Written Answers of 31 January 1990

ENERGY

  Electricity Supply Industry
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his Department's estimate as to the tonnage of limestone required per year if the limestone-gypsum process of flue gas desulphurisation were to be used on 12,000 MW of electricity generating capacity.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am advised by the CEGB that the estimated annual limestone requirement for a 2,000 MW power station is 300,000 tonnes. On this basis a 12,000 MW programme would be likely to require the purchase of around 1,800,000 tonnes of limestone annually.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of the annual output of sulphur dioxide would be stopped from being discharged if 12,000 MW of generating capacity were fitted with flue gas desulphurisation equipment.

  Mr. Baldry
  Flue gas desulphurisation equipment can remove up to 90 per cent. of a power station's annual emissions of sulphur dioxide. The actual percentage of overall annual output abated would depend on the operating characteristics of the stations to which the equipment was fitted, including the sulphur content of the coal burnt.

  Natural Gas (Water Removal)
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf use triethylene glycol as a part of the process of water removal from natural gas; and how many of these installations use cold vent stripper gas;

  (2) how many offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf use the DRIZO process of water removal from natural gas; and what other methods of water removal are currently in use on offshore installations.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  This information is not held within the Department. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps have been taken by his Department, under its obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, to monitor the effect of triethylene glycol in water removal processes from natural gas.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Primary responsibility for safety of persons on offshore installations rests with the operator. My inspectors, in carrying out inspections of installations, monitor all aspects of safety including employers' responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971.

  Offshore Installations (Discharges)
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act he has initiated against operators of offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf for the discharge of unsafe quantities of benzene and toluene into the atmosphere.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  None.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what studies have been undertaken by him into the exposure of offshore workers to benzene and toluene, the effects on the health of workers of such exposure, and into the present and future hazard such exposure presents to the health of offshore workers;

  (2) whether he has made any assessment of the carcinogenic properties of benzene and toluene; and what steps he has taken to prevent the release of benzene and toluene into the atmosphere on oil and gas installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  It is the responsibility of the operator to ensure that all reasonably practicable precautions have been taken against any danger to which persons on an offshore installation may be exposed by the use of any dangerous substance.

  There is a wide range of information available on these matters, which are not exclusive to the offshore industry. In particular, the Health and Safety Commission's Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances has considered the effects of both benzene and toluene on workers generally. Additionally, a study has been undertaken by this Department of the hazards of contaminants in diving breathing gases and in decompression systems. A follow-up study set out safe exposure limits for divers in decompression on a wide range of contaminants, including benzene and toluene. A survey has been undertaken of methods of accurately sampling gas contaminants in hyperbaric chambers.

  Central Electricity Generating Board
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will call for a report from the Central Electricity Generating Board as to how much it has paid British Nuclear Fuels plc for(a) reprocessing and (b) decommissioning for each year from 1985 to 1989.

  Mr. Baldry
  This is a commercial matter for the CEGB. I have therefore asked the chairman to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide a breakdown of his current assessment of total fuel cycle cost for nuclear power per kilowatt hour including the cost of uranium, reprocessing, enrichment, where applicable, and waste disposal.

  Mr. Baldry
  This is a commercial matter for the nuclear industry.

  Gas-fired Power Stations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessments he made of the effect of methane leakages associated with gas-fired power stations, before consents were granted for the projects listed in his answer of 8 January,Official Report, column 475.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Environmental considerations are taken into account when considering gas burn consent proposals. Our assessment in general is that methane leakages from the high pressure distribution system are very low; and new gas-fired generation plant is not expected to add to the overall emissions of methane from the United Kingdom system.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Frank Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, what is his estimate of the current maximum electricity generating capacity in England and Wales in the public and private sectors, respectively; and what is his estimate for each year up to 1995–96.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The declared net capacity of (commissioned) generating plant in England and Wales is 55.1 GW in the public sector; private generating capacity for Great Britain as a whole is 3.7 GW. Capacity in subsequent years is a matter for future electricity generating companies.

  Mine Closures
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the closure dates of Danygraid mine, Nant Medlyn mine, Darren mine (West Glamorgan), Hall of Auchinross mine (Ayrshire), Wrytree drift mine and Robin Rock mine (Northumberland).

  Medical laboratory scientific officers in post as at 30 September (whole-time equivalents)

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  11989

  Clwyd

  88·8

  90·9

  87·1

  97·8

  96·6

  99·5

  103·6

  94·1

  East Dyfed

  76·6

  79·1

  77·8

  77·0

  80·5

  81·4

  82·2

  70·4

  Gwent

  106·2

  110·9

  109·7

  112·8

  110·2

  118·1

  113·4

  111·5

  Gwynedd

  47·0

  54·0

  61·0

  62·0

  64·9

  62·0

  58·0

  59·0

  Mid Glamorgan

  138·1

  141·5

  138·0

  154·5

  155·7

  159·0

  159·2

  141·2

  Pembrokeshire

  30·1

  30·7

  30·8

  32·5

  31·0

  31·0

  30·9

  28·6

  Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Glamorgan

  275·9

  281·0

  279·5

  283·0

  280·0

  290·7

  293·6

  271·9

  West Glamorgan

  97·0

  97·0

  95·0

  102·8

  105·5

  108·1

  103·7

  104·9

  1 Those staff previously graded as junior medical laboratory scientific officers who were not following a course of training leading to state registration have been regraded to the appropriate laboratory support grade and have not been included in these figures.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Parliamentary Salaries
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what information he possesses on comparable parliamentary salaries, exclusive of allowances in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) France, (c) Germany, (d) Australia and (e) the United States of America, for the latest published figures available.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The information requested is as follows:
  180
  Mr. Wakeham
  The Department does not have this information. I have therefore asked the chairman of British Coal to write to the hon. Member.

  NHS Ambulance Staff
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what National Health Service ambulance staff based in South Yorkshire have participated in any exercises of local emergency plans at nuclear installations; from which stations staff came; and what was the exercise location in each case;

  (2) what specialist equipment, including personal dosimeters, radial survey meters and decontamination meters are available for National Health Service ambulance staff in South Yorkshire; and what specialist training they have received.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  Equipment for Health Service staff and emergency planning is a matter for health authorities. I suggest the hon. Member contacts the chairman of Trent regional health authority for the information he seeks.

WALES

  Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many medical laboratory scientific officers have been newly appointed to each health authority in Wales in each year since 1982.

  Mr. Grist
  Information on the number of newly appointed medical laboratory scientific officers is not available centrally. However, information on staff in post is shown in the following table:

  Country

  Salary (per annum)

  United Kingdom Member of the House of Commons

  £26,701. All Taxable

  France Deputy in the National Assembly

  FFr 424,111 (£44,776) of which 45 per cent., FFr 190,850 (£20,149), is tax-free

  Federal German Republic Member of the Bundestag

  DM 110,652 (£39,693). All taxable

  Australia Federal Member of the House of Representatives

  A$ 55,000 (£25,439). All taxable

  181

  Country

  Salary (per annum)

  United States of America Member of the House of Representatives

  1US$ 89,500(£54,039). All taxable

  1Congressman's salaries have not been increased since 1988

  Note: The sterling figures calculated using rates of exchange at the close of business on 24 January 1990.

  Office Accommodation
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many personal offices are available and assigned to hon. Members of Parliament(a) within the Houses of Parliament, (b) within the Norman Shaw building and (c) elsewhere.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  Rooms are available and allocated for right hon. and hon. Members' personal use as follows:

  Number

  (a) Palace of Westminster

  163

  (b) Norman Shaw North and Norman Shaw South

  129

  (c) St. Stephen's House, 3 Dean's Yard, 2 The Abbey Garden and 7 Old Palace Yard

  42

  Secretarial and Research Allowances
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the level of secretarial and research allowance available to a Member of (i) the United Kingdom Parliament, (ii) the United States Congress and (iii) the Federal Republic of Germany Bundestag.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  Members of the House of Commons are eligible to claim the office costs allowance for general office expenses and secretarial and research assistance up to a maximum of £24,903 per annum, with an additional maximum of £2,490 (10 per cent.) provided for employer pension contributions of any staff employed. I will provide the additional information requested as soon as possible.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Northampton, North, of 25 January,Official Report, column 1054, if he will give the Hansard reference for the answer to which he referred.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The clarity and distinction to which I intended to refer was of course that of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 17 January at columns 291–304.

  Televising of Proceedings
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what consideration the Select Committee on Televising of Proceedings of the House has given to changes in the rules of coverage for the televising experiment.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  At its meeting on 29 January, the Select Committee on Televising of Proceedings of the House considered a number of representations from the broadcasters for experimental modifications to the rules of coverage (the guidelines to the television director as to the 182
  types of shots which may or may not be used). On this basis, the following changes to the rules set out in the Committee's first report of Session 1988–89 have been approved.

  Reaction Shots

  The rule which permits a reaction shot of a Member who has been referred to will be interpreted less strictly so that a specific mention of the Member's constituency, or in the case of a Minister, his office, will not be necessary; so long as it is clear to the director which member is being referred to, a reaction shot will be permitted. As under the existing rules, this change will not apply at Question Time or during ministerial statements and subsequent questioning.

  Group Shots

  A group shot—mid way between the standard head and shoulders shot and the wide-angle shot—will be permitted; such shots may be used either for the purposes of showing the reaction of a group of Members or in order to establish the geography of a particular part of the Chamber. This shot will be available to the director at any time, including Question Time and during ministerial statements and subsequent questioning.

  Second Feed of Wide-Angle Shot

  A second feed, showing a continuous single wide-angle shot from the end of the Chamber, will be provided as soon as the necessary technical facilities are available. This feed may be used only for editing purposes; it may not be used for separate live transmission, or for mixing electronically with the main feed for live transmission. The second feed will be time-coded, and extracts from it may only be employed in their correct chronological sequence within the proceedings of the House.

  Zoom Shots

  The Committee has also decided that the director should be encouraged to make appropriate use of his ability, under the existing rules, to zoom in on a Member speaking or to zoom out to show the same Member in relation to colleagues in his or her vicinity.

  All these changes, including the supply of the second feed, will be subject to the existing rules relating to the coverage of incidents of disorder. During such periods when the director is required to focus on Mr. Speaker, the second feed will be withdrawn.

  In deciding to approve all these changes, the Committee has been particularly swayed by the argument that the House has agreed to an experiment and that the only way of establishing whether certain shots are appropriate is to see them in operation. The House will, of course, be the final judge when it considers the Committee's detailed Report on the outcome of the experiment.

  It is hoped that these revised guidelines for the television director will be brought into effect on Thursday 1 February. Although no time limit has been set at this stage on the duration of the changes, the Select Committee will monitor very closely their impact on the way in which the House's proceedings are covered and will review their operation as the experiment continues. As the Committee's report made clear, further modifications

  183
  during the course of the experiment, whether in the direction of greater latitude or increased strictness, cannot be ruled out.

  The report also stipulated that the rules of coverage for the Chamber (and, by implication, any changes in the rules)
  "should apply mutatis mutandis to Committees".

  I should stress, however, that there is no question at this stage of a second feed from Committees.

  Officers of the House (Salaries)
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will give figures, grades, titles and ranks for all officers of the House whose salaries are(a) higher and (b) lower than those of hon. Members.

  Mr. Beith
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Sir. G. Finsberg) on 16 November 1989 at columns 374–77.

  House of Commons Library
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many professional librarians in the Library are(a) full-time and (b) part-time.

  Mr. Beith
  Of the 32 professional librarian posts in the Library, 30 are filled by full-time staff. Four part-time staff share the remaining two posts.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many researchers in the Library are(a) full-time and (b) part-time.

  Mr. Beith
  There are 27 research posts in the Library. Of these, 24 are filled by full-time staff. Six part-time staff share the remaining three posts.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many researchers in the Library are currently working in the fields of defence and foreign affairs.

  Medical and Dental Staff (W.T.E)

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Clwyd

  244

  246

  258

  268

  273

  283

  277

  286

  287

  275

  283

  East Dyfed

  199

  216

  222

  225

  173

  179

  186

  191

  197

  196

  201

  Pembrokeshire

  60

  71

  66

  73

  70

  69

  75

  Gwent

  298

  318

  321

  330

  338

  342

  340

  340

  345

  360

  365

  Gwynedd

  123

  133

  139

  147

  152

  151

  164

  164

  165

  162

  161

  Mid Glamorgan

  324

  343

  368

  373

  379

  379

  392

  384

  392

  403

  420

  Powys

  34

  34

  35

  34

  33

  35

  34

  35

  32

  33

  37

  South Glamorgan

  588

  603

  599

  634

  644

  660

  653

  675

  674

  648

  682

  West Glamorgan

  283

  288

  292

  297

  301

  304

  308

  317

  308

  325

  321

  Cardiac Surgery
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make a statement on the availability of coronary bypass surgery facilities in West Glamorgan;

  (2) whether he will initiate policies to improve the development of cardiac surgery services in south-west Wales.
  184
  Mr. Beith
  Four full-time research staff (one of whom specialises in defence matters) currently work in these areas. Certain aspects of defence and foreign affairs—for example, those inquiries involving statistical and economic expertise—are handled by research staff in other sections of the Library.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the current annual budget of the Library; and how much is allocated to(a) research activities and (b) librarian activities.

  Mr. Beith
  The current annual budget of the Library Department, which includes the Vote Office as well as the parliamentary and research divisions, stands at £3,241,000. This figure covers staff costs, the cost of purchase, binding and repair of books, and other Library services. The Library runs an integrated service, and it is therefore not practicable to separate the costs of research activities from those of librarian activities.

WALES

  Midwives
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff midwives were in post on 30 September in each health authority in Wales in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Mr. Grist
  Information is available centrally only on the total staff in post for all nursing and midwifery staff. Currently, breakdowns of these figures into occupation category are not considered reliable.

  Medical and Dental Staff
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the number of medical and dental staff whole-time equivalents in Wales in each year between 1978 and the latest available year, by health authority.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Mr. Grist
  Cardiac surgery facilities are presently available to patients from West Glamorgan at the regional cardiac unit at the University hospital of Wales, Cardiff. Our policies for the improvement of cardiac services, based on the report of the cardiology committee of the Royal College of Physicians, were announced in July 1989. They include the development of the regional unit, which is presently in hand, and the appraisal of options for a second unit in south Wales, which will commence shortly.

  Creches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed in his Department; in what locations; and if they have to make a contribution to this service.

  Mr. Grist
  The Department does not currently provide creche facilities for its staff. It is looking at the possibility in conjunction with other Government Departments in Cardiff.

  Table 1

  Civilian Workforce in Employment in Wales Thousands, Unadjusted

  Males

  Females

  Total

  March 1979

  710·9

  429·3

  1.140·2

  June 1979

  716·2

  440·7

  1,156·9

  September 1979

  719·9

  439·7

  1,159·6

  December 1979

  712·0

  442·8

  1,154·8

  Table 2

  Civilian Workforce in Employment in Wales Quarterly Changes, Thousands, Unadjusted

  Actual

  per cent.

  Actual

  per cent.

  Actual

  per cent.

  March 1979

  —2·7

  —0·4

  —3·6

  —0·8

  —6·3

  —0·5

  June 1979

  5·3

  0·7

  11·4

  2·7

  16·7

  1·5

  September 1979

  3·7

  0·5

  —1·0

  —0·2

  2·7

  0·2

  December 1979

  —7·9

  —1·1

  3·1

  0·7

  —4·8

  —0·4

  Change between March 1980 and June 1980

  —10·0

  —1·4

  2·0

  0·5

  —8·0

  —0·7

  Table 3

  Civilian Workforce in Employment in Wales Annual Changes, Thousands, Unadjusted

  Males

  Females

  Total

  Actual

  per cent

  Actual

  per cent

  Actual

  per cent

  March 1979

  Data not available

  June 1979

  0·7

  0·1

  14·5

  3·4

  15·3

  1·3

  September 1979

  2·8

  0·4

  9·9

  2·3

  12·7

  1·1

  December 1979

  —1·6

  —0·2

  9·9

  2·3

  8·3

  0·7

  Storm Damage
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to make special financial allocations to Welsh local authorities to assist them in tackling the storm damage of 25 January; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I announced on Friday 26 January that special financial assistance under the Bellwin scheme would be available to local authorities in Wales which would otherwise suffer an undue financial burden because of the effects of the severe weather on 25 January. The Welsh Office will shortly be writing to all local authorities with full details of how the scheme will apply in Wales.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated extent of damage in Wales concerning the 25 January storm; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  It is still too early to quantify the cost of damage for Wales as a whole.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his letter of 12 January 1990 to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside on employment in Wales, if he will state in the Official Report (a) total civilian work force in employment in Wales, and sub-divided by males and females, in (i) March 1979, (ii) June 1979, (iii) September 1979 and (iv) December 1979; (b) the actual and percentage quarterly changes for each in (a); the actual and percentage quarterly change between March 1980 and June 1980 and (d) the actual and percentage annual change for each in (a).

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The information requested is shown in the following tables:

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Mr. Kevin Taylor
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will make a statement on the discontinuance of the trial against Mr. Kevin Taylor.

  The Attorney-General
  No.

  Queen's Counsel
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General how many Queen's counsel there are at the English Bar; and, of these, how many are(a) men, (b) women, (c) black and (d) Asian.

  The Attorney-General
  As at 1 October 1989, there were 640 Queen's counsel at the English Bar, of whom 610 were men and 30 were women. Neither the Bar Council nor the Lord Chancellor's Department keeps records of the ethnic origin of Queen's counsel, but it is understood that there are three black and three Asian silks.

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he proposes any changes to the Serious Fraud Office's cash and running cost limits for 1989–90.

  The Attorney-General
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for class XI, vote 12 will be increased by £50,000 from £5,764,000 to £5,814,000. Within this total the running costs limit of the Department will increase by £50,000 from £5,372,000 to £5,422,000. This increase will enable the Serious Fraud Office to meet extra costs arising from its casework. The increase will be charged to the reserve.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) if he will list any research reports or policy analyses received from outside management consultants after January 1985, but commissioned by his Department before that date, and the date of completion and cost of each contract;

  (2) if he will list the contracts his Department has given to outside management consultants in policy areas concerning his Department since January 1985, and the date of completion and cost of each contract.

  The Attorney-General
  The legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Serious Fraud Office have not received such research reports or policy analyses and have not given contracts to outside management consultants in policy areas. The Crown prosecution service has given the following contracts to outside consultants, largely in management areas, since the service was created in 1986:Strategic planning and budgeting study by Hay Management Consultants, completed April 1987, cost £37,000;
  Telecommunications strategy study by Logica, completed January 1987, cost £20,000;
  Internal communication study by Charles Barker Communications, completed December 1987, cost £29,000;
  Information study, asistance from the Mindworks Partnership, completed March 1989, cost £40,000;
  Staffing model feasibility study by P. A. Management Consultants, completed December 1988, cost £37,000;
  Staffing model development by P. A. Management Consultants, completed January 1990, cost £135,000;
  Evaluation of the use of information technology to present evidence in court by the human science and advanced technology research centre, Loughborough university, for completion February 1990, cost £15,000.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Ethiopia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what action the Government are taking to persuade the Ethiopian Government to allow church workers to provide famine relief in Tigray;

  (2) what aid the Government intend to provide to the Joint Relief Partnership of church agencies to provide famine relief in rebel-controlled areas of Ethiopia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government very much welcome the announcement on 18 January of agreement between the Ethiopian Government's relief agency and the Joint Relief 188
  Partnership (JRP) of local church groups on arrangements for the distribution of relief supplies within Tigray. A positive response from the rebel side is vital, and we have been in touch with their representatives here to this end. The Ethiopian Government meanwhile issued a fresh appeal for food aid on 26 January, taking account of the needs of Tigray. I have approved an immediate response to this appeal of 10,000 tonnes of wheat flour (equivalent to 13,700 tonnes of wheat) to be channelled through British NGOs in support of this JRP operation. The cost of this will be about £2·6 million. I have also approved a further £1 million of emergency aid. Much of this will be used to support JRP operations in Tigray and Eritrea. This new aid is in addition to commitments totalling £18·5 million in 1989.

  Cambodia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decision has been made in response to a request from Medical and Scientific Aid for Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, for a grant to send oral rehydration sachets to Cambodia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Supplies for oral rehydration treatment are already available in south-east Asia. It would not be cost effective to supply them from the United Kingdom as proposed. We are ready to consider proposals from NGOs for primary health care activities in Cambodia under the joint funding scheme.

  Foreign Aid
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a table or chart showing for the last five years (a) the flows of aid from the United Kingdom to (i) South America, (ii) Africa and (iii) Asia and the middle east and (b) the proportions in each case of this aid tied to trade deals involving United Kingdom companies.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The answer is as follows:

  United Kingdom gross bilateral aid 1984–88 (£,000)

  Of which ATP1

  Percentage of ATP to gross aid

  South America

  1984

  17,755

  6,427

  36·2

  1985

  19,591

  3,713

  19·0

  1986

  17,313

  453

  2·6

  1987

  16,301

  85

  0·5

  1988

  14,725

  434

  2·9

  Africa

  1984

  268,041

  8,002

  3·0

  1985

  315,397

  3,547

  1·1

  1986

  284,723

  8,761

  3·1

  1987

  304,650

  10,534

  3·5

  1988

  422,030

  10,422

  2·5

  Asia and Middle East

  1984

  306,226

  37,090

  12·1

  1985

  255,256

  31,328

  12·3

  1986

  315,577

  68,973

  21·9

  1987

  216,053

  17,425

  8·1

  1988

  298,499

  42,838

  14·4

  1 Expenditure under the Aid and Trade Provision.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official

  189
  Report a table showing in United States dollars for each year since 1980 and for 1989 to the latest available date, the annual amounts allocated to Third-world development aid by (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the EEC, including the United Kingdom, (c) the EEC, excluding the United Kingdom, (d) the United States of America, (e) Japan

  Disbursements of Net Official Development Assistance 1980–88

  United Kingdom

  EEC Countries1

  EEC Countries1

  USA

  Japan

  Australia and New Zealand

  (Including United Kingdom)

  (Excluding United Kingdom)

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  (e)

  (f)

  $ million

  Per cent. GNP

  $ million

  Per cent. GNP

  $ million

  Per cent. GNP

  $ million

  Per cent. GNP

  $ million

  Per cent. GNP

  $ million

  Per cent. GNP

  1980

  1,854

  0·35

  12,972

  0·47

  11,118

  0·50

  7,138

  0·27

  3,353

  0·32

  739

  0·46

  1981

  2,192

  0·43

  12,704

  0·53

  10,512

  0·56

  5,782

  0·19

  3,171

  0·28

  718

  0·40

  1982

  1,800

  0·37

  12,230

  0·53

  10,430

  0·57

  8,202

  0·27

  3,023

  0·28

  947

  0·52

  1983

  1,610

  0·35

  11,537

  0·51

  9,927

  0·55

  8,081

  0·24

  3,761

  0·32

  814

  0·46

  1984

  1,429

  0·33

  11,330

  0·51

  9,901

  0·55

  8,711

  0·24

  4,319

  0·34

  832

  0·43

  1985

  1,530

  0·33

  11,620

  0·51

  10,090

  0·55

  9,403

  0·24

  3,797

  0·29

  803

  0·46

  1986

  1,737

  0·31

  16,122

  0·51

  14,385

  0·55

  9,564

  0·23

  5,634

  0·29

  827

  0·44

  1987

  1,871

  0·28

  19,093

  0·49

  17,222

  0·53

  8,945

  0·20

  7,342

  0·31

  714

  0·32

  1988

  2,645

  0·32

  21,231

  0·49

  18,586

  0·53

  10,141

  0·21

  9,134

  0·32

  1,206

  0·44

  1 EEC Countries which are members of DAC:—Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland*, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom.

  * Ireland not included in 1980 and 1981 as figures not available.

  Eastern Europe
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will include aid to eastern Europe when calculating the percentage of gross national product spent on aid for figures collected by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Assistance Committee.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The reporting of aid to eastern Europe is currently under discussion in the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD.

  Yanomami Indians
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to make known to the Government of Brazil the concern in Britain about the treatment of the Yanomami indians.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I believe the Government's views about the treatment of indigenous minority groups are well known to other Governments, including Brazil. We shall take all suitable opportunities to express our legitimate concern about the plight of the Yanomami indians. However, we must respect the rights of sovereign countries to conduct their own affairs in accordance with their laws. In this case, we must await the outcome of the due legal processes in Brazil.

  I hope that the environmental technical co-operation programme now being developed, in the context of the memorandum of understanding signed in Brasilia last July by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr.
  190
  and (f) Australia and New Zealand, and the proportions these amounts represent of each nation's gross national product.

  Mrs. Chalker
  This information is set out in the table. Figures for 1989 are not yet available. The figures for the EC relate to those EC countries which are members of the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD:

  Patten), will enable us to contribute directly or indirectly to solving some of these problems. I am ready to consider proposals from relevant organisations for medical or other humanitarian assistance for the Yanomami. None has so far been received, but proposals will be welcomed.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Creches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list by location where creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed in his Department; and if they have to make any payment for this service.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The Duchy of Lancaster does not provide creche facilities for working mothers.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disabled People
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what eligibility criteria he used in estimating in paragraph 4.13 of "The Way Ahead" that 150,000 people would benefit from the proposed mobility component.

  Mr. Scott
  It is assumed that the lower level of the mobility component will be awarded to people aged between five and 65 at the time of their claim who, by virtue of a physical or a mental disability, are not
  191
  independently mobile. Precise details of the eligibility criteria will be considered in working up proposals for the disability allowance.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration was given in the Government's proposals for disability benefits to the introduction of an allowance for disabled people for costs not arising from mobility or attendance needs but which are nevertheless associated with a person's disability; and what were the reasons for rejecting it.

  Mr. Scott
  In re-examining benefits which help with the extra costs of disability we considered ways in which these benefits might be restructured, including a range of points-based assessment schemes which took into account disabilities other than locomotion and self care. When related to existing benefit entitlements these produced widespread changes in people's entitlements to benefit, with unacceptably high numbers of losers. Such a scheme would also involve considerable administrative complexity.

  The proposed disability allowance builds on the existing benefits. As paragraph 4.2 of "The Way Ahead" Cm. 917 explained, the surveys of disability carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys suggest that the existing benefits are well directed towards the most common of the more costly disabilities. Equally important, the benefits provide help to people with other disabilities which are frequently combined with locomotion or self-care disabilities.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what eligibility criteria he used to estimate in paragraph 4.12 of "The Way Ahead" that 140,000 people would benefit from the proposed care component.

  Mr. Scott
  It is assumed that the lower level of the care component will be awarded to people aged 65 or under at the time of their claim who need repeated help in connection with their bodily functions but who need that help less frequently than those who currently qualify for attendance allowance. Precise details of the eligibility criteria will be considered in working up proposals for the disability allowance.

  National Insurance Fund
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the surplus or deficit in the national insurance fund for each financial year since 1979; and what is his estimate for the current year and for 1990–91.

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

  Surplus/deficit of fund income against expenditure for each year £ billion

  Balance held in the national insurance fund at the end of each year £ billion

  1979–80

  +0·54

  4·63

  1980–81

  +0·41

  5·04

  1981–82

  -0·99

  4·05

  1982–83

  -0·03

  4·02

  1983–84

  +0·58

  4·60

  1984–85

  +0·38

  4·98

  1985–86

  +0·31

  52·9

  1986–87

  +0·42

  5·71

  192

  Surplus/deficit of fund income against expenditure for each year £ billion

  Balance held in the national insurance fund at the end of each year £ billion

  1987–88

  +1·58

  7·29

  1988–89

  +3·08

  10·37

  1989–901

  -0·96

  9·41

  1990–911

  -1·70

  7·69

  1 Figures for 1989–90 and 1990–91 are estimates by the Government Actuary.

  Creches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by location where creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed in his Department; and if they have to make any payment for this service.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  No creche facilities are available at present but there are plans for a nursery to open at our Hertford office in February 1990. This nursery will cater for 10 children under five years of age. Other locations are considering the introduction of nursery facilities and the development of new holiday play schemes. We have already established holiday play schemes in several different parts of the country, often in collaboration with other Government Departments and other local employers. All staff using child care facilities are required to make a financial contribution.

  Mobility and Attendance Allowance
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how existing levels of benefit for mobility allowance claimants will be protected.

  Mr. Scott
  People will qualify for the upper level of the mobility component and the upper two levels of the care component and the upper two levels of the care component on the basis of assessment criteria similar to those currently employed for mobility allowance and attendance allowance respectively. The introduction of the disability allowance will produce only gainers, and we do not envisage any need for transitional protection.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will give details of the formula by which social fund local office allocations will be calculated for the year 1990–91;

  (2) when he expects to announce the local office allocations for the social fund for 1990–91;

  (3) whether the additional allocations made to certain local offices for their social fund expenditure in 1989–90 will be taken into account when allocations for 1990–91 are calculated.

  Mr. Scott
  Individual social fund allocations to local offices for 1990–91 and details of the basis on which they are made will be announced in due course.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what criteria were used to determine which local offices would receive an extra allocation in December for their social fund budgets.

  Mr. Scott
  The extra allocation was made to those local offices whose budgets had come under exceptional
  193
  pressure as a result of high levels of demand. Particular factors taken into account included the extent to which the expenditure of individual offices exceeded their expenditure profiles, and changes in the levels of priority they were able to meet during the course of the year.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when it is expected that the social fund loans element will achieve a balance between the value of loans paid out and the value of repayments received.

  Mr. Scott
  It is not envisaged that the loans budget should achieve such a balance.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will take further action to ease the difficulties experienced by those local offices which were not given extra allocations for their social fund budgets in December and which are now experiencing difficulties as great as those that were given extra allocations in managing their budgets.

  Mr. Scott
  Additional allocations have been made to a further 10 offices bringing the total number of offices helped to 106. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. A revised list of offices has been placed in the Library today.

  State Pensions
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which countries of the European Economic Community have state pension schemes that include(a) an earnings-related retirement component, (b) an earnings-related component with a widow's pension on death before retirement and (c) an earnings-related component with invalidity pension.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the right hon. Member to the Department's annual publication "Tables of Social Benefit Systems in the European Communities", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Benefits (Charitable and Voluntary Payments)
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the treatment of charitable and voluntary payments in the income-related benefits.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We propose to double to £10 a week the current disregard for charitable and voluntary payments made to people in receipt of an income-related benefit. In addition, we intend to disregard completely any regular charitable or voluntary payment which is intended and used for an item other than certain accommodation costs already met by benefit, food, ordinary clothing or footwear, and household fuel.

  Regulations will be introduced shortly to give effect to both these proposals in income support and family credit from April 1990. Housing benefit and community charge benefit regulations will also provide for a £10 a week disregard from April 1990 and for a disregard of regular payments for certain items from October 1990.

  These proposals will enable charities, voluntary bodies and relatives to give more help to people without affecting their benefits.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who are eligible for a rebate of the community charge will not receive the rebate because it falls under the minimum amount payable; and what is the total sum involved.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 24 January 1990]The most recent estimates for Great Britain for 1990–91 suggest that 130,000 benefit units or 170,000 individuals will be eligible for community charge benefit but not receive benefit because it falls under the minimum amount payable. The sum involved is about £1·5 million. These figures compare with current estimates of an expected caseload in Great Britain of some 7·9 million benefit units and 9·75 million individuals, with a total cost to central Government, in terms of community charge benefit, of £1·75 billion.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Lee
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what importance he attaches to the involvement of the tourism and hospitality industry in the development of the training and enterprise councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is very much in the interests of the tourism industry to become involved in the new training and enterprise councils so that the councils properly address the issues relevant to that industry. From 1 April regional tourist boards will be given much more Government money to help with this process; the North West tourist board, in particular, is already very active in this regard.

  Employment Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average weekly training allowance, including the training premium, for each ET trainee.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The average weekly training allowance including the training premium is estimated to be around £50 per trainee on employment training.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for each region and for Great Britain as a whole the number of filled and contracted places in ET in the health and personal social services fields; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information about the number of filled and contracted places in employment training is not available broken down into health and personal social services or other occupational categories.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much has been paid by his Department in training bonuses to ET trainees since the start of the programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  To the end of December 1989 the Training Agency had paid out £2·2 million in training bonuses.
  195
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much has been paid out through the underpinning arrangements to ET managers and agents; and how much has been paid to those organisations to cover redundancy payments, since the start of ET.

  Mr. Nicholls
  From September 1988 up to and including December 1989, some £1·19 million has been paid to employment training training agents and £31 million to employment training training managers under underpinning arrangements. In the same period £2·7 million has been paid to former community programme managing agents in redundancy payments, for employees in community programme schemes who transferred to employment training and were subsequently made redundant.

  Factory Inspectorate
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many enforcement visits it is envisaged will be paid by the factory inspectorate in 1990 in order to enforce (i) the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988, (ii) the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 1989 and (iii) the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The 1990–91 plans provide for factory inspectors in the Health and Safety Executive's new field operations division to make some 159,000 preventive inspections, at all of which inspectors will consider compliance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988, the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 where these regulations apply, and take enforcement action where appropriate. Compliance with these regulations may also be considered at visits for other purposes, such as to investigate accidents, complaints and dangerous occurrences.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many safety cases under regulation 7 of the 1984 CIMAH regulations are awaiting approval or examination by the Health and Safety Executive, by area office; when any backlogs are likely to be cleared; and if it is envisaged that any extra staff will be recruited in 1990–91 in this area of activity.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) assesses but does not approve safety reports submitted under regulation 7 of the 1984 Control of Industrial Major Accidents Hazards Regulations (CIMAH). Work has started on assessing all the reports which have been submitted but it is not possible to say when this process will be completed. Information about the current position concerning those reports where completion of the assessment is outstanding could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the table shows the position in August 1989, the latest date for which information is available, and gives a breakdown by area office.
  196

  Total number of reports submitted = 331

  Area office

  Number of reports where assessment not completed

  01 South

  3

  02 South West

  —

  03 South East

  —

  05 London North

  2

  06 London South

  2

  07 East Anglia

  10

  08 Northern Home Counties

  —

  09 East Midlands

  4

  10 West Midlands

  3

  11 Wales

  21

  12 Marches

  1

  13 North Midlands

  6

  14 South Yorkshire and Humberside

  26

  15 West and North Yorkshire

  5

  16 Greater Manchester

  8

  17 Merseyside

  30

  18 North West

  5

  19 North East

  24

  20 Scotland East

  38

  21 Scotland West

  3

  Total

  191

  A substantial number of reports was submitted to HSE just before the deadline of 8 July 1989 set by the 1984 regulations despite encouragement to industry to phase their submissions. This has led to a short-term peak in assessment work which was anticipated and is being met from existing resources.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will establish an external inquiry, by a firm of management consultants, into the Health and Safety Executive; and if he is at present satisfied with the current ratio of management to inspection staff.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, responsibility for ensuring the efficient organisation and management of the staff of the Health and Safety Executive lies with the Health and Safety Commission and HSE. My right hon. and learned Friend is satisfied that HSE has in place the systems and expertise needed for this purpose. A detailed account of organisational improvements, and other actions to increase efficiency and effectiveness, will be included in the HSC/E's annual report for 1988–89, to be published on 26 February.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library(a) the report of the central policy review staff on the Health and Safety Executive and (b) the report on the recruitment and retention of specialists in the technology division of the Health and Safety Executive of September 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government have no plans to publish the report of the review carried out by the central policy review staff in 1980 on the cost effectiveness of methods of implementing policy on health and safety at work. I have not received a copy of the report on the recruitment and retention of specialists in the technology division of the Health and Safety Executive. This was commissioned by the executive which I understand is currently considering its recommendations.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current maximum exposure
  197
  limits for (i) ceramic dust, (ii) cotton dust and (iii) dust and fumes in the rubber, steel and foundry work areas; and how many enforcement visits it is envisaged will be paid in 1990 by staff of the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are no maximum exposure limits (MELs) for ceramic dust and cotton dust. The MELs for "rubber fume" and "rubber process dust" are 0·75 mg/m3 and 8 mg/m3 respectively for eight-hour time weighted average reference periods (eight-hour TWAs).

  There are no MELs for general airborne emissions in steel and foundry work areas, although some specific processes may give rise to substances for which MELs have been set.

  It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the number of visits that will be made during 1990 to each sector of industry.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total budget of the Health and Safety Executive; and how many Health and Safety Executive employees possess formal purchasing qualifications.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Gross financial provision to the Health and Safety Executive for 1989–90 is £119 million; of this an estimated £35 million will be spent on the purchase of goods (capital and current), services and general contracts. The Health and Safety Executive's director of purchasing and supply, appointed in February 1989, is a member of the Institute of Purchasing and Supply.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the chairmen and secretaries of the Health and Safety Commission's advisory committees have any formal professional qualifications in the industries or subjects with which they deal.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are currently 18 commission advisory committee chairmen and 19 secretaries; 33 per cent. of all chairmen and 26 per cent. of all secretaries have formal professional qualifications in the industries or subjects with which they deal.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion, by area office, of factory inspectors, excluding principal inspectors, are trainees and if it is the policy of the Health and Safety Executive for trainee inspectors to make their trainee status known when visiting a factory.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Factory inspector IIs (for their first two years) are designated as trainee inspectors. The number of trainee inspectors, expressed as a percentage of the total number of factory inspectors (excluding principal inspectors), in each Health and Safety Executive area on 1 January 1990 is as follows:

  Area

  Trainees as percentage of total

  South West

  30·4

  South

  26·3

  South East

  12·1

  London North

  17·0

  London South

  18·2

  East Anglia

  18·7

  North Home Counties

  23·5

  East Midlands

  25·0

  West Midlands

  9·1

  198

  Area

  Trainees as percentage of total

  Wales

  29·2

  Marches

  40·0

  North Midlands

  30·0

  South Yorks and Humberside

  26·1

  West and North Yorks

  17·4

  Greater Manchester

  25·0

  Merseyside

  19·0

  North West

  31·1

  North East

  27·9

  Scotland East

  31·1

  Scotland West

  22·9

  Health and Safety Executive inspectors do not normally announce their status or rank during visits.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to raise substantially the bi-annual recruitment of trainee factory inspectors; and what is the current target for the total number of inspectors.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Measures taken by the Health and Safety Executive to increase recruitment of trainee factory inspectors include improvement of salaries for inspectors at the basic grade, more effective targeting and advertising of recruitment campaigns, and new procedures to reduce delays between interviews and offers of appointment. The HSE's target is to have 640 factory inspectors by 1 April 1990.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment why the Bootle health and safety office public inquiry point is open for telephone inquiries only between the hours of 10 am. and 3 pm; and if he has any proposals to extend these hours.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Restricted hours of opening of HSE's public inquiry points at Bootle, Sheffield and London are necessary to allow staff time to gather information and do research to answer inquiries satisfactorily. I understand that the executive has no proposals at present to extend opening hours beyond 10 am to 3 pm.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of job vacancies in Rochdale borough.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In December 1989 the number of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres in the Rochdale local education authority (the closest approximation to the borough for this data source) was 641. Vacancies at jobcentres do not represent the total number of vacancies in the economy. The latest research shows that nationally only about one third of vacancies are registered at jobcentres.

  Tourism
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received for the development of tourism in the north-west of England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Ministers from my Department have on a number of occasions met representatives from the tourism industry in the north-west, and have received correspondence on a wide range of issues affecting tourism in the area.

  Mines (Accidents)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, further to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 721–22, if he will now publish the equivalent figures for 1988–89.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested will form part of the HSC/E annual report for 1988–89 to be published on 26 February.

  Mine Closures
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the closure dates of Danygraid mine, Nant Medlyn mine, Darren mine (West Glamorgan), Hall of Auchinross mine (Ayrshire), Wrytree Drift mine and Robin Rock mine (Northumberland).

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

PRIME MINISTER

  Privacy and Individual Choice
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the Government's policy on individual privacy and on individual choice as to who, or who may not, hold, use or disclose information that relates to that individual; and whether she will establish a Cabinet Committee to review legislation across the whole range of Government on these issues.

  The Prime Minister
  The Data Protection Act 1984, introduced by this Government, has greatly extended the safeguards relating to personal information held on computer; and privacy in the context of press activities is currently being examined by a committee under the chairmanship of Mr. David Calcutt QC. There are also sanctions against disclosure or misuse of information in particular circumstances, such as breach of confidence.

  The Government subscribe to the conclusion of the Younger committee (1972) that a general right of privacy would be very difficult to define in law, given in particular the variety of situations to which it would have to apply and the inherent conflict with other principles such as freedom of expression. It keeps the issues under continual review, and believes that problems which arise are best considered in the context of particular aspects of people's lives.

  General Sikorski
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has had in regard to reconsideration by the Government for the repatriation to Poland of the remains of General Sikorski; and what reply she is sending.

  The Prime Minister
  We periodically receive representations both for and against transfer of General Sikorski's remains to Poland. I told General Jaruzelski last June that we had reconsidered this question but felt the time was not yet right. We will continue to review our policy in the light of developments in Poland.

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions she has had with the President of Mexico on rain forest problems.
  200
  The Prime Minister
  The Mexican Government are well aware of our concern for rain forest conservation. Last year the Government, at Mexican request, financed a forestry expert to advise on reforestation in the state of Quintana Roo.

  Parliamentary Answer (Cost)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the cost of providing the answer to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell),Official Report, 18 January, columns 384–391.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 29 January 1990]: The reply was assembled from material provided by a wide range of Departments. The total cost of time of those who contributed, including secretarial staff, measured by salary, overheads and other costs, including printing, is estimated at £2,620.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Firearms
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in the country carry firearms.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In 1988—the latest year for which figures are available—7,194 police officers in England and Wales were qualified to carry firearms. Firearms were issued to police officers in 2,227 operations against criminals known or believed to be armed.

  Gallows
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the reason for the keeping of gallows at Wandsworth prison; when these gallows were last used; how old are they; how often they are examined and tested and how this is done; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Gallows are kept at Her Majesty's prison, Wandsworth, for use if required. These particular gallows were last used on 8 September 1961. No record has been kept of when they were constructed. They are examined and tested every six months. The testing is undertaken by checking the equipment to see that it is functioning correctly.

  Secondary Immigration
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the ratio of secondary immigration to primary immigration since 1960; what studies have been undertaken to assess the likely levels of secondary immigration in different circumstances and with what results; and what estimates he has made of the likely level of secondary immigration per 100,000 primary immigration from different sources.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Butler) on 22 January at column 518.

  Death Sentence
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the offences for which a person can be sentenced to death by courts in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The death penalty is still available for offences of treason, piracy with violence and certain treasonable and mutinous offences re-enacted under the Armed Forces Act 1971.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list any research reports or policy analyses received from outside management consultants after January 1985, but commissioned by his Department before that date, and the date of completion and cost of each contract.

  Mr. Waddington
  Information is not readily available before 1984. The Home Office awarded one contract in 1984 concerning research and policy analyses to Price Waterhouse for a review of marketing and sales effectiveness in the prison service industries and farms. The contract was completed in August 1985 at a cost of £16,100 (exclusive of VAT).

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the contracts his Department has given to outside management consultants in policy areas concerning his Department since January 1985, and the date of completion and cost of each contract.

  Mr. Waddington
  The Home Department has let the following contracts to management consultants in policy areas since January 1985:

  Consultant and contract

  1Cost

  Completion date

  1990

  Capita Ltd.

  Assist with organisational review of the probation service

  65,750

  January

  1989

  National Economic Research Associates

  Copyright protection for sound recordings

  214,000

  December

  Price Waterhouse

  Privatisation of IBA transmission system

  84,000

  December

  J. K. Clayton

  Review of voluntary scientific effort in civil defence

  9,122

  October

  Captain Hannant

  Standard system for control of police aviation

  125,000

  October

  BIS Applied Systems

  Magistrates courts contingency planning

  21,586

  September

  PE Inbucon

  Issues of TV licences and saving stamps by Post Office

  216,000

  August

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Review of passport issuing and management information systems

  51,677

  August

  202

  Consultant and contract

  1Cost

  Completion date

  Lloyd's Merchant Bank

  Privatisation of the tote

  79,200

  April

  Price Waterhouse

  Options for privatising the IBA's transmission network

  262,000

  April

  County Nat West

  Future of science and technology group

  30,000

  February

  Broadcasting and Research Unit

  Radio broadcasting and listening

  74,000

  January

  1988

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Advice on the future of the laundry industry within PSIF

  46,664

  August

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells

  Examination of clerical support within PSIF Farms and Gardens

  25,625

  May

  1987

  Ernst and Whinney

  Review of charging arrangements

  76,000

  September

  KMG Thomson McLintock

  Main strategy on office automation

  35,000

  July

  Arthur Young Management Consultants

  Information technology strategy for accounting and financial management systems

  72,231

  June

  Touche Ross

  Study on scientific support for the police service in England and Wales

  109,000

  June

  CSP International Ltd. (Booz, Allen and Hamilton

  Subscription television

  128,000

  May

  Christian Brann Direct

  TV licence evasion

  171,000

  March

  Coopers and Lybrand

  The future provision of staff training—Magistrates' courts service

  52,000

  January

  1986

  Lawson Somerset Ltd.

  Easy payment methods for TV licence fee

  61,000

  September

  Deloitte, Haskins and Sells

  Development of a financial management information system for the probation service

  35,000

  June

  Touche Ross

  Study of organisation in the directorate of telecommunications

  38,000

  March

  1 Exclusive of VAT.

  2 Figures represent only Home Office proportion of full cost.

  Gwent Constabulary
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Gwent as to the whereabouts of the shotgun, the property of a Mr. G. W. Phillips, taken into the possession of the police by PC 853 Fairie of the Gwent constabulary on or before 10 November 1989.
  203
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the chief constable that the shotgun is being held at Newport police headquarters pending the outcome of further discussions with the owner.

  Guildford and Woolwich Bombings
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are being made to finance the cost of Sir John May's inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the convictions arising out of the bomb attacks in Guildford and Woolwich in 1974.

  Mr. Waddington
  Parliamentary approval to expenditure on this inquiry will be sought in a Supplementary Estimate for the Home Office Vote for administration etc. (class XI, vote 3). Pending that approval, expenditure estimated at £222,000 will be met by a repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund.

  Immigration and Nationality Department
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a decision has been reached on the relocation of the immigration and nationality department from Croydon.

  Mr. Waddington
  We have decided that those parts of IND which are at present located in Lunar house, Croydon, should for the most part remain there. This decision has been taken in the light of a report by consultants on the feasibility and desirability of the relocation of IND and further work on costings and benefits. That further work has revealed that most of the financial and other benefits of relocation were taken when IND moved to Croydon in the first place.

  We have however decided that the nationality work of the Department can with advantage be brought together in the existing Liverpool nationality office which would otherwise not be needed beyond April 1991. In reaching this decision we have taken account of the likely reduction in the future volume of nationality work. We should complete the process of transferring the nationality work to Liverpool during 1991.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Creches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed in his Department; in what locations; and if they have to make a contribution to this service.

  Mr. Ryder
  No nursery facilities are yet available to staff in the Treasury, but London-based staff have access to a holiday play scheme financed by both parental and departmental contributions.

  Drug Seizures
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many illicit drug seizures, broken down by drug category, have been made in United Kingdom ports in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Ryder
  Seizures made by Customs officers at United Kingdom ports and airports in the last five years have been as follows:204

  Heroin

  Cocaine

  Cannabis

  Amphetamine

  Other

  1987

  193

  174

  4,609

  62

  306

  1988

  279

  221

  4,934

  74

  177

  11989

  432

  402

  6,788

  110

  294

  1 All 1989 figures are provisional.

  The total numbers of drugs seizures made by Customs officers in 1985 and 1986 were 3,910 and 5,534 respectively, but a breakdown by drug category for these figures is not available.

  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has hitherto put forward for the United Kingdom's contribution to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; and what proportion of the United Kingdom's contribution he intends should come(a) from the existing budget for overseas aid and development and (b) from new allocations of resources.

  Mr. Ryder
  The details of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are still being discussed. The United Kingdom will be a generous and enthusiastic contributor. How the contribution is met will be decided in future public expenditure surveys.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish his best estimates of the effects on the retail prices index in 1990–91 of(a) the introduction of the community charge and (b) the combined impact of non-domestic property revaluation and the introduction of the uniform business rate.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 30 January 1990]: The Autumn Statement forecast is for RPI annual inflation to fall to 5¾ per cent. by the fourth quarter of 1990. It is not the practice to provide more detail than published in table 2.7 of the Autumn Statement.

DEFENCE

  Number Plates
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether the use of United Kingdom number plates on cars owned by British personnel serving in West Germany represents the best available security arrangement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not the practice to comment on security matters. However, all security measures, including the question of number plates, are kept under close and continuous review.

  Radar System, Fylingdales
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose of the large phased-array radar system being installed at Fylingdales RAF station; when installation work started; what is the total cost of the installation; whether the United States of America is making any financial contribution to this installation;
  205
  whether the phased-array radar is to become part of a battle management system linked to the SDI programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. Neubert) gave the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 20 June 1989 at column 71. Installation work for the modernised facility started in August 1989, and at present exchange rates is expected to cost in the order of £160 million, of which the United States will pay in the order of 70 per cent. for the radar, and the United Kingdom approximately 30 per cent. for the supporting infrastructure. The modernised radar will provide an improved early warning system. It will not form part of a battle management system linked to the SDI programme.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will outline the procedures for the sale and disposal of surplus chemical type waste of the kind found stored on the Cleveland industrial estate, Darlington on Saturday 20 January.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The material referred to comprised paints, pre-treatment solvents and adhesives. These had been purchased by a general trader from auctions held by the Ministry of Defence, which is the method by which low-value materials of this sort are disposed of. Hazardous and dangerous materials are dealt with under special disposal contracts placed by the Ministry.

  Creches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by location where creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed in his Department; and if they have to make any payment for this service.

  Mr. Neubert
  We are planning to open nurseries for the children of MOD civil servants in central London and at the Royal Aerospace Establishment Farnborough. We are also considering what might be done at other locations. The level of charges to parents has yet to be determined.

  Trident
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the cost of the Trident programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tom King
  I am pleased to announce that for the fourth year running there has been, in real terms, a reduction in the estimated cost of the Trident programme. The revised estimate now stands at £9,380 million, based on the exchange rate used for the long-term costing of the defence programme, which this year is taken to be £1 = $1·62.

  Although this estimate represents a cash increase of £291 million compared with the estimate announced in 1989, after allowing for the effects of inflation and exchange rate variations, there has been a real reduction of £432 million compared with that estimate, and a real reduction of £1,631 million over the original 1982 estimate. This is additional to the savings resulting from the decision to have United Kingdom missiles processed in the United States facility at Kings bay, Georgia.
  206
  The proportion of the programme to be undertaken in the United Kingdom has risen to its highest level so far—69 per cent.

  The Select Committee on Defence previously asked that when announcing the annual revised estimate, I should report on the state of the project as a whole. I am pleased to say that the Trident project remains on programme to enter service in the mid-1990s. There has been no slippage in the in-service date since the decision to purchase Trident II was announced in March 1982. I am, as in the past, sending to the Chairmen of the Select Committee on Defence and the Public Accounts Committee a more detailed report covering the points on which the Select Committee on Defence sought advice. I am also placing a copy of this report in the Library of the House.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Reconstruction Competitions
  Mr. Stanbrook
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will give the precise date or dates of the last reconstruction competition or competitions held for administrative and professional officers for the Home Civil Service, and the dates of the last appointments resulting from these competitions.

  Mr. Luce
  I regret that the information requested is not available and cannot be obtained except at disproportionate cost. The 88th annual report of the Civil Service Commissioners mentioned that "one or two" reconstruction" competitions for technical grades were in progress due in 1953–54, but I am advised that the Civil Service Commission has no information subsequently.

THE ARTS

  Creches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will list by location where creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed in his Department; and if they have to make any payment for this service.

  Mr. Luce
  My Department does not yet provide facilities for the use of its staff, but they have access to a local holiday play scheme financed by parental and departmental contributions.

SCOTLAND

  National Health Service
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next expects to meet Health Service unions in Scotland to discuss Health Service matters.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There are no plans at present.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the increase in National Health Service expenditure in Scotland since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Gross expenditure on the Health Service in Scotland has risen by an estimated 31 per cent. in real terms between 1979–80 and 1989–90.
  207
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was National Health Service expenditure in Scotland for 1979 and 1990; and what increase or decrease this represents over and above inflation.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Gross expenditure on the Health Service in Scotland was £1,064 million in 1979–80, and is planned to rise to £3,041 million in 1990–91. This represents an increase of about 35 per cent. in real terms.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current Health Service expenditure in Scotland; and what increase this is in real terms over 1979 expenditure.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Gross expenditure on the Health Service in Scotland in 1989–90 is estimated to be £2,816 million, representing an increase of about 31 per cent. in real terms since 1979–80.

  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to meet the Scottish Trades Union Congress to discuss the National Health Service.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met trade unions from the National Health Service; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met trade unions from the National Health Service; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend met the British Medical Association last month to discuss the new contract for general practitioners.

  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the current Health Service expenditure programme in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Expenditure on the NHS in Scotland will exceed £3 billion for the first time in the coming year; almost three times the budget we inherited on taking office.

  Devolution
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from the business community in Scotland on devolution.

  Mr. Lang
  The senior management of many important companies in Scotland have repeatedly expressed their concern about the adverse effects which any form of devolution would have on the Scottish economy.

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last discussed the electrification of the Edinburgh-Linlithgow, Falkirk High-Glasgow and Edinburgh-Aberdeen lines with ScotRail.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Decisions on electrification schems are for British Rail working within guidelines set by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.

  Self-governing Hospitals
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hospitals have expressed an interest in the self-governing hospital proposals.
  208
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  We have had serious expressions of interest from Forfar and the Royal Scottish National hospital at Larbert whilst a number of others are seeking further information.

  Craig Dunain Hospital
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of Craig Dunain hospital, Inverness.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. Action is presently with the Highland health board.

  ScotRail
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the general manager of ScotRail; and what matters were discussed.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend and I discussed various topics relating to rail transport when we met the general manager of ScotRail in the company of the chairman of British Rail, Sir Robert Reid, on 31 October 1989.

  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next expects to meet the general manager of ScotRail; and what will be discussed.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend and I have met the general manager of ScotRail from time to time and we expect to continue this practice with Mr. Bleasdale, the new director. Discussions at such meetings normally cover a wide range of topics.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what planting incentives are currently offered by the Forestry Commission.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Forestry Commission currently offers the following planting grants, payable in instalments over 10 years, for both new planting and restocking, including natural regeneration, under its woodland grant scheme.

  Rate of Grant (£ per hectare)

  Area (hectares)

  Conifers

  Broadleaves (including Native Pinewoods)

  0·25–0·9

  1,005

  1,575

  1·0–2·9

  880

  1,375

  3·0–9·9

  795

  1,175

  10 and over

  615

  975

  A better land supplement of £200 per hectare is payable where planting under the woodland grant scheme takes place on arable land or improved grassland (as defined for the farm woodland scheme). In addition, the following grants are offered by the Forestry Commission under its woodland grant scheme for new planting in association with the farm woodland scheme.

  Rate of Grant (£ per hectare)

  Area(hectares)

  Conifers

  Broadleaves

  1·0–2·9

  505

  1,375

  3·0–9·9

  420

  1,175

  10 and over

  240

  975

  209
  The better land supplement is not available for planting under the farm woodland scheme through which annual payments are made by the agriculture Departments.

  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Forestry Commission's proposals for farm tree planting grants.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Grants for planting trees on farms are available under the Forestry Commission's woodland grant scheme, including grants for planting done in association with the farm woodland scheme. Full details of both schemes are given in the explanatory booklets which are in the Library.

  Kelvin Central Bus Company
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a grant to employees on the same terms as to management to assist in the preparation of an employee bid for the Kelvin Central bus company.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for East Kilbride (Mr. Ingram) on 22 January at column 545.

  National Health Service (Waiting Times)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average waiting time for patients in the Scottish Health Service in 1979; and what it is now.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Average waiting times for non-urgent patients have fallen by 10 per cent. since 1979; around half of all patients admitted to hospital are admitted immediately.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had regarding competitive tendering in the National Health Service in Scotland.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding competitive tendering in the National Health Service in Scotland.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding competitive tendering in the National Health Service in Scotland.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had regarding competitive tendering in the National Health Service in Scotland.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding competitive tendering in the National Health Service in Scotland.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding competitive tendering in the National Health Service in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer to the answer given earlier today to the hon. Member for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Mr. Hogg).

  Operations (Commercial Sponsorship)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there are any plans for health boards in Scotland other than Lothian to seek commercial sponsorship for operations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There are no plans for commercial sponsorship for operations.

  Scottish Economy
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Scottish Council for Development and Industry to discuss the Scottish economy.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend met representatives of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry when he addressed the council's international forum at Aviemore on 29 September 1989.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the rate of economic growth for Scotland for the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lang
  Using United Kingdom price deflators, the latest income-based estimate of Scotland's gross domestic product shows that in 1988 the Scottish economy grew by some 4·7 per cent.

  Transport Links (Europe)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to improve Scotland's road, rail and air links with Europe prior to 1992.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Current plans for the Scottish motorway network, linked to the proposed widening of the M6, M1 and M25, will substantially improve access to Europe. The Scottish Development Department is undertaking a review to ensure that the strategic Scottish trunk and key principal road network can meet demands. We are encouraging potential Scottish rail customers to make their requirements for services to the Channel tunnel known to British Rail. The Government's policy of liberalising air services will assist operators to provide improved services where demand exists.

  Regional and District Councils (Elections)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will instruct a study to be carried out of the number and characteristics such as age, sex and occupation of persons seeking election to regional and district councils in 1990 and 1992, respectively.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so at present. We do, however, have it in mind to update in due course the substantial programme of research commissioned by the Widdicombe committee of inquiry into the conduct of local authority business in 1985 and published in four volumes in 1986. Volume II contained a wide range of information on the personal and occupational characteristics of local government councillors.

  Natural Heritage Agency
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest progress towards the establishment in Scotland of a unified and autonomous natural heritage agency.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend announced his intention to appoint Magnus Magnusson KBE as chairman of the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland, and thereafter as first chairman of the proposed Scottish natural heritage agency, provided the Government's proposals to reorganise the Nature Conservancy Council receive parliamentary approval. These proposals are provided for in the Environmental Protection Bill now before Parliament.

  Health Boards (Expenditure)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the actions which some health boards are taking to curtail their level of provision in order to remain within budget in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  All health boards are given an allocation of resources for capital and current expenditure before the start of each financial year. Boards plan their services accordingly.

  Motorways
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of dual carriageway he plans to upgrade to motorway standard in 1990.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No new section of road upgraded to motorway is programmed to be opened during 1990. However, the 4·5 mile M80 Stepps bypass, which will relieve the existing heavily congested road at Stepps, is currently under construction and is expected to be open in April 1992. Further motorway schemes, including upgrading from dual carriageway, are expected to commence during 1990–91 and details will be announced in March by my right hon. and learned Friend.

  Sewage Disposal
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to meet Scottish regional councils to discuss the matter of sewage disposal.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No. The Government are aware of developments in this field and my officials have regular meetings with regional and islands council staff at which sewage disposal matters are discussed. My right hon. and learned Friend holds regular meetings with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on local government finance matters.

  Local Government Expenditure
  Mr. Younger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a list of those local authorities in Scotland which are planning to increase their expenditure above the rate of inflation.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Once details of local authorities' budgets for 1990–91 are available to my Department, I will make a statement.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has issued or proposes to issue any regulations or guidance under section 16(1) of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Regulation 9 of the Community Charges (Registration) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations makes provision relating to community charge appeals made under section 16(1) of the 1987 Act. The notes prescribed under these regulations informing people of their register entry or an amendment to that entry include information about a person's rights of appeal.

  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many warrant sales have been carried out as a result of poll tax non-payment in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make an estimate of the amount which a police officer in Scotland will on average have to pay in respect of the personal community charge following abolition of the rates element of the police rent allowance on 31 March.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Like other members of the community, police officers in Scotland have been liable to pay the community charge since April 1989. The level of the charge depends on the area in which they live.

  Regulations made last November had the effect of restoring the rates element of rent allowance, on an interim basis, to those officers who were in receipt of rent allowance on 31 March 1989 for such period as their circumstances remain unchanged. Draft regulations now sent to the police negotiating board provide for the sum payable by way of rates on 31 March 1989 to continue to be included in the calculation of an officer's rent allowance and in any transitional rent allowance payable from 1 April 1990.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his Department's latest estimate of the additional resources required to cover the administrative costs of poll tax collection in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Based on the latest local authority figures available, the increase in the administrative costs of collecting the community charge in 1989–90, as against rates collection in 1988–89, is estimated at £14·5 million.

  Northern Ireland
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next intends to visit Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I have no immediate plans to do so.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received on the crisis in the Scottish fishing industry.
  213
  Mr. Lang
  Since the hon. Member last inquired about this on 20 December 1989 the Government have received a variety of representations from organisations representing different sectors of the fishing industry, from MPs and MEPs and from local authorities and other bodies. Many of these expressed appreciation of the success achieved by the Government at the Council of Fisheries Ministers on 18 and 19 December 1989.

  Violent Prisoners
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to publish the conclusions of the consultative document "Assessment and Control: the Management of Violent and Disruptive Prisoners".

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  We have received a wide range of comments on the consultative document which aroused considerable interest. My right hon. and learned Friend and I are still considering the responses, but we expect to reach our conclusions within the next few weeks.

  Lothian Health Board
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the finances of Lothian health board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No.

  Students (Housing Benefit)
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to provide suitable low-cost accommodation for those students displaced by the loss of housing benefit from September.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government's housing policies for both the public and the private sector will help to ensure an adequate supply of low-cost accommodation. The proposed top-up loans for student support will be at a level well in excess of a student's average likely entitlement to benefits.

  Central European Time
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his Department's policy towards the imposition of central European time in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  The introduction of central European time throughout the United Kingdom is one of the options set out in the Green Paper "Summer Time—A Consultation Document" published last June. A decision on future summer time arrangements will not be taken until the responses, including those from Scotland, have been fully considered.

  Knitwear and Textile Industry
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the state of the knitwear and textile industry in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  During the past six months my right hon. and learned Friend has received representations from Berwickshire district council, Ettrick and Lauderdale district council, and the Scottish Trades Union Congress. These representations expressed concern about the current 214
  state and future prospects of the knitwear and textile industry and suggested that renewal of the multi-fibre arrangement is essential to the future well-being of the industry. In addition, my right hon. and learned Friend received representations from two members of the public about the knitwear industry in the Hawick area, one of which stressed the importance of the multi-fibre arrangement.

  Farm Incomes
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussion he has had with the National Farmers Union of Scotland about the level of farm incomes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  My noble Friend the Minister of State met the president and senior officials of the National Farmers Union of Scotland on 15 January for a discussion on a range of issues, including the EC price-fixing proposals, which have a significant bearing on farmers' incomes. The union represented that a substantially greater green pound devaluation than was proposed by the EC Commission was justified. My noble Friend reaffirmed the Government's commitment to the removal of monetary compensatory amounts by 1992 and assured the representatives of the union that the need for our farmers to be able to compete on fair terms in the Community would be borne in mind in the negotiations in Brussels. My noble Friend and colleagues from other Departments yesterday met the United Kingdom farming unions to discuss further the price-fixing proposals.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with people interested in forming a local enterprise company for Renfrewshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Neither I nor my right hon. and learned Friend have personally had discussions with people interested in forming a local enterprise company for Renfrewshire, but officials from my Department and from the Training Agency and the SDA have been working closely with the steering group led by Mr. John McClelland, director IBM, Greenock, which has now submitted an application for development funding for a local enterprise company for Renfrewshire.

  Maternity Facilities (Glasgow)
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to improve maternity facilities in the east end of Glasgow.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Greater Glasgow health board is presently consulting on its proposals to improve maternity services in its area.

  National Museums of Scotland
  Mr. Buchan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the chairman of the board of trustees of the national museums of Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend last met the chairman of the board of trustees of the national museums of Scotland on 30 November 1989.

  Elderly People (Glasgow)
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what requests he has received from Greater Glasgow health board for additional revenue or capital allocations to meet the costs of dealing with the care of the growing elderly section of the population.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Requests for allocations of capital are contained within the health board's capital plan submitted yearly to the Department. No requests for additional revenue resources have been received.

  Ravenscraig
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what investment there has been in Ravenscraig steel plant in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Lang
  Significant investment approved for Ravenscraig plant prior to privatisation of the British Steel Corporation was as follows:

  1985—nil

  1986—£17 million

  1987—nil

  1988—nil

  Since privatisation, investment decisions have been a matter for British Steel.

  North East River Purification Board
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on the current situation in the North East river purification board and the situation regarding the cancelled appointment to the post of general manager;

  (2) if he will make a statement regarding the current duties and structure of the North East river purification board; and if there have been any changes in these duties and the structure of the board.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  River purification boards have powers under statute to appoint such officers as they think necessary for the proper discharge of their functions. This is not a matter for which the Secretary of State is reponsible. Any queries about the staffing of a river purification board or the duties of its officers should be addressed to the board.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the rivers the North East river purification board is responsible for; and which are used as part of the Grampian water supply.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The boundary of the North East river purification board defines the catchments draining to the coast between Hopeman and Milton Ness. These cover the Rivers Lossie, Spey, Deveron, Ugie, Ythan, Dee, Don and Bervie, together with their tributaries and the coastal streams encompassed by the boundary. Except for the Rivers Ythan and Bervie, all these rivers, or tributaries of them, are used as sources of public water supply by Grampian regional council.

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest figures for levels of manufacturing investment in Scotland in(a) cash and (b) constant prices; and what are the annual figures for each of the previous 10 years.
  216
  Mr. Rifkind
  The table gives estimates of gross domestic fixed capital formation by manufacturing industry in Scotland at current prices for each year from 1977 to 1987, the latest year for which estimates are available. There are no separate price deflators for Scotland and the use of United Kingdom deflators does not give sufficiently reliable constant price estimates.

  Gross domestic fixed capital formation by manufacturing industry in Scotland

  £ millions

  1977

  491

  1978

  523

  1979

  561

  1980

  645

  1981

  586

  1982

  541

  1983

  470

  1984

  597

  1985

  861

  1986

  788

  1987

  738

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  Trunk Road Improvements
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which trunk road improvement schemes in Scotland are expected to start in the financial year 1990–91.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend expects to make an announcement to the House, as is his usual custom, in March.

  Timothy Williams
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Lord Advocate will order a fatal accident inquiry into the death of Timothy Williams, radio operator on the Ocean Odyssey drilling rig.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate hopes to make an announcement shortly about this matter.

  Piper Alpha
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what surveys have been undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland in respect of pollution following the Piper Alpha tragedy; and what were the results.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer to the reply given to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) on 25 January 1990. The results of initial monitoring work by DAFS scientists were published on 6 June 1989 and copies of the reports were placed in the Library.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received recently about the proposed Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Since the publication of our proposals to reorganise the Nature Conservancy Council in the Environmental Protection Bill, my right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of representations covering a variety of views.

ENVIRONMENT

  Rating Revaluation
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the average revaluation factors by property type for the top 20 and the lowest 20 rating authorities in England and Wales; if he will list the national average by property type; and if he will place the complete list in the Library.

  Mr. Chope
  I have today placed in the Library a table showing revaluation factors by property type in English local authority areas and nationally. The figures are based on the 1990 rateable values for properties as shown on the rating lists deposited with local authorities on 20 December. The new rateable values are based on market rents in each area in April 1988, the date by reference to which the valuation has been carried out under the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

  The 20 authorities with the highest average revaluation factors are

  Figures

  York

  14·6

  Bath

  13·3

  Kensington and Chelsea

  13·0

  Selby

  12·8

  Chichester

  12·7

  South Lakeland

  12·6

  Canterbury

  12·4

  West Devon

  12·2

  Winchester

  12·1

  Scarborough

  11·9

  Ryedale

  11·9

  Harrogate

  11·5

  Weymouth and Portland

  11·5

  Hart

  11·4

  Runnymede

  11·4

  Medina

  11·4

  Castle Morpeth

  11·3

  North Devon

  11·3

  Tunbridge Wells

  11·3

  South Wight

  11·3

  The 20 authorities with the lowest average revaluation factors are

  Figures

  Knowsley

  4·2

  Wolverhampton

  4·5

  Sandwell

  5·0

  Derby

  5·4

  Walsall

  5·4

  Birmingham

  5·5

  St. Helens

  5·6

  Liverpool

  5·6

  Dudley

  5·8

  Halton

  6·1

  Wansbeck

  6·1

  Darlington

  6·2

  Lambeth

  6·2

  Middlesbrough

  6·3

  Leicester

  6·3

  City of London

  6·3

  Scunthorpe

  6·3

  Sedgefield

  6·3

  Gateshead

  6·4

  Wigan

  6·4

  Control of Pollution
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisions to make regulations under the Control of Pollution Act have still not been used.

  Mr. Trippier
  Sections 6, 11, 18, 23, 29, 45, 68, 93, 94, 102 and 103.

  Humberside
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the total cost of(a) splitting county Humberside into two new counties and (b) merging the south bank into Lincolnshire and the north bank into North Yorkshire and what central Government financing is available for such changes.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Department has made no such estimates: it is one of the matters that we expect to be covered in the report on the further review of the county of Humberside which the Local Government Boundary Commission is now undertaking. Apart from grant for specific services, central Government support to local government is concentrated in the revenue support grant, which is distributed on the basis of assessed needs which contain no specific provision for the costs of administrative reorganisation.

  Creches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by location where creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed by his Department; and if they have to make any payment for this service.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  My Department is undertaking a feasibility study of the provision of a nursery in Westminster and is also looking for opportunities to co-operate with other employers to provide nurseries in areas of the south-east from which staff commute into central London and at locations in the regions where the Department has offices.

  Ordnance Survey Maps
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the percentage increase, in real terms, in the retail price of the Ordnance Survey map sheets for a comparable area on the scale of 1:1,250 from 1979 to 1989; what is the current cost of maps for the parliamentary division of Finchley; and what is his policy for the pricing of this map series.

  Mr. Trippier
  The retail price of Ordnance Survey 1:1,250 quality paper maps has increased by 83 per cent. in real terms over the 10-year period between 1979 and 1989. The main use of these maps is by local authorities, land developers and utilities.

  The current cost of these maps to cover the parliamentary division of Finchley is £1,197.

  These maps form part of Ordnance Survey's core activities and are priced to help achieve the cost recovery target set by the Secretary of State.

  Nitrates
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the areas in which drinking water is contaminated with nitrates in excess of European Community limits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Copies of the undertakings accepted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State from the water service companies under section 20 of the Water Act 1989 are available in the Library, including the undertakings in respect of those areas where there is a breach of the standard for nitrate, or where there has been a past breach which is likely to recur.

  As soon as my right hon. Friend has accepted undertakings from all the statutory water companies, which he is in the process of doing, copies of these will also be placed in the Library.

  Nature Conservancy
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what organisations were consulted prior to his Department's announcing the changes to the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe)—Official Report 4 December 1989, column 39. The necessary legislation was put before the House on 20 December, and received a Second Reading on 15 January.

  Hazardous Substances (Conference)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department was represented at the conference on the control of substances hazardous to health organised by Thames Events, held on 10 and 11 January.

  Mr. Trippier
  No.

  Rates
  Mr. Richard Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, further to table 4, "Changes in Rates Bills by Property Type", England and Wales, deposited paper NS5522, he will provide the changes in rates bills by property type for each economic area in England and Wales, both in percentage terms and money terms.

  Mr. Chope
  The information for which my hon. Friend asks is given in table 6 of the paper to which he refers.

  HAT (Sunderland)
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he is making towards the establishment of a housing action trust for Sunderland.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Following consultations with the tenants and after discussions with Sunderland borough council, my right hon. Friend has decided to proceed to a ballot of the tenants on the proposals to set up a housing action trust for the Downhill, Town End Farm, Hylton Castle and part of Red House estates in Sunderland. The ballot, which will be a postal ballot conducted by the Electoral Reform Society, will take place between 12 March and 4 April. The Electoral Reform Society will be writing shortly to the tenants of these estates, setting out the arrangements for the ballot.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Know-how Funds
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have any plans to alter the timing or application of the know-how fund to eastern European states.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The know-how fund for Poland is already in operation. That for Hungary starts in April. The fund will be extended to other east European countries once they are fully committed to reform. The principal aim of the fund will be the same in all cases: to provide advice and training to help with the transition to democracy and a market economy.

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his assessment of the extent to which the Brazilian Government are providing the resources and manpower needed to protect the rain forests and their inhabitants.

  Mr. Maude
  The Brazilian Government have made considerable efforts to protect the rain forest and its inhabitants. The hon. Member will be aware of the creation of IBAMA—the environmental umbrella organisation—in 1988, which has levied heavy fines on a number of enterprises convicted of polluting the rainforest. He will also be aware of the decision on 24 January to relocate gold prospectors outside the Yanomami area.

  In July 1989, the then Minister for Overseas Development signed a memorandum of understanding with the Brazilian authorities, under which a number of environmental co-operation projects are being agreed. We hope thereby to contribute to a solution of these problems.

  South Africa
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Caborn),Official Report, 16 January, columns 167–8, how many representations he has received concerning the Upington 14 in South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have received approximately 500 representations about the Upington 14. The 14 have been granted leave to appeal by the South African Appeal Court. While legal processes continue, it would be wrong for the Government to intervene.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made any representations to the South African Government concerning the treatment of their political prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are concerned at the plight of political prisoners in South Africa. We have called repeatedly on the South African Government to release all political prisoners.

  Creches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by location where creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed in his Department; and if they have to make any payment for this service.

  Mr. Maude
  There is no creche facility in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  Cambodia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will be issuing a statement on the outcome of the Paris meeting on Cambodia on 15 and 16 January; and when the report of the British mission to Cambodia in 1989 will be published.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The informal discussions in Paris on 15–16 January were between the Asia directors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. They agreed a set of principles to guide them in working for a resolution of the Cambodia problem, including an enhanced role for the United Nations. This has been made public, and I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

  There are no plans to publish a written report on the visit to Cambodia by two British officials in December. The Overseas Development Administration briefed leading NGOs on 5 January, and will make available information of specific programme/project opportunities.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whom the Minister of State is meeting during his visit to the refugee camps on the Thai-Cambodian border; which camps he is visiting; whether he is meeting representatives of British non-governmental organisations in private; and if he will be making a statement on this visit.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  During his visit to Thailand, my noble Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited site 2, near Aranyaprathet, on 20 January. He was briefed by the displaced persons protection unit and the United Nations Border Relief Operation, toured the encampment and handed over a donation of British humanitarian assistance. He visited projects run by Christian Outreach and Concern, and met representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. In the evening, he gave a private dinner for representatives of British NGOs and the British staff of other organisations.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's assessment as to the implications for the chemical weapon convention talks of the United States' policy to continue production of binary chemical weapons after a chemical weapon convention has been signed.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are aware of the press speculation last year about United States policy. However, the United States has made no proposal to amend the provision in the draft chemical weapons convention under negotiation in Geneva that would prohibit the production of chemical weapons immediately upon the convention's entry into force.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Business Innovation Grant
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will estimate the amount of expenditure on the business innovation grant scheme to be paid out in each of the standard English regions and Wales for each year 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92;

  (2) if he will estimate the amount of expenditure on the business investment grant to be paid out in each of the standard English regions and Wales for each year 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92;

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The estimated expenditure for the two elements of the regional enterprise grant scheme for 1989–90 are £4·78 million for investment grants and £2·25 million for innovation grants for England as a whole. Information about planned expenditure on regional assistance in 1990–91 and 1991–92 was published in the public expenditure White Paper on 30 January.

  Current year figures and estimates for future expenditure in England are not broken down by regions. Questions about the operation of regional enterprise grants in Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he was consulted by Sir Leon Brittan about the proposal to launch a European Commission inquiry into price fixing, monopoly practices, market shares and fee levels of the quality of audits into the accountancy profession.

  Mr. Redwood
  No. I understand that the Commission is asking outside consultants to conduct a study into the general implications for competition of the increasing concentration of the major accountancy firms. This is not a formal investigation under the competition rules of the EC treaty.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will be providing evidence for or contributing to the inquiry by the European Community Commission into price fixing and monopoly abuse in the accountancy profession; and whether he has any proposals for a similar inquiry in Britain.

  Mr. Redwood
  The United Kingdom authorities will of course give any assistance they can to those conducting the study. Neither I nor the Director General of Fair Trading have proposals for a similar inquiry in Britain.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what new rules he proposes to deal with the concentration of audit business and the attendant inside information about mergers in a few large firms.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has available to him the merger control provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973 to scrutinise mergers of major economic significance between accountancy firms. Auditors have a professional duty of confidence. If the hon. Member has any evidence of a breach of that confidence he should draw it to the attention of the relevant professional body; but if he has reason to believe that there might have been an insider dealing offence he should provide my Department with full details.
  223
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers he has to vet or investigate mergers of accountancy firms to prevent the concentration of power in a few firms in this area; and how many mergers or takeovers in this field he has referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has the normal merger control powers available to him under the provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973. In accordance with the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading, he has not so far decided to refer any mergers between accountancy firms to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Cambodia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on Cambodia and export credit guarantees; and if he will list all instances in the last 10 years in which export credit guarantees have been granted for trade with Cambodia.

  Mr. Redwood
  Since June 1975, ECGD cover for exports to Cambodia has been limited to business on maximum terms of 180 days where payment is secured by means of an irrevocable letter of credit confirmed, before shipment, by a bank in the United Kingdom.

  On this basis, business insured in each of the past 10 years, with the exception of 1983, was less than £1,000. In 1983, exports totalling £200,000 were covered.

  No relaxation of ECGD's terms of cover is envisaged in the foreseeable future.

  Insider Dealing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to develop new proposals for dealing with insider trading; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Government will continue to pursue all insider dealing cases where prosecution is justified under the code of conduct for Crown prosecutors. Convictions have been obtained in 10 out of 19 cases brought under the legislation. Inspections are being carried out in a further 16 potential cases.

  In the latest two cases the outcome turned on factors which have nothing to do with the law on insider dealing, namely the law on public interest immunity, and procedural matters relating to the conduct of criminal trials.

  As I told the House on 8 December (OR column 407) the Government that day published a consultative document on proposals for changes to the insider dealing law, and a copy is in the Library. The proposals reflect the requirements of the EEC insider dealing directive and experience of the present law. The Government will consider carefully any constructive proposals that may emerge from the consultation.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases of insider dealing have been brought since the introduction of the legislation; how many cases are outstanding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Insider dealing became a criminal offence since July 1980. Since then there have been 19 224
  prosecutions for insider dealing offences, involving 26 defendants. Ten cases produced convictions. At present there are three cases where prosecutions have begun but not concluded. The Government will continue to pursue all insider dealing cases where prosecution is justified under the code of conduct for Crown prosecutors.

  Barlow Clowes
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether all investors in Barlow Clowes should now have received the offer letter promised in his statement to the House on 19 December; and by what date his Department requires their response.

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 30 January to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson).

  Single Market
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the nature of the help provided by his Department to the organisation of conferences and seminars on the 1992 proposals; and if he will make a statement on the organisation of 1992 clubs.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 30 January]: Since the launch of its campaign "Europe Open for Business", the Department has provided speakers (both Ministers and officials) at 1,445 single market conferences and seminars. Organisers of these events can obtain, free of charge, copies of our wide range of single market literature for distribution to delegates plus free publicity for the events in the campaign's quarterly newsletter "Single Market News" (distributed to over 200,000 organisations). A range of videos produced by the Department, suitable for showing at single market events, can also be bought or hired. In 1988, the Department itself organised 20 regional breakfast conferences and more recently ran a major conference on "Europe Open for Professions" in London.

  The Department has no role in the organisation of 1992 clubs though officials have spoken at events put on by individual clubs. I understand that the 1992 club national co-ordinator is Mr. Edward McMillan-Scott MEP.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a list of the various publications and briefing notes which his Department makes available on the 1992 proposals.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 30 January]: A list of all the single market publications and video material provided under my Department's "Europe Open for Business" campaign is included in our single market information pack. A copy of the information pack has been placed in the Library. Further copies can be obtained through our 1992 hotline 01–200 1992.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the measures so far adopted by the Council of Ministers on 1992 which will assist the development of industry and commerce in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 30 January]: Progress continues to be made on the single market programme. One hundred and sixty-four out of the 279 measures in the Commission's white paper, "Completing the Internal

  225
  Market", have now reached a common position in the Council of Ministers, or been agreed in principle. This means that almost 60 per cent. of the single market programme is now complete.

  For information in greater detail, I have placed in the Library of the House a summary table setting out for the measures in the Commission's white paper those which have been adopted by the Council of Ministers, those which have been proposed by the Commission and those which are projected. Clearly not all these measures are of equal importance, but taken as a whole programme, the Government believe they represent good progress, and will bring benefits to industry and commerce in the United Kingdom, especially where they succeed in opening continental markets to British businesses.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Postgraduate Degrees
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many postgraduate degrees, and in what subjects, were awarded in the last year for which figures are available; and what were the comparable numbers in 1979.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information is given in the table. A new classification was introduced in 1985–86 for the recording of university students' subject of study. For broad comparison purposes additional information has been given for the last year of the previous subject classification (1984) and the first year of the new classification (1985).

  Universities Great Britain—Higher Degrees1 awarded

  Calendar year

  1979

  1984

  Education

  1,999

  2,673

  Medicine, dentistry and health

  1,206

  1,521

  Engineering and technology

  3,090

  3,226

  Agriculture, forestry and veterinary science

  501

  643

  Science

  4,374

  4,654

  Social, administrative and business studies

  4,145

  5,327

  Architecture and other professional and vocational subjects

  588

  648

  Language, literature and area studies

  1,292

  1,358

  Arts other than languages

  885

  1,018

  All subjects

  18,080

  21,068

  Calendar year

  1985

  1988

  Medicine and dentistry

  803

  1,264

  Studies allied to medicine

  729

  800

  Biological sciences

  1,554

  1,784

  Veterinary science, agriculture and related studies

  602

  764

  Physical sciences

  2,239

  2,557

  Mathematical sciences

  1,197

  1,495

  Engineering and technology

  3,526

  3,760

  Architecture and related studies

  480

  610

  Social sciences

  3,477

  3,992

  Business and financial studies

  2,033

  2,841

  Librarianship and information science

  297

  364

  Languages and related studies

  1,446

  1,635

  Humanities

  1,061

  1,238

  Creative arts

  195

  235

  Education

  2,860

  2,986

  Multi-disciplinary studies

  513

  678

  All subjects

  23,012

  27,003

  226
  Note: Higher degrees comprise MSC's, PHD's Higher doctorates (DSc, DLitt etc.)

  Source: Universities statistical record volume 1 university statistics: students and staff.

  Examination Boards
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) for how long the examination board is required to keep papers in an examination the result of which is in dispute;

  (2) how many schools queried the Midland examining group's assessment of the marks to be awarded for the English examination of GCSE (a) in 1988 and (b) in 1989;

  (3) whether an examination board is under any obligation to notify a school when its pupils' exam papers are to be destroyed.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The groups are indepedent bodies, wholly responsible for the administration of their own examinations. Queries concerning grading decisions are entirely a matter for the group and the school concerned, and the Department does not collect information about the number of queries or appeals at group level.

  I understand that, where results are in dispute, examination scripts are kept for as long as a formal appeal is under consideration. Once the appeals procedures have been exhausted, or it has become apparent that a school intends to take no further formal action, the examining group normally destroys the scripts, but it is under no obligation to notify a school that it has done so.

  Kuru Disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research h as been conducted to establish the cause or causes of(a) Kuru and (b) Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; what results have so far been forthcoming; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and Kuru belong to a family of diseases thought to be caused by "slow viruses" which include scrapie in sheep and bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle.

  As a result of recommendation 8.5.2 (viii) of the Tyre11 report (report of the working party on bovine spongiform encephalopathy), the Department of Health has commissioned a research project to review the incidence, prevalence and trends of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in order to help determine whether there is a link with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  From 1979 until 1987, the Medical Research Council funded an epidemiological study of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. No consistent risk factors were identified. The neuropathogenesis unit in Edinburgh is undertaking a programme of research on scrapie which is also relevant; the unit is jointly funded by the Agricultural and Food Research Council and Medical Research Council.

  Research on Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and Kuru may be being pursued by university departments and medical schools with support from the University Funding Council block grants and by health authorities; but information on this is not collected centrally.

TRANSPORT

  Motor Cycles
  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the number of casualties among pillion passengers carried on motor cycles driven by learner riders, indicating the number who were holders of full motor cycle driving licences and the number carried illegally without a full licence in each of the last five years in repect of which information is available.

  Mr. Atkins
  Information is not available on the type of driving licence held by drivers of vehicles, or their passengers, involved in road injury accidents. Therefore, it is not possible to estimate the number of pillion passengers carried on motor cycles being driven by learner drivers, nor to tell whether these passengers were being carried illegally.

  Creches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by location where creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed in his Department; and if they have to make any payment for this service.

  Mr. Atkins
  No creche facilities are provided by my Department at present, although possibilities are being investigated.

  Severn Bridge Signal Box
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will take steps to save the Severn bridge signal box at Shrewsbury, Shropshire for the nation as a national heritage; whether he has discussed the matter with the National Railway museum at York; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  These are matters for British Rail. I understand from BR that, under current plans, the signal box is likely to continue to be required for railway operational purposes until late 1991. BR and other interested parties will therefore have ample time to consider these issues, including possible arrangements for preservation.

  Heathrow Airport
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to resist all proposals from airlines to increase night flights or to reduce the period covered by night flight restrictions at Heathrow airport.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The present night restrictions regime at Heathrow was introduced in 1988 and runs until 1992–3. We have no plans to alter it.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to resist all proposals to end the daily runway alternation at Heathrow airport.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Government policy on aircraft noise is as set out in the White Paper "Airport Policy", published in June 1985 (Cmnd. 9542). Runway alternation at Heathrow is cited as an example of a noise abatement measure that the Government will continue to encourage (para 8.8).

  Airline Punctuality
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library on a regular basis a copy of the Civil Aviation Authority's report on airline punctuality records; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  These reports are published monthly by the Civil Aviation Authority, on the basis of information provided by certain airports and by the relevant scheduling committees (comprising representatives of airlines using the airports). I have told the authority of my hon. Friend's request.

  Transport (London)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what are his Department's estimates for the number of cars entering London on a regular basis for each of the next five years;

  (2) what is his Department's estimate for the number of commuters using all forms of transport with a London destination for each of the next five years.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 26 January 1990]: Figures are not available in the form requested. Estimates for commuters entering central London show that between 1983 and 1988, commuting by each of the modes changed as follows:

  Per cent.

  Cars

  -11

  BR Rail

  +22

  Underground

  +27

  Bus

  -18

  Large-scale investment is taking place to increase the capacity of the rail systems to accommodate increasing demand. It is not the Government's policy to encourage commuting by car into central London. The report of the central London rail study, published in January 1989, forecast that, between 1987 and 2001, BR trips would increase by some 20 per cent. and Underground trips by about 13 per cent.

HEALTH

  Hospital and Community Health Services
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will show in the Official Report the increase in purchasing power made available for hospital and community health services, excluding the cost improvement programme and income generation, for the years 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989, estimated, using an index which would show 1980 as 100.

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

  Year

  1980–81

  100·0

  1986–87

  104·7

  1987–88

  109·9

  1988–89

  113·2

  1989–90

  1 114·1

  1 Estimate.

  Notes:
  229
  1. Based on health authorities' total revenue cash limits, inclusive of all in-year adjustments, carry forward from previous financial year, and in year transfers between revenue and capital.

  2. Increase in purchasing power measured by GDP deflator.

  Homes for the Elderly
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make it his policy to ensure that elderly people resident in homes for the elderly are provided with equivalent support from public funds irrespective of whether the homes are publicly or privately run.

  Mr. Freeman
  The White Paper "Caring for People" explained that we intend to bring the local authority rules for working out how much people in homes can afford to contribute towards their care and support into line with those used for income support purposes. Under our community care proposals local authorities will have to contribute more to the support of people in homes under their own management than to that of people in private homes but the personal financial position of residents will be the same.

  Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has carried out into a connection between Creutzfeld-Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  As a result of recommendation 8.5.2 (viii), of the Tyrrell report (report of the working party on bovine spongiform encephalopathy) the Department of Health has commissioned a research project to review the incidence, prevalence and trends of Creutzfeld-Jakob disease in order to help determine whether there is a link with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Area Health Authorities
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instruct area health authorities to pay due heed to local authorities and public opinion when they decide to construct buildings such as incinerators which can have an adverse effect on the environment.

  Mr. Freeman
  Health authorities are already instructed to consult local planning authorities where a proposed development is one for which planning permission would normally be required.

  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request the South Warwickshire health authority to refrain from proceeding with the building of a large incinerator and chimney at the South Warwickshire hospital until the powers of control and licence for such a project have passed to the local authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  The responsibility for strategic planning and operational policy of waste disposal rests locally with the West Midlands regional health authority. South Warwickshire health authority has acted throughout in a responsible way. For further information my hon. Friend may like to consult the authority concerned.

  Abortion
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the places approved by him under section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967.
  230
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The following places have been approved for the period 1 February 1990 to 31 January 1992:

  Acland Nuffield, Hospital, Oxford

  AMI Alexandra Hospital, Cheadle, Cheshire

  BUPA Alexandra Hospital, Walderslade, Kent

  Avenue Clinic, Hove, Sussex

  Bath Clinic, Combe Down, Bath

  AMI Beechwood Hospital, Norton, Sheffield

  BUPA Belvedere Hospital, Scarborough

  Blackdown Nursing Home, Blackdown, Leamington Spa

  AMI Blackheath Hospital, London SE3

  Bromhead Hospital, Lincoln

  BUPA Hospital, Bushey, Watford, Hertfordshire

  BUPA Murrayfield Hospital, Thingwall, Wirral, Merseyside

  BUPA Hospital, Norwich, Colney, Norwich

  BUPA Hospital, Portsmouth

  Calthorpe Nursing Home, Edgbaston, Birmingham

  BUPA Chalybeate Hospital, Southampton, Hampshire

  Chatsworth Clinic, New Barnet, Hertfordshire

  AMI Chaucer Hospital, Canterbury

  Chesterfield Nuffield Hospital, Bristol

  Christchurch Park Hospital, Ipswich, Suffolk

  BUPA Hospital Clare Park, Farnham, Surrey

  Clementine Churchill Hospital, Harrow

  Cleveland Nuffield Hospital, Stockton-on-Tees

  Danum Lodge Nursing Home, Doncaster

  Dean Park Nursing Home, Bournemouth, Dorset

  Doncaster Independent Hospital, Doncaster

  Droitwich Private Hospital, Droitwich, Worcestershire

  Duchy Hospital, Truro, Treliske, Truro

  Duchy House Nuffield Hospital, Harrogate,

  Evelyn Hospital, Cambridge

  Exeter Nuffield Hospital, Exeter

  Fairfield Nursing Home, Buckhurst Hill, Essex

  Fallodon Private Nursing Home, Leeds

  Fitzwilliam Hospital, South Bretton, Peterborough

  Foscote Private Hospital, Banbury, Oxfordshire

  Fulford Grange Hospital, Rawdon, Leeds

  Garden Hospital, London NW4

  Gisburne Park Hospital, Clitheroe, Lancashire

  BUPA Glen Hospital, Bristol

  Hampshire Clinic, Basingstoke

  Highfield Private Hospital, Rochdale

  HRH Princess Christian's Hospital, Windsor, Berkshire

  BUPA Hospital Hull and East Riding, Hull

  Hull Nuffield Hospital, Hull

  Humana Hospital, London NW8

  King Edward VII Hospital, Midhurst

  Leicester Nuffield Hospital, Leicester

  Leigham Private Clinic, London SW16

  Marie Stopes Nursing Home, London NW2

  Merseyside Nursing Home, Liverpool

  Newcastle Nuffield Hospital, Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  New Hall Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire

  New Victoria Hospital, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey

  BUPA North Cheshire Hospital, Warrington, Cheshire

  AMI Park Hospital, Arnold, Nottingham

  Parkfield Private Hospital, Rotherham, South Yorkshire

  Parkview Clinic, London W5

  Plymouth Nuffield Hospital, Derrifold, Plymouth

  AMI Portland Hospital for Women and Children, London W1

  Raleigh Nursing Home, London SW2

  Robert Nursing Home, Kings Norton, Birmingham

  Rosslyn Nursing Home, East Twickenham, Middlesex

  Royal Masonic Hospital, London W6

  Salop Nuffield Hospital, Shrewsbury

  Sarum Road Private Hospital, Winchester, Hampshire

  Somerset Nuffield Hospital, Taunton, Somerset

  BUPA South Bank Hospital, Worcester

  South Manchester Private Clinic, Stockport

  BUPA Wellesley Hospital, Southend-on-Sea

  Wessex Nuffield Hospital, Eastleigh, Hampshire

  231

  Winterbourne Hospital, Dorchester, Dorset

  Wistons Nursing Home, Brighton

  Woking Nuffield Hospital, Woking

  Wye Valley Nuffield Hospital, Hereford

  Yorkshire Clinic, Bingley, West Yorkshire

  As part of the Department's control of the private sector all these places have been subject to unannounced visits of inspection during the previous approval period. Those places specialising in abortion have been visited more frequently by both medical/nursing and investigative officers. During these visits the operation of approved places is closely observed to ensure they meet the condition required in respect of medical and nursing practice, administrative and financial arrangements and facilities and equipment provided.

  Haemophiliacs
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the extent to which the production of safe and efficient factor 8 concentrates from United Kingdom national fractionation centres meets the need of haemophiliacs in the United Kingdom;

  (2) when he expects the United Kingdom to achieve self-sufficiency in blood products;

  (3) at what date United Kingdom haemophiliacs will be able to receive factor 8 made solely from the plasma of unpaid donors to the national blood transfusion service.

  Mr. Freeman
  At present in England and Wales approximately 70 per cent. of the factor 8 used to treat haemophiliacs is produced at the blood products laboratory from the plasma of unpaid donors to the national blood transfusion service. The remainder is commercially produced factor 8 which is imported into the United Kingdom. The imported products are being prescribed as a result of the preference of individual clinicians. The blood products laboratory is, therefore, meeting in full the demand for its factor 8, as it is for virtually all other blood products. It is making efforts to increase its share of the blood products market in this country, but the choice of product remains with the clinician.

  The information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Organ Donations (Payment)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to prohibit payment for donations of human organs, blood and plasma in the United Kingdom; and if he has any plans to restrict the processing and distribution of such donations to a publicly controlled agency within the National Health Service.

  Mr. Freeman
  Our donors give blood and plasma freely, and have always done so. The Government are committed to maintaining this principle of voluntary and unpaid donation. There are certainly no plans to privatise blood collection and supply of blood products in this country.

  The Human Organ Transplants Act 1989 prohibits commercial dealings in human organs intended for transplant. Donations of human organs will be carefully monitored under the Act and its regulations. The Act introduced controls to ensure that human organs are donated freely and according to certain conditions.
  232
  Organ donations from live donors are subject to particular regulations which have been approved by Parliament and will come into effect on 1 April 1990. The Unrelated Live Transplant Regulatory Authority (ULTRA), which is being set up under this Act, will have to be satisfied that certain conditions are met in cases of donation of organs between persons who are genetically unrelated before the proposed transplant will be able to take place.

  The information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Mentally Ill People (Basingstoke and North Hampshire)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many beds for long-term mentally ill patients provided by the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health authority are currently occupied by patients from other health districts;

  (2) how many long-term beds for mentally ill patients are provided by the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health authority other than those provided by the psychiatric division, Park Prewett;

  (3) how many long-term beds for mentally ill patients are provided by the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health authority at the psychiatric division, Park Prewett;

  (4) how many National Health Service-funded mentally ill patients from the Basingstoke and North Hampshire district are currently accommodated in National Health Service hospitals or private nursing homes in other districts;

  (5) if he will list the private nursing homes in the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health district which are registered for the mentally ill; how many mentally ill patients each can accommodate; how many each is currently accommodating; and how many of these are National Health Service funded.

  Mr. Freeman
  During the year 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 there were on average 318 beds available daily in NHS wards for long-stay mental illness patients in Basingstoke and North Hampshire health district. All these beds were at Park Prewett hospital. The number of beds occupied by patients from other districts is not available centrally.

  Figures for the numbers of patients with a mental illness, from the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health district, who are accommodated in hospital and units outside the district are not available centrally.

  As at 31 March 1988, none of the private institutions in the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health district, registered under section 23 of the Registered Homes Act 1984, contained beds specifically for mental illness patients. Information is not available centrally on mentally ill patients that may be resident in these institutions.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the level of the provision of care for mentally ill patients in the Basingstoke and North Hampshire district.
  233
  Mr. Freeman
  It is for the Basingstoke and North Hampshire health authority to decide the level of provision of care for mentally ill patients in its district, taking account of local needs and priorities.

  Acute Services
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the decision of the East Anglian regional health authority that its future planning should be based on the assumption that hospitals providing acute services for East Anglia must have a minimum of 550 to 600 beds for long-term viability; what is Government policy on this matter; how many existing acute hospitals in all parts of the country have fewer than 550 to 600 beds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The appropriate size of an acute hospital is a matter for local decision, in the light of particular needs and circumstances including the 24-hour provision of equipment and skilled staff. I understand that at its January meeting the East Anglian regional health authority endorsed, for planning purposes, the principle of a minimum size for future general acute hospitals.

  At the beginning of 1987 there were in England 431 acute hospitals1 (not necessarily all offering district general hospital facilities) with less than 600 beds in total. Departmental policies require authorities to consider the financial, manpower and interdependent service consequences of their planning options.
  1 This is based on the definition that such hospitals should have at least 85 per cent. of their beds in the acute specialties.

  Budgets and Forecasts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are his Department's procedures for producing budgets and forecasts; what guidance is issued on the use of those procedures; what criteria are applied when judging cost effectiveness; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 19 January 1990]: It is for district health authorities to draw up their own budgets in the light of the resource allocations they receive from the regional health authority.

  The setting of budgets is part of the planning cycle. Regional health authorities submit annually to the NHS management executive their programmes for the next financial year. These programmes provide the basis from which budgets are drawn up. The management executive issues guidance on what programmes should cover including quantified information on planned levels of activity, finance and manpower.

  Health authorities' cost improvement programmes deliver a fundamental and continuing challenge to their cost base. Health authorities decide the level of cost improvements they can achieve. The management executive, where necessary, challenges the adequacy of the level proposed and monitors its delivery, as it does other key aspects of programmes.

  Leeds Health Authorities (Merger)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the possible merger of Leeds Eastern and Leeds Western health authorities.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 29 January 1990]: I understand that regional and district officers are
  234
  currently considering the possibility of such a merger. However, merger proposals will be considered only where there is a compelling case for change. Before any case for a merger could be accepted it would need to be considered by the regional health authority and then submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for final decision. The case would be subject to full public consultation and the Secretary of State would need to be sure of its merits before approving it. The Health Service reforms are not about widescale restructuring but are designed to concentrate management on improving health care for patients.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Forestry (Nottinghamshire)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to develop forestry in Nottinghamshire.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government are actively promoting both the woodland grant scheme and the farm woodland scheme, and 37 applications have been submitted under these schemes in Nottinghamshire, covering an area of over 100 hectares of new planting. The Forestry Commission is currently developing proposals with British Coal for further tree planting on colliery spoil tips. I have also seen a copy of the Countryside Commission's consultation document on its proposal to create a new forest in the English midlands, in which Sherwood forest in Nottinghamshire is identified as one of the possible sites.

  Creches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by location where creche facilities are provided for working mothers employed in his Department; and if they have to make any payment for this service.

  Mr. Curry
  All office managers have been encouraged to consider carefully the provision of nursery facilities. A feasibility study is currently being undertaken on the setting up of a day nursery at Guildford where there is already a successful holiday play scheme. The study will include all aspects of the matter, including costs to parents. The possibility of providing nursery facilities is also being investigated by regional management at Cambridge who are taking the lead for all Departments in the town. Similar investigations are being carried out in the Tolworth-Chessington area. The Department is also participating in the project to determine the feasibility of providing child care facilities in and around London for the employees of all Departments.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a further statement on whether bovine spongiform encephalopathy can be communicated to humans in the light of the comments of the Government's Chief Veterinary Officer.

  Mr. Maclean
  All Ministers in this Department and the Chief Veterinary Officer have continually emphasised that there is no evidence of a risk to human health from BSE
  235
  and that the Southwood working party regarded such a risk as remote. None the less, precautionary measures, including the slaughter and destruction of affected cattle and the banning of certain offals for human consumption from all others, has been taken to counter even that remote and theoretical risk.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle have so far been destroyed with farmers receiving Ministry compensation; and how much this compensation has cost so far.

  Mr. Maclean
  From 8 August 1988, when the compulsory slaughter policy was introduced, to 31 December 1989, a total of 9,884 suspected BSE cases were slaughtered in Great Britain and £3,353,928 paid in compensation.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much it would cost to pay(a) 100 per cent. for cattle affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy and (b) for the slaughter of female offspring from cows affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Maclean
  It is not possible to estimate such costs in the future, as these would depend on the number of animals slaughtered, and the market price of cattle on which the maximum level of compensation payable depends. But if compensation for all the infected animals compulsorily slaughtered up to the end of 1989 had been at 100 per cent. of their value, subject to existing ceiling arrangements, the cost would have exceeded £6 million.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the possibility of the passing of the infective agent associated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy from one generation of cattle to the next.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 18 December 1989,Official Report, column 30.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle reaching market and being sold for human consumption.

  Mr. Maclean
  Since BSE became a notifiable disease on 21 June 1988, up to 30 September 1989, the end of the last quarter for which figures are currently available, 81 suspected cases of BSE were identified at markets. Of these, 56 were subsequently confirmed as having BSE. All animals concerned were slaughtered and their carcases destroyed. Of course the removal of specified offals from all cattle more than six months old ensures that there is no risk to human health.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the National Farmers Union in respect of(a) the ban on the sale of bovine offal for human consumption, (b) the exclusion to the above ban granted to calves under six months, (c) the compensation levels set for bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle, (d) the level of research into the causes of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and (e) the ban on imports by West German Government.
  236
  Mr. Maclean
  I have received representations from the National Farmers Union expressing support for the ban on the use of certain bovine offal for human consumption and for the research being conducted into BSE; expressing concern at the West German restrictions on beef imported from Britain, and disagreeing with the level of compensation payable for cattle infected with BSE.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to prevent the sale of bovine spongiform encephalopathy-affected cattle through non-European countries' slaughterhouses.

  Mr. Maclean
  All cattle suspected of being infected with BSE are compulsorily slaughtered and their carcases burned or buried. In addition to checks carried out by environmental health officers, cattle at non-EC approved slaughterhouses are subject to random ante-mortem inspections by veterinary inspectors.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has made an assessment of the implications(a) for the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, (b) for the farming community and (c) for the level of exports of British beef, of his policy not to compensate farmers in full for cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Maclean
  I do not believe that existing levels of compensation have any effect on the spread of BSE or on British beef exports. Compensation is intended to provide farmers with a fair recompense for cattle slaughtered as BSE suspects at the Ministry's behest.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will implement the recommendations of the Tyrell committee that random sampling of the brains of cattle routinely sent for slaughter should be carried out to test for the presence of subclinical bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 23 January at column 645.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he has received any representations from Proten in connection with its product Papain; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he last met representatives from Proten; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Maclean
  The company that owns the patent rights to Proten has expressed disappointment with our decision not to seek provision for the continued use of this pre-slaughter treatment under the rules which are to be adopted for the single market. My right hon. Friend the Minister last met representatives of the organisation concerned on 22 November 1989 to discuss a range of issues relating to their slaughter interests.

  I have nothing to add to the full statement I made on this matter during the Adjournment debate on 7 November 1989.

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the visits made in 1989 to slaughterhouses in East Sussex by officers of the state veterinary service.
  237
  Mr. Maclean
  In 1989 the following visits were made by officers of the state veterinary service to red meat slaughterhouses and licensed poultry premises in East Sussex to advise on standards:

  Dates

  Tottingworth Farms Ltd.

  Little Tottingworth Farm

  Broad Oak, Heathfield

  22 February 1989

  T. Borthwick & Sons (UK) Ltd.

  The Abattoir

  Norlington Lane, Ringmer

  23 June 1989

  Mr. M. Vine

  Slaughterhouse

  Garfield Lane, Hailsham

  20 June 1989

  Mayhew's Chicken plc

  Five Ash Down, Uckfield

  25 January 1989

  25 April 1989

  19 July 1989

  21 November 1989

  Sovereign Chicken plc

  Burwash Common, Etchingham

  21 February 1989

  31 October 1989

  Bridge Poultry Supplies Ltd.

  Horam, Heathfield

  10 February 1989

  In addition, some 30 visits were made by state veterinary service officers to undertake ante-mortem inspections and to carry out duties associated with the collection of samples for testing for the presence of drug residues.

  Organic Production
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the European Community draft regulation relating to organic standards in respect of the length of the proposed conversion period from conventional to organic production.

  Mr. Curry
  The European Community proposals on organic foodstuffs, as currently drafted, provide for a conversion period of at least one calendar year. In line with the standards set by the United Kingdom register of organic food standards, the United Kingdom and a number of other member states have suggested that conversion should be for a minimum of two years.

  Organic Livestock
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the formulation of organic livestock standards.

  Mr. Curry
  Voluntary national standards for the production and processing of organic foods, including livestock standards, were launched by the United Kingdom register of organic food standards in May last year. A copy was placed at that time in the Library of the House. In addition, the EC Commission issued proposals for a regulation on organic foodstuffs covering crops and products of plant origin in December. It has indicated that if the regulation is adopted it will submit parallel proposals for statutory organic livestock standards in due course.

  Beef Exports
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the partial ban on imports of British beef by West Germany.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is no scientific justification for the West German restrictions on imports of beef from this country. This view was endorsed at the meeting of Agriculture Ministers which my right hon. Friend the Minister attended last week where the Commissioner confirmed that expert scientific advice was that British beef did not pose a risk to human health and that any interference with trade would be contrary to Community law. The German authorities will be reflecting on this and I hope they will soon remove their restrictions.

  Hill livestock Compensatory Allowance
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement regarding the hill livestock compensatory allowance for the coming year, indicating whether there is to be any increase in the allowance.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement that my right hon. Friend the Minister made to the House on 30 January 1990 at columns 159–70.

  Storm Damage
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what help he proposes to give to those in horticulture and agriculture who have sustained heavy losses through the recent severe storms.

  Mr. Curry
  I have the greatest sympathy for farmers and growers who have been badly affected by the recent severe weather. My officials will operate the farm capital grant schemes as flexibly as possible within the rules of those schemes in order to take account of the effects of the storm. But it has been the longstanding policy of successive Governments not to pay compensation to farmers for the effects of severe weather, particularly where risks are insurable.

  North-East Drift Net Fishery
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what estimate his Department has formed of the value of the catch of salmon from the north-east drift net fishery in the last year for which figures are available and in the corresponding period 10, 20 and 30 years ago;

  (2) what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time jobs created by the north-east drift net fishery salmon catch in the latest year for which figures are available and in the corresponding period 10, 20 and 30 years ago;

  (3) what socio-economic studies his Department has undertaken in anticipation of the publication of the report of the inquiry into the north-east drift net fishery to establish the likely impact of phasing out this fishery.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 30 January 1990]: My Department has information on the numbers of salmon drift net licence holders (and endorsees), and catch statistics which are published regularly.
  239
  We do not have data on the values of catches of salmon taken by drift nets in the north-east England fishery—nor information on the jobs dependent upon salmon drift net fishing—for the years in question. We have no plans to mount a socio-economic study in anticipation of the report to Parliament on the north-east coast salmon net fishery. Section 39 of the Salmon Act 1986 requires Ministers to
  "prepare a report which, in the context of the need to ensure—

  (a) that sufficient salmon return to spawn in the rivers wholly or partly situated in the areas and districts specified in subsection (3) below; and

  (b) that fishing for salmon by means of nets is properly managed in those areas and districts,

  reviews the nature and extent of all such fishing in those areas and districts."

  Pesticides
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will outline the procedures undertaken for(a) a partial review and (b) a full review of pesticide active ingredients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 29 January 1990]: A full review covers all aspects of consumer, operator, and environmental safety. A partial review addresses only those aspects that may suggest a cause for concern. In both cases experimental data will be requested and evaluated and a recommendation made to Ministers by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

  Cattle Offal
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the countries which have been importing cattle offal from the United Kingdom since 8 November 1989.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 29 January 1990]: The available information relates to the calendar month of November 1989 and shows that the United Kingdom exported edible offal of bovine animals to the following countries:

  France

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  Netherlands

  Italy

  Irish Republic

  Portugal

  Spain

  Finland

  Japan

  United States of America

  Information for later months is not yet available.

  Veterinary Manpower
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will make a decision on the Page report on veterinary manpower.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to the reply, 22 January 1990, c. 572]: I would like to thank Dr. Ewan Page, vice-chancellor of Reading University and his committee for their careful and thorough examination of the issues put to them and for producing well-argued recommendations.
  240
  Dr. Ewan Page and his committee were asked by the Government to chair a committee to assess the need for veterinary manpower and demand for veterinary education and in the light of this to make recommendations on how increased manpower requirements might be met having regard to funding constraints. The committee was also asked to consider future arrangements for assessing the demand for veterinary manpower and determining the number of student places. Dr. Page's report has been published and copies are being placed in the Library of the House. The report concludes that there is likely to be a significant shortfall over the next decade and makes a number of recommendations directed at the Government, the Universities Funding Council, veterinary schools and the veterinary profession to rectify this situation.

  The Government have considered the report carefully. They have decided to lift the restrictions on the freedom of veterinary schools to increase student intake in response to demand from the market by removing the ceiling on intakes to veterinary schools. The Government also accept the recommendation that they discontinue five-yearly manpower reviews and let student demand have a greater role in determining the intake of veterinary schools. However, as it is important to maintain a core of veterinarians trained to help ensure that animal health and public health requirements are met, the Government will review the position if it appears that these needs are in jeopardy.

  The Government recognise that any expansion of veterinary schools will not have an immediate effect on supply of veterinarians. They therefore accept the Page committee's recommendation that in the short term increasing immigration of foreign veterinarians could be an important means of meeting any shortfall. The Government are currently considering a number of measures that would reduce the burden on employers making work permit applications and enable veterinarians' applications to be processed more quickly, as suggested by the Page committee.

  I am asking the veterinary profession to consider carefully those recommendations that the Page committee asked it to examine. These include the question of immigration of foreign veterinarians, exploring effective ways of encouraging part-time working and later retirement and monitoring of manpower supply and demand data. My Department will also be consulting interested organisations about the Page committee's proposals to review the role of veterinary nurses and make greater use of lay persons.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science is asking the Universities Funding Council and veterinary schools to consider carefully those recommendations in the Page report that relate to the funding and teaching of an increased student intake at veterinary schools.

  The Universities Funding Council postponed consideration of the Riley report, which recommended reducing the number of veterinary schools, pending the results of the Page review. These recommendations will now need to be reassessed and the UFC has been asked to resolve this matter as soon as possible.

  COURTS: ADMINISTRATIVE DELAYS
  COURTS: ADMINISTRATIVE DELAYS
  EMPLOYMENT APPEAL TRIBUNAL
  EMPLOYMENT APPEAL TRIBUNAL
  VETERINARY MANPOWER AND EDUCATION
  VETERINARY MANPOWER AND EDUCATION