Written Answers of 23 May 1989

THE ARTS

  Printed Matter (Preservation)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Minister for the Arts (1) what is his policy for co-ordinating processing arrangements in connection with printed matter and material held in the various museums, archives and libraries which are the responsibility of his Department;

  (2) what study he has made of the processing arrangements for printed matter and material under development in the United States of America, Canada and Austria; if any useful lessons have been learned from the techniques employed in these and other countries; and if he intends to introduce changes in British practice.

  Mr. Luce
  It is for the institutions themselves to ensure that their processing arrangements are efficient and up to date and to keep in touch with developments. The British Library, for example, is among the leaders in the development of bibliographic standards and techniques and works closely with libraries and other institutions both in the United Kingdom and abroad.

  Schools (Educational Opportunities)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the use made of the educational opportunities afforded to schools by arts bodies.

  Mr. Luce
  I believe that arts bodies, museums and galleries and public libraries all offer valuable ways of supplementing and supporting the teaching in schools. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science and I are commissioning work on a package of material, illustrating good practice, which will be distributed to all maintained schools early next year. The booklet will provide examples of the range of learning opportunities available in the contemporary arts and in museums and will show how these and similar initiatives in related fields can have wider educational applications.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the index of manufacturing output for each of the standard regions and Wales for each 12-month period from June 1979 to June 1988, inclusive.

  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 19 May 1989]: Information on the standard regions of England is not available; using latest published data, the indices of manufacturing output for Wales are as follows:

  Year1

  Wales

  1979–80

  99·1

  1980–81

  90·6

  1981–82

  94·9

  440

  Year1

  Wales

  1982–83

  93·0

  1983–84

  98·9

  1984–85

  99·8

  1985–86

  102·1

  1986–87

  113·3

  1987–88

  128·5

  1985 = 100, seasonally adjusted.

  1 Averages for the periods 3rd quarter to 2nd quarter.

  Source: Welsh Office.

  Production Industries
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the index of production industries in each of the standard regions, Scotland and Wales for each 12-month period from June 1979 to June 1988.

  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 19 May 1989]: Information on the standard regions of England is not available; using latest published data, the indices of production for Scotland and for Wales are as given below:

  Year1

  Scotland

  Wales

  1979–80

  99·6

  105·9

  1980–81

  92·4

  95·2

  1981–82

  93·6

  97·7

  1982–83

  93·0

  98·5

  1983–84

  95·4

  98·1

  1984–85

  98·2

  95·5

  1985–86

  99·2

  102·5

  1986–87

  97·9

  108·2

  1987–88

  102·9

  119·2

  1985 = 100, seasonally adjusted.

  1 Averages for the periods 3rd quarter to 2nd quarter.

  Source: Scottish Office, Welsh Office.

  VAT
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the revised proposals by the European Economic Community for the revision of value added tax arrangements in the United Kingdom, and, in particular, what items, at present zero-rated, would require to be taxed; and if there are any other proposals linked to the arrangements proposed by the European Economic Community for changes in excise duty.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 22 May 1989]: The Commission announced its revised thinking on indirect taxation in the single market on 17 May. It now accepts that some zero rates may be retained, but still seeks a measure of tax approximation in the shape of an unspecified minimum standard rate for VAT; a reduced VAT rate band as previously proposed; and, as yet unspecified, minimum rates or rate bands for excise duties. It also suggests quadrupling the tax-paid travellers' allowances and doubling the duty paid allowances on alcohol and tobacco in stages by 1992. Announcement of its technical proposals for fiscal control of exciseable goods has been deferred until August.

  The Commission's admission that zero rates are acceptable in principle is clearly a step forward and a vindication of our firm stance, and we welcome it; but we shall obviously need to clarify a number of elements, given our very clear commitments in this area. We also welcome the proposals on travellers' allowances, for which we have

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  been pressing. Other parts of the Commission's revised thinking, such as its continued desire for tax approximation, are less welcome; our position on that issue is unchanged.

  These proposals would require the unanimous assent of all member states.

  Tobacco (Taxation)
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of taxation on tobacco products.

  Mr. Lilley
  Since 1979, the combined burden of duty and VAT on cigarettes has risen by nearly 50 per cent. in real terms. The level of duty in the United Kingdom remains the highest in the Economic Community, with the exception of Denmark.

  Alcohol Taxation
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the annual revenue from alcohol taxation.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Reigate (Mr. Gardiner) on 14 April 1989 at columns 739–40.

  Taxes and Benefits
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Barking (Ms. Richardson) of 27 February,Official Report, column 27, how many people earn less than the respective point at which the tax benefit withdrawal level falls to 34 per cent.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 24 April 1989]: I have been asked to reply.

  Reliable estimates are not available on the basis requested. Estimates of the number of full-time workers in receipt of income-related benefits and facing combined income tax and benefit withdrawal rates in excess of 40 per cent. were given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 8 May at column 309. It is very unlikely that there are any full-time workers facing marginal deduction rates between 34 and 40 per cent.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Church-aided Schools
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last reviewed his Department's policy in respect of the funding of capital projects for Church-aided schools.

  Mr. Butcher
  The COGE (control of grant aided expenditure) working group was set up in 1986 to examine methods of improving the control of grant-aided expenditure for voluntary aided and special agreement schools. My right hon. Friend accepted its recommendations for improved procedures designed to secure more reliable predictions of capital expenditure needs at voluntary aided schools. The group concluded that the Department's priorities for the funding of voluntary school building projects were fair and just. Each year bids for work are carefully scrutinised to ensure that resources are targeted to those projects where needs are greatest.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of nursery places per 1,000 children in the shire counties; what is the average figure for the metropolitan districts; and what factors account for the difference between the figures.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information on nursery places is not collected centrally. The number of pupils under five attending maintained nursery schools and nursery classes in primary schools in England in January 1988 per 1,000 of estimated population aged three and four in each non-metropolitan county and the overall average for metropolitan districts is given in the following table. A variety of factors may account for the differences between the figures including local policies on the education and care of the under-fives and the priority given by successive Governments to the most disadvantaged areas.

  Number of pupils under five in maintained nursery schools and classes per 1,000 children in the population1 January 1988

  Pupils

  Avon

  151

  Bedfordshire

  300

  Berkshire

  244

  Buckinghamshire

  121

  Cambridgeshire

  118

  Cheshire

  208

  Cleveland

  536

  Cornwall2

  141

  Cumbria

  212

  Derbyshire

  284

  Devon

  99

  Dorset

  60

  Durham

  387

  East Sussex

  70

  Essex

  59

  Gloucestershire

  0

  Hampshire

  49

  Hereford and Worcester

  61

  Hertfordshire

  297

  Humberside

  329

  Isle of Wight

  56

  Kent

  51

  Lancashire

  170

  Leicestershire

  216

  Lincolnshire

  75

  Norfolk

  52

  North Yorkshire

  179

  Northamptonshire

  176

  Northumberland

  262

  Nottinghamshire

  472

  Oxfordshire

  127

  Shropshire

  115

  Somerset

  8

  Staffordshire

  224

  Suffolk

  142

  Surrey

  114

  Warwickshire

  177

  West Sussex

  34

  Wiltshire

  21

  Total non-metropolitan counties

  167

  Total metropolitan districts

  374

  England

  239

  1 The estimated population aged three and four.

  2 Includes Isles of Scilly.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to ensure that students aged 18 years will not pay the full community charge
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  during the period between leaving school and entering higher or further education later in the year; and what effect this will have on student loans or grants.

  Mr. Jackson
  School leavers aged 18 will, after leaving school, remain exempt from community charge for as long as they are the subject of continuing entitlement to child benefit. Once that entitlement has expired, a person aged 18, and between school and higher or further education, will be liable to the full community charge, but will be able to claim rebate on the charge, provided that his income or resources (or, in the case of a couple, their joint income or resources) do not disqualify him from the rebate. Once enrolled full-time in further or higher education, that person will become eligible to a rebate of 80 per cent. of the full charge, and his previous status will be irrelevant to eligibility for grant.

  Association of University Teachers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met representatives of the Association of University Teachers; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has not recently met the AUT, but we are in touch with it from time to time in the same way as we are in touch with a wide variety of bodies in order to keep abreast of developments.

  School Discipline
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in response to the Elton report on school discipline.

  Mr. Butcher
  My right hon. Friend has to date received three letters commenting on the report of the committee of inquiry on discipline in schools, chaired by Lord Elton, which was published on 13 March.

  Teachers
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of teachers in(a) Surrey and (b) England leave the profession within five years.

  Mr. Butcher
  Information is not available in respect of Surrey, nor nationally in the precise form requested. However it is estimated that amongst teachers trained in England and Wales who enter full-time service in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary sector in England and Wales, 35 per cent. leave again within five years of qualification. About a fifth of these leavers re-enter service within the same five-year period, and many more do so subsequently.

  Examination Papers (Security)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assistance he gives to local education authorities and schools for the secure storage of public examination papers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  It is for the examining bodies themselves to establish procedures governing the security 444
  of question papers and for individual schools and colleges acting as examination centres to ensure compliance with them.

  "Jean Monnet, Father of Europe"
  Sir Ian Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements have been made to distribute the video cassettes of the film entitled "Jean Monnet, Father of Europe" made available by the European Commission, among schools in the United Kingdom; and what proportion of these have been distributed to Hampshire and Havant, respectively.

  Mr. Jackson
  The European Commission has not supplied copies of the video cassette to my Department for general distribution. A limited number of copies is available from

  The London Office of the Commission of the European Communities

  Jean Monnet House

  London

  SW1P 3AT

  Cancer Research
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he can give an estimate of the current value of research into the causes, prevention and treatment of all forms of cancer; and how much is attributable to the Imperial Cancer Research Fund.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from this Department, is the main agency through which the Government support medical research. I understand that, in 1987–88, the last financial year for which figures are available, the council's expenditure for research into the causes, prevention and treatment of all forms of cancer was £9·9 million. The corresponding figure for the Department of Health was £2·3 million.

  In addition, university departments and medical schools support a range of basic research from public funds, some of which will be relevant to cancer research.

  Information is not collected centrally on the whole range of organisations funding research into the causes,prevention and treatment of all forms of cancer. I understand from the latest edition of the handbook of the Association of Medical Research Charities that the research expenditure of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund for the year to 30 September 1987 was £41·8 million.

  Teacher Exchange Schemes
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in considering local management schemes, he will ensure that local education authorities retain as an exception from delegation, sufficient funds to meet the overhead costs of teacher exchange schemes.

  Mr. Butcher
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 December 1988, at column 389.

ENERGY

  Mining Subsidence
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the provision in British Coal accounts for 1988–89 for coal mining subsidence damage costs;
  445
  (2) if amounts of moneys levied on coal production costs by British Coal to cover coal mining subsidence costs are carried over into the next financial year;

  (3) if amounts of moneys levied on coal production costs to cover coal mining subsidence damage costs are included in British Coal's global accounts year by year;

  (4) pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Mansfield on 15 May, Official Report, column 102, if he will supply figures showing the financial costs of coal mining subsidence damage, externally to British Coal for each year since 1979, with a regional breakdown by coalfield area;

  (5) pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Mansfield on 15 May, Official Report, column 102, if he will supply figures giving a breakdown of coal mining subsidence damage costs broken down into administration, repair, compensation, outside consultancies, and other relevant categories for each year since 1979, with a regional breakdown by coalfield area;

  (6) pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Mansfield on 15 May, if he will supply figures showing the amounts of moneys levied on coal production costs by British Coal for each year since 1979, with a regional breakdown by coalfield area;

  (7) pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Mansfield on 15 May, Official Report, column 102, if he will supply figures showing the provision in British Coal's accounts for coal mining subsidence damage costs for each year since 1979, with a regional breakdown by coalfield area;

  (8) pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Mansfield on 15 May, what is the current total financial amount held by British Coal for the provision of repair, compensation and administration of coal mining subsidence damage.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Administration of the subsidence compensation and repair system, including making the necessary provisions in the accounts, is a matter for British Coal. Details on the level of provisions are given each year in the annual report and accounts, copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. Details of the number and cost of claims settled, broken down by coalfield areas, are provided in British Coal's annual report to the Secretary of State for Energy, the first of which was placed in the House of Commons Library towards the end of last year. I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Member if any additional information is readily available.

  UKAEA (Regulation)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to relax the statutory regulation of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to enable it to exploit market opportunities more fully.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have no plans to do so at present, although the matter is under discussion with the AEA.

  British Coal (Investment)
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has considered the British Coal Corporation's initial response to the report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the corporation's investment programme.

  Mr. Parkinson
  As announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the MMC 446
  published its report on the investment programme of British Coal on 25 January. The corporation has now provided its initial response, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  The MMC rightly draws attention to British Coal's impressive achievement over the last five years in reducing costs and restructuring the industry, but identifies a need for a more cohesive and systematic approach towards its business planning, including fuller and more regular analysis of risk scenarios and contingency responses, greater use of modelling, and more local input on business prospects as the market evolves. I share the commission's view that these are priority areas for attention.

  The United Kingdom market for coal is becoming increasingly open, with greater price differentials both regionally and as between market sectors. This makes it particularly important to identify, and base business decisions upon, the true profitability of individual coal flows, so that management at all levels can respond promptly and concertedly to the impact of market developments on profitability. Exposure to loss-making business must be reduced if the corporation is to achieve its objective of maximising profitability. I accordingly welcome the corporation's intention to continue to adapt its business planning systems and organisation to meet changing circumstances, and I expect the detailed steps taken under each of the commission's recommendations to be fully set out in the corporation's further responses to the MMC report. My recent appointment of a second deputy chairman should help to strengthen the corporation's efforts in this direction over the coming year.

  The commission concluded that British Coal's controls over capital investment are generally good, and expressed confidence that the corporation's investment programme is achieving a rate of return of at least 5 per cent. Since its report was published, the Government have increased the required rate of return to 8 per cent, and I will be considering with British Coal over the next 12 months the implications of this for the test discount rates for individual categories of expenditure.

  I do not share the commission's view that the Asfordby project was never viable; as British Coal points out, an independent review in July 1983 suggested that at that stage an acceptable rate of return could be achieved. But I agree that such large projects, particularly where lead times and payback periods are long, tend to be financially more risky than many other types of expenditure, and that this requires to be fully recognised in the criteria for initial investment appraisal. This should minimise the risk of future projects being 'piece-mealed through time'; as regards Asfordby itself, it is important that the substantial balance of the expenditure still uncommitted should show a robust financial return. I also share the commission's view that, in general, conditional approval should not be given in advance of a sound financial prospectus.

  I welcome British Coal's acceptance of the need to assess the system effect of large projects involving new capacity; as the commission recognises, however, even relatively small amounts of new capacity can have a significant effect in localised or special quality markets. I also welcome the importance attached by both the commission and British Coal to the spread of six-day operations and other more flexible working patterns.

  I share the commission's view that new medium-term financial objectives need to be agreed between the corporation and Government, but I recognise that these

  447
  cannot be sensibly finalised ahead of the coming negotiations with National Power and Power Gen on the terms of coal supply beyond January 1990. In the meantime the external financing path to 1991–92 which I announced to the House on 6 February provides a provisional basis for forward planning.

  I am anxious that early progress should be made on this agenda. Under the normal arrangements for the follow-up to M MC recommendations arising from section 11 inquiries, British Coal will be reporting to me after one and three years on progress achieved in implementing the recommendations. I shall lay its report before the House next spring.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Community's Council of Energy Ministers on 11 May.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I represented my right hon. Friend at the Council.

  The Council decided on a programme for improving the efficiency of electricity use and approved recommendations aimed at reducing any distortions of competition between oil refineries resulting from differences in environmental protection standards. It agreed conclusions setting a framework for detailed discussions of Thermie, a proposed new scheme for demonstrating and disseminating new technology in the energy sector, including efficient use of energy; the existing schemes are due to finish at the end of this year. Eleven member states, including the United Kingdom, similarly agreed a framework for discussing improvements in energy price transparency. No conclusions were reached in a discussion on trade between integrated electricity systems, during which I stressed the importance of consumer choice and competition.

  Arrangements will be made for the Energy Council to convey its opinion to the Internal Market Council before any decisions are taken on the energy aspects of the Commission's proposals on procurement in the energy, water and transport sectors.

  In an inconclusive discussion of the 1975 directive controlling the use of gas for generating electricity, the United Kingdom strongly urged its repeal, particularly on environmental grounds, but also in the interests of competition, exploration and efficiency. The Commission was unwilling to propose repeal before the next review of the Community's energy objectives, but would do so if it were shown that the directive restricted the development of the gas industry.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Personal Pensions
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the population have taken out personal pensions since the reform of pension arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since July 1988, around 3 million people have taken out a personal pension: this is equivalent to about 11 per cent. of the working population.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures for the take up of family credit as a percentage of total family credit budgets for each of the DSS offices in Glasgow.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Family credit is dealt with centrally, and expenditure estimates are made for Great Britain as a whole. Similarly, information about percentage take up rates can be obtained only for Great Britain, and only retrospectively, from family expenditure survey data.

  At the beginning of April 1989, the number of families receiving family credit who were living in the areas covered by each of the local social security offices in Glasgow at the time the award was made was as follows:

  Number

  Glasgow (Anniesland)

  646

  Glasgow (Bridgeton)

  143

  Glasgow (City)

  341

  Glasgow (Craigton)

  403

  Glasgow (Cumbernauld)

  600

  Glasgow (Laurieston)

  367

  Glasgow (Maryhill)

  336

  Glasgow (Parkhead)

  575

  Glasgow (Partick)

  20

  Glasgow (Provan)

  875

  Glasgow (Rutherglen)

  658

  Glasgow (South Side)

  516

  Glasgow (Springburn)

  275

  Transitional Protection
  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applicants' claims for transitional protection failed, in total and as a percentage of the whole.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At 18 May 1989, a total of 474,974 applications for housing benefit transitional payments had been received. Of these 446,035 had been assessed and in 247,623 cases (52 per cent. of all applications) no benefit was payable. Of the cases outstanding the majority are awaiting the return of inquiry forms about housing benefit details from local authorities.

  Community Care Grants
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how much money is being allocated for the national advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants;

  (2) if he will place in the Library the national consultancy report on which the forthcoming advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants has been based;

  (3) how its forthcoming national advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants is being conducted; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) if he will place in the Library the draft formats of any posters, leaflets, and so on relating to the forthcoming advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants;

  (5) if he will be making available additional funds to advice agencies during the forthcoming advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants;

  (6) when the national advertising campaign on social fund community care grants is starting;
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  (7) if he will make available additional funds by virtue of his power under section 32(6) of the Social Security Act 1986 in order to meet demand generated by the forthcoming advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants in excess of Department of Social Security local office budget profiles.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no plans to mount a national advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants and we are not aware of any national consultancy report on this subject.

  We are, however, intending to produce additional information material on the social fund, including community care grants, which will be aimed at potential applicants. Leaflet SB16 "A guide to the Social Fund" is also being revised to take account of forthcoming changes to the social fund manual guidance on community care grants. This new information material should be available to the public this summer. The costs will be met from within the Department's budget for leaflets. We do not think that it would be helpful to lay draft copies in the Library, but we shall ensure that copies of the final versions are made available.

  Our intention is to provide both potential applicants and advice agencies with better information about the scheme than they have at present. There is therefore no need for additional funds to be made available to advice agencies as a result of this initiative, nor do we intend to increase the community care grants budget allocation for the current year.

  Resettlement Units Executive Agency
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to establish the resettlement units executive agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moore
  The resettlement units executive agency will tomorrow become the first part of the Department of Social Security to achieve agency status. Its main aim is to provide help and assistance to a group of people who are among the most disadvantaged. There are two key tasks: first, to manage the existing DSS units efficiently and effectively, examining how to get the best out of the resources available; secondly, to implement the policy set out by the Government in 1985 that the needs of these people, and in particular their prospects for a more settled way of life, could more appropriately be met in accommodation that is locally run and administered by local authorities and by voluntary organisations rather than in large centrally run institutions.

  The units provide 1,836 beds, 670 of which are in London, for single homeless people. In addition to providing food and shelter, the units seek to encourage users to adopt a more settled way of life and to help them to find accommodation of their own.

  The agency will be a more effective way of carrying out that work. Efficiency targets have been set, but in accordance with the promises made by the Government in 1985 all efficiency savings will be retained by the agency. A more clearly defined timetable for taking forward the replacement programme will be developed. The new concept of a single agency budget, and the flexibilities given within that, will facilitate the work of the chief executive in deploying all the resources available in the best interests of the users of resettlement accommodation.
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  Copies of the agency framework document and of the initial set of performance targets, have been placed in the Library.

PRIME MINISTER

  Vale of Glamorgan
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she plans to make an official visit to the Vale of Glamorgan.

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

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if she proposes to make an official visit to Romania.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Collisions at Sea
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government have any proposals to minimise the risk of collisions between fishing vessels and submarines.

  The Prime Minister
  The Royal Navy already takes the greatest care to ensure that the risk of collisions between submarines and fishing vessels or their gear is very low. I understand that the hon. Member recently visited the Clyde with a group of Members from this House and that some suggestions were made for technical improvements to fishing vessels to reduce the risk further. These suggestions will, of course, be considered on their merits.

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Prime Minister what information she has received concerning the rate of destruction of the world's forests for each of the past 20 years; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Data on the rate of destruction of the world's forests are not available on an annual basis. The latest internationally comparable figures were published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation in 1982 and relate to tropical forests during the period 1976–1980. Annual deforestation rates for all tropical closed forests by region and worldwide were:

  Tropical closed forest

  Area lost(Millions of hectares/year)

  Per cent. of total area

  Africa

  1·33

  0·61

  Asia, Pacific

  1·82

  0·59

  Latin America

  4·12

  0·61

  Total

  7·27

  0·61

  Comparable data for earlier periods are not available. The FAO and the United Nations Environment Programme will make a second forest resources assessment in 1990.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the circumstances in which Her Majesty's Government would order the firing of nuclear weapons.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Broadleaved Woodland
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Prime Minister why thre is no system of felling licences to protect Northern Ireland's broadleaved woodlands; if she will extend the United Kingdom system of felling licences to Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The 1970 White Paper "Forestry in Northern Ireland" stated that the Government felt that there was no longer the need for restrictive legislation on the felling of trees and proposed that the relevant legislation be repealed. This was done in 1982. There are no proposals to reintroduce felling licences in Northern Ireland. The Department of Environment for Northern Ireland has powers to make an order (known as a tree preservation order) to prohibit the cutting down of trees.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 23 May.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 23 May.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 23 May.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 23 May.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 23 May.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 23 May.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 23 May.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had a number of meetings. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings with ministerial colleagues and others later today.

  Gulf and Gulf of Oman (Award)
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister whether an award is to be made to members of the armed forces and civilians who were engaged in recent operations in the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

  The Prime Minister
  In recognition of service and with special regard to the dangers and hardships which accompanied duty there, for personnel who served in vessels of the Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, her Majesty the Queen has graciously approved the award of the General Service Medal 1962 with "Gulf-clasp. The award covers operations in the Gulf of Oman between 17 November 1986 and 31 October 1988 and continuing mine 452
  counter-measures operations in the Gulf from 1 November 1988 until 28 February 1989. A Command Paper (Cm. 699) which, inter alia, sets out the criteria of eligibility, is being laid before the House today.

WALES

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Milk Marketing Board about the use of bovine somatotropin on dairy herds in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  None.

  Countryside (Employment)
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has assessed the implications of his agricultural policies on employment in the countryside in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The level of employment on agricultural holdings in Wales in 1988 was marginally higher than in 1983. Grants and subsidies paid to Welsh farmers in 1988 are provisionally estimated to have amounted to £106 million, significantly contributing both directly and indirectly to rural employment.

  Nurses (Regrading)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (I) if he will make a statement concerning nurses' regrading in Wales;

  (2) how many nurses are involved in regrading in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Livsey) on 20 March 1989 by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Welsh Office at column 435. Some 24,787 posts were involved.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any proposals to release empty property belonging to his Department for use by homeless people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The Welsh Office currently holds some 150 dwellings. Where practical, they are used for letting or sale to those in need.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on homelessness in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  1 am concerned as long as there are any families in Wales without permanent homes. That is why the Government have made such a substantial investment in recent years in measures to increase the supply of housing available. We have also encouraged local authorities to make better use of their stock and reduce the number of families in bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

  Singleton Casualty Unit
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to complete the review of the first
  453
  year's work of the Singleton casualty unit since it restored a 24-hour service; and when would be an appropriate date to meet a further deputation led by the right hon. Member for Swansea, West to discuss the future development of the unit.

  Mr. Grist
  The first year of operation of the 24-hour service at the Singleton minor casualty unit will end at the beginning of June. I would therefore expect the review of its work to end by the autumn. If the right hon. Gentleman contacts my office, I shall be happy to arrange a meeting with a deputation led by him.

  Mumbles Railway
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which grant systems are available for a project to reopen the Mumbles railway in Swansea; what are their criteria; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Welsh Office officials have not been informed of any firm proposal to reopen the Mumbles railway. Without precise details, we cannot make a statement.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for Wales the number of(a) acute beds and (b) non-acute beds available since 1979 for each health authority in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 15 May 1989 at column 38.

  Afforestation
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the Welsh water authority's attitude towards the proposals to afforest Bara Ceirch and Bwlch-y-Garreg in the Cambrian mountains; and what provisions have been made for the timing of this afforestation.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  In the light of objections raised by the Welsh water authority to the afforestation proposals for these two sites, the applicants were informed by the Forestry Commission that grant approval would depend on a suitable liming regime being agreed with the water authority. Such an agreement has not so far proved possible.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to make any changes to the cash limits for class XVII, votes 5, 8 and 10 in 1989–90.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the cash limit for class XVII, vote 5 will be increased by £100,000, from £273,611,000 to £273,711,000; the cash limit for class XVII, vote 8 will be increased by £6,800,000, from £823,710,000 to £830,510,000; and the cash limit for class XVII, vote 10 will be increased by £47,000, from £1,049,000,000 to £1,049,047,000.

  The increases for class XVII, votes 5 and 8 follow the decision to implement the recommendations of the review
  454
  bodies for nursing staff, midwives, health visitors and professions allied to medicine and on doctors' and dentists' remuneration, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16 February 1989. These increases will be charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The increase for class XVII, vote 10 is in respect of an adjustment to a local authority's prior year entitlement to block grant. Expenditure on this vote is not classed as direct public expenditure.

  Community Energy Action
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to ensure that adequate numbers of operatives and trainees are available to undertake community energy action work in draughtproofing and loft insulation in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 15 May 1989]: A package of measures was announced on 10 February by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment to help community insulation projects under employment training. Projects which are not suitable for ET might be suitable for providing voluntary work for people who have finished employment training as a means of practising their skills until they find work.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the contribution made to the well-being of elderly people and other vulnerable people in Wales by programmes of community energy action work including draughtproofing and loft insulation in each of the last 10 years; and what targets he intends to set for each of the next five years.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 15 May 1989]: It is essentially a matter for the placement providers to consider the contribution their projects will make to the well-being of the elderly and other vulnerable people in their areas. The elderly will benefit from recent changes to the homes insulation scheme to improve loft insulation and the installation of thermal insulation under the new home improvement grant arrangements.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the number of trainees undertaking community energy action work in draughtproofing and loft insulation to equal the number so engaged under the community programme in April 1988.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 15 May 1989]: It is not possible to compare the numbers on community programme with employment training. Their aims are fundamentally different. Whilst CP provided the long-term unemployed with work experience on projects that benefited the community, ET aims to provide individuals with the skills to meet their own training needs and the needs of the local labour market.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many trainees were employed on community energy action work such as draughtproofing and loft insulation in each district council area in Wales in April 1988 under the community programme; and how many were employed under employment training in April 1989.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 15 May 1989]: Figures for district council areas are not available. The following refer to Training Agency area office regions:
  455

  Community Programme Nos. of participants April 1988

  Employment Training Nos. of trainees April 1989

  Wrexham AO(Clwyd, Gwynedd and Powys)

  173

  130

  Cardiff AO (Mid Glamorgan and South Glamorgan)

  346

  102

  Swansea AO (West Glamorgan and Dyfed)

  149

  62

  Newport AO(Gwent)

  143

  47

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  North-South Campaign
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the representatives who attended the Council of Europe's European public campaign on north-south interdependence and solidarity colloquy, interdependence and cultural development, held in Lisbon, Portugal from 7 to 8 April 1988; and if he will show in his answer(a) what country and (b) what organisation these representatives were from.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  From the information available to me, I understand that the colloquy was attended by more than 100 participants and observers from a number of countries. These included the secretary-general of the Council of Europe, the President of the Republic of Portugal, representatives from 17 developing countries and from a variety of international organisations, churches and non-governmental organisations. I have asked the Council of Europe secretariat for a full list which I shall forward to the hon. Member in due course.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Edward Zolofarevsky
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Russians about the continued failure to grant an exit visa to Edward Boris Zolofarevsky of Moscow.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State raised this case with Mr. Shevardnadze in April. We shall continue to press the Soviet authorities until Mr. Zolofarevsky is allowed to leave the USSR.

  Abduction
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received during the present Parliament about the abduction and taking abroad by their foreign-born fathers of the children of United Kingdom citizen mothers; what information he has of the numbers of such children and the countries where they are now believed to reside; and if he will make a statement.
  456
  Mr. Eggar
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's interest in cases involving the abduction and taking abroad of children stems from the child's British nationality, irrespective of the nationality or place of birth of its parents. Some of the information requested by my hon. Friend is not therefore available—for example, the place of birth of fathers or the nationality of mothers.

  The information which can be provided is not immediately available, and a further reply will be given to my hon. Friend in due course.

  India
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received any representations from any organisation about the denial of human rights in the Punjab, India; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Representations received include a report forwarded by the hon. Member, and the matter was the subject of an Adjournment debate in the House on 11 November 1988.

  As my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office said on that occasion, the Government have always made clear their views on the need for all Governments to respect human rights. We must, however, recognise that the democratic Government of India faces a violent challenge to the rule of law from ruthless terrorists. The Indian Government none the less announced measures in March aimed at improving the situation in the Punjab.

  Public Holidays
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of public holidays which now exist in the member states of the Economic Community.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The list is as follows:

  Days

  Belgium

  10

  Denmark

  10

  Federal Republic of Germany

  10

  France

  11

  Greece

  11

  Italy

  111

  Luxembourg

  12

  The Netherlands

  8

  Portugal

  13

  Republic of Ireland

  8

  Spain

  212

  1 plus 2 falling on Sundays.

  2 plus I discretionary day.

  US Judiciary Subcommittee (Report)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to obtain from the United States Senate for his departmental library the report from the United States judiciary subcommittee on Separation of Powers on Senate Bill 158 of the 97th Congress; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office library purchases United States Committee reports only if their subject is of interest to the FCO.

  Pornography (United States)
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the legislation passed by various American States in 1988 to deal with the so-called dial-a-porn problem.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Library normally obtains only such copies of overseas legislation, other than that of the Commonwealth, as is necessary for day-to-day business.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Private Health Screening
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to control the use of direct mailing advertisements for private health screening services.

  Mr. Forth
  Direct mail advertisements, including those for private health screening services, are covered by the British code of advertising practice, which is administered by the Advertising Standards Authority.

  False statements in advertisements are covered by the provisions of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968. The Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 enable the Director General of Fair Trading to seek a court injunction to prevent the publication of a misleading advertisement, where other means of control have failed. I have no plans to introduce any further controls.

  Telecommunications
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many premium rate telephone message and one-on-one services were carried by each of the operators licensed under the Telecommunications Act 1984 for each of the last 12 months.

  Mr. Atkins
  The telecommunications regime does not oblige individual service providers to register such services. These figures are not, therefore, available. The report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on chatline and message services does, however, provide some indications of the size of the premium rate services area. Its report indicated that some 120 service providers were in business, operating about 11,000 lines. A copy of this MMC report is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many monitoring staff are employed by the independent committee for the supervision of standards of telephone information services; and how many calls they have monitored in each of the past 12 months.

  Mr. Atkins
  These are matters for the independent committee for the supervision of standards of telephone information services. I understand that the committee is taking an increasingly active role in the monitoring of premium services, but the hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman, Louis Blom-Cooper QC, ICSTIS, 67–69 Whitfield Street, London W1P 5RL to request the details he seeks.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the documents in which he 458
  he has given directions to the Director General of Telecommunications under section 47 of the Telecommunications Act 1984; and if he will place them in the Library.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has given no directions under section 47 of the Telecommunications Act 1984.

  Regional Assistance (Corby)
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many projects, and at what cost, have been supplied by regional assistance in the Corby development area in each year since 1979–80.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information is as follows:

  Original regional development grant (RDG I)1 2

  Payments

  £ million

  1979–80

  —

  1980–81

  0·21

  1981–82

  2·68

  1982–83

  6·82

  1983–84

  6·50

  1984–85

  2·59

  1985–86

  1·81

  1986–87

  3·22

  1987–88

  2·11

  1988–89

  1·95

  1 Scheme was not project based

  2 Only payments of over £25,000 included up to 1983–84

  Revised regional development grant (RDG II)1

  £ million

  Approvals

  Payments

  Number of Projects

  1985–86

  10·03

  1·5

  191

  1986–87

  24·23

  4·7

  207

  1987–88

  23·13

  6·4

  224

  1988–89

  15·18

  7·3

  171

  1Scheme introduced November 1984 and terminated March 1988

  Regional selective assistance

  £ million

  Offers

  Payments

  Number of Projects

  1979–80

  —

  —

  —

  1980–81

  1·05

  0·03

  6

  1981–82

  3·44

  0·31

  31

  1982–83

  6·49

  1·43

  57

  1983–84

  6·26

  4·47

  61

  1984–85

  2·09

  3·45

  26

  1985–86

  1·81

  2·89

  16

  1986–87

  1·10

  1·58

  11

  1987–88

  0·38

  0·96

  11

  1988–89

  0·75

  0·37

  5

  Regional enterprise grants1

  £ million

  Offers

  Payments

  Number of Projects

  1988–89

  0·36

  0·01

  32

  1 Scheme introduced March 1988

  Polyester Silk Plants
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list by year for the last 10 years the
  459
  value in current prices of polyester silk plants made in the United Kingdom; and how many companies at the latest date for which he has figures are currently producing this product in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  The figures are not available.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, further to his reply of 27 April,Official Report, columns 614–15, concerning gross output of finished manufactures and imports of semi-manufactures, intermediate products and basic materials, whether he will provide comparable figures for motor cars; and if he will add figures for 1973 and for exports.

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

  Motor vehicles1

  Gross output

  Exports

  £ billion

  £ billion

  1979

  7·2

  1·5

  1 Activity Heading 3510 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised) 1980.

  Source: Department of Trade and Industry.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, further to his reply of 27 April,Official Report, columns 614–15, concerning gross output of finished manufactures and imports of semi-manufactures, intermediate products and basic materials, whether he will provide comparable figures for electrical and electronic engineering products; and if he will add figures for 1973 and for exports.

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

  Electrical and electronic engineering1

  Gross output

  Exports

  £ billion

  £ billion

  1979

  11·5

  3·2

  1 Class 34 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised) 1980.

  Source: Department of Trade and Industry.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, further to his reply of 27 April,Official Report, columns 614–15, concerning gross output of finished manufactures and imports of semi-manufactures, intermediate products and basic materials, whether he will provide comparable figures for mechanical engineering products; and if he will add figures for 1973 and for exports.

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

  Mechanical engineering1

  Gross output

  Exports

  £ billion

  £ billion

  1979

  18·0

  6·1

  1 Class 32 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised) 1980.

  Source: Department of Trade and Industry.

  Inward investment
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the total number of inward investment projects in each of the standard regions and Wales for each of the years 1979 to 1988, inclusive.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 19 Mar 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) on 16 May, at columns 115–16.

  EC Regional Fund
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the precise areas which will now benefit from the EEC regional fund; and if the decision on the boundaries and size of the individual allocations will be made by his Department or by the European Commission.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the precise areas which will now benefit from the EEC regional fund; and if the decision on the boundaries and size of the individual allocations will be made by his Department or by the European Commission.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 22 May 1989]: The following areas of the United Kingdom have been designated for eligibility for the European regional development fund (ERDF) with effect from 1 January 1989. Northern Ireland was designated by the Council of the European Communities in its regulation (EEC) 2052/88 of 24 June 1988. The remainder were designated by the Commission, in pursuance of that regulation, on 22 March and 10 May 1989:
  Northern Ireland;
  The assisted areas of Great Britain, except: Cinderford and Ross-on-Wye, Corby, Kidderminster and Whitby travel-to-work areas, and parts of Birmingham, Bridgend, Cardiff, Coventry and Hinckley, Dudley and Sandwell and Sheffield TTWAs;
  The remainder of the Highlands and Islands Development Board and Development Board for Rural Wales areas;
  The remainder of Greater Manchester; Nottingham City (UPA); and the following TTWAs: Alnwick and Amble, Burnley, Castleford and Pontefract, Chesterfield, Goole and Selby (part), Mansfield, Pendle, Retford, Stirling (part), Wakefield and Dewsbury, Whitehaven and Worksop.

  Both hon. Members' constituencies (Bassetlaw, and Pontefract and Castleford) are thus eligible in their entirety.

  The excluded parts of Bridgend, Cardiff and Sheffield TTWAs remain eligible under transitional provisions, at least for the period of ERDF programmes which relate to them. Camarthen and Llandeilo TTWAs are also now eligible in principle; but the terms of the previous ERDF regulation, which still apply transitionally in the case, provide for ERDF grants in non-nationally aided areas only exceptionally. Further areas may become eligible for limited grants under special programmes—Resider (steel areas), Renaval (shipbuilding areas) and others that may be adopted by the Commission.

  The allocation of grants is determined by the Commission upon application by the Government. Indicative financial plans for ERDF assistance in the three years 1989–91 are to be contained in Community support framework documents, to be established by the Commission in agreement with the Government by the autumn of 1989 and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

  Europe: Open for Business Campaign
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all outside bodies, consultancies and firms who have received payments for work connected with the Europe: Open for Business campaign; and how they were appointed.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 16 May 1989]: The following are the main contractors used on the Europe open for business campaign. The list includes all prime contractors (but not their subcontractors) employed by DTI and the Central Office of Information where the work involved had a value of at least £5,000. Firms and others contracted by DTI direct are denoted by an asterisk (*); those providing services via COI are marked thus(†).

  ABC Graphics Ltd.†

  Atlas Photography Limited†

  Avon Exhibitions Bristol Ltd.†

  Graham Bannock and Partners*

  Birmingham Metropole Hotel†

  Ian Blackman†

  Vic Brent†

  British Airways plc†

  British Telecom†

  Leo Burnett†

  Capital TV Facilities plc†

  Carlton Design†

  Central Office of Information*

  Christian Brann Ltd.†

  Clip Exhibitions and Display Systems†

  Creative Scene*

  Crown Television Productions Ltd.†

  D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles†

  Terence Donovan Production Ltd.†

  Dun and Bradstreet Ltd.†

  Durrants*

  Edit Art Post Production†

  FT Business Information†

  Griffin Factors Ltd.†

  Grundy and Northedge Design*

  Peter Hobday Associates Ltd.†

  HMSO*†

  Hudson Payne and Iddiols†

  ITN†

  Vincent Kane†

  Mike Kaufman (post production) Ltd.†

  Leith's Good Food Ltd.†

  London Colour Copy Centre*

  Look Hear†

  MAS Research Marketing†

  Peter Matthews Displays Ltd.†

  Moore and Mathes*

  Multimark Ltd.†

  One Point Five Ltd.†

  Parkdine Ltd.†

  Pearl and Dean Publicity Ltd.*

  Peat Marwick McLintock*

  Portland Outdoor Advertising Ltd.†

  Post Office†

  Property Services Agency*

  Research Surveys of Great Britain†

  Rex Pictures Ltd.†

  Adrian Rowbotham Films†

  S. D. Systems Ltd.†

  Security Pacific Business†

  Soundset Ltd.†

  Stag Services (Employment) Ltd.†

  Sheila Stirrat†

  David Suchet†

  Teledata Ltd.†

  Anna Valley Displays†

  Video Arts Ltd.*†

  Video Tape Recording Pic†

  WCRS Mathews Marcantonio Ltd.†

  Richard Whiteley†

  Yound & Rubicam Ltd.†

DEFENCE

  Computer Language (ADA)
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will issue a complete list of projects using the mandatory computer programme language Ada; if he will give the Ada specific costs involved in those projects; and whether the use of Ada has helped to control software development and maintenance costs.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The adoption of Ada as MOD's preferred language for new operational software, together with improvements in the management of those projects which have a large and complex software content, is helping to control the costs of software development and maintenance.

  We do not insist inflexibly on the use of Ada. There will be particular circumstances where Ada cannot be used or where an alternative approach might offer better value for money. Information concerning those projects which do use Ada, and the Ada specific costs involved in these projects, is not held centrally. To obtain that information would require a special survey, and would incur disproportionate cost.

  Buccaneer
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects agreement on the air staff requirement for the Buccaneer replacement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Initial studies into possible replacement options are currently in hand. It is too early to say when a staff requirement is likely to be agreed.

  Nimrod
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects agreement on the air staff requirement for the Nimrod MR2 replacement;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the effects of corrosion on the fatigue lives of the RAF Nimrod maritime reconnaissance fleet.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The fatigue life of an airframe is affected by a number of factors, of which corrosion is only one. In the case of the Nimrod MR2, it is too early to assess the effect of corrosion on the aircraft's fatigue life, but we expect the Nimrod to give many more years of useful service. It will be some time before a staff requirement for a replacement aircraft needs to be agreed.

  Harrier
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Harrier GR5 squadrons will be based in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  One.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Harrier GR/7 to enter service with the Royal Air Force.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In the early 1990s.

  RAF Pilots
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average number of hours flown by RAF fast jet pilots per month.
  463
  Mr. Neubert
  The information requested is classified.

  Low-Flying Aircraft
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names, dates and locations of all low-flying exercises conducted since 6 November 1987, advance notice of which was given to hon. Members in affected constituencies.

  Mr. Neubert
  Advance notice of the following exercises has been given to hon. Members whose constituencies were likely to experience unusual low-flying activity:

  Exercise Name

  Exercise Dates

  Exercise Location

  1988

  Key Lift 88

  5–13 March

  North Yorkshire

  Mallet Blow 88/1

  14–18 March

  Northern England/Borders

  Red Lanyard

  9–12 April

  Many areas with centre on Salisbury Plain

  Elder Forest 88

  18–21 April

  East Anglia/Lincolnshire/ Northern England/Eastern Scotland

  Hammer 88/1

  10 May

  Northern England/Southern Scotland

  OSEX 15

  16–20 May

  Wales

  Roaring Lion

  20–26 May

  Many areas with centre on Northumberland

  Central

  6 June

  East Anglia/Lincolnshire/

  Enterprise

  Northern England/Eastern Scotland

  Fast Buzzard

  13–24 July

  Many areas with centre on Salisbury Plain

  Mallet Blow 88/2

  25–29 July

  Northern England/Borders

  Green Lanyard

  1–8 October

  Many areas with centre on South West Wales

  Elder Joust 881

  4–6 October

  East Anglia/Lincolnshire/ North eastern England/ South eastern Scotland

  Hammer 88/2

  11 October

  East Anglia/Northern England/ Southern Scotland

  1989

  Red Lanyard

  17–23 February

  Many areas with centre on Norfolk

  Mallet Blow 89/1

  3–7 April

  Northern England/Borders

  Salty Hammer 892

  9 May

  Northern England/Southern Scotland

  Equipment Trial

  25 April–19 May

  Northern England/Borders

  OSEX 163

  10–19 May

  Wales

  Notes:

  1 Formerly called Exercise Priory.

  2 Formerly called Exercise Hammer.

  3 Including Highland Cardinal work-up exercise.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations and dates of covert surveys of low flying by the RAF police since 25 September 1987.

  Mr. Neubert
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him in response to his similar question on 16 March 1989, at column 241. Since 22 February covert monitoring of low-flying activity has additionally been conducted at the following locations over the periods stated:

  25–27 April

  Liskeard

  2–4 May

  Gloucester

  8–11 May

  Blencarn

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what maximum speed and minimum height will be permitted during mock interception manoeuvres and run-ups to simulated targets, for aircraft participating in the OSEX 16 exercise.
  464
  Mr. Neubert
  The normal height and speed regulations for low flying in the United Kingdom will apply to aircraft participating in OSEX 16.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what use will be made of the 100 ft low-flying area in central Wales during(a) Exercise Highland Cardinal and (b) Exercise OSEX 16.

  Mr. Neubert
  None.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-level sorties will be carried out during exercises Highland Cardinal and OSEX 16.

  Mr. Neubert
  A maximum of 40 low-level sorties daily are planned for Exercise Highland Cardinal and a maximum of 120 daily for Exercise OSEX 16.

  Nuclear Tests
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South of 16 May,Official Report, column 140, he will outline in the Official Report the considerable differences in the situations pertaining to British and United States of America nuclear tests.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The temporal and special variations of the potential radiation hazards that may arise from nuclear tests depend, in a complex manner, on various factors, including device type and disposition, topography of the location, meteorological conditions and the test objectives. The doses of radiation received by individuals depend on the position and movement of individuals relative to the hazards, making due allowance for any protective measures taken. It is thus inevitable that the situations pertaining to United Kingdom and United States were considerably different.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to seek support of the Governments of the United States and France to introduce an amendment to the London dumping convention to allow the sea dumping of military radioactive waste arising, including submarine hulls.

  Mr Sainsbury
  [holding answer 4 May 1989]: The London dumping convention allows the disposal at sea of low and intermediate-level radioactive waste, in accordance with internationally agreed guidelines and procedures, although a non-binding moratorium has been in place since 1983. The Government have decided not to resume sea-disposal of drummed radioactive waste, including waste of military origin. None the less, the Government intend to keep open this option for large items arising from decommissioning operations, although they have taken no decisions about how redundant nuclear submarines will be disposed of.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Income Support
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children were in families on income support in 1988–89.
  465
  Mr. Needham
  The appropriate analysis of the income support caseload has not yet been completed.I shall let the hon. Member have the information as soon as it is available

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list for each year since 1979(a) the number of acute beds available and (b) the number of non-acute beds available in each health board; and if he will give the total for each year.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is set out in the table:

  Year

  Northern Ireland

  Eastern Board

  Northern Board

  Southern Board

  Western Board

  Total acute beds available

  1979

  7,173

  4,198

  1,049

  998

  928

  1980

  7,167

  4,222

  1,056

  974

  915

  1981

  7,074

  4,199

  1,013

  963

  899

  19821

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1983

  7,036

  4,206

  979

  973

  878

  1984

  6,973

  4,140

  1,000

  977

  856

  1985

  6,997

  4,090

  1,051

  1,001

  855

  1986

  6,506

  3,652

  1,023

  984

  847

  1987

  6,221

  3,520

  989

  895

  817

  Total non-acute beds

  1979

  9,953

  4,532

  1,406

  1,663

  2,352

  1980

  9,894

  4,547

  1,417

  1,632

  2,298

  1981

  9,942

  4,605

  1,472

  1,622

  2,243

  19821

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1983

  9,943

  4,710

  1,377

  1,633

  2,223

  1984

  9,744

  4,485

  1,444

  1,630

  2,185

  1985

  9,601

  4,354

  1,457

  1,608

  2,182

  1986

  9,457

  4,345

  1,434

  1,572

  2,106

  1987

  9,191

  4,208

  1,384

  1,537

  2,062

  Total beds available

  1979

  17,126

  8,730

  2,433

  2,661

  3,280

  1980

  17,061

  8,769

  2,473

  2,606

  3,213

  1981

  17,016

  8,804

  2,485

  2,585

  3,142

  19821

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1983

  16,979

  8,916

  2,356

  2,606

  3,101

  1984

  16,717

  8,625

  2,444

  2,607

  3,041

  1985

  16,598

  8,444

  2,508

  2,609

  3,037

  1986

  15,963

  7,997

  2,457

  2,556

  2,953

  1987

  15,412

  7,728

  2,373

  2,432

  2,879

  1 Not available due to industrial action.

  1988 figures are not yet available.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his statement in the First Standing Committee on Statutory Instruments,Official Report, 15 February, column 16, concerning the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988, whether written consents

  Single payments and supplementary benefit caseloads for the period 18 December 1986 to 28 July 1987

  Single payments

  Supplementary benefit caseloads at1

  Social Security office

  Number

  £

  10 February 1987

  8 May 1987

  28 July 1987

  Andersonstown

  7,504

  899,549·64

  7,775

  7,600

  7,754

  Antrim

  9,163

  419,947·62

  5,597

  5,448

  5,487

  Armagh

  3,426

  307,000·02

  4,941

  4,814

  5,078

  Ballymena

  3,984

  356,515·64

  6,263

  5,971

  6,547

  Ballymoney

  3,635

  255,552·61

  4,363

  4,552

  4,358

  Ballynahinch

  476

  34,043·00

  1,418

  1,463

  1,502

  Banbridge

  1,961

  145,245·38

  3,378

  3,268

  3,358

  Bangor

  2,279

  155,179·84

  4,520

  4,519

  4,848

  Carrickfergus

  2,520

  152,719·20

  3,075

  3,021

  3,078

  Coleraine

  5,982

  409,362·68

  6,220

  5,973

  6,066

  466
  under that order from the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) to owners or occupiers of areas of special scientific interest for the carrying out of notifiable operations on such land will specify the exact nature of the consented operation, its limits in time and area, and such other conditions as may be deemed appropriate.

  Mr. Needham
  Written consents issued to owners or occupiers of land with within areas of special scientific interest under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 will specify the exact nature of the consented operations and, where relevant, any limits in time and area. Consents will also specify such other conditions as may be deemed appropriate.

  There will be no difference in the form of consents issued under this order from those issued under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his statement in the First Standing Committee on Statutory Instruments,Official Report, 15 February, column 16, whether he has now considered further the matter of progress in designing special protection areas in Northern Ireland under EC directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds, and if he will make a statement on measures to speed up the process.

  Mr. Needham
  The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has re-examined the procedures for the designation of special protection areas under the terms of EC directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds. While priority is being given to the declaration of areas of special scientific interest under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, where ASSIs are also potential SPAs, the Department will proceed towards SPA designation as soon as is practicable after such ASSI declarations have been confirmed.

  It is expected that a small number of SPAs will be designated under the above arrangements during the next two years.

  Social Security Payments
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the distribution of single payments and caseloads at social security offices during the period 16 December 1986 to 28 July 1987.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 16 May 1989]: The information is set out in the table.
  467

  Single payments

  Supplementary benefit caseloads at1

  Social Security office

  Number

  £

  10 February 1987

  8 May 1987

  28 July 1987

  Cookstown

  2,260

  250,337·70

  3,559

  3,444

  3,586

  Corporation Street

  9,486

  1,051,663·53

  12,359

  12,159

  12,596

  Downpatrick

  3,086

  155,807·16

  2,300

  2,458

  2,797

  Dungannon

  4,821

  386,850·35

  5,965

  5,873

  6,137

  Enniskillen

  2,895

  261,338·69

  8,266

  8,290

  8,490

  Falls

  9,884

  727,109·01

  9,485

  9,034

  9,390

  Holywood Road

  6,928

  453,436·27

  9,018

  8,783

  9,286

  Kilkeel

  676

  51,275·48

  1,437

  1,440

  1,480

  Knockbreda

  2,760

  225,072·52

  6,357

  6,223

  6,657

  Larne

  3,052

  151,624·30

  2,888

  2,799

  2,965

  Limavady

  2,084

  127,109·04

  3,202

  3,136

  3,227

  Lisburn

  7,108

  728,054·03

  6,540

  6,628

  6,694

  Londonderry

  11,470

  1,118,808·56

  14,786

  14,818

  15,901

  Lurgan

  5,854

  856,702·31

  5,806

  5,688

  6,100

  Magherafelt

  3,027

  425,225·75

  5,080

  5,175

  5,289

  Newcastle

  1,339

  67,989·42

  1,888

  1,861

  1,941

  Newry

  5,010

  669,516·30

  9,600

  9,457

  9,748

  Newtownabbey

  4,840

  247,413·38

  5,774

  5,415

  5,941

  Newtownards

  1,702

  123,481·10

  3,840

  3,986

  3,910

  Omagh

  3,783

  378,413·86

  5,577

  5,530

  6,039

  Portadown

  2,268

  194,414·67

  3,837

  3,728

  3,992

  Shaftesbury Squar

  6,465

  565,737·83

  6,662

  6,896

  8,152

  Shankill

  4,220

  365,981·69

  5,367

  5,209

  5,328

  Strabane

  5,193

  381,830·67

  6,045

  6,121

  6,039

  Total

  151,141

  13,100,309·25

  193,183

  190,780

  199,761

  1 During the period in question there were three counts of the caseload as shown·

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the total numbers in receipt of(a) mobility allowance (b) attendance allowance and (c) invalid care allowance and to indicate the total number of claims received for each allowance in each of the past five years indicating the number of claims from each year which were successful.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 16 May 1989]: The total numbers of people in Northern Ireland in receipt of mobility allowance, attendance allowance and invalid care allowance at the latest date for which information is available are 13,530, 29,394 and 6,174 respectively. The total numbers of claims received for each allowance in each of the last five years and the total numbers of claims allowed in those years are as follows:

  Year

  Claims received

  Claims allowed

  Mobility Allowance

  1984

  4,544

  2,055

  1985

  5,017

  2,330

  1986

  5,427

  2,959

  1987

  6,382

  2,838

  1988

  6,278

  2,866

  Attendance Allowance

  1984

  12,043

  8,697

  1985

  12,285

  8,186

  1986

  12,409

  9,078

  1987

  13,951

  8,651

  1988

  15,709

  10,852

  Invalid Care

  1984

  208

  183

  1985

  391

  156

  1986

  5,072

  1,264

  1987

  2,995

  3,528

  1988

  1,873

  1,849

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the age profile of those receiving(a) mobility allowance (b) attendance allowance and (c) invalidity care allowance.
  468
  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 16 May 1989]: The latest available information is as follows:

  (a) Mobility Allowance

  Age at 31 December 1988

  Number

  Under 5

  8

  5–9

  365

  10–14

  351

  15–19

  472

  20–24

  493

  25–29

  465

  30–34

  528

  35–39

  580

  40–44

  757

  45–49

  942

  50–54

  1,232

  55–59

  1,760

  60–64

  2,354

  65+

  2,615

  Total

  12,922

  (b) Attendance Allowance

  Age at 29 December 1988

  Number

  2–4

  577

  5–9

  1,246

  10–14

  1,032

  15

  190

  16–19

  776

  20–24

  910

  25–29

  812

  30–34

  695

  35–39

  716

  40–44

  694

  45–49

  798

  50–54

  901

  55–59

  1,168

  60–64

  1,499

  65–69

  2,147

  70–74

  2,524

  75–79

  3,444

  80–84

  3,828

  85–89

  3,039

  90–94

  1,663

  469

  Age at 29 December 1988

  Number

  95+

  735

  Total

  29,394

  (c) Invalid Care Allowance

  Age at 23 February 1989

  Number

  16–20

  46

  21–25

  162

  26–30

  427

  31–35

  628

  36–40

  805

  41–45

  1,061

  46–50

  969

  51–55

  890

  56–60

  881

  61–65

  269

  66–70

  24

  70+

  12

  Total

  6,174

  Attendance Allowance Board
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the number of adjudication officer decisions reviewed by the Attendance Allowance Board in each of the past five years, the number of the board's own decisions which were further reviewed and the outcome of such reviews.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 17 May 1989]: The numbers of decisions reviewed by the Attendance Allowance Board in each of the last five years and the outcomes of the reviews are as follows:

  Year

  Decisions Reviewed

  Claims allowed on Review

  1984

  1,663

  899

  1985

  1,665

  866

  1986

  2,079

  830

  1987

  2,982

  1,219

  1988

  3,055

  1,487

  The number of appeals on a point of law heard by the social security commissioner against decisions of the Attendance Allowance Board in each of the last five years and the outcomes of such appeals are as follows:

  Year

  Appeals Heard

  Appeals Allowed

  1984

  6

  3

  1985

  16

  5

  1986

  22

  7

  1987

  33

  8

  1988

  71

  17

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the number of adjudication officer decisions in respect of mobility allowance which were reviewed on appeal by the medical board in each of the past four years, the outcome 470
  of such reviews, the number of such decisions further appealed to the medical appeal tribunal and the outcome of such appeals.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 17 May 1989]: The numbers of appeals heard by medical boards and medical appeal tribunals in respect of claims to mobility allowance in Northern Ireland in each of the last four years and the outcome of such appeals are as follows:

  Year

  Appeals heard

  Appeals allowed

  Appeals to medical boards

  1985

  733

  188

  1986

  822

  186

  1987

  697

  135

  1988

  987

  210

  Appeals to medical appeal tribunals

  1985

  226

  83

  1986

  273

  75

  1987

  277

  97

  1988

  292

  117

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary have lost their lives in the course of their duty in Northern Ireland during each of the past five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 18 May 1989]: The information is as follows:

  Year

  Number of Officers

  1984

  10

  1985

  23

  1986

  15

  1987

  17

  1988

  7

  These figures include members of the RUC and RUC Reserve.

  Medical Cards
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many medical cards were issued in Northern Ireland in each of the five weeks beginning 16 April, 23 April and 30 April, 7 May and 14 May and the five corresponding weeks in 1988.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 22 May 1989]: The information is as follows:

  Week Commencing

  Number of Cards issued

  1989

  1988

  16 April

  1,372

  527

  23 April

  785

  516

  30 April

  845

  555

  7 May

  1,789

  840

  14 May1

  1,148

  786

  1 Up to and including 18 May.

  Vehicles
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vehicles and at what value
  471
  were purchased by (a) his Department and (b) other public sector agencies for which he is responsible, in 1988; and how many of these vehicles were British made within

  Department

  Vehicles purchased by department

  Vehicles purchased by public sector agencies

  Number of British made vehicles1

  Number

  Value2

  Number

  Value2

  DANI

  74

  918,705

  —

  —

  52

  DOE

  134

  1,691,242

  135

  2,992,866

  237

  DENT3

  1

  11,000

  134

  2,626,734

  —

  DHSS4

  183

  2,067,550

  —

  —

  118

  DED

  3

  22,902

  213

  2,120,527

  161

  1 This list is based on the definition employed by the Department of Trade and Industry for statistical purposes, under which a vehicle is classified as United Kingdom—produced if the United Kingdom context exceeds 50 per cent. of the ex-works value.

  2 Includes VAT.

  3 Department of Education was unable to establish number of British made vehicles.

  4 Department of Health and Social Services could provide only a total figure for both Departments and the public sector.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his assessment of the current financial position of the fishing industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  After a series of good years the United Kingdom fishing industry is on a strong financial footing. Although landings so far this year are down compared with 1988, their average value remains high. And fuel prices, a major cost item for most fishermen, have fallen substantially over the past five years.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the level of third country fish imports since the beginning of the current year; and what assessment he has made of possible breaches of the reference pricing system.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Imports of fresh, chilled and frozen fish from countries outside the European Community in the first three months of 1989 were 47,552 tonnes at a value of £59 million. A small number of consignments have been below the reference price but none has been significant enough to trigger Community action .

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the areas of priority in the fishing industry which he will seek to raise at the Council of Ministers on 21 June; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  There are a number of issues of concern to the industry which I expect to be discussed by the Council and I will take a view on what else I need to raise when I see the draft agenda.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on tonnage and horsepower in the United Kingdom fishing fleet and on how these relate to the targets accepted by Her Majesty's Government under the multi-annual guidance programme.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The size of the United Kingdom fishing fleet, as at 1 January 1989, was 174,774 gross
  472
  the definition of British as set out by the Department of Trade and Industry in its arrangement on content with the European Community.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  [holding answer 17 April 1989]: The information available is as follows:

  registered tonnage (GRT) and 890,995 kilowatts (kw) (1,211,753 horsepower). Under our multi-annual guidance programme the United Kingdom is obliged to reduce fleet capacity to 161,231 GRT and 831,708 kw by the end of this year, to 150,336 GRT and 785,340 kw by the end of 1990, and to 141,620 GRT and 748,245 kw by the end of the programme on 31 December 1991.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will reconsider the decision to grant an extension of registration and licensing facilities to the flags-of-convenience vessels currently under legal debate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  There has been no decision to grant an extension of registration to any flag-of-convenience vessels. With effect from 1 April 1989 any vessels which failed to satisfy the new registration rules for fishing vessels under part II of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 have been removed from the register, and cannot lawfully fish against United Kingdom quotas.

  Provided they do not fish in the meantime, the owners of those vessels party to the legal challenge to the new registration rules (in the Factortame case) have until 1 October 1989 to transfer their licences upon the sale of the vessels to genuine British owners who meet the new registration rules.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further consideration he has given to the introduction of a scheme of decommissioning of the fishing fleet under European Community regulation No. 4028/86.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on Monday 22 May to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman), at column 372.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on licensing policy for the United Kingdom fishing fleet.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  Access to United Kingdom quota species continues to be governed by the restrictive licensing scheme first introduced in 1984 and subsequently amended on several occasions. Fisheries Departments are considering whether further amendments might be
  473
  desirable in the light of the wide-ranging and diverse responses from the fishing industry to our consultation exercise last year.

  Brogdale Experimental Horticulture Station
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the Brogdale experimental horticulture station is to be closed; and what arrangements will be made for the care and maintenance of the national fruit variety collection there.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The proposal to close Brogdale experimental horticulture station, which was announced to the House on 21 March, stems from the withdrawal of public funding from near market R and D. Final decisions on the closure of Brogdale will not be taken until consultations with industry have been concluded. We intend however to ensure that the national fruit collection is preserved, and we are considering what arrangements should be made in the event that the station is closed.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total cost to public funds of(a) the Brogdale experimental horticulture station and (b) the national fruit variety collection there, for each of the years 1979 to date in (i) current prices and (ii) constant prices.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The information relating to the gross full economic cost of Brogdale experimental husbandry station from 1981–82 is as follows:

  Gross full economic cost (£ thousands)

  Year

  (a) current prices

  (b) constant prices (1987–88 base)

  1981–82

  502

  672

  1982–83

  656

  820

  1983–84

  739

  882

  1984–85

  785

  892

  1985–86

  917

  984

  1986–87

  876

  911

  1987–88

  881

  881

  Important elements of the overall cost of maintaining the national fruit collection are undertaken in common with support to other work undertaken at Brogdale EHS. Separate NFC costings have not been collected throughout the period in question, but on the basis of manpower required to maintain the NFC it is estimated that, as part of Brogdale EHS, the NFC accounted for some 7 per cent. of Brogdale's total costs in 1987–88, equivalent to some £60,000. It is not thought likely that this relative cost has been significantly different in earlier years.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether it is intended to change the cash and running cost limits on any Department vote for which he has responsibility.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised Estimate the cash limit for class IV, vote 2, (Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce; administration) will be reduced by £1,284,000 from £39,509,000 to £38,225,000, and that for class IV,474
  vote 5 (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; departmental research, advisory services and administration) will be reduced by £72,000 from £257,014,000 to £256,942,000. The running cost limit for class IV, vote 2 will also be reduced by £76,000 from £19,957,000 to £19,881,000 and that for class IV, vote 5 will be reduced by £72,000 from £262,458,000 to £262,386,000.

  The reductions in the running cost limits on votes 2 and 5 reflect the transfer of provision to the Scottish Office administration vote (class XVI, vote 21) for processing data from England and Wales in connection with the beef special premium scheme. The remainder of the reduction to the cash limit of £1,208,000 on vote 2 arises on IBAP's agency payments to DANI in respect of the beef variable premium scheme which has ended.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library copies of the letters he received on 22 June 1988 and 15 November 1988 from Sir Richard Southwood which contained the interim recommendations of his committee and Government action on bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 22 May 1989]: Yes, I have arranged for copies of the letters to be placed in the Library of the House today.

  Meat Products (Animal Brains)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any statutory restrictions exist on the use of animal brains in the manufacture of human foodstuffs.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 22 May 1989]: The Meat Products and Spreadable Fish Products Regulations 1984 prohibit the use of brains in the manufacture of uncooked meat products. I shall shortly be issuing proposals for legislation which would prohibit the sale of baby foods containing brains and other specified offal. I understand through trade sources that brains are not used in baby foods.

  Pollution
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now ban the discharge into waters off the north Devon coast of untreated sewage and chemical waste.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  The discharge of waste by pipeline is regulated by water authorities. Water authorities' own discharges of sewage by pipeline are regulated by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  My Ministry licenses deposits from vessels. There are no licences for deposit off the north Devon coast of chemical waste. Most of the sewage sludge which is licensed has been treated. The disposal site is periodically monitored and no significant adverse effects have been identified.

HEALTH

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he estimates will be the average capital charge to self-governing hospital trusts in London.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Self-governing trusts will not pay capital charges, but they will be given a financial regime similar to the capital charging system for district managed hospitals. The precise details are still being finalised and I expect to give further details within the next few weeks.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number and location of those hospitals considering self-governing status.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Regional health authorities have been asked to send expressions of interest to the Department by 31 May. But I understand that well over 100 expressions of interest have been received throughout the country.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the White Paper proposals for medical audit.

  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the proposals for medical audit outlined in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients" on medical audit.

  Mr. Mellor
  Our proposals on medical audit have been widely welcomed by doctors. The White Paper made it clear that there would be discussions with the medical profession and first meetings have already been held in a constructive manner.

  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether National Health Service self-governing hospitals will have to retain emergency services.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Yes, unless it would be better for these services to be provided elsewhere.

  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure that copies of the White Paper "Working for Patients" are available to doctors.

  Mr. Mellor
  Copies of "Working for Patients" were sent to health authorities and family practitioner committees to explain the proposals to doctors in their management role. Copies of the three working papers directly relevant to the family doctor service were sent to all GPs. Individual copies of the White Paper are available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office, price £8·80, or by order through public libraries.

  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received from members of the public about his White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Mellor
  In excess of 4,000 letters.
  476
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the proposals to allow hospitals to become sell governing National Health Service hospitals.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on his proposals to allow hospitals to become self governing.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received a large number of letters from members of the public and many responses from representational bodies on the White Paper proposals including those relating to enabling hospitals to become self governing within the NHS. Many people find the proposals attractive.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the consequences of allowing general practitioners' practices to hold their own budgets.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the proposals to allow general practitioners' practices to hold their own budgets will affect patient care.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Practice budgets will offer general medical practitioners new opportunities to improve the quality and standard of service to their patients. GPs with budgets will have control over large sums of taxpayers' money which they will be able to use as they judge best for the provision of care to their patients. This means that GPs will, for the first time, be able to back their referral decisions for those conditions covered by the budget with taxpayers' money to provide the chosen hospital with finance for the treatment. As a result hospitals will be encouraged to be more responsive to the needs of individual GPs and their patients, and GPs in the practice budget scheme will have a much greater role than at present in influencing the provision of hospital services. This can only be of benefit to patients and to the NHS as a whole.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from professional bodies and trades unions concerning the review of the National Health Service.

  Mr. Mellor
  A good many expressing many different views.

  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the effect on doctors who choose to operate a practice budget, as proposed in the White Paper "Working for Patients" of an overspend in their budget.

  Mr. Mellor
  There is of course no question of patients not receiving the treatment they need as a result of a budget overspend. Larger practices which volunteer to hold a practice budget will be allowed to overspend by up to 5 per cent. a year on the basis that a corresponding reduction will be made the following year. Where the overspend is due to the changed cirumstances of a practice such as an increase in the number of patients or in their relative need for services, the practice may ask for a review of its budget. If a practice overspends by more than 5 per cent., or persistently overspends at a lower level, the family practitioner committee will initiate a thorough audit. An overspend greater than 5 per cent. for two years in succession may lead to the practice losing the right to hold its own budget.
  477
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of Health how will patients be affected by the proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the consequences for patient care of the proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients."

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Our proposals will produce a better quality of care for all NHS patients, including elderly and chronically sick people. We intend to bring all services up to the standard of the very best and to make certain that taxpayers' money is used to best effect from the patients' point of view. The proposals reflect our strong commitment to the principles on which the NHS was founded and will ensure that it is more than ready to face the rapidly changing and rising demands upon it as medical science progresses and the average age of the population rises.

  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether under the proposals in the White Paper, "Working for Patients", a patient could go without necessary drugs if a general practitioner overspends on his or her drug budget.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No. As a result of our proposals no patient could ever go without necessary drugs in any circumstances. Indicative prescribing budgets for GPs will be set at sensible and realistic levels and in discussion with each practice to reflect the needs for drugs of patients in that practice. While general medical practitioners will be expected to aim to contain their prescribing within their indicative budgets, we fully accept that the legitimate demand for drugs may not follow a consistent pattern at practice level and that some practices may exceed their indicative budgets with good reason. There will be no question of any doctor ever being prevented from prescribing necessary medicine for any patient, whether or not he or she has overspent or will overspend his indicative budget.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the consequences of the new general practitioners' contract for rural practices.

  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how rural practices will be affected by the new general practitioners' contract.

  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement of the future of general practitioners' practices in rural areas.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  As I announced to the House on 5 May, we have now reached agreement with the general medical services committee's negotiators on all the major outstanding issues on the new contract for GPs. We have modified our proposals in several ways which will be welcomed by GPs serving rural areas. We have agreed to retain the present rural practice payments scheme pending its revision by the Central Advisory Committee on Rural Practice Payments. We have included home visits in the hours of availability to patients required of GPs, although in consequence we have raised the number of hours to 26 per week. We have agreed that the requirement for GPs to be available over five days a week may be reduced to four days where the GP carries out other health-related activity in the public service (for example, service in a community hospital).
  478
  We have also agreed that ad hoc minor surgical operations may be aggregated for the purpose of claiming entitlement to the new minor surgery sessional payments. Many GPs serving rural areas will benefit from retention of seniority payments (though reduced in value) and from the extension of the higher night visit fee to rotas of up to 10 GPs. Retention of partnership average list size for calculating entitlement to basic practice allowance, and the lowering of the threshold for full basic practice allowance to 1,200 patients rather than 1,500 as previously proposed, will also benefit GPs in rural areas.

  The general medical services committee has agreed to put the agreement to the annual conference of local medical committee representatives in June on the basis recommended by its negotiators.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the proposals affecting family practitioner committees in the White Paper, "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received responses to the White Paper "Working for Patients" from a large number of organisations and individuals. Many of these have included comments on the proposals affecting family practitioner committees.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on allowing district health authorities to purchase health care from hospitals.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on his proposals to allow health authorities to purchase health care from hospitals.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received a large number of representations on the White Paper proposals, from statutory, voluntary and professional bodies and from individuals including right hon. and hon. Members. Many have welcomed the proposed relationship between health authorities and general practitioner practice budget holders on the one hand and hospitals as the providers of services on the other since this will allow contracts to specify services, quality of standards and levels of agreed funding, enabling money to follow patient choice. We will take careful note of these comments in taking forward our plans for implementing our policies.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will commission any pilot studies of general practitioner practices operating practice budgets similar to those proposed in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Mellor
  Eligibility for practice budgets will be confined, at least initially, to practices or groups of practices with a registered list of at least 11,000 patients to provide sufficient budgetary flexibility. Practices will also need to be able to demonstrate the ability to manage budgets including having adequate administrative support and IT and information systems. On this basis we see no need for separate pilot studies of practice budgets but we will of course keep the system under review once it has started to operate in April 1991 and make any improvements which are necessary in the light of experience.
  479
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received to date in response to his proposals for National Health Service reforms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy) earlier today.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expressions of interest he has received from hospitals in Shropshire for the granting of National Health Service hospital trust status.

  Mr. Mellor
  None. However, I understand that the West Midlands regional health authority has received a number of expressions of interest in self government from hospitals in the region; these will be sent to the Department by 31 May.

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the proposed indicative drugs budgets for general practitioners will affect patient care.

  Mr. Mellor
  Indicative prescribing budgets will improve patient care. They will provide a further incentive to general practitioners to examine their prescribing patterns critically to ensure that they prescribe in the most effective way possible. This includes prescribing only when and for as long as necessary. More effective prescribing is better for patients. All patients will always get the drugs they need.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress made on his proposals to cash limit general practitioners' budgets.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are making good progress in developing details plans for implementing practice budgets for GPs from 1 April 1991. These budgets will be available to GPs who fulfil the eligibility criteria and choose to opt for them in view of the new freedoms of choice they will confer on the practice.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether National Health Service self governing hospitals will have to retain core services.

  Mr. Mellor
  Yes, unless it would be better for these services to be provided elsewhere.

  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals have applied for self-budgeting status in accordance with the provisions in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many requests for information he has received from National Health Service hospitals interested in achieving self governing status.

  Mr. Mellor
  Regional health authorities are currently considering expressions of interest in individual hospitals becoming self governing. They have been asked to send the expressions of interest to the Department, together with their comments, by 31 May.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he estimates to be the optimum size of practice for a general practitioner in an average urban area; and if he will make a statement.
  480
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of the increased capitation element in the general practitioners' contract on doctor-patient relationships.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what detailed assessment he has made of the effect of the new general practitioners' contract on list sizes.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what detailed assessment he has made of the implications of the new general practitioners' contract for doctors' list sizes.

  Mr. Mellor
  We believe that the increase to 60 per cent. of the proportion of general practitioners' income represented by capitation payments will stimulate greater competition among general practitioners and make services more responsive to patients' needs.

  Our proposals for making more information available to patients and making it easier to change doctors will encourage patients to choose the general practitioner who provides the best service. We expect therefore that general practitioners who provide a wide range of high-quality services will gain patients, and those who do not will have to improve their services in order to maintain income. List sizes will, however, settle al levels consistent with the provision and maintenance of high-quality services, because patients will not join or remain on the list of a general practitioner whose services are below standard. We do not consider that there is an optimum list size, because the quality of services depends on a range of factors (for example, the size and skills of the practice team) of which list size is only one.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what detailed assessment he has made of the implication of the new general practitioners' contract for women doctors.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the proposed contract for general practitioners.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to attract more women doctors into general practice.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further representations he has received from the British Medical Association relating to the general practitioners' contract.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Bristol, East (Mr. Sayeed) and Rutland and Melton (Mr. Latham) earlier today.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate the Government have made of the effects of the proposed changes in the remuneration of general practitioners on the gross income of those who do not opt for their own budgets; and what is the intended effect of the new arrangements in terms of(a) the number of patients per doctor and (b) the number of staff employed by doctors, and their remuneration.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway), for Brigg and Cleethorpes (Mr. Brown),
  481
  for Slough (Mr. Watts) and for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) today. Under the proposals for GP practice budgets set out in the White Paper "Working for Patients" and working paper 3, practices that opt to become budget holders may invest any savings on their annual budget in improving the services they offer to patients. The Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration will continue, as now, to recommend the average net income and indirectly reimbursed expenses of all GPs, whether budget holders or not. Other expenses incurred by GPs are reimbursed directly.

  We expect the number of staff employed by GPs to increase as a result of our intention to invest more in practice teams, and to remove the present restraints on their number and the range of qualifying duties. By enabling FPCs to target funds on areas of greatest need, the deployment of practice team staff will become more cost effective.

  Halton General Hospital
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to visit Halton general hospital to discuss the future of the hospital.

  Mr. Freeman
  I look forward to a visit when convenient.

  Ministers make special efforts to visit as many hospitals as possible.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the target number of patients to be treated in Halton district general hospital in 1988–89; and what was the actual outcome in that year.

  Mr. Freeman
  We do not hold this information centrally. My hon. Friend may care to contact the chairman of the Halton district health authority.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many non-medical services provided within National Health Service hospitals are now subject to competitive tendering.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am aware of at least 20 different non-medical services which health authorities have subjected to competitive tendering, most frequently as the result of local initiatives.

  NHS Funding
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding the level of funding of the National Health Service.

  Mr. Freeman
  The level of funding for the NHS is a matter of considerable interest, often raised in correspondence and at meetings and visits; since 1979 expenditure has increased by some 40 per cent. in real terms and we are now spending more on the National Health Service than ever before.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent the additional funds allocated to the National Health Service this year are to be used to repay deficits accumulated in earlier years.

  Mr. Freeman
  Within the additional resources allocated to the National Health Service, combined with continued 482
  improvements in efficiency, including planned rationalisations of service, authorities are expected to plan to bring income and expenditure into balance. Where a region has funded excess spending by districts in earlier years the repayment of such funding, including use of the additional resources made available this year, is a matter for agreement between the region and districts concerned.

  Medical Control Agency
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent the pharmaceutical industry contributes to the financing of the Medical Control Agency.

  Mr. Mellor
  From I April 1989 the full cost of the Medicines Control Agency work is to be funded by the pharmaceutical industry, save for the costs of the work of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission whose staff are provided by the agency, the cost of NHS inspection work and certain other minor matters. Payment will be made through licence and inspection fees.

  Nurses
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many appeal cases concerning nurses' gradings have been(a) lodged, (b) upheld and (c) refused since I April 1988, by authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) earlier today.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on nursing staff levels in Oxfordshire.

  Mr. Mellor
  As at 31 March 1989 the Oxfordshire DHA had 4,232.1 "worked whole time equivalent" nursing and midwifery staff. Recruitment of trained nursing staff is satisfactory in most specialties and an additional £200,000 has been made available by the district to the John Radcliffe hospital to deploy additional staff on medical and surgical wards. A new nurse training scheme, due to start in October, has attracted a large number of applicants.

  Bassetlaw Hospital
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters he has had from members of the public or local organisations in Bassetlaw supporting the application from the Bassetlaw health authority to turn the Bassetlaw hospital, Worksop into a self governing trust.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  None, but only one against. If an application is made for Bassetlaw health authority to become self governing I will look to the Trent regional health authority to seek the views of all those with an interest.

  Human Placenta
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on the sale of human placenta by National Health Service hospitals.

  Mr. Freeman
  There is a long-standing arrangement under which health authorities can make available
  483
  placenta to a commercial organisation. I understand this is used for therapeutic purposes (for example the manufacture of albumen and gamma globulin) and that a small handling charge is paid to participating health authorities to cover storage costs.

  Family Practitioner Committees
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the intended effects of the changes in composition of the family practitioner committees proposed in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Family practitioner committees will have a greatly enhanced management role in future as a result of the implementation of the proposals in the two White Papers: "Promoting Better Health" and "Working for Patients". I therefore intend to create committees more suited to taking the necessary decisions and managing the contracts of the doctors, dentists, opticians and pharmacists in contract with the NHS in their area. I believe that FPCs should play a significant role in protecting and raising the standards of primary health care for patients.

  British Medical Association
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of the British Medical Association; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the chairman of the British Medical Association; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friends to my right hon. and learned Friend's reply earlier today to my hon. Friends the Members for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes) and Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind).

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he next expects to meet the British Medical Association; and what he expects to discuss.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I understand from newspaper reports that the BMA wishes to meet me again to discuss the White Paper on NHS reforms. I expect therefore to have a meeting with it on that subject in the near future.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the financing of local authority and health authority services for the disabled for which his Department has responsibility.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current level of expenditure on those services for disabled people for which his Department is responsible.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is not possible to identify separately the financing of National Health Service expenditure on services for this client group. They will have benefited, however, from the growth in expenditure on the National Health Service by around 40 per cent. in real terms since 1979. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy estimates that in 1988–89 gross expenditure on local authority personal social services for physically and sensorily handicapped people will total over £200 million.

  NHS Expenditure
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total amount of National Health Service health care expenditure spent in the north-west region as a percentage of total National Health Service health care expenditure, for the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Freeman
  In 1987–88 total revenue and capital expenditure by health authorities comprising the north-western region was £1,078·4 million, which represented 9 per cent. of the total expenditure of all regional and district health authorities in England.

  Fair Hearing Campaign
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to respond to the recommendations put to him by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf in the fair hearing campaign; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Royal National Institute for the Deaf is currently refining its proposals in the light of comments it has received from a number of organisations concerned with the provision of hearing aids. We shall need to consider the very complex issues involved in the context of RNID's revised proposals.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he can give an estimate of the savings made in the last available year from the contracting out of services within the National Health Service.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 21 March to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. King), at column 564.

  Tobacco Advertising
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the second report of the committee for monitoring arrangements on tobacco advertising and sponsorship.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. King) on 18 April, at columns 119–20.

  Midwives
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a further statement on midwives regrading.

  Mr. Mellor
  All midwives have been regraded within the new clinical grading structure with effect from 1 April 1988. Information on the assimilation from old grades to the new has been placed in the Library. A number of appeals against gradings are outstanding. Assimilation to the new structure resulted in an average pay increase for 1988–89 of over 20 per cent. The new structure provides greatly improved career opportunities.

  Griffiths Report
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the recommendations of the Griffiths report.
  485
  Mr. Mellor
  We have received over 270 representations from hon. Members, organisations and members of the public about Sir Roy's recommendations. Recent responses have been received from a number of national organisations and professional groups. We are studying all responses carefully as we formulate our own proposals.

  Occupational Health Facilities
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health authorities which are providing occupational health facilities to private companies and public bodies.

  Mr. Freeman
  We do not collect this information centrally. It is for individual health authorities to decide whether to enter into such arrangements.

  Registered Homes Act 1984
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he plans to review the scope of the Registered Homes Act 1984.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 23 February, at column 793.

  In Vitro Fertilisation
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of IVF within the south-west region, with particular reference to(a) its availability free of charge in Bristol and (b) its non-availability in the North Devon health area.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 15 May, at columns 80–81, and my pursuant reply to him yesterday.

  Homeless and Rootless (Wakefield)
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has received from the Wakefield family practitioner committee on action taken to help the homeless and rootless; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The family practitioner committee has secured the provision of general medical services on the one official travellers' camp in the Wakefield area. The service, which began on 5 April using the Wakefield health authority's mobile clinic, is provided by a local doctor supported by community nursing staff. No other problems have been encountered.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital closures proposals have been confirmed by his Department since 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  Ministerial approval has been given to 85 proposals for total closures of hospitals/units from 1979 to end 1988.

  Childhood Cancer
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by research teams funded by his Department in identifying the causes of childhood cancer incidence.
  486
  Mr. Freeman
  The Department's commissioned research into childhood cancer complements a wide range of studies internationally. A variety of possible factors have been investigated, and while some progress is being made, in general, specific causes are not fully understood.

  Consultants (Dismissals)
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) consultants and (b) other doctors in hospitals were dismissed in each of the past 20 years.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not collect this information routinely and could obtain it only at disproportionate cost.

  Medical Schools
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the role of university medical schools in relation to the proposals in "Working for Patients."

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have received representations from various organisations and individuals, including the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, and the Joint Committee of Metropolitan and Provincial Deans, which represents the deans of United Kingdom medical schools and clinical facilities. Both these bodies have welcomed the commitment in "Working for Patients" to maintaining the quality of medical education. I will be considering their comments very carefully in developing our proposals.

  In addition, paragraph 4.30 of "Working for Patients" explains that the steering group on undergraduate medical and dental education will carry forward its work and make recommendations in the light of the proposals in the White Paper. The steering group contains representatives of all the major bodies with responsibility for medical and dental education, and is making a constructive contribution to the implementation of "Working for Patients".

  Dental and Eye Tests (Changes)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if there has been any change in the number of people having dental examinations and eye tests since the introduction of charges.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the impact of the introduction of dental charges on the number of patients attending for dental checks.

  Mr. Mellor
  Demand for dental treatment is subject to short-term fluctuation irrespective of changes made to charges. The Department monitors the number of courses scheduled for payment each month. It is unlikely that an assessment of whether there has been an effect on demand following the introduction of the examination charge can be made until figures are available for the quarter July-September 1989.

  There is no charge for NHS sight tests. We shall be monitoring the position in respect of private sight tests in the autumn.

  Grading
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many appeals in respect of clinical regrading are outstanding at the latest date; and when he expects the appeals to be concluded.
  487
  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally.

  Electoral Registers
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 25 constituencies with the lowest electorate in 1989 in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) England.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:

  Constituencies with smallest electorate in 1989

  Electors

  (a) United Kingdom

  Western Isles

  23,097

  Caithness and Sutherland

  31,031

  Orkney and Shetland

  31,116

  Meirionnydd Nant Conwy

  32,556

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  38,773

  Montgomery

  41,022

  Glasgow, Pro van

  41,086

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  43,484

  Surbiton

  44,344

  Chelsea

  44,381

  Kensington

  44,393

  Glasgow, Garscadden

  44,828

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  46,345

  Caernarfon

  46,510

  Liverpool, Riverside

  46,563

  Hammersmith

  47,198

  Newham North West

  47,591

  Glasgow, Cathcart

  47,702

  Edinburgh East

  47,802

  Paisley North

  48,213

  Argyll and Bute

  48,695

  Walthamstow

  48,744

  Clackmannan

  48,757

  Glasgow, Springburn

  48,785

  Glasgow, Govan

  48,908

  (b) England

  Surbiton

  44,344

  Chelsea

  44,381

  Kensington

  44,393

  Liverpool, Riverside

  46,563

  Hammersmith

  47,198

  Newham North West

  47,591

  Walthamstow

  48,744

  Greenwich

  49,007

  Plymouth, Drake

  49,930

  Coventry South East

  50,333

  Old Bexley and Sidcup

  50,507

  Knowsley North

  50,538

  Barking

  51,501

  Richmond and Barnes

  51,746

  Birmingham, Sparkbrook

  51,788

  Newham South

  52,000

  Fulham

  52,107

  Hendon South

  52,242

  Coventry North West

  52,665

  Kingston upon Thames

  53,048

  Barnsley East

  53,324

  Eltham

  53,542

  Birmingham, Erdington

  53,552

  Hendon North

  54,059

  Liverpool, Garston

  54,059

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in the Official Report each parliamentary constituency in England where electoral registrations have declined by more than 4 per cent. between 1988 and 1989, together with the size of the decline in each case in percentage and absolute figures.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is as follows:
  488

  Parliamentary constituency

  Change in total parliamentary electorate, 1988–89

  Number

  Percentage

  Manchester, Blackley

  -2,421

  -4·1

  Harrow East

  -3,742

  -4·6

  Finchley

  -2,710

  -4·6

  Wolverhampton North East

  -3,101

  -4·9

  Bristol West

  -3,471

  -4·9

  Chelsea

  -2,382

  -5·1

  Southend West

  -4,110

  -5·9

  Mid Kent

  -4,846

  -6·5

  Manchester Central

  -4,078

  -6·6

  Southend East

  -4,658

  -7·7

  Liverpool, Mossley Hill

  -4,865

  -8·1

  Liverpool, West Derby

  -5,263

  -8·8

  Liverpool, Riverside

  -4,707

  -9·2

  Liverpool, Walton

  -7,200

  -9·9

  Liverpool, Garston

  -6,121

  -10·2

  Liverpool, Broadgreen

  -6,825

  -11·1

  Medway

  -7,311

  -11·3

  Transplants
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the General Medical Council has ever disciplined a doctor for breach of ethics relating to transplants.

  Mr. Freeman
  The General Medical Council is an independent statutory authority: I suggest that the hon. Member approaches the council for this information.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will specify which will be the next supra-regionally funded heart transplant centre.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have asked the supra regional services advisory group for advice, and expect to make .an announcement later in the year.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people now hold donor cards.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 20 December 1988, at column 241.

  Body Scanners
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which NHS hospitals in the West Midlands RHA 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 not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority.

ENVIRONMENT

  Coventry Evening Telegraph (Article)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the publications in which the Minister for Local Government, the right hon. Member for Suffolk, Coastal (Mr. Gummer) had printed any article in the form, length or content as that which appeared on Tuesday 9 May in the Coventry Evening Telegraph.
  489
  Mr. Ridley
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government distributed more than 500 articles to newspapers throughout the country. Whether their editors chose to print the articles is a matter for them.

  African Elephant
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what fresh initiatives his Department is taking both in respect of unilateral action by Britain and to mobilise international support for action to protect the African elephant and to outlaw the use of ivory in developed nations.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 18 May 1989]: I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take to reduce chlorofluorocarbon damage to the ozone layer by arranging for the collection of redundant domestic and commercial refrigerators; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.

  I am aware of only one nationwide retailer of domestic refrigerators which has arrangements to collect old appliances when delivering new ones, and for recovery of the CFC refrigerants for recycling. The Government are encouraging others to do the same, and officials are discussing with local authority associations what can be done with the appliances which end up with them. Warren Spring laboratory is currently considering the possibility of economic recovery from domestic appliances and the Department is assessing the need for further research in this area.

  CFCs in domestic refrigerators account for only about 3 per cent. of total CFC use in the United Kingdom. There are considerable technical and logistical difficulties in recovering and recycling CFCs from the coolant systems and particularly from the foam insulation in such appliances.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement clarifying the sentence in his Department's leaflet "The Community Charge—How It Will Work For You", which reads"Filling in the form does not mean you will have to pay the community charge for anyone else"
  in relation to the provision in the Act for joint liability.

  Mr. Gummer
  The section of the leaflet to which the hon. Member refers deals with the process of registration. The High Court said in the judgment given on 16 May"The filling in of a registration form does not in itself mean that you will have to pay the community charge for anyone else or indeed yourself. As a matter of law it is no more than the first step in a process which, subject to rights of appeal, will result in names appearing in the register."

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the illustrative figures for the poll tax in Nottingham given since 1987; and when he now expects to estimate the figure to be levied in May 1990.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax.
  490
  Published illustrative figures show a community charge in Nottingham of £207 in 1987–88 and £251 in 1988–89. With the proposed transitional safety net arrangements fully in place, the published illustrative figures are £195 for 1987–88 and £231 for 1988–89. Illustrative 1989–90 community charges in England will be published once data needed from local authorities have been received and analysed.

  The illustrative figure for Nottingham will be dependent on spending by Nottinghamshire county council and Nottingham city council. If both the county council and the city council had budgeted to spend according to the assumptions used in the 1989–90 rate support grant settlement and had rated accordingly, the 1989–90 illustrative community charge in Nottingham (disregarding the transitional arrangements) would be £251.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the community charge in England and Wales.

  Mr. Gummer
  The overwhelming majority of local authorities are making good progress in preparing for the introduction of the community charge. Registration began this week in most areas of England and Wales. The leaflet informing people of their rights and duties has been distributed, despite an attempt to stop it.

  Sea Dredged Aggregates
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the principles upon which he monitors the effect of aggregate dredging on coastal defences and erosion of beaches.

  Mr. Chope
  Government policy, set out in minerals planning guidance note 6, is that licences to dredge for sand and gravel are not and will not be granted by the Crown Estate if it is likely that coastal erosion would result.

  The arrangements for consulting Government Departments and other bodies on applications to dredge minerals from United Kingdom territorial waters and the United Kingdom continental shelf ensure that all proposals are referred to consultants for professional advice at an early stage. If these investigations demonstrate an unavoidable risk of coast erosion, the Crown Estate would reject the application without further consideration.

  The responsibility for the monitoring of coastal defences and erosion of beaches lies with the appropriate individual local authority.

  Football Stadiums
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial assistance his Department will give to football clubs to encourage all-seater stadiums.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have no plans to provide financial assistance to football clubs. I shall be discussing the question of all-seater stadiums with the football authorities shortly.

  Tourism
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to have a report on the experiment of deemed consent for directional advertising signs for tourist attractions and facilities.

  Mr. Chope
  The part-time consultant who is monitoring the experiment in east Kent has submitted an interim report, which is now being considered.

  Pollution Inspectorate
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (I) what proposals he has to monitor the consequences for local authorities of the reorganisation of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution;

  (2) what plans he has for monitoring the effect on the relationship between Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and local authorities of the reorganisation of the inspectorate.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We recognise the importance of regular links with local authorities. We shall give high priority to maintaining good communications with them as we develop the reorganisation proposals. The effectiveness of the reorganised inspectorate will be kept under close review.

  The Government's 1986 consultation document on air pollution control in Great Britain set out new control powers for local authorities dealing with a second tier of scheduled processes. These powers will establish new working relationships between the inspectorate and local authorities. We have set up a local authority unit to monitor the effectiveness of the operation of the proposed controls. The inspectorate of pollution liaison committee will also continue to discuss matters of common interest between local authorities and H MIP and the Environment Departments.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals to release empty residential property belonging to his Department for use by homeless people.

  Mr. Chope
  There are no empty properties owned by the Department of the Environment at present suitable for use as temporary accommodation for the homeless.

  Should empty residential properties not be required for further Government use and they cannot be sold because of legal restrictions or sold within six months due to market conditions they are offered first to the local housing authority and then to a housing association.

  Playgrounds
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any representations regarding safety standards for the surfaces of public playgrounds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have received 34 written representations on this matter since the beginning of March and I have met my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) to discuss his Bill.

  Water Standards
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information his Department holds for the(a) Yorkshire water authority and (b) Severn-Trent water authority, that enables him to assess the extent to which potable water in these water authorities complies with the European Community directive relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption (80/77/EEC); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  The Department has information about supplies made by the Yorkshire water authority and the Severn-Trent water authority which regularly do riot comply with one or other of the standards in the EC drinking water directive and about programmes to achieve compliance. Information concerning supplies where there is occasional non-compliance is being submitted by these authorities in the context of further improvement programmes.

  M20 Service Area (Maidstone)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the report of the inquiry carried out by his inspector into the motorway service area proposed for the M20 in the Maidstone area to be published.

  Mr. Chope
  The inspector's reports on the public inquiry into planning applications in respect of two proposals for motorway service areas at Hollingbourne, and into a related draft compulsory purchase order, will be published when the decision letter on these matters is issued. We hope to make these decisions in the near future.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the remit of his inspector carrying out the inquiry into the proposal for a motorway service area on the M20 in the Maidstone area has been amended to take account of the proposed route for the high-speed rail link passing through the same area.

  Mr. Chope
  No. British Rail published its proposed route after the public inquiry into the motorway service area proposals had closed. I understand that discussions between British Rail and the Department of Transport indicate that the proposed route could be accommodated under the proposed motorway service area site and that it would not materially affect the land use planning questions considered at the inquiry.

  Registers of Financial Interests
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the desirability of establishing registers of financial interests for(a) county and (b) district councillors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We said in the "Conduct of Local Authority Business—Government Response to the Widdicombe Committee of Inquiry" (Cm. 433) that we propose to introduce legislation for statutory registers of pecuniary interests for councillors (see paragraphs 4.3–4·4). We have set up a working group with the local authority associations to consider what such registers should contain. We hope to introduce amendments on this subject to the current Local Government and Housing Bill.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total sum spent since 1983 by the Nature Conservancy Council on management agreements under section 15 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to prevent damage to sites of special scientific interest by afforestation; and if he will state the number of sites of special scientific interest involved.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Nature Conservancy Council has spent some £1·3 million since 1983 on management agreements under section 15 of the Countryside Act 1968 to prevent damage to 21 sites of special scientific interest by afforestation.

  Aveley Methane Ltd.
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the ownership of Aveley Methane Ltd.
  494
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I understand that Aveley Methane Ltd. is a joint venture involving the East London waste authority, Coal Processing Ltd. and merchant banking interests to utilise landfill gas from a site at Aveley, for which the East London waste authority holds the freehold.

  Barking and Dagenham (Financial Assistance)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the London borough of Barking and Dagenham, seeking a policy of prior consultation before a statutory order under clause 30(5) and (6) of the Local Government and Housing Bill is made.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received a letter from the clerk of the East London waste authority (who is also the town clerk of the London borough of Barking and Dagenham) on the subject. We have already made it clear that we intend to consult local government about such an order before it is made.

  Planning Law
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations are taking place, and with whom, on potential changes to planning legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  In January my right hon. Friend published a White Paper on the future of development plans. In March he consulted interested bodies about proposed improvements to land compensation and compulsory purchase legislation, and about possible changes to the enforcement of planning control arising from the report of Mr. Robert Carnwath, QC.

  The Department is also currently inviting views on the following consultation papers:

  Final date for comments

  Permitted use rights in the countryside

  30 June

  Planning application forms

  31 May

  Review of Special Industrial Use Classes (B3 to B7) Compulsory purchase by public authorities

  14 July

  (Inquiries Procedure) rules

  21 June

  Planning control over hazardous substances

  17 July

  In addition, my right hon. Friend is currently undertaking on behalf of the Law Commission a limited consultation with organisations with an interest in the proposed consolidation of the Planning Acts. Consolidation is a clarifying exercise and entails only minor changes and improvements to the existing statutes.

  Severn-Trent Water Authority
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much the Severn-Trent water authority's capital expenditure has changed since 1979.

  Mr. Howard
  The information requested by my hon. Friend is contained in the table:

  Severn-Trent Capital Expenditure

  1979–80 £ million

  1988–89 £ million

  Cash

  75·8

  193·8

  1988–89 prices

  120·9

  193·0

  1988–89 estimated outturn

  —

  —

  Inner London Education Authority
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the outcome of the recent consultation exercise on the application of the competition legislation to the functions transferred from the Inner London education authority to the inner boroughs and the City of London.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government have decided to make regulations which will introduce a phased implementation programme for the introduction of competition under the Local Government Act 1988 between 1 August 1991 and 1 August 1992 and provide that competition under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 will apply from 1 April 1990. Of the functions which will transfer to the inner London boroughs and the City of London after ILEA's abolition on 1 April 1990 the following functions will be subject to competitive tender: vehicle maintenance, ground maintenance, school catering, building cleaning; and building maintenance.

  Groundwater Levels (London)
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action her Majesty's Government propose, following the recent publication of the construction industry research and information report entitled, "The Engineering Implications of Rising Groundwater Levels in the Deep Aquifer Beneath London".

  Mr. Howard
  My Department, which was one of the sponsors of the research and is the lead Department on this matter, welcomes the report and is examinig its conclusions and recommendations carefully. We have asked the National Rivers Authority advisory committee to arrange for the National Rivers Authority, when it is established, to undertake the monitoring and predictive modelling of the water levels and the publication of the results; to examine the potential for increasing water abstractions from the aquifer below London; and to examine the feasibility and costs of a permanent dewatering scheme.

  Water Bill
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of Commissioner Ripa de Meana's letter of 16 May about clause 20 of the Water Bill.

  Mr. Howard
  I am arranging for copies of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House today.

  Marine Habitats
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) which marine habitats are being studied by the North sea task force; if these include inter-tidal and estuarine habitats; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how much funding for North sea research, under the direction of the North sea task force, has been directed towards research into the importance of inter-tidal and estuarine habitats to the well being of the North sea biological system; which particular aspects are being examined; and if he will make a statement;

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 22 May 1989]: it is not envisaged that the North sea task force will itself commission research into the marine environment, but rather that it will act as a co-ordinating body to bring together the work of all the North sea states. Studies on the coastal margin and inter-tidal areas have been identified by the task force as a priority area and more detailed proposals will be considered at its third meeting in September 1989. Research on inter-tidal and estuarine habitats has also been identified as an sea research programme: detailed proposals are now being drawn up to supplement existing work in this area.

  Shiplift Project (Faslane)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what length of delays will be experienced in the shiplift project at Faslane as a result of the construction difficulties being experienced by the contractor.

  Mr. Chope
  The delay to the shiplift construction programme is about six months but this will be contained within the float from the overall works programme.
  497
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will the extra costs involved as a result of the delay in construction of the shiplift project at Faslane; and who will bear these costs.

  Mr. Chope
  This is commercial and confidential at this stage.

  Palace of Westminster (Space)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many square feet within the Palace of Westminster are currently used for(a) office space for Members, (b) office space for peers, (c) office space for staff, (d) bars and (e) restaurants/dining areas.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have been asked to reply.

  This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. If the hon. Gentleman has a particular point in mind and would like to write to me I will see what I can do.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Obscene Telephone Calls
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports the police received of obscene telephone calls; and how many prosecutions in relation to obscene telephone calls were brought under section 43 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 in each of the years 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information is not available centrally on the number of reports that the police receive of obscene telephone calls or for prosecutions under section 43 of the Telecommunications Act 1984. Such prosecutions are classified with other offences under this act and therefore cannot be separately identified.

  Heatherington Report
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to place in the Vote Office copies of the Heatherington report on war crimes upon publication; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, North (Mr. Gorst) on 18 April at column 92.

  Police Constables
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of police constables in(a) the Basildon area, and (b) England and Wales; what were the comparable figures in 1974, 1976, and each year from 1979 to 1988; and what is the provisional figure for 1989.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is as follows:

  Constables strength at 31 December

  1Basildon sub-division

  England and Wales

  1974

  103

  74,740

  1976

  114

  81,342

  1979

  119

  83,684

  1980

  120

  87,516

  498

  Constables strength at 31 December

  1Basildon sub-division

  England and Wales

  1981

  120

  89,509

  1982

  121

  90,581

  1983

  123

  90,512

  1984

  125

  89,946

  1985

  123

  89,775

  1986

  129

  90,379

  1987

  132

  92,850

  1988

  134

  93,508

  19893

  133

  294,300

  1 Deployment of officers between sub-divisions and to other police functions is a matter for the Chief Constable to decide.

  2 This figure is an estimate and includes around 800 new constable posts approved for 1989–90.

  3 Provisional.

  Capital Punishment
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received regarding the reintroduction of capital punishment.

  Mr. John Patten
  We receive many letters about capital punishment, both from the public and from Members of Parliament on behalf of their constituents. The precise figures are not available.

  Bingo Clubs
  Mr. Fawn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the weekly attendances at licensed bingo clubs; how many arrests have taken place in bingo clubs over the last 12 months; and how many complaints about the membership scheme for those attending bingo clubs he has received over the last five years.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Gaming Board for Great Britain believes that in total there may be in excess of 2 million attendances weekly at licensed bingo clubs in Great Britain. There is no power of arrest for offences under the Gaming Act 1968, which regulates licensed bingo. Representations about this system of regulation which have been made to the Home Office or the board in the past five years are not categorised routinely by those referring to the requirement for gaming in licensed bingo clubs to be operated under a membership scheme.

  Immigration
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent arrangements have been made for United Kingdom immigration controls to take place prior to embarkation at airports abroad; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The immigration service operated successful trials over a one-week period at the end of March and the beginning of April in conjunction with Trans World Airlines operating into Heathrow terminal 3 from J. F. Kennedy airport in New York and with Piedmont airlines operating into Gatwick south from Charlotte. Both trials were successful and were well received by both the passengers and the companies involved. As far as any future activity is concerned the Immigration Act 1988 allows for the provision of additional services against full cost recovery and any applications for pre-clearance will be considered in this context.
  499
  Recent press reports have linked pre-clearance with enhanced security arrangements both here and in the United States of America. Whilst this may be an additional benefit, the arrangements are principally designed to ease congestion on arrival at United Kingdom airports.

  Police Forces
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will be holding a review within the next five years to reduce the number of separate police forces in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. I refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway) and the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans) on 11 May at column 529.

  Female Police Officers (Firearms)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many female police officers in England and Wales are currently qualified to carry firearms; what are the figures for five and 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list by year for the last 10 years in England and Wales (a) in how many operations firearms were issued to female police officers and (b) in how many of these operations shots were fired by female police officers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hurd
  Information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Female Prisoners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female prisoners are serving sentences under the protection of rule 43; and what is the percentage in relation to the numbers of female prisoners, by prison.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information as at 31 March 1989 is set out in the table. The percentages relate to the total sentenced population at each establishment.

  Sentenced female prisoners at 31 March 1989

  Establishment

  Number on Rule 43 (own protection)

  Percentage of total

  Cookham Wood Prison

  2

  1·7

  Holloway Prison

  5

  2·2

  New Hall Prison

  8

  18·2

  Styal Prison

  1

  0·5

  There were no prisoners on rule 43 for their own protection at any of the other eight establishments holding sentenced female prisoners.

  Police (Racial Equality)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will commit funds for updating the police initial recruitment test as recommended by the Commission for Racial Equality.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Normanton 500
  (Mr. O'Brien) on 11 May, at column 526. The question of funding may have to be considered when the police advisory board has completed its work.

  Asylum
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of asylum applications submitted at ports of entry subsequent to the applicant being refused entry to the United Kingdom on other grounds in each of the last three years;

  (2) what was the average decision time taken by his Department for port applications for asylum in each of the last three years; and what is the current position;

  (3) how many people were refused entry to the United Kingdom at ports of entry in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to questions from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) on 19 May, at columns 316–17.

  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications were made at United Kingdom ports of entry in each of the last three years; and how many applicants were granted asylum.

  Mr. Renton
  The available information is given in the following table. Information for 1988 is not yet available.

  Applications1 for refugee status at United Kingdom ports, and grants' of refugee status or exceptional leave to enter in port application cases

  Number of cases1

  Applications received

  Grants of refugee status2

  Refused asylum but granted leave to enter on exceptional grounds2

  1985

  1,634

  40

  315

  1986

  1,102

  30

  1,118

  1987

  1,053

  57

  735

  1 Excluding dependants.

  2 The grant figures include, where relevant, grants on applications made in earlier years.

  These figures do not include south-east Asian refugees who are dealt with under separate arrangements and are granted settlement on their arrival in the United Kingdom. The number granted settlement in the years 1985 to 1988 is published in table 18 of "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 1987" (Cm. 415) and in table 3 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin, issue 10/89 "Control of Immigration: Statistics—Fourth Quarter and Year 1988", copies of which are in the Library.

  Television Licences
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted for non-payment of televison licence fees in Warrington, Widnes, Crewe and the whole of Cheshire in 1986, 1987, 1988 and since the start of 1989.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 22 May 1989]: Information available to me supplied by the national television licence records office relates to the number of prosecutions for television licence evasion by area of the television licence enquiry offices only. These area offices are based on the post code system. Information for

  501
  Warrington, Widnes and Crewe and the whole of Cheshire is therefore not readily available. Data for the area offices covering the county of Cheshire are as follows:

  Prosecution for television licence evasion by area television licence enquiry office covering the county of Cheshire

  Area

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Altrincham

  2,388

  3,834

  4,220

  5,380

  Preston

  4,432

  5,065

  5,204

  4,660

  Shrewsbury

  1,007

  1,423

  2,067

  2,004

  Note: Figures given are for financial year (April to March).

TRANSPORT

  Level Crossings
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many accidents have taken place in each of the past five years for which figures are available on unmanned and unlit railway crossings involving (i) foot users, (ii) vehicle users and (iii) cattle or other farm animals;

  (2) how many accidents have taken place in each of the past five years for which figures are available on railway crossings which are lit involving (i) foot users, (ii) vehicle users (iii) cattle or other farm animals.

  Mr. Portillo
  This information is not readily available in the form requested. The total numbers of accidents at all level crossings (manually-operated automatic and unprotected) during the period 1984–88 are as shown. These categories comprise:Manual: manned gates or barriers, including barriers remotely controlled by closed circuit television.
  Automatic: half-barriers and open crossings protected by road traffic signals; user-worked gates (UWG) protected by miniature warning lights.
  Unprotected: UWG: UWG with telephone; open crossings; footpath crossings.

  The Department's accident records do not show whether a crossing is lit. All manually operated public crossings have some form of illumination and it is a requirement that where the road approaches are lit, all manual and automatic crossings must be lit at least to the same standard.

  Level crossing accidents

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  11988

  Manual

  30

  25

  22

  14

  13

  Automatic

  16

  26

  22

  21

  32

  Unprotected

  30

  28

  32

  29

  31

  1 Provisional

  London Underground (Safety)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish the report of the chief safety inspector on safety arrangements on London Underground, in line with recommendations 56 and 57 of the Fennell report into the King's Cross Underground fire.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  It is for London Underground Ltd. to consider whether any reports which may be produced in response to these recommendations should be published.
  502
  Mr. Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the railway inspectorate's report on the safety management systems for London Underground stations.

  Mr. Channon
  As I told the House on 10 November 1988, at columns 496–97, I commissioned the chief inspecting officer of railways to carry out an urgent survey of the safety management systems applying to stations on London Underground. The report has now been completed and I am arranging for it to be published this afternoon, together with London Underground's written response to it. Copies are being placed in the Library of the House.

  London Underground's first priority, after the King's Cross fire and, later, Mr. Fennell's report on it, was to take immediate action to deal with potentially unsafe equipment and conditions. This includes, for example, fitting fire detection and alarm systems on escalators and the removal of wood panelling as part of a safety programme costing nearly £300 millions over three years.

  Safety is not, however, only about equipment and investment. It is now increasingly recognised that formal management systems to promote and monitor health and safety are required. Mr. Fennell recommended that the railway inspectorate should keep the Underground's management of safety under review. Today's report is the result of action taken on that recommendation.

  The report is based on a survey conducted by a team drawn from the railway inspectorate, the Health and Safety Executive and the London fire brigade.

  It assessed London Underground's safety management systems against the standards of the international safety rating system (ISRS), one of several recognised methods for safety audit, but one which has previously been applied mainly in other industries. The ISRS is designed to provide a progressive safety management programme. The optimum standards within the ISRS represent excellence in safety management, which should be achieved some five to 10 years after the introduction of the programme.

  During its field work in January and February, the team found that some aspects were well managed. These included the Underground's controls on purchasing, employment of contractors, and the arrangements for recruiting and placing staff.

  However, the team also found that much work still remains to be done. This includes the need for major improvements in leadership in safety management; in training for managers in health and safety; and in preparation of procedures for critical tasks, engineering controls and behavioural aspects.

  The team's report makes 26 major recommendations together with a large number that are more detailed. The team consider that the priority areas for action, in addition to leadership in health and safety management, are job analysis and observation, organisational rules, engineering control and preparedness for emergencies. These recommendations set the course for a long-term programme of improvements to the Underground's safety management systems.

  I have discussed the report with the chairman of London Regional Transport, Mr. Wilfrid Newton. I expressed my serious concern at some of the findings and made clear that decisive and sustained action is required. Mr. Newton has responded positively and quickly.
  503
  London Underground's written response shows that it accepts, in whole or part, all but one of the 71 recommendations. London Underground does not accept, however, the recommendations that the board's safety committee should be chaired by the managing director. Although the managing director has line management responsibility for safety and the safety staff report directly to him, London Underground believes that the safety committee should be chaired by an independent non-executive director who, in accordance with one of Mr. Fennell's recommendations, has special responsibility for safety.

  The chairman of LRT has welcomed my proposal that the railway inspectorate should conduct a further survey in about 18 months' time. Meantime, the inspectorate will be monitoring progress closely through its programme of visits to stations and contacts with managers at all levels.

  Road Humps
  Mr. Neale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he proposes to review the road hump regulations.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Consultation on new regulations offering significant relaxations to those of 1986 will begin on 24 May. A copy of the consultation letter will be placed in the Library of the House. We hope to make the new regulations in the autumn of this year.

  Road Assessment Studies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what road assessment studies for South Yorkshire(a) have been undertaken during the last five years and (b) are to be carried out in the near future; which are now under consideration by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A major study of the A1 through the county was carried out in 1987. We plan to commission studies later this year to investigate the need for improved highway links between south Lancashire and Yorkshire and to look at the A57 from east of the M1 to the A1 (Worksop). These were announced in the White Paper "Roads for Prosperity" which has just been published.

  A47
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he intends to commence improvements on the A47 trunk road at Skeffington bend in Leicestershire, as envisaged in his letter to the hon. Member for Harborough on 28 May 1987;

  (2) if he will give a timetable for the completion of the improvements needed to the A47 at Skeffington bend in Leicestershire.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Following the publication of draft orders in 1987, we have given careful consideration to the need for this scheme. We have concluded that the likely accident savings do not, at present, justify the costs involved. We must target our funds towards those schemes where the potential for reducing accidents is greatest. We shall keep the situation under review.

  Dial-a-Ride
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the Government contribution to dial-a-ride for each year available to date.
  504
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Grants made by London Regional Transport to London dial-a-ride services are as follows:

  Year

  Grant £ million

  1986–87

  5·0

  1987–88

  6·0

  1988–89

  6·27

  1989–90

  7·27

  The grant for 1989–90 is over 40 per cent. higher in real terms than the grant of £4·2 million provided by the G LC in 1985–86 (the last year it funded these services).

  Naval Accidents
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the key statistics for naval accidents over the last 10 years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department's annual publication "Casualties to Vessels and Accidents to Men" contains key statistics on casualties to merchant and fishing vessels registered in the United Kingdom. Copies of CVAM from 1979 to 1987 are available in the Library. CVAM 1988 will be published within the next few months.

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total cost of repairs and renewals on the Severn bridge at the latest available date.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  £44 million since 1984.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total amount collected in tolls on the Severn bridge at the latest available date.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The total amount collected in tolls is estimated to be some £58 million up to March 1989.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total outstanding debt on the Severn bridge at the latest available date.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  £85·2 million at 31 March 1988.

  M1-M69 Junction
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects works to begin to improve the M1-M69 junction.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The expanded trunk road construction programme published in the White Paper "Roads for Prosperity" includes widening and junction improvements on the M1. A major improvement to junction 21 will be part of this.

  Work should start this financial year on an interim scheme at the M1-M69 interchange (junction 21 of the M1) to prevent peak time queuing on the M1.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many proposals he has received to set up training and enterprise councils; and if he will make a statement.
  505
  Mr. Cope
  Twenty-two applications have been received by the national training task force which will review these proposals and forward its recommendations to me. This is an excellent response.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many proposals he has received from groups seeking to become training and enterprise councils; and when he expects to announce his decisions.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 16 May 1989]: Twenty two applications have been received by the national training task force. It will forward its recommendations to Ministers who will announce which TECs have been awarded development funding shortly thereafter.

  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from employers on training and enterprise councils in the south-east; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 16 May 1989] : I have been very encouraged by the excellent response from employers in the south-east and throughout the country to our invitation to form training and enterprise councils (TECs).

  Since the launch of TECs on 10 March no fewer than 22 groups of senior employers from around the country have come forward to apply for TEC development funding, of which five applications are from employers in the south-east.

  Job Clubs
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many job clubs have been closed since his decision to reduce their number; where they were located; how many had been run by(a) jobcentres and (b) external agencies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lee
  Between my announcements to the House on 27 January 1989 and 28 April 1989, 131 job clubs had closed. They were located in the following regions:

  Number

  Northern

  1

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  7

  East Midlands and Eastern

  20

  London and South East

  20

  South West

  21

  Wales

  5

  West Midlands

  34

  North West

  22

  Scotland

  1

  A total of 114 of these job clubs had been run by jobcentres and 17 by external agencies. Around 90 more closures are expected by 30 June 1989 in order to bring the network down to the 1,000 or so needed following the substantial and continuing fall in long-term unemployment.

  The number of job club places available in 1989–90 will be some 25 per cent. higher than the number of participants in the programme last year. I hope that long-term unemployed people will take advantage of the opportunities open to them to join this valuable programme which has already helped more than 150,000 back into work.

  Job Start
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have applied for job start allowance; how many have had their applications granted and refused; how many are currently receiving the allowance; and of those no longer receiving the allowance how long had they received it on average before termination, for Great Britain, and for each standard region.

  Mr. Lee
  In the period from July 1986 to March 1989, 41,676 people applied for the job start allowance. A total of 31,951 were accepted and 9,725 were rejected because they were not eligible. There are currently 3,989 people receiving the allowance.

  The information requested about how long people received the allowance before termination is not readily available. However, it is estimated that in 1988 two thirds of job start participants received the allowance for the full 26 weeks. People may receive the allowance for a shorter period for a number of reasons, including a pay increase beyond the limit allowed.

  New Businesses (Derbyshire)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many new businesses in Derbyshire have registered for value added tax in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lee
  In 1986, the estimated number of new registrations for value added tax in Derbyshire was 2,500. The net increase in the number of VAT-registered businesses in 1987 was 300, or 1·4 per cent.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Derbyshire are currently unemployed; and by what percentage this figure has decreased in the last year.

  Mr. Lee
  In April 1989 the number of unemployed claimants in Derbyshire was 30,391, a fall of 11,641, or 27·7 per cent., in the year since April 1988. The comparison is slightly affected by the change in the coverage of the count from September 1988 due to the new benefit regulations affecting people aged under 18 years.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett),Official Report, 15 May, column 51, he will list the sources, authors, publishers, methodology of assessment, scope and time scale of study of the evidence that removal of wages councils for young people has resulted in increased job opportunities.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 22 May 1989]: The information sought by the hon. Member is almost entirely irrelevant to the evidence referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 15 May.

  Labour force survey data for 1986, 1987 and 1988 show an increase in the level of employment of young people

  507
  under 21 in the retail distribution and hotel and catering industries. There is also evidence from employers in wages council trades that they are more ready to offer young people employment. It is also relevant that during the past two years unemployment among those aged under 20 has fallen from 21 per cent. to just above 12 per cent.

  Social Charter
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement outlining the European Economic Community proposals for a social charter and the consequences for employers and employees if the Council approves the proposals; and if such proposals fall to be considered by majority vote or by unanimity in the Council.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 22 May 1989] : Commissioner Papandreou outlined at a press conference in Brussels on 17 May proposals for a charter of basic social rights. We are still awaiting a formal text from the Commission, but I have placed in the Library a copy of the press release.

  The Commission announced that it would be putting forward a proposal for a formal declaration which would contain some generalised statements and invite the Commission to draw up an action programme by June 1990. The action programme would include proposals for series of regulations mainly in the employment and industrial relations field.

  As the Commission is proposing a declaration by heads of state or Government, it follows that all heads of state or Government will have to agree to it. The voting arrangements for the specific proposals on particular issues depend on the subject matter and legal treaty base; in our view many will fall to be adopted by unanimity.

  As far as we can tell from the information that we have on the proposals so far, the consequences will include retrictions on the freedom of employers and employees to negotiate the agreements that suit them both; reductions in the flexibility of the labour market; and the slowing down of economic growth and of the creation of jobs.

  Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the expenditure, by economic region, by private industry on training.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 15 May 19891: This information is not available.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated expenditure by private industry on training.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 15 May 19891: It is estimated from a study by management consultants to be published by the autumn, that in Great Britain in 1986–87 (the latest year for which information is available) about £11 billion was invested by private industry in training.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures currently exist for quantifying the amount of money spent on training by private industry.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 15 May 1989] : Estimates of the amount of money spent on training by private industry
  508
  can be obtained only from detailed surveys of employers. The latest such survey was carried out in 1987 providing information for the year 1986–87.

  Tyneside Training and Enterprise Council
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he proposes to announce his assessment of the Tyneside training and enterprise council submission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The submission by the Tyneside TEC steering group will be considered by a panel of members of the national training task force shortly. Ministers will consider its recommendations and will announce which TECs have been awarded development funding shortly thereafter.

  Income Support
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of whether the present income support scheme gives sufficient incentive to retrain mature people with families.

  Mr. Nicholls
  All trainees on employment training (the Government's main programme to give unemployed people, particularly the long-term unemployed, the skills they need to compete in the jobs market) receive an allowance which amounts to £10 more than their previous weekly benefit entitlement. Help is also given with travel costs and certain other expenses. In contrast to the situation under some previous programmes therefore, all ET trainees secure a higher income than if they had remained unemployed and claiming benefit.

  I am satisfied that these arrangements offer a clear incentive to unemployed people whatever their family circumstances to undertake training. Of course we keep this and other aspects of the scheme under review.

  Dock Labour Scheme
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the number of strikes and days lost in the dock labour scheme ports in each year since 1959; and what are the comparable figures for non-scheme ports.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 8 May 1989] : The number of stoppages and days lost in the dock labour scheme ports in each year since 1959 are listed in the table. Comparable figures for non-scheme ports are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, national figures for working days lost per thousand employees from stoppages in all industries and services are also listed, alongside figures for dock labour scheme ports. There is a minor difference in coverage between these two series, because the figures for all industries and services exclude stoppages involving fewer than 10 workers or lasting less than one day, where the total number of working days lost is 100 or less.

  Year

  Dock Labour Scheme ports

  All industries and services

  Number of stoppages

  Number of days lost

  Days lost per 1,000 employees

  Days lost per 1,000 employees

  1959

  70

  39,322

  547

  246

  1960

  128

  245,813

  3,388

  138

  1961

  97

  155,346

  2,167

  137

  509

  Year

  Dock Labour Scheme ports

  All industries and services

  Number of stoppages

  Number of days lost

  Days lost per 1,000 employees

  Days lost per 1,000 employees

  1962

  76

  93,949

  1,406

  258

  1963

  104

  35,850

  555

  78

  1964

  141

  130,637

  2,039

  99

  1965

  130

  106,037

  1,628

  127

  1966

  147

  108,895

  1,742

  103

  1967

  172

  571,578

  9,625

  122

  1968

  284

  74,439

  1,316

  207

  1969

  376

  242,220

  4,593

  303

  1970

  374

  656,100

  13,985

  489

  1971

  288

  159,402

  3,504

  612

  1972

  309

  854,132

  20,708

  1,080

  1973

  241

  159,788

  4,631

  317

  1974

  138

  75,090

  2,171

  647

  1975

  156

  299,884

  8,915

  265

  1976

  111

  27,959

  900

  146

  1977

  159

  76,783

  2,605

  448

  1978

  100

  59,519

  2,075

  413

  1979

  108

  88,278

  3,282

  1,273

  1980

  90

  116,813

  4,769

  521

  1981

  119

  99,421

  4,729

  195

  1982

  189

  105,231

  6,268

  248

  1983

  60

  91,501

  6,254

  178

  1984

  188

  259,950

  19,395

  1,278

  1985

  43

  4,826

  396

  298

  1986

  28

  6,074

  544

  89

  1987

  41

  6,616

  644

  162

  1988

  24

  10,663

  1,105

  1164

  1 Provisional.

  Sources: Figures for Dock Labour Scheme provided by the National Dock Labour Board.

  Figures for all industries and services provided by the Employment Department.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Procedure Committee
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received(a) supporting and (b) opposing the implementation of the second report from the Select Committee on Procedure on private Members' time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Apart from exchanges in the House during business questions, I have received one letter supporting the recommendations of the Select Committee on Procedure and none opposing them. I hope that there will be an opportunity before the end of this Session for the House to debate the report.

  Bills
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list those personal Bills which received Royal Assent in each Session since 1970.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested is as follows:

  1974–75: James Hugh Maxwell (Naturalisation) [Lords]

  1979–80: Edward Berry and Doris Eileen Ward (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  1981–82: Hugh Small and Norma Small (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  1981–82: John Francis Dare and Gillian Loder Dare (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  1984–85: Valerie Mary Hill and Alan Monk (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  1986–87: George Donald Evans and Deborah Jane Evans (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  510

  1986–87: John Ernest Rolfe and Florence Iveen Rolfe Marriage Enabling) [Lords]

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what information and assistance is available to individuals desirous of promoting a personal Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Personal Bills may be promoted only through a registered parliamentary agent, duly authorised by Mr. Speaker. A list of agents is available from the Private Bill Office.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many personal Bills were introduced in each Session since 1970; how many received Royal Assent; and what percentage the latter represents of the former.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Since 1970 seven personal Bills have been introduced, all of which have received Royal Assent.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the occasions when Bills have been committed(a) under Standing Order No. 90(1) and (b) under Standing Order No. 90(2) in each Session since 1970, together with the title of each Bill.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested is as follows:

  Bills committed under Standing Order No. 90(1)

  Names of Bills

  Number in each Session

  1970–71

  10

  Animals [Lords]

  Criminal Damage [Lords]

  Land Registration and Land Charges [Lords]

  Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution) [Lords]

  Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) [Lords]

  Mines Management [Lords]

  Pool Competitions

  Recognition of Divorces and Legal Separation [Lords]

  Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage

  Wild Creatures and Forest Laws [Lords]

  1971–72

  6

  British Library [Lords]

  Children [Lords]

  Field Monuments [Lords]

  Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) [Lords]

  Overseas Investment and Export Guarantees

  Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) [Lords]

  1972–73

  3

  Government Trading Funds

  Guardianship [Lords]

  Nature Conservancy Council [Lords]

  1973–74

  5

  Biological Weapons

  International Organisations (Land)

  Land Registry [Lords]

  Rabies

  Unit Pricing

  1974

  1

  Road Traffic [Lords]

  1974–75

  8

  Arbitration [Lords]

  Biological Standards

  Diseases of Animals [Lords]

  Industrial and Provident Societies [Lords]

  Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants [Lords]

  511

  Names of Bills

  Number in each Session

  Limitation [Lords]

  Local Land Charges [Lords]

  Reservoirs [Lords]

  1975–76

  8

  Companies (No. 2) [Lords]

  Education (School-leaving Dates) [Lords]

  Insolvency [Lords]

  International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs

  [Lords]

  Land Drainage (Amendment) [Lords]

  Maplin Development Authority (Dissolution) [Lords]

  National Health Service (Vocational Training) [Lords]

  Rating (Charity Shops) [Lords]

  1976–77

  5

  Administration of Justice [Lords]

  General Rate (Public Utilities) [Lords]

  Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) [Lords]

  Passenger Vehicles (Experimental Areas) [Lords]

  Torts (Interference with Goods) [Lords]

  1977–78

  6

  Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Courts [Lords]

  Gun Barrel Proof [Lords]

  House of Commons (Administration)

  Medical [Lords]

  State Immunity

  Suppression of Terrorism [Lords]

  1978–79

  3

  Arbitration [Lords]

  Consents to Prosecutions

  Forestry [Lords]

  1979–80

  1

  Insurance Companies [Lords]

  1980–81

  .4

  International Organisations [Lords]

  Merchant Shipping [Lords]

  Parliamentary Commissioner (Consular Complaints) [Lords]

  Town and Country Planning (Minerals) [Lords]

  1981–82

  9

  Administration of Justice [Lords]

  Currency

  Duchy of Cornwall Management (Committee discharged)

  Fire Service College Board (Abolition) [Lords]

  Legal Aid [Lords]

  Merchant Shipping (Liner Conferences)

  Reserve Forces [Lords]

  Stock Transfer

  Taking of Hostages [Lords]

  1982–83

  7

  Civil Aviation (Eurocontrol)

  Currency

  Dentists [Lords]

  International Transport Convention [Lords]

  Marriage [Lords]

  Merchant Shipping [Lords]

  Plant Varieties [Lords]

  1983–84

  6

  Foreign Limitation Periods [Lords]

  Fosdyke Bridge [Lords]

  Merchant Shipping (Miscellaneous Provisions) [Lords]

  Occupiers' Liability [Lords]

  Repatriation of Prisoners [Lords]

  Somerset House [Lords]

  512

  Names of Bills

  Number each Session

  1984–85

  4

  Child Abduction and Custody [Lords]

  Enduring Powers of Attorney [Lords]

  Industrial Development [Lords]

  Insurance (Fees)

  1985–86

  8

  British Council and Commonwealth Institute Superannuation

  Commonwealth Development Corporation [Lords]

  Crown Agents (Amendment)

  Education (No. 2)

  Land Registration [Lords]

  Outer Space [Lords]

  Patents, Designs and Marks [Lords]

  Public Trustee and Administration of Funds [Lords]

  1986–87

  5

  Chevening Estate [Lords]

  Minors' Contracts [Lords]

  Recognition of Trusts [Lords]

  Reverter of Sites [Lords]

  Territorial Sea [Lords]

  1987–88

  3

  Duchy of Lancaster

  Foreign Marriage (Amendment) [Lords]

  Matrimonial Proceedings (Transfers) [Lords]

  1988–89, to 19 May

  5

  Civil Aviation (Air Navigation Charges) [Lords]

  Human Organ Transplants

  Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provision) [Lords]

  National Maritime Museum [Lords]

  Pesticides (Fees and Enforcement)

  Bills committed under Standing Order No. 90(2)

  No Bills have been committed under Standing Order No. 90(2).

SCOTLAND

  St. Mungo's Primary School, Glasgow
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what communications he has received from parents of hearing impaired children who attend the unit at St. Mungo's primary school, Glasgow; whether he will take action to ensure medical tests are made to allay parental anxiety about children having inhaled asbestos dust; whether the parents made him aware of their concern about(a) the lack of specialist staff, (b) the standard of equipment, and (c) the physical conditions under which their children are taught; and if he will make a statement on (i) the opportunities available to him to seek improvements, and (ii) whether his Department will make additional funding available to the education authority.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this unit lies with Strathclyde regional council. Parents of children who attend the unit have written to my right hon. and learned Friend and inquiries are being made into the complaints that they have raised. I shall arrange to send the hon. Member a copy of the reply which will be sent to the parents shortly.

  Fraud
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide figures for the number of prosecutions for(a) tax fraud and (b) social security fraud and the total sums of money involved for the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Rifkind
  (a) There were 26 prosecutions in Scotland for tax fraud, involving a minimum sum of £420,000, in the period from 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989.

  (b) 986 persons were proceeded against in the Scottish courts for social security fraud in the period from 10 February 1988 to 28 February 1989. The cost of social security fraud in these cases is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for the Scottish ambulance service(a) the total number of vehicles owned and (b) the total number of man hours worked for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year ending 31 March

  Number of vehicles owned

  Man hours worked (excluding overtime)

  1979

  n/a

  3,240,640

  1980

  968

  3,382,080

  1981

  968

  3,425,760

  1982

  965

  3,463,200

  1983

  967

  3,531,840

  1984

  977

  3,527,680

  1985

  988

  3,577,600

  1986

  1,007

  3,627,520

  1987

  1,004

  3,642,080

  1988

  1,011

  3,721,120

  1989

  1,051

  3,704,844

  The decrease in the man hours worked in 1989 is a result of the reduction of one hour in the working week which was an integral part of the 1988 ambulance men's pay agreement.

  In the year ending 31 March 1989 a total of 234,156 hours overtime was worked. Figures for overtime worked are not readily available for earlier years.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total expenditure for the Scottish ambulance service for each year since 1979 at 1979 prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Total expenditure for the Scottish ambulance service since 1979 at constant 1979 prices, calculated by applying the gross domestic product deflator, is as follows:

  Year Ending 31 March

  Expenditure £

  1979

  12,865,100

  1980

  15,104,623

  1981

  14,299,108

  1982

  14,334,212

  1983

  14,237,182

  1984

  14,530,689

  1985

  15,444,525

  514

  Year Ending 31 March

  Expenditure £

  1986

  15,214,675

  1987

  16,596,507

  1988

  17,467,219

  1989

  n/a

  Doctors (Crown Indemnity)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the cost of the proposed Crown indemnity for doctors.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The NHS in Scotland currently spends about £3 million per year on a scheme for reimbursing two thirds of the costs of the medical defence organisation subscriptions of hospital and community doctors and dentists. The cost of providing an NHS indemnity is expected to be comparable.

  Teachers
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of teachers in Scotland leave the profession within five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is not readily available.

  Electoral Registers
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report each parliamentary constituency in Scotland where electoral registrations have declined by more than 4 per cent, between 1987 and 1989, together with the size of the decline in each case in percentage and absolute figures.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  Constituency

  Numerical change

  Percentage change

  Aberdeen North

  -3,147

  -4·9

  Aberdeen South

  -4,347

  -6·9

  Edinburgh Central

  -2,688

  -4·5

  Glasgow Cathcart

  -2,130

  -4·3

  Glasgow Garscadden

  -3,658

  -7·5

  Glasgow Govan

  -2.243

  -4·4

  Glasgow Maryhill

  -2,359

  -4·5

  Glasgow Pollok

  -2,524

  -4·9

  Glasgow Provan

  -3,308

  -7·5

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  -2,380

  -4·1

  Glasgow Springburn

  -3,379

  -6·5

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  -2,878

  -4·9

  Paisley South

  -2,239

  -4·3

  Forestry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will instruct the Forestry Commission to notify all local authorities of the outcome of applications for forestry planting grant within their area of jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is the Forestry Commission's normal practice to notify local authorities of the outcome of those planting grant applications over which they have been consulted, where objections have
  515
  been raised. The Commission also informs local authorities of the outcome in other cases where they have requested that this should be done. I consider this to be a fair and reasonable procedure and I am not persuaded that it would be right for me to add to the Commission's administrative costs by instructing it to notify local authorities of the outcome of all grant applications as a matter of course.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to require local authorities to prepare regional indicative forestry strategies.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No. My right hon. and learned Friend has already made it clear that it will be for each local authority in Scotland to decide whether or not an indicative forestry strategy is needed for its area. The situation including the potential for new planting varies considerably from one region to another.

  Fishing
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact of imposing precautionary total allowable catches on west of Scotland plaice, monkfish and megrims; and what scientific evidence is available on stocks of these species.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Precautionary total allowable catches (TACs) are fixed for species for which there is insufficient scientific data to set a full analytical TAC, primarily to protect stocks from serious damage by over-exploitation. Concern has been expressed that some precautionary TACs may be unduly restrictive. Fisheries departments are looking at the situation and will consider whether to approach the European Commission to seek an appropriate increase in the level of precautionary TACs.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Fisheries Department expect to publish fund proposals for a revised pressure stock licensing scheme.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Fisheries departments are considering comments received from the industry in response to the consultation paper issued last year on possible amendments to the United Kingdom licensing system. The comments received raised a number of wider issues and further consultations seem likely to be necessary before final decisions can be taken.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the impact of Scottish fishermen's earnings of the quota cuts introduced in the current year.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Earnings are determined by a number of factors which include the quantity and quality of landings, prices and costs. Quota cuts influence only one of these elements and it is not possible to separate out their impact.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate interest rate charges paid by the Scottish fishing fleet in the first six months of(a) 1989 and (b) 1988; and what is his estimate of the impact this has had on the financial position of the fleet.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The capital structure and sources of funding for investment in the Scottish fishing fleet reflect 516
  the pattern of share ownership and the mixture of business and way of life that characterises the fishing industry. In consequence it is not possible to estimate the level of charges or the impact on the financial position of the fleet.

  Fish Processing
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the impact of the current fisheries suppliers' position on the processing sector.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Lower catch levels, largely associated with reduced fishing opportunities but also as a result of adverse weather conditions earlier in the year, have caused problems for the fish processing sector and for fishermen. Unlike the latter, however, the processors can make up the shortfall in supplies by purchases on the international market, much of which can be brought into the United Kingdom at concessionary rates of duty In addition the processing sector is looking to create a wider range of added value products, taking increased quantities of pelagic fish when available and also turning to species such as farmed salmon. These are encouraging developments.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on recent employment patterns in the Scottish fish processing section and his assessment of its future prospects.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The gradual shift away from highly labour intensive operations to increased mechanisation, combined with seasonal considerations and the industry's use of temporary employees, makes it difficult to draw any meaningful conclusions on recent employment patterns in the Scottish fish processing industry. The future prospects for the industry remain good and this is reflected in the fact that since 1985 investment in the industry has totalled around £20 million including EC grant aid of some £5 million.

  Broadleaved Woodland
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ensure that the Forestry Commission's review of the broadleaved woodland grant scheme will consider fully the financial aspects of grants, their means of application and purpose, and the guidelines for the management of broadleaved woodlands.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The review of the policy for broadleaved woodlands is under way and covers the aspects referred to by the hon. Member.

  Farm Cottages
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why Scottish farmers are receiving poll tax demands at the standard charge rate in respect of empty farm cottages.

  Mr. Lang
  Everybody who is liable to pay the standard charge in respect of a property will receive a demand notice from the appropriate levying authority. However, if the property is unoccupied and unfurnished and the person liable for the charge has notified the levying authority under section 10(8A)(b) of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987 that this is the case, no
  517
  charge will be payable in respect of that property for three months or such longer period as the levying authority has determined, subject to the other provisions of section 10 of the Act. These arrangements apply in respect of owners and long-term tenants of empty farm cottages. We have however announced our intention to remove these properties from the standard community charge arrangements and have consulted on proposals for doing so. We are studying the responses to that consultation and hope to be in a position shortly to announce what the new arrangements will be.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish(a) what information he has on the number of seasonally let farm cottages in Scotland, (b) the average occupancy of let in terms of weeks and (c) the percentage of annual income attributable to Scottish farmers from holiday letting of farm cottages.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I regret that the information sought is not available.

  Prisons (Firearms)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what authority firearms and ammunition can be requisitioned by the governor of a Scottish prison.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 May 1989] : The carrying or use of firearms in or on prison service property is normally strictly forbidden. Permission to do so may, however, be granted—to control vermin on prison service agricultural and horticultural land—but only by means of prior written authorisation from the director of the Scottish prison service and subject to the issue by the police of a permit for the use by a named prison officer of such a firearm.

  Prison Staff(Boots)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pairs of boots for staff were ordered for Glenochil penal establishments in each of the past five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 May 1989] : The number of pairs of boots and shoes issued to personnel at Her Majesty's prison and the young offenders institution Glenochil over the past five years was:

  Boots

  Shoes

  1984–85

  11

  12

  1985–86

  7

  4

  1986–87

  5

  10

  1987–88

  4

  5

  1988–89

  12

  Nil

  All eligible prison staff are provided with free issue footwear or are paid a boot or shoe allowance for the purchase of approved footwear.

  Mrs. Margaret Sinclair (Minister's Visit)
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Scottish Information Office was involved in any way in arranging the visit and subsequent press coverage involving the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Stirling (Mr. Forsyth), to the home of Mrs. Margaret Sinclair of Stirling on Sunday 14 May; and whether any member of the Scottish Information Office staff attended this visit.
  518
  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 19 May 1989] : The Scottish Information Office did not arrange the visit and no member of SIO staff was present at it. The SIO arranged for media representatives to be told of the visit, and issued a press statement on behalf of my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State responsible for health and education.

  Dr. William Young
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if every right hon. and hon. Member representing a Scottish constituency will be able to arrange for an official from the Scottish Home and Health Department to discuss with each general practitioner in their constituency their concern for the future of the general practitioner service, following the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Stirling (Mr. Forsyth), instructing an official from the Scottish Home and Health Department to contact Dr. William Young of Stirling;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which an official of the Scottish Home and Health Department has been instructed to contact Dr. William Young of Stirling following his commenting on the proposed changes affecting general practitioners and the National Health Service.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 19 May 1989] : On 14 May it was reported in the press that Dr. Young's views on the implications of the Government's proposals for the reform of the NHS had dismayed two of his patients. They were said to be particularly alarmed by the statements attributed to Dr. Young that all GPs would be given drug budgets from 1991; that if they exceeded them the money would be clawed back the next year; and that patients requiring expensive treatment might have to come off his list on the ground of cost. I wrote to Dr. Young on 15 May expressing my concern about these reports pointing out that when indicative prescribing budgets are introduced in Scotland in 1992 they will reflect the health and age of the patients on the GPs list and that more money will be allowed for the chronically sick and the elderly. If, nevertheless, the budget turns out to be not enough for the cost of treatment which the doctor's patients justifiably require, the budget will be reviewed and the doctor will not be penalised. There should therefore be no question of a doctor being unable to prescribe for a sick person because he or she has run out of money or of removing patients from the list because of the cost of their treatment.

  Because these particular events have been drawn to the attention of the general public in this way and were likely to cause widespread alarm, I released my letter to Dr. Young to the press. I also asked a medical officer in the Scottish Home and Health Department to meet Dr. Young to discuss his interpretation of the Government's plans. It will not be necessary for similar arrangements to be made in respect of every GP in Scotland as I have already been in direct contact with each of them to supply them with the full facts of the Government's plans for making the National Health Service in Scotland even better than it is at present.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of trainees on each employment training scheme operating in Scotland and give the name of each scheme and the total allowances paid on each scheme.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 17 May 1989] : Information about the number of people in training with individual training managers employment training in Scotland can be provided only at disproportionate cost. The names and addresses of training managers are held in the "Employment Training Directory of Training Agents and Training Managers", a copy of which is held in the House of Commons Library. Information about the amounts of trainee allowances paid to trainees with individual training managers is not available.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places for trainees has each employment training scheme management agency in Scotland contracted to fill for each month since the inception of the scheme; and what percentage of these places have actually been tilled in each case on a monthly basis.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 17 May 1989]: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of fraud his Department has detected among employment training scheme management agencies and employers in Scotland; what sums were involved; and how many prosecutions have proceeded.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 17 May 1989]: There have been no such cases.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employment training scheme management agencies and employers in Scotland have been terminated because of fraud or other malpractice.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 17 May 1989]: None.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the steps taken to ensure that employment training scheme management agencies and employers in Scotland do not continue to receive an allowance from his Department after trainees have left the scheme.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 17 May 1989]: Claims for training fees submitted by training managers are subject to checks both within Training Agency area offices and at the training manager's premises. The checks include the comparison of claims with individual trainee records and information notified to unemployment benefit offices.

  Roads
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the total moneys received by the Scottish Office from the European regional development fund in each of the past five years; and what percentage of these was spent on road improvements, listing the projects completed and projects currently under construction.
  520
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 16 May 1989]: The following awards have been obtained by the Scottish Office for projects and programmes in Scotland:

  Award £ million

  1984

  103

  1985

  69

  1986

  84

  1987

  93

  1988

  95

  444

  Some £109 million, almost 25 per cent., of the awards have been for road improvements and new construction. It is not feasible to list all 250-plus roads projects but some significant examples are:

  Award £ million

  Edinburgh City Bypass

  6·3

  Realignment of A71 near Kilmarnock

  5·9

  Eastern Distributor Road—Stirling

  2·4

  Inverness Inner Relief Road Phase 2

  2·3

  Northern Distributor Road—East Kilbride

  1·1

  A82 Improvement—Phase 1—Loch Lomondside

  1·7

  A836 Lairg to Auction Mart—Sutherland

  0·9

  A95 Broomhill Road Improvement—Grantown-on-Spey

  0·5

  Manufacturing Exports
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is taking in order to support increased manufacturing exports from Scottish industries.

  Mr. Lang
  An extensive and comprehensive package of support is available to industry in Scotland under the enterprise initiative, which is administered by my Department. This includes selective financial assistance for investment projects in the assisted areas, and the consultancy initiatives which can provide firms with financial support towards the costs of specialist consultancy in a number of key management functions. In addition, the Scottish export office of my Department provides a wide range of advice, information and assistance under the export initiative, to help Scottish companies expand into export markets or develop their existing overseas business.

  Glasgow Garden Festival
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied with progress on the after use of Glasgow garden festival site; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Yes. The various elements of the after use plan are currently being discussed with the planning authority. I expect these to make a permanent contribution to the regeneration of Glasgow.

  Press Material (Perth City Halls)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many press officers from his Department were
  521
  involved in the preparation and distribution of press material within the Perth city halls during the period from 10 to 12 May.
  522
  Mr. Rifkind
  No press officers from my Department were involved in the preparation and distribution of press material within Perth city halls during the period 10 to 12 May.

  IVORY POACHING: PREVENTION INITIATIVES
  IVORY POACHING: PREVENTION INITIATIVES
  WATER BILL: EC COMMISSIONERS LETTER
  WATER BILL: EC COMMISSIONERS LETTER
  ILEA FUNCTIONS: COMPETITIVE TENDERING AFTER TRANSFER
  ILEA FUNCTIONS: COMPETITIVE TENDERING AFTER TRANSFER
  LONDON UNDERGROUND STATIONS: SAFETY REVIEW
  LONDON UNDERGROUND STATIONS: SAFETY REVIEW
  RESETTLEMENT UNITS EXECUTIVE AGENCY
  RESETTLEMENT UNITS EXECUTIVE AGENCY
  RURAL AND PART-TIME GPs: PRACTICE SIZES
  RURAL AND PART-TIME GPs: PRACTICE SIZES
  SCHIZOPHRENIA: STATISTICS
  SCHIZOPHRENIA: STATISTICS