Written Answers of 25 July 1990

PRIME MINISTER

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her oral reply to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen),Official Report, 12 June, column 146, what is the acceptable ratio between the number of Soviet nuclear weapons and the number of the United Kingdom nuclear weapons necessary to provide a minimum nuclear deterrent.

  The Prime Minister
  The United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent is not based on any specific numerical correlation with Soviet nuclear weapons. Rather, it has long been United Kingdom policy to maintain only the minimum number of weapons necessary to deter aggression. In this respect the need to ensure that our nuclear deterrent remains effective against improving Soviet defences is of overriding importance when considering the size of our force.

  Diego Garcia
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell),Official Report, 9 July, column 36, if she will make a statement on the nature of the security contribution made to the United Kingdom by the British Indian Ocean territory defence facilities on Diego Garcia.

  The Prime Minister
  The joint United Kingdom-United States defence facilities on Diego Garcia make a vital contribution to the maintenance of peace and stability and to the protection of western interests in the area.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list those occasions since 1 January on which she personally raised the issue of nuclear non-proliferation and the nuclear non-proliferation treaty with foreign Governments or Heads of State.

  The Prime Minister
  I have not personally had occasion to raise the subject of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty although we have frequent contacts with other interested parties at official level, and the matter was part of the final conclusion of the economic summit at Houston. Nevertheless, I have spoken in general terms about the future of proliferation to several people.

THE ARTS

  British Library
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the planned use for the northern area of the British library site at St. Pancras.
  228
  Mr. Mellor
  Any land at the British library site at St. Pancras which may ultimately be surplus to requirements will be sold. The area of land which will be surplus and the optimum timing and method of its disposal are still being examined.

TRANSPORT

  Roll on/Roll off Ferries
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the result of the meeting of officials from several European countries in London on 24 July to discuss the application and timing of a higher standard of residual stability to existing roll on/roll off passenger ferries.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Officials from the Department's marine directorate had a successful meeting with officials from Belgium, Denmark, France, West Germany, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

  The application and timing of a higher standard of residual stability to existing roll on/roll off passenger vessels was discussed. Officials are considering the very constructive and substantial comments made with the view to submitting further information to the next International Maritime Organisation meeting.

  Stockport Council (Land Conveyance)
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 26 April,Official Report, column 264, if he will make a statement on the progress made on conveying land near the M63 from Stockport borough council to his Department.

  Mr. Chope
  The Treasury Solicitor is waiting to hear further from Stockport borough council in response to his requisitions on title.

  M62
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the M62 has been subject to roadworks in each of the past two years, to date; what distance of the M62 has been subject to lane restrictions as a consequence; what roadworks are scheduled over each of the next two years; what distance will be subject to lane restrictions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  During the last two financial years 24 km of the 180 km of the M62 have been subject to major roadworks—13 km in 1988–89 and 11 km in 1989–90.

  Lane closures have been necessary over a distance of 15 km and 14 km in both directions in each of the last two years. Next year (1991–92) 14·5 km of major roadworks are planned and this will involve lane closures over about 18 km in each direction. Works of this nature are essential if the network is to be kept in good condition.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about persistent congestion and delays to traffic using the M62 over the past year to date; what action he proposes to alleviate such congestion and delays; and if he will make a statement.
  229
  Mr. Chope
  Several complaints have been received about congestion and delays on the M62.

  To reduce delays and congestion, routine work is carried out during off-peak periods during the day, at weekends or overnight. Considerable effort goes into the pre-planning of traffic management measures for major roadworks and once the work is under way we give every encouragement for the contractor to complete it as quickly as possible by offering substantial bonuses for early completion or charging for over-running.

  When delays caused by major works are unavoidable every effort is made to give advance warning to the public.

  Thames Craft (Safety)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to review the regulations governing look-outs on(a) pleasure boats and (b) non-pleasure boats using the Thames.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The rules covering look-outs contained in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 are not under review at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The Port of London Authority general directions for navigation that apply to all craft plying on the Thames were amended on 18 September 1989. Those amendments included a revision of the requirements for a look-out.

  Fuel Trains, Port Talbot
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions during the last 12 and 24 months, respectively, loaded fuel trains have been stabled at Port Talbot station for more than two minutes.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Railways tell me that loaded fuel trains are not stabled, which implies being left for long periods, at Port Talbot station. They normally stop for about two minutes, the time taken to change crews, although there have been occasional instances of trains being delayed because the relief crew were not immediately available, or because a leak has been suspected in a fuel tanker.

  Trains were delayed for suspected leaks on three occasions in the last 12 months and six occasions in the 12 months before that. The details of trains which may have been. delayed for more than two minutes for other operational reasons are not readily available.

  Airport Runways
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who are the members of his working group to examine the Civil Aviation Authority's additional runway options for the south-east; and when they are expected to report.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The membership of the working group, and possible time scales for its advice, are being considered. My right hon. Friend has said that he intends the group to include representatives of local and environmental interests, airport and airline operators, the tourism and travel industry, consumer interests and Government Departments.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Irish Government concerning the upgrading of(a) passenger and (b) freight services on the railway line between the port of Holyhead and the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have received representations from the Minister for Tourism and Transport for the Republic of Ireland, Mr. Seamus Brennan, expressing his support for the electrification of the Crewe-Holyhead line as a means to improve Ireland's passenger and freight links with Europe via the channel tunnel.

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has been given on the returns available from electrifying the British Rail line from Crewe to Holyhead.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that work done for Gwynedd, Clwyd and Cheshire councils shows that electrification of this line would not meet British Rail's normal investment criterion of an 8 per cent. financial return. The councils have commissioned further work to establish whether the inclusion of external benefits would secure the required return.

  Transport Infrastructure (South-east Essex)
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plan to visit south-east Essex to review the transport infrastructure in that part of the county.

  Mr. Chope
  No visit is planned at present.

  North-western Railway Line
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the investment programme to speed up services on the main northwestern railway line.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 9 July at column 82.

  Merchant Ships
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British-owned merchant ships are currently operating under foreign flags.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is given in the table.

  United Kingdom owned trading vessels of 100 gross tons and above at 31 March 1990

  Registry

  Number

  Gross tons ('000)

  Deadweight tonnes ('000)

  United Kingdom

  507

  4,044

  4,490

  Crown Dependencies1

  79

  1,613

  2,933

  ODTs (excluding Hong Kong)2

  48

  2,119

  4,016

  231

  Registry

  Number

  Gross tons ('000)

  Deadweight tonnes ('000)

  Hong Kong

  42

  981

  1,512

  Foreign

  125

  1,271

  2,104

  Total

  801

  10,029

  15,504

  1 The Crown Dependencies are the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

  2 'ODTs' are the Overseas Dependent Territories of Aguilla, British Antarctic Territory, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Montserrat, St. Helena, Turks & Caicos.

  Radioactive Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department intends to review the guidelines for the transport of low-level radioactive waste from(a) commercial sources, (b) nuclear industry sources and (c) military sources; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The transport of all radioactive materials must be made in compliance with regulations based on internationally agreed safety standards laid down by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These standards are subject to continual review.

  The Advisory Committee on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials (ACTRAM) recently carried out a study on the transport of this material. The results were published in 1988 entitled "The Transport of Low Level Waste in the UK". A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total volume of radioactive waste transported by(a) road, (b) rail and (c) air in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is not available.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving the transport of low-level radioactive waste have occurred in each year since 1983.

  Mr. Chope
  There have been three accidents to vehicles carrying low-level radioactive waste since 1964.

  Stockport Bypass
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish compulsory purchase orders in respect of the A6(M) Stockport north-south bypass.

  Mr. Chope
  I will write to my hon. Friend about this.

  Rail Fares (Yorkshire)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to by how much rail fares in south Yorkshire are due to be increased, from what date, and the reason for the increase.

  Mr. Freeman
  Fare levels on local rail services in south Yorkshire are a matter for the passenger transport authority and executive. I understand that an increase is planned but that the details have yet to be finalised.

  Property Sales
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many homes have been sold by his Department since the beginning of 1989 and in the last three months; and what criteria are used in deciding to whom the properties will be disposed.

  Mr. Chope
  Since the beginning of 1989 159 residential properties have been sold, including 23 in the last three months. Where appropriate, a property is offered first to the tenant if the terms of the tenancy so require, then to the former owner depending on the circumstances under which it was acquired.

  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are taken to make available properties disposed of by his Department to housing associations or local authorities.

  Mr. Chope
  Local authorities and housing associations are able to bid for the properties when they are offered for sale on the open market.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report his answer to the letter from Mr. Arthur Doe of Brockhurst, Maurys lane, West Wellow, Romsey, dated 29 April, which was sent to him on 4 May and again on 26 June under Department of Transport reference number A/P50/15174/89.

  Mr. Chope
  I have today written to my hon. Friend.

  Speed Humps
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those London boroughs and metropolitan areas where speed humps have been introduced so far as the information is available to him; and what is the density of distribution of such humps in each case.

  Mr. Freeman
  The decision whether to install speed humps lies with local highway authorities. Information on installations is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has in regard to the numbers of accidents attributable directly to the introduction of speed humps in the Greater London area.

  Mr. Freeman
  None, nor am I aware of any such relationship. Our liaison arrangements with local authorities will alert us should any problem arise in future.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the information he has on the effect on road safety of the introduction of speed bumps in urban areas.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Speed Hump Regulations 1990, making it easier for local highway authorities to instal speed humps, came into effect only three months ago. The prescribed designs are based on extensive research in the United Kingdom and overseas with safety as a key factor. We shall be monitoring their effects.

  Slowing traffic down to safe speeds in residential areas will undoubtedly save many lives.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Earnings
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) men and (b) women earn (i) over £25,000, (ii) over £30,000, (iii) over £35,000, (iv) over £40,000, (v) £45,000 and (vi) over £50,000 per year.

  Mr. Ryder
  Available information for 1990–91 is in the table. It is not possible to provide accurate estimates for the analysis by men and women for the categories of earnings over £35,000.

  Earned income (£ pa)

  Men (thousands)

  Women (thousands)

  More than £25,000

  1,400

  150

  More than £30,000

  830

  80

  More than £35,000

  620

  More than £40,000

  400

  More than £45,000

  300

  More than £50,000

  220

  Estimates are based on a projection of the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes and are therefore provisional.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people who pay tax are below the upper earnings limit.

  Mr. Ryder
  It is estimated that, in 1990–91, there will be about 19¼ million taxpayers in employment and self-employment aged under 65 with earned income below £18,200, the upper earnings limit for national insurance contributions purposes.

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

  Mr. Ryder
  The latest available information is shown in the reply to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 19 February, column 515.

  Income Statistics
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated average and median(a) original, (b) gross and (c) post-tax income in 1990–91.

  Mr. Ryder
  Estimates of original, gross and post-tax income are derived from the family expenditure survey. Latest figures are for 1987 and were published in the May 1990 edition of Economic Trends. Estimates for 1990 will be available in due course when the 1990 family expenditure survey is completed and processed.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the full report of the latest 234
  survey of personal incomes; and if he will make it his policy that the sample size in future surveys be sufficiently large to provide county-level estimates of the number of taxpayers, the number of higher-rate taxpayers, and of taxable income which are statistically reliable.

  Mr. Ryder
  A range of tables compiled from the latest survey of personal incomes will, as is now the practice, be published in the next edition of "Inland Revenue Statistics" before the end of the year. Other information has been extracted from the survey as needs arose, some of which has already been published.

  All sample surveys are subject to some degree of statistical variation. The size of the sample of surveys of personal incomes must continue to be set with a view to meeting efficiently its primary purpose of providing information relevant to the costing of income tax proposals affecting the United Kingdom as a whole. As explained in the reply to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 12 June, column 152, investigation is continuing into the reliability of information at the county level. Publication of county data will be resumed as soon as possible.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest estimates of(a) original, (b) gross and (c) post-tax income, by decile.

  Mr. Ryder
  The information for 1987, the latest available year, is given in the table:

  Average household income per year1

  Decile groups of equivalised disposable income

  Original income £ a year

  Gross income £ a year

  2 Post-tax income £ a year

  Bottom

  958

  3,975

  2,367

  2nd

  1,489

  4,819

  3,187

  3rd

  2,573

  5,503

  3,630

  4th

  5,131

  7,752

  4,896

  5th

  7,944

  10,082

  6,236

  6th

  11,002

  12,604

  7,725

  7th

  12,865

  14,088

  8,649

  8th

  16,145

  17,065

  10,459

  9th

  19,975

  20,694

  12,764

  Top

  30,955

  31,571

  20,345

  All households

  10,904

  12,816

  8,026

  Source:

  Central Statistics Office.

  1 Equivalisation is used only for ranking the households. The figures shown above refer to unequivalised income.

  2 Post-tax income is after the deduction of direct taxes (eg income tax) and indirect taxes (eg VAT, petrol duty).

  Note:

  The figures are extracted from an article "The effects of taxes and benefits on household income, 1987" published in the May 1990 edition of Economic Trends.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average, and distribution of, household income of households which contain at least one person earning above the upper earnings limit who is on the basic rate of tax.

  Mr. Ryder
  I regret that the information requested is not readily available and would be disproportionately expensive to provide.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the gross domestic product of the member states of the European Community in the latest convenient year.

  Mr. Ryder
  Following is the information requested.

  GDP at purchasing power parities 1989

  United States dollars (billions)

  United Kingdom

  818·4

  Germany

  941·7

  France

  817·4

  Italy

  801·9

  Belgium

  135·2

  Denmark

  73·8

  Greece

  72·7

  Ireland

  31·2

  Luxembourg

  6·3

  Netherlands

  205·0

  Portugal

  72·9

  Spain

  396·9

  Source: OECD.

  Foreign Exchange Transactions
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total cost of transactions between European Community member states in foreign exchange in the latest convenient year.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Government have not made such an estimate.

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1960 consumption of goods other than food and fuel as a percentage of gross domestic product together with the balance of trade in manufactures.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The information can be derived from data on the CSO's database, which may be accessed through the Library. The database indentifiers are:

  Consumers' expenditure other than food and energy products

  Sum of:

  Durable goods (AIIL)

  Alcohol and tobacco (CDFH)

  Clothing and footwear (CDDE)

  Other goods (CCED)

  GDP at market prices (CAOB)

  Balance of trade in manufactures (BPJF)
  (available only from 1970).

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing in May

  Entitlements for 1990–91 cash limits resulting from the carryforward of capital underspends

  Class

  Vote

  Department

  Description

  Amount (£ thousands)

  I

  2

  Ministry of Defence 1

  Defence procurement

  188,188

  II

  1

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Overseas representation

  3,971

  II

  3

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  External broadcasting and monitoring

  2,765

  II

  4

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  British council

  1,500

  III

  2

  Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce

  Administration

  304

  III

  4

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Other agricultural and food services and support for the fishing industry

  2,000

  236
  1990 prices the balance of trade in manufactures, less erratics on a balance of payments basis, in 1977, 1978, 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Information from which the balance of trade in manufactures less erratics at May 1990 prices may be derived can be found in the monthly review of external trade statistics and its mid-year supplement, and also through the Central Statistical Office database, which may be accessed through the Library of the House.

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to alter the Laspeyres-based formula for the retail prices index.

  Mr. Ryder
  No. The Laspeyres formula, which gives each item a relative importance or "weight" in accordance with the consumption pattern in a specified base period, is recognised throughout the world as the most satisfactory method of constructing a regular consumer price index. The particular variant used for the United Kingdom retail prices index, known as the "chain Laspeyres" formula, minimises the disadvantages of using historical consumption patterns by updating the weights at the beginning of each year.

  EC Budget
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the United Kingdom's contribution to the European Community's budget.

  Mr. Ryder
  The latest estimate of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the European Community's budget in 1990 is £2,175 million. This appeared in the "Statement on the 1990 Community Budget" (Cm 1059).

  Capital and Running Costs
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the entitlements for 1990–91 resulting from the carry forward of capital and running costs underspend allowed under the end-year flexibility schemes.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  A list of entitlements totalling £410,935,000 for capital expenditure and £19,230,000 for running costs is shown in the following table.

  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, individual cash limits and running costs limits will be increased when entitlement is taken up.

  The total increase in cash limits resulting from the take-up of end-year flexibility will be charged to the Reserve and will therefore not add to the planned total of public expenditure.
  237

  Class

  Vote

  Department

  Description

  Amount (£ thousands)

  IV

  2

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Support for industry, administration, etc

  4,686

  IV

  7

  Office of Fair Trading

  Office of Fair Trading

  51

  VI

  1

  Department of Employment

  Training Programmes

  2,000

  VI

  2 and 3

  Department of Employment

  Employment programmes and central services

  4,762

  VII

  1

  Department of Transport

  National roads, England

  52,971

  VII

  2

  Department of Transport

  Administration and transport services

  2,000

  VII

  4

  Department of Transport

  Driver and vehicle licensing

  2,000

  VIII

  5

  Department of the Environment

  Central environmental services, etc.

  2,000

  VIII

  6

  Department of the Environment

  Royal palaces, royal parks, historic buildings, ancient monuments and the national heritage

  1,319

  VIII

  7

  Property Holdings, etc.2

  Civil accommodation, administration and miscellaneous services

  1

  VIII

  11

  Office of Water Services

  Office of Water Services

  196

  VIII

  12

  Ordnance Survey

  Ordnance Survey

  1,607

  IX

  2

  Home Office

  Prisons, England and Wales

  16,583

  IX

  3

  Home Office

  Administration, miscellaneous and community service and civil defence England and Wales

  720

  X

  1

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  Administration of Justice, England and Wales

  950

  X

  11

  Her Majesty's Land Registry3

  Her Majesty's Land Registry

  1

  X

  12

  Public Record Office

  Public Record Office

  280

  X

  13

  Crown Office

  Administration

  1,178

  XI

  1

  Department of Education and Science

  Schools, research and miscellaneous services

  4,534

  XI

  2

  Department of Education and Science

  Universities, etc

  2,236

  XI

  4

  Department of Education and Science

  Administration

  2,000

  XII

  3

  Office of Arts and Libraries

  Libraries

  2,167

  XIII

  1

  Department of Health

  Hospital and community health and other services, England

  23,284

  XV

  2

  Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland

  Agricultural services and fisheries for Scotland

  2,000

  XV

  6

  Scottish Development Department

  Roads, transport and environmental services, Scotland

  359

  XV

  11

  Scottish Courts Administration

  Administration of Justice, Scotland

  1,685

  XV

  15

  Scottish Education Department

  Education, arts, libraries and social work, Scotland

  2,000

  XV

  18

  Scottish Record Office

  Scottish Record Office

  66

  XV

  19

  General Register Office

  General Register Office, Scotland

  637

  XV

  21

  Scottish Office

  Administration

  103

  XV

  27

  Scottish Home and Health Department

  Hospital and community health services, Scotland

  8,409

  XVI

  2

  Welsh Office

  Agricultural services, support for the fishing industry, regional and industrial development, Wales

  1,515

  XVI

  5

  Welsh Office

  Tourism, roads and transport, housing other environmental services, education and science, arts and libraries and centrally funded health and personal social services, Wales

  7,651

  XVI

  8

  Welsh Office

  Hospital and community health services, etc., Wales

  896

  XVIII

  1

  Her Majesty's Treasury

  Administration

  2,509

  XVIII

  6

  Customs and Excise

  Administration

  2,412

  XVIII

  7

  Inland Revenue

  Administration

  3,985

  XVIII

  14

  Central Office of Information

  Central Office of Information

  58

  Total voted

  360,539

  1 The five cash limited Defence votes are each separate cash limits but, by agreement with the Treasury, are managed as a cash block. Most of the expenditure eligible for the scheme in these cash limits is on class I, vote 2.

  2 This is a token Vote. Carryforward will be taken in the form of increased appropriations in aid of £9,147,000.

  3 This is a token Vote. Carryforward will be taken in the form of increased appropriations in aid of £1,961,000.

  Entitlements for 1990–91 Cash Limits resulting from the Carryforwards of Capital Underspends

  Non Voted cash limits

  Cash block

  Department

  Description

  Amount £ 000's

  DOE/HC

  Department of the Environment

  Grants and capital expenditure financed by the Housing Corporation in England

  4,240

  DOE/NT

  Department of the Environment

  Capital expenditure in England by new towns for housing, roads, commercial and industrial investment and certain water services

  16,228

  238 239

  Cash block

  Department

  Description

  Amount £ 000's

  DOE/UA

  Department of the Environment

  External financing requirement of Urban Development Corporations in England, grants to local authorities and other bodies under the urban programme, the derelict land reclamation and city grant programmes (inc. associated local authority credit approvals) and other expenditure for inner cities initiatives.

  4,129

  SO/LA1

  Scottish Office

  Net Capital allocations and grants to local authorities in Scotland on roads and transport, water and sewerage, general services, urban programme, police and social work, schools, further education, teacher training, and arts and libraries.

  6,000

  SO/LA2

  Scottish Office

  Net capital allocations and capital grants to local authorities in Scotland for housing. Capital expenditure by New Towns in Scotland for housing and other environmental services.

  17,007

  WO/UA

  Welsh Office

  Supplementary credit approvals and grants to local authorities in Wales for the Urban programme, etc and Cardiff Bay Development Corporation initiatives in Wales.

  2,792

  Total non voted

  50,396

  Total carry forward of capital underspends

  410,935

  Entitlements for 1990–91 running costs limits resulting from the carry forward of running costs underspends

  Department

  Amount £ 000's

  Trade and Industry

  1,524

  Office of Gas Supply

  50

  Department of Employment

  4,370

  Department of Transport

  1,183

  Department of Education and Science

  371

  Office of Population Censuses and Surveys

  180

  Scottish Office

  580

  Scottish Courts Administration

  125

  General Register Office, Scotland

  50

  Welsh Office

  207

  Northern Ireland Office

  2,697

  Northern Ireland Departments

  Customs and Excise

  2,529

  Inland Revenue

  4,987

  Her Majesty's Treasury

  377

  Total carry forward of running costs underspends

  19,230

  Commemorative Coins
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Government plan to issue any new commemorative coins.

  Mr. Major
  Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation that a 50p coin be issued featuring a special commemorative design to celebrate Britain's presidency of the Council of Ministers in 1992 and the single European market. In addition to circulating versions of the coin, collectors' version will be issued in base metal, silver and gold.

  "Next Steps"
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the application of "next steps" to the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise.

  Mr. Major
  In February 1988 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister launched the "next steps" initiative. In addition to their policy responsibilities, both Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise have significant executive functions, and they are therefore entirely suitable
  240
  for applying the principles of "next steps." I have now conducted a review with the chairmen of Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise of the best way to do so.

  Each department already operates within an individual statutory framework, which defines the tasks of the department and the relationship between the chairman and the board on the one hand and Treasury Ministers on the other. These arrangements will remain, but I have decided that it would be in the interests of the taxpayer, the public and the staff of the departments to introduce changes which will enable them to operate fully on "next steps" lines. In particular I want to give greater impetus to enhancing internal accountability and delegation, consistent with the management of a tax system which needs to offer all taxpayers equality of treatment.

  Following a review by Inland Revenue officials I have concluded that the valuation offices for England and Wales and for Scotland should be launched as a single executive agency under a chief executive who will be appointed by open competition. The aim is to set up the agency in the summer of 1991. The valuation offices already operate as discrete management units and are responsible for negotiating the valuation of land and buildings for a variety of purposes for central and local government; the valuation office for England and Wales also undertakes the valuation of business property for rating purposes. The offices employ over 5,000 staff. Agency status for this work will increase the offices' ability to focus on the work to be done and give their managers more responsibility and flexibility to carry out their task. These benefits should enable them to achieve continuing improvements in efficiency, effectiveness and accountability, and increase the commitment of staff to providing a high-quality valuation service for their customers.

  In its other work also the Inland Revenue has well-defined lines of management responsibility and internal accountability through its network of regions and local offices, and its specialist units. It operates a comprehensive system of performance targets which are published annually in its management plans with departmental performance reviewed in the board's annual report, and there is an extensive training and management development programme for staff. It is also tackling major changes flowing from recent reforms in the tax system and

  241
  in the way it does its work. The Department will need great flexibility to cope with these changes. To this end it will be further extending internal delegation and accountability, and examining ways of reshaping the structure and organisation of its work, all on "next steps" lines, so as to ensure that the Department continues to be responsive to the needs of taxpayers and provide a high level of service. I have asked the chairman of the Inland Revenue to draw up and submit to me an action programme for this work.

  The Inland Revenue is also reviewing the organisation of information technology in the Department, to determine what arrangements will best meet the needs of the Department throughout the 1990s. An announcement will be made in due course.

  To the same ends Customs and Excise will reorganise the bulk of its activity into executive units encompassing some 95 per cent. of its staff. The head of each unit will be appointed by the chairman and enjoy increased managerial and operational freedoms within a clearly defined framework of targets, responsibilities and accountabilities. Key features are:

  (i) there will be a published framework document for the Department, and a separate framework document for each unit. The head of each unit will be appointed by the chairman and will be accountable to the board;

  (ii) the Customs and Excise management plan and the board's annual report will contain progressively improved information about financial and other targets and outturns for the board and for each unit;

  (iii) a radical change in the management of staff and their methods of conducting the Department's business, giving managers the maximum possible freedom to operate controls according to assessments of risk and local circumstances and to exercise local authority and discretion both in financial controls and operational systems;

  (iv) new emphasis on the individual initiative and expertise of staff with an ambitious programme of management training and development; and

  £ million

  Amounts invested

  Cost of tax relief

  Total

  1Of which invested in private rented housing

  Total

  1Of which in respect of investment in private rented housing

  1983–84

  105

  —

  50

  —

  1984–85

  148

  —

  75

  —

  1985–86

  157

  —

  85

  —

  1986–87

  168

  —

  95

  —

  1987–882

  191

  —

  110

  —

  1988–892

  425

  375

  150

  130

  1989–902

  175

  150

  60

  50

  1 The scheme was extended to include investment in private rented housing from 1988–89.

  2 Provisional estimates.

  Married Couples' Allowance
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the increase in personal allowances would have to be if the married couples' allowance were frozen in cash terms at the level it is at the present time, so that post-tax real income remained constant for the average married couple; and what would be the cost of each of these changes and the combined cost.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 23 July 1990]: This would depend on the rates of growth in the various categories of income subject to income tax between the current year and the future year for which the comparison is required as well as the inflation rate.
  242
  (v) further improvements in service, aimed at minimising burdens on business and the travelling public, and making significant improvements in the information and services the Department provides.

  I have asked the chairman of Customs and Excise to draw up an action programme for making these changes, with the objective of having the executive unit structure in place by April 1991. The first step will be to publish the departmental framework document in the autumn. At the same time, the Department will publish the first individual framework documents in a series which will set out the objectives and responsibilities of each executive unit. The programme will be kept under review, and this will include consideration whether certain of the units should become candidates for conversion into freestanding agencies.

  Each Department has already made considerable progress in improving its management. But these are important changes. I am confident that operating fully on "next steps" lines the two Departments will deliver further significant improvements in the way they are managed and, in turn, greater efficiency, better service to the public and enhanced commitment and enthusiasm from their staff.

  Business Expansion Scheme
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for each of the years of the existence of the business expansion scheme what was(a) the total amount invested in the business expansion scheme, (b) the total cost to the Exchequer, (c) the percentage and amount of business expansion scheme money invested, and (d) the associated cost to the Exchequer, in residential and assured tenancy schemes.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 23 July 1990]: The latest estimates are shown in the table:

  Income Tax
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much revenue would be raised if tax was levied at 50 per cent. for those earning £50,000 and above, 45 per cent. for those earning £40,000 to £50,000, the 40 per cent. band remained as at present and the upper earnings limit was removed;

  (2) how much revenue would be raised if tax was levied at 50 per cent. for those earning £50,000 and above, 45 per cent. for those earning £40,000 to £50,000 and the 40 per cent. band remained as at present.
  243
  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 23 July 1990]: The yield in a full year at 1990–91 levels of income of introducing the rates of income tax shown in the table is estimated to be about £500 million.

  Taxable income £

  Rate Per cent.

  1–20,700

  25

  20,701–40,000

  40

  40,001–50,000

  45

  50,001 and over

  50

  Taxable income is income subject to tax from all sources after deducting allowances and reliefs.

  The estimate does not take account of the consequential effect on capital gains tax, nor does it allow for any behavioural effects that might result from such an increase.

  The additional yield from abolishing the upper earnings limit for employees' class 1 national insurance contributions is estimated to be £2½ billion.

  Profit-related Pay
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost to the Exchequer in each year of the profit-related pay scheme.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 23 July 1990]: The latest available information is shown in the reply to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 13 February, column 121.

  Tax Relief
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value of tax relief on pensions, savings/ investment for and payment of, to(a) individuals, and (b) employers for the latest available year given the figures broken down by (i) occupational and (ii) private provision, if available.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 23 July 1990]: The latest estimates in respect of 1989–90 of the reductions in tax liabilities arising from the individual tax reliefs related to pensions schemes are shown in the table:

  £ million

  Relief for:

  Employees' contributions to occupational pension schemes2

  1,800

  Employers' contributions to occupational pension schemes2 3

  13,100

  Investment income of occupational pension schemes2 4

  4,100

  Lump sum payments to pensioners2 4

  1,000

  Contributions to personal pensions (including retirement annuity premia and FSAVCs)3 5

  800

  1 This figure is particularly tentative and subject to a wide margin of error.

  2 The total cost of tax reliefs for pension schemes cannot be calculated by adding together the costs of individual reliefs as this would imply a considerable degree of multiple taxation.

  3 On the basis that under present arrangements employers' contributions are not taxable as a benefit in kind of the employee.

  4 Assuming relief at the basic rate of income tax.

  5 It is not possible to provide reliable estimates of the cost of exemption for investment income and lump sum payments related to retirement annuity contracts.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: The Government's economic policies are designed to maintain a vigorous economy in which business and enterprise can flourish. The Treasury therefore places a high priority on helping small business, and among the specific measures taken over the last 12 months have been:
  an increase in the profits limit for small companies' rate of corporation tax by a third to £200,000, and the limit for marginal relief from the main rate also increased by a third to £1 million;
  introduction of simplified VAT registration requirements which will help keep new small businesses out of the VAT net for longer;
  introduction of a comprehensive bad debt relief scheme for VAT;
  highest permissible increase under EC law in the VAT threshold;
  increase in the annual investment limit under the business expansion scheme to £750,000;
  introduction of a simplified VAT return with five boxes for completion in place of nine;
  introduction of the option of three-line statements instead of full accounts for businesses with turnover of less than £10,000;
  improvements to the VAT cash accounting scheme for businesses with turnovers not exceeding £250,000;
  relaxations to the record-keeping requirements under the VAT second-hand schemes;
  the introduction of fast-lane procedures to reduce the time taken to clear certain EC imports;
  the introduction of a simplified ATA carnet.
  Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise officials also continuously review forms, explanatory notices and leaflets with the aim of providing guidance which is easily understood.

  The success of the Government's policies is demonstrated by the latest statistics on VAT registrations, which show a record increase in the number of businesses registered for VAT, around 1,700 a week on average, during 1989.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the reasons for including accountancy firms criticised by his Department's inspectors on the joint disciplinary scheme.

  Mr. Redwood
  The joint disciplinary scheme is operated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, and the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants. I understand that, in selecting individuals to sit on any committee of inquiry set up under the scheme, account is taken of all relevant factors including whether having on that team someone from an accountancy firm criticised by the Department's inspectors is in any way material to the case.

  Electricity Supply Industry
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration he has given to the application of United Kingdom competition legislation in relation to the arrangements for the restructuring of the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have today laid before the House an order made under section 100(2) of the Electricity Act 1989, exempting certain electricity agreements from the ambit of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976. Two previous orders were made on 27 March and 28 June respectively.

  The various orders, which were made following consultation with the Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT) and the Director General of Electricity Supply (DGES), apply in relation to the following categories of agreements entered into by the electricity supply industry (ESI) in England and Wales, and in Scotland, prior to vesting day on 31 March 1990 or as a consequence of the new industry structure:

  Pooling and Settlement Arrangements

  Initial Settlement Arrangements

  Contracts for Differences

  Connection and Use of System Agreements

  Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) Qualifying Arrangements

  Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency (NFPA) Arrangements

  French Interconnection Arrangements

  Scottish Interconnection Arrangements

  British Grid Systems Agreement

  Dounreay Supply Agreement

  Cable Maintenance Agreements.

  These agreements are an essential part of the process of ensuring an orderly transition to new competitive arrangements within the ESI. By exempting them from the application of United Kingdom restrictive trade practices legislation, the orders will help to ensure a stable framework within which effective competition may develop. The actions of the various companies remain subject in the normal way to the anti-competitive practices provisions of the Competition Act 1980 and to the monopoly provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973.

  The exemptions provided by these orders are intended to remain in force for the duration of the individual agreements, provided that there is no material change in the relevant circumstances. However, where agreements last for more than five years from vesting day (or eight years in the case of the NFFO arrangements), it may be appropriate to review the continuing need for the exemptions at some stage following the expiry of those periods, taking account of the competitive environment then prevailing.

  Such a review is not expected to result in wide-ranging changes in the basic arrangements now in place in the industry. In particular, the pooling and settlement arrangements, which lie at the core of the new market structure for the buying and selling of electricity, are expected to remain in place indefinitely on the basis that the relevant agreements will be subject to close and regular scrutiny by the Director General of Electricity Supply as part of his general responsibilities under the Electricity Act.

  The Government are committed to the introduction of new legislation on restrictive trade practices, in implementation of the proposals outlined in the White Paper "Opening Markets: New Policy on Restrictive Trade Practices" (Cm. 727) published in July 1989. It is
  246
  our intention that any exemptions still in force at the commencement of the new legislation should be carried forward in transitional arrangements. The introduction of such legislation is subject to the availability of parliamentary time.

  Leather Industry
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support Her Majesty's Government are providing to the United Kingdom leather industry to enable it to meet the advancing technological requirements of the sector.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am pleased to announce that my Department is to provide assistance to a research programme of five projects on improvements to the control of leather production and the quality of leather. The DTI contribution will be £1,642,694 towards total costs of £4,199,271.

  The work sponsored by DTI will be carried out on behalf of the industry by the British Leather Confederation in Northampton over the next five years.

  Single Market
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to extend the scope of his single market campaign to help business to prepare for the single European market.

  Mr. Lilley
  As part of the single market campaign my Department has in recent months emphasised the natural role of business support organisations, such as chambers of commerce and trade associations, in providing the detailed information and advice needed by the business community. I am encouraged by the growing role such organisations are playing in complementing my Department's continuing single market information service. But I have concluded that there is a need to help them further develop their single market services in the run-up to 1992.

  I am therefore making available to business support organisations a package of measures to help them develop and improve their services on single market matters. The package includes financial assistance towards acquiring single market expertise, improving their delivery of single market services and access to my Department's single market database, Spearhead.

  Cable Television
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements he proposes to make for licensing under the Telecommunications Act 1984 existing cable television relay systems which do not at present require to be licensed under the Cable and Broadcasting Act 1984, should the proposals in the Broadcasting Bill receive parliamentary approval.

  Mr. Lilley
  [pursuant to the reply, 7 June 1990, col. 670–71]: Details of the licensing regime for SMATV systems under the Telecommunications Act 1984 and the provisions in the Broadcasting Bill should it receive Royal Assent were given in an answer by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office on 2 March 1990, col. 351–52, and in the earlier answers given to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, North.
  247
  SMATV systems in new housing developments in the process of being built on the date that the relevant provisions of the Broadcasting Bill enter into force, the transfer date, will be regarded for licensing purposes as having carried all four terrestrial channels and all five United Kingdom DBS channels immediately before the transfer date provided that:

  (a) the contract with the prospective licensee to build such a system was signed and any necessary planning permission granted on or before today's date; and

  (b) at least 50 per cent. of the homes on the system were capable of receiving all four terrestrial channels and all five United Kingdom DBS channels immediately before the transfer date.

  Those running such systems will thus qualify for an individual Telecommunications Act licence authorising the system to carry, after the transfer date, any television or radio services other than those proscribed under provisions contained in clause 165 of the Broadcasting Bill. Systems covering 1,000 homes or more will also qualify for a five-year diffusion service licence (if the system lies within a cable franchise area) or a five-year local delivery service licence (if it lies outside). Applications for these licences will have to be made in advance of the transfer date.

  Any other system partially built at the transfer date will be regarded for licensing purpose as having been built after the transfer date.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Bereavement Damages
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Attorney-General when the Lord Chancellor's consultation paper on bereavement damages will be published.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor published a consultation paper on bereavement damages in March this year. Copies of the paper were placed in the Library on publication.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Uganda
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give a breakdown of European Community aid to Uganda for each of the last five years; what the United Kingdom contribution was for each year; whether the aid was provided for emergency relief, project aid or programme aid; and to which regions of Uganda the aid was targeted.

  Mrs. Chalker
  European Community aid commitments to Uganda since 1985 have been as follows:

  Project

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Ockenden Venture—Community development, Es Showak, Sudan

  —

  —

  —

  20,000

  35,475

  51,975

  ACORD—Qala en Nahal settlement programme, Sudan

  200,000

  300,000

  300,000

  200,000

  300,000

  80,000

  248

  Year

  1Project Aid

  1Programme Aid

  1Emergency Aid

  1Food Aid

  1985

  —

  —

  0·1

  —

  1986

  6·0

  —

  1·5

  1·2

  1987

  77·7

  15·0

  4·4

  0·7

  1988

  10·7

  15·0

  0·8

  1·5

  1989

  30·4

  —

  —

  7·9

  1990

  54·5

  —

  0·7

  —

  1 All figures in millions of ecu. 1 ecu is approximately £0·7.

  The United Kingdom contribution to the current (sixth) European development fund (1985–90) is 16·58 per cent. of the total.

  The majority of the emergency and food aid for Uganda has been allocated to the north. A number of different regions have benefited from the project and programme aid, including Kampala, the north-east, the east, Karamoja, Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale amd Mpigi.

  Details of the separate bilateral aid programme administered by ODA were given in my reply to the right hon. Gentleman of 7 June.

  ODA Refugees Section
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to taking the Overseas Development Administration's refugees section out of the emergency relief section of Overseas Development Administration.

  Mrs. Chalker
  None. The present arrangements work extremely well.

  Emergency Budget
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the procedure for monitoring and evaluating projects funded under the Overseas Development Administration's emergency budget differs from procedures for projects under the regular aid budget.

  Mrs. Chalker
  There is no single procedure for either monitoring or evaluating emergency aid operations. Monitoring is usually continuous since the emergency actions are generally of relatively short duration. Procedures for evaluating emergency aid are the same as those for projects funded from the regular aid programme, but the methodology chosen for each study reflects the nature of the project under evaluation.

  African Refugees
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all grants from the Overseas Development Administration to projects of the International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa and to the reserve fund of ICARA.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Since 1984 ODA has made the following grants to projects under the International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa:
  249

  Project

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  ACORD—Community centre integrated rural & craft education, Rwanda

  —

  37,205

  10,000

  —

  —

  50,000

  ACORD—Market gardening, fruit trees and forestry, Guinea Conakry

  —

  30,000

  20,000

  47,000

  150,000

  100,000

  ACORD—Women's co-operative market gardening, Guinea Conakry

  —

  40,000

  25,000

  53,000

  ACORD—Integrated development, Bokoro, Chad

  —

  —

  97,525

  50,000

  77,991

  60,000

  Quaker Peace and Service—Refugee and community project, Sudan

  —

  —

  35,000

  54,600

  112,000

  —

  Oxfam—Water supply, Zimbabwe

  18,020

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  World University Service—Library project, Juba, Sudan

  —

  6,720

  33,923

  7,508

  —

  —

  World University Service—Library and women's project, Gedaref, Sudan

  —

  —

  15,000

  76,879

  81,883

  76,000

  International Extension College—Sudan extension unit project

  —

  90,000

  33,978

  52,800

  98,200

  175,000

  International Extension College—Non-formal education, Somalia

  —

  —

  100,000

  25,000

  100,000

  74,796

  Oxfam—Support for IEC non-formal education project, Somalia

  —

  —

  45,000

  29,730

  71,400

  64,321

  World University Service—Teacher training, Mozambique

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  24,775

  Oxfam—Support for vocational training programme for handicapped youths, Somalia

  —

  —

  —

  22,637

  —

  —

  Ockenden Venture—Primary education programme, Port Sudan

  20,000

  15,000

  85,000

  87,822

  100,322

  75,810

  Ockenden Venture—Community Development Kilo 26, Sudan

  —

  15,000

  23,670

  51,425

  48,179

  58,386

  ACORD—Small Enterprise Programme, Port Sudan

  85,000

  86,095

  40,000

  60,000

  100,000

  100,000

  Quaker Peace and Service—Refugee Centre, Botswana

  —

  —

  11,300

  —

  —

  —

  Action Aid, Handicapped Refugees Project, Somalia

  —

  —

  98,058

  40,000

  —

  —

  Ryder Cheshire Mission Handicapped Refugees, Katumba, Tanzania

  —

  —

  25,929

  23,679

  28,000

  30,000

  Oxfam—Eastern Sudan Water Supply

  —

  —

  65,865

  —

  —

  —

  You and Me—Medical Project, Eastern Sudan

  —

  —

  —

  20,000

  27,550

  21,000

  Christian Outreach—Health—Reception Centre, Shagarab, Sudan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  60,000

  Christian Outreach Health—Kashmir Girba, Sudan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  40,000

  Christian Outreach Community Development, Sudan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  91,000

  120,000

  Help the Aged—Eye Care, Sudan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  70,000

  114,000

  TOTAL

  323,020

  620,020

  1,065,248

  922,080

  1,492,000

  1,376,063

  250

  Red Cross
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further assistance Her Majesty's Government are providing in the current year for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have just announced a further contribution to ICRC of £2·6 million, £1·6 million for its Africa programmes and £1 million towards its major programme for Afghan refugees in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on representations received following the recent lobby of Parliament on animal welfare, organised by Compassion in World Farming.

  Mr. Maclean
  I welcome the widest possible debate on the vitally important issue of animal welfare.

  The Government are pressing for improved welfare standards to be adopted throughout the European Community. We are currently seeking in the Council important new welfare safeguards for pigs and calves. Among our objectives in these negotiations are to secure the phasing out of unacceptable husbandry systems, as recommended by the Farm Animal Welfare Council, and to extend throughout the Community our ban on the close confinement of veal calves in crates.

  The parliamentary lobby highlighted the concern about transport conditions for farm livestock. The Government fully share this concern.

  We cannot, as has been suggested, ban exports of live animals under article 36 of the treaty of Rome, as there is already Community law on the protection of animals during international transport. It is most important, however, to ensure that all animal transport is carried out with proper regard to welfare and the Government will be negotiating to this end in discussions on the Commission's proposals for new Community measures on protection of animals in transport, whether to, from or between member states.

  Special rules are proposed for animals going for slaughter. The Government will be pressing particularly here for agreement to maintain our controls on trade in horses for slaughter.

  The Government welcome any support from those concerned with animal welfare for their efforts to achieve practicable and enforceable welfare safeguards in the Community.

  Agricultural Development Advisory Service
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for organisational developments within the Agricultural Development Advisory Service.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have reviewed the options for the future organisation of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS). As I announced in a reply to 252
  my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 26 February, the central veterinary laboratory and the veterinary medicines directorate became executive agencies from 2 April 1990. The state veterinary service will transfer from ADAS to the Ministry's food safety directorate on 1 August 1990.

  The central science laboratory of the research and development service (RDS) is largely engaged on work directly supporting Government policies, particularly on plant health, environmental and wildlife issues. I have concluded that this laboratory is not a candidate for privatisation, but that it should be established as a separate executive agency.

  The farm and countryside service (FCS) is engaged to a substantial degree on providing consultancy and other services to farmers and others. The aim is that these commercial services should achieve full cost recovery in due course. The FCS also provides important services to support various areas of the Government's policy work. It is important that a commercial framework and incentives should be established for this work undertaken for Government.

  I have therefore concluded that the FCS, together with the experimental husbandry farms and other units in the field R and D division of the research and development service, should be established as a separate agency with the intention that it will as soon as possible become a trading fund. The Government believe that privatisation could, in the longer run, be the logical development for such an organisation.

  I am arranging for detailed studies to be put in hand to define precisely the functions to be undertaken in each of the two new agencies and the arrangements for ensuring that full collaboration is maintained between them. It is my intention that both the CSL and the FCS/RDS field R and D division should achieve agency status by 1 April 1992. The drafting of the agency framework agreements will also be carried forward.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I will consider what arrangements for the FCS might apply in Wales.

  These changes will have important implications for the organisation of the Ministry, including particularly the regional and divisional organisation. I am therefore commissioning an internal review of the organisation needed to undertake the other functions of the regions and divisions.

  Agricultural Training Board
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he and his ministerial colleagues have concluded their consideration of the outstanding recommendations of the report on the agricultural training board presented by Mr. John E. Smith, November 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Yes. We have concluded that it would be appropriate to extend the remit of the agricultural training board to permit it to offer its training services, at full economic cost, to a wider range of rural businesses, having regard to the existing provision for training and subject to ministerial direction. This will require primary legislation for which an early opportunity will be sought, so as to enable the board to continue its policy of raising more of its finance from the market. The level of Exchequer funding for future years will be determined, as usual, in the
  253
  context of the Government's overall decisions on public expenditure. We shall bear in mind the longer-term recommendation on the composition of the board, but we have no immediate plans to alter it or to seek fresh legislation in this respect.

  Veterinary Costs
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what decisions he has made about the continuation of the subsidy for veterinary costs in export-approved meat plants, in view of the European Community rules on meat inspection charges; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Community rules on charges for meat inspection were adopted by the Council of Ministers in June 1988 in decision 88/408/EEC and directive 88/409/EEC. They must be brought into effect not later than 1 January 1991 and, inter alia, they prohibit the subsidisation of meat inspection costs except where the actual costs of inspection exceed specified standard charges.

  In these circumstances, the scheme introduced in 1983 under which the Government meet the costs of veterinary supervision and certification in plants producing red meat, poultry meat, game meat and meat products to export standard, and also the cost of testing for trichinosis and residues when required by importing countries, will end on 31 December 1990. We shall be consulting interested parties on the new arrangements for meat inspection charges shortly.

  State Veterinary Service
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many animal health officers are now in post within the state veterinary service; and what qualifications were required for recruitment.

  Mr. Maclean
  There are currently one hundred and forty-six and a half animal health officers in post in the state veterinary service. The qualifications for entry require candidates to be at least 20 years of age, physically fit, hold a current driving licence and have 4 GCE O-levels or CSE grade 1 passes including English and a scientific subject. Equivalent qualifications are also considered.

  East Coast Salmon Fisheries
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the review of east coast salmon fisheries under the Salmon Act 1986 to be laid before Parliament; and whether the review will be published as it was presented to him by the advisory body, without alteration.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Woking (Mr. Onslow) on 29 June,Official Report, column 388. As that reply made clear, scientists from both Fisheries Departments have been collecting a range of scientific information on which the review required under section 39 of the Salmon Act 1986 is to be based. We will be reporting to Parliament on the review as soon as the review is complete.

  Milk Marketing Board
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for changes in the constitution of the Milk Marketing Board.

  Mr. Maclean
  My right hon. Friend the Minister has for some time been urging the dairy industry to come forward with proposals for change to the milk marketing arrangements. I will consider sympathetically any proposals it makes which would lead to a more competitive industry better able to respond positively to the challenges and opportunities of the single market.

  Wild Rabbits
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the annual cost to(a) farming and (b) forestry of damage caused by wild rabbits; and what is his estimate of their current numbers.

  Mr. Maclean
  Damage from wild rabbits to agriculture and horticulture in the United Kingdom is estimated to cost £100 million to £150 million annually. I do not have any information on the costs to forestry.

  National surveys between 1980 and 1986 showed a steady increase in the population of rabbits particularly in eastern and south-eastern areas. They are now estimated to number 30 million, about one third the level which existed before the arrival of myxomatosis.

  Pet Food
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take action to make the voluntary ban on the inclusion of specified offals in pet food statutory.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 20 July,Official Report, column 761.

  1990 Harvest
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the 1990 harvest.

  Mr. Maclean
  Much of the winter barley crop has now been harvested in good conditions. Latest reports indicate that quality is around average and yields variable, with lower yields being obtained from barley grown on light land which has been most affected by lack of water. Harvesting of spring barley has only just started and harvesting of the wheat crop is expected to begin shortly. It is too early to say what the overall quality and size of the 1990 United Kingdom cereals harvest is likely to be.

  North Sea Conference
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his implementation of the agreements from the last North sea conference.

  Mr. Maclean
  The targets and timetables set by Her Majesty's Government for implementation of the agreements reached at the third North sea conference in March this year were published in the United Kingdom
  255
  guidance note on the ministerial declaration on 6 July 1990. This publication is available in the Library of the House.

  Set-aside scheme
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans to introduce grazed fallow as an option for agricultural land entered into the set-aside scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  A limited form of grazed fallow is one of a number of options for the better management of set-aside land which we have been considering. We shall announce any changes to the management conditions in time for the start of the third year of the scheme.

  Dredging and Extraction
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has made representations calling for a moratorium on further licences for marine sand and gravel extraction pending research on its effect on the sea-bed.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department has worked consistently to ensure that fishing interests are safeguarded when licences for marine sand and gravel extraction are considered. The planned research into the speed with which dredged areas recolonise will improve our understanding of the factors involved. We could not justify blocking any new licences until this research has been completed, but we will continue to work with the fishing industry through the established consultation procedures to ensure that fisheries are properly protected.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to introduce a requirement to fit positioning devices on dredgers to ensure that they do not stray out of their licensed areas.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Crown Estate, which issues licences for dredging sand and gravel from the sea bed, is planning to carry out trials this year with position recorders on three vessels. Provided that these trials are successful, any licences issued after 1991 will require dredging vessels to carry a position recorder and it is expected that most dredging vessels will be carrying position recorders by the end of 1992.

  Fire-raising
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells),Official Report, 17 May, column 1003, what best endeavours he has displayed to draw the problem of fires, deliberately started by teenagers, to the attention of authorities in relation to the protection of wildlife.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have written to my colleagues at the Home Office, the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office, drawing this matter to their attention.

  Sewage Slick (East Anglia)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received with regard to the sewage slick off the coast of East Anglia.
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  Mr. Maclean
  None.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he proposes to take to protect the onshore fishing industry of East Anglia from the effects of the sewage slick in the Yarmouth area.

  Mr. Maclean
  Following consultation with the Department's marine scientists Anglian Water installed a long sea outfall which, following the completion of sewerage work in the Yarmouth catchment area, will remove the remaining sewage after fine screening to a sea area where it will safely disperse and degrade.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the National Farmers Union to discuss BSE.

  Mr. Maclean
  Ministers in this Department are in regular discussion with the National Farmers Union on a wide range of issues, including BSE.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish by means of a press release each month until November 1990, the reported cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy by county in England and Wales and by region in Scotland.

  Mr. Gummer
  Yes; I will issue a press release showing the numbers of suspect cases placed under restrictions each month by county and region. The information will be published one month in arrears to ensure its accuracy.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many reported cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy there have been in each county in England and Wales and each region in Scotland in the last month; and what are the cumulative totals by county.

  Mr. Gummer
  The table sets out the number of BSE suspects placed under restriction in June 1990, the most recent complete month, and the cumulative number of such suspects reported since 21 June 1988, when the disease became notifiable, up to 30 June 1990.

  Region and County

  Suspects Reported June 1990

  Cumulative Total

  Northern

  Cleveland

  2

  28

  Cumbria

  24

  333

  Durham

  3

  80

  Humberside

  7

  96

  Northumberland

  7

  84

  Tyne and Wear

  —

  2

  Yorkshire North

  52

  686

  Yorkshire South

  6

  52

  Yorkshire West

  12

  86

  Midlands and West

  Cheshire

  35

  433

  Derbyshire

  20

  257

  Herefordshire and Worcestershire

  15

  382

  Lancashire

  42

  421

  Leicestershire

  33

  430

  Manchester

  1

  16

  Merseyside

  1

  9

  Nottinghamshire

  11

  120

  Salop

  28

  486

  257

  Region and County

  Suspects Reported June 1990

  Cumulative Total

  Staffordshire

  21

  373

  West Midlands

  —

  13

  Warwickshire

  11

  212

  Eastern

  Bedfordshire

  3

  44

  Cambridgeshire

  5

  71

  Essex

  8

  87

  Hertfordshire

  4

  91

  Lincolnshire

  6

  152

  Norfolk

  23

  262

  Northamptonshire

  11

  150

  Suffolk

  22

  213

  South East

  Berkshire

  7

  118

  Buckinghamshire

  20

  161

  Hampshire

  35

  772

  Isle of Wight

  11

  118

  Kent

  26

  413

  London

  —

  7

  Oxfordshire

  27

  328

  Surrey

  11

  201

  Sussex East

  13

  255

  Sussex West

  31

  480

  South West

  Avon

  37

  371

  Cornwall

  79

  1,440

  Devon

  116

  2,059

  Dorset

  90

  1,607

  Gloucestershire

  46

  667

  Somerset

  92

  1,482

  Wiltshire

  64

  1,168

  Wales

  Clwyd

  13

  191

  Dyfed

  49

  692

  Glamorgan Mid

  5

  43

  Glamorgan South

  3

  55

  Glamorgan West

  1

  14

  Gwent

  6

  146

  Gwynedd

  5

  70

  Powys

  13

  210

  Scotland

  Borders

  1

  21

  Central

  1

  29

  Dumfries

  7

  142

  Fife

  2

  45

  Grampian

  16

  187

  Highland

  4

  41

  Lothian

  1

  25

  Orkney

  —

  12

  Shetland

  —

  2

  Strathclyde

  9

  201

  Tayside

  4

  67

  Total

  1,258

  19,509

  Cattle Records
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends his new breeding and movement records scheme for cattle to be compulsory; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Yes.

  Fishing Grants
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to release fishing grants(a) United Kingdom 0–144–89, (b) United Kingdom 0–122–89, (c) United Kingdom 0–117–89 and (d) United Kingdom 0–113–89.

  Mr. Curry
  The beneficiaries concerned can expect to receive payment within the next seven days.

  Intervention Stores
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the amounts in weight of(a) butter, (b) beef and (c) wheat which have been in intervention in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is available from the monthly notes deposited in the Library of the House.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 24 July.

  Mr. Gummer
  I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting together with my hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry), the Parliamentary Secretary in my Department.

  Discussion concentrated on the GATT negotiations. The Council noted that it had been agreed that the text produced by the chairman of the GATT agriculture negotiating group would be used as a means of intensifying the negotiations. The Council agreed that it was important that CAP mechanisms should be protected during these negotiations, subject to the agreement already reached that support should be reduced substantially, and progressively and taking account also of the need to secure a satisfactory outcome. I made clear the United Kingdom's support for the Community's demand that agricultural subsidies should be assessed fairly and diminished on an equitable basis. I also supported strongly the Commission's insistence that all agricultural products were subject to the negotiations and that there could be no question of excluding products of particular regions of Europe. Discussion is likely to be resumed in the Council in the autumn.

  I emphasised the need for the Commission to ensure orderly marketing of soft fruit imported from eastern Europe into the Community. Very low prices do nothing to help eastern European producers while hitting our own.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Sports Grounds (Safety)
  Mr. John Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress made in implementing the recommendations made by Lord Justice Taylor in respect of the safety of sports grounds.

  Mr. John Patten
  Our initial response to Lord Justice Taylor's final report on the Hillsborough stadium disaster
  259
  was summarised in my right hon. and learned Friend's statement on 29 January at columns 19–22, and our detailed interim responses to its 76 specific recommendations were set out more fully in the schedule placed in the Vote Office on that date.

  A large number of the safety recommendations contained in the final report were originally included in Lord Justice Taylor's interim report. Our information is that they and many of the non-urgent safety recommendations were largely and quickly implemented by the responsible authorities. Of the main recommendations of the final report still outstanding, we have made it clear that the primary responsibility for the reduction of standing accommodation at football league clubs in accordance with the timetable proposed by Lord Justice Taylor rests with the clubs themselves. The Football Licensing Authority, whose chairman has now been named and which will become fully operational as quickly as possible, will provide in England and Wales the national inspectorate and review body recommended in the report. It will also examine the plans which league clubs have made and advise us, in due course, whether progress towards all-seated accommodation is satisfactory. Powers are available under section 11 of the Football Spectators Act 1989 to enforce that progress, if they are needed. We are still considering the application of these particular recommendations to sports other than football.

  The Football Association and the Football League have agreed, as recommended in the report, to set up an advisory design council. The report's recommendations on offences and penalties are still under active consideration by the Home Office. The "Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds" is currently being revised, by the Home Departments with the assistance of a working group of experts, with a view to publication in the autumn.

  Recommendations addressed to the police and the co-ordination of emergency services have, so far as practicable, been complied with. New guidance on the charges to be made by police authorities to clubs for the cost of policing inside grounds has been drafted and will be issued after the current round of consultation has been completed.

  Prisons (Planning Applications)
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many planning applications in respect of prisons have been approved since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  Since 1979, 23 prisons have received planning clearance either from the local planning authority or my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. They are as follows:

  ALREADY OPEN

  Wayland, Norfolk

  Stocken, Leicestershire

  Thorn Cross, Cheshire

  Full Sutton, York

  Littlehey, Cambridgeshire

  Mount, Hertfordshire

  Swaleside, Sheppey

  Garth, Lancashire

  UNDER CONSTRUCTION

  Brinsford, Staffordshire

  Bullingdon, Oxfordshire

  Whitemoor, Cambridgeshire

  Belmarsh, Woolwich

  Moorland, Doncaster

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  Lancaster Farms, Lancashire

  Woodhill, Buckinghamshire

  Elmley, Sheppey

  Blakenhurst, Worcestershire

  Holme House, Tees-side

  High Down, Banstead

  Everthorpe, Humberside

  Ashford, Middlesex

  Doncaster, South Yorkshire

  Marchington, Staffordshire

  Police (Traffic Activities)
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the percentage of police strength deployed on traffic activities; and what is the estimated cost of the policing resources which are absorbed by traffic-related tasks.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In 1989 approximately 8 per cent. of the total police strength in England and Wales was deployed on specialist traffic duties. The proportion of non-specialist officer's time spent on traffic matters is not recorded. The cost of police resources devoted to traffic-related tasks could not therefore be reliably estimated.

  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Football Association and the Football League about implementation without delay of the recommendations contained in Lord Justice Taylor's report into the Hillsborough stadium disaster.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State has had such a discussion on behalf of my right hon. and learned Friend. My right hon. and learned Friend was unable to attend because of an urgent commitment in the House. My right hon. and noble Friend has also written to both organisations making clear the Government's view that it is for the football clubs in the first instance to respond to the recommendations in Lord Justice Taylor's report which are addressed to them. We shall be looking to the Football Licensing Authority in due course to keep us informed about progress. In the meantime arrangements have been made for regular meetings between officials of the Football Association, the Football League and the Government Departments most closely concerned, at which such matters can be discussed.

  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will impose strict annual targets on British football clubs for introducing seating for spectators.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have no plans to do so. The primary responsibility for responding to Lord Justice Taylor's recommendations for the progressive removal of standing accommodation rests with the football clubs themselves. Provided that satisfactory progress is being made towards the final target dates of 1994 for first and second division clubs, and 1999 for third and fourth division clubs, we will not expect clubs to comply with a rigid programme for the reduction of standing accommodation or for the introduction of additional seating.

  Forensic Pathology
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 21, what is the result of his study of recommendation 3·32 of the Wasserman report on forensic pathology.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As my right hon. and learned Friend announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 19 July, we have accepted the proposals of the working party on forensic pathology including the recommendation contained in paragraph 3·32 that the Home Office, on the advice of the proposed policy advisory board for forensic pathology, should fund a number of senior lectureships in departments of forensic pathology/forensic medicine. We now await the advice of the board on this matter.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the recommendations of his working group on the private security industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  I am considering, in the light of the working group's report, a range of options for improving the regulation of the private security industry. When consideration of the issues has been completed, I will decide what circulation to give to the report and its recommendations.

  Animal Procedures Committee
  Mr. Andrew Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the annual report of the Animal Procedures Committee for 1989; and when he intends to lay copies of the report before Parliament.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have laid before Parliament copies of the third annual report of the Animal Procedures Committee which will be published today by Her Majesty's Stationery Office as HC581.

  I welcome this report, which reveals the care which the committee has taken in tackling a number of difficult issues. The control of scientific procedures on living animals is always a matter of great sensitivity and it is reassuring to see that we have a statutory but independent body which safeguards the balance between the welfare of animals and the pursuit of scientific work of real value.

  I am grateful to the members of the committee for the time and skill which they devote to these matters.

  Somali Nationals
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to require Somali nationals who wish to transit the United Kingdom to obtain visas.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Under the immigration rules, Somali nationals are already required to obtain visas to enter the United Kingdom. However, like most nationalities subject to a visa requirement, Somali nationals at present benefit from a concession whereby passengers who are booked on an onward flight leaving the United Kingdom within 24 262
  hours of their arrival do not need visas. Because of the misuse of the concession by some Somali nationals who are not genuine transit passengers, we have decided to withdraw it with effect from 15 August. From that date, all Somali nationals intending to pass through immigration control, including transit passengers, will need to obtain a visa before setting out.

  Police and Fire Services (Communications)
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to review radio communications in the police and fire services: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  It is essential that the radio communications systems used by all the emergency services enable them to provide a prompt and effective response to incidents. There is also a need to ensure that those parts of the radio spectrum allocated to the emergency services are used efficiently and that the best value of money is achieved by investing in the most effective technology. Each service determines its own radio communications requirements and there is inevitably some risk of duplication of resources and incompatibility in the systems they adopt. I have therefore put in hand a review aimed at developing a coherent strategy for the police and fire services which takes advantage of the latest developments in radio communications to provide maximum flexibility of response and interoperability within and between the services. It will take account of radio communication arrangements in the national health service including the ambulance service.

  Magistrates Courts (Computers)
  Dr. Blackburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to make available to prospective suppliers information about the standard specification for magistrates courts computer systems.

  Mr. John Patten
  Work on the standard specification is due to be completed by next autumn. We are willing to make working drafts available on request to any prospective suppliers in the interests of reducing the time needed to complete the development of computer systems meeting the specification. This must, however, be on the understanding that the drafts are subject to amendment as the project proceeds, that the Home Office cannot take any responsibility for the use made of this material in advance of invitations to tender and that it is not possible to undertake to enter into correspondence about the content of the drafts.

  Asylum
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy on persons seeking asylum who have not come to this country directly from the country in which they fear persecution.

  Mr. Waddington
  The United Kingdom is committed to its obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees. In accordance with this convention, no refugee will be moved by the United Kingdom to a territory in which his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
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  It is an internationally accepted concept that a person fleeing persecution, who cannot avail himself of the protection of the authorities of a country of which he is a national, should normally seek refuge in the first safe country reached. I agree entirely with the concept. The convention's primary function is to give refugees who cannot turn to their own authorities the protection of the international community. It is an instrument of last resort—not a licence for refugees to travel the world in search of an ideal place of residence. Where protection issues do not arise, an application should therefore be dealt with in accordance with normal immigration criteria.

  Accordingly, an application for asylum from a passenger who has arrived in the United Kingdom from a country other than the country in which he fears persecution, will not normally be considered substantively. The passenger will be returned to the country from which he embarked, or to another country in which he has been since he left the country of feared persecution or, if appropriate, to his country of nationality, unless I am satisfied that the country is one in which his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, or that it would return him to such a country. However, in considering any individual case I shall take into account any evidence of substantial links with the United Kingdom which in my view would make it reasonable for the claim for asylum exceptionally to be considered here.

  All western European countries which are signatories to the United Nations convention operate safe third-country procedures and the approach is consistent with the convention determining the state responsible for examining applications for asylum lodged in one of the member states of the European Communities signed in Dublin on 15 June 1990, but not as yet in force.

  Firearms
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will lay before Parliament the annual report of the firearms consultative committee.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have placed in the Library a copy of the annual report of the Firearms Consultative Committee which is published today by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

  Drugs
  Mr. Knowles
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the seventh report from the Home Affairs Committee 1989–90 Session and the sixth (interim) report from the Home Affairs Committee, 1989–90 Session, on drugs.

  Mr Waddington
  The Government response is published today to the seventh report from the Home Affairs Committee on drug trafficking and related serious crime (HC 370) and to the sixth (interim) report "Crack: the threat of hard drugs in the next decade" (HC 356). Copies of the response (Cm 1164) have been placed in the Library.

  As the response makes clear, we are very grateful to the Committee for the helpful and constructive nature of its reports and for the recommendations it has made. We have already acted on many of the recommendations.
  264
  We take a very serious view of the threat from cocaine in the form of crack, highlighted by the Committee in its interim report. We have reviewed our drugs strategy to ensure that it addresses the threat as fully and effectively as possible and measures have already been announced—notably the Home Office drugs prevention initiative—to help tackle it. We have also commissioned a major three-year research study on cocaine and "crack" prevalence looking at the extent and patterns of misuse and trends in misuse over time.

  We share the Committee's view that strong action should be taken to combat money laundering and to deprive drug traffickers of their ill-gotten gains. A working group has been set up, as proposed by the Committee, to examine the potential for improving the operation of the confiscation and money laundering provisions of the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986.

  We also share the Committee's view that international co-operation is vital in combating illicit trafficking in drugs and bringing those involved to justice. Enactment of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 will enable the United Kingdom to ratify both the 1988 United Nations convention against the illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and the 1957 European convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters, as recommended by the Committee. The Act also provides powers, proposed by the Committee, for Customs officers to detain cash which may represent the proceeds of drug trafficking.

  The Government share the Committee's total opposition to the "legalisation" of drugs, together with its view that, while law enforcement must remain a vital part of the strategy for tackling drug misuse, this must be accompanied by effective measures to reduce the demand for drugs.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Lewes,Official Report, column 323, on 12 July, what information on drug shipments or drug seizures from illegal trafficking from European countries or from other countries is shared with the United Kingdom's European partners and with international organisations; and what limitations are applied to such information transferred.

  Mr. Waddington
  There are extensive and increasing exchanges of intelligence and operational information between United Kingdom Customs and police services and those of our European partners, and of other countries with which we have co-operation arrangements, about illicit drugs shipments. Where possible, the information is channelled through drug liaison officers or via Interpol, but in cases of urgency there may be direct contact between operational commanders in the countries concerned. Drug seizures are reported by the United Kingdom Customs and police to Interpol, which publishes annual statistics. In addition, Customs seizures are reported to the Customs Co-operation Council which, as well as producing annual statistics, issues bi-monthly bulletins notifying member states of major seizures, smuggling concealments and drug trends.

  The provision of such information is governed by the United Nations conventions of 1961 and 1971 relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; the Naples convention of 1967 for the provision of mutual assistance between states; the Nairobi convention of 1977 for the

  265
  provision of mutual international administration assistance for the prevention, investigation and repression of Customs offences; and bilateral memoranda of understanding. The sharing of such information is limited by considerations of public policy, data protection and the interests of justice.

  Arrests
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested by the police in England and Wales in 1986, 1988, and 1989.

  Mr. Waddington
  The available information relates to arrests for all types of offence, but excludes the Metropolitan police disrict. There were 1,207,000 such arrests in 1986, 1,337,000 in 1988 and 1,464,000 in 1989.

  Romanian Orphans
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many adoptions of Romanian children have been authorised in the past 12 months; how many families are known to have expressed an interest in the adoption of Romanian children; and what progress is being made with measures to enable British families more easily to adopt Romanian orphans.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information relates to entry clearance applications made at the British embassy in Bucharest for Romanian children to come for adoption in the United Kingdom. Thirteen such applications have been approved since March 1990 when the first such

  Self-injuries

  Attempted suicides

  Deaths at the prisoner's own hand

  1 April 1987—30 March 19881

  12

  5

  —

  1 April 1988—30 March 19891

  34

  16

  —

  1 April 1989—30 March 19901

  182

  25

  22

  1 April 1990—18 July 1990

  15

  16

  22

  1 Hindley changed its role in summer 1988 from being a youth custody centre for sentenced young offenders serving terms of 4 months or over to a centre for unconvicted males under 21.

  2 Inquests have not yet been held on an inmate who died in February 1990 and on two inmates who died in June 1990. A verdict of suicide was returned on an inmate who died in October 1989.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Forman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement outlining his policy on the future of Greater London Radio.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to encourage the British Broadcasting Corporation to develop still further its commitment to local public service radio.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the remarks made by the Minister of State, the right hon. and learned Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor), about Greater London Radio in a speech of 16 May to a conference on independent radio represent the policy of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: As explained in the Green Paper "Radio: Choices and Opportunities" published in 1987, the Government believe that there continues to be a case for BBC local radio, providing a distinctive service alongside a growing
  266
  application was made. Thirty-four further applications have been referred to the Immigration Department of the Home Office and are being considered; 26 of these have been made since the beginning of July. We are reviewing the procedures for dealing with overseas adoptions together with the Department of Health and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to see whether they can be streamlined further while continuing to provide proper protection for the children involved.

  Hindley Remand Centre
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people have inflicted serious injuries on themselves, but have not been classified as attempted suicide, at Hindley remand centre in(a) 1988, (b) 1989 and (c) 1990 to date;

  (2) how many people have attempted suicide at Hindley remand centre, but have been saved, during (a) 1988, (b) 1989 and (c) 1990 to date;

  (3) how many people have committed suicide at Hindley remand centre during (a) 1988, (b) 1989 and (c) 1990 to date.

  Mr. Waddington
  [holding answer 23 July 1990]: The numbers of inmates who have (i) inflicted injuries on themselves that were not regarded as suicide attempts (ii) been recorded as having attempted suicide, or (iii) died at their own hand at HM prison Hindley since 1 April 1987 are shown in the table. Incidents of self-injury are not classified according to their seriousness.

  independent radio sector. It is, however, for the BBC to determine the extent of its commitment to local radio within the financial and other resources available to it. Bearing in mind increasing demand for frequencies, it is also important that those currently occupied by BBC stations should be used effectively. I will be interested to see the outcome of the BBC's forthcoming review of the operation of Greater London Radio, Greater Manchester Radio and Radio WM. More generally, the BBC's role in radio will be considered during the review leading to the renewal of the BBC's charter in 1996.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Petitions
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many petitions were presented in each of the last five years; and how many received replies from the relevant Department.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The information requested is as follows:
  267

  Session

  Number of public petitions presented

  Number of petitions on which Government observations have been made

  1984–85

  1,059

  45

  1985–86

  516

  28

  1986–87

  108

  8

  1987–88

  356

  156

  1988–89

  227

  52

  1989–901

  1,002

  149

  1 To 20 July 1990.

  Members' Facilities
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate on 23 July, if he will list the minor services and facilities which are not available during the recess stating, in each case, what the practical or economic reason is and in the latter case the savings expected.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I shall write to my hon. Friend.

ENERGY

  Shell Petroleum (Pipeline)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many representations he has received concerning Shell Petroleum's proposal to build an ethylene pipeline from Grangemouth in Scotland to Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  A total of 263 representations were received concerning this proposal. A public inquiry was held in Haydock, Grangemouth and Carlisle between 5 and 29 June 1990. The inspector's report is expected in the autumn and I will give my decision in due course.

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to respond to the report of the Select Committee on Energy on the cost of nuclear power.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have today placed copies in the Library of the House and the Vote Office of the Government's observations on the Select Committee's reports on the cost of nuclear power and the flue gas desulphurisation programme.

  Electricity Distribution
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the 12 chairmen of the electricity distribution companies regarding their gearing ratio in the private sector.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave on Monday 23 July to the hon. Member for Redcar (Ms. Mowlam).

  Nuclear Tests
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the convention for the physical protection of nuclear materials; and if he will list those states that have ratified it.
  268
  Mr. Baldry
  The United Kingdom hopes to ratify the convention, along with other European Community member states, in the autumn. In the meantime, we follow the guidance of the convention on practical measures for the physical protection of nuclear material and for movements between states.

  Those countries which have ratified or acceded to the convention are:

  Australia

  Austria

  Argentina

  Brazil

  Bulgaria

  Canada

  China

  Czechoslovakia

  Finland

  German Democratic Republic

  Guatemala

  Hungary

  Indonesia

  Japan

  Korea (Republic of)

  Liechtenstein

  Mexico

  Mongolia

  Norway

  Paraguay

  Philippines

  Poland

  Sweden

  Switzerland

  Turkey

  Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

  United States of America

  Yugoslavia

  Sellafield THORP
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the safeguards regime developed for the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield will be able to verify a complete separation of civil and military reprocessing.

  Mr. Baldry
  The thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield will be used for the reprocessing of civil nuclear material only.

  Britoil
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he considered selling the golden share in Britoil to BP; and if he will estimate what this would have raised for the Exchequer.

  Mr. Wakeham
  No. The special rights preference share in Britoil could be held only by a Minister of the Crown or the Treasury Solicitor.

  Gas Sales
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the results of the Government's monitoring of gas sold to the market by suppliers other than British Gas for the period 1 June 1989 to 31 May 1990.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Thirty per cent. of the new gas contracted during the period 1 June 1989 to 31 May 1990 was sold to purchasers other than British Gas. Of this 30 per cent., 98 per cent. was sold to the power generation market. The remaining 2 per cent., or about half of 1 per cent. of the total gas contracted in the monitoring period,
  269
  was contracted for sale to the general industrial and commercial gas market. Actual deliveries of new gas to industrial and commercial customers by suppliers other than British Gas were very small during the monitoring period.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Maternity Services
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the hospitals in Northern Ireland which had consultant obstetric and/or maternity beds in 1980, 1985 or the most recent year for which information is available and the numbers of beds of each type in each hospital in each year.

  Mr. Needham
  The information for 1980 is not available in the form requested. The information for 1981 and 1988–89 is as follows:

  Average available maternity beds in Northern Ireland

  Hospital

  Consultant obstetric

  GP maternity

  1981

  1988–89

  1981

  1988–89

  Ulster

  44·2

  44·2

  —

  —

  Mater

  24·2

  24·0

  —

  —

  Royal Maternity

  110·0

  93·6

  —

  —

  Belfast City

  79·0

  64·7

  —

  —

  Samaritan

  2·7

  —

  —

  —

  Quoile

  25·5

  —

  —

  —

  Lagan Valley

  42·8

  43·0

  —

  —

  Ards

  29·0

  25·0

  —

  —

  Malone Place

  —

  —

  9·0

  —

  Bangor

  —

  —

  16·0

  —

  Downe

  —

  24·0

  —

  —

  Route

  19·0

  19·0

  —

  —

  Moyle

  28·0

  23·1

  —

  —

  Carrickfergus

  14·0

  6·4

  —

  —

  Mid Ulster

  31·0

  31·0

  —

  —

  Massereene

  —

  —

  16·0

  —

  Waveney

  24·3

  25·0

  —

  —

  Mary Rankin

  —

  —

  16·0

  —

  Robinson Memorial

  —

  —

  12·0

  14·0

  Dalriada

  —

  —

  6·0

  3·5

  Cushendall

  —

  —

  4·0

  2·3

  Ballymena Cottage

  —

  10·0

  26·0

  16·0

  South Tyrone

  31·9

  31·6

  —

  —

  Craigavon Area

  61·9

  63·2

  —

  —

  Banbridge

  —

  —

  12·0

  4·7

  Daisy Hill

  43·0

  52·0

  —

  —

  Newry General

  3·0

  —

  —

  —

  Mourne

  —

  —

  6·0

  —

  Tower Hill Maternity

  —

  —

  8·0

  4·0

  St. John of God

  —

  —

  7·7

  —

  Altnagelvin

  63·0

  49·8

  —

  20·9

  Omagh General

  3·7

  —

  2·2

  —

  Tyrone County

  21·6

  34·6

  —

  —

  Erne

  39·0

  37·5

  —

  —

  Anderson House

  —

  —

  23·0

  —

  Roe Valley

  —

  —

  13·0

  —

  Strabane

  —

  —

  13·0

  —

  Teachers
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance is being given to school governors in respect of the making of economies by(a) employing fewer teachers, (b) employing younger teachers or teachers of a lower level on the incremental scale, (c) refusing to allocate the full complement of promotional allowances, (d) not appointing teachers to provide substitute cover for absent teachers, (e) delaying the
  270
  appointment procedure to replace a teacher who has retired or resigned and (f) excluding from appointment consideration teachers of child-bearing age.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None. Information on the operation of local management of schools, which will apply from 1 April 1991, has been sent to all boards of governors.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners from England, Wales, Scotland and the Irish Republic are currently serving a prison sentence in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Cope
  According to records held centrally 87 sentenced prisoners are recorded as born in Great Britain (records do not differentiate between those born in England, Scotland or Wales) and 20 as born in the Republic of Ireland.

  Northern Ireland Tourist Board
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the balance sheet for the New York office of the Northern Ireland tourist board for the last three years.

  Mr. Needham
  No separate balance sheet is drawn up for the New York office of the Northern Ireland tourist board. Expenditure by the board on its north American activities is shown in the statement of account published as part of the board's annual reports, copies of which are placed in the Library.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the alleged embezzlement of public money in the operation of the Northern Ireland tourist board in the United States of America.

  Mr. Needham
  In March 1990 a member of staff of the Northern Ireland tourist board employed in the New York office was dismissed on grounds of misconduct arising from the misuse of public funds. The amount in question was fully recovered.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been dismissed from the New York office of the Northern Ireland tourist board in each of the last two years; and if he will give the reasons in each case.

  Mr. Needham
  Two members of the staff of the Northern Ireland tourist board employed in the New York office have been dismissed within the past two years. One was on grounds of inefficiency and the other was on grounds of gross misconduct involving misuse of public funds.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show for the Londonderry, East constituency the number of unemployed (a) men, (b) women and (c) total unemployed, in each electoral ward in the constituency and for the wards of Ballymaquigan, Draperstown and Lecumpher in the Mid-Ulster constituency or as much of such information as is available to him.
  271
  Mr. Needham
  The information requested for the Londonderry, East parliamentary constituency and the three named wards in the Mid-Ulster constituency form the district council areas Coleraine, Limavady and Magherafelt. The numbers unemployed in each of these wards at 14 June 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, are as follows:

  Number of unemployed claimants in each ward on 14 June 1990 Limavady

  Male

  Female

  Total

  1. Magilligan

  98

  21

  119

  2. Aghanloo

  88

  21

  109

  3. Forest

  77

  22

  99

  4. Upper Glenshane

  104

  28

  132

  5. Feeny

  92

  10

  102

  6. Dungiven

  158

  26

  184

  7. The Highlands

  97

  17

  114

  8. Glack

  117

  33

  150

  9. Gresteele

  151

  63

  214

  10. Ballykelly

  114

  75

  189

  11. Roeside

  61

  21

  82

  12. Rathbrady

  58

  32

  90

  13. Enagh

  110

  33

  143

  14. Coolessan

  145

  20

  165

  15. Binevenagh

  130

  40

  170

  Total

  1,600

  482

  2,062

  Number of unemployed claimants in each ward on 14 June 1990 Coleraine

  Males

  Female

  Total

  1. Kilrea

  97

  16

  113

  2. Agivey

  67

  20

  87

  3. Knockantern

  103

  23

  126

  4. Dunluce

  58

  22

  80

  5. Royal Portrush

  134

  53

  187

  6. Hopefield

  99

  53

  182

  7. Atlantic

  111

  54

  165

  8. Portstewart

  126

  55

  181

  9. Strand

  75

  30

  105

  10. University

  77

  34

  111

  11. Ballysally

  144

  34

  178

  12. Central

  173

  42

  215

  13. Cross Glebe

  99

  15

  114

  14. Mount Sandel

  82

  50

  132

  15. The Cuts

  97

  49

  146

  16. Churchland

  109

  30

  139

  17. Waterside

  81

  42

  123

  18. Castlerock

  114

  27

  141

  19. Maccosquin

  147

  47

  194

  20. Ringsend

  167

  51

  218

  21. Garvagh

  131

  41

  172

  Total

  2,291

  788

  3,079

  Number of unemployed claimants in each ward on 14 June 1990 Magherafelt

  Male

  Female

  Total

  1. Swatragh

  133

  33

  166

  2. Upperlands

  74

  25

  99

  3. Valley

  91

  28

  119

  4. Lower Glenshane

  103

  44

  147

  5. Maghera

  166

  43

  209

  6. Gulladuff

  103

  35

  138

  7. Tobermore

  82

  28

  110

  8. Knockcloughrim

  60

  39

  99

  9. Bellaghy

  143

  39

  182

  10. Castledawson

  108

  47

  155

  11. Draperstown

  144

  57

  201

  12. Lecumpher

  81

  40

  121

  13. Ballymaguigan

  98

  36

  134

  14. Town Parks West

  102

  47

  149

  15. Town Parks East

  141

  54

  195

  272

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Total

  1,629

  595

  2,224

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what information he has available to indicate how many(a) men, (b) women and (c) juveniles charged in the last three years and in this year to date with (ii) possession of firearms, (i) possession of ammunition, (iii) possession of explosives, (iv) attempted murder and (v) murder were also charged with membership of an illegal organisation, showing for each category the numbers associated with each illegal organisation;

  (2) how many (a) adult male and (b) adult female prisoners there were in prison in Northern Ireland at 30 June in each year from 1985 to 1990 found guilty of (i) membership of an illegal organisation (ii) possession of explosives, (iii) possion of ammunition, (iv) possession of firearms, (v) attempted murder and (vi) murder or as much information as is available to him;

  (3) how many (a) men, (b) women and (c) juveniles charged with (i) murder, (ii) attempted murder, (iii) possession of firearms, (iv) possession of ammunition, (v) possession of explosives and (vi) membership of an illegal organisation, in each of the last five years and in this year to date have actually stood trial on those charges; and how many in each of those categories were (1) convicted (2) found not guilty and (3) convicted of a lesser charge.

  Mr. Cope
  I regret that in the time available it has not been possible to provide the information requested. I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to him as to in how many cases bail has been granted to(a) men and (b) women charged with (i) possession of firearms, (ii) attempted murder, (iii) possession of ammunition, (iv) possession of explosives, (v) membership of an illegal organisation ad (vi) murder in each of the last three years and in the current year to date.

  Mr. Cope
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Police Complaints Commission
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will arrange for copies of the annual report of the Independent Commission for Police Complaints for Northern Ireland to be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The report has been laid today. This second report from the commission describes the work of the commission in the first calendar year of its existence. It clearly demonstrates the extent and importance of the work of a civilian body in overseeing the investigation of complaints against the police. It shows also that the commission has set for itself high standards of objectivity and fairness. That is entirely as it should be. I share with members of the commission the belief that arrangements to ensure that complaints are thoroughly and impartially investigated are essential if a police force is to have the trust and confidence of the community which it serves. I
  273
  have no doubt that the commission, which is wholly independent of both Government and the RUC, will continue to make a significant contribution to the strengthening of relationships between police and public. In all its efforts to this end, it can be assured of my full support.

  Autopsies
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many autopsies were carried out in Northern Ireland for the latest year for which information is available.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 20 July 1990]: The latest available information is as follows:

  Year ended

  Number

  State Pathology Service autopsies

  31 December 1989

  1,371

  Hospital autopsies

  31 December 1988

  566

  Needle Exchange Schemes
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many needle exchange schemes are currently operating in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 23 July 1990]: None.

  Fair Employment Commission
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East of 18 July, he will seek an assurance from the Fair Employment Commission that it will publish information on the community composition from individual monitoring returns from employers before 15 October.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: The Fair Employment Commission has announced that it will make available monitoring information in respect of individual concerns following receipt of the 1991 monitoring returns.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the information on the Fair Employment Commission sought by the hon. Member for Londonderry, East in written questions answered on 18 July is held on a computer which may be used to extract such information by reference to geographical area or by post code.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: The Fair Employment Commission is in the process of developing its information systems. Information on registered concerns, including their geographical location, is currently held on a temporary computer system and is being validated for transfer to a permanent computer system in the autumn. It was therefore not possible readily to provide the information requested by the hon. Gentleman.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will request the Fair Employment commission to carry out an investigation into the community composition of the work force employed by the Inner City Trust, Londonderry.
  274
  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: No. I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 10 July, vol. 176, column 156.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his office and the Northern Ireland Departments in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: The Government have continued to place a high priority on helping small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures, and through specific programmes of support and assistance. The success of their policies is demonstrated by the latest statistics which show a record increase in the number of businesses registered for VAT in the United Kingdom, of 1,700 a week during 1989. Over the decade the overall increase has been 373,000. These figures include 1,100 net registrations for Northern Ireland in 1989 compared with 600 for 1988.

  Government policy in relation to small businesses in Northern Ireland is administered through the Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU) which is funded by the Department of Economic Development. The table sets out a number of indicators comparing the results of LEDU's performance between 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Jobs promoted

  5,004

  5,944

  Cost per job

  £4,804

  £4,344

  LEDU percentage contribution to project costs

  32

  31

  Number of offers made

  943

  1,122

  Grant commitments £ million

  22·112

  24·412

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the level of unemployment in the Amber Valley parliamentary constituency or the closest corresponding area, each year since 1975 up until the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Jackson
  Unemployment figures by parliamentary constituency are available only from June 1983. The following information is available in the Library. The table shows the annual average number of unemployed claimants in the Amber Valley parliamentary constituency for the years 1983 to 1989.

  The annual average number of unemployed claimants in the Amber Valley parliamentary constituency

  Year

  Number

  11983

  3,475

  1984

  3,757

  1985

  4,167

  1986

  4,242

  1987

  3,841

  1988

  3,202

  1989

  2,333

  1 Average of the seven months June to December 1983

  275
  The comparison is affected by the changes in the coverage of the count that have occurred over the period. Comparable figures for earlier years are not available on the same geographical basis.

  Women Workers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer on 9 July,Official Report, columns 97–98, what comparable information he has on the attitudes of women without dependent children and men.

  Mr. Forth
  The 1984 British social attitudes survey asked all those in paid work (of at least 10 hours per week) to give their main reason for working.

  The results for women without dependent children were as follows:

  Per cent.

  Need for basic essentials

  47

  Enjoy working

  12

  To earn money of my own

  12

  To follow my career

  10

  To earn money to buy extras

  9

  Working is the normal thing to do

  4

  For the company of other people

  3

  For a change from my children or housework

  1

  Other reasons

  2

  The results for all men were:

  Need money for basic essentials

  71

  Working is the normal thing to do

  9

  Enjoy working

  7

  To follow my career

  5

  To earn money of my own

  4

  To earn money to buy extras

  2

  For the company of other people

  0

  For a change from my children or housework

  0

  Other reasons

  1

  (Percentages total less than 100 per cent. due to rounding)

  Sunday Trading Laws
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he estimates would be the effect on employment of relaxing the present Sunday trading laws.

  Mr. Forth
  No such estimates are available.

  Earnings
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the increase in average weekly earnings of full-time adult male(a) manual workers in manufacturing and (b) non-manuals in the private sector, less manufacturing, together with his estimate of the increase in unit labour costs in manufacturing and non-manufacturing, respectively, since 1979.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him in the last Session(Official Report, 1 November column 240) for the increase in earnings of manual workers in manufacturing. Figures are not readily available for non-manuals in the private sector less manufacturing and would involve disproportionate cost to compile.

  Figures for unit labour costs in manufacturing are given in table 5·7 of Employment Gazette. Unit labour costs in non-manufacturing would involve disproportionate cost to compile.

  Training Expenditure
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the contribution which an increase in expenditure on training would make to reducing the trade deficit in the foreseeable future.

  Mr. Jackson
  I am replying as training is a matter for my Department.

  The existing substantial investment by employers and Government in training makes an important contribution to Britain's competitiveness, but the crucial factor in creating a world-class work force is the effectiveness of that investment.

  Technical and Vocational Education Initiative
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps have been taken by his Department to maximise the investment in the technical and vocational educational initiative spent on capital products.

  Mr. Jackson
  The aim of the technical and vocational education initiative (TVEI) is to prepare young people aged 24 to 18 for the demands of working life. Funds are used to provide additional teaching and other posts, INSET training, curriculum development, work experience, flexible learning methods etc, not simply capital equipment.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the planned expenditure on technical and vocational education initiative in St. Helens in each of the next five years.

  Mr. Jackson
  The planned expenditure on TVEI in St. Helens in the financial year 1990–91 is £238,000. Future years' expenditure will depend upon resources available, although the Government are committed to spending £900 million over the period of TVEI extension and each authority will receive its full share over the life of its project.

  Careers and Occupational Information Centre
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement about the future of the careers and occupational information centre.

  Mr. Howard
  I want to ensure that COIC continues to provide its existing or a better level of service to its customers, including young people in schools and people with special needs, in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.

  I have therefore decided to commission a feasibility study to consider the options for the future of COIC, including the options for transferring the centre to the private sector, to assess their financial and other implications and to make recommendations.

  I shall consider the results of the feasibility study in the light of the results of my Department's internal review of careers guidance, which was announced on 10 May.

  Efficiency Scrutiny
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to publish the report of the efficiency scrutiny of take-up of his Department's programmes.
  277
  Mr. Howard
  I have today placed copies of the report on the scrutiny of take-up of Employment Department programmes in the Libraries of this House and of another place. Copies of the report have also been sent to members of the Select Committee on Employment. Further copies are available on request from my Department.

  My predecessor set up the scrutiny because of his concern—which was shared by the Select Committee on Employment and other hon. Members—about the failure of a significant number of long-term unemployed people to take up places on our progammes after they had expressed an interest in doing so and the tendency of others to leave programmes prematurely after very brief participation. The scrutiny team was asked to recommend cost-effective methods of substantially increasing both levels of take-up and length of participation on the programmes most affected.

  We welcome the scrutiny team's report, which we believe contains some practical suggestions to deal with the problem. Overall, we have accepted the great majority of the scrutiny report's 22 main recommendations in full or in part. Most people who enter our programmes for the long-term unemployed are referred by the employment service, in particular as a result of restart interviews. The majority of the recommendations in the scrutiny report are therefore addressed to the employment service. Since receiving the report, we have already taken a number of important steps to implement the main recommendations.

  First, we announced a package of measure to improve the employment service's claimant advice functions. These include particularly the introduction of "back to work" plans recording specific agreed action at the end of advisory interviews which can be followed up on a regular basis; the adoption of a caseload approach to claimant advice, so that unemployed people are, where possible, seen and followed up by the same person; and systematic follow-up of everyone who agrees at a restart interview to go to a place on one of the Department's programmes but fails to attend.

  Secondly, we have introduced an intensive programme of guidance and advice over a six-week period for the minority of unemployed people who are still unemployed after two years, designed to put them back on the road to a job.

  Thirdly, we have announced that we plan to require attendance at a restart course for those who have been unemployed for two years or more and who at subsequent restart interviews refuse to participate in any of my Department's employment and training programmes. Our experience suggests that many people who are initially reluctant to go on these courses find that in fact the courses give them positive support and help in getting back into work. We shall continue to keep the situation in this area under review.

  Other recommendations in the report are directed to the Training Agency and TECs or more generally at the way the Department organises its programmes. We are taking steps to implement these, including the following action:
  in response to the report's recommendation that we should reorganise the way in which we deliver assessment services for long-term unemployed people, we have decided that TECs should be encouraged to develop the services that they are offering, in close co-operation with the employment service.
  278
  We shall be asking them to explore ways of improving and making more widely available the kind of assessment and action planning which now takes place within ET;
  encouraging TECs and the employment service to use the new programme flexibilities which are available to TECs and other programme development funds to adjust our programmes to meet the needs of as wide a range of long-term unemployed people as possible. This is in response to the report's recommendation that Ministers should consider whether the present range of programmes is adequate to meet the needs of all long-term unemployed people;
  drawing to the attention of TECs those recommendations which are aimed at them, and encouraging the closest possible co-operation between TECs and the employment service to ensure that we maximise the contribution that each can make to helping long-term unemployed people.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will be taking similar action in Scotland in respect of local enterprise companies.

  This series of measures should have a significant impact on improving take-up of our programmes and reducing drop-out. We shall monitor this closely. But it is important to keep the problem in perspective. Existing levels of take up on employment training, for example, are already an improvement on previous programmes and, on the scrutiny's own findings, well ahead of performance in those other countries on which the scrutiny could obtain information. The measures that we are now putting in place will enable us to do even better.

  Enterprise Allowance
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the enterprise allowance scheme.

  Mr. Forth
  I am pleased to announce that I have recently invited a small number of operational TECs to pilot measures aimed at helping EAS participants to become better prepared for running their own businesses. Pilots will include a variety of elements such as preparation of business plans, business assessment and additional business training and counselling.

  Employment Rehabilitation Service
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is now able to make a statement on plans to transfer the employment rehabilitation service to the employment service.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. and learned Friend has decided that the employment rehabilitation service will transfer from the Training Agency to the employment service on 1 August 1990 where it will be located alongside the other specialist disability services. Longer-term issues about the organisation of employment assessment and rehabilitation are discussed in the consultative document, "Employment and Training for People with Disabilities", which was published on 29 June and on which comments are invited by 31 December.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Parental Encouragement
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidance he gives to local education authorities regarding the acceptance of parental
  279
  encouragement and assistance regarding pupils' school work; and what representations he has received on this subject.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend gives no general guidance to local education authorities on these matters. As far as assistance with pupils' course work for GCSE examinations is concerned, teachers are required in submitting course work to certify that the work is that of the candidate. My right hon. Friend from time to time receives correspondence on this issue.

  School Holidays
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in table form the information available to him on the dates and lengths of the school holidays taken in each of the G7 countries including the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Department does not collect information on the dates of school holidays in England. Powers to determine the dates of school terms and holidays rest with the LEA in the case of county and controlled schools and with the governors of aided, special agreement and grant-maintained schools. The Department does not collect information about the dates of school terms and length of holidays in other countries.

  Bogus Degrees
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of each occasion when Her Majesty's inspectors have investigated claims made under the bogus degree legislation involving the names of the institutions, the circumstances in which the investigations came to be made, the results of the investigations, the cost of each; and by whom these costs were borne.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I assume the hon. Member's interest is in the investigation of potentially fraudulent claims caught within the remit of the bogus degree legislation. It is not Her Majesty's inspectors' responsibility to investigate such claims. Under section 215(1) it is the duty of every local weights and measures authority to enforce the provisions of section 214 of the Act within their area.

  University Students
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list for each university(a) the total fee support grant allocated by the Universities Funding Council, (b) the number of part-time students and (c) the number of self-financing students, for the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The shift in public funding of universities from the block grant to the fee paid as part of the mandatory awards arrangements relates to home and EC award holders on designated courses. The following table shows the element in the Universities Funding Council block grants to universities for academic year 1990–91 based on the number of self-financing full-time and part-time students on designated and other courses. It is for the universities themselves to set fee levels, and to 280
  dispose of their block grant and fee income as they judge best. The table also shows total numbers of university part-time home and overseas students in 1988–89.

  Universities fees support grants and part-time students

  UFC fees support grant1 1990–91 £ million

  Part-time students2 1988–89

  Aston

  —

  473

  Bath

  0·072

  506

  Birmingham

  0·360

  1,253

  Bradford

  0·106

  690

  Bristol

  0·274

  545

  Brunel

  0·058

  1,076

  Cambridge

  0·197

  1,144

  City

  0·081

  1,268

  Durham

  0·193

  469

  East Anglia

  0·206

  542

  Essex

  0·111

  180

  Exeter

  0·116

  689

  Hull

  0·175

  732

  Keele

  —

  356

  Kent

  0·346

  568

  Lancaster

  0·044

  662

  Leeds

  0·247

  1,023

  Leicester

  0·119

  489

  Liverpool

  0·173

  1,053

  London Business School

  —

  237

  London

  3·978

  9,884

  Loughborough

  0·099

  601

  Manchester Business School

  —

  98

  Manchester

  0·427

  1,707

  UMIST

  0·072

  226

  Newcastle

  0·177

  698

  Nottingham

  0·196

  1,043

  Oxford

  0·288

  1,897

  Reading

  0·154

  581

  Salford

  0·200

  918

  Sheffield

  0·217

  690

  Southampton

  0·210

  803

  Surrey

  0·087

  802

  Sussex

  0·226

  395

  Warwick

  0·285

  1,226

  York

  0·019

  382

  Aberystwyth

  0·051

  238

  Bangor

  0·100

  354

  Cardiff

  0·348

  1,196

  St. David's

  0·001

  37

  Swansea

  0·094

  351

  College of Medicine

  0·021

  149

  Aberdeen

  0·325

  570

  Dundee

  0·161

  213

  Edinburgh

  0·495

  922

  Glasgow

  0·612

  2,097

  Heriot-Watt

  0·124

  512

  St. Andrews

  0·103

  121

  Stirling

  0·248

  525

  Strathclyde

  0·018

  1,355

  Total (Great Britain universities)

  12·214

  44,546

  Note:

  Numbers of self-financing students within each institution are not published or held by the Department. The Universities Statistical Record shows that, for academic year 1988–89, there were some 61,000 full-time and part-time, home and overseas students in Great Britain universities recorded as supported only by private funds.

  1 Universities Funding Council Circular Letter 12/90.

  2 Universities Statistical Record Volume 1 "Students and Staff" 1988–89.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will update the table given in his answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn,Official Report,
  281
  February, columns 749–52, giving the latest available information in respect of each city technology college or proposed and planned city technology college.

  Name, site and LEA

  Planned number of pupils

  1Total Capital cost

  Exchequer contribution

  Sponsors' contribution 2Committed Confirmed

  Principal sponsors

  Contracts awarded to sponsors

  School closure involved

  Has a ballot of parents been held and with what result

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Kingshurst

  1,000

  9·65

  7·55

  2·1

  2·735

  Hanson Trust

  None

  No

  No

  Kingshurst School site

  Solihull

  Tyneside

  900

  8·609

  6·887

  1·722

  1·600

  Peter Vardy

  Building Contract-Laings Northern

  No

  No

  St. John Fisher School site

  Gateshead

  Bradford

  980

  8·615

  6·892

  1·723

  3·252

  Dixons plc, Mr. Hakim Wong

  None

  No

  No

  Newby Square, Bradford

  Bradford

  Dartford

  1,250

  8·560

  6·848

  1·712

  1·3

  Mr. G. Leigh

  None

  No

  3No

  Downs School site

  Kent

  Britschool

  720

  7·001

  4·201

  2·800

  1·127

  The British Record Industry Trust

  None

  No

  No

  Site of Selhurst Tertiary

  Centre

  Croydon

  Djanogly

  990

  9·95

  8·384

  1·884

  1·566

  Mr. Harry Djanoglyy

  None

  No

  No

  Sherwood Rise,

  Nottingham

  Nottinghamshire

  Macmillan College

  1,050

  7·702

  6·162

  1·54

  1·485

  BAT Industries

  None

  No

  No

  St. Michael RC School,

  Middlesbrough

  Cleveland

  Harris

  1,100

  8·50

  6·80

  1·70

  1·662

  Philip and Pauline Harris Charitable Trust

  None

  Yes

  Yes majority against

  Sylvan School site

  Croydon

  Croydon

  Bacon's

  1,100

  14·279

  11·423

  2·856

  42·50

  Philip and Pauline Harris Charitable Trust

  None

  Yes

  No

  Bacon's School site,

  Southwark

  Southwark

  Haberdashers'

  approx. 1,000

  To be determined

  To be determined

  To be determined

  54·10

  Robert Aske Charity

  None

  Yes

  Yes majority in favour

  Haberdashers' Aske's

  Hatcham School site

  Lewisham

  Corby

  1,075

  9·95

  To be determined

  1·99

  1·60

  Mr. Hugh de Capell Brooke

  None

  No

  No

  Great Oakley, Corby

  Northants

  Derby1

  900

  To be determined

  To be determined

  To be determined

  1·15

  The Landau Foundation

  None

  No

  No

  Wood Street, Derby

  Derbyshire

  Telford1

  1,000

  10·233

  8·186

  2·047

  2·000

  The Mercers Tarmac plc

  None

  No

  No

  New build

  Shropshire

  Wandsworth1

  approx. 950

  To be determined

  To be determined

  To be determined

  ADT

  None

  No

  No

  Mayfield School

  Wandsworth

  Notes:

  1 In addition the Exchequer bears revenue costs on a basis comparable to those of maintained schools in similar areas.

  2 Sponsors' contributions based on their agreed percentage.
  282
  Mr. MacGregor
  The table covers agreed, announced and formally proposed CTCs in England.
  283
  3 Public consultations were held by Kent on its proposals to close the Downs School. One statutory objection containing 62 signatures was made to the section 12 proposal subsequently published.

  4 This figure includes the sale of the present site, which has been valued at £1·5 million.

  5 This figure includes the donation of the present site, which has been valued at £3·1 million.

  6 Decisions on proposals await outcome of consultation with LEA and others.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what amount of earmarked annual grant or related payments he has agreed to pay for the school year beginning in September for each city technology college or city college for technology and the arts; and for what purposes each element of earmarked annual grant has been approved.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The figures relating to earmarked annual grant for the academic year beginning September 1990 have not yet been agreed. Earmarked grants are the subject of specific bids for the colleges and relate to specific expenditure on:

  (a) consumables—the purchase, during the start-up period only, of a basic stock of library and text books, courseware, stationery and other consumable materials;

  (b) school meals—the provision of free meals for pupils who qualify, a subsidy in respect of those pupils who do not, and supervision costs;

  (c) pupil support—to cover the costs of school uniforms and school transport for disadvantaged pupils;

  (d) IT development—software and courseware for the incorporation and exploitation of IT throughout the curriculum and in the administration of the College; and

  (e) staff development—to provide for in-service training and curriculum development needs arising from the curriculum in CTCs.

  Because these grants are the subject of bids from the colleges themselves, I am unable to provide figures for the academic year 1990–91.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what costs, within the terms of paragraph 7 of the model city technology college funding agreement, the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust will incur in acquiring a leasehold on the sites and premises of the present Haberdashers' Aske's schools in Deptford for the purposes of establishing a city technology college.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Within the terms of paragraph 7 of the model funding agreement that I placed in the House of Commons Library last summer, the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust will contribute to total capital expenditure of the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college, the capitalised value of the leasehold of the sites and premises for the college. It is the intention of the Haberdashers' Company that this asset will be transferred to the trust for this purpose at no cost.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what amount of annual per capita grant or related revenue costs he has agreed to pay for the school year beginning in September for each city technology college or city college for technology and the arts; what unit of cost per pupil has been used in calculating the amount of such payments; and what enhancement of annual per capita grant has been allowed under the terms of paragraph 11 of the model funding agreement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The annual per capita grant (APG) for the school year beginning September 1990 for the two 284
  CTCs in or near London—Dartford and Croydon—this September has not yet been determined. The APGs for the five CTCs that will be operating outside London are as follows:

  £

  Kingshurst

  1,820,602

  Djanogly, Nottingham

  1,397,707

  Macmillan College, Teesside

  1,234,019

  Bradford

  1934,689

  Gateshead

  1862,550

  1 Denotes those colleges opening this September.

  The APG of CTCs outside London is determined by reference to the unit costs (£2,075 for pupils aged 11 to 16, £3,320 for those over 16 in 1990–91) in a group of 24 LEAs which maintain schools in similar areas to CTCs. In addition, provision is made for the college's administration costs and for diseconomies of scale during the start-up period, reflecting good practice in respect of new LEA-maintained schools.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what payments have been made by his Department to date to the Haberdashers' Company; what other costs have been incurred by his Department in connection with preparations for the establishment of a Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college; and what have been the specific purposes for which these costs have been incurred.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The following payments have been made to the Haberdashers' Company in connection with preparations for the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college.

  £

  Project Director's salary

  24,824

  Educational adviser's fees

  6,000

  Building feasibility studies

  19,341

  Publications

  15,645

  In addition, the Department's staffing costs to support this project are estimated to be £22,958.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply of 11 July,Official Report, column 232, whether any scheme of government for the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college approved by him, under the terms of the model funding agreement paragraph 21, will also constitute the college as a single school with two single-sex departments.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I will need to assure myself that the terms of the scheme of government of the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college are compatible with the establishment of a single city technology college with two single-sex departments.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the names of the persons proposed by him and the Haberdashers' Company to serve as primary members of the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust; and when that trust will be established.
  285
  Mr. MacGregor
  I expect that the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust will be formed this summer. I have yet to agree the necessary articles and memorandum of association, including the names of the Haberdashers' Company nominees. I have nominated Miss Sheila Needham to serve on the trust when this is established.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what amount of earmarked annual grant or related payments he has agreed to pay for the school year beginning in September for each city technology college or city college for technology and the arts; and for what purposes each element of earmarked annual grant has been approved.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The figures relating to earmarked annual grant for the academic year beginning September 1990 have not yet been agreed. Earmarked grants are the subject of specific bids for the colleges and relate to specific expenditure on:

  (a) consumables—the purchase, during the start-up period only, of a basic stock of library and text books, courseware, stationery and other consumable materials;

  (b) school meals—the provision of free meals for pupils who qualify, a subsidy in respect of those pupils who do not, and supervision costs;

  (c) pupil support—to cover the costs of school uniforms and school transport for disadvantaged pupils;

  (d) IT development—software and courseware for the incorporation and exploitation of IT throughout the curriculum and in the administration of the College; and

  (e) staff development—to provide for in-service training and curriculum development needs arising from the curriculum in CTCs.

  Because these grants are the subject of bids from the colleges themselves, I am unable to provide figures for the academic year 1990–91.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what costs, within the terms of paragraph 7 of the model city technology college funding agreement, the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust will incur in acquiring a leasehold on the sites and premises of the present Haberdashers' Aske's schools in Deptford for the purposes of establishing a city technology college.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Within the terms of paragraph 7 of the model funding agreement that I placed in the House of Commons Library last summer, the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust will contribute to total capital expenditure of the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college, the capitalised value of the leasehold of the sites and premises for the college. It is the intention of the Haberdashers' Company that this asset will be transferred to the trust for this purpose at no cost.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what amount of annual per capita grant or related revenue costs he has agreed to pay for the school year beginning in September for each city technology college or city college for technology and the arts; what unit of cost per pupil has been used in calculating the amount of such payments; and what enhancement of annual per capita grant has been allowed under the terms of paragraph 11 of the model funding agreement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The annual per capita grant (APG) for the school year beginning September 1990 for the two CTCs in or near London—Dartford and Croydon—this 286
  September has not yet been determined. The APGs for the five CTCs that will be operating outside London are as follows:

  £

  Kingshurst

  1,820,602

  Djanogly, Nottingham

  1,397,707

  Macmillan College, Teesside

  1,234,019

  Bradford

  1934,689

  Gateshead

  1862,550

  1Denotes those colleges opening this September.

  The APG of CTCs outside London is determined by reference to the unit costs (£2,075 for pupils aged 11 to 16, £3,320 for those over 16 in 1990–91) in a group of 24 LEAs which maintain schools in similar areas to CTCs. In addition, provision is made for the college's administration costs and for diseconomies of scale during the start-up period, reflecting good practice in respect of new LEA-maintained schools.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what payments have been made by his Department to date to the Haberdashers' Company; what other costs have been incurred by his Department in connection with preparations for the establishment of a Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college; and what have been the specific purposes for which these costs have been incurred.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The following payments have been made to the Haberdashers' Company in connection with preparations for the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college.

  £

  Project Director's salary

  24,824

  Educational adviser's fees

  6,000

  Building feasibility studies

  19,341

  Publications

  15,645

  In addition, the Department's staffing costs to support this project are estimated to be £22,958.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply of 11 July,Official Report, column 232, whether any scheme of government for the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college approved by him, under the terms of the model funding agreement paragraph 21, will also constitute the college as a single school with two single-sex departments.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I will need to assure myself that the terms of the scheme of government of the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college are compatible with the establishment of a single city technology college with two single-sex departments.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the names of the persons proposed by him and the Haberdashers' Company to serve as primary members of the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust; and when that trust will be established.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I expect that the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust will be formed this summer. I
  287
  have yet to agree the necessary articles and memorandum of association, including the names of the Haberdashers' Company nominees. I have nominated Miss Sheila Needham to serve on the trust when this is established.

  Pay Statistics
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list figures comparing the average pay for graduate employees and the average pay for polytechnic lecturers(a) upon recruitment, (b) at age 25 years, (c) at age 30 years, (d) at age 35 years and (e) at age 40 years.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Estimates of annual graduate1 gross earnings for 19902 are shown in the table:

  Age band

  Men (£)

  Men and women (£)

  20 to 24

  12,320

  11,440

  25 to 29

  15,849

  14,802

  30 to 39

  23,419

  21,017

  40 to 49

  28,319

  24,055

  All (20 to 69)

  23,263

  20,070

  1 Coverage of graduates excludes unemployed personnel. It is restricted to those with first degrees and excludes those with higher degrees.

  2 Based on the OPCS general household survey (1987) and updated to 1990 using the annual growth in the average earnings index. This source yields data for age bands rather than age points. For 1990, a growth of 9·5 per cent. has been assumed.

  Note: Information about the average pay of polytechnic lecturers at age points is not available in the form requested. Polytechnic lecturers are paid on a 14-point scale from £9,117 to £16,521; senior lecturers on a 9-point scale from £15,954 to £20,511; Principal lecturers/readers on 9-point scale from £19,941 to £24,501. The pay of heads of Department ranges from £24,000 to £28,263 according to grade. But pay scales are not strictly comparable with data for gross earnings.

  Students (Financial Management)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice on financial maintenance his Department gives to students applying for courses leading to qualifications registered under the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Students on designated courses leading to certain of these qualifications may be eligible for an award under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations in force at the time of their application, provided that they are not in receipt of a bursary or award made under the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968. My Department publishes annually a brief guide entitled "Grants to Students" which gives general information on eligibility for and calculation of grants under the regulations.

  Students on certain courses may also be eligible for a loan under the Education (Student Loans) Regulations 1990 recently approved by Parliament. My Department has issued a leaflet entitled "The Student Top-up Loan Scheme" which gives advice to students on eligibility for loans and their terms and we will shortly publish more detailed guidance in a booklet "Loans to Students".

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many copies of(a) "Grant Maintained Schools: Questions Parents Ask", and (b) "School
  288
  Governors, How to Become a Grant Maintained School," have been printed; what was the cost; to whom they have been sent; and what was the cost of distribution.

  Mr. MacGregor
  There have been two editions of "School Governors: How to Become a Grant-Maintained School": 100,000 copies of the first edition were printed at a cost of £22,750; 50,000 copies of the second edition were printed at a cost of £12,690. Copies of the first edition were sent to all maintained schools: it was not the practice at that time to keep detailed postage costs for each publication separately. It cost £870 to post an initial distribution of the second edition to all maintained secondary schools.

  A total of 240,000 copies of "Grant-Maintained Schools: Questions Parents Ask" have been printed at a cost of £28,600. It cost £3,675 to post an initial distribution to all schools which are eligible for grant-maintained status.

  As is generally the case with DES publications, initial copies of "Questions Parents Ask" and of both editions of "How to become a Grant-Maintained School" were sent for information to major organisations with an interest in the subject, including the local authority associations, every chief education officer in England and the teacher unions.

  European Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what grant mechanisms exist for students who wish to attend further education colleges in the European Community after 1992.

  Mr. Eggar
  Mandatory awards are available to eligible students from England and Wales attending first degree and designated comparable courses provided by United Kingdom institutions which include a period of study abroad. Loans are to be available on the same basis. Certain postgraduate awards are tenable at institutions abroad, including the College of Europe and the European University Institute. Local education authorities may make discretionary awards to students following other further and higher education courses abroad.

  European Community programmes—ERASMUS, LINGUA, COMMETT—also assist United Kingdom students who wish to follow part of their higher education courses in other member states.

  In accordance with the treaty of Rome, United Kingdom students taking up places in further and higher education institutions in other member states can have their tuition costs met in full or in part by the relevant authorities, on the same basis as nationals of the state concerned.

  Reading Standards
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he has taken to establish facts about reading standards among seven-year-olds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  At my request the Department has sought evidence from a number of local education authorities mentioned in connection with recent reports of falling reading standards among seven-year-olds. Those inquiries have revealed that LEAs do not at present have consistent policies of testing reading skills, nor employ
  289
  comparable tests. The information made available to my officials in the course of their inquiries is accordingly inadequate either to substantiate or to disprove the claim of a fall in national standards. I will continue to endeavour to get full responses from the LEAs concerned.

  The national curriculum will remedy the current lack of national information about reading skills. Under the assessment arrangements of the national curriculum, the reading skills of all pupils will be assessed against clearly defined statutory criteria at the ages of seven, 11, 14 and 16. The first national assessment of seven-year-olds will be in 1991 and take place annually thereafter. These assessments will provide solid and comprehensive national data about pupils' reading standards for the first time in our history.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to implement the recommendations set out in the final document of the third nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference (NPT/Conf. III/64/I, annex 1) in regard to(a) active involvement of treaty nuclear weapons states in nuclear disarmament negotiations, (b) resumption of negotiations in trilateral and multilateral form towards a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty and (c) support for an international plutonium storage regime under international safeguards.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  (a) We have fully supported both the 1987 INF agreement, and the current United States/Soviet START negotiations. We and our NATO allies confirmed at the London summit that negotiations for reductions in United States and Soviet short-range nuclear forces (SNF) in Europe should begin once a CFE agreement is signed. NATO is also prepared to eliminate all its nuclear artillery shells from Europe, on the basis of reciprocal action by the Soviet Union.

  (b) For the foreseeable future, there will be a continuing requirement to test our nuclear weapons to ensure that they remain effective and up-to-date. A comprehensive test ban treaty is therefore a long-term goal, progress to which can be made only on a step-by-step basis.

  (c) When the form that such a regime might take was discussed internationally several years ago, it was not possible to reach a consensus. We are prepared to contribute fully to any further discussion.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has concerning free trade in nuclear materials between any country that is a member of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Under article IV of the NPT, all parties"undertake to facilitate, and have the right to participate in, the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials and scientific and technological information for the peaceful purposes of nuclear energy".

  We fully observe our obligations under the treaty.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the extent of Her Majesty's Government's obligations and duties as a depository power under the nuclear 290
  non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer the hon. Member to articles VIII, IX and XI of the non-proliferation treaty.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many copies of the information briefing note on the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, produced in June, have been printed; to what parties it has been distributed; and at what cost.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  A total of 4,083 copies of the background brief were produced. They were distributed to a wide range of academic and other organisations abroad and in the United Kingdom. The document was prepared by officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as part of their normal duties, and it is not possible to allocate an individual cost to its production.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the dates on which the European political co-operation committee's working group on nuclear non-proliferation has met this year and the scheduled dates for any further meetings.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The non-proliferation working group met on 31 January to 1 February, 3 to 4 April, and 6 July. One further meeting will take place later this year.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the dates of those occasions on which his Department has consulted the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on nuclear non-proliferation since October 1985.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have consulted the other depository powers of the non-proliferation treaty on numerous occasions.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state(a) the membership and (b) the remit, of the three committees that will be formed at the non-proliferation treaty fourth review conference.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Under the draft rules of procedure for the review conference, agreed at the third session of the preparatory committee, each state party to the treaty participating in the conference may be represented by one representative on each main committee. It may assign to these committees such alternate representatives and advisers as may be required. The remit of the committees will be to consider certain items of relevance to the operation of the NPT over the past five years; other items will be considered in the plenary.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to the implications for (i) the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and (ii) the necessary level of a British minimum nuclear deterrent, of(a) the strategic defence initiative and (b) any British involvement in it; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The strategic defence initiative is a research programme designed to investigate the feasibility
  291
  of strategic defences. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and President Reagan agreed in 1984, the overall aim of SDI is to enhance, and not to undermine deterrence. We consider it could contribute to world security and stability.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the three depository powers under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty are willing to accept on-site inspection to verify a ban on all nuclear testing.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  For the foreseeable future, our security will depend on deterrence based in part on the possession of nuclear weapons. That will mean a continuing requirement to test our nuclear weapons in order to ensure that they remain effective and up to date. A comprehensive test ban therefore remains a long-term goal, progress to which will be made only on a step-by-step basis. We cannot comment on the views of the other depositories on this subject.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to discuss with Commonwealth countries the issues to be raised in the fourth review conference of the non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to breaches of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty recorded by monitoring organisations regarding the supply of nuclear material to other states without the required notification in each of the last five years and as to the states involved and the materials in each case.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  None.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have received any notification from any party to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty under article VIII of the treaty to amend it; and what information he has as to whether any such notification of amendments has been submitted to the other two depository states to the treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are not aware of any notification of proposed amendments.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn),Official Report, 13 June, column 262, if he will make a statement on the implications for United Kingdom foreign policy of the transfer of nuclear submarines to India from the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  One nuclear-powered submarine has been leased to the Indian navy by the Soviet Union. We understand that the special fissionable material involved has remained under Soviet control. This seems to present no specific issues in relation to United Kingdom foreign policy.

  EC Legislation
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if European Community legislation applies to(a) the Azores, (b) Ceuta, (c) Melilla and (d) Diego Garcia.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Community legislation applies in the Azores and in Ceuta and Melilla, subject to derogations pursuant to the Act of Spanish and Portuguese Accession. Community legislation does not apply in Diego Garcia, though the British Indian Ocean Territory is associated with the Community under the provisions of part IV of the EEC treaty and Council decision 86/283/EEC.

  Iraq and Libya (Nuclear Arms)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral reply to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Evans),Official Report, 13 June, column 272, if he will publish the evidence on which he based his assessment that Iraq and Libya are heading towards having a nuclear arsenal.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  This was the assessment of my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Evans). My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs agreed with his second point—that we should be encouraging world opinion to bring about peace in the middle east.

  United Nations Declarations
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of United Nations declarations 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960 and 2625 (XX) of 24 October 1970.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom abstained with other western countries on the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples of 1960, largely because it envisaged independence as the only possible outcome of self-determination. The United Kingdom joined in supporting the declaration on principles of international law concerning friendly relations with co-operation among states in accordance with the charter of the United Nations, of 1970, and continues to support it.

  Visas (Poland)
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding Government policy on requiring visa applications from Polish citizens visiting the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In accordance with the provisions of the immigration rules (HC 251) any Polish citizen wishing to visit the United Kingdom must first make an application for a visa at a British embassy, high commission or consulate.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the length of time to process a visa application by the British embassy in Warsaw.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Private applications for visit visas, once lodged with the embassy, are processed the same day.
  293
  We aim to process other types of applications normally within seven working days (short-term official) and one month (long-term and multiple-entry).

  Dalai Lama
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Dalai Lama; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had no such meeting.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the British Government's policy towards Cambodia, following the latest meeting of the five permanent members of the Security Council.

  Mr. Hurd
  We welcome the American decision to open a dialogue with Vietnam on Cambodia. We share the United States Government's determination to do all that we can to prevent the Khmer Rouge from returning to power by force of arms. Our common objective is to create the conditions to enable the Cambodian people to elect a Government, free from the fear of foreign invasion, civil war or Khmer Rouge atrocities. We and our EC partners were already reviewing our policy towards Cambodia's representation at the United Nations. Indeed, six months ago at the EC-ASEAN ministerial meeting at Kuching we and our EC partners warned the ASEAN Foreign Ministers that we would be re-examining this particular question very closely before the 1990 UNGA. My noble Friend the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, made clear in another place on 5 February this year that the occupation of the seat would be a key factor in the peace process. On 30 April, replying to a question by the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle), my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs told the House that we would have to look closely at the question of Cambodia's seat at the United Nations in the context of current diplomatic activity aimed at achieving a peaceful settlement. I can now state that we do not want the coalition of which the Khmer Rouge is a member to continue to occupy Cambodia's United Nations seat. Consultations with EC partners and other interested countries on the handling of this question will continue.

  With the other permanent members of the UN Security Council, we continue to work hard to achieve a comprehensive political settlement. At their latest meeting on 16–17 July, the Permanent Five made significant progress on two key elements of a solution based on an enhanced UN role: transitional arrangements regarding the administration of Cambodia during the pre-election period: and military arrangements. They agreed to accelerate their work in the remaining three areas (free and fair elections, safeguarding of human rights and international guarantees) which were identified in their earlier meeting in New York on 25–26 May as essential aspects of a comprehensive political settlement. The Five are due to hold their next meeting in New York on 27–28 August.
  294
  I have placed a copy of the summary of conclusions of the 16–17 July meeting in the House of Commons Library.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 24 July]: In 1989–90 both wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continued to place a part of their requirements for goods and services with small businesses. In the Diplomatic Wing the value of this business over the last two years was:

  £ million

  Percentage of expenditure

  1988–89

  16·38

  15·9

  1989–90

  32·80

  22·5

  The DW director of purchasing disseminates to purchasing departments information and guidance on procurement from small firms. He ensures that, whenever possible, such firms are included in invitations to tender and that they are awarded contracts if their offer is the best on a value-for-money basis.

  The ODA uses procurement agencies to undertake purchasing and supply on behalf of recipient governments in developing countries. Its register of agents includes several small businesses. ODA also encourages small firms to compete for aid-financed consultancy contracts overseas.

  In line with the BOTB forward plan, diplomatic service posts put a particular emphasis on supporting small and medium-sized businesses through a wide range of export promotion services. Performance indicators for these activities do not distinguish company size.

  Ivory
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 5 June,Official Report, column 472, if he will give details of licences issued for the export of ivory since 18 May.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 10 July 1990]: Between 18 May 1990 and 7 July 1990 the Hong Kong authorities issued 15 export licences as follows:

  Licence(s)

  Quantity (KG)

  Description

  Destination

  8

  5,222·1

  Ivory scrap

  China

  1

  156·5

  Worked ivory

  Mexico

  3

  112·6

  Worked ivory

  Andorra

  Worked ivory

  1

  14

  (personal effect)

  Taiwan

  Worked ivory

  1

  8

  (pre-convention)

  Australia

  14

  In addition, one export licence was issued for 6·1 kg of worked ivory personal effects destined for United

  295
  Kingdom. This licence was issued on 5 July 1990, but expired on 16 July 1990 without being collected by the applicant.

DEFENCE

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the number of service men counted as resident in the United Kingdom for poll tax purposes;

  (2) where the service men are counted as resident in the United Kingdom for poll tax purposes located by base, county, and parliamentary constituency.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No record is held of this information, which could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations have taken place between local authorities and his Department on future poll tax payments by service men.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Ministry of Defence officials have met local authority representatives on a number of occasions to discuss various matters relating to the community charge. At a local level, every service unit has appointed an officer responsible for liaison with community charge registration officers.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to his oral reply to the right hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Foot),Official Report, 3 April, column 1020, which are the signatories of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty who appear to have embarked on an attempt to achieve nuclear technology, to which he referred;

  (2) pursuant to the answers to the hon. Members for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) and for Dorset, South (Mr. Bruce), Official Report, 15 May, columns 730 and 733, if he will list the nations to which the hon. Member refers as trying to develop nuclear capability.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 8 June 1990 at column 738.

  Nuclear Tests
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the increases of radioactivity measured (i) above ground on the test site and (ii) off the test site, following each of the nuclear weapons tests listed in his reply to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes),Official Report, 15 June, column 380.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As I said in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell) on 5 April 1990 at column 834, there was a minor release of radioactivity from the Barnwell test conducted on 8 December 1989, but no radioactivity was detected beyond the boundaries of the test site; no radiological hazard was presented to members of the public nor to operatives on the test site. None of the other tests released any radioactivity.

  Nuclear-armed Vessels
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer to the hon Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone),Official Report, 11 June, column 41, if he will set out the restrictions placed on the deployment of United Kingdom nuclear-armed vessels when (a) in the territorial sea, and (b) in internal waters of (i) the Falkland Islands, (ii) South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, (iii) the Cayman Islands, (iv) the Turks and Caicos Islands, (v) the British Virgin Islands and (vi) Anguilla and Montserrat.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United Kingdom at all times complies with its obligation under the treaty of Tlatelolco not to deploy nuclear weapons in territories, including territorial and internal waters, which lie within the treaty's zone of application. It remains, however, our invariable practice to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons on board particular ships at particular times.

  Trident Computer
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Logica computer system for Trident to be fully operational.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The material control system in new facilities at AWE Aldermaston, for which Logica is developing software, is expected to become fully operational next year.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the consequences to the Trident programme of the failure of the Logica computer system to meet his Department's full software specification.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The material control system in the new facilities at AWE Aldermaston, for which Logica is developing software, is expected to become fully operational next year. Production of components for Trident warheads is not due to begin in the new facilities until 1992.

  RAF Leuchars
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any intention of restarting night flying for search and rescue operations from RAF Leuchars.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

  Civilian Staff
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 12 June,Official Report, columns 142–43, whether he has any plans to provide other forms of training for civilian staff to assist them in the event that their services are no longer required.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Pre-retirement training is available to civilian staff of the Department. During their careers, MoD civil servants receive training in a wide variety of skills many of which are applicable to outside employment. Our plans for civilian training are kept under continuous review.

  Childhood Leukaemia
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to commission any studies into the incidence of childhood leukaemia in the Fareham and Gosport area.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Ministry of Defence does not intend to commission a special study into the incidence of leukaemia in the Fareham and Gosport area.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been carried out into the incidence of childhood leukaemia in the Fareham and Gosport area.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Ministry of Defence has not commissioned any studies into the incidence of childhood leukaemia in the Fareham and Gosport area.

  Running Costs
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the average annual running costs of(a) each vessel listed on pages 53, 54 and 55 according to class, (b) each of the commando units and headquarters listed on page 55 according to type of unit, (c) each of the squadrons according to the type of equipment with which they are issued listed on pages 56, 59 and 60 and (d) each of the units and headquarters according to type of unit listed on page 57 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990", Cm. 1022-1; and what methodology has been used to assess the average annual running costs of units.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the average annual running costs of(a) the Royal Aerospace Establishment, (b) the Admiralty Research Establishment, (c) the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment, (d) the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment, (e) the Procurement Executive, (f) the Proof and Experimental Establishment, (g) the Sea Systems Controllerate, (h) the Air Systems Controllerate and(i) the Land Systems Controllerate.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  In 1989–90, the running costs of these organisations were as follows:

  £ million

  Royal aerospace establishment

  100

  Admiralty research establishment

  50

  Royal armament research and development establishment

  45

  Royal signals and radar establishment

  30

  Sea systems controllerate

  75

  Land systems controllerate:

  Proof and experimental establishments

  15

  Other land systems controllerate

  30

  Air systems controllerate

  45

  Other procurement executive

  255

  Total procurement executive

  645

  Running costs cover civilian pay, civilian and service travel and subsistence, utilities, services and general administrative expenses.

  Equipment
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the approximate average annual cost of providing new equipment measured over the last 20 years 298
  to (a) each of the commando units and headquarters according to type of unit, listed on page 55, (b) each of the squadrons according to the type of equipment with which they are issued listed on pages 56, 59 and 60 and (c) each of the units and headquarters according to type of unit listed on page 57 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990", Cm. 1022-1.

  Mr. Carlisle
  The information is not available without disproportionate effort.

  Defence Industry
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to maintaining a defence industrial base that is capable of meeting the future requirements of the armed services in the course of his study of the options for change.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement by the Secretary of State for Defence today on "Options for Change" in which he indicated that we would now be consulting the defence industries about our broad proposals.

  Pre-release Training
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average amount of pre-release training that is provided to those service personnel who are eligible to receive it; and what is the average amount of expenditure on pre-release training for each service man or woman.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Service men and women are entitled to 28 days pre-release voluntary training; 31 per cent. of this training is conducted at Ministry of Defence resettlement centres, 12 per cent. on Ministry of Defence-sponsored courses at other centres and 57 per cent. during civilian attachments with outside organisations. The cost of this training currently averages £974 per person including in-house briefings.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total amount of expenditure on pre-release training in each year for the last 10 years; and whether he has any plans to extend the provision of pre-release training to civil staff.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Expenditure on pre-release training across the three services was not identified and aggregated prior to formation of the tri-service resettlement organisation on 2 January 1990. However, a study conducted in 1987 identified 1985–86 expenditure as being £11 million, and current year expenditure is anticipated to be £11·2 million. Expenditure on pre-release training has remained reasonably steady over the last 10 years.

  Our plans for civilian training are kept under continuous review.

  Expenditure Freeze
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what commitments were affected by the temporary bar he referred to on 18 June,Official Report, column 688; what was the planned expenditure of each of these; which commitments were not affected; on what date the bar came into force and what is its current status; and what effect it has had on (a) planned expenditure for the 1990–91

  299
  financial year, (b) recruitment of personnel, (c) retention of personnel, (d) the study of options for change, (e) future procurement plans, and (f) the size and structure of the defence industries.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A temporary bar on the placing of new defence contracts and entering into new commitments was introduced on 11 May 1990 and lifted on 2 July 1990. The bar was accompanied by a general ban on civilian recruitment. This ban was removed on 9 July.

  The temporary bar has not altered the planned total of defence expenditure of 1990–91. Its purpose was to provide time for deciding on a number of short-term changes at the margin of the defence programme in order to remove forecast overspending on the planned budget.

  Certain exceptions to the temporary bar and recruitment ban were permitted including commitments of high operational urgency, security measures and civilian recruitment in grades and geographical areas already experiencing recruiting difficulties. Armed forces recruiting was not restricted. It is estimated that the number of civilian vacancies left unfilled during the period of the general ban amounted to about 700. The number of contracts and purchases held back while the temporary bar was in force is large. Disproportionate effort would be required to provide a complete list.

  "Options for Change" work continued in parallel with the temporary bar. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said on 18 June the selection of short-term measures to reduce expenditure sought to have regard to the picture emerging from "Options for Change".

  In itself the temporary bar on new commitments, in force for only seven weeks, will not have had significant effects for personnel retention, future procurement plans or the size and structure of the defence industries. As regards decisions on savings to reduce expenditure in the current year an announcement has already been made—by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement on 18 June—that further work on the eighth

  Civilians

  Servicemen

  Number

  Pay £ million

  Numbers

  Pay £ million

  Royal aerospace establishment

  4,878

  66

  83

  2

  Admiralty research establishment

  2,898

  41

  100

  2

  Royal armament research and development establishment

  2,365

  35

  208

  4

  Royal signals and radar establishment

  1,593

  24

  29

  1

  Sea systems controllerate

  3,784

  64

  533

  10

  Land systems controllerate:

  Proof and experimental establishments

  265

  4

  57

  1

  Other land systems controllerate

  1,399

  24

  125

  2

  Air systems controllerate

  1,743

  35

  127

  2

  Other procurement executive

  12,764

  200

  245

  5

  Total procurement executive

  31,689

  493

  1,507

  29

  A breakdown of staff numbers and pay by grade or service rank is available only at disproportionate cost.

  Tristar
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has placed a contract for the maintenance of the Royal Air Force Tristar fleet.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I am pleased to say that, following intense competition, a contract has been awarded to Marshall of Cambridge (Engineering) Limited. The 300
  batch of Tornado aircraft will not be authorised, and further announcements will be made shortly regarding additional savings identified during the temporary bar which are now judged to be necessary.

  The temporary bar and the civilian recruitment ban have now been replaced by arrangements whereby all new commitments are scrutinised particularly closely to ensure that the defence cash limit for the current year is not breached.

  Commercially Sensitive Information
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 6 July,Official Report, column 762, whether it is his policy to consult and reach agreement with defence companies on the nature and type of information that may be of commercial value to their competitors.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Any information relating to commercial undertakings, processes or affairs given to the Ministry of Defence by companies is regarded as being in confidence unless the company concerned and the Ministry of Defence agree that it can be released.

  Staff Establishments
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number, Civil Service grade or service rank, and salary of the staff establishments at(a) the Royal Aerospace Establishment, (b) the Admiralty Research Establishment, (c) the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment, (d) the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment, (e) the Procurement Executive, (f) the Proof and Experimental Establishment, (g) the Sea Systems Controllerate, (h) the Air Systems Controllerate and (i) the Land Systems Controllerate.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The number of staff as at 1 April 1990 and pay bills for 1989–90 for these organisations were as follows:

  contract, which is valued in excess of £30 million, covers scheduled and unscheduled maintenance of the aircraft, including repair and overhaul of components, over the next four years.

  RAF St. Mawgan
  Mr. Neale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further development is planned at RAF St. Mawgan.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  RAF St. Mawgan in Cornwall is a main operating base for Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft. There are no current plans for changes to that role.

  The Ministry of Defence is additionally planning to develop at St. Mawgan a joint maritime communications centre (JMCC) in co-operation with the United States navy. This unit will provide an important link between United Kingdom and United States maritime forces and headquarters.

  The JMCC will comprise a buried, hardened communications building approximately 70 metres square within the existing perimeter of RAF St. Mawgan. It will be integrated with the existing RAF fixed communications system, and will include two additional satellite ground terminals each approximately 3 metres in diameter, also sited within the station boundary. It has been agreed with the United States that the United Kingdom will finance and construct the JMCC building and the United States provides the operational equipment. Once fully operational, some 400 personnel will be associated with the JMCC, including both operational and support staff. Approximately half the operational staff will be provided by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force and the remainder will be from the United States navy. Subject to consultation with the local planning authority, it is planned that major construction work on the JMCC will start in the middle of 1991, with the JMCC becoming operational in 1995.

  Low Flying
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the regulations governing the practice of air-to-air refuelling in the United Kingdom low flying system; and what distinctions there are in the application of these regulations.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 18 July 1990]: There is no requirement to carry out air-to-air refuelling within the United Kingdom low flying system.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what action he is taking to put on-stream, low-flying flight simulators; how many the RAF currently have operational; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list by NATO air force, the number of low-flying flight simulators they have operational.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There are currently no low-flying simulators in service with the RAF or, so far as we know, with other NATO air forces. With the introduction of more sophisticated types of simulators, such as the Harrier GR7 simulator in 1991, there will be a significant improvement in synthetic low-level training capability. However, even though advanced, this type of simulator will still be unable to replicate with sufficient fidelity the complex environment of a fast jet aircraft at low level. "Live" flying will continue to be necessary. Developments in simulator technology may eventually result in simulators with the requisite capacity, and we shall continue to keep abreast of developments in this area.
  302
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what savings would be made to his Department's budget from a 60 per cent. reduction in low-level military jet flights and their replacement by flight simulators.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The flight simulators currently in service with the Royal Air Force do not provide a realistic alternative to low-level training sorties.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the approved targets for toss and dive manoeuvres carried out by military jet aircraft.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The point raised is the subject of recommendations by the House of Commons Defence Committee whose report on low flying (HC 120) is currently being considered by the Government and to which a response will be made in due course.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Community Charge Rebates
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement regarding community charge rebates.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Department of Social Security is responsible for community charge benefit. Community charge benefit replaced rate rebates in April 1990 and will help about 10 million charge payers in Great Britain in 1990–91 at an estimated cost of around £2·5 billion. Community charge benefit is more generous than the rate rebate scheme it replaced. The lower benefit taper—15 per cent. in community charge benefit as opposed to 20 per cent. in the rate rebate scheme—will bring an estimated extra 800,000 claimants on to benefit at a cost of over £200 million. The doubled upper capital limit of £16,000 is estimated to increase the number of community charge benefit cases by 130,000 at a cost of £35 million.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of people in Scotland and the Borders currently receiving community charge rebates.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest information supplied by Borders regional council shows that just over 11,700 community charge rebates were in payment on 31 August 1989. Rebates to couples are counted as one rebate. The comparable figure for Scotland is about 900,000.

  Leaflets
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the criteria by which it was decided to contract out the distribution of leaflet No. SFL 10 rather than using his Department; and how much this has cost.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The distribution of leaflet SFL1O to the Department's local and regional offices was arranged by the Central Office of Information to ensure rapid delivery of the publication, because the information it contained had a limited lifespan. A total of 467,000 leaflets were distributed in this way at a cost of £5,130. Half these leaflets were then distributed locally to other advice agencies by the Department at no further identifiable cost. In addition a quantity was held at ISCO 5, a sheltered warehouse, permanently contracted to the
  303
  Department for general print distribution, to service further demands from other organisations and individual members of the public. The cost of these individual requests cannot be separately identified.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cause of the insufficient supplies of leaflet SFL 10 being available for community advice organisations for distribution to their clients.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We are not aware that insufficient supplies of SFL10 were available. The Department produced 600,000 copies to meet the likely demand for this short-life leaflet. A total of 450,000 were distributed to DSS local offices. They were either retained at local offices for direct distribution or were issued by them to local agencies and advice organisations.

  Pensioners' Incomes
  Sir Peter Hordern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of those receiving state retirement pensions also receive other incomes; and what were the average earnings of pensioners in each of the last 10 years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The last available information shows that in 1987 more than 86 per cent. of pensioners had income from sources other than their retirement pension. The most recent figures of the average earnings of pensioners are set out in the table:

  Earnings1 £

  1979

  63·00

  1980

  62·70

  1981

  67·30

  Net income at 1987 prices Single pensioner units

  cash change:

  percentage change:

  1979

  1983

  1987

  1979–87

  1983–87

  1979–87

  1983–87

  Lowest

  35·49

  40·98

  41·02

  5·52

  0·04

  15·6

  0·1

  2

  39·79

  46·06

  47·12

  7·32

  1·06

  18·4

  2·3

  3

  43·36

  50·69

  51·90

  8·54

  1·22

  19·7

  2·4

  4

  46·87

  54·78

  57·19

  10·33

  2·41

  22·0

  4·4

  5

  49·73

  59·10

  61·29

  11·56

  2·19

  23·2

  3·7

  6

  52·55

  61·87

  65·25

  12·70

  3·38

  24·2

  5·5

  7

  55·97

  66·01

  69·97

  13·99

  3·96

  25·0

  6·0

  8

  61·40

  72·53

  76·55

  15·14

  4·02

  24·7

  5·5

  9

  72·59

  87·42

  93·32

  20·73

  5·90

  28·6

  6·8

  Highest

  103·24

  127·72

  143·90

  40·66

  16·18

  39·4

  12·7

  Overall mean

  57·74

  69·22

  75·10

  17·36

  5·87

  30·1

  8·5

  Note: Medians have been used to calculate the incomes by deciles to minimise statistical distortion at either end of the income distribution. Means have been used to calculate overall average incomes.

  Net Income at 1987 Prices Married Pensioner Units

  cash change:

  per cent change:

  Decile

  1979

  1983

  1987

  1979–87

  1983–87

  1979–87

  1983–87

  Lowest

  62·67

  70·60

  71·58

  8·91

  0·98

  14·2

  1·4

  2

  70·10

  79·59

  83·08

  12·98

  3·49

  18·5

  4·4

  3

  74·31

  85·76

  90·15

  15·84

  4·39

  21·3

  5·1

  4

  79·12

  90·51

  97·50

  18·39

  7·00

  23·2

  7·7

  5

  85·63

  95·98

  106·41

  20·78

  10·43

  24·3

  10·9

  6

  93·87

  105·04

  116·98

  23·11

  11·94

  24·6

  11·4

  7

  103·25

  115·61

  132·17

  28·92

  16·56

  28·0

  14·3

  8

  122·83

  131·99

  153·09

  30·26

  21·10

  24·6

  16·0

  9

  145·76

  166·31

  190·06

  44·30

  23·75

  30·4

  14·3

  Highest

  208·42

  252·61

  312·62

  104·20

  60·01

  50·0

  23·8

  304

  Earnings1 £

  1982

  60·40

  1983

  76·10

  1984

  72·50

  1985

  69·10

  1986

  68·70

  1987

  84·26

  1 Average is for those individuals actually receiving earnings income.

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey.

  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the latest trend in pensioners' real incomes since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The average total net income of pensioners increased by over 31 per cent. in real terms between 1979 and 1987. This compares very favourably with the 3 per cent. real terms increase between 1974 and 1979.

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list the cash and percentage changes in real income between(a) 1979 and 1987 and (b) 1983 and 1987 for all pensioners units, single pensioners and pensioner couples, in each case breaking down the figures by decile group;

  (2) if he will list (a) the percentage and (b) the cash changes in pensioners' incomes by decile group for the period 1983 to 1987.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 20 July 1990]: The information requested is in the tables.
  305

  cash change:

  per cent change:

  Decile

  1979

  1983

  1987

  1979–87

  1983–87

  1979–87

  1983–87

  Overall Mean

  107·32

  121·57

  140·67

  33·35

  19·10

  31·1

  15·7

  * Medians have been used to calculate the incomes by deciles to minimise statistical distortion at either end of the income distribution. Means have been used to calculate overall average incomes.

  Net Income at 1987 Prices All Pensioner Units

  cash change:

  per cent change:

  Decile

  1979

  1983

  1987

  1979–87

  1983–87

  1979–87

  1983–87

  Lowest

  36·39

  42·57

  42·67

  6·28

  0·10

  17·3

  0·2

  2

  42·93

  50·44

  51·36

  8·43

  0·92

  19·6

  1·8

  3

  48·15

  57·26

  59·20

  11·05

  1·94

  23·0

  3·4

  4

  52·64

  62·40

  65·40

  12·76

  3·00

  24·2

  4·8

  5

  58·66

  68·69

  72·27

  13·61

  3·58

  23·2

  5·2

  6

  66·60

  78·47

  83·02

  16·43

  4·55

  24·7

  5·8

  7

  75·58

  88·37

  94·65

  19·07

  6·28

  25·2

  7·1

  8

  87·23

  99·95

  110·84

  23·60

  10·89

  27·1

  10·9

  9

  107·33

  121·23

  139·71

  32·38

  18·48

  30·2

  15·2

  Highest

  159·93

  186·66

  219·77

  59·84

  33·11

  37·4

  17·7

  Overall Mean

  75·92

  88·96

  99·88

  23·96

  10·92

  31·6

  12·3

  * Medians have been used to calculate the incomes by deciles to minimise statistical distortion at either end of the income distribution. Means have been used to calculate overall average incomes.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1), pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. King) of 20 February,Official Report, columns 675–77, on pensioners' incomes, if he will give the same analysis for each decile or quintile of pensioners' incomes, and if he will include income from the state earnings-related pension scheme as a separate item;

  (2) if he will indicate the breakdown of the 17 per cent. real increase in the net income of the lowest quintile of pensioners since 1979; if he will indicate what percentage is due to the (a) basic state retirement pension, (b)

  Table 1 Pensioners' Incomes

  1974

  1979

  1987

  Real terms increase 1974–79 Per cent.

  Real terms increase 1979–87 Per cent.

  Lowest quintile

  Total social security benefits

  32·50

  37·50

  42·80

  15

  14

  Occupational pensions

  0·50

  0·40

  1·66

  -11

  295

  Savings income

  1·30

  1·30

  2·70

  -1

  112

  Earnings

  0·60

  0·50

  0·20

  -27

  -47

  Total gross income

  34·90

  39·60

  47·50

  14

  20

  Total net income

  34·80

  39·30

  46·70

  13

  19

  2nd quintile

  Total social security benefits

  41·30

  45·90

  55·10

  11

  20

  Occupational pensions

  1·80

  2·50

  4·30

  38

  74

  Savings income

  2·70

  2·30

  3·80

  -16

  67

  Earnings

  1·00

  0·30

  0·50

  -71

  71

  Total gross income

  46·80

  51·00

  63·70

  9

  25

  Total net income

  46·40

  50·50

  62·30

  9

  24

  3rd quintile

  Total social security benefits

  48·30

  51·70

  62·60

  7

  21

  Occupational pensions

  5·40

  5·80

  10·40

  7

  81

  Savings income

  4·40

  4·50

  6·10

  1

  36

  Earnings

  3·50

  2·50

  1·40

  -28

  -43

  Total gross income

  61·60

  64·50

  80·50

  5

  25

  Total net income

  59·90

  62·70

  77·70

  5

  24

  4th quintile

  Total social security benefits

  54·80

  61·10

  71·10

  12

  16

  Occupational pensions

  12·20

  11·70

  21·70

  -4

  86

  Savings income

  7·30

  5·50

  13·10

  -25

  137

  Earnings

  8·40

  6·70

  3·90

  -17

  -44

  Total gross income

  82·70

  85·30

  109·80

  3

  29

  306
  SERPS, (c) occupational pensions, (d) savings and interest, (e) increased take-up of disability benefits and (f) other sources of income; and if he will give a similar breakdown for each of the four quintiles.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 8 March 1990]:The information requested is set out in the tables. The source of the data is the family expenditure survey. It is not possible from this source to identify payments of additional pension from the state earnings-related pension scheme.
  307

  1974

  1979

  1987

  Real terms increase 1974–79 Per cent.

  Real terms increase 1979–87 Per cent.

  Total net income

  78·70

  81·70

  103·30

  4

  27

  Highest quintile

  Total social security benefits

  47·90

  56·60

  64·50

  18

  14

  Occupational pensions

  39·00

  45·90

  78·40

  18

  71

  Savings income

  38·00

  31·70

  78·60

  -17

  148

  Earnings

  54·50

  39·50

  33·30

  -28

  -16

  Total gross income

  179·50

  173·60

  254·80

  -3

  47

  Total net income

  150·00

  145·60

  209·60

  -2

  44

  Table 2: Pensioners' income from savings and occupational pensions, 1974, 1979 and 1987 Pensioners with savings income

  Percentage with savings income

  Average amount received (£s per week at 1988 prices)

  1974

  1979

  1987

  1974

  1979

  1987

  Quintile:

  Lowest

  38

  45

  65

  3·4

  2·8

  4·2

  2

  45

  51

  61

  6·0

  4·5

  6·3

  3

  50

  63

  66

  8·9

  7·1

  9·2

  4

  53

  68

  80

  13·8

  8·1

  16·4

  Highest

  76

  83

  95

  49·9

  38·3

  82·9

  All

  53

  62

  73

  20·5

  14·6

  28·4

  Pensioners with occupational pension

  Percentage with occupational pension

  Average amount received (£s per week at 1989 prices)

  1974

  1979

  1987

  1974

  1979

  1987

  Quintile:

  Lowest

  7

  8

  23

  6·4

  5·2

  7·1

  2

  20

  27

  34

  9·2

  9·2

  12·6

  3

  36

  41

  53

  14·8

  14·1

  19·6

  4

  53

  60

  68

  22·9

  19·6

  32·0

  Highest

  58

  70

  81

  67·0

  65·5

  96·8

  All

  35

  41

  52

  33·7

  32·1

  44·8

  Table 3: Pensioners' Incomes by Quintile 1987 prices

  RP, Supp. benefit and housing benefit

  Occupational pension

  Investment income

  Other sources

  Total gross

  Total net

  1st Quintile 1979

  36·50

  0·40

  1·30

  1·40

  39·60

  39·30

  1987

  41·90

  1·70

  2·70

  1·20

  47·50

  46·70

  Real increase 1979–87 (per cent.)

  15

  295

  112

  -15

  20

  19

  Proportion of total net increase (per cent.)

  72

  17

  20

  -3

  105

  100

  2nd Quintile 1979

  44·40

  2·50

  2·30

  1·80

  50·90

  50·50

  1987

  54·00

  4·30

  3·80

  1·60

  63·70

  62·30

  Real increase 1979–87 (per cent.)

  22

  74

  67

  -13

  25

  24

  Proportion of total net increase (per cent.)

  81

  16

  13

  -2

  108

  100

  3rd Quintile 1979

  49·20

  5·80

  4·50

  5·00

  64·50

  62·70

  1987

  58·60

  10·40

  6·10

  5·40

  80·50

  77·70

  Real increase 1979–87 (per cent.)

  19

  81

  36

  8

  25

  24

  Proportion of total net increase (per cent.)

  63

  31

  11

  3

  107

  100

  4th Quintile 1979

  57·10

  11·70

  5·50

  11·00

  85·30

  81·70

  1987

  63·10

  21·70

  13·10

  11·90

  109·80

  103·30

  Real increase 1979–87 (per cent.)

  11

  85

  137

  8

  29

  26

  Proportion of total net increase (per cent.)

  28

  46

  35

  4

  113

  100

  5th Quintile 1979

  52·70

  45·90

  31·70

  43·40

  173·60

  145·60

  1987

  57·80

  78·40

  78·60

  40·00

  254·80

  209·60

  Real increase 1979–87 (per cent.)

  10

  71

  148

  -8

  47

  44

  Proportion of total net increase (per cent.)

  8

  51

  73

  5

  127

  100

  Overall 1979

  48·00

  13·20

  9·00

  12·50

  82·80

  75·90

  1987

  55·10

  23·30

  20·90

  12·00

  111·20

  99·90

  Real increase 1979–87 (per cent.)

  15

  76

  131

  -4

  34

  32

  Proportion of total net increase (per cent.)

  30

  42

  49

  -2

  119

  100

  308 309
  Source: Family Expenditure Survey.

  All cash figures are £s per week at 1987 prices.

  In common with all other surveys, the family expenditure survey draws information from a random sample of the population. This means that the FES will occasionally include some individuals whose weekly incomes are considerably higher or lower than those of the remainder of their quintile. The unrepresentative income of such individuals may cause wide swings in the figures particularly in year-to-year comparisons and when disaggregated into quintiles. In general, when viewed over the long term, the data provide a reliable indication of the movement in average weekly income.

  Pensioners' Charter
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will meet representatives of retirement pensioners' organisations to discuss the pensioners' charter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Ministers have met pensioners' groups twice during the last two months to discuss a range of issues of concern to them and to listen to their views.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to the reply to the hon. Member for Preston of 7 March,Official Report, column 682, on recipients of invalid care allowance who also receive income support, if he will publish the corrected figures provided in a letter to the hon. Member by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The corrected figure of the number of recipients of invalid care allowance who also received income support in May 1988, which I provided in a letter to the hon. Member, is 14,000.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the reply of 7 March,Official Report, column 682, on recipients of invalid care allowance who also receive income support, what are the corresponding figures for May 1989.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The figures requested have been published in "Income Support Statistics Annual Inquiry May 1989", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Benefit Claimants
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time an individual claimant has to wait for a decision on their claim for benefit from an adjudication officer or tribunal hearing from the time that individual becomes unemployed.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The average time taken to clear benefit claims is calculated by reference to the date a claim is received rather than from the date of unemployment and the date a decision is made by the adjudication officer. The two main benefits concerned are unemployment benefit and income support. The latest available information from 31 May 1990 is as follows:

  Benefit

  Average clearance time

  Income support

  4·6 days

  Information is not available in the form requested for claims to unemployment benefit or for decisions made by social security appeals tribunals and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Pensioners
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) male and (b) female pensioners there are in the United Kingdom.
  310
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available figures show that in March 1989 there were 3·49 million male pensioners and 6·55 million female pensioners receiving retirement pension in the United Kingdom.

  (Source: retirement pension statistics March 1989.)

  Earnings
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) men and (b) women in each region earn below the national insurance threshold; and how many are between the upper and lower earnings limits.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The average number of employees earning between the lower and upper earnings limits in any week in 1990–91 is approximately

  Men 8·6 million

  Women 8·0 million

  Detailed information on the numbers earning below the lower earnings limit is not available. It is estimated, however, that in any week about 2·75 million employees earn less than the lower earnings limit, of whom about one quarter are men. Up to 0·5 million of these people would be only temporarily below the lower earnings limit by virtue of a reduction in their normal earnings—for example, due to sickness.

  The figures are for employees in Great Britain. Information on a regional basis is not available.

  McKiernon Judgment
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people suffering from occupational deafness and asthma, whose cases were affected by the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Mr. Frank McKiernon, have benefited or will benefit from the decision; how many such people will have lost their entitlement in consequence of the action he took retrospectively to change the law; and what is the estimated total saving to his Department from the action he took.

  Mr. Scott
  Information on those who have benefited from the Court of Appeal decision is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The intention of the legislation in schedule 6 paragraph 4 of the Social Security Act 1990 is that any entitlements conditional upon the court's judgment should be discontinued once the Act is in force. Were it not for this legislation, it is estimated that a trawl of past cases might have increased benefit expenditure by up to £100 million.

  Benefits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 28 June,Official Report, columns 353–56, on the value of benefits, if he will publish the corrected figures for the benefits in relation to earnings, including the period November 1979 to April 1990.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret the error in the earlier reply. This arose from the use of the incorrect category of
  311
  workers for the gross earnings figures. The corrected figures are in the table. It is not possible to provide the ratio of benefits to gross earnings for April 1990 because the 1990 new earnings survey is not yet available. The corrections also apply to the answer given to the hon. Member on 20 December 1989 at columns 300–02.

  Ratio of benefit to gross earnings

  November 1978 Per cent.

  November 1979 Per cent.

  April 1989 Per cent.

  Retirement pension

  Single person

  23·4

  23·3

  18·2

  Married couple

  37·4

  37·3

  29·1

  Unemployment benefit

  Single person

  18·9

  18·5

  14·5

  Married couple

  30·6

  29·9

  23·4

  Sickness benefit

  Single person

  18·9

  18·5

  13·9

  Married couple

  30·6

  29·9

  22·4

  Industrial disablement

  benefit

  38·3

  38·0

  29·7

  Industrial death benefit

  24·1

  23·8

  18·2

  Maternity allowance

  Single person

  18·9

  18·5

  13·9

  Married couple

  30·6

  29·9

  22·4

  Non-contributory retirement pension

  Single person

  14·0

  14·0

  10·9

  Married couple

  22·5

  22·4

  17·5

  War disablement pension

  38·3

  38·0

  29·7

  War widows pension

  30·7

  30·4

  23·7

  Attendance allowance

  Higher rate

  18·7

  18·6

  14·6

  Lower rate

  12·5

  12·4

  9·7

  Invalid care allowance

  Single person

  14·0

  14·0

  10·9

  Married couple

  22·5

  22·4

  17·5

  Severe disablement allowance

  Single person

  14·0

  14·0

  10·9

  Married couple

  22·5

  22·4

  17·5

  Mobility allowance

  12·0

  12·0

  10·2

  Child benefit

  3·6

  4·0

  3·0

  One-parent benefit

  2·4

  2·5

  2·2

  Note: Gross earnings means average gross weekly earnings, all full-time workers on adult rates in all industries and services excluding those whose pay was affected by absence (source: new earnings survey). Figures for November use an estimate of average earnings interpolated by the seasonally adjusted monthly index of average earnings, all employees in industries and services published in the Employment Gazette.

  Fylde Local Office
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the number of claims for each of the last 12 months made to the Department of Social Security, Fylde.
  312
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The number of claims for family credit received by the family credit unit at North Fyide central office is in the table:

  Claims

  1989

  July

  66,075

  August

  62,397

  September

  80,792

  October

  80,670

  November

  85,530

  December

  70,996

  1990

  January

  78,122

  February

  76,049

  March

  89,088

  April

  77,080

  May

  93,310

  June

  70,101

  Notes:

  1. The figures are for the 4 or 5 weeks ending on the last Friday of the month.

  2. The figures for claims received include those made to renew existing awards and those made more than 4 weeks before the expiry of an existing award (and therefore invalid.)

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current staffing establishment at Fylde, Blackpool, to deal with family credit claims.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The current staffing complement at North Fylde central office to deal with family credit claims is 779. An additional 33 staff years are available to assist in handling claims in periods of high activity.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the number of(a) filled posts, and (b) unfilled posts, for each of the last 12 months, dealing with family credit at Fylde, Blackpool; and if he will make a statement on staffing requirements to deal with family credit applications by the Fylde office at Blackpool.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information about filled and unfilled posts is not available in the form requested. The allocation of staff years and expenditure against allocation in the last 12 months is in the table:

  Budget (staff years)

  Expenditure (staff years)

  1989

  July

  69·50

  74·17

  August

  69·25

  72·60

  September

  67·83

  68·84

  October

  67·58

  67·32

  November

  67·58

  67·32

  December

  67·00

  71·80

  1990

  January

  66·50

  70·51

  February

  66·50

  66·89

  March

  66·50

  66·83

  April

  64·92

  63·56

  May

  64·92

  64·02

  June

  64·92

  65·69

  Months where expenditure exceeded budget reflect the injection of additional resources in the light of the work load situation at the time.

  The present complement of 779 was set for 1990–91 following a staff inspection to ascertain correct staffing levels against anticipated work load. An additional 33 staff years were allocated for use during periods of high activity.

  Resettlement Unit
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has agreed business targets for the resettlement unit's executive agency for the current financial year.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Yes. They form part of the Resettlement Agency's business plan, a copy of which will be placed in the Library shortly.

  Social Security Acts
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has received the report by the Government Actuary on the operation of the Social Security Acts since 1980.

  Mr. Newton
  I have today laid before the House the report that the Government Actuary has made on the operation of the Social Security Acts between April 1980 and April 1985 in accordance with section 137 of the Social Security Act 1975. The report provides a detailed forward look into the next century on the possible future costs of benefits paid out on the national insurance fund and on the contributions likely to be needed to pay for them. The Government will take this report into account in the normal processes for reviewing contributions and benefit expenditure.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much public expenditure has been reduced as a result of policy changes to housing benefit each year since 1987, both at current prices and at 1990 prices; and what has been the cumulative total of savings.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 21 June 1990]: Direct comparisons over this period are difficult both because the definition of what constitutes public expenditure has changed and because the replacement of domestic rates by the community charge has involved a fundamental change to the structure of the benefit. It is also not feasible to isolate the effects of individual policy changes in such a way as to judge their cumulative effect over time because they cannot readily be disaggregated from other factors affecting benefit expenditure such as benefit upratings, movements in housing costs and income levels, the level of the domestic rates or community charge set by local authorities, and changes in the numbers and compositions of the caseload.

  However, in very broad terms, the overall effect of policy changes over this period has been to increase public expenditure on housing benefit and community charge benefit and also to increase the overall spending on housing benefit and on other social security support to assist with payments of rates and community charges. The main changes on a year-on-year basis are as follows. The 1988 reforms were estimated at the time to save £150 million in public expenditure on housing benefit, compared with continuing the old scheme unchanged. In addition, they were estimated to save some £480 million in expenditure not classified at the time as public expenditure, of which £350 million arose from the requirement for all claimants to meet at least 20 per cent. of domestic rates from their own resources. Against this must be set an increase of £400 million in public
  314
  expenditure from the adjustment to the benefit rates to provide help with this contribution to those receiving income-related benefits.

  In the year of the reforms there were certain improvements to the scheme which increased overall expenditure. These were the higher capital limit (£35 million) and the transitional protection scheme for vulnerable groups (£65 million).

  Since then there have been further improvements including a package of measures for poorer pensioners (£32 million) and the further increase in the capital limit (£90 million). The transfer of support for the accommodation costs of boarders from income support increased housing benefit expenditure by £190 million. The more generous taper used for community charge benefit in 1990–91 is estimated to cost a further £210 million.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many civil servants in his Department of the rank of principal or equivalent and above are graduates of Oxford and Cambridge; and how many are graduates of other universities.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 12 July 1990]: Departmental personnel records show that 346 officers in grades 1 to 7 (and professional equivalents) in the Department of Social Security have degrees: 52 are graduates of Oxford or Cambridge and 294 graduated from other universities.

SCOTLAND

  Afforestation
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether Her Majesty's Government are considering suggestions by scientists that adequate and extensive afforestation schemes in Britain and Europe could play an important part in the efforts to solve the problems of air pollution and global warming.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government are fully aware that growing trees absorb significant quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus helping to counter the problem of global warming. We provide substantial grants to encourage afforestation in the United Kingdom, and we supported the forestry action programme initiative launched by the European Community just over a year ago.

  River Tweed Fisheries
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what involvement his Department had in the alterations to the cauld in the River Tweed at Melrose and of work being carried out on the river bed in the vicinity of Horncliffe; and whether he has made any assessment of the likely effect of these works, and of steps which may be taken to reinstate the river bed at these points, on salmon and sea trout fisheries.

  Mr. Lang
  I am not aware of any involvement or request for advice or assessment on the part of the Department in relation to these matters.

  For salmon and sea trout fisheries, the River Tweed commissioners have powers under section 57 of the Tweed

  315
  Fisheries Act 1857, to compel removal of obstructions to the free run of salmon and sea trout. It would be for the commissioners themselves, in the first instance, to decide whether or not the use of these powers might be appropriate in particular instances.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to cease using accountancy firms found to be unprofessional by the joint disciplinary scheme.

  Mr. Rifkind
  On reaching an adverse finding against an accountancy firm, the committee of inquiry appointed under the joint disciplinary scheme may make an order censuring, reprimanding or admonishing such a firm and an order as to costs. My Department would not draw any automatic conclusion from the fact of an adverse finding; careful note would be taken of the terms of the finding in considering whether work should be commissioned from the firm.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to cease using accountancy firms sued by the Government for negligence.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The existence of current or previous litigation is one of many aspects taken into account in deciding whether accountancy firms should be invited to tender for assignments. The objective must be to ensure that the service required is obtained from the most appropriate source.

  Industrial Investment
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the levels of investment in industry in Scotland, the south of Scotland and the Borders for every year since 1979, with 1979 = 100.

  Mr. Lang
  Industrial investment figures are available only for Scotland as a whole.

  The table below gives estimates of gross domestic fixed capital formation for industry in Scotland at current prices for each year since 1979 to 1987, the latest year for which figures are available.

  These figures have not been indexed with 1979 = 100 as this is appropriate only when comparing data through time at constant prices. Constant price figures are not available as separate price deflators are not available for Scotland.

  Gross domestic fixed capital formation Total industry Scotland

  Year

  £ millions

  1979

  2,350

  1980

  2,650

  1981

  2,569

  1982

  2,603

  1983

  2,632

  1984

  2,865

  1985

  3,133

  1986

  3,099

  1987

  3,043

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  Mentally Handicapped People
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current level of residential care provision for people with a mental handicap in Scotland; and what level of such residential care is recommended in the "Scottish Health Authorities' Review of Priorities for the Eighties and Nineties" document.

  Mr. Lang
  Provisional figures for 31 March 1989, the latest date for which information is available centrally, show that 2,200 places were available for persons with mental handicap in local authority homes and homes registered by them. In addition, 727 persons resident in homes for the elderly were described as mentally handicapped.

  Registered homes and those provided by local authorities themselves constitute only one part of the range of housing and other accommodation which may be provided for persons in this category. The SHARPEN report recommends that priority be given to care in the community services for persons with a mental handicap but does not indicate a specific level of residential care for such people.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list any organisations in Scotland from which he has received representations about planning blight in the development of new services for people who have a mental handicap and other priority care groups; and what was the nature of the representations.

  Mr. Lang
  Representations have been received from three registered housing associations (Ark, Key arid Margaret Blackwood) in respect of special needs housing developments which they were seeking to promote. The concern was that the financial viability of these schemes would be affected by the level of payments they could expect to receive from local authorities in respect of care costs for residents following the transfer of financial responsibility and resources from the Department of Social Security.

  It was pointed out in reply that it will be for local authorities to decide on the allocation of the resources to be transferred to them from the Department of Social Security for expenditure on care in the community; and that this discretion applies fully to the level of support to be provided for meeting residential care and other costs in individual cases.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of Department of Social Security payment of income support to people with a mental handicap living in residential care in Scotland was considered to be spent inappropriately because the person was not in fact in need of such care.

  Mr. Lang
  The award of income support does not incorporate a test of care needs. A Government-financed study of persons living in private and voluntary residential care homes for the elderly and receiving income support payments was carried out in 1987; one of the four local authority areas studied was in Scotland. No similar study has been carried out in relation to persons with a mental handicap.

  Manufacturing Expenditure
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the capital expenditure on manufacturing, including and excluding leasing, in Scotland for the year 1974 and for every year since 1979 at 1985 prices.

  Mr. Lang
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  There are no separate price deflators for Scotland and the use of United Kingdom price deflators is no longer considered to give sufficiently reliable constant price estimates. Figures are therefore given at current prices.

  The figures given are for net capital expenditure for manufacturing industries in Scotland. These figures include operating leasing but not financial leasing. It is not possible to give figures for capital expenditure including or excluding leasing.

  The table below gives estimates of net capital expenditure in manufacturing industries in Scotland at current prices for the years in question. The figures relate to financial years.

  Year

  Net capital expenditure Manufacturing industry Scotland £ millions

  1974

  309·9

  1979

  592·5

  1980

  653·3

  1981

  619·8

  1982

  544·0

  1983

  490·6

  1984

  622·9

  1985

  866·3

  1986

  777·7

  1987

  735·5

  Source: Annual Census of Production.

  Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland was first aware of the extent of landings into Peterhead emanating from area VIIa.

  Mr. Lang
  The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland first became aware of an increase in the level of landings into Scotland of non-sector cod from area VIIa at the beginning of June. At that point, the monthly allocation for individual non-sector vessels was significantly reduced by fisheries departments. Continued high levels of landings during June resulted in the catch restrictions on each vessel being tightened further from 1 July and eventually to the closure of the fishery to the non-sector from 10 July.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which vessels were physically checked for catch details passing from areas 4 to 6 or areas 6 to 4 in each month separately since 1 January.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 June 1990]: The table lists by month the 32 vessels called into Scrabster and inspected following receipt of radio reports.
  318

  Month and Vessel

  Registered Number

  1990

  January

  Ajax

  INS 168

  Forelock

  BCK 127

  Unity

  BCK 35

  February

  —

  March

  Shearwater

  BF 86

  Ulysses

  PD 76

  Seaspray

  PD 245

  Treasury

  INS 293

  Starlight

  PD 150

  Constant Friend

  PD 83

  Sparkling Star

  PD 137

  Sharona

  INS 274

  Diligent

  PD 314

  Orion

  BF 432

  Sharona

  PD 185

  Brighter Dawn

  PD 62

  Prosperity

  LH 445

  Rose Bay

  PD 65

  Lorena

  BF 227

  Sea Spray III

  PD 245

  Girl Maureen

  K 100

  April

  Sonia Jane

  BF 31

  Prosperity

  LH 445

  Ulysses

  PD 76

  Solan

  INS 112

  Serenga

  PD 95

  Evening Star

  LK 87

  River Dee

  K 51

  Brighter Dawn

  PD 76

  Ulysses

  ID 62

  St. Kilda

  INS 47

  Eleanda

  BCK 60

  May

  Fear Not

  INS 197

  June

  —

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what catches were recorded by Scottish vessels from ICES areas VIId, VIIb and VIIc in June.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett) on 24 July.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in Scotland has instigated a review of(a) log book recordings, (b) area of activity and (c) distinguishing characteristics of fish being landed in respect of concerns over misdeclarations of landings.

  Mr. Lang
  Log books are examined each time a fishing vessel lands a catch or when it is boarded at sea. The log book entries are checked to ensure that they are consistent with the quantities and species of fish landed or on board the vessel. Confirmation of the areas of fishing activity are sought by comparing the log book entries with surveillance data provided by fishery protection vessels and aircraft.

  The ability to determine area of catch from the physical characteristics of the fish varies from species to species. In the case of cod there is at present no ready and reliable means of distinguishing whether the fish came from the

  319
  North sea or the Irish sea. It is also possible that a catch landed by a fishing vessel could contain fish from both areas.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vessels have been contained in Scottish ports for misdeclaring catches from sea areas other than area VII.

  Mr. Lang
  It is not the policy to detain fishing vessels in port in anticipation of charges being brought for breach of fisheries legislation. A vessel would be detained only where it seemed likely that a court might order forfeiture of the vessel or where it was felt that this would help to ensure that the accused would appear in court to answer the charges.

  Borders Region
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all grants given by the Scottish Development Agency to businesses and projects in the Borders region.

  Employees in empoyment by industrial group in the Borders region

  Thousands

  1980 standard industrial classification

  1978 1June

  1981 1September

  1981 2September

  1984 2September

  1987 2September

  All industries and services

  38·3

  36·1

  36·1

  35·2

  36·7

  0 Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  4·2

  3·7

  3·7

  3·0

  2·4

  1 Energy and water supply

  0·5

  0·5

  0·3

  0·4

  0·3

  2 Extraction of minerals and ores, manufacture of metals, mineral products and chemicals

  14·3

  12·2

  0·7

  0·6

  0·5

  3 Metal goods, engineering and vehicles

  2·4

  2·8

  2·5

  4 Other manufacturing industries

  9·5

  9·2

  9·3

  5 Construction

  2·6

  2·1

  2·1

  2·1

  2·4

  6 Distribution, hotels, catering and repairs

  16·8

  17·4

  6·7

  6·3

  6·9

  7 Transport and communication

  1·0

  1·0

  1·5

  8 Banking, finance, insurance, business services and leasing

  1·5

  1·8

  1·6

  9 Other services

  8·0

  8·0

  9·4

  1 These figures for 1978 and 1981 were collected using the 1968 standard industrial classification (SIC). The analysis by 1980 standard industrial classification broad industry group has been derived by combining the 1968 SIC categories that give the best approximation to 1980 SIC categories.

  2 These figures have been collected and presented on the basis of the 1980 standard industrial classification.

  Income-based estimate of gross domestic product1—Borders region

  1979

  1981

  1984

  1987

  Gross domestic product (£ million)

  271

  323

  412

  551

  Gross domestic product per head (£)

  2,678

  3,186

  4,066

  5,393

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  1 Gross domestic product at factor cost in current prices.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacancies remained unfilled at jobcentres and at career offices, not seasonally adjusted and seasonally adjusted, in the Borders region for every year since 1979.
  320
  Mr. Lang
  The amount of Scottish Development Agency grants given to individual businesses or projects is a commercial matter between the agency and the companies or individuals concerned and I am therefore unable to provide the hon. Member with this information. However, I can say that in 1989–90, the Scottish Development Agency made four awards of grant totalling £20,000 under the PRIDE scheme in respect of projects in the Borders region.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of people employed by industrial group, and the average income of each industrial group, in the Borders for every year since 1979.

  Mr. Lang
  The available information is given in the tables below. Information on employment for the Borders is available only for the years for which there was a census of employment. Information on the income-based estimate of gross domestic product is not available by industry group for the Borders. The table shows the income based estimate of total gross domestic product at factor cost in current prices for each year since 1979 for which an estimate is available.

  Mr. Lang
  There are no comprehensive statistics on unfilled vacancies. Latest estimates suggest that nationally only about one third of all vacancies are notified to jobcentres. A seasonally adjusted vacancy series is not available below Scotland level. Information on the number
  321
  of unfilled vacancies, not seasonally adjusted, at jobcentres and careers offices in the Borders region in June of each year since 1979 is set out in the table:

  Year (June of each year)

  Vacancies at jobcentres

  Vacancies at careers offices

  1979

  464

  45

  1980

  336

  10

  1981

  247

  5

  1982

  246

  4

  1983

  345

  9

  1984

  405

  10

  1985

  530

  7

  1986

  454

  9

  1987

  555

  18

  1988

  941

  23

  1989

  519

  24

  1990

  619

  29

  1Vacancies for the years 1983 to 1988 inclusive, include Community Programme vacancies on the day of the count.

  2Because of possible duplication (i.e. when a vacancy is notified to both services by an employer) and timing differences the second series should not be added together.

  Community Care
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has sought from Scottish local authorities as to their degree of preparedness to take on the new community care responsibilities in April 1991; on what date he last sought this information; and what replies he has received on this issue.

  Mr. Lang
  I met the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on 15 May to discuss the implementation of the Government's community care proposals. At the meeting the representatives of the convention said that local authorities had made considerable efforts to be ready for implementation on 1 April 1991. Subsequently, in a letter of 29 June to the Secretary of State, the convener of the convention's social work committee indicated that authorities' plans for implementation were at an advanced stage in preparation for 1 April 1991. I believe, however, that the phasing we have now proposed will allow more effective implementation of the changes.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the effect of the new community care responsibilities on the personal community charge levels in 1991 in each region of Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This is a matter for individual local authorities to determine, but, in the light of the revised implementation plan for community care which my right hon. and learned Friend announced last week and the aggregate external finance settlement which he announced earlier today, the effect on community charge levels in 1991–92 should be small.

  Investment
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the gross value added per person in civilian employment in Scotland for every year since 1979, with 1979 = 100.

  Mr. Lang
  The information is not available in the form requested.
  322
  There are no separate price deflators for Scotland and the use of United Kingdom price deflators is no longer considered to give sufficiently reliable constant price estimates. Figures are therefore given at current prices.

  Gross value added figures are available only for manufacturing industries in Scotland and are taken from the annual census of production.

  The table below gives estimates of gross value added, employment and gross value added per employee at current prices for the years in question. The figures relate to financial years. It is not appropriate to index these current price figures to 1979 = 100.

  Year

  Manufacturing industry Scotland

  Gross value added £ millions

  Employment '000

  Gross value added per employee £

  1979

  4,573

  577

  7,925

  1980

  4,756

  533

  8,921

  1981

  5,100

  477

  10,700

  1982

  5,414

  448

  12,087

  1983

  5,772

  420

  13,743

  1984

  5,830

  397

  14,693

  1985

  6,399

  392

  16,316

  1986

  6,192

  381

  16,235

  1987

  7,086

  370

  19,150

  Source: Annual census of production

  Population
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide the most recent available breakdown of the Scottish adult population by household size in(a) total and (b) percentage terms.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 22 February 1990 at col 865–66. Updated information is not yet available.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the 1988–89 issue of "Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics"; and whether he will include in that document tables showing the reconciliation between the local authority expenditure figures on a local authority accounting basis and local authority expenditure as defined on a public expenditure White Paper basis in Cm 1015 and Cm 1021.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The 1988–89 issue of "Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics" is expected to be published in early autumn. The format will be similar to previous issues, and it is not intended to include tables reconciling local authority expenditure figures on the two bases.

  Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of vocational qualifications awarded in 1974 and for every year since 1979.

  Mr. Lang
  The full information requested is not available centrally. The relevant information available covers first degrees and advanced level diplomas awarded to students following full-time or sandwich courses at Scottish universities and colleges. The figures are given below.
  323

  Year

  Number

  1981

  14,658

  1982

  15,102

  1983

  16,493

  1984

  17,099

  1985

  17,246

  1986

  17,408

  1987

  17,447

  1988

  18,025

  1989

  18,316

  Scottish Development Agency Analysis of grant-in-aid Development funding and grants expenditure 1981–82 to 1989–90

  District

  1981–82 £'000

  1982–83 £'000

  1983–84 £'000

  1984–85 £'000

  1985–86 £'000

  1986–87 £'000

  1987–88 £'000

  1988–89 £'000

  11989–90 £'000

  Strathclyde

  —

  306

  3,677

  6,555

  3,467

  10,571

  9,076

  17,884

  9,436

  Argyll and Bute

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  38

  Dumbarton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  51

  43

  25

  43

  207

  Clydebank

  —

  —

  —

  8

  153

  554

  149

  2

  61

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Strathkelvin

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  21

  45

  31

  70

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  —

  —

  30

  1

  15

  25

  49

  13

  306

  Monklands

  —

  —

  —

  17

  108

  89

  117

  50

  79

  Glasgow City

  —

  281

  3,299

  6,060

  2,053

  7,511

  6,748

  16,082

  5,934

  Renfrew

  —

  —

  70

  90

  —

  536

  30

  181

  749

  Inverclyde

  —

  —

  28

  42

  24

  250

  476

  446

  469

  Cunninghame

  —

  25

  201

  85

  563

  422

  548

  182

  277

  Kilmarnock and Louden

  —

  —

  25

  25

  —

  25

  29

  25

  37

  Eastwood

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  EastKilbride

  —

  —

  —

  20

  5

  30

  22

  19

  63

  Hamilton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  39

  91

  133

  Motherwell

  —

  —

  12

  68

  294

  398

  482

  303

  472

  Clydesdale

  —

  —

  —

  113

  128

  15

  17

  45

  130

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  —

  —

  7

  —

  13

  25

  33

  23

  32

  Kyle and Carrick

  —

  —

  5

  26

  13

  517

  16

  16

  72

  Strathclyde Composite

  —

  —

  —

  —

  47

  110

  251

  325

  307

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  62

  370

  141

  52

  110

  196

  146

  Wigtown

  —

  —

  62

  365

  130

  22

  30

  95

  72

  Stewartry

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  28

  9

  Nithsdale

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  25

  55

  39

  37

  Annandale and Eskdale

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  1

  7

  Dumfries and Galloway Composite

  —

  —

  —

  5

  10

  5

  10

  33

  21

  Borders

  —

  —

  59

  —

  —

  121

  261

  64

  52

  Tweeddale

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  115

  142

  53

  36

  Berwickshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  119

  9

  4

  Roxburgh

  —

  —

  59

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  Borders Composite

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  Lothian

  —

  —

  460

  325

  703

  572

  1,729

  682

  2,023

  West Lothian

  —

  —

  45

  45

  481

  319

  182

  77

  218

  Edinburgh City

  —

  —

  365

  280

  205

  191

  1,357

  466

  1,463

  Midlothian

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  31

  32

  14

  83

  East Lothian

  —

  —

  —

  —

  17

  —

  118

  24

  58

  Lothian Composite

  —

  —

  50

  —

  —

  31

  40

  101

  201

  Central

  —

  —

  79

  393

  162

  101

  451

  241

  851

  Stirling

  —

  —

  50

  350

  15

  48

  127

  35

  334

  Clackmannan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  147

  53

  276

  24

  327

  Falkirk

  —

  —

  29

  43

  —

  —

  45

  121

  145

  Central Composite

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  61

  45

  Fife

  —

  —

  25

  82

  14

  237

  561

  235

  226

  North East Fife

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  55

  27

  21

  57

  Kirkcaldy

  —

  —

  25

  22

  —

  40

  478

  115

  98

  Dunfermline

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  130

  30

  70

  11

  Fife Composite

  —

  —

  —

  60

  14

  12

  26

  29

  60

  Tayside

  —

  —

  481

  782

  478

  1,537

  1,029

  337

  1,049

  Angus

  —

  —

  452

  566

  19

  103

  83

  23

  40

  Perth and Kinross

  —

  —

  —

  —

  51

  59

  182

  4

  98

  Dundee City

  —

  —

  29

  216

  408

  1,375

  764

  308

  852

  Tayside Composite

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  59

  SDA Grants
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total value of Scottish Development Agency grants by year and local authority since 1979.

  Mr. Lang
  Information on grants prior to 1981–82 is not available in the form requested. From 1981–82 to 1989–90 the information is set out in the table. Figures for 1989–90 are provisional.
  325

  District

  1981–82 £'000

  1982–83 £'000

  1983–84 £'000

  1984–85 £'000

  1985–86 £'000

  1986–87 £'000

  1987–88 £'000

  1988–89 £'000

  11989–90 £'000

  Grampian

  —

  —

  —

  60

  989

  276

  130

  629

  1,571

  Moray

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  35

  8

  55

  29

  Banff and Buchan

  —

  —

  —

  45

  23

  38

  40

  22

  92

  Gordon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  35

  —

  7

  28

  Aberdeen City

  —

  —

  —

  15

  966

  168

  82

  545

  1,315

  Kincardine and Deeside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grampian Composite

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  107

  Highland

  —

  —

  —

  125

  148

  1

  111

  146

  132

  Caithness

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sutherland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ross and Cromarty

  —

  —

  —

  125

  148

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nairn

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Inverness

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Skye and Lochalsh

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lochaber

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland Composite

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  111

  146

  132

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Orkney

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Shetland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Scotland Composite

  600

  394

  657

  1,908

  4,598

  6,432

  5,542

  5,643

  8,671

  SDA Total expenditure

  600

  700

  5,500

  10,600

  10,700

  19,900

  19,000

  26,057

  24,157

  1 Figures for 1989–90 should be considered provisional only as they have not been fully reconciled. It should be noted that grant expenditure figures include payments in respect of business advisory services.

  NHS Managers
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many senior managers in administration, professional and technical sections of the NHS in Scotland have left the service either through redundancy, resignation or early retirement during the past five years.

  Mr. Rifkind
  A senior manager structure was introduced into the National Health Service in Scotland on 22 December 1987. Since that date, one officer in that category has retired prematurely from the service on grounds of redundancy and five on grounds of the interests of the efficiency of the service. No information is available centrally on resignation for any other reason.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners from Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic are currently serving a prison sentence in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I regret that this information is not available in the format requested. However, on the basis of provisional figures, in 1989, 56 persons born in Northern Ireland and 22 persons born in the Irish Republic were received under sentence into penal establishments in Scotland.

  Health Expenditure
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table of expenditure in 1988–89 by Scottish local authorities in respect of persons in residential care homes by the client groups (i) elderly, (ii) physically handicapped, (iii) mentally handicapped and (iv) mentally ill.
  326
  Mr. Lang
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  1Net expenditure on residential care in 1988–89 (£m)

  Elderly

  65·4

  Physically handicapped

  1·8

  Mentally handicapped

  10·0

  Mentally ill

  0·5

  1Net expenditure met from rates and grants.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money will be available to local authorities and voluntary organisations for the new mental illness project grant; when the final guidance will be issued to local authorities and other bodies; what provision there will be in Scotland for a special grant for projects helping people with alcohol and drug-related problems; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  As my right hon. and learned Friend indicated in his written reply to the hon. Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) on 18 July, specific grant will be payable for increased community services for the mentally ill from 1991–92. Grant will be paid at 70 per cent. of the costs of projects up to a total of £3 million in the first year. A consultation paper outlining the proposed arrangements for the payment of grant was issued to local authorities and voluntary agencies in March. Formal guidance reflecting the result of these consultations will be provided to local authorities shortly.

  Voluntary sector projects providing assistance to persons with alcohol or drug-related problems will continue to be eligible to receive grant from my Department under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. In 1990–91 £96,000 has been made

  327
  available for current expenditure and £260,000 for capital expenditure. In addition the Scottish Office will continue to make funds available to health boards for the welfare of local drug misuse services. The level of support provided in 1990–91 is £2·2 million.

  Marine Nature Reserves
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the sites under consideration for possible designation as marine nature reserves indicating which is the first to be designated and the likely date of designation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Two potential marine nature reserves have been identified in Scotland by NCC using guidelines laid down in the joint NCC/NERC report entitled "Nature Conservation in the Marine Environment". These are Loch Sween in Argyll and St. Abbs in Berwickshire. Work on Loch Sween is more advanced and is about to enter the public consultation stage.

  Birch Point (Dumping Allegations)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the preliminary findings of the initial investigation into the alleged dumping of explosives at Birch Point in the Firth of Clyde.

  Mr. Lang
  A report on the preliminary survey and other investigations carried out by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland is being published today. I am arranging for copies of the report to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  The report confirms that although there were shortcomings in ICI's sea disposal procedures in the early 1980s, these were resolved satisfactorily with the full co-operation of the company. The evidence of the survey indicates that the movement of dumped material from the dump site has been due to fishing activity in and around the disposal ground. It is not possible to say how far dumped material may have been spread.

  The further survey of the dump site, which I announced last week, is now in progress. To enable the survey to proceed undisturbed by fishing activity all fishing in the area has been prohibited for the duration of the survey. The results of this survey should provide the basis for decisions on further guidance to fishermen, the control of fishing activity and any steps to be taken in relation to the dump site itself.

  Highlands and Islands
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now able to announce which areas of the highlands and islands are to be targeted under the business development scheme of the rural enterprise programme announced on 17 November 1989.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am pleased to announce that the rural enterprise programme's business development scheme, which is designed to help farmers and crofters diversify into new enterprises, will operate initially in Wester Ross, Lochalsh, Lochaber and southeast Sutherland. Subject to parliamentary approval of the statutory instrument, locally based project officers should be appointed this autumn, and I expect the first awards to
  328
  be made under the BDS next spring. Subject to the response achieved in these areas, Ministers will review the case for extending the BDS to other areas next autumn.

  I have also decided that the REP's marketing scheme, which is designed to help farmers and crofters to market their produce more effectively, to promote a diversified business, and to publicise the benefits of improving the health status of livestock, will operate throughout the Highlands and Islands area eligible for assistance under objective 5b of the EC structural funds. I hope that the marketing scheme will be in operation before the end of 1990.

  Parole
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the Kincraig committee's report on parole and related issues in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  When the Kincraig report (Cm598) was published in March 1989, I invited comments on the review committee's recommendations from all concerned. I am grateful for the very positive response which this elicited.

  The Government's conclusions and proposals are published today in a paper entitled "Parole and Related Issues in Scotland—The Government's Response to the Report of the Review Committee", copies of which have been placed in the Library.

  Our proposals are based very substantially on the review committee's recommendations and reflect full acceptance of the underlying principles which they identified. Accordingly, our main proposals are that

  —all prisoners should serve at least half their sentences in custody;

  —release before the end of sentence should always be conditional, thus restoring meaning to the full sentence passed by the court;

  —parole should be available to prisoners serving sentences of four years or more, who would be eligible for parole from the half-way point in their sentences, and should be considered in the light of statutory criteria of which the most important should be whether the prisoner can safely be released without risk to the public;

  —there should be compulsory post-release supervision for all longer term prisoners, and, at the discretion of the courts, for prisoners sentenced to between one year and under four years.

  The aim of these proposals is that reformed arrangements for early release should be fairer than the existing arrangements, under which prisoners convicted of more serious offences may serve a smaller proportion of their sentence in custody than shorter-term prisoners, and that there should be a greater emphasis on the behaviour of offenders after their release from custody.

  I shall seek a suitable opportunity to bring before Parliament the legislative changes which will be required to implement these proposals.

  Teacher Shortages
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the geographic and subject areas in which there is a current teacher shortage in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
  329
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: Information about the number of vacancies in full-time teaching posts, by education authority and by subject, as on 31 January 1990 is given in the following tables.

  The present teacher supply situation in Scotland is broadly satisfactory. The Scottish Education Department will continue to monitor teacher numbers, and, with advice from the planning group on teacher supply, set up in 1989, and on which education authorities, colleges of education and the General Teaching Council for Scotland are represented, will consider and instigate measures required to maintain an adequate intake to the teacher force in Scotland.

  Numbers of advertised vacancies for full-time teaching posts, Scotland, 31 January 1990

  Region or Islands area

  Secondary

  Primary

  Borders

  8

  2

  Central

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  9

  —

  Fife

  —

  —

  Grampian

  19

  36

  Highland

  9

  4

  Lothian

  —

  18

  Orkney

  —

  —

  Shetland

  —

  3

  Strathclyde

  —

  —

  Tayside

  2

  —

  Western Isles

  2

  —

  Scotland

  49

  63

  Number of advertised vacancies for full-time secondary teaching posts, Scotland, 31 January 1990

  Subject

  Vacancies

  All subjects

  49

  Art

  2

  Business Studies

  7

  Classics, Greek, Latin

  —

  Computing

  1

  English

  6

  Gaelic

  2

  Geography

  2

  History

  —

  Home Economics

  1

  Mathematics

  3

  French

  3

  German

  —

  Other modern languages

  —

  Modern studies

  1

  Music

  7

  Physical education

  1

  Religious education

  1

  Biology

  —

  Chemistry

  3

  Physics

  3

  Speech and drama

  1

  Technological education

  1

  Learning support

  4

  Other

  —

  Pre-school Education
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children received pre-five education in Scottish state schools during sessions(a) 1988–89 and (b) 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: There were 40,855 and 42,269 children in education authority nursery schools or departments in 1988–89 and 1989–90 respectively.

  Adult Education
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many adults enrolled in day-time classes in Scottish state schools in the following school sessions(a) 1987–88, (b) 1988–89 and 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: There were 12,900, 14,010 and 13,525 persons aged over 18 years old who had resumed education in education authority schools in sessions 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90 respectively. This information was published in SED statistical bulletins 1/B1/1988, 5/B1/1989 and 9/B1/1990, copies of which are in the Library.

  The presence of adults in the classroom is beneficial both to the pupils and to the adults themselves, and I expect that more adults will choose this path to continue their education in future. It is, however, for education authorities themselves to decide how far they wish and can afford to go in providing school education beyond the statutory requirements.

WALES

  Local Offices
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes are currently being proposed to the pattern of local employment offices in Gwynedd; if he will give details of the assessed annual financial savings arising from these changes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Operational issues are a matter for the chief executive of the employment service. I have referred the hon. Gentleman's question to the director for Wales.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount of inward investment by foreign-owned companies into Wales for each year from 1978–79 to the present.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Number of projects

  Capital investment £ million

  1979

  18

  —

  1980

  16

  —

  1981

  20

  —

  1982

  17

  —

  1983

  31

  —

  1984

  45

  164

  1985

  48

  144

  1986

  50

  155

  1987

  59

  159

  1988

  56

  1,048

  Information on inward investment projects in Wales by foreign-owned companies is held by Welsh Development International only for the years 1984 onwards. Capital investment associated with projects is that supplied by companies at the time. Final figures for 1989 are not yet available. Project numbers for the years prior to 1984 are those notified to the Invest in Britain Bureau.

  Mentally Handicapped People
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how far in advance changes in the ownership or management of private institutions for mentally handicapped people have to be notified.

  Mr. Grist
  There is no specified period in which changes in the ownership or management of private homes for mentally handicapped people have to be notified in advance.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what checks a social services department, health authority or any other relevant authority is obliged to make in respect of the suitability of(a) the proprietor, (b) the manager and (c) anyone with a position of responsibility in respect of a private establishment for mentally handicapped people.

  Mr. Grist
  In assessing the fitness of persons concerned or intended to be concerned with a private home for mentally handicapped people, registration staff are expected to consider individuals' qualifications, health skills, proven experience, and, where appropriate, financial acumen. Registration authorities should also ascertain whether applicants for registration have been convicted of any offence under the Registered Homes Act 1984. Furthermore, authorities are advised to inquire into whether applicants have any other criminal convictions, including "spent" convictions within the meaning of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will undertake a review of the arrangements under which the suitability of people involved in the management and/or ownership of private establishments for the mentally handicapped is monitored; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  No. It is the responsibility of the registering authority to monitor the arrangements for assessing the suitability of people involved in the management and/or ownership of private establishments for people with a mental handicap under guidance issued by the Department.

  Countryside Council
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was anticipated to be the date upon which the Countryside Council for Wales would commence its activities on 1 January; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) when he expects the Countryside Council for Wales to commence its activities; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if there has been any delay in the financing, establishment and starting date of the Countryside Council for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Subject to the passing of the relevant legislation, the Countryside Council for Wales will take over the responsibilities of the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission in Wales with effect from 1 April 1991 as originally envisaged. The council will, however, be formally established before then, on a date to be determined, to enable it to prepare for its new role. The council will receive grant-in-aid from the date of its formal establishment.
  332
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the composition of the Countryside Council for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend has already announced his intention to appoint Mr. Michael Griffith as the first chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales. My right hon. Friend and I are also currently considering the names of a number of candidates for other appointments to the council. An announcement will be made in due course.

  Hospital Catering
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken in relation to South Glamorgan health authority, to ensure that all necessary physical conditions and procedures are satisfactorily met in the catering departments at its district general hospitals.

  Mr. Grist
  The Department issued the latest guidance to district health authorities on food hygiene and pest control in the NHS in 1988. Responsibility for inspecting hospital catering premises and for monitoring food hygiene procedures generally within hospitals rests with the relevant local authority environmental health departments.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advice his Department has given regarding the use of cook-chill methods(a) generally and (b) in national health service institutions in Wales; and if he will place copies of any guidance in the Library.

  Mr. Grist
  General advice on the subject was contained in the press release "Advice to the Public on Listeria and Food" issued by the Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health on 10 February 1989. This advice was drawn to the attention of all chief environmental health officers and medical officers of environmental health.

  Further advice was provided in a letter entitled "Listeriosis and Food", copies of which were sent to all doctors in Wales on 21 February 1989.

  The most recent guidelines on cook-chill and cook-freeze catering systems were issued to the NHS in Wales on 5 July 1989.

  Copies of all these documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Pollution Inspectors
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who is the officer of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution with responsibilities for Wales; what are his other duties; how much time he has spent in Wales in the current year; and when he last met him.

  Mr. Grist
  The head of west division of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP), based in Bristol, has overall responsibility for Wales. I have not yet had an opportunity to meet him, though our officials do so on a regular basis. There are also seven pollution inspectors with responsibility for Wales based in Cardiff.

  Pollution, Port Talbot
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to pollution from British Petroleum Chemicals at Port Talbot in the last two months; and what steps he intends to take to remedy the situation.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply given to him on 20 July at columns 758–59.

  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will ask Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to monitor on a day-to-day basis industrial pollution at Port Talbot for the next three months.

  Mr. Grist
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution assures me that it will continue to discharge its statutory responsibilities in conjunction with the local authority as necessary.

  Severn Crossing
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a liaison committee consisting of representatives of local community councils, Monmouth borough council, Gwent county council, the contractors and a representative of the Welsh Office to safeguard the environmental interests of people living near the construction of the second Severn crossing.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The most effective way of establishing liaison between the contractors and local communities on the environmental and other issues involved in this major project is currently under consideration.

  Emergency Provision
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy that, following the implementation of the relevant sections of the National Health Service and Community Care Act, allowance will be made for sums to be paid by the health authorities of patients who receive emergency or other treatment while on holiday in another district health authority area to be held over for expenditure in the succeeding financial year.

  Mr. Grist
  Patients will of course be entitled to emergency treatment while on holiday, and it is the responsibility of each health authority to provide adequate accident and emergency cover in its area. When a patient is admitted to hospital for emergency treatment, the authority in which he or she lives will be responsible for meeting the costs of the treatment required. There will be no question of patients being unable to get treatment they urgently need because of uncertainty over payment. Health authorities will need to set aside funds for such eventualities, and we expect settlements to be made promptly—normally within the financial year—to protect the financial position of the hospitals providing treatment.

  BISF Houses
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet a delegation of hon. Members, peers and residents to discuss steel-framed houses and the Parnham report on BISF houses; an assessment of condition.

  Mr. Grist
  I understand the Parnham report is specific to the Nottingham area. In those circumstances, a meeting would not seem appropriate.

  Year of the Disabled
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to promote 1991 as the Year of the Disabled in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State delivered a speech,a copy of which is in the Library of the House, at a Wales Council for the Disabled event on Friday 20 July 1990, in which he stressed the importance of 1991 as the Year of the Disabled in Wales: a year in which substantial progress is made for people with disabilities and their carers to have ready access to the facilities and opportunities which able-bodied people take for granted. I fully support this objective.

  To this end, on 8 May 1990 my Department issued to all health and local authorities and other interests in Wales guidance on good practice in the provision of services for people with physical or sensory disabilities. We will shortly publish details of the targeted grants which will be available in Wales from April 1991 to help provide more flexible forms of domiciliary care.

  Help is also available through the new renovation grants regime for disabled people to receive financial support—up to 100 per cent. where appropriate—to help them to live independently in their own homes. For those who need to rent, nearly all the homes provided through Housing for Wales are built to mobility standards and a significant proportion of the annual programme goes to meet specific special needs provision.

  We will take every opportunity to reiterate the key messages to all with a part to play, including public bodies, the private sector and the community at large and ensure that they are taken forward as part of the comprehensive programme for the improvement of social and community care as set out in White Paper "Caring for People" and in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) on 18 July.

HEALTH

  Medway Health District
  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the figures for the number of hospital in-patients treated in the Medway health district in 1988–89, or the most recent year for which figures are available and in the previous year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Year

  In-patient cases treated

  1986

  37,300

  1987–88

  38,400

  1988–89

  36,200

  Figures for all three years are deaths and discharges. Figures for 1987–88 have been adjusted to be comparable with definitions used in 1986 and 1988–89.

  Junior Doctors
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in negotiations on proposals for a reduction in the hours worked by junior doctors.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I recently met with representatives of all key parties, including the profession, to discuss this matter.

  The talks were both productive and encouraging. A working group has been established to explore the main issues. It has been asked to make an initial report later this summer when I shall next meet them formally to discuss its findings.

  In-patients, Barnet
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the latest number of in-patient cases treated by Barnet health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  During 1988–89, the latest year for which data are available, a total of 36,482 in-patient cases were treated by Barnet district health authority. That is 9 per cent. more than in 1979.

  NHS (Environmental Proposals)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken to make the national health service more environmentally friendly.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We recently launched two campaigns—"Brighter and Better Hospitals", concerned with generally improving hospitals' internal and external environments, and "Towards a Greener NHS", concerned with energy conservation, the use of lead-free petrol in NHS vehicles and reducing air pollution from waste incinerators.

  Health authorities are also encouraged, and are taking active steps, to reduce their use of CFCs and to examine possibilities both of collecting waste for recycling and the use of recycled materials.

  Details of the campaigns are given in Health Service Estate journal No. 70 (June 1990), copies of which have been placed in the Library.

  Community Care
  Mr. Allen Mckay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding funding arrangements for the Government's community care proposals.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding funding arrangements for the Government's community care proposals.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Many representations on all aspects of community care, including funding, have been received, from a wide variety of organisations. The local authority associations were invited to submit their views on the costs to the Department. These views have informed the Government's decision on the phasing of community care and the local authority settlement announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 19 July at columns 1185–1208.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is his estimate of the coist to local 336
  authorikties of preparing for the community care reforms to have been implemented in April 1991, now that he has postponed them;

  (2) iff any compensation will be available to local authorities for the preparatory expenditure for the community care reforms which have now been postponed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. We made adequate allowance in the local authority settlement for 1990–91 for pre-implementation costs for our proposals which build on existing good practice.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the waiting list initiative.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. King) on 18 January at columns 403–4. The inter-authority comparisons and consultancy (IACC) initiative mentioned in my earlier reply is now complete and has been very effective in reducing waiting times. The number of patients waiting over a year in the 43 specialties studied by the IACC team has virtually been halved, and has reduced by 37 per cent. in the 22 districts as a whole. IACC published its full report on 19 July this year, and copies are available in the Library.

  Manchester Hospitals (Staffing)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about staffing levels in hospitals in Greater Manchester.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 3 July at columns 545–46.

  Ex-psychiatric Patients
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ex-psychiatric patients he estimates now to be living in the community; what were the comparable figures five years and 15 years ago; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not collected centrally.

  In-patients
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average number of in-patients treated in a week in 1979 and in 1989.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is given in the table.

  In-patient cases treated, NHS hospitals, England, 1979 and 1988–89

  Year

  In-patient cases treated1

  In-patient cases treated per week

  1979

  5,400,120

  103,848

  1988–89

  6,585,982

  126,654

  Increase

  1,185,862

  22,805

  Percentage increase

  22

  22

  1 Discharges and deaths.

  Source: SH3 return, 1979

  SH3a return, 1988–89.

  Hospitals, Kendal
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the number of hospital beds currently available in the Kendal district; and what is the anticipated number which will be available when the new hospital is open;

  (2) what is the number of doctors, nurses and other support staff who currently work in hospitals in the Kendal area; and what are the anticipated numbers who will be employed when the new hospital is open.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information on the number of hospital beds and the number of hospital staff employed is collected by district only. The current available information on South Cumbria district is as follows:

  3Number

  Average daily available beds (1988–89)

  796

  Medical and dental staff including locums (1988)1

  90

  Nursing and midwifery including agency staff (1988)

  1,120

  Support staff (1988)2

  810

  1 Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff. Excludes senior registrars and consultants in non-teaching DHAs and senior registrars in teaching DHAs—these staff have their contracts with the RHA.

  2 Includes administration and clerical, ancilliary, professional and technical, works, maintenance and ambulance staff.

  3 "Number of staff employed are expressed as Whole Time Equivalents (WTE) and rounded up to the nearest 10."

  My right hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairman of South Cumbria health authority for further information.

  Donated Equipment
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the value of equipment donated to the national health service by charity organisations and public appeals for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Social Workers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to improve the training of approved social workers resulting from the publication in February of the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work paper on refresher training for approved social workers.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  As CCETSW's paper says, responsibilities for continuing the work now firmly lies with local authorities and professional associations. CCETSW will continue to monitor the quality and content of training for approved social workers and to encourage their professional development. CCETSW will also continue to disseminate guidance and to provide training opportunities for training officers and supervisors of approved social workers.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans are being made to equip social workers and other local authority staff with the knowledge and skills to make assessments of the need for social care of mentally ill people receiving hospital treatment.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The training of approved social workers helps to equip them in making assessments 338
  of the needs of mentally ill people. Preparation for making assessments is also being incorporated in both qualifying and post-qualifying training for social workers and in the training of other social care staff.

  Mental Health Act
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects that mental health statistics will be available for the number of hospital beds, the number of patients, their admission and discharge, length of stay and detention under various sections of the Mental Health Act 1983 for a later year than 1986.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We expect to issue a statistical bulletin covering the period to 1990 by early next year.

  Free Prescriptions
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he now proposes to make any extension to the categories covered by free prescriptions.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. A full charge is paid on less than one in five prescription items dispensed in the NHS. The present exemption arrangements protect those who are likely to have difficulty in paying charges. Those who are not exempt but who need a lot of prescriptions can limit their outlay by buying a prepayment certificate.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to announce the results of his consideration of applicants for self-governing status so far received for the south-western region.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Each NHS trust application will be the subject of a three- month public consultation. I shall announce my decision on each application after I have had an opportunity to consider the outcome of the public consultation. I expect therefore to announce my decision on the first NHS trusts in November 1990.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if staff employed by a potential national health service trust will be included in the three-month public consultation exercise which will follow each application to become a national health service trust.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have consistently made it clear that we expect staff of potential trusts to be among those consulted by the regional health authority on an application for trust status.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will extend the consultation period in relation to the submission of views to him concerning hospitals in Bradford becoming a self-governing trust; if he will list the individuals and organisations to whom the application prospectus has been sent; what is the total cost of the production, printing and distribution of the prospectus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We believe that three months should be ample time for public consultation on NHS trust applications. Regional health authorities are responsible for managing such consultations. The hon. Member may wish to contact Yorkshire RHA for information on the management of the consultation in Bradford.

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, following his announcement of the provisional chairman and deputy chairman of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, he will now announce the remaining membership.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I am pleased to announce that the following people have indicated their willingness to serve as members of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority:Margaret Auld FRCN, formerly Chief Nursing Officer, Scottish Home and Health Department; Vice President, Royal College of Midwives;
  Professor Robert J. Berry FRSE, Professor of Genetics at the University of London;
  Professor Ian Cooke FRCOG, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Sheffield Jessop Hospital for Women; specialist in reproductive medicine.
  Professor Antony Cox FRCP FRCPsych, University of London Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospitals.
  Liz Forgan, Director of Programmes at Channel 4 Television;
  Joan Harbison ABPsS, Senior Lecturer in Education, Stranmillis College, Belfast;
  Dr. Stephen Hillier PhD MRCPath, Director of Reproductive Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Edinburgh Centre for Reproductive Biology;
  Professor Brenda Hoggett QC, Law Commissioner; Recorder of the Crown Court; Visiting Professor of Law at King's College, London;
  The Rt. Rev. Richard Holloway, Bishop of Edinburgh;
  Dr. Helen Houston, MD MRCGP, general practitioner, Senior Lecturer in Continuing Medical Education at the Department of Postgraduate Studies, University of Wales College of Medicine.
  Penelope Keith, actress;
  Angela Mays, training consultant;
  Dr. Anne McLaren FRS, Director of the Medical Research Council Mammalian Development Unit;
  Rabbi Julia Neuberger, Visiting Fellow, King's Fund Institute; Chairman of the Patients' Association;
  Professor Robert W. Shaw FRCS (Ed) MRCOG, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine;
  David Shilson, senior official in the Bank of England;
  Professor Robert Snowden, Professor of Family Studies at Exeter University;
  Christine Walby, Director of Social Services, Solihull;
  Professor David Whittingham FRCVS, Professor of Experimental Embryology, University of London and Director of the Medical Research Council Experimental Embryology and Teratology Unit.

  As the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority cannot be set up by the United Kingdom Health Ministers
  340
  until the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill has received Royal Assent, their acceptance is on a provisional basis until then.

  The members have been selected on the basis of their experience and personal qualities and not as representatives of any group or profession. They have been chosen so as to ensure that the authority is informed by views and experience across a wide range of relevant disciplines.

  Miss Auld, Professor Cooke, Dr. Hillier, Dr. McLaren, Rabbi Neuberger, and Professor Shaw are currently members of the Interim Licensing Authority. This body was set up in 1985 by the Medical Research Council and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists pending legislation on human fertilisation and embryology. It will continue in being until the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority assumes its full powers, probably in the summer of 1991.

  Road Accident Victims
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has for the total medical and ambulance costs associated with treatment for victims of road accidents; how much is recouped from insurance companies to meet the cost of treating road accident victims; and what plans he has to put in hand arrangements to recover any shortfall.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information on the actual cost to the National Health Service in England of road accidents is not collected by the Department. However, the Department of Transport has estimated the medical and ambulance costs associated with the treatment of road accident victims in Great Britain at around £160 million in 1988.

  Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 health authorities may levy an emergency treatment fee on the user of the vehicle involved in the accident. They may also raise charges for inpatient and outpatient treatment of road accident victims, subject to statutory maxima, against the owner of the vehicle or the authorised insurer. The total income collected by health authorities in England was £8·7 million in 1988–89. Details of the element recouped from insurance companies is not available.

  Radioactive Caesium
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond),Official Report, 9 July, column 67, if he will publish such information as he possesses for the past five years on the number of reported cases of radioactive caesium in people.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In the United Kindom the presence of radiocaesium in people is widespread but can be detected only by sophisticated monitoring equipment. The Department of the Environment are sponsoring a survey using mobile equipment of levels of radiocaesium in people in parts of England and Wales. Preliminary results demonstrate that in every person monitored the radiocaesium activity was less than one fifth of the radioactive potassium activity naturally present in the body. This represents a negligible risk to health.

  Blood
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to introduce legislation to enable United Kingdom health authorities to sell whole blood and red cell concentrates to health authorities in 1992 in the single European market.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to enable the United Kingdom blood transfusion service to develop a programme which, subject to acceptable and validated product quality, would ensure that all plasma-derived factor VIII concentrate used in the national health services will be derived from United Kingdom blood donors.

  Mr. Dorrell
  At present approximately 70 per cent. of the factor VIII used in England and Wales is produced at the Bio Products Laboratory from the plasma of unpaid donors to the national blood transfusion service. The remainder is commercially produced factor VIII which is imported into the United Kingdom. The imported products are prescribed as a result of the preference of individual clinicians. The Bio Products Laboratory is, therefore, meeting in full the demand for its factor VIII, 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 clinicians.

  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.

  Advertising
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on advertising and other promotional material for campaigns regarding(a) nurse recruitment, (b) blood donor recruitment, (c) drug misuse and (d) the national health service reforms, in 1988–89, 1989–90 and the estimated budgets in 1990–91.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Expenditure and estimated budget figures for the years 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 for campaigns relating to nurse recruitment, blood donor recruitment, drug misuse and the national health service reforms are as follows:

  £ million

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91 (estimate)

  Nurse recruitment

  2·338

  4·184

  3·871

  Blood donor recruitment

  0·405

  0·641

  0·627

  Drug misuse

  2·668

  3·808

  4·542

  National health service reforms

  0·139

  0·359

  2·746

  RU486
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has received a report of the results of the British multi-centre trials of the drug RU486; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  For reasons of commercial confidentiality the licensing authority does not disclose 342
  information about the receipt or progress of applications for permission to conduct clinical trials in patients, or of product licence applications. The result of all clinical trials are required to be submitted when an application for a product licence is made.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the recent salmonella outbreak at Burnley general hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There was an outbreak of food poisoning at Burnley general hospital in June this year due to Salmonella enteritidis PT4. The likely cause was cross-contamination from chicken which was defrosted in metal trays normally used for salads.

  Implementation of guidance issued by the Department of Health enables health authorities to maintain standards of hygiene and safety of patient meals. In particular, the guidance warns of the need to take care to ensure that raw meat, including poultry, does not come into contact with cooked or prepared foods.

  Publicity
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on advertising, publicity and communications(a) in 1989–90 and (b) in 1979–80, excluding any expenditure relating to social security which came under his Department's jurisdiction at that time.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The total expenditure on advertising, publicity and communications for the years 1989–90 and 1979–80 are as follows:

  1979–80 £ million

  1989–90 £ million

  1·526

  17·244

  Emergency Provision
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that, following the implementation of the relevant sections of the National Health Service and Community Care Act, allowance will be made for sums to be paid by the health authorities of patients who receive emergency or other treatment while on holiday in another district health authority area to be held over for expenditure in the succeeding financial year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  If a person requires hospital treatment while away from home, the cost will be borne by the local district health authority in the case of outpatient attendance at a casualty department, and by the patient's home district health authority in the case of inpatient treatment. Districts will normally remit treatment costs to NHS providers within one month. It is already possible for health authorities to hold over up to half a per cent. of their budgets from one year to the next.

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many notifications of abortion were received by the chief medical officer later than seven days after the abortion took place during 1988.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 24 May 1990]: The answer is 54 per cent. The explanations given

  Heart Disease
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest statistics of(a) deaths and (b) sufferers from heart disease in each health district in the north-west region.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 23 July 1990]: Information about the number of deaths due to heart disease is given in the table.

  Number of deaths due to heart disease1—usual residents of the North-Western regional health authority and component districts, 19892

  District Health Authority

  Male

  Female

  Lancaster

  282

  240

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  921

  774

  Preston

  230

  238

  Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

  558

  582

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  503

  509

  West Lancashire

  215

  164

  Chorley and South Ribble

  328

  297

  Bolton

  495

  503

  Bury

  368

  358

  North Manchester

  331

  311

  Central Manchester

  246

  198

  South Manchester

  349

  368

  Oldham

  474

  472

  Rochdale

  394

  403

  Salford

  520

  497

  Stockport

  470

  495

  Tameside and Glossop

  478

  500

  Trafford

  397

  375

  Wigan

  630

  591

  Total

  8,189

  7,875

  1International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 390–429; this excludes congenital heart disease.

  2Provisional.

  The information in the table gives the estimated number of patients treated in NHS hospitals in the North Western RHA for conditions related to heart disease during 1988–89. Information on the number of sufferers from heart disease is not collected centrally.

  Estimated number of in-patient and day case completed consultant episodes for diagnosis heart disease (ICD 390–429) 1988–89.

  Numbers

  Lancaster

  800

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  3,100

  Preston

  1,200

  Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

  2,800

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  3,100

  West Lancashire

  800

  Chorley and South Ribble

  1,300

  Bolton

  2,600

  Bury

  2,000

  North Manchester

  1,300

  Central Manchester

  1,400

  South Manchester

  1,500

  Oldham

  2,100

  Rochdale

  2,100

  Salford

  2,700

  Stockport

  2,500

  Tameside and Glossop

  2,500

  Trafford

  1,800

  Wigan

  4,000

  North Western RHA

  39,400

  Source: HES 1988–89.

  Asthma
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has in respect of the numbers of people affected by asthma in(a) 1990, (b) 1985 and (c) 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: Precise figures on people affected by asthma are not collected centrally. However, it is estimated that there are approximately 1 million diagnosed asthmatics in England and Wales at present.

ENVIRONMENT

  Pollution Control
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the director of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to discuss progress in pollution control.

  Mr. Trippier
  I meet the director of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution regularly and discuss progress on all aspects of HMIP's business including the discharge of the inspectorate's regulatory functions.

  Tenants' Choice
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the transfer of housing under the tenants' choice provision of the Housing Act 1988.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Tenants' choice continues to help improve the quality of management on local authority estates, by offering tenants a viable alternative which in turn has encouraged local authorities to look much harder at the service they provide.

  Public Water Supplies
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in reducing the nitrate levels of public water supplies.

  Mr. Trippier
  Considerable progress has been achieved in recent years in reducing nitrate levels in public water supplies. In addition to finding new nitrate-free sources, water companies have been blending water of high nitrate concentration with water of low nitrate concentration to meet the standard and have been developing de-nitrification treatment processes. Water companies have made undertakings to meet the required standards by these several means progressively over the coming years. All supplies will comply by 1995 at the latest. Those supplies which do not meet the standard in the interim are not considered to endanger health.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent communications he has received from the Commission in Brussels about the quality of the United Kingdom's drinking water and beaches.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The European Commission has commenced court proceedings against this country and
  345
  virtually all other member states on the bathing water and drinking water directive. I had useful discussions yesterday with the Commission about our very substantial investment programme to improve the quality of our drinking water and bathing waters.

  National Parks
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the boundaries of the national parks.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No: it is for the Countryside Commission to initiate reviews of the boundaries of national parks.

  Athletics
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Sports Council to discuss the Government's support for British athletics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am meeting the vice-chairman of the Sports Council tomorrow to talk about the council's corporate plan. We will be touching on a variety of issues which may include British athletics.

  Bristol Channel (Dumping)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals there are to end the dumping of sewage and sewage sludge in the Bristol channel.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Government are committed to ending dumping of sewage sludge at sea by 1998 and to the introduction of treatment for all substantial discharges of sewage. Discussions are now being held with the water industry and relevant regulatory bodies about the implementation of these policies.

  Toxic Land
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of toxic land from the land register.

  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is considering various possibilities to accelerate the removal of contaminated land from the land register. Any firm proposals would be the subject of consultation.

  Marine Environment
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline his Department's responsibilities in respect of protection of the marine environment.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Department is responsible for the overall co-ordination of Government policies as they affect the environment, including the marine environment.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many adults in England(a) are eligible to pay the community charge and (b) were registered to pay domestic rates in their last year of existence.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Some 36 million adults are eligible to pay the community charge this year compared with around 18 million domestic ratepayers under the previous system.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and the Association of County Councils to discuss the implications for poll tax projections of central Government funding for local services in 1991–92.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend is planning to meet representatives of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the Association of County Councils and other local authority associations at the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on 17 September. At the meeting he expects to discuss the level and distribution of central Government support for local authority spending in 1991–92.

  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many charge payers he estimates will have their community charge bill reduced in 1990–91 as a result of the community charge capping of a number of designated local authorities.

  Mr. Nicholls
  More than 4 million.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to improve further the assessment of the spending needs of local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to changes in standard spending assessments for 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend will announce his proposals for standard spending assessments in the autumn.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any representations in favour of replacing the community charge with a property tax based on notional rental values.

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any recent representations in favour of replacing the community charge with a property tax based on capital values.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received in favour of replacing the community charge with the old system of domestic rates.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received in favour of a return to the domestic rates.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received in favour of replacing the community charge with a tax on property.
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  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received in favour of a return to domestic rates.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I continue to receive representations on all aspects of local government finance. Not surprisingly, very few of these favour a return to domestic rates.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people, and what proportion, of those required to pay 20 per cent. of their poll tax were liable to pay rates.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 23 July 1990]: I estimate that the community charge bill for about 4 million adults is 20 per cent. or less of the personal charge for their area, and for 2·4 million of this 4 million (58 per cent.) either they or their spouses were former ratepayers.

  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentages of local authority expenditure in the current year are financed from the community charge, the unified business rate and central Government support(a) on average in England and (b) in Worthing.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information is as follows.

  Percentage of Local Authority Expenditure Financed by:

  England per cent.

  Worthing per cent.

  Community charge1

  27·0

  36·4

  Unified business rate

  26·0

  40·1

  Central government support2

  45·3

  22·9

  Use of reserves

  1·7

  0·6

  1 Community charges net of community charge benefit and transitional relief grant as reported on authorities' budget returns. These grants are included in Central Government support.

  2 Comprising Revenue Support Grant, safety net adjustments, special grants and specific and supplementary grants both inside and outside Aggregate External Finance.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost to the Exchequer of abolishing the requirement to pay poll tax of those who are currently required to pay only 20 per cent. of the poll tax.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Based on local authority returns, I estimate that 500,000 students currently receive relief under section 13 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988. It is estimated that these students will pay about £40 million in community charge this year.

  The cost of increasing the maximum reduction available through community charge benefit to 100 per cent. is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to collect and to report to the House the average costs of collection of the community charge in its first year in England and Wales(a) per community charge payer and (b) as a proportion of the charge collected.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Yes.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received about his proposals to charge-cap local authorities.
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  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend received a number of representations about his proposals on caps for those local authorities designated for charge capping in 1990–91.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his best estimates of the losses on poll tax collection likely to be incurred in 1990–91.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Government have made no separate estimates or assumptions about losses in the collection of the community charge. There is no reason why the percentage volume of community charge arrears should be any greater than under the rating system.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Government intend to retain the power to cap local authority budgets.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Yes.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his best estimates of the likely average level of poll tax in 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any assessment of spending needs of local authorities for the coming financial year 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Members to the statement which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made to the House on 19 July.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the Association of District Councils; and whether community charge levels were discussed.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the Association of County Councils; and whether levels of local authority spending were discussed.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend met representatives of the Association of District Councils, the Association of County Councils and other local authority associations at the meeting of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on 5 July. The meeting discussed the level of spending planned by local authorities in 1990–91, the need for spending by local authorities in 1991–92, and the implications for community charge levels.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received concerning his Department's review of the poll tax.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations.

  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to replace the community charge.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to review the operation of the community charge with a view to restricting payment to only one person in every household.

  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the principles which guided him in conducting his review of the community charge.
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  Mr. Nicholls
  I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend on 19 July.

  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to meet local authority leaders to discuss alternatives to the community charge.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Chope), to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Dykes) on Friday 20 July,Official Report, Volume 176, column 738.

  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many students in further education under 20 years of age have applied for exemption from the community charge.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information about applications for exemptions is not available centrally. I shall publish estimates of numbers of exempt persons when data are available from local authority returns.

  Ocean Dumping
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met his counterparts in the European Community regarding ocean dumping.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Dumping at sea was discussed by Ministers of North sea states at the third North sea conference held in The Hague in March this year which Ireland, Portugal and Spain also attended as observers.

  Environment White Paper
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his next White Paper on the environment.

  Mr. Trippier
  This autumn.

  Liverpool Football Club
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make representations to UEFA to lift the ban on the entrance of Liverpool football club into European competitions; how many representations he has received against the ban; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  As I made clear in my recent letter and report to UEFA on progress on measures to combat football hooliganism, I believe that a blanket ban on English clubs participating in European competitions is no longer justified. As to the question of lifting UEFA's additional three-year ban on Liverpool football club, in the first instance it is for the English FA to nominate Liverpool and for UEFA to take the final decision. Since August 1989 I have received five letters in support of the lifting of the ban on Liverpool.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the uniform business rate for the year 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the increase in the uniform business rate for the year 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend will calculate and notify charging authorities of the national non-domestic rating multiplier for 1991–92 in the autumn. As the hon. Gentlemen will know, however, the multiplier cannot in future rise from year to year in real terms. This compares favourably with the 62 per cent. increase in real terms between 1979–80 and 1989–90 in the non-domestic poundage set by Bradford metropolitan borough council.

  Land Register
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of underutilised land from the land register.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of dormant land from the land register.

  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of unused land from the land register.

  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of underutilised land from the land register.

  Mr. Bevan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of underutilised land from the land register.

  Dr. Blackburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of toxic land from the land register.

  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take to accelerate the removal of derelict land from the land register.

  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of derelict land from the land register.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of unused land from the land register.

  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of vacant land in the inner cities from the land register.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of dormant land from the land register.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of dormant land from the land register.

  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of toxic land from the land register.
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  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of vacant land from the land register.

  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of dormant land from the land register.

  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of derelict land from the land register.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of under-utilised land from the land register.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is considering to accelerate the removal of vacant land from the land register.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicestershire, North-West (Mr. Ashby).

  Sewers (Radioactive Discharges)
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on radioactive discharges to the public sewer.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory), to the hon. Member on 27 June 1990,Official Report, Vol. 175, column 266.

  Bathing Waters
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the European Commission on the quality of designated bathing waters.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We maintain a dialogue with the Commission on this topic.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will transpose the requirements of designation and compliance of 76/160/EEC bathing water directive to United Kingdom law.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We are at present discussing with the water industry a draft of regulations to be made under the Water Act 1989 to bring the requirements of directive 76/160/EEC explicitly within the scope of United Kingdom law.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to announce a sampling and analysis system to be used by the National Rivers Authority for its monitoring responsibilities in bathing water.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Secretary of State has appointed the National Rivers Authority as the competent authority for implementing directive 76/160/EEC. It is for the National Rivers Authority to determine the appropriate sampling and analysis procedures consistent with the directive.
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  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of United Kingdom bathing waters complies with the European Community directive; and what the figure was in 1979.

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many United Kingdom bathing waters complied with the European Community bathing waters directive(a) in 1979 and (b) at the current time; and what percentage of total designated waters this represents.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In 1979, 18 of the 27 identified bathing waters complied with the directive's mandatory coliform standards; this is 67 per cent. For 1989, 336 of the 440 identified bathing waters complied with the directive's mandatory coliform standards; this is 76 per cent.

  Planning Legislation
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about existing planning legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department is always receiving comments on the operation of town and country planning legislation and suggestions for improving it. In addition, we have received many comments in response to consultation papers on specific aspects of planning law.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to introduce new planning legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Following recent public consultation exercises my right hon. Friend intends to introduce legislation on town and country planning when the parliamentary timetable permits.

  Housing Corporation
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make further funds available to the Housing Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  We are already increasing very significantly the level of resources available to the Housing Corporation for investment in housing associations. The corporation's gross capital expenditure in 1989–90 was £935 million; provision for 1990–91 is £1,100 million and is planned to rise to £1,536 million in 1991–92 and £1,736 million in 1992–93.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Housing Corporation to discuss its finances.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning meets the chairman of the Housing Corporation from time to time to discuss the corporation's finances and other matters.

  Transitional Relief
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his best estimates of the level of take-up of transitional relief for non-ratepaying pensioners and people with disabilities for 1990–91.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I estimate that about half a million elderly or disabled persons in England are entitled to extra help
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  under the transitional relief scheme. They have until 1 October, or later if the charging authority allows, to apply. I therefore have no estimate of the number likely to receive extra relief.

  Water Infrastructure Charge
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet the Director General of Water Services to discuss the workings of the water infrastructure charge.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend will be meeting the Director General of Water Services shortly. They will be discussing a number of matters of general interest.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of housing association houses and flats is subject to equity sharing agreements; and what proportion carries the right to buy.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Since April 1979 there have been some 22,000 housing association sales in England under shared ownership arrangements. Information about those which have subsequently been fully purchased by the occupier, or reverted to housing association ownership, is not available centrally.

  Housing associations owned an estimated 565,000 dwellings in England at the end of March 1990, and the right to buy is available to all tenants except (a) those with assured tenancies, (b) tenants of charitable housing associations, (c) those in housing associations which have not been publicly funded, and (d) those in associations which are fully mutual co-operatives. Estimates of the number of tenants excluded are not available.

  Recreational Facilities
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional playing fields and games facilities, including leisure centres, are estimated to have been established since 1979; what were the figures for the previous five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  It is estimated that during the period from 1980 to 1989 inclusive, 682 new sports facilities were built in England. This figure compares with the 478 that were estimated to have been built during the period 1975–79. No central record of playing fields provision exists.

  Sewage Outlets
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the sewage outlets into seas and estuaries which were at a planning stage and will now incorporate full treatment, as a result of his North sea conference announcement; how much will be contributed from Government funds; and what proportion of the additional costs that contribution represents.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Discussions are being held with the sewage undertakers, the National Rivers Authority and the Office of Water Services about the implications for individual schemes of the decision to treat all substantial sewage discharges.

  The additional costs must be met by the water service companies, although these costs will be eligible for consideration for cost pass-through.

  Council Tenants
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department has introduced since 1979 to help council tenants to buy their own homes.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The right to buy was introduced in 1980 to enable council tenants to buy their homes, and has been regularly improved since: the qualifying period has been reduced from three years to two, discounts have been increased and tenants of disabled persons' housing, outside sheltered schemes, have been given the right to buy. Over 1·2 million tenants of local authorities, new towns and housing associations in England have bought their homes as sitting tenants since 1979 under the right to buy or on voluntary terms. Since 1989, local authorities have also had the power to pay grants to help their tenants buy homes of their own on the open market.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest figure he has for the number of tenants in the north-west of England who have bought their homes under the Government's right-to-buy legislation.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  It is estimated that, up to the end of March 1990, 111,000 dwellings had been sold by local authorities and new towns in the north-west of England under the right-to-buy legislation.

  I have today placed in the Library a table giving available information on local authority sales up to March 1990. It shows year-by-year information for each authority since 1984–85 together with cumulative figures since April 1979 and the proportion of stock sold since April 1979.

  Sewage Disposal, Fylde
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has received from Lancashire county council for a workable solution to the problems of sewage disposal on the Fylde coast and in the River Ribble.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  North West Water plc is consulting interested parties, including local authorities, about proposals for disposing of sewage on the Flyde coast. It will then be for the National Rivers Authority to consider applications for discharge consents.

  European Football Competitions
  Mr. Barry Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had concerning the re-entry into European football competitions of English football clubs.

  Mr. Robert Atkins
  I had meetings with both the president and vice-president of UEFA in May. I have also had discussions with the chairman of the Football Association and the chairmen of Manchester United and Aston Villa. On 10 June, I submitted a report to UEFA covering the behaviour of spectators during the 1989–90 domestic season and the World Cup finals in Italy.

  I indicated to the president of UEFA that the Government had withdrawn their objections to the participation by English clubs in European competitions.

  355
  Taking into account our views, UEFA decided to admit Manchester United to the European cup winners cup and Aston Villa to the UEFA cup next season.

  Drinking Water
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made a recent assessment of the safety of drinking water.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The quality of drinking water from public supplies in England and Wales is generally of a high quality. Most supplies already comply with the requirements of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 which incorporate the standards of the EC drinking water directive. Programmes are under way to improve as quickly as practicable those supplies which do not yet comply.

  The drinking water inspectorate has commenced inspection of the water companies and will report to my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Wales in 1991 upon the quality of drinking water supplied during the current calendar year.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the levels at which lead in drinking water is officially regarded as safe.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Any exposure to lead should be considered potentially harmful. The Commitee on the Medical Aspects of the Contamination of Air, Soil and Water, an independent committee which advises the chief medical officer, reviewed the position in November 1988. Its conclusions are reproduced in annex 1 of "Guidance on Safeguarding the Quality of Public Water Supplies", which is in the Library. In accordance with the committee's recommendation a standard of 50 micrograms/litre is incorporated in the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989, and applies to any sample rather than to the average level. This is more rigorous than the standard in the EC drinking water directive.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department is taking to reduce the danger of lead in drinking water.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Much has already been done to reduce lead levels in those parts of the country where there was a particular problem.

  As well as setting a standard of 50 micrograms/litre for lead in any sample of drinking water, the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 require water companies to carry out additional treatment of drinking water in certain circumstances where, in the company's opinion, this will eliminate, or reduce to a minimum, the risk that the lead level in the water will rise to more than 50 micrograms/litre after leaving the company's pipes; and, where there is such a risk, to co-operate with the owner of the premises in removing its part of any lead pipe which connects directly to a tap using drinking water. Water companies have given undertakings to the Secretary of State to identify by specified dates supply zones where additional treatment may be appropriate, and to install such treatment by specified dates.

  The water byelaws prohibit the installation of any pipe or other water fitting made of lead and the use, in the construction or installation of any pipe or water fitting, of
  356
  any material or substance which is likely to cause contamination of water. We are considering whether any further steps should be taken to increase the effectiveness of the byelaws in this respect.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the presence of pesticides in drinking water.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The trace amounts of pesticide found in a small proportion of United Kingdom drinking water supplies are not regarded by the Government's medical advisers as posing a danger to health. Under the water quality regulations water companies are required to carry out regular monitoring for pesticides residues and, where appropriate, to develop the technology for their removal and to investigate with the National Rivers Authority the case for restricting their use within water catchment areas.

  Voluntary Sports Clubs
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to introduce mandatory rate relief for voluntary sports clubs.

  Mr. Atkins
  Present arrangements allow local authorities to award discretionary rate relief of up to 100 per cent. to non-profit making bodies—such as voluntary sports clubs. The Government have considered mandatory rate relief, but believe that local authorities are best placed to assess the benefits that local communities derive from sports clubs and should, therefore, be allowed to tailor rate relief accordingly.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the legislation for the preservation of hedgerows.

  Mr. Trippier
  Our current review of tree preservation policies and legislation is also considering matters relating to hedgerows.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites of special scientific interest have been damaged or destroyed during the last seven years.

  Mr. Trippier
  The information is not available in the form requested. Since 1 April 1984 information on the number of SSSIs damaged is set out in the NCC's annual reports, copies of which are in the Library.

  Housebuilding
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the current condition of private sector housebuilding.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The most recent housebuilding statistics were published by my Department in a press release on 5 July 1990, which is in the Library.

  Although the housebuilding industry is currently suffering from the effects of anti-inflationary measures, the success of those measures will provide a sound basis for its long-term prospects for growth.
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  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has developed any proposals concerning public sector housebuilding.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The task of providing new subsidised homes for rent and sale is increasingly passing to housing associations, with local authorities fulfilling an enabling role. Local authorities decide their own priorities in using the capital resources available to them, although the Government have encouraged them to concentrate on the improvement of their own stock and on assistance to private owners with grants.

  Newspapers (Recycled Newsprint)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what initiative he is taking to increase the use of recycled newsprint by national newspapers.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I intend to have meetings with individual newspaper publishers, newsprint manufacturers and the Newspaper Publishers Association shortly to discuss further what measures can be taken to increase the proportion of recycled paper used in newsprint.

  New Territories
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new tenancies he estimates will be created by private landlords(a) during 1990 and (b) in 1991.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new tenancies have been created by private landlords under the Housing Act 1988.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  We are about to commence a detailed evaluation of the impact of deregulation and that will include an assessment of the number of tenancies so far created. There are already clear signs of increased activity in the residential letting market. We estimate that £535 million has so far been invested in business expansion scheme companies letting on assured tenancies, which should provide some 9,500 additional homes for letting.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action the Government are taking in assisting developing countries to phase out the use of chlorofluorocarbons.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development to the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) on 18 June, column 392, and to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 2 July, column 418.

  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by what date it is his policy that all non-essential use of chlorofluorocarbons in Britain should be phased out.

  Mr. Trippier
  Much of the non-essential use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) has already gone. It is the Government's policy to phase out all CFC use by 1997 subject to an exemption if necessary for essential uses such as medical aerosols.
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  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's target for reducing the use of chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting substances in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Trippier
  We are negotiating within the European Community for the following targets: chlorofluorocarbons—50 per cent. cut by 1992, 85 per cent. by 1995, phase-out by 1997 subject to an exemption if necessary for essential uses such as medical aerosols; halons—50 per cent. by 1995, phase-out by 2000 except for agreed essential uses; carbon tetrachloride—an 85 per cent. cut by 1992, phase-out by 2000; and methyl chloroform—freeze by 1992, 30 per cent. cut by 1995, 70 per cent. by 2000, phase-out in 2005. These targets imply faster progress than the recently agreed changes to the Montreal protocol for all the substances except halons.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his Department's current estimate of the ongoing effect of chlorofluorocarbons on the ozone layer.

  Mr. Trippier
  My Department has asked the stratospheric ozone review group to report as soon as possible on the likely impact on the ozone layer of the tightening of the Montreal protocol agreed at the second meeting of the parties held in London last month. Our preliminary estimate is that, if all significant users of ozone-depleting substances ratify the amended protocol, chlorine loading in the atmosphere will peak at about four parts per billion in 1997, and fall to about three parts per billion by 2040. This fall would be significantly greater if use of HCFCs is phased out between 2020 and 2040, as envisaged in the resolution agreed at the meeting.

  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received supporting the agreements reached at the London ozone conference in June on phasing out the use of chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting substances; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has recieved a number of representations supporting the agreements reached in London. He has also received a number supporting our call for a phase-out, within the European Community, of chlorofluorocarbons by 1997, subject to an exemption if necessary for essential uses such as medical aerosols.

  Rivers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of United Kingdom rivers are of good or fair quality; and what are the comparable figures for the rest of the European Community.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The river quality surveys carried out in 1985 throughout the United Kingdom showed that 95 per cent. of the United Kingdom's rivers were of good or fair quality. A review of river classification schemes across the European Community published in 1988 by the Water Research Centre showed that the average figure in the EC for rivers of comparable quality was 75 per cent.; the review also indicated that no other member state bettered the United Kingdom's position.
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  Mr. Lyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the National Rivers Authority to discuss progress on improving the quality of rivers.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Mr. Trippier) to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on Wednesday 18 July,Official Report, Volume 176, column 564.

  Water Leakage
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take powers to require water companies to reduce the levels of leakage within their areas.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Director General of Water Services already have adequate powers under part II of the Water Act 1989 for this purpose. I would also refer to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 13 February 1990,Official Report, column 181.

  Acid Rain
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent research he has commissioned into the effects of acid rain on trees.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department has commissioned extensive studies into the effects of acid deposition and gaseous pollutants on trees, with emphasis on establishing possible mechanisms for damage and methods for early diagnosis of damage. This is part of the ongoing air pollution research programme. Recent results from this programme and from work carried out elsewhere have significantly advanced our knowledge and my Department has therefore set up a sub-group of the United Kingdom terrestrial effects review group specifically to evaluate this new information. The sub-group will report in January 1991.

  Documents
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn),Official Report, 2 July, what steps he takes to ensure that all documentary records are properly preserved.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  My Department complies fully with the requirements of the Public Records Act 1958, and responds to advice from the Public Records Office on the safekeeping of documentary records.

  Irish Sea Conference
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the Irish sea conference to be held in the Isle of Man in October.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I regularly receive correspondence from members of the public as well as parish and community councils about the Irish sea, but these have not focused particularly on the forthcoming Irish sea conference. This is being organised by the Irish sea study 360
  group which includes Government, industry, academic institutions and voluntary organisations and is supported by the Governments of both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement outlining progress following the London international conference in June on the ozone layer.

  Mr. Trippier
  Discussions have started within the European Community on a new regulation to control ozone-depleting substances. For the chlorofluorocarbons, the Government are pressing for a phase-out date of 1997 subject to an exemption if necessary for essential uses such as medical aerosols.

  Rural Housing
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has developed any new proposals for the creation of affordable rented housing in rural areas.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 13 December 1989 to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Chope),Official Report, column 711.

  Action for Cities
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of the action for cities programme.

  Mr. Portillo
  Substantial progress is being made in the regeneration of our inner cities under the Government's action for cities programme. In partnership with the private sector, substantial investment is taking place in new factories, housing, shopping centres, roads and other infrastructure, and in treating derelict land; unemployment in the 57 inner city target areas has fallen by a third since March 1988. The Government, through the city action teams and inner city task forces, are working closely with business, local government, the voluntary sector and local people to build on the progress already made and to maintain the pace of inner city regeneration.

  Capital Values
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any representations in response to the capital value rating figures published by his Department on 4 April.

  Mr. Portillo
  Although I receive representations on many aspects of local government finance, not many have been on this aspect.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made with his Department's initiative to provide direct access to subsidised accommodation for single homeless people sleeping rough on the streets of London and other cities.
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  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Urgent consultations are currently taking place with voluntary groups, local authorities and housing associations about the provision of direct access accommodation in London. Consideration will be given in due course to the possibility of extending the initiative to other major cities.

  Landfill Sites
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what extra resources he will make available for the monitoring of methane gas from current and disused landfill sites.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Mr. Trippier) on Thursday 19 July 1990 to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley),Official Report, Volume 176, column 726.

  Mortgage Repossession
  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Building Societies Association to discuss mortgage repossession.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Chope), to the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman) on 27 June,Official Report, Vol. 175, column 265.

  Beaches
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who is responsible for deciding how many and which bathing beaches are tested each year for compliance with EEC standards.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In England this is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it is a matter for the respective Secretaries of State. Identifications were made in consultation with the competent authorities. Local authorities and the National Rivers Authority also measure the quality of other, non-identified, waters in their area.

  Integrated Pollution Control
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received from industry in respect of the introduction of integrated pollution control; what has been the nature of these representations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt), on 24 July.

  Southampton Buildings
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will ask an inspector from English Heritage to reassess Southampton Buildings as regards the grade II listing for part of the site.

  Mr. Trippier
  I will write to the hon. Member.
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  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the cladding removed in 1984 will be replaced on the east wing of Southampton buildings, London WC2.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: The cladding was removed in 1986 because of serious deterioration following storm damage in that year. Re-cladding was planned to start in December last year, but this had to be postponed because of funding difficulties and other maintenance priorities. It may, however, be possible to start next year.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are the plans for Southampton buildings when the Patent Office and British library vacate the buildings;

  (2) whether there are plans to redevelop the site formerly known as the great seal patent office and library.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 24 July 1990]: The last parts of the Patent Office vacated Southampton buildings in September last year. The building is expected to be occupied by British Library and others until the mid-1990s when the opportunity may occur for refurbishment or redevelopment. It is too early to say which option might be adopted.

  Empty Properties
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of empty private properties which have been brought back into use since the provisions of the Housing Act 1988 came into force.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No such estimate has been made. I expect the 1990 private renters' survey, the results of which will be available next spring, to show that many landlords of all types of property have been encouraged to make them available by the 1988 Act.

  Noise Pollution
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any intention to change the legislation in relation to noise pollution, in particular as it relates to noise created by parties and similar activities.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to strengthen noise pollution legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  An independently chaired working party has been meeting regularly since February to discuss noise pollution, including loud parties and neighbourhood noise. The working party's recommendations will be considered in drafting the environment White Paper and the working party's report will also be published in full. These will indicate the changes that may be needed in noise control legislation.

  The Entertainments (Increased Penalties) Act received Royal Assent on 13 July. This substantially increases the penalties to fines of up to £20,000 or imprisonment for up to six months, or both, in all cases where an event is held without a licence or where a licence condition regarding the number of people who might be present is breached. In addition, my right hon. and learned Friend the Home

  363
  Secretary has proposed that magistrates should be given power under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 to confiscate profits in excess of £10,000 made by those organising illegal parties or allowing their land or premises to be used for them.

  Waste Control
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement concerning the role of waste regulation authorities in carrying out visits to industrial and chemical waste producers; and what plans he has to extend the advice set out in waste management paper No. 4 to include visits to industrial and commercial waste producers;

  (2) what advice he has given and to whom concerning the frequency of site visits to producers of industrial and commercial waste;

  (3) if he will make a statement about the financing of inspections of industrial and commercial waste producers in respect of duty of care provisions as currently outlined in the Environmental Protection Bill;

  (4) what assessment he has made of the number of producers of (a) industrial and commercial waste in London and England which will be covered by duty of care provisions under the Environmental Protection Bill;

  (5) what is his estimated cost for regulating producers of waste (a) in London and (b) in England.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Environmental Protection Bill places waste producers under a duty of care to take all reasonable steps to ensure that their waste will not be dealt with illegally. The duty will apply to all persons who produce or hold waste in the course of a business. There are around 800,000 registered companies in England and Wales, and considerably more non-registered businesses. The duty of care imposes no additional regulatory duties on local authorities, nor will it require them to visit waste producers routinely. We have no plans to include advice on visits to producers' premises in any revision of waste management paper 4, which deals with the licensing of waste management facilities, not the duty of care. General advice on the implications of the duty of care has been published in the form of a draft code of practice, to be issued under clause 33 of the Bill. It will be open to any authority or individual to prosecute any producer or holder of waste whose actions constitute a breach of the duty of care. Further advice on the steps to be taken by authorities to follow up a suspected breach of the duty will be issued in the form of a circular when the duty of care provisions are enacted. The effect of the duty of care on waste regulation authorities will be to provide, for the first time, an effective sanction against producers of waste who collaborate in the commission of existing offences. I do not foresee any need for significant extra resources to deal with this new provision.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a revised timetable for the introduction of regulations necessary to bring into effect the powers of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989.

  Mr. Trippier
  The regulations necessary to implement the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 are being prepared with a view to their being issued for consultation later in the summer and coming into force early in 1991.

  Ferro Alloys (Pollution)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has made in securing the co-operation of Ferro Alloys in Glossop in meeting the reduced target rate of 113 kg/hour by 31 August 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  No intermediate target has been set for the company. The inspectorate will continue to monitor the situation and as yet is unaware of any reasons why the target will not be met.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current hourly rate of sulphur dioxide emissions from the Ferro Alloys chimney stack in Glossop for the last six months, measured in metric terms.

  Mr. Trippier
  The estimated hourly rates of sulphur dioxide emissions from the Ferro Alloys chimney for the last six months are given in the table:

  Month

  Kg/hr sulphur dioxide

  1990

  January

  325

  February

  358

  March

  320

  April

  325

  May

  313

  June

  296

  Average figures are based on monthly production figures and monthly sulphur dioxide results.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will inform the Peak Park planning board of the current level of sulphur dioxide emissions from the Ferro Alloys chimney stack in Glossop: and if he will monitor the effect of sulphur dioxide emissions from that stack on the area covered by the Peak Park planning board.

  Mr. Trippier
  Information is available and the inspectorate will contact the Peak Park planning board to ensure that this information is made available to it on a regular basis.

  HMIP does not normally carry out environmental monitoring. This is usually done by the relevant local authorities, in this case both High Peak borough council and Derbyshire Dales district council, both of which cover the Peak Park near to Glossop.

  At any distance from the Glossop plant it is unlikely that any emissions from Ferro Alloys could be distinguished from other sources.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been given to establishing a consultation mechanism between the Nature Conservancy Council and interested parties, including sea fisheries committees and harbour authorities in relation to coastal and marine areas of high nature conservation interest.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Nature Conservancy Council is already consulted on a wide range of matters affecting
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  coastal and marine areas of nature conservation interest. Nevertheless, there are a large number of conflicting interests, which raise complex legal issues, and the Government are therefore actively considering the possibility of voluntary consultation arrangements for sensitive marine areas.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the consultancy studies currently being carried out in relation to the proposed reorganisation of the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission indicating where reports, or draft reports, are yet available; and if he will place copies in the Library.

  Mr. Trippier
  Three consultancies have been commissioned by the Government in relation to the proposed reorganisation of the Nature Conservancy Council:

  (i) a review of the staffing and organisational needs of the scientific and secretarial support unit of the joint Nature Conservation Committee. This review was carried out by the consultancy and inspection services division of HM Treasury, and is now complete;

  (ii) a review by PE—International (Inbucon) of the scope for certain non-scientific services to be provided by one of the new agencies on a common basis for two or all of the successor agencies and the JNCC, which is also complete;

  (iii) a study by the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency of the information systems requirements of the new agencies and the JNCC. This review is still in progress.

  Although work by the consultants has finished on the two reviews at (i) and (ii) above, the reports have not yet been fully considered by the Government, existing agencies and the chairmen-designate of the new agencies and the JNCC. Copies of the reports for all three reviews will be placed in the Library of the House when the consultation procedures have been completed.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to contract out any of the functions of the Nature Conservancy Council on an agency basis following its proposed reorganisation.

  Mr. Trippier
  Following reorganisation it will be for the three new country councils and the joint nature conservation committee to decide in the first instance how their statutory duties and work programmes can be most efficiently discharged.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the number of additional staff posts which are likely to be required by the Nature Conservancy Council arising from the Government's reorganisation proposals and the number of additional posts identified by the consultants PE International plc.

  Mr. Trippier
  Detailed work on the staffing, structure and organisation of the three new country councils, including the joint nature conservation committee, is currently being undertaken by the Government and the existing agencies, in consultation with the chairmen-designate of the new councils and the JNCC. Final figures are not yet available for the number of staff likely to be employed after reorganisation. An announcement will be made shortly.

  The consultants, PE-International, were employed by NCC to estimate total resource requirements for all the new bodies based on a range of different assumptions. They did not make any recommendations about what staffing levels should be.

  Birds
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his officials last met the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to discuss the international movement of wild birds.

  Mr. Trippier
  Officials are in regular touch with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and have met the society on several occasions during the past few years to discuss a number of matters relating to the conservation of and trade in birds.

  County Hall
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the redevelopment proposals for the county hall, London SE1.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer the hon. Member to reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

  Ozone-depleting Chemicals
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, North (Ms. Walley),Official Report, 4 July, column 564, if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Brussels meeting on safe substitutes for ozone-depleting chemicals, held on 4 and 5 July.

  Mr. Trippier
  The meeting held in Brussels on 4 and 5 July was attended by representatives of the member states of the European Community including officials from my Department, DTI, HSE, the European Commission; the United States Environmental Protection Agency and European industry. It afforded a valuable opportunity for an exchange of views on the introduction of safe substitutes for ozone-depleting chemicals and their testing requirements. There was general agreement between European and United States officials on how to proceed further in the development of testing strategies and requirements for these substances.

  Isotopic Fingerprinting
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his letter of 20 November 1989 B/PSO/35125/89 to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, what consideration he has given to isotopic fingerprinting as an aid to controlling trade in endangered species.

  Mr. Trippier
  No information about the progress of research into this technique has been forthcoming since the matter was first raised by the hon. Member, and we have thus not yet been able to make any evaluation of its potential.

  Sea Outfalls
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the method, frequency and publication of analysis in monitoring the marine environment at the emission point of sea outfalls.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The available information is held on the registers maintained by the National Rivers Authority under section 117 of the Water Act 1989.

  Sewage Slick (East Anglia)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been taken to deal with the sewage slick off the coast of East Anglia; where this slick originates from; what specific dispersal attempts there have been; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I am not aware of any such slick.

  Weston Shore, Southampton
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he, or representatives from his Department, last met representatives of the National Rivers Authority and Southern Water with regard to Weston shore, Southampton; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My officials are in correspondence with representatives of the National Rivers Authority and of Southern Water Services Limited concerning Weston shore, Southampton. My officials are preparing a factual reply to a complaint from the Commission of the European Communities concerning water quality and use at Weston shore.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take to ensure the beach at Weston shore, Southampton, meets European Community standards.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The water is not identified under directive 76/160/EEC, so there is no obligation for it to meet that directive's standards.

  Waveney Beach
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take to ensure the beach at Waveney, East Anglia, meets European Community standards.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I am pleased to report that in 1989 both the identified bathing waters in Waveney met the standards for coliforms set in the bathing water directive and one, Lowestoft South, was awarded a blue flag. In addition, Southwold beach was also awarded a blue flag, although this bathing water is not at present identified under the directive.

  Waveney Sewage Outfall
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals there are to extend the sewage outfall at Waveney, East Anglia; what volume of raw sewage is currently emitted through the outfall; what volume is planned through the extended outfall; and if there are proposals for full treatment sewage works to service the Waveney area.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  There are no immediate plans to extend the existing outfall at Lowestoft, which has an average flow of 30,000 cubic metres a day. We are at present discussing with the water industry the level of treatment to be provided at Lowestoft. Sewage from Southwold is already given secondary treatment.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any further plans for housing action trusts.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  We are having discussions with tenants and councils on possible housing action trusts in Southwark and Waltham Forest. I am ready at any time to consider proposals from councils and tenants for the use of HAT powers in other areas.

  Football Trust
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions an observer from his Department has attended meetings of the Football Trust 1990 since its commencement of operations; and what has been the number of meetings at which his observer has been entitled to attend over the same period.

  Mr. Atkins
  An observer from the Department of the Environment has attended all three meetings of the Football Trust 1990 held since its establishment on 5 April.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions an observer from his Department attended meetings of the Football Trust after 1 July 1986 and before the establishing of the Football Trust 1990; and what was the number of meetings at which his observer was entitled to attend over the same period.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 23 July 1990]: An observer from the Department of the Environment attended all 16 meetings of the Football Trust held between 1 July 1986 and the establishment of the Football Trust 1990 on 5 April.

  Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how much was paid by Warrington and Runcorn development corporation in redundancy payments to each senior officer, other than the head of department, in the marketing department;

  (2) how Warrington and Runcorn development corporation assessed the appropriate fee reductions in respect of work for other clients carried out by business ventures using its property;

  (3) whether Warrington and Runcorn development corporation had unrestricted access to information about what contracts the business ventures using its property had with other clients;

  (4) how much was deducted from fees paid to each business venture by Warrington and Runcorn development corporation to take account of (a) the cost of gas and electricity, (b) rates and (c) the use of their property; and how these deductions were calculated;

  (5) what fees were paid by Warrington and Runcorn development corporation to each business venture; and what would have been the cost of retaining these services in house in each case;

  (6) if he will make it his policy for all future contracts to be awarded on the basis of competitive tendering.

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

  Hazardous Waste
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on part II of the Environmental Protection Bill concerning the division of responsibilities between Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the waste regulatory authorities for the enforcement of(a) the special waste regulations and (b) the transfrontier shipment of hazardous waste regulations with regard to waste disposal facilities subject to integrated pollution control and those not subject to integrated pollution control.

  Mr. Trippier
  In January 1990 we published a consultation paper reviewing the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980 and setting out the changes which we propose to make to the present arrangements. It is proposed that waste regulation authorities should continue to be responsible for the enforcemet of the revised special waste regulations which will be made in due course under part II of the Environmental Protection Bill, including those cases where special waste is consigned to a process authorised for control by HMIP under part I of the Bill. In such cases, it is proposed that waste regulation authorities should have access to and should be provided with the information necessary for them to discharge their responsibilities under the special waste regulations.

  The Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988 implement directive 84/631/EEC. This directive is at present being reviewed by the European Commission in the light of the Basel convention on transboundary movements of hazardous waste. It is anticipated that the Commission may propose a regulation to replace directive 84/631/EEC. A decision on the continuing responsibilities of waste regulation authorities under the 1988 regulations will be taken in the lightof the regulation adopted by the Community.

  Merryhill Tower Block (Fire)
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the fire on 13 July in the Merryhill tower block in Smethwick and the danger in other tower blocks of similar faulty contruction of fire spreading rapidly; and what remedial action he intends in similar such blocks.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The first step is to establish precisely what happened in the tower block at Merryhill, and to understand how the fire travelled. Sandwell council, the owner, is carrying out an urgent investigation, and experts from the fire brigade and my Department's Building Research Establishment are helping. If there are lessons to be learnt, we shall take immediate steps to see that other owners of similar buildings are informed.

  Press Officers
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many press officers are employed by his Department.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  My Department's press office is currently staffed by 14 press officers.

  Contaminated Land
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government response to the Environmental Select Committee's report on contaminated land will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government's response is being published today and a copy has been placed in the Library. We welcome the report as a valuable contribution to the debate on contaminated land and confirm the need to safeguard against risks to human health or the environment.

  In identifying areas for further assessment and action the Government have been able to accept or consider many of the Committee's recommendations. The Government response looks at the scale of the problem, analyses the need for more information on extent and location of contaminated sites and goes on to consider a suitable framework for protection and the opportunities for supporting clean-up action. This includes review of the scope for further research and evaluation.

  The Government have already gone ahead with proposals in the Environmental Protection Bill for publicly accessible local authority registers of potentially contaminated land uses. A programme of work on a more comprehensive system of quality standards for dealing with contamination is now proposed; this will build upon current Government approaches to guidance, but at this stage stopping short of the statutory requirements recommended by the Committee. The Government already provide grant aid on some aspects of work on contamination and propose further to assess available technology including possible demonstration projects on the latest clean-up techniques.

  Environmental Protection Bill
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will announce the results of the consultation on the draft code of practice on the duty of care under the Environmental Protection Bill.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Department together with the Welsh Office and the Scottish Office have considered the responses made to the consultation papers on the draft codes of practice for waste holders under the duty of care issued on 12 February in England and Wales and 22 March in Scotland.

  A total of 108 responses were received in England and Wales and 41 in Scotland. Copies of those responses whose authors agreed to publication are in the libraries of the Department of the Environment, the Welsh Office and the Scottish Office for public inspection.

  The overwhelming majority of comments supported the general substance of the duty of care and the draft code of practice. Points of detail and improvements to the presentation of the code will be attended to before a revised final text is issued to take effect. The Government also recognise a need for simplified explanatory material and publicity to accompany the final launch of the code.

  A further consultation exercise will be launched on draft regulations governing documents to be kept under the duty. The duty of care and code of practice will then be brought into effect as soon as possible next year. It is intended to issue a single code for Great Britain.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will next increase fees for planning applications; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Wales intend to lay before the House after the summer recess regulations which would increase fees for planning applications by 20 per cent. The regulations would amend the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Planning Applications and Deemed Applications) Regulations 1989. If approved by the House and another place, they could come into effect by mid-November.

  As proposed in the consultation paper "Efficient Planning" published last year, the Government also intend that planning application fees should cover 100 per cent. of local authorities' development control costs. My right hon. Friends intend to lay before the House further regulations over the next several years to raise fees progressively in order to achieve 100 per cent. recovery.

  Deemed Planning Consent
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement about the future of local authority road schemes, where county councils have no deemed planning consent powers;

  (2) if he will make a statement on arrangements for county councils to fulfil their statutory waste disposal functions where they have no deemed planning consent facility;

  (3) if he will make a statement about the arrangements for the emergency provision of temporary classrooms, where county councils have no deemed planning consent powers;

  (4) what plans he has for deemed planning consent powers for both district and county councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 16 July 1990]: I announced on 7 February, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen) (Official Report, Vol. 166, column 638) that I had issued a consultation paper seeking views on proposals to amend the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1976. Among the proposed changes was that councils should in future be required to apply for planning permission like any other applicant, for any development where they were not the responsible development control authority. Under this proposal, county councils would, for example, have been required to seek planning permission from district councils for road schemes and to provide temporary classrooms, although not for waste disposal development because for that the county council is the responsible local planning authority.

  The consultation paper, "Local Authorities' Deemed Planning Permission" provoked 275 responses of which 70
  372
  per cent. were broadly in favour of the Government's proposals. The proposal to require county councils to seek planning permission from district councils was criticised for its unfairness to county councils and the difficulties they would have fulfilling their statutory functions.

  The Government have considered carefully these criticisms, and we have decided to implement modified proposals as follows. In the case of local authorities' own development, whether on their own land or elsewhere, the present arrangements for deemed permission will continue, subject to three specific safeguards. We shall require such a proposal to be fully advertised; to be determined in public by a committee not responsible for managing or disposing of land or buildings owned by the authority; and, if the development proposal conflicts with the development plan, we shall require it to be reported to my right hon. Friend or to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales to enable them to consider calling in the proposal for their own decision.

  These safeguards will also apply to development proposals by other parties on land owned by local authorities, but for these proposals we shall in future require planning permission to be sought from the responsible local planning authority; we shall make appropriate similar arrangements for national park special boards and planning committees.

  Only the last of these proposals requires primary legislation, for which an early opportunity will be sought. We intend to achieve the remaining proposals by means of secondary legislation.

  The Government believe that these modified proposals represent a useful reform that will increase the accountability of local authorities when deeming themselves planning permission and will enable their probity to be publicly demonstrated.

  Pollution
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that the guidance notes being prepared by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for part A and B processes of the Environmental Protection Bill are comprehensive in respect of what constitutes excessive cost; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 July, column 569]: The notes for the part B processes, which it is intended will come under local authority air pollution control, will contain detailed guidance for local authorities on the standards of control which constitute the best available techniques not entailing excessive cost, including time scales for the upgrading of existing processes. The notes will be issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State; under clause 7(11) of the Bill, local authorities will be required to have regard to this guidance.

  HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SCHEME
  HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SCHEME
  BROADLEAVED WOODLAND: POLICY
  BROADLEAVED WOODLAND: POLICY
  WASTE HOLDERS: CODE OF PRACTICE AND DUTY OF CARE
  WASTE HOLDERS: CODE OF PRACTICE AND DUTY OF CARE
  COMMUNITY CHARGE: COLLECTION COSTS
  COMMUNITY CHARGE: COLLECTION COSTS
  COMMON LAND
  COMMON LAND
  POSTAL CHARGE COMPARISONS
  POSTAL CHARGE COMPARISONS
  SPACE STATION
  SPACE STATION
  INSURANCE CONTRACTS: GOOD FAITH
  INSURANCE CONTRACTS: GOOD FAITH
  PATRIOT MISSILE SYSTEM
  PATRIOT MISSILE SYSTEM
  TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
  TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
  MEPs: PAY AND EMOLUMENTS
  MEPs: PAY AND EMOLUMENTS
  INLAND REVENUE AND CUSTOMS AND EXCISE: NEXT STEPS
  INLAND REVENUE AND CUSTOMS AND EXCISE: NEXT STEPS
  COMMUNITY CARE: PHASING IN
  COMMUNITY CARE: PHASING IN
  EXTRA-TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION: US SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT
  EXTRA-TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION: US SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT
  PRISONERS' TRANSFER REQUESTS: REFUSALS
  PRISONERS' TRANSFER REQUESTS: REFUSALS
  ANIMAL PROCEDURES COMMITTEE REPORT
  ANIMAL PROCEDURES COMMITTEE REPORT
  FIREARMS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE: REPORT
  FIREARMS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE: REPORT
  ARCHANGEL: DEATH OF MARINE ANIMALS
  ARCHANGEL: DEATH OF MARINE ANIMALS
  ARMS CONTROL POLICY DECISIONS
  ARMS CONTROL POLICY DECISIONS
  CHILDHOOD BLINDNESS IN AFRICA
  CHILDHOOD BLINDNESS IN AFRICA
  REFUGEES: UK SUPPORT FOR RELIEF AGENCIES
  REFUGEES: UK SUPPORT FOR RELIEF AGENCIES