Written Answers of 19 June 1989

PRIME MINISTER

  Test Ban Treaty
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions took place at the recent North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in Brussels regarding a comprehensive test ban treaty; what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards negotiations with the Soviet Union on this subject; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  No discussions about a comprehensive test ban treaty took place at the recent NATO summit.

  We welcome the bilateral negotiations between the United States and Soviet Union in Geneva aimed at the ratification of the peaceful nuclear explosions treaty and threshold test ban treaty, and hope that these two treaties will be ratified soon. Further steps to limit tests will then have to be considered. For the foreseeable future the United Kingdom's security will depend on deterrence based, in part, on the possession of nuclear weapons. That will mean a continuing requirement to conduct underground nuclear tests to ensure that our nuclear weapons remain effective and up to date.

  Sea Birds
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on 16 May,Official Report, column 119, if she will outline the research being undertaken by the Nature Conservancy Council into the identification of the most important sea bird feeding and gathering grounds in the United Kingdom; when Her Majesty's Government expect to receive the findings of this research; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  In 1979, the Nature Conservancy Council commenced the sea birds at sea project, a research programme to study the distribution of sea bird populations most at risk from pollution, particularly oil-spill, in the North sea. The work was jointly funded by the oil and gas industry, NCC and Government Departments. A report of the studies was published in 1987.

  A further phase of the project is now in progress, extending the survey to waters north and west of Scotland. The Department of the Environment expects to receive a preliminary report on the most important areas for sea birds later this year.

  A final phase, due to start in 1990, will complete the geographic coverage by surveying the English channel and south-west approaches.

  European Commission
  Mr. Porter
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the attendance of individual commissioners at meetings of backbench Members of the national Parliaments.

  The Prime Minister
  No. Any such contacts would be a matter for Commissioners and national Parliaments.

  Mr. Porter
  To ask the Prime Minister what is her policy for negotiating proposals by the European Community Commission as between(a) the Commission in general and (b) with individual commissioners; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Proposals are put forward by the Commission as a whole. Generally, they are discussed in the Council with those commissioners responsible for individual measures, rather than with the whole Commission. The same goes for bilateral contacts.

  Quasi-judicial Appointments
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what restrictions are placed on the appointment of civil servants, past or present, to quasi-judicial jobs such as regulators where those civil servants may be privy to preferential information on the nature of the job;

  (2) what restrictions are placed on the appointment of civil servants, temporary or permanent, to quasi-judicial jobs such as regulators;

  (3) what guidelines are issued to departments for the appointment of regulators and other governmental quasi-judicial appointments.

  The Prime Minister
  In general, Ministers are free to decide who should be appointed and the manner and methods of identifying suitable candidates, subject to any statutory or constitutional requirements affecting the individual case. Full information about the job is made available as a matter of course to all those being considered for appointments.

  EC Regulations
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply of 13 June to the hon. Member for Southend, East, what information she has received concerning the proposed EC regulation on the control of concentrations and, in particular, to articles 12(1)(b), 12(1)(c) and article 13 thereof; and whether she will take steps to improve the arrangements by which she is informed of legislative proposals being submitted by the Commission.

  The Prime Minister
  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for clarifying his earlier question of 13 June. I am of course aware of the proposed regulation on the control of concentrations between undertakings which was the subject of a Commons debate on 17 May at columns 427–28 and is expected to be considered at next month's meeting of the Internal Market Council.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if, during the visit of General Jaruzelski of Poland, on 10–11 June, the issue of the fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, to be held in 1990, was discussed.
  3
  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask The Prime Minister if, during the visit of the Prime Minister of Jamaica on 14 June she discussed(a) initiatives to be taken to increase the number of non-aligned states which are signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in the period leading to the fourth non-proliferation treaty review conference in 1990 and (b) the Jamaican Government's view of the present utility of article IV of the non-proliferation treaty in regard to nuclear exports.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her reply on representations recently received on nuclear weapons, on 26 May,Official Report, column 759, she will list the organisations and individuals from whom representations were received for and against nuclear weapons; and why the information sought can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 26 May at column 759.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions took place during the visit of President Bush to the United Kingdom on 31 May to 2 June on the 1990 fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  The Prime Minister
  The 1990 non-proliferation treaty review conference was not discussed during President Bush's visit. However, preparations for the review conference are frequently discussed with the Americans at an official level.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's understanding of what percentage is represented by the word "partial" used in the communique issued by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ministers in regard to the future revocation of land-based short range nuclear weapons in Western Europe.

  The Prime Minister
  The word "partial" was chosen deliberately to make clear that there was no question of the complete elimination of those systems.

  Power Stations (Visits)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister when she last visited(a) a nuclear power station (b) a fossil-fuelled power station and (c) a renewable energy project; what was the occasion of her visit; and what it cost.

  The Prime Minister
  Within the United Kingdom, the most recent visit to a nuclear power station was on Saturday 13 May 1989, when I undertook the official opening of the Torness nuclear power station in East Lothian. I have not yet visited a fossil-fuelled power station as Prime Minister. In September 1986, I visited the energy world exhibition in Milton Keynes, which contained projects involving renewable energy. Information on the precise cost of these visits is not available, since each was combined with other engagements.

  European Court
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list those occasions in each of the last three years when the 4
  United Kingdom has been taken before the European Court, listing in each case the nature of the breach leading to action by the Commission and the court decision.

  The Prime Minister
  Proceedings commenced against the United Kingdom under article 169 of the treaty of Rome in the last three years are as follows:

  Year

  Case No.

  Nature of breach

  Decision of courts

  1986

  60/86

  Dim-dip headlamp devices: non-compliance with Council Directive 75/756

  Judgement for the Commission

  1987

  93/87

  Failure to pay monetary compensatory amounts— triangular arrangements for imports for wheat

  Judgement for the United Kingdom

  255/87

  Benzene in toys—failure to implement Council Directive 82/806

  Case withdrawn

  1988

  —

  —

  —

  1989

  —

  —

  —

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Firearms
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (I) what is the average margin between the price at which firearms with a recognised value in excess of £150 have been bought in in consequence of their prohibition under the Firearms (Amendment) Act, and the price at which they have been disposed of;

  (2) what is the average price at which firearms bought in at a price of £150 in consequence of their prohibition under the Firearms (Amendment) Act have been disposed of.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None of the weapons surrendered under the buy-in scheme is to be disposed of by way of sale. Save for a small number of weapons of historical significance worthy of preservation for the national heritage, which will be offered to the National Museums Consortium, arrangements have been made for all weapons surrendered under the scheme to be destroyed.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of firearms which became prohibited weapons under the Firearms (Amendment) Act which have been bought in at(a) a cost of £150 and (b) a sum in excess of £150.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A substantial number of claims made under the Government buy-in scheme for weapons newly prohibited by the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 were submitted on or shortly before the scheme finished on 30 April. Statistics on the operation of the scheme are not yet available, but we propose to publish them as soon as they are collated.

  Refugees and Soldiers
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what up-to-date information he has about(a) the numbers and proportion of refugees from Nazi and other anti-semitic persecution in Europe, and of soldiers from Central Europe, who settled in the United Kingdom between 1930 and 1945, who subsequently

  5
  became naturalised British subjects with a permanent right of abode in the United Kingdom and (b) what proportion are still resident in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Renton
  The information is not available.

  Gartree Prison
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to arrange for access to Her Majesty's prison Gartree by the media and local telvision following its regrading from category A to B.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Her Majesty's prison Gartree is to change from a dispersal prison to a category B training prison in 1992. The prison service has a good record of allowing access to its establishments by the media and all such requests are carefully considered.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will be in a position to give a substantive reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East about Michael Patrick Brown, HMP, C58729; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have replied to the hon. Member's letter today.

  Television Programmes
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his response to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) of 19 May,Official Report, column 602, what assessment he has undertaken of the suitability for export of television programmes produced within Scotland; and what steps he is undertaking to encourage independent Scottish television producers to export material.

  Mr. Renton
  In the exchanges to which the right hon. Member refers, I was offering a possible explanation for the point raised by the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie about the relatively low proportion of programming produced by Scottish independent producers which was networked in other parts of the United Kingdom. My argument was simply that, in the end, successful programme producers will be those who respond to the demands of those who commission programmes and, ultimately, those who view them.

  As to the steps being taken to encourage Scottish independent producers, the broadcasting White Paper sets out the Government's intention to require that a minimum of 25 per cent. of programmes produced for Channels 3, 4 and 5 and DBS must come from independent producers, and it will be open to Scottish producers to compete for these new opportunities that will be made available. I have also welcomed the suggestion of the chairman of the IBA that Channel 5 should be based in a production centre north of Birmingham, since the new channel can be expected to encourage and foster a new local industry in independent production.

  Mr. Roc Sandford
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he knows the current whereabouts of 6
  the wooden pipe and 1·54g of cannabis used in evidence in the prosecution of Mr. Roc Sandford at Knightsbridge Crown court in October 1985.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Metropolitan police that the pipe and cannabis used in evidence in the prosecution of Mr. Sandford were destroyed in January this year.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will specify the dates the various interested bodies decided to take no disciplinary action and to prefer no charges against the officers involved in the prosecution of Mr. Roc Sandford for possession of drugs at Knightsbridge Crown court in October 1985.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that the Crown prosecution service decided on 5 December 1986 that there was no evidence to justify criminal proceedings against the officers concerned; and that the Police Complaints Authority agreed on 30 April 1987 that no disciplinary action should be taken.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what involvement his Department had in the decision not to prosecute or discipline the officers involved on the prosecution of Mr. Roc Sandford for possession of drugs at Kinghtsbridge Crown court in October 1985.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None. The decisions are the responsibility of the Crown prosecution service in respect of criminal proceedings and the Commissioner and the Police Complaints Authority in respect of disciplinary proceedings.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now in a position to release the names of the arresting officers and prosecution witnesses in the cases listed in the question of the hon. Member for Birkenhead on 6 July 1988,Official Report, column 596–97.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Where inquiries into allegations of impropriety on the part of the police have been investigated without evidence being forthcoming to support either criminal or disciplinary proceedings, it is not the practice for the officers or other persons involved in the cases to be identified.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who is still considering the inquiry into the circumstance under which charges were brought and proceedings conducted against Mr. Roc Sandford; and what conclusions have yet been drawn.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am informed by the Metropolitan police that, following the conclusion of the civil action taken by Mr. Sandford, additional inquiries were made and a report was submitted to the Police Complaints Authority, which indicated on 1 June 1988 that the matter should be taken no further. These further inquiries required no additional consideration by the Crown prosecution service. The inquiries are therefore considered to be complete.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the Metropolitan police solicitor failed to give discovery of the appropriate documents
  7
  during its defence against Mr. Roc Sandford's civil action for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution during the time period required by the court.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Metropolitan police solicitor that the court ordered both parties to exchange lists of documents within 28 days. As the question of the contents of the Metropolitan police's list was referred to counsel for advice, an extension was requested and was granted by Mr. Sandford's solicitors. Shortly afterwards, negotiations commenced, which eventually led to an out-of-court settlement. Because of these negotiations Mr. Sandford's solicitors did not press for the list, although it would have been open to them to do so.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Civil Service College (Principal)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on the appointment of the principal of the Civil Service college.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 16 June 1989]: The Civil Service college was launched as an executive agency on 6 June 1989. The current principal of the college, Mr. Roger Jackling, was appointed as its first chief executive.

  Mr. Jackling, a career civil servant, has been principal for two and half years. He has maintained and improved the high teaching standards of the college and evolved the management systems which have resulted in a smooth transition to agency status. He will return to his parent department in the autumn and his successor will he recruited through an open competition run by the Civil Service Commission.

TRANSPORT

  Excise Duty Evasion
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the results of the campaign during May by the police in Surrey and Sussex with the assistance of his Department against excise duty evasion by motor vehicle owners.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Nearly 2,000 motorists were reported for not having a current road fund licence on display. These cases are being investigated; where it is clear that vehicle excise duty has been evaded, those responsible will be prosecuted.

  Special VED enforcement campaigns run jointly by Department of Transport and police forces form an important addition to the day-to-day VED enforcement activities. They have proved very effective in encouraging people to relicense their vehicles voluntarily as well as in catching the more determined evaders. A period of two weeks of extensive local publicity is followed by a further two weeks in which the police concentrate on identifying and reporting those who have ignored the warnings. Evaders caught during campaigns are not given the opportunity to settle out of court.

  The policy find that campaigns help them to detect many other offences including lack of insurance and MOT certificates, disqualifications, unroadworthy vehicles and occasionally more serious crimes.

  London Underground
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to reconsider extending the Northern Line tube to Camberwell and beyond following the omission of this option from the central London rail study.

  Mr. Portillo
  The central London rail study concluded that extending the Northern line to Camberwell could not be justified in terms of meeting that study's objectives, in particular to seek relief to central London congestion. That being so, it is for the Underground to consider whether such a link is worth while both in its own right and in relation to other priorities for improvements to the network.

  Air Traffic Control
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to privatise the training of air traffic controllers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  This is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority and the National Air Traffic Services. I understand that training procedures are being reviewed.

  Manchester Airport (Fire)
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will list the action taken by the Civil Aviation Authority in implementing the recommendations in the report by the Accidents Investigation Board into the fire involving a British Airways 737 at Manchester airport in 1985.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  These Civil aviation safety regulation issues are wholly the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. The authority's current position on them is set out in its follow-up-action on accident reports (FACTAR) issued on 13 March 1989 in response to the AAIB Report on the B737 accident at Manchester, 22 August 1985. I have arranged for a copy of the FACTAR to be sent to the hon. Member. I understand that the Authority will publish shortly the initial report on the research it has undertaken into evacutation requirements.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many drums or other containers containing chemicals have sunk in waters within 100 miles of the British coast in the last 30 years; how many have been recovered; how many are known to have leaked; and if he will specify the nature of the chemicals(a) known to have leaked, and (b) known to he under water and assumed not to have leaked.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information is not available.

  South Yorkshire Supertram
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to meet representatives of the South Yorkshire passenger transport authority and executive, Sheffield city council, the development corporation and the chamber of commerce, to discuss the PTE's application for grant for the South Yorkshire Supertram project.
  9
  Mr. Portillo
  I met this morning with representatives of the South Yorkshire passenger transport authority and executive, Sheffield city council, the development corporation and the chamber of commerce. I discussed with them the application made by the PTE for grant, under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968, towards the cost of Line I of the proposed South Yorkshire Supertram system.

  Further information and analysis will be needed on a number of important issues before it will be possible to reach a decision on grant. For example, the evaluation will have to include confirmation of the estimates of capital costs, a review of carrying capacity, and full allowance for the effects on other road users once the detailed highways arrangements have been designed. I will also expect the PTE to develop sound proposals for project management and financing, and to secure contributions from the private sector—particularly the interests along the route which will benefit from the project.

  If the evaluation can be confirmed and the financing and other issues can be satisfactorily resolved, I would hope to approve a capital allocation and section 56 grant towards the capitalised cost of the expected financial deficit on Line 1. The time at which resources and grant might be made available would be determined in the light of analysis. In the meantime, I have decided to make capital allocation and 50 per cent. grant available in respect of eligible costs to be incurred in carrying out the further analysis required.

  Customs and Immigration Facilities
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the provision of on-train Customs and immigration facilities between countries within the European Community and between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic; whether there are to be frontier controls at Waterloo for passengers terminating in London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I understand that on-train controls are carried out between a number of Community member states, but not everywhere. Travellers between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are not subject to immigration controls, but are subject to customs checks; passengers on express trains which travel non-stop to Belfast are cleared on disembarkation through the normal red/green customs channels, while customs clearance of stopping trains is carried out on the train while it is stationary at a point near the border. The present intention is to carry out customs checks at Waterloo for Channel tunnel rail passengers arriving in London. Immigration arrangements are under review. British Rail's choice of terminal was not dictated by frontier control considerations.

  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received regarding the provision of Customs and immigration facilities for the Channel tunnel rail link and those passengers disembarking in London.

  Mr. Portillo
  We receive representations from time to time about the frontier control arrangements for Channel tunnel passenger trains.

  London Regional Transport (Government Subsidy)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the amount of Government subsidies given to London Regional Transport in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Portillo
  The grant paid to London Regional Transport in each of the last three years was as follows:

  Year

  Amount

  1986–87

  295

  1987–88

  239

  1988–89

  190

EMPLOYMENT

  Factory Inspectors
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors were employed by the health and safety inspectorate in 1979; and what is the current figure.

  Mr. Nicholls
  On 1 April 1979, 742 factory inspectors were in post in the Health and Safety Executive. On 1 June 1989, the total was 621·5.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which major Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries had the largest rise in the number of people in employment during the last year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table shows, for the United Kingdom and the major OECD countries, the increase in civilian employment in the year to the fourth quarter of 1988. The United Kingdom had the largest percentage rise.

  Increases in Civilian Employment United Kingdom and Major OECD Countries

  Thousands

  Percentage

  United Kingdom

  642

  2·5

  Canada

  288

  2·4

  United States

  2,386

  2·1

  Japan

  864

  1·5

  Germany (Federal Republic)

  159

  0·6

  Italy

  134

  0·6

  France

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a Not available

  Sources:

  United Kingdom: Department of Employment

  Other countries: OECD Labour Force Statistics, 1989/1

  Youth Opportunities Programme
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the value, in 1989, of the April 1978 youth opportunities programme weekly allowance for trainees if increased each year by(a) at a rate equal to the annual rate of price inflation and (b) at a rate equal to the annual average increase in wages; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  An allowance of £19·50 per week was paid to trainees on the youth opportunities programme in April
  11
  1978. If this allowance had been increased in line with changes in the retail price index, its value in May 1989 (based on the latest available figures) would have been £45·45. If the allowance had been updated to take account of increases in average earnings, its value in April 1989 (based on the latest available figures) would have been £58·13.

  The youth opportunities programme was replaced in 1983 by YTS, which provides substantially higher quality training than YOP and incorporates structured off-the-job training. It is therefore misleading to compare the values of the YOP and YTS allowances, the the YTS allowance reflects the fact that trainees are still learning. Employers are free to supplement the minimum trainee allowance, and many do.

ENERGY

  British Coal Corporation
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the financial outlook for the British Coal Corporation for 1989–90.

  Mr. Parkinson
  As I announced on 6 February at column 479–480 the corporation is expected to make a further substantial loss in 1989–90.

  The balance sheet at March 1990 will also be affected by the need to bring the corporation's accounting treatment for its concessionary coal liabilities into line with statement of standard accounting practice 24. This change will not affect the future stream of concessionary coal liabilities as already anticipated by the corporation, but will affect the way in which these liabilities are accounted for. Creating a provision in the corporation's balance sheet in respect of these liabilities will involve a prior year adjustment. This will substantially increase the accumulated deficit shown in the corporation's accounts at 31 March 1990.

  The Government have given an assurance each year since 1982–83 that, subject to Parliament approving any necessary provisions, adequate funds will continue to be made available to enable the Corporation to meet its financial obligations as they fall due. A minute was laid before the House on 8 June setting out the Government's intention to extend this commitment to include the corporation's financial year ending 31 March 1990.

  Nuclear Fuel (Reprocessing)
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the current British Nuclear Fuels plc offer to reprocess West German spent nuclear fuel includes any undertaking on British Nuclear Fuels plc part to retain in the United Kingdom any part of that spent fuel as remanufactured nuclear fuel.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  BNFL's offer to reprocess West German spent nuclear fuel includes no such undertaking.

  Dounreay Reactor
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the latest position in relation to the fast reactor site at Dounreay.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  As my right hon. Friend said in a statement to the House on 21 July last year, the Government will continue to fund the prototype fast 12
  reactor at Dounreay until March 1994 and the associated reprocessing plant until March 1997. The importance of Dounreay to the Caithness economy was a major factor behind the Government's decision, which gives the area the chance to develop alternative sources of employment and growth.

  As far as Dounreay itself is concerned, there are a number of initiatives being taken by the Dounreay management and workforce to find additional work for the site.

  Dounreay has been identified as a site where further investigations should take place to determine its potential as the site for the United Kingdom's radioactive waste repository. A decision on this, however, is still some way in the future.

  Electricity Meters
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will introduce legislation to ensure that domestic electricity consumers are not billed for electricity consumption who have been undercharged through the meter being faulty, where the meter has not been examined within the preceding 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Under the Electricity Bill a public electricity supplier will be entitled to recover from a consumer any charges which are due to him and may disconnect the supply according to the procedure set out in the Bill if payment is not made, unless there is a genuine dispute over the amount. In recognition that some consumers do run into difficulty with their payments, the industry currently operates a code of practice on the payment of bills which offers a number of protections against disconnection. Under that code consumers will not be disconnected if they enter and keep to an arrangement to pay off the debt by instalments over a reasonable period. The draft public electricity supply licence requires the licensee to produce a similar code to ensure that this approach continues after privatisation.

  Euratom Safeguards Inspectors
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many United Kingdom citizens are presently Euratom safeguards inspectors; on what grade they are; for how long each appointment has been made; and what steps he is taking to increase the number of United Kingdom safeguards experts at Euratom.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  We have been informed by the Commission services that Euratom safeguards inspectors are recruited following standard recruitment procedures pursuant to the staff regulation of the EC. Presently there are 16 permanent EC civil servants of United Kingdom nationality in the grades A3 to B5 deployed as Euratom safeguards inspectors. It is for the Commission to initiate proposals for any staff increases.

  IAEA Safeguards Inspectors
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many United Kingdom citizens are presently on the staff of the International Atomic Energy Agency working as safeguards inspectors; on what grade they are; for how long each appointment has been made; and what steps he
  13
  is taking to increase the number of United Kingdom safeguards experts at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The United Kingdom currently has five officers in the P3 and P5 grades working in the operations divisions of the International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards department. Contracts are variously for three or five years. United Kingdom citizens also occupy a number of other professional posts in the support divisions of the safeguards department. Vacancy notices are circulated to appropriate organisations in the industry.

  Nuclear Safeguards
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has received a report on developments discussed at the I I th biannual symposium of the European Nuclear Safeguards Research and Development Association, held in Luxembourg on 30 May to 1 June, in so far as the issues relate to safeguards matters for which he has responsibility.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  An official from my Department was present at the symposium.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the United Kingdom ambassador on the council of the International Atomic Energy Agency has received the 1988–89 safeguards implementation report from the agency.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The United Kingdom representative on the International Atomic Energy Agency board of governors has received the safeguards implementation report for 1988.

  Reactor Fuels Storage
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will seek an urgent meeting with Lord Marshall, the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board, concerning the problems identified by Lord Marshall in the adequacy of the wet storage facilities at British Nuclear Fuels plc., Sellafield for Magnox and advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  There are ample storage facilities at Sellafield to handle spent Magnox and advanced gas cooled reactor fuel.

  Libya (Technology Transfer)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if there are any restrictions on United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority technology in the area of technology transfer and assistance to Libya.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  All exports of nuclear materials, equipment and technology are made within the guidelines set out in the statement by the then Foreign Secretary, the right hon. James Callaghan, on 31 March 1976 at columns 514–16.

  Atomic Energy Authority Technology
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what departmental representation was present at the launch of Atomic Energy Authority Technology on 16 May; and if he will make a statement on the prospects for Atomic Energy Authority Technology.
  14
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State attended the launch, as did a number of officials. I welcome the authority's initiative in marketing its R arid D skills and expertise under the banner of Atomic Energy Authority Technology.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the future of opencast mining; and what consideration is given to environmental impact assessment.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Opencast coal is an important national resource. Proposals for opencast operations need to be considered with full regard to their potential environmental effects and the scope for mitigating those effects. It is in the national interest to maximise production where that can be done in an environmentally acceptable way. To help mineral planning authorities in England and Wales strike the correct balance, the Government last year issued new, fuller guidance on the considerations to be taken into account.

  Operators are expected to seek the mineral planning authorities views at an early stage on the preparation of environmental assessments appropriate to the scale of the development and the sensitivity of its location. Environmental assessments are normally required in the case of opencast mine sites of 50 hectares and above, or where they affect particularly sensitive areas. Similar requirements apply in Scotland.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Billing Computer Systems
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Government will introduce legislation to ensure that the police, inland revenue, Customs and Excise, and security services can obtain information that relates to telephone subscribers from the itemised billing computer systems of BT and Mercury only when they have a warrant from a court; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have been asked to reply.

  We have no plans to amend the arrangements in the Interception of Communications Act 1985.

  Unsolicited Telephone Calls and Faxes
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Government will introduce legislation to control unsolicited telephone calls and unsolicited faxes by restricting the sale of telephone numbers of subscribers; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  As announced separately, my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has accepted the advice of the Director General of Telecommunications that the new branch systems general licence should contain a condition aimed at alleviating the nuisance to the users of telephone, fax, or other telecommunications systems, caused by persistent but unsolicited attempts to sell products and services.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his latest estimate of the cumulative cost to industry of recent rises in interest rates.

  Mr. Atkins
  In 1989 so far, there has been a single one percentage point increase in bank base rates. The estimated cost to industrial and commercial companies of a one percentage point increase in bank base rates is about £0·4 billion in a full year.

  Information Technology Research
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what he is doing to encourage collaboration between universities and industry in the field of information technology research.

  Mr. Forth
  Chapter 6 of the Department's White Paper on information technology (Cm. 646), published in March 1989, described the DTI's policy and programmes in support of IT collaborative research between universities and industry. Since then, the DTI and the Science and Engineering Research Council have announced support (£15 million) for a new LINK programme of collaborative research in opto-electronic systems, and increased funding (£7 million) for the information engineering advanced technology programme.

  National Engineering Laboratory
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received on his recent announcement on the future of the national engineering laboratory.

  Mr. Newton
  To date I have not received any representations on the proposals for the laboratory, which I announced on 17 May. However, the Department of Trade and Industry Council of Civil Service Unions has requested a meeting with the permanent secretary.

  Overseas Companies
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many overseas companies have set up operations in Britain; and what is his estimate of how many jobs such overseas investment has created and is sustaining.

  Mr. Atkins
  Since my Department's Invest in Britain Bureau started formally recording individual investments in 1979, there have been 2,647 inward investment projects, creating over 212,000 new jobs and, since 1983, are known to have safeguarded some 107,000 others. These figures are based upon information provided to the Department at the time the investment decisions were made and take no account of subsequent developments. They include the establishment of new businesses, the expansion or acquisition of existing businesses, and involvement in joint ventures.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what further steps he intends taking to reduce the burden of statistical form filling in small businesses.

  Mr. Maude
  I announced the publication of a scrutiny of the collection of Depatment of Trade and Industry 16
  statistics in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett) on 10 May at column 435. The recommendations of the scrutiny will be implemented over the next three years and will reduce the costs to businesses of these inquiries by about a quarter. Many of the recommendations will further help to ease the burden on the minority of small firms who are currently approached in the inquiries.

  DTI Ministers will continue to press to minimise the burden of inquiries on all firms so far as it can be done without reducing the quality of statistics needed by Government. In particular, objectives to this end will be agreed with the enlarged Central Statistical Office, which will assume responsibility on 31 July for running the inquiries now conducted by DTI.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of manufacturing employment is in businesses of approximately less than 200 employees in the current year and each of the last 10 years; and if he will also give comparative figures, where the data is available, for other European Community countries.

  Mr. Maude
  The available United Kingdom information is as follows:

  Percentage of United Kingdom manufacturing employment within local sites (factories etc.) with less than 200 employees

  Percentage

  1989

  48

  1988

  47

  1987

  46

  1986

  45

  1985

  45

  1984

  43

  1983

  41

  1982

  39

  1981

  n.a.

  1980

  n.a.

  1979

  37

  n.a. Not available

  Source: Size Analyses of United Kingdom Businesses (PA1003).

  Figures for the European Community are available for certain countries solely for 1984, and relate to enterprises (companies etc.) with employment of 20 to 99 as a percentage of all enterprises with employment of 20 or more:

  Percentage

  FR Germany

  15

  France

  21

  Italy

  32

  Luxembourg

  14

  Netherlands

  29

  United Kingdom

  18

  Source: EUROSTAT and United Kingdom census of production.

  Mail Carriers
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will reduce the minimum £1 charge which private carriers of mail have to charge.

  Mr. Forth
  We keep the options under review, but we have no present plans to end the monopoly. We have, however, made it clear that the Post Office's letter monopoly is a privilege, not a right, and that in the event of a cessation or serious disruption of the letter service, we would consider suspending it.

  Cars
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many cars were(a) imported, (b) exported, (c) home produced and (d) sold in he United Kingdom in the past year, 10, 15 and 20 years ago; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I shall arrange for the figures to be included in the Official Report. While these show the decline the industry has suffered since the late 1960s, recent trends show an encouraging and sustained upsurge in United Kingdom production and exports.

  The information is as follows:

  Thousands

  1968

  1973

  1978

  1988

  New cars imported

  102

  505

  801

  11,349

  New cars exported

  677

  599

  466

  1258

  Cars produced in the United Kingdom

  1,816

  1,747

  1,223

  1,227

  New cars registered in the United Kingdom

  1,145

  1,688

  1,592

  2,216

  1 Provisional.

  Garden Products
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if his Department has any plans to stipulate that a sell-by date be displayed on garden products; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  No.

  Ferguson Shipbuilders Limited
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether any progress has been made on the disposal of Ferguson Shipbuilders Limited, Port Glasgow.

  Mr. Newton
  [pursuant to the reply, 26 May, column 777]: I understand that, although there has been a much less positive response than the HLD Group had hoped to its consultation with the work force of Ferguson Shipbuilders Limited on terms of future employment, the group regards it as just sufficient for it to be willing to enter into detailed negotiations with British Shipbuilders for the purchase of the yard.

  Ivory
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if France sought the approval of the EEC Commission on its decision to ban ivory imports on 5 June; and if he will make a statement on the rights of EEC member states to impose such unilateral trade curbs.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  Under article 15 of the EC regulations implementing CITES in the Community, member states may take stricter measures on CITES species in certain circumstances. We had no formal notification that France intended to introduce a ban on the import of ivory before the Council of Environment Ministers on 8 and 9 June where member states were invited to do so.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Black South Africans (Scholarships)
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many scholarships have been given to black South Africans for each of the last five years by(a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) the British Council.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Following is the information. All awards listed are administered by the British Council.

  Awards funded by Her Majesty's Government

  A wards funded by British Council

  1985–86

  115

  12

  1986–87

  235

  14

  1987–88

  390

  10

  1988–89

  434

  10

  Malaysia
  Miss. Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list for the last five years gross bilateral aid given to Malaysia.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The figures are:

  £ million

  1984

  4·992

  1985

  7·454

  1986

  55·494

  1987

  9·402

  1988

  10·057

  Atlantic College
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government have any plans to sponsor students from Soweto to attend Atlantic college.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  We are in close touch with Atlantic college about the possibility of sponsoring a limited number of students from South Africa.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Student Loans
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what conclusion he has reached in his discussions with the banks and financial sector on his student loans proposals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made earlier today.

  Crookham Court School
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether a notice of complaint was served on the proprietor of Crookham Court school following Her Majesty's inspector's report of 1981 and of 1988 relating(a) to the inspection, (b) to the fire precautions or (c) to any member of the staff.

  Mr. Butcher
  Her Majesty's inspectors carried out two full inspections of Crookham Court school, in November
  19
  1981 and in November 1987. On both occasions, a number of deficiencies were identified in the report. These deficiencies and recommendations for improvement were brought to the attention of the school in strongly worded official letters which accompanied the reports rather than through a formal notice of complaint. Recently many parents have chosen to remove their children from the school.

  Teachers (Pay)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to respond to the letter from the six teaching unions, dated 6 June, about the restoration of collective bargaining for teachers' pay and conditions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) on Tuesday 6 June at column 14.

  Anderson-Fabry's Disease
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research is conducted into AndersonFabry's disease; and what funds are provided by his Department for research into this illness.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Medical Research Council, which receives a grant in aid from this Department, is the main agency through which the Government supports medical research. The council itself determines the allocation of the funds at its disposal. In 1987–88, the last financial year for which figures are available, the council spent £37,000 on research specifically into Anderson-Fabry's disease. More generally, the council is funding a considerable amount of research on the X chromosome, some of which could contribute to an understanding of the disease. The council is always willing to consider soundly-based proposals for new research programmes, in competition with other proposals.

  Additionally, university departments and medical schools support a range of research from block grants from the Universities Funding Council, some of which may be relevant to an understanding of this disease.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Short Bros
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Strangford of 13 June, what were his reasons for not including the oral question about Short Bros plc from the right hon. Member for Strangford on 9 March,Official Report, column 1018; and whether he took account of that question in his response to the hon. Member for Strangford on 7 June, Official Report, column 234.

  Mr. Viggers
  In both responses referred to, no account was taken of the right hon. Gentleman's intervention which was a supplementary question rather than an oral question.

  Lorean Motor Cars Ltd.
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he is making in recovering public funds from Mr. De Lorean.

  Mr. Viggers
  The joint receivers of the former De Lorean Motor Cars Ltd., appointed by the Government, have secured a judgment in the London High Court against Mr. John De Lorean for £30 million plus interest. Action is currently under way in the United States to enforce that judgment. In addition, the trustee of De Lorean Motor Co. in the United States bankruptcy proceedings, has recovered $9·36 million under a settlement agreement with Mr. De Lorean. The Government have a significant interest in any distributions the trustee may make.

  The Government also have direct and indirect interests in the outcome of legal actions against a number of other persons in relation to the De Lorean case.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Family Credit (Publicity Campaign)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many awards of family credit have been made to first-time claimants in the Doncaster and Mexborough areas of the county of South Yorkshire during his Department's eight-week advertising campaign; how many awards were made in the eight weeks previous to the campaign; and what percentage change of take-up by new claimants this represents since the family credit scheme began.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available on a local basis. However, we do know that at the beginning of April 1989 the number of families receiving family credit who, at the time their awards were made, were living in the areas covered by the relevant local social security offices was as follows:

  Number

  Doncaster (East)

  838

  Doncaster (West)

  504

  Wath-on-Dearne

  211

  This information will be updated from time to time.

  Correspondence
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow can expect an answer to his letter of 17 April concerning Mr. D. MacKinnon of Greenock;

  (2) when he hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow can expect an answer to his letter of 27 April concerning Mr. A. R. Young of Port Glasgow;

  (3) when the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow can expect an answer to his letter of 27 April concerning Mr. J. 0. O'Connor.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Replies were sent on 22 May to the hon. Member's letter of 27 April concerning Mr. J. O'Connor, and on 14 June to the hon. Member's letters of 17 April concerning Mr. D. MacKinnon and of 27 April concerning Mr. A. Young.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress so far of the work of the independent living fund.

  Mr. Scott
  The independent living fund is widely regarded as a success. By 30 April the fund had received 6,124 applications. Decisions had been made on 5,642 cases, of which 2,254 had been successful. The total benefit paid amounted to nearly £1·2 million.

  Grants and Loans
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much Manchester offices of his Department have underspent their social fund allocations for(a) grant and (b) loans since April 1988; and what proportion of their budget for each purpose such underspending represents.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Such information is available from the details held in the Library.

  Disability
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations the Minister for the Disabled has had from the British Council of Organisations of Disabled People; what reply he has sent or will he sending; if there is any action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I recently received a letter from Mr. Richard Wood, chairman of the British Council of Organisations of Disabled People, seeking a substantial increase in the Department of Health's grant to the council. Officials have since met Mr. Wood to discuss his request. I hope to reply to his letter in the near future.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many children he estimates would benefit if all those families eligible for family credit claimed it;

  (2) what is his latest estimate of the number of families entitled to receive family credit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest information about the number of families eligible for family credit relates to 1988 and is contained in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) on 17 March at columns 391–92. On that basis there would have been about 1·1 million children in such families, but this does not include families not already receiving family credit where someone is self-employed.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children covered by payments of family credit are receiving sums in lieu of free school meals; and what is the average sum in lieu that each received after allowing for consequent reductions in other benefits.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Each of the children's rates in family credit incorporates cash provision in place of free school meals or free welfare milk as appropriate. In March 1989 there were 392,000 children aged five or over in family 22
  credit families and for whom the cash provision might therefore be expected to be used in place of free school meals, but otherwise the information requested is not available.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Government Bonds
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to continue his policy of the early repurchasing of Government bonds.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government will continue to operate according to the full fund rule set out in paragraph 2.23 of the 1989–90 "Financial Statement and Budget Report". The Government intend to return to a balanced budget as the norm in due course.

  Domestic Credit Control
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list European Community directives which would limit the freedom of member states to institute domestic credit control, including a deposit on the purchase of goods or a shortening of mortgage repayment schedules.

  Mr. Lilley
  No such directive has been adopted.

  PAYE
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress made on the computerisation of PAYE; and when he expects it to be in full operation.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The computerisation of the PAYE system was successfully completed in October 1988 when the last tax office, centre 1 in Scotland, was converted to the new system.

  Shares (Statistics)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of shares are owned by(a) the personal sector, (b) financial companies and institutions and (c) others.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Following is the information on the proportions of holdings of United Kingdom ordinary and preference shares at end 1987:

  Percentage

  (a) Personal Sector

  29

  (b) Monetary Sector and Other Financial Institutions

  57

  (c) Industrial and Commercial Companies, Public Corporations, Central Government

  14

  Income Tax
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the costs of collecting income tax in each of the previous five years; and if he will express each figure as a percentage of total income tax receipts and give comparative percentages where the data are available for other European Community countries and for Sweden and the United States of America.
  23
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The costs of collecting income tax in the United Kingdom, and costs as a percentage of total income tax receipts were as follows:

  Cost as percentage of total income tax receipts

  Cost (£ million)

  Percentage

  1983

  676·3

  2·17

  1984

  730·3

  2·25

  1985

  803·9

  2·27

  1986

  882·9

  2·29

  1987

  931·5

  2·25

  Comparable data for other countries are not available because of the differences in the tax system and the arrangements for administration and collection.

  Finance Bill (Clause 167)
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in relation to clause 167 of the Finance Bill on instruments of variation those professional bodies or firms which have made representations(a) opposed to and (b) in favour of the principle or the detail of the clause.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  We have received around 130 written representations, all of which were opposed to the principle or the detail of the clause.

  EC Money (Definition)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement explaining the character and definition of Community money as referred to in paragraph 12(b) of the explanatory memorandum issued by the Paymaster General on 21 February 1989, (10449/88).

  Mr. Brooke
  The term "Community money" was used in the explanatory memorandum to refer to sums made available to the Community by member states.

  EC Finance Ministers (S'Agaro Meeting)
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any conclusions were reached at the informal meeting of European Community Finance Ministers at S'Agaro on 19 to 21 May.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to him on 12 June at column 272.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Aspinwall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Treasury definition of a small business is for tax purposes.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 15 June 1989]: There is no specific definition. Targeting of tax reliefs for small businesses is achieved by defining the relevant qualifying conditions, taking account of the particular objective. For example, to benefit from the small companies' rate of corporation tax, a company must have profits below £100,000 or, for the purposes of the marginal relief, below £500,000. The Finance Bill contains provisions to increase these limits to £150,000 and £750,000 respectively.

  Building Society Shares
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of the inclusion announced on 8 June of newly floated building society shares within personal equity plan portfolios; and what he expects the level of take-up to be.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 12 June 1989]: The cost to the Exchequer is expected to be negligible. The level of take-up will depend on the number of building societies converting to plc status and the extent to which personal equity plan managers offer the new facility.

  EEC Funding
  Mr. Michael Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to estimate the level of EEC funding from social and regional grants that has been lost in each of the last five years as a result of the accumulative effect each year of the reductions in the officially declared level of United Kingdom unemployment following changes in the calculation of the unemployment figures.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 12 June 1989]: I have been asked to reply.

  The question is based on a false hypothesis. Payments from the European social and regional development funds are not directly determined by unemployment levels. In so far as, following the recent reform of the funds, eligibility for grant partly depends on rates of unemployment, the relevant rates are European Commission estimates prepared on a standardised basis to eliminate any effects of differences of statistical method between Member States or at different periods.

WALES

  In-patient Waiting Lists
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest figure he has for in-patient waiting lists for urgent and non-urgent cases.

  Mr. Grist
  The latest figures, published on 17 May, are contained in "Welsh Hospital Waiting List Bulletin" 1989: No. 1. They show that 2,887 urgent cases and 38,362 non-urgent cases were waiting for in-patient treatment on 30 September 1988. I am pleased to note the 20 per cent. reduction in patients waiting for urgent treatment, compared to 1987, but disappointed at the 5 per cent. increase in non-urgent cases.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Ieuan Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress being made in establishing training and enterprise councils in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Good progress is being made. Employers throughout Wales are responding positively to the invitation to formulate proposals for training and enterprise councils and I expect two councils to be operational early next year with a full network across Wales during 1990.

  NHS
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish detailed consultative documents setting out his proposals for implementation of changes in the Health Service in Wales which take account of special factors affecting the regions of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my earlier reply to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Livsey).

  Cardigan Bay
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has consulted local authorities around Cardigan bay about turning the bay into a marine nature conservation area.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  No. It is for the Nature Conservancy Council to apply to my right hon. Friend for the designation of a marine nature reserve after consulting relevant interested parties. However, I understand that at present it has no plans to make an application in respect of the Cardigan bay area.

  Tourism (Grants)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received about the provision of grants for tourist projects under section 4 of the Tourism Act 1969; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend and I have received representations from a number of interested organisations and individuals.

  Welsh Water Authority
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State when he last met the chairman of the Welsh water authority; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Grist
  My right hon. Friend last met the chairman on 22 May 1989. A wide range of issues were discussed.

  Welsh Arts Council
  Sir Anthony Meyer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next expects to meet the chairman of the Welsh Arts Council; and what matters he proposes to discuss.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to meet the chairman of the Welsh Arts Council.

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress of the Cardiff Bay development corporation.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The development corporation is making excellent progress. Some 300 acres of land has been acquired; site investigations for major land reclamation schemes are near completion; the local community has directly benefited by more than £3·5 million spent on various improvement projects. The barrage Bill can be expected to come before this House 26
  shortly, having recently been considered by a Committee in another place and approved there with one minor amendment.

  The recent agreement with Associated British Ports for the development of large areas of land in the ownership of ABP will allow quicker progress to be made with the development of this important area of the bay.

  I recently announced that, subject to parliamentary approval on the supplementary Estimate, I am providing a further £7 million this year to permit the corporation to acquire more land for development purposes.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek powers to require Welsh Water to seek planning permission for raw sewage outlets into the Bristol channel; and if he will make a statement on the different sources of pollution which enter this marine cul de sac.

  Mr. Grist
  No. Under part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974, water authorities are required to obtain consents before making a discharge into the sea or water courses. Where schemes require planning permission, this is a matter for the local planning authority to determine under the Town and Country Planning Acts. With regard to sources of pollution in the Bristol channel, information on consented discharges is available on public registers held by the water authorities.

  Health Service
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of patients awaiting surgical operations in each of the Welsh district health authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Waiting list information is collected centrally on the basis of the number of people waiting for admission to hospital in a particular specialty and it is not known, therefore, how many are waiting for surgical operations. Information on waiting lists is published in "Welsh Hospital Waiting List Bulletin" copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average number of patients for each county in Wales per(a) doctor and (b) general practitioner practice.

  Mr. Grist
  The requested information (as at 1 October 1987) is given in the table:

  Family Practitioner Committee

  Average number of patients per doctor1

  A verage number of patients per partnership2

  Clwyd

  1,914

  6,113

  Dyfed

  1,700

  4,774

  Gwent

  1,890

  4,930

  Gwynedd

  1,675

  4,605

  Mid Glamorgan

  1,919

  5,475

  Powys

  1,628

  6,784

  South Glamorgan

  1,887

  5,661

  West Glamorgan

  1,952

  6,108

  1 Unrestricted principals

  2 Includes single doctor practices

  Roads
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are his current proposals for the improvement
  27
  of the Shrewsbury-Aberystwyth trunk road from the Shropshire/Powys border; if any studies have been carried out to estimate increases in traffic load on the road between its present time and the year 2000; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Selective improvements of the A458/A483/A489/A470/A44 route are planned, and shown in "Roads in Wales 1989". The "National Traffic Forecasts (Great Britain) 1989" published on 18 May covers this route; a major traffic survey has recently been carried out by the Department on the A483 north of Newtown.

  Language Teaching
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the level of provision for the learning of French, German, Spanish and Italian in secondary schools in Wales; and if he will make a further statement concerning his policy for the teaching of European Community languages in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The secondary school staffing survey conducted this year will provide information on the numbers of teachers qualified to teach these languages. The national curriculum will require all pupils aged 11 to 16 to be taught a modern foreign language, and they must all be offered the opportunity to study a European Community language. I have no plans to promote the teaching of foreign languages in primary schools.

  Village Schools
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the quality of teaching and standard of educational attainment in village primary schools in Powys; and if he will make a statement concerning his policy towards village schools.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Her Majesty's inspectors of schools in Wales have published a number of reports on small schools in Powys which include comments on quality of teaching and standard of educational attainment. Schools subject of reports published over the past year are:

  Penrhos County Primary School, Ystradgynlais

  Ysgol Pennant, Pen-y-Bont Fawr

  Buttington/Trewern County Primary School

  Ffynnon Gynydd Church in Wales Primary School, Glasbury

  Ysgol Trefeglwys, Llanidloes

  Crossgates County Primary School

  In addition surveys have been carried out into various aspects of provision in Powys

  Guidance on schools in rural areas is given in Welsh Office circular 20/88, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Farming
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average(a) size in hectares (b) average farm income (c) the number of farms (d) the average number of ewes and (e) the number of beef cows for upland beef and sheep farms in marginal land areas within the less-favoured areas.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  There are estimated to be 9,163 cattle and sheep farms in the less-favoured areas of Wales.28
  Average figures for upland beef and sheep farms are not available separately for marginal land area. Figures for all hill and upland livestock farms can be found at table 3.14 of the 1989 edition of "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average(a) size in hectares (b) number of dairy cows kept and (c) farm income for the latest period for which he has figures for an average dairy farm in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested can be found at table 3.9 of the 1989 edition of "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has granted permission to Amersham International to use the Ferry road tip in the Grangetown district of Cardiff for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste.

  Mr. Grist
  An authorisation has been issued to the company to dispose of very low level solid radioactive waste at Cardiff city council's waste disposal sites at Ferry road and Lamby way.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those sites within Wales that have been approved for the dumping of low level radioactive waste and state in respect of each site when approval for such use was initially granted and by which licensing authority.

  Mr. Grist
  Any waste disposal site licensed by a waste disposal authority under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 may receive a very low level radioactive waste where such a disposal method is permitted by the necessary authorisation issued by the Secretary of State under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

  The organisations and premises specified in authorisations covering Wales are shown in the Department of the Environment/Welsh Office/Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution publication "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 available in the Library of the House.

  Gwynedd Health Authority
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many members there are of the Gwynedd health authority; how many are appointed by him; and of those so appointed, how many have their home residence in the Arfon borough area.

  Mr. Grist
  There are 17 members of Gwynedd health authority, including the chairman. The Secretary of State is responsible for appointing the chairman and 10 members, one of whom has a home residence in the Arfon borough area.

  Milk Quota
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the milk quota allocated to Upper Wallis farm, Ambleston, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire will be transferred to Mr. B. Bevan, who is due to re-occupy the farm on 30 June.
  29
  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 16 June 1989]: Transfers of milk quota are a matter for the parties concerned. Mr. Bevan will be able to take steps to transfer the relevant quota when he resumes occupation of Upper Wallis farm. The appropriate form is available from the milk marketing board.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Namibian Refugees
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many Namibian refugees are presently located in camps in Angola and Zambia;

  (2) how many Namibian refugees were in Angola and Zambia in 1985, 1986 and 1987; and what organisations were responsible for monitoring and administering these refugees during these years;

  (3) if he has made any representations concerning the discrepancy in figures published over the last three years by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees concerning the total number of Namibian refugees in Angola and Zambia and the most recent estimates of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;

  (4) when Namibian refugees, currently based in Angola and Zambia, will be returned to Namibia under the United Nations' Namibian independence plan;

  (5) which non-govermental organisations are responsible under the United Nations plan for the processing and safe return of Namibian refugees from camps in Angola and Zambia to Namibia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has responsibility for organising the repatriation of Namibian refugees. We fully support the UNHCR operation, and are in close touch with UNHCR officials.

  No independent count of Namibian refugees in Angola and Zambia has been made. The UNHCR has operated its programme for Namibian refugees on the basis of estimates that there were 69,000 Namibian refugees in Angola and a further 7,000 in Zambia.

  By 3 June, 41,000 returnees had registered with UNHCR for return to Namibia, though the registration process was still continuing. Not included in these figures are a large number of children who are expected to remain outside Namibia to complete their schooling and armed SWAPO units who will remain in United Nations-monitored positions north of the 16th parallel in Angola.

  The repatriation operation began on 12 June and is expected to last six weeks.

  South West Africa People's Organisation
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether Her Majesty's Government have made representations to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees concerning Namibians detained by the South West Africa People's Organisation; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether Her Majesty's Government possess a list of Namibians detained by South West Africa People's Organisation; and if he will make a statement concerning the fate of Namibian refugees in Angola and Zambia;

  (3) whether Her Majesty's Government will take all possible steps to ensure that all those Namibians presently
  30
  detained by the South West Africa People's Organisation and accused of being South African spies are released and repatriated to Namibia at the earliest opportunity.

  (4) whether he has received any representations concerning the names of those Namibians detained by the South West Africa People's Organisation accused of being South African spies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are extremely concerned about the welfare of SWAPO-held detainees. Several lists of such detainees have been drawn to our attention, including one compiled by Amnesty International. We have raised the matter in our contacts with SWAPO. We have also drawn the matter to the attention of the UNHCR. The United Nations special representative for Namibia, supported by officials from the UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross, has been pressing for the release of SWAPO's prisoners. Some were released last month in Angola. United Nations and ICRC staff are in contact with SWAPO to ensure that all detainees are released in accordance with the United Nations plan. We are in close touch with these organisations, and shall continue to support their efforts.

  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions over the last two years he or Ministers from his Department have met with senior representatives from the South West Africa People's Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have regular official and, as appropriate, ministerial contact with representatives of SWAPO. Ministers have met senior representatives of SWAPO on three occasions in the last two years.

  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government have taken to ensure that the Commonwealth fellowship and training programme for Namibians will not be restricted to members of the South West Africa People's Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are concerned that all multilateral programmes for Namibia to which we contribute should be impartially administered and distributed. 'The Commonwealth programme to which my hon. Friend refers is not restricted to members of SWAPO.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has concerning the action, or intention, of any Government to provide lethal aid to any group within the resistance coalition of Cambodia, within or on the borders of that country; and what reactions or representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to any such policy.

  Mr. Eggar
  I am aware of reports that certain governments have provided, or intend to provide lethal aid to groups resisting Vietnam's illegal occupation of Cambodia. We do not plan to make representations as long as that occupation continues.

  Malta
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the agreements signed with the Government of Malta since that country's last elections.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Since the May 1987 General Elections in Malta, we have signed the following agreement with the Government of Malta: "Agreement on the development of friendly relations and co-operation". The agreement was signed in Valletta on 15 March 1989.

  Jabu Ndlovu
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make diplomatic representations to the South African Government concerning the case of Jabu Ndlovu, whose home was attacked by Inkatha.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Jabu Ndlovu and her family were most regrettably among the latest victims of the long-running intra-communal conflict in Natal. We have made clear our hope that action will be taken to end the violence. We hope that recent contacts between the parties directly involved will lead to a lasting settlement.

  China
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any arms or military equipment used by the Chinese People's Liberation Army in Tiananmen Square or other parts of Beijing to kill students and protestors in June were made in the United Kingdom and officially exported to the People's Republic of China.

  Mr. Eggar
  We are not aware of any British equipment having been used to kill protestors in Peking during the recent disturbances. In my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State's statement to the House of 6 June, we announced a ban on arms sales to China.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has ascertained from the Government of the People's Republic of China the terms on which they would be prepared to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Although we have regularly pressed the Government of the People's Republic of China to accede to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, they have not given us any indication of the terms on which they would be prepared to do so.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is aware of the conditions set by Argentina before that state will sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  To the best of our knowledge the Government of Argentina has not specified conditions under which Argentina would accede to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the last eight countries to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty giving the date of signature in each case.
  32
  Mr. Waldegrave
  The last eight countries to accede to the non-proliferation treaty were Kiribati (succeeded on 18 April 1985), Malawi (acceded on 18 February 1986), Colombia (ratified on 8 April 1986), Trinidad and Tobago (ratified on 30 October 1986), Spain (acceded on 5 November 1987), Saudi Arabia (acceded on 3 October 1988), Bahrain (acceded on 3 November 1988) and Qatar (acceded on 3 April 1989).

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will set out the respective dates on which(a) Libya, (b) Iraq, (c) Iran, (d) Syria and (e) Egypt signed the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Libya ratified the nuclear nonproliferation treaty on 26 May 1975, Iraq ratified the treaty on 29 October 1969, Iran ratified on 2 February 1970, Syria on 24 September 1969 and Egypt on 26 February 1981.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the terms of signature communicated to Her Majesty's Government, or to the other depository states for the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, by the Republic of South Africa, before South Africa will sign the non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The South African Government have not set out terms to us, or, so far as we are aware, to either of the other depository Governments. On 16 August 1988, after consultations between the depository powers and South Africa had been held in Vienna, the South African Foreign Ministry stated publicly that it would sign the NPT if assured of full participation in the treaty.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government of India have indicated to the United Kingdom, or to the other two depository states for the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the terms on which India would sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; and what attempts have been made by Her Majesty's Government to persuade India to sign the treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  To the best of our knowledge the Government of India have not indicated terms on which India would accede to the non-proliferation treaty (NPT). However, our views on the value of the NPT are well known to the Indian Government, and we make our position clear to them whenever suitable opportunities arise.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during the meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Ministers in Brussels on 29 and 30 May, and the visit of the United State Administration executive officers to the United Kingdom on 31 May to 2 June, he raised with the United States Secretaries of Defence or State the fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to be held in the summer of 1990.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No. However, issues related to the 1990 non-proliferation treaty review conference are frequently discussed at official level.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during the visit of General
  33
  Jaruzelski of Poland on 10 and 11 June, he discussed the forthcoming nuclear non-proliferation treaty fourth review conference, to be held in 1990, with members of the Polish governmental delegation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the depository states for the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty last held trilateral discussions on progress of the treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The non-proliferation treaty depository powers—USA, USSR, United Kingdom—last discussed the non-proliferation treaty at the first preparatory committee, held in New York from 1 to 5 May.

  Poland
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during the visit of General Jaruzelski and other Polish Government officials on 10 and 11 June, he discussed(a) the prospects of nuclear reactor and nuclear fuel cycle service sales to Poland, (b) the possibility of the sale of industrial air pollution control technology and fuel gas desulpherisation technology to Poland and (c) the possibility of the sale of combined cycle coal-gas pebble bed power plant technology to Poland.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State discussed none of these subjects.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the possession of nuclear weapons by the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China, France and the United States of America.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  All four countries are recognised nuclear weapons states as defined by the non-proliferation treaty. We, therefore, recognise their right to possess nuclear weapons.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new policy initiatives were put forward by the United Kingdom ambassador to the chemical weapons disarmament negotiations when they resumed on 13 June in Geneva.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I visited the conference on disarmament in Geneva on 15 June. As well as delivering a speech giving an overview of British policy, I tabled a paper on the United Kingdom's innovative work on "challenge inspections", a crucial part of the verification regime for a chemical weapons convention. This work involves a comprehensive programme of trial inspections at military facilities and is designed to test the concept of challenge inspection in practice to enable effective provisions to be elaborated. As far as we are aware, the United Kingdom is the first country to carry out such work which reflects the Government's practical, problem-solving approach to the achievement of a comprehensive and effectively verifiable, global ban on chemical weapons.

  Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Kingdom, United States and Soviet Union, as the depository states for the 1963 partial nuclear test ban treaty, last held trilateral discussions on progress of the treaty; and if he will make a statement on the future of the treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Several bilateral discussions between the depository Governments have taken place recently; we expect that they will meet trilaterally later this month, probably in Geneva.

  Kurdish People
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have made representations to the Iraqi embassy on the subject of the deportation of Kurds within Iraq.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I discussed the issue most recently with the Iraqi ambassador on Wednesday 14 June. I told the ambassador that we viewed with concern the latest allegations about a policy of mass resettlement of Kurds, and pressed him to allow diplomats and journalists to visit the area in question to see for themselves what the truth is.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has discussed with his partners in the European Community the question of deportations of Kurds within Iraq; and what action the European Community intends to take.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The United Kingdom regularly discusses such issues within the Twelve. EC Representatives in Baghdad have prepared a report on the human rights situation in Iraq.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received a report compiled by the 12 European Community ambassadors in Baghdad on the subject of the deportation of Kurds within Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The EC ambassadors in Baghdad have produced a report on human rights in Iraq. We and our partners in the Twelve are studying it urgently.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Early-day Motions
  Mr. Patrick McLoughlin
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the number of early-day motions tabled in each year since 1970.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested is as follows:

  Session

  Number of EDMs.

  1970–71

  717

  1971–72

  474

  1972–73

  432

  1973–74

  174

  1974

  245

  1974–75

  759

  1975–76

  701

  1976–77

  473

  35

  Session

  Number of EDMs.

  1977–78

  607

  1978–79

  354

  1979–80

  907

  1980–81

  631

  1981–82

  716

  1982–83

  502

  1983–84

  1,060

  1984–85

  979

  1985–86

  1,262

  1986–87

  1,000

  1987–88

  1,601

  1988–89 (to date)

  984

HEALTH

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to withdraw the guidance given to regional health authorities in circular HC(81)15 to refuse appointment to community health councils of people over 70 years of age.

  Mr. Mellor
  Members of community health councils are appointed mostly by local authorities and voluntary organisations. Only one sixth are appointed by regional health authorities. Guidance in circular HC(81)15 is that appointing bodies should not appoint people over the age of 70 unless there is a special reason—such as where the appointing organisation is concerned mainly with elderly people. We have no plans to change that guidance.

  Health Care Screening
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are his Department's current priorities for screening in health care; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Priorities for screening depend upon the risk for given disorders of identifiable groups in the population.

  We have established two programmes to screen women regularly for breast and cervical cancers. Women aged between 20 and 64 will be invited for a cervical smear test at least every five years and women 50 and 64 years for breast X-ray (mammogram) every three years; breast screening will also be available to women aged 65 and over on request.

  Besides routine antenatal care, screening may be offered, for example, to pregnant women for foetal neural tube defects and chromosomal abnormalities (in older mothers) and, for women from certain ethnic groups, the haemoglobinopathies. There are continuing programmes for systematic screening of infants and children for sensory, physical and mental impairments. In addition, screening for single gene disorders may be appropriate for certain families.

  New opportunities for worthwhile screening will undoubtedly arise as a result of the development of new technologies in for example genetics and ultra sound. We also support the cancer screening evaluation unit which provides advice on existing and possible future schemes of screening for cancer.

  Screening, of course, is not the only method by which ill health can be prevented.

  Midwives
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the amount of financial help given by his Department towards the cost of the salary regrading of midwives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  A total of £731 million was made available by the Government to meet the cost of the nurses, midwives and health visitors regrading exercise in 1988–89 in England. Including the extra £98 million announced on 21 October, this met the extra cost in full. Health authorities' own estimates provided the basis of the costing, but these were not required to be broken down between nurses, midwives and health visitors on a national basis. We do not therefore hold this information centrally.

  Remand System
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to fund secure accommodation for remanded juveniles from Doncaster and neighbouring areas awaiting their court appearance who because of their behaviour are unsuitable for living in normal open local authority children's homes.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Doncaster, North (Mr. Welsh) on 16 May 1989, at column 151.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a further statement on the procedures before any hospital opts out of the existing National Health Service management structure.

  Mr. Mellor
  Self-governing trusts will not opt out but will remain fully within the NHS. Subject to the passing of the necessary legislation, decisions on applications will rest with the Secretary of State. The application process will follow the outline in the White Paper "Working for Patients". We are issuing information about the process in connection with a national conference on self-governing hospitals on 20 June.

  NML Presentations Ltd.
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what involvement NML Presentations Ltd. had in identifying doctors who favoured the proposals in the Government's National Health Service review and putting the news media in contact with them at the time of the original launch.

  Mr. Mellor
  None.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he assessed the success of the contributions made by NML Presentations Ltd. to the original launch of the National Health Service review before awarding them the contract for the current stage of the programme.

  Mr. Mellor
  Yes.

  Benzodiazepines
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were assisted by his Department to
  37
  withdraw from benzodiazepines in drug and alcohol treatment centres in the last year for which figures are available; and what was the cost of this.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an estimate of the cost to the United Kingdom economy, in terms of lost production and sick pay, through people addicted to benzodiazepines.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not have the information to enable us to make such an estimate.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has carried out studies into the number of people who become epileptic after withdrawing from benzodiazepines.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on attempts made by the pharmaceutical industry to assist people addicted to benzodiazepines to withdraw from the drug and as to whether any compensation scheme is being considered by the industry.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have no information on attempts made by the pharmaceutical industry to assist people addicted to benzodiazepines to withdraw from the drugs.

  It must be for the pharmaceutical industry to decide whether it wishes to set up its own no-fault compensation scheme.

  Social Work Staff
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to overcome the national shortage of qualified social workers highlighted in the social services employment survey 1988 published by the Association of Directors of Social Services and the Local Authority Conditions of Service Advisory Board.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) today.

  The report of the national work force survey conducted by the Local Authority Conditions of Service Advisory Board and ADSS will be given full consideration when received. The response by local authorities to our two training support programmes targeted at staff working with elderly people and those working in the field of child care, indicates that many social service departments will be enabled to increase significantly the number of their staff seconded to social work qualifying courses.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will bring forward proposals to give financial assistance to local authorities in London to enable them to recruit social work staff;

  (2) what action he is taking to deal with the nationwide shortage of 2,200 social workers identified in the recent Association of Directors of Social Services national work force survey, a copy of which he has been sent;

  (3) what action he is taking to encourage people re-entering the work force to undertake professional social work training;

  (4) what action he is taking to respond to the need for an additional 800 per annum social work training places
  38
  identified by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work in its 1987–88 annual report, a copy of which has been sent to him;

  (5) what initiatives he is taking to deal with the particular problems arising in the London area as a result of the inability to recruit basic grade social workers.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) today.

  The Government and the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work are taking a number of initiatives to improve the present system of social work qualifying training which will help to ensure that social work continues to attract suitable people of different ages and domestic circumstances and from a variety of social backgrounds.

  The availability of places on social work courses is a matter which is currently being examined by the Department in connection with the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work.

  Our two training support programmes targeted at staff working with elderly people and those working in the field of child care have enabled many social services departments to increase significantly the number of their staff seconded to social work qualifying courses.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the age structure of those employed by local authorities as basic grade social workers.

  Mr. Mellor
  We understand that information is contained in the report of the national work force survey conducted by the Local Authority Conditions of Service Advisory Board and the Association of Directors of Social Services. We have not yet had an opportunity to study a copy of the full report.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he has any plans to deal with the shortage of basic social work staff in London;

  (2) if he has any plans to increase finance for encouraging the recruitment of social services staff in London local authorities;

  (3) what information he has about the shortage of mainstream social services professionals in London local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 16 June 1989]: A survey of the London social services work force was carried out by the London branch of the Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) with the assistance of the social services inspectorate. The results were published in April 1988. A new national work force survey, conducted by the Local Authority Conditions of Service Advisory Board and ADSS was published on 12 June 1989. Officials of the Department of Health have not had the opportunity to study the full copy of the report.

  We are aware of the problems faced by some local authorities in London in attracting and retaining suitably qualified staff and of the steps they, as employers, are taking to improve the position. It is of course for individual authorities to decide how much to spend on social services from within total resources available.

  Financial pressures on local authority social services, such as the need to encourage recruitment of social services staff, are taken into account in setting the overall level of

  39
  central Government support to local authorities. The Government are currently considering the local authority associations' report on additional financial needs for social services departments in 1990–91 in which this issue is
  40
  identified. This report, along with similar reports for other local authority services, is being discussed through the normal consultation channels under the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance.

  Occupational Therapists
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to deal with the nationwide shortage of 250 occupational therapists identified in the recent Association of Directors of Social Services national work force survey, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have taken a number of measures to overcome the shortage of occupational therapists which affects local authorities and the NHS. We are on course to increase the annual intake of occupational therapy students for three-year-diploma courses by at least 100 by 1990–91. The Department is also assisting in funding shortened two-year courses for graduates in related disciplines to qualify as occupational therapists. We have also commissioned a review of the manpower, skill mix and structures within local authority and NHS occupational therapy departments, and a report is expected in August.

  We are in communication with local authority representatives to encourage local authorities to make a greater contribution to the cost of training occupational therapists. We are also aware that a number of local authorities are pursuing their own local strategies to overcome staff shortages.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will state the number of occupational therapists employed by London local authorities in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 16 June 1989]: The numbers of qualified occupational therapists employed by local authorities in London for 1985–87 (the last three years for which information is available) expressed as whole-time equivalents is given in the table. These figures reflect an increase of 24 per cent. in whole-time equivalent staff employed.

  Qualified occupational therapists employed by local authority social services departments in London, 1985–87

  As at 30 September

  Whole-time equivalents

  1985

  256·5

  1986

  272·1

  1987

  317·6

  Dairy

  Environmental Health Depart men!

  First DH contact with Environmental Health Department

  First visit to dairy (with details of prior contact where appropriate)

  Number of EHOs in post

  EHO establishment

  Yieldingtree Packers

  Wyre Forest

  13 June, morning via Bromsgrove

  14 June, 9 am

  6

  7

  Grange Farm

  South Buckinghamshire

  12 June, evening

  13 June, 9.40 am

  4

  6

  Battledene Farm

  Cotswold

  12 June, evening

  14 June, 5.00 pm (telephone 12 June, 7.30 pm)

  8

  8

  Lord Crathorne

  Hambleton

  12 June, evening

  13 June, 10 am (telephone 12 June, 7 pm)

  10

  10

  Stock Meadows

  Staffordshire Moorlands

  12 June, evening

  13 June, 10.30 am

  9

  9

  Ann Forshaws

  Dibble Valley

  11 June, evening

  12 June, 11.30 am (telephone 11 June, evening)

  8

  8

  Madresfield Dairy

  Malvern Hills

  13 June, morning

  13 June, 11 am

  11

  11

  Bodfan Foods

  Chester

  13 June, evening

  13 June, 9 am1

  16

  16

  1 A further visit was made 14 June, 9 am, following the Department's telephone call.

  42
  Note: Figures for 1986 and 1987 are provisional and subject to revision.

  Botulism
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when each of the eight additional dairies referred to by him in Official Report, column 703, 13 June, were first informed that their products were part of the investigations by his Department into the botulism outbreak;

  (2) how many environmental health officers are employed by each of the public health authorities for the areas where the additional dairies mentioned in Official Report, column 703, 13 June, are located; and whether each number represents the full complement;

  (3) if he will state the date, time and how the public health authorities for the areas where the additional dairies he referred to in Official Report, column 703, 13 June, are located, were first contacted about the botulism outbreak and informed about the connection with Young Fruits Ltd. and the dairy in their area;

  (4) if he will state the day and date that environmental officers visited each of the eight dairies mentioned in Official Report, column 703, 13 June, to arrange for the imediate withdrawal of hazelnut yoghurt manufactured by them;

  (5) what his Department's procedures are for keeping the proprietor of Young Fruits Ltd., the 10 dairies concerned and the public informed about each stage of the investigation into suspected botulism; and if all relevant persons are immediately and fully informed of any findings.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Department keeps the public informed by means of press statements. Contact with food processing firms and dairies will normally be through environmental health departments. Other information requested is set out in the table.

  NHS Staff (Upgrading)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the practice of his Department on whether upgrading of National Health Service staff approved by the Whitley Council joint secretaries is backdated to the date of application; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 16 June 1989]: Cases which are, under Whitley council agreements appropriate for decision by the joint secretaries are considered on their merits.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Extensification
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will announce his proposals for the implementation of the Community extensification scheme.

  Mr. MacGregor
  My right hon. Friends and I are today issuing to interested organisations for comment a document containing ideas for pilot extensification schemes for beef, which we are obliged to introduce this year under the terms of Community legislation and also for sheep. The concept of extensification, essentially securing lower output from the same land area, has some attractions in principle but it is extremely difficult to apply in a manner which ensures effective control and value for money for the taxpayer, particularly in the livestock sector to which, under the Community legislation, we are required to accord priority. The Government therefore consider it essential to try out extensification initially on a limited pilot basis in order to determine how, and indeed whether, extensification can best be introduced without undue cost and complexity of administration and monitoring.

  I am placing copies of the consultation document in the Library. Before reaching final decisions on the nature of the pilot schemes, the Government will take account of comments, which should reach Agricultural departments by 25 August.

  Set-aside
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of land currently in set-aside is tenanted.

  Mr. Ryder
  Twenty-three per cent. of existing scheme participants have holdings which are wholly tenanted and a further 12 per cent. have some tenanted land. Information on the area of land concerned is not available.

  Farm Woodland Scheme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the distribution by county in England and Wales and by region in Scotland of land approved for inclusion in the farm woodland scheme and the amount of such land on which forestry operations have commenced.

  Mr. Ryder
  As at 16 June 1989, our computer record shows the information for England as follows:
  44

  County

  Hectares

  Avon

  5

  Bedfordshire

  16

  Berkshire

  27

  Buckinghamshire

  50

  Cleveland

  0

  Cambridgeshire

  96

  Cheshire

  23

  Cornwall

  15

  Cumbria

  42

  Derbyshire

  17

  Devon

  156

  Dorset

  85

  Durham

  3

  Essex

  54

  Gloucestershire

  171

  Hampshire

  24

  Hereford and Worcester

  167

  Hertfordshire

  6

  Humberside

  59

  Isle of Wight

  0

  Kent

  24

  Lancashire

  0

  Leicestershire

  24

  Lincolnshire

  29

  Greater London

  0

  Greater Manchester

  0

  Merseyside

  0

  West Midlands

  3

  Norfolk

  297

  Northamptonshire

  120

  Northumberland

  34

  Nottinghamshire

  25

  Oxfordshire

  163

  Shropshire

  23

  Somerset

  55

  Staffordshire

  19

  Suffolk

  201

  Surrey

  0

  East Sussex

  12

  West Sussex

  15

  Tyne and Wear

  0

  Warwickshire

  26

  Wiltshire

  92

  North Yorkshire

  87

  South Yorkshire

  0

  West Yorkshire

  0

  No details of the area planted are yet available. The situations in Wales and Scotland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland.

  Set-aside
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much land currently in set-aside has been the subject of applications for planting grant from the Forestry Commission; how much has been approved for planting; and in respect of how much land grant has been paid.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Up to 31 March 1989, the Forestry Commission had received applications under the woodland grant scheme for the planting of 70 hectares of land under set-aside in Enland. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland gave the information called for in the other parts of this question in his reply to the hon. Member on 15 June 1989 at column 20.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has any information
  45
  on the levels in fish and eels in inland waters of dieldrin and aldrin; what are the levels of these which are safe; and if he will prohibit the use of these chemicals forthwith.

  Mr. Ryder
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my Department's press notices of 20 October 1988 (No 409/88) and 18 May 1989 (204/89).

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to continue to prevent the use of dieldrin or aldrin in the production of daffodils.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have no plans to propose that the recent ban on the use of aldrin should be reconsidered, and I have taken steps to ensure safe disposal of unused stocks. The ban will be strictly enforced by Her Majesty's agricultural inspectorate, which reports to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

  Fruit Growers
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received the results of the poll of growers conducted as part of the quinquennial review of the Apple and Pear Development Council.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [pursuant to his reply of 8 March]: A poll held in February as part of the statutory review showed that a clear majority of apple and pear growers were opposed to the continuance of the APDC. At the request of growers' organisations, a second poll was held by them in May. It did not form part of the statutory review but was conducted in the same way and among the same growers. The poll showed that, whilst the majority of growers believed that the commercial functions of the APDC should in future be handled by the industry itself, they would support a new statutory council exercising a more limited range of functions, in particular those connected with R and D.

  My noble Friend has therefore decided that the APDC should be wound up. At the same time, my noble Friend has decided a new statutory council should be set up principally to promote and finance R and D in apple and pear growing and to represent the views of growers on matters of importance to them. She will be holding further discussions with growers' representatives on the more detailed provisions and arrangements relating to this new Council. She intends that it should run for three years, after which it will be subject to statutory review. The approval of Parliament is required for these measures and a statutory instrument will be laid before both Houses once discussions with growers' representatives have been completed.

  My noble Friend would like to express the Government's appreciation, which I am sure is shared by fruit growers themselves, to the chairman, Mr. Jasper Grinling, and his colleagues on the council for the unstinted services they have given to the industry.

  Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Markets
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is intended to privatise any of the wholesale fruit and vegetable markets in Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  I announced in February that, in considering the options available on the future of Covent 46
  Garden market, I was commissioning an independent commercial feasibility study into the possibilities of privatisation. Work on this will commence this month.

  I have also received a joint discussion paper from the National Farmers' Union and the National Federation of Fruit and Potato Trades about the privatisation of local authority wholesale fruit and vegetable markets. The issues raised are extremely complex and need careful consideration. I cannot at present give any indication of the likely response.

  Salmonella
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, pursuant to his reply of 17 May,Official Report, column 212–23, he is able to state whether those provisions awaiting implementation on that date have now been implemented.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Details of progress on the measure awaiting implementations at 17 May are as follows:(7) Still to be implemented.
  (10, 11) Implemented. The Poultry Flocks (Collection and Handling of Eggs and Control of Vermin) Order 1989 came into force on 26 May.
  (17) To be introduced shortly.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to increase compensation levels for birds slaughtered due to the drop in demands for eggs after the salmonella scare.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Assistance for the culling of hens to reduce the size of the laying flock is no longer available. The closing date for applications under the slaughter of hens scheme was 5 January 1989. This was an exceptional short-term measure to assist the industry when the egg market suffered severe disruption at the end of last year. The market has now stabilised, and the Government have no plans for further aid.

  Irradiated Food
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to place a contract with an advertising agency to explain the implications to the public of food irradiation; and what information he has on present public attitudes towards irradiation treated foodstuffs.

  Mr. Ryder
  I have no such plans. I naturally ensure that I am well informed on public attitudes to all matters for which I am responsible.

  Forestry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how he intends to allocate the £6 million available to Britain from the new European forestry proposals adopted at the May Council of Ministers meeting;

  (2) what savings will accrue to his Department by the adoption by the Council of Ministers of farm forestry proposals to make available European financed premia for the growing of trees on farmland.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding reply 16 June 1989]: The amount of afforestation that takes place on agricultural land—under Forestry Commission grant schemes, their

  47
  Northern Ireland equivalent and the farm woodland scheme—will determine the scale of reimbursements that the United Kingdom will be able to claim each year from the European Community.

  Parliamentary approval will be sought to appropriate the receipts in aid of the votes from which the planting grants and annual payments are funded. The receipts should therefore contribute towards the overall costs of support for forestry and agriculture.

  New Forest (Hunting Days)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action the Forestry Commission is proposing to take in respect of the recommendations of the New Forest Review Group that there be a reduction in the number of hunting days in the New Forest.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding reply 16 June 1989]: The report of the New Forest review group is still being considered. It would therefore be premature to speculate on what action the Forestry Commission might decide to take on the recommendation concerning the number of hunting days.

  Hydatid Disease
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many known cases of hydatidosis in humans there were in each of the years from 1979 to 1988; and if he will make a statement concerning his policy for the eradication of hydatid disease;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to introduce a system of free supply of medication for the eradication from dogs of hydatid disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The communicable disease surveillance centre at Colindale has received reports of the following numbers of cases of hydatid disease in humans.

  Number

  1979

  5

  1980

  6

  1981

  8

  1982

  6

  1983

  22

  1984

  10

  1985

  12

  1986

  26

  1987

  20

  1988

  not yet available

  My Department will co-operate with relevant health authorities to deal with hydatid disease in areas where this poses a risk to human health. I have no plans to introduce an eradication policy for this disease but would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 6 June, column 12–13.

  Dairy Farming
  Mr. Richard Livsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average(a) rise in hectares, (b) number of dairy cows kept and (c) farm income for the latest period for which he has figures for an average dairy farm in England.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information requested can be found in table 3.9 of the 1989 edition of "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly on 12 June,Official Report, column 298, whether the suspected cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy at markets were all identified by veterinary inspection; and how many of the cases identified at slaughterhouses were located at (a) European Economic Community-approved and (b) non-European Economic Community-approved slaughterhouses.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The 18 suspected cases of BSE identified at markets were inspected by Ministry veterinary staff, having been reported to the Ministry by various individuals at the markets. The information requested about the status of the slaughterhouses is not available for the period in question. Arrangements have been made to record this information in future.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report, a table showing the number of confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy for each county in England and Wales for the four-week period ended 16 June.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information is given in the table:

  County

  Confirmed cases

  Avon

  7

  Bedfordshire

  1

  Berkshire

  4

  Buckinghamshire

  1

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  Cheshire

  13

  Clwyd

  7

  Cornwall

  33

  Cumbria

  12

  Derbyshire

  7

  Devon

  64

  Dorset

  45

  Durham

  3

  Dyfed

  23

  Essex

  1

  Glamorgan, Mid

  1

  Glamorgan, West

  1

  Gloucestershire

  12

  Gwent

  4

  Gwynedd

  4

  Hampshire

  18

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  11

  Hertfordshire

  1

  Isle of Wight

  3

  Kent

  14

  Lancashire

  1

  Leicestershire

  12

  Lincolnshire

  6

  Manchester

  1

  Norfolk

  4

  Northamptonshire

  5

  Northumberland

  5

  Nottinghamshire

  3

  Oxon

  5

  Powys

  9

  Salop

  16

  Somerset

  45

  Staffordshire

  5

  Suffolk

  3

  Surrey

  4

  Sussex, East

  4

  Sussex, West

  13

  Warwickshire

  5

  49

  County

  Confirmed cases

  Wiltshire

  28

  Yorkshire, North

  6

  Yorkshire, West

  1

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he will be proposing in connection with the United Kingdom fishing industry at the Council of Ministers meeting during the current month.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  There are a number of issues of concern to the industry which I expect to be discussed by the Council, including the state of stocks, Channel cod and other precautionary TACs, quota hopping and beam trawling within 12 miles.

SCOTLAND

  Homelessness
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many households were accepted as homeless by the City of Glasgow, Midlothian and Inverclyde for each quarter of 1988.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  On the basis of information thus far returned by authorities, applicant households assessed as homeless by the authorities concerned are shown in the following table.

  Applicant households assessed by local authorities as homeless: 1988

  Quarter 1

  Quarter 2

  Quarter 3

  Quarter 4

  City of Glasgow

  335

  271

  313

  184

  Midlothian

  30

  31

  18

  26

  Inverclyde

  40

  26

  33

  15

  Because of different definitions and a different basis of compilation this information is not comparable with statistics of households accepted as homeless in England.

  Empty Housing
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of local authority accommodation is empty in the City of Glasgow, Midlothian and Inverclyde.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The following table shows the percentage of local authority dwelling stock which was vacant at 31 March 1989:

  Percentage

  City of Glasgow

  4·1

  Midlothian

  0·9

  Inverclyde

  3·0

  These percentages include dwellings which are unavailable for letting because they are awaiting or undergoing improvement, being held to accommodate households decanted during repair, or awaiting demolition.

  RSSPCC
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the sums of money given to the Royal Scottish 50
  Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in each of the past 10 years; for what purposes these sums were provided; what percentage of the RSSPCC's annual general income they represented; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Since 1979 we have provided grants to the society under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and the National Health (Scotland) Act 1968 and the National Health (Scotland) Act 1978 in support of its headquarters and regional activities, personal training and special projects such as the child sexual abuse project at Overnewton. The amounts and the percentage these represent of the Society's income are as follows:

  Amount of grant (£ thousand)

  Percentage of income

  1979–80

  80

  15·8

  1980–81

  93

  14·8

  1981–82

  100

  18·0

  1982–83

  126

  21·6

  1983–84

  133

  22·0

  1984–85

  106

  10·5

  1985–86

  111

  11·0

  1986–87

  107

  11·3

  1987–88

  108

  10·3

  1988–89

  137

  7·9

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums of money have been given to the Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for the purposes of training RSSPCC personnel in each of the past 10 years; how much money is to be provided in each of the next three years for this purpose; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The table lists payments made to the RSSPCC for training purposes between the years 1982–83 and 1987–88. Between 1979–80 and 1981–82 no specific training grant was awarded. From 1985–86 payments were made on a reducing scale in keeping with the pump priming purpose of the grant. No training grant has been given since 1987–88 and no new applications have been received.

  Training grant to RSSPCC (£)

  Year

  Amount

  1979–80

  —

  1980–81

  —

  1981–82

  —

  1982–83

  17,000

  1983–84

  13,367

  1984–85

  17,723

  1985–86

  18,278

  1986–87

  211,963

  1987–88

  39,367

  1 From September.

  2 Reduced rate 75 per cent.

  3 Reduced rate 50 per cent.

  Correspondence
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow can expect an answer to his letter of 29 March to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for health concerning Scottish hospices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I will write to the hon. Member very shortly.
  51
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow can expect an answer to his letter of 17 April to the Minister of State regarding Mr. James Laing and the poll tax.

  Mr. Lang
  I have replied to the hon. Member.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow can expect an answer to his letter of 3 May to the Minister of State regarding Mrs. I. Todd of Greenock.

  Mr. Lang
  I have replied to the hon. Member.

  British Nuclear Fuels
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if any Ministers or officials in his Department attended the 30th anniversary celebration, on 12 May, of British Nuclear Fuels Chapelcross plutonium and tritium production reactors in Annan.

  Mr. Lang
  One official, from the Industry Department for Scotland, was among the guests at the function held on 12 May to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Chapelcross power station.

  Policewomen
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will obtain a copy of the research on policewomen in Scotland carried out by Professor Roy Wilkie of the university of Strathclyde centre for policy studies for his departmental library as soon as it becomes available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Yes.

  Hospital Trusts
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the submissions of expressions of interest in self-governing status in the Health Service giving in each case the body or individual responsible for such expression of interest.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 12 June at column 343.

ENVIRONMENT

  Water Authorities (Land Ownership)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of land are in the ownership of(a) the Yorkshire water authority and (b) the Severn-Trent water authority; and, of these, how many have outline planning permission, and in respect of how many the authority is currently seeking such permission.

  Mr. Howard
  The Yorkshire water authority owns or has an interest in aproximately 70,000 acres of land. About 90 acres of this land has outline planning permission for development. Applications for outline planning permission for approximately 10 acres of land are currently outstanding. The Severn-Trent water authority owns or has an interest in approximately 44,000 acres of land. About 100 acres have outline planning permission for development. Outline planning permission is being sought for between 50 and 100 acres.

  Water Rates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, further to his answer of 19 April about average domestic water rate bills,Official Report, column 233, the relevant data for 1989–90 are now available.

  Mr. Howard
  The average domestic water rate bill in the Thames water authority area for 1989–90 is £100·80; The average bill for all water authorities is £119·00. That represents a real increase of 33·6 per cent. in the average bill in the Thames area, and 45·2 per cent. nationally, since 1979–80.

  Sport and Leisure Facilities
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley of 2 March,Official Report, column 283, what have been the results of his deliberations in respect of changes to section 19 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 June at column 316.

  Non-ionising Radiation
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been done into the effects of non-ionising radiation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Wide-ranging studies have been carried out over the last 20 years in many countries, including the United Kingdom, on the biological effects of non-ionising radiation. Currently the National Radiological Protection Board is undertaking a wide-ranging review of these studies. This review should be published before the end of the year.

  Bristol Channel (Sewage Outlets)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to require Wessex Water and South West Water to seek planning permission for raw sewage outlets into the Bristol channel; and if he will make a statement on the different sources of pollution which enter this marine cul de sac.

  Mr. Howard
  No. Under part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974, water authorities are required to obtain consent before making a discharge into the sea or water courses. Where schemes require planning permission, this is a matter for the local planning authority to determine under the Town and Country Planning Acts. With regard to sources of pollution in the Bristol channel, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 6 June at column 90.

  Leaflets
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the leaflets issued in connection with the Water Bill and the community charge, together with the print runs and costs of production of each leaflet, their main avenues of distribution and their estimated costs of distribution.

  Mr. Ridley
  I am writing to the hon. Member with the detailed information he requests.

  Sewage Works (Quality Controls)
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the proposals he has received for the relaxation of quality controls for sewage works in Derbyshire.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment gave on 11 May at column 520. Applications for these works are being advertised in local newspapers in the areas concerned.

  Norfolk House, East Kilbride
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his plans for Norfolk house, East Kilbride.

  Mr. Chope
  Norfolk house is still on the market for disposal.

  Green Belt (Derbyshire)
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to release land from the green belt in north-east Derbyshire for opencast mining or other purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The Government's policy on green belts is set out in the Department of the Environment's planning policy guidance note No. 2. Paragraph 15 of that guidance makes clear that minerals can be worked only where they are found. Their extraction need not be incompatible with green belt objectives, provided that high environmental standards are maintained and that the site is well restored, but each case must be considered on its merits.

  Water Quality
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice his Department has given water authorities on estimating the costs of complying with the legal standards for pesticides and nitrates laid down in EC directive 80/778/EEC.

  Mr. Howard
  The Department is asking water authorities to estimate the cost of complying with the pesticides and nitrate standards in EC directive 80/778/EEC, in the context of setting initial K (the initial price-increase limit) and identifying further items of expenditure (cost pass-through). For nitrate all cost of achieving compliance will be in initial K, while for pesticides some will be in K and some in cost pass-through.

  East Beach, Shoeburyness
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to include east beach, Shoeburyness within the scope of the bathing water directive.

  Mr. Howard
  The range of facilities at the beach and the degree of use of the water at east beach, Shoeburyness bring this bathing water within the scope of the directive and I am pleased to announce that we have now identified it for the purposes of the directive.

  Environmental Pollution
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is(a) his and (b) the EC's policy on
  54
  involving non-EC European countries in the common measures to protect the environment against acid rain, water pollution, chlorofluorocarbons, and similar dangers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government and of the European Community that measures to protect the environment should be taken at the most appropriate level for the problem addressed, whether by individual member states, by the Community as a whole or in a wider context. The United Kingdom and EC play a leading role in developing a common approach with other European countries in such bodies as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the United Nations environment programme.

  Set-aside Land
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when details of the top-up payments for farmers who undertake to bring about environmental improvements on set-aside land will be announced.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Details of the Countryside Premium for set-aside land were announced today by the chairman of the Countryside Commission. The scheme will be run by the Countryside Commission, with the help of the Nature Conservancy Council and in close co-operation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. We believe it will ensure that the set-aside scheme introduced last year by MAFF will produce positive benefits for the environment. We welcome the imaginative way this scheme has been developed.

  Farmers will be invited to manage their set-aside land in ways that will benefit landscape and wildlife habitat, or provide increased recreational opportunities for the local community. Five options will be available to farmers, comprising the management of existing hedgerows or creation of new hedgerows and belts of broadleaved trees and shrubs; the creation of grassland area for the enjoyment of local people and the benefit of wildlife; the creation of habitat for suitable ground-nesting birds; the provision in selected areas of winter grazing for Brent geese; and the restoration of particularly valuable habitat in certain areas.

  The scheme will be discretionary with applications assessed on their merits. Payments to farmers will range from £45 to £120 per hectare.

  The scheme will initially be open to farmers in eastern England, in the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Suffolk. This is an area in which there has been a relatively high rate of take-up for set aside, and the scope for environmental improvement under the countryside premium is that much greater.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of English community charge leaflets delivered to occupants in houses in the county of Berwickshire in Scotland, on behalf of his Department.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 15 June 1989]: It is not possible to provide a precise estimate. On the best

  55
  information available to me, however, up to 1,450 community charge leaflets may have been delivered to addresses in the former county of Berwickshire. This arose because a postal sector and certain postal addresses are common to both England and Scotland. The mailing house involved has apologised for the mistake. The Central Office of Information, which acted as our agents in this matter, is seeking an abatement of the cost. This is however likely to have been about £500. At the same time, approximately 21 million copies of the leaflets were being delivered throughout England.

  Drug Registration Scheme
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received the Association of District Councils document and letter of 2 May regarding its proposed operation of a national dog registration scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 9 June 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment on 14 June at column 1076.

  Rottweiler Dogs
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ban the importation of Rottweilers.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 8 June 1989]: No. I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 14 June in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Drake (Dame J. Fookes) at column 465 on extended controls over dangerous dogs.

DEFENCE

  Project Anchor
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about project Anchor.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am not familiar with any project of that name.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects that agreement will be reached on a choice of radar and avionics systems for the European fighter aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As my hon. Friend knows, the choice of radar for EFA is under active consideration, and a decision will be made at the earliest opportunity. The selection of other elements of the avionics fit is being undertaken progressively.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what agreement has been reached with his West German counterpart on further transfers of low-flying training by West German military aircraft to Britain.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what figure has been agreed with his West German 56
  counterpart for the maximum number of low-level training flights to be conducted by the Royal Air Force over West Germany in 1989.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of low-flying training by Royal Air Force units based in Germany has been conducted in the United Kingdom in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 10 May 1989 at column 475.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what agreement has been reached with the United States authorities on the transfer of United States Air Force low-flying training from West Germany to Britain.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Military Aircraft (Jettisoning)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the legislative provisions and flying regulations governing the jettisoning of(a) live weapons, (b) inert weapons, (c) fuel tanks and (d) other equipment from military aircraft in flight.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Military aircraft activity over the United Kingdom and surrounding waters is carried out in accordance with comprehensive joint service regulations. These prohibit the dropping of articles over land or sea except when authorised for training or operational purposes or at the discretion of the pilot when the safety of the aircraft may be seriously endangered by not doing so.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all incidents since 1979 in which weapons, fuel tanks or other equipment have been inadvertently dropped, or deliberately jettisoned for safety reasons, from military aircraft over the United Kingdom, stating the date, location, type of aircraft and nature of the equipment dropped in each case.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Such detailed information is not held centrally and could not be collated without disproportionate cost and effort.

  Darren Francis
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he hopes to answer the letter dated 8 March from the hon. Member for South Hams about Darren Francis of 4 Victoria place, Brixham, Devon, and his discharge from the Army.

  Mr. Neubert
  As I explained in my letter of 4 April, the case is being investigated. I shall write shortly.

  Submarines (Orkney and Shetland)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any British or allied submarines were in the area between Orkney and Shetland on 12 or 13 June; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No Royal Navy or NATO submarines were in this area at the time.

  Services (Underwear)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sets of underwear are issued per week to armed services personnel.

  Mr. Neubert
  Underwear is not issued to armed services personnel for normal everyday wear. Certain items of underwear are issued to personnel engaged in some field training, operational or specialist tasks, but information on the number of issues is not readily available.

  Loan Service Personnel
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each country to which United Kingdom armed forces are currently posted as loan service personnel; and the numbers involved for each country.

  Mr. Neubert
  As of 31 March 1989, the most recent date for which comprehensive data is readily available, there were United Kingdom loan service personnel in:

  Australia

  Bahrain

  Bangladesh

  Barbados

  Belize

  Bermuda

  Botswana

  Brunei

  Dominica

  Fiji

  Gambia

  Ghana

  Hong Kong

  Indonesia

  Jordan

  Kenya

  Kuwait

  Lesotho

  Malaysia

  Mauritius

  New Zealand

  Nigeria

  Oman

  Qatar

  Saudi Arabia

  Singapore

  St. Lucia

  St. Vincent

  Sudan

  Swaziland

  Turks and Caicos Islands

  United Arab Emirates

  Zimbabwe

  The number in each country is confidential between Her Majesty's Government and the Government concerned.

  Saudi Arabia
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose, and result of the recent visit to Saudi Arabia of Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Sir David Craig.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Sir David Craig visited Saudi Arabia soon after his appointment as chief of defence staff in order to familiarise himself with the defence relations between the two countries. The result has been to establish warm, personal contact between himself and the most senior members of the Saudi Defence Ministry and armed forces.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it is proposed that the first venture proposals are to be discussed with the Saudi Government offset committee; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The first two venture proposals developed under the A1 Yamamah economic offset programme were put to the Saudi Government offset committee for its consideration in mid-May. As announced in a news release by my Department on 26 May, the first proposal is for the establishment of a missile engineering facility in the kingdom involving British Aerospace and Dowty Rotol. Secondly, British Aerospace has expressed positive interest in participation in an aluminium smelter which may be established in Saudi Arabia.

  Command and Control System
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply,Official Report, 27 April, column 663, whether he will make a statement on the policy of allowing UKSL Ltd. to choose the programming languages for the IUKADGE command and control computer ICCS and this policy's relationship with the departmental policy of standardisation on the use of the programming language ADA as the means to ensure reliability and maintainability of software; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The IUKADGE ICCS is a largely NATO-funded project and therefore subject to NATO policy direction; the NATO financial authorities, in approving the NATO contribution to IUKADGE ICCS costs, directed that existing NATO air defence ground environment (NADGE) software was to be re-used to the greatest extent possible. Neither the MOD nor NATO formally adopted ADA as the single preferred language standard for real-time defence computer applications until more than three years after the award of the IUKADGE ICCS contract to UKSL.

  NAAFI
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes tenders for the operation of civilian staff restaurants within his Department receive any subsidy from the Department beyond that available to all other tenderers and if that part of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes which submits tenders produces discreet accounts to demonstrate that its activities are not receiving subsidy from other Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes activities within his Department.

  Mr. Neubert
  No. The Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) is treated no differently from other contractors invited to tender for the operation of civilian staff restaurants in MOD establishments, in that premises, equipment, power and utensils are all provided at public expense. All contractors are responsible for management, staff and labour costs, food supply, preparation and serving. Cleaning of premises is arranged under separate contracts. There is no requirement for the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes to produce separate accounts of the operation of the civilian staff restaurants, which they have been contracted to operate.

  Lightning Aircraft
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of the service life extension programme for RAF Lightning aircraft; and how many aircraft were involved in this programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The total cost of the life extension programme for RAF Lightning aircraft was in the order of £2 million and covered 35 aircraft.

  Military Exercise (Stornoway Airport)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft from the fleet requirements and air direction unit will operate from Stornoway airport during the forthcoming military exercise.
  59
  Mr. Neubert
  No aircraft of the fleet requirement and air direction unit are planned to operate from Stornoway airport during the forthcoming military exercise.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many military aircraft, other than Phantoms and Tornados, and from which units, will operate from Stornoway airport during the forthcoming military exercise;

  (2) how many military personnel will be deployed to Stornoway airport during the forthcoming military exercise;

  (3) how many Phantom aircraft, and from which units, will operate from Stornoway airport during the forthcoming military exercise;

  (4) how many Tornado aircraft, and from which units, will operate from Stornoway airport during the forthcoming military exercise;

  (5) what instructions are being issued to military pilots making use of Stornoway airport in the forthcoming military exercise concerning the carrying out of run and break manoeuvres prior to landing;

  (6) what is the planned number of military jet sorties to be flown into and out of Stornoway airport during the forthcoming military exercise (a) per day and (b) in total; and how many of these are planned to take place between the hours of 5 pm and 7 am;

  (7) what is the stipulated circuit height for military jet aircraft using Stornoway airport during periods of military control of the airfield.

  Mr. Neubert
  From 20 June to 3 July, six Tornados from No. 11 Squadron, RAF Leeming and one Sea King from No. 202 Squadron, RAF Manston, accompanied by 175 personnel, will deploy to RAF Stornoway. During 21 to 22 June and 30 June to 3 July, support will be provided by a small number of Hercules transport sorties. Between 22 to 29 June, it is planned that the Tornados will fly some 52 sorties, normally six to eight each day. An average of two sorties each day will be between 5 pm and 10.45 pm, but there will be no flying between 10.45 pm and 7 am, and no flying at all on Sunday 25 June. The Sea King helicopter will undertake a small number of sorties as required.

  All flying will be conducted in accordance with normal RAF regulations. Aircrew will be briefed fully on local conditions. The stipulated circuit height for Tornados flying the Westerly circuit at Stornoway (largely over land) is 1,100 ft: for the Easterly circuit (largely over sea) it is 800 ft. With regard to run and break manoeuvres, I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 10 March, Official Report, column 675.

  Service Publications Store (Woolwich Arsenal)
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many publications are currently being handled by the service publications and forms store at Woolwich arsenal; how many documents are now being issued annually; and what were the comparable figures(a) five and (b) ten years earlier.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Royal Air Force and Royal Navy keep forms and publications in two separate stores at Woolwich arsenal. These, together with the Army stocks at Donnington, are to be relocated to Llangennech, Dyfed by 1991.
  60
  The Air Force currently holds about 2 million copies of publications and the Navy almost one million. Some 950,000 and 250,000 copies are issued annually from the respective stores.

  Records of stock holdings and issues, five and 10 years ago, are not maintained and it would not be cost effective to research these details. Stocks of publications have, however, increased over the years and the collocation of the stores will present an opportunity to reduce stocks, rationalise systems and generally improve efficiency.

  Army (Home Owners)
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of serving members of the Regular Army are home owners.

  Mr. Neubert
  The current percentage of home ownership by serving members of the Regular Army is 26·3 per cent. This figure represents 71·4 per cent. of officers and 18·4 per cent. of other ranks.

  Army (Ages)
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of serving members of the Regular Army are over the age of 25 years; and what was the corresponding figure 20 years ago.

  Mr. Neubert
  Due to the availability of statistics, the latest figures we have are December 1988 to correspond with the figures of 20 years ago, December 1968. On this basis, the figures are as follows:

  Regular Army over the age of 25

  December

  Percentage

  1988

  51

  1968

  48

  Service Children (Schooling)
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many boys, the sons of service personnel, have attended Crookham Court school on Ministry of Defence grants since 1974.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence does not maintain past records of the numbers of children of service personnel who have attended particular boarding schools. However, at the start of the 1988–89 academic year there were 61 children of service personnel at Crookham Court school; this number has since fallen to 32.

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Service Children's Education Authority last visited Crookham Court school, Newbury, Berkshire.

  Mr. Neubert
  Crookham Court school was last visited on 8 February 1989.

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether in agreeing to pay boarding school allowance for the child of service parents, his Department considers(a) the standard of education on offer and (b) the academic success achieved by a school.

  Mr. Neubert
  The criteria for the admissibility of a school for service boarding school allowance purposes
  61
  were given in written answer on 9 June, at column 257. These criteria do not take account of the academic success rate, since this is a matter for parents to consider in the light of their children's abilities. The standard of education must, however, be comparable to that available within the state system.

  Malaysia (Arms Sales)
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the value of arms sales by the United Kigdom to Malaysia for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The value of major arms sales by the United Kingdom to Malaysia for the last five years, as reported to the Ministry of Defence, is:

  Year

  £ million

  1984

  4·3

  1985

  nil

  1986

  3·3

  1987

  2·1

  1988

  16·0

  Total

  25·7

  AWRE (Safety)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the environmental and safety improvements that have been instituted(a) at the atomic weapons research establishment at Aldermaston and (b) at other atomic weapons research establishment facilities since the Pochin report.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Pochin report related to radiological health and safety specifically at Aldermaston. Since the report, AWE has taken remedial action to deal with the deficiencies found, and has made changes including the training of staff; recruitment and deployment of specialist health and safety, engineering and support staff; continuing additions to the personnel radiation monitoring programmes as modern technology advances; and the addition of a substantial environmental monitoring programme around all AWE sites.

  Anti-Nuclear Weapons Protest Groups
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, during the meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Defence Ministers in Brussels on 8–9 June, the views and role of anti-nuclear weapons protest groups was discussed.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what volumes of toxic wastes are present at the Ministry of Defence, atomic weapons establishment or Royal Ordnance factories at Aldermaston, Burghfield, Caerwent and HMS Vulcan; what storage and disposal facilities exist for these wastes; and what health and safety provisions cover the wastes.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not the practice to give details of the quantities of radioactive and other toxic waste substances held at MOD premises. Any such wastes are held temporarily in appropriate containers and storage buildings until they can be disposed of safely in accordance with legislative commitments. While being stored, the wastes are subject to the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974. Disposal is subject to agreement with relevant environmental regulatory departments (Her Majesty's inspectors of pollution; the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; and, where relevant, the Welsh Office and Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate in Scotland). Transport of wastes is subject to regulatory measures of the Health and Safety Executive and the Department of Transport.

  Equestrian Activities
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those official equestrian activities which are supported by public funds.

  Mr. Neubert
  The following equestrian activities are supported from public funds:

  Ceremonial and public duties

  Equitation training

  National and NATO service competitions.

  COMMONHOLD
  COMMONHOLD
  NORTHERN IRELAND: CERTIFIED-OUT TRIALS
  NORTHERN IRELAND: CERTIFIED-OUT TRIALS
  NORTHERN IRELAND: SCHEDULED OFFENCES REMAND DATA
  NORTHERN IRELAND: SCHEDULED OFFENCES REMAND DATA
  IMMIGRATION APPEALS: JUDICIAL REVIEW
  IMMIGRATION APPEALS: JUDICIAL REVIEW
  REVERTER OF SITES ACT 1987
  REVERTER OF SITES ACT 1987
  CHARITY COMMISSIONERS' ADVICE TO TRUSTEES
  CHARITY COMMISSIONERS' ADVICE TO TRUSTEES
  MURDER THREATS: LEGAL SANCTIONS
  MURDER THREATS: LEGAL SANCTIONS
  MAGISTRATES' COURTS: FINES AND FEES 1987/89
  MAGISTRATES' COURTS: FINES AND FEES 1987/89
  TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS: COSTS 1986/87
  TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS: COSTS 1986/87
  APPLE AND PEAR DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
  APPLE AND PEAR DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
  EC EXTENSIFICATION SCHEMES FOR BEEF AND SHEEPMEAT
  EC EXTENSIFICATION SCHEMES FOR BEEF AND SHEEPMEAT
  PLUTONIUM EXPORTS TO US: USES
  PLUTONIUM EXPORTS TO US: USES
  SET-ASIDE: PREMIUM SCHEME
  SET-ASIDE: PREMIUM SCHEME
  DISCONTINUED DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOL PROPERTY: SALE
  DISCONTINUED DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOL PROPERTY: SALE
  TRIDENT MISSILES
  TRIDENT MISSILES