Written Answers of 19 February 1990

ENVIRONMENT

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what savings have been made across local government as a whole as a result of subjecting local authority contracts to competitive tendering.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No precise figures are available at present. However, the Audit Commission's occasional paper "Preparing for Compulsory Competition" published in January last year indicated that local authorities can obtain savings of 20 per cent. or more in contract price, irrespective of whether work has been won by the private sector or by an authority's own work force.

  PSA and Crown Suppliers
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of financial decisions relating to the privatisation of the Property Services Agency and the Crown Suppliers.

  Mr. Chope
  Financial decisions in relation to the Crown Suppliers privatisation are expected to be taken in the first half of this year. It is too early to say when those in relation to PSA privatisation will be taken.

  Global Warming
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the Government are doing through their various agencies to combat global warming; and what is the total sum spent on this in the current year.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department is taking, through its various agencies, to combat global warming; and what is the total to be spent on this in the current year.

  Mr. Trippier
  Among many initiatives, the Government actively support the work of the inter-governmental panel on climate change and are leading efforts to gain support for an international framework convention on climate change. We have also taken the lead in international initiatives to phase out the production and consumption of CFCs which are important greenhouse gases. We have amended the Building Regulations to improve the energy efficiency of new houses and announced the establishment of a new centre for the prediction of climate change. In 1990–91 my Department expects to spend over £6 million on climate change-related research and we are contributing £750,000 to the work of the inter-governmental panel on climate change. Other Departments also have important programmes on global warming, for example, the Overseas Development Administration's support for projects to conserve the tropical forests and the research funded by the Department of Education and Science through the research councils.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in order of percentage loss or gain the grant-related expenditure for the standard spending assessments allocations for all English districts in 1989–90 and 1990–91; and if he will list for each the proportion of the population of each authority living in urban areas.

  Mr. Chope
  I have today placed in the Library a table showing the information requested on grant-related expenditure assessments and standard spending assessments for all non-metropolitan districts in England. I cannot provide information on the proportion of the population living in urban areas as there is no standard way of classifying such areas.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the rate proposed for 1990–91 and the average rate per head payable in the current year for Castle Point district council.

  Mr. Chope
  I estimate that the average domestic rate bill per adult for Castle Point is about £318 in 1989–90. I have no firm information on the proposed community charge for 1990–91.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the rate proposed for 1990–91 and the average rate per head payable in the current year in Southend-on-Sea.

  Mr. Chope
  I estimate that the average domestic rate bill per adult for Southend-on-Sea is about £363 in 1989–90. I have no firm information on the proposed community charge for 1990–91.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the rate proposed for 1990–91 and the average rate per head payable in the current year for Wealden district council.

  Mr. Chope
  I estimate that the average domestic rate bill per adult for Wealden is about £292 in 1989–90. I have no firm information on the proposed community charge for 1990–91.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what considerations informed the decision to treat business and domestic property in a different manner in respect of rates.

  Mr. Chope
  I refer the hon. Member to our Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) published in January 1986, and our explanations during parliamentary consideration of what is now the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will provide figures for inner London and outer London of the amount of poll tax payable in 1990–91 per adult as against rates, together with the contribution made by the safety net.

  Mr. Chope
  I have no information on 1990–91 community charges payable in inner or outer London. Tables showing the information requested but based on assumed community charges were placed in the Library on 11 January.
  477
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how, with reference to paragraph 3.36 of his Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England), the figure of £59·11 is arrived at; how poll tax payers and council officials can check its validity; and what effect the choice of this figure has on the standard spending assessment arrived at for Grimsby.

  Mr. Chope
  The figure referred to in the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England) was determined by my right hon. Friend after full consultation with local authority representatives. It accounts for £82 per adult of Great Grimsby's SSA.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how, with reference to paragraph 3.40 of his Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England), the figure of £5·56 is arrived at; how poll tax payers and council officials may check its validity; and what effect the choice of this figure has on the SSA arrived at for Grimsby;

  (2) how, with reference to paragraph 3.40 of his Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England), the figure of £9·56 is arrived at; how poll tax payers and council officials may check its validity; and what effect the choice of this figure has on the SSA arrived at for Grimsby;

  (3) how, with reference to paragraph 3.40 of his Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England), the figure of £4·35 is arrived at; how poll tax payers and council officials may check its validity; and what effect the choice of this figure has on the SSA arrived at for Grimsby.

  Mr. Chope
  The figures referred to in the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England) were determined by my right hon. Friend after full consultation with local authority representatives. They are used to calculate the other services SSA element for county councils. Following this calculation, there is a transfer of £1 per adult to all districts in the county of Humberside, including Great Grimsby.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the total poll tax figure appropriate to Grimsby; and what account he has taken of(a) the kind of service, (b) the social and economic problems of the area, (c) the state of housing stock and (d) levels of unemployment, poverty, single-parent families and homelessness in arriving at it.

  Mr. Chope
  All charging authorities, including Grimsby, could set a community charge of £278 (before the safety net and special grants) in 1990–91 if they and the authorities precepting on the collection fund in their area spent at the level of their standard spending assessments. The assessment for each notifiable authority takes account of the services provided by that authority as set out in the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England). That report also sets out the indicators used to calculate SSAs, such as social conditions (including housing conditions), low incomes and single-parent families, and the weight given to each.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much Lambeth council will receive from the uniform business rate, revenue grant and other non-poll tax sources of revenue for 1990–91.

  Mr. Chope
  Lambeth charge payers will benefit from revenue support grant, business rates and inner London 478
  education grant paid to help meet the cost of services provided by Lambeth, the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority and the Metropolitan police. In 1990–91 these will amount to £174,276,383, £50,465,924 and £9,475,207, respectively.

  Lambeth council will also receive specific grants from the Government to help meet specific expenditure. Lambeth can raise revenue through its own fees and charges for services provided.

  Some charge payers in Lambeth will pay a reduced community charge as a result of community charge benefit and transitional relief, which will be paid for by the Government.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in the past 12 months from officials or members of Suffolk county council relating to the size of Government grant for 1990–91; and what inquiries his Department has made to date into the spending plans of Suffolk for 1990–91.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received two written representations from members of Suffolk county council; one in July 1989 concerning total standard spending, grant distribution and the safety net; the other in November 1989 concerning Suffolk's standard spending assessment, new duties of local authorities and the safety net. In addition, I met my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) to discuss Suffolk's representations.

  No inquiries have been made specifically to Suffolk county council about its spending plans for 1990–91, but all authorities have been requested to supply to the Department details of their budgets within seven days of their budget decision.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of his figure of £176·40 per head for Tonbridge and Mailing, given in his reply to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Mailing on 30 January,Official Report, column 178, into its main components.

  Mr. David Hunt
  It is not possible to provide the breakdown requested. There are no components of revenue support grant. Grant is unhypothecated and is paid to receiving authorities in support of the revenue expenditure of authorities in their area.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Durham, North-West on 5 February,Official Report, columns 431–32, what is the corresponding amount and proportion of the education component of grant-related expenditure assessments 1989–90 for each authority which derives from the operation of factors relating to the payment of London weighting and other cost differences between London and surrounding areas and the rest of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is shown in the table:
  479

  Amount and proportion of the 1989–90 education grant related expenditure assessment (adjusted for changes in function between 1989–90 and 1990–91) deriving from the London based area cost adjustment factor

  Authority

  Amount of education GRE derived from the area cost adjustment in £ millions

  Percentage of education GRE derived from the area cost adjustment

  City of London

  0·054

  9·1

  Camden

  3·455

  9·1

  Greenwich

  5·386

  9·1

  Hackney

  5·976

  9·1

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2·986

  9·1

  Islington

  4·204

  9·1

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1·950

  9·1

  Lambeth

  6·907

  9·1

  Lewisham

  5·632

  9·1

  Southwark

  5·577

  9·1

  Tower Hamlets

  5·978

  9·1

  Wandsworth

  5·510

  9·1

  Westminster

  2·802

  9·1

  Barking and Dagenham

  3·683

  8·6

  Barnet

  4·767

  6·3

  Bexley

  3·986

  6·3

  Brent

  7·617

  8·6

  Bromley

  4·613

  6·3

  Croydon

  5·591

  6·3

  Ealing

  7·373

  8·6

  Enfield

  4·925

  6·3

  Haringey

  5·332

  8·6

  Harrow

  3·479

  6·3

  Havering

  4·294

  6·3

  Hillingdon

  3·958

  6·3

  Hounslow

  3·761

  6·3

  Kingston upon Thames

  2·106

  6·3

  Merton

  3·538

  8·6

  Newham

  7·011

  8·6

  Redbridge

  4·000

  6·3

  Richmond upon Thames

  2·020

  6·3

  Sutton

  2·777

  6·3

  Waltham Forest

  4·232

  6·3

  Berkshire

  2·584

  1·2

  Buckinghamshire

  1·245

  0·7

  Essex

  4·251

  1·0

  Hertfordshire

  5·785

  2·1

  Kent

  1·366

  0·3

  Surrey

  6·239

  2·6

  West Sussex

  0·734

  0·4

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will set out a table showing for each year since 1979 the direct total grants made to Waveney district council in(a) cash terms, (b) constant price terms and (c) cash terms per head of population;

  (2) if he will set out a table showing for each year since 1981 the direct total grants made to Suffolk county council in (a) cash terms, (b) constant price terms and (c) cash terms per head of population.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is as follows:
  480

  Direct Revenue Grants—1 Waveney

  Cash Terms1

  Constant Price Terms 1981–822

  Cash Terms per Head of Population £

  (£ million)

  (£ million)

  1981–82

  3·308

  3·308

  33

  1982–83

  3·611

  3· 368

  36

  1983–84

  3·947

  3·517

  39

  1984–85

  4·298

  3·649

  42

  1985–86

  4·416

  3·570

  43

  1986–87

  4·862

  3·789

  46

  1987–88

  5·216

  3·860

  49

  1988–89

  5·382

  3·714

  51

  1989–90

  5·815

  3·750

  55

  1 Excluding Domestic Rate Relief Grant.

  2 Using GDP Deflator.

  Direct Revenue Grants—1 Suffolk

  Cash Terms1

  Constant Price Terms 1981–822

  Cash Terms per Head of Population £

  (£ million)

  (£ million)

  1981–82

  90·036

  90·036

  150

  1982–83

  93·920

  87·599

  155

  1983–84

  94·948

  84·608

  155

  1984–85

  97·534

  82·797

  158

  1985–86

  90·914

  73·240

  146

  1986–87

  92·285

  71·927

  147

  1987–88

  98·124

  72·622

  155

  1988–89

  104·403

  72·049

  163

  1989–90

  99·397

  64·101

  156

  1 Excluding Domestic Rate Relief Grant.

  2 Using GDP Deflator.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will set out a table showing for each year since 1979 the expenditure of Waveney district council in(a) cash terms, (b) constant price terms and(c) cash terms per head of population;

  (2) if he will set out a table showing for each year since 1981 the expenditure of Suffolk county council in (a) cash terms, (b) constant price terms and (c) cash terms per head of population.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is as follows:

  Net current expenditure—Waveney

  Cash terms

  Real terms 1981–82 prices1

  Cash terms per head2

  £ million

  £ million

  £

  1981–82

  3·360

  3·360

  34

  1982–83

  3·815

  3·558

  38

  1983–84

  4·299

  3·831

  42

  1984–85

  4·437

  3·767

  43

  1985–86

  4·820

  3·883

  47

  1986–87

  5·204

  4·056

  50

  1987–88

  5·524

  4·088

  52

  1988–89

  5·905

  4·075

  55

  1989–90

  6·694

  4·316

  63

  Net current expenditure—Suffolk

  Cash terms

  Real terms 1981–82 prices1

  Cash terms per head2

  £ million

  £ million

  £

  1981–82

  161·042

  161·042

  268

  1982–83

  175·258

  163·463

  289

  1983–84

  186·098

  165·832

  304

  1984–85

  195·393

  165·869

  317

  1985–86

  205·461

  165·519

  329

  1986–87

  223·867

  174·482

  356

  1987–88

  243·835

  180·462

  384

  1988–89

  266·449

  183·876

  417

  1989–90

  280·023

  180·587

  438

  481
  1Using the gross domestic product deflator to convert from cash values to constant prices.

  2Population figures used to derive per capita values are latest available office of Population Censuses and Surveys mid year estimates of total population.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the standard spending assessment totals for 1990–91 for each service within(a) the district other services block and (b) the county other services block for the London borough of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Neither the SSA element for the district other services block nor the SSA element for the county other services block is broken down between sub-services within the element. The services covered by each element are listed in annex D to the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England). The figures for the two elements for Westminster are:

  £ million

  District level services

  51·583

  County level services

  14·819

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his plans for regulations concerning the disclosure of anonymous poll tax data will give community charges registration offices the option of whether to disclose data; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The limited amount of personal information that may be disclosed and the circumstances in which such information may not be disclosed are prescribed in part II of the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 12 February,Official Report, column 56, if he will make an estimate of the monetary value of the shift in the burden of business rates from the north to (a) the London boroughs and (b) the London borough of Hillingdon.

  Mr. Chope
  I estimate that as a result of the revaluation and move to a uniform poundage, the non-domestic rate burden in the north will reduce substantially. The table below shows the aggregate reduction at 1989–90 prices in rate bills in the northern regions and the corresponding increases in London. The figures make no allowance for the effect of the transitional arrangements and are based on the rating lists deposited on 20 December 1989.

  Change in non-domestic rate burden

  £ million

  North West region

  290

  Northern region

  140

  Yorkshire and Humberside region

  150

  Inner London authorities

  610

  Outer London boroughs

  20

  On the same basis, I estimate that non-domestic ratepayers in Hillingdon will face increases of about £13 million.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a revised 482
  version of table 5 in the analysis of the effect of the new business rating system published by his Department on 20 December 1989, showing changes in rate bills by English region for the property of private business and nationalised industries.

  Mr. Chope
  The analysis to which my hon. Friend refers, a copy of which is in the Library (Deposited Paper NS 5522), relates to properties occupied by private businesses and nationalised industries. Table 5 of the paper, unlike the other tables, inadvertently included property occupied by local authorities. I am therefore, as my hon. Friend asks, placing in the Library a revised table covering the property of private businesses and nationalised industries only.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply is being sent to the letter to the Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities of 29 January on Manchester and the poll tax from the leader of Manchester city council.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 13 February 1990]: I have replied to the letter of 29 January from the leader of Manchester city council making clear that high community charges in Manchester would not be the result of our settlement but due solely to the council's own budget decisions. I have pointed out to Mr. Stringer that a community charge of £700 plus which he has argued would be needed to keep services in Manchester running at this year's level implies expenditure in 1990–91 more than 40 per cent. higher than the comparable amount for this year. Even charges of £450 or a little below would imply increases in spending approaching some 20 per cent. Under the settlement Manchester receives an increase in SSA over GRE of 13·3; per cent.—the highest increase for all metropolitan districts.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue guidance to those responsible for administering the community charge in Bradford and elsewhere that application forms for rebates should be made available in bulk to local advice agencies, including citizens advice bureaux and law centres.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have been asked to reply.

  Local authorities have statutory responsibility for the administration of the community charge benefit. It is for each authority to decide where claim forms should be made available.

  Local Government Staffing
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out a table showing for each year since 1979 the(a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) total staffing levels of Waveney district council.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is as follows:

  Waveney district council: staffing levels at June

  Full-Time

  Part-Time

  Total

  1979

  819

  79

  898

  1980

  746

  74

  820

  1981

  742

  86

  828

  1982

  725

  74

  799

  1983

  750

  103

  853

  1984

  722

  87

  809

  1985

  743

  110

  853

  483

  Full-Time

  Part-Time

  Total

  1986

  773

  108

  881

  1987

  778

  115

  893

  1988

  789

  113

  902

  1989

  781

  129

  910

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out a table showing for each year since 1981(a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) total staffing levels of Suffolk county council.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is as follows:

  Suffolk County Council: Staffing Levels at June

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Total

  1981

  11,625

  9,868

  21,493

  1982

  11,479

  9,504

  20,983

  1983

  11,595

  9,929

  21,524

  1984

  11,521

  10,169

  21,690

  1985

  11,463

  10,371

  21,834

  1986

  11,394

  10,954

  22,348

  1987

  11,463

  11,598

  23,061

  1988

  11,397

  12,338

  23,735

  1989

  11,207

  12,017

  23,224

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the payment of grants to owners of sites of special scientific interest for the purposes of(a) preventing damage to, and (b) enhancing, the nature conservation interest of the land.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government encourage the Nature Conservancy Council to use the powers set out in section 15 of the Countryside Act 1968 to protect and enhance the nature conservation interest of sites of special scientific interest and its powers to assist financially any person to carry out any project which is conducive to nature conservation interests.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current statutory seaward limit of sites of special scientific interest in tidal waters.

  Mr. Trippier
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to increase the sentences and penalties available to magistrates courts under part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in line with the proposals contained in the recent White Paper on criminal justice.

  Mr. Trippier
  There are at present no plans to do so. The level of fine on summary conviction for offences under part 1 of the Act against the most vulnerable species is set out at the current statutory maximum.

  Large Combustion Plants
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the targets set by the European Community directive on large combustion plants.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government have agreed to the European Community directive on large combustion plants. It commits us to reducing sulphur dioxide 484
  emissions from existing plants by 20 per cent. by 1993, 40 per cent. by 1998 and 60 per cent. by 2003 from their 1980 base line, and emissions of nitrogen oxides by 15 per cent. by 1993 and 30 per cent. by 1998, as well as setting stringent emissions standards for new plants. My Department issued a consultation paper on 31 August 1989 explaining in detail our proposals for implementing the directive. A copy of the paper is in the Library of the House.

  Gipsies
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons he issued a direction in November 1989 under section 9 of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 to Hertfordshire county council requiring it to provide sites for a further 110 caravans for gipsies residing in or resorting to the county; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment directed Hertfordshire, in November 1988, because of the county council's lack of progress in making adequate site provision for those gipsies residing in, or resorting to, its area.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has written to local authorities drawing their attention to the direction issued to Hertfordshire county council under section 9 of the Caravan Sites Act 1968.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has written to other poor-performing local authorities drawing their attention to the direction issued to Hertfordshire, and has since directed Surrey county council in similar terms.

  Wild Birds
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish such records as are kept of the numbers of protected wild birds destroyed annually by those so authorised by him;

  (2) to what extent he authorises the destruction of wild birds from time to time that are otherwise protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act; to whom such authorisations are granted; and why the exemptions are made.

  Mr. Trippier
  Details of the numbers of birds killed under licences granted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, where known, are included in the Government's annual reports to the European Commission of derogations made under the EEC directive on the conservation of wild birds. Copies of the reports are available in the Library and are circulated to interested bodies.

  Licences to kill wild birds are granted to relevant individuals and authorities principally to preserve public health or public or air safety, to prevent the spread of disease, or to prevent serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber or fisheries.

  Beaches
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the Government's current plans to deal with the pollution of Britain's beaches.
  485
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  There are investment programmes totalling £1·4 billion at November 1989 prices to improve bathing water quality. It is expected that 95 per cent. of bathing waters will comply with EEC standards by the mid-1990s, and the full compliance programmes should be completed within 10 years.

  House of Commons (Repairs)
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there is a cash limit on the amount of money to be spent on minor repairs at the House of Commons in 1989–90.

  Mr. Chope
  Minor repairs to the parliamentary estate are funded from class XX, vote 18 which is cash limited.

  AEG grades

  Support grades

  Stores grades

  Totals

  Total number of eligible staff as at 3 February 1990

  446

  45

  13

  504

  Total number non-respondents

  10

  1

  1

  12

  Number who have opted to second

  304

  30

  12

  346

  Percentage who have opted to second

  68

  66

  92

  69

  Number who have opted to leave TCS before privatisation

  122

  11

  0

  133

  Percentage who have opted to leave TCS before privatisation

  27

  24

  —

  26

  Number who have opted to transfer outright to purchaser

  10

  3

  0

  13

  Percentage who have opted to transfer outright to purchaser

  2

  7

  —

  3

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received seeking a guaranteed minimum level of Crown business to the privatised Crown Suppliers.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 14 February 1990]: None.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the buying agency business line of the Crown Suppliers needs to be adopted by a Crown Department if it is to be able to continue serving public sector needs after privatisation.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 14 February 1990]: Individual Government Departments, including the Crown Suppliers are already responsible for ensuring that public sector procurement procedures are complied with. Following privatisation any Government Department will be able to employ the Crown Suppliers to act as its agent to carry out these procedures on its behalf.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the percentages and absolute numbers of Liverpool staff who opted for secondment to the privatised Crown Suppliers before the provision of a guaranteed job back in the Civil Service; and how many opted for secondment after that guarantee was given.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 14 February 1990]: Of the 95 Liverpool staff who were eligible, 12(13 per cent.) opted originally for secondment to the purchaser of the Crown Suppliers. Of the 96 Liverpool staff who are eligible today, 57(59 per cent.) have now opted for secondment.

  Bed-and-Breakfast Accommodation
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest figure for the number of people living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in Manchester.

  Mr. Chope
  Such statistics are not maintained by my Department. Manchester city council operates policies which avoid putting homeless families into bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

  Crown Suppliers
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a percentage and absolute number breakdown by grade of the final responses of the administrative and executive grades, stores and support grades to the Crown Suppliers secondment exercise.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 14 February 1990]: Following is the information:

  Conferences
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department will be represented at the conference on liability under environment legislation, organised by the Institute for International Research, to be held in London on 27 to 28 February.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 16 February 1990]: No.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the impact of the uniform business rate and the non-domestic revaluation on properties in the areas of urban programme authorities, overall and by type of property.

  Mr. Chope
  Businesses in the areas of the 57 urban programme local authorities in England will on average face substantially lower rate bills as a result of the new system of business rating. At the uniform business rate of 34·8p for 1990–91, the aggregate rate bills of such businesses would be £508 million or 16·3 per cent. lower than in 1989–90 before transition. Most classes of property benefit on average from lower bills. All businesses will have the guarantee that the uniform business rate will in future rise by no more than the rate of inflation. These reforms will therefore give a major fillip to businesses in inner-city areas.

  The full figures requested by my hon. Friend are as follows:
  487

  Aggregate of old rate bills

  Aggregate of new rate bills (before transition)

  Change

  Change

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Percentage

  Shops

  659·8

  639·7

  -20·2

  -3·1

  Offices

  553·9

  499·5

  -54·3

  -9·8

  Factories

  765·7

  447·4

  -318·3

  -41·6

  Warehouses

  393·4

  263·5

  -129·9

  -33·0

  Other properties

  744·6

  759·5

  14·9

  2·0

  All properties

  3,117·4

  2,609·6

  -507·8

  -16·3

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest information he has on the famine situation in Ethiopia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  As the House knows, up to 4 million people are at increasing risk and some 1·1 million tonnes of food aid will be required up to the end of October of which about half has already been pledged. Our critical objectives remain to get the earliest distribution of food particularly within Tigré, as agreed on 18 January, and to find a speedy route towards the end of fighting and a negotiated solution.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is being offered to the inhabitants of Tigréand Wollo in northern Ethiopia; and what steps are being taken to ensure that such assistance is getting through.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Since the middle of 1989, we have made commitments of food and other emergency assistance to the value of some £5·8 million for the benefit of those threatened by famine in Tigré. This assistance is being channelled through British non-governmental organisations which have long experience of work of this kind in Ethiopia. The world food programme is also advising on the situation and how best to ensure that the food aid reaches those for whom it is intended. Because of the military situation in Wollo, it has not so far been possible to provide aid to that region.

  Cambodia
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what United Kingdom assistance has been given to the non-Communist resistance in Cambodia in the past 12 months.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Since 1 March 1989 a total of £702,000 has been provided, mainly through UNBRO and British NGOs, for non-Communist Cambodians living in camps on the Thai border.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement about Government policy on(a) bilateral and (b) multilateral aid to Cambodia; and whether he will give details of Britain's contribution to date in each case for the current financial year.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his officials' recent visit to Cambodia.
  488
  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Motherwell, North (Dr. Reid) on 15 February at column 351.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure that food is not being sent from United Nations Border Relief Organisation camps on the Thai-Cambodia border to Khmer Rouge soldiers.

  Mr. Tom Clarke.
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further investigations have been made on reports of the diversion of food and other aid to Khmer Rouge soldiers fighting in Cambodia, from the camps on the Thai-Cambodia border.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have repeatedly sought and been given assurances by UNBRO that food and other aid supplies intended for families and ordinary people in Thai-Cambodia border camps are not diverted, either directly or indirectly to the Khmer Rouge.

  I saw the camps for myself last week and reiterated our concern. UNBRO officials assured me that they were taking all possible steps to ensure that supplies went to the people for whom they were intended and that they were looking again at their monitoring procedures. British embassy officials based in Bangkok also visit the camps regularly to monitor the situation.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's consideration of the issues raised in the report by the International Monetary Fund staff report for the 1989 article IV consultation, 11 August 1989, on Vietnam's economy.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government welcome the positive initial steps taken by the Vietnamese authorities towards more market-oriented policies.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what programme of aid Her Majesty's Government have developed for Vietnam.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to re-establish a bilateral aid programme with Vietnam.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government have provided some assistance to Vietnam to help the people who are returning to resettle there. As I said in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) on 16 January, consideration is also being given to whether the time is right to provide support for community development programmes administered by British non-governmental organisations in Vietnam.

  Debt
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much debt owed by developing countries Her Majesty's Government propose to write off in this coming year.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have already cancelled the old aid debt of 23 countries, and rescheduled on concessional terms other official debt of 12 countries. The 1988 Toronto summit agreed to provide such debt relief to the poorest countries pursuing economic reforms, and we expect more to benefit in 1990.

  South Africa
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors determine Britain's aid programme to South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Our aid programme is a practical demonstration of our commitment to promote fundamental change leading to the creation of a just, democratic and non-racial society in South Africa. It is helping to prepare for the day when South Africa's black citizens will be playing the major role in government and in economic development. Our programmes are planned and implemented directly with community groups, nongovernmental organisations and some universities.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent visit to South Africa by the Minister for Overseas Development.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the recent visit to Johannesburg by the Minister for Overseas Development.

  Mrs. Chalker
  While in Johannesburg on 30 January I visited the Alexandra health centre, which is one of over 200 community projects that we support in South Africa. I met many of the teachers involved in the Molteno literacy project which we have helped for nearly 10 years and which has developed teaching materials now in use in well over 5,000 primary schools. I also visited the new British Council offices.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Minister for Overseas Development's visit to southern Africa and the Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Committee.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 15 February at column 352 to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway).

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of United Kingdom aid given to ex-Communist countries to liberalise their economies is given on a multilateral basis.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have only just started giving aid to the reforming countries of eastern Europe, and precise statistics are accordingly not yet available. But a substantial proportion of the United Kingdom's aid to eastern Europe will be given multilaterally.
  490
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds are being made available for students from central and eastern Europe to study development economics in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Chalker
  No funds are currently set aside specifically for this purpose. However some £750,000 will be available in 1990–91 for students from eastern Europe and the Soviet Union to study in Great Britain through the FCO scholarships and awards scheme. Applications from students wishing to study development economics will be considered along with other applications.

  In addition, we hope to establish a general scholarships programme through the know-how funds. This will be administered by the British Council. Detailed proposals are awaited and no financial limits have yet been set. Development economics will certainly be a discipline in which training will be eligible for support.

  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that in all future years aid to eastern Europe will be additional to aid for developing countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government's substantial economic support for eastern Europe is entirely separate from and additional to our regular aid programme. We shall maintain our substantial aid programme to developing countries.

  Brazil
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest discussions with Brazil on rain forest matters.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have continued our discussions with Brazilian institutions on the details of individual project proposals and several project proposals are now being considered by the Brazilian Government. We expect the Brazilian Government to approve the first project under the memorandum of understanding, a research project to investigate the relationship between deforestation and climate, involving the Institute of Hydrology, within the next few days. We hope to reach agreement shortly on some of the other projects which could then begin in the second quarter of the year.

  Black Rhino
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid is directed toward programmes aimed at protecting the black rhino.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In my answer to the hon. Member of 29 November 1989,Official Report, column 257, I referred to the list, placed in the Library of the House, of wildlife conservation activities in general in Africa in which we are involved. This includes the funding of a gamewarden to co-ordinate the Kenya rhino rescue project. We are now actively considering ways in which we may be of further help in conserving rhino in Tanzania.

  Tibet
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether in the forthcoming year Her Majesty's Government will fund a cultural or medical aid package to Tibet.
  491
  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government have no plans to fund a cultural or medical aid package to Tibet.

  Bangladesh
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was discussed with the Government of Bangladesh during the Minister for Overseas Development's recent visit.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 15 February, column 350.

  Food Production
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the overseas aid programme contains any provision for developing new technologies to increase food production in developing countries.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Overseas Development Administration is taking to increase food production in developing countries through research on sustainable systems of agriculture.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution is made through research and development funded from the aid programme to efforts in developing countries to improve food production.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I regard research on sustainable agricultural systems for developing countries and its dissemination as an important part of the British aid programme. The Overseas Development Administration has recently published a new "Strategy for Research on Renewable Natural Resources", a copy of which I have placed in the Library of the House. This strategy lays stress on the need for all natural resources research programmes to take account of factors which make for sustainable and environmentally sound development. Total expenditure on renewable natural resources research under the Overseas Development Administration research strategy in FY 1989–90, including contributions to the programmes of international agricultural research centres, will be some £19 million, of which nearly 90 per cent. will be related to food production and the technologies needed to increase it. Specific research programmes which bear directly on agricultural sustainability will include among others farming systems, agroforestry and soil science, and will be carried out at centres of excellence such as the Overseas Development Natural Resources Institute and the Oxford Forestry Institute. The transfer and adaptation of newly developed technologies is assisted through our bilateral country programmes.

  India
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the quality of Her Majesty's492
  Government's aid programme to India, in view of the recently published investigation carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. Dunnachie) on 15 February at column 351.

  Children's Education
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the United Kingdom aid budget is spent on education; how much of this is spent on primary education; and whether he has any plans to increase spending in this area.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In 1988, expenditure on technical co-operation in education, including sums provided to the British Council amounting to £42 million, came to about £95 million or 23 per cent. of total technical co-operation. Some £1·7 million or 0·4 per cent. of total technical co-operation was specifically for primary education, but there are other projects which benefit both primary and other areas of education. Some £6·5 million or 3·2 per cent. of the ODA total financial project aid was spent on education; £1·1 million or 0·6 per cent. was on primary education. In determining how much the ODA spends on the various levels of education in each recipient country it takes into account existing or proposed projects by those organisations.

  We shall wish to discuss with Education Ministers of Commonwealth countries at the Commonwealth conference of Education Ministers in Barbados later this year what proportion of our assistance they wish us to commit to primary education. We shall undertake discussions with other Governments in the light of the forthcoming world conference on education for all.

  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the proportion of children worldwide who fail to undertake or complete primary education.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The following information on the percentage of children enrolled in primary education is taken from the World Bank world development report 1989. In an explanatory note the report states that the figures are estimates of children of all ages enrolled in primary schools. Figures are expressed as the percentage of pupils to the population of school age children. Figures in italics are for years other than those specified. While many countries consider primary school age to be six to 11 years, others do not. The differences in country practices in the ages and duration of schooling are reflected in the figures given. For some countries with universal primary education the gross enrolment figures may exceed 100 per cent. because some pupils are younger or older than the country's standard primary school age.

  I have no information on the number of children who fail to complete the period of primary education.
  493

  Primary

  Total

  Male

  Female

  1965

  1986

  1965

  1986

  1965

  1986

  Low-income economies

  173

  1103

  —

  1113

  —

  192

  China and India

  183

  1113

  —

  1124

  —

  1101

  Other low-income

  149

  176

  160

  183

  137

  168

  1. Ethiopia

  11

  36

  16

  44

  6

  28

  2. Bhutan

  7

  23

  13

  29

  1

  17

  3. Chad

  34

  43

  56

  61

  13

  24

  4. Zaire

  70

  —

  95

  —

  45

  —

  5. Bangladesh

  49

  60

  67

  69

  31

  50

  6. Malawi

  44

  64

  55

  72

  32

  55

  7. Nepal

  20

  79

  36

  104

  4

  47

  8. Lao PDR

  40

  94

  50

  102

  30

  85

  9. Mozambique

  37

  82

  48

  92

  26

  73

  10. Tanzania

  32

  69

  40

  70

  25

  69

  11. Burkina Faso

  12

  35

  16

  45

  8

  26

  12. Madagascar

  65

  121

  70

  125

  59

  118

  13. Mali

  24

  22

  32

  27

  16

  16

  14. Burundi

  26

  59

  36

  68

  15

  50

  15. Zambia

  53

  104

  59

  112

  46

  101

  16. Niger

  11

  29

  15

  37

  7

  20

  17. Uganda

  67

  —

  83

  —

  50

  —

  18. China

  89

  129

  —

  137

  —

  120

  19. Somalia

  10

  20

  16

  26

  4

  13

  20. Togo

  55

  102

  78

  125

  32

  78

  21. India

  74

  92

  89

  107

  57

  76

  22. Rwanda

  53

  67

  64

  68

  43

  66

  23. Sierra Leone

  29

  —

  37

  —

  31

  —

  24. Benin

  34

  65

  48

  87

  21

  43

  25. Central African Republic

  56

  66

  84

  81

  28

  5o

  26. Kenya

  54

  94

  69

  97

  40

  91

  27. Sudan

  29

  50

  37

  59

  21

  41

  28. Pakistan

  40

  44

  59

  55

  20

  32

  29. Haiti

  50

  78

  56

  83

  44

  72

  30. Lesotho

  94

  115

  74

  102

  114

  127

  31. Nigeria

  32

  —

  39

  —

  24

  —

  32. Ghana

  69

  63

  82

  75

  57

  59

  33. Sri Lanka

  93

  103

  98

  104

  86

  102

  34. Yemen PDR

  23

  —

  35

  —

  10

  —

  35. Mauritania

  13

  46

  19

  57

  6

  35

  36. Indonesia

  72

  118

  79

  121

  65

  116

  37. Liberia

  41

  —

  59

  —

  23

  —

  38. Afghanistan

  16

  —

  26

  —

  5

  —

  39. Burma

  71

  —

  76

  —

  65

  —

  40. Guinea

  31

  29

  44

  40

  19

  27

  41. Kampuchea, Democratic

  77

  —

  98

  —

  56

  —

  42. Viet Nam

  —

  100

  —

  107

  —

  94

  Middle-income economies

  193

  1104

  199

  1108

  186

  1100

  Lower-middle-income

  189

  1104

  196

  1108

  181

  1100

  43. Senegal

  40

  55

  52

  66

  29

  45

  44. Bolivia

  73

  87

  86

  93

  60

  82

  45. Zimbabwe

  110

  129

  128

  132

  92

  126

  46. Philippines

  113

  106

  115

  107

  111

  106

  47. Yemen Arab Republic

  9

  79

  16

  125

  1

  31

  48. Morocco

  57

  79

  78

  96

  35

  62

  49. Egypt Arab Republic

  75

  87

  90

  96

  60

  77

  50. Papua New Guinea

  44

  —

  53

  —

  35

  —

  51. Dominican Republic

  87

  133

  87

  131

  87

  135

  52. Cote d'Ivoire

  60

  78

  80

  92

  41

  65

  53. Honduras

  80

  102

  81

  103

  79

  102

  54. Nicaragua

  69

  98

  68

  93

  69

  103

  55. Thailand

  78

  99

  82

  —

  74

  —

  56. El Salvador

  82

  70

  85

  69

  79

  70

  57. Congo, People's Republic

  114

  —

  134

  —

  94

  —

  494 495

  Total

  Male

  Female

  1965

  1986

  1965

  1986

  1965

  1986

  58. Jamaica

  109

  —

  112

  —

  106

  —

  59. Guatemala

  50

  76

  55

  82

  45

  70

  60. Cameroon

  94

  107

  114

  116

  75

  97

  61. Paraguay

  102

  99

  109

  102

  96

  97

  62. Ecuador

  91

  14

  94

  —

  88

  —

  63. Botswana

  65

  105

  59

  101

  71

  109

  64. Tunisia

  91

  118

  116

  127

  65

  108

  65. Turkey

  101

  117

  118

  121

  83

  113

  66. Colombia

  84

  114

  83

  112

  86

  115

  67. Chile

  124

  110

  125

  110

  122

  109

  68. Peru

  99

  122

  108

  125

  90

  120

  69. Mauritius

  101

  106

  105

  105

  97

  106

  70. Jordan

  95

  —

  105

  —

  83

  —

  71. Costa Rica

  106

  102

  107

  103

  105

  101

  72. Syrian Arab Republic

  78

  111

  103

  117

  52

  105

  73. Malaysia

  90

  101

  96

  100

  84

  99

  74. Mexico

  92

  114

  94

  115

  90

  113

  75. South Africa

  90

  —

  91

  —

  88

  —

  76. Poland

  104

  101

  106

  101

  102

  101

  77. Lebanon

  106

  —

  118

  —

  93

  —

  Upper-middle-income

  197

  1104

  1102

  1107

  193

  1101

  78. Brazil

  108

  105

  109

  —

  108

  —

  79. Uruguay

  106

  110

  106

  111

  106

  109

  80. Hungary

  101

  98

  102

  97

  100

  98

  81. Panama

  102

  106

  104

  109

  99

  104

  82. Argentina

  101

  109

  101

  109

  102

  109

  83. Yugoslavia

  106

  95

  108

  95

  103

  94

  84. Algeria

  68

  95

  81

  105

  53

  85

  85. Korea, Republic

  101

  94

  103

  94

  99

  94

  86. Gabon

  134

  126

  146

  127

  122

  125

  87. Portugal

  84

  117

  84

  131

  83

  123

  88. Venezuela

  94

  110

  93

  110

  94

  110

  89. Greece

  110

  106

  111

  106

  109

  106

  90. Trinidad and Tobago

  93

  95

  97

  93

  90

  96

  91. Libya

  78

  —

  111

  —

  44

  —

  92. Oman

  —

  94

  —

  101

  —

  86

  93. Iran, Islamic Republic

  63

  117

  85

  127

  40

  107

  94. Iraq

  74

  99

  102

  107

  45

  91

  95. Romania

  101

  97

  102

  98

  100

  97

  Low- and middle-income

  178

  1103

  184

  1112

  162

  194

  Sub-Saharan Africa

  141

  166

  152

  173

  1

  158

  East Asia

  188

  1123

  —

  1131

  —

  1117

  South Asia

  168

  184

  183

  198

  152

  169

  Europe, Middle East, and North Africa

  183

  197

  194

  1104

  171

  191

  Latin America and Caribbean

  198

  1108

  199

  1110

  196

  1108

  17 Highly indebted

  188

  1106

  191

  1109

  184

  1104

  High-income economies

  1105

  1102

  1106

  1103

  1105

  1102

  OEDC members

  1107

  1102

  1107

  1103

  1106

  1102

  Other

  174

  190

  180

  194

  17

  187

  96. Spain

  115

  101

  117

  104

  114

  103

  97. Ireland

  108

  100

  107

  100

  108

  100

  98. Saudi Arabia

  24

  71

  36

  78

  11

  65

  99. Israel

  95

  99

  95

  98

  95

  100

  100. New Zealand

  106

  105

  107

  106

  104

  104

  101. Singapore

  105

  115

  110

  118

  100

  113

  102. Hong Kong

  103

  105

  106

  106

  99

  104

  103. Italy

  112

  97

  113

  99

  110

  99

  104. United Kingdom

  92

  106

  92

  105

  92

  106

  105. Australia

  99

  106

  99

  106

  99

  105

  106. Belgium

  109

  96

  110

  95

  108

  97

  107. Netherlands

  104

  114

  104

  113

  104

  115

  107. Austria

  106

  100

  106

  100

  105

  100

  109. France

  134

  112

  135

  113

  133

  111

  496 497

  Total

  Male

  Female

  1965

  1986

  1965

  1986

  1965

  1986

  110. Germany, Federal Republic

  —

  97

  —

  97

  —

  97

  111. Finland

  92

  104

  95

  104

  89

  104

  112. Kuwait

  116

  98

  129

  99

  103

  96

  113. Denmark

  98

  98

  97

  98

  99

  98

  114. Canada

  105

  105

  106

  106

  104

  104

  115. Sweden

  95

  99

  94

  97

  96

  99

  116. Japan

  100

  102

  100

  101

  100

  102

  117. United Arab Emirates

  —

  100

  —

  99

  —

  101

  118. Norway

  97

  98

  97

  97

  98

  97

  119. United States

  —

  102

  —

  103

  —

  103

  120. Switzerland

  87

  —

  87

  —

  87

  —

  Total reporting economies

  182

  1103

  188

  1110

  170

  195

  Oil exporters

  168

  1110

  178

  1114

  159

  1105

  Non-reporting non-members

  1102

  1105

  1103

  —

  1102

  —

  1 Weighted average.

  Oban-Korup Rain Forest
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid Her Majesty's Government are giving to Nigeria and Cameroon, directly or indirectly related to helping protect the Oban-Korup rain forest; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Overseas Development Administration is contributing to the sustainable development of the Korup national park in Cameroon and the Oban hills area of Nigeria, both by supporting the World Wide Fund for Nature through the joint funding scheme and from bilateral country programme funds.

  Our present total commitment for Korup is £700,000 over the period 1987 to 1992. It includes a soils survey, preparation of a master plan, and a contribution to the World Wide Fund for Nature's work in setting up new agroforestry areas and buffer zone protection.

  For the Oban hills area, we have spent £210,000 on the design of a conservation master plan, and an Overseas Development Administration team has just visited Nigeria to draw up proposals for future assistance.

  Development Assistance
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing British official development assistance, as defined by the OECD, in constant 1989 prices, for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The answer is as follows:

  Net official development assistance 1979 to 1988 at constant 1989 prices

  Constant 1989 prices

  £ million

  1979

  2,098

  1980

  1,377

  1981

  1,676

  1982

  1,481

  1983

  1,453

  1984

  1,399

  1985

  1,466

  1986

  1,417

  1987

  1,323

  1988

  1,589

EMPLOYMENT

  Jobcentres
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans regarding the privatisation or contractorisation of jobcentres and their services.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. As my right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State announced on 1 December 1989,Official Report, column 461, the employment service will be launched as a Next Steps agency in April. Agency status will involve the setting of clear objectives and targets for the employment service and will clarify accountability for policy, management and performance. This will enable the employment service to provide greater value for money and improved customer service. My right hon. Friend also announced that the employment service will progressively integrate its jobcentre and benefit services. This will represent a significant improvement on the present system where most people have to visit both a benefit office and a jobcentre as part of claiming benefit and looking for work.

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost to the Exchequer for each job created as a result of the enterprise allowance scheme.

  Mr. Eggar
  For the financial year to March 1989, the net cost to the Exchequer for each entrant to the enterprise allowance scheme is estimated at £1,900.

  Small Firms Loan Guarantees
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost per job to the Exchequer of jobs created as a result of the Government's small firms loan guarantee scheme.

  Mr. Eggar
  The net Exchequer cost of the loan guarantee scheme per person leaving the unemployment count is estimated to be of the order of £450. This figure is derived from the costs of a typical loan adjusted by the benefit, tax and national insurance savings relating to those leaving the count in the first year of a loan as a direct result of the scheme.

  Reactive Dyes
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment to whom a leaflet published by the Health and Safety Commission, warning of the health hazards of reactive dyes, is being circulated; what are the main precautions the leaflet advises workers and employers to adopt; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The leaflet "Your Health and Reactive Dyes" published by the Health and Safety Commission on 1 February 1990, is being distributed widely in the finishing sector of the textile industry and is also being sent to the Society of Dyers and Colourists and to further education establishments specialising in textile technology. The leaflet is specifically intended to inform workers. The main precautions which the leaflet advises are: to open, dispense and weigh out dye powders at a dust control booth; to clean up any spillages by vacuum or wet method; to wear a suitable respirator and protective clothing when instructed to do so; to pay attention to personal hygiene and to seek medical advice if specified symptoms occur.

  Small Firms
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many small firms used his Department's small firms advisory service in 1989.

  Mr. Eggar
  In 1989 the small firms service in England handled 314,625 inquiries and provided 50,013 counselling sessions to 35,572 clients.

  Health and Safety Commission
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has yet received advice from the Health and Safety Commission on whether regulations should be made under section 235 of the Companies Act 1985.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The chairman of the HSC has written to me with the Commission's advice on this matter. There are no present plans to introduce regulations.

  Action for Jobs
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total expenditure attributed to the action for jobs campaign in 1988–89.

  Mr. Eggar
  Total expenditure on the action for jobs campaign in 1988–89 was £600,000.

  New Businesses
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many new businesses were started over the past year.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 14 February 1990]: In 1988, the latest year for which figures have been published by my Department. the net increase in the number of VAT-registered businesses was 64,000, an average of just over 1,200 per week. This was the net result of 230,000 new registrations and 166,000 deregistrations. Early indications from data collected by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are that there was a net increase of some 80,000 in 1989, or 1,500 per week on average.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the names of all the private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  No security firms are employed by my Department.

  Paternity Leave
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what paternity leave is allowed to staff in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  At present paternity leave is not available to civil servants. The Treasury is, however, finalising arrangements for the introduction of the recently agreed entitlement to two days paid paternity leave.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Gymnasium
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Lord President of the Council on how many occasions in the past 12 months clothing belonging to right hon. and hon. Members has been reported as going missing while they have been using the House of Commons gymnasium; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  None.

  Refreshment Department
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, under which vote the £370,179 shown as the total for staff costs, including wages and salaries, social security costs and staff meals, in the account for the House of Commons refreshment accounts in the year 1988–89, is shown in the appropriation accounts.

  Mr. Beith
  The sum referred to represents the cost of meals provided by the Refreshment Department for its staff, the wages of casual staff, and overtime payments and associated social security contributions wholly attributable to the banqueting services of the Department. Since 1 April 1980, when the Refreshment Department became a Department of the House, those costs have been met from the Department's trading fund, the accounts of which are approved each year by the House of Commons Commission and presented to the House by Mr. Speaker, together with the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon.

  The wages of all the permanent full-time staff of the Refreshment Department are met from the House of Commons: administrative vote (class XXA, vote 1); and appear in the appropriation accounts for that vote. In 1988–89 expenditure on wages, allowances and national insurance contributions for the permanent full-time staff of the Refreshment Department was £2,632,853.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Female Teachers
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to assist female teachers to take a break in their career and then return to teaching.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Government are keen to encourage former teachers to return to teaching. On 18 January 1990, my right hon. Friend announced a £4 million education support grant programme over two years to help LEAs attract qualified teachers back into teaching and recruit new mature entrants. This funding will help LEAs to provide career break and keeping-in-touch schemes, job-share and part-time working and creche facilities. In addition, LEA training grant scheme funding is available for updating the skills and knowledge of qualified teacher returners. It is for LEAs and schools as employers to take advantage of these funds to respond to the specific needs of women returners.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average debt expected for a student starting his or her degree course in autumn 1990 under the student loans system and studying(a) a three-year arts or humanities degree, (b) a four-year engineering degree and (c) a five-year medical degree at an English university or polytechnic.

  Mr. Jackson
  The loan facility is available to support students' maintenance. The size of the debt in any individual case will depend on the amount of loan facility drawn down. The size of the facility does not relate to the nature of the course.

  If inflation runs at 3 per cent., a student at a higher education institution outside London and living away from home, starting a course in 1990–91 taking up the maximum loan facility in each year, would have a total debt in real terms of £1,317 for a three-year course, £1,922 for a four-year course, and £2,592 for a five-year course.

  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider weighting student loans to take account of regional variations in the cost of accommodation.

  Mr. Jackson
  The loan facility, like the maintenance grant, will be available at three levels, according to whether the student is living during term time in the parental home, away from home in London, or away from home outside London. Differences in regional accommodation costs were also taken into account in distributing the higher education access fund between the various sectors. We wish the UFC and PCFC to have regard to relevant accommodation costs in making allocations to their institutions.

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to improve co-operation in bringing about the comprehensive framework of national vocational qualifications.

  Mr. Jackson
  The work of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) lies at the heart of 502
  Government policy for the reform and rationalisation of vocational qualifications. When NCVQ was established in 1986, the Government accepted the advice that a voluntary process of reform, through the procedures of NCVQ, represented the best way of securing the commitment of all concerned with the formulation and delivery of quality national vocational qualifications.

  My right hon. Friend attended NCVQ's council meeting on 29 January 1990 when he acknowledged the progress that had already been made and invited the council to identify ways in which he might assist in its future work. He plans to hold a further meeting with the chairman and chief executive of NCVQ as part of that process, and continues to keep in close touch with the major examining and validating bodies offering vocational qualifications.

  Further Education
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number, and the relevant percentages, of young people aged 16 and 17 years who are currently in full-time education.

  Mr. Jackson
  Estimates of numbers and percentages of the population of 16 and 17-year-olds in full-time education in England in 1988–89 are as follows:

  Aged 16

  Aged 17

  Numbers

  per cent.

  Numbers

  per cent.

  ('000s)

  ('000s)

  School

  223

  33·1

  148

  20·5

  Full-time further education (excluding YTS)

  114

  16·9

  101

  13·9

  Full-time further education (YTS)

  13

  2·0

  5

  0·7

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities in their submissions to him of funding schemes for further education have named 1 April 1991 as the date for delegation of budgets; how many of these authorities have had this date changed by him to 1 April 1990; if he will list the local education authorities in both categories; and under what powers he imposed these changes.

  Mr. Jackson
  The following local education authorities named 1 April 1991 as the date for delegation of budgets:

  Bolton

  Durham

  Rotherham

  Havering

  Sunderland

  Ealing

  Hillingdon

  Merton

  Bexley

  Cleveland

  Doncaster

  Kingston

  Barnsley

  Rochdale

  St. Helens

  Sutton

  Barnet

  Waltham Forest

  Hertfordshire

  Using powers under section 140 of the Education

  503
  Reform Act 1988 my right hon. Friend has to date modified the schemes of the following local education authorities to introduce delegation from 1 April 1990:

  Cleveland

  Doncaster

  Havering

  Kingston

  Solvent Abuse
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken to educate children about the dangers of solvent abuse.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The National Curriculum Science Order requires that pupils should study the risks of solvent abuse and how it affects body processes. The Department will be supporting LEA expenditure of up to £7 million in 1990–91 on preventive health education, including education about solvent abuse. The Department has also contributed funding towards the production by Re-Solv of a video on solvent abuse for use in schools.

  (a) Target

  (b) Intake

  University

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Bath

  147

  162

  177

  156

  122

  131

  142·0

  Birmingham

  159

  159

  159

  189

  157

  164

  160·0

  Bristol

  134

  134

  134

  164

  132

  146

  139·0

  Brunel

  95

  85

  75

  36

  27

  38

  25·0

  Cambridge

  222

  227

  227

  249

  221

  213

  202·0

  Durham

  269

  274

  279

  293

  276

  271

  284·0

  East Anglia

  165

  180

  200

  212

  157

  172

  194·0

  Exeter

  348

  388

  423

  489

  374

  441

  474·0

  Hull

  148

  154

  160

  224

  146

  131

  215·0

  Keele

  162

  167

  167

  198

  127

  153

  178·0

  Leeds

  317

  322

  327

  393

  285

  329

  327·0

  Leicester

  320

  330

  340

  393

  320

  321

  308·0

  Liverpool

  146

  151

  156

  170

  126

  140

  142·0

  London: Goldsmiths College

  395

  395

  395

  395

  353

  346

  337·0

  London: Institute of Education

  530

  540

  550

  598

  523

  528

  497·5

  London: Kings College

  234

  239

  239

  244

  206

  175

  159·0

  Loughborough

  189

  209

  229

  251

  171

  183

  210·0

  Manchester

  266

  218

  223

  248

  271

  232

  232·0

  Newcastle

  165

  170

  175

  219

  174

  185

  188·0

  Nottingham

  203

  203

  203

  249

  206

  209

  218·0

  Oxford

  150

  150

  150

  186

  145

  137

  150·0

  Reading1

  116

  116

  352

  393

  114

  113

  360·0

  Sheffield

  146

  146

  146

  194

  140

  137

  153·0

  Southampton

  115

  115

  115

  176

  108

  130

  112·0

  Sussex

  111

  121

  126

  144

  104

  139

  146·0

  Warwick

  345

  382

  422

  439

  345

  355

  387·0

  York

  98

  98

  98

  163

  111

  110

  120·0

  Aberystwyth

  178

  183

  183

  248

  156

  175

  212·0

  Bangor

  180

  185

  195

  110

  150

  97

  93·0

  Cardiff

  189

  194

  199

  36

  176

  187

  176·0

  Swansea

  158

  163

  173

  321

  146

  129

  165·5

  Total

  6,400

  6,560

  6,997

  7,780

  6,069

  6,217

  6,706

  1 incorporating numbers for Bulmershe college of higher education from September 1989

  Qualified Teachers
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the numbers of successful and unsuccessful applicants for qualified teacher status, holding degrees from institutions in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh. west Africa and the West Indies; what is the average length of wait for qualified teacher status for

  Mummified Relics
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central of 9 February,Official Report, column 795, whether he will take steps to establish how many aboriginal and Maori skulls and skeletal remains are in United Kingdom universities.

  Mr. Jackson
  No. Responsibility for university collections rests solely with the institutions concerned.

  University Intakes
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish(a) the target intake figures for each university education department or faculty for 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990 and (b) the actual intake in each case for 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Initial teacher training target and intake figures for individual universities are as follows:

  successful applicants from these countries; and if he will give the preceding information for each of the last five years for which information is available.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The arrangements for according qualified teacher status changed with effect from 1 September 1989. Prior to that date, teachers trained overseas could be granted qualified teacher status under paragraph 2(b) of schedule 5 to the Education (Teachers) Regulations 1982 provided their course of initial teacher
  505
  training was comparable to a course of training available

  Country or Region

  India

  Pakistan

  Bangladesh

  West Africa

  West Indies

  Total

  1985

  Total Considered

  171

  55

  17

  35

  26

  304

  Accepted

  57

  16

  10

  2

  2

  87

  Rejected

  114

  39

  7

  33

  24

  217

  1986

  Total Considered

  144

  44

  18

  26

  19

  251

  Accepted

  35

  15

  8

  4

  3

  65

  Rejected

  109

  29

  10

  22

  16

  186

  1987

  Total Considered

  185

  29

  14

  47

  34

  309

  Accepted

  20

  7

  0

  2

  5

  34

  Rejected

  165

  22

  14

  45

  29

  275

  1988

  Total Considered

  105

  35

  19

  47

  19

  225

  Accepted

  14

  5

  6

  2

  0

  27

  Rejected

  91

  30

  13

  45

  19

  198

  1989

  Total Considered

  123

  36

  21

  62

  26

  270

  Accepted

  18

  7

  8

  1

  3

  37

  Rejected

  105

  29

  13

  63

  23

  233

  Institute of Food Research
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of scientists employed at the Institute of Food Research at(a) Reading, (b) Norwich and (c) Bristol at the beginning of each of (i) 1988, (ii) 1989, (iii) 1990 and (iv) 1991.

  Mr. Jackson
  The figures in the following table refer to scientists employed, or expected to be employed, as at 1 April in each year. Those for 1990 and 1991 are estimates. The table excludes vacancies but includes period appointments.

  Bristol

  Norwich

  Reading

  Total

  11988

  143·0

  200·0

  100·0

  443·0

  11989

  141·5

  192·5

  87·0

  421·0

  21990

  86·0

  199·0

  113·0

  398·0

  21991

  0·0

  231·0

  156·0

  387·0

  1 Actual numbers.

  2Planned numbers.

  Universities Funding Council
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Universities Funding Council; and what matters he expects to discuss.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of the Universities Funding Council from time to time in the course of normal business.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Sentencing
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Attorney-General how many recent appeals there have been against over-lenient sentencing; and how many were successful.
  506
  in this country. Details of the applications considered are contained in the table. Detailed information on the average time taken to process cases is not available.

  The Attorney-General
  Since February 1989, when the power became effective, I have applied for leave to refer the sentencing in nine cases to the Court of Appeal. Leave has been granted in seven such cases, and sentences have been increased in six of the cases. I have withdrawn two cases in the light of later information. I have referred one case to the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland; the sentence in that case was also increased.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Attorney-General how many defendants were prosecuted in 1988–89 by the Crown prosecution service in(a) magistrates courts and (b) the Crown court.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown prosecution service prosecuted 1,234,344 defendants in magistrates courts and 121,912 in the Crown court during 1988–89.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will meet the Director of Public Prosecutions to discuss relations between the police and the Crown prosecution service.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer to the answer that I gave today to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen).

  Director of Public Prosecutions
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Attorney-General when he last met the Director of Public Prosecutions; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General when he last met the Director of Public Prosecutions; and what matters were discussed.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer that I gave today to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen).

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Attorney-General when he last met the head of the Serious Fraud Office; and what matters were discussed.

  The Attorney-General
  I frequently discuss matters of departmental interest with the director of the Serious Fraud Office and last met him for this purpose on 13 February.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Oxford, East on 31 January,Official Report, column 189, if he will list the research reports commissioned by the Lord Chancellor's Department as part of the civil justice review and give the cost of each contract; and if he will list any similar reports commissioned from outside management consultants since 1985 and give their date of completion and cost.

  The Attorney-General
  The following reports were commissioned by the Lord Chancellor's Department as part of the civil justice review:"Personal Injuries Litigation Study": Inbucon Management Consultants Limited: 10 June 1985 to 31 January 1986: £140,498.
  "Small Claims Study": Touche Ross Management Consultants: 9 December 1985 to 30 September 1986: £92,000.
  "Commercial Court Study": Coopers and Lybrand Associates Limited: 17 March 1986 to 28 November 1986: £72,340.
  "Enforcement of Debt Study": Touche Ross Management Consultants: 17 March 1986 to 9 January 1987: £138,000.
  "Housing Cases Study": School for Advanced Urban Studies at the University of Bristol: I March 1986 to 9 January 1987: £144,702.
  The Lord Chancellor's Department has commissioned work from a number of management consultants since 1985 but only the following has been commissioned to report on an area similar to those listed above:
  Touche Ross: "A survey of Solicitors' firms conducting criminal legal aid work": October 1988: £24,000.

THE ARTS

  Three Graces
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what meetings he has had with(a) the Victoria and Albert museum, (b) the National Heritage Memorial Fund and(c) other interested parties on the future of Canova's Three Graces.

  Mr. Luce
  I have had a meeting with the director and other representatives of the Victoria and Albert museum and the director of the National Heritage Memorial Fund. I have also discussed the matter with the chairmen of the reviewing committee on the export of works of art and the National Art Collections Fund.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received about the future of Canova's Three Graces.

  Mr. Luce
  I have received a number of representations about the future of Canova's Three Graces.

CIVIL SERVICE

  NATO Exercises
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what contribution his Department will make to the NATO exercises due to be held in Norway during March.

  Mr. Luce
  None.

WALES

  Community Hospitals
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current number of community hospitals in Wales; and what he expects the figure to be in five and 10 years' time.

  Mr. Grist
  There are currently 30 community hospitals in Wales. On the basis of health authorities' present plans a further five such hospitals may be completed by 1995 and perhaps as many as 11 within 10 years.

  Welsh Counties Committee
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what subjects were discussed when he last met the Welsh Counties Committee.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met leaders of district councils in Wales; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I met representatives of the Welsh Counties Committee and the Council of Welsh Districts on 30 January to discuss local authority budgets for 1990–91.

  Health Authorities
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has received from health authorities within Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  My right hon. Friend receives many representations from health authorities in Wales on a wide variety of issues.

  Pollution Inspectorate
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met Her Majesty's inspector of pollution; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Grist
  I met Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on 28 November 1989 to discuss waste disposal in Wales.

  Transport
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from bodies concerned with the development of transportation systems within Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I and my officials have frequent dealings with local authorities and others about the development of transport systems within Wales.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of appointments to public bodies which have been made(a) solely by himself and (b) jointly with other Ministers from June 1987 to the present day.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The totals are 660, and somewhat over 500, respectively.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to reduce the dumping of toxic and other wastes within Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  Waste minimisation is central to the Government's integrated pollution control proposals. However, there will always be some wastes that will have to be disposed of, preferably as near as practicable to their points of origin.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has concerning the possible release of toxic effluent from the Trehir tip at Bedwas and the Coed-y-Brain tip at Llanbradach; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  My right hon. Friend does not collect such information. The responsibility for the regular inspection, including such matters as leachate control and monitoring, of all licensed sites or those operated under a council resolution, rests with the district council, which has appropriate powers under the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

  The National Rivers Authority and Dwr Cymru are responsible for the monitoring of discharges into water courses and sewers respectively.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the recommendations made to him by the Welsh Language Board.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend is considering the practical implications of the board's recommendations for legislation and other related matters. The board has also been concerned with a range of other matters where it has been instrumental in finding practical solutions to problems experienced by Welsh speakers.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from farming organisations about the downgrading of his Department's agricultural department at Ruthin.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have received a number of representations from the National Farmers Union, the Farmers Union of Wales, the Country Landowners Association and the Welsh Mountain Sheep Society. I have assured these organisations that the present high level of service will continue both from the area office which will be maintained at Ruthin and from the enlarged divisional office at Caernarfon.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the community charge in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The House debated Welsh local government finance matters on 24 January. I have no plans to make a further statement.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the available proposed final community charge figure for Welsh local authorities.

  Mr. Grist
  Welsh local authorities are in the process of setting their budgets for 1990–91. Until that process has been completed, charging authorities cannot set their community charge. The figures requested are therefore not available.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the most recent figures for male and female unemployment in the Ogmore constituency, Ogwr borough and Mid Glamorgan county council areas and the total in Wales; and what were the equivalent figures in June 1979.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  On 11 January 1990 there were 1,888, 3,053, 14,831 and 67,736 unemployed males in the Ogmore constituency, Ogwr borough, the county of Mid Glamorgan and Wales respectively. Comparable figures for unemployed females were 595, 1,086, 4,373 and 22,613 respectively. Figures for June 1979 are not available on a basis that enables a valid comparison to be made.

  M4
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will announce the successful tenderer for the building of the missing part of the M4 near Port Talbot.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Construction of the M4 between Baglan and Lonlas will be undertaken under three separate contracts. We announced the tenderer for the first contract, Earlswood to Lonlas, on 16 February.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to improve local authority higher education in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The Wales Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education, which advises my right hon. Friend on higher education matters, has considered a report setting out proposals for strengthening the provision of local authority higher education in Wales. The proposals will now be the subject of a consultation seminar arranged for 5 March. WAB will consider the report again on 6 April taking account of the comments made at the seminar, and will then decide what advice to offer my right hon. Friend.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby of 18 December,Official Report, columns 57–58,

  511
  concerning the accountancy firms employed by his Department, if he will indicate (a) the names of the six firms, (b) a list of payments made to each in 1988 and 1989 and (c) details of the consultancy contracts given to each firm.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information is as follows:Firm and Project
  Coopers and Lybrand
  Developing and implementing All Wales Strategy, including Resource Management, for NHS in Wales.
  Price Waterhouse
  Project 2000—option appraisal of nurse training.
  Advice on longform reports and fraud and system audit.*
  Peat Marwick
  Review of financial accounting systems for NHS in Wales.
  Ernst and Young
  Advice on computer audit.
  Touche Ross
  Provision of financial advice on longform reports, reporting accountant consistency and project management.*
  Deloittes
  "K" setting.*

  Those marked with an asterisk were jointly appointed with DOE as part of the water privatisation proposals. The full cost of the "K" setting project is being borne by DOE.

  It would be inappropriate on grounds of commercial confidentiality to list individual payments. However, total payments amounted to £292,373 in 1988 and £117,238 in 1989.

  Rateable Values
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will provide for the districts of Cardiff, Monmouth and Pembroke the number and rateable value of houses and so on with a rateable value not exceeding £100 and by(a) £50 steps to £400, (b) £100 steps to £800,(c) £800 to £1,000, (d) £1,000 to £1,500 and (e) over £1,500.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  A55
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much the development of the A55 has cost over the last 10 years.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Expenditure on major improvement schemes on the A55 for the financial years 1980–81 to 1988–89 totalled £374·3 million; forecast outturn for 1989–90 is £69·5 million giving total expenditure of £443·8 million over the 10-year period.

  Unemployed People
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make available statistics showing the number of people registered as unemployed who are not in receipt of benefit.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Information is not available in the form requested.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the names of all the private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  My Department currently has contracts with two private security firms, the Royal British Legion Attendants Company Limited and Delta Security. Detailed information in relation to individual contracts is treated on a commercial in confidence basis, but the aggregated number of employees engaged by the two firms on our contracts with them presently varies between 11 and 13. The total value excluding VAT, of all contracts with private security firms from 1984–85 is as follows:

  £

  1984–85

  64,229

  1985–86

  68,550

  1986–87

  72,989

  1987–88

  72,989

  1988–89

  75,835

  1989–90

  81,196

  Disabled and Elderly People
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the organisations representing or concerned with the needs of(a) elderly people, (b) people with physical, sensory or mental disability and (c) carers which receive financial support from his Department, together with the figure for each such organisation for the financial years 1987–88, 1988–89 and the current financial year.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) Elderly People

  Elderly Initiative Grant Scheme

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  (i) Voluntary Organisations

  Cardiff City Farm

  —

  —

  4,977

  DayBreak Trust

  —

  33,972

  41,984

  South Glamorgan Care for the Elderly

  5,682

  34,886

  98,916

  South Riverside Community Development Centre

  —

  68,245

  48,221

  (ii) Statutory Organisations

  Clwyd County Council

  1,687

  12,430

  20,439

  Clwyd Health Authority

  30,375

  104,030

  151,996

  Gwent County Council

  4,050

  43,482

  13,585

  Gwent Health Authority

  5,105

  98,416

  130,827

  Gwynedd County Council

  —

  38,250

  —

  Mid Glamorgan County Council

  23,972

  106,392

  108,187

  Mid Glamorgan Health Authority

  —

  9,000

  14,625

  Powys County Council

  —

  —

  26,454

  Powys Health Authority

  —

  —

  26,351

  South Glamorgan County Council

  22,950

  50,176

  28,453

  South Glamorgan Health Authority

  25,183

  88,124

  115,529

  West Glamorgan County Council

  103,545

  415,974

  259,403

  S64 Health Services and Public Health Act 1968

  British Association for Service to the Elderly

  —

  —

  12,000

  Help the Aged (Wales)

  —

  805

  1,347

  Age Concern Wales

  46,498

  44,358

  74,900

  513

  (b) Physical, sensory, mental disability

  People with a Physical and/or Sensory Disability

  S64 Health Services and Public Health Act 1968

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Wales Council for the Disabled

  80,775

  68,500

  198,750

  Wales Council for the Deaf

  23,213

  28,573

  47,700

  Wales Council for the Blind

  12,194

  15,078

  15,500

  Arts for Disabled People in Wales

  14,498

  15,000

  20,000

  Physically Handicapped Able Bodied

  —

  —

  10,000

  Slippage (local groups)

  —

  31,620

  —

  Other

  Wales Disabled Drivers Assessment Centre

  5,000

  5,000

  5,000

  Voluntary organisations and others

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  BAAF

  24,806

  —

  16,519

  Catholic Children's Society

  26,840

  3,454

  45,940

  Mencap in Wales

  49,620

  41,979

  52,050

  Pengwern Hall

  25,500

  26,775

  29,000

  SCOVO

  47,400

  63,823

  84,748

  DRIVE

  58,722

  —

  —

  Pre-School Playgroups Association

  21,500

  —

  —

  Arts for Disabled People in Wales

  —

  4,200

  1,672

  Clinical Psychology Training

  70,800

  73,250

  41,250

  Education Research Project

  18,826

  2,930

  —

  First Choice Housing Association

  12,236

  8,000

  —

  Stackpole Project

  —

  122

  —

  Training Support Unit

  67,006

  64,210

  —

  "Working Together" Training Course

  10,000

  25,000

  —

  "Patterns for Living" Training Course

  8,676

  —

  —

  South Wales Federated Housing Association

  3,000

  —

  —

  British Institute of Mental Handicap

  4,562

  —

  3,795

  Barnado's

  738

  —

  —

  Challenging Behaviour Project, Dyfed

  —

  —

  1,555

  Advocacy Project, Bryn-y-Neuadd Hospital

  —

  —

  24,000

  Cartrefi Cymru

  —

  —

  14,500

  Sub total

  450,232

  313,743

  315,029

  All Wales Advisory Panel

  1,459

  4,835

  10,000

  Total

  10,047,505

  13,755,240

  18,865,116

  Section 64 Health Services and Public Health Act 1968

  CUSS (slippage)

  3,665

  —

  —

  Note: The figures for 1987–88 and 1988–89 represent actual payments.

  The figures for 1989–90 represent allocations to the bodies concerned.

  People with a Mental Illness

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  S64 Health Services and Public Health Act 1968

  Wales MIND

  59,550

  57,863

  157,166

  1 Provisional.

  (c) Carers

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  S64 Health Services and Public Health Act 1968

  Crossroads (Wales)

  12,611

  16,826

  17,000

  St. David's Foundation (slippage)

  —

  237

  —

  Some of the foregoing organisations, eg Wales MIND, are concerned with the interests both of sufferers and carers in the relevant field.

  In addition, support for all these client groups is given by way of other programmes, notably urban programme
  514
  1 Provisional.

  People with a Mental Handicap

  All Wales Mental Health Strategy

  County Joint Planning Teams

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Clwyd

  1,131,620

  1,669,883

  2,536,091

  Dyfed

  724,055

  1,030,790

  1,537,940

  Gwent

  1,400,599

  1,875,467

  2,852,000

  Gwynedd

  1,561,391

  2,025,635

  2,557,085

  Mid Glamorgan

  1,906,820

  2,604,240

  3,200,000

  Powys

  480,037

  652,227

  916,971

  South Glamorgan

  1,153,803

  1,660,498

  2,360,000

  West Glamorgan

  1,237,489

  1,917,922

  2,580,000

  Sub total

  9,595,814

  13,436,662

  18,540,087

  and joint finance. A detailed breakdown is not readily available but in global terms, per client group, the figures are as follows:

  Urban Programme

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Elderly people

  249,000

  285,000

  571,000

  People with a physical/sensory disability

  133,000

  152,000

  241,000

  People with a mental handicap

  108,000

  —

  —

  People with a mental illness

  81,000

  58,000

  58,000

  Carers

  52,000

  67,000

  106,000

  Notes:

  1. Figures represent provision made.

  2. Mental handicap strategy moneys 'taken out' of UP after 1987–88.

  Joint finance and mental health development moneys

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Elderly People

  122,000

  312,003

  195,000

  People with a Physical/ Sensory Disability

  13,000

  —

  22,000

  515

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  People with a Mental Illness

  1,389,000

  1,364,356

  1,424,000

  Elderly Mentally Ill

  582,000

  1,313,339

  707,000

  People with a Mental Handicap

  342,000

  314,358

  —

  Other client groups1

  4,000

  43,000

  —

  Mixed client groups2

  —

  44,109

  —

  Unspecified

  —

  —

  —

  1 Alcohol related problems, Autism, AIDS, acute, renal problems (mainly elderly).

  2 Physical and mental handicaps, mental illness and elderly mentally ill.

  Retail Prices Index Error Moneys

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Elderly People

  —

  33,200

  24,300

  People with a Physical/Sensory Disability

  —

  41,038

  128,346

  People with a Mental Handicap

  —

  4,000

  6,845

  People with a Mental Illness

  —

  1,600

  3,770

  Carers

  —

  —

  10,170

  Notes:

  1. RPI payments only applicable for 1988/89 and 1989/90.

  2. Includes £7,600 grant to the Wales Carers' Alliance.

  Opportunities for Volunteering Scheme in Wales

  Grants (up to a maximum of £15,000) are given to all the above client groups but in the time available cannot be disaggregated.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 12 February,Official Report, column 10, if he will list the draft circulars issued by his

  Total expenditure1

  Preseli-Pembrokeshire

  South Pembrokeshire

  Dyfed

  At constant prices2

  At constant prices2

  At constant prices 2

  Cash

  Value

  Percentage increase on previous year

  Cash

  Value

  Percentage increase on previous year

  Cash

  Value

  Percentage increase on previous year

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  1979–80

  3,043

  5,730

  n/a

  2,022

  3,807

  n/a

  80,844

  152,226

  n/a

  1980–81

  3,868

  6,154

  7·4

  2,487

  3,957

  3·9

  96,606

  153,706

  1·0

  1981–82

  3,667

  5,314

  - 13·7

  2,495

  3,616

  -8·6

  106,940

  154,972

  0·8

  1982–83

  3,595

  4,859

  -8·6

  2,381

  3,218

  -11·0

  113,391

  153,256

  -1·1

  1983–84

  4,003

  5,169

  6·4

  2,592

  3,347

  4·0

  120,506

  155,610

  1·5

  1984–85

  4,184

  5,147

  -0·4

  2,431

  2,991

  -10·7

  126,488

  155,605

  0·0

  1985–86

  4,409

  5,147

  0·0

  2,776

  3,241

  8·4

  130,335

  152,165

  -2·2

  1986–87

  4,628

  5,227

  1·5

  3,115

  3,518

  8·6

  147,245

  166,300

  9·3

  1987–88

  4,829

  5,179

  -0·9

  3,292

  3,531

  0·4

  159,590

  171,166

  2·9

  31988–89

  5,060

  5,060

  -2·3

  3,538

  3,538

  0·2

  174,299

  174,299

  1·8

  31989–90

  5,928

  5,540

  9·5

  3,943

  3,685

  4·2

  192,445

  179,855

  3·2

  1 Total expenditure for Block Grant purposes.

  2 Deflated to constant 1988–89 price basis using GDP deflator.

  3 Provisional.

  n/a denotes not applicable.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the figures for the total number of staff employed by each of Dyfed county council, South Pembrokeshire district council and Preseli-Pembrokeshire district council in each year since 1974–75.

  Number of full-time employees

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  l1989

  Dyfed

  8,388

  8,324

  8,091

  7,992

  7,984

  8,058

  7,846

  7,693

  7,883

  7,856

  7,917

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  532

  521

  500

  512

  n/a

  504

  507

  503

  494

  492

  496

  South Pembrokeshire

  354

  336

  330

  306

  298

  287

  284

  282

  278

  280

  272

  516
  Department between 1 January 1987 and 31 January 1990 which have not been followed up with a full circular and which deal with the needs of, and provision for, disabled people in the fields of (a) health, (b) social services, (c) housing, (d) education and (e) transport.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Three draft circulars have yet to be followed up by a full circular. They are:

  (i) Services for People with Physical and/or Sensory Disabilities (issued 29 December 1989).

  (ii) House Adaptations for Disabled People (issued 28 December 1989).

  (iii) House Renovation Grants (issued 28 December 1989).

  It is intended to issue the final version of (i) next month.

  Local Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will give details of the expenditure of Dyfed county council in each year since 1974–75 in(a) cash terms and (b) constant price terms; and if he will indicate the percentage increase in each year in real terms;

  (2) if he will give details of the expenditure of Preseli-Pembrokeshire district council in each year since 1974–75 in (a) cash terms and (b) constant price terms; and if he will indicate the percentage increase in each year in real terms;

  (3) if he will give details of the expenditure of South Pembrokeshire district council in each year since 1974–75in (a) cash terms and (b) constant price terms; and if he will indicate the percentage increase in each year in real terms.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested for each year since 1979–80 is given in the table. Comparable figures for 1974–75 to 1978–79 are not available centrally.

  Mr. Grist
  The information held by the Department regarding the number of full-time and part-time employees for March of each year is set out in the following tables. No information on employees by individual authorities is held by the Department prior to December 1978.
  517

  Number of part-lime employees2

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Dyfed

  5,296

  5,374

  4,996

  5,123

  5,336

  5,349

  5,341

  5,538

  6,166

  6,296

  6,294

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  39

  42

  41

  41

  n/a

  38

  42

  46

  53

  53

  62

  South Pembrokeshire

  21

  18

  18

  22

  26

  24

  24

  26

  25

  28

  27

  1 Provisional.

  2 There is a wide variation in the hours worked by part-time employees in different local authorities.

  n/a Denotes not available.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on proposals by the European Community to charge value added tax on new building and fuel for National Health Service hospitals and the action he is taking to increase capital and revenue allocations to ensure that health authorities are reimbursed for such expenditure.

  Mr. Grist
  The Government are reviewing the most appropriate way of compensating health authorities for the application of VAT to new construction. An announcement will be made in due course.

  The capital and revenue allocations announced recently to health authorities take into account the effect of the charge in relation to VAT on fuel and power.

  Highways
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total budget of the Welsh Office highways department in(a) 15, 1988–89 and (b) 1989–90; and what proportion of this money was spent in Gwynedd, Clwyd and Powys.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Gross provision was £136 million in 1988–89 and £157 million in 1989–90; outturn expenditure was £153 million in 1988–89. The proportion of these moneys spent in Gwynedd, Clwyd and Powys is not yet available.

PRIME MINISTER

  Paternity Leave
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister what paternity leave is allowed to staff in her Department; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  At present paternity leave is not available to civil servants. The Treasury is, however, finalising arrangements following agreement in principle with the Civil Service unions for the introduction of an entitlement to two days' paid paternity leave.

  Criminal Justice System
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received concerning the operation of the criminal justice system.

  The Prime Minister
  I receive a wide range of representations about the criminal justice system, many concerning sentencing.

  A White Paper "Criminal Justice and Protecting the Public" (Cm 965) published on 6 February sets out our proposals for a coherent statutory framework for sentencing.

  EC (New Member States)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the responsibility for the cost to the European Economic Community of admitting new member states, including East Germany.

  The Prime Minister
  There is a consensus within the EC that no decisions on applications for membership of the EC will be possible until at least 1993. The implications of German unity for the EC will of course be discussed fully within the Community.

  Engagements
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 15 February.

  The Prime Minister
  On 15 February I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I had further meetings later that day.

  Local Authority Taxation
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what consideration she has given to the constitutional implications of different forms of local authority taxation being imposed on Scotland and England;

  (2) what consideration she has given to the economic consequences of different forms of local authority taxation being imposed on Scotland and England.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have no intention of introducing different forms of local authority taxation in Scotland and England. To do so would cause immense trouble in both places.

  Inflation
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment she has made of the level of price rises which might be deemed likely to feed inflation.

  The Prime Minister
  The Autumn Statement forecast is for RPI annual inflation to fall to 5·75 per cent. by the fourth quarter of 1990. It is not the practice to provide more detail than published in table 2·7 of the Autumn Statement.

  Mr. Leo Marks
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what approaches have been made to the authorities by Mr. Leo Marks for information and permissions relating to his book and history relating to alleged betrayal involving the Dutch Resistance and the Special Operations Executive during the period 1939 to 1945; what response has been sent; and if she will make a statement.
  519
  The Prime Minister
  Mr. Leo Marks has used, over several years, the publicly available facility of seeking and obtaining information for his book from the SOE adviser at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  Mr. Colin Wallace
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps she has taken to trace the 200-page file sent by Mr. Colin Wallace to 10 Downing street in 1984; and whether she will outline the circumstances in which it went missing.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the information contained in the letter of 30 January from my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to my hon. Friend the Member for Arundel (Mr. Marshall), a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Post Office Letters
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received about the privatisation of Post Office Letters.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have received a number of such representations from members of the public and organisations, the majority urging privatisation or the introduction of some form of competition.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will identify where in the Official Report she or other Ministers answered the question put to her on 15 February by the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke).

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke) on 15 February 1990 at column 391.

  Northern Ireland
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has had from Lord Callaghan on issues related to security in Northern Ireland in the 1970s.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Public Expenditure (Uprating)
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what items of public expenditure are subject to uprating by reference to the retail prices index(a) by statute and (b) by current policy commitment.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  A large number of public service pension schemes are increased in line with the retail prices index under the Pensions Increase Act 1971 and are specified in schedule 2 of that Act. The main schemes are as follows:

  Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme;

  Local Government Superannuation Scheme;

  Police Pension Scheme;

  Firemen's Pension Scheme;

  Judicial Pension Scheme; and

  Overseas Pensions administered by the Overseas Development Administration.

  The Government are also committed to increase armed forces pensions in line with the RPI, although this is not
  520
  required by statute: the increases each year are paid under regulations (Order in Council for the Navy, royal warrant for the Army and Queen's regulations for the RAF: the powers to make regulations are provided under three separate Acts of Parliament).

  The following Department of Social Security and Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services benefits are uprated by statute by the movement in prices, for which this Government have used the retail prices index:

  Retirement Pension (Basic RP, and SERPS, Pension Increments, and Graduated RP);

  Widow's Benefits (excluding Widow's Payment);

  Industrial Death Benefit;

  Industrial Disablement Benefit;

  Invalid Care Allowance;

  Attendance Allowance;

  Invalidity Pension;

  Severe Disablement Allowance;

  Guardian's Allowance; and

  Child's Special Allowance.

  There is no statutory requirement with respect to war pensions but these are uprated by the RPI by current policy commitment.

  There are also a number of contracts between Government and other bodies which are subject to uprating by reference to the RPI.

  Industrial Investment
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the level of manufacturing investment in the last two quarters.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Shettleston (Mr. Marshall) on 15 February,Official Report, columns 378–79.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the levels of industrial investment in the light of the Confederation of British Industry's latest survey.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Manufacturing investment reached a record level in 1989 after six years of growth averaging 8 per cent. per year.

  Balance of Payments
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the current account of the balance of payments for 1989.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The CSO's latest estimate is for a current account deficit of £20·3 billion in 1989, in line with the Autumn Statement forecast of around £20 billion.

  Personal Allowances
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much personal allowances would need to be increased, in cash and percentage terms, so that in conjunction with a one penny cut in the basic rate of tax, revenues remained the same, taking the impact of tax paid for someone on income levels from £5,000 up to £50,000 in steps of £5,000 and indicating the number of people brought into tax as a result of these changes.

  Mr. Lilley
  A one penny cut in the basic rate combined with a 1½ per cent. increase in allowances and the basic rate
  521
  limit over their 1989–90 levels would cost about the same in a full year at 1990–91 income levels as indexing allowances and the basic rate limit by 7·7 per cent., the amount required for statutory indexation. The 1½per cent. increase in allowances would result in about 650,000 more individuals being liable to tax compared with indexation.

  Estimates are based on a projection of the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes and are provisional. Further information is given in the tables:

  Table 1: A 1½ per cent, increase in the 1989–90 levels of personal allowances and basic rate limit, compared with indexation, 1990–91

  Allowance

  £

  per annum

  Personal allowance (aged under 65)

  -170

  Personal allowance (aged 65–74)

  -220

  Personal allowance (aged 75 and over)

  -220

  Married couple's allowance (aged under 65)

  -100

  Married couple's allowance (aged 65–74)

  -130

  Married couple's allowance (aged 75 and over)

  -130

  Additional personal and widow's bereavement allowance

  -100

  Aged income limit

  -700

  Taxable income bands

  Basic rate limit

  -1,200

  Table 2: Effect on Tax Liability of a 1½ per cent, increase in the 1989–90 levels of personal allowances and the basic rate limit and a one penny cut in the basic rate of tax, compared with indexation, 1990–91

  Income

  Increase(+)IDecrease(-) in Tax Liability

  £

  Single Person1

  Married Man2

  per annum

  £ per annum

  £ per annum

  5,000

  20·85

  62·05

  10,000

  -29·15

  12·05

  15,000

  -79·15

  -37·95

  20,000

  -129·15

  -87·95

  25,000

  -8·75

  -137·95

  30,000

  37·00

  77·00

  35,000

  37·00

  77·00

  40,000

  37·00

  77·00

  45,000

  37·00

  77·00

  50,000

  37·00

  77·00

  1Assumes single person receives no other tax allowances and reliefs except the personal allowance (aged under 65).

  2Assumes married man with wife not working and no children, who receives no other tax allowances and reliefs except the personal allowance (aged under 65) and the married couple's allowance (aged under 65).

  Personal Equity Plans
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for each year that personal equity plans have been in operation what is(a) the number and proportion of people with personal equity plans who are on the higher rate of tax and (b) the cost to the Exchequer in total of personal equity plans and per person with a personal equity plan.

  Mr. Lilley
  Information on personal equity plans is available only in respect of the number of plans and the amounts invested.

  Estimates of the costs to the Exchequer are as follows:
  522

  Total

  Per Personal Equity Plan

  (£ million)

  (£)

  1986–87

  Negligible

  Negligible

  1987–88

  5

  10

  1988–89

  15

  35

  1989–90

  20

  30

  Costs are expected to increase in future.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households where the woman is the single earner will lose their present entitlement to the additional tax allowance in 1990–91 as a result of Government proposals for independent taxation.

  Mr. Lilley
  Under existing law a husband who does not have sufficient income to make full use of the married man's allowance can transfer any surplus to his wife. Under independent taxation he will be able to transfer any surplus married couple's allowance but his personal allowance is not transferable. However, where the married man's allowance was transferred to a wife in 1989–90 the transitional arrangements announced in the 1988 Budget will mean that, in addition to her own personal allowance and the transferred married couple's allowance, the wife will receive a further allowance. This will ensure that the couple's total allowances in 1990–91 are not less than their total allowances in 1989–90 as a result of the change to independent taxation. It is estimated that in 1990–91 just under 200,000 married couples will benefit from this transitional relief.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single people and married couples do not pay tax in 1989–90.

  Mr. Lilley
  Provisional estimates of the numbers of adult non-taxpayers in 1989–90 are 7·7 million single people and 3·2 million married couples.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reduction in the standard rate of income tax would need to be to secure a £216 per annum benefit to the average taxpayer.

  Mr. Lilley
  Estimates for a single person and a married man on average male earnings in 1990–91 are given in the table:

  Reduction in income tax from a cut in basic rate in 1990–91

  Reduction

  Gain to individual

  Per cent.

  £ per annum

  Single person1

  1·5

  2191·89

  Married man1

  2·0

  2221·45

  1 Assuming average earnings for full time adult males in all occupations. In 1990–91, they are assumed to be £303·8 per week; in line with the assumptions of the growth in average earnings in 1989–90 and 1990–91 (from £256·3 per week in 1988–89) as published in paragraph 3.02 of the 1989 Autumn Statement.

  2 Calculations assume that 1989–90 personal allowances and the basic rate limit have been indexed by 7·7 per cent, to 1990–91. The gain to an individual quoted in the table is that figure closest to £216 per annum obtainable from a basic rate reduction to the nearest ½ per cent.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax units would become liable for
  523
  income tax in 1990–91 if personal allowances were frozen at their 1989–90 level; and how many of these would face marginal tax and benefit withdrawal rates of (a) 40 per cent. or over, (b) 60 per cent. or over, (c) 80 per cent. or over and (d) 90 per cent. or over.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 February 1990]: In 1990–91 it is estimated that just over half a million single people and married couples would be brought into tax if personal allowances were frozen at their 1989–90 levels in 1990–91. The estimate is based on a projection of the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes and is provisional.

  Estimates by marginal rate of tax and benefit withdrawal are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.

  Profit-related Pay
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are currently in profit-related pay schemes; how many were in each of the years since it was introduced; how many registered schemes have existed in each year; and what is the distribution of schemes by number of people in them.

  Mr. Lilley
  The information is as follows:

  Live Registered Schemes

  December 1987

  December 1988

  December 1989

  Number of participants

  1–50

  244

  517

  650

  51–100

  64

  114

  149

  101–500

  88

  156

  245

  501–1,000

  23

  28

  37

  Above 1,000

  11

  15

  31

  Total schemes

  430

  830

  1,112

  Participating employees

  72,000

  122,000

  226,000

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average income and the distribution of income of those in profit-related pay schemes.

  Mr. Lilley
  Average annual earnings of participants in registered profit-related pay schemes were about £12,000 in March 1989. I regret that information on the distribution of earnings is not available.

  Workplace Nurseries
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the revenue raised from taxing workplace nurseries as a benefit in kind.

  Mr. Lilley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 12 February,Official Report, column 15.

  Business Expansion Schemes
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total cost so far of business expansion tax relief for 1989–90; and what was the cost in previous years of the scheme.

  Mr. Lilley
  The estimated cost of relief for 1983–84 to 1989–90 is as follows:
  524

  £ million

  1983–84

  50

  1984–85

  75

  1985–86

  85

  1986–87

  95

  1987–88

  110

  1988–891

  130

  1 Provisional.

  A forecast of £60 million for the cost of relief for the business expansion scheme in 1989–90 was published in "The Government's Expenditure Plans, 1990–91 to 1992–93" (chapter 21, ref CM 1021, appendix F), but no information is yet available centrally from official sources to provide a reliable estimate of the outturn.

  Imports
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest trends in imports.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  In the fourth quarter of 1989, import volumes (less oil and erratics) fell by 4 per cent. This is clear evidence that import growth is slowing sharply in response to the slowdown in domestic demand.

  Mortgages
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average level of mortgage entered into in each region of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lilley
  Estimates of the average new building society mortgage for each region on all dwellings for the third quarter of 1989 are given in the table:

  Region

  Average New Mortgage

  £

  Northern

  28,400

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  29,600

  East Midlands

  34,700

  East Anglia

  44,600

  Greater London

  60,900

  South East

  53,200

  South West

  43,700

  West Midlands

  33,800

  North West

  31,300

  Wales

  30,200

  Scotland

  26,500

  Northern Ireland

  24,200

  United Kingdom

  38,300

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mortgagors claiming mortgage tax relief have an outstanding mortgage greater than(a) £30,000, (b) £35,000, (c) £40,000 and (d) £45,000; and what is their average annual income.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 February 1990]: Provisional estimates for 1989–90 are given in the table:

  Mortgage greater than

  Mortgagors (thousands)

  Average total income

  £

  £

  £

  30,000

  2,100

  23,500

  35,000

  1,600

  23,500

  40,000

  1,200

  24,500

  45,000

  900

  26,000

  525
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the average outstanding mortgage for mortgagors claiming mortgage interest tax relief for annual income ranges(a) under £5,000, (b) £5,001 to £7,500, (c) £7,501 to £10,000, (d) £10,001 to £15,000, (e) £15,001 to £20,000, (f) £20,001 to £30,000, (g) £30,001 to £50,000 and (h) over £50,000.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 February 1990]: Provisional estimates for 1989–90 are given in the table:

  Range of total income

  Average mortgage

  £ per annum

  £

  under 5,000

  12,300

  5,001 to 7,500

  14,900

  7,501 to 10,000

  17,700

  10,001 to 15,000

  19,600

  15,001 to 20,000

  23,700

  20,001 to 30,000

  28,200

  30,001 to 50,000

  42,200

  over 50,000

  78,700

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the table published in his reply to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Clay),Official Report, 15 May 1989, column 16, on mortgage tax relief, giving projections for 1990–91.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 February 1990]: Latest estimates for 1989–90, based on the assumption that interest rates remain at current levels for the rest of 1989–90, are given in the table. These are based on projections to 1989–90 of information in the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes and the 1986 family expenditure survey and are provisional. Projections for 1990–91 will depend on the levels of borrowing and interest rates.

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

  Range of total income

  Numbers receiving mortgage interest relief (thousands)

  Average value of relief per mortgage

  Total cost of relief

  (£)

  (£ million)

  Up to £4,000

  320

  450

  150

  £4,001-£5,000

  130

  420

  50

  £5,001-£6,000

  140

  470

  70

  £6,0001-£7,000

  230

  520

  120

  £7,001-£8,000

  440

  570

  250

  £8,001-£9,000

  450

  640

  290

  £9,001-£10,000

  390

  640

  250

  £10,001-£12,000

  870

  610

  530

  £12,001-£15,000

  1,440

  700

  1,000

  £15,00l-£20,000

  2,030

  750

  1,510

  £20,001-£25,000

  1,220

  790

  970

  £25,001-£30,000

  660

  870

  570

  Over £30,000

  980

  1,270

  1,240

  Total

  9,300

  750

  7,000

  Investment Growth
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the United Kingdom investment growth figures for each of the last 10 years; and if he will list comparable figures for each of the other European Community countries.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Information on gross fixed capital formation in the United Kingdom is published by 526
  the CSO in "Economic Trends Annual Supplement" 1989 and for 1988 in "Economic Trends" December 1989. Figures for each of the other EC countries are published by the OECD in "Economic Outlook" December 1989.

  Trade Deficit
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for the trade deficit for the current year.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  A new forecast will be published at the time of the Budget in March.

  Paternity Leave
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what paternity leave is allowed to staff in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  At present, paternity leave is not available to civil servants. However, Her Majesty's Treasury is finalising arrangements for the introduction of an entitlement to two days' paid paternity leave.

  Premium Bonds
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the last 10 years for which statistics are available (a) the size of the nation's investment in premium bonds, (b) the proportion of these funds available for prizes, (c) the value of the prizes and (d) the notional odds against winning a prize for a person with a £100 investment in premium bonds.

  Mr. Ryder
  The net investment in premium bonds, the value of prizes paid and the odds against winning a prize in any month with a holding of £100, for each of the last 10 financial years are as follows:

  Net investment at 31 March (£ million)

  Value of prizes paid in year (£ million)

  Odds at 31 March with holding of £100 (to nearest whole number)

  1979–80

  1,405

  79

  185 to 1

  1980–81

  1,462

  93

  141 to 1

  1981–82

  1,506

  101

  145 to 1

  1982–83

  1,586

  104

  150 to 1

  1983–84

  1,674

  110

  157 to 1

  1984–85

  1,768

  122

  110 to 1

  1985–86

  1,833

  135

  110 to 1

  1986–87

  1,926

  141

  110 to 1

  1987–88

  2,093

  138

  110 to 1

  1988–89

  2,273

  139

  110 to 1

  None of the money invested in premium bonds is paid in prize money. Premium bond prizes are paid from a prize fund calculated on the total value of bonds eligible to participate in the prize draw. The variable rate of interest used to calculate the value of the prize fund has been at the following levels in the last 10 years:

  Percentage per annum

  From:

  1 July 1980

  7·0

  1 November 1984

  7 ·75

  1 August 1987

  7·0

  1 July 1988

  6·5

  527
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show for each of the last five years and for the six months before, and the six months following the increase

  Bond denomination

  Number in thousands

  January to June

  July to December

  £

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1989

  1989

  5

  802

  52

  55

  57

  32

  30

  2

  10

  831

  1,010

  1,002

  995

  567

  505

  63

  20

  66

  149

  163

  177

  121

  102

  18

  25

  52

  71

  72

  76

  43

  40

  3

  30

  42

  69

  74

  80

  56

  46

  10

  40

  28

  41

  44

  49

  33

  28

  5

  50

  204

  273

  290

  318

  198

  171

  27

  100

  123

  159

  167

  176

  247

  95

  152

  200

  39

  49

  52

  56

  53

  28

  25

  300

  17

  21

  22

  24

  23

  12

  11

  400

  10

  12

  13

  16

  14

  8

  7

  500

  36

  46

  52

  58

  49

  27

  22

  1,000

  28

  39

  51

  62

  52

  29

  24

  2,000

  21

  35

  58

  75

  60

  33

  27

  Note: Because premium bonds are issued only in certain denominations, for some purchases it is necessary to issue two or more bonds to make up the total value of the purchase. At present the average number of bonds issued for each purchase is 1·13.

  National Insurance Earnings Limit
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many male and female employees with earnings above the upper earnings limit for national insurance contributions pay income tax at the standard rate only.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 February 1990]: In 1990–91 about 2·1 million employees will pay income tax at the basic rate and have earnings above the upper earnings limit for class 1 national insurance contributions. Of these, about 1·8 million are male and about 300,000 female.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue would be raised from freezing the inheritance tax threshold at its 1989–90 level; and how many estates would be brought into tax as a result.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 February 1990]: The direct revenue yield, in a full year at 1990–91 levels, from freezing the inheritance tax threshold at £118,000 rather than increasing it in line with indexation is estimated to be about £85 million. About 3,000 estates would be brought into tax by this measure.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table on the same basis as that given in his reply to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) in the Official Report, 18 July 1988, column 433, on reductions in inheritance tax liability relative to the 1987–88 rate scale, giving figures for 1990–91.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 February 1990]: Assuming statutory indexation of the 1989–90 rate scale, the inheritance tax liability on transfers in 1990–91 is estimated to be about £320 million lower than on an indexed 1987–88
  528
  in the minimum purchase of premium bonds to £100, the number of bonds and the number of purchases of bonds at each denominational value at which they could he sold.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 13 February 1990]: The number of premium bonds issued for each denominational value is shown in the table:

  rate scale. The distribution of the reduction in inheritance tax liability, by percentiles of the 22,000 estates which are expected to pay tax on 1990–91 transfers, assuming an indexed 1989–90 rate scale, is as follows:

  Percentiles of estates

  £ million

  (a) top 1 per cent.

  75

  (b) top 5 per cent.

  150

  (c) top 10 per cent.

  190

  (d) bottom 70 per cent.

  l65

  (e) bottom 60 per cent.

  160

  (f) bottom 50 per cent.

  150

  (g) bottom 25 per cent.

  l40

  1 includes about £20 million from about 8,000 estates which would be liable under the indexed 1987–88 rate scale but not liable under the indexed 1989–90 rate scale.

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost in 1990–91 and in a full year of reducing the small companies rate of corporation tax to 20 per cent.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 February 1990]: Table 4.5 of the 1989 Autumn Statement shows the direct effect of a 1 percentage point change in the small companies rate is £35 million in 1990–91. The corresponding full year effect is £50 million.

  Subject to the qualifications in that table, the costs associated with a 5 percentage point reduction to 20 per cent. may be expected to be broadly pro rata to the effects of a 1 percentage point change.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost in 1990–91 and in a full year of introducing stock relief based on the retail prices index into the corporation tax system.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 9 February 1990]: Information is not available on which to base a reliable estimate of this cost.

  Private Medical Insurance
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the cost in(a) 1989–90 and (b) a full year of tax relief on private medical insurance; how many people benefit; and what proportion of these already have private medical insurance;

  (2) how many people he expects to benefit in 1990–91 from the introduction of tax relief on private medical insurance; how many of these are pensioners; and what is the income distribution of those who gain.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 12 February 1990]: Tax relief on private medical insurance for the over-60s will not be available until April. The cost in 1989–90 will be nil, and in 1990–91 about £40 million. This estimate is based on the assumption that about 600,000 individuals, with 330,000 policies, are to benefit in the first year of the relief and that about 90 per cent. of these already have private medical insurance. In subsequent years, as take-up increases, this proportion is expected to fall and the amount of tax relief will rise. The further details requested are not available.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what would be the effect of indexing personal allowances(a) fully, (b) three quarters of full indexation, (c) half of full indexation, (d) quarter of what would be necessary for full indexation and (e) not indexing at all, on (i) tax revenue in both 1990–91 and in a full year, (ii) the average gain per person on incomes of £5,000, £10,000, £15,000, £20,000, £30,000, £40,000 and £50,000 plus and (iii) the number of people paying tax;

  (2) what would be the effect of indexing personal allowances (a) fully, (b) three quarters of full indexation, (c) half of full indexation, (d) quarter of what would be necessary for full indexation and (e) not indexing at all, on a one-earner family of four on an income of £5,000, £10,000, £15,000, £20,000, £30,000, £40,000 and £50,000.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 12 February 1990]: Available information is given in the tables. All estimates

  Table 4: Gain for one-earner family of four of increasing personal allowances and basic rate limit from their 1989–90 levels

  Gain for one-earner family of four1 under:

  Income

  Full indexation

  ¾indexation

  ½indexation

  ¼indexation

  £per annum

  £per annum

  £per annum

  £per annum

  £per annum

  5,000

  87·50

  65·75

  43·75

  22·00

  10,000

  87·50

  65·75

  43·75

  22·00

  15,000

  87·50

  65·75

  43·75

  22·00

  20,000

  87·50

  65·75

  43·75

  22·00

  30,000

  380·00

  285·20

  190·00

  95·20

  50,000

  380·00

  285·20

  190·00

  95·20

  1 Assumes the married man receives all the income and that he receives no other tax allowances and reliefs except for the personal allowance and the married couples allowance in 1990–91.

  Inland Revenue (Scotland)
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Inland Revenue jobs are located in Scotland.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 12 February 1990]: About 6,500.

  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs are currently located at the Inland Revenue office in Cumbernauld; and what projection is made of staffing levels over the next five years.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 12 February 1990]: There are currently about 1,050 permanent posts at the Inland
  530
  assume independent taxation and that the basic rate limit is increased in line with personal allowances. Estimates in tables 1 to 3 are based on a projection of the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes and are provisional.

  Table 1: Tax Revenue Cost(-)/Yield(+)

  1990–91

  Full year

  Increase

  £ million

  £ million

  Full indexation

  -1,670

  -2,270

  Three-quarters of full indexation

  -1,260

  -1,710

  Half of full indexation

  -850

  -1,150

  One-quarter of full indexation

  -430

  -580

  Table 2: Average gain to individuals of increasing personal allowance and basic rate limit from their 1989–90 levels, at 1990–91 levels of income

  Average1 gain per individual under:

  Income (lower limit)

  Full indexation

  Three-quarters indexation

  Half indexation

  One-quarter indexation

  £ per annum

  £ per annum

  £ per annum

  £ per annum

  £ per annum

  Under 5,000

  50

  40

  25

  15

  5,000

  65

  50

  35

  15

  10,000

  80

  60

  40

  20

  15,000

  80

  60

  40

  20

  20,000

  100

  75

  50

  25

  30,000

  335

  255

  170

  85

  40,000

  370

  275

  185

  90

  Over 50,000

  370

  275

  185

  95

  1 Based on individuals liable to tax in 1989–90.

  Table 3: Effects on number of individuals of increasing personal allowances and basic rate limit from their 1989–90 levels, at 1990–91 levels of income

  Decrease in number of individuals liable to lax

  Increase

  '000s

  Full indexation

  810

  Three-quarters of full indexation

  630

  Half of full indexation

  440

  One-quarter of full indexation

  200

  Revenue offices in Cumbernauld. Staffing levels over the next few years will depend on a number of factors, including levels of work and progress with computerisation projects.

  Consumer Spending
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the figures for consumers' expenditure on rent, rates and water charges in table 1·6 of the "Monthly Digest of Statistics" include mortgage interest; and if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1979 in nominal and real terms the amount spent on local authority rents, other rents, rates, water and sewage charges, and mortgage interest.
  531
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 12 February 1990]: Mortgage interest payments are not included in consumers' expenditure.

  A split of local authority and other rents is not readily available. Estimates since 1979 of total rents paid, imputed rent (in respect of owner-occupation), and rates, water and sewage charges are given in the table in nominal and real terms. Figures for mortgage interest (gross of tax relief) are available only in nominal terms and to the nearest £ hundred million.

  Rents paid

  Imputed rent

  Rates, water and sewage charges

  Mortgage interest

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Current prices

  1979

  3,367

  6,522

  3,464

  4,800

  1980

  3,841

  7,830

  4,377

  7,000

  1981

  4,998

  9,114

  5,333

  7,900

  1982

  5,989

  10,160

  6,274

  9,300

  1983

  6,352

  11,181

  6,182

  9,300

  1984

  6,508

  11,917

  6,587

  11,700

  1985

  6,988

  12,783

  7,151

  16,000

  1986

  7,394

  13,622

  8,031

  17,000

  1987

  7,920

  14,439

  8,843

  19,600

  1988

  8,568

  15,474

  10,032

  22,300

  At constant 1985 prices

  1979

  7,532

  10,886

  6,694

  —

  1980

  7,491

  11,162

  6,794

  —

  1981

  7,377

  11,490

  6,818

  —

  1982

  7,201

  11,899

  6,912

  —

  1983

  7,043

  12,259

  6,974

  —

  1984

  6,945

  12,584

  7,061

  —

  1985

  6,988

  12,783

  7,151

  —

  1986

  6,997

  13,027

  7,245

  —

  1987

  7,087

  13,208

  7,343

  —

  1988

  7,184

  13,404

  7,449

  —

  Rateable Values
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide for Grimsby the numbers and rateable values of houses with a rateable value not exceeding £100 and by(a) £50 steps to £400, (b) £100 steps to £800, (c) £800 to £1,000, (d) £1,000 to £1,500 and (e) over £1,500.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 15 February 1990]: This information could not be produced without a disproportionate expenditure of time and resources.

  German Reunification
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely cost to the United Kingdom of German reunification; and if he will give the amount and the years in which it is likely to arise.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 15 February 1990]: My right hon. Friend is monitoring the steps being taken on reunification closely. However, it is too early to assess whether there are any costs to the United Kingdom, and if so what they may be.

  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the effect of German monetary union on the nature and timing of European monetary union.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 15 February 1990]: It is far too soon to assess the implications on European monetary
  532
  union of any possible monetary union between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic.

ENERGY

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the names of all the private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Department of Energy has only one contract, with Securicor, for one post at one of its out-stations. The actual cost of this service is a matter of commercial confidentiality.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what initiatives the Energy Efficiency Office is taking to promote the use of combined heat and power.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Department is actively promoting combined heat and power through the best practice programme. In particular my Energy Efficiency Office has planned a series of regional CHP marketing events to be held in 1990.

  Sizewell B
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman-designate of Nuclear Electric to discuss the generation costs of Sizewell B; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman-designate of Nuclear Electric regularly to discuss a wide range of nuclear issues.

  Paternity Leave
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what paternity leave is allowed to staff in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  At present paternity leave is not available to civil servants. The Treasury is, however, finalising arrangements for the introduction of an entitlement to two days' paid paternity leave.

  NATO Exercises
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what contribution his Department will make to the NATO exercises due to be held in Norway during March.

  Mr. Wakeham
  None.

  Global Warming
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what action his Department is taking, through its various agencies, to combat global warming; and what is the total to be spent on this in the current year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Much of the current research into global warming centres on ascertaining its detailed
  533
  scientific basis which does not fall within the responsibility of my Department. But we have various programmes concerned with particular aspects of energy production and supply which are highly relevant to future reduction of emissions of carbon dioxide, which is the main greenhouse gas emitted by the non-transport energy sector. They are:
  renewable forms of energy (1989–90 forecast expenditure £18 million)
  nuclear R&D (£137 million)
  energy efficiency R&D (£8·9 million)
  clean coal combustion (£2·5 million).

  The privatisation of the electricity supply industry will promote further efficiency (and hence lower emissions) in the supply of power; and the non-fossil fuel obligation will ensure that both nuclear and renewable technologies make appropriate contribution to reductions in emissions.

  Officials from my Department have made, and are continuing to make, a strong input to the deliberations of the response strategies working group of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. The United Kingdom report for the energy and industry subgroup of the working group was recently published as Energy Paper 58—"An Evaluation of Energy Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Measures to Ameliorate Them". A copy of that paper is in the Library of the House.

  Departmental Energy Policy
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent environmental criteria determine energy policy within his Department.

  Mr. Wakeham
  My Department's general aims centre around ensuring that the nation's energy needs are met, both now and in the future, in a manner which makes best use of resources, within the framework of Government policy and of our international obligations. These considerations include the preservation of the environment, both at the national level and more widely. On a detailed level, my Department's research and development objectives (published in the "Annual Review of Government Funded R&D") include environmental acceptability as a specific criterion.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest assesssment of the potential energy savings from a programme of energy efficiency measures.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Across the economy, consumers could improve their energy efficiency by at least 20 per cent. through cost-effective measures.

  Nuclear Fusion
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what research his Department is funding into nuclear fusion technology.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department contributes to fusion research through the current Community fusion programme by supporting JET and the programme of work undertaken by the AEA.

  Energy Paper Projections
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the projections in Energy Paper 55 will be next updated.
  534
  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The projections for the long-term contributions to energy supply from different renewables contained in Energy Paper 55 are kept under review. As the results from our renewable energy research programme become available they are fed into the regular reviews of the individual technologies that are undertaken. Since the publication of Energy Paper 55 our research has indicated that these published projections are still broadly appropriate given the uncertainty attached to such projections.

  Electricity Code of Practice
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether persons who are(a) suspected of illegal extraction of electricity or (b) have been convicted of that offence are to be excluded from the code of practice on disconnections.

  Mr. Baldry
  The requirement for public electricity suppliers to prepare a code of practice on the payment of bills is designed to give guidance to all domestic consumers. The codes are to be drawn up by the public electricity suppliers in consultation with the consumers committees and approved by the Director General of Electricity Supply.

  Combustion Plants Directive
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if it remains the policy of his Department to meet the targets set by the large combustion plants directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government are determined to implement in full the EC large combustion plants directive.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the present programme for retrofitting power stations to ensure compliance with emission levels, as determined by the European Community directive on large combustion plants.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government will be assessing the electricity generators' plans for complying with the EC large combustion plants directive. The retrofitting of the 4 GW Drax power station is already under way and further retrofits are in prospect.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what contribution he estimates low-sulphur coal can make to meeting the emission levels set by the European Community directive on large combustion plants; what steps are being taken to protect United Kingdom sources of low-sulphur coal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The burning of low-sulphur coal is an option open to the electricity generators as they prepare their plans to comply with the EC LCPD. The source of such coal will be a matter for the generators. The best protection of the United Kingdom coal industry is for it to produce reliable supplies which are competitive on the world market.

  Amoco Application
  Mr. Sahnond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on what date Amoco submitted its final annex B to the Department for the development of the Everest and
  535
  Lomond gas fields and for the CATS transmission system; and in what time scale the application is likely to be decided.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  No such development plan has yet been received by my Department.

  Generation Prices
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are his Department's latest estimates, expressed in pence per kilowatt hour, of the price of advanced gas-cooled reactor generation and gas turbine electricity generation in stations of similar size.

  Mr. Baldry
  The prices paid for electricity from different generating stations are currently the subject of commercial negotiation between the area boards and the generators.

  Electricity Interconnector
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the capacity expressed in megawatts of the current electricity interconnector between Scotland and England; on what time scale it is to be upgraded; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) on 6 February 1990 at column 585. I shall ask the chairman designate of the National Grid Company to write to the hon. Member.

  Scottish Electricity
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the latest estimate from the Department of the likely requirement for each of the next 10 years of Scottish-generated electricity in the English grid.

  Mr. Baldry
  This is a commercial matter for the companies concerned and will depend on market prices in England and Wales and the prices at which the Scottish electricity companies are prepared to offer electricity.

  Neptune Consortium
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Neptune Consortium has sought approval from his Department for the development of North sea fields or transmission systems.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  No, nor would I necessarily expect to receive such an application from a group which I understand is a prospective purchaser of gas from the North sea.

  Mining Skills
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has met with, or received representations from, the company Mining Skills; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  No.

  Coal
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will call for a report from British Coal on pricing policy on selling coal to the new power-generating companies.
  536
  Mr. Baldry
  No. As I indicated to the House on 4 December at column 29, under the new contracts with National Power and PowerGen British Coal's prices will continue to fall each year in real terms. The details of these contracts are still being negotiated between the parties. In Scotland, British Coal is continuing to negotiate commercial terms for coal supply to the SSEB, in the light of the recent court judgments. British Coal's pricing policy is a commercial matter for the corporation.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will give details of the sulphur content in deep-mined coal in (1) Yorkshire, (2) Nottinghamshire, (3) Wales, (4) Scotland, (5) north-east England and (6) Derbyshire;

  (2) if he will give details of the sulphur content in opencast-mined coal in (1) Yorkshire, (2) Nottinghamshire, (3) Wales, (4) Scotland, (5) north-east England and (6) Derbyshire;

  (3) if he will list the private mining companies operating licensed mines in (1) Scotland, (2) Wales, (3) Yorkshire, (4) Derbyshire, (5) Nottinghamshire and (6) north-east England.

  Mr. Baldry
  These are matters for the British Coal Corporation.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the sulphur content in imported coal from (1) Colombia, (2) South Africa, (3) China, (4) Australia, (5) America, (6) Poland, (7) Belgium.

  Mr. Baldry
  Detailed information is not available centrally for all of these countries, but the bulk of coal imports, particularly from the United States and Australia, is of relatively low sulphur specification, primarily for use in the metallurgical industry. Steam coal imports from Colombia are also relatively low in sulphur.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last had discussions with private mining companies involved in opencast mining; and what he discussed.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend met representatives of the National Association of Licensed Opencast Operators on 7 December 1989. A range of issues affecting the prospects of the licensed mine sector were discussed.

  Union of Democratic Mineworkers
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total and source of financial contributions from public funds to the Union of Democratic Mineworkers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department makes no payments to the Union of Democratic Mineworkers.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met representatives of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers; and what he discussed.

  Mr. Baldry
  I met the president of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers on 23 January to discuss a range of issues affecting the coal industry.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Single Market
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies Her Majesty's Government have undertaken with regard to the effect of the single European market in 1992 on trade with Asian and African developing nations.

  Mr. Redwood
  I understand that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has authorised payment towards the conduct of a study by the Overseas Development Institute on the effect of the completion of the internal market on developing countries. The study is scheduled for completion in July 1990. An interim briefing paper is already available.

  My Department has also given careful consideration to the external implications of the single market programme. The removal of remaining trade barriers will make it easier for non-EC companies to do business across the Community. After 1992, Asian and African developing countries will continue to enjoy preferential access to the Community market under arrangements established by the Lome convention and the generalised scheme of preferences.

  Catalytic Converters
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out the research and findings that have been given by Warren Springs laboratories on carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles with and without catalytic converters.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  WSL has made no direct comparisons between catalyst and non-catalyst versions of popular makes and models of cars. Catalyst-equipped versions of these vehicles have not been available.

  Our experience of catalyst cars is confined to specialist imports and manufacturers' prototypes, with relatively new catalysts.

  We will measure emissions from production catalyst cars as they become available in the vehicle parc.

  Our experience with relatively new catalysts shows a conversion efficiency of 80–90 per cent. for CO, hydrocarbons and NOx WSL has done no work as yet on degradation of catalyst performance with age, in use.

  In non-catalyst cars, the CO and HC emissions would ultimately be oxidized to CO2 in the atmosphere over periods of several months. Catalysts effect this oxidation at the tailpipe immediately.

  Number of defendants

  Security(ies) Involved

  Date(s) of Offences or alleged Offences

  Outcome

  2

  Joseph Stocks and Sons (Holdings) Ltd.

  11 December 1980 and a day between 15 April 1980 and 11 December 1980

  Both convicted

  1

  Harris and Sheldon Group plc

  Day between 4 June 1981 and 18 June 1981

  Convicted

  2

  Blockley plc

  9 August 1982

  Acquitted

  1

  Martin the Newsagent plc

  6 March 1984 and 9 March 1984

  Convicted

  1

  Thomson T-Line plc

  5 December 1985

  Acquitted

  1

  Reardon-Smith Line plc

  28 May 85

  Convicted

  1

  AE plc and Cadbury Schweppes plc

  3 November 1986 and 14 October 1986

  Convicted

  1

  The British and Commonwealth Shipping Co. plc and Steel Brothers Holdings plc

  14 October 1986 and 14 November 1986

  Convicted

  1

  Wordplex plc

  30 April 1987

  Acquitted on Appeal

  538
  The difference in CO2 emissions between models with or without catalysts therefore depends almost entirely on the respective fuel consumptions. At present, catalyst vehicles have to operate at relatively rich air-fuel ratios, leading to a fuel consumption penalty of the order of 10 per cent.

  Financial Services Act
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received, and from whom, about section 62 of the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department receives a considerable number of representations on various aspects of the Financial Services Act. In recent months some of these have referred to section 62A, which will be inserted by section 193 of the Companies Act 1989 and which will limit the rights of action conferred by section 62. The Department will shortly be consulting over its proposals for the implementation of section 62A.

  Capital Flows
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a table showing the annual capital flows, including loans granted and loan interest repaid, between the United Kingdom and the five poorest countries by 1990 standards in Latin America, Africa and Asia since 1975.

  Mr. Redwood
  It is not possible to provide the information requested without disproportionate expenditure.

  Insider Dealing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the individuals prosecuted by the Department of Trade and Industry for insider dealings since January 1979 and indicate how many prosecutions succeeded and how many failed.

  Mr. Redwood
  Insider dealing became a criminal offence in July 1980. Since then there have been prosecutions by the DTI (or by the Department of Trade) for insider dealing offences of 21 individuals where the case has been determined. Eleven were convicted, but the conviction of one of them was overturned on appeal. Information about these prosecutions is as follows:
  539

  Number of defendants

  Security(ies) Involved

  Date(s) of Offences or alleged Offences

  Outcome

  2

  Mercantile House Holdings plc

  5 January 1987

  One convicted, case against the other withdrawn

  3

  Press Tools plc

  5 August 1987

  All Acquitted

  1

  Piccadilly Radio plc

  19 December 1988

  Convicted

  1

  Wheway plc

  10 November 1987

  Acquitted

  1

  Centreway Industries plc

  3 July 1987, 9 July 1987, 29 July 1987, 30 July 1987

  Acquitted

  1

  Ealing Electro-Optics plc

  between 20 June 1988 and 20 July 1988

  Acquitted

  1

  Minet Holdings plc

  25 November 1987

  Convicted

  Prosecutions have also been concluded in the case of five other individuals. One of those prosecutions was by the procurator fiscal, two were by the Director of Public Prosecutions and two by the Crown prosecution service.

  Insolvency
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby of 21 December 1989,Official Report, column 393, the insolvency service or any other Government agency collects information about the going concern qualifications received by failed companies.

  Mr. Redwood
  No such information is collected either by the insolvency service or any other Government agency.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward legislation to clarify and increase the effectiveness of the company rescue procedures in the Insolvency Act 1986, in particular to reduce the need to go to court for guidance on interpretation.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have no plans at present to do so, though the insolvency service monitors the effectiveness of current insolvency legislation.

  As is the case with new legislation, particularly where new concepts, such as the administration procedure, are introduced, precedents are established by early court decisions. As time goes on the need for court involvement is reduced.

  Companies Acts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has taken steps to encourage companies to disclose non-financial and qualitative information.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Companies Act 1985 requires companies to disclose a range of such information in the directors' report. The Government favour any disclosure of such information by companies which goes beyond the requirements of the Companies Acts when companies consider that this would be helpful.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will consider legislation to amend the Companies Acts to require the directors' reports of large companies to explain the safety of their products;

  (2) if he will consider legislation to amend the Companies Acts to require the directors' reports of large companies to explain the steps taken to conserve energy;
  540
  (3) if he will introduce legislation to amend the Companies Acts to require the directors' reports of large companies to detail the steps taken by the company to control pollution;

  (4) whether he will consider legislation to amend the Companies Acts to require the directors' reports of large companies to state the amount spent on employee training;

  (5) whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Companies Acts to require the directors' reports of large companies to list steps taken to conserve energy;

  (6) whether he will seek to amend the Companies Acts to require the directors' reports of large companies to explain the steps taken to enhance employment opportunities for women;

  (7) if he will consider legislation to amend the Companies Acts to require the directors' reports of large companies to explain action which the company has taken to conserve Britain's natural resources.

  Mr. Redwood
  No. It would be unreasonably burdensome to require all large companies to provide such information. Companies are best placed to decide, in the light of their individual circumstances, whether this information is likely to be of interest to their members and other users of their reports and accounts.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to amend the Companies Acts to give all employees of large companies a statutory right to receive a copy of the company's annual report and accounts.

  Mr. Redwood
  No.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to amend the Companies Acts so as to require the directors of large companies to file details of any information which they pass to their brokers.

  Mr. Redwood
  No.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to amend the Companies Acts to require directors' reports of large companies to explain the steps taken to safeguard and promote health and safety of their work force.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend has no present plans to exercise his power to make regulations under paragraph 10 of schedule 7 to the Companies Act 1985.

  Invisible and Visible Trade
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a table showing(a) the net invisible trade and (b) the net visible trade between the

  541
  United Kingdom and the five poorest nations, by 1990 standards, in Latin America, in Africa and in Asia since 1975.

  Mr. Redwood
  Information on invisible trade with individual countries is not available. The information requested on the balance of visible trade between the United Kingdom and the poorest nations in South America, Africa and Asia is given in the table:

  United Kingdom visible trade with the five countries with the lowest per capita GNP in South America

  Exports (fob) minus imports (cif)

  £'000

  Haiti

  Guyana

  Bolivia

  Dominican Republic

  Honduras

  1975

  2,004

  -18,160

  -13,728

  1,407

  3,471

  1976

  1,820

  -7,883

  -13,830

  5,248

  4,097

  1977

  2,352

  -12,873

  -25,266

  8,477

  5,863

  United Kingdom visible trade with the six countries with the lowest per capita gross national product in Africa Exports (fob) minus Imports (cif)

  Ethiopia

  Chad

  Guinea-Bis

  Zaire

  Mozambique

  Malawi

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  1975

  5,428

  808

  192

  -7,410

  7,426

  -10,688

  1976

  -2,331

  -501

  312

  -20,843

  -6,113

  -18,847

  1977

  14,561

  574

  514

  -45,010

  -2,270

  -35,612

  1978

  12,614

  4,993

  2,787

  -77,912

  6,970

  -25,654

  1979

  3,094

  372

  -235

  -44,753

  5,166

  -19,113

  1980

  10,696

  82

  482

  -24,969

  333

  -20,651

  1981

  11,490

  363

  595

  4,466

  16,047

  -12,741

  1982

  16,735

  1,080

  430

  5,189

  3,856

  -21,624

  1983

  22,021

  2,235

  384

  9,936

  19,455

  -23,877

  1984

  49,613

  2,905

  499

  28,573

  6,794

  -42,333

  1985

  52,284

  748

  1,207

  -222

  4,435

  -66,693

  1986

  27,710

  -1,555

  1,105

  17,024

  11,841

  -28,426

  1987

  33,271

  -94

  1,136

  17,598

  14,587

  -26,153

  1988

  39,210

  -1,125

  903

  17,590

  18,644

  -2,565

  1989

  31,376

  2,640

  1,156

  19,350

  5,686

  2,714

  United Kingdom visible trade with the five countries with the lowest per capita gross national product in Asia Exports (fob) minus imports (cif)

  Bhutan

  Bangladesh

  Nepal

  Laos

  Burma

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  1975

  8

  6,264

  1,783

  -15

  3,724

  1976

  31

  4,987

  1,006

  176

  4,333

  1977

  35

  5,051

  2,104

  336

  8,675

  1978

  24

  27,255

  634

  1,509

  20,663

  1979

  2

  27,807

  4,234

  215

  12,644

  1980

  93

  37,354

  750

  688

  15,165

  1981

  -17

  30,147

  656

  477

  24,423

  1982

  89

  32,624

  795

  526

  38,888

  1983

  98

  25,797

  -1,102

  569

  17,235

  1984

  86

  5,089

  890

  483

  10,068

  1985

  109

  34,274

  -1,513

  517

  10,306

  1986

  75

  14,101

  -1,644

  1,310

  4,743

  1987

  396

  18,929

  376

  1,120

  20,915

  1988

  12,289

  13,769

  -4,416

  1,330

  7,258

  1989

  35

  25,743

  -504

  -1,369

  8,733

  Enterprise Initiative
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will supply figures for the number of firms that have applied for and obtained subsidised consultancies under the enterprise initiative(a) for the period up to July 1989 and (b) for the period from July 1989 to date.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is as follows:

  13 January 1988 to 30 June 1989

  1 July 1989 to 2 February 1990

  Applications received

  29,863

  12,786

  Completed projects

  6,572

  6,803

  542

  Haiti

  Guyana

  Bolivia

  Dominican Republic

  Honduras

  1978

  3,524

  -23,423

  -15,893

  8,681

  6,220

  1979

  2,048

  -14,390

  -28,019

  4,456

  5,029

  1980

  1,902

  -15,184

  -24,458

  6,730

  3,151

  1981

  1,102

  -21,872

  -24,184

  3,847

  4,554

  1982

  1,087

  -37,410

  -16,231

  4,409

  -37

  1983

  2,621

  -29,127

  -10,122

  4,933

  2,491

  1984

  2,334

  -43,043

  -2,882

  6,915

  -4,979

  1985

  3,581

  -33,971

  -3,991

  6,750

  -2,113

  1986

  4,248

  -41,798

  -6,563

  7,580

  3,933

  1987

  4,706

  -43,131

  -11,140

  15,250

  5,747

  1988

  5,916

  -32,928

  -7,195

  8,712

  -404

  1989

  5,763

  -41,307

  -11,518

  14,296

  -6,603

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will supply figures for the number of firms, by standard planning region, that have applied for and obtained subsidised consultancies under the enterprise initiative.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is as follows, as at 2 February 1990:

  DTI Region1

  Applications received

  Completed projects

  North East

  2,168

  626

  North West

  6,075

  2,264

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  3,929

  1,389

  543

  DTI Region1

  Applications received

  Completed projects

  West Midlands

  4,490

  1,518

  East Midlands

  2,731

  904

  South West

  4,005

  1,009

  East

  3,516

  812

  South East

  10,597

  2,840

  Scotland

  2,834

  1,240

  Wales

  2,304

  773

  Total

  42,649

  13,375

  1 Data is collected for DTI Regions and for Scotland and Wales.

  Bookmaking Industry
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and. Industry if any scrutiny is under consideration of the role of the bookmaking industry in respect of the control of shareholding in the company Satellite Information Services through the introduction of approved shareholdings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 15 February 1990]: No such scrutiny is under consideration.

  Footwear Industry
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if the British Government have put any proposals to the European Community in discussions on the current general agreement on tariffs and trade round concerning the footwear industry;

  (2) what restrictions on footwear imports he is pressing for in the current general agreement on tariffs and trade round; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 15 February 1990]: The Government's objectives in the current round of GATT negotiations are to expand trade, not restrict it. We are not, therefore, pressing for restrictions on imports of footwear. We have been in regular contact with the footwear industry over the past year about the issues raised in the current negotiations and have passed to the European Commission the details the industry has given us of tariff and non-tariff barriers in Third-world countries. We will make every effort to ensure that these are properly addressed as the detailed phase of the negotiations begins this year.

  Personal Data
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek to amend the Data Protection Act to ensure that companies holding personal data for the purpose of crime prevention are not prosecuted for contravening the Act because theirs is a purpose for which such companies were not so registered.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have been asked to reply.

  We have no plans to do so.

  HEALTH

    Bonuses
    Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is the practice for health authority managers to be paid performance-related bonus, following revenue-saving unit closures.
    544
    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The assessment for performance-related pay will take account of all the objectives set for the manager concerned. improving the use of an authority's resources or developing new patterns of service.

    Blood Transfusion
    Mr. Kennedy
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what volume of blood was donated via the blood transfusion service in(a) 1989, (b) 1984 and (c) 1979;

    (2) what volume of blood was imported for use in the National Health Service in (a) 1989, (b) 1984 and (c) 1979; and if he will indicate which countries supplied the imports, giving percentages;

    (3) what was the volume of blood used by the National Health Service in (a) 1989, (b) 1984 and (c)

    Mr. Freeman
    The available information is given in the tables. No whole blood was imported for use in the National Health Service during the years 1979, 1984 and 1989.

    National blood transfusion service for England and Wales Numbers of units of blood donated 1979, 1984, 1988

    Units

    11979

    2,144,484

    1984

    2,158,626

    1988

    2,140,810

    1 Number of donors reporting to blood transfusion centres.

    National blood transfusion service, England and Wales2 Units of blood issued to NHS hospitals, 1982, 1984, 1988

    Units

    1982

    1,637,536

    1984

    1,730,049

    1988

    1,704,705

    2 Excludes Oxford region, for which figures are not available.

    Urban Development
    Mr. Thornton
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide estimates showing for each financial year from 1987–88 to 1990–91 the amount of actual or planned expenditure designed to support the urban programme.

    Mr. Freeman
    Capital funds allocated to health authorities in support of the urban programme are:

    £ million

    1987–88

    11·5

    1988–89

    11·3

    1989–90

    11·2

    1990–91

    11·0

    Figures are at cash for each year.

    Shropshire Health Authority
    Mr. Conway
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of(a) out-patients, (b) day-patients and (c) in-patients in Shropshire health authority's area in 1978–79 and 1988–89.

    Mr. Freeman
    The information requested for 1978 and 1988–89 is given in the table:
    545

    Patients treated, NHS hospitals, Shropshire district health authority, 1978 and 1988–89

    1978

    1988–89

    In-patient cases treated

    39,929

    52,498

    Day cases

    1,329

    3,047

    New out-patients

    49,393

    56,306

    Total out-patient attendances

    207,991

    211,655

    Source: SH3 return 1978; SH3a, KP70, KH09 and KH18 returns, 1988–89.

    General Practitioners
    Mr. Fisher
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been removed from general practitioner lists in the last six months.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State gave the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 8 January at column 508.

    Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to make Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease a notifiable disease; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Freeman
    We have no plans to do so. The study to be conducted by Dr. R. G. Will—I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 10 January at column 665—is considered to be a more reliable method of monitoring the incidence of this disease.

    Abortion
    Mr. Alton
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the numbers and percentages of abortions performed on pregnancies under statutory grounds 2 (alone) and 3 (with any other) for each week of gestation from 18 weeks to 28 weeks.

    Mr. Freeman
    The information requested is given in the table:

    Number, and percentage of all abortions, performed under the Abortion Act 1967, by gestation weeks, and statutory grounds1 2 (alone) and 3 (with or without 2) on residents and non-residents of England and Wales, 1988

    Gestation weeks

    All grounds(Nos)

    2 (alone)(Nos)

    Percentage

    3 (with or without 2) (Nos)

    Percentage

    18

    3,192

    2,827

    88·57

    181

    5·67

    19

    1,911

    1,661

    86·92

    89

    4·66

    20

    1,495

    1,243

    83·14

    70

    4·68

    21

    948

    845

    89·14

    42

    4·43

    22

    1,035

    939

    90·72

    32

    3·09

    23

    1,039

    988

    95·09

    19

    1·83

    24

    69

    48

    69·57

    1

    1·45

    25

    6

    —

    —

    —

    —

    26

    9

    —

    —

    —

    —

    27

    7

    —

    —

    —

    —

    28

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    1 Statutory grounds.

    Notes:

    1. The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.

    2. The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.
    546
    3. The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk or injury to the physical or mental health of any existing child(ren) in the family of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.

    4. There is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.

    5. To save the life of the pregnant mother.

    6. To prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the child.

    Ambulance Stations
    Mr. Allen
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many official visits he has paid to ambulance stations in the last 100 days.

    Mr. Kenneth Clarke
    None. However, I visited Northumbria ambulance service headquarters on 24 January 1990.

    British Medical Association
    Mr. McFall
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the British Medical Association to discuss the National Health Service and Community Care Bill.

    Mr. Kenneth Clarke
    I have had no meetings with the British Medical Association specifically about the National Health Service and Community Care Bill since it was laid before the House. Discussions about our proposals in the White Paper "Working for Patients" last took place on 18 October 1989. I have had recent meetings with the BMA on the pay, terms and conditions of its members.

    Health Provision, North-West
    Mr. Tony Lloyd
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to respond to the letter of 17 November 1989 of the hon. Member for Stretford requesting a meeting to discuss health provision in the north-west.

    Mr. Freeman
    My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State replied to the hon. Member on 29 January 1990.

    Operations (Cancellations)
    Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many theatre sessions were cancelled in the Lancaster health authority in each of the last five years for which figures are available in(a) urology and (b) orthopaedics; and how many of these cancellations were due to (i) non-attendance of the consultant and (ii) non-attendance of the patient.

    Mr. Freeman
    Information requested about theatre sessions is given in the table:

    Cancelled operating theatre sessions in the Lancaster health authority

    Urology

    Trauma/Orthopaedics

    1985–86

    5

    27

    1986–87

    7

    52

    1987–88

    10

    58

    1988–89

    11

    66

    1989–901

    7

    69

    1 Part year.

    547
    The reasons for the cancellation of theatre sessions are extremely varied and no information is held centrally to distinguish, for example, cancellation resulting from the upgrading of theatre facilities from the non-availability of consultants or non-attendance of patients.

    Head Lice
    Mr. Cartwright
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what evidence he has received about the increase of head lice among schoolchildren; and what advice his Department has issued to district health authorities on this matter;

    (2) what evidence he has received about the increase of head lice among schoolchildren; and, what advice his Department has issued to local education authorities on this matter.

    Mr. Freeman
    Information about the incidence of head lice infestation is not available in the form requested. We have the following information on infestations identified by school nurses:

    Health Surveillance by Nurses: Maintained Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Special Schools.

    1984

    1985

    1986

    1987–88

    Number of Infestations1 (England)

    Number of pupils examined (thousands)

    9,401·9

    7,288·2

    6,089·6

    4,546·3

    Number of pupils found to be infested (thousands)

    132·1

    105·5

    94·6

    91·4

    Infested pupils as a percentage of the maintained school population

    1·74

    1·42

    1·29

    1·27

    1 Infestations include head lice, vermin, scabies, ringworm, impetigo and verrucae

    Responsibility for the control of head lice infestation amongst school children lies with the individual health authorities through co-operation between the school health services and local education authorities.

    It is for them to determine the policy for dealing with this problem in the light of local circumstances. Many have stopped routine head inspections and are now pursuing approaches which, for example, combine selective inspections with far more emphasis on health education programmes and advice to parents and children on managing the problem. The Department issued advice on the control of communicable diseases including Pediculosis (head lice) in 1977. This guidance document is currently being revised. The Health Education Authority has also issued guidance.

    Speech Therapists
    Mr. Cartwright
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate of the number of unfilled vacancies for speech therapists in Greater London; and what steps are being taken to fill these vacancies.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    This information is not available centrally in the form requested.

    AIDS
    Mr. Chris Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that any consideration he gives to applications for grant funding from other organisations providing support, care, counselling and education to people with HIV or AIDS will not prejudice his Department's continuing support for the work of the Terrence Higgins Trust.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The Department awarded the Terrence Higgins Trust a grant of £450,000 for the 548
    financial year 1989–90 towards the administrative costs of its health education, drugs education, counselling support and buddy and helper cell programmes. We have agreed in principle to continue grant aid up to a maximum of £450,000 for 1990–91. In determining the final level of grant for the coming financial year, our primary consideration will be the trust's record of achievement in the current year.

    General Medical Council
    Mr. Hoyle
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the fees incurred by an individual bringing a case to the General Medical Council.

    Mr. Freeman
    Individual complainants are required to provide the GMC with a sworn statement of evidence in support of their complaint and have to pay the legal fees involved. For any subsequent disciplinary action the GMC offers complainants the services of its solicitor free of charge. Complainants who choose to use their own solicitors will normally be reimbursed part of their legal costs by the GMC.

    Mr. Hoyle
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the procedures operated by the General Medical Council if a general practitioner is referred to the council by both an individual and his Department.

    Mr. Freeman
    In such circumstances, I understand that the GMC will normally take action on the referral from the Department which contains the evidence which has already been established against a doctor.

    Mr. Hoyle
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the procedure for ordering a second hearing of a case before the General Medical Council.

    Mr. Freeman
    Statutory Instrument 1988 No. 2255 governs the procedures to be adopted by the GMC in respect of disciplinary hearings. As the council is responsible for implementing these procedures I suggest the information requested is sought from it.

    Mr. Hoyle
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has a policy of giving way to an individual when both wish to proceed with a case to the General Medical Council; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Freeman
    There is a long-standing arrangement under which the Department sends the General Medical Council information on cases which have a bearing on a practitioner's professional conduct. The Department does not act as a complainant or make a formal reference to the General Medical Council—it merely passes on the information in its possession. Any action taken on this information is a matter entirely for the General Medical Council. The Department is not a party to that action.

    Regional Allocations
    Mr. Cousins
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central tabled for priority written answer on 30 January, to which he gave a holding answer.

    Mr. Freeman
    I replied to the hon. Member on 15 February.

    NHS Reform
    Mr. Bradley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications he has received for the establishment of fund-holding practices from general practitioner practices in Manchester.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    Formal applications cannot be made until there is legislative provision for fund-holding. Practices have been invited to return forms to their RHAs registering their interest in fund-holding. We do not have details of the numbers of interested practices in individual FPCs.

    North Western RHA
    Mr. Bradley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants now work in the North Western regional health authority and the South Manchester health authority; and how many did so in 1979.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The number of hospital medical and dental consultants, in the North Western regional health authority, at 30 September 1979 and 1988, were 1,078 and 1,284 respectively.

    Details of consultants working in district health authorities are not available centrally.

    Mr. Bradley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent so far(a) in Manchester and (b) nationally by (i) his Department, (ii) district health authorities and (iii) family practitioner committees to prepare for the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 14 February at columns 308–9.

    Junior Doctors
    Mr. Terry Davis
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate of the number of junior hospital doctors working a one-in-three rota.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    Recent reports from health authorities indicate that at September 1989 some 5,103 junior doctors (around 22 per cent. of the total) were on rotas of one in three with prospective cover or worse. That number is planned to fall to 4,230 by September 1990, of which some 2,942 (around one in eight) are on rotas which are also considered locally to be onerous. "Prospective cover" means contractual cover for the annual and sick leave of colleagues.

    Ambulance Dispute
    Mr. Tony Banks
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been paid by the London ambulance service to the Metropolitan police for costs arising from the present dispute in each week, from the commencement to the latest date for which figures are available.

    Mr. Kenneth Clarke
    The sums paid by the London ambulance service to the Metropolitan police in respect of the costs arising from the ambulance dispute are as follows:

    Period covered

    Cost (£)

    23–24 October 1989

    131,566

    Week ending

    550

    Period covered

    Cost (£)

    12 November 1989

    537,235

    19 November 1989

    601,063

    26 November 1989

    525,724

    3 December 1989

    471,856

    10 December 1989

    504,854

    Later information on a weekly basis is not currently available, but expenditure is continuing at roughly the same level.

    Myeloid Leukaemia
    Dr. Cunningham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will update the list of the 20 areas with the highest incidence of myeloid leukaemia contained in his answer to the hon. Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) of 15 April 1986,Official Report, columns 371–72.

    Mr. Freeman
    The information requested is not immediately available in the form requested but will be extracted for local authority district areas for 1988. I will let the hon. Member have the results as soon as they are available.

    NHS Funding
    Mr. Ashley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the regional health authorities in rank order according to the percentage of National Health Service money(a) allocated to the regions in 1989–90 and (b) that will be allocated in 1990–91 using the new formula.

    Mr. Freeman
    [holding answer 15 February 1996]: The table gives the ranking of each regional health authority according to the percentage of National Health Service money allocated in 1989–90 and 1990–91:

    Region

    Ranking 1989–90

    Ranking 1990–91

    Northern

    10

    10

    Yorkshire

    6

    6

    Trent

    2

    2

    East Anglian

    14

    14

    North West Thames

    7

    7

    North East Thames

    4

    4

    South East Thames

    5

    5

    South West Thames

    8

    8

    Wessex

    11

    11

    Oxford

    13

    13

    South Western

    9

    9

    West Midlands

    1

    1

    Mersey

    12

    12

    North Western

    3

    3

    Notes:

    1. 1989–90 is based on allocations for services provided in the region using the resource allocation working party formula (RAWP).

    2. 1990–91 is based on the allocations for resident population, calculated using the new allocation formula, adjusted for the effect of cross boundary flows, so that they are on a comparable basis to 1989–90.

    3. Both 1989–90 and 1990–91 are before the additions for SIFT supra-regional services and other special additions specific to individual regions.

    Mr. Ashley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the regional health authorities in rank order according to the growth money(a) they received in 1989–90 and (b) will receive on current assumptions in 1990–91.
    551
    Mr. Freeman
    [holding answer 15 February 1990]: The table gives the ranking for each regional health authority according to the amount of cash increase over the previous baseline for the region, allocated for 1989–90 and 1990–91:

    Region

    Ranking

    Ranking

    1989–90

    1990–91

    Northern

    9

    11

    Yorkshire

    6

    7

    Trent

    2

    2

    East Anglian

    14

    12

    North West Thames

    7

    10

    North East Thames

    4

    4

    South East Thames

    5

    3

    South West Thames

    8

    8

    Wessex

    11

    9

    Oxford

    13

    13

    South Western

    9

    6

    West Midlands

    1

    1

    Mersey

    12

    14

    North Western

    3

    5

    Notes:

    1. 1989–90 is based on the allocations for services provided in the Region using the resource allocation working party formula

    Domestic rateable subjects at 1 April 1988

    Stirling

    Perth and Kinross

    Ross and Cromarty

    Skye and Lochalsh

    Bands of rateable value

    Number

    Total rateable value (£)

    Number

    Total rateable value (£)

    Number

    Total rateable value (£)

    Number

    Total rateable value (£)

    £0 to £300

    677

    127,893

    3,201

    505,831

    2,351

    419,310

    1,106

    168,606

    £301 to £600

    13,435

    6,551,918

    25,321

    11,489,921

    10,309

    4,843,669

    1,832

    797,024

    £601 to £900

    9,286

    6,576,092

    12,951

    9,312,270

    4,209

    3,013,623

    544

    395,687

    £901 to £1,200

    4,376

    4,553,954

    6,870

    7,138,130

    1,379

    1,390,534

    179

    180,148

    £1,201 to £1,500

    2,176

    2,884,471

    2,807

    3,727,934

    199

    261,652

    27

    35,006

    Over £1,500

    1,341

    2,386,397

    1,078

    1,876,567

    79

    153,699

    13

    25,910

    Croft houses/separately assessed caravans

    127

    38,106

    270

    55,701

    1,572

    397,544

    1,935

    445,746

    Total

    31,418

    23,118,831

    52,498

    34,106.354

    20,098

    10,480,031

    5,636

    2,048,127

    Green Pound
    Sir David Steel
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes have been made over the past 12 months in the green pound arrangements for Scottish farmers; and what estimate he has made of the effect this has had on their standard of living.

    Mr. Rifkind
    In April 1989, as part of the price-fixing settlement. we obtained a substantial devaluation of the green pound, reducing United Kingdom monetary gaps generally by half, and in the case of beef removing the gap completely. The devaluations were estimated to boost Scottish farm incomes by between £15 and £20 million in a full year.

    In January this year an EMS realignment created new negative monetary gaps for some currencies, including sterling. Under agreed rules, such gaps are removed automatically and the United Kingdom will benefit from a devaluation of about 1·5 percentage points, which will add about £6·5 million to Scottish farm incomes in a full year.

    Sir David Steel
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he proposes to take to reduce the disadvantage to Scottish farmers as a result of the current levels of the green pound and interest rates.

    Mr. Rifkind
    The disadvantage to Scottish and other United Kingdom farmers will be overcome by reducing
    552
    (RAWP).

    2. 1990–91 is based on the allocations for resident population using the new allocation formula, adjusted for the effect of cross boundary flows, so that they are on a comparable basis to 1989–90.

    3. Both 1989–90 and 1990–91 exclude the additions for SIFT supra-regional services and other special additions specific to individual regions.

  SCOTLAND

    Rateable Values
    Mr. Austin Mitchell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will provide for the districts of Stirling, Perth and Kinross and Ross, Cromarty and Skye the number and rateable value of houses and so on, immediately prior to the introduction of the poll tax with a rateable value not exceeding £100 and by(a) £50 steps to £400, (b) £100 steps to £800, (c) £800 to £1,000, (d) £1,000 to £1,500 and (e) over £1,500.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    Information is not available in the form requested. The available information is given in the table:

    monetary gaps through devaluation of the green pound in the current price-fixing negotiations. We are seeking a substantial devaluation as part of our commitment to remove all monetary gaps by 1992. The high level of interest rates is necessary to control inflation which, if unchecked, would harm the farming industry as much as other sectors of the economy.

    Private Security Firms
    Mr. George
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the names of all the private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

    Mr. Rifkind
    Information relating to the value of current contracts with private security companies and the number of staff employed on these contracts are matters of contractual and commercial confidentiality which it would not be proper to disclose.

    The total value of all contracts awarded during the period 1984–85 to 1988–89 is show at column 1, and details of the private security companies with which contracts are currently in operation are set out at column 2:
    553

    1. Year

    Total value of all contracts (inclusive of VAT) £

    1984–85

    68,384

    1985–86

    70,468

    1986–87

    261,306

    1987–88

    294,229

    1988–89

    515,982

    2. Companies

    Group 4 Total Security Ltd

    Chubb Wardens Ltd

    Shorrock Guards Ltd

    Burns International Security Services (UK) Ltd

    Wackenhut UK Ltd

    Castlemilk Enterprises Ltd

    Paternity Leave
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what paternity leave is allowed to staff in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Rifkind
    At present paternity leave is not available to civil servants. The Treasury is, however, finalising arrangements for the introduction of an entitlement to two days' paid paternity leave.

    House Prices
    Mr. Allan Stewart
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will estimate the number of houses owned by Glasgow district council which have a market value of less than £10,000;

    (2) if he will estimate the number of houses owned by Scottish local authorities which have a negative market value.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    My right hon. and learned Friend has no basis on which to make such an estimate.

    Slumberdown Limited
    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what regional development grants or other industrial assistance have been paid in the past six years to Slumberdown Limited, or its parent company the Walter Alexander Group, in respect of its premises at Broxburn; and what was the value of each such payment.

    Mr. Rifkind
    One payment of £128,945 of regional development grant has been made.

    NHS Expenditure
    Mr. Bill Walker
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial allocations he has made to health boards for 1990–91.

    Mr. Michael Forsyth
    My right hon. and learned Friend has allocated £2,061·498 million to health boards in Scotland to meet their gross recurrent expenditure commitments on hospitals and community health services in 1990–91. This figure includes £89·891 million allocated for specific commitments including NHS review, national cardiac surgery services, AIDS, nurse training and pay 554
    review body awards. After expected income is taken into account, the net cash allocations to individual health boards are as follows:

    Health Board

    Recurrent Expenditure (net) £ million

    Argyll and Clyde

    142·956

    Ayr and Arran

    111·671

    Borders

    32·801

    Dumfries and Galloway

    54·062

    Fife

    103·308

    Forth Valley

    96·487

    Grampian

    184·696

    Greater Glasgow

    503·944

    Highland

    77·960

    Lanarkshire

    164·513

    Lothian

    319·217

    Orkney

    6·076

    Shetland

    7·214

    Tayside

    184·386

    Western Isles

    10·646

    1,999·937

    A further £36·511 million will be distributed during the year for specific initiatives to tackle waiting lists, for the breast cancer screening service and other specific initiatives.

  SOCIAL SECURITY

    Old Age Programmes
    Mr. Pawsey
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a list showing expenditure on programmes for old age as a proportion of gross domestic product at market prices for European Community member states for each year since 1983.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    The latest statistics available were published in June 1989 in issue 1989/2 of Eurostat's "Rapid Reports on Population and Social Conditions", a copy of which is in the Library.

    Income Support
    Mr. Summerson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when income support was increased to fund the balance of community charge after rebate, and by how much.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 5 February 1990 at column 524.

    Students (Benefits)
    Mr. Bill Walker
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to announce his proposals for the withdrawal of social security benefits from students.

    Mr. Scott
    It is Government policy that full-time students should be funded from one source—the educational maintenance system. To this end we propose to withdraw entitlement to unemployment benefit, income support and housing benefit from the majority of students from the start of the next academic year in September. The regulations to give effect to these proposals have today been referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee for consultation. The draft regulations describe those
    555
    students in vulnerable groups who will retain eligibility to income support and housing benefit. They also set out the proposed treatment in the income-related benefits of top-up loans and payments from the access funds.

    Bereavement
    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will consider amending social security regulations to exempt recently bereaved claimants from the actively seeking work provision for a specified period.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    We do not consider that a change to the legislation is required. In determining whether a person has taken reasonable steps in any week to actively seek employment, the regulations require an adjudication officer to have regard to all the circumstances of the case. This provision allows an adjudication officer to take into account exceptional circumstances, like bereavement, in determining whether the actively seeking work condition has been satisfied.

    Transitional Protection
    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support claimants are in receipt of a transitional addition at present; and how many were in receipt before the April 1989 uprating.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    It is estimated that next month about 485,000 income support claimants will be in receipt of normal statutory transitional protection. The corresponding number immediately before the April 1989 uprating was estimated at 1·2 million.

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has on the change in benefit income to claimants following the introduction of the transitional protection arrangements, currently in practice.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    As a result of the transitional protection arrangements noone who has been continuously on benefit since April 1989 in unchanged circumstances will have suffered a reduction in benefit income in cash terms. We estimate that 95 per cent. of claimants on income support either saw an increase in that benefit income in October, as a result of the restructuring of premiums for older and disabled pensioners, or will see such an increase in April 1990 as a result of the general uprating.

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to amend current transitional protection regulations.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    We amended the regulations as recently as December 1989. We have no plans for further amendment.

    Industrial Injuries and Adjudication
    Dr. Godman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a breakdown of the figure given in the Official Report, 7 February, column 978, concerning claims made under regulation 13 of the Social Security (Industrial Injuries and Adjudication) Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 1986, by geographical region; and if he w ill make a statement.
    556
    Mr. Scott
    The geographical distribution of new claims and review applications made under regulation 13(2) of the Social Security (Industrial Injuries and Adjudication) Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 1986 is estimated to be as follows:

    Region1

    New claims and review applications

    North Eastern

    15,000

    London North

    300

    Wales and South West

    800

    Midlands

    800

    North Western

    5,500

    Scotland

    2,300

    London South

    1,300

    Great Britain

    26,000

    1 Standard social security regions.

    Note:

    Based on special returns received from local offices up to 30

    November 1989 extrapolated to the end of December 1989.

    Personal Allowances
    Mr. Meacher
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give a table for the income support personal allowances for(a) a single person aged 18–24 years, (b) a single person aged 25 years plus and (c) a couple without children, showing (i) the illustrative figures in the technical annex to the 1985 White Paper, (ii) the illustrative figures uprated by the ROSSI index since then, (iii) the amount provided to compensate for the exclusion of 20 per cent. at rates from housing benefit and (iv) the personal allowances for April 1990.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    The information requested is in the table:

    Aged 18–24 single £

    Aged 25 + single £

    Couple, no children £

    Technical annex to 1985 White Paper

    24·00

    30·60

    48·00

    Uprated by ROSSI1

    28·28

    36·06

    56·56

    Help towards 20 per cent, domestic rates from April 1988

    1·00

    1·30

    1·30

    Help towards 20 per cent, community charge from April 19892

    1·15

    1·30

    2·30

    April 1990 rates

    28·80

    36·70

    57·60

    1 Based on movement in the index of retail prices (less housing) between November 1985 and December 1989 (the latest date for which the index is available).

    2 These amounts were introduced to coincide with the introduction of the community charge in Scotland in April 1989. They replaced the amounts previously included to help towards 20 per cent, of domestic rates but continue to provide help towards domestic rates for people in England and Wales.

    Disability
    Mr. Wareing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people are currently in receipt of(a) attendance allowance and (b) severe disablement allowance;

    (2) how many people are in receipt of attendance allowance at (a) the higher rate and (b) the lower rate; and what is the average period for which attendance allowance is paid.
    557
    Mr. Scott
    The estimated number receiving these benefits in 1989–90 is set out in the following table:

    Higher rate

    Lower rate

    Total

    Average length of award

    Attendance allowance

    320,000

    475,000

    795,000

    3 years

    Severe disablement allowance

    —

    —

    265,000

    —

    Mr. Wareing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently in receipt of(a) invalidity pension and (b) invalidity allowance; and how many were disqualified from each in the past year.

    Mr. Scott
    At 2 April 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 1,047,500 people in receipt of invalidity pension. Of these 509,100 were also getting invalidity allowance (IVA) and in addition there are 360,300 people who do not receive invalidity allowance because the rate of additional pension or guaranteed minimum pension they receive exceeds the rate of invalidity allowance which would have been payable. I regret that information on the number of people disqualified from invalidity benefit is not available.

    Mr. Wareing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently in receipt of invalid care allowance.

    Mr. Scott
    The estimated average number receiving invalid care allowance in 1989–90 is 110,000.

    Mr. Wareing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are in receipt of(a) the disability premium, (b) the severe disability premium and (c) the disabled child premium.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    In May 1988, the latest date for which this information is available, the number of claimants receiving each of these premiums was as follows:

    Numbers

    (a) Disability premium

    248,000

    (b) Severe disability premium

    35,000

    (c) Disabled child premium

    14,000

    Source: Annual Statistical Inquiry.

    Mr. Wareing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have been disqualified from receiving severe disablement allowance in the last year; and for what reasons.

    Mr. Scott
    I regret that this information is not available.

    Mr. Wareing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people receive disability benefit; how many receive this benefit at the main disability percentage levels; and how many have been disqualified from receipt of this benefit in the past year.

    Mr. Scott
    In April 1988, the latest available date, 189,000 people received disablement benefit. The distribution of assessed levels of disability is as follows:

    Percentage assessment

    Number of claimants

    1 to 19

    25,000

    20 to 24

    66,000

    25 to 34

    47,000

    558

    Percentage assessment

    Number of claimants

    35 to 44

    22,000

    45 to 54

    11,000

    55 to 64

    7,000

    65 to 74

    4,000

    75 to 84

    2,000

    85 to 94

    1,000

    95 to 100

    4,000

    Total

    189,000

    Figures on numbers of disqualifications are not available.

    Reduced Earnings Allowance
    Mr. Wareing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are in receipt of reduced earnings allowance.

    Mr. Scott
    Including previous recipients of special hardship allowance, some 150,000 people are estimated to be recipients of reduced earnings allowance.

    Social Fund
    Mr. Wareing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of applicants for a social fund loan have received money advice(a) nationally, (b) regionally and (c) in each local Department of Social Security office area.

    Mr. Scott
    Information at national and regional levels in the period 1 April 1989 to 31 January 1990 is given in the table. Information relating to each local office could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

    Number of money advice interviews as percentage of loan applications processed

    per cent.

    National

    2·3

    London North

    1·2

    London South

    1·5

    Midlands

    2·4

    North East

    1·8

    North West

    3·9

    Scotland

    2·1

    Wales and South West

    2·6

    Self-Employed People
    Mr. Worthington
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what numbers paid national insurance contributions as self-employed people in each of the years 1979 to 1989.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. McLeish) on 16 November 1989 at column 442. Agreed figures for 1988–89 are still not available.

    Private Rents
    Mr. Tony Banks
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what guidance has been issued to local authorities on the matter of poll tax and inclusive private rents;

    (2) what subsidy arrangements have been made for local authorities where housing benefit payments are to be made on the basis of inclusive rents becoming the new net rent after the abolition of rates.
    559
    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    Guidance on the subsidy arrangements for community charge benefit and other matters connected with inclusive private rents was contained in circular HB/CCB (90)2, a copy of which is in the Library.

    Mr. Tony Banks
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance has been given to rent officers in reaching determinations of eligible rents under the housing benefit regulations.

    Mr. Chope
    I have been asked to reply.

    The Rent Officers (Additional Functions) Order 1989 lays down the basis on which rent officers assess the rents paid by, and accommodation occupied by, private tenants claiming housing benefit. Advice on how rent officers might approach this task—particularly in circumstances where no direct market evidence is available—was included in a study of the private rented housing market commissioned by the Department from the consultants Price Waterhouse. Copies of that report were circulated to rent officers and placed in the Library in February 1989.

    Young People
    Mr. Meacher
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of young people affected by each change listed in the reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett),Official Report, 27 July, columns 878–84, and the cost or saving incurred by his Department as a result.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    [ holding answer 15 December 1989]: The cessation of entitlement to income support for most 16 and 17-year-olds in September 1988 was estimated to have affected approximately 100,000 young people and reduced expenditure by around £100 million. The vast majority of young people who chose to participate in YTS received a training allowance at a rate exceeding income support. The additional costs of these allowances, and the cost of training provision, were borne by the Department of Employment's Training Agency. At the same time, the extension of eligibility to child benefit during the child benefit extension period affected around 43,000 young people at a cost of £4·85 million a year including the consequential effects on dependency additions. The overall cost of increasing personal allowances for income-related benefits by 50p above inflation from April 1989, including increases for children aged under 16, was estimated at around £70 million in a full year. In July 1989 extra help was provided for 16 and 17-year-olds receiving income support who have to live independently, and all those receiving housing benefit only, affecting around 17,000 young people at a cost of £3·7 million a year.

    Further information could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

    Local Government Finance
    Mr. Blunkett
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are his best estimates of the number of applications for deductions from income support for poll tax arrears in 1990–91, the number which will be enforced; the costs of servicing each deduction, and the staffing implications of the increased workload.
    560
    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    [holding answer 5 February 1990]: The Department expects that in any year in England, Wales and Scotland some 850,000 applications for deductions from income support may be made in respect of the community charge, though the number will depend on the extent to which authorities choose to recover unpaid charges using this particular method. We expect about 700,000 of the applications to be enforced. The average annual cost to the Department of servicing each application is estimated to be £26. The total staffing requirement in Great Britain is now estimated to be approximately 470 posts. People in receipt of income support are entitled to maximum community charge benefit which reduces their community charge bill by 80 per cent.

    Income support levels were adjusted in April last year to include help towards the average minimum contribution to the community charge that recipients would be expected to pay.

    The amounts included were £1·15 a week for single people aged 18 to 24, £1·30 a week for single people aged 25 or over and £2·30 a week for couples. These amounts form part of the overall benefit levels which will be uprated from April this year.

    Spending Power
    Mr. Nellist
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish tables using the assumptions in his answer to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 22 June 1988,Official Report, columns 575–80, but using expenditure and benefit figures appropriate for families in Coventry, together with a column showing the extent of the differences resulting from the April 1988 social security changes.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    [holding answer 6 February 1990]: The information requested is set out in the tables.

    The tables use the methods and assumptions contained in the technical annex to the 1985 White Paper "Reform of Social Security" and in "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income-Related Benefits" published in 1987. They illustrate the impact of the changes on claimants in April 1988, by comparing the results of applying the old and new benefits rules (with an assumed uprating for the fonner) to the personal circumstances of a sample of cases.

    As indicated in the reply to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 22 June 1988, the result is a hypothetical comparison with what people might have got under the old system. The passage of time, and subsequent changes to the benefit scheme render such comparisons increasingly hypothetical and unrealistic.

    It should be noted that, although the comparisons are based on average local authority housing charges in Coventry, they do not necessarily reflect either the wide variety of rents and domestic rates that people in the borough actually pay or real families' circumstances and their housing arrangements.

    Finally, the comparisons take no account of the housing benefit transitional cash protection announced on 27 April 1988.
    561

    Old benefit system at hypothetical rates April 1988 Coventry local authority Married couple with 2 children aged 4 and 6

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    Earnings head

    60·00

    70·00

    80·00

    90·00

    100·00

    110·00

    120·00

    130·00

    140·00

    150·00

    160·00

    170·00

    Tax

    0·00

    0·00

    1·22

    3·92

    6·62

    9·32

    12·02

    14·72

    17·42

    20·12

    22·82

    25·52

    National insurance

    3·00

    4·90

    5·60

    6·30

    7·00

    9·90

    10·80

    11·70

    12·60

    13·50

    14·40

    15·30

    Family income supplement

    28·70

    23·70

    18·70

    13·70

    8·70

    3·70

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Child benefit

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    Rent

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    Rent rebate

    18·78

    17·53

    16·28

    15·03

    13·78

    12·26

    10·18

    6·88

    3·58

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Rates

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    Rate rebate

    5·46

    5·06

    4·66

    4·26

    3·86

    3·29

    2·47

    1·17

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Fares to work

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    Free school meals

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Free welfare milk

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Net weekly spending power

    94·48

    95·93

    97·36

    97·31

    97·26

    94·57

    92·54

    94·34

    96·27

    96·54

    102·94

    109·34

    New benefit system from April 1988 Coventry local authority Married couple with 2 children aged 4 and 6

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    Earnings head

    60·00

    70·00

    80·00

    90·00

    100·00

    110·00

    120·00

    130·00

    140·00

    150·00

    160·00

    170·00

    Tax

    0·00

    0·00

    1·22

    3·92

    6·62

    9·32

    12·02

    14·72

    17·42

    20·12

    22·82

    25·52

    National insurance

    3·00

    4·90

    5·60

    6·30

    7·00

    9·90

    10·80

    11·70

    12·60

    13·50

    14·40

    15·30

    Family credit

    40·32

    34·65

    28·99

    24·37

    19·75

    16·67

    12·19

    7·71

    3·23

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Child benefit

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    14·50

    Rent

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    Rent rebate

    7·52

    5·94

    4·36

    3·07

    1·79

    0·93

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Rates

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    Rate rebate

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Fares to work

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Net income after housing costs

    90·85

    91·70

    92·54

    93·23

    93·93

    94·39

    95·38

    97·30

    99·22

    102·39

    108·79

    115·19

    Difference between systems

    -3·63

    -4·23

    -4·82

    -4·08

    -3·33

    -0·18

    +2·84

    +2·96

    +2·95

    +5·85

    +5·85

    +5·85

    Old benefit system at hypothetical rates April 1988 Coventry local authority Married couple with 3 children aged 3, 8 and 11

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    Earnings head

    60·00

    70·00

    80·00

    90·00

    100·00

    110·00

    120·00

    130·00

    140·00

    150·00

    160·00

    170·00

    Tax

    0·00

    0·00

    1·22

    3·92

    6·62

    9·32

    12·02

    14·72

    17·42

    20·12

    22·82

    25·52

    National insurance

    3·00

    4·90

    5·60

    6·30

    7·00

    9·90

    10·80

    11·70

    12·60

    13·50

    14·50

    15·30

    Family income supplement

    32·90

    30·50

    25·50

    20·50

    15·50

    10·50

    5·50

    0·50

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Child benefit

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    Rent

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    Rent rebate

    19·82

    17·92

    16·67

    15·42

    14·17

    12·77

    11·12

    9·47

    6·34

    3·04

    0·00

    0·00

    Rates

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    Rate rebate

    5·79

    5·18

    4·78

    4·38

    3·98

    3·49

    2·84

    2·19

    0·96

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Fares to work

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·95

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    Free school meals

    5·10

    5·10

    5·10

    5·10

    5·10

    5·10

    5·10

    5·10

    5·10

    5·10

    2·55

    0·00

    Free welfare milk

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Net weekly spending power

    109·85

    113·04

    114·47

    114·42

    114·37

    111·88

    110·98

    110·98

    109·79

    111·93

    112·74

    116·59

    New benefit system from April 1988 Coventry local authority Married couple with 3 children aged 3, 8 and 11

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    Earnings head

    60·00

    70·00

    80·00

    90·00

    100·00

    110·00

    120·00

    130·00

    140·00

    150·00

    160·00

    170·00

    Tax

    0·00

    0·00

    1·22

    3·92

    6·62

    9·32

    12·02

    14·72

    17·42

    20·12

    22·82

    25·52

    National insurance

    3·00

    4·90

    5·60

    6·30

    7·00

    9·90

    10·80

    11·70

    12·60

    13·50

    14·40

    15·30

    Family credit

    51·72

    46·05

    40·39

    35·77

    31·15

    28·07

    23·59

    19·11

    14·63

    10·15

    5·67

    1·19

    Child benefit

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    21·75

    Rent

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    Rent rebate

    5·86

    4·28

    2·70

    1·42

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Rates

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    Rate rebate

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Fares to work

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Net income after housing costs

    107·84

    108·69

    109·53

    110·23

    110·79

    112·11

    114·03

    115·95

    117·87

    119·79

    121·71

    123·63

    Difference between systems

    -2·01

    -4·35

    -4·94

    -4·19

    -3·58

    +0·23

    +3·05

    +5·87

    +8·08

    +7·86

    +8·97

    +7·04

    562 563

    Old benefit system at hypothetical rates April 1988 Coventry local authority Single person with 2 children aged 4 and 6

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    Earnings head

    60·00

    70·00

    80·00

    90·00

    100·00

    110·00

    120·00

    130·00

    140·00

    150·00

    160·00

    170·00

    Tax

    0·00

    0·00

    1·22

    3·92

    6·62

    9·32

    12·02

    14·72

    17·42

    20·12

    22·82

    25·52

    National insurance

    3·00

    4·90

    5·60

    6·30

    7·00

    9·90

    10·80

    11·70

    12·60

    13·50

    14·40

    15·30

    Family income supplement

    28·70

    23·70

    18·70

    13·70

    8·70

    3·70

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Child benefit

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    Rent

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    Rent rebate

    17·56

    16·31

    15·06

    13·81

    12·30

    10·65

    8·57

    5·27

    1·97

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Rates

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    Rate rebate

    5·07

    4·67

    4·27

    3·87

    3·30

    2·65

    1·83

    0·53

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Fares to work

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    5·85

    Free school meals

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Free welfare milk

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Net weekly spending power

    97·77

    99·22

    100·65

    100·60

    100·12

    97·22

    95·19

    96·99

    99·56

    101·44

    107·84

    114·24

    New benefit system from April 1988 Coventry local authority Single person with 2 children aged 4 and 6

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    Earnings head

    60·00

    70·00

    80·00

    90·00

    100·00

    110·00

    120·00

    130·00

    140·00

    150·00

    160·00

    170·00

    Tax

    0·00

    0·00

    1·22

    3·92

    6·62

    9·32

    12·02

    14·72

    17·42

    20·12

    22·82

    25·52

    National insurance

    3·00

    4·90

    5·60

    6·30

    7·00

    9·90

    10·80

    11·70

    12·60

    13·50

    14·40

    15·30

    Family credit

    40·32

    34·65

    28·99

    24·37

    19·75

    16·67

    12·19

    7·71

    3·23

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Child benefit

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    Rent

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    Rent rebate

    1·44

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Rates

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    Rate rebate

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Fares to work

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    0·00

    Net income after housing costs

    89·67

    90·66

    93·08

    95·06

    97·04

    98·36

    100·28

    102·20

    104·12

    107·29

    113·69

    120·09

    Difference between systems

    -8·10

    -8·56

    -7·57

    -5·54

    -3·08

    +1·14

    +5·09

    +5·21

    +4·56

    +5·85

    +5·85

    +5·85

    Old tax and benefit system—assuming average local authority rent and rates for Coventry and a simple rescaling of April 1987 benefits to April 1988. Lone mother with two children aged four and six.

    Not working after one year on benefit

    Working part-time earning £20

    Working part-time earning £40

    £

    £

    £

    Supplementary Benefit

    45·93

    30·89

    14·35

    Earnings

    —

    20·00

    40·00

    Tax

    —

    0·00

    0·00

    National Insurance

    —

    0·00

    2·00

    Fares to Work

    —

    2·92

    2·92

    Rent

    22·28

    22·28

    22·28

    Rates

    6·21

    6·21

    6·21

    Housing Benefit

    26·92

    26·92

    26·92

    Child Benefit

    19·40

    19·40

    19·40

    Free School Meals

    2·55

    2·55

    2·55

    Free Welfare Milk

    1·83

    1·83

    1·83

    Net Weekly spending power

    68·14

    70·18

    71·64

    Benefit system from April 1988

    Assumptions as in Impact of reformed structure of income related benefits" October 1987

    Average local authority rent and rates for Coventry.

    Lone mother with two children aged 4 and 6

    a. Not working after one year on benefit

    Income Support

    45·35

    Rent

    22·28

    Rates

    6·21

    Housing Benefit

    26·00

    CHB

    19·40

    FSM

    2·55

    FWM

    1·83

    Net Weekly spending power

    66·64

    Difference between systems

    -1·50

    564

    Benefit system from April 1988

    Assumptions as in "Impact of reformed structure of income related benefits" October 1987

    Average local authority rent and rates for Coventry.

    Lone mother with two children aged 4 and 6

    b. Working part time earning £20

    c. Working part time earning £40

    Income Support

    40·35

    20·35

    Earnings

    20·00

    40·00

    Tax

    0·00

    0·00

    NI

    0·00

    0·00

    Fares to work

    2·92

    2·92

    Rent

    22·28

    22·28

    Rates

    6·21

    6·21

    Housing Benefit

    26·00

    26·00

    CHB

    19·40

    19·40

    FSM

    2·55

    2·55

    FWM

    1·83

    1·83

    Net weekly spending power

    78·72

    78·72

    Difference between systems

    +8·54

    7·08

  FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

    Sanctions
    Mr. Allen
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all those countries against which the United Kingdom is operating sanctions, the sanctions in each case and the countries or organisations requesting such sanctions.

    Mr. Waldegrave
    We have implemented a variety of restrictive measures on our trade and other relations with a number of countries. These include:

    (a) controls through COCOM on the export of high technology equipment which could be used for

    565
    military as well as civil purposes to a number of proscribed destinations, including to the Soviet Union, eastern Europe and China. COCOM comprises the NATO countries, less Iceland, as well as Japan and Australia.

    (b) restrictive measures against South Africa. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 15 February 1990 for a list of the measures adopted by the UK in conjunction with the European Community. We have also agreed with the Commonwealth a number of measures. These are:

    (i) The strict enforcement of the mandatory arms embargo against South Africa;

    (ii) A re-affirmation of the Gleneagles declaration of 1977, which called upon Commonwealth members to take every practical step to discourage sporting contacts with South Africa;

    (iii) Agreement upon and commendation to other Governments of the adoption of the following further economic measures against South Africa:

    (a) A ban on all new Government loans to the Government of South Africa and their agencies;

    (b) A readiness to take unilaterally what action may be possible to preclude the import of Krugerrands;

    (c) No Government funding for trade missions to South Africa or for participation in exhibitions and trade fairs in South Africa;

    (d) A ban on the sale and export of computer equipment capable of use by South African military forces, police or security forces;

    (e) A ban on new contracts for the sale and export of nuclear goods, materials and technology to South Africa;

    (f) A ban on the sale and export of oil to South Africa;

    (g) A strict and rigorously controlled embargo on imports of arms, ammunition, military vehicles and paramilitary equipment from South Africa;

    (h) An embargo on all military co-operation with South Africa;

    (i) The discouragement of all cultural and scientific events except where these contribute towards the ending of apartheid or have no possible role in promoting it;

    (j) A voluntary ban on the promotion of tourism to South Africa;

    (k) The implementation of any European Community decision to ban the import of coal, iron and steel and of gold coins from South Africa.

    (c) Restrictions not aimed at particular countries, such as those of the missile technology control regime, resulting from our commitment to nuclear non-proliferation, and controls on the export of material used in production of chemical weapons.

    (d) Special restrictions are applied to arms exports to certain countries, for example, in the middle east, reflecting our wish not to fuel or prolong conflicts in the region, and our determination to take a firm line on state-sponsored terrorism.

    Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the result of discussions held between his Department and representatives of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, over the number of officials allowed residence in each country.
    566
    Mr. Waldegrave
    We have agreed to work towards a state of relations where limitations on numbers will no longer be necessary. For the moment each side will keep its own numbers within agreed overall limits. A review of progress will be held in due course. We do not foresee difficulties for either side in ensuring adequate representation, both official, and as regards journalists or business men.

    Paternity Leave
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what paternity leave is allowed to staff in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Sainsbury
    At present paternity leave is not available to civil servants. The Treasury is, however, finalising arrangements for the introduction of an entitlement to two days' paid paternity leave. Authority does, however, already exist to allow staff special leave to cope with unforeseen domestic difficulties, for example, at the time of the birth of a second or subsequent child. This discretion has occasionally been exercised.

    NATO Exercises
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution his Department will make to the NATO exercises due to be held in Norway during March.

    Mr. Waldegrave
    There are no NATO exercises due to be held in Norway during March. A Norwegian national exercise, designated "Cold Winter", is planned to take place in which forces from several members of the Alliance, including the United Kingdom, have been invited to participate. The FCO, in accordance with the provisions of the 1986 Stockholm agreement, notified all CSCE states on 30 January of the United Kingdom's participation in the amphibious landing part of this exercise.

    Chemical Weapons
    Mr. Macdonald
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the continued production of chemical weapons by any signatory nation to a chemical weapons convention.

    Mr. Waldegrave
    As my replies to the questions from the hon. Member for Western Isles on 31 January and 11 December last year noted, the draft chemical weapons convention under negotiation in Geneva would prohibit the production of chemical weapons immediately upon the convention's entry into force. This provision has been agreed by all states participating in the negotiations, including the United Kingdom.

    Hong Kong
    Mr. Tony Banks
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what system of control the authorities in Hong Kong have in place to ensure up-to-date information on ivory stocks is duly recorded; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Waldegrave
    All holdings of ivory over 5 kg must be licensed and are being entered on the Hong Kong
    567
    authorities' computer. Ivory may be traded between licensed holders and their total stocks are adjusted accordingly on the computer. Any increases in ivory holdings require further licences. Stocks are subject to surprise checks to ensure that these procedures are complied with.

  NORTHERN IRELAND

    Computer Security
    Mr. Colvin
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department has taken, and is taking to improve the security of its computer systems.

    Mr. Cope
    For unclassified but sensitive systems, the Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office follow the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) guidance covering all aspects of IT security. CCTA advice is based on analysis of security risks, requirements and the identification of countermeasures using the CCTA risk analysis and management methodology (CRAMM). The application of CRAMM computer security is kept under continuous review by CCTA and the Northern Ireland Departments.

    Following a recent review of all unclassified but sensitive systems a number of additional security countermeasures have been introduced and action plans have been drawn up to apply further improvements where appropriate.

    In addition the central information systems division, department of finance and personnel provides central support, advice and training on CRAMM to information technology staff in the Northern Ireland Departments. More stringent conditions apply to classified systems.

    Alanbrooke Road, Belfast
    Mr. Peter Robinson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of the measures taken to close Alanbrooke road in Belfast.

    Mr. Cope
    The cost of providing the physical security measures at Alanbrooke road is a matter for Short Bros. plc.

    University Students
    Mr. John D. Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many undergraduates there are from(a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland at each of the two universities in Northern Ireland.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    Provisional information for the 1989–90 academic year is as follows:

    Northern Ireland

    Republic of Ireland

    University of Ulster

    Full-time

    6,458

    979

    Part-time

    1,939

    73

    Queen's university

    Full-time

    6,094

    247

    Part-time

    755

    15

    School Rolls
    Mr. John D. Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils there are at each secondary school in the constituency of Newry and Armagh.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    The latest available information is as follows:

    Enrolment (At January 1989)

    Abbey Grammar

    711

    Armagh Secondary

    624

    Markethill High

    418

    Newry High

    568

    Newtownhamilton

    103

    Our Lady's Girls' Grammar, Newry

    766

    Royal Armagh

    558

    Sacred Heart Girls' Grammar, Newry

    778

    St. Brigid's Boys' High, Armagh

    332

    St. Catherine's College, Armagh

    826

    St. Colman's College, Newry

    771

    St. Joseph's Boys', Newry

    545

    St. Joseph's High, Crossmaglen

    539

    St. Mary's Girls' High, Newry

    544

    St. Patrick's High, Ready

    832

    St. Paul's, Bessbrook

    1,240

    St. Patrick's Grammar, Armagh

    717

    Tandragee Junior High

    277

    Supplies (Purchase)
    Mr. Beggs
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance has been given to Northern Ireland bodies funded by his Department to source materials and equipment from Northern Ireland suppliers prior to making purchases from companies in the Irish Republic.

    Mr. Cope
    Northern Ireland Departments are required to comply with the EC directives on fair competition between member states. However, a major effort has been and continues to be made to promote the sourcing of goods and services within Northern Ireland by the public sector with exhibitions throughout the Province and the publication of a comprehensive directory of public purchasers.

    Schools (Strangford)
    Mr. John D. Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils are at each secondary school in the constituency of Strangford in(a) the maintained, (b) the controlled and (c) the integrated sectors of education.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    The latest available information is as follows:

    Enrolment1

    Maintained

    St. Columba's High, Portaferry

    405

    Controlled

    Comber High

    593

    Donaghadee High

    320

    Glastry High

    470

    Movilla High

    663

    Newtownbreda High

    740

    Regent House Grammar

    1,613

    Scrabo High

    487

    569

    Enrolment1

    Integrated

    Lagan College

    545

    1 At January 1989.

    Mr. John D. Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils there are in each of the primary schools in the constituency of Strangford in(a) the maintained, (b) the controlled and (c) the integrated sectors of education.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    The latest available information is as follows:

    Enrolment1

    Maintained

    St. Anne's, Donaghadee

    53

    St. Finian's Newtownards

    234

    St. Mary's, Portaferry

    348

    St. Mary's, Comber

    31

    St. Mary's, Ballygowen

    61

    St. Mary's, Kircubbin

    211

    St. Patrick's, Portaferry

    80

    Controlled

    Alexander Dickson

    181

    Andrews Memorial

    506

    Ballykeigle

    55

    Ballyvester

    77

    Ballywalter

    136

    Belvoir Park

    295

    Braniel

    351

    Cairnshill

    355

    Carrickmannon

    69

    Carrowdore

    151

    Castle Gardens

    617

    Comber

    457

    Cottown

    45

    Donaghadee

    342

    Greyabbey

    65

    Killinchy

    228

    Kircubbin

    58

    Kirkistown

    43

    Leadhill

    184

    Londonderry Model

    266

    Loughries

    73

    Millisle

    204

    Money rea

    136

    Newtownards Model

    401

    Newtownbreda

    247

    O'Neill Memorial

    45

    Portaferry

    46

    Portavogie

    134

    Victoria, Newtownards

    797

    Victoria, Ballyhalbert

    79

    West Winds

    256

    1 At January 1989.

    Note There are no integrated primary schools in the constituency of Strangford.

    Terrorist Suspects (Montage)
    Mr. Molyneaux
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in identifying those members of the Stevens inquiry team responsible for leaving in a Bangor restaurant a montage of terrorist suspects; and what disciplinary action has been taken.

    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 29 January 1990]: I am aware of no such incident involving the Stevens inquiry team. I understand that a delegation of visiting overseas police officers left an information pack of unclassified
    570
    material in a Bangor hotel which was returned promptly to the police by a member of staff. It may be this incident, which did not constitute any security breach, to which the right hon. Gentleman refers.

    EC Funds
    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland has received from the European regional development fund in each financial year up to 31 December 1989; how much of those receipts each year represented a cash addition to the Northern Ireland economy; and how much each year was used to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.

    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 8 February 1990]: The following amounts were received from the European regional development fund:

    Financial year

    Total

    £ million

    1975–76

    2·9

    1976–77

    7·2

    1977–78

    6·4

    1978–79

    4·0

    1979–80

    16·0

    1980–81

    21·0

    1981–82

    16·4

    1982–83

    18·0

    1983–84

    13·5

    1984–85

    16·9

    1985–86

    18·4

    1986–87

    23·2

    1987–88

    45·9

    1988–89

    46·7

    1989–903

    123·0

    Total

    2279·5

    1 Provisional outturn

    2 The figures show total ERDF receipts brought to account in Northern Ireland. It should be noted that awards totalling £10–5 million were decommitted by the European Commission on failed industrial projects.

    3To December 1989.

    ERDF assistance is earned by industrial and infrastructure projects, and by programmes combining elements of both. Receipts for infrastructure projects undertaken by non-central Government bodies are passed on to them and represent a direct benefit to those bodies by enabling them to reduce their capital indebtedness.

    Receipts for infrastructure projects undertaken by central Government and for industrial projects are paid into the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund. All the receipts are subject to normal EC audit arrangements.

    The overall level of receipts is taken into account in the Government's decisions on public expenditure allocations, and their availability enables public expenditure to be maintained at a higher level than would otherwise be feasible.

    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland has received from the European social fund in each financial year up to 31 December 1989; how much each year represented a cash addition to the Northern Ireland economy; and how much was used to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.
    571
    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 8 February 1990]: The following amounts were received from the European social fund:

    Financial year

    Total

    £ million

    1973–74

    —

    1974–75

    3·4

    1975–76

    0·0

    1976–77

    6·4

    1977–78

    7·5

    1978–79

    15·0

    1979–80

    15·0

    1980–81

    23·0

    1981–82

    25·0

    1982–83

    35·2

    1983–84

    38·0

    1984–85

    38·0

    1985–86

    25·0

    1986–87

    53·3

    1987–88

    56·4

    1988–89

    36·1

    1989–902

    127·1

    Total

    404·4

    1 Provisional outturn.

    2 To December 1989.

    Receipts earned by the private sector and by non-central Government public sector bodies are paid to the claimant. The receipts represent cash additions to the recipients. Receipts earned by central Government are paid into the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund. All ESF receipts are subject to EC audit arrangements.

    The overall level of receipts is taken into account in the Government's decisions on public expenditure allocations, and their availability enables public expenditure to be maintained at a higher level than would otherwise be feasible.

    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland has received in each financial year since 31 March 1987 from EEC sources apart from payments under the three structural funds.

    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 8 February 1990]: The following amounts have been identified as being received in Northern Ireland from European Community sources other than the three structural funds in the last two financial years:

    Financial year

    Total

    £ million

    1987–88

    27·6

    1988–89

    27·8

    Most of the receipts in this category are from the guarantee section of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund. However, it should be noted that the bulk of guarantee section receipts are disbursed centrally by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce and details of payments are not generally maintained at regional level.

    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland received in each financial year up to 31 December 1989 from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, guidance section; how much of those receipts were 572
    paid to the private sector and how much to the public sector; how much of those receipts represented a cash addition to the Northern Ireland economy; and how much was used each year to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.

    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 8 February 1990]: The following amounts were received from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund guidance section:

    Individual capital projects

    £ million

    Financial year

    Private sector

    Public sector1

    Other guidance schemes (private sector)2

    Total

    1974–75

    —

    —

    0·25

    0·25

    1975–76

    0·45

    —

    0·21

    0·66

    1976–77

    1·87

    0·31

    0·27

    2·45

    1977–78

    1·28

    0·31

    1·28

    2·87

    1978–79

    0·70

    0·24

    2·46

    3·40

    1979–80

    1·27

    0·20

    3·21

    4·68

    1980–81

    1·91

    1·05

    3·35

    6·31

    1981–82

    1·43

    1·3

    4·69

    6·25

    1982–83

    2·47

    0·99

    3·30

    6·76

    1983–84

    1·59

    0·38

    14·65

    16·62

    1984–85

    0·95

    0·28

    13·29

    14·52

    1985–86

    3·56

    0·03

    11·83

    15·42

    1986–87

    2·58

    0·11

    5·96

    8·65

    1987–88

    3·29

    —

    5·99

    9·28

    1988–89

    2·31

    0·51

    10·05

    12·87

    41989–90

    22·12

    —

    —

    32·12

    Totals

    27·78

    4·54

    80·79

    113·11

    1 Includes the Milk Marketing Board, which is not financed from public funds although it is a statutory body.

    2 Includes reference to the approximate share of total expenditure in Northern Ireland on various structural schemes which were applied throughout the United Kingdom.

    3 Provisional outturn.

    4 To December 1989.

    All these receipts represent cash additions to the recipients and are subject to normal European Community audit arrangements.

    In addition, £443,000 has been received by the public sector for socio-economic training.

    The overall level of receipts is taken into account in the Government's decisions on public expenditure allocations and their availability enables public expenditure to be maintained at a higher level than would otherwise be feasible.

    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the money received by Northern Ireland in each financial year up to 31 December 1989 from EEC sources has been paid into the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund.

    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 8 February 1990]: EC receipts received by the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund in respect of grants paid to Government have been distinguished in the public income and expenditure account only since 1983–84. The figures from that date are as follows:

    Financial year

    Total

    £ million

    1983–84

    27·8

    1984–85

    27·8

    1985–86

    18·5

    1986–87

    50·6

    573

    Financial year

    Total

    £ million

    1987–88

    73·6

    1988–89

    67·7

    11989–90

    12·6

    Total

    278·6

    1 To December 1989.

    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the receipts which Northern Ireland has received from the European regional development fund since 1973 has been earned by(a) infrastructure projects undertaken by non-central Government bodies, (b) infrastructure projects undertaken by central Government and (c) industrial projects.

    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 8 February 1990]: The following amounts have been received from the European regional development fund to 31 December 1989:

    £ million

    Infrastructure:

    Non-central Government

    106·0

    Central Government

    71·3

    Industry

    77·7

    Programmes1

    24·5

    Total2

    279·5

    1 These programmes combine elements of both industry and infrastructure.

    2 Includes estimated receipts for the first nine months of the 1989–90 financial year.

    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the receipts which Northern Ireland has received from the European regional development fund since 1973 has been earned by(a) the private sector, (b) non-central Government public sector bodies and (c) central Government.

    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 8 February 1990]: The following amounts have been received from the European regional development fund to 31 December 1989:

    £ million

    Private sector

    15·8

    Non-central Government public sector bodies

    114·7

    Central Government

    149·0

    Total

    279·5

    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the £57·9 million of receipts received under the special urban renewal regulation for the Belfast area represented a cash addition to the Northern Ireland economy; and how much was used to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.

    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 8 February 1990]: All £61·8 million of the money due under the urban renewal regulation has now been received. The availability of receipts under the regulation was taken into account when determining public expenditure in Northern Ireland, thereby enabling public expenditure to be set at a higher level than would otherwise have been feasible.

    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was Northern Ireland's share 574
    of the United Kingdom's payments into the European Economic Community from 1 January 1973 to 31 December 1989; how much was Northern Ireland's share of the receipts for the same period; and how much of those receipts was used to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.

    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 8 February 1990]: It is not possible to determine Northern Ireland's actual share of the United Kingdom's contribution to the European Community because payments are made on a national and not a regional basis. Similarly it is not possible to identify the full extent of receipts from the Community. However, a Northern Ireland attributed share of the contribution to the EC is calculated as an accounting mechanism necessary because of the operation of a separate Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund. This national attributed share does not count as an item of expenditure within the Northern Ireland public expenditure programme and has therefore no bearing on the level of public expenditure in the Province.

    Figures for the notional attribution of part of Northern Ireland's share of the United Kingdom's payments and for those areas where the receipts can be separately identified are as follows:

    £ million

    Financial year

    Attributed share (part)

    Identified receipts

    1973–74

    1·0

    —

    1974–75

    5·6

    3·6

    1975–76

    7·9

    3·6

    1976–77

    12·7

    16·0

    1977–78

    16·0

    16·8

    1978–79

    23·9

    23·0

    1979–80

    28·1

    36·5

    1980–81

    28·2

    51·0

    1981–82

    50·3

    47·8

    1982–83

    65·6

    61·4

    1983–84

    65·6

    92·4

    1984–85

    67·9

    93·1

    1985–86

    74·4

    85·9

    1986–87

    62·3

    87·9

    1987–88

    191·6

    2139·2

    1988–89

    197·2

    123·5

    Total

    698·3

    3881·7

    1 Attributed share figures for the last two years are provisional estimates which will be revised when final details of tax revenues are determined.

    2 From 1987–88, outturn figures include certain EAGGF guarantee section receipts for which the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland assumed accounting responsibility on 1 April 1987.

    3 This comprises total identified EC receipts in Northern Ireland, including those from outside the main EC funds.

    All receipts represent cash additions to the recipients and are subject to normal European Community audit arrangements.

    The overall level of receipts is taken into account in the Government's decisions on public expenditure allocations and their availability enables public expenditure to be maintained at a higher level than would otherwise be feasible.

    Rural Action Project
    Dr. Godman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received a report from the interdepartmental working group on the future of the Rural Action Project, Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
    575
    Mr. Needham
    [holding answer 12 February 1990]: No. The interdepartmental committee on rural development has only recently been set up and is unlikely to have even an interim report with us before March.

    Stormont
    Rev. Martin Smyth
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what building will be vacated in the Stormont estate with the transfer of civil servants to the Castle Court building; and what plans there are for the use of the vacant offices.

    Mr. Cope
    [holding answer 12 February 1990]: The transfer of civil servants to the Castle Court building will vacate part of Castle Buildings in the Stormont estate. It is proposed that the space freed in Castle Buildings will be used by DHSS staff moving from Dundonald house, and the space thus vacated in Dundonald house will be used by DANI and NIO, alleviating current overcrowding and allowing greater centralisation of departmental functions.

    Cave Hill
    Mr. William Ross
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to the presence of mineral ores in commercial quantities in or under Cave hill.

    Mr. Needham
    [holding answer 13 February 1990]: None.

    Coleraine Hospital
    Mr. William Ross
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will ensure that the proposed option appraisal for the hospital needs of the Coleraine area is definitive and reach a final conclusion as to the needs of the area;

    (2) what provision he is making for new hospital building in Coleraine in the current and the next five financial years; and what provision he is making to carry over from one financial year to the next sums allocated but not spent in each financial year;

    (3) what steps he is taking to ensure that the new hospital building for Coleraine is completed by 1997;

    (4) whether he will make it his policy to accept the findings of the option appraisal for the Coleraine hospital and immediately it is available build on the basis of its conclusions.

    Mr. Needham
    [holding answer 13 February 1990]: Responsibility for preparing the option appraisal lies with the Northern health and social services board. Provided that it is carried out to the standards required under the Government's guidelines, the appraisal should lead to a final decision on the future provision of acute hospital services in the Coleraine, Ballymoney and Moyle area. The earliest on-site dates which can be accommodated within the Department of Health and Social Services major development programme are 1993 for a phased redevelopment of Coleraine hospital and 1997 for a new hospital. The completion date will depend on which option is chosen.

    Mr. William Ross
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums have been expended on Coleraine hospital on(a) new building work, (b)
    576
    maintenance and (c) other capital expenditure in each of the last 10 years; and in the case of (a) above what was provided by the major sums expended in that period.

    Mr. Needham
    [holding answer 13 February 1990]: The information is as follows:

    (a)

    (b)

    (c)

    New building work

    Maintenance1

    Other capital expenditure2

    £

    £

    £

    1978–80

    176,598

    104,983

    1980–81

    430,492

    148,348

    129,411

    1981–82

    734,248

    126,970

    272,017

    1982–83

    59,819

    156,327

    332,315

    1983–84

    31,612

    251,629

    106,833

    1984–85

    1,924

    231,683

    83,854

    1985–86

    349,312

    187,192

    1986–87

    224,228

    98,988

    1987–88

    236,874

    213,464

    1988–89

    259,721

    221,639

    1 Building and engineering.

    2 Capital works, furniture and equipment.

    Expenditure at (a) provided a 72-bed geriatric unit and 15-place day hospital.

    Fishing Industry
    Mr. John D. Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what benefits are available to fishermen who are restricted to only one day's work per week due to the inclement weather; and if he will make a statement on social services assistance to those presently employed in the fishing industry at Portavogie.

    Mr. Needham
    [holding answer 14 February 1990]: Unemployment benefit is available to fishermen for those days of the week on which they are unable to work because of inclement weather provided that their earnings for that week do not equal or exceed the lower earnings level for national insurance contribution liability. This is currently £43 a week. Income support may also he available to fishermen who work for fewer than 24 hours a week subject to the normal rules regarding income and capital.

    The provision of social services in the Portavogie area is the responsibility of the Eastern health and social services board. The board would consider sympathetically any requests for social services assistance made to it by those employed in the fishing industry at Portavogie or their families.

    Births
    Mr. William Ross
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show how many births there were in each hospital in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; what rare per thousand this represented in the catchment areas of those hospitals in Northern Ireland; and what is the number of births in each hospital to United Kingdom women from outside Northern Ireland and citizens of the Irish Republic.

    Mr. Needham
    [holding answer 14 February 1990]: The number of live births in hospitals in Northern Ireland for each of the five years from 1984 to 1988 are shown in the table. The other information requested is not available.
    577

    Births in Northern Ireland by hospital 1984–88

    Hospital

    1984

    1985

    1986

    1987

    l1988

    Ulster

    2,983

    2,015

    2,090

    2,121

    2,070

    Mater

    728

    748

    878

    936

    863

    Royal Maternity

    3,520

    3,547

    3,630

    3,499

    3,467

    Belfast City

    2,917

    3,027

    3,132

    2,959

    2,929

    Samaritan

    161

    132

    33

    Hospital

    closed

    Downpatrick Maternity

    742

    706

    745

    674

    674

    Lagan Valley

    1,139

    1,129

    1,104

    1,191

    1,233

    Bangor

    1,009

    138

    —

    —

    —

    Ards

    70

    1,000

    1,026

    1,074

    993

    Route

    960

    941

    999

    1,016

    1,032

    Robinson Memorial

    344

    338

    352

    346

    305

    Dalriada

    64

    75

    65

    52

    17

    Cushendall

    19

    15

    11

    5

    —

    Moyle

    424

    402

    489

    543

    611

    Carrickfergus

    124

    117

    136

    114

    61

    Mid-Ulster

    1,023

    1,036

    968

    985

    959

    Massereene

    129

    122

    139

    129

    —

    Ballymena Cottage

    312

    260

    240

    189

    106

    Waveney

    1,172

    1,186

    1,317

    1,467

    1,537

    South Tyrone

    958

    886

    933

    927

    914

    Tower Hill Maternity

    152

    177

    156

    122

    50

    Craigavon Area

    2,195

    2,213

    2,252

    2,316

    2,295

    Banbridge

    193

    172

    155

    175

    96

    Daisy Hill

    1,857

    1,855

    1,813

    1,839

    1,807

    St. John of God

    8

    11

    7

    4

    —

    Altnagelvin

    2,846

    2,855

    3,066

    3,053

    3,089

    Anderson House

    285

    218

    207

    138

    —

    Roe Valley

    61

    17

    —

    —

    —

    Strabane

    122

    79

    12

    —

    —

    Tyrone Country

    1,123

    1,097

    1,119

    1,163

    1,018

    Erne

    961

    1,013

    986

    888

    926

    1 1988 figures are for financial year 1988–89—the other figures shown are for year ended 31 December.

  DEFENCE

    Polish Ex-Service Men
    Mr. Barry Field
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice his Department will give to the dependants of Polish ex-service men who settled in the United Kingdom as to the circumstances in which his Department will be prepared to offer them assistance with their resettlement in accordance with undertakings given to the ex-service men when they were settled in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will write to my hon. Friend.

    Air Defence
    Mr. Menzies Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects that the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment/integrated command and control system will be in operation.

    Mr. Alan Clark
    In the early 1990s.

    Mr. Menzies Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect Staff Requirement (Naval and Air) 908 will have on the date of coming into operation of the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment/integrated command and control system.

    Mr. Alan Clark
    None.

    Arbitration
    Mr. Menzies Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects that the arbitration between the Ministry of Defence and UKSL will be completed.

    Mr. Alan Clark
    Discussions on the interpretation of aspects of the MOD-UKSL contract are commercially confidential. It is not possible to predict when they might be completed.

    Search and Rescue Helicopters
    Mr. Menzies Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 690–91, how many persons were in the Independent Television network camera crew which embarked on the search and rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet at Glasgow airport; and whether any facility fee was paid to his Department.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    Two persons were carried. No charges were levied against the camera crew. The extra costs to the Ministry of Defence were small.

    Mr. Menzies Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 690–91, what landing charges were paid for the search and rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet which landed at Glasgow airport; and who paid them.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    Landing charges of £23·20 for landing at Glasgow on the outbound and return trips were paid by the Ministry of Defence.

    Mr. Menzies Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 690–91, what were (a) the times of departure from Prestwick of the search and rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet, (b) the time of its arrival at Glasgow airport, (c) the time of its departure from Glasgow airport and (d) the time of its arrival over the search area.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    The times were as follows:(a) 08.04, (b) 08.15, (c) 08.34 and (d) 09.13.

    Mr. Menzies Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 690–91, at what time the radio breakdown was discovered which delayed the departure of the search and rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet; and when this fault was rectified.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    The defect was discovered at approximately 07.20 and was rectified at approximately 08.00.

    Mr. Menzies Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 690–91, what is the normal route to the Ben Nevis area from Prestwick by the search and rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    The route from Prestwick to Fort William taken by search and rescue crews will vary depending on circumstances such as predicted weather over the flight paths and the time of day. Given the prevailing weather conditions of the area the normal route is via the Crinan canal and then along the coast to Ben Nevis.
    579
    Mr. Menzies Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 690–91, what time the request was received that an Independent Television network camera crew be carried on the search and rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet; and when the request was granted.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    The request was received by HMS Gannet at approximately 07.20 and permission was given shortly afterwards.

    Mr. Cohn Wallace
    Mr. Dalyell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the source or sources of his statement of 12 February,Official Report, column 116, that by all accounts Colin Wallace took a great interest in collecting any information, story or rumour which might be of interest.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    The collection of information as background for briefing is a normal feature of the duties of information officers. The statement to which the hon. Member has referred was intended as a general acknowledgement of the long hours and considerable effort expended by Mr. Wallace in understanding all aspects of the Northern Ireland situation which might have been relevant to the fight against terrorism. Evidence to that effect was given to the Civil Service appeal board, and is available to Mr. David Calcutt QC in his inquiry.

    Submarines
    Mr. Boyes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in the ELF submarine communications programme; what are the reasons for the delays in installation of a trial ELF transmitter in Glengarry; and when he now expects to submit a notice of intention to develop an ELF facility to the Highland regional council.

    Mr. Neubert
    [holding answer 9 February 1990]: Work on ELF communications continues at the Admiralty research establishment. A decision to proceed with limited testing of the technology at Glengarry will depend on the availability of resources. I cannot speculate therefore when a notice of proposed developments might be submitted.

    US Military Personnel
    Mr. Cohen
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United States military personnel are living off base in the United Kingdom; and what estimate he has made of the lost revenue to local authorities arising from these persons being exempted from paying the community charge.

    Mr. Chope
    I have been asked to reply.

    The Ministry of Defence estimates that 12,500 US military and civilian personnel currently live off-base. I estimate that if they were subject to the community charge for standard spending these personnel would pay a total of £3,475,000 to local authorities in 1990–91. Individual local authorities in England will, however, receive sufficient revenue support grant to enable them to set a charge, before the safety net, at the level of the community charge for standard spending (£278 in 1990–91) if they budget to spend at the level of their standard spending assessment. The grant system therefore compensates for the fact that US military and civil personnel do not pay the personal charge.

  AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

    Private Security Firms
    Mr. George
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the names of all the private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

    Mr. Curry
    The following list shows the companies that currently have contracts with the Department to provide private security guarding, together with the number of employees involved:

    Number of posts

    Blackwater Property Protection Service

    1

    Compass Security Ltd.

    4

    Reliance Security Ltd.

    1

    Securiguard (London) Services Ltd.

    2

    Shorrock Guards Ltd.

    10

    UK Security Services Ltd.

    2

    Wakenhut (UK) Ltd.

    1

    In keeping with normal commercial practice it would not be appropriate in these cases for me to give the value of each individual contract. Contracts are not necessarily made for financial years but our calculation of the total value of all the contracts in each financial year is as follows:

    £'000

    1984–85

    170

    1985–86

    277

    1986–87

    297

    1987–88

    312

    1988–89

    329

    1989–90

    358

    Meat Exports (West Germany)
    Mr. Pawsey
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the level of redundancies or lay-offs in the meat industry following the decision of the West German Government to ban meat imports from the United Kingdom.

    Mr. Maclean
    The German authorities have not banned imports of meat from the United Kingdom, but have imposed additional certification requirements for beef. I understand that these requirements do not now apply to boneless beef and that trade in bone-in beef is continuing. Thus the impact on our total meat export trade is only limited. Moreover, in 1989 our beef exports to Germany represented only about 1 per cent. of our total beef production.

    Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
    Mr. Alan W. Williams
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many bulls at artificial insemination centres in the United Kingdom have been found to be afflicted by bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and what estimate can be made of the number of calves that these would have fathered during their lives;
    581
    (2) what are the latest figures for the number of (a) bulls and (b) cows affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy;

    (3) whether there is any restriction on the sale of calves from bulls later diagnosed as affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

    Mr. Maclean
    Up to 9 February, BSE had been confirmed in 9,976 cows and 22 bulls in Great Britain. Five of those bulls were found at artificial insemination centres and are estimated to have sired around 1,000 calves between them. Research is in hand to establish whether the BSE agent is transmitted in semen. However, analogy with sheep scrapie suggests that such transmission will not occur and restrictions on the progeny of affected bulls are not, therefore, appropriate.

    Mr. Alan W. Williams
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider introducing a substantial educational programme for farmers including leaflets, booklets and the use of video film to help them recognise the symptoms of bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected animals.

    Mr. Maclean
    Information about BSE has been disseminated extensively through the farming press and has received wide coverage in other press and media. Advisory leaflets are given to all farmers who report a suspect case of BSE. In addition, Ministry veterinary staff make regular presentations, involving widespread material, to farming groups.

    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the regulations concerned with preventing meat from cattle slaughtered because they are infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy from reaching the human food chain and for ensuring that cattle slaughtered for food are not infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

    Mr. Maclean
    The legislation is as follows:

    The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (No. 2) Order 1988 (as amended).

    The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Compensations Order 1990.

    The Bovine Offals (Prohibition) Regulations 1989.

    Mr. Ron Davies
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is(a) the largest number of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy recorded on a single farm, (b) the average number of cases per affected herd,(c) the proportions of herds which have had a single case, (d) the proportion of all dairy herds that have had one or more cases and (e) the proportion of all beef herds that have had one or more cases.

    Mr. Maclean
    The information for Great Britain is as follows:

    29

    1·75

    63·3 per cent.

    10·3 per cent.

    0·7 per cent.

    Scrapie
    Mr. Alan W. Williams
    To ask the Minister Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he plans to place any restriction on the sale of breeding rams affected by scrapie.

    Mr. Maclean
    Research into scrapie has shown that the infective agent is not transmitted in semen. Controls on breeding rams are not, therefore, appropriate.

    Paternity Leave
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what paternity leave is allowed to staff in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Curry
    At present paternity leave is not available to civil servants. The Treasury is, however, finalising arrangements for the introduction of an entitlement to two days' paid paternity leave.

    NATO Exercises
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contribution his Department will make to the NATO exercises due to be held in Norway during March.

    Mr. Maclean
    None.

    Veterinary Officers
    Dr. David Clark
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many veterinary officers were permanently employed in all grades of the state veterinary service throughout England, Scotland and Wales in 1989 and currently; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Gummer
    In 1989 422 veterinary staff were permanently employed in all grades of the state veterinary service throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The current figure is 430. It is likely that this number will increase particularly for food safety work including meat hygiene. This was recognised in the recent review of veterinary manpower under the chairmanship of Dr. Ewan Page.

    Food Research
    Dr. David Clark
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list all the research projects currently being carried out at the Institute of Food Research in Bristol and indicate which ones will be transferred to other research establishments, giving the name of the research establishment in each case;

    (2) if he will list the projects his Department is funding and the amount of this financial contribution to these projects at each of (a) Leatherhead Food Research Association, (b) Campden Food Preservation Research Association, (c) Huddersfield polytechnic, (d) Sheffield polytechnic and (e) Dorset Institute of Higher Education for (i) 1988, (ii) 1989, (iii) 1990 and (iv) 1991.

    Mr. Gummer
    I have placed in the Library of the House a copy of my Department's programme of external research and development on food for 1988–89 and 1989–90. Proposals for 1990–91 are currently under consideration.

    Dr. David Clark
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the organisations and committees which give him advice on food safety research; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Gummer
    I receive advice on research and development (R&D) into food safety from my own officials and the following bodies:

    (a) the Priorities Board for R&D in Agriculture and Food;

    583

    (a) the Steering Group on Food Surveillance;

    (c) the Food Advisory Committee;

    (d) the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment;

    (e) the Veterinary Products Committee; and

    (f) the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

    From time to time, I also receive suggestions from other outside organisations.

    The Government are firmly committed to funding research and development on food safety and hygiene issues of concern to consumers, producers and industry.

    Perrier
    Dr. David Clark
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will place the results of his Department's tests on Perrier water in the Library.

    Mr. Gummer
    The results of my Department's tests on Perrier water were made available by the Food Safety Directorate in the form of news release 67/90 on 15 February. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

    Pesticides
    Dr. David Clark
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all(a) pesticide residue levels and (b) levels of pesticide residue breakdown products he has set, indicating the level and type of food and the date when the levels were set; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Gummer
    Statutory maximum residue levels (M RLs) for a range of pesticides used on the more important components of the United Kingdom diet are set out in the Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Food) Regulations 1988, SI No. 1378, made on 1 August 1988. Schedule 1 of the regulations lists MRLs for cereals and products of animal origin and came into force on 2 August 1988. Schedule 2 lists MRLs mainly for fruit and vegetables and came into force on 31 December 1988. Schedule 3 lists the individual pesticides and describes how their residues are to be defined in terms of their metabolites or breakdown products.

    Fungicides
    Dr. David Clark
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will place the results of his Ministry's tests on the presence of the ethylene biodithiocarbonate fungicides and ethylene thiourea in various foods in the Library.

    Mr. Gummer
    The Government's working party on pesticide residues carries out a programme of tests on food for pesticide residues, which has included these substances. The results are published: the latest report covering 1985–88 came out on 13 March 1989.

    Very recently the results of tests for residues of these substances in a range of foodstuffs have been published by Friends of the Earth and Parents for Safe Food. These were carried out by an independent analyst and showed that the majority of the produce had negligible or no detectable residues. A few samples showed levels which, while giving no cause for concern, on health grounds were above predicted levels. With the agreement of the sponsors MAFF will be repeating these tests, both on the samples used by their analyst and on further samples. The results will be placed in the Library of the House, and published.

    Domestic Animals (Diseases)
    Mr. Morley
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the diseases known to his Department that can cause domestic animal death, but which would not bar their meat from human consumption.

    Mr. Maclean
    Any animal which has died from any disease is prohibited from being sold for human consumption under the Slaughterhouse (Hygiene) Regulations 1977. The Meat Inspection Regulations 1987 require the meat inspector to have regard to the indications of unfitness set out in schedule 2 to those regulations: those indications include both specific diseases and more general symptoms or conditions.

    Poultry Slaughtering
    Mr. Morley
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why poultry slaughter figures are being reorganised from 10-day to monthly figures; and i F he will make a statement.

    Mr. Maclean
    There are no such 10-day statistics on poultry slaughter.

    Cattle Offal
    Mr. Illsley
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the food products and types of food products which are made, have added to them or are constructed from(a) beef cattle offal, (b) mechanically recovered beef or beef offal and (c) beef cattle residues.

    Mr. Maclean
    The Department does not hold such information. However, all meat products offered for sale must comply with the provisions of the Food Act 1984, the Food Labelling Regulations 1984 and the Meat Products and Spreadable Fish Products Regulations 1984. In addition, the Bovine Offal (Prohibition) Regulations 1989 prohibit the sale, or use in the preparation of foods for sale for human consumption, of bovine brain, spinal cord, spleen, thymus, tonsils and intestines.

    Salmon
    Mr. Trotter
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will list the organisations which have made representations to his Department in support of the commercial drift netting salmon industry of the coast of north-east England.

    Mr. Curry
    The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has received a large number of letters from organisations and individuals about this fishery and the current statutory review following section 39 of the Salmon Act 1986. Those who have made representations in favour of the fishery include:

    Anglo-Scottish Fish Producers Organisations Ltd.

    Beadnell Parish Council

    Cornish Fish Producers Organisation Ltd.

    Federation of British Port Wholesale Fish Merchants Associations

    Fisheries Organisation Society Ltd.

    National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations

    North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee

    Whitby Cobleman's Association

    Yorks and Anglia Fish Producers Organisation.

    585
    Ministers in the Department have also held meetings with representatives of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations and a number of local salmon net fishermen.

    Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce
    Mr. Morgan
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make it his policy to relocate the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce, currently in Reading, into the premises at Crown buildings, Cathays park, Cardiff, to be vacated in April 1991 by the insurance services group of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

    Mr. Curry
    My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Northern Ireland and myself are currently examining the location of part of the work of the intervention board away from Reading.

  TRANSPORT

    Severn Crossing
    Mr. Stern
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the target date for the completion of the second Severn crossing and its approach roads.

    Mr. Atkins
    The decision on timing will depend on our final evaluation of the tenders; we remain on course to provide the second crossing by the mid-1990s.

    Paternity Leave
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what paternity leave is allowed to staff in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Atkins
    At present paternity leave is not available to civil servants. The Treasury is, however, finalising arrangements for the introduction of an entitlement to two days' paid paternity leave.

    NATO Exercises
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution his Department will make to the NATO exercises due to be held in Norway during March.

    Mr. Portillo
    None.

    A27, Worthing
    Mr. Higgins
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many houses on the preferred route announced for the development of the A27 in the Worthing area are officially blighted; how many owners have begun negotiations for their sale to his Department; and how many sales have now been completed.

    Mr. Atkins
    The Department's preferred route for the A27 Worthing to Lancing would involve the acquisition of land from some 120 houses. Blight notices have been accepted from 79 owners. Of these, 59 have settled compensation with the district valuer and 25 have completed sales to the Department.

    Air Safety
    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from interested parties regarding the near miss involving an Air UK civil airliner and a military Tornado aeroplane which occurred over Kelso on Wednesday 31 January.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    The responsibility for investigating airmiss reports rests with the independent joint airmiss working group. This group arranges for all interested parties to make representations to the investigators and in this case it includes the Ministry of Defence, the civil operator and the air traffic control unit which was providing an advisory service to the civil aircraft at the time.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to investigate the near miss involving an Air UK civil airliner and a military Tornado aeroplane which occurred over Kelso on Wednesday 31 January; if he will make it his policy to publish a report on the background to the incident; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    The investigation of airmiss reports is the responsibility of the independent joint airmiss working group. The group meets regularly to consider the circumstances surrounding every reported airmiss. Details of its deliberations and assessment of the risk and cause are published every four months by the Civil Aviation Authority.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the civil aircraft involved in a near miss with a military Tornado aeroplane over Kelso on Wednesday 31 January was in unregulated air space at the time of the incident.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    The incident is the subject of a full investigation by the independent joint airmiss working group. From the facts available at present, it would appear that both aircraft were in unregulated airspace at the time of the incident.

    Mr. Harry Barnes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many of the incidents reported to the joint airmiss working party since 1 January 1987 of helicopters coming dangerously close to other aircraft when operating to, from or between offshore installations (1) took place in controlled air space, (2) had aircraft operating under instructions given by air traffic control to either captain, (3) took place in air space for which an advisory service was available, (4) had aircraft in receipt of advisory services and (5) operated outside either controlled air space or advisory services;

    (2) how many reported incidents there have been to the joint airmiss working party since 1 January 1987 of helicopters being claimed to have come dangerously close to other aircraft when operating to, from and between offshore installations; what were the identities of the other aircraft, by type and operator; at what heights the incidents took place; and in which cases either the helicopter or the other aircraft were on approach or take-off;

    (3) if he will prepare and publish a report on the lessons to be drawn from the incidents of helicopters coming dangerously close to other aircraft;
    587
    (4) in which cases where incidents have been reported to the joint airmiss working party since 1 January 1987 of helicopters coming dangerously close to other aircraft when operating to, from or between offshore installations the incidents have been categorised as A, B or C; and where the responsibility for each incident has been laid.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    These are matters for the Civil Aviation Authority, which has the statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation.

    I have drawn the questions to the attention of the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority and will ask him to write to the hon. Member direct.

    A3 (Noise)
    Mr. David Howell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will complete his review of noise insulation and noise barrier needs to protect residents living adjacent to the A3 trunk road on the Ladymead to Hog's Back section.

    Mr. Atkins
    No review of noise insulation is being undertaken. I can agree to four of six noise barriers proposed as an interim solution pending the longer-term improvements to this section of the A3 recently announced. The case for two of these barriers nearest the A31 bridge is not made, but is being re-examined following the recent alterations to the A3 northbound carriageway. It is not possible to say yet when this re-examination will be completed.

    Motorway Exits
    Mr. Hunter
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to eliminate the queueing which is occurring at the exits of junction 6 on the M3 at Basingstoke.

    Mr. Atkins
    The installation of peak hour traffic signals is being considered to deal with this problem pending longer-term solutions. A scheme for the grade separation of the Black Dam roundabout was added to the trunk road programme last year. This should overcome the problems in the longer term.

    Mr. Hunter
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to remove the danger of stationary vehicles in queues in nearside lanes waiting to leave motorways.

    Mr. Atkins
    The proposals announced in "Roads for Prosperity" (Cm. 693) in May 1989, including widening and junction improvements of substantial lengths of existing motorway, will go a long way to reducing congestion, including that caused by vehicles queuing to leave motorways. In the case of some junctions not scheduled for major improvement, minor schemes such as installation of signal controls can reduce queuing, especially at peak periods.

    Scottish Lowland Airports
    Mr. David Marshall
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the reasons for the delay in the announcement of his decision on the review of Scottish lowland airports policy; and when he now expects to make it.
    588
    Mr. McLoughlin
    There has been no delay. Careful consideration is being given to the very full response to our recent consultation, and my right hon. Friend hopes to announce his decision before long.

    St. John's Wood Station (Escalators)
    Mr. Kaufman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply on escalators at St. John's Wood to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton,Official Report, 12 February, column 112, concerning work on the out-of-service escalator at St. John's Wood station, if he will seek from London Underground an explanation as to why a notice states that the escalator in question will be out of service until early April.

    Mr. Portillo
    This is a matter within London Underground Limited's management responsibility.

    Road Projects
    Mr. Matthew Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will publish tables showing the estimated completion dates for the major road projects outlined in the roads White Paper in 1987 and the present estimated completion dates; and if he will make a statement;

    (2) if the roads report promised in the White Paper, "Roads for Prosperity", has been completed; and if he will make a statement;

    (3) when he plans to complete and publish the roads report promised in the White Paper, "Roads for Prosperity"; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Atkins
    Preparation of the roads report is complete and will be published very shortly. The report will include tables showing details of all schemes in the national trunk road programme, including completion dates where appropriate. It will cover the schemes under construction or in preparation at the time of publication of "Policy for Roads in England 1987" and additions to the programme made since, including those announced in the White Paper, "Roads for Prosperity" published last May.

    A30 (Dualling)
    Mr. Matthew Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the present target date for completing dualling of the A30 in(a) Cornwall and (b) Devon; and if he will make a statement;

    (2) what progress has been made in drawing up plans for dualling the whole of the A30 in (a) Cornwall and (b) Devon; and if he will make a statement;

    (3) whether the review of plans for the dualling of the A30 in (a) Cornwall and (b) Devon, promised in the White Paper, "Roads for Prosperity", has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Atkins
    Dualling of the A30 in Devon, west of Exeter, is planned to be completed by the end of 1993.

    Current plans for the improvement of the A30 in Cornwall do not provide for dual carriageways throughout, but the assessment of needs of the whole route foreshadowed in "Roads for Prosperity", which will start later this year, will include consideration of the need for further dualling.

    A38 (Dualling)
    Mr. Matthew Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what stage plans for the dualling of the A38 Liskeard to Bodmin have reached; if the review promised in the White Paper, "Roads for Prosperity", has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Atkins
    We expect to consult the public on possible route options in the autumn. The assessment of needs of the A38 between Exeter and Plymouth is expected to start later this year.

    Network SouthEast
    Mr. Channon
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will direct British Rail to give priority in its investment plans for Network SouthEast to improving rolling stock.

    Mr. Parkinson
    Network SouthEast has already identified rolling stock as its top investment priority. It is planning to invest some £1·2 billion over the next three years, of which about 70 per cent. will be for replacement of old stock and additional trains to relieve overcrowding.

    Mr. Channon
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has received from British Rail about the timing of investment plans to improve the least satisfactory commuter lines in Network SouthEast.

    Mr. Parkinson
    Network SouthEast will be bringing forward various investments over the coming months to back up its efforts to achieve the quality objectives over every route by 1993. I know that it has begun work on detailed investment proposals for modernising the north Kent lines and the London-Tilbury-Southend line and I look forward to receiving its formal investment submissions as soon as they are ready.

    Pollution
    Mrs. Ann Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his answer of 15 January,Official Report, column 46, what was the sample size of the 1988 survey which showed 3·6 per cent. of heavy goods vehicles emitting excessive smoke; and what results were obtained from the regional roadside visual checks of exhaust smoke from heavy goods vehicles undertaken by his Department's vehicle inspectorate in 1985, 1986 and 1987.

    Mr. Atkins
    The figures requested are:

    Year and region

    Number checked

    Number emitting excess smoke

    Per cent, emitting excess smoke

    1985

    North

    18,637

    663

    3·56

    Scotland

    8,583

    640

    7·46

    South West and Wales

    17,050

    1,690

    9·91

    South East

    22,855

    2,703

    11·83

    1985

    National

    67,125

    5,696

    8·49

    1986

    North

    17,032

    805

    4·73

    Scotland

    7489

    300

    401

    South West and Wales

    11,731

    1,083

    9·23

    South East

    20,821

    2,154

    10·35

    590

    Year and region

    Number checked

    Number emitting excess smoke

    Per cent, emitting excess smoke

    1986

    National

    57,073

    4,342

    7·61

    1987

    North

    21,029

    894

    4·25

    Scotland

    7,130

    199

    2·79

    South West and Wales

    13,368

    1,242

    9·29

    South East

    29,338

    2,532

    8·63

    1987

    National

    70,865

    4,867

    6·87

    1988

    North

    7,824

    235

    3·00

    Scotland

    3,817

    68

    1·78

    South West and Wales

    10,195

    475

    4·66

    South East

    17,726

    650

    3·67

    1988

    National

    39,562

    1,428

    3·61

    1989

    North

    8,874

    275

    3·10

    Scotland

    4,175

    48

    1·15

    South West and Wales

    6,921

    263

    3·80

    South East

    12,938

    346

    2·67

    1989

    National

    32,908

    932

    2·83

    Mrs. Ann Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about pollution from motor vehicles, including motor cycles, detected by his Department's vehicle inspectorate since 1986, including excessive smoke emissions and excessive noise; and whether he will in future take steps to publish annually a separate analysis of such information.

    Mr. Atkins
    The percentages of heavy goods and passenger service vehicles failing their annual test for excess smoke or for defective exhaust systems are as follows:

    Excess smoke

    Defective exhaust

    PSV Percentage

    HGV Percentage

    PSV Percentage

    HGV Percentage

    1986–87

    1·34

    1·09

    2·29

    0·97

    1987–88

    1·60

    1·18

    2·86

    1·11

    1988–89

    1·42

    1·06

    2·76

    1·72

    The percentages of vehicles selected at random seen emitting excess smoke during roadside surveys were:

    Heavy goods vehicles (Statistical checks) Percentage

    Public service vehicles (Deregulation survey) Percentage

    1985

    8·49

    —

    1986

    7·61

    —

    1987

    6·87

    1·89

    1988

    3·61

    1·18

    1989

    2·83

    1·31

    The numbers of cars, light goods vehicles and motor cycles failing their MOT test for excess noise is not recorded separately. There are currently no checks for excess emissions in the MOT test.
    591
    The vehicle inspectorate executive agency publishes statistics relating to its work in its annual report, copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. It is going to expand the amount of data it publishes.

    Ferries (Safety)
    Mr. Terry Davis
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish the report and recommendations of phase I of the research programme into the safety of roll-on roll-off ferries.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    All the projects in phase I of the Department of Transport-sponsored research programme into ways of increasing the safety of ro-ro passenger ferries have now been completed. The steering committee which has been supervising the programme has nearly completed its assessment of the results, and I expect to receive its report next month. I will, of course, need to consider that report, but it is my intention to make the report and the results of the research widely available as soon as possible.

    Clapham Rail Accident
    Mr. Bowis
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive British Rail's response to Sir Anthony Hidden's report on the Clapham Junction railway accident; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Portillo
    The chairman of the railways board, Sir Robert Reid, sent me his initial response to Sir Anthony Hidden's recommendations earlier today. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.

    I am pleased to see that the railways board has been able to accept all the recommendations which apply to it. It has already implemented many of these, including all those that required urgent action.

    Several of the recommendations depend on developmental work for their full implementation. I know that Sir Robert Reid and the board are anxious to press on with full implementation as quickly as practicable, and to ensure that the systems are right before installing them. The railway inspectorate is discussing the detailed programme of implementation, including the prototype trials now going ahead, with BR. The implementation of some other recommendations depends on a satisfactory outcome to negotiations between BR and the railway unions: I am sure that both sides will do all they can to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the railway.

    Part of the cost of implementation of the Hidden report is covered by the £125 million for safety measures already included in BR's expenditure plans for the next three years and endorsed by the Government. I have asked BR to produce detailed estimates of the cost of implementing the longer-term recommendations; it is now assessing these and will include them in its 1990 corporate plan, which I shall be discussing with it later in the year. We will continue to ensure that BR has adequate funds for safety.

  HOME DEPARTMENT

    Human Rights
    Mr. Maclennan
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what manner the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the European Convention on 592
    Human Rights and by the international covenant on civil and political rights are directly secured by domestic law to everyone within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    The provisions of our common and statute law have always recognised basic human rights and freedoms. New laws are drafted in the light of international conventions and covenants; and, where necessary, existing laws are amended in the light of international judgments to meet our obligations.

    Mr. Rooker
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about compliance by the United Kingdom with covenants on civil and political rights, detailing how decisions of United Kingdom courts are communicated to international bodies monitoring such covenants.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    The United Kingdom fully meets its obligations under the various international instruments dealing with civil and political rights to which it is party. Details of court decisions relevant to a particular international instrument would normally be included in the United Kingdom's regular reports to treaty-monitoring bodies.

    Criminal Proceedings
    Mr. Nicholas Bennett
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to reduce the time taken to complete hearings in criminal proceedings.

    Mr. John Patten
    We have urged magistrates and court clerks to concentrate on reducing delays. A training video, "Court in Action", was launched earlier this year. A management information system has been introduced to help magistrates courts monitor their performance and performance targets have been set. We have authorised additional court clerk posts, and we shall be issuing guidance later this year on listing and efficient use of court resources. We intend to extend the operation of statutory custody time limits to the whole of England and Wales by the end of the year.

    My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has taken steps to tackle delays in the Crown court through the provision of more resources and improved management. Additional judges have been appointed and new courtrooms opened.

    We shall be monitoring the impact of these initiatives carefully.

    Paternity Leave
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what paternity leave is allowed to staff in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Waddington
    At present paternity leave is not available to civil servants. The Treasury is, however, finalising arrangements for the introduction of an entitlement to two days' paid paternity leave.

    Departmental Circulars
    Mr. Vaz
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the name and number of every circular issued by his Department since June 1979; and what monitoring is done for their implementation.
    593
    Mr. Waddington
    Since 1979 the Home Office has issued each year an average of about 75 circulars to local and police authorities. A list giving details of these circulars is prepared quarterly and a copy sent to the Clerk to the Select Committee on Home Affairs. To list the name and number of every circular and to establish what monitoring has been done for their implementation would require a disproportionate use of resources.

    Departmental Advisers
    Mr. Vaz
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names and previous occupations of advisers currently appointed to his Department, stating their current salaries.

    Mr. Waddington
    The information is as follows:

    Mr. John Godfrey—seconded from Daiwa (Europe) Ltd

    Mr. John Taylor (from 19 February 1990)—barrister-at-
    law

    It is not the practice to disclose the salaries of special advisers as they are negotiated individually in relation to previous outside earnings and are therefore confidential.

    Dr. Malde Modhwadia
    Mr. Vaz
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the case of Dr. Malde Modhwadia of 245 Goodwood road, Leicester; and when he estimates the case will be resolved.

    Mr. John Patten
    The hon. Member is aware that inquiries are now being made into new information about this case. I understand that these inquiries will be completed shortly and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as we have had an opportunity to consider the results.

    London Prisons
    Mr. Cox
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to co-opt on to the local boards of visitors at each London prison members from the local education authorities which are shortly to be set up.

    Mr. Mellor
    No. At least two members of the board of visitors to prison establishments are required to be Justices of the Peace, but it is not otherwise the practice to appoint members to boards by virtue of their office. In making appointments to boards of visitors, consideration is rather given to the abilities of the individual candidate to discharge the duties effectively and the desirability of maintaining, so far as possible, a representative balance on the board in terms of age, sex and social and ethnic background.

    Prison Officers
    Mr. O'Brien
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons have failed to meet their full establishment figures for prison officers; and what is the shortfall of staff in each of these prisons.

    Mr. Mellor
    The initial complement figures set for each establishment during the introduction of the "fresh start" arrangements have already been modified in many instances and are in the process of further revision. They will continue to be reviewed during the period of the 594
    framework agreement to take account of the resources available to the prison service and of the progressive reduction in the working week for prison officers. This continuing series of changes means that any list of complement figures for each of the 124 establishments around the country would be misleading and unreliable. Nationally the position remains that we have provided and will continue to provide all the additional staff promised under "fresh start": the number of prison officers in post has risen by nearly 20 per cent. over the past three years.

    Mr. Lofthouse
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total shortage of trained prison officers in England and Wales.

    Mr. Mellor
    Although there are still problems in particular establishments, there is no general shortage of officers in the prison service. We are having no difficulty in attracting good quality recruits and are continuing to provide all the additional staff promised under "fresh start." The number of prison officers in post is now over 20,000, nearly 20 per cent. higher than three years ago.

    Private Security Firms
    Mr. George
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names of all the private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

    Mr. Waddington
    The following private security firms are currently employed by my Department:

    Burns International

    Chubb Wardens Limited

    Compass Security

    Group 4 Total Security Limited

    Potton Leisure Limited

    Real Security

    Reliance Security

    Securicor

    Securiguard Services Limited

    Security Express

    Security Services

    Wray Security.

    The value of each contract is a matter of commercial and contractual confidentiality. Information about the total value of all such contracts for each year since 1984–85 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information about the number of staff employed on each contract is also not readily available; in some cases the number varies from day to day according to operational requirements.

    Community Service Orders
    Mr. Grylls
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time between sentencing and the start of the community service order in(a) inner London and (b) the rest of the country.

    Mr. John Patten
    The implementation of the national standards for community service orders, which were introduced in April last year, is being monitored through quarterly returns from all probation areas. During the first six months (April to September 1989) the following delays were recorded between sentencing and the start of the community service work, based on the returns received and coded so far:
    595

    Delays in days

    Inner London probation areas

    Areas outside inner London

    Number

    per cent.

    Number

    per cent.

    0 to 6

    127

    19·00

    4,737

    47·8

    7 to 9

    137

    20·50

    1,912

    19·3

    10 to 13

    139

    20·75

    1,570

    15·8

    14 to 20

    139

    20·75

    1,074

    10·8

    21 and over

    127

    19·00

    627

    6·3

    669

    100·00

    9,920

    100·0

    The most frequent reason for delay in beginning work in inner London was the unavailability of work placements. Other reasons included the offender's failure to turn up for interviews or work, health, domestic or mental problems, further offending, conflicting employment commitments and administrative error.

    Mr. Grylls
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of criminals sentenced to community service orders completed their full hours.

    Mr. John Patte
    [holding answer 16 February 1990]: The information requested is published in "Probation Statistics England and Wales 1988" (table 6.11). In 1988, the proportion of community service orders that were terminated on completion of the specified number of hours was 72 per cent.

    Violent Crime
    Mr. Lofthouse
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further proposals he has to combat and reduce the incidence of violent crime.

    Mr. John Patten
    Our proposals in chapter 3 of the White Paper, "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public" (Cm 965), include empowering the Crown court to impose longer sentences on serious violent and sexual offenders where this is necessary to protect the public. I also refer the hon. Member to the reply given to questions from the hon. Members for Glasgow, Central (Mr. Watson) and for Hemsworth (Mr. Buckley) and the right hon. and learned Member for Warley, West (Mr. Archer), on 25 January at column 864

    Licensed Hotels
    Mr. Barry Field
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to compile statistics on how many licensing benches insist on a dry lounge in licensed hotels.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    No. It would not be practicable to compile statistics of the very many different types of conditions which licensing justices may attach when granting an on-licence; and we have no reason to suppose that licences granted under part IV of the Licensing Act 1964 do not normally have a "dry room" condition.

    Drug Trafficking
    Mr. Sheerman
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons now serving sentences in British prisons have been convicted of crimes related to drug trafficking.

    Mr. Mellor
    The available information on the type of drugs offence for England and Wales is published annually 596
    in "Prison statistics England and Wales" (Table 1(a) of the volume for 1988, Cm 825). Information on custodial sentences imposed in the United Kingdom for drug trafficking offences is published annually in "Statistics of the misuse of drugs: seizures and offenders dealt with. Supplementary tables" (Table 2.6 of the issue for 1988). Copies of both volumes are in the Library.

    Crime Prevention
    Mr. Sheerman
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the Home Office research unit budget is spent on evaluating the crime prevention potential of different building materials.

    Mr. John Patten
    None, although some crime prevention demonstration projects funded from time to time may involve, among other things, "target hardening" of doors, windows and frames through improved materials and design.

    New Prisons
    Mr. Heffer
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sites for new prisons he has considered and rejected in the north-west over the last two years.

    Mr. Mellor
    During this period the Home Office has considered some 40 possible sites. Only one of these, at Fazakerley, Liverpool, is being actively pursued at present. Discussions on a number of the sites were on a confidential basis, because of commercial considerations, and it would not be right to list all of the sites involved.

    Pop Concerts
    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he intends to introduce measures to ensure that all security staff at pop concerts are trained in fire control and emergency evacuation; and if he will make a statement;

    (2) whether he intends to introduce proposals to ensure that the conditions of entry to pop concerts are better publicised; and if he will make a statement;

    (3) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that a common grid map should be devised and used by emergency services at all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

    (4) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that all sites used for pop concerts are surveyed for crowd safety purposes; and if he will make a statement;

    (5) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that all vendors on the sites of pop concerts are prevented from selling alcohol, or drinks in bottles or cans; and if he will make a statement;

    (6) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that an emergency control room should be set up at all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

    (7) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that an evacuation plan approved by the emergency services should be prepared prior to all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

    (8) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that the heads of security at all pop concerts should be allowed access to non-classified local emergency plans; and if he will make a statement;
    597
    (9) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that there should be a defined head of security and a named site controller for all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

    (10) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that there should be a VHF exclusive frequency used for radio communications at all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

    (11) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure the reduction of crowd build-up at entry points to pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

    (12) whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that all senior supervisors at pop concerts are (a) within constant radio contact and (b) trained in fire control, emergency evacuation and cardiac pressure and resuscitation; and if he will make a statement;

    (13) whether he will introduce measures to ensure adequate training and discipline of security staff employed at all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

    (14) whether he will introduce measures to ensure that all first-aid posts and treatment centres at pop concerts should be left to trained first-aid personnel; and if he will make a statement;

    (15) whether he will introduce measures to ensure that one person at pop concerts should be stationed on the stage with the authority to stop the show at any time; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    Under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, or in London the London Government Act 1963, responsibility for controlling places which are used for public musical entertainments, including pop concerts, is vested in the local authority. One of the purposes of this licensing regime is to ensure that places used for such entertainments have adequate standards of safety and hygiene and the legislation empowers local authorities to attach terms, conditions and restrictions to an entertainments licence. When considering the issue of such licences the local authority will generally have regard to any observations submitted to it by the police and the fire authority, to which advance notice of the application must be given.

    We have no present plans for any fundamental alterations to the existing arrangements for the licensing of public entertainments. The local authority is best placed to determine, in the circumstances of each individual application, exactly what conditions relating to crowd safety should be attached to any particular entertainments licence.

    To assist local authorities and fire authorities, as well as managers and licensees of premises, we are shortly to publish a comprehensive "Guide to Fire Precautions in Existing Places of Public Entertainment and Like Premises". This consolidates and to some extent revises existing guidance and contains specific advice on fire safety at pop concerts. We are also considering, in consultation with other agencies with an interest in the question, whether any further guidance should be issued to local authorities about crowd safety at public musical entertainments.

    Immigration
    Mr. Cohen
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a summary of the compelling and compassionate circumstances in which 598
    visitors from abroad initially refused entry by immigration officials have been allowed to visit, since the implementation of the relevant change in the immigration rules.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    The information is not available in the form requested. Paragraph 10 of the guidelines on the handling of representations by Members of Parliament in immigration cases, which were sent to right hon. and hon. Members under cover of a letter from my right hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) on 14 December 1988 gives examples of the sort of exceptional and compelling circumstances which would justify deferment of removal. These examples are not exhaustive and each case is considered on its merits.

    Mr. Michael Morris
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to change the requirement for United Kingdom citizens resident in Hong Kong who marry other nationalities to be resident in the United Kingdom for three years before the spouse is granted permanent right of abode.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    We have no present plans for changes in the relevant law and practice other than those necessary to implement the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 20 December 1989 at column 363.

    Court Escort Services
    Mr. McFall
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards privatising court escort services.

    Mr Mellor
    We are at present considering the outcome of the further studies into the likely cost-effectiveness of contracting out court escort services to the private sector, which my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) commissioned (his statement on 1 March 1989 at columns 277–88 refers to that). We hope soon to announce our conclusions.

    INFORM
    Mr. Michael Morris
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grant has been given to INFORM; and for how long.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    INFORM became operational on 1 January 1988. The Home Office funding is designed on a reducing basis over three years: £50,000 in the first full year of operation, and £40,000 and £30,000 in the subsequent years. The amounts in the respective financial years are £25,000 in 1987–88, £45,000 in 1988–89, £35,000 in 1989–90 and (provisionally) £15,000 in 1990–91.

    Mr. Michael Morris
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Dr. Barker was appointed chairman of INFORM; and for how long her appointment runs.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    We understand that Dr. Barker has been chairman of INFORM since its inception; that she was formally appointed chairman by the board of governors when INFORM became a limited company in February, 1989; and that the length of her appointment is at the discretion of the board of governors.

    Mr. Michael Morris
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the annual report of INFORM was published.
    599
    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    Under the terms of its grant INFORM is required to submit a report on its activities each year. The last such report was received by the Home Office in May 1989. Copies may be obtained from INFORM, and I am asking it to send one to my hon. Friend.

    Association of Chief Police Officers
    Mr. Flynn
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what subjects were discussed when he last met the Association of Chief Police Officers.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    There has been no further formal contact between my right hon. and learned Friend and the Association of Chief Police Officers since I replied to a question from the hon. Member on 5 December at column 182.

    Horserace Totalisator Board
    Mr. Squire
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much, in each case, the Horserace Totalisator Board has invested in capital expenditure for the racecourse division and Tote Credit Ltd over each of the last six years ending 1989–90; and what is the current asset value in each balance sheet.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    Other than its annual report submitted to Parliament or in its annual returns to Companies House concerning Tote Credit Ltd and Tote Bookmakers Ltd, the Tote does not publish detailed breakdowns of the information requested as it regards such information as commercially sensitive.

    Figures for Tote Credit Ltd's capital expenditure as given in its returns are as follows:

    £000

    1983–84

    131

    1984–85

    225

    1985–86

    188

    1986–87

    243

    1987–88

    262

    1988–89

    12,593

    1Includes substantial one-off expenditure on the new Wigan headquarters which were opened by my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) on 28 February 1989.

    Figures for 1989–90 are not yet available.

    The net book value of capital expenditure for Tote Credit Ltd on 31 March 1989 was £4,333,000.

    Medical practitioners occupying complemented medical officer posts in London prisons as at 7 February 1990

    Establishments

    Principal Medical Officer

    Senior Medical Officer

    Medical Officer

    Part-time Medical Officer

    Total

    Ashford

    —

    1

    1

    —

    2

    Brixton

    1

    1

    6

    2

    10

    Feltham

    —

    —

    2

    2

    4

    Holloway

    1

    1

    3

    2

    7

    Latchmere House

    —

    1

    —

    2

    3

    Pentonville

    —

    1

    3

    2

    5

    Wandsworth

    —

    2

    2

    2

    6

    Wormwood Scrubs

    1

    1

    1

    4

    7

    Total

    3

    8

    18

    15

    44

    Information Storage
    Mr. Rathbone
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact on the application of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 of the requirement of the Data Protection Act or other legislation controlling information storage and retrieval.

    Mr. Mellor
    The Drug Trafficking Offences Act enables banks and other financial institutions to disclose suspicions to the enforcement authorities without infringing the law on confidentiality and personal privacy. The evidence is that it has achieved this objective. The Government have stated, however, that they are keeping the working of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act under continuing review, and that they are prepared to take whatever action is necessary if problems are found to arise.

    Mr. Rathbone
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact on the applications of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 of the requirements of the Data Protection Act or other legislation controlling information storage and retrieval.

    Mr. John Patten
    I have no reason to believe that the application of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 has been impeded by the confidentiality or privacy requirements of other legislation. We will, however, keep the matter under review.

    Mr. Rathbone
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact on the application of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 of the requirements of the Data Protection Act or other legislation controlling information storage and retrieval.

    Mr. Mellor
    I have no evidence that the application of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 has been impeded by the confidentiality or privacy requirements of other legislation, but I will keep this matter under review.

    London Prison Doctors
    Mr. Cox
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of fully qualified medical doctors employed in each of the London prisons as at 7 February.

    Mr. Mellor
    The following is the information requested:

    DNA Testing
    Mr. Dalyell
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his policy towards legal powers to take samples, such as blood or hair roots, in respect of screening people who there may be no reason to suspect of involvement in the offence;

    (2) what proposals he has for a DNA databank for use in the fight against serious crime; what type of offences will be covered; what type of sample will need to be taken; and whether types of sample such as blood or hair roots will be taken without the consent of the individual concerned;

    (3) whether he will consult the Law Lords on the question which would arise if a doctor was asked to take a blood sample without consent, the question being how to obtain a sample from someone who refuses consent, and may physically resist having a sample taken, and on the question of the acceptability of evidence obtained under duress by the courts; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    My right hon. and learned Friend is still considering the issues set out in the letter which my noble Friend the Minister of State sent to the hon. Member on 7 December. He is currently consulting the British Medical Association and the Association of Police Surgeons on the medical ethics of taking blood samples without consent from suspects in police detention and from convicted offenders. My right hon. and learned Friend will consider what further consultations are necessary in the light of their response. He has no plans to amend the law to enable the police to take blood or other samples from people who are not suspects or convicted offenders and who do not consent. The police are free to ask people to provide samples voluntarily.

    Mr. Dalyell
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to include provisions in his Computer Misuse Bill to promote safeguards to ensure that information stored in a DNA databank would not be open to misuse.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    No. The Data Protection Act 1984 already provides appropriate safeguards against misuse of personal data held on a computer database. These include a requirement that the data user must take security measures against unauthorised access.

    Mr. Dalyell
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he is giving to the use of DNA material unrelated to crime.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    DNA testing has been used to establish relationship in immigration and paternity cases.

    Blundeston Prison
    Mr. David Porter
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to publish the prison department's report into the serious disturbance in January at Her Majesty's prison, Blundeston.

    Mr. Mellor
    As indicated in the reply which I gave to a question by my hon. Friend on 18 January at columns 378–79, the regional director for the south-east region of the prison service is examining the cause of this demonstration. It is not the practice to publish internal management documents but I shall write to my hon. Friend when the regional director's report has been received and considered.

    Management Consultants
    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Oxford, East on 31 January,Official Report, columns 203–4, who awarded the contracts on (a) the practicality of private sector involvement in the remand system to Deloitte Haskins and Sells in 1988 and (b) the organisation of the prison service above establishment level to PA Consulting Group in 1989; what was the cost of each contract; and if he will list any similar reports commissioned from outside management consultants since 1985 and give their date of completion and cost.

    Mr. Waddington
    The Home Office awarded a contract to Deloitte Haskins and Sells for a study into the practicality of private sector involvement in the remand system, and another to PA Consulting Group for a review of the prison service organisation above establishment level. For details of the assignment to Deloitte Haskins and Sells I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on 13 February 1990 at column 131. The duration of the contract awarded to PA Consulting Group for a review of the prison service organisation above establishment level was extended in July 1989 and again in December 1989, and remains extant. The total cost of this assignment will not be available until April 1990. For details of similar reports from outside management consultants awarded and completed since 1985, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on 31 January 1990 at column 203.

    Bingo
    Mr. Illsley
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider amending the appropriate legislation to allow the advertising of bingo games.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) on 17 January at column 265.

    Correspondence
    Mr. Home Robertson
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for East Lothian dated 11 December 1989 about a claim for a refund of the cost of a passport on the part of Mrs. Cameron of Musselburgh, East Lothian.

    Mr. Peter Lloyd
    A reply will be sent within the next few days.

    Motor Vehicle Pollution
    Mrs. Ann Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about offences relating to pollution from motor vehicles since 1987, including excessive smoke emissions and excessive noise; and whether he will take steps in future to publish annually a separate analysis of such offences.

    Mr. John Patten
    The available information about offences relating to motor vehicles is published annually in Home Office statistical publications. Summary information is set out in the bulletin entitled "Offences relating to
    603
    Motor Vehicles, England and Wales"; the most recent, number 34/89, included data for 1988. Detailed information is given in the publication, "Offences relating to Motor Vehicles, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables". Copies of these publications are available in the Library.
    604
    Details of noise offences, offence group 22, are included in the supplementary tables publications.

    For information relating to emission of smoke offences, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to her question on 15 January 1990 at columns 33–34.

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