Written Answers of 26 June 1989

SCOTLAND

  East Kilbride (Transport)
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many homes would have to be demolished to make way for British Rail's proposed extension to East Kilbride town centre.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Until detailed studies have been commissioned it is impossible to say how many homes would have to be demolished, but it is established public policy to keep such numbers to an absolute minimum, consistent with the technical requirements of any development proposal.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to hold an inquiry into British Rail's proposal to build a rail extension into East Kilbride town centre.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  If British Rail is unable to satisfy the petitioner against the relevant provisional order deposited under the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936, the provisions of the Act require that the Secretary of State shall direct an inquiry by commissioners.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration has been given to improving the existing 'park and ride' facilities serving East Kilbride town centre.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This is a matter for Strathclyde passenger transport executive to consider in consultation with East Kilbride development corporation and Scot Rail. I understand that the existing park and ride facilities are to be retained.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost of the proposed British Rail proposed extension to East Kilbride town centre.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A preliminary estimate published with the provisional order gave a total cost of £8·295 million. However East Kilbride development corporation stresses that any such estimates are somewhat speculative until detailed design studies have been concluded particularly in this case as some tunnelling would be necessary and in the absence of detailed knowledge of local geological conditions.

  Forestry
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what effect changes in taxation relating to the forestry industry made in the 1988 budget have had on that industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is too early to say precisely what effect the 1988 Budget changes will have on 286
  the forestry industry. We do, however, expect that there will be some temporary reduction in the amount of new planting as the industry adjusts to the new arrangements.

  Glasgow School of Art
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the total grants given to the Glasgow school of art by his Department for each year since 1981 in 1989 money; and what is the planned grant for 1990–91.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is set out in the table.

  Glasgow school of art recurrent and non-recurrent grants(£ million Financial year)

  Financial year

  Recurrent

  Non-recurrent

  Total grants

  1981–82

  3·376

  0·306

  3·682

  1982–83

  3·767

  0·420

  4·137

  1983–84

  3·823

  0·128

  3·951

  1984–85

  3·867

  0·391

  4·258

  1985–86

  3·832

  0·249

  4·081

  1986–87

  3·957

  0·034

  3·991

  1987–88

  4·059

  0·493

  4·552

  1988–89

  3·889

  0·761

  4·650

  Note: The figures have been expressed at 1989–90 prices, using the latest GDP deflator.

  For 1989–90, an offer of £3·795 million grant-in-aid for recurrent expenditure has been made, subject to parliamentary approval; the value of non-recurrent grant (for capital items) has not yet been determined. Firm plans have not yet been made for 1990–91; decisions will be made towards the end of this year in the light of the school's institutional plans, resources available for the grant-aided college sector as a whole, and the Government's proposals to shift the balance of funding for universities and colleges such as Glasgow school of art from grant-in-aid towards students' tuition fees with effect from the academic year 1990–91.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that the Glasgow school of art remains open.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have every confidence that the school will continue. My recent decision to abolish quotas on student intakes will encourage the school to increase student numbers and generate more income.

  Departmental officials are in close touch with the school about the preparation of its institutional plan for 1990–91 and beyond, and decisions on the allocation of grant-in-aid for 1990–91 will be taken later this year in the light of that. I am also considering proposals for major capital expenditure to improve physical facilities at the school.

  Epilepsy Centre
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the reasons why the support rate for epilepsy centre clients in Strathclyde increased at a lower rate than actual running costs in the period between 1 April 1987 and 1 April 1989;

  (2) what is his Department's policy towards the provision of support rate for epilepsy centre clients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The level of financial support for day care and residential centres provided by voluntary
  287
  bodies or for those attending them is at the discretion of the regional council. My right hon. and learned Friend has no power to intervene in their decisions.

  Common Services Agency
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if doctors will continue to have the same choice when they purchase orthopaedic appliances following the Common Services Agency's takeover of the allocation of contracts from health boards;

  (2) what advice was taken from doctors regarding the decision to transfer the purchasing of orthopaedic apliances from the health boards to the Common Services Agency;

  (3) what savings he expects will be made following the Common Services Agency's takeover of the allocation of contracts for the purchase of orthopaedic appliances.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The purchasing of orthopaedic appliances continues to be the responsibility of the relevant health boards. The supplies division of the Common Services Agency acts on their behalf in the arrangement of contracts for the supply of orthopaedic appliances, as for many other commodities bought by the Health Service. The new contracts arranged by the Common Services Agency, which come into effect on 1 July, were entered into on the advice of a panel of health board experts including a consultant orthopaedic surgeon from Greater Glasgow health board. The contracts give doctors access to the same range of items as at present and each health board has a choice of suppliers for most items.

  The contracts include special clauses designed to ensure that the appliances are of good quality and it is expected that patient satisfaction will be improved as a result. The main purpose of the new contracts is to improve quality, but they will also make significant savings compared with current costs. The precise amount will depend on the number of appliances of various types which are bought under the new contracts but is provisionally estimated at approximately £1 million.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Immigration Appeals (Scotland)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the number of immigration appeals heard in Scotland for each year since 1976.

  The Attorney-General
  The number of appeals heard by immigration adjudicators in each year since 1976 is as follows:

  Number

  1976

  96

  1977

  86

  1978

  97

  1979

  129

  1980

  119

  1981

  92

  1982

  116

  1983

  163

  1984

  148

  1985

  164

  1986

  149

  1987

  116

  1988

  160

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average payment received by solicitors and by barristers acting for the defence in legal aid cases considered by the Crown court and in which the standard fee applies.

  The Attorney-General
  The average standard fee received by solicitors for preparation of the brief for counsel and other matters including attendance at court in legal aid cases in the Crown court was £258·67 in the financial year 1988–89. In the same year the average standard fee received by barristers for preparing for trial and providing representation in the Crown court in legal aid cases was £209·10.

  Killan Fach Farm, Swansea
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will outline the action he has taken, and the reasons for that response, on the application to him from the City of Swansea Council to authorise a prosecution under the Agricultural Land (Removal of Soil) Act 1953 against the owner of Kilian Fach Farm, Swansea.

  The Solicitor-General
  I refused my consent to a prosecution since the time limit for commencing proceedings expired before the council presented me with any information to enable me properly to consider the case.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Cambodia
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will be attending the Paris peace conference on Cambodia in July.

  Mr. Eggar
  The French Government plan to host an international conference on Cambodia in August. In principle, we expect to attend.

  Ivory
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Bosworth (Mr. Tredinnick),Official Report, 7 June, column 138, what information he has on the Hong Kong Government's urgent review of its position on trading in ivory; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Hong Kong Government announced on 9 June their support for a ban on trade in new ivory. Pending the outcome of the meeting of the convention on international trade in endangered species in October 1989, they have suspended the issue of licences for imports of raw ivory from all sources.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those members of the European Economic Community who have acceded to the United Nations and Council of Europe conventions on human rights, respectively; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government concerning any similar declarations by the European Community.
  289
  Mr. Eggar
  All members of the European Community except Ireland and Greece have ratified the international covenant on civil and political rights; all but Ireland have ratified the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights. These are the two major United Nations human rights instruments. The position on other United Nations conventions varies. All EC members have ratified the European convention on human rights.

  The United Kingdom is signatory to the 1977 joint declaration, by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, of fundamental rights. Protection of human rights forms an important part of EC law.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will ensure that the United Kingdom delegate to the 41st session of the United Nations human rights sub-commission due to sit in Geneva this summer makes a definitive and strong statement about gross violations of human rights in Ethiopia, and a demand for a direct response.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The British member of the United Nations human rights sub-commission is an independent expert and does not take instructions from Her Majesty's Government.

  Rain Forest
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the environmental damage caused by British companies to the Amazon rain forest;

  (2) whether he will have discussions with the chairman of (a) British Petroleum, (b) Barclays, (c) Shell and (d) British American Tobacco about reducing the environmental damage caused by them to the Amazon rain forest; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) whether he will sek a meeting with representatives of the Brazilian Government to discuss ways of regulating the activities of foreign companies to prevent the destruction of the Amazon rain forest; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) whether he will have discussions with British Petroleum about reducing the environmental damage caused to the Amazon rain forest by that company; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will be visiting Brazil, including the Amazon region, from 4 to 9 July. During his visit, he will be discussing with Brazilian Ministers and officials our efforts to identify effective ways of helping them with a wide range of environmental problems, including rain forest conservation. He will also be meeting representatives of British companies operating in Brazil with whom he hopes to discuss their role in environmental protection.

  The hon. Member will be aware of recent media reports alleging involvement by United Kingdom companies in rain forest destruction. We are studying these, but I understand that the companies claim that these press reports contain important errors of fact, and that they themselves operate significant environmental protection programmes in their projects in Brazil.

  Human Rights (Australia)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has made complaining about the denial of human rights in the last five years in Australia.
  290
  Mr. Eggar
  None.

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

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have made a number of representations about human rights to the Kenyan authorities over the last five years, but the precise information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. We welcome the recent release of all political detainees.

  Executions (China)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made in connection with the continuing executions of protestors in China: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Representations have been made in Peking to the Chinese authorities on behalf of all 12 EC members appealing for clemency. We have made it clear that we deeply deplore the recent executions and have renewed our appeal to the Chinese authorities not to persecute those campaigning for their democratic rights.

  Deportations (Iraq)
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Iraq about the forced deportation of 100,000 people from the town of Qaladiza which began on Monday 12 June; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I summoned the Iraqi ambassador on 14 June and repeated our concern about renewed reports of mass resettlement of Kurdish people within northern Iraq. We view these stories with considerable concern. We shall continue to press the Iraqis to allow foreign diplomats and journalists access to the areas in question to see for themselves.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the matter of the Iraqi programme of forced deportations of its Kurdish minority in the context of European Economic Community political co-operation, as well as in other appropriate international meetings.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We discuss this issue regularly with our partners in the Twelve, as well as in other international meetings, and shall continue to do so.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Iraq about its campaign of forced deportation of its Kurdish citizens; if he will protest strongly against this breach of Iraq's obligations under the international human rights conventions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I summoned the Iraqi ambassador on 14 June to repeat our concern at renewed reports of the mass resettlement of Kurds from northern Iraq. The Iraqi
  291
  authorities are under no illusion that we expect them to fulfil their obligations under the human rights conventions to which they are a signatory.

  Immigration
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for residency in the United Kingdom from all people in(a) Hong Kong, (b) Pakistan, (c) India and (d) Soviet Union have been (i) accepted and (ii) rejected in each year since 1979 for each respective country.

  Mr. Renton
  I have been asked to reply.

  I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 8 May columns 286–88, which gave the information available for the numbers granted settlement in the United Kingdom, and for the numbers of applications received, granted and initially refused for entry clearance for settlement and for a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in the United Kingdom. The available information on refusals of applications for settlement made on arrival in the United Kingdom and after admission for a limited period are given in the following tables:

  Table 1

  Persons1 seeking settlement in the United Kingdom on arrival who were refused leave to enter and removed from the United Kingdom, by certain nationalities

  1979–88

  Number of persons

  2Hong Kong

  Pakistan

  India

  Soviet Union

  1979

  3

  45

  42

  —

  1980

  4

  35

  22

  —

  1981

  1

  25

  32

  1

  1982

  1

  41

  30

  —

  1983

  3

  47

  51

  —

  1984

  1

  34

  —

  30

  198S

  1

  26

  17

  —

  1986

  2

  63

  50

  —

  1987

  6

  54

  22

  —

  1988

  5

  31

  31

  —

  1 Includes those seeking settlement on grounds of marriage.

  2 British Dependent Territory citizens.

  Table 2

  Refusals1 of applications for settlement made in the United Kingdom following initial admission for a limited period, by certain nationalities.

  1986–88

  Number of persons

  2Hong Kong

  Pakistan

  India

  Soviet Union

  1986

  20

  140

  210

  —

  1987

  30

  150

  210

  —

  1988

  20

  100

  150

  —

  1 Includes refusals of applications for settlement on grounds of marriage.

  2 British Dependent Territory citizens.

  Political Asylum
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements his Department is making to deal with requests for political asylum from people in China who fear persecution.

  Mr. Renton
  I have been asked to reply.

  In accordance with our normal practice, we will look carefully at any entry clearance application made in China from a Chinese national claiming to be in immediate danger who has links with the United Kingdom.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Research Biologists
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set up an inquiry into the future supply of research biologists.

  Mr. Jackson
  No.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further information he has received or new decisions he has made since 19 June in respect of his scheme for students' loans.

  Mr. Jackson
  Following my right hon. Friend's statement on 19 June at columns 21–22, we have set in hand continued discussions with the financial institutions on the arrangements for the top-up loans scheme. We shall announce further details of those arrangements in due course.

  Public Relations
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which public relations firms his Department has employed and at what cost, for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The consistent practice of successive Governments has been to avoid the use of public relations firms or other firms outside government for public relations work, apart from their use by some Departments in the special circumstances of privatisation work.

  University Teachers (Outside Earnings)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his latest discussions with the university authorities about the optimum level of outside earnings of university teachers.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have not had any formal meeting with the university authorities on this topic but I have discussed it, like many others, in my frequent contacts with the academic world.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his reply of 19 June,Official Report, column 33, if he will publish a revised version of annex E to the White Paper on student loans to include estimates of administrative costs, interest subsidy, default and write off costs, on the assumption of (a) 80 per cent. take-up, (b) 90 per cent. take-up and (c) 100 per cent. take-up.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 21 March at columns 497–99, which showed the effect of various take-up assumptions on the estimates in annex E of Cm. 520. Those estimates made allowance for the cost of an illustrative 10 per cent. default rate, and of writing off debts in cases of death or of deferment beyond the age of 50. Those estimates also allowed for the cost of the zero real interest rate, which has the effect, as compared with a higher interest rate, of reducing the size of repayments. The administrative costs mentioned in my

  293
  right hon. Friend's statement on 19 June at columns 21–22 were based on there being 1·15 million accounts in 1995. It is estimated that the scheme will grow eventually to some 2·5 million accounts in the second decade of the next century, but it is not expected that administrative costs will increase in proportion.

  Chinese Students
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of Chinese students presently enrolled in each educational institution in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jackson
  Details for individual institutions are confidential. In 1987–88, there were 1,200 full-time and part-time students in further and higher education in the United Kingdom from the People's Republic of China.

  Main links and projects supported under academic links with China scheme (ALCS)—April 1989

  Year ALCS support ends

  Chinese Institution

  United Kingdom Institution

  Subject

  Main contact

  1990–91

  China National Research Centre for Science and Technology for Development (CNRCSTD) CHI/992/14

  Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) Sussex University

  Science Policy Research

  Professor C. H. G. Oldham

  1990–91

  Shanghai Medical University CHI/992/24

  Middlesex Hospital Medical School

  Medical Biochemistry

  Professor P. N. Campbell

  1990–91

  Nanjing Agricultural College CHI/992/32

  Rothamsted Experimental Station

  Plant Virus Research

  Dr. A. J. Cockbain

  1990–91

  Foreign Affairs College Beijing CHI/992/38

  Queen Elizabeth House Oxford

  International Relations

  Mr. N. Maxwell

  1990–91

  Nanjing College of Pharmacy CHI/992/39

  Strathclyde University

  Pharmaceutics

  Professor J. Midgley

  1990–91

  Dalian Institute of Technology CHI/992/44

  University of Liverpool

  Engineering Optimization

  Dr. A. B. Templeman

  1989–90

  People's University of China, Beijing CHI/992/56

  University of Sussex

  Economics and Comparative/International Politics

  Dr. R. Benewick and Dr. R. White

  1990–91

  Institute of Soviet and East European Studies/Institute of Contemporary International Relations CHI/992/60

  Glasgow University

  Soviet and East European Studies

  Professor W. V Wallace

  1990–91

  Tongji University, Shanghai CHI/992/61

  Sheffield University

  Petroleum Geology

  Professor C. D. Curtis

  1988–89

  Nanjing University CHI/992/66

  Leeds University

  Quantitative Economics Management of Enterprise

  Dr. A. D. Pearrnan

  1990–91

  University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) CHI/992/74

  Imperial College/UMIST

  Computational Combustion

  Professor D. B. Spalding Professor B. E. Launder

  1989–90

  University of Beijing/National Cancer Hospital, Beijing CHI/992/79

  Glasgow University

  Oral and Maxillo-faciat Surgery

  Mr. K.. Moos

  1989–90

  Institute of Mechanics, Beijing CHI/992/80

  Oxford University

  Engineering Science

  Dr. C. Ruiz

  1988–89

  Nanjing Institute of Posts and Telecommunications CHI/992/81

  Chelmsford College of Higher Education

  Telecommunications

  Dr. J. P. Sumner

  1989–90

  Gansu University of Technology CHI/992/83

  Strathclyde University

  Electrical Engineering

  Dr. K. Lo

  1990–91

  Institute of High Energy Physics CHI/992/89

  Southampton University

  Hard X-Ray Astronomy

  Dr. D. Ramsden

  1990–91

  Beijing Agricultural Engineering University CHI/992/90

  Silsoe (Agricultural) College (part of Crantield Institute of Technology)

  Agriculture

  Professor B. May

  Educational Institutions (China)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has about current cultural and educational links between educational institutions in the United Kingdom and China.

  Mr. Jackson
  This Department keeps no record of links between educational institutions in this country and China. The British Council, with funds from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Overseas Development Administration, administers a variety of cultural and educational programmes. A list of current activity under the academic links with china scheme (ALCS) is as follows:
  295

  Year ALCS support ends

  Chinese Institution

  United Kingdom Institution

  Subject

  Main contact

  1990–91

  Institute of Economic Research Beijing University CHI/992/96

  University of Cambridge Faculty, Board of Economics and Politics

  Development Economics

  Dr. A. Hughes

  1990–91

  Beijing College of Commerce CHI/992/97

  Lancashire Polytechnic

  Business and Management Education

  Mr. N. Maynard

  1990–91

  Xiamen University CHI/992/90

  City University

  Electrochemistry

  Professor A. C. Tseung

  1989–90

  Shanghai Fisheries College CHI/992/101

  Humberside College of Education

  Fisheries Education and Research

  Mr. R. Blair

  1989–90

  Ministry of Urban and Rural Construction and Environmental Protection (MURCEP) CHI/992/102

  Strathclyde University (ABACUS)

  Building Design

  Professor T. Maver

  1988–89

  University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Beijing CHI/992/106

  Lancaster University

  Management Education Methods

  Mrs. M. E. McClintock

  1989–90

  Chinese Commission for Integrated Survey of Natural Resources CHI/992/107

  Institute of Terrestrial Ecology

  Natural Resources

  Mr. J. N. R. Jeffers

  1989–90

  Central South Institute of Technology, Changsha CHI/992/110

  UMIST

  Metallurgy and Materials

  Professor E. Smith and Dr. R. Taylor

  1989–90

  Beijing Institute of Labour Protection

  Queen Mary College

  Coal Combustion and Power Plant Design

  Dr. J. Sharpe

  1989–90

  Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) CHI/992/112

  School of Oriental and African Studies

  Chinese History

  Dr. D. Pollard

  1988–89

  Chengdu University of Science and Technology CHI/992/114

  Dundee University

  Civil Engineering

  Professor A. Vardy

  1989–90

  Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Crop Protection and Plant Biotechnology CHI/992/115

  Rothamsted Experimental Station

  Forestry Sciences

  Dr. T. Lewis

  1989–90

  Shanghai Jiaotong University CHI/992/116

  Birmingham University

  English Language Teaching

  Professor J. Sinclair

  1990–91

  Xian University CHI/992/119

  St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London and Trinity College, London

  Medical Science and Clinical Medicine

  Professor P. Richards and Dr. C. Seymour

  1989–90

  Zheijiang Agricultural University CHI/992/121

  University of Newcastle upon Tyne

  Soil Science Studies

  Professor K. Syers

  1989–90

  Institute of West Asian and African Studies, CASS CHI/992/122

  Exeter University

  Middle Eastern Studies

  Dr. T. C. Niblock

  1990–91

  Institute of Philosophy, Beijing CHI/992/124

  Royal Institute of Philosophy

  Philosophy

  Dr. M. Tiles

  1989–90

  Beijing Normal University and Hangzou CHI/992/125

  University of Sussex

  Education

  Dr. K. Lewin

  1990–91

  Tianjin University of Science and Technology CHI/992/126

  Manchester University

  Internal Combustion Engine

  Professor D. E. Winterbone

  1989–90

  Shenzhen and Chongsha University CHI/992/127

  Manchester University

  Polymer Chemistry

  Dr. C. Booth

  1990–91

  Tongji University CHI/992/128

  Bradford University

  Mathematics Modelling (of Flow and Pollution Transport)

  Professor R. A. Falconer

  1990–91

  Xian Jiaotong University CHI/992/130

  Strathclyde University

  Institutional Link (Business Studies)

  Mr. R. L. Crawford

  1990–91

  Northern Jiaoton University CHI/992/131

  Oxford Polytechnic

  Town Planning

  Mr. T. E. Mervyn-Jones

  1990–91

  East China Petroleum Institute CHI/992/132

  Herriot-Watt University

  Petroleum Engineering

  Professor Stuart

  1990–91

  Shanghai University of Technology CHI/992/133

  Manchester University

  Fluid Mechanics

  Dr. J. Turner

  296 297

  Year ALCS support ends

  Chinese Institution

  United Kingdom Institution

  Subject

  Main contact

  1990–91

  Shanxi Agricultural University CHI/992/134

  UCw Aberystwyth

  Agricultural Sciences

  Mr. G. Brown

  1990–91

  Institute of Quantitative Economics, CASS, Beijing CHI/992/135

  Herriot-Watt University

  Economics

  Professor Hare

  1990–91

  Nanjing Institute of Meteorology CHI/992/136

  Edinburgh University

  Meteorology

  Dr. Weston

  1990–91

  Lanzhao and Xinjiang University CHI/992/137

  Liverpool, Institute of Tropical Medicine

  Tropical Medicine

  Dr. New

  1990–91

  Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts CHI/992/138

  Slade School of Fine Art

  Fine Arts

  Professor George Cohen

  1990–91

  People's University, Beijing CHI/992/139

  Aston University

  Management Education

  Professor J. Child

  1990–91

  State Science and Technology Commission, Beijing CHI/992/140

  Aston University

  Science Policy

  Dr. F. Steward

  1990–91

  Tianjin College of Finance and Economics CHI/992/141

  North East London Polytechnic

  Management Economics

  Mr. G. Minshaw

  1990–91

  China Research Academy for Environmental Sciences, Beijing CHI/992/142

  Liverpool University

  Environmental Sciences

  Professor Dix

  1991–92

  Beijing University of Iron and Steel Technology CHI/992/143

  Lancaster University

  Higher Education Administration

  Dr. P. Summerfield

  1991–92

  Hauzhong Normal University CHI/992/145

  South Bank Polytechnic

  Information and Technology

  Dr. J. G. Taylor

  1991–92

  East China Normal University CHI/992/146

  University of London Institute of Education

  Education

  Professor A. Taylor

  1991–92

  Shanghai Jiatong University CHI/992/147

  Queen Mary College

  Mechanical Engineering

  Professor W. A. Woods

  1991–92

  Institute of Scientific and Technical Information CHI/992/148

  Ealing College of Higher Education

  Information Science

  Mr. James Shearer

  1991–92

  Nanjing University CHI/992/149

  Edinburgh University

  History

  Professor Dickinson

  1991–92

  Chongqing University CHI/992/150

  Leicester University

  Space Physics

  Dr. J. Beynon

  1991–92

  Dalian University of Technology CHI/992/152

  Hydraulics Research Ltd.

  Hydraulics Research

  Dr. E. P. Hart

  1991–92

  Beijing University Applied Mathematical Studies CHI/992/153

  Leeds University

  -

  Professor D. B. Inghare

  1991–92

  Fudan University CHI/992/154

  University of Essex

  International Politics

  Professor A. King

  1991–92

  North China Institute of Electrical power CHI/992/155

  Queens University, Belfast

  Electrical Engineering

  Mr. B. W. Hogg

  In addition, it is estimated that there are currently about 3,000 Chinese students in this country, under a variety of award schemes. The British Government provide approximately 1,000 of these awards.

  There is also a small programme involving Chinese teachers who come to the United Kingdom to work with local education authorities for up to one academic year. In the current year, 10 Chinese teachers are attached to LEAs. Four United Kingdom teachers have visited China under this programme this year. Some administrative support for this programme is provided by the central bureau, a body grant-aided by this Department.

  Teachers (Salaries)
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford of 8 May,Official Report, column 299, if he will now publish a table based on the 1987 database of teacher records data showing the distribution of teachers across the salary scales at March 1987, distinguishing between primary and secondary sectors; whether the numbers of teachers in each sector on scale 3, scale 4 or senior teacher scales agrees with the projections made by his Department based on the March

  299
  1985 database of teacher records data for the purposes of salary assimilation in September 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  [holding answer 14 June 1989]: The information is as follows:

  Distribution of teachers by salary scale: March 1987

  Nursery and primary schools1

  Secondary schools1

  Scale 1

  55,920

  —

  59,120

  —

  Scale 2

  63,240

  —

  59,470

  —

  Scale 3

  14,360

  (16,000)

  56,490

  (53,000

  Scale 4

  300

  (0)

  29,950

  (28,500)

  Senior teacher

  50

  (0)

  7,280

  (6,500)

  Deputy head

  18,680

  —

  10,310

  —

  Head

  21,740

  —

  4,990

  —

  TOTAL

  174,280

  —

  227,610

  —

  1 The figures in brackets are the numbers forecast in 1987 on the basis of the 1985 database of teacher records.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Entertainers and Sportsmen
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been earned by Her Majesty's Inland Revenue under the entertainers and sportmen's rules introduced by the Finance Act 1986 and now contained in chapter III of part XIII of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The special scheme for deducting tax at source from payment to non-resident entertainers and sportsmen yielded £6·9 million net (after repayments) in the period I May 1987 (when it took effect) to 31 March 1988 and £12·4 million net in 1988–89.

  Housing Costs
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, further to the reply by the Economic Secretary to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury on 16 June,Official Report, column 549, he will indicate what percentage proportion of (a) the Italian consumer price index, and (b) the United Kingdom retail prices index is represented in each case by the lists of housing costs contained in his reply.

  Mr. Lilley
  The information is as follows:

  Weight given to housing costs in the United Kingdom RPI and Italian consumer price index.

  (All items = 100)

  United Kingdom

  Italy

  Owner occupier costs

  MIPs

  6·0

  0·0

  Rental costs

  Rent

  3·2

  4·5

  Other costs

  Rates

  4·2

  0·0

  Water and other charges

  0·7

  0·4

  Repair and maintenance charges

  0·9

  Dwelling insurance and ground rent

  0·8

  0·0

  Do it yourself materials

  1·7

  0·0

  Total housing costs

  17·5

  4·9

  Interest Rates
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the increased costs to British industry of each 0·5 per cent. increase in interest rates.

  Mr. Lilley
  The cost to industrial and commercial companies of a 0·5 per cent. increase in United Kingdom short-term interest rates maintained for a full year is estimated to be about £0·2 billion.

  Economic and Finance Council
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

  Mr. Lilley
  The ECOFIN Council met in Luxembourg on 19 June. I represented the United Kingdom.

  The Council adopted a regulation re-weighting the ecu.

  The Council reached substantive agreement on a common position, subject to some further procedural details, on the draft second banking co-ordination directive and on the solvency ratios directive; and reached agreement on a common position on the insider trading directive.

  The Council reached agreement on a common position on a revised financial regulation. The Council adopted the 18th VAT directive.

  The Council had a further discussion of the Commission's proposals on fiscal frontiers.

  The Council discussed proposals for the three company tax measures to encourage cross-border co-operation.

  The Council heard a progress report on the latest proposals for anti-fraud measures, supported the useful progress made since the March ECOFIN, and endorsed the need to continue progress.

  Public Service Management
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of his recent Audit Commission lecture on public service management.

  Mr. Major
  I have already done so.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the estimated gain to the Exchequer in 1988–89 and 1989–90 of reducing capital gains tax exemptions from £5,000 to(a) £1,000 and (b) £2,000; and what would be the number of people who would have chargeable gains on this basis.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 19 June 1989]: I regret that precise estimates are not possible, but the figures for gains realised in each of these years could be of the order of:

  Annual exempt amount

  Increase in revenue

  Increase in number of taxpayers

  £ million

  '000

  £1,000

  300

  500

  £2,000

  200

  200

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the estimated gain to the
  301
  Exchequer in 1990–91 of reducing capital gains tax exemptions from £5,000 to (a) £1,000 and (b) £2,000 and the number of people who would have chargeable gains on this basis allowing for the impact of independent taxation.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 19 June 1989]: I regret that no sufficiently firm estimate can be made.

  Water Privatisation
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he gave specific approval for additional moneys to the water authorities for pre-flotation advertising.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 20 June 1989]: The Government allowed for expenditure on the water authorities' current corporate awareness advertising campaigns when approving the water authorities' overall financing limits.

PRIME MINISTER

  NATO (Weapons Deployment)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on what is meant in terms of length of time by the phrase, "for the foreseeable future," in regard to the need for a continued mix of conventional and nuclear weapons in Europe deployed by NATO.

  The Prime Minister
  This agreement was reached by 16 Governments. It is not for any one Government to vary the normal meaning of the words.

  Australian Prime Minister
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if, during her meeting with the Prime Minister of Australia on his forthcoming visit to Europe, she has any plans to raise(a) initiatives to be taken to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in the lead up to the 1990 non-proliferation treaty review conference, and (b) the arrangements for safeguards on uranium imported to the United Kingdom from Australia.

  The Prime Minister
  We discussed non-proliferation matters. The answer to the second part of the question is no.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if, during the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister of Australia, she plans to raise(a) the amendment conference for the 1963 partial nuclear test ban treaty and (b) the French nuclear testing programme in the Pacific and its effect on the treaty of Rarotonga.

  The Prime Minister
  Nuclear testing in the Pacific was discussed.

  Conventional Force Cuts, Europe
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the basis for her statement at the NATO press conference in Brussels on 30 May that President Bush's plan for conventional force cuts in Europe within six months to a year is a very optimistic timetable.

  The Prime Minister
  The practical details (such as definitions, counting rules and verification arrangements)302
  of a negotiation as complex as this are daunting. Negotiating satisfactory arrangements within the timetable we have set ourselves will be hard work, but we have made a good start.

  Apartheid
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will use the opportunity of her planned discussions with Mr. F. W. de Klerk to urge the South African Government to negotiate an end to apartheid.

  The Prime Minister
  Yes. We want to see the peaceful abolition of apartheid through negotiation.

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her discussions on rain forest issues with Dr. Ghillean Prance during her official visit to Kew gardens.

  The Prime Minister
  During my visit to the Royal botanical gardens at Kew on 16 June, I spoke to a number of experts with whom I discussed, among many other things, the problems of tropical reafforestation which follow the destruction of natural habitats.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she will host a conference in Britain for private companies to enable discussions to take place in order to reduce the damage caused to rain forests throughout the world: and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I share the widespread concern about the depletion of the tropical rain forests, and this was among the subjects discussed at the seminar which I held at Downing street on 26 April which involved individuals from the world of science and of business. I have no present plans for a further conference.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list, for each year since 1986, all the ministerial talks and meetings held by her or other Ministers with Ministers or representatives of the Governments of(a) Guatemala, (b) Haiti, (c) Honduras, (d) E1 Salvador and (e) South Africa.

  The Prime Minister
  The following table lists those meetings at ministerial level of which we have records. Ministers have had additional informal bilateral meetings in the margins of international conferences.

  In addition to these formal and informal meetings with their opposite numbers, Ministers in London regularly see the ambassadors of these countries in the course of their normal duties.

  Country

  Date

  1986

  El Salvador

  None

  Guatemala

  7 May

  Lady Hooper met President Cerezo at inauguration of President Arias in San José

  17 November

  Lady Young met President Cerezo at Miami Conference

  Haiti

  November

  Lady Young met General Henri Namphy (then President) at Miami Conference

  303

  Country

  Date

  Honduras

  17 November

  Lady Young met President Azcona at Miami Conference

  15 December

  Lady Young met Foreign Minister Lopez Contreras in London

  South Africa

  23 July

  Foreign Secretary met State President PW Botha and Foreign Minister Pile Botha in South Africa

  27 July

  Foreign Secretary met Foreign Minister Pik Botha and Minister of Trade and Industry de Villien

  29 July

  Foreign Secretary met Foreign Minister Pik Botha, Finance Minister du Plessis and State President PW Botha

  October

  Chancellor of The Exchequer met Finance Minister du Plessis

  1987

  El Salvador

  11–12 May

  Foreign Minister Acevedo Peralta met Foreign Secretary and Lady Young in London

  Guatemala

  11 February

  Lady Young met President Cerezo and Foreign Minister Quiñones in Guatemala

  21 September

  Foreign Secretary met President Cerezo in New York

  20 October

  Mr. Eggar met Minister of Economy Lizardo Sosa Lopez in London

  Honduras

  None

  South Africa

  28 November

  Mrs. Chalker met Deputy Foreign Minister Kobus Meiring in South Africa

  1988

  E1 Salvador

  9 March

  Mr. Eggar met Foreign Minister Acevedo Peralta in London

  Guatemala

  8 March

  Foreign Secretary and Mr. Eggar met Vice-President Carpo Nicolle in London

  December

  Mr. Eggar met President Cerezo in Miami

  Honduras

  27–28 April

  Foreign Secretary and Mr. Eggar met Foreign Minister Lopez Contreras in London

  South Africa

  1 November

  Mrs. Chalker met Deputy Foreign Minister Kobus Meiring in South Africa

  1989

  E1 Salvador

  1 June

  Mr. Alan Howarth, Whip, attended inauguration of President Cristiani as a Ministerial Representative, saw members of incoming administration

  Guatemala

  2–3 March

  Mr. Eggar met Vice-President Carpo Nicolle, Foreign Minister Palencia and Interior Minister Valle Valdizan in Guatemala City

  Haiti

  February

  Mr. Eggar met Foreign Minister Serge Charles at inauguration of President Perez of Venezuela

  Honduras

  27 February

  Mr. Eggar met Minister of Health in Honduras

  304

  Country

  Date

  South Africa

  15 March

  Foreign Minister Pik Botha met Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary in London

  1 April

  Foreign Minister Pik Botha met Prime Minister in Namibia

  24–25 April

  Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary met Finance Minister du Plessis in London

  23 June

  Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary met Minister of National Education de Clerk

  Economic Assistance
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will ensure that the principle of making economic assistance and trade credits conditional on an improvement in democratic and human rights is applied in the case of Iraq as well as in that of Poland.

  The Prime Minister
  We regularly make clear to the Iraqi Government our concerns over their human rights record, but we do not believe that unilateral economic measures would be effective in ending human rights abuses. Only by maintaining a working relationship can we hope to achieve changes. I announced a number of steps on 10 June following my meeting with General Jaruzelski to support progress towards democracy and a market economy, including the contribution of £5 million a year for five years towards a "Know How" fund. Our policy on export credit guarantees for Poland is governed by economic considerations.

  China
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will ensure that the current events in China and the repression by the Chinese authorities will be discussed as a matter of urgency at the EEC summit in Madrid; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I can assure the hon. Member that the current repression by the Chinese authorities will be discussed at the forthcoming Madrid European Council.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will protest to the Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom on the executions now taking place in China; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary told the House on 6 June that he had summoned the Chinese chargé d'affaires to make clear our attitude to the violent suppression of peaceful protest in Peking. As I made clear in the House on 22 June, I was among the first to condemn the recent executions in China, about which representations have also been made to the Chinese authorities by the 12 EC member states.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, in the light of the Social Security Advisory Committee's report, "Benefits for Disabled People: A Strategy for Change", he plans to increase spending on disability benefits.
  305
  Mr. Scott
  Current expenditure plans, Command 615, provide for spending on benefits for the sick and disabled to increase by over £3 billion by 1991–92. We shall give careful consideration to the report of the Social Security Advisory Committee when we reach conclusions on the implications of the results of the surveys of disability carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. It is too soon to say how this will affect existing expenditure plans.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of his Department's offices in the Greater London area have spent more than 100 per cent. of their profile allocation for social fund loans and social fund grants for (i) April 1989 and (ii) May 1989.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is as follows:

  Loans

  April 1989

  Balham

  Barking

  Canning Town

  Cricklewood

  Ealing

  Edgware

  Greenwich Park

  Kennington Park

  Paddington

  Poplar

  Romford

  Shoreditch

  Southwark

  Walthamstow

  Wood Green

  May 1989

  Bexley

  Brixton

  Camberwell

  Canning Town

  Croydon

  Crystal Palace

  Ealing

  Edmonton

  Eltham

  Greenwich Park

  Harlesden

  Highgate

  Hounslow

  Kensington

  Oval

  Paddington

  Peckham

  Poplar

  Southwark

  Thames North

  Tottenham

  Walthamstow

  Woodgrange Park

  Wood Green

  Woolwich

  Community care grants

  April 1989

  Barking

  Barnet

  Canning Town

  Cricklewood

  Crystal Palace

  Ealing

  Edgware

  Eltham

  Euston

  Finsbury Park

  Harrow

  Hither Green

  Kennington Park

  306

  Kensington

  Neasden

  Oval

  Paddington

  Peckham

  Poplar

  Romford

  Southwark

  Stoke Newington

  Twickenham

  Wood Green

  Woolwich

  May 1989

  Balham

  Barking

  Bexley

  Camberwell

  Canning Town

  Croydon

  Ealing

  Euston

  Finsbury Park

  Greenwich Park

  Harrow

  Hendon

  Kensington

  Leytonstone

  Oval

  Peckham

  Shoreditch

  Walthamstow

  Wood Green

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of his Department's offices in the Greater London area have spent between 90 per cent, and 100 per cent, of their profile allocation for social fund loans and social fund grants for (i) April 1989 and (ii) May 1989.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is as follows:

  Loans

  April 1989

  Bexley

  Chelsea

  Croydon

  Edmonton

  Euston

  Hackney

  Highgate

  Hoxton

  Mitcham

  Peckham

  Tottenham

  Wandsworth

  Wimbledon

  Woodgrange Park

  Woolwich

  May 1989

  Barnet

  Finsbury Park

  Hackney

  Kingston

  Leytonstone

  Mitcham

  Notting Hill

  Stepney

  Streatham

  Stoke Newington

  Sutton

  Community Care Grants

  April 1989

  Balham

  Battersea

  Bexley

  Bloomsbury

  Brixton

  Camberwell

  Chelsea

  307

  Croydon

  Greenwich Park

  Hackney

  Harlesden

  Hendon

  Highgate

  Hoxton

  London City

  Plaistow

  Stepney

  Sutton

  Tottenham

  Walthamstow

  Wandsworth

  Westminster

  Woodgrange Park

  May 1989

  Acton

  Barnet

  Battersea

  Brixton

  Bromley

  Chelsea

  Crystal Palace

  Edgware

  Hackney

  Highgate

  Mitcham

  Neasden

  Notting Hill

  Romford

  Stepney

  Streatham

  Westminster

  Woodgrange Park

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many decisions made by social fund officers are overturned by social fund inspectors.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The social fund commissioner has advised me that in the period from 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 social fund inspectors reviewed 2,499 cases. A total of 1,109 were referred back to social fund officers to redetermine and in 96 cases the social fund inspector substituted his own decision.

  Hostels
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what grants are available for the establishment of hostels.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Grants can be made under schedule 5 of the Supplementary Benefit Act 1976, as amended, to voluntary organisations and/or local authorities. These would be to set up facilities for those people without a settled way of life with a view to influencing them to lead a settled way of life. However, such grants are currently being restricted to organisations that provide hostels which form part of an approved scheme to replace resettlement units.

  Public Relations
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which public relations firms his Department has employed, and at what cost, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Apart from the special circumstances of privatisation work, the consistent practice of successive Governments has been to avoid the use of public relations firms or other firms outside Government for public relations work.

  Housing Benefit
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the numbers of people receiving housing benefit rent allowances in May 1986, May 1987, and May 1988.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is as follows. The figures represent the estimated average number receiving benefit in the year.

  Estimated numbers receiving housing benefit rent allowances

  Million

  1986–87

  1·18

  1987–88

  1·20

  1988–89

  0·93

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the numbers of people who are currently receiving rent allowance via housing benefit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest available estimate for 1989–90 is 1·04 million.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the categories of information held in his Department that are available for use by community charge registration officers.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information that may be passed to community charge registration officers is prescribed in the Community Charges (Information Concerning Social Security) (Scotland) Regulations 1988 and the Community Charges (Information Concerning Social Security) Regulations 1989. It is confined to the name and address of any person aged over 18, and of any partner he or she may have aged over 18, who has been awarded income support and who, prior to 1 April 1989 in Scotland and prior to 1 April 1990 in England and Wales, has not claimed housing benefit, or who, after 1 April 1989 in Scotland and after 1 April 1990 in England and Wales, has not claimed a community charge rebate. In Scotland the information may also include the date of birth of any such person.

  Pensioners
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of pensioners in(a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom whose only source of income is the basic national insurance retirement pension.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In 1986, just under 20 per cent. of United Kingdom pensioners' sole source of income was from state benefits.

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey 1986.

  Notes: The data cannot be broken down further to provide the proportion of pensioners' income derived from the basic state pension.

  It is not possible to provide information for Scotland because the Scottish sample size in the FES is too small to be statistically significant in answering this question.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of pensioners in(a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom who are in receipt of housing benefit for each year since 1981.
  309
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information for Great Britain is as follows. Figures for Scotland and the United Kingdom are not available in the form requested. Housing Benefit did not come into full operation until April 1983.

  Estimated number of pensioners receiving Housing Benefit 1983–4—1988–9.

  Million

  1983–4

  4·105

  1984–5

  4·110

  1985–6

  4·120

  1986–7

  4·030

  1987–8

  4·045

  1988–9

  2·850

  War Widows
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many war widows are receiving war widows pensions because their husband left the services before 31 March 1973; and what would be the total cost of uprating their pensions to £5,000 per person.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At 31 March approximately 56,000 pre-1973 war widows were in receipt of a pension under the war pensions scheme. We estimate that the total extra cost of uprating their pensions to £5,000 per person would be about £100 million per annum.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the regulations governing the treatment of earnings from the Territorial Army for unemployed males receiving benefit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Unemployed people receiving earnings from the Territorial Army arc most likely to be in receipt of unemployment benefit, income support and housing benefit. The main provisions dealing with the treatment of these earnings in each benefit are as follows.

  The regulation governing the effect on unemployment benefit of earnings specifically from the Territorial Army is regulation 3(3) of the Social Security (Computation of Earnings) Regulations 1978. Under this regulation no account is taken of annual bounty and payment in respect of attendance at the first 16 authorised drill nights each year. Further payments are subject to regulation 7(1)(g)(i) of the Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Regulations 1983, under which a day is not treated as a day of unemployment if earnings for that day exceed £2.

  For unemployed reservists receiving income support or housing benefit, the weekly amount of the earnings and the period for which they are to he taken into account are determined by reference to regulations 29, 31 and 32 of the Income Support (General) Regulations, and regulations 21 and 25 of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations. Payments made in respect of income tax, class 1 national insurance contributions and half of any sum paid by an employee towards an occupational or personal pension scheme are disregarded under regulation 36(3) of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 and regulation 29(3) of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987. The first £15 of weekly earnings is also disregarded under paragraph 7(1) of schedule 8 to the income support regulations and paragraph 6(1) of schedule 3 to the housing benefit regulations.
  310
  The annual bounty paid to reservists is treated as capital under Income Support (General) Regulation 48 and Housing Benefit (General) Regulation 40(1) and does not affect entitlement as long as the total capital held does not exceed £3,000.

  For income support only, reservists attending annual training camp are normally treated as being in remunerative work and are not entitled to benefit in accordance with regulation 5 of the Income Support (General) Regulations. Earnings arising from this period are ignored completely on reclaiming benefit under the provision of paragraph 1 of schedule 8 to the regulations.

  Community Care Grants
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether in addition to any provision in the Acts and regulations, there is any(a) guidance to all Departments of Social Security offices and (b) internal guidance within the offices covering the Peckham constituency on the amounts to be awarded to people in different categories who are given community care grants.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Guidance has been issued in the social fund manual on suggested maximum amounts which may be awarded to applicants who need a start-up grant, a clothing grant and minor structural repairs to the home. The decision on how much to award in an individual case rests with the social fund officer.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether there is any(a) guidance to all Departments of Social Security offices and (b) internal guidance within the offices covering the Peckham constituency on the priority for community care grants as between homeless women in refuges, people coming out of mental institutions, children leaving care, and others.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Guidance on the national priorities for community care grants has been issued in the social fund manual. Local office managers have issued guidance to social fund officers on local priorities.

  Benefits
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what level of state benefit income an unemployed family consisting of mother, father, and two children aged 12 and 5 years received in 1979; and what benefit they would receive today if 1979 benefits had been increased to match inflation if the benefits were paid on the same basis as in 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There is no prescribed procedure for uprating supplementary benefit or housing benefit— different elements of these schemes have been uprated in different ways and by different indices at different times.

  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing the number of families with children:(a) entitled to and (b) receiving supplementary benefit/income support in each year since 1970, distinguishing between one and two-parent families.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 3 May 1989]: The available information is as follows:
  311

  Families with children receiving supplementary benefit/income support and estimated eligible non-recipient families by family status

  Total in receipt

  One parent families in receipt

  One parent families eligible but not in receipt

  Two parent families in receipt

  Two parent families eligible but not in receipt

  (000s)

  (000s)

  (000s)

  (000s)

  (000s)

  1970

  364

  218

  —

  146

  —

  1971

  436

  246

  —

  190

  —

  1972

  433

  259

  —

  175

  —

  1973

  373

  257

  60

  116

  80

  1974

  405

  269

  —

  136

  —

  1975

  502

  296

  —

  206

  —

  1976

  556

  323

  —

  233

  —

  1977

  553

  326

  50

  227

  —

  1978

  535

  339

  —

  196

  —

  1979

  488

  322

  60

  166

  60

  1980

  581

  336

  —

  245

  —

  1981

  794

  392

  50

  402

  150

  1982

  929

  441

  —

  488

  —

  1983

  975

  475

  40

  500

  —

  1984

  1,057

  518

  —

  539

  —

  1986

  1,172

  606

  —

  565

  —

  1987

  1,181

  664

  —

  517

  —

  Notes:

  1. Sources: Annual statistical enquiries 1970 to 1987 for those families with children in receipt of benefit. For eligible non-recipient families appropriate Family Expenditure Survey data.

  2. The two columns can not be added to give a total figure of those claiming and not claiming. Recipient families are identified on a 'snapshot basis'. Take-up estimates are based on an average caseload over the year and exclude the institutional population and from 1983 to 1987 Housing Benefit Supplement recipients.

  3. All estimates, but especially of eligible non-recipients, are subject to sampling error.

  4. One parent familes exclude those temporarily separated.

  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing the estimated number of families(a) entitled to and (b) receiving family income supplement/family credit in each year since 1971,

  Families with dependent children receiving family income supplement/family credit and eligible non-recipient families with dependants by family and employment status

  Employed10

  Self-employed1011

  One parent

  Two parent

  Estimated eligible non-recipients (one or two parents)39

  One parent

  Two parent

  (000s)

  (000s)

  (000s)

  (000s)

  (000s)

  Family income supplement1

  August 1971

  15

  30

  —

  8—

  1

  April 1972

  27

  51

  —

  8—

  3

  April 1973

  35

  44

  —

  1

  3

  April 1974

  39

  33

  —

  1

  3

  April 1975

  30

  22

  —

  1

  3

  April 1976

  30

  25

  —

  1

  4

  April 1977

  36

  42

  —

  1

  5

  April 1978

  40

  49

  475

  1

  5

  April 1979

  37

  36

  —

  1

  4

  April 1980

  49

  33

  —

  1

  5

  April 1981

  53

  45

  5130

  1

  7

  April 1982

  63

  66

  —

  2

  11

  April 1983

  76

  92

  6150

  3

  18

  April 1984

  78

  100

  —

  3

  23

  April 1985

  80

  95

  —

  3

  25

  April 1986

  79

  92

  —

  4

  26

  April 1987

  87

  97

  —

  4

  31

  Family credit

  April-December 1988

  n.a.

  n.a.

  7250

  n.a.

  n.a.

  March 19892

  100

  139

  —

  8

  35

  1 Source: 10 per cent. sample of Family Income Supplement awards.

  2 1989 Family Credit figures derived from Family Credit statistical system and North Fylde Central Ofice load. Earlier figure on comparable terms are not available.

  3 Eligible non—recipients from Family Expenditure survey.

  4 1978—79 FES.

  5 1981—82 FES.

  6 1983—84 FES.

  312
  distinguishing between employed, self-employed, one-parent and two-parent families, and including a case-load estimate for its current year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 3 May 1989]: The information is as follows:
  313

  7 April-December 1988 FES. Around 50 per cent. of eligible population of 500,000 employees.

  8 Under 500.

  9 Columns for claimants and eligible non-claimants cannot be added to give a precise total figure of those claiming and not claiming. Recipient families are identified on a 'snapshot basis'.

  Take-up estimates are usually based on an average caseload over two years. For Family Credit, the take-up estimate is based on 9 months of Family Expenditure Survey data.

  10 All estimates, especially those for eligible non-recipients, are subject to sampling error.

  11 No estimates are available for self-employed eligible non-recipients. Separate estimates of eligible non-recipient one parent and two parent employed cases would be subject to large sampling errors.

  Benefits (Children)
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many English children depended on(a) SB/IS and (b) FIS/FC in each year since 1978–79 (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of all English children.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 4 May 1989]: The latest available information is set out in the following tables.

  Dependent children in families in England in receipt of supplementary benefit

  Year

  Number of children1 in families receiving supplementary benefit2 Thousands

  Proportion of all children in England3 Percent.

  1978

  894

  7·8

  1979

  784

  6·9

  1980

  937

  8·4

  1981

  1,294

  11·7

  1982

  1,495

  13·8

  1983

  1,573

  14·8

  1984

  1,704

  16·3

  1986

  1,870

  18·2

  1987

  1,880

  18·4

  1 Dependent children aged under 19.

  2 Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries 1978 to 1987.

  3 Based on the Child Benefit recipient population.

  Children in families in England receiving Family Income Supplement

  Year

  Children in families receiving FIS1 Thousands

  Proportion of all children in England2 Per cent

  1978–79

  169

  1·5

  1979–80

  151

  1·3

  1980–81

  154

  1·4

  1981–82

  193

  1·7

  1982–83

  267

  2·5

  1983–84

  338

  3·2

  1984–85

  354

  3·4

  1985–86

  340

  3·3

  1986–87

  367

  3·6

  1987–88

  376

  3·7

  1 Source: 10 per cent. sample of Family Income Supplement awards and Social Security Statistics for those receiving Child Benefit.

  2 Based on Child Benefit recipient population.

  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Scottish children depended on(a) SB/IS and (b) FIS/FC in each year since 1978–79 (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of all Scottish children.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 4 May 1989]: The available information is as follows:

  Children in families in Scotland in receipt of supplementary benefit

  Year

  Number of children1 in families receiving supplementary Benefit2 Thousands (000)

  Proportion of all children in Scotland3 Percentage

  1978

  122

  9·3

  1979

  112

  8·7

  1980

  122

  9·6

  314

  Year

  Number of children1 in families receiving supplementary Benefit2 Thousands (000)

  Proportion of all children in Scotland3 Percentage

  1981

  159

  12·8

  1982

  187

  15·5

  1983

  181

  15·3

  1984

  202

  17·4

  1986

  219

  19·6

  1987

  225

  20·5

  1 Dependent children aged under 19.

  2 Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries 1978 to 1987.

  3 Based on the Child Benefit recipient population.

  Children in families in Scotland receiving family income supplement

  Year

  Children in families receiving family income supplement1 Thousands (000)

  Proportion of all children in Scotland2 Percentage

  1978–79

  24

  1·8

  1979–80

  20

  1·6

  1980–81

  24

  1·9

  1981–82

  28

  2·3

  1982–83

  37

  3·0

  1983–84

  38

  3·2

  1984–85

  50

  4·3

  1985–86

  48

  4·2

  1986–87

  51

  4·5

  1987–88

  53

  4·8

  1 Source: 10 per cent. sample of FIS awards and Social Security Statistics for those receiving Child Benefit.

  2 Based on the Child Benefit recipient population.

  Grants and Loans
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of(a) budgetary loans and (b) community care grants were awarded to each of the 15 client groups defined by his Department for the midlands region in the financial year 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 19 June 1989]: The table shows the figures for the midlands region for the period 11 April 1988 to 31 march 1989.

  Budgeting loans and community care grants for midlands region Percentage by client group—1988–89

  Client group

  Budgeting loans

  Community care grants

  Unallocated or unidentified

  0·34

  0·21

  Over 80—with income support higher pensioner premium

  0·35

  5·19

  Aged 60–79—disabled with higher pensioner premium

  0·49

  4·03

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

  4·10

  16·59

  Lone parent with income support disability premium

  0·30

  0·82

  Family with disability premium

  3·28

  3·00

  Other with disability premium

  2·67

  9·48

  Lone parent without disability premium

  43·90

  25·13

  Signs at UBO quarterly with income support family premium

  0·85

  0·51

  315

  Client group

  Budgeting loans

  Community care grants

  Signs at UBO quarterly without family premium

  2·29

  1·34

  Signing unemployed or with training allowance with family premium

  18·39

  8·51

  Signing unemployed or with training allowance without family premium

  18·55

  16·67

  Others with family premium

  0·92

  2·14

  Others without family premium

  3·55

  5·72

  Involved in trade dispute

  0·01

  0·00

  Applicant not in receipt of income Support—not applicable for budgeting loans

  n/a

  1·00

HEALTH

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest figure for the number of hospitals which have expressed interest in becoming self-governing institutions within the National Health Service.

  Mr. Mellor
  A total of 179 expressions of interest in self-governing status have been received. Some are for non-hospital facilities and others include more than one hospital.

  Leaflet

  Print run

  Production cost

  Distribution

  £

  Avenue

  Cost£

  Working for Patients:

  Management summary

  350,000

  109,250

  RHAs; DHAs; CHCs;

  15,500e

  FPCs; GPs

  RHAs; DHAs; Post Offices;

  Popular leaflet HSR1

  3,000,000

  117,050

  Libraries, Pharmacies

  222,255e

  Self Governing Hospitals:

  Staff leaflet HSR2

  250,000

  23,000e

  RHAs

  12,706

  Local public leaflet HSR3

  250,000

  RHAs

  1 Estimated cost.

  2 Excludes Post Office distribution costs covered by an annual contract.

  RHA Regional Health Authority.

  DHA District Health Authority.

  CHC Community Health Council.

  FPC Family Practitioner Committee.

  GP General Medical Practitioner.

  Private Health Care
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from the Health Service unions on the question of private health provision.

  Mr. Mellor
  None.

  Crown Indemnity
  Sir Gerald Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he proposes to implement a scheme of Crown indemnity for doctors and dentists working in National Health Service hospitals and community health services, as outlined in the reply to the hon. Member for Newbury (Sir. M. McNair-Wilson), on 7 April,Official Report, column 304; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are currently considering the responses to the consultation exercise which finished in May. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.
  316
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that his proposals for hospitals opting-out of the National Health Service management structure will be supported by the staff responsible for providing all services to hospital patients.

  Mr. Mellor
  Self-governing hospitals will not opt out, but will remain fully within the NHS. When a unit decides to submit an application for self-government, the relevant regional health authority will seek the views of those with an interest including staff at the hospital. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State will consider any responses alongside the application, although no group will have a veto on any proposals.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the leaflets issued in connection with proposals to reform the National Health Service together with the print runs and costs of production for each leaflet, their main avenues of distribution and their estimated costs of distribution.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 June 1989]: The following leaflets have been issued in connection with proposals to reform the National Health Service:

  Public Relations
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which public relations firms his Department has employed and at what cost, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Mellor
  None. The consistent practice of successive Governments has been to avoid the use of public relations firms or other firms outside government for public relations work.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the waiting list for each district health authority as at 31 March and indicate the rank order of each district in size of its waiting list.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not yet have available figures of the number of people waiting for hospital treatment in each district health authority at 31 March 1989.

  "Working for Patients"
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will state the distribution by National Health Service region, by spending head and by spending head within each National Health Service region of the extra £40 million so far announced for the implementation of the proposals in "Working for Patients".

  Distribution of £32 million additional funding for the hospital and community health services 1989–90

  (£ million)

  1Personnel function

  1Finance function (staff)

  2Capital charging

  3Medical audit

  Total allocated

  Northern

  0·366

  0·634

  0·865

  0·051

  1·916

  Yorkshire

  0·411

  0·711

  0·920

  0·053

  2·095

  Trent

  0·512

  0·887

  0·946

  0·064

  2·409

  East Anglian

  0·220

  0·381

  0·460

  0·031

  1·092

  North West Thames

  0·427

  0·739

  0·865

  0·051

  2·082

  North East Thames

  0·526

  0·910

  1·062

  0·063

  2·561

  South East Thames

  0·463

  0·801

  0·959

  0·060

  2·283

  South West Thames

  0·374

  0·648

  0·800

  0·044

  1·866

  Wessex

  0·307

  0·532

  0·643

  0·042

  1·524

  Oxford

  0·247

  0·427

  0·518

  0·048

  1·240

  South Western

  0·364

  0·631

  0·738

  0·044

  1·777

  West Midlands

  0·587

  1·016

  1·288

  0·077

  2·968

  Mersey

  0·294

  0·509

  0·601

  0·036

  1·440

  North Western

  0·502

  0·869

  1·108

  0·067

  2·546

  All RHAs

  5·600

  9·695

  11·773

  0·731

  27·799

  London post-graduate SHAs

  0·100

  0·174

  0·227

  0·019

  0·520

  Total RHAs and SHAs

  5·700

  9·869

  12·000

  0·750

  428·319

  1 Total allocated pro rata to initial revenue cash limits.

  2 Comprises a basic allocation of £13,000 per RHA/SHA plus £25,000 per district (excluding Peterborough, Chester and Calderdale health authorities which have attracted separate funding as capital asset pilot sites), with the remainder allocated pro rata to initial revenue cash limits.

  3 Total allocated pro rata to number of medical consultants in each RHA/SHA.

  4 Total excludes sums held back for later allocation for example:

  £million

  Internal markets:

  training

  0·771

  Medical audit:

  regional implementation

  0·750

  methodology development

  0·500

  Finance function:

  training initiatives

  1·660

  Total

  3·681

  Psychiatric Services (Children)
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children under the age of 16 years were seen for assessment of treatment by child and adolescent psychiatric services in 1986–87 and 1987–88; how many of these children were severely or profoundly deaf; what proportion used sign language; and what proportion used spoken language as their main method of communication.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally.

  Hospitals (Cleaning)
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications of the incidence of occasions, since the award of private cleaning contracts at the Kent and Canterbury hospital, the Thanet district hospital and the Royal Seabathing hospital, upon which payments for specific cleaning areas have been suspended; and what action he proposes to take to deal with such occurrences.
  318
  Mr. Mellor
  A total of £million of the additional £million is for the hospital and community health services and has been distributed as shown in the table. The remainder is to meet the administrative costs incurred by the Department of Health in implementing the review.

  Mr. Freeman
  The issues raised are contractual matters between the relevant contractor and the Canterbury and Thanet district health authority. Ultimately both parties have the sanction of terminating the contract if there are continuing and serious breaches of its terms. Usually, however, mutually satisfactory arrangements are achieved without the need for drastic action.

  Blood Transfusion Service
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the terms and conditions under which blood is transferred from the blood transfusion service to organisations outside the National Health Service.

  Mr. Freeman
  Blood from the national blood transfusion service is supplied to non-NHS hospitals in England and Wales according to the terms of health circular HC(89)14 a copy of which is in the Library. A handling charge is made for blood supplied in this way to
  319
  cover items such as the costs of collection, testing and processing. No charge is made for the freely donated blood itself.

  Rotherham Health Authority
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial provision has been made for the Rotherham Health Authority in 1989–90; and what was the comparable provision in the previous two years.

  Mr. Freeman
  Allocations to individual district health authorities are a matter for the regional health authority concerned. I suggest the hon. Member contacts the chairman of Trent regional health authority for the information he seeks.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the financial provision per capita for the Rotherham health authority in 1989–90; what is the average provision for health authorities on a per capita basis; and what significant progress will be made this year in the resources allocation working party context.

  Mr. Freeman
  Allocation of resources to district health authorities is a matter for the relevant regional health authority. The national average provision for health authorities in England in 1989–90 is £264 per capita.

  The allocations for 1989–90 announced on 21 December 1988 allow every regional health authority to benefit to the maximum extent from the additional resources available. As the White Paper makes clear, the Government now intend to move on from RAWP to a simpler and fairer approach.

  Benzodiazepines
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what instructions relating to deprioritising the benzodiazepine issue he has issued to health authorities or other bodies.

  Mr. Mellor
  None. On the contrary in guidance issued to health and local authorities we continue to give a high priority to the development and expansion of services for drug misusers including those dependent on benzodiazepines. This high priority is emphasised by the allocation by the Department of nearly £15 million in 1989–90 to regional health authorities specifically for the development of these services. The Department will also continue to encourage doctors to prescribe benzodiazepines only in accordance with current guidelines, as contained in the Committee on Safety of Medicines "Current Problems" No. 21 and in the British National Formulary.

  Foster Parents (Insurance)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department's boarding out of children regulations require agencies arranging placements to make provision for the insurance of foster parents.

  Mr. Mellor
  Agencies are required under the Boarding-Out of Children (Foster Placement) Regulations 1989 to inform foster parents of the agency's arrangements for meeting any legal liabilities of a foster parent arising by reason of the placement. We expect that agencies will make effective arrangements: A number of options are suggested in the handbook of guidance issued in association with the regulations.

  Dystonia
  Sir Michael McNair Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a grant to the Dystonia Society under section 64;

  (2) what action his Department is taking to make dystonia better understood by medical professionals, to improve hospital facilities for dystonia sufferers and to enable them to obtain their drugs fee of prescription charge.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Dystonia Society was included as a candidate for funding from the RPI error money which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security on 9 February. They were awarded £10,000 towards the cost of providing a nurse practitioner at the national Hospital for Nervous Diseases to give advice and counselling to sufferers of dystonia. This project, which is scheduled to run for three years, will offer the opportunity to evaluate whether this ensures a better service for dystonia sufferers with a view to introducing it into other NHS hospital neurological departments, if appropriate.

  Unfortunately it was not possible to award a section 64 core grant to the society in the current financial year since the number of applications for funding exceeded the level of funds available for grant awards.

  Undergraduate and postgraduate medical education is, primarily, a matter for medical schools and postgraduate medical institutions. Measures to increase doctors' knowledge of dystonia and movement disorders is more appropriate for these bodies and the medical profession.

  Because of the existing wide-ranging provisions for exemption from prescription charges and particularly those for persons on low incomes, we have no plans to include dystonia in the list of medical conditions which confer exemption from prescription charges.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department decided to set up a new discount inquiry for products dispensed under National Health Service prescriptions; when he expects it to come into force; when was the last inquiry; and what kind of discounts are currently available.

  Mr. Mellor
  We consider the need for discount inquiries annually in consultation with the pharmaceutical services negotiating committee (PSNC). The next discount inquiry will be based on purchases of drugs made during April 1989. The results of the inquiry will be implemented from April 1990 or such earlier date as may be agreed between the Department and the PSNC. The last inquiry was undertaken in respect of April 1986 purchases. The price differences taken into account include discounts for volume and early settlement, special lines, the ordering of supplies by computer, free offers and lower prices for parallel imported and other products.

  Abortions
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report a breakdown of the reasons for abortions performed under ground two of the Abortion Act 1967 for 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 23 June 1989]: The information is shown in the table.
  321

  Abortions performed under ground 21 (alone) of the 1967 Abortion Act: numbers by principal medical condition, England and Wales 1987–88

  ICD2and Condition

  Number

  1987

  1988

  All legal abortions

  154,627

  163,624

  With mention of a medical condition

  144,687

  154,542

  Without mention of a medical condition

  9,940

  9,082

  638 Failed attempted abortion

  1

  —

  640 Haemorrhage in early pregnancy

  —

  1

  641 Antepartum Haemorrhage, abruption placentae and placenta praevie

  —

  —

  642 Hypertension complicating pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium

  49

  98

  643 Excessive vomiting in pregnancy

  16

  28

  646 Other complications in pregnancy, not elsewhere classified

  15

  17

  647 Infective and parasitic conditions in the mother classified elsewhere

  11

  8

  648 Mental disorders

  144,046

  153,907

  Neurotic disorder

  100,688

  105,769

  Depressive disorder not elsewhere classified

  43,036

  47,789

  Other

  322

  349

  654 Abnormality of organs and soft tissue of pelvis

  41

  25

  655 Known or suspected foetal abnormality affecting management of mother

  116

  64

  656 Other foetal and placental problems affecting management of mother

  4

  2

  1 The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.

  2 International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code, 9th revision.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incomplete abortion notification forms were accepted by his Department in 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988 where no medical reason was given for the operation.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 23 June 1989]: The table shows the number of abortions performed in England and Wales during 1984–88 where no medical reason for the operation was given on the notification form. This does not mean, however, that these notification forms were incomplete; on a number of occasions, notifications are received where, quite properly, no existing medical condition has been recorded.

  Such notifications refer to situations where there is an implied future risk to the mother were the pregnancy to continue, rather than to an existing medical condition. The Abortion Act 1967 allows an abortion to be performed if two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion formed in good faith that
  "the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated."
  Most of the cases without mention of medical condition are terminations performed under this ground.

  There are also a small number which are accounted for by those notified on the grounds that
  322
  "the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk or injury to the physical or mental health of any existing child(ren) in the family of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated"
  (Ground 3 of the 1967 Abortion Act).

  Legal abortions performed without mention of medical condition, England and Wales, 1984–88

  Year

  Total

  1984

  12,533

  1985

  12,815

  1986

  13,166

  1987

  13,645

  1988

  12,177

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Passports
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met representatives of the trade unions; and whether the subject of the issue and renewal of passports was discussed.

  Mr. Renton
  Officials at the Passport Department last met representatives of the Civil and Public Services Association and the National Union of Civil and Public Servants on 16 June in the course of efforts to resolve the current dispute over staffing levels at the passport offices. An offer was made to increase numbers of permanent staff in return for greater flexibility in working practices and co-operation in a number of management initiatives to improve the efficiency of the Passport Department. We expect this will lead to a return to work by striking staff at the Liverpool office tomorrow and a resumption of normal working at the other passport offices. The first priority will then be to clear the current backlog of applications and to provide an improved service to the public.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary for State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to increase the fines available to the courts for traders who break the Sunday trading laws.

  Mr. Renton
  Not at present.

  Road Traffic Law Review
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met(a) the Association of Chief Police Officers and (b) the Magistrates Association to discuss some of the recommendations for improving traffic regulation enforcement made by the road traffic law review.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend last met the Association of Chief Police Officers to discuss road traffic matters on 24 October 1988. He has not met the Magistrates Association to discuss this subject. Home Office officials are involved in continuing discussions with representatives of the police service and the magistrates courts about implementation of the proposals set out in the White Paper "The Road User and the Law" (Cm. 576).

  United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the financial support given to the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service for each year since 1976 in 1989 money.

  Mr. Renton
  The total Home Office grant-in-aid to the United Kingdom Immigrants' Advisory Service in each of the financial years from 1976–77, expressed at assumed 1989–90 prices by use of the GDP deflator, is given in the table:

  £

  1976–77

  755,000

  1977–78

  692,000

  1978–79

  909,000

  1979–80

  850,000

  1980–81

  891,000

  1981–82

  993,000

  1982–83

  1,026,000

  1983–84

  1,058,000

  1984–85

  1,038,000

  1985–86

  1,086,000

  1986–87

  1,060,000

  1987–88

  1,087,000

  1988–89

  1,062,000

  Political Asylum
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for political asylum in the United Kingdom are currently being received each month; and from what nationalities.

  Mr. Renton
  Information is not available in the form requested. A provisional breakdown by nationality of all applications made in each quarter is supplied by the United Nations High Commissioners for Refugees, one quarter in arrears. Copies are placed in the Library. Statistics for the first quarter of 1989 will be available at the beginning of July. We know that there has recently been a large increase in the number of Turkish nationals applying for asylum on arrival at ports. There have been over 3,000 such applications since the beginning of May.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for political asylum in the United Kingdom he expects to be granted on the basis of his Department's backlog criteria;

  (2) in what circumstances applications for political asylum in the United Kingdom are to be granted in order to reduce the current backlog of such cases and to release staff to deal with new applications.

  Mr. Renton
  Asylum applications continue to be decided under the criteria of the 1951 convention. There is no question of granting refugee status in cases which do not qualify under the convention in order to reduce the backlog of outstanding applications. Efforts are being made to reduce the backlog and staff are encouraged to identify and resolve more quickly through the grant of exceptional leave cases which do not qualify under the convention but in which outright refusal is likely to be inappropriate or impractical. Cases continue to be resolved on their individual merits and we can make no estimates of the likely outcomes.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for political 324
  asylum in the United Kingdom are currently awaiting a decision; and how many of these have been delayed for 12 months or longer.

  Mr. Renton
  Information on the number of applications for refugee status in the United Kingdom awaiting a decision at the end of the year is published annually in Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Refugee Statistics, United Kingdom". The 1988 volume of this bulletin will be published next month. The latest available volume is for 1987 (Issue 16/88), a copy of which is in the Library. Of the estimate of a total of 8,300 applications recorded as awaiting a decision at the end of 1987, approximately 4,200 were recorded as outstanding for 12 months or more. However, these figures are maxima which overstate the position, because of under recording of decisions made earlier.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration officers are currently dealing with applications for political asylum in the United Kingdom; and what were the comparable figures one, three, five and 10 years previously.

  Mr. Renton
  The information centrally available does not distinguish the number of immigration officers who, as part of their duties, may currently be dealing with asylum applications, or might in the past have been so engaged. But the arrival of substantial numbers of Turkish asylum applications this year has significantly increased the demands on the resources of the immigration service.

  Immigration Appeals
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the average length of time which immigration appeal cases in Scotland take to be prepared and presented.

  Mr. Renton
  The information is not available in the form requested. The time that it takes to hear an individual appeal varies greatly from case to case because of both the number of stages involved and the differing lengths of time that each stage can take. I am aware however that the time between the lodging of an appeal and the hearing commonly exceeds one year for cases heard in Scotland.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new measures of support he is taking to help the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service in Scotland to deal with immigration appeals.

  Mr. Renton
  The Home Office makes an annual grant-in-aid to the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service, under section 23 of the Immigration Act 1971, as the basis for the provision of a nationwide service of advice and assistance to persons who have rights of appeal under the Act. The grant in 1988–89 was £1,007,000 and is reviewed annually. It is for the service to decide how to allocate these moneys to the various aspects of its work.

  C3 Division
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed by the C3 Division and at what cost.

  Mr. John Patten
  Forty-eight people are currently employed in C3 Division of the Home Office at an annual
  325
  cost of £756,000. Of these, 18 are employed in dealing with work associated with alleged miscarriages of justice and the exercise of the royal prerogative of mercy, at an annual cost of £275,500.

  Immigration Rules
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to hold an inquiry into the leaking of the memorandum from G. N. Stadlen, of B2 division, dated 9 June headed "Immigration Rules Changes and DNA Announcement" including a draft letter to the Lord President for signature by the Home Secretary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  Yes: any suggestion that an unauthorised disclosure of information has occurred is investigated.

  Sinn Fein
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what formal representations he has received from the British Broadcasting Corporation about the banning of the appearance of Sinn Fein on television and radio; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  None. When the directions were issued, the BBC and the IBA undertook to implement them, although they requested that the need for them should be kept under close review.

  Mr. Ning Hong Shan
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if a decision has been reached regarding the request for asylum by Mr. Ning Hong Shan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tim Renton
  The application is under consideration.

  Mr. Abbas Karbassian
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why his Department refused leave to remain for Mr. Abbas Karbassian of 14 Bromwich close, Ernesford Grange, Coventry, reference K296103; whether the criteria for the granting of indefinite leave to remain on the basis of length of residence in the United Kingdom have changed since his reply to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) of 17 March 1986,Official Report, column 9; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  Mr. Karbassian's application for leave to remain on the basis of his marriage to a British citizen was refused because the couple had subsequently separated. An earlier application to remain as a student was refused because the Secretary of State was not satisfied that Mr. Karbassian intended to leave the United Kingdom at the end of his studies. Mr. Karbassian's application for settlement on the basis of his lengthy residence in the United Kingdom was considered on its merits but it was decided not to exercise discretion in his favour.

  The criteria for the grant of indefinite leave to remain on the basis of length of residence were set out more fully in the reply of 5 November 1987 at column 833 to a question from the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser). They remain as stated.

  Broadcasting Licences
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he is giving to representations against the proposed auction of broadcasting licences to the highest bidder and to calls for the protection of quality of television programmes.

  Mr. Renton
  The case for allocating television licences by competitive tender and the steps which we propose to preserve quality programming are set out in our White Paper "Broadcasting in the '90s: Competition, Choice and Quality". In the statement my right hon. Friend made to the House on 13 June on the future of commercial television at columns 710–15 he announced further ways in which quality would be safeguarded, notably by strengthening the quality threshold which all applicants for licences would have first to satisfy; by giving the Independent Television Commission power in exceptional circumstances not to accept the highest bid; and by requiring the successful applicant to post a substantial performance bond which would be liable to forfeiture if programme quality requirements are not met. Taken together these proposals represent substantial safeguards for the delivery of quality programmes.

  Media Supervision
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to establish an independent body composed of representatives of television producers, journalists, actors, musicians and playwrights to supervise quality control and anti-monopolistic practices in television and the press.

  Mr. Renton
  No.

  Passports (Chinese Nationals)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider his policy towards Chinese students and nationals whose passports may expire in the near future; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  Chinese nationals who, for good reason, are unable or unwilling to approach their own authorities for documentation, and who wish to travel may apply to the Home Office, Travel Document Section, Lunar house, Croydon CR9 2BY for a travel document.

  Work Permits
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to look sympathetically at applications for work permits from Chinese students who are able to obtain employment towards the payment of their college fees and expenses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  We will look sympathetically at any applications from Chinese students who, because of the situation in China, seek permission to take employment to help with their expenses.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  WEU
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make available reports of plenary debates of the Western European Union in the Library and Vote Office on the day following the debate.

  Mr. Wakeham
  It is not possible to give this undertaking since the availability of these reports is not a matter under the control of the House. The Library and the Vote Office will make them available to hon. Members as soon as possible after their publication.

THE ARTS

  Public Libraries
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the purchasing power of public libraries' expenditure on books over the past 10 years.

  Mr. Luce
  Information for the last 10 years is not available. In the 10 years from 1977–78 to 1986–87 public libraries expenditure on books fell by 1·7 per cent. in real terms, but it has increased by 14 per cent. between 1981–82 and 1986–87.

  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many public libraries are open for more than 45 hours a week.

  Mr. Luce
  In 1987–88, the most recent period for which statistics are available, returns from 98 authorities show that 630 service points in England were open for more than 45 hours per week.

  Greater London Arts
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met the chairman and director of Greater London Arts to discuss the future of arts administration in London.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met the chairman of Greater London Arts to discuss the future funding and administration of the arts in London.

  Mr. Luce
  I met the director of Greater London Arts at a sponsorship launch on 12 April.

  Departmental Funding
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what have been the increases in the funding of his Department over the last five years, and those announced for future years.

  Mr. Luce
  This year my Department is spending £439 million, an increase of 63 per cent. over the corresponding cash programme for 1984–85. My plans are for expenditure of £450 million in 1990–91 and £480 million in 1991–92.

  Theatres (London)
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has as to attendances at theatres in London.
  328
  Mr. Luce
  According to the PSI publication "Cultural Trends" there were nearly 10 million paid admissions at theatres in London in 1987. This a 6 per cent. increase on 1986.

  Disabled People (Access Arrangements)
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps he is taking to improve access for the disabled to arts venues.

  Mr. Luce
  On 20 December last year I announced a contribution of £150,000 towards a fund to improve access to arts venues for the disabled, to be set up by the Carnegie trust.

  Mappa Mundi
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received in the last four weeks as to the future of the Mappa Mundi.

  Mr. Luce
  I have received no representations as to the future of the Mappa Mundi in recent weeks. However, I wish the Dean and Chapter every success with their appeal to raise funds without resorting to the sale of the map. I understand that the Dean and Chapter have been in touch with the national heritage memorial fund to arrange a meeting to discuss the position.

  Trade Balance
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what assessment he has made of the contribution of the arts to Britain's overseas trade balance.

  Mr. Luce
  An assessment made by the Policy Studies Institute last year, using a broad definition of the arts, put overseas earnings in this field at £4 billion.

  National Museums (Maintenance)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he plans to meet the chairman of the Museums and Galleries Commission to discuss the repairs and maintenance needs of national museums.

  Mr. Luce
  I meet the chairman of the Museum and Galleries Commission quite frequently and on a wide range of subjects which have included matters raised in the Commission's May 1988 report on the national museums.

  Merseyside Arts
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he plans to meet the chairman of Merseyside Arts to discuss the future of arts administration on Merseyside.

  Mr. Luce
  I have no plans to do so.

  Independent Museums
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the development of the independent museum sector.

  Mr. Luce
  The independent museums sector represents over half of the 2,000 or so museums and galleries in the United Kingdom. Independent museums give great pleasure to the visiting public, and I am delighted to see their continued successful development.

  Museums and Historic Properties
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has as to visits to local museums and historic sites and houses in the most recent year for which he has information, and for the two previous years.

  Mr. Luce
  The Museums Association estimates that the number of visitors to museums and galleries in the United Kingdom increased from 73 million in 1986 to 80 million in 1988. This figures is expected to rise to 100 million during 1989, which has been designated Museums Year. The English Tourist Authority has estimated the number of visitors to historic properties as 55·5 million in 1986, 57·3 million in 1987 and 59 million in 1988.

  Theatre Museum
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had with the director of the Victoria and Albert museum about the future of the theatre museum.

  Mr. Luce
  I have not had discussions with the director of the Victoria and Albert museum about the theatre museum, but I meet the chairman of the board of trustees and the director quite frequently when a wide range of issues is covered.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Census Questions
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations have been made through the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental conference regarding the inclusion of Irish language questions in the 1991 census.

  Mr. Tom King
  The Irish Government have indicated to us on a number of occasions in the conference that they would welcome the inclusion of a question on knowledge of the Irish language in the 1991 census, in line with the language questions asked elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Insider Dealing
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many prima facie cases of insider dealing have been referred to his Department by the Stock Exchange insider dealing group.

  Mr. Maude
  About 180 cases of possible insider dealing offences have been referred by the Stock Exchange to my Department since insider dealing became a criminal offence in June 1980. Of those cases 76 have been referred since Royal Assent to the Financial Services Act 1986.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in how many cases of prima facie insider dealing prosecutions have resulted since the passing of the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Maude
  Since the Financial Services Act 1986 received Royal Assent in November 1986 six prosecutions for insider dealing offences have been instituted and 330
  completed, and proceedings have begun in a further eight cases. Seven out of those 14 prosecutions followed reports from inspectors appointed under section 177 of the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in how many cases of prima facie insider deals the Government have appointed inspectors to investigate using their powers under the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Maude
  Inspectors have been appointed under section 177 of the Financial Services Act 1986 to investigate 31 cases of possible insider dealing offences.

  China
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total value of trade between the United Kingdom and China for 1988 and 1989 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  United Kingdom trade with China in 1988 was valued at imports £443·7 million and exports £411·6 million.

  In the period January to April 1989, the latest for which information is available, imports were £158·3 million and exports £140·7 million.

  Iraq
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what changes have taken place in the provision of export credits to Iraq in the past year; what proposals he has to make further changes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The United Kingdom/Iraq joint commission on trade and economic co-operation which was held in Baghdad in November 1988 resulted in a further £340 million of United Kingdom export credit support for Iraq. To date three loan agreements haw been signed comprising:

  a £65 million buyer credit to finance a contract for four turbine generators for the A1-Shemal power station

  a £75 million line of credit for pharmaceutical and humanitarian products

  a £100 million line of credit for capital goods and projects

  The balance of £100 million has not yet been allocated under any specific facility but will be used to finance United Kingdom capital goods and projects. No drawings have yet been made under the above loans.

  There will be a further United Kingdom/Iraq joint commission in London later this year but it is too early to anticipate what further United Kingdom export credit facilities might be made available to Iraq for 1990.

  Business Development Consultancy Initiative
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the number of applications(a) received and (b) approved for business development consultancy initiatives from 1 April 1988 to the most recent date for which information is available and (c) what was the total amount of expenditure involved in each of the regions of his Department, Scotland and Wales and (d) for assisted areas, urban programme areas and non-assisted areas.

  Mr. Newton
  In the period from 1 April 1988 to 31 May 1989 24,291 applications were received for the business
  331
  development consultancy initiatives. In the same period 17,740 applications were approved for assisted consultancy. The Department's contribution to the cost of completed consultancies totalled £16·8 million. It is estimated that those consultancies not completed by 31 May 1989 will cost the Department £26·4 million. I am unable to provide a breakdown of expenditure between

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  DTI Region/Country

  Number of applications received

  Number of applications approved for assisted consultancy

  DTI expenditure on completed consultancies (£ thousand)

  Estimated expenditure on outstanding consultancies (£ thousand)

  North East

  1,194

  924

  784

  1,315

  North West

  3,538

  2,894

  3,166

  4,762

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2,293

  1,698

  1,880

  2,711

  West Midlands

  2,562

  1,830

  1,855

  3,319

  East Midlands

  1,483

  1,154

  1,091

  1,897

  South West

  2,335

  1,434

  1,069

  2,112

  South East:

  Cambridge

  1,893

  1,097

  766

  1,567

  London

  2,929

  2,066

  1,694

  2,070

  Reading

  1,433

  1,098

  823

  1,220

  Reigate

  1,415

  1,064

  753

  1,325

  Scotland

  1,789

  1,475

  1,908

  2,463

  Wales

  1,427

  1,006

  1,106

  1,613

  Total

  24,291

  17,740

  16,805

  26,374

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the consultancy firms involved in the business development consultancy initiative for each of the regions of his Department, Scotland and Wales.

  Mr. Newton
  It is not our practice to detail the consultancy firms used by scheme contractors to undertake enterprise initiative assisted consultancy projects. This is to avoid the risk of such a list being seen as a form of Government approval or endorsement, to the unfair disadvantage of practices no less competent but which for one reason or another are not associated with the scheme; and also to avoid the risk of consultancies being exposed to pressures which could compromise the independence and impartiality of their advice to clients.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the estimated expenditure in the business development consultancy initiative in each of the years 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Newton
  We estimate that the total amount of expenditure on the business development consultancy initiatives in 1988–89 was £43·1 millions. The Estimates provision for 1989–90 is £91 millions. The level of provision for future years will depend upon public expenditure decisions yet to be taken: however, planned provision is £107 millions in 1990–91 and £109 millions in 1991–92.

  Bio-ethics
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representation will attend the first symposium on bio-ethics in December from the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The United Kingdom will be invited to the Council of Europe's first symposium on bio-ethics to be held on 5–7
  332
  assisted areas, urban programme areas and non-assisted areas but 55·5 per cent. of applications approved for consultancy have been from assisted and urban programme areas. A breakdown of numbers and cost of consultancy projects for each DTI region and for Scotland and Wales is as follows:

  December 1989. No decision has yet been taken on who will attend on behalf of the United Kingdom. Participation is by invitation only.

  The Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list in the Official Report all the members of the Council of Europe's ad-hoc committee of experts on bio-ethical issues together with the method by which they were appointed and the research disciplines from which they came.

  Mr. David Mellor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The members of the Council of Europe's ad-hoc committee of experts on bioethics (CAHBI) are currently:

  Austria: Dr. Renate Kausek

  Belgium: M. Armand Andre (Vice Chairman); Mme. Isabella Hamer

  Cyprus: Mrs. Frosso Parrisiadou; M. Jorgen Falck Larsen; Mme. Linda Taudaz

  Denmark: Mr. Ulrich Horst Petersen

  France: M. Christian Byk; Mme. Colette Moyse

  Federal Republic of Germany: Mrs. Helga Seibert

  Greece: Mrs. Panagiota Dalla-Vorgia

  Ireland: Dr. Niall Tierney

  Italy: M. Umberto Bigozzi; M. Salvatore Puglisi

  Luxembourg: M. Arsene Betz

  Malta: Rev. Prof. Charles G. Vella

  Netherlands: Mrs. Johanna H. W. Kits Nieuwenkamp

  Norway: Mr. Kare Berg; Mrs. Trine Fernsjo; Mrs. Julie Skjaraasen; Mrs. Grete Gjertsen

  Portugal: M. Luis Mendes Graca

  Spain: Dr. Octavi Quintana-Trigs

  Sweden: Ms. Ann-Christin Filipsson

  Switzerland: M. Pierre A. Widmer; M. Hansjakob Mueller; M. Franz Furger

  Turkey: M. Turgay Yucel

  United Kingdom: Dr. Jeremy S. Metters (Chairman); Mr. Edwin Robert Moutrie.

  Members are appointed by nomination of the member states of the Council of Europe. The research disciplines of the members are not known to Her Majesty's

  333
  Government. Detailed inquiries of this nature might more properly be addressed to the Council of Europe via the Parliamentary Assembly.

  Ulburghs Report
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the response of the British Government to Resolution A.2–78/88 of the European Parliament on harmonisation of medico-ethical questions, the Ulburghs report.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have been asked to reply.

  Resolution A.2–78/88 was adopted by the European Parliament on 12 September 1988 by the narrow margin of 82 in favour, 79 against and four abstentions. No proposals based upon the report have yet been submitted by the European Commission to the British Government for consideration.

  EC Recommendation 1100
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the British Government's response to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1100.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have been asked to reply.

  Recommendation 1100 of the Parliamentary Assembly is still being considered within the Council of Europe's

  country

  Year

  £ thousand

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Argentina

  124

  124

  61

  24

  15

  5

  30

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bolivia

  353

  376

  620

  1,471

  1,062

  888

  1,158

  1,052

  988

  1,199

  1,182

  1,421

  1,953

  1,748

  2,953

  Brazil

  1,850

  3,348

  2,263

  1,213

  719

  1,022

  1,002

  632

  9,960

  5,574

  7,780

  4,014

  880

  766

  1,443

  Chile

  451

  324

  943

  2,073

  1,079

  2,131

  2,021

  1,452

  675

  442

  257

  334

  373

  261

  306

  Colombia

  902

  2,552

  1,312

  1,229

  863

  1,242

  848

  765

  617

  635

  460

  838

  1,018

  762

  1,822

  Ecuador

  718

  1,195

  4,838

  2,037

  1,795

  1,897

  945

  762

  1,046

  783

  916

  909

  836

  2,560

  1,514

  Falkland Islands

  1,179

  1,376

  1,493

  1,115

  2,121

  915

  1,015

  1,058

  4,025

  9,053

  6,016

  10,700

  10,252

  8,165

  4,257

  Guyana

  1,460

  1,741

  1,402

  895

  6,395

  2,606

  2,356

  2,475

  1,724

  1,555

  419

  354

  487

  635

  521

  Paraguay

  41

  103

  123

  164

  226

  267

  270

  219

  3,263

  1,281

  207

  51

  221

  277

  497

  Peru

  664

  1,610

  1,125

  3,570

  820

  882

  950

  973

  676

  4,427

  476

  928

  1,214

  1,012

  1,363

  Surinam

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11

  Uruguay

  28

  24

  43

  39

  27

  35

  37

  9

  11

  16

  14

  7

  13

  38

  18

  Venezuela

  112

  48

  7

  6

  4

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  —

  1

  10

  24

  10

  Unallocated

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15

  -11

  -239

  -327

  25

  34

  56

  51

  —

  Total

  7,882

  12,821

  14,230

  13,836

  15,126

  11,890

  10,645

  9,386

  22,752

  24,643

  17,755

  19,591

  17,313

  16,299

  14,715

  Overseas Aid (Charities)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for an increased role for charities in the provision of overseas aid.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The British voluntary agencies working in developing countries are independent charities
  334
  internal consultative machinery and has not yet been submitted to Her Majesty's Government for their response.

  Rothley and Casini Reports
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the response of the British Government to resolution A.2–327/88 of the European Parliament on genetic engineering, Rothley report, and resolution A.2–372/88 on artificial insemination, the Casini report.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have been asked to reply.

  We do not consider that a response to these two resolutions—A.2–237/88 and A.2–372/88—would be appropriate at this juncture. We intend to introduce legislation during this current Parliament on human fertilisation and embryology, and there will be a free vote in Parliament on questions of embryo research.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  South America
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the level of overseas aid to South America in each of the last 15 years.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information is as follows:

  who determine their own role. I have a high regard for their work; and I have increased the aid funds available for jointly funding their development projects by 43 per cent. to £16 million this year. I have also increased our support for the volunteer sending agencies by 20 per cent. to £13 million this year.

  Andean Countries
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the level of overseas aid to the Andean group of countries in each of the last 15 years.

  £thousand

  Year

  Country

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Bolivia

  353

  376

  620

  1,471

  1,062

  888

  1,158

  1,052

  988

  1,199

  1,182

  1,421

  1,953

  1,748

  2,953

  Chile1

  451

  324

  943

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Columbia

  902

  2,552

  1,312

  1,229

  863

  1,242

  848

  765

  617

  635

  460

  838

  1,018

  762

  1,822

  Ecuador

  718

  1,195

  4,838

  2,037

  1,795

  1,897

  945

  762

  1,046

  783

  916

  909

  836

  2,560

  1,514

  Peru

  664

  1,610

  1,125

  3,570

  820

  882

  950

  973

  676

  4,427

  476

  928

  1,214

  1,012

  1,363

  Venezuela

  112

  48

  7

  6

  4

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  —

  1

  10

  24

  10

  Total

  3,200

  6,105

  8,845

  10,386

  5,623

  7,040

  5,922

  5,004

  4,004

  7,489

  3,291

  4,431

  5,404

  6,367

  7,968

  1 Chile withdrew from the Andean Group in January 1977.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from Oxfam in relation to the situation in Cambodia.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Over the past 12 months, I have received a number of representations from OXFAM on different aspects of United Kingdom aid policy towards Cambodia. I discussed Cambodia with OXFAM staff most recently on 8 June.

  Rain Forest
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what urgent action he proposes to take to protect the rain forests throughout the world; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 21 June, at column 148.

  Tibet (Technology)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will allocate moneys from the Overseas Development Administration for the funding of the appropriate technology for Tibetans.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Her Majesty's Government have received no official request for the provision of appropriate technology for Tibetans.

  Aid (Iraq)
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total amount of aid provided to Iraq in each of the past two years; and what funds have been disbursed under the aid and trade provision for projects in Iraq since the ending of the Gulf war.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  No British bilateral aid, including funds from the Aid and Trade Provision, has been provided for Iraq for many years.
  336
  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information is as follows:

EMPLOYMENT

  Employment Training Managers
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how his Department monitors the performance of employment training managers in terms of financial viability and efficiency.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Employment training managers are monitored in terms of financial viability under the financial appraisal and monitoring (FAM) procedures which have their origins in the recommendations of the 1984 Coopers and Lybrand report on financial controls for YTS and the community programme. The arrangements introduced for ET were modelled on those for YTS. The FAM system centres on(a) an annual financial viability assessment of the degree of risk which a provider represents to public money; (b) an appraisal of the providers' administrative and financial systems to ensure the proper handling of public money and the reasonableness of providers' financial claims; and (c) financial monitoring visits linked to the degree of risk.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how his Department initially satisfies itself that a training manager is competent to run employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Potential training managers are asked by the Department's area office to submit a formal training proposal outlining what experience and capability they have in operating as training providers. These proposals are appraised by the area office staff to ensure, so far as is practicable, that the organisation has the knowledge and professional ability to deliver training of the appropriate quality and has adequate resources including premises and equipment, to deliver it effectively.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of training managers by Training Agency area are receiving subsidies.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In addition to the basic grant for employment training, training managers, a range of other grants is available to purchase training. No subsidies are offered to ET training managers.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what subsidies are offered to ET training managers above the basic grant per trainee.
  337
  Mr. Nicholls
  ET training managers do not receive subsidies. Grants are available to purchase training.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what audit procedures the Training Agency undertakes with respect to ET managers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Claims for training grants submitted by ET training managers are subject to financial checks both within Training Agency area offices and at the training managers' premises. Training managers' claims are also subject to audit by the Training Agency internal audit branch and the National Audit Office on a sample basis.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training mangers have(a) withdrawn or (b) been withdrawn from employment training; and how many employment training places have been lost as a result.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Council for Social Aid (Manchester)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps have been taken to ensure that confidential information on trainees, formerly with the Council for Social Aid, Manchester, will remain confidential following the transfer of this information to the liquidators.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Immediately after being notified that the company had ceased trading, the Training Agency took into safe custody the personal files of trainees, including their action plans.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the Training Agency last received audited accounts from the Council for Social Aid, Manchester.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Audited accounts from the Council for Social Aid were last received by the Training Agency in February 1989. These accounts related to the Council for Social Aid's community programme agency contract which ran from April 1987 to September 1988.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many places the Council for Social Aid, Manchester, originally contracted for, and how many employment training places were filled, by month from September 1988 until its demise in May 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Council for Social Aid originally contracted to provide 2,557 employment training places. The following table lists how many places were filled, by month, from September 1988.

  Month (1988–89)

  Council for Social Aid Number filled places

  September

  1,818

  October

  1,695

  November

  1,792

  December

  1,632

  January

  1,410

  February

  1,223

  March

  1,024

  April

  1,045

  May

  1,011

  Employment Training
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many filled employment training places there are in the Greater Manchester area; and what percentage this represents of the original departmental projections.

  Mr. Nicholls
  At 16 June 1989, the latest date for which information is available, there were 9,300 people on employment training. In Greater Manchester this represents 47 per cent. of the total number of places originally contracted.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State For Employment how many training managers have reduced their original number of contracted employment training places(a) nationally and (b) by training agency area.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available in the form requested and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  C.V. Carpets, Batley
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has been notified by Coats Viyella of the closure of C. V. Carpets, Greenhill Mills, Batley; if he will estimate the cost to public funds of making the work force redundant; and what representations he has received concerning this closure.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Notifications of proposed redundancies under section 100 of the Employment Protection Act 1975 are confidential to my Department.

TRANSPORT

  Road Traffic Studies
  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether traffic studies, funded by public funds, in recent years have revealed evidence linking increased road capacities with increased traffic and worsening traffic congestion; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department is currently undertaking a feasibility study into whether a before and after study of an urban trunk road scheme could detect the size of various changes in travel patterns, such as generation of new trips, changes in destination of journey time, and changes in mode of travel.

  We are all asking the independent standing advisory committee on trunk road assessment to review the evidence on these effects. The Department has not recently carried out any traffic studies specifically addressed at identifying the effects of increased road capacity on the level of traffic.

  For all new trunk road schemes, the Department monitors actual traffic flow a year after opening, for the purpose of making comparisons with the scheme forecasts. The evidence from this monitoring supports the Department's assumption in traffic forecasting that the general inter-urban road improvements do not generate significant additional traffic. The main effect is on choice of route.

  Bridge Street (Hole)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take urgent steps to mend the hole at the northwest corner of the Bridge street/Victoria embankment junction, so as to remove the cause of pedestrians being splashed on emerging from or entering the pedestrian subway at that point.

  Mr. Bottomley
  These local roads are the responsibility of Westminster city council.

  Single Tracking
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission inquiry into the running of British Rail's provincial services with regard to the issue of single tracking, with particular reference to the Westerton to Milngavie railway lines.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend will in due course present to Parliament British Rail's response to the report, along with the Government's observations. It would not be appropriate to comment on individual aspects of the report in advance of the Government's formal response.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action his Department is taking with regard to ScotRail's proposals to single track the railway line from Westerton to Milngavie.

  Mr. Portillo
  This is an operational matter for British Rail.

  Breath Tests
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of respondents favoured the introduction of random breath testing in the last public opinion survey on this subject carried out by his Department's Transport and Road Research Laboratory.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A survey carried out for TRRL in March 1989 asked 750 respondents whether they were in favour of random breath testing being introduced to discourage drinking and driving. The results were:

  Percentage

  Strongly in favour

  48

  In favour

  29

  Undecided

  10

  Against

  8

  Strongly against

  2

  Don't know/No answer

  2

  This was part of a survey into attitudes to a wide variety of road safety counter-measures. It did not explain the implications of random breath testing. The results reflect the strength of public opinion against drinking and driving.

  A summary of the results of this survey will be published later this year.

  British Rail (Complaints)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints about the performance of British Rail he has received in the past two years; and how he has responded to the complaints.
  340
  Mr. Michael Portillo
  The Department does not keep statistics by subject matter of the letters we receive from members of the public about rail services. Unless they raise wider policy issues that are properly a matter for the Government, complaints are usually referred either to the British Railways board, which is responsible for operating the railway, or to local transport users consultative committees, which exist to represent the views of all users and can often help in resolving particular problems.

  Motor Cycles
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends to bring forward any proposals to control queue jumping by motor cycle riders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There may be no fully effective way of controlling queue jumping by any class of travellers.

  Queue jumping by motor cycle riders when unsafe is covered by the existing offences of careless or reckless driving. We have no proposals to make it a specific offence. Proposals have already been announced to introduce mandatory training of new riders before they are allowed to ride unsupervised. This training will include safe practice when riding on the road. In October a new more arduous driving test for motorcyclists will be introduced. The tester will follow the candidate on another motorcyle and will thus he more able to assess ability to ride safely in traffic.

  British Rail (Compensation)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will discuss with the Chairman of British Rail a voluntary scheme for compensating travellers for British Rail's failure to supply an agreed service, along the lines of British Telecom's voluntary scheme;

  (2) if he will give consideration to introducing a statutory compensation scheme for cases where British Rail fails to deliver an agreed level of service.

  Mr. Portillo
  British Rail's conditions of carriage already allow for refunds to be considered in cases where timetabled connections cannot be made or where services have been altered, withdrawn or suspended for any reason. I have no present plans for legislation.

  British Rail (Privatisation)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress of discussions by his officials with interested parties on the privatisation of British Rail.

  Mr. Portillo
  The work which is currently being undertaken on the possible privatisation of British Rail has been discussed fully with British Rail. In addition a small number of representations has so far been received from interested organisations. My right hon. Friend expects to consult widely in due course if a decision is made to privatise.

  Crash Barriers
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made on installing crash barriers on central reservations of dual carriageways; and what plans he has for such barriers on future dualling works.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Substantial progress is being made.

  It is the Department's policy to install central reserve safety fencing on all new dual carriageway schemes as part of the construction works.

  HGVs (Exhaust Emissions)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has further to curb exhaust emissions from heavy goods vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We are urging the European Commission to bring forward the most stringent standards that are technically and economically feasible. A further strengthening of these standards and the addition of a particulate standard is now being discussed in Europe.

  Regulations are being prepared to enforce, from 1 October 1990, Community standards on the emissions of carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and hydrocarbons from new vehicles over 3·5 tonnes gross vehicle weight.

  Buses Monopolies
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to prevent the formation of buses monopolies in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Office of Fair Trading has the appropriate powers to investigate the formation of monopolies in the bus industry. I have made clear that, in giving consent to the sale of public transport companies, one of our main objectives is to promote fair and sustained competition in the bus industry. Local authorities have been advised to consult the Department of Transport at an early stage where a sale seems likely to result in one company gaining a dominant and substantially unchallenged position in the local market.

  Traffic Lights
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has carried out any assessment of the efficiency of the French traffic light system of having additional lights at car driver level, with a view to implementing such a system in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department discusses issues relating to the safety and efficiency of traffic signals with its French counterpart. The operation of the United Kingdom system of traffic lights provides drivers with the same information as that of the French system. No assessment of the kind referred to has therefore been made.

  China (Contacts)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to visit China; and whether any of his officials are involved in or planning contacts with, or visits to, China.
  342
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  All ministerial visits to and from China have been suspended. No visits to China by my officials are planned.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department has about current contacts or contracts with China in the transport field.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  These are commercial matters for the companies involved.

  Civil Aviation (Privatisation)
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice or direction he has given to the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services on competitive tendering and privatisation within their organisations.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The authority is subject to the same guidelines and rules on procurement that apply to all nationalised industries. Some years ago the authority considered, at the Government's request, privatising its Highlands and Islands airports, but this did not prose to be feasible.

ENVIRONMENT

  Football Membership Scheme
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply,Official Report, 25 May, column 673, whether he will seek to amend the Football Supporters Bill so that police, security services, Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise cannot obtain personal data from the football membership scheme for purposes unconnected with the operation of the scheme.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No. The Data Protection Registrar has advised that section 28(3) of the Data Protection Act 1984 provides for the disclosure of information where the data user concerned is satisfied that this is necessary for crime prevention or tax collection purposes. As I explained to the hon. Member on 25 May at column 673, I cannot envisage circumstances in which the Football Membership Authority—as the data user—would be asked to disclose information about members of the national membership scheme for purposes unconnected with the scheme. I do not therefore see a case for amending the Football Spectators Bill as the hon. Member suggests.

  World Student Games
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give financial aid to the arena in Sheffield required for the world student games in 1991; and if he will reconsider the decision on the funding of Hyde park flats, Sheffield, to be used as student accommodation for the games.

  Mr. Trippier
  I have from the outset made it clear to Sheffield that the Government cannot provide any special additional funding for the world student games. I have said, however, that we are prepared to consider assisting though existing programmes any schemes which meet the normal programme criteria and provide good value for money.
  343
  We have been in close discussion with the promoters of the arena project in the lower Don valley and I am very hopeful that we shall be able to give the necessary support for the project to get under way. I have also recently agreed to consider a scheme for estate action funding of work on the Hyde park flats as part of a joint development programme involving the Housing Corporation and a private developer.

  I am sure that both schemes would be a major boost to development in Sheffield and, as a by-product, would assist the city council's efforts in preparing for the world student games.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will tabulate what a single person living in the London borough of Waltham Forest would pay(a) in community charge and (b) in a system of capital value rates plus local income tax paid in proportions of 80 to 20, respectively, if the person earned (a) £10,000, (b) £15,000, (c) £20,000, (d) £25,000 and (e) £30,000 and lived in (i) rented accommodation, (ii) property owned by that person worth £60,000, and (iii) property owned by that person worth £90,000, making the same assumptions as in his reply to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Sir H. Rossi) on 22 March Official Report, column 626.

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

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

  Single persons earnings

  (i) +(ii) Property Value £60,000

  (iii) Property Value £90,000

  £

  £

  £

  (a) 10,000

  665

  945

  (b) 15,000

  740

  1,020

  (c) 20,000

  810

  1,090

  (d) 25,000

  880

  1,160

  (e) 30,000

  950

  1,230

  The liability of a person in rented accommodation would be the same as for a person living in property owned by that person of the same value. The figures are based on the illustrative tax rates placed in the Library on 23 June 1988 and are for 1988–89. It is assumed that the person lives alone and has no entitlement to rebates. Taxable income is taken as earnings less £2,605, the single person's allowance, in each case. The illustrative 1988–89 community charge in Waltham Forest is £269.

  Year: 1 April 1984–31 March 1985

  National Park

  Allowed

  Dismissed

  Withdrawn

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Peak District

  6

  26·1

  17

  73·9

  3

  Exmoor

  4

  57·1

  3

  42·9

  0

  Northumberland

  0

  —

  2

  100·0

  0

  Dartmoor

  6

  18·8

  26

  81·2

  2

  Lake District

  6

  35·3

  11

  64·7

  1

  Yorkshire Dales

  7

  31·8

  15

  68·2

  2

  North Yorkshire Moors

  8

  28·6

  20

  71·4

  3

  Land Register (Sites)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homes he estimates could be built on the 7,900 sites currently on the Land Register.

  Sir Hal Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homes he estimates could be built on the 7,900 sites currently on the Land Register.

  Mr. Trippier
  It is not possible to estimate the number of homes that could in practice be built on such sites. At 31 May 1989, approximately 2,100 sites on the register had a planning indication for residential use.

  Lindane
  Mr. Graham Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce controls on the use of Lindane.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Food and Environment Protection Act and the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 provide comprehensive controls over the sale, supply, storage, advertisement and use of pesticides, including wood preservatives. Products containing Lindane are currently permitted for agricultural and wood preservative use. It is an offence to use them in any way other than that stated on the label. The uses of Lindane are currently under review by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

  Lindane is also present in some veterinary medicines used to control ectoparasites on animals. These are currently being reviewed as part of the overall review of veterinary medicines by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in accordance with the requirements of the European Community.

  Local Authorities (Sports Facilities)
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to lay the orders relating to the contracting out of local authority sports facilities.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Soon.

  National Parks (Planning Appeals)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of planning appeal decisions which were(a) allowed, (b) dismissed, (c) withdrawn and (d) undetermined in each of the English national parks in 1974, 1979 and 1984; and if he will express the numbers allowed and dismissed as a percentage of those determined.

  Mr. Chope
  The information available is given in the following table.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to allow potential developers to buy out potential objectors' rights to object in advance of a disputed planning application.

  Mr. Chope
  No. There are no proposals to change the fundamental basis of United Kingdom land-use planning under which planning applications must be determined on their merits having regard to all material considerations.

  Grappenhall Heys and Appleton Thorn
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether, in his consideration of the 7(1) development submissions for Grappenhall Heys and Appleton Thorn, he will take into account the importance of maintaining an adequate casement for the Shell pipeline traversing the area;

  (2) whether, in his consideration of the 7(1) development submissions for Grappenhall Heys and Appleton Thorn, he will take into account the preservation of overflight paths for civilian light aircraft.

  Mr. Trippier
  In reaching a decision on these submissions I will take into account all material considerations.

  North Sea Pollution
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of pollution in the North sea comes from Britain.

  Mr. Ridley
  Rivers are the most important source of contaminant substances in the sea and United Kingdom rivers generally account for only about 20 per cent. of contaminents in the North sea.

  London Assessment Studies
  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice or information has been supplied to his Department to those undertaking the London assessment studies.

  Mr. Ridley
  My Department has been kept in touch with the progress of the studies since their inception. Recent discussions with the Department of Transport have covered the inter-relationship between the studies and strategic planning guidance for London.

  Tyneside Enterprise Zone (Rates)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been paid to(a) Newcastle and (b) Gateshead Council in respect of rates otherwise payable to them in respect of properties within the Tyneside enterprise zone in each year since the enterprise zone's declaration; and if he will distinguish between classes of property in each case.

  Mr. Trippier
  The amounts paid to Newcastle city council and Gateshead metropolitan borough council in respect of rate revenue forgone in each year are given in the following table. The payments cannot be broken down by class of property.
  346

  Rate revenue foregone in Tyneside enterprise zone

  Gateshead

  Newcastle

  £ million

  £ million

  1981–82

  0·9

  0·5

  1982–83

  1·8

  1·1

  1983–84

  2·0

  1·0

  1984–85

  2·1

  1·1

  1985–86

  2·6

  1·4

  1986–87

  5·5

  1·4

  1987–88

  7·8

  1·3

  1988–89

  9·1

  1·4

  Water Meters
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Davyhulme of 6 March, what is his best estimate of ( a) the average cost per household and(b) the overall cost of installing individual water meters in each dwelling in England and Wales.

  Mr. Howard
  The programme of installing meters in the large-scale metering trials on the Isle of Wight is not expected to be completed until the end of March 1990. So it is still too early to draw any reliable conclusions on the cost of installing meters on a wide scale in England and Wales which will depend on a number of factors including the number of joint supplies and the siting of meters.

  Water Charges
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been given to the imposition of a standard per capita charge in respect of domestic water supplies, analogous to the community charge.

  Mr. Howard
  It will be for each of the new water services companies to decide what method of charging to adopt as a replacement for rateable value-based charges. Metering and a flat rate charge, possibly with extra charges for hose pipes and sprinklers, are the main options currently being considered by the industry.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the cost of water to the average domestic consumer in England and Wales in the current year, assuming that water undertakings had already been privatised and metering of individual households had been introduced.

  Mr. Howard
  None. It remains to be seen what efficiency savings the privatised companies can achieve over time and it is too early to assess the cost and long-term benefits of large-scale metering.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce rebates following water privatisation to assist low-income families with their water bills; and what estimate he has made of this as a charge on public funds.

  Mr. Howard
  There are no plans to introduce water charge rebates. Water undertakers operate budget payment plans to help customers pay their bills and the proposed conditions of appointment for the new companies will give additional encouragement to this practice. Income support is the appropriate way of helping those on low incomes to meet their outgoings, including water charges.

  Environment-friendly Products
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to introduce a green label scheme for products which are friendly to the environment; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which such a scheme would encourage consumers to buy such products and organically grown food.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have no present plans to introduce a national scheme of environmental labelling, although we are keeping the idea under review in the light of views expressed by consumers, retailers and producers. We welcome efforts by producers and retailers to give consumers information about the environmental effect of products. The impact of any national scheme on consumers' purchasing decisions would depend, among other things, on its scope. A system of environmental labeling—the Blue Angel scheme—has operated in the Federal Republic of Germany since 1978, but food products are excluded from its scope. As for organically grown food, the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards, set up at the instigation of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, announced on 2 May national standards and a national symbol relating to the production of organic foods.

  Rent Arrears
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he proposes for the financial management by local authorities of their arrears of rents and other income; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Local Government and Housing Bill provides that from 1 April 1990 local authorities will be able to cover their arrears of rents and other income by borrowing for six months after the end of the year in which the arrears arose. Having carefully considered the representations of the local authority associations, my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Wales now propose to extend this period to 12 months, but thereafter authorities must make provision in their budgets for any arrears remaining outstanding. We also propose that housing rent arrears will fall within the ring-fenced housing revenue account, and hence if not collected within the 12-month period will have to be paid for by the other tenants.

  For the transition we propose that housing rent arrears outstanding at 31 March 1990 should be dealt with outside the ring-fenced HRA and hence if uncollected will be a charge on community chargepayers. We recognise that if these arrangements were immediately applied in full to

  Local authority empty dwellings at April 1988

  Number of dwellings empty for:

  Six months or less

  More than six months

  All empty dwellings

  A year or less

  More than a year

  All empty dwellings

  Greater Manchester metropolitan council1

  8,716

  3,547

  12,263

  10,471

  1,792

  12,263

  Westminster

  332

  561

  893

  535

  358

  893

  Suffolk Coastal

  70

  12

  82

  81

  1

  82

  Isles of Scilly

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1 Comprises the 10 metropolitan districts of Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Thameside, Trafford and Wigan.

  348
  those few authorities which have irresponsibly allowed their arrears to escalate to very high levels, this could put very great burdens on their chargepayers. Accordingly, we are also proposing that an authority with high outstanding arrears at 31 March 1990 may apply to my right hon. Friends to enable them to spread over three to five years any budgetary provision for writing off these arrears.

  We intend to bring forward in another place appropriate amendments to the Local Government and Housing Bill to give effect to these proposals.

  It is each authority's responsibility to collect efficiently the sums due to it. We believe that our proposals, including the transitional arrangements, are fair to housing tenants and chargepayers, and will mean that in future authorities in both England and Wales have greater incentives for efficient collection of their income.

  Housing Management
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has, during the last five years, including the current financial year, ever awarded less than a full year's funding, excluding start-up costs, under its grant-making powers contained in section 16 of the Housing and Planning Act 1986 and section 73 of the Housing Act 1985.

  Mr. Trippier
  Yes. In 1987–88, the first year in which grants under section 16 were available, they were awarded for the latter part of that year. In 1988–89, some section 16 grants were for less than a full year. In the period in question, with the exception of the current year, grants under section 73 have all been for a full year.

  Empty Council Properties
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many local authority properties have been vacant for(a) less than six months and (b) more than six months in (i) Greater Manchester metropolitan county, (ii) Westminster, (iii) Suffolk, Coastal and (iv) the Isles of Scilly;

  (2) if he will list the numbers of local authority properties which have been empty (a) for up to a year and (b) for more than a year in (i) Greater Manchester metropolitan county, (ii) Westminster, (iii) Suffolk, Coastal and (iv) the Isles of Scilly.

  Mr. David Trippier
  [holding answer 19 June 1989]: Based on the information provided by the authorities in their housing investment programme returns, HIP1 for April 1988 the figures are as follows:

  Aldrin and Dialdrin
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he is now giving about the continuing use of aldrin and dialdrin.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 20 June 1989]: Aldrin and Dialdrin can no longer be legally supplied or used.

  Property Revaluation
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to(a) announce the special provisions for non-domestic rating from 1990 onwards, following his consultation paper on the effects of revaluation of non-domestic property, and (b) inform individual non-domestic ratepayers of the new rateable values of their properties from 1 April 1990 following the revaluation of non-domestic property; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 21 June 1989]: I shall announce the Government's final proposals for phasing in the effect of the uniform business rate and the non-domestic revaluation as soon as we have completed our consideration of the responses to the consultation paper.

  The Valuation Office will deposit with charging authorities draft lists showing new rateable values by 31 December 1989.

  Public Works Contracts
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend section 17 of the Local Government Act 1988 to co-ordinate procedures for the award of public works contracts as set out in the European Community draft directive on public works contracts (COM(89)141); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 22 June 1989]: The implications of the agreement reached in the internal market council on 14 June on a directive to amend the EC public works directive are currently being examined, but it would not appear at this stage that an amendment to section 17 of the Local Government Act 1988 is required.

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

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 22 June 1989]: The estimate is £240 per adult. This figure is calculated by deducting rate support grant, and the assumed yield of non-domestic rates from total grant-related expenditure, leaving the amount to be raised by the community charge. This figure underlay the information placed in the Library on 1 March.

  Water and Sewerage
  Mr. Tim Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish a Model Instrument of Appointment under the Water Bill for the water and sewerage undertakers.
  350
  Mr. Howard
  [pursuant to his reply, 20 December 1988, c. 195]: I am today placing copies of the latest draft of the model instrument of appointment for water and sewerage undertakers in the Library of both Houses, together with copies of a note of the main changes since the December model, also in the Library, and an explanatory note on interim determination of K, condition B, part IV.

ENERGY

  Greenhouse Effect
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the effect of the price of carbon fuels on the production of greenhouse gases and the implications for Government policy.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Discussion of the problem of global warming is proceeding at international level. The effect of changes in the price of carbon fuels depends on the particular fuel considered, the way in which it is used and the availability of alternatives.

  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the quantities of greenhouse gases which would be released into the atmosphere if all the United Kingdom's current nuclear electricity generation was replaced by coal-tired stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  If the electricity that was generated by nuclear power in the United Kingdom in 1987 had been generated by fossil fuel power stations an estimated additional 45 million tonnes of carbon dioxide would have been released into the atmosphere.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what potential he has identified for the reduction of the generation of greenhouse gases via improved energy efficiency.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  In addition to the continuing work of the Energy Efficiency Office to identify and bring to the attention of users cost-effective energy efficiency measures, my Department is making an assessment of the potential for further reduction of greenhouse gases via improved energy efficiency in the context of the work of the intergovernmental panel on climate change and of the European Community's energy programme. Energy efficiency is likely to be only one element of any response to the threat of climate change; it will require a combination of technologies and other measures to meet the challenge posed by CO2 and other greenhouse gases.

  Exploration Drilling
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the level of exploration drilling for 1989, and what were the comparable figures in the two previous years.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Fifty-two exploration wells, of which eight are onshore, had been started by mid-June this year. This figure is already greater than that for the first halves of 1988 and 1987 when 40 and 36 wells were drilled respectively.

  Central Electricity Generating Board
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board; and what matters he expects to discuss.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I meet the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board whenever that is necessary to discuss matters of common interest.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what incentives are made available through his Department for energy efficiency schemes.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The programmes and initiatives of the Energy Efficiency Office are all designed to draw to the attention of energy users the financial and other benefits of cost-effective energy efficiency measures.

  Energy Efficiency
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has proposals to devote more time and resources to promoting energy efficiency and conservation.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The Energy Efficiency Office will continue to promote energy efficiency vigorously. Furthermore, the Government's proposals for electricity privatisation will break new ground in promoting efficiency both within the industry and with consumers. Arrangements have also been agreed for close co-operation between the EEO and the Office of Electricity Regulation.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has to encourage the use of energy-efficient electric appliances.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Manufacturers and consumer associations already publish energy consumption data for electrical appliances. My Energy Efficiency Office is considering how best to publish further information in order to draw attention to the energy consumption of appliances and thereby promote the selection of the most efficient.

  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether his Department has assessed the effectiveness of domestic and commercial electrical appliance efficiency standards such as those recently introduced in the United States of America.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Energy Efficiency Office will be assessing the applicability of standards as part of a general survey of the energy efficiency of electrical appliances in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

  Electricity (Carbon Dioxide Emissions)
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to bring forward amendments to the Electricity Bill, strengthening the obligation to promote energy efficiency in the supply and use of electricity, as a contribution to the reduction of CO2 release.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The Government are fully committed to energy efficiency. The Electricity Bill breaks new ground in promoting energy efficiency both within the industry and by those who use electricity.

  North Sea Oil
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many jobs are supported by the North sea oil industry; and what number are based in(a) Scotland and (b) the north-east.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The Department of Employment estimated that 25,400 persons were directly employed in the oil and gas industry in June 1989. There are no official figures on the much larger total number of jobs supported by the North sea oil industry.

  AGR Fuel Rods
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what evidence he has that corroded AGR fuel rods stored at nuclear sites are not creating a public safety hazard.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The storage of AGR fuel rods at power stations is subject to stringent safety checks by the nuclear installations inspectorate which is satisfied that these arrangements are fully adequate.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has received any proposals for investment for the construction of any dry storage bunkers for spent nuclear fuel rods.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I am aware of the electricity industry's interest in constructing a dry buffer store for spent AGR fuel at Heysham. I understand that the industry is currently carrying out site investigations and has yet to submit a planning application for the dry store.

  Coal Privatisation
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to complete the privatisation of the coal industry.

  Mr. Parkinson
  We intend to privatise the coal industry as soon as possible after the next general election. The precise timing will depend on the decisions reached on the future structure of the industry and the terms under which operators will be able to mine coal.

  British Coal (Electricity Purchases)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the tonnage level of purchases from British Coal by(a) National Power and (b) Power Gen in the calendar year 1990.

  Mr. Parkinson
  My Department makes no such estimates. This is a matter for negotiation between British Coal and the generators.

  Hinkley Point C Inquiry
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total cost to public funds, to the latest available date, of the Hinkley C inquiry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  There is no net cost to public funds of running the Hinkley Point C public inquiry, because all such costs are either met directly by the CEGB or recovered from it.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if his Department was consulted by the Central Electricity
  353
  Generating Board in the preparation of the reply by Mr. R. J. Tivey to the Hinkley C inquiry secretariat on plutonium accounting dated 25 April 1989, inquiry code number S 3481 part 2.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Officials in my Department were aware of the terms of Mr. Tivey's letter.

  Power Plant Construction
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the power plant construction projects planned by the private sector.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My Department is aware of some 20 proposed private generation projects with a total capacity of around 7 GW. Details of individual projects are commercially confidential until companies announce them.

  Nuclear Power Stations (Decommissioning)
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what would be(a) the total cost and (b) the effect on jobs of decommissioning all United Kingdom nuclear power stations by the year 2000.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No estimate has been made of the total cost or the effect on jobs of decommissioning all United Kingdom nuclear power stations by the year 2000. Although some existing nuclear power stations will be taken out of service by the year 2000, many will continue to operate well into the next century, as will those now under construction or planned. After the existing nuclear power stations are taken out of service the power station operators propose to delay the final stage of decommissioning for a period of the order of 100 years to take the benefit of the process of radioactive decay in the reactor core.

  Vector Fuel (Sellafield)
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the backlog of spent advanced gas-cooled vector fuel at Sellafield, the corrosion problems being encountered and the implications for electricity supplies in the 1990s.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  British Nuclear Fuels plc has ample pond space at Sellafield to receive the projected quantities of deliveries of spent AGR fuel from the home generating boards and their successors. BNFL's extensive research into the storage of AGR fuel under water suggests that, for fuel maintained in the correct water chemistry, no significant corrosion will occur for at least 10 years, and possibly longer.

  Office of Electricity Regulation
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what guidance he has given to the director general-designate of the Office of Electricity Regulation on the best means of defending the interest of consumers.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Electricity Bill sets out the Director General of Electricity Supply's duties in relation to the protection of consumers' interests. It will create many new rights for the consumer, including an improved right to an electricity supply, protection for consumers 354
  who get their electricity from a landlord, protection for the elderly and disabled, help for those having difficulty paying bills and a new system of guaranteed standards of performance with automatic compensation for failures to meet these standards. The director general will have a statutory duty to protect the interests of the consumer and the new regional consumers committees will provide him with lay advice on consumer issues.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what guidance he has given to the director general-designate of the Office of Electricity Regulation on the regulator's independence from political interference.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The director general's powers and duties are set out clearly in the Electricity Bill. The Government believe that Professor Littlechild will be a strong, effective and independent regulator.

  Pressurised Water Reactors
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the number of pressurised water reactor nuclear power stations in the small family which the Central Electricity Generating Board intends to build.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I understand that it is the CEGB's wish that the small family should consist of Sizewell B, which is currently under construction, and Hinkley Point C, Wylfa B and Sizewell C, in respect of which they have made applications for my right hon. Friend's consent.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the number of pressurised water reactors which he expects to be in operation in the United Kingdom by 2010.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Decisions to apply for consent to construct new power stations are a matter for the electricity supply industry. So far my right hon. Friend has received applications for his consent to the construction of a further three PWR nuclear power stations which are similar in design to that being constructed at Sizewell B.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, when he expects the first full-scale combined heat and power project to be commissioned in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Full-scale combined heat and power plants have been operated successfully by United Kingdom industry for many years.

  My Department has been active in promoting novel applications of CHP industry and commerce through its energy efficiency demonstration scheme where 25 projects have been supported. The Government have also encouraged the economic development of urban combined heat and power/district heating schemes under its lead city programme and contributed towards studies in Belfast, Edinburgh and Leicester. Other work to examine the feasibility of major CHP/DH schemes and to develop proposals has been taken forward without Government support. In addition to the lead city studies and subsequent development of the Leicester scheme, my Department is aware of work being done by groups in Newcastle, Sheffield and south-east London. The commissioning date of new schemes is, however, a commercial matter for the promoters.
  355
  The Government are also taking measures under the provisions of the Electricity Bill to enable CHP operators to compete with the established utilities. In this regard we are giving licensed CHP operators power to break streets to lay cables and heat mains.

  British Coal
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of British Coal regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total cost incurred to date by his Department on advice on financial aspects of the privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will state the total cost incurred to date by his Department on advice on legal aspects of the privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The total cost to my Department of all advisers working on electricity privatisation amounted to £0·8 million in 1987–88 and £5·5 million in 1988–89. In addition, a provision of £26·5 million has been sought to cover relevant expenses in 1989–90. More detailed expenditure surrounding contracts of advisers working on electricity privatisation is commercially confidential.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the advertising costs of privatising the electricity supply industry in(a) the current and (b) next financial year.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) earlier today.

  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the expected level of competition following the privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The new structure for the electricity industry will introduce competition into generation and supply and will provide an environment in which more will develop.

  For example, the generation market will include National Power, Power Gen, supplies from Scotland and France, and existing and potential independent generators. We are currently aware of about 20 proposed independent generation projects. The substantial requirement for new generation capacity in the next 10 years will provide further opportunities for competition.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has reassessed his view of 6 March 1988 that the Government's plans for electricity will cut electricity bills.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Nothing has changed my view that privatisation will mean that prices will be lower than if electricity remains nationalised.

  Spent Nuclear Fuel (Sellafield)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the most recent assessment made by the nuclear installations inspectorate of storage facilities for spent fuel at Sellafield.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  All the storage facilities for spent fuel at Sellafield are subject to constant review and assessment by the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate as part of the routine inspections which it carries out.

  Gas-powered Turbines
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many projects his Department is aware of involving electricity generation from gas-powered turbines.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Almost all the major independent projects known to my Department are proposing to use gas-powered turbines. In addition, the National Power and Power Gen divisions of the CEGB has each recently applied for my consent to construct two gas-fired stations.

  Fossil Fuel Combustion Tax
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent discussions he has had on proposals to levy a fossil fuel combustion tax.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government have no proposals for a tax on the use of fossil fuel.

  National Power (Contracts)
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what provision he is making for National Power to renegotiate contracts signed with British Nuclear Fuels plc before electricity privatisation.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The CEGB is currently in discussion with BNFL concerning contracts for fuel services which will continue post privatisation and will take account of the powers that the Government are seeking under clause 93 of the Electricity Bill. The Government's aim is that these contracts should be fair as between BNFL and the electricity supply industry.

  Coal Production
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is British Coal's record of productivity in coal production since 1985; and what information he has on comparable figures for other major international coal producers.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  British Coal's productivity rose by over 30 per cent. from 2·72 tonnes per manshift in 1985–86 to 3·62 tonnes in 1987–88. In Australia productivity rose from 12·32 tonnes in 1984–85 to 13·96 tonnes in 1986–87 (the latest period for which figures are available), a rise of 13 per cent., and in the United States of America productivity (measured in short tons) rose from 14·69 to 18·18 tons between the calendar years 1985 to 1987, a rise of 23 per cent. Since then, British Coal's productivity has increased further to 4·14 tonnes per manshift in 1988–89; I understand that there have also been substantial productivity gains in Australia and the United States of America since 1987.

  Nuclear Agencies (Memorandum of Understanding)
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the joint memorandum of understanding signed by the World Association of Nuclear Operators and the International Atomic Energy Agency on 6 June.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  A joint memorandum of understanding between the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was signed at the agency's headquarters in Vienna on 6 June. The agreement was signed by Lord Marshall of Goring, who is chairman of WANO's governing board, and Dr. Hans Blix, Director General of the IAEA. The memorandum provides for the open exchange of information covering technical reports and reviews of operational experience, as well as extending to participation in meetings of mutual benefit to both organisations.

  Longannet (Output)
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the current state of negotiations between British Coal and the South of Scotland electricity board relating to output from the Longannet complex.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government have made it quite clear that they regard the negotiations between British Coal and the South of Scotland electricity board as a commercial matter for the two parties, but we see no reason why a mutually satisfactory settlement cannot be reached. In the meantime, I understand that the SSEB is taking supplies from British Coal at a rate of 2 million tonnes a year.

  Sellafield (Storage Ponds)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals for the development of storage ponds at Sellafield he has received from British Nuclear Fuels plc.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have received no such proposals. British Nuclear Fuels plc has ample storage capacity at Sellafield.

  Coal-fired Electricity Generation
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what level of thermal efficiency is currently being achieved in coal-fired electricity generation.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I am advised that the thermal efficiency of the CEGB's coal-fired power stations for 1988–89 was 35·52 per cent.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his policy for the continuation of civilian reprocessing capability and the extraction of plutonium in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Reprocessing is a proven and safe technology for which there is a continuing demand. It is 358
  for the owners of the spent fuel to decide on safety, technical and economic grounds whether to reprocess spent fuel.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what evidence his Department has that plutonium created in Central Electricity Generating Board Magnox nuclear reactors up to 31 March 1969, and subsequently, put into the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority military stockpile has not been used in nuclear warhead production subsequently.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Plutonium created in the CEGB Magnox reactors and purchased by the UKAEA prior to 31 March 1969, was consigned to the United States before 1971 under the mutual defence agreement. The United States authorities have said that none of this plutonium has been used in weapons and that this continues to be their policy. For the civil uses to which this plutonium has been put in the United States, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Moore) to my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Mr. Rost) on 27 July 1982 at column 438.

  Petrol Prices
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received regarding the price of petrol.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  We have received a number of letters from the public, and from Members on behalf of their constituents, expressing concern at increases in the prices of petrol. I have had no further representations since prices fell more recently.

  Druridge Bay
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest assessment of the likelihood that the Druridge bay site will be used for a nuclear power station in the foreseeable future.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The CEGB plan to build four PWRs between now and the year 2000. Druridge bay has not been nominated by the CEGB as one of the sites for these reactors.

  Spent Fuel Rods
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many spent Magnox fuel rods await reprocessing(a) in storage tanks at Sellafield and (b) in cooling ponds at Britain's nuclear power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  At 31 March 1989, some 940 tonnes uranium (u) of spent Magnox fuel were held at Sellafield awaiting reprocessing and some 350 tonnes u held by the generating boards at power stations. On average there are 100 fuel rods per tonne.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Energy what is the total storage capacity for spent advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel rods at Sellafield and at nuclear power stations for each year from 1989 to 2000.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Space for storage of a minimum of some 2,700 tonnes uranium (u) of AGR fuel (some 60,000
  359
  AGR fuel assemblies) has been allocated in ponds on the Sellafield site. This will be more than sufficient to meet operational requirements for the THORP project. The total pond capacity at the AGR stations operated by the generating boards is some 390 tonnes u (some 9,400 assemblies).

  Severn Barrage
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will report on progress with and make a statement on current Severn barrage proposals.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No new information on Severn barrage studies has become available since I replied to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Stern) on 12 June (at column 267) on this subject. I refer my hon. Friend to that answer.

  Nuclear Reprocessing Industry
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if, following the decision to withdraw major funding for the fast reactor programme at Dounreay, the Government will reconsider their continuing support for the nuclear reprocessing industry;

  (2) if, following the recent announcement by the West German Government that they are to abandon their projected nuclear reprocessing facility at Wackersdorf for financial and environmental reasons, the Government will reconsider their continued support for the nuclear reprocessing industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Reprocessing is a proven and safe technology for which there is a continuing demand. BNFL has contracts with overseas customers for reprocessing in THORP worth some £2·77 billion in total. Additional contracts worth some £1·6 billion are being negotiated with utilities in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is for the owners of the spent fuel to decide on safety, technical and economic grounds whether to reprocess spent fuel.

  Low-level Radioactive Waste
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received about the proposed Nirex recommendations to store low-level radioactive waste at Sellafield and Dounreay.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 21 March that the Government had accepted Nirex's recommendation that further investigatory work should be carried out to assess the potential of Sellafield and Dounreay as possible sites for a deep repository for radioactive waste. Since that time I have received two representations expressing concern about these proposals.

  Transfers (Approval)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy which countries have been the destination of transfers of nuclear technology, reprocessing and waste management which have been subject to Government approval since June 1988; and if he will provide details of all such transfers.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No new transfer of technology has been approved since June 1988.

  Non-fossil Fuel Levy
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his current estimate of the non-fossil fuel levy for the year 1989–90 under his privatisation plans.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The initial rate of the fossil fuel levy will depend on the outcome of contract negotiations for fossil and non-fossil generating capacity which are currently under way. The rate will be announced towards the end of this year.

  Oil and Gas Reserves
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received about reserves of oil and gas in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Department's latest estimates of oil and gas reserves were given in my right hon. Friend's report on the development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom ("The Brown Book") published in April. I have received no representations about the estimates, other than views expressed by the companies concerned in the course of their preparation.

  Radioactive Material
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had during the last six months with the Central Electricity Generating Board and with British Nuclear Fuels plc in regard to the storage and reprocessing of radioactive material.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend and I regularly meet both chairmen to discuss a range of matters.

  Oil Exploration
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many civil servants currently employed in his Department are involved with exploration, development and extraction of oil from the North sea;

  (2) if he has had any discussions with any of the oil companies involved in the North sea concerning the possible relocation of the Department's civil servants responsible for exploration, development and extraction of the North sea outside London;

  (3) what consideration has been given to relocating those civil servants responsible for exploration, development and extraction of oil within the Department of Energy away from London;

  (4) what impact the decision of Conoco to concentrate its exploration operations division at Aberdeen and Shell and BP's increased emphasis on exploration and operations in Scotland has had on his policy in relation to the location of the Department's operations;

  (5) what saving would be made by relocation of all the Department of Energy's civil servants dealing with exploration, development and extraction of oil from the North sea, from London to Glasgow;

  (6) what saving would be made by the relocation of all the Department of Energy's civil servants dealing with exploration, development and extraction of oil from the North sea, from London to Aberdeen;

  (7) what saving would be made by the relocation of all the Department of Energy's civil servants dealing with exploration, development and extraction of oil from the North sea, from London to Edinburgh.
  361
  Mr. Peter Morrison
  There are 174 staff currently employed in my Department's petroleum engineering division, which is responsible for ensuring as far as possible the maximum economic and safe recovery of the United Kingdom's petroleum resources. Of these 16 staff, concerned with offshore safety, are already located in Aberdeen. Following a review in 1987 it was decided that a move of the division as a whole outside London was not feasible. It was estimated that no financial savings would arise from such a move. Moreover the division is very much involved in providing advice to Ministers and has day-to-day discussions with the headquarters of the companies in the oil and gas industry, most of whom remain located in London. If further consideration is given in the future to the relocation of staff in the division, the location of the companies' operations will be a relevant factor, though only one of a number of factors. No specific discussions have been held with the companies on this issue. Moreover of the 90 or so staff in the Department's Offshore Supplies Office, which is responsible for the promotion of the United Kingdom offshore supplies industry on the United Kingdom continental shelf and worldwide, some 80 are based in Scotland.

  Redundant Mineworkers (Pensions)
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the number of ex-mineworkers who are currently receiving payments under the redundant mineworkers pension scheme for the years 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The number of ex-mineworkers who are currently receiving payments under the redundant mineworkers payments schemes by year of redundancy is as follows:

  Year of redundancy

  Beneficiaries as at 1 April 1989

  1979–80

  8

  1980–81

  149

  1981–82

  1,268

  1982–83

  2,183

  1983–84

  13,332

  1984–85

  5,457

  1985–86

  21,036

  1986–87

  16,758

  Total payees

  60,191

  Power Stations (Desulphurisation)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made to date in the desulphurisation of power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Work on retrofitting flue gas desulphurisation equipment to Drax power station is proceeding well. I expect to receive an application for the next retrofit during the course of this year.

  Continental Shelf
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made in explorations on the United Kingdom continental shelf so far in the current year.
  362
  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Up to mid-June, 43 exploration wells had been started on the United Kingdom continental shelf since the beginning of the year.

  Nine significant discoveries have been announced.

  Depleted Uranium Exports
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what depleted uranium from(a) British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. stockpiles and (b) United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority stockpiles has been exported from the United Kingdom and used in anti-tank shells, tank protective armour and other non-nuclear military uses; when and to which countries.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 13 June 1989]: Since 1979, one such export has been authorised for the specific purposes mentioned. Details are commercially confidential.

  Orimulsion
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what information he has on the sulphur content of orimulsion;

  (2) how many tonnes of orimulsion were imported into Britain in the current calendar year; and whether there are any plans to introduce a policy to encourage the conversion of power stations to orimulsion.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The sulphur content of orimulsion varies between 2·2 per cent. and 2·8 per cent. by weight. Twenty six thousand tonnes have been imported so far this year. Decisions on the conversion of power stations to this fuel are a matter for the commercial judgment of the CEGB.

  Fuel Reprocessing
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the consideration given by the Central Electricity Generating Board to cancellation of contracts with British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. for reprocessing spent AGR fuel at Sellafield.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have no such information.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy for how long spent fuel rods can safely be stored before thermal oxide reprocessing.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Williams) on 20 June 1989 at columns 90–91.

  Electricity Supply (Computer Systems)
  Mr. Tony Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the cost of installing the new computer systems to be introduced into the electricity supply industry as a result of privatisation.

  Mr. Parkinson
  This is a matter for the electricity supply industry. I have asked the chairman of the Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member.

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. David Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received about the conservation of energy; and whether he proposes to act on any of those representations.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I have received a number of representations regarding energy conservation and energy efficiency all of which have been taken into account in reviewing the programmes of the Energy Efficiency Office as well as the Government's proposals for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  CEGB (Disabled Staff)
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to what percentage of the work force employed by the Central Electricity Generating Board are registered as disabled.

  Mr. Parkinson
  This is a matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board. I shall ask the chairman of the CEGB to write to the hon. Member.

  Major accidents to RAF Tornados

  Date

  Accident

  Location

  Category

  Cause

  12 May 1982

  Accident on landing

  RAF Conningsby

  4

  Not positively identified

  27 September 1983

  Accident on descent

  Wolferton

  5

  Technical fault

  28 October 1983

  Accident on descent

  Off North Norfolk Coast

  5

  Not positively identified

  14 November 1983

  Heavy landing

  RAF Honington

  4

  Air crew error

  6 February 1984

  After Lightning strike, unnecessary ejection

  Federal Republic of Germany

  5

  Air crew error

  12 July 1984

  Mid air collision

  Off Sheringham (Norfolk coast)

  5

  Air crew error

  18 July 1984

  Flap failure

  Goose Bay, Canada

  5

  Technical fault

  8 November 1984

  Unnecessary command ejection

  Federal Republic of Germany

  5

  Air crew error

  12 December 1985

  Flew into Sea

  Flamborough Head

  5

  Not positively determined

  2 December 1986

  Damage to electrical systems

  Near Diss

  5

  Not positively determined

  10 December 1986

  Mid air collision (2 Tornados)

  Near Thorney

  5

  Air crew error

  4

  30 March 1987

  Failure of locking mechanism

  Federal Republic of Germany

  5

  Technical fault

  3 June 1987

  Failure of mechanical and electrical systems

  Manby, 5 nm East of Louth

  5

  Technical fault

  17 June 1987

  Mid-air collison

  3 nm South East Keswick

  5

  Operational

  27 July 1987

  Hydraulic system failure

  Fadmoor, Near Pickering

  5

  Technical fault

  30 March 1988

  Accident on exercise

  Nevada Desert

  5

  Air crew error

  10 May 1988

  Flew into ground

  Federal Republic of Germany

  5

  Air crew error

  9 August 1988

  Mid-air collision (2 Tornados)

  Appleby, Cumbria

  5

  Still under investigation

  5

  13 January 1989

  Mid-air collision

  Federal Republic of Germany

  5

  Still under investigation

  Notes:

  1. Category 4 Damage not repairable on site.

  2. Category 5 Aircraft is damaged beyond repair or is missing.

  The accidents on 27 September 1983, 18 July 1984 and 2 December 1986 were attributed to teething problems with the aircraft.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what figures he can provide for the rate of major accidents per 10,000 flying hours for Tornado aircraft in Italian air Force service, excluding the Tornado tri-national training establishment;

  (2) what figures he can provide for the rate of major accidents per 10,000 flying hours for Tornado aircraft in German air force service and German navy service excluding the Tornado tri-national training establishment.

  Mr. Neubert
  The public release of national aircraft accident statistics is a matter for the respective Government.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the overall rate of major accidents per 10,000 hours for Royal Air Force Tornado GR I aircraft, excluding those assigned to the Tornado tri-national

DEFENCE

  BNFL (Open Day)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any Ministers or officials in his Department attended the thirtieth anniversary open day celebration of the opening of British Nuclear Fuels plutonium and tritium production reactors at Chapelcross in Annan on 13 May.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Yes.

  Tornado (Accidents)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Royal Air Force Tornado major accidents have been caused by teething problems with the introduction of the aircraft;

  (2) if he will list all major accidents to Royal Air Force Tornado aircraft since its entry into service, specifying the cause of each accident.

  Mr. Neubert
  The information requested is given in the following table:

  training establishment; and if he will provide a breakdown of this figure into annual major accident rates for each year since 1981.

  Mr. Neubert
  It is not our policy to publish such information.

  Anti-tank Weapons and Artillery
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all changes in the definitions used to calculate the numbers of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and Warsaw pact(a) anti-tank weapons and (b) artillery, between those used to compile the tables in chapter six of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988", and those used to compile the tables in chapter six of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989".
  365
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Until 1988, United Kingdom definitions were used to calculate these figures, but in the interests of consistency within the Alliance figures 8 and 9 in chapter 6 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989", Cm. 675-I, were compiled according to the definitions and counting rules used by NATO. The changes involved the transfer of anti-tank guns from the artillery to the anti-tank weapons category; the exclusion of armoured infantry fighting vehicles and helicopters equipped with anti-tank guided missiles from the anti-tank weapons category; and the inclusion of mortars with a calibre size equal to or exceeding 100 mm in the artillery category.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the reasons for the change in his Department's assessment of the numbers of anti-tank guided weapons deployed by the Warsaw pact in the central region, portrayed in figure 15 on page 61 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988" and figure 9 on page 47 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988", Cm. 344-I, the figure for the number of anti-tank guided weapons deployed by the Warsaw pact in the central region was based on the United Kingdom definition and counting rules. In the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989", Cm. 675-I, NATO definitions and counting rules are used, in the interests of consistency within the Alliance.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide figures for the number of anti-tank weapons held by the Warsaw pact in the central region in late 1988, counting crew-served systems and helicopter or vehicle-mounted systems, but excluding those that may be fired through the gun barrel of Soviet tanks.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The overall number of anti-tank weapons held by the Warsaw pact in the central region in late 1988, excluding those that may be fired through the gun barrel of tanks, is assessed to be 13,700.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list those Warsaw pact countries which were formerly producing chemical warfare agents but which have now ceased production;

  (2) which Warsaw pact countries are currently manufacturing chemical warfare agents.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Soviet Union is the only member of the Warsaw pact to have admitted producing chemical warfare agents, and it has also claimed that such production has ceased. The other Warsaw pact countries have stated that they do not produce such agents, but none has provided any evidence to support its claims.

  All the non-soviet Warsaw pact countries have chemical industries with the capability to produce chemical warfare agents and we believe that some have produced chemical weapons. The details of our assessments of individual countries' programmes are classified.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what year the Soviet Union first deployed chemical 366
  weapons in any non-Soviet Warsaw pact country; and whether (a) Soviet chemical warfare agents, (b) Soviet chemical weapons and (c) unfilled Soviet chemical munitions are currently deployed in any Warsaw pact country other than the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In spite of Soviet claims, we have good reason to believe that the Soviet Union has stationed chemical weapons in Eastern Europe. I am not prepared to comment in detail for security reasons, but there is an obvious need for the Soviet Union to make available much more information about its chemical warfare capabilities.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the supply of(a) chemical warfare agents and (b) precursors for chemical warfare agents by Warsaw pact countries to non-Warsaw pact countries.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We have no evidence that in recent years any Warsaw pact country has supplied chemical warfare agents to any non-Warsaw pact country.

  The Warsaw pact countries have very large chemical industries whose products are exported worldwide. Many of the precursors for chemical warfare agents are common chemicals which have a variety of legitimate uses. These are traded widely by many countries, including those of the Warsaw pact. The Warsaw pact countries have stated that they impose export controls on a number of the immediate precursors to chemical warfare agents, and we have no evidence that controls are being contravened.

  Warsaw Pact (Aircraft)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the portrayal of information in current and past editions of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" on the numbers of embarked and shore-based aircraft assigned for naval operations in the Warsaw pact's(a) northern fleet, (b) Baltic fleet and (c) Black sea fleet; and if he will publish figures showing the numbers of aircraft in these categories in each fleet for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Revised figures for embarked and shore-based aircraft, fixed-wing and helicopters, assigned for naval operations in the Warsaw pact's Northern, Baltic and Black sea fleets from 1979 to 1989 are approximately as follows:

  Northern Fleet

  Baltic Fleet

  Black Sea Fleet

  1979

  350

  270

  260

  1980

  360

  290

  270

  1981

  370

  270

  300

  1982

  400

  280

  300

  1983

  400

  280

  320

  1984

  420

  280

  330

  1985

  400

  270

  300

  1986

  450

  300

  300

  1987

  425

  270

  300

  1988

  425

  270

  300

  1989

  425

  270

  280

  Since 1985, the definitions of the type of aircraft included have altered and, as is the case with all estimates, the figures published in previous Statements on the Defence Estimates are subject to revision as new material becomes available.
  367
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the figures for Warsaw pact aircraft deployed west of the Urals on page 51 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989" include aircraft from front-line units which are undergoing maintenance and modification in addition to mission-ready aircraft.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The aircraft figures quoted reflect the complete strength of the unit, which includes those undergoing maintenance and modification.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the reasons for the decline between late 1986 and late 1987 in the numbers of Warsaw pact SRINF aircraft deployed west of the Urals, as depicted in figure 16 on page 68 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1987" and figure 19 on page 67 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The change in deployment numbers is the result of the reorganisation of the Soviet air and air defence forces. A number of air regiments were transferred from tactical aviation forces, which have a nuclear role, to the strategic air defence force which does not have a nuclear attack role.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the reasons for the differences between the figures for Warsaw pact SRINF aircraft as at the end of 1988 provided in(a) the reply from the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Neubert) to the right hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney (Mr. Shore) of 2 March, Official Report, column 254, and (b) figure 12 on page 51 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989", volume 1.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The figures given in the answer on 2 March 1989 by my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. Neubert) at column 254 did not include the Frogfoot aircraft. This type of aircraft was included in figure 12 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989", Cm. 675-I, following a further assessment of its possible roles.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the numbers of Warsaw pact long-range INF aircraft between the end of 1987 and the end of 1988, as depicted in figure 18 on page 66 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988" and figure 12 on page 51 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The reduction in the numerical strength of Warsaw pact LRINF medium bombers between 1987 and 1988 is due to the modernisation programme that has been undertaken by the Warsaw pact, with the continuing introduction of the Backfire

  Soviet Union

  Non-Soviet Warsaw Pact

  Total Warsaw Pact

  Total NATO

  Main Battle Tanks

  26,000

  5,400

  31,400

  11,000

  Other Armoured Vehicles

  48,000

  6,300

  54,300

  20,800

  Field Artillery, Mortars and Rocket Launchers

  25,000

  6,500

  31,500

  5,800

  Tactical Combat and Interceptor Aircraft

  7,300

  1,200

  8,500

  6,400

  368
  supersonic dual-capable bomber. With the deployment of this superior weapon system, the Warsaw pact has been able to retire an increasing proportion of their ageing and obsolescent Badger medium bombers. Therefore, although the overall size of the aircraft component of the LRINF is gradually being reduced, its overall operational capability is being improved.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of(a) Badger, (b) Blinder and (c) Backfire aircraft deployed by the Warsaw pact west of the Urals at the end of each year since 1979, excluding those with a primary maritime role.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The approximate numbers were as follows:

  Badger

  Blinder

  Backfire

  Totals

  1979

  420

  160

  40

  620

  1980

  450

  160

  70

  680

  1981

  450

  160

  70

  680

  1982

  450

  160

  80

  690

  1983

  420

  160

  100

  680

  1984

  410

  160

  100

  670

  1985

  410

  160

  120

  690

  1986

  350

  160

  130

  640

  1987

  290

  160

  150

  600

  1988

  290

  150

  160

  600

  1989

  210

  150

  180

  540

  HMS Chatham and HMS Norfolk
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the portrayal of the operational status of the Royal Navy vessels HMS Chatham and HMS Norfolk in annex A of volume 1 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  HMS Chatham and HMS Norfolk are due to be accepted into service later this year, as is made clear at paragraph 324 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989, Cm 675-I. As such, they should have been marked by an asterisk in annex A. Unfortunately they were not, due to a printing error.

  Warsaw Pact (Weapons)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report a table updating the information contained in the table entitled "Weapons Production for Warsaw Pact Forces" on page 62 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988;" and if he will include in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation figures the production of weapons by France and Spain.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Estimated total production between 1979 and 1988 is as follows:
  369

  Soviet Union

  Non-Soviet Warsaw Pact

  Total Warsaw Pact

  Total NATO

  Major Surface Warships

  83

  23

  106

  175

  Attack Submarines

  64

  2

  66

  59

  Note:

  The above table is taken from the United States Secretary of Defence's Annual Report to Congress for Fiscal Year 1990. French and Spanish production is not included.

  Backfire Bombers
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the figures for the numbers of Backfire bombers in his answer to the right hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney (Mr. Shore) of 2 March,Official Report, column 255, included maritime-assigned Backfires; and if he will provide figures showing the numbers of Backfire aircraft deployed in operational units in each year since 1985, excluding those with a maritime role.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The figures given in the answer on 2 March by my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. Neubert) at column 255 include maritime-assigned aircraft. The number of Backfire aircraft deployed in operational units in each year since 1985, excluding those with a maritime role, are approximately as follows:

  Numbers

  1985

  120

  1986

  130

  1987

  150

  1988

  160

  1989

  180

  LRINF Aircraft
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the numbers of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation LRINF aircraft listed in military balance tables in successive editions of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" since 1984 include all aircraft deployed in Europe; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The number of aircraft presented in the Statement on the Defence Estimates covers all NATO's operational LRINF aircraft permanently based in Europe. As the tables show, these consist entirely of F-111 aircraft. There are also a further 12 EF-111 based in Europe, which would operate only in the electronic warfare role. Similarly, the figure presented for Warsaw pact LRINF aircraft does not include around 100 aircraft of the same types which it is believed would operate in non-nuclear, supporting roles. The final two sentences of paragraph 618 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989, Cm. 675-I, apply only to SRINF aircraft.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what trends have been observed in the numbers of long-range INF aircraft deployed by the Warsaw pact since the end of 1988.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Warsaw pact continues to modernise its long-range INF air forces, as it replaces the obsolescent Badger medium bomber with the modern variable-geometry supersonic Backfire. The overall number of medium bombers has decreased, and will continue to do so as the Badger is withdrawn from service.
  370
  However, within the next five years the aircraft component of the Warsaw pact's long-range INF force will consist of an all-supersonic force of Backfire and Blinder aircraft.

  Frogfoot
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what year the Su-25 Frogfoot entered service with the Warsaw pact.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Production of the Su-25 Frogfoot began in 1980. We assess that the first units became operational in the conventional role in the USSR in 1981. Subsequently, the aircraft was used operationally in Afghanistan.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what year the Su-25 Frogfoot is assessed to have acquired a nuclear capability.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All Soviet ground-attack aircraft have a potential nuclear delivery capability. The Su-25 Frogfoot entered operational service in 1981 in the conventional role, but was not assessed by NATO to have acquired a nuclear capability until 1988.

  Flanker
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what year the Su-27 Flanker entered service with the Warsaw pact.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Su-27 Flanker entered service with the Soviet strategic air defence force in 1985.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what year the Su-27 Flanker is assessed to have acquired a nuclear capability.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Some Su-27 Flanker aircraft have the primary mission of air superiority in the central region. In fulfilling this role, the aircraft is equally likely to attack targets in the air or on the ground. The Flanker is capable of both nuclear and conventional ground-attack operations, and is assessed to have been so since 1987.

  Conventional Forces (Balance)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration is being given to the diversion of military personnel to non-military tasks such as public works and environmental restoration in the event of achievement of a conventional force balance in Europe at force levels lower than those currently maintained by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  NATO is committed to seeking an agreement on conventional forces in Europe which will lead to a stable and secure balance at lower levels, bui at this stage it would be premature to speculate on which
  371
  military units might be affected. It is unlikely that the Ministry of Defence would be responsible for redeploying service personnel to non-military tasks.

  Warsaw Pact (Arms Production)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what independent British national capability exists for assessment and calculation of Warsaw pact arms production levels.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This capability is provided by the defence intelligence staff, whose responsibilities include the assessment of Warsaw pact arms production levels.

  Ammunition Propellant
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ammunition propellant is manufactured in Czechoslovakia.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Logistics matters, including the procurement of ammunition propellant, are a national responsibility. I am not aware of any instance where propellant manufactured in Czechoslovakia has been used in Ministry of Defence ammunition.

  Soviet Naval Activity
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what trends have been observed in Soviet naval activity in the eastern Atlantic since the publication of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates
  1988".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Since the publication of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988, Soviet naval activity in the eastern Atlantic has remained virtually constant at the reduced level observed in 1987.

  Soviet Defence Spending
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the implications for British defence policy of the announced halving of Soviet defence spending by 1995.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We welcome the recent announcement by the Soviet Prime Minister of plans to reduce the proportion of national income devoted to defence, but the implications for the future Soviet defence programme are far from clear, and we await further details with interest. In the meantime, the Soviet Union and its allies in the Warsaw pact continue to have a massive superiority in many types of conventional armaments in Europe. Our commitment to the mutual defence provided by NATO, and to NATO's policy of strength in defence combined with readiness for dialogue and co-operation with the East, will remain the foundation of our defence policy.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many properties are leased by his Department from the local authority in(a) Greater Manchester metropolitan county, (b) Westminster, (c) Suffolk Coastal and (d) Isles of Scilly.

  Mr. Neubert
  The answers are as follows:(a) Six (three office properties and three separate areas of land on which
  372
  MOD have subsequently had built a total of 37 residential properties); (b) None; (c) None; (d) One, a small fuel store of approximately 22 sq m.

  Ptarmigan
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to increase the number of Ptarmigan mobile trunk modes currently in service with the British Army.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No decision has yet been taken on further orders for trunk modes for the Ptarmigan system.

  Buccaneer
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to replacing the Buccaneer maritime strike aircraft.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We are now carefully studying the need to replace the Buccaneeer in due course.

  IUKADGE Command and Control System
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration was given to using one common computer software language for the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment command and control system when its specifications were originally determined.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  During the nationally funded project definition stage of the IUKADGE CCS in 1977–78, consideration was given to the use of a single preferred software language, CORAL 66, and the codes of software practice extant at that time. However, a subsequent decision to seek maximum return from the NATO common infrastructure budget resulted in the United Kingdom having to abide by the rules of NATO international competitive bidding, ICB, existing at the time, which precluded the specification of a single software language. In addition, the NATO financial authorities directed that existing NATO Air Defence Ground Environment, NADGE software was to be re-used to the greatest extent possible.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the current estimate of the date on which the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment command and control system will be declared fully operational;

  (2) when the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment command and control system was intended to be fully operational when it was first ordered.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment, IUKADGE, is being progressively introduced over a number of years, in accordance with a plan that takes account of the need to maintain a continuous operational capability as the transition from the old to the new is accomplished. Some elements of the system are already in service use. The element known as the IUKADGE command and control system has been delayed and, with the agreement of the prime contractor, UKADGE Systems Ltd., is currently subject to an independent audit and review. It would be premature to comment further before the outcome of that audit has been assessed.

  NFR 90
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the project definition phase for the NFR 90 programme will be completed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The contract for the project definition study is due to complete early in 1991.

  There will then follow a period in which the results will be assessed and decisions taken with the other Governments involved.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which British companies have been consulted as part of the project definition phase for the NFR 90 programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Regular contact is maintained with British industry through several mediums including the Defence Contracts Bulletin, the Defence Industries Council, the NFR United Kingdom Industrial Advisory Panel, made up of the principal defence trade associations and interested companies, and with the nine member companies of Supermarine Consortium Ltd., the United Kingdom shareholder in the international joint venture company undertaking the project definition study.

  EH 101 Helicopter
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the project definition phase for the tactical support variant of the EH 101 helicopter will be completed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The formal project definition phase is being undertaken in two stages, the first of which will run for one year from April this year, although the essential analysis of alternatives will be available at the end of December this year. No timetable has been set for the second stage of project definition.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether design work on the next generation of nuclear-powered submarines has been completed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Design work on SSN 20, the first of class of the next generation of nuclear-powered fleet submarines, is at an early stage.

  Z-berths
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present state of negotiations between local authorities and his Department on the proposed Z-berths at Swansea.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  After our initial discussions with local authorities, a feasibility study was carried out, and this is now under consideration within the Ministry of Defence. If the results prove favourable, further discussions will take place.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present state of negotiations between local authorities and his Department on the proposed Z-berth at Tilbury.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Bow and Poplar (Ms. Gordon) on 5 May at column 277.

  Housing (Dunoon-Sandbank)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many additional houses for United States navy personnel are planned in the Dunoon-Sandbank area; what is the estimated cost of their construction; and what military functions will be performed by the occupants of the additional housing.

  Mr. Neubert
  [holding answer 22 June]: I understand that the United States navy is in the process of leasing up to 50 buildings in the Dunoon-Sandbank areas to house United States naval and civilian personnel involved in maintaining support for the ships and facilities in Holy loch. Some work will be required to bring the buildings up to the required standard and to facilitate use of United States domestic appliances. The United States navy also intends to investigate the possibility of leasing a further 44 houses. The details and costs of this programme are a matter for the United States Government.

  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
  [pursuant to his reply, 19 June 1989, c. 59, and the reply, 12 June 1989, c. 321]: There are presently six children of service parents at Crookham Court school.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Mr. Bernard Ingham
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will arrange for Mr. Bernard Ingham to give a lecture at the Civil Service college.

  Mr. Luce
  In February this year, Mr. Ingham gave an informal talk to senior civil servants on a top management course, run by the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service, held at the college in Sunningdale.

WALES

  National Museum of Wales
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to visit the national museum of Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I hope to visit the national museum of Wales later this year.

  Water Pollution
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many inspections of waste outfalls from factories were carried out on the Ely and Glyn rivers in Mid Glamorgan by Welsh water authority inspectors or bailiffs over the past 12 months.

  Mr. Grist
  This is a matter for the Welsh water authority.

  Rivers (Fish Loss)
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the causes of the recent loss of stocked fish in the rivers Ely and Glyn in Mid Glamorgan.

  Mr. Grist
  This is a matter for the Welsh water authority.

  European Parliament
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next proposes to visit the European Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have no immediate plans to do so.

  Epilepsy Association
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much assistance his Department intends to give to the Wales Epilepsy Association for 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 26 May 1989 at column 762.

  Valleys Initiative
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the projects and their costs funded by his Department as part of the Valleys initiative.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the projects and their costs funded by his Department as part of the Valleys programme; and if he will make a statement.
  376
  Mr. Peter Walker
  A full list of the very many projects taking place in the Valleys could only be provided at a disproportionate cost. I shall be making a progress statement on the Valleys programme shortly.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the starting date of the Valleys initiative.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the starting date of the Valleys programme of his Department, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Valleys programme was formally launched on 14 June 1988.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations will be held with(a) the staff and (b) the local authority representing the catchment area of any general hospitals that apply for self-governing status; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what consultations will be held with local communities in the catchment area of any general hospitals in Wales that apply for self-governing status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Any application for self-governing status will be the subject of consultation with interested parties, including in particular health authorities concerned, staff at the hospital, general practitioners, community health councils and the local community. My right hon. Friend will consider any responses alongside the application.

  CHINESE STUDENTS: EXTENSION OF STAY APPLICATIONS
  CHINESE STUDENTS: EXTENSION OF STAY APPLICATIONS
  CHARITY LAND SALES: TRUSTEES' DUTIES
  CHARITY LAND SALES: TRUSTEES' DUTIES
  INSTITUTE OF FOOD RESEARCH
  INSTITUTE OF FOOD RESEARCH