Written Answers of 2 May 1989

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Government Debt
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what date he expects Government debt to be wholly repaid.

  Mr. Lilley: Repayment of the whole of the outstanding stock of debt is not an objective of Government policy.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate current overseas holding in the national debt.

  Mr. Lilley
  At the end of 1987–88, the total market holdings of sterling national debt were £173·2 billion, of which £22·1 billion were held by the overseas sector.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which financial sectors received the largest repayment of debt arising from the recent Budget decisions.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 4 April 1989, at column 5. Detailed figures for 1988–89 will not be available for several months. It is impossible to identify in advance the precise composition of the debt repayment arising from the forecast PSDR of £14 billion in 1989–90.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the national debt at May 1979 and at April 1988.

  Mr Lilley
  National Debt is measured annually at the end of the financial year. The total outstanding at the end of 1978–79 was £86·9 billion (47 per cent. of GDP) and at the end of 1987–88 was £197·3 billion (44 per cent. of GDP).

  National debt however, is not the best measure of public sector indebtedness, for instance because it covers only central Government debt, not the whole of the public sector. A better measure is net public sector debt, which was £95·3 billion (50 per cent. of GDP) at the end of 1978–79, and £171·3 billion (38 per cent. of GDP) at the end of 1987–88.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the principal beneficiaries to date of his 1989 Budget decision to repay £14 billion Government debt.

  Mr. Lilley
  The nation as a whole will benefit from this decision as a result of the permanent reduction in debt interest payments, which will free public money for priority spending programmes while still reducing general Government expenditure as a share of GDP.

  Petrol Prices
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what price assumptions for the price of(a) unleaded,
  2
  (b) 2-star and (c) 4-star petrol he based his Budget proposals for the reduction in duty on unleaded petrol; to what extent these have proved accurate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend made it clear in his Budget speech that he expected the full decrease in the duty on unleaded petrol to be passed on to the consumer. He also expected his proposals on 2-star petrol to raise the price at the pumps to the level of 4-star.

  Siemens Printers
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Siemens ND3 printers are used by his Department, either in-house or through a private contract; and what is the location of each.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Treasury does not use Siemens ND3 printers. We do not know what printers are used by our printing contractors.

  Single Market
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on levels of value added tax in the context of progress towards the single market by 1992.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government have made it clear on numerous occasions that they do not consider centrally imposed tax approximation to be necessary for the completion of the single market.

  Capital Inflows
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask The Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give an estimate of the inflow of capital into the United Kingdom due to high income taxpayers making the United Kingdom their base because of the tax regime introduced by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Reductions in tax rates and the success of the Government's general economic policies have created a climate which encourages skilled people to work and pay tax in the United Kingdom. Tax reform has also played a part in encouraging foreign companies to locate in this country. However I regret that the information requested on capital inflows is not available.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his criteria for deciding when it would be appropriate to revise his estimate of the balance of payments deficit for the current year.

  Mr. Major
  As usual, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will publish his next forecast with the 1989 Autumn Statement.

  North Sea Oil
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total value of North sea oil revenue from 1979 to the current date.

  Mr. Lilley
  The estimate of the value of North sea oil and gas revenues in fiscal years 1979–80 to 1988–89 is £69 billion.

  Manufactured Goods (Trade)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the balance of trade in manufacturing for the current year.

  Mr. Major
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Middlesbrough (Mr. Bell) on 19 April, at column 168.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government expect to announce their proposals to levy value added tax on industrial water supply and sewerage services in line with the recent European Court of Justice ruling; what are the expected administration costs of levying value added tax; who will bear the costs; and what is the expected annual return to the Exchequer of the value added tax levy.

  Mr. Lilley
  Clause 18 of the Finance Bill currently before the House details the Government's proposals. the expected additional administration costs for Customs and Excise will be minimal. Water undertakings will incur some administrative costs, mainly in setting up the arrangements. The net impact on Exchequer receipts will be negligible.

  Income Tax and National Insurance
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will show for 1989–90 those ranges of earnings within which the burden of income tax plus national insurance is less than in 1978–79.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The burden of income tax plus national insurance will be less in 1989–90 than it was in 1978–79 at all levels of real earnings.

  Housing Costs
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has with regard to other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries on the percentage contribution housing costs in various forms make to the calculations of a retail prices index; and what is the comparable percentage for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 20 April 1989]: Information on the contribution of housing costs to the consumer price indices for OECD countries is available from national statistical sources and from OECD Main Economic Indicators December 1988. The treatment varies greatly from country to country: for example, some countries include prices of fuel, water and home furnishings as part of housing costs, but others do not. There is also a variety of treatment of home ownership costs: some countries exclude these altogether, others include a measure of imputed rent, while others, like the United Kingdom, include mortgage interest payments. Available figures relate to the base year for the price indices and these differ across countries.

  On this basis the information requested is as follows:
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  Housing Costs

  Percentage weight in consumer price indices

  Percentage

  United States of America

  42

  Japan

  21

  Germany

  15

  France

  9

  United Kingdom

  18

  Italy

  4

  Canada

  38

  Austria

  11

  Belgium

  8

  Denmark

  19

  Finland

  18

  Greece

  13

  Iceland

  13

  Ireland

  6

  Luxembourg

  0

  Netherlands

  16

  Norway

  22

  Portugal

  0

  Spain

  18

  Sweden

  26

  Switzerland

  17

  Turkey

  n/a

  Australia

  14

  New Zealand

  21

  The following indicates precisely which costs are included in the total weight given to the housing component in the consumer price indices in each of the OECD countries. These costs are divided into three categories: (a) costs in the rented sector, (b) the costs of home ownership, and (c) other costs, including in some cases fuel, water, power and home furnishings. A — indicates a zero weight for this item. The figures in brackets are the weights shown in the table.

  United States (42):

  (a) Rent

  (b) Imputed rent, taxes, repairs and insurance

  (c) Fuel, power and home furnishings

  Source:—Bureau of Labour Statistics

  Japan (21):

  (a) Rent and repairs

  (b) Imputed rent

  (c) —

  Source:—Statistics Bureau Management and Co-ordination Agency, Monthly Statistics of Japan

  West Germany (15):

  (a) Rent

  (b) Imputed rent

  (c) —

  Source: Statistisches Bundesamt, Statistisches Jahrbuch 1988.

  France (9):

  (a) Rent and repairs

  (b) —

  (c) —

  Source: INSEE, Bulletin Mensuel de Statistique March 1989

  United Kingdom (18):

  (a) Rent

  (b) Interest payments, repairs, insurance and rates

  (c) Water

  Source: Department of Employment, Employment Gazette April 1989

  Note: The weight of 18 per cent. given in the answer is the latest figure, and compares with 15·25 per cent. shown in table 3.10 of the FSBR.

  Italy (4)

  (a) Rent

  (b) —

  (c) —

  Source: OECD, Main Economic Indicators December 1988
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  Canada (38):

  (a)Rent

  (b)Depreciation, interest payments, property taxes, insurance and repairs

  (c)Fuel, power and home furnishing

  Source: Ministry of Supply and Services, Canadian Economic Observer

  Austria (11):

  (a) Rent

  (b) Loan repayments

  (c)Household services

  Source: OsterreichischesInstitut fur Wirtschaftsforschung, Monatsberichte June 1987

  Belgium (8):

  (a) Rent

  (b)Imputed rent

  (c)—

  Source: Institut National de Statistique, Statistiques Sociales

  Denmark (19):

  (a) Rent and maintenance

  (b) —

  (c) —

  Source: Denmark statistics, Denmark Statistical Yearbook 1988

  Finland (18):

  (a) Rent

  (b) Imputed rent

  (c)Fuel and power

  Source: OECD, Main Economic Indicators December 1988

  Greece (13):

  (a) Rent

  (b) —

  (c) —

  Source: National Statistical Service of Greece, Statistical Yearbook of Greece 1986

  Iceland (13):

  (a) —

  (b) Interest payments, land taxes, rates and maintenance

  (c) —

  Source: OECD, Main Economic Indicators December 1988

  Ireland (6):

  (a) Rent

  (b) Interest payments, rates, insurance and repairs

  (c) —

  Source: CSO, Irish Statistical Bulletin March 1983

  Luxembourg (0):

  (a) —

  (b) —

  (c) —

  Netherlands (16):

  (a) Rent

  (b)Imputed rent

  (c) Water

  Source: Netherlands Central Bureau of Statistics, Statistical Yearbook of the Netherlands 1987

  Norway (22):

  (a) Rent

  (b) Interest payments, rates, insurance and repairs

  (c) Fuel and power

  Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, Monthly Bulletin of Statistics

  Portugal (0):

  (a)—

  (b) —

  (c) —

  Spain (18):

  (a) Rent

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  (b) Imputed rent

  (c) Fuel and electricity

  Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, España Anuario Estadistico.

  Sweden (26):

  (a)Rent

  (b) Depreciation, imputed rent, insurance and repairs

  (c)Fuel and power

  Source: Statistics Sweden, Statistical Abstract for Sweden 1989.

  Switzerland (17):

  (a) Rent

  (b) —

  (c) —

  Source: OECD, Main Economic Indicators December 1988.

  Turkey:

  (a) n/a

  (b) n/a

  (c) n/a

  Australia (14):

  (a) Rent

  (b) Interest payments, rates, insurance and repairs

  (c) —

  Source: Australian High Commission.

  Note:The Australians have just altered the way the housing component of their consumer price index is calculated. The changed calculation reflects the fact that once the mortgage rate is above a certain level further increases do not lead to increased interest payments for the many homeowners who hold mortgages with interest rate ceilings.

  New Zealand (21):

  (a) Rent

  (b) Land and house prices, interest payments, rates, insurance and repairs

  (c) —

  Source: Department of Statistics, Monthly Abstract of Statistics.

  Civil Service Manpower
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the figures for total Civil Service manpower in 1959, 1964, 1970, 1974, 1979 and 1989, giving the percentage of the total working population which these figures represented in each of these years.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 28 April 1989]: The information requested is as follows:

  Civil Service manpower

  Year

  Thousands

  Percentage of work force

  1959

  647

  2·7

  1964

  658

  2·7

  1970

  701

  2·8

  1974

  692

  2·8

  1979

  732

  2·8

  1989

  572

  2·0

  Nationalised Industries (Work Force)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the figures for the total work force employed in the nationalised industries in 1959, 1964, 1970, 1974, 1979 and 1989, giving the percentage of the total working population which these figures represented in each of these years.
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  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 28 April 1989]: The table gives employees in the nationalised industries on a head count basis for 1961, 1964, 1970, 1974, 1979 and 1988. Figures for 1959 and 1989 are not available.

  Nationalised industry employees

  Thousands

  Percentage of working population

  1961

  2,152

  8·7

  1964

  1,949

  7·7

  1970

  1,879

  7·4

  1974

  1,777

  6·9

  1979

  1,849

  6·9

  1988

  798

  12·8

  1 The term working population was replaced in July 1988 by estimates of work force. The latter includes participants in work-related Government training programmes.

  Notes:

  1. All data are for the United Kingdom.

  2. The number of employees in the nationalised industries is given as in Q2 of the relevant year. Working population data are for June of each year.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list both those executive agencies for the Civil Service already set up and those announced as candidates, together with the number of staff in each agency or prospective agency.

  Mr. Luce
  The current list of those Government activities already established as executive agencies under the next steps initiative and those announced by Departments as candidates, together with the number of staff employed, is as follows:

  Executive Agencies Established

  1Approximate Numbers

  Vehicle Inspectorate

  1,600

  Companies House

  1,100

  Her Majesty's Stationery Office

  3,000

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory

  50

  Warren Spring Laboratory

  300

  Executive agency candidates announced

  Building Research Establishment

  700

  Central Statistical Office

  1,100

  Central Office of Information

  850

  Central Veterinary Laboratory

  600

  Civil Service College

  200

  Civil Service Commission Recruitment Service

  300

  Civil Service Occupational Health Service

  150

  Crown Suppliers Fuel Branch

  30

  Defence non-Nuclear Research Establishments

  15,000

  Department of Registers of Scotland

  900

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Directorate

  5,400

  Driver Testing and Training

  2,000

  Employment Service

  41,000

  Historic Buildings and Monuments Directorate (Scottish Office)

  650

  Historic Royal Palaces

  300

  Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce

  1,000

  Insolvency Service

  1,500

  Laboratory of the Government Chemist

  350

  Land Registry

  8,250

  Meteorological Office

  2,500

  National Physical Laboratory

  850

  Passport Department

  1,000

  Patent Office

  1,000

  Planning Inspectorate

  500

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  Executive Agencies Established

  1Approximate Numbers

  QEII Conference Centre

  60

  Radiocommunications Division, DTI

  500

  Resettlement Units

  600

  Royal Parks

  600

  Social Security Operations

  87,000

  Training Agency

  12,000

  Vehicle Component Approval Division, DTp

  70

  Veterinary Medicines Directorate

  70

  Northern Ireland Civil Service: Employment and Training Services, Agricultural Research Establishments, Social Security Operations

  6,000

  1 Figures are target 1.4.88 figures and are approximate.

  Pensions (Retail Prices Index Error)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service, pursuant to his reply of 10 April to the hon. Member for Don Valley,Official Report, column 321, when parliamentary approval was given for funds arising from the retail prices in respect of pensions index error to be repaid.

  Mr. Luce
  Parliamentary approval was given on 15 March for the payment of awards from the RPI error funds to each of the Civil Service pension organisations.

THE ARTS

  European Parliament
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the role of the European Parliament in the fields of arts and culture; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  The European Parliament is itself responsible for its involvement in the field of arts and culture, and has established a committee on youth culture, education, information and sport. The Parliament has the right to make alterations to certain aspects of the annual budget of the European Community.

  Council of Europe
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the role of the Council of Europe in the spheres of arts and culture; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  The Council of Europe has cultural co-operation as one of its agreed objectives. It brings the member states of the European Community into a wider framework of European countries, which all share the desire to maintain and enhance the European cultural dimension.

  The council has appointed a standing council for cultural co-operation and its programme and direction in the field of culture are periodically discussed by the Ministers responsible for these matters. It promotes active involvement in cultural affairs by encouraging the appreciation of the European heritage and individual creativity.

TRANSPORT

  Vehicles (Safety Devices)
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made in fitting devices to vehicles, especially heavy goods vehicles, to prevent them driving too close together; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The most effective device is the driver, exercising judgment about a proper distance in the light of speed and driving conditions. Some vehicle manufacturers incorporate useful devices to improve driver awareness, for example of slippery road surfaces. Industry has long-term research in hand in Britain and abroad into electronic control devices. The safety of those has yet to be proven in real traffic conditions. In the meantime we are developing a performance standard for front guards on heavy goods vehicles to prevent under-running by cars. These have been shown to be capable of saving the lives of up to 60 car occupants per year if fitted to all HGVs.

  Yacht Construction
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had on the European Community draft proposals for categories of yacht construction; and if he will make it his policy to resist any attempt to link categories of construction with restrictions on use in the United Kingdom or European Community waters.

  Mr. Portillo
  There is no such draft EC directive at present, although I understand that the EC Commission has discussed with the International Council of Marine Industry Associations whether it would be useful to bring forward proposals for a directive to establish minimum standards and to remove barriers to trade in the boat construction industry within the EC. My right hon. Friend would look very carefully at any proposals for construction and use regulations for boats.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has given any safety assurances to(a) the Belgian authorities or (b) Belgian Members of the European Parliament about the dangers posed by the overflights of plutonium between Japan and the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We know of no request for such an assurance; nor is one necessary.

  Plutonium flights to Japan, if they take place, will be made in full compliance with international regulations, which require safety for both normal and accident conditions to be built into the design of the container.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all airports used for the export of quantities of plutonium in consignments of 1 g or less; and how often each year such quantities are exported from each airport.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 22 March 1989]: No.

  The Department does not collect this information on a routine basis.
  10
  But I am advised that since 1984 a total of 404 sources or samples of plutonium in quantities of less than 1 g were exported. The large majority of these were sent via Heathrow, with occasional movements via Gatwick and Stansted. Less than 10 samples per year have also been sent from Manchester.

  Fawley (Coal Jetty)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Central Electricity Generating Board has withdrawn its application to build a coal jetty and related works at Fawley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave him on 28 April.

  Seaborne Garbage
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to monitor the amount of seaborne garbage on United Kingdom beaches since 1 January.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Garbage) Regulations 1988 entered into force on 31 December 1988. The Department is considering, together with the Department of the Environment, the most effective way to monitor its impact.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all local authorities which have supplied extra disposal facilities at ports since 1 January for handling shipborne garbage.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is not available. The Merchant Shipping (Reception Facilities for Garbage) Regulations 1988 which came into force on 31 December 1988 require all ports and terminals, including those under local authority control to provide adequate reception facilities for garbage from ships. The Department will shortly complete a survey on what facilities are provided to receive garbage, and at what cost.

  FV Inspire
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has regarding all the circumstances of the sinking of the FV Inspire on 5 September 1988; what is the result of any inquiry that has been undertaken; whether any Royal Navy submarines or submarines of any NATO country are known to have been in the vicinity at the time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Inspire foundered off the west coast of Wales on 5 September 1988 with the loss of three lives. A marine surveyor from the Department was appointed to conduct an investigation into the loss. A summary report of his findings is being produced and I will send the hon. Member a copy. I am advised that there were no United Kingdom or NATO country submarines in the vicinity at the time of the casualty.

  Oil Pollution
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has as to the total cost of the oil spillage caused by the E1 Omar in December 1988 in the Milford Haven, including clean-up costs and insurance claims; and what costs have been received from the ship's owners.
  11
  Mr. Portillo
  The Milford Haven port authority is responsible for oil pollution control within the port area. The Department was not directly involved in the clean-up operations and has no information as to the total costs incurred or compensation received.

  Clean-up was undertaken and costs were incurred by the Milford Haven port authority; Texaco, the operators of the terminal where the E1 Omar was discharging cargo; and the local authorities bordering the haven. It is for them and any other parties suffering damage as a result of the spillage to each seek reimbursement from the owners of the vessel, who are statutorily liable and must have a contract of insurance to cover that liability.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contingency plans he has to cope with a major oil spillage off the west coast of Scotland; what equipment he has stored on the west coast for such an eventuality; and where this is stored.

  Mr. Portillo
  Because it is impossible to predict where or when a tanker accident may occur, the contingency arrangements to combat pollution at sea developed following the Amoco Cadiz incident in 1978 consist of a dedicated contingency response unit on constant standby to direct and control clean-up operations, together with highly mobile resources positioned at various locations around the United Kingdom, from where they can be deployed quickly to the west coast of Scotland or any other part of the United Kingdom that may be threatened by a major oil spillage.

  Included in those resources are dispersant spraying aircraft, two of which are permanently based at Inverness; stocks of dispersant at strategic locations including Paisley, Oban, and Stornoway; oil recovery equipment at Aberdeen; cargo transfer equipment; DAFS fishery protection vessels and commercial tugs fitted with spraying equipment and carrying stocks of dispersant; and stockpiles of specialised beach cleaning equipment, one of which is at Cambusbarron, near Stirling. If necessary, Royal Navy and Royal Maritime Auxiliary vessels in the Clyde, with dispersant spraying equipment, would be called on, together with whatever resources might be available in the private sector, including those owned by oil companies in connection with their responsibilities for clean-up of port terminal and offshore installation spillages.

  Local authorities on the west coast of Scotland all have their own contingency plans for dealing with coastal clean up and can call on advice and assistance from this Department.

  Port authorities generally have their own contingency plans and again, advice and assistance would be provided by this Department in the event of a major spill.

  Air Transport
  Mr. Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has considered the implications for his policy on air transport of the judgment by the Court of Session in the case brought by Air 2000; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend will consider the judgment of the court and will make an announcement shortly.

  Roads (Efficiency Scrutiny)
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the report of the efficiency scrutiny of his Department's activities in relation to local authorities' capital expenditure on roads; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend is arranging for this report to be published today. Copies will be sent to the local authority associations and placed in the Library. Twenty-seven of the 38 recommendations have been accepted. We propose to discuss the implications of a further seven with the associations later in the year.

  Roads (Staffordshire)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what allocation his Department gave Staffordshire county council for(a) capital road building programmes, (b) the maintenance of existing trunk roads and (c) other works relating to pedestrian safety for the years 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90; and what was the imputed amount assigned for works within Stoke-on-Trent boundaries in each of these years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 27 April 1989]: It is not possible to separate expenditure on work solely related to pedestrian safety. Pedestrian safety is one objective of the programme of new construction and maintenance on national roads in Staffordshire. It is also an objective of the highway authority's programme of new construction and maintenance on its own roads.

  The capital allocations for new construction of local roads in Staffordshire are as follows:

  £ million

  1987–88

  10·21

  1988–89

  8·67

  1989–90

  7·66

  The council received about £3 million of transport supplementary grant in each of these years.

  Expenditure on local roads maintenance is the responsibility of the county council.

  Its expenditure on this function has however fallen short of its grant-related expenditure assessment in each of the last three years.

  The national roads programme is not analysed by local authority areas.

  No separate figures are available for expenditure within Stoke-on-Trent.

  Underground Railways (Safety)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what simulated tests were made by London Underground Ltd of evacuation of a full length tube train carrying a rush hour overload in a single line tunnel and supervised by a single member of the railway staff, prior to the extension of one person operation; and if he will list any such occasions since that adoption, carried out in the course of an exercise or in an emergency.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: No simulated evacuations with a rush hour overload have been carried out, though exercises with non-capacity loadings have been undertaken from time to time, most

  13
  recently at Aldwych in summer 1988. London Underground Ltd. assures me that train operators have been, and will continue to be, trained in the techniques of evacuation. It tells me, too, that modifications are in progress to prevent the automatic application of train brakes when the passenger-operated alarm system is used, thereby minimising the risk of trains stopping away from stations in an emergency.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Lomé IV
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations for Lomé IV.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Following the ACP/EC ministerial meeting in Brazzaville in February, work on the renegotiation of Lomé has continued. It is important to make progress in preparation for the next ministerial negotiating meeting at the beginning of June.

  "Interdependence and Cultural Development"
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's response to the Council of Europe's European public campaign on North-South interdependence and its solidarity colloquy entitled "Interdependence and Cultural Development", organised by the secretary-general of the Council of Europe in the framework of the World Decade for Cultural Development, held in Lisbon, Portugal, from 7–8 April 1988; and what input Her Majesty's Government have made to this colloquy.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The Government supported the aims of the Council of Europe's campaign and gave it a grant of £70,000. The Government also met the expenses of the British representative to the European organising committee. In February last year I addressed a round table on developing country debt organised as part of the campaign. The Government made no input to the colloquy on interdependence and cultural development, which took place in Lisbon last April.

  Aid Policy
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to increase aid, particularly in the areas of primary health care and education, which would specifically improve conditions for women in recipient countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 24 April, at column 371.

PRIME MINISTER

  Delors Report
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's response to the Delors report.
  14
  The Prime Minister
  The Delors report envisages a transfer of sovereignty from member states to a new central monetary institution and central control of fiscal policy. It states that economic and monetary union would not be possible within the terms of the existing treaty and that a new treaty would be needed. Paragraph 39 of the report states that economic and monetary union must be viewed as a single process and that the decision to enter upon the first stage should he a decision to embark on the entire process.

  The Government's views on the matters dealt with in the report were set out in the speech given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Royal Institute of International Affairs on 24 January and in his remarks following the meeting of the ECOFIN Council in Luxembourg on 17 April. My right hon. Friend made it clear that we cannot accept the transfer of sovereignty which is implied by the Delors report. Economic and monetary union as spelt out in the report would in effect require political union, a United States of Europe. That is not on the agenda now or for the foreseeable future. My right hon. Friend also made it clear that the Government do not believe there should he further treaty amendment as proposed by the Delors report.

  Environment Seminar
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the agenda and list of invited participants for the seminar on the environment at Chequers on 26 April.

  The Prime Minister
  Those attending included Ministers and representatives of universities, scientific and research institutes and industry. The agenda included a discussion on scientific assessment of climatic change and its impact, measures to mitigate the greenhouse effect, and the international context.

  World War 2 (Anniversary)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to arrange for 3 September 1989, the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of world war 2 to he commemorated as either a British or a European day of thanksgiving for peace.

  The Prime Minister
  No. I do not think that the anniversary of the outbreak of war would be an appropriate occasion to commemorate the achievement and continuation of peace.

  European Social Charter
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Prime Minister what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to the proposals for a European social charter, drawn up by the Economic and Social Committee of the European Community.

  The Prime Minister
  The European Council at its meeting in Rhodes in December 1988 asked the Commission to propose a charter of social rights taking into account the Council of Europe charter. There are as yet no formal proposals from the European Commission for any statement of social rights within the Community. We want to see positive and practical proposals to create more jobs.

  World Bank and IMF
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the responsibilities of(a) Her Majesty's Treasury and (b) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for matters relating to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

  The Prime Minister
  The Treasury is responsible for matters relating to the IMF and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office—mainly through the Overseas Development Administration—for matters relating to the World Bank. The Treasury focuses on the world economy, the international monetary system and debt, whereas the Overseas Development Administration focuses on developmental concerns. Instructions to our executive director in Washington for use at both institutions are co-ordinated as necessary between the two Departments and with the Bank of England and other Departments.

  Public Buildings (Rent)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government are considering proposals for the payment of rent for buildings used by(a) the National Health Service, (b) the police forces, (c) the armed forces and (d) the Prime Minister.

  The Prime Minister
  The White Paper "Working for Patients" (Cm. 555) set out the Government's plans to introduce a system for charging health authorities for the use of their existing capital assets and any new capital investment. The charging system will be designed to provide a strong incentive for the efficient use of assets while ensuring that there is no reduction in the funds available for patient services. Rent, in the form of property repayment service, is already paid on the civil estate, including 10 Downing street. In the case of the armed forces, the Ministry of Defence, as part of its new management strategy, is considering how best to ensure that budget holders make the best use of defence buildings. Payment of rent for buildings occupied by the police service is a matter for the police authorities.

  Planning Appeals and Petitions
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her oral reply to the hon. Member for Dulwich (Mr. Bowden) on Thursday 20 April,Official Report, column 452, she will set out the criteria enabling persons (a) to appeal at a planning inquiry into a new motorway or railway, and (b) to petition against such a proposal heard before a Private Bill Committee.

  The Prime Minister
  The criteria for planning inquiries into a new motorway are set out in the Highways (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 1976 (SI 1976 No. 721), a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Statutory objectors (including all persons whose property is directly affected) have the right to appear. Others may do so at the discretion of the person holding the inquiry. There is no available procedure for giving planning approval for new railways. Persons or organisations whose property or interests are directly and specifically affected by a private Bill may petition against it and be heard by a Committee on the Bill. If a petitioner's locus standi is challenged by the promoter his right to appear is decided by the Court of 16
  Referees (in the Lords by the Committee on the Bill) under "Private Business Standing Orders" or in accordance with the practice of the House.

  Football Matches (Deaths)
  Mr. Howell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will give details of the date, time and place of the 300 deaths associated with attendance at football matches to which she referred in her oral answer to the hon. Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) on 25 April,Official Report, columns 799–800.

  The Prime Minister
  Details of the known post-war incidents at football matches involving British teams leading to fatalities among spectators are as follows:

  Location

  Dale and lime (where known)

  Number of fatalities

  Bolton (Burnden Park)

  9 March 1946 1500 hours (approx)

  33

  Glasgow (Ibrox Park)

  2 January 1971

  66

  Middlesbrough (Ayresome Park)

  12 January 1980

  2

  Bradford (Valley Parade)

  11 May 1985 1545 hours (approx)

  56

  Birmingham (St. Andrew's Park)

  11 May 1985 1750 hours (approx)

  1

  Brussels (Heysel Stadium)

  29 May 1985 1930 hours (approx)

  39

  Sheffield (Hillsborough)

  15 April 1989 1506 hours (approx)

  95

  Total

  292

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister whether at her global climatology seminar on 26 April, the issue of tropical rain forests was discussed; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Yes, the seminar reinforced the importance of the conservation of tropical rain forests and of our support for forestry in developing countries.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.

  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.
  17
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.

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

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 May.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty The Queen.

  £000

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Smoking

  244

  541

  255

  212

  207

  265

  297

  Alcohol

  118

  62

  122

  80

  173

  195

  214

  Dental Health

  23

  48

  53

  71

  45

  39

  32

  Drugs

  —

  —

  —

  340

  450

  285

  373

  AIDS

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  124

  86

  Family Planning

  33

  74

  60

  19

  21

  22

  30

  Immunisation

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  86

  Other

  1,041

  1,012

  1,502

  1,659

  1,537

  1,648

  1,602

  Total

  1,459

  1,737

  1,992

  2,381

  2,433

  2,578

  2,720

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funds were allocated from his Department for directly commissioned research relevant to mental handicap for each of the past five years; and whether he intends those funds to be increased over the next five to 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A range of research projects relevant to mental handicap have been funded by the Scottish Home and Health Department and the Scottish Education Department using a variety of approaches. The figures are:

  £'000

  1984–85

  97

  1985–86

  186

  1986–87

  145

  1987–88

  167

  1988–89

  1161

  1Provisional.

  Mental handicap is a priority area for research and the Scottish Office will favourably consider any application for funding for soundly based relevant projects.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether(a) Royal Navy and (b) Merchant Navy personnel who are away from shore (i) for six months or more continuously, within a fiscal year or (ii) for six months or more within a fiscal year are liable to pay poll tax.

  Mr. Lang
  It is for community charges registration officers to decide in the light of all the facts and

SCOTLAND

  Health Education
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure by each Department and Government-funded health education agency on mass media advertising on(a) smoking, (b) alcohol, (c) dental health, (d) drugs, (e) AIDS, (f) family planning, (g) immunisation, (h) coronary heart disease, (i) the "be all you can campaign" and (j) and any other health campaign in each year from 1978–79 to 1987–88.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In Scotland national health education is the responsibility of the Scottish Health Education Group. It is not possible to identify separately mass media advertising costs, but the following table gives details of expenditure by the group in the areas shown.

  circumstances relating to individual cases whether a person is solely or mainly resident in their area and thus liable to pay the personal community charge.

  Adoption
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the rights of access to centrally and locally held information of a person who was adopted; and what is the statutory basis upon which an adopted person can seek and obtain information about birth and natural parentage.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In Scotland the Registrar General is empowered to disclose to an adopted person aged 17 or over information which links the person's entry in the adopted children register to the original entry in the birth register. The statutory basis on which the Registrar General holds this information and controls access to it is provided by section 45 of the Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978. Under the terms of the Adoption Agencies (Scotland) Regulations 1984, adoption agencies are also empowered to disclose to an adopted person aged 17 or over information held by the adoption agency relating to that person's adoption.

  Pre-school Education
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current percentage of children of pre-school age currently enrolled in state-run pre-school education in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of children in local authority nursery schools and the number of children under five in all local authority schools in September 1987 expressed as percentages of 3 and 4-year-olds in the population were 31·0 and 38·7 respectively. It is estimated
  19
  that when those attending pre-school playgroups and day nurseries are included about 80 per cent. of 3 and 4-year-olds were involved.

  Water Charges
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which classes of people are exempt from water charges in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  People are exempt from water charges in Scotland if their premises do not receive a public water supply. Further, any person detailed in schedule IA to the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987, as amended by the Local Government Finance Act 1988, as exempted from the personal community charge, is also exempted from the personal community water charge.

  Remote Areas
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an estimate of the area of land in(a) the Cairngorms, and (b) the Grampian mountains as a whole which was more than 3 km from a road or vehicular track prior to 1960; whether this area has changed; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not available centrally, but it is clear that following the construction of the access road to the Cairngorm ski development and other vehicular tracks the areas in question are smaller than they were in 1960.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research his Department is carrying out into the effects of high levels of nitrates and lead in water supplies on(a) children and (b) adults.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None. The level of nitrates found in Scottish waters is low and does not present a health problem for either children or adults.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many and which of the water supplies containing excess of nitrate or lead according to the European Community standards will achieve the acceptable standards(a) in 1989 and (b) in 1990;

  (2) how many water supplies in Scotland do not comply with the European Community standards for nitrate or lead content of water supplies; and where they are located.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  One small water supply source in Dumfries and Galloway region and six in Grampian region may at times exceed the European Commission standard for nitrate. That in Dumfries and Galloway will achieve compliance in 1989; those in Grampian are due to be abandoned, two in 1989–90 and the others not later than 1991–92. For information on areas where the lead content of tap water may exceed the European Commission standard I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 22 March 1989, at columns 662–64. In 1989 the acceptable standard will be achieved in 22 of these areas in Dumfries and Galloway, 12 in Grampian, eight in Highland, six in Strathclyde and 10 in Tayside. A further seven areas in Strathclyde will achieve the standard in 1990.

  Environmental Safety
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those areas of policy implementation in regard to environmental safety and regulation which have failed since May 1979; and if he will make a statement on the steps he intends to take to rectify these failures.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Government policies have been applied successfully.

  Police (Central Service)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many claims for damages arising out of alleged breaches of delictual duty have been intimated to each chief constable in respect of the actions of police constables engaged in central duties since 1 January 1967.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have no reason to believe that any such claims have been made but the information requested is not held centrally. A constable whilst on central service is not under the general direction of the chief constable of his home force. Accordingly, the chief constable would not be liable in reparation for any wrongful act or omission on the part of a constable on central service.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the number of incidents in Scotland involving central service police officers who have acted as though they possessed the powers and privileges of police officers in each year since the coming into force of the Police Act 1967.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No such incidents have been brought to the notice of the Scottish Home and Health Department.

  Consultants
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which health boards are to appoint extra consultants; what criteria were used in the allocation of the extra posts; which health boards made applications for more consultants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of hospital consultants in Scotland has been expanding rapidly—by over 3 per cent. last year. A further increase in the number of consultants has been encouraged by a Scottish Home and Health Department circular on hospital medical staffing in Scotland issued to all health boards in December 1988, and I shall be keeping a careful watch to see that progress is maintained. It is for health boards to create new consultant posts, subject to the agreement of the Department, which is advised by the Advisory Committee on Medical Establishments on manpower considerations. Consultant posts recommended in the 1987 report "Staffing the Service—The Next Decade" do not require departmental approval.

  Enterprise Zones
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent assessment his officials have made of the operation of enterprise zones; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  None. Data provided by the Industry Department for Scotland relating to Scottish enterprise
  21
  zones are included in the fourth annual report "Enterprise Zone Information 1986–87" published by the Department of the Environment on 18 April 1989.

  Sand Eels
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on 5 April,Official Report, column 237, he is in a position to estimate what approximate percentage of the stock of 0 group sand eels was taken by the Shetland fishery in each of the past 15 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested, based on the most recent data available, is set out in the table. The quantity of O-group sand eels taken in the Shetland fishery after 1 July is expressed as a percentage of the estimated number alive at 1 July, when most of this age group are recruited to the fishery.

  Year

  Percentage

  1974

  7

  1975

  13

  1976

  10

  1977

  11

  1978

  15

  1979

  5

  1980

  15

  1981

  17

  1982

  20

  1983

  7

  1984

  17

  1985

  10

  1986

  7

  1987

  18

  1988

  n.a.

  SDA and HIDB
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his intentions on the future policies of the Scottish Development Agency and the HIDB in relation to their on-going work in relation to the National Trust for Scotland; and if he will give specific examples of projects to be undertaken by Scottish Enterprise.

  Mr. Lang
  We are currently reassessing the proposals in the Scottish Enterprise White Paper in the light of all the responses received, and will announce our detailed decisions in due course.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the Scottish percentage contribution of United Kingdom manufacturing activity in 1970, 1979, 1986 and 1987.

  Mr. Lang
  The following figures relate to gross domestic product in manufacturing industries in Scotland as a percentage of manufacturing gross domestic product in the United Kingdom.

  GDP in manufacturing industry:

  Scotland as a percentage of the United Kingdom

  Percentage

  1970

  8·3

  1979

  8·5

  1986

  7·9

  1987

  8·0

  22
  Source: IDS and regional accounts.

  EC Assistance
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of loans made to Scotland by the European investment bank in 1988.

  Mr. Rifkind
  (holding answer 28 April 1989): Loans are negotiated directly between the EIB and prospective borrowers. The total amount of loans disbursed in Scotland in 1988 was as follows.

  Number

  Amount £

  3

  221,000,000

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Football Grounds (Safety)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he had with officials of the Football Supporters Association before his statement on 17 April, calling for all-seater stadia for major football clubs in England and Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  None.

  Private Zoos
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what safety regulations or guidelines apply to private zoos; how often they require inspection; and by whom the inspections are carried out.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  All zoos in Great Britain are licensed under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, the provisions of which are administered principally by the appropriate local authority.

  Under the Act, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has laid down standards of modern zoo practice, which specify standards for ensuring animal welfare, in addition to the safety and security of visitors. These standards relate to all licensed zoos, insofar as they are applicable to the nature of the collection.

  Licensed zoos are subject to regular inspections which fall within three categories: first a periodic inspection, approximately every three years, by a team of up to five inspectors chosen jointly by the local authority and the Secretary of State; secondly, an annual informal inspection conducted by a single inspector appointed by the local authority; and thirdly, a special inspection, which may be arranged at any time when the local authority considers that the circumstances warrant one.

  Television Licence
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, North of 18 April,Official Report, column 91, if he will list those areas where television reminders expiring on 31 March were delayed in the post; and if he will reimburse the price increase to those persons who were therefore unable to purchase their television licences at the old price.
  23
  Mr. Renton
  Reports of late delivery of renewal notices have been received from Chelmsford, Milton Keynes, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Newport, Stoke-on-Trent, Taunton and Watford.

  Renewal notices are issued as a service to licence holders and are not a legal requirement. Licences can be renewed up to a month in advance at post offices or by writing to the National TV Licence Records Office and no renewal notice is required for this purpose. It would not therefore be appropriate to reimburse the price increase to licence holders who did not renew March expiry licences until after the fee had gone up.

  Women Prisoners
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women there are in prison in the United Kingdom according to the latest available figures.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On Friday 28 April, the most recent date for which figures are available, 1,769 females were held in prison service establishments in England and Wales. No female prisoners were held in police cells.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women have been injured in prison in the United Kingdom according to the latest available figures.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The available information is published at appendix 5 of the "Report of the Work of the Prison Service, April 1987-March 1988." Only information relating to self-injury is collected.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women have committed suicide while being detained in prison in the United Kingdom according to the latest available figures.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Since 1980 there have been two suicides of women at prison department establishments; the inquest on one similar death has not yet taken place. Deaths in prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for their respective Secretaries of State.

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new information has become available to account for the discrepancy in the information provided about emergency centres in his Department's office report on the implementation of the Civil Defence Regulations 1983 at October 1988 and that provided from the same source in response to earlier parliamentary questions.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on emergency centres is drawn from annual reports submitted by local authorities under the Government's planned programme for implementation of the 1983 regulations (PPI). Records are therefore regularly updated according to reported progress, and earlier answers gave the latest information available at the time of the questions.

  Mr. Gerald Bowen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the outcome of the senior level seminar at the Civil Defence college in November 1988 on the review of the arrangements for handling peacetime emergencies will become available.
  24
  Mr. John Patten
  We hope to make an announcement on the result of the review as a whole shortly.

  Drugs Offences
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to establish compulsory rehabilitation centres as an alternative to prison for drug misusers.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Our proposals in the Green Paper, "Punishment, Custody and the Community" (CM. 424) were that treatment for drug abuse could be part of a programme of supervision in the community for suitable offenders. Effective treatment would need the co-operation of the offender, so it could not be made compulsory. We have no plans to set up compulsory centres.

  Youth Work
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local education authorities have successfully applied for funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for new youth work posts in the last five years, specifying for each authority the year in which section 11 funding was approved.

  Mr. John Patten
  The following local authorities have received approval for section 11 grant for new posts in youth work since the current criteria were introduced in October 1986:

  1987

  Warwickshire

  Bury

  1988

  Rotherham

  Bradford

  Bedfordshire

  1989

  Nottinghamshire

  The information requested in respect of earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Hillsborough Disaster
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can estimate the number of police officers to be involved within the West Midlands police in the Hillsborough inquiry.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of the West Midlands police that on 25 April some 300 of his officers were involved. The number is subject to continuous review.

  Postal Votes
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are issued to medical practitioners with regard to pregnant women and qualification criteria for a postal vote.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Home Office does not issue guidance to medical practitioners on the arrangements for absent voting; the requirements are clearly set out on the relevant application form. As my right hon. Friend explained in his reply to a question from the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 2 March, at column 274, we

  25
  are reviewing the absent voting arrangements. If the hon. Member is aware of a particular difficulty, perhaps she would write to me about it.

  Turkish Immigrants
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has of the number of illegal Turkish immigrants in London.

  Mr. Renton
  It is not practicable to make such an estimate.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which EEC countries require Turkish nationals to have visas when visiting.

  Mr. Renton
  Belgium, Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from local authorities and hon. Members suggesting an amnesty for illegal Turkish immigrants.

  Mr. Renton
  My right hon. Friend has received one such letter—from the chief executive of the London borough of Hackney.

  Roc Sandford
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to whether any of the officers involved in bringing the unsuccessful prosecution of Roc Sandford have subsequently been promoted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the four police officers involved in the prosecution of Mr. Sandford have, like many officers in the force, continued to serve in the same ranks since his acquittal in 1985.

  Immigration (Detainees)
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received against transferring the main place of detention for Immigration Act detainees from Latchmere house in Richmond to Haslar in Gosport.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A number of bodies concerned with the welfare of detainees, including those listed, and a number of hon. and right hon. Members and noble Lords have made representations or written about the proposal to transfer Immigration Act detainees from Latchmere House to Haslar.

  British Refugee Council

  Charter 87

  Immigration Law Practitioners Association

  Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants

  National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux

  National Council for Voluntary Organisations

  Richmond Borough Council

  Richmond Citizens Advice Bureau

  United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service

  Parole
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responses he has received to the 26
  report of the review committee on the parole system in England and Wales, which sat under the chairmanship of Lord Carlisle of Bucklow, from interested organisations and in particular, the council of Her Majesty's circuit judges and the High Court judges; and with what result.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have received 20 responses to the Carlisle report. These came from interested individuals and organisations including judges, the Parole Board, the Magistrates Association, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Central Council of Probation Committees, the Association of Chief Officers of Probation, the National Association of Senior Probation Officers, the National Association of Probation Officers, the Justices Clerks Society, the Labour party, NACRO and the Howard League. The recommendations of the Carlisle report were far-reaching and we are considering the best way forward, taking account of the comments which we have received and of the implications for the prison population.

  Computers
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to make a response to the Law Commission's working paper No. 110 on computer misuse; whether he will make it public; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Law Commission's working paper set out legal issues for consultation purposes, but did not make firm recommendations. The central question was whether there should be a new offence of hacking. The Government have not yet reached a considered view on this question and the commission has been so informed. I understand that the Law Commission hopes to publish its report making recommendations within the next few months.

  Animals (Tests)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on recent trends in the number of animals used in LD50 tests.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The advisory committee on the administration of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 estimated in 1979 that the number of LD50 tests which were carried out in 1977 was about 229,500. The "Statistics on Scientific Procedures on Living Animals 1987" included for the first time statistical returns for these procedures, of which these were 111,313 in 1987 (Cm. 515; table 14).

  The Government are supporting international work on acute toxicity testing and on further reducing the need for formal LD50 tests as part of their policy of encouraging international regulatory bodies which require such tests to review the continuing need for them.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with respect to the support grades in his Department(a) what is the number of staff employed, (b) how many vacancies there are and how many of these have existed over one month and over three months, (c) how many temporary and casual appointments there are and (d) how much overtime was worked by them in London and elsewhere.
  27
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are 750 staff in post and 34 vacancies in the office support grades in the Home Office. Twenty five of these vacancies were unfilled one month ago and 19 three months ago.

  The Department has 17 casual staff in these grades.

  Staff in support grades worked more than 2,500 hours overtime in the London area during the last three-month period for which figures are available. Over 3,800 hours were worked elsewhere.

  Siemens Printers
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Siemens ND3 printers are used by his Department, either in-house or through a private contract; and what is the location of each.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to require electoral registration oficers to inspect community charge registers.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. It is for each electoral registration officer to decide how best to discharge his statutory duty to have a house-to-house or other sufficient inquiry made as to the persons entitled to be registered. Home Office guidance to electoral registration officers, issued last August, draws attention to their right to inspect the community charge register and the possibility thereby of improving the accuracy of the electoral register.

  Citizenship
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the office he established in Liverpool to process British citizenship applications opened; how many staff are employed there; what is the current delay between letters arriving and being opened; what is the current total of letters to be opened; what is the average delay in dealing with applications; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The Liverpool nationality office opened on 22 August 1988, and on 26 April 1989 119 staff were employed there. The average times taken to complete applications concluded in March 1989 were 16 months for registrations and 22 months for naturalisations.

  Good progress continues to be made in processing applications for registration under the transitional provisions of the British Nationality Act 1981 and, up to the end of March 1989, the Liverpool nationality office had completed action on over 36,000 applications. The remaining registration applications at the Liverpool nationality office will be completed by the end of this financial year.

  All correspondence to the immigration and nationality department is being opened and acknowledged within one day of receipt or, where fees are involved, immediately after the fees have been brought to account.

  Iranians
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iranians(a) arrived and
  28
  (b) left for each of the last eight years; and what has been the total number of Iranians in the United Kingdom each year.

  Mr. Renton
  The number of Iranian citizens admitted into the United Kingdom is given in the table. Estimates of the numbers who left the United Kingdom could be provided only at disproportionate cost. It is estimated from the labour force survey that since 1981 the number of Iranian citizens resident in Great Britain has been in the region of 25,000.

  Admissions into the United Kingdom of Iranian citizens, 1981 to 1988

  Number

  1981

  36,000

  1982

  34,000

  1983

  43,000

  1984

  59,000

  1985

  67,200

  1986

  58,900

  1987

  45,000

  1988

  35,900

  Immigrants (Exceptional Leave)
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the term of the exceptional leave granted, and why it was granted in the case of the two men named in his answer of 18 April,Official Report, column 92.

  Mr. Renton
  Both men were granted exceptional leave under the policy relating to Sri Lankan Tamils announced on 20 May 1985, at column 273. Leave was initially granted to them in September 1986, and was renewed on application. They were last granted leave for periods of 12 months in June and July last year.

  Police (Central Service)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for damages arising out of alleged breaches of duty under the law of tort have been intimated to each chief constable in respect of the actions of police constables engaged in central duties since 1 January 1964.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Under section 43 of the Police Act 1964 a police officer who has been seconded to central services ceases to be a member of a police force for the duration of his secondment. Accordingly, while on central service he is not under the direction and control of his chief officer of police and the question of the chief officer's liability for torts does not arise.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has regarding the number of incidents involving central service police officers who have acted as though they possessed the powers and privileges of police officers in each year since the coming into force of the Police Act 1964.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information is not available.

  Special Constables
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables are employed in South Yorkshire; and what are their qualifications and selection procedures.
  29
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As at 31 December 1988 there were 309 special constables in South Yorkshire police. I understand from the chief constable of South Yorkshire that the qualifications for entry into the special constabulary in South Yorkshire are basically that applicants must be of British nationality, physically fit, of good character, have satisfactory eye sight, have an education standard adequate for their duties, be aged between 18½ and 50 and reside in the force area. Men should be not less than 167cm and women 162cm in height.

  Applicants who meet these requirements are interviewed by a divisional chief superintendent and a special constabulary divisional commandant, who make recommendations to the chief constable. The chief constable then decides whether to accept or decline the applications.

  Press Law Review
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce the result of the independent press law review group; and what will be its membership and relationship to the Government.

  Mr. Renton
  We are considering the terms of reference for the review of privacy and related matters, and the composition of the committee which will carry it out. A further announcement will be made shortly.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether the committee he will appoint to review the press will include representatives of(a) the churches, (b) consumer groups, (c) the voluntary sector, (d) education, (e) the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom and (f) the trade unions;

  (2) whether his review of the press will consider (a) the right of reply, (b) the law of confidentiality, (c) cheque-book journalism, (d) the role and future of the Press council, (e) the role of independent directors, (f) ownership and (g) freedom of information;

  (3) whether it is his intention to publish (a) the report of the committee due to inquire into the press, and (b) the evidence presented to that committee;

  (4) whether he will publish the detailed terms of reference of his review of the press;

  (5) whether his review of the press will cover (a) the traditional press, (b) regional press, and (c) free sheets.

  Mr. Renton
  We are considering the terms of reference for the review of privacy and related matters, and the composition of the committee which will carry it out. A further announcement will be made shortly.

  Baby Food
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report, the number of incidents of contamination of baby food notified to the police on each day since the first incident was reported on 7 April.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that since 7 April the number of reported incidents in England, Wales and Scotland of contamination of baby food notified to the police each day are as follows:
  30

  Number of reported incidents

  Date

  Number

  April 7

  1

  April 9

  1

  April 10

  4

  April 15

  1

  April 17

  3

  April 20

  1

  April 22

  1

  April 24

  5

  Reliable national figures for the period since 24 April are not yet available centrally.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the police notified his Department of the existence of the threat to safely involved in the contamination of baby food.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Home Office was notified on 26 April. I understand that the police were in touch with the Department of Health some days earlier. The police had previously ensured that local warnings about the threat to safety were issued whenever specific incidents of contamination were discovered.

  Laboratory Staff
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if his Department makes a local pay addition to secretarial, clerical and typing staff at the central research and support establishment and at the regional forensic science laboratory, both at Aldermaston; and if he has any proposals for the payment of an addition to forensic scientists at the laboratories;

  (2) if he has any proposals for the payment of a special pay addition to forensic scientists working at the central research laboratory and at the regional forensic science laboratory, both at Aldermaston; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will introduce for forensic scientists working at the central research laboratory and at the regional forensic science laboratory, both at Aldermaston, a new pay structure including a special pay addition, and similar to that affecting scientists employed by the Ministry of Defence working on the same Aldermaston site in the atomic weapons research establishment.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  From 1 April 1989 clerical, secretarial and typing staff at the central research and support establishment and forensic science laboratory a t Aldermaston, who have one year's service, receive a local pay addition of £600 pa.

  The case for special pay increase to scientific staff up to senior scientific officer level at these establishments on the grounds of recruitment and retention difficulties is under consideration.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement concerning the morale of scientists within the Home Office forensic science service, in the light of the comments made in the recent report of the Select Committee on Home Affairs, (HC 686).

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We will be responding to the Home Affairs Select Committee report on the forensic science service shortly.

  The forensic science service is now emerging from a period of uncertainty. The Select Committee recognised

  31
  that a good deal has been done recently to build up morale and tackle the other problems which the service faces. We are keeping up the pace of this work.

  Hillsborough Football Ground
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of South Yorkshire as to the numbers of police officers deployed(a) outside the ground and (b) inside the ground at the Sheffield, Hillsborough football ground in each of the last 10 years when FA cup semi-final matches have been played ther;

  (2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of South Yorkshire as to how many police officers were involved in the total operation for policing FA cup semi-final matches in each of the last 10 years that they have been played at Sheffield, Hillsborough.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand from the chief constable of the South Yorkshire police that the total number of police officers involved in 1988 was 1,173 and in 1989 1,133. Of these totals the number of officers dedicated to policing inside the ground in 1988 was 286 and in 1989 266. Figures for previous years are not readily available.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of South Yorkshire as to the proportion of the cost for the policing operations at Sheffield, Hillsborough football ground that has been paid by(a) Sheffield Wednesday football club and (b) the police authority in each of the last 10 years when FA cup semi-final matches have been played there.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that FA Cup semi-final matches were played at Hillsborough in 1980, 1987 and 1988. This year's match was abandoned. No information on policing costs is available for 1980 and the costs for this year's match have not yet been calculated. Sheffield Wednesday football club does not bear any part of the costs of these matches, since the costs falling upon the organisers are met by the Football Association. The FA met 26·3 per cent. of the total costs in 1987 and 49·8 per cent. in 1988.

  "Punishment, Custody in the Community"
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many responses he has received from organisations and individuals to the Green Paper "Punishment, Custody in the Community"; and how many of those organisations and individuals support the need for a new punishment in the custody order as outlined in part 3 of the aforenamed document.

  Mr. John Patten
  Over 160 responses have been received. The Green Paper put forward three possible variations of the new sentence, which would have a number of components. Those who replied frequently supported some elements but not others.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list comprehensively those organisations which have so far submitted a response to the Home Office Green Paper, "Punishment, Custody in the Community" published in July 1988.
  32
  Mr John Patten
  The main organisations who responded to the Green Paper are as follows. In addition, responses were received from 59 probation services, probation committees and liaison committees, from 16 magistrates groups, benches and juvenile panels, from four social service departments and from a wide range of interested individuals and groups.

  Organisations who submitted comments on 'Punishment, Custody and the Community'

  The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

  Aquarius

  Coventry and Warwickshire Alcohol Advisory Service

  The Conservative Women's National Committee

  The Labour Campaign for Criminal Justice

  Greater Manchester Police Authority

  The Police Federation of England and Wales

  The Police Superintendents' Association

  The Offenders Tag Association

  Forum for Initiatives on Reparation and Mediation

  Yorkshire and Humberside Intermediate Treatment Association

  Leeds Adult Tracking

  The Prison Reform Trust

  Action on Youth Crime

  London and Southwark Prison and Penal Reforms Group

  The Association for Juvenile Justice

  The Children's Legal Centre

  Corby and Kettering Juvenile Liaison Bureau

  The Children's Society

  Barnardos

  Save the Children

  The Rainer Foundation

  Community Service Volunteers

  Nottingham Black Initiative

  The National Association of Victim Support Schemes

  Bristol Victims Support Scheme

  The Football League

  The Trades Union Congress

  The National Association of Local Government Officers

  The Crown Prosecution Service

  The Magistrates' Association

  The Association of Chief Officers of Probation

  The National Association of Probation Officers

  The National Association of Senior Probation Officers

  The Central Council of Probation Committees

  The National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders

  The Prison Governors' Association

  The Justices' Clerks' Society

  The Association of County Councils

  The Association of Directors of Social Services

  Mr. Morton Hammer and Family
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet in a position to give a decision in the case of Mr. Morton Hammer and family, ref: H297787.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 28 April 1989]: Mr. Morton Hammer's case cannot be resolved until his solicitors supply information requested of them in February by the immigration department. As soon as that information is available the application will be considered and Mr. Hammer notified of the result direct. Mr. Hammer has been given two months leave to enter the United Kingdom to enable him or his representatives to submit the details required.

  Data Protection
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information he has as to the number of alleged breaches of the Data Protection Act;
  33
  how many of these relate to breaches of confidentiality; how many have been proved; how many cases are still under investigation; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what information he has as to the penalties which have been imposed on companies, and individual organisations for breaches of the Data Protection Act in cases concerning confidentiality; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 28 April 1989]: The Data Protection Registrar does not collect information in the form requested. Details of those cases in which enforcement action is taken are published in his annual report to Parliament.

  Sporting Events (Fatalities)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has regarding fatalities among spectators at sporting events during the past 10 years.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 20 April 1989]: The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys has published statistics relating to fatal accidents in England and Wales occurring during sporting and leisure activities since 1982. The figures for fatalities amongst spectators are as follows:

  Number of fatalities

  Year

  Number

  1982

  2

  1983

  1

  1984

  3

  1985

  56

  1986

  1

  1987

  4

  Source: OPCS 'Monitor' reference DH4.

  Notes:

  The 1985 figure does not include one fatality at Birmingham City football ground.

  Figures for 1988 not yet available.

  In addition, I understand that two people died in 1980 as a result of the collapse of a pillar at Ayresome Park football ground, Middlesbrough.

  Mrs. Laurie Clare Marlborough
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Greater Manchester as to the authority under which police officers(a) arrested and (b) handed over to American military authorities Mrs. Laurie Clare Marlborough of Heaton Norris, Stockport, and as to whether the code of practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act was observed in relation to her arrest and detention;

  (2) when Her Majesty's Government was informed under the terms of the 1951 Agreement regarding the status of forces of parties to the North Atlantic Treaty by the United States Government that Mrs. Laurie Clare Marlborough of Heaton Norris, Stockport, was a deserter from the United States Navy; what requests were made by the United States Government; what response was made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 7 April 1989]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the chief constable of Greater Manchester
  34
  police that the Metropolitan police were informed on 19 October 1988 that Mrs. Marlborough was a deserter from the United States Navy. After inquiries regarding her nationality status had been completed, Stockport police were requested on 29 March 1989 to arrest her. Mrs. Marlborough was arrested on the same day under section 13 of the Visiting Forces Act 1952 and handed over to the United States Navy authorities on the following day.

  I further understand that the provisions of the codes of practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 were fully complied with; and that the matter is now the subject of a complaint which is being investigated under the provisions of part IX of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  European Nuclear Disarmament
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received over the last 10 years from the organisation European Nuclear Disarmament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We do not have a record of representations received from the organisation European Nuclear Disarmament over the last 10 years. The information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Namibia
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will report on the progress being made towards a peaceful resolution in Namibia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Agreements have been reached on a framework for the return of SWAPO forces to positions north of 16th parallel in Angola. It is important that these agreements are put into effect and that all parties abide by their undertakings in the UN plan.

  Khatchaturian Family
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs why the British high commission in Calcutta has refused permission for Mrs. Jenny Khatchaturian, her husband Mr. Baron Max Khatchaturian and their child Arthranick Khatchaturian of 1A Susil Sen road, Bhowpamipore, Calcutta, to visit the United Kingdom, following the death of their close relative in Caernarfon; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  In accordance with the recent guidelines on the handling of representations by Members of Parliament in immigration cases, issued to Members on 14 December 1988, I have referred the question to the correspondence unit of the migration and visa department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The hon. Member will receive a reply from the Unit in due course.

  European Green Parties (Congress)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if any member of the United
  35
  Kingdom embassy staff in Paris was present as an observer at the fifth congress of the European green parties held in Paris between 7 to 9 April.

  Mrs. Chalker
  No member of the British embassy staff in Paris attended any of the congress sessions, nor was the embassy invited to participate. But one member of staff visited the accompanying exhibition and attended a congress press conference.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The usual forecast was deposited in the House earlier today. At present nine meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for May.

  The Internal Market Council on 3 May will discuss a number of measures relevant to the completion of the internal market.

  The Energy Council will meet on 11 May to consider a Commission paper on transparency of consumer energy prices, an initiative designed as a step towards completing the internal energy market. It will have a first look at THERMIE, a successor programme to the Community's research and development programme for the hydrocarbons sector and its demonstrations scheme, concerning the promotion of energy technology in Europe, and discuss the prospects for an internal market in integrated electrical energy systems. Ministers will attempt to agree a set of recommendations on the Community refining industry left over from the November Council, and also give further consideration to a proposal for improving the efficiency of electricity use. The Council will also discuss Directive 75/404 on the restriction of the use of natural gas in power stations, and complete the agenda by looking at a proposal for a Council directive concerning the procedures for the award of public works contracts in the water, energy and transport sectors.

  The Health Council on 16 May will discuss: Europe against cancer programme, tobacco labelling, tar content in cigarettes, smoking in public places and advertising of tobacco products. It will also discuss cardio-vascular diseases, the prevention and control of AIDS, and drugs.

  The Development Council meets on 16 May. It is expected to discuss the state of progress on the current negotiations of the Lomé convention. It will also adopt conclusions on: evaluation of development co-operation; how the Community might take account of the role of women in development; and the need to avoid marginalising particular sections of the population when designing aid programmes. The Council is expected to agree conclusions between the Commission and member states in respect of their approaches to the support of structural adjustments in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) signatories of the Lomé convention. It will also discuss the Commission's report on the review of financial and technical co-operation with Latin American and Asian developing countries.

  The Culture Council on 18 May will include a discussion on specific actions relating to books: Ministerial resolution and Commission communication. Additionally, discussion is likely to be taken forward on audio-visual matters and in particular on a conference on
  36
  the subject to be hosted by the French Government in Paris in September 1989. This initiative is aimed at strengthening the European internal market in this field.

  The Education Council on 22 May will consider the Commission's proposal for a Community programme to promote the learning of foreign languages (the LINGUA programme) and will review the basis for co-operation in education in the medium term. Discussions are expected also to cover a first response to the Commission's proposal for adaptation of the Erasmus decision and possible new activity relating to educational provision for gipsies and other travelling groups among the population.

  The Foreign Affairs Council, meeting on 22–23 May, will discuss progress in the current negotiation of the Lomé convention, and the current state of play on the negotiations for a new international coffee agreement. It will also review progress by the high-level task force set up to resolve the EC-US dispute over hormones in meat. The Council may have a preliminary discussion of a draft mandate for negotiations with the USSR on a trade, commercial and economic co-operation agreement. It may also be asked to approve a mandate for negotiations with the USSR on a textiles agreement. An EC-Israel Co-operation Council will be held in the margins of the Foreign Affairs Council.

  The Industry Council meets on 29 May. It will consider a draft decision establishing a four-year action programme for small and medium enterprises. It will also discuss: a new proposal for resolving the problems of restructuring the Italian public-sector steel industry; a Commission paper on cross-border industrial collaboration in the Community; proposals for a European mining policy; and the Commission's mid-term review on the 6th directive on shipbuilding aid. There will also be a discussion on the automobile sector including EC-wide arrangements for Japanese imports after 1992, emission standards, the state aid framework for automobiles and local content rules.

  The Agriculture Council will meet on 29 and 30 May to discuss plant health, marketing of compound feeding-stuffs, pesticide residues, the forestry action programme, and possibly conversion of agricultural production and certain measures in the wine sector.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Malta
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what have been the main items he has discussed with representatives of the Government of Malta since the last general election there; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Since the Nationalist party won the general elections in May 1987, we have discussed a wide range of bilateral and multilateral subjects with the Maltese Government. In the context of our excellent bilateral relations, the discussions have in particular covered the new technical co-operation programme, announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 15 September 1988, the co-operation agreement, signed when I visited Malta from 14 to 16 March, and the opening of the British Council English Language resource centre, in Valetta, due to take place this autumn.

  "Britain's Voice in South Africa"
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many copies of the booklet "Britain's Voice in South Africa" have been printed; at what cost; what will be the main avenues for their distribution; and what are the estimated costs of distribution.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The total number of copies of the booklet printed or planned is 17,000. The total cost is £21,840. More than 6,000 copies have already been despatched to 145 British diplomatic missions. Further supplies will be sent in response to demand. About 1,000 booklets have been distributed in Britain, including 650 to Members of Parliament. Booklets were distributed to British diplomatic missions with other routine information material. Distribution costs of individual items are not separately identifiable.

  Departmental Policy
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out(a) those areas of policy successes and (b) those areas of policy failures within his Department's responsibilities since May 1979.

  Mrs. Chalker
  For the period to May 1988, I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 6 May 1988 at col.638 to the question from my late hon. Friend the then Member for Epping Forest (Sir John Biggs-Davison). We have continued successfully to pursue policies aimed at safeguarding Britain's security through membership of NATO, developing Britain's prosperity within the European Community, and strengthening international stability and order through an active bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.

  South Africa
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Britain has full diplomatic relations with South Africa.

  Iraq
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last had discussions on Iraqi Kurdistan with the authorities of Iraq; and what was the substance of those discussions.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have regularly raised with the Iraqi authorities our concerns over their Kurdish population and human rights violations against the community.

  Most recently I did so with the Iraqi ambassador on 19 April, and in particular made clear that we would view with grave concern any evidence of any mass deportations of Kurds. The Iraqi Government have admitted to some localised resettlement of Kurds for security reasons, but have denied mass relocation to the south of the country. We have urged the Iraqi Government to allow diplomats and journalists to visit the areas concerned to see for themselves.

  E1 Salvador
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 25 April to the hon. Member for Oxford, East,Official Report, column 463, if he will now make urgent representations to the E1 Salvadorean Government concerning the case of Senor Cordova Aguilar.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have on numerous occasions made very clear to the E1 Salvadorean authorities the importance that we attach to proper respect for human rights.

  We are conveying to the authorities the concern which is felt over the case of Senor Cordova Aguilar's disappearance. We have also been in touch with Tutela Legal, the human rights office of the Catholic Church in El Salvador, who have informed us that there are no clues as to who was responsible for Senor Cordova Aguilar's disappearance in July last year.

  EC Commission
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the number of full-time staff employed at the office of the European Communities Commission in London.

  Mrs. Chalker
  There are 24 full-time staff.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the reasons for the information office located at the office of the European Communities Commission in London being unable to take telephone inquiries until after 2 pm on each working day.

  Mrs. Chalker
  This is a matter for the European Commission Office.

  Child Slavery
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will reveal any plans he has to make known Britain's abhorrence of the child slave trade that is currently operating in a wide variety of countries in the Third world.

  Mr. Eggar
  Britain has long abhorred the child slave trade and this position is already well-known throughout the world. We shall continue to make clear that we deplore the practice of slavery in all its forms wherever in the world it goes on.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Inquests
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Attorney-General what is his policy concerning requests for authorisation to make application to the High Court for a fresh inquest into a cause of death; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  In each instance in which a request is made to me I consider whether an application to the High Court under section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988 would have a reasonable prospect of establishing that it is necessary or desirable in the interests of justice for a fresh inquest to be held.
  39
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Attorney-General how many requests he has received in the last year for which figures are available, for him to issue authorisations to make application to the High Court for fresh inquests; and how many of these requests were successful.

  The Attorney-General
  In the 12-month period ending 31 March 1989, 14 requests were received. Of these requests six were granted, five were refused, two were withdrawn and one is still being considered.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Attorney-General in what circumstances, when he refuses leave to apply to the High Court for a fresh inquest, he supplies reasons for his decision; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  If I decline to give my authority for an application to the High Court under section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988 I do so because I consider that the application would have no reasonable prospect of establishing that it is necessary or desirable in the interests of justice for a fresh inquest to be held. In such circumstances it is not my practice to give a more particular reason.

  Public Record Office (Files Embargo)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will give the reasons for the embargo of 75 years that was placed on the following files in the Public Record Office: MH55 reference numbers 1749, 1760 and 1761; and if the Lord Chancellor will now remove the embargo.

  The Attorney-General
  The first file referred to, MH55/1749, has been closed for 75 years in accordance with the established criteria set out in paragraphs 24 to 27 of the White Paper "Modern Public Records, Cmnd. 8531, March 1982." There are no plans to reduce the file's closure period. MH55/1760 has been open to public inspection since 1986. MH55/1761 is not available for public inspection because its contents are not yet 30 years old.

  Courts (Notices)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions during the past 12 months courts in Wales have received complaints that they have been sending out English only notices to Welsh speaking people; and if he will take steps to review the procedures in courts in Wales to ensure that all initial notifications of court proceedings are bilingual and that any subsequent correspondence is either bilingual or in the desired language of the individual concerned.

  The Attorney-General
  During the last 12 months none of the courts in Wales, for which the Lord Chancellor is responsible, have received any formal complaints that English only notices have been sent out from them. The question of the use of bilingual forms in courts in Wales has been reviewed many times and the Lord Chancellor's Department will continue to keep all procedures under review.

EMPLOYMENT

  Speech Therapists
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if there are any speech therapists registered as unemployed in Glasgow.

  Mr. Lee
  The information is not available since there is no analysis of the unemployment count by occupation.

  YTS
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people in South Yorkshire are in receipt of YTS allowances; and if he has any plans to increase them in line with(a) the retail prices index, (b) the yearly rate of inflation and (c) average earnings.

  Mr. Cope
  On 31 March 1989, 14,600 young people in South Yorkshire were undertaking training on YTS and in receipt of YTS allowances. A further 3,700 young people in South Yorkshire were employed and undertaking YTS training, but these young people are paid a wage by their employer instead of a trainee allowance. There are no plans to increase the value of the YTS allowance.

  Training Agencies
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will call for a report from the training agencies at Merseyside and Manchester on the reasons for the one-day strike by training agency staff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  Forty nine training agency staff in Merseyside and 36 in Manchester took "industrial action" on 26 April. This constituted a very small minority of training agency staff in these two areas. The action was organised by the Civil and Public Servants Association in protest against the privatisation of the skills training agency, reductions in staffing and the establishment of training and enterprise councils. The action was misguided and the vast majority of training agency staff did not take part.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will place in the Library details of each major publicity campaign mounted by his Department in 1985–86 and each successive year, including in each case the objectives of the campaign, the intended audience and the outcome of the monitoring of the achievement of the intended objectives, and national research conducted for him by the Central Office of Information together with a note of the intended objectives in the campaigns in 1989–90;

  (2) if he will place in the Library details of each major publicity campaign mounted by the Manpower Services Commission and the Training Agency in 1985–86 and each successive year, including in each case the objectives of the campaign, the intended audience and the outcome of the monitoring of the achievement of the intended objectives, and national research conducted for him by the Central Office of Information together with a note of the intended objectives in the campaigns in 1989–90.

  Mr. Cope
  I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will reproduce table 7.29 of the public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 607) using the most recent revised figures available.

  Mr. Cope
  In respect of table 7.29 of the public expenditure White Paper, figures for the financial years 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92 remain unchanged. Only the estimated outturn figures for 1988–89 are subject to change at present. However, the final outturn figures for 1988–89 are not yet available. These will be published in the Department's appropriation accounts later this year.

  Wages
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take immediate steps to restore the minimum wage levels for young persons aged between 16 and 21.

  Mr. Cope
  No.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Single Market
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the speech by Mr. Giovanni Falcone of the Sicilian magistrates about the consequences of the single market for the Mafia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Mr. Falcone's remarks were part of a round table discussion on the Mafia and business in Sicily. the meeting was organised by the newspaper II Sole 24 Ore which carried an extensive report, including a transcript of the discussion. My Department has a copy of this report. Mr. Falcone said, in the context of the Mafia, that it was important to be aware of the possibilities that might arise for exporting criminal activities once the frontiers were abolished within the single European market. I am reassured, however, to note that Mr. Falcone also says that the Italian authorities are taking strong measures to combat Mafia business activities and that he is optimistic about the growing effectiveness of these measures.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement outlining the changes made recently in defining reciprocity for the purposes of the banking provisions of the single market.

  Mr. Lilley
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Commission recently presented revised proposals for a reciprocity provision in the second banking co-ordination directive. As explained by the Commission, the revised proposals would set the Community's maximum negotiating objective as the achievement of effective market access and competitive opportunities for European Community credit institutions in a third country comparable to those accorded by the Community to credit institutions from that third country. The proposals include a procedure for suspension of new authorisations where credit institutions of the Community did not enjoy national treatment, effective market access and the same competitive opportunities as domestic institutions in a third country. The Council of Ministers had an initial discussion on these proposals on 17 April, and they are being considered further.

  Right to Buy (Publicans)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will introduce legislation to provide for a right to buy for publicans.

  Mr. Maude
  The Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the supply of beer recommended that a new brewers code of practice should be negotiated by the Director General of Fair Trading. This would require the brewers to incorporate a number of provisions into tenancy agreements and leases which contained any form of tie in respect of beer. One such provision would he that before the brewer/landlord disposes of any public house which has a licensee/tenant to a purchaser which is not itself a brewery company the brewer/landlord should give the tenant/licensee a reasonable opportunity of acquiring the premises at market value. My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State has said he is minded to accept the recommendations of the MMC report.

  Securities and Investments Board
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next intends to meet the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board.

  Mr. Maude
  I meet the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board as frequently as is necessary.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. and noble Friend and I met the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board on 15 February. The discussion ranged widely over the area of the regulation of financial services.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has had regarding independent financial advisers' responses to the Green Paper from the Securities and Investments Board.

  Mr. Maude
  I have received a number of representations regarding the proposals in the Securities and Investments Board's consultation paper "Life Assurance and Unit Trusts Disclosure—the regime for 1990" published last December. Most raise the respective disclosure requirements for tied agents and independent financial advisers.

  Self-regulatory Organisations
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the performance of self-regulatory organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  It is for the Securities and Investment's Board to oversee the performance of the self-regulating organisations.

  Leisure Circle
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many complaints he has received about the trading practices and selling methods of the Leisure Circle mail order company.
  43
  Mr. Forth
  I have not received any complaints about this company.

  Leisure Circle is a member of the Association of Mail Order Publishers. The Mail Order Publishers' Authority administers the association's code of practice and as such considers and seeks to resolve individual complaints.

  Research Institutes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list by standard region the research institutes operated for or on behalf of his Department and the total employment thereat; if he will give for each region the total number of such institutes and the employment therein; and if he will express the regional totals as a percentage of the national totals.

  Mr. Forth
  The distribution of Department of Trade and Industry's research establishments falls in two regions —Scotland and the south-east. There is one establishment in Scotland and three are in the south-east.

  The total number of staff in post at 1 March 1989 (excluding casual staff) was 1,951, of which 30 per cent. were in Scotland and 70 per cent. in the south-east. The research establishments and their staff are:

  Area

  Research establishments

  Number

  Scotland

  National Engineering laboratory, East Kilbride

  579·0

  South-east region

  Warren Spring laboratory (now an executive agency), Stevenage, Herts

  290·5

  Laboratory of the Government Chemist, Teddington, Middlesex

  312·5

  National Physical laboratory (excluding the national measurement accreditation service—NAMAS), Teddington, Middlesex

  769·0

  Unichem
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will place a copy of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report into Unichem in the Library.

  Mr. Maude
  I will do so as soon as it has been considered by my right hon. and noble Friend and laid before the House.

  Tankers (Export Credits)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if export credits have been approved for the tankers to be built at Harland and Wolff, Belfast.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  It has been the practice of successive Governments not to disclose information about ECGD support for individual cases.

ENERGY

  Fawley B Power Station
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the Central Electricity Generating Board has withdrawn its application to build a coal-fired power station at Fawley B, and if he will make a statement.
  44
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 28 April 1989, at column 707.

  Petrol Prices
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the recent increases of petrol prices for motorists.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I have nothing to add to the statement my right hon. Friend made to the House in response to a private notice question from the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Doran) on 20 April, at column 457.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for East Lothian on 10 January,Official Report, column 577, he will explain the discrepancy between the figures quoted for per capita expenditure on renewable energy of 43p and 20p in Greece and Spain, respectively, with the figures for the same year of 65p and 33p referred to by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in its publication, "Energy Policies and Programmes of International Energy Agency Countries 1986 Review".

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  It is not clear how the hon. Gentleman has arrived at the figures he quotes. The numbers given in my previous reply are valid. They were derived using the following data:

  Population of Greece—10 million

  Population of Spain—39 million

  Expenditure in Greece—$7·6 million

  Expenditure in Spain—$14·1 million

  And a conversion of £0·56 to $1. The expenditure data were obtained from "Energy Policies and Programmes of IEA countries—1987 Review", table B11.

  Coal Industry (Rescue Services)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the experiment that was undertaken by British Coal during the summer of 1988 at Cynheidre, Betws, and Blaenant colleries regarding the speed of rescue services; and if he will publish such results as are available in the Official Report.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for the British Coal Corporation, which is aware of no such experiment. I understand that the corporation undertakes an annual emergency exercise at each of its collieries.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made as to the extent to which the plans by British Coal to reorganise the mines rescue service by downgrading the Loughan rescue station from category A to category B will provide adequate safety cover for coal miners working at both British Coal and mines in private ownership.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is a matter for the British Coal Corporation, but I understand that the reclassification was discussed with the mines and quarries inspectorate.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place in the Library details of each major
  45
  publicity campaign mounted by his Department in 1985–86 and each successive year, including in each case the objectives of the campaign, the intended audience and the outcome of the monitoring of the achievement of the intended objectives, and national research conducted for him by the Central Office of Information together with a note of the intended objectives in the campaigns in 1989–90.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

ENVIRONMENT

  Building Regulations
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he plans to publish new building regulations strengthening energy efficiency standards; whether he has received any recent representations from the building industry objecting to such plans; and if he will make a statement on the role that energy conservation measures may play in combating pollution of the earth's atmosphere.

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

  Pollution
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the Government's concern with environmental pollution, it is his intention to provide in building control regulations for the energy efficiency of buildings.

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

  Lead-free Petrol
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the percentage of motorists using lead-free petrol; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Staffordshire (Mr. Heddle) on 26 April.

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment(1) what would be the approximate amount paid in community charge, expressed as a percentage of disposable income, that would arise for a family of one wage earner, and two other adults over 18 years living in the London borough of Waltham Forest, where the wage earner was(a) a senior executive earning over £75,000 with twice the average-value mortgage, (b) a ward sister earning over £15,000 with an average-value mortgage and (c) a home help earning less than £7,500 with a half-average mortgage; how those percentages would change if the family decided to look after an elderly relative on state pension; and what are the percentages derived from a system of capital value rates plus local income tax paid in the proportions of 80:20, respectively;

  (2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Sir H. Rossi), 22 March, Official Report, column 626, what would be the
  46
  approximate amount paid in community charge, expressed as a percentage of disposable income, that would arise for a family of one wage earner, and two other adults over 18 years living in Hornsey, where the wage earner was (a) a senior executive earning over £75,000 with twice the average-value mortgage, (b) a ward sister earning over £15,000 with an average-value mortgage and (c) a home help earning less than £7,500 with a half-average mortgage; how those percentages would change if the family decided to look after an elderly relative on state pension; and what are the percentages derived from a system of capital value rates plus local income tax paid in the proportions of 80:20, respectively.

  Mr. Gummer
  This question requires a very large number of assumptions to be made about the personal circumstances of the individuals cited and answers would not be meaningful.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has identified any beneficial effects on electoral registration arising from the poll tax in England.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax.

  It is too early to identify beneficial effects on electoral registration arising from the community charge. However, the electoral registration officer for any area in England and Wales may inspect the community charges register of any charging authority which will add to the sources available to help in compiling electoral registers.

  Severn-Trent Water (Consent Conditions)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the submissions made by the Severn-Trent water authority to Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution which apply for a tightening of current consent conditions;

  (2) what named works Severn-Trent water authority have submitted to Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for changes to sewage discharge consent conditions;

  (3) if he will list the submissions made by the Severn-Trent water authority to Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution which apply for a relaxation of current consent conditions and showing which are temporary and which are permanent.

  Mr. Howard
  I am placing in the Library a list of those sewage works in respect of which the Severn-Trent water authority has applied for revised consents.

  Football Stadiums
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what incentives his Department offers to football clubs to go over to all-seater stadiums.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Government share the view expressed by the football authorities and others that there should be a move towards all-seater stadiums for the major clubs. The incentive for the clubs would be in improved safety and comfort of their supporters. We welcome Liverpool FC's announcement of its intention to make Anfield an all-seater stadium.

  Insulation Industry
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total turnover of the United Kingdom insulation industry in 1968, 1978 and in 1988.

  Mr. Trippier
  Sales of insulation materials such as expanded vermiculite, mineral wood, mica, mica products, glass fibre, etc. were around £300 million in the United Kingdom in 1988. Comparable figures for 1968 and 1978 are not readily available.

  Water Privatisation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that after privatisation the water companies are not permitted to supply water to new customers unless and until(a) adequate provision has been made to supply them without detriment to existing customers, (b) they have consulted all parties whose interests are likely to be adversely affected by any development connected therewith and (c) adequate compensation is paid not only for disturbance to land and amenity but also for the inconvenience caused to such parties.

  Mr. Howard
  The Water Bill already provides full safeguards for the interests of existing customers and anyone adversely affected by new provision. In particular, undertakers' performance against service indicators and targets will be monitored by the Director General of Water Services. The exercise by undertakers of compulsory powers will be subject to the same constraints as now and in addition the Bill provides for a mandatory code of practice for pipelaying with power for the director general to require an undertaker to compensate an owner or occupier for inconvenience caused by the undertaker acting unreasonably.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make it his policy to require the water supply companies currently and after privatisation not to withhold their consent unreasonably for the planting of trees and the erection of new buildings within 2·5 metres of a new water main running across private land and to include such a provision in all future wayleaves requiring the landowner to get their written consent in such cases.

  Mr. Howard
  The powers available to the privatised water companies to lay pipes across private land will be subject to a mandatory code of practice to be submitted by the companies to the Secretary of State for approval. The model code of practice prepared by the Department in consultation with interested parties requires a company to consult the owner or occupier about the route of new pipes. The width of the strip of land above the pipe on which activities are to be restricted will be such as is necessary to protect the pipe and to allow the company access for maintenance. It is the responsibility of the owner or occupier to ensure that his activities do not damage the pipe. Compensation is payable where the value of the land is depreciated as a result of pipelaying.

  London Docklands Development Corporation
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the London Docklands Development Corporation's expenditure for 1989 to 1990 will be on transport projects.
  48
  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 14 February at column,188.

  Satellite Dishes
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will issue guidelines to local planning authorities to minimise the environmental and visual aspects of satellite dishes.

  Mr. Chope
  Advice about the installation of satellite dishes is included in planning policy guidance note No. 8 "Telecommunications", a copy of which is in the Library. The Department is reviewing the permitted development rights for telecommunications in the light of technological advances since existing rights were set in 1985–86; we intend to issue a consultation paper later this year.

  Water Bill
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to ensure that the provisions of the Water Bill are consistent with European law; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  The Government have now reached agreement with the European Commission, following detailed discussions, on all the outstanding points arising from the Water Bill. My noble Friend the Minister for Housing, Environment and Countryside, will shortly table amendments to the Bill which will put beyond doubt that these provisions are fully consistent with European law.

  Quite separately, the Commission has recently issued a reasoned opinion to the effect that the United Kingdom does not have legislation in place to give direct effect to the drinking water directive. Regulations incorporating the directive's standards will be made under the Bill and laid before Parliament immediately after Royal Assent. The European Commission has confirmed that such legislation would enable them to close this part of the case.

  Rents
  Mr Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the average level of registered rents being set for(a) a one-bedroom flat, (b) a two-bedroom flat and (c) a three-bedroom flat or house in the district of Doncaster; for each of the last four years.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information is not available.

  Bed-and-Breakfast Accommodation
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the number of people Doncaster metropolitan borough council is providing with bed-and-breakfast accommodation; and what is the comparable figure five years and 10 years ago.

  Mr. Trippier
  The number of households temporarily resident in bed and breakfast accommodation as reported by each English local authority at the end of 1978, 1983 and 1988 can be found in the following publications, all of which are available in the Library:"Homeless households reported by local authorities in England; Statistics for 1978";
  "Homeless households reported by local authorities in England; Results for the second half of 1983; Supplementary Tables";

  49
  "Local authorites' action under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act: England. Results for the fourth quarter of 1988. Supplementary Tables".

  Research Institutes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by standard region the research institutes operated for or on behalf of his Department and the total employment thereat; if he will give for each region the total number of such institutes and the employment therein; and if he will express the regional totals as a percentage of the national totals.

  Mr. Ridley
  There is only one research institute operated on behalf of my Department. This is the Building Research Establishment (which incorporates the fire research station). Most of BRE is situated in the south east, but it does have a Scottish laboratory in East Kilbride. On 1 April 1989, 654 staff were employed at BRE.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now provide an estimate of the amount of the community charge in Lambeth on the assumption that expenditure remains at budget levels for 1989–90.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 25 April to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) at column 532.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of people who will either pay the community charge or be exempted from it from 1 April 1990.

  Mr. Gummer
  Latest estimates from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys suggest that there are about 36·5 million adults in England. Around 0·5 million are expected to be exempt from the personal community charge.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will set out in tabular form the level of the community charge for(a) Dacorum borough and (b) Hertfordshire county if it had been in effect in the financial year 1988–89 and 1989–90 (i) at the level of spending budgeted and (ii) if the local authority concerned had spent at its grant-related expenditure allowance level.

  Mr. Gummer
  The illustrative figures placed in the Library on 23 June 1988 suggested that if the community charge had been in operation in 1988–89, the charge in Dacorum district would have been £247. The community charge for spending at need would have been £202. Of the excess of £45, £3 was attributable to spending by Dacorum and £42 to spending by Hertfordshire county council.

  Illustrative figures for 1989–90 will be published for all areas once data needed from local authorities has been received and analysed.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide the latest available figures for the costs of administering the rates in England and Wales, together with his estimate of the comparable costs of the administration of the community charge.
  50
  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: Our estimate of the cost of collecting and administering the community charge in 1990–91 in England and Wales, based on the Price Waterhouse report, is between £379 million (if all authorities work as efficiently as the most efficient in their category) and £429 million (if authorities maintain their current efficiency). These estimates were at November 1987 prices. The cost of collecting the rates in 1989–90 is estimated to be about £200 million. The Labour party's two-tax system could cost up to four times as much to administer as the existing rating system.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been received from(a) trades unions representing Government information officers and (b) individual officials, concerning the preparation and dissemination of material relating to the community charge.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: In the normal course of business I receive advice from my officials on community charge information material. I am not aware of having received any representations from the trade unions mentioned by the hon. Member.

  Mr Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a consolidated list of all sources of legislation and official guidance to the public, local authorities and other interested bodies on the operation of the community charge, giving reference to title, date, authorship, means of availability and other relevant details.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 27 April 1989]: The following are official sources of information and guidance about the operation of the community charge:

  Legislation

  Local Government Finance Act, 1988 (July 1988)

  Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989 (SI. 1989/438) (March 1989)

  Valuation and Community Charge Tribunals Regulations 1989 (SI. 1989/439) (March 1989)

  Valuation and Community Charge Tribunals (Transfer of Jurisdiction) Regulations 1989 (SI. 1989/440) (March 1989)

  The Personal Community Charge (Students) Regulations 1989 (SI. 1989/443) (March 1989)

  The Personal Community Chrge (Exemptions) Order 1989 (SI. 1989/442) (March 1989)

  The Valuation of Rating (Plant and Machinery) Regulations 1989 (SI. 1989/441) (March 1989)

  Community Charge Practice Notes

  The Government, in conjunction with the local authority associations, is publishing a series of community charge practice notes. These provide detailed advice on the operation of the community charge and are circulated to local authority practitioners and others with a professional interest in community charge. The following practice notes have been issued to date;

  Date

  An introduction to the Community Charge

  May 1988

  Exemptions

  June 1988

  The Register

  August 1988

  Data Protection

  August 1988

  Rebates

  August 1983

  Omission of Names from the Extract

  October 1988

  Appeals

  October 1988

  The Canvass

  November 1988

  Sole or Main Residence

  November 1988

  51

  Date

  Data Protection No. 2

  January 1989

  Billing

  February 1989

  Collection

  February 1989

  Standard Charge

  March 1989

  Collective Charge

  April 1989

  Joint and Several Liability

  April 1989

  Other Publications

  My Department is producing guidance for the general public on the community charge by means of a free booklet and series of supplementary free leaflets. Publications so far issued in this series are:

  Date

  "You and the Community Charge (Your Step by Step Guide)"

  December 1988

  "You and the Community Charge: Exemptions"

  March 1989

  Copies of these are available free of charge from Room P1/163, Department of the Environment, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P3EB.

  Further free leaflets will shortly be available on appeals, the collective community charge, rebates, second homes and students and the community charge. In addition, My right hon. Friend will send a short leaflet on the community charge to every household in England in May.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the proposed fact sheet on community charge and rents inclusive of rates.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 28 April 1989]: Shortly.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidance his Department has issued to community charge registration officers as to how to register for community charge purposes persons with an itinerant lifestyle as they move between local authority areas;

  (2) what guidance his Department has issued to community charge registration officers on the registration of people living on non-stationary houseboats who hold a British waterways licence and have a nominal permanent mooring; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 28 April 1989]: Guidance on the registration of individuals in such circumstances is contained in community charge practice note No. 9 entitled "Sole or Main Residence". Copies of all practice notes are in the Library.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make funds available to the tenants' organisations in the Loughborough and Angell estates in Lambeth to provide information about housing action trusts comparable to information provided by him and his Department's consultants.

  Mr. Trippier
  The information that we have sent tenants' organisations and individual residents explains the proposals for housing action trusts as the first step in local consultations. We have now appointed consultants to discuss with residents ideas for improving the design, condition, management and general living conditions on their estates. I hope that tenants' organisations will play a full part in these discussions.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the extent of Her Majesty's Government's compliance with the signed agreement of the European convention on the standards of the water supply.

  Mr. Howard
  Public water supplies in the United Kingdom are at present of a very high standard and most supplies already comply with the European Community drinking water directive. We are fully committed to compliance with the European Community directive as soon as practicable. Those supplies which regularly fail to meet a standard are being improved and should comply in the next year or so. Water undertakers are currently submitting to the Department further improvement programmes concerning supplies where there is occasional non-compliance with the directive.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all water supplies in Yorkshire in breach of the European Economic Community directive on water quality in respect of safety limits on lead in drinking water; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  1 refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 23 March 1989 at columns 775–76.

  Local Authorities (Businesses)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Waveney of 19 April,Official Report column 229, he will now make it his policy to hold centrally a list of all local authorities which operate businesses in competition with the private sector and the nature of each business concerned.

  Mr. Gummer
  No. No useful purpose would be served by such a list. It is for each local authority to decide how to use their statutory powers.

  National Rivers Authority
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, in respect of each shadow National Rivers Authority region, the sites which contain water sampling and laboratory analysis facilities of a standard necessary to enable the National Rivers Authority to carry out its pollution control functions.

  Mr. Howard
  When the NRA is established it will own or have access to whatever sampling and analysis facilities are necessary to carry out its full range of pollution control functions. The exact details of its facilities and their location as at the transfer date are not yet finalised, but I refer my hon. Friend to the NRA summary schemes of organisations which were placed in the Library on 2 December for a brief outline of the laboratory arrangements proposed in each region.

  Nuclear Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Banbury, (Mr. Baldry)Official Report, 21 March column 506, how many reserve sites to Sellafield and Dounreay were listed by Nirex for potential low and intermediate-level nuclear waste disposal.
  53
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Nirex's report to Government on the deep repository project, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, indicates that, following a detailed site selection procedure, twelve sites were chosen for further appraisal. Nirex decided that, as a first step, further investigations should be limited to two of these locations —Dounreay and Sellafield.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects publication of the report commissioned by his Department from the National Nuclear Corporation concerning the likely environmental impact of the disposal of spent irradiated fuel underground in thick copper cannisters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department has commissioned the National Nuclear Corporation to undertake a study into the packaging, storage and direct disposal of spent oxide fuel. The contract is due to end on 30 November 1989. The Department intends to publish the results of the study as soon as practicable thereafter.

  Sulphur Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what initiatives are being taken by his Department to ensure effective reduction of sulphur dioxide emissions to improve the acidity of surface waters in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have agreed with our European Community partners a phased programme to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide from existing large combustion plants (principally power stations) by 60 per cent. from 1980 levels by 2003, and of nitrogen oxides by 30 per cent. from 1980 levels by 1998. This will add substantially to the programme for reducing acid emissions from power stations which was already in place, estimated to cost over £1 billion.

  Pollution Control
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many prosecutions under the Control of Pollution Act 1978 there have been in West Yorkshire in each of the last five years; and how many have resulted in convictions in the same period.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I understand from the Yorkshire water authority that the number of prosecutions brought in West Yorkshire for offences under part II of the Act is as follows:

  Year

  Prosecutions1

  1985

  4

  1986

  8

  1987

  11

  1988

  5

  21989

  2

  1All these resulted in convictions.

  2To date.

  Prior to 1985, prosecutions for water pollution offences were brought tinder the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Acts 1951 to 1961.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects all companies to be subject to the terms of the Control of Pollution Act;
  54
  (2) if he will commission a study into the effects of the river Mersey of the cumulative effects of exempting companies from the Control of Pollution Act;

  (3) how many companies in Britain were granted exemptions under the Control of Pollution Act to discharge excess pollutants into Britain's rivers; and if he will list the companies;

  (4) how many companies exempted under the Control of Pollution Act discharge effluent into the river Mersey;

  (5) what are his reasons for granting exemptions under the Control of Pollution Act to companies;

  (6) if he will list the criteria he used to grant exemptions to companies to allow them to discharge excess pollutants into rivers under the Control of Pollution Act;

  (7) if he will list the types of effluents and chemicals permitted to be discharged into rivers by companies exempted from the Control of Pollution Act;

  (8) if he will list the maximum concentrations of pollutants that can be discharged under exemptions from the Control of Pollution Act; and what is the level for non-exempt companies;

  (9) if he will now cease to exempt companies from the terms of the Control of Pollution Act.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 20 April 1989]: The provisions of part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 apply to all companies. Under the phased introduction of part II of the Act, certain categories of discharge which did not require consent under earlier legislation, were exempted from control under the Act. The categories of discharges exempted are set out in The Control of Pollution (Exemption of Certain Discharges from Control) Order 1983 (Statutory Instrument 1983, No. 1182). The order also lists those cases where such exemptions do not apply on account of the requirements of particular EEC directives.

  In September 1986, the Government announced their intention to withdraw most of these exemptions. This was effected through The Control of Pollution (Exemption of Certain Discharges from Control) (Variation) Order 1986 (Statutory Instrument 1986, No. 1623). This order lists the remaining categories of exempted discharges and sets out transitional provisions for previously exempted discharges. Water authorities have been advised that they should aim to replace all deemed consents issued under the transitional provisions with individually determined consents by October 1992.

  The question whether an industrial discharge is still eligible for an exemption in accordance with the order, is currently a matter for the relevant water authority. However, all discharges of trade and sewage effluent into coastal and estuarial waters—such as the Mersey—have now been brought within the scope of controls.

  The few remaining minor categories of discharges to which exemptions still apply are, by their nature, not considered to pose any significant pollution threat to the environment. However, under the terms of the Water Bill, discharges within these categories will be subject to a relevant prohibition procedure, which will allow the National Rivers Authority to give notice at any time that a discharge within these categories may be made only subject to their consent, and the conditions they will impose.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain and place in the Library a detailed hydrological analysis of the water in the river
  55
  Mersey, detailing the levels of (a) hydrocarbon effluents, (b) biological effluents, (c) inorganic chemical pollutants and (d) heavy metals.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 20 April 1989]: The monitoring of water quality in the Mersey and of discharges of effluent into the river is the responsibility of the North West water authority. Data from the authority's monitoring operations are available for inspection on the public register maintained by the authority.

  Further monitoring of these and other substances in the Mersey and other United Kingdom waters will be carried out as a consequence of actions agreed at the second North sea conference designed to achieve by 1995 substantial reductions of inputs of the most dangerous substances via rivers and estuaries. In the United Kingdom action is focused in particular on red list substances, details of which were announced by my noble Friend, the Minister for the Environment on 10 April, Official Report, House of Lords, column 121. Implementation of the North sea conference declaration will be applied to all United Kingdom waters, not just those flowing into the North sea.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the maximum discharges of(a) benzene and (b) toluene permitted into rivers under the Control of Pollution Act.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 20 April 1989]: Under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, any person wishing to discharge these substances to water must first obtain consent to do so from the appropriate water authority. There are no general limits set for these particular substances. Individual discharge consents are normally subject to conditions which specify the type and quantities of substances which may be discharged. These conditions are set by the consenting authority with regard to achieving the quality objectives set for the receiving waters, including current and potential uses of those waters. Maximum discharges therefore depend upon the circumstances of the particular case.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has at any time granted deemed consent to the Granox factory in Widnes to discharge excess pollution into the Mersey.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 20 April 1989]: I understand that the company has deemed consent from the North West water authority to discharge trade effluent into the Mersey. Details about the discharge are entered on the public register maintained by the water authority.

  I understand that the water authority is shortly to replace the deemed consent with a positively determined consent. Details of this consent, including the conditions to which it is subject, will also be entered on the public register.

  Crown Suppliers
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the text of the petition sent to him by non-industrial staff of the Crown Suppliers and the letter from the Property Services Agency trade union side to which the petition refers.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: No, but my right hon. Friend yesterday met the unions representing the staff of the Crown Supplier.

  Clay Cross Treatment Works
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East of 17 April,Official Report, column 34, if he will give details of the application for a time limited consent variation for the Clay Cross treatment works.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: Details of applications made under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, including those for time limited variations, are held on the individual water authorities' registers. These may be inspected, free of charge, by anyone at all reasonable hours. It is not practicable to provide centrally the details of individual applications.

  Rates
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the five highest rate rises for district councils in England and Wales were in the period 1981–82 to 1988–89; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: The information requested is as follows:

  District Councils in England and Wales with highest local rate poundage increases in the period 1981–82 to 1988–89

  (p)

  Calderdale

  173

  Bradford

  159

  North Tyneside

  157

  Knowsley

  153

  Kirklees

  152

  Bradford (Development)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any application by Bradford council to vary the south Bradford plan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 27 April 1989]: Bradford city council has recently published statutory notice of its intention to adopt the South-East Bradford local plan. The council is not required to apply to the Secretary of State to vary the local plan. It is however required to inform the Secretary of State of its disposition to adopt the plan and has done so.

  Water Authorities (EC Funding)
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the conditions under which European regional development funding is currently awarded for water authority schemes.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 28 April 1989]: The conditions under which European regional development funds are awarded to water authority schemes are laid down in Council Regulations (EEC) 2052/88, 4253/88 and 4254/88. These appear in Official Journals L1859, L374 Vol. 31 and L374/15 respectively. Copies are available from the Library.

  Hythe Marina
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his answer of 10 April to the hon.
  57
  Member for Copeland, Official Report, column 402, when he proposes writing to the parties about the Hythe, Kent, marina.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 28 April 1989]: Shortly.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what departmental representation is planned, and what papers will be presented by departmental officials, at the conference on radioactive waste management to be held by the British Nuclear Energy Society in Britain on 2 May.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 28 April 1989]: I have been invited officially to open the British Nuclear Energy Society's conference on 3 May. On the same day, Dr. F. S. Feates, chief inspector Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, will be delivering a paper on the United Kingdom's policy and strategy on radioactive waste management.

  Tributyl-tin
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what national and international action is being taken by his Department to dissuade the owners of ships at present exempt from the ban on the use of tributyl-tin from using paints which contain this substance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The United Kingdom has reported the measures taken to date by the Government to the Commission of the European Communities, and a range of international organisations, the most relevant of which include the International Maritime Organisation and the Paris Commission. The CEC has reacted by proposing a directive which is closely modelled on the United Kingdom regulations. The House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities has recently published its opinion (HL Paper 23, February 1988) on the antifouling paint provisions in the draft directive (the 8th amendment to the marketing and use directive (76/769/ EEC)). The Government are considering their response to the Committee's report.

WALES

  Pupil-Teacher Ratios
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current pupil-teacher ratios for each of the education authorities in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The overall pupil-teacher ratios in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools as at January 1988 are as follows:

  Ratio

  Clwyd

  18·2

  Dyfed

  16·7

  Gwent

  17·4

  Gwynedd

  16·0

  Mid Glamorgan

  17·0

  Powys

  15·1

  South Glamorgan

  17·9

  West Glamorgan

  16·6

  Bathing Water
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the estimated cost for each of (a) Jackson's bay, Barry, (b) Whitmore bay, Barry and (c) Cold Knapp, Barry of (i) a long sea outfall and (ii) full sewage treatment works to enable them to comply with EEC bathing water directive 76/160/EEC.

  Mr. Grist
  The authority is currently reviewing its programme of remedial works which aims to achieve compliance of all listed waters. The full cost of the programme has yet to be evaluated.

  Drinking Water
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library the information his Department holds concerning time-limited derogations and delays which have been granted on the noncompliance of potable waters in Wales with the European directive relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption (80/77/EEC).

  Mr. Grist
  The information held by the Department is as follows. I will arrange to place a copy in the Library of the House.

  17 = Aluminium 1 = Colour; 6 = pH unit; 33 = Iron;34 = Manganese

  Source

  Derogated Parameter

  Delayed Parameter

  Pontsticill

  —

  17

  Nantyowch

  34

  17, 33

  Garw Levels

  33

  33

  Preseli

  —

  33

  Strata Florida

  34

  17

  Ystradfelltre

  34

  —

  Lovesgrove Borehole

  34

  —

  Nantymoel

  34

  —

  Ffynnon Rhys

  —

  33

  Wern Ddu

  6

  —

  Llandeilo Graban

  —

  17

  Afon Cwm-y-Llan

  17

  —

  Penygoyallt

  6

  —

  Llanfynydd

  6, 34

  33

  Georgetown

  6, 34

  17, 33

  Alwen

  1, 34

  17, 33

  Cynwyd

  34

  17, 33

  Cwmsymlog

  17

  —

  Bettws-y-Coed

  34

  17

  Garreglwyd

  33, 34

  —

  Bryn Goch

  33

  —

  Maenllwyd

  —

  33

  Nantmor

  17, 34

  —

  Rhyd-Ddu

  34

  —

  Talwaenydd

  —

  33

  Carno

  34

  17, 33

  Talybont

  —

  33

  Portis

  34

  17, 33

  Penyfan

  33

  —

  Upper Wenallt Springs

  33

  —

  Cwm Cegr Springs

  33

  —

  Llanbedr Springs

  33

  —

  Llanwrtyd Wells

  —

  17, 33

  Barmouth Junction

  —

  33

  Capel Dewi

  —

  17

  Bolton Hill

  —

  33

  Caerau

  34

  —

  Llan Penmachno

  17, 34

  —

  Crai Reservoir

  34

  —

  Croesor

  34

  —

  Rhyd

  17, 33, 34

  —

  Rhydyronnen

  33

  —

  59

  17 = Aluminium 1 = Colour; 6 = pH unit; 33 = Iron;34 · Manganese

  Source

  Derogated Parameter

  Delayed Parameter

  Tir-Cawen

  33

  —

  Meifod

  —

  17

  In addition, a general delay exists in respect of lead in drinking water to December 1989.

  The temporary relaxation of the standards of the drinking water directive does not pose any threat to public health.

  Consultants
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by each health district the number of consultants in each specialty who have merit awards; and what this figure represents as a percentage of the total number of consultant posts.

  Mr. Grist
  The following information is given on an all-Wales basis rather than by health districts in order to preserve the confidential nature of the awards.

  Wales

  Specialty

  Number

  Anaesthetics

  34

  Cardiology

  3

  Cardio-Thoracic surgery

  2

  Community medicine

  13

  Dermatology

  4

  Diseases of the chest

  2

  Ear, nose and throat

  10

  General medicine

  38

  General surgery

  28

  Genito urinary medicine

  1

  Geriatric medicine

  6

  Mental illness/Mental handicap

  30

  Neurology

  5

  Neurosurgery

  5

  Obstetrics and gynaecology

  17

  Ophthalmology

  6

  Orthopaedic surgery

  15

  Paediatrics

  14

  Paediatric surgery

  2

  Chemical pathology

  2

  Haematology/Blood transfusion

  8

  Histopathology

  11

  Medical microbiology

  4

  Plastic surgery

  4

  Radiology

  16

  Radiotherapy

  4

  Rheumatology and rehabilitation

  3

  Oral surgery

  5

  Orthodontics

  3

  Restorative dentistry

  4

  The number of award holders represents some 35 per cent. of the total number of consultants in Wales.

DEFENCE

  Ex-Civil Servants (Defence Sector)
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants have joined the private defence sector following retirement from his Department over the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  This information is not available.

  Arms Control
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those areas of policy implementation by his Department in regard to arms control that have failed since May 1979; and what steps he intends to take to rectify the failures.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No areas of the Government's policy on arms control have failed since May 1979.

  War Dead (Visits)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance and travel information is given to the immediate relatives of the war dead in arranging and meeting the costs of visits to countries in Europe; and if he will list the information he has on the comparable policies of the French, West German and Italian Governments.

  Mr. Neubert
  Where the funeral of a service man or woman who dies overseas is held locally at public expense, two visitors, normally the next of kin, from the United Kingdom or Eire are entitled to attend the funeral with both travel and accommodation costs being met by my Department. If local conditions prevent such a visit from being made, a visit to the grave may be permitted up to two years after the funeral.

  The widows of war dead who died prior to 1967 may make visits to graves overseas, whether in Europe or elsewhere, under the Government war widows grant-in-aid scheme, which allows widows to join pilgrimages arranged by the Royal British Legion at one-eighth of the cost for their first visit. Thereafter, the charge represents the cost to the legion.

  Information is not currently available on any comparable policies of the French, West German and Italian Governments.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when, under normal circumstances, a nuclear submarine discharges radioactive materials into the sea, how the Royal Navy takes the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection regarding dose into account when determining what levels are acceptable; and if the International Commission on Radiological Protection recommendations are used to determine acceptable levels of radiation for the safety of crew.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 20 March 1989, at column 477, under normal circumstances Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarines do not discharge radioactivity directly to the sea. When such discharges are made, however, the radioactivity level of the coolant water is measured and the water is discharged through a treatment plant which further reduces its radioactivity. Levels of radioactive discharges at sea are lower than agreed discharge limits for land-based installations, and it is inconceivable that they could result in a radiation dose to any individual approaching the limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

  The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommendations concerning radiation doses

  61
  to workers are embodied within the Ionising Radiation Regulations 1985, and are applied on board Her Majesty's submarines.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if nuclear submarine personnel receiving radiation doses in the higher ranges above 15 mSv p. a. are generally those classified as radiation workers; and if those same radiation workers receive doses in those high ranges in consecutive years;

  (2) whether the numbers of nuclear submarine personnel receiving radiation doses in various ranges provided on 20 March, Official Report, columns 477–78, include all nuclear submarine personnel; and how the doses for those personnel not designated as radiation workers, and so not subject to dosimetric assessment, are determined.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The figures to which the hon. Member refers include only those submarine personnel classified as radiation workers. As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 20 March, at column 476, Royal Navy nuclear submarine personnel are shielded from much natural radiation and the radiation doses they receive are for the most part lower than those received by members of

  Number of personnel in dose ranges

  Year

  Cumulative dose (man Sieverts)

  0–15 mSv

  15–20 mSv

  20–30 mSv

  30–40 mSv

  40–50 mSv

  Over 50 mSv

  Average individual dose (mSv)

  1983

  2·9

  814

  27

  15

  3

  0

  0

  3·35

  1982

  2·1

  994

  11

  8

  1

  0

  0

  2·08

  1981

  3·1

  1,226

  13

  5

  2

  0

  0

  2·31

  1980

  6·6

  2,473

  31

  8

  2

  0

  1

  2·63

  1979

  7·7

  2,362

  33

  23

  10

  1

  0

  3·23

  Note: mSv = millisievert.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent medical surveys his Department has undertaken amongst past and present submarine service personnel or their offspring to determine whether there has been any abnormal statistical evidence of medical disorders arising from exposure of Royal Navy nuclear submarine personnel to radiation; and if he will publish the dates and the population census for such surveys.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  An epidemiological research programme into morbidity and mortality among submariners is currently being carried out by Medical Research Council. The study was commissioned by the Ministry of Defence and arranged through the Royal Naval Personnel Research Committee, through which the Royal Navy has regular contact with civil medical experts. The data for the survey were produced from service records.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the deterrent value of(a) a short-range nuclear weapon and (b) a strategic nuclear weapon.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  To support its strategy of deterrence, NATO requires diversified, survivable and operationally-flexible nuclear forces across the entire spectrum of ranges.
  62
  the public. The majority of nuclear submarine personnel are not categorised as radiation workers, and there is no requirement to maintain radiation dose records for them. However, regular radiation surveys are carried out on board nuclear-powered submarines to ensure that these personnel do not receive any significant radiation doses.

  During the last 10 years, 64 nuclear submarine personnel have received doses of 15 mSv or over in two or more consecutive years. No individual has received more than four separate annual doses of 15 mSv or over during this period.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report a breakdown of numbers of nuclear submarine personnel by radiation dose received, cumulative doses and average individual doses, for the years from commencement of the nuclear submarine programme to 1983 inclusive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Figures for before 1979 are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The figures for 1979 to 1983 are as follows:

  Mr. Samuel Quinn
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what capacity Samuel Quinn, at present in police custody in Paris, is a serving member of the Territorial Army; which territorial army unit he belongs to; what is his rank and his years of membership; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not our general policy, for reasons of personal security, to confirm whether a person is serving in Northern Ireland either with the security forces or in the Territorial Army. However, details of Samuel Quinn's service have been widely reported and are as follows:Samuel Quinn is a warrant officer class 2 and is a troop sergeant major employed on general administrative and training duties in 102 Air Defence Regiment (Volunteer). He has served in the Territorial Army since 1974.

  The circumstances of his arrest are being investigated by the police and it would be inappropriate to comment further.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of officers in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively, and overall in his Department are(a) women and (b) members of ethnic minorities.
  63
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  In the Northern Ireland Civil Service at 13 April 1989 the representation of females was as follows:

  Numbers

  Percentage

  Grade 1

  —

  —

  Grade 2

  —

  —

  Grade 3

  1

  2·7

  Grade 4

  —

  —

  Grade 5

  12

  6·9

  Grade 6

  37

  15·0

  Grade 7

  53

  6·6

  All grades

  11,597

  49·9

  The Northern Ireland Civil Service does not monitor the ethnic origins of its staff.

  Of the 176 Home civil servants serving in the Northern Ireland Office in London and Belfast, 88 (50 per cent.) are women and 16 (9 per cent.) from ethnic minority groups (of these there is only one officer at grade 7 level). In London 51 per cent. of the NIO's staff are women and 13 per cent. come from ethnic minority groups.

  Tullygarley, Lame (Redevelopment)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Northern Ireland Housing Executive proposes to proceed with its redevelopment plans for the Tullygarley area of Larne, County Antrim.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I have been advised by the chief executive that construction of the first phase of 15 dwellings is programmed to commence in July 1990.

  Carrickfergus (Redevelopment)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the earliest possible date on which an announcement can be expected of the start date for redevelopment and housing action in central Carrickfergus.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I have been advised by the chief executive that an examination of housing strategy for central Carrickfergus, which includes the use of investment appraisal techniques, is expected to be completed by the end of 1989. The executive will then determine what proposals it should submit to the Department of Environment (NI) for approval.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has for the Carrickfergus central area.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I have been advised by the chief executive that three proposed redevelopment areas have been declared and a potential housing action area is being considered. The Housing Executive expects to be in a position by the end of 1989 to reach conclusions on specific proposals to be submitted to the Department of Environment (NI) for approval.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when owner occupiers and residents will be informed of decisions by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive on future housing development of central Carrickfergus.
  64
  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I have been advised by the chief executive that residents will be informed if and when a vesting order application is made to the Department of Environment (NI) or a housing action area declared.

  Housing (Maintenance)
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary for State of Northern Ireland what was the average delay between time of receipt of notification of a category three maintenance complaint by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, and the completion of the repair in each Housing Executive district in each of the years 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the chief executive has advised me that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northen Ireland (1) how many pensioners have had additional allowance for heating, diet and so on, wiped out since pensions were increased and did not benefit financially by the most recent increase;

  (2) how many pensioners (a) no longer qualify for housing benefit and (b) have had housing benefit reduced since the most recent pension increase.

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

  Rates
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average rate of increase in the district rate for 1989–90.

  Mr. Needham
  1·49p in the pound, which represents an increase of 2·4 per cent.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the extent of consultations with local authorities before he confirmed the level of regional rates for 1989–90.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Antrim, South (Mr. Forsythe) on 20 April, at column 448. The regional rate is levied as a contribution from ratepayers to those rateborne services which in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of central Government, not local authorities. Expenditure on those services to which they contribute is determined each year as part of the public expenditure planning process and is subject to the scrutiny of Parliament. As the level of the regional rate is a central Government responsibility, there is no provision in the process for prior consultation with local authorities.

  Mater Hospital, Belfast
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether staff at the Mater hospital are required to agree to work within Roman Catholic medical ethics.

  Mr. Needham
  Staff at the Mater hospital are employed on the same terms and conditions of service as other
  65
  similar grades of staff in the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland. However, some senior medical staff employed at the hospital have an additional clause in their contract which requires them to have regard to the need to maintain the character and associations of the hospital which are such as to link it with the Roman Catholic faith.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all current publicity campaigns being conducted by or for his Department or one planned for the first three months of 1989–90, indicating those which involve television advertising and the starting and finishing dates of each campaign.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 19 April 1989]: The information is as follows:

  Direct Debit awareness
  11 advertisements ran from 27 March until early April and included television advertising.

  Road Safety Campaign
  Continuing in newspapers only.

  Youth Training Programme
  Television from 15 May-2 June. Radio from 15–21 May and 29 May-2 June. Supported by press and outdoor posters.

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme
  Television 3–23 April. Press advertisements on 13 and 16 April with further press advertisements planned for May and June.

  Ulster Savings Committee
  Continuing campaign throughout the year, no television advertising.

  Northern Ireland Civil Service Commission
  Five career talks, eight career conventions, and press advertisements to promote the Northern Ireland Civil Service. No television advertising.

  Confidential Telephone
  Continuing campaign for offering information to the security forces, involves a limited amount of television advertising.

  Loans (Recovery)
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available on the amounts of money recovered to date in respect of budgeting loans or crisis loans, by social security office and by premium.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: Information about the amounts of money recovered for the period 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989, the latest date for which information is available, is as follows. Information about the amounts recovered by premium is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Social fund awards for funeral and maternity payments:

  11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989

  Social security office

  Funeral payments

  Maternity payment

  Awards

  Family credit

  Awards

  Housing benefit

  Awards

  Family credit

  £

  £

  £

  Andersonstown

  —

  —

  6

  3,270·50

  20

  1,700·00

  Antrim

  2

  1,174·00

  4

  1,887·27

  23

  1,955·00

  Armagh

  8

  3,879·80

  7

  3,713·60

  29

  2,465·00

  Ballymena

  2

  1,043·00

  7

  3,057·90

  17

  2,465·00

  Ballymoney

  1

  416·00

  16

  5,699·40

  19

  1,615·00

  Ballynahinch

  1

  477·55

  —

  —

  4

  340·00

  Banbridge

  8

  4,096·68

  3

  1,347·00

  17

  1,445·00

  Bangor

  1

  692·05

  5

  2,489·05

  12

  1,020·00

  Carrickfergus

  —

  —

  8

  2,856·14

  12

  1,020·00

  66

  Budgeting and crisis loan recovering 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989

  Social security office

  Amount

  £

  Andersonstown

  310,287·18

  Antrim

  138,151·64

  Armagh

  90,170·00

  Ballymena

  130,697·32

  Ballymoney

  83,855·55

  Ballynahinch

  12,142·99

  Banbridge

  48,621·24

  Bangor

  62,632·25

  Carrickfergus

  66,741·15

  Coleraine

  138,359·05

  Cookstown

  87,151·99

  Corporation Street

  293,354·23

  Downpatrick

  64,412·81

  Dungannon

  128,599·41

  Enniskillen

  98,319·58

  Falls

  284,793·85

  Holywood Road

  167,158·84

  Kilkeel

  15,155·75

  Knockbreda

  103,472·26

  Lame

  68,863·40

  Limavady

  64,474·52

  Lisburn

  210,938·49

  Londonderry

  357,795·15

  Lurgan

  160,122·26

  Magherafelt

  81,438·76

  Newcastle

  26,139·12

  Newry

  147,094·52

  Newtownabbey

  113,804·24

  Newtownards

  66,456·06

  Omagh

  136,444·36

  Portadown

  81,972·64

  Shaftesbury Square

  166,087·30

  Shankill

  140,989·13

  Strabane

  148,694·34

  Social Fund
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available on the number of social fund applications in each social security office in the year April 1988–89 which were made by claimants in receipt of family credit or housing benefit but not income support, and the number of payments, and their total value, made to such claimants.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: Information about the number of applications is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Housing benefit is not a qualifying benefit for maternity payments. Information about the number of payments and the amounts awarded is as follows:
  67

  Social security office

  Funeral payments

  Maternity payment

  Awards

  Family credit

  Awards

  Housing benefit

  Awards

  Family credit

  £

  £

  £

  Coleraine

  —

  —

  9

  4,511·07

  28

  2,370·00

  Cookstown

  2

  645·70

  3

  1,721·50

  32

  2,720·00

  Corporation Street

  —

  —

  18

  9,823·43

  14

  1,190·00

  Downpatrick

  2

  698·00

  5

  1,569·80

  22

  1,870·00

  Dungannon

  7

  3,863·00

  3

  1,400·00

  35

  3,145·00

  Enniskillen

  9

  4,155·80

  10

  4,465·22

  46

  3,190·00

  Falls

  —

  —

  7

  4,298·62

  5

  425·00

  Holywood Road

  5

  2,261·99

  12

  5,649·51

  19

  1,615·00

  Kilkeel

  1

  456·80

  2

  688·25

  10

  850·00

  Knockbreda

  —

  —

  13

  7,862·23

  10

  850·00

  Larne

  1

  156·42

  8

  4,460·65

  9

  765·00

  Limavady

  3

  780·80

  5

  1,796·30

  17

  1,445·00

  Lisburn

  1

  339·00

  14

  8,083·60

  19

  1,615·00

  Londonderry

  7

  2,471·05

  30

  15,280·79

  62

  5,265·00

  Lurgan

  —

  —

  13

  7,565·32

  20

  1,700·00

  Magherafelt

  6

  2,780·00

  1

  471·00

  37

  3,145·00

  Newcastle

  —

  —

  3

  1,004·65

  13

  1,105·00

  Newry

  2

  948·85

  20

  9,350·00

  56

  4,760·00

  Newtownabbey

  —

  —

  5

  2,466·56

  6

  510·00

  Newtownhards

  1

  574·50

  8

  3,178·12

  18

  1,530·00

  Omagh

  6

  3,369·30

  6

  2,962·00

  45

  4,165·00

  Portadown

  1

  667·80

  10

  5,747·95

  13

  1,105·00

  Shaftsbury Square

  —

  —

  11

  5,542·96

  11

  935·00

  Shankill

  —

  —

  4

  1,550·29

  6

  510·00

  Strabane

  6

  2,848·50

  12

  5,953·70

  27

  2,295·00

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available for the year April 1988–89 on the numbers and types of social fund applications from and payments, indicating the value of such payments, to claimants in receipt of income support who were in receipt of the respective income support premiums by social security office.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the extent to which his policies of(a) targeting and (b) making the social security system easier to understand have been fulfilled in the first year of full operation of the social fund; and what assessment he has made of the efficiency in management of the fund by social security offices.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: The Department of Health and Social Services is monitoring closely the operation of the social fund and has commissioned independent research. However, it is too soon to come to conclusions about the extent to which policies are meeting their objectives. The Department's monitoring indicates that the management of the social fund by social security offices is generally satisfactory.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the 1989–90 social fund budget; how many people are on income support; and how many are in receipt of the respective income support premiums for each social security office.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to questions about the 1989–90 social fund budget by the hon. Member for Redcar (Ms. Mowlam) on 23 March 1989, at columns 739–42.

  At 28 February, the latest date for which information is available, there were 185,706 income support recipients in the Province. Information on the numbers of claimants
  68
  receiving each of the income support premiums by social security office is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision has been made in respect of social fund I to take account of the local numbers in receipt of family credit or housing benefit, but not income support, who might make social fund I applications.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: None. Maternity and funeral payments made under phase 1 of the social fund are regulated payments paid as an entitlement and are not affected by local social security office budgets.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the number of appeals regarding social fund I which have been made in each social security office in each year of its operation to date and indicating the number of these which were successful.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: Information about the number of appeals for the period 6 April 1987 to 10 April 1988 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Information for the period 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989, (the latest date for which information is available), is as follows:

  Social Fund phase I (maternity and funeral expenses)Number of appeals received 11 April 1988–31 March 1989

  Social security office

  Number of appeals received

  Number revised

  Pending

  Andersonstown

  2

  —

  2

  Antrim

  2

  2

  —

  Armagh

  —

  —

  —

  Ballymena

  4

  2

  —

  Ballynahinch

  —

  —

  —

  Banbridge

  1

  1

  —

  Bangor

  —

  —

  —

  69

  Social security office

  Number of appeals received

  Number revised

  Pending

  Carrickfergus

  —

  —

  —

  Coleraine

  5

  3

  —

  Cookstown

  3

  2

  —

  Corporation Street

  2

  —

  1

  Downpatrick

  —

  —

  —

  Dungannon

  —

  —

  —

  Enniskillen

  4

  3

  1

  Falls

  8

  8

  —

  Holywood Road

  —

  —

  —

  Kilkeel

  —

  —

  —

  Knockbreda

  2

  1

  —

  Larne

  —

  —

  —

  Limavady

  —

  —

  —

  Lisburn

  3

  3

  —

  Londonderry

  12

  10

  2

  Lurgan

  1

  —

  —

  Magherafelt

  1

  —

  1

  Newcastle

  2

  2

  —

  Newry

  6

  5

  —

  Newtownabbey

  —

  —

  —

  Newtownards

  —

  —

  —

  Omagh

  —

  —

  —

  Portadown

  2

  —

  —

  Shaftesbury Square

  —

  —

  —

  Shankill

  2

  —

  —

  Strabane

  —

  —

  —

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the numbers of reviews sought by claimants in respect of social fund II decisions, the number of cases where the decision changed on review, the numbers which had a second review and the numbers where the decision changed on second review by social security office.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: The information for the period 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989, the latest date for which information is available, is given in the table. Some review applications were withdrawn following receipt and some are currently being considered.

  Number of applications for first review by social security offices:11 April 1988–31 March 1989

  Received

  Revised

  Community Care Grants

  1,932

  663

  Budgeting Loans

  5,740

  1,838

  Crisis Loans

  526

  230

  Total

  8,198

  2,731

  Information about the number and outcome of applications for a second review by social security offices is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Hospital Consultants
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many hospital consultants held(a) full-time contracts and (b) part-time contracts with the National Health Service in Northern Ireland in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1988.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: The information is as follows:
  70

  Full-time

  Part-time (including maximum p-t)

  Joint appointments between University and Health Service

  1979

  315

  133

  61

  1988

  422

  99

  74

  Cervical Screening
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all boards which operate a computerised call/recall cervical cytology programme for all women aged 20 to 65 years at three-yearly intervals.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: A central computerised programme has been developed for the whole of Northern Ireland to call women aged 20–65 for cervical screening at five-yearly intervals. The system started operating in the Eastern board last autumn, is being introduced this month in the Western board and is due to commence in the Northern and Southern boards later this year.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all those boards which have not yet called all women aged 20 to 65 years for a cervical cancer smear.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: As the cervical screening programme is designed to call women at five-yearly intervals, all women in the 20 to 65 age group will not have been called until five years after the introduction of the computerised call system.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the uptake of women called for a cervical cancer smear for each board; and if he will list those boards which are unable to provide these statistics.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: Uptake figures for women screened under the computerised call and recall system are not yet available.

  Community Care
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what account is taken of factors including the location of hostels, hospitals or other residential accommodation facilities and local board plans in respect of community care which might have a bearing on demand for community care grants in given social security offices.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: No account was taken of these factors in determining the size of community care grant budgets for social security offices for 1989–90. However, when setting the priorities and profiles for their office budgets, social security office managers consider local factors which may influence the numbers and types of applicants in their office areas.

  Noel Little
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what period Noel Little, at present in police custody in Paris, was a serving member of the Ulster Defence Regiment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have been asked to reply.
  71
  It is not our general policy, for reasons of personal security, to confirm whether a person has served in Northern Ireland in the Ulster Defence Regiment. However, details of Noel Little's service have been widely reported and are as follows:
  Noel Little served as a part-time private in the Ulster Defence Regiment between June 1980 and June 1986, when he was discharged on completion of his engagement.

  The circumstances of his arrest are being investigated by the police, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  "The School Effect"
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he intends to take in the light of the Policy Studies Institute report "The School Effect."

  Mr. Butcher
  This important report includes evidence of marked variations between secondary schools in the level of achievement of pupils of similar abilities. It reinforces the Government's determination to proceed with the implementation of the national curriculum and with the arrangements for assessment and testing.

  Qualified Teachers
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to encourage those qualified teachers who no longer teach in state schools to return to teaching.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Former teachers returning to teaching already make up over half of all new teaching appointments each year. The Department and the teaching as a career unit have been discussing with all LEAs ways in which they can maximise teacher recruitment from this source.

  National Curriculum (Teacher Shortages)
  Miss Joan Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to monitor the effect of teacher shortages on the implementation of the national curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department already collects data annually on vacant teacher posts and we shall continue to do so. Information regulations to be made under section 22 of the Education Reform Act will enable us to obtain annual information on the curriculum offered in schools and on teacher deployment.

  Opting Out
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about progress under the opting out provisions of the Education Act 1988.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  To date, I have approved proposals from eight schools to become grant-maintained from September of this year. I have rejected a proposal from one school. Parents at a further 30 schools have voted in favour of seeking grant-maintained status.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to reduce the number of children in state schools taught in classes of 30 or more.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to reduce the number of children in state schools taught in classes of 30 or more.

  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to reduce the number of children in state schools taught in classes of 30 or more.

  Mr. Butcher
  Over the last 10 years the proportion of pupils taught in classes of 31 or more has fallen by nearly 12 percentage points in primary schools to 23.5 per cent., and by nearly 9 percentage points in secondary schools to 7 per cent. There are more teachers relative to pupils now than ever before. It is for LEAs and schools to decide how to deploy them.

  Nursery School Provision
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made since 1979 in extending nursery school provision.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The total number of under fives in maintained schools increased from 428,000 in 1979 to 533,000 in 1988. In nursery schools and classes alone the numbers increased from 210,000 to 285,000. The age participation rate went up from 38 per cent. to 45 per cent.

  Freedom of Speech
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to introduce further legislation to ensure that freedom of speech is protected in Britain's institutes of further and higher education.

  Mr. Jackson
  We are reviewing section 43 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 and it is too early to say whether further legislation is needed.

  Secondary School Teachers
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of secondary teachers are(a) graduates without a postgraduate teachers certificate and (b) instructors.

  Mr. Butcher
  Graduates without initial teacher training in the United Kingdom were 7 per cent. of all full-time qualified teachers in maintained secondary schools in England in March 1986.

  Instructors and student teachers represented 0·8 per cent. of the total full-time equivalent of all teachers and instructors in these schools in January 1988.

  Rutherford Laboratory
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the scientific staff at the Rutherford laboratory pay income tax at a rate above the standard rate.
  73
  Mr. Jackson
  This information is not available. Tax returns are a matter for the individual concerned.

  Schools (Business Links)
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department is taking to encourage more secondary schools to develop effective links with businesses.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Department is keen to encourage links between schools and the business community, and is involved with others in a range of initiatives designed to achieve this. A directory of school/industry links organisations and two booklets on "Education at Work" are published by the Department, and funding for teacher training in this area is made available to local education authorities through the LEA training grants scheme. Particular projects and organisations are also selectively funded.

  Attainment Level
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to improve the level of attainment by children from inner-urban areas.

  Mr. Butcher
  The range of measures introduced in the Education Reform Act will raise standards across the country, and their good effect will be most apparent where the problems are worst. Our new city technology colleges will raise standards significantly by example, and give parents and pupils a new choice of school.

  Nuclear Fusion
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the research work carried out by Professor Martin Fleischmann of Southampton university into the achievement of nuclear fusion at room temperatures, he will invite the Advisory Board for the Research Council to reconsider the nature and scale of United Kingdom research into nuclear fusion.

  Mr. Jackson
  In February 1989, the Science and Engineering Research Council decided to establish a panel to advise on future support of plasma physics and nuclear fusion.

  This panel will be able to assess the prospects for research into "cold fusion" and make appropriate recommendations, through the Science and Engineering Research Council, to the Advisory Board for the Research Council about any change in the level of support for work in this area.

  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research programmes he is supporting specifically on cold fusion.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Science and Engineering Research Council is supporting work on muon-catalysed fusion carried out on the ISIS facility of the council's Rutherford Appleton laboratory. It is a collaborative programme with the University of Birmingham, the Culham laboratory of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), and groups in Italy, the Netherlands and the United States.

  The council also supports groups in British universities and in its own establishments, which are participating in
  74
  attempts to replicate the recently-claimed cold fusion in electrochemical cells. Contact is also being maintained with similar work at the Harwell laboratory of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

  Student Loans
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of his plans to introduce top-up loans for students.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of his plans to introduce top-up loans for students.

  Mr. Jackson
  We are discussing the arrangements for the loans scheme with the financial institutions: those discussions are making useful progress.

  City Technology College (South Yorkshire)
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from potential sponsors regarding the setting up of a city technology college in South Yorkshire.

  Mr. Butcher
  South Yorkshire is one of the target areas for a city technology college, but we have at the present time no proposals from sponsors.

  Teacher Shortages
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to obtain an accurate account of teacher shortages in secondary education.

  Mr. Butcher
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Wall) on 26 April 1989 at column 553.

  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the shortages of maths and science teachers.

  Mr. Butcher
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 26 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Evennett) at column 554.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to obtain an accurate account of teacher shortages in nursery education.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to obtain an accurate account of teacher shortages in nursery education.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Department instituted the collection of data on vacant posts in nursery and primary schools for the first time in January 1988. We also conducted a primary school staffing survey in 1987 which provides extensive information about teachers in nursery and primary schools.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to solve the problems of teacher shortages in Surrey.
  75
  Mr. Butcher
  The Department's action programme on teacher shortages has, over the last three years, been aimed at securing new recruits to teaching in the shortage subjects and at providing in-service training for existing but under-qualified teachers of these subjects. Action has, in particular, been focused on those parts of the country, including Surrey, where shortages have hit hardest. We plan to build on and extend that programme as necessary to secure the teachers that we need for our schools.

  Teacher Retention
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to discourage existing teachers from leaving the profession.

  Mr. Butcher
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr Evans) on 24 April at columns 416–17.

  Open University
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the vice-chancellor of the open university; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend visited the open university on 4 November 1987 and discussed a wide range of issues concerning the work of the university with the vice-chancellor and other senior staff. He is advised on all matters relating to the open university by an independent visiting committee which last met the vice-chancellor on 13–14 April.

  Clinical Medical Research
  Mr. Wall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on responsibility for the funding of clinical medical research under the proposed reforms of the National Health Service.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations he has had with the Medical Research Council on the funding of clinical research under the proposed reforms to the National Health Service.

  Mr. Jackson
  The White Paper "Working for Patients" made clear that the Government are firmly committed to maintaining the quality of medical research. We recognise the complexity and special needs of this area, and my right hon. Friend is in close touch with my right hon. and learned Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, who is developing proposals to achieve the aims which the Government set out in the White Paper. These proposals will take account of the views of interested parties including the Medical Research Council.

  Russian Language
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teaching of Russian in maintained schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 25 April at column 472.

  Schools (Financial Management)
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from school governors on the proposals for local financial management of schools.

  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from school governors commenting on aspects of local management of schools (LMS). The majority of local education authorities are now formally consulting the governing bodies and head teachers of their schools on their draft LMS schemes. I am impressed by the level of commitment to the development of satisfactory schemes being demonstrated by both authorities and schools.

  Teachers (Records)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what record is kept of those teachers who have left the profession; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  The database of teacher records, maintained by the Department to administer the teachers' superannuation scheme, contains a record of all teachers who have completed a course of initial teacher training in England and Wales or have ever taught there, whether or not they are currently teaching. The information held in respect of teachers not currently teaching consists of their name, sex, age, degree and teacher training qualifications and details of previous service (if any).

  Teacher Shortages (Barnet)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to solve the problems of teacher shortages in Barnet.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

  Beaumont College
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what date his Department asked for a copy of the independent inquiry report into Beaumont college; on what date that report was received; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  The Department was first informed of the allegations and the proposed independent inquiry by Beaumont college on 22 September 1988 and wrote to the college on 30 September 1988 asking to be informed as soon as possible of the inquiry's recommendations. The inquiry committee's investigation did not begin until 9 November 1988. It reported late February 1989. During this period my officials wrote to and telephoned the college on several occasions requesting early sight of the final report.

  On 22 February 1989 the Department received the summary of the inquiry's findings. My officials continued to ask for the full report. The college's solicitors sent a copy of the full report to the Department on II April 1989, except for the appendices. After a further request the appendices were sent on 24 April 1989, except for

  77
  appendix 2, the list of witnesses. The solicitors have informed the Department that the report has been modified in that the names of the existing members of staff whose confidence was guaranteed, have been removed. Appendix 2 has been withheld for the same reason.

  School Budgets
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how teacher salary costs are calculated in England for the local management formula for primary schools in the calculation of school budgets.

  Mr. Butcher
  Under local management of schools primary schools' budgets will be determined by a formula based largely on age-weighted pupil numbers. In deciding how heavily to weight each age of pupils, LEAs will need to make assumptions about average teaching costs for each age group. Circular 7/88 recognises that in the case of small schools there may be variations between the actual teaching costs and the LEA's average costs, due to teachers' position on the main scale and the incidence of salary safeguarding. LEAs may therefore adjust schools' budgets to reflect this factor.

  In general, however, the degree of protection should be tapered according to the size of school, so that budget shares of schools with 10 or more teachers (excluding the head teacher and deputy head) are not adjusted to take this factor into account.

  Pupil Statistics
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the number of pupils staying in education after 16 years of age in England and Wales.

  Mr. Jackson
  In 1987–88, 627,000 16-year-olds were participating in education or in the youth training scheme (YTS) in England and Wales. The details are as follows:

  Number

  Full and part-time education

  396,000

  Youth Training Scheme

  185,000

  Evening only

  46,000

  This represents an overall participation rate of 82 per cent.

  Nursery Education
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current percentage of children of pre-school age currently enrolled in state-run pre-school education in England.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In January 1988 the number of pupils under five on roll in maintained nursery and primary schools in England as a percentage of the estimated three and four-year-old population was as follows:

  Percentage of the estimated 3 and 4 year old population

  Per cent.

  Pupils under 5 in maintained nursery schools and nursery classes in primary schools

  24

  All pupils under 5 in maintained nursery and primary schools

  45

  Further and Higher Education
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average unit of funding for an advanced futher education student assumed to be in the 1988–89 financial year; by what percentage this figure was increased in real terms for the average unit of funding of a higher education student in the PCFC sector in 1989–90; and what assumptions were made for the level of inflation in this increase.

  Mr. Jackson
  In the academic year 1988–89, some 288,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) students were enrolled on courses eligible for funding from the advanced further education (AFE) pools. The total provision for recurrent expenditure on the AFE pools in that year was £923 million, or £3,210 per capita.

  The latest projections of 1989–90 academic year enrolments show some 287,000 FTE students on courses eligible for funding by the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding council (PCFC). The total provision for PCFC recurrent expenditure is £1,030 million, or £3,590 per capita.

  These per capita figures do not give an accurate picture of the year on year increase in expenditure per student, because of the different scope of the AFE pools compared with provision for PCFC expenditure. Making the necessary adjustments, provision for PCFC recurrent expenditure in 1989–90 represents a 9 per cent. increase over comparable provision in 1988–89 in cash terms, arid 3·8 per cent. in real terms on the basis of the 5 per cent. GDP deflator prevailing at the time that the public expenditure White Paper was published.

  Absence from School
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the main reasons for recorded absence from schools of(a) pupils and (b) teachers for each of the past five years for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information about the level of, and reasons for, pupil absence from schools is not held centrally.

  Some information about the level of teacher absence from maintained schools in England is contained in the 1987 primary and 1988 secondary school staffing surveys. About 4·5 per cent. of class teachers in nursery and primary schools were estimated to be on short term absence on any one day. No breakdown of this figure between absences due to illness, in-service training or other reasons is available.

  Similar information in respect of secondary schools is expected to be available shortly. This will include a breakdown by reason for absence.

  Teachers
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to encourage local pay arrangements for teachers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The school teachers' pay and conditions document 1988 provides wide flexibility to local education authorities to take account of local circumstances in setting the pay of their teachers. Those flexibilities will be
  79
  further enhanced in the 1989 document following the recommendations of the IAC, and will in future be exercised by the governors of schools with delegated budgets.

  School Year
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has had recently on the four-term school year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  None.

  Schools (Funding)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has had about primary school aged children in local management schemes and formulae for funding.

  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of recent representations from primary school governors and head teachers commenting on local education authorities' proposals for funding schools under schemes of local management (LMS). My right hon. Friend has made clear that the allocation of resources to schools under LMS should be based on an assessment on schools' objective needs rather than simply on historical patterns of spending. It will be for local education authorities to determine the unit of resource for pupils of different ages in the light of their assessment of the relative needs of pupils of each age after consulting the governors and head teachers of each of their schools.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place in the Library details of each major publicity campaign mounted by his Department in 1985–86 and each successive year, including in each case the objectives of the campaign, the intended audience and the outcome of the monitoring of the achievement of the intended objectives, and national research conducted for him by the Central Office of Information together with a note of the intended objectives in the campaigns in 1989–90.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested will be placed in the Library within the next seven days.

  Global Warming (Research)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to approve the Natural Environment Research Council research proposal which includes studies into the impact of global warming on British rivers and the expansion of a programme at universities for global atmospheric modelling; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Funding for the Natural Environment Research Council and for the science budget in general will be subject to review this autumn in the public expenditure survey. It is for the Natural Environment Research Council to decide its own research proposals within the overall funds available.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Beef
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet completed his analysis of the manner in which the beef special premium scheme is now being operated and the desirability of moving to an on-farm basis.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The new scheme has been running for only a month, and it is far too early yet to draw any conclusions. However, the transition from the variable premium scheme appears to have gone reasonably smoothly and the first payments under the new scheme have already been made.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider increasing from 1 January 1990 the number of qualifying animals in the new beef régime.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The premium scheme applied in other member states until March this year included a limit of 50 head on the number of qualifying animals. We were able to get that figure up to 90 head in the recent negotiations on the new scheme. I strongly opposed the inclusion of any headage limit and voted against the scheme even with this higher limit. I shall continue to make clear my opposition to such limits in the Agriculture Council.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide details of(a) the actual amount paid to beef producers in the last available 12 months of the former variable beef premium and (b) his estimate of the total amount of the new beef special premium which will be paid to producers, in the first 12 months of operation.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Our provisional estimate of the amount of beef variable premium paid to United Kingdom producers, net of drawback on intervention and clawback on exports, in the financial year 1988–89 is £103 million. Our current estimate of the likely expenditure on the beef special premium in 1989–90 is £44 million.

  Leicester Market
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what analysis he has made of the impact of the closure of Leicester market last December on(a) specialist cattle, sheep and pig producers in the east midlands and (b) on the continued viability of other major marketing centres, such as Market Harborough; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I am not aware of any problems for producers or for other markets in the area as a result of the cessation of trading of Leicester market in December. The future of Market Harborough market and other markets is a matter for their owners.

  Aujesky's Disease
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make arrangements to deal in future with Aujesky's disease, as a category I disease.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The European Commission is known to be considering a categorisation of diseases
  81
  according to their seriousness, but as yet they have made no formal proposals either about such a categorisation or about Aujesky's disease. The Government will be looking for arrangements which safeguard the progress that has been made in dealing with this disease.

  Knackeries
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by year, for the last five years within the county of South Yorkshire, how many prosecutions have been brought against those operating illegal knackeries, or trading in unfit meat; what convictions have been obtained; and what penalties have been imposed.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Enforcement of legislation relating to knackeries and meat hygiene is the responsibility of local authorities. No records of enforcement actions are collected.

  Potatoes
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he has made any representations to the European Commission on the pricing policy of the Dutch potato processing industry with a view to European Court proceedings; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he has received any representations from the British potato processing industry complaining about attempts by Dutch producers to destroy the industry; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what information he has on the pricing and dumping policy of the Dutch potato processing industry, including De Fritts Bootes and Kuibo; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have received no representations and I have no information on the matters raised by my hon. Friend, and I have not made any approach to the Commission.

  Potato Marketing Board
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations have been received to date from the potato processing industry in favour of(a) the retention and (b) the abolition of the Potato Marketing Board.

  Tonnes

  Butter

  Beef

  Wine

  Cheese

  Year ending

  Held in intervention

  Privately owned and stored against EC aided contracts

  Held in intervention

  Privately owned and stored against EC aided contracts

  1979

  109

  1—

  nil

  1—

  nil

  nil

  1980

  269

  1—

  nil

  1—

  nil

  nil

  1981

  nil

  1—

  nil

  1—

  nil

  nil

  1982

  110

  1—

  nil

  1—

  nil

  nil

  1983

  2,422

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1984

  3,218

  233

  66·0

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1985

  4,999

  nil

  122·0

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1986

  7,898

  110

  46·0

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1987

  3,412

  44

  15·0

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1988

  1,757

  nil

  0·5

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1 Details of privately owned stocks of butter held prior to 1983 are no longer available.

  Current valuation figures for intervention butter and beef are £1,422·46/tonne and £1,322·71/tonne respectively.
  82
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Six representations from the processing industry had been received by 31 December 1988, the deadline set in the Government's consultation paper on future potato market policy. All favoured a free market.

  Deer
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to introduce a ban on all imports of deer until satisfactory tests are available.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The issue of import licences for deer has been suspended. The tuberculosis testing requirements of deer in isolation, both in exporting countries and after their arrival in Great Britain, are being reviewed.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to introduce a programme of free testing of deer for tuberculosis, and slaughter, with compensation for infected animals.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have nothing further to add to my reply to my hon. Friend of 15 March 1989 at column 248.

  Equine Herpes
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make equine herpes a notifiable disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) on 27 April at column 680.

  Intervention Stocks
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the amounts of(a) butter, (b) beef, (c) wine, and (d) cheese by weight or volume and at current prices, held in the county of South Yorkshire in each year since 1979 under EEC intervention policies.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information requested is as follows:

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 14 April to the hon. Member for Caerphilly,Official Report, column 748, in which month of 1988 each suspected case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy was identified; and at which veterinary investigation centre each suspected case was examined.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  This information is not held centrally.

  Butter, Beef and Wheat Prices
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect on the price of butter, beef and wheat in the United Kingdom in consequence of the various changes agreed at the Council of Ministers.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The decisions taken on 22 April by the Council of Ministers, are expected to increase support prices in the United Kingdom by just over 1 per cent. for butter; 2·7 per cent. for beef and around 3·5 per cent. for wheat, but market prices and retail prices reflect many factors, notably the weather, levels of supply and demand, the operation of stabilisers and the weakening of intervention arrangements for these products in recent years.

  Green Currency Changes
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement setting out the various green currency changes agreed at the Council of Ministers; and if he will further list the member states affected by these changes.

  Mr. MacGregor
  In the settlement reached on 22 April the Council of Ministers agreed that the green currency exchange rates be changed so as to adjust the monetary gaps between green and market exchange rates by the following percentage points:

  Dismantlement of real monetary gaps

  Percentage points

  Denmark

  Sheepmeat

  -3·060

  All other sectors except

  -1·000

  France

  Milk

  -1·529

  Beef

  -0·531

  Sheepmeat

  -0·561

  All other livestock products except pigmeat

  -1·777

  Wine

  -2·082

  All other sectors

  -1·529

  Germany

  Milk

  1·477

  All other livestock products

  0·446

  Greece

  Sheepmeat

  -9·481

  Structures

  -3·561

  All other sectors

  -16·500

  Ireland

  Sheepmeat

  -3·316

  Beef

  -2·000

  84

  Percentage points

  All crop products

  -1·565

  All other sectors except pigmeat

  -1·471

  Italy

  Pigmeat

  0·116

  Cereals, oilseeds and dried fodder

  -2·367

  Fruit and vegetables and tobacco

  -1·329

  Wine

  -2·168

  All other sectors

  -1·840

  Netherlands

  Milk

  0·866

  All other sectors except cereals

  0·347

  Portugal

  -2·125

  Spain

  Wine, olive oil, rice, oilseed, fruit and vegetables, dried fodder, flax, hemp and silkworms

  0·805

  United Kingdom

  Pigmeat

  -0·424

  Sheepmeat

  -4·361

  Beef

  -2·714

  All crop products

  -4·056

  All other sectors

  -3·270

  European Community Price Settlement
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate has been made of the additional cost to consumers in Europe of the recent price package; and what estimate he has made of the extra cost reduction to the European Economic Community.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I estimate that the effect of the price settlement on the retail prices index (all items) in the United Kingdom will be very small, at most one twentieth of 1 per cent. I have no estimates for other member states or for the Community as a whole. The proportion of the overall European Community budget represented by CAP guarantee expenditure is expected to fall from 61 per cent. in 1988 to 60 per cent. in 1989.

  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will state his estimate of the increase in(a) the price of wheat and (b) the price of sugar beet that producers can expect as a result of the recent European Economic Community agricultural prices settlement;

  (2) how the estimate of £155 million extra United Kingdom farm income resulting from the various European Economic Community farm price adjustments was calculated; how much of the £155 million is allocated to each type of product; and what effect on prices the settlement would have for each commodity.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The £155 million is the estimated full-year effect of the change in the green pound. Since the aggregate effect of the decisions on common support prices intervention arrangements and producer levies is estimated to be neutral, it is also the effect of the package as a whole. These effects are calculated using current annual volumes of production and adjusting for increases in the cost of purchased feedingstuffs, seeds and livestock. The breakdown between products is cereals, £65 million; other crops, £10 million; sheep, £30 million; milk, £40
  85
  million; other livestock products, £10 million. It is estimated that the aggregate effects of the Council's other decisions are neutral.

  The settlement in itself is estimated to increase support levels in sterling by cereals, 3·5 per cent.; sugar beet, 2 per cent.; oilseeds, 4 per cent.; sheep, 4·2 per cent.; beef, 2·7 per cent; butter, I per cent.; and other milk products, 3·2 per cent (plus a further 1 per cent. or more in the less-favoured areas and 0·5 per cent. elsewhere, due to the reduction in the milk co-responsibility levy). Producer returns will, of course, be affected by various other factors, in particular the impact on support prices of the stabiliser mechanisms for cereals, oilseeds and sheep, which will be operating to reduce the support prices in accordance with formulae agreed last year when maximum guaranteed quantities and defined ewe numbers are exceeded.

  Food Irradiation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals there are in the European Community for food irradiation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  A proposal for a Council directive on this subject was submitted by the Commission to the Council on 9 December 1988. The proposal is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities dated 31 December 1988. A copy is in the Library of the House. The draft has been recommended for debate.

  Sheep Scab
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will place the report of his working party on sheep scab control in the Library.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I have placed today in the Library of the House copies of the consultation document circulated to interested parties last December which contains the working party's findings, together with background information and an economic appraisal of the options considered.

  Food Supplies
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, following his visit to the United States of America, he is now able to assess whether the world is faced with a problem of food surpluses or food shortages.

  Mr. Ryder
  My recent discussions in the United States confirmed my view that, with the underlying trends in output and consumption, the risk of widespread structural surpluses remains and that we should continue to pursue

  England and Wales

  Labour on agricultural holdings classified as predominantly pig holdings

  Number of holdings

  Proportion of national pig herd

  Farmers, Partners and Directors and spouses

  Whole time workers including salaried managers

  Part time including seasonal and casual workers

  1980

  8,339

  73·9

  12,859

  9,356

  4,715

  1985

  6,063

  72·8

  9,390

  7,674

  3,389

  1986

  5,971

  73·6

  9,268

  7,695

  3,230

  1987

  5,555

  73·4

  8,729

  7,310

  3,108

  1988

  5,301

  74·4

  8,340

  6,653

  2,830

  86
  the objective of the Uruguay round to reform agricultural policies and expose agriculture more fully to market forces.

  Amazonian Rain Forest
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to put the issue of the Brazilian Amazonian rain forest on the agenda of the next Council of Agriculture Ministers.

  Mr. Ryder
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister on 26 April at column 959.

  Daminozide
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the conclusions of his Department following the review undertaken by the advisory committee on pesticides on health risks associated with the use of daminozide; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  Ministers responsible for the control of pesticides are currently considering the advice of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides on daminozide.

  Chemical Safety
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total number of pesticide scientists involved in the review of the safety of chemicals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  I refer the hon. Member to the pesticide review programme which was published on 16 March, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Pig Farming
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give "figures for the number of people involved in pig farming for the years(a) 1960, (b) 1970, (c) 1980, (d) 1985, (e) 1986, (f) 1987 and (g)

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 21 April 1989]: Data in the form requested are not available for 1960 or 1970. For 1980 onwards, labour figures for holdings classified as predominantly pig holdings are given in the table, but even on these specialist holdings there are other activities to which some of this labour will be directed. About 25 per cent. of pigs are on non-specialist holdings but it is not possible to estimate how much of the labour on these is attributable to the pig enterprise.

  Dairy Farming
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the figures for the number of people involved in dairy farming for the years(a) 1960, (b) 1970, (c) 1980, (d) 1985, (e) 1986, (f) 1987 and (g)

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 21 April 1989]: Data in the form requested are not available for 1960 or

  England and Wales

  Labour on agricultural holdings classified as predominantly pig holdings

  Number of holdings

  Proportion of national pig herd

  Farmers, Partners and Directors and spouses

  Whole time workers including salaried managers

  Part time including seasonal and casual workers

  1980

  40,365

  85·8

  70,332

  32,692

  19,315

  1985

  34,854

  85·8

  63,285

  27,761

  16,867

  1986

  33,967

  86·1

  62,092

  26,462

  17,090

  1987

  32,162

  85·4

  58,881

  24,384

  16,139

  1988

  30,414

  84·5

  56,213

  22,413

  15,143

  Dioxin in Food
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the food products he is testing for the presence of dioxin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 28 May 1989]: My Ministry's food science laboratory has an ongoing research programme on dioxins designed to address a number of issues. Human breast milk has been examined as part of an international collaborative exercise: the analysis of composite food samples is under way in order to help confirm which classes of food are associated with dioxins: and individual retail purchases of a range of fatty foods such as milk, meat products and fish are also being examined. Finally, preliminary studies on the migration of dioxins into food from paper-based products such as milk cartons, tea bags and coffee filter papers have recently been carried out following reports that certain bleached paper products may contain dioxins. Results will be published as soon as possible.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensions
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the income of pensioners with no other source of income than state benefits as a proportion of the average earnings of all male workers in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is as follows:

  Average gross income of pensioners with no other source of income than state benefits as a proportion of the average earnings of all male workers

  Year

  1974

  27

  1975

  27

  1976

  27

  1977

  29

  1978

  29

  1979

  28

  1980

  28

  1981

  29

  1982

  30

  1983

  30

  88
  1970. For 1980 onwards, labour figures for holdings classified as specialist or mainly dairying are given in the table, but even on these specialist holdings there are other activities to which some of this labour will be directed. About 15 per cent. of dairy cows are on non-specialist holdings, but it is not possible to estimate how much of the labour on these is attributable to the dairy enterprise.

  Year

  1984

  31

  1985

  30

  1986

  29

  Notes:

  1. Pensioner incomes are from the family expenditure survey.

  2. Earnings data are from the new earnings survey.

  The average gross income of this group of pensioners as a proportion of all manual workers' earnings was 32 per cent. in 1974, 33 per cent. in 1979, increasing to 37 per cent. in 1986.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, with respect to the support grades in his Department(a) what is the number of staff employed, (b) how many vacancies there are and how many of these have existed for over one month and over three months, (c) how many temporary and casual appointments there are and (d) how much overtime was worked by them in London and elsewhere.

  Mr. Scott
  At 1 April 1989 there were 2,844 staff employed and 52·5 current vacancies. Information about the length of time vacancies have existed cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost. There were 76 casual and temporary appointments and 1,688 hours overtime worked during March 1989. This information is provisional and does not include locally paid staff employed in the regional organisation.

  Benefits
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish for each month since April 1988 the number of people submitting claims for income support and family credit and the number unsuccessful; and if the latter data can be expressed as a percentage of the former.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information is in the tables.
  89

  Income support

  Period

  Claims received

  Unsuccessful claims

  Unsuccessful claims as a percentage of claims received

  11–30 April 1988

  206,061

  32,595

  15·8

  May 1988

  285,703

  69,318

  24·3

  June 1988

  336,929

  74,935

  22·3

  July 1988

  430,369

  68,781

  16·0

  August 1988

  351,719

  72,752

  20·7

  September 1988

  366,026

  61,121

  16·7

  October 1988

  328,929

  71,649

  21·8

  Family credit

  Period

  Claims received

  Invalid claims

  Valid claims disallowed

  Unsuccessful claims as a percentage of valid claims received

  11–30 April 1988

  96,505

  5,199

  18,897

  32·0

  May 1988

  41,721

  June 1988

  52,293

  3,313

  13,392

  27·0

  July 1988

  46,100

  3,142

  14,570

  27·8

  August 1988

  46,376

  3,143

  14,883

  27·0

  September 1988

  47,759

  2,190

  8,660

  26·4

  October 1988

  56,373

  2,808

  14,886

  24·9

  November 1988

  57,850

  2,690

  15,226

  24·8

  December 1988

  44,834

  2,521

  12,629

  26·1

  January 1989

  63,638

  3,621

  15,696

  26·9

  February 1989

  60,318

  3,222

  15,506

  25·6

  March 1989

  68,637

  4,279

  15,189

  24·4

  Source: Local office and family credit branch data collected for management information purposes. They are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are on(a) income support, (b) family credit and (c) unemployment benefit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest available figures are:

  Number

  (a) Income Support

  4,416,000

  (b) Family Credit

  254,000

  (c) Unemployment Benefit

  500,000

  Social Fund
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much the Peckham Department of Social Security offices were given from the social fund(a) in 1988–89 and (b) in 1989–90; whether this has increased in line with inflation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The details of the social fund allocations are as follows:

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Loans

  Grants

  Loans

  Grants

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Camberwell AO

  442,473

  186,487

  409,866

  175,936

  Kennington Park ILO

  377,078

  158,672

  369,213

  153,717

  Peckham ILO

  343,582

  145,406

  329,774

  145,861

  A note explaining the basis on which the social fund allocations for 1989–90 were calculated is in the Library.
  90

  Period

  Claims received

  Unsuccessful claims

  Unsuccessful claims as a percentage of claims received

  November 1988

  311,715

  66,070

  21·2

  December 1988

  236,160

  46,394

  19·6

  January 1989

  324,572

  63,699

  19·6

  February 1989

  278,970

  58,365

  20·9

  March 1989

  271,121

  58,043

  21·4

  Pensioners
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has as to how many pensioners receive only the state retirement pension; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As at 30 September 1988, 2,168,320 pensioners in Great Britain were receiving only the basic state retirement pension, that is they were not in receipt of graduated pension or additional pension. However, these pensioners may also have been receiving other contributory and non-contributory benefits. In particular, a pensioner who has only the basic state pension and little or no other income or savings may be entitled to income support and housing benefit.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the percentage of pensioners on incomes on or below 140 per cent. of income support level; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The low income families statistics, which show the number and characteristics of pensioners not receiving supplementary benefit but with incomes within 140 per cent. of the supplementary benefit scale rates have been discontinued. Alternative measures of net income before and after housing costs have been introduced. Figures on this alternative basis covering the years 1981, 1983 and 1985 can be found in "Households Below Average Income", copies of which are in the Library.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate the percentage of pensioners in the lowest quintile of the national income distribution; and if he will make a statement;
  91
  (2) what assessment he has made of the causes of the reduction in the percentage of pensioners in the lowest quintile in recent years; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) how many pensioners are in the highest quintile of the population; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In 1979, 38 per cent. of pensioner tax units (a pensioner tax unit is a single person of state pension age or over, or a couple where the man is of state pension age or over) were in the lowest fifth of the national income distribution. In 1986, the latest year for which information is available, this figure had fallen to 24 per cent. The factors contributing to this reduction include the 23 per cent. real terms increase in pensioners' average total net income between 1979 and 1986, and the fact that pensioners' incomes increased twice as fast as those of the population as a whole over the same period. In 1986, 6 per cent. of pensioners were in the highest fifth of the national income distribution.

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey 1986

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the numbers of pensioners in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As at 30 September 1988 there were approximately 9.4 million retirement pensioners resident in Great Britain.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of pensioners receiving(a) income support and (b) housing benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest available figure for income support is 1,671,000. This relates to cases where either the claimant or his partner is aged 60 or over. Information for housing benefit recipients is not yet available.
  92
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners lost entitlement to housing benefit following the introduction of the capital cut-off limit of £8,000; what was the estimated annual saving to the Exchequer as against the previous arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The housing benefit capital limit was introduced on 14 April 1988 at £6,000, at an estimated net saving of £80 million; it was increased to £8,000 on 13 May 1988. The increase cost an estimated £35 million and restored entitlement to housing benefit to around 100,000 of the 300,000 people—almost all pensioners—who had lost entitlement in April.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate the percentage of total pensioners' income in 1988 represented by social security benefits; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will estimate the percentage of total pensioners' income in 1988 represented by occupational pensions; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will estimate the percentage of total pensioners' income in 1988 represented (a) by savings and (b) by investments; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) if he will estimate the percentage of total pensioners' income in 1988 represented by earnings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In 1986, the latest year for which information is available, 59 per cent. of pensioners' average gross income was derived from social security benefits, 20 per cent. from occupational pensions, 14 per cent. from savings and investments, and 7 per cent. from earnings.

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey 1986.

  Note: There is no generally agreed distinction between savings and investments.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  DSS Leaflets
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the Bradford Gingerbread centre is going to receive leaflets ordered from DSS Leaflets, PO Box 21, Stanmore, on 7 December 1988; when the last batch of leaflets ordered by Bradford Gingerbread centre on 10 August last were dispatched; if he has any plans to improve the service offered by DSS Leaflets, Stanmore; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I regret that the DSS leaflets unit has no record of an order dated 7 December 1988. The order dated 10 August 1988 was dispatched on 4 April 1989.

  The principal factors causing delay in the distribution of some orders from Canons Park leaflets unit are the considerably increased demand for bulk orders, and the physical constraints of the unit which preclude an immediate expansion of capacity or the recruitment of more staff to cope with this demand.

  From 1 May requests for bulk orders of leaflets and forms from organisations such as Gingerbread, will be supplied within 48 hours from receipt of order.

  The Department will be testing a service giving a 48-hour turnround for members of the public. People will be able to order leaflets by telephone using the Department's Freeline or by preprinted card.

  Income Support
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of(a) pregnant women on income support and (b) free milk and vitamin awards to women on income support.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Provisional figures for May 1988 show that approximately 41,000 pregnant women on income support were claiming free welfare milk and vitamins. No separate information is available about the total number of pregnant women on income support.

  Earnings
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes there have been to the definition of earnings for national insurance calculation purposes since the last fiscal year; and under what authority such changes were made.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Section 3(1) of the Social Security Act 1975 defines earnings so as to include any remuneration or profit derived from an employment. In May 1988 the Social Security (Contributions) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 1988 (SI 1988/No. 860) came into force. These regulations, which were made by exercising powers in section 3(2) and 3(3) of the 1975 Social Security Act, provided that payments to employed earners in the form of a wide range of securities but not equities, should be included in earnings for contributions purposes.

  Paragraph 1 of schedule 7 to the Social Security Bill will also amend section 3 of the Social Security Act 1975 to provide that earnings will include payments which are consideration for restrictive undertakings specified in subsection (1) and (2) of section 313 of the Income and Taxes Act 1988.
  94
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what differences there are between the definitions of earnings for national insurance and PAYE purposes.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  National insurance contributions are charged on gross earnings and only earnings of all employees, with the exception of those employees who are over pensionable age. National insurance contributions are not charged on occupational pensions, and investment income. Further information on what is included in gross pay for national insurance purposes is included in the recently published "Employers Manual on National Insurance Contributions", which I have placed in the Library.

  Income tax is deducted under PAYE on income from offices and employments, occupational pensions, certain social security benefits and lump sum payments.

  Hillsborough Disaster Fund
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what effect payments from the Hillsborough disaster fund will have on the level of benefits for bereaved families.

  Mr. Scott
  No payments have yet been made by the Hillsborough disaster fund and therefore it is not possible to say whether and how they might affect benefits. Officials have been in touch with the fund's administrators to advise them on the social security rules. The majority of social security benefits would not in any case be affected by any payment from the fund.

  Marginal Tax Rates
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide figures for(a) the number of individuals and (b) the number of families facing marginal tax rates in excess of (i) 70 per cent., (ii) 8(1 per cent., and (iii) 90 per cent. from 1973 to the present day.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish estimates of the numbers of individuals or families facing marginal tax rates in excess of 70 per cent., 80 per cent., 90 per cent., 100 per cent., and above 100 per cent., for each year from 1979–80 to 1988–89.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 11 April 1989]: Table 15.15 on page 16 of Cm. 615 sets out estimates for November 1985 and April 1988. Information on the numbers of individuals and families by different marginal deduction rates is not available for earlier years. I also refer the hon. Members to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 17 February, at column 393. The table sets out the latest estimates of the numbers of working heads who might face combined rates of deduction of 70 per cent. or more. The figures reflect the March 1989 Budget and include the effects of the employees' national insurance reform which takes effect in October.
  95

  Combined marginal income tax and benefit withdrawal rates 1989–90 Working heads of tax units (000) Great Britain numbers facing combined rates of over 70 per cent.—in bands

  Families with children

  Couples and single people

  Total

  Over 100 per cent.

  —

  —

  —

  Over 90 per cent.

  40

  5

  45

  Over 80 per cent.

  195

  15

  210

  Over 70 per cent.

  365

  50

  415

  Notes:

  1. Marginal deduction rates shown are for heads of tax units in receipt of family credit/housing benefit where at least one partner works 24 hours or more a week.

  2. All estimates are for 1989–90 and are based on combined 1985 and 1986 family expenditure survey data and are consistent with this year's Government expenditure White Paper.

  3. Some totals may not sum because of rounding.

  4. Denotes an estimate of fewer than 2,500.

  5. The total number of working heads of tax-units with more than 24-weekly remunerative hours is approximately 17 million. Those shown in the table therefore represent only 2·5 per cent. of the total.

  Proportion of gross income derived from original income1

  Proportion of gross income derived from Retirement Pension and income-related benefits

  Average gross weekly income

  Percentage

  Percentage

  £

  All pensioners tax units2

  Lowest Q1

  8

  90

  56·90

  Q2

  11

  86

  67·00

  Q3

  16

  80

  71·10

  Q4

  36

  57

  94·90

  Highest Q5

  72

  25

  203·50

  All

  42

  55

  98·68

  All single pensioners

  Lowest Q1

  7

  92

  45·10

  Q2

  9

  89

  53·50

  Q3

  11

  87

  60·60

  Q4

  25

  69

  71·10

  Highest Q5

  67

  29

  146·30

  All

  34

  62

  75·30

  Single men over pension age

  Lowest Q1

  9

  91

  48·30

  Q2

  11

  88

  55·40

  Q3

  14

  86

  61·50

  Q4

  38

  59

  77·90

  Highest Q5

  74

  24

  170·40

  All

  42

  56

  82·60

  Single women over pension age

  Lowest Q1

  6

  92

  44·30

  Q2

  8

  90

  53·00

  Q3

  10

  87

  60·10

  Q4

  22

  72

  70·20

  Highest Q5

  63

  31

  138·80

  All

  32

  64

  73·30

  1 Original income consists of occupational and personal pensions, income from savings and investment, and any earnings from employment or self-employment.

  2 A pensioner tax unit is a single person of state pension age or over, or a married couple where the man is of state pension age or over. Each group has been divided into quintiles on the basis of equivalised gross income.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Members Dining Room
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Lord President of the Council on how many occasions tables have had to be removed from the Members Dining Room because of staff shortages in the last year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  On four occasions.

  Retirement Incomes
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, on the basis of data in the family expenditure survey for 1986, he will state the average percentage income of(a) all retired households, (b) single retired households, (c) retired one-man households and (d) retired one-woman households, in each case in all five quintile groupings, which is derived from (i) original income, (ii) contributory retirement pension, (iii) supplementary benefit and (iv) housing benefit; and what is the total average income of each group in each quintile.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 12 April 1989]: On the basis of data in the family expenditure survey pensioners' average income cannot be broken down separately into the proportions derived from contributory retirement pensions, supplementary benefit and housing benefit. These sources of income are taken together in column 2.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the hourly rate of pay for waitresses employed in the Members Dining Room; and what rate is paid to agencies supplying waitresses.

  Mr. Beith
  I shall write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons
  97
  Commission, what is the full establishment of waitresses in the Members Dining Room; and how many are currently employed.

  Mr. Beith
  The full establishment of waiters/waitresses (excluding those who serve only wine) is 15. The current complement is eight.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what discussions the Commission has had with trade union representatives of dining room staff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Beith
  None by the Commission. Formal discussions with union representatives take place with management through the Whitley committee machinery in accordance with recognised procedures.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, when he expects the Members Dining Room to return to a full complement of fully employed staff.

  Mr. Beith
  It is not possible to be precise. Four more waitresses are expected to begin duties in the very near future and efforts are being made to recruit the staff needed to fill the remaining three posts. I shall arrange for the hon. Member to be informed when the staff is back to full strength.

HEALTH

  "Putting Patients First"
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information on opting out or indication of interest in opting out under the terms of his White Paper "Putting Patients First", has been required from hospitals in the south west region by 8 May; what is the significance of this date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The chief executive of the NHS management hoard wrote to all regional general managers on 14 March about the preparation of expressions of interest in self-governing hospital status. A copy of the letter (reference: EL(89)MB/58) has been placed in the Library. Regional returns are to be made to the Department by 31 May; expressions of interest are to reach RHAs by 8 May to give them time to comment.

  Number of Estimates Scheduled (England and Wales)

  Quarter

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1st.

  8,198,837

  8,363,883

  8,153,035

  8,494,306

  9,183,731

  2nd.

  8,000,376

  8,692,834

  8,615,213

  8,378,456

  —

  3rd.

  8,564,944

  8,075,163

  8,623,781

  9,112,402

  —

  4th.

  8,286,568

  8,933,076

  8,467,152

  9,481,178

  —

  33,050,725

  34,064,956

  33,859,181

  35,466,342

  Defibrillators
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give, region by region, the number of defibrillators which have been purchased(a) by the health authority, (b) not by the health authority and (c) in the latter case, the main source of funding for each defibrillator.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average number of weeks per year worked by the dental staff of the former Dental Estimates Board in each year during the period 1985 to 1988, excluding sick leave, leave, study leave and attendance at courses.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Weeks

  1985

  43·17

  1986

  44·45

  1987

  42·95

  1988

  43·05

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current time input relating to an estimate form submitted for prior approval compared with the average payment case.

  Mr. Freeman
  During March 1989 the dental practice board returned requests for approval of dental treatment within 18 days of receipt and took 24 days to issue payment schedules for treatment fees claimed by dentists. Both these figures are averages.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the last date when the work of the dental estimates board was subjected to an approved efficiency study; and what was the result.

  Mr. Freeman
  The most recent efficiency study was undertaken in 1984. A number of recommendations concerning improvements in the board's organisation and procedures were made and implemented. In line with other health service bodies the board is subject to the annual accountability review arrangements. A comprehensive review of the board's role and function is planned for later this year.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of dental estimates authorised for payment in each quarter from the beginning of 1985 until the most recent date when figures are available.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not available centrally. Arrangements for purchase of equipment of this kind are a matter for each separate health authority.

  Nurses (Assaults)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he has held, or proposes to hold, discussions with the police about assaults on nurses;
  99
  (2) what is the trend in the number of assaults on nurses;

  (3) how many nurses' homes are signposted in hospital grounds;

  (4) how many nurses have been issued with personal alarms by their employers;

  (5) what steps he is taking to train nursing staff in violence avoidance;

  (6) in how many nurses' homes full-time security staff are employed;

  (7) what is his estimate of the number of nurses who have been assaulted in hospitals or hospital grounds in the last year for which figures are available;

  (8) if he will set up a working party to study the incidence of violence against nurses and the reasons for it and to make recommendations;

  (9) if he will provide central funding and specific grants for measures to prevent violence against nurses;

  (10) if he has issued any recent circulars to health authorities about measures to be taken to cope with violence against nurses;

  (11) what information he has as to how many break-ins have been reported in nurses' homes in the last year for which figures are available;

  (12) what steps he has taken to ensure that nurses are provided with transport after working on late duty;

  (13) if he has made any recommendations to health authorities about standards of lighting in hospital grounds.

  Mr. Mellor
  Although we do not hold the detailed information about nurses requested by the right hon. Member centrally, many health authorities have taken effective measures to ensure the safety of their staff. These include the employment of contract security staff; close circuit television; personal alarms; two way radios; improved lighting and the introduction of professional nurse triage to reduce waiting times in accident and emergency departments.

  At national level the DHSS advisory committee on violence to staff was established in February 1987 to examine the problem throughout the caring services. The committee, which comprised management, professional bodies, family practitioners and trades union representatives from all the services, was chaired by my noble Friend Lord Skelmersdale. Its report was published in July last year. Copies were issued to all NHS general managers and placed in the Library.

  The report stresses the importance of accurate reporting of incidents and its principal recommendations relate to the need for employers to recognise the fundamental place of a safe working environment in the determination of local priorities and budgets and the development of local safety and security policies. Specifically, it urges liaison with the police and with staff and their representatives; training in the avoidance and control of violent situations; local collaboration and the sharing of experiences; and the counselling of victims. A video reinforcing the committee's recommendations and in which I stressed ministerial concern about this important issue was sent to all health authorities in February this year.

  I strongly endorse the theme of the report that the issue of violence to staff is one which can be most effectively tackled locally by management and staff working together.

  Aluminium
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health as part of the research that is to take place into the effects of aluminium in infants, if he will include a study of the extent to which aluminium sulphate added to water supplies as a cleaning agent enters the body and is hazardous.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Medical Research Council, which is the main Government-funded body dealing with biomedical and clinical research, and which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science, is sponsoring research into the uptake and biological effects of aluminium from all sources, including drinking water.

  Other independent research is being undertaken into the sources of aluminium in infants' diet and its absorption and excretion.

  The Department of Health's independent advisory committee on toxicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment will be asked to advise on the results of this research when they are available.

  Cholesterol
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost to the National Health Service of carrying out a test to establish a patient's blood cholesterol level; and whether such a test can be requested on a routine visit to a general practitioner.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information on actual cost of tests to establish a patient's blood cholesterol level is not collected centrally. It is known however that the cost will vary depending on whether such tests are carried out at a large NHS laboratory or elsewhere,—for example in a GP's surgery. These tests are available under the National Health Service.

  Hospices
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has yet completed his review into the funding of hospices; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. I hope to complete the review shortly.

  Airline Foods
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply of 6 April,Official Report, columns 289–90, if he has now given consideration to the report "A Survey of Microbiological Quality of Airline Foods" by three London boroughs; and if he will now make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have recently received a copy of the survey of the microbiological quality of airline meals. It is still receiving careful consideration within the Department.

  Consultants
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by each health district the number of consultants in each specialty who have merit awards; what this figure represents as a percentage of the total number of consultant posts; whether he has any proposals to change the way in which merit awards are allocated; and if he will make a statement.
  101
  Mr. Mellor
  We do not have information by district readily available. Information for each region of England and Wales and for each specialty on the number of holders of distinction awards is given in the tables.

  The working paper 7 "NHS Consultants: Appointments, Contracts and Distinction Awards", following the White Paper "Working for Patients", sets out the Government's proposals to change the way in which distinction awards are allocated, and will be discussed with the medical profession.

  Distinction awards

  Analysis by region at 31 December 1988

  Region

  Awards helpers

  Numbers

  Percentage

  Northern

  342

  33

  Yorkshire

  358

  33

  Trent

  440

  33

  East Anglian

  209

  33

  North West Thames

  450

  39

  North East Thames

  619

  40

  South East Thames

  476

  37

  South West Thames

  351

  37

  Special Health Authorities

  343

  57

  Wessex

  293

  35

  Oxford

  272

  36

  South Western

  316

  34

  West Midlands

  503

  33

  Mersey

  260

  34

  North Western

  468

  34

  Wales

  298

  34

  Total

  5,648

  35

  Note: —Where a practitioner has a contract in more than one Region he has been counted in each, but only once in the total.

  Distinction awards: Analysis by specialty and percentage distribution 31 December 1988 England and Wales

  Total awards

  Number

  per cent.

  All specialties: Total

  5,648

  35·0

  Accident and emergency

  32

  17·0

  Anaesthetics

  598

  29·0

  Cardiology

  76

  53·0

  Cardio-thoracic surgery

  55

  47·0

  Clinical neurological physiology

  18

  32·0

  Community medicine

  162

  31·0

  Oral surgery

  112

  39·0

  Orthodontics

  46

  30·0

  Restorative dentistry

  33

  32·0

  Dermatology

  85

  36·0

  Diseases of the chest

  54

  48·0

  General medicine

  705

  47·0

  General surgery

  572

  49·0

  Genito-urinary medicine

  26

  18·0

  Geriatric medicine

  117

  21·0

  Infectious diseases

  13

  45·0

  Mental illness

  367

  29·0

  Child and adolescent psychiatry

  79

  21·0

  Forensic psychiatry

  13

  22·0

  Mental handicap

  35

  19·0

  Psychotherapy

  22

  25·0

  Neurology

  96

  55·0

  Neurosurgery

  55

  56·0

  Nuclear medicine

  16

  55·0

  Obstetrics and gynaecology

  325

  40·0

  Occupational medicine

  2

  12·0

  Ophthalmology

  156

  35·0

  Orthopaedic surgery

  269

  36·0

  Otolaryngology

  144

  36·0

  Paediatrics

  269

  37·0

  Paediatric surgery

  24

  55·0

  Pathology: General

  3

  50·0

  Blood transfusion

  11

  39·0

  102

  Total awards

  Number

  per cent.

  Chemical pathology

  75

  40·0

  Haematology

  126

  32·0

  Histopathology

  203

  33·0

  Immunopathology

  22

  52·0

  Medical microbiology

  112

  35·0

  Neuro-pathology

  13

  42·0

  PHLS only

  12

  41·0

  Plastic surgery

  45

  43·0

  Radiology

  289

  27·0

  Radiotherapy

  82

  38·0

  Rheumatology and rehabilitation

  79

  32·0

  Cervical Cancer Tests
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking urgently to review the system of cervical cancer smear tests so that no women whose tests have proved positive suffer delays of more than three to four weeks before starting treatment.

  Mr. Mellor
  Department of Health guidance, HC(88) 1, states that district health authorities should ensure that adequate facilities are available for the prompt investigation, treatment and follow-up of women whose smears show that this is necessary. In order to monitor health authorities' achievement in this respect we have asked them to notify us in their 1989 planning statements of waiting times for further diagnosis and treatment, particularly colposcopy, where these exceed four weeks. We shall then be pressing health authorities to take action where there are problems.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library details of each major publicity campaign mounted by his Department in 1985–86 and each successive year, including in each case the objectives of the campaign, the intended audience and the outcome of the monitoring of the achievement of the intended objectives, and national research conducted for him by the Central Office of Information together with a note of the intended objectives in the campaigns in 1989–90.

  Mr. Mellor
  I shall let the hon. Member have such information as can be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost as soon as possible.

  Baby Food
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement about the health risk in baby food;

  (2) when he was first warned of the health risk in baby food;

  (3) whether he has obtained the advice of the chief medical officer about the health risk in baby food;

  (4) whether he plans to issue any advice to baby food manufacturers about continuing sale of baby food;

  (5) whether he plans to issue any advice to parents about the health risks in baby food;

  (6) whether he plans to issue any advice to health workers about the risks in baby food.

  Mr. Freeman
  We first became aware of particles of glass being found in jars of baby food in March 1989, when the manufacturers arranged withdrawal of the batch
  103
  concerned and advised the Department. Since then, as my hon. Friend said on 26 April at column 949, there have been growing numbers of reports which have been recognised as deliberate contamination and this is the subject of police inquiries. The Department on 28 April endorsed common-sense advice to the public which, if followed, should remove any risk. This advice is being passed also to the National Health Service and to chief environmental health officers of local authorities. The question of continuing the sale of these products is for the manufacturers in consultation with the police.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the present population of England and Wales who are over the age of 18 years.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is estimated that the resident population of England and Wales aged 18 and over was 38,607,700 at mid-1987. An estimate relating to mid-1988 will be available shortly.

  Coastal Waters (Pollution)
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has any record of specific skin diseases and infections occurring amongst fishermen operating in British coastal waters; and what investigations his Department has carried out into the incidence of skin diseases and infections occurring amongst fishermen operating in British coastal waters.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: These diseases are not notifiable diseases and, therefore, this Department does not keep any records. No investigations have been carried out by this Department.

  Stump Socks
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations have been received by his Department about stump socks for amputees;

  (2) where National Health Service supplies of stump socks are listed.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: These are matters for the Disablement Services authority to which the hon. Member should address his question.

  CSCE LONDON CONFERENCE: UK DELEGATION
  CSCE LONDON CONFERENCE: UK DELEGATION
  BROADCASTING AND PUBLICATION BANS
  BROADCASTING AND PUBLICATION BANS
  IRAQ: HUMAN RIGHTS OF KURDS
  IRAQ: HUMAN RIGHTS OF KURDS
  CRACKED EGGS: SALE BAN PROPOSAL
  CRACKED EGGS: SALE BAN PROPOSAL
  PLANNING INSPECTORATE
  PLANNING INSPECTORATE
  COMMUNITY CHARGE: DELEGATION OF LOCAL AUTHORITY DUTIES
  COMMUNITY CHARGE: DELEGATION OF LOCAL AUTHORITY DUTIES