Written Answers of 16 January 1990

DEFENCE

  HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department intends to make a decision on the replacement of HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid.

  Mr. Neubert
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter) on 21 December 1989, at column 383.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Royal Air Force squadrons which are to be equipped with the European fighter aircraft will consist of the same numbers of aircraft as current fighter squadrons.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The precise number of EFA to be allocated to each squadron is still under consideration.

  Misfires
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there has been an increase in the incidence of misfires with ammunition purchased from Greek suppliers.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No reports of misfires with ammunition purchased from Greek suppliers have been received.

  Brokerage Fees
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Al-Hamanah Saudi arms deal provides for brokerage fees to his Department or the Defence Sales Organisation for sales placed in the United Kingdom; and in which years any such fees have been paid.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No.

  Cash Limit
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will announce any changes to the defence cash limit for 1989–90.

  Mr. Tom King
  My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced on 29 July 1989 an entitlement of £435,690,000 to increase the cash limit for 1989–90, resulting from carry forward of capital expenditure under the end-year flexibility scheme. I can now announce that we shall receive a further entitlement of £248,770,000. Of this new increase, £239,588,000 comes under the terms of the additional flexibility arrangements announced to the House on 19 December 1986,Official Report column 778. These arrangements provide for carry
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  forward of underspend resulting from procurement decisions taken to improve contractors' performance and the value for money obtained from our defence procurement contracts during the 1988–89 financial year, including the Department's tauter approach to interim payments. The remaining £9,182,000 is to compensate the defence budget for the costs arising from the change in status of the Property Services Agency.

  Procurement
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list his Department's major procurement purchases which have followed competitive tendering in each year since 1984.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The following contracts valued –25 million or more were placed following competitive tendering during the period 1984 to 1989:

  1984

  Type 996 Radar

  Forward Repair Ship

  Mine Counter Measures Vessels

  Aviation Training Ship

  Missile Tubes for SSBNs

  A90 Process Equipment

  Sir Galahad Replacement

  Tristar Aircraft

  Academic Instruction and Support at RMCS Shrivenham Nine Contracts for Oil

  1985

  Type 22 Frigates

  Submarine ESM

  Tucano Aircraft

  Phoenix RPV

  MCT 80 (Warrior) Vehicles

  Seven Contracts for Oil

  1986

  Upholder Class Submarines

  Close In Weapon Systems

  Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment Vessel

  Type 23 Frigates

  Type 23 Frigate

  Challenger MBTs

  HVM Weapon System

  Four Contracts for Oil

  1987

  Submarine ESM Systems

  Single Role Minehunters

  ALARM Missile

  E3A (AWACS) Aircraft

  SA80 Weapons Systems

  Target Towing Services

  Image Intensifier Tubes

  Development of Bridging Equipment

  Thermal Observation and Gunnery Sighting Systems

  Three Contracts for Aviation Fuel

  1988

  Type 23 Frigates

  Development of Air Defence Command and Information System

  Development and Supply of ACEWS EW System

  Insurance Services

  Three Contracts for Oil, Diesel, Fuel and Aviation Fuel

  1989

  Magnetic Treatment Facility

  Command System for Type 23

  Frigates and AOR

  Type 23 Frigates

  Skynet Ground Equipment

  4 x 4 4 Tonne Vehicles

  Ammunition
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates of competitions held since 1984 to supply small calibre ammunition of 30 mm and

  Calibre

  Date

  Type

  Quantity

  Tenderers

  Winner

  7·62mm

  September 1985

  Ball

  10M

  Norma (FFV), Sweden

  Indep

  SFM, France

  Hirtenberger, Austria

  MEN, West Germany

  Dynamit Nobel, West Germany

  FN, Belgium

  Indep, Portugal

  GPC, Greece

  Raufoss, Norway

  Royal Ordnance, United Kingdom

  September 1985

  4 Ball/1 Tracer

  15M

  FN, Belgium

  Indep

  Indep, Portugal

  Raufoss, Norway

  FFV, Sweden

  MEN, West Germany

  Dynamit Nobel, West Germany

  September 1985

  Blank belted

  2·2M

  FN, Belgium

  FN

  Indep, Portugal

  Raufoss, Norway

  FFV, Sweden

  MEN, West Germany

  GPC, Greece

  Hirtenberger, Austria

  9mm

  September 1985

  Ball

  14M

  FFV, Sweden

  FFV

  SFM, France

  Hirtenberger, Austria

  MEN, West Germany

  Dynamit Nobel, West Germany

  FN, Sweden

  Indep, Portugal

  Royal Ordnance, United Kingdom

  January 1986

  Ball

  15M

  FFV, Sweden

  FFV

  SFM, France

  Hirtenberger, Austria

  MEN, West Germany

  Dynamit Nobel, West Germany

  FN, Belgium

  Indep, Portugal

  Royal Ordnance, United Kingdom

  0·5 inch

  September 1985

  4 Ball/1 Tracer

  440K

  Eley, United Kingdom

  GPC

  FN, Belgium,

  Eurometaal, Holland

  1 Ba11/1 Tracer

  250K

  GPC, Greece

  Accles & Shelvoke, Canada

  August 1986

  1 Ball/1 Tracer

  1.15M

  Eley, United Kingdom

  Eley

  Accles & Shelvoke, Canada

  Eurometaal, Holland

  FN, Belgium

  0·5 inch

  March 1988

  1 Ball/1 Tracer

  1·2M

  Eley, United Kingdom

  GPC

  FN, Belgium,

  Eurometaal, Holland

  Accles & Shelvoke, Canada

  GPC, Greece

  20mm

  October 1986

  HE I

  25·5K

  Matra Manurhin, France

  GPC

  HE I Tr

  25·5K

  GPC, Greece,

  Practice

  105K

  BMARC, United Kingdom

  Practice Tr

  19K

  December 1984

  Practice

  250K

  Olin Winchester, United States of America

  Raufoss

  Raufoss, Norway

  Dekruithorn, Holland

  FN, Belgium

  December 1985

  Practice

  304K

  Olin Winchester, United States of America

  Dekruithorn

  Raufoss, Norway

  Dekruithorn, Holland

  FN, Belgium

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  below for the United Kingdom armed services, in each case listing (a) the type, calibre and quantity of ammunition involved, (b) the names and nationalities of the competing companies and (c) the winning company.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The data requested are as follows:
  137

  Calibre

  Date

  Type

  Quantity

  Tenderers

  Winner

  December 1986

  Practice

  304K

  Olin Winchester, United States of America

  Olin Winchester

  Raufoss, Norway

  Dekruithorn, Holland

  FN, Belgium

  December 1987

  Practice

  228K

  Olin Winchester, United States of America

  Olin Winchester

  Raufoss, Norway

  Dekruithorn, Holland

  FN, Belgium

  25mm

  July 1988

  Practice

  294K

  Raufoss, Norway

  Raufoss

  BMARC, United Kingdom

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are taken by his Department to ensure the quality of ammunition purchased from overseas.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The quality requirements called up in MOD tenders and contracts for ammunition are identical for United Kingdom and overseas suppliers. Our quality assurance branches ensure that the requirements are met irrespective of the place of manufacture.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total value of contracts awarded to overseas suppliers to provide the United Kingdom armed forces with small calibre ammunition, 30 mm and below, for each year since 1984.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The data for 1984–85 are not readily available. The approximate values for the subsequent years are:

  Year

  £ million

  1985–86

  31·4

  1986–87

  6·9

  1987–88

  28·5

  1988–89

  14·1

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total value of contracts awarded to United Kingdom suppliers to provide the United Kingdom armed forces with small calibre ammunition, of 30 mm and below, for each year since 1984.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The data for 1984–85 are not readily available. The approximate values for the subsequent years are:

  Year

  £ million

  1985–86

  76·6

  1986–87

  68·6

  1987–88

  52·5

  1988–89

  50·1

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which United Kingdom companies are still able to supply the United Kingdom armed forces with 0·5 in ammunition.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  After the unsuccessful bid by Eley Ltd. for our last tender in 1988, there have been reports that it has closed its facility. There are no other established manufacturers for 0·5 in ammunition in the United Kingdom, but several could adapt their capabilities should our next requirement be attractive to them.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which United Kingdom companies have in the past 20 years supplied his Department with 0·5 in ammunition.
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  Mr. Alan Clark
  The only United Kingdom company to have supplied 0·5 in ammunition to MOD in the past 20 years is Eley Ltd.

  Ministry of Defence Houses
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many surplus Ministry of Defence houses have been sold to service men to date.

  Mr. Neubert
  As at 8 December 1989, a total of 2,241 surplus married quarters had been sold to service personnel through the Ministry of Defence's own discounted sales scheme since its inception on 1 December 1983.

  In addition, approximately 224 surplus quarters were sold to service personnel through the Ministry of Defence's non-discounted sales scheme, which operated from 1 April 1981 to 30 November 1983. We do not maintain records of surplus quarters that may have been sold to service personnel outside these two schemes.

  Warsaw Pact
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions when Royal Navy vessels have made visits to ports in Warsaw pact countries since 1985.

  Mr. Neubert
  Visits made by Royal Navy vessels to ports in Warsaw pact countries since 1985 are as follows:

  Port

  Vessel

  Date

  Constanta, Romania

  HMS Naiad

  July 1985

  Leningrad, USSR

  HMS Bristol

  May 1989

  Gdynia, Poland

  HMS Bristol

  June 1989

  Rostock, GDR

  HMS Achilles

  June 1989

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions when Warsaw pact naval vessels have visited British ports and naval bases since 1985.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Polish destroyer Warszawa, which visited London during May 1989, is the only Warsaw pact warship to have visited a British port or naval base since 1985. A number of Warsaw pact naval sail training ships have also visited the United Kingdom during this period to take part in the annual tall ships race.

  AWACS Aircraft
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the current value of contracts awarded to United Kingdom companies as a result of the offset arrangement agreed for the purchase by his Department of seven AWACS aircraft.
  139
  Mr. Alan Clark
  Boeing has to date submitted five progress reports listing contracts placed with United Kingdom companies to the value of $1,176 million. Our evaluation is not yet complete, but we have so far agreed some $672 million to count for offset credit purposes.

  Bounty Payments
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current minimum training commitment per year of Royal Navy Reserve officers and ratings enabling them to claim bounty payments.

  Mr. Neubert
  The current minimum training commitment of Royal Navy Reserve officers and ratings for bounty purposes is a standard two continuous weeks and 50 drill nights per year, which may be reduced for certain specialist categories.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current minimum training commitment per year of Territorial Army officers and men enabling them to claim bounty payments.

  Mr. Neubert
  In order to earn bounty, assuming other qualifying criteria are met, members of independent and specialist units of the Territorial Army must complete a minimum of 27 days and 19 days respectively in each training year. In both cases the overall requirement would normally include a continuous period of 15 days, either annual camp or a course in lieu. Where personal circumstances preclude an undertaking at the above level, facilities exist for individuals to carry out a lower training liability with a commensurately lower level of bounty being payable.

  Royal Ordnance
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government retained any share of the patent rights of Royal Ordnance when Royal Ordnance was sold off; and whether they have to pay for the use of any of the patents transferred to British Aerospace.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The transfer of patents to Royal Ordnance was subject to the right of the Secretary of State and any Government Department without payment to use and authorise others to use any of the patents for any Government purpose, except for patents for inventions arising out of work funded out of the ROF Trading Fund. These terms are unaffected by the purchase of Royal Ordnance by British Aerospace.

  Ambulance duties
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the number of Army man hours employed in ambulance duties per police authority to date.

  Mr. Neubert
  [holding answer 8 January 1990]: Up to 5 January 1990, estimates of the number of Service man hours deployed are as shown. It is not possible to separate out the Army element without disproportionate cost.

  Police Authority

  Service Man Hours Deployed

  London (Metropolitan & City)

  215,220

  Hertfordshire

  32,028

  Lincolnshire

  6,460

  140

  Police Authority

  Service Man Hours Deployed

  Bedfordshire

  15,640

  Derbyshire

  1,428

  South Yorkshire

  30,464

  West Midlands

  35,292

  Hereford and Worcester (West Mercia)

  14,280

  Dorset

  9,792

ENVIRONMENT

  Waste Oil
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has any plans for specific legislation on waste oil discharges from incineration facilities;

  (2) if he has any plans to facilitate the collection of waste oil from small producers;

  (3) if he has any plans to introduce legislation to bring Britain into compliance with EEC directive 75/442 on waste by requiring establishments producing, collecting and disposing of at least 500 litres of waste oil each year to keep records and submit a report to the competent authorities;

  (4) if he has any plans to introduce legislation to bring Britain into compliance with EEC directive 75/442 on waste by requiring that information be provided on the quantity, quality, origin and location of waste oils as well as on their receipt and dispatch;

  (5) if he has any plans to introduce legislation to require mineral and synthetic oil retailers to take back waste oils free of charge;

  (6) if he has any plans to introduce legislation to require that in-house disposal of waste oils must be authorised or approved;

  (7) if he has any plans to introduce legislation to require the recycling of waste oils;

  (8) if he intends to introduce specific provisions to prohibit the discharge of waste oils into water bodies and drainage systems;

  (9) if he intends to introduce specific provisions to prohibit uncontrolled discharge of waste oils and to require that they be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government are considering what further action to take to ensure compliance with EC directives 75/439, 75/442 and 87/101 regarding the disposal of waste oils. Most large industrial plants burning waste oils are already controlled by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) under the Alkali etc. Works Regulation Act 1906 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It is intended that waste oil burning will be included in processes listed in regulations made under the Environmental Protection Bill, when enacted, for part I control. The Government will also take steps to make the public aware of the need to dispose of waste oils in an environmentally responsible way.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce legislation specifically concerning disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and poly-chlorinated triphenyls.
  141
  Mr. Trippier
  The disposal of waste PCBs and PCTs is subject to the general legislation on the disposal of toxic waste. The storage and landfilling of waste PCBs/PCTs comes under the licensing system of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and their incineration under the registration system of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Alkali etc. Works Regulations Act 1906. It is intended that storage and landfilling will come under the revised licensing system and chemical incineration under the integrated pollution control system to be established under the Environmental Protection Bill.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce legislation to require that the total polychlorinated biphenyl and halogen content of waste oils has to be recorded.

  Mr Trippier
  Under the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980, the PCB and halogen concentration of waste oils which are special wastes is stated on the consignment note which is raised when the waste is moved from the premises where it is produced. Copies of these consignment notes are kept on registers held by producers, carriers and waste disposal licence holders. The PCB and halogen content of waste oil, which brings it within the definition of special waste, is one of the matters covered in our proposals for revising the Special Waste Regulations which I shall announce shortly.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce legislation whereby a subsidy is paid to operators exchanging or retrofilling equipment containing poly chlorinated biphenyls or polychlorinated triphenyls.

  Mr. Trippier
  No. Paying subsidies would be contrary to the polluter pays principle.

  Cleaning Products
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to ban the use of(a) nitro-tri-acetic acid, (b) ethylene diamino-tetra-acetic acid, (c) perborate bleach, (d) optical brighteners and (e) enzymes in cleaning products.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department has no plans to ban the use of these chemicals in cleaning products.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to limit the amount of(a) phosphates, (b) chlorine bleaches and (c) ethlylene diamino-tetra-acetic acid used in cleaning products; if he intends to limit the acidity of toilet cleaners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department has no plans at present to limit the amounts of these constituents in cleaning products but is planning to place a study contract to review any adverse effects which may occur if polyphosphates used in cleaning agents are replaced by other chemicals.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to require an increase in the biodegradability of anionic and non-ionic surfactants.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department has no plans to require an increase in the biodegradability of anionic and non-ionic surfactants.

  Richmond Metal Company
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has obtained a report from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Health and Safety Executive on how a bar of uranium came to be on the premises of the Richmond Metal Company; what action has been taken; whether any breaches of security were involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Health and Safety Executive have carried out an extensive investigation into how the small bar of uranium came to be on the premises of the Richmond Metal Company. They have concluded that it arrived in a large batch of mixed scrap metal. The origin of the bar has not yet been established and this may prove difficult in view of the nature of scrap metal operations. Investigations are continuing and arrangements have been made to dispose of the uranium bar. There is no evidence of any breach of security.

  Radioactive Waste Disposal
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the findings of the European Commission's PAGIS study into the suitability of British geology for high-level radioactive waste disposal;

  (2) what account he will take of the European Commission's PAGIS study findings in determining Government policy on the disposal of high-level radioactive waste in Britain;

  (3) how his Department intends to use the findings of the European Commission's PAGIS assessment of the suitability of British geology for high-level radioactive waste disposal.

  Mr. Trippier
  PAGIS—performance assessment of geological isolation systems—a six-year multinational research project on the safety assessment of high-level radioactive waste disposal, was launched in 1982 as part of the Community plan of action in the field of radioactive waste management. Reports of the PAGIS project have been published by the European Commission. The results indicate that vitrified high-level radioactive waste could be disposed of safely in a variety of geological formations. PAGIS reinforces Government policy on the management of high-level radioactive waste and due account will be taken of the methodology and results when considering its eventual disposal.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution his Department made to the European Commission's PAGIS study into the suitability of British geology for high-level radioactive waste disposal.

  Mr. Trippier
  My Department was represented on the PAGIS steering committee.

  Cyclists
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many personal journeys are made in the United Kingdom each year; and if he will initiate research to estimate gains to be made in vehicle pollution abatement by a ten fold expansion of cycling in the United Kingdom.
  143
  Mr. Trippier
  "Transport Statistics Great Britain, 1978–8" (HMSO, September 1989) includes tables showing the passenger/kilometres travelled using the main modes of transport, and journeys per person per week. No research is planned to estimate gains in vehicle pollution abatement following from an expansion of cycling.

  Toxic Wastes (West Yorkshire)
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what areas in west Yorkshire were involved in the study undertaken by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on toxic wastes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's recent technical report "Determination of Polychlorinated biphenyls, Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans in United Kingdom Soils" report levels of PCB, PCDD and PCDF contamination at specific points on a regular 50 km grid across most of the United Kingdom.

  The report lists the grid references of all the sampling locations. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the areas in west Yorkshire where toxic wastes have been found; and if he will identify the so-called hot spots.

  Mr. Trippier
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's recent technical report "Determination of Polychlorinated biphenyls, Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans in United Kingdom Soils" reported levels of PCB, PCDD and PCDF contamination at specific points on a regular 50 km grid across most of the United Kingdom.

  The study was aimed at identifying the range of contamination levels of these chemicals in United Kingdom soils. There was no intention, in this study, to identify areas of abnormally high contamination (hot spots).

  The report lists the grid references of all the sampling locations. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the result of the soil samples taken from refuse tips in west Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's recent technical report "Determination of Polychlorinated biphenyls, Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans in United Kingdom Soils" reported levels of PCB, PCDD and PCDF contamination at specific points on a regular 50 km grid. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  The study was aimed at identifying the range of contamination levels of these chemicals in United Kingdom soils. No refuse landfill sites were knowingly sampled in west Yorkshire or elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

  Romania
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to increase the United Kingdom contribution to the east European 144
  programme of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature to provide assistance in improving the ecological situation in Romania.

  Mr. Trippier
  My Department has recently announced a contribution of £50,000 towards the east European programme of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. It is a matter for the IUCN to decide how much of this programme should be devoted to assisting Romania.

  Rateable Values (Chelmsford)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment as a result of the recent revaluation, what percentage of businesses in the Chelmsford parliamentary constituency area have had their rateable value(a) cut, (b) increased by 1 to 10 per cent., (c) increased by 11 to 20 per cent., (d) increased by 21 to 30 per cent., (e) increased by 31 to 50 per cent., (f) increased by 51 to 100 per cent., (g) increased by over 100 per cent., (h) increased by over 150 per cent., and (i) increased by over 200 per cent., and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The information for which my hon. Friend asks is not available.

  Hospital Incinerators
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will specify the date when Crown immunity will be removed from all hospital incinerators.

  Mr. Trippier
  Crown immunity for hospital incinerators with a capacity of over 1 tonne an hour was lifted in March 1989 as a result of the Health and Safety (Emissions into the Atmosphere) (Amendment) Regulations 1989. Clause 54 of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill provides for a widespread removal of Crown immunity from National Health Service premises. This will cover all National Health Service incinerators. The provision will be brought into effect by commencement order at the earliest opportunity.

  Radioactive Substances
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment from which persons and bodies he has received responses to the consultation paper on the control of radioactive substances.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Mr. Conway) on 6 December,Official Report, column 217.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps he proposes to take to control radioactive substances; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The improvements we intend to make to the control of radioactive substances under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 were set out in a consultation document, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, and are incorporated in the Environmental Protection Bill now before the House.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has had regard to
  145
  the new ionising regulations in the United States based on proposals by the National Academy of Sciences in drawing up proposals for the control of radioactive substances in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Radioactive Substances Act 1960 provides a comprehensive framework for controlling the keeping, use, accumulation and disposal of radioactive substances. We take into account legislation in other countries in amending United Kingdom legislation where appropriate.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources will be available for local authorities in the urban programme in 1990–91; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am today announcing initial urban programme resource allocations for 1990–91, totalling over £258 million, an increase of £13 million over last year. The resources will be allocated to the 57 urban programme partnership and programme authorities. The money will be used to support a wide range of projects aimed at stimulating economic recovery, improving the environment and helping people to deal with social problems in urban areas.

  The urban programme encourages local authorities, in partnership with Government, to help revitalise our inner cities. It is a key part of the Government's Action for Cities programme, which includes the Department of the Environment's other urban initiative—urban development corporations, city grant and derelict land grant. Together, these Department of the Environment programmes will provide £920 million for inner city regeneration in 1990–91.

  The urban programme allocations made today, some three weeks earlier than last year, are provisional: formal allocations are made after inner area programmes (IAPs) have been assessed and approved. Allocations will not be confirmed until authorities have provided a satisfactory annual report on achievements through the UP in 1988–89. Redistribution of resources can sometimes occur within the course of the year which may lead to outturn being different from the initial allocations.

  Copies of the allocations to individual authorities have been placed in the Library.

  Soil Contamination
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of soil contamination with polychlorinated biphenyls throughout Britain.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 16 January 1990]: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's recent report "Determination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans in UK Soils" contained details of the levels of PCBs found in soils in England, Wales and part of Scotland. The results show that PCBs are ubiquitous in soils, although the levels vary, being higher where there is a history of heavy industry and urbanisation. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of soil 146
  contamination throughout Britain from polychlorinated bi-phenyls, contamination from factory chimneys and the burning of plastic wastes in municipal incinerators.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: Details of PCB contamination of soils throughout Britain are given in the report by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution "Determination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans in UK Soils" published by HMSO, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. The use of PCBs is severely restricted by the Control of Pollution (Supply and Use of Injurious Substances) Regulations 1986. Thus they are not likely to be found in emissions from factory chimneys or to arise from the burning of plastic wastes in municipal incinerators.

  Landfill Sites
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the location of sites where landfill gases have been identified as a potential problem.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: Reliable and complete information on sites where landfill gas has been identified as a potential problem is not held centrally. Waste disposal authorities can advise about specific sites in their area.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the sites, where landfill gases are a potential problem, that are located within 250m of housing.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: This information is not held centrally. Waste disposal authorities provide information to local planning authorities where development is proposed within 250m of a landfill site.

  Pollution Inspectorate
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that all future soil samples from the area around the Rechem incinerator at Pontypool required to be taken by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution are collected by persons in the direct employ of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: It is for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to determine the most effective use of its resources and, in part, this will mean deciding on the most appropriate way to obtain samples in particular areas.

  Single Homeless People
  Mr Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish figures for the number of single homeless people for each year from 1979 to 1989;

  (2) how many single homeless people he estimates there are under the age of 25 years currently in England;

  (3) if he will publish the figures for the number of single homeless people in (a) Birmingham, (b) Cardiff, (c) Edinburgh, (d) Liverpool and (e) London during each year from 1979 to 1989.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: Local authorities report the number of households for whom

  147
  they accept responsibility to secure accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Acts; the single homeless are not separately identified and my Department has no estimates.

  For information about Wales and Scotland I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the Stonefrost inquiry report into the future of housing associations' development in central London.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: I was pleased to note the report's acknowledgement of the value of work carried out by London housing associations, and the part played in this by private finance. Since the inquiry was concluded, we have announced our decision to move over the next two years to a regional distribution of the Housing Corporation's capital investment programme based on the housing needs indicator, an objective measure of the relative need for investment by housing associations in different areas which was fully reviewed last year by my Department, the Housing Corporation and the National Federation of Housing Associations. As a result housing associations in London and the south-east will receive significantly higher levels of resources to help them continue their important work in providing homes for people in housing need.

  Homelessness
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received regarding homelessness.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: Following publication last November of our review of the homelessness legislation, we have received comments from a range of public and voluntary bodies.

  Water Pollution
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that the general public has immediate and free access to the regional registers of water pollution levels.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amery
  Information on water quality and pollution is contained in the registers maintained by the National Rivers Authority in accordance with its duties under section 117 of the Water Act 1989. The public has free access to these registers at the authority's regional offices during normal working hours.

  Bathing Waters
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the beaches awarded blue flag safe bathing symbols were tested for, and failed the European Economic Community standards for coliforms, enteroviruses and salmonella.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: The results of the 1988 survey of bathing waters were placed in the Library on 21 February 1989. These included details of tests for coliforms, enteroviruses and salmonella. The award of blue flags for 1989 was announced on 5 June 1989 by the organisers of the blue flag campaign.

TRANSPORT

  Public Transport
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to implement the recommendations in the report "Public Transport and the Missing Six Million—What Can Be Learned?"

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department is working closely with the disabled persons transpot advisory committee in following up the recommendations.

  Motor Vehicle Accidents
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of motor vehicle accidents, excluding motor cycles, in each of the last five years involving fatalities and non-fatalities in England and Wales.

  Mr. Atkins
  Information is only available for road accidents which involve personal injury. The information requested is as follows:

  Motor vehicle accidents, excluding motor cycles England and Wales, 1984–1988

  Fatal

  Non fatal

  Total

  1984

  3,470

  166,431

  169,901

  1985

  3,309

  165,629

  168,938

  1986

  3,527

  172,405

  175,932

  1987

  3,390

  171,024

  174,414

  1988

  3,427

  181,160

  184,587

  This table, as requested, counts accidents and not vehicles, and excludes all those accidents involving motor cycles including, for example, an accident involving car and motor cycle.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of motor vehicle accidents, excluding motor cycles, in each of the last five years involving drivers who had passed their test in the previous 12 months in England and Wales.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is not available; licence details of drivers involved in accidents are not recorded on the accident report form.

  Car Drivers
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of people who are currently permitted to drive a car in England and Wales.

  Mr. Atkins
  Over 28 million people in Great Britain have full licences to drive motor cars. There are no separate figures for England and Wales.

  Driving Tests
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of people who have passed a driving test to drive a car in each of the last five years; and if he will specify what proportion of those people were aged(a))17 to 25 years, (b) 26 to 40 years, (c) 41 to 60 years and (d) over 60 years.

  Mr. Atkins
  Statistics in this form are available only from 1985. Those for 1989 have not yet been completed. Figures for 1985–1988 are as follows:—
  149

  Year

  Tests

  Proportion in age-group: per cent.

  passed (cars)

  17–25

  26–40

  41–60

  Over 60

  1985

  863,339

  71·6

  22·9

  5·1

  0·4

  1986

  941,005

  75·6

  19·7

  4·4

  0·3

  1987

  958,087

  74·2

  20·8

  4·7

  0·3

  1988

  1,039,461

  73·5

  21·3

  4·9

  0·3

  A38 Trunk Road
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's preferred line of route for the A38 trunk road improvement Liskeard to Bodmin section.

  Mr. Atkins
  As I informed my hon. Friend in my reply of 4 December, at column 95, I hope to announce the Department's preferred route early in 1991.

  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he hopes to announce the consulting engineers to examine possible alternative routes for the A38 trunk road improvement, Saltash to Trevulefoot section.

  Mr. Atkins
  I hope to announce the appointment of consulting engineers within the next few weeks.

  Mersey Ferries
  Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received in respect of the funding of the Mersey Ferries; if he will consider giving direct financial aid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The director general of the Merseyside passenger transport executive wrote to the Department of Transport on 21 July and 31 August 1989 with details of a project for developing the Mersey Ferries as a leisure facility, and the passenger transport authority also asked for this project to be taken into account in the determination of its annual capital guideline. The Department replied to the PTE on 9 October raising various questions on the project. We have received no representations since then. We would consider any application for direct financial assistance on its merits, in accordance with our normal criteria for grant for public transport projects.

  Mark Woodward
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on what was done with the Coastguard and British Telecom tapes of calls relating to the accidental drowning of Mark Woodward on 16 August 1989, following the coroner's inquest.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The multi-track tapes that recalled the content and timing of all telephone and radio messages to and from Coastguard stations were wiped clean one month after the coroner's inquest. Up to this time these tapes would have been available for examination should this have been requested. For the benefit of the inquest certain extracts of the tapes were taken, in cassette form, and these are currently held by the police, following their inquiry. These tapes will be returned to the Department's solicitor shortly and will be made available to interested parties. But also it should be noted that in cassette form the content is incomplete and cannot be linked to accurate time. The question of the British Telecom tapes is one which should be addressed to BT in the north Devon area.

  British Rail
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what subjects are covered by the commercially confidential matters to which he referred in his answer to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Mailing of 21 December,Official Report, column 361.

  Mr. Portillo
  The letters cover a wide range of issues, for example the commercial and financial structure of the proposed joint venture, which are now the subject of detailed negotiation between Eurorail and the British Railways Board. They also bear on the negotiations that need to take place with third parties before the joint venture can be established.

  A13
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what improvements to the Al3 between the North Circular road and the Tower of London will be started before 31 December; at what cost; and when they will be completed;

  (2) what improvements to the Al3 between the North Circular road and the Tower of London are currently in progress; at what cost; and when they will be completed.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department's responsibilities are for the Al3 trunk road, which runs as far west as Butcher row. The remainder of the A13 known as Commercial road is the responsibility of the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

  Departmental schemes currently under construction are:

  Scheme

  Works £ million

  Completion

  Strengthening of Britannia Bridge

  0·3

  February 1990

  Creation of access to "Financial Times"

  10·6

  February 1990

  The following schemes are due to start before 31 December:

  West India Dock Road junction interim improvements

  1·2

  Mid 1991

  Cotton Street junction interim improvements2

  4·0

  Summer 1992

  Leamouth Road junction interim improvements

  2·0

  Early 1991

  Ironbridge waterproofing and resurfacing

  0·2

  September 1990

  Cumberland Road Subway refurbishment

  0·07

  April 1990

  Tollgate Road signalled junction

  0·75

  Summer 1990

  1 Costs met by developer.

  2 Progress dependent upon timely confirmation of LDDC's compulsory purchase order on land for redevelopment at Woolmore street.

  Progress on most of the trunk road schemes are dependent on the completion of statutory processes which could be subject to public inquiry and delay. Completion dates are therefore provisional.

  Permanent schemes at Butcher row, West India Dock road and Blackwall tunnel northern approach-Cotton street will follow in 1993, when a three and a half year project will commence to make final improvements to the Leamouth road junction and widen the Ironbridge, including the connection of LDDC's East India dock link to the A13.

  Towards the end of this year we hope to publish Orders for improvement of the A13 junction with the A117 East

  151
  Ham Manor way and to hold an exhibition of proposals for improvement of the Al3 junction with the A112 Prince Regent lane.

  The traffic control systems unit of the City of London is investigating on behalf of the Department the possible co-ordintation of signals on the Al3 trunk road in Tower Hamlets to expedite the flow of through traffic.

  West Yorkshire Bus Services
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the implications for the bus services of the change effected by the community charge on the method of raising finance for the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority from a precept to a levy on the five west Yorkshire districts; and what assessment has been made of the effect of fixing that levy at grant related expenditure.

  Mr. Portillo
  It is up to the passenger transport authority to decide what level of bus services to provide and what levy to raise to achieve its objectives, in the same way as it decided on the level of services and set an appropriate precept for the present financial year. The districts influence PTA spending policy through their representations on the PTA. The PTA levy is only one of the elements making up total district expenditure, and there is no separate standard spending assessment for PTA services. Instead, districts' standard spending assessments will include an element designed to cover spending on these and other small services.

  Oil Companies (Shipping)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of registered oil companies that have their own shipping.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The United Kingdom oil majors will have their own commercial arrangements for access to shipping, generally through ownership or chartering, but the information required to provide a more comprehensive reply is not available.

  Near Misses
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of reported near-miss occurrences in the transit area that covers the area from Hucknall in the south, through Mansfield, Chesterfield, Worksop, Sheffield and Rotherham to Barnsley, Doncaster and Finningley, that have involved military and civilian aircraft for the last five years; what are the types of aircraft involved; and what is their nationality.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Within the area specified, three air misses have been reported, none of which involved commercial air traffic:

  1. A civilian glider and a civilian Cessna 172 (2 November 1986).

  2. An RAF Buccaneer and a civilian Cessna 152 (1 July 1987).

  3. An RAF Tornado and civilian Cessna 152 (27 January 1988).

  A27
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he has received from East Sussex county council a map detailing a possible route for the A27 dual carriageway from Lewes to Polegate; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make it his policy that any scheme brought forward to dual the A27 from Lewes to Polegate will take into full account the landmark of Mount Caburn, and the views therefrom, and from Firle Beacon;

  (3) if he will make it his policy that any scheme brought forward to dual the A27 from Lewes to Polegate will bypass Wilmington rather than dualling the present road.

  Mr. Atkins
  This scheme was admitted to the trunk road programme in May 1989 following a confidential scheme identification study undertaken for the Department by East Sussex county council. This study recommended the improvements to dual carriageway standards of the A27 between Lewes and Polegate, and identified one possible option.

  Design agents are to be appointed very shortly to investigate and prepare proposals for the improvement. They will identify and evaluate all feasible route options for the scheme, including combinations of on-line and off-line solutions, on which to consult the public. Their brief will include a requirement for environmental and landscape assessments of the alternatives identified. It is too soon, therefore, to predict what route the improvement might follow or how villages along the existing A27 might be placed in relation to it.

  Road Improvements (Compensation)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is for compensating those people whose dwelling is(a) compulsorily purchased and (b) severely blighted as a result of major road improvements.

  Mr. Atkins
  Where land is compulsorily purchased, the statutory basis for compensation is the open market value of the land, disregarding any alteration in value due to the scheme for which the land is being acquired. Vendors may also be eligible for additional payments, such as removal costs, reconnection and refitting charges, and legal expenses. A displaced houseowner who had lived in the property for at least five years is also entitled to a home loss payment. Entitlement to compensation is set out in a series of booklets "Land Compensation—Your rights Explained". There are copies in the Library of the House.

  Where a dwelling lies in the line of a road proposal and cannot be sold in the open market at a reasonable price, protection is given by the blight provisions in the Town and Country Planning Act 1971. An owner-occupier may serve a notice on the highway authority, requiring it to buy the property. In the early stages of a road proposal, before a preferred route is announced, there also exists a discretionary power to buy where there is a genuine possibility that the property will be required. Policy is to exercise this power to alleviate cases of serious hardship.

  When roadworks are imminent or in progress, there is discretionary power to buy dwellings not required for the road but likely to be severely affected by the construction works. There is also discretionary power to buy property severely affected by nuisance arising from the use of a new or improved road, up to one year after opening.
  153
  The legislation governing compulsory purchase and compensation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. He is currently considering whether improvements are needed in the light of comments on an consultation paper published last year.

  M27 Motorway
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans exist for the construction of an M27 motorway; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  We have no present plans to extend the M27 motorway. However, consultants are carrying out a study into the possible need to increase the capacity of the existing roads and its junctions. They are expected to report in the spring.

  We are also improving progressively the south coast trunk route, running westwards from the M27 to Honiton and eastwards to Folkestone. The national trunk road programme currently includes 36 schemes at various stages of preparation, collectively valued at some £375 million.

  Transport Spending (London)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each London borough(a) the transport supplementary grant and (b) the capital allocations or annual capital guideline for transport purposes for each of the years 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]Details of each London boroughs(a) transport supplementary grant and (b) transport capital allocation, annual capital guideline and supplementary credit approval for the period 1987–88 to 1990–91 are given in the table.

  London boroughs' transport capital allocations 1987–88 to 1989–90 and annual capital guidelines/supplementary credit approvals 1990–91

  £ million

  Capital allocations

  1 ACG

  2 SCA

  Authority

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  City of London

  1·320

  0·720

  0·630

  0·461

  0·000

  Barking and Dagenham

  2·590

  6·210

  4·580

  3,622

  0·000

  Barnet

  1·340

  1·110

  0·790

  0·571

  0·000

  Bexley

  1·835

  2·870

  2·780

  2·869

  0·000

  Brent

  1·120

  1·370

  1·190

  0·736

  0·000

  Bromley

  1·710

  8·880

  8·880

  4·328

  0·000

  Camden

  1·430

  0·710

  0·260

  1·095

  0·000

  Croydon

  1·180

  0·800

  1·110

  1·890

  0·000

  Ealing

  5·145

  6·820

  6·450

  3·592

  1·710

  Enfield

  16·325

  15·550

  24·210

  0·429

  6·480

  Greenwich

  5·160

  3·460

  2·590

  1·149

  0·000

  Hackney

  1·675

  1·910

  1·550

  0·791

  0·000

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  0·360

  0·285

  0·410

  1·303

  0·000

  Haringey

  3·400

  8·475

  11·592

  0·661

  2·780

  Harrow

  4·130

  9·690

  8·980

  5·668

  0·000

  Havering

  3·510

  1·330

  0·960

  0·568

  0·000

  Hillingdon

  7·300

  10·710

  3·012

  2·297

  4·917

  Hounslow

  1·960

  1·050

  1·630

  0·540

  0·279

  Islington

  0·800

  0·480

  0·530

  0·549

  0·000

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0·710

  1·170

  1·570

  0·694

  0·000

  Kingston upon Thames

  9·770

  5·690

  3·870

  1·881

  0·000

  Lambeth

  1·140

  0·850

  0·610

  0·280

  0·000

  Lewisham

  1·840

  2·530

  11·030

  3·081

  0·000

  Merton

  7·780

  6·850

  9·400

  7·282

  1·150

  Newham

  3·510

  2·850

  2·420

  2·869

  0·000

  Redbridge

  2·800

  1·980

  0·900

  0·598

  0·000

  Richmond upon Thames

  0·920

  0·850

  0·610

  0·633

  0·000

  Southwark

  2·970

  4·470

  5·610

  1·701

  0·000

  Sutton

  2·180

  2·830

  2·330

  3·168

  0·000

  Tower Hamlets

  0·970

  0·740

  0·420

  1·007

  0·000

  Waltham Forest

  2·670

  1·870

  1·250

  0·726

  0·000

  154

  Transport Supplementary Grant for London Boroughs 1987–88 to 1990–91

  £ million

  Authority

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  City of London

  0·479

  0·183

  0·194

  0·101

  Barking and Dagenham

  0·800

  2·836

  1·895

  1·748

  Barnet

  0·475

  0·400

  0·291

  0·161

  Bexley

  0·451

  0·649

  1·118

  2·134

  Brent

  0·311

  0·436

  0·450

  0·007

  Bromley

  0·429

  3·883

  3·833

  3·834

  Camden

  0·107

  0·131

  0·086

  0·189

  Croydon

  0·202

  0·234

  0·294

  0·888

  Ealing

  1·911

  1·938

  2·820

  2·429

  Enfield

  7·413

  11·255

  11·958

  4·881

  Greenwich

  1·980

  0·816

  0·023

  0·019

  Hackney

  0·200

  0·427

  0·410

  0·186

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  0·118

  0·065

  0·142

  0·148

  Haringey

  1·478

  3·662

  5·812

  2·721

  Harrow

  1·609

  3·578

  3·050

  3·214

  Havering

  1·284

  0·320

  0·207

  0·215

  Hillingdon

  2·421

  1·957

  4·530

  2·742

  Hounslow

  0·623

  0·758

  0·714

  0·279

  Islington

  0·103

  0·072

  0·148

  0·168

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0·261

  0·069

  0·633

  0·285

  Kingston upon Thames

  4·737

  0·331

  1·661

  0·566

  Lambeth

  0·288

  0·247

  0·182

  0·154

  Lewisham

  0·299

  0·970

  5·314

  1·987

  Merton

  2·719

  2·529

  4·280

  7·100

  Newham

  1·164

  0·343

  0·497

  1·791

  Redbridge

  1·048

  0·403

  0·339

  0·134

  Richmond upon Thames

  0·205

  0·186

  0·163

  0·172

  Southwark

  0·734

  0·997

  1·952

  0·249

  Sutton

  0·843

  0·778

  0·682

  0·590

  Tower Hamlets

  0·169

  0·068

  0·070

  0·091

  Waltham Forest

  1·091

  0·494

  0·476

  0·056

  Wandsworth

  2·442

  0·554

  0·433

  1·011

  Westminster

  0·383

  0·210

  0·750

  0·367

  155

  capital allocations

  1 ACG

  2 SCA

  Authority

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Wandsworth

  6·880

  2·800

  2·690

  3·429

  0·000

  Westminster

  2·360

  1·840

  2·020

  4·589

  0·000

  1 Annual Capital Guidelines.

  2 Supplementary Credit Approvals.

  Bas Deregulation
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the operation of buses in north-west Sussex, following deregulation.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]The Department has no detailed records of bus services in north-west Sussex. The operation of services is a matter for operators and local authorities. In West Sussex as a whole, bus mileage has increased whilst the county council has been able to reduce spending on bus support from some £1·5 million before deregulation to £610,000 for 1989–90.

  Light Dues
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list those maritime nations, on which he has information, that collect light dues from pleasure craft;

  (2) when he expects to reach a conclusion on the payment of light dues by yachtsmen.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The British Ports Federation has not yet completed its study on the feasibility of extending light dues to pleasure craft. I expect to invite views on its report from interested parties before reaching any conclusions. Charging practice in relation to navigational aids varies widely in other countries. I understand that almost half the states with membership of the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities levy dues of some kind as the sole source of finance, but information on the treatment of pleasure craft is not available.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Deptford City Technology College
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total liability of his Department, as of the end of December 1989, to reimburse the Haberdashers' company for expenses incurred to that date in connection with the proposed establishment of a city technology college in Deptford.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave yesterday at column 8.

  Middle Schools
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are currently educated in middle schools.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  In January 1989 the number of pupils in maintained middle schools in England was 334,099.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the funding of primary age children in middle schools under schemes of local management of schools.
  156
  Mrs. Rumbold
  Under schemes' funding formulae, schools should receive a basic sum of money for each pupil of the same age; that sum should be the same whether the pupil is in a primary or a middle school. Schools will, however, receive additional resources over and above this basic allocation for a variety of reasons and this may lead to differences in funding both between primary schools and between primary and middle schools with similar numbers of pupils.

  Teachers' Pay and Conditions
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to meet with the teachers' unions to discuss the establishment of negotiating machinery for teachers' pay and conditions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend held a series of meetings with the teacher unions in October and November last year. He is considering carefully the points made to him then. Further meetings will take place in due course.

  Higher Education Statistics
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the latest year for which his Department has any estimates of the numbers of students in higher education in the United Kingdom; and what is the estimate for that year.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Department has not projected beyond the year 2000, when the most recent figures indicate that there will be about 1,130,000 students in higher education in Great Britain.

  Opto-electronics
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his policy towards the funding of academic-only work in relation to opto-electronics.

  Mr. Jackson
  The policy objectives for Department of Education and Science funding of civil science were set out in the Secretary of State's speech at the first plenary meeting of the Academia Europaea in London on 26 June 1989. Copies are available in the Library.

  The Government support scientific research through the science budget which funds the research councils and through the Universities Funding Council block grant to universities. Some research is also carried out by polytechnics funded through the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council. It is for the research councils and higher education institutions to determine the priority they accord to opto-electronics or any other scientific field, taking due account of the policy objectives referred to above.

  Pupil-Teacher Ratio
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the latest pupil-teacher ratio for England and Wales; and what was the ratio in 1978–79.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The overall pupil-teacher ratio in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England in January 1989 was 17 and in January 1979 was 18·9. Similar information for Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Teacher Shortages
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the Manchester university study on teacher shortage, a copy of which has been sent to his Department.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Department has not received a copy of the report referred to. However, officials have been in touch with the authors of the report, and I understand that their findings are broadly consistent with the Department's statistics about teacher wastage. They confirm that the majority of those leaving teaching do so on retirement. Others resign on maternity, on moving house or on going abroad, and less than 1 per cent. of the work force leaves teaching for other employment, including self-employment.

PRIME MINISTER

  Agriculture Spending
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the operation of the automatic agricultural stabilisers and the legally binding budgetary controls.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so. The stabilisers and the legal limit on market support expenditure, for which the United Kingdom fought so hard, have been a considerable success. They have been major elements in reducing expenditure on the common agricultural policy and bringing about significantly lower levels of surplus food.

  Bournemouth
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Bournemouth.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Pornography
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Prime Minister what action she proposes to take to support moves to remove pornography from the shelves of shops.

  The Prime Minister
  I share the hon. Member's concern about pornography. We have introduced legislation for the control of sex shops and outlawing possession of child pornography. Legislation to outlaw indecent displays has been carried with Government support. The Government have also given support to two private Members' Bills to strengthen the Obscene Publications Act 1959 which were 158
  unsuccessful, and has taken other steps to uphold standards in published material. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has commissioned a review of the available research on links between pornography and violence and the effects on attitudes to women.

  Low-cost Rural Housing
  Mr. Boswel
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received concerning low-cost rural housing.

  The Prime Minister
  I receive such representations from time to time from hon. Members, interest groups, and members of the public. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is responsible for housing issues in England.

  We have announced a significant increase in resources available to the Housing Corporation over the next three years. Total capital expenditure is planned to rise to £1,736 million by 1992–93, more than double the provision in 1989–90. As a result we expect the number of new homes provided by associations in 1992–93 to be over twice the 1988–89 output.

  We have specifically enabled the Housing Corporation to establish a special programme for smaller villages which will rise to 1,500 new rented houses a year by 1992–93.

  African National Congress
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she continues to regard the African National Congress as a terrorist organisation.

  The Prime Minister
  I welcome the preference expressed in some of the African National Congress' statements for a resolution of South Africa's problems through negotiation. But there have also been statements repeating the commitment to armed struggle. We hope that the organisation will remove this ambiguity and commit itself explicitly to the pursuit of peaceful solutions only.

  Engagements
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 16 January.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 16 January.

  Ms. Gorman
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 16 January

  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 16 January.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 16 January.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 16 January.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

  AIDS
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the Government Departments which have been or will be funding research into AIDS, giving the amount that each Department contributed to this work for 1989–90 and 1990–91; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply. The latest available information about expenditure by central Government on AIDS research in 1989–90 is as follows:

  £

  Medical Research Council

  113,100,000

  Other Research Councils

  2,909,700

  Department of Health

  496,000

  Health Education Authority

  1,000,000

  National Institute of Biological Standards and Control

  440,000

  Public Health Laboratory Service

  1,100,000

  Scottish Home and Health Department

  163,000

  Overseas Development Administration

  533,306

  1 Includes expenditure on work commissioned by the Department of Health.

  Figures for 1990–91 are not yet available.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Occupational Pensions
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what effect the proposed changes made by the occupational pension board will have on small self-administered pension schemes for small businesses.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) on 20 December 1989 at column 304.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual cost of unemployment benefit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  For the financial year 1988–89, unemployment benefit is estimated to have cost £1,143 million.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether social security adjudication officers will automatically treat an unemployed claimant whose income support is suspended for not actively seeking work as suffering hardship so that they only lose 40 per cent. of their personal allowance; whether unemployment benefit recipients will be treated automatically as suffering hardship so long as they fulfil the basic qualifying rules for income support; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether unemployed claimants who are quarterly attenders who have had their benefit suspended for not actively seeking work, have to return their order books; whether they will be paid benefit if they are in hardship; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Where an unemployed claimant receiving benefit has failed to show that he is actively seeking employment, hardship payments of income 160
  support may be made. The adjudication officer considers each case on its merits. If he is satisfied that the claimant, or any member of his family, would suffer hardship unless benefit were paid, income support is awarded at a reduced rate. Quarterly attenders who do not satisfy the actively seeking employment condition are required to return their order books.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the claimants affected by his introduction on 10 December of the new benefit rule on claimants earning more than £43 a week he estimates(a) will have an entitlement to income support or other income replacement benefits, and (b) in cases where they have two employers, will not earn enough from one employer to have a National Insurance contribution liability as an employee; and how many of these are married/cohabiting women, lone parents and claimants with intermittent work patterns due to chronic illness and disability.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  It is estimated that of around 5,000 people who will lose unemployment benefit as a result of this rule up to 1,000 will qualify for income support or housing benefit. I regret that the other information requested is not available.

  Pensioners (Canada)
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his most recent estimate of the number of British pensioners currently residing in Canada.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The number of British pensioners residing in Canada was 95,228 at 28 December 1989.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent discussions have taken place between the British and Canadian Governments to discuss the payment of uprated pensions to British pensioners residing in Canada.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There have been no recent discussions of this topic.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are in receipt of the invalid care allowance(a) in Tower Hamlets, and (b) in Bow and Poplar.

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

  Short-term Foster Parents
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Oldham, West of 20 December concerning short-term foster parents, what arrangements he has made regarding requirements for(a) availability for work and (b) actively seeking work in the periods between placements.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The general rule is that people claiming benefits on grounds of unemployment have to be available for and actively seeking employment. No special arrangements apply to short-term foster parents, who are treated in the same way as natural parents.

  Pension Books
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cause of the pre-Christmas computer error which delayed automatic renewal of 42,000 pension books; how many staff, departmental and consultancy, were employed, for how long and at what cost, to send out substitute giros; and what has been the cost of overpayment as a result of the error.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Issue to the Post Office of some 4,300 pension books, not 42,000 was delayed by a recent change to the income support computer system. Immediate action was taken to ensure that all affected beneficiaries received payments before Christmas. A total of 112 man days' effort was spent in preparing interim payments, at a cost of approximately £7,000.

  The cost of any duplicate payments is not yet known, but is not expected to be significant. We have taken action to ensure that there will be no recurrence of this incident.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for attendance allowance are awaiting a decision by the attendance allowance board.

  Mr. Scott
  At 30 November there were about 49,000 claims awaiting a decision by the attendance allowance board and its delegated medical practitioners.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to expedite consideration of the case of Natasha Greig who has been waiting for two and a half years for a decision on the review of her claim for attendance allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  I understand that the attendance allowance board has concluded its review of Miss Greig's case. The board's written decision will be sent to her mother as soon as possible.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time taken to review claims for attendance allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The average time taken to process an application for review of a determination made by the attendance allowance board or one of its delegated medical practitioners is about 12·3 weeks where the outcome of the review is in the claimant's favour, and about 29·9 weeks when the result is not in the claimant's favour.

  Income Support and Housing Benefit
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what basket of specific items is accounted for in each of the disablement-related premiums for income support and housing benefit;

  (2) what basket of specific items is accounted for in the weekly personal allowance of the applicable amount for income support and for housing benefit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There are no specific amounts included in income-related benefit levels to cover particular items of expenditure apart from the amounts included last April to help towards the minimum contribution to the community charge.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Romania
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the ambassador and his staff played in the recent events in Romania.

  Mr. Maude
  None. The embassy did, of course, fulfil its usual task of observing and assessing events and reporting on them.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government provided any assistance or encouragement to the revolutionary forces in Romania prior to, or during, the civil unrest leading to the fall of Mr. Ceausescu.

  Mr. Maude
  None.

  Treaties and Directives
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many(a) directives and (b) treaties, have been agreed or ratified by (i) the EEC and (ii) the Council of Europe, since 1960.

  Mr. Maude
  During the period 1 January 1973 to 15 December 1989, a total of 1,209 directives were adopted and published by the European Community. In the same period, there have been nine treaties revising earlier treaties and Acts relating to the Communities, and the Community has become party to a large number of bilateral and multilateral treaties with third countries and international organisations; these could he quantified only at disproportionate cost. All of these legislative Acts have been published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  The Council of Europe does not issue directives or ratify treaties itself. Since 1960, a total of 73 conventions and agreements have opened for signature and ratification by member states of the Council of Europe.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list, by name and in chronological order(a) the directives and (b) the treaties that Her Majesty's Government have initiated and which have been ratified by (i) the EEC and (ii) the Council of Europe since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Under the Community treaties it is for the Commission to initiate proposals for directives and for the ratification of treaties by the Community, and for the Council of Ministers, made up of the representatives of the member states, to decide on those proposals. Nineteen Council of Europe conventions and agreements, set out in the table, have opened for signature by member states.

  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible with details of those initiated by the Government.

  European Convention for the Protection of Animals for Slaughter (1979)

  Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (1979)

  European Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions concerning Custody of Children and on Restoration of Custody of Children (1980)

  European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Co-operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities (1980)

  163

  European Agreement on Transfer of Responsibility for Refugees (1980)

  Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (1981)

  Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (1983)

  European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes (1983)

  European Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property (1985)

  European Convention on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in particular at Football Matches (1985)

  Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe (1985)

  European Charter of Local Self-Government (1985)

  European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes (1986)

  European Convention on the Recognition of the Legal Personality of International Non-Governmental Organisations (1986)

  European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals (1987)

  European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987)

  Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (1988)

  European Convention on Transfrontier Television (1989)

  Convention on Insider Trading (1989)

  South Africa
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations have been received on behalf of Basayi Maqoko and Zwelinkosi Mjo currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken on these cases.

  Mr. Maude
  We have received no specific representations about these cases. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations have been received on behalf of Dilizintaba Lucky Nomgana, Mandla Mngomezulu and Sibusion Sindane currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken on these cases.

  Mr. Maude
  We have received a number of representations on behalf of Mr. Dilizintaba Lucky Nomgana. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism. With legal avenues yet to be exhausted we have not intervened with the South African Government in this case. We have received no specific representations on behalf of Mr. Mandla Mngomezulu or Sibusion Sindane.
  164
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Israel Machasa, Jerry Molebeng and Johannes Mono currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken with regard to these cases;

  (2) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Jabu Obed Masina, Frans Ting Ting Masango and Neo Griffith Potsane current under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken about these cases;

  (3) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Leonard Natange Sheehama and Nkosinathi Zuma currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken about these cases;

  (4) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Mthetheleli Zephania Mncube and Mzondeleli Euclid Nondula, currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken about these cases;

  (5) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Mtutuzeli Bottoman Ngqandu, Abraham Zeyo and Gilindoda Norman Gxekwa currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken about these cases;

  (6) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Mxolisie Ncaphayi, Vuzumsi Jack, Samson Booysen and Bennet Sonamzi currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken with regard to these cases;

  (7) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Ndibulele Ndzamela and Pumzile Mayapi currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken about these cases;

  (8) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Ringo Farland, Sipho Gonya and Phutumile Dlabathi currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken on these cases;

  (9) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Sibusiso Senele Masuku and Oupa Josias Mbonane currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken about these cases;

  (10) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Vuyani Petrus Jacobs, Mthetheleli Lucas and Tozamile Mooi currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken with regard to these cases;

  Mr. Maude
  We have received no specific representations about these cases. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong
  165
  extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations have been received on behalf of Joseph Chidi, Robert John McBride and Nico Ledube Mnyamana currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action has been taken about these cases.

  Mr. Maude
  We have received a number of representations on behalf of Mr. Robert McBride. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism. We have not intervened with the South African Government in this case. We have received no specific representations on behalf of Mr. Chidi or Mr. Mnyamana.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations have been received on behalf of Patrick Manginda, Desmond Majola, and Dickson Madikane, currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action has been taken about these cases.

  Mr. Maude
  We have received a number of representations about Mr. Patrick Manginda, Desmond Majola and Dickson Madikane. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism. With legal avenues yet to be exhausted, we have not intervened with the South African Government in these cases.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations have been received on behalf of Rodney Moloi and Stanford Lebepe, currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken with regard to their cases.

  Mr. Maude
  We received representations from the mother of Mr. Rodney Moloi which were forwarded to the South African authorities. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism. We have received no specific representations on behalf of Mr. Lebepe.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether any representations have been received on behalf of the Upington 14 166
  currently under sentence of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken about this case;

  (2) whether any representations have been received on behalf of Wilson Matshili, Patrick Molefe, Takalani David Mamphanga and George Maugedzo currently under sentance of death in South Africa for their alleged involvement in offences arising out of political protest; and what action he has taken on these cases.

  Mr. Maude
  We have received a number of representations about the Upington 14. We consider intervening, exceptionally, in such cases only when all legal avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Our criteria are that the case must be clearly political and there must be strong extenuating circumstances or grounds to doubt the fairness of the judicial process. We are not prepared to make appeals in cases involving indiscriminate terrorism. With legal avenues yet to be exhausted, we have not intervened with the South African Government in these cases.

  Afghanistan
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what diplomatic arrangements are in hand for the protection of British citizens in Afghanistan.

  Mr. Maude
  As I explained in answer to a similar question on 13 November 1989, we have temporarily withdrawn our embassy staff from Kabul, and, therefore, we are not able to offer consular assistance to British nationals in Afghanistan.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to re-establish Her Majesty's ambassador in Afghanistan.

  Mr. Maude
  Her Majesty's ambassador was withdrawn in 1980 following the Soviet invasion. There are no plans to appoint a new ambassador.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have reopened their embassies in Afghanistan.

  Mr. Maude
  None of the Western Governments who withdrew their diplomatic staff from Kabul early last year has returned them, although we understand that the French Government have now decided in principle to do so.

  Cameroon
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers have made visits to Cameroon in the past five years.

  Mr. Maude
  The following list gives details of ministerial visits to Cameroon in the last five years:

  Mr. Channon (Department of Trade and Industry—13 to 17 February 1985

  Mrs. Chalker (Department of Transport)—28 November to 1 December 1985

  Mr. Gummer (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)—5 to 8 April 1987

  Mr. Bottomley (Department of Transport)—2 to 5 October 1987

  Mrs. Chalker (Foreign and Commonwealth Office)—12 to 14 July 1988

  Vietnamese Boat People
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received the report to which he referred in his statement of 12 December 1989 on the mandatory return of boat people to Vietnam from Hong Kong; and whether he will make it public.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has received the report to which he referred on 12 December and it has been placed in the Libraries of this House and another place. It is also being made available publicly.

  Assistant Chief Constable

  Chief Superintendent

  Superintendent

  Chief Inspector

  Inspector

  Sergeant

  Constable

  Total

  Avon and Somerset

  —

  1

  —

  1

  3

  16

  243

  264

  Bedfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  8

  120

  132

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  —

  2

  5

  114

  121

  Cheshire

  —

  1

  —

  2

  1

  21

  197

  222

  Cleveland

  —

  —

  1

  1

  8

  7

  131

  148

  Cumbria

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  100

  104

  Derbyshire

  —

  1

  1

  2

  8

  9

  170

  191

  Devon and Cornwall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  14

  255

  273

  Dorset

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  7

  131

  141

  Durham

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  3

  102

  108

  Dyfed Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  82

  86

  Essex

  —

  —

  1

  —

  6

  20

  244

  271

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  101

  104

  Greater Manchester

  —

  1

  —

  3

  11

  41

  811

  867

  Gwent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  5

  85

  92

  Hampshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  11

  272

  288

  Hertfordshire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  11

  205

  218

  Humberside

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  4

  144

  152

  Kent

  —

  —

  1

  —

  4

  18

  320

  343

  Lancashire

  —

  —

  1

  1

  3

  17

  282

  304

  Leicestershire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  5

  14

  174

  194

  Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  1

  1

  4

  4

  90

  100

  Merseyside

  1

  —

  2

  2

  5

  37

  528

  575

  Norfolk

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  7

  92

  101

  Northamptonshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  107

  111

  Northumbria

  —

  —

  1

  1

  5

  15

  305

  327

  North Wales

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  6

  122

  130

  North Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  8

  107

  116

  Nottinghamshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  8

  184

  194

  South Wales

  —

  —

  1

  —

  3

  12

  241

  257

  South Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  5

  16

  277

  299

  Staffordshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  13

  255

  270

  Suffolk

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  2

  117

  122

  Surrey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  8

  212

  222

  Sussex

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  16

  263

  282

  Thames Valley

  —

  1

  3

  2

  4

  17

  430

  457

  Warwickshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  3

  91

  98

  West Mercia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  10

  225

  239

  West Midlands

  —

  1

  —

  2

  12

  55

  926

  996

  West Yorkshire

  —

  1

  —

  2

  9

  24

  524

  560

  Wiltshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  6

  94

  102

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  10

  76

  90

  Metropolitan

  11

  3

  6

  8

  27

  230

  3,112

  3,387

  Total

  2

  12

  23

  43

  166

  751

  12,661

  13,658

  1 Commander

  Visas
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to require nationals of(a) Morocco (b) Algeria and (c) Jamaica to obtain visas to enter the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Caborn) on 7 December 1989 at column 378.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Women Police Officers
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women are employed as police officers in each police authority area; and what rank they hold.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information as at 31 October 1989 is set out in the table.

  War Crimes
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will accept the recommendation by Sir Thomas Hetherington and Mr. William Chalmers in the war crimes report that, should it be decided to legislate, investigations into those suspected of involvement in Nazi war crimes should commence as soon as possible after the decision to legislate has been taken.
  169
  Mr. John Patten
  The Government are considering the views expressed in the recent war crimes debates in each House of Parliament, and we shall announce our conclusions shortly. Investigations could begin once it was clear that any proposed legislation had the general support of Parliament.

  Gamma Radiation Accidents
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for south and west Yorkshire, the comprehensive plans and programmes for implementation of procedures that have been made for the fire and ambulance services to deal with accidents on railways or road involving external emissions of gamma radiation, and for police officers and other workers immediately affected.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.

  The provision of emergency plans is the responsibility of the consignors of radioactive material. These plans are exercised regularly with the emergency services, which have the relevant operational responsibilities.

  Terrorism and Drug Trafficking
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations have been made into the links between international terrorist groups and drug trafficking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  Investigation of the links between terrorism and other forms of crime has not so far indicated any significant involvement in drug trafficking by terrorist groups threatening the United Kingdom.

  Broadcasting Ban
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to remove the broadcasting ban introduced in October 1988.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have no plans at present to remove the broadcasting restrictions, but we are keeping the operation of them under review.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the broadcasting ban introduced on 19 October 1988.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have received representations about the broadcasting restrictions from right hon. and hon. Members, members of the public and interested organisations.

  Tobacco Sales
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been initiated against cigarette retailers in alleged breach of the Protection of Children (Tobacco) Act 1986 each year since the Act became effective.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is given in the table. The Protection of Children (Tobacco) Act 1986 came into force on 8 October 1986.
  170

  Prosecutions for the sale of tobacco to persons under 16 under the Protection of Children (Tobacco) Act 1986

  England and Wales

  Year

  Number

  1986

  1 17

  1987

  18

  1988

  29

  1 Includes prosecutions before October 1986 under earlier legislation.

  Interpretation Service
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently held in custody awaiting provision of an interpretation service.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None. The criteria for detention under the Immigration Act do not include the availability of an interpreter.

  Mental Health
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to apply the conclusions of the Office of Health Economics report, "Mental Health in the 1990s: From Custody to Care? to prisoners in custody; and if he will make a statement".

  Mr. Mellor
  The report was published as recently as last month and is wholly concerned with arrangements for care of the mentally ill in the general community. We are always open to ideas which may, directly or indirectly, point to ways of improving the health care of prisoners. In that spirit we will study the conclusions of the report with some care.

  Children in Prison
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for 1980, 1985 and for the latest date for which he has figures and by location(a) the number of children and babies who are in prison with their mother because of an offence she has committed and (b) the length of time the children are kept in prison.

  Mr. Mellor
  On 10 January 1990, there were 38 babies in the three prison mother and baby units; 12 were at Her Majesty's prison, Holloway, 10 at Her Majesty's prison and young offender institution, Styal, and 16 at Her Majesty's prison, Askham Grange. Equivalent information for 1980 and 1985 is not available.

  Rule 9(3) of the Prison Rules 1964 (SI 1964 No. 388) provides that the Secretary of State may, subject to any conditions he thinks fit, permit a woman to have her baby with her in prison. Only a mother can request the admission of her baby but approval depends on a place in the units being available and admission being considered as in the best interests of the child.

  The length of time a baby remains in a prison mother and baby unit can reflect a number of factors, including the wishes of the mother and the length of her sentence. But babies are not normally permitted to remain with their mother in prison beyond the age of 18 months because research has shown that after that age there is likely to be an adverse effect on the development of the child.

  Prison Officers' Accommodation
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of prison officers' accommodation for which requests have been made by officers to purchase, for each establishment, at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Mellor
  The prison service scheme for the discount sale of quarters to staff was introduced in June 1987 and to 9 January 1990 we have received the following applications to purchase:

  Establishment

  Numbers of Applications

  Acklington/Castington

  32

  Albany

  95

  Aldington

  14

  Ashford

  96

  Ashwell

  13

  Askham Grange

  3

  Aylesbury

  51

  Bedford

  54

  Birmingham

  42

  Blantyre House

  15

  Blundeston

  25

  Bristol

  71

  Brixton

  227

  Brockhill

  23

  Buckley Hall

  24

  Bullwood Hall

  16

  Camp Hill

  61

  Campsfield House

  29

  Canterbury

  49

  Cardiff

  40

  Channings Wood

  30

  Chelmsford

  65

  Coldingley

  103

  Cookham Wood

  24

  Deerbolt

  58

  Dorchester

  41

  Dover

  47

  Drake Hall

  2

  Durham

  66

  Eastwood Park

  17

  Erlestoke House

  21

  Everthorpe

  16

  Exeter

  57

  Featherstone

  23

  Feltham

  115

  Finnamore Wood

  16

  Ford

  14

  Foston Hall

  8

  Frankland

  40

  Full Sutton

  25

  Gartree

  54

  Glen Parva

  75

  Gloucester

  39

  Grendon-Spring Hill

  62

  Guys Marsh

  15

  Haslar

  11

  Hatfield

  6

  Haverigg

  39

  Hewell Grange

  16

  Highpoint

  36

  Hindley

  17

  Hollesley Bay Colony

  54

  Holloway

  78

  Hull

  58

  Huntercombe

  42

  Kingston

  21

  Kirkham

  15

  Kirklevington Grange

  11

  Lancaster

  13

  Latchmere House

  49

  Leeds

  37

  Leicester

  45

  Lewes

  70

  172

  Establishment

  Numbers of Applications

  Leyhill

  23

  Lincoln

  36

  Lindholme

  25

  Littlehey

  21

  Liverpool

  100

  Long Lartin

  111

  Lowdham Grange

  23

  Low Newton

  20

  Maidstone

  80

  Manchester

  82

  Medomsley

  2

  Morton Hall

  1

  The Mount

  6

  New Hall

  7

  Northallerton

  13

  Northeye

  22

  North Sea Camp

  3

  Norwich

  63

  Nottingham

  19

  Onley

  43

  Oxford

  22

  Parkhurst

  110

  Pentonville

  117

  Portland

  63

  Preston

  23

  Pucklechurch

  32

  Ranby

  21

  Reading

  65

  Risley

  123

  Rochester

  40

  Rudgate/Thorp Arch/ Wetherby

  56

  Send

  15

  Shepton Mallett

  19

  Shrewsbury

  11

  Stafford

  43

  Standford Hill

  31

  Stoke Heath

  13

  Styal

  1

  Sudbury

  12

  Swansea

  21

  Swinfen Hall

  20

  Thorn Cross

  14

  Usk and Prescoed

  28

  The Verne

  40

  Wakefield

  70

  Wandsworth

  157

  Wayland

  37

  Wellingborough

  32

  Werrington

  2

  Whatton

  29

  Winchester

  109

  Wormwood Scrubs

  255

  Wymott

  39

  Total

  5,001

  These applications include 385 applications that have subsequently been withdrawn and a further 50 that are the subject of applications to purchase at full market value. To date, 3,538 sales have been completed.

  Beryl Kennedy
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the rules governing the number of letters that may be written by any one person to a prisoner; and how these have been applied in the case of Beryl Kennedy writing to an inmate in Winson Green prison.
  173
  Mr. Mellor
  Instructions to prison service staff about handling prisoners' correspondence have been published in Standing Order 5B, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Governors have discretion to limit the amount of mail received by a prisoner if the number of letters received causes delays in handling other prisoners' letters. Ms. Kennedy was writing on a daily basis and after being asked to reduce the volume of her correspondence it was judged necessary, so that other prisoners' mail would not be delayed, to return some letters to her.

  Offensive Language
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will have discussions with the broadcasting bodies about the use of language which might cause offence.

  Mr. Mellor
  Programme content is a matter for the broadcasting authorities, who are independent of the Government and are responsible for considering complaints on such matters. In addition the Government have established the Broadcasting Standards Council as a direct response to public concern about standards of taste and decency on television and radio. These include the use of offensive language. The Government's Broadcasting Bill proposes that the council should have statutory powers to consider and adjudicate on complaints.

  Lost Property
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints in 1989 were made by inmates to his Department over the loss of money or personal property that resulted from an inmate being moved from one prison to another.

  Mr. Mellor
  The precise information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the total number of complaints in 1989 relating to lost property and money, including those concerned with property lost on transfer, was about 2,250.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the policies that are followed by the prison department to ensure that money and personal effects belonging to inmates go with them when they are moved from one prison to another prison.

  Mr. Mellor
  Instructions to prison service staff, requiring that a prisoner's property and cash should be moved with him or her on the day of transfer, are contained in prison Standing Order 1C, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. It has not always proved possible in practice to comply with this requirement in respect of the transfer of money and a number of steps are being taken to improve the present procedures.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what complaints have been made to his Department by inmates who had been held in Canterbury prison and when moved to another prison did not have money belonging to them transferred; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Figures for individual establishments are not available, and could only be produced at disproportionate cost. Because of delays in the transfer of money 174
  from prisons in the south-east region of the prison service, which includes Canterbury, the regional director issued instructions in November, so that all receiving establishments will be notified of private cash balances within 24 hours of transfer, by which time the prisoner should be able to spend this money. Loans are available to cover any delays in the transfer of a prisoner's earnings.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of cases that inmates in prisons in England and Wales took to the small claims court against his Department in 1989 following the loss of personal property; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Nineteen claims for lost property were commenced in the small claims court during 1989.

  Prisoners Committees
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will encourage the involvement of inmates in prisons in England and Wales in the formation of prisoners committees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Governors of prison service establishments have discretion to use a variety of methods when seeking the views of inmates, including encouraging the establishment of inmate committees.

  Grendon Prison
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons that inmates from Grendon prison have been sent to; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Serious defects in the electrical systems at HM prison Grendon meant that the establishment had to be evacuated in December. Inmates have been temporarily moved to the following prisons:

  Aylesbury (one inmate only).

  Glen Parva

  Oxford (one inmate only).

  The Mount

  Swinfen Hall (two inmates only).

  Winchester

  Wormwood Scrubs (currently holding inmates originally destined for Parkhurst.

  In view of the unique nature of Grendon's therapeutic regime, every effort is being made to enable receiving establishments to maintain that regime, wherever possible.

  Grendon inmates and staff will be returned to Grendon when the prison reopens. In the interim, urgent work is in hand to empty HMYOI Wellingborough of young offenders, and convert it for use as a temporary "new". Grendon. All young offenders should have been moved out by the end of this month. Grendon inmates will be individually assessed for their suitability for the levels of security at Wellingborough before they are transferred there.

  The two wings at Wellingborough not required for Grendon inmates will be occupied by category C adult male prisoners.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Grendon prison has been closed; and how long this prison will remain closed.

  Mr. Mellor
  An electrical survey carried out at Her Majesty's prison Grendon revealed a number of serious
  175
  faults which made it necessary to evacuate the establishment. The prison is likely to remain closed for between six and nine months while repair work is undertaken.

  Prison Kitchens
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what complaints have been made to his Departmet by boards of visitors regarding the conditions existing in prison kitchens; and if he will list the prisons, and the action that has been taken.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information required is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  I place great value on the work undertaken by boards of visitors. Any matters of concern raised or recommendations made by them, whether in their valuable, detailed annual reports or by other means are afforded very careful consideration. I can assure the hon. Member that the same careful consideration is given to any matters raised on kitchens.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is given to inmates who work in kitchens in prisons in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  All inmates who work in kitchens in prisons in England and Wales recieve instruction in personal hygiene and training in the safe operation and care of machinery and equipment. Establishments are also encouraged to provide formal craft training leading to recognised vocational qualifications. At the end of June 1989, a total of 45 establishments were offering 52 certified courses and a further 17 uncertificated courses. An additional 35 establishments plan to introduce formal training courses during 1990.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of senior catering officers who are fully trained and in charge of kitchens in London prisons on 5 January; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Ashford and Downview employ private catering contractors. In every other London establishment the officer-in-charge of the kitchen is a fully trained caterer.

  Alcohol-related Violence
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Government measures to curb late-night alcohol-related violence against police officers.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: We continue to be concerned at the level of alcohol-related violence. We therefore encourage the work of local inter-agency groups, such as Newport's, seeking to reduce such crime for the benefit of all members of the community, including police officers. Parliament has provided severe penalties for serious attacks against any person: a maximum of five years' imprisonment for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and up to life imprisonment for wounding with intent to do grevious bodily harm. The Public Order Act 1986 put in place revised and new offences to help deal with disorder whatever its cause.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Cameroon
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to contribute funds for the building of a ring road in north-west Cameroon.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Funding of that part of the Bamenda ring road project proposed for UK finance would require an ECGD covered commercial loan in association with aid funds—the latter from the aid and trade provision. There is currently no medium or long-term ECGD cover to Cameroon following its 1987–1988 economic crisis and subsequent structural adjustment programme. In the event of export credit cover being restored, construction of part of the ring road would be considered, alongside any other eligible proposals for ATP funding, if it met the conditions pertaining to such cover.

  Vietnam
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has received about Her Majesty's Government's policy on development aid for Vietnam, and from which organisation; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether he will now consider the joint funding of NGO projects in Vietnam on a case-by-case basis.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have received representations from Save the Children Fund, Oxfam and Christian Aid about aid to Vietnam, and also from a number of private individuals. We welcome the withdrawal of Vietnamese combat units from Cambodia, but we also expect the Vietnamese Government to meet their obligations towards their own people, including the boat people in Hong Kong, as a pre-condition for the establishment of a Government-to-Government aid programme. Further progress is also needed in the reform of economic policies.

  Following the representations to which I have referred, I am considering whether the time has come to open Vietnam for participation in the joint funding scheme whereby the Government meet half the costs of agreed projects sponsored by voluntary agencies, and in particular how the agencies might be able to contribute to mitigating the economic and humanitarian problems in the areas from which the boat people predominantly come.

  Pensions
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to uprate the pensions paid to former local government officers overseas to bring them into line with pensions paid to former overseas civil servants.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The British Government are not responsible for the pensions of officers who served overseas in the local authorities of our former colonies, and have no plans to uprate them.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average pension of(a) retired local government officers in overseas service and (b) retired civil servants in overseas service.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We do not hold details of the pensions of officers who served overseas in the local authorities of our
  177
  former colonies, nor generally about the pensions of colonial civil servants. The average pension in respect of overseas service paid to some 39,000 former colonial civil servants and their widows, for whom the British Government accept a responsibility, is about £3,800 a year.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average pension paid to local government officers retired from service with Nairobi city council; and what are the highest and lowest pensions received by former officers with the council.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My Department has no responsibility for the pensions paid to retired Kenya local government officers. Information about Nairobi city council pensions is held by the Public Trust Office which is the trustee of the Kenya local authorities superannuation fund.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many pensions are in payment for the Palestine police force; what is the average pension in payment; when the pensions were last increased; and by how much.

  Mrs. Chalker
  There are 557 expatriate officers and 613 local officers receiving a pension from HM Government for their Palestine public service. The number of these who served in the police force could be identified separately only at disproportionate cost. The average pension paid to local officers is at present £1,180 a year. Many expatriate officers have pensions for service in several territories, which are treated together for calculating increases. The present value of the pension deriving specifically from Palestine service in these cases can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The average pension paid to the 235 expatriates who served only in Palestine is £2,240 a year. The pensions attract increases under the United Kingdom pensions increase legislation, and are uprated annually in line with inflation. They were last increased with effect from 10 April 1989 by 5·9 per cent.

WALES

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the additional cost faced by local education authorities in Wales arising from the movement of each non-Welsh speaking child into schools where Welsh is the normal language of education(a) at primary level and (b) at secondary level; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  We have made no such estimates. The costs of Welsh medium education are, however, taken into account in the annual local government financial settlement.

  Forestry
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed by the Forestry Commission in Wales, giving a sub-regional breakdown indicating labouring and white collar jobs.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information is shown in the table:178

  Forestry Commission direct employees at 30 November 1989

  County

  Non-industrial

  Industrial

  Clwyd

  15

  46

  Gwynedd

  43

  139

  Dyfed

  1115

  79

  Powys

  29

  96

  Glamorgan

  41

  87

  Gwent

  19

  37

  262

  484

  1 includes 78 staff employed in the Conservancy office at Aberystwyth.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much forest land has been sold so far in Wales since 1981; for what sums of money; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Forestry Commission sold some 8,600 hectares of forest land in Wales between July 1981 and 31 March 1989. Total receipts from these sales were in the region of £11 million.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the continued supply of forest products to the paper industry consequent upon the sale of woodlands.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The guidelines on the selection of Forestry Commission properties for sale which Forestry Ministers issued in 1981 require the Forestry Commissioners to take account among other things, of the maintenance and development of the wood processing industry. The commissioners are continuing to follow these guidelines and are fully meeting their wood supply commitments. The guidelines are to be found at appendix V to the commission's 1981–82 annual report.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set up a study group to assess the social and economic impact of forest sales upon rural areas.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  No. I do not believe that there is any need to set up such a study group.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the likely number of Forestry Commission staff to be made redundant consequent upon the sale in Wales of forests and woods; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  It seems unlikely that any Forestry Commission staff will have to be made redundant as a consequence of the sale of forests and woods in Wales.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the percentage of forests to be sold in Wales giving a sub-regional breakdown.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  It is expected that about 10 per cent. of the Forestry Commission's forest land in Wales will be sold over the next 10 years. It is not possible to give any sub-regional breakdown.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he will make to protect the public's right of access to woodland sold by the Forestry Commission.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  In answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro) on
  179
  16 June 1989, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland indicated that the Government were concerned that the general public should continue to enjoy access to those forests to be disposed of by the Forestry Commission in a way which was compatible with management for forestry and other purposes. Ways of achieving this objective are being investigated.

  Plastic Waste
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines were issued by his Department to health authorities in Wales regarding the safe burning of plastic waste without such burning forming dangerous compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorines and flurans.

  Mr. Ian Grist
  Guidance on the safe disposal of clinical waste including plastics was issued by the Department to district health authorities in June 1982. The code of guidance was prepared by the Health and Safety Commission and offered advice on the handling, transport and disposal of all kinds of clinical waste.

  Teachers
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Woolwich of 20 December,Official Report, columns 319–20, in March 1989; how many teachers were employed by each local authority in Wales; how many teachers were in receipt of an incentive allowance for each local authority in Wales; what percentage this was of the total employed by each local authority; and how many teachers in receipt of an incentive allowance in each local authority in Wales held allowances that were (a) incentive A, (b) incentive B, (c) incentive C, (d) incentive D and (e) incentive E.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Information relating to March 1989 is not yet available.

  Sport in the Countryside
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales to what body he will give responsibility for policies and developmental work with organised and active sport in the countryside in Wales in the future.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will continue to expect all the relevant agencies to work together in this field.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he intends to bring in to ensure that adequate consideration is given in future to the interests of informal users of the countryside, including horse riders and cyclists; and that these interests are reconciled with environmental conservation requirements.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  None.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to achieve or maintain a separation of regulatory and promotional functions in relation to the countryside in Wales, particularly in respect to access and recreation.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  None.
  180
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to ensure full consideration of the views of organised sports and recreational interests in Wales by the proposed Countryside Council for Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  This will be a matter for the proposed Countryside Council for Wales when it takes over its full functions.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to ensure that recreation in the countryside in Wales is controlled by agreement and conciliation between conflicting interests wherever possible, and that control by regulation is only undertaken following adequate consultation and attempted conciliation; and what machinery he will establish to this end.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The Government have no specific proposals to introduce any controls of this nature.

  Countryside Commission
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to ensure that promotional and development work currently undertaken by the Countryside Commission in Wales is continued and developed following the changes proposed in the Environmental Protection Bill.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The provisions in the Environmental Protection Bill relating to the countryside and conservancy agencies are essentially concerned only with the reorganisation of those bodies. The Countryside Council for Wales will continue to have the same statutory functions as the Countryside Commission. It will be for the council to develop its policies within that framework.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to ensure that the Countryside Commission's target of opening up all rights of way in Wales is achieved by the year 2000; following the restructuring of conservation and countryside bodies.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  This will be a matter for the Countryside Council for Wales.

  Countryside Council for Wales
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy to ensure that the powers of the Countryside Council for Wales are not limited only to national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The Countryside Act 1968 not only changed the name of the National Parks Commission to the Countryside Commission but enlarged its functions to include the wider countryside. These broader functions which are in no way limited to national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty will be transferred, in respect of Wales, to the new Countryside Council for Wales.

  Bilingual School, Preseli
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest developments regarding the proposed bilingual school, Preseli, Pembrokeshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Dyfed county council published proposals under section 12 of the Education Act 1980 on
  181
  22 November 1989 to establish a bilingual comprehensive school in the premises of the existing Preseli county secondary school. The law prescribes that, if statutory objections to the proposals are received by the county council, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State must decide whether to approve or reject the proposals.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the income of each district to sustain a common level of services throughout Wales on the basis of his assumed figures for community charge payments in each district.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The standard spending assessment for each county and district council is calculated on the basis of formulae which have been agreed by the Welsh local authority associations. It represents a measure of the cost of providing a standard level of service, taking into account the characteristics of each area. If every authority were to spend at the level of its standard spending assessment, the community charge in the area of each charging authority in Wales, after taking account of revenue support grant entitlements and income from non-domestic rates, would be £173—the community charge for standard spending.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Income Support
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many cases the personal allowance of an individual in receipt of income support is used to cover costs of(a) private residential care and (b) private nursing care in each unit of management area of the Southern health board.

  Mr. Needham
  I regret that the information is not available.

  Detention
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of people detained under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1987 had their requests to have someone told of their detention delayed on the direction of a police superintendent or an officer of more senior rank in 1988 and the period 1 January to 31 October 1989.

  Mr. Cope
  Figures are available to 30 June 1989. During 1988, a total of 6 per cent. of requests to have someone informed of a person's detention were delayed on the authorisations of a superintendent or above. Between 1 January and 30 June, no such requests were delayed.
  182
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of requests made by persons detained under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1987 for solicitors were delayed on the direction of a police superintendent or an officer of more senior rank in 1988 and the period 1 January to 31 October 1989.

  Mr. Cope
  Figures are available to 30 June 1989. During 1988, a total of 60 per cent. of requests for access to see a solicitor were delayed on the authorisation of a superintendent or above. Between 1 January and 30 June, 64 per cent. of requests were so delayed.

  Home Helps
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average hourly rate of pay earned by home helps in each health board area in each financial year since 1980.

  Mr. Needham
  Standard hourly rates are payable to all home helps in the Health and Social Services Boards. Details are as follows:

  Financial year

  Period

  Hourly rate

  1980–81

  1 April 1980–31 October 1980

  154·13p

  1 November 1980–31 March 1981

  165·63p

  1981–82

  1 April 1981–31 October 1981

  165·63p

  1 November 1981–31 March 1982

  177·13p

  1982–83

  1 April 1982–31 October 1982

  177·13p

  1 November 1982–31 March 1983

  190·77p

  1983–84

  1 April 1983–31 October 1983

  190·77p

  1 November 1983–31 March 1984

  199·48p

  1984–85

  1 April 1984–31 October 1984

  199·48p

  1 November 1984–31 March 1985

  209·74p

  1985–86

  1 April 1985–30 August 1985

  209·74p

  1 September 1985–31 March 1986

  230·26p

  1986–87

  1 April 1986–31 August 1986

  232·69p

  1 September 1986–31 March 1987

  248·08p

  1987–88

  1 April 1987–31 June 1987

  248·08p

  1 July 1987–31 March 1988

  290·13p

  1988–89

  1 April 1988–31 August 1988

  290·13p

  1 September 1988–31 March 1989

  306·79p

  1989–90

  1 April 1989–31 August 1989

  306·79p

  1 September 1989–31 March 1990

  333·79p

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Accounting Standards Committee
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the work of the accounting standards committee.

  Mr. Redwood
  The work of the accounting standards committee of the Consultative Committee of Accounting Bodies in developing accounting standards has made a major contribution to improvements in accounting practice over the last 20 years. The arrangements for making and enforcing such standards now need strengthening. The Dearing committee's recommendations on this subject have been widely supported and Sir Ronald Dearing is negotiating terms with all concerned so that the new arrangements for making and enforcing acccounting standards are in place by the summer.

  Public Houses
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from(a) brewers and (b) representatives of public house landlords and managers regarding the revaluation of business rates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  We received in 1988 and 1989 a number of representations from and on behalf of brewers about the powers available to the valuation officer to obtain information to be used in making a valuation and the subsequent use of such information. We have not, however, received any representations about the levels of value proposed for breweries or for public houses.

  Regional Assistance, Corby
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total annual expenditure in each year since 1979–80 on(a) regional development grants, (b) regional selective assistance, (c) regional investment grants and (d) regional innovation grants paid in the Corby development area.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information is as follows:

  (a) Regional development grants1

  Payments £ million

  1979–80

  —

  1980–81

  0·2

  1981–82

  2·6

  1982–83

  6·8

  1983–84

  6·5

  1984–85

  2·5

  1985–86

  3·3

  1986–87

  7·9

  1987–88

  6·6

  1988–89

  7·9

  1 April 1989 to 31 December 1989

  7·3

  1 From 1985–86 includes payments on both original Regional Development Grants (RDG I) and revised Regional Development Grant (RDG II). RDG I grants were terminated in November 1984 and RDG II grants in November 1988.

  184

  (b) Regional selective assistance

  Payments £ million

  1979–80

  —

  1980–81

  0·03

  1981–82

  0·31

  1982–83

  1·43

  1983–84

  4·47

  1984–85

  3·45

  1985–86

  2·89

  1986–87

  1·58

  1987–88

  0·96

  1988–89

  0·37

  1 April 1989 to 31 December 1989

  0·32

  (c) Regional investment grants1

  Payments £ million

  1988–89

  0·01

  1 April 1989 to 31 December 1989

  0·12

  1 Scheme introduced March 1988.

  (d) Regional innovation grants1

  Payments £ million

  1988–89

  —

  1 April 1989 to 31 December 1989

  0·03

  1 Scheme introduced March 1988.

  International Tin Council
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement about the progress of discussions concerning the liabilities of the International Tin Council.

  Mr. Ridley
  A proposal supported by all known creditors of the International Tin Council's buffer stock operation for a settlement at £182·5 million payable on 30 March 1990 has been approved by the ITC as the basis for a settlement. A Supplementary Estimate covering a United Kingdom contribution not exceeding £31,790,000 to the settlement amount will be laid before the House in February.

  Consumer Guarantee
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those organisations which have made representations to him opposed to the consumer guarantee as set out in the report of the National Consumer Council.

  Mr. Forth
  A formal public consultation exercise has not been undertaken but, following publication of the National Consumer Council report "The Consumer Guarantee", representations have been made both for and against various aspects of the proposals. It would be inappropriate to name bodies which have expressed views in confidence.

  Company Prosecutions
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many prosecutions arising from company investigations commenced after 1 June 1979; and how many of the prosecutions were successful.
  185
  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: I am aware of 113 successful prosecutions completed since 1 January 1979 arising from investigations under the Companies Acts; some of those prosecutions may have commenced before that date.

  Further information is given in the annual report prepared under section 729 of the Companies Act 1985 (formerly section 451 of the Companies Act 1948) and published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. This report is available in the Library.

  Company Accounts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department examines published company accounts for compliance with the requirements of the Companies Acts.

  Mr. Redwood
  Responsibility for compliance with the Companies Act's requirements concerning accounts rests with directors, with auditors required to state whether the accounts meet those requirements. Companies House staff carry out certain basic checks on accounts, but the contents are not scrutinised in detail except in response to specific complaints.

  Genetically-Manipulated Animals
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the patenting of genetically-manipulated animals.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: Patents are granted in the United Kingdom for inventions which are novel, non-obvious and capable of industrial application, except that plant or animal varieties and essential biological processes, among other things, are not patentable. However, microbiological processes and their products, with which genetic engineering is essentially involved, are patentable and it is therefore likely that patent applications for inventions concerned with genetically-manipulated animals would be granted, provided other relevant conditions were met.

  A European Community proposal for a directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions which is currently under discussion would not alter this position. Nevertheless, I am aware that a patent application for a genetically-manipulated mouse similar to one granted by the US Patent and Trade Mark Office has been refused by the European Patent Office. However, this decision is under appeal.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the new opportunities available to British firms in eastern Europe; and what support services his Department is now able to offer such firms.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: My Department is well seized of the new commercial opportunities opening up in eastern Europe. These include, in particular, the opportunities for direct investment; the possibility of increasing exports of goods and services; opportunities for joint ventures and other forms of industrial co-operation; as well as consultancy and management training opportunities.
  186
  My Department has an eastern European branch of 25 staff directly responsible for commercial relations and trade promotion in eastern Europe. This branch is able to provide both general and specific advice and guidance to United Kingdom business men on investment opportunites in these markets and about the availability of the various United Kingdom and EC assistance schemes recently created. These resources are supplemented by other staff in my Department working on various specific export service schemes, such as trade fairs, and by the export service staff in the Department's regional offices. My Department also funds the East European Trade Council, the BOTB's area advisory group for eastern Europe.

  Coal (Balance of Trade)
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the balance of trade in coal and related products at the last available date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information is available for the period January to November 1989 as shown in the table.

  January to November 1989

  million tonnes

  Coal

  Other solid fuels

  Total

  Imports

  10·9

  0·6

  11·6

  Exports

  1·9

  0·5

  2·4

  Net imports

  9·0

  0·2

  9·2

  Note: Figures are rounded independently and some totals may therefore differ from their constituent parts.

  Source: Her Majesty's customs and Excise.

  Uranium
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what quantities of uranium have been imported from Africa in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  Uranium for the United Kingdom's civil nuclear programme has not been imported from Africa since 1984. From 1980, some 6,300 short tons of U3 O8 (some 4,800 metric tonnes of contained uranium) were imported. Figures for specific years are as follows:

  metric tonnes (to nearest hundred tonnes)

  1980

  1,200

  1981

  1,300

  1982

  1,000

  1983

  900

  1984

  400

  Output Figures
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether output figures based on sales include products which are imported by producers from their overseas subsidiaries, associates and others.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I have been asked to reply.
  187
  The concepts and methodology employed in the output measure of gross domestic product and its components, including the index of industrial production are fully described in chapter 5 of "United Kingdom National Accounts: Sources and Methods" (third edition: HMSO 1985), a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Trade Surpluses
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the bilateral trade surpluses/ deficits with the United States of America of each of the OECD countries, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Romania, India and Brazil, in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Redwood
  The information is in the table.

  Trade balances with United States of America 1988

  billion

  US $

  Australia

  -3·7

  Netherlands

  -3·2

  Spain

  -2·2

  France

  -1·8

  Ireland

  -1·0

  Turkey

  -0·5

  United Kingdom

  -0·5

  Greece

  -0·2

  Norway

  -0·2

  Austria

  -0·1

  Finland

  -0·1

  Portugal

  -0·1

  New Zealand

  0·0

  Denmark

  0·0

  Iceland

  0·1

  India

  0·1

  Romania

  0·5

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  0·7

  Switzerland

  1·2

  Sweden

  1·4

  Singapore

  2·5

  Italy

  3·7

  Brazil

  5·4

  South Korea

  8·7

  Federal Republic of Germany

  9·4

  Hong Kong

  10·4

  Taiwan

  10·4

  Canada

  11·5

  Japan

  48·0

  Sources: Taiwan—national statistics.

  Others—IMF Direction of Trade.

ENERGY

  Low-Sulphur Coal
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the levels of imported low-sulphur coal in tonnes for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information on the sulphur content of imported coal is not available centrally.

  Fuel (Energy Values)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to(a) the energy values required to manufacture waste derived fuel and refuse derived fuel and (b) the balance between the energy required and energy produced by the various types of fuel.
  188
  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Waste and refuse derived fuels produce typically just over five times more energy than is used in their production, although this figure will depend on the particular process involved.

  The less highly refined forms of refuse derived fuel and fuels derived from commercial and general industrial wastes are even more attractive as they require less energy in production. The energy inputs required to produce other fuels will depend on the circumstances of their production.

  Hinkley Point C
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects the inspector to the Hinkley Point C public inquiry to submit his report; and if he will publish it when received.

  Mr. Baldry
  The timing of his report is a matter for the inquiry inspector. My right hon. Friend will wish to see and consider the report before deciding when to publish it.

  Oil and Gas (Safety)
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the number of fatalities and serious injuries which have occurred involving the use of gangways linking offshore oil and gas installations and other vessels or structures, for each year of operations on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Since 1 January 1980 my Department has received reports of three fatalities relating to the use of gangways. These occurred in a single incident in 1982 when the bridge connecting Piper Alpha to MSV Tharos collapsed. No serious injuries have been reported.

  Private Licensed Mines
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many men were working underground in private licensed mines in 1978–79 and each succeeding year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The British Coal Corporation's 1988–89 annual report and accounts provides a figure of 1,524 as the number of men employed underground in licensed deep mines at the end of 1988–89. The Department does not have figures for previous years. I have therefore asked the chairman of the British Coal Corporation, which is the licensing authority, to write to the hon. Member.

HEALTH

  Block Contracts
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who was the contractor, what was the cost, what was the experimental location by district and unit and what was the date of report of all pilot work carried out on the specification of block contracts.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are funding development work on contracting for services in a number of health authorities. For details of this work I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 6 November 1989 at columns 455–56. The projects involve contracting for a range of services in a variety of local circumstances and identifying the most

  189
  appropriate type of contract to use in these different situations. None of the work is limited explicitly to specifying block contracts.

  Deaths (Elderly People)
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of deaths among those aged(a) 60 to 69 years, (b) 70 to 79 years and (c) 80 years and over for each complete six-monthly period from 1 April 1979 to 31 March 1989 for England and Wales.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is shown in the table.

  Number of deaths among those aged (a) 60–69 years, (b) 70–79 years and (c) 80 years and over for each complete six-monthly period from 1st April 1979 to 31st March 1989 for England and Wales

  Age-group

  Period

  60–69

  70–79

  80+

  1 March 1979–30 September 1979

  52,657

  88,841

  86,200

  1 October 1979–31 March 1980

  58,348

  101,304

  101,262

  1 April 1980–30 September 1980

  52,526

  88,774

  83,433

  1 October 1980–31 March 1981

  57,706

  101,403

  104,203

  1 April 1981–30 September 1981

  51,003

  87,722

  86,298

  1 October 1982–31 March 1982

  57,808

  104,422

  110,338

  1 April 1982–30 September 1982

  51,151

  88,023

  88,605

  1 October 1982–31 March 1983

  57,482

  103,202

  110,941

  1 April 1983–30 September 1983

  50,765

  88,331

  90,264

  1 October 1983–31 March 1984

  54,512

  98,956

  106,859

  1 April 1984–30 September 1984

  49,190

  87,007

  91,720

  1 October 1984–31 March 1985

  55,657

  102,670

  117,664

  1 April 1985–30 September 1985

  48,927

  88,249

  96,511

  1 October 1985–31 March 1986

  54,149

  102,276

  121,568

  1 April 1986–30 September 1986

  49,216

  87,831

  96,419

  1 October 1986–31 March 1987

  51,524

  93,959

  109,480

  1 April 1987–30 September 1987

  48,083

  84,043

  96,212

  1 October 1987–31 March 1988

  54,027

  95,141

  120,224

  1 April 1988–30 September 1988

  48,657

  81,396

  100,475

  1 October 1988–31 March 1989'

  52,394

  89,272

  117,089

  1 Provisional

  Residential Care
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of persons aged over 75 years live in nursing homes.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of persons aged over 85 years live in(a) nursing homes, (b) residential homes and (c) other institutions in England and Wales.

  Mr. Freeman
  Not all this information is collected centrally. At 31 March 1988, the number of people aged 85 and over in local authority staffed and registered residential care homes for the elderly people and younger physically handicapped people was 100,036 or 15·4 per cent. of the population aged 85 and over. This figure is provisional.

  Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training procedures have been introduced at the Royal Hallamshire hospital, Sheffield, on accepting radiation-contaminated casualties and assisting with decontamination of personnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  Regional health authorities are responsible for planning for emergencies. The hon. Member 190
  should contact the chairman of Trent regional health authority for details of training for staff at the Royal Hallamshire hospital.

  Backlog Maintenance, Trent
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost of backlog maintenance for National Health Service properties in the Trent regional health authority and by district health authority, for he latest year for which he has figures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 10 January at columns 666–69.

  Infant Mortality
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the figures from 1979 to 1989 for the number of(a) spina bifida births, (b) hydroencephaly births, (c) still births and (d) cot deaths, in the Merseyside area.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is shown in the table.

  Numbers of (a) spina bifida births, (b) hydroencephaly births, (c) stillbirths and (d) cot deaths' in Mersey Regional Health Authority, 1979–88.

  Stillbirths

  Spina bifida

  Hydroencephalus

  Cot deaths

  1979

  278

  33

  45

  9

  1980

  238

  28

  42

  35

  1981

  207

  25

  41

  46

  1982

  214

  14

  26

  48

  1983

  156

  18

  22

  51

  1984

  181

  15

  27

  46

  1985

  179

  13

  23

  53

  1986

  180

  11

  12

  77

  1987

  175

  12

  7

  65

  1988

  135

  10

  8

  56

  1 Sudden Infant Death Syndrome-International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, code 798.0.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of the North Western regional health authority to discuss the proposed Health Service reforms.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have regular monthly meetings with the chairmen of the regional health authorities including Mr. Bruce Martin, chairman of the North Western regional health authority. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State last met Mr. Martin at the regional chairmen's meeting on 14 November 1989 when a number of management issues including Health Service reforms were discussed.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will show, by regional health authority, the response received to date from general practitioners, by percentage, where health centres and clinics are proposed to be sold; and what terms and conditions will be implemented.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Community Care
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated number of frail elderly, disabled and chronically sick patients no longer in need of acute hospital services who need to be rehabilitated and transferred to community care; what plans he has for professional training and establishing nationally-determined rates of pay for community carers; and what is the estimated average cost of care in the community perseriously disabled patient.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The organisation of rehabilitation services is a matter for individual district health authorities together with local authority social services departments. Information about such numbers is not held in the form requested. As set out in our White Paper "Caring for People" (Cmnd. 849) we welcome the developments in the role of home care workers which are already under way in a number of areas and have no plans to create a profession of community carer. We are currently discussing the detailed financial implications of the White Paper with the local authority associations.

  Health Authorities
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to introduce remuneration or compensation for members of the proposed new health authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Yes. Paragraph 7 of schedule 1 to the National Health Service and Community Care Bill will enable remuneration to be paid to the new non-executive members of health authorities.

  Grant Funding
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average time his Department takes to make a decision on grant funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  As the nature and complexity of applications for grants vary considerably, an average time could prove misleading. We have introduced arrangements for our section 64 general scheme which require applications from voluntary organisations to be submitted by October with the intention that most decisions will be announced before April. A few complex applications and those where additional information is required may take a little longer to process.

  Intra-fallopian Transfer
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the National Health Service centres that do not charge patients for gamete intra-fallopian transfer treatment;

  (2) if he will list the National Health Service centres that do not provide full National Health Service funding to National Health Service patients for gamete intra-fallopian transfer treatment and the cost per centre.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health why payments are required from National Health Service patients for the cost of gamete intra-fallopian transfer treatment at some National Health Service centres.
  192
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT) is a relatively new technique used in the treatment of infertility and is available in only a few centres. Treatment under the National Health Service, including that for infertility, is provided free of charge. In addition, in some NHS hospitals GIFT may be provided as part of an academic research programme when patients may be asked to contribute to its costs.

  Hospital Building
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the 10 largest hospital building projects in the United Kingdom currently under construction.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information held centrally shows that the 10 largest hospital building schemes, based on the cost of construction at tender, currently under construction in England are as follows:

  Region

  Scheme

  Northern

  Royal Victoria Infirmary, Scheme 1, Phase 5

  Northern

  Wansbeck General Hospital, Scheme 1, Phase 1

  Trent

  Lincoln County, Phase 2

  North West Thames

  Westminster and Chelsea Hospital

  South East Thames

  Hastings District General Hospital, Main Phase 1

  South West Thames

  Mid Sussex, Phase 1

  Wessex

  Bournemouth District General Hospital, Phase 2B

  Wessex

  Salisbury District Hospital, Phase 1

  South Western

  Royal Devon and Exeter, Wonford

  North Western

  Ormskirk District General Hospital, Phase 1

  Information on Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of their respective Secretaries of State.

  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the 10 largest hospital building projects completed in the United Kingdom since 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information held centrally shows that the 10 largest hospital building schemes, based on the cost of construction at tender, completed in England since 1979 are as follows:

  Region

  Scheme

  Trent

  Queens Medical Centre Development, Phase 2

  North West Thames

  St. Mary's W2, Phase 1B

  North East Thames

  Homerton Hospital, Phase 1

  South West Thames

  St. Georges Block H, Phase 2A

  Wessex

  Bournemouth District General Hospital, Phase 1A

  West Midlands

  Walsall, Phases 4A and 4B

  West Midlands

  City General, Stoke, Surgical Accommodation

  West Midlands

  Telford District General Hospital, Phase 1

  West Midlands

  Bromsgrove Redditch District General Hospital, Phase 1, Contract 2

  Mersey

  North Sefton District General Hospital, Southport, Phase 1

  Information on Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of their respective Secretaries of State.

  Camberwell Breast Screening Unit
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of the Camberwell health authority breast screening unit.
  193
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No changes are planned at present to this unit. Since October 1988 it has provided women aged 50 to 64 from south-east London with a successful and popular screening and follow-up assessment service.

  Social Work Training
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of social work training.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government have accepted the need to improve training for social workers and other social care staff and we are implementing a balanced programme of improvements. This includes the provision of additional funding for phasing out one-year post-graduate social work courses in favour of a minimum of two years training, improvement to the quality and quantity of practice placements and improvements to course curricula. Additional funds are also being made available to the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work to introduce a new qualifying course, the diploma in social work which will replace the existing qualifying courses in due course. We are also giving consideration to improving opportunities for social work post-qualifying training.

  Hospices
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to introduce a scheme of financial assistance to voluntary hospices for Her Majesty's Government to match pound for pound, up to 50 per cent. of running costs, money raised by the voluntary sector.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) on 15 December 1989 at columns 846–47.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will visit the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, Backford, near Chester, to meet the medical director to discuss the work of the hospice.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We would be pleased to consider an invitation from the hospice.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what use the registrar general is making of information collected for the community charge in respect of improving the accuracy of population statistics.

  Mr. Freeman
  None, at present. The registrar general will he examining aggregated community charge data with

  Prescriptions investigated under regulation 201 August 1988 to December 1989

  Region

  Cases considered by LMCs

  LMC decisions against the GP

  All decisions to recover the cost from the GP2

  East Anglia

  5

  1

  7

  Mersey

  0

  0

  7

  North East Thames

  4

  3

  3

  Northern

  3

  1

  1

  North Western

  15

  3

  5

  North West Thames

  4

  3

  3

  194
  a view to their use in making population estimates. If it becomes clear that use of community charge data would improve the accuracy of population estimates, this will begin as quickly as practicable.

  Lewisham Hospital
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he is yet able to announce a decision on the proposed new Health Service development at Lewisham; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Agreement has recently been reached on a major new development, known as phase II, at Lewisham hospital, the cost of which will be around £27 million. This scheme should provide, from the mid-1990s, a greatly improved range of health care to local people. The development complements the equally impressive phase III scheme at Guy's hospital in the north of Lewisham and North Southwark health authority costing around £75 million.

  Prescription Pricing Authority
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inquiries were undertaken each year since 1979 into prescribing practices by the Prescription Pricing Authority.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No such inquiries have been undertaken, as this is not a function of the Prescription Pricing Authority.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in how many cases in each year since 1979 family practitioner committees deducted prescription costs from general medical practitioners, remuneration; and in which National Health Service regions those cases occurred;

  (2) in how many cases in each year since 1979 local medical committees invoked their powers under section 20 of the National Health Service Regulations 1974; and in which National Health Service regions such cases occurred.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information for the period prior to August 1988 is no longer held in the Department. For the period since August 1988 the table shows for each region, on the basis of the information reported to the Department, the number of cases considered by local medical committees (LMCs) under regulation 20 of the NHS (Service Committees and Tribunal) Regulations 1974, the number of cases in which LMCs decided that the substances should not have been prescribed, and the total number of cases in which the cost of the prescription was recovered from the GP concerned.
  195

  Region

  Cases considered by LMCs

  LMC decisions against the GP

  All decisions to recover the cost from the GP2

  Oxford

  1

  0

  12

  South East Thames

  2

  2

  11

  South Western

  3

  1

  19

  South West Thames

  10

  1

  3

  Trent

  7

  0

  1

  Wessex

  2

  1

  11

  West Midlands

  1

  0

  9

  Yorkshire

  12

  2

  2

  1 The figures are based on information provided by Family Practitioner Committees (FPCs) and Local Medical Committees (LMCs).

  2 Includes cases determined by the Family Practitioner Committee without reference to the Local Medical Committee by agreement with the GP concerned.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many cases in each year since 1979 PD8 inquiries were undertaken into individual doctors' prescribing practices; and in which National Health Service regions these inquiries were carried out.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Inquiries into the prescribing of practices whose costs overall are significantly above the local average (previously known as PD8 inquiries) are undertaken by medical officers of the Department's regional medical service (RMS). RMS boundaries are not conterminous with NHS regional boundaries and it is therefore not possible to provide information in exactly the form requested. The RMS is organised in six divisions and covers the NHS regions as follows:

  RMS Division

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Eastern

  121

  104

  97

  87

  72

  24

  43

  87

  55

  143

  143

  East Midland

  90

  67

  35

  89

  110

  31

  34

  47

  92

  93

  129

  North Eastern

  92

  62

  49

  70

  62

  33

  14

  116

  114

  94

  128

  North Western

  161

  82

  50

  121

  96

  26

  53

  63

  143

  114

  99

  Southern

  121

  91

  35

  101

  59

  17

  36

  34

  105

  84

  168

  Western

  143

  94

  87

  144

  120

  46

  56

  48

  101

  143

  77

  TOTALS

  728

  500

  353

  612

  519

  177

  236

  395

  610

  671

  744

  Tranquillisers
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many benzodiazepine tranquilliser addicts are known to have broken their dependency.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will provide the necessary funds to ensure that the national tranquilliser advice centre can continue operating;

  (2) what help or advice has been given to the national tranquilliser advice centre by his Department towards preventing its closure through lack of funds.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department awarded a grant of £10,000 to TRANX (UK) Ltd. in 1988–89 to enable the organisation to balance its books in that year. The organisation was advised that it should collaborate closely with local statutory authorities in order to secure adequate funds for the future. In the current financial year representatives of TRANX (UK) Ltd. met departmental officials who advised them that central funding was unlikely to be available in their existing circumstances. To assist TRANX, officials therefore suggested that it should provide details of its budget expectations and how it would set priorities for the services it offers in line with the
  196
  Eastern Division
  North West Thames, North East Thames and East Anglian Regions.

  East Midlands Division
  Trent and Oxford Regions.

  North Eastern Division
  Yorkshire and Northern Regions, excluding Cumbria.

  North Western Division
  North Western and Mersey Regions, plus Cumbria.

  Southern Division
  South East Thames, South West Thames and Wessex Regions.

  Western Division
  West Midlands and South Western Regions.

  The numbers and total of visits to high cost practices undertaken in England since 1979 in each of the RMS divisions is shown in the following table:

  funding likely to be available. Following this reappraisal by TRANX, the Department would consider whether there was any advice or help which it could offer.

  When the North West Thames regional health authority and the London borough grants unit decided not to continue to support TRANX the Department wrote in December explaining that because the local statutory authorities are no longer prepared to fund local elements of the service TRANX (UK) Ltd. provides and given the constraints on central funds the Department is unable to offer the organisation any further grant aid.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will summarise the nature of the new provision for drug misusers that has been made by the regional health authorities with the near £15 million provided by his Department; and approximately what proportion of this provision is specifically aimed at those addicted to tranquillisers.

  Mr. Freeman
  Regions are due to report in detail on the use made of the £14·793 million allocated in 1989–90 specifically for the development of drug misuse services in July 1990. We will be asking regions for full details of developments funded from these earmarked allocations which will include information on services for people dependent on tranquillisers.
  197
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the spread of the service provided by the national tranquilliser advice centre for tranquilliser addicts;

  (2) what information he has been given by the national tranquilliser advice centre about the national service it provides; and what information he has on the proportion of the inquiries it receives from people living in areas which are not part of the North West Thames region.

  Mr. Freeman
  Direct client services of the kind TRANX (UK) Ltd. offers are best provided locally rather than nationally. Local statutory authorities are best placed to decide which services are worthy of support and fit in with their overall plans. TRANX (UK) Ltd. has provided the Department with details of the national service it offers. This consists of telephone counselling, written information about tranquillisers and advice on how to withdraw from them, together with a newsletter.

  Figures from TRANX (UK) Ltd's annual report for 1988 (the most recent available) show that 44 per cent. of inquiries in England were from areas not covered by the catchment areas of the four Thames regions. The breakdown of inquiries from the North West Thames area is not separately available.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what efforts his Department has made to establish the number of people at risk of addiction through taking benzodiazepine tranquillisers on a long term basis.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is unlikely that it would be possible to obtain accurate statistical data on those dependent on benzodiazepines. What is important is to encourage careful prescribing of benzodiazepines, to promote alternatives to their use and to provide services for those experiencing problems as a result of their dependence: the right hon. Member will be aware of the initiatives the Government are taking in this respect.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of tranquilliser advice centres, similar to the national tranquilliser advice centre, operating throughout the United Kingdom and on their source of funding.

  Mr. Freeman
  We are aware of a number of centres in various parts of England which provide advice for those working with those dependent on tranquillisers. We are also aware of many local services for this group. The provision and funding of these local direct client services is the responsibility of the local statutory authorities. We are funding the National Association for Mental Health (MIND) to produce a national directory of services for this group. Up to £81,000 has been made available for the work which is spread over three financial years starting in 1988–89.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investigation there has been of the type of support and advice that best enables those addicted to tranquillisers to overcome their addiction.

  Mr. Freeman
  Studies have shown that in other fields of dependence face-to-face counselling and contact with a local treatment service improve the likely prognosis compared with other treatment approaches. The available evidence is that this also applies to tranquillisers.
  198
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated number of people dependent on the benzodiazepine tranquillisers; and how the numbers have changed in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Freeman
  Detailed information is not held centrally, but it is known that in recent years the increase in the number of local agencies which have been established partly as a result of Government initiatives, has resulted in a far greater number of people coming forward for help in withdrawing from their prescribed drugs.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the most recent figure for the annual rate of prescription of benzodiazepine tranquillisers; and which pharmaceutical companies currently supply the National Health Service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The latest estimate of the number of prescriptions for benzodiazepines dispensed by community pharmacists in Great Britain is 23·2 million in 1988. Under the selected list scheme prescriptions for most benzodiazepine sedatives and tranquillisers must be written generically. It is not possible to produce a comprehensive list of pharmaceutical companies whose products are being supplied. However some benzodiazepines may be prescribed at NHS expense using the brand name for example for intravenous use. The manufacturers concerned are

  C. P. Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

  Farmitalia Carlo Erba Ltd.

  Kabi-Vitrum Ltd.

  Roche Products Ltd.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response has been given to the pharmaceutical company Roche which has indicated that it would contribute towards the organisational costs of the national tranquilliser advice centre if his Department did likewise.

  Mr. Freeman
  My noble Friend Lady Hooper has written to Roche, informing it of the decision by North West Thames regional health authority and London borough grants unit and the Department of Health that no further funding can be awarded to TRANX (UK) Ltd.

  Mental Hospitals
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were admitted to mental illness and mental handicap hospitals under compulsory powers; how many were resident in such hospitals when detained, excluding special hospitals; and what percentage of total admissions and residents they constituted, at the latest available date.

  Mr. Freeman
  The most recent complete information is for 1986. During that year there were 237,311 admissions, of which 16,193 (6·8 per cent.) were formal admissions under compulsory powers, to National Health Service mental handicap and mental illness hospitals and units in England. It is estimated that 9,900 patients, already admitted as informal, were subsequently detained as formal patients and 7,600 formal patients had a change of legal status although remaining detained. On 31 December 1986 there was a total of 93,442 patients resident in these hospitals and units, of whom 4,602 (or 4·9 per cent.) were formally detained patients.

  Welfare Milk
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the proportion of total redeemed token value in the welfare milk scheme submitted by roundsmen in each year since 1979 in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are his proposals for apportioning revenue loss costs between farmers, dairies and distributors with respect to his proposed welfare milk scheme discount; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The regulations laid on 5 January enable the dairy trade, on a voluntary basis, to accept tokens for the supply of liquid welfare milk and pass them up through the trade so that the cost of the price reduction can be shared equitably. The dairy trade has well-established mechanisms and procedures for deciding prices and discounts between milk marketing boards and distributors.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what negotiations have taken place with the milk trade and its constituent companies concerning proposals for changes to the welfare milk scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Before negotiations commenced we wrote to all suppliers explaining that as part of the Government's initiative to see whether better value for money could be obtained the cost of purchasing liquid welfare milk was to be examined. Detailed and extensive negotiations subsequently took place over a period of eight months involving over 40 separate companies and six major supermarket chains. Discussions were held with representatives from all sectors of the dairy trade including the dairy trade federations, the National Dairyman's Association and the milk marketing boards. Meetings were held with representatives of the British Retail Association, the National Farmers Union and the National Fedration of Self Employed and Small businesses. Following the decision to introduce a revised pricing structure, we have written to all suppliers explaining the decision together with details of the measures that we have introduced to enable the cost of the price reduction to be shared equitably throughout the trade.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations have been received by his Department with respect to current proposals to change funding arrangements for the welfare milk scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Following the announcement of the decision to implement a revised price structure for the supply of liquid welfare milk we have received representations from the English Dairy Trade Federation and the National Dairyman's Association. In response my noble Friend Baroness Hooper met with officers and members of the English and Scottish dairy trade federations on 9 January to hear the trade's views and make arrangements to discuss implementation of the new structure.

  Hepatitis C
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether imported blood products are tested for hepatitis C; and what are the differences in testing procedures between imported blood products and fresh blood donations from British resident donors.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 10 January 1990]: As far as we are aware, at present there is no routine testing for hepatitis C carried out by the home authorities in any country from which blood products are imported to the UK. Such tests as are available are still being developed and evaluated.

  It is a matter for the authorities in each country to decide on appropriate screening procedures for blood. These may vary according to the prevalence of certain infectious agents in the country of origin. The Department keeps testing procedures under review and recommends the introduction of new tests in the light of scientific and other developments.

  Blood or plasma collected overseas for processing into blood products which are to be imported into the United Kingdom under United Kingdom product licence is subjected to such screening tests as are laid down by the home authority, as well as any that are required by our licensing authority—the Medicines Control Agency.

SCOTLAND

  Training
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how employment training and YTS will be administered after the Scottish Enterprise and the Highlands and Islands Enterprise proposals are implemented.

  Mr. Lang
  Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise will contract with local enterprise companies for the provision of all Government training in their respective areas.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to promote any measures to increase the take-up of YTS and employment training places in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  I have no present plans for further measures specifically designed to increase uptake of employment training and youth training. However, I fully expect that the creation of local enterprise companies and the opportunities that they will have for flexibility in the provision of training will lead to more attractive locally-oriented training arrangements for both adults and young people that are closely geared to their needs and those of local employers.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis of training expenditure in Scotland, consistent with page 40 of "Public Expenditure to 1991–92: A Commentary on the Scotland Programme", indicating for the years 1983–84 to 1991–92 (a) public expenditure in Scotland on training, (b) the public expenditure programme in which it was included for that year, (c) the Vote on which it was taken for that year and (d) the impact of the definitional and classification changes upon the annual totals of public

  201
  expenditure on the Scotland programme, as shown in table 16.1 of Cm. 616 and in the table appended to the Secretary of State's statement to the House on 6 December, Official Report, columns 330–33.

  Mr. Lang
  It is not possible to provide details of spending on training only. Spending in Scotland by the Manpower Services Commission, the Training

  Year

  (a) Spending in Scotland by Manpower Services Commission, Training Commission and Training Agency £ million

  (b) Public expenditure programme

  (c) Class and Vote

  1983–84

  119 outturn

  4

  Class XV Vote 4

  1984–85

  127 outturn

  4

  Class XV Vote 4

  1985–86

  134 outturn

  4

  Class XV Vote 4

  1986–87

  162 outturn

  4

  Class XVI Vote 4

  1987–88

  164 outturn

  4

  Class XVI Vote 4

  1988–89

  205 outturn

  4

  Class XVI Vote 4

  1989–90

  277 planned expenditure

  4

  Class XVI Vote 4

  1990–91

  267 planned expenditure

  4

  Class XVI Vote 4

  1991–92

  not yet available

  15

  Class XVI

  (Vote not yet available)

  (d) Since this expenditure has been in programme 4 definitional and classification changes affecting it have had no impact on the Scotland programme.

  Steel
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of employment in steel and steel-related industries in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  The total number of employees in steel and steel-related industries in Scotland in 1989 was estimated at 7,400 using data from the Industry Department for Scotland's regional data system.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of employment in steel and steel-related industry in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply given on 16 January to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Sillars).

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of employment in steel and steel-related industries in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply given on 16 January to the hon. Member for Govan.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of employment in steel and steel-related industry in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply given on 16 January to the hon. Member for Govan.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from local authorities in Scotland about the collection of poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of representations from local authorities about different aspects of the community charge.
  202
  Commission and the Training Agency cannot be broken down in sufficient detail to distinguish fully spending on training from spending by these bodies on other employment-related programmes such as the employment rehabilitation service and the enterprise allowance scheme. The figures given in the table therefore represent total expenditure in Scotland by these bodies, which were funded by the Secretary of State for Scotland:

  Dangerous Weapons
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there have been any recent alterations to the rules governing the holding of potentially dangerous weapons within Scottish prisons.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No. The Prison Rules (Scotland) do not authorise the holding of potentially dangerous weapons and there is no reason to alter them.

  Mr. Gordon Jackson
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if weapons were involved in the authorised training processes carried out within the Scottish prison service by Mr. Gordon Jackson.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Mr. Jackson was authorised to train teams in negotiating procedures. Weapons are not authorised or necessary for such training.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what authority the former governor of Glenochil prison, Mr. Gordon Jackson, established a special squad from the prison service to be trained to SAS standards; and what was the basis for selection.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A special squad from the prison service was not established and trained to SAS standards.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland. whether the special training initiated by governor Gordon Jackson at Glenochil has continued following his departure.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There is no evidence to suggest that governor Gordon Jackson initiated any special training at Glenochil and no such training has been introduced since his departure.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement as to why Gordon
  203
  Jackson, governor of Glenochil prison, kept CS gas cartridges and ammunition at the gaol; and what was his policy on the keeping of similar supplies at other prisons.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Mr. Jackson pled guilty to being in unauthorised possession of CS cartridges and ammunition at Alloa sheriff court on 1 December 1989. The Prison Rules (Scotland) do not authorise the possession or use of these items and no change to this position is considered necessary.

  Drought Orders
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by(a) water company and (b) location those areas where drought orders still remain in force.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Water supply in Scotland is the responsibility of the regional and islands councils. No drought orders are in force at the present time.

  Drinking Water
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage by volume of drinking water in Scotland that is treated by the addition of(a) chlorine and (b) ozone.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Over 99 per cent. of drinking water in Scotland is disinfected by chlorination. Of the remainder, broadly equal proportions are disinfected by either ozone or ultraviolet radiation.

  Planting of Evidence
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of alleged planting of evidence were made in 1989 against the police in Scotland; and how many of these resulted in prosecutions.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I understand from inquiries made of chief constables that in 1989 five cases of alleged planting of evidence involving the police in Scotland were reported to the procurator fiscal. No proceedings were taken in three cases; the remaining two are still under consideration by the procurator fiscal.

  Two Homes Allowance
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the amount of the two homes allowance payable by the Scottish Education Department in addition to students who own or rent property which they cannot reasonably be expected to give up on moving to another area for educational purposes, in each of the last five academic years including 1989–90.

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested is as follows:

  Academic Year

  £

  1985–86

  410

  1986–87

  455

  1987–88

  473

  1988–89

  490

  1989–90

  515

  Museum of Scotland
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the location of the planned Museum of Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  I am delighted to announce that the new Museum of Scotland will be located in Edinburgh, on the vacant site adjacent to the Royal Museum of Scotland in Chambers street, and to confirm the Government's agreement to fund the development.

  The Museum of Scotland will provide a worthy setting for the outstanding Scottish collections of the National Museums of Scotland. The need for new accommodation in which to display the nation's heritage has been acknowledged for many years. The project was given fresh impetus in 1985 with the formation of the National Museums of Scotland. The board of trustees identified the provision of a new museum as their prime objective and last year submitted to the Secretary of State a detailed assessment of their requirements and a comprehensive investment appraisal of optional locations for the development. This clearly demonstrated that the need for the new museum was more pressing than ever, and that the Chambers street site was the most appropriate and cost-effective location.

  On the basis of the investment appraisal, we have allocated resources for the new building within our recent public expenditure settlement, and I am pleased to confirm that these resources will now be made available to the National Museums' board of trustees.

  The Government's decision to invest in this project reflects the importance that we attach to the care and display of our heritage, and to expanding the opportunities for the people of Scotland and for visitors to enjoy and learn from the wealth of material held by the museums.

  I congratulate Lord Bute and his fellow trustees and the director Dr. Anderson and his staff on their success in securing a new home for Scotland's heritage.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what uses are being made by health boards of the moneys released from competitive tendering initiatives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Boards have been using the moneys released in a variety of ways and examples of the projects funded or partially funded by them are as follows:

  Argyll and Clyde

  1. Increased medical and support staff in community care and special needs (children).

  2. Employment of additional occupational therapist and chiropodist.

  3. Increased staffing for accident and emergency.

  4. Upgrading of pathology posts and enhancement of cervical cytology screening.

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1. Provision (including nurse staffing) of self-contained paediatric out-patient clinic at Crosshouse hospital.

  2. Part funding of gynaecology day unit at Crosshouse hospital.

  3. Increase in medical staffing (including three registrars in anaesthetics, one ophthalmist and increased GP sessions).

  4. Additional community nurses.

  205
  Borders

  1. Advancement of opening dates of Innerleithen and Hawick health centres.

  2. Assistance with development costs of the Borders general hospital.

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1. Provision of new 30-bed geriatric unit at Annan and additional beds at Lockmaben.

  2. Development of mental handicap services.

  3. Appointment of additional consultant medical staff in ophthalmology.

  Fife

  1. An extra clinical psychologist at the priority care unit.

  2. Extra nursing staff at Cameron hospital.

  3. Options under consideration at Dunfermline are development of medical photography services, recruitment of more trained operating theatre staff or extra nurses to allow psycho-geriatric day hospital services to be made available for longer periods of time.

  Forth Valley

  1. Appointment of additional 15 psycho-geriatric nurses.

  2. Appointment of additional consultant histopathologist.

  3. Provision of additional treatment facilities for geriatric patients at Falkirk and district royal infirmary.

  4. Provision of funds to enable the devolution of psychiatric care from Bellsdyke hospital to the community and establishment of a community care team.

  Grampian

  1. Part funding of a joint venture project with voluntary organisations and social work departments to meet the running costs of five houses to accommodate 20 mentally handicapped patients being transferred back into the community.

  2. The establishment of a number of additional posts, primarily in nursing and paramedical services, in the board's geriatric and specialist services unit.

  3. Additional nursing posts in the neuro-surgical, renal dialysis and vascular surgery areas.

  4. Additional physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

  5. The establishment of five new low technology delivery rooms and recovery facilities, allowing women in labour to be midwife managed.

  Greater Glasgow

  1. Additional 44 nurses for mental illness.

  2. Additional 17 paramedicals and 13 staff of other kinds for mental handicap.

  3. Additional 16 paramedicals and 11 district nurses to reduce waiting lists in the community.

  4. Additional 15 nurses and four other staff for improvements in service for cancer treatment.

  5. Additional 10 staff to improve and develop cervical cytology services.

  6. Additional 14 staff to meet increasing demand on renal services.

  7. Additional six staff for improvements in accident and emergency services at Glasgow royal infirmary.

  Highland

  1. Additional paramedical posts in geriatric services at Sutherland.

  2. Creation of waiting list team assisting medical staff at Raigmore hospital.

  3. Creation of "travelling day hospital" for psychiatric patients who live some distance from Inverness.

  Lanarkshire

  1. Additional community nursing posts in Mental Handicap Services Unit.

  2. Additional speech therapy posts in the community.

  3. Additional occupational therapy posts.

  4. Additional paramedical posts (physiotherapy, chiropody etc).

  206
  Lothian

  1. Increased renal dialysis sessions.

  2. Increased support funding for joint working with local authorities.

  3. Increased nurse staffing for mental handicap and psychiatric services.

  Tayside

  Developments in patient services in the following areas:-—

  1. Mumps, measles and rubella vaccinations;

  2. Blood products;

  3. Resource management;

  4. Support finance;

  5. Accident and emergency-consultant support staff

  6. A senior physicist;

  7. Community nursing.

  Window Replacement
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the amounts spent by the Scottish Special Housing Association on window replacement programmes for its housing stock in each year since 1979; and if he will also list the amounts currently being spent and planned to be spent on window replacement programmes by Scottish Homes.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 12 January 1990]: Such information is not held by the Scottish Development Department. The hon. Member may wish to write directly to Scottish Homes, which may be able to provide information on past expenditure by the Scottish Special Housing Association and its own expenditure programmes on window replacement

  Mentally Ill People
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what extra resources will be made available for the provision of community care for the mentally ill;

  (2) what plans he has to earmark financial resources for the care of the mentally ill.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: The recently published White Paper "Caring for People" (Cmd. 849) states that local authorities will receive adequate resources to enable them to discharge their new responsibilities. These extend to the provision of care and support for persons with mental illness in the community. Local authorities will have transferred to them resources that the Government would otherwise have used to finance residential care through social security payments to people in residential and nursing homes.

  Local authorities are generally free to determine the use of the resources available to them for their various responsibilities. The White Paper announced that there will be a specific grant to help accelerate the development of community-based services for persons with mental illness.

  Rural Legal Partnerships
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will conduct a survey into the financial viability of small legal partnerships in rural areas.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: I have no plans to do so.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the levels of legal aid fees in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: Legal aid fees in Scotland are set after consultation with the Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates. The next consultations will begin soon.

  Community Water Charge
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the community water charge set in each region and islands council area for 1989–90.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: Information on water charges is available in the booklet "Water Charges in Scotland—The New Arrangements" published by the Scottish Office in April 1989, copies of which are available in the Library. The community water charges set in each region and islands council area for 198–0 are set out in the table:

  Regional/Islands Council

  Community Water Charge £/person

  Borders

  31·00

  Central

  15·00

  Dumfries and Galloway

  28·00

  Fife

  18·00

  Grampian

  30·00

  Highland

  20·00

  Lothian

  18·00

  Strathclyde

  19·00

  Tayside

  21·00

  Orkney

  26·00

  Shetland

  6·78

  Western Isles

  34·00

  Homelessness
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many single homeless people he estimates there are currently in Scotland under the age of 25 years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: The Scottish Development Department does not make such estimates.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the figures for the number of single homeless people in Scotland for each year from 1979 to 1989.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: This information is not collected centrally.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Government Documents
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what measures have been taken to increase the safety of Government documents being transported by Ministers in Great Britain following the recent theft from the car of the hon. Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney).
  208
  Mr. Luce
  I am satisfied that the measures which are already in place for the protection of Government documents are sufficient to ensure their safety.

  Staff Relations
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will take steps to improve staff relations in the Civil Service.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 16 January 1990]The Government have always attached importance to good staff relations in the Civil Service. The next steps initiative is intended, amongst other things, to increase motivation and satisfaction by releasing staff talents to provide a better service to the public. In some cases group performance bonuses can be earned. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and I have both paid public tribute to the quality and commitment we see in staff in the Civil Service. As I made clear in my speech at a RIPA seminar last year the Government care greatly about the men and women of the Civil Service and the way they deliver Government services.

THE ARTS

  Opera
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has any plans to increase funding for the provision for opera facilities in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Luce
  The funding of opera is a matter for the Arts Council. However, I am pleased to say that, as a result of the increase in the Arts Council's grant which I announced in November, companies will receive significant increases in their grant. Among these, Welsh National Opera will receive an 8 per cent. increase from the Arts Council of Great Britain, and a 10·1 per cent. rise from the Welsh Arts Council taking its total grant to £4·8 million in 1990–91.

  Arts for Labour
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will meet representatives of Arts for Labour to discuss the allocation of resources, both national and regional.

  Mr. Luce
  I have no plans to do so.

  National Railway Museum
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will take steps to save the unique double turntable installation at the national railway museum in York during works involving the replacement of the roof at the museum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  The proposed changes at the national railway museum at York are a matter for the director and the trustees of the science museum. I understand that they have formulated their proposals for the new roof and a single turntable after careful and extensive consultation. The north engine shed has a long history of alteration and the museum has never sought to interpret the main hall or any part of it as a former locomotive depot.

  Arts Funding
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he next plans to discuss arts funding and tax deductibility.

  Mr. Luce
  I keep these matters under general review.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Friendly Societies
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now ready to publish a Green Paper on his proposals for the future legislative regime for friendly societies.

  Mr. Major
  I have today laid before Parliament a paper entitled "Friendly Societies: A New Framework". This Green Paper sets out the Government's proposals for a new legislative framework for friendly societies. The main proposals are to give societies wider powers to offer a more comprehensive and competitive range of services through subsidiary companies. The main new powers would be to allow establishment and management of unit trust schemes and personal equity plans; to act as agents of other insurers (life or general business); to give advice on insurance; to provide loans; and to reinsure other friendly societies' business.

  This range of powers was requested by the Friendly Societies Liaison Committee in its submission to the Economic Secretary in 1988 and I have decided to accept its case in full.

  The proposals include legislation to provide societies with a cheap and simple route to incorporation as a special category of body under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts. This will enable societies to achieve the legal status which is necessary to own subsidiaries and hence to offer services other than long-term insurance business, without losing their special identity as friendly societies.

  The paper also proposes that the regulatory system for friendly societies should be updated to give improved investor protection. In particular, I propose that a solvency requirement should be extended to all friendly societies, that the chief registrar should be given enhanced powers to deal with moribund societies, and that the requirements for societies' systems of accounts and control should be updated to bring them into line with other financial institutions. I also propose that all societies should be required to join a statutory investor protection scheme and that a new ombudsman scheme should be established to deal with members' complaints.

  I believe that the Green Paper will establish a satisfactory constitutional and legislative framework for societies, which will allow for their continued development over the coming years. I hope that there will be support for these proposals from both sides of the House.

  Exports
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what exports per capita were in each of the OECD countries, in the latest year for which figures are available;

  (2) what percentage of gross domestic product exports amounted to in each of the OECD countries, in the latest year for which figures are available.
  210
  Mr. Ryder
  The data for exports per capita and exports as a percentage share of gross domestic product in each of the OECD countries for 1988 are shown in the table:

  Exports of goods per capita US $

  Exports of goods as a percentage of gross domestic product

  United Kingdom

  2,539

  17·8

  United States of America

  1,301

  6·7

  Canada

  4,314

  23·2

  Japan

  2,161

  9·3

  Germany

  5,268

  26·9

  France

  2,895

  17·1

  Italy

  2,248

  15·6

  Netherlands

  6,981

  45·2

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  8,963

  59·3

  Australia

  1,976

  13·3

  New Zealand

  2,652

  21·0

  Austria

  4,086

  24·5

  Denmark

  5,279

  25·2

  Finland

  4,394

  20·7

  Greece1

  649

  14·6

  Iceland

  5,781

  23·8

  Ireland

  5,295

  60·6

  Norway

  5,343

  24·9

  Portugal

  1,033

  25·5

  Spain

  1,032

  11·8

  Sweden

  5,891

  27·9

  Switzerland

  7,601

  27·4

  Turkey

  215

  16·2

  1 The data for Greece refers to 1987.

  Source: OECD Monthly Statistics of Foreign Trade.

  OECD Main Economic Indicators.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis, comparable with Table 2.4 of Financial Statistics, of the public expenditure classification changes contained in table 1A.1 of the Autumn Statement 1989, Cm 879.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The classification changes contained in table 1A.1 of the Autumn Statement include the following:

  1. Statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay are now included in the planning total;

  2. Recipts of fines and fixed penalties are now treated as revenue and outside the planning total;

  3. Expenditure on police, education and fire services in Northern Ireland is now treated as central Government's own expenditure. Previously this was treated as local authority expenditure;

  4. Expenditure by the Training Agency on the technical and vocational educational initiative (TVEI) and work-related further education (WRFE) formerly treated as central Government's own expenditure, is now included in support for local authorities;

  5. Expenditure of National Rivers Authority on land drainage financed by levies on local authorities is now included in central Government's own expenditure Equivalent expenditure was previously included in local authority expenditure as payments to water authorities;

  6. Receipts from visa fees are now treated as revenue and outside the planning total;

  7. Receipts of OFTEL and OFGAS are now treated as revenue and outside the planning total.

  Their contributions to the aggregate classification change shown in table 1A.1 are as follows.

  £ million

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Central Government's own expenditure

  Statutory Sick Pay/Statutory Maternity Pay

  1,259

  1,311

  Fines and Fixed Penalties

  275

  291

  211

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Northern Ireland switch from local authority

  791

  831

  TVEI and WRFE

  -243

  -248

  NRA land drainage

  155

  160

  Visas

  32

  33

  OFTEL and OFGAS

  7

  7

  Others

  3

  2

  Total

  2,279

  2,387

  Public Corporations

  Local authority airport and bus companies

  -86

  -70

  Total

  -86

  -70

  A similar analysis covering the period from 1984–85 to 1991–92 will be included in the 1990 public expenditure White Paper.

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

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. Coombs) on 19 December 1989 at columns 179–91.

  EEC Payments
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what payments from the European Economic Communities due in the calendar year 1989 have yet to be made; when such payments are expected; and if he will state the reasons for any delay.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: As far as I am aware, all of the payments which the United Kingdom was due to receive in 1989 were made.

  Capital Investment
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest trends on capital investment by British industry.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]Figures of manufacturing investment up to the third quarter of 1989 are shown at table 1 of the press release CS0(89)147 (Manufacturers' Investment Intentions for 1990 and 1991) issued on 20 December 1989. That release also contains projections of future investment by manufacturers. For non-manufacturing industries, comparable figures to the third quarter 1989 are given in table 3 of the Central Statistical Office Business Bulletin Issue 16/89. Projections of future investment for these industries are not available. Copies of both documents are available in the Library.

  City of London (Foreign Earnings)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what have been the foreign earnings of the City of London in(a) insurance, (b) banking, (net), (c) commodity
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  trading, (d) brokerage, (e) investment trusts, (f) pension funds, (g) unit trusts, (h) leasing, (i) securities dealer and (j) in total in (i) 1970, (ii) 1979, (iii) 1987, (iv) 1988 and (v) 1989.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: Information up to and including 1988 is given in the published annual Pink Books on the United Kingdom balance of payments and from the CSO Databank, both of which are available in the Library. Information for 1989 will be published later this year.

  VAT
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the current rates of value-added tax on(a) electricity and (b) gas in each European Community country; and whether it is intended to maintain a zero rate in the United Kingdom for fuels after 1992.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: Based on the latest available information the current rates are as follows:

  Per cent.

  Country

  Gas

  Electricity

  Belgium

  17

  17

  Denmark

  22

  22

  France

  5·5

  5·5

  Germany

  14

  14

  Greece

  2—

  2—

  Ireland

  10

  5

  Italy

  9

  9

  Luxembourg

  6

  6

  Netherlands

  18·5

  18·5

  Portugal

  8 (6)

  1 8 (6)

  Spain

  12

  12

  United Kingdom

  0

  0

  1 Lower rates apply in autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira Archipelagoes.

  2 Information not available.

  To comply with the European Court of Justice ruling of 21 June 1988, VAT at the standard rate will apply in the United Kingdom to fuel and power supplied to businesses from 1 July 1990.

  In the context of the Commission's indirect tax proposals for the single market, the Government have repeatedly made it clear that they intend to maintain the zero rate of VAT for domestic fuel and power. As changes to EC law require unanimous agreement, the United Kingdom's position is safeguarded.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Consumer Panel
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the names of individuals that have been nominated to sit on his consumer panel, giving the name of the nominating organisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have not yet written to all the nominees. When I have done so, it is my intention to announce publicly the names of the members of the consumer panel and details of its meetings. I will send the hon. Member the information he has requested at that time.

  Cattle Auctions
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle auction markets are(a) licensed and.(b) unlicensed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  All cattle auction markets must be licensed under the provisions of article 17 of the Brucellosis (England and Wales) Order 1984.

  Organic Extensification
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he plans to introduce an organic extensification option; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  I shall shortly be issuing a consultation document outlining a possible scheme under which grant aid would be available to those farmers wishing to convert from conventional to organic production.

  Organic Produce
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to encourage further the practice of organic farming;

  (2) what steps he proposes to take to lessen dependence on imports to satisfy consumer demand for organic produce.

  Mr. Curry
  It is for those who produce, process or market organic produce to respond to the growing demand for organic foods and to lessen our dependence on imported supplies. However, my Department has already taken a number of steps to encourage this process while additional proposals are current under consideration.

  Of particular significance has been the setting up of the United Kingdom register of organic food standards (UKROFS) which in May 1989 launched production and processing standards for organic produce and an independent certification and inspection system. We understand that the UKROFS board has now reached an advanced stage in its discussions on registration with the organic sector bodies through which it is expected the large majority of registrations will be effected. Once the board has satisfied itself on the inspection and certification arrangements to be operated by these bodies, consumers will be able with confidence to purchase British organic produce backed by the UKROFS standards and monitoring provisions.

  Other steps being taken, or under consideration, by the Government include the funding of a comprehensive economic survey of organic farming; the provision of R and D and of specialised ADAS advice; the help for conversion available through the fallow option of the set-aside scheme; and the benefits available through the farm and conservation grant scheme and from assistance towards establishing co-operatives. In addition, we are proposing shortly to issue a consultation document on an organic conversion option under the EC extensification scheme.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he proposes to take to prevent the sale of produce inaccurately labelled as organic.
  214
  Mr. Maclean
  It is already an offence under the Food Act 1984 to apply a false or misleading description to food. In proposed EC regulation, currently under consideration, there are specific provisions to prevent the sale of produce labelled as organic but which does not conform to specified standards.

  Farm Woodland Scheme
  Sir Jim Spicer
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will accept further applications from those who have already made a first application under the farm woodland scheme to cover a further three-year period.

  Mr. Curry
  Initially, the rules of the farm woodland scheme allowed only one application to be accepted for any one agricultural unit or applicant. Last August, in the light of experience, we changed the rules so that farmers with more than one agricultural unit could make a separate application for each of them.

  The rule limiting farmers to one application per agricultural unit remains in force to minimise administrative work and to encourage farmers to formulate a firm three-year planting plan at the outset. However, I am keeping it under review, along with the other rules, in the light of operational experience and the level of uptake under the scheme.

  At the end of the initial three-year experimental period in September 1991 all aspects of the scheme will, of course, be reviewed to help establish what arrangements should apply thereafter.

  Sir Jim Spicer
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the hectarage applied for during the first three years of the farm woodland scheme; and how much under the target figure this is.

  Mr. Curry
  In the first 14 months of the farm woodland scheme applications to plant 8,938 hectares of trees throughout the United Kingdom were received. This compares with the target for applications in the first experimental three-year period of 36,000 hectares.

  Polychlorinated Biphenyls
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has made an assessment of polychlorinated biphenyl levels in all parts of fish; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Ministry scientists regularly measure the concentrations of PCBs in both edible and non-edible parts of fish in English and Welsh waters as part of an extensive programme on the quality of fish and shellfish. The results are published in the directorate of fisheries research's aquatic environment monitoring report series. The most recent report is AEMR 16, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Microwave Ovens
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether there is any evidence of a risk to health in heating milk in microwave ovens; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Microwaving is simply one method of heating food. I am not aware of any good evidence that
  215
  changes in food brought about by microwave heating would not also be brought about by other methods producing equivalent amounts of heat.

  I understand that the account of the research carried out at the University of Vienna and reported in The Lancet of 9 December was very incomplete. It failed to mention that a very small milk sample was microwaved at full power in a sealed tube to an unknown temperature (probably well in excess of 100 deg. C) until it was brown. This heat treatment was far more severe than that received by other samples with which it was compared and bears no relation whatever to the way consumers would heat milk in the kitchen.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the nature and scope of his new research programme into the vertical tranmissibility of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 18 December 1989 at col.30.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the research work into bovine spongiform encephalopathy as announced by him on 9 January, will be published in full as recommended by the Tyrrell report.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 12 January 1990]: I shall adhere to MAFF's general policy and publicise the results of research which we fund.

  Enzymes
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the use of gels containing enzymes as binding agents in meat products.

  Mr. Maclean
  Meat products offered for sale have to comply with the provisions of the Food Act 1984, the Food Labelling Regulations 1984 and the Meat Products and Spreadable Fish Products Regulations 1984. Meat products made using the techniques mentioned would have to be carefully labelled so as to ensure that consumers are adequately informed of their true nature and means of production.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to ban the use of vegetable enzymes as meat tenderisers.

  Mr. Maclean
  The continued use of vegetable enzymes to tenderise meat will be subject to single market rules yet to be determined. However during the course of the Adjournment debate on 7 November 1989, I announced the Government's decision not to seek provision for the continued use of the pre-slaughter injection of cattle with the enzyme papain when Community proposals are discussed.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will require meat subjected to treatment with the vegetable enzyme papain to be labelled in such a manner that the use of this enzyme is clear to prospective consumers.
  216
  Mr. Maclean
  The Food Labelling Regulations 1984 already require that the name used for any meat which has been treated with proteolytic enzymes or which is derived from an animal that has been so treated shall include or be accompanied by the word "tenderised".

  Fish Disease
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what surveys have been conducted by his Department to establish the incidence of(a) dab, (b) flounder, (c) cod, (d) herring and (e) plaice caught in water around Britain which show evidence of disease.

  Mr. Curry
  Since 1980 my Department, together with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, has conducted both annual and ad hoc surveys to establish the prevalence rates of diseases in commercial fish species, including dab, flounder, plaice, cod and herring in water around Britain.

  My Department has played a key role in establishing standardised sampling and disease recording methods with other European countries and collaborates with these countries in fish disease survey programmes.

  Simplesse
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has discussed the product Simplesse with Monsanto.

  Mr. Maclean
  Yes. Representatives of Nutrasweet, a Monsanto subsidiary, have discussed the product with officials of my Ministry and the Department of Health. It is a product made from common food ingredients using existing food production methods and has been considered by the advisory committee on novel foods and processes. The likely impact on the diet of this and similar products is under consideration.

  Industrial Pollution (North Sea)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from consumers about the effect on fish in the North sea of industrial pollution and waste disposal; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Curry
  I receive a number of inquiries from members of the public about the safety of North sea fish for human consumption.

  The waste disposal operations directly licensed by my Department are very carefully assessed to avoid adverse effects on marine life either in the short or long term. My Department carefully monitors the quality of the marine environment both round disposal sites and more generally and this includes an extensive programme of monitoring fish.

  As a consequence, I am able to assure correspondents that the health of the North sea is good, that fish offered for sale from British waters are not adversely affected by pollution, that they fully comply with relevant public health standards and that they are quite safe to eat.

  Fish Liver Oils
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is known by his Department about the extent of polychlorinated biphenyl contamination of fish liver oils; and what tests are, or have been, carried out on fish liver oil products.

  Mr. Maclean
  Results of surveillance of fish liver oil products for the presence of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) have been published in food surveillance papers Nos. 13 and 16, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Wastes
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields, 14 December,Official Report, column 800, whether the replies received from (a) Sweden, (b) Denmark, (c) the Netherlands, (d) Germany and (e) Norway, were in support of his proposals to issue a licence to dump the relevant wastes in the North sea.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 11 January 1990]: Sweden, Denmark and Norway objected to each of the three proposals, the Netherlands objected to two and the Federal Republic of Germany raised no specific objections.

  The other seven countries of the Oslo convention did not comment, an indication that they were content with our submissions.

  A full response has been sent to each country which raised objections, clarifying misunderstandings which appear to underlie the comments.

  In response to concerns that heavy metals could cause harm we have confirmed that there are no detectable heavy metals in the wastes. We have explained that the biochemical oxygen demand would be far too insignificant to have any effect in the sea and that standard works of reference show that the trace level of biodegradable phenol in one waste will not taint fish.

  As regards monitoring, we have reminded the countries concerned that these specific wastes are rapidly neutralised in the sea and that their presence in the water is undetectable very shortly after release. We have described our fish and shellfish monitoring programme which shows that fish are not affected by the disposals.

  Pesticides
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food further to his answer of 11 December to the hon. Member for South Shields,Official Report, columns 512–16, if he will list the active ingredients which have had their reviews concluded by the ACP according to the categories (a) approval withdrawn, (b) use restricted and (c) use continues unchanged following their review; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 11 January 1990]: The information requested is as follows:

  (a) Approvals Withdrawn

  Aldrin

  Binapacryl

  Bitertanol

  Captafol (Phased withdrawal)

  Chlordane (Phased withdrawal)

  Cyhexatin

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  DDT

  Dieldrin

  Dinoseb

  Dinoseb-acetate

  Dinoterb

  DNOC

  Endrin

  Ethylene dibromide

  Mercury compounds (some approvals)

  (b) Use Restricted or other amendments to approvals

  Aminotriazole

  Dimethoate

  Fentin acetate

  Fentin hydroxide

  Iprodione

  Sulphonyl Ureas (ii)

  Synthetic pyrethroids

  (c) Use continues unchanged

  Aldicarb

  Biological agents used as pesticides

  Daminozide (iii)

  Fenbutatin oxide

  Glycolethers

  Maleic hydrazide

  Mercury compounds (some approvals)

  2,4,5-T

  Triazophos

  It should be noted that (i) Alachlor, which appeared under "Reviews concluded by the ACP" in my answer of 11 December to the hon. Member should in fact have been listed under "Reviews currently in progress"; (ii) Sulphonyl Ureas should have been listed under "Reviews completed by the ACP" and (iii) the partial review of Daminozide was completed in December 1989 and has therefore been included in the list.

EMPLOYMENT

  Tourism
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his revised estimate for the numbers and value of overseas visitors to the United Kingdom for 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A total of 14·9 million overseas visitors are estimated to have come to the United Kingdom in the first 10 months of 1989, spending about £5·8 billion.

  Both the number of visitors and their total expenditure were 9 per cent. more than in the same period last year. The estimate for the whole of 1989 will be published on 7 March.

  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he has taken to assist the tourist industry since the ending of section 4 grants.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet (Mr. Batiste) on 28 November 1989,Official Report, column 212, regarding my Department's review of tourism policy.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of employment training places in the north-west are unfilled.

  Mr. Nicholls
  At 15 December 1989 about 21 per cent. of employment training places in the Training Agency's north-west region were unfilled.
  219
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent representations he has received about employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department receives a wide range of representations, from both individuals and organisations about employment training, all of which receive careful consideration.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to publish his Department's survey into the overall performance of the employment training scheme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The first results from the 100 per cent. follow-up survey of employment training leavers have already been made public. These show that 58 per cent. of trainees completing their agreed training went into jobs or self-employment or further full-time education or training.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his Department's 100 per cent. follow-up survey of employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The latest results from the 100 per cent. follow-up survey of employment training leavers show that 58 per cent. of trainees completing their agreed training went into jobs or self-employment or further full-time training or education. This is clear evidence that the programme is playing a major role in helping unemployed people to get back into work.

  Footwear and Textiles
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on job losses in the footwear and textile industries.

  Mr. Eggar
  As the hon. Member knows, owing to competitive pressures there have been some job losses in the footwear and textile industries. I refer him to the reply given by my hon. Friend on 8 January,Official Report, column 491.

  Minimum Wages
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how he intends to increase the number of prosecutions for breaches of minimum wage legislation.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The policy of the wages inspectorate under all Governments has been to seek compliance with wages council regulations by advice and persuasion and to prosecute ones where an offence is deliberate or repeated and the evidence is considered adequate. There are no plans to change this policy.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to increase minimum wage levels.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Members for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett), for Pontefract and Castleford (Mr. Lofthouse) and for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Eastham) on 5 December 1989,Official Report, columns 202–3.

  EC Ministers
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met his European Community counterparts; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Howard
  My predecessor last met his European Community counterparts on 30 November 1989, at the meeting of the Labour and Social Affairs Council. The outcome of that meeting was reported in the Official Report of 19 December 1989, columns 144–45.

  Disabled People
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how he intends to raise the number of disabled persons in the work force.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett).

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the appropriateness of anti-discrimination legislation to protect disabled persons within the labour market.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government's preferred option for improving opportunities for people with disabilities in the labour market is to educate, persuade and assist employers to adopt constructive policies and practices. The appropriateness of anti-discrimination legislation is being examined in the Employment Department's current review of its services for people with disabilities. The conclusions of the review will be published in a consultative document soon.

  Industrial Disputes
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate how many working days have been lost in disputes for a shorter working week in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In the 12-month period ending October 1989, 15,000 working days were lost through disputes about basic working hours.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how his Department intends to avoid preferential funding by TEC members in organisations in which they may have an interest.

  Mr. Howard
  Every TEC's memorandum and articles will contain a clause requiring a director to refrain from voting on any matter in which he has an interest. TECs' plans will be scrutinised to ensure they reflect market needs and they will contract on a competitive basis for training and enterprise services. Furthermore, a TEC will publish an annual report of its performance against its plan.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress is being made with the establishment of training and enterprise councils.

  Mr. Howard
  I have been very encouraged by the excellent response from employers throughout the country since we issued the invitation to form training and
  221
  enterprise councils. Applications for development funding from over 50 groups of senior employers from around the country have been approved. A table listing the areas from which we have had applications and indicating their current status has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further applications have been received to set up training and enterprise councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on recent progress with the training and enterprise council programme.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of training and enterprise councils.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been very encouraged by the excellent response from employers throughout the country since we issued the invitation to form training and enterprise councils. Applications for development funding from over 50 groups of senior employers from around the country have been approved. The table lists the areas from which we have had applications and indicates their status.

  List of training and enterprise councils that have applied for development funding

  Applications

  South East

  Milton Keynes

  Approved

  Hertfordshire

  Approved

  Essex

  Approved

  Hampshire

  Approved

  Isle of Wight

  Approved

  Thames Valley

  Approved

  Oxfordshire

  Approved

  Kent

  Approved

  Surrey

  Under Consideration

  London

  Kingston/Merton

  Approved

  London East

  Under Consideration

  South London

  Under Consideration

  South West

  Devon/Cornwall

  Approved

  Dorset

  Approved

  Somerset

  Approved

  Avon

  Approved

  Gloucestershire

  Under Consideration

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  Approved

  Walsall

  Approved

  Staffordshire

  Approved

  Coventry/Warwickshire

  Approved

  Dudley

  Approved

  Wolverhampton

  Approved

  Sandwell

  Under Consideration

  East Midlands and Eastern

  North Nottinghamshire

  Approved

  Norfolk/Waveney

  Approved

  Suffolk

  Approved

  Greater Peterborough

  Approved

  Bedfordshire

  Under Consideration

  Central and South Cambridgeshire

  Approved

  Lincolnshire

  Under Consideration

  Northamptonshire

  Under Consideration

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Sheffield

  Approved

  Calderdale/Kirklees

  Approved

  222

  Applications

  North Yorkshire

  Approved

  Rotherham

  Approved

  Leeds

  Approved

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  Approved

  Wakefield

  Under Consideration

  North West

  Cumbria

  Approved

  East Lancashire

  Approved

  Rochdale

  Approved

  Oldham

  Approved

  South and East Cheshire

  Approved

  Wigan

  Approved

  Manchester

  Approved

  Stockport/High Peak

  Approved

  Bolton/Bury

  Approved

  St. Helens

  Approved

  Northern

  Teesside

  Approved

  Tyneside

  Approved

  Wearside

  Approved

  County Durham

  Approved

  Northumberland

  Approved

  Wales

  Mid Glamorgan

  Approved

  North East Wales

  Approved

  West Wales

  Approved

  North West Wales

  Approved

  South Glamorgan

  Approved

  Gwent

  Approved

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how his Department will assess the competence of training and enterprise council board members.

  Mr. Eggar
  The competence of training and enterprise councils will be judged by their ability to achieve agreed levels of performance on quality as well as quantity. TECs will also be accountable to their community by holding public meetings and by publishing an annual report. It will be for board members themselves to consider the competence of other members of their board.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about unemployment in Cleveland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In recent months my Department has received one letter on unemployment in Cleveland. In the year to November 1989, unemployment in Cleveland county fell from 36,150 to 27,964, a reduction of 22·6 per cent. on the November 1988 figure.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by what amount the work force in the United Kingdom has increased in the last quarter for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  The work force in employment in the United Kingdom increased by 78,000 in the last quarter to stand at 26,341,000 in June 1989—the highest level ever.

  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the fall in the numbers of unemployed in the latest month for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
  223
  Mr. Howard
  Between October and November 1989, seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom fell by 25,200. Unemployment has now fallen for 40 consecutive months on a consistent basis and is now at its lowest for over nine years.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the fall in unemployment for the last quarter and what were the figures for the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The following table shows the change in unemployment in the United Kingdom for the latest available quarter and the change for the corresponding quarter in each of the last five years. Unemployment has now fallen for 40 consecutive months and is at its lowest level for over nine years.

  Change in unemployment (seasonally adjusted)

  Thousands 1 quarter 3 change

  1984

  +57·3

  1985

  +16·6

  1986

  -15·9

  1987

  -139·1

  1988

  -132·4

  1989

  -115·4

  1 September compared with previous June.

  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In November 1989 the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom was 1,649,700, the lowest for over nine years.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently unemployed in the Devon, North constituency; and how many in 1979.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Figures for current parliamentary constituencies are available only back to June 1983 when there were 3,124 unemployed claimants in the parliamentary constituency of Devon, North. This compares with 1,968 in November 1989, a fall of 1,156 or 37 per cent. The comparison is affected by the change in the compilation of the unemployment count in March 1986 to reduce over-recording and by the change in benefit regulations affecting under 18-year-olds in September 1988.

  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest quarterly figure for those in work in the United Kingdom, and what were the comparable figures for the last five years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In June 1989, the United Kingdom work force in employment, seasonally adjusted, stood at 26,341,000—the highest level ever. The table shows comparable figures for the past five years:

  Workforce in employment—United Kingdom

  Annual change

  Workforce in employment Thousands1

  Actual

  Percentage

  June 1984

  24,226

  —

  —

  June 1985

  24,527

  300

  1·2

  June 1986

  24,553

  26

  0·1

  224

  Annual change

  Workforce in employment Thousands1

  Actual

  Percentage

  June 1987

  25,065

  512

  2·1

  June 1988

  25,864

  799

  3·2

  June 1989

  26,341

  477

  1·8

  1 Seasonally adjusted.

  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of unemployed people in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Canada; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In September 1989, the latest date for which international standardised unemployment rates are available, the percentage of unemployed claimants, seasonally adjusted, was 6 per cent. in the United Kingdom and 7·3 per cent. in Canada. Over the past two years the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom has fallen faster than in any other major industrialised country.

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average unemployment rate in the United Kingdom and in each country of the European Community for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average level of unemployment in the other members of the European Community; what is the comparable level of unemployment in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In October 1989, the latest available date, the rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom was 6·2 per cent. compared to an EEC average of 9·1 per cent. Over the past two years the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom has fallen faster than in any other major industrialised country.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the fall in the numbers of long-term unemployed in the latest month for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number of claimants in the United Kingdom unemployed for 12 months or more fell by 62,000 between July 1989 and October 1989. Long-term unemployment continues to fall at a faster rate than total unemployment.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are now in employment in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The work force in employment in the United Kingdom was 26,341,000 in June 1989; that is the latest figure available, and is at its highest level ever.

  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the fall in the rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom over the last two years; what were the figures in other OECD countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table shows for the United Kingdom and for each other OECD country, the change in the standardised unemployment rate, over the latest available
  225
  two-year period. Over the past two years unemployment has fallen faster in the United Kingdom than in any other major industrialised country.

  International comparisons of unemployment rates latest month compared with two years earlier (OECD standardised unemployment rates)

  Country

  1 Percentage points change

  United Kingdom

  -3·8

  Spain

  -3·2

  Portugal

  (May) -2·2

  Belgium

  -1·9

  Australia

  -1·7

  Finland

  (August) -1·5

  Canada

  -1·1

  France

  -0·9

  Germany

  -0·7

  United States

  -0·6

  Japan

  -0·6

  Sweden

  -0·4

  Netherlands

  (January) -0·2

  Italy

  (April)0·2

  Norway

  (May) 3·1

  Note: September 1989 unless otherwise stated.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which region in the United Kingdom recorded the greatest fall in the rate of unemployment in the last quarter.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Scotland.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on employment levels in the north of England.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In the three regions, north, north-west, and Yorkshire and Humberside, the civilian work force in employment was 6,126,000 in June 1989, an increase of 403,000 or 7 per cent. in the last five years.

  Mr. Barry Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures his Department has taken to help further reduce unemployment in Merseyside; how successful these have been; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department, through its employment service and Training Agency, operates a wide range of employment, enterprise and training measures, which are all available in Merseyside, as well as elsewhere.

  In addition, as in other inner city areas, a number of initiatives have been adopted aimed at helping unemployed people in Liverpool to find employment, and at encouraging employers to recruit local unemployed people. Since April the Liverpool city action team has approved 29 employment and training projects which will create almost 800 jobs and training places, and improve the facilities for nearly 1,300 training places.

  During the 12 months to November 1989 unemployment in Merseyside county has fallen by 16,166–16·4 per cent. of the November 1988 figure.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the increase in jobs in the north-west in the most recent five-year period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The civilian work force in employment in the north-west has increased by 202,000 (8 per cent.) from 2,570,000 to 2,772,000 over the five years from June 1984 to June 1989.
  226
  Mr. Lee
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the percentage unemployment reductions in Lancashire travel-to-work areas since June 1987.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is available in the Library. Percentage changes in unemployment between June 1987 and November 1989 for all travel-to-work areas covering the county of Lancashire were:

  Travel-to-work areas

  Percentage change1

  Pendle

  -58·4

  Settle

  -56·3

  Clitheroe

  -53·1

  Accrington and Rossendale

  -50·5

  Burnley

  -50·4

  Blackpool

  -45·8

  Bolton and Bury

  -44·9

  Preston

  -44·6

  Blackburn

  -43·0

  Wigan and St. Helens

  -42·4

  Rochdale

  -42·1

  Lancaster and Morecambe

  -39·0

  Liverpool

  -34·1

  1 unadjusted.

  Local Offices
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on staffing levels in jobcentres and unemployment benefit offices.

  Mr. Eggar
  During November 1989 the equivalent of approximately 7,643 full-time staff were working in jobcentres on placing people into jobs. A total of 17,382 full-time staff were working on benefit payments in unemployment benefit offices. A further equivalent of 3,791 full-time staff were employed on counselling functions.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research his Department has commissioned into the removal of wages councils.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research his Department has commissioned into the rates of pay set by statutory wages councils.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 21 July 1989,Official Report, column 390.

  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received concerning his plans to abolish the wages councils.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer to the hon. Member to the replies given to my hon. Friends the Members for Mid-Kent (Mr. Rowe) on 21 March,Official Report, columns 555–56, for Luton South (Mr. Bright) on 28 July, Official Report, column 1037, and to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 23 March, Official Report, columns 798–802.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on research he has commissioned into the effects of removing young people from wages council protection.
  227
  Mr. Nicholls
  There is clear evidence in studies both in the United Kingdom and internationally on the link between pay and jobs, especially for young people. These findings are supported by indications from employers that their freedom since 1986 to offer jobs at rates they can afford has resulted in the engagement of young people who would not otherwise have been recruited. Further research is therefore unnecessary.

  Wales
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what responsibilities he has for employment policy in Wales.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State is responsible for formulating policy on employment and training matters throughout Great

  Local authority areas in England within which the Government target inner city programme aid (not seasonally adjusted)

  Unemployed claimants

  Change

  Percentage change

  November 1988

  November 1989

  Halton

  7,130

  5,248

  -1,882

  -26·4

  Knowsley

  13,492

  11,651

  -1,841

  -13·7

  Liverpool

  42,406

  35,812

  -6,594

  -15·6

  Sefton

  14,892

  11,947

  -2,945

  -19·8

  St. Helens

  9,708

  7,872

  -1,836

  -18·9

  Wigan

  14,023

  10,703

  -3,320

  -23·7

  Wirral

  18,112

  15,162

  -2,950

  -16·3

  Blackburn

  5,638

  4,782

  -856

  -15·2

  Bolton

  11,356

  8,902

  -2,454

  -21·6

  Burnley

  3,280

  2,450

  -830

  -25·3

  Manchester

  32,107

  26,931

  -5,176

  -16·1

  Oldham

  8,633

  7,039

  -1,594

  -18·5

  Preston

  5,561

  4,459

  -1,102

  -19·8

  Rochdale

  8,964

  6,960

  -2,004

  -22·4

  Salford

  12,228

  9,711

  -2,517

  -20·6

  Gateshead

  11,341

  9,155

  -2,186

  -19·3

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  18,302

  14,794

  -3,508

  -19·2

  North Tyneside

  9,987

  7,379

  -2,608

  -26·1

  South Tyneside

  10,836

  8,577

  -2,259

  -20·9

  Sunderland

  19,828

  16,018

  -3,810

  -19·2

  Hartlepool

  6,278

  4,764

  -1,514

  -24·1

  Langbaurgh-on-Tees

  8,833

  6,688

  -2,145

  -24·3

  Middlesbrough

  10,868

  8,659

  -2,209

  -20·3

  Stockton-on-Tees

  10,171

  7,853

  -2,318

  -22·8

  Barnsley

  12,649

  8,986

  -3,663

  -29·0

  Bradford

  18,788

  15,206

  -3,582

  -19·1

  Doncaster

  16,865

  12,494

  -4,371

  -25·9

  Kirklees

  12,153

  9,638

  -2,515

  -20·7

  Leeds

  26,795

  21,580

  -5,215

  -19·5

  Rotherham

  13,934

  10,550

  -3,384

  -24·3

  Sheffield

  29,576

  23,068

  -6,508

  -22·0

  Kingston-upon-Hull

  15,856

  13,584

  -2,272

  -14·3

  Birmingham

  58,740

  46,515

  -12,225

  -20·8

  Coventry

  14,861

  12,225

  -2,636

  -17·7

  Dudley

  11,166

  8,182

  -2,984

  -26·7

  Sandwell

  15,452

  11,744

  -3,708

  -24·0

  The Wrekin

  5,181

  3,278

  -1,903

  -36·7

  Walsall

  11,154

  8,404

  -2,750

  -24·7

  Wolverhampton

  13,761

  11,634

  -2,127

  -15·5

  Derby

  9,807

  6,985

  -2,822

  -28·8

  Leicester

  11,531

  9,629

  -1,902

  -16·5

  Nottingham

  16,542

  13,382

  -3,160

  -19·1

  Bristol

  15,886

  12,485

  -3,401

  -21·4

  Plymouth

  11,298

  8,952

  -2,346

  -20·8

  Brent

  11,928

  7,808

  -4,120

  -34·5

  Greenwich

  9,402

  7,951

  -1,451

  -15·4

  Hackney

  14,644

  12,370

  -2,274

  -15·5

  Hammersmith

  8,091

  6,273

  -1,818

  -22·5

  Haringey

  12,270

  10,412

  -1,858

  -15·1

  Islington

  11,297

  9,324

  -1,973

  -17·5

  Kensington and Chelsea

  5,526

  3,887

  -1,639

  -29·7

  Lambeth

  17,209

  13,737

  -3,472

  -20·2

  Lewisham

  12,453

  10,232

  -2,221

  -17·8

  228
  Britain, in consultation with colleagues, including the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland, as appropriate.

  Inner Cities
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the reduction of unemployment in inner cities.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table shows the fall in unemployed claimants in the 57 local authority areas in England within which the Government target inner city programme aid. The sustained fall in unemployment in these areas is very encouraging and reflects the success of our action for cities package. My Department's programmes are continuing to equip unemployed inner city residents in Wolverhampton and elsewhere with the skills, confidence and motivation to compete for jobs.
  229

  Unemployed claimants

  Change

  Percentage change

  November 1988

  November 1989

  Newham

  11,318

  10,248

  -1,070

  -9·5

  Southwark

  15,295

  11,798

  -3,497

  -22·9

  Tower Hamlets

  11,203

  9,322

  -1,881

  -16·8

  Wandsworth

  9,861

  7,630

  -2,231

  -22·6

  Total

  806,466

  643,029

  -163,437

  -20·3

  Closed Shop
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking in relation to the closed shop; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Employment Bill published on 21 December 1989 makes it unlawful to refuse to employ a person because he is, or is not, a trade union member and provides that any person refused employment for such a reason may complain to an industrial tribunal. This measure, together with the protections afforded by the 1988 Employment Act, will make all forms of the closed shop unenforceable in law.

  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the abolition of the closed shop; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department continues to receive letters that describe difficulties experienced as a result of the operation of closed shop arrangements. The majority of these letters support measures against the closed shop. The Employment Bill published on 21 December 1989 will make it unlawful to refuse anyone employment because he is, or is not, a member of a trade union and this, together with the protections already afforded under the 1988 Employment Act, will make all forms of the closed shop unenforceable in law.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has held any recent meetings with his EEC counterparts to discuss the legal and practical aspects of trades union closed shop procedures in the member states.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Neither my right hon. and learned Friend nor his predecessor the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir N. Fowler) has held any such meetings recently.

  Part-time Workers
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how his Department intends to extend protection at work for part-time workers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no current plans to extend the employment protection legislation.

  Industry Training Boards
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress is being made with the privatisation of industry training boards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir N. Fowler) announced on 8230
  November that the majority of the remaining industry training boards would move towards independent status as soon as possible. This process is proceeding satisfactorily.

  Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of implementing the national vocational qualifications framework.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The council's task of rationalising and reforming our vocational qualification system is well under way. Over 165 qualifications have now been accredited within the first four levels of the new national vocational qualifications framework.

  In discussion with relevant professional bodies, the council has also begun to prepare the ground for extending its work to higher level qualifications.

  Details of the council's work are contained in its annual report, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Child Care
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with employers' organisations regarding the provision of child care.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I have had discussions on child care with representatives of the CBI at my advisory committee on women's employment. This committee also includes the EOC chair, my hon. Friend the Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe), the hon. Member for Barking (Ms. Richardson), representatives of the TUC and the Women's National Commission.

  I also attended the CBI conference, "Tomorrow's Workforce: practical employment policies in a changing labour market", where child care was one of the major topics. I am also a member of the ministerial group on women's issues which has been looking at the whole question of child care.

  Recruitment
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further measures he will introduce to encourage employers to recruit people over 50 years of age; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department is taking a range of steps to encourage employers to recruit people over 50 years of age, including publicising the implications of the declining numbers of young people, questioning upper age limits on vacancies notified to jobcentres, and making all adult employment and training programmes available to people over 50. There are no current plans to introduce further measures, but the position will be kept under review.
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  If employers in the 1990s are to deal with the consequences of demographic changes, it will be essential for them to utilise fully the talents of people over 50.

  Ballots
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the code of practice for trade union ballots for industrial action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Over 50 responses were received on this draft code of practice during the public consultation period which followed its publication in November 1988. A modified draft was laid before Parliament last year, and the next stage is to seek approval by resolution of each House.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to improve health and safety conditions in the workplace.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Members for Wansbeck (Mr. Thompson) and for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd),Official Report 5 December 1989, column 186.

  Training
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the adult work force currently receives some form of training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is estimated that in 1986–87, 48 per cent. of employees received some job-related training from their employer. More recent figures from the labour force survey show that in the spring of 1988, 12 per cent. of all economically-active adults were taking part in job-related training in the four weeks prior to the survey—an increase from 8 per cent. in 1984. It is vital for our international competitiveness that this upward trend continues. The primary responsibility lies with employers and with the new training and enterprise councils to take the lead in promoting training locally.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the appointment of the national training task force.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The national training task force was established to advise my right hon. and learned Friend in carrying out his training responsibilities throughout Great Britain and he very much values its contribution.

  It is the best team ever put together on training and my right hon. and learned Friend is pleased that it has been further strengthened recently with the appointment of Andrew Collier, chief education officer for Lancashire county council.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the Confederation of British Industry's vocational education and training task force; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A number of representations have been received concerning the CBI's vocational education and training task force and the publication of its report "Towards a Skills Revolution—a Youth Charter".
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  The report makes a number of timely and important recommendations. New arrangements have been announced for youth training to take effect later this year (Official Report, 5 December 1989 column 196.) Youth training incorporates a number of the recommendations, including demanding targets for the achievement of qualifications by young people and a key role for training and enterprise councils.

  The Government are giving close attention to other recommendations in the report.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he intends to implement to ensure that all young people in employment under the age of 18 years should receive some form of training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is primarily for employers to ensure that young people receive quality training in order to meet the challenges of technological change and the need to achieve greater international competitiveness at a time when the number of school leavers is falling sharply. The Government will continue to help employers to respond effectively to these challenges through the training and enterprise councils (TECs), the introduction of the new youth training arrangements and the compacts initiative. Our aim is to move to a position where every young person under 18 years of age in this country is in full-time education, or a job with training, or training leading to a job.

  Disability Advisory Service
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how he intends to improve the working of the disability advisory service.

  Mr. Eggar
  The working of the employment service's disablement advisory service is being considered as part of the internal review of services for people with disabilities which my Department is currently undertaking. A consultative document covering the conclusions of the review will be published soon.

  Women Workers
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further measures he will take to encourage the return of women to the work force; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government are already taking many steps to facilitate the re-entry of women to the labour market, and will continue to do so. We also recognise that women who choose not to take paid work are doing an equally valuable job in looking after the family at home.

  The Government are encouraging employers to adapt traditional working practices to accommodate the needs of women. This means more flexibility in hours of work and in holidays, job sharing, career breaks, part-time working and, where possible, help with child care costs.

  All Government schemes to help the unemployed, to help inner cities and to help people set up their own businesses are open equally to women and men. Women returning to the labour market and certain single parents on order books can enter employment training, full or

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  part-time, without fulfilling the usual six-month unemployment eligibility condition. All lone parents on employment training can qualify for a child care allowance.

  My Department's employment service has produced a special leaflet to tell women interested in returning to work about available opportunities and schemes.

  My Department is also jointly undertaking a major project with BBC radio's "Woman's Hour" aimed at providing information and practical assistance to women returners. The project, which will be called "Back to the Future", will consist of eight conferences, each attended by 120 women on the following subjects: Being Personally Effective; Selling Yourself; Retraining; Working for Yourself; Getting that Job; Managing Money; Flexible Working and Childcare; Planning Your Life. The conferences, the first of which takes place in London on 22 January, will be run in tandem with "Woman's Hour" programmes, publicity material, visits by the Employment Department action bus and a national telephone helpline.

  Manual Workers, London
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of manual workers who travel to London every Sunday night to work and leave again on Friday.

  Mr. Nicholls
  These figures are not collected by my Department and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  EPCOT Centre
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to visit the EPCOT centre at Disney World in Florida.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no such plans.

  School-Industry Compacts
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications have been received for development funding for school-industry compacts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  In England, all but four of the 57 urban programme authority (UPA) areas have applied for development funding for compacts. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales have received eight and seven applications respectively.

  These applications have led to 29 compacts becoming operational, and a further 11 are currently in their development phase. This is an excellent start and the response of employers, young people, parents and the schools has been very enthusiastic. I am therefore announcing today additional funding of £12 million to support the introduction of further compacts. This brings total Government support for the initiative to £28 million, and means that by next year all urban programme authority (UPA) areas currently without a compact will be able to set one up.

  Seven inner city areas are to be offered immediate funding to set up compacts. They are Barnsley, Burnley, Lambeth, Nottingham, Rotherham, Wandsworth and Wigan.
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  The remaining inner city areas eligible to receive compact funding are being encouraged to develop proposals. Funding will be made available to them from April 1990.

  Low Pay, Yorkshire and Humberside
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he will introduce to eradicate the problem of low pay in Yorkshire and Humberside.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Barnsley, West and Penistone (Mr. McKay) on 16 May 1989,Official Report column 164.

  Picketing
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about picketing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government receive various representations on all aspects of industrial relations law including matters relating to picketing.

  Youth Training Scheme
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many YTS places in Scotland remained unfilled at the most recent date.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There were 13,000 unfilled YTS places in Scotland at the end of November 1989.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the costs of production of the YTS video entitled "YTS—Designed for You".

  Mr. Nicholls
  The YTS video "YTS—Designed for You" cost £30,000 to produce.

  Factory and Agriculture Inspectors
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of factory and agriculture inspectors in the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Nicholls
  On 1 January 1990, 624·5 factory inspectors and 172 agricultural inspectors were in post in the Health and Safety Executive.

  Multi-lingual Staff
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff at his Department's offices in(a) Doncaster and (b) Mexborough, speak (i) Urdu, (ii) Punjabi, (iii) Bengali, including the Sylheti dialect, (iv) Chinese, (v) Farsi, (vi) Hindi, and (vii) Gujerati.

  Mr. Eggar
  None of the Employment Department's staff in the jobcentres and unemployment benefit offices in Doncaster and Mexborough speaks any of the languages or dialects referred to.

  Wage Rates
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the wage rates and cost of living rates(a) in Northamptonshire and (b) the county in the south-east region with the lowest rates.
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  Mr. Nicholls
  Information is not available in the detail requested.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the actions taken by the Government since 31 December 1988 to encourage small and medium-sized businesses.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 15 January 1990]: In 1989 the Government continued their efforts to create and foster a climate in which small businesses can flourish and to provide incentives for enterprise by minimising the burdens of taxation, regulation and red tape.

  Last year's Budget raised the small companies' profit limit for corporation tax, the limit for marginal relief and the VAT registration threshold. The Companies Act 1989 enabled private companies to opt out of certain provisions of the Act which are of concern only to shareholders, by means of unanimous written resolutions and the agreement of shareholders.

  In November 1989 improvements were announced in the conditions of the VAT cash accounting scheme, widening eligibility for small businesses.

  Two booklets promoting good purchasing practice and equal opportunities in Government procurement for small firms were launched—"Think Big, Buy Small", aimed at Government purchasing officers, and "Tendering for Government Contracts".

  There was a high level of demand for the Government's services to small firms, showing that they meet a real need.
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  The services generally are described in the new report "Small Firms in Great Britain" issued by my Department last December. In 1989 the main developments were:
  The launch of Business Growth Training, a major new package of training available for small business managers and their staff;
  Improvements to the Enterprise Initiative, including greater flexibility under the Consultancy Initiatives, the relaunch of the Export Initiative, the introduction of the Managing into the 90s programme, and a second Small Firms Merit Award for Research and Technology (SMART). A special Action Guide to the Single Market for the smaller firm was also introduced; and
  An increase in the limit for loans under the Loan Guarantee Scheme.

  In addition the 1989 Employment Act has prepared the ground for the introduction of training and enterprise councils. They will be responsible for the delivery and development of training and other support services for small businesses and will be able to ensure that these meet the needs of local business communities.

  Disabled People (Training)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements he is making in the establishment of training and enterprise councils to ensure that disabled people do not experience undue delays in receiving training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 10 January 1990]: Training and enterprise councils will set out their training proposals in their business plan. My Department will need to be satisfied that these proposals meet the training needs of the local community and that all clients including people with disabilities have ready access to training.

  FRIENDLY SOCIETIES
  FRIENDLY SOCIETIES
  DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MEDICINAL DRUGS
  DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MEDICINAL DRUGS
  NEW ROAD AND TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION
  NEW ROAD AND TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION
  URBAN PROGRAMME RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS
  URBAN PROGRAMME RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS