regarding the contractual obligation of hospital medical and dental staff to subscribe to a defence organisation, following the consultation paper "Medical Defence Subscriptions", published on 20 March.

  Mr. Mellor
  Officials wrote on 29 June confirming that the contractual obligation of hospital medical and dental staff to subscribe to a medical defence organisation remains in force, unless and until alternative arrangements are introduced, following the Health Department's consultation paper.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans exist to ensure the safe disposal of both chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant material and chlorofluoro-carbon II in the foam in refrigeration and air-cooling equipment under the control of his Department.
  606
  Mr. Freeman
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment gave today.

  Healthy Diets
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission research into the amount of food required to provide a healthy diet for adults and provide an assessment of the cost of such food.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. The wide variety of foods available in Britain today means that there is an almost infinite number of ways of constructing healthy, and also less healthy, diets. The cost of the diet will depend more on the particular selection of foods than the healthiness of the diet.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many positive HIV antibody test results there were until(a) 31 March 1988 and (b) 31 March 1989 in each regional health authority in England and Wales.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 12 July 1989]: The table shows the positive HIV antibody test resuls reported to CDSC for the time period requested, for England and Wales.

  England

  By 31 March 1988

  By 31 March 1989

  Northern

  245

  286

  Yorkshire

  266

  310

  Trent

  210

  248

  East Anglia

  134

  160

  North West Thames

  2,234

  2,820

  North East Thames

  1,432

  1,860

  South East Thames

  780

  916

  South West Thames

  214

  266

  Wessex

  204

  234

  Oxford

  265

  332

  South Western

  192

  236

  West Midlands

  311

  351

  Mersey

  133

  154

  North Western

  279

  348

  Channel Isles

  11

  20

  Wales

  91

  123

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest number of positive HIV antibody test results, and the cumulative total of people diagnosed with AIDS, in each regional health authority in England and Wales.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 12 July 1989]: The latest numbers of positive antibody test results, and the cumulative total of people diagnosed with AIDS, reported to and accepted by CDSC, are given in the table. Some very recently diagnosed cases of AIDS may not yet have been accepted by CDSC so they may not yet appear in the table.

  England

  HIV antibody test results (end June 1989)

  AIDS cases cum-ulative total (end June 1989

  Northern

  297

  53

  Yorkshire

  314

  62

  Trent

  267

  46

  East Anglia

  161

  28

  North West Thames

  2,968

  949

  North East Thames

  1,965

  433

  South East Thames

  944

  253

  607

  England

  HIV antibody test results (end June 1989)

  AIDS cases cum-ulative total (end June 1989

  South West Thames

  283

  78

  Wessex

  242

  52

  Oxford

  340

  48

  South Western

  248

  47

  West Midlands

  358

  50

  Mersey

  154

  34

  North Western

  373

  86

  Channel Isles

  20

  2

  Wales

  131

  37

  Total

  9,065

  2,258

  Universities (United Kingdom) (academic years)

  Polytechnics (England) (financial years)

  Books

  Journals etc

  Books and Journal's etc

  Cash £ million

  Index

  Cash £ million

  Index

  Cash £ million

  Index

  1978–79

  9·20

  100·0

  7·98

  100·0

  6·94

  100·0

  1979–80

  9·52

  88·2

  9·06

  96·6

  6·97

  85·5

  1980–81

  10·58

  85·5

  10·10

  94·0

  6·82

  73·0

  1981–82

  10·62

  79·1

  10·91

  93·6

  9·10

  89·8

  1982–83

  11·73

  82·3

  12·50

  101·1

  9·71

  90·2

  1983–84

  12·73

  85·6

  14·40

  111·1

  9·21

  81·8

  1984–85

  13·44

  85·6

  16·24

  119·2

  9·92

  83·8

  1985–86

  14·15

  86·2

  17·58

  123·4

  10·05

  81·2

  1986–87

  13·69

  80·1

  19·26

  129·9

  10·56

  81·9

  1987–88

  14·38

  79·4

  19·76

  125·7

  112·40

  90·8

  1 Provisional.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on library spending in the United Kingdom; and what plans he has to improve the provision of books and periodicals for students.

  Mr. Jackson
  Responsibility for libraries in universities, pollytechnics and colleges lies with individual institutions. It falls to them to decide their funding priorities within the total resources at their disposal.

  City Technology Colleges
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish details of any standard funding agreement drawn up by his Department for the establishment of city technology colleges under section 105 of the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Mr. Butcher
  The funding agreements will cover both capital and recurrent expenditure for CTCs, arrangements for the payment of grant and conditions attaching to it. they are designed to place CTCs on an equal footing with LEA maintained schools in similar areas.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy on the provision of any form of indemnity to sponsors of city technology colleges against the possibility of future repayment of grant monies paid under section 105 of the Education Reform Act 1988; and if any such indeminity is currently being considered.

  Mr. Butcher
  Section 105(6) of the Education Reform Act provides for the Secretary of State to indemnify a person who has entered into an agreement with him to establish a city technology college, in the event of that

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Library Spending
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much(a) universities and (b) polytechnics have spent on (i) books and (ii) journals and periodicals in each year since 1978–79 in cash terms and real terms, indexed so that 1978–79 = 100.

  Mr. Jackson
  The available information is set out in the table. There may, in addition, he relevant spending within departments.

  agreement being terminated by the Secretary of State. My right hon. Friend is not currently considering any such indemnity.

  Education (No. 2) Act 1986
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the wording of section 43 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  None.

  Special Needs
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about his policy toward adult literacy and special needs courses.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has consistently made clear the high priority which the Government attach to meeting the literacy and numeracy needs of adults. The Department's grant to the adult literacy and basic skills unit (ALBSU) for the current year is £2,724,000. This represents an increase of almost 10 per cent. over the level of grant in the previous year. The BBC will be launching a series of programmes on adult literacy and numeracy in the autumn. The Department and the Training Agency are co-operation with ALBSU to support this initiative.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what funds he has made available in each of the last five years for the education of mentally handicapped children.

  Mr. Butcher
  The majority of Government revenue support for education provided by local authorities is
  609
  channelled through block grant, which is not hypothecated to services or to particular activities within services. Specific grants are, however, paid in aid of particular educational expenditure under the education support grant programme, and the local education authority training grants scheme (which replaced the in-service teacher training grants). Since 1 April 1985 an estimated total of £45 million of expenditure related to education for children and students with special educational needs, including those with mental handicaps, has been assisted through various activities under these specific grant programmes.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to review his policy toward health and safety requirements in schools.

  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. Friend will continue his policy of attaching great priority toward health and safety requirements in schools and the Department will continue to provide advice and guidance on good practice.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Pesticide Residues
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what checks are made for pesticide residues in products intended for sale to consumers; and what research is being carried out to ascertain the effect of such residues on people.

  Mr. Ryder
  Monitoring is carried out by the Government's working party on pesticide residues and the results are published. This monitoring involves the analysis of some 2,000 to 3,000 samples of home produced and imported food and agricultural produce per year, with individual samples being examined for a wide range of pesticide residues at a cost of over £1 million.

  Before a pesticide is approved for use its likely effect on consumers is assessed if its use is shown to leave residues in food. Approval would not be given if this assessment suggested any risk to the health of consumers.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he expects the following measures will affect the emissions of greenhouse gases:(a) the environmentally sensitive area scheme, and (b) the set-aside scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  Both the environmentally sensitive areas and the set-aside schemes should reduce fertiliser usage and thereby help limit nitrous oxide emissions. The planting of woodlands on set-aside land would fix carbon dioxide for longer periods than conventional agriculture.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will give the area in hectares in each environmentally sensitive area of agricultural land excluding farm woodland;

  (2) if he will list the estimated length of hedgerow in the environmentally sensitive area of (a) Shropshire borders, and (b) Suffolk river valleys.
  610
  Mr. Ryder
  The information requested is not yet available.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of cows in each environmentally sensitive area(a) prior to designation, and (b) the latest figures available since designation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish the work he has contracted on the economic and social effects of environmentally sensitive areas when it is completed.

  Mr. Ryder
  I will publish information on the economic and social effects of environmentally sensitive areas together with information on their environmental impact when all the contracted work has been completed.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the areas for possible designation as environmentally sensitive on the initial list submitted to him by the Nature Conservancy Council and Countryside Commission.

  Mr. Ryder
  The areas initially identified in Great Britain by the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission are as follows:

  Environmentally sensitive areas

  1. Shetland

  2. Orkney

  3. Central Deeside

  4. Caithness and North West Sutherland Coast

  5. Uists and Benbecula

  6. Inner Hebrides Coastal crofting and farming

  7. Nithsdale

  8. Breadalbane

  9. Strathallan

  10. Whitlaw/Eildon

  11. Northumberland National Park, Moorland

  12. South Solway

  13. North Pennines

  14. Lake District

  15. Arnside and Silverdale

  16. Yorkshire Dales

  17. North York Moors

  18. Lower Derwent Valley

  19. Peak District

  20. Shropshire Hills

  21. Clun Valley

  27. Wyre Forest

  23. Nene Washes and Valley

  24. Ouse Washes and Valley

  25. Breckland

  26. The Broads

  27. Suffolk Coast and Heaths

  28. Dedham Vale

  29. North Kent Marshes

  30. North Downs

  31. Ashdown Forest

  32. Pevensey Levels

  33. South Downs

  34. Surrey Heaths

  35. Itchen Valley

  36. Test Valley

  37. New Forest grazings

  38. North Wessex Downs

  39. South Wiltshire Downs

  40. Mendips

  41. Somerset Levels and Moors

  42. Exmoor

  43. Dartmoor

  44. Bodmin Moor

  611

  45. West Penwith Moors

  46. Anglesey

  47. Lleyn

  48. Southern Snowdonia

  49. East Montgomeryshire and East Radnorshire

  50. Mynydd Elenydd

  51. Radnor Forest and South Radnorshire Uplands

  52. Black Mountain

  53. Black Mountains, West Brecon Beacons

  54. Gower

  55. Teifi

  56. Pembrokeshire

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of occasions that the farmers liaison group for each environmentally sensitive area has met since 1 July.

  Mr. Ryder
  There are no farmers liaison groups in any environmentally sensitive area.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the statutory and voluntary organisations represented on the formal liaison groups for each of the environmentally sensitive areas in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Ryder
  There are no formal liaison arrangements in any environmentally sensitive area, although informal arrangements exist which vary to meet local needs and circumstances. In all cases regular contact is maintained with a wide range of statutory and voluntary organisations who have an interest in the scheme.

  Less Favoured Areas
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in each of the last five years hill livestock compensatory allowances have been refused to farmers in the less favoured areas on the grounds that the ewe density on the farms concerned exceeded the European Community stocking limits.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The EC structures regulation (79785), which provides the basic framework for paying HLCAs, does not currently impose European Community stocking limits as such, although allowances may not exceed 101 ECUs per livestock unit and per hectare. Because the rates set in the United Kingdom have been below the 101 ECUs limit, it has not in itself affected ewe stocking densities.

  However, under national legislation, limits are imposed on the number of ewes per hectare on which HLCAs are paid (six in the severely disadvantaged areas and nine in the disadvantaged areas).

  Quangos (Appointments)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer on 10 July, how much it would cost to provide the information on appointments to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Assuming around 90 entries, my best estimate is about £500.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans exist to ensure the safe disposal of both chlorofluorocarbon refrigerent material 612
  and chlorofluorocarbon II in the foam in refrigeration and air-cooling equipment under the control of his Department.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment today.

  Food Stockpiles
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is the total amount of wheat, beef and olive oil which is stockpiled: (i) in the United Kingdom and (ii) in the European Economic Community as a whole, in:(a) 1989, (b) 1984 and (c) 1979; and what was the total cost of storage and maintaining these for 1988.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1989, c. 242–44]: An error has occurred in my previous reply. The correct figures of the cost of storing and maintaining these stocks during 1988 was:

  £ million5

  European Community

  United Kingdom

  Cereals4

  153

  14

  Beef

  119

  8

  Olive oil

  26

  0

  TOTAL

  298

  22

  Footnotes:

  4 Separate breakdown for wheat not available.

  5 Expenditure charged to the 1988 budget relates to expenditure during the period November 1987 to 15 October 1988.

  Research
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the research projects currently carried out at his experimental centres at Brogdale, Lizcombe, Luddington and Rosewarne.

  Mr. Ryder
  The following Government-funded R and D projects are currently being carried out, in whole or in part, at the experimental centres indicated.

  Publicly funded projects (whole or part) at Luddington EHS 1989–90

  CP27

  Investigations to assist in the interpretation of data from surveys of pesticide residues in agriculture and horticulture produce

  FNO2

  Container grown nursery stock production

  FNO3

  Field grown nursery stock selection and propagation

  FNO4

  Field grown nursery stock production

  GTO1

  Apples and pears variety trialling

  GTO2

  Apples and pears—production

  GT03

  Plums and cherries variety trialling

  GT04

  Plums and cherries production

  GT05

  Cider apples and other fruit for juicing

  GT10

  Strawberries variety trialling

  GT1I

  Strawberries production

  GT12

  Cane bush and other fruits variety trialling

  613

  GT13

  Cane bush and other fruits production

  GT21

  Fruit, soil management and crop nutrition

  GT22

  Top fruit pest and disease control

  GT23

  Soft fruit control of pests and diseases

  PC02

  Lettuce production and varieties

  PC04

  Tomato production

  VG01

  Brassicas, variety evaluation

  VGO2

  Brassica crop production

  VG05

  Salads, variety evaluation

  VG10

  Alliums, variety evaluation

  VG11

  Albums production

  VG20

  Other vegetables variety evaluation

  VG21

  Other vegetables—crop production

  VG25

  Field vegetable, soil management and nutrition

  VG26

  Field vegetable pest control

  VG29

  To develop improved post harvest handling and storage techniques for minimising wastage and extending market life

  Commercial contract and levy-funded R and D is not included.

  Publicly funded projects (whole or part) at Rosewarne EHS 1989–90

  FN10

  Narcissus variety trialling propagation stock selection and evaluation

  FN11

  Narcissus production

  FN12

  Other bulbs and bulb flowers varieties and propagation

  FN21

  Bulb diseases

  AR01

  Early potatoes-variety testing

  AR03

  Early potatoes-production agronomy

  VG01

  Brassicas, variety evaluation

  VG02

  Brassica crop production

  VG13

  Roots production

  VG25

  Field vegetables, soil management and nutrition

  VG27

  Diseases of field vegetables and their control

  Publicly funded projects (whole or part) at Brogdale EHS 1989–90

  GT01

  Apples and pears variety trialling

  GT02

  Apples and pears—production

  GT03

  Plums and cherries variety trialling

  GT04

  Plums and cherries production

  GT10

  Strawberries variety trialling

  GT11

  Strawberries production

  GTI2

  Cane bush & other fruits variety trialling

  GT13

  Cane bush and other fruits production

  GT21

  Fruit, soil management and crop nutrition

  GT22

  Top fruit pest and disease control

  614

  EC22

  Propagation weaning and growing on farm woodland nursery transplants

  FN01

  Container grown nursery stock selection and propagation

  Publicly funded projects (whole or part) at Liscombe EHF1989–90

  BC02

  Reproduction and rearing of beef cattle

  BC03

  Finishing systems

  EC20

  The establishment and management of small farm woodlands

  BN02

  Evaluation of the resistance to deterioration of alternative floor surface treatments in bunker

  GR02

  Sward establishment and management for grazing and conservation

  GR10

  Grass and forage conservation

  SH01

  Genetics—sheep breeding

  SH02

  Reproduction rearing and the nutrition of the ewe an suckling lamb

  SH03

  Nutrition and management of the weaned lamb

  SH04

  Multicomponent studies housing and handling

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff are currently employed at the Institute of Horticultural Research at Littlehampton; how many staff will be made redundant when the institute closes in three years' time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The complement of full-time staff employed at IHR Littlehampton is 177. There are 33 part-time staff. The number likely to be make redundant when the Littlehampton site closes cannot be forecast but will be kept to a minimum by redeployment of staff between sites in the institutes and elsewhere in the AFRC and by natural wastage in the period until the closure. The timetable for restructuring is still uncertain. A start will depend on extra funding for a building programme and transfer costs and three years will be needed to complete the process.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the projects currently undertaken at the Institute of Horticultural Research at Littlehampton; if he will indicate which projects are due to be relocated when the site is closed in three years' time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The programmes currently undertaken at the AFRC Institute of Horticultural Research, Littlehampton are:

  Energy saving in glasshouses.

  Production systems for protected crops.

  Control of pests and diseases of protected crops.

  Evaluation of biological and other novel methods for pest control.

  Mushrooms.

  Production of ornamental bulbs and corms.

  Control of diseases and pests of ornamental bulbs and corms.

  Development of integrated control techniques for pests of outdoor crops.

  Molecular and cell biology of strategic plant processes.

  Other programmes undertaken jointly at Littlehampton and at the East Mailing and Wellesbourne sites of IHR, are:

  615

  Breeding and selection of hardy ornamental nursery stock.

  Propagation and production of hardy ornamentals. Crop protection of hardy ornamentals.

  Optimum harvesting, storage and marketing conditions for top fruit and soft fruit.

  Horticultural crop improvement by non-conventional methods.

  Physiology and biochemistry of crop development.

  Root development and function.

  Investigation of host/pathogen relationships.

  Development of novel methods of pest and disease control.

  There are also several industrially-supported projects which supplement AFRC funded programmes.

  Under the AFRC's restructuring plan, implementation of which will depend on the extra funding for a building programme and transfer costs, most Littlehampton programmes will be transferred to the principal IHR research station at Wellesbourne.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the projects that are currently undertaken at the North Wyke research station; if he will indicate which projects have been identified as near market and which of these have definite funding from outside bodies and industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested is as follows:

  Current (1989–90) Programme Funded by MAFF Commissions and if Near Market

  Comparison of the yield potential of permanent grass swards, and re-seeds of contrasting ages. Yes.

  Productivity and clover compatibility of late-maturing tetraploid perennial ryegrass under cutting and grazing. Yes.

  Yield potential of low-input grazing legumes.

  Production and utilisation of grass grown with broad-leaved trees.

  Nitrogen cycling in grazed grassland as influenced by sward composition, fertiliser input and drainage.

  Effects of soil conditions on nutrient availability.

  Fertiliser strategies to reduce leaching losses from grazed grass.

  Establish responses to grazing management with cows grazing permanent grass swards. Yes.

  To improve by supplementation the utilisation of grazed pastures and nutrients derived from them. Yes.

  £000

  Local Authorities

  Yield of Districts Domestic Rates 1988–89

  Yield of Regional Domestic Rates 1988–89

  Total Yield of Domestic Rates 1988–89

  Orkney

  1,258

  1,258

  Shetland

  3,310

  3,310

  Western Isles

  2,576

  2,576

  Berwickshire

  480

  2,323

  2,802

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  919

  3,879

  4,799

  Roxburgh

  1,073

  4,115

  5,189

  Tweeddale

  386

  1,929

  2,314

  Clackmannan

  2,098

  5,687

  7,785

  Falkirk

  5,265

  17,493

  22,758

  Stirling

  5,317

  11,906

  17,224

  Annandale and Eskdale

  1,067

  4,359

  5,425

  Nithsdale

  1,697

  6,936

  8,633

  Stewartry

  692

  3,250

  3,942

  Wigtown

  714

  3,569

  4,282

  Dunfermline

  4,114

  17,746

  21,860

  Kirkcaldy

  5,955

  20,470

  26,425

  North East Fife

  2,941

  11,273

  14,215

  Aberdeen City

  8,622

  26,606

  35,228

  Banff and Buchan

  2,356

  8,141

  10,497

  Gordon

  1,869

  8,075

  9,944

  Kincardine and Deeside

  1,111

  5,854

  6,966

  Moray

  2,003

  8,240

  10,243

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  240

  1,562

  1,802

  Caithness

  627

  2,608

  3,235

  616

  To develop optimum strategies for low-input beef production on long-term grassland including grass/clover swards.

  The utilisation of grass-white clover swards for milk production.

  Physiology of plant/animal interactions in grazing systems.

  Develop lamb production systems based on long-term grass-white clover swards. Yes.

  None of the near-market identified work has yet been picked up by alternative sponsors.

  Current (1989–90) Contract programmes showing sponsor

  Fertiliser effects on productivity and botanical composition on permanent in Somerset Moors. NCC, MAFF, DOE.

  Forms of phosphate fertiliser for grass-clover swards. Timac.

  Pests and disease control in grassland. Various.

  Effects of fertilisers and other inputs on grass and grass-clover productivity. ICI, Farrant.

SCOTLAND

  Employment Training
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has about the number of employment training placements in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  Of the 23,200 people participating in employment training in Scotland at 30 June 1989, around 19,300 were on placements with employers or on projects.

  Domestic Rates
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will produce a table for each district council showing the total yield from the domestic rate payment, excluding domestic water rates, for 1988–89, showing the breakdown of the amounts attributed to district and regions.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The estimated figures are given in the table.
  617

  Local Authorities

  Yield of Districts Domestic Rates 1988–89

  Yield of Regional Domestic Rates 1988–89

  Total Yield of Domestic Rates 1988–89

  Inverness

  1,487

  8,139

  9,626

  Lochaber

  607

  2,178

  2,785

  Nairn

  217

  1,412

  1,629

  Ross and Cromarty

  1,310

  5,450

  6,760

  Skye and Lochalsh

  246

  1,065

  1,311

  Sutherland

  238

  1,301

  1,539

  East Lothian

  4,324

  14,599

  18,923

  Edinburgh City

  24,718

  84,960

  109,678

  Midlothian

  3,566

  12,041

  15,608

  West Lothian

  5,340

  20,434

  25,774

  Argyll and Bute

  3,255

  9,764

  13,019

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  2,265

  9,931

  12,195

  Clydebank

  2,183

  6,381

  8,564

  Clydesdale

  2,404

  8,181

  10,585

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  2,567

  8,867

  11,433

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  1,569

  5,262

  6,831

  Cunninghame

  7,197

  20,012

  27,209

  Dumbarton

  4,286

  12,857

  17,143

  East Kilbride

  3,294

  13,129

  16,423

  Eastwood

  2,378

  13,554

  15,932

  Glasgow City

  46,654

  100,350

  147,003

  Hamilton

  5,001

  15,837

  20,838

  Inverclyde

  4,017

  14,309

  18,326

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  3,653

  11,255

  14,907

  Kyle and Carrick

  5,751

  19,282

  25,032

  Monklands

  4,528

  14,337

  18,865

  Motherwell

  5,785

  20,292

  26,077

  Renfrew

  9,924

  31,425

  41,349

  Strathkelvin

  3,840

  13,679

  17,519

  Angus

  3,220

  12,402

  15,622

  Dundee City

  10,317

  24,952

  35,269

  Perth and Kinross

  4,775

  17,735

  22,510

  SCOTLAND

  237,603

  731,393

  968,996

  Notes:

  1. Domestic rates are net of domestic rates relief.

  2. The columns may not add due to roundings.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will produce a table for each district council showing the total estimated yield from the community charge and standard community charge, excluding water charges, for 1989–90, showing the breakdown of the amount attributed to district and region.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 June,Official Report, Vol. 154, columns 495–98.

  Tourist Board
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consequences are envisaged for the Scottish tourist board as the result of the announcements contained in the reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Mr. Bevan) by the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr. Fowler) on 6 July,Official Report, column 278; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  No changes are envisaged. I am satisfied that the means by which Government support is delivered to the Scottish tourist industry remain relevant and effective.

  Hospital Cars
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of patients living in the Highlands and Islands conveyed to hospital by the 618
  Scottish ambulance service in hospital cars in (a) the eight months prior to August 1988 and (b) the eight months following August 1988.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information available on the number of patients conveyed by the hospital car service in the Highlands and Western Isles in 1988 is:

  Number of patients conveyed

  Period

  Number

  22 December 1987—21 March 1988

  3,884

  22 March 1988—21 June 1988

  4,333

  22 June 1988—21 September 1988

  3,636

  22 September 1988—21 December 1988

  2,865

  Total

  14,718

  Figures for 1989 are not yet available.

  Food Safety
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide additional resources to ensure that district councils are able to provide an adequate number of environmental health officers to tackle the health hazards arising from food; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: Local authorities have recieved a generous revenue support grant settlement for 1989–90. They should therefore have adequate scope within available resources to fulfill their responsibilities for environmental health.
  619
  Any future requirement for additional resources can be taken into account in subsequent revenue support grant settlements.

  Food Safety
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide additional resources to ensure that regional councils are able to provide an adequate number of environmental health officers to tackle the health hazards arising from food; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: The provision of environmental health officers is the responsibility of district and islands councils.

  Environmental Health and Trading Standards Officers
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish(a) the number and (b) the cost of local authorities' environmental health and trading standards officers for each financial year since 1979.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: This information is not held centrally.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number and total value of council houses sold by each district council in the year 1988–89.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 13 July 1989]: The information requested which is available to date is set out in the table:

  Local authority sales to sitting tenants l988–891

  District

  Number of sales

  Value of receipts£000

  SCOTLAND

  24,144

  243,281

  Berwickshire

  120

  1,254

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  159

  1,676

  Roxburgh

  219

  2,261

  Tweeddale2

  27

  307

  Clackmannan

  356

  3,568

  Falkirk

  1,252

  12,416

  Stirling

  457

  4,729

  Annandale and Eskdale

  177

  1,933

  Nithsdale

  417

  3,951

  Stewartry

  86

  861

  Wigtown

  132

  1,273

  Dunfermline

  819

  7,631

  Kirkcaldy

  778

  6,761

  North East Fife

  316

  3,372

  Aberdeen

  643

  8,290

  Banff and Buchan

  322

  3,641

  Gordon

  78

  1,075

  Kincardine and Deeside

  61

  851

  Moray

  372

  4,331

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  53

  627

  Caithness

  93

  935

  Inverness

  169

  1,997

  Lochaber

  116

  1,391

  Nairn

  21

  247

  Ross and Cromarty2

  82

  984

  Skye and Lochalsh

  27

  338

  Sutherland2

  30

  319

  East Lothian

  647

  7,868

  Edinburgh

  2,411

  22,396

  Midlothian

  570

  7,144

  620

  District

  Number of sales

  Value of receipts£000

  West Lothian

  629

  6,297

  Argyll and Bute

  139

  1,524

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  51

  616

  Clydebank

  468

  4,071

  Clydesdale

  363

  3,777

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  187

  1,835

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  n/a

  n/a

  Cunninghame

  789

  7,686

  Dumbarton

  383

  3,558

  East Kilbride

  85

  923

  Eastwood

  78

  866

  Glasgow

  3,189

  28,742

  Hamilton

  758

  7,856

  Inverclyde

  263

  2,455

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  568

  5,421

  Kyle and Carrick

  775

  7,962

  Monklands

  n/a

  n/a

  Motherwell

  844

  9,082

  Renfrew

  1,295

  13,248

  Strathkclvin

  477

  5,356

  Angus

  386

  4,123

  Dundee

  812

  6,786

  Perth and Kinross

  469

  5,198

  Orkney Islands

  53

  592

  Shetland Islands

  44

  595

  Western Isles

  29

  283

  1 Only sales for which complete information is available are included.

  2 Returns for question 1 1989 not included.

  n/a No returns available.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensioners
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals are in receipt of both the basic state pension and housing benefit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As at 31 May 1989, the number of claimants in receipt of housing benefit, with either the claimant or the claimant's partner, or both being in receipt of basic state pension, was 2·8 million.

  Source: Annual Statistical Enquiry 1988.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals are in receipt of both the basic state pension and income support.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Latest estimates indicate that the number of claimants in receipt of income support, with either the claimant or the claimant's partner, or both, being in receipt of basic state pension, is 1·61 million.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals are in receipt of both the basic state pension and family credit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As at 31 May 1989 approximately 2,000 women aged 60 and over were in receipt of family credit. Information relating to individuals in receipt of both family credit and the basic state pension is not available.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give for each of the last three years(a) the number of people receiving attendance allowance, (b)

  621
  the number awarded the allowance in that year and (c) the number who lost the allowance because of death or recovery.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 13 June at columns 387–88.

  Single Parent Families
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list in the Official Report the various measures taken since 1986 to assist single parent families.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The needs of lone parents were recognised in the social security reforms introduced last year. As well as the family premium, income support and housing benefit have a lone parent premium. In family credit the adult rate for married couples also applies to lone parents. From April families with children who receive income-related benefit had increases over and above those needed to restore their real value of 50p a child.

  Unmarried mothers seeking maintenance will also benefit from changes made by the Family Law Reform Act.

  Disability
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he plans to act on the evidence of the recently published surveys of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys to improve the lot of disabled people by uprating, extending and improving access to disability benefits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 3 July at column 2.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to lay the regulations on community charge rebates before the House.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We intend to lay the Community Charge Benefits (General) Regulations 1989 once the Social Security Bill has received Royal Assent.

  Income Support
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will commission research into the amount of money spent by recipients of income support on food.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on the amounts spent on food by different groups—including recipients of income support—is already collected as part of the family expenditure survey.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been(a) the total number of claims for family credit and (b) the number of claims assessed as eligible for payment.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Up to and including 7 July 1989, 1,028,536 claims for family credit had been received and 622
  610,487 awards had been made. The total number of claims received includes 48,853 which were either subsequently withdrawn, or were invalid because they were made more than four weeks before the expiry of an existing award. At 7 July 1989, 86,440 claims were still being processed.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the expenditure to date on the publicity campaign to re-launch family credit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Up to 30 June expenditure on paid advertising was £3·7 million and £1·1 million on other promotion and marketing costs, mostly printing and postage.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of claims for family credit have been assessed as ineligible for payment in each month since April 1988.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The percentage of valid claims dealt with in each month which were unsuccessful is as follows:

  Percentage

  1988

  April

  32·0

  May

  June

  27·0

  July

  27·8

  August

  27·0

  September

  26·4

  October

  24·9

  November

  24·8

  December

  26·1

  1989

  January

  26·9

  February

  25·6

  March

  24·4

  April

  26·2

  May

  48·8

  June

  44·8

  Valid claims exclude those withdrawn and those made more than four weeks before the expiry of an existing award.

  Mental Illness (Services)
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in the light of his statement of 12 July on community care, what plans he has to improve health services for the mentally ill.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  I welcome the opportunity to outline Government policy towards the care in the community of the mentally ill and to indicate the initiatives that we propose to take to improve these services in England. These will, of course, be included in the White Paper on community care to be published this autumn which will set out the finer detail where necessary.

  Until the 1960s there was little alternative for those suffering from serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia to prolonged in-patient care in one of the large and often remote mental hospitals. Scientific advances in the 1950s, particularly the discovery that the symptoms of schizophrenia could often be relieved by drugs, together with the development of community psychiatric services, opened up the possibility that many sufferers could be

  623
  treated on a largely out-patient basis. The vision of a new pattern of services on this basis, reflecting an already occurring fall in the number of hospital beds, and anticipating a further fall, was outlined by the then Minister of Health, Mr. Enoch Powell, in 1961. It was turned into detailed policy under Sir Keith Joseph in the early 1970s, though the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Ill"—was actually published in 1975.

  The policy as stated in that White Paper, the development of locally-based hospital and community services, including facilities providing long term asylum for those who need it, and as a consequence the closure of very large mental hospitals, has remained essentially unchanged since, supported by successive Governments. It is founded on scientific and therapeutic advances, and the knowledge that, with the right supporting services, many sufferers can live fuller lives in the community than in institutions.

  In our view, this long-standing policy is a civilised and humanitarian one which has benefited many patients who, otherwise, would have been destined to spend their lives in large isolated hospitals. It has also inspired many caring people to work in the psychiatric services. We know it can work. We have examples of services such as those in Buckingham and Hackney, which show what can be done through prevention, early intervention and well coordinated care at home working closely with family doctors. I am glad today to be able to reaffirm the Government's commitment to the policy, and our determination to ensure that it is properly implemented. There is no going back to the days when health service care for the mentally ill invariably meant long term institutional care.

  Although there are some who question the policy itself, most concerns are about implementation: the pervasive sense that all too often community care means no care: that insufficient resources have been put in place to provide effective alternatives to the old hospitals, where bed numbers have fallen substantially. I would make two points about this.

  While we accept that there are deficiencies, it would be wrong to minimise the substantial shift of resources from hospital in-patient provision to community-based services provided by health and local authorities. Over the last ten years for which information is available (1977 to 1987), the number of places for people with a mental illness in local authority, voluntary and private residential homes almost doubled (to 9,000) and there was a 50 per cent. increase in day centre places (to 6,000). On the health service side there has been a 44 per cent. growth in day hospital places (to 19,000) over the same period; the number of community psychiatric nurses has more than doubled since 1981, and it is estimated that the number of districts with a community mental health centre has doubled every two years throughout the 1980s.

  We made quite explicit in last year's guidance to the National Health Service what has always been the intention: that hospitals should close only when proper alternative locally based services were available. When the Secretary of State discussed this issue yesterday with the chairmen of the regional health authorities he made it clear that he will not approve the closure of any mental hospital unless he is satisfied that proper alternative services are in place. This coupled with the requirement to introduce care programmes in 1991, means that no patient will be
  624
  discharged from hospital without proper consideration of his or her need for continuing care and where needs are identified, plans to meet them.

  Over the last few months we have been working, and will continue to work, collaboratively with individual regional health authorities to identify the progress that has been made and the problems that have been encountered. Our purpose is not to recriminate over any inadequacies in the past, but to identify what we at the centre need to do to help health authorities implement policy effectively. It is through this work, and discussions with the social services inspectorate and voluntary organisations, that we are building up a region-by-region picture of progress and problems, and I expect to have this around the turn of the year.

  To enhance our capacity to undertake this work we have secured the services at the Department of one of the few general managers in the country with experience of developing locally based services and closing a major hospital. Mr. John Jenkins, who played a leading role in the development of services in Exeter and Torbay and the closure of Exminster hospital will be working with us in an advisory capacity from next Monday, and will play a key role in our collaborative work with regional health authorities and the development of any further initiatives or guidance that seem necessary.

  I would now like to outline a number of specific policy steps. The first is guidance to health authorities on care programmes. Much concern has been expressed about the adequacy of continuing health service care for psychiatric patients discharged from hospital. Last year, through a health circular, a requirement was placed on district health authorities to initiate, by 31 March 1991, explicit individually tailored programmes for continuing health service care for all such patients. Later this month we will be formally consulting on guidance to authorities on developing these care programmes, which will emphasise the need for locally developed approaches including local registers of vulnerable discharged patients and regular reviews of their needs. We expect to publish the definitive guidance in the autumn. In addition, and we greatly welcome this, the Royal College of Psychiatrists has agreed to draw up minimum acceptable professional standards for assessing patients prior to discharge, and for follow up after discharge. A preliminary statement of good practice is expected from the college in late summer, to be followed by a more substantive one developed in concert with the other professions concerned. These two initiatives will, together, provide much clearer guidance on good practice than currently exists.

  As part of our 1990–91 research programme, we plan to commission research which will assist us to evaluate the effectiveness of the care programme initiative.

  The second is guidance on compulsory admission to hospital. Another area of current concern is in relation to arrangements for compulsory admission to hospital, and the related issue of compulsory treatment in the community.

  On hospital admissions, there seems to be wide agreement that the law is adequate, but concern that its interpretation by practitioners is sometimes not. We believe that these problems will be much reduced once the code of practice for admitting and treating patients compulsorily required under the 1983 Mental Health Act is available. In April we set up an expert group under the chairmanship of Mr. James Collier, with Mr. William

  625
  Bingley, on secondment from MIND to whom we are indebted, as the full-time executive secretary. Work is well advanced, and the code will be laid before the House this autumn.

  We understand that in due course the Royal College of Psychiatrists will be giving us its views on the possible role of new legal powers to ensure compulsory treatment in the community. We will then explore this issue with all the interested parties involved. Without prejudicing the discussion, we would need to be very clear both of the benefits, and that they could not be achieved through voluntary means, before seriously considering asking Parliament to create provision for compulsory treatment in the community.

  The third is health service resources. Although the issues that I have already referred to are important, we fully understand that underlying much of the current concern is the question of resources. Finance from mental hospital sites provides valuable capital for replacement facilities, but these facilities are needed before hospitals can be vacated. They in turn have to compete for resources with other priorities within capital programmes, and this may hold up the whole process. Existing arrangements offer one way of addressing this problem—with regions lending each other capital to match the timing of planned new developments. Another possible solution is for authorities to enter into agreements with developers to upgrade, purchase and build community facilities for the mentally ill, in return for which they would receive all or part of the vacated site. We plan to invite health authorities to identify sites where this approach would be suitable: the aim will be to bring about the degree of private sector involvement that maximises value for money.

  We do understand the revenue burden of keeping open old hospitals which will close and new replacement facilities already open. Clearly the quicker older facilities can be closed the lesser the burden of double running and running inefficient emptying facilities.

  The fourth is local authority resources. Proper social care for the mentally ill in the community is vital. Yesterday the Government confirmed that local authorities would continue to be responsible for the social care of the mentally ill and announced that from 1991 we would be instituting a new, specific grant to local authorities to encourage them to make the necessary contribution to the services required. To encourage joint planning of services, and proper collaboration in relation to care programmes, we are making this grant payable through health authorities as the Secretary of State's agent, on the basis of agreed plans. Further details will be set out in the White Paper on community care, to be published this autumn.

  The fifth is quality of services. We are very concerned that the new hospital and community facilities that are developing should provide a good quality service. In the wake of scandals about the conditions in some mental hospitals in the 1960s and early 1970s, the health advisory service was established, to keep a watch on standards and encourage better services. I think that it is generally agreed that, over the years the HAS has been successful. We are now examining its work to identify how it might be done even more effectively, and in a way even more relevant to the NHS as it will develop following "Working for Patients".

  The sixth is the contribution of the voluntary sector. We believe that a lot can be done, through Departmental
  626
  grants to voluntary organisations, to increase the information, services and mutual help available to the parents and friends of patients. Current grants to voluntary organisations in the mental health field, including mental handicap, are being reviewed with a view to ensuring that we use the nearly £2½ million a year that we allocate in a way which best supports patients and their relatives and encourages new initiatives which are of clear and direct benefit.

  There are some areas we need to explore more fully as a matter of urgency. I would like to refer to some of the issues that we are aware are causing concerns that we are beginning to address, and on which work will be undertaken in the course of the next year or so.

  First, the need to improve the ability of general practitioners and others to prevent, detect and treat mental illness. The first of a series of departmentally sponsored conferences on these themes was held in May; others are planned for the autumn and next spring. In the light of these discussions we will be considering what practical initiatives need to be taken;

  Secondly, the need to provide appropriate services for those among the homeless population who suffer from mental illness. The incidence of mental illness among homeless and destitute men and women in London and other cities has been linked by some to the fall in the number of hospital beds. Research funded by the Department shows that, most commonly, homeless mentally ill people have had care organised outside hospital but have lost touch with the service. We expect to reduce the future numbers losing touch through the measures to which I have already referred. But we need to address the existing problem, and will be doing so in the light of a recent study by the Policy Studies Institute, again funded by the Department, on schemes for delivering primary health care to single homeless people;

  Third, the need for adequate arrangements in each health district for emergency care of people suffering from mental illness. In some places this is handled through the normal accident and emergency service; in others by specialist mental health emergency arrangements. We will be discovering the extent of arrangements and seeking to evaluate alternatives.

  Finally, let me summarise what we are announcing at this stage.
  We reaffirm our commitment to the longstanding policy of locally based hospital and community services, including asylum;
  working collaboratively with the regional health authorities, we will ensure that hospitals are not closed before proper alternative provision is made;
  from 1991, we will require district health authorities to have care programmes for those discharged from hospital, upon which we will be issuing guidance, and we propose a new specific grant to local authorities, payable through health authorities, to help meet the social care needs of such patients;
  we are offering health authorities the possibility of, in effect, bringing forward the sale of hospital sites, to fund new facilities such as hospital hostels;
  we propose this autumn to lay before the House a code of practice for the compulsory assessment and treatment of patients suffering from mental disorder in hospital, and will consider, though from a very questioning standpoint, the possibility of new legislation for compulsory treatment in the community;
  we are reviewing the work of the health advisory service, to ensure effective oversight of the quality of locally-based services;

  627
  we are reviewing our funding of voluntary bodies, to ensure that public funds are used in the most effective way to encourage the development and provision of services for patients and their relatives:
  we are looking at ways of increasing general practitioners' awareness of mental illness and how it can be treated; the extent and adequacy of emergency services for people with a mental illness, and what can be done to meet the needs of those members of the homeless population in London and elsewhere suffering from mental illness.

ENVIRONMENT

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many admitted full ownership claims were in the pipeline at the end of the last quarter for which information is available.

  Mr. Trippier
  About two thirds of the local authorities in England have submitted returns for the period ending 31 March 1989; the total of pipeline figures for these authorities was some 112,000.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discharges of toxic waste currently take place into the North sea.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Toxic wastes are discharged into the North sea via two main routes: direct discharge by pipe from land-based sources and riverine inputs from direct discharges to rivers. Wastes also enter the North sea from dumping and incineration at sea and general atmospheric deposition. The 1987 quality status report on the North sea confirms that most of the pollution in the North sea comes from rivers.

  The combined effect of all United Kingdom rivers flowing into the North sea contributes about 20 per cent. of riverborne pollutants, although the United Kingdom has almost half the North sea coastline. The Rhine and Meuse alone contribute between 40 and 50 per cent. of pollutants carried by rivers.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to introduce poll tax rebates for those who care for the elderly within the family home.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax.

  People caring for the elderly within the family home may, depending upon their incomes, be eligible for rebates of up to 80 per cent. of the community charge, and if they are in receipt of income support, will have an amount reflected in their income support to help with the remaining 20 per cent.

  Waste Incinerators
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the event of planning appeals arising out of the refusal of local authorities to grant planning consent for municipal, chemical or hospital waste incinerators, he will make it his policy to take into account 628
  local public concern over such proposals and the findings of the interdepartmental working group report "Dioxins in the Environment", and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Section 29 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 requires those who decide planning applications to have regard to the provisions of the development plan, so far as material to the application, and to any other material considerations. My right hon. Friend and his planning inspectors are subject to the same requirement in relation to appeals. Accordingly, in deciding planning appeals inspectors can take account of a wide range of evidence, including expressions of local opinion, providing it relates to material land-use planning considerations.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of the recent report from the interdepartmental working group on polychlorinated dibenzo-par-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzo-furans entitled "Dioxins in the Environment", he will now consider introducing stricter planning and operational controls on municipal, chemical and hospital waste incinerators; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  On planning controls I refer the hon. Member to the reply to his earlier question today.

  As for operational controls, new regulations came into effect on 31 March this year bringing all incinerators capable of burning waste at a rate of 1 tonne per hour or more under the control of the national air pollution inspectorates. These inspectorates already controlled all chemical waste incinerators. We have recently agreed within the European Community two directives on prevention of air pollution from new and existing municipal waste incinerators. These directives specify combustion conditions which take particular account of the need to minimise emissions of dioxins and furans. The Department has also recently drawn up, in consultation with the Department of Health, draft guidance on incineration of clinical waste which includes combustion conditions designed to minimise dioxin and furan emissions.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will tabulate what a typical married couple with two children and one wage earner living in the London borough of Waltham Forest would pay(a) in community charge and (b) in a system of capital value rates plus local income tax paid in proportions of 80:20, respectively, if the wage earner earned (a) £60,000, (b) £90,000 and (c) £120,000 and lived in (i) property owned by that wage earner worth £90,000 and (ii) property owned by that wage earner worth £120,000 and (iii) property owned by that wage earner worth £150,000, making the same assumptions as in his reply to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Sir H. Rossi) on 22 March, Official Report, column 626.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested is provided in the table.
  629

  Illustrative annual liability in Waltham Forest under a system of capital value rates combined with local income tax, 1988–89

  Earnings

  Property value

  Property value

  Property value

  £90,000

  £120,000

  £150,000

  (a)£60,000

  £1,635

  £1,915

  £2,200

  (b)£90,000

  £2,060

  £2,345

  £2,625

  (c) £120,000

  £2,490

  £2,770

  £3,050

  The figures are based on illustrative tax rates placed in the Library on 23 June 1988 and are for 1988–89. Taxable income is taken as earnings less £4,095, the married man's allowance, in each case. The illustrative 1988–89 community charge in Waltham Forest is £269.

  Gasoline
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he has made of the need to set seasonal Reid vapour pressure limits for gasoline.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Evaporative emissions from gasoline are of interest because of the role they play in the generation of secondary air pollutants, including ozone. A study carried out for the Department by the Harwell

  Planning applications decided, by each planning authority in Staffordshire, and England—July to September 1988

  Planning authority

  Total decided

  Under 8 weeks

  Per cent.

  Between 8–13 weeks

  Per cent.

  Over 13 weeks

  Per cent.

  Cannock Chase

  257

  210

  (82)

  27

  (10)

  20

  (8)

  East Staffordshire

  389

  320

  (82)

  53

  (14)

  16

  (4)

  Lichfield

  337

  223

  (66)

  85

  (25)

  29

  (9)

  Newcastle under Lyme

  347

  321

  (92)

  20

  (6)

  6

  (2)

  South Staffordshire

  327

  156

  (48)

  136

  (41)

  35

  (11)

  Stafford

  389

  304

  (78)

  62

  (16)

  23

  (6)

  Staffordshire Moorland

  282

  156

  (55)

  66

  (24)

  60

  (21)

  Stoke on Trent

  423

  295

  (70)

  105

  (25)

  23

  (5)

  Tamworth

  326

  251

  (77)

  46

  (14)

  29

  (9)

  Peak Park (Staffs section)

  41

  13

  (32)

  16

  (39)

  12

  (29)

  England

  164,044

  85,680

  (52)

  48,172

  (29)

  30,192

  (19)

  Litter
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in respect of litter at Victoria station.

  Mrs. Virgina Bottomley
  None. However, we have received a large number of representations on litter in public areas generally, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will shortly announce proposals for legislation designd to tackle this problem.

  Water Authorities (Debt Write-Offs)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the proposed debt write-offs for each regional water authority; and what is the expected remaining debt in each case.

  Mr. Howard
  It is too early to say. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mr. Mills) on 18 May,Official Report, Vol. 153, column 268.

  Dogs
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about dog licensing; and if he will make a statement.
  630
  laboratory concludes that further controls on Reid vapour pressure would have an insignificant impact on the formation of secondary pollutants.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many planning applications were decided(a) in under eight weeks; (b) between eight and 13 weeks; and (c) in over 13 weeks by each planning authority in Staffordshire in the most recent period for which figures are available;

  (2) what percentage of planning applications were decided (a) in under eight weeks; (b) between eight and 13 weeks; and (c) in over 13 weeks by each planning authority in Staffordshire in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what is the comparable figure for England as a whole.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested on planning decisions made by each planning authority in Staffordshire together with the comparable figure for England is listed in the table:

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on Wednesday 28 June 1989 to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner),Official Report, Vol. 155, column 479.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to compel district councils to arrange to round up stray dogs, to advertise for their owners and, after a limited time, either offer those dogs to good homes or arrange for the unclaimed dogs to be put down.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 14 June proposals for giving local authorities new duties and powers for dealing with stray dogs. We will be issuing a consultation paper on these proposals shortly.

  Beaches
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which beaches along the south Wales coastline between Cardiff and the Gover peninsular conform to the water quality standards of Economic Community bathing water directive 76/160/EEC; and what consideration he has given to the merits of existing and proposed screened sewage outfalls along this coastline.
  631
  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have been asked to reply. Information about bathing waters listed under the directive is as follows:

  Trecco bay, Porthcawl

  Rest bay, Porthcawl

  Aberavon

  My Department does not hold information on non-listed waters; I refer my hon. Friend to the chairman of Welsh Water.

  My officials are in touch with Welsh Water about its capital programme of improvements for bringing outfalls along this coastline to such standards as will permit listed bathing waters to comply with the terms of directive 76/160/EEC.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which beaches on the south Wales coastline within 10 miles of Swansea attain the standards required under European Economic Community bathing water directive 76/160/EEC.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have been asked to reply.

  All bathing waters within 10 miles of Swansea which are listed under the terms of the directive, with the exception of Swansea bay itself, complied with its standards during 1988.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) by how much the safety net grant of gaining authorities is reduced from when there is no limit where the maximum contribution to the community charge safety net is(a) £75 per adult, (b) £70 per adult, (c) £50 per adult, (d) £25 per adult, and (e) £10 per adult, on the assumption of a self-financing safety net;

  (2) how much additional Exchequer grant would be required if the maximum contribution were to be (a) £70 per adult, (b) £50 per adult, (c) £25 per adult and (d) £10 per adult on the assumption of no reduction in the community charge safety net grant to local authorities gaining from the safety net.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested is provided in the table on the basis of 1988–89 figures. If the cost of limiting contributions to the safety net were funded by Exchequer grants it would be as shown in column I. Alternatively, safety net grant receipts could be reduced by an equal amount per adult in receiving areas up to the point at which they no longer receive transitional protection. The maximum reduction in safety net grant per adult is shown in column 2.

  Cost in 1988–89 of limits on contributions to safety nets

  Column 1

  Column 2

  Contribution limit

  cost

  Maximum cost

  £

  £million

  £per adult

  75

  114

  8

  70

  134

  9

  50

  254

  18

  25

  529

  48

  10

  769

  114

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, for which of the following charges in local authority functions or duties the community charge safety net will make distributional adjustments(a) ring fencing of the housing revenue account, (b) abolition of the Inner
  632
  London education authority, (c) capital financing charges consequent on the new capital control system, (d) pension contributions consequent on the charges being proposed, (e) costs of community charge collection, (f) costs of community charge rebate and rebate administration and (g) continuing costs of maintaining the community charge register.

  Mr. Gummer
  My right hon. Friend has not taken final decisions on the safety net.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has identified all the possible options for needs assessments under the new grant system; and if he will make a statement on which he proposes to adopt.

  Mr. Gummer
  We are examining a number of possibilities for each service block, including those proposed by the local authority associations. Proposals will not be finalised until the autumn.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the level of community charge for spending at needs assessment for each local authority which would apply in 1989–90 if the proposed local government finance system were in operation; and what assumptions are made to arrive at that answer.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 12 July 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of Monday 26 June, Official Report, Vol. 155, col. 347.

  The detailed assumptions underlying that answer were:

  £ million

  Total GRE

  27,662

  Revenue support grant

  9,394

  Non domestic rate pool

  9,516

  Total adult population

  36·4

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what mechanisms he intends to use for safety-netting the introduction of the community charge.

  Mr. Gummer
  My right hon. Friend has not made final decisions on the form of the safety net.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had so far with local authorities and industry for the safe recovery and recycling of chlorofluorocarbons contained in discarded refrigerants in relation to Her Majesty's Government's objectives for the protection of the ozone layer.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department has regular meetings with local authorities and industry at which these matters are discussed. United Kingdom CFC manufacturers, a number of local authorities and at least one retailer of domestic refrigerators and freezers offer recycling services for used refrigerators free of charge.

  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans exist to ensure the safe disposal of both chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant material and chlorofluorocarbon II in the foam in refrigeration and air-cooling equipment under the control of his Department.
  633
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Guidelines issued by the Property Services Agency contain advice on the use of CFCs on the Government estate. They insist that at the end of its useful operational life, the refrigerant in commercial or industrial equipment is to be recovered by the PSA or contractors and returned to the refrigerant supplier for reclamation or safe disposal. We do not yet know of a proven technique for the extraction of the CFCs in the insulation.

  Regional Water Authorities
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the remuneration for each of the board members of the regional water authorities after vesting, along with any other benefits to be given.

  Mr. Ridley
  Under the Water Act 1989 all current appointments to water authority boards will end at vesting. Executive and non-executive directors of the successor companies will be appointed at vesting and through to flotation on essentially their existing terms and conditions as water authority board members or officers. Remuneration following flotation will be a matter for the companies themselves.

  Water Filter Industry
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what correspondence, discussions, or meetings he has had with the advertising standards authority regarding advertising by the water filter industry.

  Mr. Ridley
  None.

  OFWAT
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there is to be any increase in the number of staff of OFWAT above that which was originally projected.

  Mr. Ridley
  Yes. The complement for the office of water services will be about 100. The director general's duties have been added to since the number of about 80 was given in the explanatory and financial memorandum to the Water Bill last November.

  Water Companies
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what obligations there are on statutory water companies to disclose information about their structure, finances and activities; and what are the comparable obligations of private limited companies.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 12 July 1989]: The requirements for disclosure of information about the structure, finances and activities of the statutory water companies are set out in their local statutes and company legislation; and the requirements for private companies are set out in company legislation.

  National Exhibition Centre
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes replying to the letters of 7 April and 26 May from the chief executive of Birmingham 634
  city council, concerning the impact on the national exhibition centre of the capital control proposals contained in the Local Government and Housing Bill.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 12 July 1989]: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government wrote to the leader of Birmingham city council and Councillor Reg Hales about the national exhibition centre on 10 April, and I replied to their latest letters, of 26 May and 7 July, on 11 July.

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

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 11 July 1989]: There are 808 premises in England which are currently authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to discharge liquid radioactive waste. the authorisations prescribe discharges into drainage systems, which include public sewers. All authorisations contain strict conditions, including the quantities of radioactive liquid that may be discharged.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Drugs
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made towards further bilateral treaties to provide for the confiscation of the assets of drug traffickers.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have this week agreed on the need for early progress towards a confiscation agreement with the Interior Minister of Pakistan. We have already signed bilateral agreements with the United States of America, Canada, the Bahamas, Australia, Switzerland and, in the last few weeks, Spain, and have concluded similar arrangements with Bermuda. Discussions are also in progress with West Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Jamaica, Malaysia, Sweden andGuyana, and we expect further agreements soon.

  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking against the threat to this country from cocaine and crack.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bosworth (Mr. Tredinnick) on 15 June 1989 at column 1113.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seizures of cocaine have been made in the Merseyside area this year; and in how many cases crack was found to be present.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Merseyside police have made eight seizures of cocaine in the period January-May 1989. One of these seizures has been confirmed as being in the form of crack.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the work of the ministerial group on the misuse of drugs.
  635
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. McLoughlin) on 21 April at column 517. The ministerial group is next due to meet on 26 July, under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend, when particular attention will be given to the threat to this country from cocaine and crack.

  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about drug abuse among young people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We receive a steady stream of representations from hon. Members and members of the public about drug abuse among young people. We take a very serious view of the problem of drug misuse and have developed a comprehensive strategy set out in "Tackling Drug Misuse" a copy of which is in the Library. A number of measures under the strategy—for example, drug education in schools—are aimed specifically at young people.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further steps he is taking to enhance international co-operation in respect of the trafficking in drugs in the light of the forthcoming European single market.

  Mr. Hurd
  In my contacts with our European partners I stress the need for early ratification by all countries of the 1988 United Nations convention against the illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. We shall maintain the frontier checks necessary to control drug trafficking and promote closer international co-operation between law enforcement agencies.

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has discussed joint crime prevention initiatives with the local authority associations.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There is regular consultation between Home Office officials and local authority representatives on a wide range of issues including crime prevention. This will continue.

  North America (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the visit to North America by his hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

  Mr. Hurd
  My hon. Friend's recent valuable visit to the United States and the Bahamas provided graphic evidence of the destructive effects on individuals and the community of widespread misuse of and trafficking in cocaine and crack. He studied both means of enforcement and of reducing demand. We already have in place a comprehensive strategy for tackling misuse. The ministerial group on the misuse of drugs is considering urgently how this strategy can be strengthened and extended.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about entry into the United Kingdom of citizens from Hong Kong in the future; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  Within the last two months some 40 letters have been received in the Home Office from right hon. and hon. Members and from members of the public.

  Inquests
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases of a death of a patient on National Health Service premises in the past three years an inquest has been refused when it has been recommended by a coroner.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Home Secretary has power to order an inquest only if a coroner applies in the absence of a body. There was one application in this period for a death on National Health Service premises. It was concerned with the abortion in Carlisle City general hospital in July 1987.

  Gaelic Broadcasting
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has made to Comunn Na Gaidhlig's submission on Gaelic broadcasting.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has made to Comunn Na Gaidhlig's submission on Gaelic broadcasting.

  Mr. Renton
  We are considering the proposals submitted by Comunn Na Gaidhlig on this subject.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any progress to report on provision for Gaelic broadcasting.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave earlier today to questions from the hon. Members for the Western Isles (Mr. Macdonald) and for Argyll and Bute (Mrs. Michie).

  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached on the future of broadcasting in Gaelic.

  Mr. Renton
  No conclusions have been reached at this stage as we have yet to complete our consideration of the proposals submitted to us on this subject.

  Burglary
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest figures for burglary in England and Wales.

  Mr. Hurd
  There were 801,500 burglaries in the 12 months to March 1989 compared to 886,400 for the previous 12 months, a decrease of almost 85,000 or 10 per cent. This information is published in table 4 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 20/89, a copy of which is in the Library.
  637
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to reduce burglary in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  In their bid to reduce crime, of which burglary is a major element, the Government have increased police manpower by 14,138 and civilian manpower by 8,137 since 1979. The Government are also convinced of the importance of community involvement in tackling crime. That is why we have encouraged neighbourhood watch schemes which can do much to prevent crime. There are now over 66,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales covering approximately 3¼ million households. In addition there are 390 crime prevention panels and 165 junior panels which are active in spreading the crime prevention message. In the 12 months to March 1989 burglaries have fallen by 10 per cent. compared with the 12 months to March 1988.

  We are constantly looking at new initiatives in our effort to combat crime. One such initiative is the safer cities programme which is the Home Office contribution to the Government's action for cities strategy. We have also launched Crime Concern, an independent organisation, whose efforts are directed at the reduction of crime.

  Nazi War Criminals
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he received in the month of June regarding Nazi war criminals in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  During June I received 20 representations and one parliamentary petition on the subject of war criminals in the United Kingdom.

  Television Franchises
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers the Independent Television Commission will have to ensure that individuals found to be unfit to hold a television broadcasting licence in other countries, are prevented from involvement in television companies and channels in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Renton
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced further proposals to limit broadcasting ownership on 19 May at column 317. We are considering further the detail of the enforcement powers which the ITC and radio authority will need. We envisage that, in exercising them, they will reach their own decisions rather than necessarily following those reached by regulatory bodies in other jurisdictions.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received any representations supporting his policy that television franchises be auctioned.

  Mr. Renton
  We have received a number of submissions supporting the principle of competitive tender for the award of licences for commercial television and radio.

  Fresh Start
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the staffing levels in top security prisons following the implementation of fresh start.
  638
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As at 1 June 1989 the number of officers (including principal and senior officers) in dispersal prisons was 9 per cent. higher than two years previously when none of the establishments had moved to fresh start working.

  Murderers (Release)
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have died over the past 25 years at the hands of previously convicted killers; and what was the average length of sentence served by murderers released from prison over the past five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information on the number of suspects convicted of homicide who had previous homicide convictions is published annually in Criminal statistics, England and Wales (tables 4.9 and 4.10 of the latest issue, for 1987, Cm. 498), copies of which are in the Library.

  During the 25 year period 1963–87, 51 persons in England and Wales were killed by persons previously convicted of homicide.

  Average times served by sentenced murderers released on licence from prison service establishments are given in the table. The average figures do not take account of the longest periods being served by some of those given life sentences following the abolition of capital punishment in 1965 who have not yet been released. They also exclude persons who have died in custody or been discharged for other reasons.

  My right hon. Friend has made it clear that those convicted of the most heinous murders can normally expect to service at least 20 years in prison and in some cases even longer; and no life sentence prisoner is released, no matter how long he or she has served, unless my right hon. Friend is personally as satisfied as it is reasonably possible to be that there is no risk to the community.

  Average time1 spent under sentence in prison service establishments in England and Wales by prisoners first released in 1984–88 on licence from a life sentence for murder

  Year of release

  Average years2 under life sentence

  1984

  10·50

  1985

  10·25

  1986

  11·00

  1987

  11·50

  1988

  10·00

  1 Excluding any time spent on remand in custody.

  2 Estimates rounded to the nearest quarter.

  Blasphemy
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Law Commission recommendation regarding the law of blasphemy.

  Mr. Hurd
  In its 1985 report on offences against religion and public worship, the Law Commission recommended —by a majority—that common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel should be abolished and not replaced. A minority proposed in a note of dissent the creation of a new statutory offence of blasphemy applying to all religions. The Government have no plans to legislate on blasphemy.

  Border Controls
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to dismantle completely border controls between Britain and other European Community countries.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 14 December 1988 at cols 576–7. That essentially remains the position, and it was last extensively discussed in this House on 4 May at columns 395–417.

  Arwen Ace Gun (Police)
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to acquire the baton round gun Arwen Ace for police forces in England and Wales.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 13 April at columns 707–81.

  Bill of Rights
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans for introducing a Bill of Rights.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No.

  Press Law Review
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the terms of reference of the independent press law review group which he announced on 21 April.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Winchester (Mr. Browne) on 5 July 1989 at column 193.

  Car Crime
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to reduce car crime in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin) on 15 June at column 510.

  It is encouraging that in the 12 months ending March 1989 recorded offences of theft from vehicles fell by 9 per cent. compared to the corresponding period last year, and offences of theft or unauthorised taking of a vehicle fell by 6 per cent.

  Rural Violence
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to implement the recommendations contained in his Department's recent report on rural violence.

  Mr. Hurd
  We have strengthened the law on sales of alcohol to underage drinkers and increased the penalties available to the courts. We have issued advice to the police and courts about powers available to deal with outbreaks 640
  of disorder. We have encouraged the drinks industry to increase the production and promotion of low and no alcohol drinks. My right hon. Friend the Leader of the House, as chairman of the ministerial group on alcohol misuse, together with my hon. Friends the Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Home Department will shortly meet representatives of the drinks, fast food and leisure industries and the licensed trade to discuss other matters raised by the report. These moves by the Government need to be backed up by local action, with local organisations working together to identify any particular problems in their areas and the steps which might be taken. The need for such co-operation was spelt out in inter-Departmental guidance issued in February, which gave advice about local action to tackle all forms of alcohol misuse.

  Police Forces (Merger)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if consideration is being given to merging any shire police forces.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to create new combined police forces. I would also refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Rydale (Mr. Greenway) and the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans) on 11 May at column 529.

  Safer Cities Initiative
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the safer cities initiative.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to his question on 11 July at column 421.

  Crime
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the measures which his Department is taking to reduce crime in Greater Manchester.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on I I May at columns 543 and 544.

  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the most recent available figures for recorded crime in West Sussex.

  Mr. Hurd
  The available information relates to the police force area of Sussex. Information for 1988 was published in tables 7 and 8 of "Home Office Statistical Bulletin 7/89", a copy of which is in the Library. I have also sent some further details of the figures for 1988 for their local force area to all right hon. and hon. Members for constituencies in England and Wales and placed copies of those further details in the Library. In the first quarter of 1989 Sussex police recorded 4 per cent. more offences than in the first quarter of 1988.

  Welsh Television Channels
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the number of people living in north Wales who cannot receive Welsh television channels.
  641
  Mr. Renton
  I understand that about 15,650 people living in North Wales are unable to receive Welsh language television programmes because of mountainous terrain and shortage of frequencies. There are, however, plans to extend coverage to a further 1,000 people in the Gronant area.

  Mugging
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking to reduce the number of muggings in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) on 15 June at column 507.

  Punishment (Community)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement about his policy with regard to punishment in the community.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Green Paper "Punishment, Custody and the Community" (Cm. 424) described the policies we are pursuing and our proposals for future changes. We are at present considering how best to take these forward.

  Prisons
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional prison places have become available since 1979; how many additional places are expected to be provided this year; and how many additional places are expected to become available in the foreseeable future.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Since 1979 more than 6,000 new places have been added to the prison estate, over half of which have been provided at the eight new prisons which have opened since 1985. The first phase of a new prison for 350 prisoners has recently opened in converted buildings at Banstead in Surrey, and by the end of the financial year it is planned that a total of nearly 2,000 new places will have been added to the estate.

  Through a combination of more new prisons, additions to existing prisons and redevelopment and place producing schemes, about 17,000 new places will also be delivered between the end of this financial year and the mid-1990s. By that time a total of about 25,000 places will have been added to the system.

  Police Co-operation
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department is making in fostering greater co-operation between British police forces and their counterparts elsewhere in Europe.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We attach great importance to closer co-operation between police forces in tackling crime, and have actively sought to strengthen bilateral links. My right hon. Friend recently signed an arrangement with France providing for further practical co-operation on action against terrorism, drug trafficking and organised crime. A similar arrangement was signed with Italy earlier in the year. Further action is in hand to 642
  improve bilateral and multilateral co-operation in a number of areas including mutual legal assistance and extradition arrangements, the exchange of drugs intelligence, exchange of liaison officers, and the confiscation of drug traffickers' assets; a bilateral drugs confiscation agreement with Spain was signed recently.

  Theft
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to reduce theft in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  Our crime prevention handbook "Practical Ways to Crack Crime" contains advice on how the risk of theft of all kinds can be reduced. Measures that can be taken to prevent theft from shops were put forward by a working group of the Home Office standing committee on crime prevention in its 1986 report; the working group on car crime, which reported last year, made a number of recommendations about the prevention of theft of and from cars, which are now being examined. The number of theft offences recorded in England and Wales during 1988 was 1,931,000, nearly 6 per cent. fewer than in 1987.

  Alcohol-related Crime
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of crimes committed are alcohol-related.

  Mr. Hurd
  We do not collect information centrally. But a number of surveys and studies, including Home Office Research Study No. 108 "Drinking and Disorder: A study of non-Metropolitan Disorder", have pointed to a strong association between alcohol misuse and public disorder in particular. Advice on crime prevention is accordingly included in recent Home Office and interdepartmental guidance on alcohol misuse.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those initiatives that his Department is supporting to encourage replacement of custody for young offenders.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from him on 11 May at column 531. Grants have already been made to the following voluntary organisations: the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders; the National Children's Home; the Rainer Foundation; Community Service Volunteers. Other applications are under consideration.

  Passports
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on delays in processing passport applications and renewals.

  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on the processing of passport applications at the Liverpool passport office.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer my hon. Friends to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 4 July at columns 99–100.

  Hospital Radio
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received seeking an exclusive radio frequency for hospital radio.

  Mr. Renton
  I received a letter today from the hon. Member on behalf of the National Association of Hospital Broadcasting Organisations. It has been invited to discuss the matter with the radio authority in due course, and meanwhile to meet Home Office officials.

  European Convention on Human Rights
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received supporting the inclusion of the European convention on human rights in British law; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend has received one such representation in this Session.

  Conservative Family Campaign
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Conservative Family Campaign; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Hurd
  My hon. Friend the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Mr. Patten) will be meeting representatives of the Conservative Family Campaign later this month to discuss young people's involvement in crime.

  Motoring Offences
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the last year for which figures are available were(a) cautioned, (b) prosecuted, and (c) convicted for (i) driving or parking in or otherwise obstructing bus lanes, (ii) parking on pavements, (iii) cycling on pavements, and (iv) careless driving by failing to give way to pedestrians when turning at junctions.

  Mr. John Patten
  The details requested on motoring offences are not separately recorded in the information collected centrally. The available information on court proceedings and cautions for parking, obstruction and careless driving offences is published annually in a Home Office statistical bulletin "Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales" and in a volume of supplementary tables, both of which are in the Library. The information available centrally, which may be incomplete, indicates that in 1987, 540 persons were prosecuted for the offence of riding on a footway of whom 500 were guilty; about 1,000 persons were cautioned in 1986 (separate information was not collected in 1987).

  Police Vans (Deaths)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have(a) died and (b) been injured in cellular police vans in each year since they were introduced.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As the hon. Member is aware, there was one death in these circumstances on 19 June 1989.
  644
  Information about deaths of persons in police custody including the place and cause of death and the circumstances surrounding the death have been set out, since 1980, in the annual reports of the chief inspector of constabulary and the Metropolitan police commissioner. There do not appear to have been any previous deaths in cellular police vans. Information about injuries is not recorded centrally.

  Cellular police vans were introduced by individual police forces at different times over a period of many years. They were first used by the Lancashire police in 1984.

  Criminal Justice Act 1988
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which sections of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 have not yet been implemented; and if he will make a statement explaining the reasons why these sections have not yet been implemented.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 10 July 1989]: Section 43 of the Act which widens the powers of the Court of Appeal to order a retrial, section 146 and schedule 13, which reform rules of evidence in service courts, and section 159, which creates a right of appeal against orders restricting reporting of and access to Crown Court proceedings will come into force on 31 July. Section 119, which increases the upper age limit for jurors, will come into force on 15 February 1990.

  Sections 1–22 and schedule 1, which relate to extradition, are consolidated by the Extradition Bill which has been introduced in the House of Lords. The Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent before the summer recess, and its provisions will take effect two months later.

  The implementation of section 29, which concerns the issue of letters of request to foreign courts seeking their assistance in obtaining evidence, has been delayed while we have considered the role of such a provision in the context of more comprehensive legislation on mutual legal assistance, for which we will bring forward proposals at the earliest possible opportunity.

  Further consideration is being given to the implernentation of section 32 in so far as it is not already in force. This relates to the giving of evidence through a live television link by witnesses who are outside the United Kingdom.

  Section 65, which concerns the powers of civilian fine enforcement officers, will be brought into force once the preparation of related court rules is complete.

  Sections 108–117 and schedules 6 and 7 establish the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board on a statutory basis. Under schedules 6 and 7, detailed procedural rules are required for the statutory scheme, and we are discussing the content of these with the board.

  Sections 150 and 151 extend to Customs and Excise officers police powers to grant bail and re-arrest if a suspect seems likely to abscond. Because of operational difficulties which would arise in practice from their interaction with provisions in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 these provisions have not yet been brought into force.

  All 132 other sections of, and 12 schedules to, the Act are already in force.

  Belle Vale Police Station
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Merseyside as to the number of formal complaints lodged at the Belle Vale police station, Liverpool.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable that since 1 January 1989 there has been one formal complaint lodged at Belle Vale police station.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Merseyside as to the number of arrests of minors by police stationed at Belle Vale during the last six months.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable that since 1 January 1989, 116 arrests of persons under the age of 17 have been made by officers from the Belle Vale sub-division.

  Orange Badge Scheme
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what prosecutions have successfully taken place in each of the past five years involving the wrongful use of orange badges for the disabled.

  Mr. John Patten
  The latest available information, which may be incomplete, relates to the period 1983 to 1986; in each year fewer than 20 persons were found guilty of offences under the orange badge scheme. After 1986 these offences were not separately indentifiable in the records of court proceedings collected centrally.

  Racehorses (Drugs)
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many criminal cases have been brought before the courts in the past three years involving drug administering for gain of thoroughbred racehorses;

  (2) if he has plans to seek to restrict the administration of drugs on thoroughbred racehorses for the purpose of enhancing their potential;

  (3) if he will act immediately to ban the administering of anabolic steroids on racehorses in training in the United Kingdom.

  (4) if he will make it his policy to investigate fully the use of drugs on thoroughbred racehorses in the United Kingdom;

  (5) if the Government have any plans to investigate the drug testing systems currently undertaken in the British thoroughbred and breeding industry;

  (6) if the Government have recently monitored the drug testing systems involved in the British horseracing and breeding industry.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 9 June 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 22 December at column 428. It is an offence under the Medicines (Hormone Growth Promoters) (Prohibition of Use) Regulations 1988 to administer hormone growth promoters to any horse except for specified therapeutic or zootechnical purposes.

  Information on the number of criminal cases brought before the courts in the past three years involving the
  646
  administration for gain of drugs to thoroughbred racehorses is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  Malicious Communications Act 1988
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints there have been under the Malicious Communications Act 1988; and what was their outcome.

  Mr. John Patten
  No information is yet available on the number of offences committed under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 which did not come into force until September 1988.

  Litter (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted for litter offences in each of the last four years nationally and in Durham City constituency.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is in the table. Such information for England and Wales only is published annually in volume 1 of the "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables", copies of which can be found in the Library. Information for 1988 is not yet available.

  England and Wales

  Durham1

  Total proceeded against

  Total found guilty

  Total proceeded against

  Total found guilty

  1984

  1,552

  1,427

  3

  3

  1985

  1,510

  1,389

  3

  3

  1986

  1,600

  1,425

  9

  9

  1987

  1,888

  1,694

  5

  4

  1 Data are not collected centrally for the City of Durham alone but for the whole of the Durham petty sessional division.

  Racial Hatred
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times and in what instances he used his powers to prevent marches likely to stir up racial hatred in(a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988 and (d)

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Under the Public Order Act 1986 public processions may be prohibited with the Secretary of State's consent only if the chief officer of police of the areas concerned reasonably believes that the imposition of conditions under section 12 of the Act will not be sufficient to prevent the holding of public processions from resulting in serious public disorder. Consent on these grounds was given to banning orders on one occasion in 1986, four times in 1987, three times in 1988 and has been given three times in 1989.

  Dogs
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce compulsory muzzling in public for particular breeds of dog.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As I explained in the debate on the Adjournment on 15 June, I am not persuaded that this is the right course to take.
  647
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration his Department has given to introducing schemes to encourage dog owners to have dogs neutered as a move to reducing the dog population.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am not persuaded that this is properly a matter for the Government. The care and wellbeing of pets is the responsibility of owners.

  On the general matters of local authority powers in relation to stray dogs, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment made a statement in the debate on the Local Government and Housing Bill on 14 June at column 1053.

  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration his Department has given to widening the authority of parking wardens to apprehend and report(a) people allowing their dogs to foul footpaths and (b) people committing litter offences.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no plans to extend the functions of traffic wardens beyond their primary purpose, which is to assist the police in the enforcement of road traffic law.

  Drink-Driving
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for drinking and driving offences there were in 1987–88 and for 1989 to date nationally and in Durham City constituency.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information relates to findings of guilt for driving and so on, after consuming alcohol or taking drugs and is published annually in a Home Office statistical bulletin "Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales". Table 9 of issue 32/88 gives the figures for 1987. In 1987, there were 115,000 findings of guilt for such offences of which 139 were recorded for Durham magistrates' court. Figures for 1988 will be published in the autumn.

  Horse Racing
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what active support he is giving to the preservation of small racecourses in Great Britain.
  648
  Mr. John Patten
  The Horserace Betting Levy Board has a responsibility for supporting and promoting, as cost-effectively as possible, the provision of horseracing as an attractive, country-wide entertainment. To that end, the board devotes a substantial and increasing proportion of its resources to improving and sustaining racecourses of all sizes. Details are given in the board's annual report, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local authorities in England and Wales have so far registered for the basis of the poll tax registration with those responsible for the Data Protection Act 1984; which councils have been refused registration and for what reasons; what further guidance in addition to the community charge practice notes the Data Protection Registrar has issued to local authorities; if he will place a copy of such guidance in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 6 July 1989]: Community charge registration officers have to register under the Data Protection Act for compiling and maintaining community charge registers if those registers are to be kept on computer.

  The data protection registrar, who reports directly to Parliament, informs me that by the end of June, he had identified 293 applications from CCROs for new register entries for the purpose of compiling and maintainng a community charge register. In addition, a number of local authorities had applied in their own name to register for this purpose.

  I understand that so far, one application by Trafford borough council has been refused on the grounds that some of the information asked for was not necessary for the CCRO's statutory functions and that the form did not explain that there was no duty to provide information about relationships of people in households. In the light of undertakings given by the CCRO about the data to be processed for registration a revised application is bung considered.

  The registrar has written to all CCROs in England and arrangements have been made for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  POPULATION CONTROL MEASURES
  POPULATION CONTROL MEASURES
  ORANGE BADGE SCHEME: THALIDOMIDE VICTIMS
  ORANGE BADGE SCHEME: THALIDOMIDE VICTIMS
  BATTERSEA POWER STATION CONVERSION: VISITORS' PARKING
  BATTERSEA POWER STATION CONVERSION: VISITORS' PARKING
  "CRACK" SEIZURES
  "CRACK" SEIZURES
  HOME OFFICE: FAX MACHINES
  HOME OFFICE: FAX MACHINES
  CHARITY LAND SALES: TRUSTEES' DUTIES
  CHARITY LAND SALES: TRUSTEES' DUTIES
  REPARATIONS: REPORT ON EXPERIMENTAL SCHEMES
  REPARATIONS: REPORT ON EXPERIMENTAL SCHEMES
  DEER: SLAUGHTER CODE OBSERVANCE
  DEER: SLAUGHTER CODE OBSERVANCE