Written Answers of 11 June 1990

ENVIRONMENT

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Stockton, North,Official Report, 9 May, column 159, on the disposal of toxic wastes at Atomic Energy Association technology sites, he will make a statement on the specific material provisions for the management and disposal of toxic wastes; and what financial resources have been committed to the development and execution of the programme.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is the UKAEA policy to minimise toxic waste arising so far as is reasonably practicable and to dispose of any arisings in accordance with legal authorisations. Costs incurred by the UKAEA are part of the normal operating costs of each site.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the net incremental cost of exempting from the community charge(a) all persons over the age of 70 years and (b) all persons above the age of 75 years, taking into account the number of such persons already receiving rebate, transitional relief or exemption from the charge by reason of residence in registered residential or nursing homes or others.

  Mr. Chope
  I estimate the additional cost of exempting persons over the age of 70 from the community charge would be about £950 million whilst exempting persons over 75 would be about £600 million. Both figures are in addition to reductions already received in respect of transitional relief and community charge benefit.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will produce in tabular form for each district council in England and Wales the percentage figure of non-payment of the community charge.

  Mr. Chope
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Richard Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his oral reply of 23 May to the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn)Official Report, column 280, when he expects to be in a position to reply to the letters of the hon. Member for Aldridge-Brownhills of 19 March and 10 May concerning proposals by Walsall councillors to direct resources and services away from wards on the basis of how they vote.

  Mr. Chope
  I have now written to the hon. Member.

  Housing, Basildon
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the average value of a Basildon new town corporation three-bedroomed house;.
  2
  (2) what is the average length of tenancy in a three-bedroomed Basildon new town corporation home.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is not collected in the form requested. The Commission for the New Towns in Basildon estimates the open market value of a typical three-bedroomed house to be £57,000, and the average length of tenancy to be 18 years.

  Druridge Bay
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Northumberland wildlife trust and others regarding sand extraction at Druridge bay; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have received no representations from the Northumberland wildlife trust. Representations have been received from the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) and Councillor K. L. P. Flaherty of Northumberland county council that the Secretary of State use his powers under the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 to revoke the planning permissions for sand extraction. However, the county council has the necessary powers themselves under the 1971 Act to review mineral working sites in their area and to revoke or modify planning permissions as they consider necessary.

  Environmental Assessment Directive
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to whom his Department has let the contract for monitoring the implementation of the environmental assessment directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The contract for the research project on "Monitoring Environmental Assessment and Planning" was let to the EIA centre of the university of Manchester's department of planning and landscape on 3 May 1990.

  Nature Conservation
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain a copy of "Economics of the Environment: the Conservationists' Response to the Pearce Report", produced by the British Association of Nature Conservationists for his departmental library.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Department already has a copy of this publication and I understand that a second is on order.

  Marine Pollution
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to reduce the imput of dichloros into the marine environment, in accordance with its red list status;.

  (2) what records he has of the inputs of dichloros into the marine environment for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is estimated that around 15 tonnes of dichloros were input to United Kingdom coastal waters in 1989; figures are not available for earlier years. At the recent North sea conference, Ministers agreed that inputs of dichloros into the North sea should be reduced by the order of 50 per cent. by 1995. The Government intend that such a reduction should be achieved for inputs to all seas around the United Kingdom.

  Recycling
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to whom his Department has let the contract for the removal, sorting and recycling of waste paper and other waste from. the Palace of Westminster; how long they have had the contract; and what guarantees have been written into the contract to ensure that no paper set aside for recycling ends up in landfill.

  Mr. Chope
  Following competitive tendering a contract for the disposal of waste from the Palace of Westminster was let to the city of Westminster cleansing department on 1 November 1988 for three years. The paper is collected free of charge as salvage so it is in the contractor's own interest to ensure that it is used to the greatest economic advantage.

  Commission for Local Administration
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much the service of the Commission for Local Administration in England costs; and what steps have been taken in recent years to measure the efficiency of the service.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The grant to the Commission for Local Administration in England for 1990–91 will be £3,834,119. Management consultants carried out a study of the working of the commission in 1989.

  Planning Application, Brentwood
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is considering calling in planning application No. BRW/772/89 Wash road, new industrial area, Brentwood.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Brentwood district council has been directed not to grant permission for this application without the consent of the Secretary of State. As the application affects land in the green belt, the district council have decided to advertise and consider the application formally when they publish their draft district-wide local plan for public consultation. At that stage, we will consider whether or not the application should be called in.

  Beaches
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to require the water companies to clean up the beaches which do not meet the safety standards set by the European Community within a stated time limit.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend announced on 5 March at column 452 that in general all municipal sewage should receive secondary treatment, but that primary treatment would be more appropriate for discharges to sea where it can be shown that this does not adversely affect the environment. The estimated cost of this new programme is around £1·5 billion. It will be fully integrated with the £1·4 billion programme announced last year to improve bathing water quality and it will be completed as soon as practicable. Discussions with the National Rivers Authority, the Office of Water Services and the sewage undertakers are taking place to work out the arrangements for implementing this policy.

  Reservoir Pollution
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he has commissioned following human poisoning and pollution by blue-green algae of reservoirs; and what action he proposes to take to prevent a similar occurence this summer.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Department has not commissioned any research following the occurrence of toxic algae in reservoirs and lakes. However, the National Rivers Authority has just announced a monitoring campaign to detect the occurence of potentially toxic blue-green algae at some 500 sites concentrating on those which are used regularly for water sports and to which the public has ready access. The NRA has at the same time issued a leaflet which incorporates advice from the Department of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about the effect of toxic algae on humans and health. There is no evidence that treated water supplied from reservoirs with algal blooms is detrimental to public health.

  Environmental Conferences
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the future environmental conferences, seminars and meetings which Ministers or officials in his Department will be attending in the next four months and the date of each.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Over the next four months Ministers are to attend the following environmental conferences, seminars and meetings:

  June

  7–8

  EC Environment Council (Luxembourg)

  8

  British Steel Tin Plate Environment Programme

  12

  92nd Annual Waste Management Conference

  16

  EC/Eastern Europe/EFTA Environment Meeting (Dublin)

  19

  National Council for Voluntary Organisations White Paper Seminar

  20–24

  Opening Green Show (Birmingham)

  20–29

  Second meeting of Montreal Protocol Parties (London)

  21

  International Building Bureau Conference on Energy Efficient Buildings (London)

  21

  Mineral Industry Research Organisation Conference on Mineral Wastes

  24

  Sevenoaks Summer Festival—Environmental Question Time

  25

  East Midlands Recycling City Seminar

  26

  Association of Municipal Engineers Annual Conference

  27

  Food, Industry and the Environment Conference

  29

  Fourth Environmental Education Conference for Secondary Schools

  July

  3

  United Kingdom Environmental Law Association Conference on the Protection of the Rural Environment

  4

  Royal Society for the Arts Conference on The Future of the Countryside

  9–10

  European Parliament (Strasbourg)

  10

  Department of Trade and Industry Seminar on Waste

  11–12

  Meeting with senior officials at the OECD (Paris)

  17

  Engineers and the Environment Conference

  August

  1–3

  Session of UNEP Governing Council (Nairobi)

  September

  10

  Institution of Environmental Health Officers Congress

  12

  Landcape Conference on Landscape Design (Durham)

  13

  Business in the Environment Conference

  5

  18

  UNEP Seminar on Clean Technology

  20

  International Conference on Acid Deposition and Implications

  21

  Royal Institute of Public Administration Conference on Greening the Administration

  25

  National Association of Waste Disposal Contractors Annual Conference

  October

  4

  EC Environment Council (Luxembourg)

  4

  Polite Society Conference on Noise

  5

  Somerset County Council Environmental Conference

  Officials will be attending all of these meetings and many more.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth will be sent a reply to his letter of 26 March concerning Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Morgan of Kenilworth.

  Mr. Chope
  I replied to my hon. Friend's letter on 7 June.

  Regional Planning
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the policy planning guidance note on structure plans and regional planning guidance.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Planning Policy Guidance Note 15, entitled "Regional Planning Guidance, Structure Plans and the Content of Development Plans", was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on 25 May. I shall send my hon. Friend a copy.

  Oil Pollution, South Devon
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any oil pollution still remains on the south Devon coastline following the holing of the supertanker Rosebay.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I understand from reports received from the South Hams district council, which, as the affected local authority in Devon, has the responsibility for dealing with oil pollution once it is washed ashore, that all holiday beaches in their area are clear.

  The local authority is continuing to monitor beaches but there are no reports of further oil landing apart from a small quantity sighted at Hope Cove and Thurleston over the weekend of 2–3 June. There is still some oily scum around the more isolated rocky coves and some remaining bagged oily waste will be cleared from Gull and Causewell coves this week.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to find suitable sites for the long-term storage and ultimate dumping of polluted sand and seaweed scraped off the beaches of the south Devon coastline; and if he will make a statement as to progress to date and the proposed timetable.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The responsibility for identifying sites for the storage and disposal of polluted sand and seaweed lies with Devon county council as the relevant waste disposal authority.
  6
  I understand from the Department of Transport's marine pollution control unit, which set up a joint response centre with the local authorities involved in the clean-up operations following the incident, that the county council are currently considering, on the basis of MPCU advice, various options for the treatment and disposal of the oily waste collected.

  These options include: assisting the natural degradation of the oil by bacterial treatment prior to disposal to a registered landfill site; stabilising the material to prevent further leaching of oil by treatment with quicklime and then, either disposal to landfill or use of the stabilised waste as a bedding for road building or car park construction.

  The timetable will be set by the method eventually chosen and the wish of the county council to avoid any adverse traffic effects that might be caused during the busy summer season by the movement of the mass of collected material.

  This material amounts to approximately 1,500 cubic metres and is currently being held in temporary lined holding sites.

  Hunterprint
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the company Hunterprint had, or has outstanding, any printing contracts for work associated with the privatisation of the water industry.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Hunterprint was employed last year as sub-contractors to Burrups for the printing of water privatisation documents. There are no outstanding contracts with the company.

  Hydrofluorocarbons
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department is to propose any controls on HFCs for non-essential usage.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No.

  Methyl Chloroform
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's policy on phasing out the use of methyl chloroform; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is the Government's aim ultimately to phase out all ozone depleting substances. In response to a United Kingdom initiative, the EC Environment Council have agreed to press for a 50 per cent. cut in methyl chloroform production and consumption by the year 2000 in the renegotiation of the Montreal Protocol.

  Urban Organisation
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to the European Community proposals on the protection of people living in big European cities against health and environmental hazards produced by bad urban organisation.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 8 June 1990]: I have not seen the proposals described although I understand that

  7
  the European Commission is publishing a Green Paper on the urban environment. The Green Paper will be the subject of consultation with member states and we will give it careful consideration.

  Wildlife Protection
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list his responsibilities in relation to Her Majesty's Government's responsibilities and policies on the worldwide protection of wildlife.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Formal responsibility for the conclusion of all international agreements and conventions rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. Within the context of collective Government responsibility, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment implements our obligations under the Washington convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES), the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance, the Bonn convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals and the convention for the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage. He also has responsibility for formulating the United Kingdom's contribution to the world-wide development of those conventions.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Power Stations
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the annual load factor achieved by(a) the Central Electricity Generating Board nuclear power stations and (b) the South of Scotland electricity board nuclear power stations for each month within the last financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  This is an operational matter for Nuclear Electric plc and Scottish Nuclear Limited.

  Gas Turbine Electricity, Wales
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has received for the private generation of electrictity by gas turbines by DREH Resources of Milton Keynes in Clwyd and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  On 24 May 1990 Deeside Power Development Company Ltd., in which I understand that DREH resources is a partner, notified my Department, pursuant to regulation 6(1) of the Electricity and Pipe-line Works (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1990, of its intention to make an application for the Secretary of State's consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct a 450 MW combined cycle gas turbine power station at Shotton in Clwyd and to submit an environmental statement with its application.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the impact upon the Merseyside and North-Western electricity board of proposals to construct a gas turbine electricity station in Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tony Baldry
  This is a matter for MANWEB plc.

  Connah's Quay Power Station
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the future of Connah's Quay power station; and what is the estimated value of Connah's Quay power station and its surrounding land.

  Mr. Baldry
  Decisions on the future of power station sites are a matter for the day-to-day management of the generating company concerned. The estimated value of a power station is a commercially confidential matter.

  Radiation and Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to establish a scheme to assist redundant or former nuclear scientists of the Atomic Energy Authority and Nuclear Electric to provide technical assistance to foreign nuclear generators in radiation and nuclear waste management under article IV of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Baldry
  No, though the United Kingdom makes every effort to meet its obligations under the terms of article IV of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many permanent withdrawals from safeguards of plutonium under article 14 of the 1978 tripartite safeguards agreement between the United Kingdom, Euratom and the International Atomic Energy Agency, have been made; what were the quantities involved; and what were their isotopic compositions.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 21 May 1990 at column 12.

  Tritium
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what safeguards measures exist in the United Kingdom to ensure detection of the diversion of tritium from peaceful to non-peaceful applications.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Worcestershire, South (Mr. Spicer) to the hon. Member for Meirionydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas),Official Report, 30 November 1989, columns 400–1.

  Hunterprint
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether the company Hunterprint had any printing contracts for work associated with the privatisation of the gas industry or has any outstanding printing contracts for work associated with the privatisation of the electricity industry.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Hunterprint were involved in printing material used in the flotation of British Gas plc. The question of their participation in the forthcoming privatisation of the electricity industry is a matter subject to commercial negotiation.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  May Inquiry
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Attorney-General if he has any plans to make additional powers available to the May inquiry.

  The Attorney-General
  No. Sir John May has made no suggestion to me or to the Home Secretary that the effectiveness of his inquiry is being impaired by its non-statutory basis.

PRIME MINISTER

  Rockall
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister which Minister is responsible for matters relating to the Isle of Rockall.

  The Prime Minister
  In terms of the Island of Rockall Act 1972 as read with the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, Rockall is part of the Western Isles Islands area. It forms part of the Crown Estates. The responsibilities of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State extend to Rockall as to the rest of Scotland.

  Rivers, Estuaries and Bays
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list all studies being carried out with money from the United Kingdom Government or European Economic Community funds to provide new crossings, barrages or major environmental schemes in United Kingdom rivers, estuaries or bays, and indicate when each report is expected to be completed.

  The Prime Minister
  This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Ivory
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy not to extend the reservation enabling Hong Kong ivory traders to dispose of their stocks when it expires; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs stated in his reply of 11 May to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks), the six-month reservation will be withdrawn on 18 July 1990. It will not be extended.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she has any proposals to extend the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to include the administration of local enterprise companies.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so. Local enterprise companies will be private companies formed under the Companies Acts, and as such are outwith the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, which encompasses Government Departments, public corporations and public bodies whose functions are exercised on behalf of the Crown.

  Leaks
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the number of leaks from Departments of State since June 1983 and give details of the steps which have been taken to trace such happenings and the numbers of individuals who have been held accountable.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Redistribution of Wealth
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister if it is the intention of the Government to commemorate in some form those who devoted their activities to trying to bring about in the United Kingdom a redistribution of wealth from richer to poorer citizens.

  The Prime Minister:
  No.

  Salman Rushdie
  Mr. Winnick:
  To ask the Prime Minister if it remains the Government's policy that Mr. Rushdie will receive the full protection of the authorities, regardless of any financial and manpower cost, so long as there remains a threat to his life.

  The Prime Minister
  Mr. Rushdie's protection is a matter for the police, who will take any action that they consider necessary in the circumstances.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy in respect of the trend towards increasing foreign control of United Kingdom manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: The Government's general policy is set out in the blue paper on mergers policy, published in 1988.

  Our policy towards inward investment by foreigners in the United Kingdom is to welcome it and, broadly speaking, this applies to inward investment by way of acquisition of existing companies as much as to direct inward investment. United Kingdom companies engage in a considerable quantity of overseas investment, including acquisitions of foreign companies, and it is in the interests of the United Kingdom economy that there should be as little official interference as possible in this two-way flow.

  For this reason, it is also our policy to try to reduce the barriers to takeover that exist in the European Community. The European Commission brought forward a set of proposals in May to reduce and eliminate barriers within the Community.

  Nevertheless, there are instances in which foreign ownership of a United Kingdom company may raise particular concerns, and in such cases the power to make a reference to the MMC is available for use.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Global Warming
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, as a result of the Bergen conference, he has any plans to provide new funding to assist developing countries in their efforts to reduce emissions of global warming gases.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The issues covered by the Bergen ministerial declaration include assistance to developing countries in the context of global environmental problems. The Government expect that the international community will take this into account in developing a global response to possible climate change. The Government are planning to allocate additional resources to helping developing countries to deal with sources of greenhouse gas emissions such as deforestation and the inefficient use of energy.

  Environmental Programmes
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to help developing countries with their environmental programmes.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Our policies are set out in a new booklet, "The Environment and the British Aid Programme", a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  I have arranged for a copy to be sent to my hon. Friend.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Channel Tunnel (Policing)
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether an application has been received from Kent county police to enable further police officers to be recruited to police the channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received an application for 52 posts in 1991–92 for policing the channel tunnel. This will be considered in the coming months with advice from Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary. Seventy police posts have already been approved in connection with the tunnel.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any discussions have taken place between the developers of the channel tunnel and his Department over the level of police manpower required to police the tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  No. Under section 14 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 the policing of the tunnel system is a matter for the chief constable of the police force for the county of Kent.

  West Midlands Serious Crime Squad
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Yorkshire as to whether DCI Matthews was interviewed in connection with the inquiry into the west midlands serious crime squad during his recent visit to this country.
  12
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No.

  Swansea Prison (Dispute)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the impact of the dispute at Swansea prison on detention conditions for persons detained by the police in south Wales.

  Mr. Mellor
  I very much regret that the dispute at Her Majesty's prison Swansea has led to a number of prisoners having to be held in police cells in the area.

  The responsibility for the care and conditions of prisoners in police custody rests with the chief officer of police concerned. We recognise that police cells are not designed for long-term detention and that therefore their use for people who ought to be in prison leaves a lot to be desired. I am sure that the police are doing the best that they can in the difficult circumstances under which they are operating.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to try to resolve the current dispute at Swansea prison; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  A meeting between representatives of local and regional management, and local and national Prison Officers Association was held on Tuesday 5 June. Whilst the actual dispute was not resolved, sufficient good will now exists between the two parties which should enable police cells to be cleared of prisoners by Wednesday 13 June.

  It was agreed that local management and POA should meet locally in an attempt to resolve the current difficulties.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of(a) police officers and (b) other staff employed by each police force in England and Wales in (i) 1974, (ii) 1979 and (iii) the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested for 1974 and 1979 can be found at appendix 1 of the annual report of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary for 1974 and at Appendix 7 of the annual report for 1979, copies of which can be found in the Library.

  The comparable position at the end of 1989 is set out in the table:

  At 31 December 1989

  Force

  Police

  Civilians1

  Traffic Wardens

  Cadets

  Avon and Somerset

  3,055

  816

  145

  —

  Bedfordshire

  1,038

  341

  32

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  1,190

  453

  43

  —

  Cheshire

  1,874

  503

  40

  —

  Cleveland

  1,468

  457

  31

  —

  Cumbria

  1,152

  361

  32

  —

  Derbyshire

  1,790

  690

  80

  —

  Devon and Cornwall

  2,830

  914

  114

  —

  Dorset

  1,258

  487

  66

  15

  Durham

  1,357

  532

  22

  —

  Dyfed Powys

  934

  234

  21

  —

  Essex

  2,799

  986

  123

  33

  Gloucestershire

  1,162

  337

  35

  —

  Greater Manchester

  6,965

  2,098

  195

  —

  Gwent

  1,000

  250

  21

  9

  13

  Force

  Police

  Civilians1

  Traffic Wardens

  Cadets

  Hampshire

  3,118

  939

  85

  —

  Hertfordshire

  1,647

  526

  79

  —

  Humberside

  1,993

  668

  68

  —

  Kent

  2,978

  962

  119

  —

  Lancashire

  3,174

  1,077

  116

  —

  Leicestershire

  1,748

  612

  92

  —

  Lincolnshire

  1,185

  427

  21

  —

  Merseyside

  4,680

  1,391

  139

  —

  Norfolk

  1,353

  386

  40

  20

  Northamptonshire

  1,119

  366

  37

  —

  Northumbria

  3,526

  1,157

  155

  —

  North Wales

  1,332

  423

  33

  —

  North Yorkshire

  1,379

  436

  22

  —

  Nottinghamshire

  2,320

  612

  74

  —

  South Wales

  3,118

  1,082

  97

  —

  South Yorkshire

  2,946

  869

  66

  —

  Staffordshire

  2,172

  651

  39

  68

  Suffolk

  1,184

  419

  33

  —

  Surrey

  1,654

  506

  43

  —

  Sussex

  2,924

  875

  138

  —

  Thames Valley

  3,645

  1,243

  150

  —

  Warwickshire

  977

  319

  23

  —

  West Mercia

  1,974

  822

  47

  —

  West Midlands

  6,846

  2,230

  244

  32

  West Yorkshire

  5,217

  1,710

  193

  33

  Wiltshire

  1,119

  435

  40

  —

  City of London

  785

  304

  73

  —

  Metropolitan

  28,176

  13,083

  1,338

  178

  1 Full-time plus part-time on 2:1 basis.

  Arms Theft, Kent
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the chief constable of Kent on the circumstances of the burglary of rifles and ammunition from a cadet force armory at Longfield upper school, Dartford, Kent.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The burglary of rifles and ammunition at Longfield upper school is an operational matter for the Kent police and is already under investigation.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken to improve the clear-up rates of police forces in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Decisions about the priorities and methods for the investigation of crime are a matter for chief officers in the light of local circumstances. They already seek to target their resources on those crimes which are of most concern to the public. Clear-up rates for the most serious offences, including violence against the person and sexual offences, remain high at 75 per cent. or more. Most crime is against property, where there is a range of practical preventive measures which we can all take to help the police.

  Salman Rushdie
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further steps are being taken to ensure that the police and security protection given to Mr. Rushdie is adequate, in view of the further threats to his life.
  14
  Mr. Waddington
  It would not be sensible to give details of the protection afforded to Mr. Rushdie, but the police will take whatever steps they judge necessary in the light of the threat and any other relevant circumstances.

  Police Budgets
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the percentage increase in the budget of each police force in England and Wales in each year since 1974 in(a) money and (b) real terms; and if he will make a statement on efforts being made by his Department to improve value for money in the police service.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information relating to police force budgets is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  The Home Office is strongly committed to encouraging better value for money in the police service, in partnership with chief officers and police authorities. The main elements in Home Office activity are:

  (1) inspection of forces by HM inspectorate of constabulary: developments include further extension of the matrix of indicators used by the inspectorate to assist the inspection process, the publication of inspection reports and the appointment of a business consultant:

  (2) encouragement of a programme of efficiency scrutinies in forces, with 19 scrutinies completed or under way;

  (3) through controls on police establishment, encouragement of civilianisation, which has released 4,700 officers for operational duties over the last 7 years, with a further 800 posts due to be civilianised this year;

  (4) following a Home Office/Treasury study on police manpower, a programme of work is under way to improve and standardise measures of police workloads, activity and effectiveness;

  (5) follow-up action on papers produced by the Audit Commission as part of their current programme of work in the police service, include monitoring by HM inspectorate of action taken by forces.

  Electoral Registers
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he takes to ensure that no overseas elector has his name included on an electoral register in circumstances where his name was not previously included on the register for the same electoral division.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In order to ascertain the eligibility of applicants, electoral registration officers will as a matter of course check old registers, to ensure that potential overseas electors (or, in appropriate cases, a parent or guardian) were included on the register for the constituency within the previous 20 years. Guidance recently issued to registration officers by the Home Office explains which registers should be checked in particular circumstances, and how old registers can be checked when copies are not available locally.

  Birmingham Prison (Shortages)
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what shortages of kit at Birmingham prison were discovered as a result of the special stock-taking early in the curent year.

  Mr. Mellor
  A full check in March showed significant shortages of shirts, pants, socks, shoes and towels against the scales laid down to ensure adequate stocks in use, being laundered and in store. Stocks have since been replenished.
  15
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are adequate stocks of underwear at Birmingham prison to enable each inmate to be given a weekly change of underwear.

  Mr. Mellor
  Yes.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when, further to the letter of 8 May from Mr. A. H. Chapman of C3 division to the Rev. J. Gilmore, the document publicised by Granada Television was made public and by whom.

  Mr. John Patten
  The letter to the Rev. Gilmore contained a typographical error. The document to which it referred was a police report and not, as wrongly stated, a public report. A letter correcting the inaccuracy has been sent to the Rev. Gilmore.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has anything further to add to his Department's statement on the Birmingham pub bombings, dated 29 March, that the document publicised by Granada Television was written before the original trial.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand that the document in question was in fact written in 1975 after the trial of the six men for the Birmingham pub bombings.

  Prisons, South-West
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison spaces in the south-western region need to be replaced or refurbished as a result of recent riots.

  Mr. Mellor
  A total of 407 cells at Bristol, Dartmoor and Pucklechurch were damaged to such a degree that major refurbishment work will need to be undertaken before they can be brought back into use.

  Cells damaged at other establishments where disturbances took place have already been repaired.

  Hilda Murrell
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the latest representations made to him by the chief constable of West Mercia in the case of Hilda Murrell.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend has not received any recent representations from the chief constable of West Mercia police on this matter.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current average length of sentence for young offenders in(a) Wales, (b) England and (c) England and Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information for 1988 is given in the table. Data for 1989 will not be available until autumn 1990.
  16

  Average length of sentences of immediate custody for offenders aged 14 to under 21 years

  Months

  England

  8

  Wales

  8

  England and Wales

  8

  Chinese Citizens (Temporary Asylum)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Chinese citizens in the United Kingdom seeking temporary asylum.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  All applications for asylum in this country are considered in accordance with our obligations under the United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees.

  While the situation in China remains uncertain we are continuing to allow Chinese nationals who were in the United Kingdom on 4 June 1989 to remain here on an exceptional basis. Applications from other Chinese nationals are considered on their individual merits.

  Laboratories
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received on the plan to make his Department's laboratories self-financing from April 1991.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The plans to introduce direct charging for forensic science services from 1 April 1991 are being developed in consultation with representatives of police authorities and their chief officers and their views are being fully taken into account. No other representations on this matter have been received.

  Police Civilian Staff
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place between his Department and the Association of Chief Police Officers about trade union membership of police civilian staff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There have been discussions between the Home Office, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the local authority associations on a range of issues affecting police civilian staff including training, gradings, career development and representation.

  The ACPO has suggested that civilian staff should be represented by a single union. Any such development would be a matter for the staff themselves and their local authority employers. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to require police civilians to belong to a single union or to restrict their trade union or bargaining rights.

  Prisoners (Early Release)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has undertaken any study to ascertain whether early release from prison for prisoners serving short terms could be allowed under executive release powers with minimal consequence to the community in order to bring occupancy of prisons nearer to their design capacity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend has seen no need for such a study.

  London Fire Brigade
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each fire station in the London fire brigade that does not have any accommodation or facilities for female firefighters; and if he will call for a report from the London fire and civil defence authority explaining what proposals it has in the case of each fire station in this category.

  Mr. John Patten
  With the exception of Leyton fire station, all fire stations within the area of the London fire brigade have facilities for female firefighters. The existing fire station at Leyton cannot be adapted because of its size and design, but the London fire and civil defence authority is currently constructing a replacement fire station which, when completed, will provide separate facilities for female firefighters. On present plans the new station will open during 1991.

  Prisons (Slopping Out)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in England and Wales where slopping out still takes place.

  Mr. Mellor
  The majority of prison places have access to night sanitation and we are looking at ways of providing access for three quarters of all places within the next few years. A list of the prisons in England and Wales at which some or all of the places did not have access to night sanitation as at April 1990 has been placed in the Library.

  Fire Prevention
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's proposals for fire prevention campaign activity nationally for the next two years.

  Mr. John Patten
  We propose to build on the success of our smoke alarm television campaign with particular emphasis on increasing ownership amongst the elderly and lower socio-economic groups. The campaign will also seek to emphasise the need for maintenance of smoke alarms.

  We intended to produce an educational and publicity package for five to eight-year-olds. We also hope to produce an integrated educational package to cover the range of school age groups.

  We shall be promoting national fire safety week in October in conjunction with the insurance industry and the fire liaison panel network. We shall be continuing to work closely with fire brigades and we propose to hold a series of national and regional conferences for senior fire prevention officers in order to encourage and foster greater awareness on publicity and education and to establish a co-ordinated approach to local and national publicity.

  It is our aim to help minimise the risk from fire breaking out and thereby reduce casualties and deaths. In addition to the above, there are a number of continuing educational and publicity initiatives concentrating on the main risk areas activated throughout the year with the valued assistance of local fire brigades.

  Merseyside Police Authority
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to meet the chief constable of Merseyside to discuss capital budgets for the Merseyside police authority.
  18
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and noble Friend discussed these and other issues with the chief constable and members of the police authority during a recent visit to Merseyside.

  Murder Statistics
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders were committed in the United Kingdom in 1989; in connection with how many of these arrests have been made or convictions secured; and if he will give the comparable figures for 1950, 1960, 1970 and 1980.

  Mr. John Patten
  The data for homicides in England and Wales is given below. Equivalent figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are published by the Scottish Home and Health Department and by the Northern Ireland Office.

  In the absence of a court decision it is not always possible to distinguish between offences of murder, manslaughter and infanticide; they are known collectively as homicide.

  Homicides recorded and cleared up in selected years

  Year

  Homicides recorded

  Cleared up1

  Per cent.

  1950

  346

  328

  95

  1960

  282

  270

  96

  1970

  393

  369

  94

  1980

  620

  600

  97

  1988

  624

  601

  96

  21989

  641

  589

  92

  1 Mainly by suspect being arrested.

  2 Provisional

  Sources:

  Criminal statistics, England and Wales Statistical Bulletin 10/90.

  Drug Arrests, Ynys Môn
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested for possession of(a) heroin, (b) cannabis and (c) amphetamines in each year since 1986 on Ynys Môn.

  Mr. John Patten
  Separate statistics are not available centrally for Ynys Môn. In the North Wales police force area the number of persons dealt with by the courts for possession of the specified drugs, which may exclude a small number of persons arrested and dealt with in other ways, was as follows:

  Number of persons

  Drug

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Heroin

  10

  13

  19

  Cannabis

  148

  176

  238

  Amphetamines

  24

  17

  35

  Note: Persons dealt with for possession of more than one of the specified drugs at a single court appearance appear against each drug in the table.

  Prisoners (Life Sentences)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners serving life sentences have been granted parole or released on licence during the past 20 years in(a) England and (b) Wales.

  Mr. Mellor
  Life sentence prisoners are not eligible for parole but are released on licence. Statistics are not
  19
  available centrally of the areas to which prisoners are released. Information on releases before 1972 is not readily available. The numbers released in each of the years 1978–88 were published in table 8.5 of Prison statistics England and Wales 1988 (Cm 825), a copy of which is in the Library. The table gives figures for those released in the years 1972 to 1977, and 1989.

  Life sentence prisoners1 first released on licence from prison service establishments in England and Wales, 1972–77, 1989

  Year

  Number

  1972

  27

  1973

  35

  1974

  46

  1975

  41

  1976

  85

  1977

  70

  21989

  68

  1 Including persons detained under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

  2 Provisional.

  Metropolitan Police (Complaints)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan police officers are currently under investigation following complaints against them.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis that complaints are being investigated in relation to 4,708 police officers in the force. The number of complaints in progress at any one time is a function of the time taken by each investigation, as well as of the number of complaints made. Complaints against officers of the Metropolitan police have been on the decline for some years. In the early 1980's they averaged over 8,500 a year: since 1985 they have generally been fewer than 5,500 a year. In 1989, 5,350 complaints were made against members of the force.

  Child Care
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions the ministerial group on women's issues has had about mechanisms for providing child care; and what conclusions were reached.

  Mr. John Patten
  The ministerial group on women's issues has discussed child care at three meetings (April 1989, October 1989 and February 1990).

  The group has concluded that choice and quality are paramount considerations. A range of measures has been agreed, therefore, designed to maintain and improve the standards of the wide range of those providing child care for parents who choose to use their services.

  Summaries of the initiatives on child care agreed by the group are contained in the press release issued after the group's meetings in April 1989 and February 1990, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

  Women's Issues
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the ministerial group on women's issues last met; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mr. John Patten
  The ministerial group on women's issues last met on 26 February 1990 and discussed 20
  domestic violence and child care. The group also received a report of the United Kingdom's presentation in January to the United Nation's committee on the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

  The group will next meet on 19 June.

  Between meetings of the group there are regular meetings between officials in the Departments concerned to ensure that action agreed by the group is taken forward.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Taxation (Performers)
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes there have been in the tax treatment of actors.

  Mr. Lilley
  From 6 April 1990 theatrical employers were required by the Inland Revenue to operate PAYE on the emoluments of actors engaged under standard contracts based on terms agreed between Equity and theatre managements. The Inland Revenue's view that these are contracts of employment is based on decisions in the Courts, and has been the subject of discussions with the theatre industry for a number of years. There are, however, transitional arrangements which allow established actors, with a history of payment tax under schedule D, to continue to pay their tax under that schedule, and to receive their earnings without deduction of tax under PAYE.

  Customs Procedures
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account he has taken of the impact of the single market on customs-free travel in 1992 when considering the need for pre-boarding customs checks at the proposed international passenger terminal at Waterloo.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Government have repeatedly stressed the need to retain essential customs checks on EC traffic after 1992 to guard against drugs smuggling and similar threats to society. Against this background, customs checks on channel tunnel travellers are being design to be as selective and unobtrusive as possible. Checks on departing passengers are expected to be minimal and only a very small percentage of passengers arriving at Waterloo will experience any delay as they pass through familiar airport-style checks.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evaluation his Department made of the feasibility of carrying out all customs procedures on board trains using the proposed international passenger terminal at Waterloo.

  Mr. Ryder
  A joint working party of officials and British Rail carefully consider the options. Channel tunnel traffic arriving at Waterloo is expected to be heavy, with up to four trains an hour at peak times. The working party concluded that, in preference to checks on board trains, traditional airport-style customs checks at Waterloo would be more cost-effective. Under this system, more than 95 per cent. of passengers can expect to pass through customs without being stopped.

  European Investment Bank
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he was consulted in his capacity as director of the European investment bank over the recent decision to extend the loan to the channel tunnel company by a further £300,000,000; and which body or organisation provided a guarantee for this further loan.

  Mr. Ryder
  Community Finance Ministers and the Chancellor of the Exchequer form the board of governors of the European investment bank. The board of directors is composed of senior officials and private sector representatives from the member states. In accordance with European investment bank procedure, the loan to Eurotunnel was approved by the board of directors.

  The loan is guaranteed on the same basis as the European investment bank's previous loan to Eurotunnel: that is, by means of letters of credit from a group of first-class commercial banks, and a pro rata share with the syndicate banks in the charge on the project revenues and assets.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the normal practice of the European investment bank in seeking guarantees for loans; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The statutes of the European investment bank state that:"When granting a loan to an undertaking or to a body other than a Member State, the Bank shall make the loan conditional either on a guarantee from the Member State in whose territory the project will be carried out or on other adequate guarantees."
  The guarantee for each project is determined on a case by case basis.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the impact on the Scotch whisky industry resulting from the elimination of intra-European Community duty free trade; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  There are no formal proposals in this area but the Commission have made it clear that as a consequence of the completion of the single market, duty-free shopping for intra-community travel should cease.

  The Government understand the Commission's view that it makes no sense to grant a tax concession for crossing a frontier when fiscal frontiers have been abolished. Equally, the Government are aware of the economic significance of the United Kingdom duty-free trade.

  The Scotch whisky industry and others have made representations about the effects of abolishing duty-free shopping within the Community. The Government will examine all the arguments carefully before any decisions are reached within the Community.

  HMSO (Contracts)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Hunterprint company had, or has outstanding, contracts with Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

  Mr. Ryder
  During 1990 HMSO has awarded eight printing contracts to Hunterprint plc. Six of these contracts have been completed, one remains due for completion by July and the other is on-going.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Nuclear Accident, Greenwich
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans or studies have been made by his Department to assess measures that would have to be taken in the event of contamination by airborne plutonium resulting from a nuclear weapons accident aboard a Royal Navy ship docked at Greenwich in relation to the impact on schoolchildren studying in the area.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Action in the event of a nuclear accident involving one of Her Majesty's ships is primarily the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

  Disabled Students
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he collects from institutions of higher education on provision to facilitate access on the part of students with disabilities.

  Mr. Jackson
  This information is not routinely collected.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate current transitional expenditure on special facilities, residential accommodation and teaching aids for disabled students in higher education.

  Mr. Jackson
  The responsibility for such expenditure lies with the institutions, which determine their own priorities within the total resources at their disposal. The information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on current financial support available to disabled students; and what plans he has to uprate this support.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Norris) on 19 March (Official Report, columns 417–18). Social security benefits for disabled students are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate when the loan element will reach 50 per cent. of student maintenance assuming current inflation figures.

  Mr. Jackson
  If inflation were to remain at 9·4 per cent. and the total student support from grant (including any parental contribution) and loan were to be increased in line with inflation while the cash value of the grant remained constant, the average maximum loan facility would equal the average maximum basic rate of grant in the academic year 1996–97. The Government's forecast of inflation for the last quarter of 1990 is 7·25 per cent.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will update his reply to the
  23
  hon. Member for Oxford, East, of 18 December 1989,Official Report, columns 36–40, estimating the public sector borrowing requirement effect of the student loans scheme for each year for which figures are available assuming 80 per cent., 90 per cent. and 100 per cent. take-up.

  Mr. Jackson
  Present estimates of the public sector borrowing requirement effect of the student loans scheme are as announced on 18 December 1989 (Official Report, columns 36–40). The estimates are being revised to take account of new data, including the latest estimates of student numbers, and will be published in due course.

  Armouries (School Premises)
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has issued regarding the holding of weaponry and live ammunition at schools maintained by local education authorities; if he will indicate his policy on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice his Department gives schools as to the storage of live ammunition on their premises.

  Mr. MacGregor
  None. Local education authorities are guided in these matters by guidelines issued by the Police Department on regulations issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

  Haberdasher's Aske's CTC
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what consideration is being given to locating new buildings for the proposed Haberdasher's Aske's city technology college other than those connected with physical education on the site of the current schools' playing fields at Nunhead;

  (2) when the feasibility study by his Department on the establishment of a Haberdasher's Aske's city technology college will be completed; and what arrangements will be made to consult the governors, head teachers and parents at the present schools on the building and curriculum plans resulting from this study.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The provision of accommodation and facilities for the Haberdasher's Aske's Hatcham city technology college has been the subject of feasibility studies. This work is scheduled to be completed by the end of July. Further consultations on the details of the building programme and the curriculum of the CTC are a matter for the Haberdashers' Company, the governing body of the present schools and the Haberdasher's Aske's City Technology Trust, when established, to decide.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what additional provision will be made in the funding agreement for the Haberdasher's Aske's city technology college to ensure that future revenue funding will be distributed between the boys' and girls' sections in direct proportion to the number of pupils of each sex attending the CTC.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The arrangements for recurrent funding of the city technology colleges (CTCs) and the city technology college for the technology of the arts (CCTA) are set out in the final funding agreement, a copy of which 24
  was placed in the House of Commons Library in July 1989. The Haberdasher's Aske's CTC will be funded as one CTC.

  Meningitis
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what support is being made available through the Universities Funding Council in the form of block grants to universities for research into meningitis.

  Mr. Jackson
  Block grant is not earmarked for particular purposes. It is for universities to decide their own priorities for research.

  School Closures, Gloucestershire
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools were closed in each of the past five years in the Gloucestershire education authority.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The number of schools which were closed in each of the past five years in the Gloucestershire education authority area is as follows:

  Number

  1989

  0

  1988

  9

  1987

  13

  1986

  16

  1985

  23

WALES

  Eggs
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make representations, prior to the 1 July deadline, to the European Community concerning regulation 2772/75 relating to the marketing of eggs, in order to safeguard the interests of small farmers in this matter.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No. The proposed Council regulation is only framework legislation. The detail will be included in a Commission regulation which will be adopted under management committee procedure. We shall, of course, bear in mind the interests of all egg producers when the details are discussed and voted on in the management committee.

  Menopause Clinics
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many menopause clinics are available in Welsh hospitals.

  Mr. Grist
  Consultants in a wide range of medical specialties in Wales may hold clinics for menopausal women. However, central records identify out-patient clinics by medical specialty only and menopause clinics are not separately identified.

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the role of Cartrefi Cymru in the all-Wales mental handicap strategy; and if he will make a statement.
  25
  Mr. Grist
  Cartrefi Cymru offers to county joint planning teams a range of services concerned with identifying the housing needs of people with a mental handicap, establishing their requirements for support, seeking suitable accommodation from housing providers and appointing, training and managing staff.

  It works on the basis of contracts with social service departments and health authorities, and has officers based in counties to develop and manage accommodation. There is a central administrative base in Cardiff to co-ordinate and administer the services provided.

  M4 (Congestion)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to eliminate traffic jams on the M4.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  My plans for major improvements to the M4 are set out in "Roads in Wales Progress and Plans for the 1990s". Traffic management measures are implemented as necessary at particular congestion points and during periods of new construction, improvement and maintenance.

  Assembly of Welsh Counties
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to meet the Assembly of Welsh Counties.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I met the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance, which includes representatives of the Assembly of Welsh Counties, earlier today.

  Ex-service Housing
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to encourage the award of grants for modernisation and improvement of housing in Wales which is provided to meet the specific needs of ex-service men and women.

  Mr. Grist
  Ex-service men and women, in line with any other owner-occupier, landlord or tenant, can benefit from the revised renovation grant system to be introduced on 1 July.

  Physiotherapy
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated deficit in physiotherapy services in Gwynedd for, respectively(a) pre-school children, (b) children in ordinary schools and (c) children in special schools, at the most recent available date; what were the corresponding figures in 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will review the provision of physiotherapy services for children in Gwynedd following the implementation of the Education Act 1981; and what assessment he has made of whether Gwynedd health authority have acted in line with their strategic plan of 1984.

  Mr. Grist
  It is for district health authorities and local education authorities to determine the level of provision of 26
  physiotherapy services within available resources. The relevant objectives set out in Gwynedd health authority's strategic plan of 1984 indicated an intent to improve facilities subject to the availability of resources and I am informed that the number of physiotherapist/remedial gymnast staff in post has been increased from 40·8 in 1984 to 48·6 in 1989. (Whole-time equivalent at September in each case.)

  Mental Illness
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the chair of Gwynedd health authority to discuss the proposal to move psychiatric services to Ysbyty Bryn-Y-Neuadd; and if he will take steps to ensure that proposals are consistant with the all-Wales strategy for mental illness.

  Mr. Grist
  I am not aware of any formal proposal to move psychiatric services to Ysbyty Bryn-Y-Neauadd nor have I been asked for a discussion by the chair of Gwynedd health authority.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received from Gwynedd health authority any proposal for the relocation of psychiatric services out of Ysbyty Gwynedd; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  No. Any proposal entailing a substantial variation in services would of course be subject to the usual requirements for consultation.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the all-Wales strategy for mental illness recommends reversion to the asylum concept of care for mentally ill people, in place of general-hospital-based services.

  Mr. Grist
  No. It is recognised that the behaviour or condition of a small proportion of mental illness sufferers will continue to require the provision of a protected environment for them, and it is anticipated that any necessary in-patient treatment will be provided at district general hospital units. However, it is a fundamental principle of the mental illness strategy that the great majority of those who need assessment and treatment should receive it in their own locality and within their usual social environment.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which health authorities have agreed to the all-Wales strategy for mental illness; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  All health authorities in Wales are participants in the relevant multi-agency county-based teams responsible for the planning and implementation of the mental illness strategy at local level. They are thus all party to the local plans which have formed the basis of funding allocated for the current year.

  St. David's Hospital, Bangor
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether Gwynedd health authority will be empowered without reference to his Department to sell St. David's Hospital, Bangor, and to use the proceeds from such a sale at its own discretion.

  Mr. Grist
  Disposal of St. David's hospital, Bangor is a matter for Gwynedd health authority once it has
  27
  complied with the conditions set down in the Department's decision letter of 3 March 1989. In the event that the property is then formally declared surplus to health service requirements, the authority may dispose of it without further reference to the Department.

  The health authority will be entitled to retain the proceeds from any sale of the hospital land and buildings for the provision of hospital and community health services for which they are responsible under the present procedures relating to disposal of surplus land and buildings.

  Beef
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has given any guidelines to health authorities in Wales on serving beef.

  Mr. Grist
  The Department has issued to all health authorities the text of a statement made on 16 May by the chief medical officer of the Department of Health. This statement confirmed that British beef can be eaten safely by everyone, both adults and children, including patients in hospital.

  Ophthalmic Services
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects figures to be available for new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics in(a) South Glamorgan and (b) Wales for the quarter ending June in the current year.

  Mr. Grist
  The figures should become available during the autumn of 1990.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Hip Replacements
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients are on current waiting lists for hip replacement operations in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  A total of 755.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the present average waiting period for patients requiring hip replacement operations at Musgrave Park hospital, Belfast.

  Mr. Needham
  It is 9·5 months.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has any proposals to reduce the waiting period for patients requiring hip replacement operations.

  Health and Social Services Board

  Eastern

  Northern

  Southern

  Western

  Northern Ireland

  Number

  Rate

  Number

  Rate

  Number

  Rate

  Number

  Rate

  Number

  Rate

  Perinatal mortality

  1986

  106

  9·9

  59

  8·9

  48

  8·7

  55

  10·1

  268

  9·5

  1987

  113

  10·8

  46

  6·9

  65

  11·6

  52

  9·8

  276

  9·8

  1988

  91

  8·5

  56

  8·7

  48

  8·7

  64

  12·2

  259

  9·3

  1989

  84

  8·5

  55

  8·8

  30

  5·8

  45

  9·2

  214

  8·2

  Neonatal Mortality

  1986

  57

  5·4

  46

  7·0

  33

  6·0

  33

  6·1

  169

  6·0

  1987

  53

  5·1

  17

  2·6

  34

  6·1

  31

  5·9

  135

  4·8

  28
  Mr. Needham
  My noble Friend Lord Skelmersdale recently announced substantial additional funding for the Northern Ireland orthopaedic service, in 1990–91. A sum of £270,000 has been allocated to the Eastern health and social services board to enable it to provide an extra 230 operations at Musgrave Park hospital, including an additional 70 hip operations. A further £100,000 has been made available to the Western board to increase the number of orthopaedic and opthalmology operations carried out at Altnagelvin hospital. The Department of Health and Social Services believes that better management of waiting lists will also help to reduce both the length of the lists and time patients are having to wait and consequently supports initiatives by the clinical resource efficiency support team (CREST) aimed at improving waiting list management.

  Whiteabbey Hospital (Orthopaedic Clinic)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how often the orthopaedic clinic at Whiteabbey hospital, Newtownabbey, operates.

  Mr. Needham
  Once per week.

  Life Sentences
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners serving life sentences have been granted parole or released on licence during the past 20 years in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Cope
  A total of 122 life sentence prisoners have been released on licence since 1 January 1970. Forty-nine prisoners detained at the Secretary of State's pleasure were released on licence in the same period.

  There is no system of parole for prisoners in Northern Ireland but there is provision for granting a few hours' compassionate home leave in the event of the death or critical illness of a member of the prisoner's immediate family. In addition, prisoners who have served a substantial period of their sentences may be eligible for short periods of summer and Christmas home leave.

  Mortality Rates
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the amount of(a) perinatal and (b) neonatal mortality in each health and social services board in Northern Ireland in each of the years 1986 to 1989.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested is in the table:
  29

  Eastern

  Northern

  Southern

  Western

  Northern Ireland

  Number

  Rate

  Number

  Rate

  Number

  Rate

  Number

  Rate

  Number

  Rate

  1988

  ·53

  5·0

  32

  5·0

  24

  4·4

  40

  1·1

  149

  5·4

  1989

  ·35

  3·6

  32

  5·2

  15

  2·9

  22

  4·5

  104

  4·0

  Notes:

  1. Perinatal mortality rate is the number of stillbirths and deaths during the first week of the life per 1,000 total births.

  2. Neonatal mortality rate is the number of deaths during the first four weeks of life per 1,000 live births.

  3. 1989 data is provisional.

  Kincora Boys Home
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether, in the light of the transcript which has been sent to him of the BBC 2 film on Kincora, and the statements by James, he will set up another inquiry into Kincora.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: I have studied the transcript and am satisfied that it contains no material about Kincora not available at the time to Sir George Terry's inquiry. I understand that the individual identified as "James" was in fact interviewed in 1982 by the Royal Ulster Constabulary as part of the inquiry superintended by Sir George Terry.

  As I pointed out in my reply of 19 April at column 987, rumours about the homosexual tendencies of one member of the staff at Kincora were in circulation in the 1970's; these were known to the police but did not amount, as the programme made clear, to substantive evidence of homosexual abuse of boys at the hostel. In these circumstances I do not believe that a further inquiry into the events at Kincora could be justified. However, if anyone has substantive new evidence which is relevant he should give it to the police.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 21 May,Official Report, column 30, if he will give the figures for energy consumption in kWh for electricity, litres for oil, therms for gas and tonnes for coal.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 6 June 1990]: The amount of energy consumed in 1988–89 in the buildings occupied by Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office is as follows:

  Energy consumed

  Electricity

  94,055,748

  kWh

  Oil

  20,149,234

  Litres

  Gas

  1,485,202

  Therms

  Coal

  196

  Tonnes

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the number of energy audits carried out in his Department in the past five years and for each audit a statement of its main conclusions.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 5 June 1990]: A total of 284 energy audits were carried out over the past five years in the Northern Ireland and Government Office estate.

  A statement of main conclusions for each audit could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Pay and Conditions
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what consideration he has given to the report of the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee on the civil service pay and conditions of service code.

  Mr. Luce
  The Committee's recommendations are being considered and the Government will be publishing its response in due course.

  Agencies
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what proportion of the civil service is now covered either by established agencies or agency candidates.

  Mr. Luce
  There are at present 31 established agencies, employing some 69,000 staff, and a further 125,000 staff in the 25 announced agency candidates. Together these account for about a third of the civil service.

DEFENCE

  Low Flying
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which countries the United Kingdom has agreements to hold low-flying exercises.

  Mr. Neubert
  Under long-standing arrangements, the Royal Air Force carries out low flying training in the United States and Canada (including a significant proportion of training under 250 ft). RAF aircraft stationed in the Federal Republic of Germany also carry out a high proportion of their training in the FRG. Small amounts of low flying may also be carried out in other NATO countries and elsewhere by mutual agreement.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost to his Department for low flying facilities used by the Royal Air Force in Labrador and Quebec.

  Mr. Neubert
  Payments to Canada for Royal Air Force low flying facilities over Labrador and Quebec in the year 1988–89, the latest year for which final bills have been presented, were £5·5993 million.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many farmers have received compensation in respect of damage to livestock caused by the activities of low-flying helicopters from 1 April 1989 to 31 March 90 and from 1 April 1990 to 30 April 1990;

  (2) how many farmers have claimed compensation in respect of damage to livestock caused by the activities of low-flying helicopters from 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 and from 1 April 1990 to 30 April 1990.

  Mr. Neubert
  Information is not available in the precise form requested and could not be established without disproportionate cost. However, during the period 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990, 731 claims arising from the activities of low flying helicopters were settled. The figure for 1 April 1990 was 72.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of low-flying military aircraft over rural areas in South Down.
  32
  Mr. Neubert
  There are currently no fixed wing military aircraft undertaking low flying in the South Down area for either operational or training purposes. Flights by military helicopters are carried out for operational reasons, in order to support the RUC in the fight against terrorism. Helicopters are an essential part of the security forces effort to counter the terrorists threat, which in South Down has resulted in the murder of seven soldiers in recent months. Helicopters may need to fly low for operational or weather reasons. I regret the inconvenience that this may cause some of the hon. Member's constituents but I can assure him that low flying is kept to a minimum.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the proposed intermediate-level radioactive waste dump at Rosyth is designed to accommodate waste requirements of nuclear refitting at places other than Rosyth.

  Mr. Neubert
  The intermediate-level radioactive waste store at Rosyth is being designed to accommodate only the anticipated arisings from processes undertaken by Rosyth royal dockyard.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the proposed new intermediate-level radioactive waste store at Rosyth has been designed to permit expansion of the storage facilities.

  Mr. Neubert
  The intermediate-level radio-active waste store at Rosyth is not being designed specifically to permit expansion of the storage facilities.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities currently exist at(a) Rosyth and (b) Devonport for the storage of intermediate-level radioactive waste arising from the decommissioning of nuclear-powered submarines.

  Mr. Neubert
  No special facilities currently exist at Rosyth and Devonport for storage of intermediate level radio-active waste arising from the decommissioning of nuclear powered submarines.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on the transport by(a) rail, (b) road and (c) sea of intermediate-level radioactive waste arising from nuclear-powered submarine operations.

  Mr. Neubert
  Ministry of Defence policy for transport of all radioactive waste by rail, road or sea is to apply standards no less stringent than those required by International Atomic Energy Agency regulations.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what monitoring has taken place of sites used for sea dumping of British chemical warfare stocks, and what have been the results of any such monitoring.

  Mr. Neubert
  There has been no systematic monitoring of sites where chemical warfare stocks were sea dumped. However, there are no indications of leakage or of any identified hazard to health were that to happen.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations and depths of all sites at sea where British chemical warfare stocks have been dumped.
  33
  Mr. Neubert
  The United Kingdom abandoned its offensive capability in chemical warfare in the late 1950s. United Kingdom chemical weapons were disposed of over a lengthy period and it would require disproportionate effort to research old records for precise locations. However, I can confirm that all known stocks were disposed of, although from time to time there are discoveries of buried items dating back to the two world wars, which are taken to the chemical defence establishment at Porton Down for safe disposal.

  Defence Establishments, Wales
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at which land-based defence establishments in Wales he proposes(a) cuts in establishment numbers, (b) closures and (c) privatisation of services by civilians; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Ministry of Defence continues to pursue economies and increased efficiency throughout the Department, including regular audits of establishments. There are currently no plans for significant reductions in establishment numbers, closures, or market testing in Wales.

  Soldiers (Offences)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many serving soldiers have been convicted within the last 12 months of offences involving violence;

  (2) how many soldiers have been convicted within the last 12 months of offences involving dishonesty; and how many have been discharged from the Army;

  (3) how many soldiers have been discharged from the Army within the last 12 months following convictions for offences involving violence.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers are currently serving sentences at Colchester military correction and training centre; of what offences they were convicted; and what are their sentences.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are 142 soldiers currently serving sentences at the military corrective training centre for desertion/AWOL, dishonesty, violence, drug and sex offences. Their sentences range from 28 days to two years, with just over 100 sentences of six months or more.

  Cadet Forces (Armouries)
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armouries of service cadet forces are based in(a) maintained and (b) independent schools; and what standing arrangements exist for their security and for the custody of live ammunition.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are approximately 265 detachments of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), Army Cadet Force (ACF) and Air Training Corps (ATC) based in maintained schools, and 200 CCF detachments in independent schools. Most of these have armouries, but it would not be possible to give exact figures without disproportionate cost.

  Security of cadet force weapons is strictly governed by service regulations. These require arms to be kept securely
  34
  in appropriate containers or armouries, while ammunition must be stored separately, again under appropriate, secure conditions. It would not be appropriate to give details of these regulations, which, in general, require a higher level of security than the equivalent civil standards for rifle clubs or licenced individual firearms holders. All weapon storage facilities are strictly controlled by the Ministry of Defence and are periodically inspected to ensure that proper standards are being maintained.

  Mr. Colin Wallace
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expected Mr. Calcutt to report on the case of Colin Wallace when he set up the inquiry; and when he now expects Mr. Calcutt to report.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Mr. Calcutt is conducting an independent inquiry and it is for him to determine how long the work will take. No firm date has yet been set for its completion.

  Royal Ordnance Factory, Bishopton
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the action at royal ordnance factory, Bishopton, taken in relation to Graeme Stewart and Allan Milligan of The Scotsman newspaper.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have been asked to reply. On 1 June at the royal ordnance factory, Bi shopton, Graeme Stewart and John Allan Milligan were charged by officers of Strathclyde police with contravening section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911. A report was subsequently submitted to the procurator fiscal at Paisley. The matter was referred to Crown Office and Crown counsel have instructed that there be no proceedings.

HEALTH

  Hospital Beds (North Wiltshire)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total of hospital beds in each of the past five years within the constituency of Wiltshire, North.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information about hospital beds is collected centrally by district health authority and is not available for individual parliamentary constituencies. Figures for Swindon and Bath district health authorities are given in the table.

  Average daily available beds and in-patient cases treated Swindon and Bath district health authorities, 1984–1988–89

  Year

  Available beds

  In-patient cases treated

  In-patient cases treated per available bed

  Swindon

  DHA

  1984

  1,377

  27,731

  20·1

  1985

  1,311

  28,458

  21·7

  1986

  1,280

  29,072

  22·7

  1987–88

  1,142

  33,396

  29·2

  1988–89

  1,123

  31,187

  27·8

  Bath DHA

  1984

  2,737

  48,023

  17·5

  1985

  2,681

  49,135

  18·3

  1986

  2,645

  50,213

  19·0

  35

  Year

  Available beds

  In-patient cases treated

  In-patient cases treated per available bed

  1987–88

  2,360

  54,521

  23·1

  1988–89

  2,226

  49,552

  22·3

  Source: SH3 return, 1984–1986

  KHO3 & SH3a returns, 1987–88 onwards

  Tampons
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 5 April,Official Report, column 745, whether he has yet obtained the information regarding the numbers of deaths in the United Kingdom from toxic shock syndrome; and if he will make a statement.

  Amount by which constituency differs from the electoral quota based on the 1990 Register

  Parliamentary Constituency

  Total Parliamentary Electors 1990

  Number of Electors

  Percentage

  Aldershot

  83,356

  13,799

  19·8

  Basingstoke

  83,111

  13,534

  19·5

  East Hampshire

  91,512

  21,935

  31·5

  Eastleigh

  91,259

  21,682

  31·2

  Fareham

  81,399

  11,822

  17·0

  Gosport

  70,903

  1,326

  1·9

  Havant

  77,158

  7,581

  10·9

  New Forest

  76,278

  6,701

  9·6

  North West Hampshire

  72,637

  3,060

  4·4

  Portsmouth North

  81,523

  11,946

  17·2

  Portsmouth South

  77,127

  7,550

  10·9

  Romsey and Waterside

  83,302

  13,725

  19·7

  Southampton and Itchen

  73,223

  3,646

  5·2

  Southampton Test

  74,703

  5,126

  7·4

  Winchester

  79,226

  9,649

  13·9

  English electoral quota

  69,577

  —

  —

  Total excess over quota

  —

  153,068

  —

  Note:

  The total excess of 153,068 is equivalent to a theoretical entitlement of 2·2 seats of average size.

  Transplants
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the management of the United Kingdom transplant service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The United Kingdom transplant service (UKTS) is at present a non-statutory body funded by the health departments via the South Western regional health authority. Its functions have grown in recent years and a more formal management arrangement is needed. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has decided in principle that a special health authority should be set up to manage the UKTS. The next step will be an independent implementation study by Dr. John Evans to advise on the structure and operation of the authority. Establishing a special health authority for the UKTS should provide a sound basis for the management of the UKTS for the next few years and pending decisions on any more permanent arrangements.

  Alcoholism
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that, under the new community care system, adequate funding reaches post-detoxification residential care units for people recovering from severe alcohol problems.
  36
  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is not yet available. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

  Electorate, Hampshire
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 26 March,Official Report, columns 40–41, if he will now list the number of 1990 electors by which each Hampshire constituency exceeds the electoral quota for an average English seat and the number of additional seats, or part thereof, which would be required to bring the number of Hampshire constituencies up to the English average.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information is as follows:

  Mr. Dorrell
  We shall be directing local authorities to include provision for alcohol misusers in their community care plans. This will ensure that those agencies that provide residential care for alcohol misusers will have access to the funds that are available via local authorities.

  Hip Replacements
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources will be made available to the South West health authority to expedite hip replacement operations for those patients aged over 75 years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The provision of treatment services in the south west using these and other resources is a matter for the regional health authority.

  The initial revenue allocation to the South Western regional health authority for 1990–91 is £919,011,000, 9 per cent. more than the initial allocation for 1989–90.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list in the Official Report the health authorities which have waiting lists of under 12 months for hip replacement operations;

  (2) if he will list the average waiting time in the South West district health authorities for patients needing hip replacement surgery; and what steps are being taken to reduce this delay.
  37
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on waiting lists is collected centrally by specialty but not for specific operations or procedures. The six-monthly publication of hospital waiting list statistics, which is placed in the Library, provides information about waiting time for admission for each specialty.

  The latest information held centrally about the time waited, by operation, relates to patients admitted in 1985 and is published in "1985 Hospital In-patients Enquiry main tables for England series number 27", a copy of which is also available in the Library. Information on the time waited for specific types of operation in 1988–89 is expected to be available shortly.

  We are committed to reducing excessive waiting and have invested a total of £119 million over four years from the waiting list fund for this purpose. In 1989–90 £8·7 million was allocated to the specialty of trauma and orthopaedics of which at least £441,000 was specifically used for hip operations.

  Funding, Wirral
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason funding for the Wirral family practitioner committee has been cut by £400,000 in the current year; and if he will detail his estimate of the number of reception and support staff local general practitioners will cease to employ as a result of the new budget arrangements.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The preliminary allocation of £1,979,000 to Wirral family practitioner committee for practice staff and premises improvements this year is an increase of over 13 per cent. on its expenditure of £1,745,000 in 1989–90. We shall make any necessary adjustment to this record allocation when we know from family practitioner committees the full year cost of their commitments at the end of March. This will enable family practitioner committees to honour our undertaking to continue full support for existing practice staff.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish a clearing house in his Department to facilitate a more efficient use of hospital resources so that general practitioners and consultants can be directed to those hospitals with the shortest waiting list for each particular category of operation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government believe that central direction is not the most effective way of managing

  Notifications of all forms of tuberculosis by Regional Health Authorities in England for 1979 to 19891

  Area

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  19891

  England

  8,752

  7,803

  7,083

  6,501

  5,833

  5,583

  5,743

  4,853

  4,960

  5,241

  RHA

  Northern

  486

  428

  336

  342

  300

  260

  299

  271

  222

  244

  Yorkshire

  722

  603

  627

  539

  468

  415

  437

  355

  403

  418

  Trent

  709

  660

  593

  547

  519

  536

  572

  514

  529

  496

  East Anglian

  146

  114

  96

  106

  95

  101

  91

  90

  80

  74

  North West Thames

  1,350

  1,271

  1,082

  995

  896

  775

  867

  672

  727

  761

  North East Thames

  1,078

  946

  803

  753

  659

  697

  620

  603

  579

  690

  South East Thames

  598

  472

  452

  452

  452

  440

  343

  293

  323

  370

  South West Thames

  411

  384

  319

  326

  262

  254

  301

  244

  231

  198

  Wessex

  161

  182

  191

  169

  145

  164

  133

  120

  145

  124

  Oxford

  308

  254

  248

  180

  215

  171

  148

  199

  188

  191

  South Western

  294

  319

  225

  183

  180

  139

  146

  136

  147

  139

  West Midlands

  1,164

  1,022

  1,045

  900

  848

  813

  855

  663

  671

  849

  38
  the National Health Service. The reforms set out in the White Paper "Working for Patients", and embodied in the National Health Service and Community Care Bill, will create both the incentives, and the means, for the more efficient use of resources and improved quality of service to patients.

  Under the new arrangements there will be better information for general practitioners on the waiting times each hospital will be expected to achieve, and greater flexibility to choose the most appropriate package of care overall, taking account of such information.

  Battered Women
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of refuges for battered women; and how many places they provide in each local authority in England and Wales.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally. Data held by the National Voluntary Organisation Women's Aid Federation (England) Ltd. indicate that there are 200 such refuges in England. I will write to the hon. Member about numbers of places in each local authority. Refuges in Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Tuberculosis
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether enough supplies of tuberculosis vaccine are now available for routine school vaccinations.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Supplies of BCG vaccine for routine school vaccinations were restored in May 1990. We have been assured by the supplier that adequate stocks are now available to maintain a continuing supply for this purpose.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report, the reported cases of tuberculosis for each health authority in England for each year between 1979 and 1990.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: The information available is shown in the table.

  Notifications of tuberculosis are collected by local authority area rather than by health authority area; aggregating of data is possible to regional health authority (RHA) level, but not to district health authority (DHA) level because of boundary differences. Information at RHA is shown in the table.
  39

  Area

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  19891

  Mersey

  267

  244

  248

  222

  150

  163

  197

  140

  132

  158

  North Western

  1,058

  904

  818

  787

  644

  655

  734

  553

  583

  529

  1 Provisional.

  Erythropoetin
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newbury,Official Report, 9 March, column 902, whether any decision has yet been reached on licensing of the drug Erythropoetin.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [pursuant to her reply, Tuesday 8 May 1990]: A licence has been granted for the drug Erythropoetin and I understand that the company has now put the drug on the market.

  Meningitis
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in the Official Report details of all research into meningitis currently being funded by his Department, indicating in each case the level of funds being made available.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department has made available £55,437 for a prospective case control study of meningococcal disease in eight west country health districts from 1 May 1988 until 30 April 1990. A final report is awaited.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Ravenscraig
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if commercial sections in British embassies have been instructed to seek potential investors in an independent Scottish steel industry, following British Steel's recent decision to close capacity at Ravenscraig.

  Mr. Maude
  Instructions have not been sent to commercial sections. Commercial sections in our embassies are, however, always seeking to identify potential inward investment projects across the range of business sectors and would pass on to the Invest in Britain Bureau details of any interest which may be expressed in steel or any other sector.

  St. Helena
  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in view of the improvement in telecommunications with St. Helena, steps can now be taken to establish commercial banking facilities.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We are committed to strengthening the private sector on St. Helena. Since improvements in St. Helena's telecommunications and communications links were first planned, we have approached a number of commercial banks to see if they would be prepared to establish a branch on St. Helena. None has yet decided to do so. We are also considering other ways of introducing banking facilities, for example the establishment of a development finance institution which might include a banking function.
  40
  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans have been formulated to improve transportation by sea and air to St. Helena and its dependencies.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  A number of improvements are being made. St. Helena's only regular, though infrequent, link with the outside world is a passenger/cargo vessel built in 1963, which Her Majesty's Government subsidises. The vessel also serves St. Helena's dependencies of Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. Because of its age, the ship is shortly to be replaced by a larger, purpose-built vessel, built at a Scottish yard, which is expected to enter service in late summer. In addition, it has been decided to commence a weekly shipping shuttle, subsidised by Britain, between St. Helena and Ascension Island.

  Israel
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will send a message of concern to the Israeli Government about Israel's continued refusal to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We take every suitable opportunity to express our concern about this matter, and to reiterate our view that the best way to achieve a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the middle east would be for all states in the region to accede to the NPT.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will send a message of concern to the Israeli Government about the continued imprisonment of Mr. Mordechai Vanunu.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to representations from individuals and organisations concerned about the threat that mining could pose to the environment of Antarctica; and if he will make it his policy to press British opposition to any such developments.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 14 May at column 312 to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley).

  Wildlife Protection
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list his responsibilities in relation to the worldwide protection of wildlife.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is responsible for the conclusion of all international agreements with other states or international organisations, including their extension, as appropriate, to the Dependent Territories.
  41
  In the case of wildlife, the four world-wide conservation conventions to which the United Kingdom is party are the Washington convention on international trade in endangered species of wild flora and fauna, the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance, the Bonn convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild flora and fauna and the convention for the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage 1975.

  Within the context of collective government, responsibility for fulfilling the United Kingdom's obligations under these conventions and formulating our contribution to their development world wide rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment; in respect of the Dependent Territories my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has those responsibilities.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on negotiations he has had or is having with the relevant authorities in(a) East Germany, (b) Romania, (c) Hungary, (d) Poland, (e) Czechoslovakia, (f) Yugoslavia and (g) Bulgaria regarding the requirement for British passport holders to have a visa, exchange currency and pre-booked accommodation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have held no such negotiations with the countries concerned. Although the situation varies from country to country, most of these requirements have now been abandoned. We welcome this.

  Nuclear Arms
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which terrorities, for which the United Kingdom is internationally responsible, lie within the zone of application of the 1967 treaty of Tlatelolco; and what are the United Kingdom's rights and obligations under the treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The territories of the Falkland Islands. South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, British Virgin Islands. Anguilla and Montserrat lie within the zone of application of the Treaty of Tlatelolco.

  Only Latin American states can be full parties to the treaty. The United Kingdom has, however, signed and ratified both the additional protocols to the treaty. Under protocol 1 the United Kingdom, in the territories above, must use exclusively for peaceful purposes the nuclear material and facilities which are under its jurisdiction and prohibit and prevent:

  (a) the testing, use, manufacture, production and acquisition by any means whatsoever of any nuclear weapons directly or indirectly; and

  (b) the receipt, storage, installation, deployment and any form of possession of any nuclear weapons, directly or indirectly.

  Under protocol 2 the United Kingdom has undertaken not to contribute in any way to the performance of acts violating article 1 of the treaty itself in the states to which the treaty applies. Article 1 essentially prohibits and prevents those acts in (a) and (b) above.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) of 4 May,42
  Official Report, column 694, for which regions of the world Her Majesty's Government supports the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We support the establishment of nuclear weapon free zones in those regions where their creation can contribute to regional security, to nonproliferation and to disarmament in general.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the reply on the nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference,Official Report, 9 May 1990, column 181, what resources and support team of civil servants will be committed by his Department to the review conference; what issues, excepting organisational matters, were raised at the nuclear non-proliferation treaty third preparatory meeting to which he refers; if his Department will provide any resources to non-governmental organisations wanting to attend the nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference; and whether Her Majesty's Government will support observer status for non-governmental organisations at the conference.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Under the financing formula for the review conference, we are committed to paying 6·13 per cent. of the total costs. I expect to lead the United Kingdom delegation initially. Subsequently, the delegation will be led by Her Majesty's representative to the conference on disarmament. The delegation will comprise a number of officials.

  The third preparatory committee dealt only with organisational matters, although other issues were discussed in the margins of the meeting.

  We do not plan to make available any financial assistance for non-governmental organisations to attend the review conference. The draft rules of procedure for the conference do not make any provision for non-governmental organisations to be granted observer status, but they may attend meetings of the plenary and of the main committees, in which case they are entitled to receive the documents of the conference.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has prepared a submission for the fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty later in the current year.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 9 May at column 181 to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang).

  Mr. Orme
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new initiatives Her Majesty's Government have planned in arms control and disarmament.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We and our NATO allies agreed at the North Atlantic Council meeting, held at Turnberry on 7 and 8 June, that:We would instruct our negotiators at the Vienna talks on conventional forces in Europe to pursue new approaches to mutually acceptable solutions, in particular on armour, aircraft and verification. As soon as a CFE agreement is reached, allies will be prepared to undertake follow-on negotiations to further enhance security and stability in Europe.
  Negotiations on United States and Soviet short-range nuclear weapon systems in Europe should begin shortly after a CFE agreement is concluded.

  43
  The CSCE process should be strengthened and given effective institutional form.

  A copy of the Communique from the meeting is being placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Orme
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweatlh Affairs whether any states have indicated an intention to withdraw from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No.

  Romania
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweatlh Affairs what medical supplies, food, clothing and other non-financial aid the United Kingdom has supplied to Romania since 1 March.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development's answer of 19 April at column 1017.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweatlh Affairs if, pursuant to his answer of 27 February,Official Report, column 110, to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing), he will list in the Official Report the financial aid supplied by the Government to Romania since that date; and what financial aid he intends to supply to Romania over the next six months.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  None.

  Filipino Wives
  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases of Filipino wives of British subjects seeking admission to the United Kingdom whose applications were submitted to the independent appellate authority up to the end of March are still outstanding; when the application of Mrs. Nancy Barrera Sanderson will be decided; what are the reasons for the delay in processing such applications; and whether he will take urgent steps to end the distress caused by the delays to lawfully married couples.

  The Attorney-General
  The information requested in the first part of the question is not available, as the immigration appellate authorities (IAA) do not record information separately about appeals from Filipino citizens.

  The IAA have now sent the case papers of Mrs. Nancy Berrera Sanderson's appeal to her representatives in the United Kingdom. When the representatives indicate to the IAA that they are ready to proceed to the hearing before the independent adjudicator, a hearing will be set down within four to six weeks.

  Delays in processing appeals at the IAA have been caused by the unexpectedly high rise in the volume of appeals in 1988 and 1989. There was a 60 per cent. rise in 1988; a 30 per cent. rise in 1989; and a further 40 per cent. rise is expected over the next 18 months.

  Significant additional resources were provided to the IAA last year, which resulted in a 50 per cent. rise in disposal rates. However, the increased workload has been so great that the backlog of appeals still remains high, but the situation is being kept under review.

THE ARTS

  Museums and Galleries (Admission Charges)
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last discussed with the national museums and galleries attendances and admission charges.

  Mr. Luce
  I discuss a wide range of matters with directors of the national museums and galleries on a regular basis.

  The question of whether or not to levy admission charges is a matter for decision by the trustees and directors of individual institutions.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what has been the increase in real terms in his Department's budget since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  The increase in real terms in the Office of Arts and Libraries' Budget since 1979 is 48 per cent. This is a clear indication of the commitment that the Government have to the cultural life of Britain.

  Arts Bodies (Administration)
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received concerning the cost of administration of arts bodies.

  Mr. Luce
  I have received a number of representations about the cost of arts administration in recent months.

  Three-year Funding
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received concerning the concept of three-year funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  I have received representations from all the bodies that I fund directly, and from many others. There has been a wide welcome for the concept of three-year funding, particularly as it provides a firm base for longer-term planning.

  Arts Funding (Shire Counties)
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the contribution per head by each shire county in grants or loans to arts organisations.

  Mr. Luce
  The information is not held centrally. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance (CIPFA) has published the following figures for 1989–90.

  Figures

  Avon

  0·35

  Bedfordshire

  0·44

  Berkshire

  0·12

  Buckinghamshire

  0·60

  Cambridgeshire

  0·21

  Cheshire

  10·70

  Cleveland

  1·51

  Cornwall

  0·41

  Cumbria

  0·26

  Derbyshire

  1·04

  45

  Figures

  Devon

  0·64

  Dorset

  0·27

  Durham

  1·29

  East Sussex

  0·09

  Essex

  0·09

  Gloucestershire

  0·28

  Hampshire

  1·08

  Hereford/Worcs

  0·31

  Hertfordshire

  0·09

  Humberside

  0·56

  Isle of Wight

  2·13

  Kent

  0·29

  Lancashire

  20·88

  Leicestershire

  3·44

  Lincolnshire

  2·09

  Norfolk

  2·16

  Northamptonshire

  0·22

  Northumberland

  10·72

  North Yorkshire

  0·96

  Nottinghamshire

  1·19

  Oxfordshire

  2·06

  Shropshire

  1·05

  Somerset

  1·14

  Staffordshire

  0·88

  Suffolk

  0·71

  Surrey

  0·14

  Warwickshire

  1·11

  West Sussex

  0·05

  Wiltshire

  0·59

  11988–89 figure

  2 figure supplied by Lancashire CC

  Business Sponsorship
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what proportion of money received under the business sponsorship incentive scheme goes to small, regional or innovative arts bodies, respectively.

  Mr. Luce
  In 1989–90, 71 per cent. of the award money went to arts organisations outside London, of which 17·8 per cent. went to Scotland and 14·8 per cent. to Wales. Small and innovative arts bodies continue to be successful in attracting sponsorship under the Scheme. I regret that detailed information on the proportion of funds that they receive is not available.

  Theatres (Nottingham)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he next plans to visit(a) Nottingham playhouse and (b) Nottingham Theatre Royal to discuss funding for east midlands arts.

  Mr. Luce
  I have no plans at present to do so.

  Arts Bodies (Regions)
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what major arts bodies have relocated to the regions in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  Detailed information about the relocation of arts organisations is not held centrally. I am aware, however, that a number of major arts organisations are moving all or part of their operations to the regions. They include the transfer of the Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet to Birmingham; the extension of the Tate gallery's range of activities to Liverpool and, in the future, to Cornwall; and the opening by the science museum of the national museum of film, photography and television in Bradford.
  46
  I welcome these and other developments which ensure that the best of British arts is accessible to the widest possible public.

  Arts Funding (NAO Report)
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received following the National Audit Office report into the funding of arts bodies.

  Mr. Luce
  I have received no such representations.

  Royal Opera House
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the level of public support for the royal opera house for the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  In 1990–91 the Arts Council's grant to the royal opera house has been set at £15·2 million. This represents an increase of 11 per cent. on last year's figure, well above the rate of inflation.

  "Arts in Education"
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has held with "arts in education" teams.

  Mr. Luce
  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Science, and I have both acknowledged the role which the arts will play in the national curriculum. An important booklet, "Arts and Schools", jointly funded by the two departments has just been published and issued to all maintained schools in Great Britain. It includes a number of case studies of best practice in art in education by various arts organisations—including museums, art galleries and libraries—working with schools to widen the boundaries of classroom learning.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps he proposes taking to increase cultural links with eastern European countries in the climate which now prevails.

  Mr. Luce
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has provided an additional £2·25 million in 1990–91 to enable the British Council to increase cultural activity in eastern Europe including new British cultural centres there. I am exploring the scope for mounting cultural initiatives within the remit of the know-how-fund. I have also given an extra £50,000 to the Arts Council and £5,000 to Visiting. Arts to help bring eastern European arts groups to Britain.

  Wilding Report
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what reports he has received on the overlapping between the Office of Arts and Libraries, the Arts Council and the regional arts associations in the light of the Wilding report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  I am aware of the recent National Audit Office report to the Parliamentary Accounts Committee which examined the relationship between the Arts Council, the regional arts associations and the Office of Arts and Libraries. I believe that the changes in the structure of arts funding that I announced to the House on
  47
  13 March 1990 will clarify the responsibilities of the Arts Council and the Regional Arts Associations, and strengthen accountability for taxpayers' money.

  Devolved Financial Responsibility
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has received representations from the director of the National Campaign for the Arts on the cost implications of devolved financial responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  I believe that my proposals will result in a structure for arts funding which will give even better value for money. It is however too early to say what savings will be released from these changes. More importantly, they will lead to clarification of funding responsibilities, elimination of the duplication and overlap between the Arts Council and the regions noted by both the Wilding and National Audit Office reports, and strengthening of regional accountability for the money that they spend on the arts.

SCOTLAND

  Land Registration
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any additional resources will be made available to accelerate the introduction of the provisions of the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979 relating to registration; and if he will state for each non-operational area (i) the date up to which the relative Sasine Register has presently been completed, and (ii) any representations as to the possible consequences in conveyancing transactions; and what response has been made.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Department of the Registers of Scotland is required by statute to recover its expenditure from fee income. Since 1989 the Department has had more freedom to finance expansion from extra fee income. I have recently made an order, to come into force on 4 July, to increase some of the fee levels previously set in 1981. The additional income will allow backlogs to be reduced and pave the way for extending the Land Register.

  Information as at 6 June 1990 about the dates to which the Sasine register volumes are complete is set out in the table below.

  Representations have been made from time to time by the Law Society of Scotland about the effect on conveyancing transactions of delays in registration but these have not been specific to individual areas.

  In establishing the Department as an executive agency in April 1990 my right hon. and learned Friend set targets for turnround times to be reduced from 30 weeks in 1989–90 to 17 weeks in 1992–93 as respects the General Register of Sasines, and from 35 to 17 weeks for registration of dealings in the Land Register.

  County

  1989

  Aberdeen

  8 September

  Angus

  22 November

  Argyll

  5 September

  Ayr

  31 July

  Banff

  20 October

  Berwick

  12 December

  Bute

  31 August

  Caithness

  30 October

  48

  County

  1989

  Clackmannan

  16 October

  Dumfries

  2 August

  East Lothian

  10 October

  Fife

  2 October

  Inverness

  17 August

  Kincardine

  24 October

  Kinross

  11 December

  Kirkcudbright

  28 July

  Midlothian

  24 October

  Moray

  23 October

  Nairn

  23 October

  Orkney and Shetland

  16 October

  Peebles

  5 December

  Perth

  5 December

  Ross and Cromarty

  25 September

  Roxburgh

  13 December

  Selkirk

  4 December

  Sterling

  28 August

  Sutherland

  9 October

  West Lothian

  21 August

  Wigtown

  4 August

  Lead Contamination
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money his Department has spent in each of the years between 1979–90, inclusive, on publicising the availability of lead replacement grants; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There is no separate publicity on grants for replacement of lead plumbing. The Scottish Development Department publishes a guide to all forms of assistance available under the improvement and repairs grant system. This is distributed, free of charge, to all Scottish local authorities, who are encouraged to make it widely available.

  Fishing
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take action to prohibit the use of mobile fishing gear in sea lochs.

  Mr. Lang
  My noble Friend the Minister of State recently issued a consultation paper, "Additional Conservation Measures", in area VIA (West Coast of Scotland) in which views were sought on extending the current winter closure of the west coast sea lochs to a full year ban. The consultation period has now ended and responses are being considered.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what evidence he has of illegal fishing in the Minch.

  Mr. Lang
  The Minch is subject to regular surveillance by ships and aircraft of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, as are all of the main fishing grounds off the Scottish coast. In 1989 a total of five infringements of fisheries regulations were detected.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy on industrial fishing in relation to(a) ammodytes marinus, (b) ammodytes tubianus, (c) ammodytes semiguaranatus, (d) hyperoplus lancealatus and (e) hyperoplus immaculatus.

  Mr. Lang
  The Government's policy in relation to fishing for(a) Ammodytes marinus, (b) Ammodytes tobianus, (c) Gymnammodytes semisquamatus, (d)

  49
  Hyperoplus lanceolatus and (e) Hyperoplus immac-culatus, commonly known as sand-eels, is the same as for other industrial species. Stocks are managed on the basis of scientific advice on the effect of fishing effort on stock size. The aim of such management is the sustainable long-term exploitation of the fishery resource.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue guidance to local authorities to make culverts under new roads cobble-bottomed to assist spawning fish to get upstream.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Development Department is currently considering design improvements for culverts which may assist the upstream passage of fish and is co-operating with the freshwater fisheries laboratory of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland in the assessment of a particular design. If the results of the trial prove satisfactory from both an engineering and fisheries point of view appropriate design guidance will be issued to roads' authorities.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will designate the northern Minch as a marine nature reserve.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is for the Nature Conservancy Council, as the Government's statutory adviser, to propose any area for designation as a marine nature reserve (MNR). Two potential MNRs have been identified in Scotland by the Nature Conservancy Council using guidelines laid down in the joint NCC/NERC report entitled "Nature Conservation in the Marine Environment". The northern Minch is not one of those potential sites.

  Recognised Bodies
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he intends to publish draft regulations on exempt recognised bodies and small recognised bodies;

  (2) what consultations he intends to have concerning regulations on exempt recognised bodies and small recognised bodies.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Provided that the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Bill receives Royal Assent, I intend to consult widely in the first half of 1991 on the regulations to be made about charities.

  Government Buildings (Security)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the performance and cost of security services provided at various government buildings in Edinburgh by Burns Security; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I am satisfied with the security guarding services currently provided by Burns International Security Services (UK) to the Scottish Office. The contract provided substantial savings for the Scottish Office compared with the previous in-house service.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish his report on the operation of Burns (International Security Services (UK)) Ltd. in public buildings.

  Mr. Rifkind
  There is no report on this subject; in any event I do not regard material dealing with these matters as suitable for publication.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he expects employers to contribute to the costs of providing training for people who have disabilities.

  Mr. Lang
  I see no reason why employers should not make contributions which appropriately reflect the direct benefit which they gain from trainees on placement with them, whether the trainees have disabilities or not, though the level of appropriate contribution will of course vary according to circumstances.

  ROF Bishopton
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Ministry of Defence action in relation to Graeme Stewart and Allan Mulligan in Renfrewshire on Friday 1 June.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  On 1 June at the royal ordnance factory, Bishopton, Graeme Stewart and John Allan Milligan were charged by officers of Strathclyde police with contravening section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911. A report was subsequently submitted to the procurator fiscal at Paisley. The matter was referred to crown office and crown counsel have instructed that there be no proceedings.

  Training (Orkney and Shetland)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the expenditure in each of the last two financial years on(a) YTS and (b) employment training in (i) Orkney and (ii) Shetland.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 8 June 1990]: The information requested is as follows:

  Financial year

  Youth training

  Employment training

  £

  £

  Orkney

  1988–89

  336,185

  60,252

  1989–90

  411,223

  59,974

  Shetland

  1988–89

  312,703

  48,403

  1989–90

  331,355

  110,590

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the proposed Training Agency expenditure in 1990–91 in(a) youth training and (b) employment training in (i) Orkney and (ii) Shetland.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 8 June 1990]: The information requested is as follows:

  Youth training

  Employment training

  £

  £

  Orkney

  347,277

  143,969

  Shetland

  255,890

  137,939

  Leukaemia
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies have been made of the incidence of leukaemia among children of people working at nuclear power stations in Scotland.
  51
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: A case control study of all instances of childhood leukaemia diagnosed in Caithness between 1968 and 1986 is in the process of being completed. The findings of this study are expected to become available later this year.

  The committee on medical aspects of radiation in the environment (COMARE) is currently planning coordinated retrospective studies of all cases of childhood leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the vicinity of all nuclear sites in Scotland.

  Bankruptcy
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will show for each year since inception of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 the number of cases where bankruptcy arose principally through(a) personal debt, (b) business debt, (c) cautionary obligation and (d) other.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not separately recorded.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much, in cash and as a percentage of domestic rates, was met from housing benefit or income support in 1989–90.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Estimated 1989–90 expenditure for housing benefit rate rebates in England and Wales is £1·2 billion, which represents 11 per cent. of domestic rate income. The maximum housing benefit rate rebate payable was 80 per cent. of a claimant's domestic rates liability. Help towards the remaining 20 per cent. contribution for claimants in receipt of income support was included in the income support rates. Detailed expenditure information about this specific aspect of income support is not available. Domestic rates in Scotland were replaced by the community charge from 1 April 1989.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the financial implications of the transfer of local authority residential care homes to housing associations, voluntary and private organisations necessitating increased income support payments to some of the residents concerned.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information about expected numbers of income support claimants and expenditure for future years including the cost of such transfers is published in the Public Expenditure White Paper (Cm 1014). It has never been the practice to publish separate forecasts about expenditure specifically on people in residential care and nursing homes.

  Porthmadog Local Office
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what payments were made by his Department to beneficiaries in the Porthmadog Department of Social Security office area, during 1989–90 or the most recent available year, to help maintain people in(a) private nursing homes and (b) private residential homes.
  52
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret that information in the form requested is not available.

  Telephone Relay Service
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, pursuant to his reply of 18 April,Official Report, columns 890–91, relating to the Californian relay system, he envisages a similar national unlimited access telephone relay service for deaf people in Great Britain.

  Mr. Scott
  I am delighted that British Telecom announced on 7 June that it is to provide £4 million over three years to launch the funding of a nationwide telephone relay system in Great Britain. The money will be given to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) to meet the costs of building, equipping and running a telephone exchange which will eventually operate on a nationwide basis and provide a 24-hour service.

  The new exchange will replace the experimental scheme which the RNID have been operating in London for some time. Although necessarily limited in scope, the RNID service has demonstrated the benefits of enabling a deaf person to use the telephone to call friends, to contact local services and to make business arrangements. The Government and OFTEL as well as the RNID have been keen to see the service expanded so that deaf people wherever they live and at any time of the day, can have the freedom of the telephone system.

  The national exchange will be sited outside London, but customers will be charged only on the basis of the final destination of the call.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases since April 1988 social fund loans have been refused for reasons which included an assumption that the applicant lacked the resources which would allow repayment to be secured.

  Mr. Scott
  Since April 1988, 39,000 applications, representing 1·3 per cent. of loan decisions, have been refused because of an applicant's inability to repay.

  Benefits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current level of social security benefits received by(a) a single householder aged under 25 years, (b) a single householder with disabilities aged under 25 years, (c) a pensioner couple, (d) a pensioner couple with disabilities and (e) an unemployed man with a dependent wife and two children; and in each case what they would have received at the present time if the pre-April 1988 system of benefits were still operating.

  Mr. Gillian Shephard
  The question is not sufficiently specific concerning the circumstances of each beneficiary to enable an assessment to be made of what benefit they might have been entitled to under the old scheme, or would be entitled to under the present scheme.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people he estimates are currently eligible for family credit and/or income support(a) in Wales, (b) in each county in Wales and (c) in each district council area in Wales; and what is the percentage take-up in each case.
  53
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  This information is not available.

  Information about the total number of families eligible for family credit or income support can be obtained only for Great Britain, and only retrospectively, from family expenditure survey data.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether claimants for housing benefit can be disqualified from receipt of that benefit if their name does not appear on the community charge register for the appropriate local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Entitlement to housing benefit is not conditional on registration for the community charge. However, one of the conditions of entitlement to housing benefit is that the claimant must normally occupy the dwelling in respect of which benefit is claimed as home. It is for local authorities themselves to decide what evidence is reasonably required to determine whether this condition is met.

  Debt Recovery
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he intends to privatise any part of his Department's debt recovery function;

  (2) what work has been done within his Department concerning the possibility of privatising parts of his Department's debt recovery function.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have no such plans. Following a recent efficiency scrutiny on the recovery of money owed to the Department, officials undertaking preparatory work for the ensuing action plan gave some consideration to this possibility. Ministers however have no intention of using private debt collectors to collect money from social security beneficiaries.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the yearly cost of providing(a) spouse additions and (b) survivors benefits to the dependants of national insurance contributors when the benefit paid is dependent on (a) male contribution records and (b) female contribution records.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 24 May 1990]: The estimated cost in 1988–89 on male contribution records of providing (a) spouse additions is £800 million; and (b) survivors benefits is £5·1 billion. On female contribution records the respective figures are £4 million and £5 million.

  Note: The figures for survivors benefits do not include graduated pension inherited from a late spouse or basic retirement pension paid to certain widows. These could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Source: Government Actuary's Department.

EMPLOYMENT

  Beaches
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to counter the effects of the recent publicity about dirty beaches on the tourist trade from home and abroad.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Department of the Environment Ministers have only recently emphasised the fact that over three quarters of designated bathing waters in England and Wales now meet EC standards; and have highlighted the very substantial programme of remedial works which is currently in hand to bring the remaining bathing waters up to standard.

  Job Interview Guarantee Scheme
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures on the job interview guarantee scheme giving the number of participants and employers involved for each of the pilot areas; and whether he has any plans to make participation compulsory for the long-term unemployed.

  Mr. Eggar
  The employment service, which is responsible for the job interview guarantee, became an executive agency on 2 April 1990.Mr. Mike Fogclen, the employment service agency's chief executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Lady on the first part of her question.

  There are no plans to make the job interview guarantee compulsory for the long-term unemployed.

  Mentally Ill People
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make more funds available to the Training Agency for people with mental health problems.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The overall budgets for training incorporate funds for trainees with special training needs, including people with mental health problems.

  Tourism, South Devon
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the consequences for tourism in south Devon of the holing of the supertanker Rosebay and subsequent oil pollution; and if he will make a statement as to the current condition of the tourist beaches.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Due to prompt action by local authorities, the Department of Transport and the local tourism industry, the tourist areas affected by oil pollution were completely cleared within a week. I understand, however, that there has been a slight decline in new holiday bookings in the area. Some of this decline may be attributable to inaccurate media comment about the extent of pollution. Nevertheless, I am confident that the area's excellent reputation for clean beaches will soon be restored.

  Women with Children
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest estimated figures for the number of women with children aged under five years who do no paid work in Britain.
  55
  Mr. Nicholls
  Preliminary estimates from the labour force survey for spring 1989 show that there were in Great Britain 1,792,000 women of working age, 16 to 59 years old, whose youngest dependent child was aged under five and who did no paid work in the survey week.

  Tourism Projects
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 14 May,Official Report, column 333, if he will list those United Kingdom projects relating to tourism which have been accepted for co-funding by the European Commission.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The 39 projects accepted for co-funding are:

  Calderdale Educational Youth Tourism Campaign. Bournemouth Music Festival.

  Yorkshire and Humberside Tourist Board Youth Travel Consortium.

  Fermanagh District Council Road Show and Patnerschaftfest.

  Youth Hostels Association Gateway Project.

  ICOMOS UK European Conference.

  Priory High School Tourism Video.

  Best Western Hotels Staff Exchange.

  Cornwall County Council Green Tourism.

  "KM 150" International Cycling Festival, Dumfries and Galloway Tourist Board.

  Mystery on the English Riviera, Torbay Tourist Board. Carlisle and Hadrian's Wall, Carlisle TDAP.

  Fiddlers Green Folk Festival, Newry and Mourne District Council.

  International Scout and Guide Group, Northumberland. European Soccer Tournament, East Anglia Tourist Board. Ironbridge Gorge Museum and The Wrekin District Council.

  Adventure Centre for Disabled People. The Calvert Trust.

  Childrens Drawing Competition, High Wycombe Town Twinning Association.

  Euro Job Swap Staff Exchange, South East England Tourist Board.

  Southport Flower Show.

  Salcombe Tourist Information Centre.

  Warmest Welcome Awards, South East England Tourist Board.

  Festival '90, Thanet Male Voice Choir.

  Work and Culture Exchange, Youth Training Services YMCA.

  Wine Tasting Competition, Bristol Wine Fair and Festival.

  International Festival of Music and Dance, Inverness.

  European Tourism Week, Brighton District Council.

  St. Bernard Cistercian Trail, Catholic Heritage Tours.

  Welcoming West London, Boroughs Promotion.

  Paisley International Organ Festival, Renfrew.

  Bolton European Awareness Campaign.

  The Grand Tour, Great Britain Cities Marketing Group.

  St. Albans Festival, St. Albans District Council.

  The Jacqueline du Pre International Cello Competition
  Launch Concert, Torquay.

  Durham County Council Town Twinning Project.

  Quarry Bank Mill.

  The Boat Museum Exchange Project.

  Lancashire County Council, European Green Exchange.

  Manchester Olympic Festival.

  Labour and Social Affairs Council
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was discussed, and what decisions were reached, at the most recent meeting of the European Community's Labour and Social Affairs Council.

  Mr. Howard
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Stevens) on 6 June 1990,Official Report, column 668.

  Home Workers
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of home workers covered by wages councils whose pay was checked by a visit in 1989, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 1 February,Official Report, column 255.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give estimates of the number of home workers covered by wages councils and the statistics on compliance with wages council rates in 1989 for home workers in a similar format to the answer of 11 May 1989, to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist),Official Report, columns 515–16.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The available information on home workers in wages council trades is given in the table. No count is made of the numbers of home workers covered by the councils, but estimates suggest that the total lies between 20,000 and 30,000.

  Results of wages inspectorate checks of homeworkers pay by trade—1989

  Wages council

  Homeworkers whose pay was checked

  Homeworkers found under-paid

  Percentage of homeworkers checked found underpaid

  Clothing manufacture

  328

  8

  2·4

  Button manufacture

  15

  —

  —

  Hat, cap and millinery

  15

  —

  —

  Linen and cotton handkerchief

  30

  —

  —

  Made-up textiles

  —

  —

  —

  Ostrich and fancy feather

  16

  —

  —>

  Retail bespoke tailoring

  8

  —

  —

  Retail non-food

  —

  —

  —

  Rope, twine and net

  403

  —

  —>

  Toy manufacture

  59

  —

  —

  Total

  874

  8

  0·9

  Results of wages inspectorate checks of homeworkers pay by division—1989

  Division

  Homeworkers whose pay was checked

  Homeworkers found under-paid

  Percentage of homeworkers checked found underpaid

  London

  36

  8

  22·2

  South East

  60

  —

  —

  Eastern

  47

  —

  —

  South West

  443

  —

  —

  Midlands

  80

  —

  —

  North West

  61

  —

  —

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  20

  —

  —>

  Northern

  24

  —

  —

  Scotland

  103

  —

  —

  Total

  874

  8

  0·9

  Action for Jobs
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much of the total expenditure on the action for jobs campaign in 1986–87 was spent on(a) press advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) outdoor advertising, (d) exhibition material, (e) research and (f) presentations.

  Mr. Eggar
  In 1986–87 £750,000 was spent on press advertising on the action for jobs campaign; £500,000 was spent of radio advertising; £400,000 was spent on outdoor advertising; £600,000 was spent on exhibition material; £50,000 was spent on research; and £950,000 was spent on presentation.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much of the total expenditure on the action for jobs campaign in 1988–89 was spent on(a) press advertising and (b) radio advertising.

  Mr. Eggar
  In 1988–89, £77,000 was spent on press advertising for the action for jobs campaign and £35,000 on radio advertising.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the questionnaire sent to wages council establishments to check compliance with the Wages Act 1986.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are two questionnaires sent to wages council establishments to check compliance with the Wages Act 1986—one for catering establishments and the other for non-catering establishments. I have arranged for both to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the reasons for not pursuing arrears of wages councils' payments in all cases except those which are not pursued at the worker's request; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Specific information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In the small minority of cases where the wages inspectorate decides not to pursue arrears the decision is taken only after careful consideration of all the circumstances, including the likelihood of success bearing in mind such factors as the employers' ability to pay and the adequacy of evidence.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average fine imposed on employers found to be committing wages council offences in 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The average fine imposed per employer was £305·50.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the numbers of workers covered by wages councils in each wages inspectorate division for 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he will take to reduce the 58
  underpayment of wages and other offences committed under wages council legislation which are attributed to ignorance or inadvertence.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Measures designed to inform employers about statutory obligations on minimum pay include the provision of information in employer and business guides, talks and advice given by the wages inspectorate to individuals and groups, and the maintenance of a register of employers in scope of wages councils and to whom wages orders are sent. Given the very high level of compliance with wages orders these measures are considered adequate.

  Wages Inspectorate
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide information on all employees of the wages inspectorate division of the Department of Employment broken down by grade, sex and race.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Following is the information:

  Grade

  Male

  Female

  Ethnic minority origin

  7

  1

  —

  —

  Senior executive officer

  7

  1

  —

  Higher executive officer

  13

  1

  —

  Executive officer

  37

  25

  —

  Administrative officer

  14

  23

  3

  Administrative assistant

  —

  5

  —

  Typist

  —

  1

  —

  Disabled People (Employment Quotas)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of SI ate for Employment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stretford of 21 February,Official Report, column 825, if he will list the criteria used to grant quota exemption permits under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

  Mr. Eggar
  Instructions to disablement resettlement officers require that they consider: (i) the availability of suitable registered disabled people; and (ii) the degree of commitment shown by employers towards meeting their obligations under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

TRANSPORT

  Road and Rail Investment
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much will be invested in road and rail schemes over the next three years.

  Mr. Parkinson
  We expect that over the next three years some £6·2 billion will be invested in rail and underground schemes. In the same period £5·7 billion will be invested in the national road network and a further £2 billion on local roads.

  Airline Competition
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to create a level playing field of competition on United Kingdom domestic aviation trunk routes out of Heathrow.
  59
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to create a level playing field of competition on United Kingdom domestic aviation trunk routes out of Heathrow.

  Mr. Parkinson
  It is very important that competition on our domestic routes—as on international ones—should be fair and in the interests of users. If there is any suggestion that competition is being distorted by unfair practices, there now exist expedited procedures for dealing with any complaint an airline puts forward, within a matter of weeks.

  Sir Marcus Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to meet the European Commissioner responsible for competition to discuss airline policy.

  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to meet the European Commissioner responsible for competition to discuss airline competition policy.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend saw the Commissioner at the last EC Transport Council meeting in March when they discussed aviation competition issues. My right hon. Friend expects to see the Commissioner again at the next meeting later this month.

  Sir George Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next hopes to meet the chairman of British Airways to discuss airline competition policy.

  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next hopes to meet the chairman of British Airways to discuss airline competition policy.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I meet the Chairman from time to time, and our discussions cover a range of issues.

  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to create a level playing field of competition on United Kingdom domestic aviation trunk routes out of Heathrow.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  It is very important that competition on our domestic routes—as on international ones—should be fair and in the interests of users. If there is any suggestion that competition is being distorted by unfair practices, there now exist procedures for dealing with any complaint an airline puts forward, within a matter of weeks.

  Sir Charles Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Midland Airways to discuss airline competition in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Midland Airways to discuss airline competition policy.

  Sir Giles Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Midland Airways to discuss airline competition policy.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Midland Airways to discuss airline competition policy in Great Britain.
  60
  Mr. McLoughlin
  I meet the chairman from time to time, and our discussions cover a range of issues.

  Freight
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of freight is carried by rail in(a) Great Britain, (b) the United States of America and (c) the European Community countries.

  Mr. Freeman
  In 1987, the latest year for which international comparisons are available, the proportion of freight tonnes lifted by rail in Great Britain was 8 per cent. The average for the European Community was 8 per cent. We do not have a comparable figure for the United States of America.

  Dangerous Dogs
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to ban dangerous dogs from public transport.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. Public transport operators already have powers to refuse dangerous dogs.

  Airshows (Regulations)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review regulations in force at air shows to which the public are admitted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The current regulations concerning safety at air shows at which more than 500 spectators are expected, article 56 of the air navigation order 1989, first came into force on 31 January 1989. The regulations are kept under constant review.

  SOLAS '90 Regulations
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement regarding the progress of negotiations on the retrospective implementation of the SOLAS '90 regulations.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  A proposal to implement the SOLAS '90 regulations to existing ro-ro passenger ships was put to the maritime safety committee at IMO on 21 May. The committee referred the proposal for evaluation to a specialist sub-committee on stability matters. It is our intention to invite European maritime administrations to an early meeting to discuss the application of the SOLAS '90 residual stability standards to all existing ro-ro passenger ships.

  Potholes
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received in respect of the recommendations in the Home report.

  Mr. Atkins
  We have received over 100 representations this year from Hon. Members and others seeking implementation of the Home report, recommendations. We intend to introduce legislation to reform the Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950 at an early opportunity.

  Traffic Flow (Basingstoke)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on measures being taken to improve safety and the flow of traffic on roads in the Basingstoke area.

  Mr. Atkins
  Most roads in the Basingstoke area are the responsibility of Hampshire county council as local highway authority. Trunk roads, for which my Department is responsible, are confined to the A339 and the M3 motorway.

  Preparations for the A339 Basingstoke northern bypass stage 3 dualling scheme, to improve the 2·5 mile length between the Reading road and Roman road junctions, are now well advanced. We hope to start main works next spring for completion by late summer 1992.

  The national programme also includes major schemes on the A339 for providing a grade separated junction at the present Black Dam roundabout at Basingstoke, and for improving the length of about 7 miles between Basingstoke and the planned Headley bypass. For both these schemes, the roads report "Trunk Roads, England: Into the 1990s" gives a target date of 1993 for the next key preparation stage, announcement of preferred route.

  We have no current plans for improving the M3 in the Basingstoke area.

  London Transport
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chair of London Transport to discuss improvements in London transport.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend and I regularly discuss such matters with the chairman of London Regional Transport.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the secretary of State for Transport how much London Regional Transport has proposed to him to be invested to modernise the network.

  Mr. Freeman
  In last year's Autumn Statement, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a 115 per cent. increase in Government grant to London Regional Transport for the three years to 1992–93, which is sufficient to allow them to invest £2·2 billion. I am of course unable to anticipate the contents of this year's Autumn Statement.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration is being given to the effects of the channel tunnel on future rail and road investment.

  Mr. Freeman
  The effect of the channel tunnel on road investment is fully taken into account in the national roads programme. Planning and operation of rail services are matters for British Rail.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what security checks will passengers and baggage using the channel tunnel go through and at what point in the journey.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government take very seriously the need to protect the Tunnel and those who will use it. A security check regime will be required. It would not be appropriate for me to disclose the details of the proposed security arrangements.
  62
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussion he has had with British Rail on the route of the channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will make a statement on the current position in relation to plans for a high-speed rail link through Kent.

  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the chairman of British Rail; and whether they discussed the channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since November last year British Rail has been discussing the proposed channel tunnel high speed rail link with Eurorail Ltd. with a view to forming a joint venture. The parties have kept the Department in touch with progress and we are now considering their proposals.

  Bus Deregulation
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on bus deregulation in West Yorkshire.

  Mr. Freeman
  Following deregulation, bus mileage in West Yorkshire increased by 7 per cent., with improvements in frequencies, the introduction of minibuses, more operators and a reduction in tender prices.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the effects of bus deregulation on reliability and quality of service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The competition introduced by deregulation encourages operators to provide more reliable and better quality services. As a safeguard, traffic commissioners have powers to place restrictions on an operator's licence for various reasons including failure to operate services as registered and inadequate maintenance arrangements. These powers were exercised for these and other reasons on 150 occasions up to March 1989.

  East Coast Electrification
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated rate of return on British Rail's investment in electrifying the east coast route to Edinburgh.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated rate of return on British Rail's investment in electrifying the east coast route to Edinburgh.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated rate of return on British Rail's investment in electrifying the east coast route to Edinburgh.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated rate of return on British Rail's investment in electrifying the east coast route to Edinburgh.

  Mr. Freeman
  The electrification of the east coast main line for InterCity services was approved by Ministers on 27
  63
  July 1984, on the basis that the scheme met the then normal criteria of a 7 per cent. financial return for investment in BR's commercial sectors.

  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met British Rail to discuss its proposals for the completion of electrification of the east coast main line between Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail at present has no proposals for the electrification of the line between Edinburgh and Aberdeen. I understand that ScotRail has appointed a project manager to review the possibilities for extending electrification in Scotland.

  Airport Security
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission an inquiry into British airport security, in the light of the United States report on PanAm Flight 103.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I do not consider any further inquiry to be necessary. The disaster is the subject of a major police investigation, which covers the aviation security aspects at Heathrow. The air accident investigation branch is investigating the immediate cause of the crash. The Lord Advocate has announced that it is his view that a fatal accident inquiry should be held. The Department has carried out a thorough review of its aviation security requirements and a number of far-reaching improvements have been introduced or are in train. And the Transport Select Committee has examined airport security in the light of the disaster. It has published its report and the Government's response.

  Diesel Emissions
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals his Department has to tighten the limits on diesel emissions.

  Mr. Atkins
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 21 May 1990 at column 5.

  "How to Meet the Demand"
  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the issues raised in the document "How to Meet the Demand" at Heathrow, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend is reflecting on the proposals made by British Midland Airways, which raise environmental issues requiring careful consideration.

  Network SouthEast
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of Network SouthEast's investment is for schemes situated inside Greater London.

  Mr. Freeman
  Network SouthEast's investment cannot readily be disaggregated geographically. Network SouthEast operates a network of routes which radiate from London to various parts of the South East and the majority of their investment is by line of route. Because Network SouthEast's primary function is to move 64
  commuters into and out of central London each day, virtually all line of route investment, eg resignalling and new rolling stock, will benefit Greater London either directly (insofar as part of the route is inside Greater London) or indirectly (by providing a more reliable and efficient service generally to London). Some expenditure, for example on station modernisation and smaller infrastructure works, is specific to a particular location outside Greater London, but this forms only a small part of Network SouthEast's £.1·2 billion three-year investment programme. However, over the next five years, investment of some £700 million in new Networker trains and associated infrastructure work is planned for south east inner suburban services the benefits of this will fall almost wholly within Greater London.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of Network SouthEast's investment is funded from the public purse.

  Mr. Freeman
  Over the next three years, Network SouthEast plans to invest some £1·2 billion, out of a total BR investment programme of over £3·7 billion. BR's overall investment programme will be funded from both internal and external sources. Internal sources (including receipts from the sale of assets owned by the taxpayer through BR and funding through the revenue account and also linking capital improvements) will account for some 45 per cent. of the total programme of £3·7 billion. External sources of funding are classified as public expenditure and comprise revenue subsidy paid by the Government and borrowing, principally from the National Loans Fund. These external funding sources will account for the remaining 57 per cent. of the programme. British Rail's sectors, such as Network SouthEast, do not have audited accounts and the public expenditure figures are not broken down between them.

  Eastbourne
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make an official visit to Eastbourne by train.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend or I will be happy to do so when a suitable opportunity arises.

  Traffic Growth (London)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what forecast he is now using for projecting traffic growth in London.

  Mr. Atkins
  We do not forecast traffic growth in London as a whole. Specific forecasts are made for individual trunk road schemes. These tend to be lower than the 1989 national road traffic forecast, which covers the whole of Great Britain.

  Travelling Safety
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he proposes to improve public awareness of safety while travelling.

  Mr. Atkins
  We launched the "Safety on the Move" campaign on 1 May with the express purpose of improving public awareness of safety while travelling on all forms of transport. I want to concentrate the attention of every
  65
  individual on what he or she can do for their own safety and the safety of others. The campaign has the support of a wide range of transport organisations and operators.

  London Docklands
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made in developing the transport infrastructure in London docklands.

  Mr. Freeman
  The docklands light railway is to be completly resignalled so as to improve reliability and to cope with the greatly increased service levels planned for the 1990s. Additional trains now entering service will double capacity to Tower Gateway from this summer, and a further fleet will be available in time for the inception of single-track running to Bank early next year. The second tunnel to Bank is on course for completion late in 1991, and following the normal commissioning period a full service should commence early in 1992. Construction of the Beckton extension is underway for completion by the end of 1992, and LRT are continuing their evaluation of the case for a possible further extension to Lewisham.

  A Bill is now before this House for the first major Underground line in a quarter of a century, for the Jubilee line to run from Green Park via Westminster, Waterloo and London Bridge to the Surrey Docks, Canary Wharf, the Greenwich Peninsula, Canning Town, West Ham and Stratford. Provided Royal Assent is received by mid-1991, I would expect the new line to be in service by the beginning of 1996.

  Network South East is now reconsidering its proposed renovation of Stratford Station so as to take full account of the Jubilee line extension. The main line platforms are to be refurbished so as to allow calls by most outer surburban and InterCity services, and there will also be new through services from May 1991 to Stansted airport and Cambridge. Network South East is discussing with the London Docklands Development Corporation implementation early next year of a scheme for waterproofing and renovation of the Connaught tunnel so as to improve reliability of the North London line.

  LRT is considering its evaluation of the case for possible extensions of the East London line northwards to Dalston and southwards to Peckham Rye and East Dulwich. Subject to confirmation of a satisfactory investment case and appropriate funding arrangements, including contributions from developers who will benefit from the scheme, LRT hope to be able to deposit a Bill in November.

  LRT is now out to tender for a new express bus service from Waterloo and London Bridge to the Isle of Dogs and Leamouth for which LDDC and a consortium of Docklands employers are contributing towards the first year's operational costs. London Buses and Docklands Minibus are continuing to tailor their services to improve reliability and links from Docklands, especially to the City.

  Riverbus continues to operate a frequent, fast service on the Thames between central London and the Docklands and Greenwich with separate services to Chelsea harbour and London City airport. Season tickets and a tourist rover ticket have recently been introduced.

  All of the LDDC's Docklands Highways in the Royal Docks are now in at least partial use, bringing high quality road access from the M25 to within sight of London City airport. The first direct road link between the Isle of Dogs and the Royal Docks—the Lower Lea crossing is under
  66
  construction for completion in the spring of 1992, bringing London City airport within a 15 minute drive from Canary Wharf as the Canary Wharf eastern access road will be completed this autumn. LDDC hope to let the main contracts by late summer for the East India dock link and the Poplar link, and construction of the Limehouse link is on course for completion to Westferry Circus in the summer of 1993.

  Consultations continue on the inclusion of the A 13 west of Butcher Row in the pilot red route. The first of my Department's improvements to the key junctions on the A13 trunk road should start on site at Leamouth road next month, and diversion of services is already in hand for an interim scheme due to start this autumn at the junction with West India dock road concurrent with its widening by LDDC as part of the Poplar link scheme. We hope to go to public consultation before the end of this year on improvement of the A13/A112 junction and to publish draft orders early next year for a new dual two-way flyover at the A13/A117 junction. Schemes to widen the A13 Ironbridge and make final improvements to the A13 junctions with the Blackwall tunnel/Cotton street, West India dock road and Butcher Row are programmed for completion by the mid-1990s. We have published draft orders for widening of the A 13 from Dagenham to the M25. The City of London's Bill for construction of the A12 Hackney to M11 link through Epping Forest is now in another place, and subject also to confirmation of a compulsory purchase order I would expect to see construction begin from the Redbridge end in the Spring of 1991. A new traffic control system for east London should be completed late next year.

  A two-year scheme has now started for renovation of the old Blackwall tunnel. We are conducting a study of the riverbed regime so as to help decide whether the proposed third tunnel at Blackwall should be a bore or a submerged tube. Consultations will be carried out later this year on terms of reference for the proposed study into the need for possible additional cross river capacity between Blackwall and Tower Bridge.

  Public inquiries begin on 3 July into the proposed changes to the east London river crossing and the planning applications to allow use of London City airport by more types of aircraft.

  My Department and LDDC are now collaborating on the publication in September of a joint update to their respective publications on Docklands transport.

  British Rail
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has had any recent discussions with the chairman of British Rail concerning environmental matters.

  Mr. Freeman
  No.

  Central London Rail Study
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision on the central London rail study.

  Mr. Freeman
  The further work required before a decision can be made is being given a high priority. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

  Local Authority Airports
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received any recent representations on the way local authority plc airports are run.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend has received no formal representations on this subject recently.

  Railway Gauges
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to upgrade mainline rail routes throughout Great Britain to continental gauge standard in order to obtain the maximum benefit from the opening of the channel tunnel and the completion of the single European market; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is for British Rail rather than the Government to plan rail infrastructure and rail services for the United Kingdom. All freight trains in use by British Rail at present are compatible with the continental (Berne) gauge. The cost of converting United Kingdom lines to the continental (Berne) gauge would be considerable. Passenger trains for services through the channel tunnel will be specially designed to suit different platform heights in different countries. For freight it would involve setting back station platforms so that these wider trains could pass through, and the replacement of all passenger rolling stock using the stations affected. British Rail plan to use new wagon technology—such as small wheel bogie wagons —that will enable larger loads, equivalent to those generally carried in mainland Europe, to be carried on the existing United Kingdom loading gauge, and will be more commercially viable than expensive infrastructure modifications.

  Heathrow-Central London Rail Service
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold discussions with British Rail management on the finalisation of a target opening date for the Heathrow-central London British Rail service.

  Mr. Freeman
  Neither British Rail nor the British Airports Authority, who are joint sponsors of this project, can finalise the opening date until the Heathrow Express Railway Bill completes its remaining parliamentary stages.

  Shipping
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for Government support to British shipping.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The most valuable assistance that we can give the British shipping industry is generally to encourage a free market in shipping and, where necessary, to persuade our competitor nations to reduce their restrictions on free and open competitive shipping markets. We have, however, taken some specific measures to give financial assistance to our shipping industry for training and crew relief costs. My right hon. Friend has also announced a joint working party to establish the present circumstances in which the British shipping industry operates.

  Rail Links (South Yorkshire)
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the improvement of rail links in South Yorkshire.

  Mr. Freeman
  None.

  Flags of Convenience
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to review the practice of registering ships under flags of convenience.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Under the Merchant Shipping Acts qualified owners are entitled but not obliged to place their ships on the British flag. The identification of the main obstacles to the use of the British flag is included in the terms of reference of the joint working party announced by my right hon. Friend in his answer of 24 May to my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed) at column 288.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trunk road schemes are currently under construction; and at what total cost.

  Mr. Atkins
  There are 59 trunk road schemes currently under construction in England, with a total works cost, at current prices, of £1·4 billion.

  Commuter Services (London)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has received from London Underground Ltd. and British Rail to increase commuter services in the Greater London area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend has set London Underground Limited the objectives of increasing peak capacity by 5 per cent. over the next two years. Network SouthEast plan to operate 2 per cent. more train miles overall in the coming year than they did in 1989. The operators require our approval for proposals to increase the capacity of their services only if these involve major new capital expenditure.

  LRT Project (Greater Manchester)
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has estimated the effects upon commerce and trade in the Greater Manchester area of the light rapid transit project linking Bury and Altrincham; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  An assessment by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive of the possible effects of the project on economic activity in the Greater Manchester area indicates that the improvement in accessability may provide some stimulation to commerce and trade in the Greater Manchester area. The precise effects are however difficult to forecast. In consultation with the Department, the Executive has made arrangements to monitor the actual effects of the project.

  M4 (Widening)
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress on schemes for widening the M4.

  Mr. Atkins
  We are planning four separate improvements to widen the 58 miles of M4 between M25 and Swindon, and the 10 mile stretch east of M5. For all these schemes the next key preparation stage is the announcement of a preferred scheme; that for the two sections between M25 and Theale (Junction 12) is expected next summer, between Theale and Swindon (Junction 15) in 1993, and for the Avon section (Junction 18 to 20) in 1992.

  Air Traffic Control
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in the proposals to integrate Europe's air traffic control offices.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend has recently agreed with 22 other European Transport Ministers an action programme to increase capacity in Europe buy integrating air traffic control systems and optimising the air traffic route network. The integration programme commits European states to intensify work on measures to handle safely the forecast growth in traffic to the end of the century. The integration programme, which follows much hard work between ourselves and our European partners, is a major step forward. It builds on the substantial investment in air traffic control systems in Europe, not least by UK's Civil Aviation Authority.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been invested by the Civil Aviation Authority to improve air traffic control.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Civil Aviation Authority has invested more than £140 million over the five years to 31 March 1989 to improve air traffic control facilities.

  Urban Roads
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures his Department is taking to make urban roads more environmentally acceptable.

  Mr. Atkins
  Local authorities are responsible for the vast majority of urban roads. My Department publishes advice on a wide range of urban traffic issues, including a variety of traffic calming measures which can be introduced in suitable circumstances and make the environment safer and more pleasant.

  On trunk roads, 37 bypasses completed in the last 3 years have removed through traffic from towns and villages. 150 bypasses and relief roads are in preparation. Already this year we have announced that we shall make more use of our discretionary powers to provide noise insulation, that we will appoint consultants to produce guidance on environmental treatment of urban roads, and that we will improve the environment of existing roads.

  Air Transport Agreements (USA)
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made concerning bilateral air transport agreements between Britain and the United States of America.
  70
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what benefits for British carriers he is seeking in his discussions with the United States' authorities regarding the air services agreement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Negotiations are continuing.

  London Regional Transport
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contributions he expects London Regional Transport to receive in the year 1990–91 from London borough councils, in lieu of the rate-related contributions of previous years.

  Mr. Freeman
  The London Regional Transport ratepayer levy was abolished with effect from 1 April this year. The grant paid to LRT now comes entirely from central Government.

  Road Priorities (Northampton)
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on road priorities in the vicinity of Northampton.

  Mr. Atkins
  The trunk roads programme contains three schemes in the vicinity of Northampton. Construction of the A43 Blisworth and Milton Malsor bypass started in April this year and is expected to take two years to complete. A Public Consultation exercise into the A43 Moulton bypass and A43 Moulton to Broughton dualling schemes has recently been carried out. Subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures work could start in mid 1995 with completion in 1997. There are other trunk road proposals within Northamptonshire as a whole which are listed in the current Roads Report "Trunk Roads, England" which was published in February this year.

  Priority Routes (London)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made on the priority routes pilot project for London; and when it is now expected to be implemented.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department has commissioned Ove Arup and Partners to plan the introduction of the pilot scheme. We have started a comprehensive consultation exercise with the local authorities and interest groups concerned. The scheme is expected to be implemented later this year.

  Level Crossings
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to review safety procedures pertaining to automatic unguarded rail level crossings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Professor P. F. Stott was appointed in 1987 to review the safety of automatic open level crossings, following the accident at Lockington. His report made a number of recommendations, which are being implemented.

  Learner Drivers
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the measures he proposes to tighten up on the rules for the supervision of learner drivers.

  Mr. Atkins
  The consultation on the draft regulations ended on 18 May. I am now considering the responses, with a view to bringing forward regulations very soon.

  London-Newcastle Air Service
  Mr Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase competition on the London-Newcastle air service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The pattern of services on individual routes is a matter for the commercial judgment of airlines who may apply to the Civil Aviation Authority at any time for a licence in accordance with published procedures.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has as to the amount of revenue lost in 1989–90 as a result of evasion of vehicle excise duty.

  Mr. Atkins
  The amount of revenue lost through vehicle excise duty evasion in Great Britain during the financial year 1989–90, is estimated at £103 million.

  Drink-driving
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will exclude from consideration in further road safety measures any proposal to link the level of alcohol in the blood at which it is deemed dangerous to drive and the age or experience of the driver.

  Mr. Atkins
  It would be wrong to exclude anything from consideration or public debate that might help reduce deaths and injuries among young and inexperienced drivers.

  Child Fare Permits, London
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he was consulted concerning the decision of London Regional Transport to discontinue the child fare permit scheme with local authorities; and what are the savings to boroughs and London Regional Transport.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that the scheme has been withdrawn because boroughs no longer make any significant use of it, preferring to subsidise travel for scholars aged 16 or over by reimbursing parents directly. Across the whole of London, London Regional Transport received requests to issue only 341 permits this year. There is no question of their having to consult Ministers about minor changes of this sort. I understand that the change will result in a small saving in administrative costs.

  Wheelchair-adapted Vehicles
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department is planning research into the design of the fittings used to adapt vehicles to carry wheelchair passengers; and if he will make a statement.
  72
  Mr. Atkins
  My Department has a continuing programme of research, in close co-operation with industry, looking at the design and operational effectiveness of wheelchair restraints and occupant harnesses and the means by which they are fitted to vehicles.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving vehicles specially adapted to carry wheelchair passengers have occurred for each of the past 10 years, by region; and how many wheelchair passengers were (i) injured and (ii) killed in these accidens.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is not available, as it is not recorded on STATS 19 accident report form.

  Railway Subsidies
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 14 May,Official Report, column 328, whether any subsidies paid to the railways in other European Economic Community countries have fallen foul of Community legislation relating to Community directives and regulations concerning competition policy.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for the Commission and individual EC member states.

  Rail Services (Customs Arrangements)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the £98·5 million recently authorised for the international passenger terminal at Waterloo is accounted for by the decision of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise service to construct green and red channels for the use of passengers prior to the boarding of trains.

  Mr. Freeman
  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise checks at the Waterloo international terminals will be comparable to those at airports and seaports. The only facility being provided for departing passengers is a VAT office at an estimated cost of £70,000. The cost of constructing green and red channels and the necessary ancillary accommodation to handle arriving passengers is estimated at £3·44 million.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on decisions taken by the French, West German, Belgian and Luxembourg authorities in regard to their own rail services and customs requirements.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have no information on these countries' current domestic arrangements. I understand that these countries are proposing to sign a treaty which abolishes internal border checks but which strengthens external checks and internal measures.

  Oil Spillages
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proposals he has for increasing the number of vessels capable of mechanically recovering oil;

  (2) how many vessels capable of the mechanical recovery of oil are available for hire in the United Kingdom; and where they are normally located.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The speed of ships—10 to 12 knots—makes them slow to deploy to the scene of an oil
  73
  pollution incident which could occur anywhere around the 3,000 miles or so of United Kingdom coastline. And mechanical oil recovery systems are unable to operate in the weather conditions that exist around United Kingdom coasts for much of the year. Because of those limitations the Marine Pollution Control Unit's contingency arrangements are for government owned and commercial sets of portable equipment held in shore stockpiles to be fitted into suitable vessels as and when the occasion demands. There are many such vessels which can be used for this purpose and the nearest suitable ship would be chartered together with a coastal tanker to receive recovered oil.

  There is one commercially owned purpose-built sea-going oil recovery vessel for hire in the United Kingdom; this is normally based in the Forth. I have no plans for increasing the number of such vessels. The Department's first-line response strategy is aerial dispersant spraying. MPCU has under contract seven dedicated Dakota DC3 spraying aircraft and two Cessna remote-sensing aircraft to direct and control operations.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals to recommend the strengthening of oil tanker hulls.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The standards governing the strength of tanker hulls are reviewed periodically. The International Maritime Organisation is however investigating ways to reduce the quantity of oil released from a tanker in the aftermath of a collision or grounding and this may lead to changes in tanker design.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to ensure that there would be no delay in compensation payments following an oil spill from a vessel not registered in a state signatory to the civil liability convention for oil pollution damage.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In such circumstances compensation would come from the international oil pollution compensation fund based in London. It is the fund's policy to pay claims with the minimum of delay; in certain circumstances provisional payments may be made before final settlement of a claim if that is necessary in order to mitigate undue financial hardship to a claimant.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what incentives exist for oil-carrying vessels to register in a state which is a signatory to the international convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The 1969 international convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage allows a shipowner to limit his liability in respect of claims in member states following an oil spill. The shipowner has to have compulsory insurance cover to meet his maximum liability which is calculated on his ship's tonnage and this insurance can be obtained at reasonable cost. These advantages to the shipowner have to be balanced against advantages to claimants. Claimants do not have to prove fault, the shipowner is strictly liable. Further the requirement for compulsory insurance guarantees that funds will be available to meet claims. In the event that the total claims exceed the shipowner's limit of liability a 1971 convention provides that any excess can be claimed from an international fund financed by a levy on oil importers. The majority of European states are members of both the 74
  1969 and 1971 conventions. Improvements to both conventions were agreed in 1984 and we are actively encouraging their international entry into force.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals to regulate the strength of oil tanker hulls and their impact resistance strengths through the fitting of removable bumpers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Merchant Shipping (Cargo Ship Construction and Survey) Regulations require the structural strength of an oil tanker registered in the United Kingdom to be adequate for its intended services. Removable bumpers on tankers have severe practical limitations. In general, bumpers are suitable only for low-energy contact of the sort encountered in harbours and terminals.

  M40 Extension
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if ducting will be laid alongside the M40 extension through Oxfordshire to allow the installation of comprehensive lighting at a later date.

  Mr. Atkins
  No. When the design of the motorway was underway the Department did not consider the expenditure ncessary to make provision for lighting at a future date was justified.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has received from the Thames Valley police authority on the lighting proposed for the M40 extension through Oxfordshire.

  Mr. Atkins
  We have no record of this issue being raised by the Thames Valley police.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Transport what evaluation has been made of the need for(a) lighting and (b) fog hazard warning lights on the M40 through Oxfordshire.

  Mr. Atkins
  The need for lighting was assessed in accordance with my Department's policy and was not justified except at the more major grade separated interchanges. As with all unlit motorways, my Department will review regularly the need for lighting. Matrix warning signs are being installed and should be operational to coincide with the motorway opening. No specific fog warning system is proposed at present. We will review the situation following detailed evaluation of the fog warning system currently being installed on the M25.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the arrangements for lighting the M40 extension through Oxfordshire.

  Mr. Atkins
  Lighting will be confined to the major interchanges at the A418 (Waterstock) (J8), Windlebury (J9), Ardley (J10) and Banbury (J11).

  Collision and Avoidance Systems
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many tenders for collision and avoidance systems research have been received by his Department in the past five years;

  (2) how many research projects into collision and avoidance systems are currently funded by his Department.
  75
  Mr. McLoughlin
  During the last five years, the Department has received and accepted tenders for three research projects into collision and avoidance systems. These were marine collision risk—mathematical models; a behavioural study of the collision avoidance task in bridge watchkeeping; and collision avoidance behaviour: a simulator study. The simulator study has recently been completed; its recommendations are being considered and further research may be proposed.

  Bidston-Wrexham Railway
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received any application from British Rail for investment in the Bidston-Wrexham line.

  Mr. Freeman
  No.

  Motor Cyclists
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to introduce compulsory training for motor cyclists; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  As part of our measures to improve the safety of young motor cyclists on the road compulsory basic training for all new riders of motor cycles and mopeds will be introduced on 1 December 1990. This will apply throughout Great Britain, except for residents of the smaller off-shore islands. I am grateful for the hard work of all those concerned from the motor cycle industry, user groups and safety organisations who have made it possible for me to set this firm date.

  The part I motor cycle test will continue for six months after the introduction of compulsory training. This is to allow those learner riders who already have their licences the choice of taking either the part I test, or a compulsory training course, before applying for the accompanied motor cycle L test.

  I have also decided that the proposal to reduce the validity of provisional motor cycle licences from two years to one year will not be proceeded with at this stage. It will be reconsidered in the light of progress with compulsory training.

  I am very grateful to all those organisations and individuals who submitted comments on the Department's consultation paper on compulsory training. I will be issuing the Department's response shortly.

  I also welcome the initiative of the Motorcycle Industry Association to set up a joint action group, with full
  76
  participation from the Motorcycle Retailers Association, training organisations, road safety officers, and the Driving Standards Agency. Its aim will be to see that adequate facilities exist and ensure that the introduction of compulsory training takes place throughout Great Britain as smoothly as possible.

  Speed Limits
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the reasons for the difference in traffic speeds and the level of enforcement of speed limits on the M4 and the M1.

  Mr. Atkins
  Traffic speed depends on the volume of traffic which can vary with time of day and day of week. Such variation is different for different motorways. The responsibility for the enforcement of road traffic laws on all roads, including motorways, is a matter for individual chief officers of police. Chief officers are committed to effective motorway enforcement.

  Traffic Information
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he proposes to give more traffic information to drivers.

  Mr. Atkins
  I attach great importance to drivers and transport managers having available to them more comprehensive and up to date information on traffic and road conditions to help them plan their journeys. I shall shortly be meeting the main organisations which collect and disseminate such information to discuss the way forward.

  Ro-ro Ferries
  Mr. Terry Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what decision was taken at the maritime safety committee of the International Maritime Organisation in May on the proposal that the committee should consider the adoption of a standard of residual stability for existing roll-on roll-off ferries higher than that now required by the convention.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The proposal to implement a higher standard of residual stability to existing roll-on roll-off ferries was referred by the Maritime Safety Committee to a specialist sub-committee on stability matters.

  NORTHERN IRELAND: HOSPITALS SEEKING SELF-GOVERNING STATUS
  NORTHERN IRELAND: HOSPITALS SEEKING SELF-GOVERNING STATUS
  AIDS CONFERENCE, SAN FRANCISCO
  AIDS CONFERENCE, SAN FRANCISCO
  GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE
  GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE
  Correction
  Correction