Written Answers of 3 December 1990

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Jamaica
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Minister for Overseas Development next plans to visit Jamaica to discuss third-world deprivation.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have no plans at present to visit Jamaica, but I hope to do so.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for development aid to Cambodia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government are providing humanitarian assistance to Cambodia by supporting the activities of British non-governmental organisations and United Nations agencies inside Cambodia and in the camps along the Thai border. We are ready to consider how Cambodia's needs for help with repatriation, reconstruction and development might best be met in the context of a comprehensive political settlement.

  Amazon Rain Forests
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Britain's participation in the efforts to save the Amazon rain forests.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Kingdom is supporting a comprehensive approach towards protection of the Amazonian rain forests both by seeking reforms of the tropical forestry action plan and by helping in specific countries. We already have projects in place in Brazil, Ecuador and Bolivia.

  Bulgaria
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding United Kingdom aid to Bulgaria.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Bulgaria will become eligible for support from the know-how fund once the new Government have shown their firm commitment to economic and political reform, as we hope they soon will. We are already contributing to humanitarian aid through the Community's PHARE programme. We have encouraged the Commission to consider urgently Bulgarian requests for food assistance.

  Hungary
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals there are in Hungary to use the know-how funds to assist in the privatisation of industry.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have provided two British advisers for the State Property Agency in Hungary, which manages the privatisation process. We are also discussing proposals with their Ministry of Industry for British consultants to assist in restructuring companies prior to their sale.

  Sri Lanka
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the items included in the reconstruction work being undertaken in Sri Lanka, to which Her Majesty's Government have pledged £20 million.

  Mrs. Chalker
  About £11 million of the £20 million reconstruction grant has so far been allocated to the projects listed below. Of this, about £6·5 million has been spent. Implementation of a number of agreed projects, and allocation of the remaining £9 million, has been delayed by the renewed civil conflict.

  Completed Projects

  40 reconditioned buses for Sri Lanka Transport Board

  Rails and fittings for Sri Lanka Railways

  Vehicles and road maintenance equipment for the Ministry of Rehabilitation

  Equipment for Roads Development Authority's field laboratories

  Continuing Projects

  Tractors for Ministry of Rehabilitation for use by farmers in Trincomalee district

  Equipment for Jaffna university

  Equipment for hospitals in Jaffna area

  Support for humanitarian and relief activities of British and Sri Lankan NGOs

  Furniture and equipment for schools in eastern areas

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the governmental and non-governmental organisations in Sri Lanka that received aid from the British Government in 1988 and 1989.

  Mrs. Chalker
  A wide range of governmental organisations in Sri Lanka benefited from the projects and training financed from our aid programme in the years in question. A complete list could be produced only at disproportionate cost. We also provided direct assistance to one Sri Lankan non-governmental organisation, Sarvodaya, and to a number of British non-governmental organisations operating in Sri Lanka.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total value of aid given to Sri Lanka; and what proportion is paid to(a) governmental agencies and (b) non-governmental agencies for 1988, 1989 and 1990.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Gross British bilateral aid, including capital aid, technical assistance debt relief, assistance under the aid and trade provision emergency aid, joint
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  funding of non-governmental organisations' projects, and investment by the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) totalled £22 million in 1988 and £23·5 million in 1989.

  An exact breakdown of these totals between governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, aid provided through British and Sri Lankan NGOs under our joint funding schemes, from our disaster and refugee unit and bilateral technical assistance programme amounted to about £0·7 million in 1988 and £1·5 million in 1989.

  It is not yet possible to provide equivalent figures for 1990.

  Third-world Countries (Debt)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning Her Majesty's Government's policy on debt failures by third-world countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government have taken the lead in international efforts to provide debt relief for the poorest countries. We are currently seeking the support of other creditors for the Chancellor of the Exchequer's recent "Trinidad initiative", which would involve a reduction of two thirds in the bilateral debt of the eligible countries.

  We welcome the increasing willingness of banks to negotiate reductions in the debt owed to them, mainly by middle-income countries. We support the decision taken last year to allow the IMF and World bank to provide financial support for voluntarily negotiated debt reduction agreements, and are contributing our share of the necessary resources.

  Lasting recovery from debt problems will depend on the pursuit of sound economic policies in indebted countries. The Government therefore believe that international assistance should be directed to countries implementing economic reforms.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Minister for Overseas Development next expects to meet other countries' Ministers to discuss third-world problems, including indebtedness; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I meet regularly with my counterparts from other countries to discuss these issues.

ENERGY

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps the Government are taking to improve the energy efficiency of pensioner and low-income households.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The new home energy efficiency scheme, which will come into operation on 1 January 1991 is aimed specifically at low-income households. Its primary purpose is to increase the take-up of basic energy efficiency measures and to provide advice on ways in which those on low incomes can use energy more efficiently.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Attorney-General when a date will be set for the hearing of the appeal of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects a date to be set for the appeal of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Listing is a matter for the Court of Appeal. Listing of the case can be expected as soon as the grounds for appeal on behalf of six appellants have been lodged and the Crown has had an opportunity to consider them.

  May Inquiry
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Attorney-General when he last met the Director of Public Prosecutions to discuss progress of the May inquiry.

  The Attorney-General
  I last met the Director of Public Prosecutions on 9 November, when we discussed matters of departmental interest. The subjects discussed on these occasions are not made public.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General for the last five years for which figures arc available what has been the cost of legal aid for criminal cases in the Crown court(a) in total, (b) paid to solicitors and (c) paid to counsel.

  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is as follows:

  £ million

  Amounts paid to solicitors

  Amounts paid to counsel

  Total paid

  1985–86

  36·360

  38·932

  75·292

  1986–87

  42·601

  49·226

  91·827

  1987–88

  47·591

  52·494

  100·086

  1988–89

  52·591

  66·706

  119·297

  1989–90

  159·193

  75·762

  134·956

  1 Provisional figures.

  Negligence Payments
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will consider producing guidelines for Her Majesty's judges to allow structured payments to be ordered in cases where damages are awarded to victims of negligence by health authorities.

  The Attorney-General
  It is for the judiciary themselves to develop guidelines for damages.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disability
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people receive severe disability premium(a) nationally and (b) in those departmental

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  areas covering Islington; and how many people receive income support and attendance allowance but do not receive severe disability premium (i) nationally and (ii) in those departmental areas covering Islington.

  Mr. Scott
  In May 1989, it is estimated that the severe disability premium was included in the benefit calculation of some 70,000 claimants to income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit. At that time some 187,000 claimants in receipt of income support and attendance allowance did not have the severe disability premium. A number of these people would have been refused the premium because someone was getting invalid care allowance in respect of their care; and special benefit calculation rules apply to certain groups such as people in residential care and nursing homes.

  Information for Islington is not available.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received from small business organisations regarding his plans to review statutory sick pay reimbursement regulations.

  Mr. Scott
  Such representations have been received from the following organisations representing small businesses.

  National Federation of Self Employed and Small Businesses;

  National Farmers Union;

  The National Chamber of Trade;

  The Retail Consortium;

  The Union of Independent Companies;

  The Electrical Contractors' Association.

  Representations have also been received from the Confederation of British Industries and the Employers Engineering Federation, which will have small businesses within their membership.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has estimated the cost to business of moving to 80 per cent. reimbursement of statutory sick pay to business.

  Mr. Scott
  The proposals in the Statutory Sick Pay Bill reducing the amount of statutory sick pay (SSP) which
  employers can recover from 100 per cent. to 80 per cent. will produce savings in public expenditure of £181 million in 1991–92, rising to £190 million in 1992–93 and £197 million in 1993–94. In addition, the ending of additional amount (currently 7 per cent.) which employers can recover as compensation for the national insurance contributions payable on statutory sick pay itself will result in an increase in national insurance income of £71 million, £75 million and £78 million in the three respective years.

  My right hon. Friend has also announced reductions in employers' national insurance contributions, which will operate from the same date as the statutory sick pay changes. These are worth some £250 million to employers and have been particularly weighted to help small businesses. They will go a long way towards reducing the extra costs for employers of the statutory sick pay changes and in some cases totally offset them.

  The precise effect of the combined statutory sick pay/National Insurance contributions package on individual businesses will depend on the sickness experience and pay levels within their work force, but bearing in mind
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  both the contribution reductions and the fact that most spells of statutory sick pay are over very quickly—the average period is three weeks and 90 per cent. are over within eight weeks—the extra cost for small employers is not expected to be significant.

  Attendance and Mobility Allowances
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for each year from 1979 what was the number of awards in payment for the mobility allowance; what was the number of reviews called for by(a) the recipient and (b) persons other than the recipient; what was the number of such reviews that led to the mobility allowance being withdrawn; and what was the number of such withdrawals as percentages of the number of allowances reviewed and of the total number of allowances in payment.

  Mr. Scott
  Information on the results of reviews called for by the mobility allowance recipient is not available. Nor is any information on reviews available prior to 1985. The remainder of the information requested is set out in the tables.

  Year

  Number of awards in payment1

  1979

  137,000

  1980

  185,000

  1981

  211,000

  1982

  253,000

  1983

  302,000

  1984

  353,000

  1985

  406,000

  1986

  461,000

  1987

  512,000

  1988

  556,000

  1989

  599,000

  1 Number of awards in payment current at year end. Figures include awards made under the vehicle scheme beneficiaries regulations.

  Year

  Number of reviews called for by recipient

  Number of reviews called for by persons other than the recipient

  1985

  274

  173

  1986

  433

  228

  1987

  350

  438

  1988

  379

  412

  1989

  453

  500

  Outcome of reviews called for by persons other than the recipient

  Number where Mob A withdrawn

  Withdrawn as percentage of reviews

  Withdrawn as percentage of awards

  120

  69·4

  0·03

  155

  68·0

  0·03

  340

  77·6

  0·06

  299

  72·6

  0·05

  399

  79·8

  0·07

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for each year from 1979 for(a) the attendance allowance at the higher rate and (b) the attendance allowance at the lower rate, what was the number of awards in payment; what was the number of reviews called for by (i) the recipient and (ii) persons other than the recipient; how many of each such reviews led to (1) the higher rate attendance allowance being replaced by the

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  lower rate allowance and (2) the attendance allowance being withdrawn completely; what was the number of such reductions as percentages of the number of allowances reviewed and of the total number of allowances in payment; and what was the number of such complete withdrawals as percentages of the number of allowances reviewed and of the total number of allowances in payment.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available, but such information as is available is in the tables.

  All decisions on review—Table 2

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  Year

  Successful1

  Unsuccessful

  Total

  Column 3 as percentage of column 4

  Column 3 as percentage of column 4 in Table 1

  1979

  12,536

  4,275

  16,811

  25·4

  1·5

  1980

  16,288

  5,310

  21,598

  24·4

  1·7

  1981

  14,849

  5,967

  20,816

  28·7

  1·7

  1982

  17,443

  7,703

  25,146

  30·6

  2·1

  1983

  19,819

  10,024

  29,843

  33·6

  2·4

  1984

  23,184

  10,190

  33,374

  30·5

  2·2

  1985

  30,252

  10,943

  41,195

  26·6

  2·0

  1986

  30,492

  12,156

  42,648

  28·5

  2·1

  1987

  44,104

  14,169

  58,273

  24·3

  2·2

  1988

  40,538

  15,549

  56,087

  27·7

  2·2

  1989

  45,778

  20,796

  66,574

  31·2

  2·7

  1 A successful review is one where there is a resulting increase in benefit.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what events not set in train by a recipient trigger a review of the attendance and mobility allowances.

  Mr. Scott
  There may be a review at any time if there is evidence to suggest that a recipient's circumstances have changed.

  Mrs. Rosalind Mackworth
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he intends to reappoint Mrs. Rosalind Mackworth as social fund commissioner when her present appointment expires on 30 November.

  Mr. Scott
  I am pleased that Mrs. Rosalind Mackworth has agreed to continue to serve as social fund commissioner for a period of three years from 1 December 1990. I understand that Mrs. Mackworth has also agreed to act as commissioner for Northern Ireland for the same period.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  North Sea Oil
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions the Inland Revenue have had with offshore operators about whether the cost of safety improvements to North sea oil production platforms subsequent to the technical report of the Department of Energy and the Cullen report into the Piper Alpha disaster may be offset by oil companies against petroleum revenue tax.
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  Awards of attendance allowance—Table 1

  1

  1 2

  1 3

  l 4

  Year

  Higher rate

  Lower rate

  Total

  1979

  123,000

  163,000

  286,000

  1980

  132,000

  182,000

  314,000

  1981

  147,000

  204,000

  351,000

  1982

  150,000

  214,000

  364,000

  1983

  177,000

  238,000

  415,000

  1984

  192,000

  277,000

  469,000

  1985

  222,000

  321,000

  543,000

  1986

  237,000

  348,000

  585,000

  1987

  259,000

  382,000

  641,000

  1988

  286,000

  426,000

  713,000

  1989

  311,000

  452,000

  763,000

  1 Estimated awards in payment at a given time.

  Mr. Maples
  The Inland Revenue has had no discussions with oil industry representatives specifically on the likely tax treatment of future safety improvements made in accordance with these reports.

  Privatisation Advisers
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras of 23 November 1990,Official Report, column 233, whether in assessing the suitability of firms to act as privatisation advisers he has access to the unpublished reports of the Department of Trade and Industry inspectors.

  Mr. Maude
  The Treasury is a competent authority for the purposes of the relevant provisions of the Companies Act 1985, and therefore has access to information obtained under that Act. As regards the suitability of firms to act as privatisation advisers, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 November in column 112.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Missing People
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how many(a) children and (b) adults are known to have gone missing in the Metropolitan police district in each month of the past two years for which records are available; and

  9
  how many were subsequently traced (i) within one week, (ii) within one month, (iii) within three months, (iv) within six months and (v) not for over six months of report.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is not possible to give monthly figures in relation to persons reported missing in the Metropolitan police district, and statistical information is not kept regarding the periods of time within which missing persons are traced. However, the following annual figures are given in relation to persons reported missing in the Metropolitan police district in 1988 and 1989.

  1988

  1989

  Males:

  Under 14 years

  486

  2,955

  14 to 17 years

  937

  5,661

  18 years +

  2,710

  4,566

  Females:

  Under 14 years

  421

  1,587

  14 to 17 years

  1,091

  6,078

  18 years +

  2,500

  4,413

  Total

  8,145

  25,260

  Of the 8,145 persons reported missing during 1988, 1,075 were shown centrally as being still missing at the end of the year. Of the 25,260 persons reported missing during 1989, 315 were still missing at the end of the year.

  The figures for 1989 are not comparable with those of previous years owing to new recording procedures having been introduced.

  Figures for 1990 are not yet available.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how many inquiries the Metropolitan police received from other forces in respect of missing persons during the last year for which records are available.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The total number of missing persons reports received by the Metropolitan police from other forces during 1989 was 6,913. Figures for 1990 are not yet available.

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number of neighbourhood watch schemes in Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  At the end of October 1990, there were estimated to be in the region of 3,450 schemes in Wales, covering over 83,000 households.

  Court Psychiatric Schemes
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many justices' clerks have implemented, or are in the process of implementing, the recommendations contained in HO circular 66/90 concerning the establishment, together with other local agencies, of court psychiatric assessment arrangements or schemes.

  Mr. John Patten
  This information is not available. We are, however, considering a number of ways in which implementation of the circular's recommendations might be monitored.

  Immigration
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will update his answer of 25 October,Official Report, columns 262–64, to list the outstanding cases to October in each category of (a) naturalisation, (b) registration, (c) general immigration casework and (d) asylum and related casework.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of outstanding cases relates to casework in B1 and B4 divisions in the immigration and nationality department and is as follows:

  Outstanding cases: October

  Number

  Naturalisation1

  63,553

  Registration1

  24,485

  General immigration casework1 2

  20,910

  Asylum and related casework1 3

  29,936

  1 Does not include applications received in the Department but which await allocation to caseworkers.

  2 Includes referred entry clearance applications, and inquiries submitted by letter, as well as variation of leave cases. Includes both general and eastern European casework (the latter was absorbed into general casework in July 1990).

  3 These figures are a total of all work outstanding in the refugee unit.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider amending court regulations in order to broaden the range of people who can speak on behalf of defendants in community charge cases.

  Mr. John Patten
  Section 22 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 permits a party to any proceedings by a magistrates court to be represented by counsel or a solicitor. In addition, the courts have a discretion to allow someone else to act on behalf of a party. We have no plans to change the law.

  House of Lords (Reform)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to reform the House of Lords.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  No.

  Constitution and Bill of Rights
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals for(a) a written constitution and (b) a Bill of Rights.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to ensure a separation of powers within the British constitution.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  No.

  Victim Support Schemes
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the funding of victim support schemes in Greater Manchester, and Stockport in particular.
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  Mr. John Patten
  We have received one letter from the Greater Manchester Federation of Victim Support expressing concern about the proposed withdrawal by local authorities of funding for victim support schemes in Greater Manchester. Home Office grant, which is administered by the funding panel of the national charity Victim Support, stands at £4·5 million this year and will rise by 20 per cent. to £5·4 million next year, subject to parliamentary approval. Local schemes may apply to the funding panel for new or extra grant under criteria reviewed annually, which are designed to ensure that the grant is distributed fairly and to best effect throughout England and Wales.

  Helicopters
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he gives to chief constables and to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis about the circumstances under which it is reasonable to use a helicopter in residential areas(a) during the day and (b) at night.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Police air operations are subject to safety rules and regulations made under the Civil Aviation Act 1982 and enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority. These specify minimum heights and closeness to high objects or buildings at which helicopters may fly over congested areas during the day and at night. Responsibility for the safe operation of police helicopters rests with chief police officers or the companies they employ to provide air services.

  Special Constables
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has reached a decision on the introduction of a bounty for special constables.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have decided to authorise pilot projects allowing the payment of a bounty for special constables. This will be subject to amending the Special Constabulary Regulations 1965. Payment of the bounty on an experimental basis will take place in the Metropolitan police district and perhaps two provincial forces to test different types of scheme. The experiment will run for two years initially and its effect on recruitment and retention will be assessed before decisions are taken on the longer-term future of the bounty.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) further to paragraph 822 of the White Paper, "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public", if he will set out his policies with respect to abolition of certification of unruly behaviour;

  (2) further to paragraph 822 of the White Paper, "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public", if he will place a copy of his consultative document in the Library;

  (3) what new proposals he has in respect of young people aged 15 and 16 years in regard to remand and to the provisions of the Bail Act; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answers
  29 and 30 November 1990]: It remains our intention to publish a consultation paper setting out detailed proposals for reforming the arrangements for the remand of alleged juvenile offenders,
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  including the abolition of the unruliness certification procedure. I shall arrange for a copy of the consultation paper to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will make it his policy to create a clear separation at the age of 16 years so that young people aged 16 and 17 years are dealt with by the new youth court but children aged 10 to 16 years are dealt with either by a separate juvenile court or by separate sittings of a youth court;

  (2) what is his latest policy for setting the lower age limit in respect of young people being brought before the proposed youth courts;

  (3) whether he will make it his policy that magistrates courts should so structure their operations as to deal separately with children aged under 14 years and those who are aged 14-plus.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 29 and 30 November 1990]: The jurisdiction of the proposed youth court, to be introduced by the Criminal Justice Bill, will include young people aged 10 to 17 inclusive who are charged with criminal offences. Within each youth court listing arrangements will be a matter for the justices' clerk to determine.

  Democratic Accountability
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals Her Majesty's Government have(a) to increase democratic accountability to Parliament and (b) to improve the facilities available to hon. Members better to carry out their duties.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  If the hon. Gentleman has any specific points or proposals for improvement in mind, the Government will, as always, be happy to consider them.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Farm Conservation Grants
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much has been allocated for the farm conservation grant scheme for(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92; how much has been taken up in 1989–90 and 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  In England for the 1989–90 financial year, £9 million was allocated for the farm and conservation grant scheme and £6,029,000 was spent. For the 1990–91 financial year, £23,230,000 was allocated and expenditure to the end of October was £10,821,000. Expenditure in the latter half of the financial year is traditionally higher than in the first half and we do not expect a significant underspend this year. The planned allocation for 1991–92 is £22,926,000.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether grant aid is available under the farm conservation grant scheme to cover the costs incurred as a result of reinforcement of the electricity supply due to the installation of new pollution control equipment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  No, these grants are targeted on equipment to treat, handle and store waste. The very
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  generous 50 per cent. grant is higher than the EC norm and was only approved by the EC Commission because it did not cover ancillary items. A widening of the grant would therefore have to be offset by a cut in grant rates or withdrawal of grant from other farm waste investments.

  Coast Protection Act
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make it his policy to undertake a review into the workings of the Coast Protection Act 1949.

  Mr. Curry
  I have no plans to undertake a review into the workings of the Coast Protection Act 1949.

  Food Irradiation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to lay the regulations which will allow the introduction of food irradiation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I intend to lay the Food (Control of Irradiation) Regulations 1990 before Parliament later this month. The regulations will lift the current general prohibition on the sale of irradiated foods in Great Britain and introduce a licensing system for food treatment facilities.

  Fish Farms
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the studies which have associated the growth of each blue/green algae with nutrient-rich waters resulting from fish farm wastes.

  Mr. Curry
  This Department is aware of no studies which link the growth of blue-green algae with nutrient-rich waters resulting specifically from fish farm wastes.

  Foxes
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received the copy of the research undertaken at the university of Aberdeen into lamb predation by foxes which has been sent to him; and if he intends to respond to this report.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend is considering the report with a view to deciding how he might respond to it.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Nursery Education
  Hilary Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the average cost of a place in(a) a nursery school, (b) a nursery class and (c) a reception class for four-year-olds.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is not collected centrally. Local authority expenditure returns to the Department of the Environment do not identify separate figures for the education of under-fives. A single set of figures is returned covering all nursery and primary provision.

  Supercomputing
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to ensure that there will be no reduction in the number of supercomputing centres now available for British academic research, when responsibilities for these facilities are transferred to the Advisory Body for the Research Councils in April 1991.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Our general policy is at least to maintain the current overall level of national supercomputing services. The number of centres to provide these services will, in the normal way, remain a matter for review from time to time.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether the Government are planning to expand supercomputing facilities available to British academic research to the levels available to researchers in France and Italy;

  (2) what plans he has for supercomputing expansion programmes similar to those being pursued in (a) West Germany, (b) the United States of America and (c) Japan, respectively.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  From 1 April 1991, responsibility for national supercomputing facilities for research council and HEI research will transfer to the research council system. My right hon. and learned Friend is awaiting the advice of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils on the allocation of the science budget, which was announced on 8 November.

  Teachers
  Mrs. Heal
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what machinery is to be put in place to ensure that differentials are maintained between head teachers and deputies and other teaching staff.

  Mr. Eggar
  The School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Bill, which is currently before the House, envisages the establishment of a separate sub-committee to consider the pay and other conditions of service of head teachers and deputy head teachers.

  Battersea Park CTC
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much(a) Government money, (b) money from sponsors and (c) capital from Wandsworth council will be put into the Battersea Park voluntary-aided city technology college.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend is aware of the very interesting proposal from Wandsworth for a voluntary-aided school with the characteristics of a city technology college. If confirmed by the council, this would come to him for decision under sections 12 and 13 of the 1980 Education Act, and would be considered on its merits. He would also need to consider any application for Government funding which might come from the LEA and the promoters of the proposal.

  ADT City Technology College
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what direction he gave the London residuary body as to disposal of the site for the ADT city technology
  15
  college in Wandsworth; what was the valuation of the site; and what provision has been made to compensate inner London boroughs for the loss of their proportion of the capital value of the site that has been transferred to the ADT city technology college.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has given no direction to the LRB as to the disposal of this site. The LRB valued the site for educational purposes, and on that basis leased it to ADT. The valuation is confidential commercial information. The receipts from the lease will be used for the benefit of all the inner London councils.

  Wandsworth Boys School
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what direction he proposes to give the London residuary body as to release of the site of the former Wandsworth boys' school in Sutherland grove, Wandsworth; and what provision will be made to compensate inner London boroughs for the loss of their proportion of the capital value of the site.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has directed the LRB to hold Sutherland grove pending proposals to establish a new Church of England school under section 13 of the Education Act 1980. These proposals would require the approval of my right hon. and learned Friend. If the proposals were approved the site would be sold at educational value by the LRB to the governors of the school. If the proposals were not approved, or if proposals were not brought forward, the site would be sold by the LRB at full commercial value. In either case, the receipts would be used to benefit all the inner London councils.

  Pensions Branch, Darlington
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy that any arrangements considered regarding agency status for the pensions branch in Darlington will preclude moving the facility from Darlington.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  In keeping with Government policy on relocation, and our policy that the Departments' main offices should be located only in London or Darlington, it is our expectation that, if a pensions agency were to be established, it would remain in Darlington. Location is one of a range of matters that would fall to be addressed in the development of any framework document for an agency.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what number and percentage of the total of students in higher education attended private schools.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Department's survey of leavers from English schools in academic year 1988–89 indicates that approximately one quarter of pupils whose intended destination on leaving school was full-time higher education were attending independent schools.

  Evidence from the youth cohort study also indicated that some 25 per cent. of 18-year-olds in higher education had attended independent schools.
  16
  Information published by UCCA shows that there were nearly 16 thousand students accepted for entry at United Kingdom universities in autumn 1989 from independent schools in England and Wales.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average cost of a place in higher education.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Available recurrent public funding per full-time equivalent home student in the Universities Funding Council and Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council sectors is planned at £5,320 for the 1991–92 financial year.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  British Technology Group
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give outline approval to the exhibition in the Upper Waiting Corridor on the work and achievements of the British technology group as requested in a letter to the hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) from the hon. Member for South Hams.

  Mr. Leigh
  My noble Friend the Minister for Industry has written to the hon. Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen) indicating his agreement to balloting for this purpose.

  Economic League
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will prosecute the Economic League for failing to file an up-to-date set of annual reports and accounts as required by sections 242 and 244 of the Companies Act 1985.

  Mr. Redwood
  Economic League Ltd. is currently filed up-to-date. The last accounts filed cover the period ended 31 December 1989. Accounts for the period ending 31 December 1990 will become due on 1 November 1991.

  Rigidized Metals
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will prosecute the directors of Rigidized Metals for failure to file up-to-date accounts as required by sections 242 and 244 of the Companies Act 1985.

  Mr. Redwood
  Rigidized Metals Ltd. has failed to submit accounts for the period ended 31 August 1989. The registrar has confirmed that the company has been notified of the default and appropriate action is being taken to secure compliance.

  Foreign Currency
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for consultation with the Institute of Chartered Accountants about SSAP 20 on foreign currency transactions.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: None. The requirements of SSAP 20 are a matter for the Accounting Standards Board.

  Polly Peck
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from Mr. Gottfried Hofmann or the English Institute of Chartered Accountants on the operation of SSAP 20 and its effects on Polly Peck's reporting of overseas transactions.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: None, so far as I am aware.

  Company Accounts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what check is made on the accounts and positions of companies which lodge their accounts late at Companies house.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: Companies house carries out certain basic checks on all accounts lodged with it, but the contents are not scrutinised in detail except in response to specific complaints. Companies house takes various steps to pursue companies which have failed to submit accounts on time.

  Fiveoaks Investments
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to investigate the latest published accounts of Fiveoaks Investments for failure to comply with SSAP 6.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: No. Compliance with accounting standards is a matter for the accountancy profession pending the establishment of the review panel under the aegis of the Financial Reporting Council.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Republic of Ireland
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the views expressed concerning Northern Ireland's relationship with the Republic of Ireland by Mr. Serrard Cowper-Coles, the first secretary at the British embassy in Washington, at the Boston Investor Responsibility Research Centre, represents Government policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the right hon. Member for Lagan Valley (Mr. Molyneaux) on 29 November 1990 at column 456.

  EI Salvador
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what continuing interest is maintained by Her Majesty's Government into the investigation by the authorities in El Salvador into the murder of Jesuit priests; whether he anticipates any further direct assistance by representatives of Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We have repeatedly made clear to the Salvadorean Government the need to bring the 18
  investigation to a successful conclusion and the murderers to justice. We hope that New Scotland Yard's report, which has now been handed over, will help them to do so. We and our EC partners re-emphasised our concern in a joint statement on the anniversary of the murders on 16 November.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Salvadorean authorities have given any commitment to make available the results of the investigation of the murder of Jesuit priests; and when he expects that the inquiry will report.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The investigation is being conducted by a judge according to the Salvadorean legal process. It is not yet clear when the case will come to trial.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Health Council will meet on 3 December to discuss the Commission's proposals for partial harmonisation of rules governing the advertising of tobacco, the European Year of Nutrition in 1994 and for Community action against drug abuse in sport. Ministers will also discuss a request for greater involvement in proposals connected with food safety. Further action in the areas of drug abuse and AIDS will be considered and the Council may also discuss proposals for improving the prevention and treatment of acute human poisoning. Statements are expected to be made by the Commission on the institution of a committee on health protection, co-operation between the EC and the WHO and progress on biomedical research. The Presidency will put forward communications on action in the field of pharmaceuticals in the Internal Market Council and the proposals for the elderly which were discussed in the Social Affairs Council on 26 November. Proposals for an exchange of information on cardiovascular disease are expected to be taken as an "A" point.

  The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 3 December to discuss the directive on money laundering; further work on economic and monetary union in preparation for the forthcoming inter-governmental conference; and the proposed revisions of the financial perspective as a result of German unification and the Gulf crisis. Ministers will also consider the Commission's proposal for a transitional VAT system after 1992, and in particular the VAT control compromise proposal. Tax harmonisation in the road transport sector will also be considered, and there will be a discussion, with a view to reaching agreement, on provisions relating to off-market trading and the access of banks to exchanges.

  The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 4 December to look at the preparations for the intergovernmental conferences (IGCs) on economic and monetary union and on political union and will take the procedural decision to convene the IGCs. Ministers will also discuss preparations for the European Council, which will include a discussion of assistance to the Soviet Union and possibly of EC aid to eastern Europe. The Council will review progress in the negotiations with EFTA countries on the European economic area, and will consider further the implications of German unification. There will be discussions of a

  19
  Commission statement on the occupied territories, of the generalised scheme of preferences (GSP) for 1991 and of the media programme. Ministers are also likely to discuss reports on immigration policy in member states and the social integration of immigrants. Under other business there is likely to be a discussion of ACP debt, and there will be the nomination of President and Vice-Presidents of the Commission at a conference of member states.

  At the Education Council on 6 December, Ministers are likely to discuss the Eurydice network, the role of education in the fight against drugs and Community co-operation in the evaluation of education systems. The Council may also consider the governing status of European schools, and the non-university sector of post-secondary schools.

  The Agriculture Council will meet on 10 and 11 December and will discuss the agricultural aspects of the GATT round, GATT beef import quotas and the review of the sugar regime. Other items which may be discussed are the common organisation of the market in oils and fats, table olives, aromatic wines, revisions to regulation 797/85 concerning agriculture and the environment, costs of CAP information across the Community, the report on inter-professional organisations and the welfare of pigs and calves.

  At the Consumer and Internal Market Council on

  13 December Ministers will consider a number of measures relevant to the completion of the single market, and a proposal for a regulation to prevent the diversion of precursor chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of drugs. Ministers will also discuss a proposal for a general product safety directive on which the Presidency hopes to achieve further progress on the key outstanding issues, although there are still a number of differences to be resolved. There is also likely to be an oral presentation by the Commission on the proposal for a directive on the liability for services with a safety defect.

  At a meeting of the Telecommunications Council on 14 December, Ministers will consider a proposal for a Council resolution on the final phase of implementation of the co-ordinated introduction of the pan-European digital cellular communications system (GSM). There will be an orientation debate on the role of telecommunications in EC relations with the countries of eastern and central Europe, which may result in Council conclusions. The Commission will present a proposal for a Council decision on a second phase of the EC programme TEDIS and a communication on EDI. As this agenda item is to be no more than a presentation there will be no Council conclusions. The Council will also have the first opportunity to debate the final version of the Commission's Green Paper on a common approach in the field of satellite communications in the European Community which was adopted by the Commission on 14 November. There will be an orientation debate which may result in Council conclusions. The Council may also be expected to agree a recommendation on the co-ordinated introduction of digital European cordless telecommunications in the Community and to agree a common position on a directive on the frequency bands to be reserved for them.

  The European Council will meet in Rome on 14 and 15 December. Heads of Government are likely to discuss the forthcoming intergovernmental conference on political union, the current crisis in the Gulf and assistance to the Soviet Union. There is also likely to be a discussion of the
  20
  single market and perhaps of the siting of the instituions. Heads of Government may consider economic and monetary union, GATT, EC/EFTA negotiations and EC/Mediterranean policy.

  The Economic and Finance Council on 17 December is expected to discuss the Commission's proposals for extending European Investment Bank operations to Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria and Romania, with a Community guarantee, and may also discuss the disbursement of the medium-term loan to Hungary. Ministers will discuss the Commission's proposal for a transitional VAT system, and may also consider the Commission's proposal for the control of the movements of excise goods post-1992, which was presented at the October Economic and Finance Council.

  The Transport Council will meet on 17 to 18 December and is expected to discuss proposals on the dimensions of road trains, combined transport, shipping cabotage, various aspects of the aviation industry, and road haulage quotas and crisis measures. There will be orientation debates on shipping consortia and the transfer of vessels between Community registers, and some discussion of transit through third countries. Infrastructure cost coverage, high-speed rail networks and the impact of German unification may also feature on the agenda.

  There will be a special meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 18 December to discuss follow-up to the European Council. Ministers will also discuss the Community position for the co-operation council with Egypt which will take place in the margins, and will discuss draft negotiating mandates for association agreements with Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. The Council will have a further discussion of the Commission's proposals for a new Mediterranean policy, and will discuss the Commission's proposals for a new (third) EC/Yugoslavia financial protocol, and will also consider the Commission's proposals for strengthening EC/Turkey relations. Ministers will also discuss the aid programme for Asia and Latin America, and may consider EC relations with San Marino and the GATT Uruguay round.

  The Fisheries Council will meet on 19 December to discuss total allowable catches for 1991 including arrangements with third countries, tariff quotas for 1991, the amendment of the structural regulation and technical conservation measures.

  The Environment Council scheduled for 20 and 21 December will consider proposals for directives on the treatment of municipal waste water (sewage discharges), on the management of hazardous waste, on motor vehicle emissions and on the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances. Proposed Council regulations on an action programme to protect the Mediterranean (MEDSPA) and on substances that deplete the ozone layer will also be considered. It is possible that the Council will hold further discussions on the use of economic and fiscal instruments to attain environmental objectives.

  The Research Council will meet on 21 December and will discuss the Presidency's suggestion of informal meetings of Research Ministers. It is possible that common positions will be agreed on the environment, marine technology and telematics programmes under the third framework programme. The Council will consider the EC's role in the next phase of the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) programme.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what subjects, including security, are under discussion by the Anglo-Irish intergovernmental conference secretariat at Maryfield.

  Mr. Brooke
  It has not been the practice to make public details of discussions in the Anglo-Irish secretariat, in common with the confidentiality usual in discussions between Governments.

  Rural Development
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will give details of the funding arrangements for the interdepartmental committee for rural development;

  (2) if he has plans to establish a permanent body responsible for rural development in Northern Ireland;

  (3) if he will give details of the composition of the interdepartmental committee for rural development established in Northern Ireland in 1989;

  (4) if he will give details of the terms of reference of the interdepartmental committee for rural development established in Northern Ireland in 1989;

  (5) if he will give details of the work (a) carried out to date and (b) to be carried out by the interdepartmental committee for rural development established in Northern Ireland in 1989.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: The interdepartmental committee on rural development is chaired by the permanent secretary of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. Its members are drawn from the six Northern Ireland Government Departments and from other statutory agencies with an interest in rural matters including the Industrial Development Board, the Local Enterprise Development Unit, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

  The Committee's terms of reference are:
  to continue the work started by the earlier interdepartmental group, maintaining an overview of Government policies and programmes in the most deprived rural areas of Northern Ireland in order to maximise the impact of existing expenditure;
  to consider appropriate area sensitivity and improved co-ordination at local level in the application of mainline Departmental programmes;
  to consider and develop appropriate responses to the conclusions put forward by the rural action project and other relevant reports; and
  to monitor and evaluate measures initiated.

  In pursuit of its remit, the committee has held
  discussions with district councils, the rural action project, promoters of rural development projects and other rural interests. An early decision, following a recommendation from the Committee, was to fund the rural action project for a further year to 31 March 1991. Some £0·25 million has been allocated to the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland in the current financial year to meet these costs and to provide assistance to voluntary bodies engaged in activities designed to identify the needs of, and means of assisting, deprived rural areas. The costs of secretarial support to the Committee and other associated overheads have been borne by the Department from existing resources.
  22
  The Committee has now completed its work and expects to report in the very near future. It is not possible at this stage to anticipate either the report's recommendations or the decisions which will follow. Although it is not intended to publish the report, decisions flowing from it will be announced as appropriate.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake an immediate and fundamental review of the poll tax.

  Mr. Portillo
  We shall shortly start a careful review of the community charge.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding delays in the processing of community charge and benefit payments within the North Devon district council area; and if he will offer assistance with clearing the backlog.

  Mr. Key
  I have received a number of representations. It is the responsibility of each charging authority to ensure the effective administration of the community charge. However, in order to assist charging authorities in the introduction of the community charge, the Government made provision of £110 million for expenditure on implementation in the rate support grant settlement for 1989–90. £55 million of this was supported by way of specific grant; the rest formed part of block grant. For 1990–91 we have taken account of the cost to charging authorities of collecting the community charge in the other services block standard spending assessment, and the cost is therefore being supported through the revenue support grant settlement.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much national non-domestic rate has been collected; and how much has been(a) distributed to local councils and (b) retained within the Treasury.

  Mr. Key
  The amount of national non-domestic rates due to be paid into the central pool for England in 1990–91 by local authorities, by ratepayers on the central list and through Crown contributions in lieu of rates is £10,743·5 million. This is £315 million more than the amount paid to authorities in 1990–91 in the distributable amount of national non-domestic rates (£10,428·5 million).

  The arrangements for setting the distributable amount ensure that, taking one year with another, local authorities receive in full the amount which is paid into the pool. The proposed distributable amount for 1991–92 of £12,408 million takes full account of the £385 million by which the yield of non-domestic rates during 1990–91 is likely to exceed the distributable amount for 1990–91. This comprises the £315 million surplus paid into the pool during 1990–91 and an estimated £70 million which is the net payment that local authorities are expected to make to the pool in autumn 1991 after adjustments to reflect the amount of rates actually collectable from businesses in 1990–91.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much Government grant to local
  23
  authorities would have to rise to prevent any wage bill-related rise in the 1991 poll tax bills, using his Department's assumption of rising wage costs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  My Department has made no particular assumption about rising pay costs in 1991. However, the amount of external financial support to be distributed to local authorities in 1991–92 will be 12·8 per cent. higher than in 1990–91.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will now announce the terms and timescale of his review of the poll tax;

  (2) whether he will immediately exempt those on the lowest incomes from the liability for 20 per cent. of the poll tax; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will now abolish the poll tax;

  (4) whether his review of the poll tax will include measures to relate the tax to the ability to pay; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) whether his review of the poll tax will include measures to relate the tax directly to income; and if he will make a statement;

  (6) whether he now intends to end the double charge of poll tax and the unified business rate on those small businesses where the owner lives on the premises; and if he will make a statement;

  (7) whether his review of the poll tax will be cash limited; and if he will make a statement;

  (8) whether his review of the poll tax will encompass any transfer of services currently funded and controlled at local authority level to central Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend is just starting a careful review of the community charge. It is premature to speculate on what possibilities he might look at in detail, or when any changes might take effect.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities who have commenced court proceedings to seek liability orders against those who have not paid the poll tax at the latest available date; and what proportion this is of the total number of authorities.

  Mr. Key
  The Department does not have this information.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now seek to repeal that section of the poll tax legislation covering the capping of local authority budgets; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  No.

  Formaldehyde
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment from what date he means to fix the emission level for formaldehyde production at 2mg/m3; and what staff resources will be devoted to policing this limit.

  Mr. Trippier
  Guidance will be issued to local authorities early next year, under part I of the Environmental Protection Act, on appropriate standards of air pollution control from chipboard manufacturing plant. Responses to the recent consultation on the final 24
  draft of that guidance, which proposed an emission limit of 2mg/m3 for formaldehyde, are currently being considered.

  Responsibility for exercising control over chipboard processes will rest with local authorities, who will be able to recover the reasonable costs of exercising their new air pollution control functions under a charging scheme being drawn up under section 8 of the Act.

  Historic Buildings
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the buildings on which he has served a section 54 notice concerning the preservation of historic buildings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Under section 54 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, previously section 101 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, a local planning authority may, after service of a notice, execute any works which appear to them to be urgently necessary for the preservation of unoccupied (or unoccupied parts) of a listed building; and section 55 provides for recovery of expenses. In Greater London, these powers are also available to English Heritage.

  In addition, the Secretary of State has the power to serve a notice under section 54. Since 1 April 1984 this power has had to be exercised through English Heritage, who serve the notice when authorised to do so by the Secretary of State and carry out the works on his behalf.

  The Secretary of State served a notice under section 101 of the 1971 Act in 1981 in respect of the grade I listed Barlaston hall, Staffordshire, and in 1987 he authorised English Heritage to serve a section 101 notice in respect of the grade I listed Revesby abbey, Lincolnshire.

  Successive Secretaries of State have made it clear that they would serve or authorise the service of a section 54 notice only where the building concerned is of exceptional interest.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the total Government expenditure on the upkeep, care and protection of historic buildings and monuments in England in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 29 November 1990]: Government funding for the upkeep, care and protection of historic buildings and monuments in England (and for the protection and promotion of the heritage generally) is channelled through a number of non-departmental public bodies, agencies and departmental programmes. The main ones are English Heritage (established in 1984), the National Heritage Memorial Fund (established in 1980), the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, the Historic Royal Palaces Agency (established in 1989), and the royal parks and royal palaces programme.

  The total allocation of resources to the full range of agencies and programmes supported by the Department has risen from about £55 million net in 1980–81 to a planned budget of £173·6 million in 1991–92. Not all these resources are spent on historic buildings and monuments, and there have been a number of changes in policy, organisation and responsibilities since 1980 which preclude direct comparisons between Government expenditure on buildings and monuments over the last 10 years. However, the main source of support for this

  25
  category of the heritage are the repair grant schemes run directly by the Department prior to 1984 and by English Heritage thereafter. Expenditure on these schemes was £12 million in 1979, against English Heritage's planned budget of £35 million in 1991–92 which includes provision for the new grant scheme to assist repairs to historic cathedrals. Additionally, English Heritage owns or manages on behalf of the state over 400 properties and sites, on which about £25 million net expenditure is planned in 1991–92. The Historic Royal Palaces Agency's planned net expenditure in 1991–92 is £9·3 million and planned net expenditure on the occupied royal palaces, other historic buildings and state ceremonial in that year is £30·8 million.

  Highcliffe Castle
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his discussions with English Heritage concerning the future of Highcliffe castle, Dorset.

  Mr. Trippier
  English Heritage has been in discussion with Christchurch borough council (which is the owner of the grade I listed Highcliffe castle as well as being the local planning authority) with the aim of securing the repair of the building and a beneficial use for it in the future. The Department has been kept in touch with the progress of these discussions.

  I understand that English Heritage has offered grant aid of up to £200,000 to the council towards the cost of urgent repairs to the building. The authority has accepted this offer and work is expected to begin shortly.

  English Heritage has made it clear to the council that if repairs are not carried out it will ask the Secretary of State to use his powers under section 54 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to authorise English Heritage itself to carry out the works. I cannot of course prejudge my right hon. Friend's decision if he should be asked to take this step, but he would consider the case very carefully in the light of the circumstances.

  Housing Corporation
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received from the Housing Corporation identifying(a) the areas of the country where its overspend occurred and (b) which of the additional units completed are located in the 57 stress areas.

  Sir George Young
  This is a matter for the Housing Corporation. I have therefore asked the corporation to respond to the hon. Member direct.

  Statisticians
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many statisticians are employed in his Department; and how many are responsible for local authority statistics.

  Mr. Key
  Forty-two statisticians of all grades are employed in my Department, including one part-time and three whose appointments are on a temporary basis. Of these, 25 have some responsibilities for local authority statistics, amounting in total to the equivalent of 18 full-time posts.

  Local Authorities (Investigation)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities his Department is investigating under part I of the Local Government Act 1988.

  Mr. Portillo
  As I indicated in my answer of 21 November 1990, at column 144, my Department is currently investigating complaints of alleged anticompetitive behaviour under part I of the Local Government Act 1988 in the case of 48 local authorities. It is not my policy to publish the names of authorities while actions are under investigation. Authorities are named in cases where the Secretary of State makes a direction under section 14 of the 1988 Act.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will revise his Department's standard spending assessments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend is at present considering the many representations which have been received from local authority representatives about their standard spending assessments during the period of consultation on the proposals for revenue support grant in 1991–92. He will announce his decisions on the 1991–92 settlement shortly.

  School Caretakers
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he plans to include school caretakers in the scope of compulsory competitive tendering under the Local Government Act 1988.

  Mr. Portillo
  Building cleaning work undertaken by a school caretaker is already subject to compulsory competitive tendering unless it is only incidental to the major part of his duties or he lives in tied accommodation. There are no plans to introduce competition for other work undertaken by school caretakers.

  Land Registration
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 19 November,Official Report, column 39, if he will state the definition of the term "underused land", as distinct from used or unused land.

  Sir George Young
  The code of practice, which was referred to in the previous answer and which is annexed to DOE circular 18/89, includes a definition of "underused land." However, the criteria for entry on the statutory registers proposed in the recent consultation paper "Encouraging the use of vacant public sector land", including the criterion relating to underused land, would be the subject of separate consultations in due course.

  East Newcastle Quayside
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is willing to consider alternative proposals to the Godfrey Bradman scheme for the redevelopment of east Newcastle quayside that are acceptable to the principal objectors to the Bradman scheme.
  27
  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: The Tyne and Wear development corporation considered a number of proposals before developing its preferred option. It is for the development corporation to consider any new proposals which might be put to it.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are the principal shareholders in the company chosen by the Tyne and Wear urban development corporation to develop the east quayside site in Newcastle; and how much public money is to be invested in the project.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: The selection of a preferred developer, and matters relating to that development, are the responsibility of the Tyne and Wear development corporation. No decision has yet been taken by Government on the total amount of public money which might be provided for the east quayside project.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest timetable for the development of the east Newcastle quayside; when the project was first announced; and how much building work has been carried out to date.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: The timetable for development is a matter for Tyne and Wear development corporation and the developer jointly to determine. The announcement of the selection of a preferred scheme was made in September 1988. The following works have been carried out on the site to date: demolition of dangerous buildings and walls, removal of Ballast Hill and retaining wall, excavation of old foundations and cleaning out of underground pitch tunnel, clearance of pigeon loft site, and archaeological excavation works.

  Spencer House
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any official bookings have been made by Government Departments in respect of Spencer house.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: My Department has made no such bookings. Any bookings which may have been made by other Departments are a matter for my right hon. Friends.

TRANSPORT

  Environmental Impact Assessments
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all road schemes which have had their line orders confirmed since 21 July 1988, and for which no environmental impact assessment study has been conducted.

  Mr. Chope
  All schemes in the national trunk road programme have for many years been subject to a very full environmental appraisal before the line orders are confirmed. Within the requirements of the EC directive, a formal environmental statement has accompanied all draft orders published since 21 July 1988. Those for which line orders were confirmed since that date but which did not fall within the requirements of the directive are as follows:
  28

  M3 Bar End—Compton

  A1 Bramham—Wetherby

  A1 Wetherby—Dishforth

  A1 Gatenby lane, Leeming

  A1 Tempsford overbridge scheme

  A3 Liphook—Ham Barn part 2

  A3 Milford bypass

  A6 Burton Latimer bypass

  A6 Black Lodge improvement

  A5/A49 Telford—Shrewsbury

  A6 (M) Stockport north/south bypass

  A10 Brandon Creek—Southery

  A12 Gorleston relief road

  A12 Capel St. Mary grade separated junction

  A16 Louth bypass

  A16 Ludborough bypass

  A20 Dawkinge Wood—Court Wood

  A20 Court Wood—Dover

  A30 Penhale—Carland Cross

  A30 Plusha—Bolventor

  A30 Zelah bypass

  A34 Newbury bypass

  A35 Yellowham Hill—Troytown

  A38 Marsh Mills grade separated junction

  A39 Fairy Cross—Horns Cross

  A41 Berkhamstead and King's Langley bypasses

  A43 Blisworth bypass

  A46 East Norton bypass

  A47 Etling Green junction improvement

  A47 Narborough bypass

  A49 Weaverham diversion

  A59 Mellor Brook bypass

  A65 Burley-in-Wharfedale bypass

  A65 Draughton bypass

  A140 Dickleburgh bypass

  A303 Chicklade Bottom to Stockton Wood

  A303 Mere Wincanton improvement

  A406 Popes lane to Western avenue improvement

  A406 Silver street to Hall lane improvement

  A406 East London river crossing

  A500 Nantwich bypass

  A516 Etwall bypass

  A568 Widnes eastern bypass

  A590 Dalton-in-Furness

  A595 Egremont bypass

  A595 Hensingham bypass

  A596 Wigton bypass

  A650 Drighlington bypass

  A1079 Market Weighton bypass

  Parking Restrictions
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to prohibit(a) the levying of charges and (b) the clamping of cars by private companies employed to enforce parking restrictions.

  Mr. Chope
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Sir D. Smith) on 22 November 1990 at column 169.

  British Rail (Surplus Land)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review his Department's instructions to British Rail relating to the disposal of surplus land as part of the annual negotiations on the external financing limit specifically to separate the rules applying to actual trackbed as opposed to other land holdings; and when these instructions were last reviewed.

  Mr. Freeman
  The policies that the Government look for in the handling of British Rail land were last restated to BR in September 1985. They require, among other things, that the board should make a commercial plan for
  29
  identifying and divesting itself of all its underused or surplus property. There are no plans to review these instructions, which are not linked to the annual negotiations on the external financing limit. Before deciding whether to declare disused trackbeds non-operational and subject to disposal, BR takes account of possible future operational needs and consults widely local authorities and other appropriate organisations.

  Rail Electrification, Yorkshire
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce a decision concerning loan approval for the electrification of rail services in West Yorkshire, including the Bradford-Leeds railway.

  Mr. Freeman
  As I informed the House on 26 November, the Government are reserving the appropriate resources to enable the electrification of this railway line.

  A127
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the target date for the completion of the works at Rayleigh Weir on the A127; what is the likely completion date; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the works are completed on schedule.

  Mr. Chope
  I refer to the reply that I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Sir B. Braine) about Rayleigh Weir underpass 30 November 1990 at column 492

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the debt on the Severn bridge in 1989;

  (2) how much the accumulated debt on the Severn bridge is at the latest available date.

  Mr. Chope
  The debt to the Consolidated Fund at 31 March 1989 was £113,376,084. For 31 March 1990 it is estimated to be £133 million.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the estimated completion date for the current renovation and maintenance work on the Severn bridge;

  (2) what items of repair and renovation have been completed on the Severn bridge in the last 12 months;

  (3) what work is currently under way on the Severn bridge;

  (4) what is the current projected cost of the repair and maintenance work on the Severn bridge;

  (5) what is the nature of work still to be done on the Severn bridge;

  (6) what is the estimated final cost of repair work likely to be on the Severn bridge.

  Mr. Chope
  The contract for the main strengthening work was substantially completed in April. The resurfacing contract (which includes wind barriers at the towers and safety fence work) is due for completion late next summer. Certain other minor works, including painting, are also still in progress.

  The estimated cost of the repair and strengthening work is £80 million.
  30
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was collected in 1989 in tolls on the Severn bridge.

  Mr. Chope
  Income from tolls in the financial year 1989–90 was £13,609,424.

  Manchester to London Rail Service
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State For Transport what information he has about the number of train journeys which are significantly delayed due to mechanical problems on the Manchester to London service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department does not hold this information. This is a commercial matter for British Rail.

  Humber Bridge Authority
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about his discussions with the Humber Bridge Authority concerning the settlement of its debt.

  Mr. Chope
  The Humber Bridge Board has presented a case for the write-off of some of its debt. This is being given careful consideration.

  Mersey Tunnel
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current debt on the Mersey tunnel.

  Mr. Chope
  The debt at 31 March 1990 was £116 million.

  M1
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make arrangements for the provision of tourist signs on the M1 motorway indicating directions to the Yorkshire mining museum at Gaphouse colliery, Overton, near Wakefield.

  Mr. Chope
  Tourist signs on motorways can be provided for attractions which meet criteria agreed between the Department of Transport and the tourist boards. The cost of such signs is met by the operator of the tourist attraction.

  M25
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish new plans for improving the M25.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have today published an action plan for the M25 which carries forward a number of proposals for easing congestion on the M25 by enhancing its capacity and smoothing traffic flows.

  My Department is pressing ahead with the plans announced in the May 1989 Roads White Paper for widening the whole of the M25 to four lanes. The consultants will also investigate longer-term options such as climbing lanes, widening to five lanes and the provision of collector-distributor roads alongside the motorway. My Department will continue to examine the options for making full use of the existing carriageway.
  31
  The plan contains a number of important traffic management measures to assist drivers and improve safety and traffic flows. These include lighting the motorway, improved signalling through the use of automatic incident detection in conjunction with new variable message signs, and improved arrangements for smoothing the flow of traffic at junctions—including the use of access control where appropriate.

  I am sure this plan will be welcomed by many users of the M25 and by communities that have been relieved of traffic by the M25.

  Motorway Maintenance Contracts
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department ensures cost-effectiveness in motorway surface maintenance contracts where he does not open up contracts to competitive bidding by public and private sector organisations.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 29 November 1990]: We keep under review the general orders of cost of agent authorities and consultants in managing maintenance. In those areas where we use consultants we are satisfied that the arrangement gives value for money. Competition between consultants for commissions is the main discipline for ensuring this.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will list by each motorway section in England and Wales the names of companies and organisations holding contracts for surface maintenance, giving details of when they were made, when they are due to expire, the value of each contract and indicating those whose renewal will be decided by competitive tender.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 29 November 1990]: The following are details of current commissions for managing motorway maintenance. All will expire on 31 March next year, and competitions are in progress for new commissions. Elsewhere maintenance of motorways is currently managed by local highway authorities acting as our agents.

  Details of commissions

  Commission and consultant

  Start date

  Approximate value £ million/year

  Greater Manchester

  Parkman

  1 April 1986

  25

  South Yorkshire

  Sir Owen Williams and Partners

  1 April 1986

  10

  West Yorkshire

  Frank Graham and Partners

  1 April 1986

  29

  Midland Links

  Atkins/Maunsell joint venture

  1 April 1986

  13

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what grounds he refused to allow Birmingham city council to bid for the contract as agent for his Department in the maintenance of the midlands link motorway.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make it his policy to allow Birmingham city council and any interested and qualified private sector consultants competitively to bid for the 32
  contract for surface maintenance of the midlands link motorway from junction 5 to near junction 9 on the M6 and to near junction 2 on the M5 when the present contract comes up for renewal.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 29 November 1990]: There is no legal basis on which a local authority can compete with consultants for motorway maintenance commissions. Consultants have already been managing these sections of motorway. In view of the success of this arrangement we are currently holding a further competition to appoint consultants when the present commission expires next year. This approach accords with Government policy of contracting work out to the private sector wherever this is consistent with sound management and obtaining value for money.

HEALTH

  Military Medical Requirements
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what instructions have been given to national health service burns and plastic surgery units as a result of possible conflict in the Gulf, with particular regard to the treatment of victims suffering from chemical, biological and nuclear-related injuries.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Guidance for clinicians on the handling of various categories of military casualty, should the need arise, is in preparation.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions have been made for United States military casualties by United Kingdom civilian health facilities in the event of war.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  None.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the joint Department of Health and Ministry of Defence planning group guidance to regional health authorities on the reception and allocation arrangements for armed forces to the national health service in war.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health to whom guidelines have been issued relating to the reception of casualties resulting from conflict in the Gulf.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Guidance for regional health authorities is in preparation and will be issued soon.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any national health service personnel have been deployed to the Gulf in anticipation of military conflict in that region.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No.

  Laundry Services, Hereford
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial investment has been made in laundry services and facilities by Hereford health authority in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. E. Bulmer, the chairman of the Herefordshire health authority, for the information he requires.

  Organ Transplants
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration is being given to financially assisting intensive therapy units involved in removing organs for transplantation; in how many cases lack of sufficient funds has prevented organs from being requested from next of kin; and what is the cost on average of such operations.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We are actively considering the possibility of identifying and reimbursing hospitals for costs incurred in organ donation. Information on the reasons why organs are not requested from the next of kin is not collected centrally.

  Hospital Complaints Procedure
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he is satisfied that adequate publicity is being given on hospital wards to the existence of the Hospital Complaints Procedure Act 1985; and what instructions have been issued to health authorities to ensure that this happens.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Directions were issued to health authorities in June 1988 to"take such steps as are necessary to ensure that any patients at, or visitors to, any hospital for which the authority is responsible,…are fully informed of the arrangements for dealing with complaints made at the hospital and are informed of the identity and location of the designated officer for such hospital."

  All regional health authorities have confirmed that the directions are being complied with.

  Residential Homes
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 November 1990,Official Report, column 51, if he will make it his policy to seek an opportunity in the current Session of Parliament to introduce legislation on small residential homes.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We intend to take an early opportunity to introduce such legislation.

  Kidney Patients
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the total funding currently committed to the care of renal patients either as a result of dialysis or transplantation; and what was the figure for 1978–79.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what directions have been issued to general practitioners about prescribing recently licensed drugs for renal patients when its use would otherwise be limited by pressure on hospital budgets.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Responsibility for prescribing, and hence who pays for the treatment, rests with the doctor who has clinical responsibility for the patient. Clinical responsibility can be on a shared care basis if appropriate but this is a matter to be agreed by the professionals involved. GPs, who feel that prescribing a particular drug is beyond their professional competence and not in the best interests of patient care, can quite properly refuse to prescribe.

  Wheelchairs
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to introduce self-propelled wheelchairs into hospitals.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Decisions on the provision of equipment in hospitals are a matter for individual health authorities. The Department has no plans to require authorities to introduce self-propelled wheelchairs for the use of in-patients.

  Community Health Councils
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy towards community health councils following the reform of the national health service; whether their membership is to be strengthened in line with changes to health authorities; and what consideration has been given to making community health council chairmen co-opted members of the health authorities.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Government policy remains that there will be no change in the fundamental role of community health councils. Amendment regulations have been made to adapt the formal framework within which community health councils operate so as to reflect the new methods of working within the national health service. There are no plans to revise the membership of community health councils, nor to co-opt their chairmen on to health authorities.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  EC Phone Calls
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects that hon. Members will be able to telephone agreed numbers in the European Community via the House of Commons telephone service without charge.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Services Committee is expected to consider at its next meeting a proposal to establish direct telecommunications links with a number of European Community exchanges. If the proposal is accepted, the necessary work to establish the connections could be completed a short time thereafter.

  Electronic Voting
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will initiate a study of the possibility of introducing a system of electronic voting in the House.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Any proposal to initiate such a study should be made in the first instance to the Procedure Committee.

WALES

  Pembrokeshire Health Authority
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the application by Pembrokeshire health authority for national health service trust status.
  35
  Mr. David Hunt
  Pembrokeshire health authority has not yet lodged an application for NHS trust status. The authority has submitted an "Expression of Interest" which outlines its proposal for a trust. I am currently considering this submission and whether to invite an application.

  Local Authority Housing
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the most recent figure for empty local authority housing for up to(a) six months, (b) 12 months and (c) over one year; if he will list the local authorities concerned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The total number of empty dwellings on 1 April 1990 was 3,492 representing 1·55 per cent. of the local authority stock. The number of properties vacant for more than six months was 327. Figures for all Welsh authorities are given in the table.

  Information on dwellings vacant for 12 months or more is not available.

  Vacant dwellings: Source WH04

  Welsh districts

  At 1 April 1990

  Vacant for more than 6 months

  Aberconwy

  23

  2

  Alyn and Deeside

  56

  8

  Arfon

  27

  0

  Blaenau Gwent

  124

  2

  Brecknock

  0

  0

  Cardiff

  293

  13

  Carmarthen

  22

  19

  Ceredigion

  31

  3

  Colwyn

  26

  0

  Cynon Valley

  184

  44

  Delyn

  47

  7

  Dinefwr

  29

  0

  Dwyfor

  6

  0

  Glyndwr

  58

  0

  Islwyn

  170

  62

  Llanelli

  109

  33

  Lliw Valley

  46

  29

  Meirionnydd

  7

  2

  Merthyr Tydfil

  106

  1

  Monmouth

  74

  0

  Montgomery

  36

  0

  Neath

  68

  1

  Newport

  96

  16

  Ogwr

  143

  0

  Port Talbot

  291

  0

  Preseli

  26

  1

  Radnor

  9

  0

  Rhondda

  83

  13

  Rhuddlan

  28

  0

  Rhymney Valley

  64

  0

  South Pembrokeshire

  6

  0

  Swansea

  134

  0

  Taff-Ely

  575

  0

  Torfaen

  169

  31

  Vale of Glamorgan

  40

  8

  Wrexham Maelor

  229

  25

  Ynys Môn

  57

  7

  Wales total

  3,492

  327

  Japan and Korea (Visit)
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what matters were discussed on his recent visit to Japan and Korea.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I led an inward investment mission to Japan from 13 to 21 November accompanied by the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency.
  36
  During my visit I was delighted to be able to announce major new projects in Wales by Yuasa Battery and Gooding Sanken. I also had high-level discussions with other major Japanese companies and I am confident that further investment by Japanese companies will follow and enhance the excellent relationship between Wales and Japan.

  I had meetings with senior representatives of the Japanese Government. I also addressed a seminar in Hiroshima organised by the Invest in Britain Bureau.

  While in Tokyo I acted as host for a number of senior Japanese business people attending the final performance of the Welsh National Opera. I attended a meeting of the business leaders forum hosted by HRH the Prince of Wales.

  I also visited the Oita prefecture of Japan where I discussed ways of developing the close links between Wales and Oita with Governor Hiramatsu.

  I very much regret that parliamentary business obliged me to return before conducting my planned engagements in Korea.

  National Parks
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total amount of funding proposed for national parks for 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The total approved expenditure for the three national parks in Wales for the financial year 1991–92 is £5,085,334 of which the Welsh Office will pay £3,814,000 (75 per cent.) by way of national parks supplementary grant and the balance will be met by the relevant county councils. This represents an 11·2 per cent. increase in provision on 1990–91. Since 1982–83 NPSG has increased in Wales in real terms by 37 per cent. a significant increase and evidence of the Government's support for the national parks.

  Upper Garw Valley
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the starting date to be announced on the Upper Garw valley reclamation scheme.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Welsh Development Agency gave formal approval to grant-aid the Upper Garw valley reclamation scheme on 31 March 1990. I understand that the agency is in discussion with Mid Glamorgan county council on the details of the contract and I hope a start date will be announced shortly.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Ieuann Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what correspondence he has received concerning the poll tax and young people on low incomes in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  I have received correspondence on various aspects of the community charge, some of which has been about the position of young people.

  Hospital Closures, South Glamorgan
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next plans to meet the chairman of South Glamorgan health authority to discuss hospital closures.
  37
  Mr. Grist
  There are no plans to meet the chairman of South Glamorgan health authority to discuss hospital closures.

  Passenger Rail Services
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss new passenger rail services.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend expects to meet Sir Robert Reid soon to discuss a range of rail issues.

  Tourism
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will summarise the achievements of the section 4 grants given to the tourist industry in north Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The section 4 scheme administered by the Wales tourist board, which began operating in 1971, has greatly assisted the tourism industry throughout Wales. Since then, in Clwyd and Gwynedd nearly £17 million of grant and loan assistance has been provided supporting over 860 projects with a capital cost of some £92 million, creating or safeguarding around 3,750 jobs.

  Pembrokeshire Health Authority
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the detailed timetable he intends to follow in dealing with the interest expressed by Pembrokeshire health authority in becoming a national health service trust.

  Mr. Grist
  My right hon. Friend expects to reach a decision shortly on the expression of interest. In the longer term, any final conclusion on national health service trust status will be made following a three-month consultation period in the event that a formal application is submitted.

  Legislative Powers
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on Government policy on the devolution of powers of legislation to Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Government have no plans to devolve powers of legislation to Wales.

  Departmental Office, Brussels
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans for establishing an office of his Department in Brussels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No. The Welsh Office is already in close and sustained contact with the European Commission and with the office of the United Kingdom permanent representation in Brussels, which represents the interests of all Government Departments.

  Statisticians
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many statisticians are employed in his Department; and how many are responsible for local authority statistics.

  Mr. David Hunt
  There are 25 statisticians currently employed in a professional capacity in the Welsh Office, of whom 15 are responsible in some degree for local authority statistics.

  Sewage Sludge (Bristol Channel)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will request Welsh Water to dump its sewage sludge further west in the Bristol channel; and when he expects it to cease this method of disposal.

  Mr. Grist
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to do so, but as my hon. Friend will know, the Government decided earlier this year that all sewage sludge dumping at sea would cease at the latest by December 1998.

  Tai Cymru
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the amount of public funding for Tai Cymru for 1990–91.

  Mr. Grist
  Excluding transfers from local authorities (for which final figures are not yet available), Tai Cymru has gross resources amounting to £102·183 million.

  Social Workers
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of field social workers in Wales at the present time; and how many there were in 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  The number of field social workers in Wales is as follows:

  Social Workers

  at 30 September

  1979

  1989

  Whole-time

  748·0

  1,033·0

  Part-time

  Number

  70·0

  135·0

  wte1

  36·1

  67·2

  Total wte

  784·1

  1,100·2

  1 Whole-time equivalent

  Home Helps
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of home helps in Wales at the present time; and how many there were in 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  The number of home helps in Wales is shown in the table:

  Home helps

  At 30 September 1979

  1989

  Whole-time

  153·0

  401·0

  Part-time:

  Number

  6,234·0

  7,877·0

  wte1

  2,671·8

  3,576·8

  Total wte

  2,824·8

  3,977·8

  1Whole-time equivalents.

  Mentally Ill People
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of residential places for mentally people in Wales at the present time; and what was the comparable figure in 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  The number of residential places for mentally ill people in Wales is shown in the table:
  39

  As at 31 March 1979

  1990

  Accommodation provided by

  Social services1

  2329

  349

  Private registered homes

  145

  277

  Voluntary registered homes

  18

  53

  Other3

  n.a.

  100

  Total

  492

  779

  1 Includes staffed and unstaffed accommodation provided by local authority social services departments.

  2 Excluding 129 mixed places which could accommodate either mentally ill or mentally handicapped people.

  3Other providers include local authority housing authorities, housing associations, health authorities (excluding hospitals), unregistered private and voluntary homes (i.e. those catering for fewer than four people and which may be staffed or unstaffed).

  Roads (Expenditure)
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest figure for capital expenditure on roads in Wales; and what was the comparable figure in 1979.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Net capital expenditure on new construction and improvement of motorways and trunk roads in Wales was £118 million in 1989–90 compared with £69 million in 1979–80. Provisional outturn for local authority capital expenditure on transport was £75 million in 1989–90 compared with £49 million in 1979–80.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of council houses sold in Wales since the introduction of the right to buy.

  Mr. Grist
  The number of local authority and new town dwellings sold in Wales under right to buy and voluntary terms since the introduction of right to buy in October 1980 is 85,552.

EMPLOYMENT

  HSE (Complaints)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans the Health and Safety Executive has to change its policy on investigating anonymous complaints.

  Mr. Forth
  The Health and Safety Executive has no current plans to change its policy on investigating anonymous complaints.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will indicate how far complaints to the Health and Safety Executive have increased over the last five years; and how much money the field operations division has received in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Forth
  Information about the number of complaints received by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is available only for the last four years. A comparison of the number of complaints received in the period 1 April 1986 to 31 March 1987 and 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 indicates an increase of over 80 per cent. HSE's field operations division was established only on 2 April 1990 with a budget of £50·5 million for 1990–91.

  Accident Claims
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to allow the Health and Safety Executive to charge for providing factual statements about matters relating to accident claims.

  Mr. Forth
  The Health and Safety Executive has charged for factual statements requested in connection with civil claims since November 1987. Charges are reviewed annually to ensure full recovery of the HSE's costs.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to ensure that training and enterprise councils encourage all young people leaving full-time education with vocationally relevant qualifications to participate in this training.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have set out in the recent publication "1990s: the Skills Decade" the strategic objectives which I expect TECs to address next year. A key objective is that young people should achieve their full potential and develop the skills that the economy needs.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to ensure that training and enterprise councils engage a variety of training providers to ensure flexibility in meeting the needs of individual trainees and individual employers.

  Mr. Jackson
  It is for each training and enterprise council to decide with which training providers to contract to meet the needs of their local community.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to ensure that training and enterprise councils construct a simple and stable scheme to devote resources to training and facilitate the development of that training.

  Mr. Jackson
  Training and enterprise councils (TECs) have been given the freedom and flexibility to adapt training schemes to meet the needs of their local area. I am confident that TECs will put these flexibilities to great use.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to ensure that training and enterprise councils make available, with appropriate funds, a choice of training for each individual of working age in Leicestershire up to the maximum of the individual's capability in economic terms.

  Mr. Jackson
  I am confident that the Leicestershire training and enterprise council will provide imaginative and comprehensive plans which will cater for the needs of its local community.

  ET Tutors
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for what reasons employment training tutors are requested to fill in forms about trainees in their charge assessing their(a) dependency on drugs or alcohol, (b) verbal aggressiveness or anti-authority, (c) race, (d) debts, (e) family trap, (f) hygiene, (g) benefit problems and (h) single parenthood.
  41
  Mr. Jackson
  It is not Government policy to require training and enterprise councils to ensure that this information is obtained from ET trainees. However, details of ethnic origin may be provided voluntarily by trainees on their trainee record form.

  Age Discrimination
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his policy towards discrimination on the grounds of age within the labour market.

  Mr. Jackson
  Our policy is to persuade employers to consider all applicants on merit, without imposing arbitrary age limits on recruitment.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of age within the workplace.

  Mr. Jackson
  We have no plans to introduce legislation on age discrimination, since we believe that it would be difficult to apply and uncertain in its effect.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available to his Department on legislation in other countries that outlaws age discrimination; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I understand that Canada and the United States of America have legislation on age discrimination in employment. I have not seen any evidence as to its effectiveness.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what(a) information and (b) research he has commissioned into discrimination on the grounds of age in the workplace.

  Mr. Jackson
  In 1989 my Department commissioned research from the Institute of Manpower Studies into the employment and utilisation of older workers. However, this exercise was mainly concerned with employers' recruitment practices, rather than whether discrimination occurred within the workplace itself.

  Training
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his intention to provide all youth trainees, by negotiation, with personal training plans specifying the intended level of achievement, not necessarily in national vocational qualification terms but related to their own ability and aspirations and the needs of their actual or possible employment, and capable of change if the trainee, managing agent and employer agree it is necessary.

  Mr. Jackson
  I am currently reviewing the approach to ET and YT personal training plans with a view to introducing common procedure and terminology. We shall retain the principle of variation by agreement between trainee and training provider, and we shall as a minimum require a national vocational qualification or equivalent objective to be clearly stated. Training providers will be free, as now, to include other aspirations All training plans will be based on assessment of individual needs.
  42
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the extent to which youth training builds on existing strengths of managing agents acquired over years of adaptation.

  Mr. Jackson
  Youth training (YT) builds on the success of YTS in helping young people achieve qualifications and jobs. Training and enterprise councils have the responsibility for developing their networks of YT training providers in order to continue improving on the work already achieved through YTS.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent youth training offers a service to all up to and including the age of 18 years not in full-time education, to start and complete work-related training.

  Mr. Jackson
  All young people under 18 who are not in full-time education or a job are guaranteed the offer of a suitable youth training (YT) place if they want one. YT helps eligible young people to acquire the broad-based skills necessary for a flexible and self-reliant work force and provides participants with training leading to national vocational qualifications at or above level II. Young people with special training needs receive appropriate training so that they can progress as far as possible towards general and vocational competences.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will arrange for high levels of payment for any trainees showing evidence of under-achievement in literacy and numeracy, in lieu of paying on achieving NVQ 2.

  Mr. Jackson
  Levels and methods of payment for training are entirely matters for local negotiation between training and enterprise councils and their training providers.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he will take to ensure that training and enterprise councils will be committed to securing excellence and quality of methods and outcomes of training.

  Mr. Jackson
  Training and enterprise councils (TECs) are required to draw up a strategy for securing quality training as part of their plans. The quality of training provided will be monitored by inspectors from my training standards advisory service.

  Advertising
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much of the expenditure on(a) press advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) outdoor advertising, (d) regional campaigns, (e) exhibition material, (f) research and (g) presentations for action for jobs in 1987–88 was spent through the Central Office of Information.

  Mr. Jackson
  All the expenditure on press advertising, radio advertising, outdoor advertising and research for action for jobs in 1987–88 was spent through the Central Office of Information. Expenditure on action for jobs regional campaigns, presentations and exhibition material in 1987–88 was not placed through the Central Office of Information.

SCOTLAND

  Steel
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the remit given to A. D. Little by the Scottish Development Agency extends to an examination of options for steel production at Hunterston.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the A. D. Little study includes conducting an examination of possible retrenchment of tube finishing within British Steel's diversified activities division: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the A. D. Little study into Scottish steel is to include an examination of seamless tube production and steelmaking at Clydesdale and the finishing process at the Imperial Works; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The remit given to A. D. Little by the Scottish Development Agency was broadly drawn. It requires it to carry out a wide-ranging analysis of the prospects and opportunities which may arise for the steel industry in any part of Scotland, taking into account Scotland's locational, resource and asset base; and to assess the commercial viability of any opportunities identified. The remit does not exclude consideration of any location within Scotland, nor does it include a requirement to examine operational decisions by British Steel.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to publish the A. D. Little preliminary report of December 1990 and its final report in 1991.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I cannot give a categorical assurance at this stage that all parts of the consultants' report will be published as some of these are likely to be commercially confidential. But I hope that it will be possible to publish the greater part of the study.

  Statisticians
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many statisticians are employed in his Department; and how many are responsible for local authority statistics.

  Mr. Lang
  Of the 28 statisticians employed in the Scottish Office, 23 have some involvement with local authority statistics.

  Consultancy Fees
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board the amount spent on consultancy fees for the year 1989–90.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 21 November 1990]: Information available from the annual accounts of health boards relates to the total fees paid to management consultants, to legal firms (other than for legal expenses connected with compensation claims) and to work study consultants. The amounts for each health board for 1989–90 are shown in the table.
  44

  Health board

  1989–90

  £

  Argyll and Clyde

  87,915

  Ayrshire and Arran

  108,581

  Borders

  12,745

  Dumfries and Galloway

  119,382

  Fife

  51,065

  Forth Valley

  88,951

  Grampian

  125,599

  Greater Glasgow

  1,638,006

  Highland

  221,947

  Lanarkshire

  161,286

  Lothian

  473,223

  Orkney

  2,260

  Shetland

  3,368

  Tayside

  118,802

  Western Isles

  827

  Total

  3,213,957

  Salmon
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Scottish Salmon Farmers Association; and if he will make a statement on the current situation in the salmon farming industry.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: Lord Sanderson of Bowden met representatives of the salmon farming industry (but not necessarily of the from time to time. My noble Friend Lord Strathclyde hopes to meet the Scottish Salmon Growers Association soon. This will provide a full opportunity to discuss current developments in the industry.

PRIME MINISTER

  Security Services
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will bring forward proposals to make the security services accountable to Committees of the House.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Press Conferences
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to discontinue the practice of confidential daily briefings for journalists at No. 10 Downing street in favour of open, on-the-record press conferences.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister is he will put to the intergovernmental conference proposals to end majority voting in the Council of Ministers.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  European Central Bank
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the establishment of a European central bank; and what proposals Her Majesty's Government have to ensure that such a bank would be politically accountable.
  45
  The Prime Minister
  The Government remain opposed to the imposition of a single monetary policy managed by a European Central Bank as prescribed in stage 3 of the Delors report.

  The Government have instead put forward proposals for a hard ecu managed by a European monetary fund. We will negotiate constructively at the forthcoming intergovernmental conference on the basis of these proposals in the hope and expectation that we can agree an outcome which satisfies the House of Commons and our European partners.

  European Parliament
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what facilities are currently available to Members of the European Parliament within the United Kingdom Parliament and to United Kingdom Members of Parliament in the European Parliament; and what proposals exist for improving these arrangements.

  The Prime Minister
  At Strasbourg Members have access to all areas adjacent to the main debating chamber and, by invitation, can attend specialist committees of the European Parliament. At Westminster, United Kingdom MEPs have access to the Peers Galleries and Lobby and offices of the European Communities Office in the House of Lords. In this House they have access by photo-identity pass to the Central Lobby, the Lower and Upper Waiting Halls and the Committee Corridor.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on strengthening the powers of the European Parliament.

  The Prime Minister
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said during the debate on the Address on 8 November, we would like to strengthen the European Parliament's role in monitoring Community expenditure.

  Community Legislation
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will bring forward proposals to strengthen the scrutiny of Community legislation by national Parliaments.

  The Prime Minister
  It is for each national Parliament to decide its own procedures for the scrutiny of Community legislative proposals. The growing interest in the need for effective arrangements is encouraging.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will seek to spread the best practices of national Parliaments to enhance national scrutiny of, and commitment to, proposals emanating from the European Community.

  The Prime Minister
  We have repeatedly made clear the need for national Parliaments to become more closely involved in Community affairs, and for effective national scrutiny procedures. Our own procedures are widely regarded as among the most thorough in the Community.

  Intergovernmental Conferences
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place copies of the agenda of the intergovernmental conferences in the Vote Office.

  The Prime Minister
  No agendas have been set for the intergovernmental conferences; the IGCs themselves will decide how to organise their work.
  46
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to consult the House by means of debate before going to the intergovernmental conferences in December.

  The Prime Minister
  There will be a debate in the House on 6 December on developments in the EC prior to the Rome European Council. This will, among other subjects, look forward to the intergovernmental conferences which start on 15 December.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what items have been tabled for discussion at each of the intergovernmental conferences in December.

  The Prime Minister
  The intergovernmental conferences will set their own agenda. They will consider the various proposals made by member states, as well as the opinions delivered by the European Parliament and the Commission on the calling of the IGCs.

  European Community (Accountability)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what action the Government are proposing to strengthen the democratic accountability of the European Community.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have suggested ways to increase the Community's financial accountability to the European Parliament and involve national parliaments more closely in Community affairs. Improved scrutiny procedures have recently been introduced in this House.

  Subsidiarity
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will propose the adoption of a clear statement of the lines of subsidiarity between European and national institutions of the intergovernmental conference by those European and national institutions.

  The Prime Minister
  We hope that the forthcoming intergovernmental conference will agree a clear definition of the principle of subsidiarity in order to clarify the division of responsibility between national Governments and the Community.

  Exchange Rate Mechanism
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in seeking a revaluation of the pound sterling within the ERM.

  The Prime Minister
  On sterling's entry to the ERM, the Government undertook an express obligation to keep sterling within specified bands around the agreed central rates. We are fully committed to fulfilling that obligation.

  Period of Office
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will consider bringing forward proposals to limit the period that any one individual may serve as Prime Minister.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will ensure, as one result of his recently announced poll tax review, that the Welsh and Scottish Departments collate and publish the same breadth of regular poll tax statistics as those produced by the Department of the Environment.
  47
  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies that I gave to the right hon. Member for Islwyn (Mr. Kinnock) on 29 November at column 1010.

  Social Security Legislation
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister if the Government intend to introduce any changes to the social security legislation to allow local authorities again to operate discretionary rebate schemes.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: Local authorities already have the discretion to disregard war widows pension and war disablement pension in excess of the statutory £10 disregard when assessing housing benefit and community charge benefit entitlement. They also have the power to grant extra benefit to individual claimants in exceptional circumstances. We have no present plans to extend the scope of these powers.

  European Convention on Human Rights
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will now support the incorporation of the European convention on human rights.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: No.

  Classless Society
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister what measures he intends to take to bring about a classless society.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: Measures to extend opportunity further will be brought forward in due course.

DEFENCE

  Low Flying
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what capacity the automated low-flying enquiry and notification system will have to trace the routes taken by low-flying aircraft, as an aid to aircraft identification in the event of a public complaint;

  Northern Scotland

  Central Wales

  Borders

  Low flying 1990

  Operational of which movements

  Number of days low flying authorised

  Operational of which movements

  Number of days low flying authorised

  Operational of which movements

  Number of days authorised

  January

  72

  14

  6

  5

  149

  14

  February

  26

  20

  1

  10

  347

  20

  March

  436

  18

  15

  15

  413

  20

  April

  118

  17

  2

  12

  216

  17

  May

  340

  13

  0

  2

  185

  12

  June

  8

  5

  6

  5

  68

  5

  July

  3

  15

  0

  0

  72

  17

  August

  74

  1

  97

  1

  530

  1

  September

  49

  1

  71

  1

  714

  1

  October

  74

  1

  32

  1

  709

  1

  1 Since 9 August, all three tactical training areas have been made available for operational low flying training on weekdays and, exceptionally in the case of the Borders TTA, on Saturday 11 August, to enable essential aircrew workup training to take place associated with the United Kingdom's commitment in the Gulf.

  Mr.Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the reason for his Department's Policy of not
  48
  (2) what capacity the automated low-flying enquiry and notification system will have to produce graphic presentations showing the geographical distribution of military low-level air traffic, as an aid to management of the United Kingdom low-flying system.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  For the reasons set out in my Department's evidence to the Defence Committee's inquiry on low-flying (Official Report 120, pages 158 and 174), the ALFENS system is not intended to store detailed route information for routine daytime low-flying sorties in the United Kingdom which would be necessary to provide the capabilities mentioned. The system should, however, provide a more rapid means of tracing individual aircraft and of analysing the usage of individual low-flying areas.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what period the figures for operational low-flying movements in the Borders tactical training area, provided in his reply to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley of 14 June,Official Report, column 325, refer; and if he will list the equivalent figure for the period 1 July 1989 to 30 June 1990.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The figures for operational low-flying movements in the Borders tactical training area provided in the reply which my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. Neubert) gave to the hon. Member on 14 June 1990 related to the periods specified in that reply. The equivalent figure for the period 1 July 1989 to 30 June 1990 is 2,025.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what length of time records of individual bookings into the United Kingdom low-flying system are retained.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Such records are normally retained for three years.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying movements at less than 250 ft were authorised in each of the tactical training areas in each month since January; and on how many days in each month such activity was authorised in each area.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  In 1990 the number of movements authorised for flying below 250 ft within tactical training areas has been as follows:

  retaining central records showing operational low-flying movements in the eastern and western parts of the Borders tactical training area separately
  49
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There is no such policy. Operational low-flying movements in the eastern and western parts of the Borders tactical training area have been shown separately in central records since September 1989.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what authorisation was given for low-flying below 250 ft over the United Kingdom on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 November; what was the area for which any such authorisation was given; how many sorties took place as a result; what types of aircraft and units were involved; and what was the purpose of the training.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Operational low-flying training in the Borders tactical training area was exceptionally authorised over the weekend of 17–18 November for Tornado aircrew conducting training connected with our current commitment in the Gulf. However, in the event, no such low flying took place.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if bookings into the Borders tactical training area east and the Borders tactical training area west are recorded separately by the RAF tactical booking cell at West Drayton.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Yes.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what year Royal Air Force fast jet pilots were first formally qualified to fly at 100 ft.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The information requested is not readily available, but there has been a requirement for a very limited amount of such flying for many years and this predates the introduction of the present United Kingdom low flying system in 1979.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the United States air force F-15 aircraft deployed to RAF Leuchars(a) during the period 17 to 28 June and (b) in the week commencing 16 July, were permitted to conduct low-flying over the United Kingdom during their deployment.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  United States air force F-15 aircraft deployed to RAF Leuchars were permitted to make very limited use of the United Kingdom low-flying system during the period 19 to 28 June, weekends excepted, in support of joint maritime course 90/2. No F-15 aircraft were deployed to RAF Leuchars during week commencing 16 July 1990.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the agreed changes in readiness and availability of Royal Air Force forces, referred to in his reply to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley on 1 November,Official Report, column 761, will have on the low-flying training requirements of (a) Royal Air Force, Germany, and (b) United Kingdom-based Royal Air Force units.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I do not expect the measures agreed so far to have any immediate effect on the Royal Air Force's requirement for low-flying training.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there have been any occasions since June 1988 on which 50
  (a) the Borders tactical training area west has been activated at a time when the Borders tactical training area east is not activated and (b) the Borders tactical training area east has been activated at a time when the Borders tactical training area west is not activated.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No.

  Harrier GR7
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which will be the first Royal Air Force squadron to equip with the Harrier GR7; and when it will begin flying training on the type.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No. 4 Squadron received the Harrier GR7 aircraft and commenced flying training on the type in October this year.

  RAF Tornados
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of the deployment of six additional Royal Air Force Tornados to Goose bay, Canada, in June.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A detachment of six Royal Air Force Tornado F3 aircraft deployed to Goose bay in June to carry out training in conjunction with other Royal Air Force and allied aircraft carrying out low-level training there.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the operational availability of the RAF Tornado aircraft currently on active service in the Gulf.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Excellent operational availability is being achieved by the Royal Air Force's Tornado aircraft, which are making a highly potent and valued contribution to the allied air forces deployed to the Gulf.

  RAF Harrier (Dive Attack)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the location of the dive attack referred to in his Department's evidence to the Defence Committee (HC 120, page 180) concerning an incident involving a Royal Air Force Harrier on 8 July 1988.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave the hon. Member on 1 November 1990 at column 765.

  Kuwait Liberation Army
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he has discussed with his Arab and United States of America counterparts in respect of the activities of the group known as the Kuwait liberation army, and its trainers.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am not aware of any group by that name.

  NATO Forward Scatter Sites
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence. (1) whether any decision has been made on the future of the NATO forward scatter sites; and whether he will make. a statement;
  51
  (2) was the outcome of the meeting at SHAPE on 24 September on the future of the NATO forward scatter sites; and when his officials first informed the Defence Police Federation of decisions taken.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  NATO is considering the future of its ACE HIGH communications network. The sites which host ACE HIGH installations are being examined concurrently in connection with national communication requirements. The Defence Police Federation has been made aware of developments informally and will be advised in the normal way when the way forward is known.

  Security Guards
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a decision has been made on the arming of his Department's new security guard force.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The arrangements for the established of the proposed new guard service are under consideration. No decision has been taken on whether any elements of it should be armed.

  Operation Granby
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there is anything further he can announce about the effect of Operation Granby on the defence cash and running cost limits for this financial year.

  Mr. Tom King
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:

  (1) Defence Cash Limits

  £000s

  Class and vote

  Current cash limit

  Increase

  Revised cash limit

  I, 1

  9,008,295

  100,000

  9,108,295

  I, 2

  8,744,597

  200,000

  8,944,597

  These changes, which increase the block defence cash limit by £300,000,000 from £21,585,449,000 to £21,885,449,000 are for costs arising from the deployments of British forces to the Gulf area.

  (2) Running Cost Limit

  Within this the running costs limit for the Department will be increased by £90,000,000 from £5,272,678,000 to £5,362,678,000.

  The increases were not allowed for within the forecast outturn planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement.

  Data Logic Ltd.
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the nature of the outstanding issues that resulted in the special extra-contractual payment that was made to Data Logic Ltd.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Payment was made in respect of work carried out by Data Logic Ltd. up to the termination of the contract. Issues concerning the extent of conformance of the proposed functional specifications with the army cataloguing authority's requirements brought this work outside the terms of the contract.

  Appropriation Accounts
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the numbers and civil service grades of the engineering staff involved in the transaction referred to in his reply of 30 October,Official Report, column 507; what is the name of the contractor involved; what disciplinary action was taken against the engineering staff involved in this transaction; and what steps have been taken to ensure that the staff involved are not employed by the contractor in this transaction after their retirement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The matter is the subject of an internal investigation and I cannot comment further at the moment.

  Civil Service Appeal Board
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why his Department decided to take no disciplinary action against those representatives of his Department who were in communication with members of the Civil Service Appeal Board prior to Mr. Colin Wallace's appeal in 1975.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No breach of discipline occurred in connection with this communication which would justify action being taken against anyone.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his policy on permitting representatives of his Department to communicate with members of the Civil Service Appeal Board on matters relating to individuals whose cases are due to come before the board;

  (2) on how many occasions in the past 20 years representatives of his Department have communicated with members of the Civil Service Appeal Board on matters relating to individuals whose cases are due to come before the board.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence has many contacts of a routine administrative character with the Civil Service Appeal Board; detailed statistics of these are not kept. As I indicated in my letter of 13 September to my hon. Friend the Member for Arundel (Sir M. Marshall) (of which a copy was placed in the Library), we would not now place before members of the board evidence not available in formal proceedings.

  Military Occupation
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether any plans have been made since 1960 for military operations in the event of a foreign military occupation of the United Kingdom;

  (2) what plans currently exist for military operations in the event of a foreign military occupation of the United Kingdom;

  (3) what contact has taken place with Greek Government officials regarding planning for operations in the event of a foreign military occupation of Greece.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not the Government's practice to comment on such questions.

  Austrian Airspace
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions apply to the transport of military equipment from bases in Germany to the Gulf
  53
  area through Austrian airspace; what problems and costs have arisen from the restrictions; and if any request has been made to the Austrian authorities for the relaxation of the restrictions.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The details of bilateral arrangements with other countries covering military overflights are classified and it is not the Government's policy to comment on such matters.

  United States Forces Housing
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all housing projects for the United States forces based in the United Kingdom for which appropriated 54
  funds were requested from the United States Congress in the last five fiscal years, giving for each project its location, which fiscal year the money was requested, how many dwellings were planned, and whether it has been approved by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 30 November 1990]: I understand that the only housing construction project funded by United States appropriated funds in the United Kingdom during the last five United States fiscal years was for department of defense personnel at Menwith Hill approved in United States fiscal year 1986; 14 housing units were built, with local authority planning approval and Her Majesty's Government's consent.

  SUDAN: FAMINE RELIEF
  SUDAN: FAMINE RELIEF
  BRITISH SCHOOLS IN THE EC
  BRITISH SCHOOLS IN THE EC
  COAL IMPORTS
  COAL IMPORTS