Written Answers of 30 November 1989

CIVIL SERVICE

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what are the numbers of(a) deaf, (b) blind and (c) wheelchair-bound civil servants that are currently employed; and what percentage they form of the Civil Service.

  Mr. Luce
  At 1 June 1989, there were 7,682 staff employed in the Civil Service who are registered as disabled. This represents 1·3 per cent. of all civil servants. No comprehensive Civil Service—wide information is available about the number of civil servants who are deaf, blind or wheelchair-bound or about the numbers of civil servants who are disabled but who have chosen not to register under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

THE ARTS

  Theatres
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Minister of Arts how many theatres he has visited in the last 12 months; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Luce
  I have made 19 such visits since December 1988. In that month I visited the Apollo theatre, Shaftesbury avenue, and the Unity theatre, Liverpool. In 1989 I have so far visited Sadlers Wells (on 18 January and 3 April); the Old Vic (16 February); the Royal National theatre (1 March); the Tricycle theatre (8 March); the Mercury theatre, Colchester (22 March); the Derby Playhouse (25 April); the Marlowe theatre, Canterbury (3 May); the Theatre Royal, Norwich (8 June); the Theatre Royal, Margate (30 June); the Stephen Joseph theatre in the Round, Scarborough (12 July); the Cricklade theatre, Romsey (14 July); the Hawth theatre, Crawley (28 July); the Theatre Royal, Newcastle (12 September); the Theatre Royal, Brighton (27 October); the Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds (9 November); and the Savoy theatre (28 November. On 1 December I shall again visit the Unity theatre, Liverpool.

  Drama, West Glamorgan
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has any plans to increase the percentage of grants that his Department allocates to drama in West Glamorgan.

  Mr. Luce
  The funding of drama in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Arts Council.

  Drama and Museums
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what studies he commissioned and what research surveys he drew on as the basis for his statement of 27 November,Official Report, column 432 that Britain has the highest standards for drama and museums.

  Mr. Luce
  My statement reflected what many people have said. It is unnecessary to spend public money on research in this field: the evidence should be plain for the hon. Member to see, visit and enjoy.

  Taxation
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if there have been any items accepted in lieu of tax or allocated since he last made an announcement on the subject to the House.

  Mr. Luce
  Since my announcement on 19 July at column 180, I am pleased to announce that three offers of items have been accepted in lieu of tax; a portrait of Sir Alexander Carew attributed to Gheerhaerdts, a painting by Pissarro, and eight Islamic pottery tiles. The lax liability satisfied was £103,976·42, £73,040 and £42,000 respectively. The Carew portrait will remain in situ at Antony house, Cornwall and the Pissarro painting will go to the Whitworth art gallery, Manchester. The ceramic tiles originally formed part of the Godman collection which was accepted in lieu of tax in 1983 and they will now be allocated to the British museum to join the rest of that collection.

WALES

  Employment
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by how much employment has risen in Wales since 1983.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Over the period June 1983 to June 1989 the civilian work force in employment total has increased by 135,000.

  Low-cost Housing
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all those measures which have been taken since 1985 to increase the supply of low-cost housing in rural areas, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Since 1985 the Housing Corporation, and more recently Housing for Wales, has been asked to pay particular attention to rural areas. Consistently about 25 per cent. of the development programme for housing associations in Wales has, therefore, gone to these areas.

  More specifically, in July 1989, Housing for Wales announced a rural housing initiative to assist local people, and especially young people, to find a suitable home they can afford in their own communities. This initiative will be run on a pilot basis in 31 villages, the majority of homes being provided on shared ownership terms with a pre-emption right to return the home eventually to the relevant housing association.

  In addition, Housing for Wales has recently commissioned two research projects on rural housing issues. These will consider the nature and extent of need

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  for housing for young people throughout rural Wales and will assist Housing for Wales in the development of its future strategy to meet the needs of rural areas.

  In June this year a draft planning guidance, "Low cost housing in rural areas in Wales", was issued for consultation and we are currently considering the responses received.

  In his Budget statement my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced changes to capital gains and inheritance taxes on land sold at less than best price to registered housing associations. Tax is now based on the actual proceeds of sale rather than the market value, thereby encouraging landowners to release small units of surplus land for low-cost local housing needs.

  Local authorities also have a very important role to play both in assessing local housing requirements and in seeking to achieve the most cost-effective means of matching them. In addition to the general resources that the Department has made available to Welsh authorities we have also allocated £1 million this year between nine authorities to purchase homes which would otherwise become second homes and then to make those homes available to local people.

  The Department is working with rural authorities and other agencies in Wales to help to broker best practice in meeting rural needs.

  Rural Unemployment
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in what form he keeps figures for rural unemployment in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  There is no classification by which unemployment areas can readily or systematically be categorised as rural or urban.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many people are now classified as homeless in Wales; and what steps he is taking to reduce that figure;

  (2) if he will make a statement on homelessness legislation in Wales;

  (3) what plans he has to deal with the homeless in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The normal measure of statutory homelessness is given by cases accepted by local authorities under part III of the Housing Act 1985. The number of persons in households accepted during the second quarter of 1989 (April to June) was 4,832. The Department is in touch with a wide range of organisations concerned with homelessness and a statement will be made soon.

  Land Authority for Wales
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the acreage of land acquired by the Land Authority for Wales for each of the past five years; and if he will separately distinguish those figures by district council area;

  (2) what was the acreage of land owned by the Land Authority for Wales in each district council authority in Wales at the latest available date.

  Mr. Grist
  We have asked the chairman of the Land Authority for Wales to write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Rents-into-Mortgages Scheme
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to extend his rents-into-mortgages scheme to local authority tenants.

  Mr. Grist
  The scheme is being introduced by the Development Board for Rural Wales on an experimental basis. We shall be assessing its impact within the next 12 months.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to use television advertising to promote his rents-into-mortgages scheme.

  Mr. Grist
  No.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the estates owned by the Development Board for Rural Wales, showing their location within Wales; and if he will estimate the average income of eligible tenants for participation in the rents-into-mortgages scheme, for these estates.

  Mr. Grist
  The development board has five estates at Newtown—Trehafren, Treowen, Measydail, Vaynor, and St. Mary's close—and also housing at Bala, Dolgellau, Twyyn, Llandrindod Wells and Abercrave. It is not possible to estimate the average incomes of the development board's tenants with any accuracy.

  Development Board for Rural Wales
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of Development Board for Rural Wales dwellings have been sold to sitting tenants.

  Mr. Grist
  Before the new scheme, 14 per cent.

  Housing
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were classified as homeless in(a) Wales, (b) Gwent and (c) Newport in 1979; and what is the most recent figure.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 27 November 1989]: The number of cases accepted as homeless during 1979 and 1988 is shown in the following table:

  1979

  1988

  Newport

  313

  643

  Gwent

  1,115

  1,671

  Wales

  4,676

  6,818

  The number of persons involved in these cases is 864 and 1,635 (Newport), 2,950 and 3,891 (Gwent) and 12,698 and 17,105 (Wales), for 1979 and 1988 respectively.

  Autumn Statement
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the implications for health, education, housing, roads, the environment, tourism and the arts in Wales flowing from the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Table 1.4 of the Autumn Statement 1989 shows that in round terms my total expenditure
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  provision for 1990–91 is £4,460 million. As explained in the statement, the public expenditure picture is affected by the introduction of the new planning total. On this basis the £4,460 million represents an increase of 15·5 per cent. (10 per cent. in real terms) over the forecast outturn for the current year (£3,860 million). Allowing for changes in coverage of Welsh Office programmes between the two years, the increase is 12 per cent. or 6·7 per cent. in real terms. This compares with the average increase of less than 9 per cent. (3·8 per cent. in real terms) for all other departmental programmes.

  I announced yesterday the provision that I have made for local authority capital programmes next year. This provides for gross spending of £475 million, an increase of almost 7 per cent. over the comparable provision for 1989–90.

  I shall be announcing my decisions on other major Welsh Office programmes in due course. Full details of my planned expenditure for the next three years covering all my programmes will be set out in the public expenditure White Paper and the Welsh Office commentary which will be published early next year.

  Health Authorities (Backlog Maintenance)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list, by health authority, the aggregated total figure for each district of estimated backlog maintenance, for the last available date.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is determined annually by district health authorities. They reported for 1988–89 the estimate of the cost of backlog maintenance for their respective districts in the following table:

  £ million

  Clwyd

  19·2

  East Dyfed

  4·5

  Gwent

  14·6

  Gwynedd

  10·0

  Mid Glamorgan

  26·4

  Pembrokeshire

  0·7

  Powys

  1·2

  South Glamorgan

  45·0

  West Glamorgan

  11·1

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will give the total number of reported cases of food poisoning in Wales per 1,000 of the population for the years 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988, together with the total for 1989 to the latest date currently available;

  (2) if he will give the total number of reported cases of food poisoning in Wales per 1,000 of the population for the years 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and for 1989 up to the latest date currently available.

  Mr. Grist
  The number of notifications to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) of food poisoning (together with cases as certained by other means) in 1989 totalled 2,670 up to 10 November.

  The annual notification rates per 1,000 population for 1984 to 1988 were shown in the following table:

  Year

  Number

  1984

  0·35

  1985

  0·47

  1986

  0·50

  340

  Year

  Number

  1987

  0·59

  1988

  0·68

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what causes his Department has identified for the increase in incidents of food poisoning in Wales;

  (2) what research he has commissioned into the causes of food poisoning in Wales and ways of reducing incidence in the future;

  (3) what response he has made to the increase in the incidence of food poisoning in Wales; what steps he has taken to reduce future incidence; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) whether he will make it his policy to make additional funds available for local authorities in Wales to strengthen their food inspection and environmental health teams.

  Mr. Grist
  All parts of England and Wales have an increased incidence of reported food poisoning to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre. A contributory factor must be an increased awareness of, and therefore increased reporting of, food-borne illness generally.

  The Committee on Microbiological Safety of Food., chaired by Sir Mark Richmond, has been asked to establish whether any rise is linked to changes in agriculture and food production, food technology and distribution, retailing, catering and food handling in the home; and to recommend action where appropriate. After the first meeting, in April 1989, the committee indicated that it aimed to submit its first report as soon as possible.

  The Government have recently announced a series of measures which together will make a significant contribution towards preventing and controlling the incidence of food poisoning.

  The Food Safety Bill was published on 23 November. This is primarily intended to strengthen existing food law and provides improved powers to protect the consumer. In particular, for the first time it will be an offence to supply food that does not comply with food safety requirements. There will be tougher powers for enforcement authorities. In recognition of the additional burdens which will fall upon local authorities, it has been announced that resources totalling £30 million will be made available to local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales for 1991–92.

  It is also proposed to amend the food hygiene regulations so as to introduce more stringent temperature controls on certain types of food and to extend these controls into distribution and retailing. These proposals have recently been the subject of a public consultation exercise.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the British Rail Board to publish, for Wales, the results of the consultation process under section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  We expect the board to publish its plan, which includes Wales, before the Christmas recess.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what level of total standard spending and aggregate external finance he has proposed for 1990–91; what increase this represents over 1989–90; what is his estimate of the community charge for standard spending in Wales; what are his estimates of the community charges which would be set by individual councils if local authorities budget to spend in 1990–91 at the same level as their income from rates and grant in 1989–90, adjusted for changes in funding arrangements and increased to be consistent in aggregate with total standard spending; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I am proposing to set total standard spending and aggregate external finance (AEF) at £2,114·5 million and £1,738·5 million respectively. Total standard spending would thus increase by 7·1 per cent. and AEF by

  Provisional spending and community charge figures for 1990–911

  Authority

  Standing spending assessment £000

  Expenditure projection2 £000

  Community charge for standard spending £

  District and county council charges2 £

  Difference assuming present spending patterns £

  Total community charge £

  Alyn and Deeside

  6,967

  6,962

  27

  27

  0

  184

  Colwyn

  5,196

  5,484

  27

  34

  +7

  191

  Delyn

  5,695

  6,636

  27

  45

  + 19

  203

  Glyndwr

  3,785

  3,622

  27

  22

  -5

  180

  Rhuddlan

  5,637

  6,466

  27

  46

  + 19

  204

  Wrexham Maelor

  11,122

  11,256

  27

  28

  +2

  186

  Carmarthen

  5,436

  4,701

  27

  10

  -17

  151

  Ceredigion

  6,505

  6,214

  27

  21

  -6

  162

  Dinefwr

  3,499

  2,952

  27

  9

  -18

  150

  Llanelli

  8,285

  9,030

  29

  42

  +13

  183

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  7,041

  6,148

  27

  11

  -16

  152

  South Pembroke

  4,653

  4,093

  27

  10

  -17

  151

  Blaenau Gwent

  9,807

  10,713

  27

  42

  +15

  184

  Islwyn

  8,075

  7,947

  27

  24

  -2

  166

  Monmouth

  6,599

  6,829

  27

  31

  +4

  172

  Newport

  16,125

  16,659

  29

  34

  +5

  176

  Torfaen

  9,604

  9,591

  27

  27

  0

  168

  Aberconwy

  5,270

  5,735

  27

  38

  +11

  170

  Arfon

  6,075

  5,946

  27

  24

  -3

  156

  Dwyfor

  3,596

  3,511

  27

  23

  -4

  155

  Meirionnydd

  3,828

  4,363

  27

  46

  + 19

  178

  Ynys Mon

  7,034

  7,712

  27

  40

  + 13

  172

  Cynon Valley

  8,507

  8,145

  29

  22

  -7

  167

  Merthyr Tydfil

  8,000

  7,891

  29

  27

  -2

  172

  Ogwr

  14,959

  15,299

  27

  30

  +3

  175

  Rhondda

  11,923

  10,836

  29

  11

  -18

  156

  Rhymney Valley

  10,490

  11,381

  27

  38

  +12

  183

  Taff Ely

  9,889

  8,559

  27

  8

  -19

  153

  Brecknock

  4,197

  4,022

  27

  22

  -5

  130

  Montgomeryshire

  4,628

  3,992

  27

  11

  -15

  120

  Radnorshire

  2,070

  1,943

  27

  20

  -7

  129

  Cardiff

  29,856

  30,691

  27

  31

  + 4

  163

  Vale of Glamorgan

  10,268

  9,599

  27

  19

  -8

  151

  Port Talbot

  6,259

  6,167

  27

  25

  -2

  208

  Lliw Valley

  5,882

  5,368

  27

  16

  -11

  200

  Neath

  6,924

  6,895

  27

  26

  -1

  210

  Swansea

  23,514

  23,840

  27

  29

  +2

  213

  Clwyd

  225,056

  228,557

  147

  158

  +11

  —

  Dyfed

  203,291

  201,935

  146

  141

  -5

  —

  Gwent

  248,799

  247,225

  146

  141

  -5

  —

  Gwynedd

  141,985

  139,287

  147

  132

  -15

  —

  Mid Glamorgan

  319,716

  319,296

  146

  145

  -1

  —

  Powys

  77,887

  74,342

  147

  109

  -38

  —

  South Glamorgan

  226,991

  222,909

  147

  133

  -14

  —

  West Glamorgan

  209,474

  219,651

  147

  184

  +37

  —

  Total districts

  307,200

  307,198

  27

  27

  0

  174

  Total counties

  1,653,200

  1,653,202

  147

  147

  0

  —

  Total Wales

  1,960,400

  1,960,400

  174

  174

  0

  174

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  8·6 per cent. compared with the equivalent figure for 1989–90. Both increases provide sufficient resources to enable local councils to meet their obligations without reducing services and without passing extra costs on to their community charge payers. The community charge for standard spending for Wales is £174. This is achievable if all authorities spend in line with my proposals.

  The community charges which could be set by individual councils if they were to spend at the same level as their rates and grants income for 1989–90, increased to equate in total to £2,114·5 million and after adjusting for changes in funding arrangements, are set out in the table. The figures are provisional at this stage and are subject to amendment in the light of final population figures and other data changes. I look to councils in setting their budgets and actual community charges to ensure that their charge payers can share in the benefits of the realistic settlement that I have proposed for 1990–91.
  343

  1 These exemplifications are based on provisional population figures from community charge registers and are subject to change in the light of final population figures and other data. A fuller description is given below. 2 District expenditure figures include community councils' precepts and the district charge includes the average community council charge for the district area.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  The Secretary of State's provisional assessment of the spending level for each authority to be financed by Revenue Support Grant, income from the non-domestic rate pool and community charges in order to provide a standard level of service.

  Expenditure projection
  Each authority's projected spending level, consistent with Standard Spending Assessments, based on 1989–90 budgets adjusted for changes in functions and funding arrangements and inflated to 1990–91 levels.

  Community charge for Standard Spending (CCSS)
  The community charge component each authority could set if it spent in line with its Standard Spending Assessment and if appropriate payments were to be received from all those on the provisional community charges register. Variations in the CCSS between districts or between counties reflect the way library services are provided in each area.

  District and county council charges
  The community charge component each authority could set if it spent in line with its expenditure projection and if appropriate payments were to be received from all those on the provisional community charges register. District charges include the average community council charge for the district area.

  Difference assuming present spending patterns
  The District or county charge minus the CCSS.

  Total Community charge
  The sum of the district (including average community council) and the appropriate county council components of the community charge, assuming each authority spends in line with its expenditure projection.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made by community charge registration officers in Wales in compiling community charge registers for 1990–91.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Excellent progress has been made. I have received provisional estimates of registered population as at 9 November from all 37 community charge registration officers in Wales. They show a very high rate of registration. Estimates of adult population from the registers are very close, for all authorities, to the equivalent estimates based on data provided by the registrar general. The total for Wales is slightly above the registrar general's 1988 mid-year estimate.

TRANSPORT

  Birmingham Airport
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in view of its expanding international operations, he will grant gateway status to Birmingham International airport.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 27 November,Official Report, column 80.

  European Community
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the results of the United Kingdom presidency of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport; and if he will make a statement.
  344
  Mr. Portillo
  During the United Kingdom's year of holding the Presidency of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) which ended on 23 November, I chaired two regular meetings of the Council of Ministers at which we discussed a wide range of inland transport issues. We also decided to give Hungary and Poland observer status at ECMT Council meetings.

  In June, as President of the ECMT, I invited all Transport Ministers of eastern and western Europe to a meeting in London to discuss the possibilities of closer co-operation on transport matters. This meeting was followed by a similar meeting in Budapest in September at the invitation of the Hungarian Transport Minister, at which we concentrated on road safety issues.

  The final event of the United Kingdom's Presidency was a special session in Paris on 23 November on transport and the environment, in which Transport Ministers and representatives from Environment Ministries from ECMT member states met for the first time and reached a broad agreement on co-ordinated international action to back national initiatives. Ministers agreed that mobility is essential to economic development, but that a balance needs to be struck between transport and environmental needs. Considerable scope exists for further technological advances towards environmentally friendly cars and lorries; fiscal measures also have an important contribution to make, as is demonstrated by the actions taken by several member states, including the United Kingdom, to encourage the use of unleaded petrol. Ministers accepted that transport users should bear the costs which they impose on the infrastructure and the environment.

  Ministers agreed to set up a working group to promote and monitor follow-up action, and to hold a hearing with vehicle manufacturers and the fuel industry. The Swedish Transport Minister, as incoming President of the ECMT, has invited Transport Ministers from eastern and western Europe to a conference on transport and the environment in Stockholm in September 1990.

  The substantial progress made on international, political, transport and environmental protection matters has made this last year one of great importance for the ECMT.

  Merchant Fleet
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that the current size of the United Kingdom merchant fleet is sufficient to provide the support which the Royal Navy would require in time of war.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 28 November 1989]: The requirement of the Royal Navy for the use of suitable merchant vessels as support in time of transition to war or war is the subject of continuous planning between this Department and the Ministry of Defence. The situation is constantly monitored and there are at present sufficient numbers of these vessels available on the British registry to meet current needs.

  British Rail (Live Rails)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are(a) the total numbers of reported offences, (b) the total number of arrests and (c) the

  345
  numbers of deaths in the areas of live rails, such as those used by British Rail Network SouthEast track for (i) England and Wales and (ii) the Greater London area each year since 1979.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information is not available in the form requested. I can, however, provide details relating to the numbers of fatalities resulting from contact with electrified railway lines for the country as a whole. The figures, taken from the Department's chief inspecting officer's annual reports, are as follows:

  Year

  Passengers killed

  Trespassers killed

  Railway staff killed

  Total

  1979

  1

  10

  —

  11

  1980

  —

  9

  —

  9

  1981

  —

  9

  2

  11

  1982

  1

  11

  15

  27

  1983

  —

  5

  —

  5

  1984

  —

  12

  8

  20

  1985

  —

  4

  —

  4

  1986

  1

  7

  1

  9

  1987

  —

  5

  1

  6

  1988

  —

  4

  —

  4

  Total

  3

  76

  27

  106

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what information he has on the instructions or guidelines the British Transport police and the Metropolitan police have issued on the safe apprehension of suspects in the areas of live rails;

  (2) what specific training or guidelines are given to British Transport police and Metropolitan police officers on the policing of areas with live rails; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Portillo
  Relevant guidelines have been produced by British Rail's director of operations at the request of the British Transport police (BTP). These have been issued to all police forces throughout the United Kingdom and I am placing a copy in the House of Commons Library as the hon. Member has requested. BTP officers receive specialised training concerning safety aspects of policing British Rail and London Underground railways. All BTP officers are authorised to work on running lines in the same way as British Rail operational staff. I understand that this does not apply to officers in other police forces, but advice and assistance is available from the BTP as and when needed.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Slieve Croob, Dromara
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what type of building is currently being constructed at Slieve Croob, Dromara in South Down; and what consideration is being given to the fact that it is being constructed in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

  Mr. Cope
  The building under construction at Slieve Croob is required to provide accommodation for the equipment and personnel involved with the communications relay station.

  The buildings have been designed and located to take the maximum advantage of the local topography to lessen the effect which the buildings might have on the surrounding environment.
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  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what type of business or work will be carried out at the building currently under construction at Slieve Croob, Dromara in South Down on completion.

  Mr. Cope
  The building work currently under way at Slieve Croob is concerned with the improvement and development of an existing communications relay station which provides a service to the community at large. It is used by a number of public bodies, including the ambulance and other emergency services, the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) roads and water services and the Department of Agriculture forestry division.

  Strangford Lough
  Mr John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what amendments he made to the proposed Strangford Lough ASSI part 3, following representations from Strangford Lough Nature Conservation Association and representations from the local community living near Strangford Lough.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 29 November 1989]: The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland confirmed the ASSI declaration with six minor amendments to the boundary. These amendments, which recognise changes which took place since the original survey and the need to correct some mapping errors, reduce the area originally included in the ASSI by half a hectare.

  Flag Flying
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has advised the Southern health and social services area boards of the appropriate dates to fly the Union flag on its buildings; and if he will seek information from the board why the Union flag was not flown on its premises at The Mall, Armagh, on Remembrance Sunday.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 29 November 1989]: The requirement to fly the Union flag on those prescribed days relevant to Northern Ireland applies to central Government offices only. There is no requirement therefore for the Southern health and social services board to comply.

  At the request of the Southern health and social services board, details of the prescribed days for flying the Union flag are issued to it each year.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Land Registry (Surveyors)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish in the Official Report the number of surveyors employed by the Land Registry to serve each of its geographical divisions.

  The Attorney-General
  The current number of staff employed by the Land Registry on site and boundary inspections is set out in the table by district registry. At any one time in each district registry a large number of staff is qualified to do this work.
  347

  Number

  Croydon

  1

  Harrow

  2

  Tunbridge Wells

  3

  Lytham

  3

  Nottingham

  4

  Gloucester

  3

  Stevenage

  2

  Durham

  2

  Plymouth

  2

  Swansea

  2

  Birkenhead

  2

  Weymouth

  2

  Peterborough

  3

  Telford

  1

  Coventry

  1

  Hull

  1

  Total

  34

  In addition, the Ordnance Survey carries out surveys for the Land Registry on a repayment basis.

  Emma Worthington
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Court of Appeal the sentence for the manslaughter of Emma Worthington which was imposed upon Stuart William Ross at Exeter Crown court on 14 November.

  The Attorney-General
  The matter is under consideration. I will write to my hon. Friend when I have reached my decision.

  Mr. Khalil Ahmed
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General when the appeal of Mr. Khalil Ahmed, date of birth 1 October 1969, Ref. Imm/93246, who has been refused permission by the post in Islamabad to join his wife, will be heard by the appellate authorities.

  The Attorney-General
  The papers in this case (which has been allocated the reference number TH/6834/89) were copied by the appellate authorities to Mr. Ahmed's nominated representatives in the United Kingdom on 14 August 1989. They replied on 16 August that they were ready to proceed, but before the matter was listed for hearing they withdrew from the case, as did another firm of solicitors on 4 October. The appeallate authorities wrote to the appellant in Pakistan on 12 October 1989 stating that unless he nominated a further representative before 12 December the appeal would be determined by an adjudicator without a hearing on the papers before him. If no representative is nominated the appeal will be dealt with as soon after that date as possible.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Kemp Report
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to alter the methods of operation of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Mr. Redwood
  The interdepartmental working group of officials formed to advise Ministers on the Kemp review of status options for ECGD has now submitted its report, which is being considered by Ministers. A decision on the way forward will be taken as soon as possible.
  348
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he proposes to implement the recommendations of the Kemp report on export credit guarantees.

  Mr. Redwood
  The interdepartmental working group of officials formed to advise Ministers on the Kemp review of status options for ECGD has submitted its report, which is now being considered by Ministers. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

  Optoelectronics
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals exist for the development of a major programme for a national fibre optics communications network aimed at implementing optoelectronic research; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Development of the national telecommunications networks is a matter for the telecommunications operators in response to market demands.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support he has given for trial schemes to test optoelectronic systems and products in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I have recently licensed British Telecommunications plc to run, in collaboration with equipment manufacturers, a technical trial in Bishop's Stortford to test telecommunications delivery systems based on optical fibre.

  Life Assurance
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are in place to protect with-profit policy holders against a foreign predator acquiring and asset stripping a United Kingdom life insurance company.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Insurance Companies Act 1982 (section 61) provides that no person may become the controller of an insurance company without first notifying the Secretary of State, who may object if he considers that the proposed controller is not a fit and proper person to be a controller of that company. "Fit and proper" is not defined in the Act, but in considering whether to exercise his power to prevent a change of control the Secretary of State has regard to any issue which may affect the interests of the company's policyholders.

  Further provisions in the Act require that the long-term business fund must be kept separate from the company's other funds and place restrictions on the purposes for which these funds may be applied. The Act also gives the Secretary of State wide-ranging powers to intervene where this is necessary to protect policyholders' interests. Where appropriate the Secretary of State may require assets of the company to be maintained in the United Kingdom or to be.held in trust.

  Pyramid Selling
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce new pyramid selling scheme regulations to replace the 1973 regulations.

  Mr. Forth
  I have today laid the Pyramid Selling Schemes Regulations 1989, under the Fair Trading Act 1973, which will come into operation on 1 March 1990.
  349
  The new regulations are designed to ensure that no one will be able to participate in a pyramid selling, or multi-level marketing scheme, without having first signed a contract which sets out their rights and includes a statutory warning about such schemes.

  The promoters of the scheme will be required to set out in the contract details of when the scheme started in the United Kingdom and where it is operated from as well as descriptions of the goods or services on offer. They will also have to specify in the contract that the participant may withdraw from the scheme without penalty within 14 days of first signing and set out the participant's rights should he subsequently wish to withdraw.

  The regulations also prohibit promoters from accepting more than £75 from participants within the first seven days. They set an upper limit of £30 as payment for participants recruiting others. There are also provisions relating to payments for training facilities and deposits.

  In making these regulations I have focused on enabling a prospective participant to make an informed choice when considering whether to join the scheme.

  These regulations do not cover the content of advertisements, notices, prospectuses and circulars which do not state the financial benefits of joining a scheme, or which may appear in the press or as handouts. These remain, quite properly, subject to the Advertising Standards Authority's code of practice.

  Copies of the regulations have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  Israel
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list the ministerial visits which have taken place in the last two years involving United Kingdom ministers visiting Israel and Israeli ministers visiting the United Kingdom; what further visits are planned over the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 29 November 1989]: I can only answer for visits to or by Ministers of my Department. In the last two years the following Israeli Ministers have visited the Department of Trade and Industry: Mr. Moshe Shahal, Minister for Energy; Mr. Ariel Sharon, Minister of Industry and Trade; Mr. Gad Ya'acobi, Minister of Communications.

  No DTI Ministers visited Israel in that period, and no inward or outward ministerial visits are currently planned. DTI officials are expected to go to Israel in 1990 for the United Kingdom-Israel joint committee on bilateral trade.

  Company Accounts
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies failed to lodge annual accounts for the financial year 1986–87; and how many prosecutions took place as a result.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 29 November 1989]: The chief executive of Companies House tells me that information is not available in the form requested. However, 130,000 companies in England and Wales had not filed their latest accounts at 30 June 1988. These accounts related mostly to financial years ending between September 1986 and August 1987.

  Companies House seeks to achieve compliance primarily by means of reminders to companies before they
  350
  are due to file and warning letters after companies have gone into default. These measures are supplemented by publicity aimed at directors and professional advisers.

  Companies House's present policy is to prosecute only when other methods of obtaining statutory documents have failed. In the year ending 31 March 1989, there were 4,543 prosecutions for failure to deliver accounts. Some, but by no means all, of these prosecutions would relate to accounts for 1986–87.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  History Teaching
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement regarding the recent Government report on recommendations for the teaching of history in the national curriculum, and its relevance to a multi-cultural society.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In its interim report published in August the national curriculum history working group gave its provisional views on the teaching of history. The group is expected to make its final report to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and for Wales by the end of the year. My right hon. Friends will publish their proposals when they have considered that report.

  Head Teachers (Correspondence)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many primary school head teachers have written to him in the month of November, either directly or through hon. Members forwarding their letters to him, expressing concern about teacher morale, pressure of work and administrative or resource difficulties in implementing the national curriculum; and what has been the general nature of his reply to such letters.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information is not available in the form requested. My right hon. Friend frequently receives correspondence from primary school head teachers about various aspects of education provision. They receive appropriate replies, which I hope they find helpful.

  Maintained Schools
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science on how many occasions in the last three months he and his Departmental Ministers have visited maintained schools in their official capacities; and what are the equivalent figures for grades 1, 2 and 3 officials in his Department.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  In the three months to 30 November my ministerial colleagues and I have visited 30 maintained schools. The equivalent figures for grades 1, 2 and 3 are zero, 13 and three respectively.

  Departmental Information
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he intends to take to reduce the flow of Departmental circulars, letters or guidance notes to head teachers; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The flow of material to schools over the last year has reflected the need to give schools information
  351
  and guidance about their new responsibilities under the Education Reform Act. My right hon. Friend recognises the pressure which the volume of material has placed on schools and is taking a close interest in the flow of new material to ensure that it is kept within reasonable bounds and within the capacity of the system to absorb it.

  Supply Teachers
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the report by Her Majesty's inspectorate on primary schools training of supply teachers.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The report by Her Majesty's inspectorate, "The Implementation of the National Curriculum in Primary Schools", found that primary schools have made a satisfactory start in preparing for the introduction of the national curriculum. Expenditure on training related to the national curriculum (including that for supply teachers) is supported through the local education authority training grants scheme. It is for LEAs to make decisions about training priorities in the light of identified local needs.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the report by Her Majesty's inspectorate on primary schools on resources to implement the Government's plans for the core subjects of the national curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The report by Her Majesty's inspectorate, "The Implementation of the National Curriculum in Primary Schools", found that levels of resourcing for the core subjects in key stage 1 were generally adequate. The report also comments on the good use being made of the specific grants which the Government have provided to support the introduction of the national curriculum.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he expects the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council to close courses which cannot meet the minimum resource requirements.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council has no power to close courses. It is for the institutions to determine their own academic provision in the light of the funds available to them.

  Engineering Courses
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the student-to-staff ratio in engineering courses at polytechnics for each of the last 10 years to the current year.

  Mr. Jackson
  Available data on student: staff ratios (SSR) are given in the table.

  Laboratory and workshop based higher education SSRs at polytechnics: 1978–79 to 1987–88 (England)

  Academic year

  Ratio

  1978–79

  7·8

  1979–80

  8·0

  1980–81

  8·5

  352

  Academic year

  Ratio

  1981–82

  9·1

  1982–83

  9·5

  1983–84

  10·1

  1984–85

  10·6

  1985–86

  11·0

  1986–87

  11·1

  1987–88

  11·5

  These SSRs are calculated from data collected in the Department's Annual Monitoring Survey and are on a different basis from those calculated using student data from the Departments Further Education Statistical Record and lecturer data from Form 618G.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department will make available resources to the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council sufficient to meet the funding requirements indicated by the Engineering Council.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend announced the resources available to the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (PCFC) in his statement on 15 November (Official Report, written answers, columns 272–76). I understand that the Engineering Council has written to the PCFC about the question of resources for engineering education. It is for the PCFC to consider what its response should be.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when Her Majesty's inspectors received a copy of the Engineering Council's recommendations on the minimum resources required for engineering education in the polytechnic sector; and what response they propose to make.

  Mr. Jackson
  Her Majesty's inspectorate is aware of the statement published in 1984 entitled "Resources for Engineering Education" at degree and HND level. A review of engineering in the polytechnics and colleges, based on HMI inspections over the last five years, is about to be published. The review will include comment on a wide range of aspects of engineering education, including resources and their management.

  Research Councils
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration the Advisory Board for the Research Councils has given to the proposed merger of the five research councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend recently received advice from the ABRC on the future structure of the research council system. This arose from consideration of a report to the board by a review group under the chairmanship of Mr. J. R. S. Morris CBE which recommended a merger of the present five research councils.

  My right hon. Friend is considering the board's advice and will make a statement in due course.

  Civil Science Expenditure
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total Government spending on civil science in Britain(a) in real terms and (b) as a percentage of gross domestic product for each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
  353
  Mr. Jackson
  The figures of total Government spend on civil research and development are as follows:

  1985·86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Estimate Provision

  Real terms (£M) (1989–90 prices)

  2,792

  2,805

  2,729

  2,674

  2,706

  Proportion of GDP

  0·62

  0·60

  0·55

  0·52

  0·52

  Sources:

  Annual Review of Government Funded Research and Development 1988 and 1989.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current pay claim by the National Union of Teachers.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The interim advisory committee will no doubt consider carefully the evidence it has received from the NUT in formulating its recommendations on teachers' pay for 1990–91.

  Recruitment
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken to attract more well-qualified young people into the teaching profession; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Since 1986 the Department has taken a number of measures to improve teacher supply, at a cost so far of £50 million. These include bursaries for trainee teachers in maths, physics, design and technology, and chemistry; new forms of initial teacher training courses; and greater publicity and advertising of teaching opportunities through the teaching as a career unit, TASC.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will indicate for the city technology colleges at(a) Solihull, (b) Nottingham and (c) Teesside the number of pupils from outside the agreed catchment area that he has authorised to be accepted.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  All pupils under the age of 15 attending the Teesside and Nottingham CTCs are admitted from within the college's catchment areas. There is no defined catchment area for 16-plus admission to the Nottingham CTC, but priority is given to pupils living within a two-mile radius of the college. My right hon. Friend has given permission for nine of the 360 pupils attending the Kinghurst CTC to be admitted from outside its catchment area. I understand that all pupils attending CTCs live within reasonable travelling distance of the colleges.

DEFENCE

  Armoured Vehicles (USSR)
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any evidence that the Soviet Union has reduced its production of modern armoured fighting vehicles.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Soviet officials have said that there has been a significant reduction in activity at the Soviet Union's tank plants during the course of this year.
  354
  We believe that total tank production will be lower than in previous years but are unable to quantify the actual figures.

  US Bases (East Anglia)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has made any assessment of the future of United States air bases in East Anglia, following comments by the United States Secretary for Defence on possible troop reductions in Europe.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United States Government has made it clear that the Allies will be consulted on any force level reductions made in Europe. Any decisions affecting United States air bases in the United Kingdom will be the subject of full consultations with the United Kingdom Government.

  WE177 Bomb
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure has been incurred to date on the study of procurement options for the possible replacement of the WE177 free-fall bomb.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 28 November at column 572.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of procurement options for the possible replacement of the WE177 free-fall bomb that are currently being studied.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on 17 July at column 71 by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any agreements have been concluded with(a) the United States Government or (b) the French Government regarding the study of procurement options for the possible replacement of the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Arrangements enabling an exchange of information have been concluded with the United States Government. Negotiations are in hand with the French Government about similar arrangements.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether any money has been paid to(a) British Aerospace or (b) Hunting Engineering in connection with the study of possible procurement options for the replacement of the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb;

  (2) whether any plans exist to pay money to (a) British Aerospace or (b) Hunting Engineering in connection with the study of possible procurement options for the replacement of the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb.
  355
  Mr. Alan Clark
  Yes.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether any of his officials has visited French Government facilities in connection with the study of possible procurement options for the replacement of the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb;

  (2) whether any of his officials has visited United States Government facilities in connection with the study of possible procurement options for the replacement of the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As I have said on several occasions, discussions are taking place with both the United States and French Governments on procurement options for the possible replacement of the WE177 free-fall bomb, which include visits to the appropriate establishments. No decisions have yet been taken.

  Military Training
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are taken to confirm the identity of those people who receive military training from British service personnel.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Appropriate arrangements are made with the authorities of the foreign Government concerned.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are taken to ensure that the benefits and lessons gained from military training by British service personnel are not transferred from those who receive the training to those who are authorised to receive it.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The control of information released to members of foreign armed forces during training by British service personnel is a matter for the civil and military authorities of the country concerned. The extent and type of any classified information to which foreign nationals are granted access will reflect their need to know and will also be commensurate with Her Majesty's Government's assessment of the recipient country's ability to control the information in an appropriate manner.

  Mr. O'Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision is made for the study of the legal aspect of warfare in the military training provided for foreign nationals by British service personnel.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Instruction in legal aspects of warfare is provided to foreign and United Kingdom students where it is appropriate to the subject of the training course concerned.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any British service personnel have been involved in the provision of military training in(a) Zimbabwe and (b) Thailand at any time in the last four years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  British service personnel have provided military training in Zimbabwe to both the Mozambiquan and Zimbabwean armed forces during the last four years. British service personnel have also made several short advisory visits to the Thai armed forces in the same period.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which foreign military forces have been provided with military training by British service personnel over the last four years.
  356
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Since 1 April 1986, personnel from the armed forces or police of the following countries and dependent territories have attended military training courses in the United Kingdom or received training from British service personnel overseas:

  Algeria

  Australia

  Austria

  Bahamas

  Bahrain

  Bangladesh

  Barbados

  Belgium

  Belize

  Bermuda

  Botswana

  Brazil

  Brunei

  Burma

  Cameroon

  Canada

  Chad

  Chile

  China

  Colombia

  Congo

  Denmark

  Djibouti

  Dominica

  Ecuador

  Egypt

  El Salvador

  Fiji

  Finland

  France

  Gambia

  Germany

  Ghana

  Greece

  Grenada

  Guyana

  Hong Kong

  India

  Indonesia

  Iraq

  Ireland

  Israel

  Italy

  Ivory Coast

  Jamaica

  Japan

  Jordan

  Kenya

  Kuwait

  Lebanon

  Lesotho

  Luxembourg

  Malawi

  Malaysia

  Maldives

  Malta

  Mauritius

  Mozambique

  Nepal

  Netherlands

  New Zealand

  Nigeria

  Norway

  Oman

  Pakistan

  Philippines

  Portugal

  Qatar

  Saudi Arabia

  Senegal

  Sierra Leone

  Singapore

  Somalia

  South Korea

  357

  Spain

  Sri Lanka

  St. Lucia

  St. Vincent

  Sudan

  Swaziland

  Sweden

  Switzerland

  Tanzania

  Thailand

  Tonga

  Trinidad and Tobago

  Tunisia

  Turkey

  Turks and Caicos

  Uganda

  United Arab Emirates

  Uruguay

  United States of America

  Venezuela Yemen

  Yugoslavia

  Zaire

  Zambia

  Zimbabwe

  Thailand
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any British service personnel have visited Thailand in an official capacity at any time in the last four years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Yes, there have been a number of advisory visits by British service personnel to the Royal Thai armed forces during the last four years. In addition, troops from the Hong Kong garrison regularly exercise in Thailand and, in 1988, RAF Tornado F3 aircraft used training facilities in the country.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any training in military signalling has been provided by British service personnel in Thailand at any time in the last four years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Details of military assistance provided to foreign Governments are normally confidential.

  Cambodia
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any British signalling equipment has been supplied to the Khmer People's National Liberation Army or the National Sihanoukist Army at any time in the last four years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My Department has not supplied any such equipment to either organisation.

  Chemical Weapons (USSR)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his current estimate of the stocks of chemical weapons held by the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government's position regarding Soviet stocks of chemical weapons remains as expressed in paragraphs 219–220 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989 (Cm. 675-I).

  Trident
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost to date of lobbying in the United States in favour of Trident.
  358
  Mr. Alan Clark
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 28 November at column 569.

  BAOR
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost of maintaining the British Army of the Rhine.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friend to table 2.3 of volume 2 of the 1989 Statement on the Defence Estimates (Cm. 675-II).

  Warsaw Pact
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of Warsaw pact armament production; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Our latest estimates for Warsaw pact armaments production relate to 1988 and are as follows:

  (a) approximately 4,200 tanks, including approximately 3,500 made in the USSR;

  (b) approximately 700 fighter aircraft, plus approximately 200 combat trainers;

  (c) 11 submarines (including two major conversions) and five major surface ships; and

  (d) approximately 375 ballistic missiles.

  It is not yet possible to give figures for 1989. However, we believe that there may have been a fall in tank production and that cuts in some other areas, such as fighter aircraft, are being implemented. Any cuts will, of course, be from high historic levels of output.

  Helicopters
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to receive the report on the review of the use of helicopters in the land battle; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The balance of investment in weapon systems, including helicopters, is kept continually under review. The results of this work will continue to be taken into account when we reach procurement decisions.

  Canadian Base, Suffield
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, in tabular form, each incident at Canadian forces base, Suffield, in which British service men have been injured, giving the date of each incident, the number of soldiers injured and the nature and extent of their injuries.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  Date of incident and nature/extent of injuries

  Number injured

  7 June 1984: minor injuries

  3

  5 September 1985: burns face and forearm

  1

  19 October 1985: eye injury

  2

  31 October 1985: minor gun shot wound to right forearm

  1

  31 July 1986: smoke inhalation

  1

  28 August 1986: eye injury

  1

  24 September 1986: injuries to leg

  1

  4 June 1987: fatal

  2

  17 July 1987: 1 fatality, 2 minor injuries

  3

  359

  Number injured

  17 August 1987: minor injuries

  1

  9 May 1988: minor injury to left temple

  1

  2 August 1988: lacerations to forehead

  1

  7 August 1988: gun shot wound to left ankle

  1

  25 August 1988: calf injuries

  1

  22 September 1988: burns to right arm

  1

  5 May 1989: gun shot wound to chest/leg

  1

  16 May 1989: injuries resulting from road traffic accident

  1

  30 May 1989: burns to hands

  1

  7 July 1989: serious leg injuries resulting in amputations

  3

  26 July 1989: wound to left leg

  1

  29 July 1989: gun shot wounds

  2

  8 August 1989: compound fracture of two fingers

  1

  26 August 1989: flash burns to right hand

  1

  The British Army training unit (BATUS) is located within the Canadian Forces base at Suffield. It provides the British Army with invaluable facilities for tactical live firing and manoeuvre exercises at battle group level. During this five-year period, approximately 45,000 service men have trained there. Safety procedures are given a high priority.

  HMS Upholder
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding leaks in the torpedo tubes of HMS Upholder.

  Mr. Neubert
  During the trials of HMS Upholder in 1988, a design fault was discovered which could, in certain circumstances, allow water to enter the submarine's torpedo tubes. The tubes were locked shut as a precautionary measure while trials continued. A modification to correct the fault has been designed and will be fitted to the submarine when sea trials have been completed.

  Invincible Class Carriers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if there have been any problems experienced with the existing aircraft lifts on the Royal Navy's Invincible class aircraft carriers;

  (2) if he will make a statement regarding replacement aircraft lifts for the Royal Navy's Invincible class aircraft carriers.

  Mr. Neubert
  The aircraft lifts in the Royal Navy's Invincible class aircraft carriers have successfully supported the operations of these ships over the past 10 years. However, they have experienced a higher than anticipated incidence of defects and failures, and an associated high maintenance and repair burden. Modifications and improvements carried out to date have increased their reliability, but not to the extent considered adequate to enable them to support the ships' role over the remainder of their projected lives. In consequence, a programme to develop a replacement lift has been initiated, and an invitation to tender for proposals is soon to be issued to industry.

  Procurement Establishments
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will calculate the number of jobs in establishments producing the procurement budget for each year since 1979.
  360
  Mr. Neubert
  Estimates of United Kingdom employment dependent on defence equipment expenditure from 1978–79 to 1986–87 (the latest period for which estimates are available) are given in table 6.8 of Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989, Volume 2.

  Defence Spending
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the size of the defence budget in real terms for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Defence expenditure since 1979–80, after taking account of defence specific inflation, was as follows:

  1988–89 prices

  £ million

  1979–80

  18,015

  1980–81

  18,564

  1981–82

  18,736

  1982–83

  19,894

  1983–84

  20,230

  1984–85

  21,126

  1985–86

  21,030

  1986–87

  20,270

  1987–88

  19,936

  1988–89

  19,073

  1989–90

  119,106

  1 Estimated outturn.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list total defence spending as a proportion of gross domestic product for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Since 1979–80, defence expenditure has represented the following proportions of GDP:

  per cent.

  1979–80

  4·4

  1980–81

  4·7

  1981–82

  4·8

  1982–83

  5·1

  1983–84

  5·0

  1984–85

  5·2

  1985–86

  4·9

  1986–87

  4·7

  1987–88

  4·4

  1988–89

  4·0

  During the current financial year, it is estimated that defence expenditure will be about 3·9 per cent. of GDP.

  Otterburn Training Area
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action his Department plans to take in relation to entry by the Newcastle and District Beagles on to his Department's land at Otterburn training area on 15 September.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  On this occasion, the Ministry of Defence has accepted an apology from the master of the Newcastle and District Beagles for crossing the boundary of the Otterburn training area without permission. However, we have given notice that further trespass cannot be tolerated.

  Cyprus
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arms Britain is selling to the Greek side of Cyprus.

  Mr. Neubert
  It has been the consistent policy of successive Administrations not to give details of arms sales to specific countries. In the case of Cyprus, however, our policy precludes the supply of arms to the armed forces of either side, because of our desire to preserve our neutrality and help bring about a peaceful solution.

ENVIRONMENT

  Water Privatisation
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reduction in civil servant numbers there will be in existing Government departments presently dealing with the water industry, after its privatisation.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Following the successful privatisation of the water industry, it is anticipated that as a result there will be a reduction of 47 posts in my Department. Account has been taken of this in setting the manpower baseline for 1990–91.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the ports currently registered for the import of toxic waste, together with the amount of such waste imported, the countries of origin and destinations and the nature of the waste, through each of those ports, for the last three available years.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  There is no statutory requirement that ports be "registered" to accept waste.

  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) collects information on imported waste from waste disposal authorities every financial year. For the financial years 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89 that information indicates that the following ports accepted the amounts of waste indicated. The information collected does not enable HMIP to determine the amounts of waste in relation to the country of origin, destinations or make-up.

  Following the implementation of the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations in October 1988 HMIP now collects more detailed information but has not yet compiled data for the current year.

  Quantities of waste (tonnes) imported via named ports

  Port

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Avonmouth

  1,519

  2,737

  —

  Barking

  —

  2,276

  —

  Boston

  —

  1,283

  164

  Bristol

  1,333

  —

  —

  Briton Ferry

  2,300

  7,536

  12,360

  Chatham

  1,730

  49

  88

  Dartford

  4,122

  4,133

  52

  Devonport

  25

  —

  —

  Dover

  1,638

  3,559

  20

  Felixstowe

  13,038

  21,416

  12,311

  Fishguard

  50

  —

  —

  Fleetwood

  1,956

  2,173

  1,440

  Garston

  203

  —

  —

  Greenwich

  —

  2,276

  —

  Grimsby

  271

  14

  —

  362

  Port

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Harwich

  855

  1,578

  141

  Holyhead

  124

  384

  221

  Immingham

  12,233

  293

  20,020

  Ipswich

  543

  15

  290

  Liverpool

  80

  658

  1,405

  Manchester

  60

  —

  —

  Newhaven

  23

  48

  —

  Newport

  3,082

  —

  315

  Plymouth

  42

  —

  —

  Poole

  230

  72

  —

  Portsmouth

  70

  17

  —

  Purfleet

  100

  109

  83

  Rainham

  924

  —

  —

  Ramsgate

  25

  —

  395

  Seaforth

  127

  —

  —

  Seaham

  3,599

  —

  —

  Southampton

  13

  222

  —

  Sunderland

  —

  —

  —

  Teesport

  —

  1,650

  2,959

  Tilbury

  2,666

  2,910

  41

  Rating Reform
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the proportion of households which will be liable to pay above average community charge which are households with below average incomes.

  Mr. Chope
  An up-to-date estimate is not available at present.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why he decided not to take account of any quarterly returns giving the numbers of children of claimants of supplementary benefit or income support received between December 1987 and April 1988 in calculating standard spending assessments in respect of poll tax.

  Mr. Chope
  We were advised by the Department of Social Security that the quarterly inquiry for February 1988 had been cancelled in order to accommodate the changeover from supplementary benefit to income support.

  Palace of Westminster
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what basis(a) Ministers of the Crown and (b) other hon. Members are charged for connections into the Palace of Westminster aerial system.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Ministers are provided with televisions in their offices at the House when required by their official duties.

  Other right hon. and hon. Members are charged the actual cost of connecting their private television sets to the aerial system.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what electrical, mechanical and technical works would be required in order to replace the existing annunciators with live television feed of proceedings in the Chamber or Committees; and if he will give an estimated financial breakdown of the costs of such works.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  To provide a live television feed would require the provision of a cable network and television sets. The installation of a cable network would be a complex task and I regret that without a full study, it is not possible to estimate the cost.
  363
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average cost of providing a connection into the Palace of Westminster aerial system.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The cost of providing a connection to the Palace of Westminster aerial system is dependent on the distance from the main trunk runs and on whether sound amplification is needed. The average cost of connections up till now is about £60.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total energy bill at the Palace of Westminster for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Chope
  Expenditure on energy for the parliamentary estate, including the House of Lords, over the last five years has been as follows:

  £

  1984–85

  821,951

  1985–86

  909,957

  1986–87

  901,051

  1987–88

  850,655

  1988–89

  849,569

  The figures are at cash prices.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the estimates of the community charge for the city of Nottingham issued by his Department since 1987.

  Mr. Chope
  The only estimates of the likely level of the community charge which my Department has published were placed in the Library on 6 November 1989. These showed a provisional 1990–91 community charge of £225 in Nottingham. Without any special transitional arrangements the community charge would be £252.

  Illustrative figures have also been published for 1987–88 to 1989–90 showing what the level of the community charge might have been based on local authority responsibilities and expenditure levels in those years. The published figures for Nottingham are shown in the table both with and without the transitional arrangements then proposed.

  Published illustrative community charge in Nottingham

  Without transitional arrangements

  With transitional arrangements

  1987–88

  207

  195

  1988–89

  251

  231

  1989–90

  242

  247

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many householders in the Bolton area will receive safety net payments on the community charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The impact of the community charge safety net in each area is not yet known. Provisional figures placed in the Library on 6 November suggest that Bolton will benefit from the safety net, and every chargepayer in Bolton will see the same reduction on their bills.

  In addition about 6 million people in England are expected to benefit from the proposed transitional relief scheme. Estimates of the number in each local authority area are not available.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Macedon trust, Nottingham regarding homelessness and hostels.

  Mr. Chope
  None since February when my Department agreed an additional housing investment programme allocation to Nottingham city council of £150,000 to help provide accommodation for the trust.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he has any plans to restrict the domestic use of lindane;

  (2) whether he has any plans to restrict the domestic use of pentachlorophenol.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The future use of lindane is under review by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, which advises Ministers on the operation of the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. Pentachlorophenol is the subject of a European Communities proposal to amend directive 76/769 EEC on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations, which is currently under consideration by the Council.

  Pollution
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has reached any conclusions on the proposal for a tax to make the polluter pay, contained in the Pearce report; if he will make it his policy to include noise pollution from airports as the basis for such a tax, as recommended in the report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Government's policy already reflects the principle of making the polluter pay. Thus he incurs the full cost, without subsidy, of meeting current environmental protection regulations. "Noise taxes" have been proposed as minor policy instruments by Professor Pearce and others, but the Government have no plans to implement such a tax.

  High-Density Baling
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he has made of the use of refuse for high-density baling for environmental protection.

  Mr. Trippier
  My Department has been involved in the monitoring of full-scale trials of high-density baling plant for more than a decade.

  Our conclusion is that there can be benefits in transport costs between transfer stations and disposal sites, but overall the benefits are marginal.

  Housing Capital Investment
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list at 1988–89 prices housing association capital investment(a) on new buildings for rent, (b) on renovation of existing dwellings for rent and (c) on other housing capital programmes in (1) inner London, (2) outer London, (3) metropolitan areas, (4) the south-east outside London, (5) other non-metropolitan areas and (6) England as a whole for (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1982–83, (iii) 1984–85, (iv) 1986–87 and (v) 1988–89.
  365
  Mr. Chope
  This information is not held by the Department. The distribution of grants and loans for housing association projects is largely for the Housing Corporation to determine within the broad policy framework established annually in discussion with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. I have therefore asked the Housing Corporation to respond to the hon. Member direct. Some support for housing association schemes is also provided by local authorities.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of member-led training schemes for housing association staff in Greater London.

  Mr. Chope
  My Department does not maintain such lists.

  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his Department's commitment to training in the housing association sector.

  Mr. Chope
  The Government support promotional and advisory activities in the housing association sector, including training for housing association staff, through an annual programme funded by grant-in-aid to the Housing Corporation.

  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will meet representatives of London housing associations to discuss the provision of training to assist associations in providing for the homeless and badly housed in London.

  Mr. Chope
  My ministerial colleagues and I frequently meet representatives of the housing association sector and we discuss a wide range of housing matters. We are quite prepared to listen to views about training in the course of discussions such as those.

  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the effects on London housing associations of the closure of London housing associations training scheme; and if he will make a statement about the future funding of the scheme.

  Mr. Chope
  I am aware that the London housing associations training scheme is held in high regard by those who use its services, so I hope that it will not be closing. By far the greater part of the scheme's income is in fact from the member associations which use the services. Details of public funding for the organisation are primarily a matter for the Housing Corporation, although I understand that the corporation is making available a grant of about £16,000 to the scheme in the current financial year and is hoping to make available a similar amount in 1990–91. But the overall position on resources is that the balancing of its budget is entirely the responsibility of the organisation itself. It is thus for the scheme to discuss with its member associations the level of costs which they are prepared to bear for its services.

  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations his Department has received concerning the proposed closure of London housing associations training scheme.
  366
  Mr. Chope
  My Department has received letters from six sources about the future of the scheme.

  European Environmental Agency
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the cost to industry and the consumer of the work of the European Environmental Agency.

  Mr. Trippier
  The proposed agency will assemble and analyse information on the environment from a network of national institutions and organisations. There is no intention to place further burdens on industry or to increase costs to the consumer.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report those he consulted in formulating his policy on the establishment of a European Environmental Agency.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government's policy on the establishment of the agency has been formulated in the light of the normal round of discussions between the relevant Government Departments.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the nature of the property-owning powers of the European Environmental Agency.

  Mr. Trippier
  The draft Council regulation contains articles stating that the European Environment Agency shall have a legal personality and that standard EC property rights as laid down in the protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Communities, annexed to the treaty of Rome, shall apply.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the estimated capital and revenue costs of establishing and running the European Environmental Agency.

  Mr. Trippier
  The total costs of establishing and running the European Environment Agency in its first year, as estimated by the Commission of the European Communities, is 5·5 million ecu. The division between capital and revenue costs is not available.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what negotiations he has had with his European Community counterparts to establish a system for the voluntary exchange and publishing of information regarding environmental matters.

  Mr. Trippier
  A number of Community instruments such as the industrial air pollution framework directive allow for information about environmental matters to be exchanged. The Commission also publishes environmental information from member countries in its periodic state of the environment reports. Discussions have also been taking place to establish a comprehensive system for the voluntary exchange and publication of environmental information in the context of the proposed regulation establishing a European Environment Agency.

  Oil Slick, Mersey
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any of the chemicals used to disperse the oil slick in the Mersey this summer had a mercury base.
  367
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None of the dispersants deployed by the Department of Transport's marine pollution control unit or obtained from their stockpile contained mercury.

  Rainham and Aveley Marshes
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the possibility of a theme park and film studio being developed on Rainham and Aveley marshes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  My right hon. Friend has received four representations objecting on the ground of nature conservation.

  Business Rates
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will explain the basis of his estimate of the yield from non-domestic rates in 1990–91, which is to be distributed to local authorities for that year.

  Mr. Chope
  The figure announced by my right hon. Friend on 6 November—£10,428·5 million—is the total amount which I expect to be paid by way of rates and a contribution in aid of rates in respect of Crown property. This has been derived by estimating the rateable value of all private business and nationalised industry properties, on the basis of the most up-to-date information available about the effects of the 1990 revaluation, and calculating a multiplier—36p—which will produce an amount that is consistent with the Government's commitment that the yield from those sectors should be broadly the same in real terms under the new system as in 1989–90; by applying that multiplier to the estimated new values of properties occupied by local authorities and the Crown; and by making certain allowances for income likely to be forgone, and adjustments to take account of the effect of transitional arrangements. The detailed calculation is set out in the table.

  £ million (1990–91)

  1. Income from Local and Central Lists

  a) Total Local and central Lists RV × Multiplier (£27,590m × £0·36)

  9,932

  + b) allowance for net buoyancy in 1990–91 (1·5 per cent.)

  + 149

  -c) charitable reliefs and other allowances

  -306

  - d) transitional arrangements

  -38

  - e) allowance for loss of income as a result of lower rating of empty property

  -497

  - f) allowance for losses on collection (0·3 per cent. Of 1 a+ b- c- d-e)

  -25

  - g) allowance for costs of collection

  - 42·5

  Sub Total

  9,172·5

  2. Income from Local Authorities

  + Local Authority RV × Multiplier (and after transition)

  +635

  3. Income from Crown Contribution in Aid

  + Crown RV × Multiplier (and after transition)

  + 653

  4. Total

  10,465·5

  5. -City Offset (at 1990–91 prices)

  -37

  368

  £ million (1990–91)

  6. Total NNDR Distributable Amount (at 1990–91 prices)

  10,428·5

  1 Excludes Central List.

  Notes:

  1. Item 1(a): the estimated rateable value total represents the values of private businesses and nationalised industries on local and central rating lists.

  2. Item 1(b): "net buoyancy" reflects changes in the rateable value base largely as a result of new buildings, demolitions and alterations to existing buildings. No separate allowance has been made for 1990–91 for appeals against the new rating list, which are likely to he settled in later years.

  3. Items 1(c) and (e): these deductions take account of the effect of changes in statutory provision for charitable relief and unoccupied property rating.

  4. Item 1(d): the adjustment for transition represents the amount by which it is estimated that the transitional arrangements will not balance in 1990–91, i.e. the amount of rates foregone as a result of protection against increases which will not be recoupled by way of the limitation on reductions.

  5. Items 2 and 3: the figures for rates paid on local authority property and the Crown contribution in aid are net of buoyancy and reduced payments for empty property.

  6. Item 5: the City offset is a preliminary estimate of the reduction in the amount which the City of London will be required to pay into the non-domestic rating pool on account of the local rate in the City. This is the amount which will be retained by the authority to meet its expenditure.

  Environment Council
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Environment Council on 28 November.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting.

  Political agreement was reached on a regulation establishing a European Environment Agency responsible for the collection, co-ordination and analysis of environmental information. The agreement met the concerns of Her Majesty's Government and of the Select Committee on the Environment. It is envisaged that the agency will be a small, independent, professional body which will provide an authoritative source of information to underpin Community environmental policy. Care has been taken to avoid possible duplication of work being undertaken in other fora. The question of the eventual participation of non-Community countries remains open. No decision was taken on the location of the agency's headquarters. The United Kingdom has offered to host it in Cambridge.

  The Council considered a compromise text, tabled by the French Presidency, of a draft directive for the protection of natural and semi-natural habitats and wild fauna and flora and in particular the proposed procedures for drawing up a list of protected sites. The Council reaffirmed its support for the principle of a directive and congratulated the Presidency on the progress made in breaking the stalemate over the Commission's proposals. The Presidency text was referred for detailed examination. It is hoped that further substantial progress will take place during the Irish Presidency.
  369
  The Council took note of a recent Commission task force report on the relationship between the environment and the completion of the internal market. There was also a preliminary exchange of views on the potential role of fiscal instruments in environmental protection.

  I emphasised the Government's strong support for the pinciple of the draft directive aimed at ensuring freedom of access to information on the environment held by public authorities and its dissemination throughout the Community. Following a useful discussion, the proposal was referred back for further detailed examination.

  The Council agreed conclusions underlining the need for the Community and member states to play an active part in the conservation of tropical forests and calling for further examination of the Commission's communication on the subject.

  Ministers reviewed progress on a draft directive on nitrate pollution from diffuse sources in water, in the light of some suggestions by the French Presidency. Discussion of this proposal will continue in the Irish Presidency.

  The United Kingdom received warm support in urging the Commission to bring forward early proposals for two directives controlling vehicle emissions: a consolidated directive which would bring emission standards for medium cars into line with those already agreed for large and small cars; and on measures to reduce emissions from diesel heavy goods vehicles. There was also support for our call for an early Commission report on means to reduce CO2 emissions from vehicles.

  At the request of the United Kingdom the Commission undertook to draft Council conclusions on the need for developed industralised countries to become self-sufficient in the disposal of their own waste as far as possible. It is intended that consideration of the draft conclusions should prepare for discussion of the same subject in OECD.

  Water Disconnections
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people in(a) Yorkshire and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom have had their water supplies disconnected for non-payment of water charges in the past year, to date.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 28 November 1989]: The information on disconnections for non-payment of water charges is collected on a full year basis. Information in respect of the year to date is not available.

  County Councils
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in the past 12 months regarding county council policies and green issues.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 29 November 1989]: The principal area of concern in representations during this period has been with county councils' responsibilities for waste disposal, and with our proposals for legislation to strengthen their role and powers to discharge their duties.

  Football Identity Cards
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what date the introduction of the identity card scheme for football spectators has been deferred; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The introduction of the national membership scheme has not been deferred.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensioners
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners he estimates live on the state retirement pension exclusively; how many live on this pension and income support exclusively; and how many have additional income of up to £5, £5 to £10, £10 to £20, £20 to £50, £50 to £100, £100 to £200 and above £200 per week.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information is not available in the precise form requested. The latest available information is for 1986:

  Per cent.

  1. Proportion of Pensioner Tax Units1 in receipt of Retirement/Pension/Supplementary Benefit only

  4

  2. Proportion of Pensioner Tax Units in receipt of Retirement Pension /Supplementary Benefit and Housing Benefit only

  13

  3. Proportion of Pensioner Tax Units who have income2 additional to Retirement Pension/ Supplementary Benefit and Housing Benefit, in stated ranges:—

  £0.01 to £5 per week

  18

  £5 to £10 per week

  9

  £10 to £20 per week

  13

  £20 to £50 per week

  19

  £50 to £100 per week

  12

  £100 to £200 per week

  9

  £200 plus per week

  4

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey 1986.

  Notes:

  1 A pensioner tax unit is the unit on which tax is assessed; in this context where the head of the tax unit is over pensionable age and the tax unit receives some Retirement Pension.

  2 At 1986 prices.

  Mr. Aitken
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) approximately how many pensioners over 75 years have applied for the new £3·50 per week supplement introduced in the Budget; and how many of these applications have been successful;

  (2) approximately how many pensioners over 75 years have applied for the new £3·50 per week supplement introduced earlier in the current year in the Budget; and how many of these applications have been successful.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Around 2·5 million pensioners who were already entitled to income support or housing benefit will have benefited automatically from the premium changes introduced in October. These changes applied to pensioners aged 75 or over and to disabled pensioners aged 60 or over. Single people will have received an increase of up to £2·50 a week and couples an increase of up to £3·50 a week.

  Information is not yet available on which to estimate the number of pensioners who newly qualified for benefit

  371
  from October as a result of the changes. However, over the four months from the start of the publicity campaign in July until the end of October a total of 579,000 claims for income support were received from pensioners, of which 196,000 were successful. This compares with a total of 66,000 successful claims over the previous four months. Information on new claims for housing benefit is not yet available.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend the eligibility criteria of mobility allowance to other groups whose mobility problems do not arise from a physical inability to walk.

  Mr. Scott
  We shall announce proposals to improve the balance and structure of social security provision for people who are disabled within the next few months.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what criteria will be used to determine who is deaf-blind for the purpose of mobility allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The extension of mobility allowance to people who are deaf-blind will be introduced through regulations which will prescribe the circumstances in which they will be treated as being unable or virtually unable to walk for the purpose of section 37A of the Social Security Act 1975. The detail of the new eligibility criteria is still under consideration.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people benefited from mobility allowance in 1979–80 and in 1988–89; and what are the values of mobility allowance in three years at current prices.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is:

  1979–80

  1988–89

  Estimated average number of recipients at any one time

  140,000

  530,000

  Value of new rate of mobility allowance introduced during year, at current prices

  £23·40

  £25·60

  Disability (OPCS Survey)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what extra resources are available to fund the fuller and more strategic response he will be making to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys survey on disability.

  Mr. Scott
  The public expenditure plans announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer include an overall increase in the social security budget by £3 billion next year to a total of £55·6 billion and to over £63 billion by 1992–93. These increases will make possible a variety of real improvements in social security, including benefits for disabled people. Further details of projected expenditure on those benefits will he published early next year in the public expenditure White Paper.

  Visual Handicap
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has as to the ways in which people with a visual handicap incur extra cost as a result of their disability.
  372
  Mr. Scott
  The surveys of disability in Great Britain carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys between 1985 and 1988 provide valuable information about the ways in which people with disabilities, including seeing disabilities, incur extra cost. The surveys were based on a sample of 10,000 adults, 27 per cent. of whom had seeing disabilities. A recent study by the Royal National Institute for the Blind of the additional expenditure incurred by 10 visually impaired people also provides information about extra costs.

  Pensions and Benefits
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total estimated spending from public funds on people beyond retirement age in respect of(a) the state retirement pension and (b) all other benefits, including income support and housing benefit, for the latest year for which these figures are available.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The estimated expenditure outturn for retirement pension for 1988–89 was £19,281 million. Estimated outturn on all other social security benefits for the elderly in 1988–89 was £4,409 million; this includes income support paid to men aged over 60 but under retirement age.

  Homeless People
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the effects of the changes in the legislation to persons living in local authority hostels from 9 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There was no change in legislation from 9 April 1989 which affected people living in hostels. From 9 April 1990 the protected sum currently in payment to some hostel dwellers will be divided so that the local office pays that part appropriate to the claimant, and the Department's central unit takes on any compensation due to the hostel.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the number of homeless who are in receipt of invalidity benefit or retirement pension.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret the information is not available.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the change in benefit entitlement of a person in a hostel who is in receipt of the protected sum if they temporarily leave for two days to attend a sick relative or to attend a family bereavement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The protected sum ceases if the claimant changes or vacates the hostel.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last visited a hostel for the homeless; and what matters he discussed with the residents and staff.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Since his appointment as the Secretary of State for Social Security, my right hon. Friend has not had the opportunity to visit a hostel.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number of lone parents and their dependants in November 1979 and Novemberx
  373
  1989, or the latest date possible, dependent on receipt of social security benefit or income support and family income or payment; and what was the total number of lone parents and their dependants on the same dates, showing in each case the percentage change since 1979.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information requested is set out in the table. The latest information available is shown but the dates vary and the sets of figures are therefore not strictly comparable. The references to social security benefit and family income have been read as supplementary benefit and family income supplement/family credit respectively.

  Percentage increase

  1979

  1988

  Supplementary Benefit (now Income Support)1

  Lone parents

  318,000

  722,000

  127

  Dependants

  558,00

  1,235,000

  121

  1979

  1989

  Family Income Supplement (now Family Credit)2

  Lone parents

  42,000

  122,000

  190

  Dependants

  73,000

  191,000

  162

  1979

  1986

  Total of Lone Parent Families;3

  Lone Parents

  840,000

  1,010,000

  20

  Dependants

  1,400,000

  1,600,000

  14

  1 Annual Statistical Enquiries—November 1979 and May 1988. Figures exclude prisoners' partners.

  2 Ten per cent. sample of Family Income Supplement load and 5 per cent. sample of Family Credit load.

  3 Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys—"Population Trends 45" (Autumn 1986) and "Population Trends 55" (Spring 1989).

  Appeals
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of appeals heard by social security appeals tribunals in the Bolton area during 1988 and each of the previous three years; and how many of these appeals were successful for the claimant.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  National administrative statistics for social security appeal tribunals are not available for areas smaller than a social security region.

  The table gives the information for north-western region for the years 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Social security appeal tribunals North Western Region

  Period

  Appeals heard and decided

  Successful appeals for the claimant

  1985

  19,631

  4,592

  1986

  18,167

  4,460

  1987

  26,361

  5,997

  1988

  32,615

  9,307

  Stolen Order Books
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to reach a decision on whether or not to provide statistical information by district, throughout the United Kingdom, on the number of stolen Department of Social Security order books; and if he will make a statement.
  374
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Central records are maintained clerically about order books reported missing but do not separately identify those stolen. With the use of information technology, tests are being carried out with the aim of refining the present system, the primary purpose of which will be to assist in the early detection and investigation of losses. It is likely to be some time before a decision is taken on the format that best suits the Department's needs in that area.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received regarding the continued monitoring of the impact of the social fund in Leicestershire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I have received no such representations.

  Benefit Records
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of errors was found in benefit records from(a) Ealing and (b) other London offices when these were checked at the Glasgow processing centre.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Two London offices, Ealing and Southall, have so far transferred their income support benefit records to the social security centre in Glasgow. Detailed statistics are not kept of the errors found in those records when preparing them for entry on to the computer. However, it is estimated that around 34 per cent. of Ealing cases and 40 per cent. of Southall cases require correction before they are computerised. A significant proportion of these involve incorrect postcodes or National Insurance numbers; a smaller number involve incorrect payment of benefit. Incorrect payments detected are corrected and arrears paid promptly.

  The improved and more accurate service that the Ealing and Southall public now receive fully justifies our decision to move the work to Glasgow.

EMPLOYMENT

  Wildcat Strikes
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any proposals to outlaw wildcat strikes.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Proposals were published for public consultation in the Green Paper "Unofficial Action and the Law" (Cm. 821). Legislation will be announced in due course.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which regions in England have seen a decline in the number employed in manufacturing industries from 1979 to the latest year for which figures are available; and what is the relevant percentage decrease.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The following table shows the number and change in employees in employment in manufacturing industries between June 1979 and June 1989. All regions have seen a reduction over this period.
  375

  Employees in the manufacturing industry Unadjusted, Thousands

  June 1979

  June 1989

  1979–1989

  change

  percentage change

  South East (including London)

  1,871

  1,304

  -567

  -30·3

  East Anglia

  206

  175

  -31

  -15·0

  South West

  439

  366

  -73

  -16·6

  West Midlands

  985

  665

  -320

  -32·5

  East Midlands

  606

  489

  -117

  -19·2

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  708

  484

  -224

  -31·6

  North West

  971

  669

  -301

  -31·1

  North

  410

  281

  -129

  -31–4

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total amount of unemployment in the United Kingdom, expressed as a percentage; and what is the comparable total of unemployment in the rest of the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In September 1989, the latest comparable date, unemployment in the United Kingdom was 6·3 per cent. compared with an EEC average of 9·1 per cent. The following table shows a full comparison. Over the past two years the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom has fallen faster than in any other major European country.

  Unemployment rates for comparison between EEC counties Seasonally adjusted

  September 1989 Rate

  Luxembourg

  2·0

  West Germany

  5·6

  Portugal

  5·7

  United Kingdom

  6·3

  Denmark

  7·4

  Greece

  17·4

  Belgium

  9·6

  Netherlands

  10·0

  France

  10·1

  Italy

  11·0

  Spain

  16·4

  Ireland

  17·0

  EEC average

  9·1

  1 April 1987

  Skills Training
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the actions Her Majesty's Government are taking to improve the skills of the work force.

  Mr. Patrick Nicholls
  The Government are currently modernising arrangements for training and enterprise in this country. The introduction of a network of local training and enterprise councils will in particular revolutionise this country's approach to training and enterprise and prepare us for the challenges of the 1990s. The Government are also investing nearly £3 billion this year to improve the skills of the work force and encourage enterprise development.

  Business Start-ups
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the change in the number of weekly net business start-ups in the east midlands from 1987–88 to 1988–89.
  376
  Mr. Eggar
  In 1987, the number of businesses registered for VAT in the east midlands rose by an estimated 3,000, or an average of 58 a week. The estimated increase in 1988 was 4,100, an average of 79 a week.

  Members of Parliament
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what rules govern the eligibility for unemployment benefit and the assessment of availability for work of hon. Members.

  Mr. Eggar
  These conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit are set out in the Social Security Act 1975 and consequential regulations. This legislation does not provide specific variations for claimants holding public offices.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list those Government measures of particular help for small businesses since 1979;

  (2) if he will publish in the Official Report those Government measures of particular help to small businesses which are the subject of current legislation or are planned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Since 1979 Government policy has been to create and foster a climate in which small firms can flourish, by minimising the compliance burdens of taxation, regulation and red tape, and by putting in place a complementary range of fiscal, financial and advisory measures.

  The principal Government measures of particular help to small businesses include: a range of tax reductions and structural reforms to improve the incentives and rewards for successful small business owners. For example the basic rate of income tax has been reduced from 33 per cent. to 25 per cent., the small companies rate of corporation tax has been reduced from 42 per cent. to 25 per cent., and the nine higher rates of income tax, ranging from 40 per cent. to 83 per cent., have been reduced to one higher rate of 40 per cent.; the loan guarantee scheme, introduced in 1981, which provides a Government guarantee for loans by banks to small businesses; the business expansion scheme, introduced in 1983, which provides tax relief on investments made in shares of unquoted companies of up to £40,000 a year; the enterprise allowance scheme, introduced in 1983, which provides an allowance of £40 per week to previously unemployed people to make up for loss of benefit in their first year of self-employment; a range of training opportunities developed by the Training Agency, now included in business growth training, which take account of the training needs of new and growing

  377
  small firms; the provision of information and confidential advice and counselling through the small firms service and the rural development commission, and through substantial support for local enterprise agencies and other advisory bodies, including the princes youth business trust; the enterprise initiative, launched by the DTI in January 1988, which offers access to specialised consultancy in key business areas.

  These and other measures have been highly successful in creating and maintaining a framework for enterprise and the growth of the small business sector, which continues apace.

  The Employment Act 1989 has prepared the ground for the introduction of training and enterprise councils (TECs) by the end of 1990. TECs will be responsible for the delivery and development of training and other support for small businesses.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the achievements of his Department and his policies in helping small businesses over the last 12 months and in the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Eggar
  The growth of the small business sector itself is the best indicator of the success of the Government's policy towards small business. In 1988–89 the net increase in the number of VAT-registered businesses was 64,000, an average of just over 1,200 a week.

  The performance figures for the measures operated by my Department in 1988–89 are as follows:

  The small firms service answered over 281,000 inquiries (an increase of 6 per cent. on 1987–88), handled over 30,000 new counselling cases (an increase of 12 per cent. on 1987–88), and conducted over 43,000 counselling sessions (an increase of 10 per cent. on 1987–88);

  The usage of the loan guarantee scheme has increased from 1,234 small businesses in 1987–88 to 2,292 in 1988–89. The total loan value increased from £46·23 million to £64·76 million. Improved procedures under the scheme include simplified procedures for loans up to £15,000 and an increase in the maximum loan size from £75,000 to £100,000.

  The number of entrants to the Training Agency's enterprise programmes, the business enterprise programme and the enterprise element of employment training, have increased by 22 per cent. from 43,489 in 1987–88 to 53,003 in 1988–89.

  The number of entrants to the graduate enterprise programme rose from 155 in 1987–88 to 1,150 in 1988–89.

  Commissioner for Trade Union Members
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases the commissioner for the rights of trade union members has dealt with; how many applications she has received; how many of the applications she received fell outside her jurisdiction; and if he will list the unions involved and how many for each.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I am advised by the commissioner for trade union members that in the period ending 27 November 1989 she had dealt with 245 cases; 30 of these 378
  have resulted in formal applications for assistance, of which 18 fell outside her jurisdiction. The numbers of applications per union are listed in the table.

  Number

  National and Local Government Officer' Association

  5

  GMB

  4

  Transport and General Workers Union

  4

  Confederation of Health Service Employees

  2

  National Union of Public Employees

  2

  National Union of Railwaymen

  2

  National Union of Seamen

  2

  Union of Communication Workers

  2

  Amalgamated Engineering Union

  1

  Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union

  1

  National Union of Journalists

  1

  National Union of Mineworkers

  1

  Society of Graphical and Allied Trades 1982

  1

  Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians

  1

  Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers

  1

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the estimated running costs of the commissioner for the rights of trade union members in 1988–89.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The commissioner for trade union members has provided White Paper accounts to the Secretary of State for Employment and the Comptroller and Auditor-General as required by the Employment Act 1988. Copies of the statement of accounts will be laid before each House by the Comptroller and Auditor-General in due course.

  Closed Shop
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints he has received each year since 1979 from firms and employees on the pre-entry closed shop.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Ministers and officials in the Department of Employment continue to receive complaints from a variety of sources which describe difficulties experienced as a result of the operation of closed shop arrangements, involving pre-entry closed shops. However, no record is maintained of the number of such complaints received each year and, in any case, it is not always clear whether a complaint relates to pre-entry or post-entry arrangements. In addition, it would not be possible to establish precisely which complaints were made by firms and employees.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints the commissioner for trade union rights has received(a) from local authority employees, (b) from National Health Service employees and (c) from any employee working in the public sector against their union on the closed shop.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I have been advised by the commissioner for trade union members that precise figures concerning the number of complaints by type of employer are not available as complaints relate to the trade union not the employer, who is often not involved or identified. Complaints in relation to the closed shop are outside the scope of the commissioner's assistance.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his response to the interim results of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys report entitled "Disabled Adults: Service, Transport and Employment 1989"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The results set out in the report published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in June 1989 have been taken into account in the review of services for people with disabilities which my Department has been undertaking. However, the report does not provide, with sufficient precision, the information about the nature and consequences of employment difficulties arising from disability which my Department needs to plan its services. My Department has commissioned a further survey to provide such information, and the results of that survey will be available soon.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to strengthen programmes aimed at a change in employers' attitudes towards the employment of disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

  Employees in employment1 in the Textile industry2 by region

  Thousand

  Region

  September

  September

  September

  Net change3

  1981

  1984

  1987

  1981 to 1984

  1984 to 1987

  South East

  13·1

  10·2

  10·6

  -2·9

  + 0·4

  East Anglia

  1·4

  1·9

  1·6

  + 0·5

  -0·3

  South West

  5·7

  5·2

  5·2

  -0·6

  0·0

  West Midlands

  13·0

  12·2

  12·6

  -0·8

  + 0·4

  East Midlands

  80·5

  72·4

  71·3

  -8·1

  -1·1

  Yorkshire and

  Humberside 57·4

  47·6

  45·9

  -9·8

  -1·7

  North West

  52·7

  40·7

  41·7

  -12·0

  + 1·0

  North

  8·6

  8·3

  7·1

  -0·2

  -1·3

  Wales

  4·0

  3·6

  3·6

  -0·4

  -0·0

  Scotland

  38·6

  32·9

  31·1

  -5·8

  -1·7

  Great Britain

  275·0

  234·9

  230·7

  -40·1

  -4·2

  1 The figures exclude the self-employed.

  2 Class 43 of the Standard Industrial Classification 1980 (Textiles including hosiery)

  3 Changes calculated on unrounded employee estimates.

  Between census of employment dates, information about employees in employment subdivided by region is available only for those industry headings listed in Table 1.5 of Employment Gazette, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Employees in employment1 in the Footwear industry2 by region

  Region

  September

  September

  September

  Net change3

  1981

  1984

  1987

  1981–84

  1984–87

  South East

  4·8

  4·4

  3·6

  -0·5

  -0·7

  EastAnglia

  3·2

  3·3

  2·7

  0·0

  -0·6

  South West

  8·1

  7·5

  7·3

  -0·6

  -0·2

  West Midlands

  1·8

  3·0

  2·2

  +1·1

  -o·7

  East Midlands

  1·8

  3·0

  2·2

  -3·3

  -0·1:

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2·3

  2·0

  2·1

  -0·3

  + 0·1

  North West

  8·2

  8·3

  8·0

  + 0·2

  -0·4

  North

  3·8

  3·6

  3·5

  -0·2

  -0·1

  Wales

  0·8

  0·8

  1·0

  +0·1

  +0·2

  Scotland

  0·9

  0·7

  0·7

  -0·2

  0·0

  Great Britain

  56·6

  53·0

  50·4

  -3·7

  -2·5

  380
  Mr. Nicholls
  The adequacy of current programmes aimed at encouraging employers to adopt and implement good policies and practices on the employment of people with disabilities is being considered in the review of services for people with disabilities which my Department has been undertaking. A consultative document covering the conclusions reached in the review will be published as soon as possible.

  Hosiery and Textile Industry
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list, by year and by region since 1979, the figures for job losses in the hosiery and textile industry; and if he will make a statement regarding forecasts of these figures for the coming year.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are no figures for job losses and job gains. Net changes in employment can be given, but only for dates when censuses of employment are taken. The available information from censuses taken in September 1981, September 1984 and September 1987 is as follows:

  Footwear Industry
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list, by year and by region since 1979, the figures for job losses in the footwear industry; and if he will make a statement regarding forecasts for these figures for the coming year.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are no figures for job losses and job gains. Net changes in employment can be given, but only for dates when censuses of employment are taken. The available information from censuses taken in September 1981, September 1984 and September 1987 is as follows:
  381

  1 The figures exclude the self-employed

  2 Group 451 of the Standard Industrial Classification 1980

  3 Changes calculated on unrounded employee estimates

  Between census of employment dates, information about employees in employment subdivided by region is available only for those industry headings listed in Table 1.5 of Employment Gazette a copy of which is in the Library.

  Redundancy Fund
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans for the redundancy fund.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Proposals will be included in the 1989 Employment Bill to merge the redundancy fund with the national insurance fund. This will simplify administration and provide a single source of funding for the relevant payments. No change will occur in the statutory entitlements of employees as a result of this merger.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to safeguard consumers' rights when the independent television companies are allowed to broadcast home-selling programmes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mellor
  Under our proposals on broadcasting, the Independent Television Commission will be required to draw up a code on advertising and sponsorship, with which its licensees must comply. In drawing up the code, the ITC will need to take account of the relevant provisions of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. Article 12(3) of the convention states that forms of advertisements such as direct offers to the public for the sale, purchase or rental of products or for the provision of services shall not exceed one hour per day.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority to discuss broadcasting.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. and learned Friend keeps in regular touch with the chairman of the IBA on a wide range of broadcasting matters.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homes in Britain are receiving multi-channel television via satellite dish aerials on their own premises at the latest available date.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not collect information on this subject, but I understand that research carried out by Continental Research indicated that in October 1989 352,000 households had direct-to-home satellite dishes.

  Wandsworth Prison
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take to implement the recommendations of the chief inspector of prisons in his report on Wandsworth prison.

  Mr. Mellor
  A statement by my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) setting out the action being taken was published on 19 October 1989 as his 382
  response to the report of Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons on Wandsworth prison and a copy was placed in the Library.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will reconsider his rejection of the recommendation by the chief inspector of prisons to install integral sanitation at Wandsworth prison in seven years in the light of his announcement of more resources for prison refurbishment.

  Mr. Mellor
  The speed of refurbishment is determined largely by the need to keep a prison fully operational while the work goes on. The large programme of refurbishment already in hand at Wandsworth, which includes the installation of toilets and washbasins in 300 cells, cannot be increased or accelerated while its full use as a local prison remains so essential to meet current high levels of overcrowding.

  Guildford Four
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give powers to Sir John May's inquiry into the case of the Guildford Four to compel witnesses to attend, to subpoena documents and to provide immunity from prosecution to witnesses.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no power to confer on Sir John May the power to compel witnesses to attend his inquiry or to subpoena documents. We have no reason to believe that he will not be able to conduct his inquiry satisfactorily in the absence of such powers.

  The question of offering immunity from prosecution to any person in respect of criminal offences is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions, who will usually consult the Attorney-General. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General to a question from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 6 November 1989 at columns 439–40.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the project licences issued in accordance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, either partly or wholly applicable to Huntingdon research centre, Cambridgeshire, have been referred to the Animal Procedures Committee.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This information is treated as confidential between the applicant, the Home Office and the Animal Procedures Committee. The annual reports of the committee for 1987 and 1988 (HC 36 and 458) show the kinds of applications which are considered by the committee.

  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of the project licences permitting regulated scientific procedures in accordance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 at
  383
  Huntingdon research centre, Cambridgeshire, are classified as being of mild severity, how many of moderate severity and how many of substantial severity; and what is the total number;

  (2) how many project licences currently exist authorising regulated scientific procedures in accordance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 at Huntingdon research centre, Cambridgeshire;

  (3) how many regulated scientific procedures conducted in accordance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 at Huntingdon research centre in 1988 involved the use of dogs;

  (4) how many regulated scientific procedures were conducted in accordance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 at Huntingdon research centre, Cambridgeshire, in 1988;

  (5) how many regulated scientific procedures were conducted in accordance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 at Huntingdon research centre, Cambridgeshire, in 1988, for the purpose of testing cosmetics and toiletries or their ingredients.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This information is treated as confidential.

  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the regulated scientific procedures at the Huntingdon research centre, Cambridgeshire, were terminated as required by section 10(2)(b) in accordance with the inviolable termination condition.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Details of such terminations are not available centrally. It is the practice for project licences to include specific provisions for end points which have effect before the condition imposed by section 10(2)(b) of the Act is reached.

  Commission for Racial Equality
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases the Commission for Racial Equality has dealt with in each region in the last three years.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information on cases of racial discrimination referred to the commission is provided in the following table:

  Region

  Cases handled

  1986

  1987

  1988

  London

  252

  307

  342

  South

  241

  265

  389

  Midlands and Wales

  246

  380

  391

  North and Scotland

  277

  319

  318

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is Government policy concerning funding for the Commission for Racial Equality for the next year.

  Mr. John Patten
  The commission's statutory duties and strategic priorities are being taken into account in determining its grant-in-aid for next year.

  Cable Television
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homes in Britain are receiving multi-channel television through cable television systems at the latest available date.
  384
  Mr. Mellor
  I understand from the Cable Authority that on 1 October 1989 a total of 287,219 households in the United Kingdom were connected to cable systems, of which 75,811 were connected to broad band cable systems.

  Philippine Immigrants
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants from the Philippines have been admitted to work as domestic servants in the last three years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The numbers involved cannot be separately identified in the statistics of passenger admissions.

  Young Offenders
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many specialised units for young offenders exist in the United Kingdom; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Mellor
  There are 35 male and female young offender institutions in England and Wales. The position in Scotland and in Northern Ireland is a matter respectively for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland. The list of the young offender institutions in England and Wales is as follows:

  Aylesbury

  Bullwood Hall1

  Campsfield House

  Castington

  Deerbolt

  Dover

  Drake Hall1

  East Sutton Park

  Eastwood Park

  Everthorpe

  Feltham

  Finnamore Wood

  Glen Parva

  Grendon

  Guys Marsh

  Hatfield

  Hewell Grange

  Hollesley Bay Colony

  Huntercombe

  Kirklevington Grange

  Lowdham Grange

  The Mount

  New Hall1

  Northallerton

  Onley

  Portland

  Stoke Heath

  Styal1

  Swinfen Hall

  Thorn Cross

  Usk

  Wellingborough

  Werrington

  Wetherby

  Whatton

  1 Female prisons which are also designed as young offender institutions.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders are presently awaiting trial in local adult prisons.

  Mr. Mellor
  According to the records held centrally, about 640 males and 60 females aged under 21 were held
  385
  as untried prisoners in local prisons and in remand centres not exclusively designated for those aged under 21 in England and Wales on 30 September 1989.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if young offenders once sentenced are automatically confined in specialised units.

  Mr. Mellor
  The great majority of young offenders who receive custodial sentences are sentenced to detention in a young offenders institution. Of these, male juveniles and short sentenced young adults are committed directly from court to a young offender institution; the rest are initially committed to an allocation unit, usually within a local prison or remand centre, for a short period for assessment before being transferred to an appropriate young offender institution.

  Young offenders sentenced to detention in a young offender institution may be retained in a prison, at the direction of the Secretary of State, for example for judicial, compassionate or medical reasons, for accumulated visits, or for reallocation.

  Child Abuse
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will initiate legislation to extend the magistrates courts powers to include protecting any children living with the applicant, in addition to the current protecting of only children of the family.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Law Commission is reviewing the civil law on domestic violence, which is in need of rationalisation; and I do not think it would be sensible to bring forward legislative proposals on a piecemeal basis in advance of consideration of the commission's proposals as a whole.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the inquiry referred to in the replies by the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) to the hon. Member for Motherwell, North (Dr. Reid),Official Report, 26 October, columns 1032–33, will look at material collected by the Devon and Cornwall police in the course of their investigations into the appeal of those found guilty of the Birmingham pub bombings.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The investigation into the work and practices of the serious crime squad concentrates on the period since the beginning of 1986. The conduct of the inquiry is the responsibility of the investigating officer, Mr. Shaw, subject to the supervision of the Police Complaints Authority. I understand that there is no intention at present to look at the material collected by the Devon and Cornwall police, which relates to earlier events.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent he will be co-operating with the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament in its inquiry into the convictions of those found guilty of the Birmingham pub bombings.

  Mr. Waddington
  As I said in my reply to a question from the hon. Member on 29 November 1989 at column 268, I understand that the Legal Affairs Committee has not yet decided whether to conduct such an inquiry and, if so, what its terms of reference should be. We believe that 386
  it would be inappropriate for the European Parliament to inquire into the convictions of the Birmingham Six, it being a matter wholly outside the Parliament's competence.

  Drugs
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to co-operate with the Schengen information system to pool police data in anti-drug operations.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Schengen information system does not yet exist. However, we are discussing with our European Community partners, which includes the Schengen countries, a wide range of measures for further strengthening co-operation between law enforcement agencies. The development of an information system serving all European Community countries is one option which is being studied.

  Fires
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many outbreaks of fire were recorded in each of the last five years in(a) England and Wales and (b) the Bolton area;

  (2) what was the number of incidents of arson in each of the last five years in (a) England and Wales and (b) the Bolton area.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available figures for 1983 to 1987 are given in the following table. Separate information is not available centrally for the Bolton area as this is part of the area covered by the Greater Manchester fire and civil defence authority. The United Kingdom total for 1988 will be published shortly in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Summary Fire Statistics UK 1988" with separate figures for Greater Manchester being available from spring 1990.

  Total fires (fires in occupied buildings, outdoor fires and fires in derelict buildings) and fires in occupied buildings reported by local authority fire brigades

  United Kingdom

  Greater Manchester

  Year

  Total

  Occupied buildings

  Total

  Occupied buildings

  1987

  353,996

  104,079

  21,030

  6,669

  1986

  387,298

  105,650

  23,177

  6,913

  1985

  388,042

  104,655

  21,838

  6,172

  1984

  446,557

  101,545

  27,822

  6,442

  1983

  372,405

  97,490

  20,275

  5,804

  Fires in occupied buildings reported by local authority fire brigades as deliberate or possibly deliberate

  Year

  United Kingdom

  Greater Manchester

  1987

  18,774

  1,490

  1986

  19,317

  1,683

  1985

  18,414

  1,426

  1984

  17,756

  1,467

  1983

  15,486

  1,013

  Source: Fire Statistics United Kingdom 1983–87

  Prisoners
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of(a) men and (b) women who have been sent to prison each month during 1987, 1988 and up till October 1989.
  387
  Mr. Mellor
  Quarterly information on receptions is published annually in a Home Office statistical bulletin (table 7 of the latest issue 12/89, "The Prison Population in 1988," a copy of which is in the Library). A person received as an untried prisoner will also be recorded as received after sentence if subsequently received to serve a sentence. Reliable monthly data on persons received as convicted unsentenced is not readily available; in 1988, 7,000 persons were received as convicted unsentenced who had not been previously received as an untried prisoner. The readily available monthly information is given in the tables.

  Untried prisoners received into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales, 1987–89

  Number of prisoners1

  Males

  Females

  Under 21

  21 and over

  Under 21

  21 and over

  1987

  January

  1,700

  3,100

  60

  160

  February

  1,700

  3,200

  50

  160

  March

  1,600

  3,000

  40

  150

  April

  1,700

  3,100

  60

  140

  May

  1,700

  3,200

  60

  170

  June

  1,700

  3,100

  50

  170

  July

  1,700

  3,000

  50

  150

  August

  1,800

  3,400

  50

  170

  September

  1,700

  3,200

  70

  190

  October

  1,700

  3,100

  70

  200

  November

  1,800

  3,200

  80

  190

  December

  1,600

  3,100

  70

  190

  1988

  January

  1,900

  3,400

  80

  200

  February

  1,700

  3,000

  70

  240

  March

  1,500

  2,900

  70

  190

  April

  1,700

  3,100

  60

  200

  May

  1,600

  3,000

  70

  170

  June

  1,600

  3,000

  50

  170

  July

  1,600

  3,100

  60

  160

  August

  1,500

  2,900

  30

  100

  September

  1,500

  2,800

  50

  180

  October

  1,600

  3,400

  80

  200

  November

  1,700

  3,100

  60

  190

  December

  1,500

  3,400

  70

  190

  1989

  January

  1,800

  3,300

  60

  230

  February

  1,600

  3,100

  80

  250

  March

  1,700

  3,300

  60

  260

  April

  1,600

  3,200

  70

  160

  May

  1,600

  2,900

  50

  210

  June

  1,600

  2,900

  60

  190

  July2

  1,600

  3,400

  90

  240

  August2

  1,300

  3,200

  80

  170

  1 Rounded seasonally adjusted estimates.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Prisoners received under sentence1 into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales, 1987–1989

  Number of prisoners2

  Males

  Females

  Under 21

  21 and over

  Under 21

  21 and over

  1987

  January

  1,800

  3,200

  40

  190

  February

  2,000

  3,400

  60

  210

  March

  1,900

  3,300

  50

  190

  April

  2,100

  3,400

  70

  220

  May

  2,000

  3,600

  60

  200

  June

  2,000

  3,600

  70

  210

  July

  1,800

  3,600

  60

  190

  August

  1,900

  3,500

  60

  200

  September

  1,900

  3,400

  60

  180

  October

  2,000

  3,600

  50

  200

  November

  2,000

  3,500

  70

  200

  388

  Males

  Females

  Under 21

  21 and over

  Under 21

  21 and over

  December

  2,000

  3,400

  50

  190

  1988

  January

  1,900

  3,600

  60

  190

  February

  2,000

  3,300

  60

  180

  March

  1,900

  3,400

  50

  190'

  April

  1,800

  3,500

  50

  180

  May

  1,700

  3,500

  50

  220

  June

  1,600

  3,200

  50

  180

  July

  2,000

  3,700

  50

  210

  August

  1,700

  3,400

  50

  150

  September

  1,700

  3,500

  50

  220

  October

  1,700

  3,300

  50

  170

  November

  1,600

  3,400

  40

  190

  December

  1,600

  3,700

  50

  160

  1989

  January

  1,500

  3,500

  60

  190

  February

  1,500

  3,400

  40

  200

  March

  1,400

  3,300

  50

  180

  April

  1,600

  3,700

  40

  200

  May

  1,500

  3,300

  50

  190

  June

  1,400

  3,100

  40

  150

  July3

  1,300

  3,100

  40

  170

  August3

  1,400

  3,400

  40

  210

  1 Excluding fine defaulters.

  2 Rounded seasonally adjusted estimates.

  3 Provisional figures.

  Prisoners received into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales in default of payment of a fine, 1987–1989

  Number of prisoners1

  Males

  Females

  Under 21

  21 and over

  Under 21

  21 and over

  1987

  January

  340

  1,260

  15

  70

  February

  410

  1,220

  20

  70

  March

  390

  1,290

  20

  60

  April

  360

  1,110

  15

  50

  May

  330

  1,000

  15

  60

  June

  380

  1,210

  20

  60

  July

  360

  1,180

  10

  50

  August

  330

  1,090

  15

  60

  September

  320

  1,080

  30

  70

  October

  370

  1,160

  10

  70

  November

  340

  1,180

  15

  60

  December

  300

  960

  20

  50

  1988

  January

  350

  1,250

  10

  60

  February

  370

  1,200

  15

  70

  March

  390

  1,230

  30

  70

  April

  260

  930

  15

  70

  May

  320

  1,110

  25

  70

  June

  380

  1,150

  20

  80

  July

  320

  990

  20

  60

  August

  300

  920

  10

  30

  September

  240

  760

  15

  50

  October

  280

  900

  20

  50

  November

  350

  1,010

  15

  60

  December

  220

  740

  15

  15

  1989

  January

  360

  1,070

  15

  60

  February

  260

  1,070

  10

  60

  March

  350

  1,050

  15

  April

  300

  1,030

  25

  70

  May

  320

  970

  15

  40

  June

  290

  1,100

  20

  60

  July2

  220

  960

  10

  50

  August2

  210

  1,020

  10

  50

  1Rounded estimates

  2 Provisional figures

  389

  Persons received into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales as non-criminal prisoners, 1987–1989

  Number of prisoners1

  Males

  Females

  Under 21

  Hand over

  Under 21

  21 and over

  1987

  January

  25

  290

  —

  5

  February

  25

  320

  —

  10

  March

  .20

  260

  —

  5

  April

  10

  250

  —

  5

  May

  15

  220

  —

  10

  June

  10

  270

  —

  5

  July

  10

  240

  —

  5

  August

  15

  220

  —

  5

  September

  10

  220

  —

  10

  October

  10

  230

  —

  5

  November

  20

  260

  —

  5

  December

  5

  210

  —

  5

  1988

  January

  10

  250

  —

  5

  February

  10

  220

  —

  5

  March

  15

  310

  —

  15

  April

  10

  220

  —

  5

  May

  10

  240

  —

  5

  June

  15

  230

  —

  5

  July

  15

  240

  —

  10

  August

  10

  180

  —

  5

  September

  10

  230

  —

  5

  October

  15

  220

  —

  5

  November

  15

  230

  —

  5

  December

  15

  240

  —

  —

  1989

  January

  10

  230

  —

  10

  February

  10

  240

  —

  15

  March

  20

  240

  —

  15

  April

  15

  230

  —

  20

  May

  15

  270

  —

  5

  June

  15

  260

  —

  5

  July2

  5

  190

  —

  10

  August2

  15

  180

  —

  10

  1 rounded estimates

  2 provisional figures

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of(a) men and (b) women being held on remand in police stations cells in England and Wales on 20 November.

  Mr. Mellor
  Twenty-three men and no women were held in police cells on Monday 20 November 1989. It is likely that most were on remand, and were being held by the police for no more than one night.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest annual cost of reimbursement of National Health Service charges incurred by police officers for drugs, medicines, appliances and dental treatment; and what was the figure 10 years ago.

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

  Violence
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what percentage crimes of violence have increased over the past five years.
  390
  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is set out in the table. Further information on crimes recorded by the police is pubished in table 2.1 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1988", Cm. 847.

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police 1984–88

  England and Wales

  Number

  Year

  Violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  Robbery

  Total violent crime

  1984

  114,187

  20,222

  24,890

  159,299

  1985

  121,731

  21,456

  27,463

  170,650

  1986

  125,499

  22,684

  30,020

  178,203

  1987

  141,042

  25,154

  32,633

  198,829

  1988

  158,248

  26,529

  31,437

  216,214

  Percentage increase 1984–88

  39

  31

  26

  36

  Pet Animals (Protection)
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with regard to the consultations that he is conducting in respect of the European Convention for protecting pet animals, if he will set out in the Official Report a list of the interested organisations he is consulting, the date of writing to each and the date of each response so far received, together with an indication of when he expects those consultations to be completed or the date he has given for responses to be received.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have consulted more than 20 bodies about the convention and a related report by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Surgical operations is the main area in which the provisions of the convention conflict with current United Kingdom legislation and practice. That part of the consultation process has now been completed. This summer meetings were held with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Kennel Club and the Council for Docked Breeds. We are now involved in interdepartmental consultation and my right hon. and learned Friend hopes to be in a position to reach a decision soon.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give, for each year since 1974(a) the number of applications submitted under the criminal injuries compensation scheme, (b) the number where an award was made, c the number where the applicant died before determination of the application, (d) for rejected applications, the average duration of applications submitted, from date of application to the date of determination and (e) for successful applications, the average duration of applications submitted from date of application to date of receipt of the award.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, which considers claims for victims of crimes of violence in Great Britain, does not record the number of applicants who die before their claims are decided nor the average time taken to reject or assess a claim. Details of the percentage of cases submitted to a member of the board for decision within certain periods of registration are given in the board's annual reports. This and the other information requested is given in the following tables:
  391

  Percentage of cases submitted to single member from date of registration of claim

  Year ended 31 March

  Within three months

  Three to six months

  Six to nine months

  Nine to twelve months months

  Over twelve months

  1974

  32

  43

  15

  6

  4

  1975

  30

  44

  16

  6

  4

  1976

  28

  46

  16

  6

  4

  1977

  19·6

  52·8

  16·4

  6·6

  4·6

  1978

  7·5

  40·8

  31·5

  13

  7·2

  1979

  3·5

  29

  37·3

  17·4

  12·8

  1980

  1·8

  22·7

  31·6

  18·7

  25·2

  1981

  4

  30

  26·4

  15·9

  23·7

  1982

  5·3

  31·6

  29·9

  15·1

  18·1

  1983

  1·6

  29·4

  27·7

  17·6

  23·7

  1984

  4·7

  30·1

  24·6

  15·9

  24·7

  1985

  5

  27·3

  25·2

  17

  25·5

  1986

  2·3

  18·3

  26·4

  22·6

  30·4

  1987

  1·5

  5·1

  16·4

  26·8

  50·2

  1988

  1·5

  2·6

  6·7

  20

  69·2

  1989

  1

  2·1

  4·8

  19

  73·1

  Applications Received

  Number of Final Awards Made

  Year ended 31 March

  England and Wales

  Scotland

  England and Wales

  Scotland

  1974

  9,873

  2,343

  7,272

  1,752

  1975

  11,561

  2,666

  8,811

  1,897

  1976

  13,717

  2,973

  9,501

  1,999

  1977

  16,786

  3,614

  11,750

  2,201

  1978

  17,019

  3,807

  11,592

  2,460

  1979

  18,078

  3,882

  13,901

  2,456

  1980

  18,948

  3,853

  14,659

  2,801

  1981

  20,613

  4,066

  17,355

  2,783

  1982

  22,099

  4,416

  14,820

  2,530

  1983

  24,635

  4,805

  16,498

  3,235

  1984

  26,828

  5,111

  17,930

  3,203

  1985

  29,050

  5,840

  17,123

  2,648

  1986

  33,420

  6,277

  19,977

  2,557

  1987

  35,957

  6,344

  18,796

  3,129

  1988

  35,940

  7,114

  17,906

  3,085

  1989

  36,285

  7,100

  23,721

  4,031

  Police Manpower (Wales)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will indicate, in the case of each police authority in Wales, the criteria that weighed with him in reaching his decision on(a) how many additional police posts and (b) how many additional civilian posts he would allow to each authority for 1990–91;

  (2) if he will list the figures of additional money he will make available for 1990–91 to each of the police authorities in Wales to pay for the additional establishment of police officers and indicate whether this will cover in full the cost of filling those posts;

  (3) if he will list the number of additional police posts he plans to allow for 1990–91 for each police authority in Wales, together with the present police establishment for each authority and the number of additional police posts requested by each of those authorities;

  (4) if he will list the number of additional posts for civilians, full-time or full-time equivalent, he plans to allow

  Dyfed Powys

  Gwent

  North Wales1

  South Wales

  Police posts applied for

  —

  11

  10

  67

  Police posts approved with effect from 1 April 1990

  —

  2

  21

  31

  Police officer establishment as at 1 April 1989

  935

  1,007

  1,330

  3,137

  Number of civilians2 posts as at 30 September 1989

  228

  245

  423

  1,072

  392
  for 1990–91 for each police authority in Wales, together with the present civilian establishment for each authority and the number of additional civilian posts requested by each of those authorities;

  (5) what sum he intends to make available to each police authority in Wales in order to fill additional civilian posts;

  (6) whether he will make it his policy to ensure that the finances that he makes available to each police authority in Wales are fully adequate to cover the whole cost of filling the increased number of posts for civilian support staff employed by each authority and filling the increased police posts in the establishment for 1990–91 with the most suitable and experienced candidates available, as well as maintaining other support services as a safe level.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A table showing for each police force in Wales the number of police posts applied for, numbers approved, existing force establishment and civilian establishment, is set out as follows.
  393

  1 Eleven extra posts offered subject to police authority's confirmation that it will meet its share of the cost. (12 of the 21 posts are already held supernumerary to establishment.)

  2 Part-time staff counted on a 2: 1 basis. Traffic wardens not included.

  My right hon. and learned Friend considers applications for increases in police establishments on the basis of the demonstrated needs of forces and in the light of advice from Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary. The general criteria which govern assessment of applications for increases are set out in Home Office circulars 114/1983 and 106/1988, copies of which are available in the Library. One of these criteria is that police authorities should have signified their intention to meet their share of the costs of the posts applied for.

  Under the normal police funding arrangements, the Government meet, through police specific grant, 51 per cent. of all police authorities' expenditure for police purposes. An additional contribution is made from central funds through revenue support grant, in the case of Welsh forces from the Welsh Office. It is for police authorities in Wales, as in England, to determine the resources to be made available to their forces.

  Police civilian staff attract police specific grant. My right hon. and learned Friend's approval however is not required for their appointment in provincial forces. This is a matter for the police authorities.

  Police Conduct (Photographs)
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Hampshire on the photographing on Saturday 18 November, between 10.30 am and 11 am, at Brockenhurst hall in the New Forest, of members of the League Against Cruel Sports by a police photographer and how many other occasions similar photographs have been taken.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the chief constable of Hampshire that he decided to authorise the photographing of both hunt protestors and huntsmen as one response to an increasing number of breaches of the peace occurring at meets in that county.

  Photographs were taken on the last three weekends in November.

  New Prisons
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Kirkham remains on his list of definite sites for a new category B prison.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are considering this matter and I hope to write to my hon. Friend shortly.

  Parole
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to eliminate parole delays; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  We have been increasingly concerned with the administrative arrangements which have led to unacceptable parole delays. Earlier this year, action was taken on several fronts to reduce these delays. A significant increase in staffing for the parole unit was approved and regular overtime working authorised. The unit has also been completely reorganised and certain procedures streamlined to enhance productivity. Additional members 394
  were appointed to the Parole Board; and it has made a significant contribution to the effort by increasing its sittings and the number of cases dealt with at each one. But the need to train new staff, coupled with the advent of the summer leave season and the impact of transport difficulties, meant that the reduction in delays took some time to come through. However, a marked improvement has now been achieved. Delays are confined to those 30 per cent. of cases which must go to the Parole Board for advice. Owing to the growing number of inmates serving longer sentences whose cases must be referred to the board, our forecasts suggest that on the present basis, parole delays on these cases would continue until mid-1990. This is clearly unacceptable and further action is thus clearly necessary.

  We considered assigning yet more staff to the unit, but concluded that with the inevitable training requirement, this would not lead to an early elimination of delays. I have therefore decided to change the administrative arrangements underlying the advice given to me on which I take parole decisions.

  Section 35 of the Criminal Justices Act 1972 enables me, having consulted the Parole Board, to define classes of cases for which I may authorise parole on the basis of local review committee advice alone. At present, about two-thirds of all parole cases are decided on the basis of such advice. I have consulted the Parole Baord and decided with its agreement, to extend the section 35 arrangements to include all sentences under four years. Every parole case will, of course, continue to be considered very carefully on its merits in the Home Office; and where I believe that a second opinion would be helpful, I shall still ask the Parole Board to advise on the case.

  This action is likely to reduce the board's caseload by about a quarter. It will reduce the workload of the parole unit, freeing staff to deal more rapidly with existing backlogs. As a result, I expect that the present parole delays should generally be eliminated within about three months.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many individuals sought asylum in the United Kingdom in each year from 1980 to the latest available date in 1989;

  (2) if he will list the number of individuals who were (a) granted asylum, (b) granted exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom and (c) removed having applied for asylum in each year from 1980 to 1989 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 28 November 1989]: Information on the numbers of applications for refugee status in the United Kingdom, and of grants of refugee status and of exceptional leave, in the years 1980 to 1988, is published in table 5 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin Issue 25/89 "Refugee Statistics United Kingdom 1988". Provisional information for the first three quarters of 1989 has been provided to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Copies of both documents are in the Library.

  Comprehensive information on asylum seekers who were removed in these years is not available.

  Sentencing
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of alleged over-lenient sentencing have been referred to the Attorney-General under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1988; and how many sentences have been revised upwards in consequence.

  The Attorney-General
  I have been asked to reply.

  Sixty-one cases of alleged unduly lenient sentencing have been referred to me. I have applied for leave to refer the sentencing in nine cases to the Court of Appeal. Leave has been granted in five such cases and sentences have been increased in four of the cases. I have withdrawn two cases in the light of later information and the remaining two cases await consideration by the court.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Satellite Dishes
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council whether Members will be permitted to install television satellite dishes at the House(a) for non-parliamentary programming and (b) to receive live pictures of the Chamber.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The reception of satellite television programmes in the House and its precincts is being considered by the Services Committee. Pending any final decision, the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee has resolved that no Member be allowed to make individual arrangements for reception of this service. I have no doubt that the Select Committee on Televising of Proceedings of the House will want to consider carefully the implications of any proposal to allow Members to receive in their rooms any satellite channel dedicated to continuous coverage of the House's proceedings, especially in the light of the Committee's decision not to accede to requests from Members to receive the clean feed direct from the Chamber.

  Welsh Question Time
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will review the time available for oral questions to the Secretary of State for Wales to restore the total available time for these purposes to that prevailing before the establishment of the Department of Social Security.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  As the hon. Member will be aware, the questions roster is a matter for discussion and agreement through the usual channels. I have looked at the matter raised by the hon. Member but I do not believe that it would be appropriate to alter the existing arrangements at the present time. I will, however, keep the matter under review.

SCOTLAND

  Community Charge
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to give councils in Scotland discretion about levying the poll tax on dead people if the person has died within a very short time after the start of a new financial year such as the end of April.
  396
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have no plans to change the present arrangements under which regional and islands councils collect community charge arrears from the estates of people who have died. I believe that local authorities will want to use their powers sensitively, taking advice as necessary in relation to the circumstances of particular cases.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to ensure that notices of death are automatically passed from CCRO offices to poll tax administrators in Scotland with an instruction that the final notice of poll tax payment be made no later than one month from the date of notification by the registrar's office or by the family, whichever comes first.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Community charge billing and collection arrangements are a matter for individual levying authorities. I have no plans to change the statutory provisions under which they operate. I believe that authorities will want to use their powers sensitively, especially in relation to people who have recently died.

  School Boards
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schools are involved in by-elections for school boards for(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.

  Mr. Lang
  The figures are 934 primary schools and 83 secondary schools.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what has been the cost to date of school board elections;

  (2) what is the projected cost of by-elections to be held for school boards;

  (3) what steps his Department is taking to offset the extra costs of by-elections to school boards.

  Mr. Lang
  Information on authorities' spending on school board elections and by-elections is not yet available. It is for individual authorities themselves to decide how much they spend on each element of their programmes within the overall resources available to them. Specific account was taken of authorities' estimates of the administrative costs of setting up and running school boards in the revenue support grant settlement for 1989–90.

  Teachers
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received the report on teacher shortage completed by the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  The report was requested by the Scottish Education Department as a contribution to the work of the planning group on teacher supply set up by my right hon. and learned Friend earlier this year. The report confirms that at present in Scotland there are no general difficulties in recruiting teaching staff for primary or secondary schools. It indicates, however, that some authorities, notably Strathclyde, expect difficulties in obtaining sufficient absence cover over the winter months. The information in the paper was taken into account in my recent proposals for target intakes to courses of teacher training in colleges of education for session 1990–91.
  397
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance the Department has given to education authorities in respect of a pay increase for teachers for 1990.

  Mr. Lang
  It is the responsibility of the Scottish joint negotiating committee for teaching staff in school education (SJNC) to determine the level of pay increases for teachers in Scotland. In their negotiations on the 1990 settlement, employer representatives will require to take account of the overall level of financial resources available to authorities including central Government grants.

  School Staffing Circular
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the new school staffing circular is to be issued.

  Mr. Lang
  I have nothing at present to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 20 July 1989 at column 306.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each year since 1974(a) the number of applications submited under the criminal injuries compensation scheme, (b) the number where an award was made, (c) the number where the applicant died before determination of the application, (d) for rejected applications, the average duration of applications submitted, from date of application to the date of determination and (e) for successful applications the average duration of applications submitted from date of application to date of receipt of the award.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Since the criminal injuries compensation scheme operates on a Great Britain basis, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to her today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

  Training Schemes
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the number of YTS and employment training trainees that there have been in Grampian region since these schemes were established, in total and broken down by district; and how many trainees were in each instance offered full-time employment on the completion of their course.

  Mr. Lang
  The numbers of YTS and employment training entrants in Grampian region and in each district of the region since these training schemes were established are set out in the table:

  Local Authority District

  Employment Training

  YTS

  Gordon

  128

  1,027

  Banff/Buchan

  194

  2,565

  Moray

  318

  2,398

  Aberdeen

  2,111

  10,346

  Total for Grampian Region

  2,751

  16,336

  Follow-up information on YTS completers in the Grampian region is available from year ended April 1987 onwards, and is set out in the table below:
  398

  Percentage of YTS completers in full-time employment

  Year ended

  per cent.

  March 1987

  50·0

  March 1988

  75·1

  March 1989

  87·1

  At present, information of the number of employment training trainees who find full-time employment is not available. A 100 per cent. follow-up survey which will provide information on this is now under way.

  Legal Aid
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that the next annual increases in legal aid remuneration will be effective from 1 April and that thereafter increases will be awarded on an annual basis.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  While it is our objective to avoid protracted negotiations on legal aid fee levels, no specific date can be set for their completion.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider extending the period within which criminal legal aid accounts must be submitted to the Scottish Legal Aid Board for payment following conclusion of the case.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This matter will be considered in forthcoming discussions between the Scottish Home and Health Department, the Scottish Legal Aid Board and the Law Society of Scotland.

  Birds
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the aims and objectives of the Nature Conservancy Council's overview of special protection areas to be designated under the European Council directive on the conservation of wild birds; and when he expects the review to be completed.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The NCC was asked by environment departments to produce an overview setting out the requirements for the British series of special protection areas to ensure the conservation, survival and reproduction of species listed in annex 1 of the EC birds directive throughout their natural range in Great Britain; the safeguard of important breeding, moulting, wintering and nesting sites of migratory birds not listed on annex 1; particular attention being paid to wetlands and especially those of international importance.

  The draft overview was received at the beginning of November 1989.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the sites where consultation with interested parties has been completed and which are awaiting designation under European Council directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: None. The Scottish Development Department has consultations in hand on 12 possible sites for which the Nature Conservancy Council has submitted a detailed case.

  Fisheries
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what figures were given in the supporting documents of the Hague Preference (Council Resolutions) 1976 for the United Kingdom quota for North sea haddock and cod species.

  Mr. Lang
  The documents associated with the Council Resolution of 3 November 1976 did not identify the appropriate levels of threshold for the Hague preference arrangements. However, subsequent working documents proposed thresholds for the United Kingdom of 60,000 tonnes for haddock, and 43,179 tonnes for cod, both for the North sea.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Sheepmeat Regime
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the definition of a partnership in relation to the application of the headage limits imposed under the reform of the sheepmeat regime.

  Mr. Curry
  Under the terms of EC Council regulation 3013/89, the headage limits applying to sheep annual premium will be applied individually to each member farmer of a group, association or other form of co-operation between producers. In the case of partnerships, the headage limits will be applied to each member farmer provided that the partnership involves reciprocal rights and obligations in relation to the keeping of sheep.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current cash value of hill livestock compensatory allowances, the impact of the proposed new European regime and whether he has any plans to introduce a British top-up scheme to protect the cash value to British farmers.

  Mr. Curry
  Total payments of hill livestock compensatory allowances in the United Kingdom in 1989 are expected to be some £115 to £120 million. The decisions on HLCAs taken by the EC Council of Agriculture Ministers at its meeting on 20 and 21 November 1989 will not affect the 1990 HLCA scheme. The Government have not yet taken decisions on arrangements for subsequent years.

  Milk Quotas
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the consequences for dairy farmers in England of the agreement on 21 November of European Community Agriculture Ministers(a) to increase European Community milk quotas by 1 per cent. and (b) to reduce guaranteed prices of butter' and skimmed milk.

  Mr. Curry
  I am currently considering, with the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, for Scotland and for Wales, how best to distribute the additional 1 per cent. of quota now available for allocation to producers. The reductions in intervention prices may in the long run lead 400
  to lower market prices than would otherwise have been the case but much depends on the market management strategy followed by the EC Commission. At present market prices for butter and skimmed milk powder are well above the level of the intervention price.

  Environmental Groups
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he considers the political stance of the environmental groups with whom he has discussions before meeting them;

  (2) if he will list all the environmental groups with whom he has had discussions since taking office;

  (3) what is the normal practice on meeting environmental groups whose philosophy is against the free market;

  (4) when he last received representations advocating a free market solution to environmental problems.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have met representatives from the Nature Conservancy Council, the Green Alliance, Friends of the Earth, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

  I have received a wide range of representations on environmental issues. None has specifically advocated a free market solution, although I am ready to listen to opinions from all quarters.

  I have the same approach in considering whether to meet environmental groups as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. In any meeting with environmental groups I look for a constructive exchange of views which can contribute to our understanding of the environmental issues that we face.

ENERGY

  Tritium
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what safeguards are currently applied to the storage and import of radioactive tritium in the United Kingdom; what is the minimum amount of tritium loss from storage or transport that would trigger an investigation by Euratom, the International Atomic Energy Agency and Her Majesty's Government under the Zangeer trigger list; and what communications he has had with the United States Department of Energy over the loss of tritium in transit from Oak Ridge national laboratories to the United Kingdom earlier in the current year.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Tritium is not subject to IAEA or Euratom safeguards and does not feature on the Zangeer committee trigger list.

  Users of Tritium are either registered under the Radioactive Substance Act 1960 or, in the case of licensed nuclear installations, licensed under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965; and are regulated by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution or Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate as appropriate. In all cases the Ionising Radiation Regulations 1985, which control the storage of, and provide for accountancy for, all radioactive substances apply.

  Exports of nuclear materials, equipment and technology are controlled under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1987, through which we give effect to our international obligations. There is no evidence of any tritium being diverted.
  401
  Officials of the United States Department of Energy met recently the United Kingdom Department of Energy and United Kingdom customers for United States Tritium to discuss measurement and auditing procedures.

  Grimethorpe
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he intends to assist the establishment of experimental fluidised bed combustion stations additional to that at Grimethorpe;

  (2) what research his Department has undertaken or commissioned into the building of pithead power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  On 24 August my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced financial support of up to £8 million to assist development of British Coal's topping cycle concept at the Grimethorpe test facility. This is an experimental fluidised bed combustion plant rather than a power station, and it is hoped that the concepts being developed there will be applied commercially, either at the pit head or elsewhere. Fluidised bed technology is proven and commercially available. The promotion of specific applications is a matter for industry, rather than Government.

  Coal Mining
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list by regional area the numbers of mining jobs that have been lost during the last 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Average colliery manpower by British Coal area is shown each year in British Coal's annual report and accounts, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the planned future tonnages of opencast mining over(a) the next five years and (b) the next 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  There is no Government target for opencast coal output. The overall level of opencast production will be determined by the market, subject to the need to obtain planning permission.

  Acid Rain
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether any compensation has been paid by the United Kingdom to other countries for acid rain damage.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No.

  Flue Gas Desulphurisation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to take charge of the management of implementation of the electricity supply industry flue gas desulphurisation programme.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No. Management of implementation of the flue gas desulphurisation programme is a matter for the industry itself.

  Switchgear
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his answer of Monday 27 November to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, how many disruptive failures of 11KV switchgear occurred in 1979 and each succeeding year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  It is not readily possible to provide annual statistics of the specific type and nature requested by the hon. Member for a period as long as 10 years. The number of incidents involving the disruptive failure of 11KV switchgear which have been notified to my Department since 1987, for the specific reporting periods indicated, are as follows:

  Number

  April 1987 to March 1988

  29

  April 1988 to March 1989

  4

  April 1989 to date

  25

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many incidents in area electricity boards involving 11KV switchgear which would have given rise to injury, death, fire or explosion occurred in 1979 and each succeeding year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  It is not readily possible to provide annual statistics of the specific type and nature requested by the hon. Member for a period as long as 10 years. The number of incidents, however, notified to my Department since 1987 involving 11KV switchgear, which could have given rise to injury, death, fire or explosion, for the specific reporting periods indicated, are as follows:

  Number

  April 1987 to March 1988

  9

  April 1988 to March 1989

  40

  April 1989 to date

  34

  1987–8S

  1988–89

  1989 to date

  Number of fatalities (public)

  0

  0

  0

  Number of fatalities (electricity supply industry)

  2

  0

  n/a

  Number of injuries (public)

  0

  0

  2

  Number of injuries (electricity supply industry)

  2

  2

  n/a

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what investigations the engineering inspectorate of his Department carried out on 11KV switchgear in 1979 and each succeeding year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The engineering inspectorate has carried out an average of eight investigations per annum since 1979 into incidents involving assets of the electricity supply industry and injury or fatality to members of the public. Only one of the investigations in this period has specifically involved 11KV switchgear. Incidents involving employees of the industry or their contractors while at work are investigated by the Health and Safety Executive. The engineering inspectorate, however, carries out periodic inspections of ESI assets, including 11KV switchgear, to ensure compliance with the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988. All the area electricity boards in
  403
  England and Wales were, for example, visited between March and May this year, and a number of substations and overhead line support structures were inspected. A number of follow-up inspections arising from these visits have also been made.

  Electricity Boards (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many prosecutions of electricity boards were initiated by his engineering inspectorate in 1979 and each succeeding year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  No prosecutions of the electricity boards were initiated by the engineering inspectorate of the Department of Energy between 1979 and 1988. One prosecution has been initiated so far in 1989.

  Redundant Mineworkers
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much the Government have paid out under the redundant mineworkers payment scheme in each year since its inception; what is the latest estimate for the current year; and what is his estimate for each year to 1993.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The total payments under the RMPS between 1968–69 and 1988–89 were £2,309 million. The estimates provision for 1989–90 is for payments of £132·5 million. Payments are projected to fall steadily to reach less than £90 million per year in the early 1990s.

  Nuclear Companies
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what account will be taken in setting prices for the new national nuclear companies of(a) market-related factors and (b) cost-related factors.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Pricing is a matter for negotiation between Nuclear Electric and the area boards, subject to Government approval of the conclusions reached.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether the new national nuclear companies will provide base load electricity to the grid.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Yes. Nuclear Electric plc will provide base load electricity.

  British Coal
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the effect of the interest rate increases of the past 18 months on the finances of British Coal.

  Mr. Wakeham
  This is a matter for British Coal. However, I can say that the increase in British Coal's external finance limit of £423 million which I announced on 23 November 1989 was intended to cover, among other things, the effect of an increase of £35 million in the corporation's annual interest bill caused by higher interest rates.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment his Department makes of the research and development programmes of each of the energy industries.
  404
  Mr. Wakeham
  My Advisory Council on Research and Development for Fuel and Power (ACORD) reviews annually the R & D programmes of the electricity supply industry and British Coal. After privatisation, the successor companies will determine their own R & D programmes. However, discussions with the ESI will continue to ensure that, where necessary, the national interest in long-term electricity R & D is protected through Government promotion of specific activities.

  My Department also collects and reviews information periodically on the R & D programmes of the oil and gas companies on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of his Department's research and development budget was devoted to(a) coal-fired generation and (b) nuclear power, in 1979 and each succeeding year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Proportion of D/Energy R & D expenditure on:

  nuclear Per cent.

  coal technology Per cent.

  1979–80

  84·2

  1·0

  1980–81

  85·1

  1·2

  1981–82

  81·5

  1·8

  1982–83

  85·2

  1·2

  1983–84

  85·7

  1·3

  1984–85

  84·6

  0·3

  1985–86

  85·4

  0·3

  1986–87

  83·0

  1·0

  1987–88

  79·9

  0·8

  1988–89

  81·3

  0·7

  Source: Annual Review of Government Funded R & D Percentage for nuclear prior to 1986–87 is based on D/Energy grant to the UKAEA for R & D

  The difference in the proportions of R & D expenditure allocated to either technology reflects both the difference in scale and expense of the research effort involved, and also the fact that much coal technology R & D was (and is) carried out by British Coal, the electricity supply industry, and the private sector. The Government's policy is to support R & D only where that is necessary to ensure that work in the national interest is done to an appropriate time scale.

  Power Station Costs
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his Department's latest estimate of the comparative cost per kilowatt hour of(a) nuclear power stations and (b) modern conventional stations.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The costs of electricity generation are a matter for the CEGB.

  Engineering Inspectorate
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the establishment of professionally qualified staff in the engineering inspectorate of his Department; and how many such staff are in post;

  (2) what is the establishment of the engineering inspectorate of his Department; and how many staff are in post.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The establishment of the engineering inspectorate of the Department of Energy is for five
  405
  professionally qualified electrical engineers, one administrative officer (full-time) and one administrative officer (part-time). At present there are four professionally qualified staff in post and one administrative officer (full-time).

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the maximum amount of time which can elapse between the occurrence of an incident which could give rise to injury, death, fire or explosion in an electricity board and the incident being reported to his engineering inspectorate.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Under the requirements of regulation 34(2)(e) of the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 the reporting of incidents by an electricity board which could give rise to injury, death, fire or explosion must be in writing and sent to the Secretary of State within 15 days of the end of the month in which the event became known to the board.

  Polychlorinated Biphenyls
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the total tonnage of polychlorinated biphenyls in transformers owned by the area electricity boards and the Central Electricity Generating Board;

  (2) what percentage of transformers owned by (a) the area electricity boards and (b) the Central Electricity Generating Board contain polychlorinated biphenyls.

  Mr. Wakeham
  This is a matter for the electricity supply industry. I have therefore asked the chairmen of the Electricity Council and the CEGB to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Subsidence
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of the Waddlilove committee on subsidence.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Over half the recommendations of the Waddilove committee have already been implemented wholly or in part by British Coal. (For details, I refer the hon. Member to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmore Port and Neston (Dr. Woodcock) on 12 January at columns 739–41). The Government's proposals for legislation concerning the remaining recommendations will be implemented as soon as the parliamentary timetable permits.

  Electrical Manufacturers
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he or his predecessors last met representatives of United Kingdom electrical plant manufacturers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I meet representatives of the United Kingdom plant manufacturers from time to time, as did my predecessor.

  Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the status of the report that his Department is preparing on possible further United 406
  Kingdom greenhouse gas emissions for the intergovernmental panel on climatic change; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I am pleased to tell my hon. Friend that the study entitled "An Evaluation of Energy Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Measures to Ameliorate Them" for the energy and industry subgroup of the response strategies working group of the UNEP/WMO intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) is now ready and has been sent to the IPCC. The United Kingdom along with certain other countries volunteered to submit such urgent studies in order to assist the subgroup in its work. The aim of the studies is to illustrate, from the national perspectives of participating countries, the practical technical options and their possible costs, which may be available to curtail emissions of the "greehouse" gases from the many energy-related activities of society.

  Of necessity, the study has to consider the size of future emissions of the greenhouse gases and the shape of the then energy system, as background against which the technical measures can be analysed. Such scenarios of future emissions, being very dependent on the input assumptions, are intended to provide only a framework for assessing the options. They are not predictions of the future. Similarly the impact of any one technical option is uncertain; and since each option in the paper has been considered in isolation it would be wrong to draw any conclusion from any combination of them.

  It is clear that the United Kingdom is responsible for only a fraction (approximately 3 per cent. of the world's CO2 emissions) and that this is likely to decline proportionately in the future. Therefore, tackling the problem of climate change needs truly international action, as all recent studies of the subject (including the recent valuable contribution from the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology) have stressed. That is why it is important for all countries to concentrate their efforts on the work of the IPCC. Once its advice is available, it will be for the international community to decide what measures should be taken, and how best individual countries can contribute to the global response.

  I have today placed a copy of the study report in the Library of the House.

HEALTH

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information he has as to the prevalance of the practice of killing unborn babies prior to abortion after 18 weeks by injecting a saline solution into the womb; and whether this is in accordance with best practice as set out in guidance to abortionists by his Department;

  (2) what information he has as to the prevalance of the practice of killing unborn babies prior to abortion after 18 weeks by injecting urea into the womb; and whether this is in accordance with best practice as set out in guidance to abortionists by his Department.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The method of termination used in a particular case is a matter for the doctor concerned.
  407
  The available information is that in England and Wales in 1988, 2,501 abortions were carried out in which the use of urea was reported and 13 were carried out in which the use of saline was reported in conjunction with prostaglandins.

  Speech Therapists
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether there are sufficient trained speech therapists to perform their duties within the Leicestershire health authority; what is the total current number on establishment; and how far that establishment is filled.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is for health authorities to determine their staffing levels for particular services. Leicestershire health authority has a funded establishment of 45 whole-time equivalent trained speech therapists and there are currently 38 whole-time equivalent trained staff in post.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that development plans he has approved for Whipps Cross hospital do not include reprovision of any service currently provided by Wanstead hospital; and if he will make it his policy not to approve any decision to close Wanstead hospital.

  Mr. Freeman
  Phase 1 of the Whipps Cross hospital development was approved by Ministers in February 1988 and is due to open in 1990. This development does not include any plans for alteration in services currently provided by Wanstead hospital. We have received no plans from North East Thames regional health authority proposing any other major changes to services in Waltham Forest district health authority.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the reasons for the most recent declaration of a red alert at Whipps Cross hospital; and if he will consider additional action to get the hospital through the winter without having to declare a further red alert.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The latest red alert at Whipps Cross is due to higher than normal levels of emergency admissions. Waltham Forest health authority has implemented the red alert to ensure that in-patient services for emergency and urgent admissions are fully maintained whilst causing the least possible disruption to patient services. The health authority will continue to operate a flexible bed allocation policy as has been the practice in previous years.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his responsibility in the case of a health authority that does not commit sufficient resources to a hospital to maintain its fabric and services and to retain staff.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is for regional and district health authorities to allocate resources to hospitals ensuring that services best meet the needs of the patients they serve.

  Blind or Partially Sighted People
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people are registered blind in St. Helens and Knowsley health authority;
  408
  (2) what is the total number of people, in percentage and in numerical terms, in the population with a severe sight impairment.

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of people in England registered with local authorities as blind or partially sighted is published in "Registered Blind and Partially Sighted Persons at 31 March 1988 England", a copy of which is in the Library. This shows that

  (a) the number of persons registered as blind within the boundaries of St. Helens and Knowsley health authority at that date is 713; and

  (b) the total number of people in England registered as blind or partially sighted at that date is 205,876. This represents 0·4 per cent. of the estimated England population. However, not all blind or partially sighted people register with local authorities and the proportion who do not register is unknown.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance personnel were employed in each of the last 10 years in both(a) actual terms and (b) full-time equivalents.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information is given in the table:

  NHS ambulance staff in post at 30 September 1979 to 1988 England

  Numbers

  Ambulance officers and control assistants

  Ambulancemen/women

  Total

  1979

  3,178

  13,997

  17,175

  1980

  3,232

  14,580

  17,812

  1981

  3,206

  15,059

  18,265

  1982

  3,285

  15,135

  18,420

  1983

  3,273

  15,245

  18,518

  1984

  3,206

  15,059

  18,265

  1985

  3,172

  15,220

  18,392

  1986

  3,165

  16,227

  19,392

  1987

  3,086

  16,592

  19,678

  1988

  3,032

  16,357

  19,389

  Source: Department of Health (SM13) annual census of NHS non-medical manpower.

  NHS ambulance staff in post at 30 September 1979 to 1988 England

  Whole-time equivalent

  Ambulance officers and control assistants

  Ambulancemen/ women

  Total

  1979

  3,156

  13,973

  17,129

  1980

  3,214

  14,554

  17,768

  1981

  3,293

  14,928

  18,221

  1982

  3,265

  15,059

  18,324

  1983

  3,249

  15,148

  18,397

  1984

  3,174

  14,930

  18,103

  1985

  3,139

  15,049

  18,188

  1986

  3,124

  15,841

  18,966

  1987

  3,037

  15,973

  19,010

  1988

  2,980

  15,781

  18,761

  Source: Department of Health (SM13) annual census of NHS non-medical manpower.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place a copy of the document "The London Ambulance Service in the Nineties: Management Proposals" in the Library; how many district health
  409
  authorities in London will be affected by the proposals contained in the document; and whether similar proposals are being prepared or discussed for any other regions.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The document "The London Ambulance Service in the Nineties" is a public document which is available on request from South West Thames RHA. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  South West Thames is currently discussing the proposals it contains with the three other Thames regions. In all, 32 DHAs are served by the London ambulance service.

  A number of other regional health authorities are reviewing the management arrangements of their regionally managed ambulance services in line with the Department's circular EL(89)MB/59, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to proceed with the privatisation or contracting out of non-emergency ambulance services.

  Mr. Freeman
  Health authorities were advised in 1984 that it was open to them to buy-in part of the ambulance service if that was more cost effective and provided that the quality of service was maintained. A number of NHS ambulance authorities are using private contractors, the hospital car service and the voluntary aid societies to transport appropriate NHS patients. The proposals in the National Health Service and Community Care Bill currently before Parliament offer a further opportunity for authorities to re-appraise their non-emergency patient transport services.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been carried out by his Department of the costs benefits and processes of privatising ambulance services; when these studies started and were completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No such studies into the ambulance service have been carried out. However, in 1983, a Rayner scrutiny of the non-emergency ambulance service recommended that budgets for transport should be introduced at unit or clinical level and that it would be for managers at that level to buy in part of the ambulance service of other public agencies or the private sector if that was more cost effective and provided that the quality of service was maintained. Health authorities were advised accordingly in 1984.

  A scheme for charging the cost of non-emergency ambulance services to units has been piloted in the West Midlands RHA and a full report of the results is expected shortly.

  Nurse Prescribing
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the report of the special advisory groups on nurse prescribing, chaired by Dr. June Gown; and when and in what form he proposes to bring forward the necessary legislative changes.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The advisory group's report will be published and distributed for comment within the next few weeks. The Department is considering the implications of the report, including the legislative changes that will be needed if the group's proposals are adopted.

  Speech Therapists
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting time for a child to have a first consultation with a trained speech therapist today; and what was the figure five years ago.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not available centrally.

  Fostering (Bolton)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children are currently in foster care in the Bolton area; what proportion are in long-term foster care; and how many foster parents are currently going through the process of adoption of such children.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of children in care in the metropolitan district of Bolton who were boarded out with foster parents at 31 March 1988 was 155. Information is not available centrally about what proportion of these children was in long-term foster care or how many foster parents were going through the process of adoption of such children.

  Community Health Services
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements he will make to ensure that community health services are provided locally by all district authorities as part of their core services.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It will be the responsibility of every district health authority to ensure that its population has access to a comprehensive range of services, including community health services. Many services such as community health services will need to be provided locally either for clinical reasons, because of the nature of the service or for the convenience of patients and their relatives. District health authorities will be expected to arrange a pattern of services which secures local access where this is needed and at the same time gives patients and their GPs the maximum possible choice. DHAs performance in obtaining the most appropriate pattern of services will be monitored through the review processes. The concept of "core services" is not relevant to this process in most circumstances. The term "core service" applies only to services which an NHS trust will, if necessary, be required to provide because local access is essential and there is no appropriate alternative provider available.

  Rehabilitation
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition of rehabilitation is used by his Department; and how he intends to ensure that it is carried out effectively.

  Mr. Freeman
  Within the Department rehabilitation is taken to mean the complex of measures and activities aimed at helping disabled and handicapped people achieve the highest level of physical, psychological and social adaption and integration. We intend to ensure it is carried out effectively by continuing to bring about the improvements in health and social services outlined in two recent White Papers "Working for Patients" and "Caring for People" and by liaising with other Government Departments as and when necessary.

  General Practitioners' Contract
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what provision has been made in the new general practitioners' contract for the reimbursement of the salary of doctors' wives working in their surgeries;

  (2) what provision has been made in the new general practitioners' contract for the direct reimbursement of ancillary staff salaries.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  From 1 April 1990, restrictions on the number and type of staff for whom general practitioners may receive direct reimbursement will be removed. Within their cash allocations, family practitioner committees and health boards will be able to authorise reimbursement for whatever staff they and general practitioners consider best for the provision of care in the area served. These new arrangements which are set out in the statement of fees and allowances payable from 1 April 1990 are the same for doctors' wives who work in the surgery as for other practice staff.

  Haemophiliacs
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) from whom advice was sought regarding the cost of the help likely to be needed by HIV-infected haemophiliacs and their families before the figure of £20,000 for an individual lump sum payment was decided upon; and what advice was given;

  (2) if he will introduce legislation to ensure that the £20,000 lump sum payment to HIV-infected haemophiliacs does not affect the receipt of social security payments and legal aid by them;

  (3) what advice was given by the Charity Commissioners regarding the legality of the Macfarlane trust giving equal lump sum payments to all HIV-infected haemophiliacs.

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will explain the method to be used for parcelling out the £19 million promised to haemophiliac cases who are HIV positive; whether they will each receive an equivalent capital sum; and how soon he expects the payments to be made;

  (2) what discussions took place with the executors of the Mcfarlane trust about using part of the existing fund to top-up the ex gratia capital sums to be given to haemophiliacs who are HIV positive; and whether it is intended to restore that money to meet continuous need for extras including heating and dietary requirements;

  (3) whether, as a result of the payment of £20,000 to each of the haemophiliacs who are HIV positive, they will be deemed to possess a capital sum in excess of what is allowed for claiming legal aid; and whether this money will affect their ability to pursue their claim for compensation on legal aid.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are firmly committed both to making equal lump sum payments of £20,000 to each haemophiliac infected with HIV through the use of blood products, or to the family of such a person who has died and to enabling the Macfarlane trust to continue on a more generous scale their help to families in particular need. Together, we believe that these measures are adequate to ensure that the special needs of the infected haemophiliacs and their families are met. Discussions are 412
  taking place with representatives of the Macfarlane trust, and with the Charity Commission, on how our objectives can be achieved.

  We hope that payments will be made as soon as possible.

  The payments will be disregarded for the purpose of social security as have past payments from the Macfarlane trust. Also, such payments should not prejudice the legal aid position of haemophiliacs with HIV who are, or seek to be, involved in the current litigation concerning their HIV infection.

  Yorkshire Regional Health Authority
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the chairman of the Yorkshire regional health authority; and what matters were discussed.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health last met the chairman of the Yorkshire regional health authority on 14 November 1989 to discuss matters relating to the management of the NHS.

  Basildon and Thurrock District Health Authority
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current net annual rate bill paid by each hospital within Basildon and Thurrock district health authority to the relevant local authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  I regret that this information is not collected centrally. I suggest that my hon. Friend contacts Basildon and Thurrock health authority direct.

  AIDS
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current budget for expenditure on AIDS and the related educational campaign; and whether the budget has changed from the sums made available for the year 1988–89.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department has made the following provision for AIDS-related health and personal social services and health education expenditure in England.

  (£millions)

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Advances to health authorities

  58·74

  121·90

  AIDS support grant allocations to local authorities.

  nil

  7·00

  Section 64 grants to voluntary organisations

  1·09

  1·67

  Allocations to the Health Education Authority (including United Kingdom mass media remit)

  10·00

  12·00

  Research (made available)

  1·60

  2·29

  Other Government Departments also spend money in response to. HIV-AIDS, for example, the Department of Education and Science provides funds to the Medical Research Council for its directed programme on AIDS.

  Edwards-Duromedics Heart Valve
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the class I recall, issued in the United States of America on the Edwards-Duromedics heart valve,
  413
  reached his Department; what action was taken as a result; and when and what warnings were issued to general practitioners about the hazards of the valve.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department became aware on 17 May 1988 that the manufacturer had arranged a voluntary recall in the USA. Urgent arrangements were made for a meeting in this country on 19 May 1988 between the manufacturer and the Department of Health medical and technical staff. This led to agreement to the company issuing a letter on 25 May 1988 to all implanting centres and known United Kingdom purchasers of the specified heart valves with instructions to inform appropriate medical staff of the need to discontinue use for new patients and ensure very careful monitoring of patients currently using them. Guidance was also given on diagnosis and treatment. After further independent evaluation of various types of valve in Sheffield the Department subsequently issued a "Dear Doctor" letter on 19 August 1988 to all consultant cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiologists in the United Kingdom, covering the question of valve failure. Since 1986 the Department has been funding a heart valve registry based at the Hammersmith hospital to monitor usage and failures in use in the United Kingdom.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Drugs
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what special assistance the Government are giving or planning for Colombia, Bolivia and Peru to assist them in their efforts to eliminate illicit drug production and trafficking.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As far as assistance to Colombia is concerned, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave on 29 November to the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell). In Bolivia, we are contributing via the United Nations fund for drug abuse control to a £2·2 million alternative development project, and have recently allocated a further £5 million of aid funds. We have also contributed some £250,000 to drugs rehabilitation projects in Bolivia. United Kingdom assistance to Peru has included the provision of an aircraft and communications equipment. Future aid is likely to include training for the Bolivian and Peruvian customs services.

  El Salvador
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have received any requests for assistance from the Government of E1 Salvador in the matter of the recent murder of six Jesuit priests.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Yes. We shall, of course, do all that we reasonably can to help the Government of El Salvador bring the perpetrators of this terrible crime to justice. We welcome President Cristiani's obvious determination to establish all the facts.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the number of members of the El Salvadorean armed forces who have been prosecuted for involvement in death squads, torture and murder since the beginning of the present conflict.
  414
  Mr. Sainsbury
  The information requested is not readily available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's ambassador to E1 Salvador has made to the E1 Salvadorean Government on the recent murder of six Jesuit priests.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The following statement of our view on the killing of the six Jesuits has been passed to the Salvadorean authorities in London and San Salvador:"We utterly condemn the cowardly and appalling murders which occurred at the Catholic university in the early hours of 16 November. The rector and his colleagues were men whose reputation for honesty and integrity stood high in the world. Words cannot express our disgust at the simultaneous killing of their cook and one or more of her children. We hope that the perpetrators of this crime will be identified and brought to justice.
  In the present tense situation in San Salvador, we urge restraint on all parties. Acts of retribution will lead only to further tragedy and despair. This cannot be the way forward for El Salvador.
  We hope that everything will be done to facilitate the task of the Red Cross, in particular to bring the wounded to safety where they can receive treatment.
  We renew our call on the FMLN to bring to an end their offensive which has caused such suffering and to return to the negotiating table."

  Children
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position Her Majesty's Government have adopted towards the proposal for a world summit for children as suggested by UNICEF.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs joined other Commonwealth heads of Government in welcoming the proposed summit for children as a means of stimulating national and international action. I understand that preparations for this conference are in train and we await proposals from those concerned.

  UN Relief and Working Agency
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the increase of contributions to United Nations Relief and Working Agency announced by Council of Europe member states at the pledging conference of 16 November.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  At the pledging conference held on 16 November at the United Nations general assembly, donor countries announced contributions to UNRWA for 1990 amounting to US $76 million. Some ten pledges have yet to be quantified. Of the total announced to date, Council of Europe member states have pledged more than US $64 million (a modest increase on 1989).

  Britain's contribution for 1989 was £5·25 million. This was increased at the 16 November conference to £5·5 million. In addition, we have provided a grant of £250,000 to fund an UNRWA housing and infrastructure feasibility study being carried out by British consultants. We also contribute substantially through the European Community, both to UNRWA's regular programmes and to its emergency programmes.

  Montserrat
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have been made homeless in the dependent territory of Montserrat as a result of Hurricane Hugo on 17 September; and what is the estimated cost of the damage sustained during the hurricane.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  A complete survey of the extent of damage to housing from Hurricane Hugo is being conducted by the Montserrat Government. Their preliminary estimates are that, of the 4,000 houses in Montserrat, perhaps as many as 30 per cent. were totally devasted and 60 per cent. rendered temporarily uninhabitable. It will clearly take time to produce an accurate assessment of the cost of the overall damage. The extent to which this figure will be met by insurance policies is also not yet known.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what material and financial help has been given to the Government of Montserrat since the hurricane of 17 September; and whether he will assist financially those people who have been left homeless to rebuild their homes and those people who have lost business and crops.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Immediately following Hurricane Hugo, Britain made an initial £1 million available to the area for emergency assistance, such as tents, blankets, roofing, medicaments, and also the services of British armed forces for immediate repairs and the airfreighting of supplies. Most of this assistance was directed to Montserrat. Subsequently, a further £3·2 million has been committed for reconstruction, mainly on Montserrat. A major use has been to finance teams of engineers, linesmen and electricians from British electricity boards to repair the electricity distribution system on Antigua and on Montserrat where over 50 men are currently working. It is also being used to purchase, for the Montserrat public works department, equipment and materials (such as galvanised sheeting, roofing shingles and nails) for public assistance housing, clinics, schools and other Government buildings.

  A number of other donor Governments and agencies, including the United States, Canada and the European Community, are also providing emergency assistance.

  Losses to private businesses, homes and crops are a matter for the companies and individuals concerned drawing on their private insurance cover. I understand the Montserrat Government is providing help for individuals facing particular difficulties.

  British officials, including specialist advisers, from our development division in Barbados and from London, recently completed a report on Montserrat's longer-term needs. They have formulated a rebuilding strategy, which we will now be discussing with the Government of Montserrat and also with the international aid institutions and other donors. The aim will be to prepare an action plan and financing assessment.

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the size of the overseas aid budget for each year since 1979;

  (2) if he will list the size of the overseas aid budget in real terms for each year since 1979.
  416
  Mr. Waldegrave
  The figures for net public expenditure on overseas aid at current and at 1979 prices are as follows:

  Year

  Current prices £ million

  1979 prices £ million

  1979

  864

  864

  1980

  842

  704

  1981

  1,062

  798

  1982

  991

  692

  1983

  1,080

  716

  1984

  1,200

  760

  1985

  1,210

  726

  1986

  1,233

  714

  1987

  1,174

  649

  1988

  1,540

  798

  Vietnamese Boat People
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people he anticipates will be compulsorily removed from Hong Kong by 25 December.

  Mr. Maude
  As of 27 November, a total of 3,629 Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong had been finally screened out with no alternative but return to Vietnam. Some may volunteer to return. It is therefore not possible to determine in advance how many will need to be repatriated, nor how long it will take to complete the process. But a start will need to be made soon.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial assistance is to be given to each Veitnamese boat person who will be compulsorily removed from Hong Kong.

  Mr. Maude
  The level of reintegration assistance to be paid to the first group of Vietnamese boat people who return involuntarily to Vietnam will be the equivalent to what UNHCR pays under the voluntary repatriation scheme. It will cover such expenses as transport within Vietnam, food, domestic appliances, housing and resettlement in other places, vocational training, job placement and production tools. The level of expenditure will depend on the details of each case.

  South Korea
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Korea in order to bring about an end to the inhumane treatment of dogs and cats intended for human consumption in that country; and if he will make it his policy to raise the issue at an intergovernmental level.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Korean Government are well aware of the revulsion felt by the people in the United Kingdom at the cruel treatment of animals. During the recent visit of President Roh, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs once again drew the attention of the Korean Foreign Minister to the strong concern which many people in this country feel about the way in which dogs and cats are reared and slaughtered for food in Korea.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to initiate
  417
  and co-ordinate action by international environmental and animal welfare organisations to bring pressure on the Government of Korea to end inhumane treatment of dogs and cats intended for human consumption in that country.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Korean Government are well aware of the strong concern in this country and elsewhere about the way in which cats and dogs are reared and slaughtered for human consumption. Non-governmental organisations can best co-ordinate their own activities.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his sources of information on famine in Ethiopia; how often this information is updated; and what procedures are in place to consider and respond to developments as they arise.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We receive continuing information from a variety of sources: in particular the emergency planning and preparedness system which we have helped the United Nations to establish in Ethiopia, our embassy in Addis Ababa, British non-governmental organisations and international agencies such as the United Nations world food programme. Information is also provided by the Ethiopian Government and the relief organisations of the Eritrean and Tigrean rebel movements.

  Regular co-ordination with other donors, both in Addis Ababa and elsewhere, and close liaison with British NGOs help us in our assessments of our data. Within ODA the interdepartmental co-ordinating arrangements are such as to enable us to respond speedily and effectively with both food aid and other emergency relief to the threat of famine.

  Sikh Human Rights
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he sought to raise the question of Sikh human rights at the recent Commonwealth conference.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No.

  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ask for the question of Sikh human rights to be placed on the agenda of the next Commonwealth conference.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No.

  Cyprus
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on arms build-up on the Greek side of Cyprus; and what efforts he is making, in the interests of preserving peace, to counter such moves.

  Mr. Maude
  The Government of Cyprus are pursuing a substantial arms purchasing programme for the Greek Cypriot national guard. We have made clear our view that such measures do nothing to help create the right climate for resuming the intercommunal talks, which have been stalled since last June.

  Secure Office Automation
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress there has been on the secure office automation project in the diplomatic wing.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  A review of the project was conducted following announcements by the contractor, SD-Scicon, of significant delays in the delivery of future stages. The FCO and SD-Scicon have agreed that the project be halted on terms whereby the FCO pays only for what it has received, retaining equipment, documentation and the use of software. SD-Scicon will provide maintenance cover at no charge for a period of two years, refund payments totalling £1·57 million, and acquire full rights to the software developed under the contract. In total, the cost to the FCO of the FOLIOS contract, including staff costs, was £3·4 million. The value to the FCO of the settlement, in equipment, services and returned money, is £3·3 million.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the second report of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Hong Kong.

  Mr. Maude
  We shall publish our observations on the report at noon on 1 December 1989.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Jacques Delors
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last had discussions with Mr. Jacques Delors.

  Mr. Major
  I last met Mr. Delors on 13 November.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last had discussions with Mr. Jacques Delors.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last had discussions with Mr. Jacques Delors.

  Mr. Lilley
  Mr. Delors attended the Council of Economic and Finance Ministers on 13 November, a report of which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to the House on 15 November,Official Report,column 315–16.

  Inflation
  Mr. Leadbitter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his forecast for inflation in the fourth quarter of 1989.

  Mr. Litherland
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his forecast for inflation in the fourth quarter of 1989.

  Mr. Ryder
  Inflation is expected to average 72 per cent. in the fourth quarter of 1989, as outlined in the Autumn Statement forecast.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the current inflation rates in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) other Group of Seven countries.
  419
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the current inflation rates in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) other Group of Seven countries.

  Mr. Lilley
  The underlying inflation rate in the United Kingdom is 6·1 per cent.; the inflation rates in other G7 countries range from 2·6 per cent. in Japan to 6·8 per cent. in Italy.

  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the peak inflation rate for 1989; and what was the peak rate reached between 1974 and 1979.

  Mr. Ryder
  The all-items RPI inflation rate for 1989 probably peaked in May and June of this year at a rate of 8·3 per cent., far lower than the peak rate of 26·9 per cent. in August 1975 under the last Labour Government.

  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on current policies to contain inflation.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Government's tight monetary and fiscal policies are working. Demand is slowing and lower inflation will follow.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to control inflation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Government's tight monetary and fiscal policies are working. Demand is slowing and lower inflation will follow.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters he has received from small businesses about the level of interest rates.

  Mr. Ryder
  Over the last year we have received a small number each month.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from the Confederation of British Industry about the level of interest rates; and what reply he has sent.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend has received one, to which he replied on 24 November.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what organisations have made representations to him about the present level of interest rates.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend and I have received a number of such representations.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the main guide to interest rate policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  In formulating their monetary policy, the Government will continue to be guided by movements in narrow and broad money (especially the movement of MO in relation to its target range) and the behaviour of other financial indicators, in particular the exchange rate.

  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of interest rates.
  420
  Mr. Ryder
  Bank base rates are 15 per cent.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about high interest rates from business groups in Scotland.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about high interest rates from business groups in Scotland.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about high interest rates from business groups in Scotland.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about high interest rates from business groups in Scotland.

  Mr. Ryder
  None.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the current level of interest rates from the representatives of manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor and I have received a number of such representations.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his Department's analysis of the effect high interest rates are having on small businesses.

  Mr. Ryder
  Inflation is the greatest threat to the prosperity of all small businesses. They will therefore benefit from the Government's determination to keep interest rates as high as necessary for as long as necessary as part of their firm anti-inflationary policy.

  Short-term Capital
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate for the short-term capital flows into the United Kingdom so far in 1989.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  It is not possible to distinguish between short-term and long-term capital flows.

  Investment and Consumption
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth in total investment and in total consumption over the last seven years.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth in total investment and in total consumption over the last seven years.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth in total investment and in total consumption over the last seven years.

  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total growth in investment and in total consumption over the last seven years.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Over the last seven years, total investment has grown by over 56 per cent., twice as fast as total consumption.

  Bank of England
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Governor of the Bank of England; and what matters were discussed.
  421
  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend meets the Governor of the Bank of England from time to time to discuss a variety of matters.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to change the status of the Bank of England.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Public Spending
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross domestic product was devoted to public spending in the current year and five years ago.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest estimate of the ratio of general Government expenditure (excluding privatisation proceeds) to gross domestic product in 1989–90, as given in the 1989 Autumn Statement, is 383/4 per cent. The corresponding figure for 1984–85 was 46 per cent.

  Magazines and Journals
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to introduce value added tax on magazines and journals.

  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to introduce value added tax on magazines and journals.

  Mr. Ryder
  I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on his approach to economic and monetary union.

  Mr. Lilley
  A number of representations have been received.

  EC Finance Ministers
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Finance Ministers of other European Community countries; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Finance Ministers of other European Community countries; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Ryder
  I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Altrincham and Sale (Sir F. Montgomery) on 15 November at column 315–16.

  Wealth
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to redress the relative wealth available to the richest and poorest groups in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lilley
  The sound economic policies pursued by this Government will continue to benefit all groups in the United Kingdom.

  Business Investment
  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the future level of business investment.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer regularly meets representatives of the Confederation of British Industry at which many issues are discussed. In the recent Autumn Statement forecast, business investment was projected to increase by 91/4 per cent. in 1989 and by 4½ per cent. in 1990.

  National Health Service
  Mr. Cunliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide further details of the extra spending on the National Health Service announced in his Autumn Statement; and how much of the extra spending is accounted for by anticipated cost savings, projected income generation and the cost of the National Health Service review.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide further details of the extra spending on the National Health Service announced in his Autumn Statement; and how much of the extra spending is accounted for by anticipated cost savings, projected income generation and the cost of the National Health Service review.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide further details of the extra spending on the National Health Service review announced in his Autumn Statement; and how much of the extra spending is accounted for by anticipated cost savings, projected income generation and the cost of the National Health Service review.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Provision for the NHS in the United Kingdom will be about £2,400 million higher in 1990–91 than 1989–90. In addition, the Health Service will have available some £200 million extra cash released by a new round of cost improvement programmes and income generation. The expenditure plans for 1990–91 assume that rather over £250 million of the increase will be available for implementation in England of the NHS review proposals. Expenditure on implementation of the NHS review in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be decided in due course by the respective Secretaries of State.

  Foreign Banks
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence he has on whether foreign banks would support a voluntary agreement to restrict credit.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend has no evidence to suggest that foreign banks would support any such agreement.

  Exchange Rate Mechanism
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had on the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system.

  Mr. Lilley
  The United Kingdom will join the exchange rate mechanism during the so-called "stage 1" of economic
  423
  and monetary union which my right hon. Friend discussed at the meeting of Community Economic and Finance Ministers in Brussels on 13 November.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the United Kingdom to enter the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the conditions for British entry to the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system to be met.

  Mr. Lilley
  The United Kingdom will enter the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system during the so-called stage 1 of economic and monetary union which begins on 1 July 1990.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will commission a study to assess the influence upon United Kingdom interest rates of the early entry of sterling into the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  As my right hon. Friend has made clear, membership of the exchange rate mechanism does not insulate a country from high interest rates.

  Imports
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of imports production and investment goods were in(a) 1974, (b) 1984 and (c)

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Up until 1979 it fell continuously to 741/2 per cent., but since 1979 the share has risen to 751/2 per cent., in both 1984 and 1988.

  Workplace Nurseries
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet representatives of the Equal Opportunities Commission to discuss the tax on workplace nurseries.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards the abolition of tax payments on workplace nursery places.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet representatives of the Equal Opportunities Commission to discuss the tax on workplace nurseries.

  Mr. Lilley
  There is no special tax on workplace nurseries. Any element of subsidy in a workplace nursery place is a benefit in kind and benefits in kind are generally subject to income tax. My right hon. Friend has no plans to discuss this matter with the Equal Opportunities Commission.

  Child Poverty Action Group
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met representatives from the Child Poverty Action Group.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Since he became Chancellor, my right hon. Friend has not met representatives from the Child Poverty Action Group.

  Child Tax Allowance
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would today be the value per child of the child tax allowance, abolished in 1978; and if he will consider its reintroduction.

  Mr. Peter Lilley
  Child tax allowances in 1976–77 (the year before they began to be phased out) were £365 for each dependent child over 16, £335 for each child aged 11 to 16, and £300 for each child under 11. They were never covered by indexation provisions. We have no plans to reintroduce them.

  Foreign Exchange Earnings
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of Britain's foreign exchange earnings for 1988 are accounted for by(a) visible exports and (b) invisibles.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Britain's visible exports for 1988 totalled £81 billion. It is not possible to give a meaningful figure for gross invisibles credits as some items are measured as net flows.

  Personal Equity Plans
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure he has for the number of personal equity plan investors; and what plans he has to encourage further investment in such schemes.

  Mr. Lilley
  About 575,000 personal equity plans had been taken out between the scheme's introduction and the end of September 1989. PEPs are now extremely successful and I have no plans at present to change them.

  Infrastructure Projects
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make it his policy to increase the funds available for infrastructure projects to compensate for any loss of funds resulting from changes in European Economic Community polices.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Community support frameworks for the structural funds are still under discussion with the Commission. The Government's public expenditure plans already allow for substantial increases in infrastructure spending.

  Small Firms
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to meet representatives of the small firms sector.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  My right hon. Friend meets business men involved in the small firms sector from time to time and is always glad to do so.

  Tax Yields
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his latest forecasts for the yeild in the current year of(a) income tax, (b) corporation tax, (c) value added tax, (d) petrol tax, (e) drink tax and (f) tobacco tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  Figures consistent with the Autumn Statement forecast are given in the table.
  425

  Forecast receipts in 1989–90

  £ billion

  Income tax

  48·4

  Corporation tax (including ACT)

  23·0

  Value–added tax

  30·1

  Petrol duties

  8·8

  Alcohol duties

  4·7

  Tobacco duties

  5·2

  CBI
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Director General of the Confederation of British Industry; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the CBI; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer looks forward to meeting representatives of the CBI from time to time, and to discussing a wide range of subjects with them.

  Private Medical Insurance
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much private medical insurance tax relief will cost in a full year.

  Mr. Major
  About £40 million in 1990–91.

  Investment
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what efforts he is making to bring investment in British industry to a level comparable with major competitors.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Business investment rose by an average of 7·3 per cent. a year between 1980 and 1988, faster by far than all the other major economies except Japan. This represents a major improvement on our position in 1970–80 when we had one of the lowest rates of investment growth relative to our major competitors.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is prepared to allow any expenditure approved for 1990–91 to be incurred in 1989–90.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  It is primarily for Departments to manage their programmes in a way that maximises value for money. Proposals to add to 1989–90 public expenditure would be considered on their merits.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of income tax collected by the Inland Revenue in 1978–79 to 1988–89 and on the proportion paid by the top 5 per cent. of earners in each case.

  Mr. Lilley
  Information is given in the table.
  426

  Total Income Tax Receipts and Tax Liability of Top 5 per cent, of Taxpayers as Percentage of Total Liability. 1978–79 to 1988–89

  Year

  Total income tax receipts £ billion

  Income tax liability of the top 5 per cent, of taxpayers as a percentage of total liability1 Percentage

  1978–79

  18·7

  24

  1979–80

  20·6

  23

  1980–81

  24·3

  24

  1981–82

  28·7

  25

  1982–83

  30·4

  25

  1983–84

  31·1

  26

  1984–85

  32·5

  26

  1985–86

  35·4

  27

  1986–87

  38·5

  29

  1987–88

  41·4

  230

  1988–89

  43·4

  229

  1 Liability relates to personal incomes only whereas tax receipts include payments made by other sectors (e.g. income tax deducted from annual payments made by companies).

  2 Provisional, based on projections of 1986–87 Survey of Personal Incomes.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for cutting income tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the additional monthly cost to the average household if the standard rate of income tax today were set at the same level as in 1979.

  Mr. Lilley
  If the basic rate of income tax were raised from its level of 25p in 1989–90 to 33p, the level in 1978–79, a married man on average male earnings would pay £68 per month more income tax. If his wife worked and was paid average female earnings, she would pay £47 more per month. The calculations assume that the couple are entitled to only the married man's allowance and wife's earned income allowance.

  Output
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth in output over the last five years for which figures are available in the United Kingdom and other European Economic Community countries.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth in output over the last five years for which figures are available in the United Kingdom and other European Economic Community countries.

  Mr. Ryder
  I refer my hon. Friends to the reply my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucestershire, West (Mr. Marland).

  GDP
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the percentage of gross domestic product to be taken by general Government expenditure for 1989–90.
  427
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  General Government expenditure (excluding privatisation proceeds) as a percentage of gross domestic product for 1989–90, as published in the 1989 Autumn Statement, is 38¾ per cent.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures indicating the share of gross domestic product taken by business investment.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Business investment as a share of GDP at factor cost was estimated to have been 14·7 per cent. in 1988.

  Personal Debt
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of personal debt in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Ryder
  Figures for personal sector debt are given in financial statistics table 14·4. The amount outstanding at end June 1989, as shown in the November issue, was about £378 billion. An analysis of the greater part of this debt using an alternative instrument classification and showing the amount regarded as consumer credit is given in financial statistics table 9·3.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the current account of the balance of payments for 1989.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy).

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his latest forecast for the balance of payments deficit for 1989.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I have nothing to add to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy).

  VAT
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the threshold for value added tax registration.

  Mr. Ryder
  The level of the VAT registration threshold is subject to regular review and has been increased in line with inflation since 1979. It represents the maximum possible within our obligations under the EC sixth VAT directive, which restricts increases in the threshold to those which maintain its value in real terms.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of gross earnings value added tax takes up for a family on average male earnings with two children in 1978–79 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of gross earnings value added tax takes up for a family on average male earnings with two children in 1978–79 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Ryder
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Michie).

  Demographic Change
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on the economy of demographic change.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  There will continue to be significant demographic changes in the United Kingdom in the next decade and beyond. In particular there will be an increase in the numbers of the elderly, and especially those aged over 85, while fewer young people will be entering the labour force.

  The interactions between the structure of the population and the state of the economy are complex and uncertain, and demographic change is only one of the many factors that affect the economy.

  Consumer Credit
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any proposals to improve the effectiveness of the Government's policy to control consumer credit.

  Mr. Ryder
  The only fair and effective way to control consumer credit is, as now, by the use of interest rates.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the increased opportunities for the British economy following recent events in eastern Europe.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Government very much welcome recent developments in eastern Europe. The dismantling of barriers to trade and investment and the freeing of eastern European economies which is likely to follow should provide opportunities for United Kingdom firms to greatly increase the business they do there.

  Productivity
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the figures for productivity per man hour in manufacturing industry for the last three years.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Output per man hour in United Kingdom manufacturing industry grew by an average of 1·6 per cent. a year over the last three years. The annual figures are 3·4 per cent. in 1986, 6·0 per cent. in 1987 and 4–8 per cent. in 1988.

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest available index figures for real output in manufacturing industry together with figures for the time period or periods in 1973 for the United Kingdom with France, Italy and the Federal Republic of Germany.

  Mr. Ryder
  Following is the information requested.

  Manufacturing Output Indices (1985 = 100)

  1973

  1988

  United Kingdom

  110·4

  114·0

  Germany

  90·7

  106·8

  429

  1973

  1988

  France

  95·0

  107·6

  Italy

  84·1

  112·3

  Source: OECD except United Kingdom, CSO.

  Pensioners (Free Shares)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider giving all retirement pensioners free shares in forthcoming privatisations.

  Mr. Lilley
  The arrangements for each sale are a matter for the relevant Secretary of State. In past privatisations, it has not been the practice to offer all retirement pensioners free shares. There have, however, been special terms for the past and present employees of the privatised company.

  Stamp Duty
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current yield from stamp duty split between the major transactions from which it is derived; and what proportion of total taxation revenues it forms.

  Mr. Lilley
  The yield from stamp duty, including stamp duty reserve tax, in 1989–90 is forecast to be £2,260 million, about 1·4 per cent. of the latest forecast of total receipts in 1989–90 from taxes on income, expenditure and capital. The stamp duty yield is forecast to be split as follows:

  £ million

  Land and property

  1,210

  Stocks and shares

  980

  Life insurance policies

  60

  Other duties

  10

  TOTAL

  2,260

  National Savings Schemes
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he has taken to encourage savings in national savings schemes.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Government wish to attract into national savings funds which investors will leave untouched for several years. They therefore introduced the capital bond last January, offering a taxable guaranteed return of 12 per cent. a year if held to maturity after five years. The Government also aim to provide through national savings a fair return on the savings of non-taxpayers. Interest on national savings income and deposit bonds, and on deposits in the national savings bank investment account, is therefore paid or credited gross of income tax. The Government recently announced that the interest rate on these products would be increased by 1 per cent.

  Civil Service Staff
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of Civil Service Staff are currently based outside London and what were the figures five, 10 and 15 years ago.

  Mr. Ryder
  The servicewide information available on numbers and proportions of civil servants working outside London is given in the table.
  430

  Staff numbers (thousands)

  1 April 1989

  1 January 1984

  1 January 1979

  Non-Industrial

  London

  112·9

  119·8

  138·6

  Outside London

  386·9

  389·1

  427·5

  Proportion outside London (per cent.)

  77·4

  76·5

  75·5

  Industrial

  London

  6·1

  11·7

  10·7

  Outside London

  63·3

  112·1

  156·4

  Proportion outside London (per cent.)

  91·2

  90·6

  93·6

  Total

  London

  119·0

  131·5

  149·3

  Outside London

  450·2

  501·1

  583·9

  Proportion outside London (per cent.)

  79·1

  79·2

  79·6

  Figures for non-industrial staff are extracted from a computer system which came into being in 1975. Before that date figures were collected by means of manual returns which gave no separate information about London-based staff numbers.

  Current Account Deficit
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the elimination of deficit on current account.

  Mr. Ryder
  The current account deficit will narrow as the Government's tight monetary and fiscal policies continue to slow domestic demand.

  Capital Goods
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the proportion of imports of capital goods bought by manufacturing industry; and what is the ratio of imports to United Kingdom production of capital goods.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  No estimates exist giving the proportion of imports of capital goods bought by manufacturing industry, or of the ratio of imports of capital goods to United Kingdom production of capital goods. To derive these estimates would involve disproportionate costs. This is due to the lack of consistency between the definition of capital goods according to the standard industrial trade classification (SITC) used for overseas trade statistics, and the standard industrial classification (SIC) used to define United Kingdom industries and commodity groupings.

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of imports were production and investment goods in(a) 1974, (b) 1984 and (c)

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Up until 1979 it fell continuously to 74½2 per cent., but since 1979 the share has risen to 75½ per cent., in both 1984 and 1988.

  Charities
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions since 1959 Governments have borrowed money from a charitable trust.

  Mr. Major
  I regret that this information is not available. When the Government borrow they do so mainly through the issue of securities, which may be bought by charitable trusts, either directly or in the market. The extent of such purchases is not known.

PRIME MINISTER

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the introduction of the community charge.

  The Prime Minister
  Following the successful introduction of the community charge in Scotland, I understand that most local authorities in England and Wales are making excellent progress in preparing for the community charge. Many chargepayers will already have received notification that they are on their authority's community charge register. I have every confidence that all authorities will wish to ensure that bills, with any necessary adjustment for transitional relief and rebates, will be issued to chargepayers on time next April.

  Engagements
  Mr. French
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 November.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 November.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 November.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 November.

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

  This evening I shall attend a dinner given by the Royal Green Jackets to mark the retirement of my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Holderness as their honorary colonel.

  Official Duties
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister whether any of her official engagements have been cancelled or postponed in the week up to Wednesday 6 December.

  The Prime Minister
  Previous official engagements for Monday 4 December have had to be changed to enable me to attend the NATO summit in Brussels on that day. That is the only change to my earlier plans.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister how many hours she devoted or expects to devote to official duties in the weeks 21 to 28 November and 29 November to 5 December.

  The Prime Minister
  Most of my waking hours.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what official hospitality will be extended by her to hon. Members in the week up to Tuesday 5 December; and to which parties the hon. Members receiving such hospitality belong.

  The Prime Minister
  I meet right hon. and hon. Members from time to time from all parties.

  South Korea
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has made to the President of South Korea during his visit about the prisoners of conscience detained by his Government for political activities in contravention of article 19 of the universal declaration of human rights.

  The Prime Minister
  In our talks on 28 November, I congratulated President Roh on his achievements in extending democracy in Korea but did not discuss article 19 of the universal declaration of human rights.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the sum above which an answer to a parliamentary question is considered to represent disproportionate cost.

  The Prime Minister
  Any parliamentary question likely to cost more than £250 is referred to the responsible Minister before significant resources are committed.

  Access to Information
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has plans to change the current public right of access to official information; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  No. The policy remains to make as much information available as possible while preserving the confidentiality essential to the effective working of the Government. I continue to think that a statutory general public right of access to official information is inappropriate for our system of Government.

  Vietnamese Boat People
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she discussed the proposal compulsorily to repatriate Vietnamese boat people from Hong Kong at her recent meeting with President Bush; and if she will make a statement on her current policy on this issue.

  The Prime Minister
  The repatriation of Vietnamese boat people from Hong Kong was discussed with President Bush. I explained that all who arrive are screened. Those who are found to be genuine refugees will not be returned. Those who are not genuine refugees will be regarded as illegal immigrants and repatriated as provided for in the comprehensive plan of action agreed at the international conference on Indo-Chinese refugees last June in Geneva.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Prime Minister when she proposes to reply to the letter she has received from B. J. Allen of 72 Salters road, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne.
  433
  The Prime Minister
  I am unaware of any such correspondence having been received in my office.

  Commonwealth Conference
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister if, during her visit to Kuala Lumpur for the Commonwealth conference in October, she discussed with any other political leaders the sale of United Kingdom designed fluidised-bed combined cycle coal-fired power plants to Commonwealth nations.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Sir Leon Brittan
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister when she last met Sir Leon Brittan, the European Economic Community Commissioner; and what subjects were discussed.

  The Prime Minister
  I last saw Sir Leon Brittan on 1 November. We discussed a range of issues.

  Mr. Nelson Mandela
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has made to the President of the Republic of South Africa regarding the release of Mr. Nelson Mandela immediately and without conditions; and what reply she has received.

  The Prime Minister
  We have made frequent representations to the South African Government calling on them to release Mr. Mandela immediately and without conditions. We continue to look for a positive response from the South African Government.

  National Health Service
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on proposals in the Gracious Speech relating to the National Health Service.

  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on proposals in the Gracious Speech relating to the National Health Service.

  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on the proposals in the Gracious Speech relating to the National Health Service.

  The Prime Minister
  The National Health Service Bill will implement the reforms that will ensure that the resources and talent devoted to the NHS are used to give patients an even better service and the widest possible choice.
  434
  The hospitals that give the best service to the greatest number of patients will receive more resources. General practitioners who believe that they can give better value to patients by holding their own budgets will be able to do so. Together with the improved GP services that we have introduced, the changes should mean that patients will be able to get operations more quickly, hospitals will have a reliable appointment system for outpatients, more Children will be vaccinated against disease and there will be more regular check-ups on people's health. The Bill will also implement care which will enable growing numbers of elderly and disabled people to live at home and will direct more resources and assistance to the relatives and friends who help to look after them.

  Dunchurch
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Dunchurch, near Rugby.

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

  English History
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received on the teaching of English history.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a number of representations on the teaching of English history. The Government intend that under the national curriculum the teaching of history should have at its core the history of Britain.

  Poland
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Poland.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to visit Poland at present. I very much look forward to meeting Mr. Lech Walesa, chairman of Solidarity, on 2 December.

  Strasbourg Summit
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what subjects she expects to be discussed at the European Community summit meeting in Strasbourg.

  The Prime Minister
  I expect discussion of a range of issues, including eastern Europe, the single market, economic and monetary union and the social charter.

  A.4 HAMMERSMITH/CHISWICK SECTION: LITTER
  A.4 HAMMERSMITH/CHISWICK SECTION: LITTER
  ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL, 28th NOVEMBER
  ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL, 28th NOVEMBER
  NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS: COSTS AND ACCOUNTING
  NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS: COSTS AND ACCOUNTING
  FAST BREEDER REACTORS
  FAST BREEDER REACTORS