Written Answers of 7 March 1989

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Service
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a report on the young offender wing at HM prison, Leeds, from the deputy director-general of the prison service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have now received the report which I asked the deputy director-general to prepare on the young offender wing at Leeds, with particular reference to the deaths of five young prisoners there in the past year. The report concludes that the deaths appear not to have been the result either of the way in which the prisoners were treated or of conditions on the wing, which are at least as good as those at comparable establishments. The report finds the prison service suicide prevention procedures are being complied with at Leeds prison, and argues that the situation would not be improved by simply removing the young prisoners at Leeds to another establishment. It does, however, make a number of specific recommendations aimed at preventing further fatalities. These include the installation of more sophisticated cell lighting to facilitate observation of inmates at night without disturbing them; the establishment of a suicide prevention management group at the prison; the training of more staff in suicide prevention awareness and techniques; the improvement of the reception area where newly arrived inmates are screened for suicide risk; and improved arrangements for communication between staff involved

  Proved offences of gross personal violence to or assault on a prison officer committed at Lindholme prison: by type of offence and punishment awarded. 1986 and 1987.

  Number of offences

  Offence and year

  Total offences

  Cellular confinement

  Forfeiture of privileges

  Stoppage or reduction of earnings

  Exclusion from associated work

  Forfeiture of remission

  Total punishments

  Gross personal violence to prison officer

  1986

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Assault on prison officer

  1986

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  6

  1987

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Attempted gross personal violence to or assault on prison officer

  1986

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  1987

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

THE ARTS

  Manuscript Conservation
  Sir Philip Goodhart
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on his proposals for assisting the conservation of manuscripts.

  Mr. Luce
  I am glad to announce that I am setting aside up to £100,000 a year for the three years 1989–90 to 1991–92 towards the establishment of a national manuscripts conservation fund. This is in response to a
  456
  with young prisoners at Leeds. I accept these recommendations and am asking the governor and regional director to implement them as quickly as possible

  Citizenship Applications
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available the income and expenditure account for the administration of citizenship applications for 1987–88.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have today placed in the Library a copy of the nationality fees income and expenditure account for the 12 months ended 31 March 1988.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has of the cost of opening one magistrates' court, staffed by a probation officer in the London area for two hours on a Saturday afternoon.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 6 March 1989]: This information is not readily available. But it is estimated that the average cost on a Saturday afternoon of a London magistrates court is £2,500.

  Lindholme Prison
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, by year and by grade of inmate, the number of offences by inmates at HM prison Lindholme, since it was opened of(a) gross personal violence to a prison officer, (b) assault on a prison officer and (c) attempts to commit such offences; and if he will give in his answer the penalty imposed on inmates found guilty of each offence.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 6 March 1989]: All prisoners held at Lindholme are sentenced adult males. The readily available information relates to offences proved on adjudication and is given in the table.

  proposal from the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts and the British Library, who are seeking matching amounts from other sources. The purpose of the fund is to provide financial assistance to record offices, libraries and other owners of manuscripts, documents and archives accessible to the public, where the need for special conservation beyond the applicants' normal resources can be demonstrated. Grants will normally match applicants' own contributions. If the expectation regarding matching by applicants and from other sources is realised, this will mean that up to £400,000 will be available for the

  457
  conservation of manuscripts in each year. The rules of the fund will be determined by its trustees who have yet to be appointed. The fund will be administered by the British Library's research and development department, to which all inquiries should be addressed.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Hon. Members (Courses)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will take steps to devise with the Civil Service college together with the permanent staff of the House an induction course for new hon. Members.

  Mr. Luce
  Last year the college arranged two briefing seminars for hon. Members. They would be happy to arrange another if there appears to be sufficient demand to justify it.

  Payment Warrants
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service why, pursuant to his reply of 20 February,Official Report, column 519, the three organisations referred to were asked to return their payment warrants; and why the four others were not so asked.

  Mr. Luce
  The structure of the vote for the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service allowed payment to four organisations but not to the three asked to return their payment warrants.

ENVIRONMENT

  67 Tufton Street, Westminster
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date, after the previous lease had expired in June 1979, the renewed leasehold agreement between the Property Services Agency and Bourne Association Ltd., for the rent of 67 Tufton street, Westminster, commenced.

  Mr. Chope
  June 1979.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date, after the previous lease had expired in June 1979, a renewed leasehold agreement between the Property Services Agency and Bourne Association Ltd., for the rent of 67 Tufton street, Westminster, was signed.

  Mr. Chope
  The renewed leasehold agreement was signed in November 1980.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date, after the previous lease had expired in June 1979, a renewed leasehold agreement between the Property Services Agency and Bourne Association Ltd., for the rent of 67 Tufton street, Westminster, terminated.

  Mr. Chope
  It is not due to terminate until lease expiry in June 1999.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any agreement was made to 458
  exempt from the provisions of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 the leasehold agreement made by the Property Services Agency for the rent of 67 Tufton street, Westminster, which expired in June 1979.

  Mr. Chope
  At no time was there any agreement which could have taken the lease which terminated in June 1979 outside the provisions of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date notice of determination of the leasehold agreement made between Bourne Association Limited and the Property Services Agency for the rent of 67 Tufton street, Westminster, was served on the Property Services Agency.

  Mr. Chope
  October 1978.

  Dust and Noise (St. Stephen's House)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to initiate a full analysis of dust taken from all work areas, rooms, corridors and toilets in St. Stephen's house.

  Mr. Chope
  There is more dust than usual but this is unavoidable while major building work is under way on the adjoining properties. No useful purpose would be served by analysing the dust.

  Neighbour Notification
  Mr. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning authorities in England and Wales have a code of practice for neighbour notification.

  Mr. Chope
  My Department does not have this information.

  Housing
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's policy for those who cannot afford to buy or rent housing in the open market.

  Mr. Trippier
  Our policy is that affordable housing should be within the reach of all families. In particular we recognise the need to stimulate investment in the rented sector. This need not all be publicly owned and subsidised housing—housing benefit is available for poorer tenants who cannot afford their housing costs. But we accept the continuing need for some new investment in subsidised rented housing in areas of shortage. We are therefore encouraging private investment in housing associations and increasing public funding for the Housing Corporation programme by 80 per cent. over three years; and we have clarified local authorities' powers to pay subsidies to private landlords where this is needed to stimulate investment whilst keeping rents at affordable levels.

  Rents (Newham)
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what his Department treats as a reasonable affordable rent in the London borough of Newham.
  459
  Mr. Trippier
  This is a matter for the landlords and tenants concerned, and circumstances will vary. Housing associations are required to have regard to the Housing Corporation's tenants' guarantee, which says that they should set and maintain their rents at levels which are within the reach of those in low paid employment. Local authorities should have regard to the provision of section 24 of the Housing Act 1985.

  Waste Paper (Palace of Westminster)
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are made for the collection and disposal of waste paper from the Palace of Westminster.

  Mr. Chope
  The collection and disposal of waste paper from the Palace of Westminster is carried out by a contractor employed by the Property Services Agency.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table of the numbers of registered homeless people for each housing authority area for each of the last three years.

  Mr. Trippier
  The number of households accepted under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Acts reported by local authorities for 1985, 1986 and 1987 are published in "Local Housing Statistics" (issues No. 78, 82 and 86 respectively). Figures for the first and second quarters of 1988 are also published in issues No. 86 and 87 of "Local Housing Statistics"; figures for the third quarter appear in "Local authorities' action under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act: England. Results for the third quarter of 1988. Supplementary Tables".

  Copies of all these are available in the Library.

  Housing (Birmingham)
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department will reply to the letter dated 24 January 1989 from the city of Birmingham housing department about the 1989–90 financial arrangements for five estate action schemes in Birmingham.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department's regional office will respond very shortly.

  Rating Assessment
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take to ensure the harmonisation of the decapitalisation rates used for rating assessment in Great Britain.

  Mr. Ridley
  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales and I propose that, to assist the harmonisation of rating, we should use our powers to prescribe common decapitalisation rates to be used throughout Great Britain in the 1990 revaluation for properties valued by reference to the cost of construction. The evidence suggests that the rate should be set somewhere in the range 6 to 7 per cent., although a lower rate may be justified for certain educational and health care establishments valued on this basis. We shall be issuing a consultation paper shortly.

  Compulsory Purchase
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for amending the law on land compensation and compulsory purchase.

  Mr. Ridley
  My Department has today issued a consultation paper inviting comments by 21 April 1989 on various proposals relating to compulsory purchase and land compensation. I have placed a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Government have concluded their review of the compensation provisions applying to compulsory purchases for commercial purposes.

  Mr. Ridley
  The Government have given careful thought to the representations about the land compensation code made during the debates on the Channel Tunnel Bill and in a memorandum submitted by the National Farmers Union and the Country Landowners Association.

  Under the existing provisions, compensation is based on the market value of the land, taking account of any planning permission or hope value which attaches to it, but disregarding the effects of the scheme for which the land is being taken, except in so far as the actual or prospective development might have taken place apart from the scheme. It is generally accepted that in most cases this basis of compensation achieves a fair result since it gives the land owner the value which his asset would have realised on the open market in the absence of the proposed scheme.

  The main point raised during the parliamentary debates on the subject, and repeated in the joint memorandum, was that the code operates unfairly where the end use of the land is essentially commercial, since a commercial undertaking acquiring land without the benefit of compulsory purchase powers might be expected to pay the landowner a premium in order to secure the land for itself. Particular concern was expressed about the compulsory powers which remain with nationalised industries after they have been privatised.

  Land may be acquired compulsorily only where authorised by or under statute. The compulsory powers remaining with nationalised industries after privatisation relate only to the statutory functions of those industries and cannot be used to acquire land which is not needed for those functions. Each acquisition must be justified on its merits having regard to the statutory powers concerned. In these respects, compulsory acquisitions of land by or on behalf of private sector bodies do not differ from other compulsory acquisitions. The Government's view is that the market value of the land as assessed under the existing compensation provisions remains a fair measure of the loss to be compensated where any land is acquired compulsorily. It will be for Parliament to consider the scope and extent of any compulsory acquisition powers proposed in future legislation including private legislation to authorise particular developments for which land may need to be compulsorily acquired. However, it is the Government's view that compulsory powers should not be available to acquire land for incidental commercial development.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he is making to co-ordinate the European research into stratospheric ozone.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In October 1987 at a meeting of Ministers from a number of EC and EFTA countries, we suggested that co-operation on stratospheric ozone should be dealt with on a Europewide basis. We are pleased that following discussion by representatives of various EC and EFTA countries and leading European stratospheric scientists over the past year, our proposal has led to the establishment of a European stratospheric ozone research co-ordinating centre.

  The unit will be set up this spring in Cambridge and led by a British scientists Dr. Tony Cox of the UKAEA Harwell laboratory, Oxfordshire, who has an established international reputation in atmospheric chemistry. It will be located at the offices of the Natural Environment Research Council's British Antarctic survey and will operate in conjunction with a panel of European scientists to facilitate co-operation on stratospheric ozone research. The centre will be administered jointly by Cambridge university and the British Antarctic survey. We hope that a scientist from another European country will be attached to the centre to support Dr. Cox.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to initiate research into the methods of safe disposal of chlorofluorocarbons; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 6 March 1989]: I have been asked to reply.

  The Department is assessing the production, use, recyclability and disposal of CFCs, with a view to defining areas where specific research may be justified. Meanwhile, any company with a project eligible for support under the enterprise initiative, including the research and technology initiative, should make full use of the assistance available.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Less-favoured Areas (Submission)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the submission being prepared for presentation to the European Commission which covers less-favoured areas in the whole of the United Kingdom will be completed and forwarded for its consideration.

  Mr. Ryder
  We are now very close to completing work on the application of the required economic and demographic tests in the United Kingdom. I plan to put a case to Brussels for consideration very soon and will keep the House informed of progress.

  Belgian Trawlers
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when information has been passed by spotter planes working in conjunction with fisheries protection vessels, that Belgian trawlers were fishing in forbidden or restricted waters; and if he will make a statement.
  462
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  In 1988, two Belgian beam trawlers were observed by United Kingdom surveillance aircraft illegally fishing within the six-mile limit. In both cases the vessels were prosecuted and financial penalties were imposed by the courts.

  Information Services
  Mr. Michael Marshall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the outcome was of his Departmental review of data with potential value to the information services industry, initiated after the circulation of policy guidelines on Government-held tradeable information in 1986.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  An "information audit" has been carried out in the Department and a number of information systems have been identified as potential candidates for commercial exploitation. Further work is needed on these systems to assess their commercial viability.

  Porcine Somatotropin
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current use of porcine somatotropin.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  No product based on porcine somatotropin has received a product licence or is the subject of an animal test certificate issued under the Medicines Act.

  Red Deer
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to take any action to prohibit farming systems for the intensive rearing of red deer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have no plans to prohibit such farming systems. However, I will ask the state veterinary service to check on welfare should any system of continuous deer housing be employed.

  Salmonella
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list which of the 17 measures referred to by him in the Official Report, at column 933, on 21 February, are new measures to be enacted and which of them are within existing legislation;

  (2) if he will give the dates and circumstances when any of the 17 measures referred to by him on 21 February, Official Report, column 933, have been used to deal with salmonella enteritidis.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on Friday 3 March at columns 373–74. All 17 measures, many of which are already in operation, are intended to contribute actively to combating salmonella enteritidis.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the licensing of bovine somatotropin.
  463
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The licensing of bovine somatotropin, as with any other veterinary product, will be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Medicines Act.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on his proposals for the future funding and manpower of agricultural research and development, particularly in relation to(a) the Agricultural Development advisory service and (b) the Agricultural and Food Research Council.

  Mr. Ryder
  As announced in November 1987, planned expenditure on R and D by Agriculture departments will be reduced by £5 million in 1989–90 and by a further £5 million in 1990–91. The 1988 Autumn Statement announced a further £5 million reduction for 1990–91 and an additional £9 million for 1991–92. Together, these reductions amount to a total of £24 million by 1991–92, which is equivalent to £30 million at full economic cost. However, there will be an increase in the strategic research funded from the agriculture, fisheries and food programme of £2 million in 1990–91 and a further £3 million in 1991–92.

  Final decisions on the future level of Government funding of agricultural research and development will not be taken until after consultations with the industry on the funding of near market research are completed. Those consultations will also be an important factor in determining future staffing levels of the Agriculture Development and Advisory Service on research and development. I shall keep the House informed of decisions taken to adapt our facilities and manpower to the policy on near market research.

  The Agriculture and Food Research Council receives funds from my Department and through the science budget which is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Education and Science who is also answerable to this House for all matters related to the council.

  Mackerel
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the issue of klondyking licences in the mackerel fishery of the south-west of England.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have recently issued one time-limited klondyking licence valid until mid-March. The vessel concerned has a relatively limited processing capacity. Last year six vessels were licensed to klondyke in this fishery. Before issuing licences I take full account of the views of interested parties. In the case of the licence I have issued, I concluded that, especially in view of the proportion of mackerel landings which has gone for fishmeal, a limited klondyking operation was fully justified. It should have no damaging effects on the mackerel stock, bearing in mind the conservation measures which apply, including the extended south-west mackerel box.

  Sea Defence, Aldeburgh
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current position on grant aid for the Anglian water authority's proposed sea defence scheme for Aldeburgh; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I am delighted to announce that approval has now been given to the Anglian water authority's outline proposals for a £4 million sea defence scheme at Aldeburgh. My officials have written to inform the authority.

  The area around Aldeburgh is highly prized for its environmental features which include a heritage coast and an environmentally sensitive area. As well as preventing flooding to people, land and property, the improved sea defences will afford protection to valuable conservation, amenity and recreational interests.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  AIDS
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the research conducted by Dr. Robert Gallo in the United States of America relating to the identification of the human B-lymphotropic virus as a possible co-factor necessary for HIV to cause AIDS, is being assessed as part of his AIDS research programme.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The AIDS research programme funded from the science budget is run by the Medical Research Council and it is for the council to make scientific judgments on the content of the programme. I understand that British research has included the possibility that human B-cell lymphotropic virus (human herpes virus 6) might be a co-factor necessary for HIV to cause AIDS. The initial results do not support the contention.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research has been carried out into the formulation known as AL 721 active lecithin as a means of de-activating the HIV virus.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Medical Research Council is not conducting such research. I understand that studies that have been carried out under the other auspices have produced conflicting results on both the safety and the activity against HIV of this formulation.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he intends to sponsor trials into the application of AL 721 active lecithin as part of the AIDS research programmes, in view of evidence of its potential for protection against viral activity via the enhancement of cell membrane defences.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The AIDS research programme funded from the science budget is run by the Medical Research Council and it is for the council to make scientific judgments on the contents of the programme. I understand that the council plans no trials of AL 721 active lecithin. Preliminary results should shortly be available from a small trial under other auspices.

  Religious Education
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidelines he has issued as to
  465
  the composition of local education authority standing advisory committees on religious education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The basis composition of standing advisory councils on religious education (SACREs) is laid down by the Education Reform Act 1988. The Department has recently issued a circular explaining the new requirements for religious education and collective worship in schools, including those for SACREs, and a copy has been placed in the Library.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the organisations which have formally responded to the "Top-Up Loans for Students" White Paper.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has received formal responses from th following organisations:

  APT—The Association for Lecturers in Higher Education

  Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association

  Association for Student Counselling

  Association of College Registrars and Administrators

  Association of County Councils

  Association of Graduate Recruiters

  Association of Heads of Polytechnic Student Services

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  Association of University Teachers

  Association of University Teachers, London Committee Brighton Polytechnic

  Brighton Polytechnic (Department of Economics and Social Science)

  Bristol Polytechnic Students' Union

  British Dental Association

  British Medical Association

  Chartered Association of Certified Accountants

  Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy

  Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

  Christ Church College, Canterbury

  Church of Scotland, Department of Education

  City of London Polytechnic

  City University

  Commission for Racial Equality

  Committee of Directors of Polytechnics

  Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom

  Conference of Awards Officers of London and the Home Counties

  Conference of Scottish Centrally-Funded Colleges

  Conservative Collegiate Forum

  Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Council for Professional Supplementary to Medicine

  Craigie College of Education

  Currie High School, Midlothian

  Derbyshire LEA

  Dorset Institute Students Union

  Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art

  Dundee Institute of Technology

  Engineering Employers' Federation

  Equal Opportunities Commission

  Essex LEA

  Family Welfare Association (Educational Grants Advisory Service)

  Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge

  Gateshead LEA

  General Synod of the Church of England Advisory Council for the Church's Ministry

  Glasgow College

  Glasgow College Students Association

  Hampshire LEA

  Harrow LEA

  Hatfield Polytechnic Students' Union

  Heriot-Watt University

  Heythrop College Union

  Imperial Chemical Industries plc

  466

  Imperial College Union

  Incorporated Society of Musicians

  Inner London Education Authority

  Institute of Education Union Society, University of London Kent LEA

  King's College, London Union

  King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry of King's College London

  Lancashire LEA

  Law Society

  Liverpool LEA

  London Boroughs Association

  London School of Economics and Political Science

  Manchester LEA

  Medical College of Saint Bartholomew's Hospital

  Methodist Church Division of Education and Youth

  Methodist Church Division of Ministries

  Napier Polytechnic

  Napier Polytechnic Students Association

  National and Local Government Officers Association

  National Architecture Students Association

  National Association of Head Teachers

  National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education

  National Institute for the Deaf

  National Union of Students/Union of Students in Ireland, Northern Ireland Region

  Newcastle upon Tyne LEA

  Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic

  Norfolk LEA

  National Union of Students

  National Union of Students, Bristol

  National Union of Students, Nottinghamshire Area

  National Union of Students, West of Scotland Area Open University

  Paisley College of Technology

  Plater College, Oxford

  Polytechnic of Central London

  Portsmouth Polytechnic Students' Union

  Professional Association of Teachers

  Queen Mary College Union

  Queen's College, Birmingham

  Rotherham LEA

  Royal Academy of Music Students' Union

  Royal Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and Adults

  Saint Georges Hospital Medical School Union

  Socialist Educational Association

  Society of Education Officers

  South Bank Polytechnic

  South Bank Polytechnic

  Students' Union

  Staffordshire LEA

  Thames Polytechnic

  Trades Union Congress

  United Reformed Church

  Universities of Scotland: Standing Conference

  University College, London

  University College, London Union

  University College Middlesex School of Medicine Students' Union

  University of Aberdeen

  University of Bath

  University of Bath Students' Union

  University of Birmingham Guild of Students

  University of Bradford

  University of Bristol

  University of Cambridge

  University of Cambridge Graduate Union

  University of Cambridge Students' Union

  University of Dundee

  University of East Anglia

  University of Edinburgh

  University of Edinburgh Student Advisory and Counselling Service

  University of Edinburgh Students' Association

  University of Glasgow

  University of Kent at Canterbury

  University of Kent at Canterbury Students' Union

  University of Leeds

  University of London

  467

  University of London Union

  University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology

  University of Newcastle upon Tyne

  University of Oxford Students' Union

  University of Salford

  University of Salford Students' Union

  University of Southampton

  University of Stirling

  University of Strathclyde

  University of Ulster Students' Union

  University of Wales

  University of Wales College of Medicine

  University of Warwick

  University of York

  Wesley House, Cambridge

  West Sussex Institute of Higher Education Students' Union

  Westfield College Union Society

  Yorkshire and Humberside Association of Educational Guidance Services for Adults

  ILEA
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether it is the current intention to provide revenue support grant for education services in the inner London boroughs when they assume responsibilities for the Inner London Education Authority in April 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In 1990–91 central Government grant will be available for distribution among all local authorities in England, including the inner London boroughs, to support expenditure on all the services for which they are responsible.

  1988–89 comparison GRE v RER budget expenditure1

  LEA

  Budget Expenditure

  Education GRE2

  Overspend

  Overspend

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  per cent.

  ILEA

  997·87

  635·21

  362·66

  36·3

  Newcastle

  89·83

  71·19

  18·64

  20·8

  Manchester

  163·41

  133·45

  29·96

  18·3

  Waltham Forest

  80·18

  66·02

  14·16

  17·7

  Haringey

  77·46

  63·96

  13·51

  17·4

  Liverpool

  173·62

  144·94

  28·68

  16·5

  South Tyne

  53·14

  44·52

  8·62

  16·2

  Hounslow

  71·18

  60·19

  10·99

  15·4

  Walsall

  97·17

  83·36

  13·81

  14·2

  Ealing

  102·95

  88·64

  14·32

  13·9

  Salford

  74·55

  64·53

  10·02

  13·4

  Sandwell

  108·23

  93·70

  14·53

  13·4

  Barking

  47·61

  41·36

  6·25

  13·1

  North Tyne

  61·76

  53·84

  7·92

  12·8

  Gateshead

  62·57

  54·55

  8·02

  12·8

  Wakefield

  100·32

  87·97

  12·35

  12·3

  Hillingdon

  70·90

  62·23

  8·67

  12·2

  Knowsley

  62·24

  54·75

  7·49

  12·0

  Wigan

  105·38

  92·71

  12·67

  12·0

  Rochdale

  73·12

  64·42

  8·70

  11·9

  Richmond

  38·54

  34·01

  4·53

  11·8

  Croydon

  99·21

  87·71

  11·50

  11·6

  St. Helens

  65·97

  58·34

  7·63

  11·6

  Bury

  57·18

  50·61

  6·58

  11·5

  Bradford

  175·14

  155·55

  19·59

  11·2

  Derbyshire

  298·14

  264·91

  33·24

  11·1

  Newham

  88·03

  79·20

  8·82

  10·0

  Somerset

  132·71

  119·51

  13·20

  9·9

  Wirral

  110·74

  99·73

  11·01

  9·9

  Cumbria

  150·30

  135·40

  14·90

  9·9

  Coventry

  106·07

  95·93

  10·14

  9·6

  Avon

  266·62

  241·31

  25·31

  9·5

  Harrow

  63·64

  57·68

  5·95

  9·4

  Brent

  96·38

  87·57

  8·81

  9·1

  Doncaster

  95·67

  86·93

  8·74

  9·1

  Calderdale

  65·10

  59·19

  5·91

  9·1

  Sheffield

  161·13

  146·69

  14·45

  9·0

  Leeds

  214·16

  196·08

  18·09

  8·4

  Veterinary Education
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the Riley committee's report to the University Grants Committee which recommends the closure of the Glasgow veterinary school.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for St. Helens, South (Mr. Bermingham) at column 397.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a list of the local education authorities which, in 1988–89, are expected to spend more than their grant-related expenditure assessment in respect of education; what the amount of such excess spending for each authority will be in cash terms and as a percentage of their total expenditure on education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rumbold
  The only consistent forecast expenditure available at this stage is from budget returns submitted by authorities on the form RER last year to the Department of the Environment and is therefore provisional: it is given in the table. The expenditure figures include some capital items and specific grants which do not appear within the grant related expenditure assessment.
  469

  LEA

  Budget Expenditure

  Education GRE2

  Overspend

  Overspend

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  per cent.

  Cleveland

  199·00

  182·46

  16·54

  8·3

  Durham

  184·76

  169·63

  15·13

  8·2

  Rotherham

  85·71

  78·72

  6·99

  8·2

  Hertfordshire

  302·06

  277·78

  24·28

  8·0

  Merton

  45·68

  42·04

  3·65

  8·0

  Tameside

  68·30

  62·92

  5·39

  7·9

  Humberside

  276·51

  254·83

  21·67

  7·8

  Havering

  71·50

  65·97

  5·53

  7·7

  Nottinghamshire

  308·36

  286·08

  22·28

  7·2

  Bedfordshire

  170·32

  158·02

  12·30

  7·2

  Northumberland

  92·68

  86·14

  6·54

  7·1

  Sutton

  47·23

  44·07

  3·15

  6·7

  Kingston

  36·59

  34·26

  2·33

  6·4

  Kirklees

  130·73

  122·49

  8·24

  6·3

  Isle of Wight

  34·58

  32·46

  2·12

  6·1

  Wolverhampton

  90·20

  84·79

  5·42

  6·0

  Gloucestershire

  150·69

  141·85

  8·83

  5·9

  Barnet

  82·88

  78·28

  4·60

  5·6

  Oxfordshire

  150·71

  143·10

  7·61

  5·0

  Northamptonshire

  177·21

  168·37

  8·83

  5·0

  Stockport

  86·05

  81·76

  4·29

  5·0

  North Yorkshire

  203·06

  193·43

  9·63

  4·7

  Cambridge

  187·48

  178·69

  8·79

  4·7

  Essex

  446·37

  425·83

  20·53

  4·6

  Leicester

  275·63

  263·18

  12·45

  4·5

  Lancashire

  431·32

  412·64

  18·67

  4·3

  Wiltshire

  161·08

  154·94

  6·14

  3·8

  Cheshire

  305·34

  293·74

  11·60

  3·8

  Barnsley

  65·95

  63·51

  2·45

  3·7

  Surrey

  261·09

  251·51

  9·58

  3·7

  Shropshire

  125·31

  120·75

  4·57

  3·6

  Enfield

  80·65

  78·29

  2·36

  2·9

  Bexley

  63·96

  62·18

  1·78

  2·8

  Trafford

  65·30

  63·54

  1·76

  2·7

  Bucks

  194·82

  189·58

  5·25

  2·7

  Oldham

  70·36

  68·51

  1·85

  2·6

  Staffordshire

  304·03

  296·29

  7·74

  2·5

  Dudley

  88·08

  85·95

  2·13

  2·4

  Warwickshire

  144·91

  141·48

  3·44

  2·4

  Bromley

  76·14

  74·56

  1·58

  2·1

  Redbridge

  63·97

  62·66

  1·31

  2·0

  Suffolk

  166·77

  163·67

  3·10

  1·9

  Dorset

  152·84

  150·16

  2·68

  1·8

  Sefton

  86·44

  85·14

  1·30

  1·5

  Hampshire

  420·49

  415·53

  4·96

  1·2

  Devon

  256·60

  254·39

  2·21

  0·9

  Bolton

  82·74

  82·16

  0·58

  0·7

  Solihull

  61·10

  61·09

  0·01

  0·0

  1 Provisional information based on form RER. The expenditure figures include some capital items and specific grants which do not appear within the grant related expenditure assessment.

  2 Block grant is unhypothecated and based on GRE assessment for all services, and local authorities have discretion on how they spend across services.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the total annual expenditure on education by local education authorities in each year from 1981–82 to the present, in cash and real terms; whether such figures of total annual expenditure include amounts from sources such as reserves and balances; and if he will make a statement.

  £ million

  Total recurrent

  Mandatory awards3

  Total capital

  Total

  Cash

  Real terms

  Cash

  Real terms

  Cash

  Real terms

  Cash

  Real terms

  1981–82

  8,896

  12,005

  770

  1,039

  406

  548

  10,072

  13,592

  1982–83

  9,598

  12,088

  669

  843

  456

  575

  10,723

  13,506

  1983–84

  10,102

  12,169

  734

  884

  469

  565

  11,305

  13,618

  1984–85

  10,525

  12,068

  744

  853

  501

  575

  11,770

  13,496

  1985–86

  10,912

  11,871

  710

  772

  530

  577

  12,152

  13,220

  1986–87

  12,061

  12,697

  703

  740

  574

  604

  13,338

  14,041

  1987–881

  13,222

  13,222

  761

  761

  562

  562

  14,545

  14,545

  1988–892

  14,214

  13,378

  803

  756

  619

  580

  15,636

  14,716

  470
  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested is provided in the table. The figures for total recurrent spending include movements in and out of reserves. These are not separately identifiable for education spending.
  471
  1 The 1987–88 figures incorporate a distribution by sector of total expenditure on education.

  2 The 1988–89 figures incorporate a provisional distribution by sector of total current spending by local authorities based on their budgets.

  3 Includes payments to public sector higher education institutions as reimbursements of fees for EC students.

  Cash prices for the earlier years have been repriced to 1987–88 prices using the gross domestic product (market prices) deflator.

  The capital expenditure figures include expenditure which local authorities have financed from receipts arising from the sale of capital assets and from other sources.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the total annual amount of grant-related expenditure in respect of education in each year from 1981–82 to 1989–90, in cash and real terms.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The total (the total for grant related expenditure does not include specific grant paid in aid of education expenditure) of grant-related expenditure for education, including school meals, in the years from 1981–82 to 1989–90 is set out in the table.

  GREA for education

  £ million cash

  £ million at 1987–88 prices

  1981–82

  9,081

  12,254

  1982–83

  9,893

  12,460

  1983–84

  9,997

  12,043

  1984–85

  10,306

  11,817

  1985–86

  10,727

  11,670

  1986–87

  11,344

  11,943

  1987–88

  12,623

  12,623

  1988–89

  13,472

  12,680

  1989–90

  13,833

  12,399

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to his Department on the amounts of annual expenditure on education by local education authorities, including expenditure from sources such as reserves and balances; and if he will make a statement.

  1987–88 comparison GRE v RER revised outturn expenditure1

  LEA

  Revised outturn expenditure

  Education GRE2

  Overspend

  Overspend

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  per cent.

  ILEA

  987·38

  593·48

  393·89

  39·9

  Haringey

  82·22

  60·70

  21·52

  26·2

  Manchester

  167·57

  125·43

  42·13

  25·1

  Brent

  104·70

  81·03

  23·67

  22·6

  Waltham Forest

  78·80

  62·53

  16·27

  20·6

  Newcastle

  84·72

  67·26

  17·46

  20·6

  North Tyne

  61·67

  51·00

  10·68

  17·3

  Liverpool

  166·52

  137·70

  28·82

  17·3

  Hounslow

  65·67

  55·49

  10·19

  15·5

  Richmond

  36·74

  31·71

  5·02

  13·7

  Ealing

  96·01

  82·97

  13·03

  13·6

  South Tyne

  49·41

  42·70

  6·70

  13·6

  Knowsley

  59·39

  51·48

  6·90

  13·3

  Walsall

  89·83

  78·46

  11·36

  12·6

  Sheffield

  159·41

  139·30

  20·10

  12·6

  Wigan

  100·08

  87·56

  12·51

  12·5

  Barking

  44·52

  39·62

  4·90

  11·0

  Cumbria

  143·10

  127·38

  15·72

  11·0

  Rochdale

  67·77

  60·51

  7·26

  10·7

  Gateshead

  58·34

  52·20

  6·14

  10·5

  Salford

  69·14

  61·88

  7·26

  10·5

  Wakefield

  92·68

  83·41

  9·27

  10·0

  Bradford

  161·88

  146·02

  15·86

  9·8

  Harrow

  59·34

  53·56

  5·78

  9·7

  Croydon

  91·69

  82·89

  8·80

  9·6

  Derbyshire

  275·04

  248·80

  26·23

  9·5

  472
  Mrs. Rumbold
  Detailed outturn information for local authority expenditure on education is submitted to the Department of the Environment by local authorities on the revenue outturn (RO1) and capital outturn (CO1) forms. The latest year for which full information is available is 1986–87. LEAs are currently submitting RO1 and CO1 forms showing education expenditure in 1987–88. Local education authorities also provide information on their budgeted expenditure on the return of expenditure and rates (RER) form. This is used as the basis for estimating local authority education spending where actual information is not available. The revenue forms do not separately identify education expenditure financed by reserves. The capital forms do enable authorities to show the receipts arising from the sale of capital assets.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a list of the local education authorities which in 1987–88 spent more than their grant-related expenditure assessment in respect of education; what was the amount of such excess spending for each authority, in cash terms and as a percentage of their total expenditure on education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested is given in the table. The figures for local authorities' expenditure on education are taken from the revised outturns of expenditure as notified by the authorities to the Department of the Environment on form RER. These outturn figures are not necessarily identical to authorities' final education expenditure. The expenditure figures include some capital items and specific grants which do not appear within the grant-related expenditure assessment.
  473

  LEA

  Revised outturn expenditure

  Education GRE2

  Overspend

  Overspend

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  per cent.

  Coventry

  99·59

  90·09

  9·50

  9·5

  Sandwell

  97·54

  88·38

  9·16

  9·4

  Calderdale

  61·14

  55·63

  5·51

  9·0

  Barnet

  79·60

  72·54

  7·07

  8·9

  Isle of Wight

  31·97

  29·19

  2·78

  8·7

  Somerset

  121·81

  111·25

  10·56

  8·7

  Bury

  52·03

  47·62

  4·41

  8·5

  Hillingdon

  63·59

  58·23

  5·36

  8·4

  St. Helens

  60·11

  55·09

  5·03

  8·4

  Avon

  245·21

  225·01

  20·20

  8·2

  Wolverhampton

  87·12

  80·07

  7·05

  8·1

  Nottinghamshire

  292·09

  268·70

  23·39

  8·0

  Doncaster

  90·11

  82·94

  7·17

  8·0

  Cleveland

  185·31

  171·68

  13·63

  7·4

  Tameside

  63·56

  58·97

  4·58

  7·2

  Newham

  79·30

  73·70

  5·60

  7·1

  Durham

  171·51

  159·64

  11·87

  6·9

  Leeds

  200·69

  186·87

  13·82

  6·9

  Bedfordshire

  157·41

  146·64

  10·76

  6·8

  Kingston

  34·21

  31·90

  2·32

  6·8

  Humberside

  256·75

  239·85

  16·91

  6·6

  Havering

  66·79

  62·93

  3·86

  5·8

  Northumberland

  85·49

  80·68

  4·80

  5·6

  Kirklees

  120·74

  114·07

  6·66

  5·5

  Cheshire

  289·74

  273·82

  15·92

  5·5

  Leicester

  260·32

  246·06

  14·26

  5·5

  Wirral

  99·47

  94·17

  5·30

  5·3

  Gloucestershire

  139·52

  132·77

  6·75

  4·8

  Hertfordshire

  277·41

  264·07

  13·34

  4·8

  Rotherham

  77·35

  73·87

  3·48

  4·5

  Sutton

  42·94

  41·13

  1·81

  4·2

  Stockport

  81·05

  77·64

  3·41

  4·2

  Oxfordshire

  139·95

  134·59

  5·36

  3·8

  Northamptonshire

  161·25

  155·09

  6·16

  3·8

  Lancashire

  400·56

  386·15

  14·41

  3·6

  Merton

  41·12

  39·71

  1·41

  3·4

  Barnsley

  62·50

  60·45

  2·05

  3·3

  Redbridge

  59·84

  57·98

  1·86

  3·1

  Bexley

  60·75

  58·93

  1·82

  3·0

  Cambridge

  171·06

  166·08

  4·98

  2·9

  Shropshire

  115·55

  112·50

  3·05

  2·6

  North Yorkshire

  184·82

  179·95

  4·87

  2·6

  Enfield

  74·58

  72·84

  1·74

  2·3

  Surrey

  241·20

  235·58

  5·62

  2·3

  Essex

  408·55

  399·31

  9·24

  2·3

  Buckinghamshire

  179·78

  175·75

  4·03

  2·2

  Warwickshire

  136·28

  133·27

  3·01

  2·2

  Oldham

  65·75

  64·32

  1·43

  2·2

  Sunderland

  86·78

  84·92

  1·86

  2·1

  Wiltshire

  147·41

  144·32

  3·08

  2·1

  Staffordshire

  285·13

  279·42

  5·71

  2·0

  Bromley

  71·80

  70·54

  1·26

  1·8

  Suffolk

  154·56

  152·58

  1·98

  1·3

  Sefton

  81·59

  80·57

  1·02

  1·3

  Dudley

  81·74

  81·03

  0·71

  0·9

  Trafford

  60·27

  59·78

  0·48

  0·8

  Hampshire

  391·25

  388·48

  2·78

  0·7

  Dorset

  140·23

  139·51

  0·72

  0·5

  1 Provisional information based on form RER. The expenditure figures include some capital items and specific grants which do not appear within the grant related expenditure assessment.

  2 Block grant is unhypothecated and based on GRE assessment for all services, and local authorities have discretion on how they spend across services.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a list of the local education authorities which in 1986–87 spent more than their grant-related expenditure assessments in respect of education; what was the amount of such excess spending for each authority, in cash terms and as a percentage of their total expenditure on education; and if he will make a statement.
  474
  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested is given in the table. The figures for local authorities' expenditure on education are taken from the revised outturns of expenditure as notified by the authorities to the Department of Environment on the form RER. These outturn figures are not necessarily identical to authorities' final education expenditure. The expenditure figures include some capital terms and specific grants which do not appear within the grant-related expenditure assessment.
  475

  1986–87 comparison GRE v. RER revised outturn expenditure1

  Revised outturn expenditure

  Education GRE2

  Overspend

  Percentage overspend

  Local education authority

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Inner London education authority

  952·47

  541·28

  411·19

  43·2

  Haringey

  82·18

  56·07

  26·11

  31·8

  Manchester

  157·14

  112·50

  44·64

  28·4

  Brent

  97·05

  72·71

  24·34

  25·1

  Newcastle

  80·24

  60·27

  19·97

  24·9

  Waltham Forest

  70·20

  56·99

  13·21

  18·8

  North Tyne

  55·85

  45·54

  10·31

  18·5

  Liverpool

  154·08

  125·74

  28·35

  18·4

  Richmond

  35·36

  29·02

  6·33

  17·9

  South Tyne

  46·98

  38·80

  8·18

  17·4

  Hounslow

  59·74

  49·84

  9·90

  16·6

  Knowsley

  57·14

  47·71

  9·42

  16·5

  Sheffield

  151·22

  126·44

  24·77

  16·4

  Newham

  77·94

  65·47

  12·47

  16·0

  Barking

  41·45

  35·10

  6·34

  15·3

  Ealing

  88·14

  76·52

  11·62

  13·2

  Gateshead

  54·49

  47·55

  6·93

  12·7

  Rochdale

  62·24

  54·52

  6·72

  12·4

  Wigan

  89·62

  78·80

  10·82

  12·1

  Derbyshire

  251·23

  221·23

  30·01

  11·9

  Walsall

  81·18

  71·76

  9·42

  11·6

  Cumbria

  129·77

  114·81

  14·96

  11·5

  Bradford

  146·73

  129·98

  16·75

  11·4

  Wakefield

  84·69

  75·06

  9·63

  11·4

  Harrow

  54·64

  48·43

  6·21

  11·4

  Avon

  227·54

  202·44

  25·10

  11·0

  Calderdale

  55·79

  49·76

  6·02

  10·8

  Salford

  62·80

  56·10

  6·70

  10·7

  Sandwell

  89·46

  79·97

  9·50

  10·6

  Croydon

  83·64

  75·00

  8·63

  10·3

  Coventry

  91·08

  81·74

  9·34

  10·3

  Notts

  267·61

  241·34

  26·26

  9·8

  Doncaster

  82·68

  74·59

  8·09

  9·8

  St. Helens

  55·20

  50·09

  5·11

  9·3

  Humberside

  238·76

  217·01

  21·75

  9·1

  Havering

  63·10

  57·42

  5·68

  9·0

  Isle of Wight

  29·17

  26·55

  2·62

  9·0

  Barnsley

  59·51

  54·27

  5·23

  8·8

  Cleveland

  168·90

  154·14

  14·77

  8·7

  Bury

  46·70

  42·72

  3·98

  8·5

  Cheshire

  265·25

  243·16

  22·09

  8·3

  Tameside

  58·14

  53·34

  4·80

  8·3

  Wolverhampton

  78·57

  72·20

  6·37

  8·1

  Hillingdon

  57·23

  52·66

  4·57

  8·0

  Leeds

  182·42

  168·41

  14·01

  7·7

  Barnet

  72·88

  67·32

  5·56

  7·6

  Leicester

  237·50

  219·69

  17·81

  7·5

  Northumberland

  77·04

  71·35

  5·69

  7·4

  Rotherham

  71·09

  66·08

  5·01

  7·1

  Somerset

  106·61

  99·41

  7·20

  6·8

  Bedfordshire

  141·00

  131·63

  9·37

  6·6

  Northants

  148·41

  138·90

  9·51

  6·4

  Bexley

  56·42

  52·90

  3·52

  6·2

  Hertfordshire

  252·07

  236·44

  15·63

  6·2

  Sunderland

  80·48

  75·51

  4·97

  6·2

  Durham

  153·20

  143·76

  9·44

  6·2

  North Yorkshire

  170·31

  160·70

  9·61

  5·6

  Kingston

  30·43

  28·74

  1·69

  5·6

  Lancashire

  365·31

  345·89

  19·43

  5·3

  Buckinghamshire

  163·64

  155·23

  8·41

  5·1

  Gloucestershire

  125·32

  118·89

  6·42

  5·1

  Cambridge

  155·39

  147·63

  7·76

  5·0

  Redbridge

  55·04

  52·37

  2·67

  4·9

  Staffordshire

  263·99

  251·18

  12·81

  4·9

  Shropshire

  106·23

  101·08

  5·15

  4·8

  Stockport

  73·51

  70·04

  3·48

  4·7

  Dorset

  129·85

  124·00

  5·85

  4·5

  Oldham

  60·18

  57·54

  2·64

  4·4

  Wiltshire

  135·00

  129·13

  5·87

  4·3

  Sutton

  38·97

  37·28

  1·69

  4·3

  Essex

  374·93

  358·97

  15·96

  4·3

  Suffolk

  142·37

  136·66

  5·71

  4·0

  Bromley

  66·40

  63·79

  2·61

  3·9

  Enfield

  68·17

  65·49

  2·68

  3·9

  476 477

  Revised outturn expenditure

  Education GRE2

  Overspend

  Percentage overspend

  Local education authority

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Kirklees

  106·33

  102·30

  4·02

  3·8

  Surrey

  221·36

  214·14

  7·22

  3·3

  Wirral

  87·93

  85·23

  2·70

  3·1

  Dudley

  75·25

  73·14

  2·11

  2·8

  East Sussex

  132·25

  128·72

  3·53

  2·7

  Oxfordshire

  124·25

  121·04

  3·20

  2·6

  Hampshire

  358·78

  349·66

  9·12

  2·5

  Merton

  36·78

  35·92

  0·86

  2·3

  Warwickshire

  122·48

  119·63

  2·85

  2·3

  Sefton

  73·90

  72·38

  1·52

  2·1

  Devon

  216·95

  212·82

  4·13

  1·9

  Trafford

  54·90

  54·14

  0·76

  1·4

  Bolton

  70·85

  69·97

  0·87

  1·2

  Norfolk

  161·58

  159·90

  1·68

  1·0

  Berkshire

  176·42

  174·70

  1·72

  1·0

  Solihull

  52·89

  52·46

  0·44

  0·8

  Birmingham

  276·68

  275·02

  1·66

  0·6

  Cornwall

  103·29

  102·83

  0·46

  0·4

  Notes:

  1 Provisional information based on form RER. The expenditure figures include some capital items and specific grants which do not appear within the grant related expenditure assessment.

  2 Block grant is unhypothecated and based on GRE assessment for all services, and local authorities have discretion on how they spend across services.

WALES

  Information Technology
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Peter Walker
  My Department makes use of information technology (IT) in a number of ways to improve internal communications. For example a video-conferencing system links our Cardiff and London offices, and data and documents are transferred by facsimile, remotely located word processors and electronic mail systems. Advanced desk top publishing techniques are used in the production of many departmental publications which are available to the public. These uses of IT have been developed in accordance with my Department's IT strategy which sets out how IT may best be used to support the business aims and priorities of the Department. We will continue to make the fullest possible use of emergent technologies.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list under each region expenditure programme and at constant prices his Department's expenditure in each of mid, south and west Glamorgan and Gwent for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information is not available in the form requested. Total expenditure on programmes within my responsibility is not broken down on a county basis.

  River Pollution
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the
  478
  total lengths of Welsh rivers in each of the water authorities classifications 1 to 4 for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Grist
  River quality surveys are carried out once every five years. Over the last 10 years, therefore, figures are available only for 1980 and 1985, and these are set out in the table. The next survey is expected in 1990.

  Classification

  Lengths kilometres

  1980

  1985

  1A

  2,573

  2,418

  1B

  1,237

  1,377

  2

  506

  523

  3

  301

  256

  4

  12

  26

  It should be noted that exact comparison of these figures is not possible, as the lengths of rivers included in successive surveys has altered.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the number of recorded incidents of river pollution, the number of related prosecutions and the number of convictions in Wales in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 26 May 1988. I have asked the chairman of the Welsh water authority to write to the hon. Gentleman in respect of the remainder of the last 10 years.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Ethiopia
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the provision of development aid both directly and through non-governmental organisations to Ethiopia.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I refer my right hon. Friend to the Government's observations (Cm 432) on the first report from the Foreign Affairs Committee (Session 1987–88)
  479
  "Famine in the Horn of Africa". The response to paragraph 101 of the report contains a statement of the Government's policy on provision of development aid to Ethiopia.

ENERGY

  Electricity Industry (Safety)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps his Department is taking to ensure that adequate safety measures are enforced by private companies in the electricity industry after the phasing out of the inspector department in April.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have no intention of phasing out the Department's engineering inspectorate which has responsibility for enforcing the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988. These regulations are designed to secure the safety of the general public against risks associated with the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. The provisions of these regulations will apply to the privatised electricity supply industry.

  Fluidised Bed Technology
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what consideration he has given to providing matching financial support to the £5 million offered by Ahlstrom of Finland to ensure the continuance of the British Coal topping cycle gasifier and pressurised fluidised bed combustion plant at Grimethorpe;

  (2) what is his policy towards Government investment in integrated gasification combined cycle power generation technology;

  (3) what is his policy towards Government investments in circulating fluidised bed coal combustion technology;

  (4) what is his policy towards Government investment in bubbling fluidised bed combustion coal technology;

  (5) if his Department or consultants to his Department have made any study of the benefits of using fluidised bed combustion technology for power plants to reduce carbon dioxide releases and help reduce greenhouse gas build up.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Integrated gasification combined cycle, bubbling fluidised bed combustion, and circulating fluidised bed combustion are alternative means of consuming coal in an environmentally sensitive way in order to produce heat or to generate electricity. A considerable amount of public sector funding has been directed at the development of these technologies. It is for private sector companies and the energy industries to evaluate these methods of power generation against the more conventional forms of coal combustion, and to exploit their potential accordingly. My Department is studying carefully the British Coal request for Government support of research at Grimethorpe into the topping cycle concept.

  "Energy Paper 56", which was published in July 1988, is a comprehensive appraisal of advanced coal-based power generation systems. This report considers the advantages and disadvantages of several technologies, including variants of fluidised bed combustion, and provides an indication of their potential for reduction of emissions of carbon dioxide.

  Energy Efficiency Office
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the work of the Energy Efficiency Office.

  Mr. Parkinson
  The next step in the work of the Energy Efficiency Office is a new programme to be called best practice, beginning on 1 April 1989. Its aim will be to advance and spread best practice in energy efficiency in industry, commerce, housing and the public sector. Further details are given in a leaflet available from the Energy Efficiency Office. Copies of this leaflet will be available in the Libraries of both Houses.

  The current energy efficiency demonstration and research and development schemes will close for applications on 31 March 1989. Projects accepted up to that date will however be supported to completion, and the Energy Efficiency Office will continue to promote the lessons learned from successful projects.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Regional Enterprise Grants
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many applications have been received to date under the regional enterprise grants scheme; and how much has been awarded in grants under the scheme.

  Mr. Atkins
  The regional enterprise grants scheme commenced on 1 April 1988 and by 28 February 1989, a total of 2,197 applications had been received from businesses in Great Britain. Grant worth a total of £9·3 million has been offered in 1,102 of these cases.

  SIB (Chippenham) Limited
  Sir Charles Morrison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when his Department was first appraised of any concern about the operation of the companies based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, trading as Selective Investment Brokers Ltd. or SIB (Chippenham) Ltd.

  Mr. Maude
  In December 1986.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if there are any proposals to change the 1988–89 running costs limit for the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The running costs limit for the Export Credits Guarantee Department in 1988–89 (class V, vote 5) has been reduced by £4,000 from £38,758,000 to £38,754,000. This decrease is offset by a corresponding increase in the running costs limit for the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service (class XX, vote 1) and reflects the transfer of costs for recruitment under the direct entry grade 7 competition 1988.

  Films Order
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he intends to lay the Films Order.
  481
  Mr. Maude
  I have today laid before the House the Films (Exclusivity Agreements) Order 1989 which will come into force on 3 April. Except for minor amendments, this will follow articles 4 to 6 of the draft order, published in August 1988. The order does not include articles addressing the delay in release of popular films, because it is now clear from the representations received and recent developments that there has been a marked and welcome increase in competition in the cinema exhibition industry as well as a further increase in cinema attendances.

  If the benefits of increased competition do not materialise, it remains open to me to take further action under the Fair Trading Act.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Teachers
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what contacts he has had with the Professional Association of Teachers in recent months; what issues have been discussed; and what plans he has for further meetings with the association.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 3 March 1989]: I met representatives of the Professional Association of Teachers on 8 February 1989. The issues discussed were the relationship of the association with the Department of Education, education reforms in Northern Ireland, and discipline in schools. I have no specific plans for further meetings with the association.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iran
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to change the terms of the current prohibition on the sale of arms to Iran.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have nothing to add to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade on 18 January.

  Vaclav Havel
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Czechoslovak Government on behalf of Vaclav Havel.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have already raised this issue with the Czechoslovak Government and will do so again as necessary.

  Prisoners of Conscience
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list countries to which he has made representations on behalf of prisoners of conscience in each year for which information is available.

  Mr. Eggar
  There is no year for which this information is readily available. It could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Sharpeville Six
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his reasons for making representations to the South African Government on behalf of the Sharpeville Six.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In the case of those sentenced to death in South Africa, we consider making representations only in cases that are clearly political, and where there are strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We do so exceptionally, and when all other avenues have been exhausted.

  Mr. Charles Bester
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will review his decision on the Charles Bester case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  No.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his reasons for refusing to make representations on behalf of Mr. Charles Bester to the South African Government.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel) on 21 December 1988.

  Chemical Weapons
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has given consideration to the results of the international nuclear non-proliferation treaty in the drafting of proposals from the United Kingdom for a parallel international chemical weapons non-proliferation and disarmament treaty.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Where appropriate, we draw on the experience gained in the negotiation and implementation of existing arms control agreements, including the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).

  However, we do not believe that a chemical weapons non-proliferation treaty along the lines of the NPT would effectively remove the threat of chemical weapons. With other states we are, therefore, pursuing an effectively verifiable global convention, completely prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling or retention, and transfer of chemical weapons.

PRIME MINISTER

  Iran
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on relations between Her Majesty's Government and Iran.

  The Prime Minister
  Our position on all the issues involved was explained fully to the House by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary on 21 February.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Prime Minister what action she is taking to co-ordinate departmental action to provide secure accommodation for all homeless people.
  483
  The Prime Minister
  All appropriate Departments are being consulted as part of the current review of the homelessness legislation.

  Government Information Service
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will set out the duties of the head of the Government information service and the Minister to whom he is responsible.

  The Prime Minister
  The head of the Government information service has a general responsibility for its leadership and well-being. He is available personally to help Departments, who are responsible for the day-to-day management of their own information staff, on both general and individual management problems. He has a general responsibility for recruitment, training and career development policies. The head of the Government information service is responsible to the head of the home Civil Service for these duties, and, through him, to me.

  Broadwell, Rugby
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Broadwell, near Rugby.

  The Prime Minister
  I have present no plans to do so.

  Engagements
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 March.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 March.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 March.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 March.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 March.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. I also attended the closing session of the ozone layer conference. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an Audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

SCOTLAND

  Scottish Office (Profile)
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with the brief "the Scottish Office and its activities" issued in June 1988; whether he still intends to appoint consultants in terms of that brief to raise the profile of the Scottish Office; what is the intended budget for this project; when such an appointment will be made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I am giving careful consideration to the nature of any commission which might be given to consultants in the light of the brief issued in June 1988 and the responses to it; and I shall make my conclusions known in due course.

  Procurators Fiscal
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State far Scotland how many reports submitted by the police to procurators fiscal were marked "no proceedings" in each fiscaldom in Scotland for the whole of 1987 and 1988.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 6 March 1989]: The number of reports submitted by the police arid other reporting agencies to procurators fiscal which were marked "no proceedings" in each fiscaldom in Scotland for the whole of 1987 and 1988 is as follows:—

  1987

  1988

  Aberdeen

  3,604

  1,536

  Airdrie

  487

  640

  Alloa

  251

  343

  Arbroath

  177

  229

  Ayr

  1,350

  1,344

  Banff

  145

  93

  Cambeltown

  91

  67

  Cupar

  207

  265

  Dingwall

  241

  270

  Dornoch

  69

  48

  Dumbarton

  842

  809

  Dumfries

  280

  273

  Dundee

  848

  1,082

  Dunfermline

  1,263

  1,325

  Dunoon

  187

  196

  Duns

  137

  188

  Edinburgh

  10,903

  4,933

  Elgin

  760

  688

  Falkirk

  1,626

  1,976

  Forfar

  87

  37

  Fort William

  270

  122

  Glasgow

  19,772

  18,514

  Greenock

  1,046

  762

  Haddington

  825

  606

  Hamilton

  2,184

  4,271

  Inverness

  859

  655

  Jedburgh

  144

  238

  Kilmarnock

  1,351

  1,530

  Kirkcaldy

  1,399

  1,217

  Kirkcudbright

  89

  33

  Kirkwall

  80

  78

  Lanark

  213

  574

  Lerwick

  110

  129

  Linlithgow

  409

  575

  Lochmaddy

  11

  8

  Oban

  138

  123

  Paisley

  2,277

  2,654

  Peebles

  56

  47

  Perth

  1,670

  1,641

  Peterhead

  515

  647

  Portree

  66

  56

  Rothesay

  71

  39

  Selkirk

  315

  268

  Stirling

  675

  466

  Stonehaven

  238

  199

  Stornoway

  65

  36

  Stranraer

  178

  194

  Tain

  242

  250

  Wick

  196

  223

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of reports submitted by the police to procurator fiscal were marked "no proceedings'. for the whole of 1987 and 1988.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The proportion of reports submitted by the police and other reporting agencies to procurators fiscal which were marked "no proceedings" for the whole of 1987 and 1988 were 16·69 per cent. and 14·97 per cent. respectively.

  Rents
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what he treats as a reasonable affordable rent in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Rent-setting is a matter for the landlord concerned, having regard to a range of factors including the nature and size of the property, and to conditions in the particular segment of the rented market which the landlord seeks to serve. Affordability is an important factor, but it cannot be determined mechanically and will vary according to the circumstances. Financial assistance, available to tenants through housing benefit and to housing association and public sector landlords through grants and subsidies, is designed to create the conditions in which the requirements of both landlord and tenant in terms of affordability can be met.

  Training
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department is taking to assist training in Greenock and Port Glasgow with a view to ensuring that jobs go to local people.

  Mr. Lang
  The full range of Training Agency training programmes is available in Greenock and Port Glasgow to assist local people in competing for jobs in the local labour market. The creation of the Inverclyde enterprise zone will generate greater economic activity in the Greenock and Port Glasgow area, leading to increased employment opportunities. However, it is a matter for individual employers to decide whom they will employ.

  Housing
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is Her Majesty's Government's policy for housing those citizens who cannot afford to buy or rent houses in the open market.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The policies which the Government are pursuing, including the allocation of substantially increased resources both to the housing association movement and to local authorities for capital expenditure on housing, together with the deregulation of the private rented sector, are designed to increase the availability of housing to let particularly at rents within the means of those in lower paid employment. The housing benefit system is available to assist those who are unable to meet their housing costs.

  Rating Reform
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what further representations he has received about payment of the community charge by agricultural workers and their spouses in tied housing.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of inquiries and representations from Members of Parliament and individuals about this issue.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many agricultural workers in tied housing by district in Scotland will have to pay the personal community charge.
  486
  Mr. Lang
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take to give financial assistance to agricultural workers in tied housing over the payment of the community charge.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 18 February 1989.

  Crofters
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to allow crofters to take full advantage of the farm woodlands and woodland grant schemes for plantings on common grazings.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has indicated that, if the various crofting interests can agree, he will give sympathetic consideration to proposals for a private Member's Bill which would allow crofters to participate in these schemes through planting on common grazings.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Legal Departments
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will bring forward proposals to establish a Select Committee to oversee the work of the Government's legal departments.

  Mr. Wakeham
  No.

  Parliamentary Pension Fund
  Sir Peter Hordern
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what has been the Treasury contribution to the parliamentary pension fund, expressed as a percentage, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Exchequer contributions to the parliamentary pension fund expressed as a percentage of total contribution income of the fund are as follows:

  Exchequer contribution as a percentage of contribution income

  Year

  Percentage

  1987–88

  166·7

  1986–87

  69·7

  1985–86

  76·7

  1984–85

  76·7

  1983–84

  76·7

  1 Provisional—subject to audit.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Single European Act
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact that the Single European Act will have on his Department's operation of domestic policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Single European Act will have no direct impact on the operation of domestic social security policy. Although the Act introduced qualified majority
  487
  voting in the Council of Ministers, instead of unanimity, for certain decision concerning the establishment of the internal market, unanimity still applies to any measures concerning the free movement of persons, or the rights and interests of employed persons, which are the aspects of relevance to the Department.

  Girocheques
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what reviews are taking place in dealing with the payment of pensions and benefit girocheques.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Developments in money transmission systems are constantly monitored with a view to considering improvements to the methods of paying social security benefits.

  Public Service Pensions
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his best estimate of the number of widows of post-retirement marriages with public servants who do not receive a widow's pension;

  (2) what would be the cost of extending the payment of widow's pensions to all widows of post-retirement marriages with public servants.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information on the numbers of widows of post-retirement marriages of public servants before 6 April 1978 was not required to be held. I regret that an estimate of the cost of extending the payment of widow's pensions to all widows of post-retirement marriages of public servants could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

HEALTH

  "Working for Patients"
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what specialties the 100 extra consultants posts mentioned in the White Paper "Working for Patients" will be engaged.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We will shortly be writing to regional health authorities to invite them to submit their proposals for the 100 additional consultant posts referred to in "Working for Patients". Authorities will be expected to target their proposals on the specialties and districts in which the longest waiting times are experienced. The specialties will be general surgery, traumatic and orthopaedic surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, urology, otolaryngology, opthalmology and general medicine.

  Cryptosporidia
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information he has on the incidence of illness related to the organism, cryptosporidia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The public health laboratory service's communicable disease surveillance centre first received reports of cryptosporidium infection from laboratories in England and Wales in 1983. Sixty-one reports were received that year. Since then annual totals have been 876 (1984), 1,874 (1985), 3,560 (1986), 3,277 (1987), 2,757 488
  (1988) and 633 in 1989 to the end of February. The increase from 1983 to 1986 reflects to a great extent increased reporting resulting from development of techniques to identify the organism in the laboratory and increasing awareness of the association of cryptosporidium with diarrhoeal illness. The figures for 1988 and 1989 (first eight weeks) are provisional.

  AIDS
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what continued observation there has been in the United Kingdom of the babies and others contaminated with SV40 in the late 1950s; and what proportion of those people now have AIDS.

  Mr. Mellor
  There has been no separate continued observation of those people in the United Kingdom who might have received vaccine contaminated with SV40. We have relied on the results of studies in the United States of America.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the results of any experiments conducted during preventive vaccination programmes have shown the human leukocyte type antigens (HL-A) in the immune response, both humoral and cellular, to be clearly linked to specific bacterial and viral antigens.

  Mr. Mellor
  I am not aware of any experiments conducted during preventive vaccination programmes to investigate HLA and bacterial and viral antigens.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the two large studies referred to in his reply to the hon. Member for Erewash, 25 July 1988,Official Report, column 139, conducted in the United States of America on the contamination of polio vaccine by SV40 in the late 1950s and early 1960s referred to AIDS or carcinogenicity.

  Mr. Mellor
  AIDS had not been identified in the human population at the time the studies referred to were undertaken. The studies were directed to look for evidence of carcinogenicity in the population exposed to SV40.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effort has been made to identify SV40 genomes in people with AIDS.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I have been asked to reply.

  No work has been done in the United Kingdom to identify SV40 genomes in people with AIDS, since there is no evidence that it gives rise to any untoward effects in normal individuals.

  Dentists
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when technical discussions with the British Dental Association on a new dental contract last took place; when he expects formal negotiations on a new contract to commence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. Hughes) on 2 March at column 317.

  Autism
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support his Department provides(a) for autistic societies and (b) for research into autism: and if he will make a statement.
  489
  Mr. Freeman
  The Department grant aided the National Autistic Society by £10,000 a year for 1985–86, 1986–87, and 1987–88, and in 1987 made an additional special grant of £5,500. Since May 1987 the Department has spent over £60,000 on a descriptive study of the current education, treatment and handling of autistic children and adults.

  Chiropody
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement concerning the future of the chiropody service within the district of Easington.

  Mr. Mellor
  Chiropody services will be provided independently by Durham, Sunderland and Hartlepool health authorities following the introduction on 1 April 1989 of revised management arrangements for health services in Easington.

  Health Services (Hartlepool)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will indicate the level of chiropody and nursing services to be provided for patients transferring from Durham to the Hartlepool health authority; and if the extra funding for these services will be allocated pro-rata to the appropriate department.

  Mr. Mellor
  The level of chiropody and nursing services provided for patients transferring from Durham to Hartlepool health authority will be the same as that provided before the transfer and patients should not see any change. Funds will be transferred to reflect this existing level of service.

  Community Health (Easington)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations have taken place with staff of all disciplines following the Northern regional health authority's reorganisation of community health services in the Easington district.

  Mr. Mellor
  A schedule of proposed transfers was sent to every individual member of staff and to all relevant staff organisations. Discussions then took place with individual staff members and local representatives of the staff organisations prior to final decisions being made about transfers.

  NHS Costs
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost to the National Health Service of employing(a) a consultant, (b) a registrar, (c) a junior doctor, (d) an A-grade nurse and (e) a G-grade nurse.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested is as follows:

  £

  (a) Consultant

  41,800

  (b and c) Junior Doctors:

  Senior registrar

  30,000

  Registrar

  26,200

  Senior House Officer

  23,500

  House Officer

  18,200

  (d) A Grade Nurse

  8,600

  (e) G Grade Nurse

  17,900

  490
  Notes:

  1. Figures include basic pay, employers' national insurance and superannuation contributions and exclude London Weighting and London Supplements.

  2. Figures are for 1988–89 England and Wales and are based on estimates of paybills for Nurses and estimates of average contracted hours for junior doctors both costed 1988–89 pay rates.

  3. Figures for consultants exclude Distinction Awards.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the average costs of(a) a tonsillectomy, (b) herniotomy, (c) an appendectomy, (d) a double hip-joint replacement and (e) a coronary graft by-pass.

  Mr. Freeman
  The latest cost estimates are as follows:

  £ 1987–88 prices

  Tonsillectomy (tonsils and adenoids)

  360

  Herniotomy (inguinal hernia)

  710

  Appendectomy

  n/a

  Total hip replacement

  2,390

  Coronary artery by-pass graft

  3,580

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the cost of(a) a kidney dialysis machine, (b) optical laser equipment, (c) a lithotripter and (d) a CAT scanner.

  Mr. Freeman
  The costs of these items of medical equipment vary according to the type and use to which each is put.

  However the following gives an indication of the likely range of costs in each case:

  (£000's)

  (a) Kidney dialysis

  6–13

  (b) Optical laser

  12–52

  (c) Lithotripter (ESWL)

  500–800

  (e) CAT Scanner

  330–500

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether in the light of the possible relationships between bovine spongiform encephalopathy and Creutsfeldt-Jacob dementia he intends introducing reporting procedures for the latter.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Food to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Sir H. Miller) on 27 February at columns 89–91. Active consideration is being given to the Southwood committee's recommendation about reporting cases of Creutsfeldt Jacob dementia.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the dangers to human health of vaccines from bovine spongiform encephalopathy infected cattle.

  Mr. Mellor
  The comments in the recent report by the working party chaired by Sir Richard Southwood that there may be a remote theoretical risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy being transmitted to patients by the use of injectable medicines derived from bovine material, have been carefully considered by the Committee on Safety of Medicines. The committee agreed with the working party that any such risk from injectable medicines
  491
  including vaccines is both theoretical and remote. We have accepted this advice. As a purely precautionary measure, further guidance on good manufacturing practice in this area is about to be issued to manufacturers of all medicines including vaccines.

  Benefit Claims
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will extend the rules to make sure that people whose application forms for help with National Health Service costs have been awaiting the outcome of a review of the relevant statutory instruments will not be disbarred from claiming a refund although it is longer than one month since the relevant expenditure occurred;

  (2) when he will make a revised statutory instrument covering claims for help with National Health Service costs; and how many applications for help with National Health Service costs from people with non-dependent people living with them are being stockpiled at Newcastle, awaiting such an instrument;

  (3) why the agency benefit unit in Newcastle dealing with claims for help with National Health Service costs is unable to deal with claims relating to people who have non-dependents living with them.

  Mr. Mellor
  The agency benefits unit has stockpiled 9,809 cases involving non-dependants because they are awaiting permission from this Department not to make inquiries of local authorities in cases where housing benefit in the form of rent rebate or rent allowance is payable. This request is being given urgent attention. Sympathetic consideration will be given to any claims for refunds outside the one month time limit where claims for help have been delayed at the agency benefits unit.

  Amendment of the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations 1988 will be necessary to give effect to the Government's intentions when making these regulations.

  Milk
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases have been reported in each of the past five years for which figures are available of salmonellosis or cympylobacter infection resulting from drinking or consuming untreated milk or milk products supplied by dairy farmers direct to consumer or consumed within the dairy farmer's family.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 20 February 1989]: The information requested is as follows:

  Salmonellosis

  Campylobacter

  1983

  200

  85

  1984

  315

  79

  1985

  54

  178

  1986

  323

  24

  1987

  34

  332

  19881

  22

  None

  1 Provisional.

  Waterborne Diseases
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the source of the present outbreak of cryptosporidium in Oxford and Swindon;
  492
  (2) if he will make a statement on current procedures for dealing with outbreaks of disease associated with public water supplies in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 28 February 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Delyn (Mr. Raffan) from my hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Water and Planning on 2 March at column 286.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the requirement to spend 20 hours in a surgery over five days, at hours convenient to patients, as outlined in "General Practice in the National Health Service—A New Contract", will apply to general practitioners with more than one surgery site; whether the time travelling between site will be taken into account; whether set hours will be required at each surgery site; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The detailed implementation of the policies set out in "General Practice in the National Health Service: A New Contract", including the arrangements for surgery hours, will be the subject of consultation between my officials and the British Medical Association's general medical services committee.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide a detailed breakdown of how the new standard capitation fees for general practitioners used in the examples contained in the document "General Practice in the National Health Service—A New Contract" have been arrived at.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1989]: The new capitation fee levels used for illustrative purposes in appendix F of "General Practice in the National Health Service—A New Contract" have been calculated to give effect to the Government's policy, set out in paragraph 7.3 of "Working for Patients", that capitation fees should form at least 60 per cent. of a GP's income. The average standard capitation fee per patient has, therefore, been notionally increased from £8·81 to £11·85. For the purposes of the examples it has been assumed that the increased proportion of income represented by capitation will be paid for by redistributing funds from out-of-date fees and allowances, such as seniority payments and group practice allowance. When the new remuneration system is introduced from 1 April 1990, the level of fees and allowances will have been increased by the 1989 and 1990 awards and by the increased investment in family practitioner services announced in "Promoting Better Health".

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Senior Principals (Salaries)
  Sir Peter Hordern
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the salary of a senior principal of the Civil Service(a) including the contributions to the superannuation scheme and (b) net of such contributions at the latest convenient date.

  Mr. Brooke
  A grade 6 (senior principal) civil servant on the scale maximum is paid a national rate of £27,087
  493
  per annum and, in common with other civil servants, a pension contribution of 1½ per cent. of pay is made towards the cost of family benefits.

  Relocation
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has considered relocating any of the Inland Revenue or Customs and Excise establishments for which he is responsible in Luton.

  Mr. Brooke
  Both the Inland Revenue and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise have in hand the serious and substantial relocation reviews referred to in the answer I gave on 9 February, 1989, at columns 751–2, to my hon. Friend, the Member for Beverley (Mr. Cran), but at present neither has specific plans to relocate activities either to or from Luton.

  Strip Searches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in their central records on strip searches of persons to identify them in future by sex; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  No. There is no reason to record such information.

  ERNIE
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the total administrative costs per annum of running ERNIE.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 3 March 1989]: The total administrative cost of running the ERNIE prize draw operation was £1·7 million in the financial year 1987–88.

  Premium Bonds
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the money taken by the purchase of premium bonds is spent on(a) administration and (b) prize money.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 3 March 1989]: None of the money taken by the purchase of premium bonds is spent on administration or prize money. The administrative costs of running premium bonds, which amounted to £20·5 million in 1987–88, is paid from the Department for National Savings vote. Prize money, which totalled £139 million in 1987–88, is a charge on the Consolidated Fund. The prize money is calculated as a percentage of the value of all eligible bonds in the prize draw. In 1987–88 this was 7¾per cent. per annum to 31 July and 7 per cent. per annum from 1 August.

EMPLOYMENT

  Industrial Relations
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff in his Department provide advice to companies on good industrial relations practice.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Provision of advice to companies on good industrial relations practice is the responsibility of the 494
  independent Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. Precise information is not available in the form requested but information on the estimated proportion of resources allocated to advisory work is set out in the ACAS annual report, copies of which are in the Library.

  Industrial Safety
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, what evidence is available to him on the possible long-term effects on the health of local residents evacuated during the fire involving chemicals at BDH Poole on 21 June 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I am not aware of any evidence of significant long-term health effects and there is no reason to suppose that any such effects will occur.

  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, whether he has any plans to change the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974 so that reports similar to that prepared following the fire at BDH Poole on 21 June 1988 are made public.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A substantial account of the fire at BDH Poole on 21 June 1988 was attached to the Health and Safety Executive's news release of 17 October 1988 and it contained all of the facts necessary to inform the public fully of HSE's investigation and conclusions. The internal report included in addition personal information, comments and opinion which it is not helpful or appropriate to make public.

  I have, however, asked the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission to consider whether there is scope for any improvements in the present arrangements for informing the public of health and safety issues.

  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for ensuring that any improved safety measures required by the Health and Safety Executive in industrial premises are implemented in existing as well as new premises.

  Mr. Patrick Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Executive already updates guidance on a regular basis to ensure that advice on improved safety measures is widely available for application in existing and new industrial premises. New guidance documents are publicised in press notices and referred to by inspectors, where relevant, during their visits.

  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the effect the amendment of directive 82/501/EEC on major accidental hazards of certain industrial activities as published in EEC Official Journal L336, 7 December 1988, will have in preventing fires similar to that at BDH Poole on 21 June 1988.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The amendment (88/610/EEC) to directive 82/501/EEC will be implemented in Great Britain by means of a further amendment to the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984. These regulations, like the directive, aim to prevent major industrial accidents to people and the environment and to limit the consequences of any which do occur. One of the main effects of the amendment will be that many warehouses of the type involved in the fire at BDH Poole storing hazardous substances will be brought within the scope of these important major hazard controls.
  495
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to extend the amendments to the Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 to a greater range of premises as promised in column 1001 of the Official Report for 1 November 1988.

  Mr. Nicholls
  By 1 June 1990. This is the implementation date for EC directive 88/610/EEC, which amends the "Seveso" directive 82/501/EEC. This amending directive will be implemented in Great Britain by the amendment to the CIMAH regulations to which my hon. Friend refers.

TRANSPORT

  Single European Act
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact that the Single European Act will have on his Department's operation of domestic policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Government's policies since 1979 have provided the liberalised transport conditions necessary for the country to take full advantage of opportunities offered by the Single European Act.

  British Rail Investment
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to require British Rail to earn a net real rate of return of at least the Autumn Statement's current forecast rate of return of 12 per cent. in respect of all new investment projects including the proposed high-speed rail link to the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Portillo
  British Rail needs to demonstrate that all investments by its commercial sector are capable of producing a commercial return: this would include any high-speed line to the Channel tunnel, should it be financed by the board. The discount rate used to test investments is agreed between British Rail and the Department and is currently 7 per cent. It reflects the Treasury's required rate of return which is intended to ensure that commercial public sector investment programmes (such as British Rail's) provide a rate of return which is broadly equivalent to that which could be achieved in the private sector. The required rate of return was set in 1978 and is currently under review.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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. Peter Bottomley
  An information technology steering committee oversees the cost effective development of the Department's information technology and communications strategies. The Department will continue to build on the existing uses of information technology and communications network, to expand the use of modern office facilities and to improve the provision of information to the public in areas such as statistics and driver and vehicle licensing.
  496
  Recent examples include the development of systems at the DVLC, Swansea to give staff ready access to central databases and thus enable them to deal better with inquiries from the general public about driving licences, vehicle registration documents, etc; in the statistical field, more extensive and rapid analyses of information have become possible and desktop publishing methods have reduced the time taken to publish results; similar improvements are being sought in the publication of research reports by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory, who are increasingly using video to illustrate the results of their work.

  North Report
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on the North report on road traffic law; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The proposals we announced on 7 February to reform road traffic law in the light of the North report have been widely welcomed. There has been general agreement about the need to simplify the law and influence driver behaviour. The measures proposed form part of our drive to cut by one third by the year 2000 the present toll of 5,000 dead and 300,000 injured each year on Britain's roads.

  Further work to implement the proposals is being taken forward in consultation with all the interested bodies who have a part to play.

  Coastal Waters (Pollution)
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether surveillance aircraft were undertaking regular patrols at the time of the oil pollution in the English Channel in January; if it has yet been possible to identify the cause; and if he will make a further statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  An aircraft of my Department's marine pollution control unit was carrying out a routine Channel navigation surveillance patrol on 27 December 1988 when an oil slick was sighted. Patrols on 30 December and 5 January 1989 were mounted in direct response to further pollution reports received.

  Samples of beached oil and oiled bird feathers have been analysed by the laboratory of the Government chemist to determine whether they had a common source. The initial findings have proved inconclusive and a more detailed analysis is now being carried out.

  Traffic Congestion
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has undertaken to assess the economic cost to the nation of congested traffic flows on both road and rail.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department does not calculate the costs of congestion on roads and rail in total because of the difficulty of defining the base case against which congestion would be compared. However, it is our policy to reduce the economic costs of traffic congestion by cost-effective rail and road schemes in which the relief of traffic congestion on roads and the reduction in overcrowding on the railways are taken into account in the assessment of benefits. Planned spending on new
  497
  construction and improvement of motorway and trunk roads over the next three years amounts to some £2·6 billion (excluding VAT), an increase of 40 per cent. on the three years ending 1988–89. British Rail investment is at its highest level since the 1960s, with over £3·5 billion planned for the next five years, including investment in additional rolling stock to relieve overcrowding. We have also undertaken the central London rail study, which has identified options for relieving congestion.

  East Midlands Line
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the case for electrification of the east midlands line of British Rail.

  Mr. Portillo
  We have received another four representations since my answer to a similar question from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 14 November 1988 at column 467.

  Merchant Navy
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he has taken to arrest the decline in the number of cadets entering the British Merchant Navy.

  Mr. Portillo
  A scheme for providing financial assistance towards the costs of training future Merchant Navy officers has been set up under the powers in section 26 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1988.

  This scheme is beginning to show encouraging results and the cadet intake at colleges has almost doubled to 279 in the current academic year.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British seamen are in the Merchant Navy at the present time.

  Mr. Portillo
  At 31 December 1988 the numbers of seafarers registered with the Merchant Navy establishment was 22,629.

  Container Ships
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provision has been made for adapting container ships with sea sheds and heavy duty flatracks to carry dry cargo in military operations.

  Mr. Portillo
  Container ships need no adaptation to carry heavy duty flatracks, which are widely used commercially. Only minor adaptation is needed to permit container ships to carry sea sheds. No provision has been made by the United Kingdom.

  East London Rail Study
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the geographical limits of the east London rail study; and if the terms of the study will be to examine the links from Stratford to docklands.

  Mr. Portillo
  The study is examining the best options for improving access from central London to docklands and other Thames-side areas of the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Greenwich, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets. It will include examination of links from Stratford to docklands.

  Sea Pollution
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many foreign-owned vessels polluted United Kingdom territorial waters in each year since 1974; on how many occasions in each year the relevant flag administrations were asked to consider prosecutions and on how many occasions in each year were prosecutions instigated by the relevant flag administrations.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the occasions since 1979 when his Department has made representations to the maritime transport authority of a foreign state concerning alleged infringement of international or pollution conventions by a ship registered in that state while at sea in waters under United Kingdom surveillance and jurisdiction.

  Mr. Portillo
  The number of reported oil slicks in United Kingdom territorial waters in which foreign owned vessels were the possible source are as follows:

  Numbers

  1985

  2

  1986

  1

  1987

  1

  1988

  5

  The figure for 1988 reflects the extension of United Kingdom territorial limits from three to 12 miles. Figures prior to 1985 are not readily available.

  Four of the reported incidents have been referred to the competent authorities in the relevant flag states for investigation—one in 1986 and three in 1988—but to date we have not been advised of any prosecutions that may have been instigated. Oil sample evidence in another case is still being analysed, prior to referral. In the remaining four incidents the evidence did not justify asking the flag states to investigate further.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to enable legal action to be taken against the owners of foreign vessels which cause pollution within United Kingdom territorial waters in the British courts if no action is undertaken by the relevant flag administration.

  Mr. Portillo
  No, the concept would be contrary to the fundamental principles of United Kingdom criminal law and not practically possible. However, I am satisfied that the recovery of clean-up costs from the polluter represents a significant sanction.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken by his Department in respect of paragraph XVI, 29 of the ministerial declaration of the second international conference on the protection of the North sea.

  Mr. Portillo
  Nationally, procedures have been strengthened to ensure that all reports received by my Department of suspected operational violations of pollution regulations are transmitted to parties to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on port state control to ensure that ships alleged to have committed an offence are inspected when they call at an MOU port. At United Kingdom ports, a full inspection of suspected offenders is carried out in accordance with port state control procedures.
  499
  Internationally, contracting parties to the Bonn agreement, who are responsible for receiving reports of oil pollution, are liaising with parties to the MOU on port state control to ensure that there is close co-operation between their respective activities, that all ships suspected of an operational violation are rigorously inspected, and that where the circumstances warrant it, evidence is collected in accordance with procedures recommended by the International Maritime Organisation.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department will be represented at the meeting in May 1989 of parties to the memorandum of understanding on port state control.

  Mr. Portillo
  My Department will be represented at the meeting of the port state control committee by an official from the marine directorate.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will identify the constraints preventing his Department from initiating a prosecution for an oil pollution offence against the master of a foreign-flagged vessel in his capacity as an agent of the vessel's owner.

  Mr. Portillo
  The master of a ship does not act as an agent for the vessel's owner. Under criminal law, service of a summons on the master does not serve summons on the owner. Prosecution of the master can only be in his capacity as master; he cannot be made a surrogate of the owner.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many detections and prosecutions of operational violations under the Marsol 73/78 convention have taken place.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to the final paragraph of my answer to him of 10 January at column 625.

  Motor Insurance
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State of Transport whether any steps have been taken to help those whose property is damaged by uninsured drivers in the light of the new regulations requiring motor insurance policies to cover liability for property damage.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A new agreement with the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) came into force on 31 December 1988, to coincide with the introduction of the new regulations. Under the agreement the MIB pay compensation to people whose property is damaged by uninsured drivers, as well as those who suffer personal injury. The MIB have produced a leaflet giving information about the new arrangements. We greatly welcome these new arrangements with the insurance industry to give better protection to the victims of road accidents. Copies of the new agreement, and of the short MIB leaflet will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Transport Tribunal
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who holds responsibility for the administration of the transport tribunal.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The responsibility for the transport tribunal currently rests with the Department of 500
  Transport. The Prime Minister has agreed that it would be more appropriate for responsibility to fall to the Lord Chancellor's Department. A transfer of functions order giving effect to this will be made shortly. It will come into effect from April. No changes in the arrangements For appointments to the tribunal are involved.

  Cross-Channel Ferries
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requirements are placed by his Department that it shall be the duty of cross-Channel ferry operators that, prior to sailing, the operational capability of public address systems shall be tested and proved to be audible for routine and emergency advice to passengers; and what action is taken in the event of reports being lodged that technical break-up and background noise make such advice indecipherable to passengers.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 6 March 1989]: The procedures adopted by the ferry operators to bring the passengers attention to emergency instructions in accordance with advice issued by the Department's marine directorate should ensure that the system is in frequent use and good order.

  The systems are thoroughly tested at least once a year by surveyors. All reports of difficulties with PA systems are thoroughly investigated by marine surveyors.

  Leg Protectors
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what report he has received on the field tests being carried out on motorcycle leg protectors; when he intends to publish it; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 3 March 1989]: An extensive programme of test work is still being carried out. The findings will continue to be made public.

  An in-depth study of motorcycle injury accidents carried out by the TRRL suggests that some 70 per cent. of motorcyclist casualties sustain some form of leg injury.

  I believe that major motorcycle manufacturing firms recognise the urgent need to improve motorcycle safety. There is increasing concern worldwide over the risks of motorcycling. The United Kingdom represents only a small part of the global market for motorcycles; there is a limit to the contribution any one country can make.

  We are keen to see all road users respect each other and use the roads safely. We are also keen to see road users protected as far as possible from the consequences of crashes.

  The prime responsibility for designing secondary protection in cars and motorcycles must be with the manufacturers and their designers.

DEFENCE

  Trident Submarine
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to place the order for the third Trident submarine, SSBN07.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to place the order for a third Vanguard class submarine.
  501
  Mr. Sainsbury
  The formal response from Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. to the tender invitation for the construction of SSBN07 was received by my Department on 19 February. It is planned to place the order for the submarine later this year.

  Lance Missile
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met a representative of the United States Department of Defence to discuss a follow on to the Lance missile.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met a representative of the United States Department of Defence to discuss a follow on to the Lance missile.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met a representative of the United States Department of Defence to discuss a follow on to the Lance missile.

  Mr. Younger
  I last met Mr. Carlucci at the meeting of the Defence Planning Committee in Brussels on 1 December, when a range of subjects of mutual interest were discussed, including modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying sorties took place over Britain in 1988.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying sorties took place over Britain in 1988.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying sorties took place over Britain in 1988.

  Mr. Neubert
  A total of 151,291 military low-flying training sorties were flown in the United Kingdom low flying system in 1988.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will conduct a departmental inquiry into military low flying in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  No.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the joint study with his West German counterpart on reducing the impact of low-flying training to be completed.
  502
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the joint study with his West German counterpart on reducing the impact of low-flying training to be completed.

  Mr. Neubert
  In due course.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Commander-in-Chief Allied Air Forces Europe on measures to reduce low flying in Europe.

  Mr. Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Commander-in-Chief Allied Air Forces Europe on measures to reduce low flying in Europe.

  Mr. Neubert
  My right hon. Friend has had no such discussions.

  Warsaw Pact (Offensive Operations)
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Warsaw pact has reduced its capability to conduct large-scale offensive operations.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Warsaw pact has not reduced its capability to conduct large-scale offensive operations since, as yet, there has been no movement rearward of the relevant manpower or equipment. Even if all the reductions recently announced by the Soviet Union and other Warsaw pact countries are implemented the Warsaw pact forces will still enjoy a considerable superiority in Key offensive weapon systems, such as tanks and artillery, in the central region.

  Soviet Union (Naval Threat)
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Soviet naval threat in the northern Atlantic has reduced in the past year.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No, we do not consider that the Soviet naval threat in the northern Atlantic has reduced in the past year. Modernisation of both the Soviet northern and Baltic fleets has continued. New, increasingly sophisticated submarines and surface ships have entered the Soviet naval order-of-battle, more than offsetting the vessels from older classes which are being scrapped. The Soviet navy is now better placed than ever before to conduct wartime operations in the northern Atlantic.

  Conventional Forces
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will discuss with his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation colleagues proposals to achieve a lower level of conventional forces in Europe, incorporating parity with the Warsaw pact over the whole range of such forces and dual capable forces.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will discuss with his NATO colleagues proposals to achieve a lower level of conventional forces in Europe incorporating parity with the Warsaw pact over the whole range of such forces and dual capable forces.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will discuss with his NATO colleagues proposals to achieve a lower level of conventional forces in Europe incorporating parity with the Warsaw pact over the whole range of such forces and dual capable forces.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will discuss with his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation colleagues proposals to achieve a lower level of conventional forces in Europe incorporating parity with the Warsaw pact over the whole range of such forces and dual capable forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Proposals for the negotiations on conventional forces in Europe were discussed by NATO Ministers at their meeting in Brussels on the 8 and 9 December 1988. Close consultation on all aspects of the negotations will continue.

  US Bases
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further information he has on United States proposals to build new, and upgrade existing nuclear vaults at their bases in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further information he has on United States proposals to build new, and upgrade existing, nuclear vaults at their bases in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further information he has on United States proposals to build new, and upgrade existing, nuclear vaults at their bases in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 3 March at column 357.

  Reserve and Auxiliary Forces
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in expanding the reserve and auxiliary forces.

  Mr. Neubert
  The combined strength of the volunteer reserves, not including the Ulster Defence Regiment, stands at almost 84,500. This represents an increase of over 28 per cent. since 1979 when expansion measures were first set in hand. Over that period the strength of the TA has increased by 13,500 and the HSF has added a further 3,000. Comparable increases in the strengths of other services are RAux AF and RAFVR, 1,330 and RMR, over 400. In addition, the RNF has raised its strength by about 400 since the decision was taken to expand it in 1984.

  United States National Security Adviser
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State For Defence what plans he has to meet General Scowcroft, the United States national security adviser, to discuss defence matters.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to meet General Scowcroft, the United States national security adviser, to discuss defence matters.

  Mr.David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to meet General Scowcroft, United States national security adviser, to discuss defence matters.

  Mr. Younger
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith).

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now reconsider his policy towards the modernisation of short-range nuclear weaponry.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) on 29 November 1988 at column 567.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. George Younger
  I last met the German Defence Minister at the Anglo-German summit in Frankfurt in February. We discussed a range of issues including the modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of Norway to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of Norway to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of Norway to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of Norway to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.
  505
  Mr. Younger
  I last met Mr. Hoist during the Defence Planning Committee meeting in Brussels on 1 December when a range of subjects of mutual interest were discussed.

  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the circumstances in which United Kingdom nuclear weapons may be used against(a) a non-nuclear state and (b) another nuclear nation.

  Mr. Heffer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the circumstances in which United Kingdom nuclear weapons may be used against (1) a non-nuclear state and (2) another nuclear nation.

  Mr. Wall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the circumstances in which United Kingdom nuclear weapons may be used against(a) a non-nuclear state and (b) another nuclear nation.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of Denmark to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of Denmark to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of Denmark to discuss modernisation of short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. George Younger
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy (Dr. Moonie).

  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on recent discussions with the United Kingdom's NATO allies on proposals to modernise short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has frequent meetings with his NATO colleagues, during which a wide range of issues affecting the defence and security of the Alliance are discussed, including the need to modernise short-range nuclear weapons.

  Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; and if he will make a statement.
  506
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Younger
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer that I gave earlier to my hon. Friends the Members for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) and for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter).

  RAF Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre
  Mr. John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received regarding the proposed transfer of the Royal Air Force officer and aircrew selection centre from Biggin hill to RAF Cranwell; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  My Department has received representations from both the local and departmental (non-industrial) trades union sides whose members are affected by the transfer, from the London borough of Bromley council, from local branches of the Aircrew Association and Royal Marines Association, on behalf of Belgian pilots based at Biggin hill during world war 2, and from members of the public.

  Mr. John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on whether, following the transfer of the Royal Air Force officer and aircrew selection centre from Biggin hill to RAF Cranwell, suitably qualified personnel will be available in the Cranwell area to undertake the required work.

  Mr. Neubert
  It is not anticipated that there will be any difficulties recruiting suitably qualified staff in the Cranwell area.

  Mr. John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will specify the arrangements which he intends to make in order to ensure the retention of the Air Training Corps unit at RAF Biggin hill following the transfer of the officer and aircrew selection centre to RAF Cranwell.

  Mr. Neubert
  All options available to retain the Air Training Corps unit at RAF Biggin hill will be considered.

  Mr. John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of the redundancy payments to be made to those civilian personnel at Royal Air Force Biggin hill who will not be moving to RAF Cranwell following the transfer of the Royal Air Force officer and aircrew selection centre from Biggin hill.

  Mr. Neubert
  Until such time as the intentions of the individual members of the staff are known it is not possible to estimate the likely cost of redundancy payments.

  Mr. John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what use is currently made of the Royal Air Force officer and aircrew selection centre at Biggin hill for flying aptitude and medical tests by Army and Royal Navy
  507
  personnel; to what extend such facilities would continue to be used by these service personnel following the transfer of the centre to RAF Cranwell; and if he anticipates the provision of additional facilities at any other location for these tests.

  Mr. Neubert
  In addition to its own selection task, the Royal Air Force officers and aircrew selection centre at Biggin hill annually undertakes about 400 aptitude tests and aircrew medical examinations for prospective Army pilots, and flying aptitude tests for about 750 pilot and observer candidates for the Royal Navy. Facilities will continue to be offered to the other services when the centre is transferred to RAF Cranwell.

  Procurement Expenditure
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the relative priority in terms of procurement expenditure his Department gives to(a) the British Army of the Rhine and (b) warships for the Royal Navy.

  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the relative priority, in terms of procurement expenditure, his Department gives to(a) the British Army of the Rhine and (b) warships for the Royal Navy.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Mr. Galbraith) and for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths).

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to re-consider procedures for defence procurement expenditure.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Our procurement procedures are kept constantly under review. Substantial benefits are being achieved by greater use of competition and by insistence on fixed prices, payments linked to achievement milestones and other incentive measures.

  Defence Contractors
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many firms are now on the defence contractors' list; how many of these are small firms; and what were the comparable figures for 1986.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The number of companies currently on the defence contractors list is approximately 9,800. The comparable figure for 1986 was some 8,100. Information on the number of small firms within these figures is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on the transfer to foreign ownership of those parts of companies engaged in activities affecting national security.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Changes in the ownership of a defence contractor are considered by the Department on a case-by-case basis. Part of the MOD's consideration includes national security issues. The MOD is able to make certain specific provisions in respect of United Kingdom companies in foreign ownership where it is necessary to restrict access to classified equipment or information.

  Iraq
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the defence export sales organisation has made of the potential value of current Iraqi requirements for armaments.

  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the defence export sales organisation has made of the potential value of current Iraqi requirements for armaments.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the defence export sales organisation has made of the potential value of current Iraqi requirements for armaments.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the defence export sales organisation has made of the potential value of current Iraqi requirements for armaments.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We have not judged it appropriate in the present circumstances to carry out such an assessment. We continue to keep the guidelines on the export of defence equipment to Iran and Iraq, announced in the House by my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary on 29 October 1985 Vol. 84, column 454, under constant review in the light of the ceasefire, and developments in the peace negotiations.

  United States (Members' Visits)
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what briefing is given by his Department to right hon. and hon. Members who visit the United States of America.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend would be happy to consider any request for briefing from hon. or right hon. Members undertaking visits to the United States of America.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the policy of the West German Government towards the procurement of radar for the European fighter aircraft.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the procurement policy of the West German Government in connection with radar for the European fighter aircraft.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We are in frequent contact with the West German Government on all aspects of the European fighter aircraft programme, including the selection of the radar. It remains the objective of the four participating Governments to achieve maximum commonality.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent decisions he has made in respect of procurement of a radar system for the European fighter aircraft.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) and for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies).

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last discussed the European fighter aircraft project with his West German counterpart; and if he will make a statement.
  509
  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave the hon. Member on 7 February at column 146.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans for development of joint European defence procurement, especially in the field of the next generation of fighter aircraft.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In the interest of achieving value for money and improved interoperability, the United Kingdom actively promotes co-operation on European defence procurement, both with other countries on a bilateral basis and through the independent European programme group, which we currently chair. The European fighter aircraft project is an excellent example of the collaborative programmes in which we are involved.

  Defence Products Company (Takeover)
  Mr. Bendall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy in relation to a business with defence products which it is currently not allowed, for security reasons, to sell to West Germany being taken over by a West German company.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Changes in the ownership of a defence contractor are considered by the Department on a case-by-case basis. Part of the MOD's consideration includes national security issues. The MOD is able to make certain specific provisions in respect of United Kingdom companies in foreign ownership where it is necessary to restrict access to classified equipment or information.

  Unreliable Equipment
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department of unreliable weapons, aircraft and military equipment.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department of unreliable weapons, aircraft and military equipment.

  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department of unreliable weapons, aircraft and military equipment.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell).

  Arms Control
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by his Department in formulating a United Kingdom contribution to NATO's comprehensive concept on arms control.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made by NATO Defence Ministers in discussions on the overall concept; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The task of producing a report on the comprehensive concept of arms control and disarmament falls to the North Atlantic Council in 510
  permanent session. Both the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have contributed fully to this exercise throughout. When Alliance Foreign Ministers met in Brussels on 8–9 December 1988, they received a written report on the further development of the comprehensive concept. They reviewed the state of work, welcomed the progress achieved to date, and called for a complete record by the time of their next meeting later this year.

  Heliborne Forces
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of NATO's ability to match the Warsaw pact threat from heliborne forces.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the ability of NATO to match the Warsaw pact threat from heliborne forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington) on 3 March at column 356.

  Estimates
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the next "Statement on the Defence Estimates" will be published.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the next "Statement on the Defence Estimates" will be published.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the next "Statement on the Defence Estimates" will be published.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the next "Statement on the Defence Estimates" will be published.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In due course.

  Obsolete Nuclear Warheads
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many obsolete nuclear warheads have been scrapped by Her Majesty's Government as a consequence of the NATO Montebello agreement.

  Mr. James Lamond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many obsolete nuclear warheads have been scrapped by Her Majesty's Government as a consequence of the NATO Montebello agreement.

  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many obsolete nuclear warheads have been scrapped by Her Majesty's Government as a consequence of the NATO Montebello agreement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on 3 March at column 357.

  Mine Warfare
  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the mine warfare modernisation programme; and when he expects to place orders for the next four vessels of the SRMH type.
  511
  Mr. Sainsbury
  Further orders for single-role minehunters are planned, but no decisions have yet been taken on the size and timing of orders. The Government have plans to maintain the United Kingdom's defensive mining capability, which is currently represented by the Royal Navy's ground mine. An update programme for these mines is in progress.

  Disarmament
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received advocating a defence policy of unilateral, bilateral and multilateral disarmament.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received advocating a defence policy of unilateral, bilateral and multilateral disarmament.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence has received 32 letters and 18 postcards regarding general disarmament matters since last year's summer recess.

  Battlefield Nuclear Weapons
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training is given to United Kingdom armed forces to fight on a battlefield upon which nuclear weapons are used.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training is given to United Kingdom armed forces to fight on a battlefield upon which nuclear weapons are used.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training is given to United Kingdom armed forces to fight on a battlefield upon which nuclear weapons are used.

  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training is given to the United Kingdom armed forces to fight on a battlefield upon which nuclear weapons are used.

  Mr. Neubert
  The United Kingdom armed forces are trained to fight in a variety of battlefield scenarios.

  Western European Union
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next intends to meet the secretary general of the Western European Union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next intends meeting the Secretary General of the Western European Union; and what will be discussed.

  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next intends to meet the Secretary General of the Western European Union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend next intends to meet the Secretary-General of the Western European Union on the occasion of the ministerial Council of the Western European Union in April 1989. They will discuss a number of issues of mutual interest.

  Reciprocal Unilateralism
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received advocating a defence policy of reciprocal unilateralism.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received advocating a defence policy of reciprocal unilateralism.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received urging him to adopt a defence policy of reciprocal unilateralism.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs).

  Monopoly Suppliers
  Mr. Neil Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how he seeks to obtain value for money in those sectors where there is a monopoly United Kingdom supplier.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Our policy is to seek the best long term value for money in our purchases and to use competition wherever possible to achieve this. Where there is a monopoly United Kingdom supplier it may be possible to seek competition from overseas. In those cases where overseas competition is not possible we aim to negotiate taut contract conditions with the prime contractor and ensure that there is the maximum competition at the sub-contract level.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the accuracy of Mr. Gorbachev's estimate of the Soviet chemical weapons stockpile as 50,000 tonnes.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw).

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy for wives and families wishing to accompany service men posted to the Falkland Islands.

  Mr. Neubert
  Most service men in the Falkland Islands are on four or six-month tours and are required to serve unaccompanied. The small number of personnel on 12-month tours are encouraged to take their families with them and are provided with married quarters.

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implications for the level of Soviet troops in Europe of the recent withdrawal of such troops from Afghanistan.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Soviet forces withdrawn from Afghanistan comprise a complete army of four fully manned and equipped divisions, one of which is an airborne division, and a large number of other units. The
  513
  whole force amounts to some 110,000 personnel. It is not clear whether any of the troops withdrawn from Afghanistan have been or will be transferred to the European theatre. The Soviets have given us no indication of their intentions.

  Stocks
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total value of(a) spares, (b) food, (c) ammunition and (d) all other stocks held by his Department at the latest convenient date.

  Mr. Neubert
  The information cannot be provided in the exact form requested without disproportionate cost. For management purposes, stocks are categorised by equipment range or commodity. The value of stocks of spares held within each category is, however, not separately maintained.

  The assessed total value of stocks held by MOD in major depots as at 31 March 1988 amounted to a total of £10,249 million, the breakdown of which, by supply management category, is as follows:

  £ million

  Ammunition and armament stores

  3,109

  Food

  13

  Fuel (including lubricants)

  114

  Clothing

  127

  General stores

  273

  Technical stores

  6,604

  Medical stores

  9

  10,249

  The figures do not include the value of stocks held in units and establishments forward of the main stores depots, details of which are not maintained centrally.

  Representations (Trade Unions)
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on responding to representations on defence matters from trade unions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on responding to representations on defence matters from trade unions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on responding to representations on defence matters from trade unions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We receive frequent representations from the trade unions on matters affecting their members employed in the Ministry of Defence and these are handled in accordance with the normal Civil Service consultative procedures. Representations on defence matters are handled in the normal way as they arise.

  Soviet Union (Nuclear Forces)
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has as to whether the Soviets are continuing to modernise their strategic nuclear forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Soviet Union continues to modernise its strategic nuclear forces. On land an 514
  additional 200 SS-25 inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are expected to become operational within two or three years. The ten-warhead SS-24 ICBM has been deployed, both in silos and on rail-mobile launchers, and a modified version of the SS-18 heavy ICBM is entering service. At sea, five Typhoon and four Delta IV nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), carrying the multiple-warhead SS-N-20 and SS-N-23 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), are now operational, and a fifth Delta IV began sea trials during 1988. The SS-N-21 sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM) is now operational.

  In the air, a new strategic bomber, the Blackjack, has entered service; it can carry the AS-15 air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) as well as bombs and air-to-surface missiles. The AS-15 entered service in 1984 and is already deployed on the Bear H bomber, of which 70 are operational.

  Soviet Air Capability
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the threat posed by Soviet air capability to the United Kingdom home base.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  For details of the continuing development of the Soviet Union's air capability, I refer my hon. Friend to the "Statement on Defence Estimates 1988" (Cm. 344-I), in particular chapter 6 and the essay entitled "The Conventional Balance". The Soviet air capability which could pose a threat to the United Kingdom is kept constantly under review. Details of such assessments are classified.

  West Germany
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next intends to meet the Defence Minister of the Federal German Republic; and what matters he plans to discuss.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend expects to meet the Defence Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany at a meeting of WEU Ministers next month. In the normal way a range of matters of mutual interest will be discussed.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Defence Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met his West Germany counterpart; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend last met the Defence Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany at the Anglo-German summit on 20–21 February 1989. A range of matters of mutual interest was discussed.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further plans he has for the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further plans he has for the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines.
  515
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further plans he has for the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) on 9 May at column 2.

  France
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next intends to meet the French Defence Minister; and what he will discuss.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend met M. Chevenement last week and, although he has no immediate plans for a further meeting, he expects to have a number of opportunities to discuss matters of mutual interest in the course of 1989.

  Defence Exports
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what successes have been achieved in defence exports during the past year.

  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been achieved in defence exports during the past year.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The success achieved by our defence manufacturers in the past year, maintains Britain's position as a major world exporter of defence equipment.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the policy considerations which underline his refusal to publish figures on an individual company's defence exports.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It has never been the practice of this or previous Governments to publish figures on individual companies' defence exports for reasons of commercial and customer confidentiality.

  RAF Upper Heyford
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when next he expects to visit RAF Upper Heyford.

  Mr. Neubert
  I expect to visit RAF Upper Heyford when the full study into the costs and implications of realigning the runway at the base has been completed, which I hope will be shortly after Easter.

  Nuclear Defence Policy
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government intend to change their policy on nuclear defence.

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government have any plans to change their nuclear defence policy.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are no such plans.

  Estate Management
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he has taken to improve the management of the defence estate.
  516
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he has taken to improve the management of the defence estate.

  Mr. Neubert
  Following the announcement in May 1988 of changes in the relationship between the Property Services Agency and other Government Departments, the Ministry of Defence has resumed overall responsibility for the management of its estate. Bringing together responsibility and accountability within a single Department will enable us to manage our estate more efficiently and cost-effectively. We regularly review the utilisation of our land and property holdings to identify areas which are surplus or may become surplus to requirements and a number of major studies are currently taking place with a view to further rationalisation measures.

  Contracts
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the implications for his policies on competition and value for money on defence contracts of a situation where the United States prime contractor and the United Kingdom prime contractor are one and the: same company.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Our procurement strategy is intended to achieve the best possible value for money. We place our prime contracts as a result of competition wherever we can, but when this is not possible we aim to negotiate taut contract conditions with the prime contractor and ensure that there is the maximum competition at the sub-contract level.

  TGWU (Policy)
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations on defence policy he has received from the Transport and General Workers Union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Derby, North (Mr. Knight) on 3 March 1989 at column 356.

  Warsaw Pact
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Warsaw pact has changed its military doctrine over the past year.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Recent public statements by Warsaw pact leaders have stressed the defensive nature of the pact's military doctrine but its armed forces continue to maintain a capability far greater than that required for solely defensive purposes. We look forward to the implementation of measures, such as reductions in the strength of the pact's armed forces and in the defence spending of its members, that would indicate a genuine shift to a defensive doctrine.

  Senior Staff
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's senior staff of grade 5 or over are employed(a) outside and (b) in the south-east of England.
  517
  Mr. Sainsbury
  The numbers of the Department's senior staff, at grades 5 and above, employed(a) outside the south-east of England is 102, and (b) in posts in the south-east of England is 285.

  Type 23 Frigates
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the number of, and the duration for which, type 23 frigates are expected to be at sea without an integrated computer command and control system being in operation.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the number of and the duration for which, type 23 frigates are expected to be at sea without an integrated computer command and control system being in operation.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the numbers of, and the duration for which, type 23 frigates are expected to be at sea without an integrated computer command and control system being in operation.

  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the number of, and the duration for which, type 23 frigates are expected to be at sea without an integrated computer command and control system being in operation.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have nothing to add to the statement which I gave to the House on 28 February 1989.

  Naval Procurement
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement upon his policy on the United Kingdom contribution to naval procurement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Government will continue to pursue a substantial procurement programme to meet the requirements of the Royal Navy in the most cost-effective way.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is towards his Department's involvement with private security firms.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The use of private security firms in guarding establishments is an option open to MOD in those cases where their use can satisfy certain security criteria, and where it achieves better value for money.

  Falklands
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to bring into the public domain all records within his Department relating to the Falklands war.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

  Territorial Army
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last had discussions regarding the Territorial Army with the Chief of General Staff.
  518
  Mr. Neubert
  The process of consultation on service matters is a continuous one, both through the formal Defence Committee structure and official channels. In addition my right hon. Friend and hon. colleagues take up a number of invitations to visit Territorial Army conferences and units. In this way the Territorial Army has been the subject of much discussion, reflecting the importance that we attach to the vital role it plays in the defence of the nation.

  RAF Pilots
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force pilots have left within 10 years of qualifying as pilots in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Neubert
  The number of RAF pilots who left within 10 years of qualifying as pilots in each of the last three years are:

  Number

  1986

  20

  1987

  49

  1988

  91

  Soviet Military Strength
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimate of Soviet nuclear military strength in short-range missiles and artillery west of the Urals; and what evidence he has of any reductions during the last 12 months.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friend to figure 19 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988" (Cm. 344-I), which shows a total of 1,400 missile launchers and 6,800 nuclear-capable artillery pieces. Athough the Soviet Foreign Minister announced in January that there were to be some reductions in the numbers of short-range nuclear forces in Eastern Europe, these reductions have not yet taken place, and they will involve only 24 missile systems and about 220 artillery pieces. The Warsaw pact retains an enormous advantage in such short-range systems.

  Nuclear Deterrent
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on Britain's independent nuclear deterrent.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Britain's Polaris force remains fully operational and effective with at least one submarine on patrol at all times. Trident remains on programme to enter service in the mid-1990s.

  Merchant Vessels (Emergencies)

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the figures for the availability in March 1989 of British merchant vessels suitable for naval deployment in time of emergency.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The figures for March 1989 are not yet available. The number of vessels available on the United Kingdom and dependent territory registers at 31 December 1988 in the categories required for defence purposes was as follows:
  519

  Number

  Fishing vessels (including large stern trawlers and offshore support vessels)

  348

  Product tankers

  120

  Break bulk cargo vessels

  162

  Cruise ships

  5

  Roll on-roll off ferries

  69

  Tugs

  91

  Counter-mine Operations
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to convert offshore support vessels for the purpose of counter-mine operations in time of emergency; and if he will make a statement.
  520
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No, but we keep such matters under review.

  Nuclear Strategy
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Knowsley, South of Thursday 2 March on nuclear strategy,Official Report, column 254, if he will identify the paragraphs which contain the requested information.

  Mr. Neubert
  The essays referred to in my reply of 2 March should be read in toto.

  SALMON: ILLEGAL FISHERY
  SALMON: ILLEGAL FISHERY
  DECAPITALISATION RATES: HARMONISATION STEPS
  DECAPITALISATION RATES: HARMONISATION STEPS
  OZONE RESEARCH UNIT
  OZONE RESEARCH UNIT
  OCEAN RESEARCH: BUDGET ALLOCATIONS
  OCEAN RESEARCH: BUDGET ALLOCATIONS
  TEACHER VACANCIES
  TEACHER VACANCIES
  ARCTIC ENVIRONMENT: RESEARCH
  ARCTIC ENVIRONMENT: RESEARCH
  PROHIBITION OF FEMALE CIRCUMCISION ACT 1985
  PROHIBITION OF FEMALE CIRCUMCISION ACT 1985
  ST. STEPHEN'S HOSPITAL, LONDON
  ST. STEPHEN'S HOSPITAL, LONDON
  BACTERIAL INFECTION OF FOOD
  BACTERIAL INFECTION OF FOOD
  RHINOCEROS HORN AND IVORY: ILLEGAL TRADE
  RHINOCEROS HORN AND IVORY: ILLEGAL TRADE