Written Answers of 25 October 1989

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Broadcasting
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on plans to deregulate broadcasting.

  Mr. Renton
  We intend to introduce legislation which will authorise new television and radio services, set clear limits on broadcasting ownership, encourage competition and efficiency, and safeguard diversity and high quality in programming, to the benefit of viewers and listeners.

  Immigration
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current average length of time it takes his Department to process an application for(a) registration and (b) naturalisation.

  Mr. Renton
  The average time taken to complete applications for registrations and naturalisations in September 1989 was 20 and 24 months respectively. We anticipate that there will be a substantial improvement during 1990–91 when the backlog of 1987 registrations has been cleared.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the current backlog of unopened mail at the immigration and nationality department as at 17 October.

  Mr. Renton
  On 17 October there were 7,201 items of mail unopened. The average delay in opening correspondence, in order to deal with it. is about two weeks.

  Police Committees
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the cost of running statutory police consultation committees for London boroughs in the past years(a) for Ealing borough and (b) for all those boroughs with a statutory police committee; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The cost of running the Ealing community and police consultative group in the 1988–89 financial year was £30,500.

  Each group operates independently and levels of expenditure are affected by the amount of each group's activity, the nature and location of the borough and the degree of council support. In the case of Ealing, the majority party borough council has refused to take up its place on the group or provide any administrative support. The cost to the Metropolitan police fund has therefore to cover the cost of independent administrative support to the group.

  The refusal of Ealing borough council—together with four other local authorities in London—to take part in the
  448
  statutory process of police-community consultation is misconceived and irresponsible. I urge them to support arrangements which are playing an increasingly important role elsewhere in London and throughout England and Wales in involving local people in policing issues that concern them. Figures for the other consultative groups which come within the Metropolitan police district are as follows:

  Figures for the 1988–89 financial year, rounded to the nearest £100

  £

  Barking and Dagenham

  8,000

  Barnet

  19,200

  Bexley

  18,900

  Brent

  6,500

  Bromley

  2,000

  Camden

  7,900

  Cheshunt

  1600

  Croydon

  7,800

  Enfield

  3,800

  Epping Forest

  5,000

  Epsom and Ewell

  4,200

  Esher

  4,000

  Greenwich

  2,100

  Hackney

  2,700

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  22,000

  Haringey

  6,900

  Harrow

  10,700

  Havering

  400

  Hertsmere

  11,300

  Hillingdon

  6,300

  Hounslow

  10,000

  Islington

  15,000

  Kensington and Chelsea

  9,200

  Kingston upon Thames

  15,200

  Lambeth

  51,400

  Lewisham

  17,900

  Merton

  6,200

  Newham

  26,600

  Redbridge

  3,800

  Reigate and Banstead

  1200

  Richmond upon Thames

  12,000

  Southwark

  20,500

  Spelthorne

  11,900

  Sutton

  14,100

  Tower Hamlets

  23,000

  Waltham Forest

  10,000

  Wandsworth

  116,700

  Westminster (includes Paddington, South Westminster, West End Central groups and Westminster-wide co-ordinating group

  47,500

  1 Estimated where final account not yet received or agreed.

  2 Part of a year only. Group in its first year.

  Note:

  Figures also include costs of lay visitors panels where established.

  Crime (Compensation)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what moves he intends taking with EEC Governments to ensure that those British subjects who are victims of crime within the EEC are able to claim compensation equivalent to the criminal injuries compensation paid to EEC nationals who are victims of crime in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. John Patten
  When we ratify the Council of Europe convention on the compensation of victims of violent crime, British citizens who suffer criminal injuries (or their dependants if they are killed) in countries party to the convention will be able to obtain compensation in those countries. We have to examine some of the detailed requirements of the convention before we ratify it.
  449
  Once we have ratified, we shall take every opportunity to encourage other countries (including the European Community countries) to do likewise.

  Fire Safety
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve fire safety in(a) offices and (b) schools.

  Mr. John Patten
  Offices where more than 20 persons are at work at any one time or more than 10 persons are at work elsewhere than on the ground floor, are already required to have a fire certificate unless they have been exempted by the fire authority from this requirement. Fire authorities have powers to enforce the requirements of fire certificates which require offices to be provided with adequate means of escape and means for fighting fire and to provide training for employees in action to be taken in the event of fire.

  In offices which do not require a fire certificate, the occupier must by law provide such means of escape in case of fire and such means for fighting fire as may reasonably be required.

  Guidance for occupiers in the form of a code of practice for fire precautions in factories, offices, shops and railway premises not required to have a fire certificate was issued in April. It is available to the public from HMSO outlets.

  The Home Office will be publishing next month a basic guide to fire safety at work which will also be available from HMSO outlets. It is aimed not only at occupiers, but at all those with management responsibility.

  Fire safety in schools is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

  Public House Bombings (Guildford and Woolwich)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will authorise the payment of interim compensation to the four persons whose convictions for the Guildford and Woolwich pub bombings were recently quashed.

  Mr. Hurd
  It is my normal practice to make interim compensation payments where these are requested. The amount will be decided by the independent assessor.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider appointing lay assessors to Sir John May's inquiry into the Guildford and Woolwich bombings convictions; and if the evidence to the inquiry will be published.

  Mr. Hurd
  I would be prepared to consider the appointment of lay assessors if Sir John May feels this is necessary for the conduct of his inquiry.

  Anybody giving evidence to the inquiry may, if they wish, publish it, and there will be hearings in public. The question of publishing evidence not given in public will be considered when the inquiry is complete.

  Anglo-Irish Relations
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, with a view to improving Anglo-Irish relations, he will reconsider the request of Irish Republican category 'A' prisoners held in English prisons to be 450
  transferred to Northern Ireland to alleviate the suffering and hardship caused to their families; and whether there are any plans to close a high security prison in Northern Ireland due to the dwindling prison population in the Province.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Requests by prisoners for permanent transfer to Northern Ireland are considered in the light of the criteria set out in the reply by my right hon. Friend to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt) on Friday 23 June 1989 at column 263. These criteria, which do not distinguish between category A and other inmates, deal not only with the circumstances of the inmate in question but also with any family circumstances which may be put forward in support of a transfer request. It is open to any inmate whose transer request is refused to make a fresh application which would be considered in the light of the criteria and the circumstances applying at the time of the fresh request.

  Prisons in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from whom I understand that there are currently no plans to close any prison establishment in the Province.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what nationalities has the chief constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, Mr. Hugh Annesley.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 23 October 1989]: The nationality status of individuals is a private matter.

WALES

  Speech Therapists
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to overcome the shortage of speech therapists in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  Speech therapy requirements have been examined in the context of the annual manpower resource planning exercise undertaken by the Health Service in Wales in 1988 and 1989. The purpose of the exercise, initiated by the manpower steering group established by the Department in 1986, is to identify future manpower requirements and enable action to be taken to meet these requirements at the all-Wales level.

  The report of the 1988 manpower resource planning exercise recommended an increase in speech therapy provision within Wales. This is being considered within the context of the provision of education and training within the NHS in Wales generally and taking into account the results of the 1989 manpower resource plans (a report of which will be available early next year), the implications of the proposals contained in the White Paper "Working for Patients" and the recommendations contained in the report of a review of the role of the combined training institute at Cardiff.

  Water Supplies
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures taken following the drought which affected Welsh water supplies in 1976, especially in the light of the shortage of supplies in the reservoirs this summer.

  Mr. Grist
  A number of improvements have been made to the water supply distribution system since 1976. Of particular note is the River Wye transfer scheme and the establishment of a mini-grid system in south-east Wales. Whilst this summer was the driest since 1910 in that area, the improvements have enabled Dŵr Cymru Cyf to maintain supplies despite the low level of water in local reservoirs.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to ensure that water supplies in Wales are dependable even in future periods of drought.

  Number of pupils

  Clwyd

  Dyfed

  Gwent

  Gwynedd

  Mid Glamorgan

  Powys

  South Glamorgan

  West Glamorgan

  Fewer than 10 pupils

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Fewer than 20 pupils

  8

  5

  1

  2

  1

  2

  0

  0

  Fewer than 30 pupils

  17

  36

  9

  19

  3

  20

  1

  1

  Fewer than 40 pupils

  29

  77

  11

  35

  7

  29

  2

  4

  Fewer than 50 pupils

  39

  106

  13

  55

  12

  41

  2

  5

  Fewer than 60 pupils

  52

  133

  20

  74

  15

  49

  4

  5

  60–99 pupils

  39

  55

  24

  50

  35

  31

  10

  15

  100–149 pupils

  50

  60

  35

  28

  62

  13

  12

  15

  150–199 pupils

  31

  35

  56

  22

  107

  8

  36

  45

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of primary schools closed by each Welsh local education authority in each year since 1974 in each of the following categories,(a) fewer than 10 pupils, (b) fewer than 20 pupils, (c) fewer than 30 pupils, (d) fewer than 40 pupils, (e) fewer than 50 pupils, (f) fewer than 60 pupils, (g) between 60 and 100 pupils, (h) between 100 and 150 pupils and (i) between 150 and 200 pupils.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Information requested, in the form requested is not available. I will write to my hon. Friend.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the purpose of the office and management support system for tax compliance based at Basingstoke, Telford and Worthing; and what measures have been taken to ensure the system will comply fully with the provisions of the Data Protection Act.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Inland Revenue has introduced a new office and management support system in its specialist investigation offices. The main purpose of this relatively small computer system is to collate factual information and avoid duplicate research by the Revenue's investigators in those offices. The system will also monitor progress on investigations and includes a full range of automated office functions such as diaries, electronic mail and computational facilities. The system became
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  Mr. Grist
  It is the responsibility of Dŵr Cymru to ensure that water supplies within its area can be maintained at times of below-average rainfall. The company, in liaison with the NRA who have overall responsibility for water resource management, will keep the position under review.

  Primary Schools
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each Welsh local education authority the number of primary schools with(a) fewer than 10 pupils, (b) fewer than 20 pupils, (c) fewer than 30 pupils, (d) fewer than 40 pupils, (e) fewer than 50 pupils, (f) fewer than 60 pupils, (g) between 60 and 100 pupils, (h) between 100 and 150 pupils and (i) between 150 and 200 pupils.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The information requested, based on the position at January 1989, is shown in the table:

  operational in September and is distinct from the large COP/CODA computer project which has been operational for sometime, and provides support for local tax districts.

  The Data Protection Act has been fully complied with and the system has been registered with the Data Protection Register.

  Tax Appeal Hearings
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the revised system of testing taxpayers' cases for Inland Revenue apeal hearings before the general commissioners; and if he will take steps to ensure that the new computerised system meets the reasonable needs of accountants and others representing the appellants.

  Mr. Lilley
  Representations have been received from accountants and clerks to general commissioners on the new computerised procedures used by the Inland Revenue in listing cases for general commissioners hearings and printing the clerk's notices. An evaluation exercise will shortly be undertaken which will take full account of representations received.

  Mortgage Tax Relief
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing (a) the estimated total cost of mortgage tax relief in 1989–90, (b) the average value of relief per mortgagor and (c) the numbers receiving mortgage relief broken down in the income ranges (i) under £4,000, (ii) £4,000 to £5,000, (iii) £5,000, (iv) £5,000 to £6,000 (v) £6,000 to £7,000, (vi) £7,000 to £8,000, (vii) £8,000 to £9,000, (viii)

  453
  £9,000 to £10,000, (ix) £10,000 to £12,000, (x) £12,000 to £15,000, (xi) £15,000 to £20,000, (xii) £20,000 to £25,000, (xiii) £25,000 to £30,000 and (xiv) over £30,000.

  Mr. Lilley
  Information on the distribution of mortgage interest relief by range of total income is available from projections of the data from the 1986–87

  Tax units receiving mortgage interest relief by range of total income 1989–90

  Range of total income

  Number of tax units with mortgage interest relief

  Average value of relief per mortgagor

  Cost of relief

  Thousands

  £

  £ million

  Up to £4,000

  470

  520

  240

  £ 4,001 to£ 5,000

  170

  470

  80

  £ 5,001 to £ 6,000

  170

  510

  90

  £ 6,001 to £ 7,000

  270

  520

  140

  £ 7,001 to £ 8,000

  410

  640

  260

  £ 8,001 to £ 9,000

  430

  660

  290

  £ 9,001 to £10,000

  420

  670

  280

  £10,001 to £12,000

  860

  680

  590

  £12,001 to £15,000

  1,400

  680

  950

  £15,001 to £20,000

  1,880

  740

  1,390

  £20,001 to £25,000

  1,200

  750

  900

  £25,001 to £30,000

  610

  890

  540

  over £30,000

  1,010

  1,240

  1,250

  Total

  9,300

  750

  7,000

  Rugby Players (Income Tax)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what income tax receipts were received on fees paid to rugby union players in the last financial year.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 23 October 1989]: I regret that it is not possible to identify from the information available about income tax receipts the amount paid by rugby union players.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Financial Reporting Council
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to make an announcement about the appointment of a chairman of the Financial Reporting Council.

  Mr. Redwood
  In the light of my Department's consultations with interested parties about the implementation of the structural proposals in the Dearing report on the making of accounting standards, I have asked Sir Ronald Dearing, and he has agreed, to become chairman designate of the Financial Reporting Council. His task will be to negotiate terms with all concerned so that the new arrangements for making and enforcing accounting standards are in place next summer.

  When the Financial Reporting Council is established, it is the intention of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, acting jointly with the Governor of the Bank of England, formally to appoint Sir Ronald as chairman of the council.

  Clear unambiguous accounting standards which are effectively enforced are essential to the good working of a market economy. The report of the committee chairman by Sir Ronald has been widely welcomed as identifying the way to enhance the authority and general acceptance of accounting standards. I can think of nobody who is better
  454
  survey of personal incomes and the 1986 family expenditure survey. However, all estimates are provisional.

  Latest estimates for 1989–90 are given in the table and include mortgages formerly under the option mortgage scheme which are now subsumed within MIRAS. The estimates take account of the recently announced increases in mortgage interest rates.

  qualified to carry through the important task of setting up the new arrangements, and I am delighted that Sir Ronald has agreed to undertake this role.

  DRG (Takeover Bid)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the action he is taking concerning the proposed takeover bid for DRG by Pembridge Investments.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 24 July 1989]: The proposed acquisition by Pembridge Investments of DRG is currently being considered by the Director General of Fair Trading who will advise my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in the normal way on the question of reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  China (Textiles)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek to arrange for the EEC Commission to renegotiate agreements with China concerning textile imports from China within the EEC; what representations he has received about increased Chinese textile quotas to the United Kingdom; what action he is taking to reduce Chinese textile imports into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 24 July 1989]: No. The bilateral textiles agreement negotiated between the European Community and China under the multi-fibre arrangement at the end of the last year lasts for four years. I understand the concern that has been expressed in a number of representations to me and to my Department about the increased levels of access for Chinese textile and clothing products under this agreement. However we were satisfied that the new agreement was the best that the Commission could achieve.

  We continue to watch developments closely and if unrestrained imports from China cause or threaten to

  455
  cause disruption to the United Kingdom market, Ministers would be willing to consider whether it would be in the United Kingdom interest to put a case to the EC Commission for restraint action under the provisions of this agreement.

SCOTLAND

  CBI
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many meetings he has had with the Confederation of British Industry in the past 12 months.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply on 18 October to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Mr. Favell).

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the total figures and percentage rates of unemployed people in each individual Glasgow constituency; and what were the comparable figures in 1979, 1983 and 1987.

  Mr. Lang
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. The table below gives the number unemployed in each Glasgow parliamentary constituency in August 1989, the latest date for which information is available, together with comparable figures for 1983 and 1987. There are no unemployment estimates for parliamentary constituencies prior to June 1983. Percentage rates for unemployment are not calculated for parliamentary constituencies.

  Glasgow Parliamentary Constituencies

  August 1983

  August 1987

  August 1989

  Cathcart

  4,249

  4,196

  2,976

  Central

  6,754

  7,301

  5,641

  Garscadden

  6,204

  5,648

  4,482

  Govan

  5,975

  5,922

  4,609

  Hillhead

  4,939

  5,787

  4,267

  Mary hill

  7,226

  7,771

  6,097

  Pollok

  7,405

  6,945

  5,382

  Provan

  9,437

  7,915

  5,902

  Rutherglen

  7,131

  6,313

  4,574

  Shettleston

  6,610

  6,324

  5,055

  Springburn

  8,334

  8,152

  6,402

  1 There have been a number of changes in the compiliation and coverage of the unemployment count. Therefore the figures given above are not directly comparable with each other.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received from the Confederation of British Industry about the effect of high interest rates on the Scottish economy.

  Mr. Lang
  I am aware of recent statements by the Confederation of British Industry on the interest rate rise announced on 5 October. The Government continue to believe that interest rates are the most effective weapon to counter the risks of inflation.

  Forensic Scientists
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many forensic scientists were employed by his office in(a) Scotland, (b) the Strathclyde region and (c) Greater Glasgow for each year since 1979.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In Scotland, forensic scientists working in police laboratories are employed by the police authority concerned. Figures of the numbers so employed are as follows:

  Scotland

  Strathclyde region (all located in Glasgow)

  1979

  21

  14

  1980

  21

  14

  1981

  21

  14

  1982

  22

  14

  1983

  34

  14

  1984

  24

  14

  1985

  25

  14

  1986

  33

  20

  1987

  33

  20

  1988

  34

  20

  1989

  38

  20

  Caledonian MacBrayne
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now in a position to announce the membership of the board of Caledonian MacBrayne.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I am at present considering possible membership of the board and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of letters from hon. Members to his Department received a reply(a) in under four weeks, (b) within four to six weeks, (c) within six to eight weeks and (d) over eight weeks, in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Disproportionate costs would be incurred in the preparation of an answer in the form requested. An ad hoc survey conducted within my Department during a representative period in 1988 showed an average response time of 23 days.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many mentally ill and handicapped people live in residential homes and hostels in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  As at 31 March 1988, the latest date for which information is available centrally, 226 mentally ill persons and 1,713 persons with mental handicap were resident in local authority homes and homes registered by them. Comprehensive information on unregistered accommodation is not available but 304 mentally ill and 464 mentally handicapped persons were recorded as resident in other establishments of which local authority social work departments were aware. Also at the same date 770 persons resident in homes for the elderly were described as mentally ill and some 620 as mentally handicapped.
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  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many physically handicapped aged under 65 years live in residential homes in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  As at 31 March 1988, the latest date for which information is available, there were 749 persons under 65 reported as physically handicapped in local authority homes and homes registered by them.

  One-parent Families
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of one-parent families recorded in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  From the latest available information it is estimated that there were some 100,000 one-parent families in Scotland in 1986.

  Institutions
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of persons aged over 75 years live in institutions in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest information available is from the 1981 census of population which recorded 9·1 per cent. of residents of Scotland aged 75 years and over as residing in establishments other than private households.

  Sheltered Housing
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the total housing stock is comprised of sheltered housing; and what proportion is provided by local authorities, housing associations and the private sector in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Reliable information is available centrally only for public housing authorities and for housing associations. As at 31 March 1989, the latest date for which information is available, these agencies provided some 26,555 sheltered houses representing approximately 2·6 per cent. of the total stock of these agencies (1,016,000).

  This total is broken down as follows:

  Number

  Percentage

  Local authorities

  14,703

  55·4

  Scottish Special Housing Association

  1,768

  6·7

  New towns

  434

  1·6

  Housing associations

  9,650

  36·3

  Total

  26,555

  Dounreay
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has completed his consideration of the application by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and British Nuclear Fuels plc for permission to construct a demonstration fast reactor fuel reprocessing plant at Dounreay.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I am announcing today my decision to approve this application, subject to conditions, and I have placed a copy of the decision letter in the Library.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Youth Service Training
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many voluntary youth and community workers have received grant support for training in the youth service under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 since the scheme came into operation;

  (2) how many youth and community workers not employed by local education authorities are likely to receive grant-supported training in the current financial year.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  It is estimated that some 105,000 youth and community workers in England will have received training by the end of this financial year, with support through the local education authority training grants scheme. This includes more than 33,000 workers in 1989–90. Separate figures for voluntary workers are not collected centrally.

  Education (Greenwich)
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he intends to take in the light of the London borough of Greenwich's decision to change its secondary schools' admission policy contrary to the undertakings given in its education development plan as published in February 1989, thus excluding children living in the London borough of Lewisham from local schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Inner London borough development plans were published under section 165 of the Education Reform Act 1988 as a basis for local consultation designed to inform councils' formal policy decisions. In relation to school admissions, the relevent formal decisions are those subsequently reflected in admission arrangements published, by Greenwich as by other inner London boroughs, under section 8 of the Education Act 1980. Under section 6 of that Act, parents may express a preference for any school, regardless of its location; LEAs and governors are required to comply with that expression of parental preference, subject to strictly defined reliefs as set out in sections 6(3) and (6). LEAs and governors may not as part of their admission policy refuse to admit out-of-borough pupils. Where schools are oversubscribed, admission authorities may, however, give priority to in-borough children in the allocation of places, provided they make their policy clear in the information published under section 8.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received about the refusal rate to applications for legal aid from applications in Bradford; how many legal aid applications have been made by people living in Bradford in each of the last five years; and in each year to date how many applicants have been(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has received no representations about the refusal rate to
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  applications for legal aid from applicants in Bradford. Information is not collected for civil legal aid or legal aid in the Crown Court in the form requested by the hon.

  Number of applications made

  Number granted

  Number refused

  Percentage refused

  1984

  3,694

  3,377

  317

  8·6

  1985

  4,511

  3,984

  527

  11·7

  1986

  3,915

  3,586

  329

  8·4

  1987

  4,885

  4,461

  424

  8·7

  19881

  3,514

  3,241

  273

  7·8

  1No returns were received for one quarter in 1988.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Co-operation
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give details of the agreement reached on nuclear co-operation between the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany; what levels of spent nuclear fuel and waste will be imported into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Copies of the full text of the joint declaration on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, which was signed by the Governments of the United Kingdom ad the Federal Republic of Germany on 25 July 1989, have been placed in the Library of the House. No specific contracts for the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel have yet been agreed as a result of the declaration. In line with Government policy, the contracts, when concluded, will provide for the return of wastes to the Federal Republic of Germany.

PRIME MINISTER

  Downing Street
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the renovations and redecorations to the Prime Minister's personal apartment at Downing street; whether a designer or architect has been appointed; and what will be the overall cost of the work.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 October]: Apart from fitting cupboards, there has been no fundamental work on refurbishment or modernisation of the personal apartment at Downing street. Any redecoration or modernisation work has been undertaken by the Property Services Agency.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government have invited designers or architects to submit plans for the erection of gates at the Whitehall entrance to Downing street.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 October]: There has been a barrier at the Whitehall entrance to Downing street since 1973 and the present gates and railings were installed in 1982. It is intended to replace these with new gates and railings.

  Plans for new demountable railings and gates have been prepared by the Property Services Agency in consultation with English Heritage and the Royal Fine Arts Commission. These have been agreed by Westminster city council.
  460
  Member. The following figures relate to the applications for legal aid in the magistrates' courts in the Bradford police force area:

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government have prepared a budget for the erection of gates at the Whitehall entrance to Downing street.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 October]: All expenditure relating to Downing street is budgeted.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Prime Minister whether it is Her Majesty's Government's intention to erect gates at the Whitehall entrance to Downing street.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 October]: There has been a barrier at the Whitehall entrance to Downing street since 1973 and the present gates and railings were installed in 1982. It is intended to replace these with new gates and railings.

ENVIRONMENT

  Greenhouse Effect
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has made any assessment of the claimed benefits of the greenhouse effect, made by the Soviet climatologist, Mikhail Budyko, in a paper to the United Nations environment programme in August;

  if his Department has made any assessment of the recent analysis by Dr. John Woods of the Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Division for the Natural Environment Research Council suggesting that the onset timescale for the greenhouse effect has been significantly underestimated;

  (3) what study has been made by his Department, or under consultancy to his Department, of the plankton multiplier effect on the level that global warming may reach following the greenhouse effect.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Each of these matters is for consideration in the international review of climate change science being carried out by working group I of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC). This work is being led by the United Kingdom under the chairmanship of Dr. John Houghton, director general of the Meteorological Office and supported by funds totalling over £600,000 from the Departments of the Environment and Energy.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what initiatives he introduced to the Council of European Environmental Ministers to combat the greenhouse effect, at its meeting on 19 September.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At the Council meeting on 19 September, my right hon. Friend continued to take the
  461
  lead in initiatives for the conservation of tropical forests. In particular, he supported the redeployment of resources within the European Commission towards forestry, advocated the need for close collaboration with developing countries in taking forward projects for the sustainable management of forest resources, and expressed the hope that other EC countries would support the United Kingdom initiative at the Council of the International Tropical Timber Organisation for a feasibility study on an EC-wide labelling scheme for tropical timber imports.

  Environmental Protection
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any information from the United States of America Government or Her Majesty's ambassador in Washington DC in regard to the implications for joint environmental protection research between the United States of America and the United Kingdom, of the proposed increases in the United States budget for environmental research in 1990.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Joint environmental protection research between the United States of America and the United Kingdom is undertaken through a variety of arrangements, including a memorandum of understanding agreed in 1987. Collaborative work also takes place through the auspices of other bodies such as the United Nations environment programme, Economic Commission for Europe, and Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

  It is not possible at this stage to assess the implications for research collaboration of proposed increases in the United States budget for 1990 for environmental protection research.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any information on the scientific assessment by Dr. Eric Banks of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology of the potential harmful effects of chlorofluorocarbon ozone-friendly replacements, details of which were presented to the ninth European symposium on fluorine chemistry in September.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. I am arranging to obtain papers from Dr. Banks for assessment.

  Sellafield (Accident)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the accident involving radioactivity at Sellafield on 5 September; when his Department was informed; and what were the causes and consequences of the accident.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (the authorising Departments) were informed on the afternoon of that day of an event that had led to a slight over-emptying of a discharge tank. Checks by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food confirmed the view of British Nuclear Fuels that the event had not led to any breach of discharge limits or radiological consequences. A462
  press release was issued by British Nuclear Fuels later that afternoon, and full details were also included in the site's regular newsletter, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Pollution Control Conference
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department was represented at the conference on the role of clean technologies in integrated pollution control, held at the University of Sheffield on 19 October.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No.

  Waste Management Conference
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department was represented at, and presented any papers to, the conference on the future of waste management, held at the Botanical Gardens, Birmingham on 23 October.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A paper on the Department's proposals for waste regulation was presented at this conference.

  Nuclear Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what departmental papers were presented, and what departmental representation there was at(a) the PAGIS/Commission of the European Communities conference on nuclear waste in Madrid in June and (b) the Commission of the European Communities/International Atomic Energy Agency/ OECD Nuclear Energy Agency sponsored conference on the safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories, in Paris, 9–13 October;

  (2) what departmental representation was made, and what papers presented at the forum on radioactive waste repositories held in Paris between 9–13 October, organised by the Commission of the European Communities, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Two DOE officials attended the CEC PAGIS information day held in Madrid on 30 June 1989. No Departmental papers were presented.

  Two DOE officials attended the CEC/IAEA/OECD (NEA) symposium on the safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories held in Paris from 9 to 13 October 1989. The following four papers co-authored by DOE officials were presented:

  (i) 'The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency Probabilistic Assessment Codes (PSAC) User Group; Objectives, Achievements and Programme of Activities' by B G J Thompson et al.

  (ii) 'The Development and Application of an Integrated Radiological Risk Assessment Procedure using Time Dependent Probabilistic Risk Analysis' by J-M Laurencs et al.

  (iii) 'CHEMVAL—An International Research Initiative for the Verification and Validation Testing of Chemical Speciation and Chemical Transport Computer Programs' by T W Broyd et al.

  (iv) 'Quality Assurance for Safety Assessment of Radioactive Waster Repositories' by I Hill et al.

  1. The PAGIS (performance assessment of geological isolation systems) information day held in Madrid on 30 June

  463
  1989 was organised by by CEC to report on the Commission-funded research programme assessing radiological impact of radioactive waste disposal. PAGIS consisted of a series of generic studies to assess the radiological impact resulting from the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes in clay, granite and salt formations and in ocean sediments. Scientists drawn from a number of European, including United Kingdom, establishments were involved. The conclusion of the studies is that all four options should, in principle, allow for safe disposal of radioactive wastes. Reports of the studies have recently been published. The audience consisted of politicians, scientists and industry representatives, mainly from European Community member states. Two DOE officials attended; Mr. B. D. Ponsford, director of HMIP, who participated as the United Kingdom representative, in the concluding panel discussion, and Dr. S. Brown, head of research and assessments branch of HMIP. Sir Hugh Rossi MP gave the invited introductory talk.

  2. The international symposium on the safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories held in Paris from 9–13 October 1989 was jointly organised by the Commission of the European Communities, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD. The aim of the conference was to give member countries an opportunity, based upon current experience, to summarise the state of the art on safety assessment issues and to discuss possible future developments. Two DOE officials attended; Dr. S. Brown, head of research and assessments branch, HMIP and Dr. B. Thompson, principal inspector, HMIP. A number of papers reporting work commissioned by DOE were presented as were four papers co-authored by DOE officials. The proceedings of the Symposium will be published by the nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD in due course.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what meetings he has had since July with representatives of national, international and regional environmental pressure groups and non-governmental organisations; when they were held; what issues were raised; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards communications and co-operation with such organisations in policy development.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Since July, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has met representatives of Friends of the Earth for a general discussion of environmental issues, and representatives of the Council for the Protection of Rural England to discuss countryside matters.

  In addition, my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside and I have had meetings on a range of environmental matters with a number of other bodies, including CLEAR, the British Conservation Trust, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Tidy Britain Group and UK 2000.

  We welcome a dialogue with constructive and well-meaning environmental groups in order to strengthen mutual understanding of the issues that we face and the policy options that are available.

  Gipsy Sites
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number and location of designated gipsy sites in Warwickshire.

  Mr. Chope
  There are at present three local authority gipsy sites in Warwickshire. These are at Alvecote, near Tamworth, which has 17 pitches, at Gruff, Nuneaton, 21 pitches, and at Pathlow, near Stratford-on-Avon, 29 464
  pitches. There are, in addition, 54 caravan spaces for gipsies on eight authorised private sites elsewhere in the county.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give illustrative figures for the level of community charge(a) under the previously proposed system and (b) following the latest changes, for 1990–91, in pounds per adult for (i) Elmbridge, (ii) Surrey Heath, (iii) Waverley, (iv) Woking, (v) Hertsmere, (vi) North Hertfordshire, (vii) Three Rivers, (viii) Bradford, (ix) Calderdale, (x) Kirklees, (xi) Leeds and (xii) Wakefield, respectively.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The latest illustrative figures are those published on 19 July. The changes to the safety net and the scheme of transitional relief announced on 11 October will not affect community charges for 1990–91, except those for individuals entitled to the relief.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to introduce regulations which ensure that a carer who resides part-time in his own home and the remainder of the time in the home of a person being cared for will only pay one poll tax liability; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave him on 27 July 1989 Official Report, column 931.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table indicating which local authorities gain and which authorities lose as a result of the Government's latest decisions on safety nets and the community charge, in terms of pounds sterling per adult.

  Mr. David Hunt
  For 1990–91 there is no change from the proposal for the safety net announced on 19 July. The proposal to abolish the safety net after 1990–91 will benefit chargepayers in those areas which would otherwise have had to contribute directly to the safety net. The position of areas benefiting from the safety net will be unchanged.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's estimate of how many households in Leeds will receive safety net payments on the community charge, according to the number of people in the household.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is not available. If the effect of the safety net is to reduce community charges in Leeds then the same reduced community charge will apply to each liable adult in every household.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's illustrative figures on the impact of the community charge on households in Leeds as a result of the recent decision, assuming that the local authority spends at its grant-related expenditure allocation level.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have no information on the impact of the community charge on different types of households in individual local authority areas.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to which members of a four-person
  465
  household which qualifies for safety-net payments under community charge transitional payment the reduction will be applied.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Mr. Conway) on 20 October,Official Report, column 262. Copies of the Department's further proposals document, which sets out the basis on which transitional relief should be given for larger households with three or more adults, are in the Libraries of the Houses of Parliament.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what inflation assumptions for local authority expenditure are made in his Department's indicative figures for the impact of the community charge.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have published no indicative figures showing my estimate of future community charge levels. Illustrative figures were provided on 19 July based on local authority spending levels in 1989–90, which required no inflation assumption.

  Radon Contamination
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how long it takes the National Radiological Protection Board to assess an individual's home monitoring unit for radon contamination, once it has been returned after the three-month survey period; and if the results are always notified to the occupier.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The National Radiological Protection Board usually completes assessments funded by the Department within 10 weeks of the end of the survey period. It always notifies the results to the occupier.

  Limestone Workings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what records are kept of old disused limestone mine workings in South Yorkshire; and where they are stored.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Since 1872, on the abandonment of mine workings plans have been required by statute to be deposited with the Secretary of State for Employment. Those for minerals other than coal are lodged with the Health and Safety Executive (Mining Records Office), and those for coal mines are lodged with the British Coal Corporation. Pre-1872 records are not kept centrally. However, mine records are held by Barnsley metropolitan borough council (as successor to South Yorkshire county council) to provide a mining advisory service to Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham metropolitan borough councils, and by Sheffield city council. It is not known whether any of these records would include old limestone mine workings.

  Brodsworth Hall
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how far the negotiations of transferring Brodsworth hall, near Doncaster into the hands of the nation have progressed; and how much money the Government have put into the scheme to date.

  Mr. Trippier
  This is a matter for English Heritage and the National Heritage Memorial Fund. The Government 466
  have put no funds expressly into the acquisition of Brodsworth hall and its contents for the nation. If the negotiations with the owners prove successful it will be for English Heritage and the National Heritage Memorial Fund to find the necessary resources from their existing grant in aid.

  African Elephants
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the current rate of depletion of the number of elephants inhabiting the African continent; and whether any improvement on the rate of depletion over the past 10 years is expected.

  Mr. Trippier
  Accurate information about the rate of decline is difficult to obtain, but it is generally accepted that in the last 10 years the population has declined by about 45 per cent. In the light of this, the recent CITES conference agreed the inclusion of the African elephant in appendix I of the convention. We hope that the stricter controls which will now apply to this species will halt its decline and that numbers will increase.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence is available on the effectiveness of the British Government's contribution to international efforts to save the African elephant from extinction.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government have played their full part in international efforts to save the African elephant from extinction and were instrumental in the setting up of the CITES ivory trade monitoring unit. We were, however, dissatisfied with the effectiveness for conservation of the controls on ivory trade and in June we called on our European partners to introduce a ban on the import of African ivory and to support appendix I listing for the African elephant. I am delighted that the appendix I listing was approved at the recent CITES conference.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what fresh initiatives he proposes to take to help secure the future of the African elephant(a) through specifically British initiatives and (b) through joint action with European and other nations on a worldwide basis.

  Mr. Trippier
  At the recent CITES conference, the United Kingdom strongly suported the proposal to include the African elephant in appendix I of the convention. Furthermore, we were successful in obtaining approval for our resolution urging all party states to implement appendix I controls with immediate effect. It is for the African Governments concerned to work out a long-term conservation strategy to ensure the survival of this species, but we are always ready to consider any proposal from African countries for assistance with measures to conserve their populations of elephants.

  Domestic Waste
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names and numbers of local authorities which he considers operate satisfactory collection and recycling arrangements as far as domestic waste is concerned; and if he will list the names and numbers where such arrangements are either non-existent or inadequate.
  467
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not currently held on a systematic basis for all domestic waste streams. My Department, with the Department of Trade and Industry and the assistance of local authorities, are reviewing in each local authority area arrangements to encourage recycling in order to identify best practice and raise the level of recycling facilities generally. We will also be carefully evaluating the results of the major experiment in recycling—Recycling City—in Sheffield, which is supported by the Government.

  Sheltered Housing
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the total housing stock is comprised of sheltered housing; and what proportion is provided by local authorities, housing associations and the private sector in England and Wales.

  Mr. Chope
  Estimates derived from local authorities' annual housing investment programme returns for April 1988 indicate that, of a total housing stock of some 19,142,000, 2·3 per cent. were sheltered dwellings, of which 68 per cent. were owned by local authorities, 25 per cent. by housing associations and 6 per cent. were privately owned.

  For corresponding information about Welsh local authorities, I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Cash Incentive Scheme (Aylesbury Vale)
  Mr. Raison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will approve an application by Aylesbury Vale district council to operate a cash incentive scheme under section 129 of the Housing Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Approval has today been given for Aylesbury Vale district council to incur expenditure of £100,000 in 1989–90 on cash incentive grants to help the council's tenants to buy homes of their own.

  Many councils are coming to realise that cash incentives offer a cost-effective means of releasing council homes for reletting to homeless families and others in acute housing need. Since section 129 of the Housing Act 1988 came into effect on 1 April this year, 38 cash incentive schemes have been approved which will enable the councils concerned to spend up to £12 million on grants to secure 1,100 vacancies for reletting. Further schemes are under consideration. This is an encouraging start. Other councils should consider putting schemes forward for approval.

  Phone and Post Boxes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to require the positioning of telephone boxes and postal collection boxes to have planning permission.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The General Development Order 1988 enables the Post Office, British Telecom and other licensed telecommunications operators to undertake operations without applying for specific planning permission. In some special areas the operator must give notice to the local planning authority, which has a general power to withdraw permitted development rights where there is a real and specific threat to amenity. These arrangements are 468
  designed to help the operators to fulfil their respective obligations efficiently; they have generally worked satisfactorily for many years, and my right hon. Friend sees no reason to change them.

  Radioactive Uranium, Feltham
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement in respect of the radioactive uranium deposit found in a warehouse belonging to the Richmond Metal Company, in an industrial estate at Feltham, Middlesex on 13 October.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  During sorting of metal scrap at Richmond Metals on 13 October 1989, a small bar of unusually heavy metal was found which was suspected to be uranium. Checks with a radiation detector showed that the radioactive content was small and there was no hazard. Subsequent checks have confirmed that the bar is uranium.

  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating how the uranium came to be on the premises of the Richmond Metal Company.

  Genetically Manipulated Organisms
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses were made to his Department's consultation paper entitled, "Proposals for Additional Legislation on the International Release of Genetically Manipulated Organisms", and if he will make them available for public inspection.

  Mr. Trippier
  A total of 61 responses were received, of which 42 have been placed in the Department's library, where they are available for public inspection. Those which have not been deposited were from organisations or individuals who did not indicate their agreement to making their comments publicly available.

  Water Companies
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names, occupations and salaries of the board members of the 10 water holding companies.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 19 October 1989]: The information requested is set out below for the 9 water plcs in England. Appointments to Welsh Water plc are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Anglian

  Bernard Henderson, Chairman (£43,860). Formerly managing director of the Henderson Group. Deputy chairman of the Water Services Association. Non-executive director of the WRc.

  Francis Cator, Deputy Chairman (£9,317). Formerly a joint vice chairman of J. Henry Schroder Wagg. A vice-chairman of the Norwich Insurance Group and a director of Portsmouth and Sunderland Newspapers.

  Andrew Semple, Group Managing Director (£53,750).

  Alan Smith, Group Deputy Managing Director and Group Director of Finance (£48,375).

  John Simpson, Group Operations Director (£48,375).

  Alison Abbey, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Formerly

  469
  director of the Community Council for Hertfordshire and of the Railworld Development Trust and secretary of the Hertfordshire Association of Local Councils.

  John Boodle, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Managing director of British Fermentation Products, a director of G. R. Spinks and chairman of the Anglian Environment Committee of the CBI. Member of the Employment Affairs Board of the Chemical Industries Association.

  John Bradfield, Non-executive Director (£6,271). Senior bursar of Trinity College, Cambridge and a director of the Cambridge Water Company and Cambridge Building Society. Chairman of the Abbotstone Agricultural Property Unit Trust and founder and manager of the Cambridge Science Park.

  The Earl of Cranbrook, Non-executive Director (£6,271). Member of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, the Broads Authority and the Harwich Haven Authority. President of the British Herpetological Society, the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and the Environmental Council. Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk.

  Northumbrian

  Sir Michael Straker, Chairman (£30,638). Formerly chairman of the Newcastle and Gateshead Water Company. Chairman of Water Training, board member of the Port of Tyne Authority, chairman of the Council of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and member of the University Court.

  Frank Ridley, Deputy Chairman (£14,692). Formerly chief executive of Northumbrian Water Authority.

  Mike Murden, Managing Director (£54,800).

  David Cranston, Director of Finance (£43,000).

  Robert Smith, Managing Director of Northumbrian Water (£60,000).

  Terry Harrison, Non-executive Director (£5,375). Chairman of Northern Engineering Industries, a director of Rolls-Royce and BEAMA and president of the North Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders.

  Ralph Iley, Non-executive Director (£5,375). Managing director of Cookson Group. CBI councillor.

  Professor Warren Peascod, Non-executive Director (£5,375). Professor of Environmental Control Engineering and Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

  John Ward, Non-executive Director (£5,375). Northern regional director of Barclays Bank. Other appointments include chairman of Business in the Community and deputy chairman of the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation.

  North West

  Dennis Grove, Chairman (£61,275). Formerly chairman and chief executive of Sonoco Europe and a vice president of Sonoco International.

  Brian Alexander, Managing Director of North West Water (£58,050).

  Archibald Ramsay, Group Financial Director (£68,875).

  Clare Bolton, Non-executive Director (£8,959). Partner in Deloitte Haskins & Sells, based in Manchester, and treasurer of the North Cheshire Branch of the British Institute of Management.

  James Cropper, Non-executive Director (£8,959). Chairman of James Cropper (Papermakers). Deputy Lieutenant of Cumbria.
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  Rodney Leach, Non-executive Director (£8,959). Formerly chief executive and managing director of VSEL.

  Alan Pendleton, Non-executive Director (£10,750). Formerly managing director of West's Group International and a director of Tilbury Group. A director of Chieftain Group and Kemutec Group.

  Frank Sanderson, Non-executive Director (£12,542). Formerly with Babcock International. Chairman of Acumen Technologies, Clearcall Communications and Wyatt Bros. and a director of British Water and Wastewater.

  Severn Trent

  John Bellak, Chairman (£49,020). Formerly Managing Director of Royal Doulton. Member of the Grand Council of the CBI and of the Court of the University of Keele. Non-executive chairman of Sutcliffe Speakman and a director of Control Securities.

  Tim Heywood-Lonsdale, Deputy Chairman (£12,004). Chairman of Skilbeck Holdings. Property management, farming and other directorships.

  Roderick Paul, Chief Executive (£75,250).

  Vic Cocker, Director of Business Planning and Marketing (£48,375).

  Frank Earnshaw, Director of Operations (£51,600).

  Stuart Larnder, Group Director of Finance (£64,500).

  Colin McMillan, Director of Government Relations and Company Secretary (£51,600).

  Sir Richard Baker Wilbraham, Non-executive Director (£9,854). Formerly a director of J. Henry Schroder Wagg. Deputy chairman of Bibby Line Group and Grosvenor Estate Holdings and a director of Brixton Estates, Really Useful Group and Westpool Investment Trust.

  Roger Boissier, Non-executive Director (£8,959). Deputy chairman of Pressac Holdings and a director of British Gas, Edward Lumley Holdings, T&N and a number of other companies.

  Alan Henn, Non-executive Director (£9,854). Chairman and managing director of a family jewellery business. Chairman of Beacon Broadcasting and Communications and other directorships. Justice of the Peace. President of the National Association of Goldsmiths.

  Richard Ireland, Non-executive Director (£9,854). Group finance director of Wolseley. Council member of the Birmingham Chamber of Industry and Commerce and member of the finance committee of the University of Aston.

  Andrew Simon, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Executive chairman of the Evode Group. A director of the Birmingham Region of Barclays Bank and a director of Lichfield Cathedral Arts. Council member of Keele University.

  Southern

  William Courtney, Chairman (£43,860). Formerly joint deputy chairman of Marley. Chairman of the British Board of Agrement, the Water Byelaws Advisory Service and the Water Industry Certification Scheme.

  Brian Thorpe, Deputy Chairman (£14,692). Formerly chief executive of Southern Water Authority. A vice chairman of the Scientific and Technical Council of the International Water Supply Association and a trustee of its Foundation for the Transfer of Knowledge to Developing Countries.

  John Valentine, Group Managing Director (£100,000).

  Martyn Webster, Group Finance Director (£65,000).
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  Francis Midmer, Group Technical Director (£48,375).

  Philip Girle, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Formerly a director of National Westminster Bank. Currently a director of Yorkshire Bank and the Ulster Bank.

  Sir David Nicolson, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Formerly chairman of BTR and British Airways. A director of Union Group, CIBA-Geigy, London and Scottish Marine Oil, STC and Britannia Arrow Holdings.

  John Westhead, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Group managing director of Bowthorpe Holdings.

  South West

  Keith Court, Executive Chairman (£51,063). Formerly a main board director of Blue Circle Industries and chief executive of the company's United Kingdom cement and related operations.

  Timothy Leader, Deputy Chairman (£9,317). Formerly chief executive of Simon Engineering.

  William Fraser, Managing Director of South West Water (£70,000).

  Kenneth Hill, Group Director of Finance (£53,600).

  William Dickens, Director of Technical Affairs (£43,000).

  Michael Quantick, Director of Development (£45,780).

  Simon Day, Non-executive Director (£5,375). A regional director of Granville & Company and of Regency and West of England Building Society. Farmer, deputy leader of Devon County Council, chairman of the Devon Sea Fisheries Committee and chairman of the governors of Bicton College of Agriculture.

  Lady Mary Holborow, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Chairman of the Cornwall Business Committee, Rural Development Commission. Governor of Cornwall College of Further Education.

  John Lawrence, Non-executive Director (£5,375). Director of the ICI Environmental Laboratory at Brixham.

  Kenneth Morton, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Group finance director of Kleinwort Benson Group.

  Charles Spence, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Formerly chairman, now a director of ARC.

  Charles Stuart, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Chairman and chief executive of Brymon Airways and Plymouth City Airport. Governor of Polytechnic South West and East Devon College of Further Education.

  Thames

  Roy Watts, Chairman (49,020). Formerly chief executive and joint deputy chairman of British Airways. Chairman of Armstrong Equipment, Lowndes Lambert Group Holdings and Cabletime Installations. Deputy chairman of Brymon Airways and a director of Plimsoll Line.

  Sir Christopher Leaver, Group Deputy Chairman (£11,109). Chairman of Russell and McIver. Chairman of the London Tourist Board. Former Lord Mayor of London.

  Mike Hoffman, Group Chief Executive and Chairman and Chief Executive of Thames Water (£150,000).

  Bill Harper, Deputy Chairman of Thames Water (£64,720).

  David Luffrum, Group Finance Director (57,720).

  Robert Clarke, Non-executive Director (£8,063). Deputy chairman and chief executive of United Biscuits.
  472
  Sir Peter Harrop, Non-executive Director (£8,063). Formerly second permanent secretary in the Department of the Environment. Chairman of the National Bus Company, a director of National Home Loans holdings, a managing trustee of Municipal Mutual Insurance, and a trustee of the British Museum.

  John Thomson, Non-executive Director (£8,063). Chairman of London & Manchester Group and Borthwicks. Vice chairman of J. Bibby & Sons and a director of several other companies, including Scottish & Newcastle Breweries.

  John Worlidge, Non-executive Director (£8,063). Formerly an executive director of BAT Industries. A director of the Rugby Group and chairman of the CBI Energy Policy Committee.

  Wessex

  Nicholas Hood, Chairman (£40,850). Formerly a director of the HAT Group before its acquisition by BET. A director of the Provident Life Association and Bremhill Industries. Member of the Water Training Council.

  Donald McLure, Deputy Chairman (£10,213). Formerly a director of Beecham Group, and subsequently chairman of Arthur Bell Distillers and a director of United Distillers. A director of London Buses, European Brands Group and the Burn Stewart Group.

  Colin Skellett, Managing Director (£50,525).

  Nicholas Wheatley, Finance Director (£72,563)

  Ron Huntington, Director of Engineering and Operations (£45,150).

  Anthony Barbour, Non-executive Director (£5,823). Formerly chief environmental scientist at the RTZ Corporation. Chairman of the European Non-Ferrous Metals Producers Environmental Committee and a visiting professor of Chemistry at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.

  Roderick Kent, Non-executive Director (£5,375). Managing director of Close Brothers Group.

  Andrew Thornhill, Non-executive Director (£5,375). Barrister at the Revenue Bar and a QC.

  Yorkshire

  Gordon Jones, Chairman (£54,825). Formerly a director of T. W. Ward and chairman of T. W. Ward (Raw Materials). Chairman of the Water Services Association.

  David Cramb, Deputy Chairman (£17,379). Formerly deputy chairman of Rowntree. A director of Tunstall.

  John Bell, Director, Enterprise Services (£43,000).

  Trevor Newton, Finance Director (£52,675).

  Tony Ward, Director, Water Services (£51,600).

  Peter Flesher, Non-executive Director (£5,375). Managing director Allied Colloids Group.

  Peter Hogg, Non-executive Director (£5,375). Chief executive of the Provident Financial Group.

  Tom Jackson, Non-executive Director (£7,167). Formerly general secretary of the Post Office Workers Union and president of the TUC, a director of BP, and a governor of the BBC.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that right hon. and hon. Members are informed by the appropriate public bodies or agencies when it is known that toxic waste is unlawfully or improperly imported into their constituencies.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 24 October 1989]: The Government are committed to the principle that the public should have right of access to information held by pollution control authorities. Our proposals for forthcoming legislation include enhanced duties on waste regulation authorities to make information available. It is for the authorities to assess for themselves what information to publish in respect of alleged improprieties in the import of toxic waste.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Young People (Income Support)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether a young person under the age of 18 years who applies to his Department for income support on the grounds that a suitable YTS place was not available, and this situation is verified by the careers service, and the young person expresses willingness to enter a suitable place, will be granted income support either during or after he has exhausted any entitlement to bridging allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs Gillian Shephard
  The Training Agency is committed and able to provide suitable places for all young people genuinely interested in participating in YTS. There is generally no question of income support being paid on the ground of non-availability of YTS places.

  If the careers service finds that a particular young person cannot be offered a suitable YTS place it will contact the local Training Agency office. Training agents have the authority and resources to seek additional places, and to make these available as a matter of urgency.

  If, exceptionally, any young person is registered for a YTS place but is not able to start immediately, he or she may claim income support and be considered under the normal provisions including, if appropriate, the discretionary power to direct payment of benefit if that is the only means of preventing severe hardship. If a young person is entitled to income support he or she may receive it in addition to any YTS bridging allowance payable. If bridging allowance is exhausted, or not in payment for some other reason, income support may be paid alone. Young people with housing costs can also receive housing benefit.

  Loans and Grants
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number, and percentage of(a) budgeting loans and (b) community care grants awarded to the 15 client groups defined by his Department for each of his Department's local offices in Doncaster and Wath-on-Dearne, for the financial year 1988–89.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 15 June 1989 at columns 529–30. These have now been confirmed as final figures.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether claimants in receipt of unemployment benefit are entitled to undertake training or courses of education as long at they are available for work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Claimants in receipt of unemployment benefit are required to be both available for work and actively seeking employment. This need not prevent them from undertaking training or courses of education. Regard is had to time spent in participating in any course of vocational training or study in deciding whether a claimant has shown that he is actively seeking employment. This arrangement recognises the worthwhile efforts of many claimants to make good use of their time whilst unemployed. Nonetheless, any claimant pursuing such an activity must organise his affairs in such a way that he can make adequate efforts to seek paid employment.

  Crisis Loans
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department has figures of the number of crisis loans refused on the basis of inability to repay the loan.

  Mr. Scott
  There were provisionally 1,600 refusals in the period April 1989 to September 1989 representing 0·65 per cent. of all decisions.

  War Pensions
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give for each of the years 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1987–88 the figures for the overspend which occurred on war pensions.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information requested is as follows:

  Grant

  Expenditure

  Overspend

  £'000

  £'000

  £'000

  1984–85

  543,700

  544,205

  505

  1985–86

  568,000

  581,256

  13,256

  1987–88

  594,000

  598,570

  4,570

  War Widows
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give for the latest year for which records exist and for each of the preceding three years the number of war widows who have died in that year.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The numbers are as follows:

  Numbers

  1985

  3,407

  1986

  3,290

  1987

  3,193

  1988

  3,098

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give, for the latest full year for which records exist, and for 1973, the number of those(a) under 65 years, (b) between 65 and 69 years, (c) between 70 and 79 years and (d) 80 years and over designated as war widows.
  475
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information is as follows:

  Age group

  31 December 1973

  31 December 1988

  Under 65

  36,817

  8,745

  65 to 69

  12,461

  8,245

  70 to 79

  38,695

  25,129

  80 and over

  8,208

  15,431

  Mrs. C. Halvey
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will request the Attendance Allowance Board to reply without further delay to the hon. Member for Caerphilly's correspondence to them of 15 May, concerning Mrs. C. Halvey of 29 Heolddu Grove, Barfold.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 19 October]: I understand that the board's reply was sent to the hon. Member on 20 October.

HEALTH

  Blood Donor Sessions
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in what circumstances blood donor sessions may be conducted by nurse managers rather than by doctors; and whether his Department has issued any guidance to regional health authorities on the subject;

  (2) whether he will issue guidance to all regional health authorities that blood donor sessions should take place only when an appropriately qualified doctor is in attendance;

  (3) which regional health authorities have replaced medical officers managing blood donor sessions by specially trained nurses; and what representations he has received about possible risks associated with this change.

  Mr. Freeman
  At present North East Thames is the only regional health authority in which specially trained nurse managers are in charge of blood donor sessions. In this region there is no doctor present at a session, but there is immediate access to medical advice. This method of work began as a detailed pilot trial in April 1985. At that time the Department's advisory committee on the national blood transfusion service (ACNBTS) studied the detailed protocol for the scheme and the results of the trial, and its representatives, along ith 20 independent assessors, looked at the procedure in practice. The ACNBTS decided that the new procedure presented no risks to donors, and Ministers have received no representations to the contrary since the end of the trial. Any decision to implement the procedure in another regional transfusion centre would be for the region to make, in consultation with the national director of the national blood transfusion service.

  Mike Heaffey Centre
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from the Association for Spinal Injury Research Rehabilitation and Reintegration with regard to financial support for the Mike Heaffey Centre for people with disabilities; whether his Department is now willing to give financial support for this project; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have been informed by the association of the financial circumstances of the Mike 476
  Heaffey centre. The question of making good the shortfall in construction costs of the centre is a matter for the association to negotiate with the bodies concerned.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the progress in the establishment of local health pay arrangements to cover payment by student nurses of the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is for nursing students themselves to make arrangements to pay the personal community charge for which they are liable. Project 2000 students will pay only 20 per cent. of the community charge, like other full-time students.

  GP Operations
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the number of family practitioners within the Trent regional health authority who carry out minor operations performed within their practice and such other relevant information as is available.

  Mr. Mellor
  No information is available about minor operations carried out by GPs in the Trent region. However, research studies suggest that about 27 per cent. of GPs in England and Wales provide this service from within their practice on a regular basis.

  Resource Management Initiative Scheme
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement in respect of(a) the pilot resource management initiative at the Pilgrim hospital, Boston, (b) the ICL's financial system case mix finance module installed in all departments at the hospital and (c) what results to date have been obtained at the five other pilot sites of the Government's resource management initiative scheme.

  Mr. Freeman
  The RMI seeks improvements in patient care by involving clinicians and other health professionals more closely in the management of their hospitals and supporting this with accurate, timely and credible information from a computerised database which links activity and cost at patient level.

  The Pilgrim hospital, Boston, has been a pilot site for the resource management initiative (RMI) since April 1988. Good progress has been made. A number of experiments are under way to determine appropriate management structures for the hospital in line with the objectives of the RMI. Computer systems are being expanded and upgraded and new systems installed where a need can be shown for them.

  The ICL case-mix finance reporting module is not installed in the Pilgrim hospital.

  As a result of the work done at the pilot sites since the RMI was launched in 1986 we remain convinced that it holds the potential for significantly improving the quality and quantity of health care which the NHS provides.

  NHS Property Sales
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will show, by regional health authority, the response received to date from general practitioners, by percentage, where health centres and clinics are proposed to be sold; and what terms and conditions will be implemented.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Drugs Prescriptions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what checks are carried out by inspectors on family practitioners who have dispensing facilities for drugs attached to their surgeries to ensure that abuses are not occurring, especially in respect of receptionists dispensing drugs on repeat prescriptions before they are signed and authorised by the family practitioner.

  Mr. Mellor
  There are no formal inspection arrangements for family practitioners who have dispensing facilities attached to their surgeries, beyond those provided for under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in relation to controlled drugs. General medical practitioners are required by their terms of service to ensure that only properly signed and authorised prescriptions are dispensed.

  NHS Income Generation
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what feasibility studies have been set up, and what results obtained, in respect of managerial income generation, by regional health authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since the coming into effect of section 7 of the Health and Medicines Act 1988, all health authorities have the legal means, and have been encouraged to seek ways in which they may develop secondary sources of income to enhance and improve patient care, provided that any such scheme does not act to the detriment of patients themselves.

  Returns for the initial period of the income generation initiative reveal that during the tax year 1988–89, the net profit to English health authorities was close to £10 million.

  Doncaster AHA (Staffing)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the qualified staffing per resident population in the Doncaster area health authority; and what is the national figure.

  Mr. Mellor
  At 30 September 1988 there were 9·4 qualified doctors and dentists and 51·9 qualified nursing and midwifery staff in the NHS in England per 10,000 resident population. The figures for Doncaster health authority were 4·1 and 55 respectively.

  The Doncaster figures for doctors and dentists are not directly comparable with the national figures, because they do not include consultants and senior registrars working in the district whose contracts are held by Trent regional health authority.

  Information on other professionally qualified staff could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Nurse Regradings
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many nurses employed by Liverpool area health authority have appealed against their regrading; and how many appeals are still outstanding;

  (2) how many nurses' regrading appeals have now been heard by health authorities in England; and if he will list the numbers still outstanding in each authority.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not collect centrally information on the number of appeals to district health authorities.

  Local Health Services (Liverpool)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new patients were treated by Broadgreen hospital's accident and emergency unit in the last year; and what consultation has taken place with consultants working in the unit about its future.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold information centrally about the number of new patients treated at the unit. The future of the unit, along with plans for the development of other health services locally, is a matter for the health authority concerned. The hon. Member may wish, therefore, to contact the chairman of the Liverpool health authority.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on future geriatric provision by Liverpool area health authority;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the future of Olive Mount hospital, Liverpool;

  (3) if he will make a statement on the future of the accident and emergency unit at Broadgreen hospital, Liverpool.

  Mr. Mellor
  The planning and development of health services locally is a matter for the health authority concerned. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the Liverpool health authority.

  Tranquilliser Advice Centre
  Mr. Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government will fund centrally Tranx (UK) Ltd, the national tranquilliser advice centre, to prevent its imminent closure due to funding problems.

  Mr. Freeman
  Between 1983 and 1986 Tranx (Harrow) received grants of over £90,000 from the Department's central funding initiative. At the time, it was made clear that these grants were for a maximum of three years and that once central funding ended, organisations would need to look to their local statutory authorities for continued support. For the last three years Tranx (UK) has been funded by the North West Thames regional health authority and the London boroughs grants unit (LBGU). But earlier this year when Tranx (UK) was experiencing financial difficulities, the Department, exceptionally, made a further £10,000 available to clear the organisation's deficit in 1988–89.

  Discussions on future funding of Tranx (UK) are still in progress with a variety of potential funders. No decision has yet been reached, but we hope that Tranx (UK) will be able to continue its work with tranquilliser dependents.

  Clinical Psychologists
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of posts for clinical psychologists in the National Health Service is currently unfilled.

  Mr. Mellor
  We do not hold this information centrally.

  Coronary Heart Disease
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new initiatives he is considering to combat coronary heart disease.

  Mr. Mellor
  We are considering a number of initiatives at present, and I refer my hon. Friend to the Government's response to the Committee of Public Accounts report on coronary heart disease (Cm. 831) for further details.

  Safety (Damages)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce legislation to permit the imposing of punitive damages on companies which have demonstrated a reckless disregard for human life, with the money raised to go to a fund to promote safety in all aspects of human activity.

  Mr. Freeman
  We would be prepared to consider any specific examples which may be brought to our attention.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mentally ill and handicapped people live in residential homes and hostels in England and Wales.

  Mr. Freeman
  Comprehensive information is not available in the form requested. Information on the number of places in local authority, voluntary and private homes at 31 March 1987 is published in "Residential Accommodation for Mentally Ill and Mentally Handicapped People: Number of Local Authority, Voluntary and Private Homes and Places: England", a copy of which is in the Library. Provisional information for 1988 is as follows:

  Number of places

  Homes and hostels for mentally handicapped people

  28,458

  Homes and hostels for mentally ill people

  9,745

  Information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many physically handicapped people aged under 65 years live in residential homes in England and Wales.

  Mr. Freeman
  Comprehensive information is not available in the form requested. At 31 March 1988, there were 11,691 persons aged under 65 in local authority and registered residential care homes for elderly people and younger physically handicapped people. This figure is provisional.

  Information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  One-Parent Families
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of one-parent families recorded in England and Wales.

  Mr. Freeman
  The best available recent estimate of the number of one-parent families is that of 1,010 thousand in Great Britain in 1986. This was given in an article in Population Trends 55—which is in the Library. The article explains the definition used and the qualifications to be attached to the accuracy of such estimates. It is thought that, of this total, about 100,000 families are in Scotland with the balance of about 910,000 families in England and Wales.

  Institutions
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of persons aged over 75 years live in institutions in England and Wales.

  Mr. Freeman
  Comprehensive information about persons aged over 75 years in institutions is not collected centrally.

  At 31 March 1988 there were 188,929 people aged 75 and over resident in local authority and registered residential care homes for elderly and younger physically handicapped people. This represents 5·9 per cent. of the population aged 75 and over. The figure is provisional.

  Information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that Bradford community health council and other community health councils receive free copies of the two documents referred to in his Department's press release, issued on 29 September, ref: 89/417; and if he will further ensure that community health councils continue to receive free copies of such documents.

  Mr. Freeman
  The two documents referred to in the press release gave detailed guidance to health service managers on certain aspects of proposals set out in "Working for Patients". It was not felt that the material needed to be brought to the attention of all CHCs, although the association of CHCs in England and Wales was sent copies. In view of Bradford CHC's interest in these particular documents I have arranged for it to receive copies. Decisions on the distribution of further documents to CHCs will be made in the light of their contents.

  Drax Power Station
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will order an immediate investigation by his Department into the effects on health of sewage bacteria contamination from the Drax power station.

  Mr. Freeman
  Thorough investigations are already being undertaken by the appropriate health and local authorities in conjunction with the public health laboratory service. The evidence so far indicates that the potential risk to public health is extremely small. No consequent illness has been reported. Investigations are continuing and I have asked to be kept informed.

  Patients
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average number of patients on a general practitioner's list.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett) yesterday.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Namibia
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent support Her Majesty's Government have given to the United Nations in implementing resolution 435 in Namibia.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have already informed the House of our substantial financial and material contribution to the United Nations transition assistance group. We are now helping with the elections themselves. We have made available an election consultant, we are transporting the ballot papers, and we are sending a group of over 40 election supervisors.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the peace process in Namibia.

  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current steps in the independence process in Namibia.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibian independence is proceeding well. We will continue to support the United Nations' efforts to ensure that the elections are free and fair, and to assist in a peaceful transition to independence.

  United States of America
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit the United States of America.

  Mr. Major
  I visited the United States twice last month. Plans for my next visit are not yet firm.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subjects he expects to discuss at his next meeting with representatives of the Government of the United States of America.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited the United States last month. His next discussions with representatives of the United States Government are likely to cover the usual broad range of issues.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the United States Government; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last met 482
  representatives of the United States Government on 26 September, in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York. He discussed a wide range of issues.

  Cambodia
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to have any contact with the Phnom Penh-based Administration in Cambodia.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No, Sir.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relationship with Cambodia.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We want to see a free and independent Cambodia in which the people can elect a Government of their own choice. We are actively helping in the search for a political settlement to this end. We have no dealings with the regime installed in Phnom Penh by force of Vietnamese arms.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his present policy towards the people and Government of Cambodia; and what help is being given by the United Kingdom to assist them in their battle with Pol Pot.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We have no dealings with the Heng Samrin regime, installed by force of Vietnamese arms. We continue to help those in need within Cambodia through our contributions to humanitarian projects. The best way to keep out the Khmer Rouge is a comprehensive political settlement which enables the Cambodian people to elect a Government of their choice.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subjects he expects to raise at the next meeting of the European Community Foreign Affairs Council.

  Mr. Maude
  I expect a range of Community issues to be discussed.

  Lebanon
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals Her Majesty's Government and her EEC partners have put forward to resolve the conflict in Lebanon.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We, together with our European partners, continue to support fully the Arab League committee of three heads of state in their efforts to bring peace to Lebanon. We welcome the agreement reached at Ta'if by the Lebanese parliamentary deputies.

  NATO Information Budget
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current NATO information budget; what it was in real terms five, 10 and 15 years ago; and if he will make a statement.
  483
  Mr. Waldegrave
  The forecast 1989 NATO budget is £1,160 million; it was £730 million five years ago; £281 million 10 years ago and £409 million 15 years ago. All figures are in 1988 prices.

  Middle East
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the peace process in the middle east.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We fully support Egyptian efforts to seek clarification of Mr. Shamir's useful elections proposal and to promote talks in Cairo between the Israeli Government and Palestinians from inside and outside the occupied territories. We look to Israel to respond positively.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the overseas venues he has visited since becoming Foreign Secretary.

  Mr. Major
  Since becoming Foreign Secretary, I have visited:

  Paris—for the International Conference on Cambodia.

  Washington—for discussion with the Administration and Congress.

  New York on two occasions—to address the Economic Club and the UN General Assembly.

  Bonn—for talks with the German Foreign Minister.

  Luxembourg—for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council.

  Chartres—for an Informal Meeting of EC Foreign Ministers.

  Kuala Lumpur—for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

  Detained Britons (Consular Assistance)
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British citizens were detained abroad in 1988; how many of these received consular assistance; and what were the comparable figures for five years ago.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven British citizens were reported as having been detained abroad during 1988. Those detained briefly for minor offences are often not reported to us. Consular assistance was available to all who were still in detention when consular contact was established.

  Comparable figures for five years ago are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Hungary
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the current state of European Community-Hungary relations.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  EC-Hungary relations are excellent, with both parties committed to the development of closer ties through the trade and economic co-operation agreement signed last September. The Community will also be assisting Hungary's economic reform efforts through vocational training and by providing technical assistance in agriculture and the environment.

  Horn of Africa
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in the Horn of Africa.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The situation remains disturbed with continuing internal conflicts and reports of violations of human rights. There have, however, been some positive developments including the initiation of negotiations between the Ethiopian Government and the Eritrean People's Liberation Front, and the release of a number of political prisoners in Ethiopia and Somalia.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to review their relations with Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We keep our relations with Vietnam under regular review.

  EC Social Charter
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with M. Jacques Delors concerning the social charter.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the proposed social charter and other current EC issues with his ministerial colleagues and M. Delors at the informal meeting near Chartres on 14–15 October.

  European Foreign Policies
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to have discussions with his European Community partners concerning the development of common European foreign policies.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet other EEC Ministers in political co-operation to discuss common foreign policy.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs next expects to meet his EC colleagues to discuss political co-operation matters in Brussels on 27 November. Before then, he expects to see them at the Foreign Affairs Council on 6 November in Brussels, when there may also be an opportunity to discuss political co-operation matters.

  Nicaragua
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding Her Majesty's Government's relations with Nicaragua.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We receive representations on our relations with Nicaragua from a wide variety of sources, including hon. Members and members of the public, non-governmental organisations and the Nicaraguan embassy in London, as well as from the Government and opposition in Nicaragua.

  Chile
  Mr. John Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Chile concerning the conditions under which the plebiscite will be held later this year.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Plebiscites have been held in Chile most recently on 5 October 1988 and 30 July 1989. Both were conducted in exemplary fashion. There are no plans for any further plebiscites this year.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the transition to democracy in Chile.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Western Isles (Mr. MacDonald) on 14 June 1989.

  Drugs
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent progress in the co-ordination of the international fight against drug trafficking.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Seventy four states, including the United Kingdom, have now signed the 1988 United Nations convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and pyschotropic substances. The United Kingdom has signed bilateral agreements or arrangements to trace, freeze and confiscate the proceeds of drugs trafficking with 11 countries, the latest with Malaysia on 17 October.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about international efforts to combat drug abuse.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Together with other countries the United Kindgom is providing substantial assistance to Colombia. I attended a Caribbean ministerial drugs conference in Kingston from 2–4 October. Drugs were discussed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kuala Lumpur. I shall make a statement on United Kingdom drugs policy during the United Nations General Assembly drugs debate 3–7 November. A proposed United Nations special session on drugs is likely to be held early in 1990. The United Kingdom will host an international conference on demand reduction and cocaine in April 1990. We are discussing with our European Community partners ways of improving EC co-ordination on drugs.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Colombian Government concerning the activities of British mercenaries working for drug barons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made clear when he met the Colombian Foreign Minister, Sr. Londoño, in New York on 26 September, we condemn unequivocally and unreservedly the activities of those who work for drugs traffickers in Colombia. It is primarily for the Colombian authorities to take action in respect of 486
  offences committed in Colombia. We remain in close touch with the Colombian authorities on this issue. President Barco has thanked us for the help which we have extended in this matter.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to help the British dependent territories in their fight against the trade in narcotics.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We are very active in assisting local governments in the dependent territories, particularly those in the Caribbean, in their fight against the trade in narcotics. Following a survey of the Caribbean dependent territories conducted in 1986 we took steps to establish or strengthen drugs squads in the local police forces through the provision of United Kingdom personnel and equipment. In addition, a United Kingdom Customs training adviser has been running drugs awareness courses and a United Kingdom drugs intelligence officer has been establishing drugs intelligence registries in each of the territories. A new police launch was provided for the British Virgin Islands Government in 1988 and similar launches will be provided for Anguilla, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos Islands over the next six months. Training for the crews will be given by a United Kingdom team of experts.

  In July/August a team of United Kingdom experts completed a further survey of the drugs problem in the Caribbean dependent territories to assess the present situation and to make recommendations for further action. We are currently considering this report in consultation with our Governors and local administrations.

  Refuseniks
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the Government's representations on behalf of refuseniks.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We continue to take every opportunity to press the Soviet authorities both about individual refusenik cases, and on the need for new and effective legislation which will make the refusenik problem a thing of the past.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Russian authorities about the case of Norbet and Natasha Magazanik and their daughter Olga and son Alexander of Moscow.

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

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Russian authorities about the case of Alexander and Yelena Rappoport and his son Vladimir of Moscow.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We take every opportunity to press the Soviet authorities on individual cases such as
  487
  Alexander and Elena Rappoport. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised this case most recently when he met Mr. Shevardnadze in New York on 29 September. We shall maintain our pressure until this case is satisfactorily resolved.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1)what representations have been made to the Russian authorities about the case of Irina Tiomkinal and her son Ilya and her mother, of Moscow;

  (2) what representations have been made to the Russian authorities about the case of Roman and Ludmilla Friedman and their sons Igor and Andre of Moscow;

  (3) what representations have been made to the Russian authorities about the case of Yakov Grinberg and Basya Berelisovna and their daughter Diana and son Lev of Moscow.

  (4) what representations have been made to the Russian authorities about the case of Semion and Lida Akselrod and their sons Boris, Benjamin and David of Leningrad.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have not previously raised these particular cases with the Soviet authorities but we will be happy to do so if the hon. Member will provide the necessary details about each case.

  Central America
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Government of the United States to discuss progress in the Central American peace process.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We have regular discussions with the United States Administration on a wide range of issues, including Central America.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the further progress required of the Soviet Union towards implementing its human rights commitment for United Kingdom attendance at the proposed Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe human rights conference in Moscow in September 1991 to take place.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  While there have been significant improvements in Soviet human rights performance, many individual cases remain unresolved, and most of the expected new legislation is still unpublished. There is still much to be done before our well-known conditions for attendance are met. The refusal of a visa recently to the Reverend Michael Bordeaux was not a good omen.

  Somalia
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information the Government now have about the outcome of their representations on human rights in Somalia.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Earlier in the year the Somali Government released hundreds of political prisoners and received a visit by an Amnesty International delegation. These welcome moves were followed in mid-July by the 488
  brutal suppression of demonstrations and extra-judicial executions. We have made clear our deep concern about these developments.

  China
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of China; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met the Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr. Qian Qichen, in New York on 28 September. Their discussion concentrated on Hong Kong. They agreed on the need for co-operation to implement the Joint Declaration and the need to work for the restoration of confidence in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the ban on arms sales to China includes equipment for which export licences had been granted prior to the ban but which has not left the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maude
  Yes.

  India
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement concerning Britain's relations with India.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Our relations with India are close and friendly and reflect the many points of contact and common interest between us.

  British Tourists (Injuries)
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases have been reported to date of British tourists being injured in(a) accidents, (b) assaults and (c) civil disturbances whilst on overseas holidays since the beginning of the year.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  British missions overseas received reports of 527 accidents and 225 assaults of which British nationals were victims between 1 January 1989 and 30 September 1989. Statistics on the numbers injured in civil disturbances are not held.

  Romania
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new initiative he plans to reduce the violations of human rights in Romania.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We will continue to protest strongly to the Romanian Government on every appropriate occasion about violations of human rights in Romania.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Anglo-Pakistani relations.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Britian and Pakistan's traditionally close and friendly relations have been reinforced by the
  489
  restoration of democracy in Pakistan last year and, more recently, by Pakistan's resumption this month of Commonwealth membership. The warmth of the relationship was demonstrated by the very successful visit of Prime Minister Bhutto in July.

  South Africa
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role he proposes the United Kingdom should play in the ending of apartheid in South Africa.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  It is not for outsiders to try to impose a solution on South Africa. Our role will continue to be to help and encourage those who are working for peaceful change; meanwhile maintaining dialogue with the South African Government in order to reinforce its stated commitment to reform and negotiations.

  El Salvador
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Government of El Salvador to discuss the human rights situation in that country.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not yet had the opportunity to meet members of the Government of El Salvador.

  Human rights in El Salvador was among the subjects I discussed with the Salvadorean Foreign Minister, Dr. Manuel Pacas, on 26 September.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with counterparts from other Commonwealth countries regarding the future of Hong Kong.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Government of China to discuss the future of Hong Kong.

  Mr. Maude
  The future of Hong Kong has been discussed at the European Community Council in Madrid, at the Economic Summit in Paris in July, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kuala Lumpur this month.

  In addition my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had meetings with the Chinese Foreign Minister in Paris on 31 July and in New York on 28 September.

  Mr. Roger Cooper
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the continued detention in Iran of Mr. Roger Cooper and his Department's efforts to secure Mr. Cooper's release.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Roger Cooper has been held in prison in Iran, without adequate consular access, since December 1985. We regard his detention as wholly unjustified, and 490
  have made our concerns clear to the Iranian Government both directly and indirectly on many occasions. We shall continue to take every opportunity to press for his release.

  Macao
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications of Portugal's decision to grant full citizenship and right of abode to the people of Macao.

  Mr. Maude
  There has been no such decision. Portugal grants automatic full citizenship and right of abode only to people born in Portuguese territory of Portuguese parents. The 1981 Portuguese Nationality Act ended the automatic right to Portuguese nationality of children born of non-Portuguese parents in Macao. It is estimated that less than 20 per cent. of Macao residents have the right of abode in Portugal.

  Entry Clearance Interviews (Islamabad)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to reduce delays for those awaiting entry clearance interviews at the British embassy in Islamabad.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Waiting times for interview at the High Commission in Islamabad have been reduced this year following an increase in the number of permanent entry clearance staff and streamlining of procedures. We continue to monitor queue lengths to ensure that applicants are seen as quickly as resources allow.

  Indian High Commissioner
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Indian high commissioner; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met the Indian high commissioner socially with other members of the diplomatic corps on 14 September. My noble Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had substantive discussions on a full range of issues.

  Kurdish People
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Iraq concerning their treatment of Kurdish people.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We regularly make clear to the Iraqi Government at all levels our concern over Iraq's human rights record, including its treatment of its Kurdish population.

  Bangladesh
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh and what was discussed.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the
  491
  Foreign Minister of Bangladesh both participated in the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Afghanistan.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We have consistently supported efforts to replace the present regime in Kabul with a truly representative government acceptable to the majority of Afghans. This is the necessary preliminary to any lasting settlement and to the voluntary return of Afghan refugees.

  Kampuchea
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the British Government are giving to the republic of Kampuchea to avoid a renewal of civil war in that country.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We do not provide aid to the Heng Samrin regime, which was installed by force of Vietnamese arms. But we have contributed towards a number of humanitarian projects inside Cambodia. Our objective remains a comprehensive political settlement which would enable the Cambodian people to elect a Government of their choice.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what stance the British delegation to the United Nations intends to take to the possible renewal of representation of Kampuchea by the coalition Government of democratic Kampuchea.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  On 17 October the UN General Assembly once again adopted, without a vote, the report of the credentials committee. This recommended, inter alia, acceptance of the credentials of Democratic Kampuchea. After adoption, the United Kingdom representative emphasised that this should not be taken to imply support for the Khmer Rouge and made clear our abhorrence of Pol Pot.

  Prisoners of War
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will reconsider the claims made by ex-prisoners of war, who were involved in the building of the Siam to Burma railway in 1941, in relation to their treatment by the Japanese at that time.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No. The question of compensation for the suffering and damage caused by Japan during the war was dealt with in the 1951 treaty of peace with Japan. While recognising the very great debt owed by this country to those who fought against the Japanese, there are no grounds to reopen the issue now.

  Israel
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Israel on human rights, and the continued occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank; and if he will make a statement.
  492
  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the situation in the occupied territories with the Israeli Foreign Minister on 25 September and underlined our concern that, pending their withdrawal, the Israelis should administer the territories in accordance with international law and their human rights obligations.

  United Nations
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters he proposes to raise at the next meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs attended the opening session of the forty-fourth session of the General Assembly between 25 and 29 September. This provided him with an opportunity to deliver a statement to the General Assembly, have formal meetings with the Secretary-General, Senor Perez de Cuellar and the newly elected President of the General Assembly, Mr. Garba, and to attend a lunch hosted by the Secretary-General for the Foreign Ministers of the five permanent members of the Security Council.

  My right hon. Friend also undertook bilateral discussions with the President of Colombia, President Barco and the Foreign Ministers of the following countries:

  USA (Mr. Baker)

  USSR (Mr. Shevardnadze)

  China (Mr. Qian)

  Japan (Mr. Nakayama)

  Hungary (Dr. Horn)

  Israel (Mr. Arens)

  Poland (Professor Skubiszewski)

  Pakistan (Mr. Yaqub Khan).

  My right hon. Friend does not expect to attend the General Assembly again this session. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister intends to address the General Assembly on 8 November on environmental issues.

  Victim Support Groups
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has plans to co-ordinate victim support groups in other EC states for United Kingdom citizens; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have been asked to reply.

  The United Kingdom participated in work which led to the adoption in 1987 by the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers of a recommendation on assistance to victims and the prevention of victimisation. This recommendation urged the Governments of all member states (including European Community and other member states) to take a range of steps to support victims in their own countries.

  So far as co-ordination is concerned, we have encouraged and assisted Victim Support—an independent national body which receives a grant from the Home Office—in its contacts with victim support groups elsewhere in Europe.

EMPLOYMENT

  Employment Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, for the latest available date(a) the number of starts on employment training, (b) how many were people with disabilities, (c) (b) as a percentage of (a), (d) total employment training starts under the special groups exemption, (e) how many, of (d), were people wth disabilities, (f) (e) as a percentage of (d), and (g) the sources of referral.

  Mr. Patrick Nicholls
  To 13 October 1989, the latest date for which information is available, 468,000 people had started on employment training. An analysis of individual trainee records received relating to starts up to the end of June show that about 11 per cent. were people who stated that they had a disability or health problem which affected the type of work they could do. The same analysis shows that training agents and training managers had coded about 23 per cent. of entrants in the special eligibility exemption groups. Of these special group entrants about 16 per cent. were people who stated that they had a disability or a health problem which affected the type of work they could do. The source of referral for most people on employment training is the employment service. In addition some trainees are directly recruited by training agents and training managers.

  Table 1

  Employment training filled places: September 1988 to July 1989

  Training agency region

  September

  October

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  South East

  3,800

  5,200

  6,300

  7,100

  8,500

  9,600

  10,000

  10,300

  10,900

  11,500

  14,500

  London

  4,600

  6,300

  9,400

  10,600

  13,300

  15,200

  16,600

  17,500

  17,900

  18,300

  19,000

  South West

  3,000

  4,300

  5,700

  6,900

  8,400

  10,000

  10,900

  11,400

  11,600

  11,800

  11,800

  West Midlands

  5,200

  7,700

  10,100

  12,100

  15,100

  18,200

  20,700

  22,300

  22,600

  22,800

  23,200

  East Midlands and Eastern

  3,900

  5,700

  7,600

  8,900

  10,600

  12,900

  14,000

  15,000

  15,400

  15,500

  16,400

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  9,800

  10,200

  14,500

  16,000

  19,100

  22,100

  24,000

  24,800

  25,100

  25,200

  25,200

  North West

  6,700

  9,900

  13,400

  15,500

  18,500

  22,500

  24,900

  26,000

  26,600

  27,600

  29,000

  Northern

  4,400

  7,100

  9,700

  11,900

  14,500

  18,000

  20,100

  21,200

  22,000

  23,000

  24,400

  Wales

  2,400

  4,400

  6,000

  7,400

  9,300

  11,900

  13,400

  14,200

  14,600

  14,800

  15,800

  Scotland

  4,400

  6,600

  9,100

  11,700

  14,000

  17,900

  21,000

  22,100

  22,500

  23,200

  23,700

  Great Britain

  48,100

  67,400

  91,800

  108,000

  131,200

  158,000

  175,500

  184,900

  189,000

  193,700

  203,000

  Table 2

  Employment training

  Percentage of trainees on placements with employers and on projects on the census date

  December 1988—June 1989

  Region

  December1

  March

  June

  Project

  Employer

  Project

  Employer

  Project

  Employer

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  South East

  46

  31

  39

  31

  36

  31

  London

  43

  17

  48

  18

  42

  19

  South West

  47

  24

  45

  26

  44

  30

  West Midlands

  65

  22

  58

  20

  59

  21

  East Midlands and Eastern

  n.a

  n.a.

  57

  27

  49

  26

  Yorks and Humberside

  52

  23

  51

  25

  48

  25

  North West

  58

  24

  49

  28

  54

  27

  Northern

  66

  16

  53

  24

  53

  24

  Wales

  56

  20

  45

  27

  43

  28

  Scotland

  69

  18

  62

  21

  60

  24

  Great Britain

  58

  21

  52

  24

  50

  25

  1 Returns include trainees on CP wages.

  n.a.—available because of low number of returns.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for Great Britain and each standard Training Agency region, what are the latest available statistics for
  494
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures for Great Britain and each training agency region for each month since September 1988, the number of(a) entrants to employment training, (b) people receiving employment training allowances, (c) employment training special group starts, separately for skill shortage and labour market schemes, (d) employment training leavers and (e) employment training leavers who left before completing their action plan.

  Mr. Nicholls
  As the information requested is contained in a number of tables, I will write to the hon. Member.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures for Great Britain and each training agency region for each month since September 1988, the number of(a) filled places in employment training; (b) employment training trainees on work placements with employers and (c) employment training trainees on project-based placements.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The figures requested for filled places are given in table 1. Information about the number of trainees on practical training placements with employers and on projects on any one day is collected from quarterly census returns submitted by training managers. This information is available for 30 December 1988, 31 March 1989 and 30 June 1989; these figures are given in table 2.

  employment training giving a breakdown of entrants

  495
  which shows how many were male and female, the length Mr. Nicholls of time they had been out of work, their ethnic backgrounds and whether or not they had any disabilities.

  Employment training characteristics of entrants (April to August 1989)

  (all figures are percentages, figures may not total 100 because of rounding)

  Unemployment duration (months)

  Ethnic origin11

  PWD2

  Region

  men

  women

  0–5

  6–12

  13–23

  24+

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  yes

  no

  South East

  61

  39

  35

  26

  10

  30

  91

  2

  3

  2

  2

  15

  85

  London

  58

  42

  18

  33

  14

  35

  50

  26

  11

  6

  6

  10

  90

  South West

  67

  33

  28

  33

  11

  28

  93

  2

  1

  1

  2

  15

  85

  West Midlands

  66

  34

  24

  27

  11

  37

  78

  9

  9

  2

  2

  12

  88

  East Midlands and Eastern

  71

  29

  16

  36

  13

  35

  88

  4

  5

  1

  2

  14

  36

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  72

  28

  27

  32

  12

  29

  89

  3

  5

  1

  2

  10

  90

  North West

  68

  32

  24

  30

  13

  33

  91

  2

  3

  1

  2

  11

  89

  Northern

  73

  27

  23

  35

  12

  30

  97

  ..

  1

  1

  1

  9

  91

  Wales

  70

  30

  23

  36

  13

  28

  95

  1

  1

  1

  3

  11

  89

  Scotland

  73

  27

  17

  34

  14

  35

  97

  ..

  ..

  1

  2

  10

  90

  Great Britain total

  68

  32

  23

  32

  13

  32

  87

  5

  4

  2

  2

  11

  89

  1 Ethnic origin: 1—White, 2—Black-African-Caribbean, 3—Indian-Pakistani-Bangladeshi-Sri Lankan, 4—None of these, 5—I prefer not to say.

  2 PWD—People with disabilities. Starts to end July. Those trainees answering whether they had a long-term health problem or disability which affected the type of work they could do.

  .. =less than 0·5 per cent.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, for Great Britain and each standard Training Agency region, what are the latest available statistics for employment training showing the number of trainees in each monthly period who(a) have entered employer-based work placements and the cumulative total of how many are in employer placements at the latest available date and (b) the number of trainees in each

  Employment Training

  Percentages of trainees on placements with employers and on projects on the census date December 1988—June 1989

  December1

  March

  June

  Region

  Project

  Employer

  Project

  Employer

  Project

  Employer

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  South East

  46

  31

  39

  31

  36

  31

  London

  43

  17

  48

  18

  42

  19

  South West

  47

  24

  45

  26

  44

  30

  West Midlands

  65

  22

  58

  20

  59

  21

  East Midlands and Eastern

  n.a.

  n.a.

  57

  27

  49

  26

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  52

  23

  51

  25

  48

  25

  North West

  58

  24

  49

  28

  54

  27

  Northern

  66

  16

  53

  24

  53

  24

  Wales

  56

  20

  45

  27

  43

  28

  Scotland

  69

  18

  62

  21

  60

  24

  Great Britain

  58

  21

  52

  24

  50

  25

  1 Returns include trainees on CP wages.

  n.a. = Not available because of low number of returns.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, for Great Britain and each standard Training Agency region, what are the monthly statistics for each month since June 1989 for employment training showing the(a) overall cumulative number of employment training trainees in training for each month and (b) the number of starts in each month with employment training training managers.

  Employment training filled places: June 1989 to September 1989

  Training agency region

  June

  July

  August

  September

  South East

  11,500

  14,500

  14,200

  14,900

  London

  18,300

  19,000

  19,000

  20,200

  South West

  11,800

  11,800

  11,500

  12,000

  496
  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is provide in the following table:

  monthly period who entered project-based work placements and the cumulative total of how many are in project-based placements at the latest available date.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information about the number of trainees on practical training placements with employers and on projects on any one day is collected from quarterly census returns submitted by training managers. This information is available for 30 December 1988, 31 March 1989 and 30 June 1989. These figures are given in the following table.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Monthly information for Great Britain and each Training Agency region for each available month since June 1989 is given in the following tables. In-training figures are provided in table 1 and starts figures are provided in table 2.
  497

  Training agency region

  June

  July

  August

  September

  West Midlands

  22,800

  23,200

  23,600

  23,400

  East Midlands and Eastern

  15,500

  16,400

  16,800

  16,900

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  25,200

  25,200

  25,100

  25,200

  North West

  27,600

  29,000

  28,700

  29,100

  Northern

  23,000

  24,400

  24,700

  24,900

  Wales

  14,800

  15,800

  16,000

  16,500

  Scotland

  23,200

  23,700

  24,400

  25,100

  Great Britain

  193,700

  203,000

  204,400

  208,000

  Table 2

  Starts at Employment Training Managers: June 1989 to September 1989

  Training Agency Region

  June

  July

  August

  September

  South East

  2,400

  4,500

  1,900

  3,400

  London

  3,100

  3,100

  2,700

  4,800

  South West

  1,900

  1,500

  1,200

  2,300

  West Midlands

  3,800

  3,300

  3,200

  4,500

  East Midlands and Eastern

  2,800

  3,000

  2,500

  3,500

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4,500

  3,800

  3,500

  5,500

  North West

  6,300

  5,300

  4,500

  6,200

  Northern

  4,100

  3,600

  3,000

  4,900

  Wales

  2,600

  2,700

  2,300

  3,700

  Scotland

  4,800

  3,400

  4,500

  5,600

  Great Britain

  36,400

  34,200

  29,300

  44,200

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has about trainees who leave employment training early; and what is the latest available monthly estimate of the number of trainees who have left employment training early.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information on trainees who leave employment training early is not currently available.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are being taken to improve administrative arrangements in employment training.

  Mr. Eggar
  The forms and procedures involved in the delivery of employment training are kept under review. The objective is to satisfy the requirements of public accountability and good administration whilst minimising the burden on training agents and training managers.

  All ET forms (and the guidance notes associated with them) have now been reviewed. In many cases they have been simplified, and the revised forms introduced progressively since March. Currently we are taking steps to improve the trainee attendance records for the payment of training grants and trainee allowances. We are also improving arrangements for notifying termination of training.

  I am confident that the overall effect of the action we are taking will be to ease administrative burdens while ensuring the proper use of Exchequer funds.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the most recent details of(a) the number of filled places on the 23 large company employment training schemes listed on 27 February, Official Report, column 34, (b) any changes to the maximum number of places allocated for each of those schemes and (c) which of those schemes have since withdrawn from employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 23 October 1989]: The following table updates to 29 September 1989 the details of the 23 large company ET schemes listed in the Official
  498
  Report on 27 February at column 34. The "Maximum No. of places allocated" column shows, in brackets, the changes to the figures listed in the Official Report.

  None of the schemes lifted have withdrawn from Employment Training

  Company

  Maximum number of places allocated

  Places filled at 29 September 1989

  J. Jarvis and Sons

  1,310(-1,616)

  1,160

  J. Laing Construction

  2,181 (-157)

  1,554

  Henry Boot Construction

  495 (-455)

  222

  Invicta Training (Grand Metropolitan Catering)

  1,105 (+230)

  147

  Martin James

  650 (-85)

  552

  George Wimpey

  437 (-229)

  404

  Mowlem

  305 (-100)

  128

  Comet plc

  354

  51

  Pilkington

  230 (-70)

  181

  Ferranti

  152 (-98)

  92

  Mill Garages Ltd.

  170 (-10)

  173

  Tower Radio Ltd.

  130 (-120)

  93

  Portals Engineering Ltd.

  250

  241

  Marley Extrusions Ltd.

  200

  Nil

  Ryder Ltd.

  165 (+15)

  194

  Team Grey friars Ltd.

  380 (+ 230)

  155

  John Lawrence Group

  100 (-50)

  37

  ICI

  100 (-50)

  83

  Sumlock Business Services

  60 (-90)

  36

  R. and D. Associates

  125 (-33)

  139

  Simon Engineering

  110

  63

  Coastline Ltd.

  70 (-30)

  114

  Strategic Market International Ltd

  100

  88

  Restart
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many Restart interviews were conducted in the last 12 months; what numbers were referred to each menu option; what numbers actually took up their referral; what numbers were referred to the unemployment benefit services for non-attendance at interview; what numbers were referred to the unemployment benefit service for non-availability; what numbers were referred to
  499
  the unemployment benefit services for refusal of suitable employment; and if he will express the numbers as a percentage.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is given in the table.

  We do not know how many people ultimately start a job or other opportunity as a result of the Restart interview.

  Restart counselling: August 1988 to August 1989

  Number

  Per cent.

  Interviews

  2,194,400

  100·0

  Referred to:

  Job

  242,800

  11·0

  Jobclub

  197,600

  9·0

  Enterprise allowance scheme

  85,500

  4·0

  Restart course

  67,900

  3·0

  Employment training

  463,100

  21·0

  Other referrals1

  238,200

  11·0

  Referred to Unemployment Benefit Service:

  Non-attendance at interview

  316,400

  210·0

  Non-availability

  76,200

  3·0

  Refusal of suitable employment

  1,900

  0·1

  1 Referrals to claimant advisers, and disablement resettlement officers.

  2 This is a percentage of the number of invitations sent.

  Construction Industry (Accidents)
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received in respect of accidents in the construction industry; and what plans he has to increase protection for those employed in that industry.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Over the last year I have answered several questions in the House and received letters from hon. Members on this subject. Additionally, the Building Employers Confederation has written to me and last April I met officials of UCATT. The number of Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors devoted to construction has already risen 10 per cent. since 1988, and HSE aims to have 100 construction inspectors by 1990. Inspectors will be paying more attention to the quality of site management and levels of training and supervision. HSE will also continue to advise the industry and to vigorously enforce the law where necessary.

  The Government will shortly be making the wearing of safety helmets on construction sites compulsory and the Health and Safety Commission has recently published a consultative document setting out proposals for new regulations to strengthen the management of health and safety on construction sites.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how training and enterprise councils will respond to the specific needs of ethnic businesses within local communities.

  Mr. Eggar
  Training and enterprise councils will be expected to undertake a comprehensive assessment of local market needs to enable them to draw up their corporate and business plans. Consultation with a wide range of organisations and individuals, including ethnic businesses where appropriate, will be vital to this assessment.

  National Council for Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the work being done by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications.

  Mr. Eggar
  The council's task of rationalising and reforming our vocational qualification system is well under way. Over 160 qualifications have now been accredited within the first four levels of the new national vocational qualification framework.

  A new system for recording the achievement of parts or units of the new national vocational qualifications has been developed, which will enable candidates to work more flexibly and progressively through their qualifications. In discussion with relevant professional bodies, the council has also begun to prepare the ground for extending its work to higher-level qualifications.

  Details of the council's activities are contained within its second annual report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Secondary Picketing
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about secondary picketing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government receive representations on various aspects of industrial relations law. Reform of this law since 1979 has given employers, and others. the ability to restrain unlawful secondary picketing. In the last. year no formal representations have been received about this particular matter.

  Manufacturing (North-West)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's latest assessment of the implications for jobs in the manufacturing sector in the north-west as a result of the introduction of the single market in 1992.

  Mr. Eggar
  The reduction in barriers to free movement of goods, persons, services, and capital, associated with the completion of the single European market in 1992, will provide considerable trade and employment opportunities in all regions of the United Kingdom. Future jobs growth throughout the United Kingdom depends on how well firms and workers react to these and other opportunities.

  Quarterly Attenders
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, at each appropriate quarterly date over the most recent three years, what was the flow of new quarterly attender claimants at the same dates, what was the stock of new quarterly attender claimants; what criteria are used by the employment service in assessing claimants when granting quarterly attender status; what steps a quarterly attender must take to show actively seeking work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Records are not kept on the flow of new quarterly attenders.

  The number of quarterly attenders at each appropriate quarter over the last three years was as follows:

  501

  Number

  October 1986

  297,982

  January 1987

  292,270

  April 1987

  281,871

  July 1987

  269,111

  October 1987

  266,066

  January 1988

  257,897

  April 1988

  257,328

  July 1988

  248,932

  October 1988

  241,580

  January 1989

  222,289

  April 1989

  206,921

  July 1989

  183,614

  YTS
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, at the end of June, July, August and September how many people of YTS eligible age, registered with jobcentres or the careers service, were awaiting an offer of a YTS place; and of them, how many were receiving bridging allowance or extended child benefit or income support.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Only local careers services hold information on the total number of young people awaiting the offer of a YTS place. There is no central record.

  The numbers of young people receiving bridging allowance was as follows:

  Numbers

  8 June

  10,310

  13 July

  10,026

  10 August

  10,261

  14 September

  9,110

  Twelve months ended 30 June 1989

  Review cases

  Allowed

  Disallowed

  Referred direct to Local Tribunal

  Revised in favour of claimant

  Revised adversely to claimant

  Not reviewed/ revised

  (a)

  48,652

  16,231

  40

  137

  320

  171

  (b)

  3,145

  16,083

  18

  242

  7,651

  297

  (c)

  47,950

  58,303

  199

  4,108

  6,433

  3,327

  (d)

  50,744

  20,868

  98

  3,632

  4,198

  3,324

  (e)

  158,558

  226,062

  382

  2,350

  714

  827

  (f)

  90,467

  70,325

  674

  521

  296

  318

  (g)

  5,400

  2,986

  17

  43

  20

  15

  (h)

  4,893

  2,438

  8

  40

  13

  15

  (i)

  983

  1,563

  5

  38

  62

  9

  (j)

  46

  103

  —

  27

  13

  2

  (a) Employed to full normal extent

  (b) Engaged in employment

  (c) Availability

  (d) Restricted availability

  (e) Leaving voluntarily

  (f) For misconduct

  (g) Neglecting to avail of employment

  (h) Refusal of employment

  (i) Refusal or premature termination of training

  (j) Refusal to carry out written recommendations

  Art and Culture
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of expenditure by the Training Agency on training in the arts and cultural industries.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information is not available in the form requested for all Training Agency programmes. However,
  502
  Extended child benefit was not payable at the end of July or the end of August. The number of young people whose parents were receiving child benefit at the end of June was 8,941 and, at the end of September 15,957.

  Information on the number of young people receiving income support is not available.

  Adjudication Officers (Decisions)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, for the 12-month period to the end of June, if he will give the decisions of adjudication officers on doubtful fresh claims, renewal claims and reviewed claims for unemployment benefit showing the numbers allowed, disallowed, referred to a local tribunal, revised in favour of claimants, revised adversely to claimants and not revised in the following categories of questions(a) employed to full normal extent, (b) engaged in employment, (c) availability, (d) restricted availability, (e) leaving voluntarily, (f) for misconduct, (g) neglecting to avail of employment, (h) refusal of employment, (i) refusal or premature termination of training, (j) refusal to carry out written recommendations, and (k) Restart.

  Mr. Eggar
  All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudication authorities and no statistics are kept as to the manner in which the entitlement doubt arose.

  Figures on the number of decisions for failure to attend Restart are not compiled separately.

  Subject to these qualifications, the following table sets out the information requested.

  in 1989–90 the cost to the Exchequer of YTS training in the arts and related activities is estimated to be around £23 million.

  Working Hours
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for all the member countries of the EEC the average number of working hours per week for(a) 10 years ago (b) five years ago and (c) the latest year for which he has figures.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Estimates from Community labour force surveys as requested, are shown in the table:

  Persons in employment in member countries of the EEC Average hours1 usually worked per week, 1979, 1984 and 1987

  1979

  1984

  1987

  hours

  hours

  hours

  United Kingdom

  38·5

  38·3

  38·6

  Belgium

  41·4

  39·9

  38·9

  Denmark

  37·9

  36·7

  36·1

  Federal Republic of Germany

  41·2

  40·1

  39·6

  France

  42·4

  40·0

  39·4

  Ireland

  46·2

  43·1

  43·2

  Italy

  40·8

  39·9

  39·7

  Luxembourg

  40·8

  40·5

  40·2

  Netherlands

  39·7

  4n/a

  33·9

  Greece2

  —

  44·7

  43·4

  Spain3

  —

  —

  41·6

  Portugal3

  —

  —

  44·3

  1 Basic usual hours

  2 Not member country of EEC in 1979

  3 Not member country of EEC in 1979 and 1984

  4 Did not participate in 1984 Labour Force Survey

  Local Enterprise Agencies
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how long the Government's local enterprise agency project schemes has been operating; how many projects in Liverpool have received support under the scheme; in which Liverpool constituencies supported schemes have been situated; and what is the total amount of support up to the present time.

  Number of staff in the grade

  Number of staff who have attended courses specifically on information technology

  Percentage of staff in the grade

  Number of staff who have attended courses with an element of information technology

  Percentage of staff in the grade

  Grade 1

  1

  1

  100

  1

  100

  Grade 2

  5

  5

  100

  1

  20

  Grade 3

  26

  10

  38

  13

  50

TRANSPORT

  Motorways
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to provide a new service area on the M4 between Heston and Membury.

  Mr. Atkins
  A service area is needed to fill the 56-mile gap between the sites at Membury and Heston. Consultants have been searching for a suitable site to meet this need. When they have reported and their recommendations have been considered I shall announce our proposals for development.
  504
  Mr. Eggar
  The local enterprise agency project scheme (LEAPS) has been in operation since April 1988. Since then six projects in Liverpool have received support. Constituencies in which projects have been or are operating are Liverpool (Riverside), Liverpool (Broad Green), Liverpool (Garston), Liverpool (Mossley Hill), Birkenhead, Wallasey, Wirral West and Wirral South. The total amount of support in Liverpool so far under LEAPS is £38,000 of public money matching an equal private sector contribution. Nationally, around £600,000 has been paid in LEAPS grants since April 1988 on the same basis.

  Efficiency Scrutiny
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what topic he proposes for his Department's next efficiency scrutiny.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have decided to set up an efficiency scrutiny to examine the reasons why some benefit claimants, having expressed an interest in one or more employment and training programme, either fail to take up a place or drop out after a very short time.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many officials in his Department at grade 3 and above have, since promotion to the level of grade 3, attended a course(a) specifically on information technology and (b) containing an element of information technology and what percentage each represents of all the staff in those grades in his Department.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 19 October 1989; c. 233–34.]: I regret that the information given in my original reply was not up-to-date due to staff changes since 16 October. The correct information is given in the following table:

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many objections have been received from(a) organisations and (b) individuals to the revised bridge proposals for the east London river crossing; and whether he intends to reopen the public inquiry into the scheme.

  Mr. Portillo
  By the end of the statutory objection period, 55 objections and representations had been received from organisations and 3,235 from individuals.

  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment announced on 17 October that they had decided to re-open the previous inquiry to consider representations about the change in the design of the Thames bridge and to hold a concurrent inquiry into the draft orders for the revised bridge design. These inquiries will he held jointly with the public inquiry into the planning application to extend the runway and to

  505
  change the operating conditions at London City airport. These inquiries are expected to be held around the middle of 1990.

  Private Hire Cars
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he is currently giving to the introduction of a licensing system for private hire cars in Greater London.

  Mr. Portillo
  I consider representations as and when they are made to me.

  Channel Tunnel Link
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at what stage British Rail will require formal investment authority for any public investment in a new line to meet the anticipated growth in international traffic after the opening of the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Portillo
  British Rail requires Government approval for significant expenditures.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what criteria he will judge whether a proposal put to him by British Rail to build a new line to meet the anticipated growth in international traffic after the opening of the Channel tunnel is environmentally satisfactory.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Government will need to be satisfied that BR has carried out an environmental assessment, and that it can provide a full environmental statement detailing the impact of the works and any mitigation measures. Ultimately it will be for Parliament to judge whether any proposals are environmentally acceptable.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any proposals have been put to him by British Rail to build a new line to meet the anticipated growth of international traffic after the opening of the Channel tunnel that will run from the tunnel terminal to Swanley only.

  Mr. Portillo
  British Rail is continuing its discussions with the private sector. No firm proposal has yet been put to Ministers.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it remains his policy that he will not give his approval to a proposal from British Rail to construct a new railway line between London and the Channel tunnel if the board's proposals, including environmental protection measures, fail to establish a commercial case for the contruction of a new line.

  Mr. Portillo
  Yes.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in calculating the rate of return on any public investment in a new line to meet the anticipated growth in international traffic after the opening of the Channel tunnel, he will take full account of the loss in revenue to British Rail on existing routes arising from the diversion of national and international passengers from existing routes to the new line.

  Mr. Portillo
  This would be taken into account.
  506
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any proposals have been put to him by British Rail to build a new line to meet the anticipated growth in international traffic after the opening of the Channel tunnel that involve public sector investment in whole or in part.

  Mr. Portillo
  The basis of British Rail's discussions with the private sector is that the construction and operation of the new line would be a joint venture in which BR would have a minority shareholding.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will direct British Rail that, in its discussions of proposals with the private sector to build a new line to meet the anticipated growth in international traffic after the opening of the Channel tunnel, the proposals are to incorporate as a minimum all those environmental protection works that have been announced by British Rail to date.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have no powers to give such a direction. I understand that the discussions between British Rail and the private sector have taken full account of BR's progress in designing the route, including environmental protection measures.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Set-aside Payments
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he proposes any change in the amounts payable for set-aside to take account of inflation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, South (Mr. Yeo) on 27 July 1989 at column 950.

  Greenhouse Effect
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what initiatives to combat the greenhouse effect he introduced to the Council of Agriculture Ministers on 25 to 26 September in Brussels.

  Mr. Curry
  The greenhouse effect was not discussed at this meeting of the Council.

  Straw and Stubble Burning
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidance his Department has issued to farmers who store straw and stubble in open fields close to public highways and in the vicinity of private property, in respect of height of stack, and closeness to properties to avoid a fire risk.

  Mr. Maclean
  Officers of my Agricultural Development and Advisory Service will advise farmers on how to store straw in open fields in such a way as to keep to a minimum any possible risks from fire to people, highways and private property.

  Organically Grown Grain
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tonnes of organically grown grain have been imported during the current year; and what is the figure for organic grown grain produced in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not available.

  Research Projects
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what rules govern the publication of findings of research projects at his research laboratories; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  When the work has been completed and necessary steps taken to protect intellectual property rights, the findings of research projects at MAFF laboratories are published in appropriate scientific journals. For research funded on a contract basis for an outside customer, the question of publication is a matter for the terms of the individual contract.

  Eggs
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor),Official Report, 20 October, columns 281–82, what percentage of eggs produced for the second quarter of 1989 were classified as free range; and what steps he is taking to encourage free range egg production.

  Mr. Curry
  Information on free range egg production is available only on an annual basis. In 1988 registered egg packing stations marketed under the description "free range eggs" (as defined in Commission Regulation (EEC) 1943/85) around 796,000 boxes of 360 eggs each. This figure is just under 3 per cent. of the estimated United Kingdom packing station throughput for the same period.

  Any encouragement for the expansion of free range egg production must come from the customer rather than the Government.

  Battery Fowls
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take to protect battery fowls being taken to slaughter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  [holding answer 23 October 1989]: The Farm Animal Welfare Council is currently engaged on a study of transport conditions for poultry and I look forward to receiving its findings. In the meantime the Welfare of Poultry (Transport) Order 1988 contains detailed provisions aimed at protecting the welfare of poultry (including battery hens destined for slaughter) during loading, unloading and carriage. We have also supported the introduction of a welfare guide on handling of end-of-lay hens which the industry has prepared.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. Tim Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the outcome of the Brussels Agricultural Council held on 25 and 26 September.
  508
  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to his reply, 19 October 1989 c. 210]: I represented the United Kingdom at the 23–24 October 1989 Agriculture Council meeting together with the Parliamentary Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry).

  The main items discussed were the proposed reform of the Community's agricultural structures policy, the proposal to increase the Community's milk quota by 1 per cent. subject to certain conditions, proposals to amend the rules for charges on imports of pigmeat into the Community, proposals to allow additional coresponsibility levy charged on cereals to be amended after an initial harvest determination by the Commission in the light of further information, and proposed regulations governing veterinary checks on intra-Community trade. On all these points I argued strongly the well-established United Kingdom position. The President indicated that he hoped that conclusions could be reached on some or all of these issues at the November Council on the basis of a compromise proposal he expected to put forward.

  The Council also discussed the proposed Council directive concerning the protection of water against nitrate pollution on which the Environment Council takes the lead. I pointed out that this proposal had to take better account of the potential effects on agriculture, and in particular that any restraints ultimately imposed must be proportionate to the benefits gained by reducing pollution, as is required by the EEC Treaty.

  Decisions were reached on the consumption aid for olive oil for 1989–90 at the same level as applied in the previous marketing year and on extensions of less favoured areas in three member states and on a national aid for wine production in Rheinland Pfalz.

DEFENCE

  Low Flying
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training air-miles were flown at under 500 feet altitude over national parks during the months of July, August and September.

  Mr. Neubert
  Central records are not held in a form which would enable the information requested to be provided.

  RAF Mildenhall (Pollution)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he takes to ensure that the United States Air Force management of RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk complies with standards set by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in regard to off-site discharges of(a) raw sewage into the river Lark, (b) chlorinated solvents, (c) mercury, and (d) cadmium; and if he will make a statement on off-site discharges of polluting chemicals from RAF Mildenhall in relation to EEC environmental directives.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The management and operation of the RAF Mildenhall sewage treatment plant is the responsibility of the Property Services Agency. Discharges from the plant are checked by both the PSA and the National Rivers Authority to ensure compliance with standards agreed between both parties. Mercury and cadmium are not used at the base, and any chlorinated
  509
  solvents are collected after use and are not discharged into the sewers. It is the Government's policy to ensure that the requirements of EC environmental directives are fully complied with. Discharges from RAF Mildenhall meet these requirements.

  Aldermaston and Burghfield
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what programmes have been implemented to aid staff recruitment and retention at AWE Aldermaston and at AWE Burghfield since 21 June; and what programmes it is envisaged will be implemented at these establishments over the course of the next two years.

  Mr. Neubert
  A number of measures to improve recruitment and retention at AWE (Aldermaston) and AWE (Burghfield) have been pursued vigorously for some time. These have been further assisted by introduction from 1 October 1989 of further enhancement to special pay additions for those categories of staff for which recruitment and retention needs are greatest. Recruitment campaigns are continuing, and the situation for the future will be kept under review.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it is now expected that the A90 building at AWE Aldermaston will reach its full production capacity.

  Mr. Neubert
  Production in A90 will reach its peak by the mid-1990s.

  Women Pensioners
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give for the latest year for which figures are available and the preceding three years the number of women in receipt of attributable family forces pensions who died during the year.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is not directly available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Recruitment Offices
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the latest estimate of the value of the buildings owned by Her Majesty's Government and operated as armed services recruitment offices in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Family Forces Pensions
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the purpose of the attributable family forces pensions.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Attributable forces family pensions arise from the provisions of the occupational pension schemes for members of the armed forces, as amended in 1973. These amended provisions applied to personnel who gave service on or after 31 March 1973. The family pensions provide an appropriate element of income for the eligible widows and dependent children of those service personnel whose cause of death, whether in service or in retirement, is recognised as being attributable to their service in the armed forces. The provisions were intended, as far as practicable, to place service families in an overall position broadly comparable with those of other public servants whose death occurs as a direct consequence of their employment.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give for each of the years 1976, 1979, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988 the number of widows in receipt of attributable forces family pension.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is not directly available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  NATO PLANNING PROCEDURES
  NATO PLANNING PROCEDURES
  PRESCRIPTIONS AND LIMITATION OF ACTIONS: REPORT
  PRESCRIPTIONS AND LIMITATION OF ACTIONS: REPORT
  ASYLUM CLAIMANTS: STATISTICS
  ASYLUM CLAIMANTS: STATISTICS
  MR. SELAHATIN OZBERK
  MR. SELAHATIN OZBERK