Written Answers of 2 March 1989

DEFENCE

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 9 February, how, following the introduction of the national curriculum in service children's schools, he will seek to minimise the disruption to children's education on military posting.

  Mr. Neubert
  The introduction of the national curriculum will in itself help reduce such disruption. In order to avoid possible difficulties associated with the syllabi of different examining groups, the joint council for GCSE has set up a working party to agree upon common procedural guidelines for the transfer of course work. My Department is represented on this working party.

  Exercise Red Lanyard
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list how many aircraft and by type were employed during exercise Red Lanyard; how many service personnel were engaged; what types of other ancillary equipment were employed; what were the locations of bases and the area covered; what is the projected estimated cost to public funds; and what were the aims and objectives of the exercise.

  Mr. Neubert
  Exercise Red Lanyard was designed to rehearse the procedures that the services would use should they be called upon to assist in the safe evacuation of British subjects from a trouble spot overseas. A maximum of 15 C130 Hercules aircraft were employed, with two Chinook and one Puma helicopters. Up to 750 Army and 180 RAF personnel were involved at any one time. Ancillary equipment employed included Landrovers, associated trailers, Fox and Scorpion armoured vehicles and guns. The exercise proper took place on the Standford training area in Norfolk; the C130 Hercules aircraft used RAF airfields at Lyneham and Watton. This execise was not costed separately and it is not possible to derive the financial information requested except at disproportionate cost.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the implications for his policy on nuclear modernisation in the light of General John Galvin's announcement that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is prepared to scrap up to 1,000 artillery shells, provided member countries agree to modernise other nuclear armaments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am not aware of any such announcement by Saceur. However, the Government continue to believe that it is essential that we maintain an up-to-date stockpile. NATO's nuclear stockpile in Europe 254
  is today at its lowest level for 20 years, having reduced by some 35 per cent. since 1979. Any further reductions will be welcome provided we retain a fully effective, reliable and survivable deterrent.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his policy, in the event of the breakdown of nuclear deterrence, towards North Atlantic Treaty Organisation initiating the use of tactical nuclear weapons;

  (2) if he will define the Government's understanding of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's doctrine of flexible response;

  (3) whether, in the event of the breakdown of nuclear deterrence, the use of tactical nuclear weapons is an option which the Government might take;

  (4) whether, in the event of the breakdown of nuclear deterrence, limited nuclear war is a possibility under the strategy of flexible response.

  Mr. Neubert
  I refer the hon. Member to the annual statement on the Defence Estimates, in particular the essays on NATO strategy in 1985 and 1987, which contains the information he seeks.

  West German Minister
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the West German Defence Minister; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend last met Dr. Scholz at the Anglo-German summit in Frankfurt on 20–21 February. A range of subjects of mutual defence interest were discussed.

  Aircraft (Missiles)
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dual capable LRINF and SRINF aircraft were in service with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Warsaw pact in 1985 and at the latest available date; and how many of these aircraft are equipped with air-to-surface missiles.

  Mr. Neubert
  The numbers of dual-capable LRINF and SRINF aircraft in service with NATO and the Warsaw pact are as follows:

  1985

  End 1988

  LRINF

  NATO

  150

  140

  Warsaw pact

  350

  300

  SRINF

  NATO

  1,300(600)

  1,500(650)

  Warsaw pact

  3,800

  3,250

  These figures cover land based aircraft deployed n Europe west of the Urals and exclude French aircraft and those with a primary maritime role. The figures in brackets show NATO aircraft certified for nuclear use. Comparable figures are not available for the Warsaw pact.

  The majority of Warsaw pact dual-capable aircraft in these ranges are capable of carrying air-to-surface missiles armed with conventional or nuclear warheads. Some of these missiles have ranges of up to several hundred kilometres. None of the NATO aircraft is currently equipped with air-to-surface missiles armed with nuclear warheads.

  Backfire Bombers
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dual capable Backfire bombers were available to the Warsaw pact in 1985; and how many were added in 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Neubert
  In 1985 the Warsaw pact air order of battle included approximately 230 Backfire bombers. In each of the three years 1986, 1987 and 1988 around 30 additional Backfire were deployed.

  Shots
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when was the last time that service personnel fired shots on the British mainland in the course of their duty when they were not involved in training exercises, previous to the Tern hill incident.

  Mr. Neubert
  To the best of our knowledge the last time prior to the Tern hill incident that service personnel fired shots on the British mainland in the course of their duty and when they were not involved in training exercises was in support of the police in the Iranian embassy siege in May 1980.

  Start II
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Government intend to participate in a Start II negotiation.

  Mr. Neubert
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that my hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton) gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Summerson) on 10 January 1989 at columns 677–78.

  A90 Project
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for changes in the management of the A90 project.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The National Nuclear Corporation Ltd. was appointed in June 1988 to provide a comprehensive management and co-ordination service.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial claims against his Department are outstanding or expected from Balfour Kilpatrick relative to the A90 project.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  No claims are outstanding or expected from Balfour Kilpatrick. The PSA has no contract with this company. It is subcontractor to Haden Young, which is the main contractor for the mechanical and electrical engineering works services on the A90 project. The contract was substantially completed in March 1988. Negotiations on the final account for the contract are proceeding. Haden Young has submitted a claim which is under consideration in accordance with the conditions of contract. The amounts and grounds of the claim are a matter of commercial confidence.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have been held between his 256
  Department and Balfour Kilpatrick on the financial position of the company and its impact on its ability to fulfil the A90 contract.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  The answer is none.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any assessment has been made of the quality of materials supplied by Messrs Hargreaves of Bury for the A90 project as against the original specifications.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  All materials supplied by Messrs Hargreaves of Bury have been inspected in accordance with the contract specification. Certain duct flange welds have failed to meet the specified requirements and options for overcoming this problem in the most economical way are under discussion with the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the cost of aborted mechanical and electrical work on the A90 project.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  A broad estimate of the cost of mechanical and electrical work which has been rendered abortive by changes of requirement during the course of the contract is £1 million.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he has assessed the fitness of Balfour Kilpatrick to undertake further government contracts;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the management by Haden Young of the A90 project;

  (3) what assessment he has made of the achievements of Balfour Kilpatrick in ensuring the speediest possible achievement of targets in the A90 construction project;

  (4) if he will carry out an assessment of all contracts awarded by his Department to Balfour Kilpatrick in the past five years.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  The financial position and performance of all companies working or likely to be engaged on work for PSA are kept regularly under review and appropriate action taken where necessary. Findings concerning specific firms are a matter of commercial confidence.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will investigate disputes in the A90 construction project between the main contractors and Balfour Kilpatrick; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  Any disputes which may exist between Haden Young and Balfour Kilpatrick are a matter for them.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  "Pathway to International Security"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has received any invitation to send delegates or observers to the conference "Pathways to International Security" at the Royal Society of Medicine, London, on 18 March, organised by Professions for World Disarmament and Development.
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  Mr. Chris Patten
  I received an invitation which I had to decline.

  Falklands
  Ms. Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been set aside by the European development fund for each year since 1984, to be spent on the Falklands; and how much has been spent.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The Falkland Islands receive an allocation of aid under each five year European development fund (EDF). Under EDF V, this was 0·05 mecu for 1980–85. This has been fully committed but not yet spent. Under EDF VI, 1·1 mecu were allocated for 1985–90. Commitments have yet to be made. In addition the Falkland Islands were allotted 0·067 mecu in 1988 for a shortfall of export earnings from sheep's or lamb's wool.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Breach of Confidence
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the 1981 Law Commission report on breach of confidence affecting the disclosure of information obtained by improper means.

  The Attorney-General
  The Law Commission's report No. 110, Cmnd. 8388, amounts for the most part to a recommendation for a restatement of the common law of breach of confidence and the Government do not propose, particularly in the light of recent judgments which restate that law, to give its implementation high priority at present.

  Guardian Angels
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make it his policy to give his consent under section 2(2) of the Public Order Act 1936 to any prosecution of members of the organisation known as the Guardian Angels under section 2(1)(a) of that Act, for usurping the functions of the police.

  Mr. Attorney-General
  No. It will remain my policy to give consent under section 2(2) of the Public Order Act 1936, and any policy as regards consents generally, only in cases where the evidence is sufficient to justify the conclusion that there is a reasonable prospect of a conviction and the public interest requires a prosecution.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Attorney-General whether the Crown prosecution service is considering any prosecutions of members of the organisation known as the Guardian Angels under sections 4 or 5 of the Public Order Act 1986.

  Mr. Attorney-General
  No.

  Mr. Chander Singh
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General what progress has been made in proceedings with the prosecution of Mr. Chander Singh for offences of fraud in connection with the Marconi company.

  The Attorney-General
  Mr. Chander Singh has no connection with the Marconi Company Ltd.

  Planning (High Court Applications)
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will state, for the past three years, the number of applicants to the High Court under section 245 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, seeking review of the decisions of the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  The Attorney-General
  For the financial years 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88 there were respectively 114, 137 and 154 applications to the High Court under section 245 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Sexual Offences
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average clear-up rate recorded by the police for sexual offences in 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  In 1987 the average clear up rate for sexual offences was 75 per cent. compared with 71 per cent. in 1986. The figure for 1988 is not yet available. The police give a high priority to the detection and apprehension of sexual offenders.

  Charities Commission
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the chief commissioner of the Charities Commission; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend last met the chief charity commissioner on Wednesday 22 February to discuss the proposals that the Government will be putting forward in the forthcoming White Paper on charities.

  Crime (Derbyshire)
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in Derbyshire for 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  We hope to publish the crime figures for 1988 shortly. The figures for Derbyshire are likely to show a drop of 7·5 per cent.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the number of local authorities who made no prosecutions for breaches of the Sunday trading law in 1988.

  Mr. Renton
  Information about the number of local authorities which made no prosecutions for breaches of the Sunday trading law is not held centrally. Decisions on whether or not to prosecute in any given case are a matter for the local authorities concerned.

  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last circulated guidance to district councils on their duty to enforce the law on Sunday trading.
  259
  Mr. Renton
  I am sure that local authorities are well aware of their responsibilities under section 71 of the Shops Act 1950. We have not circulated guidance to councils on this matter.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in response to his request for views on the reform of Sunday shopping.

  Mr. Renton
  Since I last answered a question on this subject, from the hon. Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien) on 2 February 1989 at column 415, we have received 133 written representations broadly in favour of Sunday trading and 155 against.

  Police Efficiency
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in securing greater efficiency and value for money from the police in East Anglia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is primarily the responsibility of chief officers of police and local police authorities, to ensure that their resources are used to best effect. Value for money has been improved in the Cambridgeshire constabulary by streamlining administrative procedures, devolving operational management responsibility to sub-divisional level, and establishing civilian administrative units in the sub-divisions.

  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Audit Commission on police efficiency.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) on 2 February at column 387.

  Single European Act
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects to meet Ministers of the Trevi group to discuss the implications of the Single European Act.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects to meet Ministers from other Governments in the European Economic Community to discuss the movement of persons within the European Economic Community after 1992.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects to meet Ministers within the Trevi group; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I shall be meeting Trevi Ministers informally on 9 and 10 March in Seville. We shall discuss a range of matters of mutual interest including the implications of the Single European Act.

  Prison Service
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to alter the negotiating structure for pay and conditions in the prison service.
  260
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are no plans to alter the established negotiating structure for pay and conditions in the prison service.

  Carole Richardson
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what medical attention has been offered to Carole Richardson currently in Her Majesty's prison Styal.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Miss Richardson has received appropriate medical treatment under the care of the medical staff at Her Majesty's prison Styal. Specific clinical information pertaining to individual prisoners is confidential and is not normally disclosed.

  Criminal Appeal Act 1968
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been referred to the Court of Appeal in exercising of the power under section 17(1) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968, since 1968; and what was the outcome in each case.

  Mr. John Patten
  Between 1 September 1968, when the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 came into force, and 31 December 1988, 105 defendants had their convictions referred to the Court of Appeal under section 17(1)(a) of the Act. The appeals of 57 defendants were allowed, 40 were dismissed, four were abandoned and one retrial was ordered. The cases of three defendants have yet to be determined.

  Drugs
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the last meeting of the ministerial group on the misuse of drugs took place, and what it discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The last meeting of the ministerial group on the misuse of drugs, which I chair, took place on 9 February. Issues discussed included Customs' provisional drug seizure figures for 1988, plans for regionally-based anti-drug publicity campaigns, the development of drug misuse services in 1989–90 and evaluation of pilot syringe exchange schemes.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in securing greater international co-operation against the illegal drug trade.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave on 2 February to a similar question from my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) at column 419. Since then, I have taken part in useful discussions about co-operation against illicit drug trafficking, among other matters, with my counterparts in the Federal Republic of Germany and in France.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to curtail the illegal import of drugs.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government have developed a comprehensive and balanced strategy aimed at tackling all aspects of the drugs problem; it is overseen by the ministerial group on the misuse of drugs.
  261
  Specific measures aimed at preventing and detecting the illicit importation of drugs include:
  supporting international efforts to curb trafficking in drugs. Last December together with 42 other countries we signed the new United Nations convention against illicit traffic in drugs. We also provide drug-related assistance overseas and maintain a number of drug liaison officers at strategic points on drug trafficking routes.
  strengthening Customs and police enforcement. During 1988–89 a further 233 customs preventive staff have been allocated and the number of specialist customs drugs investigation staff will have risen to 395. We have also further strengthened the national drugs intelligence unit which co-ordinates drugs intelligence for Customs and police.
  deterring drug traffickers by high maximum penalties and by confiscating the profits of their crime. We have already entered into reciprocal agreements with four countries for the confiscation of drug traffickers' assets, and are negotiating more.

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in securing closer international co-operation on confiscation of drug-traffickers' assets.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have signed bilateral agreements with the United States of America, Canada, the Bahamas and Australia. and have completed substantive negotiations with Spain, Switzerland and Sweden. We expect to conclude further agreements this year. The United Kingdom also played a major part in bringing about the adoption in Vienna last December of a new United Nations convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, which among other measures obliges member states to assist each other in confiscating the proceeds of drug trafficking.

  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the proceeds received to date from the confiscation of the assets of drug traffickers.

  Mr. John Patten
  The courts have made confiscation orders totalling more than £3 million since section 1 of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 came into force on 12 January 1987. The information held centrally does not at present distinguish revenue obtained from the payment of such orders from revenue obtained from payment of other monetary penalties.

  Police Forces (Co-operation)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the procedures for consultation and co-operation between police forces and transport police.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that there is extensive consultation and co-operation between police forces and the British Transport police. Senior officers of all forces are in regular contact discussing issues of mutual interest and planning joint operations. Assistance is also provided regularly to the British Transport police around the country by regular police forces and the British Transport police reciprocates.

  Community Radio
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on the prospects for community radio.
  262
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to widen choice for radio listeners.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Derby, North (Mr. Knight). We have endorsed IBA proposals to award 20 community radio contracts. In due course, up to several hundred local and community radio stations would be possible under our proposals in the White Paper "Broadcasting in the '90s".

  Video Recording Act 1984
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the workings of the Video Recording Act 1984.

  Mr. Renton
  The Act is now fully in force, and was quickly effective against the so-called "video nasty". We have extended enforcement powers to local authority trading standards officers to strengthen its impact over the full range of material. I have discussed the working of the Act with the British Board of Film Classification and I am confident that the board is doing its job effectively. I have also discussed with representatives of the video trade what further action they might take to ensure that matters not directly covered by the Act, such as displays in shops and packaging material, might be improved.

  Passport Offices
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to increase the number of permanent staff in passport offices.

  Mr. Renton
  Passport department officials are in consultation with trade union representatives about staffing levels, pending a full review of staffing requirements which is to be undertaken following the completion of the current computerisation programme.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average times taken to process non-urgent passport applications at major passport offices; and what were the comparable times one year ago.

  Mr. Renton
  The current processing times for straightforward non-urgent postal applications at the six United Kingdom passport offices are shown in the table, together with those of a year ago. Urgent applications are given priority, and are not normally subject to delay.

  Average time between receipt of application and issue of passport

  (working days)

  Passport office

  19 February 1989

  21 February 1988

  London

  18

  37

  Glasgow

  20

  22

  Peterborough

  18

  18

  Newport

  24

  16

  Liverpool

  24

  12

  Belfast

  3

  3

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest estimate of the date on which the Council of Europe convention on broadcasting will be open for signature.
  263
  Mr. Renton
  We hope that the Council of Europe draft convention on transfrontier television will be agreed shortly and opened for signature within the next few months.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of discussions between the United Kingdom and other European countries on the attainment of Europeanwide standards and specifications relating to broadcasting technology and contents.

  Mr. Renton
  The United Kingdom is co-operating, through a EUREKA project, with a number of other European countries on the development of standards for high definition television. There is also a wide range of discussions on broadcasting specifications generally in the relevant international fora. We also hope to conclude agreement shortly on the Council of Europe convention on transfrontier television which, among other things, will provide minimum standards on taste and decency.

  Crime (Cumbria)
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in Cumbria for 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  It is planned to publish 1988 figures for all forces in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin in the week beginning 13 March. Figures for the 12 months ending 30 September 1988 show that recorded crime in the Cumbria police force area fell by 3 per cent. compared with the 12 months ending 30 September 1987. The change between the calendar years 1988 and 1987 will be similar.

  Wandsworth Prison
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the present position at Wandsworth prison following the recent dispute.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Prison officers returned to work on 9 February. Under the terms of the dispute settlement, local discussions led to agreement on revised shift patterns by 15 February. They were implemented on 19 February.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the administration of the magistrates courts.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply to the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Amess) on 17 January, columns 140–41.

  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to invite local benches to submit representations to the Le Vay scrutiny of magistrates courts.

  Mr. John Patten
  Mr. Le Vay has already written to all magistrates courts committees in England and Wales, with copies to justices' clerks, indicating his willingness to consider any comments sent to him. It is open to any local bench to submit representations if it so wishes.

  Prisons (Hygiene)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will request Her Majesty's inspector of prisons to carry out an unannounced inspection, together with a senior environmental health officer, of the kitchen and other facilities related to hygiene of a prison selected by that environmental health officer.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons has ready access to information and expertise which enables him to make proper assessments of hygiene standards in kitchens and other facilities during routine and unannounced inspections.

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes are now established in England and Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  At the end of 1988 there were some 64,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales covering approximately three and a quarter million households.

  County Constabularies
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received any representations on the allocation of extra police for the county constabularies for 1988–89.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend has received representations from hon. Members, from police authorities and from members of the public about the allocation of extra police officers for 1988–89 and for 1989–90.

  Entry Refusals
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refusals of entry were made at United Kingdom ports of entry in each quarter of 1988.

  Mr. Renton
  The information is given in the following table:

  Pasengers refused leave to enter the United Kingdom and removed in 1988

  Number of persons

  First quarter

  3,955

  Second quarter

  4,475

  Third quarter

  6,064

  Fourth quarter

  5,884

  Paul Hill
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will facilitate the moving of Paul Hill of the Guildford Four to Wormwood Scrubs prison to ensure that the appropriate legal advice and preparation is available for his appeal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Any request on these lines from Paul Hill's legal representatives would be carefully considered.
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  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will facilitate a further operation for Paul Hill to remove stones in the saliva gland and further ensure that the necessary after-care treatment is available.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Specific clinical information pertaining to individual prisoners is confidential and is not normally disclosed. Mr. Hill has received appropriate medical treatment and I have no information which suggests that his general medical condition is other than satisfactory.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison moves Paul Hill has experienced since conviction; why they have been necessary; and what assessment he has made of the effects of these moves on the ability of Paul Hill's family and relatives to visit him.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Firearm Certificates
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to review the procedures for police scrutiny of applicants for firearm certificates to determine their suitability.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 contains powers to impose further requirements relating to applications for the grant or renewal of a firearm certificate. In addition to the stringent criteria set out in section 27 of the Firearms Act 1968, such applications will, later this year, need to be accompanied by photographs of the applicant and be countersigned by a person of standing in the community who has known the applicant personally for at least two years. The countersignatory will be required to verify the personal details of the applicant and to declare that he knows of no reason why the applicant should not be permitted to possess a firearm.

  Scottish Broadcasting
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met with Scottish representatives of the broadcasting authorities; and what issues were discussed.

  Mr. Renton
  I am regularly in touch with the broadcasting authorities in order to discuss a wide range of broadcasting issues. On 27 and 28 February I met representatives from all the Scottish independent television companies in order to discuss the White Paper on broadcasting and other broadcasting matters.

  Safer Cities Programme
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in the safer cities programme.

  Mr. John Patten
  The safer cities programme is making good progress, with the first nine crime prevention projects either functioning or well on the way to becoming established. The Bradford and Wolverhampton projects have steering committees and locally recruited staff in place and are fully operational. We will establish seven 266
  more projects in the coming year and I have recently invited Bristol, Hull, Salford, Sunderland and Wirral to take part.

  Police Patrols
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to increase the number of uniformed policemen patrolling public places in towns and cities.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The deployment of police officers is a matter for chief officers of police but the increases in police establishments approved since May 1979 will have assisted them in allocating more officers to operational duties. My right hon. Friend announced on 30 January his approval of further increases in provincial force establishments amounting to over 800 extra police posts. The great bulk of these posts will be deployed by chief constables on patrol duties. At the end of 1988, 52,906 officers (of all ranks) were estimated to be deployed on patrol duties—this was 55·8 per cent. of strength. That is an increase of 0·8 per cent. on the previous year, which in turn had shown a gain of 2·9 per cent. over the year before. Information on the Metropolitan police is collected on a different basis. This shows that in 1988 some 1,600,000 man days were spent on street duty, an increase of 9 per cent. on 1987.

  Abortion
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration was given to the representations received on his decision not to direct the coroner to hold an inquest into the death of the Carlisle baby.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  All representations received were considered very thoroughly.

  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to increase the maximum sentences available to those found guilty of performing abortions contrary to sections 57 and 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. Procurement of an abortion already carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now place in the Library the information provided by the coroner on the case involving the death of the Carlisle baby.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No.

  Mentally Disturbed Prisoners
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to reduce the number of mentally disturbed people sent to prison.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are preparing guidance to the courts encouraging the use of their powers under the Mental Health Act 1983 to divert mentally disturbed offenders from the penal system.

  Prisoners (Health)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to increase the health prospects of the prison population.
  267
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A number of measures which are under way or planned can be expected to have a significant effect on the health and well being of prisoners. They include a major programme of new building, refurbishment and environmental improvement and an increasing emphasis on preventive medicine and health education including specific initiatives in relation to AIDS, hepatitis B, and the risks from drug and alcohol misuse and smoking.

  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure the health of prisoners held in police cells.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The police have a duty of care to anyone held in their custody and I have no doubt that chief officers of police ensure that that duty is carried out responsibly. In accordance with the codes of practice issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the police must call a doctor if a prisoner appears to be physically or mentally ill.

  London Underground (Policing)
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan police officers are currently deployed on policing the London Underground.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the commissioner that 60 officers have been attached to the British Transport police to help police the Underground. There are also 22 officers from the City of London force.

  Crime (Somerset and Avon)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in Somerset and Avon for 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  It is planned to publish 1988 figures for all forces in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin in the week beginning 13 March. Figures for the 12 months ending 30 September 1988 show that recorded crime in the Avon and Somerset police force area rose by 1 per cent. compared with the 12 months ending 30 September 1987. Between the calendar years 1988 and 1987 there will be a small decrease.

  Probation Service
  Sir Hal Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many replies he has received to the consultation paper on the probation service.

  Mr. John Patten
  Some 150 interested organisations and individuals have commented on the Green Paper "Punishment, Custody and the Community".

  Guildford Four
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from legal representatives of the Guildford Four concerning moving them to London prisons prior to the Court of Appeal hearing.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None.

  Crime (London)
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department is making against crime in Greater London.

  Mr. John Patten
  In the 12 months ending September 1988 there was a decrease of 1 per cent. in total recorded crime in the Metropolitan police district, compared with the corresponding period to September 1987. In particular motor vehicle theft decreased by 8 per cent., theft from the person decreased by 7 per cent. and residential burglary decreased by 3 per cent. These figures are an encouraging indication of the success of a range of crime prevention measures.

  Ministerial Talks
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the outcome of his recent talks with his counterpart in the Federal Republic of Germany.

  Mr. Hurd
  Our discussions focused on terrorism, drugs and immigration control. We took stock of the results of the regular co-operation between the police and other relevant services of the two countries and reinforced our commitment to develop that co-operation both bilaterally and within the European Community.

  White Collar Crime
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what police manpower resources are currently directed to clearing up white collar crime.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Chief officers of police decide in accordance with the needs of their area what manpower resources should be directed to the investigation of each particular type of crime.

  Mr. and Mrs. Calgar
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the refusal to allow Mr. and Mrs. Calgar to return to the United Kingdom together.

  Mr. Renton
  I have nothing to add to my letter of 2 February and earlier replies to the hon. Member's previous representations about this case.

  Foetuses
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation to criminalise the supply of foetuses for other than medical or scientific purposes.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. The disposal of foetal material in Great Britain is closely regulated in accordance with the code of practice recommended in the report of the advisory group on the use of foetuses and foetal material for research (the Peel report 1972). There is no evidence that this code of practice is being disregarded.

  Prison Population
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were in prison at the most recent count.
  269
  Mr. Hogg
  At unlocking on Friday 24 February, 49,325 prisoners (The figures comprise returns from each regional office. Figures from the North region are only provisional.) were held in prison establishments in England and Wales. A further 196 prisoners were held in police cells.

  Deportations
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many spouses of British citizens have been ordered to leave the United Kingdom since May 1979.

  Mr. Renton
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Terrorists (Funds)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about efforts to prevent leakage of public grants and funds to terrorist organisations.

  Mr. Hurd
  Although we have no evidence that this has been a problem in Great Britain the new provisions in the Prevention of Terrorism Bill will facilitate investigation of any case in which there are reasonable grounds to suspect such abuse. So far as Northern Ireland is concerned, policy on the payment of public funds to community groups, where there is evidence that such payments could directly or indirectly further the aims of a terrorist organisation. remains as set out in the reply I gave as the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to a question from the hon. Member for Solihull (Mr. Taylor) on 27 June 1985 at column 449.

  Vietnamese Refugees
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the number of Vietnamese refugees accepted to date; and whether provision for Vietnamese refugees will be increased.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Mr. Powell) on 2 February, at column 384 and my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 23 February at column 755.

  Crime (Nottinghamshire)
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in Nottinghamshire for 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  It is planned to publish 1988 figures for all forces in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin in the week beginning 13 March. Figures for the 12 months ending 30 September 1988 show that recorded crime in the Nottinghamshire police force area fell by 1 per cent. compared with the 12 months ending 30 September 1987. The change between the calendar years 1988 and 1987 will be similar.

  Mr. Ian Dunlop
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will as a matter of urgency review 270
  the case of Mr. Ian Dunlop, currently detained in Her Majesty's prison, Wakefield, with a view to his early release.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am satisfied that there are insufficient grounds for Mr. Dunlop's early release on life licence. I have recently written to the hon. Member about this case.

  NACRO
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next intends to meet the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders to discuss minimum standards in prisons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I see representatives of NACRO from time to time to discuss a variety of subjects, but no date has yet been fixed for our next meeting.

  Crime (Thames Valley)
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in the Thames Valley for 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  It is planned to publish 1988 figures for all forces in a Home Office statistical bulletin in the week beginning 13 March. Figures for the 12 months ending 30 September 1988 show that recorded crime in the Thames Valley police force area fell by 9 per cent. compared with the 12 months ending 30 September 1987. The change between the calendar years 1988 and 1987 will be similar.

  Electronic Tagging
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has considered on electronic tagging schemes in the United States of America.

  Mr. John Patten
  My noble Friend Lord Caithness reported to my right hon. Friend the outcome of his ministerial visit to the United States of America in 1987, in the course of which he looked at the use there of electronic monitoring. A large amount of published and unpublished American material on this subject has also been reviewed within my Department. Home Office officials visited the United States during the week beginning 13 February to make an up-to-date assessment of electronic monitoring services in operation.

  Football Membership Scheme
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Police Federation regarding the introduction of membership cards for football supporters.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend has had no discussions with the Police Federation on this subject but my hon. Friend the Minister for Sport met them on 15 December. They have also had a meeting with officials.

  Crime (Essex)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in Essex for 1988.
  271
  Mr. John Patten
  It is planned to publish 1988 figures for all forces in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin in the week beginning 13 March. Figures for the 12 months ending 30 September 1988 show that recorded crime in the Essex police force area fell by 2 per cent. compared with the 12 months ending 30 September 1987. The change between the calendar years 1988 and 1987 will be similar.

  Crime (Kent)
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in Kent for 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  It is planned to publish 1988 figures for all forces in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin in the week beginning 13 March. Figures for the 12 months ending 30 September 1988 show that recorded crime in the Kent police force area rose by 2 per cent. compared with the 12 months ending 30 September 1987. The change between the calendar years 1988 and 1987 will be similar.

  Northumbria Police
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the current manning levels of the Northumbria police force; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend considered an application from the police authority for an additional 84 police posts for the Northumbria police in 1989–90. As announced on 30 January at columns 6–7, he was able to approve 30 posts subject to the authority's confirmation of funding which has since been received; 800 posts were available for provincial forces for 1989–90 and demand exceeded this.

  The Department has also received an application for 59 other posts in order to police the Tyne and Wear Metro rapid transit system. This proposal is under consideration.

  Chief Police Officers
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the officers of the Association of Chief Police Officers; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 15 December at column 708.

  Motor Vehicles (Theft)
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the most recent figures for thefts of motor vehicles in England and Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  It is planned to publish 1988 figures for all forces in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin in the week beginning 13 March. Figures for the 12 months ending 30 September 1988 were published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 36/88 and show that recorded thefts of motor vehicles in England and Wales fell by 6 per cent. compared with the 12 months ending September 1988.

  Parties
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration is being 272
  given to giving the police the power to enter houses without warrants where excessively long or noisy parties are being held.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None. Police powers to enter private premises without warrant must be strictly limited. They are set out in section 17 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

  Juveniles (Court Attendance)
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to encourage courts as a general rule to require that parents of juveniles attend court with them.

  Mr. John Patten
  Courts already normally require parents to attend with their juvenile children who appear in court in criminal proceedings, but we are considering how even better parental attendance might be encouraged.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest figure on the proportion of prisoners held in custody who are unconvicted awaiting trial; and what was the corresponding figure for the nearest available comparable date in 1979.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Untried prisoners in prison service establishments and police cells in England and Wales formed about 19 per cent. of the prison population on 31 December 1988 compared with about 9 per cent. on 31 December 1979.

  Race Relations
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has not yet given a response dealing with the merits of the proposals "Review of the Race Relations Act 1976: Proposals for Change" presented to him by the Commission for Racial Equality in 1985.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Home Office has discussed the Commission for Racial Equality's 1985 review of the Race Relations Act 1976 with the commission on several occasions.

  AIDS
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last 10 years immigration officers have refused passengers admission to the United Kingdom on any grounds directly or indirectly connected with AIDS, HIV infection, or suspected AIDS or HIV infection, including the failure to satisfy immigration officers that the passenger had funds available to meet the costs of medical treatment which might be necessary in consequence of such infection or disease.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply on 10 February to his earlier question on this subject at column 820. The additional information which he now seeks is not available.

  Strychnine
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last three years on charges arising from the misuse of strychnine;

  (2) what information his Department has concerning the criminal misuse of substances containing strychnine.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Home Office does not collect information about the criminal misuse of substances containing strychnine or about the number of prosecutions arising specifically from its misuse.

  "Broadcasting in the '90s"
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the names of those organisations who submitted a response to the White Paper, "Broadcasting in the '90s," Cm. 517; and which of those organisations favoured the auctioning of franchises.

  Mr. Renton
  We have so far received over 2,200 responses to the White Paper, a number of which propose some form of competitive tender procedure for licence allocation. Some expected responses are still outstanding, but we have it in mind in due course to place in the Library a list of the main organisations who have submitted comments.

  Television Licences
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances tenants or residents eligible for a concessionary television licence under the Wireless Telegraphy (Broadcasting Licence Charges and Exemption) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 1988 may claim a refund on the £5 fee if they cease to be eligible for the licence.

  Mr. Renton
  A refund may be given if the concessionary licence was required for less than 28 days; if two licences had been issued, one of them unnecessarily; or on changing from a concessionary licence to a full licence.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what authority local authorities may collect concessionary television licence fees from tenants eligible for such licences under the Wireless Telegraphy (Broadcasting Licence Charges and Exemption) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 1988.

  Mr. Renton
  These arrangements have operated under long-standing agreements with local authorities, in the interests of licence holders and of keeping administrative costs down.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make it his policy for the national television licence records office to collect fees for concessionary licences from persons in dwellings erected or converted for occupation by persons eligible under the Wireless Telegraphy (Broadcasting Licence Charges and Exemption) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 1988 against a list of completed licence schedules and appropriate certificates from a local authority or housing association.

  Mr. Renton
  There are no plans to do so.

  Tape-recorded Evidence
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about tape recording police interviews with suspects.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to his question of 15 December at column 715. We plan to lay the first order under section 60(1)(b) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 during the current parliamentary session. The order will require the tape recording of interviews in accordance with the codes of practice in areas specified in the order. We are discussing with the Association of Chief Police Officers the timing of the first order and which forces it should cover.

  Official Secrets Bill
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of officials in his Department at each grade working on the Official Secrets Bill.

  Mr. Hurd
  Work on the Bill falls mainly to six officials in my Department—one in grade 5, one in grade 7, one higher executive officer (development), one administration officer and two personal secretaries. Other officials assist as required.

  Absent Voting
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will report progress on his consideration of the options for changing the law on absent voting.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have placed in the Library copies of a consultation paper on absent voting, together with a paper on associated costs, which the home Departments are issuing today to representatives of the local authorities, electoral registration officers and main political parties. This discusses possible ways of remedying certain difficulties regarding postal and proxy voting which arose during the 1987 general election.

  BBC Services for Doctors
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many doctors(a) are subscribing to and (b) have decoders to receive the British Broadcasting Corporation's night-time subscription service for doctors.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 23 February 1989]: I understand from British Medical Television that, so far, some 2,000 decoders have sent to doctors who have subscribed to the service and that there are some 13,000 subscription requests still to be processed.

  DNA Testing
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people over 18 years, but who had a positive DNA test result when they were under 18 years, are currently waiting for their application to enter the United Kingdom to be processed; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many dependants of men already settled in the United Kingdom, having had positive DNA test results, are currently waiting for their applications to enter the

  275
  United Kingdom to be processed; and how many of these dependants have been waiting for (a) 12 months and (b) over 24 months.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 31 January 1989]: The information is not available in the form requested, and could not readily be obtained.

  As regards the age of young applicants, applications for entry clearance as a child under paragraph 50 of the immigration rules must be made to a British post overseas before the child's 18th birthday. Any DNA evidence which is produced before the application is finally determined will, however, be taken into account, whether the tests were commissioned before or after the child's 18th birthday. Applications or reapplications for entry clearance lodged after a child has reached the age of 18 will normally fall to be considered under paragraph 52 of the rules.

  The great majority of cases in which DNA evidence has been produced involve applications made to posts at Dhaka and Islamabad. How long an application will normally take to be processed will depend upon in which queue the application is placed. Waiting times at Dhaka and Islamabad in October 1988 were as follows:

  Months

  Dhaka

  Q1

  3

  Q2

  7

  Q3

  7

  Q4

  23

  Islamabad

  Q1

  4

  Q2

  11

  Q3

  20

  Q4

  20

  Persons seeking admission under paragraphs 50 or 52 of the rules will be placed in whichever is the relevant queue under the following criteria:

  Q1: persons with a claim to the right of abode; special compassionate cases.

  Q2: children under 18 applying for the first time.

  Q3: children over 18 applying for the first time.

  Q4: reapplicants, whether over or under 18.

SCOTLAND

  Charities
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will seek to introduce, as a compulsory requirement upon each charity in Scotland, registration with the registrar of friendly societies, together with a requirement to lodge annual accounts with the registrar;

  (2) if he will seek to extend to the sheriff court jurisdiction, concurrent with the court of session, over matters concerning charities.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Home and Health Department issued a consultative memorandum last year on supervision of charities in Scotland. Among matters on which views were invited were the establishment of a register of charities and a requirement on charities to make publicly available copies of the annual accounts. Views were also sought on the possibility 276
  of the sheriff court having concurrent jurisdiction with the Court of Session on charitable matters. The responses to the memorandum are now under consideration.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Forestry Commission intends to review its broadleaves policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government's broadleaves policy is presently being reviewed. My right hon. and learned Friend will make a statement to the House when the review has been completed.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the areas to which the Forestry Commission's felling licence requirements do not apply.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Several types of felling are exempt from the felling licence requirements, of which the most important are when:

  1. The felling is in accordance with an approved plan of operations under one of the Forestry Commission's grant schemes.

  2. The trees are in a garden, orchard, churchyard or public open space.

  3. The trees are all below 8 cm in diameter, measured 1·3 m from the ground; or in the case of thinnings, below 10 cm in diameter; or in the case of coppice or underwood, below 15 cm in diameter.

  4. The trees are interfering with permitted development or statutory works by public bodies.

  5. The trees are dead, dangerous, causing a nuisance or are badly affected by Dutch elm disease.

  6. The felling is in compliance with an Act of Parliament.

  Also, in any calendar quarter up to 5 cu m of timber may be felled by an occupier without a licence provided not more than 2 cu m are sold. Further information is given in the Forestry Commission's booklet "Control of Tree Felling"—a copy of which can be found in the Library.

  Farm Woodland Scheme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the broadleaved component of applications so far submitted under the farm woodland scheme in Scotland, and of those which have been accepted, respectively.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received 160 applications, to date, containing proposals to plant approximately 1,700 hectares of land, of which almost 60 per cent. are identified for broadleaf trees. Twenty-four applications have so far been approved and approximately 80 per cent. of the approved planting area is identified for broadleaf trees.

  School Examinations
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the introduction of standard grade examinations and the consequent withdrawal of O grade examinations and traditional forms of examination in higher grade and certificate of sixth-year studies.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Eighty per cent. of pupils currently in their fourth year of secondary school in Scotland will be presented in one or more subjects at
  277
  standard grade this year. This is a most encouraging figure. Teaching materials selected and prepared by central support groups and core groups have now largely been distributed for all subjects in phases 1 to 3 and any remaining materials will be circulated during the current school year. Notes for principal teachers, a manual for headteachers and a revised brochure for pupils and parents have also been produced. Assistance to education authorities for equipping schools for standard grade, especially in science and technological subjects, has been included in capital expenditure allocations amounting to date to £6 million. A further £3·3 million will be available to education authorities for this purpose in 1989–90, an increase of one third on the sum notified to them last year as likely to be available. Details will be given to education authorities shortly.

  In view of these developments, it is now appropriate to set firm dates for the withdrawal of certain O grade and traditional higher and CSYS examinations. The timetable will be as follows: as previously announced, the last O grade examinations in metalwork and woodwork will be held in 1989. The last O grade examinations in subjects covered in phases 1 and 2 of the standard grade development programme, will be held in 1991. The last O grade examinations in subjects included in phase 3 of the standard grade development programme will be held in 1992.

  The last O grade examinations in subjects for which no standard grade is being developed will be held in 1992. Dates for the last O grade examinations in subjects included in the standard grade development programme after phase 3 will be announced in due course. In every case there will be a limited O grade examination in the immediately following year open only to those resitting the subject.

  Pupils normally sit highers one or two years after O grade. Accordingly, the last traditionally higher grade examinations in subjects where the higher is being revised to articulate with standard grade will be held two years after the last O grade examination. Similarly, the last higher grade examination in subjects where the higher grade is being discontinued will be held two years after the last O grade examination except for metalwork and woodwork where the last higher grade examination will be held in 1990. Again, in every case there will be a restricted examination in the immediately following year for candidates resitting the subject.

  The CSYS is normally taken one year after higher. Consultation has confirmed, however, that in some cases it will be as acceptable for candidates to proceed to revise CSYS from traditional higher as from revised higher. Accordingly, the last traditional CSYS examinations in English, French and Latin will be held in 1990. Dates for the withdrawal of other traditional CSYS examinations will be announced in due course. No resits are available for CSYS.

  Details of these arrangements are set out in the table, along with a list of new courses which have been or are being developed or about the development of which consultation will take place.

  Withdrawal of O grades

  Last examination 1989

  Metalwork

  Woodwork

  Last examination 1991

  Arithmetic

  278

  Art and Design

  Computing

  Craft and Design

  English

  French

  Home Economics

  Latin

  Mathematics

  Last examination 1992

  Agricultural Science

  Anatomy, Physiology and Health

  Biology

  Chemistry

  Economic History

  Engineering

  Gaelic

  Geography

  Geology

  German

  Hebrew

  History

  Horticultural Science

  Italian

  Modern Studies

  Music

  Navigation

  Norwegian

  Physics

  Portuguese

  Russian

  Seamanship and Nautical Knowledge

  Secretarial Studies

  Spanish Statistics

  Swedish

  Last examination after 1992

  Accounting

  Classical Studies

  Economics

  Greek

  Religious Studies

  Technical Drawing

  Withdrawal of traditional highers

  Last examination 1990

  Metalwork1

  Woodwork1

  Last examination 1993

  Art and Design

  Craft and Design

  English

  French

  Home Economics

  Latin

  Mathematics

  Last examination 1994

  Agricultural Science1

  Anatomy, physiology and Health

  Biology

  Chemistry

  Economic History1

  Engineering1

  Gaelic

  Geography

  German

  Hebrew1

  History

  Horticultural Science1

  Italian

  Modern Studies

  Music

  Navigation1

  Norwegian1

  Physics

  Portuguese1

  Russian

  Secretarial Studies1

  279

  Spanish

  Swedish1

  Last examination after 1994

  Accounting

  Economics

  Greek

  Religious

  Studies

  Technical Drawing

  1Indicates subjects where no revised higher will be available.

  Withdrawal of traditional CSYS

  Last Examination 1990

  English

  French

  Latin

  Dates for other subjects have still to be set.

  New Courses Developed, in Process of Development, or to be considered for development

  Standard Grade

  Phase 1

  Science

  Social and Vocational Skills

  Phase 2

  Contemporary Social Studies

  Phase 3

  Office and Information Studies

  Physical Education

  Technological Studies

  Later Phases

  Accounting and Finance

  Drama

  Higher Grade

  Accounting and Finance

  Classical Studies

  Computing Studies

  Drama

  Management and Information Studies

  Science (consultation stage only)

  Technological Studies

  CSYS

  Accounting and Finance

  Computing Studies

  Craft and Design (consultation stage only)

  Management and Information Studies

  Music (consultation stage only)

  Religious Studies

  Technological Studies

  Public Expenditure
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish the Scottish commentary on public expenditure.

  Mr. Rifkind
  My Department is issuing today "Public Expenditure to 1991–92: A Commentary on the Scotland Programme". I have, as in previous years, arranged for a copy to be sent to each Scottish Member. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Information Technology
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement of progress on the introduction of information technologies to facilitate internal communications in his Department and the provision of information to the public concerning 280
  those areas for which he is responsible; and if he has any further plans to apply the newest technologies in these fields.

  Mr. Butcher
  Under the Department's office systems strategy, 600 staff in London—roughly half—are being provided with PCs, attached to a local area network. Most of these are now in place, and we are considering extending the provision. Consideration is also being given to making similar arrangements in the Department's other site, in Darlington, and to connecting the two networks.

  The Department also has in place a communications strategy for Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools, under which all 450 inspectors in the field will be provided with the means of electronic communication with each other, and also with the centre.

  The Department does not at present provide electronic information services to the public.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide calculations on the cost and savings of the top-up loans scheme, as illustrated in annexe E, page 43 of the White Paper "Top-Up Loans for Students," on the basis of(a) 90 per cent. take-up, (b) 100 per cent. take-up, (c) 90 per cent. take-up with an expansion of student numbers similar to that in the 1980s and (d) 100 per cent. take-up with an expansion similar to that in the 1980s.

  Mr. Jackson
  The table shows how the net PSBR effect would vary with alternative take-up assumptions, for the student numbers assumed in the White Paper. It would not be realistic to project into the future the expansion of student numbers that occurred over the 1980s because the demographic outlook is quite different.

  £ million, 1990 prices

  80 per cent.

  Take-up 90 per cent.

  100 per cent.

  1990

  103

  123

  144

  1991

  105

  129

  153

  1992

  103

  128

  154

  1993

  93

  120

  147

  1994

  78

  106

  133

  1999

  17

  50

  81

  2004

  -31

  4

  40

  2009

  -69

  -33

  3

  2014

  -162

  -137

  -113

  2019

  -205

  -186

  -167

  2024

  -227

  -210

  -194

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide calculations on the cost and savings of the top-up loans scheme as illustrated in annex E, page 43, of the White Paper "Top-up Loans for Students" on the basis of the(a) four and (b) five year courses which medical and dental students in particular have to pursue.

  Mr. Jackson
  The calculation of the costs and savings of the Government's proposals for top-up loans for students, as set out in annex E of Cm. 520, already takes account of the longer courses pursued by students of medicine, dentistry, and some other subjects.

  Universities (Scotland)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next intends to meet with representatives from Scottish universities concerning the future problem of university provision in Scotland.

  Mr. Jackson
  We have no plans for such a meeting. Although both my right hon. Friend and I regularly visit universities, including those in Scotland, the allocation of public funds towards general university provision is a matter for the University Grants Committee and, from 1 April, the Universities Funding Council established under the Education Reform Act 1988. The funding of the eight Scottish universities is done under standard criteria which allow for different course lengths and apply to all universities in Great Britain. Both bodies have a committee to advise on particular matters relating to Scotland.

  Advanced Supplementary Level Courses
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students are taking advanced supplementary level courses in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have today announced the results of a survey carried out by my Department last autumn. This shows that over 30,000 students in England are now taking GCE advanced supplementary courses. About 27,200 of these students are in schools and provisional figures show a further 3,300 in further education colleges. About 13 per cent. of first year A-level students are now choosing to study one or more AS level courses.

  The most popular AS level courses were general studies, with nearly 9,500 students, mathematics, with nearly 7,000 students, English with about 2,500 students, computing, with nearly 2,000 students, and French, with over 1,500 students.

  About 1,200 schools and over 100 colleges have mounted AS level courses this year. This represents 44 per cent. of schools, and 38 per cent. of colleges, with A-level students.

  The full results of the survey will be published in due course.

ENVIRONMENT

  Litter
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to strengthen the law on litter.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are monitoring current experiments and pilot projects set up by the Tidy Britain group and others. We shall develop our policies accordingly, including the introduction of further legislation if appropriate.

  Inner-city Land (Clearance)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the £67 million which is to be made available for the clearance of derelict inner city land will go to the north-west; and what are the proposed locations.
  282
  Mr. Trippier
  Derelict land grant is available for reclamation of derelict land nationally, not just in inner city areas. Nearly a third of the national resources has been made available to the north west, including Merseyside, in 1989–90. Of this, £10·7 million will be devoted to schemes in the eight rolling programme areas of Salford Quays, Wigan, north east Lancashire, Barrow, Leeds/Liverpool canal corridor, Liverpool, Wirral and Ellesmere Port. The remaining resurces have yet to be allocated to specific projects, but priority will continue to be given to schemes which will contribute to the regeneration of the inner city areas.

  Aluminium
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer of 31 January,Official Report, columns 202–04, he will identify the medical advisers who agreed the aluminium standard in drinking water treatment plants; and what was the limit they set.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Department took advice from medical advisers on the staff of the chief medical officer. In formulating their advice they took note of the views of the committee on the medical aspects of the contamination of air, soil and water (CASW). Limits were set individually for each supply zone up to a highest three-monthly mean of 1,200 microgram per litre and an absolute maximum of 3,500 micrograms per litre.

  Water Testing
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any additional precautions have been taken or any additional testing undertaken, by water authorities, in the light of the mild winter weather and low water levels in reservoirs.

  Mr. Moynihan
  It is for water authorities to decide whether to take any additional precautions or to carry out additional sampling in the light of local circumstances.

  Enterprise Zones
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all enterprise zones and the dates tax exemptions or rates reliefs cease.

  Mr. Trippier
  The period for which each of the following areas is designated as an enterprise zone is ten years from the date when the designation took effect. The financial benefits of enterprise zone status end when the area concerned ceases to be an enterprise zone.

  Name of enterprise zone

  Date of designation

  Belfast

  21 August 1981

  Clydebank (City of Glasgow)

  18 August 1981

  (Clydebank District)

  3 August 1981

  Corby

  22 June 1981

  Dale Lane and Kinsley (Wakefield)

  23 September 1983

  Delyn

  21 July 1983

  Dudley

  10 July 1981

  Dudley (Round Oak)

  3 October 1984

  Glanford (Flixborough)

  13 April 1984

  Hartlepool

  23 October 1981

  Invergordon

  7 October 1983

  Isle of Dogs

  26 April 1982

  Langthwaite Grange (Wakefield)

  31 July 1981

  Londonderry

  13 September 1983

  283

  Name of enterprise zone

  Date of designation

  Lower Swansea Valley

  11 June 1981

  Lower Swansea Valley Number 2

  6 March 1985

  Middlesbrough (Britannia)

  8 November 1983

  Milford Haven

  24 April 1984

  North East Lancashire

  7 December 1983

  North West Kent (zones Numbers 1–5)

  31 October 1983

  North West Kent (zones Numbers 6 and 7)

  10 October 1986

  Rotherham

  16 August 1983

  Salford Docks/Trafford Park

  12 August 1981

  Scunthorpe

  23 September 1983

  Speke (Liverpool)

  25 August 1981

  Tayside

  9 January 1984

  Telford

  13 January 1984

  Tyneside

  25 August 1981

  Wellingborough

  26 July 1983

  Workington (Allerdale)

  4 October 1983

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will itemise all the costs of enterprise zones since their inception.

  Mr. Trippier
  The costs of the British enterprise zones to 1985–86 are contained in "EZ Information 1985–86", a copy of which has been placed in the Library. I expect to publish the next in this series of annual reports in the very near future.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the cost per job created in enterprise zones once all costs are taken into account.

  Mr. Trippier
  The consultants commissioned by my Department to evaluate the enterprise zone experiment about mid-way through its life estimated the public cost per additional job within the enterprise zones to be £8,500. ("An evaluation of the enterprise zone experiment" by PA Cambridge Economic Consultants, published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office December 1987.) This figure is liable to change over time as both the number of additional jobs and the public costs in the zones increase.

  Sport and Leisure Facilities
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he will be making to section 19 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, including education departments via the Education Act 1944; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is our intention to enable local authorities to delegate their discretionary charging powers under section 19 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, if they so wish, to contractors who manage sports and leisure facilities set up under the same section. We are currently considering how to achieve this and what the wider implications of such an amendment would be.

  Owner-occupied Property (Repairs)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government are making available extra funding to local authorities to cover amounts for repairs and maintenance on owner-occupied properties for those on low or reduced income.

  Mr. Trippier
  An additional £20 million of resources have been made available for 1989–90 to 29 local 284
  authorities (isted in my reply to a question from the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) on 3 February, Official Report, columns 429–30, to encourage the renewal of the private sector housing stock in selected areas. The authorities concerned are expected to steer a significant proportion of these additional resources towards owners on low incomes.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial facilities are available to purchasers of system-built local authority housing.

  Mr. Trippier
  Tenants who want to buy system-built properties are entitled to the normal right-to-buy discount and, if necessary, for a mortgage from their council.

  Sewage Works (Derbyshire)
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the sewage works in Derbyshire where effluent levels currently exceed the limits set by his Department; and whether he has any plans to alter such limits.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have yet to receive the annual non-compliance reports for 1988 from the Yorkshire, Severn Trent and North West water authorities, whose areas include Derbyshire. When returns for all 10 authorities have been received, they will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  My hon. Friend the Minister for Water announced on 7 December 1988 at column 199 that applications for temporary variations in discharge consent conditions will be considered for those sewage works where capital improvements are programmed for completion by March 1992. Subject to this condition, authorities may apply for temporary variations to the consent conditions for works which failed to comply in 1988.

  Assessment Planning
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department is taking to monitor the implementation of the Environment Assessment Planning (Town and Country Planning Assessment of Environmental Effect) Regulations 1988, implementing EC directive 85/337.

  Mr. Chope
  The Department receives copies of environmental statements submitted under the regulations relating to development proposals in England. In addition it keeps records of decisions by the Secretary of State under the regulations as to the need for environmental assessment and has asked local planning authorities to inform it when they give opinions under the regulations that environmental assessment is required.

  Landfill (Rixton)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will request an explanation from Cheshire county council as to why his Department was not informed earlier than February that 2,500 drums of paint residues and pigments from the Chemstar plant had been landfilled at Rixton.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Cheshire county council, as the waste disposal authority, is the competent body with
  285
  regard to the licensing of waste disposal facilities. It is the council's responsibility to ensure that all facilities that it licences pose no risk to public health, water resources or the environment generally. There is no requirement for the council to inform this Department of wastes that it permits on to a landfill.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further tests have been carried out at the Rixton landfilled site following the recent discovery of dioxins in the ground at Chemstar.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I am informed that Cheshire county council, the waste disposal authority, has carried out no tests for dioxin at the Rixton landfill site. I understand that it is in close touch with Tameside borough council in whose area the Chemstar plant is located.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has of ash from the Luvella waste incinerator being dumped at Rixton; what was the quantity of this ash: at which sites the ash was dumped; and if his Department will take samples of this ash to test for the presence of dioxins.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  None. It is the responsibility of the waste disposal authority, Cheshire county council, to licence and monitor the Rixton landfill. If it perceives the need, it is the responsibility of the local waste disposal authority to arrange for any particular waste stream to be analysed.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what procedures exist to monitor air pollution in British cities.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  ;: The Department of the Environment monitors levels of air pollution in British cities through a number of research contracts, in some cases in conjunction with the appropriate local authorities. Further details are contained in the 11th edition of the "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Some local authorities also carry out their own additional monitoring of selected pollutants.

  Local Government Councillors
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers he has to take action against local government councillors who receive financial or pecuniary benefit or advantage for their elected office.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  None.

  It is an offence for a councillor who has not received a dispensation to speak or vote on any matter in which he or she has a pecuniary interest. Prosecution of such offences rests with the Crown prosecution service.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what categories of councillors' expenses are deemed to be personal income; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Councillors may become entitled to attendance allowance, financial loss allowance, special responsibility allowance, and travel and subsistence allowance. Where these allowances are not to 286
  reimburse expenditure or loss incurred wholly, necessarily and exclusively in the performance of the councillor's duties, they may be treated as personal income for tax and social security benefit purposes.

  Cryptosporidia
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Government will be taking any further steps in respect of cryptosporidia in water supplies.

  Mr. Howard
  Thames Water has been dealing with a problem relating to cryptosporidia in water supplies in the Oxford and Swindon area. As a precaution, Thames Water extended special sampling to other parts of its area and by the end of last week a number of the organisms had been identified intermittently at some other water treatment works. However, no link has been established between currently reported cases of cryptosporidiosis and drinking water supplies outside the Oxford and Swindon areas and the Department of Health has advised that there is no need for consumers to take any special precautions. Thames Water is taking action aimed at removing the organisms from these additional supplies and will continue with intensive sampling. They also propose to undertake an independently led review aimed at learning lessons from the experience. This information was announced in a press release by Thames Water last Saturday.

  In view of the absence of information on cryptosporidia in water supplies, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, has decided to establish a group of experts under the chairmanship of Sir John Badenoch to advise on the subject. The group will consider the extent to which this organism may be present in water supplies, the monitoring methods necessary to detect it, the public health significance of its presence and whether any action is necessary.

  Bathing Waters
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of designated bathing waters were tested for the presence of enteroviruses during 1988; and what proportion complied with the European Community bathing water directive.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 28 February 1989]: Of the 380 waters identified under the EC bathing water directive in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, 164 were monitored for the enterovirus parameter and of these 42 per cent. met the directive's zero enterovirus standard. Monitoring for enteroviruses is required under the directive only if inspection of the bathing water indicates that they are present or if the quality of water has deteriorated. Enteroviruses are ubiquitous in the water environment and may arise not only from sewage but from birds and animals. In some circumstances it may, therefore, be impossible in practice to meet the zero standard. This is one of the issues likely to be considered in the review of the bathing water directive which has been proposed by the European Commission.

  Business Rate
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report figures, based on tables 1 to 5 of the Non-Domestic

  287
  Rating: Transition consultation paper published on 15 February, showing separately the effects of (a) the revaluation and (b) the introduction of a unified business rate.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 21 February 1989]: The information is set out in the tables. It must be emphasised that it is based on a preliminary sample survey of the effects of the revaluation of non-domestic properties and the introduction of a uniform business rate (UBR). The new valuations supplied for the sample of properties were best estimates, and not actual revaluations. The results therefore need to be interpreted with caution.

  As in the consultation paper the tables are all in 1988–89 prices. They break down the aggregate figures, to show first the effect of introducing a uniform business rate with no revaluation and second the effect of the revaluation with the UBR in place. The tables given here exclude the effects of the transitional arrangements for the new system. Table 3, and part of table 5, of the consultation paper show the effects of the transitional arrangements, which will apply to the total changes in rate bills, and are not defined in a way which enables their effect to be disaggregated between the introduction of the uniform business rate and the revaluation.

  Columns and rows may not sum due to rounding in these and the original tables.

  Table 1A

  Amounts of overall increases and reductions in rate bills

  (excluding effect of transitional arrangements)

  Aggregate reduction (-) increase (+)

  Net change on UBR

  Net change on revaluation

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  England

  Gainers

  -1,550

  -360

  -1,190

  Little change (less than ± 5 per cent)

  -4

  +41

  -45

  Losers

  +1,550

  +315

  +1,235

  Wales

  Gainers

  -40

  -3

  -39

  Little change (less than ± 5 per cent)

  —

  —

  —

  Losers

  +40

  +3

  +40

  Table 2A

  Distribution of overall change in rate bills

  (excluding effect of transitional arrangements)

  Change in rate bill: reduction (-) increase (+)

  Net change on UBR

  Net change on revaluation

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  England

  Reductions

  50 per cent, or more

  -570

  -150

  -420

  5 per cent, to 50 per cent.

  -980

  -210

  -760

  Little change

  (less than ± 5 per cent.)

  -4

  +41

  -45

  Increases

  5 per cent.to 50 per cent.

  +460

  +200

  +260

  50 per cent, to 100 per cent.

  +450

  +50

  +400

  100 per cent, or more

  +650

  +70

  +580

  Wales

  Reductions

  50 per cent, or more

  -12

  —

  -11

  288

  Change in rate bill: reduction (-) increase (+)

  Net change on UBR

  Net change on revaluation

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  5 per cent. to 50 per cent.

  -30

  -3

  -27

  Little change

  (less than ± 5 per cent.)

  —

  —

  —

  Increases

  5 per cent, to 50 per cent.

  +18

  +2

  +16

  50 per cent, to 100 per cent.

  +16

  —

  +15

  100 per cent, or more

  +8

  —

  +8

  Table 4A: Possible change in rate bills by properly type, England and Wales (excluding effect of transitional arrangements)

  Property Type

  Overall reduction (-) increase (+) in rate bill

  Net change on UBR

  Net change on revaluation

  per cent

  per cent

  per cent.

  England

  Factories

  -25

  -8

  -18

  Warehouses

  -12

  -4

  -8

  Shops

  +14

  -3

  +17

  Offices

  +14

  +20

  -5

  Other properties

  +7

  -3

  +10

  Wales

  Factories

  -16

  -3

  -14

  Warehouses

  -9

  +2

  -10

  Shops

  +18

  0

  +18

  Offices

  +5

  +4

  +1

  Other properties

  +6

  +1

  +5

  Table 5A:Projected changes in rate bills by region, England (excluding effects of transitional arrangements.)

  Region

  Overall reduction (-) increase (+)

  Net change on UBR

  Net change on revaluation

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  North West

  -310

  -160

  -150

  West Midlands

  -200

  -20

  -180

  East Midlands

  -130

  -70

  -60

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  -150

  -150

  0

  Northern

  -50

  -100

  +50

  East Anglia

  +40

  +10

  +30

  South West

  +130

  -20

  +150

  Inner London

  +390

  +460

  -70

  Outer London

  +50

  +80

  -30

  Rest of the South East

  +230

  -10

  +250

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Barry Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the estimate of the community charge his Department expects for the district councils in (a) Merseyside, (b) Greater Manchester, (c) Lancashire and (d) Greater London.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government have made no estimates of future community charges. Illustrative figures were published on 23 June showing what the community charge would have been in each area had the new system been in force in 1988–89. Those illustrative figures assume existing levels of spending and existing local authority responsibilities.

  Local Authorities (Finance)
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the losses sustained to date by individual local authorities from open and closed transactions involving interest rate swaps and other money market futures and option contracts.

  Mr. Gummer
  This information is not available from the regular financial returns which are made by authorities and we do not have full information from other sources for any individual authority.

  I suggest my hon. Friend asks for details from councils engaging in this business who no doubt will want to be fully publicly accountable.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  EC Council Meeting
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues he expects to raise at the next European Community Council meeting.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the Foreign Affairs Council. The next meeting will be on 20–21 March. The agenda is expected to include consideration of the way forward in the GATT Uruguay round negotiations, and the relationship between the Community and the Council of Europe. A ministerial meeting with the EFTA countries will be held in the margins. Measures to tackle EC fraud are expected to be discussed in ECOFIN on 13 March.

  Nuclear Disarmament
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom is party to any international agreement requiring the United Kingdom to be involved in nuclear disarmament negotiations.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Article VI of the non-proliferation treaty, to which the United Kingdom is a party, requires each of the parties to undertake to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control. Our policy in respect of this article is contained in the answer given to the hon. Member by my hon. Friend the Minister of State (Mr. Waldegrave) on 8 December, at col.316–17.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his recent trip to Japan, he had the opportunity to discuss with other foreign ministers or heads of state current progress on the strengthening of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and plans for the first preparatory committee for the 1990 non-proliferation treaty review conference, to be held on 1 to 5 May.

  Mrs. Chalker
  On this occasion, no. However, we regularly take the opportunity to discuss with other governments the strengthening of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and are actively pursuing with other 290
  states the parties' preparations for the first preparatory committee for the 1990 non-proliferation treaty review conference.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to instruct the United Kingdom delegation to the first preparatory committee meeting, to be held on 1 to 5 May, for the 1990 fourth review conference of the non-proliferation treaty, to negotiate full observer status for the European proliferation information centre to attend the 1990 review conference.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have not yet received any such request from the European proliferation information centre (EPIC). However, as a recognised nongovernmental organisation, the EPIC was granted observer status at the 1985 non-proliferation treaty review conference. If similar rules of procedure are adopted at the 1990 review conference, there should be no objection to EPIC attendance as observers.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasion ministers or officials of his Department last raised the question of accession to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty by France and the People's Republic of China, respectively, with ministers or officials of those states.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 20 February by my hon. Friend the Minister of State at column 472.

  Disarmament Conference
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department received any invitations to send delegates or observers to the conference on conventional and non-nuclear disarmament at the polytechnic of the south bank organised by the British Peace Assembly.

  Mrs. Chalker
  No.

  Sub-Saharan Africa
  Ms. Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total amount of official debt owed to the United Kingdom by each country in sub-Saharan Africa; and what proportion of their total official debt this represents.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Following the cancellation of £275 million of old aid debts for sub-Saharan Africa, remaining debt to ODA is insignificant. Debt owed to ECGD by sub-Saharan African countries as at 31 December 1988 was ·1·868 billion (equivalent to about $3·25 billion at today's exchange rate). This amounts to around 4·5 per cent. of the $71·9 billion estimated in the IMF's October 1988 world economic outlook as sub-Saharan Africa's total long-term debt in 1988 to official creditors (including the international financial institutions except the IMF). Figures for debts owed to ECGD by individual countries are not published.

TRANSPORT

  Bus Services (Rural Area)
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has received on the effect of the Transport Act 1985 on bus services in rural areas.

  Mr. Portillo
  Studies conducted for the Department's transport and road research laboratory indicated that the level of bus services in rural areas was broadly maintained following deregulation. In the English shire counties bus mileage increased by 18 per cent. between 1985–86 and 1987–88.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (Drivers)
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many heavy goods vehicle drivers have been(a) prosecuted and (b) convicted of offences arising out of breaches of Road Traffic Acts in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The number of HGV driver prosecutions arising from offences detected by traffic examiners for each of the last five years are as follows:

  Year

  Number of prosecutions

  1984

  6,530

  1985

  5,576

  1986

  6,721

  1987

  5,893

  1988

  6,895

  Figures are not available for the number of absolute discharges.

  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's policy regarding the ownership, financing and management of airports in the ownership or management of local authorities.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The policy is set out in paragraphs 9.15 and 9.16 of the White Paper "Airports Policy" of June 1985 (Cmnd 9542). Fifteen airports are now run by local authority-owned companies formed under the Airports Act 1986.

  The Government would like to see the present local authority owners increasingly involve the private sector in the ownership, development and running of airports.

  M4 (Lanes)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those sections of the M4 motorway served by (i) two lanes in each direction and (ii) three lanes in each direction; specifying the length to the nearest mile of (i) and (ii).

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information for the M4 in England is as follows:(1) Dual two-lane sections (11 miles)

  Junction 1—Boston Manor

  Junction 20—Junction 221

  1 Includes Severn bridge

  The section at Catherine hill (Junctions 20–21) is two lanes westbound and three lanes eastbound.
  (ii) Dual three-lane sections (108 miles)

  Boston Manor—Junction 4

  Junction 4B—Junction 20

  292
  (iii) Dual four-lane section (1 mile)
  Junction 4—Junction 4B (at M25 interchange)

  The M4 in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to construct additional lanes on the M4 motorway.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We plan to widen the M4 to four lanes between the M25 and junction 8/9. There are also schemes in the trunk road programme to improve junctions 4 and 8/9.

  The road programme is currently under review. We expect to make an announcement in the spring.

  The M4 in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Roads (Hampshire)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been Hampshire county council's bid for spending on roads each year since 1979 expressed in(a) cash terms and (b) real terms, based on 1988–89 value.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Local highway authorities submit bids only for allocations for capital expenditure on roads. Details of Hampshire county council's bids are given in the following table:

  Year

  Bid in cash

  Bid in real

  terms

  terms1

  £ million

  £ million

  1979–80

  10·086

  18·815

  1980–81

  12·677

  19·966

  1981–82

  13·592

  19·488

  1982–83

  12·987

  17·379

  1983–84

  14·562

  18·638

  1984–85

  16·955

  20·656

  1985–86

  18·645

  21·552

  1986–87

  17·219

  19·261

  1987–88

  17·806

  18·919

  1988–89

  16·519

  16·519

  1989–90

  19·426

  18·501

  1 Conversion to 1988–89 prices using the GDP Deflator.

  Insulation Grants
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each of the three counties of Yorkshire by year, for the last five years the number and cost of providing insulation grants and other assistance for people living adjacent to(a) motorways and (b) airports and airfields; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement on noise insulation on 6 February at columns 535–36, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett). The Department has no information on payments made or insulation provided by local airport management or operators. The information in connection with motorways is as follows:

  (a) Noise insulation for dwellings near motorways

  Cost of grants or insulation provided

  Number of dwellings

  West Yorkshire

  North Yorkshire

  South Yorkshire

  £

  £

  £

  1984–85

  406

  310,790

  —

  —

  1985–86

  540

  421,864

  —

  —

  1986–87

  103

  79,291

  20,000

  —

  293

  Cost of grants or insulation provided

  Number of dwellings

  West Yorkshire

  North Yorkshire

  South Yorkshire

  £

  £

  £

  1987–88

  16

  1,132

  31,300

  —

  1988–89

  2

  843

  —

  —

  Road Building (Yorkshire)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the road building work contracts within the three counties of Yorkshire during(a) 1988–89 and (b) 1989–90 scheduled to cost over £1 million; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Trunk road improvement scheme contracts costing over £1 million in the counties of North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire are as follows:

  Completed during 1988–89

  A616 Stocksbridge to M1

  A1 Wetherby Bypass

  A629 Airedale, Section 1

  A650 Airedale, Section 2

  A65 Settle and Giggleswick Bypass

  M62 Climbing Lane west of Junction 25

  Presently under construction

  Al Dishforth Interchange

  Due to commence construction in 1989–90

  A65 Addingham Bypass

  A650 Drighlington Bypass

  A1 Improvement, Bramham to Wetherby (Subject to the completion of outstanding statutory procedures).

  In addition work has been carried out in 1988–89 on four major maintenance contracts with a value of over £1 million. There are eight major maintenance contracts with a value of over £1 million planned for 1989–90.

  Road building contracts on non-trunk roads are the responsibility of the local highway authorities.

  Stansted Airport
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the anticipated capital expenditure programme is for the development of Stansted airport to accommodate 8 million passengers a year, split between financial years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomely
  The Government do not hold this information. BAA plc is responsible for developing Stansted airport.

  Chapel-en-le-Frith/Whaley Bridge Bypass
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the amount already paid to contractors for the Chapel-en-le-Frith/Whaley bridge bypass and his estimate of the likely final claims; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The amount certified to date for payment to the contractor is £36,187,743.

  The outstanding claims for additional payments remain commercial matters between the Department and the contractor until they have been settled.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the extraordinary or unexpected localised groundwork conditions encountered during construction of the Chapel-en-le-Frith/Whaley bridge bypass; and if he will make a statement.
  294
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The main problems encountered reflect the particularly difficult and variable geology on the route of the bypass. The road crosses alternating layers of sandstone, shale and mudstones which are overlain by variable depths of glacial clays, sands and gravels, alluvium and industrial fill. In places erosion has produced over steepened slopes which have marginal stability and are prone to landslips.

  In particular there were problems with the foundations to the eastern end of the Hayfield road viaduct, difficulties with the construction of the Western lane retaining wall, problems with the stability of the Carley lane embankment and the cutting slope at Silk hill, and greater than anticipated amounts of unsuitable material along the route of the bypass.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the report by Allott and Lomax, consultng engineers, into the performance of the consulting engineers employed on the Chapel-en-le-Frith/Whaley bridge bypass; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The report is not yet complete. We shall consider whether it should be placed in the Library at the appropriate time.

  Coastal Waters (Pollution)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what sanctions his Department has over the owners of foreign vessels which cause pollution within United Kingdom territorial waters.

  Mr. Portillo
  Where the owner of a foreign vessel has a registered office in the United Kingdom he may be prosecuted in United Kingdom courts and fined up to £50,000 of summary conviction; otherwise the Department notifies the relevant flag administration and asks it to consider prosecution. In addition the costs of the clean-up are recovered from the owners.

  Coal Imports
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list coal imports through the port of Sunderland for 1987 and 1988 by country of consignment.

  Mr. Portillo
  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise figures for imports of coal at Sunderland include imports at Seaham. Details by country of consignment for 1987 and for 1988 (provisional) are as follows:

  Coal imports at Sunderland (including Seaham)

  Thousand tonnes

  Country of consignment

  1987

  1988

  France

  4

  2

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  13

  17

  Netherlands

  113

  166

  Federal Republic of Germany

  17

  13

  Denmark

  —

  2

  Portugal

  —

  4

  Iceland

  —

  6

  Norway

  2

  13

  Sweden

  7

  2

  USSR

  6

  40

  Poland

  30

  28

  Australia

  2

  —

  Canada

  —

  29

  United States of America

  1

  27

  Colombia

  3

  —

  295

  Thousand tonnes

  Country of consignment

  1987

  1988

  Venezuela

  —

  69

  TOTAL

  198

  418

  Ships (Registration)
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made since the memorandum of understanding signed with the Bahamas in June 1988, in negotiating similar arrangements with other states operating open registries to help ensure the availability to Her Majesty's Government of flagged-out British ships in the event of war.

  Mr. Portillo
  On 20 February exchanges of letters were completed between representatives of Her Majesty's Government and both the Republic of Liberia and the Republic of Vanuatu under which the Liberian and Vanuatuan Governments agree to allow British-owned ships on their registers, for which a contract of commitment exists, to be made available to Her Majesty's Government in the event of hostilities.

  The contract of commitment is an agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the owner under which the shipowner agrees to make the named ships available to Her Majesty's Government in the event of hostilities and in return is guaranteed reinsurance by Her Majesty's Government against Queen's enemy war risks at that time. This would be carried out through one of the British war risks associations, with whom a revised agreement has recently been completed.

  The Department will shortly be approaching British shipowners known to have ships on the two registers.

  Merseyrail
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will provide capital allocations and grant for the fire improvement works being undertaken on Merseyrail.

  Mr. Portillo
  I welcome this programme of works. I am making available capital allocations of £1·096 million to cover expenditure on certain items in this programme and I would be prepared to consider sympathetically applications for further such support in due course. In addition, I am making available grant of £316,000 to assist with expenditure in 1988–89.

PRIME MINISTER

  Official Secrets Bill
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the number of Government officials at each grade working on the Official Secrets Bill.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary gave to a question by him earlier today.

  EC (Fraud)
  Mr. Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals she will submit to the European Council about the level of fraud in the European Community.
  296
  The Prime Minister
  The form of any initiative on fraud at the Madrid European Council will be determined in the light of developments between now and then, notably the outcome of discussions on the Court of Auditors annual report at the Economic and Finance Council in March.

  Middle East
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she intends to seek an early meeting with the President of the United States of America to discuss the calling of a middle east peace conference, following the initiative in that regard in early 1988 by former Secretary of State George Shultz; and whether she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no firm plans for a further meeting with Mr. Bush. When I see him, I expect that we will wish to discuss the middle east.

  Concorde
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will use the occasion of the 20th anniversary today of the maiden flight of Concorde to convey her congratulations to those who designed and built her.

  The Prime Minister
  Yes. Concorde has been a remarkable and unique technical achievement and now has 11 years of successful operations with British Airways and Air France behind it. It remains the flagship of both airlines.

  Civil Service (Dispersal)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the dispersal of Civil Service jobs to(a) Strathclyde and (b) other regions of Scotland.

  The Prime Minister
  Some 2,050 jobs were earmarked for Scotland under the dispersal programme announced in 1979. Almost all of these jobs are now in place including 1,330 with the Ministry of Defence and 600 with the Overseas Development Administration, and the commitment will be more than met when the Passport Office and the Ministry of Defence transfer further posts to Scotland in the first half of 1989. In addition, some 450 jobs will be created in Glasgow as a result of the recent Department of Social Security dispersal arrangements. Strathclyde region has attracted the majority of these jobs to date.

  Roads (London)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Prime Minister what action the Government are taking to protect London from encroachment through road building.

  The Prime Minister
  We are promoting a range of appropriate measures to meet London's transport needs. These cover public transport and traffic management as well as road improvements.

  Where improvements to the trunk road network are necessary and can be justified, the schemes are subject to environmental appraisals and statutory planning procedures.

  Relocation
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list. those Departments which, in reviewing the location of their work, are considering the Chalfont drive site in Nottingham for relocation.
  297
  The Prime Minister
  No. The policy announced by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General on 31 March 1988 at columns 610–11, places on individual Departments the responsibility to review the location of their work in accordance with clear guidelines. They will consider a number of relocation sites offering easier labour markets, value for money and increased operational efficiency. Where appropriate, these will include areas such as Nottingham which are the focus of the Government's regional and urban policies. Departmental Ministers will announce their own decisions on significant relocations, including their chosen venues.

  Separatist Movements
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the separatist movements in the European Community to which she made a general reference in her speech delivered at the Holiday Inn, Glasgow, on 3 February.

  The Prime Minister
  I was referring to those democratic political parties in the member states of the Community seeking fully independent national status for the areas that they claim to represent.

  Engagements
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 2 March.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 2 March.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 2 March.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 2 March.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 2 March.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 2 March.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

  EEC Directives
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement explaining the procedures under which directives are classified as stemming from particular clauses of the treaty of Rome, as amended by the Single European Act with particular reference to the criteria by which it is determined as to whether matters fall to be decided under(a) article 100 and (b) article 100a.

  The Prime Minister
  The Treaty article (or articles) on which EC legislation is based is proposed in the first instance by the Commission. It is for the Council to decide upon proposals for legislation, including their treaty base. Whether a proposal falls under article 100 or 100a is determined in accordance with the provisions of those articles.

WALES

  MMR Immunisation
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report any preliminary figures for the uptake of MMR immunisation in each health authority in Wales during the first three months of the MMR being available.

  Mr. Grist
  Reports of MMR immunisation uptake at district health authority level are presently being analysed and the results will be available shortly. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list for each housing association in Mid Glamorgan(a) the number of allocations granted in 1988–89 for rehabilitation and new dwellings and (b) the bids made by each association for rehabilitation and new dwellings in 1989–90 and (c) the allocations granted for each association for 1989–90.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is shown in the tables:

  Housing association

  New build units

  Rehabilitation units

  (a) Allocations to housing associations for new schemes in Mid Glamorgan in 1988–89

  Cynon Taff

  —

  53

  Corland

  37

  —

  Merthyr health authority

  11

  27

  Wales and West

  —

  34

  SHAW

  —

  10

  South Wales federated

  —

  4

  Rhondda health authority

  26

  35

  UKHT

  24

  10

  Western permanent

  20

  —

  Pontypridd and district

  20

  6

  Hafod

  20

  —

  (b) Units bid for housing for Wales funding in 1989–90 in Mid Glamorgan

  Cynon Taff

  17

  80

  Corland

  162

  —

  Wales and West

  261

  271

  SHAW

  150

  163

  Rhondda health authority

  71

  59

  UKGT

  6

  46

  Western Permanent

  102

  102

  Pontypridd and district

  34

  20

  Hafod

  264

  140

  Abbeyfields

  10

  10

  Gwalia

  12

  —

  Newydd

  100

  —

  Baptist

  17

  —

  New Era

  —

  25

  Stoneham

  —

  7

  South Wales federated

  5

  63

  (c) South Wales federated allocations to housing associations for new schemes in Mid Glamorgan in 1989–90

  Cynon Taff

  17

  27

  Wales and West

  25

  —

  SHAW

  25

  —

  South Wales federated

  —

  12

  Hafod

  —

  10

  Abbeyfields

  10

  —

  New Era

  —

  5

  Merthyr

  32

  10

  This does not take account of any further allocations which will be made during the year.
  299
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the grant made to each housing association in Mid Glamorgan in 1988–89; what the grant for each association will be in 1989–90; and what assessment he has made of the likely average increases in rent on new dwellings over those rents set for 1988–89.

  Mr. Grist
  The table shows the grant made to each housing association for new schemes in Mid Glamorgan in 1988–89:

  £000

  Cynon Taff

  1,715

  Corlan

  1,258

  Merthyr HA

  1,197

  Wales and West

  780

  SHAW

  325

  South Wales Federated

  72

  Rhondda HA

  1,918

  Wales and West

  325

  United Kingdom HT

  1,045

  Western Permanent

  580

  Pontypridd and District

  775

  Haford

  600

  It will not be possible to provide details of grants to housing associations in 1989–90 until the end of the financial year.

  The setting of rents is a matter for the housing association concerned. Any change in rents will differ from property to property according to a wide range of variables. Average increases are not meaningful and no assessment has been made of them.

  Farm Woodland Scheme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the broadleaved component of applications

  Local authority capital allocations 1981–82 to 1989–90

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Local authority

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  Alyn and Deeside

  3,528

  4,018

  3,788

  3,245

  3,242

  3,567

  3,938

  2,710

  2,774

  Colwyn

  2,590

  3,862

  3,127

  2,675

  2,595

  2,360

  2,831

  2,250

  2,365

  Delyn

  2,266

  3,543

  4,200

  4,461

  4,087

  4,801

  3,077

  2,512

  2,823

  Glyndwr

  1,393

  1,957

  2,656

  1,770

  1,986

  1,983

  1,903

  1,809

  1,616

  Rhyddlan

  1,861

  2,464

  2,597

  2,077

  1,972

  2,265

  4,211

  4,192

  2,995

  Wrexham Maelor

  5,767

  6,480

  5,357

  5,724

  5,399

  7,936

  7,717

  5,921

  7,080

  Carmarthen

  2,940

  4,311

  8,924

  4,125

  3,547

  3,933

  4,432

  3,057

  3,109

  Ceredigion

  2,728

  4,381

  5,135

  3,316

  2,755

  3,158

  3,494

  2,858

  2,868

  Dinefwr

  1,009

  1,717

  2,743

  1,694

  1,456

  1,651

  1,867

  2,224

  1,885

  Llanelli

  3,895

  5,710

  5,395

  4,204

  3,175

  3,349

  3,919

  3,357

  4,187

  Preseli

  2,007

  2,699

  4,663

  4,170

  3,282

  2,891

  3,306

  3,267

  2,590

  South Pembrokeshire

  1,428

  2,825

  4,443

  3,439

  2,978

  2,803

  5,067

  3,287

  2,196

  Blaenau Gwent

  5,265

  12,111

  12,176

  8,315

  6,727

  10,197

  12,870

  8,629

  10,933

  Islwyn

  3,474

  5,692

  5,899

  5,130

  5,625

  9,324

  8,209

  7,681

  4,439

  Monmouth

  2,110

  3,563

  5,176

  4,026

  3,942

  3,854

  4,157

  2,703

  2,779

  Newport

  8,357

  13,750

  11,038

  7,996

  8,418

  9,713

  9,262

  7,642

  6,928

  Torfaen

  3,441

  5,329

  5,266

  4,696

  4,665

  6,253

  7,000

  6,311

  5,319

  Aberconwy

  2,076

  2,223

  2,575

  1,942

  1,877

  1,908

  2,257

  1,987

  3,645

  Arfon

  3,583

  3,810

  4,207

  3,356

  2,692

  2,761

  3,411

  3,750

  3,210

  Dwyfor

  1,086

  1,508

  3,460

  2,114

  1,435

  2,225

  2,539

  2,000

  1,464

  Meirionnydd

  1,625

  1,692

  5,175

  2,475

  1,313

  1,452

  1,728

  1,942

  1,665

  Ynys Môn

  1,954

  3,162

  6,559

  2,945

  3,701

  4,617

  4,847

  3,725

  2,973

  Cynon Valley

  2,767

  3,520

  5,035

  4,216

  3,680

  4,831

  6,793

  7,213

  4,984

  Merthyr Tydfil

  3,941

  6,006

  5,616

  3,806

  3,111

  5,116

  6,179

  5,090

  5,477

  Ogwr

  5,354

  7,881

  7,419

  6,016

  5,481

  6,051

  8,493

  6,805

  5,475

  Rhondda

  5,521

  7,117

  13,745

  8,943

  8,558

  10,959

  12,738

  17,771

  12,706

  Rhymney Valley

  5,162

  7,770

  6,856

  5,766

  6,238

  8,544

  10,648

  10,131

  6,595

  Taff Ely

  6,377

  10,201

  10,133

  5,886

  5,049

  5,782

  7,696

  5,751

  5,148

  Brecknock

  1,745

  1,602

  3,043

  1,715

  2,066

  3,444

  3,270

  1,689

  2,120

  Montgomeryshire

  1,411

  1,608

  3,685

  1,782

  1,741

  1,921

  2,119

  2,118

  2,171

  Radnor

  889

  1,497

  1,758

  1,108

  970

  1,109

  1,426

  1,187

  1,042

  Cardiff

  17,029

  19,559

  24,792

  19,551

  15,924

  19,094

  21,060

  17,933

  15,289

  Vale of Glamorgan

  5,082

  5,730

  7,776

  4,687

  3,903

  5,224

  5,981

  4,517

  4,031

  300
  made so far under the farm woodland scheme in Wales; and what is the proportion in those which have been accepted.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The broadleaved component of all applications received is 76 per cent. Those applications which have been processed and approved so far have a broadleaved component of 94 per cent.

  National Botanical Garden
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial support he intends to make available for a Welsh national botanical garden based at Swansea; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  No such proposal has been put to me.

  Capital Allocations
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the capital allocations for each Welsh county and district for each year since 1981 and capital allocations hypothecated to particular services between 1981–82 and 1984–85.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested is given in the tables. Capital allocations shown for 1988–89 and 1989–90 are provisional. Allocations form only part of local authority capital investment capacity. Gross spending provision (excluding provision for law and order services) for all district and county councils in Wales for 1989–90 is £4·50 million, an increase of 8·2 per cent. over 1988–89.
  301

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Local authority

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  £'000s

  Port Talbot

  2,262

  2,489

  2,674

  2,315

  1,899

  3,509

  4,389

  3,843

  3,544

  Lliw Valley

  3,486

  4,569

  4,447

  3,782

  3,155

  3,692

  4,069

  3,638

  3,608

  Neath

  2,165

  5,239

  4,802

  2,779

  3,123

  3,731

  4,417

  3,978

  3,512

  Swansea

  9,398

  18,845

  17,957

  14,112

  10,788

  12,317

  12,563

  12,234

  10,418

  Clwyd

  8,561

  9,507

  12,653

  12,014

  12,249

  14,092

  16,649

  16,797

  12,840

  Dyfed

  8,967

  13,184

  11,175

  9,110

  11,369

  16,615

  16,594

  15,455

  16,948

  Gwent

  20,677

  29,506

  24,855

  21,437

  13,000

  17,582

  21,466

  18,479

  24,019

  Gwynedd

  7,124

  10,989

  7,222

  8,354

  11,528

  8,565

  9,197

  7,907

  7,903

  Mid Glamorgan

  18,624

  19,350

  17,193

  19,985

  17,102

  22,708

  24,077

  23,111

  26,648

  Powys

  5,304

  6,314

  4,634

  3,730

  3,904

  6,950

  7,111

  6,055

  6,110

  South Glamorgan

  18,080

  21,457

  19,395

  14,068

  23,008

  26,764

  32,411

  29,607

  18,132

  West Glamorgan

  12,398

  13,787

  11,949

  11,071

  14,389

  19,233

  20,124

  18,163

  22,247

  Total districts

  136,972

  200,440

  234,297

  170,359

  152,455

  188,325

  213,983

  189,570

  150,841

  Total counties

  99,735

  124,094

  109,076

  99,769

  106,649

  132,509

  147,629

  135,589

  130,033

  TOTAL WALES

  236,707

  324,534

  343,373

  270,128

  259,104

  320,834

  361,612

  323,286

  300,810

  Capital allocations hypothecated to services 1981–82

  £ thousand

  Local authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other services

  Urban programme

  Total allocation

  Alyn and Deeside

  0

  229

  0

  2,520

  685

  94

  3,528

  Colwyn

  0

  0

  0

  1,610

  980

  0

  2,590

  Delyn

  0

  0

  0

  1,350

  590

  326

  2,266

  Glyndwr

  0

  47

  0

  1,000

  346

  0

  1,393

  Rhuddlan

  0

  0

  0

  850

  1,011

  0

  1,861

  Wrexham Maelor

  0

  43

  0

  3,230

  1,881

  613

  5,767

  Carmarthen

  0

  0

  0

  2,030

  870

  40

  2,940

  Ceredigion

  0

  0

  37

  1,740

  934

  17

  2,728

  Dinefwr

  0

  0

  0

  850

  159

  0

  1,009

  Llanelli

  0

  0

  85

  1,950

  1,476

  384

  3,895

  Preseli

  0

  0

  0

  1,740

  267

  0

  2,007

  South Pembroke

  0

  0

  0

  1,140

  213

  75

  1,428

  Blaenau Gwent

  0

  241

  0

  4,010

  385

  629

  5,265

  Islwyn

  0

  312

  0

  2,280

  674

  208

  3,474

  Monmouth

  0

  0

  0

  1,850

  260

  0

  2,110

  Newport

  0

  702

  0

  6,500

  545

  610

  8,357

  Torfaen

  0

  34

  0

  2,890

  359

  158

  3,441

  Aberconwy

  0

  0

  0

  1,420

  656

  0

  2,076

  Arfon

  0

  1

  0

  2,500

  892

  190

  3,583

  Dwyfor

  0

  0

  0

  770

  316

  0

  1,086

  Meirionydd

  0

  0

  0

  1,020

  605

  0

  1,625

  Ynys Mon

  0

  16

  0

  1,370

  533

  35

  1,954

  Cynon Valley

  0

  0

  0

  2,430

  248

  89

  2,767

  Merthyr Tydfil

  0

  306

  0

  2,704

  773

  158

  3,941

  Ogwr

  0

  106

  0

  4,530

  645

  73

  5,354

  Rhondda

  0

  118

  102

  4,310

  458

  533

  5,521

  Rhymney Valley

  0

  353

  14

  3,650

  948

  197

  5,162

  Taff Ely

  0

  37

  87

  5,830

  374

  49

  6,377

  Brecknock

  0

  0

  0

  1,110

  635

  0

  1,745

  Montgomeryshire

  0

  31

  0

  950

  430

  0

  1,411

  Radnor

  0

  0

  0

  640

  249

  0

  889

  Cardiff

  0

  881

  0

  10,690

  5,050

  408

  17,029

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  3,200

  1,881

  1

  5,082

  Port Talbot

  0

  97

  0

  1,800

  261

  104

  2,262

  Lliw Valley

  0

  0

  0

  2,760

  726

  0

  3,486

  Neath

  0

  0

  0

  1,720

  393

  52

  2,165

  Swansea

  0

  320

  0

  6,674

  2,067

  337

  9,398

  Total Districts

  0

  3,874

  325

  97,618

  29,775

  5,380

  136,972

  Clwyd

  3,521

  3,499

  585

  0

  623

  333

  8,561

  Dyfed

  2,743

  4,792

  578

  0

  725

  129

  8,967

  Gwent

  3,758

  12,988

  723

  0

  3,003

  205

  20,677

  Gwynedd

  2,271

  2,685

  413

  0

  1,536

  219

  7,124

  Mid Glamorgan

  8,609

  6,167

  1,122

  0

  2,517

  209

  18,624

  Powys

  2,269

  2,338

  303

  0

  394

  0

  5,304

  South Glamorgan

  2,559

  13,898

  692

  0

  632

  299

  18,080

  West Glamorgan

  5,050

  3,623

  765

  0

  2,956

  4

  12,398

  Total Counties

  30,780

  49,990

  5,181

  0

  12,386

  1,398

  99,735

  302 303

  Local authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other services

  Urban programme

  Total allocation

  Total Wales

  30,780

  53,864

  5,506

  97,618

  42,161

  6,778

  236,707

  Capital allocations hypothecated to services 1982–83

  Local authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other services

  Urban programme

  Total allocation

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Alyn and Deeside

  0

  13

  0

  2,873

  784

  348

  4,018

  Colwyn

  0

  0

  0

  2,342

  1,520

  0

  3,862

  Delyn

  0

  0

  0

  1,681

  1,135

  727

  3,543

  Glyndwr

  0

  100

  0

  1,581

  276

  0

  1,957

  Rhuddlan

  0

  0

  0

  1,273

  1,191

  0

  2,464

  Wrexham Maelor

  0

  0

  0

  3,616

  1,592

  1,272

  6,480

  Carmarthen

  0

  0

  0

  3,823

  484

  4

  4,311

  Ceredigion

  0

  0

  52

  3,635

  693

  1

  4,381

  Dinefwr

  0

  0

  0

  1,278

  239

  200

  1,717

  Llanelli

  0

  0

  100

  3,104

  772

  1,734

  5,710

  Preseli

  0

  30

  0

  1,783

  771

  115

  2,699

  South Pembroke

  0

  0

  0

  2,365

  300

  160

  2,825

  Blaenau Gwent

  0

  0

  0

  10,172

  853

  1,086

  12,111

  Islwyn

  0

  0

  0

  4,685

  460

  547

  5,692

  Monmouth

  0

  0

  0

  2,917

  595

  51

  3,563

  Newport

  0

  578

  0

  10,956

  1,075

  1,141

  13,750

  Torfaen

  0

  0

  0

  4,370

  670

  289

  5,329

  Aberconwy

  0

  0

  0

  1,708

  515

  0

  2,223

  Arfon

  0

  0

  0

  2,936

  417

  457

  3,810

  Dwyfor

  0

  6

  0

  1,119

  383

  0

  1,508

  Meirionnydd

  0

  0

  0

  1,289

  403

  0

  1,692

  Ynys Mon

  0

  0

  0

  2,471

  681

  10

  3,162

  Cynon Valley

  0

  0

  0

  2,830

  552

  138

  3,520

  Merthyr Tydfil

  0

  25

  0

  2,885

  2,418

  678

  6,006

  Ogwr

  0

  113

  0

  6,197

  1,037

  534

  7,881

  Rhondda

  0

  212

  0

  5,546

  681

  678

  7,117

  Rhymney Valley

  0

  236

  0

  6,211

  934

  389

  7,770

  Taff Ely

  0

  5

  55

  7,020

  3,121

  0

  10,201

  Brecknock

  0

  0

  0

  1,283

  319

  0

  1,602

  Montgomeryshire

  0

  0

  0

  1,292

  276

  40

  1,608

  Radnor

  0

  0

  0

  1,376

  121

  0

  1,497

  Cardiff

  0

  997

  0

  13,607

  4,100

  855

  19,559

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  4,812

  895

  23

  5,730

  Port Talbot

  0

  0

  0

  1,842

  647

  0

  2,489

  Lliw Valley

  0

  0

  0

  4,078

  491

  0

  4,569

  Neath

  0

  0

  0

  4,118

  762

  359

  5,239

  Swansea

  0

  0

  0

  10,760

  7,397

  688

  18,845

  Clwyd

  4,016

  2,750

  184

  0

  2,314

  243

  9,507

  Dyfed

  3,726

  6,545

  720

  0

  1,705

  488

  13184

  Gwent

  4,211

  22,370

  1,163

  0

  1,700

  62

  29,506

  Gwynedd

  2,108

  2,660

  712

  0

  5,050

  459

  10,989

  Mid Glamorgan

  9,046

  7,745

  1,022

  0

  1,245

  292

  19,350

  Powys

  2,726

  2,770

  319

  0

  499

  0

  6,314

  South Glamorgan

  4,214

  14,430

  1,087

  0

  1,033

  693

  21,457

  West Glamorgan

  4,048

  4,740

  851

  0

  4,143

  5

  13,787

  Total Districts

  0

  2,315

  207

  145,834

  39,560

  12,524

  200,440

  Total Counties

  34,095

  64,010

  6,058

  0

  17,689

  2,242

  124,094

  Total Wales

  34,095

  66,325

  6,265

  145,834

  57,249

  14,766

  324,534

  Capital allocations hypothecated to services 1983–84

  Local authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other services

  Urban programme

  Total allocation

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Alyn and Deeside

  0

  0

  0

  2,922

  462

  404

  3,788

  Colywn

  0

  0

  0

  2,483

  594

  50

  3,127

  Delyn

  0

  0

  0

  2,025

  1,357

  818

  4,200

  Glyndwr

  0

  0

  0

  2,345

  311

  0

  2,656

  Rhuddlan

  0

  0

  0

  1.189

  1,408

  0

  2,597

  Wrexham Maelor

  0

  0

  0

  3,833

  787

  737

  5,357

  Carmarthen

  0

  0

  0

  8,160

  652

  112

  8,924

  Ceredigjon

  0

  0

  0

  4,478

  657

  0

  5,135

  Dinefwr

  0

  0

  0

  2,334

  211

  198

  2,743

  304 305

  Local authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other services

  Urban programme

  Total allocation

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Llanelli

  0

  0

  82

  3,745

  984

  584

  5,395

  Preseli

  0

  0

  0

  3,526

  477

  660

  4,663

  South Pembroke

  0

  0

  0

  3,804

  274

  365

  4,443

  Blaenau Gwent

  0

  0

  0

  10,236

  843

  1,097

  12,176

  Islwyn

  0

  90

  0

  5,215

  415

  179

  5,899

  Monmouth

  0

  0

  0

  4,643

  472

  61

  5,176

  Newport

  0

  60

  0

  9,137

  1,331

  510

  11,038

  Torfaen

  0

  0

  0

  4,370

  621

  275

  5,266

  Aberconwy

  0

  0

  0

  2,006

  569

  0

  2,575

  Arfon

  0

  0

  0

  3,469

  418

  320

  4,207

  Dwyfor

  0

  35

  0

  3,032

  393

  0

  3,460

  Meirionnydd

  0

  0

  0

  3,282

  1,804

  89

  5,175

  Ynys Mon

  0

  530

  0

  5,260

  650

  119

  6,559

  Cynon Valley

  0

  0

  0

  4,323

  451

  261

  5,035

  Merthyr Tydfil

  0

  132

  0

  3,993

  1,034

  457

  5,616

  Ogwr

  0

  79

  0

  5,870

  1,202

  268

  7,419

  Rhondda

  0

  105

  0

  12,030

  816

  794

  13,745

  Rhymney Valley

  0

  205

  0

  5,465

  811

  375

  6,856

  Taff Ely

  0

  58

  0

  8,886

  1,077

  112

  10,133

  Brecknock

  0

  0

  0

  2,851

  192

  0

  3,043

  Montgomeryshire

  0

  0

  0

  3,393

  292

  0

  3,685

  Radnor

  0

  0

  0

  1,593

  165

  0

  1,758

  Cardiff

  0

  2,038

  0

  17,835

  3,915

  1,004

  24,792

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  5,333

  2,219

  224

  7,776

  Port Talbot

  0

  50

  0

  1,982

  377

  265

  2,674

  Lliw Valley

  0

  0

  0

  3,992

  410

  45

  4,447

  Neath

  0

  0

  0

  3,892

  419

  491

  4,802

  Swansea

  0

  0

  0

  11,365

  5,520

  1,072

  17,957

  Clwyd

  4,746

  5,460

  820

  0

  759

  868

  12,653

  Dyfed

  3,817

  5,044

  720

  0

  1,324

  270

  11,175

  Gwent

  5,430

  16,199

  1,040

  0

  1,565

  621

  24,855

  Gwynedd

  2,035

  3,517

  716

  0

  747

  207

  7,222

  Mid Glamorgan

  7,391

  7,527

  852

  0

  1,149

  274

  17,193

  Powys

  2,102

  2,073

  194

  0

  257

  8

  4.634

  South Glamorgan

  4,557

  11,923

  741

  0

  1,600

  574

  19,395

  West Glamorgan

  4,247

  4,943

  1,476

  0

  1,283

  0

  11,949

  Total Districts

  0

  3,382

  82

  184,297

  34,590

  11,946

  234,297

  Total Counties

  34,325

  56,686

  6,559

  0

  8,684

  2,822

  109,076

  Total Wales

  34,325

  60,068

  6,641

  184,297

  43,274

  14,768

  343,373

  Capital allocations hypothecated to services 1984–85

  £000

  Local authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other services

  Special projects

  Urban programme

  Total allocation

  Alyn and Deeside

  0

  0

  0

  2,234

  370

  0

  641

  3,245

  Colwyn

  0

  0

  0

  2,089

  475

  0

  111

  2,675

  Delyn

  0

  0

  0

  1,459

  731

  900

  1,371

  4,461

  Glyndwr

  0

  0

  0

  1,521

  249

  0

  0

  1,770

  Rhuddlan

  0

  0

  0

  951

  1,126

  0

  0

  2,077

  Wrexham Maelor

  0

  0

  0

  3,746

  630

  0

  1,348

  5,724

  Carmarthen

  0

  0

  0

  3,571

  539

  0

  15

  4,125

  Ceredigion

  0

  0

  0

  2,790

  526

  0

  0

  3,316

  Dinefwr

  0

  0

  0

  1,414

  169

  0

  111

  1,694

  Llanelli

  0

  0

  66

  2,737

  787

  0

  614

  4,204

  Preseli

  0

  0

  0

  2,862

  382

  350

  576

  4,170

  South Pembroke

  0

  0

  0

  2,323

  219

  350

  547

  3,439

  Blaenau Gwent

  0

  0

  0

  6,238

  674

  0

  1,403

  8,315

  Islwyn

  0

  0

  0

  4,499

  332

  0

  299

  5,130

  Monmouth

  0

  0

  0

  3,599

  378

  0

  49

  4,026

  Newport

  0

  0

  0

  6,554

  734

  0

  708

  7,996

  Torfaen

  0

  0

  0

  4,002

  497

  0

  197

  4,696

  Aberconwy

  0

  0

  0

  1,635

  307

  0

  0

  1,942

  Arfon

  0

  0

  0

  2,940

  334

  0

  82

  3,356

  Dwyfor

  0

  0

  0

  1,800

  314

  0

  0

  2,114

  Meirionnydd

  0

  0

  0

  1,352

  1,123

  0

  0

  2,475

  Ynys Mon

  0

  0

  0

  2,350

  520

  0

  75

  2,945

  Cynon Valley

  0

  0

  0

  3,090

  361

  0

  765

  4,216

  Merthyr Tydfil

  0

  0

  0

  2,521

  827

  0

  458

  3,806

  Ogwr

  0

  0

  0

  5,011

  962

  0

  43

  6,016

  Rhondda

  0

  0

  0

  7,468

  653

  0

  822

  8,943

  Rhymney Valley

  0

  240

  0

  4,412

  649

  0

  465

  5,766

  Taff Ely

  0

  20

  0

  4,999

  862

  0

  5

  5,886

  306 307

  Local authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other services

  Special projects

  Urban programme

  Total allocation

  Brecknock

  0

  0

  0

  1,321

  154

  0

  240

  1,715

  Montgomeryshire

  0

  0

  0

  1,548

  234

  0

  0

  1,782

  Radnor

  0

  0

  0

  976

  132

  0

  0

  1,108

  Cardiff

  0

  1,881

  0

  12,557

  3,132

  0

  1,981

  19,551

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  3,080

  1,375

  0

  232

  4,687

  Port Talbot

  0

  0

  0

  1,586

  302

  0

  427

  2,315

  Lliw Valley

  0

  0

  0

  3,220

  328

  0

  234

  3,782

  Neath

  0

  0

  0

  2,064

  335

  0

  380

  2,779

  Swansea

  0

  16

  0

  9,073

  3,282

  500

  1,241

  14,112

  Clwyd

  3,797

  6,174

  500

  0

  607

  0

  936

  12,014

  Dyfed

  3,054

  4,059

  600

  0

  1,059

  0

  338

  9,110

  Gwent

  4,344

  14,418

  850

  0

  1,252

  0

  573

  21,437

  Gwynedd

  1,628

  5,390

  400

  0

  598

  0

  338

  8,354

  Mid Glamorgan

  5,513

  11,551

  1,200

  0

  919

  500

  302

  19,985

  Powys

  1,682

  1,742

  100

  0

  206

  0

  0

  3,730

  South Glamorgan

  3,646

  7,527

  600

  0

  1,280

  0

  1,015

  14,068

  West Glamorgan

  3,398

  5,437

  1,000

  0

  1,126

  0

  110

  11,071

  Total districts

  0

  2,157

  66

  125,592

  25,004

  2,100

  15,440

  170,359

  Total counties

  27,062

  56,298

  5,250

  0

  7,047

  500

  3,612

  99,769

  Total Wales

  27,062

  58,455

  5,316

  125,592

  32,051

  2,600

  19,052

  270,128

EMPLOYMENT

  Child Employees
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many children below the age of 16 years have been identified by his inspectors as involved in illegal employment during each year since 1980.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Details of individual instances of illegal employment are not kept but convictions under section 1 of the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act 1920, concerning the illegal employment of children since 1980 are as follows:

  Year

  Convictions

  1981

  4

  1982

  4

  1983

  3

  1984

  6

  1985

  6

  11986

  4

  21986–87

  9

  31987–88

  42

  1 January to March.

  2 April to March.

  3 April to March.

  4 Provisional.

  Note Some of these convictions may involve instances of multiple employment.

  Back-to-Back Operations
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will prosecute the Inter-Exec SM1 for running a back-to-back operation contrary to the Employment Agencies Act 1973; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  The matter is being investigated and a decision will be made when investigations have been completed.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young workers under 21 years of age were employed in trades covered by wages councils in each year 1985 to 1988, inclusive.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 21 February 1989]: No count is made of the number of young people under 21 in wages council trades. However, an estimate made in 1985 suggested a figure of around half a million.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Insolvency
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has any proposals to seek to amend the Insolvency Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  There are no plans to amend the Insolvency Act 1986 itself in the foreseeable future. Amendments to the insolvency legislation are included however in the Companies Bill. Part 7 of the Bill, which relates to financial markets, modifies certain parts of the Insolvency Act 1986. Section 323 of the Insolvency Act 1986, which deals with set-off in bankruptcy, is amended by part VIII of the Bill. In order to retain harmonisation rule 4.90 of the Insolvency Rules 1986, which deals with set-off in companies winding up, will also be amended, although this amendment will be effected by way of a change to the Insolvency Rules 1986 and not by the Companies Bill.

  Additional minor amendments to the insolvency legislation will be considered when suitable legislative vehicles become available.

  Secured Loans
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what evidence he has on the level of understanding among consumers of the concept of a secured loan.

  Mr. Maude
  The results of a survey published by the Office of Fair Trading last autumn showed widespread
  309
  lack of understanding of the concept of a secured loan; 44 per cent. of respondents claimed to have no idea of the difference between a secured loan sand an unsecured loan and only 11 per cent. understood unprompted that a secured loan could result in the loss of the borrower's home.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals he has to make regulations under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 requiring advertisements for secured loans to carry a health warning.

  Mr. Maude
  As part of the review of the Consumer Credit (Advertisement) Regulations, it is proposed that advertisements for secured loans should include a warning of the risk of repossession in the event of default.

  Manufacturing Investment (North West)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish a table, using 1979 at a value of 100, of investment in real terms in manufacturing in the north west for each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  No regional breakdown of manufacturing investment for 1987 and 1988 is yet available. The required information for the period 1979–86 is shown in the following table:

  Manufacturing investment in the North West, in constant (1980) prices, as a percentage of the 1979 level

  Year

  Per cent.

  1979

  100

  1980

  89

  1981

  63

  1982

  58

  1983

  61

  1984

  68

  1985

  72

  1986

  62

  Source: Annual Census of Production.

  Since 1986, manufacturing investment in the country as a whole has risen sharply; and is predicted to rise even faster.

  Domestic Animals (Pelts and Skins)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps his Department takes to licence and monitor the activities of hide and skin merchants concerned with rendering the pelts and skins of domestic animals.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [holding answer 22 February 1989]: My Department does not licence or monitor the activities of hide and skin merchants.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Explosives
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East,Official Report, 23 January, column 396, he will indicate the amount of explosives recovered from neutralised devices, the amount used in explosions; and the number of such terrorist explosions for each of the same years.
  310
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The further information is not readily available in the exact form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Such information as is available relates only to the number of explosions.

  Explosions recorded in RUC "N" division1

  Number

  1984

  40

  1985

  30

  1986

  29

  1987

  44

  1988

  51

  1 "N" Division includes the City of Londonderry.

  RPI Error Fund
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the operation of the retail prices index error fund; and if he will publish a table showing(a) those organisations which applied to the Department of Health and Social Security for funding and the outcome and amounts of any award and (b) those organisations which applied for funds under the scheme administered by the Northern Ireland voluntary trust and the outcome and amount of any award.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 22 February 1989]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) on 3 May about the retail prices index error fund. On 9 May 1988 I announced that Northern Ireland would recieve £250,000 as its share of the fund and published the arrangements under which grants would be made. Applications were invited from voluntary organisations which resulted in the receipt of bids 10 times in excess of the amount available for distribution. The Department of Health and Social Services gave careful consideration to all applications which it received from regional organisations and grants were subsequently made having regard to the published criteria and to the Department's own strategic priorities. The list of those organisations which applied to the Department and the details of the awards made are voluminous, and I have therefore placed. a copy in the Library.

  The sum of £.120,000 was allocated to Northern Ireland. voluntary trust for disbursement to locally-based. organisations. Details of the applications considered by Northern Ireland voluntary trust and the grants made by it to date have also been placed in the Library.

  I am pleased to report that Northern Ireland is now also to receive a further £251,000 of the additional monies available from the retail prices index error fund which my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Social Security announced on 9 February. Arrangements for the allocation of this sum will be finalised shortly.

  House Searches
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many house searches were carried out in Armagh during December 1988 and January 1989 by(a) the Army (b) police and (c) the Ulster Defence Regiment; in how many of the houses searched arms, ammunition or explosives were found; and whether there was reasonable suspicion in respect of each house searched or the occupants of each house searched:
  311
  (2) how many house searches were carried out by the (a) Royal Ulster Constabulary, (b) Army and (c) Ulster Defence Regiment in each of the Northern Ireland parliamentary constituencies during the year 1 January 1988 to 31 December 1988; whether there was reasonable suspicion in respect of each house searched, or the occupants of each house searched; and how many houses which were searched did not include arms, ammunition or explosives.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 31 January 1989]: I assume that the hon. Member is referring to searches under section 15 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978. The only figures that are readily available relate to Northern Ireland as a whole. I understand that, in 1988, the RUC carried out 4,136 house searches in Northern Ireland under that section; information about finds as a result of those searches is not readily available. Army records indicate that they carried out 889 searches of houses and other premises under section 15 during that period, although that figure is subject to confirmation, but the majority of these were in conjunction with the RUC and are also counted in their figures. The figure for the Army includes searches by the UDR. Of these 889 searches, arms, ammunition, explosives, transmitters, scanning receivers or hides were found in 102 cases. Under section 15(2) of the Act it is a requirement that there should be reasonable grounds for suspicion that munitions are being held unlawfully in a private dwelling, or that there is a transmitter or scanning receiver there, and all searches are conducted on that basis.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Cost of Living
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an index for the cost of living for consumers based on the retail price index but excluding indirect taxes, including value added tax, excise duties and rates, for the calendar year 1979 to the calendar years 1986, 1987 and 1988 taking the value of the index as 1979 equals 100.

  Mr. Lilley
  The following is an estimate of movement in the RPI excluding VAT, excise duties and rates measured at December each year. Calendar year information is not readily available.

  December 1979=100

  Year

  RPI

  1979

  100

  1980

  115

  1981

  127

  1982

  133

  1983

  140

  1984

  146

  1985

  154

  1986

  159

  1987

  167

  1988

  179

ENERGY

  North Sea Oil
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the implications of the operation of the Single European Act for Her Majesty's Government's freedom to determine policy towards the North sea oil industry.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  As a result of the Single European Act, in determining its policy the United Kingdom must take appropriate account of articles 99, 100A, 100B, 118A and title VII of the EEC treaty.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement of progress on the introduction of information technologies to facilitate internal communications in his Department and the provision of information to the public concerning those areas for which he is responsible; and if he has any further plans to apply the newest technologies in these fields.

  Mr. Parkinson
  My Department does not currently use information technology (IT) for internal communications to any great extent. It is moving to a new headquarters building later this year, where a broadband cabling framework is being installed. This is using new technology which will provide internal communications by computer where cost effective.

  While IT is widely used by my officials to collate and prepare information for the public, the IT systems do not provide direct public access to information, nor are there any plans to do so. However, my Department has an IT strategy which is approved by top management and which is subject to continual refinement, monitoring and review.

  Nuclear Materials (Licences)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the applications for licences to ship nuclear materials which he has received from British Nuclear Fuels plc in the last six months, showing in each case the ports of departure and destination and the names of the vessels involved.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  It has been the standard practice of successive Governments not to make public the details of export licence applications.

  Gas
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any information as to which country in(a) the industrialised world and (b) the European Economic Community charges the highest prices for the supply of firm gas to large industrial users.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The only information available on gas prices in all industrialised countries is published by the IEA and covers all supplies to industrial consumers. Of those countries who supplied data in 1987, Japan had the highest prices. In the European Community, prices were highest in Ireland.

HEALTH

  Scientific Services
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff there were in the scientific services, broken down into the professional groups(a) medical consultant, (b) PTA/A top grade scientists, (c) other grades of PTA/A staff, (d) PTB/A MLSO staff and (e) radiographers in post in each December from 1984 to 1988.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not collect routinely detailed information on staff in post at December. The information available as at 30 September each year is set out in the table.

  Table: Staff in the scientific services: England As at 30 September each year

  Whole time equivalents1

  Staff Group

  1984

  1985

  1986

  19873

  Medical Staff2

  2,300

  2,370

  2,410

  2,430

  Biochemists

  1,250

  1,200

  1,180

  1,380

  Top Grade

  90

  110

  120

  150

  Principal

  240

  240

  250

  310

  Senior

  460

  440

  430

  490

  Basic Post Probationer

  280

  240

  220

  230

  Basic Probationer

  170

  160

  150

  200

  SQOO4

  5

  5

  10

  5

  Physicists

  700

  720

  770

  790

  Top Grade

  60

  70

  70

  70

  Principal

  190

  200

  220

  240

  Senior

  270

  290

  280

  260

  Basic Post Probationer

  100

  90

  80

  90

  Basic Probationer

  70

  90

  110

  130

  Other Scientists

  370

  380

  440

  550

  Top Grade

  20

  20

  30

  30

  Principal

  40

  50

  50

  70

  Senior

  100

  110

  130

  140

  Basic Post Probationer

  50

  70

  90

  100

  Basic Probationer

  70

  100

  120

  140

  SQOO4

  80

  40

  30

  70

  Clinical Psychologists

  1,360

  1,520

  1,620

  1,700

  Top Grade

  120

  150

  200

  240

  Principal

  270

  330

  360

  410

  Senior

  570

  600

  600

  580

  Basic Post Probationer

  220

  220

  210

  200

  Basic Probationer

  190

  210

  240

  270

  SQOO4

  5

  5

  10

  10

  Medical Laboratory

  Scientific Officers

  14,550

  14,540

  14,620

  15,470

  Radiographers

  Qualified

  7,750

  7,990

  8,140

  8,250

  Helpers

  160

  190

  230

  270

  Source: Department of Health (SR7) annual census of NHS non-medical manpower.

  1 Figures independently founded to the nearest ten whole-time equivalent.

  2 Including consultants in pathology, radiology and radiotherapy.

  3 Due to occupation coding problems, the 1987 figures, for some regions and therefore for England are not strictly comparable with those for previous years.

  4 Precise grade not held centrally.

  5 Less than 5·.0 whole time equivalents.

  Notes:

  The staff groups whose pay and conditions of service were negotiated in Committee A of the former Professional and Technical Staffs Council "A" before its demise in 1983 were Biochemists, Physicists, Other Scientists and Clinical Psychologists. Since 1983 pay of these groups has been the responsibility of the Scientific and
  314
  Professional Staffs Council.

  Trainee and Basic clinical psychologist grades were introduced with effect from 1 February 1987 in place of the former basic probationer and basic post probationer grades.

  Nursing Homes

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to prevent re-registration of any private residential home owner or private nursing home owner found guilty of ill treatment or abuse of residents.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is for local authorities and health authorities respectively to satisfy themselves, by making thorough inquiries, of the suitability of applicants for registration in relation to residential care homes and nursing homes. We have advised local authorities that, when making such inquiries they should inform the applicant that by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended) a conviction which would otherwise be "spent" would have to be declared.

  The Department assists by acting as a channel of information between authorities about people who have had their registration cancelled and provides a consultancy service to authorities seeking information about applications in respect of homes with children and young people under age 18.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will specify the number of residential homes(a) in the private sector, (b) owned by local authorities and (c) run by health authorities.

  Mr. Mellor
  Information on the number of residential care homes in the private sector and of those owned by local authorities for years prior to 31 March 1987 is published in "Residential Accommodation for Elderly and Younger Physically Handicapped People: All Residents in Local Authority, Voluntary and Private Homes Year ending 31 March 1986" and "Homes and Hostels for Mentally Ill and Mentally Handicapped People, at 31 March 1986"; copies of which are available in the Library. Provisional information as at 31 March 1987 is given in the table. Health authorities have no powers to run residential care homes.

  Number1 of residential care homes at 31 March 1987: England

  Residential care homes

  Number

  Private registered homes

  7,559

  Homes owned by local authority2

  4,642

  1 Provisional. Includes homes for alcohol and drug misusers.

  2 Includes unstaffed homes and hostels.

  Trent Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals are involved within the Trent regional health area in the resource management initiative; and what information he has as to whether any will be joining the initiative in the next year.

  Mr. Freeman
  Pilgrim hospital in South Lincolnshire district health authority is one of the six pilot resource management sites. A decision on the next tranche of hospitals that will be joining the resource management initiative will be made shortly. Additional hospitals in Trent are expected to be involved.
  315
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by district health authority the services provided within the Trent regional health authority; and what is their catchment area.

  Mr. Mellor
  District health authority services are the responsibility of the relevant regional health authority, in this case, Trent. The hon. Member may care to write to the chairman of Trent regional health authority to obtain the information that he seeks.

  Resource Management
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health into which hospitals he plans to introduce resource management initiatives; what are the provisional dates for this; and what consultancy firms will undertake the work.

  Mr. Freeman
  Future plans on the resource management initiatives were set out in the White Paper, "Working for Patients". It is planned to extend the RMI to the 260 main acute hospitals in England over a phased period starting with 20 sites in 1989–90. A decision on the first tranche of hospitals will be made shortly. Decisions on which consultancy firms to employ will be principally the responsibility of health authorities.

  NHS Nursing Homes
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the number of National Health Service nursing homes at present in operation in each of the following regions and the number of beds in each (a) East Anglia, (b) North East Thames, (c) North West Thames, (d) South West Thames and (e) South East Thames.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are aware of four.

  Name

  District health authority

  Beds

  St. Olave's

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  17

  Meadow Lodge

  Brighton

  20

  Brownswood Road

  Hackney

  22

  St. Leonard's

  Hackney

  24

  Disabled People
  Mr Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that severely physically disabled people do not remain in acute hospital beds, in an inappropriate setting for long-term care, because of a shortfall of alternative provisions.

  Mr. Mellor
  Responsibility for providing the most appropriate type of care for disabled people rests with health and local authorities. It is up to each authority to determine the level and pattern of services in their area in the light of local priorities and resources. The Department recently issued a Health Circular/Local Authority Circular, HC(88)43/LAC(88)14, and a Health Notice/Local Authority Social Services Letter, HN(88)26/LASSL(88)8, which drew attention to the need to promote the independence of disabled people and to use the acute, rehabilitation and continuing care services in an effective way.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many local authorities have made use of their power 316
  to co-opt disabled people on to local authority committees under section 15 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled persons Act 1970.

  Mr Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally. The legislation to which the hon. Member refers is now reinforced by section 10 of the 1986 Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act. The social services inspectorate is currently undertaking a monitoring exercise of the effect on social services departments of those sections of the 1986 Act so far implemented. This should provide some valuable information as to how local authorities are developing awareness of the rights of disabled people to be represented.

  Residential and Nursing Homes
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to regulate and monitor the standards of care in residential care homes and nursing homes.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs) on 23 February at column 793.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Northern regional health authority intends to close any hospitals or community health units as part of its re-organisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  I presume that the hon. Member is referring to proposals for re-organising the management arrangements for health services in Easington. There are no hospital closures involved. Acute psychiatric in-patient accommodation will be transferred from Winterton hospital to Cherry Knowle hospital, which will significantly improve access for patients from north Easington. Overall, the package increases expenditure on health care for the people of Easington.

  Patients (Travelling Distance)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, as a result of the proposed reorganisation of the Durham, Hartlepool and Sunderland health authorities, he envisages that there will be a general increase in the distance travelled by patients to and from centres for treatment.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. I understand that for all general hospital services there is no proposed change in the centre of treatment with the exception of mental illness services for the population of north Easington where the distance travelled will be significantly reduced.

  Children
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any estimate of the numbers and percentages of children being brought up in(a) once-married two-parent families, (b) two-parent families where the parents are married, but one parent is not the natural parent, (c) two-parent families where the parents are not married and (d) lone-parent families, distinguishing between widowers and widows, divorced, separated and never-married lone parents.
  317
  Mr. Freeman
  I regret that not all the information requested is available. The numbers and percentages of dependent children in the different types of families in Great Britain in 1986 are estimated to be as follows:

  Number of dependent children thousands

  Percentage

  Dependent children in:

  Married couple families (includes some cohabiting couples)

  11,500

  87·6

  Lone mother families

  Single

  310

  2·4

  Separated

  340

  2·6

  Divorced

  730

  5·5

  Widowed

  120

  0·9

  Lone father families

  Single

  10

  1·1

  Separated

  40

  Divorced

  60

  Widowed

  40

  All dependent children

  13,140

  100

  Source: General household survey and labour force survey.

  Notes:

  1. Components do not add precisely to total, because of rounding.

  2. A dependent child is one aged under 16 or from 16 to 18 and in full-time education or on one of the Government training schemes.

  3. Adults with children are classified as lone parents if they did not describe themselves as either married or living together as married.

  Dentists
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current state of progress in the negotiations for a new contract for general dental practitioners; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Following preliminary discussions with representatives of the dental profession, we are currently drawing up proposals for formal negotiations, which we hope to begin shortly.

  Tranquillisers
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the incidence of teratogenicity in babies born to women taking benzodiazepines.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of people who have died from major convulsions following benzodiapine withdrawal; and who collects and holds such information.

  Mr. Mellor
  There is no central register of those people taking benzodiazepine or other drugs. We do not therefore know how many people who have died of major convulsions were also suffering from withdrawal symptoms from a particular drug or drugs.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department issues any specific advice on the prescribing of benzodiazepines to the elderly.
  318
  Mr. Mellor
  The Department funds the free distribution to all doctors of a number of independent publications which have included general guidance on the prescribing of benzodiazepines applicable to all patients. "Prescribers' Journal" and the "British National Formulary" have referred specifically to the elderly.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the various places where information on the number of patients whose stay in hospital is extended due to the non-availablility of ambulance services or other transport facilities is held.

  Mr. Freeman
  Such information is not collected centrally but may be available at individual hospitals.

  AIDS
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish "AIDS and Drug Misuse, part 2; a report from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The advisory council's report was published today and copies have been placed in the Library.

  We are grateful to the council for producing this report and welcome its advice. We are considering carefully those recommendations which are addressed to central Government. We will be giving this report a wide circulation to assist authorities in planning and delivering services, and to inform other interested agencies.

  Private Patients
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if decisions have been taken on the central reference lists of model charges for National Health Service private patients for the year from 1 April.

  Mr. Mellor
  From 1 April 1987 health authorities have been able to determine their charges for private patient facilities. Action is now in hand to enable them also to determine, from 1 April 1989, charges for overseas visitors liable to pay. The Health and Medicines Act enables those authorities choosing to set their own charges to do so on a commercial basis.

  The central reference lists of model charges for private patients and overseas visitors are given in the tables. Model charges from 1 April 1989 are for in-patients 6·6 per cent. higher and for out-patients 7·2 per cent. higher than those for 1988–89. The figures take account of increased costs (including capital depreciation) and, as before, reflect the fact that private patients have shorter lengths to stay than NHS patients. As in previous years charges for overseas visitors are based on those for private patients.

  Charges for amenity beds are increased in line with increased costs. It is intended that after 1989–90 no further reference lists will be produced.
  319

  Central Reference List (Model Charges): 1989/90

  In-Patients

  Daily charges to private patients not paying consultant(s) separately and to overseas visitors

  Daily charges to private patients paying consultant(s) separately

  Single room

  Other accommodation

  Single room

  Other accommodation

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Class A (Long-Stay Hospitals)

  99

  90

  93

  85

  Class B (Psychiatric Hospitals)

  90

  82

  85

  77

  Class C1 (mainly Acute and other hospitals in non-teaching districts)

  152

  138

  143

  130

  Class C2 (Acute and other hospitals in non-teaching districts)

  181

  164

  170

  155

  Class D (Hospitals in London teaching districts (other than hospitals in Classes A and B))

  241

  219

  228

  207

  Class E (Hospitals in provincial teaching districts (other than hospitals in Classes A and B))

  194

  177

  183

  167

  Central Reference List (Model Charges): 1989–90

  Out-Patients

  Services Provided

  Hospital Class A-E

  Hospital Class F and G

  £

  £

  Consultation

  1.

  i. Private Patients—for each attendance other than attendances associated with the procedures listed in paragraph 2–10

  7.00

  14.00

  ii. Overseas Visitors—a patient on each attendance at a hospital other than attendances directly associated with the procedures listed in paragraphs 4–12

  14·50

  23·00

  Day Cases

  2

  i. Private Patients—charges per day exclusive of charges for procedures listed in paragraphs 4–10

  30·50

  31·50

  ii. Overseas Visitors—charges per day exclusive of charges for procedures listed in paragraphs 4–12

  30·50

  31·50

  For Overseas Visitors only

  For the purpose of this item a day case is a patient who attends as a non-resident patient for investigation, treatment or operation and who occupies a bed without staying overnight.

  Day Patients

  3

  i. Private Patients—charges per day exclusive of charges for procedures listed in paragraphs 4–10

  35·50

  37·00

  ii. Overseas Visitors—charges per day exclusive of charges for procedures listed in paragraphs 4–12

  35·50

  37·00

  For overseas visitors only

  For the purpose of this item a day patient is someone who attends regularly for a course of treatment without necessarily occupying a bed or staying overnight

  320

  Services Provided

  Hospital Class A-E

  Hospital Class F and G

  £

  £

  Pathology

  4. For each request

  7·50

  15·50

  Radiodiagnosis, nuclear medicine and ultrasound

  5

  i. Charges per KÖrner unit value (The units charged for each procedure are as listed at annex B of HC(88)11)

  9.00 per unit for first 6 units, 1·00 for each additional unit over 6

  12·00 per unit for first 6 units, 1·25 for each additional unit over 6

  ii. CT scanning

  107·00

  128·50

  Radiotherapy

  6. For treatment in any one day

  20·00

  45·00

  Physiotherapy and remedial gymnastics

  7. For each attendance

  6·50

  12·00

  Occupational therapy

  8. For treatment in any one day

  10·00

  11·00

  Other diagnostic procedures

  9

  i. Audiometry

  5· 50

  5·50

  ii. Electrocardiography, for each testing session

  10·50

  17·50

  iii. Electroencephalography, for each testing session

  38·50

  83·50

  iv. Electromyography, for each testing session

  24·00

  50·50

  Use of operating theatre facilities

  10. Use of operating theatre facilities:

  i. For less than 10 minutes

  24·000

  29·50

  ii. For 10 minutes to 30 minutes

  46·50

  59·00

  iii. For more than 30 minutes

  70·00

  88·50

  Dialysis (Overseas Visitors only)

  11. For Haemodialysis or intermittent peritoneal dialysis:

  i. With training or routine at a hospital, per session.

  119·00

  119·00

  ii. routine, at home—per session

  75·50

  75·50

  iii. Minimal Care Unit—per session

  97·00

  97·00

  321

  Services Provided

  Hospital Class A-E Class

  Hospital F and G

  £

  £

  For continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (including continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis)—per day.

  36·00

  36·00

  Supply of drugs and Medicines (Overseas Visitors only)

  12. For the supply of a drug or medicine which is designed to eliminate, prevent the replication of, or in any way inhibit the mode of action of any Human Immunodeficiency Virus—for each quantity sufficient for one day's treatment.

  15·50

  15·50

  Amenity beds (Private Patients only)

  For accommodation in a single room—£14·50 per day.

  For accommodation in a small ward with two or more beds—£7·00 per day.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on food poisoning attributed to chickens and eggs in the 12 months to December.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [pursuant to his answer 23 January 1989, c. 409]: In 1988 a total of 24 outbreaks of salmonella food poisoning associated with the consumption of chicken were reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service. In 1987, the same number (24) of such outbreaks were reported. Provisional data show that the 24 outbreaks in 1988 involved over 600 people whereas in 1987 the same number of outbreaks involved around 400 people.

  Mid-Essex Health Authority
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce hospital waiting lists in the Mid-Essex health authority area.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1989]: All regional health authorities have been asked to take action to reduce waiting times for hospital treatment as part of the Government's waiting list initiative. A total of £194,300 has been made available to the Mid-Essex health authority from the waiting list fund in 1987–88 and 1988–89, and will enable them to treat an additional 794 in-patients and day cases from the waiting lists. The regional health authority also proposed to allocate funds to the district from the 1989–90 waiting list fund.

  Drug Reactions
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he proposes to increase the penalties on companies failing to report serious adverse drug reactions.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1989]: Any such change would require amendment to the Medicines Act 1968 and I have no plans for this at present.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many companies failed to report serious adverse drug reactions to the Committee on Safety of Medicines or licensing authority since 1972; and what penalties were imposed;
  322
  (2) if he will list the penalties which can be imposed under the Medicines Act on a company failing to report serious adverse drug reactions.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1989]: Because information on suspected under-reporting is held on files relating to specific products and containing full licensing information, a count of all possible instances of under-reporting since 1972 cannot be made without disproportionate cost. However, we believe the number to be very small. The vast majority of licensed medicinal products are subject to EC directives. Where, in such cases, there has been a breach of the licensing conditions under the Medicines Act and there is concern about safety, quality or efficacy, the licensing authority can suspend, revoke or vary a product licence, subject to the procedures laid down in the Act. In the case of medicinal products not subject to EC directives, such action can be taken whether or not there is a concern. Other options available to the licensing authority, where appropriate, include giving oral or written admonition to the chairman or managing director of the pharmaceutical company as well as requiring a written undertaking by the company that it will observe the licensing conditions in future.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider establishing an independent inspectorate to monitor and assess the quality of residential and nursing care.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1989]: I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 23 February at columns 794–95.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of Government spending on community care is allocated to residential care.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1989]: Residential care is funded by local authorities and not directly by central Government, other than through contribution made by social security benefits which are, of course, a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security. About half of local authority service expenditure on the personal social services goes on residential care.

  Physically Disabled People
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will consider including information on the development of community care provision for people with physical disabilities in his annual report to Parliament under section 11 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986, when implemented;

  (2) if he will consider proposing amendments to section 7 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 to include people with physical disabilities.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1989]: No. Section 11 of the Act requires that an annual report be laid before Parliament containing information about the development of health and social services in the

  323
  community for people with mental illness or mental handicap, and about the numbers of such people who are receiving treatment in hospital. Section 7 provides for the identification of people discharged from hospital after treatment of six months or more for a mental disorder, and for the assessment of their needs for welfare services. We accepted the need to include these particular provisions when the Bill was going through Parliament, but are not convinced that a similar need arises for other types of disability.

  Community Care
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that people with progressive disabilities are not discharged from acute hospital beds without appropriate community support services.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1989]: A circular "Discharge of Patients from Hospital" is being issued to health and local authorities this week. Health authorities are asked to ensure that patients are not discharged until appropriate arrangements for after-care have been made with social services departments, primary health care teams and others. Health notice/local authority social services letter, HN(88)26/LASSL(88)8 which was issued by the Department last November also emphasised the need for co-operation between the relevant agencies to ensure that services for people with disabilities were planned before discharge.

  Staff (West Midlands)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he will list by district health authority for the West Midlands region for the past five financial years the numbers of permanent and contract staff employed by category; and what in each year was the cost by category;

  (2) what, in each of the past five financial years, was the number of agency staff employed by category or job-title in each of the West Midlands district health authorities by name; what was the cost by category each year; and what proportion this represented of permanent staff in each category.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1989]: Information about individual district health authorities is best obtained from the relevant regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority who should be able to provide much of the information requested.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the general practitioner list size that corresponds to the average number of night visits, new registrations and age of patients used to work out general practitioners' pay in the examples contained in the document "General Practice in the National Health Service—A New Contract".

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1989]: The assumptions referred to are based on the average general practitioner's list size in England which is 2,020.

THE ARTS

  Business Sponsorship
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on progress on the business sponsoring incentive scheme in the Doncaster area of South Yorkshire.

  Mr. Luce
  Figures for South Yorkshire are not available. However, latest figures for Yorkshire as a whole show that 75 companies, 57 of which are first-time sponsors, have supported the arts under the scheme. Over £1 million in new money has been generated, nearly £700,000 in new sponsorship which has been matched by over £332,000 in Government awards.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement of progress on the introduction of information technologies to facilitate internal communications in his office and the provision of information to the public concerning those areas for which he is responsible; and if he has any further plans to apply the newest technologies in these fields.

  Mr. Luce
  The introduction of information technologies in my Department is undertaken within an overall strategy for information technology which covers the Office of Arts and Libraries, the Cabinet Office and the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service. This group of Departments has about 120 computers, and a large proportion of them is connected to the Government offices, Horse Guards road, local area network. A total of eight are, or will shortly be, installed in the Office of Arts and Libraries.

  The introduction of this equipment has facilitated communications within and between Departments, and has assisted the preparation of information in response to wider inquiries.

  Victoria and Albert Museum
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many(a) administrative and (b) curatorial staff are currently employed at the Victoria and Albert museum.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 15 February 1989]: There are currently 750 staff employed at the Victoria and Albert museum. A total of 125 staff are in administrative grades and 171 are in curatorial grades A-G. The remaining staff are in the following groups:

  Museum Warders

  Museum Technicians

  Secretarial

  Scientists

  Photographers

  Professional and Technology

  Graphics

  Office Services

CIVIL SERVICE

  Information Technology
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement of progress on the introduction of information technologies to facilitate internal communications in his office, and the provision of information
  325
  to the public concerning those areas for which he is responsible; and if he has any further plans to apply the newest technologies in these fields.

  Mr. Luce
  The introduction of information technology (IT) in the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service (OMCS) is subject to an IT strategy. This includes a directive that installed IT equipment should be capable of attachment to a local area network (LAN), with the objectives of improving internal communications and information management.

  LANs have been installed in five buildings, the largest of which now has about 100 connected computers. My office and the press office are on this LAN.

  The press office was one of the first contributors to the recently announced Central Office of Information news distribution service, which is designed to speed the provision of information to the news media. The OMCS deals mainly with other Government Departments and public bodies. It has few direct dealings with the public.

  Future plans include the provision of communications between LANs, better information retrieval using the latest indexing software, and desk-top publishing.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensioners
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of all pensioners receive a state additional pension; what is the average amount received; and what is the average amount of state additional pension received by those retiring now.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As at 31 March 1988, approximately 20 per cent. of all pensioners were in receipt of state additional pension; the average weekly amount received net of guaranteed minimum pension was £2·96 (men), and £2·42 (women on their own contributions). The average weekly payments to men aged 65 and women aged 60 (on their own contributions) were £4·72 and £3·13 respectively.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give(a) the overall increase in pensioner incomes in real terms between 1979 an 1986 by quintile group and (b) the overall increase in pensioner incomes in real terms between 1983 and 1986 by quintile group.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The real terms increase in pensioners' average total income by quintile is as follows:

  Percentage increase

  1979–86

  1983–86

  5 (highest quintile)

  27

  8

  4

  20

  4

  3

  21

  3

  2

  23

  4

  1 (lowest quintile)

  20

  2

  Elderly People (Expenditure)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much public expenditure on the elderly has increased since 1978–79.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Public expenditure on the elderly was £8·6 billion in 1978–79, and has risen to about £23 billion 326
  in 1988–89. This represents a real terms increase of 22 per cent. A total of 51 per cent. of benefit expenditure goes to the elderly.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the social fund allocation for his Department's offices in Doncaster for the next two financial years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans) on 6 February 1989 at columns 628–35.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each of his Department's offices in Cornwall total expenditure on(a) social fund. grants and (b) social fund loans from 11 April 1988 to 31 January 1989 or 28 February 1989.

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

  Family Support
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham of 1 February,Official Report, column 295, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the proportion of expenditure on families with children since 1981–82.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of lone parent families increased slightly as a proportion of families with children over the period (from 12 per cent. in 1981 to 14 per cent. in 1987. (Source: General Household Survey)) but, in addition, the proportion of lone parent families dependent on benefit has increased at a much greater rate. In 1981 about 45 per cent. of lone parents were claiming supplementary benefit, but in 1986 this had risen to about 60 per cent.

  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy on the distribution of expenditure on families with children between lone-parent families and others.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The social security system aims to target help on families in need rather than simply allocate expenditure according to family types. It recognises that need may arise in different kinds of circumstances, some of which may require special help. The distribution of expenditure between one-parent and two-parent families will, therefore, be affected by the numbers who meet the conditions attached to the benefits concerned.

  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update, to the most recent year for which figures are available, the answer given to the then hon. Member for Kensington of 1 July 1986,Official Report, column 405, showing expenditure on one-parent benefit, national assistance/supplementary benefit and housing benefit in 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1986; and if he will include expenditure on family income supplement/family credit as appropriate.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is set out as follows:
  327

  Great Britain

  Benefits paid to lone parents

  £ million

  1960–61

  1970–71

  1980–81

  1985–86

  1988–89 (estimated outturn)

  Expenditure in cash terms

  One parent benefit

  —

  —

  61

  134

  174

  Supplementary benefit Income Support1

  20

  90

  640

  1,240

  1,850

  Housing benefit2

  —

  —

  50

  4004

  740

  Family Income Supplement/Family Credit

  —

  —

  30

  60

  180

  Expenditure at 1988–89 prices3

  One parent benefit

  —

  —

  96

  152

  174

  Supplementary benefit Income Support1

  170

  430

  1,010

  1,410

  1,850

  Housing benefit2

  —

  —

  80

  450

  740

  Family Income Supplement/Family Credit

  —

  —

  50

  70

  180

  1 National assistance in 1960–61.

  2 Local authority rebates scheme for 1980–81; information for 1970–71 is not available.

  3 Converted to constant prices using the retail prices index.

  4 Revised figure following reinterpretation of data.

  Benefit Changes
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) of 26 January,Official Report, columns 710–11, if he will re-calculate the figures to show the cumulative effects on public expenditure of the changes to national insurance benefits since 1981–82.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is not possible to carry out the recalculation requested other than at disproportionate cost. Many artificial assumptions would need to be made, rendering any answer speculative, and much of the underlying data could be obtained only by extensive and costly investigation.

  Income Support
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received on the effects of denying young people income support; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Our arrangements for 16 and 17-year-olds are working well. Over 413,000 young people are now in the youth training scheme where they receive a weekly training allowance of £29·50 in the first year and £35 in the second.

  Those who cannot work or go onto the youth training scheme, such as the severely disabled or lone parents, can claim income support. Others who are waiting for a youth training scheme place, but either have no home or cannot live at home, can claim income support for a limited period. Income support for a limited period may also be payable where there would otherwise be unavoidable severe hardship.

  We have received a number of representations about benefits for young people. Most recently my hon. Friend met my noble Friend Baroness Faithfull and representatives of various organisations involved with young people. I met representatives of the Church of England Children's Society and officials have met with representatives of the Association of County Councils and the
  328
  Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities. They have also met with representatives of organisations which provide emergency accommodation for young people who are homeless.

  In addition we have received letters and copies of reports from various organisations representing the interests of young people.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of income support, who were claimants of supplementary benefit before April 1988, have lost some or all of their transitional protection as a result of mortgage interest rate increases.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 22 February 1989]: Precise information is not available. The estimated number of claimants who pay mortgage interest and whose transitional protection has ceased or reduced, for any reason, is 140,000.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Scientists
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many scientists he has employed both on a full-time and contract basis for each year since 1979 in(a) ADAS and (b) AFRC; and what estimates he has for each year until 1994.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The number of permanent staff in scientific grades employed in the agricultural development and advisory service of my Department in the years requested is given in the table. Forecasts of staff in post in these grades for future years are not available. So far as AFRC is concerned the staff are not directly employed by my department but we do spend considerable sums with the AFRC on commissioned research (1987–88 £44·2 million).
  329

  11979

  11980

  11981

  11982

  11983

  11984

  11985

  11986

  11987

  11988

  1989

  Chief Scientific Officer

  14

  28

  29

  23

  21

  21

  2—

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Deputy Chief Scientific Officer

  Senior Principal Scientific Officer

  Grade 7 (Principal Scientific Officer)

  1,226

  1,358

  1,341

  1,326

  1,268

  1,288

  1,292

  1,234

  1,124

  1,169

  1,110

  Senior Scientific Officer

  Higher Scientific Officer

  Scientific Officer

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  1Figures at 1 April for all years except 1989—1 February.

  2 From 1985 these grades are included in unified Grades 4–6 and cannot be separately identified.

  Foxes
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what work has been undertaken by the agricultural development advisory service relating to predation by foxes upon lambs and other farm animals; whether any such work has been published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his similar question on 18 January 1989 at column 24.

  Woodlands
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number and related area of
  330
  woodland grant scheme applications and acceptances, respectively, which have been eligible for storm supplement in the present financial year.

  Mr. Ryder
  The information relating to the woodland grant scheme is given in the table.

  Number

  Area (hectares)

  Applications received

  565

  4,586

  Applications approved to date

  246

  1,181

  In addition, a further 909 hectares of restocking have been approved for the special supplement under other Forestry Commission grant schemes. The closing date for receipt of applications for the supplement is 31 March 1989.

  REORGANISATION OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION: GREEN PAPER
  REORGANISATION OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION: GREEN PAPER
  JAPANESE LANGUAGE SPEAKERS: DTI INITIATIVE
  JAPANESE LANGUAGE SPEAKERS: DTI INITIATIVE
  LOCAL AUTHORITY SECURE ACCOMMODATION: DETAINEES
  LOCAL AUTHORITY SECURE ACCOMMODATION: DETAINEES
  HEARING LOSS PATIENTS: REFERRAL
  HEARING LOSS PATIENTS: REFERRAL
  PIPER ALPHA RIG: SABOTAGE ATTEMPT
  PIPER ALPHA RIG: SABOTAGE ATTEMPT
  JURY VOTES IN SCOTTISH CRIMINAL TRIALS
  JURY VOTES IN SCOTTISH CRIMINAL TRIALS