Written Answers of 19 December 1990

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what expenditure has been incurred by his Department in ensuring slaughterhouses in Northern Ireland meet European Community standards.

  Mr. Needham
  During the five-year period ended 31 March 1990, capital grant assistance of £4,554,502 has been paid to the eight privately owned beef slaughter and processing companies in Northern Ireland which have facilities approved to Economic Community hygiene standards.

  All these companies have abattoirs with integrated further processing facilities and the grant assistance paid was mainly towards expenditure on buildings and equipment for meat processing. Only two of the companies received grant payments totalling £252,300 towards abattoir capital expenditure. In no case was grant provided solely towards abattoir expenditure to achieve European Community standards.

  Electrostatic Data Analysis Testing
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the reasons for the delay in the report on the ESDA test on the evidence relating to the case concerning four members of the Ulster Defence Regiment from Armagh, and ordered by the chief constable on 31 July.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The report has been delayed by the need to subject a large volume of material to detailed and thorough examination; but I understand that the work is now virtually complete and that the Northern Ireland forensic laboratory expects to be able to submit its findings to the Royal Ulster Constabulary shortly.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the fair employment implications of the loss of 20 action for community employment jobs in west Belfast.

  Mr. Needham
  There has been no net loss of ACE jobs in west Belfast.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals(a) over 65 years, (b) physically disabled and (c) mentally disabled were receiving hospital, residential or nursing home care in each year since 1985 in each health board area in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  This information is not available centrally.

  District Nursing
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were registered for ongoing treatment through the district nursing system in each health board area in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Hanley
  Information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the number of patient visits carried out by district nurses.

  Health and Social Services board

  Year

  Eastern

  Northern

  Southern

  Western

  1985

  714,359

  344,679

  n.a.

  228,359

  1986

  1721,674

  341,505

  312,902

  211,842

  1987

  n.a.

  329,073

  316,602

  247,395

  1988–89

  837,178

  2319,024

  312,981

  222,986

  1989–90

  853,280

  3320,873

  307,260

  229,947

  Notes:

  n.a.—Not available.

  1 1986–87.

  2 1988.

  3 1989.

  Political Vetting
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of all instances where public funds have been withdrawn from Northern Ireland organisations under the Government's political vetting policy; how many of the decisions were appealed; and what was the result of each appeal.

  Mr. Brooke
  There is no political vetting. However, under the terms of the policy reflected in the written reply of 27 June 1985 by the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, public funds have been denied in a total of 26 cases. On further review funding has been restored in four cases. It is not Government policy to reveal details of individual cases.

  Glor na nGael
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number and what were the sources of representations he has received in relation to the withdrawal of funds from Glor na nGael.

  Mr. Brooke
  Written representations have been received from over 150 bodies and individuals including voluntary organisations, interest groups, trade unions, politicians, other public figures and various private individuals both within Northern Ireland and further afield.

  Smoke Alarms
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been spent by his Department on public safety campaigns encouraging the use of domestic smoke alarms in each of the last five years; how much money is budgeted for the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 18 December 1990]: The information requested is as follows:

  £s

  1985

  —

  1986

  —

  1987

  —

  159

  £s

  1988

  10,500

  1989

  17,100

  1990

  121,600

  1 Anticipated

  EC Funds
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how much money has been expended in the Ballymoney borough council area by the Northern Ireland Departments apart from money expended under the various EEC funds;

  (2) how much money has been expended in the Moyle council area by the Northern Ireland Departments apart from money expended under the various EEC funds;

  (3) how much money has been expended in the Ballymena borough council area by the Northern Ireland Departments apart from money expended under the various EEC funds.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 13 December 1990]The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

ENERGY

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations have taken place with energy efficiency projects about the network installer areas under the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is open to any organisation engaged in the delivery of energy efficiency services to apply to become a network installer under the home energy efficiency scheme. I understand that, in drawing up the areas for which applications would intially be invited, the Energy Action Grants Agency sought advice from both Neighbourhood Energy Action and Energy Action Scotland.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the cost of the advertising campaign for the flotation at the 12 regional electricity companies of England and Wales.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The costs of the campaign are still being finalised and will be announced to Parliament in the normal manner as soon as they are available.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the cost of the advertising campaign for the flotation of the two generating companies.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The full costs of the privatisation, including advertising costs, will be made available to Parliament in the normal way.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what policy considerations led him to reject institutional tendering as a method of flotation for the two generating companies in the electricity supply industry of England and Wales;
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  (2) what policy considerations led him to choose a public offer flotation for the two generating companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Decisions have yet to be taken on the precise structure of the sale of National Power and PowerGen. In intend to float both companies next February, subject to market conditions.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 13 December, what numbers of employees applied for shares under employee priority application procedures, in each of the 12 regional electricity company areas.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The numbers of employees who applied under the employee priority offers are as follows:

  1Number of employee priority applications

  Eastern Electricity

  4,073

  East Midlands Electricity

  3,328

  London Electricity

  2,546

  Manweb

  2,016

  Midlands Electricity

  3,188

  Northern Electric

  2,026

  NORWEB

  3,549

  SEEBOARD

  2,307

  Southern Electric

  3,237

  South Wales Electricity

  1,559

  South Western Electricity

  2,741

  Yorkshire Electricity

  3,050

  1 Provisional figures.

  These figures exclude employees who have applied under the free and matching offers alone.

  Gas and Electrical Installations
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if his Department will seek to place upon suppliers of electricity and gas a requirement to carry out periodic checks on all domestic and other installations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  No. All consumers are responsible for ensuring that the electricity and gas installations on their own premises are safe. The electricity and gas suppliers urge consumers to arrange checks on their installations regularly. This massage is reinforced from time to time in newspapers, in billing material and so on. There is adequate guidance available from the suppliers and others.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to make a further non-fossil fuel obligation order in respect of projects involving renewable energy sources.

  Mr. Wakeham
  [pursuant to the reply, 19 November 1990, c. 7]: In announcing the initial order setting a non-fossil fuel obligation for renewable sources of energy, I noted that a number of projects had proved not yet ready to meet the requirements of the legislation. To give these projects, and any others, an early opportunity to go forward, I have decided to make a second order setting a non-fossil fuel obligation for renewables in 1991. This will specify levels of renewables-sourced electricity generating

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  capacity required to be available to the regional electricity companies, in addition to those required under the initial renewables order (SI 1990 No. 1859), during the period from 1 January 1992 until 31 December 1998.

  Before making the order I shall, as required under the legislation, consult the regional electricity companies and the Director General of Electricity Supply.

  However, I currently have it in mind that the new order should be set at a level which will require the regional electricity companies to enter into contracts for some 150 to 200 MW DNC of generating capacity. I also have it in mind to introduce separate bands within the order for landfill gas, hydro, waste incineration and wind. This would give each of those technologies an opportunity to make a contribution to the capacity required under the order, and so would promote the Government's objective of stimulating the development and application of renewable sources of energy which have prospects of being economically competitive and environmentally acceptable.

  I shall determine the size of the bands, in the light of bids by generators and after the statutory consultations, at a level to strike an appropriate balance between diversity of renewable generating technologies and the cost to the electricity consumer. I may decide, in the light of the consultations, to omit a band or to combine two or more bands. However, I currently have it in mind that the bands, and the band sizes, should be as follows:

  MW DNC

  Wind power

  25–50

  Hydro

  5–10

  Landfill gas

  30–60

  Municipal and general industrial waste incineration

  50–100

  Others (eg. sewage gas, combustion of special waste)

  15–30

  The bands adopted for the 1991 renewables order will be without prejudice to the format of the further renewables orders that the Government intend to introduce during the 1990s.

  My Department, in consultation with the RECs and the Office of Electricity Regulation, has reviewed the procedures for making NFFO orders in the light of the experience gained from the first one. A number of those consulted thought it important that the timetable should be less compressed.

  Against this background I propose to make the next order, and to lay it before Parliament, in the autumn of 1991. I understand that the RECs will begin the process of selecting projects in the new year, when they will announce the procedures that they propose to adopt.

  My Department is publicising these proposals through "Renewables Energy Bulletin No. 4", a copy of which I am placing in the Library of the House.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Oral Questions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what savings his Department would make were no notice given of oral questions to Ministers and they were answered without civil service time being used on briefings.

  Mr. MacGregor
  No savings would be made and costs could well increase, because time and effort would be involved in wider briefing.
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  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the average length of time taken and the average cost involved of officials' time in his Department preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The time taken in preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions is not routinely recorded in my Department although estimates would be made where there is a likelihood of exceeding the disproportionate cost threshold (currently £250). However, following an interdepartmental exercise in 1972 in which the Department participated an assessment was made of the average cost throughout all Departments of answering an oral question. This assessment was based on staff time, using average rates of pay and associated costs for the grades concerned, together with a share of the cost of parliamentary sections and any substantial non-staff costs such as computer usage. This assessed figure is regularly updated and currently stands at £99.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Antarctic
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decisions regarding the convention on the regulation of Antarctic mineral resource activities for the Antarctic have been agreed by Britain's representatives at the Santiago convention; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The situation at the end of the 11th Antarctic treaty special consultative meeting with respect to CRAMRA is set out in paragraph 20 of the interim report of the meeting. I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 12 December, column 421–22, to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) for the text.

  Bishop Laslo Tokes
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the infringements of the human rights of the Romanian bishop, Laslo Tokes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [pursuant to his reply, 14 December, c. 530]: Her Majesty's ambassador in Bucharest has spoken to Bishop Tokes to ascertain his safety and that of his family. Bishop Tokes confirmed that although some threats have been made, he is unharmed and the Romanian authorities are taking an active interest in ensuring his safety.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Authority Borrowing
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will bring forward proposals to end controls on local authorities' ability to borrow money to meet local needs;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to introduce proposals to replace existing controls on local authority borrowing powers with a statutory requirement to pay back loans from revenue over a minimum period;
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  (3) what are his reasons for continuing central controls on local authority capital spending; and if he will make a statement on the achievements of this policy.

  Mr. Key
  No. Local authority capital expenditure which is mainly financed by borrowing amounts to a quarter of all public sector capital expenditure. Since the end of the last century, successive Governments have found it necessary to exercise some control over local authority capital expenditure and borrowing.

  Toxic Sites
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made to compile a central index of toxic sites; and when he expects such an index to be available.

  Mr. Baldry
  The question of compilation of a national list of seriously contaminated and polluting sites was considered in the Government's response to the Select Committee on the Environment's first report on contaminated land. We concluded that this was not a practical possibility. However, we have taken powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to require local authorities to set up public registers of all land in their areas which, because of past or present uses, may be contaminated.

  We will consult widely on the scope of these registers and the methods to be used in compiling them. Depending on the outcome of consultations, we hope that authorities will be able to proceed with compilation of registers during 1992–93.

  Charitable Housing Associations
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in tabular form the number of houses and flats owned by charitable housing associations in each district or borough in Hertfordshire.

  Mr. Yeo
  This is a matter for the Housing Corporation. I have therefore asked the corporation to respond to my hon. Friend direct.

  Special Needs Housing
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make additional funding available to provide the homeless and others with special needs with move-on accommodation to relieve the pressure on existing high-care hostels.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning on Monday 17 December 1990, column 24, to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes).

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the expenditure by local housing authorities on energy efficiency measures in homes since 1983.

  Mr. Yeo
  The following figures show capital expenditure by English local authorities on:
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  £ million

  Homes Insulation Scheme

  Energy conservation work on local authorities' own stock 1

  1983–84

  24·9

  17·1

  1984–85

  25·2

  17·0

  1985–86

  27·6

  10·5

  1986–87

  252

  13·2

  1987–88

  21·3

  15·8

  1988–89

  7·2

  20·2

  21989–90

  7·0

  52·5

  1 Expenditure on specific energy conservation schemes only. It does not include the cost of relevant works, e.g. the installation of insulation etc, which are carried out as part of general conversion or improvement programmes.

  2 Provisional.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the most recent information on the number of regional water companies that do not comply with EEC regulations on water quality.

  Mr. Baldry
  All water companies already achieve most of the standards in the Water Quality Regulations, which incorporate the requirements of the EC drinking water directive. Where a standard is not consistently achieved at present, the company has been required to give an undertaking that it will carry out remedial action by the earliest possible date, taking practicalities into account. An up-to-date summary of the position will be given in the first annual report of the drinking water inspectorate, to be published next summer.

  Waste Recycling
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what measures he will implement to encourage local authorities to move towards a target of 50 per cent. recycling of domestic refuse where such treatment of waste is more costly that the traditional landfilling;

  (2) if it is proposed that under the Environmental Protection Act, municipal solid waste disposal costs will be compared with municipal solid waste recycling costs;

  (3) how the costs for the disposal of municipal solid wastes and recycling will be calculated; and what account will be taken of collection, transport and man hours;

  (4) which of the waste disposal authority or its waste collection authority in the event of collection authorities contracting directly with a waste recycler will be financially liable for the costs of an operation.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department will be consulting early next year about the new duty on waste disposal authorities to pay credits in respect of the costs of disposal of household waste avoided by recycling. We are currently developing a method for the calculation of credits. It will be up to each organisation which undertakes recycling to assess viability in the light of costs, benefits and credits available. We do not expect recycling to take place where it is economically and environmentally unviable.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how authorities' assets will be valued before being transferred to a local authority waste disposal
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  contractor; and what liabilities will be attached to existing landfill sites as an ongoing financial responsibility for such local authority waste disposal contractors.

  Mr. Baldry
  Advice on valuation of assets will be included in a draft circular giving advice on the new arrangements for waste disposal under the Environmental Protection Act and on local authority waste disposal companies. This draft circular should be available early in, the new year. Full liability for restoration and after-care costs of existing landfill sites will transfer with sites.

  Landfill Sites
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how duty of care responsibilities under the Environmental Protection Act will affect landfill sites currently operating, but with many years' capacity still open to them.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Environmental Protection Act 1990 contains new measures whereby a licensee may not surrender his licence without the consent of the 'Waste Regulation Authority, and that consent may not be given unless the authority is satisfied that the condition of the land is unlikely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health. The licensee will therefore remain responsible for the monitoring of the land and any remedial action necessary until the authority accepts the surrender and issues a certificate of completion The licensee will need to ensure that the resources to enable him to meet these obligations are set aside during the active, revenue-earning, phase of the landfill. Licences already issued under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 will automatically become waste management licences when the relevant sections of the Environmental Protection Act are implemented, and they will be subject to the provisions of the new Act.

  Housing Investment Programme
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the housing investment programme bids received, and the agreed level of programme, by his Department for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Yeo
  The table compares local authorities' bids with the capital allocations, which provide part of the available resources to fund capital expenditure, and actual outturn.

  Local authority housing capital expenditure: England: £ million

  Proposed programme

  HIP allocation1

  Gross expenditure outturn

  1982–83

  3,480

  2,192

  2,483

  1983–84

  3,560

  2,233

  3,176

  1984–85

  4,480

  1,852

  3,187

  1985–86

  4,870

  1,605

  2,802

  1986–87

  5,420

  1,459

  2,883

  1987–88

  6,040

  1,400

  3,151

  1988–89

  6,650

  1,331

  3,470

  1989–90

  6,330

  1,095

  34,442

  1990–91

  6,500

  21,913

  N.A.

  1991–92

  36,020

  21,861

  N.A.

  1 For the years up to 1989–90 Housing Investment Programme allocations made by the Department relate to the borrowing approvals available to local authorities to finance their housing capital programmes. In addition capital expenditure could be

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  financed from capital receipts (subject to certain conditions) and from revenue sources. A new capital finance system was introduced for 1990–91 in which the HIP allocations comprise annual capital guidelines and resources for specified capital grants. A proportion of local authorities' usable receipts are then taken into account in arriving at a figure for the basic credit approval which permits borrowing.

  2 Allocations made to date for these two years.

  3 provisional.

  Water Supply
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he has made for the enforcement of the general duties placed on water companies by sections 37 and 67 of the Water Act 1989 to provide water supply and sewerage in their areas.

  Mr. Trippier
  These duties hitherto have been enforceable by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales. Under a general authorisation given by my right hon. Friends, they are now enforceable by the Director General of Water Services, and he will deal with any complaint that a company has not fulfilled its statutory duties.

  Environmental Organisations
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish details of the new fund to help finance voluntary organisations in the furtherance of policies set out in "This Common Inheritance," (Cm. 1200); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish details of the new fund to help finance voluntary organisations in the furtherance of policies set out in "This Common Inheritance" (Cm. 1200); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  I am very pleased to announce that my Department has today issued invitations to voluntary groups to apply for project funding under the new environmental grant fund. The grant is available exclusively for projects which will help to further the policies set out in the White Paper "This Common Inheritance", published in September 1990.

  We are eager to use the new fund to support practical projects at the local level. We will particularly favour projects which show innovations or which involve new groups in environmental work. Funding will normally be in the form of a 50 per cent. contribution to the overall project cost with an unlimited proportion of this being available to meet capital costs. Projects can be funded for up to three years and will be closely monitored to assess their effectiveness.

  In order to bring the scheme quickly into operation, we have decided for this first year only to restrict applications to national and regional organisations. We will be discussing with the voluntary sector how the scheme might be extended for future years to target local groups directly.

  In this first year £650,000 is available. In 1993–94 when the fund is fully operational £1·5 million will be available.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Ashby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take in regard to Leicester city council under part I of the Local Government Act 1988.
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  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend has today issued a direction under section 14 of the Local Government Act 1988 requiring Leicester city council to expose refuse collection work to competitive tendering again by 1 November 1991. He has taken this action because he was not satisfied with the response which Leicester city council made to the notice served on 11 September 1990 under section 13 of the Act.

  That notice set out the Secretary of State's view that Leicester city council had acted contrary to the requirement of section 7(7) of the Act (which is that, in reaching a decision to assign work to its own work force, an authority must not act in a manner having the effect or intended or likely to have the effect of restricting, distorting or preventing competition) in that, in assessing the cost of accepting a tender from an external contractor, it took account of certain fixed overhead costs.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take in regard to Thurrock borough council under part I of the Local Government Act 1988.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend has today issued a direction under section 14 of the Local Government Act 1988 requiring Thurrock borough council to expose street cleaning work to competitive tendering again by 1 November 1991. He has taken this action because he was not satisfied with the response which Thurrock borough council made to the notice served on 3 October 1990 under section 13 of the Act.

  That notice set out the Secretary of State's view that Thurrock borough council had acted contrary to the requirement of section 7(7) of the Act (which is that, in reaching a decision to assign work to its own work force, an authority must not act in a manner having the effect or intended or likely to have the effect of restricting, distorting or preventing competition) in that, in assessing the cost of accepting a tender from an external contractor, it took account of certain fixed overhead costs.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for discontinuation of the leasing by borough or district councils of private houses for temporary accommodation for homeless persons; what consultation he has had with boroughs principally affected; and what study he has made concerning the effects of implementing his proposal.

  Sir George Young
  [pursuant to the reply, 18 December 1990, column 114–15]: The housing revenue account subsidy determinations for 1991–92 have been made today. They cover the assumptions the Government will make about rents and management and maintenance and other rules governing the calculation of each authority's subsidy entitlement. I am placing copies of the determinations in the Library.

  The determinations also confirm, with modifications, the new rules for subsidy on short-term leasing that were proposed in October. Local authorities have increasingly taken private houses and flats on short-term leases to provide temporary refuge for the homeless. The Government had not proposed to discontinue this. On the contrary, I want to ensure that the rules regulating councils' entitlement to subsidy on this activity leave them with the flexibility they need, and I have therefore had
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  extensive consultations with local authorities and their representatives. In response to their views, I have had a fresh look at the rules proposed in October and am today announcing two modifications.

  The first is a proposal designed to help those authorities which are worried by the numbers of short-term leases approaching the end of their terms. To assist them with renewal or replacement, the rent they pay from 1 April next would be subsidisable up to a cash limit for each authority. The total national cost would be up to £25 million, to be found by a transfer from the estate action programme. I am putting this forward today as a proposal for consultation, and my Department is inviting responses from authorities by 19 January.

  The second modification (on which we have already consulted) recognises that short-term leases are not necessarily appropriate in the permanent housing account. They may be used for the same purpose as licensed accommodation and bed-and-breakfast provision, both of which are financed from the general fund with underlying assistance from revenue support grant. The Department is prepared to give authorities special directions to take named leases outside the housing account, and we are today telling authorities of the criteria that must be met if they wish to apply. Leases taken outside the housing account will benefit from the same rent rebate subsidy arrangements as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security will be introducing for rebates for tenants in bed-and-breakfast or licensed accommodation.

  On the subsidy allowances for management and maintenance expenditure, we are introducing a system that targets allowances on those authorities with the greatest problems in maintaining their estates. I have decided to introduce this targeting slightly more quickly than was proposed in October, through a larger redistribution of resources from authorities with the least needs to those in greatest need. As a result, about 40 rather than 20 authorities will receive higher increases in allowances. Overall the level of allowances will be increased in order to maintain them at this year's levels in real terms.

  For rent guidelines, my right hon. Friend confirms the proposals for an average rent increase of 2 per cent. above the allowance for inflation. This means an average increase of £1·85 over the guideline rents which applied this year ranging from £1·38 to £2·50 in individual councils. It is for each council to determine its actual rent level and how much to spend on management and maintenance of stock.

  My right hon. Friend also confirms the proposal to reduce the allowance for the rent lost on empty properties to a flat rate of 2 per cent. of dwellings.

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

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 December 1990]: I refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer given yesterday by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Dykes), Official Report, vol. 183, column 119.

  Hostel Beds
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new hostel beds have come into existence as a result of measures announced on 22 June.
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  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Dykes)Official Report, vol. 183, column 119.

TRANSPORT

  Airports
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now announce the 1991–92 supplementary credit approvals for public airport companies and local authority airports.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State noted in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Mr. Amos) on 26 November at column 270, that supplementary credit approvals totalling £87 million will be available for public airport companies and local authority airports for 1991–92. Taken with other resources which public airport companies expect to invest, the total will assist the airports concerned to provide facilities which they estimate could cost some £179 million in 1991–92.

  At this stage, we have agreed supplementary credit approvals totalling £70 million. The remainder will be issued as the year progresses. Major projects concerned include the continuation of work on phase 1 of terminal 2 at Manchester airport and joint venture projects with the private sector at Birmingham airport. Formal supplementary credit approvals for these and other projects will be issued to the local authorities shortly.

  The £87 million total of borrowing approvals for 1991–92 represents the second successive large increase, from £29 million in 1989–90 and £59 million in 1990–91. But these increases reflect the investment profile for phase 1 of Manchester airport's second terminal. Supplementary credit approvals will reduce substantially in the next two years and beyond, as that project is completed, and as the pressure on public sector spending continues.

  Local authority airports need to expand to meet a growing share of the demand for air travel, but to do so they will have to look increasingly to the private sector to take a stake in the success and the risk associated with particular projects.

  Fire Extinguishers (Solvent Abuse)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many reported incidents have there been of people using British Rail fire extinguishers for solvent abuse for each of the last three years.

  Mr. Freeman
  Her Majesty's railway inspectorate has no records of such incidents, which are not reportable by railway operators unless they result in personal injury or fatality on railway premises.

  Hazardous Substances (Transportation)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the enforcement procedures adopted by his Department relating to the transportation of(a) inflammable and (b) hazardous material by road.

  Mr. Chope
  Enforcement of the dangerous goods regulations is carried out by the Health and Safety Executive with the assistance of the police and the 170
  Department's traffic examiners. The main thrust of the Health and Safety Executive's inspection and enforcement policy is to consider and assess compliance during visits to employers and duty holders' premises. These visits are supplemented by roadside checks.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the current standards and regulations which apply to the transportation of(a) inflammable and (b) hazardous material by road.

  Mr. Chope
  The regulations, which cover all dangerous goods, are:

  The Dangerous Substances (Conveyance by Road in Road Tankers and Tank Containers) Regulations 1981.

  The Classification, Packaging and Labelling of Dangerous Substances Regulations 1984.

  The Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Packages etc) Regulations 1986.

  The Road Traffic (Carriage of Explosives) Regulations 1989.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will establish a national accident database for accidents involving the road transportation of hazardous and inflammable materials; how many such accidents have taken place within a 30-mile radius of Southampton in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The Health and Safety Executive maintains a database which contains information on those incidents reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. The numbers reported in HSE's area south, which covers Hampshire, Dorset, Berkshire and the Isle of Wight were:

  Number

  1987–88

  9

  1988–89

  12

  1989–90

  114

  1 Provisional.

  Expressways
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the schemes which are expressways as defined under the European agreement on main international traffic arteries.

  Mr. Chope
  The European agreement on main international traffic arteries defines three types of road: motorways, express roads and ordinary roads. The concept of the express road is not contained in English domestic law, but, in practice, there is no distinction between motorways and express roads as defined in the agreement.

  Fengate Industrial Estate
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the recommendations of the Health and Safety Executive report of March 1989 into the Fengate industrial estate in Peterborough have been implemented; what additional resources have been made available to the Health and Safety Executive to undertake this matter; what additional arrangements have been made for the transportation of explosives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The Road Traffic (Carriage of Explosives) Regulations were made in July 1989. These regulations
  171
  and the recommendations in the report are being reviewed by the Health and Safety Commission with industry and the fire services.

  The resource needs of the HSE are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

  Bus Lanes
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in descending order the London boroughs by proportion of highway in each borough with bus lanes.

  Mr. Freeman
  The available information is given in the table. Boroughs in which there are no bus lanes are not listed.

  Bus lanes in London boroughs: 1990

  Length of bus lanes (km)

  Metres of bus lane per km of road

  Camden

  7·7

  28

  Islington

  6·1

  27

  Lambeth

  9·0

  27

  Southwark

  6·5

  19

  Westminster

  5·8

  17

  Hackney

  4·3

  17

  Wandsworth

  4·3

  11

  Tower Hamlets

  2·4

  11

  Newham

  3·0

  8

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1·4

  8

  Haringey

  2·4

  7

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1·5

  7

  Lewisham

  2·5

  6

  Enfield

  2·6

  5

  Richmond upon Thames

  1·8

  5

  Croydon

  2·5

  4

  Barking and Dagenham

  1·0

  3

  Ealing

  1·8

  3

  Waltham Forest

  1·2

  3

  Barnet

  1·7

  2

  Merton

  0·6

  2

  Greenwich

  0·6

  1

  Brent

  0·6

  1

  Harrow

  0·5

  1

  Hounslow

  0·4

  1

  Redbridge

  0·3

  —

  Kingston upon Thames

  0·1

  —

  Bromley

  0·2

  —

  Light Bulbs
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage the use of low-energy light bulbs in his Department's offices and other buildings.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Guidance on the use of low-energy light fittings has been issued throughout this Department and has already been applied in a number of its buildings.

  Wembley Stadium (Underpass)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department next intends to meet officials from Wembley stadium to discuss the safety of the pedestrian underpass to the underground station; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department of Transport has no immediate plans to meet officials from Wembley statium. Several meetings have been held. The underpass is the 172
  responsibility of the London borough of Brent. We have provided in the 1991–92 local roads capital expenditure settlement, announced on 17 December, supplementary credit approval to enable the borough to fund a scheme to improve the underpass. I understand that Wembly plc is willing to contribute to the cost.

  Severn River Crossing
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now publish the concession agreement recently signed in London on 29 October by the Minister for Public Transport and senior representatives of Laing, G. T. M. Entropeae, Barclay de Zoete Wedd, the Bank of America, and the shareholders of Severn River Crossing plc.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 18 December 1990]: Copies of the concession agreement between my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State and Severn River Crossing plc concerning the provision of the second Severn bridge have today been placed in the House Library. Copies are also being made available to the appropriate local authorities.

THE ARTS

  Public Libraries
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Minister for the Arts (1) how he implements his superintendent powers over public libraries;

  (2) how he ensures the efficient operation of each public library authority as required by the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.

  Mr. Renton
  Statistics published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy which provide information on the public library service in England are monitored by my office, which collects supplementary information direct from the local authorities. I investigate any complaints about public library authorities through my professional library adviser. It is for the district auditor to satisfy himself that arrangements are in place within local authorities to secure value for money.

  In furtherance of my responsibilities to promote the improvement of the library service, I have produced two management tools on costing systems and performance indicators. A third, on objectives, will be published next year. In addition, I have awarded grants totalling £603,549 for 30 projects under my public library development incentive scheme. I also support research into public library provision leading to the publication of case studies and examples of good practice.

  Items in Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if there have been any items accepted in lieu of tax or allocated since an announcement was last made on the subject to the House.

  Mr. Renton
  Since the announcement made on 15 November at column 188, I am pleased to announce that a further offer has been accepted in principle. The offer is of a Sevres dinner service of some 350 pieces and a Louis
  173
  XV bas d'armoire by Bernard Van Risenburgh and will satisfy £1·4 million tax. The acceptance of this offer will be made possible by a call on the reserve.

  Regional Arts Boards
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what progress is being made in establishing regional arts boards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made earlier today.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Correspondence
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he expects to be able to announce the result of the Cabinet Office Efficiency Unit's inquiry into the handling of ministerial correspondence with hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  With the approval of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, the report of the efficiency scrutiny on ministerial correspondence is being made available to Members of Parliament and others today. Copies may be obtained from the Vote Office.

  An efficiency scrutiny was set up in July to review the methods and costs of handling ministerial correspondence, to identify good methods of operation and to make recommendations for adoption by all Departments. In carrying out it s work, the scrutiny team sought the views of Members of Parliament, Ministers and officials in Departments and members of the public.

  The task of Government Departments in dealing with correspondence is a very substantial one. Ministers respond to nearly 250,000 letters a year from Members of Parliament, and many more letters from the public receive official replies. The nature and volume of correspondence varies a great deal from Department to Department. Some have a heavy case load of letters which require detailed investigation of a constituent's case before a reply can be sent. A topical issue can stimulate with little warning huge influxes of letters with which Departments do not have the resources to deal and these add to the work load of Ministers and civil servants who are already busy preparing or implementing a policy. The scrutiny estimates that the cost of dealing with ministerial correspondence is of the order of £17·5 million per annum.

  Because Departments differ both in their organisation and in the nature and volume of their correspondence, the scrutiny does not recommend a single formula for dealing with letters, nor does it propose that uniform targets should be set, independently of the nature of each Departments' work, for the time taken to reply. The recommendations are essentially a menu of good practice, on which Departments will draw according to their particular circumstances. On this basis, the Government accept the report, which Departments will now consider with the aim of further improving their service to Members and their constituents, while making efficient use of available resources and providing better value for money.

  While recognising that Members of Parliament always have, and retain, the right of approaching Ministers directly, the report recommends that one important way of achieving a more efficient service is through greater
  174
  decentralisation of correspondence on operational matters to agency chief executives and local offices, who have delegated responsibility for particular areas of work and can deal with Members' inquiries on day-to-day matters quickly and efficiently. The Government accept the recommendation that Members need better information on contact points, and proposes to extend future editions of the "List of Ministerial Responsibilities" to include agency chief executives and other key addresses.

  Other recommendations are designed to improve the way in which Departments manage correspondence and monitor their performance. They encourage more effective use of targets, and aim to increase Departments' awareness of the costs in dealing with correspondence, cutting out such factors as multiple handling and unnecessary retyping which add to costs and delay without improving the quality of replies. A need for more effective use of information technology is also identified. The report recommends that Departments consider making greater use of briefing notes for Members of Parliament to use in response to correspondence campaigns, and on other occasions when a large volume of letters is received on a single subject.

  Each Department will produce within three months an action plan for responding to the report.

  Non-departmental Bodies
  Sir Philip Goodhart
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many non-departmental bodies are currently in existence; and when the annual list of such bodies will be published.

  Mr. Renton
  On 1 April 1990, there were 1,539 public bodies. That is 16 fewer than last year and 628 fewer than in 1979. These bodies are listed in "Public Bodies 1990", published today. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  In the year to 31 March 1990, 67 bodies were abolished and 51 new bodies set up.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Manufacturing Productivity
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the United Kingdom manufacturing productivity figures for 1979, and the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Data on United Kingdom manufacturing productivity can be obtained from the CSO database, which is accessible from the House of Commons Library.

  Public Sector (Manning)
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to reduce manning in the public sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Future plans for manpower in the civil service and the armed forces were published in table 21.3.11 of chapter 21 of the 1990 public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 1021). The Government do not plan manpower in local authorities or public corporations, but outturn data for the whole of the public sector for the period 1978–79 to 1988–89 were provided in appendix D of
  175
  the same chapter. Over that period, public sector manpower fell from 6,565,000 to 5,361,000, a reduction of 18.3 per cent.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the latest year for which figures are available what is the total(a) capital spending and (b) revenue spending for (i) local authorities, (ii) Government Departments and (iii) other bodies included in the public expenditure totals.

  Mr. Mellor
  The latest analyses of public expenditure by economic category were published in the "Supplementary Analyses" chapter (chapter 21) of the 1990 public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 1021). Tables 21.3.5 and 21.4.7 give details of the components of current expenditure (pay, other expenditure on goods and services, subsidies and grants) and capital expenditure (net expenditure on assets, grants and lending and other financial transactions) for central Government's own expenditure and expenditure by local authorities respectively. Similar analyses of the other components of the public expenditure planning total are given in tables 21.4.1 (central Government support for local authorities), 21.5.5 (nationalised industries) and 21.5.12 (other public corporations). Updates of this information will be published in the statistical supplement to the autumn statement, the successor to the "Supplementary Analyses" chapter of the public expenditure White Paper, early in 1991.

  Friendly Societies
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made on implementing the proposals in the Green Paper entitled "Friendly Societies: A New Framework".

  Mr. Maples
  Preparations for the proposed legislation are well in hand. The bulk of the instructions to counsel have been drafted and are today being sent to the Friendly Societies Liaison Committee and other interested parties for consultation. We also plan to consult on the draft clauses when they are available. A Bill will be brought forward in a future Session, when the parliamentary timetable permits.

  The draft instructions reflect a number of modifications to the proposals in the Green Paper, in the light of the responses received. Most are technical, but the main policy changes are:

  (1) the proposed legislation will not include a statutory requirement for friendly societies to stand behind their subsidiaries, but it will include a power for them to meet the liabilities of a subsidiary;

  (2) the voting requirements for a decision to set up subsidiaries will be significantly modified. Only a special resolution of the society will be needed, but there will be provisions to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to inform members of the vote in good time beforehand;

  (3) there will be no statutory limit on the proportion of its funds a society can invest in its subsidiaries. But there will be provisions to ensure that the financing of subsidiaries is transparent to members and to the regulator and does not deplete the insurance funds below a prescribed margin of solvency;

  (4) there will be a more flexible approach to solvency requirements, with different requirements for different classes of society according to the nature of their activities and powers of investment.

  The legislation will also contain enhanced prudential powers for the regulator to intervene where the interests of
  176
  members are at risk. In preparing the instructions to counsel, we have concluded that it would be more appropriate for these and other prudential powers to be vested in a commission rather than the Chief Registrar, and will be consulting the friendly societies on that proposal.

  HMSO
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial target he has set Her Majesty's Stationery Office for 1991.

  Mr. Maples
  I have today laid a further Treasury minute setting HMSO the financial target for 1991 of achieving a profit after interest in current cost accounting terms of £4 million. This compares with the target for 1990 of a profit after interest in current cost accounting terms of £2·9 million.

  Mrs. V. Chinnock
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what further information his Department is seeking from the senior medical officer of the civil service occupational health service in relation to the benefit payable to Mrs. V. Chinnock of Merle Dene, Hunsdon road, Ivybridge, Devon, as a result of the injuries sustained by her husband in the royal dockyard in 1975; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he expects to finalise the award granted under the injury benefit provisions of the principal civil service pension scheme to Mrs. V. Chinnock of Merle Dene, Hunsdon road, Ivybridge, Devon, as a result of the injuries sustained by her husband in the royal dockyard in 1975;

  (3) when payment will begin of the benefit due to Mrs. V. Chinnock of Merle Dene, Hunsdon road, Ivybridge, Devon, as a result of the injuries sustained by her husband in the royal dockyard in 1975;

  (4) whether his pensions office has assessed the amount of benefit payable to Mrs. V. Chinnock of Merle Dene, Hunsdon road, Ivybridge, Devon, as set out in his letter of 22 August to the hon. Member for South Hams.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement explained in his letter of 22 August, Mrs. Chinnock's claim to an injury benefit award has been accepted. The award has now been finalised and will be put into payment very shortly, together with arrears due to her since her husband's death.

  Mortgage Interest Relief
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost to the Exchequer of allowing mortgage interest relief at the higher rate of income tax.

  Mr. Maude
  The cost of mortgage interest relief at a rate in excess of the basic rate of income tax in 1990–91 is provisionally estimated at £520 million. This estimate is based on the assumption that interest rates remain at their current levels.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of mortgage interest relief during 1988–89.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 18 December 1990]: The total value of mortgage interest relief in 1988–89 is estimated as £5,400 million.
  177
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will show the total value of mortgage interest relief during 1989–90 by economic planning region.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 18 December 1990]: Broad estimates, based on the regional distribution of mortgage interest relief recorded in the family expenditure survey for 1988 and 1989, are as follows:

  Mortgage interest relief 1989–90

  £ million

  Northern

  320

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  470

  North West

  680

  East Midlands

  430

  West Midlands

  550

  East Anglia

  280

  Greater London

  1,000

  Other South East

  1,730

  South West

  660

  Wales

  230

  Scotland

  470

  Northern Ireland

  80

  United Kingdom

  6,900

  Charities
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy that the Royal National Lifeboat Institute and other registered charities will remain zero-rated for VAT.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Charities as such are not zero-rated, but they benefit from various VAT reliefs on certain supplies they make and on certain goods and services they buy in, which are zero-rated by virtue of their intended use. The Government oppose any proposals for the single market which would further restrict the United Kingdom's ability to use zero rates. EC decisions in tax matters require the unanimous agreement of member states, and there is no question of any unwelcome proposals being forced upon us.

  Alcohol (Duty)
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rates of duty are per centilitre of alcohol for(a) beer, (b) wine and (c) spirits.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The excise duty per centilitre of pure alcohol would be about 10·2p for a typical beer or table wine, arid 17·35p for spirits.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the yield to the Exchequer would be if the rate of duty for beer and wine were increased to that of spirits; by how much the price of a pint of beer and a bottle of wine would rise; and what would be the effect on the retail price index.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The extra yield to the Exchequer if the rate of duty per unit of alcohol on beer and wine were increased to that of spirits would be £1½ billion in 1991–92. The price of a typical pint of beer and a 75 cl bottle of table wine would rise by about 18p and 69p respectively. The impact effect on the retail price index would be to raise it by around 1 per cent. in total.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the threshold for the payment of higher rate income tax would be if it were restored to its 1988 level in real terms; and what the cost to the Exchequer would be of so restoring it.

  Mr. Maude
  It is estimated that the basic rate limit for 1990–91 would be £22,900 of taxable income it if were set at its 1988–89 level after allowing for the movement in the retail prices index between the two financial years. The direct revenue cost would be about £500 million in a full year.

  Third-world Debt
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax write-off British banks have been allowed against expected non-repayment of third-world debt.

  Mr. Maude
  Estimates of the reduction in mainstream corporation tax receipts for provisions on doubtful sovereign debt are negligible for the years to 1985–86 inclusive, about £70 million for 1986–87, about £ ¼ billion for 1987–88, over £ ½ billion for 1988–89 and about £ ⅓ billion for 1989–90.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  School Governors and Managers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the reasons for his decision not to give to his Department responsibility for providing advice to governors and managers.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Department has produced and supported a number of publications and training materials to help school governors, including a loose-leaf handbook supplied to all governors giving information about their responsibilities. Local education authorities also need to provide detailed information and training for governors, as required by the Education (No. 2) Act 1986. The Department encourages their efforts through the grants for education support and training programme, which will cover some £24 million of expenditure on governor support in the four years to 1993.

  School Libraries
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the latest available information on the resourcing of school libraries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  Latest outturn data on local authority recurrent spending are from 1988–89. They do not separately identify total spending on school libraries. In that year spending on library books and on non-printed library materials was included within the £331 million of spending on books, equipment and materials in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England. Spending on school librarians was included within the £304 million of spending on school support staff.

  National Association of Governors and Managers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what funding has been made available to the National Association of Governors and Managers by his Department; and if it is his intention to provide a secretariat for the National Association of Governors and Managers.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Department contributed £8,000 per annum in 1988–89 and 1989–90 towards the cost of improving NAGM's administration; up to £40,000 is available in the current year in support of longer-term restructuring to enable NAGM to become an effective national organisation. My right hon. and learned Friend will consider any further proposals which are based on a sound business plan designed to move the association as quickly as possible towards self-sufficiency.

  Key Stage 4
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received(a) for and (b) against key stage 4 of the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  None. It is not a question of being for or against key stage 4, but how all the objectives of the national curriculum for 14 to 16-year-old pupils can best be met within the study time available.

  School Budgets
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the most recent estimate of the proportion of the potential school budget being delegated to schools in each local education authority in(a) inner London and (b) outer London.

  Mr. Fallon
  Figures are as follows, taken from budget statements for 1990–91 published by local education authorities under section 42 of the Education Reform Act. The figures are applicable only for authorities with statutory schemes for the local management of schools. There are no figures for four outer London boroughs; three of these do not as yet have statutory LMS schemes in force (Croydon, Hillingdon and Newham). Waltham Forest has not yet published its section 42 budget statement. Westminster is currently the only inner London LEA with a statutory LMS scheme.

  LEA

  Proportion of the PSB1 delegated to schools

  Barnet

  84·36

  Havering

  83·87

  Brent

  8·63

  Sutton

  83·44

  Redbridge

  82·71

  Ealing

  81·66

  Hounslow

  81·59

  Harrow

  81·52

  Enfield

  81·50

  Bexley

  81·33

  Bromley

  80·70

  Richmond

  79·98

  Merton

  79·79

  Haringey

  79·36

  Kingston

  78·46

  Barking

  77·98

  Westminster

  77·97

  180

  1 PSB = General Schools Budget minus mandatory exceptions, school meals, home to school transport, and transitional exceptions.

  Food Irradiation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he intends to give to local authorities about the supply of irradiated food in schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  No specific guidance on the use of irradiated food in schools is being issued. In common with all other catering establishments, local education authorities which choose to use irradiated products will be required so to inform consumers under the Food Labelling (Amendment) (Irradiated Food) Regulations 1990.

  Agencies
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has identified any candidates within his Department for agency status under the "next steps" initiative.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Following a detailed feasibility study, I have identified pensions branch within my Department, located in Darlington, as a candidate for agency status.

  Agency status should enable pensions branch to operate with greater freedom and clearer responsibility towards specified targets and performance measures within an agreed framework of resources. It should increase the accountability of the managers within the branch and lead to improvements in the quality as well as the cost-effectiveness of the service provided to teachers and their employers.

  I have set in hand the recruitment through open competition of a new head of pensions branch, who will be appointed as the chief executive designate.

  A "next steps" unit has been set up within my Department to co-ordinate further work on the project, and the preparation of a draft agency document has been put in hand. If the final decision is that this part of my Department should become an agency, the aim would be to establish it not later than early 1992.

  Universities and Polytechnics
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the level of funding for universities and polytechnics in 1979 and 1989, respectively(a) as a percentage of gross domestic product, (b) in real terms and (c) in terms of resources per student at constant prices, together with the numbers of students, other than from overseas.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 14 December 1990]: Consistent information in the form requested is not available for years prior to 1980–81. Public funding of universities in Great Britain from recurrent grant and home and EC student tuition fees and local authority expenditure on higher education (net of estimated overseas student fees and miscellaneous other income) in England have increased from £2,821 million in financial year 1980–81 to £2,968 million in 1988–89, both at 1989–90 prices, 0·7 per cent. and 0·6 per cent. of GDP respectively. Over that period, full-time equivalent home and EC student numbers increased from 469,200 to 578,900 and funding per student reflected efficiency gains by decreasing from £6,012 to £5,127, again at 1989–90 prices.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Fireworks
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make inquiries of those European countries which have national training schemes for organisers of public firework displays with a view to setting up such a scheme in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Leigh
  To require organisers of public firework displays to be formally trained would discourage many smaller local displays which I want to encourage the public to attend on safety grounds. However, a large manufacturer of fireworks already offers a voluntary training scheme, which I would encourage organisers to attend.

  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure that category 3 and 4 fireworks can be bought only from licensed outlets.

  Mr. Leigh
  By voluntary agreement, category 4 fireworks are not sold through retail outlets. Also, my Department has asked the industry not to sell through retail outlets those category 3 fireworks which require a safe distance of a full 25 m because they are likely to be too powerful for the average back garden.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the operation of the 1975 fireworks code; and if he has any plans to strengthen the voluntary agreement not to sell fireworks until three weeks before 5 November.

  Mr. Leigh
  I am satisfied on the basis of the recent decline in the number of firework accidents that the existing fireworks code and the voluntary agreement on the period of retail sale of fireworks are proving to be adequate.

  Emergency Planning
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many civil servants are currently employed(a) full time and (b) part time by his Department on (i) home defence planning, (ii) emergency planning, (iii) liaison with the NATO central supplies agency and (iv) work connected with the NATO industrial planning committee.

  Mr. Leigh
  This work is shared between a group of seven staff in my Department. Three of these are also engaged on other duties and one works part time, making a total equivalent of five full-time staff.

  Much of the work of the NATO industrial planning committee concerns planning for the establishment and operation of the Central Supplies Agency, which would become operational only in times of crisis and war. The amount of staff time allocated to each subject varies with the work load, but currently it is approximately as follows:

  Percentage

  Home Defence Planning

  25

  Civil Emergency Planning

  35

  Work connected with the NATO Industrial Planning Committee and the establishment and operation of the Central Supplies Agency

  40

  182
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the estimated cost in the current financial year and in 1991–92 of the programme of sectoral studies announced by his Department at the workshop on local authority essential needs in crisis and war, held on 4 September.

  Mr. Leigh
  In this financial year we estimate spending £65,000 on the programme of sectoral studies. In view of the consistency of the findings of the studies completed so far, we concluded that doing further studies would not be worth while so we terminated the programme. Therefore, there will be no expenditure on the programme in 1991–92.

  Credit (Marketing)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to improve standards in the marketing of credit.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Government have over an extended period made known their view that there is a need for an improvement in credit marketing practices. They welcome the statements about the marketing and provision of credit in the draft code of banking practice and, in particular, the statement that banks and building societies will act responsibly and prudently in the marketing and advertising of credit. However, a code which applies only to banks and building societies cannot be a complete answer to the problem of irresponsible practices in the credit market. The consultation paper on the draft code acknowledges this.

  The Government have concluded that there is a need to tighten the legislation on consumer credit. The Department of Trade and Industry is today issuing a consultative document which gives details of proposals for new regulations under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and also for amending the Act itself. It is proposed to make four new sets of regulations under the Act.

  First, the Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 1989 are to be amended. The main changes will be to require advertisers to provide additional information in particular about the affordability of credit and the risks of variable interest rate agreements. In addition, advertisements for residential property loans which mention the availability of certain related services from or through the lender will need to include a statement that loans are available whether or not the related services are taken from or through the lender.

  Secondly, the Consumer Credit (Agreements) Regulations 1983 are to be amended. It is proposed that, with certain exceptions, regulated credit agreements will in future have to include the statement "Do not sign this agreement unless you are sure that you can afford the payments". In addition, advertisements for secured loans and foreign currency loans will have to include warnings about the special risks entailed in this type of borrowing.

  Thirdly, new regulations on the conduct of consumer credit business will require businesses licensed under the Consumer Credit Act to take precautions in the direct mailing of credit circulars to reduce the risk of such circulars going to minors or to people who do not wish to receive them. In addition, there will be a ban on making unsolicited increases in credit limits.

  The conduct of business regulations will also prohibit the use by licensed consumer credit businesses of negative options (and other techniques which rely on consumer

  183
  inertia) to sell credit-related services. The decision to legislate on inertia selling was taken only after careful consideration of the proposals by the finance and insurance industries for a code of practice on the use of negative options to sell payment protection insurance. Whilst the code would have gone a considerable way to guard against the risk of consumers being induced to buy insurance which they did not really want, the Government consider it to be a matter of principle that consumers should not be charged for services which they have not positively and expressly requested.

  Fourthly, a new regulation on pre-agreement disclosure of information will require lenders under regulated credit agreements which are secured on property to explain to prospective borrowers the commitment entailed in variable interest rates.

  In addition to making these regulations, the Government intend, as soon as legislative time is available, to introduce a Bill to improve the protection provided by provisions in the Consumer Credit Act 1974 on sending credit circulars to minors and on cancellation rights as well as making the important deregulatory changes announced in the White Paper "Releasing Enterprise" in November 1988.

  Section 50 of the Act, which prohibits the sending of unsolicited credit circulars to minors, is to be made more effective. There have been a number of complaints from parents whose children have received credit circulars. Lenders and intermediaries who breach the prohibition can shelter behind the defence which section 50(2) provides for a person who has sent a circular to a minor if he can prove that he
  "did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect"
  that the person to whom he sent it was a minor. It is therefore proposed to remove this defence, but not the defence under section 168 that the person who sent the circular to a minor
  "took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid such an act".

  The effect of removing the section 50(2) defence would therefore be to require those issuing credit circulars to take reasonable precautions and exercise due diligence.

  It is also proposed to extend the cancellation rights provided by section 67 and 68 to cover debtor-creditor-supplier agreements (as defined in section 12 of the Act) if they are signed on trade premises following face-to-face negotiations. The aim of this proposal is to allow consumers the right to cancel credit agreements which they may have entered into on impulse without giving sufficient thought as to their ability to make the repayments. In order to reduce the inconvenience which may be caused by the unwillingness of traders to allow consumers to have goods or services before the end of the cooling-off period, the cooling-off period for this new category of cancellable agreements will be only two days rather than the five days which applies to other cancellable agreements.

  The 1988 White Paper "Releasing Enterprise" proposed that protection against extortionate credit bargains should be strengthened by allowing a court to reopen a credit agreement of its own motion. It remains the Government's intention to amend the Act in this way. In addition, the Director General of Fair Trading has been asked to report on whether there is a need for any other reforms of the Act's provisions on extortionate credit agreements.
  184
  Copies of the consultative document have been placed in the Library, and also copies will be available from the Vote Office.

  Northern Ireland Railways Ltd.
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Monopolies Commission report on Northern Ireland Railways Ltd. will be published.

  Mr. Redwood
  The report is published today. The commission found that Northern Ireland Railways was not pursuing any course of conduct which operated against the public interest.

  The commission recognised the dedication and resilience of Northern Ireland Railways' management team in maintaining services despite terrorism and hooliganism. While concluding that there was scope for improving efficiency and reducing costs it was impressed by the company's forward-looking investment programme and its lack of complacency in facing competition. The commission identified a number of areas where improvement was possible, in particular:

  (i) a reduction in the management structure, and changes in reporting relationships and board composition

  (ii) abandonment of passenger sectorisation

  (iii) strengthening of the company's human resource management.

  The commission has also recommended improvements in such areas as the setting and monitoring of financial and operating objectives, working practices and a simplified payment system, personnel and training administration, corporate planning, investment appraisal, maintenance of rolling stock and infrastructure, research into matching supply and demand, and the company's relationship with its holding company, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company and with the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland).

  That Department, in consultation with Northern Ireland Railways and the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, will be producing a preliminary response to the Commission's findings within three to four months, in the light of which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will make a statement.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which accountancy bodies have applied under the Companies Act 1989 for recognition as a supervisory body.

  Mr. Redwood
  The following bodies have applied for recognition:

  (i) The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales,

  (ii) The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland,

  (iii) The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland,

  (iv) The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants,

  (v) The Association of Authorised Public Accountants.

  The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants has also applied for recognition of its professional qualification. As I announced in my reply of 30 October,

  185
  at column 435, the Institutes of Chartered Accountants have already applied for recognition of their professional qualification.

  I have placed a copy of each application in the Library of the House. Certain material submitted in confidence has been excluded from the copy placed in the Library.

  Product Liability
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what inquiries have been received from the European Commission concerning the implementation by the United Kingdom of the 1985 EC product liability directive; what replies have been sent by his Department; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 13 December 1990]: The EC Commission issued a reasoned opinion in July 1990 tinder article 169 of the EC treaty, setting out its concern over the way in which the United Kingdom has implemented the EC directive on product liability in part I of the Consumer Protection Act 1987. A full reply was sent in October 1990, and it is now for the Commission to decide whether to pursue the matter further.

  By mutual agreement, the Commission and all member states treat proceedings under article 169 as confidential. I am therefore afraid that I am unable to make available the details of the correspondence.

  Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State and Industry 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. Leigh
  [holding answer 17 December 1990]: The information is as follows:

  Opinion survey

  Date held

  Public attitudes to biotechnology

  August 1987

  Awareness of single European internal market

  April 1988

  Attitudes to the labelling of fur products

  May 1988

  Attitudes of adults to the use of fireworks by themselves and children

  October 1990

  Internal Market Council
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the Internal Market Council on 13 December.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 17 December 1990]: I attended the Internal Market Council on 13 December, the last of the Italian presidency. A number of important measures were agreed.

  In particular, a common position was reached on the computer software directive, which will require member states to give copyright protection to computer programs. The compromise reached on reverse engineering (the term used to describe the process of finding out how a program works) provides that such processes will be allowed subject to certain conditions. This should make it possible to connect all components of a computer system, including those of different manufacturers, so that they can work together.

  In addition, there was political agreement on the weapons directive, which deals with the acquisition and
  186
  possession of weapons (a formal adoption of a common position is likely before the end of the year); and agreement to a regulation to discourage the diversion of precursor chemicals to illicit manufacture of drugs.

  Common positions were also reached on two amendments to the directive on certain dangerous substances, restricting the marketing and use of cadmium (10th amendment) and ugilec 121 and 141 and DBBT (11th amendment). Subject only to a technical German reserve, a common position was also reached on an amendment to the machinery directive in order to include mobile lifting machinery.

  A total of six single market measures were agreed without further discussion, including a common position on the directive relating to spray suppression devices, and on the regulation allowing the use of TIR and ATA carnets as transit documents. The decision setting out mandatory testing and certification provisions within further Community technical harmonisation directives was also finally adopted.

  There was further discussion without agreement on a number of issues, notably the directive on the irradiation of food. No real progress was made, but the subject will be discussed again at future Councils.

  Internal Market Ministers discussed the Commission's report, required under article 8b of the treaty of Rome, on the progress made towards the completion of the internal market.

  The Commission also made a report on the importance for the single market of trans-European networks in telecommunications, transport, energy and training. A full debate is expected at February's Internal Market Council.

  Client Accounts
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will discuss with the Securities and Investments Board the maintenance of registers of client accounts and approved auditors for client accounts.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 18 December 1990]: This is a matter for the Securities and Investments Board. However, I understand that self-regulating organisations and recognised professional bodies hold details of the auditors of authorised firms and of firms authorised to hold client money.

  Levitt Group
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if any companies in the Levitt Group were at any time holders of licences to trade in securities issued by this Department, or had applied for such licences.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 18 December 1990]: No.

  Cammell Laird
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to ensure that the treatment of Cammell Laird shipyard conforms with the principles of the European Community's directive on aid to shipbuilding to ensure that the progress towards the full achievement of the internal market is carried out on an equal and equitable basis in respect of all Community yards.
  187
  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 18 December 1990]: The general question of Cammell Laird's ineligibility for intervention fund was explored in depth with the European Commission by the former Minister of State for Industry in October. The hon. Member for Birkenhead sought and received, on 5 December 1990, at column 297, at commitment that a further approach would be made to the Commission in respect of specific orders for which Cammell Laird was competing and for which the company requested intervention fund support. The particular order for which the company was then bidding has subsequently been placed with another yard which offered a different specification. We await a suitable further order on which to base a further approach to the Commission.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in Amber Valley in(a) 1979, (b) 1981, (c) 1987 and (d)

  Mr. Jackson
  The most recent estimates of employment in parliamentary constituencies are from the September 1987 census of employment; the earliest are for September 1981. There were 29,300 employees in employment in the Amber Valley constituency in September 1981 and 34,300 in September 1987. The figures exclude the self-employed and members of HM forces.

  European Year for Elderly People
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what decision was taken by the Labour and Social Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 26 November in respect of a European Year for Elderly People.

  Mr. Forth
  The 26 November meeting of the Social Affairs Council agreed the proposal for a European Year of Elderly People.

  Overseas Workers
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of those currently in the United Kingdom as overseas domestic workers have work permits; and from which year of issue these date.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 18 December 1990]: The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits for overseas workers have been issued in each year since 1970.

  Mr. Jackson
  The number of work permit approvals for each year since 1970 are as follows:

  Main scheme

  Training and work experience

  Total

  1970

  66,470

  7,549

  74,019

  1971

  56,031

  6,399

  62,430

  1972

  46,987

  5,712

  52,699

  1973

  32,839

  3,697

  36,536

  1974

  33,045

  2,903

  35,948

  1975

  30,078

  3,136

  33,214

  188

  Main scheme

  Training and work experience

  Total

  1976

  20,470

  2,651

  25,271

  1977

  18,414

  3,164

  21,578

  1978

  19,149

  3,662

  22,811

  1979

  17,993

  4,010

  22,003

  1980

  14,661

  4,152

  18,813

  1981

  12,772

  3,088

  15,860

  1982

  12,897

  2,557

  15,454

  1983

  13,546

  2,361

  15,907

  1984

  13,045

  2,646

  15,691

  1985

  13,638

  2,937

  16,575

  1986

  15,862

  2,826

  18,688

  1987

  17,448

  2,900

  20,348

  1988

  22,184

  3,790

  25,974

  1989

  25,502

  4,228

  29,730

  11990

  28,384

  4,608

  32,392

  1 Figures to the end of November 1990.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Less-favoured Areas
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which parishes will benefit from the extension of the less-favoured areas in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Commission has now agreed to an extension to the less favoured areas in the United Kingdom. The agreed extension includes land in the following parishes in England, Wales and Scotland.

  ENGLAND

  Devon
  Ashton, Black Torrington, Chudleigh, Drewsteignton, Doddiscombleigh, Dunsford, Dunchideock, East Anstey, East Buckland, Exbourne, Hatherleigh, Highampton, Jacobstowe, Kenn, North Molton, Romansleigh, Sampford Courtney, South Molton, Trusham, West Buckland.

  Hereford and Worcester
  Abbey Dore, Bacton, Dulas, Garway, Llancilo, Longtown, Orcop, Rowlstone, Walterstone.

  Northumberland
  Belsay, Brinkburn, Broomley and Stocksfield, Capheaton, Chollerton, Denwick, Ford, Haydon, Healey, Hedgeley, Kirkwhelpington, Matfen, Newton on the Moor, Shilbottle, Whittington.

  North Yorkshire
  Aysgarth, Azerley, Boltby, Burton-cum-Walden, Carperby-cum-Thoresby, Cloughton, East Hauxwell, East Whitton Town, Fylingdales, Hawsker-cum-Stainsacre, Hunton, Ingleton, Lockton, Middleham, Newbiggin, Stainton Dale, Thoralby, West Witton, Winksley.

  Shropshire
  Bucknell, Church Stretton, Clee St. Margaret, Clunbury, Diddlebury, Hope Bowdler, Hopton Cangeford, Hopton Castle, Neen Savage, Ruckley and Langley, Wheathill, Winstantow.

  WALES

  Clwyd
  Abergele, Abergele Rural, Aberwheeler, Betws-yn-Rhos, Colwyn Bay, Llansannan.

  Dyfed
  Amroth, Bayvil, Begelly, Brawdy, Eglwyscummin, Jeffreston, Kidwelly Borough, Lampeter Velfrey,

  189
  Laugharne Township, Llanddawror, Llangynin, Lovestone, Ludchurch, Mounton, Narberth South, Reynalton, St. Ishmael.

  Gwent
  Brynmawr, Caerleon, Henllys, Llanddewi Sgyrrid, Llanfihangel Llantarnam, Llantilic Pertholey, Rogerston, Usk

  Gwynedd
  Buan, Caerhun, Caenarfon, Carreglefn, Conway Borough, Criccieth, Dolbenmaen, Gyffin, Heneglwys, Henryd, Llanbedr-y-Cennin, Llanddyfnan, Llandudno, Llanfachraeth, Llanfair-is-Gaer, Llanfairynghornwy, Llanfihangel-Tre'r-Beirdd, Llangadwaladr, Llangeinwen, Llangristiolus, Llangwyllog, Llanidan, Llaniestyn Rural, Llanllyfni, Llansantffraid Glan Conwy, Nefyn, Newborough, Pentir, Pentraeth, Pwllheli, Trefdraeth.

  SCOTLAND

  Borders
  Bedrule, Cavers, Coldingham, Earlston, Jedburgh, Langton, Lauder, Legerwood, Oxnam.

  Grampian
  Aberdour, Birnie, Crimond, Deskford, Dyke, Elgin, Fraserburgh, Gamrie, King Edward, Kintore, Longside, Lonmay, Methlick, Old Deer, Peterhead, Pitsligo, Rathen, Spynie, St. Fergus, Tarves, Tyrie, Udny.

  Lothian
  Cranston, Garvald, Humbie, Spott, Stenton, Whittinghame, Yester.

  Tayside
  Abdie, Airlie, Ardoch, Arngask, Blackford, Blairgowrie, Cleish, Comrie, Crieff, Edzell, Fossoway, Fowlis Wester, Glamis, Kingoldrum, Kinnaird, Kinnoul, Lintrathen, Menmuir, Monzievaird, Newburgh, Orwell, Portmoack, Stracathro, Tannadice.

  The extension in Northern Ireland covers land in the administrative counties of Antrim, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone.

  Maps showing the revised areas are being prepared and a copy will be placed in the Library as soon as possible.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if any cases of invasive salmonella have been found in consignments of imported eggs in the current year.

  Mr. Gummer
  The public health laboratory service is investigating consignments of imported eggs for the presence of invasive salmonella. In arrivals up to 8 November, they have identified invasive salmonella in 24 consignments of Dutch eggs, in two consignments of Belgian eggs and in one consignment each from France and Germany. One consignment of eggs from the Irish Republic was also found to be contaminated.

  The number of isolations of invasive salmonella in eggs from our major overseas supplier (the Netherlands) is particularly worrying and I have taken this up with the Dutch Minister of Agriculture as a matter of urgency.

  The Dutch veterinary services already have a monitoring and control programme for salmonella enteritidis in the breeding sector and those breeding flocks found to be infected are destroyed. In addition, a code of practice will be introduced shortly in the egg laying sector
  190
  which will place particular emphasis on all aspects of hygiene. Following my approach, the Dutch Ministry will be discussing with egg producers additional safeguards that will offer protection to consumers both within the Netherlands and in the United Kingdom. It is too early to say precisely what form these controls will take, but they will be developed in close co-operation with my chief veterinary officer.

  Coffee (Decaffeination)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to introduce labelling of coffee for the different processes of decaffeination; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The labelling of coffee and coffee products is harmonised throughout the European Community; the harmonised rules provide for the use of the description "decaffeinated" but not for differentiation between different processes. Any additional provisions would have to be discussed at EC level; I have no plans to initiate any such discussions.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the safety of the different processes used to decaffeinate coffee; whether any of his committees have considered the matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Water, carbon dioxide, and dichloromethane are used to decaffeinate coffee. Both carbon dioxide and dichloromethane were considered by the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee in its review of solvents in 1978 and found to be suitable for use in food although further data on dichloromethane was requested.

  These have subsequently been provided and both the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food and the Environment (COT) and the European Commission's Scientific Committee for Food have approved its use providing residues do not exceed 5mg/kg.

  Organic Produce
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of organic produce consumed in the United Kingdom is imported; and at what cost.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not available.

  Agricultural Chemicals
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the average time for processing applications for registration of agricultural chemicals in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information cannot be obtained, except at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for registration of agricultural chemicals were made, and how many registrations were granted, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is set out below in respect of application for new agricultural
  191
  pesticides (active ingredients) submitted to the Ministry for approval by the six Departments responsible. Applications for which the Health and Safety Executive is primarily responsible (that is non-agricultural pesticides) are not included.

  1987

  1988

  1989

  11990

  (a) Received

  23

  12

  15

  7

  (b) Approved (Fully Provisionally)

  11

  2

  3

  6

  (c) Only approved for experimental use

  3

  2

  1

  (d) Rejected/Withdrawn

  1

  —

  1

  5

  1 As at 10/1.

  Cattle (Records)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will outline the details required to be recorded by farmers in herd books as a result of the Bovine Animals (Identification, Marking and Breeding Records) Order 1990; whether he intends to introduce a new pro forma herd book; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what information he has given to farmers about recording details of cattle as outlined in the Bovine Animals (Identification, Marking and Breeding Records) Order 1990; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what information has been given to his regional offices about the recording details for cattle as outlined in the Bovine Animals (Identification, Marking and Breeding Records) Order 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information which has to be recorded by farmers is set out in the schedule to the Bovine Animals (Identification, Marking and Breeding Records) Order 1990. Farmers will have to make their own arrangements to record this information.

  Information about the requirements of the order was issued by press notice, a letter to trade organisations, including the farming unions, and through an animal health circular to all the Agriculture Departments' veterinary and technical staff.

  Food Irradiation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has issued to local authorities concerning the implementation of the new regulations on food irradiation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Consideration of applications to preserve food by irradiation will be a matter for a national licensing authority. Where a licence to operate is granted, the authority will liaise as necessary with other enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with statutory provisions.

  Spanish Abattoirs
  Dame Janet Fookes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take urgent action to lay before the European Commission evidence sent to him by the RSPCA relating to breaches of the humane slaughter regulations in Spanish abattoirs.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Commission is already considering this matter and is aware of the evidence presented by the RSPCA, and the British Government will be raising it directly with the Commission at the earliest opportunity.

WALES

  NHS Corporate Management Programme
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to publish an updated version of the national health service corporate management programme.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  "National Health Service Wales: Agenda for Action", the successor document to the corporate management programme, is being published today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Speech Therapists
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many speech therapists per head of population are employed by(a) each health authority in Wales and (b) each county council in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The provision of speech therapy services is the responsibility of district health authorities under the National Health Service Act 1977. Information on speech therapists employed by health authorities in Wales which relates to whole-time equivalents in post at 30 September 1990, is given in the following table. No information is held centrally on the numbers (if any) of speech therapists employed directly by county councils.

  Authority

  WTE per 100,000 population

  Clwyd

  7·2

  Dyfed

  6·4

  Gwent

  3·6

  Gwynedd

  4·7

  Mid Glamorgan

  3·4

  Pembrokeshire

  4·4

  Powys

  7·2

  South Glamorgan

  8·1

  West Glamorgan

  4·9

  Inspectorate for Education
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated annual cost of Her Majesty's inspectorate for education in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  It is estimated that the cost of Her Majesty's inspectorate for education in Wales for 1990–91 will be £3.39 million.

  Pupils (GCSE Results)
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of pupils sitting GCSE core and foundation subjects achieved grades of C and above in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There is no examination by GCSE of the statutory requirements of the national curriculum at present. The national curriculum requirements for core subjects are scheduled to be examined for the first time at the end of key stage 4 in 1994, except for Welsh which will be first examined in schools where Welsh is currently taught in 1995, with foundation subjects following progressively between 1995 and 1997.
  193
  What follows are the percentages of pupils achieving a grade C or above in Welsh Joint Education Committee GCSE examinations in summer 1990.

  Percentage Grade A-C1

  English

  43·7

  Mathematics

  37·6

  Welsh as a 1st language

  47·1

  Physics

  47·4

  Chemistry

  48·6

  Biology

  42·2

  Geography

  44·3

  History

  45·9

  French

  55·8

  Music

  63·3

  Art and Design

  46·4

  PE

  37·8

  1 Includes an element of pupils aged 14 and 16. WJEC examinations account for approximately 95 per cent. of all GCSE entries in Wales. Technology is not examined as a single subject by the WJEC at present.

  Bathing Beaches
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many bathing beaches in Wales have achieved a blue flag award; and what steps he is taking to ensure more beaches meet the same standards of cleanliness.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  One beach in Wales, Cefn Sidan, was awarded a blue flag in 1990. A major programme of investment is under way to bring bathing waters designated under EC directive 76/160/EEC up to standard and to implement the Government's decisions on levels of treatment to be given to discharges to coastal and estuarial waters. The cost in the United Kingdom of these programmes is estimated at £3·5 billion. It will be for local authorities or, in some cases, the owner, to capitalise on this and bring their beaches up to the requisite standards.

  Vacant Accommodation
  Mr. Gwilyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the numbers and percentage of vacant council-owned accommodation for each of the district councils in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is given in the following table:

  Local Authority vacant dwellings at 1 April 1990

  Welsh Districts

  Number

  1Number as a percentage of local authority stock

  Aberconwy

  23

  0·9

  Alyn and Deeside

  56

  1·1

  Arfon

  27

  0·6

  Blaenau Gwent

  124

  1·2

  Brecknock

  0

  —

  Cardiff

  293

  1·5

  Carmarthen

  3

  0·1

  Ceredigion

  31

  0·9

  Colwyn

  26

  1·0

  Cynon Valley

  184

  3·6

  Delyn

  47

  1·0

  Dinefwr

  29

  1·2

  Dwyfor

  6

  04

  Glyndwr

  58

  2·1

  Islwyn

  170

  2·9

  194

  Welsh Districts

  Number

  1Number as a percentage of local authority stock

  Llanelli

  109

  1·6

  Lliw Valley

  46

  0·9

  Meirionnydd

  7

  0·4

  Merthyr Tydfil

  106

  1·6

  Monmouth

  74

  1·6

  Montgomeryshire

  36

  0·9

  Neath

  68

  1·3

  Newport

  96

  0·7

  Ogwr

  143

  1·5

  Port Talbot

  291

  5·1

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  26

  0·5

  Radnorshire

  9

  0·8

  Rhondda

  83

  1·7

  Rhuddlan

  28

  1·1

  Rhymney Valley

  64

  0·7

  South Pembrokeshire

  6

  0·2

  Swansea

  134

  0·8

  Taff·Ely

  125

  1·8

  Torfaen

  169

  1·3

  Vale of Glamorgan

  40

  0·7

  Wrexham Maelor

  229

  1·5

  Ynys Mon

  57

  1·1

  Wales Total

  3,473

  1·5

  1 Calculated using provisional stock estimates for 1 April 1990.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the numbers of those legally defined as homeless for each district council in Wales; and if he will estimate the proportion of each who do not have a roof over their heads.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Data for the third quarter of 1990 on the number of cases accepted as homeless, or threatened with homelessness within 28 days, as described in part 3, section 58 of the Housing Act 1985, are given in the following table. The proportion of these cases who do not have a roof over their head is nil.

  Cases accepted as homeless

  Welsh districts

  Cases

  Aberconwy

  9

  Alyn and Deeside

  51

  Arfon

  10

  Blaenau Gwent

  98

  Brecknock

  24

  Cardiff

  281

  Carmarthen

  18

  Ceredigion

  37

  Colwyn

  15

  Cynon Valley

  67

  Delyn

  67

  Dinefwr

  15

  Dwyfor

  13

  Glyndwr

  3

  Islwyn

  39

  Llanelli

  30

  Lliw Valley

  21

  Meirionnydd

  24

  Merthyr Tydfil

  55

  Monmouth

  26

  Montgomeryshire

  29

  Neath

  81

  Newport

  285

  Ogwr

  183

  Port Talbot

  25

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  17

  195

  Welsh districts

  Cases

  Radnorshire

  9

  Rhondda

  21

  Rhuddlan

  25

  Rhymney Valley

  41

  South Pembrokeshire

  25

  Swansea

  54

  Taff-Ely

  52

  Torfaen

  143

  Vale of Glamorgan

  115

  Wrexham Maelor

  137

  Ynys Mon

  14

  Wales total

  2,159

  Home Ownership
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to extend home ownership in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  In Wales, our right-to-buy policy has been extremely successful. In the last 10 years, well over 80,000 local authority dwellings have been sold and owner occupation has increased from 62 per cent. in 1981 to 71 per cent. earlier this year—higher than any other part of the United Kingdom.

  Building on this, last year we introduced an experimental flexi-ownership scheme which enables tenants of the Development Board for Rural Wales to buy their homes at a weekly outlay broadly the same as their existing rent. I am very encouraged by the success of the scheme: 17 per cent. of eligible tenants have expressed an interest and 14 sales have already been completed which, at 2 per cent. of the eligible stock, is a little more than the initial take-up of right-to-buy. Within a few months, when current applications have been processed, I expect completed sales to total about 5 per cent. of the eligible stock. We are considering whether this scheme can be extended to other public sector tenants in Wales.

  The Department will continue to work with local authorities to foster low-cost home ownership schemes, encouraging them especially to work with housing associations and the private sector to provide homes affordable by first time buyers. Housing for Wales is also making a significant contribution to low-cost home ownership particularly through its shared ownership programme, targeted mainly at rural areas.

  Seals
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many coastal sites have seal populations; and how many have been lost in the last five years.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  We are advised by the Natural Environment Research Council that the last comprehensive survey of grey seals along the Welsh coastline was undertaken in 1974. This showed that although there was a concentration of seals on and around the islands of Ramsey and Skomer, Pembrokeshire generally seals were spread widely along beaches and in small caves along the Welsh coastline. It is therefore not possible to define specific "coastal sites" in Wales or to say how many there were or whether any have been lost in the last five years. The study concentrated on grey seals, as the common seal does not occur in the coastal waters around Wales.

  However, based on a long series of data from the island of Skomer and on local observations along the Welsh
  196
  mainland coast, the sea mammals research unit of NERC and the Nature Conservancy Council believe that the grey seal population in Wales has remained stable during the last five years.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the waiting list numbers for each hospital in Wales in respect of(a) in-patients and (b) out-patients in each of the specialties for which his Department has established a treatment centre in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information for 31 March 1990 has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Advertising
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the publicity campaigns that have been undertaken by his Department in each of the last three years and the sums spent on each in respect of(a) press advertising, (b) television advertising and (c) other forms of advertising and promotion on each.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is not readily available, and 1 will reply to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners (Suicide)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total number of verdicts of suicide which have been returned on prisoners who died by their own hand during 1990 in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  As at 17 December, a total of 48 inmates had died at their own hands during 1990. A verdict of suicide was returned on 19 of these inmates; inquests on 19 of the deaths are yet to be held.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in England and Wales died by their own hand in each year from 1980 until the latest available date; and of these, what number were(a) remand prisoners, (b) female prisoners, and (c) prisoners under the age of 21 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information is set out in the table

  Deaths at the inmate's own hand at HM Prison Service establishments 1

  January 1980—17 December 1990

  Year

  Unsentenced inmates1

  Female inmates

  Inmates aged

  All inmates under 212

  1980

  12

  —

  2

  25(21)

  1981

  8

  1

  2

  21(16)

  1982

  15

  —

  5

  25(18)

  1983

  12

  —

  3

  27(21)

  1984

  15

  —

  4

  27(23)

  1985

  19

  —

  3

  29(23)

  1986

  14

  —

  5

  21(17)

  1987

  28

  —

  7

  46(42)

  1988

  21

  —

  9

  37(31)

  19894

  27

  2

  11

  48(34)

  19904

  25

  1

  8

  348 (19)

  1 Includes inmates who had been convicted by not yet sentenced.

  2 The figures in brackets show the number of deaths for which a suicide verdict was returned.

  3 Inquests have yet to be held on 19 deaths which occurred in 1990.

  4 To 17 December.

  197
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is offered within the prison service to staff on how to deal with suicidal inmates; and if he has any plans to increase the amount of training offered.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  (holding answer 18 December 1990): All new entrant prison officers are given training in suicide awareness and interpersonal skills as part of their initial course. In-service training is organised on the cascade principle. Selected members of staff attend a three-day course at the prison service college, at which they are trained in suicide prevention and also learn how to deliver this training within their own establishments. Courses are arranged locally as and when governors are able to release staff to attend them. I welcome the increasing participation by the Samaritans in suicide prevention courses both at the prison service college and at a number of individual establishments.

  We shall be considering the need to accelerate and develop the in-service training programme in the light of the report on suicide and self-injury by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons, which has been published today.

  Mr. Lorrain Osman
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the case of Mr. Lorrain Osman.

  Mr. John Patten
  Mr. Osman is the subject of an extradition request made by the Government of Hong Kong, in respect of various charges there, involving conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to steal, bribery, theft and fraudulent false accounting. In support of their request, the Hong Kong Government submitted over 30,000 pages of evidence.

  Mr. Osman was arrested on 6 December 1985 and remanded in custody. On 1 June 1987, after a hearing lasting 66 working days, he was committed to custody by the chief metropolitan stipendiary magistrate for surrender. Since then, he has appealed four times by applications for writs of habeas corpus. He cannot be surrendered while appeal proceedings are pending. His fourth application was dismissed by the Divisional Court on 12 December 1990 as an abuse of process and contravention of statute. The judgment said that no blame could be attached to the Hong Kong Government for the lapse of time while Mr. Osman has been pursuing his appeals, and expressed the hope that the question of return could be determined without delay. Mr. Osman may apply, within 14 days of the judgment, for leave to appeal to the House of Lords.

  Acacia Place, NW8 (Armed Raid)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the departmental designation of those officials not members of the Metropolitan police, who attended an armed raid on No. 3 Acacia place, NW8 recently; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner that only officers of the Metropolitan police were involved in the search at 3 Acacia place on 27 November.

  Third Safe Country Policy
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to review the operation of the third safe country policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No.

  Police Powers of Entry
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend police powers of entry into private premises to conduct searches if it is believed that explosives or ammunition are being kept there.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend is discussing with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and with the director of the Health and Safety Commission new draft regulations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 in order to improve controls over the storage of explosives on private premises. We are considering the designation of a small number of police officers as inspectors under the 1974 Act. They will attract, under section 20 of the Act, those powers which are necessary for them to fulfil their duties under the proposed Control of Explosives Regulations.

  Food Irradiation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he intends to provide about the use of irradiated food in prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Regulations made under the Food Safety Act 1990 are intended to allow a person buying food or being served with food to decide whether or not to consume irradiated foods. This poses difficulties in a prison environment. We have therefore no plans for the central procurement of irradiated foods for use in prisons. For minor items purchased locally, prisons are being advised to avoid irradiated foods.

  Prisons
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has reached any conclusions on the review of the prison estate following his consultation with staff, trade unions and boards of visitors.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 17 July at columns 468–70, following a review of the prison estate, a number of proposals involving either changes in the role of prison service establishments or in some cases, closure. I have carefully considered the comments and suggestions received since then, including a number from right hon. and hon. Members. I have now concluded that most of the proposals which emerged from the review should be implemented, although further thought should be given to some.

  I have decided that two young offender institutions—Campfield House and Lowdham Grange—should close by the end of March 1991. In addition, HMYOI Eastwood

  199
  Park and Her Majesty's prison Northeye should close in 1992–93. I have also decided that the closure of Her Majesty's prison Lancaster should be brought forward to coincide with the opening of a neighbouring new establishment, HMYOI Lancaster Farms, currently scheduled for 1992–93.

  I have decided that the changes of role proposed in the consultation exercise should also go ahead, with the exception of the proposals relating to Send, Brockhill, Oxford, Risley and Thorp Arch. The changes of role proposed for the first four were designed to meet problems which the latest population figures suggest may not now arise. It is only sensible therefore that these establishments should continue for the present with their existing tasks. The intention now is to close Brockhill when it is no longer needed for its present role, the timing being phased with the opening of Brinsford and Blakenhurst which are new establishments both currently scheduled to be available in the latter part of 1991–92.

  I have also concluded that the building programme offers an alternative and quicker means of offering relief to the young prisoner population in Leeds and Hull than the conversion of Thorp Arch would have done. It is therefore intended to locate these prisoners in the new establishment at Moorland during the second half of next year. Moorland will offer the most modern accommodation, and the opportunity for the prison service to develop an improved regime for those on remand.

  Revised projections for the prison population to 1998 were published in Home Office statistical bulletin 33/90, a copy of which is in the Library. These projections were substantially lower than those previously published. Prison service management will therefore be conducting a further review of the estate in the light of this trend in the prison population and the resources available.

  Election Expenses
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress on the review of the system of controls on candidates' expenses at elections announced on 21 June 1989,Official Report, columns 131–33.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The second and final stage of the review has now been set in hand. A consultative group is being set up under Home Office chairmanship and representatives of the main political parties and of local authority associations are being invited to participate. The review will include Scotland and Northern Ireland. The group's terms of reference are to consider whether the current provisions for controlling expenditure on election campaigning at parliamentary, European parliamentary and local government elections are both appropriate and effective and, where appropriate, to make recommendations for change.

  Broadcasting (Terrorist Organisations)
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking under the Broadcasting Act 1990 to continue the restrictions on the broadcasting of direct statements by representatives of terrorists' organisations connected with Northern Ireland and their supporters.
  200
  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have today issued notices, to take effect from 1 January 1991, to the following broadcasters and broadcasting regulatory bodies.

  (i) the independent Television Commission, under section 10 of the Broadcasting Act 1990, in respect of licensees which will be broadcasting from that date:

  (ii) th Welsh Fourth Channel Authority, under section 63 of the 1990 Act, which will be a broadcaster from that date; and

  (iii) the Radio Authority, under section 94 of the 1990 Act, in respect of licensees which will be broadcasting from that date.

  I have also issued amended notices, under section 29 of the Broadcasting Act 1981 (which is continued by the 1990 Act), to:

  (i) the ITC, in respect of those ITV companies who will continue as programme contractors until the expiry of their existing contracts at the end of 1992 and also in respect of Channel 4; and

  (ii) the Radio Authority, in respect of those independent radio stations which do not opt to become licensees until the expiry of their existing contracts.

  Copies of the notices have been placed in the Library.

  Public Lavatories (Police Deployment)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the cost of the deployment of four officers between 1 September 1989 and 31 December 1989 at the public lavatories at Highbury crescent, London, N5;

  (2) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the costs to the police of the arrest, detention, charging and subsequent prosecution of 35 men arrested between 1 September 1989 and 31 December 1989 at the public lavatories at Highbury crescent, London, N5.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Metropolitan police that no additional costs were incurred in the deployment of the four police officers; and that the only identifiable additional cost incurred in the arrest, detention, charging and prosecution of the 35 men arrested was approximately £600 in overtime payments to police officers involved in the court proceedings.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on how many men arrested at the public lavatories between 1 September 1989 and 31 December 1989 at Highbury crescent, London, N5, were tried in(a) the Crown court and (b) the magistrates court; how many were convicted; and what sentences were imposed.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that, of the 35 men arrested, 15 were tried in the Crown court and the remaining 20 in the magistrates court. Thirty were convicted, with fines ranging from £75 to £150, and some were also bound over to keep the peace.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis indicating the number of years' policing experience the Commissioner requires of police officers who are engaged on surveillance duties in public lavatories.
  201
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Metropolitan police that, when police officers are employed on surveillance duties at public lavatories, it is force policy that at least one must have experience of this type of duty.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on how many complaints were received from members of the public between 1 September 1989 and 31 December 1989 concerning activities in the public lavatories at Highbury crescent, London, N5; and how many such complainants gave statements to the police, pursuant to section 9 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987, section 102 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 or regulation 70 of the Magistrates' Courts Rules 1981, regulation 70.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. I understand that the Metropolitan police were informed in writing of local concerns about the public lavatories in question.

  Road Traffic Law
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in implementing the various recommendations of the road traffic law review on the enforcement of road traffic laws by the police and through the courts other than those covered in the current Road Traffic Bill.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Substantial progress has been made in implementing many of the recommendations of the road traffic law review which concern enforcement by the police and through the courts and which do not require legislation.

  The review recommended that chief constables should consider equipping some of their traffic patrol vehicles with video recording equipment. We are aware of 21 forces in England and Wales which use video cars in the enforcement of road traffic law.

  The review recommended that more comprehensive information about driver licensing and driver records should be available to officers on patrol. A feasibility study on improved links between the police national computer and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency was completed in March 1990. It is intended to take this forward as part of the development of the police national computer 2 in order to make full information about driver records available to officers on patrol.

  The review made a number of recommendations about the use of alternatives to prosecution. In 1989, over three quarters of all motoring offences against which official action was taken were dealt with by written warning, fixed penalty, or under the vehicle defect rectification scheme. Substantial numbers will also have been dealt with by verbal warnings at the roadside, although these are not recorded.

  The operation of fixed penalty procedures was comprehensively reviewed in 1988. A copy of the report of this review was placed in the Library on 27 June 1989. The system continues to function well, and its operation is monitored by a Home Office-chaired working group, on which the police and the courts are represented.

  The review's recommendations on the vehicle defect rectification scheme and written warnings were pursued through consultation with the traffic committee of the Association of Chief Police Officers. After consulting all forces, the Association of Chief Police Officers was
  202
  satisfied that the vehicle defect rectification scheme is operating efficiently and consistently. It will be keeping its operation under review.

  The Association of Chief Police Officers endorsed the conclusion of the review that warnings should be used whenever possible. However, they did not consider it desirable to pursue the recommendations about standardising the format of warnings, primarily because of the widely varying circumstances in which warnings may be given.

  The review made several recommendations about the provision of information about sentencing to the courts. The Home Office is working closely with the Justices' Clerks Society and the Magistrates Association on how sentencing information might best be presented to the courts. We hope that this will assist the courts to make a general comparison of their sentencing practices.

  Broadcasting Unit
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the role and functions of the broadcasting unit in his Department; what steps are taken to ensure that its activities are non-party political; and what powers it has to prevent or encourage broadcasting in specific cases.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Officials of the broadcasting department of the Home Office provide information and advice to Ministers on broadcasting policy. They are subject to the normal civil service rules concerning party political activities; and have no powers to prevent or encourage broadcasting in specific cases.

  Sexual Offences
  Ms. Primarolo
  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 under section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 and, of those convicted, how many were (i) fined, and what were the 10 highest fines imposed, (ii) were given suspended sentences, and what were the lengths of these suspended sentences in each individual case and (iii) were imprisoned, and what were the lengths of each of these custodial sentences, in each year from 1980 to 1989;

  (2) how many men were (a) convicted and (b) cautioned for the offence of persistently soliciting or importuning other men in a public place for immoral purposes under section 32 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 and, in the cases of those convicted, how many were (i) fined, and what were the 10 highest fines imposed, (ii) given suspended custodial sentences, and what were the lengths of these suspended sentences in each case and (iii) imprisoned, and what were the lengths of each of these custodial sentences, in each year from 1980 to 1989.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information relating to section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 is given in the table. Data collected centrally under section 32 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 cannot distinguish whether males or females have been solicited or importuned by male offenders.
  203

  Number of males cautioned and convicted for offences under section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 1967

  Year and sentence given

  Cautioned

  Convicted

  1980 1 offender was fined £50

  1 offender was given a suspended sentence of 60 days

  —

  2

  1981

  —

  —

  1982

  —

  —

  1983 1 offender was given an unsuspended sentence of 30 days

  1 offender was given a conditional discharge

  1

  2

  1984

  1

  —

  1985

  —

  —

  1986

  —

  —

  1987

  1

  —

  1988 2 offenders were each fined £150

  2 offenders were each given a conditional discharge

  1

  4

  1989

  —

  —

  1 Unavailable.

  Remand (Juveniles)
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the secure establishments that are regularly used by the magistrates courts of south Wales for remanding juveniles and the incidence of their usage.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Boys aged 15 to 16 whom the south Wales courts remand to prison custody are held in remand accommodation at Cardiff or Swansea prisons. On Friday 14 December, three were held at Cardiff and one at Swansea.

  After-care Accommodation
  Sir Charles Irving
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding has been allocated to support voluntary after-care accommodation projects provided by housing associations and other bodies; what the revaluation rate for 1991–92 will be; and when the voluntary organisations concerned will be informed of those figures.

  Mr. John Patten
  A total of £9,179,000 has been allocated to the voluntary after-care grant scheme in 1991–92, a proportion of which will be used to fund accommodation projects provided by housing associations and other bodies. We expect the revaluation factor to be at least 8 per cent. for 1991–92. We are already discussing with a number of the major providers of after-care accommodation their likely provision for 1991–92, and an announcement will be made as early as possible in the new year.

  Local Government Expenditure
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state(a) the planned outturn expenditure, expressed in 1989–90 prices for the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94 on payments under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 and the percentage increase or decrease in that figure over the estimated actual outturn expenditure for 1989–90 in 1989–90 prices and over the planned outturn expenditure for 1989–90 in 1989–90 prices, (b) the proportion of that planned outturn expenditure for 1992–93 and for 1993–94
  204
  which he has set aside as the upper limit to be made available to be spent on successful applications by training and enterprise councils by way of grants to voluntary organisations, (c) the proportion of that planned outturn expenditure for 1990–91. 1991–92, 1992–93 and for 1993–94 which he has set aside as the upper limit to be made available to be spent, on successful applications by local authorities by way of grants to voluntary organisations and (d) the proportion of that planned outturn expenditure for 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and for 1993–94 which he has set aside as the upper limit to be made available to be spent on successful applications by local authorities by way of secondment of staff to, or other external staffing arrangements for, voluntary organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The available information is as follows:

  (a) The planned outturn figures for the years 1991–94 and the latest estimate of 1990–91 outturn will appear in the Home Office annual report to be published in February 1991.

  (b), (c), (d) The guidelines for section 11 grant require local authorities to include a proportion of applications from voluntary projects. No separate allocation will however be set aside for such applications. The allocation of grant as between local authorities and training and enterprise councils will be made nearer the time when final provision is determined.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what arrangements he proposes to make or enter into for processing applications from training and enterprise councils for sums to be paid in 1992–93 and in 1993–94 under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for payment of grants to voluntary organisations; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what criteria he proposes to use in determining which applications by training and enterprise councils for payments under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 shall be successful; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Training and enterprise councils are ineligible to receive grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 (which restricts the payment of grants to local authorities). Applications submitted by TECs for funding of projects with effect from 1 April 1992 under the new ethnic minority grant in parallel with section 11 grant will be considered and processed in accordance with the new arrangements announced by the then Home Secretary in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 18 October, at column 897–98. Copies of the material issued to TECs were placed in the Library. This sets out the criteria by which successful applications will be determined.

DEFENCE

  Avimo Ltd.
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department is seeking reimbursement of any costs incurred in connection with the supply of inaccurate technical data or defective Government-furnished equipment to Avimo Ltd. relating to its contract for production of TOGS equipment.
  205
  Mr. Alan Clark
  It would not be appropriate to comment on this matter until full investigation of the options open to the Department has been concluded.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the outcome of his Department's claim against Avimo Ltd. for liquidated damages in respect of the delayed delivery of TOGS equipment.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Following discussions with the company on the Department's claim for liquidated damages, the Department accepted that delays had arisen for reasons outside the company's control, and the claim was withdrawn.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has made any ex gratia payment in respect of technical data or Government-furnished equipment supplied to Avimo Ltd. in connection with its contract for the supply of TOGS equipment.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Department has made a payment to Avimo Ltd. arising from additional costs incurred by the company, for reasons outside its control, in performing the contract.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the minimum height at which aircraft are permitted to fly in an east-west direction over Derwent Water.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Aircraft flying in this area of the United Kingdom low flying system must adhere to a minimum separation distance of 250 ft.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the reasons for the concentration of the bulk of operational low flying in the Borders tactical training area since August.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The distribution of operational low flying, including that associated with our Gulf commitments, is constrained by the location of major operating bases and ranges, the prevailing weather and the suitability of the various tactical training areas for individual practice sorties. My Department's aim, reflected in the 1988 extension of the Borders tactical training area, remains, however, to distribute such activity as widely as is practicable and all three tactical areas have been made available for Gulf-related training in recent months.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying movements at less than 250 ft were authorised in each of the tactical training areas in each month from January 1988 to December 1989.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The numbers of movements authorised for flying below 250 ft within the tactical training areas between January 1988 and December 1989 were as follows:

  Northern Scotland

  Central Wales

  Borders

  1988

  January

  37

  0

  41

  February

  255

  1

  292

  March

  286

  6

  174

  April

  0

  0

  0

  206

  Northern Scotland

  Central Wales

  Borders

  May

  0

  0

  0

  June

  o

  30

  0

  July

  0

  12

  94

  August

  24

  0

  121

  September

  20

  7

  54

  October

  162

  2

  138

  November

  25

  2

  126

  December

  19

  0

  187

  1989

  January

  9

  0

  74

  February

  49

  32

  517

  March

  72

  23

  462

  April

  68

  15

  55

  May

  376

  0

  37

  June

  15

  0

  0

  July

  13

  0

  141

  August

  11

  0

  44

  September

  94

  7

  316

  October

  96

  12

  104

  November

  14

  0

  38

  December

  0

  0

  0

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what authorisation has been given since 2 August to United States air force units based in the United Kingdom to fly at heights less than 250 ft above ground level in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Agreement was given to a request that a small number of USAF A-10 aircrew based in the United Kingdom, who may be required to deploy to the middle east at short notice, should, very exceptionally, be authorised to undertake a limited amount of low flying training at heights down to 100 ft in the mid-Wales tactical training area in December.

  In the event, no such training has taken place to date.

  Strobe Lights
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to fit high intensity strobe lights to(a) Tornado GR1s, (b) Tornado F3s, (c) Chinooks, (d) Nimrods, (e) Tucanos and (f) Royal Navy Sea Kings.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Plans already exist to fit high intensity strobe lights to both variants of Tornado, Chinook and Nimrod. The Tucano is already fitted with "bright" strobe lights and there are currently no plans to retrofit these with HISLs. Due to its different mode of helicopter operations, the Navy has no current requirement for these lights. The exception is the Gazelle, used primarily for basic flying training purposes, and operated over land, which is fitted.

  Air Accidents
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates of publication of all military aircraft accident summaries published this year.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The information is as follows:

  Details of MAAS (aircraft type and tail number)

  Date of publication in 1990

  RAF Sea King—XZ585

  12 January

  RAF Phantom—XV428

  31 Januray

  RAF Phantom—XV437

  5 March

  207

  Details of MAAS (aircraft type and tail number)

  Date of publication in 1990

  Mid-air collision, 2 RAF Tornados—ZA394 and ZA593

  7 March

  RAF Hawk—XX304

  28 March

  RAF Phantom—XT908

  29 March

  RAF Jaguar—XZ359

  30 April

  RAF Tornado—ZE833

  6 June

  RAF Hawk—XX192

  11 June

  Mid-air collision, 2 RAF Hawks—XX182 and XX291

  12 June

  RAF Chinook—ZA678

  19 July

  RN Lynx—XZ243

  128 August

  RN Sea King—XZ916

  128 August

  RN Sea King—ZA170

  128 August

  RN Sea Fury—TF956

  128 August

  RAF Tornado—ZA468

  9 October

  Mid-air collision RAF Jaguar—XZ108 and Tornado—ZA394

  9 October

  RAF Hawk—XX347

  6 December

  1 MAAS placed in the Libraries of both Houses but not issued by MOD Press Office.

  United States Defence Department Employees
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of United States nationals employed by the United States Department of Defence in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The total number of United States civilians employed by the United States Department of Defence in the United Kingdom is some 4,500. For the number of United States service personnel, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 30 November 1990 at columns 548–49.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United States nationals are employed by the United States Department of Defense at each base or facility operated in support of United States forces in the United Kingdom, giving the local authority for each establishment.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Information regarding the employment of United States civilians at individual bases and facilities in the United Kingdom is not held in this form. For the numbers of United States service personnel, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 30 November 1990 at columns 548–49.

  Hunting
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton on 27 November,Official Report, column 378, if he will list the dates of renewal for each licence allowing hunting on Ministry of Defence land.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Details of the dates the licences for hunting are renewed on each year are as follows:

  Date

  The Hampshire Hunt

  1 September

  Mr. Gochen's Hounds

  1 September

  The Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdrey Hounds

  1 September

  The Windsor Forest Blood Hounds

  1 September

  The Royal Artillery Hunt

  1 August

  The South and West Wiltshire Hunt

  1 August

  208

  Date

  The Avondale Hunt

  1 August

  The Sennybridge Hunt

  1 September

  The Irfon and Tywi Hunt

  1 September

  The Brecon Hunt

  1 September

  The Glyn Celyn Beagles

  1 September

  The Essex and Suffolk Hunt

  1 January

  The Cambridgeshire Hunt

  No fixed date.1

  The Bedale Hunt

  1 September

  The West of Yore Hunt

  1 December

  The Zetland Hunt

  1 September

  The Wensleydale Foxhounds

  1 September

  The Catterick Beagles

  1 August

  The Border Hunt

  31 December

  The Tynedale Hunt

  31 March

  1 Depends on whether the Hunt wants to use MoD land.

  United States Bases
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the NATO-funded military construction projects that will be in construction for United States forces at bases in the United Kingdom in the fiscal years 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 30 November 1990 at column 535.

  RAF Quedgely
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton on 30 November,Official Report, columns 529–30, for what purpose Ministry of Defence police personnel were stationed at RAF Quedgely in 1986 and 1987; and what was the number of personnel on each occasion.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  MOD police officers have been stationed at RAF Quedgely for many years in their normal role, which is the policing and protection of Crown property. The complement in 1986 and 1987 was one inspector, one sergeant and 19 constables.

  As the hon. Member will know from the answer which I gave previously, all MOD police officers are required to undergo initial and continuation public order training. In 1986 the opportunity arose to use facilities at RAF Quedgeley and 221 MOD police officers received continuation public order training there in that year, followed by 74 in 1987. This facility is no longer available.

  RAF Greenham Common
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of each category of treaty-limited items were at RAF Greenham Common on the latest reporting date under the intermediate nuclear forces treaty.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Fifty-two ground-launched cruise missiles and 12 transporter erector launcher vehicles, including spares, were at Greenham Common on 1 December 1990, the latest reporting date under the INF treaty.

  Military Construction Projects
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton on 30 November,Official Report, columns 535–6, which military construction projects that have not started construction have been approved by Her Majesty's Government.
  209
  Mr. Alan Clark
  I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member on 30 November 1990 at columns 535–6.

  Nuclear Warhead Tests
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Governments have been in communication with the United Kingdom concerning the recent United Kingdom nuclear warhead tests on 14 November.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Apart from the Government of the United States, with whom the United Kingdom exchanges information under the terms of the 1985 United States/United Kingdom agreement for mutual cooperation, no Governments have been in communication with the United Kingdom about the joint United States/United Kingdom underground nuclear test on 14 November 1990.

  Civilian Drivers
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have occurred to the conditions of employment of civilian drivers employed by his Department in the last six months.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  None.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what provision will be made for the accommodation of civilian drivers employed by his Department whilst they are on detached duty after 30 November;

  (2) what provision will be made for the accommodation of civilian drivers employed by his Department whilst they are on detached duty prior to 30 November.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It is normal for civilian staff, including drivers, when on detached duty to make their own accommodation arrangements and to claim the appropriate rates of subsistence. On occasions, official accommodation may be made available.

  "Options for Change"
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the significant changes to the operational status of British military forces that have resulted from the "Options for Change" study.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Work is continuing to refine and cost the broad proposals announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in July. Announcements of force level changes will be made as progress in our planning allows, and we have already announced that 11 Royal Navy vessels have been, or are shortly to be decommissioned and that two RAF stations in Germany are to be closed.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the significant changes to the procurement programme that have resulted from the "Options for Change" study.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The continuing work to refine and cost the broad proposals announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary o I State in July includes an assessment of our future equipment requirements. During the defence debate on 18 June, 1 was able to make an early announcement of 210
  the decision not to proceed with the order for the eighth batch of Tornado attrition aircraft. Further changes will be announced as progress in our planning allows.

  Antares
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there has been any change to the instructions given to submarine commanders since the sinking of the fishing boat Antares.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No changes have been made to current operating instructions. However, as the hon. Member is aware, the Royal Navy board of inquiry is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding HMS Trenchant's fouling of trawler gear at the time of the loss of the Antares, and it is possible that this will recommend changes to current instructions.

  Submarine Activity
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to provide information on the times and areas of United States submarine activity to fishing boats in the Clyde.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  United States Navy submarine movements in the Clyde area are included in the notification scheme introduced on 17 December.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications he has had with foreign military authorities regarding the movement of submarines in British coastal waters.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  There are regular communications between Royal Navy and allied navy authorities regarding such operations in United Kingdom coastal waters. Allied submarine movements in the Clyde area are included in the notification scheme introduced on 17 December.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the exact nature of the information regarding submarine activity he intends to provide to Clyde fishing boats.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Information on sea areas within the firth of Clyde in which dived submarine operations are planned and the intended times of such operations will be broadcast by the Clyde coastguard every four hours.

  Tanks and Armoured Vehicles (Conversion)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been undertaken by his Department to assess the potential for conversion to civilian use of the tanks and armoured combat vehicles that the United Kingdom is committed to permanent withdrawal from military availability under the Paris treaty on conventional force reductions in Europe.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  There is no such potential.

SCOTLAND

  The Gulf
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the provisions made in Scottish hospitals for the reception of service casualties in the event of the use of the military option in the Gulf.
  211
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Plans which provide for the treatment of military casualties in Scottish hospitals in the event of war have been reviewed. If required, beds would be made available in national health service hospitals in Scotland to treat service casualties arising from possible hostilities in the Gulf.

  Local Government Finance
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for sorting out the financial difficulties of local authorities which have arisen as a result of the poll tax.

  Mr. Lang
  On the basis of their own estimates of community charge collection levels, local authorities will receive around 99 per cent. of their total budgeted income in relation to both 1989–90 and the current year. We therefore must avoid making too much of their difficulties, especially as aggregate external finance for next year is being increased by 10–4 per cent.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by how much local government spending has increased or decreased in Scotland since the introduction of the community charge.

  Numbers on the community charge register: July 1990

  Known exemptions from community charge

  Number liable to personal community charge (including students)

  18+ in receipt child benefit

  Prisoners

  Foreign armed forces

  Dependents of foreign armed forces

  Severely mentally handicapped

  Other

  Total

  Borders

  78,285

  85

  8

  0

  0

  300

  19

  412

  Central

  202,412

  237

  301

  0

  0

  663

  2,880

  4,081

  Dumfries and Galloway

  111,434

  159

  64

  0

  0

  457

  124

  804

  Fife

  259,961

  449

  131

  22

  0

  825

  334

  1,761

  Grampian

  373,581

  400

  114

  687

  0

  1,159

  1,039

  3,399

  Highland

  148,270

  169

  85

  129

  0

  346

  47

  776

  Lothian

  578,982

  875

  339

  113

  0

  2,388

  688

  4,403

  Strathclyde

  1,737,284

  4,750

  5,306

  1,737

  247

  7,609

  15,458

  35,107

  Tayside

  291,682

  578

  67

  450

  0

  843

  118

  2,056

  Orkney

  14,372

  40

  2

  0

  0

  41

  237

  320

  Shetland

  15,982

  18

  3

  0

  0

  51

  190

  262

  Western Isles

  22,165

  16

  5

  0

  0

  112

  5

  138

  All Scotland total

  3,834,410

  7,776

  6,425

  3,318

  247

  14,794

  21,139

  53,519

  Notes:

  1. The Lothian figure for foreign armed forces includes their dependents.

  2. "Other" includes patients in residential homes, nursing homes or hospitals, members of religious communities, residents in Crown property, persons of no fixed abode, etc.

  Scottish Parliament
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans for a directly elected Scottish parliament.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  No.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to review or repeal the poll tax in Scotland.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to review or repeal the poll tax.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to review the community charge legislation in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has announced the Government's intention to
  212
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  On the basis of local authorities' 1990–91 budget estimates, expenditure has increased by 8.94 per cent. since the introduction of the community charge in Scotland in 1 April 1989.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report for each local authority area in Scotland (a) the number of individuals who are liable to pay the personal community charge, (b) the number of people who are paying the personal community charge and (c) the number of people who are exempt from paying the personal community charge, separately distinguishing the numbers by exemption category.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Information on the number of people who are paying the personal community charge is not held centrally. The following table gives the figures requested which are available and relates to 1 July 1990. Information held by community charges registration officers on people who are exempt from the personal community charge is not comprehensive, and the figures given are estimates provided by the local authorities.

  conduct a careful and fundamental review of the community charge arrangements in Scotland, England and Wales.

  Freight
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to improve the movement of freight within, and to and from, Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The provision made by my right hon. Friend for expenditure on roads and transport is aimed at serving the needs of all types of transport users, including freight hauliers, and at ensuring that Scotland has transport infrastructure and systems which are safe and efficient.

  Roads
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are currently being taken by his office to assess the implications of the single market for road communications in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Improved communications and transport links are particularly important for the continued success and development of the Scottish economy in relation to the single market. The Government has made clear the role of the M6, M1, M25 widening and the A74 upgrading to Scotland.

  To assist future decisions on road investment in Scotland a major trunk and key principal road network review is currently in progress and is due to report early next year.

  This will take into account a large number of factors affecting traffic growth in different regions of Scotland including economic development.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set out(a) total expenditure, in real terms, on motorways and trunk roads in Scotland for each of the years from 1980–81 to 1989–90, (b) estimated total expenditure on motorways and trunk roads in 1990–91 and (c) planned provision for motorways and trunk roads in each of the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94.

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

  £ million

  Financial year

  Actual expenditure

  Constant 1990–91 prices

  1980–81

  91

  164

  1981–82

  104

  171

  1982–83

  110

  168

  1983–84

  106

  155

  1984–85

  115

  160

  1985–86

  119

  157

  1986–87

  115

  147

  1987–88

  125

  152

  1988–89

  131

  149

  1989–90

  163

  174

  11990–91

  201

  201

  11991–92

  198

  189

  11992–93

  211

  195

  11993–94

  215

  193

  1 Figures have been revalued using GDP deflators.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the reasons for the £9 million reduction planned in expenditure on motorways and trunk roads for 1991–92.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The trunk road programme in Scotland has benefited from a substantial increase in resources in recent, successive expenditure settlements. This has enabled very significant progress to be made in upgrading Scotland's trunk road infrastructure.

  For 1991–92 it was necessary to balance the expenditure required to sustain a realistic trunk road programme against the many other important and competing demands on resources within the Scottish block. The small reduction in overall provision for roads for 1991–92 will still allow significant progress to be made on our planned programme of improvements to Scotland's key strategic routes, including the upgrading of the A74 to motorway.
  214
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail the areas in which the £9 million reduction in expenditure on motorways and trunk roads will be made and the specific road schemes which are likely to be affected.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The programme of new construction and improvements will be the only area affected by the small reduction in trunk road expenditure announced for 1991–92. Some revision of planned start dates for future schemes may be necessary as a result. Final decisions on which schemes might be affected will not be taken until March with the announcement of scheme starts for the year ahead. This enables full account to be taken of the latest information available on the resources required to meet existing ongoing commitments, the consequent balance of funds remaining and the state of readiness and relative priority of schemes within the national programme.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now take steps to make the code of guidance to the homeless persons legislation mandatory on local authorities.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I do not think that it would be appropriate to take away the discretion of local authorities to take into account the needs and circumstances of particular cases. A mandatory code could not cover the wide range of matters dealt with in the present draft without severely fettering that discretion and reducing authorities' effectiveness.

  Fishing
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Scottish fishing industry to discuss the industry's prospects for 1991.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My noble Friend the Minister responsible for agriculture and fisheries met the Scottish Fishermen's Federation on Thursday 13 December. A number of issues were discussed in relation to the industry's prospects for 1991.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had recently with representatives of the west coast fishing industry on the state of west coast fishing stocks.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My noble Friend the Minister responsible for Agriculture and Fisheries met the Scottish Fishermen's Federation which represents many west coast fishermen on Thursday 13 December. A number of issues, including the state of west coast fish stocks, were discussed.

  Housing Policies
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will visit Corkerhill, Tencharhill, and Moorpark housing areas of Govan constituency to discuss Government housing policies with tenants.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Industrial Policy
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Scottish Trades Union Congress to design industrial policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Scottish Office Ministers have met representatives of the Scottish Trades Union Congress on several occasions in recent months. My right hon. Friend and I hope to maintain a continuing dialogue with the STUC on matters affecting the Scottish economy and industry.

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whom he consults before making regional selective assistance available to applicants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board is consulted before making any substantial offer of regional selective assistance. Furthermore, and in line with practices agreed between the Scottish Office, Welsh Office and the Department of Trade and Industry, market advice is sought from the Government Department with the lead interest in the particular sector involved. Other consultations may be undertaken depending on the particular circumstances involved.

  Highland Region Schools
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to undertake a tour of schools premises within Highland region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to visit Highland region.

  £ thousands

  District

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow

  (i) Total expenditure

  3,327

  2,318

  2,554

  4,282

  7,245

  (ii) Percentage of total budget

  3·1

  2·1

  2·3

  3·6

  5·3

  (b) Strathclyde

  (i) Total expenditure

  53,570

  62,669

  67,392

  67,652

  71,252

  (ii) Percentage of total budget

  49·7

  57·0

  59·6

  56·9

  51·8

  Note: The percentage of total budget is based on total expenditure excluding marketing, promotion and running costs. Area expenditure figures also exclude such costs.

  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total amounts paid to projects in(a) Kilmarnock and Loudoun, (b) Dundee, (c) Motherwell and (d) Hamilton districts by the Scottish Development Agency for the years 1986–87 to 1989–90 (i) in cash terms and (ii) as a percentage of total budget.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 17 December 1990]: The information is set out in the table below.

  District

  1986–87 £'000

  1987–88 £'000

  1988–89 £'000

  1989–90 £'000

  (a) Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  (i) Total expenditure

  767

  1,075

  259

  550

  (ii) Percentage of total budget

  0·7

  1·0

  0·2

  0·4

  Health Board Funding
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will reconsider his allocation to Scottish health boards for 1991–92.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  As no decision has been taken or announced on allocations to health boards for 1991–92, it would be difficult for me to meet the hon. Gentleman's request.

  Steel Industry
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of steel plants in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  British Steel has confirmed that, subject to market conditions, it expects there to be a continuing commercial requirement for steelmaking at Ravenscraig and plate-rolling at Dalzell at least until the end of 1994. I welcome British Steel's expressed willingness to co-operate with the Scottish Development Agency's study on the prospects for the steel industry in Scotland and to give careful consideration to any commercial opportunities which the study might identify.

  Scottish Development Agency
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total amounts paid to projects in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow and (b) Strathclyde by the Scottish Development Agency in the years from 1985–86 to 1989–90 years in (i) cash terms and (ii) as a percentage of total budget.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is set out in the following table:

  District

  1986–87 £'000

  1987–88 £'000

  1988–89 £'000

  1989–90 £'000

  (b) Dundee city

  (i) Total expenditure

  5,397

  5,782

  3,733

  6,357

  (ii) Percentage of total budget

  4·9

  5·1

  3·1

  4·6

  (c) Motherwell

  (i) Total expenditure

  5,470

  3,422

  4,675

  5,436

  (ii) Percentage of total budget

  5·0

  3·0

  3·9

  4·0

  (d) Hamilton

  217

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  District

  £'000

  £'000

  £'000

  £'000

  (i) Total expenditure

  1,086

  2,491

  1,958

  918

  (ii) Percentage of total budget

  1·0

  2·2

  1·6

  0·7

  Note: The percentage of total budget is based on total expenditure excluding marketing, promotion and running costs. Area expenditure figures also exclude such costs.

  Youth training agreed places

  January 1990

  February 1990

  March 1990

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  8,237

  8,237

  8,243

  Lothian and Borders

  7,379

  7,347

  7,367

  Lanarkshire

  6,426

  6,427

  6,427

  Highlands and Islands

  3,583

  3,586

  3,591

  Grampian and Tayside

  9,118

  9,081

  9,001

  Glasgow city

  10,030

  10,378

  10,352

  Central and Fife

  9,194

  9,012

  9,163

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  6,839

  6,845

  6,845

  Scotland

  60,806

  60,913

  60,989

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of action plans for employment training completed in each month since September 1989 in each of the Training Agency areas covering(a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c)

  September 1989

  October 1989

  November 1989

  December 1989

  January 1990

  February 1990

  March 1990

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  997

  984

  1,170

  633

  767

  1,081

  1,210

  Lothian and Borders

  792

  731

  848

  708

  572

  557

  1,296

  Lanarkshire

  781

  780

  651

  486

  513

  620

  746

  Highlands and Islands

  262

  184

  259

  322

  226

  260

  599

  Grampian and Tayside

  1,091

  847

  896

  673

  684

  1,071

  1,119

  Glasgow city

  1,697

  1,707

  1,650

  1,031

  1,382

  1,692

  1,984

  Central and Fife

  887

  647

  681

  559

  585

  521

  717

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  1,122

  986

  925

  714

  809

  920

  1,158

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of contracted training places in employment training is contracted to voluntary sector training managers in each of the Training Agency areas covering(a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Proportion of employment training places contracted to voluntary sector Per cent.

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  33·0

  Lothian and Borders

  29·0

  Lanarkshire

  17·4

  Highlands and Islands

  Nil

  Grampian and Tayside

  (Grampian)

  14·1

  (Tayside)

  33·6

  Training
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of training places in (i) employment training and (ii) youth training contracted with the Training Agency in each month from January in(a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested about the number of training places in employment training is not available. The available information about the number of youth training places is set out in the table.

  Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Proportion of employment training places contracted to voluntary sector Per cent.

  Glasgow city

  17·0

  Central and Fife

  (Central)

  8·8

  (Fife)

  28·0

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  16·0

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the training agents and training managers in employment training which have (i) gone into liquidation, (ii) not had contracts with the Training Agency renewed or (iii) ceased to provide employment training for any other reason in each of the Training Agency areas covering(a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is contained in the table:
  219

  Training Agency area

  Training agents and managers who have gone into liquidation

  Training agents and managers who have not had contracts with the Training Agency renewed

  Training agents and managers who have ceased to provide Employment Training for any other reason

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  Westwood Training Services

  —

  Training Services (Inverclyde) Ltd.

  Paisley College of Technology

  Lothian and Borders

  Community Opportunities, West Lothian

  —

  Midlothian District Council

  Lanarkshire

  Westwood Training Services

  —

  Omega Training Services

  Highlands and Islands

  Westwood Training services

  —

  —

  Grampian and Tayside

  —

  —

  Dundee Survival Group

  Glasgow City

  Westwood Training Services

  —

  —

  Central and Fife

  A & M Projects Ltd.

  —

  —

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  Westwood Training Services

  —

  —

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the adult population, the number of people unemployed and the number of people unemployed for more than six months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months, within each of the Training Agency areas covering(a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  As at mid-1989, the number of people aged 16 years or over in each of the Training Agency area office areas in Scotland was as follows:

  Number

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  587,900

  Lothian and Borders

  688,800

  Lanarkshire

  392,500

  Highlands and Islands

  214,700

  Grampian and Tayside

  718,200

  Glasgow city

  560,800

  Central and Fife

  490,700

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  415,800

  Scotland

  4,069,500

  Information on unemployment by duration for the eight Scottish Training Agency area office areas, is available on the NOMIS database in the House of Commons Library. Library staff are ready to assist in accessing the information if necessary.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the average unit cost per week to the Training Agency of one (i) employment training place and (ii) youth training place in each of(a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the training agents in employment training 220
  who have achieved approved training agent status in each of the Training Agency areas covering (a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Training Agency area and Training Agents with approved training organisation status—

  Renfrew, Dunbarton and Argyll:

  Intrain

  Lothian and Borders:

  The Training Agency Ltd.

  Greater Edinburgh Training Association

  Borders regional council

  Lanarkshire:

  Lanarkshire Training Agent Ltd.

  Highlands and Islands:

  Orkney Islands Council

  Community Industry

  Support Training

  Highland Training and Development

  Grampian and Tayside

  Grampian regional council

  Glasgow city:

  None

  Central and Fife:

  None

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway:

  Wigtown District Council

  Dumfries and Galloway regional council—education department

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total Training Agency budget for employment training in the years 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92, the actual expenditure in 1989–90, and the projected expenditure for 1990–91, for each of the Training Agency areas covering(a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested for 1989–90 and 1990–91 is set out in the table. Information about budgets for 1991–92 is not available.
  221

  1989–90 Profile

  1989–90 Actual expenditure

  1990–91 Budget

  1990–91 Forecast outturns1

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  6·462

  6·668

  8·031

  6·761

  Lothian and Borders

  8·052

  9·810

  10·946

  9·647

  Lanarkshire

  6·376

  6·773

  7·619

  6·540

  Highlands and Islands

  2·334

  2·615

  2·923

  2·898

  Grampian and Tayside

  5·495

  6·097

  7·441

  7·142

  Glasgow City

  12·048

  12·384

  14·819

  14·074

  Central and Fife

  7·368

  7·461

  8·147

  7·789

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  8·719

  8·732

  8·872

  8·044

  1 Includes energy top up grants and higher technology national training.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the training agents and training managers in employment training in Scotland who have had their contracts terminated, together with an explanation of why these contracts have been terminated.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  No training agent or training manager has had its employment training contract terminated. All training agents and training managers in employment training who chose to conclude their employment training contracts did so in mutual agreement with the Training Agency.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the numbers and

  Month

  Per cent. of trainees who take up full time employment

  Per cent. of trainees who take up full time education or training

  Per cent. of trainees who join a job club

  Per cent. of trainees who leave for other reasons

  Training Agency Area: Renfrew, Dunbarton and Argyll

  January

  24

  0

  6

  70

  February

  28

  1

  7

  64

  March

  29

  0

  5

  66

  April

  29

  2

  5

  64

  May

  32

  3

  4

  61

  Training Agency Area: Lothian and Borders

  January

  19

  4

  76

  February

  26

  6

  67

  March

  24

  2

  5

  69

  April

  18

  2

  2

  78

  May

  28

  2

  6

  64

  Training Agency Area: Lanarkshire

  January

  26

  2

  6

  66

  February

  17

  2

  3

  78

  March

  20

  1

  6

  73

  April

  28

  2

  3

  67

  May

  19

  2

  5

  74

  Training Agency Area: Highlands and Islands

  January

  44

  4

  5

  47

  February

  45

  3

  2

  50

  March

  50

  0

  1

  49

  April

  51

  1

  1

  47

  May

  55

  0

  2

  43

  Training Agency Area: Grampian and Tayside

  January

  30

  3

  4

  63

  February

  25

  1

  8

  66

  March

  29

  1

  5

  65

  April

  30

  1

  3

  66

  May

  28

  4

  1

  67

  Training Agency Area: Glasgow City

  January

  20

  0

  8

  72

  February

  17

  2

  6

  75

  March

  25

  1

  7

  67

  April

  24

  0

  2

  74

  May

  26

  4

  7

  63

  Training Agency Area: Central and Fife

  January

  20

  1

  5

  74

  February

  20

  2

  12

  66

  March

  26

  0

  6

  68

  April

  27

  1

  8

  64

  May

  27

  1

  3

  69

  222
  percentages of trainees leaving employment training to (i) take up full-time employment, (ii) take up full-time education, (iii) join a job club and (iv) other reasons, listing these other reasons, for every month from January in each of the Training Agency areas covering (a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The latest date for which information is available is May 1990. The information from January 1990 to that date is shown in the tables.
  223

  Month

  Per cent. of trainees who take up full time employment

  Per cent. of trainees who take up full time education or training

  Per cent. of trainees who join a job club

  Per cent. of trainees who leave for other reasons

  Training Agency Area: Dumfries and Galloway

  January

  20

  2

  8

  70

  February

  30

  2

  3

  65

  March

  24

  0

  6

  70

  April

  25

  3

  4

  68

  May

  29

  3

  3

  65

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the current Training Agency budgets for (i) employment training and (ii) youth training in each of the Training Agency areas covering(a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Training Agency area

  Employment training budget allocation 1990–91

  Youth training budget allocation 1990–91

  £

  £

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  8,031,343

  11,202,001

  Lothian and Borders

  10,946,226

  15,162,000

  Lanarkshire

  7,618,981

  11,588,000

  Highlands and Islands

  2,923,450

  5,118,000

  Grampian and Tayside

  7,440,606

  13,230,056

  Glasgow city

  14,819,319

  15,162,000

  Central and Fife

  8,147,405

  13,712,364

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  8,872,450

  11,395,000

  Employment training trainees in training

  Youth training trainees in training January to March 1990

  January to March 1990

  January 1990

  February 1990

  March 1990

  January 1990

  February 1990

  March 1990

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  3,379

  3,476

  3,417

  5,685

  5,576

  3,498

  2,091

  5,589

  Lothian and Borders

  3,493

  3,489

  3,460

  5,412

  5,408

  3,642

  1,782

  5,424

  Lanarkshire

  2,880

  2,947

  2,884

  4,908

  4,821

  2,901

  1,947

  4,848

  Highlands and Islands

  1,220

  1,210

  1,203

  2,385

  2,411

  1,523

  877

  2,402

  Grampian and Tayside

  2,844

  2,994

  3,108

  7,015

  6,903

  4,426

  2,508

  6,934

  Glasgow city

  5,908

  6,011

  6,279

  7,992

  7,881

  5,115

  2,853

  7,968

  Central and Fife

  2,857

  2,748

  2,590

  6,681

  6,631

  3,839

  2,866

  6,705

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  3,316

  3,375

  3,439

  5,261

  5,210

  3,103

  2,176

  5,279

  Notes:

  1. Information for April 1990 onward is not available.

  2. Breakdowns of the data between males and females is available for youth training in March 1990 only.

  3. Breakdowns by age group are not available.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the training managers in employment training who achieved approved training manager status in each of the Training Agency areas covering(a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  Training Agency Area

  Training Manager with Approved

  Training Organisation Status

  224
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were in training as (i) employment trainees and (ii) youth trainees in each month since January in each of the Training Agency areas covering(a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow city, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway; and if he will provide a breakdown of these figures into (i) numbers of males, (ii) numbers of females and (iii) numbers aged 18 to 24 years, 25 to 34 years, 35 to 44 years, 45 to 54 years and over 55 years.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Insofar as it is available, the information requested is set out in the table.

  Renfrew, Dunbarton and Argyll

  Intec (Inverclyde) Limited)

  BEST Limited

  RRW Associates (Renfrew Dumbarton and Argyll) Limited

  Argyll and Bute District Council

  Lothian and Borders

  University of Edinburgh

  Community and Business Training Ltd

  Craigmillar Festival Society

  Wester Hailes Management Agency

  Hotel and Catering Training Board

  Chamber of Commerce and Manufacturers

  Royal Zoological Society of Scotland

  Instant Muscle (Scotland) Ltd

  Ness Training Limited

  225

  Borders Training Services

  Livingston Development Corporation

  Grand Met Community Services TG0

  Training and Development (Edinburgh) Ltd

  Reid Consultants Ltd

  Trust Training

  Scottish Council for Spastics

  Scottish Association for Mental Health

  Apex Scotland

  Edinburgh District Engineering Training AE0

  Lanarkshire

  Clydesdale District Council

  OSCC Training Services Ltd

  ASTRA

  JHP Training

  Voluntary Association for Mental Welfare Training Ltd

  RRW Associates (Hamilton) Ltd

  East Kilbride District Council

  East Kilbride Energy Project LE0

  Hamilton District Council

  Scottish National Council for YMCAs

  Midscot Training Services

  LAGTA Ltd

  Westwood Training Services Ltd (Withdrawn)

  Highlands and Islands

  Moray Firth GTA

  Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board

  Highland Regional Council

  Ross and Crornarty District Council

  Westwood Training Services (Withdrawn)

  Simpson Dalgarno Partnership

  Microcomputer Training Centre

  McDermott Scotland Ltd

  Orkney Islands Council

  JHP Training Ltd

  Grampian and Tayside

  Highland Perthshire Development Company

  Bulloch Trust Enterprise Ltd

  St. Andrew's Business Association Ltd

  Heat Developrnent (Dundee) Ltd.

  Training Agency Area

  (a) Number starting employment training with a training manager

  (b) Number leaving Employment Training

  January 1990

  February 1990

  March 1990

  January 1990

  February 1990

  March 1990

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  500

  669

  771

  444

  551

  777

  Lothian and Borders

  482

  678

  846

  567

  634

  777

  Lanarkshire

  469

  623

  691

  483

  561

  782

  Highlands and Islands

  191

  264

  241

  150

  274

  291

  Grampian and Tayside

  431

  660

  805

  469

  533

  633

  Glasgow city

  902

  1,269

  1,545

  806

  1,162

  1,277

  Central and Fife

  423

  457

  582

  458

  587

  657

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  486

  661

  809

  478

  637

  749

  Greater Glasgow Health Board
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) in the Greater Glasgow health board, on what basis the number of rehabilitation personnel for children with special needs is assessed; when the position was last reviewed; and when it will be reviewed again;

  (2) if he will request Greater Glasgow health board to determine the number of rehabilitation staff required to fulfil the needs of children in schools for children with special needs;

  (3) if he will make additional funds available to Greater Glasgow health board for rehabilitation staff in schools for children with special needs.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Services such as speech therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy for children with
  226

  Training Manager with Approved Training Organisation Status

  Grampian and Tayside (cont.)

  Voluntary Services Aberdeen

  Moray District Council

  Glasgow City

  Henry Boot Training Ltd

  Glasgow Zoo

  Glasgow Training Group (Motor Trade) Ltd

  Queens College Glasgow Enterprise LQ0

  University of Glasgow

  Epilepsy Association of Scotland

  Central and Fife

  Tektra Managing Agency Ltd

  Falkirk AT Enterprises (FATE) Ltd

  Metcom Training Ltd

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  Wigtown District Council

  Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council Consortium

  Garnock Workspace

  Employment Training Sponsors (Scotland) Ltd

  Training Services Ayrshire Ltd

  Care Ayrshire Training Ltd.

  Radix Training (Scotland) Ltd

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number of people(a) starting employment training and (b) leaving employment training for each month from January for each of the Training Agency areas covering (a) Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is set out in the table for the period January 1990 to March 1990. Information from April 1990 is not available.

  recorded special educational needs are primarily the responsibility of education authorities, although in practice, they are generally supplied by the health board.

  Greater Glasgow health board is currently reviewing its provision of rehabilitation personnel for children with special needs as part of its community health services strategy and expects to issue this for consultation shortly. I have drawn the concerns of the hon. Member to the board's attention. Health boards are given an annual revenue allocation and it is for the boards to decide how best to apportion these resources. A decision on the 1991–92 allocations has not yet been made.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for
  227
  Strathkelvin and Bearsden of 7 December, Official Report, column 237, what are the proposed starting dates for the remaining Seafield units.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I understand that at this time no dates have been set by the Greater Glasgow health board for the start of the remaining planned Seafield units.

  West Linton Primary School
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ensure that the capital consent to Borders regional council for 1991–92 will be sufficient to replace the primary school at West Linton so as to cater for the private housing developments in the village.

  Mr. Lang
  Distribution of consents to incur capital expenditure in 1991–92 to local authorities will be announced in February 1991. It will be for Borders regional council to determine what school building work may be required at West Linton in the light of its knowledge of local needs and of the resources available to it.

  Cancer
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of(a) men and (b) women whose death was caused by lung cancer for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is given in the annual report for 1989 of the Registrar General for Scotland (table C1.1, pp 42–43, ICD91 162); a copy of the report is available in the Library of the House. This year, for the first time, the Registrar General also sent a copy to each Scottish right hon. and hon. Member for reference.

  1 International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of deaths caused by breast cancer for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:

  Deaths from breast cancer, by sex, Scotland 1979–1989

  Male (ICD91175)

  Female (ICD91 174)

  1979

  7

  1,176

  1980

  3

  1,214

  1981

  7

  1,175

  1982

  8

  1,228

  1983

  9

  1,262

  1984

  6

  1,242

  1985

  12

  1,252

  1986

  13

  1,313

  1987

  11

  1,234

  1988

  7

  1,261

  1989

  7

  1,356

  1 International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision.

  Rent Arrears
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of public sector tenants in arrears with their rent in each district and islands council in Scotland; and if he will give it as a percentage of all tenants in each authority.
  228
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is shown in the table below, which is derived from statistical returns made by local authorities to the Scottish Development Department earlier this year.

  Authority

  Number in arrears1

  Percentage of tenants2

  Berwickshire

  497

  21·32

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  680

  17·81

  Roxburgh

  677

  13·49

  Tweeddale

  542

  39·74

  Clackmannan

  2,902

  36·18

  Falkirk

  18,000

  28·75

  Stirling

  5,834

  52·91

  Annandale and Eskdale

  n/a

  —

  Nithsdale

  32,800

  40·88

  Stewartry

  964

  43·15

  Wigtown

  302

  7·36

  Dunfermline

  7,774

  43·45

  Kirkcaldy

  7,941

  36·23

  North East Fife

  1,625

  26·34

  Aberdeen

  8,557

  23·72

  Banff and Buchan

  2,993

  27·09

  Gordon

  674

  12·32

  Kincardine and Deeside

  504

  14·24

  Moray

  1,602

  16·76

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  179

  17·95

  Caithness

  1,254

  33·65

  Inverness

  2,017

  31·89

  Lochaber

  307

  11·46

  Nairn

  166

  15·70

  Ross and Cromarty

  2,904

  48·89

  Skye and Lochalsh

  300

  36·81

  Sutherland

  229

  13·36

  East Lothian

  5,911

  45·95

  Edinburgh

  14,600

  33·54

  Midlothian

  3,257

  32·52

  West Lothian

  3,433

  18·41

  Argyll and Bute

  2,093

  27·59

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  n/a

  —

  Clydebank

  7,815

  77·14

  Clydesdale

  3,391

  39·74

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  1,707

  45·89

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  n/a

  —

  Cunninghame

  7,443

  37·48

  Dumbarton

  5,115

  47·55

  East Kilbride

  224

  47·43

  Eastwood

  203

  12·16

  Glasgow

  78,568

  50·80

  Hamilton

  7,250

  36·20

  Inverclyde

  n/a

  —

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  5,057

  33·79

  Kyle and Carrick

  n/a

  —

  Monklands

  6,435

  25·03

  Motherwell

  15,047

  42·45

  Renfrew

  n/a

  —

  Strathkelvin

  1,501

  17·05

  Angus

  1,394

  11·47

  Dundee

  n/a

  —

  Perth and Kinross

  3,917

  29·37

  Orkney Islands

  n/a

  —

  Shetland Islands

  818

  31·89

  Western Isles

  837

  35·78

  1 Number of local authority dwellings in respect of which tenants were in arrears of rent at 31 March 1990.

  2 Percentage of local authority dwellings in respect of which tenants were in arrears of rent at 31 March 1990.

  3 Approximate figures.

  Registers (Sale of Information)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will describe the pricing structures surrounding(a) the sale of information from the electoral register and (b) the community charges register, and give the reasons why it was decided to use different pricing structures.
  229
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Certain persons may obtain a limited number of copies of the electoral register free of charge. Additional copies for such persons, or copies for a returning officer or a local authority are provided at a charge of 25p per thousand entries. In all other cases the fee is £2·50 per thousand entries. There is no provision for the sale of the community charge register.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was or is the planned expenditure for Scotland at 1990–91 prices for training in 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94;

  (2) expressed in 1990–91 prices, what was or will he the combined budget for expenditure in Scotland by the Scottish Development Agency, Highlands and Islands Development Board and Training Agency or successor bodies in 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92;

  (3) what the expenditure in 1988–89 on the Scottish Development Agency, Highlands and Islands Development Board and Training Agency or their successor bodies would be in 1991–92, expressed in 1990–91 prices.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 10 December 1990]: Expenditure on training by the Training Agency in Scotland has not been planned separately prior to 1991–92. The only indentifiable figures relating to training by the Training Agency in Scotland for 1989–90 and 1990–91 are figures in the supply estimates for the training programmes, Scotland vote (class XV, vote 4) which covers the contribution made by the Industry Department for Scotland towards the expenditure borne on class VI, vote 1 of the Department of Employment in relation to training activities in Scotland.

  This provision is intended to reflect that part of the cost of the Department of Employment's training programme for Scotland which can be separately identified. However, it is not a reliable guide to actual expenditure by the Training Agency in relation to its activities in Scotland. Subject to this caveat, the figures are as follows:

  Year

  £ million at 1990–91 prices

  1989–90

  298·8

  1990–91

  267·3

  These figures are not directly comparable with provision for expenditure on training by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in connection with training activity in 1991–92 and future years. 1991–92 is the first year for which it will be possible to identify an accurate figure for central Government expenditure in connection with training activity in Scotland.

  The component parts of the grant-in-aid for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise for 1991–92 which will be devoted to such activity are still under discussion with them; and will be reflected in due course in the grant-in-aid tables in the supply estimates for the regional and general industrial supports, Scotland vote (class XV, vote 3). However, it is possible now to identify that proportion of the public expenditure provision for 1991–92 which has been transferred to the Scotland programme from the employment programme. That figure
  230
  is £239·5 million at 1990–91 prices. Comparable figures for 1992–93 and 1993–94 will be published, on a cash basis, in due course in the departmental report.

  The difficulties referred to above have implications for the validity of any comparisons which combine figures for the Training Agency with those relating to the Scottish Development Agency and the Highlands and Islands Development Board. Subject to this important proviso, the information sought is set out in the table:

  £ million

  1988–89

  447·8

  1989–90

  515·8

  1990–91

  494·9

  1991–92

  463·7

  Notes:

  1. Resources for training include provision for expenditure on the Technical and Vocational Education initiative, which will be the responsibility of the Industry Department for Scotland from 1 April 1991.

  2. The figures for 1990–91 are for planned expenditure rather than for forecast expenditure because it would be particularly misleading to equate estimated outturn on Class XV, Vote 4 with forecasts of actual expenditure by the Scottish Development Agency and the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

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

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: Expenditure by the Scottish Office in 1989–90 on newspaper advertising, television and radio, printed and other material and information videos was £1,022,000, £1,059,000, £995,000 and £96,000.

  The corresponding figures for 1988–89 were £378,000, £617,000, £887,000 and £46,000.

  Prior to 1988–89 an analysis of expenditure was not maintained in the form requested. Total expenditure on information publicity for 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88 was £677,000, £857,000 and £1,094,000.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Income Support
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average value, in the last 12-month period for which records are available, of passport benefits for income support recipients(a) including housing benefit and community charge benefit and (b) excluding these two benefits.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Comprehensive information is not available on the basis requested; and, in particular, relevant information about community charge benefit is not yet available.

  In any event, it would not be meaningful to try to average the value of all the passport benefits across all income support recipients. Some of the passport benefits are not relevant to everyone who is receiving income support. For example, free welfare milk and free school meals are available only where there are children in the

  231
  family; and for some other passport benefits the value depends on the extent to which people need to make use of them, such as, exemption from NHS charges and payments from the social fund.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give a breakdown of the deductions of income support for other purposes at 31 August as stated in his answer of 4 December.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Further to my answer of 4 December, the deductions from income support for other purposes at 31 August cover the following direct payments:

  £

  Rent arrears and service charges for fuel or water paid with, or as part of, rent

  78,917

  Mortgage interest

  7,420

  Water charges

  45,155

  Residential care homes, nursing homes or hostels

  3,179

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his answers of 27 November,Official Report, columns 365–6, regarding income support, what further specifics concerning circumstances he requires for these comparisons to be made, assuming there had been no change in the previous supplementary benefit scheme.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Even if the value of benefit in respect of housing costs were excluded, information would still be required to enable an assessment to be made of the additional requirements each beneficiary may have received under the supplementary benefit scheme—for example, the exact age of the claimants and any partner or children, their state of health and whether this meant they had to follow any special diet, needed extra baths or wore out their clothing unusually quickly, what laundry facilities were available and the size and condition of the accommodation. This list is by no means exhaustive but serves to illustrate the complexities of the old scheme and the intrusive questioning necessary to determine entitlement.

  Further information would also be required to determine whether each individual satisfied the conditions for receipt of a range of other social security benefits, and, if so, at what level.

  Furthermore, it is increasingly unrealistic to attempt to make such comparisons on the assumption that, if it were still operating, there would have been no changes whatsoever to the supplementary benefit scheme over the period since 1988. Such an approach would produce results which would be misleading at best and, at worst, almost meaningless.

  Child Support
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost in 1991–92 of(a) increasing one-parent benefit in line with inflation, and (b) paying the full £1 per week increase in child benefit to each of the child dependency increases for which there is to be a claw-back and for guardian allowance and child's special allowance.

  Mr. Jack
  The information is as follows:

  (a) £14 million;

  (b) £5 million.

  232
  Note: The figures are net of savings from income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost per year if there was a full child benefit disregard for recipients of income support.

  Mr. Jack
  The net cost of disregarding child benefit in the assessment of income support (assuming that the principle of alignment were to be maintained with housing benefit and community charge benefit) is estimated to be in excess of £1 billion a year.

  Deductions at Source
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Greenock and Port Glasgow in receipt of income support are having deductions made at source in order to pay(a) poll tax arrears and (b) crisis loan repayments.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information at 30 November is as follows:

  Deductions for Community Charge Arrears

  Crisis loan Repayments

  Greenock

  486

  263

  Port Glasgow

  241

  164

  Carers
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what types of carers will be helped by the proposed introduction of a carers premium;

  (2) what types of carers have been helped by the introduction of the carers premium; and how many have been helped.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The carer premium was introduced from 1 October this year for people claiming income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit who are getting invalid care allowance. It also goes to people who have claimed that allowance since October but could not be paid because they had another, more valuable, benefit. We estimate that 30,000 people will be helped in this way. We have recently announced that from October next year, the premium will continue for up to eight weeks after the caring role ceases. Regulations will be brought before the House in due course.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many elderly persons have been placed in a local authority home in cases where supplementary income support for board and lodging payments to elderly people of limited or no means in private or voluntary residential and nursing homes is inadequate or insufficient to pay the costs in the last year for which figures are available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Pensions
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been, and what is currently being done to make additional financial provision for pensioners whose sole income is provided by their state pension.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Any pensioner whose income and capital falls below a prescribed level can claim income-related benefits. If a pensioner is in receipt of the maximum amount of basic state retirement pension only (with no additions) they would be entitled to income support and therefore would also be entitled to receive maximum housing benefit and maximum community charge benefit.

  From October 1989, we directed an extra £200 million a year to elderly and disabled pensioners through improvements in the premium structure common to income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit. This was in addition to the normal uprating for that year. From April 1991, we will also be increasing the ordinary pensioner premium (pensioners aged 60 to 74) over and above the normal uprating at a cost of around £80 million. This will directly benefit about 400,000 pensioners on income support and well over 1·5 million others who receive housing benefit and community charge benefit.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of uprating the basic pension by £13 for a single person and £20 for a couple.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Pursuant to the reply given by my hon. Friend the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 19 November at column 56, I regret that some of the information given was incorrect.

  The rise in the NI contributions paid by an employee on average earnings would he approximately £2·78 per week, not £2·93 per week.

  Motor Neurone Disease
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research his Department has carried out into the household costs of motor neurone disease.

  Mr. Scott
  This Department has not carried out any specific research into the household costs of motor neurone disease.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether his Department has received any representations concerning the additional costs associated with motor neurone disease.

  Mr. Scott
  This Department has not received any representations specifically concerning the additional costs associated with motor neurone disease.

  Transitional Protection
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants are still in receipt of the transitional protection following the benefit changes in 1988.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Shortly after last April's uprating of benefits, about 110,000 income support claimants were 234
  receiving transitional additions. In November this year, about 52,000 people were receiving housing benefit transitional payments.

  Blind People
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people whose main disabling condition is listed as blindness or disease of the eye receive attendance allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many registered blind people are entitled to the severe disability premium out of the number who live alone.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to change the guidance notes for doctors in the attendance allowance board's handbook, in particular those clauses related to(a) longstanding blindness and attendance allowance and (b) gradual blindness and attendance allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  A handbook containing guidance notes for the delegated medical practitioners who deal with attendance allowance is produced, by the Attendance Allowance Board, which is independent of the Department of Social Security. I understand that the board is revising this handbook and will look at its guidance on blindness as part of that process.

  Personal Pension Schemes
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated amount payable to personal pension schemes in 1991–92, distinguishing between the contracted-out rebate, the 2 per cent. inducement and tax relief on the rebate.

  Miss Widdecombe
  On the assumption that, by the end of 1990–91, the number of people with personal pensions is 4·5 million, the Government Actuary estimates that the revenue forgone in 1991–92 will be £1,730 million for the contracted-out rebate, £600 million for the 2 per cent. incentive, and £200 million for the tax relief on the rebate.

  Visual Impairment
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people receive attendance allowance solely on the basis of visual impairment.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available.

  One-parent Benefit
  Miss Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much will be saved from freezing one-parent benefit in 1991–92.

  Mr. Jack
  Pursuant to the reply given by my hon. Friend the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 20 November at column 108, I regret that some information has been found to be incorrect. The correct answer is that not uprating one-parent benefit in 1991–92

  235
  saves £23 million on the benefit itself but results in increased spending on income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit. The net saving is £14 million.

  Benefits (Kilmarnock)
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Kilmarnock in receipt of social security benefits are having deductions made at source for(a) poll tax arrears and (b) loan repayments.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 17 December 1990]: Income support is the only social security benefit from which deductions for community charge arrears may be made. The number of deductions at 30 November 1990 was 536.

  The number of social fund loans being recovered from income support customers in Kilmarnock at 30 November 1990 was 1,648.

  Table 1

  NHS gross spending and proportion of NHS total specific index 1975–76 to 1988–89—Sub-programme specific price indices

  HCHS current price index

  Percentage of table

  NHS capital price index

  Percentage of table

  FPS current price index

  Percentage of table

  NHS price index

  1975–76

  28·8

  71·0

  30·6

  7·7

  28·4

  21·3

  28·8

  1976–77

  13·8

  71·0

  12·0

  7·3

  11·2

  21·7

  13·1

  1977–78

  8·6

  71·9

  14·3

  5·9

  8·6

  22·3

  8·9

  1978–79

  9·6

  71·5

  11·7

  5·9

  13·2

  22·6

  10·5

  1979–80

  20·5

  72·0

  20·7

  5·6

  18·3

  22·5

  20·0

  1980–81

  28·0

  72·6

  25·9

  5·8

  22·4

  21·6

  26·7

  1981–82

  8·2

  71·4

  3·2

  6·3

  10·8

  22·2

  8·5

  1982–83

  6·5

  70·4

  1·6

  6·0

  8·3

  23·6

  6·6

  1983–84

  5·1

  70·1

  2·0

  5·9

  5·1

  24·0

  4·9

  1984–85

  5·8

  69·2

  4·2

  6·2

  7·3

  24·6

  6·1

  1985–86

  5·2

  69·0

  5·9

  6·5

  5·0

  24·5

  5·2

  1986–87

  6·9

  68·9

  5·0

  6·6

  5·2

  24·5

  6·4

  1987–88

  8·5

  69·1

  5·1

  6·2

  7·1

  24·7

  7·9

  1988–89

  10·5

  68·8

  5·8

  6·0

  9·8

  25·2

  10·0

  Notes:

  1. Figures underlying the indices and percentages for 1978–79 and later years are not directly comparable with figures for 1977–78 and earlier years because of the inclusion, since 1978–79 of direct credits and of differences in the composition of different parts of the programme.

  2. The indices shown above cover over 90 per cent. of NHS expenditure. Specific indices are not available for Central Health and Miscellaneous Services and Departmental Administration.

  3. Expenditure on HCHS current and FPS current falls into economic categories (i) and (ii) in the annual Public Expenditure White Paper; expenditure on NHS capital falls into economic category (vii).

  Table 2

  HCHS index disaggregated to show pay and prices separately

  Percentage increase over previous year

  Weighting percentage

  1983–84

  Pay

  5·0

  73·9

  Price

  5·3

  26·1

  Overall

  5·1

  1984–85

  Pay

  5·8

  73·5

  Price

  5·8

  26·5

  Overall

  5·8

  1985–86

  Pay

  5·4

  72·5

  Price

  4·7

  27·5

  Overall

  5·2

  1986–87

  Pay

  8·2

  72·6

  Price

  3·2

  27·4

  Overall

  6·9

HEALTH

  Pay and Prices
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the price indices, disaggregated to the maximum extent possible to match the economic category analysis of the public expenditure White Paper, which underlay his Department's estimates of pay and price inflation over the period 1974–75 to 1988–89; together with the economic category weights for each year used in the calculation of pay and prices indices for(a) national health service total, (b) hospital and community health service current, (c) family practitioner service current and (d) personal social services current and capital.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The following tables give the information which is readily available, disaggregated as far as possible to match the economic categories in the public expenditure White Paper.

  Percentage increase over previous year

  Weighting percentage

  1987–88

  Pay

  9·6

  72·6

  Price

  5·7

  27·4

  Overall

  8·5

  1988–89

  Pay

  12·5

  73·6

  Price

  4·7

  26·4

  Overall

  10·5

  Table 3

  PSS pay and prices index

  Year

  Percentage increase over previous year

  1975–76

  20·3

  1976–77

  13·3

  1977–78

  9·6

  1978–79

  8·3

  1979–80

  17·9

  237

  Year

  Percentage increase over previous year

  1980–81

  20·2

  1981–82

  12·4

  1982–83

  7·2

  1983–84

  5·4

  1984–85

  4·1

  1985–86

  5·6

  1986–87

  4·8

  1987–88

  7·4

  1988–89

  6·7

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average number of beds available within Mid Surrey and East Surrey area health authorities for 1980, 198.5 and 1990 or latest available date.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Average number of beds available daily.

  District Health Authority

  1980

  1985

  1989–90

  Mid Surrey

  2,835

  2,275

  1,872

  East Surrey

  2,666

  2,267

  1,539

  A large proportion of this reduction in beds is a result of the successful implementation of the policy of care in the community for the mentally ill and handicapped. Over the period 1979 to 1989–90, there has been an increase in the numbers of patients treated of 18·5 per cent. in mid-Surrey and 26·1 per cent. in east Surrey.

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

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Since 1974, the annual leave entitlement for qualified nurses has been five weeks a year. Unqualified nursing staff receive four weeks, with an additional two days after five years' service and a further three days after 10 years' service. Staff are also entitled to 10 paid public holidays. Prior to 1974, entitlements varied for different groups of staff and for some groups included public holidays.

  Village Hospitals (Closure)
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many village hospitals have been closed in the Mid-Surrey and East Surrey area health authorities between 1979 and 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There have not been any small hospital (less than 50 beds) closures between 1979 and 1989 in Mid Surrey district health authority. East Surrey closed three small hospitals, Bletchingley hospital (43 beds), Horley hospital (15 beds) and the old East Surrey hospital (48 beds). Services are being concentrated at the new East Surrey district general hospital.

  HIV-AIDS
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to account for the movement of people into metropolitan centres providing specialist treatment for HIV and AIDS in determining the charging system between health authorities for treatment of out-of-area patients.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Earmarked funds to the national health service for the treatment and care of people with HIV infection and AIDS are distributed on the basis of the numbers of live AIDS cases reported in each region. This method of allocation is to continue for 1991–92.

  We are exploring what changes will be needed in arrangements for funding the provision of services for AIDS treatment and care post 1991–92 to take account of the new purchaser-provider functions of health authorities.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist AIDS facilities there are in London.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The majority of acute hospitals in the London area now have experience in looking after people with HIV infection and AIDS. Of these, Westminster (St. Stephen's), St. Mary's, the Middlesex, the Central Middlesex and the Royal Free hospitals have found the need to establish designated beds for the treatment of HIV because of high prevalence in their catchment areas.

  In addition, a range of voluntary sector bodies provide community care for people with HIV and AIDS and have been given substantial Government financial support to assist them in this.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has made in relation to the practice of insurance companies of sometimes not revealing the result of an HIV test to an applicant for life insurance who has undergone a test at the company's request.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have discussed with the Association of British Insurers the procedures which insurers follow when asking an applicant for life insurance to have an HIV test. The Association of British Insurers has also discussed this issue with the Terrence Higgins Trust. The Association of British Insurers produced guidance in 1988 which laid out recommended procedures for counselling, and provided advice on the disclosure of a positive result to an applicant for life insurance. I understand from the Association of British Insurers that it intends to revise its guidance to include advice on the disclosure of negative results.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government have reconsidered their response to the recommendation in the seventh report from the Social Services Committee in Session 1988–89 that issuers should not ask proposers for life insurance whether they have ever had a test for HIV; and what steps the Government have taken since the publication of the report to consider with the insurance industry the effects of asking proposers whether they have ever had a test for HIV.
  239
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 11 December at column 363.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government intend to initiate a voluntary or compulsory process of contact tracing for HIV.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have no plans to institute a mandatory procedure for contact tracing for HIV. It has always been the policy of staff of genito-urinary medicine clinics to counsel people who are HIV-positive of the desirability of informing their partners. Handling must be at the discretion of the staff of the clinics; the wishes of the person concerned are, and must remain, paramount.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds are paid to the voluntary sector for HIV-AIDS work, other than direct grants from his Department.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department makes substantial sums available to both health and local authorities for services for people affected by AIDS-HIV. Authorities are able to use these funds to make grants to voluntary groups in the AIDS field. However this is a matter for local discretion and the Department does not hold central records of such grants made.

  Life Insurance (High-risk Groups)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has made to insurance companies in the United Kingdom in connection with references in the supplementary questionnaire for life insurance applications to high-risk groups established by health authorities; and what consideration he has given, in relation to public education on the risk of HIV infection, about the relative merits of reference to high-risk groups and to high-risk behaviour.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We occasionally hear of letters from insurers which imply, or are taken to imply, that the Government require insurers to send supplementary lifestyle questionnaires to applicants for life insurance. This is not the case, and we bring cases that come to our attention to the Association of British Insurers so that it can take the matter up with the company involved. We no longer refer to risk groups, as it is a person's behaviour which determines whether they are at risk of contracting HIV, not their membership of a particular group in society. Our public education campaign messages reflect this.

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure the publication of statistics regarding the operation of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990; and what statistics will be published.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Under section 7 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is required to send to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State an annual report on the authority's activities. It will be for the authority itself to decide whether and how to publish any statistics.
  240
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that the public are consulted prior to licences being issued under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Responsibility for licensing arrangements will rest with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which was established under section 5 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act. The Act does not require the authority to consult the public prior to the issue of licences.

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that doctors aborting babies of 24 weeks' gestation and more attempt to preserve the baby's life.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The decision as to the most suitable method of treatment in any particular case is a matter for the clinical judgment of the doctor concerned in the light of all the relevant clinical issues and circumstances of the case.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the complication rate associated with mothers undergoing an abortion in the NHS as compared with those undergoing abortion in a private clinic.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The available information is in the following table:—

  Complications of legal abortions to residents and non residents 1989 (England and Wales)

  All Gestations

  NHS Rates per 1,000 abortions

  Non-NHS Rates per 1,000 abortions

  Reported Complication Total

  544

  7·68

  91

  0·80

  Sepsis

  35

  0·49

  2

  0·02

  Haemorrhage

  211

  2·98

  27

  0·24

  Perforation

  120

  1·69

  43

  0·38

  Other

  178

  2·51

  19

  0·17

  This information is derived from the notification forms submitted to the chief medical officer. The Department has sponsored a long-term prospective study by the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists into this matter. Some results were published in 1985 in the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, vol. 35, pages 175–180, appendix III, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies his Department has conducted of the reasons for the rise in the abortion rate from 1969 to 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No studies on this specific issue have been funded by the Department.

  RU 486 Abortion Pill
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what studies his Department has conducted or is aware of concerning the effect on the mental health of the mother of the RU 486 abortion pill;

  (2) in what percentage of cases the use of the RU 486 abortion pill caused abortion without recourse to any further methods of abortion;
  241
  (3) if he will list known short-term side effects on the mother of the RU 486 abortion pill;

  (4) in what percentage of cases the use of the RU 486 abortion pill is supplemented by the use of (a) prostaglandins, (b) surgical methods and (c) both of these;

  (5) what information he has on the effects on the unborn child of the RU 486 abortion pill in those cases where abortion does not occur;

  (6) if he will list the known long-term side-effects on the mother of the RU 486 abortion pill.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I understand that the manufacturer of RU 486 has applied for a product licence under the Medicines Act. Section 118 of that Act precludes the disclosure of any information relating to a produce licence application. However, studies in the use of RU 486 are well documented in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, June 1990,' Vol. 97, pp 480–486 and in The New England Journal of Medicine, March 8 1990, Vol. 322, No. 10 pp 645–648, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

  Day Surgery Facilities
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he intends to issue any guidelines about the proportion of new day surgery facilities which may be used for(a) private and (b) national health service patients.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This is a matter for local decision.

  Mentally Disordered Offenders
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the review of services for mentally disordered offenders.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A review of health and social services for mentally disordered offenders is being undertaken jointly by the Department and the Home Office. We have appointed a steering committee, whose terms of reference are:"To plan, co-ordinate and direct a review of the Health and social services provided in England by the NHS, Special Hospitals Service Authority, and local authorities for mentally disordered offenders (and others requiring similar services without having come before the courts), with a view to determining whether changes are needed in the current level, pattern, or operation of services and identifying ways of promoting such changes, having regard to:
  the development of new management arrangements in the NHS and the proposals for the development of community care;
  the implications for NHS forensic psychiatry of action to follow up the report of the Home Office Efficiency Scrutiny on the Prison Medical Service;
  any relevant recommendations of the inquiry into the Strangeways prison disturbances (the Woolf Inquiry and other prison-related inquiries);
  and including consideration of:
  present arrangements for funding services and service developments, and their possible improvement;
  relevant research studies.
  To produce regular reports to the Department of Health and the Home Office on the progress of the review and its findings, together with its recommendations.
  The review will be essentially concerned with assessing how services should be developed within the framework of existing legislation. It is not intended as a review of the law. However, the steering committee may propose amendments to the law if it considers that they would materially further the longer-term objectives of the review."
  242
  The following have been appointed to membership of the steering committee:

  Dr. J. L. Reed (Senior Principal Medical Officer, Department of Health) (Chairman)

  Mr. R. Baxter (Grade 5, Home Office) (Joint Secretary)

  Professor R. S. Bluglass (Professor of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Birmingham)

  Miss E. A. Crowther (Director of Social Services, City of London)

  Mr. A. J. Davies (Director of Operations, Special Hospitals Service Authority)

  Mr. A. H. Fender (Director of Strategic Planning, Wessex Regional Health Authority)

  Professor J. Gunn (Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry)

  Mr. P. R. Herring (Director of Finance, St. Helens and Knowsley Hospital Trust)

  Mr. I. Jewesbury (Grade 5, Department of Health) (Joint Secretary)

  Mr. L. R. Joyce (Unit General Manager, Mental Illness Care Group, Newcastle Health Authority)

  Dr. J. O'Grady (Consultant Psychiatrist, Newcastle Health Authority)

  Mr. E. Packer (Clerk to Wimbledon Magistrates)

  Mr. J. Parry (Senior Nurse Manager, Regional Forensic Services, Mersey Regional Health Authority)

  Mr. G. W. Smith (Chief Probation Officer, Inner London Probation Service)

  Mr. J. G. Smith (Assistant Chief Inspector, Social Services Inspectorate)

  Mr. J. Tait (Principal Nursing Officer, Department of Health)

  Dr. Pamela M. Taylor (Director of Medical Services, Special Hospitals Service Authority)

  Dr. Rosemary Wool (Director, Prison Medical Service)

  Discussions are in progress with the police and prison services about how those interests might be represented.

  The committee will begin its work early in the new year.

  The review is due to be completed by mid-1992.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will next be reporting under section 11 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have today laid before the House the report required by section 11 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986. This report draws together the major initiatives taken by the Government during 1990 to improve services for people suffering from mental illness and mental handicap.

  During 1990, the Government have authorised extra health and social service expenditure of £154 million over three years on services for people with a mental illness.

  1. The new mental illness specific grant will support revenue expenditure of £90 million by social service departments.

  2. The capital loans fund will provide £50 million to allow health authorities to provide modern facilities to replace long-stay psychiatric hospitals.

  3. The Government has authorised £10 million of capital expenditure by local authorities in 1991–92 to develop facilities for the mentally ill.

  4. The homeless mentally ill initiative will provide capital expenditure of £4 million to tackle the problem of homeless mentally ill people in London.

  In addition to these extra resources, health authorities will be required from April 1991 to have instituted a care programme approach for people being treated in the community. This will ensure that the needs of each patient are assessed and that effective arrangements are made to ensure that those needs are met.
  243
  The Government have also announced a review of services for mentally disordered offenders. I am today announcing the membership of a steering committee whose task will be to review provision for mentally disordered offenders to ensure that they receive care and treatment in hospitals designed to meet their needs, rather than finding their way by default into the criminal justice system.

  This is a record of progress which demonstrates the Government's commitment to provide high-quality locally based services, which meet the needs of people who suffer from mental illness and mental handicap. I expect to make a statement about the further development of services for people with a mental handicap early in 1991.

  Clinical Audit
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to extend the benefits of clinical audit in the national health service beyond the medical and nursing professions.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We welcome efforts by all health care professions to look systematically at the quality and effectiveness of their work. The Department is working with the professional bodies of the clinical psychology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy professions on the development of clinical audit in these fields. Last month, we established an initial research study which will start by examining the feasibility of multidisciplinary audit across these areas. This will report early next year, and will be followed up by further development work. I have no doubt that clinical audit will enable these vital professions to improve the service they give to patients still further, just as it will in medicine and nursing.

  Macfarlane Trusts
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the source of the funding of the £42 million additional payment through the Macfarlane Trusts; and whether this will be met by a fresh allocation to his departmental budget.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The payment will be made from class XIII, vote 3, as have previous payments to the Macfarlane Trusts and subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for this vote will be increased accordingly.

  GPs (Reimbursements)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give an immediate reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside concerning general practitioners' reimbursements.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State replied on 14 December.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners have had their reimbursements stopped in Liverpool in each of the past five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We wrote to the chairman of Liverpool family health services authority on 14 December asking her to supply the hon. Member directly with this information about rent and rates reimbursements.

  Motor Neurone Disease
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that health authorities and local authorities are enabled to respond quickly to the community care needs of people with motor neurone disease.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In November 1988, the Department issued guidance to health and local authorities which drew attention to the particular needs of people with progressive neurological conditions including motor neurone disease. The provisions of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 and the associated policy guidance are designed to ensure collaboration between authorities in drawing up community care plans and in assessing needs for community care on an individual basis.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research his Department has carried out into the incidence of motor neurone disease(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in other developed countries;

  (2) how much his Department spends annually on research into the causes of motor neurone disease;

  (3) what research his Department has carried out or commissioned into the causes of motor neurone disease.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department has not carried out or commissioned research into the causes or the incidence of motor neurone disease. The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the Department of Education and Science.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's estimate of the number of people who have motor neurone disease.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information on the prevalence of motor neurone disease is not collected centrally.

  Ambulance Services
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what criteria appointments were made to the board of the London ambulance service; for how long their appointments will last; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The board of the London ambulance service was appointed by South West Thames regional health authority, which has overall responsibility for the London ambulance service. The five board members were chosen for the contributions they could make to the various activities of the LAS. Four were nominated by the Thames regional health authorities, and one member was the chairman of the former ambulance service panel. Each appointment is for two years.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are permissible for ambulance authorities to pay supplemental housing allowances for their chief officers; how many such arrangements have been approved by him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Health authorities have discretion to determine local conditions of service for senior national health service managers, including chief ambulance officers, subject to any overriding national agreement or direction. There is no applicable central
  245
  agreement providing for housing allowances, nor have Ministers been asked to approve any special arrangements.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will call for a report from the Hertfordshire ambulance service on its practice of charging hospice residents for use of non-emergency services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I understand that Hertfordshire ambulance service is not charging national health service patients for transportation to and from hospices.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings he or officials of his Department have held with the chair and chief officer of the London ambulance service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. and learned Friend the then Secretary of State for Health met the chairman of the London ambulance service on his appointment, and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health met the chief executive of the LAS in October to discuss general issues. Additionally, the Department's ambulance adviser has regular, informal meetings with the chief executive of the LAS.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice is given to ambulance services concerning the purchase of computer information systems; what compatability exists between systems; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  General advice on the procurement of information technology has been issued to the national health service.

  Decisions on the purchase of equipment for ambulance services rest with local health authority management who would have regard to prevailing local strategies for information systems and value for money.

  Hospices
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was paid per year, for each of the last 10 years, by his Department to voluntary hospices, and how much was paid by local health authorities.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on the level of health authority support for hospices is not available in the form requested, but is currently being collected in respect of recent years. In 1988–89, the Department contributed £1·3 million via health authorities towards the cost of pay awards for hospice nurses, and £400,000 via the charitable trust Help the Hospices, to assist projects in short-term financial difficulty. This year it has made an additional allocation of £8 million to health authorities to enable them to increase the support they give to hospices. It has also made the following direct grants to innovative projects offering a range of services for people with AIDS:

  £ thousands

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  London Lighthouse:

  Capital

  1,250

  —

  —

  —

  Revenue

  100

  170

  300

  300

  Mildmay Mission Hospital:

  Capital

  321

  —

  —

  —

  Revenue

  29

  162

  98

  —

  Commissioning costs

  —

  94

  32

  —

  246

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Total

  1,700

  426

  430

  300

  An announcement will be made early in the new year about Government funding for hospices in 1991–92.

  Accident and Emergency Departments
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will visit the accident and emergency department at King's college hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. Management at Camberwell health authority fully accept that the current situation in the accident and emergency department is unacceptable and is addressing the problems as a matter of urgency. A new facility to accommodate patients who cannot immediately be admitted to a hospital bed will be opened shortly.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has concerning the maximum time people stay(a) nationally and (b) broken down by area in accident and emergency before being admitted to wards or theatres for urgent treatment.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not available centrally.

  Food Irradiation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he intends to give to hospitals about the use of irradiated food; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No specific guidance on the use of irradiated food in hospitals is being issued. In common with all other catering establishments health authorities who choose to use irradiated products will be required to so inform consumers under the requirements of the Food Labelling (Amendment) (Irradiated Food) Regulations 1990.

  Terminal Illness
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice is given by his Department concerning the definition of appropriate care for the terminally ill between community care and health care; who has the responsibility of resolving any disagreement between local social services and health authorities on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The White Paper, "Caring for People", published in November 1989, makes it clear that health authorities are responsible for the medical and nursing component of care for people who are terminally ill, and that support for hospice care remains with health authorities. Social services authorities have responsibility for arranging the social care and support which may be needed by terminally ill people living in the community. It is for health and local authorities to determine how these responsibilities will be discharged. The Department's policy guidance, "Community Care in the Next Decade and Beyond", published in November 1990, a copy of which is available in the Library, emphasises the need for effective collaboration.

  Mental Illness
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost per head in each health region of(a) in-patient treatments of mental illness, (b) out-patient and

  Expenditure per head per annum of resident population

  Region

  Hospital services—psychiatric other than mental handicap

  General Practitioner

  Patients using a bed £

  Outpatients £

  Day care £

  prescribing £

  Northern

  17·98

  1·21

  1·34

  1·85

  Yorkshire

  15·77

  1·03

  1·38

  1·80

  Trent

  16·06

  0·81

  1·17

  1·36

  East Anglian

  15·81

  1·20

  1·39

  1·17

  North West Thames

  21·85

  1·54

  1·02

  1·27

  North East Thames

  20·70

  2·03

  1·39

  1·21

  South East Thames

  18·45

  0·80

  1·19

  1·33

  South West Thames

  20·50

  1·04

  1·10

  1·40

  Wessex

  15·04

  0·36

  1·14

  1·43

  Oxford

  11·47

  0·90

  1·23

  1·03

  South Western

  14·86

  0·62

  1·14

  1·55

  West Midlands

  14·69

  0·87

  1·02

  1·42

  Mersey

  22·21

  0·93

  1·23

  1·69

  North Western

  18·61

  1·17

  1·94

  1·82

  Sources:

  (a) Hospital services—1988–89 financial returns submitted to the Department by district health authorities in England.

  (b) General Practitioner prescribing—prescription cost analysis by the Department for 1989 (calendar year).

  (c) Mid year estimates of resident populations 1988—Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys.
  248
  day care treatment of mental illness and (c) general practitioner-prescribed prescription costs for treatments of stress, anxiety and depression.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 11 December 1990]: The latest available expenditure data are shown in the table.

  REFUGEE CHILDREN: PROVISION
  REFUGEE CHILDREN: PROVISION
  TRAINING ENTERPRISE COUNCILS
  TRAINING ENTERPRISE COUNCILS
  CRIMINAL RECORDS: PUBLIC ACCESS
  CRIMINAL RECORDS: PUBLIC ACCESS
  WAR CRIMES
  WAR CRIMES
  ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES: RECEPTION CENTRES
  ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES: RECEPTION CENTRES
  HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT SUBSIDY DETERMINATIONS
  HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT SUBSIDY DETERMINATIONS
  ACCOUNTANCY BODIES: RECOGNITION APPLICATIONS
  ACCOUNTANCY BODIES: RECOGNITION APPLICATIONS