Written Answers of 27 June 1989

TRANSPORT

  Road Safety
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution he expects the proposals in "Road Users and the Law" to make towards his target for reducing casualties in his policy document, "Road Safety: The Next Steps."

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In 1987 we set the target of reducing casualties by one third by the year 2000. That means a reduction of some 100,000 deaths and injuries. Our priority must be the deaths and serious injuries.

  In 1988 we made good progress towards this. Deaths decreased by 2 per cent. compared with 1987, and were 10 per cent. down compared to the baseline of our target. Serious injuries were down by 1 per cent. compared with 1987, - 15 per cent. compared with the target baseline. This represents good progress, particularly as traffic volumes continue to rise.

  Publication of the North report, and the White Paper "The Road User and the Law", (Cm. 576) has helped considerably to increase the awareness of the need for action to cut road casualties, and to give such action much higher priority. The proposals in the White Paper are an important part of the Government's overall package of measures which, by changing public attitudes, improving enforcement and adopting improved road engineering techniques are together designed to achieve the target.

  Road Traffic Law
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on any progress made in implementing some of the non-legislative recommendations of the road traffic law review which he accepted.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The White Paper "The Road User and the Law" sets out the Government's proposals for taking forward the non-legislative recommendations accepted from the road traffic law review.

  We have received many positive and helpful comments from interested organisations. We will now be discussing with them how best to take forward, jointly, the non-legislative aspects of the White Paper. We shall also be adding a number of projects to our research programme to follow up those aspects of the North report which require further research.

  Rail Freight (Barnes Bridge)
  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the average weekly amount of rail freight transported over Barnes bridge and its average journey length; and what assessment has been made of the equivalent number of average road freight vehicle miles this represents.
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  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  This information is not known to the Department.

  Roads (Liverpool)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has given for road building and improvement in Liverpool; and if he will list the Liverpool city council plans it was allocated for, for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There are no trunk roads in Liverpool. We support expenditure on the city council's more important roads through the transport supplementary grant system. The information requested is:

  Year

  Amount of TSG given (£ million) (including minor works)

  1985–86

  12·083

  1986–87

  2·702

  1987–88

  2·267

  1988–89

  1·235

  1989–90

  1·762

  1 (to Merseyside County Council).

  Major Schemes accepted for TSG 1985–1990

  Years TSG allocated

  Liverpool Inner Ring Road

  1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88

  Garston Bypass

  1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88

  Access to Lime Street Station

  1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88

  Great George Street

  1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88

  Everton Valley Improvement

  1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about road building and upgrading plans in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We have recently received representations about the Park road relief road from the chairman of the Merseyside development corporation and the hon. Member. My right hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) wrote to me about motorway communications on Merseyside and in Liverpool.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  EAGGF (Commitment Appropriations)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement explaining the procedures under which one quarter of all EAGGF commitment appropriations were made available to the Commission in January of recent years when provisional twelfths applied.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 19 June 1989]: In 1980, 1985, 1987 and 1988, when provisional twelfths have applied, one quarter of all EAGGF commitment appropriations have been made available to the Commission, on its request, in accordance with article 204 of the Rome treaty and article 8 of the financial regulation. The Commission has used these commitments to meet EAGGF payments, which tend to fall disproportionately in the early part of the year.

THE ARTS

  Disabled People
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many and what percentage of persons employed in his Department are registered as disabled.

  Mr. Luce
  None.

ENVIRONMENT

  Greenhouse Effect
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the carbon dioxide emissions recorded for 1987 and 1988 related to public sector energy use, broken down into(a) central Government offices, by individual Departments of State, (b) local government, (c) health authorities and (d) other public sector bodies.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Estimates of carbon dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom have been published in the "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics, Number 11", copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. Emissions due to fossil fuel use in the public sector are included in the source category "Commercial/Public Service": in 1987 these amounted to 32 million tonnes of CO2, which was 5 per cent. of the total United Kingdom annual emissions. Data for 1988 are currently being prepared. It would involve disproportionate cost to provide emission estimates in the categories requested.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what specific proposals his Department has put forward for consideration and enactment, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide and methane, since the seminar on the greenhouse effect held by the Prime Minister on 26 April.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 26 June 1989]: At the first meeting of parties to the Montreal protocol, held in Helsinki in May, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave the full support of the United Kingdom to the European Community's call for a reduction in the production and consumption of chlorofluorocarbons by 85 per cent. as soon as possible with a view to phasing them out by the end of the century.

  At the Council of EC Environment Ministers, held in Luxembourg 9–10 June, my noble Friend the Minister of State for Housing, the Environment and Countryside, successfully pressed for the Commission to report back to Council on measures that can be taken to combat carbon dioxide emission from cars.

  Ivory
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been given to the payment of compensation for firms whose business will be destroyed by a ban on trade in new ivory.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is not normal practice to pay compensation to firms whose trade is adversely affected by import restrictions imposed for the purposes of conserving endangered species.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance has been issued to community charge registration officers concerning the obtaining of addresses from telecommunications operators.

  Mr. Gummer
  Community charge practice note No. 3, published in August last year, gave guidance to registration officers on those bodies from whom they have power to require information. These do not include telecommunications operators.

  River Pollution
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any rivers in South Yorkshire are known to be polluted by the use of tributyl tin by boat owners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  The main freshwater rivers affected have been those carrying large numbers of pleasure craft, which were treated with tributyl tin antifouling paints before the Government banned their sale and supply in 1987. The rivers of South Yorkshire do not fall into this category and so have not been monitored.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many companies have deemed consent to discharge into the River Mersey.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 26 June 1989]: I understand from the North West water authority that 27 companies currently have deemed consents under the terms of part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 to discharge effluent into the River Mersey.

  The number of extant deemed consents is being progressively reduced as they are reviewed by the North West water authority and either revoked or replaced by a positively determined consent. Following privatisation, the National Rivers Authority will take responsibility for this work.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the establishment on Merseyside that is exempt from the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

  Mr. Howard
  [Holding answer 26 June 1987]: There are no establishments exempt from the provision of part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 other than those which are subject to Crown immunity. In such cases, it is the general policy of the Government that the standards of pollution control applied should, wherever possible, be no lower than that for other establishments.

  Rainfall
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the most recent figures and those for five and 10 years ago on the levels of acidification in rainfall(a) in Doncaster, (b) the three counties of Yorkshire and Humberside and (c) nationally.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The data requested are provided only for 1988 in the table. Prior to 1986 no data are available for the region and there are insufficient to calculate a representative United Kingdom average. The Doncaster value has been interpolated from nearby rural stations which may not be representative of an urban area.
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  Annual mean precipitation weighted acidity in rainfall in u eq H+/litre

  Data region

  u eq H+/litre

  pH

  United Kingdom

  25

  4·6

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  58

  4·2

  Doncaster

  73

  4·1

  Grants (South Yorkshire)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what grants have been, or are due to be made by the Rural Development Commission, for the county of South Yorkshire during 1989–90; and if he will list them.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Under the 1989 rural development programme for South Yorkshire the Rural Development Commission has agreed in principle to support six projects:

  Rural Development Area Project Officer

  Sports hall extension

  Church Street/Bridge Street infrastructure link

  Resource centre

  Market extension

  Workspace

  Bids for other specific projects will also be considered as they arise. Formal approval and timing of projects will depend on the availability of resources and consideration of detailed applications. The commission also offers grants within the rural development area for the conversion of redundant buildings.

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

  Mr. Ridley
  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.

  Since July 1988 my Department, jointly with the Water Authorities Association, has employed Dewe Rogerson Ltd. as marketing and public relations advisers in connection with the forthcoming privatisation of the water authorities. I am unable to reveal the costs of its work for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

  Dioxin
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the findings of an investigation commissioned by his Department into the extent and effects of dioxin contamination.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 22 June to my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) [at columns 202–3], when I announced publication of pollution paper No. 27, entitled "Dioxins in the Environment". A copy is in the Library.

  Housing Co-operatives
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the report of his Department's working party on housing co-operatives.

  Mr. Trippier
  I welcome the report of the committee which has carried out the review of housing co-operatives 382
  in England and which has been published today. The committee has responded positively to its terms of reference and confirmed that co-ops and other tenant control arrangements are popular with tenants, are effective, and are able to justify the grant support which has already been provided for them.

  The committee recommends several important measures to increase the involvement of tenants in the management of their homes, and extra support for tenants' groups to help them form housing co-operatives and the other types of tenant control considered in the review.

  I am delighted to accept the committee's recommendations and to endorse its view that an expansion of co-operatives and other tenant-led initiatives is now needed. This mirrors the Government's belief that real choices must be available for tenants.

  This expansion must be accompanied by further work, linked to research recently carried out and soon to be published by the Department, to refine our understanding of the value for money that tenant-led management can offer and to monitor progress. In the meantime, I am happy to announce that:
  we will provide a significant build-up for additional support for the promotion and development of new housing co-operatives and alternative forms of tenant control in the local authority stock;
  my Department will urgently discuss with interested bodies training opportunities for both tenants and development workers and ways of improving them;
  we will make £2 million available in 1990/91 to provide start-up support for new tenant initiatives and the promotion of new co-operatives in the housing association stock;
  a new promotional unit will be set up at the Housing Corporation to increase opportunities for participation among housing association tenants;
  we will ensure effective monitoring arrangements are established to ensure progress is made with tenant involvement using these newly increased resources;
  we will discuss with interested parties possible ways of improving the coverage of sources of advice and assistance for tenants by secondary co-operatives and other local organisations;
  we will invite local authorities to discuss proposals for the decentralisation of a major part of whole of their stock to local management organisations. We intend to develop a small number of pilot projects to test cost-effectiveness and service delivery.

  Copies of the report have today been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Domestic Property (Compensation)
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish regulations to deal with the basis of compensation payable under part 2 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.

  Mr. Trippier
  It is hoped that consultations with the relevant bodies will take place towards the end of the year and that proposals will be laid before Parliament thereafter.

  Brodsworth Hall, Doncaster
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the future of Brodsworth hall, near Doncaster; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave his agreement on 5 April to English
  383
  Heritage opening negotiations with the National Heritage Memorial Fund and with the owners of Brodsworth hall on the acquisition of the hall and its contents. No representations have been received since then.

  Bradford West End Scheme
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the occasions when his officials had discussions with the developer for the Bradford "west end" scheme for a city grant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Members of the Department's team of professional appraisers and other officials have had a number of discussions on the proposals for "west end". For reasons of commercial confidentiality it is not our practice to comment on individual city grant proposals.

  Water Supplies
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of private drinking water supplies in England and Wales and the number of people served by those supplies.

  Mr. Howard
  Local authorities collect and hold information on private supplies in their respective areas. Precise information is not held centrally. However, we estimate that there are 80,000 to 100,000 private supplies in the country serving approximately 1 per cent. of the population.

  North West Water Authority (Contracts)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on (i) the length and nature of the contracts given by North West water authority to(a) Mr. Archie Ramsay and (b) Miss Dora McCabe and (ii) their current responsibilities.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 23 June 1989]: Mr. Ramsay has been appointed by the Secretary of State as an executive member of North West water authority on terms similar to those in his original contract with the authority. His present salary is £65,000. Miss McCabe's appointment as an officer remains a matter for the authority. They continue to fill the posts of financial director and corporate affairs manager respectively.

  Set-aside Land
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications for development on set-aside land have been submitted since the scheme was launched.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 23 June 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 20 June, at column 68–9.

  Blood Sports
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice has been given by his Department to the Nature Conservancy Council regarding the pursuance of blood sports on land purchased by conservancy bodies with grant-aid.
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  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 26 June 1989]: Traditional country rights and uses should be interfered with only where they are in conflict with conservation interests.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  "A Few Scientific Statements on Racial Difference"
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received about the British Voice publication, "A Few Scientific Statements on Racial Difference," which has been circulated through the post to residents of south-east London, urging prosecution of those responsible for its distribution under section 5a of the Public Order Act; and if he will make a statement.

  The Solicitor-General
  The Attorney-General has received representations from Greenwich borough council about the publication. The Director of Public Prosecutions has been asked to request the police to make inquiries concerning its publication and distribution. Section 5a of the Public Order Act 1936 has been repealed and replaced by part 3 of the Public Order Act 1986.

SCOTLAND

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement on his proposals for the reform of the Health Service.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Following publication of the White Paper (Cm. 555) and our working papers a large number of responses have been received. These responses, which include a number of generally positive and constructive comments, will be considered before final decisions are taken on the implementation of our proposals for improving the NHS in Scotland.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was spent in 1988–89 and in the first quarter of 1989–90 on management consultants brought in from outside the National Health Service.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  £192,336 was spent centrally in 1988–89 and £36,595 in the first quarter of 1989–90.

  Consultancy Fees
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board the amount spent on consultancy fees in the year 1988–89 and the first quarter of 1989–90.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information available from the annual accounts of health boards relates to the total of fees paid to management consultants, to legal firms (other than for legal expenses connected with compensation claims) and to work study consultants. The amounts for each health board for 1988–89 are shown in the table.

  Health Board

  1988–89

  £

  Argyll and Clyde

  68,429

  Ayrshire and Arran

  32,084

  Borders

  15,562

  385

  Health Board

  1988–89

  £

  Dumfries and Galloway

  61,258

  Fife

  61,810

  Forth Valley

  67,789

  Grampian

  42,576

  Greater Glasgow

  257,258

  Highland

  106,072

  Lanarkshire

  26,570

  Lothian

  172,797

  Orkney

  17,499

  Shetland

  5,405

  Tayside

  14,738

  Western Isles

  28,534

  Total

  978,381

  Information relating to the current financial year is not yet available centrally.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each year since 1980 the number of emergency call-outs by the Scottish ambulance service both in absolute terms and as a percentage of the 1980 figure.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Number of emergency calls

  Percentage of 1980 total

  1980

  129,201

  100·0

  1981

  131,219

  101·6

  1982

  132,672

  102·7

  1983

  138,229

  107·0

  1984

  146,302

  113·2

  1985

  145,383

  112·5

  1986

  154,018

  119·2

  1987

  161,822

  125·2

  1988

  165,956

  128·4

WALES

  Sewage
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish details of Welsh Water's proposals for investment in sewage treatment works in Rhymney valley necessary to ensure compliance with the relevant European directive; and if he will indicate in respect of each works the projected time scale for completion.

  Mr. Grist
  There is no European directive concerning the performance of sewage treatment works. However, Welsh Water is engaged upon a programme of improvements to provide for full compliance with discharge consent conditions at poorly performing works.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the precise location of each of the applications for derogation of sewage discharges in Wales advertised by his Department on 21 June; and if he will also list all other derogations currently in force in a similar way.

  Mr. Grist
  No applications for derogation of sewage discharges in Wales have been advertised by the Department.

  Details of the Welsh Water applications for time-limited variations of consent conditions, including the
  386
  national grid reference of the location of discharge, were advertised by the authority in the London Gazette and Western Mail on 21 June. A copy of the applications may be inspected at the regional rivers division of Welsh Water, St. Mellons, Cardiff.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state for each sewage discharge derogation site currently approved in Wales or currently under consideration by his Department(a) whether he has approved a programme of works to improve the effluent at each specific site, (b) when each programme of work is due to start and finish and (c) to what level each programme of works is designed to improve the effluent at that point of discharge.

  Mr. Grist
  All Welsh Water sewage treatment works for which applications for time-limited consents have been received are included in a programme of capital improvements designed to ensure future compliance. Details of the consent parameters applied for are included in the detailed applications which are available for inspection at the regional rivers division of Welsh Water at St. Mellons, Cardiff.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what justification for a request for derogation in respect of a sewage discharge has been given to him by Welsh Water in each case where a derogation is in force in Wales or is currently under consideration by his Department.

  Mr. Grist
  In making an application for a time-limited variation to an existing discharge consent, Welsh Water must satisfactorily define its plans for investment to improve the performance of the works.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what monitoring arrangements he has made in respect of each of the derogations of sewage in force in Wales; and what arrangements he will make for each of those currently under consideration by his Department.

  Mr. Grist
  There are no derogations of sewage treatment works consent conditions currently in force in the Principality. The water authority is currently responsible for monitoring all its own discharges; subject to enactment of the Water Bill, the National Rivers Authority will assume this duty.

  River Pollution
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Pontypridd of 21 June, if he will list the nature and results in terms of judgments and fines, of prosecutions brought against polluters of south Wales rivers over the past 10 years;

  (2) pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Pontypridd of 21 June, if he will list the recorded incidents of pollution of the rivers and streams of south Wales over the past 10 years, on a year-by-year basis, including specific dates, locations, effects and, where known, polluters.

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

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for
  387
  Pontypridd of 21 June, how the Government intend to enable the National Rivers Authority to prosecute polluters of Welsh rivers, including those companies which release raw sewage into those rivers, after the privatisation of the water authorities.

  Mr. Grist
  Under the provisions of the Water Bill the National Rivers Authority will have the power to institute criminal proceedings. How it uses that power will be a matter for the authority.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Pontypridd of 21 June, whether the Government intend to allow the Welsh water authority to continue to discharge raw sewage into Welsh rivers after the privatisation of that company.

  Mr. Grist
  The consenting of Welsh Water discharges after privatisation will be matter for the National Rivers Authority, subject to enactment of the Water Bill.

  Water Supplies
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he has made for monitoring by his Department or on behalf of his Department of derogations of water supplies granted by him under article 9 of the EC drinking water directives 80/778/EEC.

  Mr. Grist
  Monitoring of the quality of all drinking water supplies within Welsh Water's area is carried out by that authority and regular reports are submitted to the Department.

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there has been any modernisation of Britain's nuclear depth bomb capability since 1980; and if there are any plans in existence or under consideration to modernise this capability.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There has been no modernisation of Britain's nuclear depth bomb capability since 1980. As part of the studies related to modernising United Kingdom tactical nuclear weapons capability, consideration is being given to the replacement of the full spectrum of United Kingdom tactical nuclear weapons, including sea-based systems. However, no decisions have yet been taken.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there has been any increase or decrease in Britain's stockpile of nuclear depth charges since 1980; and whether there is any current consideration of increasing the numbers held.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  For security reasons it is not our policy to comment on the size of the nuclear stockpile. However, it is the policy of the British Government to maintain the stockpile at the minimum level possible to provide a credible, effective deterrent.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there has been any modernisation of Royal Navy helicopters capable of delivering nuclear depth bombs since 1980; and whether there is any current consideration of modernisation of these helicopters.
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  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Nuclear depth bombs would be deployed from Royal Navy ASW helicopters. These helicopters have been modernised in various ways since 1980, and will continue to be modernised as required. Work carried out to date has not been directly related to the helicopters' nuclear weapon delivery capabilities.

  Trident Programme
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish in the Official Report a list of those parliamentary constituencies which will benefit from contracts as a result of the Trident programme, detailing for each constituency the name of the contractor and the value and general nature of the contract.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Royal Ordnance Factory plc
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he makes of the value which would have been put on the Royal Ordnance factory, Blackburn, when the Royal Ordnance Factory plc was sold to British Aerospace if full account had been taken of the factors listed in the recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Our surveyors took full account of all the significant factors relevant to the existing use and alternative use valuations of each site as at the date of the valuation. There are no additional factors mentioned in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report which would have affected the valuations made.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what value was put on the Royal Ordnance factory, Blackburn, when the Royal Ordnance Factory plc was sold to British Aerospace.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As with all the sites owned by Royal Ordnance plc, ROF Blackburn was valued on both an existing use and an alternative use basis, as at 31 December 1985. These valuations were £4,400,000 and £400,000 respectively. Only the higher, existing use, valuations were made available to prospective purchasers of Royal Ordnance.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether(a) the potential development value of the site of the Royal Ordnance factory Blackburn, and (b) the proximity of the site to the extension of the M65 motorway to the M6 were included in the value placed upon the factory when Royal Ordnance Factory plc was sold to British Aerospace.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  All the significant circumstances relevant to the alternative use valuation of ROF Blackburn as at the date of the valuation were taken into account.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any new proposals to assist preservation of the Brazilian rain forests.
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  Mr. Chris Patten
  An Overseas Development Administration environmental mission, led by my chief forestry officer and including the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, visited Brazil last month to identify proposals for a new programme of environmental assistance to the Brazilian Government, particularly in rain forest conservation. This mission was very successful and has come back with a number of specific proposals for technical co-operation projects in sustainable forest management, genetic resource exploration and conservation, and environmental monitoring which we hope can be finalised within the next few months. I shall make the details available as soon as they are settled. During my own visit to Brazil next week I hope to be able to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Brazilian Government to establish the framework for this new environmental programme. I also hope to visit Amazonia and talk to some of the Brazilian bodies actively involved in trying to protect the rain forest.

ENERGY

  Uranium
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what quantities of depleted uranium owned by(a) British Nuclear Fuels Ltd, (b) United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, and (c) foreign customers are currently stored at Sellafield, Chapelcross and Dounreay sites, respectively.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Stocks of civil depleted uranium held under safeguards and resulting from the reprocessing of civil magnox fuel or the operation of enrichment plants by British Nuclear Fuels plc are held at a number of sites. The total quantities are:

  Uranium tonnes

  Sellafield

  100

  Chapelcross

  5,000

  Dounreay

  50

  A further 18,400 tonnes u of such material are held at Capenhurst and 6,200 tonnes u at Springfields.

  Some 20 per cent. of the stocks held at BNFL sites are owned by BNFL and some 5 per cent. by its overseas customers. The BNFL stocks include some 50 tonnes u owned by the authority. Almost all the material held at Dounreay is owned by the UKAEA.

  Electricity Disconnections
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the number of domestic customer disconnections in 1979 and for the latest date in(a) Wales and (b) each electricity board in England and Wales, and the percentage change in each case.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) on 9 December 1988, at column 377, setting out the total figures for disconnections in each of the years 1979–1980 to 1987–88. The number of disconnections in England and Wales in 1988–89 was 75,230.

  Detailed figures for disconnections in each area board are a matter for the electricity supply industry and I have asked the chairman of the Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member with the requested information.

  Berkeley Nuclear Power Station
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether, following the removal of fuel at Berkeley nuclear power station, the cores will be vented by atmospheric air throughout the period before final dismantling; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is an operational matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Efficiency Campaign
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what targets he has set for the initial 12 months of his public sector energy efficiency campaign launched in January; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Details of the campaign are still under consideration.

  Office of Electricity Regulation
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether the office of electricity regulation staff is to be restricted entirely to personnel from the Department of Energy, and the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No.

  Hinkley C (Inquiry)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when a witness from his Department is next expected to appear at the Hinkley C nuclear public inquiry; how many support officials will accompany the witness; on what topic he will give evidence; and whether the witness will be permitted to answer questions on the merits of Government policy.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Department's official witness will return to the inquiry, at the inspector's request, on 20 July to give further evidence on the progress of the Electricity Bill and any other developments in Government policy relevant to the inquiry since the date of his previous appearance. He will be supported by other officials from the Department as necessary. As I told the hon. Member on 27 October 1988, at column 318, it is not customary for an official representative of a Government Department to answer questions as to the merits of Government policy and I continue to see no reason for the Department's witness to do so.

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

  Mr. Parkinson
  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 companies outside Government for public relations work.

  My Department has used the following companies in connection with privatisation:

  Charles Barker in 1982 for Britoil

  Streets Financial in 1983 for Enterprise Oil

  391

  Dewe Rogerson in 1985 for British Gas.

  In addition, I appointed Lowe Bell Communications in 1988, jointly with the area boards, and Valin Pollen International in 1989, jointly with the CEGB, to draw up marketing strategies for the offers for sale of the electricity distribution companies and generating companies respectively.

  The amounts paid are commercially confidential.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Cambodia
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress of the United Kingdom's participation in efforts to secure a peaceful and democratic future for Cambodia.

  Mr. Eggar
  Both through bilateral contacts and through multilateral action in the United Nations' Security Council, and in the run-up to the Paris international conference in August, we are playing our full part in the search for a peaceful and durable settlement to the conflict in Cambodia.

  China
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he has had discussions with the ambassador of the People's Republic of China, with regard to the recent troubles in China and their implications for United Kingdom students in China; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch (Mr. Adley) on 16 June, at column 560.

  Turks and Caicos Government
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministers in the Turks and Caicos Government have been convicted of drug offences or corruption since 1984.

  Mr. Eggar
  Three Turks and Caicos Ministers were convicted on drugs charges in the United States of America in 1985.

  There have been no further convictions since we suspended ministerial government in the Turks and Caicos Islands in 1986. A new constitution came into effect with the return of ministerial government in March 1988.

  Western European Union
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the availability of Western European Union documents to hon. Members in view of the process of reactivation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Given the limitations imposed by the fact that most documents produced by the Council of the Western European Union are classified, I am satisfied with their availability to hon. Members. Documents produced by the Assembly of the Western European Union are distributed to all Members of the British delegation to the Assembly, who have not so far asked that they be made more widely available.

  Antarctic Treaty
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his latest discussions with the United Kingdom's co-signatories to the Antarctic treaty.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Antarctic treaty consultative parties met in Paris in May in preparation for the XV Antarctic treaty consultative meeting in October. A full agenda for the ATCM was provisionally adopted. Items for discussion will include comprehensive measures for the protection of the Antarctic environment, marine pollution, promotion of international scientific co-operation, Antarctic tourism, charting of Antarctic waters, and air safety.

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his discussions with Sir Peter Walters, chairman of BP about their mining operation in the Brazilian rain forest.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) of 26 June, at column 287. My officials are in contact with BP on this issue.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking to stop(a) BP and (b) other British companies contributing to the destruction of rain forests around the world.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will be visiting Brazil including the Amazon region from 4–9 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 rainforest 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 he 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, including BP, claim that these press reports contain important errors of fact, and that they themselves operate significant environmental protection programmes in their projects in Brazil.

  More generally, Britain is a leading supporter of the tropical forestry action plan and the International Tropical Timber Organisation which aim to help countries conserve their forests and manage them sustainably.

  Universal Postal Union
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his officials will attend the congress of the Universal Postal Union in Washington DC in the current year; and what percentage of these would normally be employed in Her Britannic Majesty's embassy at Washington DC.

  Mr. Eggar
  The British delegation will consist largely of officials from the Department of Trade and Industry and the Post Office. It is anticipated that there will be one
  393
  representative from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. As this is a major international conference taking place in Washington, we expect that there will be some involvement on the part of embassy staff, depending on requirements as they arise.

  Human Rights
  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 China.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have made a number of representations about human rights to the Chinese authorities over the last five years, but the precise information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  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 Brazil.

  Mr. Eggar
  In November 1988 I discussed allegations in Amnesty International's report entitled "Brazil, Authorized Violence in Rural Areas" with the then Brazilian Justice Minister. I refer to the answer given on this subject by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (Ms. Walley) on 21 April 1989, at columns 313–14.

  We have not otherwise made any representations to the Brazilians on human rights since democracy was restored in 1985.

  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 the United States of America.

  Mr. Eggar
  None.

  EC Directives
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement setting out the powers which are available to member states if they consider that the Commission has presented directives which are outside the competence of the Commission and the Community, or if the directive is presented on the basis of majority voting without good reasons; and if he will list the occasions on which Her Majesty's Government have made use of these powers.

  Mr. Eggar
  Proposals requiring unanimity may be defeated by a single vote against. Those requiring a qualified majority may be defeated by a blocking minority of 23 votes, or amended by unanimity. In addition, member states may challenge measures, after adoption, in the European Court of Justice. The United Kingdom has challenged the Council in the court over treaty base issues for hormone growth producers in animals (1986); minimum standards for battery hens (1986); youth training (1988) and COMETT II (1989).

  EC Social Charter
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the United Kingdoms Government's intention to accept in the 394
  future any of the articles of the Council of Europe's social charter which currently rejects articles 2(1), 4(3), 7(1), 7(4), 7(7), 8(2), 12(2), 12(3) and 12(4).

  Mr. Cope
  I have been asked to reply.

  At the present time the Government have no plans to accept articles 2(1), 4(3), 7(1), 7(4), 7(7), 8(2), 12(2), 12(3) and 12(4) of the Council of Europe's European social charter. However, the situation is kept under review.

  Programmes and Schemes (Finance)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report all those programmes or schemes for research, development, co-operation or exchange of information on associated activity for which financial provision is made within the current budget of the European Economic Community, listed under the relevant Department of the United Kingdom Government with official title, or where allocated, an acronym, and showing for each project the date of its inception, the authorisation and amounts of funding and the principal participants or beneficiaries within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 6 June 1989]: I have been asked to reply.

  The Community's 1987–91 framework programme for research and development covers several areas of R and D. The Cabinet Office is responsible for overall co-ordination of the United Kingdom's interests in the framework programme, while individual Departments are responsible for United Kingdom interest in specific sub-programmes. I represent Her Majesty's Government at meetings of the Community Council of Ministers (Research) at which the implementation of the framework programme is agreed. A wide range of research co-operation, exchanges of information and associated activity also takes place outside the framework programme. The information requested is therefore not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  A breakdown of R and D programmes within the framework programme is as follows. Of the programmes listed, seven (radiation protection, FLAIR, MAST, DOSES, MONITOR, VALUE and an extension to EUROTRA) were adopted at the most recent Research Council on 20 June. The Council also adopted common positions on a further four programmes (which will probably be formally adopted before the end of the yeas):
  —STEP (science and technology for environmental protection) and EPOCH (European programme on climatology and natural hazards) are two programmes intended to improve the scientific base of environmental policy. Over a period of four years STEP will receive funding of 75 million ecu (£50 million) and EPOCH 40 million ecu (£27 million).
  —BRIDGE (biotechnology research for innovation, development and growth in Europe) will receive Community funding of 100 million ecu (£67 million) over four years
  —The research and technological development programme in the field of raw materials and recycling will receive Community funding of 45 million ecu (£30 million) over three years.

  The Research Council also adopted a resolution reaffirming its support for the COST framework for European collaboration in R and D involving both EC and non-EC countries, and held a preliminary policy debate on the mid-term review of the 1987–91 framework programme.
  395

  Name of Programme

  United Kingdom lead Department

  Duration of programme

  Authorisation

  Community Funding

  Medical and Health Research

  Department of Health

  1987–1991

  Council Decision 17 November 1987

  65 million ecu (£43 million)

  Radiation Protection

  Department of Health

  1990–1991

  Council Decision 20 June 1989

  21·2 million ecu (£14 million)

  ESPRIT II (European Strategic Programme for Research and Development in Information Technologies)

  Department of Trade and Industry

  1987–1992

  Council Decision 11 April 1988

  1,600 million ecu (£1,067 million)

  RACE (Research and Development in Advanced Communications technologies in Europe)

  Department of Trade and Industry

  1987–1992

  Council Decision 14 December 1987

  550 million ecu (£367 million)

  DELTA (Development of European Learning through Technological Advance)

  Department of Employment

  1988–1990

  Council Decision 29 June 1988

  20 million ecu (£13 million)

  DRIVE (Dedicated Road Infrastructure for Vehicle safety in Europe)

  Department of Transport

  1988–1991

  Council Decision 29 June 1988

  60 million ecu (£40 Million)

  AIM (Advanced Informatics in Medicine in Europe)

  Department of Health

  1988–1990

  Council Decision 4 November 1988

  20 million ecu (£13 million)

  BRITE/EURAM (Basic Research in Industrial Technology/Advanced Materials)

  Department of Trade and Industry

  1989–1992

  Council Decision 15 December 1988

  499 million ecu (£333 million)

  BCR (Community Bureau of Reference)

  Department of Trade and Industry

  1988–1992

  Council Decision 29 June 1988

  59·2 million ecu (£39·5 million)

  ECLAIR (European Collaborative Linkage of Agriculture and Industry through Research)

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  1988–1993

  Council Decision 23 February 1989

  80 million ecu (£53 million)

  FLAIR (Food linked agro–industrial research)

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  1989–1993

  Council Decision 20 June 1989

  25 million ecu (£17 Million)

  Controlled Thermonuclear fusion —JET and general programme

  Department of Energy

  1988–1992

  Council Decision 25 July 1988

  735 million ecu (£490 million)

  Joint Research Centre's programme of activities for 1988–1991 (covering Quality of Life, modernisation of industrial sectors and energy)

  Cabinet Office

  1988–1991

  Council Decisions 29 October 1988

  700 million ecu (£467 million)

  JOULE (Joint Opportunities for Unconventional or Long–Term Energy supply)

  Department of Energy

  1989–1992

  Council Decision 15 December 1987

  122 million ecu (£81 million)

  Science and Technology for Development

  Overseas Development Administration

  1987–1991

  Council Decision 14 December 1987

  80 million ecu (£53 million)

  Fisheries programme

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  1988–1992

  Council Decision 19 December 1987

  30 million ecu (£20 million)

  SCIENCE (Co–operation and exchanges between scientists and laboratories)

  Department of Education and Science

  1988–1992

  Council Decision 29 June 1988

  167 million ecu (£111 million)

  SPES (Stimulation Plan for Economic Science)

  Department of Education and Science

  1989–1992

  Council Decision 17 November 1988

  6 million ecu (£4 million)

  Large Scale Scientific Facilities (Community support plan to facilitate access to large–scale scientific facilities of European interest)

  Department of Education and Science

  1988–1992

  Council Decision 14 March 1989

  30 million ecu (£20 million)

  MONITOR (strategic analysis, forcasting and evaluation in science and technology)

  Department of Trade and Industry

  1988–1992

  Council Decision 20 June 1989

  22 million ecu (£15 million)

  Extension to EUROTRA (machine translation system)

  Department of Trade and Industry

  1989–1990

  Council Decision 20 June 1989

  7 million ecu (£4·6 million)

  DOSES (Development of Statistical Expert systems)

  Department of Trade and Industry

  1989–1992

  Council Decision 20 June 1989

  4 million ecu (£2·6 million)

  VALUE (dissemination and utilisation of S & T results)

  Department of Trade and Industry

  1989–1992

  Council Decision 20 June 1989

  38 million ecu (£25 million)

HOME DEPARTMENT

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

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Home Office is undertaking a study of how traffic policing resources are organised and targeted. We hope to undertake a research project on the level of driving while disqualified later this year or early next year.

  Public Relations
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which public relations firms his Department has employed and at what cost, for each year since 1979.
  396
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None.

  "The Satanic Verses"
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that members of the Iranian embassy are not involved in financing or assisting in any way organised violence connected with the campaign centred on the book "The Satanic Verses"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  Iran closed its embassy in London and withdrew all its diplomats on 28 February 1989 at the Government's request, following the threats issued by the Iranian leadership to the lives of Mr. Salmon Rushdie and his publishers. The Government have made it plain that the promotion of organised violence in the United Kingdom will not be tolerated, and all necessary measures will continue to be taken against it.
  397
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask for a report from the chief constable of West Yorkshire police on the rioting during and following a meeting organised by the Council of Mosques in Bradford on Saturday 17 June, and in particular whether any Iranian students were involved on an organised basis in the disruption, and the level of policing available from the start of the meeting at 11 am, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of West Yorkshire police that around 3,000 Moslems, including, it is believed, a small number of Iranian students, took part in the demonstration. The organisers and stewards co-operated fully with the police and the meeting itself was conducted in an orderly manner. After the meeting some 200 youths ran through the centre of Bradford jostling bystanders and causing some damage to cars and other property. A small number of police officers and members of the public were hurt. At the meeting there were initially six officers present with larger numbers in reserve nearby. During the disturbances lasting around 90 minutes some 200 police officers were deployed.

  Blasphemy
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now introduce legislation to repeal the law relating to blasphemy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have no plans to change the law on blasphemy.

  Cocaine
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many samples of freebase cocaine or crack have been submitted to the forensic science laboratories and the laboratory of the Government chemist in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In 1986, 1987 and 1988 there were zero, five and 15 samples confirmed as crack submitted to these laboratories. A further 12 samples have been confirmed as crack in the first five months of this year. In addition over the same three-year period five, seven and 13 samples had features of crack with a further 10 identified this year.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what in each of the last three years for which figures are available, have been the number of deaths in which cocaine in any form has been a cause or contributory factor.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Home Office collects information on the deaths by overdose of drug misusers. The number of such deaths in which cocaine in any form was recorded as a cause or contributory factor in the three years to 31 December 1987, the latest for which figures are available, is given in the following table:

  Number

  1985

  1

  1986

  7

  1987

  9

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will place a document in the 398
  Library listing by name all the medical and scientific authorities on whom he relies for his statements about the harmful effects of crack, the smokeable, base-form of cocaine.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  "Drug Misuse—a basic briefing" prepared by the Institute for the Study of Drug Dependency includes, among the harmful effects of cocaine, the following: misusers may develop a strong psychological dependence; misuse can lead to an extreme state of agitation, anxiety, paranoia and perhaps hallucination; continued misuse may cause a state of mind similar to paranoid psychosis; although rare, excessive doses can cause death from respiratory or heart failure. It also states that smoking cocaine is a more potent method of administration than "snorting" and that the effects are felt more immediately. I am placing a copy of the booklet in the Library.

  Cocaine smoked in the form of crack is a recent phenomenon, but experience from the United States suggests that because crack acts more rapidly it poses a much greater risk of addiction. The ministerial group on the misuse of drugs has instituted a review of the available medical and scientific literature on the effects of crack.

  EC Social Charter
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to establish from the European Commission whether the directive on the harmonisation of conditions of residence, as proposed in the Community "Charter for Fundamental Social Rights" Com. 89–248-final, will fall to be presented to the Council on the basis of majority voting.

  Mr. Renton
  The voting arrangements for a particular proposal depend on the substance of the proposal and on the specific article(s) of the treaty of Rome, as amended by the Single European Act, appropriate to this. Until a draft proposal is agreed by the Commission it is not possible to know on which article the Commission will be basing its proposals.

  Police Complaints Authority
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has reached his decisions on the recommendations contained in the report of the Police Complaints Authority "Triennial Review 1985–1988.

  Mr. Hurd
  Yes. I announced on 14 November 1988 that a consultation document on the recommendations was being sent to the police representative bodies, the local authority associations, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Police Complaints Authority. The document was also being made available to anyone else on request. I have given further consideration to the recommendations in the light of the comments received.

  I have decided to accept 11 of the authority's recommendations in whole or in part.

  Of these 11 recommendations, three have been or will be dealt with by administrative action by my Department as follows:

  I intend that recommendation (4) should be met by making available to the authority information which chief officers currently supply to Her Majesty's chief inspectorate of constabulary.
  399
  I have accepted the following recommendations which will be implemented by amendments to regulations. I have asked my officials to bring forward the necessary amendments as quickly as possible.
  (3) that "complaint … about the conduct" should be enlarged to embrace all such matters arising out of or in the course of the incident complained of as the authority may determine by investigation or otherwise (paragraph 1.8);
  (4) that chief officers be under an obligation to provide us with such information on the informal resolution procedure as we may reasonably require to enable us to fulfil the mandate of section 97(4) (paragraph 1.14);
  (7) that the police authority be required to deal with complaints against senior officers through a small disciplinary sub-committee, enjoined to a proper judicial approach to the task (paragraph 1.26).
  (5) That the words "or informally resolved" should be added to those conditions necessary for dispensation under regulation 3 on the ground that the complaint is repetitious (paragraph 1.17);
  (15) that the authority be given an equivalent discretionary power and propose that it be done by way of amendment of the Police (Anonymous, Repetitious Etc. Complaints) Regulations 1985, to include words such as "or vexatious, oppressive, or an abuse of the complaints system" in the description of complaints for which we can grant a dispensation from investigation (paragraph 2.29);
  (16) that there should be a time limit of 12 months from the date of the incident, or the latest incident, giving rise to the complaint within which to bring it to notice. There should be the usual safeguard to enable us to exercise discretion to extend the time limit where good reason for delay is shown and no injustice is likely to be caused (paragraph 2.30).

  It will not be possible to give direct effect to the third of these recommendations by regulation. But I intend to bring forward amendments to regulations which will achieve the purpose sought by the authority.

  I have also accepted five recommendations for action at the next legislative opportunity.
  (9) That the language of sections 90 and 92 be amended to make it clear beyond doubt what is intended (paragraph 1.41);
  (10) that the Act be amended to enable the authority to give its reasons for preferring charges at the stage of recommendations, when the chief officer must he consulted (paragraph 1.42);
  (11) that an alternative composition of a disciplinary tribunal should be considered (paragraph 1.45);
  (13a) that section 98 be restructured so as to provide: that the authority has discretion to publish such information as is reasonably necessary to inform the public of the outcome of investigations, without derogation from the principle of confidentiality between the authority, complainants and those who provide information (paragraph 2.11);
  (17) that the authority be granted a discretion to dispense with supervision in cases where it is satisfied on proper evidence that the injury sustained is minor, notwithstanding the definition in section 87(4), whether this is apparent from the start or becomes so only in the course of the investigation (paragraph 2.31).

  The purpose of the first two of these recommendations will be achieved by administrative action pending legislation.

  I propose to review the case for the following two recommendations when next contemplating legislation on the complaints procedures.
  (1) That there should be a definition of complaint in the Act which distinguishes between categories of complaint (paragraph 1.5);
  400
  (6) that the authority should be able to satisfy itself in suitable cases that a complaint has been withdrawn by an entirely voluntary and well-informed consent (paragraph 1.17).

  I have asked my officials to hold further discussions with the Police Complaints Authority and the police on two recommendations before I come to a final decision:
  (12) That steps be taken, perhaps by regulation, to lay down a time scale within which the various procedures necessary to bring about a disciplinary hearing are to be completed (paragraph 1.47);
  (13b) that section 98 be restructured so as to provide: that chief officers be restricted in the use of their copy of a report of a supervised investigation, to the purpose for which they receive their copy under the Act and that they publish no part of it (paragraph 2.11).

  I have decided not to accept four of the authority's recommendations:
  (2) That the last word about recording or de-recording a complaint should be with the independent authority rather than with the police (paragraph 1.6)
  (8) that the powers described in section 88 of the Act should be extended to the authority in those cases where it appears to them that by reason of their gravity or exceptional circumstances the investigations should be supervised even if there is no complaint (paragraph 1.34);
  (14) that we ought to have the right to exercise the power to require the production of documents in our own name, which right is at present in doubt (paragraph 2.15);
  (18) that all incidents in the course of which a firearm is discharged, whether accidentally or deliberately, should be mandatorily referable to us. This would enable there to be an independent presence at the examination of the circumstances surrounding those incidents which understandably give rise to public anxiety (paragraph 2.33).

  Finally, I have noted the authority's comment that the question of a lower level of summary disciplinary hearings is worthy of further discussion (paragraph 3.20).

  I have been heartened by the positive response to the consultation document on the authority's recommendations and I am satisfied that the action I have outlined above will further enhance the operation of the procedures for dealing with complaints against the police.

  Summer Time
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the consultation document on summer time arrangements is to be published.

  Mr. Hurd
  A Green Paper entitled 'Summer Time—A Consultation Document', Cm. 722, is published by HMSO today. The document seeks views on three options for future summer time arrangements with a closing date for responses of 29 September 1989.

  Fixed Penalties
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to review the operation of the extended fixed penalty system introduced on 1 October 1986 under the provisions of part III of the Transport Act 1982, now part III of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  A working group comprising representatives of the Home Office, Department of Transport, the police service and the courts was formed early in 1988 to review the operation of the extended penalty system. I have received its report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
  401
  The report concludes that the new procedures are broadly meeting their objectives which were:

  (i) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of road traffic law enforcement;

  (ii) to improve police-public relations in road traffic encounters;

  (iii) to reduce the burden of prosecution for the police, the Crown prosecution service and the courts; and

  (iv) to improve the level of compliance as compared with the previous fixed penalty system.

  The working group has, however, identified a number of areas where some "fine tuning" is required.

  While the extension of the fixed penalty system to a far wider range of less serious road traffic offences has produced a substantial drop in the number of court proceedings, there has been a significant increase in the numbers of fixed penalty notices issued. This has placed a considerable burden on the courts and the police in registering and enforcing unpaid fixed penalties.

  The new arrangements whereby unpaid fixed penalties are enhanced by 50 per cent. and registered and enforced as fines has led to some improvement in early payment rates, particularly in London where, under the previous system, the problem of unpaid fixed penalties was most acute. However, there is still scope for improvement and the working group has identified a number of administrative measures to reduce the number of cases reaching the fine enforcement stage and, for those which do, to ensure that fine recovery is achieved as effectively and efficiently as possible.

  The working group recommends that the fixed penalty levels should be increased. The levels were set in 1986 at £12 for non-endorsable offences and £24 for endorsable offences. The report recommends that these should be increased to £15 and £30 respectively with effect from 1 January 1990. As required by section 88 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, I shall be consulting representative organisations about these proposed increases. I shall also be seeking views about those of the working group's other recommendations which would involve primary legislation.

  War Crimes
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet received the report of the war crimes inquiry; and whether he intends to publish it.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have received the inquiry's report. I am examining it, first with a view to publication subject to the need to avoid prejudicing the position of individuals or any proceedings which might take place.

EMPLOYMENT

  Jobcentres and Benefit Offices
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of pilot schemes for integration between jobcentres and unemployment benefit offices.

  Mr. Lee
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 10 May, at column 441.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the changes in the planned figures for his Department's expenditure for 1989–90 and subsequent years in Cm. 607 from the plans for those years in Cm. 288; and for what reasons.

  Mr. Cope
  The plans for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91 in Cm. 607 show a decrease of £232 million and £340 million respectively from the plans in Cm. 288. This was mainly because the rapid growth in the economy and fall in unemployment allowed a decrease in planned expenditure on employment and training programmes.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the reasons for any differences between the 1988–89 public expenditure plans for his Department published in Cm. 288 and the latest 1988–89 estimated outturn; and how much of any increase is attributable to use of the Reserve.

  Mr. Cope
  The estimated outturn for 1988–89 is 22 per cent. lower than the 1988–89 public expenditure plans published in Cm. 288. This is due mainly to training volumes being lower than planned for adult and youth training because of the rapid growth of the economy and decrease in unemployment.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what new commitments have been undertaken which will involve spending by his Department after 1991–92 since the publication of Cm. 288.

  Mr. Cope
  Since the publication of Cm. 288 the Department has entered into the following new commitments which will involve spending in the years after 1991–92: Employment training, business growth training, training and enterprise councils, compacts, enterprise in higher education and Seville expo 92. In addition, as announced in the Official Report, 27 October 1988, column 318, from 1 April 1990 the Health and Safety Commission will take over the Department of Energy's responsibility for contracting research programmes related to the safety of established thermal nuclear power stations.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the guidelines for programmes under the European social fund for the next three years will be available to local authorities.

  Mr. Cope
  The European Commission published its guidelines concerning European social fund intervention in respect of action against long-term unemployment and occupational integration of young people in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 24 February 1989. My Department circulated these guidelines, the new European social fund regulations and its own guidance to all past fund applicants and representatives of the local authority associations on 11 April 1989. My Department also circulated to them on 21 June 1989 its own guidance on how to complete the European Commission's form for operational programmes, "Application For Assistance From The European Social Fund".

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of unfilled vacancies and the unemployment figure in Doncaster and Mexborough, for April of each year from 1979 to 1989.

  Mr. Lee
  The following is the available information, which is also in the Library. The table shows the number of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres covering the area most closely corresponding to the Doncaster travel-to-work area, together with the number of unemployed claimants in the Doncaster travel-to-work area, for April of each year from 1984 to 1989. Unemployment figures are affected by changes in the coverage of the count. Corresponding figures for 1979 to 1983 are not available.

  Unemployment and unfilled vacancies in Doncaster travel-to-work area for April 1984 to 1989

  Number of unemployed claimants

  Number of unfilled vacancies

  1984

  18,555

  1156

  1985

  19,575

  1128

  1986

  21,897

  178

  1987

  20,692

  352

  1988

  17,491

  382

  1989

  13,327

  462

  1 Number of unfilled vacancies given are for the month of March as April data are not available.

  Training
  Mr. Leadbitter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the training schemes sponsored by his Department, the total numbers targeted for those schemes, the actual numbers attending, the costs, and the payments made to trainees in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Lee
  Figures for total numbers targeted and payments made to trainees can be calculated only at disproportionate cost.

  The following table shows the numbers of people in Great Britain who started on an adult or youth training scheme, sponsored by the Training Agency (formerly Training Commission, formerly Manpower Services Commission), for each year from 1984–85 to 1988–89 and the cost.

  F/Y ended March

  Adult Training (000's)

  Cost £ million

  YTS (000's)

  Cost £ million

  1985

  183

  265·2

  397

  780·7

  1986

  328

  261·9

  406

  809·8

  1987

  534

  302·8

  420

  861·0

  1988

  619

  341·5

  398

  991·0

  11989

  640

  626·3

  397

  993·8

  1 Starts for 1988–89 are subject to revision and costs figures have not been audited.

  Skilled Labour
  Mr. Leadbitter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what response he has made to the Confederation of British Industry industrial trends survey suggesting a shortage of skilled labour;

  (2) what response he has made to the survey published by the Institute of Directors suggesting nearly half the companies questioned said it had become more difficult to recruit skilled employees.
  404
  Mr. Cope
  I am aware of the results of these surveys. The Government are continuing to encourage employers to define and tackle their own skill needs particularly through the introduction of training and enterprise councils and business growth training. The Government are also helping young people and the unemployed to learn new skills through YTS and employment training.

  EC Social Charter
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to establish from the European Commission whether the directives on a minimum wage, on trade union rights, on employee participation and on holiday entitlement and rest period for part time workers as proposed in the "Community charter for fundamental social rights" Com. 89–248-final, will fall to be presented to the Council on the basis of majority voting.

  Mr. Cope
  The voting arrangements for a particular proposal depend on the substance of the proposal and on the specific article(s) of the Treaty of Rome, as amended by the Single European Act, appropriate to this. Until a draft proposal is agreed by the Commission it is not possible to know on which article the Commission will be basing its proposals.

  Council for Social Aid, Manchester
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much public money from the Training Agency has been given to the Council for Social Aid, Manchester, and on what dates.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 26 June 1989]: Money advanced by the Training Agency to the Council for Social Aid was in accordance with the terms of the council's contract with the Training Agency. The precise terms of this contract are confidential to the parties involved.

  Health and Safety (Sunderland)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the companies in Sunderland recently served with enforcement notices by the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 26 June 1989] Information on enforcement notices is not published except in the minority of cases where notices have implications for the safety of the public and details of these are available at the Health and Safety Executive's local area offices.

PRIME MINISTER

  Disabled People
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Prime Minister when she expects to meet Mencap and other organisations representing the disabled to discuss the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 and its implementation; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has no plans to do so. the implementation of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  Heavy Commercial Vehicles
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the use of heavy commercial vehicles.

  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the use of heavy commercial vehicles.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received about a dozen such representations this year. They have concerned a variety of subjects, such as general environmental and safety issues, accidents involving dangerous goods, improved facilities for lorry drivers, and the possibility of transferring freight from road on to rail.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the people of Hong Kong.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received many representations about Hong Kong following the recent appalling events in China. My right hon. Friend met Dame Lydia Dunn, Senior Member of the Executive Council and Mr. Allan Lee, Senior Member of the Legislative Council on 23 June. She listend to their concerns and reaffirmed the Government's determination to work for a secure and prosperous future for Hong Kong, as provided for in the Sino-British joint declaration.

  Whales
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister if, in the light of the recommendations made at the 41st annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission which took place in San Diego, California, from 12 June to 16 June 1989, Her Majesty's Government will recommend to the European Commission that concerted action be taken against those nations which continue to slaughter whales and which claim that they need to acquire dead whales for research purposes.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  The European Community does not have any competence on whaling matters. Those member states with an interest in whaling are already members of the International Whaling Commission and we consult them in that relevant forum. At its recent annual meeting the IWC adopted resolutions which were jointly sponsored by the United Kingdom, calling upon Japan, Norway and Iceland to reconsider their whaling research plans.

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the disadvantage of economic and monetary union in the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received a number of representations on this subject.

  Malpas, Newport
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if she is planning to visit the Malpas area of Newport, Gwent.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has at present no plans to do so.

  British Medical Association
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has had any recent representations from the British Medical Association.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received a copy of a letter which I understand has been sent to all right hon. and hon. Members.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding higher education.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister receives many representations on education matters, including the Government's policies for higher education, which have helped secure a 27 per cent. increase in student numbers over the last decade.

  Unleaded Petrol
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding unleaded petrol.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  Yes, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received many representations about unleaded petrol.

  The Government have taken many steps to promote unleaded petrol. We played a major role in securing agreement in 1985 for the future introduction of unleaded petrol within the European Community. The unleaded petrol directive requires that member states should ensure the availability and balanced distribution of the fuel by October of this year. Regulations have been adopted which will require all new cars on sale in the United Kingdom to run on the fuel by October of next year.

  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has progressively increased the duty differential in favour of unleaded petrol over a three-year period and this has resulted in the fuel being now on sale about 10p a gallon cheaper at the pumps than 4-star leaded petrol. A successful Government-funded advertising campaign was shown on television during April to motivate motorists to have their cars adjusted and to use the fuel. Numerous other initiatives have been implemented with considerable assistance offered by the private sector. The Motability lead-free campaign has been very successful in obtaining support from major companies to promote the fuel.

  The success of these measures can now be seen in the rapid uptake of the fuel, which is now accounting for over 19 per cent. of the market. Unleaded petrol is readily available; at least 50 per cent. of petrol stations now stock it.

  Mr. Lech Walesa
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister if, in view of the election results in Poland on 4 June, she will now extend an official invitation to visit the United Kingdom to Mr. Lech Walesa.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  Mr. Walesa already has an official invitation to visit the United Kingdom. We hope he will take it up as soon as possible. Meanwhile, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister saw another Solidarity leader, Professor Geremek, when he was in London last week at our invitation.

  Postal Services
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Prime Minister whether, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall),Official Report, 6 June, column 15, she will make a further statement on the postal monopoly and competition.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  I have nothing to add to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) on 6 June, at column 15.

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Prime Minister what action will she take in order to stop the destruction of the rain forests in the Brazilian national park by BP; and if she will take steps to oblige BP to reforest the 250,000 acres it has destroyed.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will be visiting Brazil, including the Amazon, from 4–9 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, including BP, claim that these press reports contain important errors of fact.

  More generally, Britain is a leading supporter of the tropical forestry action plan and the International Tropical Timber Organisation, which aim to help countries conserve their forests and manage them sustainably.

  EC Social Charter
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she intends to sign the Community "Charter for Fundamental Social Rights", Com. 89–248-final, at the Madrid meeting of the European Council.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will make a statement in due course.

  Engagements
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 June.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 June.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 June.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 June.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 June.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 June.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 June.

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 27 June.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is attending the European Council in Madrid.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

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

  Mr. Forth
  Apart from the special circumstances of privatisation work, the consistent practice of successive Governments has been to avoid the use of public relations or other firms for public relations work. The following firms were retained to advise on privatisations:

  Charles Barker Lyons, 1981

  Dewe Rogerson, 1984 and 1988

  Streets Financial, 1985

  Valin Pollen, 1986

  Details of such contracts, including their cost, are commercially confidential.

  Television Advertising
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total cost of the television advertising campaign on the enterprise initiative; and what is the cost expressed in terms of expenditure for each successful application received.

  Mr. Forth
  Expenditure on television advertising for the Enterprise Initiative since January 1988 has been about £13 million. Up to 2 June 1989, over 26,500 firms had successfully applied for assisted EI consultancies. It is not appropriate, however, to express one in terms of the other since the advertising has been concerned with the Enterprise Initiative as a whole and not just the six EI consultancy initiatives.

  Steel Industry
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what is the total employment in the steel industry for every year since 1959 in the United Kingdom;
  409
  (2) what is the total steel production in million tonnes for every year since 1959 in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information is as follows:

  Steel Production and Employment in the United Kingdom

  Year

  Crude steel (million tonnes)

  Employment (thousands, end year)

  1959

  20·5

  n.a.

  1960

  24·7

  n.a.

  1961

  22·4

  n.a.

  1962

  20·8

  n.a.

  1963

  22·9

  n.a.

  1964

  26·6

  n.a.

  1965

  27·4

  n.a.

  1966

  24·7

  n.a.

  1967

  24·3

  n.a.

  1968

  26·3

  n.a.

  1969

  26·8

  n.a.

  1970

  28·3

  n.a.

  1971

  24·2

  n.a.

  1972

  25·3

  n.a.

  1973

  26·6

  198·5

  1974

  22·3

  196·9

  1975

  20·1

  184·4

  1976

  22·3

  182·3

  1977

  20·4

  178·9

  1978

  20·3

  165·4

  1979

  21·5

  156·6

  1980

  11·3

  112·1

  1981

  15·6

  88·2

  1982

  13·7

  74·5

  1983

  15·0

  63·7

  1984

  15·1

  61·9

  1985

  15·7

  59·0

  1986

  14·7

  55·9

  1987

  17·4

  54·9

  1988

  19·0

  55·1

  Employment on European Coal and Steel Community Treaty activities, only.

  Source: Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.

  n.a.: not available.

  Postal Services
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he has received a copy of the Post Office's reply to the couriers' complaint to the European Commission about anti-competitive postal practices; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will discuss with the European Commission the complaint by the courier services about remail;

  (3) what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission about the formal complaint made by private courier services about anti-competitive practices by postal administrations; and if he will raise the matter in future discussions.

  Mr. Forth
  The question of the couriers' complaint is a matter between the European Commission and the postal administrations concerned, in our case the Post Office. I have not received a copy.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received the CEPT working party's proposal for a European postal monopoly; and if he will make a statement.
  410
  Mr. Forth
  No. As far as I am aware, no such proposal exists although many postal administrations have argued that they need some form of monopoly to support the cost of their social obligations.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list in the Official Report (a) all overseas visits made in 1988 and 1989 by officials in his Department in connection with the ITU, CEPT and UPU, (b) the cost of each visit, (c) the length of each visit, (d) the purpose of each visit and (e) the number and duration of visits which are planned in the current financial year.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not readily available and could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will refer the Post Office letter post service to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Forth
  No.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what discussions he has had with officials in New Zealand regarding their intention to liberalise the postal monopoly.

  (2) what discussions he has had with postal officials in Gibraltar regarding their intention to integrate the private sector into public postal services.

  (3) what discussions he has had with the European Commission about European postal services from 1993.

  Mr. Forth
  None.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has received from Post Office Counters Ltd. for future private investment.

  Mr. Forth
  Details of such plans would be commercially confidential.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has received from Post Office Parcels Ltd. for private investment in the parcels network.

  Mr. Forth
  Details of such plans would be commercially confidential.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he will take to ensure freepost election communications are not delayed by industrial action.

  Mr. Forth
  Post Office industrial relations are the responsibility of the board. However, I understand that the Post Office discusses arrangements for the delivery of election communications both nationally and locally in advance, to minimise the possibility of disputes when such deliveries are pending.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the cost to the British Overseas Trade Board of the recent report it commissioned from the Institute of Logistics and Distribution Management; and what were its terms of reference.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Department agreed to pay for the cost of preparation of this report up to £54,000.

  The terms of reference were for a study of the United Kingdom express goods services markets for destinations in mainland Europe, North America and the far east.
  411
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he will discuss the options for change in the letter monopoly with the Association of International Courier and Express Services.

  Mr. Forth
  I have no plans for such a meeting.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when his Department will meet interested parties to discuss the report prepared for the British Overseas Trade Board on the market for express goods services between the United Kingdom and Europe, North America and the far east.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My Department has discussed the report with the Association of International Courier and Express Services, and is ready to meet other interested parties who may wish to present views.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when his Department will next meet the Institute of Logistics and Distribution Management, and what issues he expects to discuss.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My Department is keeping in contact with the institute on how it is seeking to encourage United Kingdom industry to respond further to the growing opportunities in the express freight market demonstrated in the recent report on the subject prepared by the institute.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether all non-monopoly services are wholly independent of the Post Office's letter service.

  Mr. Forth
  While the Post Office businesses are financially independent, they are not operationally independent but charge at commercial rates for services to each other. Letters costing over £1, and so outside the monopoly limit, are not carried separately from letters below £1.

  Post Office Board
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what increase in remuneration was awarded to each member of the Post Office board on 1 April.

  Mr. Forth
  Information about board members' remuneration is published in the Post Office's annual accounts for the year in question.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools have now opted for grant-maintained status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has so far approved proposals for grant-maintained status from 19 schools. A further 24 have published proposals, or voted to do so, and he will determine these on their merits in due course.

  Special Educational Provision
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what initiatives are planned by his Department to improve special educational provision in secondary schools.
  412
  Mr. Butcher
  Special educational provision in secondary schools is primarily a responsibility of LEAs. The introduction of the national curriculum is a major initiative which will enable LEAs and schools to improve educational provision for all children, not least those who require special educational provision. The in-service training of teachers in ordinary schools with a designated responsibility for pupils with special educational needs is a national priority area in the Department's local education authority training grants scheme.

  Postgraduate Students
  Sir William Shelton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of United Kingdom students enrolled in postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Jackson
  The numbers of home students enrolled in postgraduate studies in United Kingdom public institutions are as follows (thousands).

  Number (Thousands)

  1979–80

  81·5

  1980–81

  84·8

  1981–82

  85·0

  1982–83

  84·6

  1983–84

  87·1

  1984–85

  91·0

  1985–86

  90·7

  1986–87

  100·2

  1987–88

  103·7

  These figures exclude the Open University (1,300 in 1986–87).

  School Governors
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has of the extent to which places for parents' representatives on school governing bodies are being filled by parents who are teachers employed at other schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government have commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research to conduct a survey of a sample of school governing bodies, and their membership. One of the questions concerns the occupational background of governors.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that appropriate training is available to school governors in the light of their increased responsibilities under local management schemes.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Local education authorities have a duty to make any necessary training available to school governors. The Government are paying education support grant on nearly £5 million of local authority expenditure on school governor training in England this year. Government funds have supported the production of national training materials on the local management of schools. We are discussing with LEAs and others the scope for further national initiatives.

  First Aid and Fire Safety
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he has taken to establish the existence of effective fire safety and first aid arrangements in schools and colleges; and with what result.

  Mr. Butcher
  Responsibility for fire safety and first aid arrangements in maintained schools and colleges rests with the local education authorities.

  Guidance on fire safety is contained in the Department's "Building Bulletin No. 7", and in September 1987 the Department issued a note of guidance on arrangements for first aid provision in schools and colleges to all authorities.

  University Staff (Pay)
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the recent pay agreement between the management and staff sides in the universities.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The Government have today accepted proposals put forward by the university employers and staff sides for salary increases for non-clinical academic staff in 1989–90. I am pleased that these provide for greater flexibility and differentiation in the salaries of lecturers and professors to take account of merit and market conditions. The Government have agreed that an extra £37 million should be made available for university staff pay this year, with corresponding sums in future years.

  The universities have also provided evidence of satisfactory progress with the appraisal of their staff. I have accordingly authorised the Universities Funding Council to release to universities the £67 million which was conditional on the production of that evidence.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Teachers (Re-entrants)
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Crosby 13 April,Official Report, columns 629–30, he will publish a similar table for the year ended March 1987 showing (a) re-entrants to maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools by sector, (b) re-entrants to maintained secondary schools by graduate status and degree subjects and (c) re-entrants to maintained secondary schools by sex and age.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  [holding answer 13 June 1989]: Figures for the year ending March, 1987 (and also revised figures for 1986) of qualified teachers re-entering full-time service in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England are as follows:

  Year ending 1986

  1987

  Re-entrants to maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools by sector

  Re-entrants to nursery and primary schools number

  8,150

  8,650

  414

  Year ending 1986

  1987

  as a percentage of all entrants to these schools

  64

  62

  Re-entrants to secondary schools number

  6,880

  6,770

  as a percentage of all entrants to these schools

  49

  48

  Re-entrants to nursery, primary and secondary schools number

  15,030

  15,420

  as a percentage of all entrants to these schools

  56

  55

  Re-entrants to maintained secondary schools by graduate status and degree subject

  Graduate re-entrants

  3,680

  3,600

  Of which, number whose degree subject is:

  Mathematics

  240

  230

  Physics

  110

  90

  Other Sciences

  520

  550

  Geography

  210

  200

  Economics and other social

  sciences

  280

  290

  English

  550

  550

  History

  280

  280

  Modern languages

  430

  420

  Other subjects

  1,060

  990

  Non-graduate re-entrants

  3,210

  3,170

  Re-entrants to maintained secondary schools by sex and age

  Men re-entrants

  1,430

  1,510

  Of which, number aged:

  less than 30

  300

  240

  30–34

  340

  350

  35–39

  310

  350

  40–44

  190

  250

  45–49

  140

  150

  50 or over

  150

  160

  Women re-entrants

  5,460

  5,260

  Of which, number aged:

  less than 30

  670

  520

  30–34

  1,180

  1,040

  35–39

  1,860

  1,710

  40–44

  1,020

  1,110

  45–49

  430

  550

  50 or over

  300

  320

  Teachers
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many full-time teachers in maintained secondary schools in England left full-time service in the maintained sector at or beyond normal retirement age in the year to March 1987;

  (2) if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Crosby of 27 April, Official Report, columns 619–20, he will publish a similar table for the year ended March 1987 showing an analysis by age and sex of leavers below normal retirement age;

  (3) if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Crosby, 13 April, Official Report, columns 630–32, he will publish a similar table for the year ended March 1987 showing full-time teachers in maintained secondary schools leaving full-time service before normal retirement age; and if he will estimate the number of teachers retiring early in that year.
  415
  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  [holding answer 13 June 1989]: Figures for the year ending March 1987 (and also revised and corrected figures for 1984–86) of full-time teachers in maintained secondary schools in England leaving full-time service in the maintained sector are as follows:

  Year ending March

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  All leavers aged 60 or over

  1,900

  1,800

  1,630

  1,310

  All leavers aged under 60

  13,750

  15,070

  15,750

  14,490

  Men leavers under 60 of which, number aged:

  4,810

  5,520

  6,080

  5,550

  less than 30

  1,060

  1,060

  1,200

  1,060

  30–34

  820

  900

  940

  900

  35–39

  590

  730

  890

  870

  40–44

  330

  440

  480

  480

  45–49

  340

  360

  370

  380

  50–54

  600

  780

  860

  780

  55–59

  1,070

  1,250

  1,340

  1,080

  Women leavers under 60 of which, number aged:

  8,950

  9,550

  9,680

  8,940

  less than 30

  3,140

  3,070

  2,700

  2,370

  30–34

  2,110

  2,200

  2,210

  2,110

  35–39

  1,050

  1,210

  1,410

  1,330

  40–44

  600

  680

  810

  850

  45–49

  430

  520

  590

  590

  50–54

  690

  810

  900

  820

  55–59

  930

  1,060

  1,060

  870

  Graduate leavers under 60 of which, number whose degree subject is:

  8,050

  9,050

  9,620

  9,110

  Mathematics

  630

  650

  750

  640

  Physics

  260

  290

  310

  260

  Other sciences

  1,250

  1,450

  1,460

  1,330

  Geography

  480

  580

  550

  550

  Economics and other social sciences

  670

  760

  750

  690

  English

  1,160

  1,270

  1,230

  1,060

  History

  610

  690

  690

  600

  Modern languages

  1,050

  1,170

  1,150

  970

  Other subjects

  1,930

  2,210

  2,720

  3,030

  Non-graduate leavers under 60

  5,710

  6,020

  6,140

  5,370

  The figures for leavers under 60 in the years ending March 1986 and 1987 include about 3,800 and 3,100 early retirements respectively.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Family Credit
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many families in receipt of family credit also receive a local authority rent rebate and a rate rebate;

  (2) how many families in receipt of family credit also receive a local authority rate rebate.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Provisional information suggests that in May 1988, 62,000 families receiving some form of housing benefit were also receiving family credit. Further information is not available.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the families receiving family credit are estimated to be entitled to(a) a rent rebate and (b) a rate rebate.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information from the 1985–86 family expenditure survey (FES), updated to 1988–89, suggests 416
  that of the families receiving family credit 7·4 per cent. would be entitled to a rent rebate or rent allowance only; 17·6 per cent. to a rate rebate only; and 5 per cent. to both a rent rebate-allowance and rate rebate.

  Departmental Agencies
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how his Department's agencies will improve service to the public.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how the Department of Social Security agencies will improve service to his social security customers.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The establishment of agency status for Social Security operations will enable us to carry forward and strengthen our existing strategy for improving service to the public.

  In particular agencies will ensure:
  delegation of decision-making to the lowest possible level giving a quicker, more sensitive response to local needs; clear objectives for the quality of service to be achieved, expressed as performance targets, and;
  effective performance measurement to ensure that those targets are met.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to undertake a full review of the regulations concerning the payment of mobility allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  We shall look at mobility allowance, in common with other benefits for people with disabilities, in the light of the findings of the OPCS surveys of disability.

  Children
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children in the Don Valley constituency are dependent upon(a) income support and (b) family income supplement or family credit for the latest year he has figures (i) in total, and (ii) as a percentage of all children in South Yorkshire.

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

  Availability for Work
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list(a) the number of claimants of all supplementary benefits, (b) the number of claimants of supplementary pensions, (c) the number of claimants of supplementary allowances and (d) the numbers of claimants of supplementary benefits required to be available for work, in respect of his Department's local offices in Doncaster, and the Mexborough area, for April of each year from 1979 to 1989;

  (2) if he will list (a) the total number of claimants receiving income support, (b) claimants of income support receiving pensioner premiums and (c) the number of claimants of income support required to be available for work, in respect of his Department's local offices in Doncaster, and the Mexborough area, for April of each year from 1979 to 1989;

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is as follows:
  417

  Number of claimants receiving supplementary benefit income support by statistical category

  Local office

  1May 1979

  May 1980

  May 1981

  May 1982

  May 1983

  May 1984

  May 1985

  May 1986

  May 1987

  May 1988

  2May 1989

  E

  1,631

  1,647

  2,758

  4,020

  4,914

  4,989

  5,298

  5,328

  5,181

  4,002

  3,765

  Doncaster East

  A

  1,449

  1,383

  1,582

  1,903

  2,212

  2,910

  3,111

  3,270

  3,629

  3,013

  3,210

  ILO

  P

  2,686

  2,683

  2,744

  2,751

  2,889

  2,889

  2,899

  2,904

  3,059

  3,131

  3,143

  Total

  5,766

  5,713

  7,084

  8,674

  10,015

  10,788

  11,308

  11,502

  11,869

  10,146

  10,118

  E

  1,652

  1,942

  3,560

  5,127

  6,131

  6,501

  6,672

  7,061

  6,676

  5,249

  4,734

  Doncaster West

  A

  1,964

  2,007

  2,157

  2,630

  2,900

  3,607

  3,920

  3,961

  4,621

  4,153

  4,209

  ILO

  P

  3,531

  3,536

  3,528

  3,876

  3,600

  3,760

  3,551

  3,495

  3,644

  3,516

  3,452

  Total

  7,147

  7,485

  9,245

  11,633

  12,631

  13,868

  14,143

  14,517

  14,941

  12,918

  12,395

  E

  1,036

  1,225

  1,958

  2,856

  3,344

  3,416

  3,695

  3,905

  3,488

  3,067

  3,054

  Wath-on-Dearne

  A

  1,236

  1,186

  1,365

  1,495

  1,771

  2,228

  2,392

  2,476

  2,595

  2,355

  2,618

  AO

  P

  1,904

  1,864

  1,878

  1,990

  2,079

  2,052

  2,016

  1,983

  2,000

  1,844

  1,815

  Total

  4,176

  4,275

  5,201

  6,341

  7,194

  7,696

  8,103

  8,364

  8,083

  7,266

  7,487

  1 E = claimants required to be available for work.

  A = claimants not required to register for work.

  P = pensioners.

  2 1989 data are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action; this will include a number of cases where benefit payments have ceased but other action is continuing.

  Late Claims
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give(a) the number of claims for income support where entitlement has been recognised but the claim has been disallowed on the grounds of late submission, (b) the total value of these claims, (c) the number of such claims appealed against with the number successful and (e) the cost of dealing with these claims and appeals.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  Benefits
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number of recipients of supplementary benefit or supplementary pension or income support for each year from 1969 to the present.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is as follows:

  Supplementary Benefit

  All claimants

  Supplementary pensioners1

  Other claimants

  November 1969

  2,688,000

  1,875,000

  813,000

  November 1970

  2,738,000

  1,902,000

  836,000

  November 1971

  2,909,000

  1,919,000

  990,000

  November 1972

  2,911,000

  1,909,000

  1,002,000

  November 1973

  2,675,000

  1,844,000

  831,000

  November 1974

  2,680,000

  1,807,000

  872,000

  December 1975

  2,793,000

  1,679,000

  1,113,000

  December 1976

  2,960,000

  1,687,000

  1,274,000

  November 1977

  2,991,000

  1,738,000

  1,253,000

  November 1978

  2,932,000

  1,738,000

  1,195,000

  November 1979

  2,855,000

  1,723,000

  1,132,000

  December 1980

  3,118,000

  1,694,000

  1,423,000

  December 1981

  3,723,000

  1,738,000

  1,895,000

  December 1982

  4,267,000

  1,781,000

  2,486,000

  December 1983

  4,350,000

  1,651,000

  2,699,000

  December 1984

  4,609,000

  1,683,000

  2,926,000

  February 1986

  4,938,000

  1,717,000

  3,221,000

  May 1987

  4,896,000

  1,727,000

  3,169,000

  418

  Income Support

  All claimants

  Pensioners2

  Other claimants

  May 1988

  34,352,000

  31,719,000

  32,632,000

  Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries.

  1 Claimants over pension age (65 for men, 60 for women).

  2 Claimant, or any partner, aged 60 or over.

  3 Latest available estimates.

  There was no Annual Statistical Enquiry in 1985: the one due in December that year was deferred until February 1986.

  EC Social Charter
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will seek to establish from the European Commission whether the directives on a Euro-pension for the elderly and for a minimum entitlement for unemployment benefit, as proposed in. the Community "Charter for Fundamental Social Rights" 89–248-final, will fall to be presented to the Council on the basis of majority voting.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The voting procedure for Commission proposals depends on the articles of the treaty of Rome on which they are based. The articles which cover social security require unanimity.

HEALTH

  Cochlear Implants
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he proposes to take to ensure that cochlear implants are readily provided by the National Health Service for those profoundly deaf patients who could benefit from them.

  Mr. Mellor
  Provision of cochlear implants is a matter for health authorities in the light of their assessment of local needs and priorities. This is an important new development and I have asked officials to review the
  419
  position to see whether some form of additional help from the centre would be possible. Given the complexity of the funding issues involved, no early decision will be possible.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future provision of resources for teaching and training of doctors under the proposals in the White Paper, "Working for Patients."

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  In the White Paper we emphasised the Government's continuing commitment to maintaining the quality of medical education. We recognised that hospitals in which teaching and research take place incur higher costs as a result, and said that we had decided to accept that the service increment for teaching—(SIFT)—should be enhanced. More recently, I announced in a written reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Mr. Knox) on 6 June that we have agreed to improve means for the distribution of SIFT. We have also stressed the importance we continue to attach to the postgraduate training of doctors, and our intention is that hospitals should not be placed at an unfair disadvantage or advantage in the distribution of resources by undertaking such training.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the intended effects of the increased capitation element in the new general practitioners' contract for patient care.

  Mr. Mellor
  By increasing the proportion of general practitioners' income which comes from capitation payments we will be encouraging greater competition in the family doctor service. This will ensure a better service for patients by giving GPs a greater incentive to provide the best possible range and quality of service to all patients.

  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how patient care will be affected by the proposals to allow large general practitioner practices to hold their own budgets.

  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the implications for patient care of the proposals for general practitioners' practices to operate their own budgets.

  Mr. Mellor
  The introduction of practice budgets, in common with our other proposals for the National Health Service, will lead to even higher standards of service and better quality of care for patients. General practitioners who choose to have budgets will for the first time hold the purse-strings to finance the treatment of their patients which falls within the scope of the budget. This will mean that hospitals will become more responsive to the needs of GPs and their patients. Practice budget holders will also be able to transfer funds between the different elements of the budget which will provide them with greater flexibility in meeting the individual needs of their patients. Greater freedom in managing their own budgets will enhance the clinical freedom of the doctors involved.

  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients" on medical audit will affect patient care.
  420
  Mr. Mellor
  The objectives of developing a comprehensive system of medical audit as proposed in the White Paper is to enhance the overall quality of care given to patients in the National Health Service.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the intended effects of the changes in composition of the family practitioner committees proposed in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham (Mr. Couchman) on 23 May 1989, at columns 482–83.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many requests for information he has now received from hospitals inquiring about the possibility of obtaining self-governing status.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  People or groups interested in self-governing status have been advised to direct inquiries in the first instance to their regional health authority. RHAs have so far notified my Department of a total of 179 expressions of interest, including a number of units which feature more than one hospital.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the proposals to allow hospitals to become self-governing National Health Service hospitals will affect patient care.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will explain the effects of the proposals to allow hospitals to become self-governing.

  Mr. Mellor
  Self-governing hospitals will remain firmly within the NHS and there will be safeguards to ensure that essential local services continue to be provided locally. But they will have far more freedom to take their own decisions on the matters which affect them most without detailed supervision from above. This will give patients more choice, produce a better quality service and encourage other hospitals to do even better in order to compete.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the benefits for patient care of the indicative drug budgets proposed in the National Health Service White Paper.

  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much account has been taken under the proposals for prescribing budgets of the needs of patients in receipt of drugs on a long-term basis.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how patient care will be affected by the proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients", for indicative drug budgets.

  Mr. Mellor
  Indicative prescribing budgets will provide a further incentive to general practitioners to examine their prescribing patterns critically and in particular to avoid excessive and unncessary prescribing. This is very much in the best interests of patients and more economical prescribing will release money for other forms of patient care in the NHS,. We have made it clear that the amount allocated to a practice for its indicative prescribing budget will take into account the presence on the practice's list of
  421
  patients, such as the elderly or chronically sick, who need drugs on a longer-term basis. All patients will always get the drugs they need.

  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of consultants' contract hours he expects to be devoted to administrative work as a result of the proposals in the White Paper on the National Health Service.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are not making any estimate of the time consultants will spend in administrative work, but we expect—and would wish to see—consultants taking an increasing management role, as "Working for Patients" makes clear, through the devolution of managerial responsibility, the extension of resource management, and the establishment of self-governing hospitals.

  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning the proposals contained in the White Paper "Working for Patients", relating to medical audits.

  Mr. Mellor
  The proposal to develop a comprehensive system of medical audit in the NHS has been widely welcomed and the medical profession supports the concept of audit and consider it a central part of the doctor's obligation to his patient.

  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has received any expressions of interest from general practitioners' practices about operating their own practice budgets.

  Mr. Mellor
  Although we have not yet asked GPs to register formally their interest in becoming budget holders, we are encouraged by the level of interest from eligible practices.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect the proposals in the National Health Service White Paper will have on the distance that patients will have to travel for treatment.

  Mr. Mellor
  Surveys suggest that many people are willing to travel for better and quicker treatment. In setting contracts for services district health authorities will take full account of the wishes of patients and there will be no question of patients being expected to travel unreasonable distances.

  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the conditions which have to be fulfilled before the authorities in a National Health Service hospital apply to be self governing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The main criteria were set out in the White Paper "Working for Patients" and working paper (1) "Self-governing Hospitals". Further details are given in the document "Self Governing Hospitals: An Initial Guide" published last week and copies are available in the Library.

  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the additional £40 million to assist with the implementation of the National Health Service reforms will be allocated.

  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give further details of the recently announced extra £40 million for the implementation of the health service reforms.
  422
  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friends to my reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 26 June, at columns 315–16.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost to the latest date of the promotion and information relating to his White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I am introducing into the NHS a system of regular direct communications with the staff which I believe is necessary for any large organisation and certainly for one which employs over 1 million people. It is misleading to compare this with public advertising or political promotion campaigns of the kind being conducted by the BMA and other interest groups. The cost of the communications exercise to inform the staff and management of the NHS about the White Paper proposals is approximately £1·25 million.

  Estimated expenditure on the next stage of information for NHS staff about self-governing hospitals will be some £750,000.

  The only expenditure on material aimed at the public included in these sums is the cost of:

  (a) a leaflet for the public on the White Paper proposals, costing £117,000;

  (b) a further leaflet to be made available to the general public on request in the local areas of units which have expressed an interest in becoming self governing, costing £13,000.

  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to privatise self-governing hospitals.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how patients' choice will be affected by the proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a further statement on the implications for patient choice of the proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients."

  Mr. Mellor
  A fundamental aim of the White Paper proposals is to make the Health Service more responsive to the needs of patients. We will stimulate better services to patients by encouraging suitable hospitals to apply for self-governing status, by delegating responsibility to local level and by allowing money for patients' treatment to cross administrative borders. GPs will be able to improve the service they offer their patients by applying for their own budgets. Patients will be able to choose their GPs on the basis of the services they offer. We intend to raise the performance of all hospitals and GPs to that of the best. The reformed Health Service will offer a better quality of service and better value for money.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further representations he has received in respect of his proposals to cash-limit general practitioners' budgets.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith).

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make a statement on the outcome of his consultations to date on the White Paper "Working for Patients".
  423
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Consultations are continuing and have been useful. In particular, I have held many meetings with members of the medical profession and have established that, despite some remaining important disagreements, there is a substantial area of agreement.

  There is almost universal agreement with the aims of the White Paper to produce a better NHS for patients giving medical treatment free at the point of delivery regardless of means and financed largely as now out of general taxation.

  I also judge that the great majority of doctors accept the need for a framework of quality control, in the form of medical audit; the distribution of resources in a way which ensures that "money follows the patient"; and improved systems of financial management using modern information technology. The BMA has told me in meetings that it accepts these three proposals but it has fundamental disagreements with the details of our proposed reforms to implement them. Unfortunately, it and the great majority of doctors have no alternative proposals of their own. The BMA has been discouraging its members from putting constructive alternative proposals to me.

  Mr. Carttiss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients" will affect general practitioners' freedom to refer patients for treatment.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The new arrangements will enable general practitioners to play a more direct part in deciding which hospitals will provide services for their patients. GP practice budget holders will be able to refer patients to hospitals which provide the best care and shortest waiting times irrespective of administrative boundaries. Those practitioners who do not hold budgets will be consulted extensively before DHAs place contracts with hospitals based on GPs' wishes and there will be provision for GPs to make extra-contractual referrals.

  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how patients will be affected by the proposals in the White Paper," Working for Patients"; and if he will make a further statement.

  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the intended effects on patient care of the proposals in the White Paper, "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Mellor
  Our proposals will produce a better quality of care for all NHS patients, including elderly and chronically sick people. We intend to bring all services up to the standard of the very best and to make certain that taxpayers' money is used to best effect from the patient's point of view. The proposals reflect our strong commitment to the principles on which the NHS was founded and will ensure that it is more than ready to face the rapidly changing and rising demands upon it as medical science progresses and the average age of the population rises.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to(a) sponsor adequate research and (b) undertake pilot projects to an adequate level on the likely effects of the White Paper proposals on the effectiveness of the National Health Service.

  Mr. Mellor
  Many of our proposals are evolutionary in nature and we will learn from the experience gained. We 424
  are quite satisfied that the NHS needs reform on the lines proposed to improve its management and to improve the service to patients.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he proposes that self-governing hospitals will be required to retain core services.

  Mr. Mellor
  Before self-governing status is granted to a hospital the initial arrangements for provision of core services will have to be approved by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State. Thereafter self-governing hospitals will be expected to continue to provide these services subject to review at the request of either the hospital or the DHA concerned or, in the event of disagreement, the Secretary of State's further approval.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the current situation with regard to the new contract for general practitioners.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  On the 4 May I reached agreement with the negotiators of the General Medical Services Committee on all the major outstanding issues in the new contract. The negotiators undertook to commend this agreement to the annual conference of local medical committee representatives on 21 June. This conference voted to reject the agreement reached by the negotiators, and there will be a ballot of all GPs in the country.

  I am disappointed that the conference has rejected the contract which its own leadership commended to it. The contract negotiations were long and hard—over 100 hours of discussion spread over more than a year. The resulting agreement was hard fought and I made a number of important concessions which I would not have made but for my desire to reach an agreement if possible. Both sides agreed on the need for a new contract which rewarded good performance. I believe this contract does meet that need and I see no sensible basis upon which negotiations could be reopened. My task is to raise the quality of primary health care within the NHS and, in order to pursue that, I aim to have in place by 1990 a contract which rewards doctors who provide the highest standards of care for their patients and encourages the rest to match the performance of the best.

  Recent research by York university's centre for health economics has demonstrated the wide range of quality of service to patients provided in different parts of the country under the old contract. I shall be laying regulations before Parliament later this year to bring a new contract into effect by 1990.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give an estimate of what percentage of a district health authority's budget would be for contractual referrals for hospital care and what percentage would be for extra-contractual referrals under his White Paper.

  Mr. Mellor
  District health authorities will make provision, within their budgets, for the possibility of referrals which were not foreseen when they placed their contracts. The size of this contingency fund will be a matter for them. However, in deciding the pattern of contracts DHAs will be required to take account of the views of all local GPs and place contracts to secure the referral patterns which local GPs wish to see in place unless there are compelling reasons for not doing so. In this way the need for a contingency fund will be minimised.
  425
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners budget holders practices he intends to approve to begin operating in 1991.

  Mr. Mellor
  Applications to participate in the practice budget scheme will be made to, and approved by, regional health authorities. It is too early to estimate the likely numbers which will be in operation from 1 April 1991, but there have been an encouraging number of preliminary inquiries.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effects of his White Paper "Working for Patients", especially relating to self-governing hospitals, on supra-regional services including poisons units.

  Mr. Mellor
  The NHS review White Paper has stated that"some central funding will he necessary for the development of supra-regional services".

  A working party is currently considering the implications of this for these services. The NHS management executive will discuss with regional health authorities the detailed application to specialist services of the new funding arrangements proposed. It is, however, too early to say how individual units will be affected.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, under his plans for capital valuation of self-governing hospitals, he will offset the cost of any backlog on building or equipment maintenance against the capital valuation.

  Mr. Freeman
  The valuation of the property occupied by self-governing hospitals will he on the basis of open market value for existing use. This valuation takes account of the age and condition of the buildings.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanism and estimate of cost exists for separating the cost of treatment from research and training in order that self-governing teaching hospitals have the necessary information to operate effectively.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have developed a method for estimating the excess service costs arising from teaching and research at hospitals where at least 5 per cent. of student teaching is undertaken. This is used in the calculation of the service increment for teaching (SIFT). Regions and districts as appropriate to local circumstances will contract with hospitals (including self-governing hospitals) to provide service facilities for teaching in return for SIFT payments.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he plans to introduce a system of cross charging for accident and emergency work under his proposals for self-governing hospitals where a hospital is situated near a major travel point or in a major commuter area;

  (2) whether, in those inner-city areas where patients are more likely to use accident and emergency services rather than a general practitioner, he has any plans either to allow a hospital to curtail such services or to cross charge a general practitioner or family practitioner committee for costs incurred.

  Mr. Mellor
  All hospitals which provide accident and emergency treatment will do so under a block contract 426
  with the health authority in whose district they are located. District health authorities will be responsible for securing sufficient accident and emergency services in their district irrespective of the place of residence for all patients who are present. There is no intention that family practitioner committees or GPs should be charged.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will postpone his plans to introduce general practitioners' budgets if all hospitals are not operating the necessary management and accounting systems needed to work out the nature of various contracts by April 1991.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are quite sure that district health authorities and GP practice budget holders will be able to manage the contractual process by April 1991.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the capital valuation of a self-governing hospital or unit is to be based on a value for present use or on the current market value of the site.

  Mr. Freeman
  The valuation of the property occupied by self-governing hospitals will be on the basis of open market value for existing use.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether, if a hospital offers an integrated hospital and community midwifery service, he will ensure that the service continues if the hospital has opted out.

  Mr. Mellor
  Self-governing hospitals will not opt out but will remain fully within the NHS. The NHS will continue to provide integrated hospital and community services.

  Where maternity services are designated by a district health authority as "core services" my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State will approve the initial arrangements for provision of such services on establishment of a self-governing hospital. The detailed arrangements will be set out in contracts between the hospital and health authority. Subsequent changes in provision will have to be either by agreement between the district health authority and self-governing hospital or have my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State's approval.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether comprehensive care services will be provided at all self-governing hospitals;

  (2) whether emergency and outpatient facilities will be provided at all self-governing hospitals.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 21 June 1989]: We are prepared to consider all hospitals and a variety of other units as potentially eligible for self-governing status. Comprehensive core services or particular services need not necessarily be provided by each one.

  British Medical Association
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the British Medical Association; and what issues were discussed.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I last met the British Medical Association on 14 June and it confirmed that it shared the aims of the Government to create a better National Health Service, as set out in the foreword to the White Paper.
  427
  The BMA also confirmed that it agrees on the desirability of introducing better financial control, and quality control in the form of medical audit in the service. It also agreed on the need to make money follow the patient, and to make patient service the prime objective of the service.

  It did not, however, agree with some of the major proposals in the White Paper such as self-governing hospitals, about which many people in the NHS have expressed interest. These proposals are crucial to delivering the better service which both I and the BMA want. It did not put forward any new proposals of its own to achieve those aims. It did agree to further discussions.

  I intend to reform the NHS to make it more able to provide an improved service to patients. I made it clear to the BMA that I would welcome a constructive contribution from it to that process of reform whenever it felt able to make one.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what matters were discussed at his last meeting with representatives of the British Medical Association.

  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the British Medical Association representatives to discuss the Health Service review; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the chairman of the British Medical Association; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the representatives of the British Medical Association; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friends to the reply my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Berkshire, East (Mr. MacKay) today.

  Head Inspections
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on head inspections in schools by health authority nursing staff.

  Mr. Freeman
  Responsibility for the control of headlice infection among pupils rests with the individual health authorities through the school health service. It is for them to determine the policy for dealing with this problem in the light of local circumstances.

  Food (Health Risks)
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he intends to take to reduce or eliminate the risks to health in the food chain.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government have introduced a range of measures designed to reduce the risk of food contamination and, with industry, are continuing to consider what further action is necessary.

  Both primary and secondary legislation are under review. We recently announced the intention to consult on changes in the food hygiene regulations, and the Government are presently considering the results of consultation on a wide-ranging review of the Food Act.
  428
  The Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food has commenced work under the chairmanship of Sir Mark Richmond.

  Meanwhile we shall continue to act promptly to contain outbreaks of food poisoning which occur, and I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State made on 13 June, at columns 703–9.

  Student Midwives
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will review the grading structure for qualified nurses who became student midwives prior to 1 April 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We will be responding shortly to the Social Services Committee's report on midwives' regrading, which raises this issue.

  Capital Programmes (Yorkshire)
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the average annual expenditure on capital programmes in the area covered by the Yorkshire regional health authority between 1979 and 1989; what was the equivalent annual figure for the years between 1974 and 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Following are figures derived from the annual accounts of the health authorities comprising the Yorkshire region:

  Average annual total capital expenditure

  Period

  £000 (Cash)

  1974–75 to 1978–79 (5 years)

  22,837

  1979–80 to 1987–881 (9 years)

  54,508

  1 Latest year available.

  The average figure for the later period represents an increase in real terms (measured at 1987–88 prices) of almost 10 per cent. on that for the earlier period.

  Heart Disease
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to prevent coronary heart disease.

  Mr. Mellor
  Together with the Health Education Authority, the Department launched the "Look After Your Heart" campaign in April 1987 as an ongoing initiative to combat the high level of coronary heart disease. This initiative aims to increase awareness about the risk of heart disease and how it may be avoided, and to provide practical help to people in making the necessary changes to their lifestyle. It is doing this through publicity campaigns and special promotions, provision of detailed advice about smoking, nutrition and exercise, and funding of local initiatives. It has developed a very successful workplace element. These activities are currently being expanded, and other areas of work, such as with primary health care and in schools, are being developed.

  Much other work is also going on. The Government are taking specific action to discourage smoking, which is a key factor in causing heart disease, and excessive consumption of alcohol. The Standing Medical Advisory Committee has been asked to look at the cost-effectiveness

  429
  of cholesterol screening in relation to the prevention of coronary heart disease. Under changes to general practitioners' terms of service, they will be required to offer patients regular check-ups, including measurement of blood pressure. We believe that this important development will provide an opportunity for GPs to give personal advice to patients, particularly those most at risk of heart disease, about steps they can take to lessen this risk.

  Hospital Food
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the quality of food served in hospitals.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is health authorities' responsibility to determine the standard and quality of food to meet the needs of patients and staff in their hospitals.

  Hospitals (Harrow)
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received from all sources concerning the possible transfer to self-governing status of the Northwich Park hospital and the Royal National orthopaedic hospital in the Harrow district health authority area.

  Mr. Mellor
  Expressions of interest in self-governing status have been received from both Northwick Park hospital and the Royal National orthopaedic hospital. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has received a number of representations on the latter. Should this interest, in either case, proceed to an application, I can assure my hon. Friend that all the main interests—including staff and the local community—will have an opportunity to express their views when detailed proposals have been worked out.

  GPs (Patient Time)
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has as to the average amount of time per week that general practitioners now spend seeing patients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The available information is taken from the general medical practitioners workload survey carried out in 1985–86 by the Health Departments and the British Medical Association. it shows that in an average working week GPs spend 26 hours seeing patients. This comprises 18 hours in surgery, six hours in home visits and two hours in clinics.

  NHS Policy Board
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of the recently announced National Health Service policy board.

  Mr. Mellor
  The role of the NHS policy board is to advise my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State on the formulation of policy for and the strategic oversight of the NHS. It sets objectives for the NHS management executive and monitors their achievement.

  Consultants
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many additional posts for consultants he estimates will be created over the next three years.
  430
  Mr. Mellor
  We estimate that about 1,000 new medical and dental consultant posts will be created in England between 1989 and 1992, including the 100 posts announced in "Working for Patients".

  Cancer Screening
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the number of medical screening units and future demand for screening.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have established two programmes to screen women regularly for cervical and breast cancers. Most of the cervical smears performed each year are taken by general practitioners. Breast cancer screening is organised by regional health authorities and is carried out in specifically equipped centres.

  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mrs. Fyfe), on 14 June, at columns 429–30 for information about those breast screening centres in England which are operational and to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastwood (Mr. Stewart), on 19 June, at column 35, for information about screening in health care.

  Information on screening in the other parts of the United Kingdom is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Northern Ireland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has issued guidelines to National Health Service hospitals on(a) the information they provide on breast cancer screening and (b) levying charges for breast cancer screening.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Health Education Authority has produced a leaflet which can accompany a woman's invitation letter to explain what happens at a breast screening centre. Additional material has been produced to inform staff involved in health education and primary care about the screening programme. A general information leaflet on breast screening is also due to be published shortly. The guidance to health authorities concerning the provision of breast cancer screening referred to in the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health gave to the hon. Member on 21 February, at columns 606–7, drew attention to the role the Health Education Authority would play in supporting health authorities' education programmes for women.

  Guidance issued to health authorities in March on income generation HN(89)9 states that the Department should be consulted where proposals for income generation clearly involve national policy,
  "for example breast and cervical cancer screening".

  Community Care
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to announce his Department's plans for the provision of community care in response to "An Agenda for Action".

  Mr. Mellor
  We have been giving very thorough consideration to all the available options for the future organisation and management of community care, taking
  431
  account of the many representations and views we have received. We hope to be able to announce our proposals shortly.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Government spent in 1988–89 on measures designed to help reduce the length of hospital waiting lists.

  Mr. Mellor
  We allocated £30 million from the central waiting list fund in 1988–89 as part of the Government's drive to reduce hospital waiting lists and times. This money enabled over 117,000 additional in-patients and day cases and over 92,000 extra out-patients to be treated from the waiting lists.

  Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will hold a ballot of all staff at the Queen's medical centre, Nottingham on opting out.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

  Self governing trusts will not opt out but will remain fully within the NHS.

  If an application is made for QMC Nottingham to become self-governing, Trent regional health authority will ensure that all those with an interest have the opportunity of expressing their views but a ballot will not be required. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State will consider any responses alongside the application.

  Medical Scientists
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that the salaries of medical scientists employed within the National Health Service are sufficient to ensure that there are no critical shortages of such staff.

  Mr. Mellor
  The pay of non-medical scientists is a matter for negotiation between the management side of the Scientific and Professional Staff Council and the staff side representing scientists employed in the NHS. Negotiations are continuing on the staff side pay claim for 1989/90. The pay of medically qualified staff is decided after taking into account recommendations of the doctors and dentists review body.

  Blood Shortages
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to correct the shortage of blood available for transfusion; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 23 June, at column 278.

  Patients (Statistics)
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average number of patients per general practitioner at the current date; and what was the figure in 1979.
  432
  Mr. Mellor
  The information is as follows:

  England—Average list size

  Number

  1 October 1979

  2,286

  1 October 1987

  12,020

  1 Latest available figure.

  "Perinatal, Neonatal and Infant Mortality"
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government will be responding to the Social Services Select Committee report "Perinatal, Neonatal and Infant Mortality".

  Mr. Mellor
  Very soon.

  Nurses
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many appeals have been submitted in regard to salary grading by members of the nursing profession; and what are the numbers that have yet to be determined.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) where nurse education is organised across more than one hospital, what are the implications for such education where one hospital opts out;

  (2) whether the budget for nurse education currently with the district health authority will devolve to a hospital which opts out which is currently operating or partly operating a school of nursing.

  Mr. Mellor
  There will be a further working paper on education and training next month which will address these issues.

  Northern Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he has discussed the future of Middlesbrough and South Cleveland hospitals with the Northern regional health authority; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what agreements have been entered into with the planning authorities for the development of sites at Poole and South Cleveland hospitals in the event of their sale to the private sector; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what discussions have taken place between the Northern regional health authority and the Teesside development corporation concerning the replacement of the Middlesbrough general and South Cleveland hospitals by a new medical complex on Teesside; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what funding he will make available for the construction of a new medical centre on Teesside; over what period of time; when any final decision will be made and by whom; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) what proposals he has received from the Northern regional health authority concerning the creation of a private health company to run any new medical complex on Teesside; and if he will make a statement;

  (6) what proposals he has received from the Northern regional health authority concerning the siting of a new medical complex to be built on a site presently containing chemical storage tanks; what feasibility studies in relation to safety have been carried out; by whom and when; and if he will make a statement;
  433
  (7) what proposals he has received from the Northern regional health authority concerning the transfer of capital allocations presently earmarked for health schemes in South Tees to a new medical complex on Teesside; and if he will make a statement;

  (8) what proposals he has received from the Northern regional health authority for the creation of a private health care sector within any new medical complex on Teesside; and if he will make a statement;

  (9) what proposals he has received from the Northern regional health authority for the closure of North Riding infirmary and the transfer of its facilities to a new medical complex on Teesside; and if he will make a statement;

  (10) what proposals he has received from the Northern regional health authority concerning alternative funding arrangements in respect of the plant and equipment in any new medical facility on Teesside; and if he will make a statement;

  (11) what proposals he has received from the Northern regional health authority concerning a joint development between the regional health authority and college of Durham university concerning a new medical complex on Teesside; and if he will make a statement;

  (12) what reports he has received from the Northern regional health authority concerning the involvement of management consultants, Richard Ellis Venture Consultants Ltd. and Peat Marwick McLintock in the proposed new scheme for a medical complex on Teesside, and the cost at which the management consultants have been retained, and who is paying; and if he will make a statement;

  (13) what representations he has received from the Northern regional health authority concerning a proposed new medical complex on Teesside; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The hon. Member is aware that Northern regional health authority is considering the possibility of a new NHS medical complex in Teeside. The proposal is at an early stage of consideration and its feasibility is currently being appraised. The outcome will be considered in conjunction with the results of a strategic review of the provision of hospital services in South Tees, which is nearing completion. Specialist advice has been commissioned by the Northern RHA from two firms of management consultants, whose fees will be payable by the RHA. No formal proposals have yet been submitted to the Department, but officials are being kept informed as the exercise progresses. Any firm plans that may result from the studies would be aimed at providing a modern, high quality hospital service within the NHS. Such a development would involve rationalisation of existing services, resulting in a significant improvement in the quality of care available locally. The proposals would not envisage the closure of existing modern facilities at South Cleveland hospital. Northern RHA is known to be in touch with the various interested parties, including Teeside development corporation and relevant local authorities, but details of such contacts are not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to seek any additional information from the chairman of Northern regional health authority.

  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the present National Health Service capital allocations for South Tees; for what they are earmarked; and if he will make a statement.
  434
  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not held centrally. Allocation of resources to South Tees health authority is the responsibility of Northern regional health authority and the hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman for the information.

  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proposals he has received from the Northern regional health authority for the sale of land at Poole and south Cleveland hospitals;

  (2) what proposals he has received from the Northern regional health authority to sell sites that the Northern region considers to be surplus to requirements, including land at Middlesbrough maternity hospital, south Cleveland and Poole hospitals; what approvals are required for such sales; when approval is likely to be forthcoming; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what proposals he has received from the Northern regional health authority concerning estate rationalisation within the South Tees area health authority; how many surplus sites are proposed to be sold; what is proposed to happen to the funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have received no proposals from Northern regional health authority. Once NHS sites are declared surplus to requirements by health authorities they may be disposed of in accordance with the procedures set out in the NHS handbook on land transactions and the proceeds retained locally.

  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the last new facilities were opened at south Cleveland hospital; by whom; and what reasons have been advanced by the Northern regional health authority to have these closed and removed to a new medical complex on Teesside.

  Mr. Freeman
  The new maternity unit was officially opened by HRH The Princess of Wales on 6 October 1988. We are not aware of there being any intention to close or transfer this facility.

  Health Care (Purchase)
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will explain the intended effects of the proposals to allow health authorities to purchase health care from hospitals.

  Mr. Freeman
  All National Health Service hospitals, whether run by health authorities or self-governing, will be free to offer their services to different health authorities and to the private sector. Consequently, a health authority will be better able to discharge its duty by using its available funds to secure a comprehensive service, including emergency services, to obtain the best service it can whether from its own hospitals, from another authority's hospitals, from NHS hospital trusts or from the private sector.

  NHS Policy Board
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reply he has sent to the Royal College of Nursing in response to its complaint that the chief nursing officer has been excluded from membership of the National Health Service policy board.

  Mr. Mellor
  On 14 June my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State met the Royal College of
  435
  Nursing to discuss this issue and a copy of the statement made after that meeting is in the Library. The fact that Mrs. Poole has not been appointed to the board has in no way altered her position and authority as the Government's chief nursing officer, nor does it imply that the Government no longer have a high regard for the nursing profession.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he supplied to opticians as to his Department's definition of a near relative of glaucoma sufferers in his criteria for free eye tests.
  436
  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 26 June 1989]: A free sight test is available to all people aged 40 or over who are either the parent, brother, sister or child of a diagnosed glaucoma patient. Information on eligibility was circulated to opticians through a family practitioner notice in March 1989. Poster SB54 and leaflet G11, which are currently being distributed, also draw attention to the special entitlement of this group of people.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Census Questions
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to whether the inclusion of more questions in the census than previously has reduced the numbers responding.

  Mr. Needham
  None. The census is compulsory by law, and everyone is obliged to respond to it. However, the census is based on the principle that it should be generally acceptable to the public, and limited in its overall demands.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of respondents to the census of 1961, 1971 and 1981 did not answer the question concerning religion; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is as follows:

  Percentage

  1961

  1·9

  1971

  9·4

  1981

  18·5

  A question on religion has traditionally been included in Northern Ireland censuses for answer on a voluntary basis. The Government propose to retain a religion question on the same basis in the 1991 census.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what purpose is intended in including in the census questions on educational qualifications; and what use will be made of the answers to these questions.

  Mr. Needham
  The information derived from these questions will be used, together with information from other questions, to show the number of people with higher qualifications in different industries and occupations. Regional variations in the proportions of people with higher qualifications will be used in planning education and training. It will also show the reserves of qualified people among, for example, housewives and the out of work, including those not currently seeking work.

  Census
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to inform the public in advance of the census.

  Mr. Needham
  In due course, the census office will arrange publicity to explain the purpose of the census, convey assurances of confidentiality and deal with other aspects of public concern. The office will also arrange the distribution of appropriate leaflets and posters to libraries and other public places, issue an explanatory leaflet about the census and set up a telephone service to deal with inquiries from the public.

  Northern Ireland since 4 September 1985

  Name of body and Member's names

  Salary

  Expenses

  Method of appointment

  Queen's University Senate

  F. A. Mackle OBE (Member)

  Nil

  Nil

  Nominees suggested by CAU and QUB

  J. J. Sheil (Member)

  Nil

  Nil

  Miss A. E. A. Lambe (Member)

  Nil

  Nil

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, in view of the imminence of the summer holiday period, he will extend the period for the submission of objections to the proposed Strangford lough (part III) area of special scientific interest beyond the present proposed date of 22 August.

  Mr. Needham
  Notification of the declaration of Strangford lough (part III) area of special scientific interest was issued on 21 April 1989. As required by article 24 of the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 the notification stated the period within which representations and objections could be made. It is not possible under the provisions of the order to extend the period beyond 22 August since this was the closing date stipulated in the notification.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the largest area of special scientific interest by area identified so far in Northern Ireland; and how many landowners there are within this area of special scientific interest.

  Mr. Needham
  The largest area of special scientific interest (ASSI) so far declared is Strangford lough (parts I, II and III) with a total area of 4,108 hectares. There are some 300 landowners and occupiers.

  Planning Procedures
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Ringhaddy avenue, Bowtown road, Newtownards was given planning approval as a cul-de-sac; whether the existing right-of-way through the steel fence at Ringhaddy avenue conforms with the planning approval; and what proposals he has to provide access from the Abbots road estates to Newtownards town centre consistent with existing approvals under the roads and planning legislation.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 22 June 1989]: Ringhaddy avenue was determined and constructed as a cul-de-sac. Following representations from a resident, a pedestrian link was provided through the steel fence. Planning approval was not necessary.

  The Department of Environment for Northern Ireland currently has no plans to provide access from the Abbots road estate to Newtownards town centre.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list all appointments of chairmen and members of public and non-governmental bodies made by him since he took up office, together with the names of those appointed, the salaries and expenses paid to them and the method by which their appointment was made.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 5 May 1989]: The information requested is set out in the table:
  439

  Name of body and Member's names

  Salary

  Expenses

  Method of appointment

  Rev. J. Dunlop (Member)

  Nil

  Nil

  C. T. Hurst OBE (Member)

  Nil

  Nil

  Planning Appeals Commission

  Brian Alexander Moore Banks (Professional Commissioner)

  £19,810

  Nil

  Recommendations submit to Secretary of State arising from a nationwide recruitment competition.

  John Allen OBE (Deputy Chief Commissioner) (part-time)

  £123 for each appeal

  Travel and subsistence payable at Civil Service rates

  Recommendations made to the Secretary of State from list supplied by CAU

  £123 for each report

  Mrs. Colette Quigley (Commissioner) (part-time)

  £98 for each appeal

  £98 for each report

  Ronald H. A. Blackburn (Commissioner) (part-time)

  £98 for each appeal

  £98 for each report

  Noel Baxter (Commissioner) (part-time)

  £98 for each appeal

  £98 for each report

  Norman Drummond (Commissioner)

  £98 for each appeal

  £98 for each report

  Mrs. I. Marie Campbell (Commissioner)

  £98 for each appeal

  £98 for each report

  Mrs. J. Hennessy (known as Ms. J. O'Dempsey) (Commissioner)

  £98 for each appeal

  £98 for each report

  Technology Board for Northern Ireland

  D. V. McCaughan (Chairman)

  Nil

  Expenses paid at normal Civil Service rates. To date £3,405

  Letter of Appointment from Secretary of State

  Council for Professions Allied to Medicine

  C. Dallat (Member)

  Nil

  A matter for the Council

  Recommended by the Minister responsible DHSS

  Health and Personal Social Services Tribunal Medicine Practitioners

  Dr. J. D. Boyd MB BCh MRCGP (Member)

  Nil

  Nil

  Nominations are sought from relevant professional organisations and appointments made from the nominees

  Dr. R. M. Shearer MB Bch MD (Deputy)

  Nil

  Nil

  Health and Personal Social Services Tribunal Dental Practitioners

  Mr. M. O'Farrell LDS (Member)

  Nil

  Nil

  Nominations are sought from relevant professional organisations and appointments made from the nominees

  Mr. H. Morrow OBE BOS (Deputy)

  Nil

  £393·08

  Health and Personal Social Services Tribunal Ophthalmic Medical Practitioners

  Dr. E. A. McWilliams MB BCH DO (Member)

  Nil

  Nil

  Nominations are sought from relevant professional organisations and appointments made from the nominees

  Dr. C. Flynn MB (Deputy)

  Nil

  Nil

  Health and Personal Social Services Tribunal Ophthalmic Opticians

  Dr. Anderson FBOA (Member)

  Nil

  Nil

  Nominations are sought from relevant professional organisations and appointments made from the nominees

  Mr. S. J. Barbour BSC, FBCD (Deputy)

  Nil

  Nil

  Health and Personal Social Services Tribunal Pharmacists

  R. G. Dillon MPSNI (Member)

  Nil

  Nil

  Nominations are sought from relevant professional organisations and appointments made from the nominees

  J. Chambers BSc MPSNI (Deputy)

  Nil

  Nil

  Law Reform Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland

  The Hon. Mr. Justice Carswell (Chairman)

  Nil

  Travelling and accommodation expenses are paid at normal Civil Service rate

  Appointments were made by Secretary of State from nominations received from the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, the Executive Committee of the Inns of the Court of Northern Ireland, the Law Society of Northern Ireland and the QUB

  His Hon. Judge Gibson QC (Member)

  Nil

  Patrick Coghlin QC (Member)

  Honorarium of £2,000 per annum

  J. B. Garrett (Member)

  Honorarium of £2,000 per annum

  Ms. Siobhan Grant (Member)

  Honorarium of £2,000 per annum

  Professor Desmond Greer (Member)

  Honorarium of £2,000 per annum

  Patrick Markey QC (Member)

  Honorarium of £2,000 per annum

  John Meehan (Member)

  Honorarium of £2,000 per annum

  440 441

  Name of body and Member's names

  Salary

  Expenses

  Method of appointment

  Board of the International Fund for Ireland

  Mr. C. E. B. Brett (Chairman)

  £2,000

  Travelling and accommodation expenses are paid at normal Civl Service rate

  Appointments to the board are made jointly by the United Kingdom and Irish Governments

  Sir E. Bell

  £1,000

  Sir G. Booth

  £1,000

  Mr. M. Canavan

  £1,000

  Mr. J. Craig

  £1,000

  Mr. G. Dempsey

  £1,000

  Mr. J. Doherty

  £1,000

  Dr. A. McGuckian

  £1,000

  Mr. N. McCann

  £1,000

  Northern Ireland Economic Council Professor C. M. Campbell (Chairman)

  £12,745

  Actual cost basis

  Following consultation with Northern Ireland Permanent Secretaries, Head of Northern Ireland Civil Service making recommendation to Secretary of State

  N.W. Shaw

  £2,560

  Nil

  Dr. V. Furness OBE

  £2,560

  Nil

  J. Stanley

  £2,560

  Nil

  Professor Sue Birley

  £2,560

  Actual cost basis

  J. McCusker

  £2,560

  Nil

  Nominated by NIC/ICTU

  R. Jeary

  £2,560

  Nil

  M. Dummigan

  £2,560

  Nil

  R. Gibson

  £2,560

  Nil

  Nominated by CBI/NICC

  W. McCourt

  £2,560

  Nil

  A. MacLaughlin

  £2,560

  Nil

  Police Authority for Northern Ireland The names of Authority members are not disclosed for security reasons

  Chairman £22,950 Vice-Chairman honorarium £11,475 Members honorarium £3,000

  Attendance allowance of £9·12 for meetings of not more than 4 hours or £18·25 for meetings of more than 4 hours. Travel and subsistence expenses are paid at Civil Service rates

  The present Secretary of State has appointed the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and 18 members. Membership is determined by the Secretary of State after consultation with local authorities, the legal profession, trade unions, and other interested groups, including voluntary organisations

  Independent Commission for Police Complaints

  James Grew (Chairman)

  £16,405

  Travel and subsistence expenses are paid at Civil Service rates

  Appointments made by Secretary of State after an assessment of the qualifications and experience of those who have indicated an interest in public service against the requirements of the positions available

  Lady Carswell (Deputy Chairman)

  £11,110

  Brian Garrett (Deputy Chairman)

  £5,555

  James Gardner (Member)

  £4,625

  Mrs. Denise Kennedy (Member)

  £4,625

  Mr. Kevin Murnaghan (Member)

  £4,625

  Brian Reid (Member)

  £4,625

  Mrs. Brenda Sheil (Member)

  £4,625

  Probation Board for Northern Ireland

  James Grew (Chairman)

  £7,605

  Up to 4 hours including travelling time, £17·47. Over 4 hours including travelling time, £34·98

  Appointments are made by the Secretary of State from nominations received through the CAU.

  Thomas Millar (Chairman)

  £7,605

  John V. Simpson (Chairman)

  £7,605

  Thomas Millar (Deputy Chairman)

  Nil

  The present Secretary of State has appointed the Chairman, Deputy Chairmen and 27 members

  Edward Barry (Deputy Chairman)

  Nil

  Lawrence J. McArdle (Deputy Chairman)

  Nil

  Mr. B. Brotherston (Member)

  Nil

  Up to 4 hours inclusive of travelling time £13·10. Over 4 hours including travelling time £26·23.

  Mr. R. Clarke (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. E. M. Donnelly (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. H. Taggart (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. M. Glass (Member)

  Nil

  For all members: travel expenses range from 17·6p per mile to 21·3p per mile depending on size of vehicle. Subsistence rates are £4-£12 according to length of absence. Overnight subsistence within United Kingdom (excluding London and the Republic of Ireland) £50·50. London rate is £57·60

  Mr. R. E. Carroll (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. H. M. Cunningham (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. T. Greeves (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. F. Wheeler (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. J. A. Hayes (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. L. A. McArdle (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. J. Douglas (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. J. P. Graham (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. C. Cunningham (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. O. Gibson (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. R. Gregg (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. D. J. H. McGuinness (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. M. J. Curran (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. B. B. McIvor (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. T. D. Banford (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. J. H. Baird (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. J. Beveridge (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. E. A. Ferguson (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. E. Rainey (Member)

  Nil

  Ms. M. F. Skillington (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. Aidan P. McNamee (Member)

  Nil

  442 443

  Name of body and Member's names

  Salary

  Expenses

  Method of appointment

  Mr. M. J. Mclvor (Member)

  Nil

  Rathgael and Whiteabbey Training Schools Management Board

  Mr. M. G. Brown (Chairman)

  £100 per annum

  Travel expenses paid at various rates depending on length of journey and size of car—from 18–8p to 52–8p per mile.

  The present board was appointed from nominations received from various interested bodies. The new board to take office from 1 August 1989 will be comprised of persons nominated from the CAU and a number of persons re-appointed from the present Board.

  Rev. H. D. McMorran (Deputy Chairman)

  Nil

  Mr. G. S. Shaw (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. J. Donaghy (Member)

  Nil

  Rev. M. Elizabeth Hewittan (Member)

  Nil

  Chairman of sub-committees may claim necessary telephone expenses, which amount to not more than £2 per person per month.

  Mr. L. Shanks (Member)

  Nil

  The present Secretary of State has appointed the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and 13 members

  Mr. G. J. Ginn (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. M. J. Mclvor JP (Member)

  Nil

  Lady M. A. Porter (Member)

  Nil

  Mrs. A. E. Cullen (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. W. Keown (Member)

  Nil

  Mrs. M. Sandford DL JP (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. P. Patrick (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. S. M. Hamilton (Member)

  Nil

  Mr. R. Doran (Member)

  Nil

  Boards of Visitors and Visiting Committees

  Nil

  Travelling expenses are paid. Details not readily available

  Appointments are made after nominations are received from various public groups and bodies which are representative of the community as a whole.

  Names are not disclosed for security reasons

  Fifty appointments have been made by the present Secretary of State

  Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights

  Mr. James O'Hara (Chairman)

  £6,216

  Travel and subsistence expenses are paid at Civil Service rates

  The present Secretary of State has made 17 appointments and re-appointments in accordance with section 20 of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973

  Sir Oliver Napier (Chairman)

  £6,216

  Mr. P. Girvan QC (Member)

  Daily attendance fee of £7200

  Professor T. Hadden (Member)

  Professor J. Darby (Member)

  Mrs. D. Field (Member)

  Mrs. J. McCrum (Member)

  Mr. A. H. MacLaughlin (Member)

  Dr. J. C. McCrudden (Member)

  Mr. R. A. Ferris (Member)

  Mr. T. Carlin (Member)

  Mrs. J. Brett (Member)

  Mr. T. H. Kernohan (Member)

  Mr. D. Stevens (Member)

  Dr. P. J. Cosgrove (Member)

  Sister Genevieve O'Farrell (Member)

  Mrs. D. Tennis (Member)

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland

  No appointments to the Commission have been made by the present Secretary of State

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Greenhouse Effect
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the current estimates of greenhouse gas emissions, such as nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide, from the agricultural sector in the United Kingdom; and what are his proposals to reduce these emissions.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Agriculture both produces and consumes carbon dioxide, and net emissions are likely to be small. Annual emissions of methane and nitrous oxide from agriculture are very tentatively and approximately estimated at 1–4 million tonnes and 0–06 million tonnes (as N) respectively.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what specific proposals his Department has put forward for consideration and 444
  enactment, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide, since the seminar on the greenhouse effect held by the Prime Minister on 26 April.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My Department participates in the work of the Intergovernmental panel on climate change, and we have drawn its attention to a number of schemes in the United Kingdom which encourage farmers to protect the environment, and which help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

  Food Irradiation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to have a period of public consultation on his proposals to lift the ban on food irradiation and on his report of a working policy on the introduction of food irradiation in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
  445
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  There will be full public consultation when detailed proposals are put forward.

  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make arrangements to label all food which has been irradiated; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Council of the European Communities agreed on 14 June to amend the food labelling directive to provide for specific indication on the label of foodstuffs that have been irradiated. This requirement will be implemented into United Kingdom food labelling legislation in due course.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the micro-organisms which are not destroyed by food irradiation.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Populations of all micro-organisms in food are reduced to a greater or lesser extent by food irradiation. The process has been shown to be effective in dealing with vegetative micro-organisms such as salmonella, camphylobacter and listeria, but is not effective in the reduction of micro-organisms that produce spores—in particular clostridium botulinum.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the countries in which food irradiation is approved, giving the nature of the approval and details of the type of food covered for each country.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The list is as follows:

  WORLD TAKE-UP OF FOOD IRRADIATION BY COUNTRY WITH FOODS FOR WHICH IRRADIATION APPROVED
  P = Provisional C = Conditional U = Unconditional

  EC

  Belgium

  Potatoes (P)

  Strawberries (P)

  Onions (P)

  Garlic (P)

  Shallots (P)

  Black, White Pepper (P)

  Paprika Powder (P)

  Arabic Gum (P)

  Spices (P)

  (Semi)-Dried Vegetables (P)

  Denmark

  Spices (U)

  Herbs (U)

  France

  Potatoes (P)

  Onions (P)

  Garlic (P)

  Shallots (P)

  Spices (U)

  Aromatic Substances (U)

  Gum Arabic (U)

  Muesli-like Cereal (U)

  Dehydrated Vegetables (U)

  Mechanically Deboned Poultry Meat (U)

  Dried Fruits (U)

  Dried Vegetables (U)

  Germany (Dem. Rep)

  Onions (U)

  Enzyme Solutions (U)

  446

  Spices (P)

  Italy

  Potatoes (U)

  Onions (U)

  Garlic (U)

  The Netherlands

  Mushrooms (U)

  Potatoes (U)

  Chicken (U)

  Spices (P)

  Onions (U)

  Frozen Frog Legs (P)

  Rice and Ground Products (P)

  Rye Bread (P)

  Frozen Shrimp (P)

  Malt (P)

  Boiled and Cooled Shrimp (P)

  Frozen Fish (P)

  Egg Powder (P)

  Dry Blood Protein (P)

  Dehydrated Vegetables (P)

  Spain

  Potatoes (U)

  Onions (U)

  REST OF EUROPE

  Finland

  Dry and Dehydrated Herbs and Spices (U)

  All Foods for Patients requiring a Sterile Diet (U)

  Hungary

  Onions (U)

  Sour Cherries Canned(C)

  Black Pepper (C)

  Spices (U) and (C)

  Norway

  Spices (U)

  Poland

  Potatoes (P)

  Onions (P)

  Yugoslavia

  Cereals (U)

  Legumes (U)

  Onions (U)

  Garlic (U)

  Potatoes (U)

  Dehydrated Fruits and Vegetables (U)

  Dried Mushrooms (U)

  Egg Powder (U)

  Herbal Teas, Tea Extracts (U)

  Fresh Poultry (U)

  Spices (U)

  NORTH AMERICA

  United States

  Wheat and Wheat Flour (U)

  White Potatoes (U)

  Spices and Dry Vegetable Seasonings (38 Commodities) (U)

  Dry or Dehydrated Enzyme Preparations (Including Immobilised Enzyme Preparations) (U)

  Pork Carcases or Fresh Non-Heat Processed Cuts of Pork Carcases (U)

  Fresh Foods (U)

  Food (U)

  Dry or Dehydrated Aromatic Vegetable Substances (U)

  Canada

  Potatoes (U)

  Onions (U)

  Wheat Flour, Wholewheat (U)

  Spices and Certain Dry Vegetable Seasonings (U)

  Onion Powder (U)

  447
  ELSEWHERE

  Argentina

  Strawberries (U)

  Potatoes (U)

  Onions (U)

  Garlic (U)

  Cocoa Powder (U)

  Spinach (U)

  Bangladesh

  Chicken (U)

  Papaya (U)

  Potatoes (U)

  Wheat and Ground Wheat Products (U)

  Fish (U)

  Onions (U)

  Frog Legs (P)

  Shrimp (P)

  Mangoes (U)

  Pulses (U)

  Spices (U)

  Rice (U)

  Brazil

  Rice (U)

  Potatoes (U)

  Onions (U)

  Beans (U)

  Maize (U)

  Wheat (U)

  Wheat Flour (U)

  Spices (13 different products) (U)

  Papaya(U)

  Strawberries (U)

  Fish and Fish Products (Fillets, Salted, Smoked, Dried, Dehydrated) (U)

  Poultry (U)

  Chile

  Potatoes (U)

  Papaya(U)

  Wheat and Ground Wheat Products (U)

  Strawberries (U)

  Chicken (U)

  Onions (U)

  Rice (U)

  Teleost Fish and Fish Products (U)

  Cocoa Beans (U)

  Dates (U)

  Mangoes (U)

  Pulses (U)

  Spices and Condiments (U)

  China

  Potatoes (U)

  Onions (U)

  Garlic (U)

  Peanuts (U)

  Grain (U)

  Mushrooms (U)

  Sausage (U)

  Apples (U)

  Cuba

  Potatoes

  Onions

  India

  Potatoes (U)

  Onions (U)

  Indonesia

  Dried Spices (U)

  Tuber and Root Crops (Potatoes, Shallots, Garlic and Rhizomes) (U)

  Cereals (U)

  448
  Israel

  Potatoes (U)

  Onions (U)

  Poultry and Poultry Sections (U)

  Onions (U)

  Garlic (U)

  Shallots (U)

  Spices (36 different products) (U)

  Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (U)

  Grains, Cereals, Pulses, Cocoa and Coffee Beans, Nuts, Edible Seeds (U)

  Mushrooms and Strawberries (A)

  Spices and Condiments, Dehydrated and Dried Vegetables, Edible Herbs

  Poultry Feeds

  Japan

  Potatoes (U)

  New Zealand

  Herbs and Spices (P)

  Philippines

  Potatoes (P)

  Onions (P)

  Garlic (P)

  Republic of Korea

  Potatoes (C)

  Onions (C)

  Garlic (C)

  Chestnuts (C)

  Fresh and Dried Mushrooms (C)

  Garlic Powder (C)

  South Africa

  Potatoes (U)

  Dried Bananas (P)

  Avocados (P)

  Onions(U)

  Garlic (U)

  Chicken (U)

  Papaya (U)

  Mango (U)

  Strawberries (U)

  Bananas(U)

  Litchis (U)

  Pickled Mango (Achar) (U)

  Frozen Fruit Juices (U)

  Green Beans (U)

  Tomatoes (U)

  Brinjals (U)

  Soya Pickle Products (U)

  Ginger (U)

  Vegetable Paste (U)

  Bananas (Dried) (U)

  Almonds (U)

  Cheese Powder (U)

  Yeast Powder (U)

  Herbal Tea (U)

  Various Spices (U)

  Various Dehydrated Vegetables (U)

  Thailand

  Potatoes, Onions, Garlic (U)

  Dates (U)

  Mangoes, Papaya (U)

  Wheat, Rice, Pulses (U)

  Cocoa Beans (U)

  Fish and Fishery Products (U)

  Stawberries (U)

  Nam (U)

  Moor Yor (U)

  Sausage (U)

  Frozen Shrimps (U)

  Chicken (U)

  Spices and Condiments, Dehydrated (U)

  Onions and Onion Powder (U)

  449
  USSR

  Potatoes (U)

  Grain (U)

  Dried Fruits (U)

  Dry Food Concentrates Buckwheat Mush, Gruel, Rice Pudding

  Onions (U)

  Uruguay

  Potatoes (U)

  Pesticides
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the research sponsored by his Department into alternatives to pesticides for pest control.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The following research projects on alternatives to pesticides for pest control are currently being carried out for and by my Department.

  Integrated control of pests on outdoor crops
  The use of natural enemies, chemical and cultural methods to control aphid pests in cereals.

  Biology and ecology of pests, pathogens and beneficial organisms

  (a) The development of new methods of insect management using non-polluting chemicals affecting behaviour.

  (b) The development of methods using natural predators and pesticides in integrated control systems for pests of arable crops.

  (c) To determine the effects of straw incorporation and cultivation techniques on populations of pest aphids and beneficial insects, and to assess the implications for future pesticide usage.

  Control of diseases in cereals
  To develop methods, involving biological control, agrochemi-cals, host resistance and husbandry practices to minimise the harmful effects of takeall.

  Development of oats and diseases resistant cereals
  To evaluate new sources of disease resistance and to incorporate new resistant germplasm into high yielding winter and spring oat varieties.

  Disease and pest management in agro-ecosystems har-monised with the environment

  (a) To rationalise the development of resistant varieties by understanding the mechanisms underlying genetic host resistance, its specificity with regard to pathogen variation, its relationship with non-host resistance and the corresponding implications for its durability.

  (b) To identify and conserve genetically resistant germplasm of currently important crops and minor alternative crops. Characterisation and determination of the durability of such resistances and their deployment in disease management systems using reduced pesticide inputs.

  (c) To develop an holistic approach to the deployment of genetic resistance in the field with special reference to grassland cereal farming and farm forestry in de-intensified systems.

  (d) To integrate the use of natural biocides, particularly Bacillus thuringiensis toxin, genetic resistance and systemic pesticides in the management of crop pests and diseases.

  The improvement of dry peas
  To define an optimum model for composition of storage compounds in a pea seed by understanding genetic variation and storage product accumulation in embryos, to improve the quality of peas for use as food and feed, and to improve disease resistance in the pea crop.
  450
  Pests of non-cereal crops
  To develop methods for the containment of soil, dwelling nematodes by the integrated use of crop rotations, reliable resistant cultivars and efficiently-used, safely-formulated nematicides, thereby delaying selection of virulent nematode pathotypes and minimising cost and risks to operatives and the environment. Particular attention is paid to potato cyst nematodes and to other nematodes of forage and grain legumes. Problems of nematode attack in oilseed rape and other alternative crops such as sunflower and lupin are being investigated. Studies on the nature of host tolerance to nematode attack and the complex interactions between nematode host races and culture resistance are contributing to the development of integrated control measures.
  8. Bird damage assessment and development of control techniques.
  9. The biology of storage arthropods and development of physical and biological control strategies.
  10. Laboratory and field evaluation of novel methods of pest control.
  11. Control of storage pests using modified atmospheres.
  12. Cereals: soil-borne fungal diseases.
  13. Control of specific weeds and headland weed control.
  14. Alternative cropping systems. Includes work on milling wheat production under organic farming systems.
  15. Novel methods of pest control.

  Field Vegetable Breeding
  Genetic improvement of lettuce. Work to find new sources of genetic resistance to downy mildew, lettuce root aphid and important viral diseases.
  Genetics of host resistance to disease and development of resistant breeding material for important fungal and viral diseases.

  Field Vegetable Pests
  Resistance of vegetables to insect pests, including biochemical methods of screening plant material for resistance, and pest-host plant interactions.

  Field Vegetable Diseases
  Biology, resistance and control of diseases of composites, crucifers and legumes. Methods of control through resistance, including durability of single gene resistance.
  Screening for resistance to cucumber mosaic virus in marrow.

  Field Vegetable Weeds
  Development of novel programmes for weed control in vegetable crops, including cultural and other techniques for controlling weeds with less reliance on herbicides.

  Top Fruit Breeding
  To breed and select apple, pear, cherry, plum scion varieties and rootstocks which, amongst other attributes, are resistant to pests and diseases.

  Top Fruit Protection
  In vitro techniques for selection for resistance to fireblight.
  In vitro techniques for testing for resistance to bacterial canker in cherry.
  Biology, ecology and control of apple and pear pests, including regulation of spider mite in apples by predatory mites, regulation of P. pyncola on pears by predators.

  Soft Fruit Breeding
  Breeding and selection of strawberries and raspberries which, amongst other attributes, are resistant to pests and diseases.

  Soft Fruit Protection
  To elucidate the biology of wilt disease of strawberries and to improve control through biological means; select and exploit plant resistance for wilt control.

  451
  To study the biology, ecology and pest/damage relationships for several pest species, together with the development of control strategies.

  Hop Production and Protection
  Evaluation of wilt resistance in breeding material of hops.
  Control of damson-hop aphids by introducing or encouraging the migration to hop gardens of natural predators.
  Study of factors affecting the sexual activity and migration of damson-hop aphids to identify weak points in its life cycle.
  Evaluation of biological agents for controlling the two-spotted spite mite.

  Glasshouse Crop Pests
  Biological control of major glasshouse pests (whitefly and red spider mite), secondary pests (especially aphids and thrips) and newly-established non-indigenous pests.

  Glasshouse Crop Diseases
  Integrated control of bacterial and fungal pathogens, utilising biological agents.

  Evaluation of biological and other novel methods for pest control in greenhouse crops
  Improvement in efficiency of Bacillus thuringiensis for arthropod pest control.
  Use of fungi for control of arthropod pests.
  Use of insect viruses for control of phytophagous pests.
  The diagnosis of pathogens in invertebrate pest populations.
  Use of insect parasite nematodes for pest control of glasshouse and mushroom pests.

  Mushroom Protection
  Novel control methods for mushroom pests, including behaviour-modifying chemicals, antagonists, repellants, and insect-parasite nematodes.
  Biological control of bacterial blotch disease.

  Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stock-Protection
  Control of disease in the propagation of container-grown nursery stock, including biological control.

  Bulb Breeding
  Use of induced mutations and conventional methods to breed disease resistant Narcissus cultivars.

  Bulb Protection
  Control of fungal diseases of ornamental bulbs and corms, including screening for genetic resistance and biological control methods.

  32. Development of integrated control methods for Western Flower Thrips.

  33. Control of Narcissus basal rot by antagonists.

  Influence of pests and diseases on grassland agriculture, and their control by biological means

  (a) To develop non-polluting methods of controlling pests and diseases in newly-sown grassland with emphasis on legumes.

  (b) To determine the magnitude of losses of grassland legumes to pests and diseases and, thereby, the potential for application of biocontrol methods to grassland.

  (c) To determine the potential of endophytic fungi in ryegrass as a means of biocontrol of grassland pests.

  Diseases and pests of forage grasses and legumes

  (a) Host: nematode relationships in forage grasses.

  (b) Host: nematode relationships in forage legumes.

  (c) Host: fungus relationships in forage grasses.

  (d) Host: fungus relationships in forage legumes.

  (e) Host: virus relationships in graminaceous and legume species. Mechanisms of host resistance.

  452

  (f) Identification of genetically resistant germ plasm in grasses and forage legumes.

  (g) Relationships between endophytic fungi and their grass hosts.

  Exploit genetic variability in forage grasses

  (a) Develop selection criteria and produce new gene combinations in perennial ryegrass.

  (b) Enhancement of new germplasm created by hybridising Italian and perennial ryegrass and development of new gene combinations in Italian ryegrass.

  (c) Develop and evaluate ryegrass/fescue hybrids with new potentials for coping with climatic change.

  Develop techniques and exploit genetic variation to improve legumes
  Exploit genetic variation to improve yield, reliability of yield persistency and seed yield in white clover.

  Field boundaries: biological components influencing invertebrate predator overwintering

  (a) To create overwintering habitats on farmland which favour the development of high numbers of polyphagous predators by modifying existing boundaries and by creating new ones.

  (b) To monitor the accumulation of predators in autumn and winter in these new habitats together with their dispersal, distribution and predation rate in the crop in spring and summer.

  (c) to convert the date into 'packaged' advice which could be made available via Videotex methods with ADAS co-operation.

  Exploitation of predatory beetles and parasitic wasps resident in field margins, hedgerows and shelter belts around grassland
  To enhance the number and variety of predators and parasitic invertebrates present by increasing the size, stability and diversity of the flora in hedgerows, field margins and shelter belts around grassland and to investigate ways of how this may best be achieved.

  Epidemiology and inter-relationships between clover viruses of pasture crops and field boundary ecosystems
  To determine the field host range and interactions of the major viruses and their vectors that infect white clover, relating this to the ecology of hosts in field boundaries and in grassland crops. To identify for development resistant genotypes in white clover and related species and genera.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements exist to ensure the competence of farm workers to apply pesticides; how these requirements differ according to the pesticide in use; and what are the different categories of such pesticides.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  All people using pesticides have to be competent in their usage. Employees, and the self-employed, must have had adequate instruction and guidance in safe and efficient use. Additionally, people may not use certain pesticides unsupervised unless they hold an appropriate certificate of competence, or are working on their own or their employer's land, or are exempted by age. The arrangements are set out in the Ministers' consent to use pesticides (C(i)) published in the Gazettes on 20 January 1989 and in "Reference Book 500 (Pesticides 1989)".

  The pesticides attracting certification as a result of consent C(i) are each identified in "Reference Book 500". In brief, these are the pesticides approved for professional cultivation of crops and management of weeds. Certification thus extends beyond farm workers, but does

  453
  not cover all their activities. Pesticides approved for use as, for instance, rodenticides, or for the protection of stored products do not attract certification.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken to improve his Department's methods of responding to any public concerns on particular pesticide use or residues.

  Mr. Ryder
  My Department responds promptly to all new information on pesticide safety. It also provides the public with information on the government's very extensive controls on pesticides and pesticide residues, and on the widescale monitoring of residues in food and the environment which it undertakes.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those written parliamentary questions answered by his Department which had been tabled during the previous day's sitting during the last 12 months indicating the hon. Member asking each such question.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  This information is not readily available within the Department but the hon. Member may he able to obtain some information from House of Commons records.

  Tripe
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he had plans to extend the ban on bovine offals for human consumption to include tripe;

  (2) whether he has any evidence that tripe carries the infective agent responsible for bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The potential for tripe to carry the BSE agent is currently being studied. A decision on whether to ban its use for human consumption will be taken when the results of this study and the views of interested parties are known and have been evaluated.

  Product Licences
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any information on the commercial sale and use of products for use in treating animals or fish which have not been granted a product licence.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Information on the commercial sale and use of veterinary medicinal products is not required for the purposes of the Medicines Act 1968 and is not collected by my Department.

  Sheepmeat
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the future of the European Community sheepmeat regime.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Discussions on the EC Commission's proposals for a revised sheepmeat regime took place at the Agriculture Council on 19 and 20 June. Major differences of view persist amongst member states and the Council will return to this matter at a subsequent meeting.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met representatives of Compassion in World Farming to discuss animal welfare.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I last met Compassion in World Farming on 3 April and my officials last met them on 21 June.

  Potato Marketing Board
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to make an announcement about the future of the Potato Marketing Board.

  Mr. Ryder
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 14 June at column 411.

  Coastal Defence Works
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those authorities which have made representations to him about coastal defence and repair works during the last year.

  Mr. Ryder
  There is continuing correspondence with various authorities on matters relating to coastal defences. During 1988–89 the following authorities made comrnents on policy or submitted proposals for coast protection or sea defence work:

  Allerdale District Council

  Alnwick District Council

  Arun District Council

  Blackpool Borough Council

  Bournemouth Borough Council

  Brighton Borough Council

  Canterbury City Council

  Carrick District Council

  Castle Morpeth District Council

  Chichester District Council

  Christchurch Borough Council

  Cleethorpes Borough Council

  Dover District Council

  Easington District Council

  Eastbourne Borough Council

  East Yorkshire Borough Council

  Gosport Borough Council

  Great Yarmouth Borough Council

  Hartlepool Borough Council

  Hastings Borough Council

  Havant Borough Council

  Holderness Borough Council

  Kerrier District Council

  Lancaster City Council

  Langbaurgh Borough Council

  Lewes District Council

  New Forest District Council

  North Cornwall District Council

  North Norfolk District Council

  Penwith District Council

  Poole Borough Council

  Portsmouth City Council

  Purbeck District Council

  Rother District Council

  Scarborough Borough Council

  Shepway District Council

  South Hams District Council

  South Lakeland District Council

  South Wight District Council

  Suffolk Coastal District Council

  Sunderland Borough Council

  Swale Borough Council

  Tendering District Council

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  Thanet District Council

  Torridge District Council

  Wansbeck District Council

  Waveney District Council

  West Dorset District Council

  West Somerset District Council

  Weymouth and Portland Borough Council

  Wirral Borough Council

  Worthing Borough Council

  Wyre Borough Council

  Mappleton Parish Council

  Anglian Water Authority

  Southern Water Authority

  Aldeburgh Town Council

  Orford and Gedgrave Parish Council

  Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review British participation in the Common Agricultural Policy.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The treaty establishing the European Economic Community provides specifically for a common agricultural policy (CAP). The Government's policy is to participate fully in negotiations on the CAP, pressing for reform to continue, in order to increase market-orientation, control expenditure and bring supply into better balance with demand. Substantial progress has been made in this direction, though more remains to be done.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish of 16 March,Official Report, column 346, if he can now estimate how many miles of hedgerow were re-layed in the 1988–89 winter in the United Kingdom with grant-in-aid assistance.

  Mr. Ryder
  Figures for the full 1988–89 winter period are not yet available. In the period October-December 1988, grants were paid in the United Kingdom under the agriculture improvement scheme for the planting and laying of some 260 miles of hedgerows.

  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the review of the demand for veterinary surgeons to be completed.
  456
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have asked for the report to be prepared by the end of this year.

  Public Relations
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which public relations firms his Department has employed and at what cost, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  It is not my Department's policy to employ public relations firms.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many complaints about food poisoning he has dealt with in the past year; and what steps he is taking as a result.

  Mr. Ryder
  Incidents of food poisoning are generally handled by local authorities in the first instance, and the oversight of epidemiological information is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health. However, I receive a number of representations on related matters. In the last 12 months I have, for example, introduced a comprehensive set of measures to deal with salmonella in eggs, and set in hand research on a wide range of related issues, including the susceptibility of listeria to temperatures applied in storage or cooking.

  With my right hon. and learned Friend I have also issued a food hygiene leaflet entitled "Food Safety A Guide From Her Majesty's Government", and set up a committee, under the chairmanship of Professor Sir Mark Richmond, to make recommendations on the microbiological safety of food.

  Unpasteurised Milk
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many letters he has received expressing opposition to the limiting of availability of unpasteurised milk; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 13 June at column 353.

  IRAQ AND THE KURDS: GENOCIDE ALLEGATION
  IRAQ AND THE KURDS: GENOCIDE ALLEGATION
  GRENADA APPEALS AGAINST DEATH SENTENCE: TREATMENT OF PRISONERS
  GRENADA APPEALS AGAINST DEATH SENTENCE: TREATMENT OF PRISONERS
  WILLS: RESTRICTION ON VARIATIONS AFTER DEATH
  WILLS: RESTRICTION ON VARIATIONS AFTER DEATH
  ADULT EDUCATION COLLEGES IN LONDON: FUNDING
  ADULT EDUCATION COLLEGES IN LONDON: FUNDING
  HOUSING RENT ARREARS
  HOUSING RENT ARREARS
  "ACTIVE EDGE" NATO EXERCISE
  "ACTIVE EDGE" NATO EXERCISE
  COMMUNITY CHARGE AND VISITING FORCES PERSONNEL
  COMMUNITY CHARGE AND VISITING FORCES PERSONNEL