Written Answers of 10 May 1989

SCOTLAND

  Electricity Privatisation
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what volume of radioactive wastes in the categories of(a) low level, (b) intermediate level and (c) high level, respectively, will be transferred to the ownership of Scottish Nuclear Limited under privatisation of the South of Scotland electricity board; and what volume of unreprocessed spent nuclear fuel and reprocessed plutonium will be transferred to Scottish Nuclear Limited on its creation.

  Mr. Lang
  The Government's intention is that Scottish Nuclear Limited should inherit all the SSEB's nuclear assets and liabilities.

  AIDS
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the names of each of the advertising agencies used by his Department on the AIDS campaign, with the payments made to each.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Scottish Home and Health Department does not employ advertising agencies for the AIDS campaign.

  Buses (Privatisation)
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the fleet size and market share of the individual local authority bus public limited companies in Scotland;

  (2) what are the numbers and types of public service vehicles which are in service with local authority public limited companies in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: The numbers and types of public service vehicles in service with local authority owned bus undertakings in Scotland are shown in the following table. Information on the market share of the individual companies is not available.

  Strathclyde Buses Ltd.

  Lothian Region Transport plc

  Tayside Public Transport Company Ltd.

  Double deckers

  757

  524

  141

  Single deckers

  10

  29

  4

  Coaches

  13

  21

  12

  Midibuses

  44

  4

  —

  Minibuses

  16

  —

  4

  Open top buses

  3

  2

  —

  All buses

  843

  580

  161

  Source: "Who's Who in the Bus Industry", 1989–90 Edition, published by Yandell Publishing Ltd.

  New Businesses
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many firms have set up new businesses in Scotland in the period May 1979 to April 1989; what type of businesses they were; how many jobs were created; and where those firms were located.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 9 May 1989]: Between 1 January 1980 and 1 January 1989, the number of companies registered in Scotland rose by just under 20,000, or by more than one half.

  Information on jobs created from new openings is available only for the manufacturing sector. The definition used includes existing plants rising above the employment threshold of 11 and also includes in some cases existing businesses changing address or expansions to new sites.

  One thousand, three hundred and eighty-five manufacturing plants opened in Scotland between 1979 and 1987, and 994 were still open at the end of 1987 with a total employment of 44,001. Tables 1 and 2 show the industry breakdown and the local authority breakdown of these plants. Figures for the period after 1987 are not yet available.

  Table 1

  Local authority region

  Number of manufacturing plants opened January 1979 to 1December 1987

  21987 Employment

  Borders

  37

  1,115

  Central

  64

  2,072

  Dumfries and Galloway

  27

  972

  Fife

  106

  3.578

  Grampian

  107

  3.633

  Highland, Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles

  43

  818

  Lothian

  171

  7,084

  Strathclyde

  703

  20,779

  Tayside

  127

  3,950

  Total Scotland

  1,385

  44,001

  Source: Regional Data System.

  Notes:

  1 This figure includes plants closing prior to December 1987.

  2 Employment relates to 1987 or latest known employment if 1987 not available; figures are given for plants open at December 1987.

  Table 2

  (1)

  (2)

  1980 Standard Industrial Classification

  Number of manufacturing plants opened in Scotland January 1979 to December 19871

  1987 employment2

  Metal Manufacture (Classes 21–22)

  30

  912

  Other Minerals and Mineral Products (Classes 23–24)

  70

  1,637

  Chemicals and Man-made Fibres (Classes 25–26)

  40

  1,439

  Engineering and Allied Industries (Classes 31–37)

  585

  19,152

  Food, Drink and Tobacco Industries (Classes 41–42)

  180

  6,558

  Textiles, Footwear, Leather and Clothing (Classes 43–45)

  191

  7,137

  Other Manufacturing (Classes 46–49)

  289

  7,166

  Total Manufacturing

  1,385

  44,001

  429
  Source: Regional Data System.

  Notes:

  1. This figure includes plants closing prior to December 1987.

  2. Employment relates to 1987 or latest known employment if 1987 not available; figures are given for plants open at December 1987.

TRANSPORT

  M6 (Road Works)
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why, during the recent bank holiday weekend, only one lane of the M6 northbound was open between junctions 16 and 17; how long it was closed prior to that weekend; when the present contraflow was set up increasing the number of lanes open in both directions to two; and whether he will ensure that where possible road works do not take place over bank holidays unless absolutely necessary and that, when such occasions arise, at least two lanes are open.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  One-lane working on the northbound carriageway was necessary from 9 pm to midnight on Sunday 30 April to set up the amended contraflow. Otherwise, two lanes have been available in both directions except when the contraflow system on the southbound carriageway was installed at the start of the contract on 15 April. We shall whenever possible ensure that road works do not take place at bank holidays, particularly on major holiday routes. If work has to be done, we shall keep as much road space open as possible.

  Motor Cyclists (Safety)
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any proposals to improve the safety of new motor cycle riders in the first six months of their riding career.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Sales of motor cycles below 125 cc in the first four months of this year were 15 per cent. higher than during the same period in 1988.

  We welcome this change in the fortunes of the motor cycle industry. Unfortunately, only about 30 per cent. of new riders at present undergo any form of training.

  Today, the motor cycle industry launched 'bike fax': a personal organiser to be given free to all new provisional motor cycle licence holders by motor cycle dealers. This will help to establish motor cycle dealers as new rider information centres.

  `Bike fax' seeks to influence the would-be biker to choose the right bike, to take proper training, to develop the skills to survive the high-risk early months and to dress suitably and conspicuously.

  Although the Department of Transport has assisted in its production, 'bike fax' is funded entirely by the industry.

  Manufacturers and dealers support fully our proposals to introduce compulsory basic training for new riders from mid-1990.

ENVIRONMENT

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much is being spent in the parliamentary constituency of Don Valley under the urban 430
  programme; on what schemes it is being spent; and if he will list the percentage of the budget that is allocated for (a) publicity, (b) information and (c) public relations.

  Mr. Trippier
  During 1988–89, schemes totalling £932,944 were approved in Don Valley under the urban programme. These were:

  Mexborough Industrial Improvement Area Schemes

  Mexborough Grammar School Conversion

  Mexborough Resource Centre

  Conisbrough Castle Interpretative Centre

  Mexborough Under-fives Resource Centre

  Mexborough Publicity

  Schemes approved for start in 1989–90 in Don Valley currently total £245,070. These were:

  Mexborough Industrial Improvement Area Schemes

  Balby Street School, Conisbrough, Environmental Works

  Clayfield Court, Mexborough

  Crags Road Flats, Denaby Main

  First Interpreters

  Highwoods Crescent, Mexborough

  Landscaping of Dumpit Sites

  Maple Leaf Court, Mexborough

  Mexborough Resource Centre

  Mexborough Under-fives Resource Centre

  Shepherds Close, Denaby Main

  Wellgate Flats, Conisbrough

  However it is up to Doncaster metropolitan borough council to determine scheme and spending priority within its total UP resources which stood at £1·75 million in 1988–89 and are £1·795 million for 1989–90. Actual spending figures for 1988–89 have not yet been received and figures for 1989–90 will not be available until after the end of the financial year.

  There is no allocated budget for publicity, information or public relations. A one-off grant of £3,000 was approved in 1989–90 to publicise UP development grants in Mexborough.

  Advisory Committee on Works of Art
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will appoint a new member to the advisory committee on works of art in the House of Commons following the appointment of the hon. Member Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman) as an Assistant Whip.

  Mr. Ridley
  I am pleased to announce that, with Mr. Speaker's agreement, I have appointed my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes (Mr. Benyon) to the advisory committee.

  Afforestation Grants
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes to make in the payment of compensation under management agreements in cases where afforestation grant is refused solely on nature conservation grounds.

  Mr. Ridley
  Following consultations with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Secretary of State for Wales, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, I have agreed with the Nature Conservancy Council that it should not longer offer compensation for the refusal of afforestation grant where it is refused solely on nature conservation grounds.

  Compensation will still be available for the profit forgone, excluding any grant element, in any case where planting would otherwise proceed.
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  In considering applicatons for grant for afforestation, the Forestry Commission will continue to pay full regard to nature conservation interest, and in particular to designations of sites of special scientific interest made by the NCC. While there will normally be a presumption against giving grants for afforestation in sites of special scientific interest, it must remain the case that each application will be considered on its merits.

  This decision reflects the recent radical changes in support for forestry introduced in the 1988 Budget and the subsequent increases in planting grant under the new woodland grant scheme. These changes have made the grant element a very significant factor in determining the profitability of afforestation proposals and therefore in the compensation paid under management agreements. This is in marked contrast with the position in agriculture, where recent changes in the grant arrangements mean that it will now seldom be the case that these grants will form a significant element in the profit forgone calculation of management agreements offered by the NCC.

  The withdrawal of compensation in these cases will be consistent with the developing policies of locational guidance for forestry illustrated by the indicative land use strategies under consideration by some local authorities in Scotland. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is currently considering the nature and scope of any advice he might offer to local authorities in preparing indicative forestry strategies. I shall be considering with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales the guidance to he offered to English and Welsh authorities on the form that locational guidance should take in appropriate cases. The Forestry Commission and the NCC stand ready to assist local authorities in this task.

  I am satisfied that, taking all these factors into account, it is in the public interest that the NCC's policy should be changed. The forestry industry can take confidence in their long term investment considerations from knowing at a very early stage the areas of land with potential for afforestation.

  A revision of the financial guidelines will be issued as soon as possible.

  United Nations Environment Programme
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he will put forward at next week's governing council meeting of the United Nation's Environment Programme.

  Mr. Ridley
  My noble Friend the Minister for Housing, Environment and Countryside, will represent the United Kingdom at the governing council and will set out the Government's views on the major global environmental issues on United Nations Environment Programme's agenda, including global warming.

  To ensure that these issues are given the priority they deserve we want to strengthen the United Nations Environment Programme both in regard to existing functions and in preparing for the major United Nations conference on the environment in 1992.

  In order to help to provide the United Nations Environment Programme with the resources it needs to carry out the task we require of it, the United Kingdom has more than doubled its financial contribution. We will be urging other countries to follow our lead.

  We will call for the urgent consideration of a framework convention on the subject of climate change.
  432
  This would establish general principles or guidelines and allow more specific measures to be developed in the form of protocols as scientific and other information becomes clearer.

  We will also reiterate the Government's support for the intergovernmental panel on climate change set up by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Office.

  Correspondence
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will reply to the letter of 17 January from Councillor Martin Doughty, chairman of the planning and countryside committee of Derbyshire county council.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 5 May 1989]: My hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Water and Planning replied on 2 May to Councillor Doughty's letter concerning observations on the legal basis of discharge consent requirements for sewage treatment works. These issues have been under active consideration by my Department. That is why we were not able to give him an earlier substantive reply.

  EC (Meetings)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the European Community meetings on matters concerning his Department held in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 8 May 1989]: The European Council met on three occasions in 1985 and 1988 and twice in 1986 and 1987. The Environment Council met formally on four occasions in 1985, three in 1986, four in 1987 and four in 1988. There were also occasional informal meetings of Environment Ministers. In addition, there were numerous meetings of officials. Information on the number of such meetings could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Sewerage Incinerator, Yelland
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the sewerage incinerator at Yelland, North Devon will be tested(a) to comply with EC directive 84/360, (b) under the Health and Safety (Emissions into the Atmosphere) Regulations 1983 (SI, 1983, No. 943) and (c) under the Clean Air Acts before it is permitted to operate.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 9 May 1989]: Because the sewage screening incinerator at Yelland has a capacity of less than 1 tonne an hour, it will be controlled for air pollution purposes by the North Devon district council; it is for the council to determine what atmospheric emission testing is required.

  Public Airport Companies
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to representations about the application of the Local Government and Housing Bill to public airport companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 9 May 1989]: The Department has made it clear that the provisions of

  433
  part V of the Local Government and Housing Bill—local authority interests in companies—do not need, in general, to be applied to public airport companies since the Airports Act 1986 covers most of the points at issue. There may, however, be some aspects where, after consultation with local airport companies, it will seem sensible to extend the provisions to cover them.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  EC Consumer Ministers
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what matters he proposes to discuss at the forthcoming meeting of the European Economic Community Consumer Ministers.

  Mr. Forth
  The Spanish presidency have indicated that they provisionally plan to include the following topics on the agenda for the Council of Consumer Ministers planned for 1 June.

  Proposal for a Council directive amending Directive 87/102/EEC for the approximation of laws, regulations, and administrative provisions of Member States concerning Consumer Credit.

  Draft resolution on future priorities for consumer protection.

  Commission presentation of a further draft of the general product safety directive.

  Consideration of the Commission's report on the European home and leisure accident surveillance system.

  Consideration of a report by the Commission on consumer education in primary and secondary schools.

  Exports
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the most recent United Kingdom share of world exports of manufactured goods; and what was the level in 1979, 1969 and 1959.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the most recent United Kingdom share of world exports of manufactured goods; and what was the level in 1979, 1969 and 1959.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information is as follows:

  United Kingdom Share of MMCs1

  Exports of Manufactures2

  Per cent.

  1988

  38·2

  1979

  9·1

  1969

  11·2

  1959

  17·9

  1 Main manufacturing countries—Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

  2 Standard international trade classification, sections 5–8.

  3 Figures based on the first three quarters of 1988.

  Source: "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics."

  Departmental Statistics
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the report on the review of Department of Trade and Industry statistics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Last July, an efficiency scrutiny was set up in the Department of Trade and Industry to examine the 434
  arrangements for the collection of economic statistics by DTI, and the methods by which statistical inquiries are undertaken. The scrutiny team, Alan Armstrong of Bristol university and David Rees of the DTI, was asked specifically to consider whether these arrangements struck a satisfactory balance between minimising the burdens placed on business in providing the information required, and meeting the needs for which the data are to be used by Government and other customers, and if not, to make recommendations accordingly. The report of this scrutiny is being published today, and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  The report recommends a number of changes which, by shifting resources in data collection to the areas where they are most needed, will improve the quality of information used in macro-economic statistics. At the same time, the form-filling burden on business will be substantially reduced. Changes being made include conducting surveys less often, approaching fewer people and making forms simpler to complete. The cost to business will be reduced by about a quarter, resulting in savings of about £1·7 million on Government form filling. Further savings of over £500,000 per annum could be expected if EC requirements for statistics can be reduced, and I will be seeking ways of achieving this.

  The report's recommendations will be implemented over the next three years, and this has begun. In the light of machinery of Government changes announced to the House by the Prime Minister on 5 April, responsibility for implementation of the recommendations still outstanding will transfer to the Central Statistical Office when these changes take effect. DTI Ministers, who have the lead responsibility for deregulation policy, will agree with the enlarged Central Statistical Office specific objectives to ensure that the burdens on industry are minimised.

  USSR and China
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many British companies have set up joint ventures in(a) the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and (b) China.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  [holding answer 8 May 1989]: (a) Joint ventures, USSR: My Department is aware of 33 joint ventures signed to date between British companies and Soviet organisations. In addition, we are aware of a number of British companies presently involved in negotiations to set up joint ventures in the USSR, so the figure is likely to continue to grow.

  (b) Joint ventures, China: My Department is aware, through the British embassy in Peking, of some 60 United Kingdom joint ventures covering a wide range of commercial activities.

WALES

  Mental Health
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on problems in the replacement of mental health provision in Clwyd as a result of the run down of North Wales hospital, Denbigh.

  Mr. Grist
  My right hon. Friend has not been informed of problems with alternative provision in Clwyd in the context of the future of the North Wales hospital,
  435
  Denbigh. Welsh Office officials will be discussing with Clwyd district health authority and Clwyd county council the nature and range of services required for mentally ill people in developing the county plan to be produced under the mental illness strategy which is about to be published.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the recent changes in the staff of his Department responsible for mental health provision in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  There have been two recent changes, one at grade 5 level and one at grade 7 level.

  Community Health Councils (Gwynedd)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters he has received opposing plans for reducing the number of community health councils in Gwynedd; what further consultation he intends to undertake on this matter; when he proposes to make a final decision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Fifty-eight letters have been received by the Department up to 5 May. A consultation document will be issued later in the summer. A decision will be taken once the consultation exercise has been completed and the matter fully considered in the light of the comments received.

  DHAs (Capital Projects)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give, for each DHA, details of proposed capital development costing more than £1 million which have been cancelled for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  I regret that comprehensive information is not available centrally on the adjustments made by health authorities to their capital programmes over this period.

  Ecclesiastical Exemption
  Mr. Giiilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any proposals for an order under section 58AA of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, which provides for the restriction of the ecclesiastical exemption.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The Welsh Office has today issued a consultation paper to interested parties setting out our proposals. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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 for Information, together with a note of the intended objectives in the campaigns in 1989–90.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 2 May 1989): For the years 1985–86 and 1986–87, the Welsh Office mounted no major publicity campaigns. Major campaigns undertaken/planned by the Welsh Office in the following years were:
  436
  1987–88

  (a) European Year of Environment
  Objective To promote the aims of the European Year of Environment to farmers and rural communities by an exhibition at major agricultural shows throughout Wales. Audience Farmers and people working and living in rural communities. (Cost £111k)

  1988–89

  (b) Enterprise Wales Roadshow
  Objective To promote the various schemes offered under the Enterprise Initiative, especially those unique to Wales, through paid advertising, and a travelling exhibition at industrial estates (42) throughout Wales.
  Audience All types of business looking for assistance to develop. (Cost £70k)
  Measure of Effectiveness Unit cost of "serious" inquiry (ie one that was followed up by Welsh Office Industry Department) was measured. This was approximately £100 per inquiry.

  (c) Valleys Initiative
  Objective To launch the Valleys Initiative through a Print and Press launch.
  Audience Press, local authorities and businesses within Valleys. (Cost £40k)

  1989–90

  (d) Festival of Food and Farming
  Objective To promote Welsh food and crafts in England and Wales through an exhibition at Hyde Park, followed by displays at major agricultural events in Wales.
  Audience Retail and wholesale buyers, general public. Number of trade inquiries being measured. (Cost £200k)

  (e) Community Charge
  Objective To make people aware of the legal requirements and rebates of the community charge through bilingual paid advertising and leaflets, via postal drop to all households in Wales
  Audience All households in Wales. (Cost £400k)
  Measure of effectiveness Estimated cost of informing each household 33p.

  (f) The Welsh Office also took part in the following major campaigns initiated by other Whitehall Departments:

  1988–89

  1989–90

  £k

  £k

  Drugs/AIDS

  60

  180

  Education

  100

  150–200

  Transport and Highways

  30

  35

  Housing

  —

  92

  No research by COI has been commissioned by the Welsh Office for any of these campaigns.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Animals (Research)
  Dame Janet Fookes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding has been allocated for 1989 for projects for refinement of technology and replacement of animals in research in the United Kingdom; and how much of the 1989 budget will be spent on projects initiated in 1988 and continuing into 1989.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  One hundred and twenty thousand pounds; of which nearly £48,000 is committed to projects already being funded. More will be provided if this can be justified to support particular work of high merit and outstanding value.

  Dame Janet Fookes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) unsuccessful and

  437
  (b) successful applicants there were in 1988 for funding for projects for refinement of technology and replacement of animals in research; how much of the 1988 grant was spent on advertising; and how much of the 1988 grant was spent on administration of the funds.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As I informed the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 6 March at column 383, there were 120 unsuccessful and four successful applicants. One thousand and fifty pounds was spent on assessor's fees; no advertising or other administrative costs fell on the research budget for 1988–89.

  Dame Janet Fookes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of project licences for animal experiments in 1988; and how many were in each severity banding.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  This information will be contained in the report of the Animal Procedures Committee for 1988, due to be published in July.

  Postal Votes
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has done on extending the use of a postal vote to all electors who request it.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None specifically. A summary of our inquiries in this area is set out in a Home Office consultation paper, made available following the reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 2 March at column 274.

  Prisons (Car Travel)
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total expenditure on car travel for members of prison boards of visitors in each year from 1985 to date.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Information is not available in the form required and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Prisons (Catering)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress the working party on prison catering has made in relation to prisons on the Isle of Wight.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The working party is to visit the Isle of Wight this month. It will then consider and cost alternatives including central civilianised or contracted out kitchens as proposed by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons following his visit to Parkhurst last year. Because two of the three prisons house prisoners for whom the very highest conditions of security are necessary the working party is taking account of operational as well as catering considerations.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Nottingham CTC
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has received from the Nottingham city technology college to end the traditional pattern of school hours and three term years.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The CTCs are expected to have a longer school year and a longer working week than is normal in maintained schools. It will be for each college to decide how best to fit this pattern to its own circumstances. We are aware that the Djanogly CTC in Nottingham is considering a move from a three-term to a five-term year, and a working day beginning rather earlier than is common.

  Assisted Places
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list for the three counties of Yorkshire the number of preparatory schools to be included in the assisted places scheme in 1989–90 and the amount of fee remission grant to be allocated to them.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Preparatory schools are not eligible for admission to the assisted places scheme in their own right. However, in certain cases where a clear link with a participating independent secondary school is demonstrated, it may offer assisted places between the ages of 11 and 13 under the terms of the main school's participation agreement. St. Olave's preparatory school, York offers places which are subsequently tenable at St. Peters school, York under such an arrangement. It is not possible to identify separately the amount of fee remission paid annually to pupils at St. Olave's.

  Teachers (Devon)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he has not yet authorised Devon county council to pay the teachers employed by the council the 6 per cent. increase in their salaries from 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The draft school teachers' pay and conditions document 1989 was issued for consultation on 27 April. Many teachers are likely to receive their salary increases by the end of May.

  Advertising
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much has been spent by his Department on advertisements on commercial television in each of the last five years, listed by each television company.

  Mr. Rumbold
  The Department has not advertised on commercial television during the last five years.

  Geography
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to set up a working group to recommend attainment targets and programmes of study for geography within the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mrs. Rumbold
  [pursuant to the reply, 5 May 1989, c. 256]: I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Roger Davies, chairman of Thomson Travel Group to complete the membership of the national curriculum geography working group,.

EMPLOYMENT

  Jobcentre and Benefit Offices
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will make a statement on progress of the programme to integrate jobcentres and unemployment benefit offices;

  (2) how many prime-site jobcentres it is intended to vacate under the jobcentre/unemployment benefit offices integration scheme.

  Mr. Lee
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd) on 21 April,Official Report, column 349. No decisions have been taken about the future of the employment service local office network.

  European Tourism Year 1990
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the financial contribution of his Department towards his implementation of the European Tourism Year 1990.

  Mr. Lee
  The Department is not directly funding the implementation of European Tourism Year 1990. The United Kingdom initiative is being led by the British Tourist Authority and it is not yet clear what its total spending on activities connected with the year will be.

  YTS
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for England and Wales(a) how many YTS trainees are on schemes run by local authorities in each region, (b) what is the total number of YTS trainees in each local authority region and (c) how many trainees are on transitional funded YTS run by local authorities for each region before 1 April.

  Number of YTS schemes in England and Wales by type at 31 March 1989

  Region

  Voluntary and community organisation

  Local Authority

  Other

  Total

  Northern

  62

  75

  505

  642

  North West

  99

  159

  1,175

  1,443

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  60

  92

  784

  936

  West Midlands

  90

  110

  924

  1,124

  East Midlands and Eastern

  68

  140

  923

  1,131

  South West

  36

  79

  566

  681

  South East

  55

  128

  997

  1,180

  London

  68

  70

  676

  814

  Wales

  51

  85

  424

  560

  Total England and Wales

  589

  938

  6,974

  8,501

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the numbers of YTS trainees, during the last 12 months, who obtained employment within six months of completing their training in(a) the Doncaster area and (b) the
  440
  Mr. Cope
  The numbers of YTS trainees in training on schemes run by local authorities and in total are shown in the table.

  Trainees who are in schemes that attract transitional funding are not separately identified and, therefore, the information requested could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

  Number of young people in training in England and Wales at 31 March 1989

  Region

  Local authority including local education

  Total number of trainees in each region

  Northern

  7,147

  30,298

  North West

  11,415

  60,445

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  11,182

  45,029

  West Midlands

  10,480

  43,493

  East Midlands and Eastern

  9,861

  46,446

  South West

  9,254

  30,426

  South East

  7,876

  39.988

  London

  3,565

  21,131

  Wales

  6,096

  23,666

  Total England and Wales

  76,876

  340,922

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for England and Wales for each region(a) how many YTS schemes are run (1) by voluntary and community organization and (2) by the local authorities, (b) what is the total number of YTS schemes are run by voluntary and community organizations which received a transitional funding grant before 1 April, (d) how many YTS schemes are run by local authorities which received a transitional funding grant before 1 April and , (e) how many YTS schemes were paid a transitional funded grant in respect of training before 1 April.

  Mr. Cope
  The information that identifies types of schemes in each region of England and Wales is shown in the table. Schemes that attract a transitional funding grant are not separately identified and, therefore, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mexborough area of South Yorkshire; and what percentage this represents of those who completed their training.

  Mr. Cope
  This information is not available in exactly the form requested. The latest results from the YTS follow-up survey shows that 396 trainees in the Doncaster
  441
  area, including Mexborough who completed their training in the period December 1987 to November 1988 were in employment three months later. This represents 79 per cent. of all trainees in the area who completed their training.

  Training
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he plans to visit Nottingham, North to discuss employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to visit Nottingham, North.

  Ferranti (Job Losses)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he will reply to the letter sent to him by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on 6 April concerning the impending job losses at Ferranti's Wythenshawe factory.

  Mr. Fowler
  A reply was sent to the right hon. Gentleman on 8 May 1989.

ENERGY

  Plutonium
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the statement made by the hon. Member for

  European Community

  Thames House South

  Maximum admissable concentration

  Recorded Maximum

  Recorded minimum

  Sulphate

  250mg/litre

  482mg/litre

  405mg/litre

  Fluoride

  2500ug/litre

  2,120ug/litre

  l,400ug/litre

  Potassium

  12mg/litre

  13·6mg/litre

  12·6mg/litre

  Sodium

  175mg/litre

  204mg/litre

  190mg/litre

  Magnesium

  50mg/litre

  51·3mg/litre

  46mg/litre

  less than

  Iron

  50ug/litre

  3,120ug/litre

  5ug/litre

  less than

  Manganese

  50ug/litre

  84ug/litre

  20ug/litre

  Nickel

  50ug/litre

  94ug/litre

  59ug/litre

  Conductivity

  l,500us/cm

  l,729us/cm

  1,660us/cm

  Turbidity

  4NTU

  21 NTU

  0·2 NTU

  Since the introduction of the point of use filters the levels of iron and colour have been consistently below 5ug/litre and 4NTUs respectively. The other elements have remained between the recorded maximum and minimum. I am also advised by PSA that the presence of these elements, either singly or in combination, is not considered to be a health hazard. As I explained in my earlier answer the water for my Department's headquarters building is supplied from a borehole and from the public mains supply.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Siemens Printers
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Siemens ND3 printers are used by his Department, either in-house or through a private contract; and what is the location of each.
  442
  Worcestershire, South (Mr. Spicer) Official Report, 13 April, column 1135, if he will set out in detail each of the stages of the nuclear cycle to which he makes reference wherein reports of plutonium stocks and measures are made; to whom these reports are made available; how regularly they are forwarded; and if any irregularities have been discovered in the reports.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Regular reports are submitted to Euratom. These reports are confidential.

  Drinking Water (Thames House)
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, if he will set out in the Official Report a copy of the 1988 analysis of the drinking water supply in his Department's head office, Thames house, showing the amount by which this water supply failed to meet the European Economic Community drinking water quality criteria.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I am advised by the Property Services Agency that the results of analyses of drinking water supplied to my Department's headquarters building, Thames house south, in 1988, showing the comparisons with the European Community maximum admissible levels are:

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  None.

  Parades
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many parades were notified to the Royal Ulster Constabulary under the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order in(a) 1986, (b) 1987 and (c)

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  This is a matter for the Chief Constable. However, I understand that the information is not available in the form requested. Statistics are compiled on the basis of parades notified to the RUC which actually took place. The Chief Constable's annual reports indicate that 1,950 parades were held in 1986, 2,112 in 1987 and 2,055 in 1988, but these figures do not include parades by youth organisations, churches and other similar bodies.

  Mental Health (Grants)
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grants have been made by each of the area boards or Government Departments to branches of the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health in each of the past three years.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 3 May 1989]: The information requested is as follows:

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  £

  £

  £

  Department of Health and Social Services

  165,290

  131,738

  127,100

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  54,459

  109,843

  168,348

  Northern Health and Social Services Board

  771

  495

  69,740

  Southern Health and Social Services Board

  962

  7,222

  44,876

  Western Health and Social Services Board

  3,600

  22,000

  20,450

  Department of Economic Development'

  5,501

  7,764

  13,112

  Total

  230,583

  279,062

  443,626

  1 Payments made whether directly or indirectly under the Action for Community Employment (ACE) Scheme.

  Children (Financial Support)
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children in Northern Ireland depended on(a) SB/IS and (b) FIS/FC in each year since 1978–79, (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of all children in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 4 May 1989]: The available information is as follows:

  Dependants under 19 years of people on:

  Supplementary benefit/IS

  FIS/FC

  Year

  Numbers1

  Per cent.2

  Numbers1

  Per cent.2

  1978

  70,545

  14·57

  30,402

  6·28

  1979

  64,790

  13·28

  27,493

  5·63

  1980

  80,308

  16·42

  28,857

  5·90

  1981

  93,595

  19·55

  36,378

  7·60

  1982

  109,863

  23·17

  38,734

  8·17

  1983

  117,083

  24·88

  39,557

  8·41

  1984

  116,256

  24·86

  40,813

  8·73

  1985

  —3

  —

  42,613

  9·16

  1986

  135,254

  29·20

  42,233

  9·12

  1987

  134,052

  29·14

  40,982

  8·91

  1988

  —4

  —

  537,500

  8·19

  1 Supplementary benefit/IS 5 per cent. sample and FIS 30 per cent. sample.

  2 Represents the percentage of all children entitled to child benefit.

  3 There was no survey in 1985.

  4 Figures not yet available.

  5 Estimated figure—incomplete date.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement indicating the nature of any cash limits on the total expenditure on general 444
  practitioner trainers' allowances and trainees' remuneration, and the respective votes from which such funding is derived.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 4 May 1989]: The funding of GP trainers' allowances and trainees' remuneration is contained in subhead BI of the Department's health and personal social services vote 1, which in turn forms part of the cash limit on Northern Ireland's departmental services (NID 1). However, the Secretary of State has flexibility to reallocate resources within the cash limit, for example, to cover unavoidable pressures in this sector.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what weight is given to what factors in determining the number of general practitioner trainees who are to be remunerated by the Department of Health and Social Security in Northern Ireland in a given year.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 4 May 1989]: The number of general practitioner trainees selected in Northern Ireland in a given year is determined by the estimated future demands of the Province for general practitioners.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the number of prospective general practitioner trainees who were recommended by the relevant selection body in the current year and the number which were approved by the Department; what factors determined the decision by the Department; and how selection of the numbers approved by the Department proceeds.

  Mr Needham
  [holding answer 4 May 1989]: Ninety-seven prospective trainees were interviewed by the selection panel this year and placed in order of merit. The Department determined that 50 doctors should be trained for general practice this year, but in the event 52 were accepted because a number were considered of equal merit by the selection panel. The number approved by the Department was determined by the estimated future demands of the Province for general practitioners. The procedures for selection of trainees are contained in circular HSS (TM) 3/80 supplement No. 1, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Family Expenditure Survey
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to publish the latest take-up figures based on the family expenditure survey.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We expect to publish take-up estimates for 1985 this summer.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received regarding the changes in method of payment for housing benefit for those in board and lodging accommodation.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since 10 April we have received a small number of letters from organisations and individuals
  445
  about the change in providing help with board and lodging charges which took place on that day. The change, which abolishes special rates of income support for boarders and allows people in board and lodging accommodation to receive housing benefit for their accommodation costs, was proposed in a consultation document issued in December 1986. Over 170 responses to that document were received. These expressed widespread acceptance of the principle that there should be parity both in the treatment of people in similar types of accommodation, whether or not board was provided, and between people in identical accommodation, whether or not they were working.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether his Department is monitoring the implementation of the new method of housing benefit payment for those in board and lodging accommodation.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government are committed to monitoring the effects of the social security reforms on all groups. This monitoring is a continuous process which draws on a wide range of information sources, including local authorities, who administer housing benefit.

  Overpayment
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide the most recent figures broken down by (i) year and (ii) section on(a) the number of overpayments recovered under section 53 of the Social Security Act 1986, section 119 of the Social Security Act 1975 and section 20 of the Supplementary Benefit Act 1976, (b) the number of standard letters sent indicating that recovery may be pursued through civil proceedings, (c) the number of cases actually pursued for recovery of overpayments through civil proceedings and (d) the number of cases pursued under (c) which are successful.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Social Security Appeals
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has regarding the average time over the last three years between the lodging and hearing of an appeal to the social security appeals tribunal in(a) Lerwick, (b) Shetland and (c) Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  National administrative statistics for social security appeal tribunals are not disaggregated for areas smaller than a social security region.

  The table gives the information for Scotland from 1986 to the quarter ending September 1988 (the latest figures available).

  Social security appeal tribunals Lodgement to hearing Scotland

  Period

  Average weekly clearance time

  12 months ending December 1986

  14·0

  12 months ending December 1987

  23·3

  3 months ending March 1988

  25·9

  3 months ending June 1988

  23·7

  3 months ending September 1988

  23·3

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  European Community Business
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what proposals he has concerning the consideration of European Community business by Parliament.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I am discussing these matters with the Chairman of the Select Committee on European Legislation.

  Fire Exercises
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the response of hon. Members to the fire exercises listed in his answer of 24 April,Official Report, column 408; and if he is satisfied with their level of participation.

  Mr. Beith
  The records of fire exercises do not distinguish hon. Members from other participants. It is therefore not possible for me to comment on the level of Members' participation.

  Late-night Staff
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the approximate or average cost of 128 staff on duty after 10 pm.

  Mr. Beith
  Non-industrial staff with a commitment to remain on duty as a direct consequence of sittings of the House receive either an annual allowance which in most cases is calculated from 6 pm according to an agreed formula; or night duty pay which varies according to the lateness of the hour. Industrial staff, in general, are paid at overtime rates for the actual number of hours worked. Details of these allowances are set out in the annual report of the House of Commons Commission.

  The varying times of adjournment of the House and difficulty in extracting the appropriate proportion of some of the costs involved make the provision of any meaningful figure possible only at disproportionate cost.

  Ten-minute Bills
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of 24 April,Official Report, column 408, when he expects to be able to state when he will bring forward proposals relating to ten-minute Bills.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on 24 April at column 408.

HEALTH

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give for each district health authority in England in 1987(a) the total number of beds, and the number of beds per 100,000 population, in institutions registered under the Nursing Homes Act 1984, (b) the total number of beds for care of those over 65 years requiring long-stay nursing care

  447
  in institutions registered under the Nursing Homes Act 1984 and (c) the number of beds for the care of the elderly per 100,000 population aged over 65 years in institutions registered under the Nursing Homes Act 1984.

  Mr. Mellor
  Residential care homes, registered under part I of the Registered Homes Act 1984, are registered by local authority social services departments. Information on these is therefore available by local authority, not by district health authority.

  Tables placed in the Library show provisional information as at 31 March 1987, by local authority, on the total number of places, the number of places in homes for elderly people, and the respective rates per 100,000 population. The number of places in homes registered under part I of the Act is published annually in "Residential Accommodation for Elderly and Younger Physically Handicapped People: All Residents in Local Authority, Voluntary and Private Homes year ending 31 March England" and "Homes and Hostels for Mentally III and Mentally Handicapped People at 31 March England"; copies of which are available in the Library.

  Hospitals and nursing homes, registered under part II of the Registered Homes Act 1984, are registered by

  Type of whole scanner in use

  Location in Trent

  Installation date

  Main source of funding

  CT

  Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital

  1984

  Public appeal

  CT

  Derby Royal Infirmary

  1985

  Public appeal

  CT

  Doncaster Royal Infirmary

  1986

  Health authority allocation

  CT

  King's Mill Hospital

  1987

  Public appeal

  CT

  Leicester Royal Infirmary

  1982

  Public appeal

  CT

  Lincoln County Hospital

  1985

  Public appeal

  CT

  Nottingham City

  1988

  Public subscription

  CT

  Nottingham University Hospital

  1984

  Health authority allocation

  CT

  Sheffield Royal Hallamshire

  1985

  Health authority allocation

  CT

  Sheffield Royal Hallamshire

  1985

  Public appeal

  Magnetic resonance

  Queen's Medical Centre Nottingham

  1985

  Department of Health

  In the next 12 months, new whole body CT scanners are planned at the Pilgrim hospital, south Lincolnshire and the children's hospital, Sheffield and two replacements at Leicester royal infirmary. Only the south Lincolnshire scanner is being funded by public appeal.

  Halton DHA
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost of domestic services in Halton district health authority; and what is the national average.

  Mr. Mellor
  For 1987–88 the annual accounts of the Halton health authority recorded current expenditure of £355,824 on domestic cleaning services representing 1.9 per cent. of the authority's total current expenditure. Average current expenditure on these services by all district health authorities in England was £1,798,723, representing 3·2 per cent. of their current expenditure.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to subsume Halton district health authority in other districts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have no such plans.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the child immunisation target of 90 per
  448
  district health authorities. My hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Gentleman on 4 May at columns 223–30 show as at 31 March 1988, by district health authority, the total number of beds, the number nominally assigned to elderly people, and the respective rates per 100,000 population. The information available on beds assigned for use by elderly people does not distinguish between long and short-term care.

  Whole Body Scanners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which National Health Service hospitals in the Trent regional health authority at present have whole body scanner facilities; when the equipment was installed in each case; which hospitals it is planned to provide with such facilities as new or to replace obsolete facilities in the next 12 months; and which hospitals have paid for equipment in whole or part from voluntary and charitable sources.

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

  cent. and the cervical cytology screening target of 80 per cent. are still figures open for negotiation as part of the general practitioners' contract.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have no intention of changing our policy that coverage levels should be raised to 90 per cent. for childhood immunisation and 80 per cent. for cervical cancer screening. For childhood immunisation, this is the level recommended by the WHO, which this Government have adopted.

  We have agreed with the general medical services: committee's negotiators that we will make target payments to GPs who achieve those levels. We will also make target payments at one third of the value of the higher payments to GPs who achieve lower target coverage levels; the lower levels will be 70 per cent. coverage for childhood immunisation and 50 per cent. coverage for cervical cancer screening.

  Midwives (Regrading)
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he is yet in a position to implement the recommendations in the recent Select Committee on Social Services report, "Resourcing the National Health Service: Midwives Regrading 1988–89"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Select Committee on Social Services' recommendations on the regrading of midwives.
  449
  Mr. Mellor
  The Government's response to the Committee's report will be laid before the House in the usual way as soon as possible.

  Smoking
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply of 13 March,Official Report, column 64, if he plans to increase the frequency of such meetings; whether he will inform the representatives of the medical professions of the outcome of meetings with the tobacco industry; and whether he will invite the representatives of the medical professions to attend as observers at future meetings with the tobacco industry.

  Mr. Mellor
  Meetings between Department of Health Ministers or officials and our expert advisory committees or other bodies with an interest in the health aspects of smoking are already frequent, and we do not consider an increase in frequency necessary. If pressing matters arise on which advice is needed, additional meetings are arranged. Meetings with representatives of the tobacco industry are confidential. This is the most effective way of carrying out negotiations or discussions on issues where there are strong commercial or trade interests involved. As a result, no reports can be issued to the medical profession, nor can representatives of the medical profession be invited to attend such meetings as observers. The Government have not, in any case, received any requests from members of the medical profession to be informed of the content of such meetings.

  Halton Hospital
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the Mersey regional health authority members' panel set up to consider the viability of the proposed phase III development of Halton district general hospital took any verbal representations from members of Halton district health authority before reaching their conclusions;

  (2) whether Mersey regional health authority members' panel set up to consider the viability of the proposed phase III development of Halton district general hospital contained a representative of Halton district health authority;

  (3) if he will state the names, occupations and addresses of the Mersey regional health authority members panels of (a) 1987 and (b) 1989 set up to examine the future of Halton district general hospital.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally. My hon. Friend may therefore wish to contact the chairman of the Mersey regional health authority.

  Non-metropolitan Districts (Electorates)
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 30 English non-metropolitan districts which have shown the greatest percentage growth in their electorate since 1977; and what has been the percentage growth and actual figures in each case.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  Non-metropolitan districts in England

  1977 electorate

  1989 electorate

  Percentage increase

  Milton Keynes

  65,821

  123,394

  87

  Redditch

  37,437

  56,259

  50

  Wokingham

  75,249

  106,314

  41

  450

  Non-metropolitan districts in England

  1977 electorate

  1989 electorate

  Percentage increase

  Tamworth

  36,522

  50,400

  38

  Peterborough

  82,443

  111,696

  35

  The Wrekin

  75,830

  102,315

  35

  Hart

  47,486

  63,851

  34

  Bracknell

  49,045

  65,644

  34

  Huntingdonshire

  75,503

  100,734

  33

  East Dorset

  48,193

  64,131

  33

  Selby

  53,256

  70,431

  32

  Eastleigh

  60,844

  79,403

  31

  Northampton

  104,813

  135,009

  29

  Basingstoke and Deane

  83,726

  107,806

  29

  Fareham

  59,643

  76,766

  29

  South Staffordshire

  64,020

  82,316

  29

  Aylesbury Vale

  84,028

  107,930

  28

  East Hampshire

  60,501

  77,703

  28

  Newbury

  80,397

  102,786

  28

  Caradon

  47,018

  59,681

  27

  Thamesdown

  101,525

  128,337

  26

  Crawley

  52,831

  66,455

  26

  South Cambridgeshire

  71,785

  90,295

  26

  Woodspring

  112,291

  140,951

  26

  Cherwell

  66,599

  83,326

  25

  Test Valley

  61,063

  76,366

  25

  Chelmsford

  93,611

  116,707

  25

  Basildon

  99,792

  123,516

  24

  Glanford

  44,892

  55,494

  24

  Daventry

  38,872

  48,049

  24

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 20 English non-metropolitan counties which have shown the greatest percentage growth in electorate since 1977; and what has been the percentage growth and actual figures in each case.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  Non-metropolitan Counties in England

  1977 electorate

  1989 electorate

  Percentage increase

  Buckinghamshire

  367,962

  471,784

  28

  Cambridgeshire

  397,410

  487,942

  23

  Shropshire

  256,612

  310,173

  21

  Berkshire

  460,726

  554,177

  20

  Northamptonshire

  364,561

  435,831

  20

  Hereford and Worcester

  436,878

  521,824

  19

  Somerset

  303,750

  362,634

  19

  Wiltshire

  360,645

  427,764

  19

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  310,500

  366,452

  18

  Dorset

  445,468

  522,355

  17

  Lincolnshire

  387,833

  454,040

  17

  Hampshire

  1,021,220

  1,190,957

  17

  Norfolk

  503,241

  584,031

  16

  West Sussex

  483,064

  560,073

  16

  Suffolk

  413,062

  478,846

  16

  Bedfordshire

  337,682

  389,043

  15

  North Yorkshire

  486,059

  554,028

  14

  Isle of Wight

  89,477

  101,864

  14

  Gloucestershire

  360,765

  410,678

  14

  Oxfordshire

  371,292

  421,729

  14

  District Health Authorities (Chairmen)
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will be appointing new chairmen to district health authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The term of office of 128 chairmen of district health authorities ends on 31 March 1990 and we are currently seeking nominations for new chairmen. If hon. Members wish to recommend any individuals as chairmen, I invite them to write to me over the next month or so. Reappointments and changes will be announced in due course.

  Constituencies (Electorates)
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 25 largest parliamentary constituencies by electorate, with their electorates; and what is the average constituency electorate on the current register.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  1989

  Parliamentary constituency

  Electorate

  Milton Keynes

  107,011

  Isle of Wight

  101,859

  East Hampshire

  91,737

  Huntingdon

  91,315

  Eastleigh

  90,119

  Swindon

  89,939

  Devizes

  88,792

  The Wrekin

  88,467

  Westbury

  88,234

  Peterborough

  87,573

  East Berkshire

  87,432

  Wokingham

  87,393

  Cirencester and Tewksbury

  87,111

  Ryedale

  86,907

  South Colchester and Maldon

  86,631

  Dudley West

  85,955

  South Suffolk

  85,888

  North Colchester

  85,241

  Crosby

  84,907

  North Wiltshire

  84,610

  Horsham

  84,501

  Waveney

  84,319

  South West Cambridgeshire

  83,964

  Mid Bedfordshire

  83,854

  Chelmsford

  83,799

  Average constituency electorate:

  United Kingdom

  67,098

  England

  69,533

  Wales

  57,753

  Scotland

  54,624

  Northern Ireland

  65,912

  Trent RHA (Pay Gradings)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will detail the pay gradings of each district health authority general manager in the Trent regional health authority.

  Mr. Mellor
  The gradings of district general manager posts in the Trent region, and the salary grade rates from 1 September 1988, are set out in the table. In addition, district general managers are eligible for a discretionary addition of up to 10 per cent. of the grade rate (to reflect differences in job weight) and performance-related pay. Details of the performance-related pay awarded to individual general managers are confidential between them and their employer.
  452

  Districts

  Grade

  Grade rate at 1 September 1988 (£)

  Southern Derbyshire

  Leicestershire

  Nottingham

  Sheffield

  1

  37,110

  Barnsley

  North Derbyshire

  Doncaster

  North Lincolnshire

  South Lincolnshire

  Central Nottinghamshire

  Rotherham

  2

  35,450

  Bassetlaw

  3

  33,790

  Nursing (Recruits)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will state the reasons for his decision to permit, or require, the chief nursing officer of the Department to send a standard letter to potential recruits to the nursing service asking them to enclose a fee of £6 for an application package; and if he will review this decision.

  Mr. Mellor
  Applications for pre-registration nurse training are handled not by the Department but by the Nurses Central Clearing House (NCCH). The NCCH is managed by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting on behalf of health authorities. It is for the board to determine what, if any, administrative charge should be made to potential applicants.

  GPs (Overprescribing)
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prosecutions of general practitioners for overprescribing have taken place in England since the National Health Service Committee's Tribunal Regulations (S.I. 1974 No. 455) came into effect.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 8 May 1989]: In the period 1974–88 inclusive the Department's regional medical service made a total of 12,068 visits to discuss with practices their prescribing costs and patterns. These visits are made largely to practices whose total costs exceeded their FPC average by a significant amount. Some practices were visited more than once. None of these visits resulted in a reference for formal investigation of excessive prescribing under the terms of the National Health Service Committee and Tribunal Regulations. However, visits to such high prescribing-cost practices are very cost-effective. We estimate that on average each visit saves around £12,000 per practice in the first full year.

  AIDS
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list each of the advertising agents used for any aspects of the Government AIDS campaign, with the payments made in each case.

  Mr. Mellor
  The advertising agents used for the Government's AIDS campaign and the payments made exclusive of VAT were as follows:
  453

  Year

  Agency

  Payment (£ million)

  1985–86

  TBWA

  0·35

  1986–87

  TBWA

  2·79

  1987–88

  TBWA

  16·43

  1988–892

  TBWA

  0·76

  BMP Davidson Pierce

  2·30

  Total

  TBWA

  10·33

  Total

  BMP Davidson Pierce

  2·30

  1 This figure includes a joint AIDS-Drugs Misuse anti-injecting campaign

  2 Excludes spending on anti-injecting advertisements in the Drug Misuse campaign run by Yellowhammer.

  Type

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Woollen

  203

  224

  238

  246

  261

  Cotton

  112

  121

  132

  144

  150

  Nylon

  54

  58

  63

  69

  74

  All types1

  123

  134

  144

  153

  162

  Note: Since 1 July 1987, the Disablement Services Authority has been responsible for the supply of stump socks. Any further information should be sought from the Authority

  1 Cost weighted according to the average mix of type of yarns per 100 stump socks.

  Hospital Admissions
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give for each year since 1970, and for each health region, the total number of hospital admissions on a day-case basis.

  Day cases attendances, NHS hospitals, by region, 1972 to 1987–88

  19721

  1973

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–882

  Northern

  32,170

  31,308

  31,001

  29,316

  33,573

  37,875

  41,341

  46,416

  54,023

  56,219

  52,833

  66,093

  68,658

  75,473

  81,047

  83,335

  Yorkshire

  32,557

  33,646

  38,457

  38,252

  46,741

  54,683

  55,097

  55,060

  60,680

  62,788

  58,883

  70,869

  72,718

  76,174

  81,635

  74,933

  Trent

  37,354

  30,743

  35,449

  33,061

  38,453

  40,532

  42,083

  48,511

  57,314

  61,260

  58,140

  72,003

  80,159

  85,691

  95,092

  67,866

  East Anglian

  12,956

  13,663

  14,735

  17,253

  23,319

  26,092

  28,093

  28,314

  32,675

  33,916

  30,768

  33,235

  35,818

  39,572

  42,022

  28,955

  North-West Thames3

  23,998

  31,853

  23,843

  20,992

  24,733

  28,471

  29,460

  37,649

  41,028

  44,219

  43,330

  49,494

  58,558

  63,170

  67,766

  50,091

  North-East Thames3

  32,623

  23,643

  34,607

  35,282

  33,396

  36,813

  38,294

  39,871

  41,910

  47,208

  48,744

  51,725

  57,850

  67,472

  70,304

  51,924

  South-East Thames3

  21,257

  25,808

  27,010

  23,909

  30,012

  38,272

  40,903

  42,706

  44,705

  45,117

  49,717

  59,983

  72,702

  66,323

  71,323

  48,855

  South-West Thames3

  13,252

  15,285

  17,315

  18,807

  22,585

  23,795

  20,406

  23,519

  28,827

  37,867

  32,836

  33,676

  39,613

  45,395

  56,449

  53,391

  Wessex

  20,367

  21,780

  28,009

  26,698

  34,297

  35,816

  37,695

  36,962

  43,210

  44,029

  44,665

  49,226

  54,300

  59,340

  63,297

  46,876

  Oxford

  15,864

  15,930

  18,780

  17,967

  18,203

  21,216

  23,146

  21,656

  23,882

  23,824

  23,585

  27,183

  29,931

  35,184

  39,901

  43,809

  South Western

  31,321

  29,716

  32,790

  30,923

  32,257

  38,104

  39,397

  40,037

  40,099

  43,095

  44,685

  48,878

  51,614

  62,168

  63,375

  55,306

  West Midlands

  34,998

  42,962

  48,517

  41,810

  46,477

  49,793

  51,614

  51,769

  61,532

  64,847

  64,973

  74,215

  80,097

  83,251

  93,403

  60,500

  Mersey

  41,625

  43,890

  44,062

  36,741

  39,193

  40,285

  41,787

  44,460

  55,556

  54,509

  55,490

  62,979

  70,554

  69,403

  79,098

  79,740

  North Western

  47,726

  48,271

  51,532

  46,613

  53,471

  60,068

  68,080

  70,608

  79,217

  88,143

  85,874

  99,994

  115,410

  116,317

  125,564

  120,368

  1 Day case figures were not collected before 1972

  2 Some patients previously classified as day cases may since April 1987 be newly classified as ward attenders.

  3 Figures for these regions are not strictly comparable over the whole period, due to NHS restructuring in 1982.

  "Working For Patients"
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on how co-ordination of local authority community care services and health services are to be maintained once local authorities are no longer represented on health authorities as described in paragraph 8.6 of "Working For Patients" (Cm. 555).

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 9 May 1989]: Local authorities and health authorities are statutorily obliged to collaborate in the development of services, and mechanisms exist for encouraging liaison between them. Ways in which these mechanisms can be made to work more effectively are being examined as part of our

  Advertising
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department on advertisements on commercial television in each of the last five years, listed by each television company.

  Mr. Mellor
  Information on television advertisements in the form requested is commercially confidential.

  Stump Socks
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the average cost per hundred stump socks to the National Health Service in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: The average cost per hundred stump socks by type of yarn and for all yarns is as follows:

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 26 April 1989]: The available information is given in the table.

  consideration of Sir Roy Griffiths' report on community care, and we shall take account of "Working For Patients" in those deliberations.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether, in the light of paragraph 3·7 of "Working For Patients" Cm. 555, people with multiple pathology or conditions which are difficult to treat, will be expected to transfer from centre to centre if a health authority has contracts for different services with different hospitals.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 9 May 1989]: Differences in the services available may mean that, as now, some patients need to attend more than one hospital for different forms of treatment. However, district health

  455
  authorities will be expected to arrange contracts so that health care services are provided flexibly and in a way that is responsive to patients' needs and wishes.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much prescription charges have risen in cash and real terms between April 1979 and April 1989.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 9 May 1989]: The information requested is set out in the table.

  £

  1979–80

  0·20

  11989–90

  2·80

  21989–90

  1·41

  1 Current prices.

  21979–80 prices.

  Nursing Students
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to announce the level of bursary for a nursing student enrolling on a course under the project 2,000 nursing education reforms.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 9 May 1989]: My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to do so shortly.

  Food Contamination
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the questions asked by the hon. Member for Caerphilly on 18 January concerning the possible contamination of farmed food.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I replied to the hon. Member on Monday 20 February.

THE ARTS

  Office Art Collection
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will publish a table showing the(a) paintings, (b) prints, (c) sculptures and (d) other artefacts in his Office's art collection.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 8 May 1989]: The information requested is as follows:

  Artist

  Title

  (a) Paintings

  Ann Redpath

  The Pink Decanter

  James Robertson

  Hills in Spain

  Melvyn Chantry

  Stream, Derwent Water

  James Northcote

  Mr. John Culme

  View of Cheltenham: Montpelier

  John Piper

  Walk

  View of Bath: Composite of Bath Street and corner of Camden

  John Piper

  Crescent

  John Craxton

  Landscape with Returning Shrimper

  Frank Averbach

  Mornington Crescent

  Peter Coker

  The Gorsebush

  Patrick George

  Hick Bush

  Ishaq Kohbji

  Untitled

  Richard Gilbert

  Departure 1987

  456

  Artist

  Title

  (b) Prints

  Joe Tilson

  Moon Signatures

  Richard Edwards

  Santorini

  Glen Baxter

  Brenda

  Glen Baxter

  Saturday morning shopping

  David Freed

  Richard III

  Jennifer Dickson

  Le Septieme Jour

  Juan Martinez

  Untitled 1969

  Cecil King

  Bagot Street

  (c) Sculptures

  None

  (d) Other artifacts Photographs:

  John Davies

  Isle of Skye towards Loch Brittle

  Paul Wakefield

  River Orchy, Scotland

  Paul Wakefield

  Afon Hondu

  Other items:

  Sutton Taylor

  Large lustre bowl

  Judith Trim

  Two Oval oxidised porcelain bowls

  Michael Casson

  Two stoneware articles

  Michael Lloyd

  Silver bowl

  Alistair McCallum

  Mokume Gane bowl

  Fiona Salazar

  Earthenware pot

  Janice Tchalenko

  Stoneware teapot

  Peter Chatwin

  Laminated bowl

  The articles are all on loan except the painting by Ishaq Kohbji which was a gift from the Bahrainian Arts Society.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Yorkshire (Environmentally Sensitive Areas)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by name for the three counties of Yorkshire the total land area per site designated as an environmentally sensitive area.

  Mr. Ryder
  No ESA is wholly within the three counties of Yorkshire. Some 8,200 hectares (52 per cent.) of the Pennine Dales ESA lies in North Yorkshire, while 6,390 hectares (13 per cent.) of the North Peak ESA lie in South Yorkshire and 4,200 hectares (8 per cent.) lie in West Yorkshire.

  Salmonella
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure that following the establishment of the single market in 1992 thorough checks will be made at United Kingdom ports, airports and rail links to ensure that any consignment of eggs which is contaminated with salmonella is detected and dealt with.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Because the arrangements that will control the movement of eggs within the European Community after 1992 have yet to be decided upon, it would be unhelpful to spell out our plans for that period. However, I assure my hon. Friend that it is our intention to secure equivalence between the standards and inspections in member states to ensure that the interests of our egg producers and consumers are safeguarded.
  457
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is taken by his Department when consignments of imported eggs are found to be infected with salmonella.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  If a case of salmonella contamination is found in imported eggs, my Department will inform the EC Commission and the member state where the eggs were packed. Where appropriate I will also take the matter up with my opposite number in the member state concerned.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in the latest 12 months for which figures are available consignments of imported eggs have been(a) checked for salmonella infection and (b) found to be infected with salmonella.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Systematic monitoring of imported eggs for salmonella commenced only last month.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement outlining the checks which are made to ensure that salmonella-infected eggs and poultry are not imported into the United Kingdom from other European countries and from other non-European countries.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The systematic monitoring of imported eggs by the port health authorities in conjunction with the public health laboratory service has recently been introduced. Imports are being sampled at a rate which will provide a valid assessment of their bacteriological status. Similar arrangements would not be appropriate for poultrymeat.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Namibia
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made towards a peaceful settlement in Namibia.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  Agreements have been reached on a framework for the return of SWAPO forces to positions north of the 16th parallel in Angola. South African troops and South West African territorial forces will be once again restricted to base. It is vital that these agreements are put into effect and that all parties abide by their undertakings in the United Nations plan.

  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 435 on Namibia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have been active in support of efforts to put the United Nations plan firmly back on track. We welcome the series of agreements reached by the joint commission which have this as their aim.

  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet the Administrator General of Namibia or his officials to discuss the future of Rossing uranium in the context of an independent Namibia.
  458
  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to do so. We hope that Rossing uranium will continue making its important contribution to the Namibian economy after independence.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will pay an official visit to Namibia to discuss the transition to independence.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to do so. We are in regular contact with all those involved in the implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibian independence.

  Angola
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions representatives of Her Majesty's Government have had with the MPLA Government of Angola and UNITA regarding an end to the civil war in Angola.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have regular contact with the Angolan Government. We also have occasional contact with UNITA at official level. We have impressed on both sides the need for flexibility if internal peace is to be achieved in Angola.

  OECD
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; and what matters were discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend last met the OECD Secretary-General on 13 February. They discussed current and future areas of work for the OECD, and preparation for the ministerial council.

  EC-EFTA Relations
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the relations between the European Community and the European Free Trade Association.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Relations between the EC and EFTA are excellent. A joint ministerial meeting on 20 March agreed to discuss possibilities for further strengthening and extending co-operation. There will be a further ministerial meeting in the autumn. Meanwhile the programme of co-operation stimulated by the 1984 Luxembourg declaration continues.

  Export Promotion
  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resources were committed in 1988–89 via the diplomatic wing to supporting export promotion and inward investment.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Figures for the financial year 1988–89 are still being collated and should be available in October. We expect them, however, to be approximately 10 per cent. Up on the figures for 1987–88 which were as follows:Total commercial work: £69 million of which approximately 91·7 per cent. (£63·27 million) for export promotion, 3·4 per cent. (£2·5 million) for inward investment and the remaining 4·9 per cent. (£3·38 million) for trade policy.

  Nigeria
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current state of Anglo-Nigerian relations.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We enjoy close and cordial relations with Nigeria. President Babangida's state visit to the United Kingdom now taking place is evidence of that.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement about relations with eastern Europe.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Our relations with the countries of eastern Europe are as varied as the countries themselves. We naturally have the closest relations with those whose systems and values come closest to our own. In this context we welcome the substantial steps towards freedom and democracy taken recently in Poland and Hungary.

  Drug Trade
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further practical measures have been agreed with the countries of Latin America to combat the international drug trade.

  Mr. Eggar
  I discussed measures to combat the international drugs trade with the Foreign Ministers of Colombia and Peru during their visits to the United Kingdom in April, and during my recent visit to Mexico. These measures include continued United Kingdom bilateral and multilateral assistance, and the negotiation of bilateral agreements to trace, freeze and confiscate the assets of drugs traffickers.

  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further progress is being made in the international fight against the drugs trade.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have bilateral agreements or arrangements with six countries for tracing, freezing and confiscating traffickers' assets. We are negotiating similar agreements with about 20 countries and have approached some 20 others. Next week, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will host a meeting of Pompidou group Ministers to discuss, inter alia, asset confiscation and measures against cocaine.

  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on moves towards Palestinian self-determination.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the peace in the middle east.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the peace process in the middle east.

  Sir Dennis Walters
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards a middle east peace settlement.
  460
  Mr. Waldegrave
  We continue to believe that a settlement of the Arab/Israel dispute must be based on Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and that an international conference, at the right time, will be necessary. We look forward to discussing with Mr. Shamir how his proposal for elections in the occupied territories can contribute to this process when he visits the United Kingdom later this month.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to hold urgent talks with the United States Government and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in preparation for an international conference on the middle east.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We remain in close touch with the two Governments and with others concerned about the prospects for peace in the middle east. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State discussed these with both Mr. Shevardnadze and Secretary Baker last month.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Israeli Government concerning President Arafat's peace initiative.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are in close touch with the Israeli authorities and look forward to further discussion of all aspects of the peace process with Mr. Shamir later this month.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent killings on the West Bank and Gaza on the peace process in the middle east.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Violence, from whatever quarter, can make the search for peace in the middle east only more difficult. The Israeli authorities are well aware of our concern at their use of excessive force in the occupied territories.

  Argentina
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to improve relations between Britain and Argentina.

  Mr. Eggar
  Since the Falklands conflict in 1982 we have consistently striven to restore more normal relations with Argentina. To this end we have taken a number of important initiatives.

  The Argentine response to all of these has been disappointing. Indeed Argentina has recently formalised discrimination against British exporters, and continues to refuse access to our ships and aircraft.

  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of relations between Britain and Argentina.

  Mr. Eggar
  Since the Falklands conflict in 1982 we have consistently striven to restore more normal relations with Argentina. To this end we have taken a number of important initiatives.

  The Argentine response to all of these has been disappointing. Indeed Argentina has recently formulated discrimination against British exporters, and continues to refuse access to our ships and aircraft.
  461
  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit Argentina.

  Mr. Eggar
  No.

  Jordan
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when next he expects to meet King Hussein of the Hashmite Kingdom of Jordan for discussions on matters of mutual interest; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State held very useful discussions with King Hussein last month. They have at present no plans for a further meeting. I myself met the King in Amman in March.

  Beirut
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made concerning the Christian community in Beirut; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  None. The recent fighting has affected members of all communities in Lebanon. In common with our partners in the Twelve we fully support the efforts of the Arab League to arrange a ceasefire and to seek a negotiated solution.

  Internal Border Control
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his west European counterparts regarding the proposals put forward by the Schengen group of countries to abolish internal border controls.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In the context of the wider frontiers discussion within the European Community, we have naturally discussed with our partners the practical experience of the Schengen group, and the problems they have encountered.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy of opposing the West German Government's proposals for early negotiations to reduce nuclear weapons in Europe.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The stated objective of the Warsaw pact is the elimination of nuclear weapons from Europe. NATO is committed to maintaining an adequate and effective mix of conventional and nuclear forces, including land-based missiles in Europe. Given this conflict of objectives, it is hard to see how there could be a fruitful outcome to any negotiations.

  Iraq
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what continuing representations are being made to the Iraqi Government about persistent allegations of the torture, ill-treatment, execution and arbitrary arrest of children in Iraq.
  462
  Mr. Waldegrave
  As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State said on 28 April, at column 686 the Government have repeatedly made clear to the Iraqi authorites our concern at Iraqi human rights violations and will continue to do so. The Iraqis know that we expect them to abide by their obligations under international agreements, which, in particular, prohibit the use of the death penalty against minors.

  Nicaragua
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the President of Nicaragua; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Eggar
  President Ortega made a private visit to the United Kingdom from 6 to 8 May in the course of an extensive European tour. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister received him on 8 May. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State and I saw Foreign Minister d'Escoto on the same day.

  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit Nicaragua.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to visit Nicaragua.

  Air Fares (Europe)
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implication of the recent European Court of Justice judgment outlawing price fixing among European airlines for bringing down air fares in Europe.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We strongly support action within the European Community which ensures that air travellers are charged fair prices. We expect the Commission to take the recent European Court of Justice judgment into account in preparing new proposals for liberalising air transport.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for European integration of the latest ruling by the European Court of Justice on air transport fares.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We would expect the Commission to take full account of the recent European Court of Justice ruling on air fares in preparing proposals for the second phase of air transport liberalisation. The United Kingdom fully supports further liberalisation in this field, because of the great practical benefits it will bring, especially to consumers.

  Air Transport
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the European Economic Community to make further progress in liberalising air transport.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The aviation liberalisation package of December 1987 commits the Council of Ministers to adopt further measures by June 1990. The Commission has to bring forward proposals by 1 November this year. The United Kingdom's support for further effective measures
  463
  has been made clear in a memorandum to the Commission. A copy of this has been placed in the Library of the House.

  E1 Salvador
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether the human rights situation in E1 Salvador is improving.

  Mr. Eggar
  Regrettably, recent months have seen a deterioration in the human rights situation in E1 Salvador.

  We are particularly concerned that the escalation of violence and violation of human rights by the FMLN guerrillas appears to be provoking a response from extreme elements on the Right.

  European Monetary and Economic Union
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet Mr. Jacques Delors to discuss the findings of the Delors committee on the European monetary and economic union.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The report of the Delors committee will be discussed at the informal meeting of Economic and Finance Ministers in Gerona on 19 to 21 May at which I understand M. Delors will be present.

  Kurdish People
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make representations to the Iraqi regime over its policy of repression against its Kurdish citizens.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Iraq concerning their treatment of Kurdish people.

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

  Most recently I did so with the Iraqi ambassador on 19 April, and in particular made clear that we would view with grave concern any evidence to support recent reports of mass deportations of Kurds.

  We have urged the Iraqi Government to allow diplomats and journalists to visit Iraq to see for themselves.

  Brady Plan
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from Third world countries on the proposals in the Brady plan to relieve international debt.

  Mrs. Chalker
  There has been general interest among both debtors and creditors in the United States proposals. We are examining the possible involvement of the international financial institutions in debt and debt service reduction. The discussion will continue further in the boards of the IMF and World Bank.

  Protection of the Environment
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is undertaking to enhance United Nations co-operation on protection of the environment.

  Mr. Eggar
  The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the focus for environmental co-operation within the United Nations. We recently more than doubled our voluntary financial contribution to UNEP, and are now the second largest contributor. We urge all other countries to take similar action and will reinforce this at the UNEP governing council on 15 to 26 May.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of China concerning the future of Hong Kong.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of China concerning the future of Hong Kong.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer hon. Members to the answer I gave on 5 April at column 195.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received about the future of British nationals overseas living in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have recently received a number of representations from hon. Members and from members of the public both here and in Hong Kong. We have also taken note of the views expressed during the hearings held in Hong Kong last month by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to visit Hong Kong to discuss the arrangements for implementing the 1977 agreement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has at present no plans to visit Hong Kong.

  Lebanon
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom policy towards the restoration of peace in the Lebanon.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government policy on the establishment of peace in the Lebanon.

  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British policy on the restoration of peace in the Lebanon.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We hope that all parties concerned in the fighting will work towards a peaceful settlement. We
  465
  and our European partners fully support the efforts of the Arab League to arrange a ceasefire and to help in achieving a negotiated solution.

  Central America
  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet the Government of the United States of America to discuss central America.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have regular discussions with the United States Administration on a wide variety of topics, including central America.

  South Africa
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment has he made of the effectiveness of his policy of ending apartheid in South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to his identical question on 3 February 1988 at column 965. Our assessment remains unchanged.

  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet the South African Foreign Minister.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet the South African ambassador; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has no present plans to do so.

  West Germany
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet representatives of the West German Government; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend expects to meet Dr. Wolfgang Schauble, the Federal German Minister of the Interior on 18 May when he visits this country to participate in a conference marking the 40th anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany. A range of subjects of mutual interest will be discussed.

  Southern Africa
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit southern Africa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has no current plans to visit southern Africa.

  United States
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Government of the United States; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the outcome of his visit to the United States on 17 April.
  466
  Mr. Eggar
  When I met President Bush in Washington on 17 April we discussed a number of current issues including East-West relations, SNP, the middle east, Lebanon, southern Africa and Latin America.

  Refuseniks
  Mr. Gillian Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made on the current position of refuseniks in the Soviet Union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made on the current position of refuseniks in the Soviet Union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have raised the problem of refuseniks with Mr. Shevardnadze on three separate occasions this year, most recently during Mr. Gorbachev's visit. The Soviet authorities have been left in no doubt that the problem of long-term refuseniks will continue to cast a shadow over Anglo-Soviet relations until a satisfactory and lasting solution is reached.

  Vietnamese Refugees
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the conditions under which Vietnamese refugees are being held in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have received a number of representations from members of the public and some voluntary organisations about conditions in the centres for Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong.

  Both we and the Hong Kong Government attach great importance to ensuring that conditions in these centres are as good as they can be in the circumstances.

  Conditions in the centres for those categorised as refugees have already been liberalised but the recent flood of new arrivals is putting the facilities available for those awaiting screening under great strain.

  Sri Lanka and India
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to visit(a) Sri Lanka and (b) India.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has no plans at present to visit Sri Lanka. He was in India from 28 March to 1 April.

  Turkey
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what fresh initiatives he plans to seek to reduce human rights violations in Turkey.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Turkish Government are aware that we expect them to respect and abide by the terms and conditions of the human rights conventions to which they are parties. We shall continue to follow developments closely.

  Conventional Arms Reductions
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations towards conventional arms reductions in Europe.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress towards conventional arms reductions in Europe.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations towards conventional arms reductions in Europe.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  NATO/Warsaw pact negotiations on conventional armed forces in Europe (CFE) opened in Vienna on 9 March. The first round was encouraging. The atmosphere was serious and constructive with the Warsaw pact apparently willing to negotiate seriously and to find common ground. Much complex negotiation lies ahead. The second round began on 5 May.

  Horn of Africa
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects for peace in the Horn of Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  While the parties to the conflicts in Ethiopia and Somalia maintain their present positions, there seems little prospect for peace in the Horn of Africa. Our policy is to work for negotiated solutions, internal reconciliation, improved economic management and greater respect for human rights.

  Human Rights
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the maintaining of progress in establishing human rights in eastern Europe.

  Mr. Curry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Monitoring of progress on the establishment of human rights in eastern Europe.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Performance is varied. Hungary and Poland are continuing to take measures to improve human rights and political freedoms. There has been little or no improvement in Bulgaria or Czechoslovakia or the GDR. Romania is, I am sorry to say, in a class of its own.

  East-West Relations
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further discussions he proposes to hold with NATO colleagues on East-West relations.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are in close and constant touch with our NATO colleagues over East-West policy. We share a broad measure of agreement in our analysis of the present situation and of the way forward.

  Commonwealth Citizens (Admission)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commmonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Indian Government on the 468
  admission of citizens from Commonwealth countries to the United Kingdom for holidays or short stays and the need to ensure that appropriate flexibility is allowed to help cases where such citizens wish to visit Britain urgently because of the chronic illness or death of a relative resident in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Eggar
  None.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards an agreement on a worldwide ban on chemical weapons.

  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards an agreement on a worldwide ban on chemical weapons.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer my hon. Friends to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 9 May.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the present position in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State last met the United Nations Secretary-General in Tokyo on 25 February. During their discussion they reviewed progress in the intercommunal talks on Cyprus. The talks continue, with our full support.

  Single Market
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what ways the European Community and the European Free Trade Association are working together towards the development of the single market.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Kingdom believes that the EFTA countries should, as far as is practicable and mutually beneficial, have access to the single market. The programme of EC/EFTA co-operation initiated by the Luxembourg declaration of 1984 is continuing. Following a joint ministerial meeting on 20 March, the Commission is exploring with EFTA options for further extending co-operation. A further ministerial meeting is planned for the autumn.

  Eastern Europe (Reforms)
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage a unified western response to the reforms taking place in eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are in constant touch, bilaterally and multilaterally, with our allies over East-West policy. There is a broad agreement on analysis of the situation in eastern Europe and the Soviet Union and on the way forward.

  Prime Minister Shamir
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what will be the principal matters Her Majesty's Government intend to discuss with Prime Minister Shamir of Israel when he visits the United Kingdom in May; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We look forward to discussing a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, including all aspects of the peace process, with Mr. Shamir.

  EC Summit (Madrid)
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what current discussions he is holding with his European Economic Community counterparts on preparations for the forthcoming European Economic Community summit meeting of Heads of Government in Madrid.

  Mrs. Chalker
  It is for the Spanish presidency to make the preparations for the European Council in June. The agenda will be discussed in advance in the Foreign Affairs Council in the usual way. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State discusses current items of Community business with his colleagues in the Council and at other meetings.

  EC Foreign Ministers
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he is next due to meet other European Community foreign Ministers: and what matters will be discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council is on 22 and 23 May. Matters for discussion include preparation for the EC/Israel Co-operation Council; preparation for the ACP/EC ministerial meeting in June; the EC-US dispute over hormones in meat; the GATT Uruguay round (Tropical Products); a draft mandate for negotiations with the USSR on a trade agreement; and preparation for the OECD ministerial meeting at the end of May. An EC/Israel Co-operation Council will be held in the margins of the Council.

  Development Assistance
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what was the total value of the United Kingdom overseas development assistance in 1979–80, and in 1988–89 at constant 1979 prices.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The United Kingdom net aid programme in 1979–80 was £798 million. The equivalent figure for 1987–88, at 1979–80 prices, was £700 million. The figure for 1988–89 is not yet available.

  Councils of Ministers
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list(a) the number and character of Council of Ministers meetings in each of the past two years, (b) the Ministers who represented the United Kingdom by Department and (c) by Department and grade of the civil servants who attended.
  470
  Mrs. Chalker
  The information requested at(a) and (b) is provided in the relevant six-monthly White Papers on developments in the European Community, copies of which are deposited in the Library of the House. But details of attendance by civil servants by Department and grade could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Antarctic Treaty
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he plans to hold with the co-signatories to the antarctic treaty about its review option in 1991.

  Mr. Eggar
  Ther are no plans to hold discussions on this issue.

DEFENCE

  Exercises
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list Royal Air Force participation in(a) Red Flag, (b) Green Flag, (c) Copper Flag and (d) Maple Flag exercises during 1988, giving the number and type of Royal Air Force aircraft involved and the dates of the exercises on each occasion.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Royal Air Force did not participate in Copper Flag exercises during 1988. Otherwise the information requested is as follows:

  Date

  Aircraft involved

  Royal Air Force participation in Red Flag exercises

  8 October to 19 November 1988

  Nine Tornado

  Eight Phantom

  Two Hercules

  Royal Air Force participation in Green Flag exercises

  15 March to 16 April 1988

  Nine Tornado

  Royal Air Force participation in Maple Flag exercises

  30 April to 11 June 1988

  Eight Harrier

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on planned RAF participation in the Maple Flag exercise in Canada in 1989.

  Mr. Neubert
  Nine Royal Air Force Tornado aircraft are currently participating in Exercise Maple Flag at Canadian forces base, Cold Lake, Alberta.

  NATO Tactical Fighter Weapons Training Centre
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects a decision to be made on the location of the proposed NATO tactical fighter weapons training centre.

  Mr. Neubert
  I have nothing to add to the answer given by my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman), on 22 April 1987 at column 583. The matter is still being studied by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

  Goose Bay, Canada
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many low-level sorties were carried out by the RAF from Goose bay, Canada in 1988;
  471
  (2) what is the planned number of sorties to be conducted by RAF aircraft on training detachment to Goose bay, Canada during 1989.

  Mr. Neubert
  The total number of low-flying training sorties carried out by Royal Air Force aircraft from Goose bay, Canada in 1988 was 1,423. It is not expected that the amount of activity in 1989 will vary greatly from that carried out in recent years.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF Tornado aircraft are currently deployed at Goose bay, Canada; on what date they arrived there; and what is their planned date of return to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Neubert
  None at present.

  Low Flying
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the total number of military low-level training sorties flown over the United Kingdom in 1988 was accounted for by(a) fast jets, (b) light jet trainers, (c) heavy propeller-driven aircraft, (d) light propeller-driven aircraft and (c) helicopters.

  Mr. Neubert
  The information requested is as follows:

  Category

  Proportion of sorties flown

  Per cent.

  Fast jets

  59

  Light jet trainers

  9

  Heavy propeller-driven aircraft

  2

  Light propeller-driven aircraft

  1

  Helicopters

  29

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total numbers of complaints received about low flying in 1988 from addresses in(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Neubert
  No fixed-wing low flying training is carried out in Northern Ireland. However, helicopters do undertake low-flying operations in Northern Ireland and although no central records are available of complaints received, headquarters Northern Ireland received 38 complaints in 1988. The numbers of complaints and inquiries about military low flying received by the Ministry of Defence during 1988 for the remaining areas were:

  Number

  England

  3,955

  Wales

  856

  Scotland

  875

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the percentage change in the number of low-level flights authorised at less than 250 ft between 1979 and 1980.

  Mr. Neubert
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my predecessor gave him on 2 November 1987 at column 487.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low flying sorties were flown over the United Kingdom by United States F-111 and EF-111 aircraft in(a) 1987 and (b)
  472
  Mr. Neubert
  United States Air Force F-111 aircraft flew 11,147 low-flying sorties during 1987 and 11,303 during 1988. Central records are not kept separately of low-flying sorties by EF-111 aircraft.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of low-flying sorties flown over the United Kingdom between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Neubert
  The information requested is not available. Central records of night low-flying do not separately distinguish flying between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am. It is aimed to complete low-flying training before 11 pm wherever possible because it is recognised that aircraft noise can be particularly intrusive at night, and no more such activity is authorised than is necessary.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-level sorties were flown over the Federal Republic of Germany by RAF aircraft in 1988.

  Mr. Neubert
  Royal Air Force Germany carried out some 16,000 fixed-wing low-level sorties over the Federal Republic of Germany in 1988.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the aircrew in front-line RAF Tornado strike/attack squadrons is currently authorised to fly at less than 250 ft minimum separation distance.

  Mr. Neubert
  I have nothing further to add to my predecessor's letter of 15 December 1987 to the hon. Member in response to his question of 2 November 1987 at column 486.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the names and dates of all military air exercises held in the United Kingdom since 1974 in which flying at less than 250 ft was permitted over land.

  Mr. Neubert
  Military air exercise held in the United Kingdom do not involve the use of the United Kingdom low-flying system for flying below a level of 250 ft over land. Exercises involving ultra-low flying, that is below this and down to 100 ft, are normally held in the United States of America and Canada. Some strictly limited work-up training for these exercises does take place in the United Kingdom but within specially designated, sparsely populated areas.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of low-flying sorties over the United Kingdom in 1988, calculated by the pre-1985 method of logging movements between low flying areas.

  Mr. Neubert
  The approximate total number of sorties flown, as recalculated from movements by the pre-1985 method, was 127,000.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of RAF Germany low-flying training activity has been carried out in the United Kingdom in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Neubert
  Precise figures are not available prior to 1988. It is estimated that some 20 per cent. of RAF Germany fixed-wing low-level sorties made use of the United Kingdom low-flying system in 1988.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of low-flying sorties over(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in 1988.
  473
  Mr. Neubert
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my predecessor gave him in response to a similar question on 15 April 1988 at column 249.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the low-level sorties over the United Kingdom in 1988 were flown by(a) British military aircraft, (b) the United States Air Force aircraft and (c) other air forces.

  Mr. Neubert
  The information requested is as follows:

  Operating Authority

  Proportion of sorties flown

  Per cent.

  British Military

  84

  United States Air Force

  15

  Others

  1

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what requests have been received from foreign air forces for permission to fly in the United Kingdom low-flying system at less than 250 ft minimum separation distance.

  Mr. Neubert
  There are no records of foreign military aircraft having been authorised to carry out low-flying training in the United Kingdom at less than 250 ft or of any formal request having been made for such training.

  Advertising
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the total budget for advertising on the armed forces, showing separately the cost of advertising of the Territorial Army for 1989–90.

  Mr. Neubert
  The information is as follows:

  £

  Royal Navy/ Royal Marines

  4,965,000

  Army

  9,405,000

  Royal Air Force

  5,891,000

  The figure for the Army includes our current estimate for the cost of advertising for the Territorial Army for 1989–90 which is £2,403,000. This sum excludes local advertising expenditure commissioned by TA Voluntary Reserve associations who make their own allocations from a block grant received from the Ministry of Defence.

  Port of London
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there is any military function performed by courtesy calls by naval vessels to the port of London.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  So far as Royal Navy vessels are concerned, such visits are arranged to foster good relations between the Royal Navy and the civil community. Foreign warship visits to the Pool of London are tangible expressions of mutual goodwill between the United Kingdom and the Governments concerned.

  Thames (Naval Accidents)
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will outline the plans prepared for the possibility of a naval accident on the Thames, in particular accidents which may affect vessels carrying nuclear weapons;
  474
  (2) what special steps he takes to reassure people living in London, particularly by the Thames, in relation to the safety implications of the mooring at Greenwich or HMS Belfast of naval ships carrying nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It has been the policy of successive British Governments neither to confirm nor to deny the presence of nuclear weapons on HM ships. There are, however, detailed contingency plans for dealing with the extremely remote possibility of an accident involving the release of radioactive material from a weapon while in the custody of the Royal Navy, and these include plans to deal with such an accident on board a warship. The plans involve similar organisational arrangements to those which would apply in the event of an accident involving a naval nuclear propulsion reactor, and are designed to enable the organisations concerned to cope with the rather different technical problems that would be faced in a weapons accident.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library details of each major publicity campaign mounted by the armed services 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 them by the Central Office of Information together with a note of the intended objectives in the campaigns in 1989–90.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: The armed services' publicity campaigns are primarily concerned with recruitment. They are not a series of separate campaigns but rather a continuing campaign to keep the services in the public eye and to promote them, to both parents and young people, as a potential employer.

  The impact of the campaign is continuously monitored. Adjustments are made in reaction to the response from the target audience and to reflect the manpower requirements of the services. There are no plans to change this practice in the foreseeable future but, in response to the increased competition for suitable applicants which all employers are likely to experience with the onset of the demographic trough, the services do expect to increase the level of advertising over that of recent years.

  In addition to their recruiting campaign, the armed services are also sponsoring the national employers liaison committee's publicity campaign, the main aim of which is to promote public awareness of the reserve forces especially amongst employers.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 May 1989]: The aim of the Ministry of Defence's public information effort is to increase public awareness of defence policies and the role and achievements of the armed forces.
  475
  This is achieved by a continuous information programme of press briefings and media visits to establishments and service units, films, exhibitions, and publications. Emphasis is given in this programme from time to time to matters of particular public interest and to specific occasions. These have included the European Year of the Environment in 1988, to which the Ministry of Defence contributed, and the 40th anniversary of NATO in 1989. The latter occasion was marked by an exhibition
  476
  on British defence policy held in London in April, which is also due to visit several regional events later this summer, a NATO briefing tour of public meetings in six major towns and cities, and the issue of a special postal slogan.

  The Central Office of Information was commissioned to undertake a market research survey on the MOD touring defence policy exhibition in 1988 and reported most favourably on its content and on the public response.

  INTERNATIONAL BOARD FOR PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES
  INTERNATIONAL BOARD FOR PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES
  AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: FUNDING
  AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: FUNDING
  TUBERCULOSIS IN DEER: NOTIFICATION
  TUBERCULOSIS IN DEER: NOTIFICATION
  PESTICIDES: RESEARCH
  PESTICIDES: RESEARCH
  CHANNEL TUNNEL RAIL LINK
  CHANNEL TUNNEL RAIL LINK
  UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME: GOVERNING COUNCIL MEETING
  UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME: GOVERNING COUNCIL MEETING