Written Answers of 26 January 1990

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Haberdashers' Aske's Schools
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to ensure that pupils registered at the five north Lewisham sixth form consortium schools, who begin the study of any of their
  A-level courses at the Haberdashers' Aske's school in September, will be able to complete the second year of those courses without interruption or disruption due to the conversion of the Aske's schools to a city technology college in September 1991.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Haberdashers' Company has repeatedly stated its wish that the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college, once established, should remain within the north Lewisham sixth form consortium. How this is achieved will be a matter for the governing body of the CTC and for the London borough of Lewisham.

  Governing Bodies, Humberside
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to be able to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Beverley of 19 September 1989 regarding local education authority representatives on school governing bodies in Humberside.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 22 January explaining the current position.

  Departmental Circulars
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the title and numbers of all his Department's circulars issued since June 1979; and what action has been taken to ensure that they have been implemented.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Following is a list of the titles and numbers of all circulars issued since June 1979. Circulars give guidance on the implementation of Government policy on education matters and progress is kept under review in a number of ways.

  Circular number

  Date

  Title

  Circulars 1979

  1/79

  24 January

  Rate Support Grant Settlement 1979–80

  2/79

  29 March

  The Government's Expenditure Plans (Cmnd. 7439): Implications for Local Authority Expenditure 1979–83

  3/79

  27 March

  Tuition Fees in Further Education 1979–80

  4/79

  9 July

  Local Authority Expenditure in 1979–80

  5/79

  12 July

  Tuition Fees and Admissions to Further Education Establishments and Awards 1979–80: Race Relations Act 1976

  Amendments to Circulars

  892

  Circular number

  Date

  Title

  31 October

  Circular 295 (Amendment No. 22) Education Grants for Service Children [Circular 295 Issued 8 November 1955]

  Circulars 1980

  1/80

  2 May

  Education Act 1980

  2/80

  14 July

  Procedure affecting proposals made under Sections 12–16 of The Education Act 1980

  Amendments to Circulars

  10 June

  Circular 295 (Amendment No. 23) Education Grants for Service Children [Circular 295 issued 8 November 1955]

  10 October

  Circular 295 (Amendment No. 24) Education Grants for Service Children [Circular 295 issued 8 November 1955]

  Circulars 1981

  1/81

  5 March

  Education Act 1980: Admission to Schools, Appeals, Publication of Information and School Attendance Orders (Sections 6–11 and Schedule 2)

  2/81

  16 June

  Falling Rolls and Surplus Places

  3/81

  23 June

  Boarding Education for Service Children

  4/81

  30 June

  Education Act 1980: School Government

  5/81

  31 July

  Directive of the Council of the European Community on the Education of the Children of Migrant Workers

  6/81

  1 October

  The School Curriculum

  7/81

  21 October

  Education Act 1980: Sections 27 and 33(3): Regulations

  8/81

  7 December

  Education Act 1981

  Circulars 1982

  1/82

  9 February

  Approval of Advanced Further Education Courses in England

  2/82

  April

  RE: Disabled Persons Act 1981

  3/82

  27 May

  Section 14 of The Education Act 1981: Discontinuance of Maintained Special Schools

  4/82

  8 June

  Statutory Proposals for Secondary Schools and Falling Rolls

  5/82

  25 June

  Approval of Advanced Further Education Courses in England: Revised Arrangements

  6/82

  8 September

  The Youth Training Scheme: Implication for the Education Service

  7/82

  15 October

  Education Act 1980, Sections 27 and 33(3): Regulations: Teachers

  Circulars 1983

  1/83

  31 January

  Assessments and Statements of Special Educational Needs

  2/83

  18 February

  The Initial Training and Qualification for Teaching of Holders of Certain Specialist Qualifications

  3/83

  31 March

  The In-Service Teacher Training Grants Scheme

  4/83

  14 July

  Arrangements for The Approval of Advanced Further Education Courses in England

  5/83

  22 July

  Reduction of Teaching Posts in Advanced Further Education: Redundancy Compensation

  6/83

  2 November

  The Approval of Special Schools

  7/83

  6 December

  Education Act 1980: Application of Section 2 to Maintained Special School

  8/83

  8 December

  The School Curriculum

  Circulars 1984

  1/84

  30 January

  Crime Prevention

  2/84

  29 March

  Certification of Local Authority Claims for Exchequer Grants and Subsidies

  893

  Circular number

  Date

  Title

  3/84

  13 April

  Initial Teacher Training: Approval of Courses

  4/84

  4 May

  The In-Service Teacher Training Grants Scheme

  5/84

  10 July

  Arrangements for the Approval of Advanced Further Education Courses in England, 1985–86

  6/84

  18 July

  Education Support Grants

  7/84

  15 October

  Education Act 1980: Application of Sections 2 and 3 to all maintained schools

  Circulars 1985

  1/85

  26 March

  Youth Service

  2/85

  16 April

  Arrangements for the Approval of Advanced Further Education Courses in England, 1986–87

  3/85

  5 June

  The In-service Teacher Training Grants Scheme

  4/85

  28 June

  The Future of one-year Certificate in Education Courses for Secondary Teachers of Business Studies and of Craft, Design and Technology

  5/85

  7 August

  Education Support Grants

  5/85

  Addendum 20 December

  Education Support Grants: Midday Supervision in Schools

  6/85

  16 September

  The Further Education Act 1985: Commercial Activities in Further Education

  Circulars 1986

  1/86

  2 January

  The In-Service Teacher Training Grants Scheme: Arrangements for the Academic Year 1986–87 and Revised Arrangements to Support GCSE Training in the Academic Year 1985–86

  2/86

  10 February

  School Attendance and Education Welfare Services

  3/86

  21 April

  Arrangements for the Approval of Advanced Further Education Courses in England, 1986–87 and 1987–88

  4/86

  17 July

  Protection of Children: Disclosure of Criminal Background of those with Access to Children

  5/86

  25 June

  Education Support Grants

  6/86

  29 August

  Local Education Authority Training Grants Scheme: Financial Year 1987–88

  7/86

  29 August

  Approval of Courses of Further Training for School and Further Education Teachers in England 1987–88 and Notification of Intended Arrangements for 1988–89

  8/86

  19 December

  Education (No. 2) Act 1986

  Circulars 1987

  1/87

  18 February

  Follow up to HMI Reports

  2/87

  17 March

  Education (Publication of Proposals to Change Status of a Controlled School) Regulations 1987

  3/87

  6 May

  Providing for Quality: The Pattern of Organisation to Age 19

  4/87

  13 May

  Arrangements for the approval of Advanced Further Education Courses in England, 1977-78 and 1988–89

  5/87

  15 May

  School Teachers' Pay and Conditions of Employment

  6/87

  24 July

  Education (No. 2) Act 1986; Regulations made under Sections 51, 61, and 62 and 3rd Commencement Order

  7/87

  7 August

  Education (No. 2) Act 1986: Further Guidance

  8/87

  11 August

  School Teachers' Pay and Conditions of Employment

  9/87

  26 August

  Local Education Authority Training Grants Scheme: Financial Year 1988–89

  894

  Circular number

  Date

  Title

  10/87

  26 August

  Approval for Courses of Further Training for School and Further Education Teachers in England 1988–89

  11/87

  25 September

  Sex Education at School

  Circulars 1988

  1/88

  22 January

  Physical and Mental Fitness to Teach of Teachers and of Entrants to Teacher Training

  2/88

  1 February

  Disabled Persons (Services Consultation and Representation) Act 1988–Implementation Section 5 and 6 LAC88(2)

  3/88

  16 June

  School Teachers Pay and Conditions of Employment

  4/88

  6 July

  Working Together for the Protecton of Children from Abuse: Procedures within the Education Service

  5/88

  15 August

  Local Education Authority Training Grants Scheme: Finance Year 1989–90

  6/88

  18 August

  The Transfer of Responsibility for Education in Inner London

  7/88

  6 September

  Education Reform Act: Local Management of Schools

  8/88

  12 September

  Education Reform Act 1988: Governance of Maintained Further Education Colleges

  9/88

  13 September

  Education Reform Act 1988: Local Management of Further and Higher Education Colleges: Planning and Delegation Schemes and Articles of Government

  10/88

  14 October

  Education Act 1988: Grant Maintained Schools

  11/88

  20 October

  Admission of Pupils to County and Voluntary schools

  12/88

  9 December

  Joint Circular Home Office/Department of Education and Science/Department of Health and Welsh Office–Protection of Children: Disclosure of Criminal Background of those with Access to Children

  Circulars 1989

  1/89

  9 January

  Education Reform Act 1988: Local Arrangements for the Consideration of Complaints

  2/89

  12 January

  Education Reform Act 1988: Charges for School Activities

  3/89

  20 January

  Education Reform Act 1988: Religious Education and Collective Worship

  4/89

  20 February

  Alcohol Misuse

  5/89

  22 February

  Education Reform Act 1988: The School Curriculum and Assessment

  6/89

  7 March

  Education Reform Act 1988: National Curriculum: Mathematics and Science Orders under Section 4

  7/89

  22 March

  The Teachers (Compensation for Redundancy and Premature Retirement) Regulations 1989

  8/89

  4 April

  Ethnically-based Statistics on School Teachers

  9/89

  19 May

  Education Reform Act 1988: Modern Foreign Languages in the National Curriculum

  10/89

  31 May

  Education Reform Act 1988: National Curriculum: English Key Stage One Order under Section 4

  11/89

  31 May

  Education Reform Act 1988: Statutory Approval of Qualifications under Section 5

  12/89

  30 May

  School Teachers Pay and Conditions of Employment

  895

  Circular number

  Date

  Title

  13/89

  9 June

  Local Management of Schools and Further and Higher Education Colleges: Order Under Section 222 of the Education Reform Act 1988

  14/89

  12 June

  Education (School Curriculum an( Related Information) Regulations 1989

  15/89

  11 July

  Education Reform Act 1988: Temporary:: Exceptions from the National Curriculum

  16/89

  25 July

  Ethnically-based Statistics on School Pupils

  17/89

  27 July

  The Education (School Records Regulations 1989

  18/89

  16 August

  The Education (Teachers) Regulation: 1989

  19/89

  17 August

  Adult Continuing Education and the( Education Reform Act 1988: Planning and Delegation Schemes

  20/89

  18 August

  Local Education Authority Training Grants Scheme: Financial Year] 1990–91

  21/89

  23 August

  Grant-Maintained Schools: Financial Arrangements

  22/89

  29 September

  Assessments and Statements of Special Educational Needs: Procedures within the Education, Health and Social Services

  23/89

  8 November

  Special Schools for Pupils with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

  24/89

  10 November

  Initial Teacher Training: Approval of Courses

  National Union of Teachers
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on proposals to restore negotiation rights to the National Union of Teachers.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend held a series of meetings with the teacher unions, including the National Union of Teachers, in October and November last year to discuss new pay determination arrangements. He is considering carefully the points made to him then. Further meetings will take place in due course.

  Collective Worship
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the representations he has received concerning collective worship in schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has received various representations concerning collective worship in schools.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the cost to the Exchequer of implementing the national curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The cost of delivering the national curriculum will be met largely by the redirection of existing resources. However, we are giving local education authorities specific grant support to help with implementation. In this financial year, some £70 million will be available from the Exchequer through education support grants and LEA training grants to support some £100 896
  million LEA expenditure for this purpose. This is in addition to general rate support grant which local authorities may use to implement the national curriculum.

  Some £20 million of Exchequer funds will additionally be deployed on central expenditure on the national curriculum, including the running costs of the National Curriculum Council and the School Examinations and Assessment Council and the costs of developing standard assessment tasks.

  Under-fives
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what submissions the committee examining the education of the under-fives has received; and if he will place copies in the Library.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The organisations and individuals listed in the table have submitted written evidence to the committee. Most organisations have made their submissions public, but the committee does not feel free to make the views of individuals more widely available. In these circumstances it does not propose to place copies of the evidence in the Library.

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  British Association for Early Childhood Education

  Children's Theatre Association

  Community Education Development Centre

  Early Years Curriculum Lobby and National Campaign for Nursery Education (Joint Submission)

  Geographical Association

  National Association for Gifted Children Ltd.

  National Childminding Association

  National Curriculum Council

  National Association of Head Teachers

  Northamptonshire Early Childhood Centre

  Rachel McMillan Nursery School

  Pre-School Playgroups Association

  Save the Children

  Society of Education Officers

  Sheffield Metropolitan Division of the National Union of Teachers

  Trades Union Congress

  Universities Council for the Education of Teachers

  University of Warwick Department of Education

  Voluntary Organisation Liaison Council for under Fives

  Mr. C. Blyth and Mr. F. Wallace

  Mrs. J. M. Burns

  Mr. M. Hiscox

  Ms. Beryl Johnson

  Mrs. Carolyn A. Jones Ms. Jane Kirby

  Ms. M. Lally

  Mrs. M. Lewis

  Ms. Caroline Matusiak Mrs. Janet Morris

  Marjorie Ouvry

  Mrs. Mary Richardson Ms. Christine Stevenson

  Mr. J. Thackray and Ms. F. Sturt

  Jay Trevis

  Ms. H. Waddup and Ms. M. Randell

  Ms. Sylvia Walker

  Ms. Dorothy Wedge

  Computers
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what conclusion he has reached on the proposals for the future for the computer board for the universities and research councils, issued for consultation on 15 September 1989; and if he will make a statement.
  897
  Mr. MacGregor
  The computer board is, like the former University Grants Committee, a non-statutory and strictly advisory body. The consultation proposals were for re-establishment of the board's functions with a new executive character within the Universities Funding Council (UFC); and for the relocation of the board's secretariat from London to Bristol, alongside the two higher education funding councils in 1991.

  In the light of responses to the consultation exercise, particularly from the board and the UFC, I now confirm these proposals. Detailed arrangements will now be made to secure the change of status as soon as is practicable and, in any case, by not later than the date of the move to Bristol. As part of these arrangements, lead responsibility for supercomputing matters will, as recommended by the Advisory Board for the Research Councils, be transferred to the research councils.

  I pay tribute to the achievements of the board to date in relation to not only universities but the wider academic and research community. These proposals recognise that success and, against the background of changes in computing generally and the development of university funding arrangements under the Education Reform Act 1988, pave the way for this to be carried forward into the 1990s.

  Capital allocations for grant-maintained schools in 1990–91

  All figures are in £000s

  School

  Formula allocation

  Named project

  Named project allocation

  Total allocation

  Audenshaw High School (Tameside)

  17·4

  Exterior repairs

  30

  Conversion of CDT room into chemistry laboratory

  120

  2 new art rooms and ancillary rooms

  425

  575

  592·4

  Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School (Lanes)

  17·4

  Replace temporary accommodation

  400

  Roof repair

  138

  Renovate science laboratories

  85

  623

  640·4

  Bankfield High School (Cheshire)

  15·6

  Resite and improve technology, art and modern languages accommodation

  480

  495·6

  Baverstock Grant-Maintained School (Birmingham)

  18·9

  Extractor fan for CDT room

  10

  Removal of asbestos

  15

  25

  43·9

  Beechen Cliff School (Avon)

  18·2

  Extend and improve the technology unit

  210

  Repairs to kitchen and dining room

  180

  390

  408·2

  Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School London

  16·6

  Still to bid

  Castle Hall Grant-Maintained School (Kirklees)

  15·3

  Removal of asbestos

  11

  26·3

  Claremont High School (Brent)

  18·4

  Exterior repairs

  248

  Renovation of laboratories

  80

  328

  346·4

  Colyton Grammar School (Devon)

  15·6

  New technology block

  811

  826·6

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when letters will be sent to grant-maintained schools setting out their capital allocations for the financial year 1990–91

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Letters are being sent today to existing grant-maintained schools and those approved as grant-maintained schools from April 1990 setting out allocations of capital grant totalling £6·6 million for the financial year 1990-91. A further sum of up to £1·9 million is available to meet commitments and contingencies, including the needs of schools coming into the sector after 1 April 1990.

  Following bids from the schools, £5·8 million of the £6·6 million is allocated to named projects and £0·3 million is for committed expenditure resulting from projects in progress before the schools became grant-maintained.

  The remaining £0·5 million is being allocated through a small formula-based capital allocation for each grant-maintained school. Governing bodies will be able to use this allocation for items of capital equipment and small capital works which, because of their relatively small size, were outside the scope of the capital bidding system adopted for grant-maintained schools.

  Priority in the allocations has been given to schools' most pressing needs, including projects related to the health and safety of pupils. The allocations will also help with the introduction of the national curriculum.

  The following is a list of the allocations:
  899

  School

  Formula allocation

  Named project

  Named project allocation

  Total allocation

  Heckmondwike Grammar School (Kirklees)

  16·4

  Repairs and asbestos removal

  84

  Flat roof repairs

  43

  New boilers

  71

  198

  214·4

  Hendon School (Barnet)

  18

  Washroom facilities

  35

  Laboratory improvements

  99

  Renew windows

  46

  180

  198·0

  Lancaster Royal Grammar School (Lanes)

  18·1

  Rewiring

  87

  Convert technical drawing room into information technology room

  24

  Build washrooms

  44

  155

  173·1

  London Nautical School (London)

  15·4

  Repairs

  100

  115·4

  London Oratory School (London)

  20

  Renovation of laboratories

  151

  171·0

  Netherthorpe School (Derbyshire)

  16·3

  16·3

  Old Swinford Hospital (Dudley)

  16·3

  Repairs to stairs

  20

  Repairs to fencing

  7

  Extension to science prep room

  8

  35

  51·3

  Queen Elizabeth's Grant-Maintained School (Lincs)

  15

  Replace temporary accommodation

  100

  115·0

  Queen Elizabeth's Grant-Maintained School for Boys (Barnet)

  19·2

  Repairs

  90

  109·2

  Queensbury School (Beds)

  16·8

  Repairs

  27

  Extractor fan in CDT room

  20

  Fire safety work

  10

  57

  73·8

  Ribston Hall High School (Gloucs)

  16

  New technology unit

  280

  296·0

  Skegness Grammar School (Lincs)

  16·4

  Furniture and equipment for ongoing project

  25

  Remodelling of classroom

  39

  Conversion of art room into a geography room

  28

  92

  108·4

  Small Heath School (Birmingham)

  17·6

  Roof repair/wiring

  50

  67·6

  Southfields School for Girls (Northants)

  16·7

  Still to bid

  16·7

  Southlands School (Berkshire)

  16·2

  Still to bid

  16·2

  St. Francis Xavier's College (Liverpool)

  19

  Repair to flat roof

  32

  51·0

  St. James CE (Bolton)

  17

  Rebuild block

  650

  667·0

  The Grammar School for Girls Wilmington (Kent)

  15·7

  Roof repairs

  23

  Repairs to old block

  21

  44

  59·7

  The King's School Grantham (Lines)

  17·5

  2 new classrooms

  128

  145·5

  Wilson's School (Sutton)

  17·4

  Build technology workshop and convert old space to science laboratories

  200

  217·4

  Total

  494·4

  5,785

  6,279·4

  900

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Overseas Development Natural Resources Unit
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he had with the users and clients of the overseas development natural resources unit, Chatham, prior to his decision to turn it into a statutory agency; if he will summarise any responses; and if he will state the effects on payments to and the nature of services profferred arising out of the change of status.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The decision to accord agency status to the Overseas Development Natural Resources Institute (ODNRI) on 1 April 1990 was based on careful study of the needs of ODA customer departments, which are the institute's main source of income, and of the likely demand for its services from other aid donors. The broad conclusion was that ODNRI had a continuing and important role to play in the sustainable development of natural resources across the developing world.

  ODNRI's principal objectives as an agency will be to maintain its international reputation and comparative advantage as a source of multidisciplinary, problem-solving expertise; to reflect in its work the particular needs of the British aid programme; to undertake work for other aid donors; and to extend and strengthen links with scientific institutions and universities in Britain and overseas.

  ODNRI will remain part of the ODA. Payments for its services will be based on the full economic costs of providing them. The institute's skill base and the services that it offers will depend, as now, on the demands of its customers, acting on behalf of the ultimate beneficiaries of its work in developing countries. The institute will be free to expand if demand for its expertise justifies this.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions, for each year since 1980, applications for planning permission were refused by the Department of the Environment town and country planning division on the grounds of unsuitable road access; and if he will give details for each district council area.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 19 January 1990]This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

PRIME MINISTER

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her recent meeting with Dame Lydia Dunn and Mr. Allen Lee concerning the future of Hong Kong.

  The Prime Minister
  I had a useful meeting with Dame Lydia Dunn and Mr. Allen Lee, the two Senior Members of the Office of the Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, on 23 January. I listened very carefully to what they had to say about Hong Kong's902
  constitutional development. I assured them that we would take their views into account in taking our decisions about this important matter.

  Travel
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to the answers given to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Adley) in the Official Report, 27 November 1989, column 92, and to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) in the Official Report, 1 December 1989, column 446, she will list those occasions since 1 January 1987 when she has travelled on official business on a British Rail train.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch (Mr. Adley) on 27 November at column 92.

ENERGY

  Power Generation
  Mr. Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions since May 1979 he or Ministers of his Department stated(a) in Parliament and (b) outside Parliament that nuclear-generated power is cheaper than coal-generated power.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Such statements are not recorded centrally, and the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, I draw the right hon. Member's attention to my statement to the House on 9 November 1989, when I stated that"The Government have for some time recognised that our nuclear power is more costly than power from fossil-fuelled generating stations".—[Official Report, 9 November 1989; Vol. 159, c. 1175.]

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limits or running costs limits for 1989–90.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the following changes will be made.

  The cash limit for class VI, vote 3 will be increased by £1,210,000 from £37,889,000 to £39,099,000. The increase is sought because of higher than forecast costs of staff, including some additional staff, and certain supporting services, partially offset by savings and increased appropriations in aid. For the same reasons, the limit on the Department's running costs in the vote is also increased by £1,225,000 from £38,122,000 to £39,347,000.

  The increase in cash limit for class VI, vote 3 will be fully offset by a reduction of £2,100,000 in the cash limit for class VI, vote 2 from £289,488,000 to 287,388,000 and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Office of Electricity Regulation
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether any changes will be made to the Office of Electricity Regulation's (OFFER) cash limit or running costs limit for 1989–90.
  903
  Mr. Wakeham
  I understand that a Supplementary Estimate will be submitted by the Director General of the Office of Electricity Regulation, who is accountable for the vote. The following changes will be made.

  The cash limit for class VI, vote 7 relating to expenditure by the Office of Electricity Regulation has been reduced by £1,499,000 from £7,796,000 to £6,297,000. The running costs limit has been reduced by £2,653,000 from £6,320,000 to £3,667,000.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Defamation
  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects the review of the law of defamation to be completed.

  The Attorney-General
  Good progress has been made with the review and my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor hopes that it will be completed fairly soon.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the accountancy firms which act as auditors to public bodies sponsored by his Department.

  Mr. Redwood
  The following accountancy firms audit nationalised industries and executive non-departmental public bodies for which my Department is responsible:

  Firm

  Public body

  BDO Binder Hamlyn

  British Hallmarking Council

  Coopers and Lybrand

  National Consumers Council

  Gas Consumers Council

  Ernst and Young

  English Industrial Estates Corporation

  National Film Development Fund

  Post Office (and Girobank)

  Grant Thornton

  Hearing Aid Council

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  British Technology Group (NRDC, NEB)

  Price Waterhouse

  British Shipbuilders

  Touche Ross and Company

  Policyholders' Protestion Board

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of Britain's top 100 companies are audited by accountancy firms criticised by his Department's inspectors.

  Mr. Redwood
  This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Insider Dealing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any of the individuals prosecuted in 1988 and 1989 in connection with insider dealings are accountants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Three of the individuals who were tried for insider dealing offences in 1988 and 1989 are known to have a professional accountancy qualification. In one other case where a prosecution was begun in 1989 the defendant has an accountancy qualification.
  904

  Company Prosecutions
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Redcar of 16 January,Official Report, column 187, how many of the 113 successful prosecutions completed since 1 January 1979 were commenced before that date.

  Mr. Redwood
  It is not possible to provide the information requested by the hon. Member within the time limit imposed on costs. The figure given includes prosecutions carried out not only by my Department but by other prosecution authorities, for example, the Direct or of Public Prosecutions, the Serious Fraud Office and the police and full records for these are not maintained within the Department.

  Petrol
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the supply of petrol.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the supply of petrol was received on 20 December 1989. It will be published as soon as possible.

  Office of Telecommunications
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he proposes to make any changes to the running costs limit for the Office of Telecommunications for 1989—90.

  Mr. Forth
  The running costs limit will be reduced by £37,000 from £4,196,000 to £4,159,000 to compensate for an overspend in 1988-89.

  Companies Act 1989
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he proposes to commence any provisions of the Companies Act 1989.

  Mr. Redwood
  Parts of section 75 of the Companies Act 1989 came into force on 25 January 1990. These provisions extend the purposes for which information which is restricted information for the purposes of section 179 of the Financial Services Act 1986 may be disclosed.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why export credit guarantee cover has not generally been available for contracts with Vietnam since 1982.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 22 January 1990]ECGD's assessment of individual markets is based upon economic considerations. It is not departmental policy to publish the full details of these assessments, but in the case of Vietnam, I can say that cover for medium and long-term business was withdrawn following defaults on repayment. Vietnam is currently in breach of its financial obligations to the International Monetary Fund and its major creditor countries.

WALES

  Ambulance Dispute
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the ambulance dispute in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  This is an unnecessary and damaging dispute. The offer made by the management side is fair and constructive and is the most the NHS can reasonably afford without cutting into patient services. It should be accepted and normal working resumed.

  The industrial action being taken by ambulance staff has not so far affected accident and emergency services in any part of Wales. Non-urgent and outpatient services are however being disrupted to varying degrees. Day patients, particularly the elderly and infirm, are suffering as a direct result of this action.

  We hope that the dispute can be settled quickly to avoid any further hardship to patients.

  Supply Teachers
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many complaints about the pay arrangements for supply teachers he has received; and to which local education authority they referred.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Two. The local education authorities to which they referred were West Glamorgan and Gwent.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will detail the total assistance given to the fishing industry(a) in Wales and (b) for vessels registered for the port of Milford Haven in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  [holding answer 19 January 1990]Details of total assistance given to the fishing industry in Wales for each year since 1974 are contained in the published "Appropriation Accounts" covering the period; copies are available in the Library of the House. These publications contain details of EC grant aid for the construction and modification of fishing vessels and for marketing, processing and infrastructure projects associated with the fishing industry, as well as Government expenditure on harbour grants, grants for the decommissioning of fishing vessels and costs incurred on fisheries protection operations.

  Assistance was given to Milford Haven registered vessels in two of the years since 1974, as follows:

  1988£

  1989£

  297,139

  42,776

  Welsh Language
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by grade those posts in his Department for which a knowledge of Welsh is essential.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 23 January 1990]The information is as follows:

  1 Grade 7

  I HEO

  906

  2 EO

  1 AO

  2 Typists

  In addition there are a number of work areas within my Department in which a proportion of Welsh speakers is very desirable. Staff are recruited and deployed accordingly.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by grade those staff, excluding Her Majesty's inspectorate, in his Department's education division, whose duties involve the Government's proposals for the introduction of Welsh in the national curriculum who are able to conduct the full range of their responsibilities through the medium of Welsh.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 23 January 1990]: No such criterion is used, but the following information relates to numbers of Welsh speakers whose duties include the proposals for the introduction of Welsh in the national curriculum:

  1 Grade 2

  1 Grade 3

  1 Grade 5

  1 HEO

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disability Benefits
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how he proposes to consult disability organisations on his plans for disability benefits outlined in "The Way Ahead: Benefits for Disabled People."

  Mr. Scott
  We have sent a copy of our proposals to a wide range of disability organisations and other interested bodies, including the Disability Benefits Consortium which represents over 250 organisations of and for disabled people. We shall take account of comments made during the course of our detailed work on the major changes we have announced, in particular the new disability allowance and the disability employment credit.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what basis the Government estimate that 50,000 people might be entitled to disability employment credit.

  Mr. Scott
  The estimate of 50,000 potential disability employment credit (DEC) recipients is a tentative one, derived by examining the OPCS disability survey data to identify two main eligible groups:

  (a) disability and incapacity benefit recipients not currently working but who, in response to the survey questions on employment, indicated interest in and capacity for doing some limited paid work, and

  (b)disability benefit recipients who were already working but whose hours of work and earnings indicated potential entitlement to the DEC.

  The final figure of 50,000 reflects further broad assumptions about the extent to which these people are likely to be able to find suitable jobs and to take advantage of the DEC.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assumptions are made about the level of disability employment credit in suggesting in paragraph 5.17 of "The Way Ahead" that the gross cost of the new benefit will be £80 million.
  907
  Mr. Scott
  It is assumed that applicable amounts for the disability employment credit will broadly follow those for family credit, but precise details of the credit are still to be considered.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what his Department estimates to be the average costs arising from disability, other than those associated with mobility or attendance needs.

  Mr. Scott
  The surveys of disability carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) found that average extra costs arising from disability ranged from £3·20 for the least severely disabled adults to £11·70 for the most severely disabled adults. The majority of disabled people have more than one disability, and OPCS found that it was not possible to produce reliable estimates of the extra costs attributable to each type of disability.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the proposed age-related additions to severe disablement allowance will take account of recipients of NCIP and HNCIP transferred to SDA.

  1990–91

  £ million 1989–90 prices

  Extra Costs (+)

  Savings (-)

  Net Effect

  Increase in adults' disability premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +18

  —

  +18

  Introduction of £10 carers' premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +6

  —

  +6

  Increase in disabled child's premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +8

  —

  +8

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to disabled babies

  +5

  —

  +5

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to terminally-ill people without a waiting period

  +13

  —

  +13

  Increase in top rate of Invalidity Allowance to £10

  +1

  neg.

  +1

  Extension of Mobility Allowance to people who are deaf and blind

  +4

  —

  +4

  Additional funds for the Independent Living Fund 2

  +19

  —

  +19

  Introduce Disability Allowance

  —

  —

  —

  Abolish upper age limit for payment of help with mobility needs

  —

  —

  —

  Introduce age-related addition in Severe Disablement Allowance

  +35

  -20

  +15

  Introduce Disability Employment Credit 3

  —

  —

  —

  End entitlement to Reduced Earnings Allowance in new cases

  neg.

  -1

  -1

  End accruals of new rights to Invalidity Benefit Additional Pension

  —

  —

  —

  Totals 4

  +109

  -21

  +88

  1991–92

  £ million 1989–90 prices

  Extra Costs (+)

  Savings (-)

  Net Effect

  Increase in adults' disability premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +19

  —

  +19

  Introduction of £10 carers' premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +15

  —

  +15

  Increase in disabled child's premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +8

  —

  +8

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to disabled babies

  +6

  —

  +6

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to terminally-ill people without a waiting period

  +28

  —

  +28

  908
  Mr. Scott
  Yes. Our intention is that people who have transferred from NCIP and HNCIP will have the addition related to their age when incapacity for work began for the purposes of these benefits.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give (i) the extra expenditure and (ii) any savings for each year up to 2000 as a result of each of the main measures on disability benefits which he announced on 10 January; and if he will make further projections for(a) extra costs and (b) savings for each of these measures between the years 2000 and 2025 where these can be estimated in broad orders of magnitude.

  Mr. Scott
  The available information is given in the table. It is not possible to provide reliable estimates for each measure in every year, particularly in the longer term, since the costs and savings depend on a large number of factors which cannot be accurately forecast. The table therefore gives estimates for the next four financial years, together with projections of the likely effects in 2000-01 and 2025-26 The figures for 2000-01 and, in particular, those for 2025-26 are subject to considerable margins of uncertainty.
  909

  Extra Costs (+)

  Savings (-)

  Net Effect

  Increase in top rate of Invalidity Allowance to £10

  +1

  neg.

  +1

  Extension of Mobility Allowance to people who are deaf and blind

  +5

  —

  +5

  Additional funds for the Independent Living Fund 2

  +26

  —

  +26

  Introduce Disability Allowance

  —

  —

  —

  Abolish upper age limit for payment of help with mobility needs

  —

  —

  —

  Introduce age-related addition in Severe Disablement Allowance

  +110

  -60

  +50

  Introduce Disability Employment Credit 3

  —

  —

  —

  End entitlement to Reduced Earnings Allowance in new cases

  +1

  -18

  -17

  End accruals of new rights to Invalidity Benefit Additional Pension

  —

  —

  —

  Totals 4

  +219

  -78

  +141

  1992–93

  £ million 1989–90 prices

  Extra Costs (+)

  Savings (-)

  Net Effect

  Increase in adults' disability premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +19

  —

  +19

  Introduction of £10 carers' premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +15

  —

  +15

  Increase in disabled child's premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +8

  —

  +8

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to disabled babies

  +6

  —

  +6

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to terminally-ill people without a waiting period

  +29

  —

  +29

  Increase in top rate of Invalidity Allowance to £10

  +1

  neg

  +1

  Extension of Mobility Allowance to people who are deaf and blind

  l —

  —

  —

  Additional funds for the Independent Living Fund 2

  +27

  —

  +27

  Introduce Disability Allowance

  + 115

  —

  +115

  Abolish upper age limit for payment of help with mobility needs

  —

  —

  —

  Introduce age-related addition in Severe Disablement Allowance

  +115

  -65

  +50

  Introduce Disability Employment Credit 3

  +80

  -90

  -10

  End entitlement to Reduced Earnings Allowance in new cases

  +2

  -43

  -41

  End accruals of new rights to Invalidity Benefit Additional Pension

  +5

  -10

  -5

  Total 4

  +422

  -208

  +214

  1993–94

  £ million 1989–90 prices

  Extra Costs (+)

  Savings (-)

  Net Effect

  Increase in adults' disability premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +19

  —

  +19

  Introduction of £10 carers' premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +15

  —

  +15

  Increase in disabled child's premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +8

  —

  +8

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to disabled babies

  +6

  —

  +6

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to terminally-ill people without a waiting period

  +30

  —

  +30

  Increase in top rate of Invalidity Allowance to £10

  +1

  neg.

  +1

  Extension of Mobility Allowance to people who are deaf and blind

  —

  —

  —

  910 911

  Extra Costs (+)

  Savings (-)

  Net Effect

  Additional funds for the Independent Living Fund 2

  +28

  —

  +28

  Introduce Disability Allowance

  +230

  —

  +230

  Abolish upper age limit for payment of help with mobility needs

  —

  —

  —

  Introduce age-related addition in Severe Disablement Allowance

  +120

  -65

  +55

  Introduce Disability Employment Credit 3

  +80

  -90

  -10

  End entitlement to Reduced Earnings Allowance in new cases

  +3

  -64

  -61

  End accruals of new rights to Invalidity Benefit Additional Pension

  +5

  -30

  -25

  Totals 4

  +545

  -249

  +296

  2001–02

  £ million 1989–90 prices

  Extra Costs (+)

  Savings (-)

  Net Effect

  Increase in adults' disability premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +25

  —

  +25

  Introduction of £10 carers' premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +20

  —

  +20

  Increase in disabled child's premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +10

  —

  +10

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to disabled babies

  +5

  —

  +5

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to terminally-ill people without a waiting period

  +25

  —

  +25

  Increase in top rate of Invalidity Allowance to £10

  +1

  neg.

  +1

  Extension of Mobility Allowance to people who are deaf and blind

  —

  —

  —

  Additional funds for the Independent Living Fund 2

  —

  —

  —

  Introduce Disability Allowance

  +280

  —

  +280

  Abolish upper age limit for payment of help with mobility needs

  +100

  —

  +100

  Introduce age-related addition in Severe Disablement Allowance

  +110

  -60

  +50

  Introduce Disability Employment Credit 3

  +80

  -90

  -10

  End entitlement to Reduced Earnings Allowance in new cases

  +10

  -140

  -130

  End accruals of new rights to Invalidity Benefit Additional Pension

  +105

  -475

  -370

  Totals 4

  +771

  -765

  +6

  2025–26 (5)

  £ million 1989–90 prices

  Extra Costs (+)

  Savings (-)

  Net Effect

  Increase in adults' disability premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +30

  —

  +30

  Introduction of £10 carers' premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +25

  —

  +25

  Increase in disabled child's premium in Income Support and Housing Benefit

  +10

  —

  +10

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to disabled babies

  +10

  —

  +10

  Extension of Attendance Allowance to terminally-ill people without a waiting period

  +30

  —

  +30

  Increase in top rate of Invalidity Allowance to £10

  *—

  neg.

  *—

  Extension of Mobility Allowance to people who are deaf and blind

  —

  —

  —

  Additional funds for the Independent Living Fund 2

  —

  —

  —

  Introduce Disability Allowance

  +370

  —

  +370

  912 913

  Extra Costs (+)

  Savings (-)

  Net Effect

  Abolish upper age limit for payment of help with mobility needs

  +180

  —

  +180

  Introduce age-related addition in Severe Disablement Allowance

  +120

  -65

  +55

  Introduce Disability Employment Credit 3

  +80

  -90

  -10

  End entitlement to Reduced Earnings Allowance in new cases

  +15

  -165

  -150

  End accruals of new rights to Invalidity Benefit Additional Pension

  +525

  -1,825

  1,300

  Totals 4

  +1,395

  -2,145

  -750

  1 Additional expenditure on Mobility Allowance for the deaf-blind is included in the Disability Allowance totals after 1992–93.

  2 Subject to decisions about the future of the Independent Living Fund.

  3 The net effect on expenditure on the Disability Employment Credit is difficult to predict and will depend on whether recipients were previously receiving out-of-work benefits.

  4 Totals revised upwards since the Autumn Statement to reflect a small downwards adjustment of estimated savings from the change in the Reduced Earnings Allowance. Totals may not equal sum of components because of rounding.

  5 Estimates for 2025–26 are rounded to the nearest £5 million, except in the case of ending new accruals of IVB additional pension rights where they are rounded to the nearest £25 million. Asterisk denotes less than £2½ million.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department is taking to extend cold weather payments to include senior citizens, the sick and disabled who do not receive income support.

  Mr. Scott
  We are satisfied that the social fund cold weather payments scheme concentrates the help available on those most at risk from the cold and who are most in need of help to pay for extra heating.

DEFENCE

  Aldermaston
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement as to progress by his Department's fraud squad on its inquiries into fraud on construction projects at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston.

  Mr. Neubert
  I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 9 January at column 804.

  Table I— Intake to United Kingdom Regular Forces from civilian life

  Number

  Total

  Males

  Females

  Total

  Officers

  Servicemen

  Total

  Officers

  Servicewomen

  All Services

  1985–86

  32,651

  30,407

  2,799

  27,608

  2,244

  327

  1,917

  1986–87

  34,049

  31,014

  2,920

  28,227

  2,902

  360

  2,542

  1987–88

  33,826

  31,215

  2,548

  28,667

  26,11

  362

  2,249

  1988–89

  33,863

  30,862

  2,262

  28,600

  3,001

  361

  2,640

  Royal Navy

  1985–86

  4,276

  3,987

  568

  3,419

  289

  32

  257

  1986–87

  5,336

  4,791

  592

  4,199

  545

  36

  509

  1987–88

  5,181

  4,601

  455

  4,146

  580

  26

  554

  1988–89

  5,298

  4,598

  484

  4,114

  700

  31

  669

  Royal Marines

  1985–86

  1,093

  1,093

  65

  1,028

  —

  —

  —

  1986–87

  1,233

  1,233

  62

  1,171

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88

  991

  991

  53

  938

  —

  —

  —

  1988–89

  937

  937

  43

  894

  —

  —

  —

  Army

  1985–86

  20,268

  19,173

  1,374

  17,799

  1,095

  151

  944

  1986–87

  19,918

  18,718

  1,362

  17,356

  1,200

  154

  1,046

  1987–88

  21,041

  19,895

  1,254

  18,641

  1,146

  148

  998

  1988–89

  21,348

  19,921

  1,150

  18,771

  1,427

  147

  1,280

  914

  Recruitment
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many men and women were recruited to the Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988; how many left each of the services prematurely; and what the average length of service was for each.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Information on premature wastage is not readily available for calendar years but is available for financial years. The total intakes to the United Kingdom regular forces in financial years 1985-86 to 1988-89 are detailed in table 1. The total numbers of exits from the services under premature wastage outflow categories during the same period are detailed in table 2. The categories included in the outflow numbers are those listed in table 4.18 of volume 2 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" with the exception of "Time and age expiries or exercise of rights at option point" and for service women only "By exercise of right to give 18 months notice". Details of average length of service could not be produced without disproportionate cost.
  915

  Total

  Males

  Females

  Total

  Officers

  Servicemen

  Total

  Officers

  Servicewomen

  Royal Air Force

  1985–86

  7,014

  6,154

  792

  5,362

  860

  144

  716

  1986–87

  7,562

  6,405

  904

  5,501

  1,157

  170

  987

  1987–88

  6,613

  5,728

  786

  4,942

  885

  188

  697

  1988–89

  6,280

  5,406

  585

  4,821

  874

  183

  691

  Table 2—Premature outflow from United Kingdom Regular Forces

  Number

  Total

  Males

  Females

  Total

  Officers

  Servicemen

  Total

  Officers

  Servicewomen

  All Services

  1985–86

  22,407

  20,413

  2,303

  18,110

  1,994

  150

  1,844

  1986–87

  21,901

  19,911

  2,286

  17,625

  1,990

  152

  1,838

  1987–88

  22,474

  20,383

  2,191

  18,192

  2,091

  153

  1,938

  1988–89

  24,251

  22,452

  2,187

  20,265

  1,799

  162

  1,637

  Royal Navy

  1985–86

  4,700

  4,344

  369

  3,975

  356

  17

  339

  1986–87

  4,702

  4,332

  380

  3,952

  370

  17

  353

  1987–88

  4,145

  3,760

  389

  3,371

  385

  20

  365

  1988–89

  4,091

  3,747

  409

  3,338

  344

  17

  327

  Royal Marines

  1985–86

  809

  809

  36

  773

  —

  —

  —

  1986–87

  831

  831

  39

  792

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88

  777

  777

  27

  750

  —

  —

  —

  1988-89

  766

  766

  38

  728

  —

  —

  —

  Army

  1985–86

  12,680

  11.657

  1,335

  10,322

  1,023

  76

  947

  1986–87

  12,343

  11,401

  1,287

  10,114

  942

  49

  893

  1987–88

  13,508

  12,492

  1,256

  11,236

  1,016

  65

  951

  1988–89

  14,233

  13,490

  1,139

  12,351

  743

  58

  685

  Royal Air Force

  1985–86

  4,218

  3,603

  563

  3,040

  615

  57

  558

  1986–87

  4,025

  3,347

  580

  2,767

  678

  86

  592

  1987–88

  4,044

  3,354

  519

  2,835

  690

  68

  622

  1988–89

  5,161

  4,449

  601

  3,848

  712

  87

  625

  Number

  Financial years

  1 April to 31 December

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1987

  1968

  All Services

  31,926

  34,554

  36,521

  36,961

  36,938

  27,167

  28,964

  Male officers

  3,372

  3,194

  3,388

  3,258

  3,374

  2,660

  2,643

  Commissioned officers

  2,829

  2,577

  2,678

  2,492

  2,690

  2,126

  2,168

  Time and age expiries or exercise of right at option point

  1,276

  1,106

  1,085

  972

  1,183

  912

  898

  Premature release at own request1

  917

  1,094

  1,223

  1,121

  1,154

  952

  969

  Redundancies

  308

  10

  7

  6

  —

  —

  —

  Medical reasons and deaths

  102

  104

  110

  106

  91

  76

  89

  Other reasons

  226

  263

  253

  287

  262

  186

  212

  Officers designate

  543

  617

  710

  766

  684

  534

  475

  At own request

  84

  73

  119

  127

  110

  75

  95

  Medical reasons and deaths

  13

  12

  8

  26

  20

  12

  6

  Other reasons

  446

  532

  583

  613

  554

  447

  374

  Servicemen

  26,096

  28,901

  30,493

  30,936

  30,660

  22,376

  24,304

  Before completion of 6 months service

  5,580

  5,925

  5,437

  6,299

  6,535

  4,541

  4,844

  By exercise of right

  3,655

  4,009

  3,863

  4,414

  4,372

  3,008

  3,379

  Unsatisfactory, disciplinary and other reasons

  1,805

  1,695

  1,429

  1,721

  2,030

  1,439

  1,350

  Medical reasons and deaths

  116

  215

  144

  161

  132

  93

  114

  Compassionate release

  4

  6

  1

  3

  1

  1

  1

  After completion of 6 months service

  20,516

  22,976

  25,056

  24,637

  24,145

  17,835

  19,460

  Time and age expiries or exercise of right at option point

  10,779

  11,501

  12,383

  13,311

  12,468

  9,269

  9,556

  916 917

  Financial years

  1 April to 31 December

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1987

  1988

  Premature release at own request1

  4,221

  6,113

  7,215

  6,742

  7,052

  5,181

  6,275

  Redundancies

  346

  422

  505

  147

  26

  10

  —

  Unsatisfactory, disciplinary and other reasons

  4,010

  3,538

  3,379

  3,067

  3,152

  2,334

  2,382

  Medical reasons and deaths

  948

  1,194

  1,408

  1,197

  1,254

  938

  1,122

  Compassionate release

  212

  208

  166

  173

  143

  103

  125

  Female officers2

  304

  298

  351

  334

  328

  251

  259

  Time and age expiries or exercise of right at option point

  165

  162

  201

  182

  175

  124

  135

  At own request

  112

  108

  110

  120

  120

  100

  102

  Medical reasons and deaths

  6

  12

  3

  7

  5

  5

  4

  Other reasons

  21

  16

  37

  25

  28

  22

  188

  Servicewomen

  2,154

  2,161

  2,289

  2,433

  2,556

  1,80

  1,758

  Time and age expiries or exercise of right at option point

  68

  58

  96

  136

  167

  124

  119

  By exercise of right to give 18 months notice

  308

  305

  349

  459

  451

  289

  351

  At own request

  329

  307

  296

  373

  358

  254

  279

  Marriage, pregnancy

  1,199

  1,261

  1,325

  1,171

  1,247

  974

  822

  Unsatisfactory, disciplinary and other reasons

  198

  185

  182

  237

  267

  185

  151

  Medical reasons and deaths

  43

  41

  36

  53

  61

  49

  32

  Compassionate release

  9

  4

  5

  4

  5

  5

  4

  1 The numbers shown as premature release at own request, for both officers and servicemen, relate only to trained personnel.

  2 As the numbers for female officers designate are small, they have been included in those for female officers.

  Ambulance Service
  Sir Alan Glyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional training is being undertaken and equipment provided for the ambulance service provided by the Army to bring it up to the same standard as the normal civilian ambulance service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All service medical attendants receive basic training in medical skills. The majority of those assisting in maintaining a service to the public during the present dispute are full-time medical personnel who normally work in hospitals, medical centres and medical field units. Many of these men will already have been trained specifically to handle medical emergencies. Refresher and additional training has been given where necessary and additional equipment has been fitted to service vehicles to ensure that an effective emergency service can be provided to the public.

  Colombia
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional sums are being paid to Special Air Service forces serving in Colombia as part of the anti-drug campaign; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not the practice to comment on matters concerning special forces. Service personnel serving overseas receive their normal pay and, in addition, allowances appropriate to the country in which they are deployed.

HEALTH

  Self-governing Hospitals
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals being considered for self-governing status, have academic, medical or scientific staff working at them 918
  with honorary appointments; and what arrangements he has made with the related university authority to ensure that the teaching and research work of academic staff continues and develops.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Until Parliament has approved the necessary legislation, no units will be considered for NHS trust status. However 190 units have expressed interest, including 80 which I understand are likely to be in a position to apply for NHS trust status in April 1991. A number of the units expressing interest include hospitals with significant connections with university, medical and dental schools; all of these might therefore be expected to have working at them clinical academic staff with honorary NHS contracts.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health will continue to be responsible for the provision of clinical services for medical education and research. The NHS and Community Care Bill, currently before the House, empowers NHS trusts to provide teaching, training and research. We are also receiving advice from the steering group on undergraduate medical and dental education, which contains representatives of all the main bodies with responsibility for undergraduate medical and dental education.

  General Practitioners (Complaints)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any proposals to allow lawyers to represent patients in complaint hearings against general practitioners before family practitioner committees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  There are no plans to change the present procedures under which neither party may be represented by a paid advocate except where appeals are concerned.

  Haemophiliacs
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health why the haemophiliac sufferers contaminated with the HIV virus have not yet received the capital sum promised them via the McFarlane Trust: and when he expects the payments to be made.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Detailed arrangements for payment of the ex-gratia sums announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 23 November 1989 at columns 11–12 are being finalised. Discussions with the McFarlane Trust are almost complete and we hope that it will be possible to start making the payments within a matter of days. A further statement will be made as soon as possible.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer of introducing a nil rate corporation tax band on the first £5,000 of a company's profits; and what would be the cost if it were to be introduced(a) for companies in the first five years from registration for value-added tax and (b) for non-registered companies.

  Mr. Lilley
  On the assumption that a single £5,000 nil rate band would be available to a company group and would be divided equally between the members of the group, the direct revenue cost is tentatively estimated at some £100 million. This estimate is based on the existing distribution of taxable profits and therefore excludes the effect of behavioural changes. These cannot readily be quantified but they are likely to have a further very substantial effect upon revenue. I regret that information required to provide estimates under conditions(a) and (b) is not available.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the amounts of money spent by the Governments of the United Kingdom, West Germany and France on research and development in industry, the universities and defence during their last financial years; and what are their spending expectations in each of these categories separately in their current financial years.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The available information relates to net central Government expenditure on research and development analysed by the European Community objectives, industrial production and technology, research financed from general university funds and defence. For the United Kingdom the information for 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90 was published in table 7 on page 95 of the August 1989 issue of "Economic Trends", a copy of which is in the Library. Comparable figures for France and West Germany for the years available are given in the table
  920

  £ million

  West Germany

  France

  1987

  19881

  1987

  19881

  Industrial production and technology

  808

  800

  761

  771

  Research financed from general university funds

  1,551

  1,693

  683

  735

  Defence

  660

  687

  1,952

  2,357

  Source: Statistical office of European Community: Government financing of R and
  D in Member States 1980–88.

  Notes:

  1. Converted to £ sterling using purchasing power parities calculated by OECD.

  2. The figures relate to appropriations for commitments and are not strictly comparable with outturn data.

  1 Provisional.

  Drugs
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the balance of payments deficit is affected by the illegal importation of drugs.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Illegally imported drugs are not included in the published data.

  Companies
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been expended by the United Kingdom on the acquisition of companies abroad and on the acquisition by foreign companies of United Kingdom companies in 1989; and what are the comparable figures for each year
  since 1979 at constant prices.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest available figures are given in business bulletin "Cross-Border Acquisitions and Mergers—Third Quarter 1989." Figures are available on this basis only from 1986. A copy of this publication is available in the Library. Because the figures relate to transactions for which there are no suitable price deflators, values on a constant price basis are not available.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any proposals to review the overall position of charities in respect of value added tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

  Inland Revenue
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any changes are proposed in the cash limit and running cost limit for 1989–90 for the Inland Revenue.

  Mr. Lilley
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate the cash limit for class XIX vote 7 will be increased from £1,234,973,000 to £1,237,173,000 and the running cost limit for Inland Revenue from £1,202,092,000 to £1,202,308,000. The change in running cost limit arises from a transfer from the Cabinet Office (Office of the Minister for the Civil Service) for challenge funding (class XX, vote 1) and the costs associated with the distribution of profit-related pay pamphlets (these are recovered from HM Treasury—class
  921
  XIX, vote 11). The change in the cash limit also includes an amount for capital to provide for purchase of land in Nottingham for the relocation of London headquarters staff; this increase will be met from existing but unallocated public expenditure provision.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any changes are proposed in the cash limit and running cost limit for 1989–90 for Customs and Excise.

  Mr. Ryder
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate the cash limit for class XIX vote 2 will be increased from £563,065,000 to £580,342,000 and the running cost limit for Customs and Excise from £505,620,000 to £505,897,000. The change in the running costs limit arises from the transfer from the Cabinet Office (Office of the Minister for the Civil Service) (class XX, vote 1) for challenge funding and the costs associated with a programme for the training of overseas customs officers, the costs of which are being met by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (class II, vote 1) and the Home Office (class XI, vote 3). There is therefore no net increase in public expenditure as a result of these increases. The change in the cash limit also includes an amount to cover the costs of payments made or being made in respect of interest (or ex-gratia payments in lieu of interest) on repayments of VAT, the need for which I announced in a written reply on 19 December 1989 (Official Report, col 178): these costs fall outside the definition of the public expenditure planning total.

  Revenue Support Grant
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the effect of his decision to bring forward payments of revenue support grant to local authorities on the central Government borrowing requirement in 1990–91

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 16 January 1990]Assuming current interest rates, there will be an interest cost of less than £100 million to central Government in 1990–91, compared with the situation if grant were still to be paid according to the present rate support grant profile. This has no effect on the PSBR, since local authorities will save the cost of borrowing the amounts brought forward.

  Acquisitions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value for 1989 of takeover acquisitions made by(a) United Kingdom companies abroad and (b) foreign companies in the United Kingdom; and what the comparable figure was for (i) five years and (ii) 10 years ago.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest available figures are given in Business Bulletin "Cross-Border Acquisitions and Mergers—Third Quarter 1989". Figures are available on this basis only from 1986. A copy of this publication is available in the Library.
  922

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the increase in output per head in manufacturing since 1979 together with the increase in output per head in the rest of the economy.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The increases in output per head in manufacturing and non-manufacturing between 1979 and the third quarter of 1989 were 53 per cent. and 14 per cent. respectively.

EMPLOYMENT

  Homeworkers
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many accidents causing(a) minor injuries, (b) serious injuries and (c) fatalities there have been in the last 10 years to homeworkers while they were engaged with their work in their homes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Injuries occurring in domestic premises arising out of homework activity are not separately identified from the generality of injuries to employees and the self-employed and therefore data cannot be supplied.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many representations he has received from right hon. and hon. Members since 1979 concerning the rights of homeworkers;

  (2) how many representations he has receive00d since 1979 from members of the public concerning rights of homeworkers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Records show that 14 letters on the subject of homeworking have been received direct from members of the public since 1979 and 16 through Members of Parliament. Members have also sent seven letters on their own account. Ministers have also received deputations including a Member of Parliament on two occasions. It is not possible in the time available to state how many of the letters should be categorised "representations on the rights of homeworkers"

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the average rates of pay(a) per week and (b) per item made for homeworkers in England and Wales giving the most recent figures for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested is not available.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of national insurance contributors paying the share fishermen's rate(a) nationally, (b) in Grimsby and (c) in Scotland in the latest available year.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have been asked to reply.

  During 1986–87, the latest year for which final figures are available, a total of 12,300 United Kingdom contributors paid the share fishermen's rate of national insurance contribution: of these 11,600 were in Great Britain. I regret that separate figures are not available for either Scotland or Grimsby.

  Stockport
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations Stockport metropolitan borough council has had with his Department about a questionnaire, a copy of which has been sent to him, being circulated by the council to the unemployed in Stockport; and if he will make a statement

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 19 January 1990]The Stockport metropolitan borough council discussed the questionnaire with the manager of Stockport "C" unemployment benefit office and the employment service area manager at Rochdale, who agreed to distribute the questionnaire.

  This needs to be set in the wider context of the overall reduction in long-term unemployment which has been achieved by activities of the employment services in Stockport. In the past 12 months unemployment in the Stockport metropolitan borough council area has fallen by 23 per cent, with long-term unemployment falling by 28 per cent.

  Earnings
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, further to his letter of 11 January to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby, replying further to his holding answer of 19 December to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby,Official Report, 20 December, column 235, whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the percentage median, quartile and decile increases in weekly earnings in each case between 1972–79 and 1979–89.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information is not available to compile statistics of the median, quartile and decile percentage increases in weekly earnings.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the percentage increase since April 1979 to the latest available date in real hourly and weekly earnings of full-time manual male employees in manufacturing industry and of full-time non-manual male employees in the rest of the private sector together with the increase in output per hour and per head in manufacturing and in the rest of the private sector or, failing that, the rest of the economy.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The real increases in average gross hourly and weekly earnings of full-time adult manual male employees in manufacturing industry from April 1979 to April 1989 (the latest available date) were 15 per cent. and 14 per cent. respectively. Figures are not readily available for the private sector less manufacturing and would involve
  disproportionate cost to compile.

  The increases in manufacturing output per hour and output per head between April 1979 and November 1989 were 52 per cent. and 51 per cent. respectively. The increase in output per head in the whole economy less manufacturing between the second quarter of 1979 and the third quarter of 1989 was 12 per cent. Output per hour data are not available for
  sectors other than manufacturing.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials in the Hong Kong administration as presently constituted would be excluded after 1997 from office under the provisions
  of article 74 of the joint declaration.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Section IV of annex I to the joint declaration stipulates that British and other foreign nationals may serve as public servants at all levels "except as heads of major Government departments (corresponding to branches or departments at Secretary level) including the Police Department, and as Deputy Heads of some of those departments".

  The Chinese Government have elaborated on this provision in the draft Basic Law. Based on the most recent reports of proposals by Basic Law drafters, we estimate that there are currently between 20 and 30 officials holding such posts.

  Somalia
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by the British Government to seek an end to the killing of political opponents of the Somali Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have made very clear to the Somali Government our concern about continuing report s of serious human rights violations. We have also made adjustments to our aid programme.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to send a diplomatic mission to visit Somalia to investigate claims that the Somali Government have murdered civilians; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have an embassy in Mogadishu which monitors the human rights situation closely. We also keep in touch with other Governments and with NGOs about the human rights situation in Somalia.

SCOTLAND

  Infrastructure Projects
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received any representations from the Institute of Civil Engineers about infrastructure projects in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Institution of Civil Engineers has provided comments on the consultative paper issued by the Scottish Development Department on the routes south of Edinburgh study. These, and other comments which have been received, are currently being considered and a statement on the results of the consultation exercise will be made in due course.

  Rents into Mortgages Scheme
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made on the rents into mortgages scheme; and if he will make a statement.
  925
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  On 19 January, Scottish Homes, the body responsible for the administration of the rents to mortgages scheme, had received over 450 inquiries from tenants interested in purchasing their homes under the scheme. Twenty-eight firm applications have already resulted from these inquiries.

  Since the launch of the scheme on 30 October last year there has been continued interest shown by tenants of both Scottish Homes and the new town development corporations. I am satisfied that good progress is being made towards encouraging owner-occupation among those eligible tenants who have hitherto been unable to consider purchase of their homes.

  Roodlands Hospital, Haddington
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the current investment programme to upgrade the operating theatre at Roodlands hospital. Haddington and on the delay in recommissioning that theatre.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The investment programme at Roodlands hospital falls within the delegated authority of Lothian health board and the issue is therefore a matter for the board.

  Home Improvements Grants
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to apply means-testing to the award of home improvements grants; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government issued a consultation paper in May 1988 setting out their proposals for the reform of the present improvement and repairs grants system in Scotland. The proposals included the introduction of a test of financial eligibility to determine grant entitlement, so that resources could be directed to those
  most in need of assistance.

  The consultation paper was the subject of many detailed and constructive comments from a wide range of bodies. These are being fully considered as proposals for a new system are developed, but there are no plans to legislate on this subject in Scotland for the time being. A further consultation paper will be issued before any legislation is introduced for consideration by Parliament.

  Crown Office
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Lord Advocate proposes any changes to the Crown Office cash and running cost limits for 1989–90.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The cash limit for class XI, vote 14 will be reduced by £499,000 from £26,798,000 to £26,299,000. This is the net effect of a token Supplementary Estimate of £1,000 and a decrease of £500,000 to offset the increase sought on class XI, vote 13 for Crown Office, Scotland: Crown prosecutions and legal services. Within this total the running cost limit for the Crown Office will be increased by £850,000 from £19,786,000 to £20,636,000. This is to enable the Crown Office to meet the cost of hiring additional casual staff, greater than expected salary increases, additional costs relating to tape recording of interviews with suspects and 926
  higher than expected costs of hiring temporary procurators fiscal. This increase is fully offset by saving on capital expenditure elsewhere on the vote.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to make any further changes to the cash limits for 1989–90 within his responsibility.

  Mr. Rilkind
  Yes. I intend to make changes to six of the cash limits and to two running cost limits within my responsibility.

  As a result of expected savings on two services the cash limit for class XVI vote 2, agriculture services and fisheries, Scotland, will be reduced by £1,600,000 from £81,624,000 to £80,024,000.

  The cash limit for class XVI vote 10, privatisation of the electricity supply industry, Scotland, will be reduced by £1,050,000 from £6,000,000 to £4,950,000.

  The cash limit for class XVI vote 11, administration of justice, Scotland, will be reduced by £2,000,000 from £35,474,000 to £33,474,000.

  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the running costs limit for the Scottish Record Office vote, class XVI, vote 18 will be increased by £30,000 from £2,551,000 to £2,581,000 to cover increased accommodation charges. This increase will be offset by a corresponding reduction in the running costs limit of the General Register Office for Scotland, class XVI, vote 19 from £5,865,000 to £5,835,000. The cash limit for vote 19 will be reduced by £250,000 from £5,368,000 to £5,118,000.

  The non-voted cash limit SO/LA2, which covers housing capital expenditure by local authorities and capital expenditure by new towns, will he reduced by £1,138,000 from £345,424,000 to £344,286,000.

  These reductions in cash limits will be used to offset increases in other votes.

  Team Sports
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to respond to the report of the Team Sport Enquiry Group; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 25 January 1990]I will be responding very shortly.

  Neighbourhood Watch Schemes
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many neighbourhood watch schemes have been set up in each of the past five years in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow and (b) Strathclyde and Scotland as a whole; and what was the financial support given to these schemes by the Scottish Office.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 25 January 1990]The number of schemes in existence as
  at 31 December in each of the last three years was as follows:

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  Strathclyde region

  Scotaland

  1987

  6

  127

  259

  1988

  44

  475

  629

  1989

  58

  674

  1,093

  927
  Figures are not available centrally for earlier years. However, I understand that the first Scottish schemes were set up in 1984, and the first schemes in Strathclyde were set up in 1987.

  Neighbourhood watch schemes are set up by members of the public with the assistance of the police and are not funded directly by the Scottish Office.

  Storm Damage
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the final cost of the damage and restoration work arising from the flooding and gales of 13 February 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 25 January 1990]The costs of damage and restoration work fell on both the public and private sectors and no comprehensive record of them is held centrally. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland announced on 27 April 1989 that a scheme of special financial assistance to those local authorities which had suffered an undue financial burden would be made available on the same basis as had operated in England and Wales in 1987 (Official Report Vol. 151, Cols. 609–12). On 9 November 1989 my right hon. and learned Friend announced (Official Report Vol. 159, Col. 742) that a quarter of a million pounds would be made available to those authorities which had qualified for assistance under the scheme.

ENVIRONMENT

  Waste Oil
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many waste disposal authorities in the United Kingdom have provision for recycling of car and motor vehicle oil; and what percentage of such oil is now recycled.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  This information is not immediately available but the Department is about to conduct a survey of local authorities which will cover, among other things, what facilities exist for the collection and processing of waste oil.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the community charge in relation to blind people.

  Mr. Chope
  Blind people on low incomes will be able to claim community charge benefit, which can provide rebates of up to 80 per cent. of the charge. Registered blind people can qualify for community charge benefit at higher levels of income than other claimants because their applicable amount contains a disability premium. Blind people in receipt of income support have had their benefit increased to reflect the fact that they have to pay at least 20 per cent. of the charge. The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) has produced information on the community charge in Braille, based on a leaflet published by the Department of the Environment; and the Department is pursuing with the RNIB the possibility of help with the production of further material. Registered blind people may qualify for extra help under the 928
  transitional relief scheme if they have to pay a community charge but did not formerly pay rates or rent (or were not the partner of anyone who did).

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to make provision for a waste disposal authority to refuse a site licence when a landfill is proposed on a site of special scientific interest.

  Mr. Trippier
  This is a matter for the planning authority to consider as part of the planning application process. The planning authority should have regard to circular 27/87 which contains guidance on the procedures to be followed in considering any development on land used for nature conservation.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to provide statutory powers for voluntary groupings of waste regulation authorities to pool their skills and powers.

  Mr. Trippier
  Waste disposal authorities are already able to exercise their statutory powers through arrangements with other authorities under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make it a condition for the issuing of a waste disposal site licence that the applicant has to demonstrate a certain defined minimum standard of waste management education, training and experience.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Environmental Protection Bill contains provisions for the waste regulation authority to refuse a licence to an applicant who is not a fit and proper person. Part of the test of being a fit and proper person is that the applicant would provide technically competent management for the proposed facility. The Secretary of State may prescribe, through regulations, the qualifications and experience required of a person for this purpose.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to make it a legal requirement for waste regulation authorities to conform to the frequency of site visits laid down in the waste management papers issued by his Department.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Environmental Protection Bill contains provisions for the waste regulation authorities to have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State with respect to the discharge of their functions in relation to licences. Such guidance would include advice on the frequency of site visits. The authorities will also be required to publish annual reports on their performance in relation to this guidance.

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many executive, administrative and support staff are currently employed by the Property Services Agency; and how many of these staff the Property Services Agency anticipate will be required over each of the next four years;

  (2) if he will list the Property Services Agency requirements for executive, administrative and support
  929
  staff over the next four years as projected in the business plans currently being considered by the Property Services Agency chief executive.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 22 January 1990]At 1 January 1990 there were 5,912 administrative, executive and support staff employed in the Property Services Agency, excluding the Crown Suppliers. Future staff requirements will depend on the future workload.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Haddock
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidance his Department intends to give fishermen as to how they will reduce effort on haddock; and whether fishermen's organisations will receive a consultation document on any such proposals.

  Mr. Curry
  The fisheries Departments have issued a consultation paper to the industry about possible measures to bring about a 30 per cent. reduction in fishing for North sea haddock in 1990. The proposals will be discussed at a meeting with the industry on 29 January.

  Transferable Quotas
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for the introduction of individual transferable quotas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Individual transferable quotas have been operated successfully in a number of countries and I am investigating whether they would have a useful role to play here. If I believe that they could be adapted to our conditions, the industry will be fully consulted about possible schemes. No definitive plan exists at present.

  Scallop Dredging
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been done on the effect of scallop dredging on the sea bed.

  Mr. Curry
  Scallops are principally caught off the western coast of Great Britain. The research undertaken by my Department has largely been confined to studying the behaviour of this fishery and the biological factors determining abundance of stocks.

  Fishing Boats
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he plans to apply to join the EEC temporary lay-up scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  As the hon. Member knows, we are considering with the industry the measures necessary to reduce fishing for North sea haddock in 1990. Our proposals do not envisage financial assistance for laying up. A laying-up scheme does nothing to reduce capacity on a permanent basis and would serve to encourage marginal fishermen, who might otherwise have left the industry, to remain in it.
  930

  Irish Sea (Pollution)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has funded any research at the university of Liverpool on radioactive and toxic waste pollution in the Irish sea.

  Mr. Curry
  None.

  Glis Glis
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions during each of the last five years the Forestry Commission has(a) applied for and (b) been granted licences to trap glis glis; and what were the numbers taken in respect of each licence.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is as follows:

  Licences applied for

  Licences granted

  Numbers taken

  1985

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  1

  1

  4

  1987

  1

  1

  43

  1988

  1

  1

  6

  1989

  1

  1

  None

  Goats
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the illegal slaughter of goats; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Goats slaughtered for sale for human consumption must be slaughtered in accordance with the provisions of the Slaughterhouses Act 1974 and the Slaughter of Animals (Prevention of Cruelty) Regulations 1958. Enforcement of the legislation is the responsibility of the local authorities. I am not aware of any goats being slaughtered in contravention of this legislation.

  Gumboro Virus
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the number of(a) laying hens and (b) other hens killed by the Gumboro virus in the current outbreak of the disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Gumboro disease does not normally cause death in laying hens. Estimated losses to the broiler sector from the disease since May last year are in excess of 5 million birds. It is believed that more than 500,000 replacement pullets have also been lost.

  Since 30 October last year, a less attenuated live vaccine has been available, for use under state veterinary service supervision. It is hoped that this may have a beneficial effect on the situation.

  Eggs
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many visits have been made by the north regional marketing inspector to retail premises since 1 January in connection with the marketing of eggs which have not been through a packing station; and in which local authority areas the visits took place.
  931
  Mr. Curry
  No enforcement visits have been made for this purpose by the regional egg marketing inspector for the northern region since 1 January.

  As previously explained to the hon. Member (Hansard 6 November, columns 468-69), enforcement of the EC regulations on egg marketing standards at the retail level is a matter for local authorities. The Ministry's egg marketing inspectors will provide assistance to local authorities on request.

  Food Irradiation
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the studies available to him on the effects of irradiation of food include long-term populational surveys for potential carcinogenic effects.

  Mr. Maclean
  The studies examined by the independent expert scientific committee that confirmed the safety and wholesomeness of irradiated food included a number of animal studies extending over several generations. The extensive data reviewed produced no evidence of potential carcinogenic effects.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether it is intended to change the cash and running cost limits on any departmental Vote for which he has responsibility.

  Mr. Gummer
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for class IV vote 2 (Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce: administration) will be increased by a token £1,000 from £38,225,000 to £38,226,000. The running costs limit for the board will be increased by £540,000 from £19,881,000 to £20,421,000 which includes £89,000 in respect of take-up of the full end-year flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 20 July 1989(Official Report, columns 258-62). Provision for payments for agency services will be decreased by £523,000 and recovery of value-added tax in respect of capital items will be increased by £16,000. These changes reflect an increase in running costs to remove the backlog of external trade claims and a reduction in appropriations-in-aid, offset by reduced expenditure by the board's agents, principally as a result of the changes to the Community support arrangements for beef.

  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food cash limit for class IV, vote 4 (other agricultural and food services and support for the fishing industry) will be reduced by £2,500,000 from £148,931,000 to £146,431,000 and that for class IV, vote 5 (departmental research, advisory services and administration) will be reduced by £2,000,000 from £256,942,000 to £254,942,000, with a consequential reduction in the running cost limit for MAFF of £2,000,000 from £262,386,000 to £260,386,000. These reductions mainly reflect the tightening of the eligibility criteria for grant on fishing vessels and difficulties in the recruitment and retention of staff.

  North Sea
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government will make it their policy to bring an end to the dumping of chemical waste 932
  in the North sea; what countries bordering the North sea permit the discharge of industrial waste into it; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  It is established Government policy to terminate the dumping at sea of liquid industrial waste. The search for environmentally acceptable means for disposal of the wastes on land has been pressed forward urgently since the second North sea conference. The number of licences has already been reduced since 1987 by more than half; and the remaining licences will be terminated as soon as alternative means of disposal can be put in place. Important processes including the production of medicines are involved, and the necessary investment will often be high. Nevertheless I anticipate that most sea disposal licences should be ended this year or next.

  All countries which border the North sea, or which border rivers entering it, permit the discharge of waste into the North sea.

  The main sources of pollutants entering the North sea are rivers. Eighty per cent. of the riverborne pollution is from the continental rivers. Fifty per cent. of total riverborne pollution originates in the Rhine and the Meuse. For comparison the United Kingdom's dumping of liquid industrial waste adds no significant levels of pollutants to the sea.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisons
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to make a change to the cash limit for 1989—90 for the prisons vote, class XI vote 2.

  Mr. Waddington
  Yes. The cash limit on the prisons vote (class XI, vote 2) has been reduced by £2,506,000 from £1,140,131,000 to £1,137,625,000 to reflect the reduced prison population and adjustments to the building programme.

  Deportation
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there have been any changes in the panel of three advisors appointed to consider representations from persons required to leave the country on security or political grounds, who have no right of appeal under the Immigration Act 1971.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have re-appointed the right hon. Lord Justice Lloyd as chairman of the panel and Mr. David Neve as a member. Sir Robert Andrew KCB has been appointed as the third member and Sir Mark Russell KCMG and Mr. Gerry Gillman as reserve members. I should like to record my thanks to the retiring members, the hon. Sir Patrick Nairne GCB MC, Sir John Garlick KCB and Mr. Edward Hewlett for their services to the panel.

  Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times since 1 January 1989 scientists at the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory have been unable to visit scenes of crimes due to understaffing; and if he will make a statement.
  933
  Mr. Waddington
  I understand that since 1 January 1989 it has not been possible for scientists at the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory to visit scenes of crimes on an estimated 16 occasions. The provision of specialist assistance at major crime scenes remains a high priority for the laboratory.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases since 1 January 1989 has the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory had to decline to provide the police with forensic science reports, on the grounds of understaffing or overwork; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  I will write to the hon. and learned Member.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proposals he has to attract more trained forensic scientists to the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory; and if he will make a statement;

  (d) what assessment he has made of the effect of restrictions in staffing levels in the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory on the quality and number of investigations carried out there; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  Forensic scientists are not trained at first degree level. The Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory therefore concentrates on recruiting and training its own scientists and a graduate recruitment exercise is currently under way.

  The staffing level for the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory is set by the Commissioner within the total of civil staff whom he is authorised to employ. The ceiling is currently 216, which I understand the Commissioner considers to be appropriate to the amount of work undertaken; on 1 January there were 2031/2 staff in post. The impact of this shortfall of staff on the work of the laboratory, and the need for pay flexibility and other relevant management issues, are under consideration.

  Police Pay
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds he refused to implement in full the recent decisions of the police arbitration tribunal regarding the pay structure for police officers in England and Wales; and if he will reconsider his decision.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I assume that the right hon. Member is referring to the tribunal's award on police rent allowance, which provided the basis for a recent police negotiating board agreement. The decision of the PNB is a recommendation which my right hon. and learned Friend can accept or reject. In considering the agreement, we had to have regard not only to the interests of the police service but to the wider public interest. After careful consideration, my right hon. and learned Friend concluded that he should set aside certain aspects of the board's agreement. Draft regulations, giving effect to my right hon. and learned Friend's decisions, have been sent to the board for comment and we shall consider carefully any representations which the board may make.
  934

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to review the definition of subversive following the political changes in eastern Europe; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  No: it remains necessary to protect national security from actions intended to overthrow or undermine parliamentary democracy by political, industrial or violent means. This does not prevent careful assessments and responses being made to any changes in the threat.

  Electoral Registration
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to introduce regulations that allow voters to opt out of or opt into the sale of their name and address from electoral registers; whether he has had discussions with the data protection registrar concerning the sale of the names and address from the electoral register; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question on 15 January at column 27. The data protection registrar was consulted before the introduction of provisions in the Representation of the People Regulations 1986, governing the sale of the electoral register in data form.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to take steps to inform voters of the fact that their name and address are routinely sold or disclosed from the electoral register for poll tax purposes; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no such plan.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has plans to introduce regulations in order to protect the name and address of voters who may be vulnerable to attack if their name and address appeared on an electoral register that is available for sale or inspection by the public; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no plans to do so at present, but we shall continue to keep the position under careful review.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has provided guidance to electoral registration officers concerning the inspection or sale of the names and address from the electoral register without the knowledge of consent or the voter; whether his Department has studied the implications of linking copies of the electoral register information to that of the census or to other large databases; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No, although the Home Office does issue guidance to electoral registration officers on all relevant aspects of the electoral registration process, including the provisions governing the inspection and sale of the register. We have not carried out any research concerning the combined use of information from the electoral register and the census or other databases.

  Emergency Planning
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by location the UKWMO to wartime headquarters covering links to county standby emergency centres.

  Mr. John Patten
  Where no direct communications link is provided between a county standby emergency centre and the relevant UKWMO control, arrangements are being made for an indirect link via the regional government headquarters to which the standby centre is, or is planned to be, connected.

  Criminal Injuries
  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for awards from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board made in 1988 and 1989 are still outstanding; in how many cases such claimants have died of their injuries before their claims were settled; what are the reasons for the delays in settling claims; and what steps are now being taken to speed up settlement.

  Mr. John Patten
  On 31 March 1988 and 31 March 1989 respectively 77,965 and 82,520 applications were outstanding. The board does not keep records of outstanding claims by year of application; nor of the number of applicants who die before their claims are settled.

  Greatly increased applications over recent years, expected to exceed 50,000 this year, have led to the build-up of a heavy backlog, which is causing delays to all claims.

  We have taken concerted action to enable the board to reduce delays and meet the increased demand. The board's staff have been increased from 220 in 1987 to 330 now through local recruitment to a new office in Glasgow; we have appointed more board members; the board's internal procedures have been reviewed and improved; a major computerisation programme is under way; and we have amended the compensation scheme to allow the board among other things to speed up its operations by delegating decisions to staff and reviewing disputed cases on the papers. The terms of the revised scheme, which will take effect on I February 1990, were set out in full in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 8 December 1989 at columns 409-17.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's responsibilities in respect of the administration of magistrates courts.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Home Secretary's statutory responsibilities are set out in appendix B1 to the report of the "Scrutiny of Magistrates' Courts 1989", a copy of which is in the Library. We are still considering the proposals in the report directed to the reconstitution of the administration of the magistrates courts service as an executive agency.
  936

  Green Goddess Fleet
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what criteria were applied in considering(a) the in-house bid and (b) external bids for the contract to maintain his Department's green goddess fleet of fire appliances;

  (2) what was the nature of the tendering process for the maintenance of the green goddess fire appliance fleet.

  Mr. John Patten
  Twenty-four contractors were invited to tender for the storage and maintenance of the emergency fire service stockpile against an operational requirement prepared by the Home Office. Following standard Government procedures, all compliant tenders were assessed on the basis of value for money, and a comparison was made with the cost and efficacy of the existing in-house undertaking.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the green goddess fire appliance fleet housed at Bruntingthorpe aerodrome is presently capable of being brought into immediate service.

  Mr. John Patten
  A total of 218 green goddess fire appliances are housed at Bruntingthorpe, and of these 215 (over 98 per cent.) are capable of being brought into immediate service.

  Passports
  Mr. John Carlise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (I) how many passports are currently issued to Mr. Peter Hain; and if he will withdraw any issued under aliases;

  (2) what measures are available to him to prevent British citizens from being issued with new passports under an assumed name without change of name by deed poll;

  (3) whether he will consider introducing checks at airports and other places of departure in the United Kingdom to ensure that British passport holders have not falsified information in their passport application;

  (4) whether the issue of an additional passport bearing a name differing from that on the original application and without change by marriage or deed poll is available to British citizens.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It would not be appropriate to disclose details of individual cases, but the passport department does require documentary evidence, such as a marriage certificate or declaration by deed poll, to be submitted in support of passport applications involving a change of name. Although checks are made, it would be impractical to scrutinise in detail the passports of all United Kingdom citizens on embarkation.

  Political Refugees
  Sir Donald Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 8 January,Official Report, column 467, in what respects the criteria under which political refugees are now admitted to the United Kingdom do not meet the potential problems faced by people in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The United Kingdom has placed no geographical limits on its adherence to the 1951 UN convention.

  Magistrates Courts (Wales)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future of magistrates court service in Wales.
  938
  Mr. John Patten
  We are still considering the proposals in the report of the "Scrutiny of Magistrates' Courts 1989" directed to the reconstitution of the administration of the magistrates courts service in both England and Wales as a single executive agency.