Written Answers of 17 October 1989

PRIME MINISTER

  European Social Charter
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the progress made in implementing the social charter directives.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  The European Commission's proposal for a charter of social rights has not been agreed by the Council of Ministers. There have so far been no proposals for directives.

  Cenotaph (Illumination)
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has made arrangements for the Cenotaph to be illuminated in time for Remembrance Sunday.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  The experimental lighting we have seen recently will become permanent well in time for Remembrance Sunday. I am sure that the House will join me in congratulating my hon. Friend on his suggestion last year which prompted such a pleasing enhancement of this very special monument.

  Cathedrals
  Sir Charles Morrison
  To ask the Prime Minister what consideration she has given to the possibility of Government assistance towards the maintenance and repair of British cathedrals.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  Government expenditure on the maintenance of historic buildings in England is channelled through English Heritage. Its policy is to focus financial support on parish churches rather than cathedrals and is based on the Church of England's own view that cathedrals are better placed to raise funds from public and private sector appeals. Should English Heritage or the Church of England consider changing this policy, and should the changes have implications for English Heritage's overall grant-in-aid, the Government would carefully consider any case put forward. A similar policy is adopted by the Welsh Office and regularly reviewed.

  A different approach, however, is adopted by the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland since, of the 25 'churches' with cathedral status, only four are considered to be cathedrals in scale. It is considered unlikely that, were the cathedral status churches to be threatened, they could be assisted wholly by funds raised through public appeals and private donations. Consequently, cathedrals are considered for historic buildings repair if all the normal eligibility criteria are met. Since 1978, when a scheme of
  2
  historic building repair grants for churches in ecclesiastical use was set up, repairs to nine Scottish churches with cathedral status have attracted grant.

  Nuclear Weapons, Middle East
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if, during her meeting with King Hussein of Jordan on his visit to London, she discussed(a) the dangers of nuclear weapons based in the Middle East, (b) Israel's possession of nuclear weapons capability and (c) initiatives that could be taken before and at the fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, to reduce nuclear weapons proliferation problems in the Middle East.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply No.

  Engagements (Japan)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list in the Official Report all her engagements for each day of her visit to Japan.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  During the Prime Minister's visit to Japan from 19 to 22 September, her engagements were as follows:

  19 September

  Meeting at Tokyo University with Professor Arima, President of the University, and three colleagues conducting environmental research.

  Call on Mitsui Bank, Hibiya, to see use of British Telecom and Reuter equipment in the foreign exchange dealing room.

  Reception with the British associations in Tokyo. Dinner at the Ambassador's Residence for senior Japanese politicians and businessmen.

  20 September

  Visit to Fujitsu computer factory, Numazu.

  Lunch hosted by Japan's economic organisations, speech on "the Open World Economy".

  Official talks with Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Nakayama.

  Visit to Tokyu Department Store, to see Laura Ashley shop and tea room.

  Official talks with the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Kaifu. Joint television broadcast with Mr. Kaifu, on the environment, education and democratic values.

  Working dinner with Mr. Kaifu.

  21 September

  Meeting with former Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Takeshita.

  Visit to Jaguar Japan at Shimbashi.

  Opening of British School Tokyo, and visit to adjacent Shibuya Girls High School and kindergarten.

  Visit to British Council.

  Luncheon with His Majesty The Emperor and other members of the Imperial Family at Akasaka Palace. Press conference.

  Meeting with Japanese Minister for International Trade and Industry, Mr. Matsunaga.

  Reception at the International Democratic Union Conference.

  Meeting with United States Vice President, Mr. Quayle. International Democratic Union Conference dinner hosted by Mr. Kaifu.

  22 September

  Wreath laying at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, Hodogaya.

  International Democratic Union Conference.

  Ministerial Statements
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister what standing instructions she has given to Ministers of the Crown concerning attributable statements of Government policy, or announcement of specific ministerial decisions, by civil servants; what changes have been made in this respect from the practice of previous administrations; and if she will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  When civil servants make such statements or announcements they do so on behalf of Ministers, and Ministers are accountable for them. This arrangement has also applied during previous Administrations.

  Visit (Japan)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister which Ministers from(a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) the Department of Trade and Industry accompanied her on her visit to Japan.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  No Ministers accompanied my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on her visit to Japan.

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what action she proposes to take to protect indigenous rain-forest peoples.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  We believe it important that all people, including the indigenous inhabitants of rain-forests, should participate in national development as equal partners.

  The Government bring their influence to bear in this respect especially in the World Bank and OECD. We also use our influence when we finance projects which protect rain-forests. We are planning an increased programme of aid for conservation and management of forests.

  Ombudsman (Appointment)
  Sir Antony Buck
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement concerning the appointment of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and the Health Service Commissioner for England, Scotland and Wales.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  In accordance with section 1(3) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967, section 106(3) of the National Health Service Act 1977 and section 90(3) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, Sir Anthony Barrowclough will be retiring from these offices on 2 January 1990.

  I am sure that all Members of the House would wish me to express their gratitude and admiration for the very able and thorough manner in which he has fulfilled these duties over the last five years.

  Her Majesty has been pleased to approve the appointment of Mr. William Kennedy Reid, CB as Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioner for England, for Scotland and for Wales with effect from 3 January 1990.

  Engagements
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 October.

  . Mowlam
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 October.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 October.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 October.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 October.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 October.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 October.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 October.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 October.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Overseas Development Administration
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom consultants the Overseas Development Administration has commissioned in each of the past five years; what was the number of Scottish-based consultants; what was the total value of the commissions in each year; and what proportion of that value in each year was won by Scottish-based companies.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The total expenditure on consultants commissioned by the Overseas Development Administration in the last five years was:

  million

  1984

  29·7

  1985

  30·0

  1986

  33·0

  1987

  34·8

  1988

  48·5

  We do not have statistics for numbers of consultants commissioned in this period, nor are records kept of the geographical base of consultants. I regret, therefore, that this information could be provided only at dispropor-tionate cost.

  Amazon Region, Colombia
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has given the Colombian ambassador about his request to provide some professional expertise for the large research projects on the Amazon region of Colombia.
  5
  Mrs. Chalker
  I have told the ambassador that we understand from the National Planning Department in Bogota (the agency with which our aid programme in Colombia is agreed), that it did not intend to ask for our help in this project at this stage. But I have asked our embassy to discuss the ambassador's proposals further with the National Planning Department, to see whether it would wish to give them higher priority in future years.

ENERGY

  Sizewell C Power Station
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received during the recess about the Central Electricity Generating Board's application to build Sizewell C power station in Suffolk; and if he will make a statement about a public inquiry.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend has received approximately 50,000 objections to this application. My right hon. Friend has still to receive the views of the relevant local planning authorities. If either objects, my right hon. Friend will be obliged to hold a public inquiry. Even if they do not, he may still decide to do so in the light of the other objections received.

TRANSPORT

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of correspondence between his Department and Messrs Halcrow concerning the East London river crossing.

  Mr. Atkins
  It is not our practice to publish correspondence between the Department and its agents. If the hon. Member has any particular matter in mind, perhaps he would write to me.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investigations have been made concerning the effects on the river regime, silt depositions, and scouring, and the consequences for dredging costs arising from construction of the new design of bridge for the East London river crossing.

  Mr. Portillo
  On our behalf, Hydraulics Research Ltd. completed a desk study of the likely effects of alternative bridge designs on the river regime as part of the review of the Thames bridge design. The results of the desk study are contained in annex F of the July 1989 report by Sir William Halcrow and Partners into the alternative forms of bridge design, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Hydraulics Research is now carrying out model studies into the location and effect of scour, change in siltation and in flow distribution to confirm the findings of its desk study.

  London Underground
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement concerning the implications for passenger safety of the extension of one-person operation on the deep level tube sections of the London Underground;
  6
  (2) if he will place in the Library copies of the correspondence concerning consultations between London Underground Ltd and the railway inspectorate on proposals for extending one-person operation on the tube railways of London.

  Mr. Portillo
  Extension of one-person operation is primarily a matter for London Underground Ltd" which has a statutory obligation to operate its services safely. There is, nevertheless, full consultation between London Underground Ltd and the railway inspectorate about the safety aspects of one-person operation proposals. The inspectorate would keep me informed about any proposal with which it was not satisfied. I am content with this arrangement and see no need for copies of correspondence to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action has been taken by the railway inspectorate to implement recommendation No. 131 of the Fennell report on the King's Cross line, requiring it to enlist outside advice in respect of one-person operation of trains in deep tube tunnels.

  Mr. Portillo
  The railway inspectorate, with the assistance of the Health and Safety Executive and the London Fire Brigade, undertook an investigation into the management of safety on the London Underground earlier in the year. Since the Fennell report was concerned with safety at stations, the investigation concentrated on the safety of passengers and staff in stations. It did not address the question of one-person operated trains. My right hon. Friend the member for Southend, West (Mr. Channon) the then Secretary of State for Transport, announced on 24 May that he was that day publishing the inspectorate's report of the investigation, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to when and how London Underground Ltd, in accordance with recommen-dation 148 of the Fennell report, informed the travelling public of its intention to extend one-person operation of tube trains.

  Mr. Portillo
  London Underground Limited made it clear, when accepting recommendation 148 of the Fennell report, that information on safety performance would be transmitted to the London Regional Passengers' Committee from time to time; and that it would also mount publicity campaigns about specific safety issues as appropriate. It is for London Underground to consider the extent and timing of any publicity which it considers to be appropriate in relation to one-person operation of tube trains.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the safety audit committee of London Regional Transport, established consequent to recommen-dation 79 of the Fennell report, has within its responsibilities or terms of reference the level of platform staffing on stations and the planned extension of one-person operation of tube trains in London.

  Mr. Portillo
  The terms of reference of the safety audit committee are contained within the London Regional Transport document "Management of Safety", a copy of which was placed in the Library on 6 February 1989. They cover wide aspects of safety throughout LRT.

  Marine Office, Belfast
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for the future of the Department of Transport marine office in Belfast; what is the rate per hour which people in Northern Ireland pay to this office for surveys; and if he will make a statement about future charges for these surveys.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have no proposals to change the status of the Department's marine office in Belfast. The complement of the office is kept under review in the light of the workload. The various fees currently payable for surveys in the United Kingdom and abroad are set out in the Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations 1989 (SI 1989 No. 323). The regulations are reviewed annually.

  Vessels (Defence)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British-owned vessels are registered under flag-of-convenience terms in the Bahamas; and what are the terms of his agreement with the Government of the Bahamas for use of these vessels for defence purposes.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  One hundred and fourteen British-owned trading ships (excluding Hong Kong-owned ships) are registered in the Bahamas. A copy of the agreement with the Commonwealth of the Bahamas concerning the availability of British-owned ships to HMG in the event of hostilities is being sent to the hon. Member. A further copy has been deposited in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table showing merchant vessels available for defence purposes in each year from 1985 to the nearest available date; and if the table will distinguish between vessels registered in the United Kingdom and those registered in dependent territories.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information is contained in "Defence Statistics" table 1.3 in the "Statement on Defence Estimates 1989" (Cm. 675-II) a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library. Separate figures are given for the vessels registered in the United Kingdom and those registered in Crown dependencies and dependent territories, except for 1985 for which only United Kingdom-registered figures are available.

  Merchant Fleet
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table showing United Kingdom merchant fleet manpower in each grade in each year from 1975 to the nearest available date.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is as follows:

  Officers

  Ratings

  Cadets

  Total

  1975

  35,815

  33,524

  7,094

  76,433

  1976

  35,123

  31,644

  6,970

  73,737

  1977

  34,144

  29,856

  6,708

  70,708

  1978

  33,147

  29,219

  6,704

  69,070

  1979

  31,434

  28,942

  6,318

  66,694

  1980

  29,513

  28,167

  5,919

  63,599

  1981

  27,867

  27,422

  5,197

  60,486

  1982

  25,104

  25,224

  4,022

  54,350

  1983

  20,635

  22,624

  2,732

  45,991

  1984

  17,646

  20,251

  1,625

  39,522

  8

  Officers

  Ratings

  Cadets

  Total

  1985

  15,523

  19,095

  1,016

  35,634

  1986

  13,036

  17,612

  727

  31,375

  1987

  10,978

  15,835

  554

  27,367

  1988

  9,568

  13,638

  428

  23,634

  11989

  9,097

  12,651

  431

  22,179

  1 Provisional.

  Note:

  These numbers are based upon the General Council of British Shipping register for the years indicated as available for employment in National Maritime Board agreements with GCBS members or associates. They include foreign seafarers on NMB agreements. About 5,000 foreign seafarers serve on GCBS-registered vessels but probably fewer than 1,000 are under NMB conditions. The figures exclude seafarers employed by United Kingdom companies which do not use GCBS manning services; the latest estimate for these is 6,000.

  Merchant Shipping
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the results of NATO's study of supply and demand for merchant shipping in crisis and war.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The study is due to be completed early in 1990. Publication of the results will be a matter for decision by NATO.

  Diesel Fumes
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the effectiveness of the law governing the emission of diesel fumes from vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Government keep diesel emissions under constant review. Regulations have recently been made that apply for the first time limits on the emission of carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and hydrocarbons from new heavy diesel vehicles. The Commission is expected to make proposals shortly to introduce a second stage of limits on these emissions from heavy diesels and to set particulate limits for these vehicles for the first time. The United Kingdom has taken a leading role in helping the Commission to prepare a draft directive.

  The annual tests for buses and heavy goods vehicles include a visual check on smoke density. Over the past two years the Department has increased substantially its programme of roadside checks on the condition of goods vehicles. This also includes a check on smoke emissions. We are considering how future emission standards might most effectively be enforced.

  Marchioness Inquiry
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the official inquiry into the Marchioness tragedy will be able to take into consideration any proposal for permanent restriction of navigation through any existing, or proposed, Thames bridge, including proposals for uni-directional movement through any one span.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The inquiry into the loss of the Marchioness is still under way. The possibility of restricting navigation under River Thames bridges is one of the matters which is being considered.

  Docklands Light Railway
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the possible extension of the Docklands light railway from Becton to Thamesmead via a planned Thames crossing, including provision in such a crossing of a single, dual directional, line of rail.

  Mr. Portillo
  There are no plans for an extension of the Docklands light railway from Beckton to Thamesmead via the proposed east London river crossing. London Regional Transport do however plan a bus station at Gallions reach on the DLR Beckton extension which will provide a good interchange with buses serving Thamesmead via the river crossing.

  North Devon Coast
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations has he received over reduced levels of safety off the north Devon coast during 1989; and what remedial action he intends to take.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 17 such representations. The points raised have been answered and he is satisfied that the current facilities for co-ordinating maritime search and rescue operations off the north Devon coast are adequate to meet the rescue needs of the area.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has he made of the adequacy of the actual level of manning at coastguard headquarters, Swansea, and of the cover over the North Devon coastline by day and by night.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  All assurances given at the time of the announcement of the Swansea/Hartland merger have been

  Authorities

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Street lighting £'000

  Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting

  Street lighting £'000

  Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting

  Street lighting £'000

  Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting

  Street lighting £'000

  Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting

  Street lighting £'000

  Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting

  Metropolitan districts

  Knowsley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  961

  28

  1,016

  28

  Liverpool

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,578

  34

  2,728

  35

  St Helens

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  685

  25

  725

  26

  Sefton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,629

  27

  1,544

  23

  Wirral

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,080

  20

  1,384

  21

  Merseyside total

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6,933

  28

  7,336

  27

  Barnsley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  867

  23

  960

  24

  Doncaster

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,249

  20

  1,321

  21

  Rotherham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,281

  22

  1,282

  19

  Sheffield

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,983

  18

  2,098

  19

  South Yorkshire total

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5,379

  20

  5,661

  20

  Gateshead

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,085

  20

  1040

  19

  Newcastle

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,462

  22

  1,474

  21

  North Tyneside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  864

  19

  1,018

  22

  South Tyneside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  946

  22

  899

  21

  Sunderland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,560

  25

  1,601

  25

  Tyne & Wear total

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5,917

  22

  6,032

  21

  Birmingham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4,327

  23

  4,199

  20

  Coventry

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  988

  18

  1,102

  20

  10
  met. The staffing level at Swansea has been increased and since the merger the number of persons on watch has not fallen below four. This is adequate, as are all the current facilities for co-ordinating maritime search and rescue operations off the north Devon coast whether by day or night.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to ensure the adequacy of the actual level of manning at coastguard headquarters, Swansea, and over the north Devon coastline by day arid by night.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Following the Swansea/Hartland merger on 6 December 1988, staffing levels were increased to reflect the area now covered by the Swansea centre. At no time since has the number of persons on watch fallen below four persons.

  An additional coastguard sector officer has been stationed in the Hartland area and the auxiliary coastguard rescue companies in the area remain unaffected by the merger. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is satisfied with these arrangements and that the current facilities for co-ordinating maritime search and rescue operations off the north Devon coast are adequate to meet the rescue needs of the area.

  Street Lighting
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give, for the last five years for which figures are available, the amount of money spent by each county highways authority and highways authority on street lighting; and if he will state the percentage that money is of the total amount spent on roads, authority by authority.

  Mr. Robert Atkins
  [pursuant to the reply, 18 July 1989, c. 88]: The following table was omitted.
  11

  Authorities

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Street lighting £'000

  Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting

  Street lighting £'000

  Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting

  Street lighting £'000

  Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting

  Street lighting £'000

  Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting

  Street lighting £'000

  Per cent. of road spend that is street lighting

  Dudley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  901

  19

  918

  16

  Sandwell

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  890

  14

  1,060

  14

  Solihull

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  833

  19

  881

  19

  Walsall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,061

  15

  945

  19

  Wolverhampton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  785

  22

  81

  16

  West Midlands total

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9,785

  19

  9,916

  18

  Bradford

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,408

  18

  1,355

  16

  Calderdale

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  776

  13

  862

  15

  Kirklees

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,312

  15

  1,374

  15

  Leeds

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,673

  21

  2,713

  18

  Wakefield

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,116

  22

  1,306

  22

  West Yorkshire total

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7,335

  18

  7,610

  17

  Bolton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,044

  25

  1,159

  24

  Bury

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  691

  26

  731

  27

  Manchester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,251

  19

  2,382

  19

  Oldham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  842

  20

  846

  16

  Rochdale

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  951

  32

  898

  22

  Salford

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  900

  31

  919

  28

  Stockport

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  975

  26

  1,146

  25

  Tameside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  773

  16

  818

  16

  Trafford

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  867

  20

  964

  22

  Wigan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  932

  18

  986

  17

  Greater Manchester total

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10,225

  22

  10,848

  21

  Notes:

  1.The figures shown for Greater London for the years 1983–84 to 1985–86 refer to spending on principal roads for which the Greater London Council were responsible. At that time London Boroughs were only responsible for non-principal roads. Following abolition of the GLC the London Boroughs took over the responsibility for principal roads.

  2.Up to and including 1985–86 the Metropolitan Counties were responsible for local roads. From 1986–87 this responsibility passed to the Metropolitan Districts upon abolition of the Metropolitan Counties. This is reflected in the table above.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Retired Judges
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the official retirement age for Court of Appeal judges, High Court judges, and circuit judges; how many retired judges in each category returned to sit in(a) 1987 and (b) 1988, as deputy judges or ad hoc deputy judges; on how many occasions these judges, on average, have sat as deputies or ad hoc deputies; and what is the rate of pay for such service.

  The Attorney-General
  Court of Appeal and High Court judges retire on the date of their 75th birthdays. Circuit judges retire at the end of the completed year of service in which they attain the age of 72 though their period of full-time service can be extended, with the Lord Chancellor's approval, until they reach 75. In 1987, 43 retired judges sat as deputy circuit judges for a total of 1,868·5 days, five sat as deputy High Court judges for a total of 197 days, and eight sat as deputy Court of Appeal judges for a total of 285 days. In 1988, 32 judges sat as deputy circuit judges for a total of 1,764·5 days, eight sat as deputy High Court judges for a total of 273 days, and seven sat as deputy Court of Appeal judges for a total of 285 days. Deputy Court of Appeal judges are paid £361 per day. Deputy High Court judges are paid £328 per day. Deputy circuit judges are paid £179 per day.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Recycling
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 27 July to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire),Official Report, column 815, if he will specify the initiatives taken by his Department's business and environment unit to give more focus to recycling.

  Mr. Forth
  My Department's business and the environment unit, formed in June of this year, is developing a number of initiatives to encourage increasing recycling of industrial residues and household waste. These include presentations to and sponsorship of a series of conferences, seminars and workshops; collaborating in the preparation of primary and secondary school education packs; participating in the "Recycling City" experiment; commissioning a range of recycling research and advisory work; and providing advice on recycling matters to trade associations, individual companies, local authorities, voluntary groups, and the general public. An advisory group, consisting of representatives of a wide range of interests in recycling, has also been established under the unit's chairmanship. It has met once so far.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives he has taken towards the recovery of small-scale batteries for materials recycling;
  13
  and what communications he has with the European Commission on the matter of battery recovery and recycling.

  Mr. Forth
  Battery recycling is an established industry in the United Kingdom, but is almost entirely concentrated upon the larger lead acid and nickel cadmium cells, and the smaller silver oxide and mercury button cells. As part of a collaborative project, Waren Spring laboratory is carrying out research into methods of recovering small consumer batteries from the domestic waste stream. In December 1988, the European Commission presented a proposal for a directive covering batteries and accumulators containing dangerous substan-ces. Negotiations on the proposal have yet to begin but, if adopted, the directive would have implications for battery recovery and recycling in member states.

  EC Conference
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department is participating in the international conference on cost, planning and strategic issues for industry, environmental regulation in the European Community, on 19 and 20 October.

  Mr. Forth
  My Department was not invited to participate in this conference. But DTI representatives will be participating in a number of similar conferences in the next few weeks aimed at raising the level of environmental awareness in business.

  Year

  Site

  Result of Application

  1984

  Tan-y-Gadair, Cadair Idris, Gwynedd

  Order made

  1984

  Llyn Mawr, Powys

  Order made

  1985

  Coedydd a Chorsydd, Aberteifi, Dyfed

  Order made

  1986

  Rallt, Cors Erddreiniog, Gwynedd

  Order made

  1986

  Clegir Mawr, Y Werthyr, Gwynedd

  Application refused

  1987

  Llandegla Moor, Clwyd

  Application refused

CIVIL SERVICE

  Civil Servants (Promotion)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make it his policy that promotion to senior grades in the civil service will be contingent upon working outwith the south-east area of England for a reasonable period during the course of the officers' careers.

  Mr. Luce
  No. Promotion to all grades in the Civil Service is on merit. This takes account of experience and other relevant factors. Senior staff are mobile grades and can be obliged to work in any location.

THE ARTS

  Funding (Glasgow)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he is allocating any additional funds to the city of Glasgow to use during its year as European city of culture.

  Mr. Luce
  I announced in Glasgow on 18 October last year that I had decided to show my appreciation of that

  CFCs
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if during the meeting of the Council of EEC Industry Ministers in Brussels on 26 September, he raised the issue of environmental protection and implications of European industrial policy for the environment; and if any initiatives were taken on the industrial dismantlement of chlorofluorocarbons from refrigerators.

  Mr. Forth
  No. However, there is close liaison between my Department and the Department of the Environment to ensure that the implications for the environment of measures affecting business and enterprise are fully taken into account in discussions between EC Ministers on all appropriate occasions. My Department has also commissioned a major study into the options for recovering, recycling and destroying chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the United Kingdom. The study, which will consider, among other things, the recovery of CFCs from industrial and domestic refrigerators, is due to be completed early next year.

WALES

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each year since 1981 the applications received by his Department from the Nature Conservancy Council for orders under section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, showing those which resulted in such an order.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The information is as follows:

  city's efforts in preparing for its year as European city of culture 1990 by a special Government contribution of £0·5 million, spread over two years.

  Museums Year
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps his Department has taken to ensure the effective promotion of 1989 as Museums Year.

  Mr. Luce
  Museums Year is the initiative of the Museums Association in its centenary year. I strongly support this celebration of our museums and was pleased to join the Museums Association at its centenary conference held in York in September. I am delighted that., in the course of this year, my Department, the Museums and Galleries Commission, and the Museums Association. are working together on a number of initiatives including, the creation and development of the Museums Training Institute.

  Museums and Galleries (Maintenance)
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how much money is being provided in the current year for the repair and maintenance of museums and galleries; and how much was provided five and 10 years ago.

  Mr. Luce
  This year's provision for building and maintenance at the 11 national museums and galleries which I sponsor is £48 million. In 1979–80 the provision was £14 million and in 1984–85 it was £28 million.

  North West Arts
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met the chairman of North West Arts to discuss the level of arts funding in the north-west.

  Mr. Luce
  I have not met the chairman of North West Arts to discuss funding.

  Arts Council
  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met the chairman of the Arts Council to discuss the funding of the council.

  Mr. Luce
  I meet the chairman of the Arts Council on a regular basis to discuss matters of mutual interest. The last meeting was on 10 October.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Carl Bridgewater (Murder Inquiry)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands asking him to name the two officers who were involved in the Carl Bridgewater murder inquiry who have been disciplined in the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No.

  Lorrain Osman
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the basis of whichwarrant issued in Hong Kong in 1985 the request for the extradition of Lorrain Osman under the Fugitive Offenders Act proceeded; and whether that warrant was exhibited to him or to Bow Street magistrates in pursuance of the authority to proceed or the issue of the provisional arrest warrant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The matters referred to are the subject of judicial review proceedings which opened in the divisional court on 4 October 1989.

  Genocide
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how may(a) males and (b) females have been (i) charged and (ii) found guilty of an offence under section 1 of the Genocide Act 1969 in each year since 1969.

  Mr. John Patten
  No persons have been prosecuted under the Genocide Act 1969.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to review the Genocide Act 1969; and if he will make a statement.
  16
  Mr. John Patten
  We have no plans to do so.

  Cruelty to Animals
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) males and (b) females were (i) charged and (ii) convicted of cruelty to animals in 1987 and 1988 and to date in 1989.

  Mr. John Patten
  For information relating to 1987, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to his question on 26 October 1988 at columns 266–68. Information for 1988 and 1989 is not yet available.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has any plans to review the Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act 1988; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what representations he has received concerning the implementation of the Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have received no representations about the implementation of the Act since it came into force, and my right hon. Friend has at present no plans to review it.

  Armed Robbery
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were(a) charged and (b) convicted of armed robbery in 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  There is no specific category of armed robbery. However on the information available centrally, it is estimated that in 1987 there were 470 persons found guilty of robbery where a firearms offence was involved. Similar estimates for prosecutions are not possible. Information for 1988 is not yet available.

  Parental Responsibility
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received(a) supporting and (b) opposing legislation to require parents to be responsible for the actions of their children; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Since March this year we have received 111 letters in favour of strengthening the legal responsibilities of parents for their children's behaviour and 13 against. In the light of the comments we have received, we are considering what changes to propose.

  Devon Emergency Volunteers
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will visit the Devon emergency volunteers to convey his congratulations on their contribution to civil defence during the past 21 years.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend has no present plans to visit the Devon emergency volunteers, but we recognise and welcome most warmly the valuable contribution which they, and other volunteers, make to their local communities.

  Criminal injuries Compensation
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to resolve cases
  17
  submitted to it; if there are any plans to reduce the period between the submission of a claim and payment of compensation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information in this form is not available, but the percentage of cases resolved by the board within certain periods of registration is shown in paragraph 6 of its latest annual report (Cm 536), a copy of which is in the Library.

  To speed up the processing of claims, the board's staff complement has been increased from 220 in 1987 to 320 now. A new office opened in Glasgow, which houses two thirds of the board's staff, and is now fully operational.

  The board is reviewing its administrative procedures with the aim of reducing the time taken to resolve applications.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests he has received for increases in the manpower of the Dyfed-Powys police in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is as follows:

  Years in which applications made

  Posts applied for

  1975–76

  50

  1979–80

  18

  1986–87

  1

  Each of these applications was approved in full.

  Condoms (Prisons)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he now has any plans to introduce a scheme whereby condoms would be made available to inmates in prison; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no such plan.

  Soliciting
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to provide that the possession of condoms cannot be used as evidence in the prosecution of women for soliciting; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  It is for the courts to decide what constitutes relevant and admissible evidence in any particular case.

  Life Prisoners
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many discretionary life sentence prisoners have been given knockbacks by the parole board beyond their judicial tariff.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is not maintained in the form requested, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many discretionary life sentence prisoners have been released by the tariff date set by the judiciary.
  18
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None of the discretionary life sentence prisoners whose tariffs have been set on the advice of the judiciary following the Handscomb judgment in March 1987 has yet been released.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many discretionary life sentence prisoners have been considered by parole boards since the Handscomb judgment.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since the divisional court judgmeni in the Handscomb case on 2 March 1987, the Parole Board has considered 368 cases of discretionary life sentence prisoners.

  Re-unite
  Sir George Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will respond to the application for funding from Re-unite made on 9 March.

  Mr. John Patten
  A response to their funding application has now been sent to Re-unite, making a formal grant offer. I have written to my hon. Friend.

  "Let's Crack Crime"
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many copies of his Department's booklet "Let's Crack Crime" have been distributed.

  Mr. John Patten
  Nearly 2·5 million copies of the first and second editions of the Home Office crime prevention handbook "Practical Ways to Crack Crime" have been distributed in England and Wales. The third edition will be published shortly.

  Gloucestershire (Burglaries)
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will report on the most recent figures for burglary in Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  In the 12-month period ended 30 June 1989, notifiable offences of burglary in Gloucestershire decreased by almost 15 per cent. compared with the previous 12 months. This information is published in table 7 of Home Office statistical bulletin 7/89 and in a subsequent table; copies of both are in the Library.

  Concessionary Television licences
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the representations he has received regarding the further restrictions on the availability of the concessionary television licence fee for pensioners.

  Mr. Renton
  Since the changes in the regulations in May 1988, we have received visits from four hon. Members1, and 311 letters, 168 of them from hon. Members, about aspects of the concessionary TV licensing system. The nature of each is not separately recorded, but the main points raised were whether the scheme should be extended to ordinary housing, the treatment of new residents of schemes which no longer qualified and whether the circumstances of individual housing schemes fitted the new regulations.

  19
  1 The figure of five hon. Members given in the answer of 3 July 1989 at column 19 to the question from the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) was unfortunately incorrect, and I am writing to the hon. Member.

  Turkish Kurds
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Turkish Kurds have been granted asylum in 1989.

  Mr. Renton
  We do not keep separate statistics of the ethnic origins of asylum seekers but the great majority of the Turkish nationals who have sought asylum here are of Kurdish origin. Seventy-one Turkish nationals have been granted refugee status so far in 1989, and a further 243 have been granted exceptional leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom. Decisions have yet to be reached on the majority of the 3,500 applications for asylum made by Turkish nationals who arrived in May and June.

  Prison Population
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to reduce the number of convicted persons held in prison where the crime for which they were sentenced did not involve violence or illegal entry.

  Mr. John Patten
  We are developing further the ideas for encouraging greater use of community penalties in the Green Paper "Punishment Custody and the Community" (Cm 424). We have already taken steps to reduce the number of young adults in custody. We have issued national standards for community service orders. By ensuring that community service is rigorous and demanding, we hope to encourage its use for offenders who might otherwise receive a custodial sentence.

  Broadcasting
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the summary of the 3,000 responses he received to the White paper, "Broadcasting in the '90s Competition, Choice and Quality", with particular reference to responses to paragraph 6.17, the allocation of television franchises through the highest tender method.

  Mr. Renton
  My right hon. Friend placed in the Library on 21 April a list of the main organisations which submitted comments on the broadcasting White Paper which he announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Mr. Wheeler) at column 342. I regret that the further information sought would involve a fresh analysis of more than 3,000 submissions and could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Conservative Conference
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional resources were made available for policing and security at the 1989 Conservative conference at Blackpool.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The additional costs of policing the Conservative party conference at Blackpool will be met by the Lancashire police authority. Under the normal police 20
  funding arrangements, the Government contribute both directly through police grant—which is at 51 per cent.—and indirectly through block grant.

  I understand from the chief constable of Lancashire that the additional costs including related security measures, are estimated to be £1·08 million.

  The Conservative party, like other political parties, also incurs costs on specific security measures at its conference.

  Immigration Enforcement
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were removed from the United Kingdom in 1988 as a result of immigration enforcement powers; and what was the figure five years ago.

  Mr. Renton
  In 1988, a total of 3,046 persons were removed from the United Kingdom under the enforcement powers in the Immigration Act 1971, either as illegal entrants or under the deportation process. The corresponding figure for 1983 was 1,196. More detailed information is published in tables 23 and 24 of the Home Office Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 1988" (Cm. 726), a copy of which is in the Library.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there are plans to link the vehicle and name indices of the police national computer so that the name extracted from the vehicle index could automatically search the names index; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are no present plans for such a project.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the trend in the use of the names indices of the police national computer; what are the reasons for the changes in frequency of use; and what steps his Department takes to ensure that each access to the names index is for a bona fide police purpose.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of accesses to the names indices of the police national computer increased by 13·87 per cent. between 1986 and 1987 and by 12·23 per cent. between 1987 and 1988.

  The reasons for individual inquiries are not monitored centrally. This is a matter for chief officers of police, who are also responsible for ensuring that inquiries are made only for appropriate police purposes.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will describe the purpose of the extremists crime index of the police national computer; if he will define the circumstances when information is added to the index; and if he will list the items of data held within the index.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The purpose of the index is to assist the police in the detection of crimes which might have a political, religious, social or environmental motive. It can be updated only by the Metropolitan police and accessed by a limited number of terminals in regional crime intelligence offices. The index contains the following data items:

  Crime description

  Date and time of crime

  21

  Modus operandi

  Property value and description (if applicable)

  Suspect details (if applicable)

  Vehicle registration mark, value and description (if applicable)

  Forensic and pathology data (if applicable)

  Asylum Seekers (Turkey)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest available figures for asylum seekers from Turkey who have arrived since 18 January who have(a) been returned to Turkey, (b) interviewed but held in detention, (c) given temporary asylum for up to one year, (d) given leave to remain for more than one year and (e) granted refugee status.

  Mr. Renton
  The information is not available in the form requested. From the beginning of January up until the introduction of a visa requirement for Turkish nationals on 23 June some 3,900 Turkish nationals claimed asylum on arrival in the United Kingdom. As at 11 October, 34 have been refused asylum and returned to Turkey. On 11 October. nine remained in detention, all of whom had been interviewed. There is no status of temporary asylum, but temporary admission pending consideration of their claims was granted to all those who were not detained. Exceptional leave to remain, initially for 12 months, has been granted in 243 cases. A total of 71 have been recognised as refugees under the terms of the 1951 United Nations convention on refugees and granted four years leave to remain initially. A total of 229 have returned voluntarily to Turkey before examination of their cases was completed.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from non-statutory organisations concerning their call for resources to assist Kurdish asylum seekers; what response he has given; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  Representations have been received from a number of Church, community and voluntary organisations seeking among other things financial assistance for emergency reception arrangements for Turkish asylum seekers who arrived in the United Kingdom in May and June. Exceptional payments to reimburse some of the expenses incurred have been made to most non-statutory organisations which assisted; a few others remain under consideration and will he settled shortly.

  Parking Enforcement
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet considered the conclusions of the parking enforcement working party; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-East (Mr. Kirkhope) on 27 July 1989 at column 799.

  Edinburgh International Television Festival
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representatives of his Department attended sessions of the Edinburgh international television festival.
  22
  Mr.Renton:
  One

  Acid House Party, Rickmansworth
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Hertfordshire on the policing of an acid house party at Stochers Farm, Rickmansworth on 2 September and of the number of persons arrested and charged with an offence and the number of police officers deployed; and what policy guidance he is giving on the policing of such events with a view to maintaining the peace in the interests of local residents in the areas in which such parties take place.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the chief constable of Hertfordshire that a total of 36 people were arrested in connection with the event, one of whom was subsequently charged. The number of police officers deployed was 120. We welcome the vigorous action which the police have taken to deal with events of this kind. My right hon. Friend will shortly be discussing with chief officers of police the policing of these parties and the problems to which they have given rise.

  Roskill Inquiry
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are to implement the recommendation of the Roskill inquiry that fraud cases should no longer be tried before a jury.

  Mr. John Patten
  We want to give the reforms introduced by the Criminal Justice Acts 1987 and 1988, which were designed to make the jury's task easier, a chance to prove their worth before we consider the recommendation further.

  Immigration
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were detained under Immigration Act powers for a period of more than two months on completion of a custodial sentence during 1988.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 28 July 1989]: Eleven.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for(a) single entry and (b) multiple entry visit visas were (1) received, (2) granted and (3) refused at each post in the Indian sub-continent, Ghana, Nigeria and Jamaica in each quarter of 1988 and the first quarter of 1989; and what was the delay between application and interview for those whose applications were felt to need a second or long interview at each of the above posts in (i) June 1988, (ii) January 1989 and (iii) June 1989 or the nearest available date.

  Mr. Renton
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1054]: Information on applications in Jamaica for a visit entry clearance, and separate information on applications in the other countries for single entry and multiple entry visas, are not available centrally. The other information requested is given in the tables.

  23

  TABLE 1

  Persons applying for a visit visa to the United Kingdom

  Number of persons

  Applications

  Post

  Newly received1

  Granted2

  Refuse initially

  Dhaka 1988

  1st quarter

  2,020

  1,410

  380

  2nd quarter

  3,030

  2,380

  450

  3rd quarter

  2,830

  2,100

  540

  4th quarter

  2,450

  1,690

  560

  Year

  10,320

  7,580

  1,940

  1989

  1st quarter

  2,130

  1,590

  420

  New Delhi 1988

  1st quarter

  7,120

  5,740

  800

  2nd quarter

  15,270

  13,360

  1,140

  3rd quarter

  11,360

  9,380

  1,400

  4th quarter

  7,160

  5,720

  1,110

  Year

  40,910

  34,200

  4,450

  1989

  1st quarter

  8,160

  6,600

  1,040

  Bombay 1988

  1st quarter

  6,650

  6,230

  260

  2nd quarter

  17,050

  16,330

  320

  3rd quarter

  10,960

  10,210

  450

  4th quarter

  5,850

  5,360

  400

  Year

  40,500

  38,130

  1,430

  1989

  1st quarter

  7,290

  6,850

  460

  Calcutta 1988

  1st quarter

  880

  850

  20

  2nd quarter

  2,810

  2,790

  40

  3rd quarter

  2,220

  2,190

  40

  4th quarter

  1,00

  970

  20

  Year

  6,910

  6,800

  110

  1989

  1st quarter

  1,110

  1,090

  20

  Madras 1988

  1st quarter

  1,300

  1,280

  10

  2nd quarter

  3,120

  3,080

  20

  3rd quarter

  2,740

  2,720

  30

  4th quarter

  1,230

  1,210

  20

  Year

  8,390

  8,290

  80

  1989

  1st quarter

  1,830

  1,780

  30

  Islamabad 1988

  1st quarter

  5,650

  4,000

  1,480

  2nd quarter

  10,190

  8,320

  1,910

  3rd quarter

  9,030

  7,230

  1,780

  4th quarter

  5,410

  3,800

  1,440

  Year

  30,270

  23,350

  6,620

  24

  Applications

  Post

  Newly received1

  Granted2

  Refuse initially

  1989

  1st quarter

  6,130

  4,700

  1,240

  Karachi 1988

  1st quarter

  4,000

  3,310

  450

  2nd quarter

  10,360

  8,330

  850

  3rd quarter

  6,820

  5,940

  710

  4th quarter

  4,330

  3,640

  690

  Year

  25,510

  21,220

  2,600

  1989

  1st quarter

  4,200

  3,570

  480

  Accra 1988

  1st quarter

  1,430

  1,180

  160

  2nd quarter

  2,320

  2,010

  200

  3rd quarter

  4,100

  3,530

  280

  4th quarter

  2,110

  1,720

  180

  Year

  9,970

  8,440

  820

  1989

  1st quarter

  2,390

  1,930

  270

  Lagos 1988

  1st quarter

  9,430

  8,380

  710

  2nd quarter

  11,750

  10,590

  700

  3rd quarter

  17,490

  13,940

  1,190

  4th quarter

  11,820

  8,940

  1,550

  Year

  50,490

  41,860

  4,160

  1989

  1st quarter

  9,190

  6,240

  1,410

  Kaduna 1988

  1st quarter

  1,470

  1,280

  120

  2nd quarter

  1,730

  1,550

  110

  3rd quarter

  2,250

  2,020

  140

  4th quarter

  1,460

  1,220

  210

  Year

  6,910

  6,060

  580

  1989

  1st quarter

  1,070

  880

  140

  1 Including applications subsequently withdrawn.

  2 Granted initially or on appeal.

  Table 2

  Wailing time for persons applying for a visit visa who required a lengthy interview

  Number of days

  Waiting time for person interviewed at end of period

  Post

  June 1988

  January 1989

  June 1989

  Dhaka

  —

  —

  —

  New Delhi

  —

  —

  —

  Bombay

  14

  —

  —

  Calcutta

  —

  —

  —

  Madras

  — or 1

  — or 1

  — or 1

  Islamabad

  1

  1

  7

  Karachi

  7

  —

  —

  Accra

  10

  16

  . .

  25

  Waiting time for person interviewed at end of period

  Post

  June 1988

  January 1989

  June 1989

  Lagos

  1

  1

  1

  Kaduna

  —

  —

  —

  — = same day.

  . . = not available centrally.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the

  Home Department how many applications for entry clearance in order to seek asylum in the United Kingdom were (a) received and (b) granted by country during 1988 and the first quarter of 1989.

  Mr. Renton
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1054]: Information on applications for refugee status in the United Kingdom made abroad is given in the following table:

  Applications for refugee status in the United Kingdom received by British posts abroad and referred to the Home Office for decision1, and grants of refugee status, by nationality(provisional estimates2)

  Number of persons

  Applications received

  Grants of refugee status3

  Nationality

  1988

  First quarter 1989

  1988

  First quarter 1989

  Angola

  —

  *

  —

  —

  Colombia

  *

  —

  *

  —

  Czechoslovakia

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Ethiopia

  5

  *

  *

  *

  Ghana

  *

  —

  5

  —

  India

  *

  *

  —

  —

  Iran

  25

  —

  15

  *

  Iraq

  5

  5

  *

  5

  Libya

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Pakistan

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Poland

  5

  —

  *

  —

  Romania

  5

  *

  —

  —

  Seychelles

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Somalia

  —

  *

  —

  *

  Sri Lanka

  *

  —

  —

  —

  Syria

  *

  —

  *

  —

  Turkey

  15

  *

  —

  5

  Uganda

  10

  5

  —

  —

  Zaire

  —

  *

  —

  —/

  Nationality uncertain

  *

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  80

  15

  25

  5

  1 In addition some applications for refugee status in the United Kingdom, made in India by nationals of Afghanistan, were processed locally by the British High Commission in New Delhi. 1,725 such applications were received in 1988 and 5 in the first quarter of 1989. No grants of refugee status were made during this time; 1,200 applications were awaiting a decision at the end of March 1989.

  2 Figures rounded to the nearest 5, with '*' = 1 or 2.

  3 Grants in the time periods shown do not necessarily relate to applications made in those periods.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many outstanding immigration 26
  applications there are at Lunar house; what time savings in dealing with applications from (a) students, (b) family members in the United Kingdom applying for variation of stay, (c) settlement entry clearance applications referred from overseas posts and (d) asylum-seekers have been achieved by recent changes in procedures and practice; and what are the average times applicants in each category might expect to wait before a decision.

  Mr. Renton
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1055]: At the end of June 1989, there were 34,800 cases outstanding in the immigration caseworking groups and 9,600 active cases in the refugee and special cases unit.

  A number of changes in procedure and practice have been introduced recently with the aim of reducing the level of outstanding applications and reducing the time taken to process them. Information on the effects of these changes is not available in the form requested.

  The estimated average length of time between the receipt of an application and the decision, for cases decided in caseworking groups and the public inquiry offices, in the second quarter of 1989 was 4·5 months for students and 13·5 months for applicants for refugee status. Information on average waiting times for family members in the United Kingdom for variation of leave and for settlement entry clearance applications referred from overseas posts is not available.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance from(a) wives, (b) husbands, (c) fiances, and (d) fiancees made at British posts in (I) New Delhi, (2) Bombay, (3) Calcutta, (4) Madras, (5) Dhaka, (6) Islamabad, (7) Karachi, and (8) Colombo for each quarter since January 1988 to the nearest available date were (a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused; how many refusals at each post were (i) wholly and (ii) partly because the visa officer was not satisfied that the primary purpose of the marriage was not immigration; how many refusals at each post were (i) wholly and (ii) partly because the visa officer was not satisfied that the couple could support and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds; what was the refusal rate at each post and what percentage of those refusals were (x) wholly and (y) partly on primary purpose grounds.

  Mr. Renton
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989 c. 1059]: Information for the Indian sub-continent for the whole of 1988 and, where available, for the fourth quarter of 1988 and first quarter of 1989 is given in the tables. For information for the first three quarters of 1988, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 20 December 1988 at columns 179–82. Where the numbers are small, the figures for individual posts have been combined. Information on refusals which takes account of successful appeals is not compiled for periods shorter than 12 months. Corresponding information for Colombo is not available centrally.
  27

  TABLE 1:

  Spouses and fiance(e)s in the Indian sub-continent applying for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom

  Number of persons or percentage

  Husbands

  Fiances

  Wives

  Fiancees

  1988

  1989

  1988

  1989

  1988

  1989

  1988

  1989

  4th qtr

  Year

  1st qtr

  4th qtr

  Year

  1st qtr

  4th qtr

  Year

  1st qtr

  4th qtr

  Year

  1st qtr

  New Delhi (including Calcutta)

  Applications received1

  50

  230

  60

  70

  260

  50

  120

  560

  170

  60

  250

  70

  Applications granted2

  30

  140

  40

  40

  120

  40

  160

  560

  120

  40

  200

  60

  Applications refused initially

  40

  120

  20

  50

  200

  40

  10

  20

  10

  20

  90

  20

  Refusal rate (percentage)3

  n/a

  42

  n/a

  n/a

  60

  n/a

  n/a

  3

  n/a

  n/a

  30

  n/a

  Bombay (including Madras)

  Applications received1

  50

  240

  70

  50

  240

  100

  190

  940

  370

  30

  190

  80

  Applications granted2

  40

  220

  50

  50

  170

  40

  230

  1,080

  190

  50

  180

  40

  Applications refused initially

  40

  140

  50

  70

  220

  50

  4

  20

  10

  10

  40

  10

  Refusal rate (percentage)3

  n/a

  34

  n/a

  n/a

  49

  n/a

  n/a

  2

  n/a

  n/a

  19

  n/a

  Dhaka

  Applications received1

  60

  280

  90

  4

  20

  4

  270

  1,300

  250

  4

  20

  20

  Applications granted2

  40

  110

  60

  4

  10

  4

  380

  1,290

  560

  10

  20

  10

  Applications refused initially

  30

  100

  60

  4

  10

  4

  70

  270

  70

  4

  4

  4

  Refusal rate (percentage)3

  n/a

  44

  n/a

  n/a

  63

  n/a

  n/a

  11

  n/a

  n/a

  12

  n/a

  Islamabad (including Karachi)

  Applications received1

  300

  1,390

  460

  100

  670

  110

  580

  2,770

  920

  40

  230

  40

  Applications granted2

  110

  340

  140

  50

  210

  50

  650

  2,610

  750

  70

  250

  80

  Applications refused initially

  230

  560

  320

  200

  510

  260

  30

  110

  40

  4

  20

  10

  Refusal rate (percentage)3

  n/a

  60

  n/a

  n/a

  68

  n/a

  n/a

  3

  n/a

  n/a

  5

  n/a

  1 Including applications subsequently withdrawn or lapsed

  2 Granted initially or on appeal

  3 Applications refused, after taking account of successful appeals, as a percentage of applications decided

  4 = 5 or fewer

  n/a = not available

  TABLE 2

  Spouses and fiance(e)s in the Indian sub-continent refused' entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom in 1988

  Number of persons or percentage

  Number refused because couple could not accommodate and/or maintain themselves without recourse to public funds:

  Number refused because primary purpose of the marriage was to obtain admission to the United Kingdom:

  Primary purpose refusals as a percentage of all refusals:

  Solely for these reasons

  Partly for these reasons

  Solely for this reason

  Partly for this reason

  Solely on primary purpose grounds

  Partly on primary purpose grounds

  New Delhi (including Calcutta)

  Husbands

  10

  10

  90

  10

  85

  9

  Fiances

  5

  10

  150

  30

  79

  15

  Wives

  5

  5

  10

  5

  53

  5

  Fiancees

  5

  10

  30

  20

  30

  25

  Bombay (including Madras)

  Husbands

  4

  5

  100

  5

  90

  3

  Fiances

  5

  10

  150

  10

  90

  54

  Wives

  5

  4

  10

  4

  48

  4

  Fiancees

  5

  5

  20

  5

  49

  5

  Dhaka

  Husbands

  5

  20

  60

  20

  67

  22

  Fiances

  4

  5

  10

  5

  2100

  210

  Wives

  10

  10

  10

  10

  6

  4

  Fiancees

  4

  4

  5

  4

  3

  3

  Islamabad (including Karachi)

  Husbands

  4

  190

  300

  190

  58

  37

  Fiances

  5

  130

  300

  130

  67

  29

  Wives

  5

  5

  5

  5

  6

  1

  Fiancees

  5

  5

  5

  5

  229

  27

  Total Indian sub-continent

  Husbands

  10

  220

  540

  220

  67

  27

  Fiances

  10

  150

  610

  170

  75

  21

  28

  29

  Number refused because couple could not accommodate and/or maintain themselves without recourse to public funds:

  Number refused because primary purpose of the marriage was to obtain admission to the United Kingdom:

  Primary purpose refusals as a percentage of all refusals:

  Solely for these reasons

  Partly for these reasons

  Solely for this reason

  Partly for this reason

  Solely on primary purpose grounds

  partly on primary purpose grounds

  Wives

  20

  10

  40

  10

  12

  3

  Fiancees

  5

  20

  50

  20

  36

  17

  1 After taking account of successful appeals.

  2 Percentage based on fewer than 15 applications refused.

  3 Percentage not calculated for 5 or fewer applications refused.

  4 Nil.

  55 or fewer.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for settlement by wives and children in (i) Dhaka and (ii) Islamabad were(a) received, (b) granted, (c) refused, (d) deferred at first interview, (e) lapsed and (f) outstanding and awaiting first interview for each quarter since the beginning of 1988.

  Wives and children applying for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom1

  Post

  Applications

  Newly received

  Granted2

  Refused initially

  Referred or de-ferred3

  Withdrawn or lapsed

  Awaiting first interview at end of period

  Dhaka

  1988 4th quarter

  1,490

  1,780

  420

  490

  400

  3,500

  1989 1st quarter

  1,410

  2,220

  470

  780

  470

  2,600

  Islamabad

  1988 4th quarter

  860

  890

  90

  840

  90

  2,100

  1989 1st quarter

  1,200

  1,110

  90

  840

  170

  2,100

  1 Including persons considered for a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in the United Kingdom

  2 Granted initially or on appeal

  3 Referred to Home Office for decision or deferred for further inquiries.

  Immigration
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were waiting for special quota vouchers in (i) India and (ii) East Africa in(a) May 1988 and (b) December 1988; when those issued with vouchers on those dates had applied; how many vouchers were issued in (i) India and (ii) East Africa in (a)

  Table 1. Persons applying for a special voucher for entry to the United Kingdom

  Number of persons

  Country

  Applications1 newly received

  Vouchers issued

  Applications awaiting decision at end of month

  1988

  1989 1st Qtr

  1988

  1989 1st Qtr

  May 1988

  December 1988

  India

  400

  80

  600

  140

  1,800

  1,700

  Kenya

  330

  120

  300

  50

  550

  520

  Tanzania

  50

  10

  40

  10

  170

  60

  Malawi

  40

  10

  80

  10

  40

  20

  Zambia

  110

  20

  140

  10

  40

  20

  Elsewhere

  50

  10

  10

  +

  +

  10

  Total

  980

  240

  1,170

  220

  2,600

  2,300

  + = 5 or fewer

  1 Including applications subsequently withdrawn or lapsed.

  30
  Mr. Renton
  [pursuant to his reply, of 28 July 1989. c. 1060]: Information for the fourth quarter of 1988 onwards is given in the table; for information for the first three quarters of 1988, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 20 December 1988 at columns 179–80.

  1988 and (b) the first quarter of 1989; when those applying can now expect to receive vouchers; and how many applicants there were for vouchers in (i) India and (ii) East Africa in (a) 1988 and (b) the first half of 1989.

  Mr. Renton
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1063]: The information which is currently available is given in the tables:

  31

  Table 2. Waiting times for persons applying for a special voucher

  Months

  Country

  Waiting time to main interview for

  Persons interviewed at end of month

  Persons ap-plying at end of month1

  May 1988

  December 1988

  June 1989

  India2

  84

  72

  24

  Kenya

  2½

  2

  2

  Tanzania

  1

  1

  1½

  Malawi

  —

  ¾

  ½

  Zambia

  1

  1

  31

  1 Data relate to expected waiting times.

  2 Data relate to non-priority applicants. Priority applicants (ie. widows with a child in the United Kingdom, heads of household aged 65 or over, and special compassionate cases) are interviewed within three months.

  3 Estimated.

HEALTH

  Family Practitioner Committees
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was made available for the running of family practitioner committees in 1988–89; and what sum has been agreed for 1989–90.

  Mr. Freeman
  The funding made available for the running of family practitioner committees for these two financial years is as follows:

  Revenue £

  Capital £

  1988–89

  55,735,000

  3,278,000

  1989–90

  64,417,000

  5,505,000

  Prescribing Budgets
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library PACT data aggregated at family practitioner level.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have no plans to do so. We are, however, considering what statistical information to make available to the House routinely in connection with the indicative prescribing budget scheme.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations he has held, and what action he proposes, relating to his implementation of section 8 of working paper No. 4 concerning budgets for prescribing by general practitioners.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I continue to invite discussions with all interested parties on the operation of indicative drug budgets for general practitioners and I issued working paper No. 4 in order to stimulate such discussions. I held a useful discussion with representatives of the British Medical Association on 27 September at which I repeated and they accepted by assurance that the arrangements for managing the indicative prescribing budget scheme will not infringe in any way the right of a general practitioner to prescribe all those medicines which individual patients might need.

  As I announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs) on 24 July at
  32
  column 540, a new prescribing budgets information system to implement prescribing budgets is being developed at the Prescription Pricing Authority. The system will be piloted in November 1990.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what current instructions he has given to family practitioner committees in respect of abnormal volumes or cost of prescribing by any of its contractor general practitioners; and in how many cases in 1988 any such matter was drawn to the attention of the relevant local medical committee.

  Mr. Mellor
  No guidance has yet been issued to family practitioner committees on this issue, as they do not assume the responsibility of monitoring prescribing by individual general medical practitioners until April 1990. It is not current practice to refer cases of over-prescribing to local medical committees. A new procedure for handling such cases at FPC level will be introduced as part of the implementation of the NHS review.

  Registered Nurses (Mental Health)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what arrangements have been made to protect the pay, conditions, training opportunities, career prospects, continuity of service and pension rights in the short, medium and long term of those staff possessing the registered nurse mental health qualification who transfer from health authority to local authority employment as a result of implementation of Government proposals concerning care in the community; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what proposals he is considering concerning the standardisation of the registered nurse mental health qualifications held by employees of health authorities and the certificate of social services held by employees of local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Our detailed proposals for the future organisation and funding of community care will be published in the forthcoming White Paper. The issues we are considering include the implications for staff who transfer from health authority to local authority employment. A number of certificate in social services schemes now contain an element of joint training leading to the award of both the certificate in social services and entry to part V of the UKCC Register of nurses trained in the nursing of persons suffering from mental handicap. The proposed introduction of the diploma in social work, which will replace both the certificate in social services and the certificate of qualification in social work is expected to increase further the opportunities for joint training.

  Self-Governing Unit
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be his Department's expenditure on its self-governing unit in the present financial year.

  Mr. Freeman
  The self-governing hospitals unit is part of the Department of Health's regional liaison division. The budget for the unit for the financial year 1989–90 is about £210,000 for staff and travel and subsistence.

  Convalescent Care
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to introduce national guidelines on the provision of convalescent care.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

  Dental Auxiliaries
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the current claim before committee H of the Whitley council on the pay of dental auxiliary staff.

  Mr. Mellor
  The staff side of committee H of the Professional and Technical Staffs B Whitley Council has accepted an increase of 6·5 per cent. for dental auxiliaries effective from 1 July 1989.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the change in pay in real terms of a senior dental surgery assistant aged 21 in every year since 1980, expressing the pay level for 1980 as 100.

  Mr. Mellor
  Information is not available in precisely the form requested. The available information is given in the table which shows both the minimum and the maximum paypoints of the relevant basic pay scale for each year, deflated by the RPI, and expressed as an index with 1980 as 100. Information on total earnings is not available centrally.

  Senior Dental Surgery Assistant

  Year

  Minimum of basic pay scale (real terms)

  Maximum of basic pay scale (real terms)

  1980

  100

  100

  1981

  96

  96

  1982

  93

  93

  1983

  93

  93

  1984

  94

  94

  1985

  92

  92

  1986

  95

  95

  1987

  96

  95

  1988

  96

  96

  1989

  95

  94

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate of annual turnover of dental auxiliaries in the hospital service and the community dental service.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally.

  Calibre Cassette Library
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will restore the Government grant to the Calibre cassette library for the blind and handicapped.

  Mr. Freeman
  Calibre received funding under our section 64 scheme of grants from 1976 until 1984 when a three-year tapering grant ended. We have since received no further application for funding.

  Any new application for funding from Calibre will receive careful consideration. However, as their activity relates to the provision of a library, rather than a health or social service, it is very unlikely that their application would meet our criteria for grants under the section 64 scheme.

  Autistic Children (Avon)
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the numbers of autistic children in Avon aged between two and 16 years.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information on which such an estimate could be based is not held centrally or routinely collected locally.

  Regional and District Health Authorities
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will state the numbers of members of regional and district health authorities in England and Wales who are currently(a) directly appointed by him, (b) appointed by his appointees and (c) appointed by elected statutory bodies; and what will be the comparable numbers for regional and district health authorities and new bodies after implementation of his current proposals.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. and learned Friend is presently responsible for the appointment of 234 members of regional health authorities in England. The majority of members of English district health authorities, 2,348, are appointed by regional health authorities with a smaller number, 862, appointed by local authorities.

  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary legislation, my right hon. and learned Friend will appoint the five non-executive members of each RHA and up to three non-executive directors of each NHS hospital trust. The relevant RHA will appoint the five non-executive members of each DHA and at least two non-executive directors of each NHS hospital trust.

  Each RHA and DHA will have up to five executive members. Of these, the general manager will be appointed by the chairman and the non-executive members; and the remainder by the chairman and the non-executive members acting with the general manager. NHS hospital trusts will have up to five executive directors. Of these, the general manager will be appointed by the chairman and non-executive directors, and the remainder by the chairman and non-executive directors acting with the general manager.

  The appointment of members of DHAs in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Rats
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action does he expect to take to combat rat infestations within the system of public sewers; and what action he requires of district health authorities to monitor rodent control within their respective areas.

  Mr. Freeman
  Local authorities are responsible under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 for ensuring that their areas, including sewers, are kept as free as practicable from rats and mice. District health authorities are not required to monitor rodent control within their areas.

  Accounting Staff
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate of the total numbers of additional accounting staff which will be needed, and of
  35
  what numbers will need specific qualifications, to operate his proposals for cost comparison within the National Health Service.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is a matter for health authorities themselves to determine their staffing needs and additional needs in relation to finance activities, including costing and contracting, following the National Health Service White Paper "Working for Patients".

  The National Health Service management executive has made available £9·87 million in this financial year to strengthen the finance function in health authorities, units and hospitals in support of the White Paper proposals which require strong financial management—for example, developing contracts, capital charges and self-governing hospitals. In addition, £1·66 million is being spent this year on a training programme for finance staff targeted at the new skills needed. The National Health Service management executive will be discussing future finance staff resource needs with regions at the end of the year.

  Lowermoor
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his proposals to set up an independent panel of scientists to consider water pollution-related incidents in the light of Dame Barbara Clayton's report on the Lowermoor incident.

  Mr. Freeman
  As I wrote to the hon. Member on 21 August, I will make an announcement at the earliest possible moment.

  Blood Supplies
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the National Blood Transfusion Service has taken to ensure that all blood supplied through the service is free of the HIV-2 virus, as well as the HIV-1 virus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since August 1983 potential donors have been given a leaflet which asks those at risk of HIV infection not to give blood.

  In addition, since June 1988 samples from donors who have visited those countries where HIV-2 is more common have been tested for antibodies to HIV-2. The need for testing on a wider basis is kept under constant review in the light of the test results and any new developments.

  All blood donations have been tested for antibodies to HIV 1 since October 1985.

  Autistic Children
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines he provides for the diagnosis and statementing of autistic children for pre-nursery entry.

  Mr. Freeman
  Recent guidance on the procedures involved in the assessment and statementing of children with special educational needs has just been issued jointly by my Department and the Department of Education and Science. This guidance covers children under five, including autistic children. Copies of the guidance have been placed in the Library. [DH circular HN (89) 20 and DES circular 22/89].

  Bed Closures
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will tabulate the number of beds in hospitals of each regional health authority that have been closed in 1989 to a recent convenient date, and not yet reopened by virtue of shortage of funds; and what action he expects to take to ensure that they reopen in the remainder of 1989 or during 1990.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold information on temporary closures and the reasons for them. It is for health authorities to decide when such measures are necessary. Temporary closures may be made for a number of reasons other than financial ones, for example, for building repairs or redecoration.

  District Health Authorities (Expenditure)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what calculations he has made concerning the approxim-ate overall percentage of increased costs between the financial years 1988–89 and 1989–90 borne by district health authorities in respect of the commodities, services, and other costs, adjusted by weight of expenditure; if he will publish such calculations; and what changes in grant calculations he expects to make in respect of their costs for the financial year 1990–91.

  Mr. Freeman
  Price increases experienced by health authorities are measured using the Health Service prices index. Our estimate is that the rise in the index this year over 1988–89 will be about 5·7 per cent.

  Health authority allocations for 1990–91 will be announced later this year after decisions on public expenditure for next year have been made.

  Patients' Records
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to guarantee the confidentiality of patients' records stored in computers, in the light of the British Medical Association's report stating that doctors cannot guarantee their confidentiality.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 20 July 1989]: The British Medical Association has frequently pressed the view that the Data Protection Act 1984 whose provisions were implemented in November 1987 puts in jeopardy the confidentiality of patients' health information held on computers.

  The Data Protection Act in fact underlines the need for confidentiality of personal information and reinforces the policy long followed in the NHS that patients' records are confidential and staff face disciplinary action in the event of such confidence being breached.

  AIDS
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) under what powers he can limit foreign AIDS patients from coming to the United Kingdom for free treatment; and under what circumstances he uses those powers;

  (2) whether he will investigate the prevalence amongst foreign AIDS patients of coming to the United Kingdom for treatment for (a) medical and (b) personal reasons, setting out those personal reasons.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 27 July 1989]: The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors)

  37
  Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1987 provide that an overseas visitor is exempt from charges for NHS hospital treatment for HIV infection only in relation to initial diagnostic testing and associated counselling. Such a visitor would have to pay charges in the usual way for any subsequent hospital treatment whether as an inpatient or an outpatient. Health authorities are required to make such charges in every case. The question of limiting entry to the United Kingdom is one for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Home Affairs.

  We have no plans to investigate the reasons why AIDS patients come to this country for treatment and know of no reason to do so. We are satisfied that the present charging arrangements are a reasonable response to the situation.

  Free Prescriptions
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of people entitled to free prescriptions at 31 March 1988, and what is the corresponding figure for the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 28 July 1989]: It is estimated that the number of people entitled to free prescriptions at 31 March 1988 was 23·7 million. The corresponding figure for 31 March 1989, the latest date for which information is available, is estimated to have been 23·6 million.

  These figures show that despite some far-reaching changes in the social security system and certain changes in the arrangements for exemption from prescription charges that took effect in April 1988, they had little significant impact upon the total number of people entitled to free prescriptions.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners were under contract to the National Health Service in 1979; how much this cost; and what were the comparable figures in 1988.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of general practitioners now; and what it was in 1979.

  Mr. Mellor
  [pursuant to his reply, 25 July 1989, c. 669]: In my reply to you on 25 July I quoted figures for 1987 for the cost of general medical services as being £125 million.

  This figure that was quoted was incorrect and should have been £1,250 million.

  Blood
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the profit made by the Blood Transfusion Service on each 1,000 pints of donated blood bought by private sector health institutions; what method is used to determine the price at which blood will be sold to the private sector; how much blood was sold in total for each of the last 10 years to the private sector for all blood groups and the rarest blood groups; what was this as a percentage of total blood donations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  [pursuant to his reply, 10 July 1989, column 373]: Figures for units of blood issued to non-NHS hospitals which read 84,361 should have read 80,002.
  38
  The percentage for 1987 which read 4·2 should have read 4·0.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Swindon 2 Tax Office
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis an Inland Revenue official at Swindon 2 tax office communicated information on Suzanne Allen and Yvonne Knight to Swindon police.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 28 July at column 1146.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received against his present policy on interest rate levels from organisations representing the self-employed; and what replies he has sent.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend and I have received a number of letters from organisations representing the self-employed. The replies explain that everyone has far more to fear from inflation than from a period of higher interest rates.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made any estimate of the additional savings available for investment by leading institutions made available by each 1 per cent. increase in base interest rate.

  Mr. Ryder
  No. Certainly, higher interest rates encourage saving and reduce lending. But it is by no means true that all United Kingdom savings go to lending institutions, nor that lending institutions obtain their funds solely from United Kingdom savers. More generally, mortgage and other credit rationing is not a feature of the present day financial system. Lenders are constrained by the demand for credit at prevailing interest rates. Interest rates represent the price of money and credit, and naturally their demand falls when the price is raised. The relationship is complex, but the direction and the significance of the effect are clear.

  British-Irish Parliamentary Group
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what public funding has been agreed for the proposed British-Irish parliamentary group under the auspices of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

  Mr. Lawson
  The British group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will receive in 1989–90 a grant in aid of £1,575,000. This is substantially higher than the normal annual grant, as the Estimate included provision for the costs of the recent centenary conference which was hosted by the British group in London.

  It is hoped that the cost in 1989–90 of creating the proposed British-Irish inter-parliamentary body can be met from sums available within this grant. Funding in future years is presently being discussed in the context of the public expenditure survey.

  Incomes
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his latest estimates of net disposable income for each region of the United Kingdom after taking account of mortgage repayments.

  Mr. Lilley
  The only available regional information on average per capita disposable income after taking account of mortgage repayments is from family expenditure surveys. Data for 1986 and 1987 combined are:

  £per person per week

  North

  64·28

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  66·72

  East Midlands

  67·84

  East Anglia

  69·42

  Greater London

  96·78

  Rest of the South East

  85·68

  South West

  77·48

  West Midlands

  66·27

  North West

  71·27

  Wales

  60·60

  Scotland

  66·30

  Northern Ireland

  56·98

  United Kingdom

  74·16

  Data from the Family Expenditure Survey are subject to sampling variations and, therefore, the results for two years have been combined in order to increase the accuracy. It should be noted that in accordance with FES definitions of disposable income the figures include imputed income from owner occupancy. Furthermore, mortgage repayments, but not payments of rent, have been deducted from the disposable income figures.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants there are at present; and what was the equivalent figure 10 years ago.

  Mr. Lawson
  At 1 July 1989, there were 567,073 staff in post in central Government Departments. This informa-tion was published by Her Majesty's Treasury in a press release on 18 September 1989 (No. 72/89). The comparable figure for 1 July 1979 is 723,747.

  Overseas Assets
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the information provided in the reply dated 16 March 1983,Official Report, column 164, concerning the amount of tax collected on income earning and other assets held overseas; and if he will include in the table an estimate for each year of the total value of such assets, whether or not they have been assessed to tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1134]: Income tax charged on investment income received from overseas in the year ending 5 April 1987 and taxed under cases IV and V of schedule D is estimated to be in the region of £80 million before allowing for double taxation relief. The amount of such relief could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Income tax deducted from foreign company and public revenue dividends paid by or through United Kingdom paying and collecting agents in the year ended 5 April 1989 amounted to £192 million.
  40
  These figures are, in each case, for the latest available year. Figures for earlier years are not covered by the reply of 16 March 1983 and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. The value of the assets giving rise to these tax charges is not known.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the estimated number and direct revenue cost of wife's earnings elections in a full year by range of incomes at 1989–90 income and tax levels, together with tables for (i) husband and (ii) wives showing (a) the numbers separately assessed by range of total income of the relevant spouse and (b) the aggregate total income of each spouse and the aggregate investment income of each spouse; and if he will add a table showing the additional direct revenue cost on the basis of the 1990–91 proposals for the separate taxation of husbands and wives;

  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for wives with earned income on Inland Revenue records the estimated distribution of the number of such wives in 1989–90 by wife's total income and the couples' joint total income together with the estimated revenue loss from wife's earnings elections and the estimated further loss on the 1990–91 basis of separate taxation of husbands and wives.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his replies, 28 July 1989, c. 1119–21]: Available estimates at 1989–90 income levels are in the tables. They are based on a projection of the 1986–87 survey of personal incomes and are, therefore, provisional. The distribution of wives earned income for 1988–89 is also given, because previous estimates have been revised. Further estimates by range of investment income and under independent taxation in 1990–91 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Distribution of wives1 Earned Income 1988–89

  Income (lower limit)

  Number of wives with earned income in range

  Number of married couples (with wives earnings) with joint total income2 in range

  £ per annum

  ('000)

  ('000)

  1

  1,760

  110

  2,000

  1,770

  230

  4,000

  1,140

  360

  6,000

  890

  270

  8,000

  370

  330

  10,000

  250

  540

  12,000

  270

  970

  15,000

  130

  1,610

  20,000

  50

  1,520

  30.000

  30

  720

  All ranges

  6,660

  6,660

  1 Excluding some wives with earnings below the PAYE reporting limit and Self-employed wives making a net loss.

  2 Combined income of husband and wife.

  Distribution of wives1 Earned Income 1989–90

  Income (lower limit)

  Number of wives with earned income in range

  Number of married couples (with wives earnings) with joint total income2 in range

  £ per annum

  ('000)

  ('000)

  1

  1,660

  110

  2,000

  1,710

  210

  4,000

  1,060

  340

  6,000

  910

  250

  41

  Income (lower limit)

  Number of wives with earned income in range

  Number of married couples (with wives earnings) with joint total income2 in range

  £ per annum

  ('000)

  ('000)

  8,000

  470

  280

  10,000

  270

  400

  12,000

  310

  810

  15,000

  180

  1,540

  20,000

  80

  1,810

  Wife's Earnings Election 1989–90

  Income (lower limit)

  By range of joint total income of married couple

  By range of wife's earned income

  By range of husband's total income1

  £ per annum

  Number '000

  Cost £ million

  Number '000

  Cost £ million

  Number '000

  Cost £ million

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.000

  —

  —

  65

  10

  —2

  —2

  10,000

  —

  —

  130

  75

  10

  —3

  15,000

  —

  —

  105

  90

  55

  30

  20,000

  —

  —

  65

  110

  175

  135

  30,000

  395

  355

  30

  70

  155

  190

  All ranges

  395

  355

  395

  355

  395

  355

  1 Husband's earned income plus husband and wife's investment income.

  2Less than £1 million or 1,000.

  3Less than £5 million.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (I) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for those above and those below age 65 years the estimated number of tax units and their tax liability in the current financial year in each range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000 divided into single persons and one-earner and two-earner married couples together; and if he will include the number of females within each category and their tax liability;

  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing for those above and for those below pensionable age, the estimated number of tax units paying income tax and their income tax liability as a proportion of their total income in a full year at 1989–90 rates, by range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000 distinguishing between single persons, one-earner and two-earner married couples, and if he will add figures showing what

  Number of Tax Units Paying Income Tax and Tax Liability by Range of Total Income, 1989–90 Married Couples with Wife's Earned Income

  Taxpayers Under 65

  Taxpayers Aged 65 and Over

  Total Income(Lower Limit)

  Number of Units Liable to Pay Tax

  Tax Liability

  Tax Liability As a Proportion of Total Income

  Number of Units Liable to Pay Tax

  Tax Liability

  Tax Liability as a Proportion of Total Income

  £ per annum

  (000s)

  (£ million)

  (percentage)

  (000s)

  (£ million)

  (Percentage)

  2,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4,000

  (1)

  (2)

  1·6

  —

  —

  —

  5,000

  10

  (2)

  2·7

  10

  (2)

  1·4

  6,000

  20

  10

  3·6

  20

  10

  3·0

  7,000

  40

  10

  3·1

  20

  10

  4·6

  8,000

  90

  40

  5·5

  30

  10

  5·3

  9,000

  80

  50

  5·9

  50

  30

  6·3

  10,000

  290

  240

  7·5

  90

  90

  8·4

  12,000

  730

  970

  9·7

  90

  160

  13·1

  15,000

  1,460

  3,130

  12·3

  100

  260

  15·1

  20,000

  1,690

  6,170

  15·2

  130

  570

  17·8

  30,000

  690

  4,970

  19·6

  60

  520

  23·9

  50,000

  180

  3,850

  28·0

  20

  490

  30·9

  (1)Less than 5,000

  (2)Less then £5 million

  42

  Income (lower limit)

  Number of wives with earned income in range

  Number of married couples (with wives earnings) with joint total income2 in range

  £ per annum

  ('000)

  ('000)

  30,000

  30

  930

  All ranges

  6,680

  6,680

  1Excluding some wives with earnings below the PAYE reporting limit and self-employed wives making and net loss.

  2Combined income of husband and wife.

  effect his proposals for the separate taxation of husbands and wives will have on the numbers of tax units and the proportion paid in tax by (a) one-earner and (b) two-earner married couples.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his replies, 28 July 1989, c. 1119–22]: Available estimates are given in the tables. All estimates are based on a projection of the 1986–87 survey of personal incomes and are provisional. Under the present system a married woman's income is treated as her husband's and taxed as if it belonged to him. Separate estimates for single women are provided in the tables.

  Comparable estimates after the introduction of independent taxation of husbands and wives are not available. However, estimates of gains in 1990–91 were included in the Inland Revenue press release "Independent Taxation of Husbands and Wife", published on 15 March 1988.
  43

  Number of tax units paying income tax and tax liability by range of total income, 1989–90 Married couples with wife's earned income

  Taxpayers under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income(lower limit)

  Number of units liable to pay tax

  Tax liability

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income

  Number of units liable to pay tax

  Tax liability

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income

  £ per annum

  (000s)

  (£ million

  (percentage)

  (000s)

  (£ million)

  (Percentage)

  2,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4,000

  60

  10

  8·7

  —

  —

  —

  5,000

  150

  40

  4·6

  40

  (1)

  1·0

  6,000

  240

  100

  6·1

  90

  20

  3·9

  7,000

  230

  140

  8·0

  120

  60

  6·9

  8,000

  210

  130

  7·2

  100

  70

  8·2

  9,000

  270

  220

  8·5

  80

  80

  10·3

  10,000

  600

  710

  10·7

  90

  120

  12·3

  12,000

  870

  1,530

  13·0

  90

  190

  16·0

  15,000

  860

  2,220

  15·2

  80

  240

  18·1

  20,000

  560

  2,300

  17·5

  50

  250

  20·5

  30,000

  230

  2,020

  23·3

  30

  300

  26·6

  50,000

  100

  2,610

  31·4

  20

  510

  32·9

  (1) Less than £5 million.

  Number of tax units paying income tax and tax liability by range of total income, 1989–90 Single females

  Taxpayers under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income(lower limit)

  Number of units liable to pay tax

  Tax liability

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income

  Number of units liable to pay tax

  Tax liability

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income

  £ per annum

  000s

  £ million

  percentage

  000s

  £ million

  Percentage

  2,000

  70

  —2

  0·9

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  370

  70

  5·3

  90

  10

  2·0

  4,000

  380

  150

  8·7

  170

  40

  5·4

  5,000

  440

  270

  11·1

  160

  80

  8·7

  6,000

  510

  430

  13·0

  120

  90

  11·2

  7,000

  470

  450

  12·9

  70

  60

  13·0

  8,000

  370

  430

  13·7

  60

  70

  14·3

  9,000

  210

  280

  14·1

  30

  50

  15·5

  10,000

  340

  610

  16·2

  50

  90

  16·7

  12,000

  360

  830

  17·2

  50

  130

  19·5

  15,000

  260

  760

  17·4

  50

  170

  20·8

  20,000

  110

  490

  19·0

  30

  150

  23·3

  30,000

  20

  220

  24·6

  10

  140

  27·8

  50,000

  —1

  110

  33·2

  10

  210

  33·7

  1 Less than 5,000.

  2Less than £5 million.

  Number of tax Units Paying Income Tax and Tax Liability by Range of Total Income, 1989–90 Single Males

  Taxpayers under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income(lower limit)

  Number of units liable to pay tax

  Tax liability

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income

  Number of units liable to pay tax

  Tax liability

  Tax liability as a proportion of total income

  £ per annum

  (000s)

  (£ million)

  (percentage)

  (000s)

  (£ million)

  (Percentage)

  2,000

  70

  (1)

  0·8

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  410

  80

  5·2

  30

  (1)

  2·4

  4,000

  360

  140

  8·8

  50

  10

  5·2

  5,000

  360

  240

  11·8

  50

  20

  9·0

  6,000

  380

  320

  12·9

  50

  40

  11·3

  7,000

  440

  430

  13·0

  40

  40

  13·6

  8,000

  430

  520

  13·9

  30

  40

  14·7

  9,000

  370

  520

  14·7

  10

  20

  15·3

  10,000

  750

  1,320

  16·1

  40

  70

  17·1

  12,000

  680

  1,560

  17·1

  20

  70

  19·6

  15,000

  430

  1,270

  17·1

  20

  70

  20·5

  20,000

  230

  1,000

  18·3

  20

  110

  22·0

  30,000

  70

  550

  23·1

  10

  70

  27·8

  50,000

  20

  700

  31·7

  10

  220

  34·6

  (1) Less than £5 million.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report his estimate of the yield from an increase of one pence in the standard rate of tax and in the employees' and
  44
  employers' national insurance contribution, respectively, in 1989–90; and if he will divide the tax figure to show the yield from earned and unearned incomes.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1122]: An increase of 1p in the basic rate of income tax is

  45
  estimated to yield about £1·5 billion in a full year at 1989–90 income levels; 90 per cent. of the yield is estimated to be from tax on earned income.

  An increase of 1percentage point in standard class 1 national insurance contribution rates is estimated to yield employee contributions of £2 billion and employer contributions of £2·25 billion in a full year at 1989–90 income levels.

  Mortgage Interest Relief
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing his estimate of the number of cases in which higher rate relief will be given on mortgage interest payments in the current financial year together with (a) the gross amount of interest qualifying for relief, (b) the amount of higher relief and (c) the number of recipients of working age and their distribution by personal tax category and by range of total income together with the average amount of relief given at the standard and higher rate of tax; and if he will add his forecast of the additional cost to the Revenue on the basis of this year's figures and rates of tax of mortgage relief as a result of the separate taxation of married couples;

  Beneficiaries1 of higher rate relief on mortgage interest by range of total income: 1989–90

  Range of total income (£)

  Number of tax units (thousand)

  Gross amount of interest quali-fying for relief (£ million)

  Cost of excess over basic rate relief (£ million)

  Average basic rate relief (£)

  Average excess over basic rate relief (£)

  Number of non-aged tax units (thousand)

  Singles

  20,001–25,000

  20

  75

  +

  870

  60

  20

  25,001–30,000

  65

  205

  20

  770

  300

  65

  30,001–40,000

  55

  185

  25

  830

  490

  55

  40,001–50,000

  20

  80

  10

  890

  530

  20

  Over 50,000

  20

  80

  10

  900

  540

  20

  Total

  180

  625

  65

  830

  380

  180

  One-earner couples

  20,001–25,000

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  25,001–30,000

  80

  250

  15

  750

  200

  80

  30,001–40,000

  115

  360

  55

  770

  460

  115

  40,001–50,000

  55

  175

  25

  770

  460

  55

  Over 50,000

  75

  235

  35

  780

  470

  75

  Total

  325

  1,020

  130

  770

  400

  325

  Two-earner couples

  20,001–25,000

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  25,001–30,000

  95

  255

  15

  680

  140

  90

  30,001–40,000

  310

  940

  110

  760

  350

  310

  40,001–50,000

  110

  305

  45

  710

  400

  105

  Over 50,000

  135

  430

  65

  810

  480

  130

  Total

  650

  1,930

  235

  750

  350

  635

  All

  20,001–25,000

  20

  75

  +

  870

  60

  20

  25,001–30,000

  240

  710

  50

  730

  200

  235

  30,001–40,000

  480

  1,485

  190

  770

  390

  480

  40,001–50,000

  185

  560

  80

  750

  430

  180

  Over 50,000

  230

  745

  110

  810

  480

  225

  Total

  1,155

  3,575

  430

  770

  370

  1,140

  + - less than £2·5 million

  1 includes about 250,000 tax units who are kept out of higher rate tax by this relief

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report tables showing by range of total income up to a lower limit of £100,000, for those above and those below pensionable age and distinguishing between single persons, one-earner and two-earner married couples, the estimated saving to the Exchequer of abolishing all allowances and reliefs
  46
  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing by range of income and tax status an estimate of the saving to the Exchequer in a full year from abolishing, respectively, the upper earnings limit for national insurance contributions and higher rate relief on mortgage interest.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his replies, 28 July 1989 c. 1122–36]: Provisional estimates of excess over basic rate relief on mortgage interest in 1989–90, based on a projection of the 1986–87 survey of personal incomes, are given in the table. Estimates for independent taxation are not available.

  It is estimated that the full year yield, at 1989–90 levels, of the abolition of the upper earnings limit for employees' national insurance contributions would be £1·8 billion. Of the £1·8 billion, it is estimated that £0·3 billion would be from single persons, £0·8 billion from one-earner married couples and £0·7 billion from two-earner married couples. A more detailed breakdown of the yield is not available.

  Estimates are consistent with those made at the time of the Budget and they exclude any behavioural effects of the proposed changes.

  other than the basic single and married allowances; and if he will provide similar tables on the 1990 basis of separate taxation of husbands and wives.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1121]: The total direct revenue yield from abolishing all income tax allowances (other than the basic single and married allowances) and reliefs cannot be estimated reliably.
  47
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the earned and unearned income of the top 1 per cent. of taxpayers in the current financial year and of the amount they are expected to pay in national insurance contributions.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1127]: I refer the hon. Member to my predecessor's reply to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) of 3 July, Official Report, columns 33–36 for estimates of the earned and investment income of the top 1 per cent. of income tax payers. They are provisionally estimated to pay about £300 million in national insurance contributions in 1989–90.

  Number of tax units liable to tax and amount of earned income by range of total income, 1989–90

  Single persons

  Taxpayers aged under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (lower limit) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Amount of earned income (£ million)

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Amount of earned income £ million)

  2,000

  140

  360

  —

  —

  3,000

  780

  2,550

  120

  410

  4,000

  740

  3,000

  220

  820

  5,000

  800

  4,030

  200

  860

  6,000

  900

  5,330

  170

  780

  7,000

  900

  6,250

  100

  530

  8,000

  800

  6,330

  90

  500

  9,000

  580

  5,150

  50

  270

  10,000

  1,090

  11,290

  90

  630

  12,000

  1,040

  13,200

  70

  590

  15,000

  690

  11,100

  70

  630

  20,000

  340

  7,470

  50

  500

  30,000

  90

  2,810

  20

  280

  50,000

  30

  1,810

  20

  430

  All ranges

  8,920

  80,680

  1,270

  7,230

  Number of tax units liable to tax and amount of earned income by range of total income, 1989–90

  Married couple without wife's earned income

  Taxpayers aged under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (lower limit) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Amount of earned income (£ million)

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Amount of earned income £ million)

  2,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4,000

  60

  280

  —

  —

  5,000

  150

  750

  40

  190

  6,000

  240

  1,430

  90

  480

  7,000

  230

  1,550

  120

  680

  8,000

  210

  1,560

  100

  650

  9,000

  270

  2,330

  80

  580

  10,000

  600

  6,070

  90

  710

  12,000

  870

  10,850

  90

  880

  15,000

  860

  13,520

  80

  960

  20,000

  560

  12,400

  50

  750

  30,000

  230

  8,040

  30

  650

  50,000

  100

  7,100

  20

  850

  All ranges

  4,380

  65,880

  790

  7,380

  Number of tax units liable to tax and amount of earned income by range of total income, 1989–90

  Married Couple without Wife's Earned Income

  Taxpayers aged under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (lower limit) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Amount of earned income (£ million)

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Amount of earned income £ million)

  2,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4,000

  1

  2

  —

  —

  5,000

  10

  30

  10

  50

  6,000

  20

  120

  20

  130

  7,000

  40

  270

  20

  120

  8,000

  90

  670

  30

  190

  9,000

  80

  720

  50

  390

  10,000

  290

  2,980

  90

  860

  48
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of tax units and amount of earned income in each tax band by range of total income and tax status for those (a) above and (b) below pensionable age.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1127]: Available estimates are given in the tables. They are based on a projection of the 1986–87 survey of personal incomes and are provisional. Earned income includes any state or occupational pensions received.
  49

  Married Couple with Wife's Earned Income

  Taxpayers aged under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (lower limit) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Amount of earned income (£ million)

  Number of units liable to pay tax ('000s)

  Amount of earned income (£ million)

  12,000

  730

  9,310

  90

  960

  15,000

  1,460

  23,910

  100

  1,380

  20,000

  1,690

  38,360

  130

  2,300

  30,000

  690

  23,820

  60

  1,390

  50,000

  180

  11,900

  20

  1,040

  All Ranges

  5,280

  112,090

  620

  8,810

  1 Less than 5,000.

  2 Less than £5 million.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of tax units in each tax band by range of total income and tax status for those below pensionable age, his estimate of the cost to the Revenue of the substitution of a single allowance of £3,000 and a married allowance of £6,000 for the present personal income tax allowances, the married women's earnings allowance and the wife's earnings election together with an increase in the rate of income tax from 25 per cent. to 35 per cent. on total incomes between £5,500 and £13,000 for single persons and £11,000 and £18,500 for married persons.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1127.]:Estimates of the direct change in income tax liability are given in the tables. They assume the following allowance and rate structure:

  (i) single person's allowance of £3,000;

  (ii) married man's allowance of £6,000;

  (iii) abolition of wife's earned income allowance and wife's earnings election;

  (iv) a basic rate tax of 25 per cent. on taxable income between

  £1 and £5,500 for single persons

  £1 and £11,000 for married couples

  (v) a higher rate tax of 35 per cent. on taxable income between

  £5,501 and £13,000 for single persons

  £11,001 and £18,500 for married couples

  (vi) a higher rate tax of 40 per cent. on taxable income above

  £13,000 for single persons

  £18,500 for married couples

  No allowance is made for possible behavioural effects or the consequential effects on capital gains tax. All estimates are based on a projection of the 1986–87 survey of personal incomes and are provisional. Further information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Number of tax units aged under 65, by range of total income, and cost/yield of changes to income tax allowances and higher rates of tax, 1989–90 Single Persons

  Total income (lower limit) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax in1989–90('000)

  Cost(—)/Yield( + ) of proposed regime(£ million)

  2,000

  140

  1

  3,000

  780

  -40

  4,000

  740

  -40

  5,000

  800

  -60

  6,000

  900

  -60

  7,000

  900

  -70

  8,000

  800

  -60

  9,000

  580

  -20

  10,000

  1,090

  80

  12,000

  1,040

  280

  15,000

  690

  360

  50

  Total income (lower limit)£ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax in 1989–90('000s)

  Cost (—) / Yield( + ) of proposed regime (£ million)

  20,000

  340

  420

  30,000

  90

  160

  50,000

  30

  50

  All ranges

  8,920

  1,000

  1 Cost of less than £5 million.

  Married couples without wife's earned income

  Total income (lower limit)£ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax in 1989–90('000s)

  Cost (—) / Yield( + ) of proposed regime (£ million)

  2,000

  —

  —

  3,000

  —

  —

  4,000

  60

  -10

  5,000

  150

  -40

  6,000

  240

  -80

  7,000

  230

  -80

  8,000

  210

  -70

  9,000

  270

  -100

  10,000

  600

  -240

  12,000

  870

  -350

  15,000

  860

  -330

  20,000

  560

  -20

  30,000

  230

  100

  50,000

  100

  40

  All ranges

  4,380

  -1,180

  Married couples without wife's earned income

  Total income (lower limit)£ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax in 1989–90('000s)

  Cost (—) / Yield( + ) of proposed regime (£ million)

  2,000

  —

  —

  3,000

  —

  —

  4,000

  1

  2

  5,000

  10

  2

  6,000

  20

  3

  7.000

  40

  10

  8,000

  90

  10

  9,000

  80

  10

  10,000

  290

  30

  12,000

  730

  90

  15,000

  1,460

  300

  20,000

  1,690

  1,180

  30,000

  690

  1,150

  50,000

  180

  430

  All ranges

  5,280

  3,210

  1 Less than 5,000.

  2 Cost of less than £5 million.

  3 Yield of less than £5 million.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for (a) one-earner and (b)

  51
  two-earner married couples the number of tax units in each tax band by range of total income and tax status for those (i) above and (ii) below pensionable age and his estimate of the yield to the revenue in the current financial year from abolishing wife's earnings election and raising the higher rate of tax to 40 per cent. on incomes of married couples with total incomes between £18,500 and £27,000, 45 per cent. between £27,000 and £37,000, 50 per cent. between £37,000 and £50,000, 55 per cent. between £50,000 and £250,000 and 60 per cent. above £250,000;

  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for single persons the number of tax units in each tax band by the range of total income and tax status for those above and below pensionable age, his estimate of the

  Number of tax units, by range of total income, and yield from changes to higher rates of tax, 1989–90 Single persons

  Taxpayers aged under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (lower limit ) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax in1989–90 ('000s)

  Yield (£ million)

  Number of units liable to pay tax in 1989–90 ('000s)

  Yield (£ million)

  2,000

  7,770

  —

  1,110

  —

  15,000

  690

  40

  70

  20

  20,000

  340

  220

  50

  50

  30,000

  90

  170

  20

  50

  50,000

  30

  270

  20

  140

  All Ranges

  8,920

  700

  1,270

  260

  Married couples without wife's earned income

  Taxpayers aged under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (lower limit ) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax in1989–90 ('000s

  Yield (£ million)

  Number of units liable to pay tax in 1989–90 ('000s)

  Yield (£ million)

  2,000

  2,630

  —

  610

  —

  15,000

  860

  —

  80

  —

  20,000

  560

  30

  50

  10

  30,000

  230

  120

  30

  20

  50,000

  100

  240

  20

  70

  All Ranges

  4,380

  390

  790

  100

  Married couples without wife's earned income

  Taxpayers aged under 65

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  Total income (lower limit ) £ per annum

  Number of units liable to pay tax in1989–90 ('000s)

  Yield (£ million)

  Number of units liable to pay tax in 1989–90 ('000s)

  Yield (£ million)

  2,000

  1,260

  —

  310

  —

  15,000

  1,460

  —

  100

  —

  20,000

  1,690

  40

  130

  10

  30,000

  690

  430

  60

  40

  50,000

  180

  700

  20

  100

  All Ranges

  5,280

  1,170

  620

  150

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of tax units in each tax band by range of total income and tax status for those (a) above and (b) below pensionable age and his estimate of the yield from making investment income chargeable to national insurance contributions on the same basis as earned income; and if he will include the number of tax units and total investment income in each case.
  52
  yield to the Revenue in the current financial year from an increase in higher rate tax for single persons to 40 per cent. on total incomes between £13,000 and £19,000, 45 per cent. between £19,000 and £26,000, 50 per cent. between £26,000 and £34,000, 55 per cent. between £34,000 and £125,000 and 60 per cent. above £125,000.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his replies, 28 July 1989, c. 1127–28]: Estimates of the direct increase in income tax liability are given in the tables. No allowance is made for possible behavioural effects or the consequential effects on capital gains tax. All estimates are based on a projection of the 1986–87 survey of personal incomes and are provisional. Further information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1127–28]: The hon. Member's question provides insufficient information on which to base an answer.

  Mortgages
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1979 the increase in mortgage funds for housing together with the increase in the value of the houses sold by reference to stamp duty or otherwise.
  53
  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1134]: Information on loans for house purchase is published in table 9·4 of "Financial Statistics". Information for earlier years appears on the Central Statistical Office databank which is available in the House of Commons Library. The table shows the year-on-year increase in the total value of residential property sold since 1979.

  Per cent.

  1980

  13

  1981

  15

  1982

  14

  1983

  23

  1984

  14

  1985

  11

  1986

  15

  1987

  26

  1988

  40

  Pensions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report (i) his estimate of the employers' notional contribution to notionally funded and unfunded schemes, (ii) figures for the Civil Service showing the percentage contribution made by the Government and their employees and (iii) his best estimate of the proportional split between sources of pension income in the cases quoted in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph 22 of the Inland Revenue paper, using as a basis the information given in his answer of 11 November 1988, Official Report, column 235.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 1136]: Available information is as follows:

  (i) Employers' notional contributions to notionally funded and unfunded pension schemes are published in table 4.10 of the 1989 edition of the "United Kingdom National Accounts".

  (ii) The Civil Service pension scheme is not funded. The costs of benefits are met as they arise from the civil superannuation vote. The Government Actuary's Department has costed employers' contributions at 17 per cent. of salaries. Employees pay contributions at 1½ per cent. of salary, mainly for widowers-widows benefits.

  (iii) Sources of income are published in the table referred to at (i). The full analysis requested would involve disproportionate cost.

  Schemes proposing a contribution holiday

  Schemes reporting in

  Employers' holiday

  Employees' holiday

  Number

  Amount (£m)

  Number

  Amount (£m)

  1987–88

  67

  56

  5

  2

  1988–89

  221

  332

  12

  19

  April-July 1989

  124

  350

  4

  1

  Note: The amounts shown represent the total surplus to be eliminated by contribution holidays for schemes which have reported in each period. Contribution holidays may be spread across several years. Schemes proposing a reduction in contributions rather than a contribution holiday are excluded.

EMPLOYMENT

  Civil Service (Relocation)
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress is being made in his Department's review, in line with Treasury guidelines, of

  Stamp Duty
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will provide an up-to-date estimate of the yield of stamp duty on the sale of domestic premises in the current financial year and in 1988–89, with a breakdown by regions where possible.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 July 1989, c. 851]: The table gives the estimated yield from stamp duty on residential property in 1988–89, broken down by regions. Estimates for Scotland and Northern Ireland are very tentative since the information available does not distinguish receipts from conveyances of residential property in these regions.

  Region

  £ million

  North

  15

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  35

  East Midlands

  50

  East Anglia

  50

  South East

  375

  Greater London

  255

  South West

  130

  West Midlands

  55

  North West

  50

  Wales

  25

  Scotland

  40

  Northern Ireland

  1,080

  The forecast of stamp duty receipts in 1989–90, which was published in the 1989–90 "Financial Statement and Budget Report", included a forecast of £1,000 million for stamp duty on residential property. A regional breakdown of this figure is not available.

  Pension Fund Holidays
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report the value in 1988 and the current year to date of pension fund contribution holidays taken by employers and employees, respectively, together with his estimate of the amount of tax due thereon.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to his reply, 27 July 1989, c. 853]: Information is not readily available in the form requested The table gives information on large self-administered pension funds reporting to the Inland Revenue on proposed action to remove surpluses following the legislation in the Finance Act 1986.

  the potential for the further relocation of Civil Service posts outside London and the south-east; and when he expects the review to be completed.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given on 7 June 1989 at column 57 to the hon. Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Butler).

  YTS
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, how many YTS starts and how many leavers were recorded by each payment type, by male and female, and by one or two year training entitlement by standard training agency region, for Great Britain as a whole, and for each of the last three months.

  Mr. Nicholls
  As the information is contained in several tables I shall send the hon. Member the information requested and place a copy in the Library.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of unemployed and unemployment rate in the United Kingdom and the latest figure in other EEC countries on the basis used by the EEC Commission for comparative purposes; and what information he has for the United Kingdom and other EEC countries on the corresponding figures for June 1985, June 1979 and June 1973.

  Mr. Eggar
  The available information is given in the following table. International unemployment rates on a comparable basis are not available for June 1985, June 1979 and June 1973.

  United Kingdom July 1989 Male

  Age 50 to 54 years

  Age 55 to 59 years

  Age 60 years and over

  Duration

  Number of unemployed

  1per cent.

  Number of unemployed

  per cent.

  Number of unemployed

  per cent.

  Over 1 year

  65,996

  4·8

  94,006

  7·5

  7,365

  0·7

  Over 2 years

  52,188

  3·8

  76,711

  6·2

  3,760

  0·4

  Over 3 years

  40,756

  3·0

  61,868

  5·0

  2,922

  0·3

  Over 4 years

  32,206

  2·3

  47,989

  3·9

  2,288

  0·2

  Over 5 years

  25,631

  1·9

  37,681

  3·0

  1,805

  0·2

  TOTAL

  107,797

  7·8

  136,491

  11·0

  32,134

  3·2

  Female

  Age 50 to 54 years

  Age 55 to 59 years

  Duration

  Number of unemployed

  per cent.

  Number of unemployed

  per cent.

  Over 1 year

  22,710

  2·2

  30,954

  3·7

  Over 2 years

  16,501

  1·6

  24,196

  2·9

  Over 3 years

  12,641

  1·2

  19,580

  2·3

  Over 4 years

  9,345

  0·9

  15,337

  1·8

  Over 5 years

  6,602

  0·6

  11,562

  1·4

  TOTAL

  41,769

  4·1

  46,538

  5·5

  1 Unemployment as a percentage of the total work force in each age group.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he will reply to Mr. Paul Handiside's letter of complaint about his experience on employment training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A reply was sent on 24 July 1989.56

  Unemployment rates for comparison between EEC member states (seasonally adjusted)

  May 1989 Per cent.

  April 1985 Per cent.

  United Kingdom

  6·8

  11·6

  Portugal

  5·5

  8·6

  Netherlands

  10·1

  10·5

  Luxembourg

  1·8

  3·1

  Italy

  10·7

  9·2

  Ireland

  17·0

  18·3

  France

  10·0

  10·3

  Spain

  17·6

  21·9

  Greece

  17·4

  7·8

  Germany

  5·9

  7·4

  Denmark

  7·1

  8·2

  Belgium

  9·9

  11·9

  1 April 1987

  Source: Statistical Office of the European Communities.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the number and percentage of (a) men and (b) women aged (i) 50 to 54 years, (ii) 55 to 59 years and (iii) 60 to 64 years for men only who are unemployed (1) in total, (2) over one year, (3) over two years, (4) over three years, (5) over four years, and (6) over five years for the latest available date.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The following information is available from the Library. The table shows for the United Kingdom the number of unemployed claimants for each age and duration category and these as a percentage of the total work force in each age group for July 1989, the latest available date.

  Inflation and Unemployment
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how much(a) inflation and (b) unemployment have increased at the latest available date since 1979 in (i) each EEC country, (ii) the United States of America, (iii) Japan, (iv) Sweden, (v) the EEC as a whole and (vi) the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development as a whole.

  Mr. Eggar
  The figures requested are shown in the table.
  57

  /

  Consumer prices

  Unemployment rate1

  Latest available date2

  Percentage change since1979

  Latest available date2

  Percentage change since 1979

  United Kingdom

  June

  169

  April

  43

  Belgium

  May

  79

  April

  30

  Denmark

  May

  176

  May

  18

  France

  May

  174

  April

  71

  Germany

  May

  28

  March

  67

  Greece

  May

  888

  April3

  289

  Ireland

  Q2

  283

  May

  139

  Italy

  May

  394

  May

  41

  Luxembourg

  May

  70

  ..

  ..

  Netherlands

  May

  47

  January

  74

  Portugal

  May

  1,258

  November

  -32

  Spain

  May

  277

  February

  108

  United States

  May

  61

  April

  -10

  Japan

  May

  28

  March

  10

  Sweden

  May

  113

  April

  -24

  EC

  May

  166

  March

  66

  OECD

  May

  79

  March

  15

  1 Standardised and seasonally adjusted.

  2 1989 unless otherwise stated.

  31988

  Sources:

  Prices: ED for United Kingdom: SOEC for Portugal and Luxembourg; OECD for others. Unemployment: SOEC for Ireland, Italy, Greece, Denmark, Luxembourg; OECD for others.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, pursuant to the reply to the honourable Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon)Official Report, 21 July, column 390, he will list that research work, known to his Department, which does not support the view that the removal of statutory minimum wage provisions can be expected to have beneficial effects on employment.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are two such studies:C. Craig, F. Wilkinson, G. Rubery and R. Tarling "Labour Market Structure, Industrial Organisation and Low Pay" Department of Applied Economics, Cambridge Research Paper No 54, 1982.
  D. Canning and R. Tarling, "A Report on the Department of Employment's Study, Wages Floors in the Clothing Industry 1950–1981, Department of Applied Economics, Cambridge, 1985.

  My Department does not necessarily agree that the evidence presented in these studies supports the conclusions drawn. In the latter case, a rebuttal of the authors' findings was published at the time.

  Training Schemes
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ensure that all those employed on training schemes whether under youth training or employment training arrangements are fully covered by the health and safety regulations appropriate to the industry or business in which they are involved.

  Mr. Nicholls
  YTS and ET trainees are afforded the same protection as employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 by virtue of the Health and Safety (Training for Employment) Regulations 1988 (as amended).

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ensure that all those placed in employment training and YTS are fully inducted in safe working practices, that they are properly insured and provided with safety equipment, clothing and footwear appropriate to the activities in which they are engaged.
  58
  Mr. Nicholls
  Comprehensive statutory and contractual arrangements exist to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all ET and YTS trainees. These arrangements include provision for proper induction, insurance and appropriate protective equipment and clothing.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has made any assessment of the effects on employment of the current level of interest rates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government will continue to keep interest rates at whatever level is necessary to reduce inflation. This Department does not make forecasts of the future levels of employment or unemployment but if excessive wage increases are conceded jobs will be lost.

  Small Businesses (Loans)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to provide smaller business with lower-cost, fixed-term loans.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are no plans to introduce a system which would provide subsidised loans for small businesses. This would distort competition and discriminate against businesses which have to obtain finance from normal commercial sources.

  Benefit Claimants
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons in the west midlands region were disqualified from receiving unemployment. benefit during the period 1 January to 31 March 1989 because they were considered to have left their employment voluntarily without just cause and subsequently appealed against the disqualification.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 27 July 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 28 July 1989 at column 1050.
  59
  The number of persons who appeal against the decision to disqualify unemployment benefit because they were considered to have left their employment voluntarily without just cause are not separately identified from other claimants who appeal against the decision of an adjudication officer.

DEFENCE

  Kurt Waldheim
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will publish the results of the review of the 1986 investigation into the fate of captive British service men and the possible involvement of the then Lieutenant Waldheim.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 16 February 1988 that a review would be undertaken of the results of the investigation carried out in 1986 by the Ministry of Defence into the fate of British servicemen and the possible involvement of the then Lieutenant Waldheim. This was in the light of both the report of the Commission set up by the Austrian Government, which had access to a wider range of sources than those available for the 1986 investigation, and of the continued questioning of Lieutenant Waldheim's role. Her Majesty's Government have now conducted most thorough inquiries into the allegations concerning his role in areas of specific British interest. The results of this review have been recorded in a report, which I have placed today in the Library of the House, and which is being published by HMSO.

  The review has been solely concerned with areas of British interest and has centred on the cases of British service men, mostly members of the special forces, captured between October 1943 and October 1944 in Greece and the Greek islands under the control of the German Army Group E, in whose headquarters Lieutenant Waldheim was then serving as a junior staff officer. These cases, covering over 80 British service men, include both those brought to the attention of the Ministry of Defence and others identified during the research for this review. The review has not looked at other allegations concerning Lieutenant Waldheim's involvement in areas not related to British interests.

  The review has involved long and painstaking research. The historical evidence and the documents gathered have been examined and analysed by the director of Army legal services who is well versed in the laws of war and who retains a residual responsibility for the prosecution of war crimes. His duty is to examine the evidence that has been put before him and advise whether, on that evidence, there is a case for a potential accused to answer. After very careful consideration his conclusion concerning the then Lieutenant Waldheim is that there is no evidence from which guilt of a war crime might be inferred.

  The report indicates that Lieutenant Waldheim knew of the capture of the British service men and the possible fate of "Commandos", but no evidence has come to light to indicate that as a junior staff officer he had the power either to order or to prevent that fate or indeed to affect the outcome in any way. Knowledge in such circumstances is not itself a crime. Her Majesty's Government have accepted the findings of the report.
  60
  The report also deals with British knowledge of Lieutenant Waldheim's wartime role and the post-war handling of relevant records. Allegations that records were altered, destroyed or withheld to protect President Waldheim are shown to be unfounded. He was not wanted by the United Kingdom either as a "top Nazi" or as a war criminal. In order to clarify these issues virtually all the most relevant papers have been included as annexes to the report. A very few documents have either not been published or not in full, on the ground of security or personal sensitivity. All these documents have been examined by Professor Sir Harry Hinsley, lately the Master of St. John's college, Cambridge, who agreed to scrutinise the results of the review in order to ensure its objectivity and thoroughness. I draw the House's attention to his statement in the report, in which he vouches for the validity of the conclusions drawn from these documents. On the question of President Waldheim's alleged post-war involvement with foreign intelligence services and his election to the United Nations, I do not intend to break the practice of successive Governments by commenting on such matters but I commend detailed consideration of the report.

  Research has concentrated on the main archives in this country, in Germany and America, but other archives were consulted, as well as individuals whose wartime service was of relevance or who had some other expertise to offer. Although it can never be said that any historic report is definitively the last word, I am satisfied that the investigation has produced, from the thousands of documents examined, what we believe to be the main relevant records. These have established a pattern showing the events, and the responsibilities of the German headquarters' officers involved in those events. We therefore feel justified in bringing this long exercise to a conclusion now, and publishing the results.

  A factor in this decision has been the need to consider the feelings of the relatives of the missing service men. very much regret that it has not been possible to resolve all the outstanding questions about what finally happened to the missing service men, although I should like to assure the House that any further information that may come to light will be passed on to the families.

  Cornfield Circles
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any official assistance has been given by service personnel to civilians investigating the origin of cornfield circles in Hampshire and Wiltshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am not aware of any official assistance having been given by service personnel to civilians investigating the origin of crop circles.

  Defence Technology Enterprises Limited
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many licences have been arranged by Defence Technology Enterprises Ltd.; and how many recipients are companies registered in Scotland.

  Mr. Neubert
  Defence Technology Enterprises Ltd. has arranged 38 licences. Two are with companies registered in Scotland.

  Equipment Orders
  Mr. Siliars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many major equipment orders are currently based on the fixed price system; and what assessment he has made of the effect of current rates of inflation on these contracts.

  Mr. Neubert
  The information sought could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much of the research and development of the 1989–90 procurement programme will be spent in(a) Scotland (b) south-east England, respectively; and what is the proportion each represents of the total;

  (2) what is his estimate of expenditure in (a) Scotland and (b) south-east England in 1989–90 for research and development as set out in table 2.3 of Cm. 675–II.

  Mr. Neubert
  Estimates of regional expenditure on research and development are not available and could be produced only with disproportionate cost. Estimates of regional expenditure on equipment in the United Kingdom for 1985–86 and 1986–87 are however given in table 6.9 of "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989 —Volume 2".

  Pay Review Body (Representations)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what avenues are available to other ranks to provide the armed forces pay review body with their views on pay and allowances.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Members of the armed forces pay review body visit a number of service establishments in the United Kingdom and overseas each year as part of its annual review of service pay. During the course of these visits they meet service men and women of every rank, with the express aim of obtaining at first hand their views on pay and allowances.

  NATO Ministerial Meeting
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when is the next meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation planning group ministerial meeting.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The next meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's nuclear planning group will take place on 24–25 October 1989.

  "Way Ahead for NATO"
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the complete report on the "Way Ahead for NATO", referred to in paragraph 229, page 11 of Cm. 675-I, is expected to be published.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The NATO publication "A Comprehensive Concept of Arms Control and Disarmament" was issued with the NATO summit communique on 30 May 1989. A copy was placed in the Library of the House in June 1989.

  Recruitment
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the armed forces pay review body has been asked to take special account of the demographic trough and its potential effect on recuitment.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Armed Forces Pay Review Body has been informed of the implications of the demographic trough for the services, as well as of the wide range of measures being taken to help ensure that the services are adequately manned in the 1990s.

  Antarctic Hydrography
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what programme of hydrography is currently being carried out in the Antarctic by HMS Endurance; what policy is being pursued in conjunction with the International Hydrographic Bureau to co-ordinate information from Admiralty charts with those produced by other countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  HMS Endurance undertakes annual hydrographic surveys of the western shores of the Antarctic peninsula. The Ministry of Defence supplies details of hydrographic work carried out by the United Kingdom to the International Hydrographic Bureau. The information is then re-published in the "International Hydrographic Bulletin", which is available to all hydrographic offices. Should any of the latter require further information, they may contact the hydrographer direct.

  Safety Critical Software
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he is making on North Atlantic Treaty Organisation harmonisation in relation to defence standards 00–55 and 00–56 covering safety critical software.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The United Kingdom has taken the lead in setting out the requirements for safety critical software to meet the needs of the late 1990s. The draft defence standards 00–55 and 00–56 have been given extensive distribution for comment within the United Kingdom and internationally. NATO is using 00–55 and 00–56 as source documents for its own guideline documents.

  It is important for international standards covering safety critical software to meet the requirements of both the civil and defence sectors, and to be accepted by the widest possible range of countries. The Ministry of Defence is therefore working closely with other Government Departments in seeking to harmonise the approaches of the United Kingdom defence and civil sectors. The United Kingdom position will, in due course, be presented to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a body with a very wide membership, which has recently started to develop international standards for safety-related systems and the computers and software used in them. Other countries, including NATO members, will present their views to the IEC in a similar way.

  The Ministry of Defence is taking into account the work of the IEC as part of the process of consultation on

  63
  the draft defence standards 00–55 and 00–56 before they are issued as interim standards, and it will continue to aim for alignment with civil standards in any future revisions.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the achievements of his Department and his policies in helping small businesses over the last 12 months compared with 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. Neubert
  [pursuant to the reply, 24 July 1989, col. 554]: Due to an arithmetical error an incorrect figure was shown. The number of small firms receiving payment on direct contract has increased from some 4,000 in 1986–87 to over 5,500 in 1988–89 (not 7,000 as previously shown).

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Playgrounds (Safety)
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to seek to improve safety standards of playing surfaces of children's playgrounds.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The design and construction of playgrounds and play areas in schools must conform to standards recommended by the Department of Education. These standards have recently been revised and improvements introduced. The provision and maintenance, including safety standards, of public recreational facilities are the responsibility of district councils.

  GCSE Results
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for the four weeks following the release of the GCSE results how many U grades were amended to higher grades; how many of these were allocated to each higher grade; and at which schools were the pupils who had changed results.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Available information relates to candidates with the Northern Ireland Schools Examinations Council only. Two hundred and twenty U grades were amended to higher grades as follows:

  Regrade

  A

  9

  B

  30

  C

  60

  D

  53

  E

  23

  F

  21

  G

  24

  The following schools and colleges of further education were attended by candidates with changed results:

  Bangor Grammar School

  Beechlawn Special School

  Belfast College of Technology

  Carrickfergus High School

  Coleraine College of Further Education

  Comber High School

  Corpus Christi College

  64

  Dominican College, Belfast

  Glengormley High School

  Gransha Boys' High School

  Grosvenor High School

  Hopefield High School

  Laurelhill High School

  Little Flower Secondary School

  Monkstown Community School

  Newry High School

  Newry Technical College

  Newtownabbey College of Further Education

  North Down College of Further Education

  North West College of Technology

  Portadown College of Further Education

  Rupert Stanley College of Further Education

  Saintfield High School

  St. Colman's High School, Strabane

  St. Columb's College, Londonderry

  St. Dominic's High School St. Patrick's Boys' Academy

  St. Patrick's High School, Banbridge

  Sullivan Upper School

  The Royal School, Armagh

  Urban Development Grants (Belfast)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for which areas of the city of Belfast applications for urban development grants are still approved.

  Mr. Needham
  Urban development grant applications may, in principle, still be accepted throughout the Belfast city council area. However, in February 1988, it was decided that, since demand exceeded resources, funds should be focused upon the areas of greatest need in the city.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for urban development grants for projects at Royal avenue, Belfast have been approved in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested is as follows:

  Numbers

  1985

  1

  1986

  2

  1987

  5

  1988

  2

  1989*

  2

  * To date.

  Strangford Lough
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) representations in total and (b) objections he has received in connection with the proposal for a declaration of an area of special scientific interest at Strangford lough; and what proposals he has to rescind or modify this declaration of an area of special scientific interest.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Scientific advisers have said the ASSI declaration is justified. We have consulted/discussed the proposed declaration over 580 times with affected local owners and local users, among others. Eighty individuals or groups have made representations or objections, or a mixture of the two, in writing. These responses will be carefully considered before a final decision is taken to confirm, with or without modification, or rescind the declaration.

  Pet Foods Plant, Castlereagh
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many objections he has received to the planning application for change of use from light engineering to pet foods processing for premises at 268 Balygowan road, Crossnacreevy, Castlereagh; what assessment has been made of potential smells from the proposed plant; what is the shortest distance from the proposed food plant to residential property; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  I have today written to the right hon. Gentleman giving the information requested.

  Planning Applications, Newtownards
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many objections were received in connection with planning application No. X/89/0611 for a proposed bungalow at 82/90 Ballybunden road, Killinchy, Newtownards; what was the closing date for receipt of objections; on what date he issued a planning decision; and on what date work commenced on site;

  (2) how many persons objected to planning application No. X/89/0175 for the conversion of a dwelling at 21 Ann street, Newtownards into two self-contained flats; what was the decision of Ards borough council in relation to this

  New Starts

  Planned New Starts

  Boroughs

  84–85

  85–86

  86–87

  87–88

  88–89

  89–90

  90–91

  91–94

  Ards

  64

  50

  63

  66

  104

  40

  173

  246

  Castlereagh

  93

  —

  16

  62

  35

  62

  8

  280

  Prison Population
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners there are of each denomination at each prison in Northern Ireland.

  Belfast

  Maze

  Maghaberry

  Magilligan

  YOC

  Roman Catholic

  256

  312

  111

  126

  75

  Church of Ireland

  112

  60

  71

  49

  38

  Presbyterian

  118

  50

  45

  52

  30

  Free Presbyterian

  17

  55

  32

  15

  ?

  Methodist

  21

  12

  8

  7

  2

  Others

  36

  23

  24

  14

  4

  Ballyoran Primary School
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the condition of the former Ballyoran primary school; when he received an application from Castlereagh borough council to take over this school; and when he proposes to make a decision.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The premises of the former Ballyoran primary school, which are owned by the South-Eastern education and library board, are in a poor condition as a result of considerable vandalism.

  The Department of Education first received an inquiry from Castlereagh borough council regarding the possibil-ity of grant-aid towards the purchase of the former Ballyoran primary school on 22 September 1987.

  The Department has no objection to the acquisition by the council of these premises. However, the terms of the
  66
  application; what is his planning decision; and what complaints have been received in relation to these premises in the past 12 months.

  Mr. Needham
  I have today written to the right hon. Gentleman giving the information requested.

  Housing, Ards and Castlereagh
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are on the waiting list for homes in the boroughs of Ards and Castlereagh; how many homes were constructed by the Housing Executive in these two boroughs during each of the past five years; and how many new homes are planned by the Housing Executive in these two boroughs in each of the next five years.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  These are matters for the Housing Executive, but I am advised by the chairman that over 700 new homes are planned for Ards and Castlereagh in the next five years and that at 31 August 1989 the number of people on the waiting list in the boroughs of Ards and Castlereagh was 877 and 846 respectively.

  The number of new dwellings started by the Housing Executive in the two boroughs in each of the past five years and the number planned in each of the next five years is shown in the table. Figures for individual years in the period 1991–94 are not available.

  Mr. Cope
  The information that is readily available is set out in the table:

  disposal of the premises and the land are matters for consideration in the first instance by the South-Eastern education and library board.

  Traffic (Comber)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on traffic conditions in the centre of Comber; and what is the present programme for the construction of Comber by-pass.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Traffic difficulties exist in Comber particularly at peak hours. Stage 2 of the Comber bypass is programmed to commence in April 1992.

  Electricity Charges
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates in 1988 and 1989 the fixed charges in the Northern Ireland Electricity accounts for both domestic and commercial consumers were increased; and what were the percentage increases in each case.

  Mr. Needham
  Northern Ireland Electricity's fixed (standing) charges increased on 1 April in each of these two years. The increases were 6·6 per cent. and 20·9 per cent. respectively for domestic and 7·6 per cent. and 36·1 per cent. for commercial consumers. After taking account of changes in unit charges, the average overall increases in NIE tariffs were 9 per cent. and 6·1 per cent. respectively in the two years.

  Cairnshill Filling Station, Castlereagh
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the restrictions for opening hours in the planning permission for Cairnshill filling station, 221 Smithfields road, Castlereagh, BT8, Co. Down.

  Mr. Needham
  I have today written to the right hon. Gentleman giving the information requested.

  Urban Development Grant
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy on accepting new applications for urban development grants for projects in the towns of Enniskillen, Omagh, Strabane, Armagh, Dungannon and Cookstown.

  Mr. Needham
  There are insufficient resources under the urban development grant scheme (which is funded by moneys voted by Parliament) to pay grants outside Belfast and Londonderry. The International Fund for Ireland has made grants available in district towns and other urban areas under the urban development programme. I have asked the chairman of the fund board to write to the right hon. Gentleman.

  Egg Production
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the latest figure for egg production in Northern Ireland; what it was 12 months prior to that date; and if he will make a statement on the future of egg production.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The high-quality egg industry in Northern Ireland makes, and will continue to make, a valuable contribution to the local economy. The estimated throughput of graded eggs at Northern Ireland's registered packing stations for the week ending 1 October 1989 was 37,000 cases (30 dozen eggs per case), compared with 43,000 cases in the corresponding week in 1988. The level of throughput is below that of the year before, but average price levels are substantially higher.

  Traffic, Shaw's Bridge
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the planned traffic density from the proposed new hotel on the site of the former playing fields of Stranmillis college at Shaw's bridge, Castlereagh;68
  whether he has approved this increase of traffic on to the main road at Shaw's bridge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  I have today written to the right hon. Gentleman giving the information requested.

  Ballyvester Primary School
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the present enrolment at Ballyvester primary school; what was the enrolment at this school during each of the past five years; how many new pupils were admitted to the school at the beginning of the new academic year; and how many applications for admission to Ballyvester primary school for the current academic year were refused.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is as follows:

  Enrolment pupils

  January 1985

  54

  January 1986

  71

  January 1987

  77

  January 1988

  75

  January 1989

  77

  September 1989

  78

  In September 1989, 13 pupils were admitted; 16 were refused admission.

  Vehicle Testing Centre, Newtownards
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the present waiting period to have vehicles tested at the Department of Environment vehicle testing centre in Newtownards; what change has taken place in the levels of employment at this centre during the past 12 months; what complaints he has received about delays at this centre; what proposals he has to privatise vehicle testing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The waiting time is too long. The present appointment waiting time for vehicle tests at the Newtownards centre is five weeks for goods vehicles and five and a half weeks for private cars.

  There has been no change in the levels of employment at this centre during the past 12 months. One vacancy since August, due to promotion, will be filled this month. We are not aware of specific written complaints about delays at this centre.

  We have commissioned management consultants to review the present vehicle testing arrangements and to propose how the function might be carried out in future. The Department of Environment is currently considering the consultants' report and will consult the unions before deciding on proposals to achieve a better service for vehicle users.

  Wind Mill, Ballycopeland
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what planning permission exists for the hill adjacent to the Wind Mill, Ballycopeland, Millisle; when this permission expires; and what current planning applications for this site are under consideration.

  Mr. Needham
  I have today written to the right hon. Gentleman giving the information requested.

  Drumadoon Drive, Ballybeen
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for improvements at Drumadoon drive, Ballybeen relating to road safety; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  We will keep the incidence of injury accidents on the road under investigation. We will consider remedial action if this proves necessary.

  Grahamsbridge Road, Dundonald
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for improvements at Grahamsbridge road, Dundonald; when is it expected that work will commence on site; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  An improvement scheme is planned at Grahamsbridge road, Dundonald. It will embrace the widening of the existing carriageway, provision of a footway and improvement of sightlines. Work on site should start in January 1990.

  Day-trippers
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has made about the present restrictions imposed upon day-trippers visiting Northern Ireland by the Government of the Republic of Ireland; when he last discussed this subject at a meeting of the Anglo-Irish Ministerial Council; when he last made representations to the Commission of the European Community about this subject; and when this matter will be heard by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

  Mr. Brooke
  We have made clear to the Irish Government through a number of channels, including the Intergovernmental Conference, our concern about their restrictions on travellers' allowances. When the restrictions were imposed in 1987, we brought them to the attention of the European Commission, who later the same year referred the case to the European Court of Justice. Written pleadings have been exchanged at the court, and the United Kingdom has submitted observations in support of the Commission. The court declared the written procedure closed in August, but has not yet fixed a date for oral hearing.

  Belfast Urban Area Plan
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he proposes to publish the report of the public inquiry into the Belfast urban area plan.

  Mr. Needham
  The Department of Environment for Northern Ireland received the second and final part of the Planning Appeals Commission's report on 4 October. The Department is at present considering the report and will publish it along with its adoption statement on the Belfast urban area plan as soon as possible.

  Prison Chaplains
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which churches have appointed chaplains to each of the prisons in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Cope
  The Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church and the Methodist Church have each appointed chaplains to each of the prisons in Northern Ireland.

  Lagan College (Chaplains)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which religious denominations have appointed chaplains to the integrated school at Lagan college.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The appointment of chaplains to schools is a matter for school authorities.

  Education and Libraries Orders
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions in each of the past 10 years the Department of Education exercised its power of direction in the case of education and library boards for acting or proposing to act unreasonably in the discharge of their functions under the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Orders.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Two such directions were issued to education and library boards in 1983.

SCOTLAND

  Wick and Dornoch Sheriff Courts
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list in the Official Report the number of community service orders and referrals which have been made by (a) the Wick sheriff court and (b) the Dornoch sheriff court in each year since the community service scheme commenced in Caithness and Sutherland in September 1985, giving the category of offence to which the orders related;

  (2) if he will list in the Official Report the number of fines imposed by (a) the Wick sheriff court and (b) the Dornoch sheriff court in 1986 and each subsequent year, giving the category of offence to which the fines related;

  (3)if he will list in the Official Report the number of those who have received custodial sentences of less than 12 months at (a) the Wick sheriff court and (b) the Dornoch sheriff court in 1986 and each subsequent year, giving the category of offence to which the sentences related.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information available is set out in the table. Crimes have been grouped using the Scottish Home and Health Department's classification of crimes and offences. Information on community service referrals is not collected centrally.
  71

  Wrick Sheriff Court

  Dornoch Sheriff Court

  Person receiving fines

  Persons given custodial sentences of less than one year

  Persons receiving community service orders2

  Persons receiving fines

  Persons receiving custodial sentences of less than one year

  Persons receiving community service orders2

  Crime/Offence

  1986

  1987

  11988

  1986

  1987

  11988

  1985

  1986

  1987

  11988

  1986

  1987

  11988

  1986

  1987

  11988

  1985

  1986

  1987

  11988

  Total crimes and offences

  477

  414

  419

  22

  26

  25

  11

  19

  24

  21

  206

  179

  161

  8

  3

  2

  3

  8

  2

  8

  Total crimes

  90

  92

  66

  16

  19

  18

  9

  15

  11

  15

  35

  20

  18

  7

  3

  2

  3

  6

  2

  4

  Non-sexual crimes of violence

  6

  2

  3

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Homicide

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Serious assault etc.

  4

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Handling offensive weapons

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Robbery

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Crimes of indecency

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sexual assault

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lewd and libidinous practices

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Crimes of dishonesty

  59

  75

  40

  10

  15

  18

  7

  12

  8

  13

  21

  8

  12

  7

  3

  2

  2

  4

  2

  4

  Housebreaking

  7

  13

  2

  —

  8

  10

  3

  2

  4

  6

  1

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  Theft by opening lockfast places

  7

  2

  —

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Theft of motor vehicle

  9

  7

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  2

  4

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Theft by shoplifting

  4

  7

  2

  1

  1

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other theft

  19

  29

  17

  5

  3

  1

  1

  6

  3

  4

  14

  3

  4

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Fraud

  5

  4

  6

  1

  1

  2

  1

  —

  —

  1

  3

  —

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other

  8

  13

  10

  2

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Fire-raising, vandalism, etc.

  11

  7

  16

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  5

  5

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Fire-raising

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Vandalism etc.

  11

  7

  16

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  3

  5

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Other crimes

  13

  8

  7

  4

  4

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  8

  6

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Crimes against public justice

  8

  4

  6

  4

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Drugs offences

  5

  4

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  5

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Other

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total Offences

  387

  322

  353

  6

  7

  7

  2

  4

  13

  6

  171

  159

  143

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  4

  Miscellaneous offences

  118

  101

  105

  5

  6

  6

  2

  2

  12

  6

  29

  33

  32

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  4

  Simple assault

  32

  28

  25

  2

  4

  2

  1

  —

  5

  1

  4

  9

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Breach of the peace

  56

  44

  45

  3

  2

  2

  1

  2

  6

  5

  15

  4

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Drunkenness

  2

  —

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other

  28

  29

  30

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  1

  —

  10

  20

  28

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Motor vehicle offences

  269

  221

  248

  1

  1

  1

  —

  2

  1

  —

  142

  126

  111

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  Reckless and careless driving

  56

  58

  96

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  43

  32

  53

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Drunk driving

  67

  46

  53

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  52

  49

  32

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Speeding

  60

  42

  22

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Unlawful use of vehicle

  61

  48

  45

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  34

  38

  20

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Vehicle defect offences

  14

  9

  22

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other

  11

  18

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9

  5

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Provisional

  2 Including any orders made as a condition of probation.

  Fines
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the numbers, by sex, of those received into prison in default of fine payments in the most recent year for which figures are available, and for each of the five preceding years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is set out in the table.

  Number of males and females received into penal establishments in Scotland and default of fine payments

  Year

  Males

  Females

  1983

  8,772

  557

  1984

  8,431

  452

  1985

  10,829

  735

  72

  Year

  Males

  Females

  1986

  9,969

  657

  1987

  10,365

  618

  1988

  9,170

  544

  1Provisional.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the introduction of day or unit fines.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  We have given thorough consideration to the responses which we received earlier this year to our consultation document on fines and fine enforcement which discussed, among other aspects, the day or unit fine and we hope to be in a position to announce our proposals shortly.

  European City of Culture
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is allocating any additional funds to the city of Glasgow to use during its year as European city of culture.

  Mr. Lang
  The Government are contributing £0.5 million directly to the European City of Culture 1990. In addition, Government-funded bodies are committing significant resources in support of particular events taking place in 1990.

  Charities
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish his conclusions on the responses to the consultative memorandum on the supervision of charities in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Later this month copies will be made available in the Library in the normal manner.

  Scottish Homes
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (I) how many applications by Scottish Homes of persons approved by them have been served on public sector landlords with a view to acquiring housing;

  (2) how many groups to date have been approved by Scottish Homes as suitable landlords for the purchase of public sector houses under secure tenancies;

  (3) if it is the intention of Scottish Homes to set out a model lease to which persons seeking its approval as a landlord would be expected to adhere.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  To date no application has been served on any public sector landlord, in terms of section 58 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988, either by Scottish Homes or by persons approved by them. As yet, no formal applications have been submitted to Scottish Homes by persons seeking to acquire approved landlord status under section 57 of that Act.

  In considering an applicant's suitability to be registered as an approved landlord, Scottish Homes does not intend to impose as a condition of approval that landlords implement a model lease. However, it will be a requirement of approval that a clear written tenancy agreement is made available to all tenants. Scottish Homes will provide advice to applicant landlords on a number of conditions which they would expect to be covered in the tenancy agreement. Approval of a landlord will be dependent on the landlord's agreement to meeting these conditions.

  Greater Glasgow Health Board
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many public relations officers are now employed by Greater Glasgow health board; and what was the comparable figure two years ago.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Greater Glasgow health board employs three public relations officers; the board employed one two years ago.

  Nursery Schools
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the capital and revenue costs of providing nursery school places for all children in the three to five year age group.

  Mr. Lang
  On the assumption that the present proportion of part-time to full-time nursery places is maintained and on the basis of current unit costs, it is estimated that the total annual revenue cost of providing nursery education for all three and four-year-olds would be £113 million. It is not possible realistically to estimate what the associated capital cost might be.

  Sheriff Courts
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to extend judicial review capacity to sheriff courts.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate regards it as entirely appropriate that, as part of the supervisory jurisdiction of the Court of Session, judicial review is carried out only by certain nominated judges of that court. He has no proposals to introduce legislation to provide for judicial review by sheriffs.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by health board the fees paid to consultants at the nearest available date for work undertaken in connection with competitive tendering.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Salmon
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has received from the advisory committee on salmon stocks about the genetic danger to wild salmon stocks that is likely to result from the release or escape of farmed salmon into the wild environment; and what was the first date of any such advice.

  Mr. Ian Lang
  Fisheries Ministers have not asked the Salmon Advisory Committee to provide advice or recommendations on the subject of possible genetic interaction between farmed salmon and wild salmon stocks. Informally the chairman of the Salmon Advisory Committee has drawn attention to the possible relevance of work of the Nature Conservancy Council in this field to codes of practice on restocking salmon rivers. This subject is not, however, one which we have specifically asked the Salmon Advisory Council to include in its already extensive programme of work.

  Aphids
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his review of his Department's research on aphids and aphid-borne diseases.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Our aim is to take decisions on the future of aphid trapping and monitoring
  75
  work in Scotland later this year after the Scottish aphid-borne virus working party has reported. I shall write to the hon. Member to inform him of these decisions in due course. Meanwhile the current level of aphid monitoring in Scotland will be maintained.

  Electricity Boards
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by what date the Scottish electricity boards are required to submit their annual reports and accounts.

  Mr. Lang
  The report and accounts direction issued on 29 September 1989, copies of which have been deposited in the Library of the House, requires the South of Scotland electricity board and the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to submit their annual reports and accounts by 31 December.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Lorrain Osman
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made in respect of an invalid arrest warrant issued by the Hong Kong authorities on 30 November 1985, in relation to Lorrain Osman, currently held in the United Kingdom pending extradition proceedings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Since this matter is currently sub judice, it would not be appropriate for us to comment.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, under the joint agreement, the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China after 30 June 1997 will maintain reserve rights to amend the basic law of the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong and to review the constitutionality of the local laws of the Special Administrative Region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Article 158 of the current draft of the Basic Law vests the power of amendment of the Basic Law in the National People's Congress. It states that no amendment to the Basic Law shall contravene the established basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong. These are set out in paragraph 3 and elaborated in annex 1 of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he now estimates that close co-operation can be restored between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China authorities; to what extent such restored co-operation could lead to a full implementation of the Joint Declaration on the future of Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The thirteenth meeting of the Sino-British joint liaison group, which took place from 27 to 29 September, marked the restoration of formal consultation with the People's Republic of China over Hong Kong. The communiqué which issued from that meeting stated that both sides had reaffirmed their continued determination to abide by the Joint Declaration and to fulfil the various responsibilities it lays down.
  76
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom Government's right to pursue diplomatic claims on behalf of Hong Kong citizens of BNO status is covered by the agreement with the Government of China.

  Mr. Maude
  The British memorandum associated with the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the question of Hong Kong makes clear that from 1 July 1997 those British Dependent Territories Citizens (BDTCs) from Hong Kong, who have by then elected to become BN(O)s and to travel on BN(O) passports, will be entitled to consular services and protection in third countries. The Chinese memorandum indicates that such passports may continue to be used from 1 July 1997, although, in accordance with normal practice in cases of dual nationality, BN(O)s will not be entitled to consular protection by the United Kingdom Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or in other parts of China.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what legal opinions his Department has obtained on the nationality status of persons born in Hong Kong when sovereignty passes to China in 1997.

  Mr. Maude
  The Chinese memorandum to the Sino-British Joint Declaration states that under Chinese nationality law, all Hong Kong Chinese are Chinese nationals. The British memorandum makes clear that all Hong Kong British Dependent Territories citizens will, from 1 July 1997, be eligible to retain an appropriate status which will entitle them to continue to use passports issued by the Government of the United Kingdom. It also provides that that status will be acquired by BDTCs only if they hold, or are included in, a BN(O) passport issued before 1 July 1997, except that eligible persons born on or after 1 January 1997, but before 1 July 1997, may obtain or be included in such a passport up to 31 December 1997.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has taken legal opinion on whether under international law the citizens of Hong Kong will upon transfer of sovereignty to China become de jure Chinese nationals.

  Mr. Maude
  In accordance with the exchange of memoranda associated with the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, all persons who on 30 June 1997 are, by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong, British Dependent Territories Citizens (BDTCs) under the law in the United Kingdom, will cease to be BDTCs with effect from 1 July 1997, but will be eligible to retain the status of British Nationals (Overseas). At the same time, under the nationality law of the People's Republic of China, all Hong Kong Chinese compatriots, whether they are BDTCs or not, are Chinese nationals.

  Soviet Submarines
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representa-tions he has made to the Soviet Government regarding the threat to the environment from nuclear-powered Soviet submarines.

  Mr. Waldgegrave
  None.

  European Community
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement setting out the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the future development of the EEC.

  Mr. Maude
  Britain will remain a full and active participant in the development of the European Community. Our top priority is the completion of the single market on time, bringing down the barriers inside Europe and staying open to the world outside. We are contributing fully to discussions in all areas of Community activity.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he intends to take in cases where the Commission of the EEC presents directives which appear to exceed the powers conferred under the Treaty of Rome and the Single Act; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave him on 19 May. We shall decide our response as and when such cases arise.

  Antarctic
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Paris meeting on the Antarctic.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The fifteenth Antarctic treaty consultative meeting is still in progress. Its final report will be adopted on 20 October.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to promote the establishment of an Antarctic treaty secretariat.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  At the fifteenth Antarctic treaty consultative meeting currently being held in Paris, our delegation will be pressing for a decision in principle that an Antarctic treaty secretariat should be established.

  Federal Republic of Germany
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he is next meeting his West German counterpart; and what matters will be discussed.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Herr Genscher on 20 September when they discussed a broad range of issues. They are likely to meet again soon, although no specific date has been arranged.

  Namibia and Angola
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implementation of United Nations security resolution 435 in Namibia and Angola.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Elections to a constituent assembly in Namibia will take place from 7 to 11 November. We will continue to give full support to the United Nations' efforts to ensure that the elections are free and fair, and to assist in a peaceful transition to independence.

  Chile
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further meetings Her Majesty's Ambassador to Chile has had with opposition parties and human rights groups; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Her Majesty's ambassador in Chile and his staff have had, and continue to have, frequent meetings and wide-ranging discussions with human rights groups and opposition parties. A full list is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Turkey (Kurdish people)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further representations he has made to the Government of Turkey concerning abuses of human rights and the treatment of Kurdish people.

  Mr. Maude
  I shall be meeting the Under-Secretary of the Turkish Foreign Ministry later today. I shall make it clear that, while we welcome the improvement in Turkey's human rights record described by Mr. Ozal in his address to the Council of Europe on 27 September, it remains important that the Turkish Government should respect and abide by the terms of the international conventions to which they are a party.

  Policy Implementation
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out his Department's(a) successes and (b) failures of policy implementation since May 1979.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answers given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 28 April and by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on 2 May, to the questions from the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn).

  Non-proliferation Treaty
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department met with President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates during his recent visit to London, to discuss(a) nuclear weapons proliferation in the Middle East Gulf Region and (b) initiatives that may be taken at the fourth review conference of the non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No. But we have made it clear on many occasions that we would welcome the adherence of the United Arab Emirates to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what correspondence his Department has received in the last six months on the issue of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office regularly receives correspondence touching on nuclear-related issues, including non-proliferation, from organisations and members of the public.
  79
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place since July with other governments on progress on preparations for the fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Further discussions took place at the second preparatory committee for the fourth review conference, which was held in Geneva from 11 to 15 September.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to raise the issue of non-proliferation treaty membership with each of the governments of the non-proliferation treaty states; and what initiatives he plans to increase the total membership of the non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We regularly raise the question of accession to the treaty with non-parties at various levels. As a depositary power, the United Kingdom attaches importance to the widest possible adherence to the treaty.

  South Africa (Sanctions)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what ministerial representation there was at the Commonwealth meeting of Foreign Ministers, held in Canberra in early August, to discuss sanctions on South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  None.

  The hon. Member is presumably referring to the meeting of the Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers on South Africa. Britain is not a member of the Committee.

  Libya (Exports)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what restrictions there are on United Kingdom exports of civil nuclear technology and nuclear materials to Libya.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  All United Kingdom exports of nuclear technology and materials continue to be governed by the policy set out by the then Foreign Secretary on 31 March 1976.

  Compensation Orders (China)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many offers of settlement have been made under the Foreign Compensation (People's Republic of China) Order 1987; under what categories they have been; and how many of these offers have so far been accepted.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  A final offer cannot be made until the Foreign Compensation Commission has completed determination of all claims, including property claims, against the China Fund. This is not expected until autumn 1990. However, in January an interim payment of 5 per cent. of the value assigned by the commission to a bond was announced to bond claimants. Out of 1,717 bond claimants to whom offer of interim payment has been made, 1,592 had accepted the offer as of 29 September 1989.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings in the past 12 months have been held at(a) ministerial level and (b) senior Civil Service levels with Gibraltarian authorities about matters concerned with the European Community.

  Mr. Maude
  European Community matters affecting Gibraltar have been discussed at ministerial level with the Gibraltar Government four times in the last 12 months. There have been frequent contacts at official level.

  Statelessness
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will cite the occasions where the United Kingdom has engaged in treaty making or other international agreement which complies with article 10 of the United Nations convention on reduction of statelessness.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  When the United Kingdom has transferred territory by treaty in the circumstances envisaged in the United Nations convention since 1966, the date when the convention became binding on the United Kingdom, appropriate arrangements for national-ity have been made in compliance with that article.

  Drug Seizures
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list United Kingdom and United Kingdom dependencies flag vessels seized by the United States under the 13 November 1981 exchanges of notes concerning co-operation in the suppression of the unlawful importation of narcotic drugs into the United States, showing the date seized, the drugs found, the number of persons arrested and indicate any judicial penalties imposed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I am arranging for copies of a list showing the British vessels seized under the 1981 Exchange of Notes, the date seized, the drugs found and the number of persons arrested to be deposited in the Library of the House.

  We are seeking information on the penalties imposed in each case. I shall write to the hon. Member in due course.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States authorities to clarify the geographic scope of the 13 November 1981 exchange of notes concerning co-operation in the suppression of the unlawful importation of narcotic drugs into the United States and to strengthen both reporting requirements and dispute resolution procedures; and if he will make a statement on the efficacy of the agreement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Since the Exchange of Notes was concluded in 1981 we have been in contact with the Americans about various aspects of the agreement. In our view, the agreement works satisfactorily; it is helping the fight against the clandestine import of drugs in the area to which the agreement relates. It is not our practice to disclose details relating to the operation of such agreements.

  United Kingdom High Commission, Nicosia
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff there are in the United Kingdom High Commission in Nicosia, Cyprus; how many of the staff are(a) Greek Cypriots and (b) Turkish Cypriots; and what steps are taken to monitor these proportions relative to the size of each of the communities on the island.

  Mr. Maude
  There are 76 staff altogether in the High Commission. Of these, 40 are locally engaged, including six Greek Cypriots and four Turkish Cypriots.

  Recruitment of locally engaged staff takes place on the basis of ability, not ethnic origin. There are, however, practical difficulties in recruiting members of one community to work in territory controlled by the other.

  Ethiopian Jews
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the United Nations about the treatment of Ethiopian Jews in United Nations camps in the Sudan.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have been in touch with UNHCR. In their view there has been no discrimination in the treatment of Ethiopian refugees.

  Falashas (Ethiopia)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Ethiopian Government about allowing Falashas to join their relatives in Israel.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have raised this matter with the Ethiopian authorities. Their response was that the Falasha are treated in the same way as other Ethiopians wishing to emigrate.

  Geneva Convention
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give the reasons why the United Kingdom has not yet ratified the protocols of the Geneva convention signed on 8 June 1977.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My hon. Friend is probably referring to the issue of ratification of the 1977 additional protocols to the Geneva conventions. We have been considering carefully the legal, political and military implications of ratification. This has involved a detailed and continuing process of consultations with our allies in NATO. Progress has been made. Final decisions on ratification will be made when that process of consultation is complete.

  Drug Traffickers, Colombia
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his response to the representations from the Foreign Minister of Colombia regarding British participation in the training of mercenary personnel for employment by drug barons.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made 82
  clear when he met Sr Londoño in New York on 26 September, we condemn unequivocally and unreservedly the activities of those who work for drugs traffickers in Colombia. It is primarily for the Colombian authorities to take action in respect of offences committed in Colombia. We remain in close touch with the Colombian authorities on this issue.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many sessions of the Geneva conference on disarmament for a global chemical weapons convention have been held to date; and if he will list the participating states.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Conference on Disarmament, originally called the Committee on Disarmament, was established by the first United Nations special session on disarmament in 1978. It first met in 1979 and since then there have been two three-month sessions per year, thus totalling 22 sessions to date. The subject of chemical weapons has been on the conference's agenda from the outset. In 1983 additional shorter "inter-sessional" consultations specifically on chemical weapons were also established. There have been 11 such "inter-sessional" meetings to date.

  The 40 members states of the Conference on Disarmament are Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Federal Republic of Germany, France, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Italy, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Romania, Soviet Union, Sri Lanka, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, Yugoslavia and Zaire. In addition, there are about 25 states holding observer status at the conference.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the latest Soviet responses to NATO requests for details and timescales of Soviet undertakings to destroy chemical warfare stocks.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Mr. Shevardnadze announced in January that the Soviet Union would begin the destruction of its chemical weapons, CW, stockpiles in 1989 at a new facility in Chapayevsk which was being constructed for this purpose. No further information was given on the details and timescale of the destruction programme, but on 6 September it was announced that the Chapayevsk facility would not now be completed. Due to local environmentalist pressure it is to be converted to a "training centre for devising industrial methods for destroying toxic substances". No revised destruction programme has been announced but it appears unlikely that the Soviet Union will begin destruction this year. In contrast, the United States commenced its CW destruction programme in 1970 and has to date destroyed 15 million pounds of chemical weapon agent.

  Strategic Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often the United Kingdom Government have participated directly in negotiations with the Soviet Union with the objective of securing a treaty for the reduction or elimination of strategic nuclear weapons.
  83
  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have not participated in such negotiations. We have, however, made it clear that if United States and Soviet strategic arsenals were to be very substantially reduced, and if no significant change had occurred in Soviet defensive capabilities, Britain would want to review her position and to consider how best she could contribute to arms control in the light of the reduced threat.

  Archbishop of Canterbury (Vatican Visit)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what facilities were extended by the British Mission to the Vatican to the Archbishop of Canterbury in the course of his recent visit to Rome: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  This was an official ecclesiastical visit. The arrangements were made by the Vatican in conjunction with Lambeth palace. Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Holy See, as a courtesy, offered a dinner for the Archbishop.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Local Management Schemes
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of local management schemes for schools.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I am pleased to be able to announce that all local education authorities have submitted their LMS schemes. This is an impressive achievement. About 10 schemes were submitted at least a month early and we have already begun announcing our approval for the first of these to come into force next April.

  Nursery Schools
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he proposes to make additional resources available to local education authori-ties to increase the provision of nursery school education.

  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on nursery school provision.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Our plans for 1989–90 allow the steady expansion of the last decade to continue. Our plans for 1990–91 will be announced in the autumn statement.

  Teachers (Resignations)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has about the number of resignations from teachers which were submitted by 31 May.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Teachers submit their resignations to local education authorities and comprehensive information about the number of resignations in May 1989 is not yet available to the Department.

  Primary School Teachers
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on primary school teacher shortages.
  84
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  In general, across the country as a whole, there are sufficient primary school teachers and few problems of shortages. However, there are problems in some areas, particularly in inner London. Recruitment to primary initial teacher training continues to be buoyant, and there should be sufficient teachers overall to meet demand in the future.

  Teacher Shortages
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had with present and future local education authorities in London about teacher shortages.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend's predecessor met the right hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney (Mr. Shore), together with representatives of the Inner London education authority, on 13 June. I met the leaders of the inner London councils on 19 June, and again on 12 September, and on both occasions discussed teacher shortages. We agreed that there should be further discussions at official level.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools do not have a full complement of teachers.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  This information is not available centrally. The employment and deployment of teachers are matters for local education authorities and schools.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his policy towards teachers' pay and conditions.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Government's policy is that teachers' pay should reflect the need to recruit, retain and motivate sufficient teachers of the right quality within what can be afforded.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning teachers' pay; and what action he proposes to take.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations concerning teachers' pay. He announced the remit for the interim advisory committee's consideration of the 1990–91 pay settlement on 26 September.

  Education Act 1981
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress he has made in preparing the revised circular of guidance regarding the implementation of the Education Act 1981.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Circular No. 22/89 was issued on Friday 29 September 1989. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department is taking to encourage those currently in other professions to train as teachers.
  85
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The principal elements in our programme directed towards mature entrants are the new licensed teacher arrangements, the funding of special courses for graduates making a career change, the provision of "taster" courses, and the preparation of publicity material specifically directed at mature entrants.

  Higher Education (Access)
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from the Royal Society of Arts in support of improved access to higher education.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has been kept informed of the Royal Society of Arts' initiative in establishing a project under the banner of the Industry Matters Education/Industry Forum, directed by Sir Christopher Ball, to consider the widening of access to higher education. I understand that an interim report is shortly to be published as a basis for further comment and consultation, and that the final report will follow thereafter.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much public money has been allocated to city technology colleges; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A total of £28·5 million has been spent on the city technology college programme between the inception of the programme and the end of September 1989. Further planned public expenditure to the end of the financial year 1991–92 is £93·8 million. The balance of expenditure between capital and recurrent costs will depend on a number of factors, including the nature and condition of premises acquired and the speed with which sponsors' plans are implemented.

  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many city technology colleges have now been announced; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The city technology college programme is making excellent progress. Kingshurst opened last year, Nottingham and Teesside opened last month, and a further eight projects have been announced with firm opening dates in 1990 and 1991. In addition, five companies or individuals have announced their willingness to be major participants in the CTC programme.

  War Studies
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has concerning GCSE and advanced level courses concerning the study of war and conflict subjects.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The School Examinations and Assessment Council is responsible for the approval of GCSE and advanced level examination syllabuses. I am not aware of any such syllabuses concerned exclusively with the study of war and conflict subjects. The study of war and conflict is of course sometimes included as part of an examination syllabus, in subjects such as history or a humanities subject.

  Educational Attainment
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to improve educational attainment of the lowest 40 per cent. of schoolchildren.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The national curriculum will raise standards of achievement for pupils of all ages and abilities.

  School Activities (Charging)
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any proposals to amend the law relating to charging for school activities.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The new law has been in place for only one full term. It is far too soon to make firm judgments about its effects.

  Nursery Teachers
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to provide himself with an accurate picture of teacher supply in nursery education.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Department collects data on vacant nursery posts. In January 1989 there were 194 vacancies. The latest primary school staffing survey shows that almost all nursery teachers had received nursery or infant specific training.

  Humberside College of Higher Education
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in connection with Humberside college of higher education's proposal that it be afforded polytechnic designation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The principal of Humberside college of higher education wrote to me in 1987 asking that the college be considered for designation as a polytechnic. In our initial letter of guidance to the PCFC we invited the council to offer advice on the question of further polytechnic designations. Following its last meeting the council wrote to my right hon. Friend recommending the criteria it considered a college should satisfy to merit designation as a polytechnic. My right hon. Friend has indicated that he is inclined to agree with the PCFC's advice, but that he would welcome views from those who have an interest in the issue.

  London Education Authorities
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from London local education authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend continues to receive representations on a range of matters.

  Secondary School Teachers
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on secondary school teacher shortages.
  87
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  In January 1989 vacancies amounted to about 1·3 per cent. of the secondary teaching force—a proportion that has remained broadly similar over many years. However, there are difficulties in filling vacancies in some areas and in some subjects. Over £50 million has been spent so far on the Department's action programme, launched in 1986 to combat these difficulties. We will continue and reinforce this programme.

  Open University
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received during the present year regarding funding for the Open university.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend received in January and February over 100 representations from Open university students. The Open university visiting commit-tee, which advises him on the university's plans and their financial implications has discussed with the university its funding requirements for 1990 and subsequent years. My right hon. Friend will announce the university's grant for 1990, and the indicated grants for 1991 and 1992 later this year.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the cost of each student at(a) universities and (b) polytechnics for 1979 and at the latest date for which such information is available.

  Mr. Jackson
  The data requested are as follows. The figures show the net institutional expenditure per student at universities (Great Britain) and polytechnics (England) in cash terms.

  Net institutional expenditure1 per student

  Financial year (£)

  1979–80

  1987–88

  Universities1

  3,074

  5,719

  Polytechnics2

  2,515

  3,356

  1 The figures for universities are based on recurrent expenditure financed by UGC grants and tuition fee income for home and overseas students. The figures for polytechnics are net recurrent institutional expenditure per full-time student. Institutional expen-diture includes direct and indirect costs of providing tuition but excludes financing cost of capital expenditure.

  2 Standard weightings have been used to calculate numbers of full-time equivalent students.

  Schools (Data Use)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to issue advice as to whether schools are independent data users under the Data Protection Act.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has recently advised the Data Protection Registrar that in matters of school administration, with the exception of school registers, the governors of LEA-maintained schools hold electronic data as agents of the local education authority and are thus covered by the authority's data users licence. Governors keeping their registers on computer must however be licensed separately. The Department will issue guidance on this subject to authorities and schools in the near future.

  Autistic Children
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidelines he provides for the diagnosis and statementing of autistic children for(a) pre-nursery and (b) pre-school.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Secretary of State does not provide such guidelines; this is a matter for local education authorities. General advice to LEAs on their duties under the Education Act 1981 in relation to the making of assessments and statements of special educational need is contained in circular No. 22/89 which was issued on 29 September. I have made arrangements for the hon. Member to receive a copy of this circular, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

  Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if there was any ministerial or departmental representation at the fifth assembly of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics held at Reading university in July and August.

  Mr. Jackson
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment gave the opening address at this scientific conference, which was attended by numerous scientists from the science research councils active in the fields involved.

  Institute of Meat Research
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what approaches have been made by any governments to Her Majesty's Government concerning the Institute of Meat Research in Bristol; if he will publish details; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  No such approaches have been received.

  Student Unions
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on plans to reform student unions.

  Mr. Jackson
  We published our survey of student unions on 27 September. My right hon. Friend will come forward with proposals for changes in due course.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement about his student loan proposals.

  Mr. Jackson
  The work described in my right hon. Friend's statement on 19 June—Official Report columns 21–22—is proceeding. We shall announce further details in due course.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how he intends to reimburse banks for the branch cost of administering student loan repayments, deferrals and defaults; and if he will now estimate branch costs;

  (2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Oxford, East of 24 July, Official Report, column 442, if he will publish the detailed analysis and cost-time estimates on the administration of the student loans scheme;
  89
  (3) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Oxford, East of 24 July, Official Report column 441, if he will now publish his assessment of the recurring costs of student loans administration in each year beyond 1995 (a) in total and (b) per account.

  Mr. Jackson
  I cannot comment at this stage on matters which are subject to contractual negotiations. As we have made clear, the House will be informed of the major steps in the preparations for administration of the loans.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has held, or plans to hold, with building societies concerning his proposed top-up loans for students scheme.

  Mr. Jackson
  The discussions with the financial institutions described in my right hon. Friend's statement on 19 June include representation of the building societies.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if student loan debt collection agencies will have access to(a) the poll tax register, (b) the electoral register and (c) national insurance records;

  (2) what records student loan debt collection agencies will have access to.

  Mr. Jackson
  The loans administration company will have access to the normal range of public documents in addition to the information provided by students in making their applications.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith)Official Report, 24 July, column 442, concerning the next stage of the detailed analysis of the top-up loans scheme, whether this has now been completed; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. MacGregor
  When Price Waterhouse's stage 2 report is completed, I shall place in the Library of the House copies of the report other than those parts which are commercially confidential.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department has managed any evaluation of the employment career development loan scheme piloted by the Department of Employment, in the context of his student proposals.

  Table A

  Cereals-Target threshold and intervention prices

  Target

  Threshold

  Intervention

  Year

  tonne

  Common Wheat

  Barley

  Common Wheat

  Barley

  Common Wheat

  Barley

  1973–74

  UA

  114·94

  105·29

  112·80

  103·10

  105·80

  96·66

  1974–751

  UA

  12·184

  110·55

  119·00

  107·70

  110·03

  96·60

  1974–75

  UA

  127·93

  116·08

  125·10

  113·25

  115·53

  101·43

  1975–76

  UA

  139·44

  126·99

  136·45

  124·00

  125·93

  110·96

  1976–77

  UA

  152·00

  137·80

  149·30

  135·10

  131·00

  116·00

  1977–78

  UA

  158·08

  144·97

  155·15

  142·00

  120·06

  120·06

  1978–79

  UA

  162–39

  147·23

  159·40

  144·25

  121·57

  121·57

  1979–80

  ECU

  201·42

  182·89

  197·45

  178·90

  149·17

  149·17

  1980–81

  ECU

  214·01

  194·32

  209·20

  189·50

  155·88

  155·88

  1981–82

  ECU

  230·55

  210·00

  225·55

  205·00

  165·23

  165·23

  1982–83

  ECU

  250·61

  228·27

  245·61

  223·27

  179·27

  179·27

  1983–84

  ECU

  261·41

  238·17

  256·43

  233·17

  184·58

  184·58

  1984–85

  ECU

  259·08

  236·30

  254·05

  231·27

  182·73

  182·73

  1985–86

  ECU

  254·98

  232·61

  249·95

  227·58

  179·44

  179·44

  1986–87

  ECU

  256·16

  233·86

  250·81

  228·51

  179·44

  170·47

  1987–88

  ECU

  256·10

  233·80

  251·39

  229·09

  179·44

  170·47

  1988–89

  ECU

  250·30

  228·00

  245·68

  223·38

  179·44

  170·47

  1989–90

  ECU

  241·08

  219·46

  236·74

  215·12

  174·06

  165·36

  90
  Mr. MacGregor
  No. The national scheme of career development loans was introduced in July 1988. The clientele for which it is intended is quite different from that for top-up loans.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Cereals
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1973 (a) the (i) guide, (ii) intervention, (iii) threshold and (iv) other prices for cereals and (b) the co-responsibility levies together with (1) the amount produced, (2) the surplus production, (3) the amount taken into intervention, (4) the corresponding world price and (5) the cost to the EEC of (x) intervention, (y) storage and (z) export refunds.

  Mr. Curry
  Details of the target, threshold and intervention prices for common wheat and barley since 1973 are given in table A. In addition, a separate buying-in price has operated since 1987–88 at 94 per cent. of the intervention price.

  The cereals co-responsibility levy was introduced from the start of the 1986–87 marketing year. In its first two years of operation, the rate was set at 5·38 ecu-tonne. In 1988–89 the basic levy remained at 5·38 ecu-tonne, but there was also an additional levy of 2·87 ecu-tonne. in 1989–90 the basic levy is 5·22 ecu-tonne and the provisional rate of the additional levy is also 5·22 ecu-tonne. The latter will be reduced if the 1989 Community harvest does not exceed the maximum guaranteed quantity of 160 million tonnes by 3 per cent. or more.

  Details of European Community cereals production, the difference between production and consumption, and the amount taken into intervention are given in table B. There is no single representative measure of world price for cereals.

  Details of EC expenditure on cereals intervention storage and export refunds are given in table C.
  91
  1 Revised 1974–75 prices effective from 7 October 1984.

  Table B

  Cereals

  Production: Production less consumption; Intervention purchases

  Million tones

  Year

  Usable cereals production

  Production less consumption

  Intervention purchases

  1973–74

  104·6

  -10·8

  1·8

  1974–75

  107·2

  -6·0

  2·3

  1975–76

  96·4

  -13·8

  1·4

  1976–77

  90·0

  -19·7

  0·4

  1977–78

  102·5

  -8·9

  1·1

  1978–79

  115·4

  -0·5

  1·2

  1979–80

  113·7

  -1·9

  2·2

  1980–81

  124·8

  +7·8

  4·7

  1981–82

  122·3

  +6·9

  2·4

  1982–83

  131·4

  +17·3

  8·5

  1983–84

  123·3

  +6·3

  4·0

  1984–85

  151·4

  +32·5

  13·2

  1985–86

  160·4

  +17·2

  11·9

  1986–87

  154·4

  +14·8

  5·5

  1987–88

  153·4

  +20·0

  4·8

  11988–89

  163·2

  +26·2

  3·7

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 1973–74 to 1979–80—Figures are for EC 9.

  1980–81 to 1984–85—Figures are for EC 10.

  1985–86 to 1988–89—Figures are for EC 12.

  92

  Table C: EC Budget Expenditure—Cereals 1973–1989

  Export refunds (including food aid) (£ million)

  Public intervention storage (£million)

  1973

  195·4

  29·9

  1974

  31·7

  11·8

  1975

  143·2

  23·4

  1976

  158·7

  28·1

  1977

  135·7

  9·4

  1978

  494·3

  39·2

  1979

  769·1

  76·9

  1980

  711·3

  128·9

  1981

  671·8

  227·2

  1982

  594·0

  252·9

  1983

  894·5

  331·8

  1984

  536·3

  207·8

  1985

  633·2

  476·4

  1986

  1,108·9

  869·6

  1987

  2,270·7

  672·1

  1988

  2,042·5

  844·6

  1989

  3,834·1

  1,316·8

  Note.—The figures for 1973–77 have been converted for units of accounts. It is not possible to convert mua to mecu accurately. Therefore these figures do not strictly compare with figures for later years.

  Source:

  1973–87 FEOGA Financial Reports

  1988 Provisional Outturn

  1989 Budget Conjunctive Document

  EC Support
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1988 and 1987 the amount each European Economic Community state received from the European Economic Community by way of support for agriculture, the percentage share of the total, and the amount paid into the European Economic Community as a percentage of own resources payments.

  EC expenditure—EAGGF and own resources

  £ million

  1987

  1988

  1987

  1988

  Total EAGGF

  Percentage of EC total

  Total EAGGF

  Percentage of EC total

  Own resources

  Percentage of total

  Own resources

  Belgium

  606

  3·5

  501

  2·6

  1,225

  4·8

  n/a

  Denmark

  775

  4·5

  832

  4·2

  608

  2·4

  n/a

  Germany

  2,967

  17·3

  3,416

  17·5

  6,751

  26–5

  n/a

  Greece

  1,023

  6·0

  985

  5·0

  245

  1·0

  n/a

  Spain

  451

  2·6

  1,342

  6·9

  1,229

  4·8

  n/a

  France

  4,250

  24·7

  4,403

  22·5

  5,273

  20–7

  n/a

  Ireland

  754

  4·4

  789

  4·0

  243

  1·0

  n/a

  Italy

  2,919

  17·0

  3,086

  15·8

  3,734

  14·7

  n/a

  Luxembourg

  4

  0·02

  4

  0·02

  53

  0·2

  n/a

  Netherlands

  1,975

  11·5

  2,603

  13·3

  1,702

  6·7

  n/a

  Portugal

  127

  0·7

  175

  0·9

  246

  1·0

  n/a

  United Kingdom

  1,321

  7·7

  1,409

  7·2

  4,120

  16·2

  n/a

  Total European Communities

  17,175

  19,556

  35,349

  n/a=Fingers not available

  EC (Membership Cost)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date table M in his Department's submission to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee on the "Financial and Economic Consequences of United Kingdom Membership of the European Economic Community" (HC Paper 57-II) of Session 1984–85.

  Mr. Curry
  Estimates are no longer prepared on the basis requested. Detailed information on the incomes, assets and liabilities of farm businesses by farm type and country is contained within the 1989 edition of "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom," a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Guaranteed Prices
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the ratio of the United Kingdom guaranteed price for(a) cereals, (b) dairy products, (c) oils and fats and (d) edible meats in: (i) 1988 and (ii) 1968.

  Mr. MacLean
  Details of guaranteed prices determined for 1968–69 are set out in the "Annual Review and Determination of Guarantees 1968" (Cmnd. 3558) pp 44–45, which is available in the Library of the House. Information on support prices for 1988–89 is contained in the note on common agricultural policy prices settlement 1988–89 which was deposited in the Library of the House on 4 August 1988.
  94
  Mr. Maclean
  The attached table shows by member state the amount and percentage share of expenditure from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund (EAGGF) in 1987 and 1988, and the amount and percentage share of own resource payments in 1987. Own resource figures for 1988 are not available as the European Court of Auditors report for 1988 will not be published by the Commission until December 1989.

  Zoonoses Testing
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent(a) broiler chickens, (b) turkeys and (c) egg-laying flocks have been subject to zoonoses testing; and why there are differences in the frequency thereof.

  Mr. Curry
  The Testing of Poultry Flocks Order 1989 requires all commercial laying flocks of domestic fowls, and flocks over 25 birds supplying eggs or birds for breeding purposes, to be tested for salmonella at eight-week intervals. These requirements, introduced as part of the Government's measures to tackle the problem of salmonella in eggs, are shortly to be replaced by new provisions which inter alia will extend the requirements relating to breeding flocks to cover turkeys.

  There is no requirement for testing of broiler birds but the provisions on breeding flocks apply to broiler breeders and will be used as the basis for necessary control measures when infection is found.

  New Zealand Lamb
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report the landed price before payment of duty of imports of New Zealand lamb in 1988, 1978 and 1968 together with (i) the average New Zealand export price, (ii) the corresponding price paid to British farmers, (iii) imports from New Zealand and Australia and (iv) United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of sheepmeat.

  Mr. Curry
  The average cif price (the nearest equivalent to a 'landed' price) for New Zealand lamb was 103 pence/kg (p/kg) in 1988. No figures are available for 1968 and 1978 or for average fob export prices.
  95
  The average prices (including variable premium) paid to British farmers for lamb have been as follows:

  Year

  P/kg (estimated dressed carcase weight)

  1968

  140

  1978

  137

  1988

  222

  1 Decimal equivalent

  (Source: Agriculture in the United Kingdom)

  Imports from New Zealand:

  Year

  Quantity (tonnes)

  1968

  320,608

  1978

  213,610

  1988

  112,260

  (Source: HM Customs and Excise)

  Imports from Australia:

  Year

  Quantity (tonnes)

  1968

  16,638

  1978

  11,551

  1989

  6,979

  (Source: HM Customs and Excise)

  United Kingdom production:

  Year

  Quantity (tonnes)

  1968

  246,000

  1978

  248,000

  1988

  345,000

  (Source: Agriculture in the United Kingdom)

  United Kingdom imports:

  Year

  Quantity (tonnes)

  1968

  352,596

  1978

  227,083

  1988

  121,469

  (Source: HM Customs and Excise)

  United Kingdom exports:

  Year

  Quantity (tonnes)

  1968

  8,019

  1978

  42,509

  1988

  85,243

  (Source: HM Customs and Excise)

  United Kingdom domestic uses:

  Year

  Quantity (tonnes)

  1968

  586,000

  1978

  409,000

  1988

  372,000

  (Source: Agriculture in the United Kingdom)

  Broadleaved Woodlands
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions the Forestry Commission awarded grants under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme in England, between its inception 96
  in 1985 and closure in 1988; and on how many occasions the grant of £100 for obtaining professional advice, in the preparation of a plan of operation under the scheme, was awarded.

  Mr. Maclean
  To date, the Forestry Commission has approved 5,159 applications for grant under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme in England. The grant of £100 has been paid on 830 of those applications.

  Animals (Import and Export)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate in the Official Report all existing animal health and disease checks, restrictions, examinations, or certifications concerning import and export of all live animals and birds to and from the United Kingdom, with reference to their respective statutory bases, together with the relevant proposals of the Commission of the European Economic Community contained in, or foreshadowed by, documents 4183/89, 4830/89 and 5057/89 indicating in each case, whether the proposed changes are acceptable or unacceptable to Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Curry
  It would be impracticable to publish in the Official Report the hundreds of import licences and export certificates which exist.

  Our import conditions are designed to prevent the introduction of animal disease, and relate to the species concerned and the animal health status of the countries of origin. Among other things we may require an appropriate pre-export testing and isolation and post-import quarantine, post-import isolation plus testing.

  For exports, the requirements depend on European Community rules where they exist and in other cases on those of the authorisation of the countries of destination.

  The statutory basis for import licences and export certification are derived from the following orders:
  Importation of Animals Order 1977
  Importation of Birds, Poultry and Hatching Eggs Order 1979
  Importation of Equine Animals Order 1979
  Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974
  Exportation of Pigeons Order 1983
  The Diseases of Animals (Export Health Certificates) Order 1985

  As to the EC Commission's proposals for harmonised animal health rules for trade in sheep and goats (document 4183/89), bovine embryos (document 4389/89), and poultry and hatching eggs (document 5057/89) I refer the hon. Member to the explanatory memoranda, copies of which were deposited in the Library and to the debate on them which took place on 18 July at columns 294–315.

  Herbicide Resistance
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department was represented at the 11th Long Ashton international symposium on herbicide resistance in weeds and crops.

  Mr. Curry
  The Ministry was represented by four members of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (one of whom gave an invited talk at the symposium dinner).

  Warm Water Fish
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has made any assessment of the findings of the Marine Biological Association and Plymouth marine laboratory released in August, that there have been significant increases in warm water fish species found off the south-west coast of the British Isles.

  Mr. Curry
  I am aware of the long hydro-biological time series referred to. Changes occur continuously for many reasons. We keep the matter under review.

  National Fruit Collection
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what areas have been identified in relation to(a) climate and (b) soil conditions as a successor-home to Brogdale for the national fruit collection; what representations he has had from Wye college for taking responsibility for Brogdale; and what is his cost estimate of taking four grafts of every specimen or variety and replanting them in suitable soil conditions, on a site other than Brogdale.

  Mr. Curry
  The Ministry is in negotiation with two organisations, the East Mailing Trust and Wye college, which have both expressed an interest in taking on the management of the national fruit collection. This would involve moving the collection from Brogdale to either East Mailing or Wye respectively. Consideration of these two sites will include an assessment of the suitability of climate and soil conditions. The costs of moving the collection by propagation and replanting will vary depending on the precise arrangements but initial estimates suggest that the total costs (including all materials and labour) could be of the order of £100,000 to £150,000, which would be spread over a four or five-year period.

  Agricultural Research Centres
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many agriculture research centres are funded by his Ministry.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to the reply, 29 June 1989, c. 550]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science and I have decided that the horticultural research and development carried out by the Agricultural and Food Research Council and by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service should be integrated under a reconstituted British Society for Horticultural Research. (BSHR).

  This will he headed by a small and strong executive committee, reporting to me and reflecting the tripartite partnership of my Department, my right hon. Friend's funding of the Agricultural and Food Research Council and growers, each of whom will have equal representation. Members of the committee, which will include growers, will be appointed by me and my right hon. Friend. Growers will thus have an influential and effective voice in the new organisation, which will be able to receive funds directly from a range of sources including the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Agricultural and Food Research Council and the industry.

  The BSHR will have available to it the facilities at six horticultural research centres. These will be Wellesbourne (which, as already announced, will become the principal
  98
  horticultural research station), East Mailing (centre for fruit and other perennial crops research and development), the centre for hops research at Wye college, and the experimental horticulture stations at Kirton, Efford and Stockbridge house. The new organisation will bring together the expertise and effort of staff drawn from the AFRC and from ADAS.

  The Government believe that bringing the elements of horticultural research and development together in this way will provide a sound basis for the future. Naturally, the Government's support for the BSHR will be influenced by the industry's response, since growers' support will be essential to provide the balanced programme of research and development needed to safeguard the future of British horticulture in a highly competitive international market. We believe that this new integrated organisation will command the confidence of the industry. We are sure that all the partners will work together to bring about a successful launch.

  Fisheries
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent his duties towards conservation and enhancement of natural beauty under section 17 of the Agriculture Act 1986 extend to fisheries matters; and if he will make a statement on the implication of these duties where they impact on fishing and fish stock management.

  Mr. Curry
  [holding answer 26 July 1989]: My duties under section 17 of the Agriculture Act 1986 are concerned with agriculture not fisheries. However, in dealing with fisheries we are concerned with conservation of fish stocks in order to manage them as renewable resources. I also refer the hon. Gentleman to a previous reply given on 21 July 1989, Official Report, column 408.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Palace of Westminster
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the current cost of maintaining and running the House of Lords.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The provision required in the current year 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990, for the expenditure of the House of Lords on peers' expenses, administrative costs, staff pensions and security totals £15,260,000.

  Notes

  (i) Stationery and printing cost for the House of Lords are borne on an allied service vote maintained by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Provision for the 1989–90 totals £4,800,000.

  (ii) Other services provided in support of both Houses of Parliament are:

  (a) Rates on Government Property (HM Treasury) Provision for 1989–90 totals £1,200,0001

  (b) Accommodation services (Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment) Provision for 1989–90 totals £25,300,0001

  1 No separate figures are available here in respect of the amounts attributable to each House.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Hannan
  To ask the Lord President of the Council whether right hon. and hon. Members will be entitled to reclaim the standard community charge on a second home under the additional costs allowance.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what arrangements are being made to provide an allowance to members of Parliament for the payment of the standard community charge on their second homes; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The additional cost allowance covers expenses necessarily incurred by hon. Members in maintaining a second home required for the performance of their parliamentary duties. From April 1990, the standard community charge will be one of the costs which may be incurred in maintaining a second home. In cases where there is a liability for a standard charge hon. Members will therefore be able to claim reimbursement in circumstances where they would previously have claimed for rates. Hon. Members will still pay the personal community charge at their main residence and there is no question of reimbursing this. The Fees Office will be writing to all hon. Members shortly to explain these arrangements In detail.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Spending Power
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if on a similar basis to his answer to the hon. Member for Bradford West (Mr. Madden) on 22 June,Official Report, columns 575–80, he will publish figures showing the average total weekly benefit payable to Mr. Swainston, 3 Hawthorn Park, Brandon, Durham, before and after the social security reforms of April were completely phased in.

  Mr. Scott
  I have written to the hon. Member.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether, in establishing a single budget to cover the costs of care, he proposes to take account of the existence of the independent living fund and allow it to continue funding individual disabled people to enable them to buy in the personal care they need to avoid institutionalisation.

  Mr. Scott
  The independent living fund has been very effective in its current form. Clearly, we will need to consider, and if necessary discuss with the trustees, whether the Government's proposals for the future organisation and funding of community care call for any adjustment to the fund.

  Disability Pension (Self-employed People)
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security why self-employed persons are ineligible to claim disability pension.

  Mr. Scott
  The arguments for preferential industrial injuries benefit for self-employed people are not as strong 100
  as they are for employees. The consideration that a person is acting under orders does not apply and, since there is no employer, there is no place for a preferential scheme to complement and limit the employer's liability at common law.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department is examining ways in which a partial capacity benefit for disabled people could be introduced; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  In examining existing benefit provision against the findings of the OPCS surveys, we shall consider the need for a partial incapacity benefit.

  Income Support
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the latest figures for the number of people on income support who had direct deductions for(a) electricity and (b) gas.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The number of cases with deductions for electricity and gas is as follows:

  Number

  Electricity

  152,000

  Gas

  152,000

  Where a person has deductions for both electricity and gas, they are included in both figures.

  Source Annual Statistical Enquiry, May 1988.

  Attendance Allowance (Assessments)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many medical practitioners examine patients for attendance allowance; how many of these are principals in general practice; how many of these are retired medical practitioners; how many of them are medical practitioners without other remuneration; how many of them have a specialist psychiatric qualification; and how many of them have training in psychiatry lasting six months or more.

  Mr. Scott
  There are 3,742 examining medical practitioners (EMPs) in Great Britain who examine patients for attendance allowance. Of these it is estimated that 82 per cent. are principals in general practice and 16 per cent. are retired medical practitioners. No information is held on the number of EMPs without other remuneration.

  Data on the numbers of EMPs possessing a specialist psychiatric qualification or having post-graduate training in psychiatry are not routinely recorded; and to obtain such information would incur a disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many medical practitioners, annually, are discharged from their responsibilities for assessing for attendance allowance, because of their incompetence in obtaining psychiatric histories or undertaking mental state examinations.

  Mr. Scott
  No central record is kept of the reasons for discontinuing the services of examining medical prac-tioners for attendance allowance. Doctors are carefully
  101
  chosen before starting this work. They are given instruction in the requirements for the examinations, their work is monitored and any further training required is given. It is very rare therefore for these doctors' services to be discontinued because of incompetence.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what specific instructions are given in the form of guidelines, in the obtaining of a psychiatric history or examination of mental state;

  (2) what training in the eliciting of a psychiatric history or in mental state examination is provided by the Department to practitioners prior to or consequent upon their appointment to assess patients for attendance allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  Doctors selected to examine attendance allowance claimants are usually recruited from among general practitioners within the locality who will have demonstrable knowledge of local socio-economic conditions, established experience in general medical practice and evident expertise in conducting medical examinations. Guidance is given by the regional office senior medical officer (ROSMO), or regional office medical officer (ROMO), on the background of, and conditions for the award of attendance allowance.

  The performance of new examining doctors is closely monitored by the ROSMO who will institute further training sessions as appropriate; thereafter doctors' reports are regularly monitored to identify any further need for guidance. The form, nature and pattern of such monitoring may vary and are dictated by the individual ROSMO.

  In conducting an examination for attendance allowance purposes the examining doctor's principal role is to complete the standard report form which has been designed to give an account of the patient's needs for attention and/or supervision. By their very nature the medical examinations required for the purpose of determining eligibility for these allowances need the expertise and experience possessed by general medical practitioners who are able to give consistent advice across a wide range of disabilities and age-groups. In the small number of cases where a specialist opinion is required an independent report is sought from a consultant clinician with the necessary specialist knowledge. The attendance allowance board or its delegate has access not only to the examining doctor's report but other evidence considered necessary, such as psychological, head teacher's and hospital's reports etc. The present arrangements thus allow for suitably qualified persons to be approached, as necessary, in an individual case.

  The attendance allowance board has also issued a "Handbook For Delegated Medical Practitioners" a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library. That handbook, together with the written guidelines given to examining medical practitioners upon appointment, describe the medical factors which should be taken into account in the obtaining of a psychiatric history from, and examination of mental state of, those claimants who exhibit mental disorders. As with physical illness, neither the diagnosis nor the disability is the determining criterion in the assessment for attendance allowance. The attendance needs are the determining factor.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what system there is for checking 102
  independently, by a medical practitioner with psychiatric experience, that assessments for attendance allowance have been carried out competently.

  Mr. Scott
  All reports of medical examinations conducted on claimants for attendance allowance are scrutinised either by the attendance allowance board or by the independent medical practitioners to whom the board has delegated its powers to make decisions in individual cases. The board, one of whose members is a consultant psychiatrist, recognises that the assessment of the amount of attention and/or supervision required by patients suffering from psychiatric illnesses may pose particular problems. Guidance has been issued by the board in the "Handbook for Delegated Medical Practitioners", published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1988. Aided by the board's guidelines and possessing expertise and experience in the practice of clinical medicine and in the evaluation of medical reports on claimants for attendance allowance, the board's delegated doctors provide an expert and efficient check that attendance allowance assessments are carried out competently.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will show for England, Wales, Scotland and Great Britain his latest estimates of(a) the rate rebate caseload, (b) the cost of rate rebates, (c) the community charge benefit caseload, (d) the number of individuals likely to claim and receive community charge rebates and (e) the cost of community charge rebates.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The most recent estimates for 1989–90 show that the rate rebate caseload in Great Britain (including the community charge rebate in Scotland) will be about 51½million, and the total benefit cost (including the cost of community charge rebate in Scotland) will be £1·53 billion.

  I will write to the hon. Member in due course about the remainder of his question.

  Social Security Statistics
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the value of the retirement pension for a single person and a married couple as a proportion of average net earnings for all males and all male manual workers for each year between November 1978 and the latest date available.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information is as follows:

  Basic state pension as a percentage of average net earnings

  Uprating date

  Male manual workers

  All males

  Single

  Couple

  Single

  Couple s

  November 1978

  32·3

  48·9

  29·8

  45·3

  November 1979

  31·8

  48·4

  29·2

  44·6

  November 1980

  32·8

  49·7

  29·1

  44·4

  November 1981

  33·4

  50·9

  29·3

  44·9

  November 1982

  35·0

  53·1

  30·6

  46·7

  November 1983

  33·1

  49·7

  28·7

  43·6

  November 1984

  32·9

  49·6

  28·4

  43·2

  November 1985

  33·1

  49·9

  28·5

  43·3

  July 1986

  31·6

  47·7

  26·9

  41·0

  April 1987

  30·1

  45·7

  25·3

  38·8

  April 1988

  28·4

  43·3

  23·5

  36·2

  April 1989

  27·6

  42·1

  22·9

  35·0

  Source: Abstract of statistics, published by DSS August 1989.
  103
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the value of unemployment benefit for a single person, a married couple and a married couple with two children under 11 years as a proportion of average net earnings for all males and all male manual workers for each year between November 1978 and the latest date available.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information is published in tables 6.1a and 6.1b of the August 1989 edition of the "Abstract of Statistics for Index of Retail Prices, Average Earnings, Social Security Benefits and Contributions", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the value of income support in 1989–90 for(a) a single person aged under 25 years, (b) a single person aged over 25 years, (c) a married couple, (d) a one-parent family, (e) a married couple with two children aged four years and six years, (f) a pensioner couple aged 65 years and (g) a disabled person with entitlement to disability premium as a proportion of average net earnings for all males and male manual workers.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information on categories(a), (b), (c) and (e) is at tables 6.5a and 6.5b of the August 1989 edition of the "Abstract of Statistics for Index of Retail Prices, Average Earnings, Social Security Benefits and Contributions", a copy of which is in the Library. The information requested for the remaining categories is as follows:

  Income support as a percentage of average net earnings

  All males

  Manual Males

  (d) (One parent family with one child under age 11)

  27·8

  33·0

  (f)

  36·3

  43·4

  (g)

  25·5

  30·8

  War Widows
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many letters he has received from right hon. and hon. Members over the last six months concerning pension provision for war widows; and how many of these letters were from the hon. Member for Macclesfield.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Since 1 April, we have received 253 letters concerning war widows pensions, 187 of which were from the honourable Member for Macclesfield.

  ACC, Livingston
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the contract with Electronic Data Systems for the Livingston area computer centre provides for existing staff of his Department to be considered for employment with EDS; and what safeguards are proposed for the existing terms and conditions of any staff so transferred and for recognition of negotiating rights.

  Mr. Newton
  Details of the new jobs were circulated to the staff of the existing unemployment benefit computer centre in the other half of Buchanan house and no bar was placed in the way of their applications. Staff who choose 104
  to accept offers from Electronic Data Systems (EDS) will resign from the Civil Service and accrued rights will be treated in the normal way for resignations. The terms, conditions and negotiation rights offered by EDS are a matter for the company.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of raising child benefit in April 1990 in line with the projection of the retail prices index between December 1988 and September 1989.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The index of retail prices (RPI) increased by 5·7 per cent. between December 1988 and September 1989. The net cost of increasing child benefit by 5·7 per cent. would be around £200 million.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the 1989–90 social fund allocation for each London local office and the monthly rate of expenditure for(a) grants, (b) loans and (c) community care groups; what additional resources he has made available to each office; and what are his projections for 1990–91.

  Mr. Scott
  Details of social fund allocations to local offices together with details of their monthly expenditure on grants and loans are available in the Library. Information on expenditure in relation to client groups for all London local offices can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Additional social fund loan allocations for 1989–90 have been made from the contingency reserve to five local offices in London to take account of the unforeseen additional expenditure arising from the arrival of Kurdish refugees in the areas covered by those offices. The revised annual loan allocations are as follows:

  Revised allocation £

  Amount of increase £

  Highgate

  419,845

  28,226

  Shoreditch

  352,401

  9,867

  Stoke Newington

  325,467

  16,791

  Tottenham

  534,260

  93,881

  Wood Green

  220,424

  18,991

  An announcement on the local office allocations for 1990–91 will be made nearer the time.

  Maintenance Payments
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about changing the system of maintenance payments by deducting the sums due from earnings at the same time as income tax and national insurance, enabling these payments to be made direct to the recipients; whether he has any estimates of the reduction of dependency on income support such a system would produce; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  We have received no representations on this point although I am aware that it has been suggested by various organisations and commentators. Absent fathers have a legal responsibility towards their families but, for
  105
  three quarters of lone parents receiving income support, the absent parent pays no maintenance at all. When courts make maintenance orders they take into account, amongst other things, the means of both parents and therefore the ability of the non-custodial parent to pay maintenance. In certain cases where the father fails to make payments ordered by the courts, and this is due to his wilful refusal or culpable neglect, the courts may make an attachment of earnings order. This means that the maintenance payments are paid to the court by the employer. Any increase in the maintenance collected for lone parent families on benefit would certainly reduce their need for benefit. However the extent of this would depend on the levels of maintenance awarded and collected.

  Single Parents
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about increasing the earned income allowance for single parents; what estimates he has of the reduction in the numbers of single parents who would receive income support following such an increase in the allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Many representations are received by Government on all aspects of taxation. Reductions in personal taxation like those made by this Government should generally be improving individuals' incentives to work. Whilst it is undoubtedly true that income tax reductions have helped raise the take-home pay of lone parents who choose to work, I know of no evidence

  Date

  Change

  Legislation

  1 April 1989

  To enable community charge recipients to be eligible for Social Fund funeral payments.

  The Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 379.

  1 April 1989

  Boarders no longer treated as non-dependants for Housing Benefit or Income Support purposes but similar standard deductions from Housing Benefit/housing costs to be made.

  Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 416 Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 534.

  1 April 1989

  Complementary change to other income disregards to reflect the separate status of boarders and non-dependants in Housing Benefit.

  Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 416.

  1 April 1989

  Complementary provision to the introduction of an 'enhanced' pensioner premium to ensure that working pensioners getting the enhanced premium retain a £15 earnings disregard if underlying entitlement to the disability premium remains.

  Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulation 1989 SI No 416.

  1 April 1989

  Extension of disregard of a former dwelling to a former partner with care of one or more dependent children

  Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 416.

  1 April 1989

  Introduction of the rent officer referral arrangements.

  Housing Benefit (General) Amendment No 2 Regulation 1989 SI No 566.

  The Rent Officers (Additional Functions) Order 1989 SI No 590 The Rent Officers (Additional Functions) (Scotland) Order 1989 SI No 578.

  1 April 1989

  Introduction of Community Charge Rebates in Scotland.

  Housing Benefit (Community Charge Rebates) (Scotland) Regulations 1989 SI No 1890 (S 178).

  106
  suggesting that an increase in the additional personal allowance would substantially reduce the number of lone parent families receiving income support.

  Bathgate Local Office
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many short fixed-term temporary staff have been employed by the social security office in Bathgate over any convenient period in the summer of the current year, and for what reasons; and if he will make a statement on the qualifications of such staff.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Prior to 11 September 1989 no temporary staff were employed on a fixed-term contract basis at this office. In the period 11 September to 9 October up to nine such staff were employed at any one time. The recruits were offered fixed-term contracts, rather than permanent positions, in view of the need to reduce staffing levels in 1990 when major computerisation is introduced. Temporary staff on fixed-term contracts are required to have similar qualifications to those employed on a permanent basis.

  Benefits
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the changes made to social security benefits since April and those proposed to the end of 1989–90.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 17 July 1989]: The information following lists the changes made to Social Security benefits since April 1989 and proposed changes to the end of 1989–90 which have been announced.
  107

  Date

  Change

  Legislation

  1 April 1989

  Amendments to the above scheme including the introductions of extra help for some pensioners from October.

  Housing Benefit (Community Charge Rebates) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 361 (S 37)

  1 April 1989

  Permit deductions from Income Support in respect of arrears of community charge in certain circumstances (Scotland).

  Community Charge (Deductions from Income Support) (Scotland) Regulations 1989 SI No 507 (S 59).

  10 April 1989

  Introduction of Retirement Allowance to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

  Schedule 2 of the Social Security Act 1988.

  10 April 1989

  Annual Uprating of Social Security benefits.

  Social Security Benefits Uprating Order 1989 SI No 43. Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 1989.

  10 April 1989

  Clarification of the definition of incapacity for the purpose of entitlement to the disability premium.

  Income Support (General) Amendment No 2 Regulations 1988 SI No 2022.

  10 April 1989

  Special Income Support provisions for people living in board and lodging accommodation removed. Accommodation charge met through Housing Benefit, boarders entitled to normal Income Support to cover living expenses.

  Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations No 4 1988 SI No 1445.

  19 June 1989

  Certain additional days of entitlement to SSP to count as qualifying days towards entitlement to invalidity benefit.

  Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 872.

  19 June 1989

  Persons incapable of work for two days within a period of six consecutive days because of treatment by way of plasmapheresis chemotherapy with cytotoxic drugs or radiotherapy to qualify for incapacity benefits even when treatment is not on a weekly basis.

  Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 872.

  10 July 1989

  Disregard of part of student's grant income for books and equipment raised from £220 to £234 for Family Credit purposes.

  Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 1034.

  10 July 1989

  To provide for the disregard in the calculation of Family Credit, Housing Benefit and Income Support payments made by local authorities under the Child Care Act 1980 and the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to young people leaving care.

  Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No. 1034.Housing Benefit (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1989 SI No. 1017.

  10 July 1989

  Increase in personal allowance for all 16 to 17 year old Housing Benefit claimants to £27·40.

  Housing Benefit (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1989 SI No. 1017.

  10 July 1989

  Extension of entitlement for people aged 16 to 17 and people in relevant education who are of necessity living away from their parents.

  Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulation 1989 SI No. 1034.

  10 July 1989

  Increases in applicable amount for some claimants aged 16 to 17.

  Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulation 1989 SI No. 1034.

  10 July 1989

  Eligibility for all urgent cases including asylum seekers to premiums where the normal conditions are satisfied.

  Family Credit and Income Support (General) Amendment Regulation 1989 SI No. 1034.

  10 July 1989

  Further amendments to Community Charge Rebates in Scotland.

  Housing Benefit (Community Charge Rebates) (Scotland) No. 2 Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No. 972 (S 95).

  21 July 1989

  Substitutes the concept of entitlement for payment into Attendance Allowance in Section 35 of the Social Security Act 1975.

  Schedule 8 of Social Security Act 1989.

  August 1989

  Controls subsidy paid to local authorities in certain special cases.

  Housing Benefit (Permitted Totals) Amendment Order 1989

  September 1989

  Special transitional provisions for the smooth implementation of the Community Charge Benefit scheme

  Community Charge Benefits (Transitional) Order 1989.

  108

  109

  Date

  Change

  Legislation

  1 October 1989

  Abolition of State Retirement Pension Earnings rule.

  Clause 7 and Schedule 1 of Social Security Bill 1989.

  9 October 1989

  Days on which duties as a councillor performed to be treated as days of incapacity for work for sickness and invalidity benefit and severe disablement allowance purposes.

  Paragraph 2 of Schedule 8 of Social Security Act 1989.

  9 October 1989

  Extension of upper age limit for payment of mobilty allowance from 75 to 80.

  Schedule 8 of Social Security Act 1989.

  9 October 1989

  Personal Pensions to be treated as earnings for purposes of dependants earnings rule.

  Schedule 9 of Social Security Act 1989.

  9 October 1989

  Liability of non-custodial parents to maintain a child for Income Support and Social Fund purposes extended to include children aged 16, 17 and 18.

  Schedule 5 of Social Security Act 1989.

  9 October 1989

  Introduce 'enhanced' pensioner premium for pensioners aged 75 and over and uprate higher pensioner premium. Provide for continued award of higher pensioner premium if maximum age for award of qualifying benefit is reached or if retirement pension is awarded. Increased higher pensioner premium for people aged 60 to 74.

  Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 416 Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 SI No 534.

  9 October 1989

  Transitional protection to be unaffected by increases in pensioner premiums.

  Regulations in preparation.

  9 October 1989

  Provisions for seasonal workers' earnings will be removed, so they will be treated like other claimants' earnings.

  Draft Income Support (General) Amendment No 2 Regulations 1989 (SI No N/A).

  9 October 1989

  Payment of compensation received on termination of employment without due notice to be taken into account.

  Income Support (General) Amendment No 2 Regulations 1989 (SI No N/A).

  9 October 1989

  Changes in Unemployment Benefit; (i) abatement of Unemployment benefit in respect of personal pensions; (ii) concept of 'actively seeking work; (iii) conditions for requalifi-cation after benefit is exhausted; (iv) treatment of payments in lieu of notice; (v) restricted availability; (vi) introduction of permitted period and taking up employment on trial; (vii) removal of the concept of 'suitable employment', putting the accent on 'good cause'.

  Schedule 8–12 of Social Security Act 1989.

  9 October 1989

  Special IS provision for hostel dwellers removed. Help with accommodation charge through HB, hosted dwellers entitled to normal IS to cover living expenses.

  Income Support (General) Amendment Regulations 1989 (SI No 534).

  Autumn 1989

  Removal of special conditions for seasonal workers.

  Draft Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Amendment No 2 Regulations 1989 (SI No N/A).

  Autumn 1989

  Introduction of an upper weekly earnings limit for Unemployment Benefit

  Not known.

  Autumn 1989

  Introduction of a de minimus level on the application of the 'Full Extent Normal' rule for Unemployment Benefit

  Not known.

  Autumn 1989

  Regulations requiring local authorities to refer appropriate cases to the rent officer.

  Regulations to be made under provisions contained in clause 15 of the Social Security Bill.

  1 April 1990

  Introduction of Community Charge Benefit throughout Great Britain.

  Community Charge Benefits (General) Regulations 1989.

  1 April 1990

  Permit deductions from Income Support in respect of arrears of community charge in certain circumstances.

  Community Charges (Deductions from Income Support) Regulations 1989.

  110

  111

  Date

  Change

  Legislation

  April 1990

  £5 a week disregard of war Disablement Pension and War Widow's Pension to be increased to £10 for Income Support purposes.

  Not known.

  Community Care
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recommendations for early action he is giving to local authorities social services departments in the light of the statement and White Paper on community care.

  Mr. David Mellor
  [holding answer 28 July 1989]: We are currently preparing our White Paper on community care. We will then consider the need for further guidance.

  Pensions (Qualifying Age)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the cost at current rates of equalising the qualifying age for receipt of basic pension for both sexes at(a) 62 years, (b) 61 years and (c) 60 years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 24 July 1989]: The information is not available in the form requested. The most recent estimates, which are based on 1985–86 benefit rates, are that the approximate net annual cost to public funds of equalising state pension age at 60 years would be £3,000 million.

ENVIRONMENT

  Sizewell C Power Station
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received during the recess about the Central Electricity Generating Board applications to build Sizewell C power station in Suffolk.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend has received eight letters and two postcards which were forwarded to the Department of Energy, which has responsibility for this matter, for a reply.

  Environmental Assessments
  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance his Department has received from the European Commission concerning the environmental assessment of projects being funded by, or the subject of a grant application for, European regional development funds; and if he will place copies of the guidance in the Library.

  Mr. Moynihan
  All projects funded with grant from the European regional development fund must conform to Community environmental legislation, in particular, the European Community directive (85/337/EEC) on environ-mental impact assessment. Guidance on how the directive applies to projects in England and Wales which required planning permission is given in DOE circular 15/88 (Welsh Office 23/88) which is available in the Library. Requirements for environmental informaion to be submitted to the Commission are still the subject of discussion among all member states.

  Water Authorities (Debt)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside of 24 May,Official Report, column 951, if he will make a further statement concerning the treatment of outstanding debt of the water authorities.

  Mr. Howard
  Shortly before flotation, we will be writing off the £4·4 billion National Loans Fund debt transferred from the English water authorities to the new English water plcs. This will be replaced with new securities issued to the Government, including new debentures, but mostly in the form of shares to be sold to the public. This substantial capital reconstruction which involves a sizeable cash injection will enable the companies to finance the major investment in the future which we all want to see.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend the Local Government and Housing Bill to include all or any of the safeguards found in the Poll Tax (Restoration of Individual Privacy) Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No. The existing legislation gives community charge registration officers clearly defined and limited powers to collect information necessary for their statutory functions.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions since 1979 a request to call in a planning application from(a) the Nature Conservancy Council and (b) the Countryside Commission has been refused; and if he will list such occasions, together with the reasons for not calling in, and the principal requests received on those occasions from other persons and bodies.

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

  Kurdish Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from local authorities, local authority associations and hon. Members concerning the needs of Kurdish asylum seekers; what resources he has made available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The Government have received a number of representations about the impact of the recent influx of Turkish asylum-seekers. Housing benefit for which local authorities receive Government subsidy, and income support are payable to individual claimants and help has
  113
  been provided from the social fund in the form of crisis loans. In addition, the Government are making exceptional payments to voluntary organisations. Ministers are currently considering the representations which have been made for additional assistance to the boroughs.

  Waste Paper (Recycling)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make urgent inquiries of the contractor responsible for the removal of House of Commons rubbish as to why quantities of large paper bags, filled with potentially recyclable waste paper, have been removed in bags labelled for burning only; if he will take steps to stop this practice immediately; if he will make available bags labelled recyclable waste paper; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Waste paper from the Palace of Westminster is collected free of charge as "salvage" and the contractor sends it for recycling. The labels on the paper sacks therefore have no significance in practice. It would be wasteful, however, not to use the outstanding supplies of these sacks before changing over to new sacks which will be marked "Recyclable Waste Paper".

  Toxic Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has assessed the use of biotechnologically created bacteria to treat poisonous organic toxic wastes.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Since 1975 we have been sponsoring research on the use of bacteria to treat difficult wastes, using their natural genetic changes. We are monitoring closely current developments in genetic manipulation.

  Environmental Regulation
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department is participating in the international conference on environmental regulation in the European Community held in London on 19 and 20 October.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  An official of the Department will participate in the conference.

  Waste Management
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department had any representation at the conference on raising standards in wastes manage-ment: future costs and benefits, held at Lancaster university on 21 September; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I represented my right hon. Friend and delivered the opening address at the conference.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department was represented at the fifth European summer school on radioactive waste manage-ment, held on 17 to 20 July, at Christ's college, Cambridge.
  114
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A principal inspector from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution delivered a paper to the 1989 European summer school in a personal capacity.

  Greenhouse Effect
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what departmental representation there was at the fifth assembly of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics held at Reading university in July and August; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of the assembly in regard to United Kingdom policies on the greenhouse effect.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I addressed the conference during the opening ceremony and a scientist from the Department attended on the first day. The discussions at the conference highlighted the need for further research on the greenhouse effect. The Government are already committed to over £10 million of such research in this financial year and are planning a continuing programme of projects.

  PCB Wastes
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what import and disposal authorisation had been granted for the cargoes of PCB wastes sent from Canada in August on the ships Khudozhnik Saryan and the Madezha Obukhoba to the ports of Tilbury and Liverpool.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Imports of hazardous wastes into this country are governed by the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988. These require the waste disposal authority responsible for the facility receiving the waste to give its approval. A copy of the completed consignment note must be sent to the Secretary of State. These do not identify the ship on which any particular consignment is to be carried, but we have no reason to think that these two shipments were not properly notified.

  Disposal of wastes is governed by the licensing of facilities by the waste disposal authority under the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

  Waste Exports
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what volumes of toxic, hazardous or special wastes have been exported from the United Kingdom in each year since 1979 for treatment and disposal abroad; and to which countries the waste was sent.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Firm information has been available only since the implementation in October 1988 of the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988. These require, inter alia, that before any consignment of hazardous waste is transported to or from this country, the holder of the waste sends a copy of the completed consignment note to the Secretary of State. The Department has received no consignment notes for exports to date.

  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has no knowledge of any waste being exported before the implementation of the Transfrontier Regulations in 1988.

  Nature Reserves
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the progress of his plans for the change of status of national nature reserves.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government have no plans to change the status of national nature reserves. The Nature Conservancy Council is considering how future policy for national nature reserves can continue to be developed in the light of both the council's preliminary report which was published in May this year, and of the Government's proposals to reorganise the Nature Conservancy Council which were announced in July.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement as to his intentions regarding future funding of the Nature Conservancy Council.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government will continue to ensure that the Nature Conservancy Council receives adequate funding to enable its agreed objectives and programmes for conservation work to be met. The Government have secured an increase in real terms of over 150 per cent. in the Nature Conservancy Council's grant since 1979.

  EC Water Directives
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what system of checks and inspections is used by the Commission of the European Economic Community in respect of compliance with directives concerning the quality of domestic water supplies; what information is supplied to it by member states on their water undertakings; and what comprehensive publication of performance is published by the Commission.

  Mr. Howard
  No inspections at first hand are carried out by the Commission to ensure that member states are complying with the drinking water directive. In the United Kingdom the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 116
  made under the Water Act 1989 incorporate the provisions of the directive into national law and set out sampling requirements, the results of which will be made available to the public and to local authorities.

  The Commission depends upon information submitted by member states themselves and also investigates complaints on alleged breaches of the directive made by members of the public. We have no knowledge as to information supplied by other member states, but the United Kingdom has always co-operated fully with the Commission. We have recently submitted an overview of the United Kingdom's national programme costing £1·4 billion over the next five years. I am not aware of any comprehensive publication of performance published by the Commission.

  Sewers (Vermin Control)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state those provisions of legislation which aspire to future responsibility for control and destruction of vermin in sewers owned by the new water plcs.

  Mr. Howard
  Under section 67 of the Water Act 1989, the water service companies which have succeeded the water authorities have a general duty to cleanse and maintain their sewers. However, the primary responsibility for controlling vermin continues to rest with local authorities, which have a duty under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 to keep their areas free of rats and mice as far as practicable.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the planning inquiry into the east London river crossing bridge section to be reopened; what consideration may be given in the inquiry into alternative designs of bridge or reversion to the original, or other, tunnel proposals; and if he will make a statement concerning this adjourned inquiry.

  Mr. Howard
  I have written today to the hon. Member. I have also arranged for a copy of an announcement made earlier today to be placed in the Library.

  BOPHUTHATSWANA: ELECTION
  BOPHUTHATSWANA: ELECTION
  CHINESE BONDS: REDEMPTION ARRANGEMENTS
  CHINESE BONDS: REDEMPTION ARRANGEMENTS
  SEXUAL LIFESTYLE SURVEY PROPOSAL
  SEXUAL LIFESTYLE SURVEY PROPOSAL
  HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
  HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT