Written Answers of 3 May 1989

THE ARTS

  Objects in Lieu
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Minister for the Arts which of the offers of objects in lieu of tax during the financial year 1988–89 listed in his answer on 24 April,Official Report, column 432, carried a condition as to destination; if he will give the relevant particulars; whether he will give particulars of the 10 portraits satisfying tax of £260,717; and whether he will give the total sum of tax thus satisfied during the year in question, with a breakdown into (a) the total covered by the basic provision and (b) the total covered by recourse to the reserve.

  Mr. Luce
  Among the items accepted in lieu of tax in the financial year 1988–89 referred to in my answer of 24 April,Official Report, c.432, the following carried conditions:
  Print by William Blake—conditional upon allocation to the Fitzwilliam Museum.
  "The Artist's Studio" by Tillemans—conditional upon allocation to the Castle Museum, Norwich.
  Roubiliac busts—conditional upon remaining in situ at Mellerstain House.
  Kauffman portraits—conditional upon allocation to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
  "Fabula" by E1 Greco—conditional upon allocation to the National Galleries of Scotland.

  The £260,717 referred to in the answer of 24 April has been paid in respect of nine portraits accepted in lieu of tax (a tenth portrait was withdrawn at a late stage); further details of the acceptance of this conditional offer and allocation will be announced shortly by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  The total tax satisfied during the 1988–89 financial year was £6,719,816·88, of which £2 million was covered by the basic provision and £4,719,816·88 was spent from the Reserve. The total includes £30 additional tax on the Kauffman portraits, announced as £34,100 in the reply of 24 April.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Indecent and Obscene Items (Seizure)
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many indecent or obscene items have been seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise under the Customs and Excise Act 1952 and the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lilley
  The number of indecent or obscene items seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, under these Acts, in each year since 1979 was as follows:

  Number

  1979–80

  98,300

  1980–81

  66,600

  1981–82

  83,500

  106

  Number

  1982–83

  172,000

  1983–84

  170,000

  1984–85

  43,400

  1985–86

  53,100

  1986–87

  33,000

  1987–88

  29,000

  1988–89

  24,000

  The European Court of Justice ruled in 1985 that the prohibition on the importation from the European Community of indecent or obscene articles imposed by section 42 of the Customs Consolidation Act 1876 is not lawful under article 36 of the treaty of Rome, unless the domestic manufacture and sale of these articles was also prohibited by United Kingdom legislation.

  The effect of the ruling was that:

  (a) Customs could continue to seize obscene material but not, with the exception of material involving children, seize indecent material; and

  (b) Customs could no longer seize items such as sex aids which can be legally sold on the home market.

  Although the decision of the European Court of Justice related solely to material imported from the Community, Customs and Excise consider that it would be inequitable and impracticable not to apply the same standards to all imports. The changes following from this ruling account for the decline in the number of items seized since 1985.

  Fuel Duty
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the duty paid on(a) aviation kerosene and (b) fuels used by commercial vehicles.

  Mr. Lilley
  The effective rate of duty on aviation kerosene is nil.

  Most commercial vehicles use diesel fuel (DERV), some use petrol and a few use liquified petroleum gas (LPG). The rates of duty are:

  £1 litre

  DERV

  0·1729

  Petrol

  (unleaded)

  0·1772

  (leaded, 4 star)

  0·2044

  LPG

  0·1022

  Exchange Equalisation Account Act
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to amend section 4 of the Exchange Equalisation Account Act 1979 so as to provide that the Comptroller and Auditor-General's certificate on the operations on and transactions in connection with the account is accompanied by information of the losses incurred each month.

  Mr. Lilley
  No. I see no reason to change the practice of successive Governments regarding the disclosure of details of the exchange equalisation account.

  Personal Equity Plans
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from investment trusts and unit trusts about personal equity plans; and if he will make a statement.
  107
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I have received representations from a number of investment trusts and unit trusts, and from the Association of Investment Trust Companies. The main concern is that investment trusts in particular will find it difficult to meet the requirement from 6 April 1990 that, to qualify for investment through a personal equity plan, 75 per cent. of their own investment must be in United Kingdom ordinary shares. The Government have therefore decided to introduce four relaxations:

  (i) To help investment and unit trust PEP schemes in existence before the Budget, an investor will have the option of investing up to £750 a year in an investment or unit trust which does not satisfy the 75 per cent United Kingdom requirement. This will be an alternative to investing up to £2,400 in trusts which do satisfy the requirement.

  (ii) Third market and unquoted shares of United Kingdom companies in a unit or investment trusts' portfolio will count towards the 75 per cent. test.

  (iii) Unit trust "funds of funds" will be qualifying investments, provided that the unit trusts in which the fund of funds invests are authorised securities schemes. From 6 April 1990, funds of funds must also comply with the requirement to invest at least 75 per cent. in United Kingdom equities.

  (iv) Investment trusts' "capital" and "income" shares will also count towards the 75 per cent. test, as will other ordinary shares issued by them. This will enable investment trusts (and unit trusts) to invest in United Kingdom investment trusts which issue capital or income shares rather than ordinary shares. But, as with unit trust "funds of funds", the underlying investments must, overall, be 75 per cent. in United Kingdom companies.

  The Personal Equity Plan Regulations 1989 will be amended in due course to reflect these changes.

  Exports
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has to the level of exports as a percentage of total production in the United Kingdom in 1974, 1979 and 1989; and what are the comparable figures in other Group of Seven countries.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 28 April 1989]: Figures for 1974, 1979 and 1987, the latest year for which comparable figures are available, are given in "OECD National Accounts" volume 1 1960–1987 for all the countries in question except the United Kingdom. Figures for the United Kingdom can be found in the CSO publication "Economic Trends Annual Supplement" and in the CSO press release of 17 March 1989.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Medical Schools
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what extra provision will be made in medical schools for students to receive course tuition in general practice business management; and whether such provision will be made additional to, or within, the current curriculum.

  Mr. Jackson
  Medical education and training follows the recommendations of the education committee of the General Medical Council. These already provide for training in administrative and managerial skills to be given as part of the postgraduate, vocational phase of medical training.

  University Teachers (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many university teachers have taken early retirement in each year since 1979(a) in total, (b) in each university and (c) in each subject.

  Mr. Jackson
  The available information is as given in my reply of 10 February 1989 at columns 842–842. Details for individual institutions and subjects are not held centrally.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements will apply for the approval of courses of initial teacher training when the term of office of the members of the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education expires at the end of 1989.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  As I announced yesterday, I am today issuing a consultation document setting out my proposals in detail and asking for comments by 30 June. I have placed a copy in the Library. I propose that the council is reconstituted, that the criteria for the approval of courses are made tougher, and that the role of local committees in the accreditation process is strengthened.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking within the European Economic Community Council of Ministers to ensure that the aid provided through Lomé conventions III and IV to the Ethiopian Government is administered in the interests of, and actually reaches, those for whom it is intended.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  We are actively involved in examining proposals prepared by the Commission for development assistance to Ethiopia under the Lomé conventions through our participation in the European development fund committee, on which all member states are represented. We have consistently stressed to the Commission the importance of close monitoring of such assistance to ensure that the aid reaches the intended beneficiaries.

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the total British public and private overseas aid for 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  This figure is not yet available.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Whooping Cough Vaccine Cases (Legal Aid)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Attorney-General for what reason legal aid has been terminated for whooping cough vaccine cases; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  There is no policy to terminate legal aid in whooping cough vaccine cases. Each case is
  109
  being re-examined individually following the judgment in Loveday v. Renton as, under the Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulations 1989, the Legal Aid Board is required to reassess legal aid certificates in the light of new information or knowledge. The Lord Chancellor may not intervene, or influence the decisions of the Legal Aid Board.

PRIME MINISTER

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if, during her visit to the kingdom of Morocco on 28 March 1989, she raised the matter of the non-aligned states' policy towards the 1990 nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if, during her visit to Nigeria on 29 March, she raised the matter of the status of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and the prospects for the 1990 non-proliferation treaty review conference, with Ministers of the Nigerian Government.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister when the Cabinet Office started and completed the review of the 1985 conventions governing Government advertising; when the revised commentary was issued to Departments; and whether she will place a copy of them in the Library.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: A review of the conventions on Government publicity and advertising took place in early 1988. Consolidated supplementary guidance was issued by the Cabinet Office to Departments in March 1989 and I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Namibia (Uranium)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if, during her recent visit to Namibia, she raised with the authorities there the future of Namibian uranium procurement for United Kingdom nuclear weapons and nuclear power programmes.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Sir Alan Walters
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will publish in the Official Report a list of Sir Alan Walters' outside interests;

  (2) what are Sir Alan Walters' connections with the Centre for Policy Studies.

  The Prime Minister
  Sir Alan Walters is a private individual who has a consulting contract with the Government. It would not be appropriate to publish or require him to publish his interests in or connections with private sector bodies.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the salary of Sir Alan Walters on his appointment.
  110
  The Prime Minister
  Sir Alan Walters' remuneration is linked to that of a second permanent secretary.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Special Constables
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number of special constables in England and Wales.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There were 15,788 special constables in England and Wales on 31 December 1988, the latest date for which figures are available.

  Prisons (Child Care Provision)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in Yorkshire which have child care provision for inmates; how often these are inspected by outside agencies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Her Majesty's prison Askham Grange, near York, has a mother and baby unit which provides accommodation for up to 15 mothers with their babies.

  A health visitor from the local area health authority regularly visits the unit and provides child care advice to inmate mothers. Arrangements for a Department of Health team to inspect mother and baby units and report periodically on matters such as child care practice are being considered.

  South Yorkshire Police
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables in the South Yorkshire police force are(a) from ethnic minorities and (b) women; and if he will show these figures also as a percentage.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 31 December 1988, the South Yorkshire police special constabulary had a total of 309 members. Of this number, 11—3·6 per cent.—were from the ethnic minorities and 103—33·3 per cent. —were women.

  Rugby League Clubs (Police Costs)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the hourly charges made to rugby league clubs for police officers on duty at professional rugby league matches held within areas covered by the North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Cumbria police authorities.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I understand that the present charges per hour, exclusive of VAT, for the services of each police constable provided for duty inside the grounds of rugby league clubs in the area mentioned are as follows:

  Police force

  Cost £ (excluding VAT)

  North Yorkshire

  18·30

  South Yorkshire

  16·20

  West Yorkshire

  18·30

  111

  Police force

  Cost £ (excluding VAT)

  Greater Manchester

  17·43

  Cheshire

  18·97

  Cumbria

  15·00

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

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Between 1 April 1987 and 31 March 1988, 75 women in custody gave birth at outside hospitals.

  Drug Offences
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last discussed with the Crown prosecution service the operation of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act.

  Mr. John Patten
  Home Office officials have frequent discussions with the Crown prosecution service about the operation of the Act. The most recent took place on 25 April.

  Passport Controls (EC)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the legal basis of the powers under which European Community member states require nationals from other European Community states to produce a valid passport before permitting entry; and how this practice will be affected by the Single European Act.

  Mr. Renton
  Council directive 68/360/EEC requires member states to allow EC nationals who are exercising freedom of movement rights under the treaty of Rome to enter their territory simply on production of a valid identity card or passport. Other EC nationals entering the United Kingdom are required to produce on request a valid national passport or identity document by virtue of the Immigration Act 1971. Discussions within the Community on how effect should be given to the Single European Act in this area are still in progress, but it is the Government's present view that it will remain necessary to require EC nationals to produce on request a valid passport or identity document when entering the United Kingdom.

  AIDS
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the prison service will make available the supplies recommended to prisoners in his new video on AIDS.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The videofilm "AIDS Inside and Out"' is part of a new educational resource package which aims to give prisoners essential information about AIDS and the human immunodeficiency virus. It advises how they can avoid risk to themselves and others not only while they are in custody but after their release. In the latter context the contribution which condoms can make to safer sexual practice is explained; and drug misusers are advised 112
  that if they cannot avoid injecting when they leave prison they should use only clean needles and never share injecting equipment.

  Because of the special circumstances in prisons it would not be right to make drug injecting equipment available to prisoners for unsupervised use. Nor are we persuaded that it would be right to change the policy of not including condoms among the items which prisoners may have in their possession.

  Police (Ethnic Minorities)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which the current police initial recruitment test is culturally biased to the detriment of applicants from an ethnic minority background.

  Mr. Hurd
  There is no evidence that the police initial recruitment test works to the detriment of applicants from the ethnic minorities. But the test may not be directed sufficiently closely to the abilities which police officers need to do the job. The case for replacing it is under consideration by the Police Advisory Board.

  Hillsborough Disaster
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has had discussions with the West Midlands police authority about the percentage of the costs of the inquiry being undertaken by its officers into the Hillsborough disaster to be borne by central funding.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Mr. Beaumont-Dark) on 28 April 1989, at column 702.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 24 April,Official Report, column 406, if any information about assaults on police officers on duty at Hillsborough has been collated.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information about assaults on police officers at Hillsborough on 15 April is being collated for the South Yorkshire police as part of the inquiry being carried out by the chief constable of the West Midlands police.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his reply of 21 April,Official Report, column 342, in which he stated 19 police officers had so far been recorded as having received medical treatment for physical injuries sustained on duty at Hillsborough, he will state in each case how the physical injury was caused.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is not yet possible to state how these injuries were caused. The inquiry by the chief constable of West Midlands police may cast further light on these matters.

  Public Order
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested and charged, during the last 12 months, under section 5 of the Public Order Act, for displaying a symbol representing a dove within the sight of person liable to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby; and what sentences were given in each case where a conviction was obtained.
  113
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  If the hon. Member has any incident in mind, I should be happy to investigate. It is not possible to identify from the available criminal statistics relating to prosecutions under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 the circumstances in which arrests were made.

  Fire Service
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the pay and conditions of service of the fire service.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Government are fully committed to an effective fire service and to the nationally recommended standards of fire cover and in this context have been pursuing a policy of better value for money in the fire service for a number of years. The Audit Commission examined this in 1986 and made a number of suggestions for consideration. Some of these are being examined by a Home Office chaired working party under the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council machinery. Others relate to pay and conditions of service. On these, officials wrote on my behalf in May last year to the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades asking what steps it had taken with regard to the Audit Commission's findings and asking that the council should set up a working party with participation by officials from the Home Departments. This was not accepted. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State then met each of the member bodies of the council individually and discussed with them how matters should be taken forward. When he had completed this round of consultation, my right hon. and noble Friend wrote to the various organisations summarising the Government's position and asking that the council as a body should reconsider its view on my proposal that a working party should be set up. We await a reply.

  Among the issues which I wish to see examined by the proposed working party are: the ban on whole-time firefighters serving in a retained capacity in their spare time; manning practices on public holidays; the Fire Brigades Union's ban on rostered overtime; and whether the present pay formula remains the best way of determining fire service pay for the future.

  The Government are resolved to have these issues properly considered and our hope is that we can carry out this important exercise with all the member bodies of the national joint council who I hope will participate fully with a positive attitude and an open mind. I would like the proposed working party to make recommendations for the national joint council to address. If such co-operation were not forthcoming, the Government would have to come to their own view on the merits of the issues and, whilst I cannot speculate on what steps we would feel compelled to take, I cannot exclude the possibility of legislation if this appears necessary and justified.

WALES

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what funds were allocated from his Department for directly commissioned research elevant to mental 114
  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. Grist
  The principal research element of the all-Wales mental handicap strategy is the work of the mental handicap applied research unit, based at the university of Wales college of medicine, Cardiff and of the centre for social policy research and developmemt, based at the university college of north Wales, Bangor. These bodies have been supported over the period in question from the funds available to Wales from the Department of Health and Social Security's research and development budget, which has provided approximately £1,008,900 for their work over the last five years. Additional funding provided for research work directly by the Welsh Office over this period has been as follows: 1986–87—£10,600; 1987–88—£20,084; 1988–89—£1,815.

  It is intended that provision for the two mental handicap research teams should continue so as to enable them to continue to assist in the development of the strategy. Allocation of specific funding for individual projects would be considered if it could be shown that research proposals of sufficient quality and relevance to the development of the strategy were required outside the work of the research teams.

  Health Promotion Authority for Wales
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the budget of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales for each year from 1978–79 to 1987–88, expressed as actual expenditures and as a percentage of National Health Service expenditure in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The Health Promotion Authority for Wales was not established until 1 April 1987. Its expenditure in 1987–88 was £1,295,000, which represents just over 0·1 per cent. of net National Health Service expenditure in Wales for that year.

  Small Schools
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the definition of a small school for the purposes of Welsh Office circular 36/88.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  As explained in paragraphs 109 and 110 of circular 36/88, there are two factors which may affect formula funding of small primary schools.

  First, authorities' schemes of local management may allow, through the formula, for any additional costs of supporting the curriculum in small schools compared with larger schools. Schemes will need to be considered individually to ensure that a case for additional support exists. Accordingly, no advice has been given on size of school.

  Second, LEAs' formulae may take account of the extent of variations between the actual teaching costs of some small schools and the LEA's average cost of employing teachers. In some small schools, it may be necessary to charge average rather than actual salaries, at least in the initial years of formula funding. Circular 36/88 does not set a precise limit on the size of school. Because the great majority of primary schools in Wales are relatively small, LEAs have been advised that actual teaching costs could be used for all primary schools.

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

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The information in respect of pre-school age children (excludes the rising fives) as at January 1988 is as follows:Nursery or primary schools—68·8 per cent. of which: In nursery schools or nursery classes in primary schools—36·7 per cent.

  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) Southendown, (b) Sandy Bay Porthcawl and (c) Swansea bay of (i) a long sea outfall, (ii) full sewage treatment works with a short sea outfall, (iii) full sewage treatment works with a long sea outfall to enable them to comply with EEC bathing water directive 76/160/EEC; and when the appropriate solution will be put in place, giving the estimated date of commencement and completion.

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

  Forests
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has concerning the extent of die-back or other forms of ill-health in Welsh forests.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Wales is included in the annual forest health surveys carried out by the Forestry Commission. The results of the 1987 survey were published in Forestry Commission bulletins Nos. 74 and 79, and the preliminary results of the 1988 survey were published in the Forestry Commission's research information note 139. Copies of these publications are in the Library of the House.

  Trees (Pollution Damage)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has concerning the extent of pollution damage to trees adjacent to the Welsh water authority's Beacons reservoirs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  I am not aware of any pollution damage to trees adjacent to the Welsh water authority's Beacons

  Local authority capital expenditure on acquisition of land, existing buildings and works in respect of nursery, primary, secondary and special schools

  £000

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Clwyd

  3,118

  3,231

  3,833

  4,507

  5,200

  Dyfed

  3,898

  2,957

  2,432

  3,382

  5,281

  Gwent

  4,617

  4,521

  4,648

  4,528

  5,590

  Gwynedd

  1,132

  1,210

  1,704

  1,576

  2,083

  Mid Glamorgan

  5,521

  5,183

  2,871

  4,251

  5,939

  Powys

  1,555

  1,067

  475

  1,961

  1,739

  South Glamorgan

  1,334

  1,945

  1,384

  2,138

  1,893

  West Glamorgan

  2,840

  2,206

  3,191

  3,677

  4,738

  Source: Capital Outturn Returns.
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  reservoirs. The green spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum) has, however, increased in numbers as a result of the recent mild winters. It causes browning of spruce needles and defoliation, but does not affect new growth. Evidence of aphid attack is visible throughout Wales, particularly adjacent to the Beacons reservoirs, but I am assured by the Forestry Commission that the next cold winter should reduce aphid numbers to their normal levels.

  Railways (Gwent)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will reply to the hon. Member for Newport, East concerning his letter dated 14 March, regarding rail matters affecting Gwent referred to in the Official Report on 1 March, column 304.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 17 March.

  Partnership (EC)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will be replying to the hon. Member for Newport, East concerning his letter dated 2 March, regarding the partnership arrangement between the Welsh Office, the county councils and the EEC referred to in the Official Report, 1 March, column 345.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I hope, as was indicated in the interim reply to the hon. Gentleman on 20 March, to reply shortly. In the interim, all local authorities involved in EC programmes have now been consulted on the EC plans relating to their areas, and the plans have now been formally submitted to the Commission.

  Local Education Authorities (Finance)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much from each local education authority's capital allocation has been spent on the improvement or replacement of existing school buildings in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 27 April 1989]: Local education authority capital expenditure on acquisition of land, existing buildings, new construction and works for the periods requested is given in the following table. Figures on improvement or replacement of existing school buildings are not collected separately.

TRANSPORT

  London Buses (Security)
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish such information as may be in his possession about the proportion of buses in London which have video cameras installed in order to deter assaults on staff.

  Mr. Portillo
  I do not believe that it would be in the interest of crime prevention to publish this information.

  Prosecution in respect of

  Defendant

  Date of first criminal proceedings

  Court

  Outcome

  Craigentinny, Edinburgh

  (1) BRB

  25 July 1982

  Sheriff's Court, Edinburgh

  (1) Guilty, fined £250

  (2) George Walls

  (2) Guilty, fined £50

  Denham Station

  BRB employee

  25 April 1983

  Aylesbury Crown Court

  Not guilty

  West Cliff Lift

  Bournemouth BC

  24 November 1983

  Bournemouth Magistrates Court

  Guilty, fined £750 plus £500 costs

  Crofton

  BRB

  23 July 1984

  Wakefield Magistrates Court

  Guilty, fined £300 plus £400 costs

  Barking Station

  (1) BRB

  3 December 1984

  Barking Magistrates Court

  (1) Guilty, fined £1,000 plus £500 costs (BRB appealed successfully and costs awarded against HSE)

  (2) Fairbrother (employee)

  (2) Case against Fairbrother withdrawn

  Birmingham International

  BRB employee

  10 September 1984

  Solihull Magistrates Court

  Absolute discharge

  Swann Carr Farm, Bradbury, Stockton on Tees

  (1) Wm. R. Selwood Ltd.

  25 July 1985

  Darlington Magistrates Court

  (1) Guilty, fined £300 plus £50 costs

  (2) BRB

  12 November 1985

  (2) Not guilty

  West Cliff Lift

  Bournemouth BC

  25 January 1985

  Bournemouth Magistrates Court

  Guilty, fined £2,000 plus £500 costs

  Shields

  (1) BRB

  Not known

  Glasgow Sheriff Court

  (1) Not guilty

  (2) Two staff

  (2) Guilty, fined £ 150 plus £ 125 respectively

  Leicester North Station

  BRB

  25 June 1985

  Leicester Magistrates Court

  Guilty, fined £500 plus £250 costs

  Coquet Viaduct

  A. Monck & Co. Pic

  23 September 1985

  Alnwick Magistrates Court

  Guilty, fined £1,250 plus £1,100 costs

  Bridgnorth Loco Workshops

  Severn Valley Railway

  8 July 1985

  Bridgnorth Magistrates Court

  Guilty, fined £2,000 plus £150 costs

  Glasgow Central Station

  Camrex Corrosion Engineers

  2 July 1985

  Glasgow Sheriff Court

  Company, which was in liquidation, received an admonition

  Sunderland Station

  BRB

  8 August 1985

  Sunderland Magistrates Court

  Guilty, fined £1,500 plus £300 costs

  Liverpool Street Station

  London & Midland Scaffolding Ltd. Scaffolding Ltd. (Monks)

  13 January 1987

  Central Criminal Court

  Guilty, fined £5,000 plus £900 costs

  Etches Park, Derby

  BRB employee

  24 February 1987

  Derby and South Derbyshire

  Guilty, fined £500 plus £50 costs

  Railway Inspectorate (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list(a) each occasion on which there was a prosecution by the railway inspectorate in each of the years 1980 to 1988 inclusive, (b) the defendant in each case, (c) the date of the first criminal proceedings in each case, (d) the court in which criminal proceedings commenced and (e) the outcome of the proceedings in each case.

  Mr. Portillo
  This information is given in the following table:

  Pisa Flight (Baggage)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will investigate urgently the circumstances under which baggage belonging to passengers from Stoke North on Britannia flight BY5784 15.00 to Pisa on 26 March did not travel on the same aircraft as the passengers concerned; and if he will make a further statement about aircraft security.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  This matter is being investigated. I shall write to the hon. Member when the conclusions are known.

  I refer the hon. Member to the replies on 24 April by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friends the Members for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Evans) and for Wealden (Sir G. Johnson Smith).

  Severn Bridge (Toll Charges)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he received the report of Mr. J. B. Fitzpatrick, CBE, LLB, following the inquiry in Bristol into the proposal to double toll charges on the Severn bridge; and how long he will be considering its findings.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  This report has not been received.

  Private Motor Cars
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newham, South, 13 January,Official Report, column 800, he will give the latest available figure of the estimated proportion of private motor cars using roads in the Greater London area whose costs are not met by the taxable income of their owners; and if he will state when the results of studies in hand on this and related topics will be published.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information is not available. Results of the studies are expected early next year.

  Civil Aviation Authority
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has set a new financial target for the Civil Aviation Authority.

  Mr. Channon
  With the agreement of the Civil Aviation Authority, a new financial target of an average annual rate of return (current cost operating profit) before taking account of interest, of 8 per cent. on net assets revalued at current cost, has been set for the three-year period 1989–90 to 1991–92. The target applies only to one third of the authority's assets since en-route navigation service charges have, by international agreement, to break even and its subsidiary Highlands and Islands Airports Limited is subsidised by the Scottish Development Department.

  Mersey Docks and Harbour Company
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what terms he has agreed to capital reconstruction of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Channon
  As part of the company's capital reorganisation proposals, I have agreed to waive the 120
  repayment of Government grants totalling £110 million and to cancel £1·5 million of Government loans. In exchange, the company accepts that it will no longer be eligible for support under the Ports (Financial Assistance) Act 1981 and that the Department's guarantee of its overdraft will cease. The Government's shares in the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company will be voted in support of the board's proposal to capitalise the company's loan stock at the extraordinary general meeting on 30 May.

  If the shareholders approve the capital reorganisation, I intend to sell the whole of the Government's current holding of company shares at the earliest appropriate opportunity. Following that, I shall relinquish the special share which empowers me to appoint up to three directors to the company's board.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Plastic Explosives
  Mr. Cummings
  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 proposal made by the Czechoslovak Foreign Minister, Jaremir Johanes, inviting Her Majesty's Government to enjoin in a British-Czechoslovak initiative in the United Nations on the conclusion of a convention on the control of plastic explosives.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have kept in touch with the Czechoslovak Government since I first discussed this proposal at my meeting with Mr. Johanes on 10 January. A team of British officials visited Czechoslovakia on 26–27 April and held most useful discussions. I am arranging for a copy of a joint press statement following the talks to be deposited in the Library of the House.

  Prisoners of War
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to request the Japanese Government to ratify the 1929 Geneva convention on the treatment of prisoners of war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. Japan signed but did not ratify the international convention relative to the treatment of prisoners of war (Geneva, 27 July 1929), to which the hon. Gentleman refers. However, on 21 April 1953, she acceded to the Geneva convention relative to the treatment of prisoners of war (Geneva, 12 August 1949), which replaced the 1929 convention.

  Brazil
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Secretary General of the Brazilian Ministry of the Interior; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs did not meet the Secretary General during his visit in April, but my hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development had very useful discussions with Dr. Mello, covering a wide range of environmental issues, including urban pollution and the future of the Amazon rain forests.

  Common Foreign Policy (Europe)
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to have discussions with his European Community partners concerning the development of common European foreign policies.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend expects to meet colleagues from the Twelve to discuss political co-operation matters on 12–13 June in Luxembourg.

  Security Studies
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been offered by Her Majesty's Government to the proposals by Mr. Rocard in regard to the establishment of a European institute of advanced security studies within the framework of the Western European Union.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  This question is being considered by the WEU Permanent Council, which will then report to Ministers.

  Ballistic Missile Control
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to institute an examination of effectiveness of the ballistic missile control regime.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  As a founder member of the missile technology control regime, it is our policy to ensure, in conjunction with our MTCR partners, that the regime operates effectively. To this end we keep the effectiveness of the regime under constant review.

  Panama
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the preparations for the election in Panama on 7 May; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have noted recent reports quoting Opposition concerns at the use of fraud by the Government to manipulate the election results in favour of the Government coalition candidate. We would deplore any such tactics, and call upon the authorities in Panama to ensure that free and fair elections are held in accordance with established democratic principles; and to allow individuals from abroad to travel to Panama to observe the elections.

  Mr. Arshad Iqbal
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Mr. Arshad Iqbal is to be issued with a visa by the post in Islamabad to join his wife in the United Kingdom; when Mr. Iqbal's appeal, No. TH/36030/87/6216, was upheld by the immigration appeal tribunal; and when the post was instructed to issue a visa to Mr. Iqbal.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to the reply 25 April 1989, c. 463]: I am now replying in full rather than referring the case to the FCO correspondence unit, in the light of the circumstances of this case.
  122
  Mr. Arshad's appeal was upheld by the immigration appeal tribunal on 9 December 1988, and a copy of the determination was sent by the Home Office to the entry clearance officer at Islamabad on 10 January 1989. Unfortunately, it appears that no covering letter was attached to the determination, which was therefore filed away to await instructions. The Home Office is now taking steps to ensure in future that appropriate instructions are attached to all determinations sent to entry clearance officers.

  The hon. Member will, however, be pleased to know that instructions were sent to Her Majesty's embassy, Islamabad on 24 April directing it to issue an entry clearance to Mr. Iqbal. I should be grateful if the hon. Member could kindly convey my apologies to Mr. Iqbal's family for any distress or inconvenience caused by the delay in acting on the tribunal's determination.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Community Charge
  Mr. Buchan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to extend the 56-day deadline on the backdating of rebates.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The Scottish community charge rebate scheme provides for claims made within 56 days of 1 April 1989, or of the date of receipt of the first community charge demand notice where this is later, to be treated as having been made on 1 April 1989, subject to certain prescribed conditions. The purpose of this provision is to help people at the outset of the scheme who may not realise that rebate cannot normally be awarded until it is claimed. The 56-day period allows sufficient time for the making of a claim, and we see no need for it to be extended. The scheme also provides for a claim to be backdated where the claimant can show good cause for not having claimed earlier.

  Hostel Charges
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to review his Department's payments used to cover hostel charges.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Details of changes in benefit payments for hostel dwellers were announced to the House by my right hon. Friend on 16 March 1989 at columns 546–48.

  Doncaster and Mexborough Offices
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the present number of staff at his Department's offices in Doncaster and Mexborough; what was the number of vacancies at each of these offices on 31 March; what percentage this is of the formal complement; and what were the comparable figures five and 10 years ago.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is as follows:

  Doncaster East

  Doncaster West

  Mexborough NIO

  31 March 1989

  Staff in post

  155

  188

  19

  Complement

  14

  183

  20

  Vacancies

  0

  0

  1

  123

  Doncaster East

  Doncaster West

  Mexborough NIO

  Per cent, of formal complement

  —

  —

  5

  31 March 1984

  Staff in post

  133

  180

  20

  30 September 1979

  Staff in post

  148

  212

  36

  Notes:

  1. Records of Local Office complements and vacancies are no longer available for 1979 and 1984.

  2. Staff in post figures for 31 March 1979 are not available; figures for 30 September 1979 have been provided.

  Benefits
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his reply to the right hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham,Official Report, 8 February, column 713, if he will estimate the number of low-income families with children who are ineligible for either family credit or income support.

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

  Pensions
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will indicate when he expects to publish a response to the Occupational Pensions Board report on protecting pensions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  When my right hon. Friend published the Occupational Pensions Board report, "Protecting Pensions", he launched a consultation exercise and asked for comments to be received by 30 April. We are now considering the responses to the consultation exercise and will announce decisions in the light of the comments received.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether independent research has been commissioned into the extent to which the social fund is meeting its objectives.

  Mr. Peter Loyd
  Yes. We have commissioned the social policy research unit at the university of York to carry out this research.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the total numbers and amounts of applications for the period 5 April 1988 to 31 March 1989, inclusive, in respect of(a) social fund community care grants, (b) social fund crisis loans and (c) social fund budgeting loans.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 17 April 1989]: The information requested is set out as follows and is provisional:

  Community care grants

  Budgeting loans

  Crisis loans

  Applications processed

  296,149

  867,571

  468,232

  Financial value (£ million)

  79·029

  267·437

  26·899

  Earnings Rule
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how the abolition of the pensioner earnings rule will affect pensioners receiving income support.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: Abolition of the pensioners earnings rule will affect pensioners currently having their basic pension reduced on account of earnings over £75 a week, those individuals currently deferring receipt of basic pension because of earnings over £75 a week and who may now choose to draw their pension, and those with earnings of under £75 a week who may now choose to earn more. Pensioners with earnings over £75 a week are unlikely to be entitled to income support.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Apples
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his Department is taking to investigate the effects of the apple crop spray known as Alar; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides has advised Ministers responsible for the control of pesticides that there should be no changes to the approval of the pesticide, Daminozide. At its meeting on 20 April the advisory committee considered the information which had been submitted to the American authorities, and concluded that the use of Daminozide did not pose a health risk to consumers.

  Ministers are grateful for the committee's willingness to consider the available data on a basis of such urgency, and have accepted the advice.

  Monitoring will be continued to assess the occurrence of residues in apples and apple products sold in the United Kingdom.

  Farming Policy
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to take steps to introduce a low-input low-output system of farming, on the lines of that introduced in other European Economic Community countries.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Community extensification scheme envisaged incentives to farmers for less-intensive production of a range of supported agricultural products. Now that the Council has adopted the relevant legislation—which, in particular, allows extensification to be applied on a pilot basis initially—I will be considering in consultation with the interests concerned what pilot schemes might be appropriate.

  Bread and Wheat
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give for each year from 1979 to 1989(a) the price of bread to the consumer and (b) the price of wheat to the producer, in actual and at 1979 prices, showing the percentage increase or decrease in each year.

  Mr. Ryder
  The price information requested for bread and wheat is set out in the table. Final figures for 1988 and
  125
  forecast figures for 1989 for wheat will not be available until published in "Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1989".

  Average price of standard white wrapped and sliced loaf (800g)

  1Weighted average price of United Kingdom wheat at point of sale

  Actual price

  21979 price

  Actual price

  1979 price

  Pence per loaf

  Percentage change

  Pence per loaf

  Percentage change

  £ per tonne

  Percentage change

  £ per tonne

  Percentage change

  1979

  29·3

  29·3

  95·92

  95·92

  1980

  33·7

  15·0

  28·2

  -3·8

  99·30

  +3·5

  82·96

  +13·5

  1981

  36·3

  7·7

  27·2

  -3·5

  108·92

  +9·7

  81·65

  -1·6

  1982

  37·1

  2·2

  25·8

  -5·1

  113·74

  +4·4

  79·21

  -3·0

  1983

  37·6

  1·3

  24·9

  -3·5

  124·80

  +9·7

  82·70

  +4·4

  1984

  38·5

  2·4

  24·4

  -2·0

  114·59

  -8·2

  72·57

  -12·2

  1985

  40·2

  4·4

  24·1

  -1·2

  112·25

  -2·0

  67·26

  -7·3

  1986

  43·0

  7·0

  24·9

  3·3

  111·18

  -1·0

  64·34

  -4·3

  1987

  43·7

  1·6

  24·1

  -3·2

  111·00

  -0·2

  61·33

  -4·7

  1988

  46·3

  5·9

  24·0

  -0·4

  3104·83

  -5·6

  54·32

  -11·4

  1989

  448·7

  7·5

  Source: Bread prices: Employment Gazette.

  Wheat prices: Annual Review of Agriculture, Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1988.

  1 The wheat prices quoted are net of co·responsibility levies.

  2 Using the gross domestic product deflator (at market prices).

  3 Forecast.

  4 January to March inclusive

  Game
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department issues on the preparation of game for human consumption.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The production of game meat in common with all other food sold for human consumption is subject to the provisions of Food Act 1984 and the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970. Enforcement is the responsibility of local authorities.

  We were considering meat inspection provisions for deer when the EC Commission issued a consultation document on health rules for game meat. In advance of decisions in Brussels we have encouraged local authorities to introduce inspection procedures for farmed deer slaughtered in abattoirs. Officers of the state veterinary service are available to provide advice to producers and local authorities and they frequently do so.

  Rendering (Exports)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of meat and bone meal were exported by the British rendering industry for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Exports of the British rendering industry are not separately identified within the statistics on the total exports of meat meal and bone meal. The figures on these for the last three years are as follows:

  Tonnes

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Flours, meals and pellets of meat or offal (including tankage), unfit for human consumption; greaves

  10,001

  12,299

  13,228

  Bone meal

  3,902

  5,061

  15,174

  1 From 1988, bone meal is combined in the statistics with other bones and their derivatives apart from "ossein and bones treated with acid". The tonnage of bone meal exported in 1988 could be around 2,000 tonnes lower than that shown.

  Slaughterhouses (BSE)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now take steps to monitor and record the incidences of suspected bovine spongiform encephalopathy cases as between non-EEC export-approved slaughterhouses and EEC export-approved slaughterhouses.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The numbers of suspect cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy which are identified at slaughterhouses, as part of the monitoring exercise to stop animals slipping through the net, are being recorded, but I have no plans to distinguish between EC export-approved abattoirs and others.

  Radioactivity
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report those radioactive substances for which his Department carries out routine exploratory tests in coastline areas; where those sites are; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information requested is published regularly by my Ministry in reports entitled "Radioactivity in surface and coastal waters of the British Isles", copies of which are placed in the Library of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Harland and Wolff
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who will be the shareholders and in what percentage under the proposed management buy-out of Messrs Harland and Wolff in co-operation with Mr. Olsen; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Viggers
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: The shareholders in the proposed management buy-out of Harland and Wolff plc will consist of present management

  127
  and employees and Mr. Olsen through two of his companies. The issue of shares in the new company is a matter for those parties, but I understand that the precise allocation of shares in the new company has not yet been finally agreed.

DEFENCE

  Mexe Raft Equipment
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to update the Mexe raft equipment.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  There are no plans to modify the design of the Mexeflote equipment currently in service, which adequately meets Army requirements.

  RAF
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what aircraft have been ordered by his Department for the RAF since 1979.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friend to table 5 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates for 1989" (Cm 675-I), published yesterday, which lists all major equipment ordered by my Department since 1979, including aircraft.

  RN (Alcohol Consumption)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the limits placed on the alcohol consumption by ratings on board Royal Navy vessels.

  Mr. Neubert
  The limits are:

  Warrant Officers and Senior Rates

  (a) Spirits. An individual's spirit consumption may not exceed an average of one-eighth of a pint a day.

  (b) Beer.

  (i) Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers—There is no mandatory restrictions on consumption.

  (ii) Petty Officers—An individual's daily consumption is not to exceed:

  2 pints or 4 × 12 oz cans when at sea; in harbour when at four hours notice or less for sea; on duty in harbour, or required for duty as a watchkeeper.
  4 pints or 8 × 12 oz cans when in harbour not on duty nor required for duty as a watchkeeper.

  Junior Rates—Daily consumption of beer is not to exceed 3 × 12 oz cans.

  These are maximum limits and are subject to any further restrictions laid down by commanding officers about the time and operating situation in which alcohol may be consumed.

  Recruitment (Coventry)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has available as to the annual recruitment rate from Coventry into each of the armed services from 1970 to the latest date; and if he will break the figures down by service and by the age and gender of recruits.

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

  WEU (Defence Representations Group)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions the Defence Representations Group of the Western European Union has met; and if he will list those who have represented the United Kingdom at those meetings.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Defence Representations Group of the Western European Union has met on 11 occasions since its formation in 1987. The United Kingdom has been led by a senior official from the Ministry of Defence (the level has varied from meeting to meeting) supported by other officials from the Ministry of Defence and Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  US Aircraft (Crash)
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the crash of a United States Air Force A10 aircraft at Bank farm, Benwick, on 17 April; and whether the aircraft was carrying weapons, including bombs.

  Mr. Neubert
  As I told the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 24 April at column 365 an A-10 aircraft crashed on 17 April 1989 during a routine training flight on open farmland one mile south of Benwick, Cambridgeshire. The pilot was killed. The aircraft was equipped with a GAU-7 anti-tank gun and practice ammunition.

ENVIRONMENT

  Toxic Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will instruct Her Majesty's chief inspector of pollution to conduct an immediate evaluation of sites at Moss valley, Wrexham; Lodmoor country park, Weymouth and Comeston country park, Barry, to ascertain if hazardous toxic industrial wastes have been disposed of safely.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. The sites in Wales were covered in a study recently carried out by the Welsh Office. This study looked at some 94 sites in Wales which had been reclaimed from old industrial sites. The study, and copies, are available from the Welsh Office.

  The Lodmoor site is adjacent to an active landfill site operated by Dorset county council. As both the operator of the site and as the waste disposal authority for the area it is its responsibility to ensure that the site is operated properly. According to the information held by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution the Lodmoor landfill does not accept toxic industrial wastes.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much toxic waste was imported into the United Kingdom in 1988.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on imports of toxic waste is currently held by the waste disposal authorities. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is in the process of collecting this information centrally. Figures will be available later this year.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many of the 56 toxic waste disposal
  129
  sites in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, a potential danger from methane gas has been identified; if he will list them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has been carrying out a postal survey of landfill sites which may need gas control measures to be installed or improved. Initially the survey set out to identify sites which may have the potential to give rise to landfill gas. The second phase was to identify sites which are giving off gas and what controls are either in place or are needed. This second phase is still under way and information is still being collected. It is not possible yet to say which particular sites in South Yorkshire are likely to require further action to be taken.

  Doncaster district council is the responsible waste disposal authority which, together with South Yorkshire hazardous waste unit, should ensure that adequate control measures have been installed in accordance with waste management paper No. 27—guidance recently issued by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Football Membership Scheme
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether individuals holding identity cards will be able to check the information stored on the soccer identity card computer system;

  (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that information fed into the national computer system on soccer identity cards will not be released to mail order and similar companies;

  (3) what steps he is taking to safeguard information fed into the national computer system on soccer identity cards from being misused.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Government intend that members of the scheme and applicants to it should have the full protection of the Data Protection Act 1984. This will be in relation to the collection of information to be held, access to it and the use to which such information is put. Discussions with the data protection registrar on these matters have taken place and will continue as the scheme is drawn up by the football membership authority.

  Support Grades
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, 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. Ridley
  The support grades in my Department mainly comprise staff from the messenger, reprographics and paperkeeping groups, cleaners and office keepers. For my Department, including the Property Services Agency, the information as at 1 April 1989 is:

  (a) there were 856 staff in these grades;

  (b) there were 38 vacancies. Nineteen had been vacant for over one month, 13 of them for over three months;

  (c) vacancies were covered by casual staff when they arose. Casual staff are recruited locally and no central record is kept.

  My Department and the Department of Transport shared common citizenship until 31 March 1989. Average
  130
  overtime worked by the two Departments was 6·4 hours in London headquarters and 1¼ hours in regional offices. In PSA the average was 3·1 hours in London and 3·6 hours elsewhere.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in which month he expects his consideration of collective local community charge registration and payment statistics to be completed and to be publicly announced.

  Mr. Gummer
  I shall announce my conclusions as soon as possible.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what indicative figures for the likely level of community charge in the city of Nottingham have been given by his Department over the last two years giving the date and criteria used in each case.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Department has not published any forecasts of the likely level of community charge in Nottingham. We have published illustrative figures based on reported expenditure levels for 1987–88 and 1988–89 and on local authority responsibilities in those years.

  These were placed in the Library on 29 June 1987 and 24 June 1988, respectively. Both were accompanied by a full explanation of the assumptions used to produce the figures.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the orders and regulations concerning the implementation of the community charge(a) laid before and agreed to by the House. (b) laid before, but not yet agreed to by the House and (c) yet to be laid before the House giving in each case an outline of the area of implementation affected.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: The following negative resolution instruments concerning the community charge were laid on 17 March 1989:
  1989 No. 438—The Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989. These regulations (apart from regulations 4 and 5) came into force on 7 April 1989. Regulations 4 and 5 come into force on 22 May 1989.
  1989 No. 439—The Valuation and Community Charge Tribunals Regulations 1989. These regulations (apart for the purposes of regulations 4 to 8 and 11) came into force on 7 April 1989. Regulations 4 to 8 came into force on 1 May 1989.
  1989 No. 440—The Valuation and Community Charge Tribunals (Transfer of Jurisdiction) Regulations 1989. These regulations came into force on 1 May 1989. 1989 No. 442—The Personal Community Charge (Exemptions) Order 1989. This order came into force on 7 April 1989.
  1989 No. 443—The Personal Community Charge (Students) Regulations 1989. These regulations are coming into force on 1 October 1989.

  A debate on these regulations is being arranged through the usual channels.

  We intend to lay further regulations on the community charge covering cross border information, the form of the community charge demand note, and the information to accompany it, discounts, co-owners and other miscellaneous provisions.

  Ark
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek a meeting with the organisers of the new environmentalist group, Ark to discuss environmental matters.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have no present plans to do so.

  Housing Statistics
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ealing, North of 4 April,Official Report, columns 151–2, when he expects the Housing Corporation to supply the information referred to in that answer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Housing Corporation is currently assembling the information needed to answer my hon. Friend's question and expects to respond by Friday 5 May.

  Caravan Sites Act
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been received about the future of the Caravan Sites Act.

  Mr. Trippier
  I receive various letters, from hon. Members and the public, about the Act. The Government announced their conclusions on a review of its operation on 6 February 1987.

  Housebuilding starts in thousands

  December 1987 to February 1988

  December 1988 to February 1989

  Percentage change

  North

  1·6

  2·6

  +68

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  3·6

  4·2

  +18

  East Midlands

  4·5

  4·3

  -5

  East Anglia

  3·5

  3·1

  -10

  South East:

  Greater London

  4·2

  4·0

  -5

  Rest of south east

  12·5

  12·2

  -3

  South West

  6·8

  5·8

  -15

  West Midlands

  4·3

  3·9

  -9

  North West

  3·9

  4·9

  +24

  ENGLAND

  44·9

  45·0

  —

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest (Norfolk)
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites of special scientific interest in Norfolk have been damaged in the last five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I am advised by the Nature Conservancy Council that over the past five years, out of a total of 129 sites of special scientific interest in Norfolk, 23 have sustained some damage to relatively small areas.

  Grant-elated Expenditure
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make available his Department's publications, "Grant-Related Expenditure 1989–90" and the "Technical Handbook of Grant-Related Expenditure, 1989–90".

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will place copies of these documents in

  Inner-city Developments (Signs)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the size of signs erected on inner-city developments promoting the Government's involvement; how many such signs have been erected; how much has been spent on erecting the signs; and for what purpose the signs have been erected.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department provides two sizes of signs, 8 ft by 2 ft and 4 ft by 1 ft. Since November 1987, 4,452 signs have been produced at a cost of £15,204 of which 2,864 have been issued to local authorities and other recipients of the Department's financial assistance through the urban programme, derelict land grant, estate action and urban development grant/city grant. Records are not kept of the number and cost of signs erected.

  House Building
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the number of new housing starts in each region in February 1989, and February 1988, together with the percentage change in starts.

  Mr. Trippier
  Since monthly housebuilding figures are very variable it is advisable to consider data over three-month periods. Housebuilding starts for the regions in England in the three months to February 1989 and the corresponding period a year earlier are given in the table.

  the Library of the House. Copies have also been sent to every local authority in England, and to the local authority associations.

  Industrial Chemicals
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the systematic evaluation of the possible harmful effects of industrial chemicals.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department and the Welsh Office have recently published a consultation paper proposing that additional statutory powers should be introduced to evaluate and control the environmental hazard of existing chemicals. The consultation paper describes the powers available under existing legislation and proposes additional powers to obtain information about substances with the potential to cause environmental damage, to require testing when adequate information
  133
  is not available, and to control the supply, storage or use of such substances when necessary. Interested organisations and individuals are invited to send their views to the Department or the Welsh Office by 15 June 1989.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Ridley
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: I have today placed in the Library a table showing the major publicity campaigns undertaken by my Department since 1985–86, with intended objectives for all campaigns including those planned for 1989–90. A campaign would be required to publicise the offers of sale of the water authorities; this is still to be planned.

  Tropical Hardwoods
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to refuse planning permission for landscape work using unrenewable tropical hardwoods.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: No. The planning system is not the proper means for regulating the choice and use of materials other than on land-use grounds.

  Freemasonry
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that freemasonry does not exert secret influence in local government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: The national code of local government conduct contains provisions aimed at such matters. We have set up a working group with the local authority associations to review the code, which will be given statutory status by the Local Government and Housing Bill. This will, no doubt, be one of the problems to be considered by the group.

  Crown Suppliers
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, in relation to the Crown Suppliers' context range of furniture, if he will provide(a) the initial forecast sales, (b) the actual sales since its introduction and (c) the estimated sale value of the amount currently unsold in store.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 April 1989]: The Crown Suppliers forecasts of sale for individual ranges are commercially sensitive and therefore confidential. But in the eight months since the range was launched, sales have totalled £0·52 million and negotiations are in hand to sell a further £1 million worth. The estimated sales value of stock currently held in store is £1·6 million.

  Personal Social Services
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish figures showing the per capita costs, for each shire county and each metropolitan borough, of spending on personal social services, in the year 1987–88.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer, 26 April 1989]: The information based on returns made by local authorities is as follows:

  Net current expenditure per capita on personal services—1987–88:

  Shire counties

  £

  Avon

  55·92

  Bedfordshire

  48·59

  Berkshire

  47·47

  Buckinghamshire

  47·44

  Cambridgeshire

  47·01

  Cheshire

  51·14

  Cleveland

  63·55

  Cornwall

  42·87

  Cumbria

  51·76

  Derbyshire

  63·74

  Devon

  43·01

  Dorset

  37·92

  Durham

  46·68

  East Sussex

  49·57

  Essex

  44·30

  Gloucestershire

  43·24

  Hampshire

  37·65

  Hereford and Worcester

  41·48

  Hertfordshire

  43·88

  Humberside

  59·37

  Isle of Wight

  49·82

  Kent

  43·36

  Lancashire

  58·13

  Leicestershire

  50·91

  Lincolnshire

  42·08

  Norfolk

  40·71

  Northamptonshire

  50·25

  Northumberland

  52·25

  North Yorkshire

  40·62

  Nottinghamshire

  63·79

  Oxfordshire

  44·78

  Shropshire

  38·40

  Somerset

  42·71

  Staffordshire

  39·37

  Suffolk

  37·55

  Surrey

  35·03

  Warwickshire

  45·15

  West Sussex

  39·05

  Wiltshire

  43·10

  Net current expenditure per capita on personal social services 1987–88: Metropolitan districts

  £

  Bolton

  56·17

  Bury

  58·48

  Manchester

  130·61

  Oldham

  68·14

  Rochdale

  86·51

  Salford

  76·37

  Stockport

  54·16

  Tameside

  78·00

  Trafford

  49·59

  Wigan

  55·83

  Knowsley

  66·92

  Liverpool

  84·46

  St. Helens

  63·96

  Sefton

  54·65

  Wirral

  64·52

  Barnsley

  53·84

  Doncaster

  51·89

  Rotherham

  58·58

  Sheffield

  85·31

  135

  £

  Gateshead

  70·09

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  98·85

  North Tyneside

  88·42

  South Tyneside

  70·72

  Sunderland

  67·93

  Birmingham

  79·37

  Coventry

  84·57

  Dudley

  48·26

  Sandwell

  66·90

  Solihull

  46·77

  Walsall

  55·50

  Wolverhampton

  82·87

  Bradford

  83·09

  Calderdale

  64·23

  Kirklees

  59·50

  Leeds

  68·32

  Wakefield

  57·50

  Net current expenditure per capita on personal social services—1987–88: London boroughs

  £

  City of London

  386·59

  Camden

  195·41

  Greenwich

  139·29

  Hackney

  214·47

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  165·00

  Islington

  234·32

  Kensington and Chelsea

  150·86

  Lambeth

  204·15

  Lewisham

  180·60

  Southwark

  190·15

  Tower Hamlets

  136·03

  Wandsworth

  151·98

  Westminster

  185·59

  Barking and Dagenham

  74·23

  Barnet

  63·99

  Bexley

  55·32

  Brent

  141·95

  Bromley

  52·46

  Croydon

  68·72

  Ealing

  88·26

  Enfield

  71·07

  Haringey

  161·87

  Harrow

  62·99

  Havering

  57·13

  Hillingdon

  87·44

  Hounslow

  91·34

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  79·67

  Merton

  80·85

  Newham

  113·25

  Redbridge

  63·96

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  68·26

  Sutton

  59·24

  Waltham Forest

  117·01

  Somerset Levels and Moors
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of(a) lump sum and (b) annual management agreements concluded between the Nature Conservancy Council and owners and occupiers of the area known as the Somerset Levels and Moors, the area of land involved and the total cost of agreements to the end of January 1989in 1989 prices.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: I am advised by the Nature Conservancy Council that 184 agreements have been concluded with owners and
  136
  occupiers of the Somerset Levels and Moors, covering an area of 1,968 hectares. These provide for annual payments totalling £281,685 per annum, as at January 1989.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those areas in the Somerset Levels and Moors which have been notified as sites of special scientific interest, indicating(a) where the Nature Conservancy Council owns land, and (b) the number of management agreements reached with owners and occupiers of each area so notified.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: The information requested is as follows:

  SSSI Name

  Number of Agreements

  West Sedgemoor1

  24

  Tealham and Tadham Moors1

  35

  Southlake Moor1

  18

  Moorlinch1

  11

  King's Sedgemoor

  43

  Wet Moor

  5

  West Moor

  4

  Westhay Moor1

  1

  Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors1

  31

  North Moor

  11

  Shapwick Heath1

  1

  Sharpham Moor Plot

  —

  Street Heath

  —

  184

  1 Includes land owned by NCC

  North-east Hampshire structure plan
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to announce his decisions on the proposed alterations to the north-east Hampshire structure plan.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: I will send my proposed modifications to the submitted alteration to Hampshire county council as soon as possible.

  Population Movements (South Yorkshire)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the numbers of people who have moved(a) into and (b) out of each district authority area in the county of South Yorkshire in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  The table gives the numbers moving (a) into and (b) out of each district of the county of South Yorkshire from/to the rest of the United Kingdom, for the years 1979 to 1987. These figures have been derived from the National Health Service central register recording of patient re-registration with doctors involving a change of family practitioner committee.

  In preparing population estimates of the district, account is also taken of migration from countries outide the United Kingdom and of the effect of movement of United Kingdom and foreign armed forces. Such flows in each direction are small and only the net effect is estimated using data from various sources.
  137

  Moves into and out of family practitioner committees (districts) in South Yorkshire

  Barnsley

  Doncaster

  Rotherham

  Sheffield

  Year

  In

  Out

  In

  Out

  In

  Out

  In

  Out

  1979

  3,880

  3,880

  6,290

  6,640

  5,770

  5,100

  12,710

  14,670

  1980

  4,110

  4,010

  6,710

  6,590

  5,570

  5,110

  13,390

  14,560

  1981

  3,840

  4,040

  5,620

  6,140

  5,100

  5,170

  13,040

  13,190

  1982

  2,350

  3,600

  5,570

  6,630

  4,640

  5,410

  13,310

  13,340

  1983

  3,390

  4,480

  5,630

  7,180

  4,700

  5,790

  12,170

  14,360

  1984

  3,575

  4,346

  6,265

  7,054

  4,941

  5,790

  13,057

  14,649

  1985

  3,321

  4,548

  5,868

  7,033

  4,666

  5,894

  12,598

  15,288

  1986

  3,882

  5,219

  6,973

  7,852

  5,713

  6,878

  13,896

  17,327

  1987

  4,222

  5,166

  7,349

  7,898

  5,782

  6,596

  14,518

  16,864

  Note: Numbers in the table are National Health Service central register records of moves into and out of family practitioner committee areas (conterminous with districts in the county of South Yorkshire) from rest of the United Kingdom. Data are based on a 10 per cent sample for the years 1979 to 1983 and a 100 per cent. count thereafter.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training Consultants
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what percentage of internal training for employees within his Department was carried out by private sector training consultants in each of the last five years; and what was the cost to his Department in each of those years;

  (2) what percentage of training under his Department's human resources development strategy has been carried out by private sector training consultants; what private sector companies are involved; and what fees have been paid by his Department in each case;

  (3) if he will list all firms providing training consultancy services for his Department in each of the last five years; and what fees were paid to each company in each of the years.

  Mr. Cope
  This information is not collected in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what method of assessment of quality of service provided is used when his Department awards private sector training consultancies.

  Mr. Cope
  Quality is assessed by departmental tutors attending training events delivered by training consultants, and by comments and feedback through structured questionnaires completed by trainees and their line managers.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what method of tendering is used by his Department when selecting private sector training consultants.

  Mr. Cope
  Appointment of private sector training consultants is made on the basis of competitive tender within the guidelines applicable to Civil Service departments generally.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many claims for unemployment benefit have been received, since the increase in the maximum number of weeks' suspension of unemployment benefit from 13 weeks to 26 weeks, at unemployment benefit 138
  offices in (a) Doncaster, and (b) Mexborough; and what were the comparable figures for the period April 1987 10 April 1988.

  Mr. Lee
  The table shows the total inflow to the claimant count at unemployment benefit offices In Doncaster and Mexborough in the 11 months to March 1989. Figures for the year to April 1988 are not currently available analysed according to unemployment benefit office, as suitable computer programmes have only recently been developed.

  Inflow of unemployed claimants at Doncaster and Mexborough unemployment benefit offices

  UBO

  May 1988 to March 1989

  Doncaster A

  5,949

  Doncaster B

  5,454

  Doncaster C

  5,242

  Mexborough

  4,226

  Coal Dust Pollution
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made with the development of the optical scattering instantaneous respirable dust indicating system to reduce coal dust pollution in mines.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The laboratory development of the optical scattering instantaneous respirable dust indicating system (OSIRIS) by the Health and Safety Executive is complete. The technology has been transferred to industry through the British Technology Group and the system is now available commercially. The only continuing HSE involvement is provision of technical advice to licensees.

HEALTH

  Nurses and Midwives
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses and midwives were employed in National Health Service hospitals in each year since 1959, expressed in terms of whole-time equivalents.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested is given in the table.
  139

  National Health Service hospital nursing and midwifery staff at 30 September each year Whole-time equivalents

  Year

  England and Wales

  England

  1959

  196,000

  —

  1960

  197,900

  —

  1961

  198,900

  —

  1962

  205,300

  —

  1963

  207,700

  —

  1964

  212,400

  —

  1965

  222,400

  —

  1966

  231,500

  —

  1967

  239,300

  —

  1968

  241,300

  —

  1969

  245,900

  —

  1970

  252,800

  —

  1971

  263,500

  256,100

  1972

  —

  272,500

  1973

  —

  276,400

  1974

  —

  281,300

  1975

  —

  304,600

  1976

  —

  306,200

  1977

  —

  306,300

  1978

  —

  313,000

  1979

  —

  319,300

  1980

  —

  330,200

  1981

  —

  347,700

  1982

  —

  351,900

  1983

  —

  350,500

  1984

  —

  350,400

  1985

  —

  352,500

  1986

  —

  354,700

  1987

  —

  356,100

  Average daily available beds by ward type, by District Health Authority, 1987—88

  District Health Authority

  1Acute

  General patients elderly

  Maternity

  Mental illness

  2Mental handicap

  2Total

  Northern

  Hartlepool

  342

  158

  58

  84

  0

  642

  North Tees

  429

  183

  76

  142

  39

  869

  South Tees

  1,019

  320

  116

  314

  0

  1,768

  East Cumbria

  540

  276

  58

  590

  0

  1,465

  South Cumbria

  390

  291

  59

  65

  5

  810

  West Cumbria

  312

  207

  53

  118

  246

  935

  Darlington

  413

  163

  46

  17

  380

  1,019

  Durham

  447

  235

  52

  77

  265

  1,075

  North West Durham

  339

  171

  35

  51

  0

  596

  South West Durham

  308

  216

  63

  1,005

  22

  1,614

  Northumberland

  654

  341

  97

  751

  1,533

  3,376

  Gateshead

  467

  236

  64

  528

  0

  1,295

  Newcastle

  1,935

  489

  142

  629

  0

  3,195

  North Tyneside

  398

  209

  60

  14

  0

  680

  South Tyneside

  378

  173

  58

  138

  69

  816

  Sunderland

  1,082

  408

  116

  681

  27

  2,315

  Yorkshire

  Hull

  1,012

  264

  68

  11

  473

  1,827

  East Yorkshire

  481

  236

  66

  673

  0

  1,455

  Grimsby

  450

  224

  65

  43

  132

  914

  Scunthorpe

  399

  235

  58

  53

  115

  859

  Northallerton

  260

  81

  32

  0

  36

  408

  York

  691

  324

  82

  750

  218

  2,066

  Scarborough

  351

  177

  45

  49

  0

  621

  Harrogate

  501

  210

  59

  47

  94

  910

  Bradford

  1,129

  436

  185

  218

  363

  2,330

  Airedale

  425

  226

  72

  449

  78

  1,250

  Calderdale

  472

  310

  92

  179

  91

  1,144

  Huddersfield

  445

  339

  52

  813

  45

  1,693

  Dewsbury

  394

  230

  84

  0

  0

  708

  Leeds Western

  1,338

  507

  112

  852

  0

  2,809

  Leeds Eastern

  1,235

  412

  142

  155

  460

  2,404

  Wakefield

  584

  170

  56

  741

  259

  1,810

  Pontefract

  373

  241

  59

  154

  0

  827

  Trent

  North Derbyshire

  579

  390

  82

  232

  372

  1,655

  140
  Source: Department of Health (SM13) annual census of National Health Service non-medical manpower.

  Notes:

  1. Includes qualified nurses and midwives, learners and unqualified nursing staff.

  2. The England and Wales figures are based on a slightly different definition to those for England. In addition, because of changes and improvements in the collection and processing of the data between 1959 and 1987 the information is not strictly comparable. England only figures are not available prior to 1971.

  3. The figures have not been adjusted for changes in the working week introduced over the period shown.

  4. Figures rounded to the nearest 100 whole-time equivalents.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give, for the latest available year, the total number of hospital beds in each district health authority in England for each of the following service:(a) general medical services, (b) general surgical services, (c) all non-psychiatric acute services, (d) geriatrics, (e) maternity, (f) mental illness, (g) mental handicap and (h) all hospital beds.

  Mr. Mellor
  The available information for England is given in the table.
  141

  District Health Authority

  1Acute

  General patients elderly

  Maternity

  Mental illness

  2Mental handicap

  2Total

  Southern Derbyshire

  1,080

  548

  138

  1,057

  398

  3,221

  Leicestershire

  1,865

  844

  299

  1,149

  640

  4,796

  North Lincolnshire

  763

  293

  68

  459

  195

  1,778

  South Lincolnshire

  638

  315

  95

  414

  211

  1,672

  Bassetlaw

  217

  131

  30

  82

  20

  480

  Central Nottinghamshire

  757

  315

  89

  149

  257

  1,567

  Nottingham

  1,729

  609

  271

  965

  98

  3,671

  Barnsley

  524

  269

  56

  202

  60

  1,110

  Doncaster

  738

  310

  103

  290

  239

  1,681

  Rotherham

  567

  265

  67

  207

  152

  1,258

  Sheffield

  2,279

  827

  218

  966

  389

  4,679

  East Anglian

  Cambridge

  769

  324

  94

  409

  185

  1,781

  Peterborough

  633

  230

  106

  115

  64

  1,148

  West Suffolk

  551

  310

  86

  128

  153

  1,227

  East Suffolk

  785

  539

  96

  691

  154

  2,265

  Norwich

  1,350

  560

  107

  847

  544

  3,408

  Great Yarmouth and Waveney

  509

  214

  56

  168

  77

  1,024

  West Norfolk and Wisbech

  380

  253

  59

  137

  42

  871

  Huntingdon

  295

  108

  40

  15

  0

  458

  North West Thames

  North Bedfordshire

  493

  245

  45

  68

  298

  1,149

  South Bedfordshire

  484

  196

  92

  733

  26

  1,531

  North Hertfordshire

  411

  228

  76

  71

  0

  786

  East Hertfordshire

  366

  194

  54

  95

  0

  709

  North West Hertfordshire

  437

  256

  54

  397

  2,686

  3,830

  South West Hertfordshire

  362

  229

  75

  53

  0

  719

  Barnet

  672

  552

  103

  840

  0

  2,167

  Harrow

  487

  158

  89

  86

  0

  819

  Hillingdon

  830

  266

  71

  54

  0

  1,221

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  759

  219

  118

  157

  0

  1,254

  Ealing

  353

  163

  55

  835

  0

  1,405

  Brent

  378

  270

  56

  846

  89

  1,639

  Paddington and North Kensington

  749

  139

  55

  108

  11

  1,062

  Riverside

  1,220

  272

  82

  1,255

  0

  2,829

  North East Thames

  Basildon and Thurrock

  642

  270

  120

  134

  637

  1,802

  Mid Essex

  628

  356

  92

  55

  247

  1,377

  North East Essex

  579

  352

  82

  628

  529

  2,170

  West Essex

  575

  283

  73

  154

  81

  1,167

  Southend

  592

  302

  86

  620

  0

  1,600

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  1,206

  516

  98

  767

  132

  2,719

  Hampstead

  599

  129

  60

  878

  0

  1,666

  Bloomsbury

  1,468

  102

  85

  157

  0

  1,812

  Islington

  458

  224

  77

  81

  0

  839

  City and Hackney

  1,161

  72

  105

  148

  0

  1,485

  Newham

  474

  280

  87

  6

  29

  877

  Tower Hamlets

  767

  231

  88

  156

  0

  1,242

  Enfield

  432

  271

  86

  128

  73

  990

  Haringey

  581

  242

  102

  68

  7

  1,001

  Redbridge

  391

  258

  78

  705

  14

  1,446

  Waltham Forest

  626

  372

  67

  888

  223

  2,176

  South East Thames

  Brighton

  919

  334

  61

  164

  43

  1,521

  Eastbourne

  518

  273

  52

  321

  99

  1,262

  Hastings

  380

  270

  62

  46

  101

  859

  South East Kent

  606

  319

  79

  50

  29

  1,083

  Canterbury and Thanet

  774

  301

  99

  644

  156

  1,975

  Dartford and Gravesham

  548

  188

  88

  394

  391

  1,608

  Maidstone

  355

  158

  116

  686

  32

  1,346

  Medway

  575

  238

  107

  55

  20

  996

  Tunbridge Wells

  717

  246

  64

  79

  584

  1,689

  Bexley

  302

  177

  82

  738

  0

  1,299

  Greenwich

  797

  244

  90

  69

  49

  1,249

  Bromley

  570

  234

  64

  691

  119

  1,677

  West Lambeth

  744

  135

  89

  747

  0

  1,715

  Camberwell

  862

  189

  93

  98

  0

  1,242

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  1,092

  230

  103

  155

  138

  1,718

  South West Thames

  North West Surrey

  478

  167

  75

  192

  620

  1,532

  142 143

  District Health Authority

  1Acute

  General patients elderly

  Maternity

  Mental illness

  2Mental handicap

  2Total

  West Surrey and North East Hants

  398

  235

  35

  80

  172

  920

  South West Surrey

  580

  170

  27

  710

  0

  1,487

  Mid Surrey

  395

  150

  55

  716

  740

  2,054

  East Surrey

  375

  209

  39

  557

  617

  1,797

  Chichester

  435

  92

  47

  461

  54

  1,088

  Mid Downs

  457

  242

  77

  497

  282

  1,554

  Worthing

  477

  420

  33

  29

  44

  1,003

  Croydon

  660

  298

  74

  447

  878

  2,356

  Kingston and Esher

  454

  154

  26

  708

  0

  1,342

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  385

  224

  37

  15

  172

  834

  Wandsworth

  954

  188

  65

  832

  37

  2,075

  Merton and Sutton

  710

  284

  105

  174

  825

  2,098

  Wessex

  East Dorset

  1,085

  658

  153

  235

  0

  2,132

  West Dorset

  405

  249

  96

  252

  166

  1,168

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  1,023

  440

  146

  370

  354

  2,332

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  1,246

  318

  150

  599

  400

  2,712

  Winchester

  399

  233

  66

  55

  0

  753

  Basingstoke and North Hampshire

  472

  182

  44

  554

  0

  1,251

  Salisbury

  455

  174

  47

  223

  0

  899

  Swindon

  501

  229

  79

  58

  275

  1,143

  Bath

  1,015

  578

  139

  596

  32

  2,360

  Isle of Wight

  296

  143

  36

  105

  11

  591

  Oxford

  East Berkshire

  690

  235

  107

  149

  315

  1,495

  West Berkshire

  897

  290

  129

  436

  451

  2,203

  Aylesbury Vale

  548

  132

  47

  372

  184

  1,283

  Wycombe

  400

  237

  65

  34

  3

  738

  Milton Keynes

  253

  88

  65

  42

  0

  448

  Kettering

  431

  294

  61

  129

  11

  925

  Northampton

  669

  302

  76

  398

  297

  1,742

  Oxfordshire

  1,390

  478

  196

  441

  247

  2,751

  South Western

  Bristol and Weston

  1,137

  193

  135

  304

  244

  2,012

  Frenchay

  533

  406

  12

  475

  867

  2,293

  Southmead

  573

  89

  110

  55

  651

  1,477

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  793

  454

  113

  746

  217

  2,322

  Exeter

  1,050

  398

  80

  450

  259

  2,236

  North Devon

  335

  201

  41

  109

  26

  712

  Plymouth

  1,125

  451

  133

  348

  30

  2,087

  Torbay

  675

  270

  54

  166

  14

  1,179

  Cheltenham

  515

  301

  45

  4

  34

  899

  Gloucester

  817

  285

  119

  627

  130

  1,978

  Somerset

  1,151

  440

  128

  909

  323

  2,951

  West Midlands

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  388

  108

  51

  351

  0

  898

  Herefordshire

  450

  180

  44

  186

  75

  935

  Kidderminster and District

  225

  138

  24

  77

  368

  832

  Worcester and District

  492

  246

  65

  331

  0

  1,134

  Shropshire

  1,096

  492

  145

  409

  2

  2,144

  Mid Staffordshire

  440

  239

  66

  445

  0

  1,189

  North Staffordshire

  1,181

  656

  179

  778

  490

  3,283

  South East Staffordshire

  500

  391

  68

  735

  0

  1,694

  Rugby

  142

  49

  23

  0

  0

  213

  North Warwickshire

  313

  119

  71

  30

  557

  1,090

  South Warwickshire

  592

  277

  54

  438

  255

  1,615

  Central Birmingham

  1,072

  224

  125

  199

  0

  1,619

  East Birmingham

  668

  194

  0

  0

  0

  862

  North Birmingham

  350

  137

  88

  476

  0

  1,050

  South Birmingham

  879

  388

  73

  361

  363

  2,063

  West Birmingham

  760

  494

  90

  540

  0

  1,884

  Coventry

  881

  343

  125

  277

  0

  1,626

  Dudley

  803

  327

  89

  153

  155

  1,527

  Sandwell

  521

  260

  73

  17

  0

  871

  Solihull

  248

  97

  117

  329

  134

  925

  Walsall

  420

  313

  66

  14

  649

  1,463

  Wolverhampton

  760

  335

  126

  208

  0

  1,429

  Mersey

  Chester

  438

  265

  90

  667

  89

  1,548

  Crewe

  435

  310

  75

  231

  427

  1,479

  144 145

  District Health Authority

  1Acute

  General patients elderly

  Maternity

  Mental illness

  2Mental handicap

  2Total

  Walton

  142

  132

  0

  70

  42

  386

  Macclesfield

  259

  274

  35

  609

  222

  1,399

  Warrington

  473

  186

  70

  1,066

  385

  2,180

  Liverpool

  1,878

  525

  202

  321

  134

  3,060

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  615

  281

  102

  1,075

  0

  2,073

  Southport and Formby

  334

  209

  33

  137

  289

  1,002

  South Sefton

  1,079

  296

  90

  181

  0

  1,647

  Wirral

  1,000

  432

  109

  288

  52

  1,880

  North Western

  Lancaster

  414

  201

  49

  658

  499

  1,821

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  844

  351

  89

  346

  0

  1,630

  Preston

  975

  130

  94

  881

  0

  2,079

  Blackburn, Hyndhurn and Ribble Valley

  691

  318

  124

  183

  0

  1,315

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  612

  286

  70

  262

  1,986

  3,216

  West Lancashire

  464

  133

  34

  93

  10

  735

  Chorley and South Ribble

  59

  159

  26

  78

  1

  323

  Bolton

  562

  354

  108

  230

  0

  1,254

  Bury

  401

  203

  67

  117

  0

  788

  North Manchester

  923

  285

  89

  351

  0

  1,648

  Central Manchester

  872

  162

  119

  85

  0

  1,238

  South Manchester

  1,327

  403

  140

  243

  0

  2,112

  Oldham

  452

  248

  86

  208

  0

  993

  Rochdale

  404

  193

  48

  120

  0

  765

  Salford

  899

  325

  81

  1,115

  85

  2,506

  Stockport

  735

  474

  100

  279

  105

  1,693

  Tameside and Glossop

  431

  307

  81

  162

  0

  982

  Trafford

  324

  219

  39

  173

  0

  755

  Wigan

  697

  379

  103

  291

  0

  1,469

  Special Health Authorities

  The Hospitals for Sick Children

  409

  0

  0

  6

  0

  415

  The National Hospitals for Nervous Diseases

  264

  0

  0

  8

  0

  272

  Moorfields Eye Hospital

  149

  0

  0

  0

  0

  149

  Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals

  52

  0

  0

  411

  21

  484

  The National Heart and Chest Hospitals

  413

  0

  0

  0

  0

  413

  The Royal Marsden Hospital

  327

  0

  0

  0

  0

  327

  Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's

  518

  128

  154

  0

  0

  800

  The Eastman Dental Hospital

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1 Wards for general patients, excluding elderly, younger physically disabled, neonate cots not in maternity units.

  2 Excludes mental handicap community units.

  Organ Transplants
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reviews he is planning to ensure that all private hospitals have an expert ethical and oversight committee; and if he will ensure that there is no malpractice in respect of donor operations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is for the medical profession itself, and in particular the General Medical Council to lay down ethical guidance and to ensure that it is followed. Such guidance applies equally to private practice as to the National Health Service. Under the recently introduced Human Organ Transplants Bill, regulations will specify conditions which must be satisfied before transplantation can take place of an organ from a living person who is not a close natural relative of the recipient.

  Drug Abuse
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was allocated by his Department in respect of health education in relation to drug abuse in 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89.

  Mr. Mellor
  Expenditure by the Department on drug misuse was as follows:
  146

  £'000s

  1986–87

  1,707

  1987–88

  15,419

  1988–89

  1,918

  1 Includes major joint drugs misuse/AIDS anti-injecting campaign

  Research Institutes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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. Freeman
  The information is not readily available in the form requested, but I will write to the hon. Member when it has been assembled.

  Halton DHA
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the rate of patients receiving(a) hip replacements and (b) cataract operations (i) nationally and (ii) in Halton district health authority.
  147
  Mr. Freeman
  The estimated numbers of(a) total hip replacements and other arthroplasy of hip and (b) eye lens operations per 10,000 population in England in 1986 (the latest year for which the information is available centrally) were 8·7 and 13·5 respectively. We do not yet have available centrally the rates of these operations for individual authorities. Such operations for residents of the Halton district health authority are available only in proximate districts.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the elderly(a) nationally and (b) in Halton district health authority are seen by a district nurse on a regular basis.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not have the information precisely in the form requested. Information is available centrally on the proportion of the elderly treated at all by a district nurse and is given in the table. We do not have information centrally on what proportion are seen by a district nurse on a regular basis.

  District nursing: 1987–88 Persons treated (first treatment) during the year Percentage of elderly population treated

  Percentage

  England

  Halton district health authority

  Persons aged 65 and over

  22·1

  31·0

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on trends in death and discharges per bed in general medicine and general surgery and urology in the Halton district health authority area.

  Mr. Freeman
  The available information is given in the table.

  Discharges and deaths per available bed, Halton district health authority

  Specialty

  1985

  1986

  General medicine

  25–0

  35–6

  General surgery

  29–8

  45–0

  Neurology

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a = Not applicable.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on neonatal mortality and perinatal mortality rates in the area of Halton district health authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  The latest available annual rates are shown in the table.

  Perinatal1 and neonatal2 mortality rates, Halton DHA, 1987

  Persons

  Perinatal

  10·7

  Neonatal

  5·4

  1 Deaths in the first week of life plus stillbirths per 1,000 live and stillbirths

  2 Deaths at ages 0·27 completed days of life per 1,000 livebirths.

  Toxoplasmosis
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether screening for pregnant women is to be introduced for toxoplasmosis.
  148
  Mr. Mellor
  I have nothing to add to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Miss Nicholson) on 21 March at column 576.

  Hospital Treatment
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated in National Health Service hospitals as in-patient, out-patient and day patient in the north-west in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures for 1978.

  Mr. Freeman
  The available information is given in the table.

  National Health Service Hospitals activity, North Western Regional Health Authority, 1978, 1986 and financial year 1987–88

  1978

  1987–88

  Percentage change between 1978–1987–88

  In-patient cases treated

  511,674

  644,540

  26·0

  Day case treated

  68,080

  120,400

  76·9

  New out patients

  707,676

  780,283

  10·3

  Total out-patient attendances

  3,149,423

  3,605,422

  14·5

  Ward attenders1

  n/a

  42,548

  —

  1 This new category of patient was introduced in 1987–88. Some patients previously classified as out-patients or day cases may now be classified as ward attenders.

  Eye Tests and Dental Examinations (Nottingham)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will update the figures on the number of eye tests and dental examinations in the Nottingham health authority area, provided in his answer of 12 April 1988,Official Report, column 115.

  Mr. Mellor
  I assume that as before, the hon. Member is referring to eye tests which have been carried out under the general ophthalmic services and dental examinations under the general dental service. These are the responsibility of the family practitioner committee. The table gives the latest figures available for Nottingham family practitioner committee which includes the area covered by Nottingham health authority.

  Nottingham Family Practitioner Committee

  Year

  Number of eye tests1

  Number of dental examinations

  1979

  n.a

  500,900

  1980

  n.a

  538,660

  1981

  n.a

  570,690

  1982

  n.a

  591,490

  1983

  180,578

  591,810

  1984

  195,150

  618,580

  1985

  199,724

  635,560

  1986

  206,524

  2652,660

  1987

  221,955

  2651,480

  1988

  3254,825

  n.a

  1 Information is not available on eye tests before 1983.

  2 The Dental Estimates Board altered its collection of statistics from calendar year to financial year as from 1986–87 and these figures relate to the financial years 1986–87 and 1987–88 respectively.

  3 The Ophthalmic Section of the Department of Health's Statistics and Management Information Division altered its collection of statistics from calendar year to financial year as from 1988–89 and this figure relates to the financial year 1988–89.

  Gluten-free Products
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there has been any change in his Department's guidelines to doctors concerning the National Health Service prescription of gluten-free products for coeliacs and people with dermatitis herpeti-formis; and what measures he is taking to correct misleading impressions resulting from a circular from his Department stating that gluten-free products should be available on National Health Service prescription for exceptional cases only.

  Mr. Mellor
  There has been no change in the Department's guidelines to doctors about the prescription of gluten-free products on the National Health Service. The guidance recently provided to general practitioners in a leaflet entitled "Guidelines for Prescribing Borderline Substances" incorporates the Department's long-standing policy on this matter.

  It is not the function of the NHS to provide food for people in the community, even for those who have to follow special diets for medical reasons. However, we do recognise that in some cases it may be necessary for doctors to prescribe foods in order to enable their patients to maintain their diet. A range of specially manufactured gluten-free foods is therefore available on prescription for patients with coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis where the doctor considers that his active intervention is needed to help the patient keep to a suitable diet. We have always considered that such cases would be the exception rather than the rule.

  Baby Food
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to environmental health officers concerning the need for safeguards arising out of baby food contamination.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 2 May. The public advice issued was copied to chief environmental health officers of local authorities who were asked to draw this to the attention of those in charge of homes and other establishments caring for children locally.

  Disablement Services Authority
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regional health authorities have submitted their plans for integration of the Disablement Services Authority to his Department; and what steps he is taking to encourage prompt submission of such plans.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received plans for the integration of the Disablement Services Authority from 13 of the 14 regional health authorities. I understand that the remaining plan is at an advanced stage of preparation and will be submitted as soon as it is finalised.

  Pharmaceutical Products
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings are planned between experts from various European Economic Community countries, including the United Kingdom, to discuss European Economic Community parallel importing schemes of 150
  pharmaceutical products, and the problem of counterfeiting; when these are to take place; who will represent Her Majesty's Government; and what proposals Her Majesty's Government have to meet these problems.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have written to the Commission and to our EC colleagues suggesting that a meeting of experts would be helpful to discuss whether any changes to parallel importing arrangements might be needed in the light of the recent incident involving counterfeit Zantac tablets. We are in touch with the Commission about how best to follow this up.

  Trainee GPs
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the arrangements for determining the number of trainee general practitioners each year; what cash limits are set which would govern the number of trainees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  There are no manpower nor budgetary controls which determine the number of doctors training for general practice.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Her Majesty's Government have any plans to reduce the number of general practitioner trainees in England and Wales or to alter arrangements regarding duly appointed trainers' recruitment of trainees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. We have no plans to put controls on the number of doctors training for general practice, or to prescribe the standards by which trainers in general practice select their trainees.

  Clinical Effectiveness
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider the merits of the proposals on measuring clinical effectiveness contained in the COHSE response to the National Health Service White Paper.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will be responding positively to the request that he meet representatives from COHSE to discuss the proposals on measuring clinical effectiveness contained in that union's response to the National Health Service White Paper.

  Mr. David Mellor
  I will be writing to the general secretary of COHSE shortly about his request for the meeting on his union's response to "Working for Patients".

ENERGY

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

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My Department operates no research establishments of its own. All research work is
  151
  contracted out to a variety of institutions, including private sector companies, none of which is run on the Department's behalf.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if the staff to be employed at the main office of the electricity regulator will be drawn from seconded or transferred civil servants;

  (2) if all the posts within the office of the regulator, including those which will serve the consumer organisation, will be offered to the staff of existing consumer councils;

  (3) what action has been taken to identify or to secure offices or locations for officers within OFFER; and if options on leases have been taken up or offers made for the purchase of premises.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Office of Electricity Regulation (OFFER), like the existing regulatory offices, will be a non-ministerial Government Department. Its staff will therefore be classed as civil servants. It is too early to say what proportion of these may be seconded or transferred from other Departments. The staff of the existing electricity consultative councils will be able to apply for posts in OFFER.

  No final decisions have been taken on the locations of offices.

  Hinkley Point C
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what communications his Department has received from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, since 1 January, in connection with the Hinkley Point C public inquiry; and whether he has assessed the content of the CND proofs of evidence presented to the Hinkley inquiry, in so far as they refer to matters for which his Department has responsibility.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Since 1 January my Department has received one letter from CND in connection with the Hinkley Point C public inquiry. The assessment of evidence submitted to the inquiry is a matter for the inspector. I shall consider the inspector's report most carefully in reaching my decision on the CEGB's application.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Timber and Wood Products
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current import cost of timber and wood products; what was the comparable cost in the years before the 1988 Budget; and if he will make a statement.

  Optical precision instruments

  SIC Activity 3732

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Employment '000s1

  —

  —

  —

  5

  5

  Trade Balance £ million2

  -156

  -187

  -274

  -319

  -243

  Import Penetration per cent.2

  49

  52

  65

  56

  50

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987=1003

  152
  Mr. Alan Clark
  The available information on the value of imports of timber and wood products for 1984–88 is given in the table:

  United Kingdom imports of timber and wood products 1984–1988

  £ million

  Timber

  Wood products

  1984

  1,008·3

  968·2

  1985

  893·8

  1,012·0

  1986

  999·3

  1,137·9

  1987

  1,197·2

  1,253·8

  1988

  1,354·5

  1,490·9

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Notes:

  1. Timber defined as Standard International Trade Classification Revisions 2 and 3 Division 24 less Item 244.

  2. Wood products defined as SITC R3 Division 63 less Item 633, and Items 821.16 and 821.5 in 1988; and SITC R2 Division 63 less 633 and Items 821.11 (pt), 821.19 (pt) and 821.92 for the previous years.

  3. 1988 figures provisional.

  Consumer Credit Act
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many responses he has received to his Department's proposals to amend the Consumer Credit Act 1974; and whether he will supply details of the nature of the responses.

  Mr. Maude
  The Department has recently undertaken several consultation exercises on proposed amendments to consumer credit legislation covering areas such as secured lending, advertising of credit, inclusion of broker's fees in calculation of the APR, licensing and EC proposals for a directive on a harmonised method of calculating the APR. The White Paper "Releasing Enterprise" Cm. 512 also lists proposed amendments to consumer credit legislation.

  About half the bodies consulted about such proposals normally respond. The majority of the proposed amendments are to simplify and clarify the legislation, to reflect the current practices of the credit industry or to remove onerous requirements from lenders or borrowers. Many of the changes have been suggested by lenders or borrowers and the proposed changes have been generally supported by consultees.

  Import Penetration
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the optical precision instrument industry (SIC order 3732) for each year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is shown in the table:
  153

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  100

  100

  Import Penetration

  98

  104

  130

  112

  100

  Source:

  1 Department of Employment.

  2 Department of Trade and Industry.

  3 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the Pharmaceuticals industry (SIC order 257) for each year

  Pharmaceuticals SIC Group 257

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Index of production 1985 = 1001

  91

  95

  100

  105

  112

  121

  Employment '000s2

  68

  68

  67

  68

  71

  —

  Trade Balance £ million3

  +591

  +664

  +823

  +840

  +829

  +867

  Import Penetration per cent. 3

  22

  25

  25

  25

  25

  24

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987 = 1005

  Index of production6

  81

  85

  89

  93

  100

  108

  Employment

  95

  95

  94

  96

  100

  —

  Import Penetration

  88

  100

  100

  100

  100

  96

  Source:

  1 Central Statistical Office.

  2 Department of Employment.

  3 Department of Trade and Industry

  4 Provisional

  5 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatement in this way

  6 Index of production re-referenced to 1987=100.

  Mr. Cousins
  to ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the medical equipment manufacture industry (SIC order 372)

  Medical equipment manufacturing industry

  SIC Group 372

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Index of production 1985=1001

  90

  100

  100

  101

  108

  122

  Employment 000s 2

  —

  —

  —

  2

  22

  —

  Trade Balance £ million3

  +52

  +52

  +88

  +105

  +99

  —

  Import Penetration per cent. 3

  64

  69

  84

  84

  82

  —

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987 = 1005

  Index of production6

  83

  93

  93

  94

  100

  113

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  100

  100

  —

  Import Penetration

  78

  84

  102

  102

  100

  —

  Source:

  1 Central Statistical Office.

  2 Department of Employment.

  3 Department of Trade and Industry.

  4 Provisional

  5 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  6 Index of production re-referenced to 1987=100.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the medical equipment manufacture industry (SIC order

  Measuring Etc. Instrument Manufacture

  SIC Group 371

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Index of production 1985=1001

  84

  87

  100

  101

  110

  118

  Employment '000s 2

  —

  —

  —

  56

  55

  —

  Trade Balance £ million3

  +88

  +67

  +80

  +120

  +94

  —

  154
  since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is shown in the table:

  for each year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information available is shown in the table:

  371) for each year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information available is shown in the table:
  155

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Import Penetration per cent. 3

  21

  21

  19

  18

  19

  —

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987= 1005

  Index of production6

  76

  79

  91

  92

  100

  107

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  102

  100

  —

  Import Penetration

  111

  111

  100

  95

  100

  —

  Source:

  1 Central Statistical Office.

  2 Department of Employment.

  3 Department of Trade and Industry.

  4 Provisional

  5 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  6 Index of production re-referenced to 1987=100.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the instrument engineering industry (SIC order 37) for each

  Instrument engineering industry

  SIC group 37

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Employment '000s1

  104

  104

  105

  105

  103

  Trade balance £ million2

  -182

  -268

  -309

  -387

  -350

  Import penetration per cent. 2

  55

  58

  57

  56

  58

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987= 1003

  Employment

  101

  101

  102

  102

  100

  Import penetration

  95

  100

  98

  96

  100

  Source:

  1 Department of Employment.

  2 Department of Trade and Industry.

  3 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the shipbuilding and shiprepairing industry (SIC order 361)

  Shipbuilding and shiprepairing industry

  SIC group 361

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Index of production 1985= 1001

  124

  113

  100

  86

  487

  Employment '000s2

  —

  —

  —

  83

  76

  Trade balance £ million3

  +195

  +326

  +158

  -69

  +122

  Import penetration per cent.3

  11

  34

  11

  48

  31

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987= 1005

  Index of production6

  143

  130

  us

  99

  100

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  109

  100

  Import penetration

  36

  110

  36

  155

  100

  Source:

  1 Central Statistical Office.

  2 Department of Employment.

  3 Department of Trade and Industry.

  4 Provisional.

  5 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  6 Index of production re-referenced to 1987=100.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the other telecommunication industry (SIC orders 3453 and 3454)
  156
  year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information available is shown in the table:

  for each year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information available is shown in the table:

  for each year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information available is shown in the table:
  157

  Other electronic equipment industry

  SIC Activities 3453 and 3454

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Employment '000s1

  —

  —

  —

  103

  111

  Trade Balance £ million2

  -1,341

  -1,230

  -1,212

  -1,210

  -1,430

  Import Penetration per cent. 2

  77

  81

  90

  91

  96

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987= 1003

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  93

  100

  Import Penetration

  80

  84

  94

  95

  100

  Source:

  1 Department of Employment.

  2 Department of Trade and Industry.

  3 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the telecommunications equipment manufacturing industry (SIC order 344) for each year since 1983; if he will provide

  Telecommunication equipment and other electronic industrial goods

  SIC Group 344

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Employment '000s1

  —

  —

  —

  172

  169

  Trade Balance £ million2

  +148

  +70

  +222

  +245

  +88

  Import Penetration per cent. 2

  36

  37

  39

  39

  43

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987= 1003

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  102

  100

  Import Penetration

  116

  114

  109

  109

  100

  Source:

  1 Department of Employment.

  2 Department of Trade and Industry.

  3 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the basic electrical manufacturing industry (SIC order 342) for each

  Basic electrical equipment industry

  SIC Group 342

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Employment '000s1

  —

  —

  —

  104

  98

  Trade Balance £ million2

  +540

  +389

  +445

  +523

  +261

  Import Penetration per cent.2

  36

  38

  45

  42

  47

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987 = 1003

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  106

  100

  Import Penetration

  69

  81

  96

  89

  100

  Source:

  1 Department of Employment.

  2 Department of Trade and Industry.

  3 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment this way.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the electrical electronic engineering industry (SIC order 34) for

  Electrical and elecronic engineering

  SIC Class 34

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Index of production 1985 = 1001

  89

  97

  100

  102

  104

  111

  Employment '000s2

  615

  607

  594

  569

  560

  —

  Trade Balance £ million3

  -1,034

  -1,400

  -1,220

  -1,318

  -2,025

  —

  Import Penetration3

  42

  44

  47

  47

  49

  —

  158
  an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information available is shown in the table:

  year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information available is shown in the table:

  each year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information available is shown in the table:
  159

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987 = 1005

  Index of production6

  86

  93

  96

  98

  100

  107

  Employment

  110

  108

  106

  102

  100

  —

  Import Penetration

  86

  90

  96

  96

  100

  —

  Source:

  1 Central Statistical Office.

  2 Department of Employment.

  3 Department of Trade and Industry.

  4 Provisional.

  5 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  6 Index of production re-referenced to 1987= 100.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the office machinery and data processing manufacturing industry (SIC order 33) for each year since 1983; if he will provide

  Office machinery and data processing manufacturing

  SIC Class 33

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Employment '0001

  80

  84

  91

  92

  96

  Trade Balance £ million2

  -947

  -1,040

  -670

  -686

  -887

  Import Penetration per cent2

  106

  105

  100

  100

  93

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987 = 1003

  Employment

  80

  88

  95

  96

  100

  Import Penetration

  114

  113

  108

  108

  100

  Source:

  1 Department of Employment.

  2 Department of Trade and Industry.

  3 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the machinery for food and chemical industry (SIC order 324)

  Food and chemical industry

  SIC Group 324

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Index of production 1985 = 1001

  98

  97

  100

  105

  96

  101

  Employment '0002

  —

  —

  —

  41

  41

  —

  Trade Balance £ million3

  +155

  +92

  +162

  +120

  +102

  —

  Import Penetration per cent3

  53

  57

  59

  61

  55

  —

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987 = 1005

  Index of production6

  102

  101

  104

  109

  100

  105

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  100

  100

  —

  Import Penetration

  96

  104

  107

  111

  100

  —

  Source:

  1 Central Statistical Office.

  2 Department of Employment.

  3 Department of Trade and Industry.

  4 Provisional.

  5 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  6 Index of production re-referenced to 1987=100.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the metal working and machine tool industry (SIC order 322) for

  Metal working machine tools etc industry

  SIC Activity 322

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Index of production 1985=1001

  79

  89

  100

  92

  92

  102

  Employment '000s2

  —

  —

  —

  77

  76

  —

  Trade Balance £ million3

  +43

  +21

  +16

  +156

  +24

  —

  160
  an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information available is shown in the table:

  for each year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information available is shown in the table:

  each year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is shown in the table:
  161

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Import Penetration per cent. 3

  37

  40

  38

  40

  39

  —

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987= 1005

  Index of production5

  80

  97

  109

  100

  100

  111

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  101

  100

  —

  Import Penetration

  95

  103

  97

  103

  100

  —

  Source:

  1 Central Statistical Office.

  2 Department of Employment.

  3 Department of Trade and Industry.

  4 Provisional

  5 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  6 Index of production re-referenced to 1987=100.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the boiler and process plant industry (SIC order 3205) for each year

  Boilers and process plant fabrications SIC

  Group 3205

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Employment '000s 1

  —

  —

  —

  27

  26

  Trade Balance £ million2

  -59

  +146

  +121

  +123

  +122

  Import Penetration per cent.2

  19

  7

  9

  9

  11

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987= 1003

  Employment

  —

  —

  —

  104

  100

  Import Penetration

  142

  64

  82

  82

  100

  Source:

  1 Department of Employment.

  2 Department of Trade and Industry.

  3 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the mechanical engineering industry (SIC order 32) for each

  Mechanical engineering industry

  SIC Class 32

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Index of production 1985 = 1001

  94

  96

  100

  98

  98

  105

  Employment '000s 2

  775

  757

  757

  728

  715

  —

  Trade Balance £ million3

  +1,938

  +1,951

  +2,136

  +1,792

  +1,406

  —

  Import Penetration per cent.3

  32

  34

  36

  37

  38

  —

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987= 1005

  Index of production6

  96

  98

  102

  100

  100

  107

  Employment

  108

  106

  106

  102

  100

  —

  Import Penetration

  84

  89

  95

  97

  100

  —

  Source:

  1 Central Statistical Office

  2 Department of Employment.

  3 Department of Trade and Industry.

  4 Provisional

  5 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  6 Index of production re-referenced to 1987=100

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the output of, employment in, balance of trade for, and extent of import penetration in, the soap and detergents industry (SIC order 2581) for each year

  Soap and detergents industry

  SIC Activity 2581

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Index of production 1985= 1001

  92

  96

  100

  106

  108

  111

  Employment '000s 2

  13

  12

  12

  12

  12

  —

  Trade Balance £ million3

  + 71

  + 80

  + 83

  + 83

  + 60

  + 42

  162
  since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is shown in the table:

  year since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is shown in the table:

  since 1983; if he will provide an estimate for 1988; and if he will express the figures in each case as an index with the latest available year as the base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is shown in the table:
  163

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  41988

  Import Penetration per cent.3

  7

  8

  8

  9

  11

  12

  Series expressed as index numbers referenced to 1987 = 1005

  Index of production6

  85

  88

  92

  98

  100

  102

  Employment

  111

  106

  101

  101

  100

  —

  Import Penetration

  64

  73

  73

  82

  100

  —

  Source:

  1 Central Statistical Office.

  2 Department of Employment.

  3 Department of Trade and Industry.

  4 Provisional

  5 No index numbers have been provided for the trade balance as it is not suitable for treatment in this way.

  6 Index of production re-referenced to 1987 =100.

  Overseas Firms
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many overseas firms are based in Warrington-Runcorn; and what proportion of these are north American in origin.

  Mr. Atkins
  There are more than 140 overseas-owned companies now operating in Warrington-Runcorn, of which about half are north-American owned.

  Wool Textiles
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has reached a decision on the future of the wool textile industry (export promotion) levy.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Yes. Following consultation with wool textile industry organisations and trades unions, and in the light of all of the views received, Ministers have decided that the levy should continue in force, administered by my Department. Under these arrangements, I look forward to the National Wool Textile Export Corporation continuing and developing the valuable range of services it provides for the industry in export markets.

  Welsh Intermediate Education Act (Centenary)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has received any representations regarding the issue of commemorative stamps to note the centenary of the passing of the Welsh Intermediate Education Act; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I have received no such recommendations. Special stamp issues are a matter for the Post Office, but I understand that it, too, received no requests to mark this centenary in its 1989 special stamp programme.

  Eastern Europe (Trade)
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to respond to the Trade and Industry Select Committee report on trade with Eastern Europe published in December 1988 (HC 51).

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I sent a memorandum setting out the Government response to the report to the Chairman of the Select Committee on 20 March. Publication of the memorandum is a matter for the Committee. I shall be giving further oral evidence to the Committee on 14 June.

  Lead-free Petrol
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps to monitor the extent to which reduced duties for lead-free petrol are passed on to the consumer by the major petrol retailers.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 25 April 1989]: No.

  Petrol
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the source of the recent representations he has received concerning the level of competition in the petrol retail industry.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 25 April 1989]: I have received representations both from hon. Members and from members of the public.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has any plans to take steps to increase competition in the petrol retail industry.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: Under United Kingdom competition legislation, it falls to the Director General of Fair Trading to keep competition in the United Kingdom under review. The director general referred the wholesale supply of petrol to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on 9 November 1988. The commission is due to report to my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State by 8 November this year, and it would be inappropriate to comment on this matter in the meantime.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has concering the current average prices charged by the major petrol retailers in(a) Macclesfield, (b) the north-west region and (c) the United Kingdom as a whole for four-star petrols.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: My Department does not have such information.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has concering the current prices being charged by the major petrol retailers for unleaded and leaded petrol.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: No such information is kept.

SCOTLAND

  Ayrshire and Arran Health Board
  Mr. Lambie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will next meet the chairman of Ayrshire and Arran health board; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have no plans at present to meet the chairman of Ayrshire and Arran health board.

  ScotRail
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the management of ScotRail; and what subjects he discussed with them.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend discussed various topics relating to rail transport when he met the chairman of the British Rail (Scottish) board, Mr. John Cameron, on 26 April 1989.

  The Union
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any proposals to strengthen the Scottish dimension of the Union of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Rifkind
  No. We believe that the present constitutional arrangements should continue as they provide for Scotland's special interests and nationhood to he fully respected and recognised. Within them Scots and Scottish institutions play a full and very important part in all aspects of life of the United Kingdom.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all those organisations and individuals who have submitted responses endorsing without criticism his consultative paper on the future of the Health Service in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A number of generally positive responses and constructive comments have been received.

  Glasgow
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to make a visit to Glasgow.

  Mr. Rifkind
  My next official visit to Glasgow will be on 19 May to attend the Scottish press awards lunch.

  Moray
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next intends to visit Moray.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have no immediate plans to visit Moray.

  Angus, East
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next intends to visit Angus, East.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have no immediate plans to visit Angus East.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the total number of jobs directly and indirectly dependent on Scotland's coal industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  British Coal has some 3,400 employees in Scotland at present. In addition, approximately 1,200 people are employed on opencast and deep mining by subcontractors, and there around 300 people working in licensed private mining. Figures on the number of indirectly dependent jobs are not available.

  Highlands and Islands Development Board
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the chairman of the Highlands and Islands Development Board; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend met the chairman of the Highlands and Islands Development Board at a meeting of the Scottish Economic Council held on 20 January in Edinburgh when general matters relating to the board's area were discussed.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Scotland if he will make a statement on the implementation of the community charge in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  As planned, the community charge was introduced in Scotland on 1 April 1989. Following the canvass of households which commenced in April 1988, about 99 per cent. of the adult population registered for the community charge. Community charges registration officers are now busy with the task of maintaining their registers. Local authorities have publicised the availability of rebates, found out about the method of payment that charge payers wish to use and have been working very hard to process the large number of applications for rebates which they have received. I am extremely pleased with the good progress which has been made by all concerned in implementing the community charge in Scotland.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the Scottish tourist industry about the standard community charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of such representations.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for a poll tax rebate in each of the regions of Scotland have been(a) granted and (b) refused.

  Mr. Lang
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the numbers who have not paid their poll tax for April.

  Mr. Lang
  It will be some months before reliable information on the levels of payment of the community charge becomes available.
  167
  Mr. Buchanan-Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will carry out a study of the impact of the standard community charge since its introduction on 1 April; and if, in light of that study, he will then review the legislation in relation to the standard community charge.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans for such a study.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the payment of the community charge by Scottish police officers pending determination of the final determination of the police housing allowance.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a small number of representations regarding the police rent allowance issue. In its recent award on this matter, the police arbitration tribunal concluded that the community charge payable by police officers or their spouses should not be reimbursed by police authorities.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scots will be receiving rebates of the poll tax in the current year.

  Mr. Lang
  It is estimated that over one million adults in Scotland will receive a community charge rebate in 1989–90.

  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the incidence of the community charge on those in receipt of housing benefit.

  Mr. Lang
  A number of representations have been received about the community charge rebate scheme which is based on the previous housing benefit scheme for rate rebates.

  A74 (Crash Barriers)
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of the A74 have been installed with crash barriers in the past year.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A total of 2·2 km (1·4 miles) of central reserve safety fencing was installed in 1988–89. The provision of a further 4–4 km of fencing is in progress or planned to start shortly leaving 4.4 km to be installed thereafter. This really should be a priority on grounds of safety.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he plans in arrangements for encouraging inward investment in industry in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  There are no changes currently planned to the existing arrangements. Locate in Scotland will continue with its policies to encourage links with existing companies already in Scotland, and to develop new links with potential inward investors outwith Scotland, through its existing offices in the United Kingdom and overseas.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he proposes to regional policy as it affects Scotland.
  168
  Mr. Lang
  None. An effective range of measures is in place.

  High Technology Industries
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to encourage the growth of new high technology industries in the longer-established industrial areas of Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  The Scottish Office administers directly a range of financial and advisory support for new and expanding high technology industries. These efforts, together with those of the Scottish Development Agency and of Locate in Scotland are aimed at encouraging the setting up and growth of indigenous high technology industry, as well as attracting foreign companies in this sector to Scotland.

  Piper Alpha
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what surveys have been undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland in respect of pollution following the Piper Alpha tragedy.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) on 11 January 1989. Monitoring by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland has been continuing and a report will be published shortly.

  Sewerage Charges
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from organisations including Churches regarding their new liability for sewerage charges; and if he will now seek to amend the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act to remove the liability.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Representations about the new liability for sewage charges have been received from one community council.

  The Government are monitoring the effect of introducing the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987 and will consider carefully any representations made.

  Community Care
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next expects to meet the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to discuss community care in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to do so.

  Bathing Waters
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he plans to take to bring Scotland's bathing waters up to the standards set by EEC directives.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Where identified bathing waters do not meet the standard set in the EC
  169
  bathing water directive, sewage discharges from public sewers are often a contributory factor. In these circumstances, it is for the regional councils as sewerage authorities, in conjunction with the river purification authorities, to plan and execute improvement works. In other cases, it is for the river purification authority to identify the source of pollution and pursue measures to improve the water with the polluter. The latest position is set out in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro) on 13 April at columns 682–83.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the increased cost of electricity connection charges following privatisation of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board.

  Mr. Lang
  There is no reason to expect such an increase. Under the Electricity Bill currently before Parliament, all owners or occupiers will have a right to a supply on reasonable terms and also a right of appeal to the Director General of Electricity Supply if they wish to dispute the terms quoted by the supplier. These arrangements will ensure that, following privatisation, electricity connection charges are fair and properly reflect the costs incurred.

  Sane Automatism
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to change the criminal law of Scotland to allow sane automatism to be an acceptable legal defence.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have no such plans.

  National Farmers Union
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the president of the National Farmers Union of Scotland; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend and my noble Friend have regular meetings with union representatives. My noble Friend met the president most recently at the union's annual general meeting on 10 March when a wide range of topics was discussed.

  Prestwick Airport
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next intends to visit Prestwick international airport.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so at present.

  Schools (Representations)
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received on(a) self-governing schools and (b) school boards.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  As at 18 April 1989, 90 responses have been received to the descriptive paper "Self-Governing Schools" which we published in December 1988.170
  During the three months August to November 1987, 7,981 responses were received to the consultation paper "School Management and the Role of Parents".

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the number of individuals in employment in(a) north Tayside and (1)) Scotland, in December 1975, December 1978 and December 1988.

  Mr. Lang
  The table gives the available information. For Scotland for 1975 estimates are available only for June and for Tayside, North parliamentary constituency only for 1981 and 1984 from the census of employment. The December 1988 figure for Scotland may be revised when the results of the 1987 census of employment become available later this year.

  Employees in employment

  Thousands

  Scotland

  June

  1975

  2,076·1

  December

  1978

  2,074·8

  December

  1988

  1,943·5

  North Tayside

  September

  1981

  22·3

  September

  1984

  21·0

  Economy (Fraser of Allander Report)
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the recent Fraser of Allander report on the Scottish economy, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Lang
  In its March 1989 "Quarterly Economic Commentary" the Fraser of Allander institute clearly recognises the current strength of the Scottish economy. According to the institute, Scottish economic growth this year is likely to be no worse than that of the United Kingdom and might be 0·5 percentage points higher.

  Local Government (Competitive Tendering)
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding competitive tendering in local government in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Local authorities are now fully engaged in implementing the competition provisions of the Local Government Act 1988. Detailed implementation regulations were made in August 1988 and the first round of work won in competition has to be under way by 1 August this year with further rounds by 1 January and 1 August in subsequent years.

  From the limited information available so far it would appear that local authorities have themselves been winning contracts in a number of cases. But where any anti-competitive practice is alleged by contractors my officials will follow up the cases with the local authorities concerned.

  Forth Valley Health Board
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of the Forth Valley health board reside in(a) the parliamentary constituencies of (a) Stirling, (b) Clackmannan, (c) Falkirk, West and (d) Falkirk, East.
  171
  Mr. Rifkind
  The number of members who reside in each of the following parliamentary constituencies is as follows:

  (a) Stirling 10

  (b) Clackmannan 1

  (c) Falkirk West 4

  (d) Falkirk East 0.

  Elton Committee
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the implications for the Scottish Education Department arising from the Elton committee's report on indiscipline in English and Welsh schools.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The report does not extend to Scotland, many of the key recommendations are, however, paralleled in existing Scottish initiatives or practices.

  Teachers Salaries
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to review the status and future of the SJNC (TSSE).

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Following a recommendation of the Main committee of inquiry into the pay and conditions of service of school teachers in Scotland, the present negotiating machinery remains to be reviewed.

  In response to recent representations by the professional associations representing headteachers in Scotland, the Government are considering making an amendment to the Self-Governing Schools Etc. (Scotland) Bill which would enable my right hon. and learned Friend to remove certain categories of staff from the statutory ambit of the Scottish joint negotiating committee for teaching staff in school education.

  Teaching (Environment)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to collate a full report on the physical environment of teaching in Scottish schools, arising from the regular references made to such matters by Her Majesty's inspectors in their reports on schools.
  172
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. It is for individual authorities to ensure that the physical environment of their schools is conducive to good teaching. They have substantial financial resources, both current and capital, at their disposal for this purpose.

  Radioactive Substances
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report those radioactive substances for which his Department carries out routine exploratory tests in coastline areas; where those sites are; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information sought is included in the statistical bulletins: "Environmental Monitoring for Radioactivity in Scotland" published by the Scottish Development Department, the most recent covering the years 1981–1985 having been published in April 1987. A further edition for the period 1983–1987 is due to be published shortly.

  Radioactive Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to issue a special development order to permit Nirex UK Ltd. to test-drill on the Dounreay nuclear power development establishment site in Caithness to assess its suitability for a deep repository for low and intermediate-level radioactive wastes.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) on 21 March at column 506. We expect any planning application for test drilling to go through normal planning procedures. I understand that a planning application in respect of Dounreay has recently been submitted to Highland regional council.

  MR. PATRICK HANNON
  MR. PATRICK HANNON
  SERVICES RECRUITMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS
  SERVICES RECRUITMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS
  FARMED DEER: WELFARE CODE
  FARMED DEER: WELFARE CODE
  DEER: SLAUGHTER ARRANGEMENTS
  DEER: SLAUGHTER ARRANGEMENTS
  NATIONAL FRUIT COLLECTION
  NATIONAL FRUIT COLLECTION
  INCONTINENCE PADS: CHARGING ARRANGEMENTS
  INCONTINENCE PADS: CHARGING ARRANGEMENTS
  INCONTINENCE PADS FOR LOW INCOME PATIENTS
  INCONTINENCE PADS FOR LOW INCOME PATIENTS
  CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING ARRANGEMENTS
  CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING ARRANGEMENTS
  FIREARMS ACT 1968: PUBLICATION IN AMENDED FORM
  FIREARMS ACT 1968: PUBLICATION IN AMENDED FORM
  COURT PROCEEDINGS: WAITING TIME
  COURT PROCEEDINGS: WAITING TIME
  THE HERITAGE: MONITORING OF EC LEGISLATION
  THE HERITAGE: MONITORING OF EC LEGISLATION
  THE BUILT HERITAGE AND THE EUROPEAN SINGLE MARKET
  THE BUILT HERITAGE AND THE EUROPEAN SINGLE MARKET
  HYDE PARK
  HYDE PARK
  NATIONAL NATURE RESERVES: NCC REPORT
  NATIONAL NATURE RESERVES: NCC REPORT
  GRANT RELATED EXPENDITURE: DoE PUBLICATIONS
  GRANT RELATED EXPENDITURE: DoE PUBLICATIONS
  CHEMICAL HAZARDS: EVALUATION AND CONTROL PROPOSALS
  CHEMICAL HAZARDS: EVALUATION AND CONTROL PROPOSALS
  POSTAL SERVICE, LONDON: INDUSTRIAL ACTION
  POSTAL SERVICE, LONDON: INDUSTRIAL ACTION
  NORTHERN IRELAND: HOSPITAL NURSING STAFF
  NORTHERN IRELAND: HOSPITAL NURSING STAFF
  FIRE SERVICE PAY AND CONDITIONS: STUDY PROPOSALS
  FIRE SERVICE PAY AND CONDITIONS: STUDY PROPOSALS