Written Answers of 13 December 1990

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list all those whom the registrar of criminal appeals consulted in determining the judges who are to cover the appeal of the six persons convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

  The Attorney-General
  The allocation of judges to the Court of Appeal criminal division is the responsibility of the Lord Chief Justice. The Lord Chancellor understands that the registrar of criminal appeals consulted the Lord Chief Justice in determining the constitution of the court which will hear the appeals of the six persons convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

  Law Commissioners
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Attorney-General whether the Government have any proposals to amend the qualification required by a candidate for appointment as a law commissioner in England and Wales.

  The Attorney-General
  At present, the law governing the appointment of law commissioners in England and Wales requires them to be persons appearing to the Lord Chancellor to be suitably qualified by the holding of the judicial office, or by experience as a barrister or solicitor, or as a teacher of law in a university. The Lord Chancellor now proposes to extend this latter qualification to include teachers of law at institutions other than universities. He intends to make the necessary amendment to the Law Commissions Act 1965 when a suitable legislative opportunity arises.

TRANSPORT

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the pattern of debt to the Consolidated Fund in relation to the Severn bridge to assume a downward trend.

  Mr. Freeman
  If tolls were to continue to be levied under the provisions of the Severn Bridge Tolls Act 1965 the debt should start to reduce during the financial year 1992–93. But under the Severn Bridges Bill, introduced to the House on 27 November 1990, it is proposed to introduce a new financial regime for the present and the new bridge.

  Radio-navigation Systems
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in recent discussions with other European nations regarding the 448
  introduction of the proposed north-west European Loran C system of radio-navigation; and if he will make a statement on the up-to-date position.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The international discussions are still proceeding. No firm agreement has yet been reached.

  Antares
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the report of the inquiry by the marine accident investigation bureau into the sinking of the Antares; if the report will be made public; and if he will arrange to make a statement on its publication of what action he proposes to take.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The marine accident investigation branch investigation into the sinking of the Antares has been given the status of an inspector's inquiry under the Merchant Shipping (Accident Investigation) Regulations. The inquiry involves a very detailed investigation into the circumstances of the accident; and this necessarily takes time to complete. An interim report is expected very shortly. This will assist the Secretary of State in deciding what action needs to be taken. I expect the full report of the chief inspector to be published.

  Jubilee Line (Extension)
  Mr. Orme
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on the latest position on London Underground's plans for the Jubilee line extension at Westminster.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am pleased to be able to tell the House that London Underground has now produced a revised design for Westminster station which it believes would better meet the concerns expressed by the House Services Committee. In particular, its new proposal would enable it wholly to avoid using Parliament square as a work site, to reduce the impact upon traffic in the roads surrounding Parliament and to avoid elevated decking in Bridge street. London Underground will shortly be setting out these proposals in a report to the New Buildings Sub-Committee.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the gross domestic product per capita in £ sterling in each of the member nations of the Council of Europe and the Warsaw pact.

  Mr. Maples
  Estimates of gross domestic product per capita for a number of countries are shown in table 1 of "National Accounts Statistics: Main Aggregates and Detailed Tables, 1987" issued by the United Nations earlier this year. Data are also given in the "World Bank Atlas, 1988". Both publications are available in the Library of the House. For the Warsaw pact economies, the information on economic activity is prepared in accordance with the United Nations system of material product balances which differs from the United Nations system of national accounts used to describe Council of Europe economies.

  General Government Expenditure
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report tables showing, for the latest years now available, identifiable general Government expenditure by function in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom expressed (a) in cash terms, (b) as a percentage of United Kingdom total identifiable general Government expenditure, (c) as an amount per capita and (d) as an amount per capita expressed as an index, United Kingdom identifiable general Government expenditure = 100.

  Mr. Mellor
  Most public expenditure is planned on a national basis and there is no geographical disaggregation apart from expenditure which is the responsibility of the territorial Departments. However, in order to provide a more comprehensive breakdown of public expenditure within the four countries of the United Kingdom an additional analysis, covering outturn years, is carried out each year. This analysis allocates, where possible, general Government expenditure to England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland and, therefore, includes within the territories a wider coverage of expenditure than that for which the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland are directly responsible.

  The analysis divides spending into "identifiable" and "non-identifiable" expenditure. The term "identifiable expenditure" refers to expenditure that can be identified from official records as having been incurred for the benefit of people in a particular country. The coverage of identifiable expenditure has been changed since last year's exercise to produce a greater consistency of treatment between different types of expenditure. In the following analyses of territorial spending all expenditure on common services—for example, revenue and tax collection, financial administration—has been treated as unidenti-fiable. In previous years this category of expenditure was not treated in a consistent manner. This change reduces identifiable expenditure by around £3 billion—2 per cent. —but does not appreciably affect the index of per capita expenditure between territories. Unidentifiable expen-diture mainly consists of expenditure deemed to have been

  Table 1a

  Identifiable general government expenditure 1985–86

  £ million

  As a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  618·8

  225·4

  109·8

  148·5

  1,102·5

  56·1

  20·4

  10·0

  13·5

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  3,509·2

  664·5

  340·3

  375·4

  4,889·4

  71·8

  13·6

  7·0

  7·7

  Roads and transport

  3,448·7

  539·5

  268·4

  101·3

  4,357·9

  79·1

  12·4

  6·2

  2·3

  Housing

  3,099·1

  624·0

  135·3

  345·5

  4,203·9

  73·7

  14·8

  3·2

  8·2

  Other environmental services

  3,662·1

  501·2

  282·4

  196·7

  4,642·4

  78·9

  10·8

  6·1

  4·2

  Law, order and protective services

  4,192·1

  519·9

  228·2

  473·6

  5,413·8

  77·4

  9·6

  4·2

  8·7

  Education and science

  13,562·9

  2,052·6

  838·2

  636·0

  17,089·7

  79·4

  12·0

  4·9

  3·7

  Arts and Libraries

  581·8

  69·9

  31·6

  0·0

  683·3

  85·1

  10·2

  4·6

  0·0

  Health and personal social services

  16,604·8

  2,314·8

  1,051·0

  697·8

  20,668·4

  80·3

  11·2

  5·1

  3·4

  Social Security

  35,311·3

  4,072·6

  2,245·7

  1,310·0

  42,939·6

  82·2

  9·5

  5·2

  3·1

  Miscellaneous1

  -33·8

  97·3

  34·5

  33·3

  131·3

  -25·7

  74·1

  26·3

  25·4

  TOTAL

  84,557·0

  11,681·7

  5,565·4

  4,318·1

  106,122·2

  79·7

  11·0

  5·2

  4·1

  450
  incurred on behalf of the United Kingdom as a whole, for example, defence, overseas aid and other overseas services and common services. It also covers expenditure which cannot readily be divided between territories from existing departmental records.

  Tables 1 to 5 show figures for identifiable general Government expenditure according to main function in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the years 1985–86 to 1989–90. The tables show identifiable general Government expenditure in each territory in total and on a per capita basis. The per capita figures are based on mid-year population estimates. Figures for earlier years are not available on a totally consistent basis with those given in these tables.

  Table 6 compares expenditure by function in the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland programmes in 1989–90 with the total identifiable expenditure in the respective countries. It shows that identifiable expenditure has a wider coverage than expenditure within the responsibilities of the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales; in the case of Northern Ireland it has a slightly wider coverage than the Northern Ireland programme. The table also shows, for 1989–90, unidentifiable expenditure where this can be allocated to function.

  In some cases, expenditure which cannot be separately identified for England, Scotland or Wales can be allocated to Great Britain rather than to the United Kingdom; for example, the majority of the finance provided for expenditure by the nationalised industries can be allocated to Great Britain. Tables 7a and 7b compare Northern Ireland allocated expenditure with that allocated to Great Britain over the five-year period.

  The extent to which expenditure can be identified may vary from year to year and between countries. The coverage of particular functions can also vary between countries; for example, in Northern Ireland, expenditure on arts and libraries is contained in the education category.

  The terms and definitions used for this analysis are the same as those used for the recent autumn statement—Cm. 1311—but the figures are based on less up-to-date outturn information.
  451

  Table 1b

  Identifiable general government expenditure per head 1985–86

  £ per head

  Index (United Kingdom identifiable expenditure = 100)

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  13·1

  43·9

  39·0

  95·3

  19·5

  67·5

  225·4

  200·5

  489·5

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  74·5

  129·4

  121·0

  241·0

  86·4

  86·3

  149·8

  140·1

  279·0

  Roads and transport

  73·2

  105·0

  95·5

  65·0

  77·0

  95·1

  136·5

  124·0

  84·5

  Housing

  65·8

  121·5

  48·1

  221·8

  74·3

  88·6

  163·6

  64·8

  298·7

  Other environmental services

  77·7

  97·6

  100·4

  126·3

  82·0

  94·8

  119·0

  122·5

  154·0

  Law, order and protective services

  89·0

  101·2

  81·2

  304·0

  95·6

  93·1

  105·9

  84·9

  317·9

  Education and science

  287·9

  399·6

  298·1

  408·3

  301·8

  95·4

  132·4

  98·9

  135·3

  Arts and Libraries

  12·3

  13·6

  11·2

  0·0

  12·1

  102·3

  112·8

  93·1

  0·0

  Health and personal social services

  352·5

  450·7

  373·8

  447·9

  365·1

  96·5

  123·5

  102·4

  122·7

  Social Security

  749·5

  792·9

  798·7

  840·9

  758·4

  98·8

  104·5

  105·3

  110·9

  Miscellaneous1

  -0·7

  18·9

  12·3

  21·4

  2·3

  -30·9

  816·8

  529·1

  921·8

  TOTAL

  1,794·8

  2,274·3

  1,979·3

  2,771·9

  1,874·4

  95·8

  121·3

  105·6

  147·9

  1 Expenditure includes net receipts of Land Registry in England and Wales and costs from the central administration of the offices of the Secretaries of State.

  Table 2a

  Identifiable general government expenditure 1986–87

  £ million

  As a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  590·2

  202·7

  120·9

  153·7

  1,067·5

  55·3

  19·0

  11·3

  14·4

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  3,911·4

  811·1

  404·2

  387·7

  5,514·4

  70·9

  14·7

  7·3

  7·0

  Roads and transport

  3,599·1

  575·5

  292·7

  105·0

  4,572·3

  78·7

  12·6

  6·4

  2·3

  Housing

  2,956·2

  631·2

  177·8

  334·7

  4,099·9

  72·1

  15·4

  4·3

  8·2

  Other environmental services

  3,841·6

  546·9

  318·5

  209·8

  4,916·8

  78·1

  11·1

  6·5

  4·3

  Law, order and protective services

  4,592·2

  571·2

  247·4

  521·3

  5,932·1

  77·4

  9·6

  4·2

  8·8

  Education and science

  14,838·6

  2,198·4

  924·6

  729·0

  18,690·6

  79·4

  11·8

  4·9

  3·9

  Arts and Libraries

  619·1

  72·1

  33·6

  0·0

  724·8

  85·4

  9·9

  4·6

  0·0

  Health and personal social services

  17,878·6

  2,444·1

  1,131·4

  748·8

  22,202·9

  80·5

  11·0

  5·1

  3·4

  Social Security

  37,965·2

  4,355·6

  2,442·8

  1,423·2

  46,168·8

  82·2

  9·4

  5·3

  3·1

  Miscellaneous1

  -47·7

  103·5

  36·7

  39·7

  132·2

  -36·1

  78·3

  27·8

  30·0

  TOTAL

  90,744·5

  12,512·3

  6,130·6

  4,652·9

  114,040·3

  79·6

  11·0

  5·4

  4·1

  Table 2b

  Identifiable general government expenditure per head 1986–87

  £ per head

  Index (United Kingdom identifiable expenditure = 100)

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  12·5

  39·6

  42·9

  98·7

  18·8

  66·4

  210·5

  227·9

  525·0

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  82·8

  158·4

  143·3

  249·0

  97·1

  85·2

  163·0

  147·5

  256·3

  Roads and transport

  76·2

  112·4

  103·8

  67·4

  80·6

  94·6

  139·5

  128·8

  83·7

  Housing

  62·6

  123·3

  63·0

  215·0

  72·2

  86·6

  170·7

  87·3

  297·7

  Other environmental services

  81·3

  106·8

  112·9

  134·8

  86·6

  93·9

  123·3

  130·3

  155·6

  Law, order and protective services

  97·2

  111·5

  87·7

  334·9

  104·5

  93·0

  106·7

  83·9

  320·4

  Education and science

  314·0

  429·3

  327·8

  468·3

  329·3

  95·4

  130·4

  99·5

  142·2

  Arts and Libraries

  13·1

  14·1

  11·9

  0·0

  12·8

  102·6

  110·3

  93·3

  0·0

  Health and personal social services

  378·3

  477·3

  401·1

  481·0

  391·1

  96·7

  122·0

  102·5

  123·0

  Social Security

  803·4

  850·5

  865·9

  914·2

  813·7

  98·7

  104·5

  106·4

  112·4

  Miscellaneous1

  -1·0

  20·2

  13·0

  25·5

  2·3

  -43·3

  867·8

  558·6

  1,094·9

  TOTAL

  1,920·3

  2,443·3

  2,173·2

  2,988·8

  2,009·0

  95·6

  121·6

  108·2

  148·8

  452 453
  1 Expenditure includes net receipts of Land Registry in England and Wales and costs from the central administration of the offices of the Secretaries of State.

  Table 3a

  Identifiable general government expenditure 1987–88

  £ million

  As a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  632·1

  194·3

  97·4

  152·8

  1,076·6

  58·7

  18·0

  9·0

  14·2

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  3,646·4

  704·7

  406·8

  369·2

  5,127·1

  71·1

  13·7

  7·9

  7·2

  Roads and transport

  3,761·5

  589·1

  333·5

  108·6

  4,792·7

  78·5

  12·3

  7·0

  2·3

  Housing

  2,981·1

  716·9

  225·9

  336·6

  4,260·5

  70·0

  16·8

  5·3

  7·9

  Other environmental services

  3,749·3

  587·4

  334·9

  229·6

  4,901·2

  76·5

  12·0

  6·8

  4·7

  Law, order and protective services

  5,094·1

  643·6

  277·2

  592·1

  6,607·0

  77·1

  9·7

  4·2

  9·0

  Education and science

  16,234·5

  2,386·5

  1,018·2

  787·4

  20,426·6

  79·5

  11·7

  5·0

  3·9

  Arts and Libraries

  666·1

  78·0

  37·8

  0·0

  781·9

  85·2

  10·

  4·8

  0·0

  Health and personal social services

  19,711·0

  2,665·9

  1,256·1

  810·1

  24,443·1

  80·6

  10·9

  5·1

  3·3

  Social Security

  39,496·6

  4,673·1

  2,557·5

  1,504·1

  48,231·3

  81·9

  9·7

  5·3

  3·1

  Miscellaneous1

  -49·2

  109·1

  37·1

  38·5

  135·5

  -36·3

  80·5

  27·4

  28·4

  TOTAL

  95,923·5

  13,348·6

  6,582·4

  4,929·0

  120,783·5

  79·4

  11·1

  5·4

  4·1

  Table 3b

  Identifiable general government expenditure per head 1987–88

  £ per head

  Index (United Kingdom identifiable expenditure = 100)

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  13·3

  38·0

  34·3

  97·0

  18·9

  70·5

  201·0

  181·6

  513·0

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  76·9

  137·8

  143·4

  234·4

  90·1

  85·4

  153·1

  159·3

  260·3

  Roads and transport

  79·3

  115·2

  117·6

  68·9

  84·2

  94·3

  136·9

  139·7

  81·9

  Housing

  62·9

  140·2

  79·6

  213·7

  74·8

  84·0

  187·4

  106·4

  285·6

  Other environmental services

  79·1

  114·9

  118·1

  145·8

  86·1

  91·9

  133·5

  137·2

  169·3

  Law, order and protective services

  107·5

  125·9

  97·7

  375·9

  116·1

  92·6

  108·5

  84·2

  323·9

  Education and science

  342·5

  466·8

  359·0

  499·9

  358·8

  95·4

  130·1

  100·1

  139·3

  Arts and Libraries

  14·1

  15·3

  13·3

  0·0

  13·7

  102·3

  111·1

  97·0

  0·0

  Health and personal social services

  415·8

  521·5

  442·9

  514·3

  429·4

  96·8

  121·5

  103·2

  119·8

  Social Security

  833·1

  914·1

  901·7

  954·9

  847·2

  98·3

  107·9

  106·4

  112·7

  Miscellaneous1

  -1·0

  21·3

  13·1

  24·4

  2·4

  -43·6

  896·7

  549·6

  1,027·0

  TOTAL

  2,023·4

  2,611·2

  2,320·9

  3,129·3

  2,121·6

  95·4

  123·1

  109·4

  147·5

  1 Expenditure includes net receipts of Land Registry in England and Wales and costs from the central administration of the offices of the Secretaries of State.

  Table 4a

  Identifiable general government expenditure 1988–89

  £ million

  As a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  707·4

  203·8

  108·0

  146·3

  1,165·5

  60·7

  17·5

  9·3

  12·6

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  3,773·2

  660·0

  405·8

  770·61

  5,609·6

  67·3

  11·8

  7·2

  13·7

  Roads and transport

  3,904·7

  596·1

  338·8

  112·1

  4,951·7

  78·9

  12·0

  6·8

  2·3

  Housing

  2,120·3

  644·7

  172·8

  334·3

  3,272·1

  64·8

  19·7

  5·3

  10·2

  Other environmental services

  3,962·4

  647·0

  352·5

  259·0

  5,220·9

  75·9

  12·4

  6·8

  5·0

  Law, order and protective services

  5,741·0

  715·4

  309·4

  637·1

  7,402·9

  77·6

  9·7

  4·2

  8·6

  Education and science

  17,396·3

  2,604·3

  1,083·3

  852·8

  21,936·7

  79·3

  11·9

  4·9

  3·9

  Arts and Libraries

  795·0

  92·3

  41·9

  0·0

  292·2

  85·6

  9·9

  4·5

  0·0

  Health and personal social services

  21,789·2

  2,968·9

  1,390·9

  889·1

  27,038·1

  80·6

  11·0

  5·1

  3·3

  Social security

  40,270·9

  4,697·8

  2,745·9

  1,567·3

  49,281·9

  81·7

  9·5

  5·6

  3·2

  Miscellaneous2

  -571

  115·8

  40·1

  47·1

  145·9

  -39·1

  79·4

  27·5

  32·3

  454

  455

  £ million

  As a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  TOTAL

  100,403·3

  13,946·1

  6,989·4

  5,615·7

  126,954·5

  79·1

  11·0

  5·5

  4·4

  Table 4b

  Identifiable general government expenditure per head 1988–89

  £ per head

  Index (United Kingdom identifiable expenditure = 100)

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  14·9

  40·0

  37·8

  92·7

  20·4

  72·9

  195·9

  185·1

  453·9

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  79·4

  129·6

  142·0

  488·31

  98·3

  80·7

  131·8

  144·5

  496·7

  Roads and transport

  82·1

  117·0

  118·6

  71·0

  86·8

  94·7

  134·9

  136·7

  81·9

  Housing

  44·6

  126·6

  60·5

  211·8

  57·3

  77·8

  220·7

  105·5

  369·4

  Other environmental services

  83·4

  127·0

  123·4

  164·1

  91·5

  91·1

  138·8

  134·9

  179·4

  Law, order and protective services

  120·8

  140·4

  108·3

  403·7

  129·7

  93·1

  108·3

  83·5

  311·2

  Education and science

  366·0

  511·2

  379·2

  540·4

  384·4

  95·2

  133·0

  98·6

  140·6

  Arts and Libraries

  16·7

  18·1

  14·7

  0·0

  16·3

  102·7

  111·3

  90·1

  0·0

  Health and personal social services

  458·4

  582·8

  486·8

  563·4

  473·8

  96·7

  123·0

  102·8

  118·9

  Social security

  847·2

  922·2

  961·1

  993·2

  863·6

  98·1

  106·8

  111·3

  115·0

  Miscellaneous2

  -1·2

  22·7

  14·0

  29·8

  2·6

  -47·0

  889·1

  549·0

  1,167·4

  TOTAL

  2,112·1

  2,737·8

  2,446·4

  3,558·5

  2,224·7

  94·9

  123·1

  110·0

  160·0

  1 Includes £390 million (£247 per head) for costs associated with the privatisation of Short Brothers plc.

  2 Expenditure includes net receipts of Land Registry in England and Wales and costs from the central administration of the offices of the Secretaries of State.

  Table 5a

  Identifiable general government expenditure 1989–90

  £ million

  As a percentage of United Kingdom identifiable expenditure

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  890·9

  220·2

  105·9

  182·7

  1,399·7

  63·6

  15·7

  7·6

  13·1

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  3,676·6

  648·9

  362·0

  1751·0

  5,438·5

  67·6

  11·9

  6·7

  13·8

  Roads and transport

  4,624·5

  696·9

  346·5

  130·8

  5,798·7

  79·8

  12·0

  6·0

  2·3

  Housing

  3,365·7

  645·1

  169·6

  267·2

  4,447·6

  75·7

  14·5

  3·8

  6·0

  Other environmental services

  5,310·6

  715·2

  449·6

  279·6

  6,755·0

  78·6

  10·6

  6·7

  4·1

  Law, order and protective services

  6,482·2

  808·1

  329·1

  697·6

  8,317·0

  77·9

  9·7

  4·0

  8·4

  Education and science

  19,153·9

  2,825·4

  1,168·8

  940·0

  24,088·1

  79·5

  11·7

  4·9

  3·9

  Arts and Libraries

  910·6

  101·1

  48·5

  0·0

  1,060·2

  85·9

  9·5

  4·6

  0·0

  Health and personal social services

  23,609·8

  3,267·8

  1,521·0

  961·6

  29,360·2

  80·4

  11·1

  5·2

  3·3

  Social Security

  42,616·6

  5,024·3

  2,907·3

  1,700·5

  52,248·7

  81·6

  9·6

  5·6

  3·3

  Miscellaneous2

  -1·7

  126·3

  49·7

  59·0

  233·3

  -0·7

  54·1

  21·3

  25·3

  TOTAL

  110,639·7

  15,079·3

  7,458·0

  5,970·0

  139,147·0

  79·5

  10·8

  5·4

  4·3

  Table 5b

  Identifiable public expenditure per head 1989–90

  £ per head

  Index (United Kingdom identifiable expenditure = 100)

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  18·7

  43·3

  36·9

  115·4

  24·5

  76·4

  176·9

  150·7

  471·9

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  77·1

  127·5

  126·0

  1474·4

  95·0

  81·1

  134·2

  132·6

  499·3

  Roads and transport

  97·0

  136·9

  120·6

  82·6

  101·3

  95·7

  135·1

  119·0

  81·6

  Housing

  70·6

  126·7

  59·0

  168·8

  77·7

  90·8

  163·1

  76·0

  217·2

  Other environmental services

  111·4

  140·5

  156·5

  176·6

  118·0

  94·4

  119·0

  132·6

  149·7

  456

  457

  £ per head

  Index (United Kingdom identifiable expenditure = 100)

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Law, order and protective services

  135·9

  158·7

  114·5

  440·7

  145·3

  93·5

  109·2

  78·8

  303·3

  Education and science

  401·6

  555·0

  406·8

  593·8

  420·9

  95·4

  131·9

  96·7

  141·1

  Arts and Libraries

  19·1

  19·9

  16·9

  0·0

  18·5

  103·1

  107·2

  91·1

  0·0

  Health and personal social services

  495·1

  641·9

  529·4

  607·5

  513·0

  96·5

  125·1

  103·2

  118·4

  Social Security

  893·6

  987·0

  1,011·9

  1,074·2

  912·9

  97·9

  108·1

  110·8

  117·7

  Miscellaneous2

  0·0

  24·8

  17·3

  37·3

  4·1

  -0·9

  608·7

  424·4

  914·4

  TOTAL

  2,320·0

  2,962·1

  2,595·8

  3,771·3

  2,431·1

  95·4

  121·8

  106·8

  155·1

  1 Includes £305 million (£193 per head) for costs associated with the privatisation of Short Brothers plc.

  2 Expenditure includes net receipts of Land Registry in England and Wales and costs from the central administration of the offices of the Secretaries of State.

  Table 6 General government expenditure analysed by territorial area and function 1989–901 Identifiable expenditure

  £ million

  England

  Scotland (total)

  Programme 152

  Scotland (total)

  Wales other

  Programme 162

  Wales other

  Northern Ireland (total)

  Programme 172

  Northern Ireland other3

  Total

  Non Identified

  United Kingdom

  Defence

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  20,680·7

  20,680·7

  Overseas services

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,537·6

  2,537·6

  Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry

  890·9

  220·2

  202·7

  17·5

  105·9

  96·2

  9·7

  182·7

  179·2

  3·5

  1,399·7

  913·8

  2,313·5

  Trade, Industry, energy and employment

  3,676·6

  648·9

  260·8

  388·1

  362·0

  167·5

  194·5

  751·0

  751·0

  0·0

  5,438·5

  2,728·4

  8,166·9

  Roads and transport

  4,624·5

  696·9

  695·9

  1·0

  346·5

  346·5

  0·0

  130·8

  130·8

  0·0

  5,798·7

  1,071·5

  6,870·2

  Housing

  3,365·7

  645·1

  645·1

  0·0

  169·6

  169·6

  0·0

  267·2

  267·2

  0·0

  4,447·6

  0·0

  4,447·6

  Other environmental services

  5,310·6

  715·2

  709·4

  5·8

  449·6

  444·6

  5·0

  279·6

  279·6

  0·0

  6,755·0

  511·7

  7,266·7

  Law, order and protective services

  6,482·2

  808·1

  775·1

  33·0

  329·1

  0·0

  329·1

  697·6

  666·2

  31·4

  8,317·0

  1,631·3

  9,948·3

  Education and science5

  19,153·9

  2,825·4

  2,547·5

  277·9

  1,168·8

  1,005·6

  163·2

  940·0

  940·0

  0·0

  24,088·1

  902·3

  24,990·4

  Arts and libraries5

  910·6

  101·1

  101·1

  0·0

  48·5

  48·5

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1,060·2

  188·5

  1,248·7

  Health and personal social services

  23,609·8

  3,267·8

  3,267·8

  0·0

  1,521·0

  1,521·0

  0·0

  961·6

  961·6

  0·0

  29,360·2

  40·2

  29,400·4

  Social security

  42,616·6

  5,024·3

  0·0

  5,024·3

  2,907·3

  0·0

  2,907·3

  1,700·5

  1,687·9

  12·6

  52,248·7

  637·9

  52,886·6

  Miscellaneous6

  -1·7

  126·3

  126·3

  0·0

  49·7

  48·0

  1·7

  59·0

  59·0

  0·0

  233·3

  6,909·6

  7,142·9

  Total expenditure

  110,639·7

  15,079·3

  9,331·7

  5,747·6

  7,458·0

  3,847·5

  3,610·5

  5,970·0

  5,922·5

  47·5

  139,147·0

  38,753·5

  177,900·5

  1 Items included in general government expenditure but not included within total expenditure on programmes (privatisation proceeds, general government debt interest and accounting adjustments) are treated as unidentified expenditure and not allocated to territories.

  2 Programmes 15,16 and 17 relate to expenditure programmes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland covered by the respective chapters of the 1990 public expenditure White Paper (Cm 1015–1017).

  3 Responsibility for most expenditure in Northern Ireland rests with the Northern Ireland Office and Departments; this column includes certain expenditure in support of the agriculture and fishing industries, the costs of the Northern Ireland Court Service and War Pensions payments.

  4 Includes £305 million for costs associated with the privatisation of Short Brothers plc.

  5 Expenditure on arts and libraries in Northern Ireland is included with education and science.

  6 Includes contributions to European Communities and expenditure associated with general maintenance of government, such as tax collection and population registration.

  Table 7a: General government expenditure1 in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1985–86 to 1989–90

  £ million

  Index (United Kingdom identifiable expenditure =100)

  Great Britain

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom identified

  Great Britain

  Northern Ireland

  1985–86

  107,277·2

  4,414·3

  111,691·5

  96·0

  4·0

  1986–87

  113,847·9

  4,691·9

  118,539·8

  96·0

  4·0

  1987–88

  120,706·2

  4,885·4

  125,591·6

  96·1

  3·9

  1988–89

  126,387·4

  25,645·5

  132,032·9

  95·7

  4·3

  1989–90

  138,807·6

  36,004·3

  144,811·9

  95·9

  4·1

  Table 7b: General government expenditure per head1 in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1985–86 to 1989–90

  £ per head

  Index (United Kingdom identifiable expenditure = 100)

  Great Britain

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom identified

  Great Britain

  Northern Ireland

  1985–86

  1,948·4

  2,833·7

  1,972·7

  98·8

  143·6

  1986–87

  2,062·6

  3,013·8

  2,088·7

  98·8

  144·3

  1987–88

  2,180·6

  3,101·6

  2,206·1

  98·8

  140·6

  1988–89

  2,277·8

  23,577·4

  2,313·7

  98·4

  154·6

  1989–90

  2,494·2

  33,793·0

  2,530·1

  98·6

  149·9

  458 459
  1 The figures in these tables differ from those for identifiable expenditure given in Tables 1–6 because their coverage is wider; in particular some of the finance provided for nationalised industries is included.

  2 Includes £390 million (£247 per head) for costs associated with the privatisation of Short Brothers plc.

  3 Includes £305 million (£193 per head) for costs associated with the privatisation of Short Brothers plc.

  Advertising
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing the amount spent in each of the last five years by his Department on(a) advertising in the press, (b) advertising on television and radio, (c) other advertising and promotion and (d) promotion videos and sound cassettes.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: Expenditure by the Treasury on promotional advertising is as follows:

  1988–89 (Actual)

  1989–90 (Actual)

  1990–91 (Budget/Provision)

  £49,310

  £52,568

  £52,800

  Notes:

  1 Figures for 1986–87 and 1987–88 are not readily available and could be given only at disproportionate cost.

  2None of the expenditure shown in the table is for television or radio advertising.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the change in Treasury income during the 1991–92 financial year resulting from confining all income tax exemptions to an upper limit of 20 per cent.

  Thousands

  Standard Region

  Latest OPCS estimate of resident population June 1989

  Number on Community Charges Register on 10 September 1990 subject to a personal charge on

  1 June 1990 Students

  10 September 1990 Others1

  Northern

  2,376

  34

  2,300

  North West

  4,889

  71

  4,631

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  3,805

  70

  3,643

  East Midlands

  3,084

  38

  2,981

  West Midlands

  4,000

  53

  3,842

  East Anglia

  1,577

  23

  1,521

  South West

  3,643

  40

  3,511

  South East

  8,219

  105

  7,915

  Greater London

  5,246

  93

  5,078

  1 including full year equivalent of number contributing to collective community charge in 1990–91.

  The difference between the OPCS figures, which are estimates based on the 1981 population census, and the numbers on the registers subject to a personal community charge may not equal the number of exemptions due to the different sources used to derive the figures and the different reference dates used.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review his decision not to take account of the use of balances to support revenue expenditure in 1990–91 in making his decisions on poll tax capping in 1991–92.

  Mr. Portillo
  As I told the House on 3 December, the intentions for criteria announced on 31 October remain the Government's intended criteria for 1991–92. When my right hon. Friend comes to make his decisions on capping he will take into account all appropriate considerations.
  460
  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 10 December 1990]: It is estimated that at 1991–92 levels of income the revenue yield in a full year from restricting income tax reliefs to an upper limit of 20 per cent. of gross income less personal allowances would be about £2¼ billion and some 6½ million taxpayers, of whom almost all currently pay at the basic rate, would pay more tax. These estimates are based on projections from the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes and are therefore provisional. They are based on an increase in personal allowances and the basic rate threshold of 10½ per cent. in 1991–92 in line with the illustrative rates published in the 1990 autumn statement and do not take account of any behavioural changes that might result from the new regime.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of adults in each standard region together with the number of persons liable for the payment of poll tax at (a) the minimum rate, (b) a reduced rate and (c) the full rate.

  Mr. Key
  The available information is as follows:

  Small Cetaceans
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to adhere to the conditions of the Berne convention by protecting the habitat of small cetaceans, and in particular the dolphin populations in the Moray firth and Cardigan bay; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government fulfil their obligations under the Berne convention principally through the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The 1981 Act, as subsequently amended, prohibits the deliberate killing, injuring or taking of all small cetacean species.

  The Government's strategy for protection of the marine environment was set out in the environment White Paper—Cm. 1200. In accordance with the wildlife initiatives agreed in the ministerial declaration of the third North sea

  461
  conference in March this year, new research is being commissioned to improve knowledge of cetacean behaviour and to analyse tissue samples from stranded animals. Good progress is also being made on the preparation of an agreement on the conservation of small cetaceans in the Baltic and North seas under the Bonn convention on migratory species.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of homeless persons aged 16 and 17 years.

  Mr. Yeo
  Local authorities report the number of households for whom they accept responsibility to secure accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985. Information on age is not collected and the Department has no such estimates.

  The Mall
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when The Mall in London SW1 was first closed to traffic on Sundays; and what arrangements have been made since then to facilitate the flow of traffic which has to use other roads.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Mall was first closed to motor traffic on Sundays on 28 July 1968 for an experimental period.

  Housing and construction statistics (Tables 6.1 and 6.7)

  Numbers of dwellings (England): Starts

  Wheelchair

  Mobility

  Housing Association

  Local Authority or New Town

  Housing Association

  Local Authority or New Town

  Total disabled dwellings

  Total Housing Association/Local Authority or New Town

  1979

  129

  576

  2,316

  5,950

  8,971

  68,972

  1980

  85

  488

  3,347

  4,733

  8,653

  46,564

  1981

  16

  256

  40

  1,926

  2,238

  78,136

  1982

  32

  296

  135

  2,594

  3,057

  43,836

  1983

  31

  357

  53

  2,639

  3,080

  42,259

  1984

  89

  333

  262

  1,369

  2,053

  35,001

  1985

  34

  263

  125

  1,420

  3,895

  28,980

  1986

  33

  207

  85

  1,114

  1,439

  27,745

  1987

  27

  165

  121

  947

  1,260

  25,052

  1988

  60

  244

  235

  950

  1,489

  23,383

  1989

  42

  188

  328

  543

  1,101

  22,588

  19901

  67

  69

  102

  469

  723

  15,295

  1 To third quarter.

  Aggregates
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what progress has been made on the revised guidelines for aggregates provision in England and Wales; and when they will be published for public consideration;

  (2) if he will allow an opportunity for additional public consultation on a range of options for future aggregates provision before the regional aggregates working parties have finalised their commentaries on future supply requirements;

  (3) if he will make it his policy to include reference to the fact that the demand for aggregates is not immutable in his revision of the guidelines for aggregates provision in England and Wales.

  Mr. Yeo
  Following the completion of the 1989 survey into aggregates production, sales and distribution my right 462
  The arrangement was made permanent in April 1969 and extended to include the Queen Victoria memorial roundabout and Constitution hill. The Department has made no special arrangements for traffic flow on other roads in the royal parks.

  Wheelchair and Mobility Housing
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the level of provision of wheelchair and mobility housing over the last 10 years.

  Sir George Young
  The figures for housing association and local authority wheelchair and mobility dwellings are shown in the table. Since October 1987, housing associations have been required to construct all new-build housing and rehabilitation schemes to mobility standards, wherever practicable. In addition, disabled people may obtain assistance for house adaptations under the new house renovation grants system introduced in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and this should help to increase the amount of housing suitable for people with disabilities. Local authorities' spending on home improvement grants for works to disabled persons' dwellings in England, increased from £2·547 million in 1980–81 to £51·549 million in 1988–89.

  hon. Friend proposes to revise "Guidelines for the Provision of Aggregates in England and Wales", MPG6. The survey will be published in the new year, together with a forecast of the future demand for primary aggregates. The implications of this will be discussed by the regional aggregates working parties during 1991. In particular they will consider the relevance of the forecast for the region, the land use planning implications and how future demand might be met.

  Before publishing a revision of the present "Guidelines for the Provision of Aggregates in England and Wales", MPG6, my right hon. Friend will consider the views of the regional aggregates working parties, together with any other views which may be expressed. It is not intended to undertake a wider range of formal consultations until a draft of the revised guidelines is available, but my right hon. Friend will make available the information given to the regional aggregates working parties and will consider

  463
  any views that may be expressed about the future demand for aggregates before publishing the draft revised guidelines for full public consultation towards the end of 1991.

  In considering future guidelines for aggregates provision, it will be important to consider a range of options. This will include the likely demand for aggregates and the extent to which use may be made of secondary materials such as colliery minestone and china clay sand as well as waste and recycled materials including power station ash, blast furnace slag and crushed concrete. Also to be taken into account will be the potential offered by marine sand and gravel and imports from outside England and Wales. My Department already has a number of research projects in hand to examine these options and the results will be important in the preparation of new guidelines.

  It remains important that the minerals planning authorities should continue to implement the advice given in MPG6 which remains the current guidance on aggregates provision.

  Building Surveyors
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the present status of professional liability in relation to building surveyors.

  Sir George Young
  The professional liability of building surveyors, as of other construction professionals, is dealt with under common law, contract law and such Acts as the Latent Damage Act 1986.

  Housing Investment Programmes
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will make the allocations to local authorities in England for their housing investment programmes in 1991–92.

  Sir George Young
  Each housing authority is today being informed of its housing investment programme—HIP—allocation for 1991–92. Copies of the letters to local authorities and of the schedule of HIP allocations have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  The local authority associations have been consulted about the distribution of housing capital allocations, including the construction of the generalised needs index —GNI—which has been further updated for 1991–92 following the comprehensive review last year. In particular, we have this year introduced a new indicator into the GNI to measure authorities' use of temporary accommodation. This helps to ensure that those authorities that face the most severe homelessness problems and that have had to meet them by using temporary accommodation receive additional resources to reflect their needs.

  Local authority credit approvals and specified capital grant total £1,972 million in 1991–92. There are also £7 million of other capital grants. The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 allows my right hon. Friend to take account of local authorities' capital receipts when making allocations, and the housing element of the receipts taken into account in this way is £276 million. Housing capital allocations for 1991–92 will therefore total £2,255 million.
  464
  After considering the views of the local authority associations, my right hon. Friend has concluded that the distribution of resources should be made on the following basis:
  (i) £387 million to be allocated separately as supplementary credit approvals as follows:
  (a) £115 million for the second year of the special homelessness initiative; local authorities in London and the south-east will shortly be invited to submit bids, particularly to bring empty homes back into use and for cash incentive schemes;
  (b) £185 million of the total of £290 million available for the Estate Action programme, for new and some continuation schemes. In 1990–91, the HIP allocation of the 57 urban programme authorities included additional resources in the form of inner city special allocations. For 1991–92, my right hon. Friend has decided that these resources can be used more effectively if allocated as part of an enlarged Estate Action programme;
  (c) £50 million for the new rural housing programme;
  (d) £10 million for energy efficiency demonstration projects in the local authority stock;
  (e) £25 million to provide against demand for mandatory grants in excess of authorities' available resources;
  (f) £2 million to cover repairs to defective ex new town stock;
  (ii) In addition to the £185 million of supplementary credit approvals for Estate Action, a further £105 million of annual capital guidelines—ACGs—for Estate Action continuation schemes is being allocated to authorities on the basis of agreed levels of commitment, as part of their main HIP allocations.;
  (iii) The remaining £1,756 million of the main HIP allocations, made up of the £1,343 million of housing ACGs and £413 million of resources for specified capital grant, has been distributed in two stages. First, the distribution to DOE regions has been made in proportion to the sum of the GNI scores of the local authorities in each region. Second, each region's total has been allocated to individual local authorities one half in proportion to each authority's GNI score, and one half following recommendations by the Department's regional housing controllers to reflect local needs and circumstances.

  Under the new capital finance system, the Government issue forward indications of all-service annual capital guidelines for the second and third years of the public expenditure survey period. The indications for 1992–93 and 1993–94 will be issued as early as possible in the new year. However, to assist authorities in planning their housing investment programmes more than one year ahead, my right hon. Friend has decided to promulgate provisional figures for the housing element of the overall calculation with authorities' HIP allocations. The amounts for 1992–93 and 1993–94 are included in each authority's allocation letter.

  Pollution
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress made to date on implementing the provisions of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989; what regulations have been laid; and what regulations he expects to lay arising from the Act.

  Mr. Baldry
  [pursuant to the reply, 14 November 1990, c. 163]: We have today published a consultation paper which sets out the basis on which we propose to implement the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989. The consultation paper includes a draft of the regulations

  465
  necessary to give effect to the registration of waste carriers and the procedure under which a waste regulation authority may seize a vehicle used for fly-tipping.

  The registration of waste carriers is the first step in the implementation of the duty of care now contained in section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The main features of the system of registration which we propose to adopt are:
  (a) Scope: The effect of the 1989 Act is to require anyone who transports waste in the course of a business, or in any other way for profit, to be registered. The proposed regulations will require each waste regulation authority to establish and maintain a register of carriers. Each carrier will be required to register with the authority for the area in which his principal place of business is situated. On acceptance, his registration will be valid throughout Great Britain;
  (b) Duration: Each carrier's registration will last for three years. He will be reminded by the regulation authority of the need to apply for renewal of his registration;
  (c) Refusal: A regulation authority will be able to refuse or revoke registration if the carrier or another relevant person has been convicted of a prescribed offence and, in the authority's opinion, it is undesirable for the carrier to be authorised to transport controlled waste. The draft regulations list the offences which we propose to prescribe. A carrier will have the right of appeal against an authority's refusal or revocation of his registration;
  (d) Exemptions: Certain types of carrier will be exempted from the requirement to register. For example, producers in relation to the transport of waste which they have produced;
  (e) Charges: Regulation authorities will be required to charge for their consideration of applications for registration and its renewal. The consultation paper invites comments on the level at which the charges should be set;
  (f) The register: The registers maintained by regulation authorities will contain each carrier's application and entries listing other relevant information. Registers will be open to inspection free of charge by members of the public and must be indexed to enable information to be readily traced;
  (g) Timetable: The 1989 Act and the proposed regulations will be brought into force in two stages. The first stage will come into force in May 1991 and will enable carriers to apply for registration. It is proposed that the second stage should come into force at the same time as the duty of care in April 1992. At that stage, it will become an offence to transport waste without registering and a carrier may be stopped and required to produce his certificate of registration.

  The draft regulations also set out the procedure under which an authority will be able to apply for a warrant to seize a vehicle believed to have been used in the illegal disposal of waste. The purpose of this procedure is to aid the detection and prosecution of those involved in fly-tipping. It is not concerned with the punitive confiscation of vehicles. An authority will be required to return a vehicle to a claimant who satisfactorily establishes his entitlement to it. However, once the authority has established that person's entitlement it will be considerably better placed to ascertain the identity of the person using the vehicle when the waste was disposed of illegally.

  Comments on the draft regulations are invited by 28 February 1991. I am arranging for copies of the consultation paper to be placed in the Library of the House.

HEALTH

  Trent Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the projected figure for the closure of acute medical and surgical beds in the Trent regional health authority by March 1991.
  466
  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to write to Sir Michael Carlisle, the chairman of Trent regional health authority, for this information.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing staff have been made redundant or redeployed; how many support staff have been made redundant; how many full-time posts have been converted to part-time posts; and what increase in administrative jobs there have been with the introduction of the health Bill in the Trent regional health authority last year.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The provisional figure for administration and clerical staff, including general and senior managers, for Trent region for September 1990 shows an increase of 750 whole-time equivalents. It is not known centrally what proportion of these posts relates to the implementation of the Government's White Paper "Working for Patients". The remaining information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to write to Sir Michael Carlisle, the chairman of Trent regional health authority, for further information.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to increase the level of financial support to secure units for young offenders in Merseyside.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The provision of secure accommodation for children in care, including those who are offenders or alleged offenders, is a matter for individual local authorities. We are always prepared to consider applications for grant aid to fund the capital provision of new secure units where the need for such provision has been identified. We are not aware of current plans to increase the stock of secure accommodation in Merseyside, although we understand local authorities within that region are reviewing the position.

  Myodil
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if Myodil still has a product licence for export; and what information he has on whether Glaxo is still exporting it.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  For medicinal products exported from the United Kingdom the requirements are set by the importing country. A product licence is not always required for exports.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when Myodil was given a reviewed product licence; on what subsequent dates was the licence renewed; what evidence was presented at the time the reviewed licence was given; and what consideration was given to adverse reactions to Myodil;

  (2) what clinical trials have been carried out on Myodil.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A review application for Myodil was received in the early 1980s. Numerous clinical trials have been conducted with Myodil, examining its value in a number of diagnostic procedures including myelography and ventriculography. A substantial body of evidence in relation to iophendylate, the active ingredient of Myodil, has been published in well over 300 citations spanning a period of over 40 years. This included information relating to adverse reactions associated with the use of Myodil.
  467
  The review included examination of evidence that the product was of an appropriate standard of safety, quality and efficacy. A reviewed product licence, valid for five years, was granted in 1987.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in what ways were the warnings regarding the use of Myodil drawn to the attention of doctors; and whether any steps were taken by his Department or by health authorities to ensure that no doctor giving a spinal injection of Myodil could be unaware of them;

  (2) whether his Department, the Committee on Safety of Medicines or the Committee on the Review of Medicines ever issued warnings to radiologists about adverse reactions to Myodil.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I know of no warnings being issued by the Department, health authorities, the Committee on Safety of Medicines or the Committee on the Review of Medicines to radiologists about adverse reaction to Myodil. Information was already available to them in package inserts and the data sheet which were updated as appropriate in the light of accumulating knowledge. It is for doctors who use a product to ensure that they are fully familiar with the benefits and the risks of any procedure or treatment.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what precise warnings regarding the use of Myodil and the possibility of subsequent adverse reactions were given by the manufacturer, Glaxo; what changes there have been in the warnings; and when they were made.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In the package insert dated March 1972, serious adverse reactions were reported to be rare provided that a suitable technique was used; references were made to the removal of Myodil after myelography. The reactions listed included frequent headaches, sometimes severe with vomiting and photo-phobia after myelography, pyrexia, neck stiffness, low back pain and exacerbation of previous symptoms such as those of sciatica. The leaflet also referred to occasional reports of arachnoiditis and literature reports of adhesions and fibrous exudates being found on operation in patients who had at some stage undergone myelography with Myodil.

  In the revised package insert dated November 1973 it was, in addition, recommended that the material be removed by aspiration after the myelography unless required for further study. Information on adverse reactions was enlarged to detail its irritant or allergenic potential. Advice was given that if low back pain persisted or previous symptoms of sciatica were exacerbated, any residual Myodil should be removed and where warranted, hydrocortisone sodium succinate injected intrathecally.

  The data sheets introduced in the 1980s further emphasised the importance of removing as much Myodil as possible at the time of myelography.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the approximate number of people who have developed arachnoiditis after the use of Myodil.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Myelography is often a prelude to surgery for lumbar disc disease. In consequence, it is difficult to disassociate the effects of the original disease from those of the pre-operative myelography or the surgery. The frequency of symptoms compatible with 468
  arachnoiditis varies in different publications and it is clear that there is a poor correlation between symptoms and pathology. For these reasons, it is not possible to estimate the number of people who may have developed arachnoiditis as a result of the use of Myodil.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in the last full year it was available, how many spinal investigations using Myodil were carried out in national health service hospitals;

  (2) what information he has regarding the approximate number of people who have been injected with the spinal dye Myodil since it was marketed to its withdrawal.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the types of spinal investigations for which Myodil was used.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Myodil was used for the following spinal investigations:

  (a) Investigation of low back pain.

  (b) Investigation of cervical, dorsal and lumbar disc disease and

  (c) Investigation of suspected compressive abnormalities of the spinal canal.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health from what sources his Department has received information about adverse reactions to the spinal dye Myodil.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department has received information on adverse reactions to Myodil from a variety of sources including spontaneous reports from the medical profession, published literature and from the manufacturer.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many yellow card reports there have been indicating a possible association between the spinal dye Myodil and the disease arachnoiditis; and when the first report was received;

  (2) if he will list the adverse reactions associated with the spinal dye Myodil.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Committee on Safety of Medicines has received a total of 73 yellow card reports in association with the use of Myodil, the first one being in 1970. Arachnoiditis was mentioned in 11 reports, the first in March 1972. In addition to arachnoiditis, the reports have included meningeal reactions which were self-limiting in most cases and local reactions either due to the procedure or the dye such as lumbar pain and leg pain. It is important to stress that the report of a reaction suspected in association with the use of a drug does not necessarily imply a cause and effect relationship.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to withdraw the product licence for Myodil.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Myodil was withdrawn from the market by the company for commercial reasons and the Licensing Authority has been notified of its action. There are no plans to withdraw the product licence for Myodil.
  469
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health at what date alternatives to Myodil were first available; what they were; and what assessment was made of the degree to which they were risk free.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Myodil was licensed with the following clinical indications:

  Myelography

  Ventriculography:

  visualisation of the third and fourth ventricles and the aqueduct of sylvius.

  Intra-uterine use:

  to outline the foetus prior to intra-uterine blood transfusion.

  The following is a list of products which are licensed for one or more of the same indications:

  Isovist 190

  Isovist 240

  Isovist 300

  Niopam 200 Injection

  Niopam 300 Injection

  Omnipaque 180 mgi/ml Injection

  Amipaque Powder for Injection

  Iopamidol 300 Injection

  The availability of any particular drug is a matter for the companies concerned.

  Every application for a product licence is considered individually and must satisfy the Licensing Authority as to its safety, quality and efficacy before a licence is granted.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures for spinal investigation have been used following the withdrawal of Myodil; and what is their cost relative to Myodil.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The procedures listed have been used for spinal investigations following the withdrawal from use of Myodil:

  (a) the use of water-soluble contrast media.

  (b) Computed tomography without and with contrast media

  and

  (c) Magnetic resonance imaging.

  No costings are available relative to that of using Myodil.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the Committee on Safety of Medicines has at any time discussed Myodil;

  (2) whether any evidence on safety has been presented to the Committee on the Review of Medicines since Myodil was first given its reviewed product licence.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Following completion of the review, it would be the Committee on Safety of Medicines rather than the Committee on the Review of Medicines which would be consulted if the known safety profile of a product changed so as to cause alarm. This has not been the case with Myodil.

  Non-pasteurised Milk
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment his Department has made on the health implications of the consumption of non-pasteurised milk; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what information he has regarding incidents of illness or disease in England and Wales in the last 10 years which can be attributed to the consumption of non-pasteurised milk.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department keeps under continual review the health implications arising from the consump-tion of untreated milk in the light of the incidence of 470
  human illness associated with it. Since 1985, the retail outlets through which untreated milk can be sold in England and Wales have been severely restricted. There was a public consultation in 1989 on whether a total ban on the sale of untreated milk should be introduced. In view of the strong response from consumers who wished to continue to drink untreated milk, the Government decided not to proceed with the ban but to introduce new testing and labelling requirements to ensure that risks to health are minimised and to enable consumers to make an informed choice on whether to drink this product. New test requirements on microbiological examination were introduced on 1 April 1990 and from 1 September 1990 all such milk has been required to carry a clear warning
  "This milk has not been heat-treated and may therefore contain organisms harmful to health".

  This enables consumers to make an informed decision on whether to use the product.

  In the period 1980 to 1989, there were 112 confirmed outbreaks, accounting for 2,776 cases, of food-borne diseases associated with raw cows' milk reported to the public health laboratory service's communicable disease surveillance centre.

  NHS Employees
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has completed consideration of the case for further guidance to be issued to national health service employees with private practice interests in potential competition with their work in income-generating departments in the national health service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Officials are currently working on guidance on conflict of interests to be issued to national health service authorities in due course.

  Pressure Sores
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his most up-to-date estimate of the cost to the national health service of treating a pressure sore.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No specific figures or sufficiently detailed data on which to base a realistic estimate are collected centrally.

  Organ Donors
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any financial assistance is provided to the next of kin of organ donors for the cost of the subsequent funeral arrangements.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No.

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has concerning the total cost of removing a range of organs from a donor whose next of kin has consented to organ donations; how many transplant teams will be involved; and what is the approximate time an operating theatre will be required.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The resources required to remove organs depend on a number of factors such as the donor's medical condition. We are currently considering the possibility of identifying the costs incurred in organ donation.

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many neuro-intensive care units in
  471
  England and Wales are involved in transplantation; and how many have produced organ donors in the past five years, unit by unit.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not collected centrally in the form requested.

  Gloucester District Health Authority
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the size of population served by Gloucester district health authority in 1979 and 1990, and the proportion of the population aged over 60 years in 1979 and 1990.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The estimated resident population of Gloucester district health authority at mid-1989, the latest date for which an estimate is available, is 315,800 of whom 21·1 per cent. are aged 60 and over. The estimated population for the same area at mid-1979 is 297,600, of whom 19·3 per cent. were aged 60 and over.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by category the number of staff employed by the Gloucester district health authority(a) in 1979 and (b) in 1990.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the figures for 1982 and 1989.

  Due to the reorganisation of health authority boundaries in 1982, information on the number of staff employed by health authorities in Gloucestershire prior to this date is not comparable with later years. The hon. Member may wish to write to Ms. R. Frichie, the chairman of Gloucester health authority, for information in 1990, which is not held centrally.

  NHS Staff in Post by Main Staff Groups at 30 September for 1982 and 1989 Gloucester District Health Authority

  Whole-time Equivalents1

  Main Staff Groups

  1982

  1989

  Medical and Dental2

  170

  130

  Nursing and Midwifery3

  2,330

  2,370

  Professional and Technical (Excluding Works)

  400

  450

  Works

  20

  10

  Maintenance

  120

  80

  Administrative and Clerical (Including Managers)

  530

  590

  Ambulance

  230

  240

  Ancillary

  900

  640

  Total

  4,690

  4,530

  Source: Department of health (SM13) annual censuses of NHS medical and non-medical manpower.

  1 All figures are independently rounded to the nearest ten (10 whole-time equivalents.

  2 Includes Permanent Paid Honorary staff and locums. Excludes Consultants and Senior Registrars in Non-Teaching District Health Authorities and Senior Registrars in Teaching District Health Authorities. These still have their contract with the RHA.

  3 Includes agency staff.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide the number of hospital beds available in the Gloucester district health authority area in 1979 and 1990 and the projected total for 1992.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Between 1979 and 1989–90, the average daily number of beds in national health service hospitals in Gloucester district health authority, taking boundary 472
  changes into account, reduced from 2,192 to 1,664. Over the period 1979 to 1989–90 the total number of in-patient discharges and deaths and day case attendances rose by 26 per cent. from 33,000 to 42,000.

  The hon. Member may wish to write to Ms. R. Frichie, the chairman of Gloucester health authority, for estimates for 1992 which are not held centrally.

  Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the extent of FIV infection in cats and the potential threat to human health.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  Feline immunodeficiency virus—FIV—has been iden-tified in cat populations in numerous countries, but it is most prevalent in free-roaming cats. Most cats recover from the disease but become lifelong carriers of the virus. The infection rate in the limited surveys that have taken place in the United Kingdom has ranged from 5 to 23 per cent. of the cats tested. There is no evidence to link FIV to any human disease.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those husbandry systems he described as unacceptable in his answer to the hon. Member for Calder Valley (Mr. Thompson) of 25 July,Official Report, column 251.

  Mr. Maclean
  The systems were described in the Farm Animal Welfare Council's assessment of pig production systems. The council drew attention in particular to the welfare problems with stall and tether systems for dry sows, the "sweat box" system for keeping growing pigs and multi-tier cages for weaners.

  Expert Advisory Committees
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now establish a register of interests for members of Government expert advisory committees.

  Mr. Maclean
  The interests which members of the Veterinary Products Committee have in the pharmaceuti-cal industry are published each year in its annual report of which copies are in the Library. Independent members of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides are currently appointed on the basis that they have no interests in the pesticides industry. But in order to widen the pool of expertise available we are now considering replacing this restriction by the introduction of a system based on a register of declared interests. We are considering this issue in relation to other committees advising on food safety matters, but have not reached a conclusion.

  Food Surveillance
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure a consumer representative sits on the steering group on food surveillance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The steering group on food surveillance advises the Government on the detailed scientific aspects
  473
  of their food chemical surveillance work. The members of the group are experts who are individually qualified to contribute to this work. Specific consumer protection issues which arise are considered by the Food Advisory Committee which has consumer representatives amongst its members.

  Farmers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which specific EEC regulations exist to allow the provision of financial assistance to farmers adversely affected by structural changes.

  Mr. Curry
  Council regulation 797/85, as amended by Council regulations 3827/85, 2224/86, 1760/87, 1094/88, 1137/88, 591/89, 1609/89, 3808/89, 752/90 and 2176/90 and Commission regulation 2156/89, covers a wide range of structural measures available to farmers generally. Regulations 1696/71, 1035/72, and 1360/78, 389/82 and 1096/88, all of which were also amended by regulation 3808/89, deal with structural measures which are specific to particular sectors or countries other than the United Kingdom. In addition, there is a specific income aids scheme covered by Council regulations 768/89 and 3813/89 as amended by regulation 1279/90.

  Seals and Dolphins
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to prevent the disappearance of seal and dolphins from United Kingdom waters.

  Mr. Curry
  Seals are given basic protection against indiscriminate killing by the Conservation of Seals Act 1970. The Government have by order extended this safeguard in the wake of the recent viral epidemic which in particular has affected the common seal. The United Kingdom populations of seals number over 100,000.

  Dolphins are protected against deliberate capture by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Whaling Industry (Regulation) Act 1934. A United Kingdom initiative led to the adoption by the North sea conference forum earlier this year of a plan concerned with conservation of all species of small cetacean.

  Food Industry
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to encourage the food industry to reduce the levels of sugar in foods.

  Mr. Curry
  Following the recommendations of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy report on dietary sugars and human disease and the advice contained in the recent Government publication "Eight Guidelines for a Healthy Diet", both of which are available in the Library of the House, the food industry is responding to consumers' demand by providing a wide and increasing range of less sugary foods. We are continuing to encourage the declaration of total sugars as part of nutrition declarations which now commonly appear on food labels so that consumers can make informed choices.

  Irish sea
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for which countries the Hague preference applies in the Irish sea; if he will apply to have 474
  the Hague preference extended to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement about fish quotas in the Irish sea for 1991.

  Mr. Curry
  The Hague preference areas are the northern parts of the United Kingdom which includes Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. In the Irish sea, Hague preference is provided for cod, whiting, plaice and sole for both countries but for each of these the trigger point for the preference is higher for the Republic of Ireland.

  The Commission's proposals for TACs and quotas for 1991 for the Irish sea which are set out in an un-numbered explanatory memorandum of 11 December, will be considered by the Council of Fisheries Ministers on 19 December. Under these proposals if they were to be agreed unchanged the Republic of Ireland could invoke Hague preference for cod, whiting and plaice.

  Mink
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in each of the last three years his inspectors have supervised, examined or monitored the slaughter of farmed mink by injection.

  Mr. Maclean
  Officers of the state veterinary service monitored the slaughter of mink by injection once in 1988 and once in 1989. At the visits to fur farms so far in 1990, at which slaughter was observed on four occasions, the method used was gassing rather than injection.

  Slaughter
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 26 November,Official Report, column 316, how he ensures that slaughter of livestock other than in a licensed abattoir is carried out with due care and humanity.

  Mr. Maclean
  On-farm slaughter is an unpredictable event and, as such, cannot be routinely monitored. Officers of the state veterinary service are available to advise on humane slaughter to ensure that livestock owners are able to meet their legal obligations.

  Soil Erosion
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department will initiate research into the extent to which soil erosion contributes to the deposition of phosphates in water courses.

  Mr. Curry
  This Department is currently reviewing the need for further research into this matter.

  Soil Survey and Land Research Centre
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reductions in funding and staffing of the Soil Survey are proposed for 1990–91.

  Mr. Curry
  No reduction in funding of the Soil Survey and Land Research Centre has taken place in 1990–91. In the current financial year the Department will be spending £552,800 on research at the Soil Survey and Land Research Centre. Changes in staffing arrangements are regarded as an internal matter to be handled solely by the Soil Survey and Land Research Centre's management.

  Water Erosion
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if a report on the 1989–90 water erosion monitoring scheme will be published;

  (2) if he proposes to continue his Department's water erosion monitoring scheme in 1991.

  Mr. Curry
  The research project into the control of water erosion in arable crops, began in 1988–89 and the first year's work is being evaluated. The project is due for review in 1992, when the results will be published.

  Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the result of the laboratory test for spongiform ence-phalopathy carried out on the antelope calf which died at London zoo on 12 November.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 November 1990, c. 441]: The examination of the brain tissue of the greater kudu put down at London zoo on 13 November has been carried out by the central veterinary laboratory and a spongiform encephalopathy has been confirmed.

  The animal was born in April 1989 and was the offspring of a greater kudu in which a similar encephalopathy was confirmed in August 1989. Investigations into the cause of the disease in this kudu are continuing.

  Pentobarbitone
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regulations govern the use of pentobarbitone; and what restrictions are placed on its purchase, ownership and use.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have been asked to reply.

  Pentobarbitone is a barbiturate compound which is used as a sedative and anaesthetic in clinical and veterinary practice. It is used particularly in the killing and putting down of animals. Supply and possession of the drug are subject to restrictions under both the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the Medicines Act 1968. The effect is that it may be purchased for professional use by medical, dental and

  Net official development assistance 1985 (£ million)

  DAC countries

  Angola

  Botswana

  Lesotho

  Malawi

  Mozambique

  Namibia

  Swaziland

  Tanzania

  Zambia

  Zimbabwe

  Total

  Australia

  —

  0·35

  0·21

  0·35

  1·07

  0·02

  0·25

  3·13

  1·67

  3·18

  10·24

  Austria

  1·06

  —

  —

  —

  2·20

  —

  —

  0·32

  0·19

  0·35

  4·12

  Belgium

  0·10

  0·03

  0·04

  0·02

  1·00

  0·03

  0·07

  2·81

  1·03

  0·41

  5·54

  Canada

  1·37

  3·79

  3·96

  3·32

  3·68

  -0·89

  3·39

  23·44

  8·42

  13·37

  63·85

  Denmark

  0·69

  1·70

  1·33

  3·95

  4·67

  —

  -0·01

  28·56

  4·75

  4·60

  50·23

  Finland

  0·16

  0·02

  0·36

  0·02

  2·43

  1·06

  —

  12·82

  9·11

  3·44

  29·41

  France

  1·04

  0·26

  0·16

  2·49

  15·65

  —

  0·54

  1·13

  0·52

  4·07

  25·23

  Germany

  1·91

  10·17

  6·29

  9·15

  3·72

  1·07

  1·34

  25·37

  14·45

  21·06

  94·52

  Ireland

  —

  —

  2·27

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2·14

  1·84

  0·27

  6·52

  Italy

  12·58

  0·01

  0·56

  0·04

  21·57

  —

  0·23

  26·86

  1·00

  5·76

  68·62

  Japan

  —

  0·02

  0·52

  3·76

  3·36

  —

  0·58

  21·97

  31·82

  6·59

  68·61

  Netherlands

  6·21

  1·62

  0·62

  2·01

  19·15

  0·09

  0·33

  28·48

  12·10

  13·68

  84·28

  New Zealand

  —

  0·01

  —

  0·01

  —

  —

  —

  0·04

  0·01

  0·01

  0·07

  Norway

  0·23

  8·53

  0·59

  0·35

  10·38

  0·20

  0·14

  35·04

  12·87

  6·43

  80·76

  Sweden

  14·43

  5·65

  5·31

  —

  26·20

  —

  —

  37·78

  17·65

  18·15

  125·18

  Switzerland

  0·65

  0·03

  0·52

  0·03

  2·72

  —

  0·02

  4·67

  3·40

  1·67

  13·70

  United Kingdom

  0·16

  4·89

  2·35

  10·68

  7·26

  0·60

  0·59

  17·43

  17·59

  18·98

  80·54

  United States of America

  5·40

  8·49

  14·66

  4·63

  36·26

  —

  6·17

  15·43

  27·77

  43·20

  161·99

  DAC total

  45·99

  45·56

  39·76

  40·81

  167·30

  2·19

  13·64

  287·42

  166·19

  165·21

  974·06

  476
  veterinary practitioners and by others against a prescription issued by a practitioner; and any person may lawfully possess the drug for medical, dental or veterinary purposes in accordance with the directions of a practitioner. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, the unlawful possession of pentobarbitone is punishable, on indictment, by up to five years' imprisonment or a fine—or both.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Vietnam (Aid)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the restrictions on aid to Vietnam; and if he has proposals to lift them.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government have no direct aid programme for Vietnam and no immediate plans to begin one. However, I am keeping this question under review. We provide financial support to British non-governmental organisations for projects in Vietnam through our joint funding scheme, under which we meet 50 per cent. of costs, and through a special scheme for two northern provinces of Vietnam from which most of the boat people came, under which the Overseas Development Administration meets 80 per cent. of costs. The European Community is now preparing to provide reintegration assistance for boat people returnees and the Goverment will contribute to the cost.

  Southern Africa
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid each OECD donor has given to the Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference and for which Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference programme since 1985.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Full details of other donors' assistance to the Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference is not readily available. Net official development assistance from OECD donors to the member states of the Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference from 1985 to 1988, the last year for which figures are available, is as set out in the tables.
  477

  Net official development assistance 1986 (£'million)

  DAC countries

  Angola

  Botswana

  Lesotho

  Malawi

  Mozambique

  Namibia

  Swaziland

  Tanzania

  Zambia

  Zimbabwe

  Total

  Australia

  —

  0·30

  0·16

  0·26

  2·23

  0·03

  0·11

  2·03

  0·29

  1·19

  7·47

  Austria

  0·82

  0·01

  0·01

  —

  0·74

  0·05

  0·01

  0·49

  0·25

  0·37

  3·10

  Belgium

  0·12

  0·11

  0·04

  0·02

  0·19

  —

  0·42

  2·18

  0·99

  0·54

  5·21

  Canada

  2·56

  5·17

  1·19

  0·98

  3·61

  —

  1·04

  18·54

  9·10

  7·62

  56·34

  Denmark

  3·06

  4·57

  1·25

  2·37

  9·37

  —

  1·86

  37·44

  6·59

  6·50

  82·59

  Finland

  0·76

  0·27

  0·29

  0·10

  3·64

  1·61

  0·01

  19·72

  11·33

  2·93

  45·01

  France

  4·26

  1·04

  0·27

  2·60

  19·48

  0·03

  0·67

  1·36

  2·24

  3·49

  40·08

  Germany

  2·82

  8·50

  8·17

  19·83

  7·78

  1·38

  1·96

  30·68

  22·19

  27·83

  148·34

  Ireland

  —

  0·07

  2·48

  0·01

  0·01

  —

  0·03

  1·90

  1·90

  0·44

  7·71

  Italy

  21·52

  0·18

  0·86

  1·58

  37·98

  0·30

  0·47

  19·16

  9·29

  3·52

  107·29

  Japan

  0·32

  0·84

  0·43

  10·98

  10·57

  —

  0·35

  23·87

  35·61

  2·96

  97·20

  Netherlands

  11·44

  3·15

  0·67

  3·83

  24·59

  0·15

  0·53

  41·42

  32·36

  16·48

  152·27

  New Zealand

  —

  0·05

  0·01

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·05

  —

  0·02

  0·15

  Norway

  0·20

  7·98

  0·49

  0·03

  21·69

  0·16

  —

  48·98

  19·58

  11·15

  124·72

  Sweden

  10·12

  11·11

  4·56

  —

  46·96

  —

  1·67

  72·56

  30·29

  14·22

  216·60

  Switzerland

  0·89

  0·13

  0·60

  0·01

  2·18

  —

  —

  13·11

  0·14

  2·37

  21·98

  United Kingdom

  0·31

  5·61

  3·75

  7·85

  6·18

  0·74

  2·31

  11·53

  29·99

  10·46

  89·05

  United States of America

  4·77

  6·82

  12·96

  7·50

  20·46

  —

  5·46

  5·46

  25·92

  18·41

  121·88

  DAC total

  63·99

  55·91

  38·19

  57·95

  217·66

  4·45

  16·90

  350·49

  238·07

  130·49

  1,328·00

  Net official development assistance 1987 (£'million)

  DAC countries

  Angola

  Botswana

  Lesotho

  Malawi

  Mozambique

  Namibia

  Swaziland

  Tanzania

  Zambia

  Zimbabwe

  Total

  Australia

  0·01

  0·32

  0·02

  0·08

  2·89

  0·01

  0·37

  1·21

  0·22

  0·49

  7·10

  Austria

  0·86

  0·01

  0·02

  —

  2·58

  —

  0·34

  1·64

  1·40

  0·17

  8·44

  Belgium

  0·08

  0·92

  0·01

  0·02

  0·59

  —

  0·21

  1·29

  4·42

  0·60

  10·30

  Canada

  0·28

  6·49

  1·52

  4·58

  14·75

  0·03

  1·06

  21·99

  15·66

  6·18

  91·70

  Denmark

  3·68

  11·34

  0·98

  7·12

  9·06

  1·83

  3·92

  30·02

  2·14

  4·99

  94·90

  Finland

  1·70

  0·13

  0·18

  0·14

  5·91

  3·81

  0·02

  20·86

  16·05

  4·35

  67·20

  France

  2·28

  1·71

  1·62

  3·03

  24·02

  0·09

  0·20

  3·15

  0·95

  8·95

  58·15

  Germany

  3·66

  13·02

  6·43

  18·05

  18·10

  2·42

  2·26

  36·75

  22·71

  27·14

  190·30

  Ireland

  —

  0·04

  2·70

  0·01

  0·01

  0·01

  0·04

  1·86

  2·02

  0·68

  9·31

  Italy

  17·32

  0·03

  0·84

  2·39

  82·57

  —

  0·45

  119·45

  22·04

  15·92

  329·97

  Japan

  0·84

  0·06

  1·32

  31·44

  10·73

  —

  0·10

  28·10

  25·43

  5·38

  130·73

  Netherlands

  9·51

  3·29

  1·04

  6·61

  30·90

  0·34

  0·44

  45·24

  18·03

  21·53

  173·10

  New Zealand

  —

  0·12

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·07

  —

  0·07

  0·33

  Norway

  0·54

  10·37

  0·16

  0·09

  21·55

  0·06

  0·29

  45·91

  19·49

  13·44

  141·45

  Sweden

  14·50

  8·68

  4·97

  0·20

  33·24

  —

  0·16

  45·67

  15·52

  20·08

  182·07

  Switzerland

  0·49

  0·02

  0·84

  0·39

  14·28

  —

  0·04

  10·35

  0·98

  0·58

  35·36

  United Kingdom

  0·26

  6·51

  3·88

  19·31

  21·55

  0·97

  1·24

  23·76

  23·49

  9·98

  140·26

  United States of America

  3·66

  12·81

  11·59

  10·37

  33·56

  —

  7·32

  0·61

  23·75

  21·36

  154·28

  DAC total

  59·66

  75·87

  38·13

  103·83

  326·29

  9·55

  18·12

  438·92

  211·31

  161·89

  1,824·94

  Net official development assistance 1988 (£'million)

  DAC countries

  Angola

  Botswana

  Lesotho

  Malawi

  Mozambique

  Namibia

  Swaziland

  Tanzania

  Zambia

  Zimbabwe

  Total

  Australia

  —

  0·84

  —

  —

  6·15

  —

  —

  1·67

  1·76

  0·76

  15·35

  Austria

  0·36

  0·01

  0·02

  0·01

  0·75

  —

  —

  1·02

  0·38

  0·16

  3·72

  Belgium

  0·21

  0·06

  0·01

  0·06

  0·94

  —

  0·25

  3·76

  2·77

  0·69

  12·03

  Canada

  3·34

  3·46

  1·27

  3·19

  16·70

  —

  0·98

  17·04

  17·06

  8·81

  98·72

  Denmark

  2·39

  3·93

  2·62

  2·55

  8·98

  —

  2·19

  43·68

  4·65

  6·94

  107·09

  Finland

  0·73

  0·21

  0·10

  0·04

  10·30

  2·30

  0·01

  37·74

  13·38

  1·75

  91·46

  France

  3·26

  0·75

  2·35

  1·97

  13·94

  0·01

  0·02

  1·48

  0·83

  6·16

  42·28

  Germany

  4·03

  8·04

  5·95

  15·28

  13·80

  4·36

  1·58

  38·21

  29·19

  22·53

  196·46

  Ireland

  —

  —

  1·95

  0·03

  0·04

  —

  0·06

  2·08

  1·57

  0·33

  8·31

  Italy

  13·66

  1·04

  0·19

  2·97

  160·98

  —

  2·30

  43·19

  22·17

  6·20

  347·24

  Japan

  -1·12

  11·53

  0·67

  21·41

  8·32

  —

  0·02

  54·29

  50·86

  14·67

  220·74

  Netherlands

  6·98

  2·43

  —

  6·07

  27·71

  0·71

  1·07

  44·28

  14·47

  12·21

  159·32

  New Zealand

  —

  0·03

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·21

  0·02

  —

  0·35

  Norway

  2·53

  10·12

  2·52

  1·34

  25·09

  0·06

  0·07

  44·38

  22·59

  13·32

  167·66

  Sweden

  18·33

  11·86

  3·64

  0·04

  46·32

  —

  —

  56·24

  20·09

  12·96

  232·88

  Switzerland

  0·97

  —

  0·89

  0·02

  3·62

  —

  —

  8·13

  0·12

  0·69

  19·83

  United Kingdom

  0·51

  7·08

  4·88

  29·79

  29·26

  2·03

  -1·39

  33·20

  16·59

  17·06

  191·03

  United States of America

  3·37

  8·98

  11·79

  16·84

  33·68

  —

  5·61

  8·42

  10·11

  5·61

  143·48

  DAC total

  59·54

  70·38

  38·84

  101·60

  406·60

  9·47

  12·77

  439·02

  228·60

  130·87

  2,057·94

  478 479
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the EC has given to SADCC since 1985; and for which programmes.

  Mrs. Chalker
  SADCC's allocation under the sixth European development fund—1985–1990—is 141 mecu (about £99 million). Sixty-nine mecu of this has been committed so far, to the following projects:

  Karonga-Ibanda Road

  Beira Port Rehabilitation

  Tazama Pipeline Rehabilitation

  Land/Water Management Training Centre

  Mananga Agricultural Management Training

  Inchope-Machipanda Road

  In addition SADCC member countries were allocated a total of 776 mecu—about £543 million—in their EDF VI national indicative programmes. Under the seventh European development fund—1990–1995—SADCC has received an initial allocation of 121 mecu—about £85 million—to be focused mainly on transport, food and agriculture and SADCC member countries have been allocated a total of a further 1,007 mecu—£705 million —in their national indicative programmes.

  Poland
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all aid currently being given by the United Kingdom to Poland.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) on 10 December at column 281.

  UNRWA
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much Her Majesty's Government have donated to the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The amounts are as follows:

  £ million

  1979

  4·4

  1980

  4·5

  1981

  5·0

  1982

  5·0

  1983

  5·0

  1984

  6·0

  1985

  5·0

  1986

  5·0

  1987

  15·25

  1988

  5·25

  1989

  25·623

  1990

  25·64

  1 Includes a total of £1·25 million earmarked for Lebanon.

  2 Includes a total of £263,000 for a feasibility study commissioned by UNRWA from Llewelyn-Davies Planning Limited.

  Kurdish Refugees
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid Her Majesty's Government have provided to Kurdish refugees for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  As I informed the House on 2 April at column 415, the Government have provided two grants
  480
  totalling £550,000 to assist Iraqi Kurds in Turkey and ethnic Turkish refugees from Bulgaria. The first grant of £250,000 was made in November 1988 and the second of £300,000 in July 1989. Both grants were provided through the Turkish Red Crescent Society. There have been no further developments.

  Lebanon
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid Her Majesty's Government have provided to Palestinian and other local refugees in Lebanon for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The humanitarian assistance that we have provided is as follows:

  £ thousands

  Via British NGOs

  Via ICRC

  Via UNRWA

  1979

  —

  —

  —

  1980

  4

  —

  —

  1981

  —

  —

  —

  1982

  —

  100

  —

  1983

  —

  400

  —

  1984

  —

  500

  1,000

  1985

  1

  500

  —

  1986

  8

  150

  —

  1987

  —

  400

  250

  1988

  —

  200

  —

  1989

  —

  —

  —

  1990

  A proportion of the United Kingdom annual contribution to UNRWA's general programmes is also spent in Lebanon. Details of that spending are, I regret, unavailable.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Leaflets
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were his reasons for producing the leaflet, "Get It Right Before You Go"; and whether a request for such a leaflet was received from consumer or tourist groups.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The "Get It Right Before You Go" leaflets are a Foreign and Commonwealth Office initiative. They aim to improve understanding of what consuls can do and to encourage self-help, including adequate insurance and safeguarding of money, passports and tickets by British holidaymakers in order to reduce common, avoidable problems.

  Reducing the pressure on consular staff overseas enables them to respond quickly and comprehensively to British nationals needing help in real emergencies.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated annual cost of producing the consular leaflet, "Get It Right Before You Go".

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Design and printing costs for the new leaflet "Checklist for Travellers—Get It Right Before You Go" will be £28,000. Additionally, the Post Office's
  481
  charges for distributing the leaflet with the estimated 2·2 million new British visitor's passports issued annually will be £1 32,000.

  Reprint and distribution costs for the original leaflet "Consular Assistance Abroad—Get It Right Before You Go", mainly issued through travel agents, are around £20,000.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether consular services abroad are described in leaflets or documents available from his Department other than in the leaflet, "Get It Right Before You Go".

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are two "Get It Right Before You Go" leaflets: "Consular Assistance Abroad" and "Checklist for Travellers" and both give general travel advice. The former also explains what a consul can and cannot do for a Briton in trouble abroad, while the latter concentrates on a few key messages, including adequate insurance and safeguarding valuables.

  Consular services abroad are also described in the annual review of consular work, but this is not targeted at British holidaymakers and does not include travel guidance.

  South Atlantic Fisheries
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to impose a 12-mile fishing limit around South Georgia.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The extension of the territorial sea of South Georgia to 12 nautical miles came into effect on 1 January 1990.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the agreements signed with other nations to fish in the south Atlantic.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  There are no agreements to fish in the south Atlantic between the United Kingdom or its dependent territories and other states. Some agreements have, however, been signed between the Governments of certain dependent territories and private fishing companies or associations.

  In addition there are European Community agree-ments, entered into on behalf of all member states, which have been signed with Angola, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Equatorial, Ivory Coast, Sao Tome and Principle, and Senegal. Copies of proposals for these agreements will have been made available to the House through the normal procedure for European Community documents and the final agreements appear in the Official Journal of the European Community.

  Punjab
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Indian Government concerning human rights violations in the Punjab; what information his Department has as to the number of people arrested, injured or killed by security forces in the last two years; and if he will make a statement.
  482
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We support the Indian Government in their efforts to deal with a serious challenge from terrorist violence in the Punjab. We have regularly encouraged the use of maximum restraint and the need to respect human rights, most recently on 11 December.

  Up-to-date official figures for deaths and detentions are not available. Estimates vary. We believe some 1,218 people have been killed by the security forces between January and November this year, and some 3,520 by terrorists.

  Burma
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of the Australian proposal for international economic sanctions against Burma/Myanmar's military regime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I assume that the hon. Lady is referring to United States congressional proposals. We are discussing these and other ideas for expressing our displeasure at the anti-democratic action of the Burmese military regime with our EC partners and other like-minded countries.

  Thai-Burma Border
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has concerning the number of displaced people on the Thai-Burma border; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The latest border population figures are 44,539 persons on 1 November 1990. These figures were provided by a group of non-government organisations providing humanitarian assistance to refugees and displaced persons on the Thai-Burmese border, at the request of the Thai Government.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the printed testimony given to the hearing of the House Foreign Affairs sub-committee on Asian and Pacific affairs of the United States Congress on 2 October, concerning the present status of Pakistan's nuclear weapons capability.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The official record of the hearing to which the hon. Gentleman refers will be available at the end of January 1991; this Department will then obtain a copy.

  British Embassy, Kuwait
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will withdraw the remaining staff of the British embassy in Kuwait.

  Mr. Hurd
  Now that the overwhelming majority of the British community has been evacuated from Kuwait we have decided to withdraw our remaining embassy staff. We
  483
  have asked them to prepare to leave within the next week. Thereafter we shall no longer be able to provide assistance to any remaining British nationals. We therefore strongly urge them to leave Kuwait.

  We continue to recognise the legitimate Government of Kuwait, who have been informed of our decision to withdraw the embassy staff. We utterly reject Iraq's illegal occupation and annexation of Kuwait.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Primary School Enrolments
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the present trend in primary school enrolments; and what projections there are for primary school enrolments in each of the next five years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Primary school enrolments have risen steadily over the past five years. Latest projections, however, indicate that there will be a slight decline over the next five years. The figures, at January each year, are as follows:

  Actual total enrolment

  1986

  181,087

  1987

  181,893

  1988

  182,499

  1989

  184,241

  1990

  185,767

  Projected enrolment

  1991

  185,590

  1992

  185,030

  1993

  185,410

  1994

  185,150

  1995

  184,280

  Detention
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many arrests have been made under the Police and Criminal Evidence (NI) Order since 1 January; how many persons have been detained for more than 24 hours under the said order; how many warrants of further detention have been issued under article 44 of the said order; and in how many cases access to legal advice has been delayed under article 59(8) of the said order.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is as follows for the period 1 January 1990 to 31 October 1990:

  Number

  Number of arrests under the Police and Criminal Evidence (NI) Order 1989

  18,428

  Number of persons detained for more than 24 hours under the Order

  368

  Number of warrants of further detention under Article 44 of the Order

  14

  Cases of delayed access to legal advice under Article 59(8) of the Order

  21

  AIDS
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have died from AIDS in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The number of persons with AIDS who are known to have died each year in Northern Ireland since 1985 is given in the table:

  Number

  1985

  1

  1986

  —

  1987

  1

  1988

  1

  1989

  7

  1990

  18

  1 to 30 November

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many, and what percentage of, pre-school children in Northern Ireland are enrolled in maintained, integrated and controlled nursery schools in Northern Ireland; and whether he proposes to fund an increase in nursery school provision.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is as follows:

  January 1990

  Maintained pupils

  1,091

  Percentage1

  2·0

  Integrated pupils

  0

  Percentage1

  0

  Controlled pupils

  3,762

  Percentage1

  6·9

  Total pupils

  4,853

  Percentage1

  8·9

  1 The number of pupils as a percentage of the 3 and 4-year-old population.

  Limited resources for school building have made it necessary to give priority to provision for children of compulsory school age. It has not therefore been possible to provide an expansion of nursery provision apart from some limited growth in north and west Belfast under the "Making Belfast Work" initiative. I can offer no immediate prospect of change.

  European Community Funds
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how much money has been expended in the Ballymoney borough council area out of the various EEC funds;

  (2) how much money has been expended in the Moyle council area out of the various EEC funds;

  (3) how much money has been expended in the Ballymena borough council area out of the various EEC funds.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There are numerous sources of EC grant and while, in most cases, figures for the Province as
  485
  a whole are available they are not analysed on the basis sought by the hon. Gentleman. Consideration is, however, being given to how such information might be made available in relation to future payments from the EC structural funds.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the quantities of(a) spent nuclear fuel, (b) cladding for spent nuclear fuel and (c) nuclear waste that have been imported into the United Kingdom for each year from 1970 to 1989 inclusive; if he will give projected levels of imports for each category for each year from 1990 to 2000 inclusive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  British Nuclear Fuels plc and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority have imported some 4,000 tonnes of uranium as spent fuel since reprocessing began in the mid-1960s. They do not import nuclear waste, nor do they import cladding other than as part of the fuel. The projected levels are a commercial matter for the reprocessing companies.

  Connection Charges
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairmen of the 12 regional distribution companies about the future level of connection charges for new houses.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None. It is for the Director General of Electricity Supply to adjudicate where disputes arise as to the reasonableness of connection costs.

  Sizewell B
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what estimate he has made of the effects of the reported delays in the completion of the secondary safety computer system for the Sizewell B pressurised water reactor nuclear power station on(a) the non-fossil fuel obligation and (b) the external financing limit of Nuclear Electric;

  (2) what discussions he has had with the chairman of Nuclear Electric concerning delays in completing the software for the operational secondary safety systems at the Sizewell B nuclear power station;

  (3) what information he has received from the nuclear installations inspectorate about delays in the development of the operational secondary safety computer system for the Sizewell B nuclear power station.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The proposed protection system for Sizewell B consists of a computer-based primary protection system and a non-computer based secondary system. The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate is satisfied with the progress being made in the development of both systems.

  The construction of Sizewell B power station is a matter for Nuclear Electric plc. The company has informed me that the construction of the station is proceeding ahead of schedule.

  "The Energy Alternative"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of "The Energy Alternative" by Walter C. Patterson published by Boxtree Books.

  Mr. Moynihan
  A copy of this book is already held in the Department's library.

  Gas Privatisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what fees have been paid to Touche Ross by way of(a) retainers and (b) specific services in connection with its duties as auditors to the flotation of British Gas in each year since its flotation; and what proportion of such payments is related to services provided in the detection of illegal multiple share applications;

  (2) what fees he has paid to the National Westminster bank registrar's department by way of (a) retainers and (b) specific payments in conection with suspected illegal multiple share applications for British Gas in each year since its flotation.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The information requested is commercially confidential.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions since the flotation of British Gas in 1986, National Westminster bank registrar's depart-ment has provided services to his Department in respect of suspected illegal multiple share applications.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The registrars have been pleased to assist the police, the Department and the Crown prosecution service as necessary. It would involve disproportionate cost to establish the precise number of times on which assistance has been provided.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his total estimate of the total number of the individual applicants for shares in each of the 12 regional electricity companies grouped by head of household jointly with spouse and dependent children and other resident dependent relatives.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 10 December, when he expects to be in a position to provide statistics for the numbers of shareholders resident within the franchise area of each regional electricity company and the percentage of the total share capital owned by them.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We made available 54·6 per cent. of the total share capital in each company to the United Kingdom public. Of this, the percentages allocated to employees and preferential customers applying on priority forms are set out in the table. Applications received from customers, other than on priority application forms, cannot be separately identified and are therefore not included in the figures.
  487

  Number of customer and employee priority applications '000s

  Percentage of shares available to the public allocated to customers and employees

  Eastern Electricity

  603

  53·4

  East Midlands Electricity

  303

  37·5

  London Electricity

  289

  36·0

  Manweb

  187

  52·0

  Midland Electricity

  308

  45·6

  Northern Electric

  165

  53·3

  Norweb

  306

  49·9

  Seeboard

  389

  58·9

  Southern Electric

  472

  48·4

  South Wales Electricity

  109

  47·6

  South Western Electricity

  227

  57·5

  Yorkshire Electricity

  256

  42·0

  Subsidence (Compensation)
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to receive British Coal's annual report on the administration of the subsidence compensa-tion scheme for 1989–90.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have now received this report from British Coal and have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Crime Detection
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to improve the crime detection rate.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The crime detection rate for the most serious offences, including violence against the person and sexual offences, remains high, at around 75 per cent. I shall continue to encourage chief officers to target their resources on serious and other crimes of particular concern to the public, although they must decide their own priorities and methods in the light of local circumstances. The police also need the help of the community to reduce the opportunities for crime, and I shall continue to encourage public involvement in crime prevention.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the clear-up rates of all crimes, violent crimes and homicides were in the Holmfirth and Huddersfield police districts for each year since 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information collected centrally relates to police force areas and is published annually; for 1989, in tables 2.19, 2.20 and 2.21 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—Cm 1322. More detailed statistics relating to Holmfirth and Huddersfield are contained in the annual report of the chief constable for West Yorkshire. Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give, for the last date figures are available, the number of remand prisoners held in police cells in Greater Manchester; and if he will make a statement.
  488
  Mrs. Rumbold
  Yesterday there were 283 prisoners in cells of the Greater Manchester police. Of these, 73 were convicted and 210 were unconvicted.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reform the law on Sunday trading in those areas where there is common agreement among all interested parties.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Although there is agreement in principle between the interested parties in a few specific areas, there is still no agreement on specific proposals; and on Sunday trading as a whole, wide divisions of opinion remain.

  Prison System
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the British prison system over the next five years.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The current medium-term plans of the prison service for England and Wales are to reduce overcrowding by bringing the average number of prison places into line with the average prison population, and by using all accommodation to its proper extent; to seek to ensure all cells have integral sanitation or access to night sanitation; to extend regime opportunities by increasing hours of prisoner occupation, education and association; and to complete and consolidate improvements in management and staff performance. These plans are kept under review and are formally re-examined annually.

  Plans for the prison services in Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.

  Football Ticket Touts
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to extend the proposed legislation outlawing ticket touting at football matches to other sporting events.

  Mr. John Patten
  No. We agree with Lord Justice Taylor that the considerations are different. Touting at football matches creates public order problems because it encourages supporters without tickets to attend games, often leading to obstruction and disorder, and it undermines the segregation of supporters of different teams. Touting elsewhere may be offensive, but is not a serious threat to public order.

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will next meet the Association of Chief Police Officers to discuss crime prevention initiatives.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend will be meeting the Association of Chief Police Officers' representatives shortly and expects to discuss a wide range of issues with them, including the fight against crime.

  Charity Legislation
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had concerning the Woodfield report on charity legislation.
  489
  Mr. John Patten
  A wide range of charities and other interested bodies and individuals made helpful comments on the Woodfield report. The Government took account of those comments when preparing last year's White Paper on charities and will, of course, give further attention to them when preparing legislation.

  Drinking Clubs
  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to review the laws appertaining to illegal drinking establishments with a view to granting confiscatory powers for properties and moneys and increasing penalties for those found guilty.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have no plans to review the penalties for selling liquor without a licence. Recent sentencing practice suggests that the current maximum penalty of a level 4 fine, which the Criminal Justice Bill will increase from £1,000 to £2,500, and six months' imprisonment adequately reflect the seriousness of the offence. There is already a power to order the forfeiture of property used in the commission of such an offence and to disqualify the offender from holding a licence upon a second or subsequent conviction.

  Missing Persons
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide funds to the police for the purchase of a computer that can age people's photographs and thus help identify someone who has been missing for several years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The provision of equipment for individual police forces is a matter for police authorities. The E-Fit computer system, which was developed by the Home Office, enables a skilled operator to change the appearance of both facial composites and original photographs. The Home Office is currently considering the production of a guide to assist police officers in the use of E-Fit to age faces.

  Lorrain Osman
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the Brixton remand prisoner Mr. Lorrain Osman; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Mr. Osman is not a remand prisoner. He was committed to custody on 1 June 1987 to await his return to Hong Kong. The case remains unresolved because of the series of appeals which Mr. Osman has initiated against his extradition. A fugitive cannot be surrendered while proceedings on an appeal in this country are pending.

  Since November, the Home Office has received about 20 letters relating to the case.

  Occupational Health Services
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements exist for the provision of an occupational health service for employees 490
  within his Department, stating (a) how many staff are employed to provide occupational health services, (b) how many of those staff are qualified nurses and (c) how many employees work in his Department in total.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  On 5 December 1990 the Home Office had 45,766 permanent staff. Occupational health services for these staff are provided, on a payment basis, by the civil service occupational health service which employs some 100 fully qualified occupational health professionals —doctors, nurses and hygiene and safety advisers—in a network of regional offices.

  Police Forces
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the size of the police force, both uniformed and civilian staff, in the Holmfirth and Huddersfield police districts in 1979 and in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The tables show the police strength in Holmfirth and Huddersfield for December 1979 and November 1990.

  Holmfield Sub-division1

  Strength

  Police

  Civilian

  1979 (December)

  92

  8

  1990 (November)

  103

  23

  Huddersfield Sub-division1

  Strength

  Police

  Civilian

  1979 (December)

  293

  96

  1990 (November)

  284

  102

  1 The boundaries of both sub-divisions have changed since 1979 and therefore the manpower figures are not directly comparable.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to(a) the report of Mr. Geoffrey Dear, inspector of constabulary for the midlands, on the state of Derbyshire police and (b) the extent to which the efficiency of the force has been influenced by controls imposed by Derbyshire county council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Mr. Forman) on 5 December 1990 at columns 117–18.

  Wormhoudt Massacre
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received a report from the German prosecutor following the interviews with survivors of the Wormhoudt massacre on 5 October 1989 and other statements provided on 20 June.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend has not received a report from the German prosecutor, but the German Ministry of Justice has undertaken to keep the British Government informed of the prosecutor's eventual decision.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last year the broadcasting unit of his Department has made contact with(a) the BBC and (b) the IBA; and what subjects were raised.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Officials from the broadcasting department of the Home Office have been in touch with the BBC and the IBA regularly throughout the year. A wide range of broadcasting subjects were discussed, including matters connected with the Broadcasting Act 1990.

  Vietnamese Boat People
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will offer to allow the 111 Vietnamese boat people whose boat was destroyed by the Hong Kong authorities to enter the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government have agreed to resettle a further 2,000 Vietnamese refugees over the three years to June 1992. We will he happy to consider the cases of any of the 111 who meet the criteria for selection to come to the United Kingdom under this programme.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to send to all recipients of mobility allowance over 18 years of age a reminder that they are eligible for a proxy or postal vote at elections without the need of supporting signatures of qualified persons.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We are not aware that there is a general lack of knowledge among electors who receive a mobility allowance about their absent voting rights. However, we are considering ways in which the provisions allowing an absent vote both for an indefinite period and at a particular election might be made more widely known.

  Racism
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to strengthen the legislation against racist literature.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Public Order Act 1986 strengthened the relevant legislation. We have no current plans for further amendment to it.

  LSD and Strychnine
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department and the police are taking to discover the source of self-adhesive stickers laced with LSD and strychnine which are being offered to children; and whether anybody has yet been apprehended for offering these substances.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the national drugs intelligence unit and the police that they have not been able to find any evidence whatsoever to support claims that 492
  such stickers exist. In the absence of such evidence, the police here and in other countries believe that circular letters claiming that such stickers are being offered to children are a hoax, although they remain ready to examine any evidence which is put to them.

  Channel 3
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department intends to abandon the contiguity rule when implementing the ownership restrictions relating to Channel 3 franchises under schedule 2 of the Broadcasting Act.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As I made clear in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett) on 4 December at columns 85–87, we intend, through the supplementary ownership rules, to allow one body to hold a controlling interest in two regional Channel 3 licences as long as they are not both large, and for this purpose nine of the 15 licence areas will be designated! as large. When we originally announced our proposals on ownership of Channel 3 licences we envisaged designating only five or six licence areas as large, but providing in addition that co-ownership of contiguous areas would not be permitted. We believe on further consideration that a contiguity rule could give rise to unintended problems and that the need for such a rule can in large part be met by designating a higher number of "large" areas as we propose.

  Asylum
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the average length of time taken to determine applications for asylum made(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) at posts overseas.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer II December 1990]: Information is given in the following table.

  Estimated average length of time between the receipt of an asylum application and the decision, for cases decided in the third quarter of 1990

  Months

  (a) Applications made in the United Kingdom1

  13·5

  (b) Applications made at British posts overseas, and referred2 to the Home Office for decision

  14

  1 At ports or after entry.

  2 Excludes certain applications by nationals of Afghanistan and Somalia to the British High Commission in, respectively, New Delhi and Dhaka, which are being processed locally. Information on the average decision time for these cases is not currently available centrally.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each month since September 1989 to the nearest available date how many applications made within the United Kingdom for asylum were made(a) by applicants in the United Kingdom with leave, (b) by overstayers and (c) by alleged illegal entrants.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 12 December 1990]: Information is given in the table. Reliable estimates of the status of applicants after May 1990 are not yet available.
  493

  Applications12 for asylum in the United Kingdom made after entry, by status of principal applicant September 1989 to May 1990

  1989

  1990

  September

  October

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  Status of principal applicant at time of application

  Within existing leave

  535

  610

  420

  515

  600

  410

  440

  500

  475

  Overstayers3

  60

  70

  60

  40

  65

  75

  80

  80

  115

  Illegal entrant

  50

  30

  50

  45

  85

  30

  50

  95

  105

  Information not available

  80

  90

  50

  75

  150

  170

  185

  65

  80

  Total

  720

  800

  580

  670

  900

  685

  760

  735

  775

  1 Provisonal figures: those for 1990 may understate because of delays in recording. Figures rounded to nearest 5.

  2Including dependants applying at the same time, or subsequently to date.

  3 Including those who were subject to deportation action as an overstayer or on other grounds.

  Police Officers (Homicides)
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homicides of police officers have been reported in England and Wales since the passage of the Homicide Act 1957; and how many cases have resulted in conviction for murder.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 12 December 1990]: Information on the number of homicides of police officers is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 4.4(a) and 4.4(b) in the latest issue for 1989, Cm. 1322—copies of which are available in the Library.

  During the period 1958–1989, there were 51 homicides of police officers reported in England and Wales. Of these, 27 resulted in conviction for murder.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Exports (Iraq)
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what communications his Department has had with the firms, Walter Somers Ltd. and Sheffield Forgemasters Ltd., regarding the export of goods to Iraq.

  Mr. Lilley
  My Department has had three approaches from Walter Somers Ltd. and two letters from Forgemasters Engineering about equipment now known to be for the Iraqi long-range gun project.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to which overall contracts the gun components for Iraq were part of; and whether any such contracts were promoted by his Department through the British Overseas Trade Board export intelligence service.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: Orders for components of the Iraqi long-range gun used the number of a genuine petrochemical project known as PC2. Genuine orders for project PC2 were promoted through the BOTB's export intelligence service, but none of the information passed related to the Iraqi gun project.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action was taken after the report of Walter Somers that it had been approached about aiming equipment in the Iraqi supergun order.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: Walter Somers was advised that an export licence would not be granted for such equipment. No further action was taken in the absence of a connection between this and any other orders.
  494
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the day on which it was made known to his Department that Dr. Gerald Bull had conceived plans involving piping for a gun or launcher.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: Evidence began to accumulate on this in late 1989.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what specifications of the Iraqi supergun export order were given to his Department.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: Certain descriptions and drawings of materials now known to relate to the Iraqi long-range gun were passed to the Department by Walter Somers and Sheffield Forgemasters in 1988.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any inquiries were made to the Export Credits Guarantee Department in respect of the Iraqi gun export order.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it has been the policy of successive Governments not to disclose details of commercial relations between ECGD and its customers.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the specifications of the Iraqi export order supergun were first available to his Department.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: No full specification of the supergun as a whole has ever been passed to this Department.

  Export Controls
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are taken by his Department to ascertain the accuracy of the information that is supplied by those firms seeking licences to export goods under the Exports of Goods (Control) Order 1987.

  Mr. Lilley
  I have nothing to add to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade on 29 November, column 1060.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the proper functioning of his Department's procedures for scrutinising licence applications under the Exports of Goods (Control) Order 1987.

  Mr. Lilley
  The administration of export licensing by my Department was throroughly reviewed in 1988 and the controls are kept under continuous review to ensure that they remain effective and are efficiently administered.

  Technology (Imports and Exports)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out the occasions since 1979 when he has used the provisions of the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 to prohibit the export of sensitive technologies or materials relating to United Kingdom commitments to(a) the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, (b) COCOM controls and (c) the missile technology control regime; and what goods have been subject to forfeit under these provisions over the same time period.

  Mr. Lilley
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Pakistan (Nuclear Weapons)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he possesses in regard to attempts by Pakistan between February and April 1990 to purchase advanced high-temperature furnaces capable of assisting in the production of nuclear weapons from the Consarc Company and Torval Ltd., based in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lilley
  It is not the practice to discuss individual export control matters.

  Defence Equipment Licensing
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what category of licences are included in the figures for export licences granted for the sale of defence equipment in 1988 and 1989 as listed in his answer of 15 October,Official Report, column 685, which are not included in his answer of 21 February, Official Report, column 792, to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks).

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 12 December 1990]: Licences for personal firearms and shotguns are included in the figures supplied in the answer of 15 October. These licences were not included in the answer of 21 February which dealt specifically with military equipment.

SCOTLAND

  Occupational Health Services
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements exist for the provision of an occupational health service for employees within his Department; and(a) how many staff are employed to provide occupational health services, (b) how many of those staff are qualified nurses and (c) how many employees work in his Department in total.

  Mr. Lang
  All civil service departments and agencies have access to the services of the civil service occupational health service which employs some 100 fully qualified occupational health professionals—doctors, nurses and hygiene and safety advisers. It operates via a network of regional offices throughout the United Kingdom.

  At 1 December 1990 13,268 staff were employed in the Scottish Office, Scottish prison service, the Registers of Scotland executive agency and the three minor departments (Scottish Record Office, General Register Office for Scotland, and the Scottish Courts Administration) for which I am responsible.

  Firearms (Visitors' Permits)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications have been dealt with for British visitors' permits under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 in respect of each police authority in Scotland for the most recent period of 12 months in respect of which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  For the 12-month period from 1 October 1989, when the permit scheme was introduced, the information is as follows:

  Police Force

  Firearm

  Shotgun

  Central

  19

  56

  Dumfries and Galloway

  401

  161

  Fife

  27

  73

  Grampian

  397

  806

  Lothian and Borders

  174

  566

  Northern

  1,379

  1,117

  Strathclyde

  823

  387

  Tayside

  457

  2,374

  Total for Scotland

  3,677

  5,540

  Non-pasteurised Milk
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment his Department has made of the health implications of the consumption of non-pasteurised milk; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Retail sales of unpasteurised milk have been banned in Scotland since the introduction in 1983 of compulsory pasteurisation. This was in response to widespread public concern about the risks associated with untreated milk following a number of serious outbreaks of milk-borne disease in Scotland. There are no proposals to change the Government's compulsory pasteurisation policy, which has led to the virtual eradication of milk-borne disease in Scotland.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding incidents of illness or disease in Scotland in the last 10 years which can be attributed to the consumption of non-pasteurised milk.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The numbers of reported cases of food poisoning associated with the consumption of untreated cows' milk for each year since 1980 are as follows:

  Number of outbreaks

  Number of individual cases

  1980

  5

  103

  1981

  8

  782

  1982

  14

  539

  1983

  7

  29

  1984

  5

  27

  1985

  8

  74

  1986

  2

  10

  1987

  5

  30

  1988

  2

  5

  1989

  —

  —

  Alcohol Abuse
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the projects and centres to which to the Scottish Office has contributed financially in respect of
  497
  research into alcohol abuse and or misuse, with the figure for each such project or centre for projects to tackle alcohol abuse and misuse.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) on 11 December 1990, column 373.

  Antares
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what reports the Lord Advocate has sought or received on the sinking of the Antares; what action he is considering; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The procurator fiscal at Kilmarnock is investigating the circumstances of the loss of this vessel and the deaths of the crew and will report to Crown counsel.

  Designated Places
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the designated places set up in each of the past 10 years and those planned for the next two years; and what financial assistance was given and is to be provided for the setting up and running of these places.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Albyn house in Aberdeen is at present the only location designated by the Secretary of State in terms of section 5 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980. It opened in 1983 and received £150,000 capital and £408,000 revenue funding, over four years, from the Scottish Office. A designated place is under construction in Inverness and is planned to open next April. It will receive up to £150,000 capital grant this financial year and tapering revenue grant towards its running costs over the next three years. The amount of revenue grant for 1991–92 is under consideration.

  . Requests for grant under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 have been submitted to the Scottish Office for designated places in Port Glasgow and in the city of Glasgow, both with the aim of opening in 1992–93. These are being considered and decisions will be announced early next year. Scottish Office financial assistance depends on the nature of the applications received and on competing demands on available resources.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now announce the budget and members of the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  In view of the importance which I attach to nature conservation in Scotland, I have decided that the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland should be launched next year with a budget of £19 million. This is over 40 per cent. of the NCC budget of £45 million for the whole of Great Britain this year. This will not only allow the existing work to continue, but will provide scope for new initiatives such as a scientific programme relevant to conservation management, delegation of decision-making to the local level, practical conservation projects and more user-friendly procedures.

  The Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland
  498
  represents a major Government initiative for nature conservation in Scotland. Building on the work of the existing council, we now have all the right ingredients to bring our initiative to fruition. The combination of Magnus Magnusson's dedicated and positive leadership, an experienced and expert council and a budget allowing it to embark on new tasks will give the body the best possible start.

  In addition to Magnus Magnusson as chairman I have appointed the following:

  Mr. Bruce Cowe

  The Earl of Dalkeith

  Professor George M. Dunnet

  Mr. David Laird

  Sir John Lister-Kaye

  Councillor Duncan McPherson

  Professor Alasdair McIntyre

  Dr. Patricia Monaghan

  Dr. William Mutch

  Professor Christopher Smout

  Professor David Sugden

  My appointments to the council represent a wide variety of interests. There are scientists of international repute engaged in research on conservation issues, those with land management experience who have a vital practical role to play, and others involved with the voluntary conservation movement. I am sure that this strong team under the leadership of Magnus Magnusson will improve understanding and foster a creative relationship with those involved in the management of Scotland's natural resources.

  The new agency and the Countryside Commission for Scotland, to which I have also given additional funding, will provide a sound foundation for the creation of Scottish Natural Heritage. I am particularly keen to promote the integration of the two bodies and I know that Magnus Magnusson as its chairman-designate, as well as Bruce Cowe and Bill Mutch who are members of both boards, and the other members and staff of both bodies will carry forward the merger with enthusiasm.

  RENAVAL Programme
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of the European Community's RENAVAL programme in Inverclyde and Glasgow.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 12 December 1990]: On 31 July the Commission announced that the travel-to-work areas of Greenock and Glasgow had been declared eligible under the RENAVAL Community programme. A programme of measures is being prepared at present and will be submitted shortly to the Commission for approval.

  Disabled People
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of disabled people in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole who could benefit from the sheltered placement scheme; and how many such persons are now so placed in (i) Strathclyde and (ii) Scotland as a whole.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 12 December 1990]: I estimate the number of disabled people who could benefit from the sheltered placement scheme to be around 10 per cent. of those registered as disabled. At April 1990 there

  499
  were around 34,000 registered disabled people in Scotland as a whole, of which about 15,700 were resident in Strathclyde. At October 1990 there were 218 such persons employed under the sheltered placement scheme in Strathclyde and 683 people employed through the scheme in Scotland as a whole.

EMPLOYMENT

  Disabled People (Anti-discrimination Legislation)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions his Department has had with disability organisations regarding the introduction of anti-discrimination legislation.

  Mr. Jackson
  Ministers and officials from this Department have regular discussions with disability organisations during which the subject of antidiscrimination legislation is sometimes raised.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Medical Research Council
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many administrative staff are employed by the Medical Research Council at its London headquarters; and what is the cost in absolute terms and as a percentage of its total budget.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I understand that as of 10 December 1990 the M RC is employing 343 administrative staff at its London headquarters office. In the 1989–90 financial year its full running costs were £8·7 million–4·7 per cent. of the council's overall budget.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to finalise the draft circular on staffing for pupils with special educational needs which was issued for consultation in January.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Department has today published circular 11/90 on staffing for pupils with special educational needs and I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Primary Schools
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received the Audit Commission's report on rationalising primary school provision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend and I welcome the publication of the Audit Commission's report on rationalising primary school provision. The Government will continue to urge LEAs to remove surplus school places. Despite significant progress in some areas, there are still too many, as this study shows.

  The Audit Commission's report indicates that about 900,000, or roughly one fifth, of all primary school places in England and Wales are surplus to requirements. The commission points out that surplus capacity involves expenditure which could be more productively used to improve the quality of education. Its report calls on LEAs
  500
  to tackle this issue by reviewing their position and by initiating local discussion of proposals for change. The commission notes that education in small primary schools is significantly more expensive per pupil; and its report indicates that unit costs tend to rise steeply when numbers fall below 80 or 90 pupils. It recommends that these costs are taken into account alongside other factors when LEAs review the pattern of provision.

  It is not possible to eliminate all surplus places and the Government recognise that there are circumstances in which it is neither practical nor desirable to close small schools. But the Audit Commission clearly demonstrates the benefits which can accrue from a more efficient pattern of primary education and the Government share its view that parents and others should be given more opportunity to assess the case for change. We look to LEAs to make the necessary statutory proposals.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Young People (Benefits)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost, in 1991–92, of raising income support, community charge benefit and housing benefit personal allowances for people under 25 years to the level for those aged 25 years and over.

  Miss Widdecombe
  This information is not available, but I shall write to the hon. Member when it is.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons aged 16 and 17 years are disqualified from benefit(a) for not taking a YTS place, (b) because they are homeless, and (c) by any other category in (i) 1988, (ii) 1989 and (iii) at the latest available date.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information in the form requested is not available. However, in 1988 there were 3,881 disqualifications from unemployment benefit in Great Britain because a person either voluntarily left a YTS place without good cause, lost a place through misconduct, refused without good cause to apply for or to accept a place or neglected to avail himself of a reasonable opportunity of a place. In 1989, there were 863 such disqualifications. In 1990, up to September 1990, there have been 585 such disqualifications. Placements on YTS or YT schemes are not limited to 16 and 17-year-olds.

  Homelessness is not a ground for refusal of benefit.

  The number of applications for income support refused under the "severe hardship" provisions applying to 16 and 17-year-olds since September 1988 are:

  Number

  1988

  773

  1989

  6,164

  11990

  7,377

  1 To end of November.

  Concessionary Travel
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he made to recommendations from the European Commission concerning travel concession cards for over-60s; and if he will make a statement.
  501
  Mr. Jack
  The proposed European Commission over–60s card is intended to establish that a person over 60 has the opportunity to take advantage of a wide range of existing concessions throughout the Community, including transport. We are continuing to study the implications for the United Kingdom and will respond to the Commission in due course.

  Benefit Values
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East on 21 November,Official Report, column 132, if he will give the current

  Last adjustment

  Benefit

  Value £

  Date

  Prior value £

  Child benefit

  7·25

  April 1987

  7·10

  Christmas bonus

  10·00

  Unadjusted since inception

  Income support Maximum amounts for accommodation and meals in

  Residential care homes

  Old age

  155·00

  August, 1990

  150·00

  very dependent elderly

  170·00

  August 1990

  165·00

  mental disorder (not handicap)

  155·00

  August 1990

  150·00

  drug/alcohol dependence

  155·00

  August 1990

  150·00

  mental handicap

  180·00

  August 1990

  175·00

  physical disablement

  (a) (under pension age)

  215·00

  August 1990

  210·00

  (b) (over pension age)

  155·00

  August 1990

  150·00

  others

  155·00

  August 1990

  150·00

  maximum Greater London increase

  23·00

  April 1989

  17·50

  Nursing homes

  mental disorder (not handicap)

  210·00

  August 1990

  200·00

  drug/alcohol dependence

  210·00

  August 1990

  200·00

  mental handicap

  225·00

  August 1990

  215·00

  terminal illness

  260·00

  August 1990

  245·00

  physical disablement

  (a) (under pension age)

  255·00

  August 1990

  245·00

  (b) (over pension age)

  210·00

  August 1990

  200·00

  others (including elderly)

  210·00

  August 1990

  200·00

  maximum Greater London increase

  23·00

  April 1989

  17·50

  Amounts for meals where these cannot be purchased within the accommodation (daily rate)

  breakfast

  1·10

  Unadjusted since inception

  midday meal

  1·55

  Unadjusted since inception

  evening meal

  1·55

  Unadjusted since inception

  The Polish home Ilford Park maximum amount for accommodation and meals

  155·00

  August 1990

  150·00

  Retirement pension Age addition

  0·25

  Unadjusted since inception

  Widow's payment

  1,000·00

  Unadjusted since inception

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the monetary level, or range of monetary levels, for invalidity benefit when it was introduced in September 1971, together with equivalent details and dates for each subsequent change in benefit levels, showing the average number of people in receipt of such benefit levels at each of its stages.
  502
  monetary value or range of monetary values of each benefit, together with the date of the last adjustment in each such level of benefit and the previous monetary value or range of monetary values of each such benefit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to the table at columns 849–58, on 25 October 1989 which gives, in most cases, the present rate of each benefit and its value immediately prior to the last adjustment, which for the majority of benefits was 9 April 1990. Information on those benefits which were not increased on this date, or where the value has changed subsequently, is given in the table.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is as follows. Information on standard weekly rates of invalidity pension, invalidity allowance and average numbers receiving benefit is in table A. The maximum amounts of earnings-related additional pension payable with invalidity pension are in table B.
  503

  Table A

  Standard weekly rates of invalidity pension

  Standard weekly rates of invalidity allowance2

  Estimated average numbers receiving benefit

  Increase for dependent

  Date

  Year

  Personal £

  Adult £

  Only, elder or eldest child £

  Second child £

  Each Other £

  Higher rate £

  Middle rate £

  Lower rate £

  Thousands (000)

  23 September

  1971

  6·00

  3·70

  2·95

  2·05

  1·95

  1·00

  0·60

  0·30

  n.a.

  5 October

  1972

  6·75

  4·15

  3·30

  2·40

  2·30

  1·15

  0·70

  0·35

  430

  4 October

  1973

  7·75

  4·75

  3·80

  2·90

  2·80

  1·60

  1·00

  0·50

  440

  25 July

  1974

  10·00

  6·00

  4·90

  4·00

  3·90

  2·05

  1·30

  0·65

  450

  10 April

  1975

  11·60

  6·90

  5·65

  4·15

  4·15

  2·40

  1·50

  0·75

  470

  20 November

  1975

  13·30

  7·90

  6·50

  5·00

  5·00

  2·80

  1·70

  0·85

  470

  18 November

  1976

  15·30

  9·20

  7·45

  5·95

  5·95

  3·20

  2·00

  1·00

  510

  4 April

  1977

  15·30

  9·20

  16·45

  5·95

  5·95

  3·20

  2·00

  1·00

  550

  17 November

  1977

  17·50

  10·50

  7·40

  6·90

  6·90

  3·70

  2·30

  1·15

  550

  3 April

  1978

  17·50

  10·50

  6·10

  6·10

  6·10

  3·70

  2·30

  1·15

  600

  16 November

  1978

  19·50

  11·70

  6·35

  6·35

  6·35

  4·15

  2·60

  1·30

  600

  2 April

  1979

  19·50

  11·70

  15·35

  15·35

  15·35

  4·15

  2·60

  1·30

  620

  15 November

  1979

  23·30

  14·00

  7·10

  7·10

  7·10

  4·90

  3·10

  1·55

  620

  27 November

  1980

  26·00

  15·60

  7·50

  7·50

  7·50

  5·45

  3·45

  1·75

  620

  26 November

  1981

  28·35

  17·00

  7·70

  7·70

  7·70

  6·20

  4·00

  2·00

  660

  25 November

  1982

  31·45

  18·85

  7·95

  7·95

  7·95

  6·90

  4·40

  2·20

  700

  24 November

  1983

  32·60

  19·55

  7·60

  7·60

  7·60

  7·15

  4·80

  2·30

  760

  29 November

  1984

  34·25

  20·55

  7·65

  7·65

  7·65

  7·50

  4·80

  2·40

  825

  28 November

  1985

  38·30

  23·00

  8·05

  8·05

  8·05

  8·05

  5·10

  2·55

  865

  31 July

  1986

  38·70

  23·25

  8·05

  8·05

  8·05

  8·15

  5·20

  2·60

  935

  9 April

  1987

  39·50

  23·75

  8·05

  8·05

  8·05

  8·30

  5·30

  2·65

  1,010

  14 April

  1988

  41·15

  24·75

  8·40

  8·40

  8·40

  8·65

  5·50

  2·75

  1,100

  13 April

  1989

  43·60

  26·20

  8·95

  8·95

  8·95

  9·20

  5·80

  2·90

  1,185

  9 April

  1990

  46·90

  28·20

  9·65

  9·65

  9·65

  10·00

  6·20

  3·10

  1,265

  1 Adjusted to take account of child benefit.

  2 Invalidity allowance is payable with invalidity pension and the rates depend on age when incapacity began.

  Table B

  Maximum amount of additional invalidity pension

  Date

  £

  6 April 1979

  1·31

  12 November 1979

  1·54

  6 April 1980

  2·96

  24 November 1980

  3·45

  6 April 1981

  5·37

  23 November 1981

  5·86

  6 April 1982

  8·64

  22 November 1982

  9·59

  6 April 1983

  11·96

  21 November 1983

  12·40

  6 April 1984

  15·42

  26 November 1984

  16·21

  6 April 1985

  19·50

  25 November 1985

  20·87

  6 April 1986

  23·77

  28 July 1986

  24·03

  6 April 1987

  29·11

  6 April 1988

  34·75

  6 April 1989

  41·34

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have claimed mobility allowance on the grounds that they are both deaf and blind at the last date for which figures are available; how many of these claims were(a) successful, (b) refused and (c) awaiting adjudication; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) of 11 December at column 424.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of enabling people who qualify only for a care component of the disability living allowance before the age of 65 years to receive a mobility component if their mobility needs increase after that age; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 6 December 1990]: The extent to which people qualifying for a care component before age 65 would be likely to become entitled lo a mobility component after reaching age 65 cannot be predicted with any certainty. It is estimated, however, that the eventual cost could be in the order of £100 million a year.

DEFENCE

  Fire Fighting
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Royal Air Force practice with regard to charging local authorities for airlifting fire crews to light fires on islands; and whether any standing arrangements exist with individual fire authorities to make helicopters available for this purpose.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Where military search and rescue SAR helicopters fly to islands to rescue people from life-threatening fires, local authorities are not charged for airlifting fire crews at the same time. Where life is not in danger, however, and SAR helicopters would not otherwise have attended the incident, appropriate charges
  505
  are raised. There are currently standing arrangements with the local authorities of Devon, Cornwall and the Highlands and Islands covering such assistance.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had or is having with(a) the United States of America and (b) the French Governments regarding the loan of a ballistic missile submarine.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There have been no such discussions.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) for how long he intends that HMS Dreadnought should remain at Rosyth naval dockyard;

  (2) what is his present policy in respect of the disposal of the hulks of the reactor components of retired nuclear-powered submarines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The question of the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines is under active consideration but no final decision has yet been taken. Meanwhile HMS Dreadnought will continue safely to be stored afloat at Rosyth royal dockyard.

  Sexual Orientation
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Royal Navy makes any payments to those giving information about service men's sexual orientation.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

  Fishing Boats (Accidents)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail the arrangements he has agreed with the Clyde Fishermen's Association to avoid further accidents between fishing boats and submarines in the firth of Clyde; whether such arrangements will extend to the Irish sea and its approaches; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will extend the submarine notification procedure between the Royal Navy and the fishing industry for the firth of Clyde to the Irish sea.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Information on the times and areas in which submarine activity is planned will be broadcast to fishermen by the coastguard every four hours using VHF radio. Similar information will also be available through the operations room at Faslane. The scheme will be introduced in the Clyde area on 17 December. Any extension of this scheme to other sea areas would have to take account both of its working in the Clyde area and of its practicability elsewhere.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the trials of the Seametrix system of transponders on fishing nets; when he expects them to conclude; if the cost of such systems will be funded by the Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Trials of a static electronic net-avoidance device have already been carried out. It is 506
  planned to hold a series of further trials, involving a towed prototype. These will begin on 13 December and will include the participation of Royal Navy vessels. No decision has been taken on the funding of such devices if and when a product becomes commercially available.

  Tornado (Power Line Incident)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received regarding an incident involving a Tornado cutting a power line near Carsphairn on 26 November; what information he now has about the incident; what action he is taking as a result; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  In addition to the hon. Member's letter of 29 November, we have received one other. A unit inquiry was held immediately after the incident, and confirmed that a Tornado GR1 aircraft struck a wire near Dalmellington at approximately 11.50 am on 26 November, while undertaking a properly authorised sortie in the Borders tactical training area. The aircrew were authorised to fly at a minimum separation distance of 100 ft above the ground or obstacles. The inquiry judged that the aircraft was 100 ft or more above the ground when it struck the wire. Following the inquiry, the aircrew were formally interviewed by higher authority before departing for operational duties in the Gulf.

  Antares
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to receive the report of the naval inquiry into the sinking of the Antares.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The board of inquiry should complete its work later this week. The report will be forwarded to Ministers after it has been considered by the Commander-in-Chief.

  Nuclear Tests
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen),Official Report, 28 November, column 442, he will set out for each of the nuclear tests listed the proportion of the cost of each test charged to the United Kingdom and the cost in 1990 in sterling of each test conducted; and which of the tests resulted in the venting of radioactive gases to the atmosphere.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not the practice to reveal financial information associated with United Kingdom participation in nuclear tests. Of the 14 tests listed in my answer to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 28 November at column 442, there were operational releases of radioactive gases from three, namely Gibne, Armada and Barnwell. In none of these was any radioactivity detected at locations beyond the boundary of the Nevada test site.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has received any information from the French Defence Ministry concerning the nuclear test conducted by France at Muroroa on 21 November.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence has received no information direct from the French Ministry of Defence on this subject. However, I understand that the French Ministry of Defence issued a statement via Agence France Presse immediately after the test on 21 November.

WALES

  Drugs
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department will take steps to ascertain whether any consultants employed in regional specialty units funded by his Department are prevented from presenting the drugs of their choice to patients because of financial constraints.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Except where central guidance may be issued, this is a matter for the appropriate managing health authorities.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if regional specialty renal units in Wales may prescribe the drug Erythropoietin to any patient that the consultant considers appropriate without financial constraint.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Under the new management and financial arrangements which will come into effect from 1 April 1991 it will be for individual health authorities to determine appropriate arrangements relating to the prescription of drugs. In the meantime, funds have been made available to those health authorities responsible for main renal units in Wales to assist with the additional cost of providing Erythropoietin where this is considered clinically necessary.

  Ministerial Duties
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the proposed ministerial duties of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) on 6 December 1990.

  Council Housing
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will review the systems used by local authorities in Wales in allocating council-owned properties to prospective tenants in respect of their even-handedness.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Advice to local housing authorities concerning the allocation of council houses was produced by the housing management advisory panel for Wales in February 1988, and issued from the Department with the endorsement of the then Committee of Welsh District Councils. If the hon. Gentleman has any suggestions for further advice I should be happy to consider them.

  River Pollution
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the confirmed pollution incidents in Wales since the establishment of the Welsh region of the National Rivers Authority, specifying the nature and extent of the pollution, and indicating (i) whether a prosecution is pending, (ii) the number of prosecutions that have occurred, and (iii) the number of prosecutions that have been successful together with the penalties.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This is a matter for the National Rivers Authority.

  Alcohol Abuse
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will express the amount of money allocated to each county in Wales to tackle alcohol abuse(a) as a figure per head in each county and (b) as a figure per head of those estimated as having alcohol problems in each county.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  It is not intended to allocate money from the central fund on a proportional basis to counties.

  NHS Employees (Guidance)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has completed consideration of the case for further guidance to be issued to national health service employees on the private practice interests in potential competition with their work in income-generating departments in the national health service.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  In conjunction with the Department of Health, work is proceeding on the preparation of guidance dealing with staff-employer relationships in the NHS, including conflicts of interests.

  Crown Buildings
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes there have been in the place of work of sub-divisions of his Department as between different Crown buildings(a) in the present financial year and (b) in 1988–89.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The only significant changes took place in 1989–90 when the agriculture department's office in Aberystwyth was moved and the staff transferred to offices at Trawsgoed, and in 1990–91 when the Welsh Office education department moved from Cathays Park to Llanishen, Cardiff.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for changing the place of work. of sub-divisions of his Department between different Crown buildings(a) in the current financial year, (b) in the coming financial year and (c) subsequent to the departure of the Exports Credits Guarantee Department Insurance Services Group from Crown building, Cathays Park.

  Mr. David Hunt
  There are currently no firm plans to change the location of Welsh Office divisions. My Department's accommodation needs are however kept under constant review; if additional accommodation becomes available in the New Crown building, Cathays Park, that will be taken into account.

  NHS Information Systems
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 10 December, what is the additional(a) capital cost, (b) staffing revenue costs and (c) non-staff revenue costs associated with the establishment of improved information systems and detailed costing of services in the current and next financial year.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Developments to improve information systems generally, including the costing of services, are being undertaken as part of the all-Wales information and information technology strategy for the
  509
  NHS in Wales. The total available funds provided by the Department in 1990–91 to support the strategy are £12·2 million capital, and an additional £3·36 million revenue. A precise division between staffing and non-staff revenue costs is not readily available. The funding for 1991–92 will be announced in the new year.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 10 December, what is his best estimate of the present degree of accuracy of the costing of different treatments by the national health service service providers in Wales; and what he expects it to be after the improved information systems are in place.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  National health service service providers do not at present have the computerised information systems to cost services at sub-speciality level as a matter of routine. The implementation of improved information systems over the next two to three years, and in particular the case mix management and new financial ledger systems, will give NHS providers increasingly detailed information at patient level which will enable them to utilise their resources with increased efficiency to provide a better quality service to patients.

  Building Works
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 5 December to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher), what factors led to the increase from £299,405 in 1988–89 to £686,144 in his Department's expenditure on building repairs, maintenance and improvements.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department's normal programme of repairs, maintenance and improvements was augmented by three major schemes:the refurbishment of offices at Llanishen, Cardiff, for staff who were moved to release space in Cathays Park for extra staff working on the implementation of the NHS review; the rationalisation of accommodation at Gabalfa, Cardiff for veterinary advisers and ADAS; and
  the conversion of premises to workshops and storage space at the Colchester Avenue industrial estate, Cardiff.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 5 December to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher), what is the 510
  breakdown between (a) Crown building, Cathays Park, (b) Gwydyr house, Whitehall, (c) Ty Glas road, Llanishen and (d) other in the 1988–89 and 1989–90 total of departmental expenditure on building repairs, maintenance and improvements.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Expenditure incurred by myDepartment on building repairs, maintenance and improvements was as follows:

  1988–89

  1989–90

  £

  £

  Cathays Park

  77,542

  115,312

  Gwydyr House

  5,077

  11,734

  Llanishen

  3,219

  272,024

  Other

  213,567

  287,074

  299,405

  686,144

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 5 December to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher),Official Report, column 151, what is his estimate of expenditure on building repairs, maintenance and improvements in (a) 1990–91 and (b) 1991–92; and if he will list the major jobs being carried out or proposed to be carried out in that period.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The forecast outturn of my Department's expenditure on building repairs, maintenance and improvements in 1990–91 is £510,000. Plans for 1991–92 are not yet firm, but expenditure is likely to be of the same order. Major works have been or will be completed in the following buildings in 1990–91:

  Agriculture Department, Caernarfon;

  Education Department, Bangor;

  Medical Examination Centre, Port Talbot;

  Agriculture Department, Trawsgoed;

  Transport and Highways Department, Llanishen;

  Old Crown Building, Cathays Park.

  It is hoped to undertake major works at the following buildings in 1991–92:

  Medical Examination Centre, Pontypridd;

  Agriculture Department, Caernarfon;

  Agriculture Department, Haverfordwest;

  Agriculture Department, Gabalfa;

  Staff Training Unit, Cardiff.

  LAW COMMISSIONERS: QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT
  LAW COMMISSIONERS: QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CELLS: 25th-30th OCTOBER 1990
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CELLS: 25th-30th OCTOBER 1990
  DOMESTIC WORKERS FROM OVERSEAS
  DOMESTIC WORKERS FROM OVERSEAS
  KUWAITIS RESIDENT IN THE UK
  KUWAITIS RESIDENT IN THE UK
  ROMANIA: HUMANITARIAN AID
  ROMANIA: HUMANITARIAN AID
  NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS: EC LEGISLATION IMPLEMENTATION
  NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS: EC LEGISLATION IMPLEMENTATION
  POPULATION INFORMATION: REQUEST
  POPULATION INFORMATION: REQUEST
  US-IRAQ INITIATIVE
  US-IRAQ INITIATIVE
  ANTARCTIC MINERAL RESOURCE ACTIVITIES
  ANTARCTIC MINERAL RESOURCE ACTIVITIES
  CAMBODIA
  CAMBODIA
  CONTROL OF POLLUTION: CONSULTATION PAPER
  CONTROL OF POLLUTION: CONSULTATION PAPER