Written Answers of 17 December 1990

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Latent Damage Act
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will bring forward proposals to amend the Latent Damage Act 1986 in the light of recent House of Lords judgments.

  The Attorney-General
  The Government have no plans to bring forward proposals to amend the Latent Damage Act 1986.

  National Union of Mineworkers
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Attorney-General whether the Serious Fraud Office has yet received a report from the Metropolitan police fraud squad of its inquiries into the affairs of the National Union of Mineworkers following the Lightman inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Yes. The Metropolitan police have been advised that the case does not fall within the statutory criteria for investigation by the Serious Fraud Office.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of the Lord Chancellor's Department or the Law Officers since 1 January 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  The Attorney-General
  There has been one public opinion survey since January 1985.

  Between December 1988 and January 1989 a poll of 1,000 members of the public was conducted by Public Attitude Surveys Ltd. on behalf of the Law Commission. The survey sought to identify public attitudes to the current law on intestacy; and on the current grounds for divorce.

  Information about internal opinion surveys is not held centrally in my Department or the Lord Chancellor's Department and the information could be acquired only at disproportionate cost.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Forces
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what bids for increased manpower have been made by the chief constable of Derbyshire since 1987; and how many additional police officers have been appointed as a result.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Derbyshire police authority has made two applications since 1987. It applied for 34 additional posts for 1990–91 and was informed that it 2
  could have 19 extra posts subject to confirmation that it would meet its share of the cost. The police authority, however, declined to meet its share of the cost following community charge capping of the county council. The offer of the posts was, therefore, withdrawn. The police authority has made an application for 15 extra posts in 1991–92. This is being considered.

  Homosexuality
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many men were(a) convicted and (b) cautioned for the offence of procuring the commission of homosexual acts contrary to section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 1967; and of those convicted and cautioned, how many were convicted or cautioned because the procuration related (i) to male homosexual prostitution, (ii) to the facilitation of homosexual acts not involving prostitution, and (iii) to the facilitation of homosexual acts which were otherwise lawful, in each year from 1980 to 1989;

  (2) how many men over the age of 16 years were (a) convicted and (b) cautioned for the offence of committing a consensual homosexual act in private, but where one or more other persons were present in another part of the house or flat, contrary to section 1(2)(a) of the Sexual Offences Act 1967; and of those men convicted, how many were (i) fined, giving the 10 highest fines imposed, (ii) given a suspended sentence, giving the lengths of these suspended sentences in each case and (iii) imprisoned, giving the length of these custodial sentences in each individual case, for each year from 1980 to 1989.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information for 1980 to 1989 for males convicted and cautioned under section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 is given in the table. Information is not collected on the circumstances of the offence. It is not possible from the information held centrally to identify the number of convictions and cautions for homosexual acts which were done when more than two persons took part or were present.

  Number of males cautioned and convicted for offences under section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 1980–1989: England and Wales

  Year

  Cautioned

  Convicted

  1980

  —

  2

  1981

  —

  —

  1982

  —

  —

  1983

  1

  2

  1984

  1

  —

  1985

  —

  —

  1986

  —

  —

  1987

  1—

  —

  1988

  1—

  4

  1989

  —

  —

  1 unavailable.

  Relate
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider increasing the grant to Relate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  As I announced in my reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Taylor) on 15 November at column 216, marriage guidance organisations, including Relate, will receive an increase of approximately 10 per cent. of their existing grants in aid for the next financial year.

  EC Citizens (Franchise)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to extend the franchise to citizens of EC countries who are permanently resident in the United Kingdom in both local and general elections.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  No.

  Public Houses
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to bring forward legislation to introduce 24-hour opening in public houses.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No.

  Bangladesh
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training has been given by United Kingdom police officers to police officers in Bangladesh in the last five years to date; what training has been received by Bangladeshi police officers in the United Kingdom over the same period; what was the nature of such training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There is no central record of any training having been given by United Kingdom police officers to police officers in Bangladesh in the last five years. The centrally recorded training received by Bangladeshi police officers in the United Kingdom in the same period is as follows:

  1986
  One officer attended the Overseas Command Course—Police Staff College, Bramshill.

  1987
  One officer attended the Senior Command Course and five officers attended the Overseas Command Course—Police Staff College, Bramshill.

  1988
  One officer attended a Scenes of Crime Course—Durham. One officer attended the Overseas Command Course—Police Staff College. Bramshill.

  1989
  One officer visited the Metropolitan Police to discuss Community Policing and Consultative Committees.
  One officer attended a Fingerprint/Photography Course—Durham.
  One officer attended a CID Course—West Yorkshire.
  Two officers attended the Overseas Command Course—Police Staff College, Bramshill.

  1990
  One officer attended a CID Course—West Yorkshire.
  One officer attended a Drug Detection Course—Lancashire.
  One officer attended the Senior Command Course and three officers attended the Overseas Command Course—Police Staff College, Bramshill

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to require a reduction of 10 per cent. per annum in the number of animal procedures carried out in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Provided that the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are fulfilled, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will continue to 4
  grant project licences authorising particular programmes of work under section 5. The controls of the Act have themselves given continued impetus to the consistent decline in the use of living animals in scientific procedures which has taken place for a number of years. Overall reductions in the numbers of animals used depend heavily on scientific advances in the development of acceptable alternatives.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now develop a strategy for the promotion, development and use of non-animal research methods with a view to reducing the number of animal procedures.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Much work is already being carried out by commercial companies, academic bodies and charitable concerns to find acceptable alternatives to the use of living animals in research. The Home Office has been funding research in this area since 1984 and established its own research scheme with the passing of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This scheme is administered by the Animal Procedures Committee which advises my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on the priorities for research and assists in the selection and evaluation of proposals. Details of projects which have been funded by the Home Office may be found in the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 28 November at columns 416–17.

  Football Grounds (Licensing)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the date by which he expects the Football Licensing Authority to be in a position to issue licences for football grounds at which designated football matches are played.

  Mr. John Patten
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Criminal Records
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all Home Office circulars which provide guidance to chief officers of police on the disclosure of information from criminal records.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Current guidance to chief officers of police on disclosure of information from criminal records is contained in Home Office circulars 45/1986, 8/1988, 101/1988, 102/1988 and 58/1989.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Football Licensing Authority
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of staff required to administer the football licensing scheme; what is the current staffing complement of the Football Licensing Authority; and what stage has been reached in filling any further vacancies required by the Football Licensing Authority.
  5
  Mr. John Patten
  The number of staff that the Football Licensing Authority requires is a matter for the authority itself to determine. I understand, however, that the authority plans initially to employ a total of nine administrative staff and the equivalent of nine full-time inspectors; a complement which will be reviewed as the authority begins to discharge the full range of its statutory functions including the administration of the football licensing scheme. Three administrative staff are in post; the recruitment of inspectors and other administrative staff is in hand; and the authority expects all these staff will be in post by next spring.

DEFENCE

  Helicopter Rescue Operations
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received over the availability of Royal Navy and RAF helicopters to rescue people or animals on Exmoor, the Bredon hills, the Quantocks and the Blackdowns in extremely adverse winter weather conditions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am not aware of any such representations.

  Bangladesh
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training has been given by United Kingdom military personnel to military personnel in Bangladesh in the last five years to date; what training has been received by Bangladeshi military personnel in the United Kingdom over same period; what was the nature of such training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Training provided for members of the Bangladeshi armed forces over the last five years, both in country and on training courses in the United Kingdom, has covered a variety of military subjects. Further details are confidential between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Bangladesh.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A list of opinion poll surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of the Ministry of Defence since 1985 is given in the table.

  Subject

  Date

  Public Attitudes to Defence

  Annual/six monthly

  Army Officer Recruitment: Strategy of Communication Research

  1985

  Navy Officer Communication Check 1985

  1985

  Territorial Army Monitor Stage 2 & 3 (later called 1 & 2, August and November 1985)

  1985

  Territorial Army Qualitative Research

  1985

  Telephone Response to TA Advertising: Communication Research

  1985

  Junior Leaders Recruitment—Advertising Communication Check

  1985

  1986 Army Officer Communication Research

  1986

  Navy Officer Films Research

  1986

  6

  Subject

  Date

  Territorial Army Monitor Stage 3 & 4 (August and November 1986)

  1986

  Territorial Army Officer Communication Check

  1986

  Territorial Army Advertising Campaign Communication Check

  1986

  RAF Computer Game Research

  1986

  Soldier Qualitative Research

  1986

  Survey of Armed Forces Resettlement Services 1986

  1986

  Scottish Infantry: Press Advertising Communication Check

  1986

  Soldier Recruitment Advertising—Qualitative Research on Strategy Development

  1987

  Territorial Army Recruitment Literature Development Research

  1987

  RAF Officer Recruitment Literature

  1987

  RAF Engineering Officers Campaign

  1987

  RAF Officer Advertising Research

  1987

  Army: Territorial Army General Press Campaign 1987–88

  1987

  Army: Terms of Engagement

  1987

  Survey of Armed Services Youth Training Scheme

  (ASYTS)

  1987

  Army Officers Press Advertising

  1987

  Britain in NATO: A study of Exhibition Visitors at 4 County Shows

  1988

  Potential Officers—Strategic Qualitative Research

  1988

  MOD (Navy) Trailer Crew Questionnaire Territorial Army: Advertising Research (Monitor

  1988

  Stages 5 and 6 January and March 1988) Territorial Army Officers Press Advertising

  1988

  Communication Check

  1988

  Army Interactive Video Assessment

  1988

  University Undergraduates—Service Officer Target Market Study

  1988

  Attitudes of the General Public—NELC 1988 Campaign Evaluation

  1988

  Managers' Attitudes—National Employers' Liaison CMTE Campaign Evaluation

  1988

  Soldier Concept Testing

  1988

  Army Officers Image/Strategic Planning for Advertising

  1988

  Army Engineers—Advertising Concept Testing

  1988

  Public Images of the RAF-Quantitative Stage (and Qualitative Study)

  1988

  WRAF Concept Testing Qualitative

  1988

  RAF Ground Trades Other Ranks Recruitment Qualitative Research

  1988

  Ulster Defence Regiment—Qualitative Research (Spring 1988)

  1988

  National Employers Liaison Committee Advertising Communication Check

  1988

  Navy Qualitative Evaluation and Strategic Research

  1989

  Army Officer Advertising: Communication Research

  1989

  Army Tracking 1989–90 (Stages I and II)

  1989

  One Army: Pre and Post Evaluation of Awareness and Attitudes

  1989

  Territorial Army Advertising Monitor

  1989

  National Employers Liaison Committee Campaign Tracking

  1989

  Regular Army Creative Development Research

  1989

  Royal Navy Tracking

  1989

  NELC Qualitative Advertising Campaign Evaluation

  1989

  RAF Officer Recruitment Creative Development Research

  1989

  Other Ranks Planning Research

  1989

  Royal Navy Ratings Recruitment (Advertising Research)

  1989

  Army Information Fulfilment: Follow-up Research

  1989

  Royal Navy Research Monitor 1990

  1990

  Queen Alexandra Royal Nursing Corps Officer Research

  1990

  Army Tracking Stages HI and IV

  1990

  Survey of Undergraduates Attitudes to Careers

  1990

  7

  Subject

  Date

  Territorial Army 1990 Campaign Evaluation Research

  1990

  Territorial Army Advertising Review Part One

  1990

  National Employers Liaison Committee Advertising Tracking Stage 3

  1990

  Royal Navy Communications Check

  1990

  Army Recruitment Advertising Research

  1990

  RAF Creative Development

  1990

  Naval Vessels (Women Reporters)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Navy commander in the Gulf has had any instructions on allowing women reporters on naval vessels.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No such instructions have been issued. Both female and male reporters are permitted, depending on the facilities available, to go on board Royal Navy vessels serving in the Gulf.

  Operation Granby
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet completed his consideration of the selective use of reservists in connection with Operation Granby, following his remarks in the House on 11 December,Official Report, column 908.

  Mr. Tom King
  Up to about 1,500 reservists with specialist skills will be required in support of British deployments to the Gulf. There has been a most encouraging response to my call for volunteers with relevant medical training and experience, but this has fallen short of our requirement. Many have felt unable to commit themselves because there is no legal protection for the jobs of those who volunteer.

  It remains my aim to meet our requirement for reservists with individuals who express a willingness to serve, but I believe that it is essential that those volunteering should have their jobs protected. To this end, Her Majesty the Queen, in exercise of the powers conferred upon her by section 10 of the Reserve Forces Act 1980, has today, by order signified under my hand, authorised the calling out of the reserve forces. This will enable the selective call-out of members of the Army Reserve, the Territorial Army, the Air Force Reserve, the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, the Royal Navy Reserve including the Royal Fleet Reserve and the special class of the Royal Fleet Reserve, and the Royal Marines Reserve.

  I intend now to call again for volunteers in the necessary categories, either to serve in the Gulf, or in the United Kingdom or Germany, in order to release other personnel for the Gulf. It will be made clear to those who volunteer that they will be formally called out under the Reserve Forces Act 1980, which will provide a call-out gratuity and legal protection for their jobs. As an additional measure, a supplement of up to 20 per cent. —and more in special cases—will be paid to those reservists called out to make up any difference between their civilian earnings and their military pay.

  If, in spite of these measures, insufficient volunteers come forward, I will need to call out individual ex-Regular reservists compulsorily. Most of the reservists will be required to report at the beginning of the new year. In view of the Christmas period and my desire to provide the
  8
  maximum possible warning, individual reservists will be notified now of the possibility that they may be called out compulsorily.

  In addition to this requirement for medical reservists, a small number of reservists with other specialist skills may be needed. I would also aim to meet this requirement with volunteers, although those coming forward would be called out formally under section 10 of the Reserve Forces Act so that their service could be placed on a similar basis.

THE ARTS

  Arts Expenditure
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how proposed expenditure on arts in 1991–92 relates in real terms to that in 1978–79.

  Mr. Renton
  The central Government arts programme for 191–92 will be £559 million, a real terms increase on 1978–79 of £214 million, or 62 per cent. I welcome this trend and hope it will continue.

  Pocket Theatre, Keswick
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he will visit the Pocket theatre in Keswick in the next month to discuss arts funding.

  Mr. Renton
  I will not be visiting Keswick in the next month. However, I intend to travel widely in the coming months to visit arts organisations around the country.

  Yorkshire and Humberside Arts Board
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether it is his intention personally to appoint the chair of the Yorkshire and Humberside arts board.

  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what proposals he has to fund arts in Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I am currently considering this matter following lengthy meetings with the chairmen and secretaries—general of the Arts Council, the local authority associations and the regional arts associations. I hope to make a statement before the Christmas recess.

  Haymarket Theatre, Leicester
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he proposes to visit the Haymarket theatre in the city of Leicester.

  Mr. Renton
  I have no firm plans to visit the Haymarket theatre, Leicester, at present. However, I intend to travel widely in the coming months to visit arts organisations around the country.

  Ballet
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last paid an official visit to the ballet; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  My predecessor attended a triple bill of ballet at the Royal Opera house on 15 November. I attended a performance at the Royal Opera house on 29 October in a private capacity.
  9
  Tomorrow evening, I am attending a performance of "Cinderella" by the London City ballet at Sadler's Wells.

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if, in the light of worldwide representations concerned with the taxonomic, palaeontological and scientific work of the natural history museum, he will review funding plans for the museum.

  Mr. Renton
  My predecessor took full account of the natural history museum's corporate plan, and the worldwide representations received in the past six months, when he made his funding announcement on 9 November. The museum has now been asked to prepare a further corporate plan, covering the period to 31 March 1995: this will be the subject of discussion with my officials when it is submitted next spring.

  Music Funding
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met the chairman of national symphony orchestras in Britain to discuss funding for music.

  Mr. Renton
  I have not yet met representatives of the symphony orchestras, but look forward to doing so in due course.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when calculating changes in the retail prices index what allowance is made by his Department for community charge rebates.

  Mr. Maples
  Following recommendations of the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee, subsidies and discounts to selected groups of consumers which are funded by central Government are not taken into account in the index as they are regarded as subventions on income which help certain households to meet the price in question rather than reductions in the price itself. In accordance with this principle no allowance is made for community charge rebates.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial help is made available to civil servants whose jobs are transferred from London to other parts of the country; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  A range of financial assistance is available to civil servants who are relocated from London to other parts of the country. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the then Paymaster-General gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford (Dr. Clark) on 15 November 1990, col. 188. All assistance is in the form of reimbursement of reasonable costs that have been necessarily incurred.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what steps have been taken to ensure that the criteria applied by Customs and Excise officials in deciding the 10
  appropriate value added tax assessment on leaflets are sufficiently clear that traders can comply with value added tax law without the administrative burden of seeking individual rulings from Customs and Excise on each individual case;

  (2) what steps are taken to ensure that the criteria used by local value added tax offices in deciding whether value added tax is applicable at the standard rate on leaflets are applied uniformly and do not cause a distortion of trade;

  (3) if he will instruct Customs and Excise officials to give a precise definition of paper and card so that traders can have certainty that they are complying with the value added tax law in so far as it applies to leaflets.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Recent VAT tribunal decisions have affected the definition of leaflets for VAT purposes. This has meant that the guidance set out in the Customs notice "Printed and similar matter" needs to be expanded. A new version of the notice will be available early next year. Meanwhile appropriate guidance has been provided to local VAT officers, who will refer cases of difficulty to Customs headquarters for advice.

  Drug Budgets
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to exempt hospitals from the requirement to pay value added tax on their drug budgets; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Any value added tax on drugs purchased by National Health Service hospitals which cannot be reclaimed under the normal value added tax rules is provided for in the public expenditure funding of the National Health Service.

  Exports
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the implications of the decline in exports of goods and services in constant price terms between the second and third quarters of 1990 for the level of the exchange rate within the exchange rate mechanism.

  Mr. Mellor
  It has no implication. Imports fell by more than exports and the balance of trade in goods and services at current prices improved by £1·2 billion.

  The Government have made it clear beyond question that they have entered into the commitments of the exchange rate mechanism knowingly; it will do whatever is necessary to maintain sterling's position in the exchange rate mechanism.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for, or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985, giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information requested could he collected only at disproportionate cost.

  Sports Bodies (Taxation)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost of implementing a system of tax exemption for sports bodies responsible for the encouragement, development and governance of their
  11
  sport at a national level, where those bodies are representative of sporting or recreational activities deemed to have clear benefits for the health and welfare of participants; if he will make it his policy to implement such a system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: The cost would depend upon the details of the tax exemption the hon. Member has in mind. As regards the possible implementation of such a system, I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

  Sports Bodies (Taxation)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount paid in corporation tax by representative sports bodies in each of the past 10 years and as a total over the same period.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: I regret that the information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in descending order the 10 representative sports bodies that paid the highest amounts in corporation tax over the past 10 years.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: No. Information on individual tax payments is confidential to the taxpayer and the Inland Revenue.

  Utilities
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give the contribution to public funds made by the electricity industry for each year between 1979 and 1990;

  (2) if he will give the contribution to public funds made by British Gas plc for each year between 1979 and privatisation;

  (3) if he will give the contribution to public funds made by British Telecom for each year between 1979 and privatisation.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 13 December 1990]: The table sets out the external financing requirements (EFRs) of the electricity industry in Great Britain between 1979–80 and 1989–90; of British Gas between 1979–80 and 1986–87; and of British Telecom between 1980–81 and 1985–86. Nationalised industries' contribution to the public expenditure planning total is measured by their EFFts (net cash flows); a negative figure indicates a net repayment of loans or increase in deposits within the public sector.

  Electricity Industries1

  British Gas

  British Telecom

  1979–80

  945

  -447

  2—

  1980–81

  214

  -409

  -109

  1981–82

  -153

  39

  250

  1982–83

  -29

  -230

  -323

  1983–84

  -252

  -45

  -225

  1984–85

  850

  -189

  -341

  1985–86

  -278

  -190

  —

  1986–87

  -1,101

  -684

  —

  1987–88

  -1,132

  —

  —

  1988–89

  -1,650

  —

  —

  1989–90

  -1,536

  —

  —

  1 Comprises the sum of the EFLs of the electricity industry in England and Wales, the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board, and the South of Scotland Electricity Board.

  2 British Telecom was not constituted as a separate body until 1980–81.

ENERGY

  Trawsfynydd Power Station
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what lessons were learnt from the emergency exercise at Trawsfynydd power station.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The annual demonstration of arrangements for dealing with an emergency affecting the Trawsfynydd power station site was held on 22 November 1990. This was witnessed by the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate and found to be satisfactory.

  Berkeley Power Station
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the Government have decided where they intend to store the irradiated sections of the Berkeley nuclear power station after it has been dismantled and decommissioned.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  This is a management matter for Nuclear Electric, subject to the requirements of the Health and Safety Executive in accordance with the conditions attached to the nuclear site licence.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has so far been made by Nuclear Electric in dismantling and decommissioning the Magnox reactor and its associated systems and buildings at Berkeley in Gloucestershire.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  This is a matter for Nuclear Electric plc. However, I understand from Nuclear Electric that defuelling of the reactors is progressing well and is expected to be completed in 1992. The company tells me that the extent and timing of dismantling of plant and buildings is currently under review and the results are likely to be announced in the next few months.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many applications were made for shares in the electricity distribution companies on behalf of children aged(a) under five, (b) under 16 and (c) under 18 years; and what proportion were successful.

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

  Nuclear Research
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the mode of operation of the levy on the nuclear industry to enable the Health and Safety Executive to be resourced to undertake nuclear research.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act 1989, the Health and Safety Executive recovers from nuclear licensees the cost of the safety research for which responsibility was transferred from my Department to the Health and Safety Commission on 1 April this year. This arrangement covers the cost of the research and HSE's costs in managing it.

  Opinion Survey
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985, giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Central records do not separately identify which of the surveys conducted by the Department included questions seeking opinions and which did not. Such information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the cost to the public purse as a result of land purchases in the area within a 30-mile radius of Sellafield by British Nuclear Fuels; what acreage of land has been purchased since 1970; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  British Nuclear Fuels plc's business is financed by borrowing on the commercial markets. Land purchases are a commercial matter for the company.

  Sourgas
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what research he has undertaken to establish the safety of sourgas as a power source for gas-fired power stations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  None. Health and safety at power stations, including appropriate research, is primarily a matter for the employer. The Health and Safety Executive is the public body responsible for ensuring compliance with statutory requirements in this area.

PRIME MINISTER

  Government Objectives
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Prime Minister what are the objectives of Her Majesty's Government for the rest of this Parliament.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government's objectives remain to carry forward the programme outlined in the Queen's Speech,Official Report, 7 November 1990, columns 4–6.

  Poland
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will hold an early meeting with the president of Poland; and if he will make a statement on British-Poland relations.

  The Prime Minister
  I certainly hope to meet the Polish President—whose election I warmly welcome—before too long. No date has yet been fixed. Our bilateral relations with Poland are excellent. We hope that President Walesa will maintain the IMF-backed economic reform programme, which is vital to Poland's future prosperity. We will continue to give substantial help to ease the transition to democracy and a market-based economy.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Prime Minister how many people have been killed and how many injured(a) in Great Britain and (b) in Northern Ireland as a result of terrorist activity each month since May 1988.

  The Prime Minister
  The information is given in the tables.

  (a) Great Britain

  Deaths

  Injuries

  1988

  May

  0

  0

  June

  0

  0

  July

  0

  0

  August

  1

  8

  September

  0

  0

  October

  0

  0

  November

  0

  0

  December

  270

  15

  1989

  January

  0

  0

  February

  0

  1

  March

  0

  0

  April

  0

  0

  May

  0

  0

  June

  0

  0

  July

  0

  0

  August

  0

  0

  September

  11

  16

  October

  0

  0

  November

  0

  2

  December

  0

  0

  1990

  January

  0

  0

  February

  0

  2

  March

  0

  0

  April

  0

  0

  May

  1

  9

  June

  1

  41

  July

  1

  0

  August

  0

  0

  September

  0

  4

  October

  0

  0

  November

  0

  0

  December

  0

  0

  1 The figures for December 1988 result from the Lockerbie incident. All other figures result from terrorist activity connected with the affairs of Northern Ireland.

  (b) Northern Ireland

  Deaths

  Injuries

  1988

  May

  5

  90

  June

  9

  64

  July

  11

  67

  August

  26

  159

  September

  4

  117

  October

  8

  67

  November

  4

  67

  December

  2

  56

  1989

  January

  3

  49

  February

  10

  64

  March

  12

  61

  April

  4

  102

  May

  3

  103

  June

  4

  91

  July

  5

  99

  August

  2

  109

  September

  3

  56

  October

  5

  76

  November

  9

  60

  15

  Deaths

  Injuries

  December

  2

  89

  1990

  January

  8

  70

  February

  0

  122

  March

  6

  66

  April

  9

  54

  May

  1

  84

  June

  5

  59

  July

  8

  111

  August

  1

  71

  September

  6

  77

  October

  19

  1—

  November

  9

  1—

  1 These figures are not yet available.

  Advertising
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Prime Minister whether he will review the percentage increase in the expenditure on advertising in the press, television and other forms of publicity in each Department of state in the last five years and institute an inquiry into the reasons for any departmental increases which are in excess of the rate of inflation over the period.

  The Prime Minister
  Expenditure on advertising in the press, television and other forms of publicity is a matter for departmental Ministers within the Government conventions on the use of paid publicity and advertising.

  Downing Street
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister if he has any plans to re-establish the public right of way through Downing street.

  The Prime Minister
  Access to Downing street has been controlled for security reasons for many years. This does not stop the many people who come to Downing street for meetings, receptions or to present petitions.

  Bangladesh
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister what message he has sent to the newly appointed President of Bangladesh; if he will place the text of any messages in the Library; and if he will make a statement about relations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Bangladesh.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary sent a message of good wishes to the acting President, Mr. Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed and looks forward to working with the new interim Government of Bangladesh to reinforce the friendly relations which already exist between our two countries.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of the Cabinet Office and Management and Personnel Office since 1 January 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  The Prime Minister
  This information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

WALES

  Corlan Housing Association
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) when he expects to receive a copy of the investigation by Tai Cymru into the financial collapse of the Corlan housing association; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library;

  (2) when he expects to meet the chairman of Tai Cymru to discuss his report on the financial collapse of the Corlan housing association.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The Housing Association Consultancy and Advisory Service's report has been received in the Department and is being studied. It is not customary to publish reports of inquiries carried out under section 28 of the Housing Associations Act 1985, but 1 will make a further statement when the legal and other implications of the report have been considered.

  Pontypridd-Treforest Rhondda Ring Road
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the Pontypridd-Treforest Rhondda ring road scheme is to begin and proceed along the agreed construction time tables announced earlier this year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  It was not possible to accommodate in full Mid Glamorgan county council's 1991–92 bid for transport grant support for the Pontypridd inner relief road scheme. The transport grant settlement announced on 5 December will enable the county council to continue with substantial expenditure on advance works. The timing of the scheme is for the county council to consider in the light of the settlement.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning his policy towards single homeless people in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Local housing authorities are responsible for assessing housing needs within their own areas including those of single people. Working in partnership with housing associations and the private sector, it is for them to secure appropriate accommodation for single homeless people in the Principality, making sensitive use of the substantial resources we are making available to assist in tackling homelessness generally. I am considering what further action might be taken to help assist the single homeless.

  Single People's Accommodation
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new units of accommodation for single people were constructed in Wales in each of the years 1979 to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information requested is not collected centrally. However, figures for one-bedroomed houses and flats from 1979 to date, may be found in table 6.8 of "Housing and Construction Statistics 1979–1989" a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Speed Limits
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning his policy on the introduction of new village speed limits on trunk roads in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Requests for new village speed limits are judged against the criteria and guidance set out in

  Year

  Introduced

  Removed

  30 mph

  40 mph

  30 mph

  40 mph

  1985

  A40 Crickhowell, Powys

  A470/A4060 Abercynon-Pentrebach

  A470/A4060 Abercynon-Pentrebach

  —

  A4232 Capel Llanilltern-Culverhouse Cross, South Glamorgan

  A494 Llanferres, Clwyd

  A55/A494 Ewloe Interchange,

  Clwyd

  1986

  A40 Whitland, Dyfed

  —

  A55 Bodelwyddan, Clwyd

  A55 Bodelwyddan, Clwyd

  A55 Holywell, Clwyd

  1987

  —

  —

  A470 Dolfach, Powys

  —

  A477 Llanteg, Dyfed

  1988

  —

  A5 Pentrefoelas, Clwyd

  A487 Cross Hands, Dyfed

  —

  A487 Dinas, Dyfed

  A40 Whitland, Dyfed

  A48 Cheps:tow, Gwen

  A48 Chepstow, Gwent

  A55 Holywell, Clwyd

  A483 Ruabon, Clwyd

  A458 Middletown, Powys

  1989

  —

  A40 Prendergast, Dyfed

  A55 Penmaenmawr, Gwynedd

  —

  A55 Llanfairfechan, Gwynedd

  A55 Holywell-Northop, Clwyd

  1990

  A477 Kingswood, Pembroke Dock

  A470 Rhayader, Powys

  A55 Travellers Inn, Clwyd

  —

  1990

  A487 Cardigan By Pass

  Treatment Centres
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list against each of the centres established in Wales as part of the treatment centres initiative(a) its name, location and specialty, (b) its commencement date, (c) the budget allocated to that centre for 1989–90 and 1990–91 and (d) the number of patients treated at that centre since it started work.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  1. Orthopaedic treatment centre, Prince of Wales hospital, Rhydlafar, South Glamorgan:

  (a) Opened December 1989

  (b) Funding: £223,500 in 1989–90

  £598,000 in 1990–91

  (c) Number of patients treated: 285 at end November 1990.

  2. General surgical; treatment centre (various veins and hernias) Bridgend General hospital, Mid Glamorgan:

  (a) Opened March 1990

  (b) Funding: £197,000 in 1989–90

  £342,000 in 1990–91

  (c) Number of patients treated: 394 at end November 1990.

  3. Ophthalmic treatment centre, Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, Gwynedd:

  (a) Opened June 1990

  (b) Funding: £88,000 in 1989–90

  £263,000 in 1990–91

  (c) Number of patients treated: 172 at end November 1990.

  18
  Welsh Office circular 10/80. Consideration is also given to whether engineering or traffic signing measures would be appropriate instead of or in addition to a speed limit.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the new 30 and 40 mph speed limits respectively introduced and removed on trunk roads in Wales in each of the years from 1985 to date.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is given in the table:

  Private Landlords
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will take steps to strengthen the ability of local authorities in Wales to bring the standard of the worst landlords in the private sector up to that of the best;

  (2) what fresh initiatives he intends to take to protect the most vulnerable tenants in the private rented sector from harassment.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 14 December 1990.

  Advertising
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those headings of Welsh Office expenditure, including grant in aid or funding of agencies, which include, or may include, some element of expenditure on advertising in the press, on television or radio or other expenditure on advertising and promotion in addition to the figures given in his answer of 11 December,Official Report, columns 332–33.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The figures provided in my anser of II December to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher) cover all identifiable items of publicity and related expenditure incurred directly by the Welsh Office in each of the years shown.
  19
  Information about publicity and related expenditure of the many bodies which receive funding from the Department is not collected centrally.

ENVIRONMENT

  Pensioner Households
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish in the Official Report, for each standard region, the number of pensioner-only households, specifying those with only one pensioner occupant and those with two or more.

  Mr. Key
  Estimates of the numbers of pensioner-only households for each standard region are given in the table. These estimates are based on family expenditure survey data from 1987, 1988 and 1989 and "pensioners" is taken to be persons of pensionable age.

  Thousands

  Region

  One pensioner households

  Two or more pensioner households

  Northern

  235

  115

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  380

  215

  North-West

  410

  240

  East Midlands

  250

  185

  Region

  Yield from 1 per cent. £ billion

  Children un-der 18 (thousands)

  Persons of pension age (thousands)

  Adults (all 18+) (thousands)

  Northern

  0·7

  697

  566

  2,376

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1·0

  1,136

  906

  3,805

  North-West

  1·3

  1,491

  1,154

  4,889

  East Midlands

  0·9

  915

  712

  3,084

  West Midlands

  1·2

  1,216

  912

  4,000

  East Anglia

  0·5

  468

  397

  1,577

  Greater London

  2·6

  1,510

  1,172

  5,246

  Rest of South-East

  3·4

  2,408

  1,974

  8,219

  South-West

  1·2

  1,009

  982

  3,643

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to establish constitutionally independent local authorities in the United Kingdom which would be able to raise their own revenue, go bankrupt, and be free from central Government capital controls.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend has announced that we are initiating a thorough review of local government finance and structure. No options have been ruled in or out at this stage.

  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates revenue support grant and non-domestic rates will be paid to local authorities in 1991–92.

  Mr. Portillo
  Details of the profile of revenue support grant payments for England for the next financial year have been sent by my Department to local authorities. A copy of the Department's letter has been placed in the Library. The profile, which was determined after consultation with the local authority associations, should ensure that authorities who are diligent in collecting the community charge and non-domestic rates will be able to maintain an adequate cash flow.
  20

  Region

  One pensioner households

  Two or more pensioner households

  West Midlands

  350

  215

  East Anglia

  145

  135

  Greater London

  410

  190

  Rest of South-East

  650

  485

  South-West

  300

  240

  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 proceeds for each standard region of a levy of 1 per cent. in the estimated value of dwellings together with the number of (a) children under the age of 18 years, (b) disabled persons, (c) retirement pensioners and (d) other adults.

  Mr. Key
  The available information is given in the table. The estimated value of dwellings in each region is based on recent data on house sales prices and numbers of domestic hereditaments in each region. This is the best information available but is of limited accuracy. Population data is taken from the Office of Population Census and Surveys 1989 mid year estimates.

  Household Sizes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each standard region the number of households with one, two, three and four or more adults.

  Mr. Key
  Estimates of the numbers of households with one, two and three or more adults for each standard region are given in the table. These estimates are based on family expenditure survey data from 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  Thousands

  Region

  One adult households

  Two adult households

  Three or more adult household

  Northern

  455

  745

  200

  Yorks and Humberside

  745

  1,175

  270

  North-West

  920

  1,420

  375

  East Midlands

  530

  945

  225

  West Midlands

  690

  1,220

  345

  East Anglia

  285

  545

  115

  Greater London

  1,075

  1,285

  305

  Rest of South-East

  1,310

  2,580

  560

  South-West

  585

  1,145

  255

  Radiation
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to implement the recommendation of the National Radiological Protection Board to reduce the maximum exposure to radiation for members of the public to 0·5 mSv per annum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The recommendations made by the National Radiological Protection Board are firstly that the dose limit for members of the public should be 1 mSv in a year and, secondly, since individuals may be exposed to more than one radiation source, that the maximum dose from any single source should not be more than 0·5 mSv in a year. Since 1984, authorisations for the disposal of radioactive waste under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 have been based on these recommendations.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward legislation to exempt from the community charge the British wives of United States service personnel resident in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Key
  The Government have not sought such an exemption because we concluded that these United Kingdom citizens need not be treated differently from other United Kingdom citizens.

  Rechar (Easington)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning additionality in relation to the Rechar programme application by the Easington district council.

  Mr. Yeo
  In setting annually the level of public expenditure programmes for local authorities, including Easington, account is taken of anticipated European Community receipts including initiatives such as Rechar. Consequently, these programmes are larger than they would otherwise be. In addition, for 1990–91 the other services block was "top sliced" by £25 million for distribution as supplementary credit approvals to local authorities in receipt of European regional development funds. In the light of representations from local authorities it is proposed to increase the top slice to £45 million for this purpose in 1991–92.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the impact on disabled people of the use of domestic rate relief.

  Mr. Key
  Under the Rating (Disabled Persons) Act 1978 local authorities were required, on application from the occupier of a dwelling, to grant rate rebates in respect of facilities provided for the disabled. With the abolition of domestic rates, these provisions of the Act have been repealed.

  Ecological Experts (Norway)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who represented his Department al: the lecture by Professor I.S. Gray of the university of Oslo on 22
  ecological advice and the law in Norway; what report has been made in relation to the system whereby Government White Papers in Norway are sent to ecological experts before presentation to the Norwegian Storting; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The chief scientist of my Department was present at this meeting of the British Ecological Society, at which Professor Gray's presentation, among others, was made. I understand that a report of the meeting is being prepared by the British Ecological Society.

  Anchor Complex Inquiry
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received the report of the inspector appointed to consider the Anchor complex inquiry, Penryn, Cornwall; if he has consulted English Heritage on the contents of that report; when he intends announcing his decision; and if will make it his policy to deal with the matter with the utmost urgency.

  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend received the inspector's report on the inquiry into the proposed development at the Anchor warehouse complex, Penryn on 28 August 1990. He has not consulted English Heritage on the contents of the inspector's report because he has no locus to do so. His decision will be issued as soon as possible.

  Used Tyres
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the number and location of sites in England that have been used for the underground burial of used tyres; how regularly these sites are inspected to check on their safety and any general environmental implications that they may have; if he will make this information available to the public; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information on the number and location of sites used for the underground burial of used tyres is not held centrally. Her Majesty's chief inspector of fire services wrote to the Chief and Assistant Fire Officers Association in May about the problem posed by tyre dumps. Responses from chief fire officers gave some indication of the number of tyre dumps in particular areas. My Department will be writing to local authorities in the new year to seek further information on the location of tyre dumps.

  The disposal of waste by landfill is licensed by waste disposal authorities under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. Individual site licences may set down conditions relating to the disposal of used tyres. Used tyres which cannot be remoulded or retreaded are commonly shreded prior to disposal by landfill where they are mixed with other waste.

  The monitoring of licensed waste disposal sites is carried out by waste disposal authorities. These authorities have a duty to maintain a register of all disposal licences issued by them which are in force and to make this register available to the public.

  Rental Deposits
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation he has had concerning the National Consumer Council report on rental deposits; and if he will make a statement.
  23
  Mr. Yeo
  My hon. Friend the Member for Worcestershire, South (Mr. Spicer) when he was Minister for Housing and Planning, met the chairman of the National Consumer Council to discuss the report, and discussions have also taken place at official level. We have agreed to explore with the National Consumer Council and other bodies the possibility of a voluntary rental deposit scheme.

  Sellafield
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the geological investigations of the land forms in the environs of British Nuclear Fuel's plant at Sellafield have indicated with respect to their suitability for deep dry storage of irradiated waste; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Site investigations for UK Nirex Ltd's deep repository for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste are currently under way at Sellafield. It is too early to say whether the site is suitable for the construction of a repository. Phase 1 of the site investigations is expected to be completed by the end of 1991.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy for owners of land to be made legally responsible for offences committed by people in their employment in respect of offences relating to endangering wildlife and keeping pesticides illegally under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government have no plans at present to introduce legislation to amend the relevant provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. The keeping of pesticides is governed by regulations made under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 for which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is responsible. It is an offence for any person, without reasonable excuse, to cause or permit another to contravene those regulations.

  West Yorkshire Fire and Civil Defence Authority
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the West Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority on his proposed financial settlement for 1991–92; if he will publish details of those representations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  We have received a number of representations from the West Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority on our proposals for the revenue support grant settlement for 1991–92, including those put to me when I met a delegation from the authority on 28 November. It is for the authority to make public its representations if it so chooses.

  We are proposing to increase the authority's standard spending assessment by £6·2 million to £44·1 million, which we believe to be an appropriate assessment of the costs of providing the fire service in West Yorkshire. We shall carefully consider all the representations received before taking our decisions on the settlement.

  Housing Corporation
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give details of the Housing Corporation's approved development programme for 1991–92.

  Sir George Young
  My right hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr. Patten), the then Secretary of State, announced on 8 November the allocation of additional resources to the Housing Corporation to enable housing associations to provide more subsidised housing, with special emphasis on meeting the needs of the homeless. Gross expenditure by the Housing Corporation is expected to exceed £2 billion in 1993–94, a 65 per cent. increase over the current year, with a target of 40,000 completions in that year.

  This is a clear indication both of the Government's commitment to the housing association movement as the main providers of new subsidised homes, and of our determination to tackle the problem of homelessness.

  I have today approved the Housing Corporation's proposals for the overall shape of its approved development programme for 1991–92. A further announcement will be made early in the new year about the regional allocation of resources, once I have received the corporation's detailed proposals.

  The broad outline of the corporation's proposals confirms the priority that is being accorded to the problem of homelessness by the Government and their agencies. About half the total number of new homes for rent will be targeted on the homeless. The corporation's rural programme will also be maintained and increased in future years.

  It is important that the large investment which the Government are making in the housing association movement should be employed efficiently. The programme shows a further increase in the proportion of schemes for rent funded jointly with the private sector, providing greater leverage of resources for the public sector input. The corporation is also committed to achieving efficiency gains of at least 5 per cent. over three years through, among other things, greater attention to cost competition in the selection of bids.

  The introduction of the new grant regime under the Housing Act 1988 has been a major task. The corporation's early problems in programming its expenditure are now being resolved, and I am confident that it is able to respond positively to the enhanced role it now has in implementing the Government's housing policy.

  The breakdown of the approved development programme—ADP—for 1991–92 and provisional plans for the following two years is as follows:

  £ million

  1991–92 ADP

  1992–93 Plans

  1993–94 Plans

  Housing for rent1

  1,385

  1,512

  1,714

  Major repairs and other works

  53

  71

  84

  Mini-HAG

  7

  8

  9

  Tenants incentive scheme

  32

  34

  36

  Low cost home ownership2

  105

  110

  159

  Other expenditure3

  6

  3

  3

  Total gross expenditure

  1,588

  1,738

  2,005

  Receipts

  -93

  -97

  -103

  Total net expenditure

  1,495

  1,641

  1,902

  25
  Notes:

  1 Includes public expenditure on mixed funded for rent schemes and 100 per cent. publicity funded rented schemes.

  2 Includes shared ownership and rehabilitation for sale.

  3 Includes right to buy mortgages and self build.

  Programme targets for 1991–92 are as follows:

  Approvals (units)

  General needs—rent

  26,500

  Special needs—rent

  3,000

  Rural housing (rent and sale)

  1,500

  Low-cost home ownership (non rural)

  New build

  2,700

  Rehabilitation (including outright sale)

  1,000

  Tenants incentive scheme

  2,500

  Mini-HAG

  1,800

  Total

  39,000

  Amenity Trees
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures the Government intend to take in order to ensure the continued safeguarding of amenity trees.

  Mr. Baldry
  Jointly with the Welsh Office, my Department has today issued a consultation paper setting out our proposals to enhance the effectiveness of the tree preservation order system and to clarify and streamline the relevant statutory provisions and procedures. The paper also gives details of the Government's proposal to give powers to local planning authorities to make hedgerow management orders to safeguard key hedgerows, with payment to farmers or others for upkeep. I have arranged for copies of the paper to be placed in the Library of the House.

  School Facilities
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to bring forward amendments to the Local Government and Housing Act 1990 so that capital investment in schools' facilities by a commercial concern or major voluntary club as part of a dual-use agreement is not treated as a capital receipt to the local education authority.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: No. There is no reason why this type of investment should necessarily result in a capital receipt for the local education authority.

  Science Parks
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the available EC resources for science park development has been taken up by local authorities in Britain.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: Local authorities have utilised EC resources in support of science park development, but precise information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Peterlee Tertiary College
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to make available funds for the repair, renewal and maintenance of the Peterlee tertiary college; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Department received bids from the Durham education authority which included a bid for the repair, renewal and maintenance of Peterlee tertiary college. Durham's bids have been considered alongside those received from other education authorities. My right hon. and learned Friend today announced the following allocations for Durham education authority:

  £

  Minor works

  273,000

  Equipment

  128,000

  Teachers
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average number of(a) holidays and (b) sickness days taken by teachers in each of the years 1961, 1971, 1981 and 1989.

  Mr. Fallon
  I regret that the information requested is not available centrally.

  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers were employed in local education in(a) 1970 and (b) the latest available year; what was the number of school pupils in these years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  The information requested for local education authority maintained and grant-maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England is given below:

  January

  Teachers (FTE thousands)

  Pupils (FTE thousands)

  1970

  328·7

  7,514·9

  1990

  398·5

  6,753·2

  Schools (Easington)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will visit the schools in the Easington constituency.

  Mr. Fallon
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so at present.

  Teachers (Language Training)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much money has been spent in the last five years on the training of teachers in ethnic minority languages; and what are the languages currently being studied by those teachers.

  Mr. Fallon
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Student Expenditure
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide figures to show expenditure per student across the whole range of taught subject areas at polytechnics(a) in England and (b) in Wales in 1990.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  For the financial year 1988–89, the latest year for which data are available, net recurrent expenditure per full-time equivalent student in English polytechnics is estimated at £3,565. Non-university higher education in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide figures to show expenditure per student across the whole range of taught subject areas at universities(a) in England, (b) in Scotland and (c) in Wales in 1990.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I refer the hon. Member to the 1990 volume of "University Management Statistics and Performance Indicators", produced by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the Universities Funding Council, a copy of which is in the Library. This draws on 1988–89 data: detailed figures for university expenditure in 1989–90 are not yet available.

  University Colleges, Wales
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide figures listing the numbers of staff teaching full-time in the following departments at university colleges in Wales in 1980 and

  Students studying courses in specified subject groups

  Chemistry

  Physics

  Biology

  Management studies

  Engineering

  Mathematics

  Undergraduates Full-time and Sandwich

  1980

  317

  195

  443

  263

  2,219

  475

  1988

  397

  205

  422

  620

  1,631

  321

  Undergraduates Part-time

  1980

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1988

  1

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  Post-graduates Full-time and Sandwich

  1980

  157

  57

  130

  72

  249

  99

  1988

  154

  160

  144

  248

  500

  84

  Post-graduates Part-time

  1980

  15

  11

  6

  11

  47

  14

  1988

  39

  38

  18

  115

  207

  21

  Source: Universities Statistical Record.

  Note: A new subject classification was used for university statistics from and for 1985–86. Data prior to 1985–86 are not comparable with those for subsequent years.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out for 1979–80, 1983–84 and the latest available figures the number and standard of A-level passes for students entering initial teacher training.

  Mr. Fallon
  Information is given in the table:
  28
  1990: (a) chemistry, (b) physics, (c) biology, (d) management studies, (e) engineering and (f) mathematics.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The latest information is as follows:

  Full-time academic staff in specified cost centres at university colleges in Wales

  1980

  1988

  Physical sciences

  274

  251

  Biological sciences

  264

  355

  Businesss and management studies

  24

  71

  Mathematical sciences

  164

  173

  Engineering and technology

  329

  308

  Source: Universities Statistical Record

  Universities statistics 1980 Volume three Table 11

  Universities statistics 1988–89 Volume Three Table 9

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the departments which have been removed from university colleges in Wales over the past 10 years, by college.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  It is for individual university institutions, within the total resources at their disposal, to determine their academic provision and its organisation. Information on local changes in these matters is not collected centrally.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide figures listing the numbers of students studying in the following departments at university colleges in Wales in 1980 and 1990(a) chemistry, (b) physics, (c) biology, (d) management studies, (e) engineering and (f) mathematics.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The latest available information is as follows:

  United Kingdom domiciled first year undergraduate students with A level entry qualifications:

  Initial Teacher Training in England

  Academic Year

  Total number2

  Average A-level points score3

  1979–80

  UDE1

  300

  6·3

  Polytechnic/College

  6,390

  5·3

  Total

  6,690

  5·3

  1983–84

  UDE

  407

  7·8

  Polytechnic/College

  5,580

  5·5

  29

  Academic Year

  Total number2

  Average A-level points score3

  Total

  5,987

  5·7

  1988–89

  UDE

  734

  7·3

  Polytechnic/College

  5,600

  5·2

  Total

  6,334

  5·4

  1 UDE—University of Education.

  2 Covers students studying BEd., Cert. Ed. and other undergraduate ITT.

  3 Refers to the average A level points score of those who were recorded on USR and FESR as having A level entry qualifications.

  Notes: A level points score has been calculated in the customary way, by allocating 5 points for an A grade, 4 points for a B grade etc.

  Sources:

  University Statistical Record for University Departments of Education.

  Further Education Statistical Record for Polytechnics and Colleges.

  Schools, Northumberland
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has been notified under Education Act procedures of the decision of Northumberland education committee to move Netherton county first school into Thropton county first school; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  I understand that pupils attending Netherton county first school have been temporarily relocated at nearby Thropton county first school, following concern by Northumberland county council about the structural condition of Netherton school. The council acted in the interests of the safety of the children concerned.

  There are no statutory procedures which require the county council to inform my right hon. and learned Friend of its actions in these circumstances. Nonetheless, the Department has been kept informed of developments.

  Special Schools
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of pupils belonging to other local education authorities attending special schools maintained by each local education authority in January 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  The number of pupils belonging to other local education authorities attending special schools maintained by each local education authority as recorded on returns made to the Department of Education

  January 1989

  January 1990

  City of London

  0

  0

  Camden

  331

  223

  Greenwich

  188

  170

  Hackney

  189

  198

  Hammersmith

  285

  271

  Islington

  110

  101

  Kensington

  89

  94

  Lambeth

  372

  352

  Lewisham

  117

  115

  Southwark

  212

  175

  Tower Hamlets

  63

  61

  Wandsworth

  361

  360

  Westminster

  110

  100

  Barking

  6

  10

  30

  January 1989

  January 1990

  Barnet

  69

  59

  Bexley

  10

  14

  Brent

  44

  35

  Bromley

  46

  50

  Croydon

  25

  27

  Ealing

  26

  15

  Enfield

  45

  46

  Haringey

  61

  48

  Harrow

  15

  13

  Havering

  9

  8

  Hillingdon

  8

  3

  Hounslow

  27

  36

  Kingston

  51

  31

  Merton

  9

  8

  Newham

  22

  18

  Redbridge

  31

  28

  Richmond

  16

  18

  Sutton

  42

  33

  Waltham Forest

  277

  363

  Birmingham

  184

  162

  Coventry

  45

  42

  Dudley

  7

  8

  Sandwell

  20

  20

  Solihull

  12

  6

  Walsall

  32

  25

  Wolverhampton

  37

  34

  Knowsley

  40

  41

  Liverpool

  97

  66

  St. Helens

  37

  14

  Sefton

  34

  31

  Wirral

  9

  7

  Bolton

  35

  34

  Bury

  14

  22

  Manchester

  199

  176

  Oldham

  99

  105

  Rochdale

  14

  19

  Salford

  111

  97

  Stockport

  6

  6

  Tameside

  17

  11

  Trafford

  11

  14

  Wigan

  52

  59

  Barnsley

  22

  2

  Doncaster

  6

  5

  Rotherham

  8

  9

  Sheffield

  101

  76

  Bradford

  60

  70

  Calderdale

  3

  3

  Kirklees

  14

  39

  Leeds

  64

  51

  Wakefield

  14

  13

  Gateshead

  38

  25

  Newcastle

  66

  91

  North Tyne

  8

  10

  South Tyne

  2

  3

  Sunderland

  29

  33

  Avon

  47

  39

  Bedfordshire

  4

  1

  Berkshire

  66

  70

  Bucks

  31

  31

  Cambridge

  27

  51

  Cheshire

  44

  41

  Cleveland

  45

  35

  Cornwall

  7

  2

  Cumbria

  4

  0

  Derbyshire

  32

  34

  Devon

  30

  29

  Dorset

  69

  50

  Durham

  29

  29

  East Sussex

  45

  43

  Essex

  52

  37

  Gloucester

  23

  10

  31

  January 1989

  January 1990

  Hampshire

  47

  81

  Hereford

  56

  60

  Hertfordshire

  139

  142

  Humberside

  31

  19

  Isle of Wight

  4

  2

  Kent

  75

  45

  Lancashire

  43

  41

  Leicester

  6

  5

  Lincolnshire

  38

  37

  Norfolk

  25

  25

  North Yorks

  42

  38

  Northants

  13

  6

  Northumberland

  33

  28

  Notts

  46

  30

  Oxfordshire

  45

  45

  Shropshire

  11

  8

  Somerset

  18

  5

  Staffordshire

  34

  19

  Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs January 1989

  Pupils with statements in

  Primary schools

  Middle schools

  Secondary schools

  Special schools1

  Barking

  48

  0

  29

  195

  Barnet

  106

  0

  53

  366

  Bexley

  160

  0

  125

  279

  Brent

  46

  0

  46

  366

  Bromley

  307

  0

  124

  413

  Croydon

  202

  0

  153

  507

  Ealing

  53

  55

  30

  496

  Enfield

  31

  0

  13

  436

  Haringey

  23

  0

  18

  335

  Harrow

  73

  33

  56

  258

  Havering

  124

  0

  63

  299

  Hillingdon

  51

  0

  33

  369

  Hounslow

  185

  0

  108

  487

  Kingston upon Thames

  36

  0

  40

  258

  Merton

  45

  29

  10

  257

  Newham

  111

  0

  67

  494

  Redbridge

  36

  0

  23

  400

  Richmond upon Thames

  68

  0

  37

  179

  Sutton

  69

  0

  27

  309

  Waltham Forest

  53

  0

  81

  730

  Inner London

  1,389

  0

  747

  6,432

  Birmingham

  344

  15

  382

  2,929

  Coventry

  85

  0

  86

  907

  Dudley

  161

  2

  74

  557

  Sandwell

  44

  0

  51

  899

  Solihull

  127

  0

  89

  264

  Walsall

  102

  0

  56

  594

  Wolverhampton

  173

  0

  94

  494

  Knowsley

  41

  0

  59

  638

  Liverpool

  97

  0

  36

  1,709

  St. Helens

  56

  0

  48

  469

  Sefton

  146

  0

  87

  466

  Wirral

  259

  0

  147

  830

  Bolton

  63

  0

  61

  464

  Bury

  203

  0

  127

  275

  Manchester

  41

  0

  77

  1,813

  Oldham

  133

  0

  81

  599

  Rochdale

  92

  18

  78

  536

  Salford

  44

  0

  20

  747

  Stockport

  292

  0

  168

  368

  Tameside

  213

  0

  34

  415

  Trafford

  146

  0

  111

  415

  Wigan

  111

  0

  44

  740

  Barnsley

  108

  4

  42

  227

  Doncaster

  64

  31

  28

  731

  Rotherham

  139

  0

  41

  603

  Sheffield

  206

  82

  233

  909

  32

  January 1989

  January 1990

  Suffolk

  32

  28

  Surrey

  145

  144

  Warwickshire

  166

  152

  West Sussex

  45

  43

  Wiltshire

  11

  3

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of pupils in each local education authority in England with statements of special educational need in(a) maintained primary schools, (b) maintained middle schools, (c) maintained secondary schools and (d) maintained special schools, in January 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Data for 1990 are not yet available. Information for 1989 is given in the following table.
  33

  Pupils with statements in

  Primary schools

  Middle schools

  Secondary schools

  Special schools1

  Bradford

  81

  69

  88

  1,040

  Calderdale

  86

  0

  44

  262

  Kirklees

  331

  37

  166

  649

  Leeds

  528

  338

  399

  1,260

  Wakefield

  85

  22

  31

  667

  Gateshead

  41

  0

  40

  443

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  149

  25

  145

  619

  North Tyneside

  85

  29

  66

  415

  South Tyneside

  83

  0

  59

  319

  Sunderland

  131

  0

  71

  633

  Isle of Scilly

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Avon

  937

  0

  1,049

  2,122

  Bedfordshire

  186

  87

  97

  1,148

  Berkshire

  338

  29

  110

  1,486

  Buckinghamshire

  291

  266

  397

  1,545

  Cambridgeshire

  442

  2

  319

  1,063

  Cheshire

  1,083

  0

  948

  1,478

  Cleveland

  270

  0

  412

  1,652

  Cornwall

  706

  0

  525

  321

  Cumbria

  485

  0

  456

  469

  Derbyshire

  878

  0

  1,037

  1,492

  Devon

  808

  72

  793

  1,705

  Dorset

  164

  123

  268

  1,174

  Durham

  279

  0

  165

  1,035

  East Sussex

  50

  0

  45

  1,377

  Essex

  809

  0

  785

  2,620

  Gloucestershire

  83

  0

  85

  1,226

  Hampshire

  488

  152

  552

  3,850

  Hereford and Worcester

  98

  8

  35

  1,314

  Hertfordshire

  760

  46

  508

  1,985

  Humberside

  383

  18

  305

  1,356

  Isle of Wight

  36

  26

  27

  286

  Kent

  665

  16

  345

  3,391

  Lancashire

  657

  0

  554

  3,247

  Leicestershire

  485

  52

  268

  1,193

  Lincolnshire

  337

  0

  379

  1,191

  Norforlk

  407

  263

  475

  890

  North Yorkshire

  495

  0

  272

  1,084

  Northamptonshire

  243

  52

  169

  1,215

  Northumberland

  134

  98

  46

  558

  Nottinghamshire

  50

  2

  55

  2,342

  Oxfordshire

  42

  0

  61

  837

  Shropshire

  335

  16

  505

  660

  Somerset

  467

  98

  450

  602

  Staffordshire

  381

  23

  186

  1,982

  Suffolk

  584

  295

  443

  766

  Surrey

  527

  319

  272

  1,862

  Warwickshire

  126

  39

  75

  1,434

  West Sussex

  122

  48

  111

  1,187

  Wiltshire

  671

  64

  721

  745

  England

  24,608

  3,003

  19,651

  95,660

  1 All pupils in special schools are assumed to have statements.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of pupils belonging to each London education authority attending special schools maintained by other local education authorities in January 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information requested is set out in the table.
  34

  The number of pupils belonging to London education authorities attending special schools maintained by other local education authorities as recorded on returns made to the Department of Education

  January 1989

  January 1990

  City of London

  6

  5

  Camden

  125

  123

  Greenwich

  119

  115

  Hackney

  222

  213

  Hammersmith

  103

  100

  Islington

  167

  149

  Kensington

  208

  196

  Lambeth

  273

  240

  35

  January 1989

  January 1990

  Lewisham

  195

  194

  Southwark

  237

  236

  Tower Hamlets

  114

  111

  Wandsworth

  206

  181

  Westminster

  161

  151

  Barking

  32

  31

  Barnet

  77

  89

  Bexley

  81

  75

  Brent

  76

  74

  Bromley

  34

  25

  Croydon

  56

  55

  Ealing

  71

  74

  Enfield

  117

  101

  Haringey

  92

  91

  Harrow

  52

  46

  Havering

  47

  47

  Hillingdon

  43

  42

  Hounslow

  25

  26

  Kingston

  18

  17

  Merton

  78

  64

  Newham

  59

  61

  Redbridge

  61

  74

  Richmond

  36

  35

  Sutton

  52

  49

  Waltham Forest

  23

  19

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those local education authorities who have(a) developed most or all of their special needs budget to schools in the local management of schools policy and (b) retained most of their special needs budget centrally.

  Mr. Fallon
  Of the 87 local education authorities operating statutory schemes for the local management of schools in the current financial year the following 10 have delegated to school level some or all resources for pupils with statements of special educational needs attending ordinary schools and special units:

  Bexley

  Buckinghamshire

  Bury

  Derbyshire

  Hampshire

  Hounslow

  Leeds

  Redbridge

  Sefton

  Staffordshire

  The other 77 local education authorities have retained resources for such pupils centrally as an excepted item.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what was the number of pupils with statements of special educational need in non-maintained special schools and independent schools under the arrangements of each local education authority in January 1989 and 1990;

  (2) how many pupils belonging to each local education authority attended non-maintained special schools and independent schools for the purposes of special educational treatment in January 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Data for 1990 are not yet available. The information requested for 1989 is given in the following tables.
  36

  Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs in independent schools and non-maintained special schools January 1989

  Local education authority

  Non-maintained special1

  Independent schools

  Barking

  0

  0

  Barnet

  0

  5

  Bexley

  0

  0

  Brent

  0

  0

  Bromley

  40

  2

  Croydon

  0

  10

  Ealing

  0

  40

  Enfield

  0

  1

  Haringey

  0

  1

  Harrow

  0

  9

  Havering

  0

  0

  Hillingdon

  98

  0

  Hounslow

  0

  0

  Kingston upon Thames

  0

  0

  Merton

  0

  0

  Newham

  0

  0

  Redbridge

  21

  78

  Richmond upon Thames

  0

  0

  Sutton

  0

  68

  Waltham Forest

  0

  1

  Inner London

  0

  28

  Birmingham

  64

  12

  Coventry

  0

  0

  Dudley

  0

  2

  Sandwell

  0

  0

  Solihull

  0

  1

  Walsall

  Wolverhampton

  0

  0

  Knowsley

  0

  0

  Liverpool

  153

  0

  St. Helens

  0

  20

  Sefton

  183

  95

  Wirral

  118

  1

  Bolton

  40

  0

  Bury

  0

  0

  Manchester

  0

  0

  Oldham

  0

  0

  Rochdale

  0

  0

  Salford

  0

  0

  Stockport

  345

  16

  Tameside

  0

  0

  Trafford

  0

  0

  Wigan

  0

  0

  Barnsley

  0

  0

  Doncaster

  337

  125

  Rotherham

  0

  31

  Sheffield

  0

  0

  Bradford

  0

  1

  Calderdale

  91

  27

  Kirklees

  39

  0

  Leeds

  208

  21

  Wakefield

  0

  0

  Gateshead

  0

  0

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  141

  6

  North Tyneside

  133

  0

  South Tyneside

  0

  0

  Sunderland

  0

  52

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  Avon

  0

  204

  Bedfordshire

  0

  2

  Berkshire

  231

  48

  Buckinghamshire

  0

  50

  Cambridgeshire

  0

  101

  Cheshire

  178

  3

  37

  Local education authority

  Non-maintained special1

  Independent schools

  Cleveland

  0

  2

  Cornwall

  0

  37

  Cumbria

  0

  324

  Derbyshire

  147

  255

  Devon

  340

  500

  Dorset

  92

  163

  Durham

  0

  1

  East Sussex

  440

  465

  Essex

  187

  95

  Gloucestershire

  83

  138

  Hampshire

  283

  401

  Hereford and Worcester

  166

  228

  Hertfordshire

  62

  87

  Humberside

  0

  0

  Isle of Wight

  48

  0

  Kent

  483

  181

  Lancashire

  221

  16

  Leicestershire

  0

  60

  Lincolnshire

  0

  60

  Norfolk

  0

  196

  North Yorkshire

  183

  46

  Northamptonshire

  36

  63

  Northumberland

  0

  45

  Nottinghamshire

  80

  57

  Number of full-time pupils in maintained schools by local education authority January 1989

  Primary schools

  Middle schools

  Secondary schools

  Special schools

  Barking

  12,988

  0

  8,805

  186

  Barnet

  20,473

  0

  17,575

  366

  Bexley

  16,298

  0

  14,400

  276

  Brent

  19,464

  0

  10,891

  364

  Bromley

  18,888

  0

  15,506

  412

  Croydon

  23,868

  0

  16,349

  503

  Ealing

  23,792

  6,791

  11,067

  491

  Enfield

  20,035

  0

  15,940

  436

  Haringey

  15,037

  0

  8,358

  334

  Harrow

  17,135

  5,121

  7,797

  255

  Havering

  18,039

  0

  16,268

  292

  Hillingdon

  16,161

  0

  13,000

  365

  Hounslow

  16,258

  0

  12,102

  487

  Kingston upon Thames

  8,456

  0

  7,193

  257

  Merton

  7,755

  5,425

  11,111

  251

  Newham

  18,514

  0

  13,062

  484

  Redbridge

  16,137

  0

  13,150

  390

  Richmond upon Thames

  8,464

  0

  6,756

  178

  Sutton

  10,648

  0

  10,471

  297

  Waltham Forest

  16,174

  0

  11,602

  707

  Inner London Boroughs

  City

  547

  0

  0

  0

  Camden

  9,185

  0

  9,788

  555

  Greenwich

  17,587

  0

  13,483

  742

  Hackney

  13,947

  0

  7,544

  665

  Hammersmith

  7,932

  0

  6,433

  493

  Islington

  12,809

  0

  6,914

  347

  Kensington & Chelsea

  5,793

  0

  3,679

  95

  Lambeth

  16,493

  0

  6,228

  952

  Lewisham

  16,865

  0

  11,248

  474

  Southwark

  18,128

  0

  9,297

  592

  Tower Hamlets

  15,321

  0

  10,554

  443

  Wandsworth

  14,738

  0

  10,341

  819

  Westminster

  7,897

  0

  6,865

  224

  Total Inner London

  157,242

  0

  102,374

  6,401

  Birmingham

  96,385

  3,243

  64,728

  2,916

  Coventry

  25,997

  0

  18,865

  904

  Dudley

  26,031

  750

  16,880

  556

  Sandwell

  25,816

  0

  19,216

  889

  Solihull

  16,896

  0

  14,432

  263

  38

  Local education authority

  Non-maintained special1

  Independent schools

  Oxfordshire

  154

  45

  Shropshire

  91

  229

  Somerset

  64

  239

  Staffordshire

  0

  140

  Suffolk

  0

  119

  Surrey

  656

  68

  Warwickshire

  0

  0

  West Sussex

  102

  258

  Wiltshire

  66

  18

  ENGLAND

  6,404

  5,597

  1 All pupils in special schools are assumed to have statements.

  Pupil Numbers
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of full-time pupils in(a) maintained primary schools, (b) maintained middle schools, (c) maintained secondary schools and (d) maintained special schools in each local education area in England in January 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Fallon
  Data for 1990 are not yet available. Information for 1989 is given in the following table.
  39

  Primary schools

  Middle schools

  Secondary schools

  Special schools

  Walsall

  23,283

  0

  19,189

  580

  Wolverhampton

  20,965

  0

  16,097

  Knowsley

  15,237

  0

  9,709

  630

  Liverpool

  42,491

  0

  29,599

  1,675

  St. Helens

  15,716

  0

  13,176

  464

  Sefton

  24,034

  0

  19,043

  461

  Wirral

  28,046

  0

  21,316

  779

  Bolton

  23,675

  0

  17,810

  463

  Bury

  14,612

  0

  10,366

  275

  Manchester

  40,138

  0

  24,921

  1,795

  Oldham

  21,428

  0

  15,171

  599

  Rochdale

  18,395

  3,511

  14,973

  531

  Salford

  20,401

  0

  13,763

  743

  Stockport

  23,256

  0

  18,063

  362

  Tameside

  19,163

  0

  14,286

  405

  Trafford

  15,941

  0

  11,278

  395

  Wigan

  26,938

  0

  21,948

  739

  Barnsley

  17,519

  731

  14,501

  223

  Doncaster

  24,338

  9,233

  20,924

  725

  Rotherham

  21,582

  0

  18,221

  587

  Sheffield

  38,782

  7,848

  26,476

  891

  Bradford

  33,640

  22,310

  42,873

  966

  Calderdale

  17,604

  0

  12,983

  253

  Kirklees

  30,810

  3,433

  26,997

  642

  Leeds

  45,982

  18,971

  53,310

  1,229

  Wakefield

  23,435

  6,669

  21,432

  666

  Gateshead

  16,249

  0

  11,974

  441

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  19,878

  3,198

  16,884

  619

  North Tyneside

  13,727

  4,971

  14,527

  403

  South Tyneside

  13,047

  0

  9,323

  309

  Sunderland

  27,181

  0

  19,332

  631

  Isles of Scilly

  153

  0

  110

  0

  Avon

  72,332

  0

  53,911

  2,078

  Bedfordshire

  35,680

  16,061

  42,957

  1,121

  Berkshire

  55,335

  4,836

  45,492

  1,434

  Buckinghamshire

  56,522

  16,626

  34,125

  1,525

  Cambridgeshire

  53,853

  178

  40,271

  1,039

  Cheshire

  81,523

  0

  64,934

  1,426

  Cleveland

  50,954

  0

  39,956

  1,597

  Cornwall

  35,740

  0

  29,616

  310

  Cumbria

  39,300

  0

  31,650

  458

  Derbyshire

  73,280

  0

  58,889

  1,432

  Devon

  71,730

  3,527

  56,243

  1,659

  Dorset

  38,179

  10,351

  39,109

  1,150

  Durham

  50,408

  0

  37,363

  1,027

  East Sussex

  43,127

  83

  34,412

  1,357

  Essex

  118,256

  0

  99,795

  2,572

  Gloucestershire

  40,619

  0

  32,604

  1,194

  Hampshire

  121,013

  20,394

  84,996

  3,612

  Hereford and Worcester

  44,228

  14,651

  48,794

  1,277

  Hertfordshire

  73,300

  2,964

  66,077

  1,962

  Humberside

  72,142

  4,702

  59,292

  1,319

  Isle of Wight

  6,626

  5,030

  10,069

  259

  Kent

  111,574

  3,961

  100,296

  3,359

  Lancashire

  118,539

  0

  86,053

  3,230

  Leicestershire

  72,541

  5,167

  60,405

  1,158

  Lincolnshire

  44,695

  0

  36,399

  1,159

  Norfolk

  57,410

  15,993

  41,278

  868

  North Yorkshire

  51,502

  356

  43,712

  1,052

  Northamptonshire

  46,225

  8,654

  44,214

  1,155

  Northumberland

  18,237

  14,157

  27,823

  552

  Nottinghamshire

  73,994

  2,555

  64,724

  2,324

  Oxfordshire

  36,227

  3,736

  33,633

  780

  Shropshire

  31,555

  1,073

  28,028

  633

  Somerset

  33,199

  3,837

  28,124

  594

  Staffordshire

  82,983

  6,128

  69,738

  1,980

  Suffolk

  39,440

  15,330

  46,703

  716

  40 41

  Primary schools

  Middle schools

  Secondary schools

  Special schools

  Surrey

  70,735

  26,764

  44,709

  1,845

  Warwickshire

  42,448

  14,136

  26,323

  1,371

  West Sussex

  48,619

  9,442

  39,549

  1,173

  Wiltshire

  42,462

  1,202

  33,983

  734

  England

  3,667,129

  334,099

  2,944,722

  93,726

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. Eggar
  The policy evaluation projects which have been or are being through the Department's research budget since 1 January 1985 and which have included, among other elements of investigation, gathering opinions are:

  Year started and project

  1985 Expectations of Higher Education

  Survey of Special Educational Needs in Further and Higher Education

  1986 Survey of Careers Graduates

  Study of Management Education, Education and Training

  1987 Education and Training of Craftspeople

  Undergraduate Income and Expenditure Survey

  Youth Cohort Study—3rd Cohort

  1988 Demand for Qualified Labour; Employer Interviews

  Demand for Highly Qualified Manpower: Survey of Employers

  1989 Under Fives Research

  Student Income and Expenditure Survey 1988–89

  Youth Cohort Study—4th Cohort

  National Child Development Study—Phase 5

  Charging for School Activities

  1990 Surveying Out of Service Teachers: Pilot Study

  Young People's Intention to Enter Higher Education

  Student Loans Company
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received the directors' report and financial statements from the Student Loans Company.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Yes, following the company's annual general meeting which was held on 5 December 1990. Copies of the report and financial statements are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  Capital Expenditure
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on capital expenditure for 1991–92 on schools and further education establishments, including the voluntary aided sector.
  42
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Local education authorities have today been informed of their annual capital guidelines for 1991–92, and of the allocations for capital spending by the governors of voluntary-aided and special agreement schools in their area. These figures again amount to a big increase in local authorities' borrowing power for education capital expenditure and in grant for the governors of voluntary aided schools after substantial increases last year.

  Annual capital guidelines (ACGs) for education will total £538 million compared with £485 million in 1990–91, an increase of 11 per cent.

  £472 million is available for schools—an increase of 15 per cent.—and £66 million for further education.

  Within the schools sector, I have again given priority to: committed expenditure on work covered by allocations in earlier years; new projects to provide new school places in areas of population growth; new projects to implement cost-effective schemes to remove surplus places.

  All remaining resources have again been distributed by formula to contribute towards remedying deficiencies in existing school buildings and for work needed for effective delivery of the national curriculum. £109 million has been distributed in this way, an increase of over 50 per cent. on last year.

  Within the FE sector, after meeting commitments of £42·6 million, I have given priority to equipment, where this year's allocations are nearly 50 per cent. higher than last year's.

  These education ACGs represent only the minimum level of expenditure which I consider desirable. They are not grants and do not themselves give authorities the power to borrow money for capital purposes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will issue credit approvals to each authority which will give authorisation to borrow for capital spending on all services. ACGs include a small element in respect of spending from capital receipts on top of the spending which can be financed by borrowing. In addition, authorities will be able to spend futher sums from capital receipts and from their revenue budgets if they so choose. Local authority expenditure, including that on loan charges resulting from capital expenditure, is assisted by central government through revenue support grant.

  I am also announcing an increase of over a third in grant available for spending on new building projects by the governors of aided and special agreement schools. I have authorised 67 new starts for major projects compared with 59 last year, and an increase of 37 per cent. in the allocation of minor works. A further 31 projects have been put on to the design list to enable detailed costed plans to be drawn up and LEAs and governors can apply for projects which require statutory proposals to be added to the list in the course of the year.

  My distribution of annual capital guidelines and allocations to voluntary-aided schools should provide a

  43
  substantial boost to improvements to our school buildings and help equip them for effective delivery of the national curriculum.

  Attached are lists of annual capital guidelines to individual local authorities for 1990–91 and 1991–92. Also attached are allocations for voluntary aided and special agreement schools, which include major new projects at voluntary-aided schools accepted for a start in 1991–92.

  Local education authorities

  Total annual capital guidelines (£ thousands)

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Barking

  485

  573

  Barnet

  888

  803

  Bexley

  1,242

  1,891

  Brent

  687

  1,233

  Bromley

  1,684

  3,656

  Croydon

  1,061

  1,996

  Ealing

  889

  1,362

  Enfield

  1,315

  1,971

  Haringey

  1,132

  1,018

  Harrow

  1,073

  1,057

  Havering

  5,881

  1,945

  Hillingdon

  1,140

  1,005

  Hounslow

  539

  1,516

  Kingston

  268

  1,303

  Merton

  3,608

  1,304

  Newham

  5,572

  8,587

  Redbridge

  1,577

  752

  Richmond

  1,390

  954

  Sutton

  2,974

  3,364

  Waltham

  6,661

  3,386

  City

  0

  2

  Camden

  1,421

  885

  Westminster

  380

  624

  Greenwich

  3,849

  676

  Hackney

  2,605

  1,992

  Hammersmith

  1,047

  1,235

  Islington

  1,079

  1,010

  Kensington

  2,145

  1,846

  Lambeth

  1,480

  1,152

  Lewisham

  1,232

  2,512

  Southwark

  5,429

  1,258

  Wandsworth

  1,677

  1,374

  Tower Hamlets

  7,778

  10,856

  Birmingham

  10,494

  11,083

  Coventry

  1,962

  2,180

  Dudley

  3,608

  9,508

  Sandwell

  1,647

  1,313

  Solihull

  1,511

  1,383

  Walsall

  1,369

  1,410

  Wolverhampton

  783

  2,067

  Knowsley

  2,080

  1,173

  Liverpool

  9,742

  5,763

  St. Helens

  5,066

  2,823

  Sefton

  4,176

  4,208

  Wirral

  3,354

  3,379

  Bolton

  802

  899

  Bury

  815

  1,254

  Manchester

  3,062

  4,697

  Oldham

  3,429

  8,522

  Rochdale

  4,078

  8,071

  Voluntary-aided and special agreement schools—1991–92 allocations

  LEA

  Total allocation 1991–92

  Commitments

  Minor Works

  Major Works

  Starts list (major projects to start 1991–92)

  Design list Projects (major Projects to initial design work 1991–92)

  Project category

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Camden

  226

  219

  —

  7

  —

  Maria Fidelis RC S

  IR

  Greenwich

  36

  —

  36

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hackney

  195

  4

  191

  —

  —

  —

  —

  44

  Local education authorities

  Total annual capital guidelines (£ thousands)

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Salford

  3,899

  3,433

  Stockport

  1,300

  1,919

  Tameside

  1,410

  1,744

  Trafford

  9,448

  3,683

  Wigan

  4,378

  7,462

  Barnsley

  1,883

  806

  Doncaster

  860

  375

  Rotherham

  1,589

  1,039

  Sheffield

  2,428

  1,371

  Bradford

  9,731

  9,355

  Calderdale

  1,514

  1,661

  Kirklees

  1,216

  3,797

  Leeds

  2,562

  16,372

  Wakefield

  5,394

  2,275

  Gateshead

  1,082

  2,840

  Newcastle

  1,564

  2,332

  North Tyneside

  1,265

  729

  South Tyneside

  1,894

  1,988

  Sunderland

  1,883

  3,072

  Isles of Scilly

  221

  16

  Avon

  5,653

  4,945

  Bedfordshire

  2,409

  1,974

  Berkshire

  4,500

  3,282

  Buckinghamshire

  4,544

  7,124

  Cambridge

  13,229

  8,536

  Cheshire

  5,814

  5,257

  Cleveland

  3,329

  2,979

  Cornwall

  6,522

  6,242

  Cumbria

  7,930

  9,629

  Derbyshire

  14,653

  21,330

  Devon

  12,984

  7,715

  Dorset

  3,853

  2,605

  Durham

  4,924

  6,911

  East Sussex

  8,613

  16,761

  Essex

  13,895

  22,210

  Gloucester

  7,917

  6,442

  Hampshire

  13,325

  16,517

  Hereford and Worcester

  6,248

  6,774

  Hertford

  6,526

  6,524

  Humberside

  9,004

  8,371

  Isle of Wight

  1,912

  2,263

  Kent

  16,210

  23,773

  Lancashire

  18,524

  22,789

  Leicester

  11,154

  6,922

  Lincoln

  7,387

  10,016

  Norfolk

  2,880

  2,779

  North Yorkshire

  4,105

  4,575

  Northampton

  6,182

  8,641

  Northumberland

  1,961

  3,545

  Nottinghamshire

  3,716

  5,167

  Oxfordshire

  3,751

  6,601

  Shropshire

  6,319

  6,582

  Somerset

  4,837

  4,979

  Staffordshire

  6,375

  8,644

  Suffolk

  7,921

  9,989

  Surrey

  3,718

  5,538

  Warwick

  1,507

  1,644

  West Sussex

  3,633

  3,508

  Wiltshire

  6,256

  4,973

  45

  LEA

  Total allocation 1991–92

  Commitments

  Minor Works

  Major Works

  Starts list (major projects to start 1991–92)

  Design list Projects (major Projects to initial design work 1991–92)

  Project category

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1,295

  1,295

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Islington

  173

  —

  173

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2,640

  2,552

  —

  88

  —

  St. Thomas More RC S

  IR

  Lambeth

  70

  43

  —

  27

  —

  La Retraite RC S

  IR

  Lewisham

  65

  —

  65

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Southwark

  861

  804

  —

  57

  —

  St. Peter's CE P, Walworth

  IR

  Tower Hamlets

  334

  80

  171

  83

  St. Matthias CE

  —

  BN1

  Wandsworth

  49

  —

  49

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Westminster

  324

  12

  283

  29

  —

  St. Marylebone CE S

  R

  Barking

  1,955

  1,955

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Barnet

  718

  718

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bexley

  305

  192

  113

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Brent

  35

  35

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bromley

  198

  198

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Croydon

  1,814

  1,723

  91

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ealing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Enfield

  302

  252

  50

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Haringey

  1,163

  1,110

  53

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Harrow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Havering

  147

  125

  22

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hillingdon

  90

  20

  —

  70

  —

  —

  —

  Hounslow

  53

  —

  —

  53

  —

  St. Mark's RC S

  IR

  Kingston upon Thames

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Merton

  98

  98

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Newham

  134

  74

  —

  60

  St. Bonaventures RC S

  —

  IR

  Redbridge

  116

  116

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Richmond upon Thames

  195

  195

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sutton

  2,354

  2,324

  —

  30

  St. Philomena's RC S

  —

  IR

  Waltham Forest

  300

  300

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Birmingham

  1,113

  668

  281

  164

  St. Bernadettes RC P Bournville Infants

  —

  BN

  Birmingham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Ambrose Barlow RC P

  BN

  Coventry

  1,369

  1,119

  250

  Cardinal Wiseman RC

  —

  SP1

  Dudley

  2,006

  1,769

  87

  150

  St. James CE P, Woolaston

  —

  IR

  Sandwell

  7

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Solihull

  55

  41

  —

  14

  Berkswell CE P

  —

  IR

  Walsall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wolverhampton

  61

  —

  14

  47

  —

  Holy Trinity RC P

  IR

  Knowsley

  571

  506

  65

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Liverpool

  4,493

  3,948

  85

  460

  Broughton Hall High RC

  —

  SP12

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Archbishop Blanche CE S

  —

  IR1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cardinal Heenan RC S

  SP1

  St. Helens

  2,149

  2,089

  60

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sefton

  1,750

  1,430

  95

  225

  Savio RC High

  —

  SP1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Monica's P

  —

  SP2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sacred Heart High RC, Crosby

  —

  SP

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Luke's CE P, Halsall

  —

  IR

  Wirral

  631

  593

  —

  38

  —

  Plessington High RC S, Bebington

  SP

  Bolton

  436

  116

  20

  300

  St. Joseph's RC S, Horwich

  —

  IR2

  Bury

  574

  181

  85

  308

  Bury High CE

  —

  IR2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Our Lady of Grace RC P

  IR

  Manchester

  827

  227

  120

  480

  St. Andrew's CE P

  —

  IR2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Our Lady's High RC S

  —

  IR2

  Oldham

  174

  24

  125

  25

  —

  Crompton House High CE

  IR

  Rochdale

  436

  321

  115

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Salford

  343

  253

  90

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Stockport

  291

  237

  —

  54

  —

  Harrytown High RC

  BN

  46 47

  LEA

  Total allocation 1991–92

  Commitments

  Minor Works

  Major Works

  Starts list (major projects to start 1991–92)

  Design list Projects (major Projects to initial design work 1991–92)

  Project category

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Tameside

  35

  5

  30

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Trafford

  715

  705

  —

  10

  St. Margaret Ward RC P

  —

  IR

  Wigan

  1,108

  688

  30

  390

  Deanery CE S

  —

  BN

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sacred Heart RC P

  SP

  Barnsley

  25

  —

  25

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Doncaster

  145

  15

  —

  130

  St. Joseph's RC P

  —

  BN1

  Rotherham

  158

  —

  158

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sheffield

  127

  79

  —

  48

  —

  All Saints RC S

  BN

  Bradford

  873

  867

  —

  6

  Our Lady of Victories RC P

  —

  IR

  Calderdale

  444

  140

  104

  200

  Halifax High RC

  —

  IR

  Kirklees

  218

  82

  104

  32

  —

  St. John Fisher RC S

  BN

  Leeds

  12,288

  12,288

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wakefield

  180

  60

  120

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gateshead

  64

  64

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  847

  17

  70

  760

  St. Paul's CE P

  —

  IR2

  North Tyneside

  203

  203

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Tyneside

  21

  21

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sunderland

  116

  79

  —

  37

  St. Benet's RC P

  —

  BN

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Anthony's RC S

  —

  IR

  Avon

  619

  471

  148

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bedfordshire

  600

  —

  —

  600

  Riseley Lower CE P

  —

  BN

  Bedfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Heath Lower CE P

  —

  IR2

  Berkshire

  358

  128

  230

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Buckinghamshire

  2,207

  1,970

  199

  38

  Frieth Combined CE P

  —

  BN

  Buckinghamshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Waddesdon CE S

  BN

  Cambridgeshire

  79

  —

  —

  79

  King's School CE, Peterborough

  —

  IR2

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bury CE P

  IR

  Cheshire

  1,997

  1,425

  265

  307

  St. Nicholas RC S, Hartford

  —

  IR2

  Cheshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Mary's, Middlewich

  IR2

  Cleveland

  398

  —

  209

  189

  Newland's RC S

  —

  BN

  Cleveland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Dominic's RC P

  —

  SP

  Cleveland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Peter's RC S

  —

  SP

  Cleveland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ian Ramsey CE S

  —

  IR

  Cornwall

  369

  227

  136

  6

  Millbrook CE P

  —

  IR

  Cumbria

  869

  305

  57

  507

  St. Patrick's RC J, Cleator Moor

  —

  SP2

  Cumbria

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Keswick P

  —

  SP

  Derbyshire

  889

  794

  60

  35

  St. Werburgh's CE P, Spondon

  —

  IR

  Devon

  567

  343

  159

  65

  St. Nicholas CE J, Sidmouth

  —

  IR

  Dorset

  3,985

  2,996

  60

  929

  Sandford St. Martin's CE P

  —

  IR

  Dorset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Joseph's RC P, Poole

  —

  IR2

  Dorset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Peter's RC S, Bournemouth

  —

  IR2

  Dorset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Luke's CE P, Winton, B'mouth

  BN

  Durham

  718

  553

  59

  106

  St. John's CE S, Bishop Auckland

  —

  SP

  Durham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Charles RC P, Tudhoe

  —

  IR2

  East Sussex

  1,065

  710

  355

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Essex

  1,010

  932

  64

  14

  —

  Bradwell CE Endowed

  IR

  Gloucestershire

  1,229

  797

  222

  210

  Corse CE P

  —

  BN

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Holy Apostles CE P

  —

  IR

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Peter's RC High

  BN

  Hampshire

  1,926

  1,926

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,356

  826

  —

  530

  Hagley RC S

  —

  BN1

  Hertfordshire

  1,656

  1,532

  124

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Humberside

  46

  46

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Isle of Wight

  210

  —

  210

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Isles of Scilly

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  IR2

  Kent

  2,837

  1,315

  122

  1,400

  Judd School

  —

  —

  48 49

  LEA

  Total allocation 1991–92

  Commitments

  Minor Works

  Major Works

  Starts list (major projects to start 1991–92)

  Design list Projects (major Projects to initial design work 1991–92)

  Project category

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Lancashire

  4,051

  2,728

  460

  863

  St. Theresa's RC P, Penwortham

  —

  BN

  Lancashire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Gregory's RC P, Chorley

  —

  SP2

  Lancashire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Matthews's RC P, Skelmersdale

  —

  SP

  Lancashire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Baines High, Poulton Le Fylde

  —

  IR2

  Leicestershire

  598

  64

  8

  526

  St. Clare's RC, P, Coalville

  —

  BN2

  Lincolnshire

  276

  61

  —

  215

  Spalding Grammar School

  —

  IR

  Norfolk

  13

  —

  —

  13

  —

  Archibishop Sancroft CE S

  IR

  North Yorkshire

  775

  6

  183

  586

  St. Peter's RC P, Scarborough

  —

  IR2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Aidan's CE High

  —

  IR2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Wilfred's RC P, York

  —

  IR

  Northamptonshire

  27

  —

  —

  27

  —

  St. David's RC Middle

  IR

  Northumberland

  747

  347

  92

  308

  Tritlington CE First

  —

  BN

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Joseph's RC

  —

  BN

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Mary's RC First

  —

  BN

  Nottinghamshire

  135

  36

  99

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Oxfordshire

  2,526

  2,218

  172

  136

  St. Mary's CE P, Chipping Norton

  —

  SP1

  Salop

  238

  105

  133

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Somerset

  2,041

  903

  191

  947

  St. Dubricus CE P, Porlock

  —

  BN2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Long Sutton CE P

  —

  IR2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Chewton

  —

  IR2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Trull CE P

  BN

  Staffordshire

  979

  672

  79

  228

  St. Mark's CE P

  —

  BN2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. George's RC P

  IR

  Suffolk

  345

  190

  100

  55

  St. Albans RC S

  —

  BN

  Surrey

  839

  87

  —

  752

  Salesian RC High

  —

  IR2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  St. Nicholas F & M, Shepperton

  IR

  Warwickshire

  788

  273

  —

  515

  St. Paul's Combined CE P

  —

  IR2

  West Sussex

  1,875

  1,312

  558

  5

  St. Mary At Clymping CE P

  —

  IR

  Wiltshire

  1,068

  930

  38

  100

  St. John's RC P, Trowbridge

  —

  IR

  Note:—

  Project category codes as follows:

  BN—Basic need

  SP—Surplus places

  IR—Improvement/replacement

  1 —Approved statutory proposals

  2 —Ex 1990–91 design list

  University Teachers
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will meet the Association of University Teachers to discuss its members' careers.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding reply 11 December 1990]: My right hon. and learned Friend met a delegation from the Association of University Teachers on 11 December. Various issues were discussed, including matters bearing on the careers of university staff.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will review the administrative workloads imposed on university professors.
  50
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding reply 11 December 1990]: It is for university managements to determine the distribution of staff responsibilities within each institution.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Vietnam
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what development aid is being provided to Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 13 December at column 476.

  Cambodia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts he has made to ascertain the type and amount of aid needed in Cambodia for reconstruction and development; and when such aid will be forthcoming.

  Mrs. Chalker
  At their meeting in Paris from 23 to 26 November the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the co-chairman of the Paris conference on Cambodia and the UN Secretary General's representative agreed a draft settlement document, which, inter alia, contains a declaration on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Cambodia. This sets out how Cambodian reconstruction and development needs will be addressed in the context of a comprehensive political settlement. Britain played its full part in preparing the document and is ready to join other donors to consider Cambodia's aid priorities, initially at a reconvened Paris conference. In the meantime we are supporting the work of non-governmental organisations and UN agencies in Cambodia.

  Poland
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of her Majesty's Government towards assisting the economy of Poland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government fully support the Polish Government in their efforts to stabilise the economy and introduce a free market system. Our policy is to provide technical assistance, help improve trade and other links with the EC, and to contribute to multilateral financial support, whilst seeking to avoid adding to Poland's debt burden.

  Bilateral technical assistance is given through the know-how fund for eastern Europe, in which £50 million is pledged to Poland; this gives priority to encouraging and assisting measures which will help introduce quickly a free market system. We have also provided bilaterally a $100 million grant to the international stabilisation fund which is funded by a group of Western donors to help underpin the value of the zloty while the economy is liberalised.

  We play a leading role in the EC's programme of project assistance for Poland. We have promoted the improved trade access Poland has gained from the EC and the strengthening of other Community links. We look forward to the start of negotiations for an EC-Poland association agreement to expand upon the current trade and co-operation agreement.

  We also contribute through international financial institutions to multilateral financial support for the countries programme. We have participated in the Paris club rescheduling of Poland's official debt and are taking part in a special Paris club working group on the long-term problem of Poland's debt.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of spending to date of know-how funding for Poland and make a statement on the future of the know-how fund.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) on 10 December at column 281.
  52
  Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union are currently eligible for assistance from the fund. Further countries may be included as and when they demonstrate satisfactory progress towards encouraging market-driven democracies.

  Bangladesh
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will undertake an urgent review, jointly with the other major aid donors to Bangladesh, to consider what additional aid could be offered to Bangladesh, especially linked to health, education, housing and development of infrastructure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have regular discussions with the Government of Bangladesh and with other major aid donors. Bangladesh's aid requirements are considered at annual meetings of the aid group led by the World Bank. At the last such meeting in April 1990 an action plan for policy reform was adopted.

  Last month we participated in a mid-term review of progress in implementing this plan, when it was agreed that the Government of Bangladesh would invite donors for further discussions on its investment priorities and on means of ensuring more effective use of aid, prior to the next aid group meeting in April 1991.

  Our bilateral aid programme to Bangladesh is substantial, at over £50 million a year, and includes assistance for health, education and infrastructure. We recently participated in a multi-donor mission to appraise a further major programme of assistance for population and family health. We currently await information on the interim Government's intention in these, and other areas of development and look forward to continued dialogue.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that continued aid to Bangladesh will rest entirely on progress made towards the genuine restoration of representative democracy and observance of basic human rights in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have welcomed the appointment of Mr. Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed as acting President and the announcement that free and fair elections will be held within 90 days. We hope everyone will heed the call for peace by leaders of all the main political parties so that normal life can be resumed as soon as possible.

  The observance of human rights and good government are among the factors we take into account in allocating aid to developing countries. These considerations apply to Bangladesh as much as to any other developing country receiving British aid.

  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the Government's financial assistance to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to facilitate its location in London.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government will contribute up to £40 million for the first three years rent and refurbishment costs of the bank's chosen headquarters. The Government propose to execute a lease on a temporary headquarters
  53
  building for the bank and to contribute rent for an agreed period, and refurbishment of the building, from within the £40 million available. I have today laid before the House a minute informing the House of the details. Copies of the minute have been placed in the Library of the House.

TRANSPORT

  Bicycle Bans
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy in respect of bicycle bans in city centres; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Decisions on whether to prohibit bicycles or any other class of vehicle from town centres or other roads are for individual local authorities. The Department has issued advice in our local transport note publication LTN 1/87 on pedestrian zones, "Getting the Right Balance". This refers to the need to consider exempting cycles from vehicular prohibitions in pedestrianisation schemes, if satisfactory alternative routes do not exist or cannot be created. We have further advised, in local transport note 1/89 "Making Way for Cyclists", that when a right of way for vehicles is removed from a road, a continuing right of way for cyclists should be provided unless there are overriding reasons not to do so.

  Transport Supplementary Grant
  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much local highway authority expenditure he intends to accept for transport supplementary grant in 1991–92.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have decided to accept a net local highway expenditure of £636 million for transport supplementary grant—TSG— in 1991–92. A total of £318 million grant is to be paid in support of capital expenditure on local authority road schemes, and bridge assessment and strengthening. This is an increase of 17 per cent. on last year's grant for road schemes. Structural maintenance work on bridges eligible for grant for the first time has been allocated £45 million. Grant is paid at a flat rate of 50 per cent. on schemes and works accepted from the bids made by the 108 local highway authorities in England.

  I have also decided to issue supplementary credit approvals of £90 million and total annual capital

  Local authority capital expenditure on roads 1991–92

  Authority

  Accepted expenditure for bridge strengthening and assessment1

  Net total expenditure accepted for transport supplementary grant

  Transport supplementary grant

  Total credit2

  £ million (1)

  £ million (2)

  £ million (3)

  £ million (4)

  London boroughs

  City of London

  0·199

  0·618

  0·309

  0·455

  Barking and Dagenham

  0·197

  3·670

  1·835

  2·255

  Barnet

  0·528

  1·030

  0·515

  0·803

  Bexley

  0·300

  2·500

  1·250

  1·858

  Brent

  1·167

  1·386

  0·693

  2·557

  Bromley

  0·135

  6·110

  3·055

  4·404

  Camden

  0·547

  1·288

  0·644

  1·220

  Croydon

  0·012

  1·538

  0·769

  1·452

  Ealing

  0·190

  3·172

  1·586

  2·690

  Enfield

  0·990

  9·000

  4·500

  4·666

  Greenwich

  0·148

  0·000

  0·000

  0·521

  Hackney

  0·420

  1·048

  0·524

  1·143

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  0·370

  0·858

  0·429

  0·859

  54
  guidelines of £362 million, bringing allocation for local roads, parking and bridge maintenance for 1991–92 to £771 million. The figure for local roads and parking for 1990–91 is £635 million.

  In deciding the distribution of transport supplementary grant for 1991–92, I have considered carefully the transport policies and programme documents submitted by each local highway authority, and have looked at the extent to which authorities' programmes relate to roads of more than local importance.

  Accepted expenditure for minor works has almost doubled, rising from £38 million for 1990–91 to £75 million for 1991–92. The new figure includes £31 million given for local safety schemes, which for the first time in 1991–92 are eligible for grant on all roads and not only on roads of more than local importance. This is in line with the suggestions of the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transport Safety. It is up to local authorities to decide which schemes to carry out; this level of finance could however support around 3,500 new local safety schemes which in only 12 months could save 80 lives, 1,000 serious injuries, and in all prevent 5,000 casualties.

  The grant will also provide £262 million in 1991–92 for continued support of 271 major local authority road schemes which are under construction or about to start; 35 new major schemes—over £1 million—have been accepted into the programme. The total cost of these new schemes is £166 million and the expenditure on them in 1991–92 is £42 million.

  Among these new schemes are major improvements on the A 13 in Essex serving east London and docklands, phase 2 of the Reading relief road, and the support of a major bypass of the A34 in Cheshire and Stockport. Fifteen of these schemes are bypasses to town centres and urban areas, which will greatly enhance the quality of life and improve the local environment in some of our historic towns. The remaining schemes are for upgrading existing roads and for improving access to urban and inner city areas.

  The amount of expenditure accepted for TSG, the amount of grant, the accepted expenditure for bridge maintenance and, the total of annual capital guidelines and special credit approvals for each local highway authority are set out in the tables. Councils are being informed individually today of their own figures.
  55

  Authority

  Accepted expenditure for bridge strengthening and assessment1

  Net total expenditure accepted for transport supplementary grant

  Transport supplementary grant

  Total credit2

  £ million (1)

  £ million (2)

  £ million (3)

  £ million (4)

  Haringey

  0·227

  2·132

  1·066

  1·577

  Harrow

  0·560

  6·566

  3·283

  6·651

  Havering

  0·518

  1·278

  0·639

  0·903

  Hillingdon

  1·120

  12·704

  6·352

  9·537

  Hounslow

  0·145

  0·944

  0·472

  0·926

  Islington

  0·080

  0·724

  0·362

  0·953

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0·290

  0·460

  0·230

  0·890

  Kingston upon Thames

  0·255

  1·226

  0·613

  1·184

  Lambeth

  0·100

  0·596

  0·298

  0·421

  Lewisham

  0·431

  8·540

  4·270

  8·371

  Merton

  0·078

  0·018

  0·009

  1·651

  Newham

  0·886

  1·630

  0·815

  2·948

  Redbridge

  0·253

  0·832

  0·416

  0·727

  Richmond upon Thames

  0·315

  0·816

  0·408

  0·620

  South wark

  0·118

  0·898

  0·449

  2·530

  Sutton

  1·338

  1·982

  0·991

  2·330

  Tower Hamlets

  0·691

  0·990

  0·495

  1·277

  Waltham Forest

  0·110

  0·778

  0·389

  0·687

  Wandsworth

  1·169

  4·348

  2·174

  2·963

  Westminster

  1·100

  1·692

  0·846

  4·384

  Metropolitan districts

  Bolton

  0·565

  2·528

  1·264

  1·468

  Bury

  0·370

  0·866

  0·433

  0·578

  Manchester

  0·515

  18·790

  9·395

  10·074

  Oldham

  1·735

  3·896

  1·948

  2·864

  Rochdale

  0·376

  0·928

  0·464

  0·605

  Salford

  0·650

  3·138

  1·569

  3064

  Stockport

  1·013

  3·480

  1·740

  1·844

  Tameside

  1·112

  1·380

  0·690

  1·309

  Trafford

  0·250

  0·276

  0·138

  1·531

  Wigan

  0·350

  3·692

  1·846

  2·800

  Knowsley

  0·401

  3·340

  1·670

  1·806

  Liverpool

  0·360

  0·000

  0·000

  0·611

  St· Helens

  0·353

  15·562

  7·781

  8·740

  Sefton

  0·888

  1·238

  0·619

  0·823

  Wirral

  0·475

  0·000

  0·000

  0·848

  Barnsley

  0·527

  5·342

  2·671

  3·236

  Doncaster

  2·854

  4·584

  2·292

  4·474

  Rotherham

  0·215

  1·324

  0·662

  0·908

  Sheffield

  1000

  10·024

  5012

  8·680

  Gateshead

  0175

  1·512

  0·756

  1·042

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  0·480

  1·978

  0·989

  2·829

  North Tyneside

  0·020

  0·630

  0·315

  0·409

  South Tyneside

  0·236

  1·922

  0·961

  1·097

  Sunderland

  0·474

  3·826

  1·913

  2·542

  Birmingham

  2·500

  20·512

  10·256

  15·524

  Coventry

  0·258

  5·586

  2·793

  3·301

  Dudley

  0·189

  2·888

  1·444

  2·522

  Sandwell

  1·781

  2·360

  1·180

  1·557

  Solihull

  0·850

  0·884

  0·442

  1·752

  Walsall

  1·802

  0·880

  0·440

  2·120

  Wolverhampton

  1·095

  12·320

  6·160

  7·486

  Bradford

  0·154

  4·560

  2·280

  3·442

  Calderdale

  0·411

  0·734

  0·367

  0·491

  Kirklees

  1·032

  1·898

  0·949

  1·605

  Leeds

  0·827

  3·974

  1·987

  3·260

  Wakefield

  1·802

  2·426

  1·213

  2·745

  Shire counties

  Avon

  1·174

  17·710

  8·855

  10·568

  Bedfordshire

  1·846

  6·456

  3·228

  3·481

  Berkshire

  0·455

  5·414

  2·707

  4·779

  Buckinghamshire

  0·970

  3·698

  1·849

  2·385

  Cambridgeshire

  1·956

  3·740

  1·870

  2·606

  Cheshire

  1·390

  11·002

  5·501

  6·797

  Cleveland

  0·412

  7·378

  3·689

  4·804

  Cornwall

  0·750

  7·916

  3·958

  5·512

  Cumbria

  2·035

  6·624

  3·312

  3·634

  Derbysnire

  1·138

  2·316

  1·158

  6·332

  Devon

  2·153

  10·124

  5·062

  6·838

  Dorset

  1·090

  5·540

  2·770

  3·687

  56 57

  Authority

  Accepted expenditure for bridge strengthening and assessment1

  Net total expenditure accepted for transport supplementary grant

  Transport supplementary grant

  Total credit2

  £ million (1)

  £ million (2)

  £ million (3)

  £ million (4)

  Durham

  0·850

  7·318

  3·659

  4·060

  East Sussex

  0·524

  10·462

  5·231

  6·963

  Essex

  0·475

  12·896

  6·448

  8·569

  Gloucestershire

  0·348

  4·182

  2091

  2·840

  Hampshire

  1·115

  24·358

  12·179

  13·099

  Hereford and Worcester

  0·827

  6·454

  3·227

  3·981

  Hertfordshire

  0·760

  6·506

  3·253

  5·655

  Humberside

  2·000

  11·178

  5·589

  8·307

  Isle of Wight

  0·135

  1·942

  0·971

  1·282

  Kent

  1·450

  74·458

  37·229

  39·538

  Lancashire

  4·250

  22·464

  11·232

  13·594

  Leicestershire

  0·770

  11·286

  5·643

  6·532

  Lincolnshire

  2·010

  3·680

  1·840

  3·530

  Norfolk

  1·830

  9·464

  4·732

  6·326

  Northamptonshire

  0·660

  7·728

  3·864

  5·098

  Northumberland

  1·460

  6·286

  3·143

  3·993

  North Yorkshire

  2·160

  12·314

  6157

  9·321

  Nottinghamshire

  1·335

  11110

  5·555

  7·267

  Oxfordshire

  0·378

  5·968

  2·984

  3·998

  Shropshire

  0·739

  8·710

  4·355

  5·621

  Somerset

  0·480

  6·026

  3·013

  4·166

  Staffordshire

  0·751

  7·854

  3·927

  6·182

  Suffolk

  1·980

  18·596

  9·298

  11·715

  Surrey

  3·971

  10·242

  5·121

  8·947

  Warwickshire

  1·670

  1·902

  0·951

  2·765

  West Sussex

  0·286

  8·252

  4·126

  4·882

  Wiltshire

  0·029

  5·376

  2·688

  4·429

  1 Included in (2).

  2 Annual capital guidelines plus supplementary credit approvals.

  MV Derbyshire
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with the International Maritime Organisation about the fate of the MV Derbyshire and her sister ships.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department has had no discussions with the International Maritime Organisation about the fate of the Derbyshire and her sister ships. A copy of the report of formal investigation into the loss of the Derbyshire was, however, sent to the IMO for information.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date his Department received a copy of the research paper by Professor Bishop on the sinking of the MV Derbyshire; on what date it was referred to the marine accident investigation branch of his Department; what consultations he is having on the basis of it; when he expects to receive a report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The marine accident investigation branch-MAIB-requested a copy of the paper from the Royal Institution of Naval Architects: this was received in early August. Copies of the paper were received in the Department's marine directorate in September. The MAIB is still examining the paper, along with the Tyne Tees television underwater film of the Kowloon Bridge. A report on the conclusions reached will be submitted to the Secretary of State shortly who will then decide whether or not to reopen the formal investigation which took place between October 1987 and March 1988.

  Ships' Plans
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requirement there is to ensure that copies of as-built plans of vessels constructed in the United Kingdom are kept during the working life of the vessels.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There is no statutory requirement for the retention of "as built" plans of vessels constructed in the United Kingdom. The provision of such plans is usually a matter of contract between the builder and the purchaser.

  Networker Trains
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current state of discussions between his Department and British Rail over the introduction of Networker multiple-unit electric trains for the longer-distance journey to Sussex and Kent.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  British Rail is considering, in the light of its other financial and investment priorities, how soon this project can start.

  Roads, Kent
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether all the road improvements in Kent authorised by his Department in connection with improved access to the channel tunnel will be completed by the time the tunnel is open in the summer of 1993.

  Mr. Chope
  The "missing link" in the M20 between Maidstone and Ashford is under construction. Statutory orders have been made authorising the widening of the
  59
  section of M20 between junctions 5 and 8 and the provision of a new A20 route between Dover and Folkestone. We are on target to have all these improvements in place by the time the channel tunnel is due to open in summer 1993.

  London Regional Transport
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a detailed breakdown of how the extra £3 billion available for investment to London Regional Transport is to be allocated; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Government grant to London Transport will be nearly £2·5 billion over the next three years. This should allow LT to invest approaching £3 billion over the same period. Of the grant, £748 million is allocated to the Jubilee line extension and £164 million to the east-west crossrail. LT has yet to decide how it wishes to allocate the remainder.

  British Rail (Trespass)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many actions for trespass have been initiated by British Rail in(a) 1989 and (b) 1990; and how many cases have been successful.

  Mr. Freeman
  This Department has no figures readily available. These are detailed matters for British Rail and the British Transport police.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for, or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985, giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My Department regularly commissions surveys of opinions, for example on motor cyclists'

  £ million

  Company

  Date of sale

  Net proceeds to Government

  Current capitalization

  National Freight Consortium

  1982

  5·0

  702·3

  Associated British Ports

  1983

  45·4

  377·4

  (Secondary sale by HMT)

  1984

  51·0

  —

  British Airways

  1987

  853·0

  1,132·0

  BAA

  1987

  1,1816

  2,0892

  ScotRail
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to meet the senior management of ScotRail to discuss improvements in the Glasgow Central—London Euston passenger service and other matters relating to rail services within Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: My right hon. and learned Friend will be having regular meetings with British Rail senior management to discuss a variety of railway matters, although he has no immediate plans to visit ScotRail. His predecessor my right hon. Friend the Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Parkinson), visited ScotRail as recently as 16 November.
  60
  attitudes to vehicle safety, among other types of survey. A complete list of surveys is maintained, but it it not possible to identify from this list those surveys that have included questions of opinion. I regret therefore that the information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Speedlink
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if Ministers have been approached regarding a possible private takeover or replacement of the British Rail Speedlink service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand from BR that a number of private sector companies have expressed interest in finding ways of operating some Speedlink traffics. British Rail will welcome any serious propositions that have advantages for both sides.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if ministerial approval was sought for the closure of British Rail's Speedlink service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The British Rail chairman kept us informed throughout the board's review of Speedlink. The decision to close the Speedlink network from July 1991 is a commercial matter for the BR board and does not require ministerial approval.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the privatisations with which his Department has been involved since 1979, indicating in each case the date of the sale, the proceeds of the sale and the estimated current value of the company.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: The information is as follows:

HEALTH

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent representations he has received advocating the extension of exemption from prescription charges to men aged 60 to 64 years;

  (2) if he will extend exemption from prescription charges to men aged 60 to 64 years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In the past three months one letter from an hon. Member and two letters from members of the public have been received. The present exemption arrangements protect those who are likely to have difficulty in paying charges and, in the case of men and women who have reached state pension age, reflect the
  61
  change of financial circumstances which they would generally experience at this point in their lives. Persons below state pension age who are not otherwise exempt, but who require frequent medication, can limit their outlay by buying a prepayment certificate. We therefore have no plans to change the present arrangements.

  St. George's Hospital, Tooting
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the number of patients awaiting heart surgery at St. George's hospital, Tooting, London, who are residents living within the area covered by the Wandsworth health authority;

  (2) what is the present number of patients awaiting heart surgery treatment at St. George's hospital, Tooting, London;

  (3) what has been the longest period of time a person on the waiting list for heart surgery treatment at St. George's hospital, Tooting, has been waiting in the past three years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information about numbers on waiting lists and waiting times for admission to hospital is not available centrally by individual hospital or by specific condition. The hon. Member may wish to write to Dr. Enid Vincent, the chairman of Wandsworth district health authority, for the information.

  Heart Attacks (Women)
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women had heart attacks for each of the last three years for which figures are available aged (i) 20 30, (ii) 31 to 40, (iii) 41 to 50, (iv) 51 to 60 and (v) 61 to 70 years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information is not available in the form requested. The table gives, by age, the numbers of deaths of women caused by acute myocardial infarction in the last three years for which figures are available.

  1987

  1988

  11989

  Age

  20–29

  8

  10

  5

  30–39

  68

  50

  45

  40–49

  302

  259

  242

  50–59

  1,605

  1,390

  1,305

  60–69

  6,836

  6,437

  6,193

  1 Provisional.

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the names of those people appointed to be chairmen and non-executive directors of national health service trusts.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to announce the names of those appointed to the chair and trustees of the Bradford NHS trust:, and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have today placed in the Library a list of appointments to those trusts established today. A list of those people to be appointed as chairmen and non-executive directors of the trusts to be established on 21 December will be placed in the Library shortly.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the procedure followed for public consultation 62
  for second wave trust will differ from those in the first wave; and if hospitals which were not approved in the first wave will be obliged to put any second wave applications out for public consultation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The procedure to be followed for public consultation for second wave trusts will not differ from the first wave. The applications from those hospitals and units which were not approved in the first wave have already been the subject of full public consultation. It would, therefore, suffice for the region concerned to write to the bodies to whom it had sent the original consultation document, stating that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State would be willing to consider trust status subject to specific issues having been addressed, specifying the conditions and seeking further comments.

  Child Care
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has received from the local authority associations about the cost of providing child care services for Eritrean children seeking asylum in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department has received estimated costs from the local authority associations for London boroughs involved in providing child care services for newly arrived unaccompanied Eritrean children seeking asylum. Consideration is now being given to the case for special funding.

  The Gulf (Casualties)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the contingency provision for the reception of casualties by national health service hospitals, in the event of a military option in the Gulf.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply 1 gave the hon. Member for Dunfermline, West (Mr. Douglas) on 16 November at column 248. Contingency provision is under continuous review in consultation with the Ministry of Defence.

  Tehidy Hospital, Cornwall
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he anticipates announcing his decision on the future of Tehidy hospital, Camborne, Cornwall, following the decision of the South Western regional health authority at its meeting of 4 December.

  Mr. Dorrell
  When we receive the papers from South Western regional health authority, concerning the proposed siting of the Camborne Redruth hospital, including the future of Tehidy hospital, we shall consider carefully all of the views expressed and make a decision without delay.

  Clinical Standards
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) with which organisations he has recently met in order to discuss the work of the clinical standards advisory group;

  (2) if he intends to meet with the Royal College of Midwives to discuss the work of the clinical standards advisory group.
  63
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Since my right hon. and learned Friend the then Secretary of State met the presidents of the royal colleges and other leaders of the dental, medical, midwifery and nursing professions earlier this year, work on the clinical standards advisory group has been taken forward by officials. This work is continuing. We shall keep the need for any further meetings under review.

  Function, Banqueting House
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the purpose and full cost of the function organised by his Department at the Banqueting house, Whitehall on the evening of Tuesday 11 December;

  (2) if he will list the names of those attending the function organised by his Department at the Banqueting house, Whitehall on the evening of Tuesday 11 December.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The dinner held at the Banqueting house, Whitehall on the 11 December was part of a two day business conference on NHS trusts and was attended by people including Ministers, NHS managers, members of the NHS Management Executive and departmental officials. The dinner cost £9,959·43.

  Cook-chill Foods
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cook-chill production facilities were introduced into hospitals in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department's guidelines on cook-chill catering have been supplied to the managers of every hospital and school cook-chill production unit.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Copies of the Department's "Guidelines on Cook-Chill and Cook-Freeze Catering Systems" were sent to every district health authority in England in July 1989. Copies are also available in the Library.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information readily available relates to the register of surveys maintained by the Central Statistical Office. The table lists surveys commissioned by the Department of Health since 1988 and surveys which from their titles appear to relate to health and personal social services from 1985 to 1988 commissioned by the former Department of Health and Social Security.

  Department of Health

  Misuse of drugs campaign 1988–89: Creative development stage 2

  Nursing recruitment campaign—Telephone response follow up

  Cold weather campaign evaluation 1988–89

  Misuse of drugs 1988–89: Creative development stage 3

  NHS financial management training scheme research

  Nursing: Youth concept research

  Drugs 1988–89: Campaign evaluation stage 7

  Nursing tracking 1989–90: Two stages June and September

  Cold weather publicity campaign 1989–90: Evaluation

  64

  Nursing tracking study wave III and wave IV (1990)

  Drugs tracking study stage 8

  Drugs 1990: Doublehead research

  Organ donation: Regional research

  Nursing qualitative evaluation

  Cold weather postal follow-up research

  Drugs 1990: Qualitative evaluation

  Nursing follow-up of campaign response: Student nurses

  Drugs tracking stage 9

  Department of Health and Social Security

  Nursing recruitment campaign evaluation

  Image of the NHS

  Anti-heroin campaign tracking

  AIDS-drugs advertising development research

  AIDS longterm tracking

  Organ donor next of kin—Qualitative research

  AIDS youth campaign tracking research (November 1986 and February 1987)

  Tracking public attitudes to the social security reform campaign 1987

  AIDS-drugs doublehead animatics research—Reaction to advertising roughs

  AIDS-drugs advertising: Animatic/doublehead communication check

  Attitudes to nurse training

  Stage 6 of a tracking survey to evaluate the anti-drugs campaigns

  Attitudes of West Indians and Asians to AIDS

  Family credit advertising development research

  Nursing recruitment—Advertising communication check

  1986–87 anti-heroin campaign creative development

  Anti-heroin campaign evaluation stage 4

  Qualitative research into attitudes to condoms (AIDS)

  AIDS anti-body test leaflet comm. check research pilot and main survey

  National and regional publicity needs for the blood transfusion service

  AIDS-drugs campaigns: Qualitative evaluation research

  Monitoring attitudes to social security 1988

  Prescribing publicity

  Organ donor research

  Misuse of drugs 1988–89 campaign: Advertising development research

  1988 nursing recruitment campaign: Initial evaluation research

  Nursing careers: 1988 tracking study

  Attitudes to methods of payments of benefits

  Attitudes to giving blood

  Determinants of labour supply behaviour families in long-term unemployment

  Attitudes to unemployment and claiming benefit while unemployed

  Smoking among secondary schoolchildren in 1986 (DHSS/WO/SHHD)

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Space Research Corporation
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on non-military research done by the Space Research Corporation.

  Mr. Lilley
  None.

  Vietnam (Trade Restrictions)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the restrictions on trade with Vietnam; and if he has any proposals to lift them.

  Mr. Redwood
  The import of those goods which are normally restricted from state trading countries are totally restricted from Vietnam. The products covered by this
  65
  embargo are matches, footwear, TV sets, gloves, headgear, some agricultural products and a wide range of textile products. The United Kingdom has, however, opened quotas for imports of a number of products as shown in the table. The import of any other goods from Vietnam is not restricted.

  These restrictions are subject to regular review, in the light of foreign and trade policy considerations.

  In addition, goods, and technical documents for such goods, listed in schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989, as amended, require an export licence before they can be exported to any country.

  I have no proposals to remove such controls for Vietnam. However, together with our partners in the Co-ordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls—COCOM—we are currently examining the scope for modifications to the list of goods subject to export control.

  Product

  Quota level (1990)

  Tableware of porcelain, china or pottery; ornaments or statuettes

  £23,100

  Bedlinen, tablelinen, curtains; synthetic yarn and woven fabrics of synthetic yarn (MFA categories: 20, 23, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40)

  7 tonnes

  Footwear Industry
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government assistance will be given to the British shoe industry in the coming months.

  Mr. Leigh
  Firms in the footwear industry can apply for assistance from a range of Government schemes for encouraging enterprise and good practice.

  Levitt Group
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will meet the chairman of FIMBRA to discuss the introduction of systematic investigations for its larger members in the light of the Levitt group collapse.

  Mr. Redwood
  I meet the chairmen of the self-regulating organisations under the Financial Services Act, including FIMBRA, from time to time to discuss a range of regulatory issues.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure that more thorough procedures in relation to capital adequacy will in future prevent the occurrence of further cases similar to the Levitt Group collapse.

  Mr. Redwood
  Rules and procedures relating to the capital adequacy of persons carrying on investment business are a matter for the Securities and Investments Board and the regulatory bodies recognised under the Financial Services Act.

  Cyprus (Defence Equipment)
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to ensure that defence equipment and munitions supplied to Cyprus have not been re-exported in a manner that is inconsistent with Government policy; and if he will make a statement.
  66
  Mr. Lilley
  Defence and defence-related equipment for sale to Cyprus or elsewhere which is subject to export control under the Export Goods (Control) Order 1989 requires an export licence, for which my Department is the issuing authority.

  Each application for a licence is considered on its merits in consultation with other Departments taking into account the type of equipment, its end use and end user. If there are any reasons to doubt the end use or end user of the equipment a licence would not be issued.

  There are penalties, enforceable through the courts, for any person who makes a false statement or provides information known to be false to obtain an export licence.

  If the hon. Member has particular cases in mind and can provide me with information I shall investigate.

  Motor Sport (Exhibition)
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the British motor sport industry to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Leigh
  Yes. The Department received in November an application for an exhibition, and I am pleased to say that approval was subsequently given.

  British Technology Group
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition about the working of the British Technology Group for display in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Leigh
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 3 December. I understand that arrangements for the exhibition are in hand.

  Iraq (Supergun)
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the day on which his Department was first made aware that Iraq was acquiring export material for a major gun or launcher.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: My Department first became aware that Iraq was acquiring export material for a major gun or launcher in April of this year.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what special checks were made of the 44 items of piping sent to Iraq which became known to be for military purposes.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: My Department does not make physical checks on goods for export except at the request of exporters or HM Customs and Excise. The granting of licences is dependent on information about the nature and use of products which the exporter is obliged by law to provide.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he was made aware of changes in the specifications of the steel for the Iraqi order placed with Walter Somers.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: I understand that it was a change in the specification which

  67
  led my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Sir H. Miller) to approach my Department on behalf of Walter Somers.

  Burma
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration Her Majesty's Government has given to assistance regarding contracts signed between British Petroleum and the Government of Burma/Myanmar, for oil exploration.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 13 December 1990]: Neither we nor BP has any knowledge of such contracts.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Human Rights (Kosovo)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning abuse of human rights in the Kosovo region of Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have received a number of representations from organisations and members of the public in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

  Cambodia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the level of co-operation between the Khmer Rouge, the Khmer People's National Liberation Front and Prince Sihanouk in(a) diplomatic activity relating to the United Nations plan for Cambodia and (b) military activity relating to the continuing war in Cambodia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Khmer People's National Liberation Front, the Sihanoukists and the Khmer Rouge coordinate their diplomatic activity on the United Nations plan and otherwise through the coalition known as the National Government of Cambodia—NGC. We understand that, although the three parties share the objective of installing the NGC in Phnom Penh, their armed forces are autonomous and co-operate on an ad hoc basis.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about recent arms supplies to the warring parties in Cambodia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  China has announced that it has ceased supplying arms to the forces of the Cambodian resistance parties. The draft comprehensive settlement document agreed in Paris on 23 to 26 November by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the co-chairmen of the Paris conference on Cambodia and the United Nations Secretary-General's representative provides for the cessation of all outside arms supplies to all the Cambodian parties.

  Mr. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on Pol Pot's current role in the Khmer Rouge; and what steps he is taking to prevent his participation it) the United Nations peace plan for Cambodia.
  68
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In 1985 Pol Pot renounced his principal posts in the Khmer Rouge. His sole remaining official title is head of the Academy of National Defence.

  The framework document agreed by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council provides that the members of the Supreme National Council
  "should be acceptable to each other".

  This was designed to exclude Pol Pot. The draft settlement document agreed in Paris on 23 to 26 November also includes comprehensive human rights provisions to guard against any return to the horrors of the past.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration was given to the inclusion of the ceasefire agreement between Hun Sen and Prince Sihanouk agreed in Tokyo in June in the United Nations framework for Cambodia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The five permanent members of the UN Security Council took the results of the Tokyo meeting between Hun Sen and Prince Sihanouk, including the reference to voluntary self-restraint and a ceasefire, into account in elaborating their framework for a comprehensive political settlement of the Cambodia conflict.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the relationship of Son Sen and Khieu Samphan with the Khmer Rouge Government of 1975 to 1978; what official positions they held between 1975 and 1978; what positions they currently hold in the Khmer Rouge; and whether Her Majesty's Government supported their membership of the new Supreme National Council.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  From 1975–1978, Son Sen was Vice-Premier for National Defence and a member of the standing committee of the Communist Party of Kampuchea central committee. He was also described in 1978 as chairman of the committee of the general staff of the Cambodian Revolutionary Army. He is now a member of the Supreme National Council, deputy head of the Party of Democratic Kampuchea, supreme commander of the Army of Democratic Kampuchea and Minister attached to the National Government of Cambodia's co-ordinating committee for national defence.

  Khieu Samphan was Deputy Premier and Minister of National Defence in GRUNC—the Royal Cambodian Government of National Unity—when the Khmer Rouge took power in April 1975. In August 1975 he was described as Deputy Premier for general affairs attached to the Premier's office and Commander-in-Chief of the Cambodian People's National Liberation Armed Forces. In 1976 he replaced Prince Sihanouk as Cambodian Head of State, becoming chairman of the praesidium of Democratic Kampuchea. He is now a member of the Supreme National Council, leader of the Party of Democratic Kampuchea and the National Government of Cambodia's Vice-Premier in charge of national defence.

  The framework for a comprehensive political settlement agreed by the five permanent members of the Security Council specifies that
  "the composition of the Supreme National Council, including the selection and number of its members, should be decided by the Cambodian parties through consultations".

  We played no part in the process that led to the formation of that Supreme National Council.
  69
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any information linking Son Sen with the administration of Tuol Sleng prison during the period 1975 to 1978.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  During the period 1975–78, Son Sen was Cambodian Vice-Premier in charge of national defence. We have no information linking Son Sett with Tuol Sleng during this period.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what military, diplomatic or financial support has been provided since 1979 by Her Majesty's Government to the Cambodian non-communist resistance parties.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Although we have no dealings with the resistance coalition National Government of Cambodia, we have since 1979 provided political support for Prince Sihanouk and the Kampuchea People's National Liberation Front—KPNLF. This has included invitations to Prince Sihanouk and Son Sann to visit London for high-level talks. We have also given limited financial support in the form of humanitarian assistance for the inmates of Sihkanoukist and KPLNF camps on the Thai-Cambodian border, provided as donations in kind: foodstuffs, clothing, basic domestic equipment, and so on.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the dates of talks Her Majesty's Government have held, or intend to hold, with representatives of Prince Sihanouk, of the Khmer Rouge, the Khmer People's National Liberation Front and the Hun Sen regime as part of the political settlement for Cambodia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No formal talks with the Cambodian parties have been held or are planned. We maintain informal contact with the two non-communist partners in the resistance coalition and have indicated a willingness to talk to representatives of the Hun. Sen regime to urge them to co-operate in restoring peace to Cambodia on the basis of the five's framework. We have no contact with the Khmer Rouge.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the dates of talks Her Majesty's Government have held with the Governments of Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan and Australia about the United Nations framework plan for Cambodia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  After each of their eight meetings in 1990, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council briefed, as a group or individually, representatives of the Governments to whom the hon. Member refers. In addition, we are in close and regular contact with the diplomatic missions of these Governments in London. Japan and Australia, as co-chairmen of two of the Paris conference commit:tees, took part in the working group meeting in Jakarta on 9 and 10 November. In addition, we held formal bilateral talks on Cambodia with the Prime Minister of Thailand on 17 October, and with representatives of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 30 November.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings have 70
  been held by the member states of the European Community in the last year to discuss the situation in Cambodia; and what issues were discussed at what level of representation.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  One meeting of the European political co-operation—Asia working group convened this year specifically to discuss Cambodia. Cambodia regularly features on the agenda of EPC meetings at both official and ministerial level.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what future meetings are planned between representatives of the European Community and the Association of South-East Asian Nations to discuss the situation in Cambodia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are no plans for a meeting between EC and ASEAN representatives specifically to discuss Cambodia. But we expect Cambodia to be on the agenda of the next EC-ASEAN ministerial meeting in Luxembourg on 30 and 31 May 1991.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received a copy of the report by Raoul Jennar on Cambodia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have read with interest Raoul Jennar's report of his recent visit to Cambodia. I also refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Lester) on 12 December, at column 421.

  Bangladesh
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate discussions with the Bangladesh Government to discuss(a) what assistance Her Majesty's Government could offer Bangladesh in the preparations for forthcoming elections for President and Parliament and (b) what help Her Majesty's Government could offer in monitoring the conduct of these elections; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We would be ready to consider any request in these areas made by the Bangladesh authorities.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold early talks with the President and Government of Bangladesh on action being taken to restore democracy and ways in which Her Majesty's Government could increase aid to Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans to do so. The acting President has spoken of the need to hold free and fair elections as soon as possible, and my right hon. Friend referred in his message to him to the importance we attach to this task.

  Our existing bilateral aid programme to Bangladesh is substantial, at over £50 million a year. Our contribution to Bangladesh through multilateral institutions is also significant. In 1988, the last year for which figures are available, it amounted to £28·5 million.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will have discussions
  71
  with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth about what role might be played by the Commonwealth in (a) preparations for forthcoming elections in Bangladesh for President and Parliament and (b) monitoring the conduct of those elections; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Commonwealth involvement in presidential and parliamentary elections in Bangladesh would be a matter for the Bangladesh Government to take up with the Commonwealth Secretary General.

  Iraq-Kuwait Border
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions Her Majesty's Government, or representatives of alliances of which the United Kingdom is a member, had with Kuwait or Iraq prior to 2 August, concerning adjustment or delineation of the border between Iraq and Kuwait.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom has not been involved in such discussions since before 1961 when the British Government terminated the exclusive agreement of 1899 with the Kuwaiti Government and recognised Kuwait as a sovereign independent state.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Six opinion surveys have been conducted on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in October 1986, March 1987, April 1987, July 1988, August 1989, August 1990. The purpose of the surveys was to monitor trends in public opinion, and to enable the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to improve its presentation of foreign policy issues.

  Iraq
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken by his Department to draw attention to United Nations findings of the effect of sanctions on Iraq in the run-up to 15 January 1991.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Nations has not made available any such findings.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice Her Majesty's Government have to offer British nationals resident in the Gulf region.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has the following advice for British nationals resident in Bahrain, Qatar, the eastern region of Saudi Arabia, and the cities of Riyadh and Tabuk. Following the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 678, British dependants are advised to leave the area well before the deadline of 15 January which has been set by the UN Security Council for the withdrawal of Iraq from Kuwait. This is a common sense precaution, and does not imply any worsening of the situation in the last few days.
  72
  Advice to visitors remains unchanged. Tourists should not visit the area, but those who have necessary business to conduct should not be deterred. They should register their arrival with the nearest British dipllomatic mission, and should tell the mission how long they expect to stay.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to supply the remaining four cattle brains to Dr. Harash Narang at the public health laboratory in Newcastle to further his diagnosis of BSE.

  Mr. Gummer
  My officials will supply Dr. Harash Narang with the remaining cattle brains he requires when suitable material becomes available and he is able to take delivery of it.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. Curry
  Opinion surveys, including market research connected with public information publicity campaigns, conducted for, or on behalf of this Department since 1 January 1985 are as follows:

  June 1987

  Survey of Consumer Attitude to Food Additives

  Purpose: Publicity planning

  June 1988

  Food Hygiene: Report on a Consumer Survey

  Purpose: Publicity planning

  September 1989

  Food Safety: Qualitative Survey

  Purpose: Publicity planning

  November 1989

  Food Safety: Quantitative Survey

  Purpose: Publicity planning

  December 1989

  Food Attitudes Monitor

  Purpose: Campaign evaluation and publicity planning

  March 1990

  Public Attitudes to Food Additives

  Purpose: Campaign evaluation and publicity planning

  April-May 1990

  Attitudes to Food Labelling Survey (England and Wales)

  Purpose: Publicity planning

  June 1990

  Awareness and Understanding of BSE

  Purpose: Publicity planning

  November 1990

  Research into Effectiveness of the 1990 MAFF Touring Exhibition (Parts 1 and 2)

  Purpose: Campaign evaluation and publicity planning

  November 1990

  Report on a Qualitative Research Study into 'Food Sense' Publications

  Purpose: Campaign evaluation.

  Research Laboratories
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the locations of the(a) veterinary laboratories, (b) Agricultural Development Advisory Service farm and countryside service laboratories, (c) Agricultural Development Advisory Service

  73
  research and development laboratories, (d) fisheries laboratories arid (e) food science laboratories that have closed since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 10 December 1990]: Laboratories exist to meet the experimental and analytical needs of the Ministry's scientific work programme. In order that this can be carried out in the most efficient and economical way, it is sometimes necessary for facilities at particular sites to be closed or for new ones to be constructed. The table illustrates this by listing the locations of laboratories which have closed and by identifying the places to which work has been transferred. It remains our policy to keep all such facilities under review to ensure that we have the most cost effective mix of resources for current and future requirements.

  Closure and Effect on programme

  (a) Veterinary Laboratories

  Cardiff—work redistributed amongst Carmarthen, Shrewsbury, Worcester and Langford.

  Chester—work redistributed amongst Bangor, Barton Hall (Preston) and Shrewsbury.

  Gloucester—work redistributed amongst Langford and Worcester.

  Leeds—work transferred to Thirsk.

  Liverpool—work transferred to a new laboratory at Barton Hall (Preston)

  Northampton—work redistributed amongst Cambridge, Reading and Sutton Bonington.

  Shinfield (Reading)—some AI work privatised. Other work transferred to CVL (Weybridge).

  Since 1979 there has been a programme of rationalisation and investment in the most modern analytical equipment which has permitted an increased workload to be handled more cost effectively at fewer sites. Work which would have been carried out at closed sites is now dealt with at the most appropriate remaining site in relation to location, the discipline involved and the particular requirements in question. Closed laboratories and current facilities are listed, together with their relevant specialisms.

  (b) ADAS FCS Laboratories Closed

  Accrington—microbiology

  Bangor—entomology and plant pathology

  Caernarfon—microbiology

  Cardiff—microbiology

  Evesham—plant pathology and entomology

  Liverpool—wildlife and storage biology

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne—analytical chemistry, microbiology,

  plant pathology and entomology

  Shardlow—analytical chemistry, microbiology, plant pathology and entomology

  Shrewsbury—microbiology

  Current

  Bristol—plant pathology

  Cambridge—analytical chemistry, microbiology, plant pathology and entomology

  Cardiff—entomology

  Carmarthen—wildlife and storage biology

  Kirton—plant pathology and entomology

  Leeds—microbiology, plant pathology and entomology Reading—microbiology and entomology

  Starcross—analytical chemistry,—microbiology,—plant pathology and entomology

  Trawscoed—microbiology, plant pathology and entomology

  Wolverhampton—analytical chemistry, microbiology, plant pathology and entomology

  Wye—plant pathology

  (c) ADAS RDS Laboratories

  Welshpool—transferred to Tolworth.

  74
  (d) Fisheries Laboratories

  Humber Laboratories (Hull)—work on fish by-products transferred to Torry Research Station. Other work terminated.

  London—transferred to Lowestoft.

  (e) Food Science Laboratories

  1 site in London, 2 sites in Norwich—work transferred to new purpose built laboratory at Norwich.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985, giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. MacGregor
  None.

  Committees
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many sittings of(a) Standing and (b) Select Committees were held during the mornings of the 1989–90 parliamentary Session.

  Mr. MacGregor
  (a) 290 sittings (b) 237 sittings.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for, or on behalf of the Duchy since 1 January 1985, giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  None.

EMPLOYMENT

  Special Needs
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what guidelines he has issued to the training and enterprise councils on the employment of people with special needs.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have placed a contractual requirement on training and enterprise councils to ensure that they pay particular attention to provision for those with special needs in their local community. My Department has produced material for TECs to promote good practice in the training of people with special needs which will help this group to take advantage of appropriate employment opportunities.

  Nuclear Installations Inspectorate
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the impact on the work load of the nuclear installations inspectorate of the reduction of the pressurised water reactor programme and the life-extension of older nuclear stations.

  Mr. Forth
  The Health and Safety Executive reviews annually the staffing of its nuclear installations inspectorate. On 1 December 1990 there were 159 nuclear
  75
  inspectors in post in the inspectorate. Current plans to recruit to a level of 172 inspectors take into account the reduction of the pressurised water reactor programme and the additional work associated with the life extension of older nuclear stations.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the concept of safety audit, referred to in the Health and Safety Executive's last annual report, is applied to the Health and Safety Executive and its staff.

  Mr. Forth
  No. The HSE recommends the use of safety auditing techniques for organisations where the hazards and risks arising from their activities justify this approach.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the Health and Safety Executive staff are currently working on indoor air quality; and what was the total number of visits paid by inspectors to sample or monitor indoor air quality at employers' premises.

  Mr. Forth
  Many HSE staff provide policy, technical or inspectorial input into aspects of indoor air quality as part of their duties, and it is not possible to give a precise figure for those currently involved.

  The HSE does not separately identify visits paid by inspectors in connection with indoor air quality. However, a sample survey has suggested that, in the period 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990, inspectors now based in the HSE's field operations division made some 6,500 indoor air pollution visits to investigate topics including Legionnaire's disease, radon and sick building syndrome.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many samples were taken by the Health and Safety Executive for examination for legionella contamination in wet cooling towers; and how many by local authorities in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Forth
  Information on the number of samples taken by the Health and Safety Executive for legionella contamination in wet cooling towers is not centrally available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The HSE does not hold information on the number of such samples taken by local authorities.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what training has been received by the Health and Safety Executive agricultural inspectorate on the enforcement of the Food and Environment Protection Act; and if he will give dates of the training, the duration of the training and specify the training given to inspectors in the Sheffield area office.

  Mr. Forth
  Inspectors in the Health and Safety Executive's agricultural inspectorate attended a one-day training course on the enforcement of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985—FEPA—between February and April 1986. Inspectors also received a further one-day's training between November 1986 and February 1987 on the regulations made under FEPA. Arrangements are made for all agricultural inspectors who joined the HSE after this training had been completed to attend a two-day training course which now includes the enforcement of FEPA and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988—COSHH.
  76
  Two one-day courses were held on 12 and 13 March 1986 and 12 and 13 November 1986 on the background, structure and enforcement of FEPA and its associated regulations and codes of practice for agricultural inspectors in the Sheffield area. One inspector recruited by HSE and posted to the area after this training had been completed attended a two-day course on 24 to 26 October 1988 on the enforcement of FEPA and COSHH.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the Health and Safety Executive's scientific staff joined from(a) the public sector and (b) industry in the years 1988–90; and how many in each category still work for the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Forth
  The number of scientific staff who joined in the years 1988–90 is 74, of whom 68 still work for the Health and Safety Executive. Previous experience is taken into account at the recruitment stage and for career development, but it is the nature of the work undertaken by applicants which is of greatest importance, not where they were employed. The Health and Safety Executive does not keep such information on its personnel records system.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the Health and Safety Executive's field force's time is spent on(a) planned basic inspection of fixed sites, (b) planned basic inspection of construction sites, (c) section 6 casework, (d) complaints, (e) accident investigations, (f) hazard surveys and (g) other duties.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is set out for 1989–90, the latest year for which information is available.

  Percentage

  Planned basic inspection of fixed sites1

  26·0

  Planned basic inspection of construction sites

  5·3

  Section 6 casework

  1·5

  Complaints

  3·7

  Accident investigations2

  10·3

  Hazard surveys3

  5·3

  Other duties

  47·9

  1 Excludes follow-up inspections.

  2 Includes the investigation of dangerous occurrences.

  3 This term is imprecise but has been taken to mean field work on the assessment of systems and designs, including that associated with the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazard Regulations and with the preparation of advice to planning authorities about developments at or near major hazard sites.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many premises are recorded under the Health and Safety Executive's inspection rating system under each of the categories 0 to 5; and how many are recorded as not having had an inspection within the last five years.

  Mr. Forth
  The rating system used by inspectorates in the Health and Safety Executive's field operations division FOD makes no provision for recording premises by category.

  A total of 754,525 fixed premises are registered with FOD's agricultural, factory and quarries inspectorates. On 1 April 1990, a total of 363,302 were recorded as not having received a planned inspection within the last five years. These include many premises where the risks are low and which have not yet entered the field for a planned

  77
  inspection under the rating system. They could also include premises which may have been visited in this period for purposes other than a planned inspection.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what work will be cut, delayed, or contracted out to enable the Health and Safety Executive's research and laboratory services division to achieve its stated aim of devoting more resources to organisational and human factors; what expert systems are planned; and how many staff will be devoted exclusively to this priority.

  Mr. Forth
  The proposed expansion in the area of organisational and human factors will not take place at the expense of other work. Instead, the in-house strength of the RLSD in this area will be increased by redirecting vacancies arising in work areas that have reached maturity or by means of new scientific posts created through efficiency savings. The normal practice of contracting out part of the programme will continue in all work areas in order to draw on a wider range of expertise.

  Expert systems are planned in the following areas: the investigation of wire-rope deterioration and failure, provision of hazard information relating to frictional ignition of gases and vapours, clerical control of laboratory analytical services, selecting the correct statistical test for a particular set of data, venting of dust explosions, and diagnosis of computer malfunctions in chemical process plant. One person will be devoted exclusively to expert systems, while various other staff will have the work as part of their remit.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the Health and Safety Executive's expenditure in the years 1975, 1978 and 1985 to 1990 has been provided directly by the Government as grant in aid.

  Mr. Forth
  The proportions of the Health and Safety Executive's expenditure provided by grant in aid in each year were:—

  Percentages

  1975–76

  98

  1978–79

  96

  1985–86

  95

  1986–87

  94

  1987–88

  92

  1988–89

  89

  1989–90

  87

  1990–91

  76

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current proportion of staff time spent by the Health and Safety Executive in(a) Crown court and (b) magistrates courts prosecutions.

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

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future of the electrical equipment certification service and the research and laboratory services division of the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Forth
  Continuing changes in the operating environment of the electrical equipment certification service—EECS—including developments in the European 78
  Community, have raised the question how the EECS can be organised most effectively and whether a change of status is necessary. The unions representing EECS staff have been informed of this review and the Health and Safety Executive has invited the EECS management board to consider a range of options for the future. When the management board has expressed its view, the HSE will consider whether any substantial change in the status of EECS appears to be justified. If so, the preferred option will be investigated in more detail and interested parties will be consulted about it.

  The research and laboratory services division will continue to generate much of the scientific and technological base that underpins HSE's policy and operational activities. As in the past, the division's programme will adapt to developing priorities resulting from technological advances, EC developments, new HSE commitments, and so on.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what guidance remains to be issued by the Health and Safety Executive on (i) the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, (ii) noise, (iii) pesticides and (iv) air quality.

  Mr. Forth
  The Health and Safety Executive and the industry advisory committees that advise the Health and Safety Commission keep the application of health and safety regulations under continual review and relevant guidance is produced and updated as necessary. Further guidance planned will cover the following:

  (i) Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH)

  control measures

  carcinogens

  approved code of practice for the prevention or

  control of Legionellosis

  micro-organisms

  peripatetic workers

  sensitisers

  (ii) noise

  employees leaflet

  (iii) pesticides

  fumigation using phosphine

  fumigation using methyl bromide

  approved code of practice for the safe use of pesticides in non-agriculture industries

  sulphuric acid used in agriculture use of wood preservatives in buildings

  (iv) air quality

  guidance on "sick building syndrome" is under consideration

  In addition, further industry specific guidance on the COSHH and noise regulations will be produced by HSE's national interest groups in collaboration with industry and trades unions.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest estimate of the delay between application for, and approval of, pesticide evaluation; and what is the backlog of substances requiring reappraisal.

  Mr. Forth
  Applications for approval for nonagricultural pesticides are processed by the Health and Safety Executive. For new pesticides it takes between one and two years from the date the fee is received until I and other Ministers grant approval based on advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides. For
  79
  reformulated products or changes in methods of application or use the period is usually as little as three to nine months.

  The HSE has initiated a programme to review all pesticide active ingredients on a rolling programme. There are 77 active ingredients which have yet to be reviewed under this programme.

  Evaluations for agricultural pesticides are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  FCG Location

  Discipline

  Construction

  Electrical

  Occupational Hygiene

  Chemical

  Mechanical

  Explosives

  East Grinstead

  1

  2

  1

  3

  2

  0

  Luton

  1

  2

  2

  1

  3

  0

  Cardiff

  1

  2

  2

  3

  5

  0

  Birmingham

  1

  2

  1

  2

  2

  0

  Leeds

  2

  1

  1

  3

  3

  0

  Manchester

  2

  2

  2

  3

  3

  0

  Edinburgh

  2

  1

  2

  1

  2

  0

  Note: All explosives problems encountered by field consultant groups are referred to the explosives inspectorate in the HSE's technology division.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of specialist inspectors employed by the Health and Safety Executive; how many vacancies exist; and how many specialist inspectors have left the organisation in the last two years.

  Mr. Forth
  On 1 December 1990, the HSE employed 208·5 specialist inspectors and had 26·5 vacancies. During the years 1988–89 and 1989–90, a total of 35 specialist inspectors left HSE.

  Agricultural Premises
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the the Secretary of State for Employment how many children were killed on agricultural premises in the years 1978 to 1989.

  Mr. Forth
  The table shows the number of fatal injuries in the agricultural industry to non-employed children aged one to 15 years as reported to the Health and Safety Executive's factory and agriculture inspectorates between 1979 and 1989–90:

  Year

  Number of fatalities

  1979

  24

  1980

  10

  1981

  13

  1982

  13

  1983

  5

  1984

  4

  1985

  10

  1986/872

  10

  1987/882

  7

  1988/892

  10

  1989/902·1

  6

  1 Provisional.

  2 Year commencing 1 April.

  Information is not available for 1978.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many accidents caused or related to cattle were reported to the Health and Safety Executive in 1974, 1985 and 1989; and what proportion of total agricultural accidents these represent.

  Specialist Inspectors
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many specialist inspectors work in each of the seven field consultant groups in the disciplines of(a) construction, (b) electrical, (c) occupational hygiene, (d) chemical, (e) mechanical and (f) explosives.

  Mr. Forth
  The number of specialists in each discipline for each field consultant group is shown in the table.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not available for 1974 and 1985. Injuries involving boars cannot be separated from cattle and the number of injuries in agriculture involving bulls, other cattle and boars reported to the Health and Safety Executive's factory and agricultural inspectorates for 1988–89 and 1989–90 is provided in the table together with the proportion of total injuries reported in agriculture that they represent:

  Year1 and employment status

  Severity of injury

  Fatal

  Major

  Over 3 day

  Total

  1988–89

  Employee

  2

  22

  51

  75

  Self-employed

  2

  8

  8

  18

  Non-employed

  —

  5

  3

  5

  Percentage of injuries in agriculture

  7

  6

  5

  5

  1989–902

  Employee

  —

  26

  45

  71

  Self-employed

  —

  7

  5

  12

  Non-employed

  2

  2

  3

  4

  Percentage of injuries in
  agriculture

  4

  7

  4

  5

  1 Year commencing 1 April.

  2 Provisional.

  3 Not reportable.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many Health and Safety Executive staff are working specifically on the ergonomics of agricultural machinery.

  Mr. Forth
  At present there are no Health and Safety Executive staff working specifically on the ergonomics of agricultural machinery. However, the matter is one that is taken fully into account by inspectors during the course of inspection visits to agricultural premises and, more particularly, during visits to manufacturers and importers when considering compliance with section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
  81
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what backlog of uninspected premises exists for the Health and Safety Executive's agricultural inspectorate.

  Mr. Forth
  There is no backlog. The agricultural inspectorate uses an inspection rating system to help target its preventive inspection programme but this is also influenced by seasonal factors, peripatetic activities and the employment status of premises.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of prosecutions by the Health and Safety Executive's agricultural inspectorate are taken for not using appropriate guards on machinery.

  Mr. Forth
  Information is only readily available for 1987–88; in that year 151 out of 416 prosecutions taken by Her Majesty's agricultural inspectorate were in connection with the fencing and construction of machinery. Information for more recent years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Peripatetic Workers
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when guidance on the application of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations to peripatetic workers is to be issued.

  Mr. Forth
  The Health and Safety Executive intends to publish specific guidance on the application of the COSHH regulations to peripatetic workers during 1991. This will supplement existing HSE publications on the regulations themselves and other guidance on the application of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act to peripatetic workers.

  Health and Safety Offences
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what monitoring he carries out of the level of fines given by magistrates for health and safety offences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The Health and Safety Executive already monitors the average level of fines in all courts, and publishes the results annually. More recently the HSE has also begun to monitor fine levels in magistrates courts, and I have asked it to let me have the results of that exercise in due course.

  Occupational Health
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will update the 1976 employment medical advisory service survey which ascertained the number of physicians and nurses employed in industry who have specialist qualifications in occupational health;

  (2) what action has been taken by the Health and Safety Executive on the proposals presented in the 1976 EMAS document entitled, "Occupational Health Services—The Way Ahead".

  Mr. Forth
  The aim of the 1977 publication "Occupational Health Services—The Way Ahead" was to stimulate debate. This led up to an inquiry by the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology. The Committee's 1984 report on occupational health and 82
  hygiene services called for a voluntary code of practice to extend the provision of occupational health services. To meet this the Health and Safety Commission—HSC—has embarked on an action programme to encourage employers to review their occupational health needs and make suitable arrangements to obtain advice. This programme includes published guidance and promotional activities intended to raise awareness of occupational health. Where employers are already making adequate provision they are encouraged to make their facilities more widely available. The programme has also involved local campaigns by HSE staff, and industry specific initiatives such as seminars, conferences and publications. During 1991, the HSC is due to evaluate the action programme and review the nature and extent of occupational health provision in Great Britain.

  The results will be used in drawing up recommendations on the future of the action programme and whether the existing approach to the provision of occupational health should be continued.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what occupational health statistics are collected by the Health and Safety Executive; and what plans there are to extend the statistics collected.

  Mr. Forth
  "Health and Safety Statistics 1988–89", published as a supplement to the Employment Gazette for November 1990—Vol. 98, No. 11—gives a full description of the available statistics relating to occupational health. It covers information collected by the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases arid Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985, and statistics derived from other sources.

  The Health and Safety Executive has initiated two measures to supplement these statistics:

  (a) a "trailer" to the 1990 labour force survey which asked respondents whether they had suffered from any work-related illness during the previous year. Data from this survey will be available by mid-1991.

  (b) a consultant-based register of work-related dermatitis which started operation on a trial basis on 1 August 1990.

  The Health and Safety Commission will be reviewing the 1985 regulations next year, and will be considering proposals for possible changes to the arrangements for the reporting of occupational disease by employers.

  Industrial Premises, London
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of industrial premises in the Health and Safety Executive London North area have(a) fewer than 25 employees and (b) more than 500 employees.

  Mr. Forth
  In the Health and Safety Executive London north area, 73·6 per cent. of fixed premises currently registered with the factory inspectorate have fewer than 25 employees and 9·4 per cent. have more than 500 employees.

  Mechanical Presses
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what number of accidents at the tools of mechanical presses occurred in the years 1965, 1970 to 1974, 1979, 1985 and 1989.

  Mr. Forth
  Such accidents are not separately identified in the Health and Safety Executive's current databases of
  83
  reported occupational injuries. Relevant information which is taken from annual surveys up to 1974 and further surveys in 1979 and 1985 is shown in the table. No such survey was carried out in 1989.

  Accidents at the tools of power presses and press brakes1

  Number

  1965

  441

  1970

  203

  1971

  159

  1972

  153

  1973

  152

  1974

  145

  1979

  48

  1985

  25

  1 Reportable injuries notified to Her Majesty's factory inspectorate; severity is not recorded.

  Factory Inspectors
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors have less than five years' experience in each of the main inspection grades.

  Mr. Forth
  The main inspection grades are considered to be inspector of factories 1B and inspector of factories 1A (principal inspector). Out of a total staff in post figure of 289 inspectors of factories 1B, 97 have less than five years' experience in the grade. Out of a total staff in post figure of 162 inspectors of factories 1A, 57 have less than five years' experience in the grade.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information requested in the form required could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the various parts of the Employment Department group produce annual reports which provide information on research projects carried out for the Department. I would be happy to provide the hon. Member with reports for the relevant period if he so wished.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disabled People (Benefits)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has had about benefits for disabled people from the organisations that represent them.

  Mr. Scott
  Over 70 organisations commented on "The Way Ahead" and I met representatives from some of the groups, including the Disability Benefits Consortium, to hear their views. Well over 100 organisations have sent in comments on the consultation document on the disability living allowance issued in August and comments are starting to come in on the explanatory note on the disability working allowance published on 12 November.

  Maintenance
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average maintenance assessment under the current system; and what is the average cost of supporting a mother and child through the benefit system.

  Sir Hal Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average maintenance assessment under the current system; and what is the average cost of supporting a mother and child through the benefit system.

  Mr. Jack
  I refer my hon. Friends to my earlier answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns).

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will define the criteria which will be applied to cases where maintenance cannot be recovered from the father because of threatened violence.

  Mr. Newton
  Our intention is that where a caring parent declines to co-operate in establishing liability for maintenance for the children, trained and experienced senior officers should consider whether in the circumstances there is good cause for the refusal. We shall be giving careful consideration to the guidance they will be given, but it would clearly not be right to create a position in which a threat of violence could be seen as a way of escaping maintenance.

  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the new Child Support Agency will have powers periodically to reassess maintenance orders.

  Mr. Jack
  Liability to maintain a child can last for many years. Much can change in that period. The Child Support Agency will be required to review maintenance payable every year so that those changes can be taken into account in an orderly way. These annual reviews will be automatic, removing the burden of initiating action from the caring parent.

  Residential Care
  Sir Robert McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the level of spending on benefits for people in residential care and nursing homes in 1978–79 and in 1990; and what is the real terms increase.

  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the level of spending on benefits for people in residential care and nursing homes in 1978–79 and in 1990; and what is the real term increase.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In 1978–79, supplementary benefit payments amounting to some £10 million were made to people in residential care and nursing homes. In 1990, the corresponding figure in income support was some £1·2 billion, a real term increase in expenditure of 287 per cent. per head.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the percentage of take-up of means-tested benefits for children; and what is the percentage of take-up of child benefit.
  85
  Mr. Jack
  From the latest available evidence we estimate that around 90 per cent. of income-related benefit is claimed and four out of five people eligible for income related benefit actually made a claim. A similar proportion applies for families with children. Take-up of child benefit is virtually 100 per cent.

  State Pension
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the value of the state pension if it had been uprated in line with the increase in prices or earnings whichever was the higher since 1983.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the value of the state pension if it had been uprated in line with the increase in prices or earnings whichever was the higher since 1983.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The present value of the retirement pension, had it been uprated in this way, would be £55·30 for a single pensioner and £88·50 for a married couple. But the additional cost of this to the national insurance fund would be about £3·8 billion this financial year. This implies a rise in the national insurance contributions paid by an employee on average earnings of approximately £1·90 per week and £3·50 for his employer.

  National Insurance
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent steps have been taken by his Department to crack down on those who wilfully seek to evade their legal responsibility to pay national insurance.

  Mr. Jack
  Following the establishment of the contributions unit in April this year significant progress has been made. We have strengthened the complement of national insurance inspectors, improved the training they receive and increased the number of visits to employers.

  Such visits are designed to identify irregularities in the payment of contributions and to ensure that the benefit entitlement of employees is properly protected. The unit is well on the way to reducing the amount of underpaid contributions and further progress can be expected next year when the unit is given agency status.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of recently retired pensioners receive income from savings.

  Miss Widdecombe
  My hon. Friend will be pleased to hear that, in 1987, over 80 per cent. of recently retired pensioners received income from savings.

  Regional Medical Officers
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any proposals relating to the role of regional medical officers in local appeal tribunals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The constitution of a social security appeal tribunal is a legally qualified chairman and two lay members who have knowledge or experience of the local area. Medical appeal tribunals consist of a legally qualified chairman and two consultant medical practitioners. These people are part-time and are completely independent.
  86
  Regional medical officers have no role in social security appeal tribunals or medical appeal tribunals. Their function is to provide medical advice to adjudication officers in deciding benefit claims.

  The Disability Living Allowance and Disability Working Allowance Bill, currently in Committee, makes provision for a new disability appeal tribunal consisting of a legally qualified chairman, a medical practitioner and a person experienced in dealing with the needs of disabled people.

  We have no proposals to alter the role of regional medical officers.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people currently receive mobility allowance; and what was the comparable figure for 1978–79.

  Mr. Scott
  I am pleased to say that the number of people receiving mobility allowance has increased sixfold from 95,000 in 1978–79 to 615,000 in 1989–90.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the social fund.

  Mr. Scott
  Since the social fund was introduced, over two and a half million interest-free loans and over half a million non-repayable community care grants have been awarded, at a total value of over £500 million. The fund continues to make a valuable contribution to assisting a large number of people in the greatest need.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out, at 1989 prices, the amount of social fund money for(a) loans and (b) grants for each office in Leeds for the years 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Scott
  The total allocations made to offices in Leeds in 1989–90 and 1990–91, at 1989 prices, are set out in the table.

  The allocations for 1991–92 will be announced nearer the time.

  1989–90

  1990–911

  Loans £

  Grants £

  Loans £

  Grants £

  Leeds East

  591,480

  246,151

  621,995

  234,238

  Leeds North

  699,290

  299,660

  750,115

  284,088

  Leeds North-West

  392,307

  173,467

  410,322

  159,708

  Leeds South

  243,725

  105,300

  238,312

  102,226

  Leeds West

  326,381

  142,116

  313,601

  209,749

  1 1989 prices as reckoned by the gross domestic product deflator.

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the numbers of additional people who will receive(a) lower rate attendance component of the disability living allowance, (b) lower rate mobility component and (c) higher rate mobility component, if the age limit of 65 years for the receipt of the disability living allowance were removed, and the additional expenditure incurred in total in each case.

  Mr. Scott
  Estimates of the additional number of beneficiaries are(a) 250,000 (b) 150,000 (c) 1,350,000.

  87
  The corresponding expenditure figures in the first full year are (a) £165 million (b) £100 million (c) about £2 billion. All estimates are necessarily subject to large margins of uncertainty.

  Young Persons (Benefits)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list all the changes to benefits for those persons aged 16 and 17 years since 1987, showing(a) their financial consequences and (b) the numbers affected;

  (2) if he will list all the changes to entitlement rules for those persons aged 16 and 17 years who are unemployed and seeking income maintenance.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information in the form requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the two main changes in entitlement to income support for 16 and 17-year-olds were:

  (a) In September 1988 income support was withdrawn from the majority and instead the Government gave a guarantee of a place on youth training to all young people who wanted one. The decrease is net social security benefit expenditure was estimated to be £88 million in the first year, but the Government spent over £1,000 million on the youth training scheme in 1988–89, of which a substantial proportion was in the form of training allowances paid in lieu of income support to people on youth training. The number of young people affected by this measure is estimated at 100,000.

  (b) In July 1989 16 and 17-year-olds who were forced to live independently were given entitlement to income support at the rate normally paid to 18 to 24-year-olds. The higher rate was also paid to all young people receiving only housing benefit. It is estimated that 17,000 young people benefited, at a cost of £3·7 million in the first year.

  Disability Working Allowance
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with disability organisations concerning the disability working allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  More than 70 organisations commented on "The Way Ahead: Benefits for Disabled People" (Cm. 917) which set out the proposed structure for the disability working allowance. On 5 April I held a meeting with the Disability Benefits Consortium, to discuss its views. On 12 November we issued a note on the disability working allowance setting out our proposals in more detail; and disability organisations are starting to send us their comments. We shall continue to give careful consideration to all the comments we receive.

  Taxi Fares (Reimbursement)
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances taxi fares will be paid to claimants attending a medical appeal tribunal; what is the procedure for claiming taxi fares in advance; what is the procedure for reimbursing claimants their taxi fares; what is the average length of time taken to reimburse the claimants' taxi fares; and how much has been paid out in taxi fares.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of social security appeal tribunals is the responsibility of the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals, his honour Judge Derek Holden. The hon. Member may care to contact his office direct to obtain this information.

  Pensioners (Income)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average pensioner's income expressed in money and real terms(a) today and (b) in May 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In 1987, the last year for which figures are currently available, the average total net pensioner income was £99·90 per week. In 1979 it was £42·20, or £75·90 at 1987 prices.

  Appeals
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what considerations he has given to the payment of interest on awards made by the social security appeal tribunals when the date of the award is more than six months after the submission of the claim by the appellant; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of social security appeal tribunals is a matter for the president, his honour Judge Derek Holden. Appeals are heard as soon as possible, depending on the inquiries that have to be made, and the number of other appeals awaiting hearing. We have no plans to pay interest on any arrears of benefit a tribunal might award.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number of people in Wales in the last available year claiming statutory sick pay at(a) the lower rate and (b) the higher rate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  In 1988–89, some 5·6 million people in the United Kingdom received statutory sick pay. It is estimated that at that time about 90 per cent. would have received the higher rate. Information is not collected in a form which would enable separate figures to be given for Wales.

SCOTLAND

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average increase in community charge between 1989–90 and 1990–91, and the average increase in external finance between 1989–90 and 1990–91 for(a) all local authorities in Scotland, (b) separately for regional, district and island authorities and (c) for authorities separately by political control.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information is as follows:

  Average increase in personal community charge 1989–90 to 1990–91 per cent.

  Average increase in external finance 1989–90 to 1990–91 per cent.

  a. All local authorities

  8·71

  6·42

  b. Regions

  8·57

  6·03

  Districts

  9·39

  8·09

  Islands

  1·32

  9·92

  89

  Average increase in personal community charge 1989–90 to 1990–91 per cent.

  Average increase in external finance 1989–90 to 1990–91 per cent.

  c. i. Regions

  Labour

  10·50

  4·68

  Independent

  4·84

  12·86

  No overall control

  -3·63

  11·14

  ii. Districts

  Labour

  10·52

  5·70

  Independent

  7·54

  17·16

  Conservative

  -17·21

  46·16

  Liberal Democrat

  -0·24

  24·88

  SNP

  5·77

  13·53

  No overall control

  16·82

  20·67

  iii. Islands

  Independent

  1·32

  9·92

  Notes:

  1. The average increases in the community charge relate to the personal community charge only and are therefore exclusive of water charges.

  2. Because non-domestic rate income did not become part of Government-determined support for local authorities' current expenditure until 1990–91 it is not possible to make a proper comparison of "external finance" between 1989–90 and 1990–91. The figures in the second column are all based on comparing revenue support grant and specific grants for 1989–90 plus the original Scottish Office estimate of each local authority's non-domestic rate income for that year with aggregate external finance for 1990–91.

  3. Part (c) of the reply reflects composition of each authority at current rate.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he has any plans to exempt(a) students and (b) student nurses from the poll tax in 1991–92;

  (2) if he will introduce legislation to grant exemption from the poll tax for those visiting Scotland on exchange schemes;

  (3) if he has any plans to end the 20 per cent. contribution rule applying to all poll tax payers whatever their income for 1991–2;

  (4) if he proposes to exempt non-working partners from the poll tax in 1991–92;

  (5) if he has any proposals to exempt elderly people being cared for at home, by relatives or friends from the poll tax in 1991–92.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: The Government are committed to a fundamental review of local government finance.

  Agricultural Co-operatives
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial support will be given to the Organisation for the Promotion of Agricultural Cooperatives in Scotland in 1991.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The 1990–91 Supply Estimates —class XV, vote 2—provide for grant of up to £168,000 for the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society. Funding for 1991–92 has still to be determined.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he is having with(a) local authorities, (b) student organisations, (c) student nurses and (d) community groups in order to discuss the review of the poll tax in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The community charge is discussed regularly at meetings between Ministers and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. As part of the review of the community charge, my right hon. Friend will be interested to receive the views of all groups and bodies with an interest in the charge.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the studies made by the Scottish Office to assess the impact of the poll tax upon(a) students, (b) pensioners, (c) single parents and (d) school leavers in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The community charge arrangements in Scotland, as they affect particular groups, have been monitored by the Scottish Office since the charge was introduced and, where appropriate, changes have been made.

  Prisoners (Medical Care)
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners in Scotland have received medical care outside prison in the past year; and how many have received medical care in the private sector.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  During the period April 1989 to March 1990, the latest for which figures are available, 246 prisoners were admitted to public hospitals. Central records are not kept of the number of prisoners who attended external medical facilities as outpatients, nor of whether any of these were private sector facilities.

  Special Needs
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he has taken to ensure that each training and enterprise board makes acceptable provision within its area for those with special needs.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  There are no training and enterprise boards in Scotland. However, local enterprise companies will be expected to demonstrate in their business plans how they intend to provide for people with special training needs.

  Penal Institutions
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the design capacity for all Scottish penal institutions and (b) the actual current occupation levels for these institutions.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is set out in the table:

  (a) Design capacity

  (b) Occupation level as at 30 November 1990

  HMP Aberdeen

  150

  147

  HMP Barlinnie

  933

  834

  HMYOI Castle Huntly

  144

  114

  91

  (a) Design capacity

  (b) Occupation level as at 30 November 1990

  HMI Cornton Vale

  219

  132

  HMYOI Dumfries

  146

  107

  HMP Dungavel

  147

  135

  HMP Edinburgh

  526

  448

  HMP Friarton

  57

  73

  HMP and HMYOI Glenochil

  678

  621

  HMP Greenock

  179

  184

  HMP Inverness

  87

  104

  HM Remand Institution Longriggend

  177

  167

  HMP Low Moss

  400

  251

  HMP Noranside

  104

  111

  HMP Penninghame

  73

  70

  HMP Perth

  449

  389

  HMP Peterhead

  275

  111

  HMYOI Polmont

  412

  344

  HMP Shotts

  540

  360

  Total design capacity

  5,696

  4,702

  At 30 November 1990, a total of 550 places were out of use because of policy restrictions or for maintenance/refurbishment work; this means that there were 5,146 places available for use on that date.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those applications from hospitals within Scotland for trust status.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Four expressions of interest in NHS trust status have been received in respect of hospitals at Forfar, the Royal Scottish national hospital, the unit at the Foresterhill site in Aberdeen comprising the royal infirmary, maternity hospital and children's hospital, and the South Ayrshire unit comprising the hospitals at Ayr and Ballochmyle. None has yet progressed to the formal application stage.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

  Mr. Lang
  The Scottish Office commissions a variety of surveys, a significant number of which contain questions on views and attitudes. It would involve disproportionate cost to distinguish in any consistent way those surveys which contained such opinion questions from those which did not.

  Training Schemes
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the total expenditure on YTS in(a) Orkney and (b) Shetland in 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90;

  (2) what proportion of the total expenditure on YTS in (a) Orkney and (b) Shetland in the years 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90 was met by the Training Agency, private sector and local authority, respectively;

  (3) what is the estimated outturn of expenditure on training in (a) Orkney and (b) Shetland in the current
  92
  financial year; and what proportion of that expenditure is likely to be attributed to each of the Training Agency, private sector and local authority.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 13 December 1990]: Local Training Agency expenditure on youth training in Orkney and Shetland in 1988–89 and 1989–90 is shown in the table. The figures for 1987–88 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Financial Year

  Expenditure on YTS £

  Orkney

  1988–89

  336,185

  1989–90

  411,223

  Shetland

  1988–89

  312,703

  1989–90

  331,355

  All Government expenditure on youth training in Orkney and Shetland in 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90 was incurred by the Training Agency.

  Training placement providers are expected to make a contribution to the training managers's costs. The amount of which is negotiated between these two parties. Both training managers and placement providers are also expected to contribute to the cost of training to an extent commensurate with the benefits that they derive from participation in the training process and may incur additional expenditure on training or in payments to trainees. The amount of such additional contributions is a matter for each local authority or business concerned.

  The Training Agency expects that local expenditure by it on youth training in Orkney and Shetland in 1990–91 will be respectively £376,336 and £460,795.

  Family Planning Services
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of family planning services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: The Government regard family planning services as an important preventive service contributing to better maternal and child health and to the stability of family life and have no plans for altering the provision of them in Scotland. It is for individual health boards to determine, within the resources available to them, the most appropriate pattern of provision of family planning services in their respective areas.

  Hormone Replacement Therapy
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost of general practitioner prescribed hormone replacement therapy treatments in each of the health board areas; and if he will express this cost as a figure per head of the female population aged over 40 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: In the year to 31 December 1989, the cost of the NHS drugs in Scotland dispensed by community pharmacists which are in general prescribed for hormone replacement therapy—British National Formulary sections 6.4.1.1. and 6.4.1.3—was £2,263,000 for 231,000 prescriptions. This represents a cost of £1·85 per head of female population aged over 40.
  93
  Corresponding information by health board areas is not available.

  Mental Illness
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost per head in each of the health board areas of(a) in-patient treatments of mental illness, (b) out-patient and day-care treatment of mental illness and (c) general practitioner prescribed prescription costs for treatment of stress, anxiety and depression.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: The information for the year ending 31 March 1990 is set out in the table.

  Health board

  Weekly cost per head for in-patient treatments of mental illness £

  Cost per attendance of out-patient and day-care treatment of menta/ illness £

  Argyll and Clyde

  365·97

  32·04

  Ayrshire and Arran

  336·87

  16·22

  Borders

  338·85

  30·02

  94

  Health board

  Weekly cost per head for in-patient treatments of mental illness £

  Cost per attendance of out-patient and day-care treatment of mental illness £

  Dumfries and Galloway

  413·72

  22·61

  Fife

  370·95

  36·07

  Forth Valley

  302·12

  42·13

  Grampian

  344·44

  24·12

  Greater Glasgow

  336·05

  31·17

  Highland

  372·92

  30·08

  Lanarkshire

  324·59

  27·77

  Lothian

  339·53

  30·79

  Orkney

  —

  —

  Shetland

  —

  —

  Tayside

  375·07

  26·95

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  There are no separate mental illness hospitals in islands health boards. Patients from these boards are treated on the mainland. Statistics on prescription costs for the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression are not collected centrally.

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