Written Answers of 10 March 1989

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to evidence of genocide by the Ethiopian Government, in deciding whether to continue aid to Ethiopia through Lomé III and IV.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The human rights situation in Ethiopia is of serious concern to Her Majesty's Government but suspending the aid provided under the Lomé convention—which is going principally to finance the development of peasant agriculture and helps to reduce the underlying risk of famine—would hurt the poorest sections of the population. What the European Community is doing, and must continue to do, is to ensure that the aid supports more sensible policies and that it reaches those for whom it is intended.

  Lomé IV
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution he will be making in the negotiations leading to the drawing up of the Lomé IV convention.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I am playing a full part in the Lomé renegotiation and intend to continue to do so.

  At the ministerial negotiating meeting in Brazzaville on 16–17 February, at the request of the Spanish presidency, I was EC chairman of the negotiating group which covered financial and technical co-operation and a number of other questions. I also worked closely with my Community colleagues on other aspects of the renegotiation.

PRIME MINISTER

  TVEI (Insurance Cover)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Prime Minister what guidance is given to Government Departments regarding personal accident insurance cover in respect of pupils pursuing TVEI work experience courses with Government Departments; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The Department of Education and Science has issued guidance to departments on work experience in general and this includes advice on liability and insurance requirements. The Training Agency does not issue specific guidance to Government Departments regarding personal accident insurance cover for pupils on TVEI work experience placements.

  Rating Reform
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements are being made for Government employees 2
  and similar groups, including members of the armed forces and prison officers, to receive help with poll tax, either by way of direct reimbursement or by way of special transitional arrangements; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  All Government employees will, unless exempt, be subject to the personal community charge in the same way as other members of the population. Where members of the armed forces occupy Crown-owned accommodation and have no choice over where they live, and pay a community charge in excess of the service average, plus £52, they will pay a lower rate of accommodation charge. The reduction in accommodation charge will equate to the amount by which the community charge paid exceeds that threshold.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Schools (Local Management)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from schools on local management of schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from school governors and head teachers commenting on aspects of the local management of schools (LMS). Many authorities are now consulting their schools formally on their draft LMS schemes. I am impressed by the hard work which is clearly being devoted to the preparation of satisfactory schemes.

  Teacher Shortages
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what information he has concerning shortages of teachers in English. mathematics, languages, science, craft and arts subject teachers in Suffolk and Norfolk;

  (2) how many vacancies exist currently in primary, junior, middle, high and secondary schools in Suffolk and Norfolk for teachers in English, mathematics, languages, science, craft and arts subjects.

  Mr. Butcher
  Information held centrally relating to teacher shortages in individual LEAs consists of annual counts of vacancies in maintained primary and secondary schools. For primal:, schools, these are not broken down by subject specialism.

  The latest figures available relate to January 1988. The table sets out information for Suffolk and Norfolk.

  Number of vacancies1

  Primary schools (including nursery and middle deemed primary schools)

  223

  Secondary schools (including middle deemed secondary schools)

  332

  of which, number in:

  English

  1

  mathematics

  0

  languages

  2

  science

  2

  craft, design and technology

  2

  arts subjects

  5

  3
  1 Full-time permanent posts only.

  2 Or 0·5 per cent. of teachers in service.

  3 Or 0·6 per cent. of teachers in service.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has regarding number and reasons for teachers of English, mathematics, languages, science, and craft in Suffolk and Norfolk leaving the profession in the past two years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Butcher
  In the year up to March 1985, 472 secondary school teachers in Suffolk and Norfolk left the maintained sector. In the year up to March 1986, the number was 491. This information relates to all secondary teachers. Data are not available on the subject they were teaching nor on their reasons for leaving. However, the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions, in its second report, found that the proportion of teachers leaving the profession was generally low and that fewer than 1 per cent. left to take up other employment.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will indicate for all the schools which have so far applied for grant-maintained status those which local authorities intend to close.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The following schools have applied for grant-maintained status under the Education Reform Act 1988, and are subject to proposals to cease to maintain them under the Education Act 1980:

  Hendon school, Barnet

  Queensbury school, Bedfordshire

  St. James's school, Bolton

  Ramsden school for girls, Bromley

  Bankfield county high school, Cheshire

  Netherthorpe school, Derbyshire

  Foster's school, Dorset

  Lord Digby's school, Dorset

  Sir James Altham school, Hertfordshire

  London nautical school, ILEA

  Castlemount school, Kent

  Wilmington grammar school for girls, Kent

  South Park high school, Lincolnshire

  Blessed Hugh More RC secondary school, Lincolnshire

  My right hon. Friend will consider both sets of proposals together on their merits but determine those for grant-maintained status first.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Ministerial Visit (Nottingham)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet the leader of the council to discuss the safer cities campaign and other departmental matters when he visits Nottingham on 4 March.

  Mr. Hurd
  My visit is on 3 March and I have arranged to meet the leader of the council on that morning.

  Child Sexual Abuse
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the starting dates of research projects into child sexual abuse begun in 1988–89; how much was spent on each project to date; and how much he expects to be spent on the projects in a full financial year.
  4
  Mr. John Patten
  One project on child sexual abuse began in 1988–89. This started on 1 February 1989. The study is examining the effectiveness of live TV links for child witnesses in the Crown courts, including cases of child sexual abuse. Payment of research grants is made quarterly in arrears; consequently no costs have been incurred to date. The study will take 12 months to complete and will cost £45,394.

  Confiscation Orders
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the offences for which (a) magistrates and (b) other courts can, upon conviction, issue confiscation orders.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 empowers the Crown court to make a confiscation order against a person convicted of a drug trafficking offence as defined in section 38(1) of the Act. Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act, which is expected to come into force on 3 April 1989, gives a similar power to the Crown court in respect of other indictable offences, and to both the Crown court and magistrates' courts in respect of summary offences listed in schedule 4 to the Act.

  Plastic Bullets
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what regulations cover(a) the training in the use of and (b) the firing of plastic bullets; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Those chief officers of police who hold plastic baton round equipment are responsible for ensuring that officers are trained in its use. Only authorised firearms officers are usually so trained. The position on the operational use of plastic baton rounds was explained by my right hon. Friend in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 19 May 1986 at columns 15 and 16 This remains unchanged.

  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when plastic bullets were first approved for use in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Plastic baton rounds for use in dealing with serious public disorder were first made available to forces in England and Wales following the riots in 1981.

  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times plastic bullets have been used in England and Wales; under what circumstances; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Plastic baton rounds have not been used operationally in England and Wales.

  Crowd Control
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been carried out or commissioned by the Government into methods of crowd control; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The police service has long and extensive experience of policing crowds. The methods to
  5
  be used are a matter for the chief officers of police who keep their tactics under constant review, which may include research based on United Kingdom experience as well as practice abroad.

  Compensation
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people convicted in magistrates' courts in 1988 were ordered to pay compensation, other than for summary motoring offences; what was the average amount of compensation paid; and if he has any plans to raise the maximum amount per offence which may be ordered at a magistrates' court.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information for 1988 is not yet available. Information for 1987 was published in tables 7·24 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1987", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. There are no plans at present to raise the maximum amount of compensation awarded per offence.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of animal experiments for each of the years 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is published in table 19 of "Statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain, 1987" (Cm. 515).

  Prison Statistics
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department as at December 1988, how many prisoners serving a year or more were from(a) the Republic of Ireland, (b) the Benelux countries, (c) the West Indies, (d) the United States of America, (e) the Indian sub continent, (f) South America, (g) the middle east and (h) Australasia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The latest readily available information is given in the table below. The recording of nationality for citizens of Commonwealth countries, Pakistan and the Irish Republic is not always reliable.

  Prisoners in prison service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 1988 who were serving sentences of one year or more: by nationality

  Nationality

  Number1

  Republic of Ireland

  370

  Benelux countries

  30

  West Indies

  510

  United States of America and Puerto Rice

  40

  Indian sub-continent

  570

  South America

  130

  Middle East

  90

  Australia and New Zealand

  30

  British and other nationalities

  26,940

  Nationality not recorded

  3,710

  All nationalities

  32,420

  1 Rounded estimates. Checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost.

  Irish Republic (Migration)
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizens of the Republic of Ireland migrated to the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Renton
  The information requested is not available. However, it is estimated from the labour force survey that in 1987 just over half a million persons usually resident in Great Britain had been born in the Republic of Ireland, some 50,000 of whom had entered the United Kingdom since the beginning of 1977.

  Clergymen
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many clergymen who are citizens of the Republic of Ireland are presently working in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Renton
  The information requested is not available.

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

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We do not propose to do so.

  Security
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve the security of the individual citizen in the urban environment at night.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have taken a number of measures which should help to improve personal safety at all times of day. These include an increase in police manpower; the safer cities programme, which will establish crime prevention projects in 20 urban, high-crime areas; and stricter controls on the possession of offensive weapons. We are also discussing with colleagues in the Departments of the Environment and Transport what might be done to encourage improvements in street lighting.

  Legal Advice (Detainees)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of detainees in police custody exercise their right to legal advice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The recently published Home Office research study "Detention at the Police Station under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984", which draws on data collected in 10 police force areas in March 1987, indicates that of the over 5,500 detainees whose records are examined, some 25 per cent. had asked to see a solicitor. Sixteen per cent. of all detainees went on to see a solicitor and 5 per cent. spoke to a solicitor by telephone.

  Where no advice was received, this was often because the detainee changed his mind, but in a third of such cases the police were unsuccessful in contacting a solicitor. Access to legal advice was delayed by the police in about 1 per cent. of cases.

  Terroism
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all incidents of terrorist activity in Great Britain since 1979 which are attributable to groups connected with Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hurd
  The table lists those terrorist incidents resulting in casualties. All were bomb incidents. There have also been a number of other incidents not resulting in casualties, but a full list of these could not be made available except at disproportionate cost.

  Date and location

  Killed

  Injured

  30 March 1979

  Car park Palace of Westminster, Westminster, London SW1

  1

  —

  17 December 1979

  Post office sorting office, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire

  —

  2

  Post office sorting office, Charlton Green, Dover, Kent

  —

  2

  2 December 1980

  Princess Louise Regiment Territorial Army Centre, Hammersmith Road, London W6

  —

  5

  10 October 1981

  Ebury Bridge Road, London SW1

  2

  39

  17 October 1981

  76 South Croxted Road, London SE21

  —

  1

  26 October 1981

  Wimpy bar, Oxford Street, London W1

  1

  —

  23 November 1981

  Government House, Woolwich New Road, London SE18

  —

  2

  Date and type of incident

  Location

  Casualties

  17 December 1979

  Explosive device

  Turkish Airline Office, London

  —

  17 January 1980

  Explosive device

  Mount Royal Hotel, London

  One dead, one injured1

  11 April 1980

  Shooting

  Libyan journalist shot at Regents Park mosque

  One dead

  25 April 1980

  Shooting

  Libyan lawyer shot in Annismore Garden Mews, Kensington, London

  One dead

  30 April 1980

  Shooting

  Siege at Iranian Embassy

  Seven dead (including five terrorists)

  17 May 1980

  Explosive device

  Queen's Garden Hotel, Bayswater, London

  One dead1, one injured1

  1 June 1980

  Explosive device

  Kuwait Oil Co., New Bond Street, London

  —

  12 October 1980

  Explosive device

  Turkish Tourist Office, London

  —

  12 October 1980

  Explosive device

  Swissair Office, Leicester Square, London

  —

  15 December 1980

  Explosive device

  French Tourist Board, Piccadilly, London

  —

  15 December 1980

  Explosive device

  French Railways Office, Piccadilly, London

  —

  28 December 1980

  Explosive device

  Libyan Airline Office, Piccadilly, London

  —

  23 June 1981

  Kidnap

  Kidnap of daughter of Saudi General

  —

  7 September 1981

  Attack on Iranian Consulate

  —

  13 December 1981

  Car bomb

  Connaught Square, London

  Two dead, one injured

  8

  Date and location

  Killed

  Injured

  20 July 1982

  South Carriage Road, Hyde Park, London W1

  4

  28

  Regents Park, London NW1

  7

  31

  10 December 1983

  Royal Artillery Barracks, Repository Road, London SE18

  —

  3

  17 December 1983

  Harrods, Knightsbridge, London SW3

  6

  91

  25 December 1983

  Orchard Street, London W1

  —

  2

  12 October 1984

  Grand Hotel, Brighton, Sussex

  5

  30

  1 August 1988

  Inglis Barracks, Bittacy Hill, London NW7

  1

  8

  20 February 1989

  Clive Barracks, Tern Hill, Market Drayton, Shropshire

  —

  1

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all incidents of terrorist activity in Great Britain since 1979 which are attributable to groups not connected with Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hurd
  Statistics of main terrorist incidents which have taken place in Great Britain from 1979 to date are listed. These do not include incidents apparently caused by extremist, nationalist or anarchist groups based in Great Britain, or by extremist animal rights activists. To list all terrorist incidents which have taken place in Great Britain since 1979 would have incurred disproportionate costs.
  9

  Date and type of incident

  Location

  Casualties

  26 February 1982

  Hijack

  Stansted, Essex

  —

  14 March 1982

  Explosive device

  London

  —

  3 June 1982

  Shooting

  Israeli Ambassador Argov shot Park Lane, London W1, plus find of bombs and weapons (N)

  Two injured (includes one terrorist)

  31 July 1982

  Explosive device

  Middle East newspaper office, Cough Street, London

  —

  9 September 1982

  Explosive device

  Lancaster Hotel, London. Plot to assassinate Turkish Diplomat (find of guns and bomb)

  —

  31 August 1983

  Explosive device

  Leumi Bank, Woodstock Street, London W1

  —

  3 February 1984

  Shooting

  Murder of Mr. Mhatre, Assistant Commissioner, Indian High Commission, Birmingham

  One dead

  10 March 1984

  Explosive device

  Five bombs in various locations in London

  Twenty-three injured

  11 March 1984

  Explosive device

  Two bombs in Manchester

  Three injured

  12 March 1984

  Explosive device

  Omar Kayyam restaurant and nightclub, Regent's Street, London W1

  —

  17 April 1984

  Shooting

  Shooting in St. James's Square, London

  One dead, 11 injured

  20 April 1984

  Explosive device

  Heathrow Airport Terminal

  Twenty-seven injured

  8 June 1984

  Incendiary device

  Indian High Commission, Liverpool

  One injured

  5 July 1984

  Kidnap

  Kidnap of Mr. Dikko, former Nigerian Minister, London

  —

  17 August 1984

  Shooting

  Murder of Mr. El Giahour, Bickenhall Street, London W1

  One dead

  12 November 1984

  Incendiary device

  Hindu temple, Heathfield Road, Birmingham

  —

  30 November 1984

  Incendiary device

  Asian mosque, 18a Church Lane, Tooting, London. Attempted arson

  —

  3 June 1985

  Explosive device

  Syrian Embassy, Mayfair, London

  —

  6 June 1985

  Explosive device

  Travel Office, 8 Canans Corner, Stanmore, Middlesex

  —

  15 June 1985

  Explosive device

  Dazzling New Peepshow, 33 Great Windmill Street, Soho, London

  —

  16 July 1985

  Incendiary device

  Anti-Apartheid Movement Offices

  —

  12 August 1985

  Incendiary device

  Warehouse at Eastleigh Airport, Hampshire

  —

  11 October 1985

  Assassination attempt

  Plot to kill Indian Prime Minister

  —

  23 September 1985—7 November 1985

  Explosive device

  Suspected conspiracy, Central London

  —

  21 November 1985

  Shooting

  Sikh moderate, Luton (Lidder)

  One injured

  25 November 1985

  Explosive device

  Iranian Embassy, Letter bomb

  One injured

  29 November 1985

  Shooting

  Exiled Seychelles leader, Horeau

  One dead

  16 January 1986

  Shooting

  Sikh moderate, Middlesex (Sandhu)

  One injured

  23 January 1986

  Shooting

  Sikh moderate, Middlesex (Toor)

  One dead

  17 April 1986

  Explosive device

  E1 A1 flight, Heathrow Airport

  —

  24 April 1986

  Explosive device

  British Airways Office, Oxford Street, London

  —

  19 August 1986

  Explosive device

  Kensington Video Company, Kensington High Street, London

  One dead, 13 injured

  10 October 1986

  Shooting

  Sikh moderate

  —

  10 11

  Date and type of incident

  Location

  Casualties

  18 July 1987

  Explosive device

  Car bomb, Kensington High Street, London Mr. Parviz

  One injured

  22 July 1987

  Shooting

  Assassination of Mr. Al-Ali, Chelsea, London

  One dead

  2 October 1987

  Shooting

  Mr. Tavokoli Nabai and son Nadir, Wembley, Middlesex

  Two dead

  11 November 1987

  Shooting

  Shooting in temple, Southall, Middlesex. Singh Das Darshan

  Three dead, two injured

  20 January 1988

  Poisoning

  Iraqi poisoned with Hallium

  One dead

  21 December 1988

  Explosive device

  PAN AM jumbo jet crashed on town of Lockerbie, Scotland

  270 dead

  1 Believed to be "own goals".

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the figures for reported crime in Bury for 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand from the chief constable of the Greater Manchester police force that some 12,500 crimes were recorded in Bury in 1988, 4 per cent. fewer than in 1987.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in securing greater value for money from the Metropolitan police.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friends the Members for Epping Forest (Mr. Norris), for Fulham (Mr. Carrington) and for Dulwich (Mr. Bowden) on 2 February at column 386.

  Prison Officers
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost of training a prison officer.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The cost of training a prison officer for the initial 11-week training period in 1987–88 was £3,549.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the Cubbon formula was not implemented in the Wandsworth prison dispute.

  Mr. Hogg
  The principles and the spirit of the Cubbon formula were preserved before and during the dispute at Wandsworth prison.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the current level of police establishment in Cheshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Mrs. Winterton) on 21 February at column 540.

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about current initiatives to reduce crime.
  12
  Mr. John Patten
  Police manpower has increased substantially, and we shall add a further 1,100 officers in 1989–90. Under the safer cities programme, nine areas were agreed last year with seven more to be announced this year; two project teams are now in post and recruitment is well advanced in the other areas. The second phase of the Government's crime prevention publicity campaign was launched in November, and over two million copies of the new crime prevention handbook—"Practical Ways to Crack Crime"—have been distributed. At the local level, there are now 64,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales and it is estimated that some three and a quarter million households are now covered by neighbourhood watch schemes.

  Wakefield Prison
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to provide integral sanitation in Wakefield prison.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Wakefield prison will be examined during the next year to determine the best way of providing access to night sanitation, as will the other prisons without such access, to which my right hon. Friend referred in his reply to the hon. Member for Boothferry (Mr. Davis) on 20 February at columns 506–08.

  Wandsworth Prison (Police Officers)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who paid for the services of the Metropolitan police officers deployed in Wandsworth prison; and how much it cost.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that although final figures are not yet available the cost of the Metropolitan police services provided at Wandsworth prison is expected to be about £975,000. The cost is being met by the Home Office prison department.

  London Underground (Police Officers)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who is paying for the Metropolitan police officers deployed on the London Underground; and how much are they costing.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that at present manpower levels the annual cost of Metropolitan police officers attached to British Transport Police would be about £1·6 million. The cost will be met by London Underground Ltd.

  Press Officers
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Government press officers he expects will be notified persons under the provisions of the Official Secrets Bill.

  Mr. Douglas Hurd
  My hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Mr. Patten) described to the Committee on the Official Secrets Bill on 25 January at columns 1128–29 how we expect the notification power in clause 1(6) of the Bill will be used. It is not the Government's intention to announce or list those who might or might not be notified within my hon. Friend's description.

  Greyhound Racing
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to what is(a) the general betting duty on off course winning bets on greyhound racing, (b) the amount usually deducted from winning greyhound bets in off-course betting offices, and (c) the amount deducted from winning greyhound bets from horserace totalisator betting shops; and whether has considered introducing a levy scheme on off-course betting for greyhound racing.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 24 February 1989]: Under section 1 of the Betting and Gaming Duties Act 1981, general betting duty, on all off-course bets, is an amount equal to 8 per cent. of the amount staked. The amount of any deductions made in their mutual transactions is a matter for the bookmaker and the punter, subject to the requirement in the Licensed Betting Office Regulations 1986 for a betting office licensee to display a notice setting out the terms of which he invites people to bet. But I understand that betting offices customarily deduct 10 per cent. from either the bet or the winnings (if any), at the punter's choice, whatever the bet is on. The same applies in betting offices operated by the Horserace Totalisator Board. We have no proposals for legislation to introduce a levy on off-course betting on greyhound races, although we are considering representations on the matter.

  Horse and Greyhound Racing (Financing)
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will broaden his discussions on the 28th horserace levy scheme into a wider inquiry into the future financing of both horse and greyhound racing in relation to the increasing strength of the off-course betting market.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 24 February 1989]: It is not necessary to hold such an inquiry in determining what the 28th horserace betting levy scheme should be.

  My right hon. Friend is considering a recommendation from the chairman of the Horserace Betting Levy Board that, following that determination, there should be an inquiry into the long-term financing of racing, and a request from the British Greyhound Racing Board for an inquiry into the off-course betting industry and its relationship to the finances of horseracing and greyhound racing.

  Race Relations and Equal Opportunity
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will describe his Department's principal achievements in respect of race relations and equal opportunity since May 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]: Since 1979, the Home Office has taken, or been closely concerned with, a range of initiatives in respect of race relations and equal opportunity. These include:

  Race Relations—General

  The law relating to incitement to racial hatred was strengthened by the introduction of part III of the Public Order Act 1986. Other amendments to the Race Relations Act 1976 extended its employment provisions to offshore employment; applied it to decisions on planning and gave the Commission for Racial Equality power to issue codes of practice on rented housing. Under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966, substantial funding has been directed by the Department to local authority services addressing the special needs of ethnic minorities of Commonwealth origin, for example for teaching English as a second language and for promoting better access to a wide range of services. The amount of local authority expenditure supported by this 75 per cent. grant has increased from £46·2 million in 1979–80 to an estimated £140 million in 1988–89. At the same time, the criteria for grant have been successively revised in the interests of ensuring that work is targeted and expenditure represents value for money. The report of an efficiency scrutiny, currently under consideration, provides an opportunity further to improve the effectiveness of the system.

  Grants have also been made by the Home Office to national and key local organisations working to relieve racial disadvantage. These, and section 11 grants, support the ethnic minority business initiative under which the business advice needs of multi-racial communities are met by specially tailored enterprise agencies or outreach workers. EMBI is helping ethnic minority businesses to achieve their full potential within the mainstream economy and is stimulating the growth of new business.

  The Department continues to support the Commission for Racial Equality in its work towards the elimination of discrimination and promotion of equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different groups. Its own Advisory Council on Race Relations continues to provide Ministers from all Government Departments with useful advice on race relations issues. Its two community relations consultants work within the Home Office and inter-related services to assist consideration of race relations policies and their implementation, particularly through training. Firm but fair immigration controls, which have a place in our strategies for good race relations, have been maintained and a rolling programme of visits to community relations councils and other ethnic minority organisations instituted to further understanding of policy and procedures. In furtherance of its commitment to treat all its customers and staff fairly, regardless of race, colour or ethnic or cultural origin, the Immigration Department has issued a policy statement on race relations to all its staff.

  Equal Opportunity—General

  A ministerial group on women's issues was set up in 1986 under Home Office chairmanship. It published in 1987 the Government's response to the forward-looking

  15
  strategies for the advancement of women which were adopted at the 1985 world conference at Nairobi, which ended the UN decade for women. The group also oversaw the preparation of the initial report to the United Nations on the UN convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, which was ratified by the United Kingdom in 1986.

  The procedure for making appointments to public bodies was reviewed with the object of making information on the appointments and the qualifications required available to women's organisations, and of ensuring that suitable women are included on short lists for appointments.

  Equal Opportunity and Race Relations—General

  Model guidance is being issued to all Departments to ensure that officials consider the equal opportunity and race relations aspects of all policy proposals to ensure that they comply with the Government's legal obligations and commitment to equality of opportunity.

  Race Relations—Criminal Justice System

  The Home Office has supported the police service in a wide range of initiatives including its increased recruitment of police officers from the ethnic minorities, improved training, the formation of community relations departments and policies for tackling racial harassment. In addition, racially discriminatory behaviour has been made an offence under the police discipline code.

  The Department is committed to the elimination of racial harassment and, amongst other things, has led an interdepartmental working group on racial attacks and harassment. This group has examined the scope for a multi-agency approach for dealing with racial harassment and will publish its report shortly.

  Home Office circular 75/88, introducing the Home Office statement on race issues in the probation service, asked each area committee to adopt and publicise a similar policy and provided a check list to monitor progress. Ethnic monitoring of students sponsored by the Home Office for certificate in qualification for social work courses has started and, following two surveys, the results of which were published in two Home Office statistical bulletins, work is progressing towards a permanent system of monitoring the probation caseload and probation staff.

  In 1986, a public policy statement dealing with race relations in prisons was issued: race relations liaison officers have been appointed at all establishments and in most establishments there is also a race relations management team. A directory and guide on minority religious faiths in the prison service has also been issued, and monitoring of the ethnic composition of prisoners has been introduced together with local monitoring of regime services and activities. The provision of race relations training has been increased at all levels.

  Equal Opportunity—Criminal Justice System

  The Government gave support to the passing of the Sexual Offences Act 1983 which increased penalties for attempted rape and indecent assault and penalised kerb-crawling.

  In 1986, a circular was issued to the police urging them to improve their assistance to women who have been the victims of violent attack. The Criminal Justice Act 1987 extends anonymity for rape victims and provides for compensation payments to women who keep a child conceived as a result of rape.
  16
  The Home Office as Employer

  Since 1979, an equal opportunities policy as it relates to staff has been formally promulgated, with two equal opportunities officers to ensure policy is put into practice. To promote opportunities for women, a number of measures, including facilities for part-time working, job-sharing, flexible working hours and arrangements for special leave to cope with domestic difficulties have been introduced or extended. Opposite sex postings in the prison service have recently been introduced to broaden career opportunities.

  Since 1987 all recruitment schemes have been monitored. Over 5 per cent. of Home Office respondents to the staff in-post surveys of ethnic origin say they are from an ethnic minority. Recruitment advertising campaigns take account of the need to attract ethnic minority applicants, and the Home Office is currently taking part in a pilot scheme to provide training for near-miss EO candidates, which has attracted considerable interest among ethnic minority applicants.

  Magistrates
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) stipendiary and (b) lay magistrates there are in England and Wales; and if he will list the cities in England and Wales in which stipendiary magistrates operate.

  The Attorney General
  I have been asked to reply.

  In England and Wales on 1 January 1989 there were (a) 63 stipendiary magistrates and (b) 28,211 lay magistrates.

  Stipendiary magistrates regularly sit in Birmingham, Cardiff, Doncaster, Kingston upon Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, Pontypridd, Salford, Sheffield and Wolverhampton. When necessary a stipendiary magistrate has been authorised to sit in another area for a period.

WALES

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the volume and (b) locations in Wales at which discharges take place into the aquatic environment of (i) ethylene dichloride, (ii) perchloroethylene and (iii) trichloroethylene.

  Mr. Grist
  The information sought is not held centrally. Information concerning the content of consented discharges to the aquatic environment is available in the public registers maintained by the Welsh water authority, in compliance with section 41 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

  M4 (Lanes)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he has any plans to construct additional lanes on the M4 motorway in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  There are no current plans to construct additional lanes on the M4 in Wales. However, consultants have been appointed to undertake a study of traffic patterns on the motorway and trunk road network in south Wales area. This will identify if and where capacity is likely to be exceeded by future traffic demands.
  17
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those sections of the M4 motorway in Wales served by (i) two lanes in each direction and (ii) three lanes in each direction specifying the length to the nearest mile of (i) and (ii).

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Those sections of the M4 motorway in Wales served by two and three lanes in each direction with lengths to the nearest mile are:

  Length

  Two lane motorway

  Junction 22 Newhouse—Junction 24 Coldra

  12

  Junction 29 Castleton—Junction 32 Coryton

  8

  Junction 38 Margam—Junction 42 Baglan

  5

  Juntion 44 Lon Las—Junction 49 Pont Abraham

  12

  Three lane motorway

  Junction 24 Coldra—Junction 29 Castleton

  11

  Junction 32 Coryton—Junction 38 Margam

  25

  Local Authorities (Powers)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to update the regulations governing(a) local authority planning powers and (b) environmental health controls in respect of the powers of local authorities to control or remove firms which undertake anti-social or unneighbourly activities under existing consent in residential areas.

  Mr. Grist
  The Government are currently reviewing the legislation relating to statutory nuisance and offensive trades. We have no plans to change local authorities' planning powers to deal with activities which have or do not need planning permission. Under section 51 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, local planning authorities may require the discontinuance of any use of land or its continuance subject to conditions if it appears expedient to the proper planning of their area.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to change the financial basis on which the price of a council house is calculated or the percentage discount available to a tenant who seeks to purchase their home.

  Mr. Grist
  We have no immediate plans to make changes under the right-to-buy scheme. We do continually examine ways of extending still further the possibilities of home ownership.

  Section 36 appeals: Wales

  District

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Received

  Allowed

  Received

  Allowed

  Received

  Allowed

  Carmarthen

  22

  9

  16

  3

  28

  3

  Ceredigion

  36

  10

  31

  8

  57

  8

  Dinefwr

  16

  8

  15

  6

  15

  1

  Llanelli

  16

  7

  30

  7

  21

  9

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  10

  —

  19

  2

  14

  6

  South Pembrokeshire

  22

  7

  14

  3

  21

  2

  Total—Dyfed

  122

  41

  125

  29

  156

  29

  Afan1

  4

  2

  9

  1

  4

  —

  Lliw Valley

  22

  8

  31

  11

  26

  7

  Neath

  10

  2

  11

  3

  10

  5

  Imports
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the annual tonnage of imports landed at(a) Pembroke Dock, (b) Milford Haven and (c) Fishguard in each of the past 15 years; and if he will indicate for each year the total tonnage for (i) the United Kingdom market and (ii) onward transhipment to a third country.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information is shown in the following table:

  United Kingdom imports through Milford Haven and Fishguard 1972–87

  Thousand tonnes

  Milford Haven (including Pembroke Dock)

  Fishguard

  1972

  26,239

  42

  1973

  32,113

  83

  1974

  34,379

  82

  1975

  26,315

  121

  1976

  25,586

  71

  1977

  19,026

  89

  1978

  18,743

  108

  1979

  17,539

  104

  1980

  14,354

  139

  1981

  10,932

  103

  1982

  11,175

  128

  1983

  7,984

  119

  1984

  10,122

  131

  1985

  10,664

  139

  1976

  9,359

  193

  1977

  7,151

  193

  Notes

  Figures compiled by the Department of Transport (1980–87) and the National Ports Council (1972–79) from annual traffic returns supplied by the ports.

  Figures for Pembroke Dock cannot be disaggregated from the data held for Milford Haven. Statistics on goods transhipped onward to a third country are not collected.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the number of planning appeals lodged, together with the number granted by his Department, in respect of each planning authority in Wales, for each of the last three years.

  Mr. Grist
  Planning appeal records in Wales for years before 1989 were collated according to the district in which the planning application was lodged and not the planning authority responsible for determining the application. The figures for each district for 1986, 1987 and 1988 are shown in the following tables:
  19

  District

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Received

  Allowed

  Received

  Allowed

  Received

  Allowed

  Swansea

  77

  27

  60

  18

  77

  18

  Total—West Glamorgan

  113

  39

  111

  33

  177

  30

  Brecknock

  34

  9

  26

  6

  29

  4

  Montgomeryshire

  5

  3

  7

  2

  22

  3

  Radnor

  11

  1

  5

  2

  13

  3

  Total—Powys

  50

  13

  38

  10

  64

  10

  Cardiff

  58

  26

  70

  23

  80

  25

  Vale of Glamorgan

  83

  13

  72

  19

  64

  33

  Total—South Glamorgan

  141

  39

  142

  42

  144

  58

  Cynon Valley

  17

  3

  14

  4

  22

  2

  Merthyr Tydfil

  16

  6

  10

  4

  21

  4

  Ogwr

  51

  6

  42

  8

  62

  12

  Rhondda

  19

  12

  10

  1

  14

  5

  Rhymney Valley

  15

  6

  16

  5

  16

  7

  Taff Ely

  40

  15

  38

  6

  21

  4

  Total—Mid Glamorgan

  158

  48

  130

  28

  156

  34

  Aberconwy

  30

  9

  33

  10

  34

  15

  Arfon

  26

  7

  22

  9

  20

  5

  Dwyfor

  20

  6

  31

  3

  34

  11

  Meirionydd

  22

  4

  12

  6

  16

  4

  Ynys Mon

  55

  18

  51

  19

  45

  27

  Total—Gwynedd

  153

  44

  149

  47

  149

  62

  Blaenau Gwent

  10

  6

  14

  —

  7

  5

  Islwyn

  19

  6

  19

  4

  14

  9

  Monmouth

  59

  18

  70

  13

  83

  16

  Newport

  48

  24

  37

  6

  48

  10

  Torfaen

  36

  9

  19

  6

  26

  13

  Total—Gwent

  172

  63

  159

  29

  178

  53

  Alyn and Deeside

  16

  10

  37

  8

  24

  7

  Colwyn

  28

  14

  28

  7

  24

  6

  Delyn

  24

  3

  24

  5

  25

  4

  Glyndwr

  19

  4

  21

  6

  27

  4

  Rhuddlan

  22

  14

  23

  11

  22

  8

  Wrexham Maelor

  30

  10

  31

  13

  47

  20

  Total—Clwyd

  139

  55

  164

  50

  169

  49

  1 Now Port Talbot.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the estimate made by each local authority in Wales of the cost of implementing and administering the poll tax, and the amount of grant each local authority will receive to cover its cost.

  Mr. Grist
  The individual estimates of local authority are not held centrally. After discussion with the local authority associations on an all-Wales basis, as is the normal practice, expenditure provision of £9 million was included in the 1989–90 RSG settlement to cover the cost of implementing the community charge. This was distributed between districts in accordance with a formula agreed with the associations and will count for grant support; but RSG as such is not hypothecated to individual services. For capital, the estimate made by the Committee of Welsh District Councils of expenditure of £10·3 million in 1989–90 has been met in full in allocations. These have been distributed between districts in accordance with the recommendation of the committee.
  20
  Discussions on the cost of operating the new system in 1990–91, and the level of provision to be made, will start soon.

  Welsh Water Authority
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money is being spent from public funds on behalf of the Welsh water authority on(a) television (b) newspaper advertising during the present financial year.

  Mr. Grist
  The Welsh water authority estimates such advertising expenditure at about £129,000 to date. The aggregate figure is not readily divisible into separate categories.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Visas (Iranian Nationals)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which nations of the
  21
  European Economic Community will still be in a position to issue visas to Iranian business men in consequence of the Foreign Affairs Council decision of 20 February; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The decision of the Twelve is not expected to affect the capacity of member countries to issue visas to Iranian business men. Iranian business men wishing to visit the United Kingdom must continue to apply for visas in third countries as before.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average time taken to secure a visa by Iranian nationals at Abu Dhabi, Geneva and other embassies used for this purpose.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The waiting time for Iranian and other visa nationals for personal interview, which is an essential part of entry clearance procedure, at the majority of diplomatic missions in Europe and certain parts of the middle east is currently less than three weeks. It can vary between two days (Athens and Madrid) and 20 weeks (Dusseldorf). Visit visas are usually granted within 48 hours of interview, except where reference to London may be necessary.

  Inna and Semion Frumkin
  Mr. John L. Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Soviet Union about Inna and Semion Frumkin who have applied unsuccessfully for exit visas.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Inna and Semion Frumkin have not previously come to our attention. We shall look into their case and consider what representations are appropriate. Any information my hon. Friend can supply will be gratefully received.

  Dimitry Shchiglik
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Soviet Union about the fate of Dimitry Shchiglik who first applied for an exit visa in 1973.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Dimitry Shchiglik has only recently come to our attention. We will now take every appropriate opportunity to press the Soviet authorities to issue him an exit visa.

  Rudolf Hess
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs whether any of the documents submitted to Chief Superindent Howard Jones by his Department on the matter of Rudolf Hess are in all or in part forgeries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Such suspicions are unfounded and absurd.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to ensure that Ethiopia's activities in the north of that country are brought to the attention of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
  22
  Mrs. Chalker
  We have always made clear our deep concern about reports of atrocities committed against civilians in Eritrea and Tigré. We shall refer to these concerns under item 12 at the current session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.

  Mr. Charles Bester
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received a report on the case of Mr. Charles Bester from Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Staff from Her Majesty's consulate.- general at Johannesburg have been in touch with Mr. Bester's lawyer. We understand that Mr. Bester has appealed against his sentence.

  Turkey (Human Rights)
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations on behalf of Mustafa Deprem, Suleyman Deprem and 11 others detained by the Turkish police in Gaziantep between 12 and 15 January.

  Mrs. Chalker
  No. We do not know the exact nature of the charges against Mustafa Deprem, Suleyman Deprem, and 11 others. In dealing with these and other similar cases, we expect the Turkish authorities to live up to all the internationally accepted standards concerning the treatment of detainees.

  Iran
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assurances he has received from his counterpart in the United States of America that the current policies of Her Majesty's Government and the European Community towards Iran, the middle east and against terrorism will not be undermined by negotiations or arms trade between that country and Iran.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  This is a matter for the United States Government. We welcome the strong support from President Bush on 21 February for the actions taken by the Twelve, in response to Iranian threats against Mr. Salman Rushdie and his publishers.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Justices of the Peace
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the number of justices of the peace there are in the Don Valley constituency by electoral ward and sex.

  The Attorney-General
  The information sought by the hon. Member is not available and could be ascertained only at disproportionate cost.

  Rapes
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of rape reported by the police to the Crown prosecution service were marked for no further proceedings in 1988; and if any of these were so marked because of shortage of staff.
  23
  The Attorney-General
  I regret that the information as to the discontinuance of proceedings is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Proceedings for rape are discontinued only where, after careful consideration by legally qualified staff and in accordance with the provisions of the code for Crown prosecutors, it is decided that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that there is a reasonable prospect of a conviction, or, where the evidence is sufficient, that the public interest nevertheless does not require a prosecution.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the latest estimated annual cost to public funds of the Crown prosecution service.

  The Attorney-General
  The estimated net cost to public funds of the Crown prosecution service for the year 1989–90 is £175 million. This provision was included in the Government's expenditure plans 1989–90 to 1991–92, published in January.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the estimated cost to the Crown prosecution service of employing a barrister to conduct Crown court trials, particularising both the estimated salary and the establishment cost.

  The Attorney-General
  The hon. Gentleman's question depends on the assumption that rights of audience will be extended to barristers employed by the Crown prosecution service. Any estimate of the costs of employing a barrister to conduct Crown court trials would depend on the civil service grade accorded to the barrister in question, the location of the area in which he was employed, and the date that he was employed to perform such a function.

  Lord Chancellor's Department
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the current annual cost of administering the Lord Chancellor's Department, broken down by convenient category.

  The Attorney-General
  Based on expenditure to date of £240·3 million, the Lord Chancellor's Department estimates full utilisation of the provision of £283·2 million for the current financial year for administration of the courts and other offices. This figure is broken down by convenient category in Supply Estimates for 1988–89.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the current annual cost to public funds of(a) legal aid in civil cases and (b) criminal cases.

  The Attorney-General
  The net cost to public funds in 1987–88 of legal aid in civil cases was £178·0 million, and in criminal cases was £249·2 million. That is the last year for which figures are available. A breakdown of these figures is shown in the following table:

  Gross expenditure

  Receipts1

  Net expenditure

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Civil cases

  Civil legal aid

  206·1

  88·9

  117·1

  Advice and assistance

  50·7

  3·3

  47·3

  24

  Gross expenditure

  Receipts1

  Net expenditure

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  ABWOR

  13·8

  0·3

  13·5

  Total

  270·5

  92·6

  178·0

  Criminal cases

  In magistrates' courts2

  114·0

  1·8

  112·3

  In the higher courts

  100·1

  0·7

  99·4

  Duty solicitor schemes

  28·0

  —

  28·0

  Advice and assistance

  9·8

  0·2

  9·5

  Total

  251·9

  2·7

  249·2

  1 The receipts consist of moneys recovered by the Legal Aid Administration of the Law Society in respect of contributions from assisted parties, and costs and damages awarded in civil cases on which the Legal Aid Fund has a first charge.

  2 These figures include payments and receipts in respect of legal aid in care proceedings which cannot be separately identified.

  In addition the administrative cost of the Legal Aid Service in 1987–88 was approximately £37·5 million. This was made up of £25·5 million for the legal aid administration of the Law Society, £3·5 million for the DHSS assessment office, £0·6 million for the headquarters of the Lord Chancellor's Department, and approximately £5·4 million in the Crown and county courts and £2·5 million in the magistrates' courts.

  Green Paper
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General how many civil servants were seconded from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Lord Chancellor's Department to assist in the preparation of the Green Paper; and what was the cost of the secondment.

  The Attorney-General
  No civil servants were seconded from the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General what research questionnaires and surveys were conducted in connection with the preparation of the Green Paper by the Lord Chancellor's Department; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Green Paper on the work and organisation of the legal profession sets out from first principles the Government's provisional views on what the organisation of the legal profession should be in order to provide legal services of the right quality for the particular needs of the client. It does not proceed from material of he kind referred to, although certain published background material is referred to in the Green Paper itself.

  Conveyancing and Probate
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General whether any investigations were made by the Lord Chancellor's Department of the effect which permitting banks and building societies to conduct conveyancing and probate would have on solicitors' practices in small towns and rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  None was made.

  Civil Service agencies
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service whether he can announce any further progress in the setting up of Civil Service agencies.

  Mr. Luce
  Since I last reported to the House on 1 February, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that the Central Office of Information will become a next steps agency.

  Training
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what are the average days of training a year for each of grades 1 to 4 in the Civil Service.

  Mr. Luce
  The averages of days of training received in 1987–88 were: grades 1 and 2—1 day, grade 3—5·1 days and grade 4—3·2 days

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  "Fragile-Earth—Seal Mourning"
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the statement made by him to the producers of the programme "Fragile-Earth—Seal Mourning", with an explanation of the statistics therein;

  (2) what changes he intends to make to improve the accuracy of the information contained in his import statistics relating to harp and hooded seals.

  Mr. Forth
  There has been no contact between Ministers and the producers of the programme. My officials discussed problems associated with statistics of trade in seal pup skins with a researcher for the programme, explaining that, due to errors in coding of goods, certain items had been wrongly classified to headings related to seal pup skins. These items included lambskins, leather and fox fur goods.

  There is provision in the system for checking trade data to include specialised checks on specified commodities and/or countries. Action has now been taken to institute such checks in respect of headings involving skins of whitecoat pups of harp seals and pups of hooded seals (blue backs).

  Post Office Dispute (Edinburgh)
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what action his Department took to discourage the head postmaster at Edinburgh from recruiting casual staff, contrary to the Conduct of Employment Agencies Regulations 1976, from the McGregor employment agency, Edinburgh during the DRAS post office dispute in August to September of 1988;

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Civil Aerospace Launch Aid

  131·3

  73·2

  -24·1

  Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme—Interest Support Costs

  31·6

  16·8

  14·2

  Shipbuilding Intervention Fund (private sector)

  21·0

  21·0

  21·0

  Suppport for the Iron and Steel Employees Readaptation Benefits Scheme

  7·9

  8·0

  8·3

  191·8

  119·0

  19·4

  26
  (2) what was the expenditure incurred by the post office in Edinburgh in using the services of the McGregor employment agency, during the DRAS post office dispute in August to September of 1988.

  Mr. Maude
  There are matters which fall within the management responsibility of the Post Office, of which I would not expect to be informed.

  Television and Film (MMC Report)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to publish the findings of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission inquiry into television and film.

  Mr. Maude
  The Monopolies and Mergers Commission submitted its report on labour practices in television and film-making to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Employment, for Trade and Industry and for the Home Department on 9 February. The report will be published as soon as is practicable.

  Contracts (Iran)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the value of contracts placed by Iran with Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom over the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.

  Mr. Newton
  The information available relates to the value of visible trade. The figures are as follows:

  12 months ended

  Value (US $ million)

  United Kingdom

  December 1988

  399·7

  France

  November 1988

  187·2

  Federal Republic of Germany

  September 1988

  1,694·2

  Italy

  June 1988

  478·4

  Shipbuilding Industry
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide a breakdown of the relevant line of table 5.1 in Chapter 5 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1989–90 to 1991–92" (Cm. 605), showing separately the amount of support from central Government given or planned to aerospace, shipbuilding, steel and vehicle manufacture year by year up to and including 1991–92.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 24 February 1989]: The breakdown of the line entitled "Support for aerospace, shipbuilding, and steel and vehicle manufacture" in table 5.1 of Cm. 605 is as follows:
  27
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much shipbuilding intervention fund is included in the planning totals appearing in table 5.1 of chapter 5 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1989–90 to 1991–92" (Cm. 605) for each of the three years covered.

  Mr. Newton
  [holding answer 24 February 1989]: The provision for private sector shipbuilding intervention fund in table 5.1 is shown in my reply today to the hon. Member's question earlier. There is, in addition, a provision in the British Shipbuilders external financing limit for payments from the shipbuilding intervention fund in respect of those contracts for which the corporation retains responsibility.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Workplace Nurseries
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total amount of tax paid by parents on the benefit in kind of workplace nurseries and the number of parents who are taxed on this benefit in kind.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I regret that information on which to base reliable estimates of the total amount of tax paid on this benefit in kind and the number of taxpayers affected is not available.

  Taxation
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people earn below the (i) tax threshold and (ii) lower earnings level of national insurance, broken down into women and men.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I apologise for the delay in replying. The following provisional estimates are based on projections to 1988–89 of weekly earnings (adjusted to disregard short-term factors at the time of interview) recorded in the 1986 family expenditure survey.

  Some 2·8 million employees (including part-time workers) earn less than the weekly equivalent of the personal allowance to which they are entitled: of these 0·5 million are men and 2·3 million are women. These include 0·2 million men and 1·6 million women with earnings below the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions. These estimates exclude people in receipt of statutory maternity pay or statutory sick pay.

  Estates
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what regulations there are governing time limits within which estates must be wound up.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  There are no time limits under either the general or fiscal law within which estates must be wound up.

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of corporation tax paid by private companies in the United Kingdom for each of the last five years.
  28
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Payments of corporation tax excluding those made by public corporations were as follows:

  £ billion

  1983–84

  6·1

  1984–85

  8·2

  1985–86

  10·5

  1986–7

  13·4

  1987–88

  15·6

  If the hon. Member also has in mind the exclusion of payments by public limited companies (and their associates or subsidiaries), I regret that the information on which to base an estimate is not available centrally.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many retirement pensioners in the county of South Yorkshire(a) aged 60 to 79 years and (b) aged 80 years and over pay income tax, also showing this as a percentage figure in relation to all retired pensioners in the county of South Yorkshire; and what are the comparable national figures.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I regret that information is not available in the form requested.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries the rate of capital gains tax is equal to the marginal rate of tax on incomes.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  In 20 of the OECD countries some taxable capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at the normal income tax rates. They are not in all cases formally treated as the top slice of that income, although this does not affect taxpayers' total liabilities. The overwhelming majority of these countries have no equivalent of indexation, which substantially reduces the effective rate of tax in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries have a rate of capital gains tax as high as 40 per cent.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Nineteen of the OECD countries which tax capital gains at income tax rates have a top income tax rate of at least 40 per cent. In addition, the Republic of Ireland has a separate capital gains tax with two higher rates above 40 per cent.

  Allowances and Tax Relief
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the cost of each allowance and tax relief for income tax, capital gains tax, stamp duty and company taxes.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer my hon. Friend to table 21.1.25 in chapter 21 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1989–90 to 1991–92" (Cm 621).

  Tax Deduction Scheme
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place a copy of his Department's report of its
  29
  inquiry into the working of the tax deduction scheme and 714 certificates in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 24 February 1989]: The recommendations of the efficiency scrutiny report are still under consideration. For reasons of tax security, the report itself remains confidential.

  Company Cars
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to bring the basis of assessing the value of company cars into line with other benefits in kind.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 23 February 1989]: The present system of scale charges has great advantages for the taxpayer in simplicity and certainty; it is widely recognised as better than the system of detailed individual calculations it replaced.

  Tax Allowances
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a comprehensive list of all tax allowances currently being allowed.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 23 February 19891 A list of direct tax allowances and reliefs can be found in table 21.1.25 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1989–90 to 1991–92" (Cm 621). Further information is available in table 1.7 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1987".

  Farmers (Taxation)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there have been any discussions with representatives of farmers about allowing farmers who pay the poll tax for employees in tied cottages to set the sums involved against tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 22 February 1989]: There have been no discussions between Treasury Ministers and farmers' representatives on this point. Under existing law, any employer who pays any tax for an employee as part of the latter's remuneration package can normally claim a deduction for tax purposes. However, an employee whose remuneration package includes the payment of any tax on his behalf would normally be taxed on the benefit.

  Chartered Accountants
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many chartered accountants are employed by the Inland Revenue.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 21 February 1989]: Twenty-eight chartered accountants are employed in their professional capacity by the Inland Revenue.

  Employers and Directors
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the current level of higher pay for employers and directors for the purpose of taxing benefit were fixed; and what would he the level if it had been indexed.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 21 February 19891 Employees whose earnings, including the value of 30
  benefits, are at a rate of £8,500 or more per year are liable to tax on benefits in kind. All directors are liable regardless of the level of earnings. The earnings threshold was set at £8,500 in 1979–80 and, if it had been indexed in line with inflation according to the statutory formula for increasing personal allowances and thresholds, the threshold in 1988–89 would be £17,000.

  Inland Revenue (Staff)
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many executive and clerical posts have been transferred in the Inland Revenue out of London and the south-east as a result of the move of work from tax offices to other regions; and how many posts have been created in each region as a consequence.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 21 February 1989]: The Inland Revenue currently has 4,664 clerical posts and 339 more senior posts in the provinces to deal with work moved from tax offices in London and the south-east in the last 30 years. The distribution of those posts is as follows:

  Clerical posts

  More senior posts

  The North East

  586

  37

  Central Scottish Lowlands

  1,169

  74

  Wales

  174

  8

  West Yorkshire

  617

  45

  Greater Manchester

  2,109

  158

  The South West

  9

  17

  4,664

  339

  Pension Plans
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer during the financial year 1987–88 what was(a) the level of additional voluntary contributions to occupational pension plans and (b) the value of the tax reliefs which they attracted.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 20 February 1989]: Comprehensive information in the form requested is not available, but it is estimated that additional voluntary contributions by individuals who were members of self-administered pensions funds amounted to some £370 million in 1987. No information on the tax status of these individuals is available.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Plastic Bullets
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what training is given in the use of plastic bullets; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  All members of the security forces who are likely to be issued with the plastic baton round gun receive full training in its use. This training covers the handling of the weapon and the rules of engagement under which it may be used. Only those members of the security forces who successfully complete the training and reach the required high standard of proficiency are permitted to use the gun in operational circumstances. Rules governing the use of plastic baton rounds provide, inter alia, that
  31
  they may be fired only when such a response is judged to be the minimum and reasonable amount of force necessary.

  Kilroot Power Station
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many construction jobs exist presently at Kilroot power station site, Carrickfergus; and for how long these jobs are expected to continue.

  Mr. Viggers
  About 500. This number is expected to fall to about 90 by the end of March 1989 as the project nears completion.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether a decision has been taken to defer the start of conversion of phase two at Kilroot power station, Carrickfergus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  No. No decision has been taken as to the start date of the project. The matter is still under consideration.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the proposed start date for construction of phase two at Kilroot power station, Carrickfergus.

  Mr. Viggers
  The starting date for the construction of the Kilroot II is presently under consideration. The new capacity will be needed by 1995–96 and construction would have to begin by 1992 at the latest in order to meet that requirement.

  Short Brothers
  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has plans for the capital reconstruction of Short Brothers plc in preparation for privatisation.

  Mr. Tom King
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given in the House earlier today to the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, North (Mr. McNamara).

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many proposals for purchasing Short Brothers have been received; and if he will make a statement about the likely progress of the measure to privatise the company including whether any legislation will be needed.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 17 February 1989]: It would not be in the best interests of the privatisation of the company to disclose at this stage the number of replies received in response to the information memorandum. A short list of prospective purchasers is being compiled after which detailed negotiations will commence with a view to concluding the sale as quickly as possible. No special legislation will be required to effect the sale of the company.

EMPLOYMENT

  Miners (Safety Regulations)
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received concerning the regulations governing the number of miners allowed in a heading with no separate means of egress; and if he will make a statement.
  32
  Mr. Nicholls
  I have received no representations on the existing legal restrictions (contained in section 24 of the Mines and Quarries act 1954) on the number of miners allowed in a heading with no separate means of egress.

  Comments were invited and received during consultation on the proposals for the Mines (Safety of Exit) Regulations 1988. The Health and Safety Executive conducted full and extensive consultations on these proposals which included a series of meetings with the mining industry and representatives from the mining unions. The proposals were not submitted to the House until all matters on the draft were resolved and agreed with mine management and unions.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for the total number of unemployed people in Great Britain, using the same basis of calculation that was used by his Department in May 1979.

  Mr. Lee
  It is not possible to estimate unemployment on the basis prevailing in 1979. The unemployment count was then based on those registered at jobcentres or careers offices when registration was necessary in order to qualify for benefits. The introduction of voluntary registration in October 1982, when the claimant count was introduced, and other changes since then make it impossible to know how many people would now be registering under the old procedures.

  Mr Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the proportional increase in employment in(a) the education and health services combined and (b) the whole of the service sector since 1979.

  Mr. Lee
  Between September 1979 and September 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, there was a net increase of 4 per cent. in the number of employees in employment in the education and health services combined in Great Britain. In the same period there was a net increase of 12 per cent. in the number of employees in employment in the service industries.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest estimate of the total number of persons unemployed in Great Britain using the Organisation for Ecomomic Co-operation and Development basis for calculation.

  Mr. Lee
  The labour force survey for the spring of 1987 gave an estimate of 2·88 million people who were without jobs, but available for and seeking work within the previous four weeks—that is, unemployed according to the ILO-OECD definition.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the accidents so far on the construction of the Channel tunnel, their nature, and the ages of those concerned.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of trainees on employment training; and how many are on placements with employers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number of people on employment training at 17 February 1989 was 151,000. This is a tremendous achievement after less than six months of the programme's operation. It is estimated that some 30,000 of these trainees were on placements with employers.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total size of the ET budget; if this sum has changed since(a) the announcement and (b) incursion of the scheme; and if he will give his reasons for any changes.

  Mr. Nicholls
  (holding answer 23 February 19891 For the period September 1988 to March 1989, the funding available for employment training (ET), excluding administration costs, was originally £491·3 million. This was revised in winter 1988 and spring 1989 supplementary estimates and is now £493·6 million.

  The total size of the ET budget as shown in the Government's expenditure plan for 1989–90 to 1991–92, published in January 1989 (Cm 607) was £1·4 billion (including administration costs) for some 560,000 places.

  This figure differs from the figures of just under £1·5 billion for some 600,000 places as published in the White Paper "Training for Employment" (Cm 316). The reduction in resources reflects the very welcome fall of 387,000 to January 1989 in the number of people unemployed for over six months.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportions of notified vacancies are in(a) catering and hotels, (b) retail and (c) are part-time.

  Mr. Lee
  Following is the latest available information which is also in the Library. A total of 14·3 per cent. of unfilled vacancies at job centres in Great Britain in November 1988 were in the catering and hotels industry and a further 19·5 per cent. were in retail and distribution. In December 1988 a total of 27·6 per cent. of unfilled vacancies at job centres were for part-time posts.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and which large companies have agreed to become employment training managers; how many places they have each been allocated; and how many of those places have been filled at the latest possible date.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information is not available in the precise form requested because there is no standard definition of a large company. The table shows the position for those companies already operating as employment training managers with an allocation of 100 or more training places. In addition to these, there are several hundred other firms providing places for employment training trainees.

  As the programme builds up to its target of 560,000 trainees in a full year, it is planned that an increasing range of employer-based training opportunities should be provided.
  34

  Company

  Maximum Number of places allocated

  Places filled at 31 December 1988

  J. Jarvis & Sons

  2,926

  945

  J. Laing Construction

  2,338

  805

  Henry Boot Construction

  950

  110

  Invicta Training (Grand Metropolitan Catering)

  875

  455

  Martin James

  735

  337

  Geo. Wimpey

  666

  73

  Mowlem

  405

  46

  Comet PLC

  354

  5

  Pilkington

  300

  237

  Ferranti

  250

  120

  Mill Garages Ltd.

  180

  64

  Tower Radio Ltd.

  250

  86

  Portals Engineering Ltd.

  250

  199

  Marley Extrusions Ltd.

  200

  Nil

  Ryder Ltd.

  150

  108

  Team Greyfriars Ltd.

  150

  150

  John Lawrence Group

  150

  22

  ICI

  150

  43

  Sumlock Business Services

  150

  7

  R & D Associates

  158

  158

  Simon Engineering

  110

  67

  Coastline Ltd.

  100

  35

  Strategic Marketing International Ltd.

  100

  80

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all the local authorities who(a) are participating in the employment training scheme, and in each case how many places they have available and how many have been filled, (b) have refused to participate and (c) originally agreed to participate but have since dropped out; and in each case which is the controlling political party.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The local authorities participating in employment training as training managers are listed in table 1 and those participating as training agents are listed in table 2. Table 1 includes an indication of the number of contracted places, but information on those filled is not available. The tables have been drawn from information. collected in the last quarter of 1988 and do not include many other local authorities involved in employment training as members of consortia or as sub-constractors to training managers.

  Information on controlling political parties and on local authorities that have refused to participate or have dropped out of employment training is not available.

  Table 1

  Local authorities participating in employment training as training managers

  County councils in England

  Code for number of places available1

  Avon

  3

  Bedfordshire

  2

  Berkshire

  3

  Cambridgeshire

  2

  Cheshire

  3

  Clevaland2

  4

  2

  Cornwall

  3

  Cumbria2

  3

  2

  Devon

  3

  Dorset

  3

  Durham

  1

  East Sussex

  3

  Essex2

  3

  3

  Gloucestershire2

  3

  35

  County councils in England

  Code for number of places available1

  2

  Hampshire

  3

  Isle of Wight

  3

  Kent

  3

  Lancashire

  2

  Leicestershire

  4

  Lincolnshire

  3

  Northamptonshire

  1

  Northumberland

  3

  North Yorkshire

  3

  Shropshire

  3

  Somerset

  3

  Staffordshire2

  4

  1

  Suffolk

  2

  Warwickshire2

  3

  3

  West Sussex

  3

  Wiltshire

  3

  London boroughs

  Barnet

  3

  Brent

  2

  Enfield

  4

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  3

  Hounslow

  3

  Kingston-upon-Thames (Royal)

  2

  Merton

  2

  Redbridge

  1

  Metropolitan district councils in England

  Barnsley

  3

  Birmingham city

  6

  Bradford city

  5

  Coventry city

  4

  Doncaster

  4

  Dudley

  4

  Gateshead

  4

  Halton

  2

  Kirklees

  3

  Leeds city

  5

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  5

  Oldham

  4

  Rochdale

  5

  Rotherham

  3

  St. Helens

  1

  Salford city

  1

  Sefton

  3

  Solihull2

  3

  4

  South Tyneside

  2

  Stockport

  3

  Sunderland

  3

  2

  Tameside

  3

  Trafford

  3

  Wigan

  5

  Wolverhampton

  4

  District councils in England

  Allerdale

  3

  Alnwick

  1

  Ashfield

  2

  Bath city

  2

  Barrow-in-Furness

  3

  Beverley2

  1

  1

  Boothferry

  2

  Brentwood

  1

  Burnley

  2

  Cannock Chase

  2

  Castle Morpeth

  2

  Charnwood

  2

  Chester-le-Street

  2

  Chorley

  3

  Corby

  2

  Derby City

  2

  36

  County councils in England

  Code for number of places available1

  Easington

  2

  East Hertfordshire

  2

  East Lindsey

  3

  East Yorkshire

  2

  Epsom and Ewell

  2

  Glanford

  3

  Great Grimsby

  4

  Guildford

  2

  Halton

  2

  Harrogate

  2

  Hartlepool

  4

  Hastings

  2

  Hereford

  3

  High Peak

  2

  Ipswich

  2

  Kettering

  2

  Kingston upon Hull2

  4

  3

  Lancaster City

  3

  Leicester City

  2

  Lichfield

  1

  Macclesfield

  2

  Mansfield

  3

  Newark and Sherwood2

  2

  2

  Plymouth City

  4

  Portsmouth City

  3

  Preston

  3

  Scarborough

  2

  Scunthorpe

  3

  Sedgefield2

  2

  2

  South Lakeland

  2

  Southampton

  2

  Vale of White Horse

  1

  Wear Valley

  3

  West Lancashire

  2

  West Lindsey

  2

  West Oxfordshire

  2

  Weymouth and Portland

  2

  County councils in Wales

  Clwyd2

  3

  3

  2

  1

  Dyfed

  3

  Gwent2

  3

  2

  Gwynedd

  3

  Mid Glamorgan

  3

  Powys

  2

  West Glamorgan2

  4

  2

  2

  1

  District councils in Wales

  Blaenau Gwent

  3

  Cardiff City

  4

  Carmarthen2

  1

  1

  Ceredigion2

  2

  1

  1

  Cynon Valley

  4

  Dinefwr

  2

  Islwyn

  2

  Llanelli

  3

  Lliw Valley

  2

  Monmouth

  2

  Neath

  1

  Newport

  3

  37

  County councils in England

  Code for number of places available1

  Port Talbol

  2

  Preseli2

  1

  1

  Rhondda

  2

  South Pembrokeshire2

  1

  1

  Swansea City

  2

  Taff-Ely

  2

  Torfaen

  3

  Vale of Glamorgan

  2

  Wrexham Maelor

  1

  Ynys MÔn

  1

  Scotland

  Regions

  Borders

  2

  Dumfries and Galloway

  4

  Fife

  3

  Grampian

  3

  Highland

  3

  Lothian

  4

  Islands

  Orkney

  1

  Districts

  Angus

  2

  Argyll and Bute

  2

  Caithness

  2

  Clydesdale

  2

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  2

  Cumnock and Doun Valley

  3

  Dunfermline

  2

  East Kilbride

  3

  Hamilton

  3

  Kirkcaldy

  3

  Lochaber

  1

  Midlothian

  2

  Moray

  2

  North East Fife

  1

  Ross and Cromarty

  2

  Wigtown

  3

  1 The code number for the number of places available relates to the following key:

  Code

  Number of places available

  1

  1–100

  2

  101–250

  3

  251–500

  4

  501–1,000

  5

  1,001–2,000

  6

  2,001 +

  2 This indicates that the local authority has more than one contract to operate as a Training Manager for Employment Training. An indication of the number of contracted places available is given.

  Table 2

  Local authorities participating in employment training as training agents

  ENGLAND

  County Councils

  Avon

  Bedfordshire

  Cheshire

  Cornwall

  Devon

  Dorset

  Gloucester

  Hertfordshire

  Isle of Wight

  Kent

  38

  Northumberland

  North Yorkshire

  Shropshire

  Somerset

  Surrey

  West Sussex

  Wiltshire

  London Boroughs

  Enfield

  Harrow

  Hillingdon

  Hounslow

  Kingston upon Thames (Royal)

  Metropolitan District Councils

  Birmingham City

  Bradford

  Calderdale

  Gateshead

  Kirklees

  Leeds City

  Newcastle

  Solihull

  South Tyneside

  Sunderland

  Trafford

  District Councils

  Cambridge

  Peterborough

  Portsmouth

  Southampton

  WALES

  County Councils

  Clwyd

  Dyfed

  Gwent

  Gwynedd

  Mid Glamorgan

  Powys

  South Glamorgan

  West Glamorgan

  SCOTLAND

  Regions

  Borders

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Fife

  Grampian

  Islands

  Orkney

  Districts

  Wigtown

  Caithness

  Legionella
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment under what powers he ensures that those responsible for installations which might harbour legionella infection comply with the recommendations of the Health and Safety Executive regarding cleaning, maintenance and disinfection; how it is monitored; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have enforcement powers under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to require an employer to comply with his duties under sections 2 and 3 of the Act to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the health, safety and welfare of his employees and the health and safety of persons not in his employment who may be affected by his work activity. These duties extend to the risk of legionnaire's disease arising from a work activity.

  At pre-emptive inspection visits inspectors remind occupiers of the dangers of legionnaire's disease,

  39
  impressing on management their responsibility for preventive action in the effective treatment of likely outlets and draw their attention to HSE published guidance which sets out the precautions to be taken in respect of susceptible water systems.

  School Leavers
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information his Department gathers regarding school leavers(a) unemployed or (b) waiting for training places; and if he will give the figures for those who left school last summer.

  Mr. Cope
  Apart from youth cohort studies, my Department does not collect information which enables school-leavers to be identified separately from others of the same age.

  YTS
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what, on the latest available figures and for the previous three years, was the level of accidents per 100,000 employees for(a) YTS trainees and (b) employees of the same age, not on YTS courses.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 21 February 1989]: Health and Safety Executive accident figures for employed young people not on YTS relate to the 16 to 19 years age group and are available from 1 April 1986 only. They are not directly comparable with accident figures for YTS trainees; the age groups do not match, and there are differences in occupational mix, coverage, and in the proportion of accidents reported. Certain types of accidents to YTS trainees are reportable to the Training Agency, but are not reportable to the Health and Safety Executive. Accidents reported to the HSE are subject to up

  Injury Incidence Rates, for injuries to employees in the Argriculture, Manufacturing and Construction Industries1

  Great Britain

  Fatal

  Major2

  All reported3

  Year

  Agriculture

  Manufacturing

  Construction

  Agriculture

  Manufacturing

  Construction

  Agriculture

  Manufacturing

  Construction

  1978

  6·7

  2·3

  13·2

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1,220·9

  2,625·8

  2,975·9

  1979

  9·3

  2·2

  12·4

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1,111·8

  2,381·5

  2,714·7

  1980

  6·7

  1·9

  13·8

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1,179·0

  1,995·8

  2,529·5

  1981

  8·8

  2·0

  9·7

  46·9

  66·6

  155·3

  23,10·0

  2,550·0

  4,190·0

  1982

  7·8

  2·4

  9·7

  42·5

  70·1

  188·4

  2,080·0

  2,370·0

  4,070·0

  1983

  8·6

  2·2

  11·6

  59·6

  77·2

  213·0

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1984

  8·8

  2·7

  9·8

  83·5

  86·6

  225·0

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1985

  6·1

  2·4

  10·5

  72·5

  90·0

  225·8

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1986–874

  8·9

  2·1

  10·2

  133·8

  135·9

  261·0

  467·3

  1,194·6

  1,940·8

  1987–88p4

  5·8

  1·9

  10·1

  156·4

  132·6

  259·3

  588·2

  1,156·8

  1,914·3

  Sources:

  Injury data: Health and Safety Executive.

  Employment data: Department of Employment.

  n.a. = not available.

  p = provisional.

  1 Reported to Her Majesty's Factory and Agricultural Inspectorates and all other relevant enforcing authorities under the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980 (NADOR) for 1981-March 1986, and the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (RIDDOR) for 1986–87 onwards. Injuries between 1978 and 1980 are limited to those reported to Her Majesty's Inspectorate (Manufacturing and Construction industries) and to Her Majesty's Agricultural Inspectorate (Agricultural industry). The industries are classified according to the Standard Industrial Classification, 1968 and 1980.

  2 The major injury definition which was created by NADOR and came into effect on 1 January 1981, was widened by RIDDOR—from 1 April 1986. Data from 1986–87, therefore, is not comparable with that for earlier years.

  3 Includes injuries causing an employee, to be absent from work for more than three days, ("over-3-day" injuries). From 1978 to 1980 and for 1986–87 and 1987–88, over 3 day injury data is based on employers' reports to enforcing authorities. Comparisons with date for 1981–82, which are based on Industrial Injury Benefit claims, suggest significant under-reporting. From 1983 to 1985, over-3-day injury data was not collected.

  4 Year commencing 1 April.
  40
  to 50 per cent. under-reporting. Independent research, taking these factors into account, has established that there are no real grounds for concluding that major injury incidence rates for YTS trainees are different from those for employed young people. The tables give the available information.

  Incidence rate all accidents per 100,000 trainees

  Period

  Reported YTS accidents

  1 April 1985 to 31 March 1986

  805

  1 April 1986 to 31 March 1987

  693

  1 April 1987 to 31 March 1988

  829

  Incidence rale all accidents per 100,000 non- YTS employees aged 16–19

  Period

  Reported accidents to non-YTS employees

  1 April 1986 to 31 March 1987

  502

  1 April 1987 to 31 March 1988

  503

  Industrial Accidents
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide information on accident rates in the agricultural industry in each of the last 10 years; and if he will provide comparable statistics for the construction industry and for manufacturing industries.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 22 February 1989]: The available information is given in the table.

  Although there are substantial numbers of self-employed people in agriculture and construction, incidence rates are calculated only for injuries to employees because of suspected under-reporting of injuries to the self-employed.

DEFENCE

  Low Flying (East Lothian)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the speed, height and purpose of the low-level flight by a propeller-driven aircraft two miles south-west of Ormiston, East Lothian at 1.30 pm on Friday 10 February.

  Mr. Neubert
  A Hercules aircraft from RAF Lyneham was authorised to carry out a low-level navigation exercise in the area at heights down to 250 ft and under the normal speed restrictions for the aircraft and type of sortie.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the speed, height and purpose of the low-level flight by a jet aircraft at 12.25 pm, on Friday 10 February over Gullane, East Lothian.

  Mr. Neubert
  Military aircraft are authorised as a matter of routine to carry out low-level flying training in the area mentioned at heights no lower than 250 ft and at speeds normally not exceeding 450 knots.

  Republic of Ireland (Enlistments)
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many citizens of the Republic of Ireland enlisted in Her Majesty's forces in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Neubert
  The following information is available:

  Royal Navy/Royal Marines

  (Non-commissioned personnel only)

  Number

  1983–84

  9

  1984–85

  22

  1985–86

  9

  1986–87

  3

  1987–88

  8

  Notes

  1. Figures show number of personnel recruited directly from the Republic of Ireland. It is not possible to identify Irish citizens who may have been recruited in the United Kingdom.

  2. It is not possible to specify if the personnel recruited from the Republic of Ireland have Irish or dual Irish/British nationality.

  3. Figures for officers and for non-commissioned personnel prior to 1983–84 and details of classification by nationality could only be obtained by examining individual records at disproportionate cost.

  Army

  (officers and non-commissioned personnel)

  Number

  1978–79

  93

  1979–80

  70

  1980–81

  69

  1981–82

  20

  1982–83

  21

  1983–84

  27

  1984–85

  59

  1985–86

  64

  1986–87

  70

  1987–88

  76

  Note:

  1. The figures cover those recruits with Irish nationality and also include some personnel holding dual Irish/British nationality.

  Royal Air Force

  (officers and non-commissioned personnel)

  Number

  1979

  27

  1980

  19

  1981

  10

  42

  Number

  1982

  10

  1983

  7

  1984

  10

  1985

  3

  1986

  10

  1987

  8

  1988

  3

  Notes:

  1. The figures cover those recruits with Irish nationality and also include some personnel holding dual Irish/British nationality.

  2. The figures are for calendar years; those for the RN/RM and Army are for financial years.

  RAF Gannet (Helicopter Flight)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what purpose a helicopter from RAF Gannet landed on Arran on 8 February and what civilian passengers were taken on board.

  Mr. Neubert
  A naval helicopter from HMS Gannet landed on Arran on 8 February to take on board three local residents. They were flown over the mountain rescue flying training area in order to foster understanding of the rescue team's training requirements and of the reasons why some noise and disturbance is unavoidable, and to provide reassurance that everything possible is done to keep this disturbance to a minimum.

  NATO (Infrastructure Programme)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there have been any changes in eligibility for funding of civilian facilities under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation infrastructure programme in the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No. The NATO infrastructure programme is established to provide military facilities to fulfil the defined minimum operational requirements of the NATO military authorities.

  US Bases (Policing)
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements govern the policing of United States bases and proceedings against visiting United States servicemen in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  Under the NATO status of forces agreement the United States armed forces have the right to police any camps, establishments or other premises which they occupy in the United Kingdom by agreement with Her Majesty's Government. To carry out this policing role, United States military police may take all appropriate measures to ensure the maintenance of order and security on such premises, including, where necessary, the carriage of firearms provided that they are authorised to do so by their orders. Outside those premises US military police may be employed only by arrangement with and in liaison with the civil police.

  Under the agreement, the visiting force must respect the law of the receiving state; and all personnel, including those carrying out policing duties, are subject to the provisions of United Kingdom law. Section 2 of the Visiting Forces Act 1952 permits the US service authorities and courts within the United Kingdom to exercise over

  43
  those subject to their jurisdiction the powers that are exercisable by them under United States law. Where an offence is committed against both United States and United Kingdom law there is therefore concurrent jurisdiction. Section 3 of the Act sets out the arrangements for determining who shall have primary jurisdiction in such cases. Broadly speaking, it provides that the United States authorities have the primary right to bring a member of a visiting force to trial if the alleged offence arose out of and in the course of his duty as a member of that force, or was solely against the property or person of others associated with the visiting force.

  It is, however, open to the United States authorities to decide not to proceed with a case under United States law; in that case, section 3(3) restores jurisdiction to the United Kingdom courts.

  Ministry Police
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he is considering the replacement of Ministry of Defence police by private security guards at any Ministry of Defence establishment;

  (2) if he is considering a reduction in the number of Ministry of Defence police employed by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. Hughes) on 23 February at column 760.

  "Iron Hammer"
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what representations he has received from residents of the Republic of Germany concerning the recent manoeuvre Iron Hammer; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) if, following the recent manoeuvre Iron Hammer in Lower Saxony, he will review the operational instructions given to members of the British Army with the intention of reducing the environmental impact of such exercises.

  Mr. Neubert
  Exercise Iron Hammer took place from 1 to 27 November 1988 in Lower Saxony and involved 3rd Armoured Division. Great efforts were made by the exercise controllers to avoid damage to the environment. Movement of tactical vehicles was restricted to take account of poor ground conditions and CinC BAOR had agreed earlier, and very readily, to a request that an area of land which had already seen more than its fair share of exercise activity in 1988 should not be used during Iron Hammer. German local governments expressed their satisfaction with the way in which the exercise was conducted. A newly installed "hot-line" designed to enable public complaints to be received and dealt with promptly proved very effective.

  Realistic exercises are essential if troops are to maintain operational effectiveness. Although some damage is inevitable and there are well-established procedures for dealing with claims, our military authorities in Germany are very aware of the need to protect the environment and take their responsibilities in this regard very seriously indeed. Before an exercise is allowed to commence all participants are carefully briefed on damage control and avoidance and are issued with written instructions. Exercise play is kept under the closest possible review by controllers, so that plans can quickly be changed if there
  44
  is a risk of undue damage. Procedures are reviewed after each exercise with a view to keeping the environmental impact of training to a minimum.

  Dartmouth Regatta
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that the tradition that there is a Royal Navy vessel to do duty as a guard ship at the Dartmouth royal regatta is maintained for 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  We are planning to provide a Royal Navy guard ship for the 1989 Dartmouth royal regatta.

  Crews
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what are the crew complements for escorts of each of the following classes:(a) Leander, (b) type 42, (c) type 21, (d) type 22 and (e) type 23;

  (2) what are the annual crew costs for a Leander class frigate; and what is his estimate of the cost on the same basis for a type 23 frigate.

  Mr. Neubert
  Typical schemes of complement and crew costs (pay and allowances) of the classes in question are:

  Crew numbers

  Crew costs

  (£ million)

  Leander (Batch 3B)

  233

  3·2

  Type 42 (Batch 3)

  251

  3·6

  Type 21

  178

  2·5

  Type 22 (Batch 3)

  234

  3·3

  Type 23

  160

  2·3

  Services (Allowances)
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of Defence what is the estimated current total annual cost of travel, subsistence, educational and other allowances for each of the services following the changes made in the allowance system in 1988; what were the tables for the previous year under the former system; and what would the latter figure be on a current basis if indexed.

  Mr. Neubert
  I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as I have the information.

  Warships
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current annual running costs for a frigate or destroyer of each of the classes(a) Leander, (b) type 42, (c) type 21 and (d) type 22; and what is his estimate of the costs for a type 23 frigate.

  Mr. Neubert
  The average annual operating costs, at financial year 1987–88 prices, of the following classes of destroyer and frigates are:(a) Leander £3·8 million, (b) type 42 £7 million, (c) type 21 £3·8 million, (d) type 22 £4·8 million and (e) type 23 £3·6 million. These costs include personnel, fuel, spares and so on, and administrative support services, but exclude new construction, capital equipment, and refit-repair costs.

  Seawolf System
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it will be possible to operate the Seawolf air defence system on type 23 frigates if they are not fitted with a computer-assisted command system.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Yes, although there will be some limitations on its use until the system is fitted.

  Frigates
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to order the next batch of type 23 frigates.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Members for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) and for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett) on 29 November 1988 at column 217.

  Surface Escorts
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of surface escorts in the Royal Navy in 1987 had the type of anti-missile defences required for Royal Navy frigates deployed in the Gulf.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  For operational security reasons, it is not our general practice to disclose specific capabilities of individual components of the fleet.

  Iran
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arms have been sold to Iran since the end of the Iran-Iraq war.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It has never been the practice to give details of specific arms sales, but the hon. Member can be assured that we continue to adhere scrupulously to the guidelines announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary on 29 October 1985 at column 454.

ENVIRONMENT

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what a typical ward sister would pay in(a) rates, (b) community charge, (c) a system of capital value rates plus local income tax and (d) local income tax paid in the proportion of 80–20, respectively, if she lived in a typical one-bedroom flat in Sheffield, Hallam.

  Mr. Gummer
  A ward sister earning £13,000, living in a flat in Sheffield worth £25,000 and with a rateable value of £200, would pay a rates bill of £658, a community charge of £285 (disregarding the transitional safety net) and £385 under a system of capital value rates plus local income tax.

  Football Membership Scheme
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the relevant Minister in his Department to reply to the letter dated 9 January from the hon. Member for Newham, South; and if, in the light of its contents, he will correct any information in the letter sent from his Department dated 21 December 1988 to hon. Members concerning the Football Spectators Bill [Lords].
  46
  Mr. Moynihan
  I replied to the hon. Member on 23 February.

  Water Industry
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of(a) officials in his Department, their grade and overall estimated cost and (b) consultants and their cost engaged upon matters relating to the water industry, including its privatisation, in the years 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Ridley
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Listed Buildings
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will restore statutory protection for those previously grade 3 listed buildings of local interest; if he will reinstate the local list for designated conservation areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Grade III was a non-statutory category of buildings of mainly local interest which did not qualify for the statutory list and, consequently, never did enjoy statutory protection. The category was abandoned almost 20 years ago with the start of the national resurvey of listed buildings, now nearing completion. Those former grade III buildings which have been reassessed during the national resurvey, which satisfy the current listing criteria as buildings of special architectural or historic interest, and which are thought to be of more than local interest, are now included in the statutory lists.

  I assume that by "local list" my hon. Friend is referring to the list of important conservation areas which was included in circular 23/84. English Heritage was to be notified of planning applications which might affect the character or appearance of areas on this list. This arrangement was, however, superseded in 1987 by a requirement to notify English Heritage of any development in any conservation area exceeding a specified size. The purpose of this is to enable English Heritage to concentrate on more significant development proposals affecting conservation areas.

  London Docklands Development Corporation
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many jobs have been lost in the London Docklands development corporation area because of relocation, or closures since 1981.

  Mr. Trippier
  Information on the great majority of firms which move out of the urban development area is not collected. Department of Employment figures show that 2,230 jobs were lost in the 41 firms which closed in the seven years 1981 to 1988 where closures were required to be notified to that Department.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the London Docklands development corporation will receive the payments derived from enhanced land values to pay for the extension of the Docklands light railways.

  Mr. Trippier
  As land disposals are completed.

  Acid Water
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the acid waters review group report.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The second report of the acid waters review group will be published within the next few weeks. Copies of the report will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the volume and (b) the locations in England at which discharges take place into the aquatic environment of (i) ethylene dichloride, (ii) perchloroethylene and (iii) trichloroethylene.
  48
  Mr. Moynihan
  The information sought is not held centrally. Control of discharges is the responsibility of the regional water authorities.

  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements to monitor the effects of low winter rainfall have been agreed with the water industry, with special reference to the levels of abstraction from rivers into which there have regularly been discharges of effluent in breach of discharge consent standards.

  Mr. Howard
  The water industry associations are supplying us with twice-monthly reports on regional rainfall, the state of water resources, measures taken and assessments of the outlook. The Institute of Hydrology with the British Geological Society, and the Meteorological Office, are supplying us with monthly reports. Management of levels of abstraction from rivers which receive effluents is the responsibility of the water authorities within the terms of abstraction licences.

  Cambridgeshire (Population)
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has studied the estimates made by the standing conference of East Anglian local authorities, about the number of new homes that will be required to accommodate the expected increase in population in the administrative county of Cambridgeshire over the period between 1989 and 2011; and what steps he is taking to diminish the pressures on land, traffic and prices in the city of Cambridge by refraining from moving Government offices into the city from Newmarket.

  Mr. Chope
  The estimate of the number of new houses likely to he required in Cambridgeshire between 1986 and 2011 is included in a consultation draft of a regional strategy being prepared by the standing conference of East Anglian local authorities. The standing conference is expected to invite the Secretary of State to publish regional strategic guidance for the region on the basis of their proposed regional strategy.

  Policies to deal with the expected growth of Cambridgeshire up to 2001 are already included in the submitted alterations to the approved structure plan. The move of 35 staff to Cambridge from Newmarket will not have a significant impact on the economy of Cambridge.

  Housing (Greater London)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the total number of dwellings in the Greater London area owned by(a) the London residuary body and (b) housing associations which are unlawfully occupied.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information is not held centrally.

  Caravan Sites
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East of Thursday 16 February,Official Report, column 389, on caravan sites, if he will provide similar information as at 1 May 1985.

  Mr. Trippier
  The information is as follows:

  District

  Number of local authority sites

  Number of caravans on local authority sites

  Number of caravans on private sites

  Cambridge

  0

  0

  24

  East Cambridge

  3

  49

  40

  Fenland

  3

  61

  17

  Huntingdonshire

  1

  0

  43

  Peterborough

  3

  126

  23

  South Cambridgeshire

  2

  30

  58

  12

  266

  205

  Information on individual sites licensed by local authorities is not held by the Department.

  Housing Subsidy (Manchester)
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether Manchester's share of the national
  50

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  County

  Number of local authority sites at 1 January 1985

  Number of caravans on local authority sites1

  Number of caravans on private sites1

  Bedfordshire

  5

  81

  3

  Cambridgeshire

  5

  183

  146

  Essex

  7

  134

  45

  Hertfordshire

  8

  137

  18

  Lincolnshire

  4

  120

  10

  Norfolk

  2

  49

  21

  Suffolk

  2

  72

  71

  1 Based on 17 July 1985 count.

  Applications for designation under section 12 of the 1968 Act, as amended, as at 1 May 1985 were as follows:

  (a)

  (b)

  Applications pending

  Applications granted

  Bedfordshire

  —

  South Bedfordshire

  Luton

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  Huntingdon

  Essex

  —

  —

  Hertfordshire

  Watford

  —

  Lincolnshire

  —

  Boston

  Lincoln CB

  West Lindsey

  Norfolk

  —

  —

  Suffolk

  Babergh

  Ipswich

  Mid Suffolk

  Suffolk Coastal

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many(a) local authority and (b) authorised private, individual sites under section 6 of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 exist in each of the district council areas in Cambridgeshire.

  Mr. Trippier
  Details of sites and numbers of caravans in each of the district council areas in Cambridgeshire as at 1 January 1989 are as follows:

  total available for a transitional housing revenue account subsidy in 1990–91 will be based on the rate fund contribution in 1988–89, or the average of contributions over the three years 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  Mr. Trippier
  The consultation paper "A New Financial Regime for Local Authority Housing in
  51
  England and Wales" proposed that housing revenue account subsidy for 1990–91 should reflect, among other things, the average rate fund contributions over the three years 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89. A number of comments were received on this proposal and these are being considered.

  Insulation
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of the conclusions of the Eurisol report, "Pollution Reduction Through Energy Conservation", he will(a) make the insulation standards of the proposed new building regulations compulsory, (b) provide grants for this work and (c) bring existing homes up to these proposed standards.

  Mr. Trippier
  A consultation paper issued last July proposed that the existing thermal insulation requirements in the building regulations should be upgraded. Responses to the consultation paper are being considered. It was also proposed that the form of this part of the regulations should be brought more into line with that of other parts, by requiring reasonable provision to be made for the conservation of fuel and power, and by including guidance on insulation standards in the approved document. Experience has shown that this approach enables effective control to be maintained, but in a clearer and more flexible way. While it would not be appropriate to provide grants towards the cost of complying with building regulations requirements, there are provisions in the Local Government and Housing Bill to enable local authorities to pay grants towards the cost of providing adequate thermal insulation in existing dwellings.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to stop the Antarctic being used as a dumping ground for toxic waste.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government are actively supporting a proposal, in the negotiation of a global convention on the transboundary movement of hazardous waste, to prohibit the export of such waste for disposal in Antarctica.

  Mining (Tinsley Park)
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he is going to answer the letter of 13 February sent to him by the hon. Member for Rother Valley on the request for a public inquiry into the proposed open cast coal mine at Tinsley Park.

  Mr. Chope
  Shortly.

  Waste Disposal (Rixton)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received information from Cheshire

  British Railways door irregularities resulting from a failure or ending in a collision

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Number of incidents

  302

  226

  218

  256

  266

  Number of incidents involving injury

  24

  14

  14

  12

  11

  Number of injuries

  52
  county council or Colliers Waste Disposals, Rixton, that waste from the Chemstar plant at Stalybridge was dumped at Rixton following an accident there in 1981; when he was told of the materials that were dumped at Rixton; if he will list them; and whether there were any traces of dioxin in the materials that were dumped.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 23 February 1989]: The Department was informed early in February by Cheshire county council that some 2,500 drums of paint residues and pigments from the drum store of the Chemstar plant had been landfilled at the Colliers waste disposal landfill at Rixton. The records of special wastes for this site indicate that no dioxin contaminated wastes were deposited.

  Hospital Waste (Rixton)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 16 February,Official Report, column 282, what was the clinical waste which had been dumped; what information Cheshire county council supplied on who was responsible for the dumping; and what advice was given on the possible prosecution of the person concerned.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 20 February 1989]: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is preparing a report on the landfill in which clinical waste was deposited at the Collier landfill, Cheshire. I shall write to the hon. Member when the report is available.

  Docklands
  Ms. Mildred Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of rate allowance claimed so far in the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone.

  Mr. David Trippier
  [pursuant to his reply, 23 January, col. 458]: Schedule 32 of the Local Government,Planning and Land Act 1980 provides that my right hon. Friend shall make grants to rating authorities who lose revenue from properties within enterprise zones that are exempt from the payment of rates. To date, the rating authorities affected by the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone, have claimed £27,053,715.

TRANSPORT

  Trains (Doors)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many wrong door openings have occurred on British Rail trains since 1980; how many in each year resulted in (i) minor injuries, (ii) major injuries and (iii) deaths; and what were the numbers in each case.

  Mr. Portillo
  Details of incidents prior to 1984 are not readily available. The information for the period 1984–88 is in the table.
  53

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  fatal

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  serious injury

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  minor injury

  41

  20

  20

  23

  13

  Roads and Car Parks
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the reasons for the revision of the underspend on local authority capital spending for 1988–89 on roads and car parks from £42 million in table 8.1 of Cm. 288–11 to £100 million in the equivalent table of Cm. 608.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The £42 million underspend is indicated by comparing the estimated outturn in Cm. 608 with the provision in Cm. 288-II. The estimated outturn in Cm. 608 is based on spending returns from the first quarter of the year only and hence is subject to wide margins of error. The provision in Cm. 288-II was subsequently revised upwards by £36 million during the year, to reflect an additional £36 million of spending power which became available to local authorities because they underspent their net provision in 1987–88.

  The £100 million underspend estimate in paragraph 70 of Cm. 608 is a later Department of Transport forecast which takes account of the revised provision.

  Traffic (London)
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the use of the London area model developed by his Department's transport and road research laboratory as a means of easing traffic congestion in London.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The transport and road research laboratory's experimental London area model (LAM) was designed to assist in the analysis of strategic policy options. The London planning advisory committee (LPAC) commissioned consultants to test four transport options using the model.

  The base scenario portrayed in the report by the LPAC's consultants did not represent current Government policies. The conclusion drawn were not a realistic assessment of the likely outcome. The base against which other policies are compared are ill-founded. The options described in the LPAC scenarios have included the impact of selective road improvements, stricter parking controls, selective radial rail improvements and new RER-style railways. None were suitable for testing using LAM.

  The sensitivity testing work was commissioned by the LPAC. The Department received a copy of the report in late January. It is for the LPAC to publish the results if they so wish.

  The Department commissioned an audit by consultants, the results of which were received last spring. These identified deficiencies with the LAM including its representation of road and rail capacity levels; and inadequate representation of peak demands; and an inability to reproduce travel patterns experienced in recent years—particularly the growth in travel demand which has taken place since travelcards were introduced.

  It was decided to withdraw the model from further use. I will be placing a copy of the consultant's audit report in the Library.
  54
  The model does not provide measures to ease traffic congestion.

  Road Works (Legislation)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if necessary consultations with local authorities have been completed prior to his publication of a Bill to replace the Public Utilities Street Works Act; and what is his policy as to whether that replacement will contain powers for determining priorities for work on busy roads.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Government response to the Home report on the review of the Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950 accepted most of the recommendations in that report. Consultations with the local authorities under the auspices of the highway authorities and utilities committee on matters of detail are now substantially complete. Proposals for legislation are being drawn up with the benefit of advice from the street works advisory committee.

  As far as work on busy roads is concerned, we have accepted the Home recommendation that highway authorities should be empowered to designate certain roads as traffic-sensitive and that undertakers proposing to carry out works that will obstruct the carriageway of such roads will have to consult the highway authority in advance. All utilities and highway authorities will also generally be required to establish procedures for co-ordinating major projects in advance.

  Tube Trains (Door Openings)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many wrong door openings have been reported on the London Underground each year since 1980; and how many in each case resulted in(a) injuries and (b) deaths.

  Mr. Portillo
  Details of incidents prior to 1984 are not readily available. Since then three incidents (all in 1987;1 involving London Underground trains were reported; none gave rise to injury or death.

  Commuter Trains
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his response is to the recommendations in the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission(a) that British Rail should increase by £50 million the bills for running commuter trains and (b) that a review should be made on the way in which local train fares are fixed.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend will in due course present to the House British Rail's response to the commission's report along with the Government's observations. Until then it would be premature to comment.

  Haulage Operators (Licences)
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road haulage operators have had their operators' licences revoked while still operating as haulage companies during each of the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The figures for each year ending 31 March, are:

  Number

  1984

  67

  1985

  90

  1986

  100

  1987

  109

  1988

  80

  Road Safety
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will be implementing a scheme for the education of parents and children of the dangers on roads as recommended by the Public Accounts Committee, HC 142; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Government's response to the PAC report will be by Treasury minute, to be published shortly.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many child pedestrians in Bolton were injured in road accidents during 1987 and 1988; how many child fatalities occurred during the same period; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We do not yet have complete figures available for 1988.

  The number of child pedestrians injured in road accidents in Bolton metropolitan district area was 191 in 1986, and 208 in 1987.

  Included in these child pedestrian casualties was one who died in 1986 and four who died in 1987. In 1986 there was one other child killed in a road accident, as a vehicle passenger, and none in 1987.

  Explosives (Detection)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when a neutron beam detector using an artificial neural system computer programme was installed at Heathrow airport; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether the Californian-developed SNOOPE system is under evaluation by his Department; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he has any plans to install the SNOOPE system at all British airports in the near future following evaluation; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) if there are any British-made systems technologically similar to the SNOOPE system under consideration for evaluation at United Kingdom airports; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The SNOOPE system is the American thermal neutron activation analysis equipment for detecting explosives mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member on 17 January at column 126. It is not under evaluation by the Department, though we receive information about it from the United States Federal
  56
  Aviation Administration. Neither the SNOOPE system nor any other system using the thermal neutron activation technique has been installed at Heathrow. We have told the FAA that we should look favourably at any proposals they might make to us for installing at a United Kingdom airport one of the six production machines they now have on order (for delivery during the second half of 1989).

  There is a British project to develop a system using a similar technique. We understand that preliminary trials have been promising. When those concerned with the development are ready for a prototype to be tried out at a civil airport we shall give that very careful consideration.

  The Department's position on whether either system should be deployed operationally at United Kingdom airports will depend on the results of the tests.

  Lighthouse Service
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in implementing the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee in its 29 report of Session 1981–82 that the deficit on the lighthouse service in the Republic of Ireland should not continue to fall upon shipping calling at United Kingdom ports; and when he expects the Government of the Republic of Ireland to meet the full cost of their international obligations in respect of navigational aids for shipping.

  Mr. Portillo
  The United Kingdom and Irish Governments reached a financial agreement in 1985 under which an increasing proportion of the expenditure of the Commissioners of Irish Lights deemed to be incurred in the Republic is being met from sources within the Republic. We are in the transitional stage of that agreement but, when it is fully in place in 1989–90, half the deemed expenditure in the Republic will be met from a combination of light dues collected in the Republic and a contribution from the Irish Exchequer. My right hon. Friend has no plans to reopen negotiations on this agreement.

  Condoms (Fishing Vessels)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he intends to implement the European Community directive requiring British fishing vessels to carry condoms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  No such directive has been adopted nor has any proposal for a draft directive been made by the Commission to the Council of Ministers.

  Leeds/Bradford Airport
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the decision on whether to permit an extension of operating hours at Leeds/Bradford airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment expect to announce a decision soon.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the impact of the Channel tunnel on air traffic between London, Paris and Brussels; and if he will make a statement.
  57
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Estimates of the likely effects of the Channel tunnel are available in the Department's recently published forecasts of air traffic. For reasons given in the forecast report, the London-Brussels and London-Paris routes are expected to be heavily affected.

THE ARTS

  Victoria and Albert Museum
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions have been held with representatives of staff at the Victoria and Albert museum about staff restructuring.

  Mr. Luce
  I understand that consultations were held throughout last year with staff about the options for the reorganisation of collections management functions at the Victoria and Albert museum.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions his office has had with the director of the Victoria and Albert museum about staff restructuring.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has met the chairman of the trustees of the Victoria and Albert museum to discuss staff restructuring.

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

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received about the plans of the Victoria and Albert museum to restructure staffing.

  Mr. Luce
  Since the museum's announcement of 27 January I have received a number of letters about the planned reorganisation of departments of the Victoria and Albert museum.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the future of(a) research into, and (b) conservation of photographic collections at the Victoria and Albert museum.

  Mr. Luce
  Decisions on research into and conservation of the photographic collections of the Victoria and Albert museum are matters for the director and trustees of the museum.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what will be the financial consequences of restructuring staffing at the Victoria and Albert museum.

  Mr. Luce
  The management of the museum's resources is a matter for the director and trustees.

  "Stepping Forward"
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had with the chairman of the Arts Council about the Devlin report entitled "Stepping Forward".

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he plans to meet the chairman of the Arts Council to discuss the Devlin report entitled "Stepping Forward".

  Mr. Luce
  The report has been issued for consultation, and I have not discussed it with the chairman. The question of dance funding is a matter for the Arts Council.

  Theatre Companies (Joint and Reciprocal Productions)
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps he is taking to encourage both joint and reciprocal productions between British theatre companies and continental theatre companies in the light of the implementation of the single European market.

  Mr. Luce
  Theatres are free to make their own arrangements, and I hope will think increasingly of European engagements. There is no reason to think that the completion of the single European market will require Government intervention in such cultural exchanges.

  Northern ballet theatre
  Mr. Orme
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met the chairman of the board of Northern ballet theatre to discuss the company's future.

  Mr. Luce
  The future of Northern ballet theatre is a matter for the Arts Council.

  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he intends to meet the chairman of the Arts Council to discuss the level of financial support for the Northern ballet theatre.

  Mr. Luce
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn) on Monday 13 February at column 49.

  Mr. Litherland
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has plans to meet the artistic director of the Northern ballet theatre to discuss the company's future.

  Mr. Luce
  I have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many touring performances were given by the Northern ballet theatre in 1988.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the number of performances undertaken by the Northern ballet theatre last year.

  Mr. Luce
  I am informed that the company gave 162 touring performances in 1988.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the subsidy per seat at performances given by the Northern ballet theatre.

  Mr. Luce
  A total of £4·60 in 1987–88.

  British Theatre Association Library
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what progress has been achieved in preserving the British Theatre Association library.

  Mr. Luce
  Discussions are continuing between the interested parties, and I am keeping in close touch with developments.

  "A Fresh Boost for Culture in the European Community"
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps he is taking to meet the objectives set out in the
  59
  European Community document, "A Fresh Boost for Culture in the European Community"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  This document is a Commission communication only, not a set of objectives, and it has not been endorsed by European Community Ministers of Culture. At their meeting on 27 May 1988 EC Ministers of Culture decided to give priority to Community action in four areas: audiovisual; books; sponsorship; and training. However, no specific programme proposals have yet been put to them by the European Commission.

  Office of Arts and Libraries
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the achievements of the Office of Arts and Libraries in the last three years.

  Mr. Luce
  The principal achievements of the Office of Arts and Libraries in the last three years have been:The establishment of a three-year programme of funding for the arts.
  The introduction of corporate planning for the national museums and galleries, and other non-departmental bodies, linked to the three-year funding programme.
  National museums and galleries being given greater control over their affairs by the move to grant-in-aid funding, and by their being untied from the Property Services Agency.
  The direction of the funding of the national museums and galleries towards the conservation and display of the collections, and the maintenance of the fabric of their buildings.
  The Government's support for the development strategies designed to give the regions a larger share of arts spending and facilities.
  The development of incentive funding schemes for the performing arts and for public libraries, designed to encourage subsidised bodies to become more self-reliant in their development and growth.
  The continued success of business sponsorship of the arts.
  The new marketing initiatives to encourage arts bodies to market themselves more professionally and to increase access to the arts.
  The substantial progress with the British library St. Pancras project which will bring together most of the library's London-based collections and reading rooms on a single site, and provide much improved facilities.

  Carnegie Trust
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he intends to support the Carnegie trust in its efforts to improve facilities for the disabled in arts venues.

  Mr. Luce
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sherwood (Mr. Stewart) on 20 December 1988 at column 151.

  Arts Education Establishments
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will list the arts education establishments he has visited in the past year.

  Mr. Luce
  I have visited the following:

  29 January 1988—Yehudi Menuhin School of Music

  28 March 1988—opened a research conference at the Central School of Art and Design.

  6 May 1988—Performing Arts Technology Studies at University of Surrey.

  30 June 1988—Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds.

  26 October 1988—Warwick Arts Centre, University of

  60

  Warwick.

  16 November 1988—Royal Ballet School.

  18 November 1988—Guildford School of Acting and Dance.

  British Libraries (Titles)
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many titles are currently listed as being held in British libraries; and what were the figures five and 10 years ago.

  Mr. Luce
  Details of titles held are not kept centrally. Figures for total bookstock held by public libraries are published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. The figures for England for 1987–88 and the fifth and 10th preceding years are:

  Million

  1977–78

  109·0

  1982–83

  113·1

  1987–88

  105·5

  The figure for 1987–88 is distorted because the CIPFA actual statistics show returns from only 98 authorities.

  The British Library's holdings (including monographs but excluding serials, manuscripts, microform, music, newspapers) in these years were:

  Million

  1977–78

  11·8

  1982–83

  11·9

  1987–88

  13·0

  Museums and Heritage Organisations (Volunteers)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what estimate he has made of the contributions of volunteers to the running of museums and heritage organisations.

  Mr. Luce
  I am aware of the excellent contribution made by volunteers to the running of museums and heritage organisations. In 1987 the Museums Association database project found that volunteers were used extensively by all types of museums and galleries.

  I hope that this contribution will be enhanced following the research project for the preparation of guidelines on the constructive use and management of volunteers which I announced on 9 February.

  Political Parties (Archives)
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Minister for the Arts, what amount of public funds are currently expended by libraries on housing and maintaining the archives of political parties in Britain.

  Mr. Luce
  This information is not held centrally.

  Arts Council
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met the chairman of the Arts Council; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Luce
  I met the chairman on 15 February. We discussed matters of mutual interest and current concern.

  Ballet and Dance
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is his policy for developing ballet and dance in the north-west.

  Mr. Luce
  The development of ballet and dance is a matter for the Arts Council. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Worsley (Mr. Lewis) today.

  Phoenix Arts Centre, Leicester
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last visited the Phoenix arts centre in Leicester.

  Mr. Luce
  I visited the Phoenix arts centre on 8 September 1988.

  London Opera
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will make a statement on opera in London.

  Mr. Luce
  I am keen to see the success of opera companies both in and outside of London. The form and extent of provision is a matter for the Arts Council.

  Crafts Council
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Minister for the Arts, what support he gives to the Crafts Council.

  Mr. Luce
  Funding for the Crafts Council in 1988–89 is £2·25 million. It will rise to £2·55 million in 1991–92, an increase of over 13 per cent.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Leaflets (Translation)
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the titles and code numbers of the 10 most issued leaflets published by his Department and indicate which of these leaflets has been issued in translation and in which languages.

  Mr Peter LLoyd
  The details of the 10 most issued leaflets published in 1988–89 are

  Code Number

  Title

  Ch 11

  One parent benefit

  D 49

  What to do after a death

  FB 2

  Which Benefit?

  FB 8

  Babies and Benefits

  FB 28

  Sick or Disabled

  FC 1

  Family Credit

  N1 17A

  A guide to maternity benefits

  N1 205

  Attendance Allowance

  N1 211

  Mobility Allowance for people unable or virtually unable to walk

  SB 1

  Income Support—cash help.

  Leaflet FB 2, re-numbered as FB 22 is available in the following languages:

  Bengali

  Chinese

  Gujarati

  Hindi

  Punjabi

  Urdu

  62
  A Turkish translation will be available shortly.

  Elderly People (Disabilities)
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what percentage of(a) those aged 75 years and over and (b) those aged 60 years and over with disabilities his Department holds addresses.

  Mr Peter Lloyd
  The Department holds addresses for all those aged 75 and over in receipt of retirement pensions and/or income support, with the exception of those who do not have a settled way of life. No record is held of people over 60 with disabilities other than for those receiving specific disability benefits.

  Social Fund
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what proportion of their budgets for community care grants from the social fund for the financial year 1988–89 had been spent by each social security office in the north-eastern region by the end of January 1989;

  (2) what proportion of the Dewsbury social security office's budget for community care grants from the social fund for the financial year 1988–89 had been spent by the end of January 1989.

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

  Income Support
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many 16 and 17-year-olds have(a) applied for and (b) been refused income support on grounds of extreme hardship (i) in Scotland and (ii) in England and Wales since the introduction of the scheme.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  During the period from 12 September 1988 to 17 February 1989 the number of applications for a direction by the Secretary of State under the "severe hardship" provision and the results of those applications were as follows:

  Number of applications received

  Number of directions given

  Number of directions refused

  Scotland

  1,430

  947

  483

  England and Wales

  3,016

  1,946

  1,070

  Note:
  Information relates to the number of applications received rather than to the number of individual young people involved. Some individuals have made more than one application.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of those people claiming family credit are farmworkers or employed in farming.

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

  Single Payments
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state the figures for the Lerwick office for
  63
  the years 1986–87 and 1987–88 in respect of (a) the number of applicants for single payment, (b) the number of single payment applications which were refused and (c) the amount of money paid out in respect of single payments.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on the number of single payment claims awarded, the number refused and the amount paid by each local DSS office for the period April 1986 to April 1988 is in the Library.

  Office Manpower (Lerwick and Kirkwall)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will indicate the level of staffing at the(a) Lerwick office and (b) Kirkwall office of his Department as at 1 February of each year from 1984 to 1989.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is as follows:

  Lerwick ILO

  Kirkwall LO

  1984

  19

  8

  1985

  21

  10

  1986

  21

  11

  1987

  20

  11

  1988

  21

  11

  1989

  17·5

  11

  Notes:

  ILO = Integrated local office.

  LO = Local office.

  Pensioners (Income)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the categories of statistics which his Department collects on pensioners' income and give in each case the smallest geographical unit covered by each group.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 20 February 1989]: Statistics on pensioners' income from benefits collected by this Department are published in "Retirement Pension and Widow's Benefit". Further information may be found in "Social Security Statistics 1988". These statistics are collected on a national basis and analysed by country of residence. Both these publications are in the Library. Information on pensioners' total income is obtained from the family expenditure survey, which is collected by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys on behalf of the Department of Employment. The extent to which information on pensioners' total income can be subdivided geographically depends on the sample sizes involved in answering particular questions.

HEALTH

  "Health for All" Report
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the 1987 "Health for All" monitoring report submitted to the World Health Organisation in July 1988 has been published.

  Mr. Mellor
  The United Kingdom monitoring report has not been published, but copies are available in the Library.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the professional, scientific and inter-departmental sources, by name or organisation, which are providing advice on child abuse, pursuant to his answer of 14 February.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Department has available a number of professional and scientific advisers from whom advice is sought. In addition the Department holds regular meetings with a research liaison group on child care which contains service advisers from the Association of County Councils and the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, at present Mr. John Chant and Mr. Martin Manby and scientific advisers who are at present Professor Graham of Great Ormond Street hospital, Mr. Mervyn Murch of Bristol university, Professor Dorothy Whitaker of York university and Professor Noel Timms of Leicester university. Other Departments normally include the territorial Departments (Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Offices), the Home Office, the Department of Education and Science and the Economic and Social Research Council.

  Private Hospitals
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost to the National Health Service of the inspection of private hospitals twice yearly; whether any fees charged cover the costs of such visits; and where and how the information collected is reported to his Department.

  Mr. Mellor
  Fees for the inspection and registration of private nursing homes and private hospitals are set by the Department at a level which covers the full costs incurred in providing this service. Fees collected in 1987–88, the latest year for which figures are available, amounted to £1·97 million.

  Health Authorities are requested to submit annually to the Department memorandum trading accounts.

  "Working for Patients"
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he proposes to issue the working papers for "Working for Patients"; and if he will list the subjects to be covered.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The eight working papers were published on 20 February and copies were placed in the Vote Office on the same day. The papers cover the following topics:

  Paper 1.

  Self-governing hospitals.

  Paper 2.

  Funding and Contracts for Hospital Services.

  Paper 3.

  Practice Budgets for General Medical Practitioners.

  Paper 4.

  Indicative Prescribing Budgets for General Medical Practitioners.

  Paper 5.

  Capital Charges.

  Paper 6.

  Medical Audit.

  Paper 7.

  NHS Consultants: Appointments, Contracts and Distinction Awards.

  Paper 8.

  Implications for Family Practitioner Committees.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set up an inquiry into the establishment levels of
  65
  environmental health officers, the frequency of inspection of food premises and means of limiting the number of cases of food poisoning.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The establishment levels of environmental health officers are a matter for local environmental health authorities and not for central Government.

  The committee on the microbial safety of food, whose terms of reference I announced on 21 February, will be able to examine all factors connected with food safety and foodborne illness, including environmental health matters.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he takes to ensure that catering systems concerned with food production for the community ensure the restraint of the growth of food-borne pathogens.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Caterers are legally required to produce food which is safe to eat. Local authorities enforce that requirement by reference to food law and, as appropriate, other guidance and guidelines relevant to good hygienic practice in the producers and sellers premises.

  Locum Services
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much each health authority spent in 1988 on the fees paid to medical employment agencies for providing locum services for their hospitals; and what was the highest, lowest and average hourly rate paid by each health authority.

  Mr. Mellor
  Expenditure information derived from the annual accounts of district health authorities, regional health authorities (RHAs) and special health authorities for London postgraduate teaching hospitals (SHAs) in England for 1987–88 has been placed in the Library.

  Information on the hourly rates paid by each health authority is not held centrally.

  Free Prescriptions
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all the categories of people entitled to free prescriptions; and if he will make a statement on whether he has any plans to change the system.

  Mr. Mellor
  The following categories of people are entitled to exemption from NHS prescription charges:

  (a) Children under 16.

  (b) Young people aged under 19 who are in full-time education.

  (c) Women aged 60 or over, and men aged 65 or over.

  (d) People receiving Income Support or Family Credit, and their dependents.

  (e) People who qualify for exemption from NHS charges on low income ground, and their dependents.

  (f) Expectant mothers, or women who have had a baby within the last 12 months.

  (g) Patients with a continuing physical disability which prevents him or her leaving home without the help of another person.

  (h) Patients who have a permanent fistula which requires a continuous surgical dressing or an appliance.

  (i) Patients who suffer from epilepsy requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy.

  (j) Patients who suffer from one of the following disorders for which specific substition therapy is essential

  66

  Diabetes mellitus

  Myxodema (hypothroidism

  Hypoparathyroidism

  Diabetes insipidus or other forms of hypopituitarism

  Addison's disease or other forms of hypoadrenalism

  Myasthenia gravis.

  In addition, war and Ministry of Defence disablement pensioners do not have to pay prescription charges for medication which is prescribed for their accepted disability.

  We have no present intentions to make any alterations to the scheme.

  Listeria
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield on 2 February,Official Report, column 342, when his Department was first made aware of the information on the incidence of listeriosis contained in his answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield on 20 February, Official Report, column 528.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The information was given at the symposium referred to in my previous reply. My Department's officials attended the symposium.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department's 1980 guidelines on cook-chill food relate to the safe exclusion of listeria monocytogenes from food.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Yes. These 1980 guidelines relate to cook-chill catering. We remain satisfied that food produced in accordance with these guidelines will be safe for the consumer and will protect against danger from listeria monocytogenes.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to his answer of 20 February,Official Report, column 528, how many cases of listeriosis were described by the consultant microbiologist from Plymouth health authority on 9 July 1988;

  (2) how many of the patients in Plymouth referred to in his answer of 20 February, Official Report, column 528, developed the symptoms of listeriosis after their admission to hospital.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  These questions are a matter for the consultant microbiologist mentioned. He has confirmed to my officials that there is no evidence to suggest that any cases of listeriosis have arisen from the consumption of meals prepared by the cook-chill catering system used by the Plymouth health authority.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the expert group which produced the 1980 guidelines on cook-chill food were aware of the potential risks of listeria from food.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 2 February at columns 342–43.

  Private Medicine
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest information regarding debts owed by the private medicine sector to the National Health Service for the use of installations and facilities of the National Health Service.
  67
  Mr. Mellor
  I regret the detailed information requested is not collected centrally.

  Residential and Nursing Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which agency is responsible for the care of dependent elderly persons asked to leave private residential homes because of their inability to meet increases in fees charged.

  Mr. Mellor
  Under section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948 and directions issued by the Secretary of State, a local authority has a statutory duty to make arrangements to provide residential accommodation for persons ordinarily resident in its area who by reason of age, infirmity or other circumstances are in need of care and attention which is not otherwise available to them.

  We would therefore expect the local authority to be consulted where an elderly person was unable to meet an increase in the fee charged by a private or voluntary residential care home.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take action to ensure that proprietors of private residential or nursing homes are not allowed to handle their residents' personal finances.

  Mr. Mellor
  The code of practice for residential care, "Home Life", recommends that those involved in the running of a home should not, except as a last resort, become involved in the handling and management of a resident's financial affairs. It is also the policy of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security, not to appoint those in charge of a residential care home or nursing home to act for a resident in receipt of social security benefits unless no other course is open.

  The Residential Care Homes Regulations governing standards in residential care homes were amended from August last year, so that the registered person is now required to keep a record showing for each individual resident any money or other valuables received on his behalf and how it has been spent or disposed of by the registered person. Where, exceptionally, a registered person is appointed to act on behalf of the resident for the purpose of his income support benefit, arrangements are being made for the local authority to be notified by the Department of Social Security's local offices of such appointment so that the authority's inspector can see that these records are being maintained. They will also be able to report to the local offices any suspected misuse of benefit.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that health authority staff are not permitted to own, manage or have interests in private residential or nursing homes.

  Mr. Mellor
  Individual health authorities already have a clear responsibility to satisfy themselves that their employees' interests do not conflict with those of the authority. I look to the authorities to ensure that such conflicts do not arise.

  Registered Homes Act
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to review the operation of the Registered Homes Act.
  68
  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs) on 23 February 1989.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider delaying proposed closures of hospitals in order that the hospitals concerned could consider taking advantage of the possibility of the new status proposed in the White Paper, "Working for Patients."

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No. The White Paper makes it clear that self-governing status should not be sought simply as an alternative to necessary closure. The Health Service must not retain hospitals which are redundant to its needs. Closures are very often made as a result of the development of better alternative services and so should continue to be made.

  Homes and Schools (Registration)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to legislate for the joint registration of private or voluntary homes and schools by local authority education and social services departments.

  Mr. Mellor
  There are no proposals to change the current arrangements whereby certain private and voluntary residential establishments which provide education are registered as schools. The Department and the Department of Education and Science maintain close liaison when appropriate on these establishments as do Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools and the social services inspectorate.

  Redbridge General Hospital
  Mr. Bendall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further delay there has been in going out to tender on the construction contract for the new general hospital in Redbridge on the Goodmayes site; and if he will take action to expedite this project.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that the North East Thames regional health authority is reassessing the financial consequences of this project at present. The decision on when to proceed rests with the regional health authority.

  Cook-Chill Catering
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health why each district health authority in the Yorkshire regional health authority area was asked to comment on the decision to introduce cook-chill catering; what was the purpose of this consultation; and what were the responses received from each authority.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  It is the policy of the Yorkshire regional health authority to consult district health authorities on major proposed changes in policy affecting their services. We do not hold information on the nature of responses centrally and these sensible procedures on the part of the regional health authority are not a matter for me.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the procedures planned for the reheating of cook-chill food in staff canteens in Wakefield hospitals to
  69
  ensure that the requirement of the Yorkshire regional health authority's expert group for food to be served within 15 minutes of reheating is complied with.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  It is entirely a matter for the Wakefield health authority, and not for me, to ensure that its safe and satisfactory proposals for the long-overdue introduction of cook-chill catering in its hospitals are complied with in practice. Cook-chill catering is now a normal feature of National Health Service catering throughout the country and has proved to be a safe and satisfactory system of catering so long as my Department's guidelines are heeded.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health why Mr. Brian Birchall, chairman of the Yorkshire regional health authority catering group, advised staff at the Halifax general hospital in February 1988 that a decision on the implementation of cook-chill catering across the Yorkshire region had already been taken.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I do not know anything about any meetings with staff in Halifax and I do not see why I should be expected to know. I do not propose to intervene in a local decision-making process which is entirely a matter for the Yorkshire regional health authority which has my complete confidence in its handling of its sensible decision to introduce cook-chill catering across its region.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health why plans for the new Halifax hospital development were changed in early 1988 to include cook-chill catering before the Yorkshire regional health authority had made its decision to introduce cook-chill in the region on 24 March 1988, and before formal consultation with Calderdale health authority had taken place.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I assume that the health authorities concerned took this decision in the usual way and I do not regard it as any part of my responsibilities to intervene in or answer for their day-to-day decision making. Cook-chill is now a normal feature of much National Health Service catering throughout the country and has proved to be a safe and satisfactory system of catering so long as my Department's guidelines are heeded.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential risk of food poisoning arising from operation of cook-chill installations in breach of his 1980 guidelines.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The guidelines are designed to ensure the production of safe food. Depending on the circumstances, departure from the guidelines may present a risk of food poisoning. Responsibility for the safe operation of cook-chill catering is a matter for local management.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of staff in his Department qualified(a) to inspect contamination in drinking water and (b) to advise on matters regarding contamination of drinking water.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is the responsibility of the statutory water undertakers to inspect contamination in drinking water.
  70
  Advice on the medical aspects of contamination requires an input from several disciplines and depending on the cause of contamination a number of different members of the Department's medical and scientific staff will be qualified to contribute.

  Contamination of drinking water might be by micro-organisms, chemicals, or radiation. In providing advice to the Government on such issues the Chief Medical Officer is supported by two divisions (containing medical and scientific stall), can call upon the public health laboratory service and other specialist organisations, and obtain advice from committees of independent experts.

  Tranquillisers and Anti-depressants
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the annual cost to the National Health Service of prescriptions of anti-depressants and tranquillisers to women in the 45 to 60 years age group.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We do not collect this information centrally in the form requested. But in England in 1987 the net ingredient cost of prescriptions for anti-depressants and sedatives and tranquillisers dispensed by community pharmacists was £28·9 million and £14·3 million respectively.

  AIDS
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates have been made about the degree of AIDS infection amongst male and female prostitutes.

  Mr. Mellor
  Throughout the world much research into HIV infection among male and female prostitutes is in progress. Studies so far completed show widely differing results. A number of studies are under way in several major cities in the United Kingdom which should help to provide more information in the future from which to make estimates of the prevalence of HIV in prostitutes.

  Oral Tobacco Products
  Mr. Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to ban oral tobacco products, including Skoal Bandits, following the announcement made by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 26 February 1988; what representations were made by the United States Government on this matter; and when the report of the committee set up by the Government on carcinogenicity in oral tobacco, oral snuff and Skoal Bandits will be published.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government are considering the representations we have received on our proposal to ban certain oral tobacco products, and we will make an announcement as soon as possible. Although no formal representations have been received from the United States Government, we are aware of their views.

  No specific committee has been set up to look into this matter, but the carcinogenicity of oral tobacco products, has been considered by the expert advisory committee on carcinogenicity on a number of occasions. Advice has been forwarded to Ministers on each occasion, but there are no plans to publish a formal report.

  Viruses
  Ms. Ruddock To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on research findings on the viability of viruses found in faeces.
  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 14 February 1989]: I am not aware of any recent specific projects on this subject. However, it has been established that children recently vaccinated with oral polio vaccine continue for some time to excrete the vaccine in faeces.

  Viruses such as rota virus are frequently identified in the faeces of children with viral gastro-enteritis, but the likely yield of such viruses diminishes with time. Faeces containing virus particles are potential sources of infection although the duration of infectivity depends on the dose of virus particles and the environmental conditions.

  Mr. Tony Prendergast
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wakefield, 26 January,Official Report, column 714, what information was available to the regional health authority on Mr. Tony Prendergast's qualifications when it nominated him as one of the two professional assessors on the most recent appointment board for the post of district general manager of the Wakefield health authority.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 21 February 1989]: This is a matter for the regional health authority.

  Food Inspection
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department ceased to require deferred inspections of food imported into the United Kingdom but not inspected at the point of entry by port health authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roger Freeman
  [holding answer 24 February 1989]: The Imported Food Regulations 1984 provide that under certain circumstances, inspection of food imported into the United Kingdom may be deferred to a place other than the port of entry. These regulations are still current. If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind perhaps he would write to me.

SCOTLAND

  Investment
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of total investment by other European Community country nationals, either natural persons or corporate bodies, in Scotland over the past 10 years.

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested is not available.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will introduce regulations that prevent personal data being disclosed from community charge registers by the community charge registration officer or charging authority(a) to any Departments of state under the conditions specified in section 34(5)(a) of the Data Protection Act, if the disclosure is not for a purpose
  72
  connected with the community charge, (b) to the police, immigration and tax officials for the purposes specified in section 28 of the Data Protection Act and (c) to the security services for the purposes specified in section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984; and whether he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he will introduce regulations that prevent personal data being disclosed from community charge registers by the community charge registration officer or charging authority to public utilities; and whether he will make a statement;

  (3) whether he will introduce regulations that prevent personal data contained within the community charge register being used or disclosed for purposes not connected with the community charge by the community charge registration officer or charging authority; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  The community charges register is available for inspection to the extent specified and for the purposes set out in section 20 of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987, as amended by the Local Government Finance Act 1988, and in regulation 16 of the Community Charges (Registration) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 1988. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to make any further regulations on this matter.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the volume and (b) the locations in Scotland at which discharges take place into the aquatic environment of (i) ethylene dichloride, (ii) perchloroethylene and (iii) trichloroethylene.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally. Control of discharges in Scotland is the responsibility of the seven river purification boards on the mainland and the islands councils in their areas.

  Legal Aid
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to simplify the rules governing the availability of civil legal aid for first instance proceedings under the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1986.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am aware of no difficulty which would require such action.

  Road Maintenance
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the level of road maintenance expenditure in each of the last five years within the Shettleston constituency; and what have been the levels of expenditure on the same activity in the Edinburgh, Pentlands constituency over the same period.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Expenditure on road maintenance in the Shettleston and Endinburgh, Pentlands constituencies is a matter for the regional councils concerned. This information is not held centrally.

  Fishing Industry (Grants and Licensing Scheme)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policy for a grants and licensing scheme for the fishing industry.
  73
  Mr. Rilkind
  The United Kingdom Fisheries Departments operate both a licensing system and grants scheme for the fishing industry. These are currently being reviewed in consultation with the industry and a statement will be made in due course.

  Electoral Registration
  Mr Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was(a) the number of people on the current electoral register published earlier this month and (b) the number of people on the electoral register at the last general election; and if he will express the change in percentage terms.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish registers published earlier this month contained 3,932,921 names, compared with 3,994,893 in February 1987, a change of minus 1·55 per cent. There is no central record of the numbers on the register at June 1987.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what he expects the percentage change to be of the number of people on the electoral register in Scotland for each of the next five years.

  Number of electors

  Constituency

  1988 Electoral register

  1989 Electoral register

  Numerical change

  Percentage change

  Aberdeen North

  62,075

  60,604

  -1,471

  -2·37

  Aberdeen South

  60,323

  58,947

  -1,376

  -2·28

  Angus East

  61,643

  61,899

  +256

  +0·42

  Argyll and Bute

  48,912

  48,695

  -217

  -0·44

  Ayr

  67,063

  66,545

  -518

  -0·77

  Banff and Buchan

  63,054

  62,830

  -224

  -0·36

  Caithness and Sutherland

  30,978

  31,031

  +53

  +0·17

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  56,708

  56,338

  -370

  +0·65

  Central Fife

  56,440

  56,183

  -257

  -0·46

  Clackmannan

  49,127

  48,757

  -370

  -0·75

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  50,128

  49,075

  -1,053

  -2·10

  Clydesdale

  62,602

  62,456

  -146

  -0·23

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  46,392

  46,345

  -47

  -0·10

  Cunninghame North

  55,566

  55,262

  -304

  -0·55

  Cunninghame South

  50,414

  49,931

  -483

  -0·96

  Dumbarton

  59,369

  58,328

  -1,041

  -1·75

  Dumfries

  59,972

  59,962

  -10

  -0·02

  Dundee East

  61,221

  60,394

  -827

  -1·35

  Dundee West

  61,445

  60,246

  -1,199

  -1·95

  Dunfermline East

  51,008

  50,894

  -114

  -0·22

  Dunfermline West

  51,384

  51,413

  +29

  +0·06

  East Kilbride

  63,956

  63,715

  -214

  -0·38

  East Lothian

  65,542

  66,108

  +566

  +0·86

  Eastwood

  62,839

  63,483

  +644

  +1·02

  Edinburgh Central

  58,975

  57,069

  -1,906

  -3·23

  Edinburgh East

  48,745

  47,802

  -943

  -1·93

  Edinburgh Leith

  60,031

  58,984

  -1,047

  -1·74

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  58,884

  58,538

  -346

  -0·59

  Edinburgh South

  64,026

  62,452

  -1,574

  -2·46

  Edinburgh West

  62,652

  61,172

  -1,480

  -2·36

  Falkirk East

  52,737

  52,679

  -58

  -0·11

  Falkirk West

  50,606

  50,506

  -100

  -0·20

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  53,621

  53,481

  -140

  -0·26

  Glasgow Cathcart

  48,767

  47,702

  -1,065

  -2·18

  Glasgow Central

  50,867

  50,535

  -332

  -0·65

  Glasgow Garscadden

  46,916

  44,931

  -1,985

  -4·23

  Glasgow Govan

  50,190

  48,908

  -1,282

  -2·55

  Glasgow Hillhead

  57,704

  56,718

  -986

  -1·71

  Glasgow Maryhill

  52,039

  50,589

  -1,450

  -2·79

  Glasgow Pollok

  50,829

  49,497

  -1,332

  -2·62

  74
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Forecasts of the numbers on the electoral register are not prepared on a regular basis. Percentage changes over the previous year in the projected population for Scotland aged 17 and over are as follows:

  Year

  Per cent.

  1990

  0·00

  1991

  -0·12

  1992

  -0·17

  1993

  -0·19

  1994

  -0·33

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing for each Scottish constituency the numerical and percentage change of the number of people on the electoral register between February 1988 and February 1989.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is set out in the following table.
  75

  Number of electors

  Constituency

  1988 Electoral register

  1989 Electoral register

  Numerical change

  Percentage change

  Glasgow Provan

  42,908

  41,086

  -1,822

  -4·25

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  56,929

  55,695

  -1,234

  -2·17

  Glasgow Shettleston

  53,883

  53,254

  -629

  -1·17

  Glasgow Springburn

  50,489

  48,785

  -1,704

  -3·37

  Gordon

  75,228

  75,537

  +309

  +0·41

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  57,339

  55,612

  -1,727

  -3·01

  Hamilton

  63,167

  62,688

  -479

  -0·76

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  66,695

  67,262

  +567

  +0·85

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  63,325

  62,834

  -491

  -0·78

  Kincardine and Deeside

  64,398

  64,432

  +34

  +0·05

  Kirkcaldy

  53,823

  53,626

  -197

  -0·37

  Linlithgow

  60,584

  61,135

  +551

  +0·91

  Livingston

  58,008

  59,533

  +1,525

  +2·63

  Midlothian

  61,139

  61,089

  -50

  -0·08

  Monklands East

  50,271

  49,533

  -738

  -1·47

  Monklands West

  51,300

  50,450

  -850

  -1·66

  Moray

  63,206

  62,840

  -366

  -0·58

  Motherwell North

  58,331

  57,971

  -360

  -0·62

  Motherwell South

  52,599

  51,704

  -895

  -1·70

  North East Fife

  52,442

  52,313

  -129

  -0·25

  North Tayside

  54,582

  54,367

  -215

  -0·39

  Orkney and Shetland

  31,180

  31,115

  -65

  -0·21

  Paisley North

  48,973

  48,213

  -760

  -1·55

  Paisley South

  50,403

  49,595

  -808

  -1·60

  Perth and Kinross

  63,957

  64,505

  +548

  +0·86

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  57,025

  57,234

  +209

  +0·37

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  52,278

  53,062

  +784

  +1·50

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  43,631

  43,484

  -147

  -0·34

  Stirling

  58,715

  58,387

  -328

  -0·56

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  63,296

  62,706

  -590

  -0·93

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  38,438

  38,773

  +335

  +0·87

  Western Isles

  23,085

  23,097

  +12

  +0·05

  Total

  3,967,377

  3,932,921

  -34,456

  -0·87

  Pupils (Qualifications)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of pupils left Scottish schools with no qualifications in 1987–88, nationally and by region.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The latest available information on school leavers' qualifications relates to 1986–87 and was published in SED statistical bulletin No. 11/E2/1988, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Child Sexual Abuse
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what co-ordination of research into child sexual abuse takes place between his Department and the Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The Scottish Office makes a substantial contribution to the cost of the society's Overnewton centre in Glasgow, which is carrying out a major project in developing methods of dealing with child victims of sexual 76
  abuse within the context of their families and joint treatment of perpetrators. We are also providing grant support to the society to undertake a project designed to improve public awareness of child abuse, both physical and sexual, and the need to take measures to combat it.

  As part of our new strategy for social work research we recently sent to interested research contractors a project specification on child sexual abuse. I am arranging to send a copy to the society.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times officials of his Department have given evidence to inquiries involving child sexual abuse since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  None.

  AIDS
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to protect prison officers from being infected with AIDS or the HIV virus.
  77
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Guidance was issued to prison officers in April 1986 advising them of the sensible hygiene precautions which should be taken, for instance when there is a spillage of blood or other bodily fluids. This guidance has since been reinforced as an integral part of prison officers' induction and on the job, operational training. This emphasis on training, to ensure that prison officers are aware of both the facts of the situation and the measures and precautions they should take, will continue.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners in Scottish gaols are known to be(a) suffering from AIDS or (b) HIV positive; and what are the comparable figures for the last five years for which information is available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The most recent survey, conducted on 20 October 1988, showed that 67 inmates in Scottish penal establishments were known to be HIV positive, and five were suffering from AIDS or AIDS related complex. There was a previous survey at Easter 1988 when the figures were 71 and four respectively. No figures are available before that date.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to prevent the spread of AIDS in Scottish prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Nationally, we have established an extensive education programme, involving both national campaigns as well as videos, leaflets and general talks specifically addressed. A variety of local initiatives are also being planned by individual establishments, with the co-operation of health boards and voluntary bodies.

  We are taking a number of additional measures to minimise the opportunity for risky behaviour. An increasing proportion of the prison population is being housed in single cells. The gradual reduction of the prison population, partly as a result of measures to provide alternatives to custody, is also of assistance here.

  Mr Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what facilities there are in Scottish prisons for the treatment of prisoners who are known to be suffering from AIDS or to be HIV positive.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Prisoners who have been confirmed as HIV positive but are asymptomatic have access to advice, counselling and treatment from the prison medical staff. Health boards and voluntary organisations also provide specialist advice, counselling and testing facilities. When the health of an inmate with HIV/AIDS begins to deteriorate, the prison medical officer will decide on the appropriate form of treatment and whether to place the inmate in the prison hospital. Inmates who need specialist medical facilities unavailable in a prison hospital can be transferred to a hospital outside.

  Private Medicine (NHS Debts)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest information regarding private medicine sector debts to the National Health Service in Scotland for the use of facilities and installations of the National Health Service.
  78
  Mr. Rifkind
  The information, as sought, is not held centrally. At 31 March 1988, £92,706 was due to the National Health Service in Scotland for treatment given to private in-patients.

  Rape
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of rape reported to procurators fiscal by the police, were marked for no further proceedings in 1988; and if any of these were so marked because of shortage of staff.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In 1988, 69 of the cases of alleged rape reported to procurators fiscal by the police were marked "no further proceedings". None v, as so marked because of shortage of staff.

  Water Supplies (Improvement Works)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times since June 1988 inspectors from the Scottish Development Department have reviewed improvement works for water supplies in each one of the Scottish regions.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The provision of public water supplies is the responsibility of the appropriate regional council. Nevertheless, the Scotish Development Department has frequent contact with the councils on drinking water quality and capital expenditure plans. In addition, the regional councils' programmes for the improvement of water supplies were reviewed comprehensively by the Department between October 1988 and January 1989. Certain improvement work in Grampian, Lothian and Strathclyde was further reviewed last week.

  Public Local Inquiry, Glasgow
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has received the report of the public local inquiry held in Glasgow on 6 June 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I received the report of the local inquiry on 21 August 1988. Having considered the report carefully, I am satisfied that the City of Glasgow district council has failed to do what is required of it by the provisions of section 1(1A)(b) of the Tenants' Rights, Etc. (Scotland) Act 1980 (as added by paragraph 1(a) of schedule 1 to the Housing (Scotland) Act 1986) and the provisions of section 75(1)(b) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987.

  It is my view that the council entered into, and induced or sought to induce its tenants to enter into, agreements purporting to restrict the tenants' statutory rights to purchase their homes, by sending a letter to certain of their tenants requiring, as a condition of any works of improvement being carried out on, or on behalf of the council to, the houses which they tenanted, that the tenants sign or execute a document undertaking not to exercise their right to buy their homes within a specified period after completion of the improvement works; and that if they did so they would repay to the council a proportion of the costs of any improvement works carried out to their houses.

  Accordingly, I have now made an order under section 211 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 requiring Glasgow district council to remedy its default by

  79
  4 April 1989. The order requires the council to take steps to identify all tenants who have at any time between 7 January 1987 and 28 April 1988 been sent a letter by the council as above; to write to those tenants so identified who had not signed the declaration informing them that they are no longer required to do so; to write to those tenants who had signed the declaration advising that they are no longer bound by their undertaking; and to repay to the tenants concerned those payments which they may have made to the council in pursuance of such a declaration.

  Copies of the inquiry report and of the default order have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Trunk Roads (Inquiries)
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those trunk road schemes in Scotland on which he anticipates public inquiries being held during the current year with, where known, the likely date of the inquiry.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 22 February 1989]: For the M74 Maryville to West of Fullarton road scheme, a public local inquiry will begin on 13 March; for the A96 Bucksburn diversion, an inquiry is expected to be held in the summer, possibly beginning late June; and for the M8 Newbridge to Edinburgh scheme, it is possible that the inquiry adjourned in November 1988 will reconvene around November of this year.

  For four other schemes—A68 Dalkeith bypass, A91 Auchtermuchty bypass, A828 Creagan Bridge, and A830 Lochan Doilead to Kinsadel—an inquiry towards the end of 1989 is a possibility, although I hope that inquiries will not be necessary.

ENERGY

  British Coal
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce a reconstruction of British Coal's balance sheet and to write off its debt.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I continue to keep the British Coal Corporation's balance sheet and financial structure under review.

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

  Mr. Ilsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairman of British Coal; and what matters he expects to discuss.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Coal; and what matters he proposes to discuss.

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

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

  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Coal regarding future financial provision.
  80
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I meet the chairman of the British Coal Corporation at regular intervals to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

ENERGY

  Gas Consumers (Code of Rights)
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the Director General of Gas Supply to discuss the code of rights for the domestic gas consumers.

  Mr. Parkinson
  My right hon. Friend and I have met the Director General of Gas Supply on a number of occasions. He recently announced agreement with British Gas on new methods of debt collection with a view to reducing the number of disconnections.

  Scottish Coalmining Industry
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Coal to discuss the future of the Scottish coalmining industry.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I meet the chairman regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry. I would also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, West (Mr. Douglas).

  Fluidised Bed Technology
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give his best recent estimate of the impact of fluidised bed technology in economic and environmental terms.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Fluidised bed technology provides an economic method of meeting the emission regulations in small coal-fired power generators. The topping cycle technology proposed by British Coal appears particularly interesting.

  Private Electricity Generators
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the Electrical Power Engineers Association's recent statement on single union deals for future private electricity generators.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Like the hon. Gentleman, I have noted with interest the EPEA's recent statement. However, as he will be aware, any agreements between the Electrical Power Engineers Association and future private electricity generators will be a matter for the parties concerned.

  Nuclear Power Stations (Decommissioning)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he proposes to undertake to assess the cost of decommissioning nuclear power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Operators of nuclear power stations are responsible for their decommissioning, and have all necessary expertise to assess the costs of doing this.

  Grimethorpe (Fluidised Bed Project)
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to receive firm proposals from British Coal for funding the next stage of the experimental pressurised fluidised bed project at Grimethorpe.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Meetings are taking place with British Coal to clarify its proposals for a further programme of work at Grimethorpe, and my Department is studying carefully the additional information provided.

  Fuel Prices
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has concerning the impact of fuel prices on the employment and living standards of people in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on what use he makes of this information.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Fuel prices for industrial and domestic customers have fallen by 24 and 18 per cent. respectively in real terms since 1983. This has raised living standards, reduced industrialists' real costs, improved their competitiveness and improved employment prospects in rural as well as other areas.

  Norwegian Offshore Oil and Gas Sector
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last visited the Norwegian offshore oil and gas sector.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I last visited Norway in August 1988 when I attended the offshore northern seas exhibition in Stavanger.

  Offshore Safety
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received on offshore safety.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My right hon. Friend and I recently met representatives of the bereaved and survivors from the Piper Alpha accident who raised a number of concerns about offshore safety. I also continue to receive written representations from a wide range of sources about the offshore safety regime and other questions concerning safety.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he proposes to take to improve safety in the offshore oil and gas industry.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Safety standards remain under continuous review and I have already informed Parliament that if the Piper Alpha public inquiry can recommend improvements to the present safety regime these will be accepted.

  Director General Designate of Electricity Supply
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the appointment of the Director General designate of Electricity Supply.

  Mr. Parkinson
  We intend to identify the director-designate in time for him or her to participate in the process of establishing the Office of Electricity Regulation.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received regarding the level of electricity prices.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have received a number of representations.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the increase in electricity prices in 1988; and what estimate he has of any further increase on the current year.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The increase in electricity prices in 1988 was 8·6 per cent. The electricity industry will be announcing next month the increase to take effect from 1 April 1989.

  Coal (Pricing Policy)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to meet the chairman of British Coal to discuss future pricing policy of coal to the privatised electricity companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry. The Government have made clear their view that while the privatised generating companies are likely to wish to buy a significant proportion of their coal requirements on a contractual basis, the size of that proportion, the price or prices at which coal is sold on contract, and the length of the contracts are all matters for commercial negotiation. British Coal's agreed underlying objective continues to be to earn a satisfactory return on capital while competing in the market place.

  Director General of Gas Supply
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the Director General of Gas Supply; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I meet the Director General of Gas Supply regularly and we discuss a range of issues of mutual interest.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next plans to meet the Director General of Gas Supply, to discuss the implementation of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I have no plans to meet the Director General of Gas Supply.

  Redundant Mineworkers
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for. Energy what meetings he has planned to discuss the effect of the restart scheme upon redundant and early retired. mineworkers.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the: answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) earlier today.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations have been made to him regarding the effect of the restart scheme upon redundant and early retired mineworkers.
  83
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend and I have received a number of representations from right hon. and hon. Members and others.

  Nuclear Reactors (Radiation)
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of exposure to radiation of the United Kingdom population is received from nuclear reactors.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I understand from the National Radiological Protection Board that the United Kingdom nuclear industry accounts for less than 0·1 per cent. of the average United Kingdom population exposure to ionising radiation. Natural radiation accounts for about 87 per cent. of the average exposure and medical diagnosis and treatment about 12 per cent.

  Electricity (Hydrogeneration)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the long-term prospects for hydrogeneration of electricity.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Most of the possible locations for hydro electricity in the United Kingdom are situated in Scotland. The Department has commissioned a study from Salford university on the potential of small scale hydro energy in the United Kingdom. A final report will be published in due course.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the total cost of publicity, advertising and public relations for the electricity industry and its privatisation up to the date of the sell-off.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Expenditure by the industry is a matter for the industry. Total costs will depend on many factors which have not yet been decided, such as marketing strategies in respect of the various successor companies, and cannot therefore be accurately forecast at this stage.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he proposes to publish information on proposed tariff structures, reviews and methods of payment in advance of the proposed privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  We are taking provision in the Electricity Bill to allow existing tariffs to continue immediately after the vesting of the area boards in their successor companies. Subsequent decisions on tariff structures and reviews will be made by these successor companies, the public electricity suppliers (PESs) subject to the relevant legislative and regulatory requirements. Clause 17 of the Electricity Bill deals with how tariffs should be framed and published; while the draft PES licence, published on 10 January 1989, contains provisions for price regulation and review.

  Under condition 15 of the draft PES licence, suppliers will have to prepare, within three months of the licence coming into force, a code of practice on the payment of bills. These codes of practice will be prepared following consultation with the consumers' committee and will be submitted to the Director General of Electricity Supply for approval.

  Electricity Boards
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairmen of the area boards to discuss the future of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairmen of the area electricity boards; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the area board chairmen regularly to discuss various matters of mutual interest.

  Energy Management Systems
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many pilot energy management systems, supported by grants under the monitoring and targeting schemes, are now in operation; and what are the estimated savings to date resulting from the operation of such systems.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  At the end of 1988, and in line with programme targets, there were 600 sites operating monitoring and targeting (M&T) systems developed under the M&T programme. Current savings are put at £100 million per annum.

  Electricity Generation (Ilfracombe and Lynton)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will visit the wind generator at Ilfracombe and the hydro-electric plant at Lynton.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no immediate plans to visit the installations. The wind generator at Ilfracombe was inaugurated by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy in 1985. The current Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Hooper, visited an updated version of the machine last year when she opened the Central Electricity Generating Board's wind energy demonstration centre at Carmarthen bay. My Department is taking note of the performance of the hydro-electric plant at Lynton which is, we understand, functioning satisfactorily.

  Alternative Energy
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much energy was produced by alternative energy sources in 1979; and what is the latest figure.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  In 1979 and at present, most of the energy produced from alternative energy sources comes from the hydro-electric sources. In 1979 this was equivalent to around 1·8 per cent. of total electricity requirements in that year. In 1987 the percentage contribution from hydro-electric sources was just over 1 per cent. of total electricity requirements. Other alternative sources of energy such as the use of waste materials, wood, and wind power contributed only a very small proportion of our energy requirements in 1979. Today, wind produces around 3GW hours per annum of electricity, and biofuels (use of waste materials and wood), around 800,000 tonnes of coal equivalent per annum. The use of biofuels includes the generation of electricity from landfill gas and waste incineration.

  If our renewables research and development programmes are successful and if they are proved economically

  85
  viable and environmentally acceptable we might expect alternative sources of energy to be exploited on a more significant scale post 2000.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much has been expended by his Department on research and development in alternative energy sources in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The table gives my Department's expenditure on alternative energy sources for the last three financial years. Provision for 1988–89 is £16·2 million and that for 1989–90 is 17·9 million.

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Wind

  5·4

  3·7

  4·0

  Wave

  0·4

  0·1

  0·2

  Geothermal Aquifers

  0·3

  0·1

  0·0

  Geothermal hot dry rocks

  3·5

  3·5

  3·6

  Solar

  0·7

  0·9

  1·1

  Biomass

  0·8

  1·3

  2·2

  Tide

  0·1

  0·1

  1·4

  Hydro/general studies

  —

  —

  0·3

  ETSU management

  2·0

  2·3

  2·3

  13·2

  12·0

  15·1

  External contributions

  2·1

  3·1

  3·9

  Total cost of the Department's programme

  15·3

  15·1

  19·0

  Note:

  (a) Expenditure under biofuels includes expenditure on "waste as a fuel" projects under the Energy Efficiency Office Demonstration Scheme.

  (b) Up to 1986–87 total for R&D also included expenditure on low head hydro and general studies. These are separately identified for 1987–88.

  (c) Where available external contributions include industry, generating boards and the European Commission.

  Spending Plans
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received regarding his Department's future spending plans outlined in the Government's expenditure plans 1989–92, Cm 606.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I have received no representations about Cm 606 concerning the Department's future spending plans.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement concerning his Department's future spending plans outlined in the Goverment's expenditure plans 1989–92, Cm 606.

  Mr. Parkinson
  No.

  Fast Reactors
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreements implementing the European integrated programme of research on fast reactors.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I am arranging for summaries of these agreements, which were signed on 16, February, to be placed in the Library of the House.

  British Coal National Engineering Workshops
  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met, and if he has had any discussions with the chairman of British Coal about the future of British Coal national engineering workshops.

  Mr Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of British Coal frequently to discuss a wide range of subjects affecting the coal industry.

  British Nuclear Fuels plc
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Nuclear Fuels; and what matters they discussed.

  Mr Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend last met M r. Harding on 23 January when he discussed a range of matters concerning British Nuclear Fuels plc.

  Non-fossil Fuel Obligation
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the form and level of the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The order setting the obligation will not be made until shortly before vesting.

  Electricity Generation (Coal)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal to discuss the likely market for coal for electricity generation in the next few years.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I meet the chairman of British Coal regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

  Mining Subsidence
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received on mining subsidence damage claims over the past two years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend and I have received a large number of representations from Members of Parliament, interested bodies and members of the public.

  British Gas
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Gas; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given earlier today to the hon. Member for Tooting (Mr. Cox).

  Fuel Poverty
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from groups concerned with fuel poverty regarding his Department's future spending plans as outlined in the Government's expenditure plans 1989–92, Cm. 606.

  Mr. Parkinson
  None.

  Offshore Workers
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to introduce a system of compulsory carrying by all categories of offshore workers of a logbook showing the bearer's qualifications, skill level, training achieved and medical record; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  No. It is for an employer to ensure that his employees are adequately qualified and trained for the duties they are required to undertake. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places a duty on an employer to provide the necessary instruction, training and supervision to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what grant aid is available from the European Community to private generators for the development, promotion and setting up of biomass plants for the production of electricity.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Financial support is available from the European Community for demonstration projects in many areas of energy technology including the generation of electricity from biomass. Support of up to 40 per cent. of total project costs may be given. Projects must be novel and economic and must show energy benefits over current technology. The Commission has recently issued a call for proposals and applications must be in the hands of the Commission by noon on 14 April 1989.

  Research and development on certain aspects of biomass production, harvesting, conversion and marketing, including fuel production in integrated systems may be supported under Joule, the community's non-nuclear energy R and D programme. Support of up to 50 per cent. may be given. The Commission has also recently issued a call for proposals under this programme and proposals must be submitted before the end of April 1989.

  My Department and the energy technology support unit at Harwell give advice and assistance to potential applicants for grants under these programmes. I am arranging for information packages relating to these two programmes to be sent to the hon. Member and to be deposited in the Library of the House.

  Investment support for energy projects located in Northern Ireland may also be given under the Community's Valoren programme. Further information about this programme is available from the Department of Economic Development for Northern Ireland.

  Electricity Companies (Land)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has to give privatised electricity supply and generation companies powers to acquire land and rights over land at other than existing use value.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  None. Compensation for compulsory purchase by the privatised electricity companies will continue to be assessed under the existing code.

  Electricity Demand
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate he has made in the reduction in 88
  demand for electricity and its impact on future investment programmes in the light of the Eurisol report "Pollution Reduction Through Energy Conservation."

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  None. The Department does not make estimates of electricity demand. This is a matter for the industry.

  Limestone/Gypsum Processes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what were the principal factors for his decision to fit FGD plants which employ limestone/gypsum processes in preference to regenerative plants at coal-fire power stations; if he will list the sites where the limestone/gypsum will be quarried and mined; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Gas Prices
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what controls he has over the price of gas charged to domestic consumers.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Gas tariff prices are a matter for British Gas plc within the limits set out in the price formula. The Director General of Gas Supply is responsible for monitoring compliance with the price formula.

  Spent Magnox Fuel
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total volume of spent commercial Magnox fuel awaiting reprocessing at Sellafield; how long it will take to complete the full reprocessing of this spent fuel if it is carried out at the average present level of throughput; and what proportion of the Magnox fuel awaiting reprocessing arises from spent fuel imported from Italy and Japan.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The stock of spent commercial Magnox fuel awaiting reprocessing at Sellafield amounts to just over a year's reprocessing throughput. About 10 per cent. of the fuel reprocessed in any year is from overseas.

  Wave Energy
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish the correspondence of January 1984 between the manager of his Department's wave programme, Mr. Peter Davies and Professor Stephen Salter, relating to the circulation of papers to the wave energy steering committee.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No. The results of the wave programme from that period have already been published and are available in the Library of the House.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the Government have implemented Sir Richard Southwood's recommendation about research and development into bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
  89
  Mr. MacGregor
  A research consultative committee has been established under the chairmanship of Dr. David Tyrrell of the Medical Research Council. It will advise my Department and the Department of Health on research work in progress or proposed in relation to bovine spongiform encephalopathy and the other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, on any additional work required and the priorities for future relevant research.

  The other members are Dr. W. A. Watson, director of the central veterinary laboratory MAFF, Professor J. Bourne, director of the Institute of Animal Health, Dr. R. J. Will consultant neurologist at the Western general hospital, Edinburgh, Dr. R. Kimberlin ex-director of the neuro-pathogenesis unit, Edinburgh. Dr. Katherine Levy of the Medical Research Council will act as observer.

  Sir Hal Miller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the report of the Southwood working party on bovine spongiform encephalopathy will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Secretary of State for Health and I are very grateful to Sir Richard Southwood and his colleagues for all their work and for their report on BSE which was presented to us on 9 February and is published today. We appointed the working party in April last year to examine and advise on the implications of BSE in relation to both animal health and any possible human health risks. Before receiving any recommendations from the working party, I had already banned from 18 July last year the feeding to ruminants of ruminant-derived protein feed immediately this was identified as being the probable source of the problem; and other important parts of the report have already been acted upon.

  The report concludes that the risk of transmission of BSE to humans appears remote and it is therefore most unlikely that BSE will have any implications for human health. It points out that the related disease scrapie in sheep has been present in the United Kingdom for over 200 years and there has been no evidence of transmission to man. The report also concludes that, from present evidence, it is likely that cattle will prove to be a "dead end host" for the disease agent.

  However the working party points out that, if its assessment proves incorrect, the implications would be serious. The working party believes that the disease has developed because of feeding practices associated with modern agriculture. It suggests that, in the context of the adjustment of the agricultural policy of the EC in coming years, consideration should be given to changes in present methods. I have discussed this point with Sir Richard Southwood who has said that his working party is not recommending a ban on all use of meat and bone meal in animal feeds, but is concerned that if they continue to be used they should be effectively sterilised.

  The working party has greatly welcomed the speed with which the Government acted to ban the use of the animal feed rations in question and also to implement its interim recommendations. These measures include the compulsory slaughter of cattle suspected of having BSE and the removal from the food chain of their milk and carcases. The working party believes that the risks as at present perceived would not justify special labelling requirements for products containing either bovine brains or spleen. The report suggests, however, that manufacturers of baby foods should avoid the use of bovine thymus and offal.
  90
  Sir Richard Southwood has confirmed that the term "offal" as it is used in the report (as defined in the regulations quoted) refers to brain, spinal cord, spleen and intestines (tripe). The chief medical officer is satisfied that none of these, nor thymus, are used in the manufacture of baby food and advises that mothers ought not to feed these materials to infants of, say. under 18 months. As a precautionary measure, I am however taking steps to ensure through secondary legislation that it will be illegal for anyone to sell baby food containing such products in future. With regard to other meats which people sometimes refer to as offal—such as kidney, liver and heart—the chief medical officer advises that there is no need for concern. These are extremely nutritious foods which are beneficial.

  The Government also accepted an earlier recommendation to establish a consultative committee on research. This will be under the chairmanship of Dr. David Tyrrell of the Medical Research Council. This committee will advise my Department and the Department of Health on research work in progress or proposed in relation to BSE and the other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, on any additional work required, and on the priorities for future research. Terms of reference and full membership are now agreed as reported also today to Parliament.

  Although the risk of transmission to humans is very remote, there are several further actions the Government propose to take as a matter of extreme prudence in response to the other recommendations in the report. These add up to a comprehensive response to all the working party recommendations. The measures are as follows:

  We accept the importance the report attaches to the success of the study to determine whether cattle-to-cattle transmission can take place; and we are taking expert advice on the most effective way of continuing this study.

  The Committee on the Safety of Medicines and the Veterinary Products Committee have considered the comments of the working party on the implications of BSE for the manufacture of pharmaceutical products from bovine material; and agree that any risks of transmission of BSE through medicinal products to man appear remote; as a precautionary measure, however, they have advised that additional guidance should be issued to medicine manufacturers on good manufacturing practice.

  The Health and Safety Executive will be considering what further action is necessary to ensure that the existing guidance to occupational groups involved with cattle is followed: this guidance outlines hygiene procedures which are considered to be appropriate for BSE.

  Although the report makes it clear that there is no evidence of any link between Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans and BSE in cattle (or with scrapie in sheep, which has been present in the United Kingdom for over 200 years), the chief medical officer is ensuring mechanisms are in place to detect any change in the pattern of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

  A thorough research programme is under way into the epidemiological background to the disease, and into transmissibility and genetic and microbiological aspects; research expenditure in 1988–89 is likely to amount to almost £1 million; we shall continue encouraging and funding further research in this area, taking into account recommendations made by the Tyrrell committee.

  As far as the working party's recommendations on animal feed are concerned we have already acted to ban

  91
  the feeding of ruminant-derived material to ruminants; further action will be taken as necessary in the light of research work already under way on the heat-resistance of the agent and of any further research which may be recommended by the Tyrrell committee.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether his Department has made any forecast of the likely eradication of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in British cattle;

  (2) what estimates his Department has made about the future incidence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 24 February 1989]: There is no evidence that BSE is spreading from animal to animal but that all cases are attributable to a common source. Although our knowledge of the epidemiology of this newly identified disease is still developing any estimates must be tentative, the future incidence in Great Britain seems likely to remain at current levels until 1993. Thereafter, if cattle-to-cattle transmission does not occur, the incidence is expected to decline to a low level by 1996 and subsequently to disappear.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) when he first received a draft or interim report from the Southwood working party;

  (2) if he has requested any amendment or modification to any draft or interim report submitted to him by the Southwood working party;

  (3) how many interim reports he has received from Sir Richard Southwood's working party on bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will place them in the Library;

  (4) pursuant to his answer of 16 February, Official Report, column 359, if he will publish immediately the report of the Southwood working party.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 24 February 1989]: No modification or amendment was requested in relation to the interim recommendations which were contained in two letters. The first, received on 22 June last year, recommended the slaughter and disposal of cattle suspected of having BSE. The compulsory slaughter policy was introduced on 8 August with carcasses being burned or buried. It also recommended the setting up of a consultative committee on research, details of which I announced today.

  The second letter was received on 15 November recommending an indefinite extension to the feed ban and the prohibition on the use of milk from suspect cattle for human or animal consumption. Legislative measures came into force on 30 December to prohibit the use of milk and extend the feed ban. Full details are contained in the Southwood report, which is the committee's own, and which is published, unamended, in full today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will introduce a scheme to either reward or ban the sale for purposes other than for slaughter of animals from cattle herds in which bovine spongiform encephalopathy infection has been confirmed;

  (2) if he will introduce a scheme for the random testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy of cattle slaughtered for human consumption.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  (holding reply 24 February 1989): There are no plans to introduce such schemes.
  92
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy confirmed in each of his Department's veterinary investigation centres.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  (holding reply 24 February 1989): Before BSE became a notifiable disease on 21 June last year, histopathological examinations of brains from suspected animals were carried out at the Ministry's central veterinary laboratory, Weybridge, and at other Ministry establishments. Since 21 June last year, diagnoses have been carried out at nine veterinary investigation centres. The number of cases of BSE confirmed by each centre is as follows:

  Number

  Cambridge

  230

  Carmarthen

  213

  Newcastle

  64

  Polwhele

  404

  Reading

  188

  Shrewsbury

  453

  Starcross

  244

  Thirsk

  357

  Wye

  66

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table showing the distribution of the total number of confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to date, by county, in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding reply 24 February 1989]: Up to 17 February, 2,888 cases of BSE had been confirmed in the following counties and regions of Great Britain:

  County

  Confirmed cases

  Avon

  29

  Bedfordshire

  7

  Berkshire

  37

  Borders

  2

  Buckinghamshire

  20

  Cambridgeshire

  12

  Central

  3

  Cheshire

  42

  Cleveland

  1

  Clwyd

  16

  Cornwall

  316

  Cumbria

  51

  Derbyshire

  28

  Devonshire

  394

  Dorset

  191

  Dumfries

  17

  Durham

  4

  Dyfed

  91

  Essex

  3

  Glamorgan Mid

  7

  Glamorgan South

  11

  Glamorgan West

  2

  Gloucestershire

  133

  Grampian

  14

  Gwent

  29

  Gwynedd

  10

  Hampshire

  126

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  66

  Hertfordshire

  9

  Highland

  4

  Humberside

  8

  Isle of Wight

  12

  Kent

  80

  Lancashire

  51

  Leicestershire

  56

  93

  County

  Confirmed cases

  Lincolnshire

  36

  Lothian

  2

  Manchester

  1

  Merseyside

  1

  Norfolk

  33

  Northamptonshire

  15

  Northumberland

  16

  Nottinghamshire

  12

  Orkney

  2

  Oxfordshire

  50

  Powys

  17

  Salop

  72

  Shetland

  1

  Somerset

  205

  Staffordshire

  47

  Strathclyde

  11

  Suffolk

  36

  Surrey

  49

  Sussex East

  30

  Sussex West

  78

  Tayside

  8

  Warwickshire

  20

  Wiltshire

  164

  West Midlands

  3

  Yorkshire North

  83

  Yorkshire South

  3

  Yorkshire West

  11

  Salmonella
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many laying flocks of chickens have been tested for salmonella in each week since 5 December 1988;

  (2) how many breeding flocks of hens have been tested for salmonella in each week since 5 December 1988.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Codes of practice for the control of salmonellae in commercial laying and breeding flocks, copies of which are available in the Library of the House, set out procedures for the bacteriological monitoring of birds by flock owners.

  Testing of samples may be carried out either by public or by private bacteriology laboratories. Samples from the following number of flocks were submitted to my Department's veterinary investigation service for testing:

  Week beginning

  Layers

  Breeders

  Total

  19 December 1988

  50

  0

  50

  26 December 1988

  8

  0

  8

  2 January 1989

  25

  0

  25

  9 January 1989

  30

  2

  32

  16 January 1989

  26

  5

  31

  23 January 1989

  39

  5

  44

  30 January 1989

  32

  4

  36

  6 February 1989

  35

  5

  40

  13 February 1989

  17

  1

  18

  20 February 1989

  21

  0

  21

  I have no information on the number of samples submitted to other laboratories.

  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the principal strains of salmonella which can be passed on by carriers or in excreta, indicating in each case which types of animals or birds are most likely to be infected by this particular strain; and what studies he is undertaking in conjunction with the 94
  Secretary of State for Health of the risks to health that can arise from these types of infection, as distinct from the salmonella strains identified in poultry and eggs.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  There are over 2,000 serotypes of salmonella which can be carried by animals or birds or in excreta. I am arranging for tables giving details of isolations in food animals recorded in Great Britain to be placed in the Library of the House.

  A list of current research projects on salmonella which are wholly or partly funded by my Department will also be placed in the Library. Human health research projects are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  Rabies
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will be amending the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974 prior to or during 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  It will be necessary to extend the provisions of the 1974 order to cover animals imported through the Channel tunnel but I have no other plans for any changes. The Government support the objective of eradicating rabies from the Community as a whole, but our stringent rabies controls, including quarantine, will remain in force for as long as necessary to maintain our freedom from this disease.

  Staff Losses
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has of staff losses as a result of closures at(a) experimental horticultural stations and (b) experimental husbandry farms, as a result of the Barnes review.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The impact of this review on the research and development service will depend on the extent to which the industry takes up the funding of near market research. Consultations with the industry are still under way.

  Food Laboratories
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps is he now taking to improve the facilities and working conditions of the laboratories for food research in Bristol, Reading and Norwich.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  This is a matter for the Agricultural and Food Research Council. I understand that, in line with the intentions first outlined in its corporate plan for 1984–88, the director of the Institute of Food Research is producing long-term plans for the restructuring of the institute on to two sites. These plans will include provison for improved facilities and working conditions.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total number of scientists and researchers working in food laboratories funded by his Department, for each year since 1976.

  Mr. Ryder
  During the current financial year, the Ministry has committed £16·5 million in respect of 402
  95
  external investigations with a variety of contractors, most of which are at laboratories. At the Ministry's own food science laboratories, 56 staff are engaged in food research and a further 41 normally engaged in non-laboratory work carry out varying degrees of monitoring on the externally commissioned projects. It is not possible to ascertain the total number of scientists involved in the external contracts without disproportionate cost.

  The total number of scientific and research staff employed in the Department's food science laboratories from 1976 to date is as follows:

  Number

  1976

  71

  1977

  69

  1978

  72

  1979

  68

  1980

  77

  1981

  81

  1982

  80

  1983

  71

  1984

  77

  1985

  73

  1986

  88

  1987

  94

  1988

  99

  Listeria
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the research and studies carried out by his Department on listeria contamination in food since 1985.

  Mr. Ryder
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers on this subject which I gave to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 22 December at columns 445–450 and the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 9 February at columns 780–781.

  Grain Shipments
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any shipment of grain from France has been rejected at a United Kingdom port in the last 12 months.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I am not aware that any shipment of grain from France has been rejected at a United Kingdom port in the past 12 months.

  Fishing Offences
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by offence and fine(a) the European Community nationals in British courts and (b) the British nationals in European Community courts found guilty of fishing offences in the latest year for which comparable figures are available.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Following are details of offences and fines in respect of European Community nationals found guilty of fishing offences in British courts during 1988. Comparable information in respect of offences by British nationals in European Community courts is not available.
  96

  Nationality

  Offence

  Fine

  £

  Danish

  Illegal gear

  1 2 3,500

  Danish

  Excess by-catch

  1,500

  Danish

  Excess by-catch

  1 3,400

  Danish

  Excess by-catch

  1 4,575

  Danish

  Excess by-catch

  1 2 9,050

  Danish

  Fishing for stock when quota exhausted

  1 2 6,379

  Danish

  1. Fishing for stock when quota exhausted

  1 2 31,860

  2. Log book offence

  3. Undersize net

  Danish

  1. Fishing for stock when quota exhausted

  1 2 31,860

  2. Log book offence

  3. Undersize net

  Irish

  Undersize fish

  200

  Irish

  1. Log book offence

  1,150

  2. Illegal net attachment

  Irish

  1. Undersize fish

  1,250

  2. Log book offence

  Belgian

  Undersize nets

  1,600

  Belgian

  Undersize fish

  1 2,800

  Belgian

  Log book offence

  2,200

  Belgian

  Log book offence

  1,238

  Illegal net attachment

  Belgian

  Fishing inside six miles

  1 6,200

  Belgian

  Fishing inside six miles

  1 7,200

  Belgian

  Illegal attachments

  3,400

  Belgian

  1. Undersize net

  1 11,300

  2. Fishing inside 12 miles

  Belgian

  1. Undersize net

  4,500

  2. Fishing inside 12 miles

  Belgian

  Undersize nets

  4,600

  Dutch

  Illegal net attachment

  3,200

  Dutch

  1. Undersize nets

  4,050

  2. Log book offence

  Dutch

  Log book offence

  3,100

  Dutch

  Undersize net

  1 2 865

  Dutch

  Illegal attachments

  1 8,500

  Dutch

  Log book offence

  2,450

  Dutch

  Log book offence

  1,650

  Dutch

  Log book offences

  4,250

  Dutch

  Undersize net

  4,460

  Dutch

  Illegal net attachments

  2 4,000

  Dutch

  1. Illegal attachments

  1 2 18,960

  2. Non facility of a boarding

  Dutch

  Illegal attachments to nets

  1 2 12,830

  French

  Undersize net

  3,000

  French

  Illegal net attachment

  3,755

  French

  Undersize net

  2 600

  French

  Log book offence

  2,000

  French

  Log book offence

  450

  French

  Log book offence

  1,260

  French

  Log book offence

  2,200

  French

  1. Undersize net

  3,350

  2. Illegal attachments

  French

  Log book offence

  2,200

  French

  Log book offence

  1,200

  French

  1. Log book offence

  1 3,450

  2. Undersize net

  French

  Log book offence

  2,200

  German

  1. Retention of non-licensed species

  3,550

  2. Log book offence

  Spanish

  1. Undersize fish

  2 10,100

  2. Illegal net attachment

  3. Log book offence

  Spanish

  1. Log book offence

  4,850

  2. Unlicensed species

  Spanish

  1. Undersize fish

  1,750

  2. Log book offence

  Spanish

  1. Unlicensed fishing

  1 2 6,650

  2. Log book offence

  Spanish

  Log book offence

  2,800

  Spanish

  1. Log book offence

  1 3,300

  2. Undersize fish

  Spanish

  Log book offence

  1,000

  Spanish

  1. Retaining fish without licence

  1 2,750

  97

  Nationality

  Offence

  Fine

  £

  2. Log book offence

  Spanish

  1. Unlicensed fishing

  1 6,100

  2. Log book offence

  1 Includes value of fish.

  2 Gear confiscated.

  Lowestoft Fish Market
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to visit the fishing market at Lowestoft.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has no plans, but I hope to visit Lowestoft this summer.

  Fisheries (Grants and Licensing)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had since 11 February about a grants and licensing scheme for fisheries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I had an opportunity to discuss both vessel licensing and the size of the fleet at a meeting with representatives of the fishing industry on 15 February. At that time, I made it clear that no options for reducing the size of our fishing fleet had been ruled out, and that these options included a decommissioning scheme; but, before we would be prepared to consider such a scheme, we would need to be satisfied that it would provide value for taxpayers' money and that there were no better alternatives.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many meetings he has had with representatives of the United Kingdom fishing industry in the past 12 months; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has had two extensive meetings with representatives of the fishing industry. Since I took on responsibility for fishing matters seven months ago, I have made eight visits to fishing areas, meeting a wide range of representatives during the course of the visits, and I have had four meetings in London. Many issues of local and national importance to the fishing industry have been fully aired on these occasions. Further we discuss issues in the margins of meetings of the EC Fisheries Ministers Council of which there were five in 1988.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to deal with the adverse structural difficulties of the fishing industry following his Department's consultation review in 1988.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding reply 24 February 1989]: The comments received on our consultation paper raised a number of extra issues which we are considering further in consultation with industry organisations.

  Woodlands
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all 98
  woodlands in Sussex either sold or proposed for sale by the Forestry Commission since the passage of the Forestry A ct 1981; if he will state, for each such woodland (a) the acreage, (b) the map reference, and (c) the species composition by percentage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The information is given in the following tables:

  Name

  Area (hectares)

  Grid reference

  Species1

  Woodlands sold in East Sussex

  Blossom Wood

  1·2

  TQ 866 217

  C

  Funnells Wood (part)

  3·4

  TQ 440 264

  C

  Haywards Heath Package:

  Beechy Wood

  8·0

  TQ 412 258

  B

  Brickyard

  14·0

  TQ 405 245

  B

  Circle Wood

  8·0

  TQ 404 250

  B

  Coneyborough

  8·0

  TQ 398 246

  B

  Cpt. 255

  0·5

  TQ 412 249

  B

  Dane Wood (part)

  6·8

  TQ 407 270

  C

  Hatches Wood

  8·0

  TQ 432 251

  C

  Kings Wood

  9·0

  TQ 392 253

  B

  Knell Wood

  6·0

  TQ 392 257

  B

  Mill Rough

  5·0

  TQ 417 256

  B

  Pound and Furzefield

  14·0

  TQ 405 253

  B

  Rigg Wood

  8·0

  TQ 428 250

  C

  Round Wood

  6·0

  TQ 394 249

  C

  Shepherds Wood

  1·0

  TQ 408 242

  C

  Spring and Verralls

  25·0

  TQ 440 250

  C

  Wapsbourne Wood

  76·0

  TQ 395 240

  B

  Lucks Wood

  12·0

  TQ 625 336

  B

  Newlands Wood and Long Shaw

  6·0

  TQ 626 296

  C

  Sheffield Park Woodlands:

  Dane Wood (part)

  0·2

  TQ 407 270

  C

  Little Rotherfield

  6·0

  TQ 403 227

  B

  Rotherfield and Great Wet Wood

  18·5

  TQ 410 225

  C

  The Plantation

  5·0

  TQ 393 223

  C

  Smiths Charities:

  Bacon Hollow etc.

  21·0

  TQ 637 167

  B

  Causeway Wood

  14·0

  TQ 606 172

  C

  Church Wood

  10·5

  TQ 606 178

  C

  Little Iwood etc.

  29·0

  TQ 628 173

  B

  Snape Wood (part)

  2·7

  TQ 628 305

  B

  Whartons Wood

  7·0

  TQ 461 177

  C

  Woodlands proposed for sale in East Sussex

  Batts Wood

  64·5

  TQ 635 275

  C

  Woodlands sold in West Sussex

  Arundel Estate

  462·0

  TQ 055 075

  B

  Brick Kiln Copse

  11·0

  SU 783 222

  B

  Brinsbury Estate (part)

  18·0

  TQ 057 215

  B

  Harting Combe

  15·0

  SU 805 260

  C

  Kingspark Plaist (land at)

  0·1

  SU 996 313

  B

  Kingspark Wood (land at)

  1·1

  SU 990 310

  B

  Littlewood Common (land at)

  0·7

  SU 874 152

  B

  Marden (fenced-in piece)

  12·0

  SU 799 165

  C

  Markwells (West)

  43·4

  SU 750 138

  C

  Markwells (East) and High Copse

  39·6

  SU 755 136

  C

  Newells Rough and Lodgesale

  54·0

  TQ 202 262

  C

  Sheepwash Copse—Elsted

  6·0

  SU 804 195

  C

  Southwater

  142·5

  TQ 143 256

  B

  Tilgate (land at)

  0·3

  TQ 266 343

  B

  Tullecombe (land at)

  0·8

  SU 804 255

  B

  Walderton Down (land at)

  0·3

  SU 792 104

  B

  Wildham (land at)

  1·2

  SU 811 129

  B

  Woodshill

  38·0

  TQ 093 204

  C

  99

  Name

  Area (hectares)

  Grid reference

  Species1

  Woolavington Down

  38·0

  SU 930 164

  B

  Woodlands proposed for sale in West Sussex

  Drovers Estate

  44·0

  SU 865 155

  B

  Elsted Manor Estate (part)

  43·0

  SU 805 180

  B

  Hedgelands Copse

  11·0

  TQ 002 293

  C

  Old Copse

  23·0

  TQ 220 295

  C

  Owlbeech Wood

  21·9

  TQ 205 315

  C

  Sheephovel and Northland Wood

  16·0

  TQ 201 292

  B

  Sparrwood and Swear Hanger

  13·3

  SU 995 298

  B

  Wephurst Wood

  38·0

  TQ 028 298

  C

  1 The species composition is not available in any more detail than B for mainly broadleaves and C for mainly conifers.

  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all woodlands in Surrey either sold or proposed for sale by the Forestry Commission since the Forestry Act 1981 and give, in respect of each woodland(a) its acerage, (b) its map reference and (c) its species composition, by percentage.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 15 February 1989]: The information is given in the following table:

  Name

  Area (hectares)

  Grid reference

  Species1

  Woodlands sold in Surrey

  Abinger and Poynters Estate:

  Chatley Wood

  18·7

  TQ 088 589

  C

  Bramble Wood (part)

  3·6

  TQ 099 584

  B

  Bramble Wood (part)

  1·0

  TQ 099 583

  B

  Brickfield (part)

  1·9

  TQ 099 580

  B

  Brickfield (part)

  3·1

  TQ 101 581

  B

  Barrow Green

  2·6

  TQ 375 530

  B

  Barrow Green Court

  36·5

  TQ 378 534

  B

  Birch Wood

  39·0

  TQ 355 565

  B

  Bunce Farm Woods

  16·0

  TQ 213 464

  C

  Canterbury Copse (part)

  1·3

  SU 990 340

  B

  Collick Moor Farm

  3·0

  TQ 145 455

  B

  Crocknorth Cottage (land at)

  0·5

  TQ 105 506

  B

  Ford Manor Estate:

  Bidbury Wood

  2·0

  TQ 421 410

  C

  Burnpit Wood

  5·5

  TQ 414 412

  C

  Cowden Birches

  3·0

  TQ 417 410

  B

  Old Furzefield

  6·0

  TQ 432 412

  B

  Old Plantation

  27·5

  TQ 425 423

  C

  Great Church Wood

  5·0

  TQ 370 540

  B

  High Chart, Titsey

  75·0

  TQ 433 523

  C

  Ledgers Park—Holt Wood

  26·0

  TQ 377 593

  C

  Lower Canfold Wood

  23·0

  TQ 082 393

  C

  Quince Cottage (land at)

  0·2

  SU 982 351

  B

  Scammels Grove

  15·0

  TQ 187 463

  C

  Sydney Wood (part)

  2·0

  TQ 020 330

  C

  Whitmoor Pond and Poor Jack

  30·0

  SU 993 545

  B

  Winterfold—Hurt Wood

  129·0

  TQ 069 435

  C

  Woodlands proposed for sale in Surrey

  None.

  1 The species composition is not available in any more detail than B for mainly broadleaves and C for mainly conifers.

  Agriculture Census
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the Economic and Social Research Council data archive of the rural areas database 100
  has been prevented by his Department from making figures from the agricultural census available for the purpose of research and analysis.

  Mr. Ryder
  Since 1985, agricultural census data for each year since 1975 have been deposited for research in a scholarly context with the rural areas database of the Economic and Social Research Council's data archive. These data have been regularly used for research and analysis. A new contract will shortly be signed with the Economic and Social Research Council which will allow non-academic use of these data.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will provide a breakdown according to the latest available annual agricultural census results of farm holdings in England and Wales separately, and both together, and numbers of workers according to size, measured in BSU, and main farm type size groups, to show separately those with whole-time hired male workers, whole-time hired workers, whole-time family workers, male whole-time family workers, total regular hired workers, total regular family workers, whole-time male workers, whole-time female workers, total whole-time workers, total part-time workers, total part-time hired workers, part-time male workers, part-time hired male workers, total part-time family workers, male part-time family workers, total regular workers, salaried managers, total seasonal or casual workers, and those with no workers at all and the distribution of farm holdings and standard gross margin by BSU and main farm type size groups.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  This detailed information is extensive and can be prepared in the requested form only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will provide a detailed outline of the scope of the statistical analyses carried out on the June agricultural census data each year; and what are the individual titles to each of the tables.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Results of the June agricultural census are published in statistical information notices, in "Agricultural Statistics UK", in "Agriculture in the UK", in various other publications of the Government statistical service, and in the farm structure survey publications of the European Community. Other tabular analyses are available for purchase.

  Aggregates of all census items are published at national, regional, county and parish levels, and for less favoured areas. Analyses of farm holdings showing frequencies by size are published in respect of all major items. Other analyses are prepared on request. The following titles are available for direct purchase from the Ministry:
  Agricultural returns—England and Wales, regions and counties for all areas and separately for less favoured areas, disadvantaged land and seriously disadvantaged land. Each item, crops, grass, tenure, labour livestock, horticulture small fruit, bulbs and flowers, hardy nursery stock and glasshouse and protected crops.
  Distribution of holdings and crop and grass area by crops and grass size groups (county and regions).
  Distribution of holdings and total area by total area size groups (county and region).
  Number of holdings and total area by form of tenure (county and region).
  Frequency distribution tables showing holdings and items by item size group at national, regional and county level.

  101
  Wheat, barley, oats, total cereals, total potatoes, sugar beet and oilseed rape.
  Total vegetables, total hardy nursery stock, total commercial orchards, total flowers and bulbs.
  Total dairy cows, beef cows, total cattle and calves, total breeding pigs, other pigs over 20 kg, total pigs, breeding ewes, total sheep and lambs, hens producing eggs for eating, breeding fowls, broilers, geese.
  Full-time hired workers, full time family and hired workers, regular full-time and part-time workers.
  Heated glasshouse area, unheated glasshouse area, total glasshouse area, heated tomatoes, unheated tomatoes, chrysanthemums.

  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 areas; and if he will make a statement.

  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.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times Belgian trawlers were boarded in area VII during the calandar year 1988 by fisheries protection vessels; and if he will make a statement.
  102
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  In 1988, 135 Belgian fishing vessels were boarded in area VII by United Kingdom fisheries protection vessels.

  Scrapie
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence his Department has about the incidence of scrapie in goats.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 24 February 1989]: In the last five years, veterinary investigation centres in England and Wales have diagnosed 16 cases or scrapie from samples of goat brain tissue submitted for laboratory analysis.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library a copy of the report prepared by his Department on the salmonella control programme in Sweden with particular reference to poultry.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Officials in my Department report to their senior officers when they return from official visits abroad. Such a visit was made to Sweden last year. The document requested is no more than a record for use within my Department and does not constitute a report by the Department. It would, therefore, be inappropriate to place it in the Library.

PRIME MINISTER

  CSCE (Scottish Representations)
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will indicate what attitude the Government intend to adopt towards the submission made by the Scotland United Nations Committee to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe regarding the Scottish governmental situation.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government do not consider the subject of devolution for Scotland relevant in the CSCE context.

  "Our Future World"
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her answer of 6 March to the hon. Member for Barrow and Furness, (Mr. Franks),Official Report, column 388, she will place in the Library a full copy of the Natural Environment Research council report on global environmental research, the abridged version of which, entitled "Our Future World," was placed in the Library on 6 March.

  The Prime Minister
  No. The Natural Environment Research Council report on global environmental research was commissioned by the advisory council on science and technology which decided that an abridged version should be published.

  Official Duties (Rail Travel)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions since May 1979 she has travelled by rail in the United Kingdom while carrying out official duties; and what are the considerations taken into account when deciding what form of transport is to be used when travelling outside London.

  The Prime Minister
  I regret that for reasons of practicality and security it is difficult for me to travel by rail on official business. I do so when a suitable opportunity arises, the last being in February 1987.

  Refrigerants
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will instruct all Government Departments to specify wherever possible the refrigerant R22 in preference to R12 or R502 when purchasing refrigeration equipment; if she will take steps within the European Community Council of Ministers to provide for similar guidance to be given in other Community countries; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Government Departments have been asked to review their policies, specifications and 690
  practices with a view to promoting the objective of reducing use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to the maximum possible extent. The Government's policies are aimed at ensuring that production and consumption of CFCs, whether in the public or the private sector, are eliminated as quickly as possible, and that all possible steps are taken to minimise emissions of CFCs currently in use.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Child Care Facilities
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will ensure that the local education authorities' development programmes for further education provision outlined in the White Paper, "Employment for the 1990s" provide child care facilities which allow (i) parents and (ii) mothers, to attend colleges, further education institutes, polytechnics and universities.

  Mr. Jackson
  Under the Education Reform Act, my right hon. Friend approves LEAs' schemes for the planning of further education provision. But he will not approve the individual plans themselves. Approval of LEA development plans for work-related further education is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

  Centre for Religious Education
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now able to announce the results of his discussions about the future of the Centre for Religious Education after the abolition of the Inner London education authority.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The future of the Inner London education authority's specialist teachers' centres, one of which is the Centre for Religious Education, is being discussed by the Inner London councils.

  St. Anne's Primary School, Worksop
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science why his Department has not approved St. Anne's primary school, Worksop, from the recent submissions by Nottinghamshire county council for an aided sector grant under the reorganisation of primary education in south Worksop, Nottinghamshire.

  Mr. Butcher
  St. Anne's Church of England primary school did not feature in Nottinghamshire's published proposals approved in October last year to reorganise primary education in south Worksop.

  Under-fives
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total public expenditure on(a) local authority day nurseries, (b) local authority playgroups, (c) grants to the voluntary sector for provision for under-fives, (d) local authority nursery schools, (e) local authority nursery classes and (f) the under-fives in primary reception classes for each year from 1975 to 1988 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms; and what was the total number of children participating in each type of provision for each year, together with the total numbers in the three to four years age group for each year.
  691
  Mrs. Rumbold
  Local authority day nurseries and playgroups and other facilities for day care are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. Otherwise, the relevant expenditure is:

  London education authority expenditure (£ millions)

  Financial year

  (c) DES grants to national voluntary organisations £ thousands

  (d) Nursery schools

  (e) Nursery classes

  (f) Under fives in primary classes

  Cash

  1987–88 real terms

  Cash

  1987–88 real terms

  Cash

  1987–88 real terms

  Cash

  1987–88 real terms

  1975–76

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1976–77

  n/a

  n/a

  21

  54

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1977–78

  22

  50

  21

  48

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1978–79

  18

  37

  22

  45

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1979–80

  35

  61

  25

  44

  50

  88

  87

  153

  1980–81

  31

  46

  30

  44

  64

  95

  108

  160

  1981–82

  39

  53

  34

  46

  77

  104

  120

  162

  1982–83

  54

  68

  35

  44

  90

  113

  134

  169

  1983–84

  60

  72

  37

  45

  100

  120

  159

  192

  1984–85

  60

  69

  39

  45

  106

  122

  177

  203

  1985–86

  63

  69

  41

  45

  113

  123

  186

  202

  1986–87

  71

  75

  45

  47

  131

  138

  205

  216

  1987–88

  113

  113

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Note: The cash prices for the earlier years have been converted into 1987–88 real terms using the Gross Domestic Product (market prices) deflator.

  Related numbers of children are:

  Pupils under five as at January (thousands)

  All 3 to 4 year olds as at previous August (thousands)

  (d)

  (e)

  (f)

  Nursery schools

  Nursery classes

  Under fives in primary classes

  1975

  1,434

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1976

  n/a

  45

  111

  282

  1977

  1,275

  48

  139

  245

  1978

  1,196

  48

  153

  214

  1979

  1,135

  48

  162

  218

  1980

  1,091

  48

  167

  213

  1981

  1,064

  48

  173

  206

  1982

  1,078

  49

  186

  201

  1983

  1,142

  50

  198

  210

  1984

  1,197

  49

  209

  236

  1985

  1,199

  50

  217

  246

  1986

  1,180

  49

  223

  236

  1987

  1,180

  50

  227

  241

  1988

  1,190

  50

  235

  248

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing by local authority area the latest figures for(a) estimated population of up to four year-olds, (b) the number of pupils in nursery schools and nursery classes and (c) the full-time equivalent number of pupils in nursery classes.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Children under five in each local education authority

  January 1988

  Estimated population of 3 and 4 year olds

  Under 5's in nursery schools and classes

  FTE under 5's in nursery classes

  Barking

  3,900

  1,197

  613

  Barnet

  7,600

  2,214

  912

  Bexley

  5,400

  728

  277

  Brent

  7,000

  2,283

  1,153

  Bromley

  6,600

  124

  62

  Croydon

  8,400

  576

  88

  Ealing

  8,100

  2,712

  1,098

  Enfield

  6,800

  1,430

  715

  692

  Estimated population of 3 and 4 year olds

  Under 5's in nursery schools and classes

  FTE under 5's in nursery classes

  Haringey

  5,300

  2,126

  1,098

  Harrow

  5,200

  827

  433

  Havering

  5,400

  220

  110

  Hillingdon

  6,000

  2,742

  1,311

  Hounslow

  5,500

  3,773

  2,717

  Kingston upon Thames

  3,100

  956

  367

  Merton

  4,200

  1,645

  833

  Newham

  6,700

  3,875

  1,488

  Redbridge

  5,500

  555

  290

  Richmond upon Thames

  3,600

  619

  278

  Sutton

  4,100

  805

  283

  Waltham Forest

  6,000

  2,396

  1,080

  Inner London

  59,000

  22,368

  12,323

  Birmingham

  28,600

  9,284

  4,514

  Coventry

  8,300

  1,973

  845

  Dudley

  7,400

  2,398

  1,058

  Sandwell

  8,000

  3,668

  1,849

  Solihull

  4,800

  1,412

  706

  Walsall

  6,800

  3,898

  1,602

  Wolverhampton

  6,600

  3,827

  1,492

  693

  Estimated population of 3 and 4 year olds

  Under 5 's in nursery schools and classes

  FTE under 5's in nursery classes

  Knowlsey

  5,000

  1,909

  965

  Liverpool

  12,300

  6,049

  3,079

  St. Helens

  4,700

  1,436

  686

  Sefton

  7,100

  2,042

  881

  Wirral

  8,700

  1,620

  681

  Bolton

  7,400

  2,783

  1,296

  Bury

  4,500

  1,062

  558

  Manchester

  12,200

  7,080

  5,170

  Oldham

  6,200

  2,099

  1,430

  Rochdale

  6,200

  1,849

  537

  Salford

  5,900

  3,040

  1,924

  Stockport

  7,400

  1,089

  174

  Tameside

  5,700

  2,351

  1,043

  Trafford

  5,400

  772

  387

  Wigan

  8,100

  2,081

  954

  Barnsley

  5,700

  2,783

  1,320

  Doncaster

  7,700

  3,001

  1,536

  Rotherham

  6,800

  2,733

  1,345

  Sheffield

  11,800

  4,982

  2,276

  Bradford

  14,500

  5,249

  2,493

  Calderdale

  5,100

  1,377

  860

  Kirklees

  10,300

  4,071

  1,723

  Leeds

  17,500

  5,947

  2,956

  Wakefield

  8,000

  3,781

  1,710

  Gateshead

  4,900

  1,682

  831

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  7,000

  2,792

  1,492

  North Tyneside

  4,700

  2,456

  1,124

  South Tyneside

  3,800

  1,939

  618

  Sunderland

  8,400

  2,941

  1,020

  Avon

  22,600

  3,399

  1,290

  Bedfordshire

  15,100

  4,498

  1,767

  Berkshire

  20,400

  4,945

  1,516

  Buckinghamshire

  17,100

  2,053

  771

  Cambridgeshire

  16,600

  1,940

  695

  Cheshire

  24,300

  5,039

  2,137

  Cleveland

  15,900

  8,474

  4,168

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  10,400

  1,449

  676

  Cumbria

  11,500

  2,419

  856

  Derbyshire

  22,600

  6,386

  2,951

  Devon

  22,500

  2,214

  1,055

  Dorset

  13,300

  797

  399

  Durham

  14,900

  5,727

  1,666

  East Sussex

  14,400

  994

  361

  Essex

  38,100

  2,218

  1,048

  Gloucestershire1

  12,500

  0

  0

  Hampshire

  38,600

  1,895

  824

  Hereford and Worcester

  16,100

  974

  552

  Hertfordshire

  25,200

  7,457

  2,893

  Humberside

  21,700

  7,105

  3,450

  Isle of wight

  2,500

  141

  81

  Kent

  37,500

  1,907

  916

  Lancashire

  36,200

  6,129

  1,405

  Leicestershire

  23,600

  5,070

  3,274

  Lincolnshire

  13,200

  991

  377

  Norfolk

  16,500

  853

  227

  North Yorkshire

  15,600

  2,772

  1,337

  Northamptonshire

  14,500

  2,535

  1,134

  Northumberland

  7,600

  1,965

  980

  Nottinghamshire

  25,100

  11,805

  5,757

  Oxfordshire

  14,700

  1,857

  714

  Shropshire

  9,700

  1,119

  477

  Somerset

  10,500

  81

  64

  Staffordshire

  26,300

  5,860

  2,790

  Suffolk

  16,200

  2,281

  1,095

  694

  Estimated population of 3 and 4 year olds

  Under 5's in nursery schools and classes

  FTE under 5's in nursery classes

  Surrey

  23,800

  2,695

  1,143

  Warwickshire

  11,600

  2,052

  669

  West Sussex

  15,500

  534

  47

  Wiltshire

  14,000

  285

  144

  England

  1,195,800

  284,542

  132,349

  1 There are no nursery schools or primary schools with designated nursery classes in Gloucestershire. All pupils under five attend infant classes in primary schools.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Race Relations
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has not yet replied to the two letters from Mr. Day, the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, of 31 August and 21 December 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  I wrote to Mr. Day on 9 March.

  Consumers (Consultation)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements there are for consulting consumers on the work and decisions of his Department.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Home Office is regularly in touch with a wide variety of groups representing consumers of the services it manages.

  Jamaican Citizens
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Jamaican citizens were removed or refused entry to the United Kingdom as not being genuine citizens in(a) the first six weeks of 1988 and (b) the first six weeks of 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The information is not available in the form requested. At the major ports, 46 Jamaican citizens were initially refused entry during the first six weeks of 1988. The figure for the corresponding period in 1989 was 81.

  Illegal Immigrants
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested as being illegal immigrants in the first six weeks of(a) 1988 and (b) 1989; and what were their nationalities.

  Mr. Renton
  The available information is as follows:

  First Six Weeks of

  1988

  1989

  Nationality

  (i)

  (ii)

  (i)

  (ii)

  Afghanistan

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Algeria

  4

  4

  26

  23

  Australia

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Austria

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Bangladesh

  21

  17

  32

  28

  Barbados

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Brazil

  6

  5

  6

  6

  695

  First Six Weeks of

  1988

  1989

  Nationality

  (i)

  (ii)

  (i)

  (ii)

  Bulgaria

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Cameroon

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Canada

  2

  1

  —

  —

  China

  1

  —

  4

  3

  Colombia

  11

  6

  5

  4

  Congo

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Cyprus

  5

  2

  2

  —

  Czechoslovakia

  2

  2

  —

  —

  Ecuador

  1

  —

  1

  1

  Egypt

  1

  —

  2

  —

  Finland

  —

  —

  1

  1

  France

  3

  2

  3

  1

  Gambia

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Ghana

  52

  39

  35

  23

  Holland

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Hong Kong

  8

  5

  6

  4

  India

  26

  18

  29

  24

  Indonesia

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Iran

  5

  1

  1

  —

  Israel

  2

  2

  2

  —

  Italy

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Ivory Coast

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Jamaica

  6

  2

  10

  6

  Japan

  3

  —

  5

  1

  Jordan

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Kenya

  —

  —

  2

  1

  Korea

  1

  —

  2

  —

  Libya

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Malaysia

  4

  —

  4

  3

  Mauritius

  2

  2

  3

  —

  Mexico

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Morocco

  6

  3

  4

  3

  Nepal

  —

  —

  3

  3

  Nigeria

  53

  41

  59

  39

  Pakistan

  16

  7

  25

  20

  Peru

  1

  —

  2

  2

  Philippines

  —

  —

  3

  1

  Poland

  2

  2

  4

  4

  Portugal

  9

  9

  16

  8

  Romania

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Saudi Arabia

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Sierra Leone

  1

  —

  2

  1

  Singapore

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Spain

  6

  1

  7

  4

  Sri Lanka

  25

  1

  7

  1

  St Lucia

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Sudan

  1

  —

  1

  1

  Sweden

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Syria

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Thailand

  2

  1

  1

  1

  Togo

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Tunisia

  —

  —

  3

  3

  Turkey

  59

  43

  49

  29

  USA

  4

  2

  1

  —

  Yugoslavia

  5

  —

  9

  4

  Zaire

  1

  —

  3

  —

  Zimbabwe

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Stateless/Nationality Uncertain

  7

  2

  5

  1

  376

  227

  403

  259

  Note: For each year column (i) gives the number of illegal entrants dealt with; column (ii) records the number of those in column (i) who were detained.

  Passports
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to provide passports for Mrs Penelope Eve Brooke, née Butler, born 6 July 1942, and her son James Richard Henry Ormonde Brooke, born 10 696
  November 1972, applications for which were sent to the Passport Office on 6 November 1987 and 13 December 1987 by recorded delivery.

  Mr. Renton
  The passports are being sent by registered post today. The application form for Mrs. Brooke's son was not fully completed, and although a second partly completed application was subsequently provided, some queries remained, about which the Passport Office wrote to Mrs. Brooke on 31 January 1988. I very much regret that the applications were not dealt with after she had replied to that letter.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Computerised Information (Confidentiality)
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what contingency plans he has available to deal with distortions of the balance of payments figures by the work of computer hackers.

  Mr. Forth
  The design of the computer system used by my Department for calculating the United Kingdom visible balance of trade is such that it is impossible for access to be gained by external hackers.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the security of his Department's computer files is regularly checked for breaches by internal or external unauthorised access.

  Mr. Forth
  Where appropriate, the computer systems in use in my Department which hold sensitive information incorporate audit trails which record all accesses made to the system. These audit trails are used to check whether unauthorised attempts have been made to access information held.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Capital Investment
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list at 1987–88 outturn prices, local authorities' housing capital investment(a) in Greater London, (b) in the south-east outside London, (c) in the south-west, (d) in East Anglia, (e) in the east midlands, (f) in the west midlands, (g) in the north, (h) in the north-west, (i) in Yorkshire and Humberside and (j) in England as a whole: (1) during 1981–82, (2) during 1983–84, (3) during 1985–86 and (4) during 1987–88 and (i) on mandatory renovation grants, (ii) on discretionary renovation grants, (iii) on enveloping, (iv) on other environmental works in HAAs or GIAs, (v) on slum clearance, and (vi) on lending to private persons for renovation activity.

  (2) if he will list at 1987 outturn prices, local authorities' housing capital investment (a) in Greater London, (b) in other metropolitan areas, (c) in non-metropolitan areas, (d) in non-metropolitan areas in the south-east and (e) in England as a whole: (i) during 1981–82, (ii) during 1983–84, (iii) during 1985–86 and (iv) during 1987–88 and (1) on new building, (2) on renovation of local authority stock, (3) on renovation grants, (4) on loans to housing associations and (5) on other housing activities.

  Mr. Trippier
  I have today laid tables giving the relevant information in the Library.

  River Pollution
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list how many miles of rivers have been downgraded from each grade to the one below, and to a lower grade in each region for each year since 1980.

  Mr. Howard
  Changes in the lengths of rivers and canals in each quality class recorded between the 1980 and 1985 river quality surveys are shown, by water authority, in appendix V to the report of the 1985 river quality survey of England and Wales. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.

  The 1985 river quality survey showed that rivers in England and Wales continued to be of a high quality with 90 per cent. assessed as of good or fair quality. For those lengths of rivers surveyed in both 1980 and 1985, a total of 4,490 km (12 per cent.) improved in quality, while 5,440 km (14 per cent.) were downgraded. However, because of differences in the methods used between authorities and changes between surveys, it is uncertain whether this small apparent net deterioration represents a real change. But it did appear that the hitherto upward trend of improvements in river quality had, at least for the time being, been checked. Details of changes between quality classes recorded in individual years between 1980 and 1985 are not held by the Department.

  The lengths of rivers and canals recorded in each class in the years 1985–87 have been published in the "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics" (No. 11, 1988) a copy of which has been placed in the Library. This information indicates that since 1985 there has been some increase in the length of good and fair quality rivers and a reduction in the length of poor and bad quality rivers. The improving trend thus appears to have been resumed. However these results are not directly comparable with the results from the river quality survey because they are based on more limited surveys carried out by the water authorities.

  The next comprehensive river quality survey is planned to take place in 1990.

  County Councils (Statistics)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give for each county council (i) the net expenditure in each year since 1977–78, (ii) the domestic and business precept in each year since 1977–78, (iii) the percentage rise in the precept in each year since 1977–78, (iv) the percentage rise in the precept in the periods 1977–78 to 1980–81, 1981–82 to 1985–86, 1986–87 to 1989–90 and 1977–78 to 1989–90, (v) the change in the number of staff employed at the end of the periods 1977–78 to 1980–81, 1981–82 to 1985–86, 1986–87 to 1989–90 and 1977–78 to 1989–90 expressed in numbers and percentage terms, (vi) the political composition of the councils in 1977 to 1981, 1981 to 1985, 1985 to 1989; and if he will list the councils in rank order by largest increase in precept over the period 1985–86 to 1989–90 starting with the council with the highest increase in that period.

  Mr. Gummer
  The available information has been placed in the Library.

  Water Meters
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reviews are being considered in respect of installing water meters in all new homes due to be constructed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  We have no plans to review the installation of water meters in new properties. Under paragraph 1 of schedule 1 to the Public Utility Transfers and Water Charges Act 1988, water undertakers have the right to insist either that a meter is installed, or that the plumbing is such as to allow a meter to be installed at a later date in connecting all new supplies from 1 April. The exercise of this power will be a matter for individual water undertakers.

  Mortgage Defaults
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on recent trends in the level of building society arrears and repossessions.

  Mr. Trippier
  The latest building society figures show a continued downward trend in levels of mortgage arrears and possessions, which we welcome. Nevertheless, each mortgage possession is distressing for those involved. It is important that borrowers who find themselves in difficulties should contact their lender at the earliest opportunity.

  Council of Environment Ministers
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the European Council of Environment Ministers' meeting held on 2 March.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. Hargreaves) on Monday 6 March at column 480.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures the Government intend to take to render more equitable the burdens of conforming to the Montreal protocol between industrialised nations and developing nations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A clear message of the London "Saving the Ozone Layer" conference held on 5–7 March was that ways of helping developing countries should be a major feature of the review of the Montreal protocol—which will be initiated at the first meeting of the contracting parties in Helsinki in May—and should be urgently examined in all appropriate international contexts. The protocol already gives low consuming developing countries more time to comply with its controls on chlorofluorocarbons and halons and includes provisions to help developing countries to implement the protocol and gain access to environmentally safe alternative substances and technologies. At the Helsinki meeting, the United Kingdom, the European Community and the other parties will consider how to take these provisions forward.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects to announce the result of his deliberations about an increase in the present level of the maximum discount allowed under the right-to-buy scheme.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis).

  Mr. Robert. G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to help council tenants exercise their right to buy their homes.

  Mr. Trippier
  Sales remain buoyant, and are expected to exceed 150,000 in England in the current financial year, the second highest annual total since the right to buy was introduced. The tenants of some local authorities, however, suffer serious and inexcusable delays in exercising their right to buy. Section 124 of the Housing Act 1988 gives such tenants a new power to have the rent they pay while the delay continues set against the purchase price of their homes. There will also be a corresponding reduction in the period during which there is a liability to repay discount on resale. This new procedure comes into operation on 10 March. It will bring welcome help for tenants prevented from buying their homes by incompetent or obstructive landlords.

  Travellers' Children
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the numbers of travellers' children of school age as detailed in the statistics gathered by his Department's gipsy sites branch.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 9 March 1989]: The latest estimates (extrapolated from an 85 per cent. rate of return from local authorities) indicate approximate numbers of 8,000 traveller children of school age.

TRANSPORT

  London Underground (Security)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many police personnel have been deployed on the London Underground in each of the last 20 years.

  Mr. Portillo
  Police officers in post in the division of the British Transport police responsible for London Underground at the end of each of the last 10 years were:

  Number

  1979

  134

  1980

  156

  1981

  264

  1982

  278

  1983

  266

  1984

  242

  1985

  261

  1986

  319

  1987

  306

  1988

  319

  Drink-driving
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the current figures for drinking and 700
  driving in Great Britain; and what information he has as to what the figures are for those countries where random breath testing has been introduced.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  At the moment, the most reliable measure of drinking and driving in Great Britain over the last 10 years is the percentage of drivers killed in road accidents who had a blood alcohol content above the legal limit. The following tables show this percentage, for motor cycle riders and car drivers separately, for the years 1978 to 1987. The table also includes similar figures, for all drivers or riders, for the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales, except that a blood alcohol content of more than 50mg/ml, the legal limit for Australia, is used.

  Percentage of rider/drivers killed with a blood alcohol content above the legal limit.

  Great Britain (legal limit 80mg/ml): Australia (limit 80mg/ml): 1978–1987.

  Great Britain

  Year

  Motor-cycle riders

  Car drivers

  Victoria1

  New South Wales2

  1978

  29

  33

  48

  —

  1979

  31

  32

  40

  —

  1980

  29

  32

  44

  —

  1981

  28

  31

  38

  —

  1982

  29

  36

  37

  40

  1983

  23

  31

  37

  36

  1984

  27

  26

  33

  33

  1985

  22

  28

  38

  33

  1986

  22

  25

  38

  34

  1987

  25

  23

  —

  —

  Note: 1987 figures are provisional.

  1 RBT introduced in 1976.

  2 RBT introduced in 1982.

  These figures show an overall ten percentage point decline in the number of car drivers killed over the legal limit in both Great Britain and Victoria. In New South Wales, a decline of only six points has occurred since introduction of RBT in 1982, compared with 11 points in the United Kingdom over the same period. We understand the rate in NSW may now be rising again slightly. It should be borne in mind that the legal limits are different. Nevertheless, the proportion of such cases in the Australian states remains higher than in Great Britain.

  International comparisons are difficult because of the lack of standard measures of drinking and driving. The United Nations publishes figures of "accidents involving one or more persons under the influence of alcohol". This is interpreted differently by different countries. For Great Britain, the figures given are for the number of accidents in which an involved driver subsequently failed a breath test. For other countries the accidents where a driver died and was found to be over the legal limit are also included. In some countries, the influence of alcohol is reported by the police on a subjective basis, and in others a blood test may be required. A number of countries include accidents involving drunken pedestrians in their figures.

  Traffic Examiners
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for improving the management of the traffic examiners and their resources.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Special emphasis is being placed on improving the deployment of traffic examiners and in further developing the effectiveness of enforcement.
  701
  Management of traffic examiners and their resources is being significantly improved following the implementation of the recommendations made by an efficiency review of traffic examiners and enforcement.

  The introduction of an annual national enforcement plan provides for traffic examiner resources to be concentrated on major areas of enforcement including overloading, drivers hours and tachographs. Budgets and the personal objectives of the traffic examiners can be aligned more closely with the national enforcement plan targets. A restructuring of the supervisory and senior traffic examiner grades is in hand.

  It is proposed to appoint an enforcement manager in each traffic area office and headquarters with increased responsibilities for planning and directing enforcement and the more effective use of resources to support the national enforcement plan.

  Senior traffic examiners will also have increased responsibilities for local enforcement of their geographical sectors and for the management of their teams, which are being increased in size.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals for traffic examiners to prosecute guilty plea cases against HGV/PSV operators and drivers without using solicitors.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Yes. That was one of the accepted recommendations of an efficiency review of traffic examiners and enforcement.

  Trials have been carried out which have proved the efficiency and cost effectiveness of this method. From 1 April, all traffic examiners in England and Wales will prosecute a proportion of guilty plea cases. In Scotland prosecutions will continue to be handled by the procurator fiscal.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the responsibilities and duties of the traffic examiners.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Traffic examiners are appointed by the Secretary of State under section 56 of the Road Traffic Act 1972. They enforce road safety legislation governing the use of United Kingdom based and foreign operated HGVs and PSVs, including the requirements of goods and passenger operator licensing, vocational drivers licensing, tachographs and drivers' records, vehicle weights and construction and use regulations. Their work is a much valued contribution to road casualty reduction. Traffic examiners are departmental staff deployed and managed locally in the traffic areas. They support the Secretary of State and the traffic commissioners by ensuring that the targets set out in the Department's annual national enforcement plan are met and that resources are used effectively in meeting the priorities contained in the enforcement plan.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if any traffic area offices have had to limit prosecutions of HGV operators and drivers because of financial constraints.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Only in the Leeds traffic area office were some cases not presented to solicitors between October and December 1988. This was because a number of large and costly cases absorbed a large part of the 702
  budget allocation. Despite that, three times more cases were prosecuted between April and December 1988 than in the corresponding period of 1987.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Leeds traffic area office has sufficient resources to allow offences reported by traffic examiners to be prosecuted.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Yes. Extra resources have now been made available to the Leeds Office, and cases a re either being referred to solicitors, or being presented in court by traffic examiners. Warning letters are also being sent to operators and drivers by the traffic area office.

  Mr. Jaques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many heavy goods and passenger vehicles will be examined by traffic examiners in the current year; and if he will make a statement about the levels of enforcement proposed for 1990.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department's national enforcement plan for 1988–89 provides for 285,000 United Kingdom and foreign-registered goods and passenger vehicles to be examined by traffic examiners. Of these 100,000 United Kingdom and foreign goods vehicles will be weighed. Over 1,100,000 HGV and PSV drivers' tachograph charts will be checked, and nearly 32,000 visits to operators made.

  We are well set to meet or exceed these targets. Results for the first nine months of the year show that 91 per cent. of the year's target for vehicles examined, 93 per cent. for vehicle weighings, 99 per cent. for tachographs screening and 81 per cent. for operator visits had already been achieved.

  Further increases in the main areas of traffic examiner enforcement activity are proposed in the national enforcement plan for 1989–90. A further 16 per cent. United Kingdom and foreign-registered HGV and PSYs will be examined and 15 per cent. more HGVs will be weighed; 16 per cent. more tachograph charts will be checked and 9 per cent. more operator visits will be made.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Changes and Achievements
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the changes and achievements in his areas of responsibility as(a) Lord President of the Council and (b) Leader of the House, since June 1987.

  Mr. Wakeham
  My responsibilities as Lord President since January 1988 and as Lord Privy Seal before that have not changed during this period. My office has continued to discharge its constitutional and statutory functions efficiently, whilst making significant economies in staff and administrative costs.

  Similarly, my responsibilities as Leader of the House have not changed. The rights and privileges of the House as a whole have been upheld and the passage through the House of the Government's legislative programme arid other business has been effectively supervised and facilitated.

  House Passes
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many House passes are currently issues for each of the categories of pass.

  Mr. Wakeham
  For reasons of security, it is not possible to provide this information.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many passes are available for research assistants with access to the Library; and how many hon. Members have(a) one, (b) two or more and (c) none of these passes issued on behalf of their staff.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Services Committee has ruled that a maximum of 200 places are available for right hon. and hon. Members' research assistants who may have access to the main House of Commons Library. The breakdown is as follows:

  (a) 196

  (b) 2

  (c) 450

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will give the number of photo-passes to the Press Gallery held by staff of each Government Department.

  Mr. Wakeham
  [holding answer 9 March 1989]: The latest pass office figures show that a total of six photo-passes have been issued to departmental press officers giving them access to the Press Gallery on a permanent basis. A breakdown is as follows:

  Number

  Prime Minister's Office

  2

  Central Office of Information

  2

  Home Office

  1

  Ministry of Defence

  1

  In addition, 160 departmental press officers hold photo-passes which enable them to apply, on a day-to-day basis, for a pass to admit them to the Parliamentary Press Gallery when their official duties require it. A breakdown is as follows:

  Number

  Prime Minister's Office

  4

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  3

  Cabinet Office

  3

  Local authority capital allocations 1981–82 to 1989–90

  £000

  Local authority

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Alyn and Deeside

  3,528

  4,018

  3,788

  3,245

  3,242

  3,567

  3,938

  2,710

  2,774

  Colwyn

  2,590

  3,862

  3,127

  2,675

  2,595

  2,360

  2,831

  2,250

  2,365

  Delyn

  2,266

  3,543

  4,200

  4,461

  4,087

  4,801

  3,077

  2,512

  2,823

  Glyndwr

  1,393

  1,957

  2,656

  1,770

  1,986

  1,983

  1,903

  1,809

  1,616

  Rhuddlan

  1,861

  2,464

  2,597

  2,077

  1,972

  2,265

  4,211

  4,192

  2,995

  Wrexham Maelor

  5,767

  6,480

  5,357

  5,724

  5,399

  7,936

  7,717

  5,921

  7,080

  Carmarthen

  2,940

  4,311

  8,924

  4,125

  3,547

  3,933

  4,432

  3,057

  3,109

  Ceredigion

  2,728

  4,381

  5,135

  3,316

  2,755

  3,158

  3,494

  2,858

  2,868

  Dinefwr

  1,009

  1,717

  2,743

  1,694

  1,456

  1,651

  1,867

  2,224

  1,885

  Llanelli

  3,895

  5,710

  5,395

  4,204

  3,175

  3,349

  3,919

  3,357

  4,187

  Preseli

  2,007

  2,699

  4,663

  4,170

  3,282

  2,891

  3,306

  3,267

  2,590

  South Pembrokeshire

  1,428

  2,825

  4,443

  3,439

  2,978

  2,803

  5,067

  3,287

  2,196

  Blaenau Gwent

  5,265

  12,111

  12,176

  8,315

  6,727

  10,197

  12,870

  8,629

  10,933

  Islwyn

  3,474

  5,692

  5,899

  5,130

  5,625

  9,324

  8,209

  7,681

  4,439

  Monmouth

  2,110

  3,563

  5,176

  4,026

  3,942

  3,854

  4,157

  2,703

  2,779

  Newport

  8,357

  13,750

  11,038

  7,996

  8,418

  9,713

  9,262

  7,642

  6,928

  Torfean

  3,441

  5,329

  5,266

  4,696

  4,665

  6,253

  7,000

  6,311

  5,319

  Aberconwy

  2,076

  2,223

  2,575

  1,942

  1,877

  1,908

  2,357

  1,987

  3,645

  704

  Number

  Customs and Excise

  2

  Ministry of Defence

  14

  Department of Education and Science

  9

  Department of Employment

  16

  Department of Energy

  14

  Department of the Environment

  17

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  7

  Department of Health

  Department of Social Security

  16

  Home Office

  18

  Northern Ireland Office

  1

  Office of Fair Trading

  1

  Scottish Office

  1

  Department of Trade and Industry

  22

  Department of Transport

  3

  Treasury

  6

  Welsh Office

  3

WALES

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

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [pursuant to his reply, 2 March 1989, c. 300]: Owing to a typing error an incorrect figure was quoted; the full reply is as follows.

  The information requested is given in the following tables. Capital allocations shown for 1988–89 and 1989–90 are provisional. Allocations form only part of local authority capital investment capacity. Gross spending provision (excluding provision for law and order services) for all district and county councils in Wales for 1989–90 is £450 million, an increase of 8.2 per cent. over 1988–89.
  705

  Local authority

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Arfon

  3,583

  3,810

  4,207

  3,356

  2,692

  2,761

  3,411

  3,750

  3,210

  Dwyfor

  1,086

  1,508

  3,460

  2,114

  1,435

  2,225

  2,539

  2,000

  1,464

  Meirionnydd

  1,625

  1,692

  5,175

  2,475

  1,313

  1,452

  1,728

  1,942

  1,665

  Ynys Mon

  1,954

  3,162

  6,559

  2,945

  3,701

  4,617

  4,847

  3,725

  2,973

  Cynon Valley

  2,767

  3,520

  5,035

  4,216

  3,680

  4,831

  6,793

  7,213

  4,984

  Merthyr Tydfil

  3,941

  6,006

  5,616

  3,806

  3,111

  5,116

  6,179

  5,090

  5,477

  Ogwr

  5,354

  7,881

  7,419

  6,016

  5,481

  6,051

  8,493

  6,805

  5,475

  Rhondda

  5,521

  7,117

  13,745

  8,943

  8,558

  10,959

  12,738

  17,771

  12,706

  Rhymney Valley

  5,162

  7,770

  6,856

  5,766

  6,238

  8,544

  10,648

  10,131

  6,595

  Taff Ely

  6,377

  10,201

  10,133

  5,886

  5,049

  5,782

  7,696

  5,751

  5,143

  Brecknock

  1,745

  1,602

  3,043

  1,715

  2,066

  3,444

  3,270

  1,689

  2,120

  Montgomeryshire

  1,411

  1,608

  3,685

  1,782

  1,741

  1,921

  2,119

  2,118

  2,171

  Radnor

  889

  1,497

  1,758

  1,108

  970

  1,109

  1,426

  1,187

  1,042

  Cardiff

  17,029

  19,559

  24,792

  19,551

  15,924

  19,094

  21,060

  17,933

  15,289

  Vale of Glamorgan

  5,082

  5,730

  7,776

  4,687

  3,903

  5,224

  5,981

  4,517

  4,031

  Port Talbot

  2,262

  2,489

  2,674

  2,315

  1,899

  3,509

  4,389

  3,843

  3,544

  Lliw Valley

  3,486

  4,569

  4,447

  3,782

  3,155

  3,692

  4,069

  3,638

  3,603

  Neath

  2,165

  5,239

  4,802

  2,779

  3,123

  3,731

  4,417

  3,978

  3,512

  Swansea

  9,398

  18,845

  17,957

  14,112

  10,788

  12,317

  12,563

  12,234

  10,418

  Clwyd

  8,561

  9,507

  12,653

  12,014

  12,249

  14,092

  16,649

  16,797

  12,840

  Dyfed

  8,967

  13,184

  11,175

  9,110

  11,369

  16,615

  16,594

  15,455

  16,948

  Gwent

  20,677

  29,506

  24,855

  21,437

  13,000

  17,582

  21,466

  18,479

  24,019

  Gwynedd

  7,124

  10,989

  7,222

  8,354

  11,528

  8,565

  9,197

  7,907

  7,903

  Mid Glamorgan

  18,624

  19,350

  17,193

  19,985

  17,102

  22,708

  24,077

  23,111

  26,648

  Powys

  5,304

  6,314

  4,634

  3,730

  3,904

  6,950

  7,111

  6,055

  6,110

  South Glamorgan

  18,080

  21,457

  19,395

  14,068

  23,008

  26,764

  32,411

  29,607

  18,132

  West Glamorgan

  12,398

  13,787

  11,949

  11,071

  14,389

  19,233

  20,124

  18,163

  22,247

  Total Districts

  136,972

  200,440

  234,297

  170,359

  152,455

  188,325

  213,983

  189,570

  150,841

  Total Counties

  99,735

  124,094

  109,076

  99,769

  106,649

  132,509

  147,629

  135,589

  130,033

  Total Wales

  236,707

  324,534

  343,373

  270,128

  259,104

  320,834

  361,612

  323,286

  300,810

  Capital allocations hypothecated to services 1981–82

  £000

  Local Authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other Services

  Urban Programme

  Total Allocation

  Alyn and Deeside

  0

  229

  0

  2,520

  685

  94

  3,528

  Colwyn

  0

  0

  0

  1,610

  980

  0

  2,590

  Delyn

  0

  0

  0

  1,350

  590

  326

  2,266

  Glyndwr

  0

  47

  0

  1,000

  346

  0

  1,393

  Rhuddlan

  0

  0

  0

  .850

  1,011

  0

  1,861

  Wrexham Maelor

  0

  43

  0

  3,230

  1,881

  613

  5,767

  Carmarthen

  0

  0

  0

  2,030

  870

  40

  2,940

  Ceredigion

  0

  0

  37

  1,740

  934

  17

  2,728

  Dinefwr

  0

  0

  0

  850

  159

  0

  1,009

  Llanelli

  0

  0

  85

  1,950

  1,476

  384

  3,895

  Preseli

  0

  0

  0

  1,740

  267

  0

  2,007

  South Pembroke

  0

  0

  0

  1,140

  213

  75

  1,428

  Blaenau Gwent

  0

  241

  0

  4,010

  385

  629

  5,265

  Islwyn

  0

  312

  0

  2,280

  674

  208

  3,474

  Monmouth

  0

  0

  0

  1,850

  260

  0

  2,110

  Newport

  0

  702

  0

  6,500

  545

  610

  8,357

  Torfaen

  0

  34

  0

  2,890

  359

  158

  3,441

  Aberconwy

  0

  0

  0

  1,420

  656

  0

  2,076

  Arfon

  0

  1

  0

  2,500

  892

  190

  3,583

  Dwyfor

  0

  0

  0

  770

  316

  0

  1,086

  Meirionnydd

  0

  0

  0

  1,020

  605

  0

  1,625

  Ynys Mon

  0

  16

  0

  1,370

  533

  35

  1,954

  Cynon Valley

  0

  0

  0

  2,430

  248

  89

  2,767

  Merthyr Tydfil

  0

  306

  0

  2,704

  773

  158

  3,941

  Ogwr

  0

  106

  0

  4,530

  645

  73

  5,354

  Rhondda

  0

  118

  102

  4,310

  458

  533

  5,521

  Rhymney Valley

  0

  353

  14

  3,650

  948

  197

  5,162

  Taff Ely

  0

  37

  87

  5,830

  374

  49

  6,377

  Brecknock

  0

  0

  0

  1,110

  635

  0

  1,745

  Montgomeryshire

  0

  31

  0

  950

  430

  0

  1,411

  Radnor

  0

  0

  0

  640

  249

  0

  889

  Cardiff

  0

  881

  0

  10,690

  5,050

  408

  17,029

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  3,200

  1,881

  1

  5,082

  Port Talbot

  0

  97

  0

  1,800

  261

  104

  2,262

  Lliw Valley

  0

  0

  0

  2,760

  726

  0

  3,486

  Neath

  0

  0

  0

  1,720

  393

  52

  2,165

  Swansea

  0

  320

  0

  6,674

  2,067

  337

  9,398

  706 707

  Local Authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other Services

  Urban Programme

  Total Allocation

  Clwyd

  3,521

  3,499

  585

  0

  623

  333

  8,561

  Dyfed

  2,743

  4,792

  578

  0

  725

  129

  8,967

  Gwent

  3,758

  12,988

  723

  0

  3,003

  205

  20,677

  Gwynedd

  2,271

  2,685

  413

  0

  1,536

  219

  7,124

  Mid Glamorgan

  8,609

  6,167

  1,122

  0

  2,517

  209

  18,624

  Powys

  2,269

  2,338

  303

  0

  394

  0

  5,304

  South Glamorgan

  2,559

  13,898

  692

  0

  632

  299

  18,080

  West Glamorgan

  5,050

  3,623

  765

  0

  2,956

  4

  12,398

  Total Districts

  0

  3,874

  325

  97,618

  29,775

  5,380

  136,972

  Total Counties

  30,780

  49,990

  5,181

  0

  12,386

  1,398

  99,735

  Total Wales

  30,780

  53,864

  5,506

  97,618

  42,161

  6,778

  236,707

  Capital allocations hypothecated to services 1982–83

  £000

  Local Authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other Services

  Urban Programme

  Total Allocation

  Alyn and Deeside

  0

  13

  0

  2,873

  784

  348

  4,018

  Colwyn

  0

  0

  0

  2,342

  1,520

  0

  3,862

  Delyn

  0

  0

  0

  1,681

  1,135

  727

  3,543

  Glyndwr

  0

  100

  0

  1,581

  276

  0

  1,957

  Rhuddlan

  0

  0

  0

  1,273

  1,191

  0

  2,464

  Wrexham Maelor

  0

  0

  0

  3,616

  1,592

  1,272

  6,480

  Carmarthen

  0

  0

  0

  3,823

  484

  4

  4,311

  Ceredigion

  0

  0

  52

  3,635

  693

  1

  4,381

  Dinefwr

  0

  0

  0

  1,278

  239

  200

  1,717

  Llanelli

  0

  0

  100

  3,104

  772

  1,734

  5,710

  Preseli

  0

  30

  0

  1,783

  771

  115

  2,699

  South Pembroke

  0

  0

  0

  2,365

  300

  160

  2,825

  Blaenau Gwent

  0

  0

  0

  10,172

  853

  1,086

  12,111

  Islwyn

  0

  0

  0

  4,685

  460

  547

  5,692

  Monmouth

  0

  0

  0

  2,917

  595

  51

  3,563

  Newport

  0

  578

  0

  10,956

  1,075

  1,141

  13,750

  Torfaen

  0

  0

  0

  4,370

  670

  289

  5,329

  Aberconwy

  0

  0

  0

  1,708

  515

  0

  2,223

  Arfon

  0

  0

  0

  2,936

  417

  457

  3,810

  Dwyfor

  0

  6

  0

  1,119

  383

  0

  1,508

  Meirionnydd

  0

  0

  0

  1,289

  403

  0

  1,692

  Ynys Mon

  0

  0

  0

  2,471

  681

  10

  3,162

  Cynon Valley

  0

  0

  0

  2,830

  552

  138

  3,520

  Merthyr Tydfil

  0

  25

  0

  2,885

  2,418

  678

  6,006

  Ogwr

  0

  113

  0

  6,197

  1,037

  534

  7,881

  Rhondda

  0

  212

  0

  5,546

  681

  678

  7,117

  Rhymney

  0

  236

  0

  6,211

  934

  389

  7,770

  Taff Ely

  0

  5

  55

  7,020

  3,121

  0

  10,201

  Brecknock

  0

  0

  0

  1,283

  319

  0

  1,602

  Montgomeryshire

  0

  0

  0

  1,292

  276

  40

  1,608

  Radnor

  0

  0

  0

  1,376

  121

  0

  1,497

  Cardiff

  0

  997

  0

  13,607

  4,100

  855

  19,559

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  4,812

  895

  23

  5,730

  Port Talbot

  0

  0

  0

  1,842

  647

  0

  2,489

  Lliw Valley

  0

  0

  0

  4,078

  491

  0

  4,569

  Neath

  0

  0

  0

  4,118

  762

  359

  5,239

  Swansea

  0

  0

  0

  10,760

  7,397

  688

  18,845

  Clwyd

  4,016

  2,750

  184

  0

  2,314

  243

  9,507

  Dyfed

  3,726

  6,545

  720

  0

  1,705

  488

  13,184

  Gwent

  4,211

  22,370

  1,163

  0

  1,700

  62

  29,506

  Gwynedd

  2,108

  2,660

  712

  0

  5,050

  459

  10,989

  Mid Glamorgan

  9,046

  7,745

  1,022

  0

  1,245

  292

  19,350

  Powys

  2,726

  2,770

  319

  0

  499

  0

  6,314

  South Glamorgan

  4,214

  14,430

  1,087

  0

  1,033

  693

  21,457

  West Glamorgan

  4,048

  4,740

  851

  0

  4,143

  5

  13,787

  Total Districts

  0

  2,315

  207

  145,834

  39,560

  12,524

  200,440

  Total Counties

  34,095

  64,010

  6,058

  0

  17,689

  2,242

  124,094

  Total Wales

  34,095

  66,325

  6,265

  145,834

  57,249

  14,766

  324,534

  708 709

  Capital allocations hypothecated to services 1983–84

  Local authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other services

  Urban programme

  Total allocation

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Alyn and Deeside

  0

  0

  0

  2,922

  462

  404

  3,788

  Colwyn

  0

  0

  0

  2,483

  594

  50

  3,127

  Delyn

  0

  0

  0

  2,025

  1,357

  818

  4,200

  Glyndwr

  0

  0

  0

  2,345

  311

  0

  2,656

  Rhuddlan

  0

  0

  0

  1,189

  1,408

  0

  2,597

  Wrexham Maelor

  0

  0

  0

  3,833

  787

  737

  5,357

  Carmarthen

  0

  0

  0

  8,160

  652

  112

  8,924

  Ceredigion

  0

  0

  0

  4,478

  657

  0

  5,135

  Dinefwr

  0

  0

  0

  2,334

  211

  198

  2,743

  Llanelli

  0

  0

  82

  3,745

  984

  584

  5,395

  Preseli

  0

  0

  0

  3,526

  477

  660

  4,663

  South Pembroke

  0

  0

  0

  3,804

  274

  365

  4,443

  Blaenau Gwent

  0

  0

  0

  10,236

  843

  1,097

  12,176

  Islwyn

  0

  90

  0

  5,215

  415

  179

  5,899

  Monmouth

  0

  0

  0

  4,643

  472

  61

  5,176

  Newport

  0

  60

  0

  9,137

  1,331

  510

  11,038

  Torfaen

  0

  0

  0

  4,370

  621

  275

  5,266

  Aberconwy

  0

  0

  0

  2,006

  569

  0

  2,575

  Arfon

  0

  0

  0

  3,469

  418

  320

  4,207

  Dwyfor

  0

  35

  0

  3,032

  393

  0

  3,460

  Meirionnydd

  0

  0

  0

  3,282

  1,804

  89

  5,175

  Ynys Mon

  0

  530

  0

  5,260

  650

  119

  6,559

  Cynon Valley

  0

  0

  0

  4,323

  451

  261

  5,035

  Merthyr Tydfil

  0

  132

  0

  3,993

  1,034

  457

  5,616

  Ogwr

  0

  78

  0

  5,870

  1,202

  268

  7,419

  Rhondda

  0

  105

  0

  12,030

  816

  794

  13,745

  Rhymney Valley

  0

  205

  0

  5,465

  811

  375

  6,856

  Taff Ely

  0

  58

  0

  8,886

  1,077

  112

  10,133

  Brecknock

  0

  0

  0

  2,851

  192

  0

  3,043

  Montgomeryshire

  0

  0

  0

  3,393

  292

  0

  3,685

  Radnor

  0

  0

  0

  1,593

  165

  0

  1,758

  Cardiff

  0

  2,038

  0

  17,835

  3,915

  1,004

  24,792

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  5,333

  2,219

  224

  7,776

  Port Talbot

  0

  50

  0

  1,982

  377

  265

  2,674

  Lliw Valley

  0

  0

  0

  3,992

  410

  45

  4,447

  Neath

  0

  0

  0

  3,892

  419

  491

  4,802

  Swansea

  0

  0

  0

  11,365

  5,520

  1,072

  17,957

  Clwyd

  4,746

  5,460

  820

  0

  759

  868

  12,653

  Dyfed

  3,817

  5,044

  720

  0

  1,324

  270

  11,175

  Gwent

  5,430

  16,199

  1,040

  0

  1,565

  621

  24,855

  Gwynedd

  2,035

  3,517

  716

  0

  747

  207

  7,222

  Mid Glamorgan

  7,391

  7,527

  852

  0

  1,149

  274

  17,193

  Powys

  2,102

  2,073

  194

  0

  257

  8

  4,634

  South Glamorgan

  4,557

  11,923

  741

  0

  1,600

  574

  19,395

  West Glamorgan

  4,247

  4,943

  1,476

  0

  1,283

  0

  11,949

  Total Districts

  0

  3,382

  82

  184,297

  34,590

  11,946

  234,297

  Total Counties

  34,325

  56,686

  6,559

  0

  8,684

  2,822

  109,076

  Total Wales

  34,325

  60,068

  6,641

  184,297

  43,274

  14,768

  343,373

  Capital allocations hypothecated to services 1984–85

  £'000s

  Local Authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other Services

  Special Projects

  Urban Programme

  Total Allocation

  Alyn and Deeside

  0

  0

  0

  2,234

  370

  0

  641

  3,245

  Colwyn

  0

  0

  0

  2,089

  475

  0

  111

  2,675

  Delyn

  0

  0

  0

  1,459

  731

  900

  1,371

  4,461

  Glyndwr

  0

  0

  0

  1,521

  249

  0

  0

  1,770

  Rhuddlan

  0

  0

  0

  951

  1,126

  0

  0

  2,077

  Wrexham Maelor

  0

  0

  0

  3,746

  630

  0

  1,348

  5,724

  Carmarthen

  0

  0

  0

  3,571

  539

  0

  15

  4,125

  Ceredigion

  0

  0

  0

  2,790

  526

  0

  0

  3,316

  Dinefwr

  0

  0

  0

  1,414

  169

  0

  111

  1,694

  Llanelli

  0

  0

  66

  2,737

  787

  0

  614

  4,204

  Preseli

  0

  0

  0

  2,862

  382

  250

  576

  4,170

  South Pembroke

  0

  0

  0

  2,323

  219

  350

  547

  3,439

  Blaenau Gwent

  0

  0

  0

  6,238

  674

  0

  1,403

  8,315

  Islwyn

  0

  0

  0

  4,499

  332

  0

  299

  5,130

  Monmouth

  0

  0

  0

  3,599

  378

  0

  49

  4,026

  Newport

  0

  0

  0

  6,554

  734

  0

  708

  7,996

  Torfaen

  0

  0

  0

  4,002

  497

  0

  197

  4,696

  Aberconwy

  0

  0

  0

  1,635

  307

  0

  0

  1,942

  710 711

  Local Authority

  Education

  Transport

  PSS

  Housing

  Other Services

  Special Projects

  Urban Programme

  Total Allocation

  Arfon

  0

  0

  0

  2,940

  334

  0

  82

  3,356

  Dwyfor

  0

  0

  0

  1,800

  314

  0

  0

  2,114

  Meirionnydd

  0

  0

  0

  1,352

  1,123

  0

  0

  2,475

  Ynys Môn

  0

  0

  0

  2,350

  520

  0

  75

  2,945

  Cynon Valley

  0

  0

  0

  3,090

  361

  0

  765

  4,216

  Merthyr Tydfil

  0

  0

  0

  2,521

  827

  0

  458

  3,806

  Ogwr

  0

  0

  0

  5,011

  962

  0

  43

  6,016

  Rhondda

  0

  0

  0

  7,468

  653

  0

  822

  8,943

  Rhymney Valley

  0

  240

  0

  4,412

  649

  0

  465

  5,766

  Taff Ely

  0

  20

  0

  4,999

  862

  0

  5

  5,886

  Brecknock

  0

  0

  0

  1,321

  154

  0

  240

  1,715

  Montgomeryshire

  0

  0

  0

  1,548

  234

  0

  0

  1,782

  Radnor

  0

  0

  0

  976

  132

  0

  0

  1,108

  Cardiff

  0

  1,881

  0

  12,557

  3,132

  0

  1,981

  19,551

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  3,080

  1,375

  0

  232

  4,687

  Port Talbot

  0

  0

  0

  1,586

  302

  0

  427

  2,315

  Lliw Valley

  0

  0

  0

  3,220

  328

  0

  234

  3,782

  Neath

  0

  0

  0

  2,064

  335

  0

  380

  2,779

  Swansea

  0

  16

  0

  9,073

  3,282

  500

  1,241

  14,112

  Clwyd

  3,797

  6,174

  500

  0

  607

  0

  936

  12,014

  Dyfed

  3,054

  4,059

  600

  0

  1,059

  0

  338

  9,110

  Gwent

  4,344

  14,418

  850

  0

  1,252

  0

  573

  21,437

  Gwynedd

  1,628

  5,390

  400

  0

  598

  0

  338

  8,354

  Mid Glamorgan

  5,513

  11,551

  1,200

  0

  919

  500

  302

  19,985

  Powys

  1,682

  1,742

  100

  0

  206

  0

  0

  3,730

  South Glamorgan

  3,646

  7,527

  600

  0

  1,280

  0

  1,015

  14,068

  West Glamorgan

  3,398

  5,437

  1,000

  0

  1,126

  0

  110

  11,071

  Total Districts

  0

  2,157

  66

  125,592

  25,004

  2,100

  15,440

  170,359

  Total Counties

  27,062

  56,298

  5,250

  0

  7,047

  500

  3,612

  99,769

  Total Wales

  27,062

  58,455

  5,316

  125,592

  32,051

  2,600

  19,052

  270,128

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the scales of charges for services provided by the Public Record Office to commercial genealogists.

  The Attorney-General
  The Public Record Office does not distinguish between commercial genealogists and other users in respect of fees and charges made for services it provides. The full range of fees currently charged, under section 2(5) of the Public Records Act 1958, is set out in the Public Record Office (Fees) Regulations 1988 (1988 No. 1385).

THE ARTS

  Sponsorship (Tobacco Companies)
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the current annual total of sponsorship of the arts by tobacco companies; if he will list these individually and in relation to other commercial sponsorship; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  The total amount of sponsorship in 1988–89 by tobacco companies is not known. The business sponsorship incentive scheme has brought £5·7 million new sponsorship to the arts in the current financial year, of 712
  which £3,000 has come from tobacco interests. Arts organisations are free to decide what sponsorship to accept.

  Libraries (Charges)
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he intends that under his proposed new regulations library authorities should be able to charge students resident or studying within their areas to reserve books relevant to their studies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 9 March 1989]: As I said in my statement on 8 February at columns 987–88, I intend in the proposed regulations to give library authorities discretionary power to charge any person for obtaining and notifying the availability of an item reserved, subject to a limit which I shall prescribe. Subject to that limit on which I shall in due course consult, authorities will have total freedom to decide whom to charge and what concessions to give.

  Museums
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will publish a table showing attendances of all the national museums in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 8 March 1989]: The estimated number of visitors in each of the last five years to the 11 national museums and galleries (including their outstations) for which I am responsible is as follows:
  713

  Estimated attendances

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  British Museum

  3,467,044

  4,142,092

  3,869,639

  4,007,885

  4,172,472

  British Museum (Natural History)

  3,022,254

  3,354,351

  3,239,685

  1,999,130

  1,671,330

  Imperial War Museum

  1,365,888

  1,291,435

  1,175,834

  1,184,959

  1,086,587

  National Gallery

  2,936,926

  3,156,725

  3,182,365

  3,566,568

  3,228,153

  National Maritime Museum

  600,000

  600,000

  380,099

  442,005

  707,399

  National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside

  —

  —

  11,163,304

  1,328,844

  1,525,672

  National Portrait Gallery

  581,395

  516,148

  624,520

  590,841

  638,595

  Science Museum

  4,510,103

  4,607,852

  4,824,906

  4,732,784

  3,861,433

  Tate Gallery

  1,265,605

  996,565

  1,153,355

  1,742,156

  22,091,267

  Victoria and Albert Museum

  2,079,204

  2,067,202

  1,439,636

  1,398,688

  1,430,637

  Wallace Collection

  177,613

  178,770

  170,797

  168,109

  157,524

  Total

  20,006,032

  20,911,140

  21,224,140

  21,161,969

  20,571,119

  1The Office of Arts and Libraries became responsible for NMGM in 1986 following the dissolution of the Merseyside County Council. Figures for previous years are unavailable.

  2Figure includes Tate Gallery Liverpool which opened in May 1988.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  HMSO
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his written answer of 14 December 1988,Official Report, column 584, what financial and performance targets he has set Her Majesty's Stationery Office for 1989.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend has today laid a further Treasury minute setting HMSO the financial target for 1989 of achieving a profit after interest in current cost accounting (CCA) terms of £1·7 million. This compares with a CCA profit after interest of £0·8 million actually achieved in 1987–88.

  I have also set various performance targets designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness with which HMSO delivers its services. These are:

  1987–88 Actual per cent.

  1989 Target per cent.

  Value for money

  Paper and stationery

  6·54

  8·0

  Office machinery

  10·39

  11·5

  Printing and binding

  5·03

  8·9

  Service and quality

  Supply

  Stock catalogue items

  87·00

  90·00

  within 5 working days

  within 5 working days

  Publications

  Dispatch of orders by mail

  Average of 6 days

  90·00

  within 5 working days

  Print procurement

  Orders delivered to time

  vital

  97·00

  100·0

  overall

  93·00

  95·0

  Delivered without fault

  99·30

  100·0

  Production

  Jobs delivered to time

  basic

  94·00

  100·0

  other

  92·00

  95·0

  Delivered without fault

  99·00

  100·0

  Computers (Security)
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any records of unauthorised entry into his Department's computer files.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Treasury has no evidence of any unauthorised entry or attempted unauthorised entry into the Department's computer files.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether security of Treasury computer files is regularly checked for breaches by computer hackers.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Treasury takes all forms of security (including computer security) very seriously. The Department regularly reviews the security measures in place.

  Consumers (Cost of Living)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an index for the cost of living for consumers based on the retail price index but excluding indirect taxes, including value added tax, excise duties and rates, measured at December each year from 1973 to 1979 taking the value of the index as 1979 equals 100.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 March 1989]: The following are estimates of the movement in the RPI excluding VAT, excise duties and rates measured at December each year. Information before 1974 is not available.

  December 1979=100

  Index

  1974

  51

  1975

  62

  1976

  72

  1977

  80

  1978

  87

  1979

  100

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Consumers (Consultations)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements there are for consulting British consumers on the work and decisions of his Department.
  715
  Mr. Eggar
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is in regular touch with a large number of individuals and groups which use our services and have an interest in the issues the Department handles.

DEFENCE

  Low-level Flying, East Lothian
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the speed, height and purpose of the low-level flights over Giffard, East Lothian, at(a) 2.30 pm on 6 February, (b) 3.35 pm on 8 February, (c) 11.50 am on 9 February, (d) 10.55 am and 12 noon on 10 February and (e) and 2.45 pm on 16 February;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the speed, height and purpose of the low-level flight over grid reference 66.8 x 45.9 near Pencaitland, East Lothian, at 8.20 pm on 15 February; and if he will also explain his policy for such flights during hours of darkness.

  Mr. Neubert
  Military aircraft are authorised as a matter of routine to carry out low-level flying training in the areas mentioned at heights no lower than 250 ft and at speeds normally not exceeding 450 knots. Pilots must be capable of operating in darkness and therefore some strictly limited night flying is necessary.

  Policy is that low-level flying training should be completed before 11 pm wherever possible because my Department recognises that aircraft noise can be particularly intrusive at night.

  Military Bases (Security)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military bases in Britain employ private security firms to(a) guard entrances to the bases and (b) in any other capacity.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Private security firms are employed at 27 military bases. It would not be in the interests of security to disclose the precise nature of the tasks which they perform.

  HMS Gannet (Helicopter Flight)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply of 27 February,Official Report, column 42, to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North, he will name the three local residents taken on board a naval helicopter from HMS Gannet, and the criteria governing their selection for this facility.

  Mr. Neubert
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman

  Radioactive Waste Conference (Gloucester Hotel)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) officials of his Department, (b) officials from the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston and (c) officials from the Royal Naval Establishment at Devonport attended the conference on radio active waste at the Gloucester hotel on 22 and 23 February.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Thirteen Ministry of Defence officials attended the conference on radio-active waste. Ten were from the atomic weapons establishment at Aldermaston and two from the naval base at Devonport.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the next Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine to be brought out of service.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No firm decision has yet been taken on when the next Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine will be brought out of service.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Social Fund
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the social fund budget for the year has been spent to date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information relating to expenditure of the social fund budgets for the period to 31 January 1989, the latest for which firm figures are available, is in the national summary tables placed monthly in the Library.

  Transitional Payments
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when transitional payments will cease; and what will take their place.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have already announced that housing benefit transitional payments will be reduced by £2 a week from 10 April 1989, the date of the uprating of Social Security benefits. For those in receipt of £2 a week or less, the payments will terminate on that date. Some payments will have ceased during the year because of a change in the applicant's circumstances. Housing benefit transitional payments were introduced to help vulnerable groups at the changeover to the new scheme in April 1988. This help was intended to be only transitional and it was made clear at the outset that transitional payments would be withdrawn in due course, for example, as other benefits increased.

  Funeral Payments
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, South (Mr. Ashley),Official Report, column 294, he will lay the regulations needed to extend eligibility for social fund funeral payments.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have today laid before Parliament the Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Amendment Regulations 1989. These regulations will extend eligibility for help with funeral expenses under the social fund to people who qualify for community charge rebate in Scotland from April 1989 and community charge benefit in England, Wales and Scotland from April 1990.

  Pensioners (Earnings)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of(a) ending the earnings limit to pension entitlement and (b) raising the earnings limit to £100 per week.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 28 February 1989]: The estimated public expenditure costs of (a) abolishing

  717
  the retirement pension earnings rule and (b) increasing the level of permitted weekly earnings to £100 would be £355 million1 and £40 million1 respectively in 1989–90.

  1 These estimates are based on 1989–90 benefit rates, and do not take account of tax effects.

  Transitional Protection
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will indicate (i) the number of claimants who were awarded transitional protection following the implementation of the Social Security Act, (ii) the number of claimants who are still in receipt of transitional protection within each category and (iii) the number of claimants whose overall benefit will not rise on uprating day as a result of transitional protection.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 6 March 1989]: Precise information is not available for income support claimants. An estimated 1·4 million income support claimants were awarded transitional protection when that benefit was introduced in April 1988. Estimated numbers in the categories used in the technical annex to the White Paper on the reform of social security (Cmnd. 9691), still receiving transitional protection at the end of March 1989 are as follows:

  Number

  Pensioners 80 +

  170,000

  Pensioners aged 60–79

  340,000

  All pensioners

  510,000

  Persons receiving the disability premium

  30,000

  Lone parents

  160,000

  Couples with children

  30,000

  Others

  470,000

  Total

  1,200,000

  An estimated 3·9 million income support claimants will receive a benefit increase at this year's uprating; approximately 570,000 are expected not to receive an increase.

  To date 176,529 people have received housing benefit transitional payments and 149 have received income support transitional payments from the transitional payments unit in Glasgow. At 1 March 1989, 169,409 applicants were still receiving housing benefit transitional payments and 59 were receiving income support transitional payments, broken down into the following categories:

  Housing benefit

  Income support

  Pensioners

  128,546

  25

  Families with children

  19,796

  25

  Sick and disabled

  11,585

  9

  Widows

  8,636

  —

  Industrial Injury Benefit recipients

  454

  —

  War Pensioners

  392

  —

  An estimated 1,200 people receiving housing benefit transitional payments and 59 people receiving income support transitional payments are expected to receive no overall increase in their benefit income at uprating.

  Sixty-five former family income supplement claimants received a protected amount following the change to family credit. A small proportion may still be receiving it. No one will still be receiving protection by the time of the April uprating.

  Income Support
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what would be the additional cost in Halifax if full uprating was awarded to all those in receipt of income support irrespective of payment of transitional additions;

  (2) how many claimants in Halifax were awarded a transitional addition in April 1988; and how many of these will as a result receive this April (a) reduced uprating and (b) no uprating;

  (3) what percentage of the following categories of claimants in Halifax in receipt of income support will receive no increase in their benefit payments as a result of this year's uprating because of the effect of transitional additions (a) pensioners, (b) persons in receipt of a disability premium, (c) single parents, (d) unemployed married, (e) unemployed single, (f) unemployed with children and (g) others.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 6 March at column 445.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the additional cost of uprating would have been if full uprating was awarded to all those in receipt of income support irrespective of payment of transitional additions.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 6 March 1989]: Precise information is not available. The estimated additional cost would have been around £70 million.

HEALTH

  Protein Fractionation Centre
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the medicines inspectorate has recently visited the protein fractionation centre; and if he is satisfied that this manufacturing facility has adequate accommodation to justify the issue of a manufacturing licence.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply to him yesterday by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Consultation Exercises
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost in(a) real and (b) cash terms for each of the last five years to his Department and its predecessors producing and distributing printed material pertaining to consultation exercises on matters within his present. responsibilities as (i) Green Papers and (ii) White Papers

  Mr. Freeman
  Green and White Papers are generally published by HMSO. The Department, as did its predecessor the Department of Health and Social Security, purchase the number of copies they require of each paper for distribution internally, and to certain other recipients, from HMSO. The information on the costs of such purchases can be produced only at disproportionate cost. Records of distributions are not retained and retrospective distribution costs cannot therefore be calculated.

  Counterfeit Products
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps, following the product recall in
  719
  respect of the import of counterfeit Zantac tablets, his Department is taking to ascertain the extent of penetration of these or other counterfeit products into use by patients in the United Kingdom;

  (2) what safeguards he is now preparing under the product licences (parallel imports) scheme to ensure that there is no repetition, in the case of any other product, of the importation of counterfeit Zantac tablets, apparently of Greek origin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  No evidence has appeared to show that any such counterfeit tablets actually reached United Kingdom pharmacists or patients.

  Tests carried out on retained samples suggested that all supplies with the suspect batch number distributed within the United Kingdom may have been genuine. A batch of counterfeit Zantac tablets was rejected by a parallel importer and returned to his Greek suppliers. These counterfeits were accordingly discovered under existing safeguards.

  Surveillance operations already carried out by the Department include a sampling and testing programme by the medicines inspectorate, requirements for licensed importers to verify the identity of each batch of imported material and close co-operation with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society inspectors.

  We are still investigating the background to the counterfeit material and will be considering whether any changes may be necessary to the United Kingdom parallel import scheme. We also maintain close co-operation with our colleagues in the European Community.

  Life Support Systems
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are undertaken to protect intensive care or other patients from electronic interference in the normal operation of automated life support systems in the light of patient deaths in France.

  Mr. Freeman
  Patients are fully protected by the requirement that all such equipment in use in the NHS is constructed to the standard of BS 5724 (IEC 601–1) and the manufacturers are subject to approval under the Department's manufacturer registration scheme. Our central defect centre has no reports of difficulties arising of the kind experienced in France.

  Child Abuse (Greenwich)
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received about allegations of sexual and other abuse of children at homes run by the London borough of Greenwich; and what action he is taking in the matter.

  Mr. Mellor
  The attention of the Department has been drawn to a number of alleged matters of serious concern in community homes in the London borough of Greenwich. The social services inspectorate has discussed these issues with senior officers of the council and has been assured that all allegations are thoroughly investigated by the authority. The inspectorate also discussed the action being taken following its report on the management review of residential child care in the borough in 1987 and will continue to monitor the situation.

  AIDS
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the numbers by country of birth for each of the last three years for the following categories as recorded by the Parkside health authority(a) AIDS patients, (b) HIV positive patients and (c) drug dependency patients.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairman of Parkside health authority for this information.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total budget spent on AZT for each of the years for which figures are available; and what the estimated budget for AZT for the next five years will be.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold information centrally on the total costs of prescribing Zidovudine (formerly known as AZT). Some general practitioners are known to be prescribing the drug, but information about these prescriptions is not yet available. Zidovudine is also prescribed in the hospital service. In 1988–89, a total of £58·6 million has been made available to health authorities in England specifically as a contribution to the extra costs in providing AIDS and HIV related services, including the cost of Zidovudine. This figure will increase in 1989–90 to nearly £130 million.

  Under-fives
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table showing by local authority area the latest figures for(a) estimated population of up to four-year-olds, (b) local authority day nursery places provided and (c) full-time equivalent local authority day nursery places provided.

  Mr. Mellor
  The latest information on estimated population of children aged up to four years old and local authority day nursery places provided in each local authority in England are published in "Children's Day Care Facilities at 31 March 1987, England", copies of which are available in the Library.

  We cannot identify the number of full-time equivalent local authority day nursery places provided in figures we collect centrally.

  Travelling Expenses
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to amend the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses in Remission of Charges) Regulations 1988, so that he can deal with the cases of people wanting help with National Health Service costs stockpiled at Newcastle.

  Mr. Mellor
  I intend to lay regulations amending the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations, to take effect from 10 April. The amendments will apply only to claims made after that date. Claims currently stockpiled will be assessed under the existing regulations when the problem referred to in my reply to the hon. Member on 7 March, at column 491, has been resolved.

  Sight Tests
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the new arrangements for sight testing are to come into effect.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have today laid two sets of regulations. The first will extend the National Health Service voucher scheme for glasses. The second will restrict National Health Service sight tests to the following groups:Children under 16
  Full time students under age 19
  People or their partners who are receiving Income Support or Family Credit
  People entitled to full remission of National Health Service charges
  The registered blind or partially sighted
  Those who are prescribed complex lenses
  Diagnosed diabetic and glaucoma sufferers
  Parents, brothers, sisters and children age 40 and over of glaucoma sufferers.

  Financial assistance will be available through the voucher scheme towards the cost of their sight test for those on low income who are not eligible for a National Health Service test.

  The regulations will also extend the current voucher scheme to provide help for adults with the cost of the repair or replacement of their spectacles where the loss or damage was the result of the person's disability, injury or illness.

  We are consulting further on regulations which will set out the duties to be undertaken when a person's sight is tested.

  I would like to make it clear that the second set of regulations to which I have referred does not impose a new charge for sight testing: it simply removes the National Health Service subsidy from people other than those in the groups listed in the table.

  DHSS (Partition)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give details of the partition of the Department of Health and Social Security as it affects the Civil Service.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 9 March 1989]: With effect from 1 April 1989 there will be separate administration votes for the two Departments details of which have already been published in this year's public expenditure White Paper. Each Department will employ its own staff, but a few internal management services will be administered by one Department on behalf of the other on a common service basis where this is cost effective.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Woodlands
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the names, locations and areas of woodland grant scheme applications in excess of 100 hectares submitted since the start of the scheme in England, showing those for which an environmental assessment has been requested by the Forestry Commission; and if he will give the reasons why environmental assessment has not been requested in other cases.

  Mr. Ryder
  There have been no applications under the woodland grant scheme for more than 100 hectares of new planting in England.

  Badgers
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards badgers.

  Mr. Ryder
  The welfare of badgers as a protected species is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, while the Badgers Act is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department. However, I am required under section 9 of the Badgers Act (as amended by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) to deal with applications to take badgers which are causing serious damage to land, crops, poultry or other forms of property. The Government's policy for dealing with badgers to control tuberculosis in cattle is that recommended by Professor Dunnet following his review in 1986. Action taken against badgers is limited to those farms where badgers have been implicated in a tuberculosis breakdown in cattle and consists of trapping and humanely killing the badgers, except those identified as lactating sows, which are released unharmed. In both such cases damage to agriculture has to be demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt before action is authorised.

  Beef Premium
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what administrative arrangements will be applied in connection with the payment of the Community special beef premium at livestock markets for slaughter and at slaughterhouses to comply with the condition that the premium may not be paid on more than 90 male animals from any farm; and if he will take any steps to ensure that cattle breeders in the less favoured areas will benefit from this scheme.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  In reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough (Sir J. Farr) my right hon. Friend announced on 6 March that the Community special premium for beef would in the first instance be applied in Great Britain when cattle are sold at live markets for slaughter and at slaughterhouses. Each beef producer may apply for premium on up to 90 head of male animals per year; this condition will be controlled centrally through computer systems on which the scheme will be run. Farming and trade interests see advantage in applying the premium on-farm, which would help to ensure that breeders in the less favoured areas would benefit directly from the scheme. Agriculture Ministers will review the practicability and cost effectiveness of moving in due course to an on-farm basis.

  Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to amend the Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations 1986.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  My right hon. Friend laid before Parliament today the Dairy Produce Regulations 1989, which replace similar regulations made in 1986 and amended in 1988 and earlier this year.

  The new regulations introduce changes to the quota transfer rules, including new procedures for the appointment of arbitrators in cases of dispute. They take into account changes in European Community legislation

  723
  which affect the calculation of liability to supplementary levy. A number of redundant provisions, most of them relating to the allocation of new quota rights, have not been re-enacted. Other changes have been made to clarify the meaning of certain provisions in the light of experience.

EMPLOYMENT

  Select Committee Recommendations
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many Select Committee recommendations have been made about, and how many accepted by, his Department since June 1987.

  Mr. Cope
  The five recommendations made about this Department contained in the reports of the Select Committee on Employment issued since June 1987, to which Government responses have been published, have been accepted in whole or in part by the Government, or have covered ground where the Government are already taking action.

  Consumers (Consultation)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements there are for consulting consumers on the work and decisions of his Department.

  Mr. Cope
  My Department maintains close contact with its clients. In the course of evaluating departmental programmes and activities surveys are undertaken of scheme participants and, where relevant, their employers or other intermediaries. The employment service collects information about customer attitudes through a wide range of surveys and due account is taken of their findings in planning future developments. Our proposals for training and enterprise councils will pass responsibility to employer-led groups at a local level. Our measures for assisting small firms and encouraging enterprise reflect demand from the small business sector and the views of participants in departmental schemes and representative organisations. All our health and safety proposals are subject to extensive public consultation and are submitted by the tripartite Health and Safety Commission. My Department also has regular discussions with business and client groups at regional and area level.

  Career Development Loans
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the people who obtained career development loans since the scheme was launched in 1986 were women; and how many of these women had children(a) in the under-fives age group and (b) in the five to 16 age group.

  Mr. Cope
  Since career development loans were launched in 1986, a total of 2,431 loans have been approved, of which 949, or approximately two out of every five loans, have been taken out by women. At the time of application, 35 of these women had children only in the under-five age group, 103 had children only in the five to 16 age group and a further 20 had children in both age groups.

  Training Schemes
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total Government expenditure on all Government-funded training schemes for each year since 1970, at 1988 prices.

  Mr. Cope
  The Manpower Services Commission was established in 1974 and expenditure figures can be provided only from the financial year 1974–75 onwards.

  The total expenditure on training schemes by the Manpower Services Commission, and the Training Commission at 1988 prices was as follows:

  £ million

  1974–75

  318·5

  1975–76

  468·2

  1976–77

  598·1

  1977–78

  625·3

  1978–79

  728·6

  1979–80

  735·1

  1980–81

  810·4

  1981–82

  981·7

  1982–83

  1,087·8

  1983–84

  1,249·0

  1984–85

  1,283·5

  1985–86

  1,352·7

  1986–87

  1,491·5

  1987–88

  1,613·1

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends to take to ensure that training schemes offer training and do not consist of simple labouring.

  Mr. Cope
  All YTS and employment training follows a laid-down design framework; trainees are wherever possible offered the opportunity to obtain recognised vocational qualifications; and staff of my Department's Training Agency, including the training standards advisory service, oversee the provision.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what opportunities are offered by training agencies in Glasgow to udertake training in landscape gardening.

  Mr. Cope
  At present in Glasgow there are 146 training opportunities available in landscape gardening under YTS and 393 under employment training.

  Workplaces (Inspections)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of workplaces and workers' terms and conditions of employment were inspected by the wages inspectorate divisions covering(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Wages inspectorate statistics are not compiled for areas smaller than the inspectorate's nine divisions. Scotland is one division. The percentage of workplaces checked in Scotland in 1988 is included in a reply given in the Official Report of 1 March at columns 201–6.

  No information is available on the percentage of workers whose pay was checked in individual wages inspectorate divisions. Terms and conditions of employment, other than statutory requirements on minimum pay, are not a matter for the wages inspectorate.

  Earnings
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many and what percentage of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold at the latest available date in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole;

  (2) how many and what percentage of the full-time male work force earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold at the latest available date in (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Rutherglen (Mr. McAvoy) on 8 March 1989,Official Report, columns 569–70.

  Construction Workers (Head Protection)
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he proposes to allow a religious exemption for Sikh construction workers in respect of head protection.

  Mr. Cope
  We recently received proposals from the Health and Safety Commission for regulations to require head protection to be worn by persons in construction work. These are being given careful consideration, together with the question whether an exemption should be allowed for turban-wearing Sikhs.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the incidence of head injuries to construction workers wearing turbans in the past 12 months.

  Mr. Cope
  No separate statistics are kept by the Health and Safety Executive for head injuries to construction workers wearing turbans.

  National Training Task Force
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many places on the national training task force have been allocated to women.

  Mr. Cope
  Two women have agreed to serve on the national training task force. They are Sophie Mirman, chairman and joint managing director of Sockshop International plc and Prudence Leith, managing director of Prudence Leith Ltd. Members have been appointed in an individual capacity because of their personal commitment to training.

  Work-related Further Education
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has received any representations about the 1989–90 level of funding for the work-related further education programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 9 March 1989]: The Association of Metropolitan Authorities has written to the Secretary of State about the funding for work-related further education shown in the recent public expenditure White Paper.
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  A decrease in allocations to local education authorities is partially offset by an increase in the work-related further education development fund.

SCOTLAND

  Blood Products
  Mr. McTaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums are currently outstanding to the blood transfusion service from the private sector for the supply of blood products.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I am informed by the Common Services Agency, of which the Scottish national blood transfusion service is a division, that its policy is that invoices should be paid by the end of the month following the month of issue. As at 8 March 1989, three invoices, the largest being for £2,225, were outstanding beyond that period. The Common Services Agency is pursuing prompt payment of the outstanding accounts.

  Protein Fractionation Centre
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether Her Majesty's Government have completed the new building works required to ensure that the protein fractionation centre of the Scottish national blood transfusion service meets the standards of good manufacturing practice proposed by the medicines inspectorate in 1980–81.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The medicines inspectorate visited the protein fractionation centre in June 1988 and made recommendations in October 1988, including one relating to the expansion of storage areas. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Health gave approval in principle last month for new building works at the protein fractionation centre. The Common Services Agency will arrange for the building works to be carried out as quickly as practicable.

  Select Committees (Recommendations)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Select Committee recommendations have been made about, and how many accepted, by his Department since June 1987.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The Agriculture and Energy Select Committees have each completed reports since June 1987 involving 12 recommendations falling within my field or responsibility. Eight of these have been accepted in whole or in part, or noted where no further action by Government was sought.

  Consumers (Consultation)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements there are for consulting consumers on the work and decisions of his Department.

  Mr. Rifkind
  In the Scottish Office there are extensive formal and informal arrangements to ensure that the views of interested parties including consumers are known and taken fully into account both in relation to existing work and the development and implementation of new initiatives. In particular, views on new initiatives are
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  canvassed widely through consultation documents. In response to a recommendation by the Scottish Consumer Council, comments received are placed on a public file (unless respondents request confidentiality) for the benefit of interested parties.

  Health Service (Grading)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present position on grading of sisters at the Institute of Neurological Sciences at Southern General hospital.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  As a result of the regrading exercise 22 sisters have been graded F, 20 G, and one H.

  Forestry
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what circumstances the Forestry Commission requires an environmental assessment of a forestry proposal to convert native woodland or scrub into plantations of non-native trees.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Environmental Assessment (Afforestation) Regulations 1988 apply only to new planting. Proposals to convert existing woodland or scrub would therefore not require an environmental assessment.

  Under the Government's broadleaved policy, woodland which is now broadleaved is expected to remain so, and special attention is given to ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodlands to ensure continuance of their special features.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the rates of return on investment achieved by each conservancy of the Forestry Commission for its commercial forestry holdings at the time of the last quinquennial review; what was the date of that review; and if he will explain the costing depreciation and accounting proceedures used in making his assessment of return.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The last quinquennial review was undertaken by the Forestry Commission as at 31 March 1987. The rates of return on new planting and restocking for each conservancy are listed in special note 3 of the financial statements and accounts published in the Forestry Commission's 67th annual report and accounts 1986–87, copies of which are in the Library. The Forestry Commission's accounting policies are explained in note I to these accounts.

  Labour Statistics
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of people who were classified as long-term unemployed in (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole in December 1979, December 1982 and December 1988.

  Mr. Lang
  As the duration analysis of unemployed claimants is calculated quarterly, the information in the table relates to January in each of the years 1980, 1983 and 1989 due to changes in the coverage of the statistics 728
  during the period the figures are not directly comparable. (Parliamentary constituency figures were not compiled before June 1983.)

  Claimants unemployed for over one year

  January 1980

  January 1983

  January 1989

  Greenock and Port Glasgow Parliamentary constituency

  n.a.

  n.a.

  3,123

  Strathclyde Region

  29,393

  75,242

  63,515

  Scotland

  46,915

  119,874

  106,190

  This information is available in the Library.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the level of unemployment, expressed as a percentage, according to the latest available figures for(a) the Greenock travel-to-work area, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole; and what were the comparable figures 10 years ago.

  Mr. Lang
  The unemployment rates for these areas on 12 January 1989 (the latest date for which information is available) are provided in the table, together with the data available for January 1979. Due to changes in the coverage and compilation of the count the latest unemployment figures and those available for 1979 are not directly comparable.

  Unemployment percentages

  January 1979

  January 1989

  Greenock travel-to-work area

  12·0

  16·5

  Strathclyde region

  9·8

  14·4

  Scotland

  8·4

  12·1

  This information is available in the Library

  Beef Premium
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what administrative arrangements will be applied in connection with the payment of the Community special beef premium at livestock markets for slaughter and at slaughterhouses to comply with the condition that the premium may not be paid on more than 90 male animals from any farm; and if he will take any steps to ensure that cattle breeders in the less favoured areas will benefit from this scheme.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough (Sir J. Farr) on 6 March at column 433, announced that the Community special premium for beef would in the first instance be applied in Great Britain when cattle are sold at live markets for slaughter and at slaughterhouses. Each beef producer may apply for premium on up to 90 head of male animals per year; this condition will be controlled centrally through the computer systems on which the scheme will be run. Farming and trade interests see advantage in applying the premium on-farm, which would help to ensure that breeders in the less-favoured areas would benefit directly from the scheme. Agriculture Ministers will review the practicability and cost effectiveness of moving in due course to an on-farm basis.