Written Answers of 23 October 1989

NATIONAL FINANCE

  EC Economic and Finance Council
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

  Mr. Lawson
  The Ecofin Council met in Luxembourg on 9 October. The Financial Secretary represented the United Kingdom.

  The Council discussed the abolition of fiscal frontiers, where outline agreement was reached on a number of technical issues to pave the way for the removal of frontier controls related to VAT, in particular the importance of retaining the destination principle. There will be a further discussion at the November Ecofin. The taxation of savings was also discussed, and it was agreed that the Commission should bring forward draft outline proposals on measures to strengthen mutual assistance and to combat tax fraud, for discussion at the meeting of Ecofin in November. It was agreed to send a letter to the European investment bank inviting it to make loan finance available to Poland and Hungary under the bank's normal criteria for lending from its own resources. The Commission's proposals for borrowing under the new Community instrument and through Euratom were also discussed, but no agreement was reached.

  Energy Conservation
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to remove value added tax from insulation materials used to improve energy conservation in buildings.

  Mr. Ryder
  Zero-rating already exists for new dwellings and so insulation materials are relieved when they are installed in the course of construction by a VAT-registered builder. VAT-registered owners of new or existing commercial buildings can normally reclaim, under the normal input tax rules, any tax they are charged for insulation work or materials. Even if the cost of a general relief were acceptable in terms of revenue forgone and additional administration, any such relief would not be permissible under the EC sixth VAT directive. Thus the Government have no plans for a general relief for the insulation of existing dwellings either by contractors or on a DIY basis.

  Customs Officers
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the powers and responsibilities of customs officers when questioning United Kingdom citizens arriving at ports of entry.

  Mr. Ryder
  Customs officers' powers and responsibili-ties are set out in the Customs and Excise Management 286
  Act 1979. Under section 78 of that Act an officer may require a passenger to produce for examination his baggage and anything contained therein and to answer questions in respect of such items.

  Customs officers must also have regard to the relevant provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and its codes of practice.

  Manufacturing Industry (Investment)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will tabulate the investment made by British institutions in manufacturing industry outside the United Kingdom during 1988 together with the comparable amounts of inward investment including for each case the respective geographical areas and manufacturing sectors.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 17 October 1989]: The available information relates to United Kingdom net direct investment overseas in manufacturing industry and overseas net direct investment in United Kingdom manufacturing industry and was published in tables 1.6 and 2.6 of "Business Monitor MA4 1987, Overseas Transactions", a copy of which is in the Library. Comparable information for 1988 should become available next spring. No information is available on overseas portfolio investment by country or by industry.

  African Elephants
  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to identify African elephant products in the overseas trade statistics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The main trade in elephant products is in ivory. Currently, trade in both new and worked ivory is identified in the Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Trade is not normally allowed in Indian elephant ivory under the convention on international trade in endangered species of fauna and flora (CITES). Similar strict controls will now apply to African elephant ivory following agreement this week at the CITES conference.

  In the United Kingdom, strict controls were introduced on imports of ivory from 9 June 1989. From 17 August 1989, these controls have been applied in the European Community under Commission Regulation 2496/89.

  Figures relating to trade in goods included under CITES are published by the European Commission.

  Ivory

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now in a position to give details regarding the five consignments of raw ivory which were being held at Heathrow airport when he replied to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West on 6 June,Official Report, column 118.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 18 October 1989]: The position remains as outlined in the answer given to the hon. Member on 6 June at column 118.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has regarding seizures of ivory at ports of entry since 12 April.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 18 October 1989]: Customs continue to seize consignments of illegally imported ivory.
  287
  Most seizures, often involving small quantities, are made locally without reference to Customs HQ. Statistical information is compiled only periodically. Up-to-date details could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.

  Inflation and Interest Rates
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the average levels of inflation and interest rates in(a) Denmark, (b) Canada, (c)

  Short-term Interest Rates

  Year

  United States

  Japan

  Germany

  France

  Canada

  Denmark

  Netherlands

  Sweden

  1979

  11·2

  6·2

  6·7

  9·5

  111·2

  12·6

  9·0

  8·2

  1981

  13·1

  10·9

  9·5

  12·2

  12·6

  16·9

  10·1

  12·2

  1982

  15·9

  7·6

  12·1

  15·3

  18·3

  14·8

  11·0

  14·4

  1983

  9·1

  6·7

  5·8

  12·5

  9·4

  12·0

  5·3

  10·9

  1984

  10·4

  6·5

  6·0

  11·7

  11·0

  11·5

  5·8

  11·8

  1985

  8·1

  6·6

  5·4

  10·0

  9·5

  10·0

  6·3

  13·9

  1986

  6·5

  5·1

  4·6

  7·7

  9·2

  9·1

  5·8

  10·2

  1987

  6·9

  4·2

  4·0

  8·3

  8·3

  9·9

  5·2

  9·2

  1988

  7·7

  4·5

  4·3

  7·9

  9·5

  8·2

  4·5

  10·1

  1 1979 not same series.

  Source: IMF and national sources.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Minister in his Department is responsible for day-to-day management of his Department's information technology strategy; and what proportion of his time was spent on this matter in the month up to Friday 13 October.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The Minister responsible for oversight of Her Majesty's Treasury's information technology strategy is the Paymaster General. Officials are responsible for the day-to-day management of the strategy. No strategic issue required the attention of the Paymaster General in the month up to Friday 13 October.

  Economic Statistics
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the annual percentage growth each year since 1979 in(a) real incomes, (b) the stock of consumer debt outstanding in real terms, (c) consumer spending and (d) output in the economy.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The 1989 edition of "United Kingdom National Accounts"—otherwise known as the CSO Blue Book—gives annual estimates of real personal disposable income (Table 4.1), consumers' expenditure at constant prices (Table 4.6) and of United Kingdom output (Table 2.4). A copy is available in the Library. Figures of the annual percentage growth of the stock of consumer credit, expressed in real terms, are as follows:

  Growth

  1979

  7·9

  1980

  3·2

  1981

  9·4

  1982

  -6·6

  1983

  12·3

  1984

  12·2

  1985

  11·7

  1986

  12·3

  288
  France, (d) Holland, (e) the Federal Republic of Germany, (f) Japan, (g) the United States of America and (h) Sweden for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 18 October 1989]: The average levels of inflation since 1979 for Denmark, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, the United States and Sweden are given in "OECD Economic Outlook June 1989", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. The information requested on interest rates is as follows:

  Growth

  1987

  15·5

  1988

  10·9

  Low Pay
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct all Government Departments concerned to review the present pay structures of low-paid workers within their responsibilities with a view to giving them a parity with police and armed forces personnel.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: No.

  Electricity
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost to the United Kingdom's balance of payments in pounds sterling in the latest available year of the purchase by the Central Electricity Generating Board of electricity from France.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have been asked to reply.

  The provisional value (on a cost, insurance and freight basis) of imports of electricity from France to the United Kingdom in 1988 was £268 million.

  Source: Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, Table 71.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Salman Rushdie
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost in each month since January for the special protection measures taken on behalf of Mr. Salman Rushdie.

  Mr. Hurd
  It would not be proper to disclose information about police protection which would indicate its scale in a particular case.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about trends in Metropolitan police manpower since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since 1979 the trend in Metropolitan police manpower has been steadily upwards. At the end of August 1989 the strength of the force was 28,240–25 per cent. higher than at the end of 1979. In addition, there are now some 1,300 more civil staff supporting the Metropolitan police than there were at the end of 1979; and civilianisation has released more than 300 police officers for operational duty over the last three years, and is expected to release a further 200 in 1989–90. This steady increase in manpower reflects our sustained commitment to building up the strength and efficiency of the police.

  West Midlands Chief Constable
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the chief constable of the West Midlands; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Hurd
  I met the chief constable on 5 September, when I attended the "Fire 89" conference in Birmingham. We discussed a number of matters concerning policing in England and Wales.

  Arrests (Football Grounds)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many people were arrested during the 1988–89 season at the grounds of each of the clubs playing in each of the four divisions of the Football League; and what are the comparable statistics for the previous two seasons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) collate the number of arrests made at Football League matches in England and Wales. The table shows ACPO's figures for arrests at home games of league clubs according to their division in the 1988–89 season. The figures do not distinguish between arrests of home or away spectators. Such figures are not collated centrally, nor are any relating to the outcome of these arrests.

  Division 1

  1988–89

  1987–88

  1986–87

  Arsenal

  167

  153

  79

  Aston Villa

  344

  308

  202

  Charlton Athletic

  47

  14

  33

  Coventry City

  190

  194

  96

  Derby County

  132

  86

  61

  Everton

  80

  24

  67

  Liverpool

  132

  33

  86

  Luton Town

  7

  1

  —

  Manchester United

  60

  38

  25

  Middlesbrough

  86

  110

  14

  Millwall

  160

  44

  20

  Newcastle United

  166

  149

  136

  Norwich City

  86

  32

  66

  Notts Forest

  66

  130

  98

  Queens Park Rangers

  95

  91

  127

  Sheffield Wednesday

  80

  90

  101

  Southampton

  146

  208

  85

  Tottenham Hotspur

  127

  74

  80

  West Ham United

  201

  149

  144

  Wimbledon

  17

  49

  35

  290

  Division 2

  1988–89

  1987–88

  1986–87

  Barnsley

  21

  55

  76

  Birmingham City

  65

  101

  66

  Blackburn Rovers

  37

  79

  80

  Bournemouth

  35

  149

  28

  Bradford City

  85

  197

  115

  Brighton

  47

  34

  5

  Chelsea

  304

  271

  222

  Crystal Palace

  71

  78

  61

  Hull City

  18

  38

  51

  Ipswich Town

  31

  99

  45

  Leeds United

  159

  184

  182

  Leicester City

  95

  31

  197

  Manchester City

  39

  35

  23

  Oldham Athletic

  12

  19

  13

  Oxford United

  36

  105

  88

  Portsmouth

  162

  282

  65

  Plymouth Argyle

  19

  29

  49

  Shrewsbury

  37

  68

  41

  Stoke City

  44

  57

  73

  Sunderland

  49

  80

  140

  Swindon Town

  44

  67

  48

  Walsall

  148

  47

  95

  Watford

  44

  43

  18

  West Bromwich Albion

  145

  132

  142

  Division 3

  1988–89

  1987–88

  1986–87

  Aldershot

  65

  39

  29

  Blackpool

  66

  36

  104

  Bolton Wanderers

  40

  21

  20

  Brentford

  50

  72

  11

  Bristol City

  73

  21

  46

  Bristol Rovers

  67

  18

  7

  Bury

  27

  5

  11

  Cardiff

  16

  43

  27

  Chester

  20

  22

  49

  Chesterfield

  44

  21

  17

  Fulham

  126

  99

  41

  Gillingham

  23

  32

  9

  Huddersfield

  34

  126

  100

  Mansfield

  40

  21

  31

  Northampton

  3

  11

  57

  Notts County

  49

  56

  13

  Port Vale

  79

  22

  54

  Preston North End

  51

  20

  66

  Reading

  25

  20

  114

  Sheffield United

  50

  60

  53

  Southend

  30

  3

  —

  Swansea

  51

  10

  14

  Wigan

  4

  4

  24

  Wolverhampton

  192

  132

  117

  Division 4

  1988–89

  1987–88

  1986–87

  Burnley

  47

  90

  22

  Cambridge

  17

  29

  49

  Carlisle

  17

  27

  24

  Colchester

  7

  —

  8

  Crewe

  30

  21

  41

  Darlington

  26

  5

  101

  Doncaster

  20

  28

  35

  Exeter

  12

  83

  61

  Grimsby

  79

  66

  156

  Halifax

  62

  38

  19

  Hartlepool

  21

  21

  29

  Hereford

  28

  28

  53

  Leyton Orient

  8

  8

  15

  Lincoln

  19

  —

  9

  Peterborough

  14

  15

  28

  Rochdale

  47

  32

  59

  Rotherham

  31

  47

  54

  Scarborough

  51

  146

  —

  Scunthorpe

  55

  46

  49

  Stockport

  53

  17

  —

  291

  1988–89

  1987–88

  1986–87

  Torquay

  16

  21

  94

  Tranmere

  20

  53

  7

  Wrexham

  12

  17

  25

  York

  132

  62

  37

  Newport County (no longer in the Football League)

  —

  35

  53

  Lotteries
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has recently reviewed the present legislation governing the conduct of lotteries; if he has any proposals for the amendment of the law; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We keep the law governing the conduct of lotteries under review, and have no current proposals for its amendment.

  On-line Betting
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to address the development of technology which makes possible on-line betting with the use of pre-purchase or credit cards and a television receiver; what consideration he is giving to the transmission of such facilities to Britain via satellite television, and if he has any proposals to amend the law.

  Mr. John Patten
  Both credit and cash betting are already regulated by the current law. Similarly, television coverage of those sporting events on which punters most usually bet is already established. We would expect any technological developments in bookmaking to be designed to comply with the current law; and we have received no proposals for changes in the law to accommodate any such development which, if it were introduced, might at present be unlawful.

  Emergency Services (Accident Procedures)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines exist for the emergency services which may come into contact with blood after an accident; and if he will seek to ensure that a standard procedure is followed at all times to protect personnel regardless of the personal circumstances of victims involved.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Contact with blood after an accident may expose members of the emergency services to the risk of contracting one of the blood-borne infectious diseases. Guidance on the operational safety precautions which should be taken to reduce this risk is given in the circulars which the Home Office has issued to police forces and fire brigades on AIDS and hepatitis B. Guidance for the ambulance services is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  AIDS
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in light of evidence that HIV is spreading now faster among heterosexuals than homosexuals and to avoid possible distress to relatives, he will ensure that messages sent to emergency services after 292
  accidents or similar disasters do not refer to victims' sexuality as a reason for taking additional precautions because of a fear of AIDS.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  While all the emergency services have been issued with general guidance about AIDS, there is normally no question of their messages making any reference to victims' sexuality.

  Serious Crime Squad (West Midlands)
  Mr. Mullin
  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 as to whether any former members of the serious crime squad recently transferred to non-operational duties have since been involved in criminal investigations.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The actions of the former serious crime squad are being investigated under the supervision of the Police Complaints Authority by Mr. Shaw, assistant chief constable of the West Yorkshire police, to whom all matters of concern should be reported.

  On 14 August the chief constable of the West Midlands stated publicly that all officers who had served on the serious crime squad in the period 1 January 1986 to 31 December 1988 would be moved out of the CID to non-operational duty. The term "non-operational duty" covers all manner of duty other than the arrest of persons for crime or the interrogation of persons in respect of offences for which they have or may have to answer before a court. I have no evidence to suggest that the criteria outlined have been breached.

  Mr. Mullin
  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 listing the members of the serious crime squad at the time it was disbanded and the dates on which they joined the squad.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands as to how many members of the serious crime squad who were recently transferred to non-operational duties are currently on sick leave;

  (2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands as to the date on which Detective Sergeant Michael Honby went on sick leave and on the prospects for his return to duty.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. These are matters for the chief constable of the West Midlands, and my right hon. Friend sees no call for a report on them at the present time.

  Illegal Drugs
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that moneys recovered from illegal drug operations under the provisions of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 are allocated explicitly for the purpose of combating the use and distribution of illicit drugs.

  Mr. John Patten
  Ministers are considering the detailed arrangements whereby a proportion of the sums confiscated from drug traffickers as a result of international agreements might be used to strengthen the United Kingdom's enforcement and other efforts to curb drug abuse.

PRIME MINISTER

  Chernobyl
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will discuss during her next meeting with President Gorbachev compensation for the economic damage done to upland farming by the radioactive fall-out from the Chernobyl accident.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister did not raise this issue when she met President Gorbachev last month. The position with regard to compensation remains as stated in the reply to the hon. Member for Merionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) of 21 July 1986 at column 5.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Antarctic Treaty
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations on liability protocols in relation to the Antarctic treaty at the Paris meeting.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It was agreed in Paris last week that a meeting should be held next year to explore all proposals relating to the liability protocol required under article 8(7) of the Antarctic minerals convention.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Civil Servants (Attributable Interviews)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what guidelines exist for the granting of specific civil servants of attributable interviews to newspapers and radio containing policy statements determined by Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 20 October 1989]: The principles governing civil servants' contacts with the media are set out in chapter 6, sections 2 and 4, of the personnel management handbook. Copies of the handbook are available in the House Libraries. Advice on specific cases is given by departmental information officers.

THE ARTS

  British Library
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the present budgeted cost for the completion of the new British Library.

  Mr. Luce
  As I reported to the House last November, Phase IA of the new British Library at St. Pancras is currently under construction, and is to be built within a cost target in cash of £300 million. Additionally, a completion state which is at present being designed, has been budgeted at £90 million at second quarter 1988 prices.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Recycling
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what policy initiatives have been taken by his Department to increase the level of recycling materials in the United Kingdom; and if he has met the Association of County Councils, the metropolitan authorities or the relevant trades unions to discuss policy options in the recycling field.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 17 October at column 12. The Association of County Councils, the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the Association of District Councils, and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities are members of the advisory group referred to in that reply.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the form of a table the number of bottle banks in each west European country for the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: No figures are kept for the number of bottle banks in each west European country. However, in the United Kingdom there are currently 3,830 bottle banks.

  Source: British Glass Manufacturers Confederation.

  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 metal recovered from cans by each west European country in 1988 and (b) the amount of metal recovered as a percentage of the total amount of metal consumed in cans for each country.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: Accurate statistics for the amount of metal cans recycled in each west European country in 1988 are not available. However, in 1988 in the United Kingdom an estimated 950 million steel cans were recycled, equivalent to 8 per cent. of production, and 470 tonnes of aluminium cans were recycled, equivalent to 1 per cent. of production.

  Import Licensing (Relocation)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will relocate the import licensing branch of his Department to Billingham in Cleveland.

  Mr. Forth
  The DTI has a programme of reviews in progress to examine the scope for relocating activities away from London and the south-east. Decisions have already been made to move the Patent Office to south Wales and parts of the insolvency service to Birmingham. The import licensing branch of my Department is one of a number of further areas included in the programme of reviews.

  Companies Act Investigation
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take action under the Companies Acts to investigate the roles of, and relationship between, Mr. Julian Hodgson of Henderson Crosthwaite and Mr. Ian Kennedy of Govett Strategic Investment Trust in relation to the bids for DRG plc by
  295
  Pembridge Investments of Bermuda and for Tilbury plc by FJC Lilley plc, and in relation to the Govett Strategic Investment Trust stakes in Marley plc and London International Group plc; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  I know of no reason for doing so but shall consider any information my hon. Friend may have about these matters.

  German Democratic Republic (Imports)
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of imports into the European Economic Community comprised products and goods imported from the German Democratic Republic in the latest available year.

  Mr. Redwood
  In 1988, 1·2 per cent. of EC imports, disregarding trade within the Community, were from the German Democratic Republic.

  Investors Compensation
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has about the operation of the investors compensation scheme to date, as to how many failures it has dealt with and as to what the current situation is in each; and if he will make a statement on the speed and fairness of the compensation paid or offered to date.

  Mr. Redwood
  To date the Investors Compensation Scheme Ltd. has made payments amounting to £2·049 million to investors in five companies. Questions relating to the operation of the scheme are a matter for the scheme itself and the Securities and Investments Board.

  Petrol Retailing
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on petrol retailing.

  Mr. Redwood
  Following representations from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, the Secretary of State has agreed that the reporting period should be extended to 20 December 1989.

  Multi-fibre Arrangement
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has now received the Silberston report on the future of the multi-fibre arrangement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 19 October 1989 at column 176.

ENERGY

  Electricity Sales
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of the total amount of electricity sold by the Central Electricity Generating Board in its last available accounting year came from(a) power stations owned and operated by the board and (b) electricity purchased from France.
  296
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The information requested by the right hon. Member is contained in the Central Electricity Generating Board's 1987–88 annual report and accounts, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. In 1987–88, 95 per cent. of electricity sold by the CEGB was produced by its own power stations and 5 per cent. was imported from France.

  Magnox Power Stations
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has now set aside funds for the decommissioning of Britain's Magnox stations and disposing of the wastes arising.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will make a statement detailing the criteria that will be employed to determine the future operating life for each of the remaining Magnox power stations;

  (2) what discussions he has had with National Power about the future policies that will be used to determine the operating plans for the remaining Magnox power stations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government are still considering the future arrangements for the Magnox stations and no decisions on the detailed implementation of our policy have been taken. As my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Energy said in his statement to the House on 24 July, we will give the House a full opportunity to debate our detailed proposals when they are available.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report the estimated operating life for each of the remaining Magnox power stations.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The operating lifetime of Magnox stations assumed for planning purposes by the CEGB is 30 years. The actual operating life of each station is a commercial matter for the owner of the station, subject to meeting the requirements of the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate.

  Gas-cooled Reactors
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the proposals submitted to his Department detailing the steps to be taken to ensure that each of the advanced gas-cooled reactors can reach its designed level of output.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The achievement of optimum operation of the advanced gas-cooled reactors is a matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board and the South of Scotland electricity board. I have asked the chairman of the CEGB to write to my hon. Friend.

  British Gas (Service Objectives)
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what quality of service objectives have been set for British Gas with regard to priority attention for elderly customers and those with small children requiring work to be done on hot water and heating systems; and to what extent the actual levels of service correspond to those objectives.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  These are matters for the Gas Consumers Council and the Director General of Gas Supply to take up with British Gas.
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  In relation to the elderly and disabled, British Gas has a code of practice on special services, as required by condition 13 of its authorisation.

  The recent Gas Consumers Council report, "Review of British Gas Services for Elderly and Disabled Consumers", recommended that elderly and disabled people, particularly those with special heating or hot water requirements, should receive priority attention for emergency repair work.

  The Director General of Gas Supply has called on British Gas to implement those recommendations in the GCC report addressed to it and to agree to a change in its authorisation that would give them legal force.

  Severn Barrage
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about progress on the Severn barrage studies.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The report summarising the work by the Severn Tidal Power Group on the Severn barrage is being published today by HMSO in the Department's energy paper series. Copies are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament. The £4 million study was jointly funded by the Severn Tidal Power Group, the Central Electricity Generating Board and my Department. I am grateful to them for their contribution to the study and also to the many other participants in the work.

  The study gives a clearer picture, than hitherto, on costs and performance of a tidal barrage and on regional and environmental issues. However, much further work, particularly on environmental issues and the organisation and financing issues of a Severn barrage remains to be done. Work to address these issues will be undertaken during the next two years. In the meantime, essential site specific environmental work will continue.

  As part of the privatisation and restructuring of the electricity supply industry the Government are setting up arrangements which should be very attractive to suppliers of renewable sources of energy but it will of course be for the industry to determine the financial viability of each project.

  The Department will be funding generic tidal R and D in support of site specific work on the Severn, Mersey and other estuaries. This work mainly addresses environmental issues. The total cost of generic environmental studies completed since 1986 and currently under way amounts to £1 million.

  Bradwell Power Station
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the Central Electricity Generating Board has calculated the level of wigner energy in the twin cores at Bradwell nuclear power station; whether there are any plans to anneal the cores before decommissioning; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This is an operational matter for the CEGB. I have, therefore, asked the chairman of the board to reply direct to the hon. Member.

ENVIRONMENT

  Environmental Assessments
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance his Department has received from the European Commission concerning the environ-mental 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 such guidance in the Library.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Roberts) on 17 October at column 111.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the categories of information on which he is not prepared to answer parliamentary questions on grounds of(a) commercial confidentiality and (b) national security.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  It is not possible to specify all the circumstances in which such considerations may arise.

  Clean Air Congress
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, 28 July,Official Report, column 1178, on the world clean air congress held in September, he will publish the letter he sent to the hon. Member.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have arranged for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library. The hon. Member will recall that I was unable to answer his original question before the recess and so replied by letter.

  Environmental Protection
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Merionnydd Nant Conwy, 28 July,Official Report. column 1196, he will publish in the Official Report the letter sent in reply relating to environmental protection expenditure.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library. The OECD report to which reference was made in the letter is now expected to be released in the new year.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation so that anonymous personal information cannot be disclosed by a registration officer to another person for purposes not connected with the community charge, if the anonymity of the information cannot be guaranteed by that person.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The collection, storage and transmission of personal data by registration officers are subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984. No further specific provision is required.

  Carnwath Report
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take following the recommendations of the Carnwath report "Enforcing Planning Control", published in February.

  Mr. Howard
  Our consultations on the report's recommendations have revealed wide support for them. My right hon. Friend is seeking a legislative opportunity to strengthen the enforcement provisions in the Town and Country Planning Act 1971.

  Local Authorities (Competitive Tendering)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals to increase the present limit of £25,000 above which local authority contracts must be put out to tender.

  Mr. David Hunt
  New Direct Labour Organisation Competition Regulations were laid before Parliament recently whereby, from 1 October this year, local authorities are required to subject all their building maintenance and new construction work to competition with the private sector. From the same date the de minimis exemption for small authorities was reduced from 30 to 15 employees.

  The emergency work exemption has been redefined to cover only genuinely unpredictable work with effect from 1 April 1990, the date from which authorities are also prohibited from awarding extension "contracts" for maintenance work to their DLOs.

  As regards highways work, the competition-free allowance was reduced significantly from 1 April 1987 and again from 1 April 1988. Any increase in the present threshold of £25,000 above which all local authority highways contracts must be put out to tender would not be desirable as it would reduce the benefits of competition.

  Rutland Water (Toxic Algae)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the progress of the investigation by the National Rivers Authority into the death of dogs and sheep at Rutland Water, following the growth of toxic algae in the water; and whether it is intended(a) to bring prosecutions against Anglian Water under the Water Act 1989 or (b) to recommend the payment of compensation to the owners of the dead animals or of affected businesses.

  Mr. Howard
  I understand that the National Rivers Authority has been monitoring the sites it had identified as affected, or potentially affected, by toxic blue-green algae, including Rutland Water, and that the incidence is declining.The results of its tests are available on the public registers maintained by the NRA, and have been notified to the land owners, who have been given suggestions as to appropriate precautions. The NRA's investigations into the causes are continuing, though algal blooms are a normal seasonal phenomenon, and it is not thought that these are the result of specific polluting incidents. Any decisions on follow-up action including questions of possible prosecution would be for the NRA.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has concerning the number of local authorities in England and Wales who are making arrangements for community charge payers to pay the charge by means of monthly payments; what is his policy towards encouraging local authorities to accept monthly payments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Every community charge payer has a statutory right to pay the community charge in 10 monthly instalments. There is no need for chargepayers to apply for this facility; and local authorities are statutorily obliged to accept montly instalments of one tenth of the charge. It is open to chargepayers and authorities to agree different arrangements if they wish; but an authority may not specify payments other than by monthly instalments without the agreement of the chargepayer.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution the Government will make towards additional revenue costs of running the poll tax in 1990–91 in Calderdale.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The costs of collecting the community charge in 1990–91 will be taken into account in charging authorities' spending assessments.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution the Government will make towards the shortfall on capital allocation incurred by Calderdale council in implementing the poll tax.

  Mr. David Hunt
  We have made allocations of £160 million to charging authorities towards the capital costs associated with implementing the community charge in 1988–89 and 1989–90. Calderdale's allocation was £513,071.

  Mr. Bevan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, when he will consult representatives of local government and relevant professional bodies on his determination under part VI of the Local Government and Housing Bill of housing revenue account subsidy for 1990–91; and what proposals he will be making.

  Mr. Howard
  My Department is today sending local housing authorities, the local authority associations and other interested bodies consultation papers on the proposed new housing revenue account subsidy. The papers contain the Secretary of State's detailed proposals for a method of calculating the new subsidy for which the Local Government and Housing Bill makes provision. They also include details of the guideline rents, and of the allowances for expenditure on management and mainte-nance which we propose to take into account in calculating each authority's entitlement to subsidy in 1990–91. Comments are invited within six weeks. I am putting a copy of the consultation papers in the Library together with a list of the guidelines proposed for each authority.

  For the rent guideline we propose to follow the practice of the past two years and assume next year an average rent increase in England of 5 per cent. above the allowance for inflation. But this year we propose to use the provisions in part VI of the Bill to allow the aggregate notional rental income for England to be apportioned between housing authorities by reference to variations in the aggregate

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  values of houses and other property. This leads to different guideline rents for different authorities. A set of rules to limit changes ensures that no guideline rent would represent an increase of more than £4.50 a week over the average rent in any authority this year, and permits at the lower end of the scale guidelines which assume modest reductions in real rents of up to 9 pence per week. This should begin the process of encouraging authorities towards sensible levels of rents in different parts of the country, while ensuring that rents can remain within the reach of people in low paid employment.

  For the management and maintenance expenditure guideline we propose to assume an increase for each housing authority of 3 per cent. above the allowance for inflation next year. This should enable the level of expenditure on council housing maintenance to continue to grow.

  The "guidelines" both for rent and for management and maintenance spending are no more than the assumptions the Government will make in calculating subsidy. Each council will have to decide for itself what level of rent it wants to set, and how much it wants to spend on managing or maintaining its stock.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is now taking to ensure that there are changes in the law concerning the importation and movement of toxic waste so as to prevent the recurrence of the experience suffered in the Wath on Dearne area this year.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are considering the implications of the incident at Wath on Dearne and any need for legislative changes.

  Acid House Parties
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to remove rating relief from farmers who let out agricultural land for acid house parties.

  Mr. Chope
  Agricultural land is exempt from rates. Where the land is used for purposes other than that for which it is exempted, it may be brought into rating depending on the degree and frequency of that other use.

  Bradwell Power Station
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if there are any plans for the Bradwell nuclear power station site to be used as a national repository for radioactive debris and equipment resulting from the decommissioning of the Magnox programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. Nirex's disposal facility for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste is intended to accommodate both operational and decommissioning wastes. The Government have made it clear that it intends to keep open the sea disposal option for large items arising from decommissioning operations.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps he is taking to encourage and facilitate the recovery of chlorofluorocarbons in refrigerators in(a) the liquid, and (b) the foam; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has commissioned a study from independent consultants on the recovery of substances— including CFCs—which are controlled under the Montreal protocol. The Government will consider the conclusions of this study which are expected early next year.

  A number of retail outlets and local authorities have already set up schemes to reclaim CFCs from domestic appliances. ICI has recently announced their intentions to help establish a national network of sites for the collection and recycling of reclaimed CFCs.

  Ministerial Correspondence
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the paper used for ministerial correspondence in his Department consists of(a) mill off-cuts and (b) previously used paper.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  All the letterheaded paper used for ministerial correspondence in the Department of the Environment is manufactured from mill off-cuts.

  Animals (Illegal Trading)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to counter the illegal trade in hawksbill and green turtles; when he last raised the matter with the Japanese Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Infractions of the CITES controls would be matters for the CITES Secretariat. the United Kingdom strictly implements the provisions of the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) under which commercial trade in hawksbill and green turtles is already prohibited. We have not raised the matter with the Japanese Government.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the numbers of homeless persons listed each year from 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The estimated numbers of households for whom English local authorities accepted responsibility to secure accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act are as follows:

  Numbers

  1979

  57,200

  1980

  62,920

  1981

  70,010

  1982

  74,800

  1983

  78,240

  1984

  83,550

  1985

  93,980

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  Numbers

  1986

  103,560

  1987

  112,440

  1988

  117,550

  However, because of changes in the reporting system in 1980 and 1982 the figures for the earlier years are not strictly comparable with those since 1983.

  Sewage Works (Discharges)
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, by region(a) all those sewage works which have been granted applications for relaxations of their discharge consents by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, (b) all those for which applications were refused and (c) the number of objections to proposed relaxations received by his Department for each sewage works.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the applications for time-limited consent which have been submitted in the context of the water industry's capital investment programme for sewage treatment works. No such applications have yet been granted or refused although a number have been withdrawn by the water authorities' successor companies. Temporary consents have been granted pending com-pletion of the process of considering applications and objections to them. Some 10,000 representations have been received as a result of advertising these applications.

  Water Privatisation
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish schemes made under schedule 2 to the Water Act with regard to the transfer of property, rights and liabilities to the National Rivers Authority and the water authority successor companies.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Copies of all the schemes of transfer except one are now in the House Library. A copy of the remaining scheme will be placed in the Library within a few days.

  Wimpey No-fines Properties
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice the Building Research Establishment is able to offer owners and lending institutions on the structural condition of Wimpey no-fines houses and flats.

  Mr. Chope
  The BRE's report on 'The structural condition of Wimpey no-fines low-rise dwellings" is published today. I commend this report to the House. Its conclusions are reassuring for owners and lending institutions alike.

  The BRE inspected a range of houses and flats built in the 1950s and 1960s. They found most properties were constructed as designed, although minor variations in the type and distribution of reinforcement were found.

  The BRE considers that these constructional variations do not materially affect the structural adequacy of the dwellings. In the vast majority of cases reinforcement was in a reasonable condition; where corrosion had occurred,
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  its effects on no-fines construction were no greater than would be expected in traditional masonry-walled dwellings.

  Indeed, the structural system of Wimpey no-fines low-rise dwellings is essentially the same as that of traditional solid-walled masonry dwellings: such systems are simple and robust and are unlikely to be significantly affected by minor variations in workmanship or isolated cracking in the concrete.

  The report also contains much useful information on no-fines construction which should be particularly helpful to lending institutions and their surveyors when considering mortgage applications, and also to local authorities and private owners when approaching the repair and maintenance of these dwellings.

  The report will be distributed to all major lending institutions and to interested local authorities.

  Local Government Expenditure
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing, for each local authority in England(a) the party in control, and (b) the budgeted overspend on settlement for 1989–90 expressed in percentage terms.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 17 October 1989]: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Conservative Party Conference 1989
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost of the services provided by his Department in connection with security requirements at the 1989 Conservative party conference.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: None.

  Tyne and Wear Development Corporation
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give his latest information as to how many new jobs in Sunderland have been created by the activities of the Tyne and Wear development corporation from its inception.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 20 October 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Mr. Trippier) gave him on 20 July at column 346.

  Member's Correspondence
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne can expect a reply to his letter of 3 August to the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Mr. Trippier) concerning Mr. Richard Hall and Resicon Ltd.

  Mr. Chope
  I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 20 October.

  Theatre Royal, Bradford
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any application to list the Theatre Royal in Bradford has been submitted over the last ten years; whether any buildings adjacent to the Theatre Royal are listed buildings; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend has not received an application to list the Theatre Royal in the last 10 years. However, the building would have been assessed for listing during the resurvey of the area in 1983, following which several buildings in Manningham lane were included on the statutory list, including the Theatre tavern and the Royal Standard public house, which are adjacent to the theatre. My right hon. Friend is always prepared to reconsider a building for listing if fresh evidence is produced which shows that it possesses special architec-tural or historic interest.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Security Patrols
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will state the number of(a) Royal Ulster Constabulary patrols, (b) Regular Army patrols and (c) Ulster Defence Regiment patrols, as a percentage of the total number of patrols carried out by the security forces for each month since November 1985 and (d) Ulster Defence Regiment patrols which were accompanied by the Royal Ulster Constabulary as a percentage of the total number of patrols conducted by the regiment for each month since November 1985.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 20 October 1989]: Information is not regularly collected in the form requested, and could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.

WALES

  Rents into Mortgages Scheme
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he has any information on the number of tenants who may wish to participate in his rents into mortgages scheme;

  (2) if he will make a further statement on the operation of his proposed rents into mortgages scheme.

  Mr. Grist
  The flexi-ownership scheme which I announced in September will he introduced on an experimental basis by the Development Board for Rural Wales. By combining a mortgage loan, discount entitlement and a deferred payment, the board's tenants will be able to buy their homes at a weekly outlay broadly the same as their existing rent payments. Next month I expect to be able to announce the formal start of the scheme. At this stage I cannot anticipate the possible take-up but I am confident that the experiment will have most positive results.

  River Pollution
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list those applications under section 31 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and section 107 of the Water Act 1989, respectively, for consents to discharge to the rivers Taff and Ely which are currently under consideration by Welsh Water authority;

  (2) to what extent, in considering whether to issue consents under section 31 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and section 197 of the Water Act 1989, respectively, to discharge into the rivers Taff and Ely, the Welsh Water
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  authority takes account of down stream build-up of pollutants which will arise when the Cardiff bay development corporation constructs a barrage across the mouth of the two rivers.

  Mr. Grist
  Schedule 26, part III of the Water Act 1989 provides that all applications made to a water authority under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, which were under consideration on the transfer date of 1 September, are to be considered as if they were made to the National Rivers Authority (NRA). All new applications made under section 108 of the 1989 Act also fall to be considered by the NRA. I therefore suggest that the hon. Gentleman contacts the NRA's regional headquarters in Cardiff.

  Departmental Circulars
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action is being taken by his Department to ensure that circulars which are identical or nearly identical with those issued by English Departments of state are issued at the same time as those published by the English Departments of state.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Many of the circulars issued by my Department are issued jointly with the relevant Whitehall Department. Where they are separate, however, my Department seeks to issue them concurrently with their English equivalents unless there are good reasons for not doing so. In such cases they are issued as soon as possible.

  Water Industry
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to ensure that there is effective, independent and balanced representation of Welsh consumers in the membership of the customer service committees covering the water industry in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  Appointments to the customer service committees are a matter for the Director General of Water Services. My Department has on behalf of the director sought nominations in Wales from various interested groups.

  Health Service
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many beds there were at West Wales general hospital, Glangwili, Carmarthen, on the 1 January of each year from 1979 to the present time; and what are the projected figures for 1 January 1990.

  Mr. Grist
  The complement of beds on 31 December each year since 1978 is given in the table. Information on projected beds complement is not available centrally.

  Number

  1978

  526

  1979

  526

  1980

  526

  1981

  526

  1982

  526

  1983

  524

  1984

  524

  1985

  513

  1986

  513

  1987

  507

  1988

  515

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales with how many hospital beds the West Wales
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  general hospital, Glangwili, Carmarthen is staffed, in terms of the number of doctors, nurses. laboratory staff and support services.

  Mr. Grist
  At 31 March 1989 there were 511 available staffed beds at the West Wales general hospital. This figure refers to beds which were either occupied or ready for occupation and therefore may differ from bed complement.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest figures for the number of beds at each of the major hospitals covered by the East Dyfed health authority.

  Mr. Grist
  The bed complement of hospitals in East Dyfed with 100 beds or more, at 31 March 1989, is shown in the table:

  Number

  Bronglais general

  272

  West Wales general

  515

  Llanelli general

  139

  Bryntirion

  124

  St. David's

  404

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest figures for the total number of hospital beds in(a) East Dyfed health authority's catchment area and (b) Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  At 31 March 1989 the bed complement of hospitals in the East Dyfed health authority area was 1,638. The corresponding figure for Wales was 21,417.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of people in the catchment areas served by(a) West Wales general hospital Glangwili, Carmarthern and (b) East Dyfed health authority.

  Mr. Grist
  The total number of people in the catchment area served by East Dyfed health authority is approximately 220,000. The catchment population for West Wales general hospital is not available centrally.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of private beds in West Wales general hospital, Carmarthen, on 1 January 1979 and on 1 January 1989; and what are the projected figures for 1 January 1990.

  Mr. Ian Grist
  An authorisation permitting a maximum of three beds in West Wales general hospital, Carmarthen, to be occupied by private patients was in effect on 1 January 1979 and remained in effect on 1 January 1989. On 1 June 1989 a group authorisation came into effect for West Wales general hospital, Carmarthen; Bronglais hospital, Aberystwyth; and Llanelli hospital; this replaced the separate limits at each hospital, totalling seven beds, with an equivalent authorisation for a maximum of 2,555 bed days in one year. Authorisations for individual hospitals in East Dyfed are no longer specified.

  I understand that the health authority is considering whether to seek a change to the present group authorisation. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to establish the intentions of the health authoriy in this matter he should write to the chairman.

  EC Aid
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial compensation has been offered to South Glamorgan county council for the loss of grant from the European regional development fund for major infrastructure projects.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  None. Negotiations with the European Commission on the eligibility of certain categories of expenditure, including infrastructure invest-ments, for European regional development fund support are continuing.

  Cadw
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about future management arrangements for Cadw.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have concluded that Cadw should become a candidate for executive agency status within my Department with effect from April 1991. Detailed proposals will now be drawn up in full consultation with the staff involved.

HEALTH

  Animal-related Injuries
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital admissions in 1983 and 1988 resulted from accidents or injuries caused by animals.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Children-at-risk Register
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by local authority district the numbers of children on the at-risk register.

  Mr. Mellor
  This information is published in the "Survey of Children and Young Persons on Child Protection Registers; year ending 31 March 1988, England", copies of which are available in the Library.

  NHS Property Sales
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by year and location for the last 10 years, the number of National Health Service properties that have been sold and then purchased by a private health company.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not available.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne can expect a reply to his letter of 17 July to the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) concerning matters raised by Mr. Richard Pearn, of 15 Chapel close, Kehelland, Camborne, Cornwall.

  Mr. Freeman
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health has now written to my hon. Friend.

  Hospitals (Red Alert)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long Whipps Cross hospital and Wanstead hospital have been on red alert; for what reasons; what are the implications for services to patients; if he will ensure that the alert is lifted before the onset of the winter months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The number of emergency admissions to Whipps Cross hospital increased by up to 35 per cent. from mid-August to early October. To maintain in-patient services for emergency and urgent admissions it was necessary to restrict some planned admissions. To do this Waltham district health authority issued a red warning from 3 October to 16 October 1989. This has led to some patients experiencing delays in their planned admissions.

  The health authority has plans to allocate beds flexibly to deal with the increased winter workload. This has been the procedure in the last two years.

  Child Minders
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the average time being taken by local authorities social services departments to approve the registration of child-minders.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold centrally information about the time taken to register child-minders.

  AIDS
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, following the health circular HC(88)43 reference to ensuring that full use is made of family planning services as a resource in combating AIDS, those health authorities in England who have(a) allocated separate budgets for this work, (b) initiated staff training programmes and (c) plan to review both written and verbal information given to clients about HIV/AIDS.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not collect this information centrally.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what purposes the Macfarlane trust has made grants to haemophiliacs suffering from AIDS;
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  (2) how many haemophiliacs have applied for grants from the Macfarlane trust; how many applications have been successful; and how many were refused because their financial resources were considered to be too high;

  (3) how much of the £10 million provided by the Government have been distributed by the Macfarlane trust to haemophiliacs who have developed AIDS; and how much money remains.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: It is for the trustees to allocate funds in the way which they consider best meets the needs of those eligible for assistance within the terms of the trust deed.

  I understand, however, that in the period up to the 31 August 1989 the trust made 1,600 single payments totalling around £0·9 million and 578 regular payments totalling around £1 million. The single grants have been made for a wide variety of purposes covering needs arising from reasons of physical health and mental stress, general living conditions, mobility and travel, accommodation, employment and education. Regular payments help with the extra cost of living with HIV, principally diet and heating. Should the right hon. Member wish to know more detail I suggest he contact the trust administrator.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will request the Macfarlane trust to consider giving grants for legal fees that have arisen solely because haemophiliacs have become infected with the AIDS virus;

  (2) what advice or instructions were given to the Macfarlane trust regarding the imposition and level of means test to be applied to haemophiliac victims of AIDS;

  (3) what means test is applied by the Macfarlane trust to haemophiliac sufferers of AIDS; and if he will publish the income and capital limits in the Official Report.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The Macfarlane Trust is an independent charitable trust. It is a matter for the trustees, and not the Department, to determine within the provisions of the trust deed the criteria for allocating funds. A copy of that deed is in the House Library. I understand that the trust considers it inappropriate to help with legal fees incurred by haemophiliacs with HIV who wish to pursue claims for compensation. Those who consider themselves in need of assistance can apply for legal aid in the normal way.

  Health in Old Age
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the three component parts of the health in old age programme.

  Mr. Freeman
  The four component parts of the health in old age programme of the Health Education Authority are:

  i. the Centre for Health and Retirement Education;

  ii. the Age Well Campaign;

  iii. the King's Fund Informal Carers Project; and

  iv. the production of a series of leaflets.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department funds any programmes designed to promote better health in later life other than the health in old age programme.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department funds a number of voluntary organisations under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, which in various ways promote the physical and mental well-being of elderly people. Among them is "Extend", an organisation concerned with exercise training and fitness for elderly and disabled people.

  We also finance the Keep Warm Keep Well campaign, which is organised jointly by the Government and leading voluntary organisations.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total annual cost of funding each component part of the health in old age programme; and what is the total cost of funding the entire programme.

  Mr. Freeman
  The total cost of funding the entire health in old age programme in 1989–90 is £342,000. The breakdown of this is: grant to centre for health and retirement education £117,000; support for the King's Fund Informal Carers Project £92,000; funding of the Age Well campaign £83,000; and £50,000 for the production of leaflets. The funding for the Age Well campaign includes £30,000 from the retail price index error funds and is paid direct to Age Well by the Department of Health.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what priority his Department is giving to the promotion of good health in later life.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government remain strongly committed to the promotion of good health in later life, and accept the Health Education Authority's view that this commitment will in future be served by ensuring that all their relevant programmes address the health education needs of elderly people.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the Health Education Authority's budget is allocated to funding the health in old age programme.

  Mr. Freeman
  For 1989–90, just over 2 per cent. (£312,000) of the Health Education Authority's non-AIDS budget is allocated to the health in old age programme. This is additional to the significant contributions to a healthy and active old age made by the authority's other health education programmes.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received regarding the future funding of the health in old age programme;
  312
  (2) what representations he has received regarding the health in old age programme.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department has received a total of 35 representations from organisations and individuals concerned with elderly people in relation to the operation and future funding of the health in old age programme.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the continued development of the health in old age programme.

  Mr. Freeman
  In its strategic plan for the next five years, the Health Education Authority (HEA) proposes to take forward the health education needs of the elderly as an integral part of its work on other programmes rather than as a separate programme. This will ensure that the needs of the elderly are taken into account at all stages of development of health education work. We have now approved HEA's strategic plan.

  Family Planning
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women attended(a) their general practitioner and (b) a National Health Service family planning clinic for family planning advice and treatment in England in 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Mellor
  The number of women receiving contraceptive services from general medical practitioners in England is estimated at 2,555,000 in 1987 and 2,635,000 in 1988. These figures reflect the position at the end of the calendar year and include women accepted for contracep-tive services by a general practitioner other than their own.

  In the financial year 1987–88 in England 1,318,800 women were seen at health authority planning clinics. We do not yet have figures for 1988–89.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the use of training support programme moneys for multi-disciplinary training in the context of child abuse; to whom such moneys are paid; and what monitoring is taking place to ensure that such moneys are financing training for all relevant disciplines.

  Mr. Mellor
  Grant is payable to local authorities at the rate of 70 per cent. for agreed expenditure under the training support programme (child care) which is intended primarily for training staff of social services departments. However; local authorities are encouraged to make places available on courses funded under the training support programme to staff from other agencies (statutory or non-statutory). Local authorities may also use this grant to develop the social services department's contribution to the multi-disciplinary training responsibilities of area child protection committees.

  Arrangements have been made to monitor the use of the grant by local social services departments. Reports on achievements by social services departments are scheduled for return to the Department of Health after completion of the first year of the programme.

  Infertility
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many district health authorities provide dedicated infertility clinics;
  313
  (2) if he will list private clinics in each region which offer in vitro fertilisation;

  (3) if he will list those private clinics, in each region, which offer artificial insemination by donor or husband;

  (4) in which regions an in vitro fertilisation service is provided;

  (5) which health authorities (a) provide a service for artificial insemination by donor or by husband and (b) do not.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue guidance to district health authorities to establish dedicated infertility clinics.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. Decisions about the priority and resources to be given to infertility services should be left to individual health authorities. This is the case with nearly all NHS services, since health authorities are in the best position to determine priorities in the light of local needs and circumstances.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he intends to introduce legislation which will require married couples, partners or unmarrid women to go through strict vetting procedures, similar to those carried out prior to adoption, before treatment by artificial insemination;

  (2) whether he has any proposals for regulations to cover full and extensive medical examination of would-be donors of sperm for artificial insemination.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The Government's proposals for the regulation of certain infertility treatments, including artificial insemination by donor, were set out in the White Paper "Human Fertilisation and Embryology: A Framework for Legislation". We intend to introduce legislation to deal with these matters at the earliest opportunity.

  Embryo Research
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he plans to give the voluntary licensing authority on embryo research a statutory basis.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Government's proposals for dealing with the issue of embryo research are set out in the White Paper "Human Fertilisation and Embryology: A Framework for Legislation". We intend to bring forward legislation in this area at the earliest opportunity.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which clinics have had their licence from the voluntary licensing authority for embryo research withdrawn or suspended; and what were the reasons given in each case.

  Mr. Mellor
  None.

  Generic Medicines
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of generic medicines dispensed in National Health Service hospitals were(a) manufactured in the United Kingdom, (b) manufactured within the European Community and (c) manufactured outside the European Community, in respect of each of the years from 1980 onwards.
  314
  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally.

  Spectacles
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of spectacle frames were imported in 1979 and each succeeding year;

  (2) what proportion of spectacle lenses were imported in 1979 and each succeeding year.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information is not available in the precise form requested. However, the value of imports of spectacle glass and frames in the period from 1979 to 1988—the latest year for which figures are available—is shown in the table.

  £ million

  1979

  29·0

  1980

  29·0

  1981

  26·6

  1982

  36·6

  1983

  37·8

  1984

  47·4

  1985

  61·1

  1986

  63·2

  1987

  76·8

  1988

  81·9

  Warrington DHA
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the spending per head of the population served by Warrington district health authority in the latest available year; and, what is the figure per head, on the most nearly comparable basis for(a) England and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 28 July 1989]: Figures for spending per head of resident population for 1987–88 (the latest year available) are shown in the table:

  Revenue expenditure per head of resident population—hospital and community health services (HCHS)1

  £

  Warrington district health authority

  265

  England—average for all district health authorities

  227

  United Kingdom

  238

  1 Includes hospital, community health, patient transport (i.e. ambulance), blood transfusion and other services.

  Sources

  (a) 1987–88 annual accounts of district health authorities in England and those of the analogous health authorities, boards and agencies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—as submitted to the central health department in each country.

  (b) Mid-year estimates of populations—1987 (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys)

  Notes to the table

  1. Capital expenditure on HCHS is excluded. Expenditure on family practitioner services (which cannot be strictly attributed to particular districts) and expenditure on personal social services (which in Northern Ireland is accounted for by health and social services boards) is also excluded.

  2. Comparisons between the figures are influenced by a number of factors including:—

  (a) people travel across district boundaries for treatment and resource allocations reflect the pattern of service provision locally;

  (b) the population figures used make no allowance for people resident in one district who receive treatment in another or for differences in morbidity and age sex structure of particular populations.

  Foetal Tissue
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangement he has made for consultations on the recommendations of the Polkinghorne committee on foetal tissue.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The committee reported in July and its main recommendations were accepted by the Government. Given the speed of recent developments in the field we decided to promulgate its new code of practice on the use of foetal tissue for research and treatment without delay. We are now taking forward the committee's other recommendations.

  Grading Appeals (Trent RHA)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many grading appeals have so far been considered by the Trent regional health authority; how many remain to be heard; and what is his estimate of the date by which the hearing of those appeals will be completed.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: Requests for regional appeals are handled by the regional appeals committee secretariat of the general Whitley council in accordance with an agreement of the general Whitley council. I presume the hon. Member is referring to appeals about nurse clinical grading. I understand that to date 346 appeals for hearing by the Trent regional health authority have been lodged with the secretariat. As soon as full statements of case are to hand, hearings can be arranged by the regional health authority. I understand that no cases are yet ready for hearing. I can offer no estimate of how long it will take for any particular regional appeal to be heard, but I know that regional health authorities will make every effort to operate the appeals process as quickly as they are able.

  Nurses (Grading Appeals)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has considered the effect of the changes in the composition of health authorities in regard to the hearing of appeals against decisions in regard to the grading of nurses.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: NHS appeals procedures are a matter for the general Whitley council which of course keeps under review the need for any change.

  Rotherham Health Authority
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the accuracy of the performance indicators issued by his Department earlier in 1989; and if those which purported to reveal the Rotherham health authority in an unsatisfactory light were accurate.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: In 1987–88 all information systems in England were substantially changed and many new data definitions introduced in accordance with the recommendations of the Körner reports. Health service indicators being published this year are the first to be based on data from the redesigned systems. The Department and health authori-ties were aware that with changes of this magnitude some
  316
  data inaccuracies were likely. Following consultation with health authorities in May a subset of the 1987–88 indicators were published in July with a warning about possible inaccuracies. Health authorities were asked to inform the Department of any inaccuracies found so that the full package could be based on more accurate data. Relatively few amendments proved necessary. Rotherham HA drew attention to problems with part of its data and the indicators based on this are being corrected.

  Wathwood Hospital
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has of the savings effected by the closure of beds at Wathwood hospital by the Rotherham health authority in relation to the cost to public funds of placements in private nursing homes; and if he will encourage the authority to retain those beds.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The proposed closure at Wathwood hospital is a matter for Rotherham health authority and I suggest the hon. Member contacts the chairman of the health authority for the information he seeks.

  Consultants
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has conducted to establish whether the number of operations performed by a consultant in the National Health Service is related to that consultant's involvement in private practice.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: None.

  Erythropoietin
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is any restriction on the freedom of doctors to prescribe erythropoietin for patients with kidney failure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action he intends to take to make erythropoietin freely available under the National Health Service;

  (2) what is the estimated cost to the National Health Service of providing erythropoietin to those likely to benefit from it.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: Erythropoietin has not yet been granted a product licence. However, it is open to doctors to prescribe the medicine on a named patient basis.

  We have been in touch with health authorities about the likely need for the drug and its expenditure implications. We are assessing the information to determine the best way forward.

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he is proposing any change to the boundary of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly health district; and if under the terms of the White Paper "Working for Patients" he identifies the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly health authority as the sole body responsible for identifying the health care needs of all the residents of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and for seeking to procure services to meet those needs.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: There are no plans to change the boundaries of the Cornwall and

  317
  Isles of Scilly health authority district. The answer to the second part of the question is yes, though large GP practices will be able to seek their own budgets which will cover a defined range of hospital treatments.

  NHS Reorganisation
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific Acts of Parliament and statutory instruments will be required to implement the changes in the National Health Service presently planned by the Government.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: We intend to introduce a Bill at the earliest opportunity to give effect to those of our proposals which require primary legislation. The Bill will be supplemented by statutory instruments as necessary.

  GP Computer Software
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the user specification for general practitioner computer programme software will be available that will enable general practitioners to provide the information required by the National Health Service authorities.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: If my hon. Friend has in mind general practitioners' annual reports, it will be left to individual practitioners to decide how best to collect the required information.

  Medicine Committees
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his practice to appoint to the Medicines Commission and the Committee on Safety of Medicines members without any financial interests in drug companies.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: No. Members are appointed for the expert advice they are able to give. Any involvements they may have in research sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry helps them keep in touch with important aspects of drug development. By following the ethical standards set by the code of practice on declaration of interests members are able to avoid conflicts of interest which might otherwise impair the objectivity of the advice they give.

  Haemophiliacs
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received in regard to settling out of court the claims of haemophiliacs who have been contaminated with the HIV virus by the injection of blood products supplied under the National Health Service; what replies have been sent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: We have received 19 representations from Members on the subject of compensation for people with haemophilia and HIV infection and two from the Haemophilia Society. To date seven replies have been issued to Members and one to the Haemophilia Society. The others will be replied to shortly.

  GP Referrals
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what current regulatory or administrative constraints prevent general practitioners contracted to the National Health Service from referring a patient to any unit of that service; and what constraints will be, or are likely to be, placed on such general practitioners not opting for budgeted practice status, after implementation of the proposals described by Cm. 555 "Working for Patients", and related consultation papers and statements.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: In principle, GPs currently are free to refer their patients to any unit in the National Health Service, the decision whether or not to accept a referral being a matter for the clinical judgment of the consultant. However, the choices open to GPs may be constrained in practice, for example if the preferred hospital is a victim of its own success and cannot accept additional patients because of budgetary constraints. Our proposals to enable money to follow patients are designed to overcome such problems. The future arrangements for securing GPs rights of referral are described in paragraphs 3.5–3.16 of the recently issued "Contracts for Health Services: Operational principles" copies of which are in the Library.

  Consultancy Service Register
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people annually contest their inclusion on his Department's consultancy service register; and whether the outcome of contested cases is made publicly available;

  (2) how many persons have information held on them by his Department's consultancy service register;

  (3) if there is an appeal procedure to contest being placed on his Department's consultancy service register;

  (4) what is the set of criteria for inclusion on his Department's consultancy service register referred to in his Department's circular LAC88/(19) annex A paragraph 8.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The Department's consultancy service is intended to ensure that prospective employers take up appropriate references from previous employers who may hold relevant information about an applicant for a post working with children. Some 6,000 names are currently held on the register. Information held by the Department which led to a person's entry on the register is not generally made available to a prospective employer.

  Decisions to place a name on the register are taken jointly by the Department and the social services inspectorate, based on an assessment of whether a person's known past conduct is likely to injure the welfare of any child entrusted to his future care, or to lead to criminal or other harmful behaviour. Past conduct involving violence, sexual offences, supplying drugs or harming children is particularly likely to indicate inclusion.

  Once it is decided to place a person on the register he or she is informed in writing of the information held by the Department and the purpose of the registration. He or she is also given the opportunity to challenge the accuracy of the information and to make representations as to why his or her name should not continue to be placed on the register.

  No more than six people a year appeal against inclusion on the register. Each such case is carefully considered in

  319
  the light of the further information provided and the final decision, and the reasons for it, conveyed to the person. The outcome of contested cases is not made public as this is a confidential matter between the Department and the person concerned.

  Nurses
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many conversion to first-level nursing places are currently on offer to enrolled nurses throughout the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: We do not hold this information centrally. Information supplied by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting shows that in England the number of schools of nursing approved to conduct conversion courses have increased from six at 31 March 1986 to 145 at 31 March 1989.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Primary Schoolchildren
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list by local education authority the number of primary school-children who were being sent home due to lack of teaching staff at the end of September.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  This information is not available.

  Open University
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the report of the Open university visiting committee in the context of(a) the development of new courses, (b) current course maintenance and updating and (c) research, as referred to in his answer of 23 May 1988, Official Report, column 11.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Open university visiting committee reports to my right hon. Friend annually in the autumn. Following its report last year, the Government agreed to provide £12·9 million in additional grant to the university over the three financial years 1989–90 to 1991–92. As a result, the university has been able to avoid making many of the cutbacks in provision which it had earlier feared it would have to make. The visiting committee's report for this year is now being finalised and my right hon. Friend expects to receive it shortly.

  UN Data Systems
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what access to the United Nations global resource information database and the United Nations global environmental monitoring system is afforded to United Kingdom research institutes, univer-sities, polytechnics and colleges; and if he will make a statement on the utility of these United Nations data systems for developing environmental education in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jackson
  I understand that United Kingdom researchers are able to gain access to data from the global 320
  resource information database through a local centre of the global environment monitoring system. This is situated at the monitoring and assessment research centre in the university of London, King's College. The databases are of considerable sophistication and would hence be inappropriate for general use in environmental education at school level.

  Environmental Research
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he received the Advisory Board for the Research Councils' latest document on spending advice for 1990 and beyond; what has been his response to proposals to increase environmental research commitment; and what information he has on the environmental research commitment in(a) other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development states and (b) other EEC member states:

  Mr. Jackson
  The ABRC's advice "Science and Public Expenditure 1989" was submitted to my right hon. Friend on 12 May. That advice included proposals for environmental research expenditure which have been fully taken into account during the course of the public expenditure survey discussions. I cannot anticipate the outcome of those discussions.

  Very little information is available on the environmen-tal research commitment of other countries. The OECD data bank of April 1988 gave the percentage distribution of Government direct appropriations to civil R & D in respect of the environment in 1987 or nearest year as follows:

  Percentage

  Portugal

  17·9

  Australia

  15·4

  Spain

  13·5

  Greece

  12·8

  Canada

  12·6

  Finland

  11·3

  Germany

  9·3

  United Kingdom

  8·0

  Norway

  7·1

  Belgium

  6·9

  Netherlands

  6·8

  EEC

  6·7

  Sweden

  5·3

  United States

  4·8

  Switzerland

  4·7

  Denmark

  4·2

  Italy

  3·9

  France

  3·4

  Austria

  2·7

  Iceland

  2·4

  Ireland

  2·0

  Education Records (Access)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will introduce regulations to allow young students access to their own education records modelled on regulations issued under the Access to Personal Files Act; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend plans shortly to issue a consultation paper on access to records of students in further and higher education.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science why his regulations which allow young
  321
  students access to their own education record prohibit parents access to that record if the student was under 18 years of age, where the record constitutes personal data; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Education (School Records) Regulations 1989 govern the keeping, disclosure and transfer of manual records on their pupils kept by maintained schools and non-maintained special schools. The regulations require that, from 1 September 1990, such records should be disclosed on request to parents of pupils aged under 18, and to pupils aged 16 or over. Certain categories of material, including those whose disclosure might cause serious harm to the pupil or any other person, are exempted from the disclosure requirement.

  Local Authority Service
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he intends to take with regard to the criticisms in the Audit Commission's report on advisers and inspectors working within the local authority service, of the service as being poorly managed and with unsystematic record-keeping.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend and I are considering our response to the Audit Commission's report on local education authority inspection and advisory services. We shall wish to take account of the views which the local authority associations express on behalf of LEAs, at whom the report's recommendations are mainly addressed.

  Plymouth Brethren
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from members of the Plymouth Brethren concerning the rights of parents to withdraw their children from school classes under the provisions of article 2 of the first protocol to the European convention on human rights; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I have received many representations from members of the Brethren that they should have a right to withdraw their children from elements of the secular curriculum in maintained schools to which they have religious objections. Article 2 of the first protocol to the European convention on human rights does not give parents this right. My right hon. Friend and I have decided, as a matter of policy, that we will not allow any group of parents the right to withdraw their children from the secular curriculum in maintained schools on grounds of religion or conscience. But they remain free to make alternative educational arrangements.

  School Bus Seats
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider reducing the age at which three children are allowed to sit on a double school bus seat, from under 14 to nine years, to take account of the three-tier education system.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The 1984 Public Service Vehicle (Carrying Capacity) Regulations are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. We are at present reviewing this aspect of the regulations, and will write to my hon. Friend when that review is complete.

  Teacher Morale
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he received in the summer recess on the morale of the teaching profession while teachers introduce the national curriculum and other reforms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We have received correspondence from teachers expressing support for the national curriculum but anxiety at the scale of the reforms facing them. We recognise that our reforms are a challenge to teachers. We value their hard work and commitment, and believe that they will rise to the challenge. In recognition of the demands already facing teachers, my right hon. Friend has decided to defer for the time being any requirement that all teachers should undergo appraisal.

  Teacher Shortages
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the effect of the campaign to recruit teachers to solve subject and geographic shortages.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Our action programme to combat teacher shortages was launched in 1986 at a cost so far of £50 million. Recruitment to initial teacher training in physics, maths and CDT was above the 1986 level in both 1987 and 1988. We shall continue to develop and intensify the programme further to improve teacher recruitment in the secondary shortage subjects.

  The £2 million education support grant scheme, announced last May, will help LEA's to develop local recruitment schemes to attract qualified teacher returners and mature entrants. Support will be concentrated to assist shortages both by locality and by subject.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has had recently in response to his announcement on teachers' pay made during the parliamentary recess; and if he will make a statement about the future of the machinery for determining teachers' pay.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about various aspects of the announcement from the teacher unions and individuals. He expects to meet the teacher unions and employers shortly for further discussions about new pay determina-tion arrangements.

  National Curriculum
  Sir Charles Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what resources are listed in the national curriculum for geography in relation to population.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The national curriculum will not specify the use of particular resources in relation to any subject or topic. This is a matter for decision by schools and teachers.

  The attainment targets and programmes of study for geography in the national curriculum are under consideration by a working group whose interim report is due to be submitted to my right hon. Friend by 31 October. I will arrange for a copy to be sent to my hon. Friend as soon as it is published.

  Local Management Schemes
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities have failed to provide training for school governors in connection with local management schemes.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  All authorities have been required to include in their schemes of local management details of their proposals for training governors. It is clear from these schemes and from our monitoring of the education support grant programme for school governor training that training in local management of schools occupies a high priority in authorities' plans.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that local education authorities provide training for school governors in connection with local management schemes.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 27 June 1989,Official Report, col. 410.

  Fire Safety, Schools
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he has taken or proposes to take to establish the effectiveness of fire safety arrangements in schools.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ensure the safety of occupants of schools in the event of fire, the statutory provisions, and guidance regularly issued in support of them, emphasise the importance of maintaining adequate means of escape. The day to day responsibility for properly maintaining safety rests locally, but the Department issues guidance such as Building Bulletin 7 "Fire and the Design of Education Buildings" and "Safety in Education" Bulletin No. 5.

  Dyslexia
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many dyslexic children there were in the school population in each of the past seven years; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what guidelines his Department has issued to local education authorities concerning the testing for dyslexia amongst young schoolchildren; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what recent consultations have been carried out between officials of his Department and local education authorities concerning the detection of dyslexia amongst schoolchildren; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Department does not maintain data on individual learning difficulties. The Education Act 1981 requires local education authorities to make an assessment of children in their area with special educational needs which require, or may require, the LEA to determine the appropriate provision. General advice to LEAs on their duties under the Education Act 1981 in relation to the making of assessments and statements of special educational needs 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 already been placed in the Library.

  Child Care
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the resource implications of allowing children to remain in school out of school hours in order to allow more women to return to work.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  None for schools' budgets. The Department's recent letter on this subject to local education authorities and schools specifies that school-based child care schemes must be provided on at least a full cost recovery basis as far as the school is concerned. This is because, under local management of schools, school budgets may not be used to subsidise non-school activities.

  Institute of Food Research
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what approaches have been made to the Institute of Food Research, Bristol from any quarter outside the United Kingdom concerning financial support for its activities as an alternative to Her Majesty's Government's current plans for its closure.

  Mr. Jackson
  There have been no such approaches.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  EC Documents
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he has completed his review of the consideration by Parliament of European Economic Community documents; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  Correspondence resulting from my predecessor's discussions with the Chairman of the Select Committee on European Legislation was published in the first special report from that Committee, Session 1988–89 (HC 533).

  I will consider what further measures may be necessary when the Procedure Committee's recommendations are reported to the House.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Clergy Ordination Measure
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, (Mr. Alison), as representing the Church Commissioners, what representations the Church Commissioners have received following the debate in the House of the Clergy Ordination Measure.

  Mr. Alison
  None, Sir. The Clergy Ordination Measure is a matter for the General Synod. As a member of that body I have personally received a number of letters expressing views both of regret and approval at the outcome of the debate of the Measure on 17 July.

EMPLOYMENT

  Jobstart
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the evaluation survey of the jobstart programme currently undertaken.
  325
  Mr. Eggar
  The evaluation of jobstart involves surveys of individuals who have received the allowance and of employers who have engaged such people. A copy of the report on the individuals' survey is in the Library of the House. The report on the employer survey will be available early next year.

  Training
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for employment if he will list the names of those employment training managers that have been given approved status as a training organisation.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No employment training managers have been given approved status as training organisations. All training managers are currently working towards full approved status and have until September 1990 to achieve it.

  Employment Service
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff were employed by the employment service for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The numbers of permanent staff employed by the employment service on the stated date of each of the last 10 years is as follows:

  Numbers

  1 January 1980

  *31,500

  1981

  *33,000

  1982

  *39,000

  1983

  *38,500

  1984

  *38,000

  1985

  *35,500

  1986

  *36,000

  1987

  *41,500

  1 April 1988

  38,801

  1989

  35,358

  In addition, the employment service employed 376 and 1,175 casual staff at 1 April 1988 and 1 April 1989 respectively.

  The starred figures are approximations which are roughly comparable to the permanent staff figures for 1988 and 1989—as the employment service did not exist before October 1987, it was necessary to construct them from staff returns for the various parts of the group which eventually formed or contributed to the formation of the employment service.

  Adjudication Officers (Decisions)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by standard Great Britain region, including Greater London, what is the current average length of time between an unemployed claimant receiving an adjudica-tion officer's decision on grounds of restricted availability and non-availability for work and a subsequent appeal.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is not collected and could he obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by standard Great Britain region, including Greater London, what is the current average length of time between a claimant's referral for adjudication and an adjudication officer's decision on grounds of restricted availability and non-availability for work.
  326
  Mr. Eggar
  Information is not available in the precise form requested. However, the speed with which adjudication officers make decisions (that is, the time between their receiving a referral and reaching a decision) is monitored in a 5 per cent. sample of cases. The sample shows that for the three-month period ending 30 June 1989, the percentage of restricted availability questions decided within four weeks of referral to an adjudication officer, for each employment service region, was as follows:

  Availability

  Restricted availability

  per cent.

  per cent.

  Southern

  77·5

  70·2

  Eastern

  92·3

  91·7

  Western

  68·0

  76·1

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  91·0

  95·1

  South West

  65·9

  77·6

  Northern

  100·0

  96·6

  North West

  89·4

  83·4

  East Midlands

  86·3

  89·0

  West Midlands

  93·1

  93·1

  Wales

  96·5

  98·2

  Scotland

  84·9

  90·5

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish of 28 July,Officiol Report, column 1044, what is the average duration of appropriate training, in weeks, given to area directors who do not possess formal professional management qualifications, in order to ensure that they have the management skills necessary to perform their duties.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The amount of training undertaken by area directors employed by the Health and Safety Executive in order to ensure that they have the management skills necessary to perform their duties varies considerably depending upon their individual needs and experience. The average duration of such training, received over a period of time, is approximately six weeks.

  Executive Officers (Promotion Board)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment why no executive officer promotion board is to be held for the north-west region Department of Employment in 1990.

  Mr. Eggar
  The numbers of staff in the grade, and on the current promotion waiting list, are expected to meet the needs of the Employment Department Group in the north-west region for the coming year.

  Mr. V. M. B. Watkins, Redruth
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne can expect a reply to his letter of 25 August to the hon. Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls), on behalf of Mr. V. M. B. Watkins, of Elcon Western (Electrical) Ltd., Trewirgie Road, Redruth, Cornwall.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 18 October.

  Mrs. Nisbet, Redruth
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne can expect a reply to his letter to the hon. Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls) dated 3 August, concerning Mrs. Nisbet of 2 Sparnon Hill, Redruth, Cornwall.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 18 October.

  Trade Union Rights
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the needs for a statutory system to establish a trade union's right to represent its members in negotiations with an employer, and what has been his response.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I recently received a letter on this matter from the general secretary of the Banking, Insurance and Finance Union. My reply made clear the Government's view that it is for the individual employer to decide whether, and in what cirumstances, to recognise a trade union for collective bargaining purposes. Experience with the statutory recognition procedures contained in the Employment Protection Act 1975 and repealed by the Employment Act 1980 showed them to be highly unsatisfactory in practice.

  Training Schemes
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, in order to reduce the costs incurred by trainees participating in those schemes, he will permit managers of employment training schemes to operate their courses on the basis of four rather than five days per week.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No. Employment training is designed to be a full-time programme, offering training for a minimum of 30 hours per week over five days.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many filled employment training places there are in the Greater Manchester area; and what percentage this represents of the original departmental projections.

  Mr. Nicholls
  On 13 October 1989, the latest date for which information is available, there were 9,456 people on employment training in Greater Manchester. Departmental projections are for internal management purposes only.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to increase the allowance offered to employers under employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Employers are involved in employment training because they recognise the value of quality training. They do not receive allowances for taking part in the programme.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to review the progress of employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The progress of employment training, like that of all other programmes run by my Department, is kept under constant review.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what date the Wath Recycling Company was ordered or requested securely to contain toxic waste received from the United States of America; on what date the containment operation commenced; and on what date it was implemented.

  Mr. Nicholls
  On 10 August 1989 the Health and Safety Executive served a deferred prohibition notice on Wath Recycling Limited prohibiting after 23 August 1989 the loose bulk storage of the toxic waste received from the United States of America. The commencement date of the prohibition was subsequently extended to 10 October 1989. The operation to pack the waste into drums commenced on 14 September and was completed on 8 October.

  Dyslexia
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many sufferers of dyslexia were assessed as registered disabled persons and had their names entered in the registered disabled persons' register in each of the past seven years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I regret that this information is available only at disproportionate cost. People who suffer from dyslexia are eligible to register as disabled under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944. They are also eligible to receive help from the special schemes and services provided for people with disabilities by the employment service and the Training Agency.

  Construction Industry Training Boards
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he will now make a decision on the future of the construction industry training boards.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 20 July 1989. Consultations with the board and organisations representing employers have now been completed. My right hon. Friend hopes to be in a position to make an announcement shortly.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to ensure that the share of moneys received from the European social fund by local authorities is measured and distributed in accordance with real need.

  Mr. Eggar
  The British Government's aim is to secure the maximum support from the European social fund for the national plans and operational programmes which it has submitted. The distribution of European social fund moneys will be governed by the priorities decided upon by the European Commission in its Community support framework.

  Footwear and Leather Industries
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been employed in the footwear and leather industries in the following years(a) 1960, (b) 1965, ( c) 1970, (d) 1975, (e) 1980 and (f) each year since 1980 to the present date.
  329
  Mr. Nicholls
  The Department's statistics on employees in employment are arranged according to the standard industrial classification 1980 and a consistent series is available only from June 1971. Figures prior to that date are classified according to the standard industrial classification 1968. The available information (unadjusted for seasonal variations) is as follows:

  Employees in footwear and leather industries SIC 1980 Great Britain: June

  (Thousands)

  1Leather industries

  2Footwear

  1971

  39·7

  75·3

  1975

  36·1

  65·3

  1980

  30·0

  58·8

  1981

  26·9

  53·5

  1982

  25·0

  51·4

  1983

  22·9

  52·8

  1984

  21·8

  52·8

  1985

  21·1

  51·1

  1986

  20·4

  51·9

  1987

  20·9

  50·8

  1988

  20·9

  49·5

  1989

  19·2

  46·6

  1SIC 80, Class 44.

  1SIC 80, Group 451.

  Textile and Knitwear Industries
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons have been employed on the textile and knitwear industries in the following years(a) 1960, (b) 1965, (c) 1970, (d) 1975, (e) 1980 and (f) each year since 1980 to the present date.

  Mr Nicholls
  The Department's statistics on employees in employment are arranged according to the standard industrial classification 1980 and a consistent series is available only from June 1971. Figures prior to that date are classified according to standard industrial classification 1968. The available information (unadjusted for seasonal variations) is as follows:

  Employees in textile and knitwear industries (SIC 80, Class 43) Great Britain: June

  (Thousands)

  1971

  499·6

  1975

  418·3

  1980

  324·8

  1981

  273·0

  1982

  256·2

  1983

  238·8

  1984

  233·5

  1985

  234·5

  1986

  238·2

  1987

  229·0

  1988

  231·0

  1989

  217·8

  YTS
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the total income of an 18 or 19-year-old on the basic level of income support, who is a trainee on employment training and a person of the same age and domestic circumstances, who is a trainee on YTS.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 27 July 1989]: People on Employment Training (ET) receive a training allowance
  330
  based on the benefits they would receive if they were unemployed plus a training premium of £10 a week. The basic income support for an 18 to 19-year-old is £27·40, which would give a training allowance of £37·40. Non-employed YTS trainees of similar age and circumstances on two year YTS receive minimum training allowances of £29·50 per week in the first year and £35 per week in the second year. Those eligible for one year YTS courses receive a minimum training allowance of £29·50 for the first 13 weeks and £35 per week thereafter. Employed YTS trainees receive a wage equivalent at least to the appropriate level of YTS training allowances. Both ET and non-employed YTS trainees also receive assistance with training-related travel and lodging costs where appropriate.

SCOTLAND

  Civil Legal Aid
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the average time taken to process civil legal aid applications in Scotland, in each of the past 10 years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information has not been recorded in the past, but time taken to determine applications is one of the performance measures being implemented by the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his assessment of the prospects for the Scottish construction industry over the coming year.

  Mr. Lang
  Prospects for the Scottish construction industry over the coming year are very good with orders and output for the first half of 1989 at the highest levels since 1978 and 1980, respectively. Orders in the first half of 1989 were up 26·6 per cent. in real terms on those of the same period for 1988, with the private sector performing particularly well. Increased orders point to continued strong growth of output in the coming year, particularly in the private sector.

  This favourable picture is supported by the latest business surveys, ie. the Scottish chambers business survey and the civil engineers workload trends survey. These reveal high levels of optimism regarding the general business situation and future levels of employment during the coming year within the construction industry.

  Lithotriptor Centre
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the waiting list, by health board, for access to treatment at the Scottish lithotriptor centre.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of patients awaiting treatment at the Scottish lithotriptor centre on 16 October 1989 was 217. This figure includes five patients from north of England health authorities. The breakdown, by health boards, of the remaining 212 patients is:

  Number

  Lothian

  47

  Greater Glasgow

  52

  Fife

  19

  Forth Valley

  10

  331

  Number

  Tayside

  10

  Lanarkshire

  25

  Orkney

  Nil

  Shetland

  Nil

  Grampian

  7

  Borders

  6

  Highland

  10

  Dumfries and Galloway

  3

  Western Isles

  4

  Argyle and Clyde

  9

  Ayrshire and Arran

  10

  Milk
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why the sale of unpasteurised milk is not permitted in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The retail sale of unpasteurised milk has been banned in Scotland since the introduction in 1983 of compulsory pasteurisation. This was in response to widespread public concern about the safety of untreated milk following a number of serious outbreaks of milk-borne disease in Scotland (3,500 cases in 12 years including 12 deaths). There are no proposals to relax the ban, which has resulted in the virtual eradication of milk-borne disease in Scotland.

  Dyslexia
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dyslexic children there were in the school population in each of the past seven years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Information on dyslexic children is not held centrally.

  Hospitals (Opting Out)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the names of those hospitals and medical units that have expressed an interest in opting out.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  To date, the Scottish Home and Health Department has been notified of two expressions of interest in possible self-governing status relating to a group of hospitals in Forfar and the Royal Scottish National hospital in Larbert. Self-governing trusts will remain an integral part of the National Health Service and they will not be "opting out" of the National Health Service.

  General Practitioners' Contract
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be in a position to announce final plans to safeguard rural practices from changes arising from the new general practitioners' contract.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The 1990 contract for general medical practitioners, issued in August 1989, makes it clear that practices serving sparsely populated areas will continue to be eligible for the inducement practice scheme through which income can be enhanced and that the Scottish rural practice fund, which is kept under continuous review, is considered to be currently well targeted. It is the task of the review body on doctors' and 332
  dentists' remuneration to advise the Government on the level of remuneration due to general practitioners and it is not possible at this stage to say what view the review body will take.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish regulations establishing a new contract for general practitioners in Scotland as has happened for England and Wales.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Scottish regulations will be laid before Parliament on Wednesday 1 November 1989.

  Auction Marts
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report those auction marts which have MLC grading facilities.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is as follows:

  Aberdeen and Northern Marts Ltd, Aberdeen

  Thomson, Roddick & Laurie Ltd, Annan

  James Craig Ltd, Ayr

  Biggar Quality Meats, Biggar

  Thos Corson & Co. Ltd, Bridgend, Islay

  A. & J. Wilson & Co. Ltd, Campbeltown

  Wallets Mart Ltd, Castle Douglas

  Aberdeen and Northern Marts Ltd, Cornhill

  United Auction (Eastern), Cupar

  Hamilton Auction Marts Ltd, Dingwall

  Reith & Anderson Ltd, Dingwall

  Thomson, Roddick & Laurie Ltd, Dumfries

  Aberdeen & Northern Marts Ltd, Dundee

  Oliver & Sons Ltd, Edinburgh

  John Swan & Sons Ltd, Edinburgh

  W. Bosomworth & Sons Ltd, Edinburgh

  Aberdeen & Northern Marts Ltd, Elgin

  Angus Marts Ltd, Forfar

  Ben Nevis Auction Marts Ltd, Fort William

  L. S. Smellie & Sons Ltd, Hamilton

  Andrew Oliver & Son Ltd, Hawick

  Aberdeen & Northern Marts Ltd, Huntly

  Aberdeen & Northern Marts Ltd, Insch

  United Auction (Eastern), Inverness

  A. & J. Wilson & Co. Ltd, Kilmarnock

  Kirkwall Auction Mart, Kirkwall

  Lawrie & Symington, Lanark

  Aberdeen & Northern Marts Ltd, Laurencekirk

  Shetland Marts Ltd, Lerwick

  Harrison & Hetherington Ltd, Lockerbie

  Aberdeen & Northern Marts Ltd, Maud

  Montrose Auction Mart, Montrose

  John Swan & Sons Ltd, Newtown St. Boswells

  James Craig Ltd, Newton Stewart

  United Auction (Western), Oban

  A. & J. Wilson & Co. Ltd, Paisley

  Lawrie & Symington Ltd, Peebles

  Caledonian Marts, Perth

  United Auction (Eastern), Perth

  Hamilton's Auction Marts, Portree

  Berwick Auction Market Co. Ltd, Reston

  United Auction (Western), Stirling

  Caledonian Marts Ltd, Stirling

  Angus MacDonald & Son, Stornoway

  James Craig Ltd, Stranraer

  Strathaven Auction Mart, Strathaven

  West Mainland Mart Ltd, Stromness

  United Auctions (Western) Ltd, Tarbert

  Hamilton's Auction Mart Ltd, Thurso

  Aberdeen & Northern Marts Ltd, Thurso

  Aberdeen & Northern Marts Ltd, Turriff

  Aberdeen & Northern Marts Ltd, Wick

  National Parks
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the report and recommendations of the Countryside Commission on national parks; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I expect the Countryside Commission for Scotland to produce a report on its review of the management of popular mountain areas early next year.

  The issue under review is a complex one and a full statement must await consideration of the commission's report.

  Housing Finance
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a supplementary housing capital allocation to East Lothian district council for the current year following the Parliamentary Under-Secretary's comments on 16 June about his Department's overestimate of capital receipts and the impact of the negative capital allocation; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The estimate of capital receipts in 1989–90 was prepared earlier this year with the agreement of the district council. I am aware of the representations made by the council about a supplementary allocation in the light of more recent information. I am not yet in a position to make an announcement about supplementary allocations but hope to do so shortly.

  Roads
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his preferred routes for the proposed A1 dual carriageway at Gladsmuir, Haddington, East Linton and Dunbar; and what procedures will be adopted for public consultation about these proposals.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Our proposals for dualling the A1 as far as Haddington and, in the longer term, to Dunbar form part of strategic proposals on which we are currently consulting widely. Once these consulta-tions are complete and decisions taken, detailed proposals will be prepared for individual schemes. These proposals will be made public in the usual way in accordance with the statutory procedures supplemented where appropriate by local public exhibitions.

  Family planning (clinic) services1

  Premises in which family planning clinics are held

  Family planning clinic sessions held

  1987

  1988

  1987

  1988

  Scotland

  184

  168

  22,389

  20,728

  Argyll and Clyde

  16

  17

  1,975

  1,897

  Ayrshire and Arran

  9

  9

  760

  741

  Borders

  5

  5

  236

  236

  Dumfries and Galloway

  13

  13

  536

  537

  Fife2

  15

  n.a.

  1,096

  n.a.

  Forth Valley

  5

  5

  810

  799

  Grampian

  12

  12

  1,452

  1,338

  Greater Glasgow

  41

  41

  7,735

  7,644

  Highland

  6

  4

  242

  239

  Lanarkshire

  13

  14

  1,826

  1,862

  Lothian

  27

  27

  4,068

  3,855

  Police (Rent Allowance)
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to make a decision about the Police Arbitration Tribunal's newly proposed system to calculate rent allowance for Scottish police officers; what representations he has received regarding the apparent delay; and what steps he intends to take.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The decision of the Police Arbitration Tribunal on rent allowance is still under consideration by the Police Negotiating Board. However, following an agreement reached by the hoard last April, my right hon. and learned Friend has now advised the chairman of the board of his intention to bring forward regulations as soon as possible to make provision for interim payments to Scottish officers. The regulations, which will be backdated to 1 April 1989, will have the effect of restoring to those officers whose circumstances have not changed since 31 March 1989 the level of rent allowance (including the rates element) which they were receiving at that date.

  Contraception
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioners were at 1 October 1987 and 1988 in contract with health boards to provide contraceptive services to their patients.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of general practitioners in contract with health boards to provide contraceptive services to their patients was 3,273 on 1 October 1987 and 3,328 on 1 October 1988.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients were registered with general practitioners for National Health Service contraception services for 1987 and 1988 in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of women registered with general practitioners for National Health Service contraception services was 272,598 for 1987 and 276,232 for 1988.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of family planning clinics and family planning clinic sessions in each health board in Scotland for the years 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is as follows:
  335

  Premises in which family planning clinics are held

  Family planning clinic sessions held

  1987

  1988

  1987

  1988

  Tayside

  20

  19

  1,589

  1,518

  Islands3

  2

  2

  64

  62

  1 Includes all clinic services provided including hospital, and including any provided on an agency basis. Excludes any non-clinic services which might be given to hospital in-patients or day patients.

  2Excludes data from 1 December 1987 for Fife health board; this information is not available.

  3Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles health boards.

  Roads
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to provide specific details about the provision of adequate public funds for the road programme announced last May.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  As the Secretary of State made clear in his announcement in May, detailed decisions about funding levels for the roads programme will be taken in the course of annual reviews of public expenditure. The current year's review is now in progress and I expect that, as is usual practice, the Secretary of State will announce his public expenditure plans for the three years 1990–91 to 1991–92 towards the end of this calendar year.

  Children's Panels
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider amendments to the Social Work Scotland Act 1968 to make statutory provision for educational resources to be made available to children's panels disposing of references to children's hearings as well as existing social work facilities and professional expertise; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: Social work authorities are responsible under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 for implementing compulsory measures of care decided by children's hearings, and I strongly encourage those authorities to co-operate with statutory and voluntary organisations in those cases where the latter have a positive contributon to make. I have no plans to amend social work legislation to oblige other services to provide resources.

  New Towns
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received for the clarification of his proposals for private new towns companies contained in his White Paper, "Scottish New Towns, The Way Ahead"; and what reply he has had.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: A number of inquiries from both the public and the private sector have been made to the Scottish Office for the purpose of clarifying in detail the White Paper proposals. My officials have met with a number of people who have expressed an interest in participating in some way in the setting up of private sector local development companies within the Scottish new towns. These discussions are yet at an early stage and are being treated as confidential.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Community Care
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average amount awarded for non-repayable community care grants in the first year of the social fund.

  Mr. Scott
  A total of 153,000 community care grants averaging £271 were paid in 1988–89.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what transfer of social security funds he anticipates making to social services authorities in the light of the recent statement on community care.

  Mr. Scott
  As my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health explained in his statement on 12 July, the Government propose to transfer to local authorities the resources which would otherwise have been provided to finance care through social security payments to people in residential care and nursing homes. The precise amount of the transfer will not be settled until next year.

  Claimants
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what he is doing to speed up the service for social security claimants.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We are building on the success of the 1988 social security reforms which have made the scheme easier for the public to understand and simpler for staff to operate. As a result in 1989–90 there has been a 20 per cent. improvement in the average time taken to process income support claims compared with 1987–88 and a 24 per cent. reduction in the average time income support and social fund callers spend in our offices.

  I am aware, however, that there is still room for further improvement particularly in certain inner cities. We are tackling this by relocating some work, which requires no face-to-face contact, away from London to areas where we have fewer problems over staff recruitment and retention. In addition between now and 1991, we expect our programme to computerise social security operations in all local offices to make a major impact on the speed and accuracy of the service they provide.

  Work Seekers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on what help is available to those moving from their home area to seek work.

  Mr. Scott
  An unemployed person who moves home can immediately claim housing benefit to help with rent
  337
  and rates payment or income support to help with mortgage interest payments. Also the travel to interview scheme operated by the employment service gives financial assistance to unemployed job seekers attending job interviews away from home.

  Community Charge Rebate
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people will be eligible for community charge rebate.
  338
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Community charge benefit is significantly more generous than rate rebates and will go to an estimated 1 million extra people. Our most recent estimate is that 1 in 4 of those liable to the community charge will receive community charge benefit. The numbers will of course be affected by the community charge transitional relief scheme but no estimates are yet available.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what evidence he has of the way in which social fund officers are meeting individual need.

  Mr. Scott
  Social fund officers have met the individual needs of more than 1·5 million people since April 1988 by the payment of interest-free loans and non-repayable community care grants. Details of the purposes for which payments were made in 1988–89 are in the Secretary of State's annual report to Parliament published in July 1989.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on Government policy towards the transfer of unspent social fund allocations in social security offices from one year to the next.

  Mr. Scott
  Local office allocations are made for a financial year. Unspent balances at the end of a financial year are not available for expenditure in the following year. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of applications for grants and loans from the social fund rejected on original application are successful on appeal.

  Mr. Scott
  Between 1 April 1989 and 31 August 1989, nearly 26 per cent. (based on provisional figures) of applications for first review were successful. Information given to me by the social fund commissioner, shows that on second review, social fund inspectors either substituted their own decisions or referred cases back to the social fund officer in 38 per cent. (based on provisional figures) of the applications for review made to them.

  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people received help from the social fund in its first year of operation.

  Mr. Scott
  Over a million people received help from the social fund in 1988–89 through the payment of 884,000 interest-free loans and 153,000 non-repayable community care grants. Further details are in the Secretary of State's annual report to Parliament, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information is available regarding delays in forwarding applications for review to the office of the social fund inspectors; and whether he has received any representations on this subject from social fund inspectors or the social fund commissioner.

  Mr. Scott
  The Social Fund Commissioner drew attention to such delays in her annual report. Remedial action has been taken by the Department to ensure that applications are referred promptly and this matter will be kept under review.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he poposes to uprate child benefit for the next relevant year.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to what extent child benefit changes this year will take into account inflation over the past three years.
  340
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  An announcement about benefit rates will be made shortly.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to introduce legislation to make attendance at post-natal or child health clinics a condition of receiving child benefit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  No. The promotion of perinatal care is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  Budgeting Loans
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people on income support have received interest-free budgeting loans from the social fund in its first year of operation.

  Mr. Scott
  Some 505,000 budgeting loans were awarded in 1988–89. Further details are in the Secretary of State's annual report to Parliament published in July 1989.

  Disability Income
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress his Department is making towards the introduction of a comprehensive disability income scheme.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department is examining ways to introduce a comprehensive disability income scheme.

  Mr. Scott
  We have already spent some £7·3 billion on disability benefits, an increase of 90 per cent. in real terms since 1979. We have received a number of representations from disability organisations about the introduction of a comprehensive disability income. Whilst these proposals warrant consideration the extra cost of such a scheme is a significant obstacle. We shall, however, consider carefully all the comments made on the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys reports on disability.

  Homeless People
  Mr. Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any proposals to increase the financial support for young single homeless people.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any proposals to increase the financial support for young single homeless people.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any proposals to increase the financial support for young single homeless people.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The normal range of benefits available to young single people is also available to those who are homeless. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State will be making the general uprating statement soon.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the percentage of his Department's budget expended on the homeless each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The homeless are, in general, entitled to social security benefits on the same basis as everyone else. I regret, therefore, that the information requested is not available.
  341
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all benefits within his responsibility available to homeless persons.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There are no benefits specifically for the homeless, but they may claim a wide range of benefits subject to the usual qualifying conditions.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to prevent financial hardship being caused to homeless persons as a result of the recent changes in legislation.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  People without accommodation continue to be entitled to claim benefit in the usual way.

  Computerisation
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how plans for computerisation of the social security system will benefit claimants in Fylde.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Department's plans for the computerisation of the social security system will benefit claimants in Fylde and the rest of the United Kingdom by introducing computer systems which will process claims faster, reduce payment errors and provide a quick and more efficient enquiry service.

  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress of the social security computerisation programme.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The social security computerisa-tion programme is coming to fruition according to plan. The three major computer projects, the departmental central index, the pensions and income support computer systems have been piloted in 23 social security offices. A rolling programme of national implementation, which will extend the systems to all social security offices, will start this month.

  Disability Benefits Review
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has formally to consult organisations of and for disabled people about the overall structure of the disability benefits review.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how he proposes formally to consult disability organisations on the review of disability benefits.

  Mr. Scott
  I have received a number of representations about the format of the disability benefits review and am keen to encourage comments on the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys reports from organisations of and for disabled people and others.

  The Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has had an opportunity to consider the financial implications of the disability benefits review.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) earlier today.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research his Department is undertaking into 342
  the benefits received by carers, including invalid care allowance, in preparation for the forthcoming review of disability benefits; and when the results of such research will be publicly available.

  Mr. Scott
  We have commissioned the social policy research unit at the university of York to undertake a study of invalid care allowance and its financial and economic effects for carers. We have not yet received the final report of the study or agreed a date for publication.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will seek to ensure that absent husbands and fathers accept their responsibility for supporting lone parent families.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Government are naturally concerned that absent parents should meet their responsibilities for their children as far as possible.

  When a lone parent claims income support the Department tries to obtain maintenance from the absent parent for his dependants. The Department can take proceedings if he refuses to make payments which it appears he can afford. In addition the lone parent can apply direct to the courts for maintenance from the absent parent. It is for the courts to decide in the circumstances of the case whether and how much maintenance to award.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone mothers receiving income support do not receive any maintenance.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The most recent figures available are for May 1988 and show that maintenance was not paid for some 530,000 lone mothers in receipt of income support at that time.

  Source: Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry 1988.

  Benefits (Uprating)
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy that the uprating of benefits next April will include an increase based on inflation for those in receipt of transitional protection.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Income support special transitional additions are increased in line with inflation. Other transitional protection, including housing benefit non-statutory payments, is not increased.

  Over-75s
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will introduce new pension rates for the over-75s to take account of the losses suffered from the severing of the link between pension and earnings rates.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Restoring the link between pensions and earnings is not the key factor in improving pensioners' incomes. In recognition of the fact that not all pensioners shared equally in the 23 per cent. real terms increases in pensioners' average total net income between 1979 and 1986, we introduced new and enhanced premiums into the income support and housing benefit schemes on 9 October this year. Disabled pensioners and those aged 75 and over will benefit by up to £2·50 a week (single) and £3·50 a week (couple).

  Pensions
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by what percentage he intends to increase pensions in this year's uprating.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Retirement pension will be increased by 7·6 per cent. with effect from 9 April 1990. The increase will take full account of the movement in the retail prices index over the 12 months to September 1989.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which index he proposes to use this year in uprating pensions.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  This year, as in previous years, my right hon. Friend will uprate pensions in line with the movement in the retail prices index.

  Disability
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has, in the light of the findings of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' surveys, to increase the allocation of resources to people with disabilities.

  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what additional resources he is committing to implement the proposed review of disability benefits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) earlier today.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the average increase in costs of residential care homes for the elderly since 1 April.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  The Government take account of a number of different pieces of evidence in reviewing the amount of income support available to people in residential care homes each year. These include detailed and differing representations received from various sources about the level of costs in homes. The results of this review will be announced shortly.

  Transitional Protection
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants he expects will not receive the full uprating of their benefit next April as a result of transitional protection.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) earlier today.

  Bed-and-breakfast Accommodation
  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how may people were in bed-and-breakfast accommodation at the latest available date; and what was the equivalent figure five years previously.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available information is that there were 88,500 income support beneficiaries living in board and lodging accommodation in February 1989.
  344
  No figures are available for February 1984 but there were 106,000 supplementary benefit recipients living in board and lodging accommodation in December 1984.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the number of eligible families who fail to claim family credit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest information relates to 1988 when a special examination of family expenditure survey returns indicated that the total eligible employee population was then about 500,000 families. This compared with an average live load (including eligible cases awaiting award) during the same period of about 253,000. The live load is now around 315,000, but the number of eligible families cannot be estimated until information from the 1989 family expenditure survey becomes available.

  Single Payments
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the amount paid in single payments in the last full year in which such payments were last available.

  Mr. Scott
  The amount paid in single payments in 1987–88 was £214 million.

  Child Poverty Action Group
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met the Child Poverty Action Group; and what matters were discussed.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  My right hon. Friend met representatives of the Child Poverty Action Group on Tuesday 10 October. Discussion ranged widely and covered a large number of topics.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether further changes are planned to the rules governing mobility allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  We shall be looking at mobility allowance in common with all other benefits for the long-term sick and disabled as we assess the implications of all the results of the OPCS surveys.

  Personal Pension Plans
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest figure he has for the number of people opting for personal pension plans.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Just over 3·5 million people have so far applied for an appropriate personal pension.

  Family Benefits
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will detail the benefits which would be available to(a) a single unemployed parent with two school-age children, (b) a married unemployed couple

  345
  with two school-age children, (c) a single working parent with two school-age children and (d) a married couple with one parent working with two school-age children on (i) half average earning, (ii) national average earnings and (iii) twice average earnings.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information requested is shown in the tables.

  Married couple 2 children aged 13 and 16

  Multiples of Average Earnings1 (£pw)

  Not Working

  ½

  1

  2

  Income support

  84·95

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  Gross earnings

  0·00

  137·55

  275·10

  550·20

  Family credit

  n/a

  20·83

  0·00

  0·00

  Rent rebate3

  21·80

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  Rate rebate3

  7·20

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  Child benefit

  14·50

  14·50

  14·50

  14·50

  Total net income

  97·65

  119·35

  189·31

  380·94

  Lone Parent 2 children aged 13 and 16

  Multiples of Average Earnings2 (£pw)

  Not Working

  ½

  1

  2

  Income support

  63·75

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  Gross earnings

  0·00

  91·90

  183·80

  367·60

  Family credit

  n/a

  41·92

  0·00

  0·00

  Rent rebate3

  21·80

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  Rate rebate3

  7·20

  0·00

  0·00

  0·00

  Child benefit

  19·70

  19·70

  19·70

  19·70

  Total net income

  81·65

  115·52

  134·25

  259·39

  Unemployed families receiving income support are also eligible for free school meals and exemption from NHS charges. Working families receiving family credit are eligible for exemption from NHS charges.

  1 Average male earnings 1989–90 assumed to be £275·10 a week.

  2 Average female earnings 1989–90 assumed to be £183·80 a week.

  3 Each family is assumed to live in local authority accommodation appropriate to its size and paying estimated average rent and rates.

  Notes:

  Family credit for both family types runs out at gross earnings of £182 pw.

  Family credit eligibility is conditional upon one adult in the family working 24 or more hours a week.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the current level of child benefit was fixed; and by how much inflation has since increased.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The current level of child benefit is £7·25 per week and came into effect on 6 April 1987. The movement in the index of retail prices between April 1987 and September 1989 was 14·6 per cent.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when was the present level of single-parent child benefit increased last and by how much inflation has since risen.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  One-parent benefit was last increase in April 1989. Between April and September the index of retail prices rose by 2·1 per cent.

  Young People
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assistance is given by his Department to young people leaving local authority children's homes to live as independent adults, and whether he has any proposals for further assistance.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Those 16 and 17 year olds living independently who were in care immediately before their sixteenth birthday may claim income support for a period of 12–16 weeks after they leave school (known as the child benefit extension period), provided that they register for YTS or work. They may also claim housing benefit.

  Certain categories of young people are eligible to claim income support beyond the child benefit extension period. In addition, the Secretary of State has the power to direct that, where unavoidable hardship would result if benefit were withheld, a young person will be entitled to income support even though that person would not originally be entitled to it.

  Since July 1989, all 16 and 17-year-olds who have good reason to live independently, including those leaving care, have been entitled to the higher income support personal allowance payable to 18 to 24-year-olds. Housing benefit allowances were also increased for all 16 to 17-year-olds with housing commitments.

  Young people of 18 and over may claim income support provided that they are registered for work. They may also claim housing benefit.

  In assessing benefit entitlement for these young people, payments made by local authorities under section 1 of the Child Care Act 1980 or section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 are disregarded. We have recently extended this disregard to payments under sections 27 and 29 of the Child Care Act and sections 24 and 26 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act.

  Young people leaving care may also seek help from the social fund. In particular they may apply for community care grants to help with the expenses of setting up a home provided they meet the qualifying conditions.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps he proposes to take to alleviate the problems caused for those persons aged 16 and 17 years by the lack of availability of benefit, even when they become unavoidably homeless;

  (2) what steps he proposes to take to alleviate the problems caused within some low-income families by non-availability of benefit to those aged 16 and 17 years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The best course for 16 and 17-year-olds who leave school and do not take up further education or a job is to participate in the youth training scheme. We have developed the scheme to provide good quality training. Youngsters taking part are paid a weekly allowance and do not, therefore, need to rely on benefit.

  However, we have acknowledged that certain young people nevertheless need income support in their own right. In addition to lone parents, the disabled and the long-term sick, who can receive benefit without time restriction, young people forced to live independently cart claim income support during a limited period after leaving school, known as the child benefit extension period. They can also receive housing benefit.

  Moreover, we introduced a package of changes in July which recognised the particular difficulties being experi-enced by some 16 and 17-year-olds with no option but to

  347
  live away from home. An important element of this was to pay them higher rates of both income support and housing benefit.

  In addition, my right hon. Friend has discretion to enable income support to be paid to a 16 or 17-year-old to prevent "severe hardship". Factors taken into account in determining whether there would otherwise be severe hardship include the vulnerability of the young person, particularly to becoming homeless. Homeless young people in night shelters are now considered automatically under the severe hardship provisions.

  The parents of 16 or 17-year-olds who remain dependent may continue to receive child benefit during the child benefit extension period. During this time they may also be eligible for dependency additions to their own benefits, such as income support, family credit and housing benefit.

  We have therefore taken steps to ensure that benefit is available to all who need it, but we shall continue to monitor the 1988 social security reforms, including those affecting young people.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne can expect a reply to his letter of 4 April regarding pension arrangements affecting Mrs. E. D. Timmins of 27 Grovehill crescent. Falmouth, Cornwall.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have no trace of having received this particular letter from my hon. Friend. If he could let us have a copy we will endeavour to reply as soon as possible.

  Dyslexia
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines his Department has issued to local social fund officers concerning applications for community care grants or crisis loans for the payment of fees for the assessment of dyslexia in the children of claimants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  None. However, the Secretary of State's directions to social fund officers preclude any award in respect of a medical service or an educational need. And, in the case of crisis loans, a social fund officer must be satisfied that an award is the only means by which serious damage or serious risk to the health or safety of the applicant, or to a member of his family, may be prevented.

  Hostels
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the amount of benefit lost to persons who move from one hostel to another and the reasons for such loss.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  People in hostels who were receiving income support immediately before 9 October are eligible for compensatory payments to make good any shortfall in their total benefit income. The amount of any such payment varies according to an individual's circumstances. When a claimant leaves a hostel the compensatory payments to the claimant cease. This permits the Department to pay over the money due to the hostel instead, thus protecting hostel finances in 348
  accordance with the undertaking given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Moore) on 16 March, Official Report, column 546.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the change in benefit entitlement of a person in a hostel who is in receipt of the protected sum.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  From 9 October 1989, people in hostels became eligible for housing benefit to help with their accommodation costs and normal income support personal allowances plus any appropriate premiums for other day-to-day expenses. People in hostels who were receiving income support immediately before 9 October are eligible for compensatory payments to make good any shortfall between the new and old levels of benefit for as long as they remain in the same hostel. They will therefore suffer no reduction in overall benefit entitlement as a direct result of the change in benefit arrangements.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the financial savings to his Department arising from the changes in legislation regarding people's entitlement to benefit when living in a hostel.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The aim of the change is to achieve a simple, more rational and more comprehensible social security system while at the same time protecting hostels and claimants. There will be no reduction in the amount of money available to hostels.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details on the entitlement to the protected sum paid to people when they transfer from one hostel to another; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Where an income support recipient changes or vacates his or her hostel, any entitlement to a compensatory payment ceases. The claimant is eligible for both income support personal allowances and premiums as appropriate, and housing benefit at the new address.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the circumstances under which the protective sum paid to people living in hostels will be reduced or removed.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  People in hostels are eligible for compensatory payments of income support if they would otherwise have received less benefit overall because of the changes in benefit arrangements introduced on 9 October 1989. These payments will be reduced by any subsequent increase in the normal rate of income support in payment. They will end either where the person changes or vacates his or her hostel or when he or she ceases to be entitled to income support. Exceptionally, entitlement to compensatory payments can continue where a person leaves his or her hostel for a period of 14 weeks or less because of hospitalisation or ceases to be entitled to income support for a period of eight weeks or less (or, in the case of certain persons who have become engaged in remunerative work for at least six weeks, 12 weeks or less), provided that in either case the person returns to or remains in the same hostel.

  Sickness Benefit
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the claim to sickness benefit of Mr. K. Oduntan (DSS Ref. RM 173P/C0999/71/083/3) and the reasons for the delay in resolving this matter.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The office for the determination of contribution questions sent a letter about Mr. Oduntan's claim to the hon. Member on 18 October 1989. The letter included a history of the case, detailed the up-to-date position and gave an explanation for any delay.

  Income Support Regulations
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security from what date the Income Support (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1989, laid before Parliament on 15 September 1989 and due to be in force on 2 October, were not available to hon. Members; why they were not available after being laid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Scott
  Copies of the regulations were dispatched to the Vote Office on 15 September, the date on which they were laid before Parliament, according to normal practice. The regulations came into force on 9 October.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many officials of his Department and of what grade are engaged in drafting delegated medical officers' reasoned decisions on attendance allowance claims; and what training and guidance they receive from the Attendance Allowance Board.

  Mr. Scott
  Of the officials made available to act as officers and servants of the attendance allowance board 15 (1 HEO and 14 EOs) are engaged in drafting reasoned decisions on behalf of delegated medical practitioners, from whom they receive instructions and guidance about how the decisions should be expressed. The officials are not involved in the decision-making process.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will review the adjudication procedures for attendance allowance, in the light of the

  Table 1 England and Wales Structural comparisons: by proportion of total item

  Number of holdings accounting for given proportion of total item

  Item

  25 per cent, of total

  50 per cent, of total

  75 per cent, of total

  Total amount of item

  Wheat

  1988

  1,800

  5,600

  1,300

  1·8 million ha

  Barley

  1988

  2,700

  8,800

  20,100

  1·4 million ha

  Dairy cows

  1988

  3,100

  8,800

  17,400

  2·4 million cows

  Beef cows

  1988

  1,800

  5,700

  13,100

  0·74 million cows

  Pigs (total)

  1988

  250

  900

  2,400

  6·9 million pigs

  Sheep (total)

  1988

  2,800

  8,600

  19,500

  29·7 million sheep

  Area: crops and grass

  1988

  6,200

  21,500

  52,100

  9·5 million ha

  Total area

  1988

  5,700

  20,800

  52,000

  11·0 million ha

  350
  view expressed by the social security commissioners in decision CA/130/1988 in favour of a right of appeal to a medical appeal tribunal.

  Mr. Scott
  This is one of the aspects of the attendance allowance scheme that we shall be looking at in the light of the results of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys disability surveys.

  Haemophiliacs (HIV)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the Minister for the Disabled has received any representations in regard to settling out of court the claims of haemophiliacs who have been contaminated with the HIV virus by the injection of blood products supplied under the National Health Service; what replies have been sent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I have received two representations from the right hon. Member on this subject. I replied to the first letter on 2 October and will shortly reply to the other. I have today placed a copy of my reply of 2 October in the Library. A number of other representations have also been received by my hon. and right hon. Friends in the Department of Health, who have responsibility for this subject.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  EC Membership (Cost)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date tables(a) D, (b) 4(e)1, (c) 4(e)2, (d)f1, and (e) B, 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" in Session 1984–85 (HC 57-II).

  Mr. Curry
  The statistics requested at(a), (d) and (e) are shown in tables 1 to 3. The information at (b), relating to non-Community countries, is shown in table 4. Data on yields in the European Community are contained in the Commission's publication "The Agricultural Situation in the Community—1988 Report", available in the Library of the House. This publication also contains (pT/38) the information requested at (c).

  351

  TABLE 2

  Net farm income on full-lime farms by farm type: England 1986–87 and 1987–88

  1986–87

  1987–88

  All dairy farms

  Money terms (£'000)

  15·2

  18·5

  Index in real terms 1982–83= 100

  96

  112

  All livestock farms

  Money terms (£'000)

  3·9

  6·6

  Index in real terms 1982–83= 100

  56

  92

  All cropping farms

  Money terms (£'000)

  16·4

  6·0

  Index in real terms 1982–83= 100

  82

  29

  TABLE 3

  Structural comparisons: by size threshold England and Wales: 1988

  Item

  Size of threshold of item

  Number of holdings (thousands)

  Proportion of total item (per cent.)

  Size of threshold of item

  Number of holdings (thousands)

  Proportion of total item (per cent.)

  Wheat

  100 hectares or more

  4·5

  44

  50 hectares or more

  11·0

  70

  Barley

  100 hectares or more

  1·8

  20

  50 hectares or more

  7·3

  45

  Dairy cows

  100 cows or more

  6·5

  41

  50 cows or more

  19·8

  80

  Beef cows

  100 cows or more

  0·7

  13

  50 cows or more

  3·3

  37

  Pigs (total)

  1,000 pigs or more

  1·9

  69

  200 pigs or more

  5·4

  94

  Sheep (total)

  1,000 sheep or more

  8·2

  49

  500 sheep or more

  18·8

  74

  Area (crops and grass)

  100 hectares or more

  25·3

  55

  50 hectares or more

  56·7

  78

  Total area

  100 hectares or more

  29·8

  60

  50 hectares or more

  62·2

  81

  Table 4

  Yields of selected agricultural products—certain non Community countries: 1988.

  USA

  Canada

  Australia

  Japan

  Wheat

  tonnes/hectare

  2·29

  1·21

  1·52

  3·62

  Barley

  tonnes/hectare

  2·07

  2·45

  1·44

  3·50

  Sugar beet

  tonnes/hectare

  42·73

  34·74

  —

  52·96

  Oilseed Rape

  tonnes/hectare

  1·90

  1·16

  1·16

  2·00

  Potatoes

  tonnes/hectare

  31·56

  25·31

  27·18

  31·60

  Milk

  kg/cow

  6,444

  5,674

  2,850

  5,320

  Sources: 1988 FAO Production Yearbook, except Rapeseed, USA: Oil world.

  Sheep Imports
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sheep in each of the last three years have been imported into the United Kingdom from the Isle of Man; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The numbers of live sheep imported into the United Kingdom from the Isle of Man over the last three years are as follows:

  Financial year

  Numbers

  1986–87

  1,546

  1987–88

  2,119

  1988–89

  3,468

  Sheepmeat
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much sheepmeat has been imported into the United Kingdom from the Isle of Man in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The amount of sheepmeat imported into the United Kingdom from the Isle of Man over the last three years is as follows:352

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Pig and poultry farms

  Money terms (£'000)

  17·0

  14·3

  Index in real terms 1982–83= 100

  100

  81

  Horticultural farms

  Money terms (£'000)

  12·3

  18·0

  Index in real terms 1982–83= 100

  126

  177

  Source: Farm Business Survey.

  Note: Figures relate to an identical sample of farms. Full-time farms are defined as those of four British size units (BSU) or more. One BSU represents 2,000 ecu of standard gross margin at average 1978 to 1980 values.

  Calendar year

  Tonnes

  1986

  729

  1987

  694

  1988

  823

  Battery Fowls
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why his Department has withdrawn funding from research into the condition of battery fowls being transported to, and in the process of, slaughter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  We accord high priority to safeguarding poultry welfare, and as such commission a substantial programme of related research, amounting to some £1·1 million in 1988–89. The overall level of funding in this area is not being reduced.

  Much of the current research is investigating aspects of the condition of birds around the time of harvesting, transport and slaughter.

  An initial contract revealed the extent of bone breakage in laying hens, and the results of this work are being published. We are considering proposals for further work in this area, to complement ongoing research and address the underlying causes of bone breakages in poultry.
  353
  The current research is being carried out by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, the Agriculture and Food Research Council and the universities.

  The industry, through the British Egg Industry Council is also funding two research projects on aspects of broken bones in hens.

  Battery Eggs Production
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has undertaken any research on, or monitoring of, the decision of the Swiss Government to phase out battery egg production by 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  I am aware of moves in a number of countries to phase out battery egg production. The Government will ensure that these developments are taken into account by the European Commission in the review of the EC directive on battery hens, which is due to be completed by the end of 1992.

DEFENCE

  Consultants
  Mr. Siliars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many consultant companies or groups have been commissioned by his Department in each of the past three years; what was the total value of the contracts; how many of these consultants were from Scotland and England, respectively; and what was the total value of contracts won by Scottish companies or groups.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Ministry of Defence holds records only for management and IT consultancies commissioned centrally. In the case of management consultancies the number of contracts and total fees paid in the last three financial years are as follows:

  FY

  £ million

  Consultants Commissioned

  1986–87

  6·2

  44

  1987–88

  5·1

  37

  1988–89

  3·1

  20

  In the case of IT consultancies, which are contracted through the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), information exists only on total fees. This is as follows:

  FY

  £ million

  1986–87

  14·5

  1987–88

  14·8

  1988–89

  5·3

  The records do not make any distinction between Scottish or English companies. Most of the larger companies used do, however, have offices in Scotland.

  Proof and Experimental Establishments
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many proof and experimental establishments exist; and how many are located in Scotland.

  Mr. Neubert
  There are six proof and experimental establishments (P and EEs) of which one, P and EE Inchterf, is in Scotland (near Glasgow).

  Volunteer Reserves
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many volunteer reserves operate in Scotland; and what proportion of the total numbers that represents.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As at 1 April 1989, the total strength of the volunteer reserves operating in Scotland was 9,606, representing 11·8 per cent. of the overall total.

  Service Men (Benefits)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail the benefits which have been or will be removed from service men as mentioned in paragraph 518, page 42 of Cm. 675–I.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The new allowances package referred to in Cm. 675–I introduced a number of changes designed to improve assistance to service men when they are relocated, to remove to a large extent the differences of treatment between single and married personnel, and to benefit seagoers. The aim was that the overall expenditure on the new package should be broadly the same as the old. Those allowances which were considered less appropriate to modern conditions, and which have been or are being removed are as follows:

  (a) United Kingdom travel warrants for single personnel over 25 and married personnel were reduced from four to two per year. First class leave travel for senior officers was discontinued.

  (b) Army and RAF married personnel who opted to serve voluntarily unaccompanied on their next posting after 1 October 1988 were required to pay for their accommodation. They also lost entitlement to separation allowance and separation warrants.

  (c) Residence to place of duty travel reimbursement for those in private accommodation is being phased out, although in certain circumstances service personnel may be paid the cost of excess fares.

  (d) The resettlement and 50-plus assisted house purchase scheme will cease to be available from 30 September 1994.

  Contractors
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a breakdown by region of the companies on the defence contractors' list.

  Mr. Neubert
  A breakdown by region of companies

  currently registered on the defence contractors' list (DCL) is as follows:

  Numbers

  South East

  3,051

  Greater London

  1,728

  East Anglia

  294

  South West

  1,080

  West Midlands

  1,269

  East Midlands

  644

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  833

  North West

  1,134

  North

  371

  Wales

  344

  Scotland

  784

  Northern Ireland

  113

  Channel Islands

  6

  Isle of Man

  7

  Total

  11,658

  Some companies have a number of sites registered on the DCL and the above figures therefore add up to more

  355
  than the number of individual companies on the DCL (10,371). The two figures could be reconciled only at a disproportionate cost.

  Security Zones
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the Warsaw pact strategies referred to in paragraph 206, page 6, of Cm. 675-I; and if he will make a statement on zones of different levels of security and the acceptability to Her Majesty's Government and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  On 9 March 1989, the Warsaw pact presented its initial proposals at the conventional armed forces in Europe (CFE) talks in Vienna. Those called, among other things, for NATO and the Warsaw pact to reduce their holdings of tanks, artillery, armoured troop carriers, aircraft, helicopters and military manpower to a level 10–15 per cent. below the holdings of the weaker alliance. The proposals also called for the establishment of"zones of reduced levels of armaments"

  along borders between NATO and Warsaw pact nations. Since then, they have put forward revised, alternative proposals on zonal arrangements.

  NATO has always opposed suggestions for zones of different levels of security, which imply that different nations within the Alliance should be obliged to accept different levels of security. The purpose of the NATO Alliance, and the CFE proposals which it has put forward, is to enhance and maintain security throughout Europe, and the Alliance's proposal for a series of geographical sub-limits on forces is designed to achieve equal security for all from the Atlantic to the Urals.

  Odessa (Challenge Inspection)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the name and rank of the United Kingdom personnel who exercised a challenge inspection of a Soviet exercise in the Odessa region; and what was the duration of their visit.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Two lieutenant colonels, one squadron leader, and one Army captain formed the inspection team which arrived at midnight on 9 April 1988 and left 46 hours later. It is not our policy to release the names of the individuals concerned.

  Staff Interchange Scheme
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the companies involved in his Department's staff interchange scheme.

  Mr. Neubert
  The following companies have par-ticipated in our interchange programme since 1 January 1988.

  MOD Interchange Programme

  Companies participating in 1988–89

  Alterplan '87

  Alvis

  Andrews Industrial

  Automated Security

  Babcock Thorn

  BDH Chemicals

  Better Made in Britain

  Bishop Price Partners

  British Aerospace plc

  356

  British Manufacturing and Research

  British Marine Technology

  British Nuclear Fuels

  British Petroleum

  British Telecom

  Brown and Root

  Cammel Lairds

  CAP Scientific

  Civil Aviation Authority

  Cleanaway Ltd.

  C & N Electrical

  Computing Services Association

  Computing Devices Ltd.

  Defence Technology Enterprises

  Devonport Management Ltd.

  Dowty Maritime

  Dowty Seals

  Easams

  EDO Western Corporation

  Eric Treades Systems

  Fairey Hydraulics

  Ferranti

  Fluor Daniel

  Frouds Consine

  GEC

  GKN

  Glaxochem

  Graviner Ltd.

  Grindleys Bank

  Hunting Engineering

  ICI

  ICL

  International Aeradio Ltd.

  J & S Marine

  Land Rover

  Lawrence Scott Electromotors

  Marconi

  Marr and Son

  Martin Baker

  MCP Electronic Materials Ltd.

  Morgan Grenfell & Co.

  Motorola

  Mott Hay & Anderson

  FEL TNO (Netherlands)

  North British Newsprint

  Oceonics SPL

  OCLI Optical Coatings

  Oxley Developments

  Pan Am World Services Ltd.

  Paxman Diesels

  Penny and Giles Ltd.

  Perkins Diesels

  Philips PRCS

  Philips Electronics

  Plessey

  Portsmouth Aviation

  Price Waterhouse

  Racal Electronics plc

  Rank Organisation

  Raytheon

  Robert Flemming Holdings

  Rolls Royce

  Rosyth Royal Dockyard

  Royal Ordnance plc

  Shell UK

  Sixth Sense Magazine

  Software Sciences Ltd.

  Storno Ltd.

  Strachan and Henshaw

  St. Bernard Plastics

  St. Ivel

  Systems Designers plc

  Thorn EMI

  Trend Communications Ltd.

  Unilever

  USEL Armaments

  Vaisala UK

  Vickers

  VSEL

  Vosper Controls

  357

  Westlands plc

  C. J. Williams Ltd.

  Wimpey Construction

  Yard Ltd.

  Research Establishments
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the non-nuclear defence research establishments, showing the numbers employed in each and their geographical location.

  Vessel

  Type

  Shipbuilder

  Acceptance date

  Cost (£M)

  HMS Amazon

  T21

  VT

  19 July 1974

  116·8

  HMS Sovereign

  SSN

  VSEL

  22 July 1974

  131·1

  HMS Herald

  Survey

  Robb Caledon

  31 October 1974

  15·2

  HMS Sheffield

  T42

  VSEL

  16 February 1975

  123·2

  HMS Antelope

  T21

  VT

  30 June 1975

  114·4

  HMS Ambuscade

  T21

  YSL

  23 August 1975

  116·5

  HMS Kingfisher

  PV

  R Dunston

  2 October 1975

  11·2

  HMS Arrow

  T21

  YSL

  16 May 1975

  120·2

  HMS Cygnet

  PV

  R Dunston

  1 July 1976

  10·9

  HMS Peterel

  PV

  R Dunston

  1 July 1976

  01·0

  HMS Jersey

  PV

  Hall Russell

  16 September 1976

  13·3

  HMS Birmingham

  T42

  CL

  26 November 1976

  131·0

  HMS Superb

  SSN

  VSEL

  29 November 1976

  141·3

  HMS Orkney

  PV

  Hall Russell

  20 January 1977

  13·3

  HMS Alacrity

  T21

  YSL

  2 April 1977

  123·8

  HMS Shetland

  PV

  Hall Russell

  25 May 1977

  13·6

  HMS Active

  T21

  VT

  2 June 1977

  124·1

  HMS Sandpiper

  PV

  R Dunston

  10 August 1977

  11·4

  HMS Ardent

  T21

  YSL

  10 September 1977

  126·3

  HMS Guernsey

  PV

  Hall Russell

  22 September 1977

  13·7

  HMS Lindesfarne

  PV

  Hall Russell

  26 January 1978

  13.9

  HMS Newcastle

  T42

  SHS

  25 February 1978

  134·6

  HMS Sceptre

  SSN

  VSEL

  11 March 1978

  158·9

  RFA Fort Grange

  FRS

  Scotts S/Building

  6 April 1978

  2

  HMS Avenger

  T21

  YSL

  15 April 1978

  127·7

  HMS Coventry

  T42

  CL

  20 October 1978

  137.9

  HMS Broadsword

  T22(bl)

  YSL

  21 February 1979

  168·6

  HMS Glasgow

  T42

  SHS

  9 March 1979

  136·9

  HMS Anglesey

  PV

  Hall Russell

  26 April 1979

  13·8

  RFA Fort Austin

  FRS

  Scotts S/Building

  22 June 1979

  2

  HMS Alderney

  PV

  Hall Russell

  30 August 1979

  13·9

  HMS Cardiff

  T42

  VSEL

  22 September 1979

  140·5

  HMS Spartan

  SSN

  VSEL

  10 October 1979

  168·9

  HMS Brecon

  MCMV

  VT

  6 December 1979

  1401

  HMS Battleaxe

  T22(bl)

  YSL

  20 December 1979

  169·2

  HMS Invincible

  CVS

  VSEL

  19 March 1980

  1184·5

  RFA Brambleleaf

  Tanker

  CL (Conv)

  10 April 1980

  11·0

  HMS Exeter

  T42

  SHS

  30 August 1980

  160·1

  HMS Ledbury

  MCMV

  VT

  18 March 1981

  124·1

  HMS Brilliant

  T22(bl)

  YSL

  10 April 1981

  102·2

  HMS Splendid

  SSN

  VSEL

  5 May 1981

  197·0

  HMS Southampton

  T42

  VT

  17 August 1981

  67·5

  HMS Leeds Castle

  PV

  Hall Russell

  25 August 1981

  9·2

  HMS Cattistock

  MCMV

  VT

  5 March 1982

  HMS Dumbarton Castle

  PV

  Hall Russell

  9 March 1982

  9·6

  HMS Liverpool

  T42

  CL

  12 May 1982

  92·8

  HMS Brazen

  T22(bl.)

  YSL

  11 June 1982

  112·0

  HMS Illustrious

  CVS

  SHS

  18 June 1982

  215·4

  HMS Brocklesby

  MCMV

  VT

  25 October 1982

  HMS Manchester

  T42

  VSEL

  19 November 1982

  110·0

  HMS Nottingham

  T42

  VT

  22 December 1982

  82·1

  HMS Cottesmore

  MCMV

  YSL

  28 May 1983

  HMS Trafalgar

  SSN

  VSEL

  13 July 1983

  RFA Protector

  FIPV

  CDD (Conv)

  24 August 1983

  3

  RFA Guardian

  FIPV

  CDD (Conv)

  14 September 1983

  3

  HMS Boxer

  T22(b2)

  YSL

  23 September 1983

  HMS Dulverton

  MCMV

  VT

  5 October 1983

  HMS Peacock

  HKPC

  Hall Russell

  12 October 1983

  6·9

  HMS Sentinel

  FIPV

  CDE (Conv)

  20 December 1983

  3

  RFA Diligence

  FRS(l)

  TSR (Conv)

  12 January 1984

  28·3

  HMS Plover

  HKPC

  Hall Russell

  18 April 1984

  7·0

  HMS Waveney

  MSF

  Richards

  2 May 1984

  4·6

  358
  Mr. Neubert
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 8 May at column 291–92.

  Navy Vessels
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Royal Navy vessels built in each of the past 15 years, showing the cost of each and the yards in which they were constructed.

  Mr. Neubert
  Details of major ships and submarines accepted into service since 1974–75 are as follows:
  359

  Vessel

  Type

  Shipbuilder

  Acceptance date

  Cost (£M)

  HMS Carron

  MSF

  Richards

  20 June 1984

  4·6

  HMS Starling

  HKPC

  Hall Russell

  21 June 1984

  7·1

  HMS Middleton

  MCMV

  YSL

  4 July 1984

  HMS Challenger

  SOV

  Scotts S/building

  13 July 1984

  153·4

  HMS Beaver

  T22(b2)

  YSL

  18 July 1984

  HMS Chiddingfold

  MCMV

  VT

  18 July 1984

  HMS Turbulent

  SSN

  VSEL

  30 July 1984

  160·0

  HMS Dovey

  MSF

  Richards

  5 October 1984

  4·6

  HMS Swallow

  HKPC

  Hall Russell

  17 October 1984

  7·4

  HMS Swift

  HKPC

  Hall Russell

  12 March 1985

  7·6

  HMS Humber

  MSF

  Richards

  14 March 1985

  4·6

  HMS York

  T42

  SHS

  25 March 1985

  118·7

  HMS Helford

  MSF

  Richards

  4 April 1985

  4·9

  HMS Gloucester

  T42

  VT

  16 May 1985

  120·8

  HMS Hurworth

  MCMV

  VT

  14 June 1985

  HMS Blackwater

  MSF

  Richards

  20 June 1985

  4·9

  HMS Itchen

  MSF

  Richards

  27 June 1985

  4·9

  HMS Ark Royal

  CVS

  SHS

  2 July 1985

  332·9

  HMS Edinburgh

  T42

  CL

  25 July 1985

  130·6

  HMS Helmsdale

  MSF

  Richards

  8 October 1985

  4·9

  HMS Tireless

  SSN

  VSEL

  30 October 1985

  HMS Orwell

  MSF

  Richards

  27 November 1985

  4·9

  HMS Bicester

  MCMV

  VT

  14 February 1986

  HMS Ribble

  MSF

  Richards

  19 February 1986

  4·9

  HMS Brave

  T22(b2)

  YSL

  21 February 1986

  HMS Spey

  MSF

  Richards

  4 April 1986

  5·2

  HMS Arun

  MSF

  Richards

  9 May 1986

  5·2

  HMS Roebuck

  CSV

  Brooke Marine

  22 August 1986

  13·1

  HMS Atherstone

  MCMV

  VT

  12 December 1986

  HMS London

  T22(b2)

  YSL

  6 February 1987

  HMS Torbay

  SSN

  VSEL

  2 March 1987

  HMS Berkeley

  MCMV

  VT

  20 November 1987

  RFA Sir Galahad

  LSL

  SHS

  25 November 1987

  HMS Cornwall

  T22(b3)

  YSL

  19 February 1988

  RFA Argus

  ATS

  H & W (Conv)

  3 March 1988

  HMS Sheffield

  T22(b2)

  SHS

  25 March 1988

  HMS Coventry

  T22(b2)

  SHS

  1 July 1988

  HMS Cumberland

  T22(b3)

  YSL

  18 November 1988

  HMS Quorn

  MCMV

  VT

  20 January 1989

  HMS Trenchant

  SSN

  VSEL

  7 February 1989

  HMS Campbeltown

  T22(b3)

  CL

  24 February 1989

  HMS Sandown

  SRMH

  VT

  17 March 1989

  2 Batch order for both vessels, total cost £75 million.

  3 The cost of the purchase and conversion of the three vessels FIPVs was £16·7 million.

  Costs, where shown, are at the price base that applied at the time the vessel was delivered or, if marked 1, are at out-turn prices as previously published in the Supply Estimates.

  Since 1987, it has not been our practice to give unit cost information for the reasons stated by my hon. Friend on 14

  Vessel

  Type

  Shipbuilder

  Order date

  HMS Upholder

  SSK

  VSEL

  2 November 1983

  HMS Talent

  SSN

  VSEL

  10 September 1984

  HMS Norfolk

  T23

  YSL

  29 October 1984

  HMS Triumph

  SSN

  VSEL

  3 January 1986

  HMS Unseen

  SSK

  CL/VSEL

  3 January 1986

  HMS Ursula

  SSK

  CL/VSEL

  3 January 1986

  HMS Unicorn

  SSK

  CL/VSEL

  3 January 1986

  RFA Fort Victoria

  AOR

  H&W

  24 April 1986

  HMS Vanguard

  SSBN

  VSEL

  30 April 1986

  HMS Marlborough

  T23

  SHS

  18 August 1986

  HMS Argyll

  T23

  YSL

  1 September 1986

  HMS Lancaster

  T23

  YSL

  1 September 1986

  HMS Inverness

  SRMH

  VT

  23 July 1987

  HMS Cromer

  SRMH

  VT

  23 July 1987

  HMS Walney

  SRMH

  VT

  23 July 1987

  HMS Bridport

  SRMH

  VT

  23 July 1987

  HMS Victorious

  SSBN

  VSEL

  6 October 1987

  RFA Fort George

  AOR

  SHS

  18 December 1987

  HMS Chatham

  T22(b3)

  SHS

  28 January 1988

  HMS Iron Duke

  T23

  YSL

  11 July 1988

  HMS Monmouth

  T23

  YSL

  11 July 1988

  HMS Montrose

  T23

  YSL

  11 July 1988

  360
  January 1988, Official Report, col. 373. Costs are therefore not shown for vessels where further vessels of the class were under construction in 1987.

  In addition to the above, the following vessels are currently under construction:

  361

  Legend

  Ship Type

  T21

  Type 21 Frigate

  SSN

  Nuclear Powered Fleet Submarine (costs only given for SWIFTSURE class)

  T42

  Type 42 Destroyer

  T22(b1/2/3)

  Type 22 Frigate (batch 1/2/3)

  PV

  Patrol Vessel

  FRS

  Fleet Replenishment Ship

  FRS(l)

  Forward Repair Ship

  MCMV

  Mine Countermeasures Vessel

  CVS

  Aircraft Carrier

  FIPV

  Falkland Island Patrol Vessel

  HKPC

  Hong Kong Patrol Craft

  MSF

  Fleet Minesweeper

  SOV

  Seabed Operation Vessel

  CSV

  Coastal Survey Vessel

  LSL

  Landing Ship (Logistic)

  SRMH

  Single Role Minehunter

  ATS

  Aviation Training Ship

  SSBN

  Vanguard Class Trident Submarine

  SSK

  Diesel Electric Powered Submarine

  AOR

  Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessel

  (Conv) = Conversion

  Shipbuilder

  SHS

  Swan Hunter Shipbuilders

  YSL

  Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd

  VSEL

  VSEL Ltd

  H& W

  Harland & Wolff Holdings plc

  CL

  Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd.

  VT

  Vosper Thornycroft (United Kingdom) Ltd.

  CDE

  Clyde Dock Engineering

  CDD

  Cardiff Dry Dock

  TSR

  Tyne Shiprepairers

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Territorial Army regiments and battalions located in Scotland.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The following Territorial Army regiments and battalions are located in Scotland:

  Royal Armoured Corps

  Queen's Own Yeomanry

  A Squadron

  Royal Artillery

  103 Air Defence Regiment

  207 Battery

  212 Battery

  Royal Engineers

  71 Engineer Regiment

  Regimental Headquarters

  102 Field Squadron

  104 Field Squadron

  124 Field Squadron

  117 Field Support Squadron

  131 Independent Commando Squadron

  300 Troop

  Royal Signals

  32 Signal Regiment

  Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron

  51 Squadron

  52 Squadron

  61 Squadron

  39 Signal Regiment

  2 Squadron

  Infantry

  1/52 Lowland

  Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  362

  A Company

  B Company

  C Company

  D Company

  E Company

  2/52 Lowland

  Battalion Headquarters

  1 Company

  2 Company

  3 Company

  4 Company

  1/51 Highland

  Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company

  A Company

  K Company

  2/51 Highland

  Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company

  A Company

  B Company

  C Company

  D Company

  3/51 Highland

  Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company

  C Company

  D Company

  E Company

  15 Para

  Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company

  A Company

  B Company

  C Company

  Special Air Service Regiment

  23 SAS(V)

  Two squadrons

  Royal Corps of Transport

  153 Regiment

  Regimental Headquarters

  212 Squadron

  230 Squadron

  231 Squadron

  239 Squadron

  154 Regiment

  Regimental Headquarters

  221 Squadron

  222 Squadron

  225 Squadron

  251 Squadron

  Royal Army Medical Corps

  205 General Hospital

  225 Field Ambulance

  252 Field Ambulance

  Detachment 144 Field Ambulance

  Royal Army Ordnance Corps

  94 Ordnance Company

  Stores Section 71 Engineer

  Regimental Workshop

  Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

  102 Air Defence Regiment Light Aid Detachment

  71 Engineer Regiment Workshop

  221 Squadron Royal Corps of Transport Workshop

  222 Squadron Royal Corps of Transport Workshop

  225 Transport Squadron Workshop

  251 Squadron Workshop

  Section Queen's Own Yeomanry Light Aid Detachment

  32 Signal Regiment Light Aid Detachment

  153 Transport Regiment Workshop

  Royal Military Police

  243 Provost Company

  363
  Headquaters and four platoons

  Intelligence Corps

  23 Security Company

  Miscellaneous

  Aberdeen University Officer Training Corps

  Edinburgh and Heriot Watt University Officer Training Corps

  Glasgow and Strathclyde University Officer Training Corps

  Taylforth University Officer Training Corps

  Royal Scots (V) Band

  Royal Highland Fusiliers (V) Band

  51 Highland Band

  Staff (Directorships)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those of his Department's senior staff who are non-executive directors of major companies, together with the companies.

  Mr. Neubert
  The following MOD senior staff are currently non-executive directors:

  Name

  Grade

  Company

  J. C. Mabberley

  3

  Automated Security

  M. J. Harte

  3

  Glaxochem

  B. A. E. Taylor

  3

  North British Newsprint

  D. E. Humphries

  3

  Thorn EMI

  K. G. Hambleton

  3

  Dowty Seals

  D. R. Morris

  5

  Rank Organisation

  A. J. D. Pawson

  5

  Cleanaway Ltd.

  Officers (Dismissals)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy in future defence estimate statements to indicate the number of officers and officers-designate whose reason for leaving the services comes within the categories "unsatisfactory" and "discipline".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Outflow from the services of officers and officers-designate whose reason for leaving comes within the categories unsatisfactory and discipline are already included in table 4.18 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989" volume 2 (Cm. 675-II) under the heading "other reasons", which has a similar coverage to the "Unsatisfactory, disciplinary and other reasons" sub-heading shown for servicemen and service women. The officers' "other reasons" sub-heading will be changed in future editions of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" to make this clear. A more detailed breakdown in separate unsatisfactory and disciplinary categories is not available.

  Expenditure Statistics
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the proportions of expenditure in(a) Scotland and (b) the south-east of England for each industry group heading, in the year 1986–87, as set out in table 2.5 of Cm. 675-II.

  Mr. Neubert
  Estimates of the regional breakdown of the figures in table 2.5 are not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Recruitment
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what detailed studies his Department has conducted on recruitment and the demographic trough; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Army has undertaken a study on manning and recruiting in the lean years of the nineties, better known as the Marilyn report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The Ministry of Defence has also conducted a number of internal reviews covering the three services. As a result, a wide range of measures are being taken to step up our recruiting effort and to improve retention.

  East Germany and Poland (Defence Cuts)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has of East German and Polish cuts in troop numbers, tanks and aircraft over the period 1988–1991.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Following President Gorbachev's announcement in late 1988 about intended Soviet force reductions, East Germany announced that it would make unilateral cuts of 10,000 troops, 600 tanks, and 50 aircraft, and Poland announced that it would cut 40,000 troops, 850 tanks, and 80 aircraft, in the period up to 1991. Some of these cuts have already taken place. It is difficult to forecast progress, but we have no reason to believe that they will not adhere to their reduction programmes.

  Spares
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of expenditure on spares in 1988–89; and what proportion was taken by suppliers located in(a) Scotland and (b) south-east England.

  Mr. Neubert
  Total estimated expenditure on spares in 1988–89 was approximately £1,635 million. A breakdown of this expenditure by region could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  RAF Contracts
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total value of RAF contracts, in the latest available year, to external contractors, at Linton-on-Ouse, Shawbury and Church Fenton.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In the current financial year, the total value of RAF contracts placed with external contractors at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, RAF Shawbury and RAF Church Fenton is approximately £9·6 million.

  Medical Research
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what part of his Department's medical expenditure is devoted to medical research within military establishments.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Volunteer Reserves
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the turnover rate of the volunteer reserves in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I regret that this information is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the turnover rate of the volunteer reserves in the past year.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The outflow from the volunteer reserve forces during training year 1988–89 was 25,705, representing a turnover of 29·7 per cent. against strength at the beginning of the year. This outflow includes some 700 other ranks who left to take up commissions in the regular forces.

  Non-strategic Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a decision on modernisation of the United Kingdom's non-strategic nuclear weapons is to be taken.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The studies into a number of options for the possible replacement of the WE 177 free-fall bomb are continuing. It is not yet possible to forecast when a decision may be taken.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether work undertaken at the Chemical Defence Establishment is capable of conversion to the production of offensive chemical weapons.

  Mr. Neubert
  The role of the Chemical Defence Establishment is to provide effective protective measures for the United Kingdom Armed Forces against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. The United Kingdom abandoned all offensive chemical warfare work over 30 years ago and CDE has no facilities capable of conversion to significant production of offensive chemical weapons.

  Major Equipment Projects
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which companies are the main contractors for the major equipment projects set out in table 3.2 of Cm. 675-II; and how many of these have head offices located in(a) Scotland and (b) England.

  Mr. Neubert
  The main contractors for the major equipment projects set out in table 3.2 of Cm. 675-II are as follows:

  Project

  Main contractor

  Trident

  VSEL Consortium plc

  Type 23 Frigate

  Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd.

  Single Role Minehunter

  Vosper Thorneycroft (UK) Ltd.

  Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment Vessel

  Harland and Wolff plc

  Type 2400 Submarine

  VSEL Consortium plc

  Sea Dart missile

  British Aerospace plc

  Sea Wolf missile

  British Aerospace plc

  GWS26 MOD 1 vertical launch Sea Wolf

  British Aerospace plc

  366

  Project

  Main contractor

  Harpoon surface launched

  McDonnell-Douglas Missile Systems Company

  Stingray

  The Marconi Co. Ltd.

  Spearfish

  The Marconi Co. Ltd.

  Sonar 2054

  Plessey UK Ltd.

  Challenger MBT

  Vickers plc

  TOGS

  Barr and Stroud Ltd.

  Warrior MICV

  GKN Sankey Ltd.

  Milan

  British Aerospace plc

  Rapier Field Standard B

  British Aerospace plc

  Rapier Self-Propelled

  British Aerospace plc

  Rapier Field Standard C

  British Aerospace plc

  Blowpipe/Javelin

  Short Brothers plc

  High Velocity missile

  Short Brothers plc

  MLRS 1

  European Production Group

  LAW 80

  Hunting Engineering Ltd.

  Trigat Medium Range

  British Aerospace plc

  Trigat Long Range

  British Aerospace plc

  Ptarmigan

  Plessey UK Ltd.

  European Fighter Aircraft

  Eurofighter Jadflugzeug GmbH Eurojet Turbo GmbH

  Tornado GR1

  Panavia Aircraft GmbH Turbo Union Ltd.

  Tornado ADV

  British Aerospace plc

  E3-AEW

  The Boeing Company

  Harrier GR5

  British Aerospace plc

  Tristar 1st batch

  Marshall of Cambridge (Engineering) Ltd.

  Tristar 2nd batch

  Marshall of Cambridge (Engineering) Ltd.

  EH101

  EH Industries Ltd.

  Sky Flash

  British Aerospace plc

  ALARM

  British Aerospace plc

  JP 233

  Hunting Engineering Ltd.

  Foxhunter Al

  The Marconi Co. Ltd.

  Skynet 4 stage 1

  British Aerospace plc

  Of these, two have their major works in Scotland and 10 in England.

  Operational Fuels
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which companies have contracts to supply operational fuels to the armed services; and how many of these companies have their head offices in(a) Scotland and (b) England.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence currently holds contracts with 28 different companies for the supply of operational fuels to the armed services. Of these, two have their head offices in Scotland and 17 have their head offices in England.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which firms of consultants have been commissioned to study recruitment of ethnic minorities to the armed services; and what is the value of each contract.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The contract for the study into ethnic minority recruitment to the armed services was placed with Peat Marwick McLintock, who conducted the study in conjunction with their sub-contractors, Mass Observation. It is not our practice to disclose the value of such contracts.

  Belize (Accommodation)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration is being given to the replacement of locally-rented accommodation for service families on Belize by purpose-built accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Taking into account the uncertainty over the period British Forces will remain in Belize, it has been previously assessed that it would not be cost-effective to replace locally rented accommodation for families in Belize with purpose-built accommodation. We are currently in the process of looking at this matter again, although no decision has yet been reached.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to improve the single and married accommodation of Her Majesty's forces serving in Belize.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are currently in the middle of a five-year programme for the replacement of the older single accommodation in Belize, which is due to be completed in 1992. We are also in the middle of rebuilding the 10 old-style married quarters in Airport camp, which will be replaced by 1991.

  Private1

  Sergeant1

  Year

  Annual pay

  Increase amount

  Increase per cent.

  Annual pay

  Increase amount

  Increase per cent.

  1971

  1,296

  —

  —

  1,752

  —

  —

  1972

  1,445

  149

  11·50

  2,091

  339

  19·35

  1973

  1,657

  212

  14·67

  2,241

  150

  7·17

  1974

  1,869

  212

  12·79

  2,522

  281

  12·54

  1975

  2,405

  536

  28·68

  3,285

  763

  30·25

  1976

  2,718

  313

  13·01

  3,598

  313

  9·53

  1977

  2,854

  136

  5·00

  3,778

  180

  5·00

  1978

  3,245

  391

  13·70

  4,307

  529

  14·00

  1979

  4,055

  810

  24·96

  5,486

  1,179

  27·37

  1980

  5,011

  956

  23·58

  6,826

  1,340

  24·43

  1981

  5,482

  471

  9·40

  7,552

  726

  10·64

  1982

  5,785

  303

  5·53

  8,004

  452

  5·99

  1983

  6,215

  430

  7·43

  8,616

  612

  7·65

  1984

  6,676

  461

  7·42

  9,293

  677

  7·86

  1985

  7,154

  478

  7·16

  9,979

  686

  7·38

  1986

  7,687

  533

  7·45

  10,757

  778

  7·80

  1987

  8,136

  449

  5·84

  11,470

  713

  6·63

  1988

  8,625

  489

  6·01

  12,228

  758

  6·61

  1989

  9,224

  599

  6·94

  13,082

  854

  6·98

  Captain (Army)2

  Major2

  Year

  Annual pay

  Increase amount

  Increase per cent.

  Annual pay

  Increase amount

  Increase per cent.

  1971

  2,555

  —

  —

  3,322

  —

  —

  1972

  3,000

  445

  17·42

  3,950

  628

  15·90

  1973

  3,180

  180

  6·00

  4,170

  220

  5·57

  1974

  3,573

  393

  12·36

  4,679

  509

  12·21

  1975

  4,121

  548

  15·34

  5,103

  424

  9·06

  1976

  4,434

  313

  7·60

  5,416

  313

  6·13

  1977

  4,642

  208

  4·69

  5,624

  208

  3·84

  1978

  5,917

  1,275

  27·47

  7,457

  1,833

  32·59

  1979

  7,397

  1,480

  25·01

  9,432

  1,975

  26·49

  1980

  9,136

  1,739

  23·51

  11,994

  2,562

  27·16

  1981

  10,424

  1,288

  14·10

  13,494

  1,500

  12·51

  1982

  11,129

  705

  6·76

  14,498

  1,004

  7·44

  1983

  12,144

  1,015

  9·12

  15,830

  1,332

  9·19

  1984

  13,169

  1,025

  8·44

  17,115

  1,285

  8·12

  1985

  14,188

  1.019

  7·74

  18,509

  1,394

  8·14

  1986

  15,279

  1,019

  7·69

  20,049

  1,540

  8·32

  1987

  16,272

  993

  6·50

  21,352

  1,303

  6·50

  1988

  17,418

  1,146

  7·04

  22,849

  1,497

  7·01

  1989

  18,812

  1,394

  8·00

  24,433

  1,584

  6·93

  Service Pay
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the percentage and actual increases in pay for each year since 1964 for(a) at private rank, (b) at sergeant rank, (c) at captain rank and (d) at a major, and for the equivalent Royal Air Force and Royal Navy rank, in each case.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The present system of pay in the Armed Forces, which introduced what is known as the military salary, was implemented in two stages in 1970 and 1971.

  Prior to this, service men were paid partly in cash and partly by the provision of free food and accommodation, with different rates for married personnel. Information on these earlier rates of pay is not readily available and would not in any case be comparable with the present system. Rates of pay and the increase from 1971 are set out in the table. The variations in percentage increases between the ranks in some years of the 1970s arose in part from the effects of various income policies in force at the time and subsequent catching-up awards.
  369
  1The pay of non-commissioned ranks is divided into different pay bands according to their technical and other skills. The pay shown is for the middle pay hand and for personnel committed to between six to nine years service. Pay for RAF and RN personnel of equivalent ranks is broadly similar but full pay banding is not used in the RN and minor variations can therefore occur.

  2Officers are paid on a scale related to the number of years in rank. The rates shown are for the top of the scale. There is no difference for the pay of equivalent ranks in the RN and RAF.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to resolve the outstanding decision on the choice of radar for the European fighter aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Since taking office my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has met his German opposite number of two occasions during which the choice of radar for European fighter aircraft was considered. Further meetings will take place with the Defence Minister of European fighter aircraft nations as necessary. Senior officials are also in regular contact with their counterparts in the other European fighter aircraft countries. Every opportunity is taken during these meetings to seek an early resolution of this issue.

  Colonial Service Pensions
  Mr. Stanbrook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to clear the back-log of claims for certification of war service submitted by colonial service pensioners at the Army records office, Hayes.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Of the 2,551 inquiries received by the Army record office at Hayes for verification of war service, 2,342 have been completed and returned to the Overseas Development Administration. The outstanding 209 await further information from the ex-service men themselves or from the Department of Social Security before they can be verified and returned to the Overseas Development Administration.

  Bird Strike Risk
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation have taken place since 1983 between officials of his Department or service personnel and representatives of the Nature Conservancy Council to discuss bird strike risk in low-level flying exercises; and the possible effects of such exercises on seabird colonies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  I am not aware of any formal discussions between my Department and the Nature Conservancy Council on bird strike risk in low flying exercises, but areas of major bird concentrations, including the locations of major seabird colonies in Scotland, are notified to aircrew who will take account of the potential hazards in the planning and execution of their low-flying sorties. My Department also has regular discussions with the Nature Conservancy Council, at which matters of mutual concern, including the effect of low-flying aircraft on seabird colonies, are discussed.

  Land, Wales
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate how much land has been purchased by his Department to add to that already owned by them on Mynydd Eppynt in Brecon and Radnor in the following years:(a) 1987, (b) 1988 and (c) the present year to 30 September.
  370
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 6 July 1988 at column 646. A further 25 acres in the Brecon and Radnor areas have been purchased from the Forestry Commission this year.

  Holy Loch
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has of the contribution to the local economy made by the United States Government as a result of the use of Holy Loch by the United States Navy and as to who benefits therefrom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) on 9 May 1989 at column 426.

TRANSPORT

  Network SouthEast
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of public subsidy for Network SouthEast in each of the past three years.

  Mr. Portillo
  Figures for Government support paid to the British Railways board, including public service obligations grant under EC regulation 1191/69 and section 3 of the Railways Act 1974, and level crossings grant under EC regulation 1192/69, are given in the table. Final claims have not yet been agreed.

  The table also shows the figures for total investment by British Rail in the railways.

  £m cash (rounded to nearest £m)

  Grant

  Investment

  1986–87

  709

  399

  1987–88

  782

  526

  1988–89

  557

  570

  In the annual report and accounts for 1987–88 British Rail estimated the PSO grant requirement for Network SouthEast at £231 million; in 1988–89 British Rail put NSE's requirement at £141 million.

  Air Traffic Movements
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all planning or other environmental measures limiting air traffic movements at(a) Heathrow airport and (b) other airports in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to seek it from the airports direct.

  BAA (Land)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the acreage and asset value of land owned by BAA at the time of its privatisation at each of the airports in its ownership; and what assurances were sought from the management of BAA plc regarding the future disposal of such land;
  371
  (2) what was the value of the total land owned by BAA at Prestwick airport at the time of privatisation.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The 1987 BAA company accounts show the following gross current cost valuations for freehold property, comprising land and buildings, at the seven BAA airports:

  £ thousand

  Heathrow

  624,100

  Gatwick

  181,000

  Stansted

  49,106

  Glasgow

  46,617

  Edinburgh

  27,942

  Prestwick

  27,552

  Aberdeen

  19,220

  The prospectus isued when BAA plc shares were offered for sale showed the acreages of the principal properties of the BAA group at 8 July 1987 as follows:

  Acres

  Heathrow

  2,750

  Gatwick

  1,642

  Stansted

  2,406

  Glasgow

  699

  Edinburgh

  873

  Prestwick

  555

  Aberdeen

  497

  In addition, the company held approximately 1,815 acres of land and buildings which were not directly or immediately required for airport operations.

  BAA's articles of association provide that the company may not dispose of an airport designated for the purposes of economic regulation under the 1986 Act without the prior consent of the holder of the special share. This may only be held by a Minister or other person acting on behalf of the Crown. Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are the BAA airports currently designated and my right hon. Friend holds the share.

  Scottish Lowlands Airports Policy
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those officials and advisers who will be involved in carrying out the consultation exercise on Scottish lowland airports policy.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No. The consultation is being conducted by the Department of Transport in association with the Scottish Office. My right hon. Friend will consider the Government's policy in the light of the responses received.

  Flight Diversions
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions have flights been diverted from(a) Glasgow and (b) other airports to Prestwick airport since 1980.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information is published monthly and annually by the Civil Aviation Authority, and copies are placed in the library. The relevant figures are as follows:372

  Year

  Landings diverted to Prestwick from Glasgow

  Landings diverted to Prestwick from United Kingdom and from overseas airports

  1980

  148

  67

  1981

  123

  100

  1982

  38

  47

  1983

  35

  62

  1984

  77

  59

  1985

  71

  74

  1986

  15

  65

  1987

  43

  74

  1988

  66

  87

  to end June 1989

  1

  39

  Total

  617

  674

  Source:

  CAA "Annual Statistics" 1980, 1981, 1982.

  CAA "UK Airports: annual statements of movements, passengers and cargo" 1983 to 1988.

  CAA "UK Airports: monthly statements of movements, passengers and cargo" January to June 1989.

  West London Assessment Study
  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what consultation arrangements he is making to ensure that local opinion is taken into account before Government decisions are made on the issues covered by his consultants' stage 2B report of the west London assessment study;

  (2) when he expects to receive the stage 2B report of the west London assessment study from his consultants; and whether he will publish it without delay.

  Mr. Atkins
  We expect to receive reports from the consultants for all four London assessment studies in the next month or so. Arrangements for printing will be put in hand as soon as possible for publication early in December. The reports will be available for purchase and there will be free summaries. Displays will be offered at town halls and public libraries in the study areas.

  In order to reduce uncertainty we intend to announce at the time the reports are published which options will not be considered further. We shall be inviting comments from local authorities, other organisations and members of the public before reaching firm decisions on the remaining options.

  London Regional Transport (Anti-inflation Policy)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice, instructions or indications he has given to, London Regional Transport and its subsidiary undertakings concerning their part in supporting the anti-inflation policy of Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Portillo
  London Regional Transport is fully aware of the Government's determination to win the fight against inflation and I have satisfied myself that LRT appreciates the significance of its own pay and price increases. My right hon. Friend has no powers to issue instructions to LRT on these matters.

  Air Traffic (Near Misses)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many near-miss cases over Orkney involving both civilian and military aircraft have been reported to the Civil Aviation Authority since 1 January 1985.
  373
  Mr. McLoughlin
  There have been three reported airmisses over Orkney since 1 January 1985. Each involved civil and military aircraft and all were graded by the joint airmiss working group as category C—no risk.

  Transatlantic Flights
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average real or notional extra cost for each transatlantic flight which has to use Prestwick as a gateway airport.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department does not hold the information needed to establish this figure.

  ANGLO-ARGENTINIAN TALKS
  ANGLO-ARGENTINIAN TALKS
  AIR TRAFFIC DISTRIBUTIONS
  AIR TRAFFIC DISTRIBUTIONS
  A.4 HAMMERSMITH/CHISWICK SECTION: LITTER
  A.4 HAMMERSMITH/CHISWICK SECTION: LITTER
  NURSING AIDES: USE IN CHILDREN'S WARDS
  NURSING AIDES: USE IN CHILDREN'S WARDS
  ROAD ACCIDENT NO-FAULT SCHEME: STUDY
  ROAD ACCIDENT NO-FAULT SCHEME: STUDY
  CIGARETTE ENDS AND THE LITTER PROBLEM
  CIGARETTE ENDS AND THE LITTER PROBLEM
  ECOFIN COUNCIL, 9TH OCTOBER 1989
  ECOFIN COUNCIL, 9TH OCTOBER 1989