Written Answers of 21 July 1989

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Harland and Wolff
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in the management buy out of Harland and Wolff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 17 July 1989]: Over the last few weeks progress has continued on the drafting of legal documents to enable completion of the sale of the business to a new company being set up by the MEBO/Olsen team. I was encouraged that the trade unions have endorsed new terms and conditions included in offers of employment sent to members of the work force on behalf of the new company on 6 July. Subject to EC approval (expected by the beginning of August) and the satisfactory conclusion of other pre-contract conditions, the sale of the business should be complete in September.

  Civil Servants (Statistics)
  Mr William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show for each grade in the Northern Ireland civil service the number and percentages of: (a) Roman Catholics, (b) Protestants and (c) others, showing the number and percentages of males and females in each category: and if he will indicate the percentage of each of those groupings of working age in Northern Ireland.

  Mr Cope
  The information requested by the hon. Gentleman is contained within the second report of the equal opportunities unit of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. The second report was published in December 1987 and shows the make-up of the Northern Ireland Civil Service by sex, religion and disability as at 1 January 1987.

  Expenditure on lawyer agents by the Crown Prosecution Service

  Region and area

  21986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1 April to 30 June 1989

  £

  £

  £

  £

  London and South East

  12 Inner London1

  871,409

  2,042,664

  2,076,722

  582,052

  14 North London

  608,543

  1,084,313

  1,249,981

  377,907

  16 South London

  332,188

  753,574

  1,001,331

  174,136

  22 Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire

  191,973

  531,293

  510,139

  102,068

  42 Essex

  62,950

  290,970

  291,529

  89,815

  52 Kent

  92,363

  320,268

  323,332

  83,470

  Total

  2,159,425

  5,023,082

  5,453,033

  1,409,448

  South and West

  20 Avon/Somerset

  99,406

  343,084

  381,728

  84,291

  34 Devon/Cornwall

  74,821

  182,834

  160,449

  44,937

  36 Dorset/Hampshire

  186,105

  600,904

  538,483

  153,527

  44 Gloucestershire/Wiltshire

  67,516

  218,738

  196,144

  33,147

  48 South Wales

  146,684

  256,341

  96,878

  8,232

  66 Sussex

  123,943

  298,478

  346,318

  93,595

  68 Thames Valley

  91,779

  295,599

  292,773

  66,520

  70 West Mercia

  160,783

  525,082

  237,780

  41,084

  Total

  951,037

  2,721,360

  2,250,551

  525,333

  358
  Copies of the second report were placed in the Library on 17 December 1987.

  The following table shows estimated aggregated figures (1985–87) of the religious affiliation of persons of working age in Northern Ireland, derived from the continuous household survey.

  Males

  Females

  All

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  Catholic

  37·9

  39·6

  38·9

  Protestant

  57·8

  57·8

  57·8

  Other or not stated

  4·3

  2·6

  3·3

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General how many cases have been dismissed by the courts for the failure of the Crown Prosecution Service to(a) attend at court and (b) have the case file at court; and how many adjournments have been given because of (a) and (b).

  The Attorney-General
  I regret that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General how many lawyers have ceased to be employed by the Crown Prosecution Service during its lifetime; and of these how many(a) resigned, (b) retired and (c) were dismissed.

  The Attorney-General
  Since the Crown Prosecution Service was established 334 lawyers have left its employment. Of these 304 resigned, seven retired, four were dismissed, 16 have transferred to other Government Departments and three have died.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the branch areas of the Crown Prosecution Service and state how much money has been paid by each branch to agents to carry out the work of the Crown Prosecution Service for(a) 1989 to date, (b) 1988–89, (c) 1987–88 and (d) 1986–87.

  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is set out in the table:
  359

  Region and area

  21986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1 April to 30 June 1989

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Northern

  26 Cheshire

  42,710

  171,719

  123,944

  46,520

  28 Cleveland/North Yorkshire

  165,575

  282,594

  235,368

  41,943

  30 Cumbria/Lancashire

  214,238

  547,841

  752,081

  172,133

  38 Durham/Northumbria

  420,771

  548,413

  547,208

  172,412

  40 North Wales

  126,080

  251,626

  228,545

  57,123

  46 Greater Manchester

  440,514

  630,580

  597,031

  136,740

  56 Merseyside

  261,918

  395,883

  356,736

  69,003

  62 South Yorkshire

  155,071

  254,933

  349,046

  95,317

  74 West Yorkshire

  389,686

  595,128

  668,169

  169,894

  Total

  2,216,563

  3,589,816

  3,858,127

  952,085

  Midlands

  24 Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire

  93,811

  305,722

  339,352

  66,013

  32 Derbyshire

  59,681

  256,853

  249,403

  38,458

  50 Humberside

  47,249

  90,454

  126,204

  26,166

  54 Leicestershire/Northamptonshire

  251,362

  702,516

  623,090

  103,409

  58 Norfolk/Suffolk

  159,618

  384,413

  359,915

  99,347

  60 Nottinghamshire

  159,572

  303,758

  287,759

  84,648

  64 Staffordshire/Warwickshire

  234,848

  493,952

  365,618

  106,973

  72 West Midlands

  713,639

  989,658

  1,089,245

  248,652

  Total

  1,719,780

  3,527,425

  3,440,585

  773,666

  Headquarters

  02 Headquarters (Legal casework)

  24,231

  10,629

  7,596

  0

  Total

  24,231

  10,629

  7,596

  0

  National Total

  7,071,037

  14,972,313

  15,009,892

  3,670,532

  1 Including Central Courts Branch.

  2 Apart from the Metropolitan counties and Durham/Northumbria, areas did not become operational as part of the CPS until 1 October 1986.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the branch areas of the Crown Prosecution Service and give the number of current vacancies that exist for lawyers at(a) prosecutor, (b) senior prosecutor and (c) branch prosecutor level.

  Breakdown of lawyer vacancies by area showing Grade/Job title as at 30 June 1989

  CP

  SCP

  ABCP

  BCP

  CCP

  4

  3

  2

  1

  6

  6

  5

  5

  4

  3

  HQ1

  Director's Office

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Deputy Director's Office

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  HQ Casework

  +3

  -7

  0

  +1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  —

  London/South East

  Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire

  -5·5

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Essex

  -3

  -4

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kent

  -16·5

  -1

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Inner London

  -20·5

  -7

  -3

  +3

  -3

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Outer London North

  -25·5

  -10

  -3

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Outer London South

  -25·5

  -4

  +0·5

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Midland Region

  Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire

  -12·5

  -2

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Derbyshire

  -14·5

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Humberside

  -10

  -2

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Leicestershire/Northamptonshire

  -14·5

  -7

  —

  0

  —

  -1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Norfolk/Suffolk

  -10

  -1

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nottingham

  -10·5

  +0·5

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Staffordshire/Warwickshire

  -15

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Midlands

  -29·5

  +2·5

  -2

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northern Region

  Cheshire

  -7·5

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  -24·5

  +1

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lancashire/Cumbria

  -11·5

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  -13

  0

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northumbria/Durham

  -21·5

  -3·5

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Wales/Dyfed Powys

  -8

  -1

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire/Cleveland

  -3·5

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  360
  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is set out in the table.
  361

  CP

  SCP

  ABCP

  BCP

  CCP

  4

  3

  2

  1

  6

  6

  5

  5

  4

  3

  South Yorkshire

  -12

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Yorkshire

  -19·5

  -1

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South and West Region

  Avon/Somerset

  -12

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Devon/Cornwall

  -5

  -0·5

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dorset/Hampshire

  -15

  -4

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gloucestershire/Wiltshire

  -4

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Wales/Gwent

  -11

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sussex

  -4·5

  -3

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Thames Valley

  -8

  -4

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Mercia

  -0·5

  -1

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  -391

  -59

  -7·5

  +4

  -3

  -1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1 Posts in HQ as grades 5 and 6 have been shown as CCP and BCP equivalents according to grade.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the branch areas of the Crown Prosecution Service and state the numbers of current established posts for lawyers at(a) prosecutor, (b) senior prosecutor and (c) branch prosecutor level.

  Breakdown of lawyer posts by area, showing Grade/Job title as at 30 June 1989

  CP

  SCP

  ABCP

  BCP

  CCP

  4

  3

  2

  1

  6

  6

  5

  5

  4

  3

  HQ1

  Director's Office

  Deputy Director's Office

  —

  3

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  4

  1

  —

  HQ Casework

  1

  34

  —

  14

  —

  5

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  London/South East

  Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire

  29

  14

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Essex

  20

  11

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kent

  30

  15

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Inner London

  83

  43

  13

  —

  5

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Outer London North

  60

  29

  9

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Outer London South

  57

  27

  6

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Midland Region

  Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire

  26

  13

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Derbyshire

  21

  10

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Humberside

  22

  11

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Leicestershire/Northamptonshire

  30

  15

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Norfolk/Suffolk

  23

  12

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nottingham

  30

  15

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Staffordshire/Warwickshire

  29

  14

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Midlands

  59

  28

  8

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northern Region

  Cheshire

  23

  10

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  82

  40

  9

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lancashire/Cumbria

  45

  21

  —

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  47

  23

  6

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northumbria/Durham

  53

  26

  —

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Wales/Dyfed Powys

  27

  13

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire/Cleveland

  34

  13

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Yorkshire

  30

  15

  2

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Yorkshire

  48

  24

  6

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South and West Region

  Avon/Somerset

  30

  14

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Devon/Cornwall

  25

  12

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dorset/Hampshire

  46

  20

  —

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gloucestershire/Wiltshire

  21

  10

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Wales/Gwent

  55

  27

  1

  4

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sussex

  29

  14

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Thames Valley

  36

  18

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Mercia

  23

  11

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1,174

  605

  80

  60

  25

  28

  9

  —

  —

  5

  1

  1

  1 Posts in HQ as grades 5 and 6 have been shown as CCP and BCP equivalents according to grade.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the branch areas of the Crown Prosecution Service and state
  362
  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  the number of established posts for lawyers at (a)

  363
  prosecutor, (b) senior prosecutor and (c) branch prosecutor level on the commencing of the Crown Prosecution Service.

  Breakdown of lawyer posts by area showing Grade/Job title as at 1 October 1989

  CP

  SCP

  ABCP

  BCP

  CCP

  4

  3

  2

  1

  6

  6

  5

  5

  4

  3

  HQ1

  Director's Office

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Deputy Director's Office

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  HQ Casework

  3

  38

  —

  15

  —

  8

  —

  —

  —

  3

  1

  —

  London/South East

  Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire

  27

  11

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Essex

  18

  9

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kent

  24

  12

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Inner London

  92

  43

  13

  —

  5

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Outer London North

  50

  26

  8

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Outer London South

  45

  21

  6

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Midland Region

  Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire

  17

  8

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Derbyshire

  15

  7

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Humberside

  14

  6

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Leicestershire/Northamptonshire

  21

  9

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Norfolk/Suffolk

  16

  7

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nottingham

  20

  9

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Staffordshire/Warwickshire

  22

  10

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Midlands

  48

  24

  8

  —

  3

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northern Region

  Cheshire

  16

  8

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  54

  26

  9

  —

  3

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lancashire/Cumbria

  35

  16

  —

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  41

  21

  6

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northumbria/Durham

  34

  17

  —

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Wales/Dyfed Powys

  21

  9

  —

  2

  —

  l

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire/Cleveland

  22

  11

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Yorkshire

  23

  11

  2

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Yorkshire

  40

  20

  6

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South and West Region

  Avon/Somerset

  22

  10

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Devon/Cornwall

  18

  9

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dorset/Hampshire

  37

  16

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gloucestershire/Wiltshire

  15

  6

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Wales/Gwent

  41

  20

  1

  4

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sussex

  22

  10

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Thames Valley

  28

  14

  —

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Mercia

  15

  7

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  916

  471

  59

  75

  25

  30

  6

  3

  1

  4

  2

  1

  1 Posts in HQ as grades 5 and 6 have been shown as CCP and BCP equivalents according to grade.

TRANSPORT

  Disabled Travellers
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that British Rail continues to make provision for disabled people in the event of sale into private ownership.

  Mr. Portillo
  No decisions have yet been taken on rail privatisation but if privatisation did proceed we would certainly wish to consider how best to safeguard the particular interests of disabled people.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that road pricing or toll schemes which are introduced will exempt disabled motorists who have to travel by road.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Government have no proposals for road pricing. There is a variety of
  364
  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  arrangements on existing tolled facilities. As for new privately financed toll roads, the Green Paper "New Roads by New Means" sought views on the extent which tolls should be controlled. We are currently assessing the comments received on the Green Paper.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to ensure that coaches and buses are made accessible to all disabled people.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department of Transport has been working closely with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee to develop design guidelines to make buses easier for elderly and ambulant disabled people to use. These improvements are now being widely adopted by manufacturers, operators and local authorities.

  The Department is also working with other European Community countries towards changes in regulations that will require future generations of buses and coaches to be fully accessible to people with disabilities.

  Air Accidents
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in the light of the Government's conclusions on the value of independent investigative machinery in relation to air accidents and air misses as set out in Government observations on the first report of the Transport Committee of session 1988–89 on air traffic control safety and of the CAA's proposals to transfer responsibility for the investigation of the civil air traffic control elements of air accidents from the National Air Traffic service to the Safety Regulation group, he will instruct the Safety Regulation Group to assess the report submitted by the National Air Traffic service to the Air Accidents Investigation branch on the aircraft accident involving GUESS on 8 December 1983; if he will instruct the Safety Regulation group to examine all references to air traffic control in the Air Accidents Investigation branch report of that accident for accuracy and compliance with air traffic control rules and procedures; and if he will make it his policy to make available to the House any results of such assessments.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The accident to GUESS was the subject of a detailed investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation branch. During the course of this investigation the inspector considered all relevant circumstances including the ATC procedures adopted. Following publication of the accident report, there was no request for a review board and no evidence has subsequently been produced sufficient to justify reopening the investigation. It is not within the power of the Secretary of State to instruct the CAA further to examine this matter.

  British Rail (Capital Projects)
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total value of capital projects undertaken by British Rail since 1979 for(a) locomotives, (b) passenger coaches, (c) signalling and telecommunications and (d) premises; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  Information is not readily available in the form requested. Since 1979 the total invested by British Rail in the railways is:

  £ million cash

  £ million 1989–90 Prices

  1979

  248

  518

  1980

  304

  529

  1981

  277

  433

  1982

  243

  352

  1983

  252

  347

  11984

  280

  368

  1985–86

  399

  491

  1986–87

  399

  475

  1987–88

  526

  594

  1988–89

  570

  601

  1 1984–85 was a 15 month financial period. The figure shown for 1984 is the 12 month internally reported result.

  The figures include investment in Freightliners, BRML and BREL but exclude the laying of continuous welded track which BR does not now classify as investment.

  Offshore Installations
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with his review of standby vessels associated with offshore installations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The review of the Department's publication "Instructions to Surveyors on the Assessment of the Suitability of Standby Vessels Attending Offshore Installations" is now almost complete and a draft incorporating the latest changes will be circulated for final comment before the end of August.

  Offshore Operators Association
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next intends to meet representatives of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association; and what matters are to be discussed.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have no plans to meet representatives of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association.

  M12
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of building the M12; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The estimated works cost of the proposed new motorway from M25 to south of Chelmsford is £45 million, as set out in the recent White Paper "Roads for Prosperity".

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) on what basis a new M12 was preferred to widening and improving the existing A12; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what consideration was given to widening and improving the A12, before the M12 link between Chelmsford and the M25 was announced; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Consultants appointed by the Department to carry out a scheme identification study of the A12 considered a number of options including widening of the existing road. A road linking M25 with the A12 near Chelmsford was chosen because it represented the best option for relieving both routes, including the congested Brook street interchange.

  A12
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of widening and improving the A12; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Widening the A12 on its present alignment between M25 and Chelmsford has been estimated to cost about £44·5 million.

  Minibus Driver Licensing
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made in discussions with the European Commission on the treatment of minibus drivers in its proposal for a Council directive on driver licensing.
  367
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have made good progress in direct discussions with the Commission about minibuses. The Commission's proposals in the second driver licensing directive would require new drivers of minibuses with more than nine seats to take a second test and meet higher fitness standards than for the ordinary car licence.

  There is no case, on road safety grounds, for imposing these higher standards.

  Commission officials have indicated that they would be prepared to recommend modification of the draft directive so as to allow ordinary car licence holders, including the deaf, to drive minibuses with up to 17 seats, under certain fairly wide-ranging circumstances.

  The circumstances envisaged are when minibuses are used for charitable purposes by non-profit-making bodies. The driver should have held a full licence for at least two years, be aged 21 or over and be acting as driver on a voluntary basis. The minibus itself would be limited to a gross weight of 3·5 tonnes excluding any specialist equipment for the carriage of disabled persons.

  This approach would allow the continuation of our valuable present arrangements for many services provided for the elderly, the disabled, the sick, youth and religious groups and use by education establishments for all ages. The approach thus covers many categories of real need.

  Community bus services provided for these or similar purposes and driven by volunteers would also be unaffected, but other Community bus services and dial-a-ride services would not be covered. The approach would also exclude use by other amenity groups, such as sports clubs, non-charitable organisations and groups of individuals.

  Such groups could continue to use minibuses of up to nine seats, but for larger minibuses a driver with the higher licence category would have to be found.

  We recognise that this is not wholly satisfactory. It does strike a balance between the case for Community harmonisation and the need for flexibility in transport provision.

  We should welcome comments from interested organisations and in particular on the extent of the difficulties which may be caused by the types of minibus use for which a change in licensing requirements would still be required.

  We will shortly be issuing a consultation letter to interested organisations, asking for comments to be sent to Department of Transport, Driver and Vehicle Licencing Centre, POLD2, Room D9, Morriston, Swansea SA6 7JL, by Friday 15 September.

  I am grateful to individuals, the voluntary groups and the media in the United Kingdom and other parts of the EC for helping to make the case clear through the EC.

  Rear Seat Belts
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statistical evidence is available to support the view that it should not be made compulsory for car passengers in rear seats to wear seat belts.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Studies done in recent years, at TRRL and elsewhere, have shown that wearing seat belts saves lives, and leads to less serious injuries being sustained in many types of accident.

  We encourage all car passengers to use seat belts at all times. Making rear seat belt wearing compulsory before a
  368
  majority of cars are fitted with such belts could be premature. We have recently introduced legislation to ensure that new cars do have such belts fitted.

  Legislation has recently been passed which, from 1 September, will require children to be restrained where appropriate restraints exist.

  Alcohol Abuse
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce details of the proposed experiment on the rehabilitation of excess alcohol offenders.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We announced proposals to carry out a major experiment in the use of rehabilitation courses designed to influence the attitudes of drunk drivers in the White Paper "The Road User and the Law" published on 7 February this year. In England and Wales, enabling powers will be required for the courts to order rehabilitation for those convicted of drink-drive offences. In Scotland, we are looking into the possibility of setting up a trial scheme employing the existing powers of the courts.

  Road Traffic Law Review
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research projects in line with the recommendations he accepted have been initiated by his Department following the publication of the road traffic law review.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We shall be monitoring the effects of the use of technology on compliance with speed limits and traffic light offences. The transport and road research laboratory will also be assessing the experiment in rehabilitation of drink drivers and monitoring the effects of other proposals including retesting and the expanded high risk offender scheme.

  Autoguide
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has selected a promoter for the installation and operation in London of the autoguide system of electronic route guidance for vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Channon
  I have decided that a licence to operate autoguide in the London area should be awarded to GEC, subject to successful negotiation on the terms of a licence and to the implementation of the Road Traffic (Driver Licensing and Information Systems) Bill.

  Last January my Department invited the private sector to submit proposals for the installation and operation of a pilot autoguide scheme in the London area, which would be capable of being upgraded to a fully commercial system to which the public could subscribe.

  We received proposals from GEC and from Aguide Services Limited, a joint venture company of which Plessey is the largest shareholder.

  I have considered very carefully both sets of proposals, with advice from my financial consultants, Price Waterhouse.

  In inviting proposals, I made clear my intention to select the firm or consortium which we believed would ensure that autoguide was developed to provide effective and efficient electronic route guidance to a wide market as soon as practicable without compromising road safety or

  369
  the environment. Both sets of proposals were of extremely high quality; but I believe that overall those from GEC better meet my stated objectives.

  This decision does not in itself confer on GEC a licence to operate autoguide in London. A licence will be subject to negotiation by the Department and GEC, and to the implementation of the necessary legislation.

  If a licence is awarded it would give GEC the right to install and operate a pilot autoguide system in a specified part of the London-M25 area. The pilot scheme would be closely monitored by the Department. Our primary concern would be to assess the likely effect of a large scale autoguide system on road safety and traffic management. We have previously undertaken that the results of our evaluation would be presented to Parliament.

  If the results of our monitoring showed that a large scale system would not prejudice road safety or good traffic management, the operator would have a right to enter into negotiations for a second licence. This would allow him to provide a fully commercial autoguide system throughout the London/M25 area. Commercial operations could begin by the end of 1993.

  I am willing to consider the issue of a licence for a pilot scheme for a further area. The ASL proposal included a pilot scheme covering an area outside London. My Department would be willing to discuss these proposals further with that group if they so wish, and will welcome proposals from other groups also. One of my criteria in assessing proposals would be the extent to which they would promote competition in the development of autoguide. It would be a licensing requirement that a second scheme should be compatible with that being operated in London. This would offer motorists the prospect of continuous route guidance over a large area of the country.

  I believe that autoguide has an important role to play in easing congestion and so making the best use of our roads. It is clear that private industry shares that view.

  Panama Canal
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British-owned ships have used the Panama canal in each of the past two years; and if he will give details of matters relating to use of the canal discussed in the same period with British shipping interests.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: The number of United Kingdom flag vessels using the Panama canal in each of the past two years from October 1986 to September 1988 is as follows. British-owned vessels that do not fly the United Kingdom flag cannot be identified separately and are not included in the figures. The information is obtained from the annual reports of the Panama Canal Commission.

  Number

  October 1986 to September 1987

  396

  October 1987 to September 1988

  460

  We continue to keep all matters relating to the canal under review, in close consultation with British shipping interests.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  White Papers
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, for each of the last three While Papers issued by his Department, for which legislation has been started, he will state the time elapsed between their publication and the First Readings of any Bills connected with them; and if he will do the same for the last three White Papers issued by his Department prior to May 1979.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  It is not always easy to establish a direct relationship between one set of published proposals and subsequent legislative provision. The last three White Papers published by this Department, in which legislation was proposed and has subsequently been started or completed, were:"Special Needs in Education" published August 1980: Education Act 1981, First reading 22 January 1981;
  "Better Schools" published March 1985: Education (No. 2) Act 1986, First reading 19 February 1986;
  "Higher Education: Meeting the Challenge" published April 1987: implemented through the Education Reform Act 1988, First reading 20 November 1987.

  It is not for me to answer for the record of the last Government in this matter, but the information requested should be available in the Library of the House and the Official Report.

  Teacher Recruitment
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has made an assessment of the Single European Act; and how it will assist local education authorities in recruiting teachers from the European Community.

  Mr. Butcher
  Freedom of movement for the professions is a key priority in the single market programme. On 21. December 1988 the Council of Ministers of the European Communities adopted a directive which will enable a range of professionals, including teachers, to have their professional qualifications recognized for the purposes of practice in member states other than their own. The directive must be implemented by 1991. My right hon. Friend proposes to make regulations according the benefits of the directive to members of the teaching profession qualified in other member states from September this year. This should assist local education authorities in their recruitment of teachers from other member states.

  Teacher Statistics
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of excess teachers in 1979; and what is the current number.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The number of students successfully completing courses of initial teacher training in England and Wales in the summer of 1979 who were known to be still seeking a teaching post at the end of that year was 3,020, or 13 per cent. of all those qualifying whose status was known. These figures include both those unemployed and those in alternative temporary employment.

  In 1988 the figures were 700 newly qualified teachers known to be still seeking a teaching post at the end of the year, representing 5 per cent. of the total.
  371
  The two sets of data are not precisely comparable because in 1979 the employment status of about a third of those qualifying was assessed somewhat before the end of the year (in October).

  Soviet Studies
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Hamilton on Monday 10 July,Official Report,

  Students studying Russian language or Russian studies full time at British Universities

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Undergraduates

  Home

  409

  393

  388

  384

  428

  479

  482

  499

  487

  Overseas

  23

  17

  17

  19

  25

  43

  34

  40

  37

  Total

  1432

  410

  405

  403

  453

  522

  516

  539

  524

  Postgraduates

  Home

  53

  60

  47

  50

  38

  46

  44

  57

  37

  Overseas

  24

  11

  8

  7

  12

  6

  6

  8

  12

  Total

  77

  71

  55

  57

  50

  52

  50

  65

  49

  1 This includes eight students on first diploma or certificate courses not included in the answer given on 10 July.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much was spent by his Department on official hospitality in 1988–89.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The sum spent on official hospitality in 1988–89 was £33,813·30.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what representations he has received about provision for Christian conscience relating to the elements of the national curriculum in respect of(a) the teaching of evolution, (b the teaching of sex and social education and (c) the use of computers;

  (2) what are the implications of the statement in article 2 of the first protocol to the European convention on human rights that the state shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education or teaching in conformity with their own religious convictions for the requirements of the national curriculum relating to (a) the teaching of evolution, (b) the teaching of sex and social education and (c) the use of computers where parents of some children object to such teaching or use as a matter of deeply held religious conviction.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has received some 600 letters from members of the Exclusive or Plymouth Brethren and other Christian sects seeking withdrawal of their children from such elements within the national curriculum. There is no right of withdrawal from the national curriculum in maintained schools. But parents remain free to educate their children outside the maintained sector, where the national curriculum is not a legal requirement.

  Computer Use
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements will be made to enable a child, whether at a state or non-maintained school, to obtain a recognised qualification by examination where he
  372
  column 346, on Soviet studies, he will provide a breakdown of the figures based on (a) home students and (b) overseas students.

  Mr. Jackson
  The further information requested is shown in the table.

  or she, as a matter of deeply held religious conviction, declines to use a computer, if GCSE examination questions are so set as to be answerable only by computer.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The administration of the GCSE is the responsibility of the independent GCSE examining groups. It is open to schools or individual parents to discuss the special needs of particular pupils with the groups.

  GCSE Examinations
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the GCSE examinations.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I replied today to a report on the progress of the GCSE examination submitted to me at my request by the School Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC). I am arranging for copies of SEAC's report and of my reply to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Research Grants
  Mr Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much of his Department's budget is devoted to research purposes; how much is given in grants for research; and what proportion of each figure has been devoted to near-market research(a) in the current financial year and (b) in each of the last three financial years.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 3 July 1989]: Details of the Department's expenditure on research, together with that in respect of the research councils and the universities, for which the Secretary of State is also responsible, are given in the "Annual Review of Government Funding Research and Development 1988", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Expenditure that might be described as "near market" research is not separately identified, but it is considered to be minimal.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the research grants
  373
  given for near-market research for which his Department is directly or indirectly responsible in the current financial year and each of the last two financial years.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 3 July 1989]: No such grants have been made in the last three years.

  Teachers
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many incentive posts for teachers are currently available; what is the financial remuneration for each grade; what were the comparable figures three years ago, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  [pursuant to his reply, 17 July 1989]: I regret that the answer previously given contained some inaccuracies. The correct information is as follows:

  October 1987 (the first year)

  September 1988

  Value (£)

  Number

  Value (£) (from 1 April 1989)

  Number

  A

  501

  25,000

  858

  43,000

  B

  1,002

  69,000

  1,284

  59,600

  C

  2,001

  —

  2,568

  9,300

  D

  3,000

  28,500

  3,426

  27,000

  E

  4,200

  6,500

  4,710

  8,000

  TOTAL

  129,000

  147,000

  There will be a further 23,000 A allowances and 10,900 C allowances from this September as a result of the recommendations of the interim advisory committee and plans already in the pipeline. With changes in the availability of other allowances, the net increase in the number of allowances this year is 27,600, taking the total up to 174,600.

PRIME MINISTER

  Paris (Visit)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister what matters she raised with the secretary general of the United Nations during her recent visit to Paris.

  The Prime Minister
  I did not have a formal meeting with the United Nations secretary general during my recent visit to Paris. But we met in the margins of other events and discussed international issues of current concern.

  Nursing and Midwifery
  Mr. Leith
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement about the report of the review body for nursing staff, midwives, health visitors and professions allied to medicine on the pay of nursing and midwifery educational staff.

  The Prime Minister
  The report has been published today, and copies are available in the Vote Office. The Government are grateful to members of the review body for the work which has gone into the preparation of this additional report, which is supplementary to their sixth report on the pay of nurses and midwives in clinical and senior non-educational grades, published in February.
  374
  The review body has recommended pay scales, to take effect from 1 April 1989, for the new grading structure for nursing and midwifery educational staff, which was agreed between the two sides of the Nursing and Midwifery Staff Negotiation Council in March 1989. This follows on from the introduction last year of a new grading structure for nurses and midwives who do clinical work. Virtually all the staff concerned have now been regraded on the basis of the new structure. The amount of the pay increase individuals would receive under these recommendations depends on their grading under the old and now under the new structure.

  Nearly 80 per cent. of the staff concerned were previously graded H or I under the clinical grading review. Most of these have been allocated to grades 1 or 2 under the new educational grading structure and would receive increases of between 6·8 per cent. and 7·1 per cent.

  The review body has recommended proportionately higher increases for the minority of staff in the more senior grades who did not benefit from the introduction of the clinical grading structure in 1988. In addition. many senior tutors will benefit from the fact that the new structure provides for the correction of pay and grading anomalies which arose in 1988, under which some senior tutors were paid no more than, or less than, the tutors they were supervising.

  Excluding employers' costs the recommendations are estimated to add some 2·4 per cent. for assimilation costs and an average 7·4 per cent. for the basic pay increase, approximately £11·6 million in total, to the 1989–90 paybill costs for nursing and midwifery education staff in Great Britain.

  The Government have decided to accept in full the review body's recommendations, and a formal offer is being made to the staff side today. I hope it will be possible to put the new rates into payment as soon as possible.

  The expected cost of the new pay scales for educational staff, including the cost of introducing the new grading structure has already been reflected in the extra allocation made to health authorities following the Government's acceptance in February of the review body's recommendations on the pay of other nursing and midwifery staff.

  Paris Summit
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what action she has taken to help implement those passages of the Paris summit communique which pertain to the forgiveness of international debt and the preservation of the rain forest.

  The Prime Minister
  It has long been our policy to welcome debt for nature swaps agreed voluntarily between commercial banks, conservation organisations and debtors. The United Kingdom has taken the lead in forgiving ODA debt and had now cancelled nearly £1 billion worth of such debts worldwide.

  Overseas Travel
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister what has been the total cost of her overseas travel, including her staff, for each year from 1979–80; and how many countries were visited in each year.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: The cost of my overseas travel, and of those accompanying me every year1 since 1979 and the number of countries visited in each year is as follows:

  375

  £

  Number of countries visited

  21979–80

  151,864

  9

  1980–81

  133,206

  12

  1981–82

  556,000

  16

  1982–83

  523,587

  13

  1983–84

  216,146

  11

  1984–85

  414,259

  10

  1985–86

  457,483

  16

  1986–87

  447,066

  13

  1987–88

  341,880

  11

  1988–89

  612,852

  14

  1 Billing delays prevent some costs from being shown in the financial year in which the services were provided. The figures, therefore, do not necessarily reflect when the expenditure was actually incurred.

  2 From May 1979.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Local Telephone Calls
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list in rank order information available to him on the cost of local telephone calls for all countries within the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Forth
  There is no standard measure which enables comparisons to be made between the cost of local calls in different community countries. For example, the average local call area is particularly large in the United Kingdom, which means that many calls at local rates here would be charged at long distance rates in other countries. One recent survey, based on rates during an 8am-6pm working day, and averaging prices for BT and Mercury, found the prices in pounds sterling for a three minute call to be:

  £

  United Kingdom

  0·098

  Germany

  0·072

  France

  0·056

  Italy

  0·054

  Source: National Utility Services, February 1989.

  However, Oftel has produced figures comparing costs of an average resident's telephone bill and the cost of an average business bill in the four European countries which in terms of population and size are most readily comparable. The figures are (as indices, excluding VAT):

  Residential basket

  Business basket

  United Kingdom

  100

  100

  France

  78

  85

  Italy

  101

  122

  West Germany

  103

  106

  OFTEL, January 1989.

  Regional Office
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether there are any plans for the Department of Trade and Industry to open a new regional office in eastern England.

  Mr. Newton
  Yes. The Secretary of State and I have decided to establish a full regional office in Cambridge,376
  building on its existing presence there to provide an even better service to business in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. This new regional office continues the process we announced in the White Paper "DTI—the Department for Enterprise" in January 1988 of strengthening and extending the regional network, recognising the importance of contacts with business at a local level.

  The DTI's regional offices are now handling over 500 applications each week for the enterprise initiative consultancy schemes, as well as dealing with hundreds of export inquiries, signposting firms towards help on the single European market, the enterprise and education initiative and the regional initiative. In all cases, our regional offices work closely with chambers of commerce, local enterprise agencies and other local business organisations.

  The Cambridge office will continue to get support from the three existing satellite offices linked closely with local business organisations, in Norwich, Ipswich and Chelmsford. Those satellite offices have played a valuable role in offering an open doorway to DTI services in important East Anglian business centres.

  Motor Vehicles (Clocking)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will detail the steps which his Department intends to take to protect the public from the fraudulent practice of clocking motor vehicles.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: The fraudulent alteration of a car odometer is already an offence against the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 and carries a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both. The Act is enforced by local trading standards officers. I have no plans to introduce new legislation in this area.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will estimate the extent of the illegal turning-back of car odometers by vendors of second-hand cars.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: I do not have the information on which to base such an estimate. However, during 1988 there were 383 successful prosecutions by local trading standards departments relating to false mileage recordings on motor cars.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will summarise his Department's inquiries into the possible production and potential cost of tamper-proof odometers to prevent fraudulent mileages being recorded; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: My Department has made no such inquiries, although we have encouraged the motor industry to develop a British standard specification for tamper-resistant odometers.

  Objective 2 Support
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all local authority areas in the United Kingdom which are to qualify for objective 2 support from the European Commission; and if he will make a statement.
  377
  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: My reply to the hon. Members for Bassetlaw (Mr. Ashton) and for Pontefract and Castleford (Mr. Lofthouse), (Official Report, Volume 153, no. 111, columns 459–60) listed all the areas of the United Kingdom designated as eligible for the European regional development fund.

  The list of areas designated by the Commission under objective 2 was published in the official journal of the European Communities of 25 April 1989 (No. L112/19). The areas were defined by combined reference to local authority areas and travel-to-work areas. The hon. Member's constituency was designated in its entirety.

  The list of objective 2 areas is generally very satisfactory, but I regret that a number of areas have been excluded by the Commission despite repeated representations by my right hon. Friend and others.

  Integrated Development Operation
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total amount of financial support allocated by the European Commission for integrated development operation programmes for the latest date available in(a) Birmingham, (b) Bradford, (c) Yorkshire and Humberside, (d) Merseyside, (e) Manchester/ Salford/Trafford and (f) Strathclyde; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 20 July 1989] The Commission has agreed to allocate the following sums to four of these programmes:—

  £ million

  Birmingham

  203

  Bradford

  56

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  309

  Strathclyde

  378

  The figures include grants from the European regional development fund and the European social fund, and loans from the European investment bank and the European Coal and Steel Community. The other two programme applications have yet to be approved by the Commission.

  Post Office
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received from Neilston community council concerning the refusal of the chairman of the Post Office to meet the hon. Member for Eastwood; and if he will make a statement.

  Right to buy applications by dwelling type

  1987–88

  1988–89

  District

  Houses

  Flats

  Not known

  Houses

  Flats

  Not knovm

  SCOTLAND

  18,724

  8,214

  7,251

  27,994

  16,027

  4,098

  Berwickshire

  86

  11

  —

  174

  8

  —

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  144

  55

  —

  200

  52

  —

  Roxburgh

  97

  45

  124

  237

  89

  —

  Tweeddale

  48

  13

  —

  75

  21

  —

  Clackmannan

  360

  73

  —

  457

  130

  —

  Falkirk1

  609

  143

  636

  1,470

  411

  —

  Stirling

  258

  43

  314

  552

  81

  228

  Annandale and Eskdale

  139

  14

  85

  297

  29

  —

  Nithsdale

  366

  117

  —

  493

  168

  —

  Stewartry

  99

  18

  —

  134

  20

  —

  Wigtown

  180

  21

  —

  206

  31

  —

  378
  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 17 July 1989]: I have written both to the Secretary of Neilston community council, and to my hon. Friend.

  Odometers
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps his Department has taken over the past 10 years to persuade the motor trade to develop and install tamper-proof odometers in motor vehicles.

  Mr. Forth
  As yet a full tamper-proof odometer has not been developed, but my Department has sought to encourage the motor industry to develop a British Standard specification for tamper-resistant odometers.

  Investment
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what estimate he has made of investment by the German Government in industry and commerce during the period 1979 to 1988;

  (2) what is the present level of investment by Government in industrial and commercial enterprises in Germany, France, Italy and Spain as a percentage of gross domestic product;

  (3) what is the present level of investment by Her Majesty's Government in industrial and commercial enterprises as a percentage of gross domestic product.

  Mr. Lilley
  There are no data available on the level of Government investment in industry and commerce in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. In the United Kingdom direct Government investment in industry and commerce is confined to the nationalised industries.

SCOTLAND

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of right to buy applications for(a) houses and (b) flats for each local authority in Scotland as a whole during each year from 1980–81 to 1988–89.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Prior to 1987, only the total number of right-to-buy applications was collected centrally from local authorities. The information available for 1987–88 and 1988–89 is given in the following table.
  379

  1987–88

  1988–89

  District

  Houses

  Flats

  Not known

  Houses

  Flats

  Not known

  Dunfermline

  851

  240

  —

  1,146

  410

  —

  Kirkcaldy

  672

  312

  —

  944

  482

  —

  North East Fife

  183

  63

  108

  n/a

  n/a

  518

  Aberdeen

  641

  286

  —

  1,154

  465

  —

  Banff and Buchan

  348

  47

  —

  262

  39

  201

  Gordon

  144

  9

  —

  169

  6

  —

  Kincardine and Deeside

  88

  14

  —

  89

  6

  —

  Moray

  389

  30

  —

  640

  80

  —

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  52

  2

  22

  77

  1

  —

  Caithness

  144

  11

  —

  106

  3

  —

  Inverness

  209

  34

  —

  367

  45

  —

  Lochaber

  169

  25

  —

  170

  30

  —

  Nairn

  25

  1

  —

  42

  3

  —

  Ross and Cromarty

  119

  2

  —

  194

  4

  —

  Skye and Lochalsh

  21

  0

  —

  37

  0

  —

  Sutherland1

  59

  0

  —

  56

  0

  —

  East Lothian

  339

  98

  496

  939

  412

  —

  Edinburgh

  274

  703

  2,212

  1,462

  2,496

  —

  Midlothian

  425

  130

  178

  684

  252

  —

  West Lothian

  668

  109

  —

  1,207

  262

  —

  Argyll and Bute

  64

  15

  199

  n/a

  n/a

  422

  Bearsden and Milnavie2

  44

  23

  —

  53

  27

  —

  Clydebank

  289

  316

  —

  536

  582

  —

  Clydesdale

  419

  25

  —

  524

  55

  —

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  150

  58

  —

  156

  111

  —

  Cumnock and Doon Valley1

  314

  23

  115

  n/a

  n/a

  214

  Cunninghame

  857

  222

  —

  1,167

  316

  —

  Dumbarton

  531

  219

  —

  593

  340

  —

  East Kilbride

  69

  20

  —

  91

  44

  —

  Eastwood

  73

  25

  —

  89

  27

  —

  Glasgow

  1,861

  2,474

  —

  3,070

  4,732

  —

  Hamilton

  594

  121

  281

  1,101

  357

  —

  Inverclyde

  277

  191

  —

  299

  231

  —

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  600

  102

  —

  688

  157

  —

  Kyle and Carrick

  537

  197

  350

  956

  399

  —

  Monklands1

  789

  253

  —

  386

  169

  433

  Motherwell

  n/a

  n/a

  1,351

  n/a

  n/a

  2,082

  Renfrew

  662

  551

  509

  1,133

  1,071

  —

  Strathkelvin

  273

  42

  271

  565

  164

  —

  Angus

  460

  44

  —

  512

  68

  —

  Dundee

  1,051

  470

  —

  1,208

  900

  —

  Perth and Kinross

  442

  140

  —

  589

  224

  —

  Orkney Islands

  66

  1

  —

  100

  1

  —

  Shetland Islands

  54

  4

  —

  53

  5

  —

  Western Isles

  42

  9

  —

  85

  11

  —

  1 Returns outstanding for Q4 1988 and Q1 1989.

  2 Return outstanding for Q1 1989.

  n/a—Not available.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many council dwellings sold under the right to buy were constructed(a) before 1900, (b) 1900 to 1910, (c) 1911 to 1920, (d) 1921 to 1930, (e) 1931 to 1940, (f) 1941 to 1950, (g) 1951 to 1960, (h) 1961 to 1970, (j) 1971 to 1980, (k) 1980 to 1981, (l) 1981 to 1982, (m) 1982 to 1983, (n) 1983 to 1984, (o) 1984 to 1985, (p) 1985 to 1986, (q) 1986 to 1987, and (r) 1987 to 1988.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on the age of council houses sold has been placed in the House Library. Prior to 1986, sales to sitting tenants were not subdivided into right to buy and on a voluntary basis.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dwellings were sold to(a) sitting tenants—right to buy, (b) sitting tenants—voluntary sale,
  380
  (c) other individuals by each local authority in Scotland and for Scotland as a whole during each year from 1980–81 to 1988–89.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information prior to 1986 does not differentiate between sales under the right-to-buy provisions and voluntary sales to sitting tenants. Tables giving the information available have been placed in the House Library.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sales other than the right-to-buy sales, were completed by each local authority in Scotland and for Scotland as a whole during each year from 1980–81 to 1988–89.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on sales other than to sitting tenants or other individuals is set out in the following table.
  381

  Local Authority sales other than to sitting tenants and other individuals

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–3

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Scotland

  257

  911

  388

  1,066

  127

  788

  315

  1,214

  263

  Borders

  Berwickshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Roxburgh

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Tweeddale1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Central

  Clackmannan

  0

  0

  19

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  Falkirk

  0

  29

  45

  0

  7

  0

  19

  0

  0

  Stirling

  0

  0

  0

  0

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Annandale and Eskdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Nithsdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Stewartry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wigtown

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Fife

  Dunfermline

  0

  0

  0

  0

  6

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kirkcaldy

  0

  0

  2

  17

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North East Fife

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Grampian

  Aberdeen

  37

  2

  0

  11

  19

  0

  3

  0

  15

  Banff and Buchan

  4

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Gordon

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Kincardine and Deeside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Moray

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Highland

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Caithness

  0

  9

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Inverness

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Lochaber

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  25

  27

  33

  Nairn

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Ross and Cromarty

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Skye and Lochalsh

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sutherland

  0

  0

  0

  10

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Lothian

  East Lothian

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Edinburgh

  0

  0

  0

  734

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Midlothian

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  2

  1

  0

  2

  West Lothian

  13

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Strathclyde

  Argyll and Bute

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clydebank

  0

  9

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clydesdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumnock and Doon Valley1

  0

  8

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cunninghame

  0

  8

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dumbarton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Kilbride

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Eastwood

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Glasgow

  108

  776

  172

  279

  77

  769

  48

  1,187

  152

  Hamilton

  0

  0

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Inverclyde

  8

  4

  0

  0

  0

  11

  216

  0

  0

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  0

  0

  0

  7

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kyle and Carrick

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Monklands

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Motherwell

  0

  61

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Renfrew

  79

  0

  107

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Strathkelvin

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Tayside

  Angus

  0

  0

  0

  6

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dundee

  8

  2

  25

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Perth and Kinross

  0

  0

  5

  0

  0

  4

  2

  0

  56

  Orkney Islands

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Shetlands Islands

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1Returns outstanding for 1988–89.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State Scotland what is the number of right-to-buy applications current at end of quarter, for which the information is available, for each local authority in Scotland and for Scotland as a whole.
  382
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is set out in the following table.
  383

  Number of Current Applications at 31 March 1989

  Number

  Scotland

  32,918

  Berwickshire

  48

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  104

  Roxburgh

  125

  Tweeddale

  65

  Clackmannan

  357

  Falkirk

  848

  Stirling1

  520

  Annandale and Eskdale

  197

  Nithsdale

  268

  Stewartry

  71

  Wigtown

  116

  Dunfermline

  819

  Kirkcaldy

  986

  North East Fife

  337

  Aberdeen

  1,030

  Banff and Buchan2

  409

  Gordon

  108

  Kincardine and Deeside

  30

  Moray

  311

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  37

  Caithness

  47

  Inverness

  284

  Lochaber

  131

  Nairn

  10

  Ross and Cromarty

  70

  Skye and Lochalsh

  9

  Sutherland2

  58

  East Lothian

  564

  Edinburgh

  3,013

  Midlothian

  613

  West Lothian

  886

  Argyll and Bute

  390

  Bearsden and Milngavie1

  88

  Clydebank

  821

  Clydesdale

  411

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  173

  Cumnock and Doon Valley4

  255

  Cunninghame

  932

  Dumbarton

  1,040

  East Kilbride

  64

  Eastwood

  67

  Glasgow

  5,645

  Hamilton

  1,287

  Inverclyde

  406

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  637

  Kyle and Carrick

  856

  Monklands3

  942

  Motherwell

  1,528

  Renfrew

  1,414

  Strathkelvin

  364

  Angus

  257

  Dundee

  2,244

  Perth and Kinross

  463

  Orkney Islands

  54

  Shetland Islands

  36

  Western Isles

  73

  Highland health board: members appointed for the first time in 1989

  Name

  Background

  Nominated by

  Mr. J. G. Ligertwood

  Retired bank manager; treasurer of many charitable organisations a various times

  Highland health board

  Mr. C. Neilson

  Self employed retail businessman; former member of Lochaber local health council since its inception; chairman since 1977; former chairman of Lochaber district council

  Lochaber district council; Lochaber local health council

  Mrs. S. G. H. Stone

  Managing director of Highland Fine Cheeses Ltd.; founder, Ross-shire health protection trust

  Ross and Cromarty district council

  Miss I. Urquhart

  Registered general nurse; member management committee of crossroads (Ross and Cromarty); member Highland nursing advisory committee

  Highland health board

  384
  1 Latest available information at 31 December 1988

  2 Latest available information at 30 September 1988

  3 Latest available information at 30 June 1988

  4 Latest available information at 31 December 1987

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of loans from(a) local authorities and (b) other sources for right to buy purchasers by each local authority in Scotland and for Scotland as a whole during each year from 1980–81 to 1988–89.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information collected centrally prior to 1986 did not differentiate between sales under the right-to-buy provisions and voluntary sales to sitting tenants. Copies of tables giving the information available have been placed in the House Library.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were receiving training under the employment training scheme in Scotland for each month from September 1988 till the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The number of people in Scotland who have participated in employment training in each month from September 1988 is set out in the table. These figures exclude those people who continued in employment training under community programme terms and conditions.

  Date

  In training

  1988

  September

  4,361

  October

  6,608

  November

  9,095

  December

  11,660

  1989

  January

  13,931

  February

  17,793

  March

  20,866

  April

  21,965

  May

  22,309

  June

  23,205

  Highland Health Board
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the names of members of the Highland health board appointed for the first time in 1989; and if he will give for each their experience, expertise and relevant background and the nominating body.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is as follows:

  Radioactive Material
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all premises in Scotland(a) that are registered under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 and (b) that are authorised to accumulate and discharge radioactive material under the same Act.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not yet available in a form that is suitable for publication.

  Fresh Water Mussels
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish the information he has on the condition of the Scottish freshwater mussel population; what research he has commissioned; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what representations he has received about the survival of the Scottish fresh water mussel (Margaritifera Margaritifera) population.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The fresh water pearl mussel Margaritifera Margaritifera is widely distibuted in Scotland thanks to the generally high quality of our rivers. I am aware of concerns which have been expressed recently about the possible depletion of stocks by overfishing or killing of mussels by amateur pearl fishermen. I have received two letters recently about the threat to pearl mussel stocks.

  No research project on Scottish fresh water mussels has been commissioned by the Department. Scientific advice on fresh water species is provided or obtained as necessary by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland's fresh water fisheries laboratory at Pitlochry. I am currently considering, with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, a proposal from the Nature Conservancy Council that increased protection should be afforded to the fresh water pearl mussel under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  Baby Foods
  Sir Dennis Walters
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions have been carried out in relation to contaminated baby foods in 1989 in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None.

  Sir Dennis Walters
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many reported contaminations of baby foods are currently being investigated by the police.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are no confirmed cases of malicious contamination of baby foods currently being investigated by the police in Scotland.

  Sir Dennis Walters
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on whether the most recent contaminations of baby foods, which have been prosecuted have taken place inside or outside the factories of the companies concerned.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Such information is not centrally collected.

  Alcohol and Drug Abuse
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on the treatment of(a) alcohol abuse and (b) drug abuse in each of the past seven years.
  386
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Services within the NHS for alcohol misusers and drug misusers are generally provided as part of the range of community and hospital-based services. The cost of treatment in these particular areas is not separately identified. The Government have made substantial increases in resources available to health boards since 1979 and it is for individual boards to determine the level of expenditure on particular services from within their overall financial allocations.

  In addition, in 1984 the Government set up a programme of grant support for a range of local drug projects run by health boards, local authorities and voluntary bodies. The size of this programme has steadily increased and in 1989–90 it is running at approximately £2 million per annum, double the figure for 1988–89.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1988–89.

  Mr. Rifkind
  My Department spent £42,987 on official hospitality in 1988–89.

  Ministers (Travel)
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when was the last recorded journey to Scotland by a Government Minister travelling north via the M1/A1 roads.

  Mr. Rifkind
  For journeys between Scotland and London my ministerial colleagues and I do not normally travel by road.

ENERGY

  Safe Integral Reactor Consortium
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) from which Government account money is provided for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority commitment to the SIR consortium; and if the money is a grant or loan;

  (2) how much research funding has been allocated for the years in which figures are available to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to support its role as a member of the Safe Integral Reactor consortium;

  (3) how much the SIR consortium is bidding for from the United States Department of Energy; and for what purpose;

  (4) what rate of return the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is budgeting for in its commercial venture as part of the SIR consortium;

  (5) when and where he expects the first SIR to be built;

  (6) when the SIR consortium was established; who are its original and its current members; and how much each have contributed to its income.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  As I stated in my reply of 17 July at col.52, the UKAEA will be using some of its own pre-contract research funds to support its role as a member of the SIR consortium, whose other members are Rolls-Royce and Associates, Stone and Webster and Combustion Engineering. The terms of the UKAEA's involvement in the SIR consortium are commercially confidential.

  Nuclear Power Stations
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy further to his reply of 17 July, if he will list the consents and permissions, with the granting authority in each case, necessary to build a nuclear power station.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  In England and Wales, an electricity board needs to obtain the consent of my right hon. Friend under section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act 1909, as amended. When granting his consent under section 2 he may also direct that deemed planning permission be granted under section 40 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971.

  Anyone else needs to obtain my right hon. Friend's consent under section 3 of the Energy Act 1983 and to obtain the necessary planning permission from the relevant planning authority.

  In addition, a licence to install and operate a nuclear reactor must be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965. Under the licence the agreement of the HSE must be obtained at all stages of construction, leading up to consent to commence operation.

  Other consents and permissions, which also apply to other types of development, may also be required from the appropriate authorities.

  Atomic Energy Authority
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what research funds he has allocated to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority; and how much has been allocated in each of the last 10 years for(a) all research and (b) pre-contract research.

  Mr. Parkinson
  My Department's expenditure on its nuclear programmes over the last 10 years is set out in my answer of 10 July to the hon. Member for Sedgefield at column 380. Since April 1986, when the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority began to operate as a trading fund, charges to the Department under the programme letters have been on a cost-plus basis. These charges include a contribution towards general authority overheads, one component of which is pre-contract research. The component is not separately identified in charges to the Department.

  In the time available it has not been possible to provide figures for the Department's expenditure with the UKAEA on non-nuclear research.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much was spent by his Department on official hospitality in 1988–89.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The Department spent £57,000 on official hospitality in 1988–89.

EMPLOYMENT

  Vocational Training for Mental Handicap (Conference)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library any papers arising from the first European national conference for 388
  vocational training for mental handicap held in Maastricht; and if he will take steps to ensure that the British Government is represented at future such conferences.

  Mr. Lee
  No papers resulting from the conference in Maastricht have been made available.

  The conferences are organised by the co-operation of European firms, employment initiatives and co-operatives for the psychologically disabled (CEFEC) which is an independent organisation.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number employed in the United Kingdom by(a) local government and (b) the railways industry in 1978, 1983 and the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will indicate any significant changes of definition affecting the comparison of these statistics.

  Mr. Lee
  The total numbers employed in Great Britain by local government were as follows:

  Numbers

  June 1978

  2,910,000

  June 1983

  2,853,000

  June 1988

  2,967,000

  December 1988

  12,964,000

  1 Latest available.

  (Data for Northern Ireland is not comparable and therefore not included.)

  Source: Department of the Environment.

  The abolition of the metropolitan counties and Greater London council and the change in status of local authority bus and municipal airport staff during 1986 and 1987 will have had a significant downward influence on the figures.

  The number employed in the railways industries in the United Kingdom were as follows:

  Numbers

  June 1978

  185,000

  June 1983

  161,000

  June 1988

  133,000

  March 1989

  1131,000

  1 Latest available.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish for the information given in the answer of 14 November 1988,Official Report, columns 418–19, concerning the latest new earnings survey, the estimated numbers from whom the sample was taken; and if he will add his estimate for the number of full-time as well as part-time workers.

  Mr. Lee
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: The estimated numbers for 1988 are as follows:

  million

  Full-time employees in employment

  16·2

  Part-time employees in employment

  3·4

  Construction Training
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many construction training places on the ET scheme are training to a fully skilled standard.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested is not available. Information on the types of training being undertaken by people on employment training will be available in the autumn.

  Deptford Skill Centre
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were trained on the Construction Industry Training Board (ATS) adult training scheme at Deptford skill centre; how much it cost for trainees qualified and placed in employment; and what was the national average cost of training a skilled construction worker.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In the financial year 1988–89, 61 people were trained on CITB-sponsored adult training programmes at Deptford skill centre. The national average cost of training a skilled construction worker in a skill centre is £130 per trainee week. Skill centres are not involved in placing CITB-sponsored trainees and therefore figures on placing costs are not held.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many trainees were trained under the new JTS at Deptford skill centre during 1987–88; how many achieved skilled status; and how many were placed in employment at the end of training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In the financial year 1987–88, 20 trainees successfully completed their new job training scheme training plans at Deptford skill centre. No figures are available on the destinations of those completing, therefore the numbers of those moving on to achieve either skilled status or employment is not known.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the development value of the site of Deptford skill centre.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government have appointed King and Company, surveyors, to value the Skills Training Agency (STA) estate, prior to the sale of STA to the private sector. King and Company's assessment of the value of individual skill centres is commercially sensitive until sale negotiations are complete. The whole of STA will be offered for sale and the Government are interested in bids from those who want to run a training business. Should there be any development gains, my right hon. Friend has made clear that he will make provision for the Government to share in any such gains in the years immediately after sale.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment within the catchment area of Deptford skill centre how many skilled construction workers are needed to meet the demand of employers; how many skilled workers were trained in these trades in this area in 1988; and to what extent this meets the placement figure for each trade.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Deptford skill centre attracts trainees from all over London.
  390
  The Construction Industry training board estimates that in 1988, between 4,500 and 8,500 replacement manual construction employees (excluding those in the unskilled operative category) were required.

  The London Research Centre's 1988 director of construction training estimates that 4,500 training places were provided by public and private sector organisations, and 5,000 college places.

  Placement figures for construction trades are riot available.

  Rehabilitation
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if pursuant to the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 3 July,Official Report, column 71, he will list the numbers of people who have completed: (a) rehabilitation courses and (b) courses of assessment and guidance at employment rehabilitation centres in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Lee
  The numbers of people completing assessment courses and rehabilitation courses provided by the employment rehabilitation service in each of the last five years is as follows:

  Number of assessment courses

  Number of rehabilitation courses

  1984–85

  2,500

  14,500

  1985–86

  8,100

  12,900

  1986–87

  11,000

  12,400

  1987–88

  13,400

  12,200

  1988–89

  25,300

  11,800

  Wages Councils
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research he has conducted into the implications of abolishing wages councils.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A large body of evidence exists on the implications for pay and jobs of the abolition of wages councils. This includes studies undertaken or commissioned by the Department which have been listed in previous parliamentary answers (Official Report 21 February 1985, col. 516 and 18 June 1985, col. 92). Virtually all of the research work on this subject conducted in the 1980s and known to the Department supports the view that removing statutory minimum wage provisions can be expected to have beneficial effects on employment.

  Industrial Accident Hazards (Bexley)
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many sites within the London borough of Bexley are subject to the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In the London borough of Bexley one site has been notified to the Health and Safety Executive under the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984. This is Rhone Poulenc Ltd., Crabtree Manor way, Belvedere.

  Disabled Persons
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will update the table on employment of severely disabled persons given in his answer of 27 May 1988,Official Report, columns 395–6.

  Mr. Lee
  Information on the number of severely disabled workers employed in each employment service region on 31 March 1987, 31 March 1988 and 31 March 1989 is set out in the table.

  31 March 1987

  31 March 1988

  31 March 1989

  (a) Remploy

  South East

  329

  325

  950

  London

  687

  665

  South West

  521

  516

  515

  West Midlands

  672

  646

  608

  East Midlands and Eastern

  650

  653

  647

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1,125

  1,104

  1,019

  North West

  1,644

  1,647

  1,595

  Northern

  909

  920

  873

  Wales

  1,504

  1,492

  1,450

  Scotland

  1,029

  1,072

  1,019

  (b) Local Advisory Sheltered Provision

  South East

  301

  322

  1,077

  London

  640

  639

  South West

  1,034

  1,072

  1,018

  West Midlands

  565

  617

  596

  East Midlands and Eastern

  672

  758

  788

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  556

  567

  685

  North West

  666

  699

  785

  Northern

  228

  235

  276

  Wales

  504

  532

  551

  Scotland

  754

  833

  912

  Sheltered Employment
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will update the table on sheltered employment given in his answer of 16 June 1988,Official Report, columns 313–4.

  Mr. Lee
  The information is not readily available. I will write as soon as possible.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1988–89.

  Mr. Cope
  £44,100.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Panama
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice is currently being offered to British citizens resident in or travelling to Panama.

  Mr. Eggar
  We are advising British citizens intending to travel to Panama to consider whether their journey is necessary and, if so, to contact the embassy on arrival. We 392
  are not aware of any difficulties involving the resident British community, but the embassy maintains close contact with them.

  EC Directives
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedures are adopted, and what public record is kept, by the Commission or Council of the European Community of the appropriate legal instruments, existing or specially introduced, in each member state which are activated to implement directives agreed by the Council of Ministers; if comprehensive publication occurs of such directives and respective legislation in each member state or on a community wide basis, and what relevant information is published by Her Majesty's Government, or other body, in respect of the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are not aware of any public record kept by the Commission or the Council. Details of directives and other instruments adopted by the Council are given in the Official Journal of the European Communities. The major measures adopted are also given in the six-monthly White Papers on developments in the European Community, but comprehensive information on national implementing legislation is not published by the Community or United Kingdom Government.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many representations he has made complaining about the denial of human rights in the last five years in Aruba;

  (2) how many representations he has made complaining about the denial of human rights in the last five years in Benin;

  (3) how many representations he has made complaining about the denial of human rights in the last five years in Ecuador;

  (4) how many representations he has made complaining about the denial of human rights in the last five years in St. Pierre and Miquelan.

  Mr. Eggar
  None.

  Nicaragua
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now assign a full-time ambassador to Nicaragua; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have no plans to make further appointments to Her Majesty's embassy in Managua for the time being, but diplomatic staffing levels at all our posts overseas are kept under review.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many official visits abroad he has made during his tenure of office; how many officials on average accompanied him on each trip; and what was the total cost.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 5 July 1989, c. 171]: The reply omitted support staff (communications,

  393
  secretarial and security) who accompany my right hon. and learned Friend on his official visits overseas. The average number of officials accompanying the Foreign Secretary, including support staff, has been nine.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Baby Foods
  Sir Dennis Walters
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions have been carried out in relation to contaminated baby foods in the current year in England and Wales;

  (2) how many reported contaminations of baby foods are currently being investigated by the police;

  (3) what information he has on whether the recent contaminations of baby foods which have been prosecuted have taken place inside or outside the factories of the companies concerned.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that there are two incidents of malicious contamination of baby food which are at present under investigation. There is no evidence that these or the other incidents reported earlier in the year occurred in the factory. None of these incidents has so far resulted in a prosecution for contamination under section 38(1) of the Public Order Act 1986.

  Police, Leicestershire
  Mr. Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet received the report prepared by assistant chief constable Don Dovesston into Leicestershire police.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that the investigation into allegations of improper disclosure of information by officers of the Leicestershire constabularly, which is being supervised by the Police Complaints Authority, has not yet been completed. When it is completed it will be for the police authority and the chief officer as appropriate to consider what further action should be taken. Home Office Ministers have no role in these procedures.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1988–89.

  Mr. Hurd
  Final figures are not yet available. The provisional outturn figure is £43,379.

  Domestic Violence
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions the ministerial group on women's issues has reached on the Home Office research study on domestic violence.

  Mr. John Patten
  The ministerial group discussed the study at its meeting yesterday and considered that it provides a good basis for examining and determining policy. The group has set in hand:futher work on the use of the criminal and civil law and the response to domestic violence by the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts;
  394
  an examination of the ways in which social services departments and health services could give more effective help to victims of domestic violence and their families;
  an examination of guidance and materials currently available to schools in this area and a consideration of the role of personal and social education in helping to prevent domestic violence.

  The results of these initiatives and others already in progress will be reported to future meetings of the group.

  Traffic Regulation Enforcement
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to introduce type approval machinery for technological aids to traffic regulation enforcement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Type approval requirements already apply in many areas of road traffic law. The White Paper "The Road User and the Law" (Cm. 576), set out proposals to apply such requirements to automatic detection devices to be used in the enforcement of speeding and traffic light offences. Legislation to implement these proposals will be introduced when parliamentary time permits.

  Prisoners' Petitions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had regarding making the submissions of prisoners' petitions easier.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The House of Commons authorities have been in touch with my Department about improving the guidance given to prisoners for presenting petitions to Parliament, and this is being done.

  No representations have been received regarding petitions to the Secretary of State which though generally made on a form provided for the purpose are not req uired to be in any specific format.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accesses were made to each category of stolen and suspect vehicle index of the police national computer over the last year; and what has been the percentage growth in the use of these categories over the year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Though the index of vehicles comprises vehicles in various categories, the records are not kept in these separate categories, but are indexed by vehicle registration number. It is not therefore possible to give the information in the form requested, but, in all, there were 19,313,501 accesses to the stolen and suspect vehicle and vehicle owners index of the police national computer in the year to 30 June 1989, an increase of 0·95 per cent. over the previous year.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accesses were made to each category of the wanted and missing persons index of the police national computer over the last year; and what has been the percentage growth in use of these categories over the year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Though the wanted and missing persons' index of the police national computer comprises
  395
  records of persons in various categories, the records are not kept in these categories, but are indexed by name. It is not therefore possible to give the information in the form requested but, in all, there were 1,987,155 accesses to the wanted and missing persons' index of the police national computer in the year to 30 June 1989. This is an increase of 7·2 per cent. over the previous year.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accesses were made to each index of the police national computer over the last year; whether he will include in these statistics an indication of the number of access requests that could search more than one index.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The total number of accesses to each of the indices of the police national computer in the year to 30 June 1989 was as follows:

  Index

  Number of Accesses

  1. Stolen and Suspect Vehicles

  19,313,501

  2. Vehicle Owners

  3. Chassis/Engine Numbers

  354,337

  4. Fingerprints

  192,416

  5. Fingerprints (Scene of Crime)

  14,608

  6. Criminal Names

  1,083,116

  7. Wanted/Missing Persons

  1,987,155

  8. Disqualified Drivers

  811,960

  9. Convictions

  758,270

  10. Major Investigations

  21,328

  11. Crime Pattern Analysis

  371,684

  There have also been the following joint accesses:

  To indices 6 and 91

  1,083,116

  To indices 6, 7 and 9

  1,738,002

  To indices 6, 7, 8 and 9

  7,654,267

  To indices 4, 6 and 9

  615,754

  1 All accesses to the criminal names index will in addition automatically generate information from the convictions application.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current size of each category found in the stolen and suspect vehicle index of the police national computer; and whether he can include in these statistics an indication of the minimum and maximum size of each category in the index over the year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information is as follows:

  Category

  Current

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Confirmed lost or obtained by deception

  387,822

  372,611

  387,822

  Lost or stolen

  395,171

  378,478

  395,171

  Obtained by deception

  157

  251

  157

  Found

  26,188

  24,860

  27,996

  Removed

  13,045

  12,667

  20,346

  Street to street

  118

  109

  200

  Repossessed by finance

  0

  0

  0

  Company

  —

  —

  —

  Suspect

  787

  787

  1,095

  Police Vehicle

  3,862

  3,593

  3,862

  Blocked

  5,779

  5,255

  5,779

  Information

  17,620

  15,454

  17,620

  Seen

  7,014

  6,812

  8,012

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current size of each category found in the wanted and missing persons index of the police national computer; and whether he can include in these statistics an indication of the minimum and maximum size of each category in the index over the year.
  396
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information is as follows:

  Category

  Current

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Wanted

  35,466

  34,749

  37,194

  Fails to appear

  28,646

  27,066

  28,646

  Suspect

  2,325

  2,325

  4,891

  Impending prosecution

  68

  68

  95

  Deserter

  1,722

  1,440

  1,819

  Locate

  37,800

  33,324

  37,800

  Missing

  2,346

  1,977

  2,346

  Found

  22

  10

  24

  Absconder:

  from care

  504

  410

  524

  from hospital

  55

  34

  58

  from detention

  3

  1

  4

  from youth custody

  107

  89

  117

  from prison

  746

  609

  746

  from remand

  3

  3

  9

  from school

  32

  28

  53

  Recall:

  from detention

  0

  0

  0

  from youth custody

  0

  0

  0

  from prison

  283

  262

  297

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current size of each index of the police national computer; and whether he can include in these statistics an indication of the minimum and maximum size of each category in the index over the last year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information is as follows:

  Index

  Current

  Minimum

  Maximum

  Vehicle owners

  41,386,599

  39,948,809

  41,386,599

  Stolen vehicles

  475,199

  461,234

  478,104

  Chassis-engine numbers

  791,850

  755,425

  792,028

  Wanted/missing persons

  112,384

  107,707

  112,384

  Cross reference

  963,010

  939,279

  963,010

  Disqualified drivers

  368,214

  361,716

  368,214

  Convictions

  2,929,865

  2,539,276

  2,929,865

  Criminal names

  5,457,187

  5,301,962

  5,457,187

  Fingerprints

  4,004,441

  3,881,363

  4,004,441

  Crime pattern analysis

  13,394

  11,786

  13,394

  Extremists crime index

  142

  112

  142

  Major investigation

  326,362

  301,787

  326,362

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has information as to the number of accesses made to the police national computer; and whether he can give the proportion of access requests made to the vehicle indexes of the police national computer.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  This information is collected on the basis of occasional monthly samples and annual totals are not therefore available. The last sample was taken in Febrary 1989. In that month, the number of transactions made to the police national computer (PNC) by each constabulary, and the proportion of these transactions which were made to the vehicle indices on the PNC, were as follows:

  Constabulary

  Nos. of transactions in February 1989

  Proportion of transactions made to vehicle indices

  Avon and Somerset

  76,595

  60·3

  Bedfordshire

  32,180

  61·1

  British Transport Police

  11,083

  33·3

  Cambridgeshire

  29,254

  61·9

  Central

  9,733

  52·6

  Cheshire

  39,560

  57·4

  City of London

  8,580

  60·9

  397

  Constabulary

  Nos. of transactions in February 1989

  Proportion of transactions made to vehicle indices

  Cleveland

  27,478

  60·2

  Cumbria

  31,387

  59·0

  Derbyshire

  37,040

  67·5

  Devon and Cornwall

  54,430

  59·1

  Dorset

  28,779

  58·5

  Dumfries and Galloway

  8,681

  50·2

  Durham

  30,236

  57·4

  Dyfed-Powys

  17,435

  46·6

  Essex

  73,061

  62·0

  Fife

  10,992

  56·6

  Gloucestershire

  24,595

  62·9

  Grampian

  18,651

  57·0

  Greater Manchester

  178,420

  56·6

  Guernsey

  888

  15·3

  Gwent

  13,122

  58·4

  Hampshire

  69,840

  52·4

  Hertfordshire

  30,679

  58·1

  Humberside

  40,351

  57·9

  Isle of Man

  2,820

  76·1

  Jersey

  3,509

  16·8

  Kent

  104,167

  59·2

  Lancashire

  88,280

  57·1

  Leicestershire

  30,345

  55·8

  Lincolnshire

  17,553

  64·3

  Lothian and Borders

  51,489

  53·3

  Merseyside

  76,081

  54·0

  Metropolitan

  612,032

  51·0

  Norfolk

  28,181

  68·3

  North Wales

  21,922

  48·5

  North Yorkshire

  38,095

  67·4

  Northamptonshire

  26,033

  63·6

  Northern

  9,174

  51·9

  Northumberland

  81,803

  63·8

  Nottinghamshire

  52,149

  69·9

  South Wales

  68,189

  64·6

  South Yorkshire

  58,966

  67·6

  Staffordshire

  32,507

  58·1

  Strathclyde

  114,162

  38·8

  Suffolk

  22,104

  57·8

  Surrey

  31,849

  57·4

  Sussex

  67,668

  53·8

  Tayside

  22,575

  55·4

  Thames Valley

  84,200

  57·0

  Warwickshire

  19,495

  65·7

  West Mercia

  34,955

  60·3

  West Midlands

  165,088

  65·0

  West Yorkshire

  94,156

  52·7

  Wiltshire

  24,473

  66·6

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place a copy of the consultants' report on the future of the police national computer organisation in the Library.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr. Grant) on 14 July at column 661.

  Summertime
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the names of all organisations and individuals who submitted representations to him for a change in summertime arrangements prior to the decision to go out to consultation in 1987, for each of the last five years indicating the date when such representations were made.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In the year before the first departmental survey on summertime arrangements, which was undertaken at the end of 1987, my Department was 398
  receiving about six to eight letters from hon. Members per month along with 12 to 15 letters from the public, and representations from Lords Vinson and Mountgarret and the Policy Studies Institute, among others. The rest of the information required is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Horseracing
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what figures he has for arrests and resultant convictions arising out of incidents at horse racing meetings, for each of the past five years as totals and as a proportion of attendances.

  Mr. John Patten
  This information is not available centrally.

  Murderers
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are currently detained at Her Majesty's pleasure under the terms of the Children and Young Persons Act 1983; and what was the average length of sentence for those convicted of murder who were released or paroled in the last five years.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information about the time detained in institutions other than prison service establishments is not readily available. The average time spent under sentence in prison service establishments by persons detained during Her Majesty's pleasure was between nine and a half and 10 years for those first released on licence in the years 1984 to 1988.

  Consultants
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which firms of consultants his Department has employed; and at what cost, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The following contracts were awarded to firms of consultants during the period 1986–88:

  Communications Studies and Planning International—Study on subscription television.

  Concurrent Computer Corporation—Survey of Home Office Accounts Branch.

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates—Evaluation of the use of computers in Magistrates Courts: Funding and procurement of systems.

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates—Study into future provision of training for Magistrates Courts staff.

  Data Logic—Review study on police national computer project.

  Deloitte, Haskins and Sells—Development of a financial management information system for the Probation Service.

  Ernst and Whinney—Support for automatic fingerprinting recognition planning.

  Express Computer Consultants—Performance study of Home Office Finance Division 1.

  Gilpin black Associates; The Grubb Institute—Management training for the Probation Service.

  Hay—MSL—Monitoring the performance bonus scheme.

  KMG Thomson McLintock—Office automation study for Home Office.

  PA Computers and Telecommunications—Study of network migration to police national computer project.

  PA Computers and Telecommunications—Future developments of computer system in Magistrates Courts.

  Pearn Kandola Associates—Formal qualifications and ethnic minority recruitment to white collar jobs.

  399

  Price Waterhouse—Implementation of computer systems in Home Office Prison Department.

  Purchasing Index (UK) Purchasing management information system.

  RIPA Services—Evaluation of the use of computers in Magistrates Courts training needs.

  Smith Associates—An analysis of the likely costs and benefits of introducing a mobile data terminal system in police vehicles.

  Sound Techniques—Evaluation of the use of computers in Magistrates Courts: Use of Computers in courtrooms.

  Systems Designers—Interim systems options study for police national computer project.

  Systems Designers—Feasibility study into the use of expert systems for multi-ethnic names matching.

  Systems Designers Scientific—A review of emergency communications services.

  Touche Ross Management Consultants—Study on scientific support for the police service in England and Wales.

  White Waghorn—Computerisation of Home Office Scientific Research and Development Branch accountancy system.

  1987

  Admiral Computing Ltd.—Automatic Handwriting Recognition—technical support.

  Arthur Young—Manpower Division—financial strategy review.

  Arthur Young—Police National Computer Upgrade—user requirement survey.

  Arthur Walton and Partner—Procurement in Home Office Science and Technology Group.

  Artificial Intelligence—Crime Auto Index—technical support.

  Atkins MC—Rental invoicing.

  Bechtel UK Ltd.—Assist in WARC purchasing.

  Bell Software Systems—Bootle Bureau Computer—technical support.

  BIS Applied Systems—Bootle Bureau Computer disaster-planning report.

  CAP Industry Ltd.—Automatic Fingerprint Recognition—design support.

  Claymore Services—Area Mapping System—technical support.

  Computer Services Company—Policy National Computer upgrade technical/management support.

  Coopers and Lybrand—Study on the future provision of staff training in the magistrates court service.

  Coopers and Lybrand—Staff training in Prison Service.

  Data Logic—Crime Auto Index—technical support.

  Roston Ltd.—Assist in WARC purchasing.

  Scientific Business Systems—Police Staff College Computer-technical support.

  Smith Associates—Automatic Fingerprint Recognition-technical support.

  Software Sciences—Immigration Service-technical support.

  Systems Designers—Intelligent Knowledge Based Systems-technical support.

  Systems Designers—Facial Recognition System-technical support.

  Systems Designers—PNCO Interim system arrangement study.

  Technical Support Consultants Ltd.—File transfer MCS facility project.

  Touche Ross MC—General Ledger System design and implementation.

  Touche Ross MC—Police National Computer Upgrade-project management support.

  Touche Ross MC—Police Administration Support Unit-business analysis.

  VNG Professional Services—Bootle Bureau Computer-technical support.

  White Waghorn—Financial Management System-technical support.

  Electronic Facilities Design—Automatic Fingerprint Recognition-operational requirement support.

  Ernst and Whinney ML—Procurement and Charging review.

  400

  Ewbank Preece Ltd.—Survey for Fire Service.

  Express Computers—Financial Management System-tech-nical support.

  Fraser Williams—Bootle Bureau Compuer-technical support.

  Huddart Security Consultancy—Research into major crime investigation.

  Mr. A. Iliffe—Writing new test material for CSSB.

  International Computers Ltd—Private Office Correspondence-technical support.

  IO Research—Electronic Facial Recognition-technical support/development.

  JSB—Immigration Service-SSADM support.

  Lear Month and Burchett—Bootle Computer Bureau-SSADM support.

  Logica Space and Defence—Automatic Fingerprint Recognition-design support.

  McPherson Associates—Research on reliability of a new personality test.

  MOM International—Project Management-technical support.

  PA Management Consultants—Assist with implementation of "Fresh Start" to Prison Service.

  PA Consultants—WARC Project.

  Procom Ltd—WRAC Project.

  RIPA Consultancy Services—Probation Information Service-technical support.

  1988

  Aberdeen University—Technical support for Scientific Research and Development Branch.

  Ampex—Videofile testing.

  Batalas—Police National Computer Office, Quality Assurance support.

  BBN—Technical support for Scientific Research and Development Branch.

  BIS—Magistrates Court contingency study.

  BIS—Financial Systems support.

  Cooper and Lybrand—Assistance with training seminars in Prison Service.

  Computer Search and Selection—Immigration programming support.

  CCTA—IT Division Post Implementation Review.

  Data Logic—Local Area Networks study.

  Dataflex—Programming support for Prison Service.

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells—Improving Clerical Support Services to HM Prison forms.

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells—Study of potential feasibility of private sector involvement in the remand system.

  Digitus—IT Division technical support.

  Eosys—Police Requirements Network study.

  Ewbank Preece—Microwave study.

  Express Computer Consultants—Software development for Financial Division.

  Grafton—Benchmark preparation for Police National Computer.

  Grafton—Software support for Police National Computer.

  Hunterskill—Programming support for Prison Service.

  ICL—Systems analysis for Immigration and Nationality Department.

  ICL—Bootle Computer Bureau Network Support.

  ICL—System sizing for Immigration and Nationality Department

  IN2—Post Administration programming support

  JSB—Database support for computerisation of central records

  Kerman Associates—IT Division technical support

  Logica—Fire Department Brigade requirements study

  Logica—Local Area Network study for Immigration and Nationality Department

  Metier—Bootle Computer Bureau project management tool support

  Oasis—Intelligency Knowledge Based Systems study

  Oracle—Bootle Computer Bureau software support

  PA Management Consultants—WARC project manage-ment

  PA Consulting—Investment Appraisal support for Immigration and Nationality Department

  PA Consulting—Police National Computer Office project

  401
  management support

  PA Technology—Proposal Evaluation: Automatic Fingerprint Recognition

  P-E Computer Services—Bootle Computer Bureau programming support

  Peat Marwick McLintock—Review of laundry service

  Peat Marwick McLintock—IND Relocation Study

  SIA—Fire Statistics Section hardware sizing trial

  Software AG—Police National Computer Office; Software support (2 contracts).

  St. George's Medical School—Technical support from Forensic Science Service.

  Touche Ross—Management systems strategy for prison industries.

  TSC Ltd.—Police National Computer Office; Operating System Support.

  Thornhill Computer Services—Bootle Computer Bureau programming support.

  Dr. R. L. Williams—Reviewing fingerprint evidence.

  Yale Data—IT Division technical support.

  The Home Office spent approximately £2,665,000 on consultancy services for 1986–87. Equivalent estimated payments for the calendar years 1987 and 1988 were £3,316,000 and £3,572,000 respectively. These payments include VAT as well as fees.

  Information for the years before 1986 is not readily available.

  Racial Harassment
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many perpetrators of racial harassment have been charged by the police(a) under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 and (b) under section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, in the years 1987 and 1988, respectively.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on whether prosecutions under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 and under section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 were for offences which were racially motivated is not collected centrally.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) men and (b) women have been convicted of child cruelty in courts in England and Wales in each of the last five years;

  (2) how many (a) men and (b) women have been sent to prison for cruelty to children in each of the last five years.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information held centrally for 1983 to 1987 on the specific offence of child cruelty is given in the table. Data for 1988 are not yet available. Many other convictions take place each year for offences of violence against children or sexual offences against children.

  Persons found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody for offences relating to cruelty to children

  Total found guilty

  Immediate custody

  1983

  Males

  47

  16

  Females

  42

  7

  1984

  Males

  57

  18

  Females

  53

  7

  1985

  Males

  40

  17

  402

  Total found guilty

  Immediate custody

  Females

  54

  13

  1986

  Males

  59

  20

  Females

  68

  10

  1987

  Males

  68

  20

  Females

  76

  19

  Life Sentences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of inmates serving a life sentence were reviewed for possible parole during 1988.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In 1988, the parole board considered the cases of 444 life sentence prisoners for release on life licence.

  Scottish Television Producers
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of United Kingdom network programming is currently achieved by Scottish television producers.

  Mr. Renton
  Programmes by Scottish producers comprise the following percentages of United Kingdom television network transmissions:

  Percentage

  BBC

  1·55

  ITV

  2·2

  Channel 4

  1·8

  The ITV and Channel 4 figures do not include output from Border television.

  Lotteries
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reply he has received from the authorities in the Federal Republic of Germany to his request to explore means of stopping the posting to the United Kingdom of promotional and entry material for lotteries based in West Germany.

  Mr. John Patten
  The authorities in the Federal Republic have expressed their readiness to co-operate in this exploration and, via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, relevant information is being exchanged between them and the Home Office.

  Horserace Totalisator Board
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether future developments on the privatisation of the Horserace Totalisator Board, the allocation of shares in SIS and mergers within the off course bookmaking market will be frozen pending an announcement of an inquiry into racing finances.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend will announce his conclusions on the case for an inquiry into the long-term funding of racing when consideration is completed. The advice on the possible privatisation of the
  403
  Horserace Totalisator Board which we have received from Lloyds merchant bank is relevant to that consideration. The allocation of shares in Satellite Information Services is a matter for that company. There are no powers for the Secretary of State to make a general prohibition on merger activity in a particular sector, including the bookmaking industry.

  Orange Badge Scheme
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the frequency with which the £400 fine has been imposed by different authorities for the unauthorised use by a non-disabled person of an orange badge issued to a person with a disability.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg:
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) on 13 July at column 643. The highest fine recorded for these offences was £50.

  West Midlands Police
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the west midlands as to on how many occasions complaints have been received against detective sergeant Michael Hornby; and what action has been taken in each case;
  404
  (2) if, pursuant to his answer on 5 July, he will call for a report from the chief constable of the west midlands as to how many complaints have been received against detective sergeant Michael Hornby since 1974; what action was taken in 1980 on the one occasion he was disciplined; and what was the nature of the complaint against him.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [pursuant to his replies of 5 and 11 July 1989, columns 190 and 425]: I now understand from the chief constable of the West Midlands police that the information provided by the force that detective sergeant Michael Hornby had been the subject of disciplinary proceedings in 1980 is incorrect. Detective sergeant Hornby has never faced disciplinary charges.

  I regret any inconvenience or embarrassment which this incorrect information may have caused.

  Child Custody
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mothers in prison, on remand or convicted for offences unrelated to their children's welfare, have been prevented from exercising their legal child custody rights by local authorities which have put their children into care without informing or consulting their mothers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally. It is normal social work practice for all mothers to be informed or consulted about their children being taken into care.

THE ARTS

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1988–89.

  Mr. Luce
  The Office of Arts and Libraries spent £7,943 on official hospitality in 1988–89.

  Horniman Museum and Library
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had with the director of the Horniman museum and library about its future structure and funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 14 July 1989]: I met the director of the Horniman museum on 10 July and had a useful and informative discussion on the future of the museum. I was pleased to hear of progress achieved so far and asked to be kept in touch with developments in the transition to independent charitable status. The director is aware that the level of resources for the museum will be decided later in the year alongside OAL's other client institutions. The museum will naturally be encouraged to take full advantage of all sources of funding available to charitable institutions.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Countryside Commission
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the chairman of the Countryside Commission; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Ryder
  I met the chairman of the Countryside Commission on 7 November when we discussed many issues relating to the countryside. I am always ready to discuss matters of mutual concern with the Countryside Commission.

  Irradiated Food
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the numbers of representations he has received concerning the European Economic Community directive on food irradiation.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have received about 70 letters making representations on this subject. Careful consideration will be given to the points raised.

  Code of Good Agricultural Practice
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the documents comprising the code of good agricultural practice; what is the price of each; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The main code of good agricultural practice booklet, originally a priced publication, was made available free of charge in June 1988. The following more detailed publications also form part of the code.

  RB 209—Fertiliser Recommendations (revised 1988) £5·00

  RB 500—Pesticides 1989 £8·95

  406

  Leaflet P441—Nitrogen fertilisers (1987)

  Leaflet P593—Sheep scab (1986)

  Leaflet 719—Sheep dipping and spraying (reprinted 1984)

  Leaflet P767—Farm chemical stores (1988)

  Booklet 2078—Guidelines for the use of herbicides on weeds in or near watercourses and lakes (revised 1985) £2·50

  Booklet 2081—Farm waste management: Profitable use of farm manures (revised 1986) £2·00

  Booklet 2198—Guidelines for the disposal of unwanted pesticides and containers on farms and holdings (reprinted 1986)

  Booklet 2200—Farm waste management: Advice on avoiding pollution from farm manures and other slurry wastes (revised 1985) £2·00

  Booklet 2272—Guidelines for applying crop protection chemicals: Ground crop sprayers for agriculture (reprinted 1986)

  Booklet 2409—The use of sewage sludge on agricultural land (revised 1987) £2·50.

  Booklet 2429—Farm waste management: Silage avoiding pollution (reprinted 1985)

  Booklet 2449—Guidelines for applying crop protection chemicals: Spraying fruit and hops with insecticides and fungicides (reprinted 1989).

  Leaflet P3042—Farm waste management: Storage of farm manures and slurries—Choosing a storage system.

  Leaflet P3043—Farm waste management: Storage of farm manures and slurries—Above ground circular slurry stores.

  Leaflet P3045—Farm waste management: Storage of farm manures and slurries—Weeping-wall slurry stores.

  Leaflet P3046—Farm waste management: Storage of farm manures and slurries—Stores for traditional farmyard manure.

  Leaflet P3047—Farm waste management: Storage of farm manures and slurries—Effluent tanks

  Leaflet P3122—Farm pollution: Dirty water-sources and volumes

  Leaflet P3123—Farm pollution: Dirty water-systems for disposal

  Leaflet P3124—Farm pollution: Dirty water-low rate irrigation systems.

  CAP 414—The Aerial Application Certificate: Information on requirements to be met by applicators and holders.

  Where no price is mentioned, the publications are available free of charge.

  Regional Panels
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the names of his regional panels, the names of the people represented on each panel, their occupations and the interest they represent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The five regional panels in England are non-statutory bodies which help to ensure that the ministry and the farming industry are each aware of the other's attitudes and policies and to hear representations against decisions by officials. Membership of the regional panels is drawn mainly from farmers, farmworkers and landowners. Membership is undertaken in a personal capacity. Regional panel members do not act in a representational capacity for any organisation to which they may belong.

  There is an agriculture advisory panel for Wales which fulfils the same functions; this is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales.

  The names of the people who currently serve on the regional panels in England are as follows:

  Midlands and Western Regional Panel

  Chairman H. Salwey TD
  407
  Members:

  W. H. Bainbridge

  C. Briscoe

  A. R. Chadwick

  T. Clowes

  Mrs. J. Davies

  R. B. Garwell

  D. Harper

  A. T. C. Haywood

  A. A. Hignett

  J. S. Molyneux

  D. R. Penrose

  W. J. B. Taylor

  M. E. Twidale

  Dr. S. M. Williams

  Eastern Regional Panel

  Chairman - R. C. Bloomfield

  Members:

  J. Adams JP

  D. Bareham

  D. Black

  D. A. V. Cox

  Mrs. R. Eady

  E. W. Fause

  J. F. Goodge

  R. H. Kerkham

  J. Kerr JP

  B. E. Newton

  R. W. Patrick

  D. A. Read

  P. E. Richardson

  M. Thomasin-Foster

  R. J. Watts

  Northern Regional Panel

  Chairman - J. W. Raine CBE

  Members:

  C. H. Armstrong

  W. D. Avery

  C. A. F. Baker-Cresswell OBE

  R. H. Bosomworth J. C. Cooke

  J. H. Dixon

  J. M. Dearlore

  H. Duckett

  H. E. Morphet

  M. P. Pollard

  S. P. W. Kedgate

  A. P. Shirley

  J. Walby

  I. S. Watson

  South Eastern Regional Panel

  Chairman - K. J. Cyster OBE

  Members:

  B. Doble

  A. Gould

  J. E. Harrison

  J. Lington

  P. Lowater

  J. P. Martin

  I. D. Mcdowall

  D. G. L. Monnington

  H. Oliver-Bellasis

  A. E. Redsell

  D. Sword

  Mrs. S. Ward

  South Western Regional Panel

  Chairman - Sir Peter Mills

  Members:

  J. M. Eustace

  B. R. Jones

  R. Jones

  R. Lawton

  N. P. Morris

  M. Retallick

  D. Scott

  G. Trehane

  408

  Mrs. E. R. Wheatley-Hubbard

  J. Whetman

  H. B. Wright

  M. C. Yeo

  Nature Conservation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he takes to ensure, in exercising his responsibilities in relation to fisheries, that due regard is paid to nature conservation.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Fisheries in British Waters are managed and conserved as renewable natural resources. This may be through either national measures or those coming under the European Community's common fisheries policy. These are designed to keep fish stocks at healthy levels based on the available scientific advice. At the same time, my Department has regard for wider considerations on nature conservation, liaising with statutory and voluntary conservation bodies.

  Food Legislation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to publish a White Paper on amendments to the food legislation.

  Mr. Ryder
  I intend to make a statement in the near future.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1988–89.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  £48,875.

  Cereal Circles
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply of 11 July,Official Report, column 451, if he has received any scientific or other advice on the causes of the flattening of cereal circles.

  Mr. Ryder
  I am advised that this phenomenom is most likely to result from a combination of wind and local soil fertility conditions in cereals which are prone to lodging.

  Farmers
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers previously in full-time activity have left the industry during the last five years as a consequence of direct financial pressure or bankruptcy.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Records are not kept of the reasons why individual farmers leave the industry, and such information is not therefore available. However, in 1987, the last year for which information is available, there were 172 bankruptcies and 126 company insolvences in England and Wales among businesses which were primarily agricultural and horticultural.

  Pesticides Data Education Unit
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to increase the number of staff employed at his pesticides data education unit; and if he will make a statement.
  409
  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: Yes. Extra staff are being recruited this year to fill existing vacancies at the pesticide data evaluation unit and future staffing levels are under review.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to increase the financial resources available to his pesticides data education unit, in(a) 1989–90 and (b) 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: The financial resouces available to the pesticides data evaluation unit form part of central funds and cannot be quantified

  On 1 April in each year the numbers of inspectors, including fishery officers grades I and II, in post in my Department were:

  Chief inspector

  Deputy chief inspector

  District inspector

  Fishery officer I

  Fishery officer II

  Total

  1979

  1

  1

  10

  8

  —

  20

  1980

  1

  1

  12

  13

  —

  27

  1981

  1

  1

  12

  13

  —

  27

  1982

  1

  1

  12

  12

  —

  26

  1983

  1

  1

  12

  13

  —

  27

  1984

  1

  1

  8

  15

  —

  25

  1985

  1

  1

  8

  14

  —

  24

  1986

  1

  2

  10

  11

  —

  24

  1987

  1

  2

  9

  11

  10

  33

  1988

  1

  2

  11

  15

  38

  67

  1989

  1

  2

  12

  15

  35

  65

  The recent increase in numbers was mainly the result of a restructuring exercise which involved certain staff being regraded as fishery officer IIs.

  Alar
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the new evidence of levels of Alar in apples, whether he will now ban its use in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 18 July 1989]: I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to information about residue levels of daminozide which was publicised recently by "Parents for Safe Food". These levels result from a method of analysis which is known to be non-specific and, therefore, liable to give false positives. Even if they were found by confirmatory analysis to be correct, they are still within the range considered to be safe by the independent advisory committee on pesticides.

ENVIRONMENT

  Tropical Hardwood
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much tropical hardwood has been used in each of the years from 1979 to 1988 by the Property Services Agency.

  Mr. Chope
  This information is not available, and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

  Pop Festivals
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the number and names of local authorities which have passed resolutions under the provisions of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 to license pop 410
  separately. However, extra staff are being recruited this year to fill existing vacancies and future staffing levels are under review.

  Fisheries Inspectors
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number of fisheries inspectors employed by his Ministry for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 21 July 1989]: The information requested is as follows:

  festivals and other open-air entertainments, and have subsequently refused to license a specific event; and if he will list these applications.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 14 July 1989]: I have been asked to reply.

  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mixenden Parents Resource Centre
  Mrs. Mahon.
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department intends to reply to the letter written in March by the Mixenden parents resource centre on the issue of direct funding.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department can find no trace of the hon. Lady's constituent's letter on this subject. If the hon. Member would like to write enclosing a copy, a response will be made as soon as possible.

  Rechem. International, Pontypool
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution proposes to publish the report arising from the investigation it carried out jointly with the university of East Anglia three years ago into background level of PC Bs and dioxins and including an investigation into the area surrounding Rechem International (Pontypool); and whether the preliminary findings are now available.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The results of HMIP's investigations into background levels of PCBs and dioxins across the United Kingdom were published in summary form in HWI's third annual report (chapter 10). The full details of the study together with details of the analytical method are shortly to be published in a HMIP technical report.

  Hazardous Wastes
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the facilities available for the disposal of wastes of the type formerly disposed through the Harwell hazardous materials service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The hazardous materials service from Harwell operates on a commercial basis and offers a range of waste management services, including the sorting, packaging and labelling of waste chemicals. These have been and still are disposed of at a number of licensed disposal facilities in England and Wales. Limitation as to the type of wastes acceptable at a site is generally a matter for the waste disposal authorities.

  Radiation
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the causes of radiation dose rates in certain non-granite areas being higher outdoors than indoors.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Dose rates from cosmic rays are usually lower indoors than outdoors because of the shielding provided by building materials. Dose rates from terrestrial gamma rays are occasionally lower indoors than outdoors because the activity of natural radionuclides in the building materials is lower than in the ground on which the building stands.

  Unleaded Petrol
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of new cars can now run on unleaded petrol without adjustment.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Seventy per cent. of new cars registered in May could run on unleaded petrol without the need for adjustment. This compares with one third a year previously.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those sites in Yorkshire, and Humberside, for which he has given authorisation for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste during the last five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the Department's "List of Premises in England and Wales currently authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to dispose of radioactive waste", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. In addition to the listed premises the following have been authorised to dispose of low-level radioactive waste since April 1988;

  South Yorkshire

  Sheffield Health Authority, Lodge Moor Hospital, Redmires road, Sheffield

  West Yorkshire

  Dewsbury Health Authority (DHA), Dewsbury District Hospital, Healds road, Dewsbury

  DHA, Dewsbury General Hospital, Moorlands road, Dewsbury

  DHA, Staincliffe Hospital, Healds road, Dewsbury Immunoscope, Deacon House, Seacroft avenue, Leeds Leeds Western Health Authority, The General Infirmary, Great George street, Leeds

  Landfill Gas
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the extra £5 million capital allocations to enable local authorities to tackle the problems of landfill gas has been taken up.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The £5 million reserve capital allocation is to cover urgent and unforeseen expenditure in 1989–90. None of it has yet been used.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many explosions have occurred at landfill gas sites in England and Wales in the past 10 years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has details of three explosions associated with landfill gas over the last three years but does not hold comprehensive records over the past decade.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many landfill gas sites have been identified as being currently in existence in England and Wales.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  All landfills taking putrescible waste may give rise to some landfill gas. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution estimates that 1,709 landfills in England and Wales accept such waste.

  The inspectorate has issued guidance for landfills taking putrescible waste. Licensing of landfills is the responsibility of the waste disposal authorities, who should ensure that suitable conditions are imposed.

  Unlisted Buildings
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give consideration to the case for the planning legislation which would enhance local authority controls over the discretionary demolition of unlisted buildings.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend has considered this carefully, but he does not believe that there is a need to extend controls over demolition.

  Housing Action Trust (Southwark)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he had made of how often the working party considering the possible creation of a housing action trust in Southwark should meet.

  Mr. Trippier
  The consultants, PIC Ltd., are responsible for arranging meetings with residents and other local interests on the North Peckham and Gloucester grove estates.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what precedents of ownership co-operatives exist for the working party to(a) examine and (b) visit at the end of the operating period of the proposed housing action trust in Southwark, when considering the future management of the Gloucester grove and North Peckham Estates.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Housing Corporation can put tenants in touch with ownership co-operatives now operating, and give them information about other local authority estates where tenants are thinking of forming such co-operatives.
  413
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the minimum number of meetings held annually by the proposed housing action trust board in Southwark.

  Mr. Trippier
  It will be for individual trusts to decide how many meetings to hold each year.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would happen to all existing council employees working on the North Peckham and Gloucester grove estates, and in particular resident caretakers, in the event of the proposed housing action trust being created in Southwark.

  Mr. Trippier
  A trust would give first consideration to council staff already working on the estates concerned when considering its staffing needs.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a firm and detailed management plan would be agreed prior to any ballot concerning the creation of the proposed housing action trust in Southwark.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 21 July 1989]: We are currently seeking tenants' views on how the estates could be improved, including the way in which they are managed. We shall draw on these views to prepare a statement of what a trust might do. Tenants would then be able to consider this before they vote in a ballot. If established, a trust would have to take the statement into account in deciding the best way to manage its estates. It would also consult residents under section 105 of the Housing Act 1985 and section 64 of the Housing Act 1988.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether all the meetings of the proposed housing action trust board in Southwark and documentation of meetings would be open to the public.

  Mr. Trippier
  We intend to ensure that trusts open their board meetings to the public except in specified circumstances, for example where confidential information relating to individual people or commercially sensitive matters are under discussion.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1988–89.

  Mr. Ridley
  Expenditure on hospitality in my Department (including the PSA) in 1988–89 was £84,000.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the extra costs involved in splitting up the Nature Conservancy council.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 19 July 1989]: If there are any savings or additional costs resulting from the reorganisation of the NCC, they will be estimated in due course, in discussions with the NCC and the other bodies affected by the Government's proposals. These discussions have already commenced, and the outcome will be taken into account in determining the level of grant-in-aid to be given to the NCC in 1990–91 and to the successor bodies.

  Nature Reserves
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what instructions he has given to the Nature Conservancy Council in respect of purchasing land for nature reserves.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 11 April 1989]: The Government's general policy is that land should be purchased by public bodies only where this is essential in order for the body concerned to perform its functions. I have made this clear to the Nature Conservancy Council on several occasions. The council's current policy is to purchase land for nature reserves only as a last resort. where sites of key conservation value cannot be protected by other methods (such as management agreements).

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Hillsborough
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any tax will be levied on funds paid into or out of the Hillsborough disaster fund.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The tax consequences for a disaster fund depend on what form the trustees decide the fund should take.

  I understand that the Hillsborough disaster fund has been set up as a non-charitable discretionary trust. Cash donations to the fund are not liable to income tax or capital gains tax. Donations of assets other than cash may give rise to a capital gains tax charge for the donor, but there are provisions permitting deferment of the tax charge. For inheritance tax purposes, the normal rules for discretionary trusts will apply, but in practice it is unlikely that any inheritance tax will actually be payable.

  If the donations are invested, the fund will be liable to income tax on any interest or other investment income it receives. Beneficiaries will, however, be given credit for the tax already paid by the fund, so that a beneficiary who is a non-taxpayer can claim repayment of the tax in full. There will be no capital gains tax charge when money is distributed to beneficiaries, and again, although the normal inheritance tax rules apply, it is unlikely that, in practice, any inheritance tax will actually be payable.

  Tender Laws
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to abolish the operation of United Kingdom tender laws; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  No. The designation of certain currency of the realm as legal tender provides a safeguard for both creditors and debtors. A creditor may insist on payment in legal currency; and, in the absence of a prior contractual agreement regarding payment, a debtor can offer a "legal tender", that is, the exact amount of a debt (no change can be required) in legal currency. If refused, its subsequent payment into court prevents any further legal action against the debtor.

  Sterling Investments
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money is invested in sterling which could be withdrawn at(a) one day's notice or less, (b) one week's notice or less and (c) a longer period than one week.
  415
  Mr. Lilley
  Data are not available to answer this question and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Pound Sterling
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the reserves were spent in June in supporting the pound.

  Mr. Lilley
  The underlying fall in the reserves in June was $2,236 million but this was the result of a variety of transactions including, for example, transactions for Government Departments, with other central banks, and interest receipts and payments as well as intervention. It has never been the practice of the Government to publish figures of how much it has intervened in the foreign exchange markets in support of its exchange rate objectives.

  Public Sector Debt
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current value in real terms of the public sector debt interest payments for each year since 1979(a) in money terms and (b) as a proportion of gross domestic product; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The table shows figures for general Government gross debt interest payments.

  Year

  1Real terms £ billions

  Percentage of money GDP

  1979–80

  16·5

  4·5

  1980–81

  16·8

  4·8

  1981–82

  17·9

  5·1

  1982–83

  17·4

  4·9

  1983–84

  17·5

  4·7

  1984–85

  18·4

  4·9

  1985–86

  19·1

  4·9

  1986–87

  18·4

  4·5

  1987–88

  17·7

  4·2

  1989–89

  16·8

  3·8

  1 1987–88 prices, using the GDP deflator.

  Over the whole period general Government debt interest payments are broadly unchanged in real terms. As a proportion of GDP interest payments have fallen significantly from their 1981–82 peak and have fallen every year for the last four years. Interest payments are forecast to fall further over the next four years in both real terms

  "Real short term interest rates and 12 month inflation rates in the European Community countries based on inflation rates which exclude owner occupier housing costs

  January 1988

  3Latest

  Inflation rate

  Real interest rate

  Inflation rate

  Real interest rate

  Germany

  0·5

  2·9

  3·0

  3·9

  France

  2·3

  5·9

  3·6

  5·2

  United Kingdom

  3·7

  5·0

  5·9

  7·8

  Italy

  5·0

  5·2

  7·0

  5·2

  Spain

  4·4

  8·0

  6·6

  7·7

  Netherlands

  -0·2

  4·6

  0·7

  6·1

  Belgium

  0·9

  5·6

  3·0

  5·1

  Portugal

  8·6

  4·8

  13·2

  -0·4

  Greece

  14·2

  2·2

  13·0

  6·2

  Denmark

  4·4

  4·3

  4·9

  3·8

  Ireland1

  2·3

  6·5

  3·2

  5·0

  Luxembourg2

  0·7

  5·9

  3·2

  4·9

  416
  and relative to GDP. The declining burden of debt interest has made room for more spending on priority services within a given total for public spending.

  Inflation
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the rate of inflation in the United Kingdom and in other European Community states in each year since accession; and if he will indicate against their names those countries who joined the ERM, and the year of doing so.

  Mr. Lilley
  The OECD "Economic Outlook" published in June 1989 gives the annual rate of inflation in each of the European countries since 1973. Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands joined the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system at its inception on 13 March 1979. Spain joined on 19 June 1989.

  Alcohol Taxes
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the yield in the current year by way of tax on alcohol from Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively; and if he will express the Scottish figures as a percentage of the United Kingdom total.

  Mr. Lilley
  The forecast yield from excise and value added tax on alcohol for the United Kingdom in 1989–90 is £7·3 billion. A regional breakdown of receipts is not available.

  Inflation and Interest Rates
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the inflation rate and level of real interest rates in each European Community country since January 1988.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 30 June 1989]: Inflation rates, excluding owner-occupier housing costs in order to put the figures on a more comparable basis, are given in the table. There is no agreed definition of real interest rates. The table shows the average short term money market rate in January 1988 and in the most recent month for which figures are available, deflated by the 12-month inflation rate in that month.
  417
  1 Figures for Ireland are for February 1988 and February 1989.

  2 Real interest rate figures for Luxembourg use Belgian interest rate

  3 Latest figures are June for the United Kingdom, France and Italy; May for Germany and Spain; February for Ireland and April for the other countries.

  Hoylake (Bermuda) Ltd.
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the activities of offshore investment companies in the light of recent activites of Hoylake (Bermuda) Ltd.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 19 July 1989]: No.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what happened to the live creatures and articles derived from endangered species imported or exported in contravention of national and international agreements and seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in 1988–89.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on Friday 26 May at cols. 810–11. The disposal of seized live creatures and articles derived from endangered species takes place within the arrangements outlined in that reply.

  Ivory
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken by his Department to enforce the ban on trade in ivory recently declared by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: The necessary instructions have been issued to Customs officers at points of entry into the United Kingdom.

  Money Measurement
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he now treats as his main measure of money in the economy.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: The Government set a target range for narrow money MO and pays particular attention to it in assessing monetary conditions. The broad money aggregate M4 is also taken into account, though the interpretation of broad money, or liquidity, requires considerable judgment.

DEFENCE

  Low Flying
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many complaints have been received about low flying from(a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales in each month since January;

  (2) how many low-flying sorties took place over the United Kingdom in each month since January 1989.

  Mr. Neubert
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those low-range danger areas within which military aircraft are permitted to descend below 250 ft minimum separation distance during the run-in to a simulated target; and if he will list the minimum permitted height in each case.
  418
  Mr. Neubert
  The information requested is being collated. I will write to the hon. Member with a substantive reply before the House rises for the summer recess.

  Wootton Creek
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what defence interests are served by the Royal Navy's responsibility for Wootton creek.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Royal Navy has no specific defence interest in Wootton creek. However, because it lies within the dockyard port of Portsmouth, the Queen's harbour-master retains responsibility for navigational matters there.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any estimate of the total redevelopment value of(a) operational and (b) non-operational service land in London and south-east England.

  Mr. Neubert
  No. Sites are valued individually as the need arises.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the total area of(a) operational and (b) non-operational service land in Great Britain, broken down by standard planning region.

  Mr. Neubert
  Records are not held precisely in the form requested, but the following tables give a breakdown of the defence estate, including freehold and leasehold land and foreshore, as at 1 April 1989(a) by function, and (b) by standard planning region.

  Acres

  By function

  Airfields

  72,657

  Naval bases

  3,088

  Training areas and ranges

  397,300

  Barracks and camps

  26,434

  Storage and supply depots

  24,861

  Research establishments

  48,760

  Telecommunications stations

  15,592

  Miscellaneous

  7,573

  TOTAL

  596,265

  By standard planning region

  Northern

  58,074

  North West

  32,768

  Isle of Man

  22

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  36,950

  East Midlands

  33,688

  West Midlands

  14,527

  Eastern

  90,581

  South East

  79,476

  South West

  137,611

  Scotland

  51,064

  Wales

  52,038

  Northern Ireland

  9,466

  TOTAL

  596,265

  Bases (Relocation)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans for the relocation of south-eastern military bases to less expensive regions of the United Kingdom.
  419
  Mr. Neubert
  We are continually seeking opportunities to rationalise the defence estate and to concentrate activities on lower-value sites, where there is a clear advantage of doing so in operational, management and financial terms. Present relocation plans include the move of the directorate general of defence quality assurance from Woolwich to Teesside, the officer and aircrew selection centre from Biggin Hill to Cranwell and some RAF units at Halton to Cosford.

  Polo
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take action to ensure that the career prospects of cavalry officers who indicate to their adjutant or commanding officer their disclination to subscribe to the regiment polo fund are not adversely effected.

  Mr. Neubert
  I do not believe that any action is necessary. Promotion in the Army is based entirely upon an individual's performance in his job. In addition, I made clear in my answer of 6 July at column 266 that no officer is required to subscribe towards his regimental polo team.

  Beer Rations
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the beer ration allowed to ratings in nuclear submarines per week; what advice his medical officers give about the safe levels of consumption for men on nuclear submarines; and if he will institute a review of the Royal Navy's policy on the issue of alcohol to ratings.

  Mr. Neubert
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers I gave on 3 May at column 127 concerning limits on alcohol consumption by ratings on board RN vessels, and on 12 April at columns 610 and 611 on instituting a policy review.

  Advice on sensible levels of alcohol consumption is given in group situations, and to individuals where a medical officer considers it appropriate. But it would be wrong to impose further restrictions on service personnel which are not justified by operational or safety considerations.

  US Maritime Prepositioning
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the port and anchorage facilities in the United Kingdom which have been designated for use for United States maritime prepositioning ships.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Discussions on the possibility of providing port and anchorage facilities for United States maritime prepositioning ships are continuing on a confidential basis, but no decisions have been taken.

  Navy Support Vessels
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total number of Royal Navy support vessels and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The details requested are shown in the table for 1 April in each year:420

  Year

  Royal Navy Support Vessels

  Royal Fleet Auxiliary Vessels

  Royal Maritime Auxiliary Vessels

  1979

  3

  29

  714

  1980

  3

  29

  660

  1981

  3

  28

  635

  1982

  2

  24

  623

  1983

  2

  25

  540

  1984

  2

  27

  540

  1985

  3

  28

  523

  1986

  3

  27

  516

  1987

  4

  26

  510

  1988

  3

  28

  529

  1989

  2

  26

  483

  The vessels in the third column have a number of support functions: research, mooring and salvage, tugs, range safety, ammunition and sullage, transportation, torpedo recovery and tank cleaning.

  NATO Forces
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish figures showing the percentage contribution of European nations to ready North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces in each year since 1979 in the following categories(a) manpower, (b) tanks, (c) artillery, (d) combat aircraft stationed in Europe and (e) major warships, applying the same definitions and bases of calculation as used for the figures in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989, page 2.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The figures quoted on page 2 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989" were produced by NATO specifically for use in the December 1988 defence planning committee report "Enhancing Alliance Collective Security: Shared roles, risks and responsibilities in the Alliance". Figures for each year since 1979 are not available on the same definitions and bases of calculation.

  F111 Aircraft
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the reason for the decline of four F111 aircraft in the figures for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation LRINF aircraft in the chart on page 51 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989, compared to the equivalent table in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The figures presented in successive editions of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" provide an overall picture of the number of USAF F111 aircraft that are operationally deployed. The actual number available at any time changes due to a number of factors including attrition and maintenance work. The figure given in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989" reflects a reduction in the numbers of aircraft generally available.

  HMS Chatham and Norfolk
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the frigates HMS Chatham and HMS Norfolk were listed on page 53 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989 as being operational on 1 April.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Houghton and Washington (Mr. Boyes) on 26 June 1989 at column 366.

  Nuclear Submarines (Disposal)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been made on behalf of his Department of the implications in international law, of the disposal of nuclear-powered submarines once their operational lives have been completed(a) within international waters, and (b) within United Kingdom territorial waters.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Studies have been carried out into the disposal of reactor compartments from decommissioned nuclear submarines. One option includes the disposal of the intact submarine at sea, but no decisions have been made on the method of disposal. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible for the interepretation of international law and has been regularly consulted by the MOD about the international implications of disposing of decommissioned nuclear submarines at sea. The London dumping convention (LDC), which is the international convention having worldwide scope in the field of dumping, makes no differentiation between international and territorial waters.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total campaign and garrison costs associated with the security of the Falkland Islands and their subsequent maintenance; and what is this cost expressed as a per capita sum for the permanent population of the Falkland Islands.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The total extra cost of the Falklands commitment, including both campaign and garrison costs, from 1982–83 to the end of the last financial year, is estimated to be £3,368 million in cash terms, or about £1,750,000 per Falkland Islander. Once our spending on replacement equipment is complete, we expect the overall extra costs to level out at around £55 million to £60 million a year, at today's prices.

  Birkbeck College
  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contact his officials had on Saturday 1 July with The Sunday Times about Birkbeck college; if the contents of the article printed in the newspaper on Sunday 2 July were made known to his officials; and what response they made.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have nothing to add to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 17 July 1989 at column 67.

  Environmental Pollution
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce legislation to require new facilities for the production of nuclear warheads, nuclear fuels for military use and naval bases for nuclear capable ships and submarines to be subject to mandatory environmental impact assessments before permission is granted for construction.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 13 July 1989]: No. The Ministry of Defence follows the procedures set out in Department of the Environment circulars 18/84 and 15/88.

HEALTH

  Benzodiazepines
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been conducted into the advisability of prescribing(a) hypnotic benzodiazepines and (b) benzodiazepine tranquillisers to children; and what conclusions have been drawn relative to each.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department has not commissioned research in the specific areas referred to by the hon. Member.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Southport of 4 July,Official Report, column 150, when information about the increase in the number of patients referred to hospital ophthalmology departments for eye tests since the introduction of charges for eye tests, will be held centrally.

  Mr. Mellor
  Information about the number of cases seen by hospital eye departments since April 1989, when the sight test charge was introduced, will be available centrally only towards the end of next year.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on those of his proposals in "Working for Patients" designed to reduce waiting times for patients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The proposals in the White Paper to improve the quality of service including the reduction of waiting times have been generally welcomed.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings of medical and non-medical staff he has addressed at those hospitals about which health authorities have expressed interest in opting out of the existing National Health Service management structure; and what plans he has to address such meetings in the near future.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have held a national conference in London and seven regional conferences for NHS staff from units which have expressed an interest in self-government. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has addressed five of these meetings and I have addressed three. My right hon. and learned Friend has also spoken to staff on an ad hoc basis in a number of individual hospitals and will continue to do so over the coming months.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will name the medical organisations which have been critical of his proposals for hospitals to opt out of the existing National Health Service management structure; and if he will further set out the substance of their criticism.

  Mr. Mellor
  Many of the medical organisations who have commented on the White Paper have questions or concerns about the possible effects of hospitals becoming self governing within the National Health Service. These relate to the mechanisms for achieving high quality
  423
  medical education and research, the means of ensuring the provision of comprehensive services and the effects of the hospitals's freedom to set pay and conditions. We believe these are based on groundless misapprehensions about our intentions.

  On 10 July my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State spoke to an audience of senior doctors and gave assurances about the safeguarding of medical education and research. We intend to take reserve powers to ensure that undergraduate, post graduate and continuing medical education are provided in self-governing hospitals. We have already announced that the service increment for teaching (SIFT) will be enhanced to meet the costs of hospitals which support undergraduate medical education and the service costs of research.

  District health authorities will have the responsibility of providing a comprehensive and cohesive range of conveniently sited, high quality services for their resident population. In doing this they will make full use of available facilities whether in health authority-managed hospitals, self-governing hospitals or the private sector. Health authorities will therefore ensure that there is no fragmentation of services.

  Self-governing hospitals will be able to set their own pay and conditions but the discipline of contract funding is likely to ensure that they offer rates of pay which are broadly in line with those in the Health Service as a whole.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will receive a deputation concerning proposals for opting out of hospitals in the borough of Walsall.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. This would not be helpful at this early stage. But I shall take into consideration the views of all those with an interest when assessing applications for hospitals to become self-governing.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will request the Electoral Reform Society to conduct ballots in those areas where it is suggested that hospitals should opt out of the existing National Health Service management structure;

  (2) if the Government will ask local authorities to conduct ballots on the same basis as in local and national elections in order to determine the level of support for hospitals to opt out of the existing National Health Service management structure.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the future timetable when it is suggested by health authorities that hospitals may opt out of the existing National Health Service management structure; and when he expects to make the first decisions on opting out.

  Mr. Mellor
  We intend that, subject to the passage of the necessary legislation, the first self-governing hospitals will be established in April 1991. The Department will issue further information about the application process later this year.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if those hospitals which opt out of the existing National Health Service management structure will be under the same obligation to admit patients as at present.

  Mr. Mellor
  A decision by an individual NHS hospital to opt for self-governing status, will not alter in any way 424
  its obligations to admit patients requiring treatment. It will be in no sense different in this respect to a directly-managed hospital. Emergency treatment and admissions will be provided by all hospitals with the requisite facilities. Elective admissions will be provided within the contractual frameworks that have been agreed.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received proposing that balloting should occur before hospitals opt out of the existing National Health Service management structure.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received representations on this subject from a number of hon. Members, community health councils and other representative organisations and from individual members of the public.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations in total he has received from the general public about the proposal to allocate a prescribing budget to each general practitioner.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received 219 letters from the general public specifically referring to our proposal to introduce an indicative prescribing budget scheme for general practitioners. In addition to these we have received almost 6,500 letters from the general public about the White Paper proposals, the majority of which have raised questions about, amongst other things, indicative prescribing budgets.

  NHS Premises (Retailing)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what income was received by the Northern regional health authority, or its component districts, in 1988 from retailing activities on Health Service premises.

  Mr. Freeman
  The net income received by the health authorities within the Northern regional health authority, from retailing activities on their premises during the tax year 1988–89, was £105,000.

  Meningitis
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list from 1 January to the latest date for which he has figures for the Doncaster health authority(a) the number of cases of meningitis recorded and (b) the number of deaths from meningitis, showing the ages of the patients concerned.

  Mr. Freeman
  Meningitis can be caused by a number of different organisms. The data show the number of notifications of(a) all forms and (b) meningococcal meningitis for Doncaster district health authority for the period 31 December 1988 to 7 July 1989. Mortality data for this period are not yet available.

  Meningitis (all forms)

  Meningococcal meningitis

  Doncaster district health authority

  14

  10

  Resuscitation Units (Doncaster Royal Infirmary)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the wall-mounted resuscitation units in the maternity wing of the women's hospital at Doncaster royal infirmary were installed; and when he expects them to become operative.

  Mr. Freeman
  Installation and use of hospital equipment is a matter for the district health authority concerned and I suggest the hon. Member contacts the chairman of Doncaster health authority for the information he seeks.

  Coronary Disease
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give, for each special health authority and district health authority the expenditure on coronary heart prevention(a) in cash terms and (b) as a proportion of the total revenue budget of the authority in the manner of the February 1989 National Audit Office report.

  Mr. Freeman
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  As the February 1989 NAO report explained:
  "Health departments are unable to estimate the extent of expenditure on the prevention of coronary heart disease because of the notoriously difficult problem of costing health promotion activities."

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the guidance being issued to district health authorities about the prevention of coronary disease.

  Mr. Freeman
  Work is currently under way in the Department to develop guidance for regional and district health authorities on the organisation of health promotion services generally. The guidance will include specific references to coronary heart disease, building on experience from the first two years of the "Look After Your Heart" campaign, as well as other major areas of health education activity. When the guidance has been prepared, I will place it in the Library.

  Profiles
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the profiles requested by his Department in HC (88)43.

  Mr. Freeman
  The profiles mentioned in appendix 4 of HC (88)43 are epidemiological overviews of the health status of health authorities' populations. As they are being compiled by health authorities for their own purposes, not for submission to the Department of Health, decisions about publication rest with the health authorities themselves.

  NHS Administrators
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to either(a) reduce the number of administrators in the National Health Service or (b) place a numerical cap on the total of such administrators.

  Mr. Mellor
  As with all staff groups administrative and Mersey clerical staff groups make a necessary and vital contribution to the running of the National Health Service. All health authorities are asked to exercise restraint on A and C staff numbers.
  426
  This group is continuing to stabilize following the introduction of the management arrangements advocated by the Griffiths' report. Any growth is now occurring among clinically related A and C staff—that is, those who work in direct support of those providing patient care. Between 1982 and 1987, such staff increased by 65 per cent. from 22,700 to 37,400. Non-clinically related staff declined by over 10 per cent. during the same period from 86,100 to 77,200.

  Health Aids (Old People)
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that all health authorities make necessary health aids which are supplied free to patients in their own homes also available free to those in residential and nursing homes.

  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the criteria under which residents in private old person's homes are entitled to National Health Service treatment.

  Mr. Freeman
  People in residential care homes retain the right to National Health Service treatment as if they were in their own homes. The person responsible for a private nursing home must provide adequate facilities and services for those accommodated and we would expect the fees charged to reflect this. Nursing home patients retain the right to National Health Service general medical, dental and hospital services.

  Medical Accidents
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases have been lost, and with what value of damages and costs, by regional health authorities in England as a result of medical accidents in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not held centrally. Health authorities are required to notify the Department of all compensation payments in excess of £100,000 made as a result of court orders or out of court settlements.

  The following awards/settlements resulting from medical accidents by National Health Service region were notified in each of the financial years 1980–81 to 1988–89.

  Year and region

  Amount of award/ settlement

  £

  1980–81

  North East Thames

  240,000

  Oxford

  160,000

  1981–82

  —

  1982–83

  North East Thames

  195,000

  1983–84

  South West Thames

  250,000

  Wessex

  534,000

  Mersey

  160,000

  1984–85

  North West Thames

  220,760

  North East Thames

  235,000

  427

  Year and region

  Amount of award/ settlement

  £

  1985–86

  Yorkshire

  385,000

  Trent

  270,000

  Wessex

  275,000

  West Midlands

  250,000

  1986–87

  Trent

  115,000

  130,000

  375,000

  East Anglian

  151,222

  600,000

  South West Thames

  150,498

  Wessex

  175,000

  Oxford

  550,000

  West Midlands

  175,000

  260,000

  North Western

  207,000

  1987–88

  North East Thames

  430,000

  South Western

  350,000

  Mersey

  375,000

  1988–89

  Trent

  625,000

  North East Thames

  1535,000

  NHS staff1 in post at 30 September 1987

  Hospital consultants—cardiology

  Physiological measurement technicians—cardiology

  Region

  whole-time2 equivalent

  WTE per 100,000 population3

  whole-time2 equivalent

  WTE per 100,000 population3

  Northern

  8

  0·3

  49

  1·6

  Yorkshire

  7

  0·2

  80

  2·2

  Trent

  6

  0·1

  137

  2·9

  East Anglia

  3

  0·1

  23

  1·1

  North West Thames

  8

  0·2

  60

  1·7

  North East Thames

  7

  0·2

  59

  1·6

  South East Thames

  11

  0·3

  26

  0·7

  South West Thames

  6

  0·2

  37

  1·2

  Wessex

  5

  0·2

  24

  0·8

  Oxford

  6

  0·2

  14

  0·6

  South Western

  1

  0·0

  40

  1·2

  West Midlands

  9

  0·2

  102

  2·0

  Mersey

  8

  0·3

  86

  3·6

  North Western

  12

  0·3

  111

  2·8

  England total4

  116

  0·2

  876

  1·8

  Source:

  Department of Health (SMI3) annual censuses of NHS medical and non-medical manpower and the Office of Population Censuses and Survery.

  1 Includes permanent paid and honorary staff, including locums and agency locum staff.

  2 Figures rounded to the nearest whole-time equivalent but unrounded figures used for calculations.

  3 Based on mid-1987 population estimates.

  4 England totals include staff employed in London post graduate special health authorities.

  Electrocardiograms
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the number of(a) electrocardiograms, (b) exercise electrocardiograms, (c) echocardiograms and (d) ambulatory recordings per 100,000 population carried out (i) in England and (ii) in each regional health authority area for the latest available year.

  Mr. Freeman
  The available information is given in the table.
  428

  Year and region

  Amount of award/ settlement

  £

  380,000

  546,000

  220,000

  South East Thames

  1225,000

  Oxford

  465,000

  South Western

  290,000

  Mersey

  375,000

  140,000

  1 Provisional figures.

  Note. The figures shown represent the total amount of the award/settlement excluding costs which are not generally known at the time of the settlement and, therefore, are not notified to the Department. The figures do not take account of the fact that the health authority's liability may have been reduced by a contribution from a medical defence organisation.

  Cardiac Staff
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the number of(a) cardiologists and (b) cardiac technicians in each regional health authority, expressed as an absolute figure, and per 100,000 population of the regional health authority for the latest available year.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information is shown in the table.

  Electrocardiogram requests, NHS hospitals, per 100,000 population, England, 1987–88

  Group A1

  Group B1

  Routine Electrocardiograms

  Ambulary and Exercise ECG's

  (per 100,000 population2)

  (per 100,000 population2)

  England3

  6,384

  695

  Northern

  7,012

  523

  Yorkshire

  7,748

  837

  Trent

  6,671

  330

  East Anglian

  5,819

  575

  North West Thames

  5,900

  659

  North East Thames

  7,783

  1,031

  429

  Group A1

  Group B1

  Routine Electrocardiograms

  Ambulary and Exercise ECG's

  (per 100,000 population2)

  (per 100,000 population2)

  South East Thames

  5,488

  911

  South West Thames

  4,005

  475

  Wessex

  4,139

  672

  Oxford

  4,489

  432

  South Western

  5,177

  476

  West Midlands

  6,004

  528

  Mersey

  7,960

  966

  North Western

  7,942

  972

  1Source: KH13.

  2OPCS 1987 mid-year population estimates.

  3 England figure includes Special Health Authority.

  Medical Scientific Officers
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Davyhulme of 4 July, what has been the percentage increase in average earnings from April 1980 to 1988 in respect of medical scientific officers.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally. Pay rates for NHS scientists and clinical psychologists have increased by an average of 113 per cent. between April 1980 and April 1988.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will define the circumstances in which local authorities and health authorities meet the full cost of the care of an individual placed in private or voluntary residential care; and whether these circumstances apply equally when the claimant is over pensionable age;

  (2) what access to residential care an individual enjoys if the statutory services are unwilling or unable to make provision.

  Mr. Mellor
  Statutory responsibility for the provision of residential care rests with local authorities. Under section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948 and directions issued by the Secretary of State, local authorities have a duty to make arrangements for providing residential accommodation for persons ordinarily resident in their area who, by reason of age, infirmity or other circumstances are in need of care and attention which is not otherwise available to them. Local authorities may themselves provide such accommodation. Alternatively they may under section 26 of that Act, sponsor residents in voluntary or private residential care homes, in which case the local authority pays the full fees and the resident pays the authority in accordance with his or her means.

  Cook-chill Food
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will ensure that all National Health Service hospital in-patients are able to obtain a cooked alternative to cook-chill food if they request it;

  (2) what advice his Department has given to health authorities concerning the feeding of individual patients in hospitals providing only cook-chill meals where the patients concerned refuse to eat food produced by this method.
  430
  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the lion. Member to my reply to him on Tuesday 17 January at columns 113–14.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information he has received regarding the Yorkshire regional health authority's proposals to adopt the use of four central production units within the private sector for the purpose of the introduction of the cook-chill catering throughout the Yorkshire region;

  (2) what is the position of the current in-house cook-chill production units following the decision of the Yorkshire regional health authority to privatise hospital catering provision;

  (3) what recent consultation has taken place between the Yorkshire regional health authority and (a) the district health authorities, (b) the community health councils and (c) trade unions, concerning their future plans for hospital catering within the region.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Yorkshire regional health authority consulted widely on its catering strategy and continues to do so when appropriate. Questions about its implementation are a local matter and not for me. The hon. Member may wish to contact the regional chairman for the particular information he is seeking.

  Irradiated Food
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued concerning the introduction of irradiated food into National Health Service catering; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government's announcement of their intention to permit food irradiation was made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 21 June. New enabling powers are required to impose conditions and controls necessary for its introduction. It follows that any advice to the NHS must await the application of those new powers when available.

  Infant Mortality
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he intends to introduce to improve Britain's standing in the infant mortality league of the European Economic Community nations.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 18 July to my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) at columns 138–39 announcing the Government's response to the first report from the Social Services Select Committee, Session 1988–89 on perinatal, neonatal and infant mortality.

  Private Ambulances
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations exist to ensure that private ambulances are roadworthy and safe to operate as ambulances; what regulations exist to require those operating private ambulances to be qualified to deal with sick or injured people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  There is no statutory control over private ambulances or private ambulance operators who are free to operate subject to the provisions of common law and traffic legislation. The onus is on those buying private ambulance services to ensure that they are able to provide the appropriate facilities and staff to meet the standards required.

  Anthony Porter
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to reply to the question from the hon. Member for Stockton, South relating to the death of Anthony Porter after receiving treatment at North Tees hospital, originally tabled for answer on 7 July.

  Mr. Freeman
  I replied to my hon. Friend's letter on 19 July.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1988–89.

  Campaign

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Drugs

  Nil

  700,281

  707,319

  Nil

  400,137

  AIDS

  Nil

  Nil

  948,605

  1,631,598

  Nil

  Anti-teenage smoking

  Nil

  266,975

  261,918

  Nil

  Nil

  Nursing

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  319,412

  Health education campaigns are conducted by the Health Education Authority which now has responsibility for AIDS and anti-teenage smoking campaigns, amongst others.

  Radiation
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, pursuant to his answer of 11 July,Official Report, column 472–3, to the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell), he will publish the general comments made in the last five years about the facilities available to clinicians administering radioactive substances referred to him by Her Majesty's inspector of pollution; and if he will list those clinics, hospitals and health authorities where his Department has pursued its concerns with the health authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 19 July 1989]: I regret that this information could not be supplied except at disproportionate cost.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Vaccine Damage (Compensation)
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much compensation is paid to brain-damaged victims following vaccinations who are deemed to be 75 per cent. disabled.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No payments under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 are made for disablement assessed at less than 80 per cent. However, anyone who believes they are disabled as a result of vaccination may seek compensation through the courts.

  Income Support
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people claim the lowest level of income support in each of its three categories.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest estimate is that some 610,000 single people and 15,000 couples draw income support at the basic personal allowance rates only.
  432
  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security gave today.

  Advertising
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide as much information as possible which does not breach commercial confidentiality about his Department's expenditure on commercial television advertising for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 15 May 1989]: The figures are as follows:

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have no other source of income other than income support.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest estimate is that some 725,000 single people and 43,000 couples drawing income support have no other source of income, (including other social security benefits).

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what tests his Department carries out to see if it is possible for income support claimants to survive on the various levels of support where no other income is received.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information is available from a variety of sources, including the "Annual Statistical Enquiry", the "Family Expenditure Survey", the "General Household Survey", individual research studies carried out over a period of time, and representations from outside organisations. It is also relevant that the real value of the benefit has increased very substantially over the period since 1948.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any proposals to increase any of the three grades of income support.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The personal allowance for certain 16 to 17-year-olds who, of necessity, have to live away from home was increased from 10 July, and there will be increases this October in the premiums for pensioners over 75, and for disabled pensioners. Further increases in the income support rates will be considered later this year as part of the annual uprating.

  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to increase the level of income support for people in nursing homes and residential care.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The maximum amounts payable under income support to people in independent residential care and nursing homes are reviewed annually at the same time as the general uprating of social security benefits.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what action is taken by his Department when
  433
  the nearest relatives of an income support claimant over pension age in residential or nursing care refuse requests to top up the claimant's fees for care where the claimant's total income does not meet the full cost of care;

  (2) which agency is responsible for meeting the difference between the fees for private residential and nursing care and the total income of an income support claimant over pensionable age when his or her resources fall short of the costs of residence.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 4 July at column 140. Local authorities can only meet the full cost of care for people over pension age, they cannot "top-up" income support. The funding arrangements for new residents of homes are of course to change following the announcement on the funding of community care made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 12 July at columns 975–79.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy regarding the payment of income support for longer than six months to a claimant in private residential or nursing home care when the claimant's house is for sale but has not been sold, and where the claimant has no resources to meet the costs of the home.

  Budgeting loans and community care grants nationally, regional and for local offices by client group 1988–89

  Per cent.

  (00)

  (01)

  (02)

  (03)

  (04)

  (05)

  (06)

  (07)

  (08)

  (09)

  (10)

  (11)

  (12)

  (13)

  (14)

  (15)1

  Total awards

  Great Britain

  Budgeting Loans

  0·5

  0·3

  0·6

  3·9

  0·4

  3·6

  3·6

  43·9

  0·7

  2·1

  16·7

  18·8

  1·0

  3·8

  0·0

  n.a.

  504,629

  Community Care Grants

  0·4

  4·5

  3·7

  14·3

  0·9

  3·4

  10·0

  25·2

  0·7

  1·5

  9·5

  16·4

  2·0

  6·3

  0·0

  1·1

  152,574

  North East Region

  Budgeting Loans

  0·3

  0·3

  0·7

  4·1

  0·4

  2·7

  3·0

  42·8

  0·8

  2·2

  20·9

  17·6

  0·9

  3·3

  0·0

  n.a.

  101,558

  Community Care Grants

  0·4

  3·7

  3·7

  14·5

  10

  3·2

  9·3

  26·2

  0·7

  1·3

  11·7

  16·3

  1·8

  5·9

  0·0

  0·8

  278,824

  Eston ILO

  Budgeting Loans

  0·0

  0·2

  0·8

  2·0

  0·3

  3·1

  4·1

  52·0

  0·3

  1·1

  25·6

  7·5

  0·6

  2·5

  0·0

  n a.

  1,316

  Community Care Grants

  0·3

  1·3

  2·3

  5·8

  0·0

  2·3

  5·8

  28·2

  0·6

  3·2

  30·2

  14·0

  0·6

  4·9

  0·0

  0·3

  319

  Hartlepool ILO

  Budgeting Loans

  0·6

  0·3

  0·7

  3·1

  0·6

  2·5

  3·4

  40·3

  0·3

  2·4

  26·8

  15·4

  1·4

  2·3

  0·0

  n.a.

  1,662

  Community Care Grants

  1·3

  3·0

  1·7

  8·3

  0·3

  3·0

  6·0

  30·3

  0·3

  1·3

  18·3

  18·0

  0·3

  4·3

  0·0

  2·7

  321

  Middlesbrough ILO

  Budgeting Loans

  0·2

  0·5

  0·8

  3·6

  0·6

  2·5

  3·3

  45·9

  0·6

  2·1

  24·2

  12·8

  0·6

  2·2

  0·0

  n.a.

  4,023

  Community Care Grants

  0·0

  3·6

  4·1

  12·0

  1·3

  3·7

  8·0

  32·1

  0·4

  1·2

  9·4

  16·4

  1·4

  5·2

  0·0

  1·2

  951

  Redcar ILO

  Budgeting Loans

  0·1

  0·0

  0·5

  4·1

  0·9

  12·0

  2·3

  37·0

  0·9

  1·5

  20·6

  16·6

  0·7

  2·9

  0·0

  n.a.

  1,369

  Community Care Grants

  0·0

  3·0

  3·6

  14·3

  2·4

  9·6

  7·5

  22·4

  2·4

  0·9

  10·3

  14·3

  1·9

  6·6

  0·0

  0·9

  503

  Stockton ILO

  Budgeting Loans

  0·3

  0·3

  1·1

  4·3

  0·6

  2·5

  3·5

  44·0

  0·6

  2·1

  22·3

  15·1

  0·9

  2·5

  0·0

  n.a.

  2,720

  Community Care Grants

  0·3

  3·2

  4·0

  11·2

  0·9

  3·6

  6·4

  36·5

  0·3

  1·4

  11·9

  13·9

  1·1

  4·2

  0·0

  1·3

  799

  1Key to client groups

  Code Meaning

  00 unallocated or unidentified

  01 over 80—with Income Support higher pensioner premium

  02 aged 60–79—disabled with higher pensioner premium

  03 aged 60–79—with ordinary pensioner premium, or over 60 without pensioner premium

  04 lone parent with Income Support disability premium

  05 family with disability premium

  06 other with disability premium

  07 lone parent without disability premium

  08 signs at UBO quarterly with Income Support family premium

  09 signs at UBO quarterly without family premium

  10 signing unemployed or with training allowance with family premium

  11 signing unemployed or with training allowance without family premium

  12 others with family premium

  13 others without family premium

  14 involved in trade dispute

  15 applicant not in receipt of Income Support—not applicable for budgeting loans
  434
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Income support can continue to be paid after 26 weeks, provided that the adjudication officer is satisfied that all reasonable steps to sell the property are being taken.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy regarding the realisation of the sale of the former home of an applicant for income support in private residential care where such a sale would render the resident's previous carer homeless, and where the carer is neither the partner of the claimant nor a relative over the age of 60 years, nor is incapacitated.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 4 July at columns 139–40.

  Grants and Loans
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number and percentage of(a) budgeting loans and (b) community care grants awarded to the 15 client groups defined by his Department for (i) Great Britain, (ii) the Northern Department of Social Security region and (iii) each of the Department of Social Security local offices of Redcar, Eston, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Hartlepool for the financial year 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 10 July, 1989]: The information requested is set out in the table.

  Benefits
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the reasons for the delay experienced by Mr. and Mrs. Elliot, of the Rodney road centre, Leeds, in hearing the outcome of their claim for family credit; what are the grounds for the refusal of (i) family credit and (ii) income support in that case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Mrs. Elliot was notified on 3 November 1988 that her claim for family credit made on 22 September 1988 had been disallowed on the ground that neither she nor her husband were normally engaged in remunerative work within the terms of section 20(5)(b) of the Social Security Act 1986 and regulation 5(2) of the Family Credit (General) Regulations 1987. The delay was caused by the need to make inquiries of Mr. Elliot's employers to establish details of his employment. Mr. Elliot's claim for income support made on 14 November 1988 was disallowed on the ground that he was engaged in remunerative work of 24 hours or more within the terms of section 20(3)(c) of the Social Security Act 1986 and regulation 5 of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987.

  As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 6 July at column 247, we are considering ways of minimising the risk of families failing to qualify for either benefit.

  Computerisation
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the items of personal data held in the new computerised departmental central index, the size of the index, and how many accesses were made to the index over the last two months.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 15 June 1989 at column 531.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what statistical information he has as to the reasons given to applicants by social fund officers at the local office in Durham city for the refusal in respect of an application for social fund loans.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Reasons for refusal of Social Fund loans 1988–89

  number of times reason given

  As per cent. of total times reason given

  Office: Durham City

  Savings over £500 sufficient to meet cost

  1

  0·2

  Not in receipt of IS

  47

  8·4

  Not in receipt of IS for 26 weeks

  171

  30·4

  Excluded items

  29

  5·2

  Excluded persons

  1

  0·2

  Amount < £30 (not travelling expenses)

  13

  2·3

  Total debt of £1,000

  1

  0·2

  Previous application and decision for the item

  24

  4·3

  No serious damage or risk to health or safety

  12

  2·1

  Inability to repay

  14

  2·5

  Help available from another source

  15

  2·7

  436

  number of times reason given

  As per cent. of total times reason given

  Insufficient SF funds, priority too low

  174

  31·0

  Suitable alternative available

  19

  3·4

  Loan refused because CCG awarded

  23

  4·1

  Other

  18

  3·2

  Total

  562

  Note: the proportions have been calculated as percentages of the total number of reasons for refusal. The total number of reasons for refusal may equal or exceed the total number of refusals because the social fund officer can give more than one reason for refusing an application.

  Students and Trainees
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances(a) full-time students/ trainees and (b) part-time students/trainees would be eligible for (i) income support and (ii) housing benefit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Students who are disabled, or lone parents, are eligible for income support while attending full, or part-time courses. Other full-time students can claim only during the summer vacation. Those attending part-time courses can claim income support providing they are available for employment.

  All trainees exempt for the requirement to be available for work, including those in receipt of a Government training allowance, are eligible for income support. Other trainees aged 18 or over may qualify for income support only if they are available for work.

  Students and trainees may claim housing benefit throughout the year for the home which they occupy, as long as it is not rented from their education establishment. Students and trainees receiving income support are eligible for maximum housing benefit for their rent and rates.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was spent on official hospitality by his Department in 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The total expenditure on hospitality by the Departments of Social Security and Health in 1988–89 was around 100,000.

  Separate figures are not available for 1988–89 because the Departments operated a joint administration vote.

  Computer Centre, Livingston
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for the staffing of his Department's new computer centre in Livingston.

  Mr. Moore
  The area computer centre at Livingston is the first of three new, purpose-built computer centres which will handle the payment of income support and pension claims. In accordance with the Government's policy of testing the market, I have examined whether the centre could better be operated by my Department along the lines of its other major computer installations, or by the private sector on my behalf.

  The examination has taken account of a range of considerations including the need to provide a secure

  437
  service to the public, the benefits to be gained from introducing competitive pressure into the Department's operations and the value of having a predictable cost profile over future years.

  On the basis of an evaluation of competitive tenders, I have concluded that the advantage lies with contracting out the operation of the centre and I intend to award a contract to Electronic Data Systems, a company with extensive experience of setting up and running operations
  438
  involving the production of large volumes of secure items. The contract will run for five years. The company will work under the supervision and direction of the Department's information technology services directorate and will be subject to strict control and monitoring to ensure adherence to the statutory requirements for the protection of information supplied by claimants and to the agreed standards of service.

  AUTOGUIDE: AWARD OF OPERATING LICENCE
  AUTOGUIDE: AWARD OF OPERATING LICENCE
  PLUTONIUM EXPORTS TO US
  PLUTONIUM EXPORTS TO US
  USE OF "RIGHT HONOURABLE"
  USE OF "RIGHT HONOURABLE"