Written Answers of 20 October 1989

TRANSPORT

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the road routes chosen to convey nuclear waste between Torness and Sellafield which pass through the Borders regional council area;

  (2) what extra steps have been taken to ensure that nuclear waste being transported by road through the Borders region will not endanger public safety during transit.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The choice of route is a matter for the carrier. All radioactive materials must be carried in compliance with national and international regulations which require proper safety levels for both normal and accident conditions to be built into the container used for transport.

  King's Cross Study
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the terms of reference given to the consultants drawing up proposals for the King's Cross gyratory road system; when he expects this study to be completed; and if he intends to publish it in full as soon as it is finished.

  Mr. Atkins
  Possible improvements to roads in the King's Cross area are being considered as part of the east London assessment study. The terms of reference were published in July 1987.

  The study consultants have also been asked to advise on improvements of the King's Cross junctions that would be needed to cope with the extra traffic which would be generated by the proposed King's Cross railway land development. The results of this work will form the Department's comments to the London borough of Camden on the planning application.

  Channel Tunnel Link
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has given the necessary expenditure approval to enable British Rail to deposit a Private Bill to construct the Channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Portillo
  Under section 17(1) of the Transport Act 1962, British Rail requires the formal consent of the Secretary of State to promote a Private Bill, but it does not require formal investment authority at that stage, and the deposit of a Bill by British Rail does not imply Government endorsement of any particular level of expenditure. The Secretary of State's consent for the Bill in question has not yet been sought.
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  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is satisfied that British Rail's proposed Channel tunnel rail link will achieve an 8 per cent. rate of return.

  Mr. Portillo
  British Rail's proposals to provide facilities to deal with international rail traffic when the tunnel opens in 1993 include financial estimates which meet the Government's 8 per cent. required rate of return.

  British Rail is currently discussing proposals with the private sector to build a new line to meet the anticipated growth in international traffic after the opening of the tunnel with a view to securing private investment in the scheme. If this were a public sector investment it would still he required to meet the Government's 8 per cent. return.

  Airports (Traffic Distribution)
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is yet in a position to respond to the Civil Aviation Authority's advice in CAP 559 on traffic distribution policy for airports serving the London area.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I have today written to Mr. Christopher Tugendhat, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, responding to the authority's advice in CAP 559. Copies of my letter have been placed in the Library.

  I think it important to place this in the context of the strong growth in traffic at the regional airports. Developments like the new domestic module and terminal 2 at Manchester airport, Birmingham's new terminal, and an ongoing programme of improvements at other regional airports, are all evidence of the readiness and ability of the airports outside the south-east to take action to meet the growing demand. Expenditure at regional airports over the past decade has exceeded £300 million, and in the years immediately ahead can confidently be expected to increase by at least this much again.

  At the same time, there is much activity in the south-east. The new terminal at Stansted and the redevelopment of Heathrow's terminal 3 are notable, but small airports are also investing: Manston for example, and, on the business aviation front, significant advances are being made at Farnborough and Biggin Hill.

  It is equally important to view CAP 559 in the light of the wider-ranging work on which the authority will be reporting to me next summer. This includes examining the role of airports outside the south-east, the possible need for and location of a new south-east runway, and the potential for introducing a more market-oriented means of dealing with the capacity problems at Heathrow and Gatwick.

  Against this background, I have accepted the authority's principal recommendation that no new traffic distribution rules should be made for the London area airports. I have also accepted the authority's recommendation that I should formally set aside the two "deferred rules"—concerning priority at Gatwick for scheduled traffic, and limits on service frequencies at Heathrow—which the then Secretary of State said in 1986 he would be prepared to make when advised of the need.

  I have decided not to make the two modifications to the present rules which the authority suggested. While I recognise that permitting series charter flights at Heathrow on a limited basis could be regarded as an easing of regulation, it would not significantly affect the overall

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  balance of supply and demand for runway capacity in the London area. I wish to consider this suggestion further when I have seen the outcome of the CAA's wider-ranging work next year.

  I am of course anxious to encourage the important business aviation sector, and I recognise the difficulties it has in the London area. But the second proposed modification, that business and corporate aviation should take precedence over other general aviation, would introduce a new restriction on a new class of traffic. Because other general aviation movements are very few at Heathrow and Gatwick, it would in practice provide no real benefit. In these circumstances I do not consider the case for change sufficiently compelling to justify the introduction of further regulation.

  The authority suggested a modest relaxation in the noise restrictions at Heathrow and Gatwick. Noise is always a sensitive issue. I believe that the Government struck a reasonable balance in the night noise regime which was introduced last year, and which was to run until 1992–93.

  I remain committed to improving the night noise climate around Heathrow and Gatwick, and to reducing aircraft noise generally, whilst recognising that undue burdens must not be imposed on the aviation industry.

  Whilst I have considered the authority's argument for a relaxation in the night restrictions, I recognise that respondents were divided in their views. I take the view that the present night noise arrangements should remain unchanged.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Heddle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an interim statement of the discussions taking place between the local authority associations and his Department on the impact which an increase in the maximum permitted weight of heavy goods vehicles to 40 tonnes will have on highway and bridge structures and in particular the funding of any enhancement to take account of heavier vehicles.

  Mr. Robert Atkins
  Irrespective of the increase in weight limits to apply from 1 January 1999, a substantial amount of work is needed to ensure that road bridges can continue to carry modern heavy lorries. My Department is having discussions with representatives of the local authority associations and other bodies on various aspects of this work, including the effects of the weight increase and funding arrangements.

  From the start of the current year we increased the local authority highway maintenance baseline by £27 million, specifically to enable local authorities to start their programmes of assessment and strengthening of older bridges. We are considering the local authority associations' request to reclassify this expenditure as capital and to make it eligible for transport supplementary grant.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Occupational Pension Schemes
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information is available as to the effect of section 15(1)(a) of the Social Security Act 1986 on the 260
  number of employees becoming or remaining members of occupational pension schemes in the public and private sectors, respectively.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Some independent bodies have published the results of their own sample of surveys into the effect of the 1986 Social Security Act changes on membership of occupational pension schemes. The information obtained has related to companies in the public and private sectors.

  Funerals
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what records are kept by his Department of the average costs of the component parts of funeral arrangements.

  Mr. Scott
  None.

ENVIRONMENT

  Waste Management
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what policy initiatives have been taken since August by the European Commission towards the tackling of hazardous, toxic and domestic waste handling and disposal in the European Community.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The European Commission published a proposed Community strategy for waste management on 18 September and this was deposited in Parliament on 17 October.

  Water Privatisation
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how payment is to be made to water undertakers for water taken from a public hydrant or from domestic premises for fire fighting purposes.

  Mr. Howard
  Section 81 of the Water Act 1989 prohibits water undertakers from charging for water taken for fire fighting purposes. The cost of such water is recovered by water undertakers through charges to customers generally.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation covering the requirements to disclose information on difficult, hazardous, special and controlled toxic wastes by private waste treatment companies, which includes the same criteria for disclosure as are included in the United States Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act legislation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government accept the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution that there should be a presumption in favour of unrestricted access for the public to information which the pollution control authorities obtain or receive by virtue of their statutory powers, with provision for secrecy only in those circumstances where a genuine case for it can be substantiated. It is already a duty of waste disposal to maintain a public register of waste
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  disposal licences issued by them. We propose to extend the scope of these registers to include information on the monitoring of the facility by the authority, including details of enforcement notices served and prosecutions taken. We are consulting on public access to information on the processes to be scheduled under integrated pollution control. The disclosure criteria incorporated in the United States SARA legislation are tailored to the pollution control regime in that country and not all are applicable here.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites of special scientific interest were damaged or destroyed in the last 12 months; and what is his estimate of the number damaged or destroyed in the last five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 22 June 1989 at column 199.

  The information requested in respect of 1988–89 will be set out in the NCC's 15th annual report to be published on 22 November.

  Toxic Waste, Wath upon Dearne
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the date on which a shipment containing toxic waste arrived at Wath upon Dearne near Rotherham; and when the South Yorkshire hazardous waste unit, the Health and Safety Executive and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution became aware of the problem.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Shipments of contaminated material were delivered to Wath Recycling Ltd. at Wath upon Dearne during the week commencing 12 June. Authorities became aware of the problem on 19 June (South Yorkshire joint hazardous waste unit), 24 July (Health and Safety Executive) and 29 June (Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution).

  Bathing Waters
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to bring bathing waters up to European standards.

  Mr. Howard
  On 4 October the Government sent to the Commission of the European Communities details of investment programmes designed to facilitate compliance by the United Kingdom with its obligations under the bathing water directive. Overall, around £1·1 billion will be spent improving bathing waters over the next 10 years.

  Summary details of the investment programme are given in the following table. A list of individual schemes has been placed in the Library. Many of the schemes are at an early stage of development and are therefore subject to modification in the light of further assessment. For the same reason the estimated costs and completion dates are subject to change. Nevertheless by the mid-1990s we expect around 95 per cent. of our bathing waters to meet the directives standards and the full compliance programmes should be completed within 10 years.
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  Investment Programme to Achieve Compliance with Bathing Water Directive

  £ million

  Northumbrian Water plc

  86·2

  Yorkshire Water plc

  28·9

  Anglian Water plc

  150·1

  Southern Water plc

  216·7

  Wessex Water plc

  23·6

  South West Water plc

  312·5

  Welsh Water plc

  96·8

  North West Water plc

  147·2

  Scotland

  45·7

  Northern Ireland

  7·0

  United Kingdom

  1,114·7

  Shore Width Reductions
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Sir E. Griffiths) of 8 May Official Report, column 349, if the report on research commissioned by his Department on reductions in shore width is yet available; and if he will place copies in the Library.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: Copies of the report, which was published m August, have been placed in the Library.

  Dangerous Dogs
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider introducing legislation concerning the ownership of rottweiler and similar breeds of dogs in the light of recent deaths; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: Measures have been taken in the Dangerous Dogs Act 1989 to strengthen existing legislation on the control of dangerous dogs. We issued a consultation paper on 10 August which outlined further measures we propose on dog control. We are at present considering the responses to this consultation paper.

  PCB Wastes
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the microbial destruction method for polychlorinated biphenyls developed by the Canadian National Institute of Scientific Research, at Pointe Claire, Montreal in Canada; and what are the implications of this development for future import of Canadian origin PCB wastes for incineration in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: This process is one of several under development for the biological treatment of dilute halogenated organics including PCBs. It is not an alternative to high temperature incineration of concentrated PCBs.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will issue the further paper giving details of the scheme of transitional relief for individual community charge payers.

  Mr. Chope
  My Department has today written to all local authorities with papers giving further information
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  about the basis on which we propose transitional relief should be given. Copies of the letter and papers have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much capital expenditure is allocated for city technology colleges in(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government plan to make the following investment in the CTC programme:

  £ million

  1989–90

  34·965

  1990–

  35·055

  1991–

  36·618

  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. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much of the capital expenditure for each of (i) Solihull city technology college, (ii) Nottingham city technology college and (iii) Middlesbrough city technology college came from(a) private sources and (b) public funds.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Total capital grant from public funds and private funding for the three colleges which are now open are as follows, in £m:

  Total

  Public funding

  Private sources

  Solihull

  4·986

  3·986

  1·000

  Nottingham

  8·105

  7·414

  0·691

  Middlesbrough

  6·2555

  4·8723

  1·383

  Considerable further capital expenditure is planned at Solihull and at Nottingham, and the total contribution from private sources will amount to at least 20 per cent. in the former and at least 17 per cent. in the latter.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how much of the capital expenditure is coming from(a) private sources and (b) public funds in respect of (i) Bradford, (ii) Dartford, (iii) Gateshead, (iv) Croydon, Sylvan and (v) Croydon city technology colleges;

  (2) what proportion of the capital expenditure will come from (a) private sources and (b) public funds in respect of (i) Lewisham, (ii) Southwark and (iii) Brighton city technology colleges.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In the case of the CTCs at Bradford, Dartford, Gateshead, Sylvan, Croydon, Southwark and Brighton the funding regime for capital expenditure will be 80 per cent. public and 20 per cent. private. In the case of the Croydon city college for the technology of the arts the regime will be 60 per cent. public and 40 per cent. private. For Lewisham, we have made clear that, subject to further 264
  feasibility work, the public sector investment will be at least £4 million. We expect that the contribution from the private sector for acquiring the site and establishing a CTC will amount to about 50 per cent. of initial capital expenditure.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much of the funds so far allocated towards the capital expenditure on city technology colleges has come from(a) private sources and (b) public funds.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Actual capital expenditure on CTCs to date is as follows:

  Total £ million

  Public funds £million

  Private sources £ million

  Solihull CTC

  4·986

  3·986

  1·000

  Nottingham CTC

  8·105

  7·414

  0·691

  Teesside CTC

  6·2555

  4·8725

  1·383

  Tyneside CTC

  0·880

  0·880

  0·000

  Bradford CTC

  1·8495

  1·4795

  0·370

  Croydon City College for the Technology of the Arts

  0·195

  0·195

  0·000

  Dartford CTC

  2·907

  2·907

  0·000

  Brighton CTC

  2·500

  2·500

  0·000

  Croydon, Sylvan CTC

  0·400

  0·400

  0·000

  Bacon's CTC

  0·000

  0·000

  0·000

  Haberdashers' Aske's CTC

  0·000

  0·000

  0·000

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated annual revenue cost in each of the next three years of(a) Solihull, (b) Nottingham, (c) Middlesbrough, (d) Bradford, (e) Dartford, (f) Gateshead, (g) Croydon, Sylvan and (h) Croydon City technology colleges.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The estimated costs of the Solihull, Nottingham and Middlesbrough CTCs for the academic year 1989–90 are:

  £

  Solihull

  1,036,000

  Nottingham

  1,116,000

  Middlesbrough

  1,024,000

  Figures for the other colleges, and for the three colleges in subsequent years, are not yet finally determined.

  These recurrent costs include: a per capita grant, based upon spending in a comparable local education authority school; a temporary allowance for the diseconomies of operating schools which are not yet at their full capacity; and earmarked grant, for spending on specific purposes, namely: initial purchases of consumables, school meal subsidies, teacher training, information technology, and pupil support. With the exception of the information technology grant, all of them are calculated by reference to LEA norms.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Building
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish updated plans for the next phase of prison buildings.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In addition to the eight new prisons already opened 11 are being built and work has begun or
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  will soon begin at Doncaster, Everthorpe and Ashford. Further plans cannot be announced until the final outcome of several outstanding applications for planning permission is known.

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue a code of practice covering the use of video cameras for surveillance purposes to combat crimes and installed in public places by either police authorities, local authorities or private security firms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Home Office issued guidelines in 1984 for the police on the use of surveillance equipment. These guidelines make it clear that CCTV devices should be used by the police only where they are necessary for the efficient conduct of police operations and with due regard for the intrusion of privacy that may result in particular circumstances.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Rubber and Plastic Bullets
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total amount of compensation paid for(a) deaths and (b) injuries inflicted by (i) rubber bullets and (ii) plastic bullets in Northern Ireland 1969 to the present.

  Mr. Cope
  Between 1982 and 1989 (to 13 October) the total amount of damages paid as a result of claims made under the Police Act (Northern Ireland) 1970 against the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary for deaths and injuries resulting from the use of baton rounds is as follows:

  £

  Death

  66,000·00

  Injury

  562,156·53

  Information relating to those claims before 1982 and claims made against the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under criminal injuries legislation could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Compensation paid out in respect of injuries allegedly inflicted by baton rounds fired by the Army is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

  Lear Fan Factory
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will receive a reply to his letters of September concerning the disposal of the Lear Fan factory and its acquisition by Iraqi interests.

  Mr. Needham
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 16 October.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Vladimir and Karmela Raiz
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Russian authorities about their continued failure to grant an exit visa to Vladimir and Karmela Raiz of Vilnius.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We take every opportunity to press the Soviet authorities about Vladimir and Karmela Raiz. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised this case most recently when he met Mr. Shevardnadze in New York on 29 September. We shall maintain our pressure until this case is satisfactorily resolved.

  George Belitsky
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Russian authorities about their failure to grant an exit visa to George Belitsky of Vilnius whose wife and sons have been living in Israel since 1987.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We take every opportunity to press the Soviet authorities on individual refusenik cases such as George Belitsky. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised this case most recently when he met Mr. Shevardnadze in New York on 29 September. We shall maintain our pressure until this case is satisfactorily resolved.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his response to the latest representations of the Argentine Government regarding the future of the Falkland Islands.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given today to my right hon. Friend the Member for Guildford (Mr. Howell).

  Argentina
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent talks in Madrid between British and Argentinian representatives.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The talks which concluded yesterday have enabled us to resolve a number of practical issues without prejudicing the sovereignty of the Falkland islands and represent a significant step towards the normalisation of relations between the United Kingdom and Argentina. I am arranging for a copy of the communiqué to be placed in the Library of the House.

  In addition, the British representative made a statement announcing our intention to extend the breadth of the territorial sea around certain dependent territories which included the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

  Southern Africa Booklet
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps were taken during the preparation of the booklet, "Britain in Southern Africa
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  —A Force for Peaceful Change and Development" to ensure that the Cabinet Office guidelines stating that Government publicity should not be personalised were observed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The booklet is in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidelines in that it is a factual statement of Government policy directed primarily at readers overseas.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of producing and distributing the booklet "Britain in Southern Africa—A Force for Peaceful Change and Development".

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The total cost of production was £18,708 and 13,000 copies have been printed, of which 8,000 have so far been distributed overseas. The Central Office of Information distributed the booklet to diplomatic missions overseas as part of its regular distribution of information material. Distribution costs are not therefore separately identifiable.

  United Nations
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out those initiatives introduced by Her Majesty's Government before the most recent general assembly of the United Nations held in September.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In his speech at the United Nations general assembly on 27 September, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs set out our position on a wide range of the most important current international issues. He also took the opportunity to propose that the Geneva negotiations on chemical weapons should be conducted on a year round basis, announce the Helen Suzman scholarships for black South Africans and announce our package of assistance to the Colombian Government to pursue their anti-drugs campaign.

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet representatives of the Government of Afghanistan.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No. We look forward to the day when it is replaced by a truly representative Government with whom we could have normal relations.

  China
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with the People's Republic of China.

  Mr. Maude
  We and our EC partners agree that in present circumstances it would be premature to resume normal relations with China. But we have no wish to impede either people-to-people contacts, or trade on normal commercial terms.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking in relation to prisoners due to be in Hong Kong 268
  prisons on 30 July 1997, to ensure that the safeguards embodied in the Fugitive Offenders Act 1967 are complied with; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The work of preparing local legislation to replace Acts of Parliament applied to Hong Kong, including the Fugitive Offenders Act 1967, is being undertaken. Such legislation will remain in force after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative region, on 1 July 1997, in accordance with the joint declaration. The safeguards embodied in this local legislation will apply to prisoners in Hong Kong prisons after 1 July 1997 who have been returned to Hong Kong from abroad.

THE ARTS

  Merseyside Arts Association
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met the chairman of Merseyside Arts Association to discuss the future of arts administration on Merseyside.

  Mr. Luce
  I have not done so.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  DRG Company
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will receive a deputation from the leaders of the work force of DRG Deeside to hear their views concerning the bid for DRG by Pembridge Investments of Bermuda; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  It is not appropriate for Ministers to comment on the merits of a merger situation in advance of the Secretary of State's decision on the question of reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. DRG will have had an opportunity to make representations about the bid by Pembridge Investments to the Director General of Fair Trading whose advice to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on the question of reference to the Commission will reflect those representations.

  Offshore Purchasers
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received asking for legislation to forbid offshore purchasers of a group of companies selling its constituent businesses free of tax at the corporate level; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have received a number of representations on this issue from hon. Members and others, but the matter is one which falls to be considered by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, rather than by me.

  British Shipbuilders
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will provide an estimate of the commercial cost to British Shipbuilders of the closure of North East Shipbuilders, separately identifying(a) redundancy payments, (b) closure bonus payments, (c)

  269
  care and maintenance of the facilities since vessel construction ceased, (d) all costs incurred by British Shipbuilders in dealing with prospective purchasers of the facilities and (e) any other costs;

  (2) if he will provide an estimate of the cost to Her Majesty's Government of the closure of North East Shipbuilders Ltd., excluding commercial costs to British Shipbuilders.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The accounts for North East Shipbuilders Ltd. for 1987–88 were prepared on a closure basis following the decision announced by the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 7 December 1988. Signed on 31 January 1989, provision for estimated extraordinary losses of £53·7 million was made on account of closure. The provision included £28·5 million for redundancy payments and £5 million for closure bonus payments. These closure costs could only have been avoided had disposal retaining the whole of the work force proved possible based on bids received in 1988.

  Offset by forecast receipts from the disposal of assets, the greater part of the £19·8 million for other costs reflected in the provision related to unrecovered labour and overheads. These were estimated by convention from 1 April 1988, the beginning of the following financial year. A considerable proportion of these costs had been incurred by December 1988, were irrespective of the decisions taken then, and could not have been avoided for some time thereafter even if sale negotiations had commenced at that time. Moreover, had a decision to open negotiations for shipbuilding been taken in July 1989, costs up to the early part of next year would not have been avoided on account of the Commission's expected procedure. British Shipbuilders regard more detailed information on other costs as commercially confidential.

  In addition to costs at NESL, disposal talks both before the end of 1988 and in 1989 have involved senior corporation staff for a proportion of their time. Their salaries and related overheads would, however, have been incurred whatever decisions were taken in December 1988 and in July 1989. Fees for financial advice to British Shipbuilders on NESL are additional but are commercially confidential.

  All costs incurred by British Shipbuilders net of trading income are funded by Her Majesty's Government.

  Cellular Radiophones
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to ensure that the cellular radiophone networks cover all the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Forth
  The two cellular radio operators were obliged by their operating licences to provide services in an area where 90 per cent. of the United Kingdom population live by the end of 1989. This target was achieved during 1987. Expansion has continued since then and now stands at over 94 per cent. In the light of this, I have no plans to impose a further coverage requirement on the cellular operators.

  Mr. Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to seek to ensure that cellular telephone companies publish a map with any of their advertisements indicating the areas of the United Kingdom covered by their cellular radio networks.
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  Mr. Forth
  Both of the cellular radio operators publish detailed maps of the areas covered by their networks, and these are made available to the public without charge. The Office of Telecommunications is also issuing a users guide for cellular radio, available from next week, which will include coverage maps.

  I therefore have no plans to oblige the operators to include such maps in their advertisements.

  Glass
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the form of a table(a) the amount of glass recycled by each west European country in 1988 and (b) the amount of glass recycled as a percentage of the total amount of glass used for packaging for each country.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The information is in the table.

  Western Europe glass recycling figures for 1988

  Country

  Tonnes of glass re-cycled

  Percentage of total amount of glass used for packaging

  Austria

  98,000

  50

  Belgium

  166,000

  50

  Denmark

  46,000

  27

  Finland

  2,000

  3

  France

  676,000

  34

  West Germany

  1,176,000

  39

  United Kingdom

  264,000

  16

  Greece

  14,000

  16

  Ireland

  9,000

  10

  Italy

  610,000

  40

  Netherlands

  261,000

  53

  Norway

  3,000

  6

  Portugal

  31,000

  13

  Spain

  278,000

  23

  Sweden

  31,000

  22

  Switzerland

  156,000

  55

  Note:

  The European figures were provided by FEVE—the European Glass Containers Federation. The United Kingdom figure was provided by the British Glass Manufacturers Confederation.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what amount of cullet was imported into the United Kingdom in 1988.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: A total of 11,000 tonnes of cullet was imported into the United Kingdom in 1988.

HEALTH

  London Ambulance Service
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has, and what action he has taken, concerning possible contracting out of the non-emergency services of the London ambulance service; what organisations and persons he has approached concerning any such proposals; and what response he has received.

  Mr. Freeman
  The management of the London ambulance service is the responsibility of the South West Thames regional health authority to which I refer the hon. Member.

DEFENCE

  Goose Bay
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of(a) bombing flights, (b) low-flying exercises and (c) personnel deployed by the RAF at Goose Bay for each year since 1983.

  Mr. Neubert
  I have nothing to add to the information on low-level training sorties carried out by the RAF at Goose Bay provided on 10 May at columns 472–73 and, by my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) on 23 November 1987 at column 31 to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas). The number of personnel deployed by the Royal Air Force at Goose Bay at any one time is within the maximum of 350 personnel permitted by the multilateral memorandum of understanding which covers the use of Goose Bay.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment of environmental impact and impact on human life from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation base at Goose Bay has been made by his Department.

  Mr. Neubert
  None. The environmental impact of the use of the Canadian forces base at Goose Bay is a matter for the Canadian authorities.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning the use of Goose Bay as a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and RAF training base; and if he will make a statement on its future use.

  Mr. Neubert
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations concerning the use of Goose Bay. The RAF, in common with some other members of NATO, makes use of the Canadian facilities at Goose Bay from time to time. This is at the invitation of the Canadian Government, who are responsible for all use, including future use, of the area and its airspace. The RAF continues to value highly the use of the facilities at Goose Bay.

  Innu Indians, Labrador
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will meet representatives of the Innu Indians of Labrador when they visit the United Kingdom on 30 October.

  Mr. Neubert
  No. Matters affecting Labrador, Canada, including the interests of the native Indian population, are the responsibility of the Canadian authorities.

  Armed Forces Personnel (Sentences)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces have been permitted to return to their duties after(a) serving custodial sentences, (b) receiving suspended sentences and (c) being fined by the criminal courts for the latest convenient period.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Fylingdales (Inspection Access)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to respond positively to the proposal announced by Soviet Foreign Minister 272
  Shevardnadze in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on 24 September, that the Soviet Union should be permitted full inspection access to the radar monitoring facility at Fylingdales in Yorkshire.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government have received no request for access by the Soviet Union to the ballistic missile early warning facility at RAF Fylingdales. Soviet concerns about RAF Fylingdales are a legal matter of treaty interpretation and would therefore not be resolved by an inspection of the radars. If, however, the parties to the anti-ballistic missile treaty considered that a visit would be helpful in allaying Soviet concerns, then the Government would consider such a request in the light of the terms of the approach.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what action is being taken to promote the use of recycled paper for House of Commons notepaper, envelopes, and other stationery.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  Many of the stationery items supplied to the House are already made from recycled material. The Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee is fully aware of the need to increase the use of recycled paper at every suitable opportunity and has decided to re-examine the practicability of its use for the first-class stationery used by right hon. and hon. Members this autumn.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Birmingham County Court
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General how many clerical staff in Birmingham county court have resigned in each month of the current financial year.

  The Attorney-General
  The number of staff that have resigned in each month of the current financial year is as follows:

  Number

  April

  4

  May

  2

  June

  3

  July

  5

  August

  6

  September

  11

  October

  5

  Total

  36

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General how many staff the unit value attached to Birmingham county court indicates should be in post, by grade; and how many are presently in post.

  The Attorney-General
  The number of staff allocated to individual courts is not determined on the basis of unit values.

  Each circuit is allocated an authorised level of staff and the number and grade then allocated to each court is based on relative workloads.
  273
  The authorised staff ceiling of 180 for Birmingham county court has been maintained at or very close to that figure.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the time taken at Birmingham county court to process correspondence and to obtain hearings.

  The Attorney-General
  There are no records kept on the time correspondence, including letters requesting hearings, takes to process. Requests to issue summonses, warrants, divorce petitions and for judgment to be entered are dealt with within five days. Over recent months it has been difficult to deal with all items of correspondence within a reasonable time although it is understood that any matters requiring urgent appointments are being appropriately dealt with. Action has been put in hand to deal with the arrears as quickly as possible.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General what at the latest convenient date was the number of(a) casual and (b) relief staff, by job title or group, employed at Birmingham county court.

  The Attorney-General
  (a) Casual Staff

  As of 1 October 1989, the number and grade of casual staff employed at Birmingham county court were:

  Number

  Administrative Officer

  2

  Administrative Assistant

  4

  Support Grade Band 2

  1

  The average number of casuals employed during August and September was 15.

  (b) Relief Staff

  Between three and five relief staff at AO level have been provided by other courts since late July. A further relief team of six AOs and a team leader will be working at Birmingham from 16 October for one month.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General what at the latest convenient date was the number of items of outstanding correspondence awaiting attention at Birmingham county court; and what was the position one and two years earlier.

  The Attorney-General
  At 17 October 1989 there were approximately 11,600 items of correspondence awaiting action. There were no significant arrears of correspondence in either of the previous years.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General what on average is the time taken to deal with routine correspondence at Birmingham county court; and what was the position one and two years ago.

  The Attorney-General
  No measure of the average time taken to deal with correspondence is kept. There were no significant problems in general terms in either of the two previous years.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will detail the current staff ceiling, broken down by grade, at Birmingham county court; and what was the position one and two years earlier.

  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is set out in the table. Staff ceilings are set annually, and reviewed at least quarterly by group managers.274

  October

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Grade 7

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  SEO

  2·0

  2·0

  2·0

  HEO

  8·0

  8·0

  8·0

  EO

  21·0

  21·0

  21·0

  AO

  95·0

  96·0

  87·0

  AA

  24·0

  21·0

  16·0

  Paperkeeper

  15·0

  16·5

  16·0

  Typing manager

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  Typist

  13·0

  15·0

  12·5

  Telephonist

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  Usher

  6·0

  5·5

  5·5

  Security

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  Messenger

  2·0

  3·0

  3·0

  Totals

  195·0

  197·0

  180·0

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will quantify the amount of(a) "targeted" and (b) "non-targeted" work currently undertaken at Birmingham county court; and what was the workload one and two years earlier.

  The Attorney-General
  The information is not kept in the form requested. The total workload of the county court measured by unit values for the financial years 1986 to 1989 was:

  Unit values

  March 1986–87

  461,440

  March 1987–88

  478,083

  March 1988–89

  453,795

  September 1989

  493,448

  The figures show a 8·7 per cent. increase in workload between March and September 1989.

PRIME MINISTER

  Non-proliferation Treaty
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if, during her meeting with President Gorbachev in the Soviet Union in September, she raised the opportunities available to the depository states for the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to increase treaty membership and strengthen compliance before the fourth nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference next August;

  (2) if, during her meeting with President Mitterrand of France on 1 September, she discussed the prospects of France joining the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in the period before the fourth non-proliferation treaty review conference to be held in summer 1990;

  (3) if, during her visit to Japan in September, she raised with members of the Japanese Government the co-operation on nuclear technology and nuclear fuels sales between Japan and the United Kingdom, pursuant to articles III and IV of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and initiatives to be jointly promoted by Her Majesty's Government and the Japanese Government on strengthening the non-proliferation treaty before and at its fourth review conference next August.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  No.

  Defence Minister Yazov
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what issues she discussed with visiting Soviet Defence Minister Yazov on 25 July at Downing street; and what plans there are for the Chief of the Defence Staff, the First Sea Lords, an Admiral of the Fleet or a Defence Minister to visit the Soviet Union.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  At the meeting my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister held with General Yazov on 25 July, matters of mutual interest were discussed. Discussions are continuing on our future defence contacts with the USSR. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence hopes to visit the Soviet Union next year.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what opportunities she had to raise nuclear non-proliferation and the NPT fourth review conference, to be held next summer, in meetings with foreign heads of state or heads of Government, since 28 July.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  I understand that these matters have not figured on the agenda of any meetings which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has had since 28 July with foreign heads of state or Heads of Government.

  Downing Street (Barrier)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she was consulted over the building of a barrier at the entrance to Downing street; why it was considered that the existing security measures are not adequate; and what are the full costs of the proposed construction.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  [holding answer 19 October]: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister was of course consulted about the security improvements to Downing street as were other Ministers and organisations with a close interest.

  It is not the Government's practice to comment on the operational aspects or detailed costs of security measures.

SCOTLAND

  Lithotriptor Cetre
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the administrative cost to both the National Health Service and the SHHD of the new invoicing system created between the Scottish lithotriptor centre and customer boards.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The invoicing system is a pilot scheme which still has some months to run.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what fees are to be charged to private patients for treatment at the Scottish lithotriptor centre; and what proportion of fee will be paid to consultants.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not held centrally. The charging of fees to private patients is entirely a matter for Lothian health board and for the consultants concerned.
  276
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his assessment of the number of private patients treated monthly at the Scottish lithotriptor centre.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have made no such assessment. Lothian health board is fully aware that treatment of private patients must not interrupt the service to NHS patients.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what statutory powers the SHHD acted when instructing that the Scottish lithotriptor centre be self-funding in 1989–90.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The new arrangements for funding the lithotriptor were introduced administratively after discussions with health boards.

  Women General Practitioners
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women general practitioners there were in(a) Scotland, (b) the Strathclyde region and (c) Greater Glasgow for each year since 1974.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 18 October 1989]: The information is available in the form requested only since 1976, as set out in the table.

  Female General Medical Practitioners (unrestricted principals only)

  Year

  Scotland

  Strathclyde region

  Greater Glasgow

  1976

  443

  210

  131

  1977

  463

  223

  135

  1978

  494

  245

  149

  1979

  511

  260

  155

  1980

  522

  265

  154

  1981

  543

  268

  157

  1982

  567

  271

  161

  1983

  607

  300

  173

  1984

  649

  327

  186

  1985

  693

  349

  200

  1986

  721

  354

  196

  1987

  760

  369

  202

  1988

  822

  397

  214

  Ambulance Staff
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is for each year since 1974 the number of ambulance staff working for the National Health Service in(a) Scotland, (b) the Strathclyde region and (c) Greater Glasgow.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 18 October 1989]: The number of ambulance crews in post in the Scottish ambulance service as at 31 March each year was as follows:

  Year1

  Scotland (including Greater Glasgow ambulance area)

  Greater Glasgow ambulance area

  1978

  1,386

  296

  1979

  1,558

  311

  1980

  1,626

  316

  1981

  1,647

  322

  1982

  1,665

  321

  1983

  1,698

  317

  1984

  1,705

  304

  1985

  1,724

  303

  277

  Year1

  Scotland (including Greater Glasgow ambulance area)

  Greater Glasgow ambulance area

  1986

  1,744

  307

  1987

  1,761

  305

  1988

  1,809

  296

  1989

  1,833

  287

  1 Information prior to 1978 is not available.

  No figures are available for Strathclyde region as it emcompasses two whole ambulance areas and parts of a number of others.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Sectretary of State for Employment which of the training and enterprise councils, or proposals for training and enterprise councils have honourable Members on the board; and if he will identify the honourable Members.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are no hon. Members included on the boards of prospective training and enterprise councils, nor are any included in proposals for training and enterprise councils.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the detailed arrangements for provision of employment training and YTS under training and enterprise councils.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The detailed arrangements for provision of employment training and YTS under training and enterprise councils will be published shortly.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total amount of public money that the TECs have received for development funding; and if he will provide an itemised breakdown.

  Mr. Nicholls
  To date a total of some £2,500,000 for funding has been agreed with 22 prospective TECs. These are itemised in the table.

  Training and Enterprise Councils Contracted levels of development funding

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Total fund £

  SOUTH EAST

  Essex

  75,000

  35,000

  110,000

  Hampshire

  127,765

  21,235

  149,000

  Hertfordshire

  100,000

  10,000

  110,000

  Isle of Wight

  57,000

  28,000

  85,000

  Milton Keynes

  54,250

  20,500

  74,750

  Thames Valley

  125,000

  —

  125,000

  LONDON

  Kingston/Merton

  87,000

  24,000

  111,000

  SOUTH WEST

  Dorset

  95,000

  —

  95,000

  Devon/Cornwall

  189,750

  —

  189,750

  EAST MIDLANDS AND EASTERN

  North Notts

  120,000

  —

  120,000

  YORKSHIRE AND HUMBERSIDE

  Calderdale/Kirklees

  106,125

  —

  106,125

  Sheffield

  137,500

  —

  137,500

  North Yorkshire

  124,725

  —

  124,725

  278

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Total fund £

  Rotherham

  80,000

  10,000

  90,000

  NORTH WEST

  Cumbria

  115,000

  —

  115,000

  East Lancashire

  118,000

  —

  118,000

  Oldham

  80,588

  —

  80,588

  Rochdale

  75,000

  —

  75,000

  South & East Cheshire

  106,000

  —

  106,000

  Wigan

  65,390

  28,610

  94,000

  NORTHERN

  Teesside

  127,000

  —

  127,000

  Tyneside

  135,650

  —

  135,650

  TOTALS

  2,301,743

  177,345

  2,479,088

  Young People (Remuneration)
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how the Government intend to comply with the requirement of article 24 of the draft social charter that young people of more than 16 years of age who are in gainful employment should receive equitable remuneration.

  Mr. Eggar
  The European Commission's draft social charter is still under discussion by member states.

  Wages
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the underpayment figures, regionally, for underpayment of wages in 1987 and 1988, and the percentage of establishments visited by the inspectorate in the regions which were underpaying in 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information for 1987 is contained in the reply given on 4 March 1988 in the Official Report at columns 731–36. The information for 1988 is in the reply given on 1 March 1989 in the Official Report at columns 201–6.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if there is a level of wages which the Government treats as excessively low.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Pay generally is a matter for employers and their employees to decide for themselves in the light of all the relevant circumstances.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in the light of the increase in illegal underpayment cases in 1988, what the Government intend to do to halt this trend.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The general level of compliance with wages orders remains consistently high. The percentage of workers found to be paid at least the statutory minimum due in checks conducted by the wages inspectorate in 1987 was 96·9 per cent. and 1988 was 96·6 per cent.

  Wages Councils
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evidence he has that abolition of the wages councils will result directly in employment growth; and if he will publish it.
  279
  Mr. Nicholls
  Studies supporting the Government's view that the abolition of wages councils would have a favourable effect on employment have been listed in previous parliamentary answers in the Official Report on 21 February 1985 at column 516 and on 18 June 1985 at column 92.

  Crown Immunity
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now introduce legislation to remove Crown immunity from Crown bodies other than health authorities.

  Mr. Luce
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government's policy in respect of Crown immunity is that it should not lead to lower standards being accepted in Crown premises. This is reviewed in individual cases where there appears to be evidence of cause for concern.

  Low Pay
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many inspectors were in charge of low pay cases for each year since 1974.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 18 October 1989]: The Department inspects pay levels only where statutory minimum rates set by wages councils are in force. The average number of inspectors in post for this purpose in each of the years in question was:

  Year

  Number

  1974

  135

  1975

  128

  1976

  125

  1977

  132

  1978

  143

  1979

  158

  1980

  155

  1981

  117

  1982

  116

  1983

  116

  1984

  115

  1985

  120

  1986

  116

  1987

  73

  1988

  70

  The reduction in the number of inspectors in 1987 reflected the simpler and quicker task of checking compliance with wage orders and the rise in the general level of compliance following the reform of the wages council system in 1986.

  Career Development Loans
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library details of the career development loans scheme, and any evaluation carried out by his Department of the scheme.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 17 October 1989]: The Government launched career development loans nationally in July 1988, and details were placed in the Library of the House at that time. External evaluation is planned for 1990–91. I will write to the hon. Member about the evaluation of the pilot carried out by my Department and place a copy in the Library of the House.

ENERGY

  European Community (Nuclear Generation)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to introduce a paper to the European Council of Energy Ministers meeting in Luxembourg on 30 October to eliminate all state subsidies of the nuclear generating and nuclear fuel cycle industries in the European Community, as part of progress towards free competition in the energy markets in the European Community from 1 January 1993.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have no plans to do so. However, the Commission is currently collecting information from member states about state aids and other Government assistance to the Community electricity and nuclear industries.

  European Co-operation
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has to introduce new initiatives for European co-operation on(a) renewable energy technologies, (b) fast breeder nuclear technology and (c) fusion reactor technology at the next Council of European Energy Ministers meeting in Luxembourg on 30 October.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  There is already an active programme of collaboration within the EEC on research and demonstration programmes in renewable energy technologies. During its Presidency the United Kingdom initiated a series of exchanges within the EEC on renewable energy. As a result senior scientific advisers from each member state now meet regularly to exchange information and to co-ordinate programmes within the Community.

  The Council will be discussing a Commission proposal, for a further five-year programme to promote energy technology in Europe, which includes support for work on renewable energy sources. The Commission has also submitted proposals for a new framework programme on research and development which includes work on all the technologies mentioned. This will be discussed by the Community's research council.

  Plutonium (Sellafield)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide published data in the Official Report giving (a) the total in kilogrammes of the amount of plutonium in all wastes on the Sellafield site resulting from the reprocessing of all Central Electricity Generating Board and South of Scotland Electricity Board Magnox spent fuel up to 31 December 1986, (b) the accuracy of the figure in (a), and ( c ) how much of the figure in (a) is included in the table giving the allocation of plutonium produced in Central Electricity Generating Board and South of Scotland Electricity Board Magnox reactors as of 31 March 1987, Official Report, 24 July 1987, column 516.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 18 July 1989 at columns 79–80.

  National Power
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if National Power will retain the ownership of all nuclear waste in the categories of low, intermediate and high level
  281
  solid and liquid radioactive wastes arising from their nuclear stations and after reprocessing, when the Central Electricity Generating Board is privatised.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate requires the licensee to make satisfactory arrangements for the treatment, storage and ultimate disposal of spent fuel and nuclear waste. This will not change after privatisation.

  United Kingdom Nirex Ltd
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the constitution of the board of United Kingdom Nirex Ltd, following the privatisation of the Central Electricity Generating Board.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No decisions have yet been taken on the CEGB's present shareholding in Nirex after privatisation.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  World Bank (Environmental Protection)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives have been taken by Her Majesty's Government's representatives at the World Bank to increase the activities of the bank in global environmental protection and environmental development; and what policies on the environment the World Bank currently pursues.

  Mrs. Chalker
  United Kingdom representatives have been at the forefront in urging the Bank to increase its attention to environmental matters, most recently at last month's development committee meeting. The Bank has made admirable progress in assessing the environmental problems of developing countries and in devising appropriate policies. We shall continue to press for further progress.

  On the question of global environmental protection, the development committee welcomed the Bank's increasing emphasis on energy conservation and efficiency, and encouraged the Bank to assist countries in introducing alternatives to chlorofluorocarbons.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animal Foodstuffs (Labelling)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that the regulations relating to mandatory labelling of ingredients on animal foodstuffs are adhered to.

  Mr. Maclean
  The European Council of Ministers is currently considering a proposal which will require suppliers of animal feeds to declare the materials of categories of materials used in them to supplement existing detailed labelling requirements. Any new measures will be enacted in United Kingdom legislation under the Agriculture Act 1970, which will continue to be enforced by local authorities.

  Eggs
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest figures for the consumption and production of eggs in Great Britain;282
  what were the figures for production and consumption 12 months prior to that date; and if he will make a statement on the future of egg production in Great Britain.

  Mr. Gummer
  The latest available data are as follows: Consumption of eggs in Great Britain for the second quarter of 1989 was 2·41 eggs per person per week per household (source: National Food Survey). The egg packing survey shows throughput by packing stations in Great Britain for the four weeks ending 1 October totalling 2,149 thousand boxes. These figures compare with equivalent figures for 1988 of 2·74 eggs per person per week for household consumption of eggs and 2,384 thousand boxes for throughput at packing stations in Great Britain.

  Our comprehensive package of measures to combat the risk of salmonella in eggs should enable consumer confidence in eggs to be restored and our egg market to strengthen to the benefit of producers.

  Crayfish Plague
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek the advice of the National Rivers Authority on possible methods of combating crayfish plague.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have asked the National Rivers Authority for any advice the authority has to offer. This fungal disease established itself in many of our main crayfish rivers some years ago. Our view remains that practical controls for containing or eradicating crayfish plague—which attacks wild fish in their natural environment—would be very difficult to achieve and would be of doubtful effectiveness.

  Butter and Meat Distribution
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will name all organisations which have distributed butter, released from EEC stores, in Bradford in the last two years; and what representations he has received concerning the fairness and efficiency of the distribution of butter.

  Mr. MacLean
  A list of the organisations originally designed to participate in the scheme was placed in the Library of the House on 21 April 1988. Of these the following are based in Bradford:

  Islamic Missionary College

  Blenheim Mosque

  Jamiyat Tabligh UI Islam

  Suffa Tul Islam

  Bierley Community Centre

  Over the two years during which the scheme has been operating, we have received a number of representations about it. Most of these have been about the uneven availability of produce, the exclusion of pensioners as a group from the scheme and the allocation of produce to ethnic minority groups.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps when butter or meat is next released from EEC stores for distribution free within the United Kingdom to ensure that wide publicity is given in advance of distribution giving information about entitlement to receive butter and meat; and if he will also ensure that distribution arrangements are widely publicised to ensure maximum take-up by those entitled to receive butter and meat.
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  Mr. MacLean
  The arrangements for publicising local distributions of surplus produce is a matter for the participating organisations concerned to determine in the light of their knowledge of local needs. Given that the produce available is being fully utilised I have no reason to believe that the current arrangements are inadequate.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when butter and meat will next be released from EEC stores for distribution free within the United Kingdom; who will be eligible to receive butter and meat; and what arrangements he will make to ensure such distribution is conducted fairly and efficiently(a) in Bradford and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  The release of produce from stores and its distribution to eligible recipients has been, and will continue to be, timed to accord with the arrangements made by the organisations operating the scheme. These arrangements will continue until the current scheme runs out. Beyond that, the Commission has made no proposals for a scheme in 1990, but intervention stocks have been much reduced, and the Commission is to review the arrangements next year.

  Those eligible to receive produce under the current scheme will continue to be the most needy in our
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  community, that is, those on income support or family credit and those living in welfare hostels or who have no fixed abode.

  When this scheme was set up, it was decided that the produce would be distributed by voluntary organisations who wished, and had the expertise and facilities, to do so. Designated organisations have clear instructions about eligibility and procedures for distribution. Staff of the agricultural department monitor distributions to ensure that they are conducted in accordance with the rules. The voluntary nature of the scheme makes it impossible to ensure an even geographical distribution of the produce.

  Nitrogen-based Fertilisers
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to conduct a study of the implications of the release of methane gas from the use of nitrogen-based fertilisers in the United Kingdom for the greenhouse effect global warming.

  Mr. MacLean
  Methane gas is a product of decomposition. Its agricultural source is ruminant digestion rather than the use of nitrogen-based fertilisers. The Ministry is investigating agricultural sources of greenhouse gases.